20210426 Phalaśruti - The Result of Hearing About the Meeting of Mahārāja Pratāparudra with Lord Caitanya Part 1

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 26th April 2021 in Śrīdhāma 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, the chapter Phalaśruti - The Result of Hearing About the Meeting of Mahārāja Pratāparudra with Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.1

‘herā-pañcamī’-darśane nṛtyakārī gaurasundara:—
gauraḥ paśyann ātma-vṛndaiḥ
śrī-lakṣmī-vijayotsavam
śrutvā gopī-rasollāsaṁ
hṛṣṭaḥ premṇā nanarta saḥ

Translation: Accompanied by His personal devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the festival known as Lakṣmī-vijayotsava. There He discussed the superexcellent love of the gopīs. Just by hearing about them, He became very pleased and danced in great ecstatic love for the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.4

prabhura viśrāmakāle rājāra praveśa:—
ei-mata prabhu āchena premera āveśe
hena-kāle pratāparudra karila praveśe

Translation: While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was resting in ecstatic love, Mahārāja Pratāparudra entered the garden.

Jayapatākā Swami: Seems like herā-pañcamī’ is on the pañcamī, five days after the Ratha reaches Guṇḍicā. This seems to be the last stop at viprā sasana, where everyone is offering the bhoga and Lord Caitanya went to the flower garden and rested and Pratāparudra Mahārāja entered the same garden.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.187

daive eka-dina prabhu puṣpera udyāne
vasiyā āchena kata pāriṣada-sane

Jayapatākā Swami: By the arrangement of providence, the Lord was one day sitting in a flower garden in the company of His associates.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.5

dīna-vaiṣṇavaveśe sarva-vaiṣṇavera ājñā laiyā nimīlitanetra prabhura pāda-sambāhana:—
sārvabhauma-upadeśe chāḍi’ rāja-veśa
ekalā vaiṣṇava-veśe karila praveśa

Translation: Following Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s instructions, the King had given up his royal dress. He now entered the garden in the dress of a Vaiṣṇava.

Purport: Sometimes members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness — especially in the Western countries — find it difficult to approach people to distribute books because people are unfamiliar with the traditional saffron robes of the devotees. The devotees have therefore inquired whether they can wear European and American dress before the general public. From the instructions given to King Pratāparudra by Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, we can understand that we may change our dress in any way to facilitate our service. When our members change their dress to meet the public or to introduce our books, they are not breaking the devotional principles. The real principle is to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and if one has to change into regular Western dress for this purpose, there should be no objection.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda is keeping the principle of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness and he is adjusting the details of which dress to wear and which dress is more beneficial for distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is allowing that.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.188

ekadina puspodyāne upaviṣṭa sapārṣada prabhura caraṇe rājāra sāṣṭāṅga-praṇati o sāttvika vikāra-saha ānanda-mūrchā—

ekākī pratāparudra giyā sei sthāne
dīrgha hai’ paḍilena prabhura caraṇe

Jayapatākā Swami: Pratāparudra went there alone and fell flat at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.6

saba-bhaktera ājñā nila yoḍa-hāta hañā
prabhu-pada dhari’ paḍe sāhasa kariyā

Translation: Mahārāja Pratāparudra was so humble that with folded hands he first took permission from all the devotees. Then, with great courage, he fell down and touched the lotus feet of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this shows how Mahārāja Pratāparudra went dressed as a Vaiṣṇava and begged permission of the devotees to massage the Lotus feet of the Lord

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.7

āṅkhi mudi’ prabhu preme bhūmite śayāna
nṛpati naipuṇye kare pāda-saṁvāhana

Translation: As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu lay on the raised platform with His eyes closed in ecstatic love and emotion, the King very expertly began to massage His legs.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.8

rājāra gopīgītā pāṭha:—
rāsa-līlāra śloka paḍi’ karena stavana
“jayati te ’dhikaṁ” adhyāya karena paṭhana

Translation: The King began to recite verses about the rāsa-līlā from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He recited the chapter beginning with the words “jayati te ’dhikam.”

Purport: These verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Ten, chapter thirty-one, constitute what is known as the Gopī-gīta.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, while King Pratāparudra dressed as a Vaiṣṇava massaged Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet, he recited the Gopī-gīta.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.9

prabhura santoṣa o śunite āgraha:—
śunite śunite prabhura santoṣa apāra
‘bala, bala’ bali’ prabhu bale bāra bāra

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these verses, He was pleased beyond limits, and He said again and again, “Go on reciting, go on reciting.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya appreciated the verses very much, lying down He encouraged King Pratāparudra who was dressed as a Vaiṣṇava, “Go on! Go on!”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.10

premāviṣṭa prabhura rājāke āliṅgana:—
“tava kathāmṛtaṁ” śloka rājā ye paḍila
uṭhi’ premāveśe prabhu āliṅgana kaila

Translation: As soon as the King recited the verse beginning with the words “tava kathāmṛtam,” the Lord arose in ecstatic love and embraced him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.11

āpanāke pracura lābhavān-jñāne rājāke kṛtajñatā:—
tumi more dile bahu amūlya ratana
mora kichu dite nāhi, diluṅ āliṅgana

Translation: Upon hearing the verse recited by the King, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You have given Me invaluable gems, but I have nothing to give you in return. Therefore, I am simply embracing you.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya didn’t say that He recognized the King, he just said that, “you have given Me priceless gems, by having sung the verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I having nothing to repay you, I can only give you an embrace” and embraced

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.12

ubhayera aśru o kampa:—
eta bali’ sei śloka paḍe bāra bāra
dui-janāra aṅge kampa, netre jala-dhāra

Translation: After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to recite the same verse again and again. Both the King and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were trembling, and tears were flowing from their eyes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, having been embraced by Lord Caitanya, the king was also in ecstatic love. Lord Caitanya repeating the verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was in ecstatic love and tears were flowing from both of Their eyes.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.13

bhagavat-kathāmṛta-vitaraṇakārīi sarvaśreṣṭha dātā:—
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.31.9)—
tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad-ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūridā janāḥ

Translation: “‘My Lord, the nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those who are always aggrieved in this material world. These narrations are transmitted by exalted personalities, and they eradicate all sinful reactions. Whoever hears these narrations attains all good fortune. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Those who spread the message of Godhead are certainly the most munificent welfare workers.’”

Purport: This verse is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.31.9.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this verse glorifies the Lord’s narrations and those who narrate the glories of the Lord.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.189

aśru-kampa-pulake rājāra anta nāñi
ānande mūrcchita hailena sei ṭhāṅi

Jayapatākā Swami: Crying, trembling, and his hairs standing on end, the King’s ecstatic symptoms knew no end. Filled with transcendental ecstasy fainted at that place.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.190

prema-bhaktira lakṣaṇa-darśane prabhura bājāra aṅge śrīhasta-pradāna o utthānārtha ādeśa—
viṣṇu-bhakti-cihna prabhu dekhiyā rājāra
“uṭha” bali’ śrī-hasta dilena aṅge tāṅra

Jayapatākā Swami: When Lord Caitanya saw the symptoms of pure devotional service to Viṣṇu on the body of the King, He said, “rise! And put His lotus hands on the body of the King.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.14

ajñātasāre rājāke āliṅgana:—
‘bhūridā’ ‘bhūridā’ bali’ kare āliṅgana
iṅho nāhi jāne,—ihoṅ haya kon jana

Translation: After reciting this verse, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced the King and cried, “You are the most munificent! You are the most munificent!” At this point Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not know who the King was.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya said, “I don’t know who you are!” You are the most munificent, and therefore He embraced him. In this way the King got the mercy but he didn’t display who he was.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.15

rājāra pūrva-sevā-darśane prabhura kṛpā:—
pūrva-sevā dekhi’ tāṅre kṛpā upajila
anusandhāna vinā kṛpā-prasāda karila

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy was aroused because of the King’s previous service. Therefore, without even asking who he was, the Lord immediately bestowed His mercy upon him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, it is not that Lord Caitanya did not know, who he was, but He was satisfied that the King had done various devotional services to the lotus feet of Lord Jagannātha and His devotees.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.16

caitanya-kṛpāya adhikāra-vicāra vā hetu nāi:—
ei dekha,—caitanyera kṛpā-mahābala
tāra anusandhāna vinā karāya saphala

Translation: How powerful is the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! Without even inquiring about the King, the Lord made everything successful.

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy is so powerful that it acts automatically. If a person renders loving service to Kṛṣṇa, it never goes in vain. It is recorded in a spiritual account, and in due time it will fructify. This is confirmed by the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40):

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has particularly bestowed upon all fallen souls in this age the most potent method of devotional service — saṅkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy name — and whoever takes to it through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is immediately elevated to the transcendental position. As Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32) recommends, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ.

A student of Kṛṣṇa consciousness must receive Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy; then his devotional service will quickly succeed. This was the case with King Pratāparudra. One has to be noticed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and a little service with sincere efforts will convince the Lord that one is a proper candidate for returning home, back to Godhead. At first Mahārāja Pratāparudra did not have a chance to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but when the Lord saw that the King was serving Lord Jagannātha as a menial sweeper, the Lord’s mercy upon the King became a solid fact. When Mahārāja Pratāparudra, in the dress of a Vaiṣṇava, was serving the Lord, the Lord did not even inquire who he was. Rather, He had compassion upon him and embraced him.

Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī wants to point out that nothing could compare to the Lord’s mercy toward Mahārāja Pratāparudra; therefore he uses the word dekha (“just see”) and caitanyera kṛpā-mahābala (“how powerful is the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu”). This is also confirmed by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī: yat-kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhava-vatām (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). Even a little of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy serves as a great asset for spiritual advancement. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be spread through the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When Rūpa Gosvāmī experienced the mercy and magnanimity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he said:

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, who is more magnanimous than any other avatāra, even Kṛṣṇa Himself, because He is bestowing freely what no one else has ever given — pure love of Kṛṣṇa.” Śrīla Locana dāsa Ṭhākura has also sung, parama karuṇa, pahuṅ dui jana, nitāi-gauracandra: “The two brothers Nitāi and Gaura are so kind that no one can compare to Them.” Similarly, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung:

“Just to deliver all the sinful persons of this age by propagating the chanting of the holy name, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma have advented as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu. Jagāi and Mādhāi are evidence of Their success.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s special mission is the deliverance of all fallen souls in Kali-yuga. Devotees of Kṛṣṇa must persistently seek the favor and mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to become fit to return home, back to Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, anyone who engages in the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya is eligible to receive this divine mercy of the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.17

premāveśe rājāke paricaya-jijñāsā:—
prabhu bale,—ke tumi, karilā mora hita?
ācambite āsi’ piyāo kṛṣṇa-līlāmṛta?

Translation: Finally, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Who are you? You have done so much for Me. All of a sudden you have come here and made Me drink the nectar of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 14.18

rājāra ‘kṛṣṇa-dāsānudāsa’ baliyā svīya paricaya dāna:—
rājā kahe,—āmi tomāra dāsera anudāsa
bhṛtyera bhṛtya kara,-ei mora āśa

Translation: The King replied, “My Lord, I am the most obedient servant of Your servants. It is my ambition that You will accept me as the servant of Your servants.”

Purport: The greatest achievement for a devotee is to become a servant of the servants of the Lord. Actually, no one should desire to become the direct servant of the Lord. That is not a very good idea. When Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered a benediction by Nṛsiṁhadeva, Prahlāda rejected all kinds of material benedictions, but he prayed to become the servant of the servants of the Lord. When Dhruva Mahārāja was offered a benediction by Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods, Dhruva could have asked for unlimited material opulence, but he simply asked for the benediction of becoming the servant of the servants of the Lord. Kholāvecā Śrīdhara was a very poor man, but when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to give him a benediction, he also prayed to the Lord to be allowed to remain a servant of the servants of the Lord. The conclusion is that being the servant of the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the highest benediction one can desire.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is a very important instruction, that we should desire to be the servant of the servant of the Lord and this is the real success of life.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.191

rājāra prabhura śrī-caraṇa-dhāraṇa-pūrvaka krandana o kākuvāda—
śrī-hasta-paraśe rājā pāila cetana
prabhura caraṇa dhari’ karena krandana

Jayapatākā Swami: By the touch of the Lord’s lotus hand, the King regained consciousness. He grabbed the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and he cried in loving ecstasy.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.192

“trāhi trāhi kṛpā-sindhu sarva-jīva-nātha!
muñi-pātakīre kara’ śubha-dṛṣṭi-pāta

Jayapatākā Swami: “Save me, save me, O ocean of mercy and the Lord of all living entities! Please have Your mercifully glance on me, I am a sinner."

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.193

trāhi trāhi svatantra-vihāri kṛpā-sindhu!
trāhi trāhi śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya dīna-bandhu!

Jayapatākā Swami: “Save me,“Save me, O supremely independent ocean of mercy! Save me, Save me, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, the friend of the fallen!"

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 5.194

trāhi trāhi sarva-deva-vandya ramā-kānta!
trāhi trāhi bhakta-jana-vallabha ekānta!

Jayapatākā Swami: “Save me, Save me, O worshipped by all the devas, the beloved of Lakṣmīdevī. Save me, Save me, O dear to the devotees of the Lord, You are the singularly most affectionate to His devotees!"