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sent by bhaktin Erica
Abhirama Thakura from Gaura-lila was the gopa Sridama in Krsna-lila. When Krsna and His cowherd boyfriends appeared in Navadvipa as Lord Caitanya and His associates, Sridama gopala was accidentally left behind. So Lord Caitanya sent Nityananda back to Vrndavana to bring Sridama to Navadvipa as He felt He would not be able to accomplish His pastimes without Sridama. Lord Nityananda found him asleep in a cave and convinced the reluctant Sridama to come to Navadvipa to see Lord Caitanya.
[The following excerpts are taken from “Abhirama Goswami” by Vidhubhusana Bhattacharya]
CHAPTER 4
SRIDAMA CAME TO NAVADVIPA AND MET SRI CAITANYA.
Sri Caitanya heartily welcomed Sridama in Navadvipa and asked, "Oh my brother Sridama, why were you living in a cave of Govardhana lonely without coming to us? Don't you know that I used to appear with my companion in period after period in this Bharatabhumi to protect the religion? You are my best help. So I had sent Nityananda to you. Now come on and help me to my complete sport! Meeting Sri Caitanya as the incarnation of Sri Krsna, Sridama became overwhelmed in joy and began to shed tears of joy. Embracing Mahaprabhu, he began to say in a shocked voice, "Krsna, why do you appear in Vangadesa instead of Vrndavana? And where is Sri Radha, the supreme power of yours? Why have you given up your gorgeous dresses of Vrndavana and are wearing a dress of an ascetic? I cannot bear this."
Sri Caitanya seeing him so perturbed said in a smiling face, "This Navadvipa has become the center of all knowledge and scriptures in the whole of Bharatabhumi. But the over educated and proud brahmanas by their dry discussions have become less interested in God Himself. I have taken my birth here to defeat them in debates and for this reason I had made myself a great scholar. The heretics of Kali have no faith in Prematattva. They understand bodily pleasure only. So I avoided appearing with Sri Radha. In this Kaliyuga, I shall be Sri Radha and teach a lesson to the people how to attain God through divine love. So to attract their attention towards devotion, I have rejected my "mohanavesa" (beautiful dress) and accepted the dress of an ascetic. I want to teach the mankind what is Krsnalila and for this reason I have to perform Caitanyalila. So I shall be known as Sri Krsna Caitanya in Bharata and you will be Abhirama."
Then Caitanya told Nityananda, "From now on you should call Sridama as Abhirama and mind that as Sridama was to Krsna, so Abhirama is to me." Nityananda said, "Sridama can be Abhirama but his big and stout physique won't be suitable for this Kaliyuga."
The super-human power by which Krsna had done so many transcendental activities in Vraja, that said power, Sri Caitanya, the incarnation of Krsna, wanted to use to minimize Sridama into Abhirama.
Nityananda and Sri Caitanya began to swing from the shoulder of Sridama by holding his two hands with the help of the power of the Godhead, Abhirama became short in his figure. He became ecstatic in joy and began to dance madly. Then Sri Caitanya told the ecstatic Abhirama, "Friend, all my friends of Vraja have come here and met me but where are the loving Gopinies of Vraja?"
Realizing the mind of Sri Caitanya, Abhirama said, "Oh the great lover, you know everything. But I know that you have raised this question just to test me. However I am telling you about the Vraja ladies. All of them to satisfy and complete your sports have given up their women features and appeared in Navadvipa in male features. Except me and Vrndavati will help you by remaining in two opposite sex." [4]
Caitanya said, "Oh my friend, you are a genius. Sri Krsna and you are the same. I have no objection if you and Vrndavati want to teach lesson of love to the world. You are so powerful that still you are able to keep your Dvapara feature with the help of yoga. You are addicted to the love of Krsna in such a great extent that if the change of your feature tried to stand as a hindrance in the way of Krsna love, you used to lie in the cave for such a long time because your desire was to disappear in the soul of Krsna at long last. You are the embodiment of divine love. Let you with your Vrndavati madden the men and women of Bengal in the love for Krsna. But my friend, your appearance has filled my heart with blissful pleasure. Now I am very eager to observe the holy places of Vrndavana where Krsna used to perform his sports with Sri Radha and the Gopinies who were mad for Krsna."
CHAPTER SIX
SRI CAITANYA'S RETURN TO NAVADVIPA
The words of Abhirama brought back Caitanya to senses. He became very eager to perform his duty. He said to Abhirama, "Come on my friend, let us return to Navadvipa. As you and me are the same, I don't want to return to Navadvipa alone."
Being unable to avoid the request of Sri Caitanya, Abhirama told him, "Oh my friend, it is impossible for me to disobey your request. Your happiness is mine. When in the Dvapara Yuga, you had left me without my knowing, I used to remain absorbed in your dedication from that day. Oh Gauranga, now you are the united entities of Radha and Krsna and you are now grown up enough. But I have not got my Vrndavati as yet I shall stay in Vrndavana until I find Vrndavati."
Caitanyadeva replied, "s Radha Krsna in one feature had appeared in this world for teaching divine love to loveless mankind of Kaliyuga, then Vrndavati, the foremost sakhi of Sri Radha also had appeared in this world no doubt. Go with me and I am sure you will get Vrndavati in VAngadesa."
Abhirama said, "Oh my friend, let me see through mediation where is my Vrndavati now. In the meantime you go to Navadvipa. Very soon I shall meet you there."
Caitanya said, "No it cannot be!"
Abhirama said, "Gauranga, you should not waste your time here. It will hamper you sport there. You won't be going alone because Ramadasa, a great Krsna devotee will go with you. This Ramadasa is empowered by me. Accept him due to my wish." Adhering tohis advice, Caitanyadeva with Ramadasa Mahanta left Vrndavana and after a few days reached Navadvipa.
CHAPTER SEVEN
APPEARANCE OF VRNDAVATI
Caitanyadeva started for Navadvipa and Abhirama sat for his meditation. In his trance, he came to know that Vrndavati had taken her birth in Kalipura vilage of Vangadesa. Nowadays Kalipura is known as Khanakula in the Arambag jurisdiction of Hoogly district. Some of the Vaisnava poets have written that after attracting Vrndavati in this world Abhirama had empowered her and made her a beautiful woman by his power of Godhead. Then he used to put her into a wooden box and threw in to the wave of Yamuna, which at last reached the bank of Triveni near Hoogly. Here Ganga has been divided into three courses and began to flow towards the sea. That wooden box floating in the river Sarasvati at last reached at a flower garden on the side of the river near Kajipura. As soon as the wooden box touched the land of the garden, all the dry branches of the trees began to bloom into leaves and flowers. Their fragrance used to fill the air of that place. The sudden change of the trees made everyone started. The gardeners ran to the garden and saw the miraculous scene. They became overwhelmed in joy and thought that perhaps a certain saintly person had come their place and had done all these things.
They began to search in the garden but had not got anything. Then one of them in searching went to the riverside and found a wooden box. He became overwhelmed in awe and began to tremble suddenly he fell on the ground being unconscious. The other men came running to him and helped him to come to sense. The former person attracted their attention towards the wooden box. He said "This wooden box has done all these. Come on and carry this to our home."
They all agreed and did that gladly. Then they opened the box and found a beautiful woman in it. They took her as a Deity and paid their respect. That beautiful woman sat on a seat near the door. Her glittering beauty lightened the whole atmosphere.
That gardener with his family bowed to her feet. The women of the gardener class washed her feet and drank that water with all their family members. Then the housekeeper asked her with folded hands, "Oh mother, have you come on this place to favor us all? As you are kind enough to us, then please tell me who you are." Hearing this humble question of the gardener, Vrndavati in sweet smile said, "You are a very pure hearted man. I shall stay at your home like your daughter. You all will call me as Malini. I haven't eaten a long time. Oh my father, give me some food soon. After eating I will give my identity." The gardener became very pleased and gave her different varieties of food and sweets. Malini first of all offered all those food to Krsna and after saying "Jai Abhirama" began to eat. After taking her food, she said to the gardener, "Father, I am the Sakhi of Sridama, the friend of Krsna. Sridama had appeared in this world for distributing love for Krsna to mankind. He will come here soon taking the name as Abhirama. To help my Prabhu, I have come here in a wooden box floating in the streams of Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati. On my coming your dry garden has become full of flwoers. Now I am completely under your control. Please look after me until I get the darsana of Abhirama."
The gardener became very glad to get the sakhi of Sri Radha as his daughter and began to look after her very carefully. With her touch all miseries and poverty of the gardener vanishes. The villagers became very jealous at this prosperity of the gardener and went o the Kazi and explained everything to him. They also revealed their suspicion that she must be a magician and for some forbidden cause she used to take shelter in the house of the gardener.
CHAPTER EIGHT
KAZI LISTENS TO THE REPORT ON MALINI
The Kazi became very astonished to hear these reports on Malini. He sent his armed men to bring the gardeners to his as prisoners. That person who led the team of armed men went to the house of the gardener, "You all should go at once with us as it is the order of His Highness Kazi Sahib. If you show any reluctance, then we shall take you binding with ropes. So don't make delay and go with me."
The gardeners became very frightened at this and became at a loss what to do. The man harshly asked them what they would do. Otherwise they would be taken as prisoners. Then the head gardener asked them in a trembling voice, "Mahasay, the order of Kazi Sahib is all to us but please explain the real charge against us." That man replied loudly that he did not know anything about the charge. If they made delay anymore, they would be taken as prisoners. Saying so, he started walking and the gardeners began to follow him without any word. After some time they reached to the Kazi's place. The gardeners bowed before the Kazi in trembling bodies and politely submitted to him. Kazi asked them whether they had got any golden box full of precious stones, jewels and ornaments, which they had kept hidden in the houses. They replied submissively that his charge was correct but that box was wooden and not golden and it did not have any precious thing what he had been asking.
The Kazi became furious and ordered his men to blind them by chains. Out of anger he ordered them to speak the truth. Otherwise he would behead them. Then the gardeners tried to establish their truth and began to describe what they had found in it. So they described the episode of Malini and from her auspicious appearance, all their miseries had gone. After a long time of listening to the story, the mind of the Kazi became soft and his heart became full of devotion. He at once released the gardeners and told them politely that he had become ashamed of his misbehavior. Now he requested then to bring that goddess lady before him. He is very eager to meet her. The gardeners told him, "This cannot be possible because you are a Muslim. How can you accept a Hindu goddess whom we used to worship. We cannot do this by any means." "Apart from this, if you take her as an ordinary Hindu woman and feel and infatuation for her, then mind that you will be perished with your family. So leave that desire. We can show you that box only."
The Kazi became very sorry to hear this and told them, "I have become very sorry to hear this and told them, "I have become very much eager to see the goddess because hearing about her episode my mind has become full of devotion. I want to gratify myself by seeing her. I am a sinner as I have possessed so many misconceptions about her. Please bring her to me and I shall look after her as my own daughter. God never thinks of caste discrimination. I am sure when she will hear all these, she will be agreed to see me."
The gardeners became very happy and took to their heels to report everything to Malini. Malini had already understood the mind of Kazi and told them that God had appeared in this earth in a human form to distribute divine love to all whether they belonged to high or low castes. She also told, "As I have appeared as the power of Abhirama, then I cannot ignore the prayer of the Kazi who has become a devotee. But one of you first go to him and tell him about certain rules which he should take into mind. I won't take any other things to eat except sweets and won't live anywhere except in the room where cows used to live."
One gardener went to the Kazi and informed him about the conditions of Malini. He directed the Kazi to clean the room of the cows by his own hand. The Kazi became very glad and accepted all the conditions. That person returned to Malini in singing the glory of the Kazi. He reported her about the devotional qualities of the Kazi and told her that they all had understood that it was all her grace that had made the Kazi to behave like that.
CHAPTER NINE
MALINI WENT TO THE HOUSE OF THE KAZI
So Malini agreed to go the house of the Kazi. The gardener father went with her. The wife of the gardener began to cry in grief. Malini consoled her and blessed them all. She assured them that from time to time she would meet them.
While Malini had been going to the house of the Kazi, the whole circumference used to be glittering by the brightness of her body. A huge crowd used to assemble on both sides of the road to observe her going. The women of the village used to throw their pranamas, shower flowers on her and blow the conch. The whole of Kajipura became full of joyful sounds.
So long Kazi had been waiting eagerly for her. When he heard that she was advancing to his house, his heart leaped in joy. He at once advanced forwarded with a beautiful chariot to welcome her. He saw in the way that a huge crowd was going with her. He almost ran to her and fell on her feet. The big crowd was coming with her. He almost ran to her and fell on her feet. The big crowd began to make sounds of ovation. Malini lifted the Kazi very affectionately be holding his arms. The Kazi with his knee folding told her, "I am very fortunate as today I have your darsana. Be merciful to a sinner like me." Malini devi became very pleased and told him, "Criticizing or torturing the saintly persons is a terrible sin because the saints have come on this earth to do good to mankind. Those who try to oppress them become very unpleasing to God. Now with the feeling of devotion in you, you have become free of all guilt. Now for your misbehavior to the wise gardener, you must ask for his mercy."
The Kazi at once held the feet of the gardener by his hands and asked for his mercy. Everyone present there began to praise the Kazi. The gardener also felt very awkward at this.
Then Kazi requested Malini devi to forgive him for all his sins and cast a favorable look at him. Malini Devi got on the chariot but there was so big a crowd in the road that the chariot could not advance a step forward. Then due tot he transcendental power of Malini Devi, the chariot climbed up in the sky. Everyone became started at this when the chariot vanished in the sky, all of them began to shout in sorrow. The condition of the Kazi became out of any saying. He began to behave like a mad man. When he tried to cut his own head by his sword, suddenly the chariot came down and Malini appeared before him. Observing her lightening-like beauty, he fell on the ground in a trance. All the people began to sing loudly the glory of the Devi.
Devi hurriedly got down of the chariot and lifted the Kazi from the ground and put him into the chariot. She began to chant the name of Krsna and gradually the Kazi came back to his sense. He saw as if a goddess mother had been sitting by his side singing the name of Krsna which had began to shower nectar into his ears. He became ecstatic and his eyes began to shed tears. After a long time he controlled himself and began to sing the eulogy of Malini Devi.
The chariot reached the gate of the Kazi's house. He took her to the dwelling place of the cows. The gardener and others also accompanied them. Kazi welcomed them properly and offered seats. Kazi sent somebody to call the sellers of sweets. But he meet the sweetsmakers in the way who had been coming to the Kazi's house with many buckets of sweets. The sweetmakers came to the Kazi and told him, "Oh lord, why have you sent a person to us? We have already heard about the coming of a devi in your house and for her we have brought so may sweets." Kazi told them, "Today my life has become successful. You should bring sweets everyday in my house for her eating. I will reward you." They told him, "Today we won't take any price for these sweets because they are for the devi. From tomorrow, do as you please." Saying so they all bowed to the feet of devi. Devi blessed them and asked them to take their seats. Then the gardener father offered the sweets of Malini for eating. After her eating they all took the prasada. In this way Malini Devi very happily began to spend her days in the house of the Kazi. The villagers used to stay there by giving up their eating and drinking. The whole of Kazipura became full of bliss.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ABHIRAMA MEETS MALINI
Abhirama reached the outskirts of Kajipura village near Krsnanagara. One day in the morning he had been in morning walk on the bank of the river and saw that Malini Devi was bathing with her companions on the other bank of the river. Abhirama became very glad to see his life like ladylove Malini and being overwhelmed he addressed her. Malinidevi also saw him and at once jumped into the river and swam across it to come to him. All the female companions of Malini devi became stunned to see her swimming across the river and stood like wooden dolls. They could not even speak a word.
Malini devi reaching to him, fell flat on the feet of her love. The great lover Abhirama lifted her by holding her hands and then they began to walk elsewhere in talking to each other. When the companions saw that she had gone with an unknown saintly man they rushed to the home and reported everything to the Kazi.
After hearing all the incidents, the Kazi became very angry. He at once called his armies and went across the river to search her. He reached the village named Villoka and after searching for some time, he got her sitting with a saintly man on the bank of the river. This scene broke his patience and he burst into anger. The sword in his hand began to dazzle. With a view to beheading the saint, he advanced towards them. But as soon as he looked at the dazzling eyes of the saint, all his powers seemed to be destroyed. His body began to lose its balance and his head began to reel. He became very afraid. He then put his sword in its case and advanced towards them slowly. He told the saint in a scolding tone "You are a sannyasi, you have given up all material pleasures, then why do you want the company of a woman? If you are not satisfied even then enter into family life again and marry. Don't spoil the sanctity of asceticism by accepting an unknown woman."
With an awed heart, the Kazi went on scolding Abhirama but the latter kept on sitting like a dumb. In the meantime the villagers came to speculate the incident. They all began to criticize the sannyasi. They decided to oust the sannyasi from their village. While everyone began to criticize Abhirama the latter began to think of demonstrating the transcendental power of Malini before them. While thinking in this way, he saw a huge piece of wood fallen on the bank of the river. He knew that all the persons gathered there, could not lift the wood. Abhirama at once went to the riverbank and lifted the wood and he addressed all of them to lift it by their hands. The people in wondered gaze had been observing his strength. They began to think that this sannyasi must be a very powerful person whose strength had been God gifted. They all surrendered to Abhirama. The Abhirama addressed Malini to do the job. Malini devi understood Abhirama and walked up to him slowly and lifted the piece of wood at ease. Everyone became startled to observe her strength and thought that this woman was not an ordinary human being.
Abhirama understood the pulse of the people and easily transformed the huge piece of wood into a small flute. Then he with Malini sat under a tree and began to sing Radha Krsna nama with the flute. The people became so astonished that they began to listen to the nama forgetting everything and in a short time they became ecstatic in emotion. They also began to sin Harinama kirtana and at last fell to the feet of Abhirama and Malini devi. They repeatedly asked for their mercy for thinking otherwise about them.
The Kazi also in folded knees before Malini Devi began to ask for her mercy and favor. Malini Devi told him that he was fortunate enough that she had come to his house. Now he had been fully purified and eligible to lead a life of a devotee. She assured him that from now on her powers would always protect him from any kind of misfortune and miseries. This Kajipura would be known as Khanakula. The Kazi became very glad but he asked Malini Devi why she had changed the name of the village. Then Malini Devi smilingly explained the incident by saying, "Among the food which you used to offer me, I sometimes used to reject some kinds regarding them as impure and used to dig them on the bank of the river. As "Khana" (means food) used to be dug in the ground on the "Kula" (bank) of the river, so the name became "Khanakula." Now go to your home."
Then Kazi leaving Malini Devi there returned to his house with a disheartened mind. But since then he became a completely changed man. He gave up all Muslim rituals and became a Vaisnava. He used to be absorbed in Radha Krsna nama all the time. Peace now began to overrule his heart by filling it with nectar like devotion.
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