[Account of how Raghunath-das, the son of a very rich revenue-farmer, escaped from his home at Saptagram in Bengal, joined the Master at Puri and lived in utter lowliness by begging.]
One year Vallabh Bhatta came and met the Master, bowing at His feet. The Master embraced him as an adorer of Vishnu (bhágabat) and with honour made him sit close to Himself.
Meekly did the Bhatta address the Master, "Long have I desired to see you and to-day Jagannáth has gratified that wish. Lucky is he who can behold you, for you are as it were God in a visible form. Even to remember you [from a distance] hallows a man. No wonder, then, that the sight of you makes one blessed. (Bhágabat, I. xix. 30.) The distinctive religion of the modern age is the kirtan of Krishna's name, and this religion cannot be established without Krishna's own power. That you have founded this faith proves that you are inspired with Krishna's divine force. Whosoever beholds you, swims in the stream of the love of Krishna. Only Krishna's spirit can call forth this love, as the scriptures say that Krishna is the sole inspirer of prem (love)."
The Master replied, "Listen, great-minded Bhatta! I was a sannyasi following the theory of illusion (máyá-vád); I knew not bhakti for Krishna. The Goswámi Adwaita Acharya is God incarnate; his society has cleansed my mind. He has no peer in the knowledge of all the Shastras and in devotion to Krishna, and therefore he has been rightly named A-dwaita without a second. Nityánanda, Sárvabhauma Bhattáchárya, Rámánanda Ray, Damodar Swarup, Haridas Thakur, Acharya Ratna and many other bhaktas have all taught me Krishna-love and true bhakti, and have preached to the world love for the Krishna-name."
So spoke the Master artfully, as he knew the Bhatta to be very proud of his learning, and to have long cherished the conceit that he knew all the bhakti-theology of the Vaishnavs and could expound the Shrimad Bhágabat best. The Master's words curbed this pride of the Bhatta, and he longed to know the many disciples whose Vaishnav character the Master had just extolled. He asked, "Where do these Vaishnavs live? How can I meet them?" The Master replied, "Some live here, some on the bank of the Ganges (i.e., at Navadwip, Panihati etc.). These latter have all come here for the Car festival, and have taken up lodgings in this place. Here will you meet all of them."
Next day when all the Vaishnavs came to the Master's place, He introduced them to the Bhatta. Their Vaishnav-splendour filled the Bhatta with amazement and he looked like a firefly in their company. Then he feasted the Master and His disciples on huge quantities of mahá-prasád. The sannyasis sat down with Paramananda Puri on one side. The Master sat down between Adwaita and Nityánanda, while His disciples sat before and behind. The bhaktas from Bengal were countless; they filled the yard row on row. Vallabh Bhatta marvelled at the sight of them and bowed at the feet of each. He himself served the mahá-prasád to the Master and the sannyasis. They shouted Hari! Hari! on receiving the prasád. The roar of Hari's name filled the universe. The Bhatta gave away garlands, sandal-paste, betel-leaf and nuts and delighted all with his reverence.
On the day of the Car procession, the Master began kirtan. As before, He formed seven distinct groups of singers, under Adwaita, Nityánanda, Haridas, Vakreshwar, Shribas, Raghav Pandit, and Gadadhar, who sang at different places. The Master roamed about shouting Hari, while fourteen drums (mádal) lifted up the din of the sankirtan. The sight filled Vallabh Bhatta with marvel; he flew into a transport of delight and could not control himself. Then the Master stopped the dance of the others and began to dance Himself. As he gazed on the Master's beauty and the exuberance of His prem, the Bhatta believed that the Master was Krishna himself!
After the festival the Bhatta begged the Master, saying, "I have written a commentary on the Bhágabat and want to read it to you." The Master replied, "I do not understand the meaning of the Bhágabat and am not qualified to hear [and judge] any interpretation of it. I only sit down and recite Krishna's name, and even then fail to complete the promised number of recitations in twenty-four hours." The Bhatta rejoined, "I have made an exposition of the meaning of Krishna's name in my commentary. Listen to it." But the Master objected, "I do not pay any regard to the many senses of Krishna's name; I only know that he is Yashoda's darling son and darkly beautiful [like the Tamál leaves]. This only I know for truth, and I have not arrived at any other meaning of the name." At the Master's slight, the Bhatta went back to his quarters, downcast in mind. (He took his commentary to the chief disciples, and even read out parts of his own motion, but they slighted it and he was abashed).
Daily did Vallabh Bhatta go to the Master's place and dispute with [Adwaita] Acharya and other disciples. Whenever he established a proposition, the Acharya used immediately to refute it. Before them Vallabh Bhatta appeared like a crane in the company of majestic swans.
One day the Bhatta asked the Acharya, "Mankind is feminine, and Krishna is their husband, so you hold. No devoted wife utters her husband's name. And yet you repeat Krishna's name. What sort of dharma is this?" The Acharya replied, "Dharma in the flesh is sitting before you. Ask Him, and He will justify it."