20201013 Devotees Grant Śacīmātā's Request to Cook

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 13rd October 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

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracārine
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

So we continue with the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya-līlā class. Today’s chapter is:

Devotees Grant Śacīmātā's Request to Cook

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.151

eke eke milila prabhu saba bhakta-gaṇa
sabāra mukha dekhi’ kare dṛḍha āliṅgana

Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord met all the devotees one after the other, and looking at everyone’s face individually, He embraced them tightly. So, we see how the Lord, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has a very intimate relationship with all the devotees, very personal. How would you like to be embraced by Lord Caitanya?

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.152

prabhudarśane bhaktera sukha ātmendriya-prītivāñchā nahe :—

keśa nā dekhiyā bhakta yadyapi pāya duḥkha
saundarya dekhite tabu pāya mahā-sukha

Jayapatākā Swami: Although the devotees were unhappy at not seeing the Lord’s hair, they nonetheless derived great happiness from seeing His beauty.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.153–155

navadvīpavāsī bhaktagaṇa :— 

śrīvāsa, rāmāi, vidyānidhi, gadādhara
gaṅgādāsa, vakreśvara, murāri, śuklāmbara
buddhimanta khāṅna, nandana, śrīdhara, vijaya
vāsudeva, dāmodara, mukunda, saṣjaya
kata nāma la-iba yata navadvīpa-vāsī
sabāre mililā prabhu kṛpā-dṛṣṭye hāsi’

Translation: Śrīvāsa, Rāmāi, Vidyānidhi, Gadādhara, Gaṅgādāsa, Vakreśvara, Murāri, Śuklāmbara, Buddhimanta Khāṅ, Nandana, Śrīdhara, Vijaya, Vāsudeva, Dāmodara, Mukunda, Sañjaya and all the others, however many I can mention—indeed, all the inhabitants of Navadvīpa—arrived there, and the Lord met them with smiles and glances of mercy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So although they were feeling great separation and grief when the Lord departed to take sannyāsa, and although now He had no hair, but they became so happy and jubilant when the Lord embraced them, glanced at them and smiled at them.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.156

advaitabhavana—vaikuṇṭha, sarvakṣaṇa harisevāmaya :— 

ānande nācaye sabe bali’ ’hari’ ’hari’
ācārya-mandira haila śrī-vaikuṇṭha-purī

Translation: Everyone was chanting the holy names of Hari and dancing. In this way the domicile of Advaita Ācārya was converted into Śrī Vaikuṇṭha Purī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Because everyone was engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, devotional service, the house of Advaita Gosvāmī became converted into Vaikuṇṭha Purī. Like that, we can convert the whole world into Vaikuṇṭha Purī everybody is engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service. Haribol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.157

samāgata sakala lokakei ācāryera snānāhāra-dāna :— 

yata loka āila mahāprabhuke dekhite
nānā-grāma haite, āra navadvīpa haite

Translation: People came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu from various other villages nearby, as well as Navadvīpa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So everyone was going to see Lord Caitanya, and by His presence a transcendental festival was established.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.158

sabākāre vāsā dila—bhakṣya, anna-pāna
bahu-dina ācārya-gosāṣi kaila samādhāna

Translation: To everyone who came to see the Lord from villages nearby, especially from Navadvīpa, Advaita Ācārya gave residential quarters, as well as all kinds of eatables, for many days Indeed, He properly adjusted everything.

Jayapatākā Swami: Gṛhasthas may feel a bit stressed having several guests, but Advaita Gosvāmī, He had thousands of guests and He gave everyone a place to stay. For such devotees who came from all the way from Navadvīpa, everyone got prasāda.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.159

acyuta ācāryera acyuta bhāṇḍāra :—

ācārya-gosāṣira bhāṇḍāra—akṣaya
avyaya yata dravya vyaya kare tata dravya haya

Translation: The supplies of Advaita Ācārya were inexhaustible and indestructible. As many goods and commodities as He used, just as many again appeared.

Jayapatākā Swami: This shows how Lord Advaita Ācārya was actually Māha-viṣṇu and Sadāśiva. He could provide unlimited prasāda, which were inexhaustible and indestructible. As many ingredients that He used, their replacement appeared.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.160

śacīra pācita anne prabhura bhoga :— 

sei dina haite śacī karena randhana
bhakta-gaṇa laṣā prabhu karena bhojana

Translation: From the day Śacīmātā arrived at the house of Advaita Ācārya, she took charge of the cooking, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu dined in the company of all the devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: So mother Śacī was the example of loving service. She wanted to do devotional service for Lord Gaurāṅga, and from the day she arrived, she was serving the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.161

divābhāge ācāryera, rātribhāge anyalokera prabhudarśana :—

dine ācāryera prīti—prabhura darśana
rātre loka dekhe prabhura nartana-kīrtana

Translation: All the people who came there during the day saw Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the friendly behavior of Advaita Ācārya. At night they had the opportunity to see the Lord’s dancing and hear His chanting.

Jayapatākā Swami: We can see the daily activities of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Lord Advaita Ācārya. Day and night, they are busy satisfying the people, and engaging with them all night chanting and dancing

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.162

kīrtanakāle bhāvavaśe prabhura bhūmite patana :— 

kīrtana karite prabhura sarva-bhāvodaya
stambha, kampa, pulakāśru, gadgada, pralaya

Translation: When the Lord performed kīrtana, He manifested all kinds of transcendental symptoms. He appeared stunned and trembling, His hair stood on end, and His voice faltered. There were tears and devastation.

Jayapatākā Swami: So we see these natural ecstatic loving symptoms were manifesting in Lord Caitanya, as He did saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa māha-mantra. Like that, if the people of the world would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they will also experience this transcendental ecstasy.

Purport: Devastation is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu as a combination of happiness and distress that becomes conspicuous by an absence of any sense of them In this condition, a devotee falls to the ground, and the subsequent symptoms in the body ensue. These symptoms are mentioned above, and when they become prominent in the body, a state called pralaya (devastation) is manifest.

Jayapatākā Swami: These are special symptoms that manifested in Lord Caitanya, and in very advanced devotees.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.163/

snehārdra bhayavihvalā śacīra putrera nirāmayārthe viṣṇusamīpe prārthanā :—

kṣaṇe kṣaṇe paḍe prabhu āchāḍa khāṣā
dekhi’ śacīmātā kahe rodana kariyā

Translation: Frequently the Lord would tumble to the ground. Seeing this, mother Śacī would cry.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.164/

cūrṇa haila, hena vāsoṅ nimāṣi-kalevara
hā-hā kari’ viṣṇu-pāśe māge ei vara 

Translation: She cried, “Alas!” and petitioned Lord Viṣṇu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.165/

bālya-kāla haite tomāra ye kailuṅ sevana
tāra ei phala more deha nārāyaṇa 

Translation: “My dear Lord, kindly bestow this benediction as a result of whatever service I have rendered unto You from my childhood.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.166

ye kāle nimāṣi paḍe dharaṇī-upare
vyathā yena nāhi lāge nimāṣi-śarīre

Translation: “Whenever Nimāi falls to the surface of the earth, please do not let Him feel any pain.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.167

ei-mata śacīdevī vātsalye vihvala
harṣa-bhaya-dainya-bhāve ha-ila vikala

Translation: When Mother Śacī was thus overwhelmed in maternal love for Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, she became transformed with happiness, fear and humility, as well as bodily symptoms.

Purport: These verses indicate that Mother Śacī, born in the family of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, used to worship Lord Viṣṇu even before her marriage. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (6.41): “The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.” Mother Śacī, a nitya-siddha living entity, is an incarnation of Mother Yaśodā. She appeared in the house of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī and was everlastingly engaged in the service of Lord Viṣṇu. Later she directly had as her child Lord Viṣṇu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and she served Him from the day of His appearance. This is the position of nitya-siddha associates. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings: gaurāṅgera saṅgi-gaṇe nitya-siddha kari māne. Every devotee should know that all the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu — His family members, friends and other associates—were all nitya-siddhas. A nitya-siddha never forgets the service of the Lord. He is always engaged, even from childhood, in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: In Belpukur, in Sīmantadvīpa of Navadvīpa dhāma, the deity of Madana Gopala which has been there for 1100 or 1400 years. And the Deity was worshipped by Nīlāmbara Cakravartī Ṭhākura and worshipped also by Śacīmāta. So, from her childhood she was engaged in the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the associates of Lord Caitanya are eternal, liberated souls. And descended from the spiritual world. They are all nitya-siddhas.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.168

bhaktagaṇera prabhuke nimantraṇecchā :—

śrīvāsādi yata prabhura vipra bhakta-gaṇa
prabhuke bhikṣā dite haila sabākāra mana

Translation: Since Advaita Ācārya was giving alms and food to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the other devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, also desired to give Him alms and invite Him for lunch.

Jayapatākā Swami: It is the custom that gṛhasthas feed the sannyāsīs. This is explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda:

Purport: It is the duty of all gṛhasthas to invite a sannyāsī to their homes if he happens to be in the neighborhood or village. This very system is still current in India. If a sannyāsī is in the neighborhood of a village, he is invited by all householders, one after another. As long as a sannyāsī remains in the village, he enlightens the inhabitants in spiritual understanding. In other words, a sannyāsī has no housing or food problems even when he travels extensively. Even though Advaita Ācārya was supplying Caitanya Mahāprabhu with prasādam, the other devotees from Navadvīpa and Śāntipura also desired to offer Him prasādam.

Jayapatākā Swami: Previously Lord Caitanya was a householder, and He fed many sannyāsīs every day. But now He was a sannyāsī, so the gṛhasthas want to feed Him. How many of you would like to feed Lord Caitanya, having Him become a guest in your house?

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.169/

śacīra bhaktagaṇake nivāraṇa o svayaṃ bhikṣā dibāra prastāva :—/

śuni’ śacī sabākāre karila minati/
nimāṣira daraśana āra muṣi pāba kati/

Translation: Hearing these proposals made by other devotees of the Lord, Mother Śacī said to the devotees, “How many times shall I get the chance to see Nimāi again?”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.170

tomā-sabā-sane habe anyatra milana
muṣi abhāginīra mātra ei daraśana

Translation: Śacīmātā submitted, “As far as you are concerned, you can meet Nimāi [Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu] many times somewhere else, but what is the possibility of my ever meeting Him again? I shall have to remain at home. A sannyāsī never returns to his home.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.171/

yāvat ācārya-gṛhe nimāṣira avasthāna
muṣi bhikṣā dimu, sabākāre māgoṅ dāna 

Translation: Mother Śacī appealed to all the devotees to give her this charity: As long as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained at the house of Advaita Ācārya, only she would supply Him food.

Jayapatākā Swami: All the other devotees desired to have Lord Caitanya as their guest. But Mother Śacī begged from them one boon, that you may see Lord Caitanya and serve Him in other places. But I have to remain in my home in Navadvīpa, and a sannyāsī never returns to His home. Please give me this boon that I can serve Lord Caitanya as long as He remains in the house of Advaita Ācārya. Actually, when Lord Caitanya goes to Jagannātha Purī, every year many devotees would to see him. Every Year. Devotees would come and see him. That time they came with their wives and served Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 3.172/

bhaktagaṇera sammati :— 

śuni’ bhakta-gaṇa kahe kari’ namaskāra
mātāra ye icchā sei sammata sabāra

Translation: Hearing this appeal from Mother Śacī, all the devotees offered obeisances and said, “We all agree to whatever Mother Śacī desires.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, everyone submitted to satisfying the desires of mother Śacī. Hare Krsna

Thus Ends the Chapter, Devotees Grant Śacīmātā's Request to Cook