20200908 Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 8th 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 will continue compiling the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Lord Caitanya is in Katwa to take sannyāsa.

Today’s chapter is entitled:

Although Being in a Predicament, the Barber Receives a Boon of Residence in Goloka.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.113

punarapi nyāsibare kariyā praṇāma
āpana antarekathā māgaye vidhāna

Jayapatākā Swami: Again, Lord Gaurāṅga bowed down and offered His obeisances before Keśava Bhāratī, the best of the sannyāsīs. He spoke His heart’s desires and begged for mercy.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.114

tāra para-dine prabhu guru-ājñā lañā
sannyāsa-vidhāna -karma karaye hāsiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: The next day, Lord Gaurāṅga following the instruction of the spiritual master, receiving the order from the guru, He prepared the rituals for taking sannyāsa. Lord Gaurāṅga was smiling and happy to perform this.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.115

karila sakala karma-ye chila bihita
‘sannyāsa kariba’ bali’ ānanditacita

Jayapatākā Swami: After performing all the rituals which were prescribed by the scriptures, with a joyful heart, He requested Keśava Bhāratī, “Please give Me sannyāsa”.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.116

āpane ācārya-ratna kṛṣṇa-pūjā kare
caudige vaiṣṇava saba hari hari bole

Jayapatākā Swami: Ācāryaratna, personally worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa. From all directions, the Vaiṣṇavas all chanted the holy names, Hari! Hari! So, each ceremony a Vaiṣṇava performs, first one worships Kṛṣṇa and offers the activity to Lord Kṛṣṇa. This was the difference in Lord Caitanya taking sannyāsa. He was doing so in order to please Kṛṣṇa, and to attain the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So, before the ceremony, Ācāryaratna had worshiped the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, and then all the Vaiṣṇavas were chanting the holy names. In this way, it was a very Kṛṣṇa conscious environment.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.132

candraśekharera prati vidhiyogya anuṣṭhānera ādeśa—
prabhāte uṭhiyā sarva bhuvanera pati
ājñā karilena candraśekharera prati

Jayapatākā Swami: Early the next morning, the Lord of all the planets, rose and instructed Candraśekhara prabhu.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.133

“vidhi-yogya yata karma saba kara’ tumi
tomārei pratinidhi karilāṅa āmi”

Jayapatākā Swami: You should perform all the Vedic rituals prescribed. Therefore, I appoint you as My representative, in this ritual of taking sannyāsa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.134

prabhura ājñāya candraśekhara-ācārya
karite lāgilā sarva-vidhi-yogya kārya

Jayapatākā Swami: So, receiving the order of Lord Gaurāṅga, Candraśekhara Ācārya began to perform the required Vedic rituals, to accept sannyāsa.

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): Śrī Gaurasundara appointed Candraśekhara Ācārya as His representative and ordered him to perform the formalities of the sannyāsa ceremony. Mahāprabhu did not personally perform any of the activities required to be performed by sannyāsīs.”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.135

nānā sthāna haite upaḍhaukana—
nānā grāma haite se nānā upāyana
āsite lāgila ati akathya-kathana

Jayapatākā Swami: A variety of ingredients were brought by people from various villages. All the ingredients that came were so profuse, that they cannot be described.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.136

dadhi, dugdha, ghṛta, mudga, tāmbūla, candana
puṣpa, yajña-sūtra, vastra āne sarva-jana

Jayapatākā Swami: All the people brought milk, yogurt, butter or ghee, mūng, tāmbūla, betel nut, sandalwood, flowers, brāhmaṇa sacred threads and cloth. So, people were spontaneously inspired to bring all the ingredients, to perform the ritual of a fire sacrifice, and the ritual of making or accepting the sannyāsa order. So, we see that in this āśrama, also that many ingredients are brought to be offered to the Deities.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.137

nānā-vidha bhakṣya dravya lāgila āsite
hena nāhi jāni ke ānaye kon bhite

Jayapatākā Swami: Various kinds of eatables began to arrive, no one knew who was bringing, and from where they came in from.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.138

sakalera mukhe haridhvani—
parama ānande sabe kare hari-dhvani
`hari' vinā loka-mukhe āra nāhi śuni

Jayapatākā Swami: In great transcendental, supreme ecstasy, everyone was chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa. Apart from Hari, Hari bol and the Hare Kṛṣṇa māha-mantra, nothing could be heard, no other sounds, from the people’s mouths. So, we can see that in the presence of Lord Gaurāṅga, everyone was chanting the holy names, and that was the sound that was heard in all directions. Haribol!

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.117

gurura sammukhe rahe puṭañjali kari
māgaye sannyāsa-mantra paraṇāma kari’

Jayapatākā Swami: Offering His obeisances before His guru, Lord Gaurāṅga with folded palms, offered His respectful obeisances, and begged for the sannyāsa-mantra.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.118

muṇḍana karila prabhu – śuna tāra kathā
yā śunile sabhāra hṛdaye lāge vyathā

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga had His hair shaved off His head, listen to that description. By hearing that, everyone feels pain in the heart.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.139

prabhura karmapaddhati vicāre śikhāmuṇḍane upaveśana—
tabe mahāprabhu sarva jagatera prāṇa
vasilā karite śrī-śikhāra antardhāna

Jayapatākā Swami: Then Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, the life of all the universes, He sat down to have His head shaved, including the śikhā. So, Lord Caitanya had very beautiful hair and that He would have His hair shaved off, was something that gave the devotees pain, in their hearts, because He didn’t need to perform any kind of austerity, because He was already perfect. But teaching the people in general, He was taking this sannyāsa-āśrama. So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said:

Purport (by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura): To gain knowledge, one requires to undergo the caura-saṁskāra, or the purificatory process of shaving the head, before a fire sacrifice. Unless one keeps the śikhā, one is not awarded the qualification to study kalpa, vyākaraṇa, nirukta, chanda, Vedic literatures like astrology, or literatures in pursuance of the Vedas. When the desire to gain knowledge for the purpose of material enjoyment is destroyed, there is an arrangement for giving up the śikhā. According to worldly consideration, giving up the śikhā is the symptom of renouncing formal obligations. But for the service of the Supreme Lord, the tridaṇḍi devotees of the Lord do not give up the śikhā and brāhmaṇa thread under the influence of material conceptions. Rather, they can remain situated in the principles of paramahaṁsas in spite of keeping the śikhā and brāhmaṇa thread by considering them as related to Hari. Since the performance of fruitive activities was prominent in North India during the time of Śrī Gaurasundara, Śrī Gaurasundara gave up His śikhā and brāhmaṇa thread according to the prescriptions of ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa. But His servants accepted the dress of paramahaṁsas and followed the principles of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa by keeping the śikhā and brāhmaṇa thread. 

Jayapatākā Swami: So Keśava Bhāratī although he was a pure devotee, at that time, the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs were very rare, in North India. So as a result, He took sannyāsa from the ekadaṇḍa-sampradāya or disciplic succession. In their system, they cut off the śikhā and take off the brāhmaṇa thread. But in the tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa or Vaiṣṇava-sannyāsa, they keep the śikhā and the brāhmaṇa thread, as related to Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.140

nāpitera muṇḍanārtha upakrama-darśane sakalera krandana evaṁ nāpiterao aśru visarjana—

nāpita vasilā āsi sammukhe yakhane
krandanera kalarava uṭhila takhane

Jayapatākā Swami: When the barber sat down in front of the Lord to shave Him, a tumultuous sound of weeping arose at that moment.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.119

sakala vaiṣṇavajane lāge hiyā kāṁpa
muṇḍanera kāle vastra mukhe dei jhāṁpa

Jayapatākā Swami: All the Vaiṣṇavas’ hearts were trembling. During the time of being shaved, they covered their faces with their garments, and they were shivering.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.120

kamalā-lālita keśa trailokya sundara
mālāra sahita lāmbe e gaja kandara

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga’s hair was the most beautiful and graceful hair in the three worlds. The hair that goddess Lakṣmī playfully fondles. The flower garland decorated hair, which is long and rests gracefully on elephant shoulders.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.121

puruve cuḍāra veśe mohila jagata
yāhāra dhyeyāne jīye sakala bhakata

Jayapatākā Swami: Previously, by the decoration of His transcendental hair, He had attracted all the worlds. Simply by meditation of this beautiful hair, the devotees sustained their lives.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.122

gopabandhu yāhā lāgi’ chāḍileka lāja
jāti-kula-śīla-bhaye pāḍileka bāja

Jayapatākā Swami: The gopī friends, attracted to His hair, gave up their shyness, and they were struck by the lightning, giving up the fear of their caste, family, chastity.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.123

yāra guṇagāne śiva, viriñci, nārada
āpanāre dhanya māne sakala sampada

Jayapatākā Swami: By glorifying the transcendental qualities of His hair, Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā and Nārada muni, feel themselves most glorified and considered this the most glorious of all their treasures.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.124

hena keśa muṇḍana karite cāhe pahuṁ
kāndaye sakala loka nā bhulaye muhu

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga desired that this glorious hair be shaved away. All the people present began to weep; they did not stop for a moment. So, we see that the cutting of the Lord’s hair is a very emotional moment for the devotees. It is not a small thing. Everyone was crying that "No! no! no! no!" Tears were flowing, they couldn’t believe it, they covered their face. They couldn’t believe that the Lord would have His hair cut off. Actually His hair samādhi is still in Katwa. That is the only remnant of Lord Caitanya. So, this is a very intense moment for the barber. Everybody was crying, they were trembling and shivering, and covering their face, and tumultuous sounds arose from all the sides. This was the situation. 

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.141

kṣura dite nāpita se cāṅcara-cikure
māthe hāta nā deya, krandana-mātra kare

Jayapatākā Swami: The barber hesitated to put his razor to cut Lord Gaurāṅga’s curly hair. Even before he touched the head of the Lord, he began to cry profusely.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.125

nāpita nā dei hātha śirera upare
tarāse tāhāra aṅga kare thara-thare

Jayapatākā Swami: The barber would not put his hand on the head of the Lord. He was feeling great fear, and his body was trembling and shaking.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 13.126

kaṇṭaka-nagarera loka e nārī-puruṣe
phukari phukari kānde sakaruṇa bhāṣe

Jayapatākā Swami: All the ladies and men of Katwa town wept and cried, making a piteous sound. They were loudly crying, in a most piteous sound. No! No! No!

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.142

nityānanda-ādi kari’ yata bhakta-gaṇa
bhūmite paḍiyā sabe karena krandana

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees, headed by Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, fell on the ground and started rolling and crying.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 28.143

bhaktera ki dāya, yata vyavahāri-loka
tāhārā o kāndite lāgilā kari' śoka

Jayapatākā Swami: What to speak of the devotees of the Lord, even the people in general, they all began to cry, in great lamentation. We are leaving at a very difficult time. How would you like to have your head shaved by someone who was crying, whose body was trembling? People all around were crying and weeping and rolling on the ground, no! no! The Lord’s pastimes are so intense. We are halfway through this chapter. I am sorry it is very difficult to continue. We will wait until tomorrow. Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Nityānanda! Haribol! 

So, this is a great opportunity for devotees, in the Hare Kṛṣṇa Holy Name Week to log into the www.fortunate-people.com and become an ambassador for the Holy Name week. Take short videos of new people chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and if you are inspired by me, you can also do it on my behalf. Take short videos of people saying, I dedicate this chant for world peace and love. And then have them say Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Like this 73,000 have pledged in India to do that. And already in the world, they have like 40,000 or 80,000. So, we can make the world fortunate by getting people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.