20200802 The Lord Decides to Take Sannyāsa to Deliver the Offenders

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 2^nd August 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 we are on the fourth day of our Jhulan-yātrā, tomorrow is Balarāma appearance day, and this morning I gave a class to ISKCON Pune, a Sunday Feast class, spoke about Lord Balarāma. So tomorrow I will probably be giving class. So, we are continuing with the Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Caitanya-bhāgavata, mentioning the decision of Nimāi, of Viśvambhara, to take sannyāsa. Last class, we had a foolish student who came and heard Lord Gaurāṅga, who was in the mood of a vraja-vāsi gopī, and he thought himself to be educated enough that he could instruct Lord Caitanya, to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa, and not to meditate on the gopī. Lord Caitanya became angry at him, Then he approached all his fellow students, and said, we are children of fellow brāhmaṇas, how does this brāhmaṇa Nimāi Paṇḍita threaten? We are all sons of brāhmaṇas! Like this they decided they would do something to Lord Gaurāṅga. Lord Gaurāṅga being the Supersoul, He knew what they were thinking. He was thinking that I came to deliver the fallen souls, instead they are becoming angry. So He decided He would take sannyāsa, and that way, they would offer respect to Him, and therefore they could get delivered.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17. 265

laukika maryādāmaya sannyāsa-līlābhinaye saṅkalpa—

ataeva avaśya āmi sannyāsa kariba
sannyāsi-buddhye more praṇata ha-iba

Translation: “I shall accept the sannyāsa order of life, for thus people will offer Me their obeisances, thinking of Me as a member of the renounced order.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Among the members of the varṇāśrama institution’s social orders (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra), the brāhmaṇa is considered the foremost, for he is the teacher and spiritual master of all the other varṇas. Similarly, among the spiritual orders (brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa), the sannyāsa order is the most elevated. Therefore a sannyāsī is the spiritual master of all the varṇas and āśramas, and a brāhmaṇa is also expected to offer obeisances to a sannyāsī. Unfortunately, however, caste brāhmaṇas do not offer obeisances to a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. They are so proud that they do not offer obeisances even to Indian sannyāsīs, what to speak of European and American sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, expected that even the caste brāhmaṇas would offer respectful obeisances to a sannyāsī because five hundred years ago the social custom was to offer obeisances immediately to any sannyāsī, known or unknown.

The sannyāsīs of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are bona fide. All the students of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have undergone the regular process of initiation. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa by Sanātana Gosvāmī, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām: by the regular process of initiation, any man can become a brāhmaṇa. Thus in the beginning the students of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement agree to live with devotees, and gradually, having given up four prohibited activities — illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication — they become advanced in the activities of spiritual life. When one is found to be regularly following these principles, he is given the first initiation (hari-nāma), and he regularly chants at least sixteen rounds a day. Then, after six months or a year, he is initiated for the second time and given the sacred thread with the regular sacrifice and rituals. After some time, when he advances still further and is willing to give up this material world, he is given the sannyāsa order. At that time, he receives the title svāmī or gosvāmī, both of which mean “master of the senses.” Unfortunately, debauched so-called brāhmaṇas in India neither offer them respect nor accept them as bona fide sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expected the so-called brāhmaṇas to offer respect to such Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs. Nevertheless, it does not matter whether they offer respect, nor whether they accept these sannyāsīs as bona fide, for the śāstra describes punishment for such disobedient so-called brāhmaṇas.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17. 266

yatijñāne prabhuke namaskāraphale pāṣaṇḍa viprādi ucca-jātirao śuddhacitte sevā-pravṛttira udaya –

praṇatite ha’be ihāra aparādha kṣaya
nirmala hṛdaye bhakti karāiba udaya

Translation: “Offering obeisances will relieve them of all the reactions to their offenses. Then, by My grace, devotional service [bhakti] will awaken in their pure hearts.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: According to the Vedic injunctions, only a brāhmaṇa may be offered sannyāsa. The Śaṅkara-sampradāya (ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa-sampradāya) awards the sannyāsa order only to caste brāhmaṇas, or born brāhmaṇas, but in the Vaiṣṇava system even one not born in a brāhmaṇa family may be made a brāhmaṇa according to the direction of the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām). Any person from any part of the world may be made a brāhmaṇa by the regular process of initiation, and when he follows brahminical behavior, observing the principle of abstaining from intoxication, illicit sex, meat-eating and gambling, he may be offered sannyāsa. All the sannyāsīs in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, who are preaching all over the world, are regular brāhmaṇa-sannyāsīs. Thus the so-called caste brāhmaṇas should not object to offering them respectful obeisances. By offering such obeisances, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will diminish their offenses and automatically awaken to their natural position of devotional service. As it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya: kṛṣṇa-prema can be awakened in a purified heart. The more we offer obeisances to sannyāsīs, especially Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the more we diminish our offenses and purify our hearts. Only in a purified heart can kṛṣṇa-prema awaken. This is the process of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Jayapatākā Swami: So here Śrīla Prabhupāda explains the idea of the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa. That by offering respect to the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, the heart becomes purified, and therefore the natural love of Kṛṣṇa, bhakti will be awakened. So, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura, he started this process of giving upanayanam to the Vaiṣṇavas. No matter what caste they were born in, if they followed the principles of Vaiṣṇava dharma. As was given in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, that by following these principles, one becomes qualified, and by the process of initiation, they are transformed, and they achieve the brāhminical status. So, because Śrīla Prabhupāda followed this principle, established by the previous ācāryas, in the Brahma-Madhva Gauḍīya disciplic succession, therefore, it is possible to have temples and regular worship established all over the world.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17. 267

e-saba pāṣaṇḍīra tabe ha-ibe nistāra
āra kona upāya nāhi, ei yukti sāra

Translation: “All the unfaithful rogues of this world can be delivered by this process. There is no alternative. This is the essence of the argument.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Here Lord Caitanya, He was considering how to deliver these proud, caste brāhmaṇas. We see that how He was so forgiving for their offences. That He was taking it upon Himself, to sacrifice His very comfortable situation – He had a loving mother, loving and beautiful wife, giving up everything, in order to help the people to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 8.10

prabhura sannyāsalīlāra hetu:—

more nā mānile saba loka habe nāśa
ithi lāgi’ kṛpārdra prabhu karila sannyāsa

Translation: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “Unless people accept Me they will all be destroyed.” Thus the merciful Lord accepted the sannyāsa order.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.51) it is said, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: “Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name, one is liberated and goes back home, back to Godhead.” This Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be achieved through the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One cannot be complete in Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless he accepts Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates as the only means for success. It is because of these considerations that the Lord accepted sannyāsa, for thus people would offer Him respect and very quickly come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Since Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, inaugurated the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, without His mercy one cannot be elevated to the transcendental platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Jayapatākā Swami: Five hundred years ago, people would offer a sannyāsī respect. That system is somewhat eroded in the present day, even in India. The position of sannyāsa is not well understood in the West. But Lord Caitanya, 500 years ago, He would be offered respect as a sannyāsī. So, He took this sacrifice, in order to deliver the people of this age of Kali.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 8.11

sannyāsi-buddhye more karibe namaskāra
tathāpi khaṇḍibe duḥkha, pāibe nistāra

Translation: “If a person offers obeisances to Me, even due to accepting Me only as an ordinary sannyāsī, his material distresses will diminish, and he will ultimately get liberation.”

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that He always thinks of how to liberate the conditioned souls from the material platform. It is for this reason that Kṛṣṇa incarnates, as clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.7):

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” Kṛṣṇa always protects the living entities in many ways. He comes Himself, He sends His own confidential devotees, and He leaves behind Him śāstras like the Bhagavad-gītā. Why? It is so that people may take advantage of the benediction to be liberated from the clutches of māyā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa so that even a foolish person who accepted Him as an ordinary sannyāsī would offer Him respect, for this would help diminish his material distresses and ultimately liberate him from the material clutches. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī points out in this connection that Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the combined form of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (mahāprabhu śrī-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa—nahe anya). Therefore when fools considered Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be an ordinary human being and thus treated Him disrespectfully, the merciful Lord, in order to deliver these offenders, accepted sannyāsa so that they would offer Him obeisances, accepting Him as a sannyāsī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa to bestow His great mercy on people in general, who cannot appreciate Him as Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa Themselves.

Jayapatākā Swami: This shows the mercy of the Lord, how He has come and accepted this taking up sannyāsa, so that the foolish students and caste brāhmaṇas, would at least offer Him respect as an ordinary sannyāsī, and therefore they would get blessed. Also, here in this purport, it mentions the Lord may come Himself, or send His confidential representative. So, we saw that Lord Caitanya had predicted in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, which was written about 500 years ago, that He would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, throughout the subcontinent of India. But after about 500 years, He would send His senāpati devotee, who would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all over the world. So, that prediction indicates that His Divine Grace Abhaya Caraṇāvinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda would spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 8.12

mahāvadānya gaure abhakti—āsura vṛtti

hena kṛpāmaya caitanya nā bhaje yei jana
sarvottama ha-ileo tāre asure gaṇana

Translation: One who does not show respect unto this merciful Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, or does not worship Him should be considered a demon, even if he is very much exalted in human society.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Mahārāja says in this connection: “O living entities, simply engage yourselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” Lord Caitanya preached this cult, instructing the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in His eight verses, or Śikṣāṣṭaka, and He said, ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe sabāra: “By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one will get all perfection in life.” Therefore one who does not show Him respect or cannot appreciate His mercy despite all these merciful gestures is an asura, or opponent of bona fide devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu, even though he may be very much exalted in human society. The word asura refers to one who is against devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. It should be noted that unless one worships Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu it is useless to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and unless one worships Kṛṣṇa it is also useless to become a devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Such devotional service is to be understood to be a product of Kali-yuga. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that atheist smārtas, or worshipers of the five kinds of demigods, worship Lord Viṣṇu for a little satisfaction in material success but have no respect for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thinking Him to be one of the ordinary living entities, they discriminate between Gaurasundara and Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such understanding is also demoniac and is against the conclusion of the ācāryas. Such a conclusion is a product of Kali-yuga.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, like Jarāsandha, he used to worship Viṣṇu, but he was against Kṛṣṇa, who is the original Viṣṇu. So, such kind of devotion, may give someone great power or influence on the material platform, but ultimately, they are considered as atheists or demons. So, like that, Jarāsandha was creating a disturbance in the world. So, one should not only accept Kṛṣṇa, but should accept Lord Caitanya. One who accepts Lord Caitanya, should also worship Lord Kṛṣṇa. So, simultaneously, devotees of Lord Caitanya are also devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 8.13

gaura-nityānandera bhajananimitta sakalake kavirāja gosvāmīra sanirvandha anurodha

ataeva punaḥ kahoṅ ūrdhva-bāhu hañā
caitanya-nityānanda bhaja kutarka chāḍiyā

Translation: Therefore, I say again, lifting my arms: O fellow human beings, please worship Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda without false arguments.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Because a person who performs kṛṣṇa-bhakti but does not understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda will simply waste his time, the author, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, requests everyone to take to the worship of Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu and the Pañca-tattva. He assures everyone that any person who does so will be successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Purport: Because a person who performs kṛṣṇa-bhakti but does not understand Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda will simply waste his time, the author, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, requests everyone to take to the worship of Sri Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu and the Pañca-tattva. He assures everyone that any person who does so will be successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So that is why, we prescribe that before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one should chant the Pañca-tattva mantra – śrī kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛṇdā! At least Nitai Gaurāṅga! Nitai Gaurāṅga! In this way, one’s chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, will be very successful.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 8.14

pratyakṣa o anumānavādī tārkikakeo upadeśa:—

yadi vā tārkika kahe,—tarka se pramāṇa
tarka-śāstre siddha yei, sei sevyamāna

Translation: Logicians say, “Unless one gains understanding through logic and argument, how can one decide upon a worshipable Deity?”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 8.15

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra

Translation: “If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments in this connection that people in general, in their narrow-minded conception of life, create many different types of humanitarian activities, but the humanitarian activities inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are different. For logicians who want to accept only that which is proven through logic and argument, it is a fact that without logic and reason there can be no question of accepting the Absolute Truth. Unfortunately, when such logicians take to this path without the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they remain on the platform of logic and argument and do not advance in spiritual life. However, if one is intelligent enough to apply his arguments and logic to the subtle understanding of the fundamental spiritual substance, he will be able to know that a poor fund of knowledge established on the basis of material logic cannot help one understand the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of imperfect senses. The Mahābhārata therefore says, acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. (Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma-parva 5.22) How can that which is beyond the imagination or sensory speculation of mundane creatures be approached simply by logic? Logic and argument are very poor in spiritual strength and always imperfect when applied to spiritual understanding. By putting forward mundane logic one frequently comes to the wrong conclusion regarding the Absolute Truth, and as a result of such a conclusion one may fall down to accept a body like that of a jackal.

Jayapatākā Swami: If we apply logic and reason to how Lord Caitanya is delivering the conditioned souls to achieve the highest perfection and transferring to the spiritual world, having the highest ecstasy, simply by chanting the holy names and following Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s prescription, then it is truly wonderful, that He giving such a blessing, cannot be compared with anything, any charity work, any kindness in the world. Śrīla Prabhupāda also said: “Lord Kṛṣṇa simply gave the Bhagavad-gītā, by which one can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as He is, but Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is also Kṛṣṇa Himself, gave people love of Kṛṣṇa without discrimination.” (Haribol!) So Kṛṣṇa would not give His love very easily. One had to surrender, but Lord Caitanya would give Lord Kṛṣṇa’s love without discrimination, who is qualified, who is not qualified. Therefore, the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu is wonderful, and if you apply logic and reason to that, you will be totally amazed, how He is giving out such mercy.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.119

eka-dina mahāprabhu āchena vasiyā
catur-dike sakala pārṣada-gaṇa laiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: One day, Lord Caitanya was sitting in the midst of His associates surrounding Him.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.120

mahāprabhura heṁyālī-cchale sannyāsa grahaṇa-vārtā prakāśa—

eka vākya adbhuta balilā ācambita
keha nā bujhila artha, sabe camakita

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga Mahaprabhu spoke something very wonderful suddenly, which no one could understand the meaning. They all were struck with wonder.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.121

“karila pippalikhaṇḍa kapha nivārite
ulaṭiyā āro kapha bāḍila dehete”

Jayapatākā Swami: I created a medicine called pippalikhaṇḍa to destroy the excess mucus in the body, but instead, the medicine has increased the mucus in the body. Instead of clearing out the mucus in the body, it had rather increased the mucus in the body. So the meaning is explained in the purport:

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: “I made an attempt to preach to the suffering living entities of this world a truth that has never before been revealed. But rather than accepting this, they took the heavy burden of offense on their shoulders. I wanted to preach for the eternal benefit of the residents of Nadia, but they have not understood My intention and seem to have become bewildered, so they are opposing the preaching of pure devotional service. The Vedic literature prescribes the medicine pippalikhaṇḍa to cure a person who is afflicted by excessive mucus. But rather than curing the disease, the medicine has simply increased the mucus. The materialistic people of this world worship imaginary gods to increase their sense gratification. They do not perform any activities for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord, but simply remain busy gratifying their own senses. They consider sense gratification as the goal of life and do not inquire about the rarely attained loving devotional service of Kṛṣṇa.”

Jayapatākā Swami: This seems to be the unfortunate situation of the religions of the world. Love of God, love of Kṛṣṇa, is considered the highest achievement. It is mentioned in all the Vedic literatures. Lord Jesus Christ gave it as His First Commandant. In the Qur’an, I think that, Love of Allah is also being prescribed. But people pray to the Lord simply to increase their material enjoyment, and to decrease their suffering. But they don’t actually take the mercy, to learn how love Kṛṣṇa, or love God. That was given by Lord Caitanya, and that was His special donation to the world. But unfortunately, people would not understand it. So therefore He took some special decisions.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 26.122

bali’ aṭṭa aṭṭa hāse sarva-lokanātha
kāraṇa nā bujhi’ bhaya janmila sabā’ta

Jayapatākā Swami: Saying this Lord Gaurāṅga, the Lord of all, He laughed very loudly, and all the people present, because they didn’t understand the reason for His laughing, they became fearful.

Thus ends the chapter, The Lord Decides to Take Sannyāsa to Deliver the Offenders.

So, Lord Caitanya came to give out the medicine to cure the disease of Kali-yuga, to give people the love of Kṛṣṇa. But unfortunately, many people could not understand, so the medicine He was giving, seemed to have an opposite effect. So, He changed His procedure at that time, and then He adopted sannyāsa. At this time, in the world is suffering under the corona virus pandemic. So somehow the people, if they would develop their love of Kṛṣṇa, love for God and perform the Harināma-saṅkīrtana, they could achieve the ultimate benefit. This world is not a place for people to stay in. So, by chanting the holy names, we can transfer ourselves to the spiritual world. While living in this world, we can awaken our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Thank you all for attending the class.