Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c11.s2.17.2

c11.s2.17.2

The four cantos from the fifth to the eighth continue the description of Viśvambhara's ecstatic devotional acts and fits of singing and dancing for eight months from Jyaiṣṭha to Pauṣa; his Varāha-Āveśa at the house of Murāri (v. 16-21) and his own Abhiṣeka suggested by himself (vi 40-52); his meeting with Nityānanda (vi. 108-123), who is described as an Avadhūta and declared to be an incarnation of Balarāma (vii. 24), and to whom Caitanya reveals the theophanic Ṣaḍ-bhuja, Dvi-bhuja (vi. 122) and also Catur-bhuja (vii, 18) forms¹: his Nṛsiṃha-Āveśa (vii. 80-85) and parading the street as such; and lastly, his Balarāma-Āveśa (viii. 19-28). His Kṛṣṇa-bhāva now begins: it is strengthened by Śrīvāsa's elaborate description of Kṛṣṇa's Vṛndāvana-līlā in the next two cantos (ix-x), which gives the author an opportunity of indulging in a highly emotional poetical excursion. In canto xi, the thread of the story is resumed by the description of Caitanya's Saṃnyāsa at Katwa, his return to Advaita's house at Santipur, his resolve to leave for Puri (there is no allusion to his mother's request to that effect), his journey and the breaking of his staff on the way by Nityānanda. In canto xii, Caitanya reaches Sārvabhauma's house and explains Vedānta by refuting Advaita-vāda and establishing his own views about Bhakti (xii. 22-27)², in the course of which exposition he quotes and explains two verses from the *Bhāgavata*, each in nine different ways (xii.