20210512 Bidding Farewell to All the Devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Extols the Love of His Mother Śacīdevī

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 12th,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! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Today's chapter is entitled as:

Bidding Farewell to All the Devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Extols the Love of His Mother Śacīdevī
Under the Section: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 9.88

śrīman-mahāprabhura bāsāya pratyāvartana—

advaita-siṁhera kari’ pūrṇa manas-kāma
vāsāya calilāśrī-caitanya-bhagavān

Jayapatākā Swami: The lion-like Advaita Ācārya, whose desires was fully satisfied, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead returned to His residence.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 9.89

bhakta-vāñchā-pūrṇakārī bhagavān gaurahari—

ei mata śrīvāsādi-bhaktagaṇa-ghare
bhikṣā kari sabārei pūrṇakāma kare

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way Lord Caitanya took His meals in the houses of Śrīvāsa and other devotees and thereby fulfilled their desires.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 9.90

anukṣaṇa bhakta-goṣṭhī-saha saṅkīrtana-nṛtya—

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He would gather all His devotees and constantly engage in saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting of the holy names. He would personally dance and induce others to dance at all the time.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.32

vijayā-daśamī-tithite bhakta-gaṇake vānara-sainya sājāiyā
svaẏaṁ hanumat-līlābhinaya—

vijayā-daśamī—laṅkā-vijayera dine
vānara-sainya kailā prabhu lañā bhakta-gaṇe

Translation: On the day celebrating the conquest of Laṅkā — a day known as Vijayā-daśamī — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu dressed up all His devotees as monkey soldiers.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.33

hanumān-āveśe prabhu vṛkṣa-śākhā lañā
laṅkā-gaḍe caḍi’ phele gaḍa bhāṅgiyā

Translation: Displaying the emotions of Hanumān, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took up a large tree branch and, mounting the walls of the Laṅkā fort, began to dismantle it.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.34

rāvaṇa vadha-līlodyata prabhu–

‘kāhāṅre rāvṇā’ prabhu kahe krodhāveśe
‘jagan-mātā hare pāpī, mārimu savaṁśe’

Translation: In the ecstasy of Hanumān, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu angrily said, “Where is that rascal Rāvaṇa? He has kidnapped the universal mother, Sītā. Now I shall kill him and all his family.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was also engaging in a drama and He engaged all His devotees in the drama as well, and in this way He took the role of Hanumān and challenged Rāvaṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.35

lokera vismaya o jayadhvani:–

gosāñira āveśa dekhi’ loke camatkāra
sarva-loka ’jaya’ ’jaya’ bale bāra bāra

Translation: Everyone became very much astonished to see the emotional ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and everyone began to chant, “All glories! All glories!” again and again.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.36

kārtika-māsera vaiṣṇava-parabādi darśana

ei-mata rāsa-yātrā, āra dīpāvalī
utthāna-dvādaśī yātrā dekhilā sakali

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees participated in all the festivals, including Rāsa-yātrā, Dīpāvalī and Utthāna-dvādaśī.

Purport: The Dīpāvalī festival takes place on the dark-moon night in the month of Kārttika (October-November). The Rāsa-yātrā, or rāsa dancing of Kṛṣṇa, takes place on the full-moon night of the same month. Utthāna-dvādaśī takes place the day after Ekādaśī in the waxing fortnight of the moon in the same month. All the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu participated in all these festivals.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in ISKCON we also observe the same festivals, that was established by Śrīla Prabhupāda, during the month of Kārttika we offer lamps and it is special month for all the devotees in ISKCON.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.37

nitāisaha gopane parāmarśa:—

eka-dina mahāprabhu nityānande lañā
dui bhāi yukti kaila nibhṛte vasiyā

Translation: One day the two brothers, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, consulted with each other while sitting together in a solitary place.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.38

pare phaladvārā bhaktagaṇera kāraṇānumāna –

kibā yukti kaila duṅhe, keha nāhi jāne
phale anumāna pāche kaila bhakta-gaṇe

Translation: No one could understand what the brothers discussed between Themselves, but later all the devotees could guess what the subject matter was.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.39

samasta gauḍīya-bhaktake prativarṣe guṇḍicāya sākṣātkārajanya | upadeśa diyā vidāya dāna

tabe mahāprabhu saba bhakte bolāila
gauḍa-deśe yāha sabe vidāya karila

Translation: Thereafter, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called for all the devotees and asked them to return to Bengal. In this way, He bade farewell to them.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kārttika month is the last month of the rainy season. The ratha-yātrā is just before the beginning of caturmāsa, or the beginning of the rainy season. So, after this the Lord asked them all to return to Bengal and to preach the saṅkīrtana movement.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.40

sabāre kahila prabhu—pratyabda āsiyā
guṇḍicā dekhiyā yābe āmāre miliyā

Translation: Bidding farewell to all the devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested them to return to Jagannātha Purī every year to see Him and then see the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā temple.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.41

advaitake pracāre ādeśa –

ācāryere ājñā dila kariyā sammāna
‘ā-caṇḍāla ādi kṛṣṇa-bhakti dio dāna’

Translation: With great respect, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested Advaita Ācārya, “Give Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotion to Kṛṣṇa, even to the lowest of men [caṇḍālas].”

Purport: This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s order to all His devotees. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotion to Kṛṣṇa, is open to everyone, even low-class men like caṇḍālas. One should follow this order in the disciplic succession stemming from Śrī Advaita and Nityānanda Prabhu and distribute Kṛṣṇa consciousness without discrimination throughout the world.

There are different kinds of men, beginning with the brāhmaṇa and going down to the lowest platform, known as caṇḍāla. Whatever one’s position, everyone in this Age of Kali needs to be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the greatest need of the day. Everyone is acutely feeling the pangs of material existence. Even in the ranks and files of the American Senate, the pinpricks of material existence are felt, so much so that April 30, 1974, was actually set aside as Prayer Day. Thus everyone is feeling the resultant pinpricks of Kali-yuga brought about by human society’s indulging in illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Now is the time for the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to distribute kṛṣṇa-bhakti all over the world and thus follow the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord has ordered everyone to become a guru (Cc. Madhya 7.128):

āmāra ājnāya guru hanā tāra’ ei deśa

Everyone in every town and village should be enlightened by the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be distributed to everyone indiscriminately. In this way, the entire world will be peaceful and happy, and everyone will glorify Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as He desires.

The word caṇḍāla actually refers to a dog-eater, who is considered the lowest of men. Even caṇḍālas can be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness due to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s benedictions. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is not the monopoly of a certain caste. Everyone is eligible to receive this great benediction given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone should be given a chance to receive it and be happy.

The word dāna, meaning “charity,” is also significant in this verse. Whoever engages in the distribution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a charitable person. Professional men recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and discuss kṛṣṇa-bhakti for an exchange of money. They cannot distribute such exalted transcendental property to everyone and anyone. Only pure devotees, who have no motive other than serving Kṛṣṇa, can give such transcendentally valuable benedictions out of charity.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, today in the year 2021 we are going through a pandemic and people are experiencing a tormentous situation. At this time it is important to give them Kṛṣṇa bhakti-dāna, giving them the charity of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so they understand that this material world is not the place for them to stay permanently, they should go back to the spiritual world, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.42

nitāike pracāre ādeśa –

nityānande ājñā dila,—’yāha gauḍa-deśe
anargala prema-bhakti kariha prakāśe

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Nityānanda Prabhu, “Go to Bengal and, without restriction, manifest devotional service to the Lord, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus ordered Nityānanda Prabhu to deliver all the Bengalis to devotional service. In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) the Lord says:

“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants], and śūdras [workers] — can attain the supreme destination.” Whoever takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and follows the regulative principles can return home, back to Godhead.

In his Anubhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes, “There is a class of so-called devotees called prākṛta-sahajiyās who think that Nityānanda Prabhu is an ordinary human being. They have spread the news that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Nityānanda Prabhu to return to Bengal from Orissa just to marry and beget children. This is certainly a great offense against Nityānanda Prabhu.”

Such an offense is called pāṣaṇḍa-buddhi, or an atheistic remark. Offenders consider Nityānanda Prabhu to be like one of them, an ordinary human being. They do not know of Nityānanda Prabhu’s identity with the viṣṇu-tattva. Thinking Nityānanda Prabhu to be an ordinary human being is the business of mental speculators known as kuṇapātma-vādīs. These people accept the material body, which is a bag of three material elements (kuṇape tri-dhātuke), as themselves. They think that Nityānanda Prabhu’s body was similarly material and that it was meant for sense gratification. Whoever thinks in this way is a candidate for the darkest regions of hell. Those who hanker after women and money, who are self-interested and have the mentality of merchants, can certainly discover many things with their fertile brains and speak against the authorized revealed scriptures. They also engage in some moneymaking businesses to cheat innocent people, and they try to support their business programs by making such offensive statements. Actually, Nityānanda Prabhu, being the expansion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is the most munificent incarnation. No one should consider Him an ordinary human being or an entity like the prajāpatis, who were ordered by Brahmā to increase generations. Nityānanda Prabhu should not be considered instrumental for sense gratification. Although professional so-called preachers support this idea, such statements are not found in any authorized revealed scriptures. Actually, there is no support for these statements made by sahajiyās or other professional distributors of kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.43

nitāiyera pracāra-saṅgī–abhirāma o dāsa-gadādhara

rāma-dāsa, gadādhara ādi kata jane
tomāra sahāya lāgi’ dilu tomāra sane

Translation: Nityānanda Prabhu was given assistants like Rāmadāsa, Gadādhara dāsa and several others. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I give them to You to assist You.  

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmadāsa is Abhirāma dāsa and Gadādhara dāsa is different from Gadādhara Paṇḍita. He is also an expansion of Rādhārāṇī but in a different aspect. So, like this Miniketarāma dāsa and many other were sent with Lord Nityānanda, so they would help as a team in Bengal.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.44

adṛśya thākiyā gauḍe nitāira nṛtya-darśanāṅgīkāra—

madhye madhye āmi tomāra nikaṭa yāiba
alakṣite rahi’ tomāra nṛtya dekhiba’

Translation: “I shall also go to see You at intervals. Keeping Myself invisible, I shall watch You dance.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Wow!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.45

śrīvāsāṅgane nitya nṛtyāṅgīkāra —

śrīvāsa-paṇḍite prabhu kari’ āliṅgana
kaṇṭhe dhari’ kahe tāṅre madhura vacana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then embraced Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita and, with His arm about his neck, began to speak to him in sweet words.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.46

tomāra ghare kīrtane āmi nitya nāciba
tumi dekhā pābe, āra keha nā dekhiba

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, “Perform congregational chanting daily, and be assured that I shall also dance in your presence. You will be able to see this dancing, but not others.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is giving His blessings to all the devotees from Bengal and He was showing them, that He would participate in the saṅkīrtana

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.47

mātṛvatsala prabhura mātāke sāntvanārthe śrīvāsa-haste vastrakhaṇḍa-dāna o mātṛtyāgahetu aparādha-kṣamā prārthanā

ei vastra mātāke diha’, ei saba prasāda
daṇḍavat kari’ āmāra kṣamāiha aparādha

Translation: “Take this prasādam of Lord Jagannātha’s and this cloth and deliver them to My mother, Śacīdevī. After offering her obeisances, please request her to excuse My offenses.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya would reciprocate with the love of each devotee. So, mother Śacī also had great love for Lord Caitanya and he is reciprocating with her love.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.48

vātsalya-rasa-virodhī sannyāsa-veṣa-grahaṇa-hetu āpanāke dhikkāra-pradāna

tāṅra sevā chāḍi’ āmi kariyāchi sannyāsa
dharma nahe, kari āmi nija dharma-nāśa

Translation: “I have given up the service of My mother and have accepted the sannyāsa order. Actually I should not have done this, for by so doing I have destroyed My religious principles.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was taking a very humble situation and He wanted to pacify His mother who was feeling very distress that He had left.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.49

tāṅra prema-vaśa āmi, tāṅra sevā—dharma
tāhā chāḍi’ kariyāchi vātulera karma

Translation: “I am subordinate to the love of My mother, and it is My duty to serve her in return. Instead of doing so, I have accepted the renounced order. Certainly, this is the act of a madman.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.50

vātula bālakera mātā nāhi laya doṣa
ei jāni’ mātā more nā karaya roṣa

Translation: “A mother is not offended by her mad son, and knowing this, My mother is not offended by Me.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is very grateful for all the loving affection that Mother Śacī had given Him. So, to pacify Her He is sending these words.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.51

ki kāya sannyāse mora, prema nija-dhana
ye-kāle sannyāsa kailuṅ, channa haila mana

Translation: “I had no business in accepting the renounced order and sacrificing My love for My mother, which is My real property. Actually I was in a crazy state of mind when I accepted sannyāsa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.52

adyāvadhi māyāpure madhye madhye śacī-darśane āgamanāṅgīkāra —

nīlācale āchoṅ muñi tāṅhāra ājñāte
madhye madhye āsimu tāṅra caraṇa dekhite

Translation: “I am staying here at Jagannātha Purī, Nīlācala, to comply with her orders. But at intervals I go see her lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Mother Śacī had requested Lord Caitanya to base Himslef in Nīlācala rather than Vṛndāvana. Because Vṛndāvana being over thousand kilometers away it would be very difficult to get any information. But Jagannātha Purī being 500 kilometers away, there were many devotees going to Jagannātha Purī, she would get some information. So, she requested Him to base in Jagannātha Purī. So He is saying that I am staying here, because of My mother's order.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.53

pūrve nityai śacīsaha sākṣātkāra, kintu prabhura māyāprabhāve śacīra saṁśaya —

nitya yāi’ dekhi muñi tāṅhāra caraṇe
sphūrti-jñāne teṅho tāhā satya nāhi māne

Translation: “Indeed, I go there daily to see her lotus feet. She is able to feel My presence, although she does not believe it to be true.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.54-55

śacīra viśvāsa-utpādanārtha eka divasera ghaṭanā varṇanaḥ—

eka-dina śāly-anna, vyañjana pāṅca-sāta
śāka, mocā-ghaṇṭa, bhṛṣṭa-paṭola-nimba-pāta

lembu-ādā-khaṇḍa, dadhi, dugdha, khaṇḍa-sāra
śālagrāme samarpilena bahu upahāra

Translation: “One day My mother, Śacī, offered food to Śālagrāma Viṣṇu. She offered rice cooked from śāli paddies, various kinds of vegetables, spinach, curry made of banana flowers, fried paṭola with nimba leaves, pieces of ginger with lemon, and also yogurt, milk, sugar candy and many other foods.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these preparations can be offered to Lord Caitanya on Gaura Pūrṇimā. So, devotees should learn how to cook these items, which are the favorite of Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.56

prasāda lañā kole karena krandana
nimāira priya mora—e-saba vyañjana

Translation: “Taking the food upon her lap, Mother was crying to think that all that food was very dear to her Nimāi.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya would visit His mother but remain invisible to her. So He was describing the food she had cooked, so that she could be convinced that He actually came.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.57

nimāñi nāhika ethā, ke kare bhojana
mora dhyāne aśru-jale bharila nayana

Translation: “My mother was thinking, ‘Nimāi is not here. Who will accept all this food?’ As she meditated upon Me in this way, her eyes filled with tears.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.58

śīghra yāi’ muñi saba karinu bhakṣaṇa
śūnya-pātra dekhi’ aśru kariyā mārjana

Translation: “While she was thus thinking and crying, I immediately went there with great haste and ate everything. Seeing the dish empty, she wiped her tears away.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya He went there and ate all the offerings cooked by Mother Śacī. So, Lord Gaurāṅga was reciprocating the love of His mother Śacī,

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.59

‘ke anna-vyañjana khāila, śūnya kene pāta?
bālagopāla kibā khāila saba bhāta?

Translation: “She then began to wonder who had eaten all that food. ‘Why is the plate empty?’ she wondered, doubting that Bāla-gopāla had eaten it all.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.60

kibā mora kathāya mane bhrama hañā gela!
kibā kona jantu āsi’ sakala khāila?

Translation: “She began to wonder whether there had actually been anything on the plate in the first place. Then again she thought that some animal might have come and eaten everything.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.61

kibā āmi anna-pātre bhrame nā bāḍila!’
eta cinti’ pāka-pātra yāñā dekhila

Translation: “She thought, ‘Perhaps by mistake I did not put any food on the plate.’ So thinking, she went into the kitchen and saw the pots.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.62

anna-vyañjana-pūrṇa dekhi’ sakala bhājane
dekhiyā saṁśaya haila kichu camatkāra mane

Translation: “When she saw that all the pots were still filled with rice and vegetables, there was some doubt in her mind, and she was astonished.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, just like Mother Yaśoda open the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, when Balarāma accused Him of eating dirt and He said, “No! I didn’t do it”, then she said, “open your mouth let me see it” and she saw all the universes and within the universe she saw the earth and within the earth she saw Vṛndāvana and she was seeing Gopāla with His mouth open and she was looking at Him. So like that Kṛṣṇa played some tricks with Mother Śacī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.63

īśāne bolāñā punaḥ sthāna lepāila
punarapi gopālake anna samarpila

Translation: “Thus wondering, she called Īśāna, the servant, and had the place cleaned again. She then offered another plate to Gopāla.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.64

ei-mata yabe karena uttama randhana
more khāoyāite kare utkaṇṭhāya rodana

Translation: “Now whenever she prepares some good cooked food and wants to feed it to Me, she cries in great anxiety.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.65

tāṅra preme āni’ āmāya karāya bhojane
antare mānaye sukha, bāhye nāhi māne

Translation: “Being obliged by her love, I am brought there to eat. Mother knows all these things internally and feels happiness, but externally she does not accept them.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is doing these miracles being bought by the love of Mother Śacī.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.66

vigata vijayā daśamīteo airūpa mātṛpācita anna-bhojana —

ei vijayā-daśamīte haila ei rīti
tāṅhāke puchiyā tāṅra karāiha pratīti

Translation: “Such an incident took place on the last Vijayā-daśamī day. You can ask her about this incident and thus make her believe that I actually go there.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.67

bhakta-bicchede prabhura vihvalatā —

eteka kahite prabhu vihvala ha-ilā
loka vidāya karite prabhu dhairya dharilā

Translation: While describing all this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became a little overwhelmed, but just to finish bidding farewell to the devotees, He remained patient.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya’s relationship with His devotees was so deep that just by remembering the love of His mother and different Navadvīpavāsīs, He is becoming overwhelmed in ecstatic love but somehow, He finished bidding farewell to the devotees, and He remained patient. So, Lord Caitanya had this very deep relationship with all His devotees and devotees similarly had a deep relationship with Him. Hari Bol!

Thus ends the chapter entitled,

Bidding Farewell to All the Devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Extols the Love of His Mother Śacīdevī.
Under the Section: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.