20200406 Advaita Ācārya Resolves to Explain Yoga-vāśiṣṭha

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 Advaita Ācārya Resolves to Explain Yoga-vāśiṣṭha

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 17.66

ācārya-gosāñire prabhu kare guru-bhakti
tāhāte ācārya baḍa haya duḥkha-mati

Translation: Lord Caitanya respected Advaita Ācārya as His spiritual master, but Advaita Ācārya Prabhu was greatly aggrieved by such behavior.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.01

jaya viśvambhara sarva-vaiṣṇavera nātha
bhakti diyā jīve prabhu kara ātmasāt

Translation: All glories to Viśvambhara, the Lord of all Vaiṣṇavas! O Lord, please deliver the living entities by giving them Your devotional service.

Viśvambhara is the maintainer of the universe. He is the object of all devotional service. Induced by the spirit of enjoyment, the conditioned soul has forgotten pure service to the Lord. Unless the Supreme Lord accepts the service of the living entity by becoming the object of his service-inclined propensities, the living entity's natural propensity for enjoyment becomes prominent. That is why the merciful Lord, as the viṣaya-vigraha, or object of worship, awards the subordinate, separated living entity the opportunity to serve and thus accepts him as His own.

Jayapatākā Swami: All glories to Lord Viśvambhara, who is the protector of all the Vaiṣṇavas! O Lord, please give Your devotion to the living entities, and thus deliver them. So Viśvambhara is, in one sense the maintainer of the universe, the Lord of the universe. He is also Lord Jagannātha, since He is the Lord of the universe. So as such, He is the object of all devotional service. So, the conditioned souls forget their loving service to the Lord, and they are trying to enjoy material sense gratification. So, it is important that the Lord accepts the devotion of the living entities, otherwise the jīvas’ propensity to enjoy becomes prominent. So, it is the Lord’s special mercy, that He allows himself to be the object of worship, giving the opportunity to the conditioned soul to serve Him and accept Him, as his own Lord and Master.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.02

mahāprabhura navadvīpe vihāra —

hena-mate navadvīpe prabhu viśvambhara
krīḍā kare, nahe sarva-nayana-gocara

Translation: In this way Lord Viśvambhara performed pastimes in Navadvīpa that were not seen by all.

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, the Lord Viśvambhara performed His pastimes in Navadvīpa-dhāma. And everyone could not see what He was doing.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.03

āpana bhaktera saba mandire mandire
nityānanda-gadādhara-saṁhati vihare

Translation: In the company of Nityānanda and Gadādhara, the Lord enjoyed pastimes in the houses of His devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: He went from house to house of His devotees, along with, in the company of Nityānanda and Gadādhara, and He enjoyed various pastimes.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.04

bhāgavatagaṇera kṛṣṇasevonmukhatāya āveśa-vaśataḥ bahiḥpratītira abhāva —

prabhura ānande pūrṇa bhāgavata-gaṇa
kṛṣṇa-paripūrṇa dekhe sakala bhuvana

Translation: All the devotees were filled with the Lord's ecstasy. They saw the entire world in relationship to Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Mahāprabhu is the source of complete ecstasy for devotees inclined to the service of the Lord. The conditioned souls are subjected to the threefold miseries of material existence. But since the liberated devotees of the Lord are filled with ecstasy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not experience any material distress. Wherever the object of happiness is temporary and the living entities' endeavors are imperfect there is a lack of complete ecstasy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Experiencing the ecstasy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere is perception of the living entities' complete happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the devotees were filled with the Lord’s ecstasy. They saw the whole world, in relationship to Lord Kṛṣṇa. So, for the devotees who are inclined to devotional service, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a source of complete ecstasy. The conditioned souls are subject to the threefold miseries of material life, ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika and ādhidaivika – miseries due to one’s own body, like having some disease or something, ādhibhautika miseries or troubles from other living entities, maybe because of some other human, maybe a mosquito, maybe a dog, so by some other living entity causing misery, that is ādhibhautika. ādhidaivika, is misery due to the extreme acts of nature, which is a divine dispensation. Maybe a flood, earthquake, hurricane, cyclone, excessive heat, excessive cold, such things. But the devotees, filled with the ecstasy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, do not experience any material distress. They are absorbed in spiritual bliss and ecstasy. So, if the living entity worships something other than Kṛṣṇa, something temporary, their endeavors are imperfect. Therefore, they lack the complete ecstasy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sometimes devotees approach me and say, how they are experiencing some problem in their material life. They ask me to please bless them that they can enjoy. It is not my position! Actually, by engaging in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, one has real ecstasy. Material life means, sometimes there will be happiness and sometimes there will be miseries. So, those pure devotees, they see everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa, they have complete happiness.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.05

niravadhi bhāvāveśe kāro nāhi bāhya
saṅkīrtana vinā āra nāhi kona kārya

Translation: They were constantly absorbed in love of God and had no external consciousness. They had no engagement other than the performance of saṅkīrtana.

Since the devotees of the Lord are absorbed in the service of Kṛṣṇa, they cannot even glance towards the material world under the influence of external knowledge. Rather they constantly remain intoxicated by glorifying Kṛṣṇa's names, forms, qualities, and pastimes.

Jayapatākā Swami: They were constantly absorbed in the loving ecstasy. No one had any external consciousness. Apart from saṅkīrtana, they didn’t have any other activity. So, the devotees remain intoxicated by the ecstasy of glorifying Kṛṣṇa’s names, forms, qualities, pastimes. So, they cannot be distracted, even by the glance of material enjoyment.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.06

ācārya gosvāmīra caritra —

sabā haite matta baḍa ācārya gosāñī
agādha caritra, bujhe hena keha nāi

Translation: Of all the devotees, Ācārya Gosāñi was most blissful. No one was able to understand His unfathomable characteristics.

Jayapatākā Swami: Most ecstatic of all the devotees was Advaita Ācārya Gosāñi. His character was very deep, and no one could understand His unfathomable characteristics.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.07

jāne jana-katho śrī-caitanya-kṛpāya
caitanyera mahābhakta śāntipura-rāya

Translation: The glories of Lord Caitanya's great devotee, Advaita, the Lord of Śāntipura, are known by the mercy of Lord Caitanya to only a few devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, a very few devotees, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, know the glories of this great devotee of Lord Caitanya, who is the Lord of Śāntipura.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.08

mahāprabhura advaita-prati bhakti-pradarśane ācāryera duḥkha evaṃ prabhura tādṛśa-bhāvāpanodanera saṅkalpa —

bāhya haile viśvambhara sarva-vaiṣṇavere
mahābhakti karena, viśeṣa advaitere

Translation: When Viśvambhara regained His external consciousness, He would offer respect to all the Vaiṣṇavas, and particularly to Advaita.

Mahāprabhu always displayed intense eagerness to please Kṛṣṇa and acted like He did not even glance at the world of material enjoyment. The moment His glance fell on the external world, He immediately engaged in the service of Viṣṇu's devotees. He thus displayed the pastime of serving Śrī Advaita Ācārya with awe and reverence, but Advaita Prabhu was not pleased by this. His only purpose in life was to serve Śrī Caitanya. Therefore, He considered the Lord's exhibition of respect to Him as a frustration of His own good fortune.

Jayapatākā Swami: When Lord Viśvambhara regained His external consciousness, He would give His respect to all the Vaiṣṇavas, with great devotion, and especially respect Advaita Gosāñi. Lord Caitanya was in the mood of always trying to display intense eagerness to please Kṛṣṇa. He acted like that He had no interest in the material world or material enjoyment. The moment His glance fell on the material world, He would worship and respect the devotees of Lord Viṣṇu. So Advaita, since He was the disciple of Mādhavendra Purī, He was the spiritual uncle of Lord Caitanya, god brother of His guru. So, He would offer special respect to Advaita Ācārya. But Advaita Gosāñi, He was not pleased by this. Because He knew that Lord Caitanya was actually Kṛṣṇa Himself. And the purpose of His life was to serve Sri Caitanya. Therefore, He considered Lord Caitanya’s showing of respect to Him, as a kind of frustration of His good fortune.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.09

ihāte asukhī baḍa śāntipura-nātha
mane mane garje, citte nā pāya soyātha

Translation: As a result of this, the Lord of Śāntipura was unhappy. His mind rumbled, and His heart felt no relief.

Jayapatākā Swami: For this reason, the Lord of Śāntipura, Advaita Gosāñi, He was very unhappy. His mind was disturbed. And His consciousness found no relief.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.10

“niravadhi corā more viḍambanā kare
prabhutva chāḍiyā mora caraṇe se dhare

Translation: “This thief constantly harasses Me by giving up His superior position and grabbing hold of My feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: “The thief constantly harasses Me, he gives up His Lordship, His superior position, and grabs My feet.” The Lord Advaita, He was suffering because Lord Caitanya was showing Him such respect. He was thinking that, how can I get the Lord to treat Me as inferior.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.11

bale nāhi pāroṅ mui prabhu mahābalī
dhariyā o laya mora caraṇera dhūli

Translation: “By force I cannot check Him, because the Lord is most powerful and even by holding me takes dust from My feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: “So, the Lord is very powerful. I cannot check Him. Even by force, He holds Me and takes the dust from My feet.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.12

bhakti-bala sabe mora āchaye upāya
bhakti vinā viśvambhare cinana nā yāya

Translation: “The only remedy I have is the power of devotional service, for no one can recognize Viśvambhara without devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: “I have the strength of devotional service, so with that, there is some remedy. Without devotion, no one can understand Viśvambhara. No one can recognize Viśvambhara.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.13

tabe se `advaita-siṁha'-nāma loke ghoṣe
cūrṇa karoṅ māyā yabe aśeṣa viśeṣe

Translation: “When I smash His illusion into pieces, then only will My name Advaita-siṁha be glorified.

Jayapatākā Swami: “My name as Advaita-siṁha will be glorified by the people, if I can smash this illusion into pieces”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.14

bhṛgure jiniyā āśa pāiyāche cora
bhṛgu-hena śata śata śiṣya āche mora

Translation: “This thief has become proud after defeating Bhṛgu, but He doesn't know that I have hundreds of disciples like Bhṛgu.

There is a story among people that Lord Nārāyaṇa accepted Bhṛgu's footprint on His chest to exhibit His affection for His devotees and demonstrate that he [Bhṛgu] was a fool. Since ignorant people are more prone to be deceived, they consider Bhṛgu more respectable than the Supreme Lord. But, as Śrī Advaita Prabhu is “Mahā-Viṣṇu” and a Vaiṣṇava ācārya, He recognized the foolishness of Bhṛgu. Therefore, while displaying His external anger and pride, He declared that He has hundreds of disciples like Bhṛgu. Śrī Gaurasundara, who is nondifferent from Vrajendra-nandana, could not hide the stealing propensities of His Śyāmasundara pastimes from Advaita Prabhu. The forgetfulness of the Supreme Lord in those who are tortured by the illusory energy and who cannot understand their own constitutional position or the position of the Supreme Lord awakens in them a spirit of enjoyment at every step. But since Śrī Advaita Prabhu was a remarkably intelligent and most clever devotee of Gaura, His thoughts were not like those of foolish living entities. He endeavored with a desire to obtain punishment from Śrī Caitanyadeva to reverse the concept that He was worshipable. Thinking in this way, He desired to place artificial obstacles in the gaura-avatāra's preaching of devotional service to belittle the Lord's pastimes as a servant.

Jayapatākā Swami: This thief has become proud by defeating Bhṛgu! He doesn’t know that I have hundreds and hundreds of disciples like Bhṛgu! So, in the pastime of Bhṛgu Muni, he was trying to test who was actually most, in the mode of goodness of the three Lords, Brahmā, Śiva, Viṣṇu, who was Supreme. So, he didn’t offer respect to Brahmā, that was a mental offence. And Brahmā became angry. And Lord Śiva, he criticized Lord Śiva. And Śiva became angry. And Viṣṇu, he came and kicked Viṣṇu in the chest. That was a physical offense. But Viṣṇu came and said, oh, did I hurt your feet, My chest is very hard. So, some people think that Bhṛgu is very respectable, because he kicked Viṣṇu in the chest. But actually, Viṣṇu defeated him. By showing His tolerance. So, He thought that Bhṛgu was defeated, and that had made Lord Caitanya proud. Lord Caitanya was not different from Kṛṣṇa, who is known in Vṛndāvana as the butter thief. So, Advaita Gosāñi is referring to Lord Caitanya as a thief. Because He steals the dust from His feet. Although He is in a more respectable position. So as such Advaita is making a plan. So, those who don’t realize the position of the Supreme Lord, they think that Bhṛgu is very intelligent. But actually, Advaita Gosāñi, He felt that Bhṛgu was foolish because he kicked the Lord in the chest. The Lord, although He had received the worst of all types of offence, He displayed extreme mercy, and no anger. Rather He rubbed the feet of Bhṛgu, oh, did I hurt your foot? So, on a higher level Advaita could see that He had defeated Bhṛgu. But He felt that He was being cheated in the same way. So, he declared that He had hundreds of disciples like Bhṛgu, so it wasn’t so easy to cheat Him, Advaita Gosāñi. One cannot understand why Advaita Gosāñi does what He does. He is a very intelligent devotee of the Lord, what He does is on a much higher platform than the ordinary people. The ordinary people being affected by the illusory energy, they don’t understand how Advaita Gosāñi, what He is doing and why. His thoughts are completely different than the foolish conditioned souls. He wanted to receive punishment from Lord Caitanya, so that this idea that He was worshipable by Lord Caitanya, would be defeated. So, He planned to put some obstacle in the special relationship between Advaita and Gaura as a devotee, and have the Lord treat Him as a servant.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.15

hena krodha janmāiba prabhura śarīre
svahaste āpane yena mora śāsti kare

Translation: “I will make the Lord so angry that He will punish Me by His own hand.

Jayapatākā Swami: I will make the Lord so angry with Me, that He will punish Me by His own hands.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.16

`bhakti bujhāite se prabhura avatāra
hena bhakti nā māninu'—ei mantra sāra

Translation: “The Lord has incarnated to preach devotional service; I will not accept such devotional service— এই মন্ত্র সার.

Jayapatākā Swami: “The Lord has descended, to teach and preach His devotional service. I will display, not accepting such devotional service. This is the essence of My plan.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.17

bhakti nā mānile krodhe āpanā pāsari'
prabhu mora śāsti karibena cule dhari'”

Translation: “If I do not accept devotional service, then the Lord will forget Himself out of anger and punish Me by pulling My hair.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “If I do not accept devotional service, the Lord will forget Himself out of anger, and He will punish Me grabbing My hair.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.18

ācāryera haridāsa-saha śāntipure gamana o yogavāśiṣṭha vyākhyāmūle bhaktipatha-vidveṣera chalanā—

ei mata cintiyā advaita mahā-raṅge
vidāya hailā prabhu haridāsa-saṅge

Translation: After contemplating in this way, Advaita Prabhu happily departed with Haridāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Thinking in this way, Advaita Gosvāmī in great happiness, He departed from Lord Caitanya, with Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.19

kona kārya lakṣya kari' gṛhete āilā
āsiyā mānasa-mantra paḍite lāgilā

Translation: He came home on the pretext of some work and worked out the remedy he thought about in his mind.

Jayapatākā Swami: He, on the pretext of doing some work in His house, He came to Śāntipura and He began to speak on the Yoga-vāśiṣṭha-śikṣā.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.20

niravadhi bhāvāveśe dole matta haiyā
vākhāne vāśiṣṭha-śāstra `jñāna' prakāśiyā

Translation: Constantly intoxicated with ecstasy, He swayed back and forth. While explaining the Yoga-vāśiṣṭha-śāstra, He illuminated knowledge.

While explaining the nondevotional Māyāvādī book named Yoga-vāśiṣṭha, Śrī Advaita Prabhu made a show of aversion to the path of devotional service. His purpose was to obstruct Mahāprabhu's preaching of devotional service, so that He [Gaura] would punish Him [Advaita] rather than worship Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Constantly in ecstasy, He swayed back and forth. He explained, he commented on the Vāśiṣṭha-yoga scriptures, establishing the jñāna-yoga. So, this is the non-devotional, Māyāvādī philosophy in the book entitled Yoga-vāśiṣṭha. So Advaita Gosāñi, made a show of aversion to the path of bhakti, aversion to devotional service. His purpose was to offer some obstruction or obstacle, in Lord Caitanya’s preaching of devotional service. So that Lord Caitanya would punish Him, Advaita Gosāñi, rather than worship Him.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.21

`jñāna' vinā kibāśakti dhare viṣṇu-bhakti
ataeva sabāra prāṇa, jñāna—sarva-śakti

Translation: “Without jñāna, what power does devotional service to Viṣṇu have? Therefore jñāna has all potency, and it is the life of all.

“Without jñāna, in the form of cultivation of impersonal Brahman, devotional service to Viṣṇu cannot have any potency. Jñāna is the life of devotional service. Jñāna is certainly full of all potencies. Giving up such impersonal jñāna is like giving up the wealth in one's own home and searching for wealth in the forest, where it is not available.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So He was teaching that without jñāna, without jñāna-yoga, the devotional service to Kṛṣṇa has, to Viṣṇu, has no potency. Therefore, jñāna, the life, and all potencies in jñāna! So, He was teaching that without the impersonal Brahman, and without the jñāna-yoga, devotion to Viṣṇu has no potency. Jñāna is the life of devotional service.  That is the way He was preaching. So, He was preaching that giving up jñāna for bhakti makes no sense, and impersonal realization is the real treasure. It is like leaving your house which has so much wealth, and going into the forest which is no wealth. Like this He was preaching, how jñāna is everything.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.22

hena jñāna nā bujhiyā kona kona jana
ghare dhana hārāiyā cāhe giyā vana

Translation: “One who does not understand such jñāna is comparable to a person who leaves his wealth at home and then searches for it in the forest.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one who doesn’t understand how jñāna is the most valuable thing, he is like the person who leaves his home, to search for it in the forest.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.23

viṣṇu-bhakti—darpaṇa, locana haya—`jñāna'
cakṣu-hīna janera darpaṇe kon kāma?

Translation: “Devotional service to Viṣṇu is like a mirror, while jñāna is like the eyes. What is the use of a mirror if one has no eyes?

“Devotional service to Viṣṇu is like a mirror. But if one is not endowed with eyes in the form of jñāīna, then this mirror has no use. If there are no eyes, then what is the use of a mirror?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Viṣṇu bhakti is like the mirror and jñāna-yoga is LIKE THE EYES! WITHOUT THE EYES WHAT IS THE USE OF THE MIRROR? Ha! Ha! Ha! Advaita knows how to make Lord Gaurāṅga very angry. This is all false preaching! Devotional service is not dependent on jñāna. In fact, devotees don’t want impersonal realization. So, this preaching of Advaita is just to make Lord Caitanya angry.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.24

ādi anta āmi paḍilāma sarva-śāstra
bujhilāma sarva-abhiprāya—`jñāna' mātra

Translation: “I have studied all the scriptures from beginning to end and understood that jñāna is the intent of all scriptures.”

“After studying all scriptures from beginning to end, I have understood that jñāna is supreme.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “I have searched all the scriptures from beginning to end, and I have understood that jñāna is the intent of all the scriptures.” Oooooh! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.25

advaita-caritrajñātā haridāsera vyākhyā śrabaṇe hāsya—

advaita-caritra bhāla bujhe haridāsa
vyākhyāna śuniyā mahā-aṭṭa-aṭṭa-hāsa

Translation: Haridāsa knew well the characteristics of Advaita, therefore on hearing this explanation he laughed loudly.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura knew the actual character of Advaita Gosāñi. That He was actually a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So, when he heard this explanation, he began laughing very loudly. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.26

saubhāgyavanta janera advaitacaritra hṛdayaṅgama-sāmarthya evaṃ bhāgyahīnera tadabhāve amaṅgala prāpti—

ei mata advaitera caritra agādha
sukṛtira bhāla, duṣkṛtira kārya-vādha

Translation: Such are the unfathomable characteristics of Advaita Prabhu. They are auspicious for the devotees and impediments for the miscreants.

Those who were fortunate understood the characteristics of the devotee Advaita and thus realized the supremacy of devotional service to the Lord. Those who were unfortunate and sinful could not understand the purpose of Advaita Prabhu and attained inauspiciousness by accepting impersonal jñāna as superior to devotional service. They obtained only impediments on their path of progress.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this way, the character of Advaita was unfathomable, but the devotees, they could understand His purpose, it is good for them. And it is an impediment for the miscreants. So, devotees could understand that Advaita, He was actually repeating that the devotional service was supreme. That He was doing this pastime, simply to have Lord Caitanya treat Him as an inferior. So, the non-devotees, they are unfortunate and they cannot understand what Advaita Ācārya is doing. And they accepted impersonal jñāna-yoga, as superior to bhakti yoga or devotional service. So, they only receive impediments, in their progress in devotional service.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.27

advaitasaṅkalpa mahāprabhura hṛdgocara—

sarva-vāñchā-kalpa-taru prabhu viśvambhara
advaita-saṅkalpa citte haila gocara

Translation: Lord Viśvambhara is like a desire tree that fulfills everyone's desires, therefore He understood Advaita's resolution.

Mahāprabhu is the original source of fulfilment for everyone's desires. Therefore, He could certainly understand the internal mood of Advaita. When Śrī Advaita Prabhu saw the Lord offer Him great respect despite His endeavor to serve Mahāprabhu with His body, mind, and speech, then to counteract this situation He made a show of establishing bhakti as less enlightening by giving more importance to jñāna.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Viśvambhara is like the desire tree, to fulfill everyone’s desires. He understood Advaita’s purpose. Everything is known to Him. Certainly, Lord Caitanya could understand the internal thought process of Advaita. That Advaita, He would never say these things normally. Lord Caitanya would offer Advaita great respect, although Advaita was offering Him devotional service. He tried to respect Lord Caitanya with mind, words and deeds. Therefore, to counteract this, He was establishing jñāna-yoga as superior to bhakti-yoga.

Thus ends the Chapter -
Advaita Ācārya Resolves to Explain Yoga-vāśiṣṭha

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So, we are in the 13th day of the lockdown and because there is no system of treatment that has been discovered by the scientists, no vaccine, so the idea is to avoid getting the infection. Because if you get it, we have no treatment. So that is why we wash our hands, keep social distancing. But these are not solutions, the actual solution is that, Kṛṣṇa needs to reveal what is the treatment, what is the vaccine. But because people have, as Śrīla Prabhupāda said, they have transgressed the laws of nature, so now they are suffering the reaction So we need to have the people to take to chanting the holy names. In this way the Lord will be merciful to us. And even a small chanting of the holy names can destroy unlimited sins. Of course, we cannot tell these confidential things, that people chant together to get rid of their sins, and then they do more sins later. Then that will be the seventh offence of the holy name. Just get them to chant, that is why Śrīla Prabhupāda said, chant and be happy! Chant and be free from suffering. Don’t mention too much! So somehow the President of Brazil, he told his people, please pray! Ha! Ha! And some Russian orthodox priest, big priest, heavy, he went with his holy icons and he went all around Moscow, to try to drive away the corona virus. But actually, we should try to get the people to somehow or another chant. The Supreme Court in India asked the government, to promote bhajana, kīrtana and namāz. To help the people be peaceful. Because more people may die due to the anxiety and fear of the virus. Many people have committed suicide. So, we want people to chant and be happy. So, while we should avoid contracting the disease because there is no cure, but at the same time, we should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or chant some name of God So anyone listening, has any influence over anybody, or any contact with some political or religious leaders, please encourage them to promote the chanting of the Lord’s names. Bhajana, kīrtana, namāz, whatever. Haribol!

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Question: Tamil channel: Guru Mahārāja, Please accept my humble obeisances, both my parents are non-devotees but due to the fear of corona virus, as per my guidance, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra (Guru Mahārāja said: Jaya!) minimum two rounds daily. Though they refuse to accept Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord. Does that chanting have effect?—Vivekānandan Śaṇmukha Priyā.

Jayapatākā Swami: Even if one chants accidently or nāmābhāsa, it still has effect. So, their chanting 2 rounds will have some effect. If they are chanting with devotion it will have more effect. But somehow or another they are chanting; it will have some effect.