20201124 The Younger Brāhmaṇa Presents His Case When the Son of the Elderly Brāhmaṇa Speaks Untruth

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 the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today’s chapter entitled is:

The Younger Brāhmaṇa Presents His Case When the Son of the Elderly Brāhmaṇa Speaks Untruth

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.56

tabe sei viprere puchila sarva-jana
‘kanyā kene nā deha, yadi diyācha vacana’

Translation: All the people gathered there asked the elderly brāhmaṇa, “If you have already promised to give him your daughter in charity, why are you not fulfilling your promise? You have given your word of honor.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, for a brāhmaṇa to give his word of honor is a very serious thing. When I went by Nitāi-pāda-kamala boat, when I asked the owner how much was the boat then it was already like a sunset, I spoke in Bengali and He couldn’t see that I was a foreigner. He told me, “It is six thousand rupees!” Then other people told him, “He is foreigner, you can get lot of more money from him!” He said, “I am a brāhmaṇa, I given a word, that’s it!”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.57

vipra kahe,— ‘śuna, loka, mora nivedana
kabe ki baliyāchi, mora nāhika smaraṇa’

Translation: The elderly brāhmaṇa said, “My dear friends, please hear what I have to submit. I do not exactly remember making a promise like that.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.58

eta śuni’ tāṅra putra vākya-cchala pāñā
pragalbha ha-iyā kahe sammukhe āsiñā

Translation: When the elderly brāhmaṇa’s son heard this, he took the opportunity to juggle some words. Becoming very impudent, he stood before the assembly and spoke as follows.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.59

‘tīrtha-yātrāya pitāra saṅge chila bahu dhana
dhana dekhi ei duṣṭera laite haila mana

Translation: “While touring various holy places of pilgrimage, my father carried much money. Seeing the money, this rogue decided to take it away.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.60

āra keha saṅge nāhi, ei saṅge ekala
dhuturā khāoyāñā bāpe karila pāgala

Translation: “There was no one besides this man with my father. Giving him an intoxicant known as dhuturā to eat, this rogue made my father mad.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.61

saba dhana lañā kahe—‘core la-ila dhana’
‘kanyā dite cāhiyāche’—uṭhāila vacana

Translation: “Having taken all my father’s money, this rogue claimed that it was taken by some thief. Now he is claiming that my father has promised to give him his daughter in charity.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.62

tomarā sakala loka karaha vicāre
‘mora pitāra kanyā dite yogya ki ihāre’

Translation: “All of you assembled here are gentlemen. Please judge whether it is befitting to offer this poor brāhmaṇa my father’s daughter.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.63

eta śuni’ lokera mane ha-ila saṁśaya
‘sambhave,—dhana-lobhe loka chāḍe dharma-bhaya’

Translation: Hearing all these statements, all the people gathered there became a little doubtful. They thought it quite possible that because of attraction for riches one might give up his religious principles.

Jayapatākā Swami: This reminds one how Parīkṣit Mahārāja told the personality of Kali, the fifth place he could stay was, where there was gold, where there is gold or riches; therefore all kinds of sinful activities are forced.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.64

tabe choṭa-vipra kahe, “śuna, mahājana
nyāya jinibāre kahe asatya-vacana

Translation: At that time the young brāhmaṇa said, “My dear gentlemen, please hear. Just to gain victory in an argument, this man is lying.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.65

ei vipra mora sevāya tuṣṭa yabe hailā
‘tore āmi kanyā diba’ āpane kahilā

Translation: “Being very satisfied with my service, this brāhmaṇa said to me of his own accord, ‘I promise to hand over my daughter to you.’”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.66

tabe muñi niṣedhinu,—śuna, dvija-vara
tomāra kanyāra yogya nahi muñi vara

Translation: “At that time I forbade him to do this, telling him, ‘O best of the brāhmaṇas, I am not a fit husband for your daughter.’”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.67

kāhāṅ tumi paṇḍita, dhanī, parama kulīna
kāhāṅ muñi daridra, mūrkha, nīca, kula-hīna

Translation: “Whereas you are a learned scholar, a rich man belonging to an aristocratic family, I am a poor man, uneducated and with no claim to aristocracy.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.68

tabu ei vipra more kahe bāra bāra
tore kanyā diluṅ, tumi karaha svīkāra

Translation: “Still this brāhmaṇa insisted. Again and again he asked me to accept his proposal, saying, ‘I have given you my daughter. Please accept her.’”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.69

tabe āmi kahilāṅ—śuna, mahā-mati
tomāra strī-putra-jñātira nā habe sammati

Translation: “I then said, ‘Please hear. You are a learned brāhmaṇa. Your wife, friends and relatives will never agree to this proposal.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.70

kanyā dite nāribe, habe asatya-vacana
punarapi kahe vipra kariyā yatana

Translation: “‘My dear sir, you will not be able to fulfill your promise. Your promise will be broken.’ Yet, again and again the brāhmaṇa emphasized his promise.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.71

kanyā tore diluṅ, dvidhā nā kariha cite
ātma-kanyā diba, kebā pāre niṣedhite

Translation: “I have offered you my daughter. Do not hesitate. She is my daughter, and I shall give her to you. Who can forbid me?”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.72

tabe āmi kahilāṅ dṛḍha kari’ mana
gopālera āge kaha e-satya vacana

Translation: “At that time I concentrated my mind and requested the brāhmaṇa to make the promise before the Gopāla Deity.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.73

tabe iṅho gopālera āgete kahili
tumi jāna, ei vipre kanyā āmi dila

Translation: “Then this gentleman said in front of the Gopāla Deity, ‘My dear Lord, please bear witness. I have offered my daughter to this brāhmaṇa in charity.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.74

tabe āmi gopālere sākṣī kariñā
kahilāṅ tāṅra pade minati kariñā

Translation: “Accepting the Gopāla Deity as my witness, I then submitted the following at His lotus feet.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.75

yadi ei vipra more nā dibe kanyā-dāna
sākṣī bolāimu tomāya, ha-io sāvadhāna

Translation: “If this brāhmaṇa later hesitates to give me his daughter, my dear Lord, I shall call on You as a witness. Please note this with care and attention.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.76

ei vākye sākṣī mora āche mahājana
yāṅra vākya satya kari māne tribhuvana”

Translation: “Thus I have called upon a great personality in this transaction. I have asked the Supreme Godhead to be my witness. The entire world accepts the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Purport: Although the young brāhmaṇa described himself as having no claims to aristocracy and being an uneducated common man, still he had one good qualification: he believed that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was the topmost authority, he accepted the words of Lord Kṛṣṇa without hesitation, and he had firm faith in the Lord’s consistency. According to Prahlāda Mahārāja, another authority on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such a staunch and faithful devotee of the Lord must be understood to be a most learned scholar: tan manye ’dhītam uttamam (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.24). A pure devotee who has firm faith in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be considered a most learned scholar, the topmost aristocrat and the richest man in the whole world. All godly qualities automatically exist in such a devotee. In the preaching work of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we, as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fully believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa and His servants, the disciplic succession [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. In this way we are presenting the words of Kṛṣṇa throughout the world. Even though we are neither a rich man nor a very learned scholar, and even though we do not belong to any aristocracy, this movement is still being welcomed and is very easily spreading all over the world. Although we are very poor and have no professional source of income, Kṛṣṇa supplies money whenever we need it. Whenever we need some men, Kṛṣṇa supplies them. Thus it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (6.22): yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. Actually, if we can attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, we do not need anything else. We certainly do not need those things which a mundane person considers to be material assets.

Jayapatākā Swami: By the words of Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, we can understand that this young brāhmaṇa was actually most learned and aristocratic rich personality. Because he had faith in Supreme Personality of Godhead, His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda is spreading this movement all over the world having faith in the words of Lord Caitanya and His representatives. So, by that absolute faith he was able to create this worldwide revolution. This shows that the real asset, real faith and devotion for Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The Younger Brāhmaṇa Presents His Case When the Son of the Elderly Brāhmaṇa Speaks Untruth