Devananda Pandita
If one considers the statements of the Caitanya-bhāgavata along with the description by Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, it is clear that present-day Navadvīpa was formerly known as Kuliyā-grāma. While at Kuliyā-grāma, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bestowed His favor upon Devānanda Paṇḍita and delivered Gopāla Cāpala and many others who had previously committed offenses at His lotus feet.
(CC Madhya 1.151 purport)
Hearing of the Lord’s arrival in Kuliyā-grāma, many hundreds of thousands of people came to see Him. The specific acts performed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at this time were His showing favor to Devānanda Paṇḍita and excusing the brāhmaṇa known as Gopāla Cāpala from the offense he had committed at the lotus feet of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. Many atheists and blasphemers came and fell at the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord in return excused them and gave them love of Kṛṣṇa.
(CC Madhya 1.152 – 1.154)
The village originally known as Kuliyā has developed into what is now the city of Navadvīpa. In various authorized books like the Bhakti-ratnākara, Caitanya-carita-mahākāvya, Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka and Caitanya-bhāgavata it is mentioned that the village of Kuliyā is on the western side of the Ganges. Even now, within the area known as Koladvīpa, there is a place known as kuliāra gañja and a place called kuliāra daha, both within the jurisdiction of the present municipality of Navadvīpa. In the time of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the two villages on the western side of the Ganges named Kuliyā and Pāhāḍapura both belonged to the jurisdiction of Bāhiradvīpa. At that time the place on the eastern side of the Ganges now known as Antardvīpa was known as Navadvīpa. At Śrī Māyāpur that place is still known as Dvīpera Māṭha. There is another place of the name Kuliyā near Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā, but it is not the same Kuliyā mentioned here. It cannot be accepted as aparādha-bhañjanera pāḍa, or the place where the offense was excused, for that occurred in the above-mentioned Kuliyā on the western side of the Ganges.
(CC Adi 17.55-56 purport)
In the Aparādha-bhañjana a pure devotee expresses his feelings: “My dear Lord, I am ashamed to admit before You that I have carried out the orders of my masters named lust, anger, avarice, illusion and envy. Sometimes I have carried out their orders in a way most abominable. Yet in spite of my serving them so faithfully, they are not satisfied, nor are they kind enough to give me relief from their service. They are not even ashamed of taking service from me in that way. My dear Lord, O head of the Yadu dynasty, now I have come to my senses, and I am taking shelter of Your lotus feet. Please engage me in Your service.” This is another instance of surrendering and taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
(Nectar of Devotion 36)
Devānanda Paṇḍita was a professional reciter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but by the mercy of Vakreśvara Paṇḍita and the grace of the Lord he understood the devotional interpretation of the Bhāgavatam.
PURPORT
In the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, Chapter Twenty-one, it is stated that Devānanda Paṇḍita and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s father, Viśārada, lived in the same village. Devānanda Paṇḍita was a professional reciter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not like his interpretation of it. In the present town of Navadvīpa, which was formerly known as Kuliyā, Lord Caitanya showed such mercy to him that he gave up the Māyāvādī interpretation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and learned how to explain Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in terms of bhakti. Formerly, when Devānanda was expounding the Māyāvādī interpretation, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was once present in his meeting, and when he began to cry, Devānanda’s students drove him away. Some days later, Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that way, and when He met Devānanda He chastised him severely because of his Māyāvāda interpretation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. At that time Devānanda had little faith in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as an incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but one night some time later Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was a guest in his house, and when he explained the science of Kṛṣṇa, Devānanda was convinced about the identity of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus he was induced to explain Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam according to the Vaiṣṇava understanding. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (106) it is described that he was formerly Bhāguri Muni, the sabhā-paṇḍita who recited Vedic literatures in the house of Nanda Mahārāja.
(CC Adi 10.77)
Will I ever see Gaurasundara, as He goes to Vidyānagara being attracted to acquire knowledge? The Lord took the side of His devotee here and chastised Devānanda Paṇḍita with strong words for committing an offense to Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita.
(Śrī Navadvīpa Bhāva-taraṅga)
Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, the fifth branch of the tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya’s. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally sang while Vakreśvara Paṇḍita danced, and thus Vakreśvara Paṇḍita fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke as follows.
(CC Ādi 10.17 – 10.18)
While wandering, Lord Viśvambhara went near the dam protecting the house of Viśārada Maheśvara, the father of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. At that place was the residence of Devānanda Paṇḍita, a most peaceful brāhmaṇa who desired liberation. He was intelligent, austere, and neutral since birth. He taught Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, yet he was devoid of devotion. People respected him as a great teacher of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, yet because he was devoid of devotion, he did not know the confidential purport. Even though he had some qualification to understand, he was unable because of some offense that only Kṛṣṇa knew. By providence the Lord and His devotees were going on that same road, where they then heard his recitation. Being situated in the hearts of all living entities, the Lord knows everything. He did not hear the glories of devotional service in that recitation. In anger, the Lord said, “What kind of explanation can this fellow give? He has never understood the meaning of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in any of his lifetimes. What qualification does this fellow have to speak on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam? Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the form of a book. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam devotional service is described as the ultimate goal of life. The four Vedas declare that Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the manifestation of ecstatic love. The four Vedas are like yogurt, and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is like butter. Śukadeva Gosvāmī churned, and Parīkṣit Mahārāja relished the result. My dear Śukadeva knows the purport of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, which describes the science of My glories and position. Anyone who discriminates between Me, My servant, and the book Bhāgavatam is certainly destroyed. In anger, the Lord narrated the glories of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, and the Vaiṣṇavas floated in an ocean of bliss as they listened. Regarding one who explains Śrīmad Bhāgavatam without referring to devotional service, the Lord says, “That rascal doesn’t know a thing. This fellow never mentions devotional service in his explanations. Watch how I tear up his book today. In anger, the Lord went to tear up the book, but the Vaiṣṇavas all held Him back. All the scriptures glorify Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as the most sublime literature, yet this cannot be understood through education, austerity, or fame. One who thinks, “I understand Śrīmad Bhāgavatam,” does not actually know the conclusion of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. One who accepts Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as the inconceivable Supreme Lord knows that pure devotional service is the purport of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Devānanda Paṇḍita was filled with all good qualities. Such an educated person is very rare. Yet Yamarāja punishes one who glorifies such reciters who have misunderstood Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. One who reads Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and blasphemes Avadhūta Nityānanda, the refuge of the universe, loses his sense of discrimination.
(Sri Caitanya Bhagavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 21.006 – 21.028)
After walking some distance, Gauracandra saw Devānanda Paṇḍita and spoke to him in anger. The Lord remembered how Devānanda Paṇḍita had previously committed an offense against Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita. At that time the Lord had not yet revealed Himself, so the entire world was suffering in the absence of love of God. Even though some people taught Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, topics regarding devotional service were never heard from them. At that time Devānanda Paṇḍita was highly regarded by people as a most sober saintly person. He always taught Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. From his childhood he had maintained a vow to remain like a sannyāsī. One day by providence Śrīnivāsa went to hear Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from him. Every syllable of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is filled with ecstatic love, so Śrīvāsa’s heart melted on hearing that recitation. As the mahā-bhāgavata brāhmaṇa Śrīvāsa listened to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, he began to cry and sigh deeply. The sinful students there said, “This is a disturbance. O brothers, we are unable to study and our time is being wasted.” Śrīvāsa’s crying could not be checked. Although Śrīvāsa was most dear to Lord Caitanya and he purified the entire world, the sinful students conspired together and then dragged him outside. Devānanda Paṇḍita did not stop them. As the guru was devoid of devotional service, so were his students. After regaining his external consciousness, Śrīvāsa returned home in distress. Viśvambhara, as the Supersoul, knew all about this incident.
As soon as the son of Śacī saw Devānanda, He immediately remembered this incident, and in an angry mood He said, “O Devānanda, let Me tell you something. Now you are teaching Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to everyone. Śrīvāsa, whom even the Ganges desires to see, once went to hear Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from you. For what offense of his did you have your students throw him out of your house? Is it proper to throw out someone who after hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is crying in love for Kṛṣṇa? can understand that even though you teach Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, you have not realized its purport in any of your lifetimes. One who eats to his full satisfaction feels happy when he goes out in the world. But I tell you that even though you teach Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, which is full of ecstatic love, you have not achieved happiness. After hearing the Lord’s words, the exalted brāhmaṇa Devānanda felt ashamed and did not offer any reply. Viśvambhara departed after angrily chastising Devānanda, and Devānanda returned home in distress. Yet Devānanda was most fortunate, for the Lord personally chastised him. Only a most fortunate person receives punishment from Lord Caitanya. If one dies as a result of the Lord’s punishment, he attains Vaikuṇṭha. One who faithfully accepts Lord Caitanya’s punishment attains ecstatic love as a result. Kṛṣṇa appears in this world in four forms—Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, tulasī, Gaṅgā, and the devotees.
(Sri Caitanya Bhagavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 21.053 – 21.081)