20210830 Discussion Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and The Sanoḍiyā Brāhmaṇa Part 2

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation

By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 30^th 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

Introduction: We are continuing with the compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter entitled today is:

Discussion Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and The Sanoḍiyā Brāhmaṇa Part 2

Under the Section: The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.180

‘vaiṣṇava’ vā śuddha-brāhmaṇa-jñāne tāṅhāke purīra śiṣyatve svīkāra:—

tathāpi purī dekhi’ tāṅra ‘vaiṣṇava’-ācāra
‘śiṣya’ kari’ tāṅra bhikṣā kaila aṅgīkāra

Translation: Although the brāhmaṇa belonged to the Sanoḍiyā community, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī had seen that he behaved like a Vaiṣṇava and had therefore accepted him as his disciple. The food he had cooked had also been accepted by Mādhavendra Purī.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī when he was in Vṛndāvana, he had a policy that he would not ask anyone for any food, if they offered him food then he will take it. So here it says that he accepted the Sanoḍiyā Brāhmaṇa, because he behaved like a Vaiṣṇava and although technically on Varṇāśrama principles he shouldn’t take his prasāda, but since he was behaving like a Vaiṣṇava, He accepted it. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī was sitting by the Govardhana hill and then one boy came and offered him some milk, He said, I am village boy of this village and I do not like to see  anyone going hungry, I will come back later and take the pot, meanwhile you can drink the milk.” So, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī he drank the milk, then he went to sleep, in his dream he saw that the boy was actually Kṛṣṇa and that He was taken in the forest and there the Deity was buried in the ground and the Deity said that “I have been kept here for long time, please take me out.” The next morning Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, he called the villagers and they entered the forest to a place where he had seen the Deity so then the Deity was apparently established by the grandson of lord Kṛṣṇa and had been worshipped for thousands of years. When  the Mughals had attacked Vṛndāvana, the pūjārī had buried the Deity in the ground and the Deity was there for a long time. That Deity now is in Nāthadvāra and I have sent the picture of the Deity to my Jayapatākā Swami app, and I don’t know whether it has been published in the various websites. But here the Deity of Krsna is with His left hand up and with His little finger He is holding the Govardhana hill. So Śrī Mādhavendra Purī he put the deity on the Govardhana Hill and the villagers came and offered abhiṣeka and they offered the bhoga, so this Deity was very beautiful, you can see. Recently there was some legal case, the Deity has been shifted to Rajasthan because of the Mughals' fear. So, in Nāthadvāra the Deity is still being worshipped today, so there the Puṣṭī margis they worship the Deity. But apparently it was somehow take to the court, the court said actually the Deity belonged to the Gauḍīya sampradaya and by right they should be worshipping. Also, in our Chowpatty temple we have one Nāthajī Deity and several temples throughout the world we have the Śrīnāthjī Deity. But anyway this Deity was found by Śrī Mādhavendra Purī and he worshipped the Deity and he was sent by the Deity to Jagannatha Purī to get some sandalwood because the Deity said “He was very hot because He has not been bathed for a long time, so I need some sandalwood". This deity in Vṛndāvana Śrīnāthjī told Śrī Mādhavendra Purī that if he applies the sandalwood pulp to Gopīnātha the deity of Remunā, that would cool Him down.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.181

prabhura tadgṛhe bhojanābhilāṣa-śravaṇe viprera dainyokti:—

mahāprabhu tāṅre yadi ‘bhikṣā’ māgila
dainya kari’ sei vipra kahite lāgila

Translation: Therefore, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu willingly requested food from the brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa, feeling natural humility, began to speak as follows.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, following the example of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, Lord Caitanya taught that taking the prasāda from the Sanoḍiyā Brāhmaṇa was alright but the brāhmaṇa had something to say.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.182

tomāre ‘bhikṣā’ diba—baḍa bhāgya se āmāra
tumi—īśvara, nāhi tomāra vidhi-vyavahāra

Translation: “It is a great fortune for me to offer You food. You are the Supreme Lord, and being in the transcendental position, You are not restricted in any way.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, he understood that Lord Caitanya was transcendental and that He could do anything and He was not restricted.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.183

viprera gauraprema evaṁ adaiva-varṇāśramīke garhaṇa:—

‘mūrkha’-loka karibeka tomāra nindana
sahite nā pārimu sei ’duṣṭe’ra vacana

Translation: “Foolish people will blaspheme You, but I shall not tolerate the words of such mischievous people.”

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks that although the brāhmaṇa did not belong to a superior community, he fearlessly chastised so-called caste brāhmaṇas because he was situated on the platform of pure devotional service. There are people who are opposed to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s accepting a Vaiṣṇava belonging to a lower caste. Such people do not consider mahā-prasādam transcendental, and therefore they are described here as mūrkha (foolish) and duṣṭa (mischievous). A pure devotee has the power to challenge such high-caste people, and his brave statements are not to be considered proud or puffed up. On the contrary, he is to be considered straightforward. Such a person does not like to flatter high-class brāhmaṇas who belong to the non-Vaiṣṇava community.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, actually the Vedas say that if He is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot be a Guru, similarly the people who are very conditioned by the varṇāśrama, smārta, caste system, they may criticize Lord Caitanya and that he could not tolerate.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.184

manodharmmīra vibhinna patha varṇana:—

prabhu kahe,—śruti, smṛti, yata ṛṣi-gaṇa
sabe ‘eka’-mata nahe, bhinna bhinna dharma

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “The Vedas, Purāṇas and great learned sages are not always in agreement with one another. Consequently there are different religious principles.

Purport: Unless one comes to the Absolute Truth, there is no possibility of agreement. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam: it is said that a great learned scholar or sage cannot be exalted unless he disagrees with other scholars and sages. On the material platform, there is no possibility of agreement; therefore there are different kinds of religious systems. But the Absolute Truth is one, and when one is situated in the Absolute Truth, there is no disagreement. On that absolute platform the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshipable. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. On the absolute platform, the worshipful Deity is one, and the process of worship is also one. That process is bhakti.

There are many different religions throughout the world because they are not all on the absolute platform of devotional service. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66): sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. The word ekam means “one,” Kṛṣṇa. On this platform, there are no different religious systems. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.2), dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra. On the material platform, religious systems are different. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes them from the very beginning as dharmaḥ kaitavaḥ, cheating religions. None of these religions is actually genuine. The genuine religious system is that which enables one to become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.6):

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self.”

On this platform there is nothing but the service of the Lord. When a person has no ulterior motive, there is certainly oneness and agreement of principles. Since everyone has a different body and mind, different types of religions are needed. But when one is situated on the spiritual platform, there are no bodily and mental differences. Consequently, on the absolute platform there is oneness in religion.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we are observing Janmāṣṭamī, where we worship Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore there is oneness in that everyone should love the Supreme Lord, that should be the real purpose of every religion. On the Absolute platform there will be no difference.  As long as people are using religion to achieve economic development or sense gratification,  they are being cheated from the highest benefit to actually develop love for Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.185

lokahitārthai sajjanera ācaraṇa, ataeva mādhavendrera pradarśita pathai ekamātra niścayārthaka vā vāstava-satyaprada:—

dharma-sthāpana-hetu sādhura vyavahāra
purī-gosāñira ye ācaraṇa, sei dharma sāra

Translation: “A devotee’s behavior establishes the true purpose of religious principles. The behavior of Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī is the essence of such religious principles.”

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following commentary on this passage. A sādhu, or honest man, is called a mahājana or a mahātmā. The mahātmā is described thus by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.13):

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

“O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

In the material world, the word mahātmā is understood in different ways by different religionists. Mundaners also come up with their different angles of vision. For the conditioned soul busy in sense gratification, a mahājana is recognized according to the proportion of sense gratification he offers. For instance, a businessman may consider a certain banker to be a mahājana, and karmīs desiring material enjoyment may consider philosophers like Jaimini to be mahājanas. There are many yogīs who want to control the senses, and for them Pataṣjali Ṛṣi is a mahājana. For the jñānīs, the atheist Kapila, Vasiṣṭha, Durvāsā, Dattātreya and other impersonalist philosophers are mahājanas. For the demons, Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa, Rāvaṇa’s son Meghanāda, Jarāsandha and others are accepted as mahājanas. For materialistic anthropologists speculating on the evolution of the body, a person like Darwin is a mahājana. The scientists who are bewildered by Kṛṣṇa’s external energy have no relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet they are accepted by some as mahājanas. Similarly, philosophers, historians, literary men, public speakers and social and political leaders are sometimes accepted as mahājanas. Such mahājanas are respected by certain men who have been described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.19):

śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ
saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ
na yat-karṇa-pathopeto
jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ

“Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the deliverer from evils.”

Thus on the material platform animalistic leaders are worshiped by animals. Sometimes physicians, psychiatrists and social workers try to mitigate bodily pain, distress and fear, but they have no knowledge of spiritual identity and are bereft of a relationship with God. Yet they are considered mahājanas by the illusioned. Self-deceived persons sometimes accept leaders or spiritual masters from a priestly order that has been officially appointed by the codes of material life. In this way, they are deceived by official priests. Sometimes people accept as mahājanas those who have been designated by Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura as ḍhaṅga-vipras (imposter brāhmaṇas). Such imposters imitate the characteristics of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and they envy Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was certainly a mahājana. They make great artificial endeavors, advertising themselves as great devotees of the Lord or as mystic hypnotists knowledgeable in witchcraft, hypnotism and miracles. Sometimes people accept as mahājanas demons like Pūtanā, Tṛṇāvarta, Vatsa, Baka, Aghāsura, Dhenuka, Kālīya and Pralamba. Some people accept imitators and adversaries of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Pauṇḍraka, Śṛgāla Vāsudeva, the spiritual master of the demons (Śukrācārya), or atheists like Cārvāka, King Vena, Sugata and Arhat. People who accept such imitators as mahājanas have no faith in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rather, they accept godless cheaters who present themselves as incarnations of God and cheat foolish people within the material world by word jugglery. Thus many rascals are accepted as mahājanas.

It is those who are devoid of devotional service who sometimes mistakenly accept persons with mundane motives as mahājanas. The only motive must be kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord. Sometimes fruitive workers, dry philosophers, nondevotees, mystic yogīs and persons attached to material opulence, women and money are considered mahājanas. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.25) gives the following statement about such unauthorized mahājanas:

prāyeṇa veda tad idaṁ na mahājano ’yaṁ
devyā vimohita-matir bata māyayālam
trayyāṁ jaḍī-kṛta-matir madhu-puṣpitāyāṁ
vaitānike mahati karmaṇi yujyamānaḥ

In this material world, karmīs (fruitive actors) are accepted as mahājanas by foolish people who do not know the value of devotional service. The mundane intelligence and mental speculative methods of such foolish people are under the control of the three modes of material nature. Consequently they cannot understand unalloyed devotional service. They are attracted by material activities, and they become worshipers of material nature. Thus they are known as fruitive actors. They even become entangled in material activities disguised as spiritual activities. In the Bhagavad-gītā such people are described as veda-vāda-ratāḥ, supposed followers of the Vedas. They do not understand the real purport of the Vedas, yet they think of themselves as Vedic authorities. People versed in Vedic knowledge must know Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. (Bg. 15.15)

In this material world a person may be famous as a karma-vīra, a successful fruitive worker, or he may be very successful in performing religious duties, or he may be known as a hero in mental speculation (jñāna-vīra), or he may be a very famous renunciant. In any case, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.23.56) gives the following opinion in this matter.

neha yat karma dharmāya
na virāgāya kalpate
na tīrtha-pada-sevāyai
jīvann api mṛto hi saḥ

“Anyone whose work is not meant for elevating him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be considered dead, although he is breathing.”

The conclusion is that all pious activity, fruitive activity, religious principles and renunciation must ultimately lead to devotional service. There are different types of processes for rendering service. One may serve his country, people and society, the varṇāśrama-dharma system, the sick, the poor, the rich, women, demigods and so on. All this service comes under the heading of sense gratification, or enjoyment in the material world. It is most unfortunate that people are more or less attracted by such material activity and that the leaders of these activities are accepted as mahājanas, great ideal leaders. Actually they are only misleaders, but an ordinary man cannot understand how he is being misled.

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya: “One should accept as one’s guide the words of the sādhus, the śāstra and the guru.” A sādhu is a great personality like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the śāstras are the injunctions of revealed scriptures, and the guru, or spiritual master, is one who confirms the scriptural injunctions. Accepting the guidance of these three is the actual way of following the great personalities (mahājanas) for real advancement in life (mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ). A man covered by illusion cannot understand the proper way; therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, dharma-sthāpana-hetu sādhura vyavahāra: “The behavior of a devotee is the criterion for all other behavior.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself followed the devotional principles and taught others to follow them. Purī-gosāṣira ye ācaraṇa, sei dharma sāra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally followed the behavior of Mādhavendra Purī and advised others to follow his principles. Unfortunately, people have been attracted to the material body since time immemorial.

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

“A human being who identifies this body made of three elements with his self, who considers the by-products of the body to be his kinsmen, who considers his land of birth worshipable, and who goes to a place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than meet men of transcendental knowledge there is to be considered like an ass or a cow.” (Bhāg. 10.84.13) Those who accept the logic of gaḍḍālikā-pravāha and follow in the footsteps of pseudo mahājanas are carried away by the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore warns:

miche māyāra vaśe, yāccha bhese’,
khāccha hābuḍubu, bhāi
jīva kṛṣṇa-dāsa, e viśvāsa,
ka’rle ta’ āra duḥkha nāi

“Don’t be carried away by the waves of māyā. Just surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and all miseries will end.” Those who follow social customs and behavior forget to follow the path chalked out by the mahājanas; thus they are offenders at the feet of the mahājanas. Sometimes they consider such mahājanas very conservative, or they create their own mahājanas. In this way they ignore the principles of the paramparā system. This is a great misfortune for everyone. If one does not follow in the footsteps of the real mahājanas, one’s plans for happiness will be frustrated. This is elaborately explained later in the Madhya-līlā (chapter twenty-five, verses 55, 56 and 58). It is there stated:

parama kāraṇa īśvare keha nāhi māne
sva-sva-mata sthāpe para-matera khaṇḍane
tāte chaya darśana haite ‘tattva’ nāhi jāni
‘mahājana’ yei kahe, sei ‘satya’ māni

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-vāṇī — amṛtera dhāra
tiṅho ye kahaye vastu, sei ‘tattva’ — sāra

People are so unfortunate that they do not accept the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead, they want to be supported by so-called mahājanas, or authorities. Tāte chaya darśana haite ‘tattva’ nāhi jāni: we cannot ascertain the real truth simply by following speculators. We have to follow the footsteps of the mahājanas in the disciplic succession. Then our attempt will be successful. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-vāṇī — amṛtera dhāra: “Whatever is spoken by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is an incessant flow of nectar.” Whoever accepts His words as reality can understand the essence of the Absolute Truth.

No one can ascertain the Absolute Truth by following the philosophy of Sāṅkhya or the yoga system of Pataṣjali, for neither the followers of Sāṅkhya nor the yogīs who follow Patañjali accept Lord Viṣṇu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead (na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum). The ambition of such people is never fulfilled; therefore they are attracted by the external energy. Although mental speculators may be renowned all over the world as great authorities, actually they are not. Such leaders are themselves conservative and not at all liberal. However, if we preach this philosophy, people will consider Vaiṣṇavas very sectarian. Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī was a real mahājana, but misguided people cannot distinguish the real from the unreal. But a person who is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness can understand the real religious path chalked out by the Lord and His pure devotees. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī was a real mahājana because he understood the Absolute Truth properly and throughout his life behaved like a pure devotee. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved the method of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī. Therefore, although from the material viewpoint the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa was on a lower platform, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered him situated on the highest platform of spiritual realization.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.20) states that there are twelve mahājanas: Brahmā, Nārada, Śambhu, the four Kumāras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva and Yamarāja.

To select our mahājanas in the Gauḍīya-sampradāya, we have to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His representatives. His next representative is Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, and the next representatives are the six Gosvāmīs — Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa and Dāsa Raghunātha. A follower of Viṣṇu Svāmī’s was Śrīdhara Svāmī, the most well known commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He was also a mahājana. Similarly, Caṇḍīdāsa, Vidyāpati and Jayadeva were all mahājanas. One who tries to imitate the mahājanas just to become an imitative spiritual master is certainly far away from following in the footsteps of the mahājanas. Sometimes people cannot actually understand how a mahājana follows other mahājanas. In this way people commit offenses and fall from devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda elaborately explained who are  the real mahājanas, real authority and who is false mahājana, or an imitator authority. Now in this internet age, there may be many people who give business lectures, they give discourses of how to be successful in business, they are considered as authorities or mahājanas, they have millions of followers on the internet. But this is not the real standard. Śrīla Prabhupāda has established what the real standard is, to bring one  to the the platform of loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.186

śuddha-bhaktera pathai anusaraṇīya:—

Mahā-Bhārate vana-parva (313/117)—

tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
 nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
 mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “ ‘Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.”

Purport: This is a verse spoken by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja in the Mahābhārata, Vana-pārva (313.117).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one should follow the real Māhajanas, one should follow the unadulterated pure devotees of the Lord, this is the path recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 17.187

vipra-gṛhe prabhura bhikṣā:—

tabe sei vipra prabhuke bhikṣā karāila
madhu-purīra loka saba prabhuke dekhite āila

Translation: After this discussion, the brāhmaṇa served lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then all the people residing in Mathurā came to see the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari bol!

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Discussion Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and The Sanoḍiyā Brāhmaṇa, Part 2

Under the Section: The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana

Transcribed and Verified by JPS Archives, 04^th Sep 2021