20210204 Phala-śruti: The Result of Hearing the Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 4th, 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, today's chapter entitled as:

Phala-śruti: The Result of Hearing the Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.293

prabhu rāmānanda-saṁvāda—ekaṭī bṛhat dhātava dravyera khani, tathāya mūlyabhede bahu dhātura prakāśa:— 
nigūḍha vrajera rasa-līlāra vicāra
aneka kahila, tāra nā pāila pāra

Translation: The conversations between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu contain the most confidential subject matters, touching the conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana [Vrajabhūmi]. Although they talked at great length about these pastimes, they could not reach the limit of discussion.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.294

aprākṛta pañca-rasera upamā:— 
tāmā, kāṅsā, rūpā, sonā, ratna-cintāmaṇi
keha yadi kāhāṅ potā pāya eka-khāni

Translation: Actually, these conversations are like a great mine where, from a single place, one can extract all kinds of metals—copper, bell metal, silver and gold— and also touchstone, the basis of all metals.

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the conversations between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rāmānanda Rāya replied to five questions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and these questions and their replies are recorded in verses 57–67. The first answer is compared to copper, the second to a better metal, bell metal, the third to a still better metal, silver, and the fourth to the best metal of all, gold. But the fifth answer is compared to the most valuable gem, touchstone, because it deals with unalloyed devotion, the ultimate goal of devotional life, and illuminates the preceding four subordinate answers.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura points out that in Vrajabhūmi there is the Yamunā River with its sandy banks. There are kadamba trees, cows, Kṛṣṇa’s sticks with which He herds cows, and Kṛṣṇa’s flute. All of these belong to śānta-rasa, the mellow of neutrality in devotional service. There are also the direct servants of Kṛṣṇa, such as Citraka, Patraka and Raktaka, and these are the embodiments of service in the mellow of servitude. There are also friends like Śrīdāmā and Sudāmā, who embody service in fraternity. Nanda Mahārāja and Mother Yaśodā are the embodiments of parental love. Above all of these are Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Her assistants, the gopīs Lalitā, Viśākhā and others, who embody conjugal love. In this way all five mellows—śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya— exist eternally in Vrajabhūmi. They are also compared, respectively, to copper, bell metal, silver, gold and touchstone, the basis of all metals. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī therefore refers to a mine eternally existing in Vṛndāvana, Vrajabhūmi.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in that discussion between Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Caitanya, all the aspects of bhakti are brought up and also the highest form of bhakti, the complete surrender, the conjugal love. So the discussions between Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Caitanya are extremely confidential and they have reached the highest topic so hearing these discussions is a special mercy.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.295

krame uṭhāite seha uttama vastu pāya
aiche praśnottara kaila prabhu-rāmarāya

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya worked like miners, excavating all kinds of valuable metals, each one better than the other. Their questions and answers are exactly like that.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.296

rāyera nikaṭa prabhura vidāya grahaṇa o ādeśa-jñāpana:— 
āra dina rāya-pāśe vidāya māgilā
vidāyera kāle tāṅre ei ājñā dilā

Translation: The next day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu begged Rāmānanda Rāya to give Him permission to leave, and at the time of farewell the Lord gave him the following orders.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.297

rāyake nīlācale yāite ādeśa o tathāya punarmilane kṛṣṇa-kathālāpa-suyoga:— 
viṣaya chāḍiyā tumi yāha nīlācale
āmi tīrtha kari’ tāṅhā āsiba alpa-kāle

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told him, “Give up all material engagements and come to Jagannātha Purī. I will return there very soon after finishing My tour and pilgrimage.”

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.298

dui-jane nīlācale rahiba eka-saṅge 
sukhe goṅāiba kāla kṛṣṇa-kathā-raṅge

Translation: “The two of us shall remain together at Jagannātha Purī and happily pass our time discussing Kṛṣṇa.”

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.299

eta bali’ rāmānande kari’ āliṅgana
tāṅre ghare pāṭhāiyā karila śayana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then embraced Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, and after sending him back to his home, the Lord took rest.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya ordered Rāmānanda Rāya to meet Him in Jagannātha Purī, there they would discuss Kṛṣṇa-kathā.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.300

vajrāṅga-jīura darśanānte prabhura dakṣiṇa-yātrā:— 
prātaḥ-kāle uṭhi’ prabhu dekhi’ hanuman
tāṅre namaskari’ prabhu dakṣiṇe karilā prayāṇa

Translation: After rising from bed the next morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the local temple, where there was a deity of Hanumān. After offering him obeisances, the Lord departed for South India.

Purport: In almost all the cities and towns of India there are temples of Hanumānjī, the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra. There is even a temple of Hanumān near Govindajī temple in Vṛndāvana. Formerly this temple was in front of the Gopālajī temple, but the Gopālajī Deity went to Orissa to remain as Sākṣi-gopāla. Being the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra, Hanumānjī has been respectfully worshiped for many hundreds and thousands of years. Here even Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu set the example in showing how one should offer respects to Hanumānjī.

Jayapatākā Swami: They did a study in India, that there are more temples of Hanumān than any other deity, in one study Offering our respects to Hanumān is a way of getting the blessings of Lord Rāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.301

prabhu-darśane samagra vidyānagara-vāsīra vaiṣṇavatā:— 
‘vidyāpūre’ nānā-mata loka vaise yata
prabhu-darśane ’vaiṣṇava’ haila chāḍi’ nija-mata

Translation: All the residents of Vidyānagara were of different faiths, but after seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they abandoned their own faiths and became Vaiṣṇavas.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya He had so much influence that everyone by seeing Him, men, women old men, children, they all became Vaiṣṇavas. So, this was the desire of Śrīla Prabhupāda, that we should expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Lord Caitanya’s instructions, all over the world, in every town and village.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.302

prabhu-virahe rāyera avasthā:— 
rāmānanda hailā prabhura virahe vihvala
prabhura dhyāne rahe viṣaya chāḍiyā sakala

Translation: When Rāmānanda Rāya began to feel separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he was overwhelmed. Meditating on the Lord, he gave up all his material business.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the secret of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By meditating on Lord Caitanya, one can become detached from all things material.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.303

granthe prabhu rāmānanda-saṁvāda saṁkṣepei varṇita:— 
saṅkṣepe kahiluṅ rāmānandera milana
vistāri’ varṇite nāre sahasra-vadana

Translation: I have briefly described the meeting between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya. No one can actually describe this meeting exhaustively. It is even impossible for Lord Śeṣa Nāga, who has thousands of hoods.

Jayapatākā Swami: In other words, the discussions between Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya were such that even Śeṣa-nāga, with His thousands of heads cannot describe all the things. So here Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has explained a portion to give us a little bliss.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.304

caitanya-līlā, rāya-caritra o rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlāra parasparera sambandha evaṁ ati saubhāgyavānerai ei līlāya adhikāra o suyoga:— 
sahaje caitanya-caritra—ghana-dugdha-pūra
rāmānanda-caritra tāhe khaṇḍa pracura

Translation: The activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are like condensed milk, and the activities of Rāmānanda Rāya are like large quantities of sugar candy.

Jayapatākā Swami: When you mix sugar candy with condensed milk, you will get  a very sweet and delicious combination.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.305

rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā—tāte karpūra-milana
bhāgyavān yei, sei kare āsvādana

Translation: Their meeting is exactly like a mixture of condensed milk and sugar candy. When they talk of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, camphor is added. One who tastes this combined preparation is most fortunate.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.306

ye ihā eka-bāra piye karṇa-dvāre
tāra karṇa lobhe ihā chāḍite nā pāre

Translation: This wonderful preparation has to be taken aurally. If one takes it, he becomes greedy to relish it even further.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this discussion between Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya has to be relished through the ear, and one becomes an advanced devotees after he is able to relish these pastimes more and more so these are very rare pastimes to witness.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.307

prabhu rāmānanda-saṁvāda-śravaṇera phala varṇana:— 
’rasa-tattva-jñāna’ haya ihāra śravaṇe
’prema-bhakti’ haya rādhā-kṛṣṇera caraṇe

Translation: By hearing the talks between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one becomes enlightened with the transcendental knowledge of the mellows of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Thus one can develop unalloyed love for the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the fruit of listening to these pastimes of discussions between Rāmānanda Rāya and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. By this, one can achieve deep unalloyed love for the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.308

caitanyera gūḍha-tattva jāni ihā haite
viśvāsa kari’ śuna, tarka nā kariha citte

Translation: The author requests every reader to hear these talks with faith and without argument. By studying them in this way, one will be able to understand the confidential truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these discussions reveal the transcendental truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.309

bhagavānera acintyabhāva—tarkātīta:— 
alaukika līlā ei parama nigūḍha
viśvāse pāiye, tarke haya bahu-dūra

Translation: This part of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes is most confidential. One can derive benefit quickly only by faith; otherwise, by arguing one will always remain far away.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these are not subject matters that can be debated, this is something to listen and have one's consciousness purified, and in this way one can have insight to something which is very confidential and not possible to understand by arguing or by logic.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.310

nitāi-gaurādvaitera aikāntika bhakterai kṛṣṇa-prema prāpya:— 
śrī-caitanya-nityānanda-advaita-caraṇa
yāṅhāra sarvasva, tāṅre mile ei dhana

Translation: He who has accepted as everything the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu can attain this transcendental treasure.

Purport: Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that Kṛṣṇa is obtainable for the faithful, but for those who are accustomed to argue, Kṛṣṇa is far, far away. Similarly, these talks between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can be understood by a person who has firm faith. Those who are not in the disciplic succession, the aśrauta-panthīs, cannot have faith in these talks. They are always doubting and engaging in mental concoctions. These talks cannot be understood by such whimsical people. Transcendental topics remain far, far away from those engaged in mundane arguments. In this regard, the Vedic mantras in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.9) state, naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā proktānyenaiva su-jñānāya preṣṭha. According to the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.2.3):

And according to the Brahma-sūtra (2.1.11), tarkāpratiṣṭhānāt.

All Vedic literatures declare that transcendental subjects cannot be understood simply by argument or logic. Spiritual matters are far above experimental knowledge. Only by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy can one who is interested in His transcendental loving affairs understand them. If one tries to understand these transcendental topics simply by using one’s material brain substance, the attempt will be futile. Whether one is a prākṛta-sahajiyā or a mundane opportunist or scholar, one’s labor to understand these topics by mundane means will ultimately be frustrated. One therefore has to give up all mundane attempts and try to become a pure devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. When a devotee follows the regulative principles, the truth of these talks will be revealed to him. This is confirmed in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu:

One cannot understand the Lord’s holy name, pastimes, form, qualities or entourage with one’s blunt material senses. However, when the senses are purified by the constant rendering of service, the spiritual truth of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is revealed.

As confirmed in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad,

Only one who is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead can understand the transcendental features of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī are completely spiritual, They do not have material bodies like we in the material world. Their bodies are completely spiritual. We have no experience of such a transcendental body. If we try to understand by materialistic experience, logic, arguments it is not possible. Only by rendering devotional service, these things will be revealed by Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.311

rāyake granthakārera vandanā – 
rāmānanda rāye mora koṭī namaskāra
yāṅra mukhe kaila prabhu rasera vistāra

Translation: I offer ten million obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya because from his mouth much spiritual information has been expanded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.312

dāmodara-svarūpera kaḍacā-anusāre
rāmānanda-milana-līlā karila pracāre

Translation: I have tried to preach the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s meeting with Rāmānanda Rāya in accordance with the notebooks of Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Purport: At the end of every chapter, the author admits the value of the disciplic succession. He never claims to have written this transcendental literature by carrying out research work. He simply admits his indebtedness to the notes taken by Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and other authoritative persons. This is the way of writing transcendental literatures, which are never meant for so-called scholars and research workers.

The process is mahā-jano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ:

one has to strictly follow great personalities and ācāryas.

Ācārya-vān puruṣo veda:

one who has the favor of the ācārya knows everything. This statement made by Kavirāja Gosvāmī is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes the prākṛtā-sahajiyās claim that they have heard the truth from their guru. But one cannot have transcendental knowledge simply by hearing from a guru who is not bona fide. The guru must be bona fide, and he must have heard from his own bona fide guru. Only then will his message be accepted as bona fide.

Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.1):

“The Supreme Lord said, ’I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.’”

In this way the message is transmitted in the bona fide spiritual disciplic succession from bona fide spiritual master to bona fide student. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī therefore as usual concludes this chapter by reasserting his faith in the lotus feet of the Six Gosvāmīs. Thus he is able to set forth this transcendental literature, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, just as Kṛṣṇa dāsa Kavirāja Prabhu has received this message from paramparā, similarly His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has received this message from a bonafide guru-paramparā. He has translated this into English and has given his explanations and purports. So we are trying to transmit these instructions by compiling this history of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhus’ teachings and pastimes.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Phala-śruti - The Result of Hearing the Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya.

Haribol!