20070131 Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 3.58-66

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 31st,2007 in Tirupati, India. The class begins with a reading from the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.58-66.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.58

āratira kāle dui prabhu bolāila
prabhu-saṅge sabe āsi’ ārati dekhila

Translation: It is the system, after offering food, to perform bhoga-ārati. Advaita Prabhu asked the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, to come see the ārati. The two Lords and all others present went to see the ārati ceremony.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.59

After ārati was performed for the Deities in the temple, Lord Kṛṣṇa was made to lie down to rest. Advaita Ācārya then came out to submit something to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.60

Śrī Advaita Prabhu said, “My dear Lords, kindly enter this room.” The two brothers, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, then came forward to take the prasādam.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.61

When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu went to accept the prasādam, They both called Mukunda and Haridāsa to come with Them. However, Mukunda and Haridāsa, both with folded hands, spoke as follows.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.63

Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “I am the most sinful and lowest among men. Later I shall eat one palmful of prasādam while waiting outside.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.64

Advaita Ācārya took Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu within the room, and the two Lords saw the arrangement of the prasādam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was especially very pleased.

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was pleased because He saw how nicely so many varieties of food were prepared for Kṛṣṇa. Actually all kinds of prasādam are prepared for Kṛṣṇa, not for the people, but the devotees partake of prasādam with great pleasure.

Jayapatākā Swami: How many of you would like to partake of prasāda with great pleasure. [Haribol!] This is because it is offered to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.65

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved of all the methods employed in cooking and offering food to Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, He was so pleased that He said, “Frankly, I will personally take the lotus feet of anyone who can offer Kṛṣṇa such nice food and place those lotus feet on My head birth after birth.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.66

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the room…

prabhu jāne tina bhoga — kṛṣṇera naivedya
ācāryera manaḥ-kathā nahe prabhura vedya

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the room He saw three divisions of food, and He knew that all of these were meant for Kṛṣṇa. However, He did not understand the intentions of Advaita Ācārya.

Purport (Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): states that one of these servings was offered in a metal dish and was meant for Kṛṣṇa, whereas the other two were placed on big banana leaves. The offering on the metal plate was personally offered by Advaita Ācārya to Kṛṣṇa. The other two servings, on banana leaves, were to be accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda. That was Advaita Ācārya’s intention, but He did not disclose this to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the food offered in three places, He thought that all of it was meant for Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: This pastime is after Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa, He went to Katwa with Lord Nityānanda and two, three, others and then He got initiated by Keśava Bhāratī. Afterwards, He decided to go to Vṛndāvana. So He headed west. He got, as He was going west, the people… the kids started to chant ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’ less enthusiastically. He went to… what’s that holy place in near Bolpur? It’s a Śiva mandira, remember Bhakti Puruṣottama?

Bhakti Puruṣottama Swami: Tārāpīṭha?

Jayapatākā Swami: No! Śiva mandira, near Bolpur. Not near Ekacakra.

Devotee: Vakreśvara?

Jayapatākā Swami: Maybe Vakreśvara. So He went up to that place and saw Śiva. Then He decided to go back. He said, better to travel by the side of the Ganges. Then as He went back, He was saying, “Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!” and all the kids would be chanting with Him. They said that this is because they are near the Ganges and the Ganges is liquid kṛṣṇa-prema and the breeze from the Ganges awakens this natural devotion. He didn’t want to go so far away from the Ganges. He wanted to go to Vṛndāvana following the Ganges and the Yamunā. That’s the other route.

So Nityānanda made a joke, made a trick on Lord Caitanya,by telling some cowherd boys that, “When Lord Caitanya comes to ask, “Where is Vṛndāvana?”point to Śāntipura.” So then Lord Caitanya… Then He [Lord Nityānanda] jumped in the river and went floating down from Katwa to Navadvīpa, 45 kilometers. Then He got Mother Śacī and had Śrīvāsa and others bring Mother Śacī to Śāntipura. Then He jumped in the Ganges again and went down to Śāntipura.

Sometimes the local people have a swimming competition. Swimming from Katwa to Navadvīpa following the pathway of Nityānanda. Maybe that’s a bona fide sport. So then Lord Caitanya, He fell for the trick by Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement, went down the Śāntipura, was bathing in the Yamunā, in the Ganges but on the Yamunā side. And Nityānanda and Advaita came across the river in a boat again to get Him. Then He said, “What is that Advaita doing in Vṛndāvana?” Then He realized, He is not in Vṛndāvana. He is in Śāntipura. Nityānanda Prabhu kī! Jaya! Nityānanda played a trick on Him. So now They are in Śāntipura with Nityānanda, there is some interesting pastimes. Nityānanda has been floating around in the river for a couple of days now, He is really hungry. But now Lord Caitanya has taken sannyāsa. So He is in the mood of renunciation. So He thinks, He has to do all kinds of austerity. But Advaita makes this blowout feast, massive feast with so many preparations offered by Kṛṣṇa, so many… Sometimes in Bengal they offer you prasāda on a full banana leaf. I mean a banana leaf is like 4-5 feet. It was a big side on the right and a little side [on the left] and then fill it up with prasāda. It is like inhumanly, it is not possible to eat as much prasāda as you could put on a complete banana leaf.

So Lord Caitanya, just thought this was all for Kṛṣṇa. But Advaita’s plan is for Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. So that’s what is happening here. Today… We will continue with this pastime. Today is Nityānanda Prabhu’s appearance day. [Haribol!] He appeared in Ekacakra in Rāḍhadeśa, where the… Rāḍhadeśa means where the Ganges doesn’t flow. Lord Caitanya came very close… came into Rāḍhadeśa, when He went to the Vakreśvara temple. Then He went back. And when Nityānanda was born there to bless these people. And Ekacakra was also where the Pāṇḍavas stayed in hiding. Ekacakra is mentioned in the Mahābhārata. It’s a very historical place. This pastime was held because they know that Nityānanda appears there in Kali-yuga. Approximately twelve years before Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda Prabhu appeared. His mother was Padmāvatī and His father was Hāḍāi Ojhā. Lord Nityānanda is Balarāma. Just like here we have in Tirupati, we have Govinda temple. The Govinda temple is actually a Balarāma temple. They call Govinda as Bālājī’s big brother. He is Balarāma. He is Ādi-Ananta, He is the original Ananta Śeṣa form. He does all. This platform that we are doing the bathing ceremony on, for the brass utsava-mūrtis is borrowed from the Govindajī temple here, Balarāma temple. And the priest from Bālājī paṇḍita, He was telling me that this is from the Balarāma temple, from Govinda temple. I said, Ādi-Ananta, because Balarāma through His Ananta, expands Himself into all the clothing, the bed, the chair, everything that’s needed for Lord Kṛṣṇa; is expanded from Balarāma through His Ananta form. So Balarāma, when He in rāma-līlā, He came as Lakṣmaṇa, He was the younger brother. And in kṛṣṇa-līlā, He comes as the older brother. So here in gaura-līlā, He also coming like an older brother. He got initiated higher up in the… They were like two brothers. So in Ādi-līlā, there is some nice verses that explain how Lord Nityānanda is the source of the three Viṣṇus. The Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. That here, the paṇḍitas kind of accept Lord Caitanya as an ācārya. But we have been forcing them to put tulasī on the feet and do everything. Since, like he went yesterday to do the pūjā to Narasiṁha first and then to Lord Caitanya. But actually, we know that in Kali-yuga the Lord doesn’t come in an open form, where He declares Himself to be the Lord. So Prabhupāda said that Bālājī here, is Kṛṣṇa coming… Bālājī means boy, is this the baby is the boy Kṛṣṇa. But He comes in a disguised form and He is from the previous Kali-yuga. How many, that is 4,320,000 thousand years. We have Danavīra as our cosmologist, is that correct 4,320,000,000 years – four yugas. This Deity has been around for a long time. This is the most famous temple in India. Wealthiest temple in India. If they are asking for some sannyāsīs to say they have a budget for next year, they have increased it from 30 million rupees to 200 million rupees that they want to spend on preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Vaiṣṇava dharma, Hindu dharma. [applause] If any swamis are here on the third, they could stay and participate in that meeting. I am allowed to bring for some four or five guests. Prabhupāda told them they should spend some of their money in preaching. If they give up the Government takes this money for other purposes, sometimes just loan. Anyway, it’s a very important temple. So the Bālājī temple is connected with Lord Caitanya’s līlās, because the Chāyā Sītā who took the role of Sītā and was tortured by Rāvaṇa. You will see her history on the temple wall. Her name is Vedavatī. She incarnated as Padmāvatī. And there is a whole pastime, when the Lord comes and He marries her to make a lot of story short, there are a lot of details. Usually, you will find a comic books, they published some. Something… that then Lakṣmī comes and first gets to serve that her husband marrying someone else. Then He explains, “This is Vedavatī and you asked Me to marry her because she took all the torturing for you.” Then she said, “Okay!” But she first arranged everything. So like that here at the town, there is a Padmāvatī temple. These are also important temples to see. I heard that some of the devotees are paying 200 Rs to get some special darśana tomorrow. But if you get any time and you don’t know what to do? In the Govindarāja temple of Balarāma and the Padmāvatī temple of Lakṣmī, is an extension of Lakṣmī, who They are in the city. Then Tirumala, there is Bālājī. So you want to see, you can also see Varāhadeva. And there is Hanumān’s birthplace, and there is Panavināśa, where Pāṇḍavas bathed and got rid of all their sins. Actually, Rādhānātha Swami takes yātrā here sometimes, he gives wonderful classes on the glories of Tirupati Tirumala. So this is where we are today.

So in the caitanya-līlā, Navadvīpa-parikramā-māhātmya, parikramā-kaṇḍa it is mentions that Sītā Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, They visited Navadvīpa dhāma in Modadrumadvīpa and there Rāma was smiling and Sīta said, “Why are You smiling?” “Well, in Tretā-yuga…and in Kali-yuga, in this līlā you are going to go to the forest, because you went to the forest; in Kali-yuga you will appear as My consort and at that time I will go to the forest.” So the Lord is taking sannyasa, is like going to the forest, self-banishment to reciprocate with His banishing His consort in rāma-līlā. So Sītā is Viṣṇupriyā and Lakṣmīpriyā is Padmāvatī. So one I was suggesting, they have a Lord Caitanya, Viṣṇupriyā, Lakṣmīpriyā, Bālājī, and Lakṣmī and Padmāvatī, it is too revolutionary for the place. We just have a Rādhā Kṛṣṇa and aṣṭa-sakhīs. They don’t accept fully Lord Caitanya here, but in the future…

With all your presence and coming here visiting this temple and preaching, many people will start to understand that there is a connection between Caitanya. Caitanya came just like Śrīnivāsa came as a… as if He was a human being, although He is the Supreme Lord. He got married to Padmāvatī. So Lord Caitanya came, He got married to Lakṣmīpriyā and then later to Viṣṇupriyā. So in Kali-yuga these things happened. So here we are. This place is considered to be non-different from Vaikuṇṭha from the spiritual world. This is a mountain that you see here, it’s actually Anantadeva coiled up. So this is Balarāma, Nityānanda coiled up here. You can see the coil on the top. In fact, there is a Garuḍa, you can see the Garuḍa, just on the left here. We are just in the gateway of the Tirumala. This we want to thank the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthānam for having sold us that a very give away price, the land that the temple is on and so we can build this facility. We want to preach the glorious Bālājī. In fact, head priest was saying that Kṛṣṇa is Bālājī, which means Bālājī is Kṛṣṇa. [inaudible] [applause] But He, Bālājī… we are installing the Deities , but He is self-manifested. At one point, He was turned into the Deity and He has been like that for millions of years. So He has a special presence, which is incomparable.

So hope you have a darśana later. So Nityānanda Prabhu was with… He came down. Actually, I don’t know if Balarāma came down with Śrīnivāsa? Doesn’t seem to fit, maybe, must be there somewhere. Just doesn’t come to my mind. But in caitanya-līlā, He came, He wasn’t left out.