20220902 Blessing in disguise Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on September 2nd,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 we are continuing

Part 2 of the chapter entitled Blessing in disguise
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.55

tāhādera tatkālīna kṛṣṇa-smaraṇābhiniviṣṭatā-saṁrakṣaṇārthai pūrvokta tatkālīna gūḍhāśīrvāda —

ebe krṣṇa-prati tomā’-sabākāra mana
yena āche, ei-mata thāku sarva-kṣaṇa

Translation: “As your minds are presently fixed on Kṛṣṇa, let them stay that way forever.

Haribol!

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Ṭhākura Haridāsa said to the prisoners, “Your present state of mind is auspicious for you, because you have received the opportunity to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness by giving up endeavors for material enjoyment. Therefore always remain engaged in chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names and in remembering Kṛṣṇa. If you get freedom from prison life and again indulge in sense gratification, then as a result of associating with wicked persons who are averse to the Lord you will forget the Supreme Lord. As long as the endeavor for material enjoyment is prominent in the living entity, there is no possibility for him to worship Kṛṣṇa. The goal of the material enjoyers is diametrically opposite to Kṛṣṇa. The conditioned souls who are devoid of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa are always merged in topics related to their wives and children, which are the center of their enjoyment. If by the mercy of the Lord a person in this dangerous situation meets a saintly person, his taste for material enjoyment will be turned into taste for the service of the Supreme Lord. When one gives up the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then his natural material propensities will submerse him in a mire of offenses. I do not mean that you should remain suffering within this prison, but in your present condition you have the opportunity to constantly chant the holy names of the Lord. Therefore do not be distressed. The Vaiṣṇavas always bless all living entities with the words: 'May your devotion to the Supreme Lord be fixed.' I consider this the greatest mercy towards the living entities. Your prison life will soon be finished. Never give up your determination for serving the Supreme Lord in any condition.” [This purport also applies to the next twelve verses.]

Jayapatākā Swami: Somehow the prisoners have a favorable consciousness to Kṛṣṇa, so Haridāsa Ṭhākura is blessing them to always have that mentality. We are thinking in this material world that we are this body and what are the products of the body are somehow connected to us, but actually we are spirit souls and we are eternal servants of Lord Kṛṣṇa. That consciousness is what Ṭhākura Haridāsa wanted to always remain with the prisoners.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.56

tadavadhi sakalake kṛṣṇanāma-kīrtana-smaraṇārtha haridāsa-prabhura ādeśa pradāna—

ebe nitya kṛṣṇa-nāma kṛṣṇera cintana
sabe meli’ karite thākaha anukṣaṇa

Translation: “Now you can all together constantly chant the names of Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is Haridāsa Ṭhākura's method of preaching, for this reason, he is called the ācārya of chanting the holy name. He encouraged everyone in the prison, and outside to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura he had encountered many challenges, and many troubles from envious people but still he continued to preach, but others may not encounter such challenges, but they should still chant the holy names.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.57

deśe śāntidarśane tadavadhi sakalakei kākubhare kṛṣṇanāma-kīrtana-smaraṇārtha ādeśa —

ebe hiṁsā nāhi, nāhi prajāra pīḍana
‘kṛṣṇa’ bali’ kākuvāde karaha cintana

Translation: “Here you have no envy or trouble from others, so you can humbly chant and think of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the prison, nobody bothers if you chant out loud. So Haridāsa Ṭhākura is recommending that one chant the holy name loudly. Actually, Kṛṣṇa gives the peace formula, if one accepts that all religious sacrifices, practices, austerities are ultimately meant for Him and that He is the Lord of everything and that He is well-wisher of all the people, in that way try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then they can be in peace always.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.58

kintu asat duḥsaṅgera phale kṛṣṇanāma vismṛta-sambhāvanā-hetu duḥsaṅga niṣedhapūrvaka sakalake satarkīkaraṇa—

āra-bāra giyā viṣayete pravartile
sabe ihā pāsaribe, gele duṣṭa-mele

Translation: “Otherwise if you again return to material enjoyment, by bad association you’ll forget everything about Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: The idea in the material life that we can be happy by material enjoyment makes us forget Kṛṣṇa and thus we are bound to take birth after birth in this material world, but if we completely try to serve Kṛṣṇa always, chanting the holy name always, then we can escape this material conditioning and go back home back to Godhead.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.59

indriya-tarpaṇa-nirata viṣaya-bhogī yoṣitsaṅgīra mane kṛṣṇendriya-tarpaṇa-janita prema-rāhitya—

viṣaya thākite kṛṣṇa-prema nāhi haya
viṣayīra dūre kṛṣṇa jāniha niścaya

Translation: “One cannot achieve love for Kṛṣṇa as long as he is engaged in sense gratification. You should know for certain that Kṛṣṇa is far away from such persons.

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are away from sinful activities, they eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda and they avoid gambling, they avoid intoxication, avoid extra martial illicit sex.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.60

dvitīyābhiniviṣṭa manai malina o aśubhajanaka evaṁ indriyasukhakara bhogya yoṣidvastura māyāpāśai paramārtha-vādhaka o sarvanāśa sādhaka

viṣaye āviṣṭa mana baḍai jañjāla
strī-putra-māyā-jāla, ei saba ‘kāla’

Translation: “The mind that is absorbed in material enjoyment is a great disturbance. Attachment for wife and children are the binding ropes of illusion that lead one to death.

Jayapatākā Swami: The women who are not devotees, who don’t help us in our devotional service and such husbands who do not help their wives in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are in this material illusion and they are far away from love of Godhead.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.61

sukṛtiśālī vyaktira sajjana-vaiṣṇava-saṅga-phale dvitīyābhiniveśa-tyāga o kṛṣṇa-bhajana-lābha —

daive kona bhāgyavān sādhu-saṅga pāya
viṣaye āveśa chāḍi’ kṛṣṇere bhajaya

Translation: “If by providence a fortunate person achieves the association of a devotee, he gives up his attachment for material enjoyment and worships Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: This reiterates that a moment's association with a pure devotee can give one all perfection, we have to control the mind, that the mind is attached to serving Kṛṣṇa and regulate our activities. If we have children, we should try to bring them up in Krsna consciousness. Whatever you do, you should do to please Krsna.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.62

indriyabhogya-viṣaya-saṅgai kṛṣṇabaimukhyarūpa aparādha-vardhaka—

sei saba aparādha habe punar-bāra
viṣayera dharma ei,—śuna kathā-sāra

Translation: “In conclusion, the nature of material enjoyment is that one makes the same mistake again and again.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the material illusion one keeps thinking that by some material adjustment they can be happy and thus don’t work for Kṛṣṇa, but they keep trying again and again material combinations, thus they are getting locked into the material world.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.63

sthūladehera bahiḥsvādhīnatā-sukha vā parādhīnatā-duḥkharūpa bhoga cintā chāḍiyā bandigaṇake nirantara kṛṣṇa-nāma-grahaṇa sūcaka śubhāśīrvādera gūḍha-tātparya-vyākhyāna—

‘bandi thāka’,—hena āśīrvāda nāhi kari
“viṣaya pāsara’, ahar-niśa bala hari”

Translation: “Therefore I did not mean ‘Stay there in prison,’ but rather stay free from thoughts of material enjoyment and always chant the name of Hari.

Jayapatākā Swami: So here Haridāsa Ṭhākura is clarifying what he means.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.64

svakṛta gūḍha śubhāśīrvāda-marma-jñāna-phale bandigaṇake bahiḥ parādhīnatā janya kṣobha-parityāgārtha kauśale ādeśa—

chale karilāṅa āmi ei āśīrvāda
tilārddheka nā bhāviha tomarā viṣāda

Translation: “Do not even slightly lament that I gave you this blessing in an ambiguous way.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is encouraging the prisoners explaining what his āśīrvāda meant, what his blessings meant.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.65

haridāsera jīve amandodayā dayā; bandigaṇake kṛṣṇa-bhakti-lābhārtha śubhāśīrvāda —

sarva-jīva-prati dayā-darśana āmāra
kṛṣṇe dṛḍha-bhakti hauka tomā’-sabākāra

Translation: “I glance mercifully on all living entities. May you all have firm devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is giving this blessing to everyone.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.66

“cintā nāhi,—dina dui-tinera bhitare
bandhana ghucibe,—ei kahiluṅ tomāre

Translation: “Don’t worry, I guarantee that within two or three days you will be freed.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura blessed them that soon they will be freed, but then they should always remember Kṛṣṇa and not get taken away by bad association.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.67

sthūlabahirdṛṣṭite gṛha vā vanavāsa, sarvāvasthāyai sakalake kṛṣṇa-prapattimūlā sevā buddhira avismaraṇārtha upadeśa—

viṣayete thāka, kibā, thāka yathā-tathā
ei buddhi kabhu nā pāsariha sarvathā”

Translation: “Whether you are a householder or a renunciant—whatever you are—don’t forget these instructions at any cost.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura instructions to all is to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chant the holy names, remember Kṛṣṇa. whether you are gṛhasthas or renunciants.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.68

bandigaṇera nityakalyāṇa-kāmanānte navāb-samīpe haridāsera āgamana—

bandi-sakalera kari’ śubhānusandhāna
āilena mulukera adhipati-sthāna

Translation: After offering the prisoners his best wishes, Haridāsa went before the king.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura went before the Muslim King after giving his blessings to the prisoners, he blessed them to always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and remember Kṛṣṇa in all circumstances.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Blessing in disguise
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura