Gatim Drstva Yasya Pramada

Whoever sees His gait and beautiful face enthusiastically spits on the grace of the most graceful elephant in rut and on the beauty of the moon. His complexion makes Him resemble a splendid golden mountain, and His words come from His lips like waves of nectar. That golden-limbed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rises within my heart and maddens me.

As He danced before the Ratha-yatra chariot, Caitanya Mahaprabhu pleased Lord Jagannatha by decorating Himself with the nine jewels of the sattvika-bhava ecstasies, namely paleness, becoming stunned, stuttering, trembling, shedding tears, horripilation, laughing, perspiring, and dancing. That golden-limbed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rises within my heart and maddens me.

Trembling as He danced before Lord Jagannatha’s chariot, Lord Caitanya staggered about in ecstasy, sprinkling everyone with water from the reddish syringes of His eyes and joyfully biting His charming lips with His teeth. That golden-limbed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rises within my heart and maddens me.

Sometimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would go to the house of Kasi Misra. There He would be greatly aggrieved, feeling separation from Krsna. The joints of His transcendental body would slacken, and His arms and legs would become elongated. Rolling on the ground, the Lord would cry out in distress in a faltering voice and weep very sorrowfully. The appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, awakening in my heart, maddens me.*

How wonderful it is! Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left His residence without opening the three strongly bolted doors. Then He crossed over three high walls, and later, because of strong feelings of separation from Krsna, He fell down amidst the cows of the Tailanga district and retracted all the limbs of His body like a tortoise. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared in that way, rises in my heart and maddens me. *

Because of separation from His many friends in Vrndavana, who were like His own life, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke like a madman. His intelligence was transformed. Day and night He rubbed His moonlike face against the walls, and blood flowed from the injuries. May that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rise in my heart and make me mad with love.*

“My dear friend the doorkeeper, where is Krsna, the Lord of My heart? Kindly show Him to Me quickly.” With these words Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu addressed the doorkeeper like a madman. The doorkeeper grasped His hand and replied very hastily, “Come, see Your beloved!” May that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rise within my heart and thus make me mad also.*

Near Jagannatha Puri was a great sand dune known as Cataka-parvata. Seeing that hill, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Oh, I shall go to the land of Vraja to see Govardhana Hill.” Then He began running madly to it, and all the Vaisnavas ran after Him. This scene awakens in my heart and maddens me.*

During Dola-yatra, the swing festival of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, Lord Caitanya stayed under a charming pavilion and sweetly and jubilantly sang the holy names in the company of Svarupa Damodara and His other intimate devotees. That golden-limbed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rises within my heart and maddens me.

Lord Caitanya was as kind to Govinda dasa as Lord Narayana is to Garuda. He was as devoted to Isvara Puri as Lord Krsna was to His guru, Sandipani Muni, the best of acaryas. And He was as affectionate toward Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as Lord Giridhari was toward Subala. That golden-limbed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rises within my heart and maddens me.

Although I am a fallen soul, the lowest of men, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered me from the blazing forest fire of great material opulence by His mercy. He handed me over in great pleasure to Svarupa Damodara, His personal associate. The Lord also gave me the garland of gunja that He wore on His chest and a stone from Govardhana Hill, although they were very dear to Him. That same Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu awakens within my heart and makes me mad after Him.*

This poem is like a celestial desire tree whose charming branches are its verses. Those branches appear very splendid because of the blossoming flowers of variegated expressions of ecstatic love for Lord Gauranga that grow there. If a person regularly waters this tree with lots of the water of careful and pure reading mixed with the powerful plant food of great faith, he will certainly be able to taste that tree’s heavy, nectarean fruit—the personal audience of Lord Gauranga.