20200511 Ecstatic Activities of Balarama Manifestation of Lord Caitanya (Part 3)

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
harihi oṁ tat sat

I am sorry I am late today because we had the IIAC meeting, All India Advisory Council meeting on the Zoom. So, the agenda was till 6.30 but it took a little longer. I was hoping to leave a little early to attend the class at 6.14! We will continue Lord Caitanya is manifesting His Balarāma līlā ecstasy. Lord Caitanya took the mood of Balarama and He was enjoying this ecstasy of being Balarāma! The whole atmosphere changed. So, we will read about that.

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Chapter entitled as Ecstatic Activities of Balarāma Manifestion of Lord Caitanya – Continued…

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.45

daśadig āmodita vāruṇīra gandhe
mātala bhakata ati prema-unamāde

Translation: The ten directions were scented with the fragrance of vāruṇī wine. With that fragrance the devotees became intoxicated with the intoxication of ecstatic love.

Jayapatākā: The ten directions were scented by the fragrance of the Vāruṇī beverage, the intoxicating Vāruṇī beverage. All the devotees became intoxicated with ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa to the extreme. They became intoxicated extremely by the ecstatic love. Haribol!”

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.43

divya-gandhānuliptāṅgān divyābharaṇa-bhūṣitān
divya-srag-vasanān divyān divya-rūpa-guṇāśrayān

Translation: They were decorated with shining ornaments and anointed with heavenly sandalwood. They wore heavenly garlands and had heavenly forms and qualities.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.44

eka-karṇa-dhṛtāmbhoja-karṇa-pūra-manoharān |
ūṣṇīṣa-paṭṭa-saṁśliṣṭa-mastakān hṛṣṭa-mānasān ||44||

Translation: They were attractive with one earring in each lotus ear and heads furnished with silk turbans. They had joyful minds.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 8.45

anye tasya mukhāc chrutvā nanṛtur jagur aṣjasā |
kīrtanena harer nāmnām āmnāya-sudhiyo bhṛśam ||45||

Translation: When others learned in the Vedas heard this from Śrī-rāma, they danced and sang spontaneously with enthusiasm, performing kīrtana of the Lord’s name.

Jayapatākā: This describes how the devotees were engaging in the sacrifice of chanting the holy names spontaneously and enthusiastically. So, Lord Caitanya, He had requested the presence of His intimate associates, and He was in ecstasy of Lord Balarāma, for two days nonstop. And His devotees were spontaneously, enthusiastically, reciprocating with the Lord’s ecstasy. This is a very rare and esoteric pastime. How it is being described is – I don’t think many devotees have ever heard this before. So, the devotees are able to understand the internal ecstasies and moods of Lord Gaurāṅga. Other people may not be able to understand, how the Lord takes the different moods of His different expansions and avatars. And how He enjoys loving ecstasy, in that mood. So, when He was in the mood of Balarāma, the whole air became filled with the fragrance of the madhu beverage Vāruṇī.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.14.19

karṇaika-padmān kamalāyatekṣaṇān
śrotraika-vinyasta-sukuṇḍalārciṣā
vidyotamānān sita-vastra-mastakān
śrutvā tato’nye nanṛtuḥ praharṣitāḥ

Translation: Each of them had a lotus pushed over one of their ears, and a glittering earring upon the other ear. Their eyes were wide-spread like lotus petals, their heads were wrapped in white turbans, and their presence was very illuminating. After Gaura Hari’s bhaktas heard these topics of Kṛṣṇa-kathā from Śrī Rāma, they sang and danced very jubilantly.

Jayapatākā: Murāri Gupta is explaining this pastime very elaborately. How the devotees hearing the glories of Śrī Rāma, or how they heard the glories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa from Śrī Balarāma. So, they all began jubilantly and ecstatically engaging in harināma-kīrtana, and how they were dressed very attractively with turbans, ear rings and white lotus.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.46

henakāle śrīvāsapaṇḍita dvijavarya
dekhilena –śuna tāra anubhāva kārya

Translation: At that time the great brāhmaṇa Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita saw a vision. Please hear what he saw.

Jayapatākā: At that time, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, the best of the brāhmaṇas, he had a vision. Listen, what he saw. Please hear what he saw.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.47

ācambite divya divya puruṣaratana
seikhāne divya-veśe haila upasanna

Translation: Many splendid, divine, splendidly-dressed, jewel-like persons suddenly approached.

Jayapatākā: Suddenly, most divine, jewel like persons appeared there, splendidly dressed, and they approached the devotees!

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.48

kāro eka karṇe padma-kamala-locana
eka ye kuṇḍala karṇe-nīlima vasana

Translation: Some had on one ear lotus with lotus eyes and another ear earrings and blue garments.

Jayapatākā: Some had, on one ear a lotus. And they had lotus eyes. Another ear, they had earrings. And they were wearing blue garments. So, this is the description of the divine persons that appeared there.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.49

pīta vastra—pāgar̤ī bāndhiyā laṭapaṭī
kahite nā pāri rūpa veśa paripāṭī

Translation: Another wore a turban and yellow garments. I have no power to describe their graceful forms, garments, and ornaments.

Jayapatākā: Another had yellow garments with a turban tied on his head. I am not able to describe the form, the cloth, the ornaments, sufficiently. How graceful they were!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.068

prabhura huṅkāra-tāṇḍabe pṛthivīra kaṣpa evaṃ bhaktagaṇera bhaye Balarāma gīta-gāna—

hena se huṅkāra kare, hena se garjana
navadvīpa-ādi kari’ kāṅpe tribhuvana

Translation: The Lord would roar and shout in such a way that the three worlds beginning from Navadvīpa shook.

Jayapatākā: Lord Gaurāṅga, He was roaring in such a loud manner, He was shouting in such a way that the three worlds started to tremble or shake! From Navadvīpa, outwards.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.069

hena se karena mahā-tāṇḍava pracaṇḍa
pṛthivīte paḍile pṛthivī haya khaṇḍa

Translation: He would dance so wildly that if He fell to the ground the earth would crack.

Jayapatākā: He would dance so wildly, that with a great force, He would fall to the earth, and as such the earth would start to crack or break!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.070

ṭalamala kare bhūmi brahmāṇḍa-sahite
bhaya pāya bhṛtya-saba se nṛtya dekhite

Translation: The earth would sway along with the entire universe, and the devotees would become frightened on seeing that dancing of the Lord.

Jayapatākā: The earth would begin to sway with the entire universe. All the devotees, all the servants, they got fearful, seeing the Lord’s ecstatic, intense dancing.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.071

Balarāma-vārṇanā gāyena sabe gīta
śuniyā hayena prabhu ānande mūrcchita

Translation: When the devotees would sing the glories of Balarāma, the Lord would lose consciousness in ecstasy.

Jayapatākā: When the devotees would sing the glories describing Lord Balarāma’s qualities, in beautiful song, when the Lord Caitanya, Lord Gaurāṅga, heard this, He would faint to the ground unconscious in loving ecstasy!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.072

prabhura āviṣṭa bhāve bhramaṇa o nityānandake āhvāna—

ārya-tarjā paḍena parama-matta-prāya
ḍhuliyāḍhuliyā saba-aṅgane veḍāya

Translation: As the Lord staggered around the courtyard like a greatly intoxicated person, He composed and recited particular varieties of poems and songs.

Jayapatākā: Like a supremely intoxicated person, He went around the courtyard, staggering like an intoxicated person. He composed and recited particular varieties of poems and songs.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.073

ki saundarya prakāśa haila rāma-bhāve
dekhite dekhite kāro ārti nāhi bhāge

Translation: What splendor He manifested in the mood of Balarāma! The devotees were unsatiated even though they constantly gazed at Him.

Jayapatākā: In the mood of Lord Balarāma, He manifested an unparalleled beauty. Although the devotees were gazing and seeing Him again and again, no one was satiated seeing that beautiful form!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.074

ati anirvacanīya dekhi’ mukhacandra
ghana ghana ḍāke `nityānanda nityānanda!’

Translation: The Lord’s moonlike face was completely beyond description. He would repeatedly call out, “Nityānanda! Nityānanda!”

Jayapatākā: The moonlike face of Lord Caitanya, Lord Gaurāṅga, was beyond description. Completely beyond description! He repeatedly called out with a deep voice, Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Haribol!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.075

kadācit kakhana o prabhura bāhya haya
‘prāṇa yāya mora’ sabe ei kathā kaya

Translation: The Lord would seldom regain external consciousness, and when He did so, He would exclaim, “My life is departing.”

Jayapatākā: Rarely would the Lord Gaurāṅga regain external consciousness. When He did so, MY LIFE IS GONE! My life is gone! He would exclaim!

Thus ends the chapter, Ecstatic Activities of Balarāma Manifestion of Lord Caitanya

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Any questions?

Question: Lalitāṅgī Rādhā Devī Dāsī: Please accept my respectful obeisances. Dearest Guru Mahārāja, Lord Balarāma seemed to be more merciful to Duryodhana, accepting him as His disciple, and He wanted Subhadrā to be married to Duryodhana. And also, did not approve of the way Bhima killed Duryodhana. While Lord Kṛṣṇa was always siding Pāṇḍavas. How to understand these apparent differences between the Lords?

Jayapatākā Swami: Correction in the question that it was Duryodhana’s son that wanted to marry Subhadrā. Since this was an interfamily dispute, they were all in the same family. So, Lord Kṛṣṇa had some relations with all of them. That means Balarāma also had. So, He allowed Lord Balarāma to give some mercy to Duryodhana. So, it seems that the family was neutral. But since Lord Balarāma could see that Duryodana and his brothers were acting impiously, they would be defeated. So, he went on pilgrimage during the Kurukshetra war. He only appeared after the war was over. And then He objected that Bhīma defeated Duryodhana using some trick. But there was no other way that he could defeat Duryodhana. So, since Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality, He is the original Person, and Balarāma is His expansion, just to add some variety to His pastimes, so They are manifesting some difference.

So, request all the devotees to pray for the health of His Holiness Bhakti Bhūṣaṇa Swami who is the hospital in Germany. It is not COVID 19 but has some other problem. So, let us chant Hare Kṛṣṇa for his health. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

Question: (it was a repeat question): Please accept my humble obeisances. Prahlāda Mahārāja was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa but Kṛṣṇa appeared in from of him as Narasiṁhadeva. So, in which loka does Prahlāda Mahārāja stay? After His disappearance, someone said that Narasiṁhadeva has His own loka in the spiritual world.

Jayapatākā Swami: Narasiṁhadeva has His own planet. Presently Prahlāda is residing in the subterranean heavens, with his grandson Bali Mahārāja.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja. PAMRO. Can we apply varnas to devotees, in what cases and how important are varnas for devotees? When a devotee serves the deities in the temple, doing different kinds of services, can we say he is doing services in a particular varṇa? Thanks a lot. —Your spiritual granddaughter, Jaya Gopālī, Russia.

Jayapatākā Swami: Vaiṣṇavas engage in different services for Kṛṣṇa. So, they are considered on the transcendental level. Externally, if one is doing deity worship or teaching or preaching, they are doing the activities of a brāhmaṇa. If they are managing or defending devotees, we can say they are kṣatriya. If they are doing business or farming, we can say they are doing activities of a vaiśya. But everyone is doing some service for Kṛṣṇa. So that is considered yukta-vairāgya. So, that is why the varṇāśrama is especially for the human beings. But the devotees, engaging in varṇāśrama, every activity they do, they do as a service to Kṛṣṇa. So, they are considered at a transcendental level. If one is just doing the activity without offering it to Kṛṣṇa, we can say that is varṇa. If everything is offered to Kṛṣṇa, then that is daivī-varṇa or yukta-vairāgya. Last question.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Since the Lord is unlimited and always expanding can we say that at every moment there are more jīvas expanding or emanating from Him. Is the number of jīvas increasing? – Your insignificant servant, Acintya Nitāi dāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: While we can say that the Lord is expanding unlimitedly, at the same time the jīvas have no beginning and no end. They are not created like some material object. So that, once they exist, they never cease to exist. And then if you try to trace out when they first existed, you cannot trace the beginning.

Thank you very much!

For the sponsors of the books, we are also asking His Grace Paṅkajāṅghrī Prabhu to do a Nṛsiṁha-pūjā.

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 Paṅkajāṅghrī Prabhu for a special pūjā.

Virtual table contact number for books is: +91 9434760402. The virtual table is manned by His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Svāmī, earlier known as Veṇudhārī Prabhu, who took sannyāsa on Guru Mahārāja’s Vyāsa-pūja. (Whatsapp message can be sent.)