20200617 Śrīvāsa Forbids the Crying, Being Fearful of Disrupting Mahāprabhu’s Kīrtana

The following is the reading from the new Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 17th 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: So today is the Yogini Ekādaśī and today we had the MEB meeting, (Mayapur Executive Board), so it went on from 5.30 to 7.30 pm, that is why we are a little late today. So, starting tomorrow we will have the class at the normal time. Last night we inaugurated the ‘Mercy on Wheel’, there was some difficulty logging into the website, but now that has been cleared. it is www.mercyonwheel.com so I hope that you take advantage of this opportunity and log in and register your participation So today we are reading,

Śrīvāsa Forbids the Crying, Being Fearful of Disrupting Mahāprabhu’s Kīrtana

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.029

tomarā to saba jāna' kṛṣṇera mahimā
samvara rodana sabe, citte deha' kṣamā

Jayapatākā Swami: You all know the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Control your crying and pacify your minds.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s song.

The Dispelling of Grief – 4

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā 27

by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

sabu meli' bālaka-bhāga vicāri'
choḍabi moha śoka citta-vikārī

Translation: Śrīvāsa continued, “All of you together should consider the real fate of the boy, and you should immediately discontinue any bewilderment and grief that may be in your disturbed hearts."

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Śrīvāsa’s son disappeared during the kīrtana of Lord Caitanya, who is the Lord of the unlimited universes, the boy’s destination is auspicious, and they shouldn’t be lamenting for his departure.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.030

anta-kāle sakṛt śunile yāṅra nāma
ati mahā-pātakī o yāya kṛṣṇa-dhāma

Jayapatākā Swami: If one hears the name of Kṛṣṇa at the time of leaving his body, even if he is a great sinful person, he goes to Kṛṣṇa’s abode. So, if one hears the name of Kṛṣṇa, at the time of leaving his body, he goes to Kṛṣṇa, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛti, is mentioned in the Vedas, and since Lord Caitanya was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa outside, in Śrīvāsa’s courtyard, so naturally his son will hear the name of Kṛṣṇa at the time of his leaving his body, so he will definitely achieve the abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So why should they be lamenting if the boy is reaching the abode of Kṛṣṇa?

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

caudda-bhuvana-pati nanda-kumāra
śacī-nandana bhela nadīyā-avatāra

Translation: The Supreme Lord of all the fourteen worlds is the youthful Son of Nanda Mahārāja, and now He has become the Son of Mother Śacī by personally descending in Nadia.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.031

hena prabhu āpane sākṣāte kare nṛtya
guṇa gāya yata tāṅra brahmādika bhṛtya

Jayapatākā Swami: Here the Supreme Lord is personally present, dancing here, even the great demigods like Brahmā and others, who consider themselves as His servitors, are glorifying his transcendental qualities.

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

sohi gokula-cāṅda aṅgane mora
nācāi bhakta-saha ānanda-vibhora

Translation: The very same Gokula-canda is now dancing in my courtyard with His most confidential devotees, all completely overwhelmed with ecstatic bliss.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa is preaching to his wife and other ladies, how the departure of their son is very auspicious, and there is no reason to lament.

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

śunata nāma-gāna bālaka mora
choḍala deha hari-prīti-vibhora

Translation: My boy has given up his body while hearing the singing of the Lord’s holy names coming from the kīrtana out in the courtyard. Therefore, he certainly has died while overwhelmed with love for the Lord.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So even a sinner is delivered by hearing the Lord’s name, what to speak of his son who was sinless?

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.032

e samaye yāhāra haila paraloka
ihāte ki yuyāya karite āra śoka?

Jayapatākā Swami: In this auspicious moment, my son has left his body, is there a reason to lament for someone, who left his body at such a time?

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.033

kona kāle e śiśura bhāgya pāi yabe
‘kṛtārtha’ kariyā āpanāre māni tabe

Jayapatākā Swami: If I ever become as a fortunate as this child, I will consider my life very successful, and be very grateful. We should all desire to leave our body at such a time, when we could remember Kṛṣṇa, and His holy name. So sooner or later, we have to leave this body, and if we could leave our body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we attain the lotus feet of the Lord. So, Śrīvāsa is saying how his son is very fortunate, there is no reason to lament.

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

aichana bhāga yaba bhai hāmārāta
bahuṅ hau bhava-sāgara-pārā

Translation: If I would be so fortunate as to get such an auspicious death as this, then I will certainly be able to easily cross over the ocean of material existence.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa is confirming that his son has left at a very auspicious time. That he hopes that his departure will be so auspicious, as by such a departure, one can easily cross over the ocean of material existence – ocean of birth and death.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.034

yadi vā saṁsāra-dharme nāra' samvarite
vilambe kāndiha, yāra yei laya citte

Jayapatākā Swami: If you cannot check these familial emotions, then at least cry later, at your satisfaction.

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): According to worldly considerations, materialistic people become distressed and cry when they hear news of their son's death. Considering that such mundane behavior would create obstacles in the Lord's feelings of ecstasy while dancing and chanting, Śrīvāsa gave instructions to postpone such mundane behavior for some time.

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

tuṅhu sabu vichari ehi vicārā
kāṅhe karabi śoka citta-vikārā

Translation: All of you together just consider this one judgement – what will your lamentation and disturbed heart do to help the situation?

Jayapatākā Swami: The point is that if his son has already left his body, lamenting or crying is not going to bring him back. So, what really could help the situation? And Śrīvāsa was worried that maybe they would disturb the kīrtana ecstasy of Lord Caitanya. So, he was so concerned about Lord Caitanya, that he was giving his advice in this way.

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

sthira nāhi haobi yadi upadeśe
vañcita haobi rase avaśeṣe

Translation: If you all do not become pacified by these instructions, then you will only cheat yourselves out of tasting transcendentally ecstatic mellows in the long run.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.35

anya yena keha e ākhyāna nāśunaye
pāche ṭhākurera nṛtya-sukha-bhaṅga haye

Jayapatākā Swami: Don’t let anyone else hear about this incident, don’t disturb Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s dancing, breaking up His transcendental ecstasy in chanting.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 25.036

kalarava śuni’ yadi prabhu bāhya pāya
tabe āji gaṅgā praveśimu sarvathāya

Jayapatākā Swami: If the Supreme Lord hears your commotion and regains His external consciousness, then today I will certainly enter into the Ganges, completely. I will drown myself today in the Ganges.

Śrī Śrī Gītāmālā

paśibuṅ hāma sura-taṭinī-māhe
bhakativinoda pramāda dekhe tāhe

Translation: Not only will you cheat yourself, but you will induce me to leave this world by plunging myself into the waters of Gaṅgā." Thus, Bhaktivinoda is witnessing this entire calamity in progress.

Jayapatākā Swami: In effect, what Śrīvāsa is saying that lamenting of the loss of your son, you should not be lamenting. But if you cannot check yourself and disturb the Lord’s ecstasy, then you can also lament for your husband, I will take my life in the Ganges. Śrīvāsa was speaking very heavily to his wife and the other ladies.

Thus, ends the chapter, Śrīvāsa Forbids the Crying, Being Fearful of Disrupting Mahāprabhu’s Kīrtana

So, you can see how Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura had a completely transcendental vision, and his only concern was not to disturb Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s kīrtana, which Lord Caitanya Himself doesn’t demand this activity of His devotees. Śrīvāsa is acting a bit beyond the normal, it shows how much he is attached to pleasing Lord Caitanya. Any questions?

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja! [Bengali question] Daṇḍavat pranāma. How can we get the mercy of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and how do we pray to him? Please bless us that we get the mercy of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.

—Your spiritual son,
Aruṇakānti Gaurāṅga dāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: You can pray at the lotus feet of Śrīvāsa Prabhu, he is very merciful.

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Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, our spiritual father! Please accept my humble obeisances. Herein Śrīvāsa doesn’t lament at the death of his son but rather advices not to lament. Whereas Advaita Ācārya lamented when His son Gopāla, fainted and fell unconscious while dancing. How do we understand this apparent contradiction?

—Your spiritual son,
Jaya Rādhā Kṛṣṇa dāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: These are the pastimes of the Lord, since Advaita Prabhu is the Lord, His pastimes are transcendental. Rukmiṇī lamented the loss of her son Pradyumna. Lord Caitanya said, you haven’t lost Me, why do you lament? I am just acting! So, sometimes we see that one plays a particular part, and the pastimes are like dramas, but Śrīvāsa he is playing himself, and he is more concerned about the ecstasy of Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa Himself, He may act any way.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa, All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda, and your devotional service. Respected Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my humble obeisances. This 21st June is sun eclipse and half day fasting due to the appearance day of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. How can we observe that fasting? Kindly guide us.

—Your humble servant,
Abhīrāma Nimāi dāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: I think it is the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Anyway, during the solar eclipse we should not eat. So apparently the solar eclipse is like from – approximately, you can check, 10.30 or 11 to 2. We normally fast until midday anyway, so now we fast a little longer.

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Question: My obeisances to Guru Mahārāja! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! We are happy to hear your classes every day. Śrīla Prabhupāda told his disciples that when he is no longer in this planet, he would be present with them as caitya-guru. That he would be with them through dreams and their heart. Can you tell us about this relationship? And if this relationship is also same with all other gurus? Guru Mahārāja, please give us blessings for us, and my husband Avadhūta dāsa.

—Kāverī devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kāverī devī dāsī is a resident of Peru but she lives presently in Alachua, Florida. When the guru is present, we serve him, his vapu and vāṇī. When he is not present, we serve his vāṇī, and he may give his mercy in dreams or some other way. We believe that the guru is watching us, and that he is helping us in different ways.