20200314 Persons Present In the Kīrtana In the House of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura (Part 1)

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

So, the World Health Organization has declared the COVID 19 or Novel Corona Virus as a world pandemic. And the American president has declared a national emergency and given himself, 50 billion dollars to spend on the emergency! And people are rushing in the super markets to buy essentials and especially they bought toilet paper! Ha! Ha! I think in India we don’t use toilet paper much! In the whole of eastern Asia, they use a hose spray, from Japan over to the Middle East. Unfortunately, the Americans, they use toilet paper, so then a crisis, what to do? How to pass stool without toilet paper! In China they use toilet paper? We were taught to use water. I remember, just before the year 2000 there was a rumor that the whole system would collapse because the computers couldn’t adjust to the new millennium. So, one person, he offered me 5000 dollars if I would have a demonstration to some visiting Americans, how to pass stool in the field!! 3 lacs of rupees! But he never showed up! Anyway, today I was told by Śrīvatsa Śyāmasundara that the prince of England, he went up to shake hands and he stopped himself and did namaskar! (Folded hands). So, by this corona virus pandemic, everybody is becoming Indian! All doing namaskar all over the world! And since the pandemic, is a crossover of the virus from animals to humans and humans don’t have any immune system, people are, to play it safe, becoming vegetarian! Ha! Ha! So, these are the good things. Of course, the bad things, people are suffering and this material world, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. It is a place of suffering and it is temporary. So unfortunately, people are suffering. They don’t like that. I was in a court and Śrīla Prabhupāda said, that there was a big plague in Kolkata some babaji went from door to door, house to house, and he had all the people chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, after that the plague was driven out. So we pray that everyone will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and just drive out this corona virus! Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare! The EC of the GBC has sent out a notification that devotees should regularly wash their hands and those who serve prasādam should wash their hands and wear some kind of disposable gloves when they distribute prasādam. This is very important because the virus can stay alive for a number of days on some hard surface, and therefore if you touch some railing or lift control button or anything which has the virus, then from the hand they touch the face, they get it. So regularly they should wash their hands, especially before they eat and regularly wash and don’t touch the face. One lady said she tried to see how many times she touched her face – and that in a short time she tried to touch 30 times and stopped herself! We have a great habit to touch our face! In Bengal there were some devotees that were tested but so far they proved negative. But still have symptoms, for which there is a treatment, but it is very dangerous. So, we should be very careful. I think they put soap in the dining halls. Otherwise, the EC of the GBC has said we can have programs as usual, but we should take some precautions. Some temples, I heard that Melbourne cancelled, for a month or two, all their Sunday feasts and celebrations. And they have limited my Vyāsa-Pūjā to the residents of Māyāpur. So, we have to be very careful. If you want to buy books and want me to sign, there is a book table at the back, one person will bring the book and I will sign. They will not be allowed to bring their own book for me to sign. Since, the doctor told me, my secretary asked him, if I get it what should I do? The doctor said, don’t get it, we have no treatment. If I get it - A. I am an elderly person. B. I am diabetic C. I am taking immune-represent drugs. I am a bad candidate! So, I have to be very careful, to satisfy my secretaries!

We will continue reading from the Kirtan in the house of Śrīvas Ṭhākura!

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Chapter entitled as Persons Present in the Kīrtana In the House of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.213

śrīcaitanyavākye ābiśvāsijanera acaitanyatā—

caitanyera vākye yāra nāhika pramāṇa
caitanya nāhika tā'ra, ki baliba āna

Translation: Anyone who does not believe in the words of Lord Caitanya cannot attain Him. What more can I say?

The words of Śrī Caitanyadeva are the crest jewel of all conclusions. Devotional service alone is the supreme goal of life. One who does not have this conviction is averse to Lord Caitanya and fit to be called a fool. The Vedic literatures and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, which it the essence of the Vedas, fully establish the prominence of devotional service. Nārāyaṇa's goddesses of fortune, as well as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, are all servants of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Cakravartī Ṭhākura has written:

ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanaṁ
ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalaṁ premā pum-artho mahān
śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhor matam idaṁ tatrādarāḥ naḥ paraḥ

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopīs of Vṛndāvaṇa. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the spotless authority, and pure love of God is the ultimate goal of life. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Those who do not believe in the words of Lord Caitanya, cannot reach Lord Caitanya. What more can I say? So, the teachings of Śrī Caitanyadeva are the jewels, crest jewels of all conclusions. Devotional service is alone the supreme goal of life. If one doesn’t accept this conclusion, is averse to Lord Caitanya, and fit to be called a fool. The Vedic literatures and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, which is the essence of all the Vedas, fully establish the prominence of devotional service. Lakṣmī, Brahmā, Śiva, they are all servitors of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.

So Viśvanātha Cakravartī has written:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopīs of Vṛndāvaṇa. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the spotless authority, and pure love of God is the ultimate goal of life. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

Haribol! Haribol! Harriiiiiiiibol! Gauuurāṅga!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.214

prabhura dāsyabhāve nṛtya—

dāsya-bhāve nāce prabhu śrī-gaurasundara
caudige kīrtana-dhvani ati manohara

Translation: Lord Śrī Gaurasundara danced in the mood of a servant as the enchanting sound of kīrtana vibrated in the four directions.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Lord, Śrī Gaurasundara, He was dancing in the mood of a servitor of Kṛṣṇa. In all directions the sound of the kīrtana was vibrating and it was very attractive, very enchanting.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.215

kīrtanadhvani śravaṇe advaitera bhaktibhāva—

śunite śunite kṣaṇe haya mūrachita
tṛṇa-kare takhane advaita upanīta

Translation: While listening to the kīrtana, Advaita Ācārya sometimes lost consciousness. He took straw in His hands and approached the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: While listening to the kīrtana, sometimes Advaita Ācārya lost His consciousness. And taking a straw in His teeth, He approached the Lord.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.216

āpāda-mastaka tṛṇe nichiyā laiyānija
śire thui' nāce bhrukuṭi kariyā

Translation: He covered His entire body with grass and kept some on His head as He frowned while dancing.

The word nichiyā means “by covering.”

Jayapatākā Swami: From His feet to His head, the entire body was covered with straw or grass. And He kept some on His head, the grass or straw.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.217

advaitera bhakti dekhi' sabāra tarāsa
nityānanda-gadādhara—dui-jane hāsa

Translation: Everyone was frightened on seeing Advaita Ācārya's devotional service, but Nityānanda and Gadādhara simply laughed.

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees seeing the devotion of Advaita became frightened. But Nityānanda and Gadādhara, these two were laughing.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.218

নাচে প্রভু গৌরচন্দ্ৰ জগৎজীবন
আবেশের অন্ত নাহি হয় ঘনে ঘন

Translation: In this way, Śrī Gaurasundara, the life of the entire universe, danced. He repeatedly expressed unlimited varieties of moods.

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, Lord Gaurasundara, the life of the universe, danced. He expressed unlimitedly different moods.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.219

kīrtana- nṛtye mahāprabhura adṛṣṭapūrva o aśrutapūrva sāttvika-vikāra

nāce prabhu gauracandra jagat-jīvana
āveśera anta nāhi haya ghane ghana

Translation: The son of Śacī manifested many wonderful transformations of ecstatic love that are not found or heard of in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

Transformations of ecstatic love that are not even recorded in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam manifested in the transcendental body of Śrī Gaurasundara.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.220

yāhā nāhi dekhi śuni śrī-bhāgavate
hena saba vikāra prakāśe śacī-sute

Translation: Sometimes His entire body was stunned in such a way that no one could even slightly bend His body.

Jayapatākā Swami: What was not seen or heard in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Purāṇa, was shown by the son of mother Śacī in His various transformations of ecstatic love. So, we know the aṣṭa-sātvika-bhāva of the eight ecstatic symptoms Lord Caitanya, who has ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, He would manifest some transformations, which are even beyond the scriptures, even the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. So, this is something that the fortunate devotees who were present in the kīrtana of Lord Caitanya witnessed.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.221

kṣaṇe kṣaṇe sarva aṅga haya stambhākṛti
tilārdheka noṅāite nāhika śakati

Translation: Sometimes that same body became slackened in such a way that it became as soft as butter, without any bones.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes, His body was stunned in such a way that nobody could move slightly His body or bend His body, (22:20-30 – Not clear) not even bend Him a sesame seed. So stiff, being stunned. These are the manifestations which are not fully explained in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Being stunned is one of the eight bhāvas, but He would be stunned to such an extent that He became stiff and unbendable.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.222

sei aṅga kṣaṇe kṣaṇe hena-mata haya
asthimātra nāhi yena navanīta-maya

Translation: Sometimes His body appeared to double or triple in size, and sometimes it appeared to shrink.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes that same body became so much sagged that it seemed he had no bones and he became as soft as butter. Gauuuurāṅga!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.223

kakhano dekhi ye aṅga guṇa-dui-tina
kakhano svabhāva haite atiśaya kṣīṇa

Translation: Sometimes He was intoxicated in such a way that He tottered like a drunkard, and sometimes He swayed back and forth while laughing.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes His body would appear to double or triple in size. And sometimes, it appeared to shrink, become very small.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa (???)

kakhano va matta jana duli duli jai
hasiya dolai anga ananda sadai

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes, like an intoxicated man, He would studder like a drunkard, and sometimes He would laugh so loud, He would swing back and forth while in His ecstasy.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.224

bhāvāviṣṭa mahāprabhu-kartṛka vaiṣṇavagaṇera pūrvalīlāra paricaya nirdeśa

sakala vaiṣṇave prabhu dekhi' eke eke
bhāvāveśe pūrva nāma dhari dhari' ḍāke

Translation: Seeing all the Vaiṣṇavas, the Lord called each of them by the name they bore in their previous birth.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes the Lord, He would see each of the Vaiṣṇavas and call them by their name that they had in the previous līlā, in their previous birth with the Lord.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.225

`haladhara, śiva, śuka, nārada, prahlāda
ramā, aja, uddhava' baliyā kare nāda

Translation: He loudly addressed them, “Haladhara! Śiva! Śukadeva! Nārada! Prahlāda! Ramā! Aja! Uddhava!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Some of the names He would loudly address of different devotees were, Haladhara, Śiva, Śukadeva, Nārada, Prahlāda, Ramā devī, Aja, Uddhava. So, He would call out loudly by their names.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.226

ei-mata sabā dekhi' nānā-mata bale
yebā yei vastu, tāhā prakāśaye chale

Translation: In this way the Lord revealed their actual identities by speaking about them in various ways.

In His Gaura pastimes, Śrī Gaurasundara called out the former names of His associates who participated in His previous pastimes. By doing so, He ascertained the identity of His associates.

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, seeing the different devotees, He would reveal their actual identities, by speaking about them in various ways. So, in calling out the names of the devotees who had previously been His associates in different pastimes, He was revealing who they were like, Murāri Gupta was Hanuman, someone else was Nārada, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was Brahmā. So, He would address them by their previous līlā and thus He would reveal, what they were in their previous pastimes.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.227

aparūpa kṛṣṇāveśa, aparūpa nṛtya
ānande nayana bhari' dekhe saba bhṛtya

Translation: All the Lord's servants happily watched as the Lord displayed His unparalleled ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa and unparalleled dancing.

Jayapatākā Swami: His servitors’ eyes were filled with love and bliss, as they saw the unparalleled love of Kṛṣṇa, in the unparalleled dancing of the Lord.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.228

dvāraruddha kariyā antaraṅga bhaktagaṇasaha kīrtana evaṃ aparera praveśa niṣedha—

pūrve yei sāndhāila bāḍīra bhitare
sei-mātra dekhe anye praveśite nāre

Translation: Only those who had previously entered the house of Śrīvāsa were allowed to see those pastimes.

There was such a crowd watching the Lord's dancing that no one other than those who had previously entered Śrīvāsa's courtyard were allowed in.

Jayapatākā Swami: Those who had previously entered the house of Śrīvāsa, they alone could see the ecstatic dancing of Lord Caitanya, others could not enter and see those pastimes. So, we understand there was, a huge crowd of devotees who wanted to see the dancing of the Lord, but they were not allowed to enter into Śrīvāsa’s courtyard.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 8.229

prabhura ājñāya dṛḍha lāgiyāche dvāra
praveśite nāre loka saba nadīyāra

Translation: The door was firmly locked by the order of the Lord. The ordinary people of Nadia were not able to enter.

Another reading of loka saba nadīyāra (“all the people of Nadia”) is anya loka nadīyāra, which means “other persons of Nadia.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord gave the order to firmly lock the door. The ordinary people who wanted see were not able to enter. So, the other people were not allowed to enter. Only the pure devotees.

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We will end here. You can have some questions ready and I will come back shortly.

Question: How to live without Kṛṣṇa? I feel … sometimes because of it.—Śrī Gaurī Rādhā devī dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: That is a very good attitude to have. How we can live without Kṛṣṇa? Actually, we want to always be serving the Lord, and Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us some ways that we can serve the Lord for His pleasure. So that is something we should do. We want to serve the Lord. Just being on the same planet or having form of liberation, is not accepted by the devotees, if it doesn’t include serving the Lord. We want to personally serve the Lord. So that is how we can live without Kṛṣṇa, because there is no difference of serving Kṛṣṇa or being with Kṛṣṇa. So, we should always try to serve Kṛṣṇa, that is the secret of success. Haribol!

Seeking blessings: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja, Here is your spiritual granddaughter Gauri Rādhā dd who asked the question. From Russian, Kṛṣṇadar City. She is asking you to bless her to be always engaged in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa and to be always useful and serve the devotees.—Your servant, Nārāyaṇī Rādhā devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: May you both always be always in the service of guru and Kṛṣṇa!

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, we want to organize with Sarvajaya Mādhava prabhu a worldwide chanting to cope with COVID 19, uniting people on ZOOM. What do you think of it? Please advise and bless us.—Your servant, Nārāyaṇī Rādhā Devī Dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Organize a worldwide chanting. Any chanting is good. I was thinking today that somehow, if we can encourage people to chant all over the world. This is a way to purify the world. There is no cure and no treatment for the pandemic corona virus. So, people should chant and that is the best care. Even if you leave your body, you will go back to Godhead and by chanting it will purify the world, so they don’t have to undergo these tribulations. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Question: Bengali question. Dear Guru Mahārāja, Please accept my respectful obeisances. (Jayapatākā Swami: Accepted). I have registered for Bhakti-śāstrī. Please give your mercy that I be able to read the Bhagavad-gītā.

Jayapatākā Swami: She has registered for Bhakti-śāstrī so wants blessings for reading the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā reading blessing! (Guru Mahārāja waved his hand in the air)

Who else is going to study the Bhagavad-gītā? If anyone wants books? There is a book table behind. There are other books too. If someone can deliver the books here. Thank you.

Any questions? Any Chinese questions?

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances. can you please explain the significance of tulasī neck-beads of 1,2,3,4 and 5 rounds. Is it ok to wear 3 rounds of tulasī neck beads before initiation? Can we wash our initiated chanting beads in the Ganges? I saw some devotees washing, so I had a doubt. —Your servant, Kṛṣṇa Karuṇā Mūrti dāsa, Bengaluru.

Jayapatākā Swami: 2-5 tulasī beads are worn around the neck. Some people wear one if they are bhaktas. I don’t think there is any evidence of such a thing. As far as washing the tulasī in the Ganges, I haven’t heard of that specifically. You could ask such devotees if there is such evidence that Śrīla Prabhupāda said to do that. Maybe the devotees touched the beads accidentally to their feet or something and they thought they should wash the beads. I don’t know why they are doing it. Before the beads for initiation, we soak the beads in linseed oil or ghee or something. We do mālā-saṁskāra of the beads. We take the beads in a small (49.00 – not clear) agarbatti and touch them to the feet of Viṣṇu-tattva. This is done before the chanting for initiation. Alright, Kṛṣṇa Karuṇā Mūrti dāsa from Bengaluru?

So, since the pandemic is declared in different places, some of the temples have stopped their Sunday classes. Tomorrow is Sunday, I may give some class earlier for the Australian devotees.

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances. I am leaving Mayapur and I feel extremely sad about it. What to do? Your granddaughter, Śrī Gauri Rādhā devī dāsī, Russia.

Jayapatākā Swami: Well, we are very happy if people could spend their time in Māyāpur but if you have to leave, always serve Mayapur in separation, always think of Mayapur as your real, eternal home, and serve guru and Kṛṣṇa, guru and Gaurāṅga in separation, my dear spiritual granddaughter. The books?