20220107 Directory about the Activities of Vaiṣṇavas, Part 4

The following is a Caitanya lila Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 7th, 2022 in Śrī Dhāma 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

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.338

puraścaraṇa-vidhi, kṛṣṇa-prasāda-bhojana
anivedita-tyāga, vaiṣṇava-nindādi-varjana

Translation: “Other items you should describe are the method of performing puraścaraṇa, taking kṛṣṇa-prasādam, giving up unoffered food and not blaspheming the Lord’s devotees.

Purport: Regarding the vaiṣṇava-nindā, see Madhya-līlā 15.261.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, things to be done and things to be avoided like criticizing devotees are presented and Lord Caitanya is advising what to present what to forbid in his directory of Vaiṣṇava activities.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.339

sādhu-lakṣaṇa, sādhu-saṅga, sādhu-sevana
asat-saṅga-tyāga, śrī-bhāgavata-śravaṇa

Translation: “You should describe the symptoms of a devotee, how to associate with devotees, how to satisfy a devotee by rendering service, and how to give up the association of nondevotees. You should also explain the value of regularly hearing the recitation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here the great value of associating with devotees and giving up bad association is given here by Lord Caitanya and how we should regularly hear the Śrīmad-bhāgavatam.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.340

dina-kṛtya, pakṣa-kṛtya, ekādaśy-ādi-vivaraṇa
māsa-kṛtya, janmāṣṭamyādi-vidhi-vicāraṇa

Translation: “You should describe the ritualistic duties to be performed every day, and you should also describe the fortnightly duties — especially how to observe the fortnightly Ekādaśī fast. You should also describe the duties to be observed every month, and you should especially describe the observance of ceremonies like Janmāṣṭamī, Rāma-navamī and Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Hari-bhakti-vilāsa written by Sanātana Gosvāmī embodies all these instructions given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.341

ekādaśī, janmāṣṭamī, vāmana-dvādaśī
śrī-rāma-navamī, āra nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī

Translation: “Ekādaśī, Janmāṣṭamī, Vāmana-dvādaśī, Rāma-navamī and Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī — all these should be described.

Jayapatākā Swami: The Vaiṣṇavas observe all the appearance days of the major avatāras and Ekādaśī is known as Hari-vāsara, the day of Hari .

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.342

ei sabe viddhā-tyāga, aviddhā-karaṇa
akaraṇe doṣa, kaile bhaktira lambhana

Translation: “You should recommend the avoidance of mixed Ekādaśī and the performance of pure Ekādaśī. You should also describe the fault in not observing Ekādaśī. One should be very careful as far as these items are concerned. If one is not careful, one will be negligent in executing devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, it’s very important to observe Ekādaśī properly, which day is pure Ekādaśī and which day is mixed Ekādaśī, such standards are given by which one can ascertain. Pure devotees have one standard and smārtas may follow other standards.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.343

prabhukartṛka sātvata purāṇake ‘pramāṇa’ baliyā svīkāraḥ—

sarvatra pramāṇa dibe purāṇa-vacana
śrī-mūrti-viṣṇu-mandira-karaṇa-lakṣaṇa

Translation: “Whatever you say about Vaiṣṇava behavior, the establishment of Vaiṣṇava temples and Deities, and everything else should be supported by evidence from the Purāṇas.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya wanted Sanātana Gosvāmī to give in his books, reference to the different scriptures and Purāṇas.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.344

hari-bhakti-vilāse sāmānya o vaiṣṇava sadācāra varṇane ājñāḥ—

‘sāmānya’ sad-ācāra, āra ‘vaiṣṇava’-ācāra
kartavyākartavya saba ‘smārta’ vyavahāra

Translation: “You should give general and specific descriptions of the behavior and activities of a Vaiṣṇava. You should outline things that are to be done and things that are not to be done. All this should be described as regulations and etiquette.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.345

sanātanake āśīrvādaḥ—

ei saṅkṣepe sūtra kahiluṅ dig-daraśana
yabe tumi likhibā, kṛṣṇa karābe sphuraṇa

Translation: “I have thus given a synopsis of the Vaiṣṇava regulative principles. I have given this in brief just to give you a little direction. When you write on this subject, Kṛṣṇa will help you by spiritually awakening you.”

Purport: One cannot write on spiritual matters without being blessed by Kṛṣṇa and the disciplic succession of gurus. The blessings of the authorities are one’s power of attorney. One should not try to write anything about Vaiṣṇava behavior and activities without being authorized by superior authorities. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.2): evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda has provided one should write using the reference, getting the blessings from the previous ācāryas. By the blessings of the previous ācāryas one is able to write.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.346

prabhumukhe sanātana-śikṣā vā sanātana-prati prabhura kṛpā-prasāda-śravaṇe anartha-nivṛtti o ātmaprasādodayaḥ—

ei ta’ kahilu prabhura sanātane prasāda
yāhāra śravaṇe cittera khaṇḍe avasāda

Translation: Thus, I have narrated Lord Caitanya’s mercy upon Sanātana Gosvāmī. When one hears these topics, one’s heart will be cleansed of all contamination.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja is making a synopsis of the instructions Lord Caitanya gave to Sanātana Gosvāmī. He actually gave these instructions for two months, so here we are seeing just a synopsis and by hearing these descriptions our consciousness will be cleansed and our heart will be freed of all contaminations.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.347

caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭake varṇitaḥ—

nija-granthe karṇapūra vistāra kariyā
sanātane prabhura prasāda rākhiyāche likhiyā

Translation: The authorized poet Kavi-karṇapūra has written a book named Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka. This book tells how Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu blessed Sanātana Gosvāmī with His specific mercy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is one of the books we are using to compile the ‘Kṛṣṇa Caitanya’ book. We hope that this book will also be referred to give us the details how Lord Caitanya instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.348

upamādvārā sanātanera mahattva varṇanaḥ—

śrī-caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭake (9.34-35)-śloke pratāparudra prati vārtāhāri vākya

Translation: “Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, the elder brother of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, was a most important minister in the government of Hussain Shah, the ruler of Bengal, and he was considered a most brilliant gem in that assembly. He possessed all the opulences of a royal position, but he gave up everything just to accept the youthful goddess of renunciation. Although he externally appeared to be a mendicant who had renounced everything, he was filled with the pleasure of devotional service within his heart. Thus he can be compared to a deep lake covered with moss. He was the object of pleasure for all the devotees who knew the science of devotional service.

Purport: This and the following two verses are from Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka (9.34, 35, 38).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here some of the verses of Kavi-karṇapūra are given.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.349

taṁ sanātanam upāgatam akṣṇor
dṛṣṭa-mātram atimātra-dayārdraḥ
āliliṅga parighāyata-dorbhyāṁ
sānukampam atha campaka-gauraḥ

Translation: “As soon as Sanātana Gosvāmī arrived in front of Lord Caitanya, the Lord, seeing him, became merciful to him. The Lord, who has the complexion of a golden campaka flower, opened His arms and embraced him while expressing great affection.”

Jayapatākā Swami: If we remember, Sanātana Gosvāmī had travelled by night and reached the house in Benares where Lord Caitanya was staying, and he was dressed like a Muslim mendicant. But Lord Caitanya was so happy to see him, that He embraced him without hesitation.

Hare Krishna!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.350

kālena vṛndāvana-keli-vārtā
lupteti tāṁ khyāpayituṁ viśiṣya
kṛpāmṛtenābhiṣiṣeca devas
tatraiva rūpaṁ ca sanātanaṁ ca

Translation: “In the course of time, the transcendental news of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Vṛndāvana was almost lost. To enunciate explicitly those transcendental pastimes, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu empowered Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī with the nectar of His mercy to carry out this work in Vṛndāvana.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these two great associates of Lord Caitanya revealed all the pastime places of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. Otherwise they were being forgotten, a few major spots were revealed by Lord Caitanya and the rest were left to both Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.351

śrī-sanātana-śikṣānuśīlanaphale anartha-mukti evaṁ sambandha-jñāna, abhidheya evaṁ prayojana-prāptiḥ—

ei ta’ kahiluṅ sanātane prabhura prasāda
yāhāra śravaṇe cittera khaṇḍe avasāda

Translation: I have thus explained the mercy bestowed on Sanātana Gosvāmī by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If one hears this description, all moroseness in the heart will diminish.

Jayapatākā Swami: One gets the blessing by hearing these descriptions how Lord Caitanya instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī, naturally hearing about the mercy relieves one of all moroseness in the heart.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.352

kṛṣṇera svarūpa-gaṇera sakala haya ‘jñāna’
vidhi-rāga-mārge ‘sādhana-bhakti’ra vidhāna

Translation: By reading these instructions to Sanātana Gosvāmī, one will become fully aware of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s various expansions and the process of devotional service according to the regulative principles and spontaneous love. Thus, everything can be fully known.

Jayapatākā Swami: How Kṛṣṇa expands Himself in various expansions, how He can be served by following regulative principles and how when one can awakens their spontaneous love, how they can serve the Lord in spontaneous love or rāga-mārga.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.353

‘kṛṣṇa-prema’, ‘bhakti-rasa’, ‘bhaktira siddhānta’
ihāra śravaṇe bhakta jānena saba anta

Translation: By reading these instructions, a pure devotee can understand love of Kṛṣṇa, the mellows of devotional service and the conclusion of devotional service. Everyone can understand all these things to their ultimate end by studying these instructions.

Jayapatākā Swami: The importance of understanding these instructions that Lord Caitanya gave to Sanātana Gosvāmī is expressed here. 

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.354

nitāi-gaura-advaitera aikāntika bhakterai kṛṣṇa-prema-dhanalābhe yogyatāḥ—

śrī-caitanya-nityānanda-advaita-caraṇa
yāṅra prāṇa-dhana, sei pāya ei dhana

Translation: The conclusion of these instructions can be known to one whose life and soul are the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu.

Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: By taking shelter of these three prabhus, one can achieve kṛṣṇa-prema.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Directory about the Activities of Vaiṣṇavas, Part 4
Under the section: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse