Feelings of Separation

Antya 14

[14.1-14.16]

For the final twelve years of Shri Chaitanya’s manifest pastimes, He remained secluded in the Gambhira, the garden house of Kasi Mishra. The Lord merged into a deep spiritual communion, obsessed day and night in thought of Krishna. This esoteric phenomenon is described by Krishnadasa: “When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu felt separation from Krishna, His condition exactly corresponded to that of the gopis in Vrindavana after Krishna’s departure for Mathura. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s emotions exactly corresponded to those of Shrimati Radharani when She met Uddhava in Vrindavana.”

During these years, Shri Chaitanya was surrounded by a few intimate associates, headed by Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya. These two personalities are Lalita and Vishakha, the intimate confidantes of Shrimati Radharani in Krishna-lila. Svarupa and Ramananda would enhance the ecstatic mood of Shri Chaitanya by singing appropriate songs and reciting select verses. Shri Chaitanya especially liked to hear Bilvamangala Thakura’s Krishna-karnamrita, the poetry of Vidyapati, and Shri Gita-govinda, by Jayadeva Goswami.

Shri Chaitanya’s ecstasy resulted in bodily transformations and delirious behaviour which resembled that of a madman. He would sometimes catch hold of the necks of His associates and plead “My dear friends, please listen to Me. What shall I do? Where shall I go? Where can I go to get Krishna? Please, both of you, tell Me how I can find Him.” In this way, Shri Chaitanya exhibited the intense longing of a pure devotee.