20220603 Arrangements Made by Śivānanda Sena

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on June 3rd,2022 in Chennai, 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!

So in the compilation of Lord Caitanya book

Arrangements Made by Śivānanda Sena
Under the Section: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Second Meeting with the Lord

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.16

Gandharva: Where are you from?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.17

Foreigner: I am from northern Rāḍha-deśa.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.18

Gandharva: Why are you alone?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.19

Foreigner: I was sent by Narahari dāsa and the other devotees there.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.20

Gandharva: Why?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.21

Foreigner: To know when Śivānanda will leave for Puruṣottama-kṣetra.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.22

Gandharva: For the time being, stay here near my master's house, until I return after finding out. Ten men like yourself are now staying at my master's house and he told them, “You will all go with Me to Puruṣottama-kṣetra,” and kept them with him.

Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Gandharva’s master is Advaita Ācārya so Advaita Ācārya is decided to go to Nīlācala with Śivānanda Sena and he is taking many devotees with him.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.23

Foreigner: Why is your master so merciful to them?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.24

Gandharva: Among them is a best of the brāhmaṇas by name Śrīnātha, who is gentle, young, beautiful to look at, charming and handsome. My master was pleased by seeing his very attractive nature and by his natural awakening of love for Kṛṣṇa, by his soft nature both inside and outside. My master told him, “I will privately show you Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Don't go with anyone else”. My master is taking care of all these ten people’s needs for more than a month on the request of Śrīnātha.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Advaita Ācārya is taking care of the Vaiṣṇavas, he is showing that caring for the Vaiṣṇavas is the proper thing to do and he is the person responsible for calling Lord Caitanya down. Lord Caitanya has come here because of the call of Advaita Ācārya.Lord Caitanya said he came down on the call of Advaita Ācārya. Advaita Ācārya is very important personality, He is also Viṣṇu-tattva being non-different from Māhā-Viṣṇu and Sadāśiva.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.25

Foreigner: So be it. I will stay here and wait for your return.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.26

Gandharva: And I will also go to find Śivānanda.

(They both exit).

(Thus ends the Viṣkambhaka or the interlude).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.27

(Śivānanda enters accompanied by some other who have the intention to go).

Śivānanda: (to one person). Ah! Where are you from?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.28

Man: O great one, Govardhana dāsa sent me to you.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.29

Śivānanda: Yes. I understand. You have come for Raghunātha dāsa.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.30

Man: Yes.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.31

Śivānanda: What is the use of trying to find him?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.32

Man: Lord, is he acquainted by you?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.33

Śivānanda: Listen.

“Raghunātha dāsa is a disciple of Yadunandana Ācārya, who is very gentle and is extremely dear to Vāsudeva Datta, a resident of Kāñcanapallī. Because of Raghunātha dāsa’s transcendental qualities, he is always more dear than life for all of us devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Since he has been favored by the abundant mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he is always pleasing. Vividly providing a superior example for the renounced order, this very dear follower of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is the ocean of renunciation. Who among the residents of Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī] does not know him very well?” (quoted in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 6.263)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Raghunatha dāsa has become very dear to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, because of his renunciation and his service attitude.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.34

Translation: “Because he is very pleasing to all the devotees, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī easily became like the fertile earth of good fortune in which it was suitable for the seed of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be sown. At the same time that the seed was sown, it grew into a matchless tree of the love of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and produced fruit.”
(quoted in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 6.264)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, how Raghunatha dāsa Gosvāmī received the mercy Lord Caitanya is described here and we can see how important it is to be dear to the devotees of Lord Caitanya

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.35

Translation: Still, I will guide you to Puruṣottama-kṣetra. Wait for a while, as long we have not received order from Advaita Ācārya. (He thinks).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.36

(Gandharva enters)

Gandharva: Oh! Here is Śivānanda. Therefore, let me go near him.

(He approaches Śivānanda).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.37

Śivānanda: (looking ahead) Ah! I seems that the persons in front is Ācārya Gosvāmī’s servant. Therefore, fortune has come. About whom I have been thinking, has come in front of me.

(He goes near)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śivānanda Sena was waiting for some indication from Advaita Ācārya, Gandharava, the student of Advaita Ācārya entered and then he thought now he will receive the instruction.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.38

Gandharva: (approaching) O great one, Lord Advaita Gosvāmī has an order for you.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.39

Śivānanda: I am listening with attention. Please speak the message.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.40

Gandharva: (repeats Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.2) I have been ordered by Lord Advaita thus; “The auspicious time for going to Puruṣottama-kṣetra has come. We will go quickly. Now, you tell Śivānanda that he should decide a day for travel and write to us. Since we want to travel with him, he should tell us when we should go and meet him beforehand in order to travel together with him in the journey.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Advaita Ācārya and his devotees wanted to meet Lord Caitanya in Nīlācala so he wanted to travel with Śivānanda Sena’s party, so he was asking Śivānanda Sena to pick the appropriate day and meet and go. So, the devotees of Navadvīpa, Śāntipura were very eager to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.41

Śivānanda: I have been waiting for His order.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.42

Gandharva: There is something specific.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.43

Śivānanda: What is it?

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.44

Gandharva: “This year the snāna-yātra also is to be seen.”

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka, 10.45

Śivānanda: All the devotees wish this. Go and let the Lord know that after determining a date I will approach the lotus feet of the Lord. In the meantime, I will go and consult Śrīvāsa and others to determine the date. You also go (to Advaita Ācārya?).

(They all exit).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śivānanda Sena is going to consult with Śrīvāsa and all the other devotees and was very eager to see Lord Caitanya. This year they will go to Snāna-yātrā which is fifteen days before Ratha-yātrā so all these things were communicated with Śivānanda Sena. We can see how the devotees are all conscious of Lord Caitanya and this is the third practice of devotional service, smaraṇam, always be thinking about the Lord. Śivānanda Sena would organise the travel of all the devotees.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Arrangements made by Śivānanda Sena
Under the section: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Second Meeting with the Lord

Śrīla Prabhupāda kī! Jaya! Śrīla Gurumahārāja kī! Jaya!