20220103 If One Becomes a Madman like Lord Caitanya, He May also Understand the Meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

The following is a Caitanya lila Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 3rd, 2022 in Sri Dhama Mayapur, 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 Krishna! My Dear Devotees! Today we are reading from the Sri Krishna Caitanya compilation class, todays chapter is entitled as:

If One Becomes a Madman like Lord Caitanya, He May Also Understand the Meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.307

sarvaśeṣe āra ekaprakāra artha—ātmā-śabde
‘kṣetra-jñāśaktiḥ— ‘ātmā’-śabde kahe ‘kṣetrajña jīva’-lakṣaṇa 
brahmādi kīṭa-paryanta — tāṅra śaktite gaṇana

Translation: “The word ‘ātmā’ also refers to the living entity who knows about his body. That is another symptom. From Lord Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, everyone is counted as the marginal potency of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: We are all part of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but we are considered the marginal potency. In the material world we are unmanifested, small particles, one ten-thousandth of the tip of the hair in dimension. In the spiritual world we manifest our spiritual form which is just suited for our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.308

viṣṇu-purāṇe (6.7.61)— viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā 
kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā/ avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā 
tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate

Translation: “The potency of Lord Viṣṇu is summarized in three categories — namely the spiritual potency, the living entities and ignorance. The spiritual potency is full of knowledge; the living entities, although belonging to the spiritual potency, are subject to bewilderment; and the third energy, which is full of ignorance, is always visible in fruitive activities.’

Purport: This is a quotation from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. For an explanation, see Ādi-līlā 7.119.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, three broad potencies are mentioned, they have unlimited sub-headings. So there is the spiritual potency which never falls down, marginal potency which is subject to material bewilderment. We are the marginal potency, although we are superior, because we are very minute, we are subject to be bewildered and the third potency is the illusory energy, which is the inert material energy.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.309

kṣetrajñera paryyāya-śabda  
amara-koṣe svargarge (7) 
kṣetrajña ātmā puruṣaḥ 
pradhānaṁ prakṛtiḥ striyām”

Translation: “The word ‘kṣetrajña’ refers to the living entity, the enjoyer, the chief and material nature.’

Purport: This is a quotation from the Svarga-varga (7) of the Amara-kośa dictionary.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.310

sādhu-saṅgaphale kṛṣṇa-bhakti-lābha  
bhramite bhramite yadi sādhu-saṅga pāya 
saba tyaji’ tabe tiṅho kṛṣṇere bhajaya

Translation: “The living entities are wandering in different species of life on different planets, but if by chance they get the association of a pure devotee [sādhu], they give up all other engagements and engage in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this shows how important is the association of a pure devotee is, one’s consciousness can be completely changed by even a short association with a pure devotee.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.311

ṣāṭi artha kahiluṅ, saba — kṛṣṇera bhajane 
sei artha haya ei saba udāharaṇe

Translation: “I have thus explained sixty different meanings, and all of them aim at the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. After giving so many examples, that is the only meaning.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya and all His examples are leading one to devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.312

sarvasākalye ei paryanta 61 prakāra artha vyākhyātaḥ 
‘eka-ṣaṣṭi’ artha ebe sphurila tomā-saṅge 
tomāra bhakti-vaśe uṭhe arthera taraṅge

Translation: “Now, due to your association, another meaning has awakened. It is due to your devotional service that these waves of meaning are arising.

Purport: The word ātmā refers to the living entity. From Lord Brahmā down to an insignificant ant, everyone is considered a living entity. Living entities are considered part of the Lord’s marginal potency. All of them are kṣetra-jña, knowers of the body. When they become nirgrantha, or free, saintly persons, they engage in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s service. That is the sixty-first meaning of the verse.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, when a person becomes free a saintly person, they engage in Lord Kṛṣṇa's devotional service. So, in this way Lord Caitanya, He found sixty -one meanings. He gave the credit to Sanātana Gosvāmī, by his association there is a wave of meanings. In this way, He found sixty-one meanings of the Ātmārāma verse.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.313

ahaṁ vedmi śuko vetti 
vyāso vetti na vetti vā 
bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ 
na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā

Translation: “[Lord Śiva said:] ‘I may know; Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, may know; and Vyāsadeva may know or may not know Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. On the whole, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the spotless Purāṇa, can be learned only through devotional service, not by material intelligence, speculative methods or imaginary commentaries.”

Purport: Devotional service includes nine processes, beginning with hearing, chanting and remembering the activities of Lord Viṣṇu. Only one who has taken to devotional service can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the spotless Purāṇa for a transcendentalist (paramahaṁsa). So-called commentaries are useless for this purpose. According to the Vedic injunction, yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. All Vedic literatures maintain that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has to be learned from the person bhāgavata, and to understand it one has to engage in pure devotional service. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam cannot be understood by so-called erudite scholars or grammarians. One who has developed pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness and has served the pure devotee, the spiritual master, can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Others cannot.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīmad-bhāgavatam is manifest only to those who engaged in pure devotional service, that’s the spiritual nature of the Śrīmad-bhāgavatam.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.314

61 prakāra artha-śravaṇe sanātanera vismaya o prabhuke stutiḥ artha śuni’ sanātana vismita hañā 
stuti kare mahāprabhura caraṇe dhariyā

Translation: After hearing all the explanations of all the different meanings of the ātmārāma verse, Sanātana Gosvāmī was struck with wonder. He fell down at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to offer prayers.

Jayapatākā Swami: Sanātana Gosvāmī had heard that Lord Caitanya had explained the Ātmārāma verse in eighteen different ways to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. So, he asked Lord Caitanya if he could hear those, Lord Caitanya said, “well! You are listening, I can’t remember what I said but I will speak whatever comes to My mind. And so He gave sixty-one different meanings and it struck Sanātana Gosvāmī with wonder. Normally it is impossible to come up with so many meanings on one verse. So, he grabbed the Lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and offered prayers.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.315

puruṣarūpe prabhura niśvāsatyāgera saṅge veda-prakāśaḥ— “sākṣāt īśvara tumi vrajendra-nandana/ tomāra niśvāse sarva-veda-pravartana

Translation: Sanātana Gosvāmī said, “My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda. All the Vedic literatures are vibrated through Your breathing.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Sanātana Gosvāmī was realizing how Lord Caitanya was the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.316

śeṣādi viṣṇurūpe prabhurai bhāgavata-vyākhyā o abhijñatāḥ— tumi —vaktā bhāgavatera, tumi jāna artha 
tomā vinā anya jānite nāhika samartha”

Translation: “My dear Lord, You are the original speaker of the Bhāgavatam. You therefore know its real import. But for You, no one can understand the confidential meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.” [paragraph Purport: Following this statement by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, we have written our introduction to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (First Canto, pages 1-41).

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya knew the confidential meanings of the Śrīmad-bhāgavatam because He is the original speaker. Śrīla Prabhupāda, he gave the Śrīmad-bhāgavatam and he said that Kṛṣṇa was speaking through him. he was just an instrument in the hands of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.317

prabhukarttṛka bhāgavata-māhātmya kīrtanaḥ— prabhu kahe,—
“kene kara āmāra stavana 
bhāgavatera svarūpa kene nā kara vicāraṇa?

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Why are you glorifying Me personally? You should understand the transcendental position of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Why don’t you consider this important point?

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is glorifying Śrīmad-bhāgavatam, the literary incarnation of the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.318

kṛṣṇa-tulya bhāgavata — vibhu, sarvāśraya 
prati-śloke prati-akṣare nānā artha kaya

Translation: “Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is as great as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord and shelter of everything. In each and every verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and in each and every syllable, there are various meanings.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said that if someone reads even a word or two of Śrīmad-bhāgavatam, they get spiritual blessings.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.319

pūrve śrī-parīkṣit o śukadevera evaṁ tatpara śaunakādi o śrī-sūtera praśnottare śrī-bhāgavata-prakāśaḥ— praśnottare bhāgavate kariyāche nirdhāra 
yāṅhāra śravaṇe loke lāge camatkāra

Translation: “The form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is given in questions and answers. Thus the conclusion is established. By hearing these questions and answers, one is highly astonished.

Jayapatākā Swami: Questions in Śrīmad-bhāgavatam are about spiritual truths and the answers also are spiritually enlightening.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.320

kṛṣṇera aprakaṭe ei bhāgavatai grantharūpī kṛṣṇa-vigrahaḥ— Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.1.23)— brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe 
brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi 
svāṁ kāṣṭhām adhunopete 
dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

Translation: “Now that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us by whom religious principles are presently protected.’

Purport: This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.23) was a question raised by all the sages, who were headed by Śaunaka. This question put before the great devotee Sūta Gosvāmī is the foremost of the six questions raised. The answer to this important question is given in the next verse, also from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.43).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is one fo the questions and following is the answer.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.321

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (1.3.43)
kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha 
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa 
purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ

Translation: “After Lord Kṛṣṇa departed for His abode along with religious principles and transcendental knowledge, this Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, has arisen like the sun in this Age of Kali to enlighten those who have no spiritual vision.’

Jayapatākā Swami: When Lord Kṛṣṇa was present then all auspiciousness and spiritual qualities were present. But when He left the world, He took with Him the knowledge, the Vedic principles, then how will the people get His shelter? So the answer is that this Bhagavata Purāṇa is like the sun rising, dissipating the darkness of this Kali-yuga.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.322

caitanyānusaraṇe śuddha-cid-dharma-sphuraṇe aprākṛta kṛṣṇa-sevonmattera pakṣei bhāgavatārtha-bodhe yogyatā-nirdeśaḥ—
ei mata kahiluṅ eka ślokera vyākhyāna 
vātulera pralāpa kari’ ke kare pramāṇa?

Translation: “In this way, like a madman, I have explained the meaning of just one verse. I do not know who will take this as evidence.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was in such ecstasy that He could explain one verse in sixty-one different ways. So, He described Himself as “like a madman” So, to understand Śrīmad-bhāgavatam we also need to develop ecstatic Kṛṣṇa–prema.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.323

āmā-hena yebā keha ‘vātula’ haya 
ei-dṛṣṭe bhāgavatera artha jānaya”

Translation: “If one becomes a madman like Me, he may also understand the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by this process.”

Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu plainly explains that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam cannot be understood by those who are materially situated. In other words, one has to become a madman like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Apart from being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is an ācārya who exhibited love of God like a madman. According to His own written verse, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. He says that for Him, “a moment seems to last twelve years.” Cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam: “My tears are flowing like torrents of rain.” Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: “I feel as if the entire universe were vacant.” Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me: “Due to My being separated from Govinda, Kṛṣṇa.”

One can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam only by following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was mad for Kṛṣṇa. We cannot, of course, imitate Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is not possible. However, unless one is very serious about understanding Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives the full narration of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental activities. The first nine cantos explain who Kṛṣṇa is, and the Lord’s birth and activities are narrated in the Tenth Canto. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, janma karma ca me divyam. Kṛṣṇa’s appearance and disappearance are transcendental, not mundane. A person is eligible to return home, back to Godhead, if he perfectly understands Kṛṣṇa and His appearance and disappearance. This is verified by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9): tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna.

It is therefore concluded that one has to learn about Kṛṣṇa from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā, and one has to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Those who do not follow Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu cannot understand the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is giving us the real meaning of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-bhāgavatam. So, we should follow His lotus footprints and then all the secrets of the Gītā and Bhāgavata will be revealed to us.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, If One Becomes a Madman like Lord Caitanya, He May also Understand the Meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse