20200907 Discussion Between Keśava Bhāratī and Viśvambharadeva

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 7th 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, we are continuing on the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. This chapter, Lord Caitanya is in Katwa to take sannyāsa.

This chapter is entitled:

Discussion Between Keśava Bhāratī and Viśvambharadeva

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.126

śrīkeśava-bhāratīra prabhu praśaṁsā o prabhuke ‘jagadguru’ baliyā jñāna—
dekhiyā prabhura bhakti keśava bhāratī
ānanda sāgare magna hai' kare stuti

Jayapatākā Swami: Keśava Bhāratī Mahārāja was absorbed in the ocean of transcendental ecstasy, seeing the devotion displayed by Lord Viśvambhara. So Keśava Bhāratī Mahārāja offered prayers to the Lord.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.127

“ye bhakti tomāra āmi dekhila nayane
e śakti anyera nahe īśvarera vine

Jayapatākā Swami: That pure devotional service of Yours which I have seen today with my own eyes, other than the Supreme Lord Himself, no one has the potency to manifest such devotion.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.128

tumi se jagad-guru jānila niścaya
tomāra gurura yogya keha kabhu naya

Jayapatākā Swami: You are the Jagad-guru or the spiritual master of the universe, that, I have understood, certainly. So no one is qualified to be Your guru.

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): The spiritual master with a number of disciples and the spiritual master with one disciple both accept disciples after carefully testing their respective qualifications and completely rejecting fallen souls like us. But one who sees the Supreme Lord within all living entities and who therefore considers himself the disciple of everyone can become jagad-guru, the spiritual master of the entire world. Śrī Gaurasundara's bhajana-pranālī, or method of worship, includes constantly worshiping Kṛṣṇa while becoming more humble than the straw in the street, more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. Since He taught such internally and externally non-duplicitous worship, He is certainly the all-worshipable Vrajendra-nandana and the actual jagad-guru. Those who are servants of Śrī Caitanya are also jagad-gurus, because one of them has even accepted a most fallen atheistic person like me as his servant and given me the opportunity to serve him, and I am not outside of this world. Unless one possesses actual humility befitting a Vaiṣṇava, one can never act as a guru. Keśava Bhāratī was decorated with qualities befitting a Vaiṣṇava.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So this purport was given by Śrīla Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Here we can see, he has presented himself very humbly. To be a bona fide guru, one has to actually serve the disciples, with great humility. These qualities were shown by Keśava Bhāratī and shown by our previous ācāryas.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.129

tabe tumi loka-śikṣā-nimitta-kāraṇe
karibā āmāre guru hena laya mane”

Jayapatākā Swami: “Yet I think, in order to teach people in general, You will accept me as Your guru.”

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): Keśava Bhāratī said to Mahāprabhu, “I can understand that You are honoring the process of accepting a guru to teach people.” In reply to this, Mahāprabhu said, “Please do not deceive Me by your illusory words. Take away the reactions of My pious and impious activities by awarding Me transcendental knowledge so that I may become a servant of Kṛṣṇa.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.58

bhāratī kaiye-śuna śuna viśvambhara
tomāre sannyāsa dite kāṁpaye antara

Jayapatākā Swami: Keśava Bhāratī Mahārāja replied: “Please hear, please hear, O Lord Viśvambhara! My heart trembles to give You sannyāsa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.59

ehena sundara tanu-taruṇa vayasa
janama abadhi nāhi jāna duḥkha-kleśa

Jayapatākā Swami: Your body is transcendental, Your age is youthful. From the time of Your birth, You have known neither sadness or suffering.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.60

apatya-santati nāhi haye ta’ tomāra
tomāre sannyāsa dite nā haya āmāra

Jayapatākā Swami: You do not have any children. I should not be giving You sannyāsa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.61

pañcāśera urddha haile rāgera nivṛtti
tabe se sannyāsa dite tore haya yukti

Jayapatākā Swami: When one is about 50 years of age, then one renounces the passions and attachments of youth. Then, it will be right to offer You sannyāsa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.62

e bola śuniñā prabhu kahe lahu-vāṇī
tomāra sākṣāte āmi ki balite jāni

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing these words, Lord Viśvambhara gently replied, “What should I say in your presence?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.63

māyā nā kariha more śuna nyāsimuni
dharmādharmatattva kebā jāne tomā bini

Jayapatākā Swami: “Listen, O wise sannyāsi, please do not bewilder Me. Who, but you know the difference between religion and irreligion?”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.130

sarvopāsya prabhura lokaśikṣārtha abhinaya—
prabhu bale,—“māyā more nā kara prakāśa
hena dīkṣā deha' yena haṅa kṛṣṇa-dāsa”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Viśvambhara said: “Please do not put Me in illusion. Give Me initiation so that I may become a servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa.” 

So, Lord Caitanya, to teach the people, He is discussing in this way, with His Holiness Keśava Bhāratī Mahārāja, and so He is taking the humble position to teach us that in approaching the spiritual master, we have to be humble and submissive.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.64

saṁsāre durlabha ei mānuṣera janma
tāhāte durlabha kṛṣṇabhakti paradharma

Jayapatākā Swami: In this world of birth and death, achieving the human birth is very rare. And amongst human birth, to achieve pure devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa, the highest religion, is even more rare and difficult to achieve.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.65

baḍai durlabha tāhe bhaktajana-saṅga
mānuṣera e-deha bhileke haya bhaṅga

Jayapatākā Swami: It is greatly difficult and rare to achieve the association of pure devotees, of Lord Kṛṣṇa. At any time, with a little deviation, this human body, may be broken into pieces.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.66

vilamba karite ei deha yāya yabe
tabe āra vaiṣṇavera saṅga habe kabe

Jayapatākā Swami: If I delay, this human body may be lost. Who knows then I will achieve the association of a great Vaiṣṇava like yourself?

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.67

māyā nā kariha more karāha sannyāsa
tora parasāde muñi’ huṅa, kṛṣṇadāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Please do not bewilder Me, rather, give Me sannyāsa. By your mercy, I can become Lord Kṛṣṇa’s servant.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.68

ihā bali’ karuṇa-aruṇa du-nayāna
chala chala kare aśra-kātara bayāna

Jayapatākā Swami: When the Lord Viśvambhara spoke these words, His two eyes became red with mercy. His eyes filled with tears of sorrow, streamed down His face.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.69

huṅkāra-garjana siṁha jini’ parākrama
bhāvamaya saba deha-ati sulakṣaṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Like a mad lion, Lord Gaurāṅga loudly cried out. The Lord very powerfully roared. His body was marked with all the auspicious signs of ecstatic, spiritual love.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.70

‘hari hari’ bali’ ḍāke meghera garjane
abirāma premabāri jhare du-nayane

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari! Hari! He called in a voice like a thundering cloud! Streams of tears of love flowed from His two eyes, without stop!

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.71

tribhaṅga haiyā ‘vaṃśī vaṃśī” bali’ ḍāke
kṣaṇe rāsamaṇḍalī baliyā raṅga jhāṁke

Jayapatākā Swami: Calling out, “Flute! Flute!” He manifested the three-fold bending form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And then He manifested the rāsa dance pastime, then He joyfully jumped.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.72

govardhana, rādhākuṇḍa bali’ ḍāke hāse
camatkāra haila nyāsī antara-tarāse

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga called out: “Govardhana!” “Rādhā-kuṇḍa!” The Lord called loudly and laughed. The sannyāsī was filled with wonder. The sannyāsī’s heart was filled with fear.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.73

antare cintiyā kichu bole nyāsirāja
antare jānila-mora bhāla nahe kāja

Jayapatākā Swami: Keśava Bhāratī, the king of the sannyāsis, reflected something in his heart. In his heart, he thought, this work is not good for me.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.74

jagatera guru ei jagatera nātha
‘guru’ bali āmāre kariba joḍa-hāta

Jayapatākā Swami: The spiritual master of the whole universe, the Lord of the universe, He is standing before me, with folded hands, addressing me as “guru”.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.75

eta anumāni nyāsi kahila uttara
sannyāsa karibe yadi-yāha nija-ghara

Jayapatākā Swami: Thinking this way, the sannyāsi Keśava Bhāratī replied. If You will accept sannyāsa, then first return to Your home.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.76

sākṣāte jananī-ṭhāñi haibe vidāya
tora patnī sucaritā–yābe tāra ṭhāṁya

Jayapatākā Swami: Go personally to Your mother and get her permission to leave. Your wife who is with good character, go by her side, go to her.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.77

sākṣāte sabhāra ṭhāṁñi vidāya haiyā
āsibe āmāra ṭhāṁi - sabhāre bujhañā

Jayapatākā Swami: Go personally to Your associates and get their permission. Then convince all of them, and then return to me.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.78

mane āche–gaurācāṁde kariyā vidāya
āsana chāḍiyā āmi yāba anya ṭhāṁya

Jayapatākā Swami: So Keśava Bhāratī thought in his heart, when Lord Gauracandra goes to get permission, I will leave this place and go to another place.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.79

antaryāmī bhagavān e mana jāniñā
pāliba tomāra ājñā–balila hāsiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone’s heart, as the Supersoul. So, He knew Keśava Bhāratī’s thoughts. Then smiling, Lord Gaurāṅga said, “I will obey your command.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.80

calilena mahāprabhu navadvīpa-pure
dekhiyā bhābila nyāsī āpana antare

Jayapatākā Swami: Then Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu departed for Navadvīpa city. And Keśava Bhāratī Mahārāja seeing this, thought, within his heart:

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.81

yāra lomakūpe brahmāṇḍera gaṇa baise
tāre palāiyā āmi yāba kon deśe

Jayapatākā Swami: The many universes rest in the pores of His body so, where will I go to escape Him? To what country I will go?

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.82

bhrāntamati āmi kichu dekhiyā nā dekhi
sabhāra jīvana ei sarvajana-sāthī

Jayapatākā Swami: I am bewildered. Even though I see something I don’t see. He is the life of everyone. He is the witness who watches everyone, who accompanies everyone.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.83

ihā bhāvī’ sannyāsī ḍākiyā gaurahari
balite lāgilā kichu anunaya kari’

Jayapatākā Swami: Thinking in this way, the sannyāsi called Lord Gaura Hari. He said something in an entreating way.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.84

āra eka bola boloṁ śuna viśvambhara
tomāre sannyāsa dite baḍa lāge bhara

Jayapatākā Swami: My dear Lord Viśvambhara, please listen, to something that I will speak. I am very afraid to offer You sannyāsa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.85

tumi jagatera guru - ke guru tomāra
michā viḍambanā kene karaha āmāra

Jayapatākā Swami: You are the spiritual master of all the universes. Who can be Your guru? Why do You falsely embarrass me?

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.86

e vela śuniñā kānde viśvambhararāya
ārati kariyā dhare sannyāsīra pāya 

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing these words of Keśava Bhāratī, Lord Viśvambhara wept. With great respect he grabbed the sannyāsī’s lotus feet.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.87

praṇata-janere kene bola durvacana
marile ki chāḍi āmi tomāra caraṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga said, “Why do you speak these harsh words to a soul surrendered to you? If I leave your lotus feet, I will certainly die!”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.88

mere yata bola––mora bujhibāra mana
eka nivedana āche–śunaha vacana

Jayapatākā Swami: “Whatever you say to Me, My heart accepts. But still I have one request. Please hear My words.”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.131

gaurasundarera kṛṣṇakathā-prasaṅge rajanī-yāpana
ei-mata kṛṣṇa-kathā-ānanda-prasaṅge
vañcilena se niśāṭhākura sabā'-saṅge

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, Lord Gaurāṅga passed the night in the transcendental ecstasy of discussing the topics about Kṛṣṇa. In this way, He passed the night with everyone. So we see that Keśava Bhāratī was feeling himself unqualified to offer initiation to Lord Caitanya. And therefore, he was telling Lord Caitanya to go back to Navadvīpa, and ask permission from His mother, His wife, His associates. Then he thought that, “Since He is the spiritual master of everyone, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, where can I run away to? Where can I flee? He knows, where will I go!” Then he called Lord Caitanya back. But Lord Caitanya said, He wanted to say one thing to him. But then He passed the whole night discussing the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Thus ends the chapter, Discussion between Keśava Bhāratī and Viśvambharadeva