When the Master returned from Brindában to Niláchal, Swarup Goswámi sent word of it to Bengal. Shachi rejoiced to hear of it; all the bhaktas rejoiced. They all set off for Niláchal. The men of Kulin village and the men of Khand all joined Acharya Shivananda. Shivananda Sen undertook to pass them through the police out posts (gháti) of the road, looked after them, and secured lodgings for them. When they arrived at Niláchal, they all met the Master, as in past years. At the end of four months, the Master sent the bhaktas back to Bengal.
Every year the Bengali adorers used to come, meet the Master, and then return home. From other provinces, too, people used to come to Jagannáth-Puri and attain the bliss of gazing at the feet of Chaitanya. But there were many householders who could not come. For their salvation the Master inspired worthy disciples in those countries with His own force, and thus all countries were made Vaishnav.
Bhagabán Acharya, a great Vaishnav, very learned and high-born (árya), lived at Jagannáth-Puri, seeking the Master's company, as the cow-boys [of Mathura did Krishna's]. He was a comrade of Swarup Goswámi, and took absolute refuge at the feet of Chaitanya. At times he used to invite the Master and made Him dine alone in his house.
One day, when the Acharya had bidden the Master to dinner at his house, he called the Master's chanter, the Lesser Haridas, and told him to bring on his behalf a maund of white rice from the sister of Shikhi Mahiti. She was named Madhavi Devi, an old anchorite and devout Vaishnav. At his meal the Master praised the rice and learnt that it had been supplied by Madhavi through the Lesser Haridas. When He returned to His lodgings, he ordered Govinda to exclude Haridas from the place from that day onwards.
Haridas grieved at the Master's doors being closed to him. For three days he fasted. None knew the reason of his exclusion. Then Swarup and others asked the Master, who replied, "I cannot look at the face of a bairagi who speaks to a woman. Our passions are hard to control and take hold of their natural objects of gratification. Even the wooden statue of a woman can steal the heart of an ascetic." (They prayed for His pardon, but in vain. When even Puri Goswámi interceded for Haridas, the Master in anger threatened to leave His disciples there and migrate alone to Alalnath). At the sight of Haridas's punishment, terror seized all the bhaktas. They gave up conversing with women even in dreams.
Thus did Haridas pass a year, and yet the Master did not feel any grace for him. So, one night Haridas bowed to the Master [from a distance] and went away to Allahabad without telling anybody. He concentrated his mind on attaining to the Master's feet [in the next life] and gave up his life by plunging into the junction of the three rivers, (Triveni at Allahabad).
An Oriya Brahman boy, handsome, gentle of manner, but fatherless, used to visit the Master at Puri daily, bow to Him and hold converse with Him. The Master was as life unto him, and he enjoyed the Master's favour. Damodar could not bear to see this attachment, and again and again forbade the boy [to come]. But he could not live without seeing the Master; he came daily and the Master showed him great love; it is natural for a boy to come where he meets with love.
The sight grieved Damodar, but he could not say any thing as the boy heeded not his prohibition. One day the boy visited the Master, who lovingly inquired after his [health]. After a time the boy left. Damodar could not contain himself any longer, but burst out with, "In other connections you are called a Goswámi. We shall soon know what sort of Goswámi you are! All men will soon sing the praise of our Goswámi! His reputation will be now established at Puri!"
The Master, hearing it, asked, "What is this that you are talking, Damodar?" The man replied, "You are a free God. You act as you please. Who can forbid you? But who can shut the mouth of the garrulous world? You are a wise man. Why then do you not reflect deeply? Why do you love a widow's son? True, she is chaste and an ascetic; but she has the faults of being beautiful and young. You too are youthful and extremely handsome. This will give an opportunity to scandal-mongers to whisper."
Damodar ceased speaking. The Master, pleased at heart, smiled and reflected, thinking "This is a current of the purest love. I have no well-wisher like Damodar."