20200609 Lord Gaurāṅga Drinks Water from Śrīdhara’s Damaged Iron Pot

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 9^th June 2020 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Introduction: Today is the appearance day of His Holiness Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī, who was the person that started the China mission, and I had the opportunity to have lots of association with him. In 1968, when I joined in San Francisco, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī was there, I saw him but I was mainly under Jayānanda, and then I went to see Śrīla Prabhupāda in Montreal, after visiting the temple in New York. I saw all the temples in ISKCON in 1968, there were three – San Francisco, New York and Montreal. Now it’s not possible, 800 temples! I was the temple president in Calcutta and Tamāla Kṛṣṇa was my GBC. I think I was not able to satisfy him, but I tried. and then we used to ride on the trucks to Māyāpur, with the steel. But one time the driver said, “Here is one Punjabi restaurant, you can take hot milk.” So, we were taking hot milk, and someone told us, “They are stealing your iron.” We ran out and saw they were throwing the iron in the ditch. So, we had to load up the iron again. Like that we were trying to take a lot of goods to build Śrīla Prabhupada’s house, guest house. So, like that I had different association with him, He took me to his farm in Oklahoma. (You know homa right?) So, Oklahoma. We had a vehicle called the Barth Mobile, it was a special mobile home, and we had a shortwave radio and codes he talked to the truckers via the shortwave radio, whether there was any police on the way. “Watch out Smokey beware!” that was the code for the police. Any way he was staying in the Dallas temple, sometimes in the Houston temple. Sometimes we would see him in the Hong Kong temple, and so we were together in Māyāpur, Kolkata, Honk Kong various places.

He was able to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda like no one else, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that a uttama disciple was one who knows what the spiritual master wants, without him saying it, and Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī had that ability. Śrīla Prabhupāda would raise his hand, we wouldn’t know what he meant, but Tamāla Kṛṣṇa would go and close the window. He somehow knew what Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted. So today is his appearance day, if there was no lockdown, normally I would go and participate in his disciples’ gathering. But because of lockdown, it’s not possible. So at least I could say a few words to glorify His Holiness.

So, we finished Lord Caitanya’s discussion with the Chand Kazi, and then He led a kīrtana to Kolaveca Śrīdhara’s house. The chapter is entitled:

Lord Gaurāṅga Drinks Water from Śrīdhara’s Damaged Iron Pot

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17.70

śrīdhara-gṛhe lauhapātre jalapāna o varapradāna

śrīdharera lauha-pātre kaila jala-pāna
samasta bhaktere dila iṣṭa vara-dāna

Translation: Once Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the house of Śrīdhara after kīrtana and drank water from his damaged iron pot. Then He bestowed His benediction upon all the devotees according to their desires.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: After the mass nagara-saṅkīrtana in protest against the magistrate Chand Kazi, the Kazi was converted to a devotee. Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned with His saṅkīrtana party to the house of Śrīdhara, and Chand Kazi followed Him. All the devotees rested there for some time and drank water from Śrīdhara’s damaged iron pot. The Lord accepted the water because the pot belonged to a devotee. Chand Kazi then returned home. The place where they rested is still situated on the northeastern side of Māyāpur, and it is known as kīrtana-viśrāma-sthāna, “the resting place of the kīrtana party.”

Jayapatākā Swami: This place is near to the Jagannātha temple, it is about less than one kilometer from the Jagannātha temple. There is a temple there, but the Deity has been taken to the Caitanya-Maṭha. So, we take our parikramā party there, and we remember the great qualities of the devotee, Kolaveca Śrīdhara.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.428

prabhura śaṅkhavaṇika nagare praveśa o ghare ghare ānanda-kolāhala—

ananta arbuda loka saṅge viśvambhara
praveśa karilāśaṅkha-vaṇik-nagara

Jayapatākā Swami: With unlimited millions of people, Lord Viśvambhara entered into the village of the neighborhood of the conch shell merchants.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: “After suppressing the Kazi’s opposition to saṅkīrtana, Lord Śrī Gaurasundara led the kīrtana party to the nearby village of conchshell merchants.”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.429

śaṅkha-vaṇikera pure uṭhila ānanda
‘hari’ bali’ bājāya mṛdaṅga, ghanṭā, śaṅkha

Jayapatākā Swami: The neighborhood of conchshell merchants, became filled with bliss as they chanted the names of Hari! Haribol! Haribol! They played on mṛdaṅga drums, blew conchshells, and rang the bells.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.430

puṣpa-maya pathe nāci’ cale viśvambhara
catur-dike jvale dīpa parama sundara

Jayapatākā Swami: The path that Lord Viśvambhara danced along, was covered with flowers, and in all directions, most attractive beautiful, torches burned.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.431

se candrera śobhā kibā kahibāre pāri
yāhāte kīrtana kare gaurāṅga śrī-hari

Jayapatākā Swami: I am unable to describe how beautiful the moonlight was, under which Lord Gaurāṅga was performing His kīrtana. Lord Gaurāṅga, He took His huge kīrtana party which had come to the house of the Chand Kazi, to the neighborhood of the conchshell merchants, and especially the ladies in Bengal, they wear conchshells. Just like Jalaṅgī. and they make bracelets and other jewellery from the conchshells. Mainly the Hindu ladies would use this, conchshell merchants are generally Hindus. Anyway, when Lord Caitanya brought His kīrtana party there, they came and they became filled with joy, and started to chant and dance, along with the devotees who were with the kīrtana party of Lord Caitanya, and they were playing, blowing on the conchshells, playing the mṛdaṅga drums, cymbals, bells. Since they were going in the conchshell merchants’ neighborhood, they must have had lots of conchshells to blow.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.432

prati-dvāre pūrṇa-kumbha rambhā āmrasāra
nārī-gaṇe ‘hari’ bali’ deya jayakāra

Jayapatākā Swami: At every doorway there were full water pots, banana trees with the bananas left on them, mango leaves strung over the doorway, and the ladies chanted Hari and made auspicious sounds, which were very beautiful. Haribol! (Devotees sitting there did the ulu-dhvani. Jayapatākā Swami said: Thank you very much!)

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.433

prabhura tantuvāya-pallīte praveśa o tathāya maṅgaladhvani—

ei mata sakala nagare śobhā kare
āilāṭhākura tantuvāyera nagare

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this way, after beautifully gracing each neighborhood, Lord Gaurāṅga came to the neighborhood of the weavers.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: From the village of conchshell merchants, the Lord went to the village of weavers. The village of weavers is still present today.

Jayapatākā Swami: In our Jagannātha temple, we have also some weavers, who make gamchas and various cloth for the use of the devotees.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.434

uṭhila maṅgala-dhvani jaya-kolāhala
tantuvāya-saba hailā ānande vihvala

Jayapatākā Swami: As the tumultuous sounds of the auspicious sounds arose, and mṛdaṅga and various victory sounds made a loud vibration, the weavers became overwhelmed in loving ecstasy.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.435

nāce saba nagariyā diyā karatāli
“hari bala mukunda gopāla vanamālī”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the residents of Navadvīpa were dancing and clapping their hands, and chanting, “Haribol! Mukunda! Gopāla! Vanamāli!”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.436

prabhura śrīdharagṛhe gamana o jīrṇa lauhapātre jalapāne—

sarva-mukhe ‘hari’ nāma śuni’ prabhu hāse
nāciyā calilā prabhu śrīdharera vāse

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga smiled as He heard the name of Hari, emanating from everyone’s mouth. The Lord danced and went down the road, to the residence of Kolaveca Śrīdhara.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura “From the village of the weavers, Śrī Gaurasundara went to Śrīdhara’s courtyard.”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.437

bhāṅgā eka ghara mātra śrīdharera vāsa
uttarilā giyā prabhu tāṅhāra āvāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: One broken room, was Śrīdhara’s home, so Lord Gaurāṅga goes, entering into that house.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.438

sabe eka lauha-pātra āchaye duyāre
kata ṭhāṅi tāli, tāhāha core o nā hare

Jayapatākā Swami: By the doorway there was one iron pot, that had been repaired many times, even a thief would not steal it.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.439

nṛtya kare mahāprabhu śrīdhara-aṅgane
jala-pūrṇa pātra prabhu dekhilā āpane

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced in the courtyard of Śrīdhara, and the Lord saw that pot full of water.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.440

bhakta-prema bujhāite śrī-śacī-nandana
lauha-pātra tuli' lailena tata-kṣaṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: To show the love for His devotees, Śrī Śacīnandana, the son of Mother Śacī, picked up the iron water pot suddenly.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.441

jala piye mahāprabhu sukhe āpanāra
kā'ra śakti āche tāhā `naya' karibāra

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, He, in great happiness, His own happiness or His own ecstasy, He drank water from that pot, now who has the power to stop Him?

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.442

daridratānivandhana prabhura yathāyogya sevāya asamartha haoyāya śrīdharera mūrchā—

‘mariluṅ mariluṅ’ bali’ ḍākaye śrīdhara
“more saṁhārite se āilā mora ghara”

Jayapatākā Swami: I am being killed I am being killed! Exclaimed Śrīdhara! He has come to my house in order to kill me!

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: Mahāprabhu happily drank water from Śrīdhara's old iron pot. On seeing Gaurasundara take service without asking, poor Śrīdhara blamed his fortune, which was the result of his poverty, and said, “I could not properly welcome Śrī Gaurasundara, therefore He has forcibly drunk water from my broken waterpot to kill me—to inflict my heart with distress.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So Śrīdhara was thinking that Lord Gaurāṅga deserved a better reception, a better water pot. But then without asking, He took his broken iron pot and drank water. So Śrīdhara was feeling very distressed, that he could not offer proper reception to the Lord. In that way, by this improper reception, he felt he would be killed. But Lord Caitanya, He drank water, because it was owned by His devotee! Even though the pot was broken iron, maybe it was rusty, we don’t know, but Lord Caitanya took it and drank it because He loved His devotees!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.443

baliyā mūrcchita hailā sukṛti śrīdhara
prabhu bale,—“śuddha mora āji kalevara

Jayapatākā Swami: After saying this, the pious Śrīdhara, he lost his consciousness, Lord Gaurāṅga said, today My body has become purified.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.444

bhaktagṛhe jalapānera phala prabhura svamukhe kīrtana—

āji mora bhakti haila kṛṣṇera caraṇe
śrīdharera jala pāna kariloṅ yakhane

Jayapatākā Swami: Today, I have achieved pure devotion for the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, by drinking the water of Śrīdhara!

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura After Gaurasundara drank water from Śrīdhara's old waterpot and heard the statements of Śrīdhara, His propensity for serving Kṛṣṇa awakened, His forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa was destroyed, and since He was fixed in the service of the Supreme Lord without looking for external happiness, His body was purified. Janārdana is bhāva-grāhī, or appreciative of one's sentiments. Rather than being served with the opulences of this material world, He accepts the living entities' nonduplicitous heartfelt service.

Jayapatākā Swami: One of the names of Kṛṣṇa is bhāva-grāhī-janārdana, one who accepts the mood of His devotee, So although the water pot was a broken iron pot, knowing that His devotee had the mood of devotion, He took that water and that awakened His love for Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa doesn’t care, if you offer Him a gold pot or some very opulent pot, if there’s no devotion, and if there is devotion, He can take also water from an iron pot.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.445

ekhane se `viṣṇu-bhakti' haila āmāra”
kahite kahite paḍe nayanera dhāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Now I have achieved, I have attained the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu, saying this, again and again, tears flowed from His eyes. kahite kahite!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.446

‘vaiṣṇavera jala-pāne viṣṇu-bhakti haya’
sabāre bujhāya prabhu gaurāṅga sadaya

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga mercifully instructed all the Vaiṣṇavas present, that by drinking the water from a Vaiṣṇava, one achieves Viṣṇu-bhakti, Viṣṇu’s devotional service.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: As stated: gṛhnīyād vaiṣṇavāj jalam— “One should accept water from a Vaiṣṇava.” By drinking the remnants of a Vaiṣṇava's water, devotional service to Viṣṇu is awakened. Ordinary people consider that all possessions of an akiñcana, or materially exhausted, Vaiṣṇava have some value, except his insignificant water, which they neglect as worthless.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here the water of a Vaiṣṇava is glorified, and by taking that water, one can achieve devotional service to Visnu. What the materialist may think as insignificant, may have great significance for awakening our devotion to Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.447

tathāhi (padama-purāṇa ādi-khaṇḍa 31/112)—

In the Padma Purāṇa, Ādi-khaṇḍa (31.112) it is stated:

prārthayed vaiṣṇavasyānnaṁ
prayatnena vicakṣaṇaḥ
sarva-pāpa viśuddhy arthaṁ
tad abhāve jalaṁ pibet

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura “To become freed from all sinful reactions, learned persons should sincerely beg for the Lord's remnants (foods offered by Vaiṣṇavas) or the Vaiṣṇavas’ remnants. If one is unable to obtain those, he should drink the remnants of a Vaiṣṇava’s water or the water that has washed his feet.”

Jayapatākā Swami: In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it also states that three things have great spiritual effect – the dust from the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, the water from the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, the water that is washing the feet, and the remnants of prasadam or water eaten by a Vaiṣṇava.

Thus. ends the chapter entitled, Lord Gaurāṅga Drinks Water from Śrīdhara’s Damaged Iron Pot.

Lord Caitanya being a high class brāhmaṇa, He was given, naturally He would have all very wonderful utensils. But He was taking the water from His devotee’s iron pot, because He had great love for His devotees. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

So, we have a SPT meeting at 8.15 pm, so no question session today.

I thank all the devotee for attending the class today, again we want to offer our homage to His Holiness Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī, on the occasion of his appearance day. Today we heard the pastime of Lord Gaurāṅga drinking the water of Śrīdhara.