20200510 Ecstatic Activities of Balarāma Manifestion of Lord Caitanya (Part 2)

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 Ecstatic Activities of Balarāma Manifestion of Lord Caitanya – Continued…

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.11

gadādharaṁ samprati labdha-saṅjñaḥ
provāca vaikalya-girā svayaṁ prabhuḥ
samānayāsādya samasta-bandhūn
sad-vaiṣṇavāṁs tān pratilokayāmi

Translation: Immediately Prabhu regained consciousness and spoke in a faltering voice to Gadādhara, “Go to all My friends and bring them together. I wish to look upon those saintly vaiṣṇavas.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.23

kṣaṇeke haila sañjñā gadādhara dekhi
kahila kātaravāṇī iṅgita se lakhi

Translation: Seeing Gadādhara, Lord Gaura regained external consciousness. He spoke some distressed words intimating him

Jayapatākā Swami: On seeing Gadādhara, Lord Gaurāṅga regained His external consciousness after a moment. He spoke some distressed words, intimating His desire to Gadādhara.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.24

tumi se āmāra bandhu prāṇasama jāni
tora preme baśa āmi śuna dvijamaṇi

Translation: Lord Gaura said: “I know you are My friend. You are dear as life to Me. O jewel of the brāhmaṇas, please hear. I am conquered by the love you bear from Me.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga said, “You are My friend, I know you to be equal to My life, You are dear to Me, equal to My life. Please hear Me, O jewel of the brāhmaṇas, Your love for Me has conquered Me!”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.25

tora nātha muñi haṅa-tumi mora prāṇa
gadāira gaurāṅga bole kara avadhāna

Translation: “I am your master, and you are My very life. That is why it is said that Gaurāṅga is Gadādhara’s property (গদাইর গৌরাঙ্গ). Please listen carefully.

Jayapatākā Swami: “I am Your Master, You are dear to Me as My very life. That is why it is said that, Gaurāṅga is Gadādhara’s property. Please listen carefully, with attention.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.26

mora yata bhāva—tothe nahe agocara
āmāra antaraśakti tora kalevara

Translation: “What I feel is not beyond your understanding. Your body is My internal potency.

Jayapatākā Swami: “Whatever I feel is not beyond Your understanding. Your body is My internal potency.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.27

rātridina mora saṅga tileka nā chāḍa
tomā vine mora kathā jāne kebā daḍha

Translation: “Night and day you stay with Me. You do not leave for even a single sesame seed’s worth of time. Except for you, who understands Me?

Jayapatākā Swami: “Day and night, You stay in My association, and do not leave Me for a second. Except for You, who can understand My words?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.28

mora priya bandhu yata vaiṣṇava ye jana
ānaha sabhāre—āmi dekhiba ekhana

Translation: “Please bring all the Vaiṣṇavas who are My dear friends. I want to see them.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “All the Vaiṣṇavas who are My dear friends You know. Bring all of them, I want to see them.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.29

ājñā pāiyā gadādharapaṇḍita sabhāre
ānila ācāryaratna-ādi yata āre

Translation: Accepting the Lord’s command, Gadādhara brought Acāryaratna and all the devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: Receiving the order from Lord Gaurāṅga, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, He brought everyone, Acāryaratna and all the other devotees.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.12

tad-ājñayā te muditāḥ samāgatā
ācārya-ratna-pramukhā mahattamāḥ
dṛṣṭvā hariṁ vihvalitaṁ sa-gadgada-
svaraṁ vimūḍhā iva te bhṛśārditāḥ

Translation: Thus, upon His order those very great souls headed by Ācārya Ratna joyously assembled. But when they saw Gaura Hari completely overwhelmed, and uttering sounds with a voice choked by emotion, they became very anguished and perplexed.

Jayapatākā Swami: Then naturally the devotees were happy to see the Lord, but when they saw the Lord was in anxiety and anguished, they became disturbed and perplexed.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.30

āsiyā dekhila yata mahottamajana
vibhora haila sabhe sajalalocana

Translation: Having arrived, the great devotees saw, that Gaura was overcome with emotion, they became bewildered with tears in their eyes.

Jayapatākā Swami: All the great devotees when they arrived, they saw Lord Gaurāṅga was overcome with emotion. They became bewildered with tears in their eyes.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.32

kim idaṁ nātha ko vāyaṁ veśaḥ kiṁ vā paraṁ mahaḥ
kim atra kāraṇaṁ brūhi bhagavān sarva-bhāvanaḥ

Translation: “O Lord! What is this? Is it a possession? Is it a show of your greatness? What is the cause? Please tell us. You are the Lord, the creator of all things!”

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.33

evaṁ balāveśa-līlā-lalito lalitāspadam
uvāca skhalitaṁ śaśvad vacanaṁ mada-ghūrṇitaḥ

Translation: Attractive with his pastime as Balarāma, his eyes rolling with intoxication, the Lord spoke with a broken voice words of beauty.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Kṛṣṇa is the source of all the incarnations and expansions, actually it is not that there are many Gods, there is only one God, one Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He has many forms. So, each form has a particular mood. So, when He was absorbed in the pastime of Balarāma, He expressed those emotions. So, Lord Gaurāṅga would assume the different emotions, or moods of the particular incarnations of Godhead. That was His loving ecstasy! But we should understand that there is one Supreme Lord and different forms. So that Lord Caitanya He would get absorbed in one particular expansion or another. So, in this case He had become filled with separation from Lord Balarāma.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.34

dṛṣṭo mayā sīra-pāṇir nīlāmbara-dharaḥ pumān
ropyācala iva śrīmān ko’py asau mādṛśair iha

Translation: “I have seen the person with a plough in his hand, wearing blue cloth. He is beautiful like a silver mountain. He is amazing for persons like me in this world.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.13

babhūvur ūcuś ca kim atra kāraṇaṁ
vadasva tāta svayam eva sāmpratam
śrutvāvadat tān nṛ-hariḥ suvihvalo
dṛṣṭo mayā śveta-girir halāyudhaḥ

Translation: They inquired, “Dear Lord, please tell us the cause for Your present state.” Hearing them, Nṛhari replied being overwhelmed, “I have seen the Silver Mountain, Halāyudha, the Wielder of the Plow.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.35

śrī-candraśekharācārya-ratnaṁ tatra jagāda tam
yas tvayā nātha dṛṣṭo’sau kutrāste balināṁ varaḥ

Translation: Candraśekhara, the best of ācāryas, said to him, “Where does this Lord, best of the strong, whom you saw, stay?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.31

kahila ācāryaratna madhura vacana
kahanā āpane bāpa ihāra kāraṇa

Translation: Acāryaratna sweetly asked: “Dear one, please tell us the reason for this condition of yours?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Acāryaratna spoke with very sweet words. Dear one, why has this condition fallen upon You? What is the cause of Your having this condition?

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.32

śuniyā tāhāra vāṇī kahe viśvambhara
kahite nā pāre-kaṇṭha gadagadasvara

Translation: Hearing these words, Lord Gaura tried to speak, but He could not. His voice was choked with emotion.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing the words of Acāryaratna, Lord Viśvambhara, He began to speak. But He was not able, His voice was choked with emotion, and only the choked sound came from His voice.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.33

ati suvihvala kahe ādha-ādha-bole
śvetagiri halāyudha dekhila mo kole

Translation: Overcome, Lord Gaura spoke half half words. He somehow said: “I saw Halāyudha (Balarāma) like a white mountain-peak in my lap.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.34

suvarṇa śoṇaka sūryasama saba prabhā
jhalamala kare ati alaṅkāra ābhā

Translation: “He was adorned with golden ornaments. He was splendid like the sun. He glistened with the splendor of many ornaments.”

Jayapatākā Swami: He was decorated with golden ornaments, and His effulgence was like that of the sun. He had many ornaments and they moved very splendidly, and glistened on Him.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.35

kahite kahite prabhu sei punarbāra
baladeva dekhi’ śvetaparvata-ākāra

Translation: Speaking and speaking in this way again, in a vision Lord Gaura gazed at Lord Balarāma, whose form was like a white mountain-peak.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord was speaking, He saw again the beautiful form of Lord Baladeva, beautiful like a white mountain peak.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.36

evaṁ vadan dadarśāsau tam eva halinaḥ prabhoḥ
āveśāveśa-vinyāsaṁ bibhrataṁ gaurasundaraḥ

Translation: As he said this, he saw Gaurasundara assume the form of Balarāma.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.37

tatas tad-bhāvam āpannaḥ śrīmān koṭīndu-sundaraḥ
gaurāṅgo nartanaṁ cakre taiḥ sarvair muditātmabhiḥ

Translation: Assuming Balarāma’s mood, the Lord, beautiful as a million moons, danced with his overjoyed devotees.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.14 -15

suvarṇa-saunanda-karaḥ sahasragur
yathā prabhāte vara-hema-bhūṣaṇaḥ
śrutvā tadā śrī-yuta-candra-śekharā-
cāryo’tha taṁ prāha vadasva tat prabho

dṛṣṭas tvayā yat sahasā tadā haris
tatraiva gatvā halinaṁ dadarśa
tatas tad-āveśatayā punar vibhur
nanarta tad-veśa-dharo mudānvitaiḥ

Translation: “In His hand He holds the golden club Sunanda. He appears like the thousand-rayed sun as it rises at dawn, and He wears fine gold ornaments.” Hearing this, Candraśekhara Ācārya then said, “O Prabhu, please speak further of the person You saw.” Then Gaura Hari suddenly went to the bearer of the plow and looked upon Him. Then on account of being immersed in the mood of Balarāma, the all-pervasive Lord donned Lord Balarāma’s attire and danced again in the company of His devotees, whose hearts were filled with gladness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Lord, He appears in various incarnations and expansions. So, His svayaṁ-prakaśa is Lord Balarāma. And some of the expansions are considered expansions of the expansions, and so on. But Lord Balarāma is the first expansion. So being absorbed in the mood of His first expansion, He assumed the appearance and attire of Lord Balarāma, and He began to dance in loving ecstasy, and all His devotees danced with Him in loving ecstasy.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.38

nṛtyatas tasya pīyūṣa-drava-siktaiḥ pade pade
jalpitais te svarga-sukham adharīcakrur aṣjasā

Translation: The devotees easily considered the happiness of Svarga insignificant in describing with words drenched in nectar the dancing of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the material world, the happiness in the heavenly planets is considered the top most. But for the devotees, in the presence of Lord Gaurāṅga, they are in such devotional ecstasy, that they consider the happiness of heaven to be insignificant.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.16

hṛṣṭo hariḥ kautuka-nṛtya-jalpitair
ānanditātmā kara-bhaṅga-saṅgataiḥ
sad-vaiṣṇavaiḥ puṇya-mahī-dharorjitaiḥ
krāntair vidhuḥ svarga-sukha pada-kramaiḥ

Translation: The Gaura Hari was thrilled and delighted at heart by being surrounded by the pure Vaiṣṇavas who by their expressive use of words, they described the attributes of the Lord in song, and by appropriate hand-gestures they praised Him while dancing. As they danced, they appeared like very pious and mighty mountains, and the movements of their dancing feet surpassed heavenly happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Gaurāṅga, His bliss was expanded in the wonderful association of His pure devotees, who were also in bliss in the presence of their Lord. In this way you can see how the real goal of life is to be associated with the Lord. To be engaged in His devotional service, to increase His ecstatic experiences, and then by this the devotee also experiences unlimited bliss.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.36

tabe sei mahāprabhu viśvambhararāya
seimate tadāveśe punaḥ nāce gāya

Translation: Then Mahāprabhu Lord Viśvambhara Rāya entered the ecstasy of being Lord Balarāma. Again and again He sang and danced.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord Viśvambhara Mahāprabhu then He became absorbed in the ecstasy of being Lord Balarāma and again and again He danced and sang.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.37

sakala vaiṣṇavajana ānande vihvala
Balarāma-preme sabhe kare ṭalabala

Translation: The Vaiṣṇavas were overcome with bliss. Everyone trembled with love for Lord Balarāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: All the Vaiṣṇavas, they were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss. Everyone trembled in love for Lord Balarāma.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.38

ānande bharala sabhāra dig vidike
duidina bhela prabhura āveśa nā bhāṅge

Translation: On every side everyone was overcome with bliss. Two days passed. Still Lord Gaura’s ecstasy did not break

Jayapatākā Swami: On all sides, all the assembled devotees were overwhelmed with bliss. Two days passed, but the Lord’s ecstasy as Balarāma did not break.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.39

evaṁ dinaṁ sa nṛtyena nināya parama-prabhuḥ
kīrtanāmṛta-vāpīṣu snātais taiḥ svajanaiḥ saha

Translation: During the day, the supreme Lord danced with his devotees who bathed in a lake of sweet kīrtana.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.40

tato’parāhne bhūyo’smin nṛtyati śrī-yute marut
mada-gandhair diśaḥ sarvāḥ samantāt samapūjaya

Translation: In the afternoon, when the Lord danced, the wind worshipped all directions completely with the fragrance of musk.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.41

taṁ taṁ gandhaṁ samāghrāya madotkaṭam atisphuṭam
ākasmikair iva ghanair bhramaraiḥ pidadhe nabha

Translation: Smelling that strong fragrance of musk, the bees suddenly covered the sky like a cloud.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.42

śrī-rāma-nāmā viprāgryo dadarśākāśa-maṇḍalāt
samāgatān mahā-kāntīn mahā-dīptīn mahājanān

Translation: The great brāhmaṇa named Śrī Rāma saw many beautiful, greatly effulgent beings come from the sky.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.17-18

evaṁ dināntaṁ sa nināya yajña-bhuk
yajñaiḥ susaṅkīrtanakair jagad-dhitaiḥ
tato’parāhne punar eva deve
nṛtyonmukhe vāruṇī-divya-gandhaiḥ

apūri sarvāni diśāṁ mukhāni
tadā samāghrāya janā nananduḥ
śrī-rāma-nāma-dvija-varya-sattamo
‘paśyat tadā tatra samāgatān bahūn

Translation: Thus did the Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrifice, pass His time until the day’s end in the sublime sacrifice of saṅkīrtana which benefits all living entities. Then on the following day, as the Lord again raised His face in dancing, the divine fragrance of Vāruṇī filled all directions, and when the people smelled it, they felt pleasure. The eminent brāhmaṇa of the name Śrī Rāma then noticed that there were many great souls assembled in that place.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, such was the ecstasy of Lord Gaurāṅga in the mood of Balarāma, that the smell of the Vāruṇī honey beverage did, that Balarāma Prabhu liked so much. That fragrance started to pervade, and He saw different devas and angels and other heavenly beings, descend from the heavens to be part of that pastime.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.39

tabe tārapara-dine nṛtyera samaya
caudike beḍhila saba bhakta mahāśaya

Translation: On the next day Lord Gaura was still dancing. On four sides He was surrounded by saintly devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: On the following day, Lord Gaurāṅga at the time was dancing, He was surrounded on all sides by the great saintly devotees, who were also dancing in the kīrtana.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.40

padatala-tāle mahī ṭalabala kare
ḍhulāya aruṇa āmkhi—ādha-ādha bole

Translation: His footsteps made the earth tremble. His half-closed eyes were red like the rising sun. He spoke in half half words

Jayapatākā Swami: His dancing footsteps made the earth tremble; His half-closed eyes were reddish in color. And He spoke ecstatic, choked up words, half half words.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.41

matta karibara yena gamana manthara
calite nā pāre-preme bhaigela nirbhara

Translation: Like an intoxicated elephant He walked slowly. Finally He was so overcome with ecstatic love He no longer had any power to walk.

Jayapatākā Swami: Like an intoxicated elephant He walked slowly. At one point He became overwhelmed with ecstatic love, He was not able to walk.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.42

hena pahum āveśa-avaśa tena saṅgī
nācaye vihvala Balarāma-raṅge raṅgī

Translation: In this way Lord Gaura was overcome with ecstasy. His companions were also overcome. Overcome with the ecstasy of being Lord Balarāma, Lord Gaura danced

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way Lord Gaurāṅga was overcome with the ecstasy of being Lord Balarāma. And He was dancing. And His devotees were also overwhelmed in ecstasy. So, it is very esoteric, how the Lord is in the mood of His expansion, Lord Balarāma. And He is being overwhelmed with ecstasy. So, all His devotees are also overwhelmed with the loving ecstasy. Everyone is dancing in kīrtana, in extreme loving ecstasy! Ha! Ha! For two days! Ha! Ha!

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.43

nācite gāite bhela sāyāhna-samaya
ācambite bayāne vāruṇīgandha kaya

Translation: He sang and danced until sunset. Then the scent of vāruṇī wine suddenly filled the air.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, He danced and He sang until the sunset. Suddenly appeared the fragrance of the vāruṇī beverage, and filled the air!

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.44

vāruṇīra divyagandhe bhela āmodita
caudike nehāre loka haiyā camakita

Translation: The splendid divine fragrance of vāruṇī wine scented the four directions. Filled with wonder, the devotees gazed at each other.

Jayapatākā Swami: The divine scent of Vāruṇī (Ha! Ha!) beverage could be smelled in all directions. All the devotees present, they were filled with wonder and they gazed at each other!

So, you can see how the pastime of Lord Caitanya was so transcendental, and only the most advanced associates could appreciate His ecstatic symptoms. By His presence, by His assuming the mood of Balarāma, the whole area became filled with the presence of Balarāma. Even the smell of Vāruṇī beverage, everything became like Balarāma conscious. And then Balarāma is the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is completely transcendental. So, the pastimes are all transcendental. Ha! Ha! Jaya Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Balarāma kī jaya!

* * *

We thank the devotees who sponsored the festival of Lord Narasiṁhadeva. Normally we would offer a feast for all the devotees on the appearance day of Lord Narasiṁhadeva, but since we could not offer a feast due to the lockdown situation, we distributed sweets offered to the Lord so that everyone could have on the Narasiṁha-caturdaśī, and the day after. So, I want to thank all the devotees for their sponsoring the festival. Also, we heard that today one devotee from Kolkata has donated one thousand kilos of rice. So, like that, our prasādam distribution and feeding of the devotees can go on. I thank you very much for this donation of rice. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Vrajeśvara Gaura dāsa: Guru Mahārāja made a special announcement that all sponsors’ names mentioned in the class for sponsorships will be given to His Grace Paṅkajāṅgrī Prabhu for a special pūjā.

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