20200707 The passing of Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 7^th July 2020 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

Introduction: So, in remembrance of His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami, we are reading the pastime of the Passing of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. We had the smṛti-sabhā in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s samādhī, and it apparently would extend until tomorrow, to accommodate all the other devotees who want to offer their homage. So Haridāsa Ṭhākura has been put into the samadhi and there was a great saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting and devotees circumambulated the samādhī and now we are discussing after the saṅkīrtana, after the congregational chanting.

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

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.71

tabe mahāprabhu saba bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge
samudre karilā snāna-jala-keli raṅge

After saṅkīrtana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed in the sea with His devotees, swimming and playing in the water in great jubilation.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.72

haridāse pradakṣiṇa kari’ āila siṁha-dvāre
hari-kīrtana-kolāhala sakala nagare

After circumambulating the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the Siṁha-dvāra gate of the Jagannātha temple. The whole city chanted in congregation, and the tumultuous sound vibrated all over the city.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the passing of a Vaiṣṇava is very special, because the devotee is elevated. So, after the ceremony of putting Haridāsa Ṭhākura in a samādhī or tomb, after bathing in the ocean, Lord Caitanyadeva was very jubilant because a devotee does not die, devotee’s soul goes to the spiritual world, but at the same time, devotees feel separation from that devotee who has left.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.73

haridāsera viraha-mahotsavārtha siṁhadvāre vipaṇikāreranikaṭa svayaṁ prabhura prasāda-bhikṣā :—

siṁha-dvāre āsi’ prabhu pasārira ṭhāṅi
āṅcala pātiyā prasāda māgilā tathāi

Approaching the Siṁha-dvāra gate, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spread His cloth and began to beg prasādam from all the shopkeepers there.

Jayapatākā Swami: A sannyāsī has a cloth they wear in the front, it is called uttariyā and it can be used for begging. So, Lord Caitanya held out His cloth and begged for prasāda from the shopkeepers in the Ānanda Bazar, to have a feast for Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.74

‘haridāsa-ṭhākurera mahotsavera tare
prasāda māgiye bhikṣā deha’ ta’ āmāre’

“I am begging prasādam for a festival honoring the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura,” the Lord said. “Please give Me alms.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The aspect of the smṛti-sabhā, or the honoring of the passing away of a devotee, is to take prasāda. So, on this day prasāda is offered to the devotee and also given out to all the guests. Lord Caitanya was begging for prasāda. Not for Himself, but for Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.75

vipaṇikāragaṇera samasta prasāda dite icchā :—

śuniyā pasāri saba cāṅgaḍā uṭhāñā
prasāda dite āse tārā ānandita hañā

Hearing this, all the shopkeepers immediately came forward with big baskets of prasādam, which they jubilantly delivered to Lord Caitanya.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He didn’t beg for Himself, it’s a very rare opportunity to offer some sevā to Lord Caitanya. All the shopkeepers came with big baskets full of prasāda, which they very jubilantly gave to Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.76

svarūpera tāhādigake niṣedha :—

svarūpa-gosāñi pasārike niṣedhila
cāṅgaḍā lañā pasāri pasāre vasila

However, Svarūpa Dāmodara stopped them, and the shopkeepers returned to their shops and sat down with their baskets.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.77

prabhuke gṛhe pāṭhāiyā svayaṃ svarūpera mahotsava-kāryabhāra svahaste grahaṇa :—

svarūpa-gosāñi prabhure ghara pāṭhāilā
cāri vaiṣṇava, cāri pichāḍā saṅge rākhilā

Svarūpa Dāmodara sent Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu back to His residence and kept with him four Vaiṣṇavas and four servant carriers.

Jayapatākā Swami Svarūpa Dāmodara wanted to protect Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And he sent Him back to His quarters. And the four Vaiṣṇavas and four servant carriers, they took all the prasāda to distribute.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.78

svarūpa-gosāñi kahilena saba pasārire
eka eka dravyera eka eka puñjā deha’ more

Svarūpa Dāmodara said to all the shopkeepers, “Deliver to me four palmfuls of prasādam from each and every item.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.79

ei-mate nānā prasāda bojhā bāndhāñā
lañā āilā cāri janera mastake caḍāñā

In this way varieties of prasādam were collected, then packed up in different loads and carried on the heads of the four servants.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.80

vāṇīnātha o kāśīmiśrera prasāda-saṅgraha :—

vāṇīnātha paṭṭanāyaka prasāda ānilā
kāśī-miśra aneka prasāda pāṭhāilā

Not only did Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī bring prasādam, but Vāṇīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka and Kāśī Miśra also sent large quantities.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.81

viraha-mahotsave vaiṣṇavagaṇake prabhura śrīhaste pracura prasāda pariveśana :—

saba vaiṣṇave prabhu vasāilā sāri sāri
āpane pariveśe prabhu lañā janā cāri

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made all the devotees sit in rows and personally began to distribute the prasādam, assisted by four other men.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.82

mahāprabhura śrī-haste alpa nā āise
eka-eka pāte pañca-janāra bhakṣya pariveśe

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was not accustomed to taking prasādam in small quantities. He therefore put on each plate what at least five men could eat.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was seven feet tall and His hands were very big, so what He was distributing on the plates, was what five people could eat.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.83

prabhuke virata kariyā svarūpera bhaktatrayasaha pariveśana :—

svarūpa kahe,—“prabhu, vasi’ karaha darśana
āmi iṅhā-sabā lañā kari pariveśana

Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī requested Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Please sit down and watch. With these men to help me, I shall distribute the prasādam.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu Gosāñi, he was taking the responsibility of distributing the prasāda. And he requested Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to sit down and to watch, and then he would distribute the prasāda, with his devotee helpers.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.84

svarūpa, jagadānanda, kāśīśvara, śaṅkara
cāri-jana pariveśana kare nirantara

The four men — Svarūpa Dāmodara, Jagadānanda, Kāśīśvara and Śaṅkara — distributed the prasādam continuously.

Jayapatākā Swami: We see that these very advanced devotees, they were distributing the prasāda. Prasāda distributing is a very responsible service, and senior associates of Lord Caitanya were doing this. Even though many of the people were junior to them. But that was not a consideration. They were simply doing the devotee care, and distributing prasāda to everyone, on the day of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s disappearance.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.85

bhaktagaṇera prabhura bhojanāpekṣā, prabhuke kāśīmiśrera prasāda-bhikṣā-dāna :—

prabhu nā khāile keha nā kare bhojana
prabhure se dine kāśī-miśrera nimantraṇa

All the devotees who sat down would not eat the prasādam as long as the Lord had not eaten. On that day, however, Kāśī Miśra had extended an invitation to the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the culture that disciple does not eat before the guru. Therefore, all the devotees would not eat unless Lord Caitanya was eating.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.86

āpane kāśī-miśra āilā prasāda lañā
prabhure bhikṣā karāilā āgraha kariyā

Therefore, Kāśī Miśra personally went there and delivered prasādam to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great attention and made Him eat.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Caitanya as a sannyāsī, He is not supposed to touch fire, so He would go every day to a different gṛhastha house and take prasāda. That day was Kāśi Miśra’s day and he brought prasāda, and gave to Lord Caitanya, and made Him eat, who was distributing prasāda with great attention and care.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.87

sannyāsigaṇasaha prabhura prasāda-sammāna :—

purī-bhāratīra saṅge prabhu bhikṣā kailā
sakala vaiṣṇava tabe bhojana karilā

With Paramānanda Purī and Brahmānanda Bhāratī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down and accepted the prasādam. When He began to eat, so did all the Vaiṣṇavas.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the sannyāsīs Paramānanda Purī and Brahmānanda Bhāratī, they sat down with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they accepted prasāda. Once they started eating, then other devotees began.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.88

sakala bhaktera ākaṇṭhabhojana-sampādana :—

ākaṇṭha pūrāñā sabāya karāilā bhojana
deha’ deha’ bali’ prabhu balena vacana

Everyone was filled up to the neck because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu kept telling the distributors, “Give them more! Give them more!”

Jayapatākā Swami: There is a saying, ākaṇṭha-bhojana – taking prasāda up to your neck. Actually, it is not possible to take prasāda up to the neck, but that is the way of saying that. Taking prasāda till you are completely full. Lord Caitanya was celebrating this disappearance day of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, telling the distributors, give them more! Give them more.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.89

sakalera ācamanānte prabhudatta mālyacandana-paridhāna :—

bhojana kariyā sabe kailā ācamana
sabāre parāilā prabhu mālya-candana

After all the devotees finished accepting prasādam and had washed their hands and mouths, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu decorated each of them with a flower garland and sandalwood pulp.

Jayapatākā Swami: We see how Lord Caitanya, Bhakta-vatsala, was affection towards His devotees, and He offered each of them flower garlands and sandalwood pulp. Today we were observing the disappearance celebration or smṛti-sabhā of His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami, and everyone was glorifying how he was offering all his affection and care, to different devotees. We can see that this is the culture that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had established.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.90

premāveśe prabhura bhaktagaṇake varadāna :—

premāviṣṭa hañā prabhu karena vara-dāna
śuni’ bhakta-gaṇera juḍāya manas-kāma

Overwhelmed with ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered a benediction to all the devotees, which all the devotees heard with great satisfaction.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.91-93

haridāsera virahamahotsave ye konaprakāre yogadāna-kārīraḍ kṛṣṇaprāpti varalābha :—

“haridāsera vijayotsava ye kaila darśana
ye ihāṅ nṛtya kaila, ye kaila kīrtana

ye tāṅre vālukā dite karila gamana
tāra madhye mahotsave ye kaila bhojana

acire ha-ibe tā-sabāra ‘kṛṣṇa-prāpti’
haridāsa-daraśane haya aiche ‘śakti’

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave this benediction: “Anyone who has seen the festival of Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s passing away, anyone who has chanted and danced here, anyone who has offered sand on the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and anyone who has joined this festival to partake of the prasādam will achieve the favor of Kṛṣṇa very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridāsa Ṭhākura.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya offered this benediction, to all those who participated in the disappearance festival of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. We can pray that just by hearing, we can also achieve Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.94

priyabhaktavirahe bhagavānera vilāpokti :—

kṛpā kari’ kṛṣṇa more diyāchilā saṅga
svatantra kṛṣṇera icchā, — kailā saṅga-bhaṅga

Being merciful upon Me, Kṛṣṇa gave Me the association of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Being independent in His desires, He has now broken that association.

Jayapatākā Swami: So as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu expressed, he was given the association of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, in that way he was blessed. But Kṛṣṇa being totally independent he broke that association. Similarly, devotees may have the causeless mercy of associating with other pure devotees, associating with their spiritual masters. But, since Kṛṣṇa’s desires are independent, He can break that association.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.95

haridāsera icchā yabe ha-ila calite
āmāra śakati tāṅre nārila rākhite

When Haridāsa Ṭhākura wanted to leave this material world, it was not within My power to detain him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes the spiritual master leaves the world because of the desire or spiritual master’s own desire or the desire of the previous ācāryas or Kṛṣṇa, so that is beyond the control of anyone in this material world.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.96

icchā-mātre kailā nija-prāṇa niṣkrāmaṇa
pūrve yena śuniyāchi bhīṣmera maraṇa

Simply by his will, Haridāsa Ṭhākura could give up his life and go away, exactly like Bhīṣma, who previously died simply by his own desire, as we have heard from śāstra.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura wanted to leave while Lord Caitanya was present. After taking the dust of all the devotees and holding Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet on his chest, chanting the name Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, he left this mortal world, he left his body. Just as Bhīṣmadeva left his body by his own desire.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.97

ṭhākura haridāsera guṇa-varṇana :—

haridāsa āchila pṛthivīra ‘śiromaṇi’
tāhā vinā ratna-śūnyā ha-ila medinī

Haridāsa Ṭhākura was the crown jewel on the head of this world; without him, this world is now bereft of its valuable jewel.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.98

haridāsera jayadhvani o prabhura nṛtya :—

‘jaya jaya haridāsa’ bali’ kara hari-dhvani”
eta bali’ mahāprabhu nācena āpani

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told everyone, “Say ‘All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura!’ and chant the holy name of Hari.” Saying this, He personally began to dance.

Jayapatākā Swami: Jaya Jaya Haridāsa! Jaya Jaya Haridāsa! Jaya Jaya Haridāsa! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Lord Caitanya began to dance in Harināma-saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting of the holy name.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.99

sabe gāya, — “jaya jaya jaya haridāsa
nāmera mahimā yeṅha karilā prakāśa”

Everyone began to chant, “All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who revealed the importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Jaya Jaya Jaya Haridasa! All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.100

bhaktagaṇake vidāyadāna evaṃ bhaktera viraha o vijayaiśvarya-darśane harṣaviṣādasaha prabhura viśrāma :—

tabe mahāprabhu saba bhakte vidāya dilā
harṣa-viṣāde prabhu viśrāma karilā

Thereafter, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade farewell to all the devotees, and He Himself, with mixed feelings of happiness and distress, took rest.

Jayapatākā Swami: The disappearance of a pure devotee gives a mixed feeling of happiness and distress. Happiness that a pure devotee has gone back to Kṛṣṇa, and distress that we no longer have his association in this world.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.101

bhaktaśreṣṭha nāmācārya haridāsera tirobhāva-vṛttānta śravaṇe kṛṣṇa-bhakti-lābha :—

ei ta’ kahiluṅ haridāsera vijaya
yāhāra śravaṇe kṛṣṇe dṛḍha-bhakti haya

Thus, I have spoken about the victorious passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Anyone who hears this narration will certainly fix his mind firmly in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So here we see that by hearing this narration we get the blessing of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda said in his purport:

Purport: At Puruṣottama-kṣetra, or Jagannātha Purī, there is a temple of Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha. If one goes from there to the sea, he can discover the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura still existing. Every year on the date of Ananta-caturdaśī there is a festival to commemorate the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. At the same place, Deities of Nityānanda Prabhu, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Prabhu were established about one hundred years ago. A gentleman named Bhramaravara from Kendrāpāḍā, in the province of Orissa, contributed funds to establish these Deities in the temple. The management of the temple was under the Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha gosvāmīs.

This temple was later sold to someone else, and this party is now maintaining the sevā-pūjā of the temple. Near this temple and the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura constructed a small house called the Bhakti-kuṭī. In the Bengali year 1329 (A.D. 1922), the Puruṣottama-maṭha, a branch of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, was established there. In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is stated:

śrīnivāsa śīghra samudrera kūle gelā
haridāsa-ṭhākurera samādhi dekhilā

bhūmite paḍiyā kailā praṇati vistara
bhāgavata-gaṇa śrī-samādhi-sannidhāne

śrīnivāse sthira kailā sasneha-vacane
punaḥ śrīnivāsa śrī-samādhi praṇamiyā
ye vilāpa kailā, tā śunile drave hiyā

“Śrīnivāsa Ṭhākura quickly ran to the seashore. When he saw the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he immediately fell down offering prayers and almost fainted. The devotees present there pacified him with very sweet and affectionate words, and Śrīnivāsa again offered his obeisances to the tomb. Hearing of the separation that Śrīnivāsa expressed in his lamentation at the tomb of Haridāsa Ṭhākura makes one’s heart melt.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya ISKCON got the Bhakti-Kuṭīra of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and there we have a Deity of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Śrīla Prabhupāda. Also, Lord Caitanya, so that’s a kitty corner of the samādhī of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Just cross the round and you are immediately there. So that’s very close to the ocean. So, we are very fortunate to be in this very sacred place.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.102

bhaktavāñchā-pūraka bhaktavatsala gaura-bhagavān :—

caitanyera bhakta-vātsalya ihātei jāni
bhakta-vāñchā pūrṇa kailā nyāsi-śiromaṇi

From the incident of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s passing away and the great care Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took in commemorating it, one can understand just how affectionate He is toward His devotees. Although He is the topmost of all sannyāsīs, He fully satisfied the desire of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a family of meat eaters, he became a pure Vaiṣṇava, and was serving Lord Caitanya. So, Lord Caitanya is very affectionate to His devotees and He satisfied the desire of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.103

golokagamanakāla haridāsake sākṣāt kṛpā dāna :—

śeṣa-kāle dilā tāṅre darśana-sparśana
tāṅre kole kari’ kailā āpane nartana

When Haridāsa Ṭhākura was at the last stage of his life, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him His company and allowed him to touch Him. Thereafter, He took the body of Ṭhākura Haridāsa on His lap and personally danced with it.

Jayapatākā Swami: These are the symptoms of Lord Caitanya’s affection to His devotees.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.104

āpane śrī-haste kṛpāya tāṅre vālu dilā
āpane prasāda māgi’ mahotsava kailā

Out of His causeless mercy the Lord personally covered the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura with sand and personally begged alms from the shopkeepers. Then He conducted a great festival to celebrate the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.105

mahābhāgavata vidvat-sannyāsī paramahaṃsavara ṭhākura-haridāsa :—

mahā-bhāgavata haridāsa — parama-vidvān
e saubhāgya lāgi’ āge karilā prayāṇa

Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not only the topmost devotee of the Lord but also a great and learned scholar. It was his great fortune that he passed away before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Purport: Haridāsa Ṭhākura is mentioned here as the most learned scholar, parama-vidvān. Actually, the most important science to know is the science of getting out of the clutches of material existence. Anyone who knows this science must be considered the greatest learned person. Anyone who knows the temporary situation of this material world and is expert in achieving a permanent situation in the spiritual world, who knows that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is beyond the jurisdiction of our experimental knowledge, is understood to be the most learned scholar. Haridāsa Ṭhākura knew this science perfectly. Therefore, he is described in this connection as parama-vidvān. He personally preached the importance of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, which is approved by the revealed scriptures. As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.24):

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye ’dhītam uttamam

There are nine different processes of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, the most important being śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam — hearing and chanting. Haridāsa Ṭhākura knew this science very well, and he can therefore be called, technically, sarva-śāstrādhītī. Anyone who has learned the essence of all the Vedic scriptures is to be known as a first-class educated person, with full knowledge of all śāstra.

Jayapatākā Swami: The ultimate instruction of the scriptures, is to perform pure devotional service for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that was the science that Haridāsa Ṭhākura was preaching.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.106

caitanya-caritasindhura binduo hṛtkarṇarasāyana :—

caitanya-caritra ei amṛtera sindhu
karṇa-mana tṛpta kare yāra eka bindu

The life and characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are exactly like an ocean of nectar, one drop of which can please the mind and ear.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.107

māyā pāra haḍyā kṛṣṇasevanecchura caitanya-carita-śravaṇa-karttavyatā :—

bhava-sindhu taribāre āche yāra citta
śraddhā kari’ śuna sei caitanya-caritra

Anyone who desires to cross over the ocean of nescience, please hear with great faith the life and characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s life and characteristics are so purifying, that by hearing these, one can cross over the ocean of nescience. The ocean of repeated birth and death. If you have full faith to the descriptions of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 11.108

śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa

Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this part of Lord Caitanya’s pastime written in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta is translated with purports by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

Thus, ends the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, eleventh chapter, describing the passing of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.”

Are there any questions?

So, we read this section for the last three days, on the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, because we are also deeply affected by the passing away of Śrīla Bhakti Charu Swami. So, today Bhakti Puruṣottam Swami mentioned that, wherever a Vaiṣṇava leaves, that place is Vṛndāvana, and he read from the Varāha- Purāṇa, that if for some reason the devotee cannot or does not remember Kṛṣṇa, at the time of passing, but Kṛṣṇa remembers Him. Haribol! and takes him back to His lotus feet. So, I think all the devotees got great solace hearing these words. We are all missing the wonderful, ideal, association of His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami.

Submission: Dear Guru Mahārāja, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Thank you so very much of sharing this wonderful pastime of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, preparing the prasāda feast for Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Today by your request and your blessings, we offered hundreds of preparations and wonderful prasāda to His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami, during his smaraṇa-utsava. and this prasāda was offered to everyone.

Your humble servant,
Marīci dāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: I was mentioning that an important aspect of the smṛti-sabhā is to offer prasāda to the departed soul, and also to distribute prasāda to all the guests. So, another aspect is to offer puṣpāñjali. I am very happy that all these things were observed. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances. Yesterday it was said that when devotees have glorious qualities, we automatically appreciate them. But when we see that there are sometimes faults in the personal behavior of some devotees, how to practice seeing the good qualities in them, ignoring the faults?

Your servant,
Śaraṇmukhī Rādhikā devī dāsī,
Perambur, Chennai.

Jayapatākā Swami: If you are responsible for that devotee, then you may have the duty to point out any defect. But if you are not over that devotee, if you see something that you think is a fault, you should decide not to do that. But see all the good qualities of the devotee also. So, someone yesterday asked why we only glorify devotees after they leave? But then I heard that in the brahmacārī āśrama in Māyāpur, each devotee’s birthday, they glorify the devotee. They have some mini, what you call loving exchange festival. So, it sounds like a very nice culture to have. And they have reported that Veṇudhārī, who is now Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Mahārāja, he has established this system. That he was not observing it on his birthday. So apparently Śrīla Bhakti Cāru Swami said to all the devotees that they should observe it on Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami’s birthday.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa, dear spiritual father! Gurudeva! Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! What is the meaning of serving Vaiṣṇavas according to the instructions of Śrīla Prabhupāda? Should we fulfill all the desires of the devotee, or this is limited to certain types of service? – Yogendra Gaurāṅga dāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: How we can fulfill all the desires of the devotees? We are not Bhagavān, but we can serve devotees, we can appreciate them. We can do what is in our capacity to do. Even offering sweet words will also, it’s also considered as devotee care. We heard today that Bhakti Cāru Swami had touched the hearts of his god brothers, god sisters, and other devotees, even his nephews by offering them respect and service, isn’t this devotee care? In this way he touched the heart of so many devotees! So, he used to be a perfect gentleman to serve the devotees to care about all the devotees. That’s what we can do and should do, I don’t know what is meant by satisfying all the desires of devotees. That’s Bhagavān’s capability, and if devotees are sarva-kāma, mokṣa kāma or akāma. Having all material desires, desire for liberation and no desires. In any case we cannot satisfy those things. That is up to Bhagavān, but we can appreciate devotees, encourage them in their service. Hare Kṛṣṇa!