12.180
kahan bhattacaryera purva jada-vyavahara
kahan ei paramananda,-karaha vicara
SYNONYMS
kahan—where; bhattacaryera—of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; purva—previous; jada-vyavahara—material behavior; kahan—where; ei—this; parama-ananda—transcendental bliss; karaha vicara—just try to consider.
After serving the Bhattacarya with first-class prasada, Gopinatha Acarya said, “Just consider what the Bhattacarya’s previous mundane behavior was! Just consider how at present he is enjoying transcendental bliss!”
PURPORT
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was previously a smarta-brahmana-that is, one who strictly follows the Vedic principles on the mundane platform.
On the mundane platform one cannot believe that prasada is transcendental, that Govinda is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or that a Vaisnava is a liberated person.
These transcendental considerations are out of the ordinary Vedic scholar’s jurisdiction.
Most Vedic scholars are called Vedantists.
These so-called followers of Vedanta philosophy consider the Absolute Truth to be impersonal.
They also believe that a person born in a particular caste cannot change his caste until he dies and takes rebirth.
The smarta-brahmanas also reject the fact that maha-prasada (food offered to the Deity) is transcendental and materially uncontaminated.
Originally, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was subjected to all the rules and regulations of the Vedic principles on the mundane platform.
Now Gopinatha Acarya pointed out how Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had been converted by the causeless mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Being converted, Sarvabhauma partook of prasada with the Vaisnavas.
Indeed, he sat by the side of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.