20201111 Overwhelming Ecstasy of Mādhavendra Purī Eating the Stolen Sweet Rice and a Piece of the Broken Earthen Pot Everyday (Part 2)

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on November 11th, 2020 in Śrī 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 part 2 of the chapter:

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

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.131

dhaḍāra āṅcala-tale pāila sei kṣīra
sthāna lepi’ kṣīra lañā ha-ila bāhira

Translation: According to the Deity’s directions, the priest found the pot of sweet rice behind the cloth curtain. He removed the pot and mopped up the place where it had been kept. He then went out of the temple.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.132

kṣīrahaste pūjārīra mādhavendrake anveṣaṇa :—
dvāra diyā grāme gelā sei kṣīra lañā
hāṭe hāṭe bule mādhava-purīke cāhiñā

Translation: Closing the door of the temple, he went to the village with the pot of sweet rice. He called out in every stall in search of Mādhavendra Purī.

Jayapatākā Swami: The pujari was calling out for Mādhavendra Purī to find the person for whom Gopīnātha deity had stolen the kṣīra.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.133

kṣīra laha ei, yāra nāma ‘mādhava-purī’
tomā lāgi’ gopīnātha kṣīra kaila curi

Translation: Holding the pot of sweet rice, the priest called, “Will he whose name is Mādhavendra Purī please come and take this pot! Gopīnātha has stolen this pot of sweet rice for you!”

Purport: The difference between the Absolute Truth and relative truth is explained here. Lord Gopīnātha has openly declared herein that He is a thief. He had stolen the pot of sweet rice, and this was not kept a secret because His act of stealing is a source of great transcendental bliss. In the material world, theft is criminal, but in the spiritual world the Lord’s stealing is a source of transcendental bliss. Mundane rascals, who cannot understand the absolute nature of the Personality of Godhead, sometimes call Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa immoral, but they do not know that His seemingly immoral activities, which are not kept secret, afford pleasure to the devotees. Not understanding the transcendental behavior of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, these rascals slur His character and immediately fall into the category of miscreants (rascals, lowest among men, demons and those whose knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy). Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ “Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.” (Bg. 7.15) Mundane rascals cannot understand that whatever Kṛṣṇa does, being absolute in nature, is all-good. This quality of the Lord is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.29). One may consider certain acts of a supremely powerful person to be immoral by mundane calculations, but this is not actually the case. For example, the sun absorbs water from the surface of the earth, but it does not absorb water only from the sea. It also absorbs water from filthy sewers and ditches containing urine and other impure substances. The sun is not polluted by absorbing such water. Rather, the sun makes the filthy place pure. If a devotee approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead for an immoral or improper purpose, he nonetheless becomes purified; the Lord does not become infected. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.15) it is stated that if one approaches the Supreme Lord even out of lust, anger or fear (kāmaṁ krodhaṁ bhayam), he is purified. The gopīs, being young girls, approached Kṛṣṇa because He was a beautiful young boy. From the external point of view, they approached the Lord out of lust, and the Lord danced with them at midnight. From the mundane point of view, these activities may appear immoral because a married or unmarried young girl cannot leave home to mix with a young boy and dance with him. Although this is immoral from the mundane viewpoint, the activities of the gopīs are accepted as the highest form of worship because it was Lord Kṛṣṇa whom they approached with lusty desires in the dead of night. But these things cannot be understood by nondevotees. One must understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva (truth). One should use his common sense and consider that if simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy name one is purified, how then can the person Kṛṣṇa be immoral? Unfortunately, mundane fools are accepted as educational leaders and are offered exalted posts for teaching irreligious principles to the general populace. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Blind men are trying to lead other blind men. Due to the immature understanding of such rascals, common men should not discuss Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with the gopīs. A nondevotee should not even discuss His stealing sweet rice for His devotees. It is warned that one should not even think about these things. Although Kṛṣṇa is the purest of the pure, mundane people, thinking of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes that appear immoral, themselves become polluted. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore never publicly discussed Kṛṣṇa’s dealings with the gopīs. He used to discuss these dealings only with three confidential friends. He never discussed rāsa-līlā publicly, as the professional reciters do, although they do not understand Kṛṣṇa or the nature of the audience. However, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu encouraged the public chanting of the holy name on a huge scale for as many hours as possible.

Jayapatākā Swami: There is a song by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, it is called Corāṣṭakam, “How the Lord is a thief?” and He gives various example show the Lord steals butter, How He stole the heart of Srimati Rādhārāṇī, so many examples are there, Bilvamangala Ṭhākura says because You are a thief I will lock you up in my heart and I wont release You. So, the devotees appreciate that as Kṛṣṇa owns everything as He is Absolute Truth so when he displays the activities of so called stealing it is transcendentally blissful for the devotees. The non-devotees they may not understand so these things were kept confidential by Lord Caitanya because they only can be appreciated by the devotees.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.134

kṣīra lañā sukhe tumi karaha bhakṣaṇe
tomā-sama bhāgyavān nāhi tribhuvane

Translation: The priest continued, “Would the sannyāsī whose name is Mādhavendra Purī please come and take this pot of sweet rice and enjoy the prasādam with great happiness! You are the most fortunate person within these three worlds!”

Purport: Here is an example of a personal benediction by Kṛṣṇa’s immoral activity. By Gopīnātha’s stealing for His devotee, the devotee becomes the most fortunate person within the three worlds. Thus even the Lord’s criminal activities make His devotee the most fortunate person. How can a mundane rascal understand the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and judge whether He is moral or immoral? Since Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, there are no mundane distinctions such as moral and immoral. Whatever He does is good. This is the real meaning of “God is good.” He is good in all circumstances because He is transcendental, outside the jurisdiction of this material world. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by those who are already living in the spiritual world. This is corroborated in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.26): māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate “One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” One who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord is already situated in the spiritual world (brahma-bhūyāya kalpate). In all circumstances, his activities and dealings with Kṛṣṇa are transcendental and thus not understandable by mundane moralists. It is therefore better not to discuss such activities among mundane people. It is better to give them the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra so that they will be gradually purified and then come to understand the transcendental activities of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, following this instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya we should request everyone to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra so in this way they can gradually appreciate the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa. This movement is meant to engage people in chanting the holy names and then one can appreciate to some extent the spiritual activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.135

eta śuni’ purī-gosāñi paricaya dila
kṣīra diyā pūjārī tāṅre daṇḍavat haila

Translation: Hearing this invitation, Mādhavendra Purī came out and identified himself. The priest then delivered the pot of sweet rice and offered his obeisances, falling flat before him.

Purport: A brāhmaṇa is not supposed to offer his obeisances by falling flat before anyone because a brāhmaṇa is considered to be in the highest caste. However, when a brāhmaṇa sees a devotee, he offers his daṇḍavats. This brāhmaṇa priest did not ask Mādhavendra Purī whether he was a brāhmaṇa, but when he saw that Mādhavendra Purī was such a bona fide devotee that Kṛṣṇa would even steal for him, he immediately understood the position of the saint. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ’guru’ haya.

—(Cc. Madhya 8.128)

Had the brāhmaṇa priest been an ordinary brāhmaṇa, Gopīnātha would not have talked with him in a dream. Since the Deity spoke to both Mādhavendra Purī and the brāhmaṇa priest in dreams, practically speaking they were on the same platform. However, because Mādhavendra Purī was a senior sannyāsī Vaiṣṇava, a paramahaṁsa, the priest immediately fell flat before him and offered obeisances.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the deity from the material point of view may be stone or metal and usually the Deities would not move but in this case the stone Deity of Gopīnātha had taken the pot and put behind His cloth. Then he came in the dream of the pūjārī and told him to give the pot to a sannyāsī name Mādhavendra Purī. Ntaurally the pūjārī considered that the Mādhavendra Purī was very dear to the Lord, so he had no hesitation to offer his prostrated obeisances to Mādhavendra Purī. In spiritual life there is so envy or distinction like that.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.136

pūjārīmukhe gopīnāthera caurya-śravaṇe purīra prema :—
kṣīrera vṛttānta tāṅre kahila pūjārī
śuni’ premāviṣṭa haila śrī-mādhava-purī

Translation: When the story about the pot of sweet rice was explained to him in detail, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī at once became absorbed in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: He was very grateful for the activity of Lord Gopīnātha and he became filled with ecstatic love.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.137

pūjārī karttṛka purīke kṛṣṇavaśakāri-bhakta baliyā anumāna :—
prema dekhi’ sevaka kahe ha-iyā vismita
kṛṣṇa ye iṅhāra vaśa, — haya yathocita

Translation: Upon seeing the ecstatic loving symptoms manifest in Mādhavendra Purī, the priest was struck with wonder. He could understand why Kṛṣṇa had become so much obliged to him, and he saw that Kṛṣṇa’s action was befitting.

Purport: A devotee can bring Kṛṣṇa perfectly under his control. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.3): ajita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām. Kṛṣṇa is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee can conquer Him through devotional service. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33): vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa simply by reading Vedic literature. Although all Vedic literature is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without being a lover of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore along with the reading of Vedic literature (svādhyāya), one must engage in devotional worship of the Deity (arcana-vidhi). Together these will enhance the devotee’s transcendental understanding of devotional service. Śravaṇādi śuddha-citte karaye udaya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). Love of Godhead is dormant within everyone’s heart, and if one simply follows the standard process of devotional service, it is awakened. But foolish mundane people who simply read about Kṛṣṇa mistakenly think that He is immoral or criminal.

Jayapatākā Swami: Many times, devotees asks how they can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how they can awaken their love for godhead here in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is mentioned that love of Godhead is dormant in everyone’s heart. If one listens or chants and follows the nine process of devotional service the dormant love of godhead in the heart is awakened.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.138

purīra kṣīra-prasāda sammāna ātmendriyatarpaṇa nahe :—
eta bali’ namaskari’ karilā gamana
āveśe karilā purī se kṣīra bhakṣaṇa

Translation: The priest offered his obeisances to Mādhavendra Purī and returned to the temple. Then, in ecstasy, Mādhavendra Purī ate the sweet rice offered to him by Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Mādhavendra Purī accepted this offering of Kṛṣṇa, he had the desire to taste the kṣīra so that he can prepare the same for his Deity so The Lord gave him the ksīra so that His desires could be fulfilled.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.139

pātra prakṣālana kari’ khaṇḍa khaṇḍa kaila
bahir-vāse bāndhi’ sei ṭhikāri rākhila

Translation: After this, Mādhavendra Purī washed the pot and broke it into pieces. He then bound all the pieces in his outer cloth and kept them nicely.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.140

prati-dina eka-khāni karena bhakṣaṇa
khāile premāveśa haya, — adbhuta kathana

Translation: Each day, Mādhavendra Purī would eat one piece of that earthen pot, and after eating it he would immediately be overwhelmed with ecstasy. These are wonderful stories.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya when he visited Remuṇā He heard this history of Mādhavendra Purī, the guru of His guru. He was also in great ecstasy to hear these pastimes of Mādhavendra Purī. So these has been recorded in the history of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on His journey to Jagannātha Purī to Bengal.

Thus, ends the chapter entitled, Overwhelming Ecstasy of Mādhavendra Purī Eating the Stolen Sweet Rice and a Piece of the Broken Earthen Pot Everyday Jay!