19870918 Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 7.24-25

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmī on September 18, 1987 in Atlanta, Georgia. The class begins with a reading from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi Līlā, Chapter 7, Text 24 and 25.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the Ādi-līlā, Chapter 7, Text 24 - 25, explains about the spiritual significance of flooding in Māyāpur. It was explained that Balabhadra prabhu and others found, since obvious, 24^thand 25^th in Māyāpur, there has been a very big flood. The temple room, is full of, at one time was 60 tons of water, so, Prabhupāda explains that there is a significance from Māyāpur floods,

luṭiyā, khāiyā, diyā, bhāṇḍāra ujāḍe
āścarya bhāṇḍāra, prema śata-guṇa bāḍe

uchalila prema-vanyā caudike veḍāya
strī, vṛddha, bālaka, yuvā, sabāre ḍubāya

Although the members of the Pañca-tattva plundered the storehouse of love of Godhead, and ate and distributed its contents, there was no scarcity. For this wonderful storehouse is so complete, that as the love is distributed, the supply increases hundreds of times.

The flood of love of Godhead swelled in all directions, and thus young men, old men, women and children were all immersed in that inundation.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: When the contents of the storehouse of love of Godhead is thus distributed, there is a powerful inundation that covers the entire land. In Śrīdhāma Māyāpur there is sometimes a great flood after the rainy season. This is an indication that from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya the inundation of love of Godhead should be spread all over the world, for this will help everyone, including old men, young men, women and children. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so powerful that it can inundate the entire world and interest all classes of men in the subject of love of Godhead.

Thus, end the BhaktiVedanta swāmī Purport and Translation of Text 25,Ādi līlā, Chapter 7, Caitanya Caritāmṛta.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when the droughts in Māyāpur comes, at that time, it’s the indication that the love of Godhead inundation should be spread all over the world by preaching. In case preaching becomes lesser focus or lacks, it reminds the people. In that case, devotees around the world, whatever, Lord Caitanya, may have a flood in Māyāpur to train everyone, how to chant and preach in that particular language.

So, this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains to everyone, Actually, we are giving prasādam in Māyāpur, 40% of the people they are Mohammedan by faith. But everyone was accepting the prasādam very gladly and there was a kind of human……condition of the different faiths for the purpose of . At this time of emergency, even... people were, even one Mohammedan was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.  So, amongst them all because this was sent as the slides from Māyāpur. So, there will be a slide show, supposed to reach it any day.

I was supposed to go to Australia, and from Australia to South America, from South America to North America which was my original plan.

Because of the floods, therefore I had to postpone my journey and now uh... In Australia, because there was no longer possible because they were in America… in…Māyāpur, all the temples are been in America to contribute to the Māyāpur Project. So, they said that not to.., when I am going back to America, then that will be an instruction for that. People who live on the travel saṅkīrtana, they are estimating that they are able to collect something like 30,000 Lakṣmī points, 30,000 times 10, 10 must be 300,000 Lakṣmī points for Māyāpur. They go on.  To pay for all the buildings of attacking. Of course, to build some of the new things.

In this short time of July and August, we had a Ratha-Yātrā festival in Calcutta, I was somehow my flight was delayed, from Australia, and I can only reach at 5.30 at night on the day of the Ratha-Yātrā. So, already there, Ratha had begun. So, I went and found that Ratha had gone half of the route. 3 miles. Another 4 miles to go. Just expected It wouldn’t go (Devotees laughter). Just when I came there, somehow on stuck (Devotees say:”Hari bol!!”, Jai!!). That was not so much anything I did it. Of course, Already that was because of mechanics, just finished the work (Devotees loud laughter) or something over........ But somehow or another I was taken it as very merciful. So, I could attend the Ratha Yātrā on time.

 Then we had a nice pandal program, I started a youth program for the College students in a library. Then I had to go to Māyāpur for very, for some time. And then I had to go to Sweden for a BPT meeting …... At that time, I was in London ……en route to the Ratha Yātrā festival in London where they, demonstrating about leading the Bhaktivedanta Manor passageway open. So, then went to the Middle east, Came back to India, towards south India, then I went to Malaysia. Where, I started a Ratha Yātrā in Teluk Intan, one of the cities. Name of the city Teluk, Teluk Intan.

T e l u k, tilaka. Name of..., Everyone there like to wear tilaka. The people there are very pious people. It’s started pouring rain. It’s raining so hard, everyone, man, women, child totally…...  But they all stayed about 4.5 mile route, they stayed entire way walking chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa . I don’t know.  Then I stopped one day in Tokyo, then came back to Māyāpur.

 And after that I was in Māyāpur, the floods started. I had to also postpone. I left there one for the water inside the temple room, no, not one for the water outside over the road. Just become level with the temple room.  But we saw today in the paper, they said that main dam there the garage has collapsed. So, we must find out what happened.

Basically, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, every temple should feed the hungry people within the 10km area.  So, Māyāpur is trying to do that. Normally people are coming Friday and Saturday to get prasādam. But now there’s a flood. They can’t come and get meals.  So, and here we also, all over the devotees in the flood went along with the saṅkīrtana movement.  Everyone chanted with full concentration to carry over Lord Caitanya’s harināma-saṅkīrtana movement.

śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura bhakta vṛnda.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Devotee:  Where the Deities go when the floods come in the temple?

Jayapatākā Swami: Where the Deities? Normally, They, are high on, they arein the new temple.

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: Now there is a, from the ground, from the road, there is about a foot, 18 inches up is the temple floor. And above that some other 3 feet as the platform, that goes 20 feet up are the deities and above that is another 3 feet is the deity room. And above that, the deities are still behind that. (Laughter). So, the temple room and the first step of 3,4 steps on top of that is another 18 inches. Another 18 inches to go to reach the deity room. Then at the end, again go another 3 feet to reach the deities. Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva wet so much….

One of the devotees came for Rādhāṣṭami from upstairs, took upto the guest house, to the pūjārī room, to the deity room, very nice ….., and then step down on the 20 foot platform. They can see there was a platform. Then there was just see all the water. Right from there back to the Prabhupāda’s vyāsāsana, back to the room. He didn’t realize that he was standing on a 20-foot platform, then he fell into the water (loud laughter), well..yeah... But we had all closed aisles..., nothing happened but abhiṣeka. He had abhiṣeka first. (Devotees laughter). So, we have to do the abhiṣeka then about…., upon the platform even there was 18 inches of water. Rādhārāṇī and Mādhava abhiṣeka.

Somehow all the devotees …. 24hours kīrtana was going on. Full blast. Beautiful kīrtana, Day and Night. Then ... distribution by both going to the villages. We had three different shifts, one will go in the morning, one will go in the evening, another will make some bhoga or prasādam. Then we will go on rotation. The next day, one will go in the morning, next day, one will go in the evening, another will make some. (Conch blowing sound).

Then, some mātājīs, they came from Australia. They went out two days and distributed prasādam, Then, one Mataji in Germany, she sends some support for Garga Muni.

Any other question…?

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: yes. I was in Sweden…. It’s very successful. Did coverage all over the year……. different parts, it’s really some good big coverage in the papers. Frontpage

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: Yeah! I did here, let me tell you the whole story. I heard that 30 places……..,

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: Where?

Devotee: Guesthouse, Māyāpur

Jayapatākā Swami: But that was going on with full speed until the floods came. Floods have good points also, It, set up the foundation.

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: [Inaudible 13.20]

Devotee: You said something about Bhaktivedanta Manor, some dispute…(Inaudible)

Jayapatākā Swami: No, When, we have Janmāṣṭami, 50,000, 100,000 people go, so, then a little village is about population 250, So, when 50,000 people show up for Janmāṣṭami, the local villagers will, they don’t like it. And they make some action to try to close the Bhaktivedanta Manor from the big crowds of people.  At the Ratha Yātrā time, there was a protest for that.

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: No, they have members of parliament, senators and everything, lecturing at the Ratha Yātrā, and on behalf of the Manor 30,000 signature petition was signed and given. Number of a lot of things. That’s a very good effect.

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: So far, it’s open to the public

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: well, there’s being mud houses that got under the water, we don’t know until the water go, through the down…….

Devotee: Inaudible

Jayapatākā Swami: everybody even along... 2000 people, villagers, the samādhi is like now it’s arch. It’s got the cows there, deer, monkey, (Devotees laughing) the bear was there. But it was too wild, so, we couldn’t... *devotees laugh*

Devotee: What about the elephant?

Jayapatākā Swami: Well! Elephant couldn’t get up the stairs. put it in the Jagannātha temple. The villagers came, they had goats and chicken something, those all... 

Devotee: Jagannātha temple is not flooded?

Jayapatākā Swami: No, That’s very high land. That hasn’t ever flooded in anybody’s recollection.  *devotees laughter*... Also, they are doing other work in Orissa and Bangladesh with the flood. On Delhi side, they are giving out prasādam for the drought.

Deities are now open

Śrīla Prabhupāda ki….

Devotees: Jai!!!