19880425 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.7.26

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on April 25th, 1988, in Bhaktivedanta Manor, England. The class begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7th canto, Chapter 7 text 26.

ebhis tri-varṇaiḥ paryastair
buddhi-bhedaiḥ kriyodbhavaiḥ
svarūpam ātmano budhyed
gandhair vāyum ivānvayāt

Translation repetition: As one can understand the presence of the air by the aromas it carries, so, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can understand the living soul by these three divisions of intelligence. These three divisions, however, are not the soul; they are constituted of the three modes and are born of activities.

Jayapataka Swami: Today is the appearance day of Jahnava Devi and Sītā Devi. Anyone else?. And Madhu Pandit. Yes, I heard that. Maybe this evening, someone will be speaking on, especially on Sītā Devi. We know something about, little bit about Jahnava Devi.

The identity of course of Sītā Devi, Jahnava Devi, They are both internal potencies. We know that there are the internal and external potencies, mahamaya and yogamaya. And we are coming from yoga maya, but we are very small particles of the spiritual energy.

Therefore we’re known as jiva. We can categorise this as the tatastha sakti or madhyasta sakti, being in between the external energy and the internal energy. We are able to fall under the control of the external energy, if we leave the shelter of internal potency.

Jahnava Devi, Sītā Devi are both internal potency. They can never fall under the control of the external potency. The external potency is expanding from the internal potency. Internal potency has no reason to come on this planet, except to engage in the service of Kṛṣṇa for the Lord, to assist Him in some pastime .

Sītā Devi's appearance is not like the appearance of the conditioned soul. She is eternally always liberated and can never fall down. Being internal potency, question of falling down never even arises. So, actually the internal potency is our shelter. Jahnava Devi is also the internal potency. She is the consort. She is the incarnation or the descent of Revati - the consort of Lord Balarama. Balaram had two consorts - Revati and Varuni, and they descended as Jahnava and Vasudha in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

We know that Lord Nityānanda at the age of 12, He went with one mendicant sannyasi, and He travelled to all the holy places of India. And eventually when He reached Vrindavan, He could understand that Caitanya had begun His sankirtan pastimes. So then He went to Mayapur Nabadwip Dham, and there He reunited again,in this age of kali, with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

He remained in Nabadwip with Lord Caitanya through so many different pastimes. When Lord Caitanya took sannyasa in Katwa and went down to Jagannath Puri after giving, established inn Jagannath Puri, He requested Lord Nityānanda Prabhu to go back to Bengal, and for the sake of preaching to take up the grihasta ashram.

Now that He had taken up the sannyas ashram, what is the use of Nityānanda Prabhu remaining as a mendicant? But Nityānanda prabhu never, He just was always was an avadhuta, always was a mendicant. But as such… There is no record of Him having taking any specific vows or anything in that regard. Nonetheless after being a mendicant for so long, normally one wouldn't change their ashram.

But Lord Caitanya said, Anyway He knew that Lord Nityānanda was Himself Balaram. So why should, How is Lord Caitanya doing austerity which is too harsh for the devotees to think about and the Lord who is the supreme enjoyer should be doing austerities. Lord Caitanya could not tolerate that Nityānanda prabhu would also be in that kind of situation.

So He ordered Lord Nityānanda prabhu also for preaching. To be an example for the other grihasta devotees to take up the grihasta ashram and be preaching in Bengal. And occasionally come and visit Him in Jagannath Puri. So Nityānanda prabhu went back to Bengal. There He established the nāmahaṭṭa preaching. Established the preaching all over Bengal.

Wherever He went and people took up the harinam sankirtan. Then He included them within the nāmahaṭṭa. So that they would in organised and devoted manner would continue the chanting of

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

So Nityānanda prabhu was in the house of Srivasa Thakura. So many associates were there with Him having different pastimes. So one day, Lord Nityānanda told Srivas that “You, Lord Caitanya’s order. You can look for the suitable matches for Me to marry.” So then, That was the last Nityānanda had anything to say about it. So the whole thing fell on Srivas Thakur. So then he, looking around but where can you find someone to match with Nityānanda prabhu.

As according to Vedic culture there should be some similarity in qualities, in characteristics, in taste. Then marriage union is considered to be appropriate. How can you find equal to or even near to Nityānanda's unlimited qualities. So it was like complete hopeless exercise practically trying to find someone.

So Srivas Thakur, he told one king, King Kṛṣṇa Hora das, told King Kṛṣṇa Hora whose capital in Borogachi. He was the sub king under the emperor of Bengal. Told him to look and see if he could find any suitable match. So he went to Suryakant Sarakhela, one very powerful brahmana, who was the elder brother of Gauri Das Pandit, who was very close to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was a friend, was actually Subal Sakha in Kṛṣṇa's lila.

So he went to his brother Suryakant Sarakhela, who was living in Saligram village. And thus he requested him that he had two daughters who were very exceptional. No one had ever seen women like that at all - so highly qualified. And he was looking everywhere to find a match for them, but he couldn’t find any suitable bridegrooms for Their qualities are so unusual. So he requested him why don't you consider Nityānanda.

“Nityānanda !!! ( screaming out loud) Oh! That avadhuta! He runs here and there.”

He started saying so many things, and Kṛṣṇa Hora became very offended.

“Don’t you criticise Nityānanda prabhu! You don't have any idea who Nityānanda prabhu is! It’s very offensive. You don't understand His transcendental position.”

Then Kṛṣṇa Hora immediately left the place.

Suryakanta thought, “How can I even think about marrying my daughters to someone who is just running here and there preaching. No fixed place.” So on.

That night he had a dream and in the dream suddenly he saw [Not clear 11:28], Balaram. He saw Revati and Varuni, His two consorts. And then he saw Balaram turn into Nityānanda prabhu, and Revati and Varuni turn into Jahnava and Vasudha. One of those transcendental dreams. Everything is all effulgent.

Even if he want to wake up, he can't open his eyes. Shaking and sweating all over seeing the vision, then his vision broke. He wakes up, “What is this all mean?” And he thought about it and said that actually his daughters were completely uncommon in every respect. So highly intelligent and so beautiful just like Lakshmi Herself. Then he saw the vision. Then he thought that actually maybe what Kṛṣṇa Hora das said it’s true that Nityānanda is actually avatara. My daughters are actually eternal consorts. What does that all mean?

He is meditating on it. Then he came to the conclusion: “ That actually, I must have committed some offences. This is correct. He is proper for my daughters’ marriage.” He thought that both of them to be married since that was the vision was.

So he called Kṛṣṇa Hora and said he agreed to (Not clear 13:08) , So then Kṛṣṇa Hora went back to Nabadwip Mayapur dham. There Lord Nityānanda was with His associates and having a big kirtan in Srivasa's house. After the kirtan Nityānanda was sitting down, having like a casual darshan with different devotees, talking with them.

Then Kṛṣṇa Hora calls over Srivas Thakur whose present there. And Srivas Thakur, he comes over and Nityānanda whispers something in His ear. Nityānanda was like casually just sitting there, waves His hand. That was it. Finished. Settled.

Nityānanda just went on preaching, was not preoccupied with the whole thing. So then they fixed up everything and Nityānanda prabhu didn’t want to long run all kind of things. So It was just, arranged that there was adivas the night before. Then the wedding would be in the next day.

So Nityānanda prabhu went to Kṛṣṇa Hora das's house in Borogachi. And the Jahnava and Vasudha were at Saligram. So then all the brahmanas, they came, and they did a abhishek with water, turmeric and so many different things of Lord Nityānanda the night before, afternoon before. Then they went, and did abhishek of the two girls, Jahnava and Vasudha.

Then in the next morning at Saligram, then there was a full vedic wedding of Nityānanda, Jahnava Devi and Vasudha Devi. It’s a very elaborate description in the Bhakti Ratnakar about this whole wedding ceremony - big kirtans, big feasts, big different, the qualities are ecstatic. Then Nityānanda prabhu took His consorts to Kṛṣṇa Hora's house, Borogachi. Then from there went to Nabadwip. From there to Santipur, Kalna. Like went different places. Then finally went down to khardaha which is near Panihati, just about six, seven miles north to Panihati, and there He established His residence.

Now Jahnava Devi never had any issue. Vasudha had two children, Virchandra or Virbhadra prabhu who is the incarnation of Ksirodakhsaya Vishnu, and Ganga Goswamini who was the Ganges come in Caitanya’s pastimes.

Jahnava Devi, Vasudha was kept with the duties of watching over the children. Jahnava was always helping Lord Nityānanda in the preaching aspects. Whenever Nityānanda prabhu left, then she would give lectures on Bhāgavatam, and Prabhupāda said she was a very active preacher. Nityānanda came back, she would be completely co-operative consort. This way They were having Their past times in Khardaha.

After Lord Nityānanda left the world and went back to Kṛṣṇa’s… back on to His spiritual world. Then Jahnava Devi, she was, had several assistance like Abhiram Thakur and several lady assistants who were always accompanying her. She never would be alone. She was always be protected by different associates of Lord Nityānanda. But she was in complete separation, and she wasn't going out at all.

But then when Narottama Das Thakur had a desire to have a big Gaura Purnima festival. And that time he took the help of Srinivas Acharya, and they arranged to have the big festival at Kheturi Gram and to install big deities and to invite all remaining associates including Virbhadra prabhu and Jahnava Devi. To invite Acyutananda the son of Advaita, and to invite all the remaining associates and disciples and descendants of the associates - immediate next generations that were still presents. Maybe some years after Lord Caitanya has He disappeared and returned in the spiritual world.

So at that time, they went to, send a messenger to personally request Jahnava Devi to come to this festival. Night before Nityānanda prabhu came in her dream, and told that she should go. Otherwise she wasn't going anywhere. So that actually started a number of preaching pastimes of Jahnava Devi. When she went, she personally took the responsibility to bring everyone else.

She’s going, no one else cannot go. So when she went, she picked up, She stopped at all the places along the Ganges on the way to Kheturi. Kheturi is at the, near the confluence of the Ganges. The one that she comes off is the Padma, which now the Padma is at Bangladesh. Kheturi is also at Bangladesh. There are some discussions to make that at, take that up as one of our projects to Bangladesh in the future. So it is a very important place.

So there Jahnava Devi, she took all the associates that were still present on the planet at that time. Achyutananda and everyone. She just went one after another. Srivas was he present or his brother, Sriram Pandit, was present. She took everyone. Just one after another - Shantipur, Ambika Kalna, Nabadwip and so on, Katwa. So when she came, she came with a huge gathering of devotees.

Because Lord Nityānanda prabhu's consort, Jahnava Devi, was going with Nityānanda's associates. Then one after another all the associates came. Actually she was considered at that time like the senior vaishnava of all the vaishnavas present. So whenever, whatever they were doing at that Kheturi Gram festival, before proceeding they would go and ask Jahnava Devi for sanction. So is it alright that Srinivas acharya does the arati, she said alright. She was given that respect. She was in that position actually at that time.

So then it was such an ecstatic festival that when Srinivas Acarya was doing the arati to the Deities that they were installing. The Deities of Kṛṣṇa started to emanate the aroma of Kṛṣṇa's own personal body, bodily aroma. So anything connect with Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, the bodily scent of Kṛṣṇa - these are all non-different. To see Kṛṣṇa, to smell Kṛṣṇa there is no difference.

So if someone is able to have darshan of Kṛṣṇa, we see somehow they go in mad in ecstasy - jumping off, falling down paying their obeisances and so on. So this was the unique kind of pastime. That all of a sudden from Kṛṣṇa's Deity as the original transcendental scent of Kṛṣṇa's, non-different scent of Kṛṣṇa's body where they could all realise Kṛṣṇa through smelling.

So as the scent was going, they couldn’t see it. No one could see it. Just see like the wave kind of thing is going over the devotees. All of a sudden, you know like mustard gas, tear gas. The transcendental Kṛṣṇa's aroma as it was going. The devotees were just completely become absorbed in Kṛṣṇa Prem. Become filled with separation; just collapsed rolling on the ground and crying. And just overwhelmed in separation of Kṛṣṇa and various transcendental emotions, as soon as they could smell Kṛṣṇa directly.

And no one knew. I mean devotees behind, “What’s going on?”

All of a sudden why everyone is, you know,” Oh! Kṛṣṇa! “ and then faint. You know completely…

So Jahnava of course was like, she was always on top of the whole situation at that time. And everyone else was going through various ecstatic situation. After that happen, then Narottama Das Thakur, he became so ecstatic. Then he started to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in the tone of great separation from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was present. Everyone feel… Then the smell went, everyone felt separation. Various kinds of pastimes were going on.

And then Narattom Das Thakur started singing kirtan, [Not clear 21:46] and became more and more deep and slow and in separation. So the kirtan became so thick that you could actually… as if they were chanting in some kind of gel. Just like slow motion. Everyone is (singing) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just completely thick with separation, and everyone was so absorbed. That it was just inconceivably thick. How is to express it? Like under an ocean of nectar.

They were not moving in air. They were moving in the nectar of Kṛṣṇa's pure devotion. So at that time when everyone became so filled in separation. That practically just everyone almost at the point of seeming leaving their body in separation for Kṛṣṇa. It was so intense.

All of a sudden Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityānanda prabhu, everyone appeared fulfil all the desires of all the devotees. Jahnava was reunited with Nityānanda prabhu, and all the devotees united with Lord Caitanya. Everyone was completely… Even the devotees who were never together at one place. The devotees who were in Vrindavan who had never went to Jagannath Puri, and the devotees in Jagannath Puri who had never went to Nabadwip - they were all together, together.

All the second generation and all the first generation from South India, from everywhere. Whoever were the associates of Lord Caitanya, they were all present at that time. There was a big maha kirtan. Everyone, they become so ecstatic. They were just inconceivable. There was Lord Caitanya. There was Advaita. There was Gadadhar . There was Srivas. There was Birchandra. There was Narottam Das Thakur who have never even seen most of these devotees.

They were all there one time, and there was big kirtan, went on like night of Brahma, practically. Just went on and on and on. Kṛṣṇa just extended the time, and they were all together having these incredible transcendental kirtan. Then all of a sudden, Lord Caitanya and all the associates who had already left the world but just come there from their aprakat, from un-manifested pastimes, all disappeared.

Then everybody was completely devastated again. Completely they just collapsed being deprived from Lord Caitanya's association. Rolling in the ground, mourning and crying. Jahnava Devi, she was always the most on top of the situation. She called Narottam Das Thakur and said, “Go on chanting. Start the kirtan. No use just crying. Chant kirtan. The kirtan will have the Lord’s presence.”

Everyone did kirtan. Then they felt by the kirtan, they felt relieved that Kṛṣṇa's present through His holy name. They all felt relieved. Like that so many transcendental pastimes happened under Jahnava Devi. Then Jahnava Devi, after this whole Kheturi festival, she went to Ekachakra to the birthplace of Nityānanda. She went with the whole parties of devotees to Vrindavan.

On the way they stopped at Ekachakra, and there’s a whole other very long pastimes. She went to Vrindavan. She went and complete Vrindavana parikrama, to all the holy places of Vrindavan. And there were many pastimes there of Jahnava Devi in Vrindavan. Jahnava Devi was simultaneously Revati, and she also had some other, some combined aspect to her. I believe, it was Ananga manjari.

I don't know the exact significance. But she has like a dual Nityānanda consort plus some other nature. She manifest also in Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. She went to Vrindavan, and she also encouraged all the devotees there. Just by having her association, direct internal energy, internal consort of the Lord, completely liberated internal internal energy, devotees just immediately become ecstatic. They become immediately purified by her association.

She was very very, She never would be alone with a man. She was very, you know, Even though she was in such a transcendental platform, but she always have her personal women attendants. She was always protected

When she was travelling, she would have men in the party protecting the whole party. But her own internal situation being completely separate. That there would always be other women associates. And they would be taking care of her personal service. But as far as like organise the travelling, that would be done by man, Abhiram Thakur Ram Das, so many other great Nityānanda parshads.

Then Jahnava Devi, she came back to Bengal. She was preaching from Khardaha. People would come and take the instruction. She visited some other places in Bengal. She took disciples also in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Some of the pastimes of Jahnava Devi. The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are very sublime. and they are most esoteric.

In Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, the devotees came to assist in the different ways. The same devotees came in Lord Caitanya’s pastime. But they took different roles to assist the Lord because the Lord’s role was different. Or He had came as a devotee. So Bhaktivinoda Thakur, he always praised that someone has the mercy of the Jahnava and Nityānanda prabhu, If they accepted their lotus feet as their life and soul, then for them Kṛṣṇa prema is very easily attained. For them they are already liberated even while being in the material world.

So today is the sacred day of appearance of Jahnava, also sacred appearance day of Sītā Devi who was worshipped as Sītā Ram, Laxman Hanuman. Sītā Devi is also an internal potency. The opportunity we have of remembering the pastimes of the Lord, glorifying the great devotees is that we know that the energy is the form of compassion of the Lord. So we always say Sītā Ram, Radha Gokulananda, Jahnava Nityānanda. This way we approach the Lord, through His consort because They are the personified compassion, mercy.

So in this way by approaching to the mercy of the Lord. Then we can get His mercy very easily if They give the mercy. They are all personified compassion, so then it becomes very easy to get the mercy of the Lord. So we being the conditioned souls. We always fall under the external energy unless we are under the internal energy’s protection. So therefore we are always praying for the shelter of the internal energy when she appears in different forms.

Radharani is the original, but She expands into so many different forms of different pastimes, different incarnations of the Lord. So each of them manifesting different qualities, different activities. We need the special mercy. Specially Nityānanda prabhu, we know He is the most merciful. So we can imagine Jahnava Devi as His consort, how merciful she must be.

So we need the mercy of Jahnava, Sītā Devi. So that we can easily achieve pure devotional service. So we can actually have the proper attitude of devotion. So we can always be under the shelter and engage in Kṛṣṇa's service directly. If we don't have the shelter, then we will be left out in the material energy.

Prabhupāda explains material energy deals with the conditioned souls very harshly, very roughly. Like a cat catching a mouse where sometime by internal potency while we are becoming purified, Sometimes even the devotees, they are exposed to different tests. They are exposed to different kinds of trials that they have to overcome.

But this is like the cat, Prabhupāda explained, taking the baby kitten. The cat takes the baby kitten by the back of the neck. But actually that’s not the same way as she catches the rat. Rat is to kill the rat and the kitten is to protect the kitten. Move the kitten from here to there. Pick it up. The kitten is not actually harmed by that.

So like this sometimes the devotees do experience different kinds of tests, different kinds of tribulations. It appears. But actually this is all to fix us more tightly at the lotus feet of Radha and Kṛṣṇa, the lotus feet of Radha Madhava, lotus feet of Sītā Ram, Jahnava Nityānanda prabhu. So that we can be completely under Their shelter and no longer be under the shelter of so called shelter of the external energy.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

So any questions?

(aside:) Well, if you get the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Adi Lila part 2, definitely there. That will refresh my memory. Bring it in. In the meantime, you can ask.

Yes!

Devotee: Inaudible [30:50]

Jayapatākā Swami: Is he a rich brahmana?

He was the leader of the brahmanas. He was considered the leader of all the brahmanas. Brahmanas as such are not wealthy. Whatever they get, they spend it the next day. So someday they may be rich, but then they will spend it right away for Kṛṣṇa.

They don’t hoard it like kings or vaisyas. We know that Advaita prabhu had a debt because there was a pastime where someone wrote in Jagannath Puri to absolve his debt. [Not clear 31:15] Lord Caitanya became offended. He wrote a rasa bhas. He said , “ Advaita is Supreme Personality of Godhead so He should pay His debt.”

So if you are saying He is coming as a devotee, but you are saying He is the Supreme Personality. Now you are saying you have to pay the debt, pay His own debt . The whole thing is that, He became offended by these type of contradiction and use and bringing Advaita down to another level. Advaita wasn’t a …. Advaita had enough opulence for worshiping Kṛṣṇa.

But He wasn’t like Pundarik Vidyanidhi who was like a brahmin, but he was given so many villages. He was a rich landlord brahmin. Wasn't like that. Think He didn’t have any problems. But he was… Everything in the spiritual world is a person. Bhakti is also. Just like there is personified vedas, there’s personified bhakti. (indistinct 31:50) ,

Missing Since Lord Advaita was Supreme Personality of Godhead, He wasn’t playing the… He has all opulence. Whatever He wants, He can get. He just lived in a simple way, but He had all opulence.

When Kamalākānta Viśvāsa heard about this punishment by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he was very unhappy, but when Advaita Prabhu heard about it, He was greatly pleased. Seeing Kamalākānta Viśvāsa unhappy, Advaita Ācārya Prabhu told him, "You are greatly fortunate to have been punished by the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead,Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. "Formerly Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu always respected Me as His senior, but I did not like such respect. Therefore, My mind being afflicted by unhappiness, I made a plan.

Thus I expounded the Yoga-vāśiṣṭha, which considers liberation the ultimate goal of life. For this the Lord became angry at Me and treated Me with apparent disrespect. "When chastised by Lord Caitanya, I was very happy to receive a punishment similar to that awarded Śrī Mukunda. "A similar punishment was awarded to mother Śacīdevī. Who could be more fortunate than she to receive such punishment?" After pacifying Kamalākānta Viśvāsa in this way, Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu went to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Advaita Ācārya told Lord Caitanya, "I cannot understand Your transcendental pastimes. You have shown more favor to Kamalākānta than You generally show to Me. "The favor You have shown Kamalākānta is so great that even to Me You have never shown such favor. What offense have I committed at Your lotus feet so as not to be shown such favor?" Hearing this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu laughed with satisfaction and immediately called Kamalākānta Viśvāsa. Advaita Ācārya then said to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Why have You called back this man and allowed him to see You? He has cheated Me in two ways." When Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this, His mind was satisfied. Only They could understand each other's minds. (reading ends)

Then Lord Caitanya explains that spiritual master should not accept charity from rich man or kings. We have a song by Madhu Pandit, so everyone can have sankirtan. Remember particular pastime he was in. Just not coming back to my mind.

Any other question ?

Jaya Sri Sri Bhagavad ki!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapatākā Swami: Srila Prabhupāda ki!

Devotees: Jaya!

Jayapataka Swami: Nitai Gaura Premanande!

Devotees: Hari Hari Bol!