Prabhupāda: ...by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. They were convinced with the arguments and presentation of Lord Caitanya. And from that day, not only the sannyāsīs, but also the people in general, they also became very much admirer of Lord Caitanya. So,
- lokera saṅghaṭṭa āise prabhure dekhite
- nānā śāstre paṇḍita āise śāstra vicārite
- (CC Madhya 25.19)
And because He defeated the Māyāvādī philosophers, many other scholars also began to meet Him personally and talk with Him, argue with Him.
So this was going on naturally. Whenever a man becomes prominent, so many others, they come to challenge him. That is natural sequence.
- sarva-śāstra khaṇḍi' prabhu bhakti kare sāra
- sayuktika vākye mana phirāya sabāra
- (CC Madhya 25.20)
The speciality of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was that He used to put very sound arguments, and He used to defeat His opponents in such a way that they were satisfied. They were not inimical. And with the evidence of śāstra. Not that argumentum vaculum. He was putting reasonable arguments and evidences from śāstra, scripture. Sarva-śāstra khaṇḍi' prabhu bhakti kare sāra. And the beauty was that He was defeating all other arguments against devotional service. He was establishing only that God is great, and we are meant for serving Him. On this basis He was arguing and He was defeating others.
- upadeśa lañā kare kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana
- sarva-loka hāse, gāya, karaye nartana
- (CC Madhya 25.21)
And the whole city became surcharged with Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. Everyone began to dance and sing Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. They may understand or not understand, but the infection was there that everyone was chanting.
- prabhure praṇata haila sannyāsīra gaṇa
- ātma-madhye goṣṭhī kare chāḍi' adhyayana
- (CC Madhya 25.22)
Now, so far the sannyāsīs were concerned, they practically gave up their so-called Vedānta study, and they simply began to discuss on the sublime presentation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they were enjoying that.
- prakāśānandera śiṣya eka tāṅhāra samāna
- sabhā-madhye kahe prabhura kariyā sammāna
- (CC Madhya 25.23)
So after this incidence, one of the chief disciples of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he stood up and began to glorify Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the following words:
- śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya haya 'sākṣāt nārāyaṇa'
- 'vyāsa-sūtrera' artha karena ati-manorama
- (CC Madhya 25.24)
Amongst the Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, the etiquette is to address one another as Nārāyaṇa. They say, "namo nārāyaṇa," "Everyone is Nārāyaṇa." I address you, "namo nārāyaṇa," and you address me, "namo nārāyaṇa." A mutual praising society of Nārāyaṇas. Nārāyaṇa eko āsīt. In the Vedas it is said that only Nārāyaṇa was before creation. So after creation, all these living entities became Nārāyaṇa. This is their philosophy, that "There is no separate Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa has manifested pantheism. Nārāyaṇa has manifested Himself in so many varieties. And the varieties is closed; then again, Nārāyaṇa remains." So this Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, they address one another as "Nārāyaṇa." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also a sannyāsī, so he is addressing Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the supreme Nārāyaṇa, as the chief Nārāyaṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). As it is stated in the Kaṭhopaniṣad, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the leader of all other personalities. He's also person, we are also person. But He is leader. Of all living entities, He is the supreme living entity. Of all eternals He is the supreme eternal.