20211222 Six Kinds of Ātmārāmas, Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 22nd December 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

The compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter entitled is:

Six Kinds of Ātmārāmas, Part 2
Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.126

jijñāsu mumukṣu sanakādira śuddha-bhakta-saṅge mumukṣā-tyāga 

nāradera saṅge śaunakādi muni-gaṇa 
mumukṣā chāḍiyā kailā kṛṣṇera bhajana

Translation: “By associating with the great saint Nārada, Śaunaka and other great sages gave up the desire for liberation and engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: The association with a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that one can give up the Brahman realization desire and engage in pure devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.127

kakhanao kṛṣṇa-darśane, kakhanao kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya mumukṣā tyāga o śuddha-bhakti-lābha :—

kṛṣṇera darśane, kā ro kṛṣṇera kṛpāya 
mumukṣā chāḍiyā guṇe bhaje tāṅra pā’ya

Translation: “Simply by meeting Kṛṣṇa or receiving Kṛṣṇa’s special favor, one can give up the desire for liberation. Being attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, one can engage in His service.

Jayapatākā Swami: The four Kumāras went to Viṣṇuloka and saw Lord Viṣṇu, the expansion of Kṛṣṇa and they became inspired to render devotional service, smelling the aroma of tulasī offered to His lotus feet.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.128

śuddha-kṛṣṇa-bhakti-lābhe pūrvācarita jñānaprayāse kheda :—

Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.1.34)—

asmin sukha-ghana-mūrtau param-ātmani vṛṣṇi-pattane sphurati ātmārāmatayā me vṛthā gato bata ciraṁ kālaḥ

Translation: “In this Dvārakā-dhāma, I am being attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is personified spiritual bliss. Simply by seeing Him, I am feeling great happiness. Oh, I have wasted so much time trying to become self-realized through impersonal cultivation. This is a cause for lamentation!’

Purport: This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.1.34).

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone who was pursuing the impersonal philosophical speculative path, when he actually saw Kṛṣṇa, he felt attracted. He thought that he was wasting his time in pursuing impersonal realization. He came and became a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.129

(b) dvividha jīvanmukta :—

‘jīvan-mukta’ aneka, sei dui bheda jāni 
‘bhaktye jīvan-mukta’, ‘jñāne jīvan-mukta’ māni

“There are many people who are liberated even in this lifetime. Some are liberated by discharging devotional service, and others are liberated through the philosophical speculative process.

Jayapatākā Swami: When one is fully realized either by bhakti-yoga or by jñāna-yoga they are considered liberated even in their mortal life, even while they are alive.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.130

bhakti-phale jīvanmukta avarohapanthī bhaktera kṛṣṇa-sevānanda-lābha, jñānaphale ārohapanthī muktābhimānīra adhogati :—

‘bhaktye jīvan-mukta’ guṇākṛṣṭa hañā kṛṣṇa bhaje/ śuṣka-jñāne jīvan-mukta aparādhe adho maje

Translation: “Those who are liberated by devotional service become more and more attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Thus they engage in His service. Those who are liberated by the speculative process eventually fall down again due to offensive activity.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, from this we can understand that the liberation enjoyed by the philosophical speculators who merge into the impersonal brahman is temporary, as mentioned they fall down since they don’t know about serving Kṛṣṇa, they only know about the material world. So they engage again in material activities, like philanthropy or other things. While the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are actually able to reside in Vaikuṇṭha-lokas and they never fall down.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.131

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.2.32)—

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ

Translation: “O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.’

Purport: This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).

Jayapatākā Swami: This confirms how the jñāna-yoga impersonal realization is temporary because eventually they fall down again.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.132

Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītāya (18.54)—

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

Translation: “One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.’

Purport: This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (18.54).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this glorifies pure devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.133

Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.1.44)-

dhṛta bilva-maṅgala-vākya—

advaita-vīthī-pathikair upāsyāḥ
svānanda-siṁhāsana-labdha-dīkṣāḥ
śaṭhena kenāpi vayaṁ haṭhena
dāsī-kṛtā gopa-vadhū-viṭena

Translation: “Although I was worshiped by those on the path of monism and initiated into self-realization through the yoga system, I have nonetheless been forcibly turned into a maidservant by some cunning boy who is always joking with the gopīs.’

Purport: This is a verse written by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

Jayapatākā Swami: Bilvamangala Thakura explains how he became fixed in devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.134

(c) prāpta-svarūpa bhaktera cidānanda-dehe kṛṣṇa-bhajana: —

bhakti-bale ‘prāpta-svarūpa’ divya-deha pāya 
kṛṣṇa-guṇākṛṣṭa hañā bhaje kṛṣṇa-pā’ya

Translation: “One who has attained his constitutional position by the strength of devotional service attains a transcendental body even in this lifetime. Being attracted by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities, he fully engages in service at His lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this explains how one can be liberated while living and attain a spiritual body in this lifetime.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.135

daśavidha lakṣaṇera anyatama nirodha o muktira lakṣaṇa:—

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (2.10.6)—

nirodho ’syānuśayanam
ātmanaḥ saha śaktibhiḥ
muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ
svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ

Translation: “The living entities and other potencies merge into Mahā-Viṣṇu as the Lord lies down and winds up [destroys] the cosmic manifestation. Liberation means being situated in one’s eternal, original form after giving up the changeable gross and subtle bodies.’

Purport: This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.10.6).

Jayapatākā Swami: At the end of the material universes, Māha-Viṣṇu brings in all the living entities into His body, and those who are liberated they achieve their transcendental form, they go to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, and the highest planet is Kṛṣṇa-loka, and those who are not liberated they enter into Māha-Viṣṇu's body and come out in the next creation.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.136

māyārūpa bhogavāñchāya kṛṣṇa-vaimukhya,
kṛṣṇa-sevāya vā kṛṣṇonmukhatāya māyā-mukti :—

kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha-doṣe māyā haite bhaya 
kṛṣṇonmukha bhakti haite māyā-mukta haya

Translation: “By opposing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one becomes conditioned and fearful due to the influence of māyā. By executing devotional service faithfully, one is liberated from māyā. 

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if we are opposed in serving Kṛṣṇa in devotional service we become conditioned by māyā. However, if we are faithfully executing our devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa then we can be liberated from māyā.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.137

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (11.2.37)—

bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād
īśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ
tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ
bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā

Translation: “When the living entity is attracted by the material energy, which is separate from Kṛṣṇa, he is overpowered by fear. Because he is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the material energy, his conception of life is reversed. In other words, instead of being the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes Kṛṣṇa’s competitor. This is called viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ. To nullify this mistake, one who is actually learned and advanced worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his spiritual master, worshipful Deity and source of life. He thus worships the Lord by the process of unalloyed devotional service.’

Purport: This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.37).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in the material world we are conditioned, thinking that we are the body and trying to enjoy our senses. In devotional service we are trying to please the transcendental senses of Lord Kṛṣṇa and thus we became liberated from fear and māyā. So, that’s why rendering devotional service is highly recommended.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.138

Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītāya (7.14)—

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

Translation: “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.’

Purport: This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, it is very difficult to overcome material, illusory energy, but through bhakti-yoga one surrenders to Lord Kṛṣṇa. By His mercy one can easily cross over this ocean of material birth and death.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.139

bhaktibalei mukti—

bhakti vinu mukti nāhi, bhaktye mukti haya

Translation: “One does not attain liberation without rendering devotional service. Liberation is attained only by devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: As you heard that only by pure devotion you can get real devotion, without devotional service everything is temporary.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.140

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.14.4)—

śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho
kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye
teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate
nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām

Translation: “My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the only auspicious path. If one gives it up simply for speculative knowledge or the understanding that these living beings are spirit souls and the material world is false, he undergoes a great deal of trouble. He only gains troublesome and inauspicious activities. His actions are like beating a husk that is already devoid of rice. His labor becomes fruitless.’

Purport: This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.4).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here this verse explains how only liberation can be achieved by pure devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.141

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.2.32)—

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ

Translation: “O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.’

Purport: This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).

Jayapatākā Swami: The impersonalists think that they are liberated and think that they are also God. But, by this offensive mentality they again fall down.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.142

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (11.5.3)—

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād
ātma-prabhavam īśvaram
na bhajanty avajānanti
sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

Translation: “If one simply maintains an official position in the four varṇas and āśramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, he falls down from his puffed-up position into a hellish condition.’

Purport: This is also a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.3).

Jayapatākā Swami: This shows how varṇāśrama without devotion to Viṣṇu is not successful.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.143

mukta haiyā kṛṣṇa-bhakti:—

bhaktye mukti pāileha avaśya kṛṣṇere bhajaya

Translation: “When one is actually liberated by executing devotional service, he always engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: Real liberation is by rendering devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.144

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.87.21)
śloke śrīdhara-dhṛta sarvajña bhāṣyakāra vyākhyā o nṛsiṃhatāpanīte (2.5.16)—

“muktā api līlayā vigrahaṁ kṛtvā bhagavantaṁ bhajante”

Translation:“Even a liberated soul merged in the impersonal Brahman effulgence is attracted to the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. He thus installs a Deity and renders the Lord service.’

Purport: This is a quotation from Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary on the Nṛsiṁha-tāpanī Upaniṣad.

Jayapatākā Swami: This shows how Lord Kṛṣṇa and His transcendental qualities and pastimes can even attract those who are absorbed in impersonal realization.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.145

pūrvokta ṣaḍvidha ātmārāmera kṛṣṇa-bhajana :—

ei chaya ātmārāma kṛṣṇere bhajaya 
pṛthak pṛthak ca-kāre ihā ’api’ra artha kaya

Translation: “These six kinds of ātmārāmas engage in the loving service of Kṛṣṇa. The varieties of service are indicated by adding ‘ca,’ and they also bear the meaning of ‘api’ [‘indeed’].

Purport: There are six kinds of ātmārāmas: the neophyte student (sādhaka), one who is absorbed in Brahman realization (brahma-maya), one who has already attained the Brahman position (prāpta-brahma-laya), one who desires to be liberated (mumukṣu), one who is liberated even in this life (jīvan-mukta), and one who is self-realized (prāpta-svarūpa).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these six kinds of Ātmārāmas are described by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the highest type of liberation is achieved by the Kṛṣṇa bhaktas.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Six Kinds of Ātmārāmas, Part 2
Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse