Gadādhara’s Initiation by Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi

O Gadādhara Paṇḍita, listen carefully. Would you like to see a Vaiṣṇava? “Today I will show you a wonderful Vaiṣṇava, so that you may think of me as your servant.” On hearing this, Gadādhara became very pleased. They immediately departed while chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa. Vidyānidhi Mahāśaya was sitting in his house when Gadādhara arrived before him. Gadādhara Paṇḍita offered obeisances to Puṇḍarīka, who in turn offered him a seat. Vidyānidhi asked Mukunda, “What is his name, and where does he live? “I can see that his body is effulgent due to his devotion to Viṣṇu. His appearance and nature are both enchanting.” Mukunda said, “His name is Śrī Gadādhara. He is fortunate because since his childhood he has been detached from family life. He is known as the son of Mādhava Miśra. All the Vaiṣṇavas have great affection for him. He is constantly engaged in devotional service and always associates with devotees. On hearing your name, he came to see you. Vidyānidhi was greatly satisfied to hear this and began to speak to him with great respect. The way Puṇḍarīka Mahāśaya sat there, it appeared as if he were a prince. He sat on an opulent reddish couch decorated with brass armrests. There were three opulent canopies above his head. Next to him there was an opulent bed covered with fine silk cloth and having pillows on all sides. There were five or seven big and small waterpots. There was an opulent brass container filled with already prepared pan. Two opulent spittoons were on his two sides. He smiled as he chewed pan and looked at his lips. Two persons constantly fanned him with opulent fans made from peacock feathers. His forehead was decorated with sandalwood paste tilaka and dots of sandalwood paste mixed with vermillion. What can I say about the wonderful style of his hair, which was anointed with fragrant āmalakī oil? By the influence of devotional service, his body appeared like that of Cupid. Anyone who did not know him would certainly consider him a prince. In front was a wonderful palanquin equipped with all accessories. By his paraphernalia, he appeared to be a materialist. On seeing his materialistic form, some doubt arose in the heart of Śrī Gadādhara. Gadādhara Mahāśaya had been renounced from the time of his birth, so he developed some doubts about Vidyānidhi.

He is a great Vaiṣṇava? His appearance with his opulent foodstuffs, opulent dress, and opulent hair style is completely like that of a materialist. Gadādhara had good faith in him after hearing about him, but now that he saw him that faith was lost. Understanding the heart of Gadādhara, Śrī Mukunda happily began to reveal Vidyānidhi’s glories. By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, nothing is unseen or unknown to Gadādhara, for Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of māyā. Then Mukunda, who sweetly sings the glories of Kṛṣṇa, began to recite some verses glorifying devotional service. The witch Pūtanā mercilessly kills children. She tried to kill the Lord with poison. Yet the Lord awarded her the position of mother. How can a foolish person not worship such a merciful Lord? Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon [Pūtanā] although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast? Pūtanā was always hankering for the blood of human children, and with that desire she came to kill Kṛṣṇa; but because she offered her breast to the Lord, she attained the greatest achievement. As soon as Vidyānidhi heard this description of devotional service, he began to weep. The unprecedented flow of tears from his eyes appeared like an incarnation of Gaṅgādevī. All the symptoms of ecstatic love like tears, shivering, perspiration, losing consciousness, hairs standing on end, and loud shouting simultaneously manifest in his body. He roared loudly while exclaiming, “Go on reciting! Go on reciting!” He could not remain steady and fell to the ground. He broke all the surrounding paraphernalia by the kicking of his feet. Nothing was spared. What happened to the opulent pan container and the nicely prepared pan? What happened to the waterpots that were used for drinking water? Where did the bed fall by the kick of his feet? Out of ecstatic love, he tore apart his opulent clothes with his two hands. What happened to his opulent hair style as he rolled on the ground and cried profusely? “O Kṛṣṇa, O my Lord! O Kṛṣṇa, O my life and soul! You have made my heart hard like wood or stone.” He lamented and cried loudly, “In Your present incarnation I have been deceived.” He fell to the ground and rolled about so forcefully that everyone thought, “Have his bones been broken to pieces?” He shivered so vigorously out of ecstatic love that even ten men could not hold him still. Clothes, bedding, waterpots, bowls, and all other paraphernalia were smashed by the kicking of his feet. There was not a single item spared. All of his servants then pacified him and tried to recover what-ever was left. After revealing his ecstatic love for some time in this way, he remained lying there unconscious in ecstasy. Vidyānidhi was completely merged in an ocean of bliss with no symptom of life manifest in his entire body.

After seeing this, Gadādhara was struck with wonder and became somewhat worried. “I have disrespected such a great personality. At what inauspicious time did I come to see him?”Gadādhara Paṇḍita embraced Mukunda with great satisfaction and bathed him in tears of love. O Mukunda, you have acted as my real friend, for you have shown me the great devotee Vidyānidhi Bhaṭṭācārya. Is there another Vaiṣṇava like him in the three worlds? In fact, the three worlds become purified by seeing his devotional service. I was able to avoid a great danger because you were with me. On seeing his materialistic appearance, I considered him a materialistic Vaiṣṇava. You understood my mind and revealed the devotional mood of Puṇḍarīka. I have committed an offense, so please have him bestow mercy on me so that my offense is nullified. All devotees on the path of devotional service must have a spiritual master. “So far I do not have an instructor. My desire is to take mantra initiation from him. If I become his disciple, then he will forgive all the offenses that I have committed by disregarding him.” After contemplating in this way, Gadādhara expressed to Mukunda his desire to take initiation from Puṇḍarīka. Hearing his proposal, Mukunda was greatly satisfied. He glorified that proposal by saying, “Very good. Very good.” After six hours the most grave Vidyānidhi regained his external consciousness and sat down peacefully. Gadādhara Paṇḍita’s unlimited tears made his entire body wet. Seeing this, Vidyānidhi Mahāśaya was most pleased. He embraced Gadādhara and held him to his chest. As Gadādhara stood there in awe and reverence, Mukunda revealed Gadādhara’s mind. Doubts arose in his mind when he saw your behavior and opulence. In order to atone for his offense, he has now decided to take initiation from you. He is a renounced devotee of Viṣṇu, and since his childhood he has shown the experience of mature person. Moreover, he is a qualified son in the family of Mādhava Miśra. He has been a constant companion of the Lord since his child-hood, therefore Puṇḍarīka and Gadādhara make the perfect guru and disciple. Please select an auspicious day to initiate him in the mantra of your worshipable Lord. On hearing this, Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi smiled and said, “I have obtained a precious jewel by the arrangement of providence. I will certainly initiate him, there is no doubt about it. By the good fortune accumulated in many births, one attains such a disciple. The most auspicious moment will be found on the next Dvādaśī of the waxing moon. Your desire will be fulfilled on this day.” Hearing this, Gadādhara happily offered him obeisances. Taking leave of Mukunda on that day, Gadādhara went to see Lord Gaurāṅga.
(Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 7.047 – 7.121)

Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi initiated Gadādhara Paṇḍita for the second time, and on the day of Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi saw the festival.
(CC Madhya 16.78)