20221104 Gopāla Cakravartī offends Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is attacked by leprosy Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 04th,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! Welcome back! To the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, Today's chapter is entitled as:

Gopāla Cakravartī offends Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is attacked by leprosy [Part 2]

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.293

yuga-śeṣe śūdra veda karibe vākhāne
ekhanai tāhā dekhi, śeṣe āra kene?

Translation: “It is stated that śūdras will explain the Vedas at the end of Kali-yuga. But why only at the end of the age? We can see it happening even now.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Srila Prabhupada): The phrase yuga-śeṣe refers to the last part of Kali-yuga. A mahā-yuga consists of the four yugas—Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. The duration of these four yugas diminishes respectively from 4/10ths, to 3/10ths, to 2/10ths, to 1/10th of a mahā-yuga. The duration of Kali-yuga is 432,000 earth years. A manvantara consists of 71 mahā-yugas. A kalpa, or a day of Brahmā, consists of fourteen manvantaras, or the duration of fifteen Satya-yugas subtracted from one thousand mahā-yugas. This Kali-yuga comes in the twenty-eighth mahā-yuga, or cycle of four yugas, in the reign of Vaivasvata, the seventh Manu, of the Śveta-varāha-kalpa. We have only passed a few years since the beginning of Kali-yuga. It is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.1.36-41, 12.2.1-16, and 12.3.31-46) that at the end of Kali-yuga the varṇāśrama principles will be completely absent. We are already experiencing the future behavior of Kali-yuga in the beginning of the age. According to the varṇāśrama system, only the three varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya, are eligible to study the Vedas; and of them, only the brāhmaṇas are qualified to teach the Vedas. These three twice-born castes generally accept ten saṁskāras,or purificatory rites, but the sinful śūdras are not at all qualified to undergo the saṁskāras of the twice-born. The śūdras can never have any qualification for either studying or teaching the Vedas, but due to the influence of Kali, deviations and distortions in varṇāśrama principles are seen. Although there are deviations in varṇāśrama principles, twice-born persons still desire to increase their prestige simply by external symptoms. In the consideration of varṇa, there are three types of birth— śaukra, by semen; sāvitra, by initiation; and daikṣa, by becoming a perfect brāhmaṇa. Those who want to become twice-born through seminal birth must accept the sāvitra-saṁskāra, or sacred thread ceremony. Then, by taking Viṣṇu-dīkṣa after becoming a twice-born, one achieves the third, or daikṣa, birth. A śūdra, however, has no second or third birth. Due to wide-spread discrepancies in the practice of garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, it is more reasonable and faultless to ascertain one as a twice-born by his symptoms, nature, and āgama-dīkṣa, or Vedic initiation, rather than by seminal consideration. That is why the Vaiṣṇava consideration does not approve of seminal consideration. Though persons engaged in fruitive activities do not highly regard Vaiṣṇava considerations, the Vaiṣṇava considerations based on śāstras are the most respectable methods for ascertaining daiva-varṇāśrama principles. Since ignorant persons expert in material knowledge follow nonscriptural methods of ascertaining varṇa, the original ever-lasting method has recently become endangered. That is why sinful persons who are engaged in fruitive activities and envious of the Vaiṣṇavas become bewildered by illusion while considering who is brāhmaṇa and who is a śūdra.

In this case also, the atheistic, meat-eating, nondevotee, seminal, so-called brāhmaṇa has presented external, mundane, gross bodily considerations of Vaiṣṇavas. That fallen brāhmaṇa mistakenly and sinfully considered that since Ṭhākura Haridāsa was not born in a brāhmaṇa family, he was completely incapable of acting as a religious instructor. Moreover, taking shelter of vivarta-vāda, the theory of illusion, that person angrily condemned the Vaiṣṇavas, who reveal purpose of the Vedas, as śūdras. Actually that atheist was himself an abominable śūdra. Godlessness, cripple-mindedness, and untruthfulness made him averse to pure Vaiṣṇavas in every sphere of his life. Although he was a fallen śūdra who proudly considered himself a brāhmaṇa, he considered a Vaiṣṇava, who is spiritual master of the brāhmaṇas, as belonging to a particular caste. In this way he committed a grave offense and went to hell. That fallen sinful śūdra, who was envious of the Vaiṣṇavas and proud of being a brāhmaṇa, must have heard descriptions of Kali-yuga stating that śūdras attentive to worldly subjects rather than the study of the Vedas will become so-called brāhmaṇas and study and teach the Vedas in Kali-yuga. But the popular statement that one can also become a brāhmaṇa through śaiva-dīkṣa, or initiation into the worship of Śiva, is not approved by Vedic literature. Rather, according to the Pañcarātras, on the strength of viṣṇu-dīkṣa, the devotees attain Vedic brahminical status. One cannot study the Vedas through śaiva-dīkṣa. This is clearly described in the Brahma-sūtra. Śrī Yāmunācārya has completely refuted the atheists’ view that “Vaiṣṇavas are not brāhmaṇas” by presenting evidence from the āgamas, authorized works of Vedic literature, as follows: “Furthermore, the bhāgavatas who have abandoned Vedic duties such as sāvitry-anuvacana (chanting the Vedic mantras that establish someone as a wearer of the sacrificial thread) and instead observe the forty saṁskāras enjoined in the Ekāyana-śruti are properly adhering to the principles enunciated in the Gṛhya-sūtras of their own branch and thus have never fallen from the status of brāhmaṇas on account of not performing the rituals of a different branch. After all, if by not following the rules of all the Vedic branches a brāhmaṇa becomes fallen, then the followers of other branches would also have to be considered fallen from brahminical status because they do not perform the rituals of other branches.” Among the devotees of South India, the title of Āyeṅgāra (Iyengar) is still current. This Tamil word refers to a brāhmaṇa who has undergone more than five saṁskāras. The nondevotee brāhmaṇas who have undergone ten saṁskāras are known as Āyāra (Iyer). The Āyeṅgāras undergo fifteen saṁskāras. Among the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas there are five additional saṁskāras. Therefore they undergo twenty saṁskāras. In his Saṁskāra-dīpikā, which is an appendix to his Sat-kriyā-sāra-dīpikā, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī has mentioned these saṁskāras. The Vaiṣṇavas state: “When the guru gives mantra to his disciple according to the rules and regulations of pāñcarātrika-viddhi, then, by the influence of that mantra, the disciple never takes birth again. A humble disciple behaves with great respect for his spiritual master as if he is a son of the guru. To such a humble disciple, who has been purified by the appropriate saṁskāras, the guru teaches the meaning of the mantra.”

But since the uninitiated mental speculators who are opposed to Hari, Guru, and Vaiṣṇava do not accept the Vedic and Pāñcarātrika systems, formidable errors have entered into their process of consideration. Following in the footsteps of such averse persons, this sinful fallen brāhmaṇa demonstrated the future behavior of Kali-yuga in the beginning of the age.

“A devotee should never be considered a śūdra. All the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be recognized as bhāgavatas. If one is not a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, even if born of a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya family, he should be considered a śūdra.”

It should be understood that those who disregard the above evidence of Vaiṣṇava literature have no respect for the Vaiṣṇavas or the pure devotional path; indeed, they are guru-drohī, or envious of the spiritual master.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he is showing the evidence how a Vaiṣṇava is above the brāhmaṇa and how brāhmaṇas who are not Vaiṣṇavas are actually śūdras. So, this disturbance is present in the Kali-yuga age. Although we are only 5000 years into the Kali-yuga, the seminal brāhmaṇas have shown their actual qualification as śūdras. So, this person is thinking he is a brāhmaṇa and is creating a great offense to Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.294

jagadguru gosvāmī haridāsake nija-sama udara lampaṭa-mithyā-apavādāropa —

ei-rūpe āpanāre prakaṭa kariyā
ghare-ghare bhāla bhoga khāis buliyā

Translation: “This is how you advertise yourself, (Jayapatākā Swami:) so you go house to house to meet people and eat nicely.”

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): That sinful fallen brāhmaṇa said to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “Being a transcendental philosopher, you have presented an explanation that is hostile to the fruitive workers who are envious of devotional service in such a way that you can advertise your own glories to your followers and cleverly accumulate palatable foodstuffs.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Gopāla Cakravartī is portraying Haridāsa Ṭhākura that he is simply speaking like this to get food and to get palatable dishes from house to house.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.194

pāṣaṇḍera nāme arthavādaḥ—

koṭi-janme brahma-jñāne yei ‘mukti’ naya
ei kahe,—nāmābhāse sei ‘mukti’ haya”

Translation: “After many millions upon millions of births, when one is complete in absolute knowledge, one still may not attain liberation, yet this man says that one may attain it simply by the awakening of a glimpse of the holy name.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually Haridāsa Ṭhākura was telling the truth, he is quoting different Vedic references, but this foolish so called brāhmaṇa is not accepting.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.195

ṭhākurera śāstra-pramāṇoddhāra o premabhaktiparāyaṇera pakṣe muktira tucchatva varṇana :—

haridāsa kahena,—kene karaha saṁśaya?
śāstre kahe,—nāmābhāsa-mātre ‘mukti’ haya

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “Why are you doubtful? The revealed scriptures say that one can attain liberation simply by a glimpse of offenseless chanting of the holy name.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, generally people don’t have faith in the chanting of the holy name but the holy name is so powerful that even the nāmābhāsa stage of chanting gives one liberation, because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa are non-different.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.196

bhakti-sukha-āge ‘mukti’ ati-tuccha haya
ataeva bhakta-gaṇa ‘mukti’ nāhi laya

Translation: “For a devotee who enjoys the transcendental bliss of devotional service, liberation is most insignificant. Therefore pure devotees never desire to achieve liberation.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the example was given, a devotee stated that mukti is waiting at the doorstep to give him blessing but the devotee doesn’t care for it, he has something much better.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.197

hari-bhakti-sudhodaye—

Translation: “My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness, including even brahmānanda, to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf.”

Purport: This verse is quoted from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (14.36).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the happiness of impersonal liberation is compared to the water in a calf’s hoofprint compared to the whole ocean.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.198

ṭhākurake śapatha-pradāna —

vipra kahe,—“nāmābhāse yadi ‘mukti’ naya
tabe tomāra nāka kāṭi’ karaha niścaya”

Translation: Gopāla Cakravartī said, “If one is not liberated by nāmābhāsa, then you may be certain that I shall cut off your nose.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this Gopāla Cakravartī, trying to cut of his nose was so offensive.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.295

jagadgurura prati śapatha-śāsanokti—

ye vyākhyā karile tui, e yadi nā lāge
tabe tora nāka kāṇa kāṭi’ tora āge”

Translation: “If the explanation that you have made is not true, in front of you at this moment then I will cut off your nose and ears.”

Purport: (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Hearing Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s conclusive scriptural statements regarding the glories of the holy names, that atheistic fallen brāhmaṇa’s animalistic propensity became more prominent. Out of anger, he cursed and swore as follows: “If the explanation on the glories of the holy names presented by Haridāsa Ṭhākura is not in agreement with the scriptures, then I will take revenge by publicly cutting off his (Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s) nose and ears.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura he quoted śāstra which definitely proves that even by nāmābhāsa one can achieve liberation. In spite of that the foolish brāhmaṇa, he offended Haridāsa Ṭhākura in this way.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.296

pāṣaṇḍi-dvijādhamera vākye haridāsera duḥkha-hāsi —

śuni’ viprādhamera vacana haridāsa
‘hari’ bali’ īṣat haila kichu hāsa

Translation: Hearing the words of that sinful brāhmaṇa, Haridāsa Ṭhākura smiled and chanted the name of Hari.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.297

haridāsa-kartṛka sei pāṣaṇḍīra duḥsaṅga-parityāga—

pratyuttara āra kichu tāre nā kariyā
calilena ucca kari’ kīrtana gāiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: He did not speak anything in reply, Haridāsa Ṭhākura he left the place loudly chanting the holy names.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Hearing that atheistic fallen brāhmaṇa’s unpalatable words, which would send him to hell, Ṭhākura Haridāsa did not reply but rather chanted loudly and immediately left that place, which was polluted with the offense of giving some interpretation on the holy names of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: One of the offenses to the Holy name is to give some material definition to the holy name, actually the holy name is non-different from Kṛṣṇa. Just as Kṛṣṇa can do anything the holy name also can do anything, so this foolish fallen sinful brāhmaṇa committed a great offense to the holy name.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.298

nāma o nāmāśrita-guru-nindaka-śravaṇakārigaṇera pāpabhāktva—

yebā pāpī sabhāsad, seha pāpa-mati
ucita uttara kichu nā karila ithi

Translation: The sinful members of that assembly were all wicked-minded. They neither supported the authorized statements of Haridāsa nor did they protest the offensive words of the brāhmaṇa.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Those sociable persons who support and encourage sinful persons with loose-character are also sinful. What to speak of supporting the scriptural based statements of Ṭhākura Haridāsa, the members of that assembly neither supported the scriptural based statements of Haridāsa nor protested the unpalatable words of that atheistic fallen brāhmaṇa. If in spite of being born in a brāhmaṇa family a person becomes averse to the worship of Hari, which is his prescribed brahminical duty, then he is called a rākṣasa, or demon. When sinful persons who are averse to the prescribed brahminical duties give up the service of Hari, which is their only duty, then they fall from their position and become rākṣasas. Some people call such persons brāhmaṇa-bruva — “so-called brāhmaṇas” or brāhmaṇādhama— “fallen brāhmaṇas.” After death such persons receive profuse punishment from Yamarāja, and in this life they fall from their brahminical position.

Jayapatākā Swami: A brāhmaṇa who is known as a rākṣasa, apparently he was born as a brāhmaṇa, similarly Jagāi and Mādhai were born as brāhmaṇas, but they did all kind of sinful acts. So, being born as a brāhmaṇa is not the real qualification to be a brāhmaṇa, a brāhmaṇa should be worshipping Lord Hari, otherwise they are considered as rākṣasa or demons.

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Thus ends the chapter entitled, Gopāla Cakravartī offends Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is attacked by leprosy, Part 2
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura