19810622 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.4.14 (Part-1)

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on June 22, 1981 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Canto 1, Chapter 4, Text 14, part 1.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

Jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
Jaya advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Jayapatākā Swami: (Leads 3 times with devotees repeat): Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya
naraṁ caiva narottamam
devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ
tato jayam udīrayet

Mukam Karoti Vachalam
Pangum Langhayate Girim
Yatkripa Tamaham Vande
Sri Gurum Dina tarinam
Yatkripa Tamaham Vande
Sri Gurum Dina tarinam
Paramananda Madhavam
Sri Caitanya Isvaram

ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau

Jai!

Text 14, Chapter 4, Canto 1 of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Maha Puranam

Jayapatākā Swami: (leads the verse three times with devotees repeat)

sūta uvāca
dvāpare samanuprāpte
tṛtīye yuga-paryaye
jātaḥ parāśarād yogī
vāsavyāṁ kalayā hareḥ
[SB 1.4.14]

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: (leads the synonyms with devotees repeat)

sūtaḥ — Sūta Gosvāmī; uvāca — said; dvāpare — in the second millennium; samanuprāpte — on the advent of; tṛtīye — third; yuga — millennium; paryaye — in the place of; jātaḥ — was begotten; parāśarāt — by Parāśara; yogī — the great sage; vāsavyām — in the womb of the daughter of Vasu; kalayā — in the plenary portion; hareḥ — of the Personality of God.

Translation by His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: Sūta Gosvāmī said: When the second millennium overlapped the third, the great sage [Vyāsadeva] was born to Parāśara in the womb of Satyavatī, the daughter of Vasu.

(Aside: Translation with repetition)

Jayapatākā Swami: (leads the translation with devotees repeat)

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: There is a chronological order of the four millenniums, namely Satya, Dvāpara, Tretā and Kali. But sometimes there is overlapping. During the regime of Vaivasvata Manu, there was an overlapping of the twenty-eighth round of the four millenniums, and the third millennium appeared prior to the second. In that particular millennium, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa also descends, and because of this there was some particular alteration. The mother of the great sage was Satyavatī, the daughter of the Vasu (fisherman), and the father was the great Parāśara Muni. That is the history of Vyāsadeva’s birth. Every millennium is divided into three periods, and each period is called a sandhyā. Vyāsadeva appeared in the third sandhyā of that particular age.

Thus end the purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda of Canto 1 Chapter 4 Text 14 of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is describing the appearance of Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, is a, is an incarnation of Hari, of the personality of Godhead. He comes down for the purpose of compiling and writing the Vedic literatures.

Before, it was not necessary to write them. Because, the people’s memory was so clear and sharp that, they would not forget, whatever they heard. But in the kali-yuga, he could see that the people are the short-lived, unfortunate and they have also poor memory. Therefore, it is necessary to write down the Vedās, in order to protect the culture and to give the people a chance to get back to home, back to Godhead. So, He divided the one Veda into four, and then He also compiled the fifth Veda, the histories, the puranas and so on. So, Vyāsadeva, in this way, He is known as the original spiritual master, because He is Kṛṣṇa's expansion, and because He has given us the Vedās, which are the source of all knowledge.

In an example, Śrīla Prabhupāda once told us that, “Actually the fact that people could simply remember, what they heard is not so wonderful.” Because, even he about, 70 years ago, or 50 years ago, he saw one instance, where there was one British, Britisher... two Britishers, they were arguing with each other and there was one sage, who was taking bath in the river; and they had a fight, and there was some violence. So, a court case ensued. So, they called this sage as a witness.

And the sage said that, “I know what they said; you see. But I don’t know any English. I can only vibrate the sounds that I heard at that time.” And then, he perfectly vibrated the sounds that he heard, when they were fighting. Although he didn’t even know English, just he heard those sounds, and on that basis, the case was judged.

So, you can imagine what a sharp memory! As good as a tape recorder or better. So, that was just within recent history, what to speak of 5000 years ago. But generally speaking, people forget from one day to the next. If you ask someone what he did exactly one week ago, at this time… of course, for devotee it is easy because at this time, we do the same thing every day, (a mataji chuckles) generally speaking. But for regular people, it is very hard. Because they have no regulated life and they have no good memory. So, Vyāsadeva, knowing all these things, He had already planned to write the bhaga… the Vedās down.

So, there are always three things: sādhu, śāstra and guru; they are checks and balances. The basis is the śāstra.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “The spiritual master is like a professor. Simply by reading śāstra, it is difficult for one to come to a conclusion. Because they are so vast. Therefore, it is necessary to have also a professor, who is expert.”

Just like Arjuna, when he quoted so many Vedic understandings about what he should do and shouldn’t do, but ultimately, he was confused. So, it is not enough; it is not simply scholastic or pedantic or education through book-reading that one can understand, what is the purpose of the Vedās. To really clear the doubts, one also needs the spiritual master. But the spiritual master, just like Kṛṣṇa, when He was preaching to Arjuna, He would always quote the previous authorities and the Vedās. Just like He said, “proktavān aham avyayam - that before this was also spoken.”

Not that Kṛṣṇa was... Although He is Himself, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo - is the source of everything, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat - there is no higher truth than Him, still He is referring to higher authorities. Higher authorities mean previous authorities. That is to instruct us, “This is the Vedic system; no one is independent.” Even Kṛṣṇa Himself is referring to Vedās, why? Because He is given the Vedās for that purpose, as a check, as a reference that everything is supposed to be done according to the Vedās. Simply the spiritual master, like an expert lawyer or professor who knows spiritually, what is the Vedās and who is practicing that particular part of the Vedic culture, you see. Therefore, he guides the disciples according to the Vedās through the path of God consciousness.

So, when one wants to choose spiritual master, then one will see what are the qualities in the Vedās and then one will also discuss with the other saintly people, the sādhus, and then one can say who is guru. When one wants to know what is the meaning of the Vedās, one will read the Vedās, but will not able to understand; therefore, approaches the guru and the sādhus and then understands the Vedās. One has to know who is a saintly person; that can also be understood from the Vedās and from the spiritual master, what he is saying is correct or not. So, in this way, these three are always there to give us some check and balance. So, the basis however, is the śāstra.

No one can say that the śāstra we don’t accept; if anyone says that, that is a great offense. śāstra is always at the absolute position, because that is directly given by the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsadeva. That is the basis.

So, everything must be guided according to sādhu, śāstra and guru, keeping the śāstra in the forefront. This is the basic system. Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda, as soon as he came, immediately started to translate śāstra: the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Īśopaniṣad, Nectar of devotion, because books are the basis.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not based on sentiment; it is based upon spiritual knowledge, upon Vedās, the books of knowledge, ancient knowledge, which is coming down since the very creation itself. And it has only been written 5,000 years ago, but before that it was also existing in the ether and sound. So, this is the very wonderful thing.

People ask, “How old is your religion? How old is your culture?” So, we tell them, “Well, Bhagavad-gītā was written 5000 years ago.” But actually, it is Sanātana; there's no beginning and there's no end.” This is eternal religious principles, you see, especially those principles which are given in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Those principles are the same principles that are practiced in the spiritual sky. In other Vedās, there may be sacrifices meant for elevation to heavenly planets. And when this universe is destroyed, also the heavenly planets are destroyed. But the topics about Kṛṣṇa consciousness are never destroyed, because even when this universe is destroyed, one is again transferred back to the spiritual sky by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, of the pure devotees.

So, this material world is very difficult to cross over; very difficult (pause). But Kṛṣṇa says, “māyām etāṁ taranti te. mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. - That one who takes shelter of Me, easy, easily I deliver him out of this material world.” “mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [BG 7.14] - Someone who takes shelter in Me, I deliver him.” This is Kṛṣṇa's special mercy, that He is delivering those who takes shelter.

So, how one takes shelter? This of course, we see that, when Kṛṣṇa was personally present, He was demanding

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
[BG 18.66]

That one completely surrender to Kṛṣṇa and then one will be delivered. You see. We also pray to Caitanya Mahāprabhu,

namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
[CC Madhya 19.53]

Why? Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu is more merciful than even Kṛṣṇa himself. Kṛṣṇa was saying, “You surrender unto me, I will deliver you.” But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is giving pure Love for Kṛṣṇa, you see, very easily, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-mantra and desiring to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, simply by desiring perfection.

It is like Śrīla Prabhupāda said that, for the children, sometimes you have to give them the dessert first. When is a big feast, the children first want to have the sandesh and sweets; they are not patient to eat through all the sabjis and everything else. So first you have to give them the sweet. Then you can go on to the sabji. The children have the sweet tooth. So, like that, here Kṛṣṇa has given us first the sweets, first the nectar, you see. Then after we are attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, after we are attracted to Kṛṣṇa, developed some devotion, then we have come back and then further refinement is there; get rid of the anarthas. But first They are giving the sweet, that is some ecstasy from chanting, from association of vaiṣṇavas; then, after having some sweet, then we go back, clean up our act, so to speak, clean up all the anarthas. And then we get permanently situated in that nectar of devotion.

So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is most kind; but Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He didn’t personally write any literature. All he wrote was the 8 ślokas of the Siksastaka, which you chant every morning. (Aside: of course, I heard you chant) But He ordered His associates like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī to write Vedic literatures. And other devotees like Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita, others, He ordered them to preach and distribute those literatures. You see. So, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, he was the disciple of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; he is different from the Śrīvāsa of the Pañca-tattva. He was known as Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita and this is Śrīnivāsa Ācārya. You see. He was the first one to bring all the books of the Gosvāmīs to Bengal and to eastern states, he was accompanied by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, and also by Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita.

Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita was also a great devotee; he, at a very early age, he approached his mother father and said that, “I want to take initiation from Hṛdaya Caitanya dāsa.” And of course, they had their mixed feelings, but overall, they were very pleased that, “Our son at such an early age has already decided that he wants to take spiritual master.” So, on his own choice, they allowed him that he went to the āśrama of Ambika Kalna.

Hṛdaya Caitanya dāsa is a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, he is the disciple of Gaurī Dāsa Paṇḍita. You know Gaurī dāsa Paṇḍita? He was Subala in Kṛṣṇa lila, the friend of Kṛṣṇa. He is famous because he demanded that Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, They have to stay with him, because he wants to always talk with them and offer them food stuff, because they are his friends.

They said, “If we stay here, what about all the other devotees?

“So then at least You have to give me a Deity,”

Then Lord Caitanya said, “Well, how can I give you Deity in My presence? I am come here as a devotee, not as the Lord.”

He said, “I don't know all these things, either You have to stay here, or leave Your Deity.”

Because he had the friendly relationship with Lord Caitanya, so this type of affectionate dealings could be there. So Lord Caitanya, He agreed and they went and they constructed one Deity, Nitai Gaura, two deities, one pair. Life-size, seven feet! Beautiful! Out of neem wood. One huge tree and they carved these deities. When their carving was finished, you see, Nitai Gaura personally there, They were personally modeling for the carving.

When it was finished and He begged permission, “Please allow Me to go.”

And then Subala, I mean Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita, he said, “No, You stay. Your deities non-different from You, yes?!

They said, “Yes.”

“Let Them go.” And You stay!

(Devotees laughs)

So then Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, They agreed, “Alright.” They raised their arms and They became as if wood, you see, and the Deities, They became moveable and They walked off.

And then Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita, he ran after the moving forms and said, “No, You stay. Let Them go.”

(devotees laughing).

They said, “Alright.” They raised Their hands, and the other Deities again They become moving and They started walking off. Haribol!

“No, no, no. You must stay. You don't go!”

“Alright.” They raised Their hands, became wooden appearance, and then again the other became moveable and walked off.

Again, “No, no, no. Please don't go. You stay.”

“Alright.” Said, “Alright.” Then finally the other ones are now again will They...

He fell down and offered his obeisances and said, “Alright.” What can I do? You are the inconceivable Lord.”

So, then he installed those Deities and was worshipping. And you see. Hṛdaya Caitanya (used to wors…) was his disciple. Hṛdaya Caitanya used to be known as Hṛdayānanda. Hṛdaya means heart, ananda - pleasure, bliss. So Hṛdayānanda was decided one day, when Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita was out, for little few days, just visiting disciples, that on Gaura Pūrṇimā, there should be a special festival or maybe it was his Guru’s Birthday, I forgot.

One of such occasion, he decided that it should be a special festival. So, he told all the villagers to bring different type of rice and milk, and sugar, and gur, and different things, and have a big festival, kirtan would be held. So, Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita, when he came back, he saw that already the that… he heard about this plan.

And He was outwardly angry, although inwardly, he was pleased, it was a good service, but no disciples should just do things without asking permission, that was his point. So, he said that, “No. Cancel this program. How can you do these things? You never consulted with me? You become independent. Next time you will do something unauthorized, you will fall in māyā. One has to always follow the instruction of the ācārya, the previous ācāryas. Very important to keep in line with the mood of the previous ācāryas.” So, he didn't ask any permission. And this way, he might do something later which was unauthorized. In this way, Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita chastised him.

So, then Hṛdayānanda simply went to the side of the Ganges and he was chanting Japa, feeling very fallen for having offended his spiritual master. But in the meantime, so many boatloads are coming. It is right on the bank of the Ganges, south of Māyāpur, just opposite from our Śāntipura. Bullock carts, the different provisions started to pile up into a big mountain.

And so, then Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita said, “What can we do?” They are already coming. We tell all these people bring back all these things, not to give to Kṛṣṇa?” So, he called Hṛdayānanda and said, “Alright, have your festival.”

Haribol! Haribol! So, then they had a huge kirtan by the side of the Ganges. And everyone was jumping, jumping in kirtan. It became so ecstatic, spinning around and jumping, dozen mṛdaṅgas and karatālas, and literally hundred people, you see.

In the meantime, Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita, he had prepared (some prasād) some bhoga; was bringing the bhoga in to offer to Nitai Gaura Deities. You see. When he went into the temple, there he looked. Nitai Gaura were not there?!

“Where is Nitai Gaura? Where is Nitai Gaura? Where have They gone? Kothay gelo Nitai Gaura? Where have They gone?”

He was astonished. “The Deities are not here.” He ran out, looked everywhere. “Where did the Deities go? Someone stolen or what?” There he saw Hṛdayānanda, and his big kirtan party. Amongst the kirtan party, there was the Deities Nitai Gaura, dancing in kirtan! Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (Jayapatākā Mahārāja sings the Mahamantra twice). Jumping and dancing amongst the devotees, you see, but the other devotees, they couldn't even see the Deities.

Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita, he became furious. He picked up his stick, and he ran after Nitai Gaura. He said, “Don’t You try to cheat me; now You're going to run off again! (devotees laughing). You, immediately, get back into the temple now. (devotees laughing again) Your prasādam is waiting!” You see.

Nitai Gaura, They saw him running with the stick, They became afraid. Lord Caitanya immediately hid inside the heart of Hṛdaya Ānanda, you see. From that moment, he became known as Hṛdaya Caitanya, because in his heart, Caitanya went.

(Subal)Gaurīdāsa said, “Don't hide! Immediately get back in the temple!''

(devotees laughing)

They all ran, the two, no one knowing what's going on. (laughing) He is running down with a stick and chasing in the air, because others are not seeing Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda. They ran back into the temple and then again, They became visible to everyone, you see.

And then Gaurīdāsa said, “Don't leave this temple again! Don't try to cheat me! How will I, how will I talk to you? Who will I offer this prasad to? Who will I offer service to? If You go away, how will I live? Don't You know that, what this will do to me? You want to leave me all alone?!” And then he be... he was very angry, you see, that his friends were doing this to him.

(devotees laughing again)

You see. Being so in-considerate. Who can understand, when Kṛṣṇa and his friends are having these pastimes? Who can understand how some devotee can be... connected with Kṛṣṇa as a friend and not consider, friend means, they don't consider that Kṛṣṇa is superior to me; they consider, “Kṛṣṇa is my friend. He's my equal.” In just in pure love, they're acting. Who can understand this type of relationship?

You see, of course, some devotees are there with dāsya, servant like Hanuman, and they always have fear and respects for the Lord. Then there's a rare devotee as a friend of Kṛṣṇa and doesn't have that fear, you see. He didn’t. He's only thinking, just like if some friend is running off, you see, without taking meal, “How you're running off without taking Your supper? Come on back! Sit down and eat first!” Like that! Just a friend.

That was the mood of Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita with Lord Caitanya. Who can, but touch the lotus feet and meditate on the dust of his feet and pray that by his mercy we can get some pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness to understand the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. So, this is Hṛdayānanda, Hṛdaya Caitanya.

So that... Śyāmānanda, his previous name was Duhkhi Kṛṣṇa dāsa. Sad servant of Kṛṣṇa. I don't know why Duhkhi but. I guess he was always in separation, and so he was called Duhkhi Kṛṣṇa dāsa. Anyway, that was his name. He went to Hṛdaya Caitanya and fell at his feet and begged, “Please give me initiation”, you see.

So then Hṛdaya Caitanya, he initiated him, but very quickly, he sent him with letter to Jīva, to Vṛndāvana, to Jīva Gosvāmī, requesting Jīva Gosvāmī, “You please train him up in Radha Kṛṣṇa worship, in the science of Bhāgavatam, so he can preach here and send him back.” So, in this way, Śyāmānanda, he went to Vṛndāvana.

Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, you know how he went to Vṛndāvana? A long story… he was looking, he first went to Puri to find Lord Caitanya, but Lord Caitanya disappeared and then he went and found Gadādhara Paṇḍita. Then Gadādhara Paṇḍita didn't have the Bhāgavatam, sent him back to Navadvīpa to get the Bhāgavatam written; again, he came back, Gadādhara Paṇḍita disappeared. He almost died in separation. At that time, again he went back to Vrinda… to Navadvīpa (Audio corrupted) and he was again shattered. Finally, he was told in dream to go to Vṛndāvana to meet Rūpa and Sanātana. When he finally got in Vṛndāvana, they had also disappeared. There Jīva Gosvāmī was told by Rūpa and Sanātana that he should take this Śrīnivāsa Ācārya to Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and should be initiated by him. And he should instruct him though. So, in this way, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, finally he was in Vṛndāvana. [End of Part 1]