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RELIGIOUS SECTS
his disciples suppose he returned to Vaikuntha, but we may be allowed to conjecture the means he took to travel thither, by the tale of his marine excursion, as it is gravely narrated by KŘISHŇA Dás: his disappearance dates about A. D. 1527.
Of ADWAITÁNAND and NrTYÁNAND no marvels, beyond their divine pervasion, are recorded: the former, indeed, is said to have predicted the appearance of KÁSHŇA as CHAITANYA; a prophecy that probably wrought its own completion: he sent his wife to assist at the birth of the saint, and was one of his first disciples. ADWAITÁNAND resided at Šántipur , and seems to have been a man of some property and respectability: he is regarded as one of the three Prabhus, or masters of the sect, and his descendants, who are men of property, residing at Sántipur, are the chief Gosáins, or spiritual superiors, conjointly with those of NITYÁNAND, of the followers of this faith. NitysNAND was an inhabitant of Nadiya, a Ráahiya Brahman, and a householder: he was appointed especially by CHAITANYA, the superior of his followers in Bengal, nothwithstanding his secular character, and his being addicted to mundane enjoyments': his descendants
Thus, according to KkishŃa Das, when Raghunáth Dás visits him, he finds him at a feast with his followers, eating a variety of dainties; amongst others a dish called Pulina, and when he good humouredly notices it, NrtyánAND replies:
गोपजाति आमि बहुगोपसङ्गे आमि सुखपाइए पुलीन भोजन रङ्गे॥ “I am of the Gopa cast (i. e. fig.: a companion of KŘISHŃA, the
