20210815 Wild Animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa Chant Kṛṣṇa and Dance Part 1

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 15th August 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! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book todays chapter entitled is:

Wild Animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa Chant Kṛṣṇa and Dance Part 1 
Under the Section: The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.21

rātrite jagannāthājñā-grahaṇa, rātriśeṣe gopane vṛndāvana-yātrā:— 
pūrva-rātrye jagannātha dekhi’ ’ājñā’ lañā
śeṣa-rātre uṭhi’ prabhu calilā lukāñā

Translation: On the previous night, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had visited Lord Jagannātha and taken His permission. Now, near the end of the night, the Lord got up and started immediately. He was not seen by others.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya teaches by His example, so He also asked permission from Lord Jagannātha so if we go on some special mission, we can also ask permission from the Deities.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.22

prāte viraha-vyākula bhaktagaṇera prabhura anveṣaṇa:— 
prātaḥ-kāle bhakta-gaṇa prabhu nā dekhiyā
anveṣaṇa kari’ phire vyākula hañā

Translation: Because the Lord had departed, the devotees, unable to see Him early in the morning, began to search for Him with great anxiety.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, devotees were attached to the association with Lord Caitanya, when they could not find Him, they were in great separation and anxiety.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.23

svarūpa-karttṛka bhaktagaṇake nivāraṇa o bhaktagaṇera nivṛtti:— 
svarūpa-gosāñi sabāya kaila nivāraṇa
nivṛtta hañā rahe sabe jāni’ prabhura mana

Translation: While all the devotees were searching for the Lord, Svarūpa Dāmodara restrained them. Then everyone fell silent, knowing the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Caitanya had said that He wanted to go to Vṛndāvana, He didn’t want to take many devotees with Him. So, the devotees ultimately became peaceful knowing that the Lord was doing what He wanted.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.113: Kāśī Miśra says: It is true. Afraid of so many followers, He secretly left from there and He left from here without telling anyone.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.114: Mahārāja Pratāparudra says: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, because we all taste the same fruit of the pain of separation, we all now walk on the same path. How will he go all alone?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.115: Kāśī Miśra reply: I have sent some brāhmaṇas as bhikṣukas, but the Lord does not know that.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.116: Mahārāja Pratāparudra says: Well done, O Miśra. Well done. Did He say anything before He left?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.117: Kāśī Miśra reply: He said. “I will return soon.”

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.118: Then the king says: Will the day of His return ever come? Bhaṭṭācārya, let some foot-travelers go and they should gather news of the Lord.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.119: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya says: It is proper.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.120: Mahārāja Pratāparudra says: Kāśī Miśra, tell Candaneśvara Mahāpātra by my order he should arrange for that.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.121: Kāśī Miśra says: I have already done this by requesting the Mahāpātra to send some men. It is almost the time for some of them to return.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kāśī Miśra is thinking about the sentiments of King Pratāparudra, even before he was asked, he already sent someone to check on the Lord’s departure.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.24

prabhura vanapathe gamana varṇana; prabhura kṛpāya paśu-pakṣi-gaṇerao uddhāra o kṛṣṇa-prema-prāpti:— 
prasiddha patha chāḍi’ prabhu upapathe calilā
‘kaṭaka’ ḍāhine kari’ vane praveśilā

Translation: The Lord abandoned walking on the well-known public road and went instead along a bypass. He thus kept the city of Kaṭaka on His right as He entered the forest.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya avoided the common path and went by the small road so that He could avoid the crowd. Then He entered into the forest.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.25

nirjana-vane cale prabhu kṛṣṇa-nāma lañā
hasti-vyāghra patha chāḍe prabhure dekhiyā

Translation: When the Lord passed through the solitary forest chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the tigers and elephants, seeing Him, gave way.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was performing kīrtana and the wild animals made way for Him.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.26

pāle-pāle vyāghra, hastī, gaṇḍāra, śūkara-gaṇa
tāra madhye āveśe prabhu karilā gamana

Translation: When the Lord passed through the jungle in great ecstasy, packs of tigers, elephants, rhinoceros and boars came, and the Lord passed right through them.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, normally these animals are very dangerous but Lord Caitanya’s chanting had a magical effect on these animals.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.27

dekhi’ bhaṭṭācāryera mane haya mahā-bhaya
prabhura pratāpe tārā eka pāśa haya

Translation: Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was very much afraid to see them, but by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s influence, all the animals stood to one side.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.28

eka-dina pathe vyāghra kariyāche śayana
āveśe tāra gāye prabhura lāgila caraṇa

Translation: One day a tiger was lying on the path, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, walking along the path in ecstatic love, touched the tiger with His lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the tiger got special mercy.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.29

prabhu kahe,—kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’, vyāghra uṭhila
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ kahi’ vyāghra nācite lāgila

Translation: The Lord said, “Chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa!” The tiger immediately got up and began to dance and to chant “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Such was the potency of Lord Caitanya, even the tiger was chanting and dancing Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.30

āra dine mahāprabhu kare nadī snāna
matta-hasti-yūtha āila karite jala-pāna

Translation: Another day, while Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was bathing in a river, a herd of maddened elephants came there to drink water.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.31

prabhu jala-kṛtya kare, āge hastī āilā
‘kṛṣṇa kaha’ bali’ prabhu jala pheli’ mārilā

Translation: While the Lord was bathing and murmuring the Gāyatrī mantra, the elephants came before Him. The Lord immediately splashed some water on the elephants and asked them to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa.

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing the part of a very great, advanced devotee. On the mahā-bhāgavata platform, the devotee makes no distinction between friends and enemies. On that platform he sees everyone as a servant of Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (5.18):

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater [outcaste].”

A mahā-bhāgavata, being learned and advanced in spiritual consciousness, sees no difference between a tiger, an elephant or a learned scholar. The test of advanced spiritual consciousness is that one becomes fearless. He envies no one, and he is always engaged in the Lord’s service. He sees every living entity as an eternal part and parcel of the Lord, rendering service according to his capacity by the will of the Supreme Lord.

As Kṛṣṇa confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15):

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

The mahā-bhāgavata knows that Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart. Kṛṣṇa is dictating, and the living entity is following His dictations. Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of the tiger, elephant and boar. Therefore Kṛṣṇa tells them, “Here is a mahā-bhāgavata. Please do not disturb him.” Why, then, should the animals be envious of such a great personality? Those who are neophytes or even a little progressed in devotional service should not try to imitate the mahā-bhāgavata. Rather, they should only follow in his footsteps. The word anukara means “imitating,” and anusara means “trying to follow in the footsteps.” We should not try to imitate the activities of a mahā-bhāgavata or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our best efforts should be exerted in trying to follow them according to our ability. The mahā-bhāgavata’s heart is completely freed from material contamination, and he can become very dear even to fierce animals like tigers and elephants. Indeed, the mahā-bhāgavata treats them as his very intimate friends. On this platform there is no question of envy. When the Lord was passing through the forest, He was in ecstasy, thinking the forest to be Vṛndāvana. He was simply searching for Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was in total ecstasy and He engaged everyone in Kṛṣṇa service, He was fearless, but we see that Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, he was very fearful, we cannot imitate the Supreme Lord or mahā-bhāgavata but we should follow in his footsteps, we can understand that Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu has a special relationship with every living being.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.32

sei jala-bindu-kaṇā lāge yāra gāya
sei ‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ kahe, preme nāce, gāya

Translation: The elephants whose bodies were touched by the water splashed by the Lord began to chant “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!” and dance and sing in ecstasy.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.33

keha bhūme paḍe, keha karaye citkāra
dekhi’ bhaṭṭācāryera mane haya camatkāra

Translation: Some of the elephants fell to the ground, and some screamed in ecstasy. Seeing this, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was completely astonished.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by the Lord Caitanya’s splashing the elephants they became ecstatic. Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that Lord Caitanya could even get the wild animals to chant and dance, atleast we should get the human being to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance in ecstasy.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.34

pathe yāite kare prabhu ucca saṅkīrtana
madhura kaṇṭha-dhvani śuni’ āise mṛgī-gaṇa

Translation: Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted very loudly while passing through the jungle. Hearing His sweet voice, all the does came near Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, even the deer and does, they were very attracted to Lord Caitanya’s dancing. They came hearing the transcendental vibration.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.35

ḍāhine-vāme dhvani śuni’ yāya prabhu-saṅge
prabhu tāra aṅga muche, śloka paḍe raṅge

Translation: Hearing the Lord’s great vibration, all the does followed Him left and right. While reciting a verse with great curiosity, the Lord patted them.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, normally wild animals are very fearful, they would not come so close to people but as Lord Caitanya was chanting the deer and does they came to Him and He patted them on the back and they kept with Him.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10/21/11)

dhanyāḥ sma mūḍha-matayo ’pi hariṇya etā 
yā nanda-nandanam upātta-vicitra-veśam
ākarṇya veṇu-raṇitaṁ saha-kṛṣṇa-sārāḥ
pūjāṁ dadhur viracitāṁ praṇayāvalokaiḥ

Translation: “Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached Mahārāja Nanda’s son, who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed, both the does and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection.’”

Purport: This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.21.11) spoken by the gopīs of Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.37

hena-kāle vyāghra tathā āila pāṅca-sāta
vyāghra-mṛgī mili’ cale mahāprabhura sātha

Translation: While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was passing through the jungle, five or seven tigers came. Joining the deer, the tigers began to follow the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, normally the deer’s would flee if they saw the tiger, but by the presence of Lord Caitanya all the deer, does and tigers became peaceful.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.38

dekhi’ mahāprabhura ‘vṛndāvana’-smṛti haila
vṛndāvana-guṇa-varṇana śloka paḍila

Translation: Seeing the tigers and deer following Him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately remembered the land of Vṛndāvana. He then began to recite a verse describing the transcendental quality of Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.39

vṛndāvane advaya-jñānera virodhī bhāva nāi:—

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10/13/60)

yatra naisarga-durvairāḥ
sahāsan nṛ-mṛgādayaḥ
mitrāṇīvājitāvāsa-
druta-ruṭ-tarṣaṇādikam

Translation: “‘Vṛndāvana is the transcendental abode of the Lord. There is no hunger, anger or thirst there. Though naturally inimical, human beings and fierce animals live together there in transcendental friendship.’”

Purport: This is a statement from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.13.60). After stealing the cowherd boys and calves of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Brahmā kept them asleep and hid them. After a moment, Brahmā returned to see Kṛṣṇa’s condition. When he saw that Kṛṣṇa was still busy with His cowherd boyfriends and animals and was not disturbed, Lord Brahmā appreciated the transcendental opulence of Vṛndāvana.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the transcendental opulence of Vṛndāvana, wherever Lord Caitanya was also Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.40

‘kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kaha’ kari’ prabhu yabe balila
‘kṛṣṇa’ kahi’ vyāghra-mṛga nācite lāgila

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said “Chant ’Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!’” the tigers and deer began to chant “Kṛṣṇa!” and dance.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.33

jhārikhaṇḍa-pathe prabhu calila satvara
kāndāila paśu, pakṣī, vṛkṣādi, prastara

Translation: When Gaurahari went through Jhārikhaṇḍa forest, He made the birds, beasts, trees and stones cry along with Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, how Lord Caitanya had all the animals feeling extreme ecstasy, this is the transcendental opulence of Lord Caitanya.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.41

nāce, kunde vyāghra-gaṇa mṛgī-gaṇa-saṅge
balabhadra-bhaṭṭācārya dekhe apūrva-raṅge

Translation: When all the tigers and does danced and jumped, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya saw them and was struck with wonder.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, no one could imagine, that the deer and tigers would be fearlessly chanting and jumping, and by the mercy of Lord Caitanya this miracle was possible.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.42

vyāghra-mṛga anyonye kare āliṅgana
mukhe mukha diyā kare anyonye cumbana

Translation: Indeed, the tigers and deer began to embrace one another, and touching mouths, they began to kiss.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by Lord Caitanya’s mercy, the animals completely were in transcendental ecstasy, and they are on the level of spirit souls so the tigers and deer embracing each other, even kissing each other, they didn’t feel any fear because they were on the spiritual platform.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.34

gaurāṅga beḍhiyā mṛga-vyāghragaṇa nāce
hiṁsā nāhi-sarvasukhe nāce prabhu kāche

Translation: Forgetting their natural enmity, the deer and tigers danced around Gaurāṅga happily.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya turned the Jhārikhaṇḍa jungle into Vṛndāvana and every animals became filled with transcendental ecstasy.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.43

kautuka dekhiyā prabhu hāsite lāgilā
tā-sabāke tāhāṅ chāḍi’ āge cali’ gelā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw all this fun, He began to smile. Finally He left the animals and continued on His way.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.35

vanajantugaṇa saba kṛtārtha kariyā
calilā gaurāṅga pathe prema-vinodiyā

Translation: After making the forest animals attain the perfection of their life by giving them the gift of kṛṣṇa-prema Lord Gaurāṅga went along the path.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya gave the forest animals, Kṛṣṇa-prema and thus they chanted and danced in ecstasy. So, if we can make human being chant and dance in ecstasy, and taste this transcendental kṛṣṇa-prema and that would be the perfection of our life.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.44

mayūrādi pakṣi-gaṇa prabhure dekhiyā
saṅge cale, ‘kṛṣṇa’ bali’ nāce matta hañā

Translation: Various birds, including the peacock, saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to follow Him, chanting and dancing. They were all maddened by the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.45

‘hari-bola’ bali’ prabhu kare ucca-dhvani
vṛkṣa-latā—praphullita, sei dhvani śuni

Translation: When the Lord loudly chanted “Haribol!” the trees and creepers became jubilant to hear Him.

Purport: The loud chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is so powerful that it can even penetrate the ears of trees and creepers, what to speak of those of animals and human beings. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu once asked Haridāsa Ṭhākura how trees and plants could be delivered, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied that the loud chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra would benefit not only trees and plants but insects and all other living beings. One should therefore not be disturbed by the loud chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, for it is beneficial not only to the chanter but to everyone who gets an opportunity to hear.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one-time Śrīla Prabhupāda saw someone covering their ears when they went by the kīrtana parties, and Śrīla Prabhupāda said “Chant louder”. So this loud chanting is so beneficial that Locana dāsa Ṭhākura in his song in third stanza:

He had said

paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare,
śuni’ jāṅra guṇa-gāthā

That the animals and birds they also cried, the stones melted, this is the glory of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Wild Animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa Chant Kṛṣṇa and Dance Part 1 
Under the Section: The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana