20201110 Overwhelming Ecstasy of Mādhavendra Purī Eating the Stolen Sweet Rice and a Piece of the Broken Earthen Pot Everyday (Part 1)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 10th 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 class, today’s chapter entitled is:

Overwhelming Ecstasy of Mādhavendra Purī Eating the Stolen Sweet Rice and a Piece of the Broken Earthen Pot Everyday

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.110

śāntipure advaitera gṛhe āgamana o advaitera dīkṣā :—

śāntipura āilā advaitācāryera ghare
purīra prema dekhi’ ācārya ānanda antare

Translation: When Mādhavendra Purī arrived at the house of Advaita Ācārya in Śāntipura, the Ācārya became very pleased upon seeing the ecstatic love of Godhead manifest in Mādhavendra Purī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.111

tāṅra ṭhāñi mantra laila yatana kariñā
calilā dakṣiṇe purī tāṅre dīkṣā diñā

Translation: Advaita Ācārya begged to be initiated by Mādhavendra Purī. After initiating Him, Mādhavendra Purī started going toward the south.

Purport: In this connection, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that Advaita Ācārya took initiation from Mādhavendra Purī, who was a sannyāsī in the disciplic succession of the Madhva-sampradāya. According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: kibā vipra kibā nyāsī śūdra kene naya, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ’guru’ haya “A person may be a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, a śūdra or whatever, but if he is well conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become a guru.” (Cc. Madhya 8.128) This statement is supported by Śrī Mādhavendra Purī. According to the pañcarātra injunction, only a householder brāhmaṇa can initiate. Others cannot. When a person is initiated, it is assumed that he has become a brāhmaṇa; without being initiated by a proper brāhmaṇa, one cannot be converted into a brāhmaṇa. In other words, unless one is a brāhmaṇa, he cannot make another a brāhmaṇa. A gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa partaking of the varṇāśrama-dharma institution can secure various types of paraphernalia to worship Lord Viṣṇu through his honest labor. Actually, people beg to be initiated by these householder brāhmaṇas just to become successful in the varṇāśrama institution or to become free from material desires. It is therefore necessary for a spiritual master in the gṛhastha-āśrama to be a strict Vaiṣṇava. A spiritual master from the sannyāsa order has very little opportunity to perform arcana, Deity worship, but when one accepts a spiritual master from the transcendental sannyāsīs, the principle of Deity worship is not at all neglected. To implement this conclusion, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave us His opinion in the verse kibā vipra kibā nyāsī, etc. This indicates that the Lord understood the weakness of society in its maintaining that only a gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa should be a spiritual master. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu indicated that it does not matter whether the spiritual master is a gṛhastha (householder), a sannyāsī or even a śūdra. A spiritual master simply must be conversant in the essence of the śāstra; he must understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only then can one become a spiritual master. Dīkṣā actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.

Jayapatākā Swami: So according to this verse Lord Caitanya indicated that it didn’t matter what one’s position in varṇāśrama was, rather what was important was one should be conversant with science of Supreme Personality of Godhead and understand how to serve Him. So technically Advaita Gosāñi being a gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa should only take initiation from another gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa but He was also showing that this principle was subordinate to the principle of knowing the science of Kṛṣṇa and that is the real qualification of the guru.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.112

remuṇāya gopīnātha-darśana o nṛtyagīta :—

remuṇāte kaila gopīnātha daraśana
tāṅra rūpa dekhiñā haila vihvala-mana

Translation: Going south, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī visited Remuṇā, where Gopīnātha is situated. Upon seeing the beauty of the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī was overwhelmed.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mādhavendra Purī was dancing in ecstasy seeing the beauty of the Gopīnātha Deity.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.113

bhogera pāripāṭya śravaṇe sukha :—

nṛtya-gīta kari’ jaga-mohane vasilā
‘kyā kyā bhoga lāge?’ brāhmaṇe puchilā

Translation: In the corridor of the temple, from which people generally viewed the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī chanted and danced. Then he sat down there and asked a brāhmaṇa what kinds of foods they offered to the Deity.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.114

sevāra sauṣṭhava dekhi’ ānandita mane
uttama bhoga lāge — ethā bujhi anumāne

Translation: From the excellence of the arrangements, Mādhavendra Purī understood by deduction that only the best food was offered.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mādhavendra Purī was interested, what food they were offering so that He would similarly make such ideal arrangements for the Govardhanadhāri Gopāla Deity

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.115

gopālake airūpa bhoga dibāra icchāya pūjārīke jijñāsā o pūjārīkarttṛka gopīnāthera kṣīrabhogera praśaṃsā :—

yaiche ihā bhoga lāge, sakala-i puchiba
taiche bhiyāne bhoga gopāle lāgāiba

Translation: Mādhavendra Purī thought, “I shall inquire from the priest what foods are offered to Gopīnātha so that by making arrangements in our kitchen, we can offer similar foods to Śrī Gopāla.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.116

ei lāgi’ puchilena brāhmaṇera sthāne
brāhmaṇa kahila saba bhoga-vivaraṇe

Translation: When the brāhmaṇa priest was questioned about this matter, he explained in detail what kinds of foods were offered to the Deity of Gopīnātha.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.117

sandhyāya bhoga lāge kṣīra — ‘amṛta-keli’-nāma
dvādaśa mṛt-pātre bhari’ amṛta-samāna

Translation: The brāhmaṇa priest said, “In the evening the Deity is offered sweet rice in twelve earthen pots. Because the taste is as good as nectar [amṛta], it is named amṛta-keli.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes kṣīra is described as sweet rice, sometimes kṣīra is condensed milk. The kṣīra which is offered to Gopīnātha seems to be more like condensed milk, if they have little rice, I don’t know but it is certainly very nectarean.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.118

‘gopīnāthera kṣīra’ bali’ prasiddha nāma yāra
pṛthivīte aiche bhoga kāhāṅ nāhi āra

Translation: “This sweet rice is celebrated throughout the world as Gopīnātha-kṣīra. It is not offered anywhere else in the world.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Since our ISKCON temple in Toronto, Canada is known as New Remuṇā and the Kṛṣṇa Deity there, they call him as Kṣīra-chora-Gopīnātha and it would be a suitable place if there also they offer kṣīra to the Deity. At the time of writing the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, this was the Remuṇā deity was the only place they offer kṣīra, may be the New Remuṇā should also have that special bhoga.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.119

gopīnāthera kṣīrabhogera anurūpa gopālake dibāra icchā :—

hena-kāle sei bhoga ṭhākure lāgila
śuni’ purī-gosāñi kichu mane vicārila

Translation: While Mādhavendra Purī was talking with the brāhmaṇa priest, the sweet rice was placed before the Deity as an offering. Hearing this, Mādhavendra Purī thought as follows.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.120

ayācita kṣīra prasāda alpa yadi pāi
svāda jāni’ taiche kṣīra gopāle lāgāi

Translation: “If, without my asking, a little sweet rice is given to me, I can then taste it and make a similar preparation to offer my Lord Gopāla.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.121

purīra uhāke jihvā-vega jāniyā lajjā o ārati darśanānte sthānatyāga :—

ei icchāya lajjā pāñā viṣṇu-smaraṇa kaila
hena-kāle bhoga sari’ ārati bājila

Translation: Mādhavendra Purī became greatly ashamed when he desired to taste the sweet rice, and he immediately began to think of Lord Viṣṇu. While he was thus thinking of Lord Viṣṇu, the offering was completed, and the ārati ceremony began.

Jayapatākā Swami: The system is that before the bhoga is offered to Kṛṣṇa one should eat the bhoga or think about eating it, since He was thinking about eating before it was offered although it was not for his own enjoyment, it was for the service of Kṛṣṇa, but Mādhavendra Purī felt ashamed because he thought about this, because he was a pure devotee he had naturally all the good qualities of humility and surrender.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.122

ārati dekhiyā purī kaila namaskāra
bāhire āilā, kāre kichu nā kahila āra

Translation: After the ārati was finished, Mādhavendra Purī offered his obeisances to the Deity and then left the temple. He did not say anything more to anyone.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.123

purīra ācāra :—

ayācita-vṛtti purī — virakta, udāsa
ayācita pāile khā’na, nahe upavāsa

Translation: Mādhavendra Purī avoided begging. He was completely unattached and indifferent to material things. If, without his begging, someone offered him some food, he would eat; otherwise he would fast.

Purport: This is the paramahaṁsa stage, the highest stage for a sannyāsī. A sannyāsī can beg from door to door just to collect food, but a paramahaṁsa who has taken ayācita-vṛtti, or ājagara-vṛtti, does not ask anyone for food. If someone offers him food voluntarily, he eats. Ayācita-vṛtti means being accustomed to refrain from begging, and ājagara-vṛtti indicates one who is compared to a python, the big snake that makes no effort to acquire food but rather allows food to come automatically within its mouth. In other words, a paramahaṁsa simply engages exclusively in the service of the Lord without caring even for eating or sleeping. It was stated about the Six Gosvāmīs: nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. In the paramahaṁsa stage one conquers the desire for sleep, food and sense gratification. One remains a humble, meek mendicant engaged in the service of the Lord day and night. Mādhavendra Purī had attained this paramahaṁsa stage.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mādhavendra Purī was in topmost platform, paramahaṁsa stage and above so he was completely absorbed in serving Kṛṣṇa and had no interest.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.124

premāmṛte tṛpta, kṣudhā-tṛṣṇā nāhi bādhe
kṣīra-icchā haila, tāhe māne aparādhe

Translation: A paramahaṁsa like Mādhavendra Purī is always satisfied in the loving service of the Lord. Material hunger and thirst cannot impede his activities. When he desired to taste a little sweet rice offered to the Deity, he considered that he had committed an offense by desiring to eat what was being offered to the Deity.

Purport: It is advisable that food being offered to the Deity be covered when taken from the kitchen to the Deity room. In that way, others may not see it. Those who are not accustomed to following the advanced regulative devotional principles may desire to eat the food, and that is an offense. Therefore no one should be given a chance to even see it. However, when it is brought before the Deity, it must be uncovered. Seeing the food uncovered before the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī desired to taste a little of it so that he could prepare a similar sweet rice for his Gopāla. Mādhavendra Purī was so strict, however, that he considered this to be an offense. Consequently he left the temple without saying anything to anyone. The paramahaṁsa is therefore called vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa. He must conquer all six material qualities — kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya and kṣudhā-tṛṣṇā (lust, anger, greed, illusion, enviousness and hunger and thirst).

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.125

grāmera śūnya-hāṭe vasi’ karena kīrtana
ethā pūjārī karāila ṭhākure śayana

Translation: Mādhavendra Purī left the temple and sat down in the village marketplace, which was vacant. Sitting there, he began to chant. In the meantime, the temple priest laid the Deity down to rest.

Purport: Although Mādhavendra Purī was not interested in eating and sleeping, his interest in chanting the mahā-mantra was as acute as if he were an aspiring transcendentalist rather than a paramahaṁsa. This means that even in the paramahaṁsa stage, one cannot give up chanting. Haridāsa Ṭhākura and the Gosvāmīs were all engaged in chantingal. a fixed number of rounds; therefore chanting on beads is very important for everyone, even though one may become a paramahaṁsa. This chanting can be executed anywhere, either inside or outside the temple. Mādhavendra Purī even sat down in a vacant marketplace to perform his chanting. As stated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya in his prayers to the Gosvāmīs: nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. A paramahaṁsa devotee is always engaged in chanting and rendering loving service to the Lord. Chanting the Lord’s holy names and engaging in His service are identical As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23), there are nine kinds of devotional service: hearing (śravaṇam), chanting (kīrtanam), remembering (viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam), serving (pāda-sevanam), worship of the Deity (arcanam), praying (vandanam), carrying out orders (dāsyam), serving Him as a friend (sakhyam) and sacrificing everything for the Lord (ātma-nivedanam). Although each process appears distinct, when one is situated on the absolute platform he can see that they are identical. For instance, hearing is as good as chanting, and remembering is as good as chanting or hearing. Similarly, engaging in Deity worship is as good as chanting, hearing or remembering. The devotee is expected to accept all nine processes of devotional service, but even if only one process is properly executed, he can still attain the highest position (paramahaṁsa) and go back home, back to Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So in the nine islands of Navadvīpa-dhāma are connected to the nine process of the devotional service. If one circumambulates the Navadvīpa-dhāma, these nine islands and remember the nine processes Sīmantadvīpa is the first island, hearing and second island is chanting is Godrumadvīpa, and third island is Madhyadvīpa, remembering so like that if we go around and circumambulate the nine islands and remember each of the nine processes of devotional service.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.126

svapne pūjārīke gopīnāthera ādeśa :—

nija kṛtya kari’ pūjārī karila śayana
svapane ṭhākura āsi’ balilā vacana

Translation: Finishing his daily duties, the priest went to take rest. In a dream he saw the Gopīnātha Deity come to talk to him, and He spoke as follows.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.127

uṭhaha, pūjārī, kara dvāra vimocana
kṣīra eka rākhiyāchi sannyāsi-kāraṇa

Translation: “O priest, please get up and open the door of the temple. I have kept one pot of sweet rice for the sannyāsī Mādhavendra Purī.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.128

dhaḍāra añcale ḍhākā eka kṣīra haya
tomarā nā jānilā tāhā āmāra māyāya

Translation: “This pot of sweet rice is just behind My cloth curtain. You did not see it because of My tricks.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.129

mādhava-purī sannyāsī āche hāṭete vasiñā
tāhāke ta’ ei kṣīra śīghra deha lañā

Translation: “A sannyāsī named Mādhavendra Purī is sitting in the vacant marketplace. Please take this pot of sweet rice from behind Me and deliver it to him.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.130

pūjārīra nidrābhaṅga o gopīnāthāpahṛta kṣīra-prāpti :—

svapna dekhi’ pūjārī uṭhi’ karilā vicāra
snāna kari’ kapāṭa khuli, mukta kaila dvāra

Translation: Awaking from the dream, the priest immediately rose from bed and thought it wise to take a bath before entering the Deity’s room. He then opened the temple door.

Jayapatākā Swami: So this shows how the deity is actually the worshipable incarnation and how He came into the dream of the pūjārī and told Him that He had stolen the kṣīra to give to the sannyāsī Mādhavendra Purī so the pūjārī found the kṣīra behind the deity. So we will end the class here since its late but we can see how the deity actually reciprocates with His devotees. Therefore the deity is actually present there, materialists think that the Deity is idol but actually devotees understand that the Deity is present and therefore they worship the Deities in that consciousness. so Mādhavendra Purī thought that he wanted to take the kṣīra before offering so he thought that he has committed an offense but the deity understood what exactly Mādhavendra Purī was thinking therefore he took a pot of kṣīra for Mādhavendra Purī so this reveals how if one had faith with deity the deity reciprocates so this pastime is glorified and to this day the deity is called as kṣīra-chora-Gopīnātha the Deity in Toronto, Canada which is also known as Kṣīra-chora-Gopīnātha, the temple is famous for performing drama and they can have the annual drama to celebrate the stealing of the pot of kṣīra for Mādhavendra Purī.