20200524 Organisation of the Kīrtana Groups - Millions of Vaiṣṇavas Get Ready for Kīrtana

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Chapter: Organization of the Kīrtana Groups – Millions of Vaiṣṇavas Get Ready for Kīrtana.

You remember how they were not able to see Lord Caitanya’s dancing and chanting.  And Lord Caitanya asked them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in their house. And now when the Cand Kazi has persecuted the chanters, He told that He is going to dance in every suburb of Navadvīpa! So everybody is enthusiastic!

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrita, Ādi-līlā, 17.135

“In the evening Lord Gaurasundara went out and formed three parties to perform kīrtana.

Purport: This is a scheme for performing kīrtana in a procession. During Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s time, one party was composed of twenty-one men: four people playing mrdangas, one leading the chanting, and sixteen others striking karatalas, responding to the leading chanter. If many men join the saṅkīrtana movement, they may follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and form different parties according to the time and the number of men available.”

So Śrīla Prabhupāda is advising we can make parties in this way or bigger, depending on how many devotees we have, to participate in the kīrtana. At that time, there was no loudspeaker system. So the lead singers would chant, and then others would respond and that would be the main amplification.

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrita, Ādi-līlā, 17.136

“In the front part dance Ṭhākura Haridasa, and in the middle party danced Advaita Ācārya with great jubilation.”

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrita, Ādi-līlā 17.137

“Lord Gaurasundara Himself danced in the rear party, and Śrī Nityānanda prabhu moved with Lord Caitanya’s dancing.”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.140

Hearing this all the vaisnavas came immediately, and Sacinandana the son of mother Śacī, He immediately gave His order, and instructions to everyone.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.141

Advaita Gosain will dance in one group, and one group will sing by His side.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.142

In the middle group, Haridasa Ṭhākura will be dancing. One group will sing next to him. Let us see how Lord Caitanya is organizing all the kīrtana.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.143

In one group, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita will dance, and one group will sing at his side.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.144

When Lord Gaurāṅga looked at Lord Nityānanda, Lord Nityānanda said, I will never leave Your side!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.145

So Lord Nityānanda continued that, My duty will be to follow You for support. I will not relinquish Your lotus feet from My heart, even for a moment!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.146

What ability do I have to dance independently? Wherever You are, I am there! This is My devotional service.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.147

Seeing the ecstatic symptoms of love in the body of Lord Nityānanda, Lord Gaurāṅga embraced Him, and kept Him in His association.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.148

In this way, according to how they desired blissfully, some danced independently, and some danced near the Lord.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.149

My dear brothers, please listen to these pastimes attentively! Those who hear the pastimes of the street kīrtana procession, by hearing these attentively, you will be freed from the bondage of fruitive activities.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.150 -152

So the devotees headed by Gadādhara, Vakresvara, Murāri, Śrīvas, Gopīnātha, Jagadisa, Gangadasa, Ramai, Govindānanda, Śrī Candrasehakara, Vasudeva, Śrīgarbha, Mukunda, Śrīdhara, Govinda, Jagadānanda, Nandana Ācārya, Suklambara and others, were all expert in the performance of kīrtana.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.153

So Lord Caitanya has unlimited servitors. How many names can I know? Veda Vyāsa has revealed their names in the purāṇas.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.154

Lord Gaurāṅga danced with His associates, expansions, energies and weapons, and His confidential companions. What ability does a human being have to describe all this?

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.155

These wonderful pastimes manifested by the son of mother Śacī, Śacī Sūta, have never been manifested by any avatar before. So there are innumerable servitors of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These servitors assist the Lord in His various incarnations. They participate in the Lord’s pastimes. So these associates are described by Veda Vyāsa in the purāṇas. So in the 11^th canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a prediction of Lord Caitanya’s appearance. That says, Kṛṣṇa varnam tvisakṛṣṇam, sango pangastrra prasadam, yajnaih saṅkīrtana prayair, yajanti hi sumedhasah.

“In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.32)

So Śrīla Vṛndāvana das Ṭhākura, expressed his inability, to describe the topics like Veda Vyāsa does. So this pastime of Sacinandana are not displayed in any other incarnation, and they are very wonderful, the biggest saṅkīrtana procession in history! Veda Vyāsa has explained about many incarnations, but these pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the merciful Fountainhead of all incarnations, are most wonderful.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.156

Lord Viswambara’s happiness increased step by step, as the afternoon arrived.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.157

All the devotees present were in such ecstasy; they were floating in an ocean of bliss.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.158

Lord Gaurāṅga was the husband of the goddess of fortune, was dancing in all the towns, suburbs of Navadvīpa. Seeing this, the conditioned souls’ miseries of life was vanquished immediately.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.159

Women, children, and elderly people, even the animals, and plants, whoever saw the dancing of the Lord, they were completely freed from all material bondage.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.160

No one had any external consciousness, and was fully absorbed in transcendental ecstasy at the time of dusk, which is known as the Godhuli, because Kṛṣṇa would come at that time with the cows, back to Vṛndāvana. Everybody was absorbed in transcendental ecstasy

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.161

Millions of people gathered at the Lord’s doorstep! The loud vibration of Hari’s names penetrated the entire universe.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.162

Lord Sacinandana loudly roared and chanted HARIBOL! The sound filled the ears of all who were present there!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.163

Ha! Ha! Lord Gaurāṅga’s loud roaring made everyone overwhelmed with ecstasy. The loud chanting of Haribol, HARIBOL! HARIBOL! Filled the air! And all those present lit their torches!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.164

Hundreds of thousands and millions of torches were lit in the four directions. And hundreds of thousands and millions of people were chanting Haribol HARIBOL! HARIIIIIIIBOL! In all directions! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.165

Who has the ability, the power to describe the beauty of that situation, that wonderful scene! What ecstasy that was manifested there in the Lord’s incarnation!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.166

I am not able to say anything whether the beauty of the full moon, or the beauty of the sun, or all the stars in the sky, it was like all the beauty was present at the same time. It is not possible to describe.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.167

Everything was illuminated, all the sky. Perhaps Kṛṣṇa had come in the form of light, and manifested there in the form of light.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Madhya Khanda, 23.168

As the beautiful Lord Gaurāṅga loudly chanted Haribol! HARIBOL! HARIBOL! All the vaisnavas, all the devotees of the Lord got ready.

So considering that the situation there was an Islamic government, and that for some reason the Hindus were being persecuted, so they could not chant the name of Kṛṣṇa out loud. And then Lord Caitanya, He ordered that He will march on the house of the Cand Kazi. And hundreds of thousands and millions of people, the whole town of Navadvīpa, they were very ecstatic and blissful, and they were all ready to follow the order of Lord Gaurāṅga. And the loud chanting of Hari, millions of torches, the whole situation was very ecstatic, and the people had lost all fear, and they were participating in this massive kīrtana! So this is something that is one of the symptoms of the incarnations of Godhead. That He does things which are otherwise not possible. How He inspired the whole town of Navadvīpa to proceed in this gigantic kīrtana. And to do for the first time in the world civil disobedience, for the right cause. That they should not be religiously persecuted. It seems that the prediction of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is being fulfilled by Lord Caitanya, that His coming with all His associates, His expansions, His devotees, and His personified weapons, in a kīrtana of love. So this amazing vision, where people are chanting the holy names, it is beyond description. How everyone was filled with the loving ecstasy, and they were actually not aware of their bodies at all! They were completely in spiritual consciousness. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Thus ends the chapter entitled: Organizaton of the Kīrtana Groups –Millions of Vaisnavas Get Ready for Kīrtana.

Haribol! Any questions? I will take one or two questions, then I have to go for my dinner.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa, dear guru maharaj. PAMRO. I am Jiveswara Nityānanda das, my dear master. I have children, no devotees, and their mother neither. I don’t live with them but I pay for their maintenance. I need your advice, thus I don’t fall down again. I follow the four principles and chant my 16 rounds and eat only Kṛṣṇa prasad. I read every day Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and keep a small altar. I work as a security guard. Thank you for your mercy my dear master. Your disciple, Jiveswara Nityānanda das, from Peru.

Jayapatākā Swami: If you can write me a letter in Spanish, or whatever language you find convenient, English or Spanish, tell me what your particular problem is and what advice you want. Because this seems to be a personal. This question and answer time is for general philosophy, question, and it seems that you have some particular personal situation and so, I couldn’t understand your language, but it seems that your children and their mother are not devotees. So what your particular question is, I don’t understand. This is not the time to ask such questions.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear gurudev, PAMHO. A few weeks ago in your lecture you mentioned how Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the devotees rested in a mango grove and had a veritable mango festival. My wife and I would like to, in honor of this pastime, serve the devotees in Māyāpur by sponsoring a mango festival. We seek your blessings for this event. Your servant, Laksman Ram and family, Atlanta, USA.

Jayapatākā Swami: You have my blessings! Ha! Ha! I am sure that devotees would like to have some mango prasadam! Ha! Ha! We have about 5000 devotees here, how many mangoes will you give? Ha! Ha!

Question: Dear guru maharaj. PAMRO.  Thank you so much for your mercy guru maharaj. Almost in every class you speak about the danger of offending vaisnavas. I have become overwhelmed with fear and despair because of my fault finding nature. I find faults with everything and everyone. Sometimes I cry because it seems that I really cannot control myself from doing that. I repent every time I commit offence and ask for forgiveness. But this process of committing offence and asking for forgiveness seems unending. I feel hopeless and terrible at the thought that I will never receive the mercy of Lord Caitanya and will have to rot in hell, in different bodies, being deprived of the association of the devotees. I seek your help to overcome this offensive nature of mine. Thank you, your insignificant servant, Snigdamayi Sudevi devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Try to see the good qualities in others. We heard that flies, they look at where the sores are and rather than having a fly like mentality, see the good qualities in others. Although in your mind you may think something bad, in Kali yuga you do not get the offence by thinking, you get for doing. As soon as you think something critical, say something praising. Say some good quality of the person. In this way you can overcome this tendency to offend devotees. Devotees have so many good qualities. Why do we want to see all the bad qualities. Even the moon has got some spots in it. But its light, lights up the whole night. So like that, being a vaiṣṇava, they may have some a defect, but we should try to glorify their good qualities. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

So thank you all very much! We can see this pastime of Lord Caitanya unfolding and we would like to wish Yamunā Lilavati happy birthday. She is our Russian translator. Let us chant Hare Kṛṣṇa for her. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare!

Announcement: So guru maharaj’s personal virtual table is meant to give opportunities to his disciples, well-wishers, a chance to collectively fulfill one single personal instruction regarding book distribution. This personal instruction guru maharaj received in 1970s, that every month he should also see to that that ten thousand mahā big books and hundred thousand small books are distributed every month. All sponsorships in this regard is used 100% in distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books to the needy. Anyone, from anywhere, at any time can what’s app your sponsorship to guru maharaj’s virtual book table number at: +91 94 34760402.

Virtual table contact number for books is: +91 9434760402. The virtual table is manned by His Holiness Bhakti Vijay Bhāgavata Swami, earlier known as Venudhari prabhu, who took sannyāsa on guru maharaj’s Vyāsa Pūjā. (What’s app message can be sent.)