Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c9.s2.7.3

c9.s2.7.3

Then the Gopa-kumāra goes to Puṣkara-dvīpa and sees Brahmā, who lives in the Satya-loka. There the Gopa-kumāra is instructed further in the Bhakti-śāstra, and is advised to return to Mathurā (Ch. II). After meeting his Guru at Mathurā, the restless Gopa-kumāra again resolves to start on his quest. By means of his Mantra he commences a highly allegorical journey. He goes through the disc of the Sun; and penetrating through the six sheaths (āvaraṇa), he gets a vision of the four Vyūhas and the Mahāsiddhis. This is followed by the appearance of Śiva and the Pārṣadas of Kṛṣṇa who have obtained Sārūpya or identity of form with their deity at Vaikuṇṭha-loka. They instruct him in Bhakti-lakṣaṇa or characteristics of the devotional attitude, and tell him that Vaikuṇṭha is attained by devoutly listening to the Līlā-kathā of the Bhagavat, reading the Bhāgavata scriptures and having faith in the efficacy of Kīrtana, which they extol as one of the best means in this decadent age. The Gopa-kumāra again returns to Mathurā (Ch. II). The third chapter deals with a similar visit to Vaikuṇṭha and describes the place and its inhabitants. The deity whom the Gopa-kumāra meets there supplies the information that his Guru Jayanta was no other than the deity himself; apparently it is an allegorical representation of Caitanya who was Sanātana's Guru.