19860621 Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 3.166-214

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on June 21^st 1986 at New Pānihāṭi Dhāma in Atlanta, Georgia. The class begins with a reading from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā Chapter 3, Text 166 - 214.

Jayapatākā Swami: Tomorrow we are observing the daṇḍa-mahotsava, or the punishment festival of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Dāsa Raghunātha was the son of Hiraṇya. He was born in the family of Hiraṇya and Govardhana Mujumdar who were the landlords, or tax collectors for the emperor Hussain Shah. They were very supportive of the Vaiṣṇava movement of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So in Chapter 3 of the Antya-līlā, it explains more about Hiraṇya and Govardhana Mujumdar, and how Dāsa Raghunātha had received the mercy of Haridāsa Ṭḥākura in his younger days. Haridāsa Ṭḥākura, after the episode with Rāmacandra Khan where he tried to destroy… by Rāmacandra Khan's doing. But instead Rāmacandra Khan even offended Lord Nityānanda and himself was destroyed. Then Haridāsa Ṭḥākura went to the village known as Candapura. Stayed in the house of Balarāma-ācārya. It is discussed from text 166 Chapter 3 of the Antya-līlā.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.166

hiraṇya, govardhana — dui mulukera majumadāra
tāra purohita — ‘balarāma’ nāma tāṅra

Translation: Hiraṇya and Govardhana were the two governmental treasurers in that division of the country. Their priest was named Balarāma-ācārya.

Purport: The word majumadara refers to a treasurer who keeps accounts of revenue.

 

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.167

haridāsera kṛpā-pātra, tāte bhakti-māne
yatna kari’ ṭhākurere rākhilā sei grāme

Translation: Balarāma-ācārya, being favored by Haridāsa Ṭhākura, was very much attached to him. Therefore he kept Haridāsa Ṭhākura in the village with great care and attention.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.168

nirjana parṇa-śālāya karena kīrtana
balarāma-ācārya-gṛhe bhikṣā-nirvāhaṇa

Translation: In the village, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was given a solitary thatched cottage, where he performed the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. He accepted prasādam at the house of Balarāma-ācārya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.169

raghunātha-dāsa bālaka karena adhyayana
haridāsa-ṭhākurere yāi’ karena darśana

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa, who was the son of Hiranya Majumadāra, and was later to become Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, was at that time a boy engaged in study. He came to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura daily.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.170

haridāsa kṛpā kare tāṅhāra upare sei
kṛpā ‘kāraṇa’ haila caitanya pāibāre

Translation: Naturally Haridāsa Ṭhākura was merciful toward him, and because of the merciful benediction of this Vaiṣṇava, he later attained the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet.

Jayapātāka Swami: Remember how Śrīla Prabhupāda’s father used to always invite Vaiṣṇavas to come to his house and then request them, “Please bless my children that they will get the mercy of Śrīmati Rādhārani.” Here, by the benediction of Haridāsa Ṭḥākura, dāsa Raghunātha was able to achieve the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.171

tāhāṅ yaiche haila haridāsera mahimā kathana
vyākhyāna, — adbhuta kathā śuna, bhakta-gaṇa

Translation: At the residence of Hiraṇya and Govardhana, discourses took place by which Haridāsa Ṭhākura was glorified. O devotees, please listen to that wonderful story.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.172

eka-dina balarāma minati kariyā
majumadārera sabhāya āilā ṭhākure lañā

Translation: One day Balarāma Ācārya requested Haridāsa Ṭhākura with great humility to come to the assembly of the Majumadāras, Hiraṇya and Govardhana. Thus Balarāma Ācārya went there with Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.173

ṭhākura dekhi’ dui bhāi kailā abhyutthāna
pāya paḍi’ āsana dilā kariyā sammāna

Translation: Seeing Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the two brothers immediately stood up and fell at his lotus feet. Then with great respect they offered him a place to sit.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.174

aneka paṇḍita sabhāya, brāhmaṇa, sajjana
dui bhāi mahā-paṇḍita — hiraṇya, govardhana

Translation: In that assembly were many learned scholars, brāhmaṇas and respectable gentlemen. The two brothers Hiraṇya and Govardhana were also greatly learned.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.175

haridāsera guṇa sabe kahe pañca-mukhe
śuniyā ta’ dui bhāi pāilā baḍa sukhe

Translation: Everyone there began to speak of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s great qualities as if they had five mouths. Hearing this, both brothers were extremely happy.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.176

tina-lakṣa nāma ṭhākura karena kīrtana
nāmera mahimā uṭhāila paṇḍita-gaṇa

Translation: It was mentioned in the assembly that Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted the Holy Names of Kṛṣṇa 300,000 times a day. Thus all the learned scholars began to discuss the glories of the Holy Name.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.177

keha bale, — ‘nāma haite haya pāpa-kṣaya’
keha bale, — ‘nāma haite jīvera mokṣa haya’

Translation: Some of them said, “By chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, one is freed from the reactions of all sinful life.” Others said, “Simply by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, a living being is liberated from material bondage.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.178

haridāsa kahena, — “nāmera ei dui phala naya
nāmera phale kṛṣṇa-pade prema upajaya

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura protested, “These two benedictions are not the true result of chanting the Holy Name. Actually, by chanting the Holy Name without offenses, one awakens his ecstatic love for the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.179

evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā jātānurāgo
druta-cittauccaiḥ hasaty atho roditi rauti
gāyaty unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ

Translation: “‘When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the Holy Name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.’

Purport: For an explanation of this verse (Bhāgavatam. 11.2.40) one may consult chapter seven, text 94, of the Ādi-līlā.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.180

ānuṣaṅgika phala nāmera — ‘mukti’, ‘pāpa-nāśa’
tāhāra dṛṣṭānta yaiche sūryera prakāśa

Translation:  Haridāsa Ṭḥākura continues “Liberation and extinction of the reactions of sinful life are two concomitant by-products of chanting the Holy Name of the Lord. An example is found in the gleams of morning sunlight.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.181

aṁhaḥ saṁharad akhilaṁ sakṛd udayād eva

sakala-lokasya taraṇir iva timira-jaladhiṁ
jayati jagan-maṅgalaṁ harer nāmah

Translation: “ ‘As the rising sun immediately dissipates all the world’s darkness, which is deep like an ocean, so the Holy Name of the Lord, if chanted once without offenses, dissipates all the reactions of a living being’s sinful life. All glories to that Holy Name of the Lord, which is auspicious for the entire world.’ ”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.182

ei ślokera artha kara paṇḍitera gaṇa”
sabe kahe, — ‘tumi kaha artha-vivaraṇa’

 Translation: After reciting this verse, Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “O learned scholars, please explain the meaning of this verse.” But the audience requested Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “It is better for you to explain the meaning of this important verse.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.183

haridāsa kahena, — “yaiche sūryera udaya
udaya nā haite ārambhe tamera haya kṣaya

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “As the sun begins to rise, even before it is visible it dissipates the darkness of night.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.184

caura-preta-rākṣasādira bhaya haya nāśa
udaya haile dharma-karma-ādi parakāśa

Translation: “With the first glimpse of sunlight, fear of thieves, ghosts and demons immediately disappears, and when the sun is actually visible, everything is manifest, and everyone begins performing his religious activities and regulative duties.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.185

aiche nāmodayārambhe pāpa-ādira kṣaya
udaya kaile kṛṣṇa-pade haya premodaya

Translation: “Similarly, the first hint that offenseless chanting of the Lord’s Holy Name has awakened dissipates the reactions of sinful life immediately. And when one chants the Holy Name offenselessly, one awakens to service in ecstatic love at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.186

‘mukti’ tuccha-phala haya nāmābhāsa haite

Translation: “Liberation is the insignificant result derived from a glimpse of the awakening of offenseless chanting of the Holy Name.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.187

mriyamāṇo harer nāma gṛṇan putropacāritam
ajāmilo ’py agād dhāma kim uta śraddhayā gṛṇan

Translation: “‘While dying, Ajāmila chanted the Holy Name of the Lord, intending to call his son Nārāyaṇa. Nevertheless, he attained the spiritual world. What then to speak of those who chant the Holy Name with faith and reverence?’

Purport: This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.2.49).

Jayapatākā Swami: So last night we were reading the Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭaka by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī where he explains that by accidentally chanting, unknowingly chanting, neglectfully chanting the Holy Name, unlimited quantities of sinful life are destroyed. And by the imperfect chanting or nāmābhāsa chanting of the Holy Name one can achieve liberation. But the real goal is that by pure chanting, or offense less chanting, one gets the spontaneous attraction to chant the Holy  Names of the Lord. You can see that how Dāsa Raghunātha’s parents, they were actually like lords. In the feudal system of India, there were emperors and kings. An emperor was over many kings. Each king had to pay about a third of his taxes to an emperor and so many thousands of soldiers every year. So this way the emperor had so many kings under him. He would get so many taxes from them and so many soldiers. When they would fight against another kingdom, if the other king surrendered, then they would leave him as a king, but he would have to pay tax, and give soldiers, and be under the emperor. And if the king didn't surrender but fought, then he would be killed and wiped out and then the emperor would just take it in himself or he may put someone else who he wants to in charge.  That's up to him. So, in this way, beneath the kings there were landlords or tax collectors. And they were like, in Europe I think they had Dukes and Counts and Earls and things like that. So they were like that. They had their own little court. They would have their own armies, small armies. But they were mainly under the protection of the king. The king had the big armies, but they had little armies. They were the disciplinary arm also of the government. So, they were in charge of collecting taxes, they were the local police, they were everything. So, that's why their court is something like kind of a king's court in a sense, only in a much, a little smaller scale. They could be removed by a king real easy. They were just appointed. Just like the way kings and queens even today in England, they make knights and dukes and lords and things like that  So, this is a very highly respectable family, but we can see that there were sitting and they were discussing Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, they were discussing various spiritual topics. So they were very fortunate. Even the very good paṇḍita and brāhmaṇas, they didn't know the glories of they Holy Name. Actually Haridāsa Ṭḥākura is telling them the real glories of the Holy Name. Haridāsa Ṭḥākura continues:

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.188

ye mukti bhakta nā laya, se kṛṣṇa cāhe dite”

Translation: “Liberation, which is unacceptable for a pure devotee, is always offered by Kṛṣṇa without difficulty.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.189

sālokya-sārṣṭi-sārūpya- sāmīpyaikatvam apy uta
dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti vinā mat-sevanaṁ janāḥ

Translation: “‘My devotees do not accept sālokya, sārṣṭi, sārūpya, sāmīpya or oneness with Me — even if I offer these liberations — in preference to serving Me.’”

Jayapātāka Swami: In other words, even if Kṛṣṇa offers these 4, 5 types of liberation, they will never accept these in preference of serving Kṛṣṇa.

Purport: This verse is spoken by Lord Kapila, an avatāra of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.29.13).

Jayapātāka Swami (comments): In this way, Haridāsa Ṭḥākura is glorifying the Holy Name, but not everybody took it the same way.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.190

‘gopāla cakravartī’ nāma eka-jana
majumadārera ghare sei ārindā pradhāna

Translation: At the house of Hiraṇya and Govardhana Majumadāra, a person named Gopāla Cakravartī was officially the chief tax collector.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.191

gauḍe rahi’ pātsāhā-āge ārindā-giri kare
bāra-lakṣa mudrā sei pātsāra ṭhāñi bhare

Translation: This Gopāla Cakravartī lived in Bengal. His duty as chief tax collector was to collect 1,200,000 coins to deposit in the treasury of the emperor.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.192

parama-sundara, paṇḍita, nūtana-yauvana
nāmābhāse ‘mukti’ śuni’ nā ha-ila sahana

Translation: He had handsome bodily features, and he was learned and youthful, but he could not tolerate the statement that simply by glimpsing the awakening of the Lord’s Holy Name one can attain liberation.

Purport: Vaiṣṇavas strictly follow the directions of the śāstras regarding how one can be liberated simply by a slight awakening of pure chanting of the Holy Name. Māyāvādīs cannot tolerate the statements of the śāstras about how easily liberation can be achieved, for, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (12.5), kleśo ’dhikaratas teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām: impersonalists must work hard for many, many births, and only then will they perhaps be liberated. Vaiṣṇavas know that simply by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord offenselessly, one achieves liberation as a by-product. Thus there is no need to endeavour separately for liberation. Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura has said, muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate ’smān: liberation stands at one’s door, ready to render any kind of service, if one is a pure devotee with unflinching faith and reverence. This the Māyāvādīs cannot tolerate. Therefore the ārindā pradhāna, chief tax collector, although very learned, handsome and youthful, could not tolerate the statements of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.193

kruddha hañā bale sei saroṣa vacana
“bhāvukera siddhānta śuna, paṇḍitera gaṇa

Translation: This young man, Gopāla Cakravartī, became very angry upon hearing the statements of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He immediately criticized him. “O assembly of learned scholars,” he said, “just hear the conclusion of the emotional devotee.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.194

koṭi-janme brahma-jñāne yei ‘mukti’ naya
ei kahe, — nāmābhāse sei ‘mukti’ haya”

Translation: “After many millions upon millions of births, when one is complete in absolute knowledge, one still may not attain liberation, yet this man says that one may attain it simply by the awakening of a glimpse of the Holy Name.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.195

haridāsa kahena, — kene karaha saṁśaya?
śāstre kahe, — nāmābhāsa-mātre ‘mukti’ haya

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “Why are you doubtful? The revealed scriptures say that one can attain liberation simply by a glimpse of offenseless chanting of the Holy Name.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.196

bhakti-sukha-āge ‘mukti’ ati-tuccha haya
ataeva bhakta-gaṇa ‘mukti’ nāhi laya

Translation: “For a devotee who enjoys the transcendental bliss of devotional service, liberation is most insignificant. Therefore pure devotees never desire to achieve liberation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.197

tvat-sākṣāt-karaṇāhlāda-
viśuddhābdhi-sthitasya me
sukhāni goṣ-padāyante
brāhmāṇy api jagad-guro

Translation: “ ‘My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness, including even brahmānanda, (the happiness of the bliss of liberation in the impersonal brahman) to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf.’ ”

Purport: This verse is quoted from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (14.36).

Jayapātāka Swami:  So in spite of Haridāsa Ṭḥākura’s very patient presentation, his quoting Vedic scriptures, his giving all kinds of evidence, Gopāla Cakravartī was so proud. He's bewildered by the Māyāvādī philosophy that he became offensive. Lord Caitanya said that one should therefore avoid the impersonalits because they are offenders of Lord Kṛṣṇa - 'māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇa-aparādhi'. Therefore he also said that 'māyāvādī kathā śunile haya sarva-nāśa'. We hear the words of the impersonalists, then this can destroy our devotional service. So we should avoid them. Unfortunately, this vipra he got every opportunity, but he did not listen. This impersonalist young man, he could not tolerate to hear the glories of Kṛṣṇa or the Holy Name.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.198

vipra kahe, — “nāmābhāse yadi ‘mukti’ naya
tabe tomāra nāka kāṭi’ karaha niścaya”

Translation: Gopāla Cakravartī said, “If one is not liberated by nāmābhāsa, then you may be certain that I shall cut off your nose.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.199

haridāsa kahena, — “yadi nāmābhāse ‘mukti’
naya tabe āmāra nāka kāṭimu, — ei suniścaya”

Translation:  Then Haridāsa Ṭhākura accepted the challenge offered by Gopāla Cakravartī. “If by nāmābhāsa liberation is not available,” he said, “certainly I shall cut off my nose.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.200

śuni’ sabhā-sad uṭhe kari’ hāhākāra
majumadāra sei vipre karila dhikkāra

Translation: All the members of the assembly who had heard the challenge were greatly agitated, and they got up, making a tumultuous sound. Hiraṇya and Govardhana Majumadāra both immediately chastised the brāhmaṇa tax collector.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.201

balāi-purohita tāre karilā bhartsana
“ghaṭa-paṭiyā mūrkha tuñi bhakti kāṅhā jāna?

Translation: The priest named Balarāma Ācārya also chastised Gopāla Cakravartī. “You are a foolish logician,” he said. “What do you know about the devotional service of the Lord?

Purport (by Śrīla Prabhupāda): The philosophy enunciated by the Māyāvādīs is called ghaṭa-paṭiyā (“pot-and-earth”) philosophy. According to this philosophy, everything is one. Such philosophers see no distinction between a pot made of earth and the earth itself, reasoning that anything made of earth, such as different pots, is also the same earth. Since Gopāla Cakravartī was a ghaṭa-paṭiyā logician, a gross materialist, what could he understand about the transcendental devotional service of the Lord?

Jayapātāka Swami:  Lord Caitanya, He did the same pastime when he was a small child. He was sitting on a pile of used pots, then He was preaching this Māyāvādī philosophy. He was eating the dirt. Mother said, “What are you doing?”

He said, “Eating dirt.”

“Why are you doing that?”

He said, “Well, it’s all one. It’s all earth. Whether they eat it as dirt or whether it goes into a plant and wheat, and you grind it up, and then you cook it as a nice piece of cookie or cake, it’s all earth. So, what is the difference?”

Then mother Śacī preached “ No, Earth, you can't put water in it, but if you fire the earth and have a clay pot, you could put water. If you have fire, if you have a brick, you can build a... It’s not the same. There's transformation, so you shouldn't eat. Dirt isn't for eating. But earth in the form of sweet cakes is for eating.  

Lord Caitanya, “Oh! Now I understand, I was getting confused.” (laughter) This was when he was one and half, two years old. (laughter) But this Gopāla Cakravartī, he never got over that. (laughter). It’s all one! You see there is no difference! So, therefore how could he understand devotional service? Then Balarāma-ācārya continues;

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.202

haridāsa-ṭhākure tuñi kaili apamāna!
sarva-nāśa habe tora, nā habe kalyāṇa”

Translation: “You have insulted Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Thus there will be a dangerous position for you. You should not expect anything auspicious.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.203

śuni’ haridāsa tabe uṭhiyā calilā
majumadāra sei vipre tyāga karilā

Translation: Then Haridāsa Ṭhākura got up to leave, and the Majumadāras, the masters of Gopāla Cakravartī, immediately kicked him out and dismissed him from their service.

Jayapatākā Swami: “You are fired, Get out! you have offended Haridāsa Ṭḥākura!” Finished!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.204

sabhā-sahite haridāsera paḍilā caraṇe
haridāsa hāsi’ kahe madhura-vacane

Translation: With all the members of the assembly, the two Majumadāras fell at the lotus feet of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was smiling, however, and he spoke up in a sweet voice.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.205

“tomā-sabāra doṣa nāhi, ei ajña brāhmaṇa
tāra doṣa nāhi, tāra tarka-niṣṭha mana

Translation: “None of you are at fault,” he said. “Indeed, even this ignorant so-called brāhmaṇa is not at fault, for he is accustomed to dry speculation and logic.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.206

tarkera gocara nahe nāmera mahattva
kothā haite jānibe se ei saba tattva?

Translation: “One cannot understand the glories of the Holy Name simply by logic and argument. Therefore this man cannot possibly understand the glories of the Holy Name.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.207

“yāha ghara, kṛṣṇa karuna kuśala sabāra
āmāra sambandhe duḥkha nā ha-uka kāhāra”

Translation: “All of you may now go to your homes. May Lord Kṛṣṇa bestow His blessings upon you all. Do not be sorry because of my being insulted.”

Jayapātāka Swami: So Haridāsa Ṭḥākura told them go home, do not be worried about me. That I was insulted, it doesn't matter. It is not at all important. In this regard Prabhupāda says in the purport:

Purport: From this statement by Haridāsa Ṭhākura, it is understood that a pure Vaiṣṇava never takes anyone’s insults seriously. This is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(Cc. Ādi 17.31)

“One should chant the Holy Name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the Holy Name of the Lord constantly.” A Vaiṣṇava is always tolerant and submissive like trees and grass. He tolerates insults offered by others, for he is simply interested in chanting the Holy Name of the Lord without being disturbed.

Jayapātāka Swami: (comments): This is very important for devotees to see that how even Haridāsa Ṭḥākura was criticized and told, “I’m going to cut your nose off!”, but instead his reaction was, “Not important. Doesn't matter, don't be sorry about this.” This is the attitude of a Vaiṣṇava, that they take the humble attitude. If something happens, they take it that it’s Kṛṣṇa's mercy upon them getting rid of some karmas, and they continue chanting and rendering devotional service. They don't stop. Therefore, because of their exalted nature, because they don't take any action. They themselves take it as Kṛṣṇa's mercy. But the people who do the offense to the Vaiṣṇava, they are the ones who are in trouble. Because then Kṛṣṇa, He doesn't forgive them. But the real Vaiṣṇava, they don't take offense from insults. They are just determined to go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa at any cost. This should be our attitude, no matter what happens. We simply should be determined to go on chanting the Holy Name without any cessation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.208

tabe se hiraṇya-dāsa nija ghare āila
sei brāhmaṇe nija dvāra-mānā kaila

Translation: Then Hiraṇya dāsa Majumadāra returned to his home and ordered that Gopāla Cakravartī not be admitted therein.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.209

tina dina bhitare sei viprera ‘kuṣṭha’ haila
ati ucca nāsā tāra galiyā paḍila

Translation: Within three days that brāhmaṇa was attacked by leprosy, and as a result his highly raised nose melted away and fell off.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sāvadhāna! Be Careful is the purport.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.210

campaka-kali-sama hasta-padāṅguli
koṅkaḍa ha-ila saba, kuṣṭhe gela gali’

Jayapātāka Swami: The way they use the "L's" in this verse is very poetic, but I am not so expert to say it. "Gela gali", Gela means gone and gali means melted, so 'gela gali'.

Translation: The brāhmaṇa’s toes and fingers were beautiful like golden-colored campaka buds, but because of leprosy they all withered and gradually melted away.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.211

dekhiyā sakala loka haila camatkāra
haridāse praśaṁsi’ tāṅre kare namaskāra

Translation: Seeing the condition of Gopāla Cakravartī, everyone was astonished. Everyone praised the influence of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and offered him obeisance.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.212

yadyapi haridāsa viprera doṣa nā la-ilā
tathāpi īśvara tāre phala bhuñjāilā

Translation:  Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura, as a Vaiṣṇava, did not take seriously the brāhmaṇa’s offense, the Supreme Personality of Godhead could not tolerate it, and thus he made the brāhmaṇa suffer the consequences.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.213

bhakta-svabhāva, — ajña-doṣa kṣamā kare
kṛṣṇa-svabhāva, — bhakta-nindā sahite nā pare

Translation: A characteristic of a pure devotee is that he excuses any offense by an ignorant rascal. A characteristic of Kṛṣṇa, however, is that He cannot tolerate blasphemy of His devotees.

Jayapātāka Swami: So Haridāsa Ṭḥākura epitomizes the order of a Vaiṣṇava. Just like Prahlāda, he tolerated being chastised by his father. But Nṛsiṁha, Kṛṣṇa, could not tolerate that. He came in the form of Nṛsiṁha. So although Haridāsa Ṭḥākura tolerated this insult, but Kṛṣṇa could not tolerate it. So He immediately punished Gopāla Cakravartī by giving him leprosy. In this regard Prabhupāda says

Purport: …. While instructing Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī about the many restrictive rules and regulations for Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has very vividly described the effects of offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā (Madhya 19.156). Offending or blaspheming a Vaiṣṇava has been described as the greatest offense, and it has been compared to a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it ruins all the creepers, flowers and trees. Similarly, if a devotee properly executing his devotional service becomes an offender at the lotus feet of his spiritual master or another Vaiṣṇava, his devotional service is spoiled.

Jayapātāka Swami: This is important to know that even if a person is properly executing, attending every maṅgala-ārati, chanting 16 rounds, attending all the ārati, going out in saṅkīrtana, doing everything perfectly without any fail, but he is an offender to his guru or to a pure Vaiṣṇava, it’s spoiled! What to speak of the normal struggling devotees trying to conquer their senses and engage in devotional service. So we should be

tṛṇād api su-nīcena
 taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena 
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

So we can constantly chant the Holy Name, we have to be so humble and tolerant to offer respect to others, not to offer insults to others. Devotees in the mode of ignorance and passion, they tend to be offensive to others. So we have to be very careful not to fall into that syndrome. Not to offend. In fact Prabhupāda, he warned us that this doesn't mean only offending the spiritual master. He said, “All of my devotees, they are all pure devotees. They are all purely dedicated. They are dedicated to serving Kṛṣṇa, they are not asking for any material remuneration. Therefore, I consider them all pure devotees. So you shouldn't offend any of them. Don't offend your Godbrothers.” That time there was only Prabhupāda disciples, so then he said “Don't offend your Godbrothers. They are also Vaiṣṇavas.” And he was very worried that because one devotee at that time, even in his presence, used to criticize or offend another. That this would be the cause of their fall down even though they were otherwise good devotees. So he kept always warning. Of course, now where you have Prabhupāda’s grand-disciples, then they have to be also more careful not to offend their spiritual uncles and aunties. What to speak of offending Prabhupāda? They have to also be careful even not to offend their own Godbrothers and Godsisters who are dedicated to spreading the Holy Name. This is the first offence against the Holy Name. So we have to avoid that very carefully. Because with Dāsa Raghunātha, he did a maryāda-langhana. It’s an offense to jumping over, or not giving proper respect. It’s a most kind of indirect type of offense. Because of that, he was rejected by Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he approached Him, and sent back to his home. Dāsa Raghunātha situation was unique. Here his father and uncle were great devotees, they were worshipping, but they were very attached to their son. Sometimes we find that there are devotees, especially in Indian community, you will find it that they are very interested in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, but they are very attached that their son should just stay in the home, and manage their family business, and things like that. Especially the non-brāhmaṇas. They are very attached that their children should just remain with them because it’s a natural kind of situation. Because here in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, most of the gṛhasthas live like brāhmaṇas, and in the present time live in their communities. So they like their children to also become brāhmaṇas and be preachers. But because in the varṇāśrama system - any kṣatriya, vaiśyas… like these are kind of vaiśyas who are acting as lords, tax collectors. They were attached that their son would take over the position after them. So when they saw that he wanted to join Lord Caitanya and give up everything and take sannyāsa, it was very disturbing to them. They thought that he is too young, he's not ripe yet, he should later, not now. So they would catch him and bring him back, catch him and bring him back. So finally he got away. He went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu and was able to personally fall at His feet and say "Please take me with you!" And then Lord Caitanya, He also sent him back. He said, “No, you should worship in your house. Why you are doing all this running away and stopping your normal activity? You should do your regular activities very perfectly, but simply be always attached to Kṛṣṇa. Just like a wife who has got another lover than her husband, is always attached, is always thinking of the lover, but she does her household life very perfectly. Her duties and chores very perfectly, not to be discovered by the husband that she is cheating. So like that you do your material activities, but you cheat on māyā and simply always think of Kṛṣṇa and devotional service - that is spiritual.” So he was sent back. That's the kind of background to why he was punished, because he did not go through the proper paraṁparā system. We will discuss that more later. So of course, that is a minor, an indirect offense - it’s maryāda-langhana. But this was a direct offence where he just criticized Haridāsa Ṭhākura out of foolishness. Not even knowing that what Haridāsa Ṭḥākura was saying was perfectly authorized by the scriptures. So in conclusion here;

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.214

viprera kuṣṭha śuni’ haridāsa mane duḥkhī hailā
balāi-purohite kahi’ śāntipura āilā

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura was unhappy when he heard that the brāhmaṇa Gopāla Cakravartī had been attacked by leprosy. Thus after informing Balarāma Ācārya, the priest of Hiraṇya Majumadāra, he went to Śāntipura, the home of Advaita Ācārya.

Jayapātāka Swami:  Then it goes off into another pastimes with Advaita Gosāñī. So, this little pastime gives us an insight to the family of Dāsa Raghunātha. He was born in a family of devotees. They may have been little bit attached devotees, or they may have been devotees engaged in their service as a vaiśya. But they were devotees of the Lord. This way our gṛhasthas - they are also giving an opportunity for souls to enter into the material world, souls to take birth as sons of devotees, so that they can engage in the devotional service of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because Dāsa Raghunātha was born of Hiraṇya Mazumdar, he was able to get the association and blessings of Haridāsa Ṭḥākura. The background helped him in his spiritual life. So like that, the parents of Kṛṣṇa conscious children, they have the opportunity to give their children this jewel of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, it’s a very big responsibility they have.

So, today we heard about the glories of the Holy Name. That the Holy Name gives us pure love for Kṛṣṇa which makes liberation very insignificant. Chanting the Holy Name gives us this greatest benediction. That how Dāsa Raghunātha got the blessings of Haridāsa Ṭḥākura, born in a family of Vaiṣṇavas, and how with these blessings eventually he became Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī, a great renounced sixth gosvāmī. You should understand that practically speaking, Dāsa Raghunātha was like a prince. I mean his parents... the amount of money they just had to pay to the emperor was a million and two hundred thousand gold coins. What to speak of what they kept. In those days, one gold coin was of inconceivable value. They were ready to kill him for 8 coins. One gold coin, you could live the rest of your life. Prabhupāda said that when he was a child, his father used to buy enough food grain for the whole year with a few rupees. And a rupee is nothing, that's not anything compared to what a gold coin is. And that was only a hundred years ago, what to speak of five hundred years ago? People used to pay for things by paying in little conchshells. And thousands of conch shells was equal to a paisa, to an anna. And the anna then was somewhat equal to a rupee. And a gold coin was... (laughter). And he paid taxes, he would collect taxes, 1.2 million gold coins, and then you know on top of that he would keep himself maybe equal amount or something. Don't know exactly as a lord what percent. I know the king they keep two thirds. As a lord, they were also cheating a little bit. (laughter) They were keeping a lot. Later on. That's another pastime for Kṛṣṇa's service of course. They got caught.

The point was that he was born in a very opulent surrounding. I mean he had every conceivable… in those days he was completely in opulent surroundings. One of the most opulent families, maybe the top ten in the entire empire. You know the top, the who's who, the fortune 500 whatever. But he became so renounced, when he was one of the six Gosvāmīs, his specific quality was that he was the most renounced. He was so renounced that he was taking the rice that they were throwing out.  After rotting, they couldn't sell it in Jagannātha Purī, they’d throw it out. Then he would take that rice and eat that. Then he saw that the animals were eating that rice also. Then he didn't eat it. He waited till animals ate whatever they would eat, and those pieces of rice that were rotten, that the animals wouldn't eat because it had a bad smell, he would break that open and eat the little bit in the centre that was still not decomposed. He was so austere. Then he saw that even some animals were eating that too, then he started eating rice that would go on the drain, from the washing of the temple. One day Lord Caitanya came up to Dāsa Raghunātha and said, “What are you eating?

 He said, “Nothing!”

“Prasādam!”

“No No!”

“Give me some of that prasādam, I want also to take that!”

“No, no, no, this is not fit for you.

And Lord Caitanya, “No, no, come on give me that prasādam.”

Dāsa Raghunātha started running, “No, this is not for you!”

Then Lord Caitanya grabbed him *grab* and forcibly took the prasādam from his hands and took a piece, “Ah! Nectar! It’s the best prasādam I ever had!” So, he was first not only the most austere, but practically speaking, he was one of the most well to do. He went from the extreme opulence to extreme renunciation. So, of course this festival that we are holding tomorrow is when Dāsa Raghunātha is a young man, and he is managing the affairs for his father and uncle, on their behalf, when he's already married and engaged in that particular time period. So, we'll discuss those things later. You should be very careful to learn from Dāsa Raghunātha how he was very respectable to Lord Nityānanda by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It says if we offend a Vaiṣṇava, we have to appeal to the Vaiṣṇava to forgive us. If he won’t, we touch his feet. We can get forgiven in that way. Last night we read that if we offend the Holy Name, we should pray to the Holy Name to please forgive us for offending the Holy Name. It’s by the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura that we have the Holy Name. We should take it and we should be very careful not to commit offenses to the Holy Name. If in spite of that we commit offenses, we should still keep on chanting the Holy Name and pray to get forgiven for the offenses. Because Gopāla Cakravartī didn't chant the Holy Name, there was hardly any hope for him. He had no faith in the Holy Name. Instead, he offended the Holy Name and the Vaiṣṇavas. So who could he turn to, to get deliverance? Or even if one is chanting the Holy Name, we read early in the purport that even a devotee who is well situated, if they commit offenses to the Vaiṣṇavas, they can fall down. So we should never take that position. Prabhupāda, I saw he was so careful that when discussing any misdeeds of his own god brothers, to instruct us he would present it in such a way that he would ask as a question - what are they doing for Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura? What are they doing for cooperating with each other? He wouldn't say the, *judgemental tone* “They are not doing. They are not cooperating.” He would say it, but he would say it as a question. As a question it’s not, it’s just a way of presenting something that is not offensive, because you are allowed to ask a question. “What are you doing for your spiritual master? What are doing to demonstrate to the devotees your proper realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?” It’s just the way of putting something, which is technically not an offense because you are asking that as a question and it was not meant to be an offense. It was meant to illustrate to us how Prabhupāda was actually giving us the pure Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy. He was actually in the mood of cooperating, but no one else wanted to cooperate with him for whatever their reasons were. Therefore, when Prabhupāda told us to cooperate together, and that how much we would cooperate with him would be the test of how much we loved him, then we would never be able to take the excuse that “Prabhupāda didn’t cooperate”, because he always wanted to cooperate. But no one would cooperate with him. Prabhupāda begged and fell at the feet of his godbrothers, let us all cooperate together to serve Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, but they didn't accept. That wasn't Prabhupāda’s fault. So, we don't have any excuse for not cooperating together, and just working to spread the message that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave. Because Śrīla Prabhupāda, for us, he re-established the disciple succession. He has re-established the mood of cooperation that was present during the time of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he has given us a system to cooperate and work together as Vaiṣṇavas. Therefore, for us he is like Rāmānujācārya was for the Ramānuja-sampradāya or what Madhvācārya was for Madhvā. From Prabhupāda, a branch has come off from Caitanya Prabhu's trees. It’s been described by Prabhupāda that this society of ISKCON is like a branch of Caitanya's tree. So, from Lord Caitanya, then from Prabhupāda, it comes off like that. It sprouts very big major branch to spread over the whole world. Still part of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s tree. So as such, for us we worship Śrīla Prabhupāda very specially. That's why I wrote this song so that we could meditate on Prabhupāda as our founder ācārya. For his disciples, he is guru. But for the eternal generations he is not only guru and grandfather-guru and great-grandfather-guru, but he is actually our Founder Ācārya. He has given us the system based of course on the instructions of previous ācāryas, not independent. He has given us a system of practicing Lord Caitanya's movement which is so practical that we can practice it for the next 10,000 years if we simply remain faithful to his instructions. Therefore we say, "o prabhu, tomāra ajñāra cira-dāsa - please Prabhupāda, let me remain the eternal servant of your order." Not that at any time in the future, now or 15, 20 or 100 generations from now, in the guru-paraṁparā, that we ever think to deviate from the orders that Prabhupāda has given us in his books. If we simply follow his system, then we will be able to remain under his shelter eternally, under the shelter of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore for us Śrīla Prabhupāda is very special because he has taken this battered state of the disciplic succession and within that, he has given us the actual essence—the real mood of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Prabhupāda kī… Jaya!!

Dāsa Raghunātha kī… Jaya!!

Hiraṇya-Govardhana Majumdar kī… Jaya!!

Haridāsa Ṭhākura kī… Jaya!!

Harināma kī… Jaya!!

Sri Caitanya Nityānanda Prabhu kī… Jaya!!

Nitāi-Gaura premānande… Hari Haribol!!

 

Verified by your humble ever Servant 
Vinoda Gopīkeśa Dāsa 
16-01-2025
Māyāpur India