20210408 Fainting of Śrī Gopāla, the son of Advaita Ācārya

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on April 8th, 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!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today’s chapter entitled is:

Fainting of Śrī Gopāla, the son of Advaita Ācārya

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.137

caturdike mahā-saṅkīrtana o madhye prabhura nṛtya:—
cāri-dike bhakta-gaṇa karena kīrtana
madhye nṛtya karena prabhu matta-siṁha-sama

Translation: All around Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu all the devotees performed congregational chanting. The Lord, just like a maddened lion, danced in the middle.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, there are some verses that explain how a devotee chants madly, dancing without considering what other people are thinking. We see that Lord Caitanya is demonstrating that.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.138

prabhura aṣṭa-sāttvika vikāra o aśrubarṣaṇa:—
sveda, kampa, vaivarṇyāśru pulaka, huṅkāra
nija-aṅga dhui’ āge cale aśru-dhāra

Translation: As usual, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced, there were perspiration, trembling, fading, tears, jubilation and roaring. Indeed, the tears from His eyes washed His body and those before Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since some person imitate these external symptoms to get some cheap appreciation from other people, so our previous ācāryas have instructed that we should try to internalize these emotional symptoms and not show them as these are copied by the unscrupulous persons. Sometimes our previous ācāryas were not able to control themselves and they became ecstatic and they were very embarrassed by that. So, in the time of Lord Caitanya, He did not inhibit Himself. So, He was demonstrating all these ecstatic symptoms

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.139

cāri-dike bhakta-aṅga kaila prakṣālana
śrāvaṇera megha yena kare variṣaṇa

Translation: In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed the bodies of all the devotees with the tears from His eyes. The tears poured like the rains in the month of Śrāvaṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: In India Śrāvaṇa is heaviest month of the monsoon season, so that means that the tears from Lord Caitanya's eyes were flowing like monsoon rains.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.140

mahā-ucca-saṅkīrtane ākāśa bharila
prabhura uddaṇḍa-nṛtye bhūmi-kampa haila

Translation: The sky was filled with the great and loud chanting of saṅkīrtana, and the earth shook from the jumping and dancing of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.141

uccaiḥsvare svarūpera kīrtane prabhura ānanda-nartana:—
svarūpera ucca-gāna prabhure sadā bhāya
ānande uddaṇḍa nṛtya kare gaurarāya

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu always liked the loud chanting of Svarūpa Dāmodara. Therefore when Svarūpa Dāmodara sang, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced and jumped high in jubilation.

Jayapatākā Swami: This Saṅkīrtana, chanting and dancing which Lord Caitanya demonstrated, is the method for people around the world, to chant and dance in jubilation, and thus they can be freed from all bad karma and naturally awaken the dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.142

nṛtyānte viśrāma:—
ei-mata kata-kṣaṇa nṛtya ye kariyā
viśrāma karilā prabhu samaya bujhiyā

Translation: The Lord thus chanted and danced for some time. Finally, understanding the circumstances, He stopped.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 19

gopālera bālya-caritra
śrī-gopāla-nāme āra ācāryera suta
tāṅhāra caritra, śuna, atyanta adbhuta

Translation: Śrī Gopāla was another son of Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu. Now just hear about his characteristics, for they are all very wonderful.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.143

advaitaputra gopālake nartane ādeśa:—
ācārya-gosāñira putra śrī-gopāla-nāma
nṛtya karite tāṅre ājñā dila gauradhāma

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then ordered Śrī Gopāla, the son of Advaita Ācārya, to dance.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 20

guṇḍicā-mandire mahāprabhura sammukhe
kīrtane nartana kare baḍa prema-sukhe

Translation: When Lord Caitanya personally cleansed the Guṇḍicā-mandira in Jagannātha Purī, Gopāla danced in front of the Lord with great love and happiness.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 21

nānā-bhāvodgama dehe adbhuta nartana
dui gosāñi ’hari’ bale, ānandita mana

Translation: While Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Prabhu chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and danced, there were various ecstatic symptoms in Their bodies, and Their minds were very pleased.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we follow in the footsteps of These two Prabhus, - Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Advaita prabhu. Our minds may be filled with spiritual bliss, our bodies may express various ecstatic symptoms. This is what everyone is hankering for and this saṅkīrtana is the essence of our Kṛṣṇa conscious movement.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 22

nācite nācite gopāla ha-ila mūrcchita
bhūmete paḍila, dehe nāhika saṁvita

Translation: While all of them danced, Gopāla, dancing and dancing, fainted and fell to the ground unconscious.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.144

nṛtyaphale gopālera mūrcchā:—
premāveśe nṛtya kari’ ha-ilā mūrcchite
acetana hañā teṅha paḍilā bhūmite

Translation: While dancing in ecstatic love, Śrī Gopāla fainted and fell to the ground unconscious.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.145

ācāryera vyastatā :—
āste-vyaste ācārya tāṅre kaila kole
śvāsa-rahita dekhi’ ācārya hailā vikale

Translation: When Śrī Gopāla fainted, Advaita Ācārya hastily took him upon His lap. Seeing that he was not breathing, He became very much agitated.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.146

advaitera nṛsiṃha-mantra-dvārā putrera caitanya-sampādana-ceṣṭā:—
nṛsiṁhera mantra paḍi’ māre jala-chāṅṭi
huṅkārera śabde brahmāṇḍa yāya phāṭi’

Translation: Advaita Ācārya and others began to chant the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁha and sprinkle water. The roaring of the chant was so great that it seemed to shake the entire universe.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Advaita Gosāi and the other devotees chanted the names of Narasiṁhadeva, it seemed to shake the entire universe. There was so much enthusiasm and so much concentration in bringing the boy back to consciousness.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 23

duḥkhita ha-ilā ācārya putra kole lañā
rakṣā kare nṛsiṁhera mantra paḍiyā

Translation: Advaita Ācārya Prabhu became very unhappy. Taking His son on His lap, He began to chant the Nṛsiṁha mantra for his protection.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.147

gopālera tathāpi cetanā-bhāva, ācāryādi bhaktagaṇera duḥkha:—
aneka karila, tabu nā haya cetana
ācārya kāndena, kānde saba bhakta-gaṇa

Translation: When the boy did not regain consciousness after some time, Advaita Ācārya and the other devotees began to cry.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 24

nānā mantra paḍena ācārya, nā haya cetana
ācāryera duḥkhe vaiṣṇava karena krandana

Translation: Advaita Ācārya chanted various mantras, but Gopāla did not come to consciousness. Thus, all the Vaiṣṇavas present cried in sorrow at His plight.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we saw how devotees are para-dukha-dukhī, para-sukha-sukhī. They are sad at another’s sadness and are happy at others' happiness, so they are demonstrating naturally devotee-care

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.148

śrī-caitanyera kṛpāya caitanya-lābha o bhaktagaṇera harṣa:—
tabe mahāprabhu tāṅra buke hasta dila
‘uṭhaha gopāla’ bali’ uccaiḥsvare kahila

Translation: Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu placed His hand on the chest of Śrī Gopāla and said loudly, “Gopāla, stand up.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 25

tabe mahāprabhu, tāṅra hṛde hasta dhari’
‘uṭhaha, gopāla,’ kaila bala ‘hari’ ’hari’

Translation: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu then put His hand on the chest of Gopāla and told him, “My dear Gopāla, get up and chant the holy name of the Lord!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 12. 26

uṭhila gopāla prabhura sparśa-dhvani śuni’
ānandita hañā sabe kare hari-dhvani

Translation: When he heard this sound and felt the touch of the Lord, Gopāla immediately got up, and all the Vaiṣṇavas chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in jubilation.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. Hari Bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.149

śunitei gopālera ha-ila cetana
‘hari’ bali’ nṛtya kare sarva-bhakta-gaṇa

Translation: As soon as Gopāla heard the voice of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he immediately came to his senses. All the devotees then began to dance, chanting the holy name of Hari.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol! Hari Bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.150

ṭhākura vṛndāvana-dāsa karttṛka ei līlā varṇita:—
ei līlā varṇiyāchena dāsa vṛndāvana
ataeva saṅkṣepa kari’ kariluṅ varṇana

Translation: This incident has been described in detail by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. Therefore, I have described it only in brief.

Purport: This is a matter of etiquette. If a previous ācārya has already written about something, there is no need to repeat it for personal sense gratification or to outdo the previous ācārya. Unless there is some definite improvement, one should not repeat.

(Note: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that this is not described in Caitanya-Bhāgavata)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, maybe we don’t have the original copy of the Caitanya-bhāgavata, somehow even in the version of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had it has not being explained, so all we have is this short version. So, we understand that there is more which could have been described but Kṛṣṇa dāsa Kavirāja thought that it was already described by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura so he only wrote the short versions. So we are deprived of the longer version. Somehow when Lord Caitanya touched the heart of Gopāla, He told him to stand up and chant Hari! Hari! He immediately came to his consciousnes and chanted Hari! Hari! Haribol! So, this gave all the assembled vaiṣṇavas great joy and show the transcendental potency of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Fainting of Śrī Gopāla, the son of Advaita Ācārya.