20181120 Gaurāṅga’s Display of Prema-bhakti

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book work 20^th November 2018 in Chennai, India by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja. Reading from Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 1.79-94.

Under the section: Gaurāṅga’s Display of Prema-bhakti

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mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we continue with the compilation of the Caitanya Book. Lord Caitanya has gone to Gaya. He received initiation from Īśvara Purī, He went to kānāi-nataśālā and had darshan of Kṛṣṇa. Now He has returned to Navadvīpa completely changed. He is crying for Kṛṣṇa. Now the devotees of Navadvīpa are being informed that Lord Caitanya has changed completely and Nimāi Paṇḍita now, is a Mahā Bhagāvata. So we continue from Caitanya-Bhāgavata, please read.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.79

śuniyā e-saba kathā prabhu-gadādhara
śuklāmbara gṛha-prati calilā satvara

Translation: After Gadādhara Prabhu heard the news, he quickly went to the house of Śuklāmbara.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing all these words, Gadādhara prabhu, he went to the house of Śuklāmbara very quickly.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.80

’ki ākhyāna kṛṣṇera kahena śuni giyā’
thākilena śuklāmbara-gṛhe lokāiyā

Translation: Thinking, “Let me hear what topics of Kṛṣṇa He will relate,” Gadādhara hid inside Śuklāmbara’s house.

Jayapatākā Swami: “let me hear what topics of Kṛṣṇa He will relate,” and he stayed hidden in the house of Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.81

sadāśiva, murāri, śrīmān, śuklāmbara
mililā sakala yata prema-anucara

Translation: Soon devoted companions of the Lord like Sadāśiva, Murāri, Śrīmān, and Śuklāmbara all gathered there.

Jayapatākā Swami: The companions of Lord Caitanya who were prema-bhaktas or loving devotees, they all went together at the house of Śuklāmbhara brahmacārī. So there was Sadāśiva, Murāri, Śrīman Paṇḍita and Śuklāmbhara brahmacārī himself. They all gathered together.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.82

prabhurao tathāya āgamana, kṛṣṇa-bhaktisūcaka-ślokāvṛtti

henai samaye viśvambhara dvija-rāja
āsiyā mililā hethā vaiṣṇava-samāja

Translation: At that time Viśvambhara, the king of the twice-born, arrived there to meet the assembled Vaiṣṇavas.

Jayapatākā Swami: At that time, Viśvambhara, king of the twice born, He came, He arrived there and met all the Vaiṣṇava samāja, assembled Vaiṣṇavas.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.83

parama-ānande sabe karena sambhāṣa
prabhura nāhika bāhya-dṛṣṭi-parakāśa

Translation: They all greeted Him in great happiness, but the Lord did not manifest any external vision.

Jayapatākā Swami: So all the devotees, they greeted the Lord with great happiness. But the Lord, He didn’t express any external vision. He did not expand or manifest any external vision.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.84

dekhilena mātra prabhu bhāgavata-gaṇa
paḍite lāgilāśloka bhaktira lakṣaṇa

Translation: As soon as the Lord saw the devotees, He began to recite verses glorifying the characteristics of devotional service.

Commentary: After seeing the eagerness of the devotees at the house of Śuklāmbara, the Lord, who was overwhelmed with love of Kṛṣṇa, recited the following verses glorifying the characteristics of pure devotional service:

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa- sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

“Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the service of the Lord, one’s senses are purified.’

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” He also recited the following verse spoken by Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, which is the purport to the following verse 85: pāinu, īśvara mora kon dike gelā?—“I attained My Lord, but, oh, where has He gone?”

ayi dīna-dayārdra nātha he
mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁdayita
bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham

“O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?” This verse indicates the mood of separation from the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: As soon as He saw… As soon as the Lord saw the devotees, He started to recite ślokas which were glorifying the characteristics of devotional service. So the Lord seeing the enthusiasm of all the devotees, He was overwhelmed with love for Kṛṣṇa. So He recited some auspicious verses, glorifying pure devotional service. Devotional service or bhakti means engaging all the senses in the service of the Lord who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Master of all the senses.

So by one’s service reaching the Supreme Lord there are two effects: One is being freed from all material designations and one’s senses are purified. The Lord went on to say that one by rendering transcendental service to the Supreme Lord Krsna carefully and without any other desire for material profit or gain, thru philosophical activities or mental speculation that is called pure devotional service. Then He recited a verse spoken by Mādhavendra Purī.

ayi dīna-dayārdra nātha he
mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁdayita
bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham

So He is crying out to His merciful master, Master of Mathurā, when I shall see You again? Because I am not seeing You My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW? This verse indicates the mood of separation from the Lord.

When Mādhavendra Purī was reciting this verse, Rāmachandra Purī, he criticized, “why are you suffering? You should be on the transcendental level, Oṁ Śanti, Oṁ Śanti, Oṁ Śanti.” So, when Mādhavendra Purī feeling love for Kṛṣṇa and separation from Kṛṣṇa, the disciples started telling him about impersonal Brahman realization, he became so angry that he chased Rāmachandra Purī off.

This verse is first spoken by Rādhārāṇī and Mādhavendra Purī was saying in that mood, it is not material, it is fully spiritual. Rāmachandra Purī was such that he would find fault with anybody. So, he would go and invite, people would come to his house, he would feed them and then he would criticize them, “oh, you eat so much, you are a glutton, YOU ARE A GLUTTON! What kind of spiritual life you are practicing?” He was such a guy. Anyway, he was trying to find fault with Lord Caitanya. Because he was the god brother of Lord Caitanya’s guru, Lord Caitanya was respectful to him but he couldn’t see any fault in Lord Caitanya. Then he went to His house and there he saw some ants crossing across the floor! “AH! see He must be eating sweets, what kind of sannyāsī are You? Eating sweets?” Sometimes there are such people in devotional service. They like to criticize everybody and they are actually rejected by their guru.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.85

kṛṣṇa-virahe prabhura tadanveṣaṇa, mūchā o aśrupāta evaṁ premāñapluta bhaktagaṇake kṛṣṇasandhāna-jijñāsā

“pāinu, īśvara mora kon dike gelā?”
eta bali’ stambha kole kariyā paḍilā

Translation: “I attained My Lord, but, oh, where has He gone?” Saying this, the Lord fell to the ground while holding a pillar.

Commentary: “Alas, I attained Kṛṣṇa, but now He has left Me.” While speaking in this way, the Lord tightly embraced a pillar of the house out of love for Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: “I attained My Lord but oh, WHERE HAS HE GONE? WHICH WAY HAS HE GONE?” Saying this holding a pillar He fell to the ground. So He was expressing, “alas! I attained Kṛṣṇa but He has left Me.” So speaking this way the Lord tightly embraced the pillar of the house of Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī, out of love for Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.86

bhāṅgila gṛhera stambha prabhura āveśe
’kothā kṛṣṇa?’ baliyā paḍilā mukta keśe

Translation: The pillar of the house broke under the pressure of the Lord. As He fell to the ground, His hair scattered and He lamented, “Where is Kṛṣṇa?”

Jayapatākā Swami: So the Lord’s embrace broke the house pillar. He cried out, “where is Kṛṣṇa? where is Kṛṣṇa?” And He fell down and His hairs were almost scattered everywhere.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.87

prabhu paḍilena mātra ’hā kṛṣṇa’
baliyābhakta saba paḍilena ḍhaliyāḍhaliyā

Translation: As soon as the Lord fell to the ground exclaiming, “O Kṛṣṇa,” all the devotees tottered and also fell to the ground.

Jayapatākā Swami: So as soon as the Lord fell to the ground saying, “Ha Kṛṣṇa! Ha Kṛṣṇa!!” All the devotees, they also fell down to the ground.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.88

gṛhera bhitare mūrchā gelā gadādhara
kebā kon dike paḍe, nāhi parāpara

Translation: Gadādhara Paṇḍita fell unconscious within the room. No one knew who fell on whom.

Commentary: The word parāpara is a combination of para (“other”) and apara (“own”) and means “distinction between oneself and others.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Inside the house, Gadādhara prabhu, He also fell unconscious. Who fell in one direction, nobody could ascertain. That means that some may have fallen on others but they were unaware of who they were falling on. They were overwhelmed by the love of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.89

sabe hailā kṛṣṇa-prema-ānande mūrchita
hāsena jāhnavī-devī haiyā vismita

Translation: All the devotees lost consciousness due to ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, and the goddess Jāhnavī smiled in amazement.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa Being absorbed in the ecstatic mood of love for Krsna everyone fell unconscious. Finally, Jāhnavī devī was amazed. Jāhnavī devī is mother Ganges. So she was witnessing all this as Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī’s temple was near the Ganges.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.90

kata-kṣaṇe bāhya prakāśiyā viśvambhara
’kṛṣṇa bali’ kāndite lāgilā bahutara

Translation: After some time Viśvambhara regained His external consciousness and began to cry loudly and piteously while calling out the name of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: After some time Viśvambhara Prabhu manifested His external consciousness. He started to cry very loudly and called out “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa!”, calling out the names of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.91

“kṛṣṇa re, prabhu re mora! kon dike gelā?”
eta bali’ prabhu punaḥ bhūmite paḍilā

Translation: “O Kṛṣṇa, O My Lord! Where have You gone?” Saying this, the Lord again fell to the ground.

Jayapatākā Swami: “Oh Kṛṣṇa, Oh My lord, WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?” Saying this again the Lord fell to the ground!

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.92

kṛṣṇa-preme kānde prabhu śacīra nandana
catur-dike veḍi’ kānde bhāgavata-gaṇa

Translation: The son of Śacī cried out of love for Kṛṣṇa, and all the devotees surrounding the Lord also cried loudly.

Jayapatākā Swami: The son of mother Śacī cried loudly out of love of Kṛṣṇa and all the devotees surrounding the Lord also cried loudly.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.93

āchāḍera samuccaya nāhika śrī-aṅge
nā jāne ṭhākura kichu nija-prema-raṅge

Translation: Again and again the Lord fell to the ground with great force, but due to ecstatic love He could not feel anything.

Commentary: Being extremely overwhelmed with love of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord repeatedly fell to the ground, yet there was no resulting injury to His transcendental body. He was fully absorbed in His internal mood, so He did not feel any external happiness or distress.

Jayapatākā Swami: Being in the ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord again and again fell to the ground with great force. But He did not know, He did not feel anything, due to the ecstatic kṛṣṇa-prema. So being absorbed in pure love, the Lord repeatedly fell to the ground but because of His absorption in love of Kṛṣṇa, there was no resulting injury to His transcendental body. He did not feel any external happiness or distress. He was absorbed in His internal mood.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.94

uṭhila kīrtana-rola premera krandana
prema-maya haila śuklāmbarera bhavana

Translation: The sounds of chanting and crying in ecstatic love combined to fill the house of Śuklāmbara with love of God.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the kīrtana, chanting and the crying in ecstatic love combined to fill the house of Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī with love of Godhead.

So we will end here. 1.95 is the next.