The Life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu XXXI
feelings in different quarters. The bhaktas were highly pleased. The smarta,
caste-conscious Brahmins, became jealous of Nimai Pandit’s success, and
complained to Chand Kazi against the character of Chaitanya as un-Hindu.
The Kazi came to Srivas Pandit’s house and broke a mridanga (drum used in
samkirtan) there, and declared that unless Nimai Pandit ceased to make noise
about His queer religion, he should be obliged to enforce Mohamedanism
on Him and His followers.

This was brought to Mahaprabhu’s notice. He ordered the town-people
to appear in the evening, each with a torch in his hand. This they did, and
Nimai marched out with His samkirtan divided into 14 groups, and on His
arrival at the Kazi’s house, He held a long conversation with the Kazi, and
in the end communicated into his heart His Vaishnava influence by touching
his body. The Kazi then wept and admitted that he had felt a keen spiritual
influence which had cleared up his doubts and produced in him a religious
sentiment which gave him the highest ecstasy. The Kazi then joined the
samkirtan party. The world was astonished at the spiritual power of the
Great Lord, and hundreds and hundreds of heretics converted, joining the
banner of Vishwambhar after this affair.

It was after this that some of the jealous and low-minded Brahmins of
Kulia picked a quarrel with Mahaprabhu and collected a party to oppose
Him. Nimai Pandit was naturally a soft-hearted Person, though strong in
His principles. He declared that party feeling and sectarianism were the two
great enemies of progress, and as long as He should continue to be an inhabitant
of Nadia, belonging to a certain family, His mission would not meet with
complete success. He then resolved to be a citizen of the world by cutting off
His connection with a particular family, caste and creed; and, with this resolu-
tion, He embraced the position of a sanyasi at Kutwa, under the guidance of
Keshab Bharati of that town, in the 24th year of His life. His mother and
wife wept bitterly for His separation, but our Hero, though soft in heart,
was a strong Person in principle. He left His little world in His house for the
unlimited spiritual world of Krishna with Man in general.

After His sanyasa, He was induced to visit the house of Advaitaprabhu
in Santipur. Advaita managed to invite all His friends and admirers from
Nadia and brought Sachi Devi to see her Son. Both pleasure and pain invaded
her heart when she saw her Son in the attire of a sanyasi. As a sanyasi Krishna
Chaitanya put up nothing but a kaupin and a bahirbas (outer covering).
His head was without hair and His hands bore a danda (stick) and a kamandalu
(hermit’s water pot).
