20210517 Murāri Gupta’s Firm Faith in Devotional Service to Lord Rāmacandra

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 17th,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:

Murāri Gupta’s Firm Faith in Devotional Service to Lord Rāmacandra
Under the Section: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.133

sārvabhauma o vācaspati, ubhayera kṛṣṇasevā-nirdeśa

sārvabhauma, vidyā-vācaspati,—dui bhāi
dui-jane kṛpā kari’ kahena gosāñi

Translation: Out of His causeless mercy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave the following directions to the brothers Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Vidyā-vācaspati.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.134

‘dāru’-jala’-rūpe kṛṣṇa prakaṭa samprati
‘daraśana’-‘snāne’ kare jīvera mukati

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “In this Age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa is manifest in two forms — wood and water. Thus, by enabling the conditioned souls to see the wood and bathe in the water, He helps them become liberated.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.135

‘dāru-brahma’-rūpe—sākṣāt śrī-puruṣottama
bhāgīrathī hana sākṣāt ‘jala-brahma’-sama

Translation: “Lord Jagannātha is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of wood, and the river Ganges is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of water.

Purport: The Vedas enjoin, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: everything is the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Brahman or Parambrahma.

parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis  tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

everything is a manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Brahman. Since the energy and energetic are identical, actually everything is Kṛṣṇa, Parambrahma.

In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.”

Kṛṣṇa is spread throughout the whole universe in His impersonal form. Since everything is a manifestation of the Lord’s energy, the Lord can manifest Himself through any energy. In this age, the Lord is manifest through wood as Lord Jagannātha, and He is manifest through water as the river Ganges.

Therefore, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered the two brothers — Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Vidyā-vācaspati — to worship Lord Jagannātha and the river Ganges.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.136

sārvabhaumake jagannātha o vācaspatike gaṅgā-sevārtha ājñā

sārvabhauma, kara ‘dāru-brahma’-ārādhana
vācaspati, kara jala-brahmera sevana

Translation: “Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, you should engage in the worship of Lord Jagannātha Puruṣottama, and Vācaspati should worship mother Ganges.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, because Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya lived in Śrī Kṣetra, Jagannātha Purī, he was told by Lord Caitanya to worship dāru-brahma or Lord Jagannātha. Since Vācaspati lived in Navadvīpa, he was told to worship Ganges as jala-brahma.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.137

prabhura murārira sva-sevyaniṣṭhā-mahimā-kīrtana

murāri-guptere prabhu kari’ āliṅgana
tāṅra bhakti-niṣṭhā kahena, śune bhakta-gaṇa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then embraced Murāri Gupta and began to speak about his firm faith in devotional service. This was heard by all the devotees.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.138

pūrve prabhukartṛrka murārike kṛṣṇabhajane pralobhana

pūrve āmi iṅhāre lobhāila bāra bāra
parama madhura, gupta, vrajendra-kumāra

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Previously I induced Murāri Gupta again and again to be allured by Lord Kṛṣṇa. I said to him, ‘My dear Gupta, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Vrajendra-kumāra, is the supreme sweetness.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.139

svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa—sarvāṁśī, sarvāśraya
viśuddha-nirmala-prema, sarva-rasamaya

Translation: “Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of all incarnations and the source of everything. He is pure transcendental love itself, and He is the reservoir of all pleasure.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.140

sakala-sadguṇa-vṛnda-ratna-ratnākara
vidagdha, catura, dhīra, rasika-śekhara

Translation: “Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. He is like a mine of gems. He is expert at everything, very intelligent and sober, and He is the summit of all transcendental humors.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.141

madhura-caritra kṛṣṇera madhura-vilāsa
cāturya-vaidagdhya kare yāṅra līlā-rasa

Translation: “His character is very sweet, and His pastimes are melodious. He is expert in intelligence, and thus He enjoys all His pastimes and mellows.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.142

kṛṣṇopāsanārai sarva-śreṣṭhatā kathana–

sei kṛṣṇa bhaja tumi, hao kṛṣṇāśraya
kṛṣṇa vinā anya-upāsanā mane nāhi laya

Translation: “I then requested Murāri Gupta, ‘Worship Kṛṣṇa and take shelter of Him. But for His service, nothing appeals to the mind.’”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.143

prabhura pralobhane murārira kṣaṇika cittaparivartana

ei-mata bāra bāra śuniyā vacana
āmāra gaurave kichu phiri’ gela mana

Translation: “In this way, he heard from Me again and again. By My influence, his mind was a little converted.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.144

prabhuvākye dṛḍha viśvāsa o dainya-jñāpana—

āmāre kahena,—āmi tomāra kiṅkara
tomāra ājñākārī āmi nāhi svatantara

Translation: “Murāri Gupta then replied, ‘I am Your servant and Your order-carrier. I have no independent existence.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.145

rāmopāsanā-tyāga-cintāya murārira anidrā, krandana o mṛtyu-vāsanā

eta bali’ ghare gela, cinti’ rātri-kāle
raghunātha-tyāga-cintāya ha-ila vikale

Translation: “After this, Murāri Gupta went home and spent the whole night thinking how he would have to give up the association of Raghunātha, Lord Rāmacandra. Thus he was overwhelmed.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.146

kemane chāḍiba raghunāthera caraṇa
āji rātrye prabhu mora karāha maraṇa

Translation: “Murāri Gupta then began to pray at the lotus feet of Lord Rāmacandra. He prayed that death would come that night because it was not possible for him to give up the service of the lotus feet of Raghunātha.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.147

ei mata sarva-rātri karena krandana
mane soyāsti nāhi, rātri kaila jāgaraṇa

Translation: “Thus Murāri Gupta cried the entire night. There was no rest for his mind; therefore, he could not sleep but stayed awake the entire night.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.148

prāte āsiyā rāma-bhajana-tyāge o prabhu-ājñā pālane asāmarthya jānāiyā ubhaya saṅkaṭe paḍiyā mṛtyu-vāñchā

prātaḥ-kāle āsi’ mora dharila caraṇa
kāndite kāndite kichu kare nivedana

Translation: “In the morning Murāri Gupta came to see Me. Catching hold of My feet and crying, he submitted an appeal.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.149

raghunāthera pāya muñi veciyāchoṅ māthā
kāḍhite nā pāri māthā, mane pāi vyathā

Translation: “Murāri Gupta said, ‘I have sold my head unto the lotus feet of Raghunātha. I cannot withdraw my head, for that would give me too much pain.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.150

śrī-raghunātha-caraṇa chāḍāna nā yāya
tava ājñā-bhaṅga haya, ki karoṅ upāya

Translation: “It is not possible for me to give up the service of Raghunātha’s lotus feet. At the same time, if I do not do so I shall break Your order. What can I do?”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.151

tāte more ei kṛpā kara, dayāmaya
tomāra āge mṛtyu ha-uka, yāuka saṁśaya

Translation: “In this way Murāri Gupta appealed to Me, saying, ‘You are all-merciful, so kindly grant me this mercy: Let me die before You so that all my doubts will be finished.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.152

murārira vākye prabhura harṣa o praśaṁsā—

eta śuni’ āmi baḍa mane sukha pāiluṅ
iṅhāre uṭhāñā tabe āliṅgana kailuṅ

Translation: “Hearing this, I became very happy. I then raised Murāri Gupta and embraced him.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līā 15.153

sādhu sādhu, gupta, tomāra sudṛḍha bhajana
āmāra vacaneha tomāra nā ṭalila mana

Translation: “I said to him, ‘All glories to you, Murāri Gupta! Your method of worship is very firmly fixed — so much so that even upon My request your mind did not turn.’”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.154

sevaka o sevyera parasparera prati ādarśa vyavahāra –

ei-mata sevakera prīti cāhi prabhu-pāya
prabhu chāḍāileha, pada chāḍāna nā yāya

Translation: “The servitor must have love and affection for the lotus feet of the Lord exactly like this. Even if the Lord wants separation, a devotee cannot abandon the shelter of His lotus feet.”

Purport: The word prabhu, or master, indicates that the Lord is to be continuously served by His devotee. The original prabhu is the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, there are many devotees attached to Lord Rāmacandra, and Murāri Gupta is a vivid example of such unalloyed devotion. He never agreed to give up Lord Rāmacandra’s worship, not even upon Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s request. Such is the chastity of devotional service, as stated in the Antya-līlā of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (4.46-47):

In a firm relationship with the Lord, the devotee does not give up the Lord’s service under any circumstance. As far as the Lord Himself is concerned, if the devotee chooses to leave, the Lord brings him back again, dragging him by the hair.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Murāri Gupta was so fixed in worshipping Lord Rāmachandra that he could not give up. Since he wanted to follow Lord Caitanya’s order, he asked that he die because he was not able to carry out the order of Lord Caitanya. He had so much faith in Lord Rāmachandra.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.155

prabhura murārira upāsya-niṣṭhā-parīkṣā, murārira parīkṣā-uttaraṇa

ei-mata tomāra niṣṭhā jānibāra tare
tomāre āgraha āmi kailuṅ bāre bāre

Translation: “Just to test your firm faith in your Lord, I requested you again and again to change your worship from Lord Rāmacandra to Kṛṣṇa.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.156

dainyera avatāra murāri—sākṣāt hanumad-vigraha

sākṣāt hanumān tumi śrī-rāma-kiṅkara
tumi kene chāḍibe tāṅra caraṇa-kamala

Translation: “In this way, I congratulated Murāri Gupta, saying, ‘Indeed, you are the incarnation of Hanumān. Consequently you are the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra. Why should you give up the worship of Lord Rāmacandra and His lotus feet?’”

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol! Murāri Gupta ki! Jay !

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 15.157

sei murāri-gupta ei—mora prāṇa sama
iṅhāra dainya śuni’ mora phāṭaye jīvana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “I accept this Murāri Gupta as My life and soul. When I hear of his humility, it perturbs My very life.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Murāri Gupta’s dedication to serve the Lord Rāmachandra’s lotus feet who was actually an expansion of Kṛṣṇa, made him very dear to Lord Caitanya. So, Lord Caitanya expressed that He was His life and soul. We can see how the Lord is very merciful to the devotee and how the devotee becomes very dear to the Lord.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Murāri Gupta’s Firm Faith in Devotional Service to Lord Rāmacandra.
Under the Section: The Lord Accepts Prasādam at the House of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya