20211017 Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa Meets Lord Caitanya, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Vallabha

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 17th October 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 is the compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter today is entitled:

Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa Meets Lord Caitanya, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Vallabha

Under the section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.61

prabhusaha vallabha-bhaṭṭera milana:—

se-kāle vallabha-bhaṭṭa rahe āḍāila-grāme
mahāprabhu āilā śuni’ āila tāṅra sthāne

Translation: At that time, Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was staying at Āḍāila-grāma, and when he heard that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had arrived, he went to His place to see Him.

Purport: Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was a great learned scholar of Vaiṣṇavism. In the beginning he was very much devoted to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but since he thought that he could not receive proper respect from Him, he later joined the Viṣṇu Svāmī sect and became the ācārya of that sect. His sect is celebrated as the Vallabhācārya-sampradāya. This sampradāya has had great influence in Vṛndāvana near Gokula and in Bombay. Vallabha Bhaṭṭa wrote many books, including a commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam called Subodhinī-ṭīkā and notes on the Vedānta-sūtra in the form of an Anubhāṣya. He also wrote a combination of sixteen short works called Ṣoḍaśa-grantha. The village where he was staying — Āḍāila-grāma, or Adelī-grāma — was near the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamunā, on the other side of the Yamunā from Prayāga, about one mile from the river. A temple of Lord Viṣṇu there still belongs to the Vallabha-sampradāya.

Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was originally from a place in southern India called Trailaṅga. There is a railway station there called Niḍāḍābhalu. Sixteen miles from that station is a village called Kāṅkaḍabāḍa, A learned brāhmaṇa named Lakṣmaṇa Dīkṣita used to live there, and Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was his son. There are five sections of the brāhmaṇa community of Āndhra Pradesh, known as Bella-nāṭī, Vegī-nāṭī, Muraki-nāṭī, Telagu-nāṭī and Kāśala-nāṭī. Out of these five brahminical communities, Vallabhācārya took his birth in the community of Bella-nāṭī in the year 1400 Śakābda Era (A.D. 1478). According to some people, Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya’s father took sannyāsa before Vallabha’s birth, and he returned home to take Vallabhācārya as his son. According to the opinion of others, Vallabhācārya was born in 1400 Śakābda Era on the Ekādaśī day of the dark moon in the month of Caitra, and he took his birth in a brāhmaṇa family surnamed Khambhaṁpāṭībāru. According to this account, his father’s name was Lakṣmaṇa Bhaṭṭa Dīkṣita, and he was born in Campakāraṇya. In someone else’s opinion, Vallabhācārya appeared near the village named Cāṅpā-jhāra-grāma, which is near a railway station named Rājima in Madhya Pradesh.

After studying for eleven years at Vārāṇasī, Vallabhācārya returned home. On his return, he heard that his father had departed from the material world. Keeping his brother and mother at home, he went to the banks of the river Tuṅgabhadrā, to a village called Vidyānagara, where he enlightened Kṛṣṇadeva, the grandson of King Bukkarāja. After that, he traveled throughout India thrice on trips lasting six years each. Thus he passed eighteen years and became victorious in his discussions of revealed scripture. When he was thirty years old, he married Mahālakṣmī, who belonged to the same brāhmaṇa community as his. Near Govardhana Hill he established a Deity in the valley. Finally he came to Āḍāila, which is on the other side of the Yamunā from Prayāga.

Vallabhācārya had two sons, Gopīnātha and Viṭhṭhaleśvara, and in his old age he accepted the renounced order. In 1452 Śakābda Era (A.D. 1530), he passed away from the material world at Vārāṇasī. His book known as Ṣoḍaśa-grantha and his commentaries on the Vedānta-sūtra (Anubhāṣya) and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Subodhinī) are very famous. He wrote many other books besides.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was agreat ācārya of the Viṣṇu Swami sampradāya. His followers are now known as Puṣṭī-mārgīs, and they spoke at the recent Sampradāya Samelan in Māyāpur.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.62

vallabha-bhaṭṭera prabhu-praṇāma, ubhayera kṛṣṇa-kathālāpa:—

teṅho daṇḍavat kaila, prabhu kailā āliṅgana
dui jane kṛṣṇa-kathā haila kata-kṣaṇa

Translation: Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya offered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu his obeisances, and the Lord embraced him. After that, they discussed topics about Kṛṣṇa for some time.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see that Lord Caitanya showed such great affection to Vallabhācārya, He embraced him. Vallabhācārya was offering respects to Lord Caitanya as He was in the sannyāsa order.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.63

prabhura premāveśa o vallabhake bahiraṅga-darśane tat-saṅgopana:—

kṛṣṇa-kathāya prabhura mahā-prema uthalila
bhaṭṭera saṅkoce prabhu samvaraṇa kaila

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt great ecstatic love when they began discussing Kṛṣṇa, but the Lord checked His feelings because He felt shy before Vallabha Bhaṭṭa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes Lord Caitanya would control His ecstasy, if He was shy before someone present.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.64

prabhura premāveśa-darśane vallabhera vismaya:—

antare gara-gara prema, nahe samvaraṇa
dekhi’ camatkāra haila vallabha-bhaṭṭera mana

Translation:  Although the Lord restrained Himself externally, ecstatic love raged within. There was no checking that. Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was astonished to detect this.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Lord Caitanya had checked His ecstasy externally, internally He did not check it. So, Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya was amazed to see Lord Caitanya’s spontaneous love for Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.65

prabhuke bhaṭṭera nimantraṇa, bhaṭṭa-samīpe bhrātṛdvayera paricaya-dāna:—

tabe bhaṭṭa mahāprabhure nimantraṇa kailā
mahāprabhu dui-bhāi tāṅhāre milāilā

Translation: Thereafter, Vallabha Bhaṭṭa invited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for lunch, and the Lord introduced the brothers Rūpa and Vallabha to him.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.66

amānī haiyā ubhayera vallabhake māna-dāna:—

dui-bhāi dūra haite bhūmite paḍiyā
bhaṭṭe daṇḍavat kailā ati dīna hañā

Translation: From a distance, the brothers Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Vallabha fell on the ground and offered obeisances to Vallabha Bhaṭṭa with great humility.

Jayapatākā Swami: Rūpa and Vallabh offered their prostrate obeisances to Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.67

bhaṭṭera āliṅgana-ceṣṭāya ubhayera paścāda-gamana:—

bhaṭṭa milibāre yāya, duṅhe palāya dūre
‘aspṛśya pāmara muñi, nā chuṅiha more’

Translation: When Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya walked toward them, they ran away to a more distant place. Rūpa Gosvāmī said, “I am untouchable and most sinful. Please do not touch me.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rūpa Gosvāmī was considering Himself very humbly, since he was previously working under the Hussain Shah, he considered himself untouchable and sinful. So, he stayed away from Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.68

kulīna paṇḍitābhimānī vallabhake bahiraṅga-jñāne prabhura jaḍa-pratiṣṭhā-dāna vā chalanā:—

bhaṭṭera vismaya haila, prabhura harṣa mana
bhaṭṭere kahilā prabhu tāṅra vivaraṇa

Translation: Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya was very much surprised at this. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, was very pleased, and He therefore spoke to him this description of Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was astonished why Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī was saying like this , so Lord Caitanya explained it as follows:

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.69

‘iṅho nā sparśiha, iṅho jāti ati-hīna!
vaidika, yājñika tumi kulīna pravīṇa!’

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Don’t touch him, for he belongs to a very low caste. You are a follower of Vedic principles and are a well experienced performer of many sacrifices. You also belong to the aristocracy.”

Purport: Generally brāhmaṇas are puffed up with false prestige because they belong to the aristocracy and perform many Vedic sacrifices. In South India especially, this fastidious position is most prominent. At any rate, this was the case five hundred years ago. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu actually started a revolution against this brahminical system by inaugurating the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. By this chanting, one can be delivered regardless of caste, creed, color or social position. Whoever chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is immediately purified due to the transcendental position of devotional service. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is here hinting to Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya that an exalted brāhmaṇa who makes sacrifices and follows Vedic principles should not neglect a person who is engaged in devotional service by chanting the holy name of the Lord.

Actually Rūpa Gosvāmī did not belong to a lower caste. He was from a highly aristocratic brāhmaṇa family, but due to his association with the Muslim Nawab, he was considered fallen and was excommunicated from brāhmaṇa society. However, due to his advanced devotional service, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted him as a gosvāmī. Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya knew all this. One who is a devotee is above caste and creed, yet Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya felt himself prestigious.

The present head of the Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya sampradāya of Bombay is named Dīkṣita Mahārāja. He is very friendly to our movement, and whenever we meet him, this learned brāhmaṇa scholar highly praises the activities of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. He is a life member of our Society, and although he is a learned scholar in the brahminical caste tradition, he accepts our Society and considers its members bona fide devotees of Lord Viṣṇu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda is explaining how members of the Vallabhācārya- sampradāya accept the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees as bonafide devotees, although we come from different caste and creeds.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.70

ubhayera mukhe nirantara kṛṣṇanāma-śravaṇe bhaṭṭera bismaya o ubhayake sarvottama-jñāna:—

duṅhāra mukhe nirantara kṛṣṇa-nāma śuni’
bhaṭṭa kahe, prabhura kichu iṅgita-bhaṅgī jāni’

Translation: Hearing the holy name constantly vibrated by the two brothers, Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya could understand the hints of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Rūpa and Vallabha were constantly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Śrī Vallabhācārya could understand that they must be very advanced devotees.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.71

‘duṅhāra mukhe kṛṣṇa-nāma kariche nartana
ei-dui ‘adhama’ nahe, haya ‘sarvottama’

Translation: Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Since these two are constantly chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, how can they be untouchable? On the contrary, they are most exalted.”

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya’s admission of the brothers’ exalted position should serve as a lesson to one who is falsely proud of his position as a brāhmaṇa. Sometimes so-called brāhmaṇas do not recognize our European and American disciples as devotees or brāhmaṇas, and some brāhmaṇas are so proud that they do not allow them to enter temples. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu herein gives a great lesson. Although Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya was a great authority on brahminism and a learned scholar, he admitted that those who chant the Lord’s holy name are bona fide brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas and are therefore exalted.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya could understand that Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Vallabha were very exalted since they were constantly chanting the holy names. Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya could understand that Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Vallabha were very exalted since they were constantly chanting the holy names. This should be the system to recognise.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.72

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (3.33.7)—

aho bata śva-paco ’to garīyān
yaj-jihvāgre vartate nāma tubhyam
tepus tapas te juhuvuḥ sasnur āryā
brahmānūcur nāma gṛṇanti ye te

Translation: Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya then recited the following verse: “‘My dear Lord, one who always keeps Your holy name on his tongue becomes greater than an initiated brāhmaṇa. Although he may be born in a family of dog-eaters and may therefore, by material calculation, be the lowest among men, he is still glorious. This is the wonderful effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord. It is therefore concluded that one who chants the holy name of the Lord should be understood to have performed all kinds of austerities and great sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas. He has already taken his bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage, he has studied all the Vedas, and he is actually an Āryan.’”

Purport: This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.33.7).

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda quoted a verse like this in 1971 Ardha Kumbha-mela in Prayāga (Allahabad). One devotee asked that, “I don’t see, I didn’t perform any of these activities then how did I get such mercy”, then Śrīla Prabhupāda replied “I have made your good fortune for you, by giving the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra”

Jay Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.73

bhaṭṭera subuddhi-darśane o susiddhānta-śravaṇe prabhura praśaṁsā:—

śuni’ mahāprabhu tāṅre bahu praśaṁsilā
premāviṣṭa hañā śloka paḍite lāgilā

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased to hear Vallabha Bhaṭṭa quoting from śāstra about the position of a devotee. The Lord praised him personally, and, feeling ecstatic love of Godhead, began to quote many verses from śāstra.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya appreciated Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya for his quoting the Śrīmad-bhāgavatam verse and He offered him all kinds of praise.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.74

nīcavaṁśodbhuta haileo haribhaktai pūjya, abhakta brāhmaṇabruba vedajña haileo ghṛṇya:—

Hari-bhakti-sudhodaye (3.11.12)—

śuciḥ sad-bhakti-dīptāgni-
dagdha-durjāti-kalmaṣaḥ
śva-pāko ’pi budhaiḥ ślāghyo
na veda-jño ’pi nāstikaḥ

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “A person who has the pure characteristics of a brāhmaṇa due to devotional service, which is like a blazing fire burning to ashes all the sinful reactions of past lives, is certainly saved from the consequences of sinful acts, such as taking birth in a lower family. Even though he may be born in a family of dog-eaters, he is recognized by learned scholars. But although a person may be a learned scholar in Vedic knowledge, he is not recognized if he is an atheist.

Purport by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda: This verse and the next are quoted from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (3.11, 12), a transcendental literature extracted from the Purāṇas.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.75

bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya
jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ
aprāṇasyeva dehasya
maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam

Translation: “‘For a person devoid of devotional service, birth in a great family or nation, knowledge of the revealed scriptures, performance of austerities and penance, and chanting of Vedic mantras are all like ornaments on a dead body. Such ornaments simply serve the concocted pleasures of the general populace.’

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya gave these verses, confirming the verse of Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa and this is the essence of Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana movement. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, how one regardless of their caste, creed, color, nation and gender, they are elevated to the position of a Vaiṣṇava.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.76

prabhura prema, prabhāva-saundaৰyyādi-darśane bhaṭṭera bismaya:—

prabhura premāveśa, āra prabhāva bhakti-sāra
saundaryādi dekhi’ bhaṭṭera haila camatkāra

Translation: When he saw the Lord’s ecstatic love, Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya was certainly very much astonished. He was also astonished by the Lord’s knowledge of the essence of devotional service, as well as by His personal beauty and influence.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya seeing Lord Caitanya’s ecstatic symptoms, His personal beauty, His influence, he was naturally very much impressed. In fact he was astonished.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa Meets Lord Caitanya, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Vallabha 
Under the section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī