20220728 The prostitute informs Rāmacandra Khān about the statement of Haridāsa Ṭhākura

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 28th, 2022 in Śrī 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:

The prostitute informs Rāmacandra Khān about the statement of Haridāsa Ṭhākura
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.93

prabhukartṛka haridāsera praśaṁsāḥ—

tabe mahāprabhu nija-bhakta-pāśe yāñā
haridāsera guṇa kahe śata-mukha hañā

Translation: Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to His personal devotees and began speaking about Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s transcendental qualities as if He had hundreds of mouths.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was glorifying Haridāsa Ṭhākura with great enthusiasm and He was doing it very spontaneously and He liked to glorify His pure devotees.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.94

bhaktaguṇa-kīrtanakārī bhagavān—

bhaktera guṇa kahite prabhura bāḍaye ullāsa
bhakta-gaṇa-śreṣṭha tāte śrī-haridāsa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His devotees, and among the devotees, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is the foremost.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, it was the nature of Lord Caitanya to glorify His devotees. But in glorifying Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was one of His foremost devotee, his glorification knew no limit.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.95

ṭhākura haridāsera ananta guṇarāśi—

haridāsera guṇa-gaṇa—asaṅkhya, apāra
keha kona aṁśe varṇe, nāhi pāya pāra

Translation: The transcendental qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura are innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of them, but to count them all is impossible.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.96

śrī-caitanya-bhāgavate ṭhākurera guṇa āṁśika varṇita :—

caitanya-maṅgale śrī-vṛndāvana-dāsa
haridāsera guṇa kichu kariyāchena prakāśa

Translation: In the Caitanya-maṅgala, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has described the attributes of Haridāsa Ṭhākura to some extent.

Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya-maṅgala by Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, which was later changed to Caitanya-bhāgavata and that contained some glorification of Haridāsa Ṭhākura's qualities.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.97

svacitta-śuddhira nimitta agādha haridāsa-carita-sindhura bindusparśa :—

saba kahā nā yāya haridāsera caritra
keha kichu kahe karite āpanā pavitra

Translation: No one can describe all the qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. One may say something about them just to purify himself.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by saying some of the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura one gets purified. So to glorify a great devotee of the Lord is a way to purify oneself and also to please the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.98

caitanya-bhāgavate avarṇita caritāṁśerai varṇana-pratijñāḥ—

vṛndāvana-dāsa yāhā nā kaila varṇana
haridāsera guṇa kichu śuna, bhakta-gaṇa

Translation: O devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, please hear something about the qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura that Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has not described in detail.

Jayapatākā Swami: Each author does not like to repeat what another author has said, they only say in detail things which the other author did not say.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.99

benāpole ṭhākurakarttṛka rāmacandra-khāṅnera prerita veśyāra uddhāra-vṛttānta : —

haridāsa yabe nija-gṛha tyāga kailā
benāpolera vana-madhye kata-dina rahilā

Translation: After leaving his home, Haridāsa Ṭhākura stayed for some time in the forest of Benāpola.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, his birthplace and place of residence was at Benāpola, Bangladesh. So he was staying there for some days and then from Benāpola after delivering the prostitute, he went for one day to Haridāsapur and the village is named after Haridāsa because he was there for one day.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.100

nirjana-vane kuṭira kari’ tulasī sevana
rātri-dine tina lakṣa nāma-saṅkīrtana

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasī plant, and in front of the tulasī he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.

Purport: The village of Benāpola is situated in the district of Yaśohara (Jessore), which is now in Bangladesh. Benāpola is near the Bangaon station, which is at the border of Bangladesh and may be reached by the Eastern Railway from Sealdah Station in Calcutta. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, being the ācārya of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is called Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. From his personal example we can understand that chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and becoming highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very simple. Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā or any other sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasī tree, and before the tulasī chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra undisturbed.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, for no one else can chant the holy name 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-puruṣa, or liberated soul.

We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasī plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with a vow before the tulasī plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to follow Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasī plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, chanting sixteen rounds take about maximum two hours and one may also chant in an hour and a half, so chanting sixteen rounds minimum a day is the quantity mentioned for initiated members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As Śrīla Prabhupāda has said, just by doing this daily practice, one will become spiritually very strong.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.101

brāhmaṇera ghare kare bhikṣā nirvāhaṇa
prabhāve sakala loka karaye pūjana

Translation: For his bodily maintenance he would go to a brāhmaṇa’s house and beg some food. He was spiritually so influential that all the neighboring people worshiped him.

Purport: In the days of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, all the brāhmaṇas worshiped Nārāyaṇa in the form of the śālagrāma-śilā. Therefore begging from a brāhmaṇa’s house meant taking kṛṣṇa-prasādam, which is transcendental (nirguṇa). If we take food from the houses of others, such as karmīs, we shall have to share the qualities of those from whom we take alms. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took prasādam in the houses of Vaiṣṇavas. This is the general process.

The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are advised not to take food from anywhere but a Vaiṣṇava’s or brāhmaṇa’s house where Deity worship is performed.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said,

viṣayīra anna khāile duṣṭa haya mana

if a devotee takes alms or food from the house of a karmī who is simply interested in money, his mind will become unclean. We must always remember that a devotee’s life is one of vairāgya-vidyā, or renunciation and knowledge.

Therefore all devotees are warned not to live unnecessarily luxurious lives at the cost of others. Gṛhasthas living within the jurisdiction of the temple must be especially careful not to imitate karmīs by acquiring opulent clothing, food and conveyances. As far as possible, these should be avoided. A member of the temple, whether gṛhastha, brahmacārī or sannyāsī, must practice a life of renunciation, following in the footsteps of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and the six Gosvāmīs. Otherwise, because māyā is very strong, at any time one may become a victim of māyā and fall down from spiritual life.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in 2020 Census, West Bengal was number One in India 98% non-veg, the highest non-veg in India. So, it’s not even the brāhmaṇas in Bengal, most eat non-veg. Of course we have many initiated Vaiṣṇavas and if we take food from their house then it will be prasāda. The devotees, even the sannyāsīs they tend to live in the āśrama. In our āśrama in Māyāpur we have about 400 to 500 brahmacārīs, 7000 or so gṛhasthas. So here everyone tries to take Kṛṣṇa prasāda. In our vairāgya-vidya we do not break any of the four principles and we take Kṛṣṇa prasāda and this is what Kṛṣṇa recommended in this age of Kali. Gaurāṇga!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.102

sei deśādhyakṣa nāma—rāmacandra khāṅna
vaiṣṇava-vidveṣī sei pāṣaṇḍa-pradhāna

Translation: A landholder named Rāmacandra Khān was the zamindar of that district. He was envious of Vaiṣṇavas and was therefore a great atheist.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.103

haridāse loke pūje, sahite nā pare
tāṅra apamāna karite nānā upāya kare

Translation: Unable to tolerate that such respect was being offered to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Rāmacandra Khān planned in various ways to dishonor him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.104

kona-prakāre haridāsera chidra nāhi pāya
veśyā-gaṇe āni’ kare chidrera upāya

Translation: By no means could he find any fault in the character of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Therefore he called for local prostitutes and began a plan to discredit His Holiness.

Purport: This is typical of atheistic men, but even among so-called religionists, sādhus, mendicants, sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs, there are many enemies of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement who always try to find faults in it, not considering that the movement is spreading automatically by the grace of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who wanted it spread all over the world, in every town and village. We are trying to fulfill the Lord’s desire, and our attempt has become fairly successful, but the enemies of this movement unnecessarily try to find faults in it, exactly like the old rascal Rāmacandra Khān, who opposed Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmachandra Khān was trying disgrace Haridāsa Ṭhākura and he had a plan. In the same way some of the people who could not tolerate the success of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, they tried different ways to find fault with him, although his purpose was just to serve his spiritual master and Lord Caitanya

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.105

veśyā-gaṇe kahe,—“ei vairāgī haridāsa
tumi-saba kara ihāra vairāgya-dharma nāśa”

Translation: Rāmacandra Khān said to the prostitutes, “There is a mendicant named Haridāsa Ṭhākura. All of you devise a way to deviate him from his vows of austerity.”

Purport: Devotional service is the path of vairāgya-vidyā (renunciation and knowledge). Haridāsa Ṭhākura was following this path, but Rāmacandra Khān planned to induce him to break his vows. Renunciation means renunciation of sensual pleasure, especially the pleasure of sex. Therefore, a brahmacārī, sannyāsī or vānaprastha is strictly prohibited from having relationships with women.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura was strictly renounced, and thus Rāmacandra Khān called for prostitutes because prostitutes know how to break a man’s vow of celibacy by their feminine influence and thus pollute a mendicant or a person engaged in devotional life. It was impossible for Rāmacandra Khān to induce any other women to break Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s vow, and therefore he called for prostitutes.

Free mingling with women has never been possible in India, but for one who wanted to associate with society girls, they were available in a district of prostitutes. There were prostitutes in human society even in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s time, for it is said that the prostitutes of Dvārakā City came forth to receive the Lord. Although they were prostitutes, they were also devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmachandra Khān he was trying to induce the prostitute to make Haridāsa Ṭhākura break his vow, so this is the basis of this story.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.106

veśyā-gaṇa-madhye eka sundarī yuvatī
se kahe,—“tina-dine hariba tāṅra mati”

Translation: Among the prostitutes, one attractive young girl was selected. “I shall attract the mind of Haridāsa Ṭhākura,” she promised, “within three days.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this was a promise, to break Haridāsa Ṭhākura's vow of celibacy within three days.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.107

khāṅna kahe,—“mora pāika yāuka tomāra sane
tomāra sahita ekatra tāre dhari’ yena āne”

Translation: Rāmacandra Khān said to the prostitute, “My constable will go with you so that as soon as he sees you with Haridāsa Ṭhākura, immediately he will arrest him and bring both of you to me.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.108

veśyā kahe,—“mora saṅga ha-uka eka-bāra
dvitīya-bāre dharite pāika la-imu tomāra”

Translation: The prostitute replied, “First let me have union with him once; then the second time I shall take your constable with me to arrest him.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.109

rātri-kāle sei veśyā suveśa dhariyā
haridāsera vāsāya gela ullasita hañā

Translation: At night the prostitute, after dressing herself most attractively, went to the cottage of Haridāsa Ṭhākura with great jubilation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.110

tulasī namaskari’ haridāsera dvāre yāñā
gosāñire namaskari’ rahilā dāṇḍāñā

Translation: After offering obeisances to the tulasī plant, she went to the door of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, offered him obeisances and stood there.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.111

aṅga ughāḍiyā dekhāi vasilā duyāre
kahite lāgilā kichu sumadhura svare

Translation: Exposing part of her body to his view, she sat down on the threshold of the door and spoke to him in very sweet words.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.112

ṭhākura, tumi—parama-sundara, prathama yauvana
tomā dekhi’ kon nārī dharite pāre mana

Translation: “My dear Ṭhākura, O great preacher, great devotee, you are so beautifully built, and your youth is just beginning. Who is the woman who could control her mind after seeing you?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the prostitute was trying to use her feminine attraction to influence Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.113

tomāra saṅgama lāgi’ lubdha mora mana
tomā nā pāile prāṇa nā yāya dhāraṇa

Translation: “I am eager to be united with you. My mind is greedy for this. If I don’t obtain you, I shall not be able to keep my body and soul together.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, she is threatening suicide if he does not satisfy her.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.114-115

haridāsa kahe,—“tomā karimu aṅgīkāra
saṅkhyā-nāma-samāpti yāvat nā haya āmāra

tāvat tumi vasi’ śuna nāma-saṅkīrtana
nāma-samāpti haile karimu ye tomāra mana

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “I shall accept you without fail, but you will have to wait until I have finished chanting my regular rounds on my beads. Until that time, please sit and listen to the chanting of the holy name. As soon as I am finished, I shall fulfill your desire.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura gave his assurance to the prostitute.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.116

eta śuni’ sei veśyā vasiyā rahilā
kīrtana kare haridāsa prātaḥ-kāla hailā

Translation: Hearing this, the prostitute remained sitting there while Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted on his beads until the light of morning appeared.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.117

prātaḥ-kāla dekhi’ veśyā uṭhiyā calilā
saba samācāra yāi khāṅnere kahilā

Translation: When she saw that it was morning, the prostitute stood up and left. Coming before Rāmacandra Khān, she informed him of all the news.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.118

‘āji āmā aṅgīkāra kariyāche vacane
kāli avaśya tāhāra saṅge ha-ibe saṅgame’

Translation: “Today Haridāsa Ṭhākura has promised to enjoy with me. Tomorrow certainly I shall have union with him.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Rāmachandra Khān had offered a large sum of gold coins, if the prostitute could make Haridāsa Ṭhākura fall down. So, this was his plan, and she was convinced that it would work.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The prostitute informs Rāmacandra Khān about the statement of Haridāsa Ṭhākura
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura