19850606 Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 15.16-29

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 15.16-29

 

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (Recites the verses; reads the translation)

 

eka-dina naivedya-tāmbūla khāiyā bhūmite paḍilā prabhu acetana hañā (CC Adi 15.16)

Translation:

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate betel nuts offered to the Deity, but they acted as an intoxicant, and He fell down on the ground unconscious.

Purport: Betel nuts are an intoxicant, and therefore the regulative principles prohibit eating them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastime of fainting after eating betel nuts is a solid instruction to all of us that one should not touch betel nuts, even those offered to Viṣṇu, just as one should not touch grains on the Ekādaśī day.

Of course, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s fainting had a particular purpose. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can do whatever He likes and eat whatever He wants, but we should not imitate His pastimes.

āste-vyaste pitā-mātā mukhe dila pāni sustha hañā kahe prabhu apūrva kāhinī (CC Adi 15.17)

Translation: After His father and mother sprinkled water on His mouth with great haste, the Lord revived and said something wonderful they had never heard before.

ethā haite viśvarūpa more lañā gelā sannyāsa karaha tumi, āmāre kahilā (CC Adi 15.18)

Translation:

The Lord said, “Viśvarūpa took Me away from here, and He requested Me to accept the sannyāsa order.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja (comments):

Who knows who Viśvarūpa is?

Who doesn’t know who Viśvarūpa is?

You don’t know who Viśvarūpa is?

His elder brother who left home and took sannyāsa when Lord Caitanya was a small boy. When Viśvarūpa grew up, then Jagannath Miśra thought that now let me find him a nice young girl and get him married. When Viśvarūpa heard that, he hit the road. He took sannyāsa. He wasn’t interested. So then they made Lord Caitanya.. They were very upset that they thought that maybe Lord Caitanya would take sannyāsa.

So Lord Caitanya said, ”No, no, don’t worry, I am going to stay and serve you both. I won’t take sannyāsa. Don’t worry!” So then they felt comforted. And now you just heard what Lord Caitanya said. So this is going to be like a bombshell in the hearts of Jagannath Miśra and Śacī mata.

āmi kahi, — āmāra anātha pitā-mātā āmi bālaka, — sannyāsera kibā jāni kathā (CC Adi 15.19)

Translation: “I replied to Viśvarūpa, ‘I have My helpless father and mother, and also I am but a child. What do I know about the sannyāsa order of life?

gṛhastha ha-iyā kariba pitā-mātāra sevana ihāte-i tuṣṭa habena lakṣmī-nārāyaṇa (CC Adi 15.20)

Translation:

‘Later I shall become a householder and thus serve My parents, for this action will very much satisfy Lord Nārāyaṇa and His wife, the goddess of fortune.’

tabe viśvarūpa ihāṅ pāṭhāila more mātāke kahio koṭi koṭi namaskāre (CC Adi 15.21)

Translation:

“Then Viśvarūpa returned Me home and requested, ‘Offer thousands and thousands of obeisances unto My mother, Śacīdevī.’ ”

 

 

ei mata nānā līlā kare gaurahari ki kāraṇe līlā, — ihā bujhite nā pāri (CC Adi 15.22)

 Translation:

In this way Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed various pastimes, but why He did so I cannot understand.”

Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees who come to this world are executing a mission, and therefore sometimes they act in a way that is very difficult to understand. It is said, therefore, vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: even if one is a very learned and intelligent scholar, he cannot understand the activities of a Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava accepts anything favorable for executing his mission. But foolish persons, not knowing the purpose of such exalted Vaiṣṇavas, indulge in criticizing them. That is forbidden. Since no one can understand what a Vaiṣṇava does for the purpose of executing his mission, to criticize such a Vaiṣṇava is the offense called sādhu-nindā.

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami (comments): If someone ask, “Oh! Why did Lord Caitanya do this?

Why did He do that?”

He is not subject to our being able to understand why He does something. In other words, He is not answerable to us. He does things with His own plan, and someone may understand why He does something or someone may not understand. When Kṛṣṇa ran away from the battlefield, people were criticising why is He running away. One time He ran away therefore He is known as Rannchor – one who has left the battlefield. Kṣatriya never leaves the battlefield. Lord Ramachandra, He was obliged to follow the rules of the kṣatriyas, but Kṛṣṇa He was independent. So sometimes He would follow rules and sometimes He would do what He pleased. He ran away from the battlefield. So people criticized what’s this? He ran away from the battlefield. But it turned that just in the middle of the battle, He got the message that goddess of fortune Rukmiṇī sent Him to please save Her. So immediately He left the battle to save His devotee.

So therefore because the Lord who promises that He will always protect His devotee had neglected His honor for staying in a battle to protect His devotee. To show that that is His supreme promise. Therefore the devotees glorify Lord Kṛṣṇa as Rannchor seeing that His greater mercy for protecting His devotee. So like this sometimes one may understand what the Lord is doing. At that moment people couldn’t understand - Why is Kṛṣṇa leaving the battlefield. Of course His army was victorious in any case, but He had a higher purpose. So sometimes the spiritual master does something, often Prabhupāda would do things. Sometimes his disciples may understood why he was doing those things, sometimes they may not have understood. He is not obliged, or he is not answerable to the disciples. Spiritual master is not answerable to the disciples in terms of performing devotional service although the spiritual master generally very kind and open. If someone has a question which is not a challenging question, then spiritual master will reveal.

 

 

Just like Bali Mahārāja of course is an exception, but it’s not really an exception, it also backs us up. His spiritual master always told him to surrender to Viṣṇu. One time when Vāmanadeva personally came, Śukrācārya said don’t surrender to Kṛṣṇa, don’t give Him anything. So then he said, “ My dear spiritual master, you all along told me to surrender to Viṣṇu. Now you say, He has personally come, not to surrender. Why is that?”

When he wasn’t satisfied with the answer then he saw there was a contradiction, so he then disobeyed. That is, even he didn’t challenge directly; he enquired in a submissive way.  But when he saw there was some contradiction on this most essential area, then he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa who had personally come present.

Apart from such very extenuating circumstances where there is some obvious contradiction, it’s not that the Vaiṣṇava can always be understood. Actually because he has some special purpose in fulfilling the Lord’s desire, generally materialists cannot understand what the Vaiṣṇava is doing because the motives and the means everything are different from a Vaiṣṇava and someone who is a karmī or who is not a pure Vaiṣṇava. So this is of course very mysterious. Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are revealed that many of the things He did, people could not understand exactly why He was doing. Many of the things Lord Nityānanda did, no one else could understand what was happening. Many of the things Advaita Gosāin did, no one could understand.

 

 

Some of the things Śrīla Prabhupāda did, no one could understand. But he definitely had his purpose whether it was assigning different devotees with specific purposes, or whether it was Śrīla Prabhupāda’s reactions to different activities or different situations. He would often would reveal, seeing that disciples could not understand why. He would often reveal. Sometimes Lord Caitanya would also reveal,“This is why I am doing this.” But sometimes they might not reveal. They may keep it to themselves. But the devotees they understand this is one other spiritual opulence.

So here this pastime is between Lord Caitanya’s mother and father,  have many hidden purposes. Not necessarily what He is telling them at face value. That may be just some superficial reason. He may have some hidden purpose for what He is doing. Why He didn’t take sannyāsa until He was twenty four and so on. We know that Lord Caitanya when He finally took up His saṅkīrtana movement, then He was joined by Lord Nityānanda. He was able to bring all of the students with Him after He became a professor of Sanskrit studies in His own university. All of His students, He later brought to the path of Harināma saṅkīrtana. Of course eventually He is already giving the hint that He will take sannyāsa. But superficially He is saying, “No I am going to remain home. It’s my duty to act as a gṛhastha.” Which is what He did.

kata dina rahi’ miśra gelā para-loka mātā-putra duṅhāra bāḍila hṛdi śoka (CC Adi 15.23)

Translation:

After some days, Jagannātha Miśra passed away from this world to the transcendental world, and both mother and son were very much aggrieved in their hearts.

 

 

bandhu-bāndhava asi’ duṅhā prabodhila pitṛ-kriyā vidhi-mate īśvara karila (CC Adi 15.24)

Translation:

Friends and relatives came there to pacify Lord Caitanya and His mother. Then Lord Caitanya, even though He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, executed the rituals for His dead father according to the Vedic system.

kata dine prabhu citte karilā cintana gṛhastha ha-ilāma, ebe cāhi gṛha-dharma (CC Adi 15.25)

Translation:

After some days the Lord thought, “I did not take sannyāsa, and since I am remaining at home it is My duty to act as a gṛhastha.

gṛhiṇī vinā gṛha-dharma nā haya śobhana eta cinti’ vivāha karite haila mana (CC Adi 15.26)

Translation:

“Without a wife,” Lord Caitanya considered, “there is no meaning to householder life.” Thus the Lord decided to marry.

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami (comments): It’s a sanskrit verse.

na gṛhaṁ gṛham ity āhur gṛhiṇī gṛham ucyate tayā hi sahitaḥ sarvān puruṣārthān samaśnute (CC Adi 15.27)

 Translation:

“Merely a house is not a home, for it is a wife who gives a home its meaning. If one lives at home with his wife, together they can fulfill all the interests of human life.”

daive eka dina prabhu paḍiyā āsite vallabhācāryera kanyā dekhe gaṅgā-pathe (CC Adi 15.28)

Translation:

One day when the Lord was coming back from school He accidentally saw the daughter of Vallabhācārya on the way to the Ganges.

pūrva-siddha bhāva duṅhāra udaya karila daive vanamālī ghaṭaka śacī-sthāne āila (CC Adi 15.29)

 Translation:

When the Lord and Lakṣmīdevī met, their relationship awakened, having already been settled, and coincidentally the marriage-maker Vanamālī came to see Śacīmātā.”

Purport:

Vanamālī Ghaṭaka, a resident of Navadvīpa and a brāhmaṇa by caste, arranged the marriage of the Lord to Lakṣmīdevī. He was formerly Viśvāmitra, who negotiated the marriage of Lord Rāmacandra, and later he was the brāhmaṇa who negotiated the marriage of Lord Kṛṣṇa with Rukmiṇī. That same brāhmaṇa acted as the marriage-maker of the Lord in caitanya-līlā.

 

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (comments): One devotee has the eternal pastimes of being the matchmaker of the Lord. He comes every incarnation and arranges the marriage. It’s called Ghaṭaka. Vanamālī Ghaṭaka. This Ghaṭaka or Ghaṭaka means matchmaker. This is a special profession. They are expert at telling who is suitable, who is the similar kind of interfaceable, in the modern language, have the compatible personalities, and qualities and so on. And that was their total business. The brāhmaṇas would do that Ghaṭaka, Ghaṭaka. If you wanted to find a suitable match, go to the marriage placement services. They had special brāhmaṇas who were expert in astrology, and seeing the qualities. They would do that. We really need that in ISKCON to avoid the broken hearts club. (laughs).

But here this is very significant. How each devotee has got a individual relationship with the Lord. I made this point many times that each of us has an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Just like that one brāhmaṇa who offers his food to his Gopāla deity, and Lord Caitanya kept coming and eating. When he revealed, he also came to Yaśodā’s house and was offering his food there to Nārāyaṇa and little Gopāla would come and eat it. And he thought that this boy is breaking my offering. And every incarnation, he would go to the house of Daśaratha and then this would be a regular pastime. So here is another devotee. Some devotees have pastimes in the material world, and some have their eternal pastimes in the spiritual world. So this particular devotee he has got fixed service of  going every time and fixing up the Lord’s marriage. Yes?

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami: When they have a Broadway performance, every actor has to practice the part, has to be perfectly synchronized. Even if the…

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami: Yes, but the rest of their lives they are in bliss. (laughter) Some of them have more than one part. This is their main, this is the part where they are playing, this is their main part. Not that he wasn’t already associated. Obviously he was friend of the family, came by, he was already associated. Just like the elderly gopas and gopis in Vrindavana. But this was, he was the star of this particular, he was the one who actually arranged the marriage. This was his starring role at that moment. Otherwise it wasn’t that he had no. In this particular case surely he was a resident of Navadvipa, brahmana by caste, he was associated with the family. Must have been a pure devotee, nitya siddha.

śacīra iṅgite sambandha karila ghaṭana lakṣmīke vivāha kaila śacīra nandana (CC Adi 15.30)

Translation:

Following the indications of Śacīdevī, Vanamālī Ghaṭaka arranged the marriage, and thus in due course the Lord married Lakṣmīdevī.”

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (comments): Shall we read some of the details from Caitanya Bhāgavata of this? Just going to read up Nityānanda’s Vyāsa pūjā, right? But since we are on the subject here.

Lakshmi priya, alphabetically, according to the Bengali alphabet. Jānakī, yes, their indexes. There is index by person. Indexes are very wonderful the way they do it. And index by words. We just index by word generally. They make it index by word and index by person. Sometimes they also have index. This is index by verses. Sometimes they have index by places, things, cities, rivers, any. There are all kinds of indexes, concepts. Usually word would cover that. Nandakumara, Nandanandana, Purushottama, Balarāma...

Lakshmipriya, Adi līlā 10.48.

(Aside: What’s that? A bird?)

 What did I say? 10.48?

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So after saying that Śacīmātā, mother Śacī saw that Lord Caitanya was getting into His full youth, so now it was time to think about marriage. So in that town in Navadvīpa, there was a very good brāhmaṇa known as Vallabhācārya who was equal to Janakaraja. Janakaraja is the father of Sītā, one of the twelve mahājana’s, Janaka ṛṣi. Gaur gana deśa dipika 44 śloka says that previously Vallabhācārya was actually the King of Mithiladesa.

 

 

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So mother Śacī already was thinking that maybe the daughter would be, is very beautiful and She is very chaste. She’ll be very suitable to be the wife of Lord Caitanya.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

One day Lakshmi rāṇī, She went to take a bath at the Ganges. Just at that time it happened that Lord Caitanya was there. Started to smile. Lakshmi immediately upon seeing Lord Caitanya,  just spontaneously offered Her respects at His lotus feet.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So after seeing each other then they went home. But immediately there was... Śacī ma didn’t reveal her mind, Lord Caitanya didn’t say… These things are all happening simultaneously according to the Lord’s desire.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Just the same day Vanamālī,  one brāhmaṇa, he happened to come to the house of Śacī devī.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

He offered, “Mother please accept my respectful obeisances.” And then immediately mother Śacī gave a nice seat, gave the brāhmaṇa a place to sit down with great affection.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Then Vanamālī asked the mother that “Why you are not thinking about the marriage of your son?”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Let’s see. Vanamālī Ghaṭaka. Gaura gana dipika says Viśvāmitra Ghaṭaka Śrī Rāma. Same thing that Prabhupāda said. He was the Ghaṭaka in Rāma līlā, also in other pastimes as well. So then he said, Vallabhācārya in his house, his house is very strict, pure vegetarian, pure brāhmaṇas sadācārī. And he has a faultless... And he is living here in Navadvīpa without any defect in his family, his heritage, his behaviour. He has a daughter who is almost like Lakṣmī, form almost like Lakṣmī and what about trying to make an engagement with that family, with that girl if you think so in your mind. Then the mother said,

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Then the mother said, “I am a fatherless son of mine, let him grow and read first then we can see about all these household works.” Mother Śacī said that, in reply.

It’s not like I read it. It’s not, it’s all right this way?

 

 

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

That brāhmaṇa did not find very much nectar in the words of Mother Śacī. He left a little disappointed and sad.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Just by the will of providence, as he was walking down the road who did he meet? Lord Gaurachandra. And there seeing the Lord, he embraced the Lord. The Lord embraced him. Younger boy at that time, in affection he embraced him. Rasa, it gives the explanation, it says he didn’t get any rasa from talking to Mother Śacī, so he left a little disappointed.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

This is from the prākṛta kāvya alaṅkāre, definition of rasa. Want to go into the rasa? Rasa means something which is very very special. It gives a special loving feeling in the heart which is a permanent feeling, which is loving, which is nectar, and which is filled with emotion. These are the different kinds of things which have rasa. And that which is increasing, increases one’s taste, which gives happiness by hearing, it’s called rasa.

This was not the words that he got from Mother Śacī. (laughter) And then it goes into the seven changing rasas and the five full rasas. Then it goes into the... So here in this place, after all these definitions, the Ghaṭaka, the head of all the Ghatakas, Vanamālī Ācārya, when he suggested to mother Śacī about the marriage and she just put him off. At that time, he didn’t get any juice, no rasa from her words. In other words, in an esoteric way he saw santa rasa manifested in her words rather than higher levels of bhakti rasa. That’s why it says that in normal pure devotees poetry, they consider santa rasa to be dry. And not really indicating the real exchange of counter exchange of loving relations which is symbolised by the word rasa, which is available in other forms of devotional service. So...

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Well, santa rasa. They were not expanding his opportunity to do devotional service. They were not on a,  he considered them to be in santa rasa rather than in a serving.

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Yes.

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: That she was reciprocating on  a kind of  material logical thing without really going into the actual service that was needed to be done for Lord Caitanya. Anyway (inaudible) these things have depth. I was thinking it will be nice if we have Kṛṣṇa book, one time we have Caitanya book. Kind of going through the pastimes in a flowing way with little you know purports like Prabhupāda did.

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami:  Right! People could read the whole life of Lord Caitanya.

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Like Prabhupāda did Kṛṣṇa book, you know. There will be room in the future to translate all the Caitanya Bhāgavata. Because it goes into such little detail so then you know, but you have a flowing life of Lord Caitanya might help people to appreciate His life and pastimes, and then they can always go into the details.

So where did I leave? Oh, he was embracing, right? So now,

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Prabhu said, I mean Lord Caitanya said, “Tell Me my dear brāhmaṇa where had you gone? To whose house? Brāhmaṇa replied,”I went to see Your mother, to discuss with Your mother.”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

“I went to discuss regarding Your marriage to her. I don’t know why she did not listen with faith to my words.” It’s heavy; don’t mess around.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

As soon as Lord Caitanya heard his words, He became silent. Then he laughingly to him and saying some parting words, he went to his own temple.

 

 

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

When He saw His mother, smilingly He asked her immediately, “Why didn’t you accept the words of the brāhmaṇa in a good, in a good, you know, why didn’t you take the words in a good favorable attitude?”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Getting the message from her son, the hint from the son, Śacī became happy, joyful, and the next day called again for the brāhmaṇa to have discussions.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

“Today I am telling to you, my dear brāhmaṇa. Whatever you have said yesterday,  now you may arrange it today quickly.”

See if there is any purports on those. Not yet.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

He took the lotus foot dust from Mother Śacī and immediately he went to the house of Vallabhācārya.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

 

As soon as Vallabacarya saw the brāhmaṇa come, immediately he offered him a nice seat, an āsana, and with all respect had him sit down.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Ghatakas don’t mess around. They know how to present it. He said, the brāhmaṇa said, “Listen to my words. You should immediately in a most astrological moment arrange for the marriage of your daughter without delay. The son of Jagannath Miśra whose name is Viśvambhara is the greatest paṇḍita and is the ocean of all good qualities, is the perfect person suitable for your daughter, my dear sir. If you, I have presented this to you and if you think it appropriate, then you should immediately accept without delay.”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So then when Vallabhācārya heard these words, he became very happy. He said, who can get a husband for his daughter like that, unless he is very very fortunate. “If Kṛṣṇa is very merciful upon me or if Lakshmi or Gaurī are very satisfied with my daughter, then it is possible that she can be married with such a bridegroom. I accept your suggestion. You do the needful immediately.”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Of course to say everything in one word a person becomes a bit shy.

“I am actually very poor, and I don’t have anything that I can give. I can only give my

daughter and as a dowry I will give five haritaki,  pieces of spice. (laughter) So this is my offer. You can request whether this will be acceptable.”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So when the brāhmaṇa Vanamālī Ghaṭaka heard the words of Vallabha Miśra, he became very satisfied and he said, “I will make everything perfect; I will make everything successful.”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

He went and told mother Śacī, “Everything is arranged, everything successful. Now you can make all the arrangements at the auspicious time.”

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

So all of the relatives when they heard, they all became very satisfied and happy, and everyone started to come for the auspicious wedding occasion.

So now it’s going into the wedding details.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

So what they do is that they have a wedding day and then before that it is called adhivas; it’s a preparatory day. So for that they found auspicious days, and they had special kīrtana chanters came and they were dancing; there was songs. This time different kind of professional artists, bands and artists preparing for that the day before.

 

 

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

On four directions all of the brāhmaṇas were chanting Vedic mantras.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

In the center of all of them was seated the jewel of all the brāhmaṇas, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So they gave the prasādam garland to Lord Caitanya at the auspicious moment, and they all performed the adhivasa, all of His relatives and other brāhmaṇas, qualified brāhmaṇas.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

And all the brāhmaṇas were also satisfied with sandalwood pulp and with tamboola and garlands and other scents and flowers. Then simultaneously at their house there was another adhivasa for Lakshmipriya.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So they did the same kind of bathing. In adhivas, they bathe the bride and the bridegroom separately. All the brāhmaṇas come with tumeric water and things; they do an abhishek on them. And they worship the brāhmaṇas and ask for their blessings. We did this in South America once, the night before. We had the, not bathing in the temple, but we had them go before the brāhmaṇas. And there was four brāhmaṇas, and one brāhmaṇa puts rice with turmeric, puts on head, one puts flowers, one reads certain mantras, one sprinkles Ganges water. And they have to go down and offer respects to the brāhmaṇas before to get their blessings.So next day when they get married everything will be auspicious. People love it.(inaudible) The devotees chant Haribol with drums and everything, and they go in. Just the one time  and they have to give dakṣiṇa to the brāhmaṇas.

Devotees: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: We never had a adhivas in North America yet. It’ll be good to have one. The thing is everyday in South America we have 400-500 people in the temple, 200 people. It’s like a Saturday night if you do it, had the wedding on Sunday. I don’t know if anybody would be there. We already have a lot of people who come for my lectures. So then you know right after the lecture, the last thing we have this little ceremony. It justs lasts about 15-20 minutes. First the men come in the bridegrooms, they get the blessings and they got to go. They can’t see themselves after that till they get married. Then the bride to be come in and they have the. People are all blissed out. Hare Kṛṣṇa! Then they stop, they get the blessings; it’s a spontaneous thing.

Where am I?

Devotee: (inaudible)

 

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: I know but the page?

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So it says everybody was just in total bliss and they were all shouting Haribol and they were dancing, and there was this auspicious kīrtana and celebration at that time.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So, so many came from the father’s side. So many came. Everyone was coming, and they were  meeting each other.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

They came and they were giving puffed rice, bananas, sindoor. What do you call it? Kuṁkum, and other kinds of presentations to Mother Śacī and satisfying her.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Many of the demigods came down as well as the wives of the demigods in human form, so that they could visit and participate in the wedding ceremony of Lord Caitanya. No one could recognize where all these brāhmaṇas were coming from.

Everyone is thinking well...

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So then according to the Vedic rules and regulations he did the ceremony, very happily of  giving of the as the father.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Then at the auspicious moment of Godhuli time. Godhuli is just before sunset when its very cool and nice at that time. That’s the time when Kṛṣṇa came back with the cows. And there would be little dust in the air. That time is called Godhuli. It is before twilight, say in the afternoon. It’s a very nice time of the day. That’s also Vedically very auspicious time. At that time Lord Caitanya, He proceeded on His journey.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So when the Lord, He arrived with all of the gosti, the family members, from the Miśra family, that time everyone became filled in an ocean of transcendental bliss. At that time, they offered Him a very special seat according to the regulative; greeted the bridegroom just as we do greet. This is the next day just at four in the afternoon at the time of Godhuli. That time Lord Caitanya arrives, they give Him the garland and a seat and there is a big reception. He comes not alone, He comes with the whole clan. The whole clan with all His relatives and kīrtana party and dancers and all the things. And then they give Him the seat very respectfully, very joyfully.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Then at the end, after having decorated Lakshmipriya with all kinds of beautiful ornaments and everything, totally decorated, then they brought Her next to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. At that time all the people started to yell, “Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!” In this way, in the midst of loud chanting of Haribol and the ladies probably doing ulūka dhvani, but it doesn’t mention. That time the father gave the daughter to Lord Caitanya. So Lord Caitanya lifted from the father’s responsibility Lakṣmīpriyā. So then after that they exchanged their garlands.

In this way Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa, the original Kṛṣṇa and His goddess of fortune, They are again being married.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Then Lakshmipriya offered flowers at the lotus feet of the Lord, paid Her obeisances and surrendered Her life in His service.

 (Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

And all of the directions there was a huge Haribol! Haribol! Jaya! Jaya! There was such a transcendental bliss surrounded everyone that you couldn’t hear anything but the shouting of Jaya! Jaya! Haribol!

Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.

So in that way Lord Caitanya took Lakshmi on His left side.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

First she was on the right, then goes to the left.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

What transcendental beauty from all of this, and who can explain the happiness of the Miśra family. Who can say, who can explain the transcendental ecstasy which was abounding there during this pastime.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Oh! Actually what happened was Vallabhācārya gave his daughter, like presented to Lord Caitanya, then all these things happened, but according to this at the end then the actual the final mantras where you say that - may this daughter on behalf of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa may be given to, the final kanyadaan, was performed by Vallabhācārya.

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: By the father, yeah.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

This is exactly the same mantras that we read out.

He says the mantras that “Just as Shankara and Gaurī, just as Lakshmi and Nārāyaṇa, just as you know.. May this be fixed up like that. Saying these different mantras with clothings, sandalwood, and all kinds of gifts and everything. That now I am giving You my daughter.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

That according to the Vedic system I am presenting, I am surrendering my daughter to you, under your charge.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

This way he was himself in an ocean of happiness to be able to give his daughter to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

And whatever special little family traditions they had, after that they all performed those things in the end.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata.)

So then they stayed overnight there with the other programs. The next day Lord Caitanya went back to His house along with Lakṣmīpriyā.

When they were going...

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So when Lord Caitanya was coming back with His bride, thousands and thousands of people, they all gathered on the road to see Lord Caitanya with Lakshmipriya. They were running so they could see.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

That time Lord Caitanya was wearing garlands, and He was all decorated with a helmet and candana, with a you know headdress. And this way, so they were very effulgent. Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa were walking or were being transported. It says here dolai, I think dolai might mean they were carried on a palanquin. But I am not sure what dolai means.

 We say jhulana dolai, dolai ki? (in bengali). Whats a dolai? It says here dolai? Prabhu chāḍiyā dolai. Dolai is palkhi. Chāḍiyā means He got on something, He is riding. Dolai is a car or a palanquin. Palkhi, that’s what I think, palanquin. He is being carried back by.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

All the people are saying dhanya, dhanya. Saying you know very auspicious, very wonderful; they are all saying Haribol!

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

And when the women are seeing, they are all making auspicious vibrations.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

And they are saying what a fortunate this girl.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

“What a fortunate, what pūjā did She do to Shiva and Pārvatī to get a husband like that.” (laughs)

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

With just a little fortune, is it possible for a girl to get husband?

Who can understand the mercy of Shiva and Pārvatī? Of Hara and Gaurī.” Like this they were talking, the women you know.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Someone is saying that they look just like Indra and Śacī. Or like Rati and Madan, like Cupid and Rati. Someone is saying they look just like Lakshmi and Nārāyaṇa.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Someone said that they look just like Sītā and Rāma. This way everyone was praising how they looked so transcendental, so beautiful!

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

This way so many of the women folk were speaking. They didn’t realise actually with auspicious vision they were actually seeing the original Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So by the time Lord Caitanya reached accompanied by chanting and dancing and various playing musical instruments, He reached His own house just at the time of sunset,.

Next -  the day after the marriage.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So then mother Śacī finally was very happy to receive her new daughter in law and her son back to her house.

And it goes on.

All right that’s actually only three more verses. Lets see what you got by hearing this.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

So all the people that came along, chanting and dancing and singing Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, she satisfied everyone of them giving wealth, clothing and sweet words.

(Mahārāja recites the verse from the Caitanya Bhāgavata)

Whoever hears the auspicious transcendental pastime of Lord Caitanya’s marriage will never be tied down to the bondage of the material repetition of birth and death, the bondage of saṁsāra ever. This is explained here. It’s a purport, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī says here. Normally in the material world, ordinary material world,  the time,  the ties, the festivals between the bridegroom and the bride and the marriage, people will always like to hear. It seemed that people liked to hear about these things anyway. But by hearing those things people in general become more bound to material attachments. But the Lord of māyā, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, hearing about His marriage does not have the same kind of effect.

Actually Lord Caitanya’s whole pastime is for liberating the people from the material world. If somebody thinks that Lord Caitanya’s marriage is something like a material affair, then that person of course is in māyā, in the worst kind of māyā. But actually one should know of course that the Lord is, all type of enjoyment is actually the property of the Lord. And that actually to take shelter of Him as His servant or female servant and the transcendental variegatedness of His devotional service can never fall within any kind of inauspiciousness in their lives.

So that place where Bhagavān’s transcendental happiness is present, at that place there can’t be any room for sense gratification. This is and  then he quotes various verses from the Bhāgavatam to show that wherever there is any transcendental loving devotion for the Lord at that place there is no room for sense gratification.

So Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu Mayadisha, aprākṛta vastu. So we should never think that the Lord is under the sway of Māyā, but He is always transcendental to māyā’s influence. So someone who has this transcendental realization at the service of the Lord, in the service of the Lord, and who has a desire to serve the Lord and to use his tongue in glorifying the Lord, those devotees are never bound by the chains of the material world. And they are always or in other words someone who is absorbed in the transcendental happiness of serving the Lord and hearing His glories, they are liberated from the bondage of the material attachments, the material world, and they are never kept under the bondage of sense gratification, and they don’t become materialistic enjoyers.

That’s about it. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya, Śrīla Acaryapada ki jaya!