20201008 Advaita Ācārya Feeds Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda and all the Devotees

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 8th, 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

Today's chapter is entitled as: Advaita Ācārya Feeds Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda and all the Devotees

govardhanadharam vande 
gopālam goparūpiṇam 
gokulotsavam īśānam 
govindam gopikāpriyam

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.56

naivedyopari tulasī o tatsaha ācamana-jala-pradāna:—
anna-vyañjana-upari dila tulasī-mañjarī
tina jala-pātre suvāsita jala bhari’

Translation: Upon the stack of boiled rice and all the vegetables were flowers of the tulasī trees. There were also pots filled with scented rosewater.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.57

tina śubhra-pīṭha, tāra upari vasana 
ei-rūpe sākṣāt kṛṣṇe karāila bhojana

Translation: There were three sitting places where soft cloths were placed. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa was offered all the food, and the Lord took it very pleasantly.

Jayapatākā Swami: In Śāntipura the three Prabhus viśrāma-sthāna is still there where Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda, Advaita took prasāda. People go and see that place.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.58

svayam ārātrika-sampādana o sagaṇa prabhugaṇera darśana:—

āratira kāle dui prabhu bolāila 
prabhu-saṅge sabe āsi’ ārati dekhila

Translation: It is the system, after offering food, to perform bhoga-ārati. Advaita Prabhu asked the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, to come see the ārati. The two Lords and all others present went to see the ārati ceremony.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.59

ṭhākurera śayana-dāna:—

ārati kariyā kṛṣṇe karā’la śayana 
ācārya āsi’ prabhure tabe kailā nivedana

Translation: After ārati was performed for the Deities in the temple, Lord Kṛṣṇa was made to lie down to rest. Advaita Ācārya then came out to submit something to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: This ceremony is performed in our temple. We offer bhoga and we offer ārati after the bhoga is offered and then after the temple is closed we put the deities to sleep for afternoon nap.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.60

dui prabhura gṛhamadhye bhojanārthe gamana:—

gṛhera bhitare prabhu karuna gamana 
dui bhāi āilā tabe karite bhojana

Translation: Śrī Advaita Prabhu said, “My dear Lords, kindly enter this room.” The two brothers, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, then came forward to take the prasāda.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.61

mukunda o haridāsake āhāre anurodha sattveo tāṁhādera maryādā rakṣā o dainya-vinaya:—

mukunda, haridāsa,—dui prabhu bolāila 
yoḍa-hāte dui-jana kahite lāgila

Translation: When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu went to accept the prasādam, They both called Mukunda and Haridāsa to come with Them. However, Mukunda and Haridāsa, both with folded hands, spoke as follows.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.62

mukunda kahe—mora kichu kṛtya nāhi sare 
pāche muñi prasāda pāmu, tumi yāha ghare

Translation: When Mukunda was called for, he submitted, “My dear sir, I have something to do that is not yet finished. Later I shall accept the prasādam, so You two Prabhus should now please enter the room.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.63

haridāsa kahe—muñi pāpiṣṭha adhama 
bāhire eka muṣṭi pāche karimu bhojana

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “I am the most sinful and lowest among men. Later I shall eat one palmful of prasāda while waiting outside.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So Haridāsa Ṭhākura being very humble, He presented Himself as most sinful and lowest among men. Actually, He was a pure devotee chanting 300,000 names of Kṛṣṇa a day. But being born in a non-vedic family he considered himself very fallen.

Purport By Śrīla Prabhupāda: Although the Hindus and Muslims lived together in a very friendly manner, still there were distinctions between them. The Muslims were considered yavanas, or low-born, and whenever a Muslim was invited, he would be fed outside of the house. Although personally called by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu to take prasādam with Them, still, out of great humility, Haridāsa Ṭhākura submitted, “I shall take the prasādam outside of the house.” Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura was an exalted Vaiṣṇava accepted by Advaita Ācārya, Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, nonetheless, in order not to disturb social tranquillity, he humbly kept himself in the position of a Muslim, outside the jurisdiction of the Hindu community. Therefore he proposed to take prasādam outside the house. Although he was in an exalted position and equal to other great Vaiṣṇavas, he considered himself a pāpiṣṭha, a most sinful man, and adhama, the lowest among men. Although a Vaiṣṇava may be very advanced spiritually, he keeps himself externally humble and submissive.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.281

vṛndāvanīya līlāra punarāvṛtti—

madhye vasilena prabhu nityānanda-saṅge 
catur-dige sarva-gaṇa vasilena raṅge

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord Caitanya sat down in the middle with Lord Nityānanda, and all the devotees happily sat around Them.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.282

sarvāṅge candana—prabhu praphulla-vadana 
bhojana karena catur-dige bhakta-gaṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord Caitanya’s entire body was covered with sandalwood paste, and His face was fully blossomed. So, the Lord then began to take prasāda in the midst and with devotees all side of Him. Like the pastimes in Vṛndāvana where Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would take their lunch in the forest, surrounded by the other cowherd friends.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.64

prasāda-darśane prabhura ānanda o advaitake sammāna:—

dui prabhu lañā ācārya gelā bhitara ghare 
prasāda dekhiyā prabhura ānanda antare

Translation: Advaita Ācārya took Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu within the room, and the two Lords saw the arrangement of the prasādam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was especially very pleased.

Purport By Śrīla Prabhupāda: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was pleased because He saw how nicely so many varieties of food were prepared for Kṛṣṇa. Actually, all kinds of prasādam are prepared for Kṛṣṇa, not for the people, but the devotees partake of prasādam with great pleasure.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He gives prasāda to the devotees after He has eaten in this way devotees are able to control the tongue and the senses.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.65

aiche anna ye kṛṣṇake karāya bhojana 
janme janme śire dharoṅ tāṅhāra caraṇa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved of all the methods employed in cooking and offering food to Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, He was so pleased that He said, “Frankly, I will personally take the lotus feet of anyone who can offer Kṛṣṇa such nice food and place those lotus feet on My head birth after birth.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So this is a nice blessing of Lord Caitanya, All the gṛhasthas should be inspired to offer nice opulent prasādam to the deities. In that way Lord Caitanya would also be very pleased

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.66

mahāprabhuke nā jānāiyā prabhudvayake tattat āsana pradāna:—

prabhu jāne tina bhoga kṛṣṇera naivedya 
ācāryera manaḥ-kathā nahe prabhura vedya

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the room, He saw three divisions of food, and He knew that all of these were meant for Kṛṣṇa. However, He did not understand the intentions of Advaita Ācārya.

Purport By Śrīla Prabhupāda: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that one of these servings was offered in a metal dish and was meant for Kṛṣṇa, whereas the other two were placed on big banana leaves. The offering on the metal plate was personally offered by Advaita Ācārya to Kṛṣṇa. The other two servings, on banana leaves, were to be accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda. That was Advaita Ācārya’s intention, but He did not disclose this to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the food offered in three places, He thought that all of it was meant for Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.67

prabhu o ācārya, ubhayerai ubhayake bhojane anurodha:—

prabhu bale—vaisa tine kariye bhojana 
ācārya kahe—āmi kariba pariveśana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Let Us sit down in these three places, and We shall take prasādam.”

However, Advaita Ācārya said, “I shall distribute the prasādam.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Advaita is being a very perfect gṛhastha and he is being the host is distributing the prasādam and in this way he is showing the proper example for the gṛhasthas.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.68

prabhura ukti:—

kon sthāne vasiba āra āna dui pāta 
alpa kari’ āni’ tāhe deha vyañjana bhāta

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought that all three servings were meant for distribution; therefore He asked for another two banana leaves, saying, “Let Us have a very little quantity of vegetable and rice.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya being in the mood of sannyāsī just took a little prasāda.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.69

ācāryera dui prabhuke āsana-pradāna:—

ācārya kahe vaisa doṅhe piṅḍira upare 
eta bali’ hāte dhari’ vasāila duṅhāre

Translation: Advaita Ācārya said, “Just sit down here on these seats.” Catching Their hands, He sat Them both down.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.70

prabhura vidhimārge ācāryocita vairāgyalīlā:—

prabhu kahe sannyāsīra bhakṣya nahe upakaraṇa 
ihā khāile kaiche haya indriya vāraṇa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “It is not proper for a sannyāsī to eat such a variety of foods. If he does, how can he control his senses?”

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: The word upakaraṇa indicates a variety of foods, such as dāl, vegetables and other varieties of possible dishes that one can eat very nicely with rice. It is not proper, however, for a sannyāsī to eat such palatable dishes. If he did so, he would not be able to control his senses. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not encourage sannyāsīs to eat very palatable dishes, for the whole Vaiṣṇava cult is vairāgya-vidyā, as renounced as possible. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also advised Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī not to eat very palatable dishes, wear very nice garments or talk on mundane subjects. These things are all prohibited for those in the renounced order. A devotee does not accept anything to eat that is not first offered to Kṛṣṇa. All the rich foods offered to Kṛṣṇa are given to the gṛhasthas, the householders. There are many nice things offered to Kṛṣṇa—garlands, bedsteads, nice ornaments, nice food and even nicely prepared pan, betel nuts- but a humble Vaiṣṇava, thinking his body material and nasty, does not accept such preparations for himself. He thinks that by accepting such things he will offend the lotus feet of the Lord. Those who are sahajiyās cannot understand what Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu meant when He asked Advaita Ācārya to bring two separate leaves and give a small quantity of the prasādam to Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya wanted to take a little prasāda, Advaita prabhu wants to offer Him a feast, so the Lord was in dilemma.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.71

gauragataprāṇa ācāryera prabhura bhojane atyadhika nirbandha:—

ācārya kahe—chāḍa tumi āpanāra curi 
āmi saba jāni tomāra sannyāsera bhāri-bhuri

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not accept the food that had already been served, Advaita Ācārya said, “Please give up Your concealment. I know what You are, and I know the confidential meaning of Your accepting the sannyāsa order.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So Advaita knows that He is actually Kṛṣṇa and He had taken sannyāsa for internal spiritual reasons.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.72

bhojana karaha, chāḍa vacana-cāturī 
prabhu kahe—eta anna khāite nā pāri

Translation: Advaita Ācārya thus requested Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to eat and give up juggling words. The Lord replied, “I certainly cannot eat so much food.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.73

ācārya bale—akapaṭe karaha āhāra 
yadi khāite nā pāra pāte rahibeka āra

Translation: Advaita Ācārya then requested the Lord to simply accept the prasādam without pretence. If He could not eat it all, the balance could be left on the plate.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the remnants would be accepted by the devotees as māhā-prasāda.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.74

bhojana-pātre avaśeṣa rākhā sannyāsīra niṣedha:—

prabhu bale—eta anna nāriba khāite 
sannyāsīra dharma nahe ucchiṣṭa rākhite

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I will not be able to eat so much food, and it is not the duty of a sannyāsī to leave remnants.”

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.18.19) “Whatever edibles a sannyāsī gets from a householder’s house he should take outside near some lake or river, and after offering the food to Viṣṇu, Brahmā and the sun (three divisions), he should eat the entire offering and not leave anything for others to eat.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.75

ācāryera prabhuke anuyoga o dīnatā:—

ācārya bale—nīlācale khāo cauyānna-bāra 
eka-bāre anna khāo śata śata bhāra

Translation: In this connection Advaita Ācārya referred to Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s eating at Jagannātha Purī. Lord Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are identical. Advaita Ācārya pointed out that at Jagannātha Purī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate fifty-four times a day, and each time He ate many hundreds of pots of food.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Jagannātha would take chappana-bhoga. Lord Jagannātha had given a benediction that His hands would never dry, if you give Him so many offerings that after washing His hands, it is wet. Before it could dry, he would eat over again.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.76

tina janāra bhakṣya-piṇḍa—tomāra eka grāsa 
tāra lekhāya ei anna nahe pañca-grāsa

Translation: Śrī Advaita Ācārya said, “The amount of food that three people can eat does not constitute even a morsel for You. In proportion to that, these edibles are not even five morsels of food for You.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Caitanya is very big. He is seven feet tall so the prasāda quantity is naturally big.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.77

mora bhāgye, mora ghare, tomāra āgamana 
chāḍaha cāturī, prabhu, karaha bhojana

Translation: Advaita Ācārya continued, “By My great fortune You have just come to My home. Please do not juggle words. Just begin eating and do not talk.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita is just insisting the Lord take prasāda and not talk too much.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.78

prabhudvayera pṛthak jale ācamanānte bhojanārambha:—

eta bali’ jala dila dui gosāñira hāte 
hāsiyā lāgilā duṅhe bhojana karite

Translation: Upon saying this, Advaita Ācārya supplied water to the two Lords so that They could wash Their hands. The two Lords then sat down and, smiling, began to eat the prasādam.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.283

vṛndāvana-madhye yena gopa-gaṇa-saṅge 
rāma-kṛṣṇa bhojana karena sei raṅge

Jayapatākā Swami: It appears as if Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were joyfully taking prasāda in middle of Vṛndāvana with Their cowherd boyfriends happily taking their lunch.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.284

sei saba kathā prabhu sabāre kahiyā 
bhojana karena prabhu hāsiyā hāsiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord Caitanya He told those pastimes to everyone as smiled as He was taking His lunch, the Lord was smiling and smiling

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.285

kāra śakti āche ihā saba varṇibāre 
tāṅhāra kṛpāya yei bolāna yāhāre

Jayapatākā Swami: Who has the power to describe all those pastimes? Only those who has recived the mercy of the Lord is able to do so.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.286

bhaktagaṇera prabhura avaśeṣapātra luṇṭhana—

bhojana kariyā prabhu calilena mātra 
bhakta-gaṇa luṭhi' khāilena śeṣa-pātra

Jayapatākā Swami: As Lord Caitanya finished prasāda and as soon as He left all the assembled devotees looted and ate His remnants.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: “The word śeṣa refers to the remnants of foods and flower garlands offered to a Deity.” In the Viśva-kośa dictionary it is stated:

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.6.46) it is stated:

“Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes, and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your illusory energy.”

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 15.236) it is stated: “Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, `Yes, you have spoken correctly. The śāstras enjoin that the devotee can partake of everything left by Kṛṣṇa.'”

Jayapatākā Swami: As spiritual master leaves remnants for His disciples and disciple very eagerly take His remnants of prasāda so this was followed by the associates of Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.287

bhavya-bhavya vṛddha saba hailāśiśumati 
ei mata haya viṣṇu-bhaktira śakati

Jayapatākā Swami: Even the most respectable elderly persons acted like children. This is the potency of devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: Despite being situated at a mature age, many grave persons acted like children. As a result of devotional service to Viṣṇu, they exhibited childish restlessness.

According to the Medinī dictionary the word bhavya has three meanings —“auspiciousness,” “truthfulness,” and “qualification.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda would leave prasāda, I remember in Boston in 1969, He left His plate of prasāda with some remnants. When He drove off, I ran up to get the prasāda, someone was already there and then I came and took some of them. Then the pūjārī said, what are you doing, and he scolded us, and we had the morsel.

One-time Śrīla Prabhupāda servants had given out Laddu or Gulab-jamun from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s, he put on his plate, he was like, looking at it then someone grabbed it and ate it. Śrīla Prabhupāda, he took it, it’s my Gulab-jamun. Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “What can I do! There is no rule for taking māhā-prasāda, even he can take from me, but please don’t do it.” So being in so ecstasy, very grave, sober and elderly people became like children just take the remnants of Lord Caitanya’s māhā-prasāda.

Thus Ends the Chapter, Advaita Ācārya Feeds Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda and all the Devotees