History of Bengali Language and Literature c9.s2.75

Language: English

c9.s2.75.1

In April, (7th Vaiçak) 1510, he started again with his one follower Govinda for southern India. He came to the Godāvarī and met Rāma Rāy; thence he proceeded to Trimanda (modern Trimalgaḍa in Hydrabad) and converted Dhundi Rāma Tirtha to his faith; from Trimanda he came to Sidhavateçvara (modern Sidhavateçvaram; between Cadappa and the river Punna) where a rich young man named Tirtharām came to tempt him in a vulgar manner, and himself became a convert to his faith. He then crossed a forest extending over twenty miles called Munnā (on the river Munnā in the Madras Presidency); from Munnā he moved to Venkata (a city near Tripadi in the Madras Presidency); he next visited a forest known as the ‘Vagulā woods’ and converted Pāntha Bhil a notorious robber; there he passed three days and nights without food chanting the name of God. Thence he moved to Giriçvara and to Tripadi Nagara (about forty miles to the North-west of Madras) he next visited the temple of Pānnā Narasiṁha, and arrived at Viṣṇu Kanchi (modern Kanjivaram). From there he visited two shrines Kalātirtha and Sandhi Tirtha; then he passed on to Chāipalli (modern Trichina Palli); he next went to Nāgar (about 145 miles to the east of Trichina Palli and situated on the sea-coast). From Nāgar he went to Tānjore (about 14 miles to the south of Nāgar); he crossed the mount Chandhālu there and passed on to Padmakota (about 25 miles to the south of Tānjore) and thence to Tripātra (about twenty-five miles to the south);

c9.s2.75.2

there he crossed a forest extending over 300 miles, in 15 days; he next came to Ranga Dhāma (Sri Raṁgam) and visited the temple of Nrisiṁha; from there he went to Rāmanāth and thence to Rāmeçvar ; he next travelled through a forest called Madhikavana and crossing the river Tāmraparni reached Kanyā Kumāri on the sea-coast; from there he proceeded to Trivaṅkoo (moden Trivancore). This place is described as being surrounded by hills. The King Rudrapati who reigned there at the time received Chaitanya Deva cordially; from Trivancore he proceeded to Poyaṣṇi (modern Pānāni) and thence to Matsatīrtha and Kāchār, crossed the rivers Bhadrā and Nāga-Panchapadi and came to Chitole (modern Chital Durgh, (on the northern boundary of Mysore); from Chital to Chandipur and thence to Gurjari (near Hydrabād) and thence to Pūrna (modern Poonā); from Pūrna he moved to Pāttana and thence to Jājuri. Here he preached God's love to the unfortunate women—the Murāries. From Jājuri he went to the woods called Chorānandivan where he met a famous bandit named Nāroji who became a convert and followed him. He crossed the river Mulā and reached Nāsika; thence to Trimvak and Daman; he crossed the Tāpti and reached Varoch (modern Broach); from Varoch he came to Varadā where Nāroji died; He visited Āhāmmadābād and crossed the river Çuvramati; he met two of his Bengali countrymen Govinda Charan and Rāmānanda, from Kulinagram;

c9.s2.75.3

he went to Ghogā where a prostitute named Vāramukhi, beautiful and wealthy, became a convert, cut off her hair and took the vow of a nun. He next visited Somnāth in November 1510, reached Dwarakā from where he marched to Dohadanagar and thence to Amjhorā, Kooksi, Mandura, Deoghar. Thence he proceeded to Chandipur, from where he went to Roypur, Vidyānagar and Ratnapur; from the last place he crossed the Mahānadi and reached Çvarnagad, thence to Sambalpur, Dāspāl and to Allālnāth; he reached Puri on the 3rd of Māgh, (January, 1511). Thus his travelling on foot from Puri and back took one year eight months and twenty six days, and he travelled nearly 4000 miles within this time. During his travels he spent many days without any food. Whatever alms were brought to him by Govinda he would partake of only in very small quantities. Like a mad man his body lay covered with dust; he chanted the name of Kriṣṇa with tears in his eyes as he moved from place to place. Some of the scholars at Tungabhadra, Chandipur and at other places challenged him to a discussion on religious topics. He would not, however, enter into any controversy with them. He said that he was an illiterate man. He was ready to write out letters of victory in favour of his assailants. But when he was dragged into a discussion, inspite of himself, he would deal wonderfully with the questions at issue, and none was a match for him.

c9.s2.75.4

He concluded his discussion always with that display of emotion and trust in God which gave him the look of a heavenly being;—his eyes swam with tears, as he sang the name of Kṛṣṇa in deep musical tones, which sounded, say those who heard him, like temple bells. Here is a description given of him by his servant Govinda.”—