20200410 Nitāi Gaura Mercifully Accept the Offering of Dārī Sannyāsī (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

Jalaṅgī devī dāsī can you hear me? Yesterday you have a JSSS class, they said it was so nice, that some devotees were crying. My dear, dear, dear disciple, thank you!

Today we inaugurated a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam yajña. Apparently 3000 devotees are reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for 9 days nonstop.

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Chapter entitled as Nitāi Gaura Mercifully Accept the Offering of Dārī Sannyāsī

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.072

dārī sannyāsīra prabhuvākya-śravaṇe prabhuke ‘vikṛta-mastiṣka’ jñāna o nijera ādhyakṣikatāra śreṣṭhatba sthāpana—

hāsaye sannyāsīśuni' prabhura vacana
“e bujhi pāgala dvija—mantrera kāraṇa

Translation: On hearing the Lord's words, the sannyāsī smiled and thought, “I can understand that this brāhmaṇa has become crazy because of mantra.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing the Lord’s words, the dārī sannyāsī smiled and thought, “I can understand that this brāhmaṇa has become crazy, because of chanting mantras”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.073

hena bujhi ei vā sannyāsī buddhi diyālai'
 yāya brāhmaṇa-kumāra bhulāiyā”

Translation: “It appears that this sannyāsī (Nitāi) has spoiled this brāhmaṇa boy's mind and is taking Him away somewhere.”

After hearing Mahāprabhu establish the supremacy and great necessity of devotional service, the dārī sannyāsī, being unable to approve it, considered Mahāprabhu a crazy boy. And on seeing Nityānanda Prabhu dressed as a sannyāsī with Mahāprabhu, the dārī sannyāsī thought that Nityānanda Prabhu had certainly deceived this brāhmaṇa boy by polluting His intelligence.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the dārī sannyāsī thought that “this sannyāsī, Nitāi, He has given some false intelligence to Him. And, He is taking this young brāhmaṇa away somewhere.” So, Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu established that bhakti was the only desirable thing. And the great necessity was to achieve devotional service. So, the dārī sannyāsī unable to approve of this, considered Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu as a crazy brāhmaṇa boy!  Seeing Nityānanda Prabhu dressed as an avadūta or sannyāsī, with Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the dārī sannyāsī thought, that Nityānanda Prabhu had certainly deceived this brāhmaṇa boy, by polluting His intelligence. So, in this way you can see how non-devotees fail to understand the very important teaching of Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. They think that the goal of life is to have such sensual happiness. They cannot appreciate how devotional service actually gives one complete satisfaction. But he desisted to argue with Lord Caitanya and he just smiled and spoke.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.074

sannyāsī balaye,—“hena kāla se haila
śiśura agrete āmi kichu nā jānila

Translation: The sannyāsī said, “The time has come when I appear ignorant before a child.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the sannyāsī said, that time has come when it seems before a child, it appears I am very ignorant. That time has come that, before a child, I am very ignorant.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.075

āmi karilāma ye pṛthivī-paryaṭana
ayodhyā, mathurā, māyā, badarikāśrama

Translation: “I have traveled throughout the world to Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Haridvāra, and Badarikāśrama.

Jayapatākā Swami: I have travelled throughout the earth to all the holy places. I have visited Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Haridvāra, and Badarikāśrama.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.076

gujarāṭa, kāśī, gayā, vijaya-nagarīsiṁ
hala gelāma āmi, yata āche purī

Translation: “I have been to all the holy places like Gujarat, Kāśī, Gayā, Vijayanagara, and Śrī Laṅkā.

Jayapatākā Swami: I went to holy places in Gujarat, Kāśī, Banaras, Gayā, Visakapatnam, Vijayanagar and Śrī Laṅkā. I went to whatever holy places there were.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.077

āmi nā jānila bhāla, manda haya kāya
dugdhera chāoyāla āji āmāre śikhāya”

Translation: “Yet I could not understand what is good and what is bad. Now this child, who is still drinking His mother's milk, is teaching me.”

“I am experienced, mature, expert in material activities, and I have taken good advice from intelligent persons at various holy places in the course of my pilgrimage throughout India, but this brāhmaṇa boy with no appreciation of my experience or understanding of His position as a suckling child has come to teach me. I am fully aware of the sense of good and bad.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “I could not understand what is good, what is bad. And this child, who is still drinking His mother’s milk is teaching me.” So, the dārī sannyāsī, he was saying how he was very well experienced, he had visited various holy places, and he had understood the great saintly people there. But somehow this brāhmaṇa boy, who has no appreciation of his experience or understanding of his position, as a child still suckling from His mother. He has come to teach me! I know the difference of good and bad!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.078

nityānanda prabhura dārī sannyāsīke pratiṣṭhā-pradarśanārtha kṣamā-bhikṣā—

hāsi bale nityānanda,—“śunaha gosāñi
śiśu-saṅge tomāra vicāre kārya nāñi

Translation: Nityānanda smiled and said, “Listen, Gosāñi, there is no need to argue with a child.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Nityānanda Prabhu smiled and said, “listen Gosāñi, there is no reason to argue with a child.  It is not your position.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.079

āmi se jāniye bhāla tomāra mahimā
āmāre dekhiyā tumi saba kara kṣamā”

Translation: “I know well your glories. For My sake, forgive all His offenses.”

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu offered respect to the dārī sannyāsī, who was intoxicated with material enjoyment, by begging forgiveness. And since He established that Mahāprabhu was an ignorant child, the dārī sannyāsī displayed compassion on Nityānanda Prabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: “So, I have understood your glories and for My sake, please forgive all His offences.”  Nityānanda Prabhu offered His respect to the dārī sannyāsī, who was intoxicated with material enjoyment, by begging forgiveness. And since He established Caitanya Mahāprabhu as an ignorant child, the dārī sannyāsī displayed compassion on Nityānanda Prabhu. So Nityānanda Prabhu was very diplomatic with the dārī sannyāsī, who was very proud of his so-called learning. He didn’t understand, actually what Lord Caitanya was teaching. So Nityānanda Prabhu, He talked to him in such a way that he was pacified.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.080

āpanāra ślāghāśuni' sannyāsī santoṣe
bhikṣā karibāre jhāṭa balaye hariṣe

Translation: When the sannyāsī heard glorification of himself, he became pleased and immediately invited Them for lunch.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing his glorification of himself, the dārī sannyāsī became very satisfied and he invited them to take prasādam, with great pleasure, immediately.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.081

nityānandera sannyāsī-samīpe bhojya-prārthanā o sannyāsīra anurodhe ubhayera sannyāsī-gṛhe phalāhāra

nityānanda bale,—“kārya-gaurave caliba
kichu deha' snāna kari' pathete khāiba”

Translation: Nityānanda said, “We have to leave immediately for some important work. You may give Us something that We can eat on the way after taking bath.”

The phrase kārya-gaurave means “We have something more important to do than this.” This was the reason that was cited for Their departure.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda said, “We have to go right away, to do some important work. You have something that We can take on the way, after taking our bath?”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.082

sannyāsī balaye,—“snāna kara eikhāne
kichu khāi' snigdha hai' karaha gamane”

Translation: The sannyāsī said, “Take bath here, eat something, feel refreshed, and then go.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The dārī sannyāsī said, “take Your bath here. Have something to eat, feel refreshed and then go.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.083

pātakī tārite dui prabhu avatāre
rahilena dui prabhu sannyāsīra ghare

Translation: The two Prabhus incarnated to deliver the sinful living entities, so They agreed to remain in the sannyāsī's house.

Jayapatākā Swami: The two brothers, two Lords, they descended to deliver the sinful living entities. So, the two Lords, They stayed at the dārī sannyāsī’s house.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.084

jāhnavīra majjane ghucila patha-śrama
phalāhāra karite vasilā dui-jana

Translation: “After getting relief from Their journey by taking bath in the Ganges, the two Prabhus came and sat down to eat some fruit.

Jayapatākā Swami: After taking their bath in the river Ganges, They were feeling refreshed from Their journey. In order to eat some fruit, the two Lords sat down.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.085

dugdha, āmra, panasādi kari' kṛṣṇasāt
śeṣe khāye dui prabhu sannyāsī-sākṣāt

Translation: First They offered items like milk, mangoes, and jackfruit to Lord Kṛṣṇa, and then They sat down to eat before the sannyāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: They offered to Lord Kṛṣṇa and had some milk, mango, and jackfruit, etc. Then the two sat down to take prasādam in the presence of the sannyāsī.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.086

vāmācārī sannyāsīra nityānandake madyapāne anurodha o sannyāsī-patnīra tannibāraṇa—

vāmapathi-sannyāsī madirā pāna kare
nityānanda-prati tāhā kahe ṭhāre ṭhore

Translation: The sinful sannyāsī drank wine. Making some signs to Nityānanda, he spoke as follows.

The dārī sannyāsī was in favor of accepting a path opposed or contrary to sannyāsa. Since he was extremely attached to drinking wine, he even indicated that Nityānanda Prabhu should also drink. The dārī sannyāsī repeatedly endeavored to get Him to drink.

The word vāmapathi refers to a vāmācāri, or one who acts contrary to Vedic principles. According to the Ācāra-bheda-tantra: “A vāmācāri's principal duty is to drink wine, eat meat, eat fish, enjoy sex, associate with women, worship other women with the menstrual discharge of his wife, and take and distribute intoxicants such as wine. Afterwards he should consider himself a woman and worship the supreme female energy.” He should mark his forehead with vermilion and meditate on his guru and worshipable deity while holding a container of wine in his hand. He should offer prayers to the container of wine held in his hand by reciting mantra five times followed each time by a drink of that wine. Then he should continue drinking until all his senses are agitated. Thereafter he should recite prayers invoking peace such as the Śānti-stotra. One should discuss Prāṇa-toṣaṇī-tantra and Kulārṇava for more elaborate prescriptions.

Jayapatākā Swami: The sinful dārī sannyāsī drank wine, making some signs to Nityānanda Prabhu, he spoke as follows. So that dārī sannyāsī was practicing things that are against the principles of sannyāsa. He was drinking wine, and again and again he was indicating to Lord Nityānanda to join him in drinking.  This dārī sannyāsī is referred to as someone who is against Vedic principles, he is vāmācāri, drinks wine, eats meat, eats fish, enjoys sex, association with women and Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said some disgusting things that these tantric sannyāsīs do. Using the menstrual discharge of his wife, he was holding the container of wine in his hand. He would chant a mantra 5 times and after that he would take a swig of his wine. Ha! Then he continued drinking till he got drunk. Then he invoked peace by Śānti-stotra! Ha! Ha! So, to understand the elaborate prescriptions you can read the Prāṇa-toṣaṇī-tantra or the Kulārṇava for more elaborate prescriptions. These are very fallen souls and they give a bad reputation to the Vaiṣṇavas.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.087

“śunaha śrīpāda, kichu ānanda āniba?
tomā'-hena atithi vā kothāya pāiba?”

Translation: “Listen, Śrīpāda, shall I bring You some ānanda? Where else can I find guests like You?”

Jayapatākā Swami: “Listen Śrīpāda, he addressed Lord Nityānanda, shall I bring You some bliss? Ha! Ha! Some ānanda! Where will I get such guests like You!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.088

deśāntara phiri' nityānanda saba jane
`madyapa sannyāsī' hena jānilena mane

Translation: Since Nityānanda had visited various places, He could understand that this person was a drunkard sannyāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Nityānanda had visited many holy places, various places, He understood that this sannyāsī is a drunkard sannyāsī. So, He thought that this sannyāsī is a drunkard sannyāsī.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.089

`ānanda āniba'—nyāsī bale bāra-bāra
nityānanda bale,—“tabe laḍa se āmāra”

Translation: The sannyāsī repeatedly asked, “Shall I bring some ānanda?” Nityānanda replied, “We should go now.”

When Śrīman Nityānanda Prabhu saw the dārī sannyāsī's eagerness to make Them drink wine, He told him They had to leave.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the dārī sannyāsī again and again said, “I will bring you ānanda, happiness!” Nityānanda said, “We have to go now.” Ha! Ha! So, Lord Nityānanda saw that the dārī sannyāsī was eager to have Him drink wine. He told him They had to leave.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.090

dekhiyā doṅhāra rūpa madana-samāna
sannyāsīra patnī cāhe juḍiyā dheyāna

Translation: On seeing the Cupidlike beauty of the two Lords, the sannyāsī's wife watched Them with full concentration.

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing the two persons, the two Lords form as beautiful as cupid, the dārī sannyāsī’s wife was looking at Them with full concentration.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.091

sannyāsīre niṣedha karaye tāra nārī
“bhojanete kene tumi virodha ācari?”

Translation: The sannyāsīs wife forbade him and told him, “Why are you disturbing Their meal?”

Persons who have not married are fit to be called sannyāsīs or bhikṣus. Those who are averse to sannyāsa disturb and contend with sannyāsīs by expressing a desire to establish that sinful activities like gathering women and snatching other's wives are approved by religious principles. In this case, however, the sannyāsī's wife forbade her husband from entering into conflict.

Jayapatākā Swami: The dārī sannyāsī’s wife forbade him and told him, “why are you disturbing Them while they take their meal?” Normally a sannyāsī is supposed to be completely free from association with women for sense gratification. But these dārī sannyāsīs do not follow the actual religious principles of a sannyāsī. But in this case, his wife was more conscious than him and forbade him from entering into a conflict when They were eating Their fruits.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.092

vāmācārī sannyāsīra nityānandake madyapāna karāibāra prasaṅga-śravaṇe mahāprabhu o nityānandera gaṅgāya jhampapradāna evaṃ ācārya-gṛhe gamana —

prabhu bale,—“ki ānanda balaye sannyāsī?”
nityānanda balaye,—“madirā hena vāsī”

Translation: The Lord said, “What is this ānanda the sannyāsī is talking about?” Nityānanda replied, “I think he is talking about wine.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Gaurāṅga, He asked, “what is this ānanda, this happiness, the dārī sannyāsī is talking about?” Nityānanda Prabhu replied, I think he is talking about drinking wine.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.093

`viṣṇu viṣṇu' smaraṇa karaye viśvambhara
ācamana kari' prabhu calilā satvara

Translation: Viśvambhara remembered Lord Viṣṇu. He washed His hands and immediately left.

When Mahāprabhu understood that this cheating, sinful person who had usurped the title “sannyāsī” was encouraging Them to drink wine and supporting such sinful activities, He immediately remembered the Supreme Lord, left His meal, washed His hands while chanting amṛtāpidānam asi svāhā, and then the two Lords jumped into the Ganges.

Jayapatākā Swami: “Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu,” Viśvambhara remembered and took His ācamana and immediately left. So, Lord Caitanya understood that this person was a cheating sannyāsī and was encouraging Them to drink wine and supporting such sinful activities, He immediately remembered the Supreme Lord, saying “Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu!” And immediately left that place. Washed His hands while chanting purification mantras and then the two Lords jumped with all Their clothes on, into the Ganges!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.094

dui-prabhu cañcala, gaṅgāya jhāṅpa diyācalilā
ācārya-gṛhe gaṅgāya bhāsiyā

Translation: After jumping into the Ganges the two restless Lords went to the house of Advaita Ācārya by floating in the waters of the Ganges.

Jayapatākā Swami: The two Lords after jumping into the Ganges, restlessly, They went to Ācārya’s house by floating in the Ganges.

So, in Bengal, there are various kula-gurus and other people who recommend eating fish and sometimes this story is told that they invited Him to take the fruit of the water, which means fish! So, one of my nāma-haṭṭa devotees, she was following all the principles and then the family guru, the kula-guru came to the house and she gave him vegetarian meal, which she had heard from the nāma-haṭṭa. And the kula-guru said, what is this? This is cheap food! Fish is expensive! You should give good things to the guru! The best! Meat, fish, expensive. This is cheap vegetarian food! Sabjīs! I want the real thing! Ha! Ha! So, she told me this, how the so-called family guru was a non-vegetarian. So, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda on seeing this kind of so called sannyāsī, who eats meat, fish, drinks wine, has a wife and doesn’t follow any Vedic rules, They immediately jumped into the Ganges, thinking how can We accept the food of this dārī sannyāsī? We learn from this how Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda prabhu did not accept such behaviour of such kula gurus and dārī sannyāsīs and followers of tantrics. He was recommending that we awaken our natural devotional service for Kṛṣṇa.

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Question?

Question: Bengali: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja, Daṇḍavat praṇāma! In your Vyāsa-pūjā address you had said that any brāhmaṇas takes sannyāsa, he gets title svāmī, any gṛhastha gets a title of gosvāmī. But Śrīla Prabhupāda had the title Svāmī and the Six-gosvāmīs are Gosvāmīs.  But Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is Gosvāmī. Could you please elaborate on this? Your servant, Cidānanda Kṛṣṇa dāsa, Bangladesh.

Jayapatākā Swami: This may not be the system of paramparā previously. But this is the system that Śrīla Prabhupāda established in ISKCON. He wanted the brahmacārīs who took sannyāsa to be called Svāmīs and the gṛhasthas who took sannyāsa to be called Gosvāmīs. So that was his advice for ISKCON. Otherwise, there are 108 sannyāsī names and we could have so many different sannyāsīs. But Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted to keep it simple – Svāmī and Gosvāmī. And that wasn’t the system before. But that was the system he prescribed for ISKCON. He also said, that if the wife is cooperative, then there is no need to take sannyāsa.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO. The Six-gosvāmīs were sannyāsīs then why would they wear white clothes? And when did the trend start that sannyāsīs wore saffron?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, the Six-gosvāmīs were technically bābājīs. They followed the Paramahaṁsa path. They stayed in Vṛndāvana, and there were some sannyāsīs during the time of Lord Caitanya and some of them took saffron. Lord Caitanya took saffron.  But this became a standard thing from Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura that he took saffron in humility. That the system of sannyāsa is that one should wear saffron. But the Six-gosvāmīs wore white because they were Paramahaṁsas. So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he did not want his followers to take sannyāsa (bābājī?) and think that they were Paramahaṁsas, that they are already liberated. So out of humility, he took the saffron cloth which is prescribed for the sannyāsīs. And he only gave bābājīs to only one or two of his disciples.

Question: How to chant without mistake and how to correct our mistakes? Umāśaṅkar B.

Jayapatākā Swami: Avoid the ten offences to the holy name. We should try to chant without breaking those offences. That is called offenseless chanting of the holy name. So, we learn what the ten offences are. At the time of our initiation, they are usually told. But we can also mention those if anyone wants to know. So, if one makes an offence, they can try to chant without any future offence. By reading the Kṛṣṇa-Namāṣṭaka by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, one gets forgiven for offences to the holy name.

So, thank you. So now we are observing the lockdown in India and since there is no treatment for the corona virus and no vaccine, so staying inside one’s house is prescribed, so that you don’t get the virus. But somehow when people go out to do their shopping, the number of cases in India has increased. So, we have to be very careful. That is why we should frequently wash our hands as from our hands we can get the virus. If we touch our face, the virus which is on our hand, then we can get the virus. We saw Prince Charles in England, he was offering his namaskar! Ha! Ha! So, like that, that is why we keep social distancing. If someone coughs and they have the virus, it stays in the air for 20 to 30 seconds and falls down. But it stays alive for up to 3-5 days on the ground. So, if you step in that, or if you don’t keep social distancing, then you can get the virus. If you step in that and go back to your house, you should leave your shoes outside. Wash your feet and then inside you wash your hands. In India, in different ways the incidents of corona virus are increasing, sand so the government is trying to advise us how to avoid it. But if we don’t follow the advice, then we may get it. So, this is a very dangerous thing. On one hand we have to avoid getting it. I was encouraged also that different heads of states in South America are recommending, pleaded to their people to pray because there is no solution. So, they are saying that we are depending on God. One of the Spanish leaders, he started crying. So, this is very important that we get the people to chant the holy names. That is the best form of prayer. And either they chant the name of Hari in Sanskrit or whatever name in English or śāstra name they have. Someone brought to my attention that in the Bible, there is a passage written in Isaac, it said: The Lord’s wrath is now upon the people. Go in your house and close the door, stay away till the Lord’s wrath passes and chant the name of Jehovah. We are saying chant the name of Hari. But if you chant the name of Jehovah, that is alright! Allah or whoever! Any bona fide name of God. So many heads of state have requested their citizens to pray, because they have no solution. And the atheists they say, oh, what is this! But in South America, they are not shy! They say that we believe in God! Although we are sectarian, we don’t say that you have to follow any particular religion, but if you believe in God, pray to Him!