20200331 The Result of Hearing the Prayers offered by Mukunda Datta and the Benediction He Received (Part 3)

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

Chapter entitled as The Result of Hearing (Phalaśruti) the Prayers offered by Mukunda Datta and the Benediction He Received – Continued…

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.256

yateka kahilā tumi, saba mora kathā
tomāra mukhete kena āsiba anyathā?

Translation: “Whatever you have said has been spoken by Me. Otherwise how could those statements come from your mouth?

“O Mukunda, you have simply repeated My words. Because you are an unalloyed devotee, no statement other than the truth can come from your mouth.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Whatever you have spoken, all are My words. What else will come from your mouth? Those statements came from your mouth, because they were spoken by Me. So, Lord Caitanya was saying, because you are My pure devotee, all the statements and the words come from your mouth. Since I speak always the truth, the truth is coming from your mouth.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.257

bhakti vilāimu mui—balila tomāre
āge prema-bhakti dila tora kaṇṭha-svare

Translation: “I tell you that I will distribute devotional service. I have already imparted love and devotion into your voice.

A living entity cannot engage in the service of the Supreme Lord through his false ego. The principal criteria for the living entities to become inclined towards the Lord's service is the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Mahāprabhu said, “O Mukunda, I have made you eligible for loving devotional service. I will certainly preach devotional service through your kīrtana.”

Jayapatākā Swami: I will distribute pure devotional service. I have already told you. I have given your voice, My blessing of pure love of Kṛṣṇa. So, the living entity, cannot engage in the service of the Supreme Lord, by his false ego. One gets inclined to a service of the Lord, by the Lord’s mercy. So, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, that oh, Mukunda! I may be eligible for loving devotional service. I will preach devotional service through your kīrtana.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.258

yata dekha āche mora vaiṣṇava-maṇḍala
śunile tomāra gāna dravaye sakala

Translation: “You see as many Vaiṣṇavas in my group, the hearts of all melt while hearing your singing.

“As all the devotees of Viṣṇu who follow Me hear your devotion-filled songs, the hardness in their hearts softens.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Wherever you see many Vaiṣṇavas in My group, as soon as they hear your singing, all their hearts melt. Lord Caitanya is telling Mukunda, that his singing melts the hearts of the devotees, because of His mercy.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.259

āmāra yemana tumi vallabha ekānta
ei-mata hau tore sakala mahānta

Translation: “As you are extremely dear to Me, may you become similarly dear to all the Vaiṣṇavas.

“As you have become dear to Me on the strength of your unalloyed devotional service, may you also become similarly dear to My devotees.”

Jayapatākā Swami: As you are extremely dear to Me, you must be dear to all the Vaiṣṇavas. Mahāprabhu is explaining how Mukunda Datta is dear to Him, because of his pure devotional service. And His blessing is that he will similarly be dear to all My devotees.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.260

yekhāne yekhāne haya mora avatāra
tathāya gāyana tumi haibe āmāra”

Translation: “Wherever I incarnate, you will accompany Me as My singer.”

“You are My eternal companion, and you always sing for Me. Wherever I incarnate you will appear as My associate to sing the glories of Hari.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Wherever and whenever I incarnate, you will accompany Me, as My singer. So Mahāprabhu is stating that Mukunda Datta, is His eternal companion! Ha! Ha! He always sings for Lord Caitanya, in every avatāra, In every incarnation. So that means Mukunda is His eternal associate, to sing the glories of Hari and melt all the hard hearts of the devotees.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.261

mukundera varaprāptite mahājayadhvan—

mukundere eta yadi vara dāna kaila
mahā jaya-jaya-dhvani takhani haila

Translation: When the Lord awarded this benediction to Mukunda, a tumultuous sound of joy was heard everywhere.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu gave His blessing, His benediction to Mukunda Datta. He would be His eternal associate, and always sing for Him! Immediately, all the devotees gave a tumultuous jaya-dhvani. It could be heard everywhere. Such was the – you know, Ha! Ha!, on one hand Mukunda was told by Lord Caitanya, he couldn’t come to see Him, he couldn’t see Him, and then he asked, for how long? He said, ten million births. And then Mukunda became rejoicing, I will see Him again! Ha! Ha! And now he gets a blessing that every avatāra of Lord Caitanya, he will be there, singing for the Lord! Haribol!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.262

`hari-bola hari-bola jaya jagannātha
`hari' bali' nivedaya yuḍi' dui hāta

Translation: Everyone folded their hands as they chanted, “Hari! Hari bol! Jaya Jagannātha!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol! Haribol! Jaya Jagannātha! Hari! Hari! They were saying and folded their hands. Haribol! Everybody should chant this, whoever is watching this! Haribol!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.263

mukundera stuti-vara śune yei jana
sei mukundera sane haiba gāyana

Translation: Anyone who hears Mukunda's prayers and the benediction awarded to him will become a singer with him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Whoever has heard the prayers offered by Mukunda, he gets the blessing, benediction to become a singer along with Mukunda! Haribol! That means by hearing this pastime we will become an eternal associate of Lord Caitanya. So, there is so much mercy in hearing this pastime. So, unfortunately, people in the material world, they usually don not appreciate the benediction of being an associate with the Lord. How much happiness there is in participating in the pastimes of the Lord. So Mukunda, he had the benediction. Those who hear the pastime of his punishment, his repenting, and his benediction, they also will become associated with Lord Caitanya.

Thus ends the Chapter -
The Result of Hearing (পলশ্রুতি) the Prayers offered by Mukunda Datta and the Benediction He Received

* * *

So, during the pandemic of this corona virus, we can hear the pastime of Lord Caitanya. But we are very concerned that some of our dear devotees are affected. We heard that Dhanañjaya Prabhu and his son-in-law, what is his name? Tṛanādapi Sunīcena Prabhu, are sick and in self isolation in the house. So, we pray to the deities that, if it so please Kṛṣṇa, they may be cured quickly. So, during this time, devotees should be extremely careful. Observe the social distancing, and wash your hands and follow the advice. I know one person who cannot observe social distancing!  I cannot stand up unless I have someone help me. So, my assistants, caretakers, follow some protocol. So, I am dependent on that.

So please expand the preaching of the holy name. And I very grateful for all those who are helping, and extending the preaching of the holy name. You can all write to your heads of state, heads of government, and also to the mayors and other MPs and so on, the importance of chanting the name of God. Like in America, they say, “In God We Trust” on the money. But the President Trump said, if we are lucky, we will find a treatment, we will get a vaccine. So, we don’t want to depend on chance. At least we should depend on Kṛṣṇa. And so, gradually my voice is returning, but I have to speak softly.

Any questions?

Question: Dear Gurudeva, PAMHO. Is it right to desire to go back to Godhead within this lifetime or we shall not be attached to the destination we go and just pray that wherever we go, we are always in the association of devotees? Your most fallen spiritual daughter, Nīlarādhe devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: We want to serve the Lord. And we want that we can be part of His pastimes.

Without the service of the Lord, devotees don’t care for liberation. Only if it includes the service of the Lord, they may accept any of the four liberations. Living in the planet of the Lord, having the same physical features of the Lord, being in the personal presence of the Lord, having the same opulence as the Lord. Only if those include devotional service. Because devotees never accept sāyujya or merging in the brahma-jyoti or body of the Lord.  I asked Śrīla Prabhupada I wanted to serve you birth after birth. He said, why do you want me to come back? I thought I said, I wanted to serve you, even, birth of birth! He said that is alright!

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO: (Guru Mahārāja said: Accepted.) Some devotees who initially have the Śrī-sampradāya background, also now have a tendency to hear from Śrī sampradaya speakers. I have mentioned to them, we have everything in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and lectures. Is there a need to hear from outside? Hearing from other sampradāya speakers affects one’s mood of devotional service. Your spiritual daughter, Supriyā Jāhnavī devī dāsī, East London, UK

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, there is no need to be hearing from others outside of Iskcon. At least Śrī-sampradāya is one of the four sampradāyas, Vaiṣṇava, but they are in the mood of servitude, dāsya. And they worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. So, by hearing their lectures, one may attain the Vaikuṇṭha loka of the Lord, and not be allowed into the kṛṣṇa-loka. So that is one of the dangers. But at least it is in the spiritual world. Would rather hear the six gosvāmīs, and rather be in the sākhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa or mādhurya-rasa. I think, today or yesterday was the appearance day of Rāmānujācarya. We glorify Rāmānujācarya, he was a great preacher, a great devotee. And we naturally appreciate his contribution, but there is no need. But if sometimes we go, may not be a problem. Not like listening to māyāvādīs. But if we go too much, then we may miss the highest benediction of Lord Caitanya. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Question: In Bengali. Hare Kṛṣṇa Jayapatākā Swami: PAMRO. (Jayapatākā Swami: Accepted). Your eternal servant, Aruṇa Kānti Gaurāṅga dāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: He is asking - it says that we should chant the holy name in the mood of śaraṇāgati. Śaraṇāgati means surrender. In the mood of surrender to the Supreme Lord, one chants His holy names. So there are different ways of chanting. One may like the professional groups, they chant for money. So they are not really surrendered. By chanting tākā, tākā, tākā! (tākā means money in Bengali). So we want to chant, like how Mukunda did. He chanted and all the devotees’ hearts melted, and Lord Caitanya danced. So we would like to chant in that way. And I had a disciple who previously was in one of the kīrtana bands, and later he became a devotee and he chanted in surrender. But he said that they had two hours of turns to chant. He would be showing crying, think when my two hours are up, I would like to smoke a cigarette! My bidi! Ha! Ha!  But outward he is showing, like crying and inside he is thinking bidi, bidi! So, when he met the devotees, he found out what the real method of chanting was. Saranagata. With fully surrendered mood. Then he didn’t think of bidi anymore! Ha! He wants blessing. Okay, he wants the blessing that he can fully follow the path of śaraṇāgati, surrender.

Question: Tamil channel: Mālā Śaktī: Now only I came to devotional service at the age of 49. How to get spiritual and I am preparing for initiation. That is the question. I came at half age, so I am feeling!

Jayapatākā Swami: Better late than never! Ha! Ha! So, we saw how Mukunda was lamenting that he had wasted much time listening to the māyāvādīs. So if you lament how your 49 years you were not spending in devotional service, then you can use the remaining time whatever you have, in Kṛṣṇa’s service. I came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness when I was 19. I am lamenting that the first 19 years were wasted! And some people are so fortunate, they are born in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but some of them don’t understand how fortunate they are! So, if you take devotional service as a rare jewel, and try to use every remaining moment in devotional service, then you will achieve all success. Haribol!

Announcement: Bhagavad-gītā sponsorships.

Jayapatākā Swami: Blessings!

Donors for the Māyāpur devotee care and Food for Life program announcements.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare!

Special request: From a disciple, Mālinī Nitāi devī dāsī and family from UK. Has lot of symptoms of corona virus, and she and her family need special prayers, to overcome this difficult time. So please devotees pray for their wellbeing.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mālinī Nitāi dāsī and family, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

I wanted to give a Bengali class to the Kolkata bhakti-vṛkṣa groups, but they said, they don’t know how to use the phone!  It is hard to believe! There is so much on Facebook. If there is anyone here from Kolkata, please send a chat that you would like me to go online for Kolkata? Otherwise, we will find some other place to go!