3.49

suvarna-varno hemango

varangas candanangadi

sannyasa-krc chamah santo

nistha-santi-parayanah

SYNONYMS

suvarna—of gold; varnah—having the color; hema-angah—whose body was like molten gold; vara-angah—having a most beautiful body; candana-angadi—whose body was smeared with sandalwood; sannyasa-krt—practicing the renounced order of life; samah—equipoised; santah—peaceful; nistha—devotion; santi—and of peace; parayanah—the highest resort “In His early pastimes He appears as a householder with a golden complexion.

His limbs are beautiful, and His body, smeared with the pulp of sandalwood, seems like molten gold.

In His later pastimes He accepts the sannyasa order, and He is equipoised and peaceful.

He is the highest abode of peace and devotion, for He silences the impersonalist nondevotees.”

PURPORT

This is a verse from the Mahabharata (Dana-dharma, Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotra).

In his commentary on the Visnu-sahasra-nama called the Namartha-sudha, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana, commenting upon this verse, asserts that Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the evidence of the Upanisads.

He explains that suvarna-varnah means a golden complexion.

He also quotes the Vedic injunction yada pasyah pasyate rukma-varnam kartaram isam purusam brahma-yonim (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.3).

Rukma-varnam kartaram isam refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead as having a complexion the color of molten gold.

Purusam means the Supreme Lord, and brahma-yonim indicates that He is also the Supreme Brahman.

This evidence, too, proves that Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna.

Another meaning of the description of the Lord as having a golden hue is that Lord Caitanya’s personality is as fascinating as gold is attractive.

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana has explained that the word varanga means “exquisitely beautiful.” Lord Caitanya accepted sannyasa, leaving aside His householder life, to preach His mission.

He has equanimity in different senses.

First, He describes the confidential truth of the Personality of Godhead, and second, He satisfies everyone by knowledge and attachment to Krsna.

He is peaceful because He renounces all topics not related to the service of Krsna.

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana has explained that the word nistha indicates His being rigidly fixed in chanting the holy name of Sri Krsna.

Lord Caitanya subdued all disturbing opponents of devotional service, especially the monists, who are actually averse to the personal feature of the Supreme Lord.