Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Vṛndāvana
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's visit to Vṛndāvana is a cornerstone of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Lord's journey to the land of Kṛṣṇa was not merely a pilgrimage but a divine act of rediscovery. By personally visiting the forests of Vraja, identifying the lost places of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, and exhibiting the highest symptoms of ecstatic love, He re-established Vṛndāvana as the supreme holy place for all devotees.
The Journey of Ecstasy
When Lord Caitanya entered the forests of Vṛndāvana, His behavior was nothing short of miraculous. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the flora and fauna responded to His presence. The trees and creepers, feeling the touch of their eternal Lord, shed tears of honey, while herds of cows and deer surrounded Him, mooing and licking His body. The Lord, absorbed in the mood of Rādhārāṇī, embraced the trees and danced in ecstasy, feeling that He had finally returned home.
- Upon seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the trees and creepers of Vrndavana became jubilant. Their twigs stood up, and they began to shed tears of ecstasy in the form of honey.
- The transcendental symptoms that were visible on the body of the Lord (Caitanya) during His travel within the forest of Vrndavana were all unique and inexplicable, and we have just given a synopsis only.
- When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed through Vrndavana, herds of grazing cows saw Him pass and, immediately surrounding Him, began to moo very loudly.
Reclaiming the Holy Dhāma
Before Lord Caitanya's visit, many of the specific locations of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes were lost or obscured by time. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Lord used His divine intuition to identify these sacred spots. He visited places like Kālīya Lake, Cīra-ghāṭa, and Keśī-ghāṭa, bathing in their waters and offering prayers. Most significantly, He discovered the exact locations of Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa, which were then just small ponds in a paddy field.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally renovated Vrndavana-dhama and advised His chief disciples, Rupa and Sanatana, to develop it and open it to attract the spiritual vision of the general populace.
- The next day, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Vrndavana and took His bath at Kaliya Lake and Praskandana.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's visit to Vrndavana and His activities there are unlimited. Even Lord Sesa, who has thousands of hoods, cannot reach the end of His activities.
Solitude and Simplicity
Unlike the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs who traveled with large retinues, Lord Caitanya preferred to visit Vṛndāvana alone or with a single servant. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that He wanted to avoid crowds to maintain His internal mood of devotion. He accepted Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya as His assistant only upon the request of His devotees. This teaches us that the holy dhāma should be approached with a mood of simplicity and service, not for commercial or social purposes.
- Actually when Lord Caitanya visited Vrndavana, He visited it alone and accepted a servant only at His devotees’ request. He never visited Vrndavana with crowds of people for a commercial purpose.
- The Lord concluded that He would go alone to Vrndavana or, at most, would take only one person as His companion. In that way, going to Vrndavana would be very pleasant.
- A sannyasi is supposed to be a spiritual master and a brahmacari his disciple. Balabhadra Bhattacarya acted as a brahmacari for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when the Lord toured Mathura and Vrndavana.
Mistaken for Kṛṣṇa
The transformative power of the Lord's presence was so great that the local people began to say that Kṛṣṇa Himself had appeared. Śrīla Prabhupāda narrates amusing incidents where simple villagers, seeing the Lord's beauty and the way animals responded to Him, concluded that He must be the Supreme Lord. Although this was factually true, the Lord, in His role as a devotee, humbly deflected such praise.
- The people then said, "You have appeared in Vrndavana as an incarnation of Krsna. Just by seeing You, everyone is now liberated."
- Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was living in Vrndavana, the inhabitants considered Him an ordinary human being, and they mistook the fisherman to be Krsna. Every human being is prone to make such mistakes.
Conclusion
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's visit to Vṛndāvana is a lesson in how to approach the holy dhāma. Through His personal example, He taught that Vṛndāvana is not just a geographical location but a state of consciousness—mora-mana-vṛndāvana. By following in His footsteps and respecting the sanctity of the dhāma, devotees can access the spiritual treasure that He uncovered for the benefit of the entire world.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Caitanya in Vrndavana. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.