# Cc. Madhya 5.142-143 ## Text > kapoteśvara dekhite gelā bhakta-gaṇa saṅge > ethā nityānanda-prabhu kaila daṇḍa-bhaṅge > > tina khaṇḍa kari' daṇḍa dila bhāsāñā > bhakta-saṅge āilā prabhu maheśa dekhiñā ## Synonyms *kapoteśvara*—the Śiva temple of the name Kapoteśvara; *dekhite*—to see; *gelā*—went; *bhakta*-*gaṇa* *saṅge*—with the devotees; *ethā*—here; *nityānanda*-*prabhu*—Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; *kaila*—did; *daṇḍa*—of the *sannyāsa* staff; *bhaṅge*—breaking; *tina* *khaṇḍa*—three parts; *kari'*—making; *daṇḍa*—the staff; *dila*—threw in; *bhāsāñā*—washing away; *bhakta*-*saṅge*—with the devotees; *āilā*—returned; *prabhu*—Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; *maheśa* *dekhiñā*—having seen the temple of Lord Śiva. ## Translation **When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the temple of Lord Śiva known as Kapoteśvara, Nityānanda Prabhu, who was keeping His sannyāsa staff in custody, broke the staff in three parts and threw it into the river Bhārgīnadī. Later this river became known as Daṇḍa-bhāṅgā-nadī.** ## Purport The mystery of the *sannyāsa-daṇḍa* (staff) of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has been explained by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the order of *sannyāsa* from a Māyāvādī *sannyāsī.* The Māyāvādī *sannyāsīs* generally carry one staff, or *daṇḍa.* Taking advantage of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's absence, Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu broke the staff into three parts and threw it into the river now known as the Daṇḍa-bhāṅgā-nadī. In the *sannyāsa* order there are four divisions-*kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, haṁsa* and *paramahaṁsa.* Only when the *sannyāsī* remains on the *kuṭīcaka* and *bahūdaka* platforms can he carry a staff. However, when one is elevated to the status of *haṁsa* or *paramahaṁsa,* after touring and preaching the *bhakti* cult, he must give up the *sannyāsa* staff. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is therefore said, *śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya:* "Two personalities-Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Śrī Kṛṣṇa-are combined in the incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Therefore, considering Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be an extraordinary person, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu did not wait for the *paramahaṁsa* stage. He reasoned that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is automatically on the *paramahaṁsa* stage; therefore He does not need to carry the *sannyāsa-daṇḍa.* This is the reason Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu broke the staff into three pieces and threw it into the water.