20201010 Saṅkīrtana in the House of Advaita Ācārya (Part 1)

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 10th, 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

govardhanadharam vande
gopālam goparūpiṇam
gokulotsavam īśānam
govindam gopikāpriyam

Introduction: Today we continue with the Kṛṣṇa Caitanya līlā book compilation. The chapter is entitled: Saṅkīrtana in the House of Advaita Ācārya. So it is the very large chapter, and will probably take two days. 

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.4.23: After resting the night there, He rose towards its end, and dancing with His people, He sang verses about Kṛṣṇa in sweet melodies.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.108

sthānīya lokera prabhudarśane āgamana :—
śāntipurera loka śuni’ prabhura āgamana
dekhite āilā loka prabhura caraṇa

Translation: When the people of Śāntipura heard that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was staying there, they all immediately came to see His lotus feet.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.109

caturddike haridhvani o prabhura rūpadarśane ānanda :—
‘hari’ ‘hari’ bale loka ānandita hañā
camatkāra pāila prabhura saundarya dekhiñā

Translation: Being very pleased, all the people loudly began to shout the holy name of the Lord, “Hari! Hari!” Indeed, they became struck with wonder upon seeing the beauty of the Lord. 

Jayapatākā Swami: So, everyone was overwhelmed to see the beauty of the Lord. This is the perfection of life, to be able to be a part of the Lord’s pastimes. These people of Śāntipura were so blessed that they could see the Lord, and thus they spontaneously were chanting the holy name of Hari! Haribol! Haribol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.110

gaura-deha-kānti sūrya jiniyā ujjvala
aruṇa-vastra-kānti tāhe kare jhala-mala

Translation: They saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s very fair-complexioned body and its bright luster, which conquered the brilliance of the sun. Over and above this was the beauty of the saffron garments that glittered upon His body.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, taking sannyāsa, meant that He wore saffron cloth, but His body luster was such that it was more than millions and millions of suns.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.111

samasta-dinavyāpi lokera yātāyāta :—
āise yāya loka harṣe, nāhi samādhāna
lokera saṅghaṭṭe dina haila avasāna

Translation: There was no calculating how many people assembled there before the day was over. 

Jayapatākā Swami: Even today, once in a year when we have prasāda distribution on the Govinda dvādaśī, on the disappearance of Mādhavendra Purī, who was the dīkṣā-guru of Advaita Gosāñi. So many people from Śāntipura assemble, they come and go, and there is no calculating, how many people come and go. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.112

sandhyāya advaitera saṅkīrtana :—
sandhyāte ācārya ārambhila saṅkīrtana
ācārya nācena, prabhu karena darśana

Translation: As soon as it was evening, Advaita Ācārya began the congregational chanting. He even began to dance Himself, and the Lord saw the performance. 

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Ācārya was a very wonderful dancer and the saṅkīrtana started with His dancing. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.113

nityānanda gosāñi bule ācārya dhariñā
haridāsa pāche nāce haraṣita hañā 

Translation: When Advaita Ācārya began to dance, Nityānanda Prabhu began dancing behind Him. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, being very pleased, also began dancing behind Him. 

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we see that Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, They also began to dance. So Advaita Gosāñi was dancing, behind him was Lord Nityānanda, and behind Him was Haridāsa Ṭhākura. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.114

tathāhi pada—
ki kahiba re sakhi ājuka ānanda ora
cira-dine mādhava mandire mora

Translation: Advaita Ācārya said, “My dear friends, what shall I say? Today I have received the highest transcendental pleasure. After many, many days, Lord Kṛṣṇa is in My house.’” 

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: This is a song composed by Vidyāpati. Sometimes the word mādhava is misunderstood to refer to Mādhavendra Purī. Advaita Ācārya was a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī, and consequently some people think that He was referring to Mādhavendra Purī by using the word mādhava. But actually this is not the fact. This song was composed to commemorate the separation of Kṛṣṇa from Rādhārāṇī during Kṛṣṇa’s absence in Mathurā. It is thought that this song was sung by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī when Kṛṣṇa returned. It is technically called Māthura-viraha.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Advaita had fasted, cried and chanted loudly and worshiped the sāligrāma-śīla, that Kṛṣṇa would appear. Now Kṛṣṇa appeared as Lord Caitanya, and He was dancing and staying in Advaita’s house. Therefore, Advaita chose this song to celebrate Kṛṣṇa’s staying in His house.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.115

ei pada gāoyāiyā harṣe karena nartana
sveda-kampa-pulakāśru-huṅkāra-garjana

Translation: Advaita Ācārya led the saṅkīrtana party, and with great pleasure He sang this verse. There was a manifestation of ecstatic perspiration, shivering, raised hairs, tears in the eyes and sometimes thundering and bellowing.

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Ācārya was manifesting all these ecstatic symptoms. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.116

advaitera prabhura nikaṭa savinaya prārthanā :—
phiri’ phiri’ kabhu prabhura dharena caraṇa
caraṇe dhariyā prabhure balena vacana

Translation: While dancing, Advaita Ācārya would sometimes turn around and around and catch the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Advaita Ācārya would then speak to Him as follows. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.117

aneka dina tumi more beḍāile bhāṇḍiyā
gharete pāñāchi, ebe rākhiba bāndhiyā

Translation: Śrī Advaita Ācārya would say, “Many days You escaped Me by bluffing. Now I have You in My home, and I will keep You bound up.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.118

eta bali’ ācārya ānande karena nartana
prahareka-rātri ācārya kaila saṅkīrtana

Translation: So speaking, Advaita Ācārya performed congregational chanting with great pleasure for three hours that night and danced all the time. 

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita was chanting and dancing the whole time. So, this was a great blissful occasion for Advaita.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.119

prabhura kṛṣṇaviraha :—
premera utkaṇṭhā,—prabhura nāhi kṛṣṇa-saṅga
virahe bāḍila prema-jvālāra taraṅga

Translation: When Advaita Ācārya danced in that way, Lord Caitanya felt ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, and because of His separation, the waves and flames of love increased. 

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Lord Advaita was enjoying the ecstasy of sambhoga, being present with the Lord, Lord Caitanya was feeling the mood of separation from Kṛṣṇa, and His ecstasy in separation increased. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.120

vyākula hañā prabhu bhūmite paḍilā
gosāñi dekhiyā ācārya nṛtya sambarilā 

Translation: Being agitated by the ecstasy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu suddenly fell to the ground. Seeing this, Advaita Ācārya stopped dancing.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was feeling such intense separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, that He fell to the ground.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.121

mukundera kālocita gīta-gāna :—
prabhura antara mukunda jāne bhāla-mate
bhāvera sadṛśa pada lāgilā gāite

Translation: When Mukunda saw the ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he understood the feelings of the Lord and began to sing many stanzas augmenting the force of the Lord’s ecstasy.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mukunda Datta was so expert, that he knew what to sing which would increase the Lord’s ecstasy. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.122

ācārya uṭhāila prabhuke karite nartana
pada śuni’ prabhura aṅga nā yāya dhāraṇa

Translation: Advaita Ācārya raised the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to help Him dance, but the Lord, after hearing the stanzas sung by Mukunda, could not be held due to His bodily symptoms. 

Jayapatākā Swami: When Advaita wanted to help Lord Caitanya dance, but Mukunda Datta was singing in such a way that the Lord was having greater ecstasy. So, Lord Caitanya could not stand up. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.123

prabhura aṣṭasāttvika vikāra :—
aśru, kampa, pulaka, sveda, gadgada vacana
kṣaṇe uṭhe, kṣaṇe paḍe, kṣaṇeka rodana

Translation: Tears fell from His eyes, and His whole body trembled. His bodily hairs stood on end, He perspired heavily, and His words faltered. Sometimes He stood, and sometimes He fell. And sometimes He cried. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.124

tathāhi padam—
hā hā prāṇa-priya-sakhi, ki nā haila more
kānu-prema-viṣe mora tanu-mana jare

Translation: Mukunda sang, “My dear intimate friend! What has not happened to Me! Due to the effects of the poison of love for Kṛṣṇa, My body and mind have been severely afflicted."

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: When Mukunda saw that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was feeling ecstatic pain and manifesting ecstatic bodily symptoms, all due to feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa, he sang songs about Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s meeting with Kṛṣṇa. Advaita Ācārya also stopped dancing.

vidyāpatira anurūpa pada—
“ki kariba kothā yāba soyātha nā haya
piyāra lāgiyā hāma kon deśe yāba”

Jayapatākā Swami: What will I do? Where will I go? There is no help anywhere. Which country should I go to? This song is by Vidyāpathi.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.125

rātri-dine poḍe mana soyāsti nā pāṅ
yāhāṅ gele kānu pāṅ, tāhāṅ uḍi’ yāṅ

Translation: My feeling is like this: My mind burns day and night, and I can get no rest. If there were someplace, I could go to meet Kṛṣṇa, I would immediately fly there.’

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was in the mood of Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī was feeling this separation from Kṛṣṇa. And Mukunda Datta sang in this way, and increased Lord Caitanya’s transcendental emotions. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.126

ei pada gāya mukunda madhura susvare
śuniyā prabhura citta antare vidare

Translation: This stanza was sung by Mukunda in a very sweet voice, but as soon as Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this stanza, His mind went to pieces.

Jayapatākā Swami: So this is Kṛṣṇa’s internal reason for coming as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to realize the ecstasy of the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. And so, being absorbed in this feeling of separation from Kṛṣṇa, when Mukunda Datta sang this song, Lord Caitanya’s ecstasy increased manifold.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 1.228

mahāprabhura nṛtyārambha—
bhakta-gaṇa dekhi' prabhu parama-hariṣe
nṛtya ārāmbhilā prabhu nija-prema-rase

Translation: After meeting the devotees, He then started to dance in the mellows of His own ecstatic love. He started to dance in the mellows of His own ecstatic love.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.127

prabhura bhāva :—
nirveda, viṣāda, harṣa, cāpalya, garva, dainya
prabhura sahita yuddha kare bhāva-sainya

Translation: The transcendental ecstatic symptoms of disappointment, moroseness, pleasure, restlessness, pride and humility all began to fight like soldiers within the Lord. 

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the different ecstatic symptoms were fighting with each other, and one emotion or one sentiment will overflow each another, So the explanation is given below: 

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Harṣa is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Harṣa is experienced when one finally attains the desired goal of life and consequently becomes very glad. When harṣa is present, the body shivers and one’s bodily hairs stand on end. There are perspiration, tears and an outburst of passion and madness. The mouth becomes swollen, and one experiences inertia and illusion. When a person attains his desired object and feels very fortunate, the luster of his body increases. Because of his own qualities and feelings of greatness, he does not care for anyone else, and this is called garva, or pride. In this condition one utters prayers and does not reply to others’ inquiries. Looking at one’s own body, concealing one’s desires and not heeding the words of others are symptoms visible in the ecstasy of garva.

Jayapatākā Swami: The different ecstasies were competing with each other inside Lord Caitanya. 

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.128

jara-jara haila prabhu bhāvera prahāre
bhūmite paḍila, śvāsa nāhika śarīre

Translation: The entire body of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to totter due to the onslaught of various ecstatic symptoms. As a result, He immediately fell to the ground, and His breathing almost stopped.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.129

dekhiyā cintita hailā yata bhakta-gaṇa
ācambite uṭhe prabhu kariyā garjana

Translation: Upon seeing the condition of the Lord, all the devotees became very anxious. Then, suddenly, the Lord got up and began to make thundering sounds. 

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord in ecstasy, He fainted, and made everyone worried, and He suddenly jumped up started to make loudly chant. Haribol! Almost like thundering. This ecstasies of Lord Caitanya are transcendental, and no one can understand this. If you are advance in devotional service, then to some extent you can experience this. But Lord Caitanya was experiencing ecstasy of the highest level. The ecstasy of Rādhārāṇī is experienced by very few. So, Lord Caitanya is manifesting these incomparable ecstasies. 

So we will end here today and we will continue tomorrow.

We hope all of you will get yourself off the ground, when you get ecstatic symptoms! Haribol! 

Gopati Kṛṣṇa dāsa: Haribol! Everyone is getting Guru Mahārāja's Harilbol blessings!

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇe matir astu!