Prabhupāda: Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was at Benares. He was a Māyāvādī sannyāsī, Śaṅkara-sampradāya. So he used to . . . this scene should be given that at Benares He was also walking all over the streets and roads, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," and thousands and thousands men were following Him.
This news arrived to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, who was the chief sannyāsī there and some of the devotees told, "Oh, a very nice sannyāsī has come to Benares. He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." So Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī deprecated, "Oh! This is a nonsense! Why a sannyāsī should chant and dance? He should concentrate his mind in studying Vedānta. He is a fool." In this way Caitanya Mahāprabhu was criticized.
So one Maharastrian brāhmin, he was devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he said that, "This incident gave us much pain, sir. If You kindly meet this sannyāsī and talk with him about Vedānta-sūtra, that would be a nice thing."
In the meantime, one brāhmin came and invited Lord Caitanya that "I have invited all the sannyāsīns of Benares, but I know You do not meet these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, but still I have come to invite You. If You kindly accept my invitation."
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this opportunity of meeting Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. He accepted his invitation, and there was a meeting, and there was discussion of Vedānta-sūtra with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, and He converted him to be a Vaisnava. That is another incident.
Hayagrīva: How old is this man?
Prabhupāda: Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī? He was also old man. Not less than sixty years old. Yes.
Hayagrīva: And what was his role, again, in the town? What was he . . . he was a Vedāntist?
Prabhupāda: Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. He was a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. He accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu's principle and he offered his respect. He touched His feet. And he also joined. But there is no mention that he became officially a Vaiṣṇava, but he accepted the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, officially, he became a Vaiṣṇava. Then Lord Haridāsa meets . . .
Hayagrīva: Fifth scene.
Prabhupāda: Fifth scene.
Hayagrīva: This is Haridāsa Ṭhākura?
Prabhupāda: Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
Hayagrīva: At who's death? At Haridāsa's death?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Haridāsa was very old man. He was Muhammadan.
Hayagrīva: He was the person that was thrown in the river.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hayagrīva: So he finally met his end here, in the fifth scene.
Prabhupāda: We are not meant for those . . . of course, Haridāsa Ṭhākura has a separate life, but that we are not going to show.
Hayagrīva: Yes. All right. This particular incident.
Prabhupāda: Particular incident is significant, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a brāhmin and He was a sannyāsī. According to social custom He should not touch even a Muhammadan, but this Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a Muhammadan, and at his death He took the body Himself and danced, and He put him in the graveyard and distributed prasādam.
And Haridāsa Ṭhākura for two, three days he was feeling not well. Because he was Muhammadan, he did not enter the temple of Jagannātha temple, because the Hindus were very strict. He was devotee, he never mind. Why he should create some row? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu appreciated his behavior that he did not want to create any . . . because he has become devotee. Forcibly he was not going to the temple.
But Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself was daily coming and seeing him. While going to take bath in the sea, He'll first of all see Haridāsa. "Haridāsa? What you are doing?" Haridāsa will offer his respect and He will sit and talk for some time. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu will go to take His bath. In this way, one day when He came He saw Haridāsa not feeling very well. "Haridāsa? How is your health?" "Yes, Sir, it is not very . . . after all, it is body."
Then the third day He saw that "Haridāsa is going to leave his body today." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, "Haridāsa, what do you desire?" Both of them could understand. Haridāsa said that "This is my last stage. If You kindly stand before me." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu stood before him and he left his body.