19850713 Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 14.36

The following is a lecture given by his His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami, on July 13th 1985 in Calcutta, India. The class begins with the reading from the Chaitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya līlā chapter 14 text 36.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (Recites the verses; reads the translation and purport with devotees repeating the verses)

CC Madhya 14.36

Ei-mata jagannātha karena bhojana

ei sukhe mahāprabhura juḍāya nayana

Indeed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was fully satisfied just to see how Lord Jagannātha accepted all the food.

Purport:

Following is the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; a Vaiṣṇava should be fully satisfied simply to see a variety of food offered to the Deity of Jagannātha or Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛtvaiva tṛptiṁ bhajataḥ sadaiva

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

“The spiritual master is always offering Kṛṣṇa four kinds of delicious food [analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk and sucked]. When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasādam, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.” The spiritual master’s duty is to engage his disciples in preparing varieties of nice foods to offer the Deity. After being offered, this food is distributed as prasādam to the devotees. These activities satisfy the spiritual master, although he himself does not eat or require such a variety of prasādam. By seeing to the offering and distribution of prasādam, he himself is encouraged in devotional service.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Actually, we can see how the Gurvastakam, each verse has got so many little instruction for guiding us to spiritual life. Taking the different kinds of prasādam for our purification. One thing is also in the verse which I don’t know how often we realize when we sing that song, samsara prayers in the morning - sadvaanno triptan Hari bhakta sanghan. Hari bhakta sanghan - to take the prasādam in the association of the devotees of the Lord.

I remember in Mayapur, Śrīla Prabhupāda… Many places Śrīla Prabhupāda, he said this was practically like this was a regulative principle that the devotees should take prasādam ; the devotees should take prasādam  in the association of Vaiṣṇavas, Hari bhaktas. This is very important. This much more purifying when we take Kṛṣṇa prasādam in the atmosphere of taking with other devotees. All these things are very important.

You know how Śrīla Prabhupāda always was stressing in taking Kṛṣṇa prasādam together. Sometimes we (inaudible)go out ot eat Kṛṣṇa Prasad. But ehere it is said that it is better and recommended that apart from taking by oneself, one should take in the association of Hari bhakta sanga, in the association of the other devotees of the lord.

CC Madhya 14.37

keyā-patra-droṇī āila bojhā pāṅca-sāta (2)

eka eka jane daśa donā dila, — eta pāta

Translation: There then arrived five or seven loads of plates made of the leaves of the ketakī tree.

What is that ketaki tree?

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami:  Big leaves?

(Continues with the translation) Each man was supplied ten of these plates, and in this way the dishes were served.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (comments): [Not Clear – 00:05:00] This is how they served it out.

CC Madhya 14.38

kīrtanīyāra pariśrama jāni’ gaurarāya

tāṅ-sabāre khāoyāite prabhura mana dhāya

Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu understood the labor of all the kīrtana chanters; therefore, He was very eager to feed them sumptuously.

CC Madhya 14.39:

pāṅti pāṅti kari’ bhakta-gaṇe vasāilā

pariveśana karibāre āpane lāgilā

Translation:

All the devotees sat down in lines, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally began to distribute the prasādam.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: See, how exalted the service it is. Even the lord himself wanted to serve the other, serve the Vaiṣṇavas.

CC Madhya 14.40

prabhu nā khāile, keha nā kare bhojana

svarūpa-gosāñi tabe kaila nivedana

CC Madhya 14.41

āpane vaisa, prabhu, bhojana karite

tumi nā khāile, keha nā pāre khāite

Translation:

However, the devotees would not accept the prasādam until Caitanya Mahāprabhu took it. It was Svarūpa Gosvāmī who informed the Lord of this. Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “My Lord, would you please sit down. No one will eat until You do.”

CC Madhya 14.42

tabe mahāprabhu vaise nija-gaṇa lañā

bhojana karāila sabāke ākaṇṭha pūriyā

Translation:

At that time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down with His personal associates and had every one of them fed very sumptuously until they were filled to the necks.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (comments): Akantha puriya, puriya, kantha means the kanthimala. This is the Kanth. So akantha means up to here. It’s coming up to here. (devotees laughing) No more rooms. (inaudible)So one when take Mahaprasad on special days like festival days, then we have to take akantha bhojan, up to the neck. One time there was a devotee went down to bloop (08.[1] 02) so he was taking prasādam at a feast day and he got up to leave.

 Prabhupāda said, “You have taken Prasad?”

 He said,” Yes.”

“Are you feeling sick?”

 He said, “No.”

“Sit down, take more.” (devotees laughing)

The boy then sit and take more, “I can’t take.”

Then he is so filled that he had to take rest and he never left. (Devotees laughing) So even by Prasad sometimes someone can be saved from blooping, from leaving devotional service.

Know how, Svarūpa Dāmodara all the senior devotees, they were the one who were serving, even Mahāprabhu Himself. Sometime we see in temples that all the Brahmana sit down, all the leading devotees and then they asked the bhakta to serve. This is not the principle.

Only in ISKCON, I see this. (inaudible 08.55-09.00) But in any other Vaishnava traditional institution, it is the Brahmanas who serve. Those who are second initiated, the senior devotees. Someone who is a bhakta never allowed to serve a twice initiated devotee. Apart from that it is a very important service. Not that (inaudible) catch someone or something. But that’s a very important service that should be done in a proper mood and very efficiently. You don’t ask a new person to do it unless he is very expert, you see. Things can become very confused. They will start serving that this preparation the sweet rice first and then the sukta after the sweet rice and so on and so forth, becomes all confused. There’s a specific way especially the east Indian Prasad, Oriya-Gaudiya prasad is served.  It comes in a certain way and also this should be served in such a way that everyone gets as much as they can take. No one should get so much that they are wasted. So, to do that effectively that means it has to be many visits and the person has to be expert in this understanding - how much a person should get, and if they need more, keep on giving more.

Sometimes the people serve you see him stand, when they are not expert, they stand with a spoon and say “Want more. Want more.” Instead of the person eats, if he wants, he has to answer. (Mahārāja makes coughing sound)

“Yes.”

 Then they serve. This is not the system. The system is that he slowly gives, and then if they don’t want, they will go. (devotees laughing). They run you know (inaudible 10.49) Interference. No more. They don’t have to stop chewing and clear their throat and do it. They automatically by wetting their hands say, “No.” And if they are undecided, then give them more. If they are hesitating, if they are not objecting, then all right. So, everyone has to concentrate on Prasad. Otherwise, if they are looking this way or that way, in the meantime someone would come, before they know it their plate will be packed. So, all these things required a little bit maturity to be able to do these things. And also, when a person serving, they themselves should not be so neophyte that they are worried, “Whether anything will be left for me.”

Just like you know... So that requires a little bit senior devotee; otherwise, all the time they might be thinking you know, “Will I get enough? Look at this...” And then they are lusting over the food, prasad, they are serving out. Then the people will get nervous because the person himself serving, you know becomes [Not Clear – 00:11:52] when he sees the pot getting emptier or something.

So, you find that of course not [Not Clear – 00:12:02] automatically the senior devotees, even Mahāprabhu Himself was taking up, He wanted to serve the Vaiṣṇavas. But also, these practical reasons we see that when we don’t follow the system of having, at least expert somewhat senior devotees serve, sometimes this type of confusion comes out. So, it’s not a service generally for guests or for bhaktas. Of course, in India, guests might be very expert in serving because this is a tradition in Hindu families to serve out to guests.

So that’s seen in many agriculture families. How the hosts took a personal interest to see that all of the guests were served, and we can see that the tradition had been headed down, here in Eastern India.

Śrīla Prabhupāda told us in Mayapur that it was very important. He was very concerned that in ISKCON we know how to serve, especially the distinguished Indian gentlemen prasādam in a correct manner. And as he was telling us this - how in other temples, they are very expert in this; we also have to learn these techniques, he became so enthused. That then he said, just at that time one commissioner or minister had come to the temple, so then he said, bring my chair,” and he personally had his chair brought over where the person was taking… (Break)

CC Madhya 14.44

prabhura ājñāya govinda dīna-hīna jane

duḥkhī kāṅgāla āni’ karāya bhojane

Translation: Following the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Govinda, His personal servant, called for all the poor beggars, who were unhappy due to their poverty, and fed them sumptuously.

CC Madhya 14.45

kāṅgālera bhojana-raṅga dekhe gaurahari

‘hari-bola’ bali’ tāre upadeśa kari

Translation:

Observing the beggars eating prasādam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted, “Haribol!” and instructed them to chant the holy name.

Purport:

In a song, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura chants:

miche māyāra vaśe, yāccha bhese’,

khāccha hābuḍubu, bhāi

jīva kṛṣṇa-dāsa, e viśvāsa,

ka’rle ta’ āra duḥkha nāi

Everyone is captivated by the waves of the ocean of nescience? If you would immediately accept Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as your eternal master, there would be no chance of being carried away by the waves of illusion. Then all your sufferings would stop.” Kṛṣṇa conducts the material world under the three modes of material nature, and consequently there are three platforms of life — higher, middle and lower. On whatever platform one may be situated, one is tossed by the waves of material nature. Someone may be rich, someone may be middle class, and someone may be a poor beggar — it doesn’t matter. As long as one is under the spell of the three modes of material nature, he must continue to experience these divisions.

 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore advised the beggars to chant “Haribol!” while taking prasādam. Chanting means accepting one’s self as the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the only solution, regardless of social position. Everyone is suffering under the spell of māyā; therefore, the best course is to learn how to get out of the clutches of māyā. How to do so is stated by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.26):

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

 “One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

One can overcome the spell of māyā and attain the transcendental platform by agreeing to engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Devotional service begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam;

Therefore, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised the beggars to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra for elevation to the transcendental position. On the transcendental position, there is no distinction between the rich, the middle class and the poor.

CC Madhya 14.46

‘hari-bola’ bali’ kāṅgāla preme bhāsi’ yāya

aichana adbhuta līlā kare gaurarāy

Translation:

As soon as the beggars chanted the holy name, “Haribol,” they were immediately absorbed in ecstatic love of Godhead. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed wonderful pastimes.

Purport:

To feel the emotion of ecstatic love of Godhead is to be on the transcendental platform. If one can keep himself in that transcendental position, he will surely return home, back to Godhead. In the spiritual world there is no higher, middle or lower classes. This is confirmed in the Īśopaniṣad (7):

yasmin sarvāṇi bhūtāny ātmaivābhūd vijānataḥ

tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka ekatvam anupaśyataḥ

“One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things. What, then, can be illusion or anxiety for him?”

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami (comments): So, Lord Chaitanya saw that everyone got Kṛṣṇa prasad. According to their social position and so on, they (inaudible)prasad. Once they are taking prasad, Lord Caitanya got them all to rise up to the transcendental position. Chanting Haribol!

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa   Kṛṣṇa   Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare,

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Here we can see that when we give out prasādam , we should make all the people chant Haribol! Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa! In this way feeling transcendental happiness, they will be purified. They will be raised up to transcendental position.

 So real samyavad or equality is only possible through this transcendental process. Otherwise, it will simply be artificial. This is the real process of equalizing people by elevating their consciousness to the transcendental platform. They all become on the same equal spiritual platform. Because on the spiritual platform there is not any differentiation of high, middle or lower class. You must have heard some pastimes, some instructions you heard Prabhupāda said on some of these things?

[Not Clear – 00:20.08]

Devotee: In every ten kilometers, in every direction, so we calculated out that means ten thousand; sorry ten kilometers in India for Prasad distribution. Ten thousand centers will distribute Prasad, ten thousand people twice a day,[2]

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: (inaudible)

Devotee: (inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: Namahattas. We have already two thousand seven hundred centers. Now you have to do organized Prasad distributions or ten thousand)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: (Devotees laughing) No according if ten by ten, even ten-mile radius…

Devotee:  Ten kilometers.

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: All right that means twenty by twenty, four hundred square kilometers. Twenty by twenty. So proportionately if you have a greater concentration that means four hundred square kilometers. Ten thousand means twenty-five people have to be fed for each square kilometer. Isn’t it?

Devotee: (Inaudible)

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: [Not Clear – 00:23:03] so ten kilometers paths. Radius ten means diameters 12 miles. Simultaneously ten miles. That means twenty.

Devotee: [Not Clear – 00:23:24]

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami: That’s a higher standard.  Prabhupāda said within ten means normally within ten kilometres radius. You can take it either way. Stage by stage. First stage you can start (inaudible) That’s already...So then that way (inaudible) In this way we have in a ten kilometres radius four, five namahattas (inaudible) No problem. One in the ten kilometers daily. Namahatta program daily. Kilometers, four hundred. One in every village.

So, in any way in any case this indicates that Prabhupāda how much wanted that ISKCON will unite the people by serving Kṛṣṇa prasādam and the holy name. While they are taking Prasad, they will also be chanting. So, this way all of the all of the essentials of life material and spiritual are being met.

(24.41 to 26.37 is in Bengali)

 

double check the sentence pls

double check pls. there are missed out sentences