124 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 5
PURPORT
In this regard, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that the
younger brahmana rendered service to the older one with the purpose of pleasing
Krsna. It was not a matter of ordinary worldly dealings. Krsna is pleased when a
Vaisnava is rendered service. Because the younger bréhmana served the older
one, Lord Gopila agreed to become a witness of the marriage negotiation in order
to maintain the prestige of both devotees. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would cer-
tainly not have liked to hear about marital dealings unless such dealings were ex-
changed between two Vaisnavas. Marriage arrangements and ceremonies belong
to ordinary material karma-kdnda sections of the scriptures. The Vaisnavas,
however, are not interested in any kind of karma-kanda dealings. Stila Narottama
dasa Thakura says: karma-kdnda jfiana-kénda kevala visera bhanda. For a
Vaisnava, the karma-kanda and jfidna-kanda sections of the Vedas are unneces-
sary. Indeed, a real Vaisnava takes these sections as a poison pot (visera bhanda).
Sometimes we take part in a marriage ceremony for our disciples, but this does
not mean that we are interested in karma-kadnda activities. Sometimes, not know-
ing the Vaisnava philosophy, an outsider criticizes such activity, maintaining that a
sannydasi should not take part in a marriage ceremony between a young boy and
girl. However, this is not a karma-kanda activity because our purpose is to spread
the Krsna consciousness movement. We are giving all facility to the general
populace to take to Krsna consciousness, and in order to fix the devotees in con-
centration on the service of the Lord, marriage is sometimes allowed. We have ex-
perienced that such married couples actually render very important service to the
mission. Therefore, one should not misunderstand when a sannydsi takes part in a
marriage ceremony. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nitydnanda Prabhu took great
pleasure in hearing about the marriage ceremony between the young brahmana
and the daughter of the elderly brahmana.
TEXT 25

qwieel F6e,—“ SiH a) Sa HVAT |

CBIRICe SH fra ona, haa fra W” Ret

bada-vipra kahe, —“tumi na kara sarnsaya

tomake kanya diba ami, karila niscaya”

SYNONYMS
bada-vipra—the older brahmana; kahe—replies; tumi—you; nd—not; kara—

do; sarnsaya—doubt; tomake—to you; kanyd—the daughter; diba—shall give;
ami—l; karila—made; niscaya—certainty.
