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Similarly, there lived a Pundit by name Devãnanda in Navadweep. He was a scholar of the Shãstras. He was a detached person and was unsurpassed in teaching the Bhãgavata Purãna. Students from very far off places came in search of him to learn the Bhagãvatam. But, his mind was bereft of love. Though he had dispassion for worldly pleasures and had unlimited knowledge, love did not spring in his heart.

Once while coming around the town, Prabhu who was an ocean of mercy, argued with him and showered his mercy on him.

Once when Devãnanda Pundit was teaching the Bhãgavatam, Prabhu went there and said - “Oh! Pundit! Why are you spoiling the meaning of Srimad Bhãgavatam. What can you understand of Bhãgavatam! Srimad Bhãgavatam is verily the form of Shri Krishna! Those, whose hearts are devoid of love and do not nurture affection towards Sãdhus, Brahmins and Vaishnavas are not even eligible to touch the Bhãgavatam. Srimad Bhãgavatam, Ganga Mãta, Tulasi Mãta and the devotee - these are all the forms of God. Those whose hearts are barren and have no devotion cannot benefit through these! Are you talking these topics of knowledge just for namesake or are you talking after assimilating them? Bring your Bhãgavatam book here! Let me tear it and throw it into the Ganges!” Saying thus, Prabhu, in an ecstatic state, ran to tear the Bhãgavatam book. The devotees caught hold of him and pacified him. They slowly took him away.

Prabhu came back again towards Devãnanda. He had calmed down by then. Prabhu said - “Do you remember? When I was teaching Bhãgavatam once, Srivãs Pundit and you were seated there. Hearing my lecture on Srimad Bhãgavatam, in which every alphabet brims with the essence of love, Srivãs Pundit lost his consciousness and fainted. Your devotees, who were present there, lifted him just like that and left him outside and came in. Even on seeing that, you kept silent as though nothing had happened. You yourself were unable to comprehend the divine emotions of a great devotee like Srivãs Pundit. How will your devotees understand that? You have thus done a great offence to a devotee!”

Devananda was a ‘virakta’, Pundit, a scholar of the Shãstras, yet he did not reply a word to the angry words of Prabhu. By God’s grace, his intellect became purified. He began to realize his mistakes. He fell at Prabhu’s feet. He begged pardon for having offended Srivãs Pundit out of ignorance. Devotion sprang in his heart. He thus become a recipient of Prabhu’s grace. He became Prabhu’s dear disciple after that.

To be continued...

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