20210410 Lord Caitanya And the Devotees Partake Their Lunch Prasāda And Glorify the Transformation of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya (Part 2)

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on April 10th, 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!

Today's chapter is entitled as:

Lord Caitanya And the Devotees Partake Their Lunch Prasāda And Glorify the Transformation of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya

Continuation of the chapter, Part 2

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.169

jagadānandera prabhu-prītira nidarśana:—
jagadānanda beḍāya pariveśana karite
prabhura pāte bhāla-dravya dena ācambite

Translation: Jagadānanda went to distribute prasāda, and suddenly he placed all the first-class preparations on the plate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya had requested to give Him all simple vegetables but here it says that they also gave all very rich preparations, first class cakes and different kinds of preparations.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.170

prabhu nā cāhileo prabhuke uttama bhoga diyā santoṣa:—
yadyapi dile prabhu tāṅre karena roṣa
bale-chale tabu dena, dile se santoṣa

Translation: When such nice prasādam was put on the plate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord was outwardly very angry. Nonetheless, when the preparations were placed on His plate sometimes by tricks and sometimes by force, the Lord was satisfied.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, although the Lord was acting as a sannyāsī, and He was saying, He want to be very austere, “just give Him simple rice and sabjīs but by trick or force somehow or other they gave Him all the luxurious prasāda, and outwardly He appeared angry but inwardly, understanding the mood of service of the devotees He was satisfied.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.171

jagadānandera mānera bhaye prabhura kiñcit kiñcit grahaṇa:—
punarapi sei dravya kare nirīkṣaṇa
tāṅra bhaye prabhu kichu karena bhakṣaṇa

Translation: When the food was thus delivered, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu looked at it for some time. Being afraid of Jagadānanda, He finally ate something.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if the Lord would not take prasāda, His devotees like Jagadānanda would be angry with Him and finally He had something

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.172

nā khāile jagadānanda karibe upavāsa
tāṅra āge kichu khā’na—mane ai trāsa

Translation: The Lord knew that if He did not eat the food offered by Jagadānanda, Jagadānanda would certainly fast. Being afraid of this, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate some of the prasāda he offered.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these are important līlās to remember, how can we understand a little bit about the personality of the Supreme Person, how He doesn’t want to upset His devotees. Jagadānada Paṇḍita is the incarnation of Satyabhāmā and if Lord Caitanya would not eat the prasāda that Jagadānada gave, then Jagadānada would certainly fast and be very upset. So therefore Lord Caitanya ate something.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.173

svarūpa-karttṛka prabhuke miṣṭa-prasāda-pariveśana:—
svarūpa-gosāñi bhāla miṣṭa-prasāda lañā
prabhuke nivedana kare āge dāṇḍāñā

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī then brought some excellent sweetmeats and, standing before the Lord, offered them to Him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.174

ei mahā-prasāda alpa karaha āsvādana
dekha, jagannātha kaiche karyāchena bhojana

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī then said, “Just take a little of this mahā-prasāda, and see how it is that Lord Jagannātha has accepted it.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.175

prabhu-karttṛka svarūpera vāñchā-pūraṇa:—
eta bali’ āge kichu kare samarpaṇa
tāṅra snehe prabhu kichu karena bhojana

Translation: Upon saying this, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī placed some food before the Lord, and the Lord, out of affection, ate it.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord is known as ajita He is unconquerable, yet He is conquered by love, so Svarūpa Dāmodara prabhu is saying these sweet words and gave little mahā-prasāda to the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.176

svarūpa o jagadānandera vicitra-premavaśa prabhu:—
ei mata dui-jana kare bāra-bāra
vicitra ei dui bhaktera sneha-vyavahāra

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara and Jagadānanda again and again offered the Lord some food. Thus, they behaved affectionately with the Lord. This was very, very uncommon.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, how they were, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita were so affectionate to the Lord, the exchange they had serving Him the mahā-prasāda of Lord Jagannātha was certainly very uncommon.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.177

ubhayera prabhu-prīti-darśane sārvabhaumera hāsya:—
sārvabhaume prabhu vasāñāchena vāma-pāśe
dui bhaktera sneha dekhi’ sārvabhauma hāse

Translation: The Lord made Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya sit on His left side, and when Sārvabhauma saw the behavior of Svarūpa Dāmodara and Jagadānanda, he smiled.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was enjoying the loving exchanges between the Svarūpa Dāmodara and Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.178

sārvabhaumera prati prabhura sneha:—
sārvabhaume deyāna prabhu prasāda uttama
sneha kari’ bāra-bāra karāna bhojana

Translation: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also wanted to offer Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya first-class food; therefore, out of affection, He had the servers put first-class food on his plate again and again.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Svarūpa Dāmodara and Jagadānada Paṇḍita wanted to serve Lord Caitanya first class prasāda, but Lord Caitanya wanted to serve Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. So He told them to give him also the first class prasāda.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.179

prabhu-ājñāya gopīnāthera bhaṭṭake uttama-prasāda-dāna:—
gopīnāthācārya uttama mahā-prasāda āni’
sārvabhaume diyā kahe sumadhura vāṇī

Translation: Gopīnātha Ācārya also brought first-class food and offered it to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya while speaking sweet words.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.180

sārvabhaumera pūrva o varttamāna ācaraṇera tulanā:—
kāhāṅ bhaṭṭācāryera pūrva jaḍa-vyavahāra
kāhāṅ ei paramānanda,-karaha vicāra

Translation: After serving the Bhaṭṭācārya with first-class prasāda, Gopīnātha Ācārya said, “Just consider what the Bhaṭṭācārya’s previous mundane behavior was! Just consider how at present he is enjoying transcendental bliss!”

Haribol!

Purport: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was previously a smārta-brāhmaṇa — that is, one who strictly follows the Vedic principles on the mundane platform. On the mundane platform one cannot believe that prasāda is transcendental, that Govinda is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or that a Vaiṣṇava is a liberated person. These transcendental considerations are out of the ordinary Vedic scholar’s jurisdiction. Most Vedic scholars are called Vedāntists. These so-called followers of Vedānta philosophy consider the Absolute Truth to be impersonal. They also believe that a person born in a particular caste cannot change his caste until he dies and takes rebirth. The smārta-brāhmaṇas also reject the fact that mahā-prasāda (food offered to the Deity) is transcendental and materially uncontaminated. Originally, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was subjected to all the rules and regulations of the Vedic principles on the mundane platform. Now Gopīnātha Ācārya pointed out how Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had been converted by the causeless mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Being converted, Sārvabhauma partook of prasāda with the Vaiṣṇavas. Indeed, he sat by the side of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was enjoying transcendental bliss, being with the Vaiṣṇavas and taking Kṛṣṇa prasāda. So, some people are on this mundane platform of following the Vedic principles and the vaiṣṇavas believe that one can be delivered by taking the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotees. Even if they are sinful, they can become great spiritual masters by the mercy of the Lord or His pure devotees. So somehow Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he was transformed and now he is enjoying transcendental bliss by the mercy of Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.181

bhaṭṭācāryera dainya o gopīnāthake kṛtajñatā-jñāpana:—
sārvabhauma kahe,—āmi tarkika kubuddhi
tomāra prasāde mora e sampat-siddhi

Translation: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied to Gopīnātha Ācārya, “I was simply a less intelligent logician. But by your grace I have received this opulence of perfection.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.182

prabhura ahaitukī kṛpā-mahimā varṇana:—
mahāprabhu vinā keha nāhi dayāmaya
kākere garuḍa kare,—aiche kon haya

Translation: “But for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,” Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya continued, “who is so merciful? He has converted a crow into a Garuḍa. Who could be so merciful?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was the most expert logician but then by the association of Lord Caitanya, he realized that pure bhakti is much greater than logic. So he became converted to a pure devotee by the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.183

svīya pūrva o varttamāna avasthāra samālocanā:—
tārkika-śṛgāla-saṅge bheu-bheu kari
sei mukhe ebe sadā kahi ’kṛṣṇa’ ’hari’

Translation: “In the association of the jackals known as logicians, I simply continued to bark a resounding ‘bheu bheu.’ Now, from the same mouth I am chanting the holy names ‘Kṛṣṇa’ and ‘Hari.’

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in the night time jackals cry out and other jackals return their cries, so Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya is comparing his activities as a logician like the barking of the jackals, but now with same mouth he is chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and Hari Bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.184

kāhāṅ bahirmukha tārkika-śiṣyagaṇa-saṅge
kāhāṅ ei saṅga-sudhā-samudra-taraṅge

Translation: “Whereas I once associated with the disciples of logic, all nondevotees, I am now merged in the waves of the nectarean ocean of the association of devotees.”

Haribol!

Purport: As Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains, the word bahirmukha refers to a person who is very busy tasting material enjoyment. Such a person always poses himself as an enjoyer of the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Being attracted by external opulence, the nondevotee always forgets his intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Such a person does not like the idea of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is explained by Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāja in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.30-31):

Materialists who are overly attracted to the material body, material world and material enjoyment, who cannot control their material senses, are carried to the darkest regions of material existence. Such people cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious, either by themselves or by congregational effort. Such people do not understand that the goal of life for a human being is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. A human life is especially meant for this purpose, and one has to go through all kinds of penances and austerities and set aside the propensity for sense gratification. Materialists always remain blind because they are always guided by blind rascals. A materialistic person considers himself free to act as he likes. He does not know that he is rigidly controlled by the stringent laws of nature, nor does he know that he has to transmigrate from one body to another and perpetually rot in material existence. Such rascals and foolish people are lured by the prayers of their foolish leaders for sense gratification, and they cannot understand what is meant by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The material world exists outside the spiritual sky, and a foolish materialist cannot estimate the extent of this material sky. What, then, can he know of the spiritual sky? Materialists simply believe their imperfect senses and do not take instructions from the revealed scriptures. According to Vedic civilization, one has to see through the authority of the revealed scriptures. Śāstra-cakṣuḥ: one should see everything through the medium of the Vedic literature. In this way, one can distinguish between the spiritual world and material world. Those who ignore such instructions cannot be convinced of the existence of the spiritual world. Because they have forgotten their spiritual identity, such materialists take this material world as the all in all. They are therefore called bahirmukha.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, people who are very attached to the material world, they think that material world is the source of happiness, so they may be absorbed in ecology or some aspect of the material goodness. But they miss the opportunity to actually develop their forgotten relationship with Kṛṣṇa. So looking away from Kṛṣṇa, therefore they are called bahirmukha.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.185

sārvabhaumake mānada prabhura praśaṃsā:—
prabhu kahe,—pūrve siddha kṛṣṇe tomāra prīti
tomā-saṅge āmā-sabāra haila kṛṣṇe mati

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “From your previous birth you have been in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus, you love Kṛṣṇa so much that simply by your association we are all developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is glorifying Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.186

bhaktaguṇa-kīrtane bhagavān śrī-caitanya-advitīya:—
bhakta-mahimā bāḍāite, bhakte sukha dite
mahāprabhu vinā anya nāhi trijagate

Translation: Thus, there is no one within these three worlds — save for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu — who is always so willing to increase the glories of the devotees and give them satisfaction.

Purport: In this regard, one should consult the discussion between Kapiladeva and Devahūti on the subject matter of devotional service. This is found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the devotee is eager to always serve and satisfy the Lord. So, Lord Caitanya, He is eager to reciprocate with His devotees and He wants to serve them and satisfy them, even though they don’t want it.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 12.187

sakala bhaktake prasāda dāna:—
tabe prabhu pratyeke, saba bhaktera nāma lañā
piṭhā-pānā deoyāila prasāda kariyā

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then took all the remnants of food offered to Jagannātha, such as cakes and sweet rice, and distributed them to all the other devotees, calling them individually.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, although He didn’t want the opulent prasāda, but it was served to Him by Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Svarūpa Dāmodara, so He took little bit and made them mahā-prasāda, and now He called individual devotees and gave them some remnants. So this was His special mercy. Who of you would like the remnants of Lord Caitanya? Haribol!

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Lord Caitanya And the Devotees Partake Their Lunch Prasāda And Glorify the Transformation of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. Part-2