CC Madhya 5.159 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Below is the 1996 edition text, ready to be substituted with the 1975 one using the compile form.
TEXT 159
- brahmaṇya-deva-gopālera mahimā ei dhanya
- nityānanda—vaktā yāra, śrotā—śrī-caitanya
SYNONYMS
brahmaṇya-deva—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is merciful to the brāhmaṇas; gopālera—of Gopāla; mahimā—glories; ei—these; dhanya—glorified; nityānanda—Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; vaktā—the speaker; yāra—of the narration; śrotā—the hearer; śrī-caitanya—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
The glories of Lord Gopāla, who is merciful to brāhmaṇas, are very great. The narration of Sākṣi-gopāla was spoken by Nityānanda Prabhu and heard by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
PURPORT
There are four points of instruction one should consider in the story of Sākṣi-gopāla. First, the Deity (arcā-vigraha) of Śrī Gopāla is eternally sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (BS 5.1), the transcendental form of the Lord. Second, the Deity surpasses material regulative principles and extends the reality of transcendental principles. Third, one can be situated in a transcendental position after becoming a brāhmaṇa, but as a brāhmaṇa, one has to follow the regulative principles very strictly. Lastly, brahmaṇya-deva indicates Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, who is worshiped thus: namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca/ jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ. This indicates that a devotee who is under the protection of Kṛṣṇa is automatically situated as a brāhmaṇa, and such a brāhmaṇa is not illusioned. This is factual.