19870917 Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-līlā 8.54-117

The following is a class given by HH. Jayapatākā Swami on September 17,1987 in Atlanta, Georgia. The class begins with a reading from the Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya Khaṇḍa Chapter 8 Text 54-117

“aila advaita”suni’ sri-vaikuntha-pati
agu badilena priya-gosthira samhati

 Translation: Hearing that Advaita has come, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the master of the spiritual world went to greet Him along with all of his dear associates.

nityānanda, gadādhara, śrī-purī-gosāñi
calilena hariṣe kāhāro bāhya nāi

Translation: Immediately Nityananda, Gadhahara, Puri Gosvāmī, immediately went to greet them in great transcendental happiness, they were not conscious of the external world at that time, they were overwhelmed with joy hearing that Advaita Gosvāmī has come.

sārvabhauma, jagadānanda, kāśī-miśra-vara
dāmodara-svarūpa, śrī-paṇḍita-śaṅkara
kāśīśvara-paṇḍita, ācārya-bhagavān
śrī-pradyumna-miśra—prema-bhaktira pradhāna
pātra śrī-parāmānanda, rāya-rāmānanda
caitanyera dvārapāla—sukṛti govinda brahmānanda-
bhāratī, śrī-rūpa-sanātana
raghunātha-vaidya, śivānanda, nārāyaṇa
advaitera jyeṣṭha-putra-śrī-acyutānanda
vāṇīnātha, śikhi-māhāti ādi bhakta-vṛnda
ananta caitanya-bhṛtya,kata jāni nāma
ki choṭa, ki baḍa sabe karilā payāna

Translation: These are the name of different associates who stayed in Jagannātha Puri, they were overjoyed Advaita had come from Māyāpur Navadvīpa dhāma.

 There are unlimited servants of Lord Caitanya, how many of their names do I know?

paramānande sabe calilena prabhu-saṅge
bāhya-dṛṣṭi, bāhya-jñāna nāhi kāro aṅge

Cb. Antya 8.062

 Translation: Who is big, who is small? None of this was considered. In great transcendental ecstasy they all went along with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. No one had external vision, no one has consciousness of material dualities. Everyone was completely in ecstatic Kṛṣṇa conscious mood.

śrī-advaita-siṃha sarva vaiṣṇava-sahite
āsiyā mililā prabhu āṭhāranālāte

Cb. Antya 8.063

Translation: Advaita who is like a lion among Vaiṣṇavas. Along with all the other devotees they went and met with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at the place known as Aṭharānala.

prabhu o āilā narendere āguyāna
dui goṣṭhī dekhādekhi haila vidyamāna

Cb. Antya 8.064

Translation : The Lord was going towards Narendra lake, with His associates. In this way the two parties, could see each other.

dūre dekhi’ dui goṣṭhī anyo’nye saba
daṇḍavata hai’ saba paḍilā vaiṣṇava
Cb. Antya 8.065

Translation: At a distance the two groups of devotees could see each other. Immediately they fell down to the ground like a stick offering their respects to the others.

dūre advaitere dekhi’ śrī-vaikuṇṭha-nātha
 aśru-mukhe karite lāgilā daṇḍapāta

Cb. Antya 8.066

Translation: From a distance Advaita could see the Lord of the spiritual world Sri Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Immediately his eyes filled with tears of love. He started to offer his obeisances.

śrī-advaita dūre dekhi’ nija-prāṇa-nātha
punaḥ punaḥ haite lāgilā praṇipāta

Cb. Antya 8.067

Translation: Advaita from a distance could see the Lord of his life. Again and again he started to offer his obeisance’s and his surrender.

aśru, kampa, sveda, mūrcchā, pulaka, huṅkāra
daṇḍavata bai kichu nāhi dekhi āra
Cb. Antya 8.068

Translation: Tears were coming from his eyes; his body was shaking in ecstasy. He was fainting in ecstasy. Sometimes his hairs were standing on end, and sometimes he was loudly shouting in joy. This way apart from offering his respects to Lord Caitanya, he was not conscious of anything else,

 

dui goṣṭhī daṇḍavata ke vā kāre
kare sabei caitanya-rase vihvala antare
Cb. Antya 8.069

Translation: And the two groups everyone is offering obeisance’s but to who. Who can keep track? Everyone is completely overwhelmed with the ecstasy of Caitanya's transcendental mellows of devotional service.

kibā choṭa, kibā baḍa, jñānī vā ajñānī
daṇḍavata kari’ sabe kare hari-dhvani
Cb. Antya 8.070

 

Translation: Who was big, who was small, who was very learned, who was very neophyte. No one was taking any consideration, in great ecstasy chanting Haribol, Haribol, they were offering obeisance’s to one an another,

īśvaro karena bhakta-saṅge daṇḍavata
advaitādi-prabhu o karena sei-mata
Cb. Antya 8.071

Translation:  Even the Lord himself, along with the devotees offered His obeisance’s to everyone. Advaita and the others, they also offered their obeisance’s to one and another.

ei-mata daṇḍavata karite karite
dui goṣṭhī ekatra mililā bhāla-mate
Cb. Antya 8.072

Translation: In this way offering their obeisance’s to one another, the two groups they started to merge.

ekhāne ye haila ānanda-daraśana
ucca hari-dhvani, ucca ānanda-krandana
Cb. Antya 8.073

Translation: So here you can see, the vision of real transcendental ecstasy, loud chanting of the holy names of Hari and loud crying in ecstasy,

manuṣye ki pāre ihā karite varṇana
sabe vedavyāsa, āra sahasra-vadana
Cb. Antya 8.074

Translation: What can human beings understand or be able to explain of these transcendental ecstasies. Even the very liberated Vedavyāsa, the incarnation of Godhead  or Anantadeva with thousand mouths, are not able to express in words the ecstasy of the devotees felt  in meeting with Lord Caitanya.

advaita dekhiyā prabhu lailena kole
siñcilena aṅga tāna premānanda-jale
Cb. Antya 8.075

Translation: Seeing Advaita, the Lord took him on His lap and embracing him. Advaita's body was moistened with the tears of love from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

śloka paḍi’ advaita karena namaskāra
hailena advaita ānanda-avatāra

Cb. Antya 8.076

Translation: Advaita quoted a verse from the Vedas offering his respects to Lord Caitanya. Advaita is the incarnation of the transcendental bliss.

yata sajja ānichilā prabhu pūjibāre
saba dravya pāsarilā, kichu nāhi sphure
Cb. Antya 8.077

Translation:  All the different articles that were brought to worship and give proper ritualistic respect to Lord CaitanyaMahāprabhu completely scattered here and there in ecstasy, *Guru Mahārāja’s voice choking up in ecstasy* and no one could keep track of anything less. But it didn't make any difference. The reception was quite adequate simply and spontaneous love.

ānanda advaita-siṃha karena huṅkāra
“āniluṅāniluṅ” bali’ ḍāke bārabāra
Cb. Antya 8.078

Translation:  In great transcendental bliss Advaita, he started to shout I have brought the Lord I have brought the Lord. Again and again he was crying out,

hena se haila ati ucca-hari-dhvani
lokāloka pūrṇa haila hena anumāni

Cb. Antya 8.079

Translation:   Such a huge crowd of people, that they couldn't estimate anymore. There were so many people had gathered, and so loudly was the chanting and shouting Haribol Haribol going, though it had become beyond anyone's  imagination,

vaiṣṇavera ki dāya, ajñāna yata jana
 tāhārā o ‘hari’ bale karaye krandana
Cb. Antya 8.080

Translation: How can you blame the Vaiṣṇavas for crying in ecstasy. Anyone even someone who just wandered there, he got swept up in the ecstasy, (Haribol - laughing) they started to chant Hari, and feel like crying for joy.

sarva-bhakta-goṣṭhī anyo’nye galā dhari’
ānande rodana kare bale ‘hari hari’
Cb. Antya 8.081

Translation: All the association of devotees, they started to embrace each other and crying in ecstasy, they are saying Hari Hari. All glories to Sri Hari,

advaitere sabe karilena namaskāra
yāṅhāra nimitta śrī-caitanya-avatāra
Cb. Antya 8.082

Translation : And everyone offered their respects to Advaita who by, whose mercy Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu descended from the spiritual world, to bring the ocean, the inundation of Kṛṣṇa-prema, pure love into this world.

mahā-ucca-dhvani mahā kari’ saṅkīrtana
dui goṣṭhī karite lāgilā tata-kṣaṇa
Cb. Antya 8.083

Translation:  Then very loudly a great mahā-saṅkīrtana was held, and the two groups they all began to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa together.

kothā ke vā nāce ke vā kon dike gāya
ke vā kon dike paḍi’ gaḍāgaḍi’ yāya
Cb. Antya 8.084

prabhu dekhi’ sabe hailā ānande vihvala
prabhu o nācena mājhe parama maṅgala
Cb. Antya 8.085

Translation: So some people they are dancing in ecstasy, some people they are loudly chanting, some people they are feeling so overwhelmed they started rolling in the dust in ecstasy. The Lord, He sees that everyone is overwhelmed and transcendental ecstasy. So then, He became inspired and amongst all the devotees.  He begins to dance which is supremely auspicious and beautiful to see.

nityānanda-advaite kariyā kolākoli nāce
dui matta-siṃha hai kutūhalī
Cb. Antya 8.086

Translation: Nityānanda and Advaita, they started to embrace each other, and they too danced like mad lions jumping in ecstasy.

sarva-vaiṣṇavere prabhu dhari’ jane jane
āliṅgana karena parama-prīti-mane
Cb. Antya 8.087

Translation : All of the Vaiṣṇavas would grab the, would embrace the Lord, with a great sentiment of love and affection.

bhakta-nātha, bhakta-vaśa, bhaktera jīvana
bhakta-galā dhari’ prabhu karena rodana
Cb. Antya 8.088

Translation: The Lord of the devotees who is also under the control of the devotees and is the life of the devotees; that Lord would cry in ecstasy holding the neck of His devotees.

jagannātha-devera ājñāya sei-kṣaṇa
sahasra sahasra mālā āila candana
Cb. Antya 8.089

Translation:  By the mercy of Lord Jagannātha, at that moment thousands and thousands of flower garlands came, also came sandalwood pulp.

ājñā-mālā dekhi’ harṣe śrī-gaurāṅga-rāya
agre dilāśrī-advaita-siṃhera galāya
Cb. Antya 8.090

Translation:  Seeing all the prasādam garlands coming, immediately Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu started to laugh. He took the first garland, and He offered it around the neck of Sri Advaita Gosāñī.

sarva-vaiṣṇavera aṅga śrī-haste āpane
paripūrṇa karilena mālāya candane
Cb. Antya 8.091

dekhiyā prabhura kṛpā sarva bhakta-gaṇa
bāhu tuli’ uccaiḥ-svare karena krandana

Cb. Antya 8.092

Translation: Then the Lord took garlands and candana with His own transcendental lotus hands. He decorated His devotees, with sandalwood pulp on their forehead and a flower garland around their neck. Seeing the mercy of the Lord, all the devotees started to raise their hands and cried, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, loudly crying in ecstasy. (Devotees, Hari bol..Jai )

sabei māgena vara śrī-caraṇa dhari’
“janma janma yena prabhu, tomā nā pāsari
Cb. Antya 8.093

Translation: They all begged, grabbing the lotus feet of the Lord, dear Lord even birth after birth, may I never be separated from your devotional service.

ki manuṣya, paśu, pakṣī hai’ yathā
tathā tomāra caraṇa yena dekhiye sarvathā
Cb. Antya 8.094

Translation: Whether I come as a human being, or as an animal, or as a bird, whichever birth you want me to take in my next birth, i pray that, i may never being deprived of seeing your divine lotus feet.

ei vara deha’ prabhu karuṇā-sāgara!”
pāda-padma dhari’ kānde saba anucara

Cb. Antya 8.095

Translation: Kindly give us this blessing, O Lord, who are ocean of transcendental mercy, grabbing His lotus feet the followers would cry begging for Lord Caitanya 's mercy.

vaiṣṇava-gṛhiṇī yata pati-vratā-gaṇa
dūre thāki’ prabhu dekhi’ karaye krandana
Cb. Antya 8.096

Translation:  The Vaiṣṇava gṛhiṇīs, the Vaiṣṇavīs, all the wives of the Vaiṣṇavas who are at the distance seeing that form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu they were also crying in ecstasy.

tāṅ-sabāra premādhāre anta nāhi pāi
sabei vaiṣṇavī-śakti bheda kichu nāi
Cb. Antya 8.097

Translation: Their depth of pure love for Lord Caitanya knew no bounds. They were all Vaiṣṇavīs, transcendental potencies, and they were not different from the Lord. They were all pure devotees.

‘jñāna-bhakti-yoge sabe patīra samāna’
kahiyā āchena śrī-caitanya-bhagavān
Cb. Antya 8.098

Translation:   So, there you go with their husbands, in knowledge of the devotional service and bhakti-yoga (Ha. ha. ha....) This has been spoken by Śrī Caitanya Bhagavān. (Devotees laugh, and say Hari bol. Hari bol

ei-mata vādya-gīta-nṛtya-saṅkīrtane
āilena sabāi caliyā prabhura sane
Cb. Antya 8.099

Translation:  In this way, with the musical instruments with songs, with dancing, and with the saṅkīrtana they all came together along with the Lord Śrī  Kṛṣṇa Caitanya  Mahāprabhu.

hena se haila prema-bhaktira prakāśa
hena nāhi dekhi yāra nā haya ullāsa
Cb. Antya 8.100

Translation:  Where is anyone seen such a manifestation of pure love and devotion? Where is anyone, never been seen with such a transcendental happiness so spontaneously manifested,

āṭhāranālā haite daśa-daṇḍa haile
mahāprabhu āilena narendrera kūle
Cb. Antya 8.101

Translation:  so, from Āṭhāranālā about 10 daṇḍas. How much is a daṇḍa? About six feet a daṇḍa. About sixty feet, there you go. I think the daṇḍa is sixty feet, about 60 feet from there the Lord reached to the Narendra river, i mean lake. 

hena-kāle rāma-kṛṣṇa śrī-yātrā
govinda jala-keli karibāre āilā narendra

Cb. Antya 8.102

Translation: Just at that time, Lord Jagannātha and Kṛṣṇa, and Śrī Rāma, Balarāma, they came in procession to enjoy water sports.

hari-dhvani kolāhala mṛdaṅga-kāhāla
śaṅkha, bherī, jayaḍhāka bājaye viśāla
Cb. Antya 8.103

Translation: Loud chanting of Haribol, Haribol. Loud tumultuous sound from the clay drums, from conchshells, and from gongs and from other forms of musical instruments.

sahasra sahasra chatra patākā
cāmara catur-dike śobhā kare parama sundara
Cb. Antya 8.104

Translation: Thousands of thousands of umbrellas and flakes, and camara fans, means yak tail fans. In this way in all directions, it was very beautiful to see, very transcendental, attractive.

mahā-jaya-jaya-śabda, mahā-hari-dhvani
ihā bai āra kona śabda nāhi śuni
Cb. Antya 8.105

Translation:   So loudly was the chanting of glories, chanting of the Haribol going. There couldn't be any other sound. It was overwhelming vibration.

rāma-kṛṣṇa śrī-govinda mahā-kutūhale
uttarilā āsi’ sabe narendrera kūle
Cb. Antya 8.106

jagannātha-goṣṭhīśrī-caitanya-goṣṭhī-sane
miśāilā tānā o bhulilā-saṅkīrtane
Cb. Antya 8.107

Translation: One side, Jagannātha's group was coming, and the other side Lord Caitanya, and then they all merged, and a great big mahā-saṅkīrtana,

 

dui goṣṭhī eka hai’ ki haila ānanda
ki vaikuṇṭha-sukha āsi’ haila mūrtimanta
Cb. Antya 8.108

catur-dike lokera ānanda-anta nāi
saba karena karāyena caitanya-gosāñi
Cb. Antya 8.109

Translation:  The two groups when they came together, what bliss, what nectar, that ecstasy from the spiritual world has come down, and taken form right in the material world. And four directions all of the people were in such bliss, that there was no limit to their happiness. Everyone was simply put into this ecstasy by the mercy of Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu ki jai... (Devotees ..jai )

rāma-kṛṣṇa śrī-govinda uṭhilā naukāya
catur-dike bhakta-gaṇa cāmara ḍhulāya
Cb. Antya 8.110

Translation:  Jagannātha and Baladeva they went unto the boat, and all the directions the devotees were fanning them.

rāma-kṛṣṇa śrī-govinda naukāya
vijaya dekhiyā santoṣa śrī-gaurāṅga mahāśaya
Cb. Antya 8.111

Translation:  Seeing Jagannātha and Baladeva enjoying their sojourn on the boat, Lord Caitanya became very satisfied.

prabhu o sakala bhakta lai’ kutūhale
jhāṅpa diyā paḍilena narendrera jale
Cb. Antya 8.112

Translation:  Then the Lord along with all His devotees, in a sudden expression of joy jumps into the Narendra water. 

śuna bhāi, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-avatāra
ye-rūpe narendra-jale karilā vihāra
Cb. Antya 8.113

Translation: Listen my dear brothers, how the incarnation of godhead Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya enjoyed water sports in the water of the Narendra Lake.

pūrve yamunāya yena śiśu-gaṇa meli’
maṇḍalī haiyā karilena jala-keli
Cb. Antya 8.114

sei-rūpe sakala vaiṣṇava-gaṇa meli’
paraspara kare dhari’ hailā maṇḍalī
Cb. Antya 8.115

Translation:  Just as Kṛṣṇa used to enjoy pastimes in the Yamuna River as a child, playing water sports with all His friends. In the same way, Lord Caitanya was enjoying transcendental water sports in the water, along with the other devotees. Forming different groups one on the other was splashing water each other with the water.

gauḍa-deśe jala-keli āce ‘kayā nāme
sei jala-krīḍā ārambhilena prathame
Cb. Antya 8.116

Translation:  In the country of Bengal is a water sports known as "Kaya", there water sports was first begun.

‘kayā kayā bali’ karatāli dena jale
jale vādya bājāyena vaiṣṇava sakale
Cb. Antya 8.117

Translation: Saying Kaya, Kaya, they were splashing the water and as the water was splashed. So this way everyone was saying Kaya, Kaya, and splashing.

I don't know this. Now I have to look into this water sport. (Devotees laugh...)  I don't know this one in olympics, but I think (Devotee laughs). You know that sport, you are from West Bengal or East Bengal. West Bengal. (Devotee laughing). They don't have enough water in West Bengal anymore (devotees laugh). East Bengal is more of water spot. In this way, he goes on.  Actually Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura, in his explanation of Caitanya's pastimes, frequently in very poetic Bengali language started to express in English. His language is so poetic, Bengali’s many allegories, synonyms, rhymes, very many different poetical decorations, embellishments presents how the Lord Caitanya and His associates, had swept away in a flood of transcendental ecstasy.

And He does it very effectively, very wonderfully. I don't know, if I'll be able to translate it, even touching the mood. But, this may sound unusual to some. But, the point is that our nature, nature of the soul is to be saccidānanda, eternally, blissfully, filled with spiritual knowledge. Everyone wants to be happy, and the happiness we are looking for is within us, is our natural part of us. And that becomes manifest in association with devotees. When we become close to the transcendental Lord, when our original spiritual potency and nature starts to manifest by chanting, the name of Lord Caitanya, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

One can also associate with the Lord even today. Ofcourse we are reading about how, very fortunate persons could directly associate with the Lord, physically in His presence. So naturally we feel deprived of that great opportunity. But we also can associate with the Lord, through the sound vibration. On the absolute level sound as visible objects or audible objects are not different. Because on the Absolute, everything is Absolute everything is one, the duality is not there.

In this world if you see, water is not the same as the object water, but on the Absolute world, the name Kṛṣṇa, is the same as the person Kṛṣṇa. So by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one can feel the presence of Kṛṣṇa,.By chanting Caitanya, Jagannātha, one can feel the presence of the Lord. Infact sometimes, being covered over, even being in a physical presence of the deity we may become careless, or we may become unconscious. But by chanting their name we can feel more of their presence. So, therefore in Kali-yuga, even if we do deity worship, to chanting of the names of the mantras is necessary. By chanting the mantras, one can feel, not only their presence, but a very intense presence.

Even an ecstatic presence is difficult to give that much concentration. So that the drums and chanting, then karatālas, the instruments, they help us to get the more intense concentration. The more we are concentrated on the Lord, the more we feel the spiritual joy. That joy is within us. It is something that even the mind can't figure out. What is it come from, because the mind is basically seated in the senses, so the mind can figure out if we eat something what, it has that experience, it can figure out if we feel something, if we taste something, if we smell something, if we hear something, but with this ecstasy the mind can't even figure it out.

But actually, what is, what is this happiness, but of course the mind doesn't get much of a chance to think, worry about it until after its all over. (Devotee laughs.) But is one of the,because the mind is on a much lower level, the mind is psychic, then the spirit soul then the pure consciousness. So it is a great opportunity by the mercy of Lord Caitanya to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa,, to associate with the devotees. We can see, how much Lord Caitanya loved His devotees. And all the devotees are very dear to the Lord, and therefore we should also take advantage of their association. And in this association engage in associating with the Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya by chanting His transcendental names. Hare Kṛṣṇa... (Hare Kṛṣṇa, )

Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya!