28 Srimad-Bhagavatam

logic. He explained the sloka in nine different ways chiefly based on logic
because he was the most renowned scholar of logic of the time.

The Lord, after hearing the Bhattacarya, thanked him for the scholarly
presentation of the sloka, and then, at the request of the Bhattacarya, the
Lord explained the sloka in sixty-four different ways without touching the
nine explanations given by the Bhattacarya.

Thus after hearing the explanation of the atmaradma sloka from the
Lord, the Bhattacarya was convinced that such a scholarly presentation is
impossible for an earthly creature.* Before this Sri Gopinatha Acarya tried
to convince him of the divinity of the Lord, but at that time he could not
so accept Him. But the Bhattacarya was astounded by the Lord’s exposi-
tion of the Vedanta-sittra and explanations of the atmardma sloka, and
thus he began to think that he had committed a great offense at the lotus
feet of the Lord by not recognizing Him to be Krsna Himself. He then
surrendered unto Him, repenting for his past dealings with Him, and the
Lord was kind enough to accept the Bhattacarya. Out of His causeless
mercy, the Lord manifested before him first as four-handed Narayana and
then again as two-handed Lord Krsna with a flute in His hand. .

The Bhattacarya at once fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord and
composed many suitable slokas in praise of the Lord by His grace. He
composed almost one hundred slokas in praise of the Lord. The Lord then
embraced him, and out of transcendental ecstasy the Bhattacarya lost
consciousness of the physical state of life. Tears, trembling, throbbing of
the heart, perspiration, emotional waves, dancing, singing, crying and all
the eight symptoms of trance were manifested in the body of the
Bhattacarya. Sri Gopinatha Acarya became very glad and astonished by
this marvellous conversion of his brother-in-law by the grace of the Lord.

Out of the hundred celebrated slokas composed by the Bhattacarya in
praise of the Lord, the following two are most important, and these two
Slokas explain the mission of the Lord in gist. They are as follows.

1. Let me surrender unto the Personality of Godhead who has appeared
now as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the ocean of all mercy and
has come down to teach us material detachment, learning and devotional
service to Himself.

2. Since pure devotional service of the Lord has been lost in the oblivion
of time, the Lord has appeared to renovate the principles, and therefore |
offer my obeisances unto His lotus feet.

*The complete text of the explanation given by the Lord will form a booklet itself,
and therefore we have presented it in a chapter in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
