20221027 Serpent devotee of Viṣṇu speaks about the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Part 3

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 27th,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! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Today's chapter is entitled as:

Serpent devotee of Viṣṇu speaks about the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Part 3

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.237

aprākṛta-vastu bhagavān, bhakta o dhāma prapañce avatīrṇa haiyāo prākṛta prāpañcika guṇa-saṃsparśahīna—

‘jāti, kula, saba-nirarthaka’ bujhāite
janmilena nīca-kule prabhura ājñāte

Translation: “On the order of the Lord, Haridāsa was born in a low-class family to show that birth in a high caste or good family are useless.

Purport: Due to pious and sinful activities, the conditioned souls take birth in higher or lower species of life. This is simply an example of the fruits of their karma. From the spiritual point of view there is no value at all in the prestige resulting from mundane caste and ancestry. By the supreme will of the all-auspicious Lord, Haridāsa Ṭhākura appeared in a Moslem family in order to preach this supreme truth to the entire world.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura by taking birth in a non-Hindu family demonstrate how one can achieve the highest level of bhakti, no matter what one's birth is. This shows how everyone can achieve all success through bhakti.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.238

nīcakulodbhuta viṣṇutattvavit bhakta nīca-sama nahena, parantu sarbarajīva-guru—

‘adhama-kulete yadi viṣṇu-bhakta haya
tathāpi se-i se pūjya’—sarva-śāstre kaya

Translation: “If a devotee of the Lord is born in a low-class family, he is still worthy of worship. This is the verdict of the scriptures.

Purport: Taking birth in superior or inferior families indicates the superiority or inferiority of the fruits of one’s karma. The living entity is constitutionally a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, and although by temporary familial identification he may be inferior or superior, he is actually superior or inferior in proportion to his devotion to the Lord. This is loudly proclaimed in all Vaiṣṇava literatures. It is not a fact that one who is born in a lower family is not qualified for devotional service to Viṣṇu. A Vaiṣṇava born in a lower family is a qualified brāhmaṇa, spiritual master, and worshipable by all nondevotees born in higher class families.

Jayapatākā Swami: This shows one’s birth is only due to one’s karma that one has a higher or lower birth is by the activities that one performs in previous births. but even if one is qualified as a brāhmaṇa, if he is not a Vaiṣṇava he is not a guru. But even if a Vaiṣṇava is born in a dog-eater's family he can become a guru.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.239

mahā-kulaprasūta haiyāo kṛṣṇa-bhakti-hīna vyaktira nija nija prākṛta kulakarma-dvārāi niraya lābha —

“uttama-kulete janmi’ śrī-kṛṣṇe nā bhaje
kule tā’ra ki karibe, narakete maje”

Translation: “And if someone is born in a high-class family but does not worship the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then his high birth is useless and he falls to hell.

Purport: Even after taking birth in a higher family as the result of pious activities, if one is averse to the service of the Lord, he will certainly go to hell. This is confirmed in the following statement of Camasa, one of the nine Yogendras, to Mahārāja Nimi in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.3):

“If any of the members of the four varṇas and four āśramas fail to worship or intentionally disrespect the Personality of Godhead, who is the source of their own creation, they will fall down from their position into a hellish state of life.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this verse the superiority of bhakti is stressed. That bhakti is what really counts. If someone is averse to worshipping the Supreme Lord, then he is going to hell, and even if one’s karma is bad, he has a bad birth or inferior birth, but he worships Kṛṣṇa, he is still considered worshipable. Just like Bhakta Prahlāda, even though born in an inferior family but he is considered as a māhājana, greatest of all the devotees.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.240

jaḍa-janmaiśvarya-śrutaśrī-nirapekṣa kṛṣṇa-bhajana-mahimā-sūcaka śāstra vākyera yāthārtha-pradarśanārthai haridāsera prapañce avatāra—

ei saba veda-vākyera sākṣī dekhāite
janmilena haridāsa adhama-kulete

Translation: “Haridāsa thus took birth in a low-class family to prove the words of the scriptures.

Jayapatākā Swami: The scriptures say that if one is a Vaiṣṇava, even if his birth is low or inferior, he is considered worshipable. So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura practically showed this.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.241

heyakulodbhūta devadvija-vandya prahlāda o hanūmānera dṛṣṭānta —

prahlāda yehena daitya, kapi hanuman
ei-mata haridāsa nīca-jāti nāma

Translation: “Haridāsa was born in a low-class family just as Prahlāda was born in a demoniac family and Hanumān was born in a monkey family.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one’s birth or one’s karma is not that thing counts, actually if one has devotion to the Lord he is considered superior to everybody.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.242

śrī-nāmācārya haridāsera devādi-vāñchita sudurllabha saṅga mahimā-varṇana—

haridāsa-sparśa vāñchā kare deva-gaṇa
gaṅgā o vāñchena haridāsera majjana

Translation: The demigods desire the touch of Haridāsa, and even mother Gaṅgā desires that Haridāsa immerse himself in her waters.

Purport: Just as Śrī Prahlāda appeared in a demon family that was naturally averse to Viṣṇu and Śrī Hanumānjī appeared in a family of animals, by the supreme will of the Lord, Ṭhākura Haridāsa appeared in a low-class Moslem family. Generally human beings desire to become purified by either touching the demigods or taking bath in the Gaṅgā. But what to speak of the demigods headed by Lord Brahmā, even the most sanctified Gaṅgā, who emanates from the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, desires to become glorious by the touch of mahā-bhāgavata, paramahaṁsa, Vaiṣṇava ācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who is the representative of all the demigods.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is so glorious that even his touch is desired by all the devas, if he bathe in Ganges, is desired by the Ganges. So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura he was completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore his association was desired by everybody, who knew the benefits.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.243

bhakta-cūḍāmaṇi haridāsa-darśanamātra jīvera avidyā-nāśa—

sparśera ki dāya, dekhilei haridāsa
chiṇḍe’ sarva-jīvera anādi karma-pāśa

Translation: “What to speak of his touch, just by seeing Haridāsa one is released from the bondage of fruitive activities.

Purport: What to speak of touching Haridāsa, if one simply sees him, then all material bondage born of nescience from time immemorial is at once cut to pieces.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, just by seeing Haridāsa Ṭhākura one gets purified, there is a verse in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ sarva-śāstre kaya, lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya. That is manifested by Haridāsa Ṭhākura. just by seeing him one gets all perfection.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.244

haridāsa-padāśrita vyaktira darśaneo bhava-bandha-nāśa—

haridāsa āśraya karibe yei jana
tā’ne dekhile o khaṇḍe’ saṁsāra-bandhana

Translation: “Indeed, even if one sees a person who has taken shelter of Haridāsa, he is freed from material bondage.

Purport: Even if a conditioned soul sees those who consider Nāmācārya Haridāsa as their spiritual master, he is released from all material bondage.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, as we say dāsānudāsa, even by being a servant of Haridāsa Ṭhākura one can deliver people from the fallen condition. So, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, he went and brought the message of Lord Caitanya all over the world. So, if one even sees one of his disciples, they are benefitted.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.245

haridāsa-mahimā-asīma, ananta o apāra—

śata-varṣa śata mukhe uhāna mahimā
kahile o nāhi pāri karibāre sīmā

Translation: “If I glorify Haridāsa for a hundred years with a hundred mouths, I would still not reach the end of his glories.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Vṛndāvana dāsa ṭhākura, the author of this Caitanya-bhāgavata, he is declaring that Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s glories are unlimited. So, we should try to follow in the footsteps of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.246

haridāsera prati śraddhālu darśakagaṇera saubhāgya varṇanapūrvaka ḍaṅkera dainyokti—

bhāgyavanta tomarā se, tomā’ sabā haite

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura even when Lord Caitanya was on the earth, He had so many devotees with him, So, all those devotees, people just by seeing them one can have the karma bondage cut.

bhāgyavanta tomarā se, tomā’ sabā haite
uhāna mahimā kichu āila mukhete

Translation: You are all fortunate, for because of you I received an opportunity to glorify Haridāsa.

Purport: The snake charmer, who was expert in controlling snakes through mantra, said, “All of you are very fortunate, for because of your inquires I was able to speak and reveal some of the glories of the Lord’s devotee. If I sing the glories of the transcendental qualities of Ṭhākura Haridāsa for one hundred years with one hundred mouths, I would not finish.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this snake charmer he was appreciating the opportunity they gave him to glorify Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.247

haridāsera nāmoccāraṇa mātra jīvera paramapada-lābha—

sakṛt ye balibeka haridāsa-nāma
satya satya seha yāibeka kṛṣṇa-dhāma

Translation: “Once who chants the name of Haridāsa certainly attains the abode of Kṛṣṇa.”

Purport: If a person even once utters the transcendental name of the Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, “Haridāsa,” he will certainly go back to Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we heard so many glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, if we even say the name of Haridāsa, we can go back to Godhead! Haridāsa! Brahmā Haridāsa! Haridāsa Ṭhākura Haridāsa! Ṭhākura Haridāsa! I have one secretary here, his name is Haridāsa Caitanya dāsa, just by calling his name one can go back to Kṛṣṇaloka.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.248

bhagavad-bhakta sarpāviṣṭa ḍaṅkera mukhe haridāsera kīrtana māhātmya-śravaṇe sajjanagaṇera harṣa —

eta bali’ mauna hailena nāga-rāja
tuṣṭa hailena śuni’ sajjana-samāja

Translation: After speaking in this way, the king of the snakes became silent, and all the pious people there felt fully satisfied.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was glorified by the snake charmer and everyone felt purified. The Vaiṣṇava snake also became purified by glorifying Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.249

hena haridāsa ṭhākurera anubhāva
kahiyā āchena pūrve śrī-vaiṣṇava-nāga

Translation: Thus the Vaiṣṇava snake has previously related the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, even the Vaiṣṇava snake was glorifying Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.250

sabāra parama-prīti haridāsa-prati
nāga-mukhe śuni’ haraṣita haila ati

Translation: By hearing the snake’s narration through the mouth of the snake charmer, all the people felt great affection for Haridāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the snake who was staying in Haridāsa’s spoke through the snake charmer and thus all the people could hear the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Thus ends the chapter entitled
Serpent devotee of Viṣṇu speaks about the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Part 3
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

These devotees could hear about Haridāsa, just by saying Haridāsa and just by hearing about Haridāsa one gets unlimited blessings.

Haribol!