20220713 Phalaśruti - The Result of Hearing About the Second Meeting of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 13th,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!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Today's chapter is entitled as:

Phalaśruti - The Result of Hearing About the Second Meeting of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Part 2

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.210

haridāsera śrī-rūpa-saubhāgya-praśaṁsāḥ—

haridāsa kahe,—“tomāra bhāgyera nāhi sīmā
ye saba varṇilā, ihāra ke jāne mahimā?”

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura told him, “There is no limit to your good fortune. No one can understand the glories of what you have described.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rūpa Gosvāmī was describing the confidential pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, understanding these pastimes is very great fortune and he was explaining it very eloquently so Haridāsa Ṭhākura was explaining how he had such good fortune.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.211

śrī-rūpakarttṛka dainyajñāpana, āpanāke yantri-prabhura yantra-jñānaḥ—

śrī-rūpa kahena,—“āmi kichui nā jāni
yei mahāprabhu kahāna, sei kahi vāṇī”

Translation: Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī said, “I do not know anything. The only transcendental words I can utter are those which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu makes me speak.

Purport: By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda! The poet or writer dealing with transcendental subject matters is not an ordinary writer or translator. Because he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whatever he writes becomes very effective. The principle of being empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is essential. A materialistic poet who describes in his poetry the material activities of men and women cannot describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord or the transcendental conclusions of devotional service. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has therefore warned all neophyte devotees that one should not hear from the mouth of a non-Vaiṣṇava:

“One should not hear anything about Kṛṣṇa from a non-Vaiṣṇava. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects; similarly, talks about Kṛṣṇa given by a non-Vaiṣṇava are also poisonous.”

Unless one is a fully unalloyed devotee of the Lord, one should not try to describe the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in poetry, for it will be only mundane. There are many descriptions of Kṛṣṇa’s Bhagavad-gītā written by persons whose consciousness is mundane and who are not qualified by pure devotion. Although they attempted to write transcendental literature, they could not fully engage even a single devotee in Kṛṣṇa’s service. Such literature is mundane, and therefore, as warned by Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, one should not touch it.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda has translated and commented on Bhagavad-Gītā and so many books and these have made so many thousands or hundreds and thousands may be millions of devotees because a pure devotee is writing this. So one should not be writing for name or fame but to please Guru and Gaurāṅga.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.212

Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.2)

hṛdi yasya preraṇayā pravartito ‘haṁ varāka-rūpo ‘pi
tasya hareḥ pada-kamalaṁ vande caitanya-devasya

Translation: “Although I am the lowest of men and have no knowledge, the Lord has mercifully bestowed upon me the inspiration to write transcendental literature about devotional service. Therefore I offer my obeisances at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given me the chance to write these books.”

Purport: By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda! This verse is from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.2).

Jayapatākā Swami: This shows the humble attitude of Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was directly empowered by Lord Caitanya, and one may be directly empowered by Lord Caitanya and by ācāryas in the disciplic succession, but we should be very careful not to write anything which is not authorized by the previous ācāryas.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.213

śrī-rūpa o haridāsera kṛṣṇa-kathālāpaḥ —

ei-mata dui-jana kṛṣṇa-kathā-raṅge
sukhe kāla goṅāya rūpa haridāsa-saṅge

Translation: In this way Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī passed his time in close association with Haridāsa Ṭhākura by discussing the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa in great happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is called iṣṭagoṣṭhī where the devotees discuss the pastimes and qualities of Kṛṣṇa therefore they are fully blissful.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.214

cātur-māsyānte gauḍāgata bhaktagaṇera gauḍe pratyāvarttanaḥ—

cāri māsa rahi’ saba prabhura bhakta-gaṇa
gosāñi vidāya dilā, gauḍe karilā gamana

Translation: All the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus spent four months with Him. Then the Lord bade them farewell, and they returned to Bengal.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the rainy season which last for four months since there are no paved roads and all the roads and highways are muddy, they stayed the four months of rainy season with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then they walked back to Bengal.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.215

dola-yātrā paryanta śrī-rūpera prabhupade avasthānaḥ—

śrī-rūpa prabhu-pade nīlācale rahilā
dola-yātrā prabhu-saṅge ānande dekhilā

Translation: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, however, stayed at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and when the Dola-yātrā festival took place, he saw it in great happiness with the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya appeared at the Dola-yātrā at that time various festivals were offered to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī saw those in association with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. At the present time in ISKCON we observed the Gaura Pūrṇimā which happens in the Phalguna Pūrṇimā in March.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.216

śrī-rūpe prabhura śaktisañcāra :—

dola anantare prabhu rūpe vidāya dilā
aneka prasāda kari’ śakti sañcārilā

Translation: After the Dola-yātrā festival ended, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade farewell to Rūpa Gosvāmī also. The Lord empowered him and bestowed upon him all kinds of mercy.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu bestowed His mercy on Rūpa Gosvāmī so that he could carry out His instructions.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.217

vṛndāvane gamana-pūrvaka sanātanake purī-preraṇe ājñāḥ—

“vṛndāvane yāha’ tumi, rahiha vṛndāvane
ekabāra ihāṅ pāṭhāiha sanātane

Translation: “Now go to Vṛndāvana and stay there,” the Lord said. “You may send here your elder brother, Sanātana.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rūpa Gosvāmī received the instructions to stay in Vṛndāvana but He could send Sanātana to Nīlācala one time so in this way Lord Caitanya was personally overseeing all the activities of His dedicated devotees.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.218

bṛndābane caturbbidha sebā-kāryyabhāra pradāna— (1) bhaktirasaśāstra-racana, (2) luptatīrthoddharaṇa, (3) śrībigraha o mandire sebā saṁsthāpana o (4) aprākṛta-bhakti-rasapracāra:—

vraje yāi rasa-śāstra kariha nirūpaṇa
lupta-tīrtha saba tāhāṅ kariha pracāraṇa

Translation: “When you go to Vṛndāvana, stay there, preach transcendental literature and excavate the lost holy places.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.219

kṛṣṇa-sevā, rasa-bhakti kariha pracāra
āmiha dekhite tāhāṅ yāimu ekabāra”

Translation: “Establish the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa and preach the mellows of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service. I shall also go to Vṛndāvana once more.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya gave Rūpa Gosvāmī instructions on what activities he should perform in Vṛndāvana. So, in this way today we have all the holy places, we have transcendental literatures written by Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.220

prabhura āliṅgana, śrīrūpera praṇāmaḥ—

eta bali’ prabhu tāṅre kailā āliṅgana
rūpa gosāñi śire dhare prabhura caraṇa

Translation: Having thus spoken, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Rūpa Gosvāmī, who then placed the lotus feet of the Lord upon his head.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see how Lord Caitanya was affectionate to His devotees and how Rūpa Gosvāmī took the dust from Lord Caitanya's lotus feet on his head and in this way transcendental exchange of spiritual love was complete.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.221

gauḍadeśa haiyā śrī-rūpera vraje āgamana :—

prabhura bhakta-gaṇa-pāśe vidāya la-ilā
punarapi gauḍa-pathe vṛndāvane āilā

Translation: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī took leave of all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and returned to Vṛndāvana by the path through Bengal.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 1.222

prabhu-rūpa-milana-saṁvāda-śravaṇe acaitanya jīvera caitanyapada-prāptiḥ—

ei ta’ kahilāṅa punaḥ rūpera milana
ihā yei śune, pāya caitanya-caraṇa

Translation: Thus I have described the second meeting of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone who hears of this incident will certainly attain shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the greatest mercy! To receive the shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So, only by hearing these pastimes one can get the shelter of Lord Caitanya's lotus feet. This was a very confidential meeting of Lord Caitanya and His devotees, with Rūpa Gosvāmī, and instructions of Lord Caitanya to Rūpa and Sanātana to perform in Vṛndāvana.

Thus ends the chapter entitled,

Phalaśruti - The Result of Hearing About the Second Meeting of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Part 2
Under the section: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Second Meeting with the Lord