Text 256] The Liberation of Sarvabhauma Bhattadcarya 343

abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of
Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time | descend Myself.”
(Bg. 4.7)

This is also the case with Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu appeared in this world as a disguised incarnation of Krsna, but His
appearance is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Mahabharata and other Vedic
scriptures. He appeared to teach the fallen souls in this material world, for in this
age of Kali almost everyone has become attached to fruitive and ritualistic ac-
tivities and mental speculation. Consequently there was a great need to revive
the system of devotional service. The Lord Himself personally came down dis-
guised as a devotee so that the fallen populace might take advantage of the Lord’s
example.

At the conclusion of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna advised complete surrender
unto Him, promising all protection to His devotee. Unfortunately, people are so
fallen that they cannot accept the instructions of Lord Krsna; therefore Krsna
returned with the same mission, but He executed it in a different way. As Lord Sri
Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He ordered us to surrender unto Him-
self, but as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He taught us howto surrender to Krsna.
Therefore He is praised by the Gosvamis: namo mahda-vadanydya krsma-prema-
pradaye te. Lord Sri Krsna is certainly the Personality of Godhead, but He is not as
magnanimous as $ri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Krsna simply gave orders for one
to become His devotee (man-mand bhava mad-bhaktah), but Sri Caitanya
Mahdaprabhu actually taught the process of Krsna consciousness. If one wants to
become a devotee of Krsna, he must first take shelter of the lotus feet of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, following in the footsteps of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya
and other exalted devotees.

TEXT 256

o@ G8 celts —SSsch ayia |
arcercaa SiS CUTA OSA OIA ew t

ei dui sloka— bhakta-kanthe ratna-hara
sarvabhaumera kirti ghose dhakkd-vadyakara

SYNONYMS

ei dui sloka—these two verses; bhakta-kanthe—on the necks of the devotees;
ratna-hara—pearl necklaces; sarvabhaumera—of Sarvabhauma_ Bhattacarya;
kirti—reputation; ghose—declare; dhakka—of a drum; vadya—of the sound;
akara—in the form.
