20141122 Śrī Viśvarūpa Takes Sannyāsa

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book work 22^nd November 2014 in New Delhi, India

By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja

Reading from the Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi 7.53

Under the section: Śrī Viśvarūpa Takes Sannyāsa

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.53 – 54

śrī śukera uttara, paramātmāra sarvajīva-preṣṭhatva —

śrī-śuka kahena,—“śuna, rājā parīkṣit
paramātmā—sarva-dehe vallabha, vidita

ātmāra sattāyai prītira sattvā, tadabhāve prītirāhitya —

ātmā vine putra vā kalatra bandhu-gaṇa
gṛha haite bāhira karāya tata-kṣaṇa

Translation: Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied, “O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, it is well-known that the Supersoul is dear to all. When the soul leaves the son, wife, or friend, their body is taken out of the house.”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.55

anvaya o vyatirekabhāve ātmārai pratipātratva-varṇana; kṛṣṇai sarva-jīva-jīvana paramātmā—

ataeva, paramātmā-sabāra jīvana
sei paramātmā—ei śrī-nandanandana

Translation: Therefore, the Supersoul is the life of everyone. That Supersoul is the son of Nanda Mahārāja.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Paramātmā is life of everyone and that Paramātmā is son of Nanda Mahārāja.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.56

kṛṣṇera paramātmatva-hetu gopīgaṇera paraputra kṛṣṇe putrādhika sneha —

ataeva paramātmā-svabhāva-kāraṇe
kṛṣṇete adhika sneha kare gopī-gaṇe

Translation: Thus the gopīs have more affection for Kṛṣṇa due to His natural characteristics as the Supreme Soul.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Because of Kṛṣṇa’s nature, the Supersoul of everyone, it’s natural that the elderly gopīs have more affection for Kṛṣṇa than their own children.

Commentary: In their description of sāyujya liberation, or merging in Brahman, the followers of śuddha-dvaita (purified dualism) accept that the soul and the Supersoul remain together. It is understood from the dvā suparṇā verse in the Vedas that the soul and the Supersoul are both present in one vessel. As soon as a soul is bereft of the service of the Supersoul, he develops material conceptions. Although the soul and the Supersoul are both present in this world, which is manifested by the spiritual potency of the Lord, there nevertheless remains a difference between them. Yet there is nothing abominable or inferior in this difference. In order to establish the oneness of the Absolute Truth, this nondual substance has been explained under various doctrines like śuddha-dvaita (purified dualism), viśiṣṭādvaita (specific monism), śuddhādvaita (purified monism), and dvaitādvaita (monism and dualism). The pastimes of the Lord with His associates further confirm the spiritual variegatedness of the nondual Absolute Truth. The inferiority of material variegatedness has unreasonably and illegally attacked the impersonalists’ flow of thought. A servant of the Absolute Truth who is expert in the conclusion of personalism finds in the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda a wonderful and proper balance in all the above-mentioned pure conclusions on the Brahma-sūtras.

In the constitutional position of the Lord’s associates, there is no motive other than service to Śrī Nandanandana, the Supersoul. In other words, the abominable mundane consideration of duality found in the imperfections and differentiations between subjects and objects in this material world cannot be equally established in the nondual kingdom of Vaikuṇṭha. The Supersoul and the soul are related with each other as well-wishers. As soon as the living entity forgets that relationship, māyā immediately arranges for him various temporary relationships like wife and children in this material world. The deluding external energy of the Supersoul has two functions—covering and throwing. When the living entity becomes entangled in this material world, he falls under the control of the material modes of nature and due to his misconceptions he accepts various sense objects, beginning with a wife and children. In this way he is separated from the service of the Absolute Truth, Vrajendra-nandana. From this misconception and forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, the living entity develops the mentality of “I am the enjoyer of all material tastes and forms, like my wife and children.” This is not the constitutional duty of a living entity; it is simply a mental concoction. In other words, the living entity is awarded designations by the covering and throwing potencies of māyā and he enjoys the respective results of those designations. But material conceptions are never able to touch a pure living entity. The eternal propensity of a living entity is to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A living entity accepts his material designations as himself due to nondevotional misconceptions. Under the influence of such misconceptions the conditioned souls become impersonalists, or worshipers of the impersonal homogeneous Brahman, while some are inclined to enjoy heaven or hell due to their intense urge for material enjoyment. When the pure living entity with material designations and bewildered intelligence becomes a Māyāvādī, he is covered by the false conception of spiritual and material oneness, which produces a whirlwind of imaginative considerations of oneness between the living entities and Brahman and oneness between the material nature and Brahman. When the soul leaves the body, he can immediately understand, “I am not the body. If I were the body, then why did my relatives attempt to return the five elements of my body to the five material elements at the time of my funeral. Since I am separate from the material body, after leaving my body those related to it consider it detestful and want to throw it out of the house.”

Although the material world, which is created by the external energy of the Supersoul, is not false, it is also not eternal, that is, it is prone to change. The eternal soul and the temporary mind both possess the consciousness of being the doer, yet there is a difference between the two.

Jayapatākā Swami: This understanding of the position of the individual soul and the Supersoul is described by different vaiṣṇava-sampradāyas in the following sūtras:

śuddha-dvaita or purified dualism,

viśiṣṭādvaita or specific monism,

śuddhādvaita or purified monism,

dvaitādvaita or monism and dualism.

All these have been combined and explained by the sūtra of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s acintya-bhedābheda tattva or inconceivable oneness in difference. This philosophical explanation which has its own natural commentary in the vedānta-sūtra as transcendental appreciation to all of the Vaiṣṇavas. So, depending on which philosophical outlook that they are taking, the different dealings with the Supersoul evolve. When one loses their Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, then they start to see the material world, which is manifested by the divine potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as object of enjoyment. So, one needs to keep the relationship with the Supersoul and avoid mundane point of view.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.57

sahaja prīti-nibandhana bhakterai paramātmā kṛṣṇera svābhāvika preṣṭhatvopalabdhi; kṛṣṇera paramātmatva jñānābhāva phalei abhaktera kṛṣṇa-prīti rāhitya—

eho kathā bhakta-prati, anya-prati nahe
anyathā jagate kene sneha nā karaye

Translation: This, however, applies only to the devotees, not others. Otherwise, why doesn’t everyone show affection for Kṛṣṇa?

Jayapatākā Swami: This discussion of the relationship of the Supersoul and the individual soul is specifically for the devotees. The Devotees feel this affection for Kṛṣṇa for others they don’t feel the same because they lack the understanding and knowledge of the position of the Supersoul.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.58

pūrvapakṣa utthāpanapūrvaka tanmīmāṃsā; āsura-svabhāva jīvera anādi aprārabdha aparādhai paramātma kṛṣṇa-vidveṣera kāraṇa—

‘kaṁsādiha ātmā kṛṣṇe tabe hiṁse kene?’
pūrva-aparādha āche tāhāra kāraṇe

Translation: Why do demons like Kaṁsa envy Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul? This is due simply to previous offenses.

Jayapatākā Swami: While the devotees in the assembly if Advaita Ācārya was feeling so much natural affection for Viśvambhara, one might ask why didn’t demons like Kaṁsa not feel attraction for Lord Krṛṣṇa? It is because of their previous offenses and sinful activities therefore they couldn’t feel this natural loving affection for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.59

svabhāva-madhura śarkarāra dṛṣṭānta; samādhūrya-nilaya sarvātmā kṛṣṇera darśana vā pratīti-bhedei jīvera tatprati prīti vā dveṣa —

sahaje śarkarā miṣṭa,—sarva-jane jāne
keha tikta vāse, jihvā-doṣera kāraṇe

Translation: Everyone knows that sugar is sweet by nature, but if the tongue is diseased then the sugar will taste bitter.

Jayapatākā Swami: Just like someone with jaundice, due to that liver disease they taste sugar as bitter. And But everyone knows sugar by nature is sweet and if they get cured from their disease, then they also can taste the sugar as sweet. Therefore they will appreciate the beauty, gracefulness and all attractiveness of Viśvambhara, Kṛṣṇa. Just by seeing Him, but if they are not free of these offenses then they may not see the things as they really are.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.60

kṛṣṇa-caitanya—svabhāvataḥ nirdoṣa adhokṣaja, tatprati unmukha o vimukha darśana vā pratīti-bhedei jīvera prīti vā dveṣa —

jihvāra se doṣa, śarkarāra doṣa nāi
ataeva sarva-miṣṭa caitanya gosāñi

Translation: That is the fault of the tongue, not the sugar. The conclusion is that Lord Caitanya is the sweetest of all.

Commentary: Although sweet sugar tastes bitter to the jaundice-infected tongue, the sweetness of sugar has no bitterness. Similarly, there cannot be any lack of love in Śrī Caitanyadeva, who is the source of all auspiciousness. Those who cannot understand Śrī Caitanyadeva to be their worshipable Lord are in that position because of their offenses. In terms of His position as the doer, Śrī Caitanyadeva is directly Kṛṣṇa; but the material vision of the conditioned souls is infected with imperfection and ignorance, so they consider Śrī Caitanyadeva an ordinary living entity with aṇu-cetana, minute consciousness, while in fact He is vibhu-cetana, the supreme consciousness.

Jayapatākā Swami: The illness of the tongue is not the shortcoming of sugar candy. Sugar candy is by nature sweet, it is because of the Jaundice tongue that one is not able to taste it. Similarly, Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is sweeter than the sweetest and naturally the devotees are attracted to Him. The Devotees are not attracted only when they are suffering from some offenses and they mistake Lord Caitanya as aṇu-cetana or individual soul but actually he is vibhu-cetana, He is the Supreme consciousness, the Supreme soul.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.61

adhokṣaja gaura-kṛṣṇa—śuddha-sattva bhakterai bhakti-dṛṣṭigamya, abhaktera akṣajadṛṣṭigamya nahena—

ei navadvīpete dekhila sarva-jane
tathāpiha keha nā jānila bhakta vine

Translation: Although everyone saw the Lord in Navadvīpa, no one could recognize Him other than the devotees.

Commentary: Although bhakti, the eternal propensity of the soul, is present in every living entity’s heart, it is impossible for the conditioned souls to realize just as it is impossible to see one’s face in a dusty mirror. In such a state, the eternal propensity of the living entities, service to Kṛṣṇa, remains dormant. Therefore, they are seen to have a taste for karma and jñāna. That is why the service of the Lord is found only in persons who have a service attitude.

Jayapatākā Swami: When Lord Caitanya was seen by all the residents of Navadvīpa but no one could understand His actual position except the devotees. Even though it is a natural propensity to engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead due to the covering of the material energy and due to our offenses, the conditioned souls are seeing the material nature, jñāna and karma as desirable and they don’t come forward to serve the Lord unless they have service nature of on their own.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.61

śuddha-sattva-cittaceīra nadīyā-bihārī gaura bhagavān —

bhaktera se citta prabhu hare sarvathāya
viharaye navadvīpe vaikuṇṭhera rāya

Translation: The Lord of Vaikuṇṭha attracted the hearts of all the devotees as He enjoyed His pastimes in Navadvīpa.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu naturally attracted and stole away the hearts of the individual souls especially the devotees of the Lord. So Navadvīpa was like a Spiritual world where people were naturally feeling attracted to Lord Caitanya, even though they didn’t know who He was.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.63

sarva-bhakta-cittahara viśvambhārera viśvarūpa-saha gṛhe gamana—

mohiyā sabāra citta prabhu viśvambhara
agraje lailā calilena nija-ghara

Translation: After thus enchanting everyone’s heart, Lord Viśvambhara returned home with His elder brother.

Jayapatākā Swami: Viśvambhara attracting the consciousness of all the devotees present took his elder brother Viśvarūpa home so he would eat his lunch.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.64

viśvambharera svayaṁ  bhagavattā-sambandhe śrī advaita prabhura mane mane vitarka—

mane mane cintaye advaita mahāśaya
“prākṛta mānuṣa kabhu e bālaka naya”

Translation: Śrī Advaita Prabhu considered to Himself, “This boy is not an ordinary person.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Gosāñī was thinking to himself this child Viśvambhara is not an ordinary child of this material world, His qualities are transcendental and thinking of this again and again he watched Viśvambhara leaving with Viśvarūpa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.65

vaiṣṇavagaṇera nikaṭa advaitera adhyakṣaja viśvambhara-tattva-sambandhe svīya ajñatā-jñāpana

sarva-vaiñṇavera prati balilā advaita
“kon vastu e bālaka,—nā jāni niścita”

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Mahāśya addressed all the Vaiṣṇava devotees who were present, “who is this child, certainly I can’t say for sure who this child is!”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.66

sarva-vaiṣṇavera viśvambhara-rūpa-praśaṁsā —

praśaṁsite lāgilena sarva-bhakta-gaṇa
apūrva śiśura rūpa-lāvaṇya-kathana

Translation: All the devotees then began to praise the beauty and charm of that wonderful child.

Jayapatākā Swami: Then all the Vaiṣṇava devotees present began to praise the wonderful charm and beauty of Viśvambhara, how they have never seen a child so attractive.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.67

viśvarūpera punaḥ advaita-bhavane āgamana—

nāma-mātra viśvarūpa calilena ghare
punaḥ āilena śīghra advaita-mandire

Translation: Viśvarūpa returned home simply out of formality, then as soon as possible He returned to Advaita’s house.

Jayapatākā Swami: Viśvarūpa quickly took his lunch and returned to the assembly of devotees in the house Advaita Mahāśaya.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.68

viśvarūpera gṛhasukhe virāga haileo nirantara kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-sevā-sampādane atyanurāga —

nā bhāya saṁsāra-sukha viśvarūpa-mane
niravadhi thāke kṛṣṇa-ānanda-kīrtane

Translation: The desire for material enjoyment never appeared in the mind of Viśvarūpa. He constantly remained in the ecstasy of chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names.

Jayapatākā Swami: The desire to enjoy the pleasures of material household never entered the mind of Viśvarūpa rather he was always absorbed in the transcendental bliss of chanting and hearing kṛṣṇa-kīrtana and hearing the discussions about Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Ādi-khaṇḍa 7.69

kṛṣṇetara-gṛha-dharme audāsīnya; sarvakṣaṇa svabhavane nārāyaṇa-gṛhe avasthāna —

gṛhe āileo gṛha-vyābhāra nā kare
niravadhi thāke viṣṇu-gṛhera bhitare

Translation: Even when He was at home, He never engaged in household activities; rather, He would always stay in the temple room.

Commentary: The word viṣṇu-gṛha is explained as follows: formerly in every brāhmaṇa’s house there was a separate room for keeping the Deity form of Nārāyaṇa [śālagrāma]. This Deity room is known as the viṣṇu-gṛha. While at home, Śrī Viśvarūpa would generally pass His time worshiping or meditating in the Deity room.

Jayapatākā Swami: When Viśvarūpa was at home he would avoid getting involved in material household affairs he would spend most of his time in the pūjā room where śālagrāma-śilā and Vishnu were worshipped.