20220913 A poisonous snake obeys Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on September 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!

A poisonous snake obeys Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.172

gaṅgā-tīre nirjane haridāsera nirantara kṛṣṇasmaraṇa—

tabe haridāsa gaṅgā-tīre gophā kari’
thākena virale ahar-niśa kṛṣṇa smari’

Translation: Then Haridāsa went and found a cave on the bank of the Ganges. He remembered Kṛṣṇa day and night as he resided alone in the cave.

Purport: While remaining in a solitary cave on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliyā, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya loudly chanted the names of Kṛṣṇa and passed his days and nights remembering the pastimes of the Lord. Sometimes he would chant the sixteen name, thirty-two syllable, mahā-mantra loudly, and sometimes he would chant softly. Every day he would complete the chanting of three hundred thousand holy names or in a year he would chant one hundred million names of Hari.

Many people consider chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa in a solitary place in the category of upāṁśu-japa, or “chanting very softly.” They say that this mahā-mantra, or chanting the holy names of the Lord, should not be heard by others; only the person who is chanting should hear. If the lips move, or if the holy names are recited, then the names of Kṛṣṇa will automatically be heard by others. But if one lacks faith in the Vaiṣṇavas who chant the holy names of the Lord, then by the influence of Kali he may dare to quarrel with those Vaiṣṇava chanters. Whenever the pure names of the Lord are glorified and chanted by sadhus who have taken full shelter of the names, and those names do not enter the ears of others, it is called nirjana-bhajana. Such chanting of the names of Hari in a solitary place is intended only for one’s own benefit, therefore such chanting yields no benefit for others. Even if the fixed number of holy names regularly chanted by a person who is inclined to the service of the Lord are chanted in a solitary place, faithful persons may still take advantage by secretly hearing from a distance.

On the platform of madhyama-adhikāra, one may have to associate with worldly people while preaching the holy names in the course of jīve-dayā, showing compassion to the living entities, but since he preaches the holy names with utmost attention, he does not become affected by the sinful reactions of the audience, rather he distributes mercy by removing the contamination of their sinful reactions. If while chanting the holy names of the Lord with his many disciples a madhyama-adhikārī becomes more or less affected by the reactions of their karma, then his falldown is assured. According to the statement, jīvan-muktā api punar yānti saṁsāra-vāsanām— “A person considered liberated in this life can again fall down and desire the material atmosphere for material enjoyment,” even a madhyama-adhikārī chanter of the holy names can again fall down into material existence. That is why mundane pride in the form of worldly association and accepting many disciples simply produces ku-phala, or evil results.

While describing the topics of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s devotional service, the injunction for loudly chanting and attentively hearing the holy names has been prescribed for practitioners who desire their own welfare in order to deliver from great inauspiciousness those who mistakenly consider satisfying their own senses as satisfying Hari while remaining busy in activities of sense gratification such as accepting many disciples like the immature yogīs.

“Persons who hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifested in their hearts within a short time.”

According to the purport of this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.8.4), Ṭhākura Mahāśaya, who is jagad-guru, Vaiṣṇava ācārya, and best of the liberated souls, has taught people in general the process of remembering the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa while personally chanting and hearing the holy names of Kṛṣṇa in the course of realizing that Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from His names, forms, qualities, associates, paraphernalia, and pastimes. Those who give up hearing and loud chanting of the holy names received from the mouths of devotees free from nāma-aparādha and in order to gratify their senses display artificial imitation of remembering the pastimes of the Lord in their impure, enjoyment prone hearts— their attempts to imitate remembrance of the Lord’s pastimes in this way is simply thirst for material enjoyment born from aversion to the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya in His Śikṣāṣṭakam prayed, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye, na janaṁ means no followers. So, one should not desire followers. At the same time we want the Hare Kṛṣṇa māhā-mantra to spread far and wide. Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed me to make many disciples, so I have done that to the best of my ability. But I would appreciate it if my disciples would read Śrīla Prabhupāda books and take up this responsibility, so that we can spread the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. 

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.173

pratyaha tinalakṣa śuddha-nāma-grahaṇa-hetu haridāsera bhajana-kuṭīraṭi śuddha-sattvamaya abhinna-vaikuṇṭha—

tina-lakṣa nāma dine karena grahaṇa
gophā haila tāṅ’ra yena vaikuṇṭha-bhavana

Translation: He would chant the holy name of the Lord three hundred thousand times a day, and his cave was thus transformed into Vaikuṇṭha.

Purport: The cave in which the pure-hearted, great preacher, Hari-Nāmācārya Ṭhākura Mahāśaya loudly chanted the transcendental sound of the holy names of Lord Hari transformed into a place of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, or Vaikuṇṭha, according to the purport of the following statement of a mahājana: ye dina gṛhe bhajana dekhi, gṛhete goloka bhāya— “One day while performing devotional practices, I saw my house transformed into Goloka Vṛndāvana.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura transformed this gophā cave, into the spiritual world by loudly chanting the holy names.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.174

guhā-sthita mahāsarpera ākhyāna

mahā nāga vaise sei gophāra bhitare
tā’ra jvālā prāṇi-mātre sahite nā pāre

Translation: A huge snake lived within that cave, and no living entity could tolerate the burning atmosphere produced from its poison.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.175

haridāsa-darśanārthasamāgata janagaṇera sarpaviṣa-jvālā-prabhāve śīghra sthāna tyāga —

haridāsa-ṭhākurere sambhāṣā karite
yateka āise, keha nā pāre rahite

Translation: As a result, anyone who visited Haridāsa in his cave could not stay more than a few moments.

Jayapatākā Swami: They want to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura but a huge poisonous snake was there. So they could not bear the strong smell of the snake poison and they quickly left. So, this disturbed Haridāsa Ṭhākura .

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.176

nirantara nāmaikaniṣṭha haridāsa vyatīta anya sakalerai sarpaviṣa-jvālānubhūti —

parama-viṣera jvālā sabei pāyena
haridāsa punaḥ ihā kichu nā jānena

Translation: They all felt intense burning from the poison, but Haridāsa was again completely oblivious.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.177

haridāsera bhajanasthale vipragaṇera lokapīḍaka jvālāra kāraṇa-nirdeśa-vicāra —

vasiyā karena yukti sarva-vipra-gaṇe
“haridāsa-āśrame eteka jvālā kene”

Translation: The brāhmaṇas sat down together and considered, “What is that burning sensation in Haridāsa’s cave?”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.178

grāmavāsī viṣavaidyagaṇera tathāya viṣadhara-sarpera avasthāna-nirdeśa —

sei phuliyāya vaise mahā-vaidya-gaṇa
tā’rā āsi’ jānileka sarpera kāraṇa

Translation: There were some expert physicians living in Phuliyā. When they came there, they could understand that the burning sensation was due to the presence of a snake.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, apparently the snake could not be seen and people did not know why they were feeling some burning sensation. So they asked some physicians, “why this burning sensation was there?”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.179

vaidya balileka,—“ei gophāra talāya
eka mahā nāga āche, tāhāra jvālāya

Translation: A physician said, “There is big snake somewhere inside the cave. And he is causing the burning.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.180

rahite nā pāre keha,—kahiluṅ niścaya
haridāsa satvare caluna anyāśraya

Translation: “No one can remain here due to the effects of its poison. This is our assurance. Therefore Haridāsa should immediately go somewhere else.

Purport: Those who came to see Ṭhākura Haridāsa in his bhajana-kuṭira felt great distress due to the burning poison of the snake. They could not understand where the burning heat was coming from. Later on, they brought snakebite doctors and found out that a snake lived within a hole in Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s kuṭira. Due to excessive heat from the burning poison, no one could stay there for any length of time. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was solely attached to chanting the holy names and who never wasted a moment, did not feel any inconvenience at all. Considering that it is never proper to live with a cruel, deceitful, fierce, poisonous snake, the visitors requested Haridāsa to shift to another place.

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura through his absorption in chanting the Holy Names, he was not inconvenienced by the snake. And snakes are known to be most envious, and they can bite someone without any cause. In the 5th Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is mentioned that there is a hell called rauravā, which has special animals called rurus, and their description is that they are more envious than snakes! So the snakes are considered very envious.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.181

sarpa vā krūra-kapaṭera saṅgatyāgārtha haridāsake anurodha karite sakalera gamana—

sarpera sahita vāsa kabhu yukta naya
cala sabe kahi’ giyā tāhāna āśraya”

Translation: “It is not wise to live with a snake. Let us go to his cave and inform him.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the materialists decided to go and make this request to Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.182

sarpakṣa vā krura-kapaṭapūrṇa tadīya hari-bhajana-sthāna-tyāgārtha sakalera haridāsake sarpavṛttānta-varṇana—

tabe sabe āsi’ haridāsa-ṭhākurere
kahila vṛtānta sei gophā chāḍibāre

Translation: Then they all went to see Haridāsa to explain the situation and request him to move.

Jayapatākā Swami: Then they all went to see Haridāsa to explain the situation and request him to move from that cave.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.183

mahāsarpera avasthāna o viṣajvālā-varṇana—

“mahā-nāga vaise ei gophāra bhitare
tāhāra jvālāya keha rahite nā pāre

Translation: “There is a big snake living in this cave, and no one can remain here due to the effect of its poison.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.184

sarpa vā kapaṭādhyuṣita tadīya bhajanasthala tyāga-pūrvaka haridāsake anyatra gamana o avasthānārtha anurodha —

ataeva e sthāne rahite yogya naya
anya sthāne āsi’ tumi karaha āśraya”

Translation: “Therefore it is not wise to live here. Please find another place to stay.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this was the request of the well-wishers of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.185

nāmaikaniṣṭha mahā-bhāgavata haridāsera uttara; tāṅhāra dvitīyābhiniveśa-janita bhaya-rāhitya —

haridāsa balena,—“aneka dina āchi
kona jvālā-viṣa e gophāya nāhi vāsi

Translation: Haridāsa replied, “I have been staying in this cave for many days, but I haven’t felt any burning sensation.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, I haven’t felt any burning sensation of poison.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.186

akṛtadrohitva o paraduḥkha-duḥkhitva-vaśe ṭhākurera sarpāvāsa-tyāgera saṅkalpa—

sabe duḥkha,—tomarā ye nā pāra’ sahite
eteke calimu kāli āmi ye-se-bhite

Translation: “But since you are all suffering and unable to tolerate the burning of the poison, I will leave tomorrow for another place.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was para dukha dukhī, he was sad at others' sadness. Although he didn’t feel any inconvenience he decided to move to save the others from suffering the burning sensation of the snake's poison

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.187-188

sarpera avasthāna-sattveo svīya sthāna-tyāga-viṣaye dṛḍha-saṅkalpa evaṁ sakalake kṛṣṇetara prajalpatyāga-pūrvaka anukṣaṇa kevala kṛṣṇa-kīrtane anurodha—

satya yadi ihāte thākena mahāśaya
teṅho yadi kāli nā chāḍena e ālaya

tabe-āmi kāli chāḍi’ yāimu sarvathā
cintā nāhi, tomarā balaha kṛṣṇa-gāthā”

Translation: If there is a snake in this cave and it doesn’t leave by tomorrow, then I’ll leave and go some other place. Don’t worry. Let us all chant Kṛṣṇa’s names.”

Purport: In reply Haridāsa said, “I have no inconvenience due to the burning poison of the snake, but since all of you are concerned about me I will leave this place for your benefit and satisfaction. Either I or the snake will leave this cave tomorrow. All of you should give up unnecessary talking that is not related to Kṛṣṇa and constantly sing the glories of Kṛṣṇa.”

Regarding the second half of verse 188, one should discuss Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s statement to the innumerable rājarṣis, maharṣis, devarṣis, and brahmarṣis in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.19.15), wherein he says:

“O brāhmaṇas, just accept me as a completely surrendered soul, and let mother Ganges, the representative of the Lord, also accept me in that way, for I have already taken the lotus feet of the Lord into my heart. Let the snake-bird—or whatever magical thing the brāhmaṇa created—bite me at once. I only desire that you all continue singing the deeds of Lord Viṣṇu.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura was requesting all the people to chant the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.189

sakalera kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-kāle tathāya eka āścarya saṁghaṭana—

ei-mata kṛṣṇa-kathā-maṅgala-kīrtane
thākite, adbhuta ati haila sei-kṣaṇe

Translation: While in this way, topics of Kṛṣṇa and auspicious kīrtana was going on, a wonderful incident took place.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.190

mahā-bhāgavata haridāsera sthānatyāga-saṅkalpa-śravaṇe mahāsarpera sāyaṁkāle bhajana-kuṭīra-tyāga o sthānāntare prasthāna—

‘haridāsa chāḍibena’ śuniñā vacana
mahā-nāga chāḍilena sthāna sei-kṣaṇa

Translation: Hearing that Haridāsa was prepared to leave the cave, the large snake immediately left.

Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura declared that if the snake did not leave, he would leave just to satisfy the devotees. Having said that, the snake immediately left.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.191

garta haite uṭhi’ sarpa sandhyāra praveśe
sabei dekhena,—calilena anya-deśe

Translation: It was early evening as everyone there saw the snake leave the cave to another place.

Purport: The phrase sandhyāra praveśe means “in the evening” or “as night approached.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura by His transcendental position, the Supersoul in the snake caused the snake to leave.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.192

mahā-sarpera bhīṣaṇa saundarya varṇana—

parama-adbhuta sarpa—mahā-bhayaṅkara
pīta-nīla-śukla varṇa—parama-sundara

Translation: The large wonderful snake looked most fearful, yet it was also very beautiful, being colored yellow, blue, and white.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the readers can look up what poisonous sanke is this colour yellow, blue and white and write to me .

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.193

mahāmaṇi jvaliteche mastaka-upare
dekhi’ bhaye vipra-gaṇa ‘kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa’ smare

Translation: As the brāhmaṇas saw the brilliant jewel adorning its head, they fearfully remembered Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! So, the snake also had a jewel on his head, a very rare snake. We can read about these snakes in some of the lower planetary systems that had jewel on their head.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.194

sarpera prasthāne viṣajvālāra abhāva o vipragaṇera harṣa

sarpa se caliyā gela, jvālā nāhi āra
vipra-gaṇa hailena santoṣa apāra

Translation: After the snake left that place, the brāhmaṇas were overjoyed to find that the burning sensation was gone.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.195

haridāsera yogaiśvarya-prabhāva-darśane vipragaṇera tatprati śraddhātiśayya—

dekhi’ haridāsa ṭhākurera mahā-śakti
vipra-gaṇera janmila viśeṣa tāṅ’re bhakti

Translation: They all appreciated Haridāsa’s marvelous potency and developed great devotion for him.

Purport: Seeing the departure of the great snake by the influence of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s opulence and magnanimity, even many atheistic nondevotee brāhmaṇas, who were attached to yogic perfections, developed special respect for him. The seminal brāhmaṇas who were obliged to enjoy the fruits of their karma and eligible for Yamarāja’s punishment thought, “Due to one’s previous misdeeds a living entity takes birth in a family lower than that of brāhmaṇas. Similarly, due to his previous misdeeds (?) Haridāsa Ṭhākura has taken birth in a Moslem family. Therefore he is certainly inferior to the pious mundane brāhmaṇas.” But now, seeing his easily achieved mystic opulence, who stands before Haridāsa with folded hands awaiting his instructions, they accepted him as the best of the brāhmaṇas.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the caste conscious seminal brāhmaṇas who were envious against Haridāsa Ṭhākura previously now seeing his mystical opulence, they developed faith in him and thought that he is the best of the brāhmaṇas. The Vaiṣṇavas according to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda have all the qualities of a brāhmaṇa plus bhakti for Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.196

mahā-bhāgavata haridāsera māhātma-varṇana—

haridāsa-ṭhākurera e kon prabhāva
yāṅ’ra vākya-mātre sthāna chāḍileka nāga

Translation: What an influence of Haridāsa Ṭhākura that simply by his words a snake left its cave.

Purport: Only persons who are envious of others, who are attached to sense gratification, who are averse to Hari, and who cause anxiety to other living entities are bitten by snakes. But what to speak of causing anxiety, envy, or fear, a mahā-bhāgavata Vaiṣṇava like Ṭhākura Haridāsa has such great influence that even the most envious, fierce, poisonous snake humbly carries out his order.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was so powerful chanting the holy names that everyone could appreciate his incomparable potency.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.197

yāṅra dṛṣṭi-mātre chāḍe avidyā-bandhana
kṛṣṇa nā laṅghana haridāsera vacana

Translation: Simply by his glance one’s bondage born of nescience is destroyed. Even Lord Kṛṣṇa does not transgress the words of Haridāsa.

Purport: Only one who is blessed by Haridāsa Ṭhākura is able to constantly chant the names of Hari and take shelter of the pure holy names without committing offenses, and thus his contamination of ignorance, which is the root of material enjoyment, is totally uprooted. As a result of serving Haridāsa Ṭhākura and receiving his mercy, the Supreme Lord becomes obliged.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see how important it is to get the mercy from Haridāsa Ṭhākura. By hearing these glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura it also purifies us. All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura!

Thus ends the chapter entitled: A poisonous snake obeys Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura