20210226 King Pratāparudra Requests Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya for Darśana of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 26th, 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 the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book, today's chapter is entitled as:

King Pratāparudra Requests Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya for Darśana of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.123

King: (yearning) Ah! When will I see the Lord?

A Voice Behind the Scenes: Ah! Now we may see Him again! Don't delay!

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.124

King: (jubilant) Bhaṭṭācārya, my prayers are answered! I think He is now asking to see Lord Jagannātha. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya has come!

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.126

Bhaṭṭācārya: King, it is true.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.127

King: Bhaṭṭācārya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the seed of Puruṣottama-kṣetra. The Caitanya-seed has sprouted the many happiness of the devotees. Now by serving Him we will be able to serve Lord Jagannātha directly.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.128

Sārvabhauma: Saintly kings are empowered incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever thoughts appear in their minds are the truth.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.129

Behind the Scenes: Ah! Ah! It's true! It's true!

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.130

King: (jubilant) These words are an auspicious omen. Look! Let us see who has come.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.131

Bhaṭṭācārya: Accompanied by many other pilgrims, a pilgrim is eager to see Lord Jagannātha.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.132

Doorkeeper: (enters) Lord, a crowd of people is running very quickly.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.133

King: See whether they have weapons or not.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.134

Doorkeeper: (exits and again enters) Lord, none of them have weapons.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.135

Sārvabhauma: The Lord has returned.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.136

(From Behind the Scenes there is a tumultuous roar of "Hari bol! Hari bol!")

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.137

Sārvabhauma: The Lord has definitely returned.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.138

A Voice from Behind the Scenes: Although He travelled to all holy places of pilgrimage, He was not satisfied to stay at them. Now He is running to Jagannātha Purī. Look! He is like a jewel mountain-peak on the shore of the ocean. Destiny is again kind to us.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.139

Sārvabhauma: O great king, it is Gopīnātha Ācārya that happily speaks these words. The Lord has come. I must go to meet Him.

Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 7.140

King: Hurry! Hurry! Mallabhaṭṭa, you must stop your narrations for now. Let us go to do what must be done.

(iti niṣkrāntāḥ sarve)

(Everyone exits)

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 4.16.1

Translation: Then the king of Utkala, lord of many elephants, desired to have darśana of Mahāprabhu. He summoned Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya together with Rāmānanda Rāya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.3

prabhura dakṣiṇa-bhramaṇa-kāle rājā pratāparudra o sārvabhauma bhaṭṭācāryyera saṅlāpa:—

pūrve yabe mahāprabhu calilā dakṣiṇe 
pratāparudra rājā tabe bolāila sārvabhaume

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu departed for South India, King Pratāparudra called Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya to his palace.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.4

rājāra prabhura paricaya-jijñāsā o taddarśanākāṅkṣā:—

vasite āsana dila kari’ namaskāre 
mahāprabhura vārtā tabe puchila tāṅhāre

Traslattion: When Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya met with the King, the King offered him a seat with all respects and inquired about news of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.5

śunilāṅa tomāra ghare eka mahāśaya 
gauḍa ha-ite āilā, teṅho mahā-kṛpāmaya

Translation: The King said to the Bhaṭṭācārya, “I have heard that a great personality has come from Bengal and is staying at your home. I have also heard that He is very, very merciful.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.6

tomāre bahu kṛpā kailā, kahe sarva-jana 
kṛpā kari’ karāha more tāṅhāra darśana

Translation: “I have also heard that this great personality has shown you great favor. At any rate, this is what I hear from many different people. Now, being merciful upon me, you should do me the favor of arranging an interview.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 4.16.2

Translation: In a loving mood, with respect and humility, he asked them by what means he could obtain darśana of Gaura Candra and His elder brother.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.7

bhaṭṭera prabhura ācaraṇa varṇana:—

bhaṭṭa kahe,-ye śunilā saba satya haya 
tāṅra darśana tomāra ghaṭana nā haya

Translation: The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “All that you have heard is true, but as far as an interview is concerned, it is very difficult to arrange.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.8

virakta sannyāsī teṅho rahena nirjane 
svapneha nā karena teṅho rāja-daraśane

Translation: “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is in the renounced order and is very much detached from worldly affairs. He stays in solitary places, and even in dreams He does not grant interviews to a king.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 4.16.3

Translation: Sārvabhauma said to him, "Mahārāja, for a king like yourself, it is difficult to have the Lord's darśana. You should adopt some other means to see Him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.9

tathāpi prakāre tomā karāitāma daraśana 
samprati karilā teṅho dakṣiṇa gamana

Translation: “Still, I would have tried to arrange your interview, but He has recently left to tour South India.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 4.16.4

Translation: "When those two Supreme Lords become intoxicated by the joy of saṅkīrtana, then, O great king, you may attempt to see Them."

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 4.16.5

Translation: The king eagerly replied with a brightly smiling face, "O brāhmaṇa, kindly bless this endeavor so it may soon take place."

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.10

rājākarttṛka prabhura puruṣottama-parityāgera kāraṇa jijñāsā:—

rājā kahe,-jagannātha chāḍi’ kene gelā 
bhaṭṭa kahe,-mahāntera ei eka līlā

Translation: The King asked, “Why has He left Jagannātha Purī?” The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “Such are the pastimes of a great personality.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.11

bhaṭṭācāryera saduttara:—

tīrtha pavitra karite kare tīrtha-bhramaṇa 
sei chale nistāraye sāṁsārika jana

Translation: “Great saints go to holy places of pilgrimage in order to purify them. For that reason Caitanya Mahāprabhu is visiting many tīrthas and delivering many, many conditioned souls.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.13.10)—

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās tīrthī-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho 
tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadā-bhṛtā

Translation: “‘Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.’

Purport: This verse, spoken by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to Vidura in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.13.10), is also quoted in the Ādi-līlā (1.63).

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya by visiting various holy places and rivers in South India, He actually purified them. By His staying in different devotees’ houses, and ordering them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, telling them the message of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and they should become gurus and deliver the land. Like this, thousands and thousands of people were delivered by Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.13

dīnatāraṇai mahāntera svabhāva, tadupari tini svecchāmaya parameśvara:—

vaiṣṇavera ei haya eka svabhāva niścala 
teṅho jīva nahena, hana svatantra īśvara

Translation: “A Vaiṣṇava travels to places of pilgrimage to purify them and reclaim fallen conditioned souls. This is one of the duties of a Vaiṣṇava. Actually, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not a living entity but the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Consequently, He is a fully independent controller, yet in His position as a devotee, He carries out the activities of a devotee.”

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura points out that because there are many permanent residents in holy places who do not precisely follow the rules and regulations governing living in a sacred place, exalted devotees have to go to these places to reclaim such persons. This is the business of a Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava is unhappy to see others materially enmeshed. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught these activities of a Vaiṣṇava although He is the worshipable Deity of all Vaiṣṇavas, the complete and independent Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-muktaḥ — complete, completely uncontaminated and eternally liberated. He is sanātana, for He has no beginning or end.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya He is the Lord of all the Vaiṣṇavas, Viśva Vaiṣṇava, all the universe of Vaisnava’s Rāja. He is the King of all Vaisnavas, so in the assembly of the King of all vaiṣṇavas, Viśva Vaiṣṇava Rāja Sabhā

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.14

bhaṭṭācāryake rājāra anuyoga:—

rājā kahe,-tāṅre tumi yāite kene dile 
pāya paḍi’ yatna kari’ kene nā rākhile’

Translation: Upon hearing this, the King replied, “Why did you allow Him to leave? Why didn’t you fall at His lotus feet and keep Him here?”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.15

rājāke vaidhabhaktera nyāya bhaṭṭera uttara pradāna:—

bhaṭṭācārya kahe,-teṅho svayaṁ īśvara svatantra 
sākṣāt śrī-kṛṣṇa, teṅho nahe para-tantra

Translation: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself and is completely independent. Being Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, He is not dependent on anyone.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.16

tathāpi rākhite tāṅre bahu yatna kailuṅ 
īśvarera svatantra icchā, rākhite nāriluṅ

Translation: “Still, I endeavored very hard to keep Him here, but because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and completely independent, I was not successful.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.17

mahā-paṇḍita bhaṭṭācāryera vākye rājāra viśvāsa:—

rājā kahe,-bhaṭṭa tumi vijña-śiromaṇi 
tumi tāṅre ’kṛṣṇa’ kaha, tāte satya māni

Translation: The King said, “Bhaṭṭācārya, you are the most learned and experienced person I know. Therefore when you address Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Lord Kṛṣṇa, I accept this as the truth.

Purport: This is the way to advance in spiritual science. One must accept the words of an ācārya, a bona fide spiritual master, to clear the path for spiritual advancement. This is the secret of success. However, one’s guide must be a spiritual master who is actually an unalloyed devotee strictly following the instructions of the previous ācārya without deviation. Whatever the spiritual master says must be accepted by the disciple. Only then is success certain. This is the Vedic system.

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was a brāhmaṇa and a realized soul, whereas Pratāparudra was a kṣatriya. Kṣatriya kings used to obey very faithfully the orders of learned brāhmaṇas and saintly persons, and in this way they would rule their country. Similarly, vaiśyas used to follow the king’s orders, and śūdras used to serve the three higher castes. In this way the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras used to live cooperatively, performing their respective duties. Consequently society was peaceful, and people were able to discharge the duties of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus they were happy in this life and able to return home, back to Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Śrīla Prabhupāda is describing how the varnāśrama system worked. Of course, in this age of Kali, Lord Kṛṣṇa said, that there will be a golden age of ten thousand years, there will be one varṇa, Hari Bhakta. So that is the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, to make everyone a devotee of Hari and thus the world can be peaceful.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.18

rājāra ekabāra prabhu-darśanā-kāṅkṣā:—

punarapi ihāṅ tāṅra haile āgamana 
eka-bāra dekhi’ kari saphala nayana

Translation: “When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returns, I wish to see Him just once in order to make my eyes perfect.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Caitanya is Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is acting as a devotee. His desire is infallible. If He wants the world to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, then that will happen. He predicted that His senāpati-bhakta will come and distribute Kṛṣṇa consciousness all around the world and that very town and village of the world would chant His holy name. So, this prediction is easily possible for the Supreme Lord. By his eye lashes, He can create or destroy this universe. So, to make a golden age of ten thousand years is nothing for Him. So we should work to fulfill His prediction and His mercy is there to make it happen.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.19

prabhura śīghra āgamana vārttā-jñāpana o rājāke prabhura yogya-vāsasthāna-nirddeśe anurodha:—

bhaṭṭācārya kahe,-teṅho āsibe alpa-kāle 
rahite tāṅre eka sthāna cāhiye virale

Translation: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “His Holiness Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will return very soon. I wish to have a nice place ready for Him, a place solitary and peaceful.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.20

ṭhākurera nikaṭa, āra ha-ibe nirjane 
e-mata nirṇaya kari’ deha’ eka sthāne

Translation: “Lord Caitanya’s residence should be very secluded and also near the temple of Jagannātha. Please consider this proposal and give me a nice place for Him.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.21

rājāra kāśīmiśrera bhavana-nirddeśa:—

rājā kahe,-aiche kāśī-miśrera bhavana 
ṭhākurera nikaṭa, haya parama nirjana

Translation: The King replied, “Kāśī Miśra’s house is exactly what you require. It is near the temple and is very secluded, calm and quiet.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.22

prabhu-darśane rājāra utkaṇṭhā:—

eta kahi’ rājā rahe utkaṇṭhita hañā 
bhaṭṭācārya kāśī-miśre kahila āsiyā

Translation: After saying this, the King became very anxious for the Lord to return. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then went to Kāśī Miśra to convey the King’s desire.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 10.23

kāśī-miśrake rājādeśa-jñāpana o miśrera ānanda:

kāśī-miśra kahe,-āmi baḍa bhāgyavān 
mora gṛhe ’prabhu-pādera’ habe avasthāna

Translation: When Kāśī Miśra heard the proposal, he said, “I am very fortunate that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord of all prabhūs, will stay at my home.”

Purport: In this verse the word prabhupāda, referring to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is significant. Regarding this, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda comments, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and all His servants address Him as Prabhupāda. This means that there are many prabhūs taking shelter under His lotus feet.” The pure Vaiṣṇava is addressed as prabhu, and this address is an etiquette observed between Vaiṣṇavas. When many prabhus remain under the shelter of the lotus feet of another prabhu, the address Prabhupāda is given. Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Prabhu are also addressed as Prabhupāda. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Advaita Prabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu are all viṣṇu-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore all living entities are under Their lotus feet. Lord Viṣṇu is the eternal Lord of everyone, and the representative of Lord Viṣṇu is the Lord’s confidential servant. Such a person acts as the spiritual master for neophyte Vaiṣṇavas; therefore the spiritual master is as respectable as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya or Lord Viṣṇu Himself. For this reason the spiritual master is addressed as Oṁ Viṣṇupāda or Prabhupāda. The ācārya, the spiritual master, is generally respected by others as Śrīpāda, and the initiated Vaiṣṇavas are addressed as Prabhu. Prabhu, Prabhupāda and Viṣṇupāda are described in revealed scriptures like the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Caitanya-bhāgavata. In this regard, these scriptures present evidence accepted by unalloyed devotees.

The prākṛta-sahajiyās are not even worthy of being called Vaiṣṇavas. They think that only caste gosvāmīs should be called Prabhupāda. Such ignorant sahajiyās call themselves vaiṣṇava-dāsa-anudāsa, which means the servant of the servant of the Vaiṣṇavas. However, they are opposed to addressing a pure Vaiṣṇava as Prabhupāda. In other words, they are envious of a bona fide spiritual master who is addressed as Prabhupāda, and they commit offenses by considering a bona fide spiritual master an ordinary human being or a member of a certain caste. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes such sahajiyās as most unfortunate. Because of their misconceptions, they fall into a hellish condition.

Jayapatākā Swami: So because many prabhus are under the lotus feet of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, He is addressed as Prabhupāda and before him Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was also addressed as Prabhupāda because many exalted prabhus, Vaiṣṇavas were serving him, so therefore He was given the name Prabhupāda.

It is not something that can be inherited, if someone is successful in preaching the movement of Lord Caitanya, he can be given such a name.

Thus, ends the chapter entitled, King Pratāparudra Requests Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya for Darśana of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.