20200829 The Devotees Forget about the Sannyāsa during Saṅkīrtana with the Lord (Part 3)

The following is a reading from the new Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 29th, 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 continuing this chapter about Part 3 of “The Devotees Forget About the Sannyāsa During Saṅkīrtana With the Lord.” Lord Caitanya had informed Lord Nityānanda Prabhu that He would take sannyāsa on the Makara-saṅkrānti, or the winter solstice day, January 14 or 15th. So, some astrologers can check when the Makara-saṅkrānti was in that year. Lord Caitanya appeared in 1486 and He took sannyāsa after 24 years. So, by that, we can see when was the Makara-saṅkīrtana in that year. That was the year He left home. But now, different devotees are seeing Him after the kīrtana in His house, and they are paying their prostrate obeisances, offering garlands and sandalwood pulp, and He is giving them instructions, what they should do.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.28

nirantara kṛṣṇakīrtanera upadeśa—

ki śayane, ki bhojane, kibā jāgaraṇe
aharniśa cinta kṛṣṇa, balaha vadane

Jayapatākā Swami: Whether you are resting, whether you are eating or whether you are awake, always think about Kṛṣṇa day and night. Chant His holy name with your mouth.

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): For one who had heard the kīrtana inaugurated by Gaura, there is no instruction to stop remembering the topics of Kṛṣṇa or to give up chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours every day, even while eating, sleeping, or waking.”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.29

ei mata śubha-dṛṣṭi kari’ sabākāre
upadeśa kahi’ sabe bale,—“yāo ghare

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, Lord Gaurāṅga gave His auspicious glance on everyone who came, and after instructing them, He said, now, go home.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.30

ei mata kata yāya, kata vā āise
keha kāre nāhi cine, ānandete vāse

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, how many people came and how many people went! They were floating in such ecstasy that no one could recognize one another.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.31

pūrṇa haila śrī-vigraha candana-mālāya
candre vā kateka śobhā kahane nā yāya

Jayapatākā Swami: So complete was the beautiful body of the Lord Gaurāṅga with sandalwood pulp and flower garlands, that comparing the beauty of the full moon was insignificant, to describe the beauty of the Lord.

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): Since Kṛṣṇa body of Śrī Gaurasundara was covered with sandalwood paste and flower garlands offered by His devotees, His supreme beauty was fully manifested. The extraordinary beauty that manifest in the body of Śrī Gauracandra because of those decorations cannot be compared with the brightly shining full moon.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was exhibiting such transcendental beauty that it was something incomparable. All the people who had come to see Him were completely enthralled in spiritual ecstasy, and the Lord was instructing them, looking at them, with His merciful glance. So they felt exceedingly blessed, and this way the mercy was flowing at the house of Śacīnandana.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.32

sakālera prasāda-prāptite sānande gamana—

prasāda pāiyā sabe haraṣita haṣ
āucca hari-dhvani sabe yāyena kariyā

Jayapatākā Swami: After receiving Lord Gaurāṅga’s mercy, all the people visiting became ecstatic and left, loudly chanting the names of Lord Hari! Haribol! Haribol!

By seeing the transcendental form of Lord Caitanya, and getting His mercy, everybody became joyful in ecstasy. And began to chant the names of Hari, loudly! HARIBOL! HARIBOL! So those who are empowered by Lord Caitanya, they can get people to chant the holy names of the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda went around the world, simply gave the instruction of Lord Caitanya to chant the holy names, to study Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, to worship Kṛṣṇa, and as a result, thousands of people became inspired to take up the chanting of the holy names, and this became a worldwide phenomenon.

When I arrived in one city in the USA, the immigration or custom officer asked me, we used to see you chanting on the street, it was so nice! But why don’t we see you anymore? So, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa has extreme good effect on all the people. So, we should continue to chant, and this was the desire of Lord Caitanya, His daily instruction, this was the desire of our Founder Ācārya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. And we can see that, this is what He started in Navadvīpa-dhāma and now He will take sannyāsa and He will spread that all over the sub-continent of India. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Today is the Vāmana Ekādaśī, we fasted today for the Vāmana Dvādaśī tomorrow. Lord Vāmana, the dwarf brāhmaṇa, He appeared, and He begged for three steps of land from Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja had a dispute with Indradeva. He was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja. So he actually, defeated Indra and took over the whole universe. Which was given to Indra by Lord Kṛṣṇa. So as Vāmanadeva, Kṛṣṇa came and begged for three steps of land. Bali Mahārāja saw Vāmanadeva as a dwarf and said, what three steps will do? I will give you a wife, I will give you a whole planet. “If I won’t be satisfied with three steps, then the whole planet will not satisfy me.” So Bali said, “I should give Him.” Apparently, the guru of Bali, Sukrācārya, he went into the water pot, which would pour water on the hand of Vāmanadeva, and that was the system for promising that I will give you a boon. But then Śukrācārya came in the spout of the water pot, like a fly to block the water, because he did not want Bali to give that benediction. So then Vāmanadeva took a straw and poked out the fly and that poked out one of the eyes of Śukrācārya, and he became one eye blind. So, he had some vengeance against Viṣṇu for that. Anyway after that Bali Mahārāja gave Him the benediction, He became huge, He became so big as Trivikrama, with one step He took the whole world, the bhū-maṇḍala, the other step, He expanded Himself beyond Brahmaloka the earthly universes, and He poked a hole in the universal covering. So the Ganges water came in, water from the causal ocean. That washed the lotus feet of Trivikrama, and was carried on the head of Lord Śiva and fell into the heavenly planets as Mānasa Gaṅgā. And then she came to the earth as Bhāgiratī. Then she went to the lower planets. Then Vāmanadeva asked, where should I put my third step? With two steps he had already covered the whole universe. Bali Mahārāja bowed down and said, put Your step on my head. And then He pushed Bali down to the lower planets. But then He agreed to be the doorkeeper of Bali Mahārāja, so then He became the doorkeeper in Sutala. So, this Ekādaśī today is a very special Ekādaśī. By observing this Ekādaśī, one can go back to the spiritual world at the end of life. And be freed from all the offences. Just by hearing the glories of the Lord, hearing the glories of this Ekādaśī, one also gets great benefit. So,every Ekādaśī, you should look up and see the glories of the respective Ekādaśī. Just by hearing the glories we get some benefits. By practicing we get more. Haribol! Are there any questions?

There is a temple in Kāñcīpuram, of Lord Trivikrama. Since Bali Mahārāja could’nt really see the Lord since the Lord’s foot covered his head, he wanted to see the Lord and so, this deity shows the Lord, and it is very dark in the temple and they put a light. You see the deity is like a huge deity, like 20 or 30 feet high and His leg reaches out another 20 feet. Huge deity. Very beautiful. So in that temple you can see the form of Trivikrama. Haribol!

♫ Question: Daṇḍavats Guru Mahārāja! How do you know for yourself Guru Mahārāja in the physical absence of Śrīla Prabhupāda, what decision you are make will be pleasing to him?

—Your servant, Keśava Kṛpā Sindhu dāsa, Bengaluru

Jayapatākā Swami: I know that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, what he told me to do. So trying to execute his instructions, I have to make various decisions. But I always keep in my mind, pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda. So, this has always served me well. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that in one case, I did what he would have done. I don’t know if everything I do is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda. But I am trying to do that. And I know that that itself is pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda. But we may make some mistakes on the way. But then we can also correct. that.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances. Is fasting nirjala on every Ekādaśī a standard we can aspire to rise to? Or is it too much austerity that makes the heart hard. Please guide us.

—Your insignificant servant, Lalitāṅgī Rādhā devī dāsī

? Jayapatākā Swami: I was chanting 32 rounds a day. I thought this would be pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda. But he told me that I should chant 16 rounds and go and preach. If I don’t preach, stay in the temple all day chanting, who will preach? So Śrīla Prabhupāda put more importance on preaching. If you can fast and still preach, then it is alright. But at least you have to observe no grains Ekādaśī, and then preach as much as you can. If you can do or if you are inspired to do on some Ekādaśī, that is nice. But that shouldn’t be a reason that next day, the whole day you are sleeping or something. That would be counterproductive. Since you want to please the Lord, that should be our focus.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa my dearest Guru Mahārāja. Please accept my heartfelt and respectful obeisances! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda, All glories My dear spiritual father. Guru Mahārāja! We are very soon near to Puruṣottama month. What kind of service and sevā will please Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava and you Gurudeva? Please enlighten my by your words, my dear spiritual father.

—Your daughter, Kackuly Rāṇī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Thank you Kackuly Rāṇī for your nice question. In the Puruṣottama month Kṛṣṇa has accepted this month as nondifferent from Himself. ♫ So, they are regular attendees of this class, Keya Rāṇī, Kackuly Rāṇī. So on the CDM website we are going to publish all the things that you can do in Puruṣottama month. In the Dāmodara month, you get hundred times benefit. But in the Puruṣottama month, it is a 1000 times. So basically, we do all the things that we can do in the Dāmodara month, and some more also. It is not a good month for weddings or any kind of śubha-karma. But it is very good for transcendental devotional service.

♫