20200901 Lamentation of Advaita, Gaṅgādāsa, Śrīvāsa, Gadādhara, Vakreśvara, Murāri, Jagadānanda, Dāmodara, Haridāsa and Vidyānidhi

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 1st September 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 we are continuing with the compilation of the Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book. Lord Caitanya had left home to take sannyāsa. So, the Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka has mentioned this and what is the situation of the devotees after this. The Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka is written in Sanskrit. So, we will just have the translation read and occasionally I will give some comments. 

The chapter is entitled:

Lamentation of Advaita, Gaṅgādāsa, Śrīvāsa, Gadādhara, Vakreśvara, Murāri, Jagadānanda, Dāmodara, Haridāsa and Vidyānidhi 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.38: (Advaita enters) Advaita: Just as a person possessed by a ghost loses control of the activities of his senses, similarly a person possessed by the Lord also manifests same condition of his senses. Because, now when I hear from the mouth of the people that the other day I danced in ecstasy being possessed by Lord, I accept it and also confused (because I don’t remember anything being out of control of the senses). 

The nature of Supreme Personality of Godhead Viśvambhara is capable of is the unobstructed influence. The Supreme Lord is expert at unfolding the many dramas of the creation and annihilation of unlimited universes just like making pots. His attractive and famous personal character is nectaren and it cleanses the dirt of the dense darkness of ignorance within the hearts of the living entities. This is His pastimes and without the knowledge obtained by His mercy one is not capable of ascertaining it free from error by pratyakṣa (direct perception), anumāna (mental speculation), upamāna (analogy), śabda (śruti-vākya), arthāpatti (inference), aitihya (famous historical understanding), and other kinds of evidence. Even though we are present in His wonderful transcendental pastime happening now in front of us in the form of drama, still these performances are beyond our perception.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Advaita Gosvāmī is expressing that His participation in the Lord’s pastime was something seamless, something that He could not realize. The Lord’s transcendental energy is such that those who participate in His pastimes do so without understanding that they are being controlled. So, they are just perceiving their participation, and they don’t perceive anything unusual. But they are very ecstatic and blissful in these performances. 

Translation: Because without understanding, some will be bewildered, some will argue with them and some learned in this subject matter will know this to very confidential (transcendental pastimes). (He looks up) Ah, the sun falls from sky and takes shelter of the peak of the Astagiri (The sun sets). 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.39: “You are mine in name only, but you are the resting place for all the planets rest upon you (i.e., all the planets set in the west)." Blamed by her husband in this way, Vāruṇī (the goddess of the western horizon) falsely becomes red like molten iron (in order to convince her husband that I am not attached to anyone) that apparently seems to be a red sunset. (In order to procalim her chastity she holds the molten iron rod and tells, “If I am unchaste let my hand be burnt and if it does not burn then I am being situated in my original or natural state). Alternatively… 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.40: In course of time, the majestic ruby of the setting sun has slowly fallen from the girdle of the goddess of the western horizon, when the garment of red clouds has fallen from her hips due to being overwhelmed by the happiness of the touch of her lover, the beginning of evening. 

Jayapatākā Swami: This is a poetic, grammatical expression of the sunset, how the sun set brings in the twilight in the evening.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.41: Therefore, now being free from fatigue of the study of the Vedas (having been completed) I should indeed see Lord Viśvambhara, the most worthy of being seen (He desires do so).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.42: A Voice From Behind the Scenes: Oh Sir! How is that Advaita who said, “I will go home and return just now,” has not yet arrived.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.43: Advaita: (listening) Ah! noticing My delay and anticipating my arrival, the Lord is personally out on search of me. (He exits).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.44: (Tossing the curtain aside, he hastily enters). Śrīrāma: Dear Advaita, the Lord orders: “I am going to Śrīvāsa's house. You must go there.”

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.45: Advaita: As the Lord orders. (He walks with him and then looks in front). This is Śrīvāsa’s house. Now I will enter the house. (He enters, and glances in the eastern direction). Ah! This is delightful.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.46: Delighting the eyes of the people in the world, increasing the happiness of the world by the raining of the nectar of kṛṣṇa-prema from the cooling-dust of His feet, the moon of Lord Viśvambhara rises. (Alternative meaning is that Viśvambhara-moon has risen by whose cooling rays the lotuses have blossomed).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Viśvambhara has descended from the spiritual world to disseminate kṛṣṇa-prema, pure love of Kṛṣṇa. So that is the special mercy that Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet are giving.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.47: (Followed by Śrīvāsa and the other devotees, the Lord Viśvambhara enters)”

Viśvambhara: (Standing up) I wish you welcome Sir! (Yours is an auspicious arrival) Welcome!“(Followed by Śrīvāsa and other devotees, the Lord Viśvambhara enters).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.48: Advaita: By the sight of the moon of Your face (everything is auspicious).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.49: Deva: (saluting respectfully and embracing Him) Lord, please sit down.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.50: Advaita: As You order. (Everyone is comfortably seated).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.51: Caitanya Bhagavān: (to Advaita) All of us have taken food and drink. You must be tired and hungry from travelling on the road. Why should there be a delay? Śrīvāsa, you are the expert host who serves the guests. Serve him by your hospitality to Him who has approached. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.52: Advaita: Don't worry. Just like you, I have completed all the āhnika (a religious ceremony to be performed every day at a fixed hour).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.53: Bhagavān: (with joy) Now, all of you perform the auspicious bhagavat-saṅkīrtana in Śrīvāsa's courtyard that is bathed in the whitish-golden moonlight.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.54: Everyone: (with joy) Lord, you personally stand up.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.55: Bhagavān: I will go to the courtyard. (Everyone goes to the saṅkīrtana place) 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.56: (Gaṅgādāsa enters) Gaṅgādāsa: Oh! I heard that Advaitadeva has come from Śāntipura. I don't know where He has gone to Lord Viśvambhara's home or Śrīvāsa's home. I will find out. (He takes a few steps).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.57: (Tumultuous sounds of kīrtana from behind the scenes) Gaṅgādāsa: (listening) Ah! Near Śrīvāsa's home I hear tumultuous sounds of elevated loving saṅkīrtana that delight all the devotees. Perhaps Advaita is here. I will stand here and look. (Looking) Everyone is chanting the holy names, dancing and causing Lord Viśvambhara to dance. Therefore, I think thus: 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.58: Although the Supreme Lord (Kṛṣṇa) removed the great burden of many invincible demons from the earth, at present by dancing with the devotees, with His striking of the foot, Lord Viśvambhara is removing the earth's unhappiness caused by the burden of the demons.

Jayapatākā Swami: So how Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Lord Gaurāṅga, by dancing in saṅkīrtana is giving great pleasure to the earth. His lotus feet are dancing on the earth, which gives us unlimited spiritual bliss.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.59: (Looks again) Ah! Is this personified bliss? Is this personified love? Is this personified faith? Is this personified form of mercy on earth in her svarūpa? Is this personified sweetness? Is this the nine processes of bhakti appearing in a single form? This is Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, whose blissful absorption is equal to that of the Lord Himself, is dancing.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.60: (From behind the scenes rattling tumultuous sounds of ‘Jaya’ due to everyone’s happiness) Gaṅgādāsa: (looking) Ah! A great festival. When Vakreśvara dances, Lord Gauracandra loudly sings clapping his hands. When Gauracandra dances, Vakreśvara sings feeling the equal bliss of the Lord Himself. 

Jayapatākā Swami: Vakreśvara Paṇḍita is a famous dancer in Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana party. He could dance for 72 hours nonstop! His dancing is being described here that he would give spiritual bliss to Lord Viśvambhara. Sometimes Vakreśvara Paṇḍita dances, sometimes Viśvambhara dances.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.61: (Again from behind the scenes a tumult of "jaya jaya" and "ululu").

Jayapatākā Swami: Ulu-dhvani is a sound made by pious ladies, that sound is said to be made in the heavenly planets by the devīs, so here in the saṅkīrtana party there are people saying Jaya! Jaya! And ladies chanting ulu-dhvani.

Gaṅgādāsa: (looking for a long time) Ah! Lord Viśvambhara has begun to dance. With thunderous shouts turning the devotees into dancing peacocks, with blissful tears filling the world with an unending monsoon, and with a flood of splendor filling the directions with lightning, the Viśvambhara raincloud, delighting the world (viśva), dances in front. Furthermore…

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.62: Glory to Lord Gauracandra in this place who dances in a circle, with glances throwing garlands of lotus flowers on every direction, with blissful tears sprinkling nectar and with moving eyebrows making swarms of black bees.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya’s dancing is creating so much ecstasy in the devotees. So, it is being very beautifully described. How all the devotees are extremely blissful. Furthermore…

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.63: Glory to the circular dance of Lord Viśvambhara, who with footsteps brings tears of bliss to Pātāla (residence of the snakes), with raised arms makes Svarga-loka dance, and with the rod of his glistening whirling limbs makes the circle of the directions spin!

Jayapatākā Swami: So, when Lord Viśvambhara dances, the whole universe is flooded in bliss. The lower planet Pātāla-loka to the higher planet of Svarga-loka, everyone is inspired to raise their arms and dance in ecstasy. Even the snakes who have no arms, they cry tears of bliss.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.64: (Looking again) Now even Lord Advaita has begun to dance. As the three brothers, Śrīvāsa and Rāma dāsa, sweetly sing together, and as Lord Viśvambhara and Vakreśvara Paṇḍita happily look on, Lord Advaita, decorated with anklets, armlets, necklace, bracelets, belt and other ornaments, dances wonderfully again and again, as if He were personified bliss of bhajana. 

Jayapatākā Swami: The explanation of the dancing of Advaita Gosvāmī is something out of this world and it is very expressed in this Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.65: A large turban on His beautiful head, His pearl earrings swinging due to dancing on the two ears, a beautiful golden necklace moving on His chest, ankle-bells moving in front of His feet, the hairs of His body standing erect, and His face bathed in tears of bliss, the great Lord Nityānanda dances with great absorption.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this verse describes the beautiful dancing of Lord Nityānanda. How He is decorated beautifully, and how in all ecstasy with hairs standing on end and with His face decorated with tears of bliss. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.66: (Looking to the sky) Ah! Nine hours of the night have passed. Only three hours remain. After rising from bed, pair of eyes are rolling. The goddess of sleep has overcome me. I will sleep for a moment. (Falling asleep he dreams and says:) “O Viśvambharadeva, where are You? Where are You?” (After dreaming in this way, he again wakes up) Oh what a nightmare did I see. (In his heart he meditates for a moment on the Lord's lotus feet and then looks in the direction of the back of the stage.) 

Alas! I don't see anyone. It seems that when the saṅkīrtana ended the Lord and His associates went to their respective houses to take rest. So be it. I will also go home. (He takes a few steps) Ah! The night having ended, the morning has dawned. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.67: (Looking to the east) Look! See that the infant sun has slightly crossed the boundary of the Udayācala mountain and has taken shelter of the eastern horizon and thus although he is barely able to walk (spreading the rays), time prods him, and he rises. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.68: (Takes a few steps and then looks ahead) Ah, who is this person approaches quickly as if desiring to ask something?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.69: (A man hastily enters) Man: Ah, Gaṅgādāsa, Lord Viśvambhara is at your house!

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.70: Gaṅgādāsa: (joyful) O my good fortune! I will go to see Him. He has personally come to my home.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.71: Man: I ask this: Did Lord Viśvambhara come to your house?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.72: Gaṅgādāsa: (with unhappiness) Why do you ask thus?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.73: Man: On any other day He would go to His own home early in the morning and perform His morning duties. Today He has not come. Śacīdevi sent me to find him. (After speaking thus, he goes off to another place to search again).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.74: (Another man hastily enters, asks the same question, and then exits. Another, and yet another, and yet another man asks the same question and again exits.)

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.75: Gaṅgādāsa: (with unhappiness) Alas! My nightmare has borne fruit! So, what shall I do? I will go where Advaita and the other devotees stay. (He takes a few steps). 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.76: (The devotees, headed by Advaita, enter. They are unhappy and make various conjectures to understand the situation.)

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.77: Advaita: Śrīvāsa! What is this? This morning we all thought the Lord returned to His own home, and Mother Śacī thought the Lord stayed at the home of Śrīvāsa or another devotee and thus we were all bewildered being unprepared. How are we to know that this lightning will fall on us?

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees are realizing that Lord Viśvambhara has left to take sannyāsa. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.78: Śrīvāsa: None of the men we sent to find Him has returned.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.79: Advaita: If anyone had seen Him in the search they would have returned. It must be that no one found him. What could have happened? 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.80: Is there anyone in this village the power to hide the Supreme Lord who appears by His own will? (No one has the power). How is the Lord able to hide Himself? (Lord is not able to hide Himself). He is like a brilliant sun that no one is able to cover. Who can cover the sun when it shines in the daytime sky?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.81: Śrīvāsa: (Looking in front) Here comes Gaṅgādāsa. Let's ask him. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.82: (Approaching) Gaṅgādāsa: O dear fortunate souls, how did this calamity happen suddenly?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.83: Everyone: Oh! Even he is taking the lead to search the Lord and so he even asks this question!

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.84: Advaita: (with tears) O Viśvambharadeva, O treasure-house of transcendental qualities, O ocean of love, O Lord who has descended to rescue the poor conditioned souls, O cintāmaṇi jewel of the devotees, having blinded the eyes of all living entities, having filled all the directions with blinding darkness and having made our minds empty, You have left us due to what kind of offense that have been committed by us?

Jayapatākā Swami: So Advaita is thinking that it is due to his offenses that Lord Viśvambhara has left. Actually, Lord Viśvambhara leaves to deliver His mercy to all his conditioned souls but the devotees naturally feel responsible. This is the nature of a pure devotee.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.85: Murāri: O Dear Lord Advaita, You are very unfathomable and deep (grave). Why do You lament in this way with uncertainty? By seeing You lamenting in this way, pitiable Śacīdevi will be pained very much.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.86: Śrīvāsa: Murāri speaks the truth. Because He is her only son and only, He is Her two eyes. He is her only happiness. Even though She is His mother, still She thinks of Him as gurudeva. (Alas) She cannot live for a moment without Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the devotees are considering the great love that mother Śacī has for her son and therefore, they are thinking how she would be very pained by His leaving. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.87: Therefore, now we must act to protect her life. So Dear Sir Gaṅgādāsa! She has faith in your words. You must speak to her in such a way that her life is not lost. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.88: Gaṅgādāsa: As you order me. (He exits).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.89: Gadādhara: (with pathos, words expressing great distress) O Lord, yāma (three hours have passed) has passed. Six hours have passed. Nine hours have passed. Alas, the day is almost ended. Gradually, the rope of hope of seeing You and our lives are breaking. Alas, O Lord, still no news of You has entered the pathway of my ears. (He faints). 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.90: Vakreśvara: O ocean of mercy, Did You manifest Your various affectionate exceptional love on all-sides last night, just so that You will leave us and go? Your mercy be compared? Oh, Lord of our hearts, what kind of mercy is that or alas (lamentation) what is the nature of your leaving us? Both of these, Your mercy and Your leaving us are transcendental. They are not part of this material world. (i.e., Nobody in this world shows mercy by leaving them) 

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya had a blissful saṅkīrtana with all His devotees the night before. Everyone had forgotten that He had told them that He would leave and take sannyāsa, because of His blissful kīrtana. But then, as He had predicted He left. So they are overwhelmed in separation.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.91: Murāri: (agitated) The external show of calmness that I display is destroyed forcefully by the abundant tears contained within my heart just as the sand-barrage even though built again and again is destroyed by the forceful current of water. (Thus screaming, cries and falls to the ground). 

Jayapatākā Swami: Maybe we got experience in that, sometimes we have flood in Māyāpur and we put bags of sand on the road to help keep back the flood water. But when the water rises it gushes, and the sandbags are washed away. Like that Murāri Gupta is trying to be composed. But just like the sandbags are washed away by the flood, his lamentation washes away his composure, and he screams and falls to the ground.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.92: Śrīvāsa: (looking at him) He is a very grave and profound person. His steadiness is assailed by the irrepressible attachment. He is overwhelmed by very intense love. It exists in this way.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.93: As long as the barrier was not broken, the current of water was still, but when the barrier was broken being unable to contain the water, it is able to flood and cover everything with water. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.94: O Lord Viśvambhara, where are You? Where are You? O great one! I was dead. Why did You bring me back to life? Now that You have brought me back to life, alas (Lamentation) why do You want to kill me again? O Lord, my mind cannot understand Your mischievous pastime? Does the Supreme Lord act just as a child? (Thus he cries).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.95: Mukunda: Will we not see Your face with our eyes? Or Will we not hear Your words with our ears? O Lord of our lives, O Lord, being neglected by You, what is the use of our wretched, painful lives?

Jayapatākā Swami: Each devotee is expressing their great separation and love for Lord Viśvambhara.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.96: Jagadānanda: (with tears) We thought that those like us cannot live for even a moment without the association Your lotus feet. O Lord, we are ashamed to continue to live for all these days even though we cannot see You. (He faints).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.97: Dāmodara: O Lord of my life, where are You? Where are You? Life-airs! Why don’t you give up this great inactivity and leave? The Lord of your life-airs now wanders all alone. Go to His lotus feet and worship perfectly. Let there be no blame upon the family of loving devotees. (Thus he faints) 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.98: Haridāsa: Alas! Alas! If the life-airs do not at leave once along with the master of life, then they are not capable of leaving very quickly. They tolerate millions of condemnations and harsh rebukes and suffer so much but does not give up holding the torments. So be it. Let me know for a moment. 

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.99: If the Lord will not enter the pathway of my eyes, and if He will not glance with mercy on a person like me, then, yearning to attain His lotus feet, I will within a moment, give up many thousands of strong and hard as thunderbolt like life-airs, as if they were a single blade of grass. (He becomes composed and rapt in thought).

Jayapatākā Swami: So sometimes Gaurāṅga is called as Prāṇa-priya, Prāṇanātha, the Lord of Life Airs. So, some people are saying that how am I sustaining my life airs when I cannot see Lord Viśvambhara? And Haridāsa Ṭhākura is saying, that if I cannot see the Lord, what is the use of keeping this life air? So, everyone is in extreme separation of the Lord.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 4.100: Vidyānidhi: Oh Love! I offer my respects to you. Love, you do not appear without cheating. Alas! What shall I say unto you? You even cheat me from the sincerely merciful Lord Viśvambhara. If you are not cheating me, why do you allow me to remain alive in this body? (Overcome, he falls to the ground and cries).

Jayapatākā Swami: It is said, when Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma left Vṛndāvana to go to Mathurā, all the residents of Vṛndāvana, the gopās and gopīs, they were all crying. Similarly, the residents of Navadvīpa, when Lord Gaurāṅga left, they were all lamenting. Some were falling to the ground crying. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Thus Ends the Chapter, Lamentation of Advaita, Gaṅgādāsa, Śrīvāsa, Gadādhara, Vakreśvara, Murāri, Jagadānanda, Dāmodara, Haridāsa and Vidyānidhi