20181121 Gaurāṅga’s Display of Prema-bhakti

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book work 21^st November 2018 in Chennai, India by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja. Reading from Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 1.94-111.

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 today the Bengali is being read by Śubāṅga Govinda dāsa. Because of the intense rains Deva Gaurāṅga dāsa could not come over.

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 music from the chanting and crying from the ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa arose and Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī’s house was filled with love of Godhead.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.95

sthira hai, kṣaṇeke vasilā viçvambhara
tathāpi ānanda-dhārā vahe nirantara

Translation: After some time Viśvambhara became pacified and sat down, yet the current of ecstatic love continued to flow.

Jayapatākā Swami: By giving some civility for some time Viśvambhara sat down. Yet the flow of nectar continued flowing without cessation.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.96

prabhu bale,—“kon jana gṛhera bhitara?”
brahmacārī balena,—“tomāra gadādhara”

Translation: The Lord then inquired, “Who is inside the room?” Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī replied, “Your Gadādhara is inside.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord then said, “what person is inside your house?” Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī said, “Your Gadādhara prabhu is inside.”

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.97

heṅta māthā kariyā kāndena gadādhara
dekhiyā santoṣa baḍa prabhu viśvambhara

Translation: Gadādhara bent his head down and cried. Seeing this, Lord Viśvambhara became greatly satisfied.

Jayapatākā Swami: With head bent Gadādhara Paṇḍita continued to cry. Seeing this Viśvambhara became very satisfied.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.98

prabhu bale,—“gadādhara! tumi se sukṛti
śiśu haite kṛṣṇete karilā dṛḍha-mati

Translation: The Lord said, “O Gadādhara, you are indeed most fortunate. From your childhood you have firmly fixed your mind on Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord said, “Gadādhara, you are most fortunate, since Your childhood You have fixed your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.”

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.99

āmāra se hena janma gela vṛthā-rase
pāinu amūlya nidhi gela daiva-doṣe”

Translation: “I have passed My time in useless endeavors. Although I obtained that priceless treasure, by the arrangement of providence I have lost it.”

Commentary: The Lord said to Gadādhara, “O Gadādhara, because you are inclined to the service of Kṛṣṇa since your childhood, you are most fortunate. I did not have the strong determination for serving Kṛṣṇa like you. I have uselessly wasted My time studying books on logic. Although I found My lost wealth, Kṛṣṇa, due to My misfortune I am now bereft of Him.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “I have passed my time simply in useless endeavors. I got the priceless treasure, but I lost it by the will of providence.” So, the Lord said to Gadādhara, “oh Gadādhara! because you are inclined to the service of Kṛṣṇa since your childhood, you are most fortunate. I did not have the strong determination in serving Kṛṣṇa like You. I have uselessly wasted my time studying books on logic. Although I found My lost wealth, Kṛṣṇa, due to my misfortune I am now bereft of Him!”

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.100

eta bali’ bhūmite paḍilā viśvambhara
dhūlāya loṭāya sarva-sevya kalevara

Translation: After saying this, Viśvambhara again fell to the ground, and His entire body, which is worshipable to everyone, became covered with dust.

Commentary: The transcendental body of Śrī Gaura is worshipable by all subordinates within the fourteen material worlds and the transcendental spiritual abodes of Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka-Vṛndāvana.

Jayapatākā Swami: Saying this Lord Viśvambhara again fell to the ground and as He rolled in the dust, His body which is worshipable to everyone, became filled with dust. So, since Lord Gaurāṅga is non-different from Kṛṣṇa, His transcendental body is worshipable by all subordinates within the fourteen material worlds, the transcendental spiritual worlds of Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Our bodies are different from our selves. One birth we may be in men’s body, next birth we may be in woman’s body. Sometimes we are in an animal body, sometime in reptile body, sometime a bird body. But Lord Caitanya and His body are non-different. So, His body is transcendental and is worshipable to everyone. But now He is playing the part of a devotee.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.101

prabhura kṛṣṇa-virahārti-krandana, kadācit ardhavāhyadaśā

punaḥ-punaḥ haya bāhya, punaḥ-punaḥ paḍe
daive rakṣā pāya nāka-mukha se āchāḍe

Translation: The Lord repeatedly regained consciousness and repeatedly fell unconscious. Although He hit the ground with His nose and face, He was protected by providence.

Jayapatākā Swami: Again and again the Lord repeatedly regained His external consciousness and again and again He fell unconscious. He was protected by providence. Although He hit the ground with His nose and face, He was protected.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.102

melite nā pāre dui cakṣu prema-jale
sabe eka ’kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa’ śrī-vadane bale

Translation: He could not open His eyes due to excessive tears of love. Other than the name of Kṛṣṇa, nothing issued from His beautiful mouth.

Jayapatākā Swami: He could not open His eyes due to the excessive tears of love of Godhead, other than the name of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, nothing else issued from His beautiful mouth.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.103

dhariyā sabāra galā kānde viśvambhara
“kṛṣṇa kothā?—bhāi saba! balaha satvara”

Translation: Grasping the necks of those present, Viśvambhara wept and asked, “O brothers, tell Me quickly, where is Kṛṣṇa?”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, grasping the necks of all those present, Viśvambhara was crying, “Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa? Brothers! O brothers! Tell Me quickly, where is Kṛṣṇa?”

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.104

prabhura dekhiyā ārti kānde bhakta-gaṇa
kāro mukhe āra kichu nā sphure vacana

Translation: Seeing the earnest longing of the Lord, all the devotees cried. They were all unable to speak.

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing the sincere longing of the Lord, all the devotees present, they cried. No one could speak anything. Nothing came from their lips.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.105

prabhu bale,—“mora duḥkha karaha khaṇḍana
āni’ deha’ more nanda gopendra-nandana”

Translation: The Lord said, “Please relieve My distress. Bring Me the son of Mahārāja Nanda.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord said, “Please relieve Me My distress. Bring to Me My dear Nanda Gopendra-nandana, son of mahārāja Nanda, or Kṛṣṇa.”

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.106

eta bali’ śvāsa chāḍi’ punaḥ-punaḥ kānde
loṭāya bhūmite keśa, tāhā nāhi bāndhe

Translation: After saying this, the Lord sighed deeply and wept repeatedly. His hair was unbound and trailed on the ground.

Jayapatākā Swami: After saying this the Lord sighed deeply and repeatedly wept and wept. His hair fell on the ground, it was unbound.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.107

ardhavāhyadaśā-lābhānte atikaṣṭe bhaktagaṇake vidāya-dāna

ei sukhe sarva-dina gela kṣaṇa-prāya
kathañcit sabā-prati hailā vidāya

Translation: The whole day passed like a moment in this blissful state. Then the Lord took leave of the devotees for a short time.

Commentary: In spite of feeling intense distress because of separation from Kṛṣṇa, Gaurasundara, who was absorbed in the mood of a devotee, passed the entire day, consisting of twelve hours, in the happiness of love for Kṛṣṇa. Thus the day appeared to be only a moment in duration. Being intoxicated by the beverage of love for Kṛṣṇa and remaining half-conscious, the Lord took leave from the devotees with great difficulty.

Jayapatākā Swami: In a state of transcendental bliss, the whole day went as if only a moment had passed. The Lord, He took leave of the devotees.

So the Lord was feeling intense distress due to separation from Kṛṣṇa. Gaurasundara was absorbed in a mood of a devotee. He passed the entire day of twelve hours in happiness of love for Kṛṣṇa. Thus the whole day appeared a duration of a moment. Being intoxicated by the beverage of love of Kṛṣṇa and remaining half conscious with great difficulty the Lord took leave from the devotees.

So we are told that the ecstasy of meeting Kṛṣṇa is lesser than the ecstasy of separation. We see although it seems that Lord Caitanya is in great distress, because of separation from Kṛṣṇa, He is actually completely ecstatic and the whole day of twelve hours went by like a moment. So in the spiritual world meeting the Lord or being separate from the Lord is both ecstatic. And separation is even deeper ecstasy.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.108

prabhura apūrva-premavikāra-darśane o śravaṇe bhaktagaṇera vismaya o paraspara vividha matokti

gadādhara, sadāśiva, śrīmān paṇḍita
śuklāmbara-ādi sabe hailā vismita

Translation: The devotees headed by Gadādhara, Sadāśiva, Śrīmān Paṇḍita, and Śuklāmbara were all filled with amazement.

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees headed by Gadādhara, Sadāśiva, Śrīman Paṇḍita, Śuklāmbhara Brahmacārī, and others were all filled with amazement.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.109

ye ye dekhilena prema, sabei avākya
apūrva dekhiyā kāro dehe nāhi bāhya

Translation: They were all speechless and even lost external consciousness after seeing the transformations of ecstasy displayed by the Lord.

Commentary: After seeing the Lord’s most wonderful never-before-seen display of transformations of ecstatic love belonging to the category of mahābhāva, all the devotees were speechless.

Jayapatākā Swami: Whoever has seen the manifestations of kṛṣṇa-prema shown by Gaurasundara, everyone was speechless. Seeing the wonderful manifestations of pure love, other devotees’ consciousness… others lost their external consciousness after witnessing all this. After seeing the Lord’s most wonderful never before seen display of transformations of ecstatic love belonging to the category of mahābhāva all devotees were speechless.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.110

vaiṣṇava-samāje sabe, āilā hariṣe
ānupūrvī kahilena āśeṣa-viśeṣe

Translation: They all joyfully went to the community of Vaiṣṇavas and narrated in detail the entire incident.

Jayapatākā Swami: They all jubilantly went to the meet the Vaiṣṇavas and they explained what had happened in detail the entire incident.

So we will stop here and we will start madhya līlā 1.111.

Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya 1.111

śuniyā sakala mahā-bhāgavata-gaṇa
‘hari hari’ bali’ sabe karena krandana

Translation: Hearing the news, all the great devotees chanted, “Hari, Hari,” and began to cry.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing the news all the great devotees chanted, “Haribol, Haribol, Haribol, Haribol” and began to cry.

Question: Can we do Dāmodara-ārati after the Dāmodara month?

Jayapatākā Swami: You can offer lamp to the Deities all year long. However, when we are offering in the month of Dāmodara month, we get hundred plus times, in the month of Vaiśākha also one can offer lamp and get multiple benefits. Māgha month is also supposed to be another spiritual month. I don’t know all the glories in Māgha month. I go every day all year long and offer lamp to the deities. But in the month of Dāmodara month, it is said that you don’t want to wish.

Question: What is Kātyāyinī-vrata? Can we follow it as a devotee? If so, how?

Jayapatākā Swami: I will have to read the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. It gives the different vratas one can do. The gopīs in Vṛndāvana worshiped Kātyāyinī to get Kṛṣṇa as their husband.