Mukunda Datta – Branch of the Chaitanya Tree

Mukunda Datta, a class friend of Lord Chaitanya’s, was another branch of the Chaitanya tree. Lord Chaitanya danced while he sang.

Sri Mukunda Datta was born in the Chattagrama district, in the village of Chanhara, under the jurisdiction of the police station named Patiya. This village is situated ten krosas, or about twenty miles, from the home of Pundarika Vidyanidhi.

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (140) it is said:

vraje sthitau gāyakau yau madhukaṇṭha-madhuvratau
mukunda-vāsudevau tau dattau gaurāṅga-gāyakau

“In Vraja there were two very nice singers named Madhukantha and Madhuvrata. They appeared in chaitanya-lila as Mukunda and Vasudeva Datta, who were singers in the society of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Class Friend of Lord Chaitanya

When Lord Chaitanya was a student, Mukunda Datta was His class friend, and they frequently engaged in logical arguments. Sometimes Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would fight with Mukunda Datta, using tricks of logic. This is described in the Chaitanya-bhagavata, Adi-khanda, Chapters Eleven and Twelve.

Pleasing Mahaprabhu by Reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam

When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned from Gaya, Mukunda Datta gave Him pleasure by reciting verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam about Krishna-lila.

It was by his endeavor that Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami became a disciple of Pundarika Vidyanidhi, as stated in Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, Chapter Seven.

Mahaprabhu Danced to His Singing

When Mukunda Datta sang in the courtyard of Srivasa Prabhu, Mahaprabhu danced with His singing.

When Lord Chaitanya for twenty-one hours exhibited an ecstatic manifestation known as shata-prahariya, Mukunda Datta inaugurated the function by singing.

Chastisement for Mixing with Nondevotees

Sometimes Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chastised Mukunda Datta by calling him khadajathiya beta because he attended many functions held by different classes of nondevotees. This is stated in the Chaitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, Chapter Ten.

Forbidden from Entering the Association of Mahaprabhu

Mukunda Datta was once forbidden to enter the association of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu because of his mixing with the Mayavadi impersonalists.

When Lord Chaitanya manifested His maha-prakasha, He called all the devotees one after another and blessed them, while Mukunda Datta stood outside the door.

The devotees informed the Lord that Mukunda Datta was waiting outside, but the Lord replied:

“I shall not soon be pleased with Mukunda Datta, for though he explains devotional service among devotees, he then goes to Mayavadis to hear from them the Yoga-vasistha-ramayana, which is full of Mayavada philosophy. For this I am greatly displeased with him.”

Hearing the Lord speak in that way, Mukunda Datta, standing outside, was exceedingly glad that the Lord would at some time be pleased with him, although He was not pleased at that moment.

But when the Lord understood that Mukunda Datta was going to give up the association of the Mayavadis for good, He was pleased, and He at once called to see Mukunda.

Thus He delivered him from the association of the Mayavadis and gave him the association of pure devotees.

Mukunda Datta and Mahaprabhu’s Sannyasa

Before disclosing His desire to take the renounced order of life, Lord Chaitanya first went to the house of Mukunda Datta, but at that time Mukunda Datta requested Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to continue His sankirtana movement for a few days more before taking sannyasa. This is stated in the Chaitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, Chapter Twenty-six.

The information of Lord Chaitanya’s accepting the renounced order was made known to Gadadhara Pandita, Chandrashekhara Acarya and Mukunda Datta by Nityananda Prabhu, and therefore all of them went to Katwa and arranged for kirtana and all the paraphernalia for Lord Chaitanya’s acceptance of sannyasa.

After the Lord took sannyasa, they all followed Him, especially Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu and Mukunda Datta, who followed Him all the way to Purushottama-kshetra.

In the place known as Jaleshvara, Nityananda Prabhu broke the sannyasa rod of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Mukunda Datta was also present at that time.

He went every year from Bengal to see Lord Chaitanya at Jagannatha Puri.

Mukunda Datta Preserved the Verses of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya

The Lord then requested the Bhattacharya to go see Jagannatha in the temple, and the Bhattacharya started out for the temple accompanied by Jagadananda and Damodara, two principal associates of Lord Chaitanya.

After seeing Jagannatha the Bhattacharya returned home, bringing with him much prasadam purchased from the temple. He sent all this prasadam to Lord Chaitanya through his brahmana servant.

The Bhattacharya also dispatched two verses written on a palm-tree leaf and requested Jagadananda to do him a favor by delivering them to the Lord.

Thus Lord Chaitanya was offered the prasadam and the verses on the palm leaf. But before reaching the Lord, Mukunda Datta, who had also undertaken the delivery of the verses, had copied the verses into his book.

When Lord Chaitanya read the verses on the palm leaf, He tore it to pieces, for He never liked to be praised by anyone. The verses only survive because they had been copied by Mukunda Datta.

The verses praised Lord Chaitanya as the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead, declaring that He had descended as Lord Chaitanya to preach to the people in general about detachment, transcendental knowledge and devotional service.

Comparing Lord Chaitanya to an ocean of mercy, the Bhattacharya wrote:

“Let me surrender unto that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord, seeing that devotional service was absent, descended Himself in the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to preach devotional service. Let us all surrender unto His lotus feet and learn from Him what devotional service actually is.”

These two important verses are considered the most valuable jewels by the devotees of the Lord in disciplic succession, and by virtue of these famous verses Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya has become known as the highest of devotees.