20200408 Mahāprabhu Teaches Everyone Not to Aspire For Anything Other Than Bhakti (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

Chapter entitled as Mahāprabhu Teaches Everyone Not to Aspire for Anything Other Than Bhakti

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.47-048

mahāprabhura rūpa-darśane sannyāsīra indriyatarpaṇapara āśīrvāda o tāhāte mahāprabhura prativāda—

dekhiyā mohana-mūrti dvijera nandana
sarvāṅga-sundara rūpa, praphulla vadana

santoṣe sannyāsī kare bahu āśīrvāda
“dhana, vaṁśa, suvivāha, hau vidyā lābha”

Translation: On seeing Brāhmaṇa son’s (Viśvambhara's) most enchanting form, beautiful limbs, and smiling face, the sannyāsī, in great satisfaction, offered Him various benedictions, “May You achieve wealth, family, good wife, and learning.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing the all-attractive form of the Lord, the son of the Brāhmaṇa, seeing that His form with all His limbs were beautiful, and that His face was effulgent and beautiful, the sannyāsī was very satisfied. And he offered all kinds of blessings – may You have wealth, good aristocratic family, nice birth, nice wife, and much learning.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.49

prabhu bale,—“gosāñi e nahe āśīrvāda”
hena bala—“tore hau kṛṣṇera prasāda

Translation:The Lord said, “O Gosāñi, this is not a benediction. Rather you should say, `May you attain the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.'

The followers of the modern day, late Mr. Nandi, who was an extremely attached householder worshiper of Gaurāṅga, support this dārī sannyāsī's philosophy. The dārī sannyāsīs' conception of “blessings” is to attain a beautiful wife, wealth for exploiting the poor, materialistic education, and the thirst to maintain the prestige of one's hereditary caste to impress inferiors. Śrī Gaurasundara did not approve the conceptions of such extremely attached householder “Bābā Ṭhākuras” and pointed out the faults in the dārī sannyāsī's blessings. Since lusty people cannot understand the mentality of the desireless paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇavas, they consider the Vaiṣṇavas to be like themselves. The dārī sannyāsīs have gradually embraced the philosophy of the caste Gosvāmīs. Śrīman Mahāprabhu has not at all accepted the philosophy of the caste Gosvāmīs. Rather, He established that the mercy of Kṛṣṇa is the topmost benediction to teach the married Gosvāmīs. People who pray for material benedictions highly esteem activities that are devoid of devotion to Viṣṇu and that fulfill their lust. In that state they cannot understand the principles of niṣkāma paramahaṁsa bhāgavata-dharma, selfless pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, and they consider non-Vaiṣṇavism created by smārtas to be Vaiṣṇavism. The caste Gosvāmīs and dārī sannyāsīs are anxious to acquire the title of “Gosāñi” from the people of this world. On the pretext of offering respect to the sannyāsī, Mahāprabhu also addressed the sannyāsī as “Gosāñi.” Actually, they can never become Gosvāmīs. The mentality of Śrī Caitanyadeva has already been revealed in such verses as the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (7.5.30) adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ and Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī's vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ [matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām, “Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.” vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁjihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam, etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥsarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt, “A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.].

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga said, oh Gosvāmī, this is not a blessing. Instead, you should say, “may You have the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa!” So, the modern personalities, follow this dārī sannyāsī's concept of blessings, to attain a beautiful wife, wealth for exploiting the poor, materialistic education and prestige to maintain one’s relatory caste, to impress inferiors. Śrī Gaurasundara did not approve of these conceptions. He considered this as extremely attached householders, Bābā Ṭhākuras. He pointed out the faults in the dārī sannyāsī's blessings. So lusty people cannot understand the desireless Paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇavas. They consider Vaiṣṇavas like themselves. The dārī sannyāsīs have also embraced the philosophy of the caste gosvāmīs. So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He did not accept this materialistic blessing. He wanted the real blessing, which was to achieve the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, to have pure devotion for Lord Viṣṇu. So, these dārī sannyāsīs and caste gosvāmīs, cannot understand the mentality of the niṣkāma-paramahaṁsas, the materially desireless mentality of the pure devotees. So, these non-Vaiṣṇavas are mistakenly seen as Vaiṣṇavas. So, these people are very anxious to receive the title Gosvāmī, from the common people. So Lord Caitanya, He also addressed the dārī sannyāsī as Gosāñi. Actually, gosvāmī means controller of the senses. Go is senses and svāmī is the controller. So, since they have material desires, they are controlled by these desires, they are not gosvāmīs, they are go-dāsas, servants of the senses. This pure devotional mentality of Lord Caitanya is explained in the 7th canto, 5th chapter, 30th verse of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. So, because of being addicted to materialistic life, people are chewing the chewed. They are trying to enjoy life by the same methods again and again. So, they never get the spontaneous devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.50

mahāprabhura viṣṇubhakti-āśīrvādera śreṣṭhatva jñāpana —

viṣṇu-bhakti-āśīrvāda—akṣaya avyaya
ye balilā gosāñi, tomāra yogya naya”

Translation: “The benediction of devotional service to Viṣṇu is inexhaustible and indestructible. Whatever you have said, O Gosāñi, does not befit you.”

“Wealth, children, beautiful wife, and material education are all temporary, whereas Lord Viṣṇu is eternal, the Vaiṣṇavas are eternal, and the Vaiṣṇavas' devotional service to Viṣṇu is eternal. The benediction of devotional service to Viṣṇu is not destructible and not exhaustible. People address you as `Guru' and `Gosāñi'; if you are so, then it is never proper for you to award such worldly, temporary benedictions.”

Jayapatākā Swami: You are saying of pure devotion to Viṣṇu, is indestructible and inexhaustible. The blessing you have given Gosāñi is not fit for you. Wealth, children, beautiful wife, material education, are all temporary, whereas Lord Viṣṇu is eternal. Vaiṣṇavas are eternal and their devotional service to Viṣṇu is eternal. So, the benediction of devotional service to Viṣṇu is not destructible and not exhaustible. Lord Caitanya told the dārī sannyāsī, that the people address you as guru or Gosāñi. If you are so, it is not proper for you to award such worldly, temporary benedictions.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.51

sannyāsīra viparīta buddhi darśane mahāprabhura hāsya—

hāsiyā sannyāsī bale,—“pūrve ye śunila
sākṣāte tāhāra āji nidāna pāila

Translation: The sannyāsī smiled and said, “I am now directly experiencing what I have previously heard about.

Jayapatākā Swami: Smiling, the sannyāsī said, “I am now directly hearing, directly experiencing, what I had previously heard about.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.52

bhāla se balite loka ṭheṅgā lañā dhāya
e vipra-putrera sei-mata vyavasāya

Translation: “If good advice is given, people will chase you with a stick. The behavior of this son of a brāhmaṇa is just like that.

The dārī sannyāsī said, “If good advice is given to people, they respond with outrage. Today I have direct evidence of that. This son of a brāhmaṇa has taken on the business of perverting the truth.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “If good advice is given, then the people will chase you with a stick. This son of a brāhmaṇa is behaving in that way.” This dārī sannyāsī is taking the good advice of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as a perversion of the truth.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.53

dhana-vara dila āmi parama santoṣe
kothā gela upakāra, āro āmā' doṣe!”

Translation: “I happily awarded Him the benediction of wealth, and what to speak of appreciating it, He found fault in me!”

“I happily gave this son of a brāhmaṇa the benediction, `May You achieve wealth,' but rather than feel grateful, He condemned me. This is certainly the work of Kali!”

Jayapatākā Swami: “I gave the blessing, the benediction of wealth. What to speak of being satisfied with that, rather He is finding fault with me!” So, the dārī sannyāsī thought that by saying You may achieve wealth, he would give a good benediction, but he is seeing that Lord Gaurāṅga is finding fault with him, “see how Kali-yuga is working. I am giving a good instruction, instead He doesn’t accept!”  So, this dārī sannyāsī is in such māyā, that he doesn’t understand how Lord Caitanya is telling him the Absolute Truth.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.54

sannyāsī balaye,—“śuna brāhmaṇa-kumāra
kene tumi āśīrvāda nindile āmāra?

Translation: The sannyāsī said, “Listen, O son of a brāhmaṇa, why do You criticize my benediction?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the dārī sannyāsī said, “listen, oh dear son of a brahmana, why do You criticize my benediction?”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.55-056

pṛthivīte janmiyā ye nā kaila vilāsa
uttama kāminī yāra nā rahila pāśa

yāra dhana nāhi, tāra jīvane ki kāja
hena dhana-vara dite, pāo tumi lāja

Translation: “If one who has taken birth in this world does not engage in sense gratification, does not enjoy beautiful women, and does not accumulate wealth, then what is the use of his life? And You are embarrassed to accept the benediction of such wealth?

“If after coming into this material world a person does not enjoy the intimate association of women, then there is no use of his life. What use is there in the life of one who after receiving a human birth does not accumulate wealth? I awarded You the benediction that You would achieve wealth and women, but You are embarrassed to accept them. This is astonishing. There is no way to progress in this world without wealth. I cannot understand how one can fill his stomach by possessing devotional service to Viṣṇu.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “Those who have taken birth in this world, they should enjoy life. What is the use if You don’t have a beautiful wife by the side, if You don’t have any wealth, what is the use of their life? I gave the blessing of wealth, but You were embarrassed by such a blessing.” So, this dārī sannyāsī, he thought the purpose of life is to enjoy. “So, what is the use of living if you don’t have enjoyment, if you don’t have wealth. I gave you the blessing to have material wealth, and to enjoy beautiful women, why you are embarrassed to accept it? This is the way of real progress in the material world. I cannot understand how You will fill Your stomach by having pure devotion to Viṣṇu?” 500 years ago we see how this material philosophy was promoted by this dārī sannyāsī. How Lord Caitanya is giving us, real spiritual happiness! How caste gosvāmīs and dārī sannyāsī, they are actually promoting the materialistic viewpoint in the name of religionists.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.57

haila vā viṣṇu-bhakti tomāra śarīre
dhana vinā ki khāibā, tāhā kaha more”

Translation: “Tell me, even if You have devotion to Viṣṇu, what will You eat if You do not have wealth?”

Jayapatākā Swami: “Even if You have Viṣṇu bhakti in your body, without wealth, what will You eat? Tell me that?”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.58

hāse prabhu, sannyāsīra vacana śuniyā
śrī-hasta dilena nija kapāle tuliyā

Translation: On hearing the words of the sannyāsī, the Lord smiled and raised His hand to His forehead.

On hearing the foolish arguments of the dārī sannyāsī, Gaurasundara hit His forehead with His hand while saying, “Haya! Haya!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing the words of the sannyāsī, the Lord smiled, and He raised His divine hand to His forehead! Oh no! Ha! Ha! Ha! (Guru Mahārāja put his hand to his forehead!) So, these foolish arguments of the dārī sannyāsī made Lord Gaurasundara hit His forehead with His hand and say, hai! Hai! Hai! Hai!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.59

gaurasundarera bhakti vyatīta sakala vastura aprayojanīyatā śikṣā pradāna—

vyapadeśe mahāprabhu sabāre śikhāya
bhakti vinā keha yena kichui nā cāya

Translation: On this pretext, Mahāprabhu taught everyone not to aspire for anything other than devotional service.

In this pastime Śrīman Mahāprabhu clearly revealed the importance of devotional service and the insignificance of all other activities and thus taught everyone that they should not desire anything else. In the course of teaching, He included the instruction to give up desires for material enjoyment.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu taught everyone, not to aspire for anything other than pure devotional service, ār kichui cāya nā! Ha! Ha! Ha! He wants pure kṛṣṇa-bhakti! So, in this pastime, Śrīman Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is clearly mentioning the importance of pure devotional service. And the insignificance of all other temporary blessings. He taught everyone that they should aspire for pure bhakti. So, in the course of His teaching, He gave the instruction to give up desires for material enjoyment. Living in this material world, there will be some enjoyment, and there will be suffering. Now the whole world is under this corona virus pandemic. And thus, humanity is suffering, facing different kinds of anxieties, If the pandemic is over, people will go back to enjoy. So actually, Lord Caitanya is teaching that we should aspire for pure devotion.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.60

“śuna śuna sannyāsī-gosāñi, ye khāiba
nija-karme ye āche, se āpane miliba

Translation: “Listen, O Sannyāsī Gosāñi, we will all certainly eat whatever is destined by our karma.

In answer to the dārī sannyāsī's question, “How will You eat without the benediction of attaining wealth?” Mahāprabhu said, “Living entities will get the opportunity of receiving unsolicited foodstuffs as a result of their respective karma. Food will certainly come automatically, just as a newborn baby automatically gets its mother's milk as food without endeavor.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “Oh listen, my dear Sannyāsī Gosāñi! We will all eat certainly, whatever our karma destines us to eat!” So, the dārī sannyāsī had asked Lord Caitanya without wealth, what will You eat? Mahāprabhu said, “living entities will get food, unsolicited, as a result of their respective karma. Food will come automatically, just as a new born baby gets its mother’s milk as food, without endeavor.” So, Kṛṣṇa, He arranges that everybody gets something. But in devotional service, we want to engage in the direct service to Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. So, this is eternal. And this gives the real satisfaction that we are all hankering for.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.61

dhana-vaṁśa-nimitta saṁsāra kāmya kare
bala tāra dhana-vaṁśa tabe kene mare?

Translation: If wealth and family are the aim of life, then tell Me why are they taken away at the time of death?

“If human beings have a natural taste for desiring material objects like wealth and children, then in spite of their desire why are they forced to relinquish wealth and children?”

Jayapatākā Swami: “So, if wealth and family, etc. are the aim of life, please tell me, why we lose our wealth and family at the time of death?” So, although people may be very attached to their wealth, their children, at the time of death they have to leave everything behind. Lord Caitanya is asking why is that?

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.62

jvarera lāgiyā keha kāmanā nā kare
tabe kena jvara āsi' pīḍaye śarīre

Translation: “No one wants fever. Why then does fever appear and afflict one's body?

“If simply by desiring a benediction one would attain the result, then why does unsolicited fever appear and afflict the body of a living entity? Even without prayer one automatically obtains an object, and if one does not obtain an object despite prayer, the uselessness of one's desire is established.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “No one wants a fever, so why does the fever come and afflict one’s body?” Lord Caitanya is giving some logical arguments, that one doesn’t desire fever, but sometimes it comes; sometimes one doesn’t pray, still they obtain some benediction and even in spite of praying, sometimes one does not receive it. So, this proves that the desires are useless. That is why certain heads of states are telling their people to pray. Maybe the prayer will be achieved or maybe not! That is why we are saying, that one should rather chant the names of the Lord. That is the best prayer! Because someone’s prayer may not be appropriate. So, Lord Caitanya is teaching us, that we should actually render pure devotional service.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.63

śuna śuna gosāñi ihāra hetu—karma
kon mahāpuruṣe se jāne ei marma

Translation: “Listen, Gosāñi, the cause of this is karma. Only some rare great personalities know this in truth.

Jayapatākā Swami: “Listen, My dear Gosāñi, the cause of this is karma. Some rare great souls, they know of this truth.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.64

vede o bujhāya `svarga', bale janā janā
mūrkha-prati kevala se vedera karuṇā

Translation: “Some people claim that the Vedas indicate the heavenly planets are the goal of life, but such teachings are simply the compassion of the Vedas on the foolish.

As a result of one's karma, fruits such as wealth are achieved. It is also heard that by the influence of pious activities one can achieve fruits like heavenly pleasures; and greedy, materialistic, ignorant people have been shown compassion by Vedic injunctions prescribed to rectify their respective natures. In this regard one should discuss verses such as parokṣa-vādo vedo `yaṁ and loke vyavāyāmiṣam [parokṣa-vādo vedo `yaṁ   bālānām anuśāsanam, karma-mokṣāya karmāṇi   vidhatte hy agadaṁ yathā, “Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive activities, although the actual goal of life is to become free from such activities. Therefore, the Vedic injunctions indirectly lead one to the path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing fruitive religious activities, just as a father promises his child candy so that the child will take his medicine.” (Bhāg. 11.3.44), loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevānityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanāvyavasthitis teṣu vivāha-yajña, surā-grahair āsu nivṛttir iṣṭā, “In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating and intoxication. Therefore, religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through sacred marriage, for meat-eating through sacrificial offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of renunciation.” (Bhāg. 11.5.11)]. People who are averse to the Supreme Lord take great pleasure in becoming lords of mundane objects. That is why Vedic literatures give various forms of encouragement that are favorable to their taste. Yet this is not the actual purpose of the Vedas.

Jayapatākā Swami: Some people claim that the Vedas indicate heaven as the goal of life, but such ideas, such teaching are simply the Vedas’ mercy or compassion, on the foolish people. So, by the result of one’s karmas, fruits as wealth and heavenly pleasures are achieved. So, the greedy materialistic, ignorant people are shown compassion by the Vedas’ injunctions, and they are told to do some auspicious works, to achieve their materialistic goals. So, this is the karma-kāṇḍa aspect of the Vedas. That karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa are parts of the Vedas. How one can achieve materialistic objects, or how one can get impersonal liberation. But the actual goal of life is to worship Kṛṣṇa, have pure bhakti for Lord Kṛṣṇa. So that is the bhakti-kāṇḍa, upāsanā-kāṇḍa. And that is mentioned in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and other such literatures, which are free from the materialistic goals. So, the Vedas, they first inspire us to take up some material activity, and then direct us to the spiritual goals. Like a father will attract the child with a piece of candy and then give the real medicine. In the material world, people are very interested for sex and meat eating, intoxication, so the Vedas allow sex in the sacred ritual of marriage, meat eating through the sacrificial offerings, and wine in some ceremonies, which have the ultimate purpose of renunciation, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.5.11. But this is not the actual goal of the Vedas. The real goal of the Vedas is mentioned in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam which is to have pure devotion of Lord Viṣṇu.

* * *

So, we will end here today.

Last night I was seeing the devotees from Chennai, some devotees were preaching to 500 devotees a day, using online! So, they are gṛhasthas. They have children, but they are using this situation for preaching. So, this is very auspicious. Any questions?

It is 8 o clock. There may be some other – Vishakhapatnam? I asked for UK or America, India we can do day time. You did not confirm with me.

Announcement was made about virtual table sponsorships. Also, for Devotee Care and Food for Life donations were announced.