yadi cāha praṇaya rākhite gaurāṅgera sane
choṭa haridāsera kathā thāke yena mane
[If you want to associate with Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you
must always remember the incident of Choṭa Haridāsa
and how he was rejected by the Lord.]
Whether you are a brahmacārī or a sannyāsī, if you are not
following the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you will be
ruined. We see so many historical examples of this; so be careful.
Choṭa Haridāsa was not lusty. On the request of Mahāprabhu’s
associate, Śrī Bhagavān Ācārya, Choṭa Haridāsa went to the
house of a very old lady named Mādhavī Māhiti to obtain some
fine white rice for offering to the Deity. Mādhavī Māhiti was
eighty-four years old, and she is considered to be one of the
eternal associates of the Lord. But there was also a young
lady present in Mādhavī Māhiti devī ’s house. Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu knew this, and when He later heard about Choṭa
Haridāsa’s going there, He at once stopped Choṭa Haridāsa
from coming to see Him. He was teaching us that if one is in
the renounced order of life and he sees a young lady, his mind
and body may become transformed with lusty feelings.
Mahāprabhu wanted to teach us that those in the renounced
order should follow the ideal etiquette and be careful about
association with the opposite sex. We are obliged to always
remember this. Your mind is very weak. Don’t listen to your
mind. At any time it may cheat you. Māyā cheated Brahmā,
Śaṅkara, Indra, and Nārada. She is very powerful, and she can
only be defeated by Kṛṣṇa. So, be careful if you want to attain
love for Kṛṣṇa.
―Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja