298 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 16

TEXT 281

SZ IMAM Ve’ cos Pcs |
CARS Slaca, cBolata CAS oH (ECS Nv wd i

tabu vrndavana yaha’ loka sikhdite
seita karibe, tomara yei laya citte

SYNONYMS

tabu —still; vrndavana yaha’—You go to Vrndavana; loka sikhaite —to teach the
people in general; seita—that; karibe—You will do; tomara—of You; yei—what;
laya—takes; citte—in the mind.

TRANSLATION

“Although wherever You stay is Vrndavana, You still go to Vrndavana just to
instruct people. Otherwise, You do whatever You think best.’

PURPORT

It was not essential for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to go to Vrndavana, for
wherever He stayed was immediately converted to Vrndavana. Indeed, there was
also the River Ganges, the River Yamuna and all other places of pilgrimage. This
was also expressed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself when He danced in the
Ratha-yatra. At that time He said that His very mind was Vrndavana (mora-mana—
—vrndavana). Because His mind was Vrndavana, all the pastimes of Radha and
Krsna were taking place within Himself. Nonetheless, just to teach people, He
visited bhauma-vrndavana, Vrndavana-dhama in this material world. In this way
the Lord instructed everyone to visit Vrndavana-dhama, which is a very holy
place. Materialists consider Vrndavana-dhama an unclean city because there are
many monkeys and dogs there, and along the bank of the Yamuna there is refuse.
Some time ago, a materialistic man asked me, ‘Why are you living in Vrndavana?
Why have you selected such a dirty place to live after retiring?” Such a person
cannot understand that Vrndavana-dhama is always a representation of the
original Vrndavana-dhama. Consequently Vrndavana-dhama is as worshipable as
Lord Krsna. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam: according
to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, Lord Sri Krsna and His abode,
Vrndavana, are equally worshipable. Sometimes materialistic people who have no
spiritual understanding go to Vrndavana as tourists. One who goes to Vrndavana
with such materialistic vision cannot derive any spiritual benefit. Such a person is
not convinced that Krsna and Vrndavana are identical. Since they are identical,
Vrndavana is as worshipable as Lord Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s vision
(mora-mana—vrndavana) is different from the vision of an ordinary materialistic
