Sriman Mahaprabhu cleansed the temple with brooms, waterpots and His own cloth, accompanied by hundreds of devotees
The Lord swept in the ecstasy of Prema while calling the Holy Name of Krishna. The devotees also called out, ‘Krishna!’ as they engaged in their service.
The body of the Lord became covered with dust and dirt and was beautiful to behold. The Lord cleansed some areas of the temple with His tears.
Combining all the grass, dust and sand into a pile, the Lord began to gather it into His outer cloth and throw it outside.
In this way, all the devotees, in great ecstasy, then started throwing all the grass and dust outside using their own cloths.
The Lord said to the devotees, “By seeing how much grass and dust you throw outside the temple, I will know how much you have laboured and cleaned.”
The dirt collected by all the devotees was combined into one pile yet the pile made by the Lord was greater.
In this way, the interiors of all the temple’s rooms were swept. Following this, the Lord again assigned all the devotee’s areas to clean.
“Throw out even finer bits of dust, grass and sand and clean the Lord’s inner room nicely.”
After viewing the temple once He and all the devotees swept everything for a second time, and Sriman Mahaprabhu became satisfied.
When Sriman Mahaprabhu called, “Bring water!” a hundred devotees brought a hundred waterpots and presented them before the Lord.
At first, the Lord and His devotees rinsed the ceiling, the walls, the floor, the altar and everything within the temple.
The Lord mopped the rooms with His own cloth. Indeed, Sriman Mahaprabhu polished the altar with His own cloth.
The Lord made the temple spotlessly clean, cool and pleasing. In this way, the temple became just like an external manifestation of His own heart.
Everyone called the Holy Name of Hari as they filled waterpots and cleaned the temple. Nothing could be heard except the Holy Names ‘Krishna’ and ‘Hari’ sounds.
One devotee would ask for a waterpot by saying, ‘Krishna Krishna’ and another devotee would offer them one saying, ‘Krishna Krishna’.
Whoever spoke said only the Holy Name of Krishna. The Holy Name of Krishna became the indicator of all desired ends.
