20210223 The Gift of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta and the Deliverance of Seven Palm Trees

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 23rd, 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!

Compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book, chapter entitled:

The Gift of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta and the Deliverance of Seven Palm Trees 
Under the section Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu travel to the Holy Places in South India

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.304

kṛṣṇa-veṇbā-tīre āgamana:— 
tabe mahāprabhu āilā kṛṣṇa-veṇvā-tīre
nānā tīrtha dekhi’ tāhāṅ devatā-mandire

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next went to the bank of the Kṛṣṇa-veṇvā River, where He visited many holy places and the temples of various gods.

Purport: This river is a branch of the river Kṛṣṇā. It is said that Ṭhākura Bilvamaṅgala resided on the banks of this river, which is also called the Vīnā, the Veṇī, the Sinā and the Bhīmā.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.305

tathākāra brāhmaṇagaṇa—vaiṣṇava o karṇāmṛta-pāṭhaka:— 
brāhmaṇa-samāja saba—vaiṣṇava-carita
vaiṣṇava sakala paḍe ’kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta’

Translation: The brāhmaṇa community there was composed of pure devotees. They regularly studied a book entitled Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, which was composed by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

Purport: This book was composed by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura in 112 verses. There are two or three other books bearing the same name, and there are also two commentaries on Bilvamaṅgala’s book. One commentary was written by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī and the other by Caitanya dāsa Gosvāmī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.306

karṇāmṛta-śravaṇe prabhura harṣa o puṅthira nakala-saṁgraha:— 
kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta śuni’ prabhura ānanda haila
āgraha kariyā puṅthi lekhāñā laila

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased to hear the book Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, and with great eagerness He had it copied and took it with Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was finding these rare books and He had the books copied and took it with Him. So in this way he got the Brahmā-Saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.307

‘karṇāmṛte’ra mahimā:— 
’karṇāmṛta’-sama vastu nāhi tribhuvane
yāhā haite haya kṛṣṇe śuddha-prema-jñāne

Translation: There is no comparison to the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta within the three worlds. By studying this book, one is elevated to the knowledge of pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.308

saundarya-mādhurya-kṛṣṇa-līlāra avadhi
sei jāne, ye ’karṇāmṛta’ paḍe niravadhi

Translation: One who constantly reads the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta can fully understand the beauty and melodious taste of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.309

prabhura duiṭī grantha saṁgraha—
(1) siddhānta o (2) rasaśāstra:—

’brahma-saṁhitā’, ’karṇāmṛta’ dui puṅthi pāñā
mahā-ratna-prāya pāi āilā saṅge lañā

Translation: The Brahma-saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta were two books that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered to be most valuable jewels. Therefore He took them with Him on His return trip.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.310

tāptī o narmadā-tīrastha tirtha darśana o māhiṣmatīpure āgamana:— 
tāpī snāna kari’ āilā māhiṣmatī-pure
nānā tīrtha dekhi tāhāṅ narmadāra tīre

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next arrived at the banks of the river Tāpī. After bathing there, He went to Māhiṣmatī-pura. While there, He saw many holy places on the banks of the river Narmadā.

Purport: The river Tāpī is also known as Tāpti. The river’s source is a mountain called Multāi, and the river flows westward through the state of Saurāṣṭra and into the Arabian Sea.

Māhiṣmatī-pura (Maheshwar) is mentioned in Mahābhārata in connection with Sahadeva’s victory. Sahadeva, the youngest brother of the Pāṇḍavas, conquered that part of the country. As stated in the Mahābhārata:

“After acquiring jewels, Sahadeva went to the city of Māhiṣmatī, where he fought with a king called Nīla.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these are all ancient places mentioned in Mahābhārata that had connection with Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya was visiting the holy places which normally sādhūs do to get purified. But by Lord Caitanya visiting these holy palaces, He actually made these holy places rejuvenated spiritually.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.311

dhanus-tīrtha-darśana o nirvindhyā nadīsnāna, pare ṛṣyamūka-parvate daṇḍakāraṇye āgamana o ‘saptatāla’-vimocana:— 
dhanus-tīrtha dekhi’ karilā nirvindhyāte snāne
ṛṣyamūka-giri āilā daṇḍakāraṇye

Translation: The Lord next arrived at Dhanus-tīrtha, where He took His bath in the river Nirvindhyā. He then arrived at Ṛṣyamūka Mountain and then went to Daṇḍakāraṇya.

Purport: According to some opinions, Ṛṣyamūka is a chain of mountains beginning at the village of Hāmpi-grāma in the district of Belāri. The mountain chain begins along the bank of the river Tuṅgabhadrā, which gradually reaches the state of Hyderabad. According to other opinions, this hill is situated in Madhya Pradesh and bears the present name of Rāmpa. Daṇḍakāraṇya is a spacious tract of land which begins north of Khāndeśa and extends up to the southern Āhammada-nagara through Nāsika and Āuraṅgābāda. The Godāvarī River flows through this tract of land, and there is a great forest there where Lord Rāmacandra lived.

Caitanya-Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.1

gaurācānda jīvana āmāra re
gaurā parāṇa āmāra
āra aparūpa kathā śuna sāvadhāne

Jayapatākā Swami: So Gaurācānda is my life and soul. Listen with attention to the wonderful history I am about to tell you. As Lord Caitanya was traversing the road, He liberated the seven palm trees.

Caitanya-Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.2

sapta tālataru sei āche ye pathete
dekhi’ ācambite prabhu lāgilā hāsite

Jayapatākā Swami: On the path that He was traversing, He saw seven palm trees. Seeing them, suddenly Lord Caitanya started to smile and laugh.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.312

’saptatāla-vṛkṣa’ dekhe kānana-bhitara
ati vṛddha, ati sthūla, ati uccatara

Translation: Within the Daṇḍakāraṇya forest Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited a place called Saptatāla. The seven palm trees there were very old, very bulky and very high.

Purport: The name Saptatāla is mentioned in the Kiṣkindhyā section of the Rāmāyaṇa and is described in the eleventh and twelfth chapters of that section.

Caitanya-Carita-Mahā-Kāvya 13.17

Translation: Going on the road, his heart bursting with prema, he laughed and in great pain cried. Without control, he moved about and saw seven tāla trees.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.313

saptatāla dekhi’ prabhu āliṅgana kaila
saśarīre saptatāla vaikuṇṭhe calila

Translation: Upon seeing the seven palm trees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced them. As a result, they all returned to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual world.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol!

Caitanya-Carita-Mahā-Kāvya 13.18

Translation: Seeing the trees, the merciful Lord in joy embraced each one. Immediately the trees rose into the sky and the place became suddenly empty.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.16.1 15(26)

Translation: O learned brāhmaṇa, as the sole friend of all the worlds travelled on the path, He saw some ancient tamāla trees, and laughing, He embraced them. By the mere touch of His hands, He delivered those trees from material bondage.

Caitanya-Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.3

dhāñā giyā saptatāla karilā paraśe
jaya jaya jayadhvani uṭhila ākāśe

Jayapatākā Swami: He ran and touched the seven palm trees. The sky filled with the sounds of “Jaya! Jaya” “all glories!” “all glories!”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.16.2

Translation: Then those trees assumed their original forms of seven gandharvas and seeing Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, they became immersed in an ocean of transcendental happiness. Relinquishing the sinful reaction which had been brought upon them by the curse of a sage, they offered obeisances before the Lord and departed for their auspicious abode.

Jayapatākā Swami: These seven palm trees are actually Gandharvās, which were cursed by a sage. So, they were there in that place for a very long time. When Lord Caitanya saw them, He could understand that they were there out of curse. He embraced them and freed them from that curse. They offered their obeisances to Him and they went back to the spiritual world.

Caitanya-Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.4

muni śāpe chila se gandharva sāta jana
prabhura paraśe tārā pāila mocana

Jayapatākā Swami: The seven Gandharavās assumed the seven palm trees by the curse of a great sage. By Lord Caitanya’s transcendental touch they were all freed from the curse.

Caitanya-Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.5

tabe sei mahāprabhu pathe cali’ yāya
ānande vibhola prabhu hariguṇa gāya

Jayapatākā Swami: Thereafter Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued to travel on the path. Being very blissfully Lord Caitanya was singing the transcendental qualities of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.314

prabhuke lokera rāmāvatāra-jñāna:— 
śūnya-sthala dekhi’ lokera haila camatkāra
loke kahe, e sannyāsī—rāma-avatāra

Translation: After the seven palm trees had departed for Vaikuṇṭha, everyone was astonished to see that they were gone. The people then began to say, “This sannyāsī called Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be an incarnation of Lord Rāmacandra.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.315

saśarīre tāla gela śrī-vaikuṇṭha-dhāma
aiche śakti kāra haya, vinā eka rāma

Translation: “Only Lord Rāmacandra has the power to send seven palm trees to the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets.”

Caitanya-Carita-Mahā-Kāvya 13.19

Translation: What is the inconceivable greatness of Gaurāṅga, Mahāprabhu, performing many astonishing acts in this world? He who is merciful has astonishing mercy. What is impossible for him?

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.316

pampā-sarovare snāna o pañcavaṭīte viśrāma:— 
prabhu āsi’ kaila pampā-sarovare snāna
pañcavaṭī āsi, tāhāṅ karila viśrāma

Translation: Eventually Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at a lake known as Pampā, where He took His bath. He then went to a place called Pañcavaṭī, where He rested.

Purport: According to some, the old name of the Tuṅgabhadrā River was Pambā. According to others, Vijaya-nagara, the capital of the state, was known as Pampātīrtha. According to still others, the lake near Anāguṇḍi, in the direction of Hyderabad, is Pampā-sarovara. The river Tuṅgabhadrā also flows through there. There are many different opinions about the lake called Pampā-sarovara.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja said that his chronology of south India was not perfect and actually we see that some of these places are not falling according to the chronology. Since Lord Caitanya was traversing on foot we should see how He must have travelled to the different places. But for sure all the different places mentioned, He visited, just that the order may be a little mixed up.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.317

nāsike śiva darśanānte brahmagirite o pare kuśāvarte āgamana:— 
nāsike tryambaka dekhi’ gelā brahmagiri
kuśāvarte āilā yāhāṅ janmilā godāvarī

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited Nāsika, where He saw the deity of Tryambaka [Lord Śiva]. He then went to Brahmagiri and then to Kuśāvarta, the source of the river Godāvarī.

Purport: Kuśāvarta is located in the western ghāṭa, at Sahyādri. It is near Nāsika, a holy place, but according to some it was situated in the valley of Vindhya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 9.318

godāvarīra saptaśākhāra tīre tīre bahu tīrthoddhārānte vidyānagare āgamana:— 
sapta godāvarī āilā kari’ tīrtha bahutara
punarapi āilā prabhu vidyānagara

Translation: After visiting many other holy places, the Lord went to Sapta-godāvarī. At last He returned to Vidyānagara.

Purport: In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu traveled from the source of the Godāvarī River and eventually visited the northern side of Hyderabad state. He finally arrived at the state of Kaliṅga.

Śrī Śrīmad Gaurāṅga-līlā-smaraṇa-maṅgala-stotram
– Verse 46 By Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura

Translation: After giving to the people of the South the bliss that removes the impurities of Kali, accompanied by Kṛśna dāsa, and bringing two devotional books (Brahma-saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta), He went to Jagannātha Purī on the road to Alālanātha. I meditate on Lord Gaurāṅga, the jubilant protector of the devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: Vijayanagar kings were ruling the whole South India at that time. The deity of Vijayanagara King is in Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam. The statue is made of copper or something. Lord Caitanya travelled to Hampi, which is in Karnataka. Kaliṇga means the state of Orissa. Somehow He went back to Jagannātha Purī.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The Gift of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta and the Deliverance of Seven Palm Trees.
Under the section Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu travel to the Holy Places in South India