20201108 Govardhana-dhārī Gopāla Tells Mādhavendra Purī to Bring Sandalwood and Smear the Pulp on His Body (Part 1)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 8th November 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: Today we are continuing with Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today’s chapter entitled is:

Govardhana-dhārī Gopāla Tells Mādhavendra Purī to Bring Sandalwood and Smear the Pulp on His Body

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.83

sakalera annakūṭera mahāprasāda-sevana :—
purī-gosāñi ājñā dila sakala brāhmaṇe
ā-bāla-vṛddha grāmera loka karāha bhojane

Translation: After the Lord was laid down to rest on the bed, Mādhavendra Purī gathered all the brāhmaṇas who had prepared the prasāda and said to them, “Now feed everyone sumptuously, from the children on up to the aged!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Every ceremony is not complete without distributing prasāda at the end. So Mādhavendra Purī saw after the Lord that after the Lord took His prasāda and took His offering and He was put to bed and laid down for rest Then everyone else should take prasāda

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.84

sabe vasi’ krame krame bhojana karila
brāhmaṇa-brāhmaṇī-gaṇe āge khāoyāila

Translation: All the people gathered there sat down to honor the prasāda, and by and by they took food. All the brāhmaṇas and their wives were fed first.

Purport: According to the varṇāśrama system, the brāhmaṇas are always honored first. Thus at the festival, the brāhmaṇas and their wives were first offered the remnants of food, and then the others (kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras). This has always been the system, and it is still prevalent in India, even though the caste brāhmaṇas are not qualified. The system is still current due to the varṇāśrama institutional rules and regulations.

Jayapatākā Swami: Previously the brāhmaṇas were qualified and they could perform such ceremonies. At the present-day people born in the brāhmaṇa family are not necessarily qualified. Not everyone is vegetarian, knowing all the procedures of the different ceremonies, although still the system is still being followed according to the varṇāśrama rules actually the brāhmaṇa should be qualified.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.85

darśaka-mātrerai prasāda-sammāna —
anya grāmera loka yata dekhite āila
gopāla dekhiyā saba prasāda khāila

Translation: Those who took prasāda included not only the people of Govardhana village but also those who came from other villages to see the Deity of Gopāla. They too were offered prasāda to eat.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is also the system that someone comes they are called as athīthī as unexpected guests. They are also offered all respects as if they were Nārāyaṇa, there is saying athīthī seva nārāyaṇa sevā.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.86

purīra prabhāva-darśane vismaẏa, annakūṭa-darśane nandotsava-smaraṇa :—
dekhiyā purīra prabhāva loke camatkāra
pūrva annakūṭa yena haila sākṣātkāra

Translation: Seeing the influence of Mādhavendra Purī, all the people gathered there were struck with wonder. They saw that the Annakūṭa ceremony, which had been performed before during the time of Kṛṣṇa, was now taking place again by the mercy of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī.

Purport: Formerly, at the end of Dvāpara-yuga, all the cowherd men of Vṛndāvana had arranged to worship King Indra, but they gave this worship up, following the advice of Kṛṣṇa. Instead, they performed a ceremony whereby they worshiped the cows, brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill. At that time Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself and declared, “I am Govardhana Hill.” In this way He accepted all the paraphernalia and food offered to Govardhana Hill. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.24.26, 31–33): “Prepare very nice foods of all descriptions from the grains and ghee collected for the yajña. Prepare rice, dāl, then halavah, pakorā, purī and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, sweetballs, sandeśa, rasagullā and lāḍḍu.’ “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, therefore advised the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajña and begin the Govardhana-pūjā to chastise Indra, who was very much puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, accepted Kṛṣṇa’s proposal and executed in detail everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and circumambulation of the hill. According to the instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Nanda Mahārāja and the cowherd men called in learned brāhmaṇas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering prasāda. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana assembled together, decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So this Govardhana-pūjā is still offered every year during the month of Dāmodara, and devotees from all over the world and all over India circumambulate the Govardhana Hill. Every temple they offer Annakūṭa, mountain of rice and they distribute that to the guest. So, the residents of the Govardhana village and all the guests were amazed that how the same festival is being observed by Mādhavendra Purī. The Govardhana villages and the visiting villages were amazed that the festival that Mādhavendra Purī arranged to offer a mountain of rice to Govardhanadhārī Gopāla was similar to the Govardhana-pūjā celebrated 5000 years ago.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.87

purī-kṛpāya brāhmaṇagaṇera vaiṣṇavatā –
sakala brāhmaṇe purī vaiṣṇava karila
sei sei sevā-madhye sabā niyojila

Translation: All the brāhmaṇas present on that occasion were initiated by Mādhavendra Purī into the Vaiṣṇava cult, and Mādhavendra Purī engaged them in different types of service.

Purport: In the scriptures it is stated, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A qualified brāhmaṇa must be expert in the occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa. His duties are mentioned as six brahminical engagements. Paṭhana means that a brāhmaṇa must be conversant with the Vedic scriptures. He must also be able to teach others to study the Vedic literatures. This is pāṭhana. He must also be expert in worshiping different deities and in performing the Vedic rituals (yajana). On account of this yajana, the brāhmaṇa, being the head of society, performs all the Vedic rituals for kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. This is called yājana, assisting others in performing ceremonies. The remaining two items are dāna and pratigraha. The brāhmaṇa accepts all kinds of contributions (pratigraha) from his followers (namely, the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras). But he does not keep all the money. He keeps only as much as required and gives the balance to others in charity (dāna). In order for such a qualified brāhmaṇa to worship the Deity, he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Thus the Vaiṣṇava’s position is superior to that of the brāhmaṇa. This example given by Mādhavendra Purī confirms that even though a brāhmaṇa may be very expert, he cannot become a priest or servitor of the viṣṇu-mūrti unless he is initiated in vaiṣṇava-mantra. After installing the Deity of Gopāla, Mādhavendra Purī initiated all the brāhmaṇas into Vaiṣṇavism. He then allotted the brāhmaṇas different types of service to the Deity. From four in the morning until ten at night (from maṅgala-ārātrika to śayana-ārātrika), there must be at least five or six brāhmaṇas to take care of the Deity. Six ārātrikas are performed in the temple, and food is frequently offered to the Deity and the prasāda distributed. This is the method of worshiping the Deity according to the rules and regulations set by the predecessors. Our sampradāya belongs to the disciplic succession of Mādhavendra Purī, who belonged to the Madhva-sampradāya. We are in the disciplic succession of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was initiated by Śrī Īśvara Purī, a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī’s. Our sampradāya is therefore called the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. As such, we must carefully follow in the footsteps of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī and observe how he installed the Gopāla Deity on top of Govardhana Hill, how he arranged and performed the Annakūṭa ceremony in only one day, and so forth. Our installation of Deities in America and in the wealthy countries of Europe should be carried out in terms of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s activities. All the servitors of the Deity must be strictly qualified as brāhmaṇas and, specifically, must engage in the Vaiṣṇava custom of offering as much prasāda as possible and distributing it to the devotees who visit the temple to see the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see from this how Mādhavendra Purī initiated the brāhmaṇas, and thus connecting them to the disciplic succession. By initiating them they all became Vaiṣṇava thus they were qualified to worship the Viṣṇu Deity of Govardhanadhārī Gopāla. So we can see the importance of accepting initiation being connected to the guru-paramparā.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.88

punaḥ dina-śeṣe prabhura karāila utthāna
kichu bhoga lāgāila karāila jala-pāna

Translation: After taking rest, the Deity must be awakened at the end of the day, and immediately some food and some water must be offered to Him.

Purport: This offering is called vaikāli-bhoga, food offered at the end of the day.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.89

sarvatra gopālera prākaṭya-pracāra o annakūṭa-bhoga :—
gopāla prakaṭa haila,—deśe śabda haila/
āśa-pāśa grāmera loka dekhite āila

Translation: When it was advertised throughout the country that Lord Gopāla had appeared atop Govardhana Hill, all the people from neighboring villages came to see the Deity.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.90

ekeka dina ekeka grāme la-ila māgiñā
anna-kūṭa kare sabe haraṣita hañā

Translation: One village after another was pleased to beg Mādhavendra Purī to allot them one day to perform the Annakūṭa ceremony. Thus, day after day, the Annakūṭa ceremony was performed for some time.

Jayapatākā Swami: So we can see how different villages desire to serve Govardhanadhārī Gopāla and this Annakūṭa festival the prasāda feast and it was going on day after day for many days. So in this way our devotees can spontaneously sponsor the worship of important deities of Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.91

purī-gosāira rātyāhāra –
rātri-kāle ṭhākurere karāiyā śayana
purī-gosāñi kaila kichu gavya bhojana

Translation: Śrī Mādhavendra Purī did not eat anything throughout the day, but at night, after laying the Deity down to rest, he took a milk preparation.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mādhavendra Purī was so immersed in serving deity and arranging prasāda distribution and initiating the brāhmaṇas into Vaiṣṇava paramparā that he didn’t eat anything throughout the day and at night he had little milk preparations.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.92

paradina prāteo pūrva-divasavat sevā

prātaḥ-kāle punaḥ taiche karila sevana
anna lañā eka-grāmera āila loka-gaṇa

Translation: The next morning, the rendering of service to the Deity began again, and people from one village arrived with all kinds of food grains.

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way they were spontaneously coming and offering their grains for the service of the deities. So the deity is the arca-avatāra or incarnation of the Lord as the worshipable Deity and by serving Lord directly in His deity form one receives various kinds of transcendental blessings, one becomes very happy. In this morning we were reading how Śrīla Prabhupāda said, if one gets healthy, they will feel better so by serving Kṛṣṇa, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, by advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one becomes spiritually happy so naturally they will feel better.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.93

anna, ghṛta, dadhi, dugdha,—grāme yata chila
gopālera āge loka āniyā dharila

Translation: The inhabitants of the village brought to the Deity of Gopāla as much food grains, ghee, yogurt and milk as they had in their village.

Purport: Anna, ghṛta, dadhi and dugdha are food grains, ghee, yogurt and milk. Actually these are the basis of all food. Vegetables and fruits are subsidiary. Hundreds and thousands of preparations can be made out of grains, vegetables, ghee, milk and yogurt. The food offered to Gopāla in the Annakūṭa ceremony contained only these five ingredients. Only demoniac people are attracted to other types of food, which we will not even mention in this connection. We should understand that in order to prepare nutritious food, we require only grains, ghee, yogurt and milk. We cannot offer anything else to the Deity. The Vaiṣṇava, the perfect human being, does not accept anything not offered to the Deity. People are often frustrated with national food policies, but from the Vedic scriptures we find that if there are sufficient cows and grains, the entire food problem is solved. The vaiśyas (people engaged in agriculture and commerce) are therefore recommended in the Bhagavad-Gītā to produce grains and give protection to cows. Cows are the most important animal because they produce the miracle food, milk, from which we can prepare ghee and yogurt. The perfection of human civilization depends on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which recommends Deity worship. Preparations made from vegetables, grains, milk, ghee and yogurt are offered to the Deity and then distributed. Here we can see the difference between the East and the West. The people who came to see the Deity of Gopāla brought all kinds of food to offer the Deity. They brought all the food they had in stock, and they came before the Deity not only to accept prasāda for themselves but to distribute it to others. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement vigorously approves this practice of preparing food, offering it to the Deity and distributing it to the general population. This activity should be extended universally to stop sinful eating habits as well as other behavior befitting only demons. A demoniac civilization will never bring peace within the world. Since eating is the first necessity in human society, those engaged in solving the problems of preparing and distributing food should take lessons from Mādhavendra Purī and execute the Annakūṭa ceremony. When the people take to eating only prasāda offered to the Deity, all the demons will be turned into Vaiṣṇavas. When the people are Kṛṣṇa conscious, naturally the government will be so also. A Kṛṣṇa conscious man is always a very liberal well-wisher of everyone. When such men head the government, the people will certainly be sinless. They will no longer be disturbing demons. It is then and then only that a peaceful condition can prevail in society.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is an interesting point by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, how by eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda and distributing kṛṣṇa-prasāda actually we can create peace in the world. Right now we are suffering a viral pandemic which is due to the mistreating of the animals. This virus has come from the animals no virus comes from eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, so that’s a interesting point that we should arrange for distributing kṛṣṇa-prasāda. The importance of milk from protected cows is also mentioned here, the vegan movement where they don’t take milk products is an impediment to one’s self-realization. We take milk to develop the finer intelligence to understand spiritual knowledge at the same time the cows should be protected, and that milk would be highly beneficial for all of the human kind.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.94

pūrva-dina-prāya vipra karila randhana
taiche anna-kūṭa gopāla karila bhojana

Translation: The next day, almost as before, there was an Annakūṭa ceremony. All the brāhmaṇas prepared foods and Gopāla accepted them.

Jayapatākā Swami: How Mādhavendra Purī had established the system where people were spontaneously coming and rendering devotional service to the Deities. Each day people from different villages were coming and offering feast for the deity. So by this people became very happy.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.95

vrajavāsī o kṛṣṇa, ubhayera prati ubhayera svābhāvika prīti :—

vraja-vāsī lokera kṛṣṇe sahaja pirīti
gopālera sahaja-prīti vraja-vāsi-prati

Translation: The ideal place to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness is Vrajabhūmi, or Vṛndāvana, where the people are naturally inclined to love Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is naturally inclined to love them.

Purport: In the Bhagavad-Gītā (4.11) it is said, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. There is a responsive cooperation between the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. The more a devotee sincerely loves Kṛṣṇa, the more Kṛṣṇa reciprocates, so much so that a highly advanced devotee can talk with Kṛṣṇa face to face. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-Gītā (10.10): ? “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” The actual mission of human life is to understand Kṛṣṇa and return home, back to Godhead. Therefore one who is sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord with love and faith can talk with Kṛṣṇa and receive instructions by which he can speedily return home, back to Godhead. Today many scholars defend the science of religion, and they have some conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but religion without practical experience of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is no religion at all. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes this as a form of cheating. Religion means abiding by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one is not qualified to talk with Him and take lessons from Him, how can one understand the principles of religion? Thus talks of religion or religious experience without Kṛṣṇa consciousness are a useless waste of time.

Jayapatākā Swami: Understanding the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Bhakti-yoga, is essential for human beings and that process if given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that people by observing any other religion if they actually awaken their love for Kṛṣṇa or Godhead,then that’s successful. So that should be seen whether people are awakening their natural love for Supreme Lord or whether they are still attached to the material things so that’s their only goal of life. They should want to serve the Supreme Lord and that should be their ultimate goal of life.