20190116 The Lord makes Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura fearless

Come join us His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja reads from the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book on January 16th,2019 in Chennai, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Introduction: Nice to see you all today! Today is the second day of Poṅgal here, Where, I heard that they worship the cows. Of course, because I am in Chennai, Tamil Nadu of India, but yesterday during Makara-Saṅkrānti there were different kinds of observations in different parts of India. In Bengal, they celebrated Poush Parvan. They eat piṭhās, little cakes. So yesterday our cook Prasanna Gaurāṅga dāsa, he gave us some dūdh-piṭhās. We heard that in Assam they observe it as Bihu and they also have cakes and they dance all night. I just met some people from Punjab and they say that on Makara-Saṅkrānti they have bonfires and they dance and sing around the bonfire. They eat popcorn and they throw popcorn in the fire and it pops. So, each state in India, they have a different observation of Makara-Saṅkrānti. In Juhu, ISKCON’s National Head Quarters, they have a special observation. In Chennai, they had Ratha-yātrā on the Bhogi day, the day before the Makara-Saṅkrānti. And here after the Ratha-yātrā, we had our question and answer program. So today we are starting the next chapter of the Caitanya Book.

I had my physiotherapist came by today. He made me stand up six times and also had our voice therapist, he came, Dr. Prakash and Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, so for about an hour we had voice therapy. I went cycling this evening and here I am for the class! So, the chapter is entitled, “The Lord makes Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura fearless”.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.295

śrīvāsa-kṛta stava-śravaṇe prabhura sahāsye sagoṣṭhī tām̐hāke nijarūpa-pradarśana o vara yācñārtha ājñā—

hāsiyāśunena prabhu śrīvāsera stuti
sadaya haiyā bale śrīvāsera prati

Jayapatākā Swami: So Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu smiling after hearing Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s prayers, being compassionate to Him, He told to Śrīvāsa the following.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.296

“strī-putra-ādi yata tomāra vāḍīra
dekhuka āmāra rūpa, karaha bāhira

Jayapatākā Swami: Your wife, son and others, all the members of your household, please let them come out and let them see My form!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.297

sastrika haiyā pūja’ caraṇa āmāra
vara māga’—yena icchā manete tomāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Along with your wife, worship My lotus feet, ask a boon, a benediction, whatever you desire.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.298

prabhura pāiyā ājñāśrīvāsa-paṇḍita
sarva-parikara-saṅge āilā tvarita

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita on receiving the order of the Lord, brought all his family members and came quickly.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.299

viṣṇu-pūjā-nimitta yateka puṣpa chila
sakala prabhura pāye sākṣāṭe dila

Jayapatākā Swami: Whatever flowers were there for the worship of Lord Vishnu, everyone offered at the Lord’s lotus feet.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.300

gandha-puṣpa-dhūpa-dīpe pūje śrī-caraṇa
sastrīka haiyā vipra karena krandana

Jayapatākā Swami: In the company of his wife, the brāhmaṇa Śrīvāsa cried as he worshipped the lotus feet of the Lord, with sandalwood paste, flowers, incense and lamps.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.301

bhāi, patnī, dāsa, dāsī, sakala laiyā
śrīvāsa karena kāku caraṇe paḍiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa bringing his brother, wife, servants, maid servants, everyone, he fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and offered His sincere prayers.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.302

bhaktaśire bhaktavatsala bhagavānera sa-padārpaṇa o varadāna—

śrīnivāsa-priyakārī prabhu viśvambhara
caraṇa dilena sarva-śirera upara

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Viśvambhara is the most dear Lord to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. So he placed His lotus feet on the heads of everyone there to have the blessing of the Lord. When He puts His lotus feet on your head, the lotus feet that purified the water of the Ganges, that is the greatest benediction!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.303

alakṣite bule’ prabhu māthāya sabāra
hāsi’ bale,—“mote citta hau sabākāra

Jayapatākā Swami: So the Lord, He wandered around unseen by all and He touched the heads with His lotus feet. Smiling, He said, may your minds all be fixed on Me!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.304

prabhu kartṛka sīẏa īśvaratva-varṇanoddeśye śrīvāsake abhaẏadāna mukhe bhaktivirodhi-rājāke goṣṭhī-saha kṛṣṇapremonmatta karāibāra aṅgīkāra—

huṅkāra garjjana kari’ prabhu viśvambhara
śrīnivāse sambodhiyā balena uttara

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Viśvambhara roared loudly and He addressed Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura as follows.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.305

“ohe śrīnivāsa! kichu mane bhaya pāo?
śuni,—tomā dharite āise rāja-nāo?

Jayapatākā Swami: Oh Śrīvāsa! Are you afraid of something? Is there some rumor going around? That the king’s boat is coming to arrest you?

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.306

ananta-brahmāṇḍa-mājhe yata jīva vaise
sabāra preraka āmi āpanāra rase

Jayapatākā Swami: In the unlimited universes, whatever the living entities are, or whatever living entities exist in these universes, everyone, I am the director of all the living entities. So the Lord is referring to His existing in everyone’s heart as the Super Soul and therefore nobody can do anything without His permission. So, without His inspiration, no one is able to act in any way. So if we have some desire, we want to enjoy this particular thing, still it causes the Lord’s inspiration to remind that we have this desire and we can move forward to try to achieve it. So what the Lord is telling Śrīvāsa is that if I don’t permit, then nobody can do anything. So why do you worry about the king’s boat? He cannot act if I don’t permit it!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.307

mui yadi bolāṅa sei rājāra śarīre
tabe se balibe seha dharibāra tare

Jayapatākā Swami: If I within the body of that king, if I tell him then he will tell to arrest someone. So in other words, unless the Supersoul inspires the king, to arrest Śrīvāsa, then only the king will order your arrest. So no worry!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.308

yadi bā emata nahe,—sbatantra haïẏā
dharibāre bale, tabe muñi cāṅa ihā

Jayapatākā Swami: If this was not the case and he was independent, and he said to arrest you, then in this case, I would do the following. So Lord Viśvambhara is explaining that, if against the Super soul’s inspiration by independent will, if the king independently orders your arrest, then I will do as follows.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.309

muñi giyā sarva-āge naukāya caḍimu
ei-mata giyā rāja-gocara haimu

Jayapatākā Swami: I will be the first to board the boat and I would present Myself before the king!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.310

more dekhi’ rājā rahibe nṛpāsane?
vihvala kariyā ye pāḍimu seikhāne?

Jayapatākā Swami: If the king sees Me and if he stays seated on the king’s throne, will I not bewilder him and drag him down at that time? So He is saying that since He is the controller of innumerable universes, or the Supreme Controller of all the controllers, the king will not be able to remain seated on his throne. I will certainly overwhelm him and control him!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.311

yadi vā e-mata nahe, jijñāsibe more
seho mora abhīṣṭa śuna kahi tore

Jayapatākā Swami: If not in this way, if the king holds Me for questioning, then it is My desire, listen to what I will tell him.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.312

“śuna śuna, ohe rājā! satya mithyā jāna’
yateka mollā kājī saba tora āna’

Jayapatākā Swami: Listen, listen oh king, what is true what is false, you know! Bring all the Mullah all the Kazis to ascertain the truth! A Mullah is a great Mohammedan priest or a scholar or a judge. Kazi refers to a judge or a guide who gives instructions on Muslim religion and morality. So He told the king that he should know what is true and what is false.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.313

hastī, ghoḍā, pāśu, pakṣī, yata tora āche
sakala ānaha, rājā! āpanāra kāche

Jayapatākā Swami: Oh king, whatever elephants, horses, animals and birds, whatever you have, bring them all, keep them by your side.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.314

ebe hena ājñā kara’ sakala-kājīre
āpanāra śāstra kahi’ kāndāu sabāre

Jayapatākā Swami: So now order your Kazis to recite your holy scriptures and make all these animals cry! He means to recite the Quran.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.315

nā pārila tārā yadi eteka karate
tabe se āpanā vyakta karimu rājāte

Jayapatākā Swami: If they are not able to do this, then I will manifest Myself to the king!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.316

saṅkīrtana mānā kara’ e gulāra bole
yata tāra śakti ei dekhili sakale

Jayapatākā Swami: So you dare to stop the saṅkīrtana movement, on the advice of these people? So whatever power they actually have, you have seen it all. This reminds me of the song of Locana dāsa. The third verse says, dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi, emona doyāla dātā paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare, śuni' jāṅra guṇa-gāthā. My brothers, just see, there is no one in the three worlds as merciful as Nitāi Gaura! They have made the animals dance, chant and cry! By Their chanting, They melt the stones, sing their glories! So, let us see what happens!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.317

mora śakti, dekha ebe nayana bhariyā’
eta bali’ matta-hastīānimu dhariyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Behold My power with your own eyes! After saying this one mad, intoxicated elephant will be brought before him.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.318

hastī, ghoḍā, mṛga, pakṣī, ekatra
kariyāseikhāne kāndāimu ’kṛṣṇa’ bolāiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: I will gather elephants, horses, deer, birds all together, then I will make they cry by chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.319

rājāra yateka gaṇa, rājāra sahite
sabā kāndāimu ’kṛṣṇa’ bali’ bhāla-mate

Jayapatākā Swami: I will induce everyone to chant the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and make them cry - the king and his associates.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 2.320

ihāte vā apratyaya tumi vāsa’ mane
sākṣātei karoṅ,—dekha āpana-nayane

Jayapatākā Swami: If you have doubt about this within your mind, then I will show you NOW BEFORE YOUR EYES! dekho āpanāra nayane!

Thus ends the chapter! Ha! Ha! “The Lord makes Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura fearless”.

Even in the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest, the jungle, the tigers and deer were embracing other and kissing each other and chanting the holy names of Krishna. Such is the unlimited mercy and power of Lord Caitanya! So we are very fortunate that we have by His Divine Grace Abhayacaraṇa Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s mercy, we have the service of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda and we are seeing the pastimes of Lord Caitanya unfolding before our eyes!!

So we just got a news today that the East London Nāmahaṭṭa, Bhakti-vṛkṣa group, that they were the highest congregational book distributors for December in the whole of the UK, and also the highest in the whole of Europe! In London, the first was Bhakti Vedanta Manor and second was Soho Street and third was the Bhakti-vṛkṣa of East London. The other temples after them! Also, there were around 150 devotees in the Bhakti-vṛkṣa groups including 40 children and they went door to door distributing 21,000 books.

We also heard that in Slovenia the congregational devotees, especially my disciples, shelter disciples, aspiring disciples, śikṣā disciples and other well-wishers, they were also very active in the marathon and had a good result. So we want the Bhakti-vṛkṣa groups, Nāmahaṭṭa groups to work with the temples, and in this way to spread Lord Caitanya’s teachings, Prabhupāda’s transcendental literature, and let the people understand, what is the real purpose of human life. So, we thank all those devotees who have distributed books during this year’s marathon in December, and we offer our best wishes and blessings to all of them.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!