20210121 Lord Caitanya Meets Rāmānanda Rāya on the Banks of Godāvarī (Part 3)

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 21st, 2021 in Śrī Dhāma 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!

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation, chapter entitled:

Lord Caitanya Meets Rāmānanda Rāya on the Banks of Godāvarī (Part 3)

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.39

mahānta-svabhāva ei tārite pāmara
nija kārya nāhi tabu yāna tāra ghara

Translation: “It is the general practice of all saintly people to deliver the fallen. Therefore they go to people’s houses, although they have no personal business there.

Purport: A sannyāsī is supposed to beg from door to door. He does not beg simply because he is hungry. His real purpose is to enlighten the occupant of every house by preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A sannyāsī does not abandon his superior position and become a beggar just for the sake of begging. Similarly, a person in householder life may be very important, but he may also voluntarily take to the mendicant way of life. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī were ministers, but they voluntarily accepted the mendicant’s life in order to humbly preach Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s message. It is said about them: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Although the Gosvāmīs were very aristocratic, on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu they became mendicants just to deliver the fallen souls. One should also consider that those who engage in the missionary activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are under the guidance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They are not actually beggars; their real business is to deliver fallen souls. Therefore they may go from door to door just to introduce a book about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can become enlightened by reading.

Formerly brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs used to beg from door to door. At the present moment, especially in the Western countries, a person may be handed over to the police if he begs from door to door. In Western countries, begging is considered criminal. Members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have no business begging. Instead, they work very hard to introduce some literatures about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can read them and be benefited. But if one gives some contribution to a Kṛṣṇa conscious man, he never refuses it.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that on behalf of Kṛṣṇa one can always accept donations. One does not use that for himself to maintain his family but he uses it to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.40

ahaitukī kṛpā karāi bhagavān o bhaktera dharma :—

Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10/8/4)—

mahad-vicalanaṁ nṝṇāṁ
gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām
niḥśreyasāya bhagavan
nānyathā kalpate kvacit

Translation: ‘My dear Lord, sometimes great saintly persons go to the homes of householders, although these householders are generally low-minded. When a saintly person visits their homes, one can understand that it is for no other purpose than to benefit the householders.’

Purport: This verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.8.4).

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.41

prabhura rūpa darśana o ācaraṇaphale saṅgisakalera kṛṣṇaprema dekhiyā prabhuke rāyera kṛṣṇa-jñāna :— 
āmāra saṅge brāhmaṇādi sahasreka jana
tomāra darśane sabāra dravī-bhūta mana

Translation: “Along with me there are about a thousand men — including the brāhmaṇas — and all of them appear to have had their hearts melted simply by seeing You.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmānanda Rāya is praising the Lord for Him transforming the hearts of all the people who are with Rāmānanda Rāya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.42

‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ nāma śuni sabāra vadane
sabāra aṅga—pulakita, aśru—nayane

Translation: “I hear everyone chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone’s body is thrilled with ecstasy, and there are tears in everyone’s eyes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the great effect of Lord Caitanya’s association, so Rāmānanda Rāya is seeing all the transformations in the body of the people with him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.43

ākṛtye-prakṛtye tomāra īśvara-lakṣaṇa
jīve nā sambhave ei aprākṛta guṇa

Translation: “My dear Sir, according to Your behavior and bodily features, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is impossible for ordinary living beings to possess such transcendental qualities.”

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s bodily features were uncommon. Indeed, His body was extraordinary in its measurements. The measurement of His chest and the measurement of His forearms were the same. This is called nyagrodha-parimaṇḍala. As far as His nature is concerned, He was kind to everyone. No one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be kind to everyone. Therefore the Lord’s name is Kṛṣṇa, “all-attractive.” As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.4), Kṛṣṇa is the kind father of everyone. In every species of life (sarva-yoniṣu), He is the original father, the seed-giver (bīja-pradaḥ pitā). How, then, can He be unkind to any living entity? One may be a man, an animal or even a tree, but the Lord is kind to everyone. That is God’s qualification. He also says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.29), samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu: “I am equally kind to everyone.” And He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: “Give up all other engagements and simply surrender unto Me.” This instruction is meant not only for Arjuna but for all living entities. Whoever takes advantage of this offer is immediately immune to all sinful activity and returns home, back to Godhead. While present on this planet, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made the same offer.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari bol! So, by surrendering to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu one can easily get back to Godhead.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.44

prabhura nijadainya o rāyera praśaṁsācchale ātmagopanaceṣṭā :—
prabhu kahe,—tumi mahā-bhāgavatottama
tomāra darśane sabāra drava haila mana

Translation: The Lord replied to Rāmānanda Rāya, “Sir, you are the best of the topmost devotees; therefore simply the sight of you has melted everyone’s heart.

Purport: Unless one is a first-class devotee, he cannot be a preacher. A preacher is generally a topmost devotee, but in order to meet the general populace, he has to come to distinguish between devotees and nondevotees. Otherwise, an advanced devotee makes no such distinctions. Indeed, he always sees that everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord. When one engages in preaching work, he must distinguish between people and understand that some people are not engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. The preacher then has to take compassion upon such innocent people who do not know how to worship the Lord. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.45), the symptoms of a topmost devotee are described as follows:

sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed
bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ
bhūtāni bhagavaty ātmany
eṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ

“The advanced devotee sees that all living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone is in Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is also within everyone. Such a vision is possible only for a person who is very advanced in devotional service.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.45

anyera ki kathā, āmi—’māyāvādī sannyāsī’
āmiha tomāra sparśe kṛṣṇa-preme bhāsi

Translation: “Although I am a Māyāvādī sannyāsī, a nondevotee, I am also floating in the ocean of love of Kṛṣṇa simply by touching you. And what to speak of others?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is giving all the credit to Rāmānanda Rāya, although Rāmānanda Rāya is giving all the credit to Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.46

ei jāni’ kaṭhina mora hṛdaya śodhite
sārvabhauma kahilena tomāre milite

Translation: “Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya knew this would happen, and thus to rectify My heart, which is very hard, he asked Me to meet you.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya realized that Lord Caitanya was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus advised to meet Rāmānanda Rāya . But now Lord Caitanya presented Himself as very hard at heart, so he ask Me to meet Rāmānanda Rāya, so that My heart would melt .

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 7.49: [Brāhmaṇa:] Then Lord Chaitanya, who enchants the entire world, and who is very merciful, rested on the shore of the Godavari River. He was like a golden ketaki flower with a sweet fragrance spread in all directions. When the brāhmaṇas saw the self-effulgent Lord they became attracted by His transcendental potency, and they came near Him. When they saw the Lord's transcendental form, which was filled with love of Kṛṣṇa, and which was a jewel-mine of all transcendental virtues, they exclaimed: "Who is this? Who is this?" The brahmanas then met together and discussed what they had just seen. Attracted by their words, and appearing like a man possessed, Rāmānanda Rāya, struck with wonder, and his appearance filling others with wonder also, approached Lord Caitanya.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya’s presence was causing these intense transformations, in the hearts of the brāhmaṇa, and in the heart of Rāmānanda Rāya. His transcendental appearance was filling them with wonder.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 7.50: King: Rāmānanda, you are fortunate. You are fortunate. With you own eyes you have seen the lotus feet of the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.47

prabhu o bhakta, parasparera stuti :—
ei-mata duṅhe stuti kare duṅhāra guṇa
duṅhe duṅhāra daraśane ānandita mana

Translation: In this way each of them praised the qualities of the other, and both of them were pleased to see each other.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this shows the loving exchange between Lord Caitanya and His devotee. Lord Caitanya is praising His devotees and the devotee is praising Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.48

vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇera gṛhei prabhu bhikṣā, prabhura nimantraṇe avaiṣṇava brāhmaṇabrubera anadhikāra :— 
hena-kāle vaidika eka vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa
daṇḍavat kari’ kaila prabhure nimantraṇa

Translation: At this time a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava following the Vedic principles came and offered obeisances. He fell flat before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and invited Him for lunch.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.49

nimantraṇa mānila tāṅre vaiṣṇava jāniyā
rāmānande kahe prabhu īṣat hāsiyā

Translation: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the invitation, knowing the brāhmaṇa to be a devotee, and slightly smiling, He spoke as follows to Rāmānanda Rāya.

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the invitation of the Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa. Even though one is a brāhmaṇa strictly following all the rules and regulations of brahminical culture, if he is not a devotee, a follower of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one should not accept his invitation. At the present moment people have become so degraded that they do not even follow the Vedic principles, to say nothing of Vaiṣṇava principles. They eat anything and everything — whatever they like — and therefore the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be very cautious about accepting invitations.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda was very careful to only accept invitations from pure vegetarians who were devotees of the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.50

rāyera sahita prabhura punaḥ sākṣātkārera icchā :—
tomāra mukhe kṛṣṇa-kathā śunite haya mana
punarapi pāi yena tomāra daraśana

Translation: “I wish to hear from you about Lord Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, My mind is inclined to desire this; therefore I wish to see you again.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.51-52

rāmānandera dainya o sasambhrame prabhura nikaṭa upadeśākāṅakṣā :— 
rāya kahe, āilā yadi pāmara śodhite
darśana-mātre śuddha nahe mora duṣṭa citte 
dina pāñca-sāta rahi’ karaha mārjana
tabe śuddha haya mora ei duṣṭa mana

Translation: Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “My Lord, although You have come to correct me, a fallen soul, my mind is not yet purified simply by seeing You. Please stay for five or seven days and kindly cleanse my polluted mind. After that much time, my mind will certainly be pure.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmānanda Rāya is requesting Lord Caitanya to stay for a week or so and thus he can be purified.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.53

vidāyānte bhakta o bhagavān ubhayera parasparera viraha asahya :— 
yadyapi viccheda doṅhāra sahana nā yāya
tathāpi daṇḍavat kari’ calilā rāma-rāya

Translation: Although neither could tolerate separation from the other, Rāmānanda Rāya nonetheless offered his obeisances to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and departed.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmānanda Rāya offered his prostrated obeisances because he could not tolerate the separation from the Lord, nonetheless he departed.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.15.5: Śrī Gaura, the crest jewel of rasikas, then and there revealed to Rāmānanda the confidential and astounding pleasure-pastimes of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in the groves of Vṛndāvana. Afterwards He instructed Rāmānanda to go quickly to Śrī Kṣetra Having pacified Rāmānanda's heart with sweet words, Śrī Janārdana, who resides within and inspires the hearts of all mankind departed.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this gives us the summary of what happens. The details will be given in the following verses.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 1.114

rāya rāmānande āra prabhute milana
gaurā guṇagāthā gāya e dāsa locana

Jayapatākā Swami: Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Caitanya meeting together and the transcendental qualities of Lord Caitanya was glorified by Locana dāsa. So we heard the two pastimes how Lord Caitanya went to the house of Rāmānanda Rāya and how He met Rāmānanda Rāya at the Godavari river. So these two pastimes are there So somehow Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya they glorified each other and thus they felt unlimited Kṛṣṇa-prema.

Haribol!

Thus, ends the chapter entitled, Lord Caitanya Meets Rāmānanda Rāya on the Banks of Godāvarī.