Text 161] The Later Pastimes of Lord Caitanya 97

niscaya kariyd kahi, Suna, bhakta-gana
ebdra nd yabena prabhu sri-vrndavana

SYNONYMS

niscaya—assurance; kariyia—making; kahi—| say; suna—please hear;
bhakta-gana—my dear devotees; ebdra—this time; nd—not; yabena—will
go; prabhu—Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sri-vrndivana—to Vrndavana.

TRANSLATION

With great assurance he then told the devotees that Lord Caitanya
would not go to Vrndavana at that time.

PURPORT

Srila Nrsirnhananda Brahmacdri was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya
Mahdprabhu; therefore when he heard that from Kuliya Sri Caitanya
Mahdaprabhu was going to Vrndavana, although he had no material wealth he
began to construct within his mind a very attractive path or road for Caitanya
Mahaprabhu to traverse. Some of the description of this path is given above.
But even mentally he could not construct the road beyond Kanai Natasala.
Therefore he concluded that Caitanya Mahaprabhu would not go to
Vrndavana at that time.

For a pure devotee, it is the same whether he materially constructs a path
or constructs one within his mind. This is because the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Janardana, is bhava-grahi, or appreciative of the sentiment. For Him
a path made with actual jewels and a path made of mental jewels are the
same. Though subtle, mind is also matter, so any path—indeed, anything for
the service of the Lord, whether in gross matter or in subtle matter—is ac-
cepted equally by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lordaccepts the
attitude of His devotee and sees how much he is prepared to serve Him. The
devotee is at liberty to serve the Lord either in gross matter or in subtle mat-
ter. The important point is that the service be in relation with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.26):

patra puspam phalam toyarm
yo me bhaktya prayacchati

tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asndmi prayatatmanah

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, | will
accept it.” The real ingredient is bhakti (devotion). Pure devotion is uncon-
