20200418 Eating Pastime in the House of Advaita Ācārya

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 Eating Pastime in the House of Advaita Ācārya

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.227

mahāprabhura bhojanecchā o advaita-gṛhiṇīke randhana karite ādeśa—

advaita-gṛhiṇī mahāsatī pati-vratā
viśvambhara mahāprabhu yāre bale `mātā'

Translation: Viśvambhara Mahāprabhu would address the most chaste wife of Advaita as “mother.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The very chaste wife of Advaita, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, Viśvambhara Mahāprabhu would call her as mother. He was hungry and wanted her to cook some prasādam.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.228

prabhu bale,—“śīghra giyā karaha randhana
kṛṣṇera naivedya kara, kariba bhojana”

Translation: The Lord said to her, “Go quickly and cook an offering for Kṛṣṇa. Then we will eat.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Mahāprabhu said, “quickly go and do some cooking. Make the offering to Lord Kṛṣṇa, then We will eat.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.229

gaṇa-saha mahāprabhura gaṅgāsnāne gamana—

nityānanda, haridāsa, advaitādi-saṅge
gaṅgā-snāne viśvambhara calilena raṅge

Translation: Thereafter Viśvambhara went to take bath in the Ganges with His associates headed by Nityānanda, Haridāsa, and Advaita.

Jayapatākā Swami: Viśvambhara Mahāprabhu went to bathe in the Ganges with His associates, Nityānanda, Haridāsa, Advaita and others.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.230

snāna haite pratyāgata mahāprabhu pāda-prakṣālana o kṛṣṇa-praṇāma—

se saba ānanda vede varṇibe Vistara
snāna kari' prabhu saba āilena ghara

Translation: These ecstatic pastimes will be described in the Vedas. After taking bath, the Lord and His associates returned to the house.

The Vedic literatures are the disseminators of actual knowledge rather than superficial knowledge. Actual, pure, real knowledge manifests in the hearts of the living entities from the descriptions of the Vedas.

Jayapatākā Swami: These ecstatic pastimes will be described in great detail in the Vedas. The Lord, He took bath in the Ganges, and then all of Them came to Advaita’s house. The Vedic literatures are the dissemination of factual knowledge. Some people think that the Vedic literatures are mythology. Actually, they are true, historical and spiritual facts, that manifest in the hearts of living entitites, from the descriptions in the Vedas.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.231

caraṇa pākhāli' mahāprabhu viśvambhara
kṛṣṇere karaye daṇḍa-praṇāma vistāra

Translation: After washing His lotus feet, Mahāprabhu Viśvambhara offered His obeisances to Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Viśvambhara Mahāprabhu washed His lotus feet, and then He offered His prostrated obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.232

advaitera mahāprabhu-caraṇe evaṃ haridāsera advaita-caraṇe praṇāma, taddarśane nityānandera hāsya

advaita paḍilā viśvambhara-pada-tale
haridāsa paḍilā advaita-pada-mūle

Translation: Advaita then fell at the feet of Viśvambhara, and Haridāsa fell at the feet of Advaita.

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Gosāñi fell at the lotus feet of Viśvambhara. And Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he fell at the lotus feet of Advaita.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.233

mahāprabhu, nityānanda o advaita—advaya-jñānera dharma-setu—

apūrva kautuka dekhi' nityānanda hāse
dharma-setu yena tina vigraha prakāśe'

Translation: Nityānanda smiled while watching those wonderful pastimes. These three personalities are the bridge of transcendental religious principles.

The three separate manifestations—Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, and Śrī Mahāprabhu—are the bridge for approaching the Absolute Truth. By following the conceptions preached by these three personalities, the living entities can easily cross the ocean of material existence.

Jayapatākā Swami: Nityānanda smiled seeing these wonderful pastimes. As if, these three of Them have created a bridge of transcendental principles. Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda and Lord Advaita are three Lords, They are the bridge for approaching the Absolute Truth. By following the conceptions and philosophy preached by these three personalities, the living entities can easily cross the ocean of material existence.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.234

uṭhi' dekhi' ṭhākura advaita-pada-tale
āthe vyathe uṭhi' prabhu `viṣṇu viṣṇu' bale

Translation: When the Lord began to rise, He saw Advaita at His lotus feet. He therefore quickly stood up and exclaimed, “Viṣṇu! Viṣṇu!”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, when the Lord rose, He saw that Advaita was at His lotus feet. He quickly, hurriedly rose and the Lord exclaimed, “Viṣṇu! Viṣṇu!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.235

tina prabhura bhojane gamana o nityānandera cāñcalya-prakāśa—

advaitera hāte dhari' nityānanda-saṅge
calilā bhojana-gṛhe viśvambhara-raṅge

Translation: Thereafter Viśvambhara took Advaita by the hand and went with Nityānanda to the dining room.

Jayapatākā Swami: Thereafter Viśvambhara happily took Advaita by the hand, and went with Nityānanda Prabhu to the dining house.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.236

bhojane vasilā tina prabhu eka ṭhāñi
viśvambhara, nityānanda, ācārya-gosāñi

Translation: The three Lords—Viśvambhara, Nityānanda, and Advaita Ācārya—then sat down together to eat.

Jayapatākā Swami: The three Lords sat down in one line and started to eat prasādam - Viśvambhara, Nityānanda and Advaita Ācārya.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.237

svabhāva cañcala tina prabhu nijāveśe
upādhika nityānanda ati bālya-rase

Translation: By nature the three Lords were restless in Their own ecstasies. Nityānanda, however, was especially so because of His childish mood.

Jayapatākā Swami: By nature, the three Lords are very restless in Their own ecstatic ecstasies. Nityānanda was especially so, because of His very childish mood.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.238

dvāre upaveśanapūrvaka bhojana-rata haridāsera tinaprabhura līlā-darśana—

dvāre vasi' bhojana karaye haridāsa
yā'ra dekhibāra śakti sakala prakāśa

Translation: Haridāsa, who was qualified to see those pastimes, sat down by the door and ate.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura he had the qualification to see these pastimes. He sat down by the door and he ate his prasādam.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.239

advaita-gṛhiṇīra pariveśana-kārya—

advaita-gṛhiṇī mahāsatī yogeśvarī
pariveśana karena saṅari `hari hari'

Translation: Advaita's most chaste wife, who was an exalted devotee, remembered Lord Hari as she served them food.

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita’s wife, who was His most chaste wife, who was a pure devotee and a great bhakti-yogi, she personally distributed the prasādam, and remembered the Lord by chanting ‘Hari! Hari!’ as she served Them prasādam.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.240

bhojana karena tina ṭhākura cañcala
divya anna, ghṛta, dugdha, pāyasa sakala

Translation: The three restless Lords ate the finest rice with ghee along with milk and sweet rice.

Jayapatākā Swami: The three Lords extremely restless, took Their prasādam, of finest quality of rice, ghee, milk and sweet rice, and all other things.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.241

advaita o nityānanda-tattva-abhinna—

advaita dekhiyā hāse nityānanda rāya
eka vastu dui bhāga kṛṣṇera līlāya

Translation: Nityānanda looked at Advaita and smiled. They are one, yet They have appeared as two for the purpose of assisting Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda smiled as He looked at Advaita Gosāñi. Actually, the two are the same, are one. Yet They have appeared as two, for the purpose of assisting Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.242

bhojanānte nityānandera bālyāveśe gṛhera sarvatra anna nikṣepa evaṃ advaitera krodha-chale nityānanda-tattva-kathana—

bhojana haila pūrṇa, kichu mātra śeṣa
nityānanda hailā parama bālyāveśa

Translation: When they had almost finished their meal, Nityānanda became fully absorbed in the mood of a child.

Jayapatākā Swami: They had almost finished Their prasādam. There was only a little left. Nityānanda, became greatly absorbed in the mood of a child.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.243

saba ghare anna chaḍāiyā haila hāsa
prabhu bale `hāya hāya', hāse haridāsa

Translation: As Nityānanda laughed loudly and threw rice all about the room, the Lord exclaimed, “Haya! Haya!” and Haridāsa smiled.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Nityānanda, He threw rice all over the room, and laughing loudly! Lord Gaurāṅga, He said, “Haya! Haya!” And Haridāsa Ṭhākura smiled.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.244

dekhiyā advaita krodhe agni-hena jvale
nityānanda-tattva kahe krodhāveśa-chale

Translation: On seeing this, Advaita began to burn like fire with anger. On the pretext of anger, He then began to describe the glories of Nityānanda.

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing this, Advaita Prabhu, He began to burn like fire, with anger. On the pretext of anger, He began to explain the transcendental glories of Nityānanda Prabhu.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.245

“jāti nāśa karileka ei nityānanda
kothā haite āsi' haila madyapera saṅga

Translation: “This Nityānanda has ruined My caste. I don't know where this drunkard has come from.

Drunkards and crazy people do not discriminate between pure and contaminated or acceptable and unacceptable foods. When out of His childish restlessness Nityānanda threw rice all about the dining room, Śrī Advaita Prabhu considered that such actions were contrary to the codes of proper conduct and began to accuse Śrī Nityānanda of having no conception of caste or whether something was touchable or untouchable. “No one knows what village Śrī Nityānanda belongs to, who His father is, or who His guru is. Since He has traveled to many places, He has eaten with various classes of people. Therefore such a naturally intoxicated person is spoiling us.” Śrī Advaita Prabhu enacted the pastimes of a householder brāhmaṇa of Bengal. Therefore, since Nityānanda had associated with the Yavanas of western Bengal, Advaita Prabhu accused Him of deviating from His caste and religious principles by their association. Actually Nityānanda was not a wine-drinking tantric sannyāsī. From these incidents, devious people mistakenly consider Nityānanda to be as undisciplined as themselves. But Nityānanda Prabhu has never given any teaching to encourage such sinful activities. In this regard one should discuss the following verse from Padyāvalī:

parivadatu jano yathā tathā vā
 nanu mukharo na vayaṁ vicārayāmaḥ
hari-rasa-madirā-madāti-mattā
bhuvi viluṭhāma naṭāma nirviśāma

“Let the garrulous populace say whatever they like; we shall pay them no regard. Thoroughly maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating beverage of love for Kṛṣṇa, we shall enjoy life running about, rolling on the ground, and dancing in ecstasy.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “This Lord Nityānanda has ruined My caste, where has this drunkard come from?” So, drunkards and crazy people do not discriminate what is pure and impure. What is acceptable and unacceptable food. So, because of His childish restlessness, behaviour, Lord Nityānanda threw rice all around the room. So Advaita Prabhu was complaining that such actions were contrary to the proper codes of conduct. So, it seemed that He was accusing Lord Nityānanda, for having no conception of caste. He stated that no one knows what village Lord Nityānanda came from, who His father is, who His guru is! So, He said that, since he has visited various people and eaten at various people’s, such an intoxicated person is spoiling us, our good brahminical quality! So Advaita Ācārya was enacting the pastime of a strict householder brāhmaṇa of Bengal. Since Lord Nityānanda had associated with the yavanas of western India, Advaita Prabhu was saying that He is deviating Us from our strict caste considerations, and His religious principles. But actually, Nityānanda Prabhu was not a wine drinking, tantric sannyāsī like He had met earlier. These are some pastimes by Lord Nityānanda. That He is completely transcendental. So, the Padyāvalī, mentions this quality of Lord Nityānanda:

“Let the garrulous populace say whatever they like; we shall pay them no regard. Thoroughly maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating beverage of love for Kṛṣṇa, we shall enjoy life running about, rolling on the ground, and dancing in ecstasy.”

Jaya NItāiiii! Lord Nityānanda ki Jaya!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.246

guru nāhi, balaye `sannyāsī' kari' nāma
janmilā nā jāniye niścaya kon grāma

Translation: “We don't know who His guru is, yet He poses as a sannyāsī. We don't know for certain which village He was born in.

Jayapatākā Swami: “We don’t know who His guru is. He poses as a sannyāsī. We don’t know for sure which village He was born in.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.247

keha ta' nā cine, nāhi jāni kon jāti
ḍhuliyāḍhuliyā bule yena matta hātī

Translation: “No one knows Him, and no one knows to which caste He belongs. He wanders about like a mad elephant.

Jayapatākā Swami: “No one knows Him, and no one knows what caste He belongs to. He wanders about like a mad elephant.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.248

ghare ghare paścimāra khāiyāche bhāta
ekhāne haila āsi' brāhmaṇera sātha

Translation: “He has eaten in the houses of Westerners. Now He is mingling here with the brāhmaṇas.

Jayapatākā Swami: “He has eaten rice in the house of the westerners, and now He is mingling with the brāhmaṇas here.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.249

nityānanda madyape karilā sarva-nāśa
satya satya satya ei śuna haridāsa”

Translation: “Listen, Haridāsa, I tell you the truth, this drunkard Nityānanda has ruined everything.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “Listen Haridāsa, this Nityānanda, this drunkard Nityānanda, He has destroyed everything. I tell you, it is the truth! It is the Truth! It is the truth!” Ha! Ha!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.250

krodhāveśe advaita haila digvāsa
hāte tāli diyā nāce aṭṭa aṭṭa hāsa

Translation: Out of anger, Advaita lost His cloth. He clapped His hands as He danced and laughed loudly.

Jayapatākā Swami: Ha! Ha! Infuriated out of anger, Advaita lost His external cloth. He started to clap His hands, and danced in ecstasy, loudly laughing, Ha! Ha! Ha! Extremely laughing! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! That shows that actually everything He said was in jest. Actually, Advaita Prabhu loves Lord Nityānanda. They are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Who have appeared in different forms, to increase the transcendental nectar of the pastimes of the Lord. Haribol! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda! Advaita Gosāñi!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.251

advaita-caritra-darśane gaurasundarera hāsya—

advaita-caritra dekhi' hāse gaura-rāya
hāsi' nityānanda dui aṅguli dekhāya

Translation: Lord Gaurāṅga laughed on seeing the characteristics of Advaita. Nityānanda laughed and displayed His two thumbs pointing up.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga, when He saw the wonderful quality of Advaita, He laughed, and Nityānanda Prabhu also laughed! And displayed His two thumbs up! Ha! Ha! Ha! So, this is authorized! Two thumbs up! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! (Guru Mahārāja showed His two thumbs up and laughed!)

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.252

advaitera vicitra krodhāveśa darśane sakalera hāsya

śuddha-hāsya-maya advaitera krodhāveśe
kibā vṛddha kibāśiśu hāsaye viśeṣe

Translation: Seeing Advaita's anger, everyone from child to old age burst into blissful laughter.

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing Advaita’s mood of anger, everyone started to laugh. Whether children or old aged, they burst into blissful laughter!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.253

advaitera bāhya-prāptite nityānanda-saha kolākuli

kṣaṇeke pāiyā bāhya kaila ācamana
paraspara ānande karilā āliṅgana

Translation: Shortly thereafter Advaita regained external consciousness. They then all washed their hands and mouths and embraced one another.

Jayapatākā Swami: Ha! Ha! Shortly thereafter, Lord Advaita regained His external consciousness, and performed ācamana of washing His hands and mouth, and then everyone embraced each other, very ecstatically!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 19.254

nityānanda-advaita hai kolākulī
prema-rase dui prabhu mahā-kutūhalī

Translation: As Nityānanda and Advaita embraced each other, the two Prabhus became overwhelmed in the mellows of ecstatic love.

Jayapatākā Swami: Ha! Ha! Nityānanda and Advaita, They embraced each other. And the two Lords became so overwhelmed in the mellow of ecstatic love! mahā-kutūhalī! So, that is why, many people may not understand the pastimes between Advaita Ācārya and Lord Nityānanda. But Their pastime was because of extreme ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. And, although Advaita Ācārya was showing great anger, and He was accusing Nityānanda of so many things, but actually everyone knew that, it was a kind of a drama that He was performing, and they all started to laugh! And Lord Advaita, Nityānanda embraced. Ha! Ha! Laughed! Such wonderful pastimes were occurring every day in the life of Lord Caitanya! Haribol!

Actually, still today, in Śāntipura, in the house of Advaita Ācārya, there is one place called ‘tīna prabhura viśrāma sthāna’, the resting place of the Three Lords, and that is where They sat and took prasādam, and had these pastimes. So, devotees go there and bow down to that place. Hare Krsna!

It is actually true that Lord Nityānanda does not belong to any caste, Ha! Ha! because He is the Supreme Lord! He is transcendental. Although He was born in a brahmana family, He was initiated in the Madhva line. Advaita Prabhu was accusing Him. Actually, He is transcendental and He was doing things were childishly. So Advaita was like a strict brāhmaṇa. But actually, the two Lords love each other and everyone was playing the particular part.

Thus ends the Chapter -
Eating Pastime in the House of Advaita Ācārya

* * *

What time is it? So we have 15 minutes of questions. Any questions? Send your questions by the chat if you are online.

Questions from China? From Russia?

Question: Krsna Kathadesh: My dear Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO. I always have highs and lows in sadhana. I do few days sādhana nicely, then it will be on lower side for a few days. How to maintain sādhana in progressively increasing manner? Your humble servant, Candramukha Rāma dāsa.

Guru Mahārāja: After taking initiation, which is the start to practicing bhajana, then next stage is called anartha-nivṛtti, where one has these ups and downs. Then after that, the next stage is niṣṭā, when one becomes absolutely fixed in devotion. So, we are glad that you have advanced to the anartha-nivṛtti stage.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja, would you please explain how Nityānanda Prabhu took food from westerners? Jayaprakāśa Rāi.

Guru Mahārāja: Nityānanda Prabhu was travelling all over India. So, in the vision of Advaita Ācārya, western India, He is calling as westerners! Ha! So, at that time Bengali brāhmaṇas were very strict. Now, they are not so strict. I read that in Bengal, 98% of the Bengalis are non-veg. So that is the government census. In western India, today, I think in Gujarat 40 or 60% are vegetarian. But at that time, Advaita said, that “oh, You travelled to western India, and at that time, maybe He wasn’t following so strictly”, that was the accusation. Actually, this is just a drama, that Advaita was, He was showing anger. And this was Their transcendental pastime. Because afterwards, They laughed and embraced each other. So, just He had to accuse Nityānanda of something so, He was saying this thing.

Question: When and how Lord Nityānanda got initiation?

Guru Mahārāja: Sometimes they say that He was initiated by the guru of Madhavendra Purī, and sometimes they say by Madhavendra Purī. But He definitely was seen with the Madhva people. There was some discussion whether He was initiated by Jayatīrtha or Madhavendra Purī.

Question: Why without Lord Nityānanda’s mercy it is impossible to obtain uttama-bhakti? Acyuta Priyā Kiśorī devī dāsī.

Guru Mahārāja: Lord Nityānanda is the original guru. To get access to Lord Caitanya, you need the mercy of Lord Nityānanda. He is the most merciful. So, also, like in Jaipur, I saw in the Rādhā Govinda temple, they had two columns - on one column, there was a picture of Lord Caitanya, and the other column a picture of Lord Nityānanda. And they said that Lord Caitanya was the Prema-avatāra, the love avatāra and they said Lord Nityānanda was something like mercy avatāra. Lord Nityānanda received the order and blessing from Lord Caitanya, to give out mercy. So, He does that. So, if you don’t get Lord Nityānanda’s mercy, very hard to approach Lord Caitanya!

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja, PAMRO. In various līlās of the Lord, the devotees of the Lord exchanged particular rasas with the Lord. In Caitanya līlā, can we say that the associates of the Lord, Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, Advaita Ācārya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, were in the mood of ecstatic love for each other, or is it specific rasas exchanged between Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Can you kindly clarify? Your spiritual daughter, Supriya Jāhnavī devī dāsī, East London.

Guru Mahārāja: What is the difference? Specific rasas, rasa is also ecstatic love. Whether Nityanānda Rāma, Advaita Ācārya or Caitanya Mahāprabhu, They were all in the mood of ecstatic love for each other, they all loved Kṛṣṇa. And in their ecstasy, They performed different pastimes. The devotees of Kṛṣṇa when they love Kṛṣṇa, they also love the other devotees of Kṛṣṇa. So, it is a unique situation that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is actually Kṛṣṇa, but He is in the mood of Rādhārāṇī. He is Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī’s heart. So, He loves Kṛṣṇa, and He also loves the devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He loves Lord Nityānanda, He loves Advaita Ācārya, and He loves all the devotees, because He loves Kṛṣṇa! That should be our mood. That we love all the devotees, because Kṛṣṇa loves them!

Thank you very much! I will be ready for the next class. Thank you very much!