20221106 Gopāla Cakravartī offends Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is attacked by leprosy Part 4

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 06th,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's chapter is entitled as:

Gopāla Cakravartī offends Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is attacked by leprosy, [Part 4]

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.212

bhagavān o bhakta arthāt viṣṇu o vaiṣṇavera svabhāvaḥ—

yadyapi haridāsa viprera doṣa nā la-ilā
tathāpi īśvara tāre phala bhuñjāilā

Translation: Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura, as a Vaiṣṇava, did not take seriously the brāhmaṇa’s offense, the Supreme Personality of Godhead could not tolerate it, and thus he made the brāhmaṇa suffer the consequences.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, it’s very important to avoid committing any offense against a Vaiṣṇava because even though the Vaiṣṇava does not take it very seriously the Supreme Personality of Godhead may do so.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.307

yemana ukta pāṣaṇḍīra vaiṣṇava-nindā, temanai tāhāra upayukta śāstilābha vā upayukta-phala-prāpti —

haridāsa-ṭhākurere balileka yena
kṛṣṇa o tāhāra śāsti karilena tena

Translation: The punishment he had proposed for Haridāsa Ṭhākura was awarded to himself by Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Purport: (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura did not curse or desire inauspiciousness on that sinful atheist, since that offensive atheist criticized and spoke unpalatable envious words to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the Lord awarded such severe punishment on him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Gopāla Cakravartī was trying to cut off the nose of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, his nose was destroyed.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.213

bhakta-svabhāva,—ajña-doṣa kṣamā kare
kṛṣṇa-svabhāva,—bhakta-nindā sahite nā pāre

Translation: A characteristic of a pure devotee is that he excuses any offense by an ignorant rascal. A characteristic of Kṛṣṇa, however, is that He cannot tolerate blasphemy of His devotees.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): The characteristic of a Vaiṣṇava and the characteristic of the Lord mentioned in this verse are very significant.

In His Śikṣāṣṭaka (3) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught the characteristics of a Vaiṣṇava:

tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

A Vaiṣṇava strictly follows this principle of being humbler than the grass and more tolerant than a tree, expecting no honor from others but offering honor to everyone. In this way, a Vaiṣṇava is simply interested in chanting about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and glorifying Him. Haridāsa Ṭhākura epitomized this foremost order of Vaiṣṇavism.

Kṛṣṇa, however, cannot tolerate any insults or blasphemy against a Vaiṣṇava. For example, Prahlāda Mahārāja was chastised by his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu,in so many ways, but although Prahlāda tolerated this, Kṛṣṇa did not. The Lord therefore came in the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu. Similarly, although Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura tolerated the insult by Gopāla Cakravartī, Kṛṣṇa could not. The Lord immediately punished Gopāla Cakravartī by making him suffer from leprosy.

While instructing Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī about the many restrictive rules and regulations for Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has very vividly described the effects of offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā (Madhya 19.156). Offending or blaspheming a Vaiṣṇava has been described as the greatest offense, and it has been compared to a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it ruins all the creepers, flowers and trees.

Similarly, if a devotee properly executing his devotional service becomes an offender at the lotus feet of his spiritual master or another Vaiṣṇava, his devotional service is spoiled.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one has to be very careful not to offend any Vaiṣṇava. Lord Caitanya describes this offense as a mad elephant offense, if a mad elephant enters a garden, it will ruin and uproot all the trees in the garden. So one should be very careful not to commit any Vaiṣṇava-aparādha.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.214

brahmabandhura kleśaśravaṇe sthāna-tyāga o śāntipura āgamanaḥ—

viprera kuṣṭha śuni’ haridāsa mane duḥkhī hailā
balāi-purohite kahi’ śāntipura āilā

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura was unhappy when he heard that the brāhmaṇa Gopāla Cakravartī had been attacked by leprosy. Thus after informing Balarāma Ācārya, the priest of Hiraṇya Majumadāra, he went to Śāntipura, the home of Advaita Ācārya.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he had no ill-feeling for Gopāla Cakravartī and he was unhappy to hear hat he was suffering from leprosy. This is the attitude of a Vaiṣṇava, but Lord Kṛṣṇa was very angry at Gopāla Cakravartī for the offense at his devotee.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.308

sarvatra viṣṇu bhakti-hīnatā o biṣayabhogapramaotā-darśane haridāsera duḥkha o kāruṇyodreka—

viṣayete magna jagat dekhi’ haridāsa
duḥkhe ‘kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa’ bali’ chāḍena niḥśvāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Aggrieved to see the world absorbed in sense gratification, Haridāsa Ṭhākura sighed deeply and chanted the name of Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): At that time people of the entire world were intoxicated with material knowledge, and being always greedy for material enjoyment they refrained from the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is why the Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākuras sighed deeply as distress filled their hearts, which were saturated with compassion seeing the pathetic condition and misfortune of the fallen souls who were averse to Hari.

An elaborate description of the phrase viṣayete magna jagat — "the entire world was absorbed in sense gratification,” is found in the statement of Virāga in the Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka as follows: “The world is full of materialists. Alas! Alas! There is no cleanliness, no truthfulness, no control of the mind or senses, no self-restraint, no peacefulness, no tolerance, no friendship, and no mercy. Were my sincere, loving friends uprooted by the people of Kali-yuga? Are they now living in seclusion? Could they have found a place Kali does not know? No, there is no such place to be found.

“The brāhmaṇas are interested only in their sixth duty, accepting charity. A sacred thread is the only sign of their status. The kṣatriyas are kṣatriyas in name only. The vaiśyas are like atheists. The śūdras think themselves great scholars and are eager to become gurus and teach the truth of religion. Alas! Alas! Kali has degraded the castes into this!

“The brahmacārīs are situated in that āśrama only because they cannot marry. The gṛhasthas are interested only in filling the bellies of their wives and children. The vānaprasthas are qualified only by the name vānaprastha travelling on the path of the ears. The sannyāsīs are different from the others only in their saffron dress.

“And look at these mental speculators! From their very birth, they simply discuss words like ‘designation,’ ‘social class,’ ‘logical inference,’ ‘universal principle,’ and thus remain far away from talk of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thinking whoever is most expert at logic is the wisest, these logicians think that their speculation is the only scripture.

“Now here are some Māyāvādīs. They say that the Supreme is ‘only eternity,’ ‘without qualities,’ ‘without designations,’ ‘beyond thought,’ and ‘without actions,’ and they say ‘I am Brahman.’ Alas, alas, hating the Personality of Godhead’s form and denying the Lord’s inconceivable potencies and qualities, they shun love for the Supreme Person. Obeisances to them from a distance.

“And here learned persons debate the theories of Kapila, Kaṇāda, Patañjali, and Jaimini. Not one of them knows the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“Now I am in South India. This place is filled with Jains, Buddhists, naked yogīs, and ferocious atheists. There are also Śaivites, who are almost extinct. I think they will kill me! (After walking a little further) Ah! This must be a holy man cheerfully sitting on a great rock by the riverbank. He seems to be free of anxiety while passing his time meditating on something beyond the modes of nature. Sitting in a yoga posture by the riverbank, his eyes closed and expertly stopping with the tip of his tongue the nectar moonlight flowing from within his forehead, he meditates. But what is this! What broke his meditation? Ah! I know. It is the tinkling conchshell ornaments of a young girl fetching water. He is only staging a play to fill his stomach. (He goes further.) Ah! This looks like a renounced soul. He must be a pilgrim coming from the holy places. I see he is talking to himself, ‘Although I went to Haridvāra, Gayā, Prayāga, Mathurā, Benares, Puṣkara, Śrī Raṅga, Ayodhyā, Badarikāśrama, Setubandha, Prabhāsa, and many other places, three or four times over in the past year, what would persons like us accomplish even in hundreds of years like this?’

(He goes further on.) “This must be a genuine ascetic. But I see that he is actually worse and more sinful than the above pseudo renunciate. Calling out ‘Hum! Hum! Hum!’ in a sharp and bitter voice, keeping the crowd away with a cruel stare, lifting his feet high as he walks with long strides, his forehead, arms, neck, stomach, and chest smeared with clay, and grasping kuśa grass in his hands, he is like pride personified. Therefore I understand that without pure devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu, expert meditation, samādhi, faith, scriptural study, good works, japa, and austerity are like an actor’s expert playing on a stage. They are only different ways to fill an empty belly.

“O Kali, well done! Well done! You brought the entire earth under your rule. You drove away control of the mind, control of the senses, and all other virtues. You captured them and made them your slaves, working for your own profit. You uprooted the tree of religion, which had friendship and other virtues as its branches. In this situation what can I do? Today, all over the world I have seen disturbances born of irreligiousity and deviations of the mind and speech in pursuit of the truth. But alas! When will I see the pure Vaiṣṇava devotees, who are engaged in kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, who are decorated with tears and hairs standing on end in love of God, and who are equipoised both internally and externally?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was going to Śāntipura to see Advaita Gosāñi and on the way he could see the sorry situation of the world. That all over India, which is supposed to be a spiritual place, people had become materialistic and under the control of Kali. Instead of controlling the senses, they were controlled by the senses.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.309

vaiṣṇava-darśana-saṅgalābhārtha bhaktarāja haridāsera navadvīpe āgamana—

kata-dine ‘vaiṣṇava’ dekhite icchā kari’
āilena haridāsa navadvīpa-purī

Translation: After a few days Ṭhākura Haridāsa went to Navadvīpa with a desire to associate with the Vaiṣṇavas there.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): In order to see the pure Vaiṣṇavas, Haridāsa Ṭhākura came to Śrī Māyāpur, which is situated in Navadvīpa, Gauḍa-deśa’s center of education.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.310

bhaktaprabara haridāsera darśane bhaktagaṇera harṣātiśaya—

haridāse dekhiyā sakala bhakta-gaṇa
hailena atiśaya parānanda-mana

Translation: All the devotees of Navadvīpa-dhāma, their minds were overjoyed on seeing Haridāsa.

Purport: (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Seeing Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākura, all the Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas of Navadvīpa became jubilant, considering him a member of their family. From this we can understand that the nondevotee community of Navadvīpa did not feel any happiness on the arrival of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, there were devotees or vaiṣṇavas in Navadvīpa were happy to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but those who are not devotees they didn’t feel anything special on the arrival of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.311

haridāsera darśana-saṅga-lābhe advaita prabhura tāṅhāke prāṇādhikapriya-jñāne lālana—

ācārya-gosāñi haridāsere pāiyā
rākhilena prāṇa haite adhika kariyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Upon obtaining the association of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Advaita Ācārya treated him more dear than His own life.

Having received Śrī Haridāsa at Śrī Māyāpur-Navadvīpa, Śrī Advaita Prabhu considered him more dear than his own life and maintained him with utmost care.

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Ācārya is showing the proper behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, although Advaita Ācārya is the leader of the brāhmaṇa and Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a non-Hindu family, but because Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a pure Vaiṣṇava, Advaita Ācārya received him as more dear than his own life. Therefore, it shows how a pure Vaiṣṇava is beyond any caste consideration.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.312

vaiṣṇavagaṇera o vaiṣṇavaśreṣṭha haridāsera, parasparera prati sapraṇaya vyavahāra—

sarva-vaiṣṇavera prīti haridāsa-prati
haridāsa o karena sabāre bhakti ati

Jayapatākā Swami: All the Vaiṣṇavas showered their affection on Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Haridāsa Ṭhākura reciprocated with extreme devotion.

So the Vaiṣṇavas were naturally affectionate towards Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Haridāsa Ṭhākura reciprocated their feelings.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.313

paraspara pāṣaṇḍigaṇera kaṭukti-samālocanā—

pāṣaṇḍī-sakale yata deya vākya-jvālā
anyo’nye sabe tāhā kahite lāgilā

Jayapatākā Swami: They started to discuss amongst themselves the burning offensive statements of all the atheists.

Purport: By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda Seeing the devotee brāhmaṇas’ love for Haridāsa, the envious atheistic persons always shot arrows of envious words at them.

Jayapatākā Swami: The atheists began to give burning offensive statements and the Vaiṣṇavas were discussing these among these amongst themselves.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.314

bhaktagaṇera nirantara gītā-bhāgavatānuśīlana-vicāra —

gītā-bhāgavata lai’ sarva-bhakta-gaṇa
anyo’nye vicāre thākena sarva-kṣaṇa

Translation: The devotees constantly discussed with each other the meaning of the topics of the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): At that time persons who were intoxicated by material enjoyment would not study Vaiṣṇava literatures like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rather they were constantly engaged in gratifying their senses. But the pure devotees always increased their ecstatic love by discussing Gītā and Bhāgavata among themselves. Not being intoxicated by artificial, worldly, material rasas like the prākṛta-sahajiyās, the devotees of the Lord discussed the conclusive statements of Vaiṣṇava literatures like Gītā and Bhāgavata. While conducting iṣṭa-goṣṭhīs in this way, they desired the highest eternal benefit for the entire world.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the materialists considering themselves the body were absorbed in trying to get worldly happiness. The Vaiṣṇavas they were discussing the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as described in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, not being very interested in the materialistic goals of life.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.315

bhaktarāja haridāsera kathā-śravaṇa-kīrtane geīradhāma-prāpti—

ye-jane paḍaye śunaye e-saba ākhyāna
tāhāre milibe gauracandra bhagavān

Translation: One who reads or hears these topics will attain the the Supreme Lord, Śrī Gauracandra.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this Navadvīpa-dhāma where Lord Caitanya appeared, He changed the whole environment. Gradually He got everyone to chant the holy names and He gave has His mercy on the rest of India, and He took sannyāsa to give out His mercy everywhere.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Gopāla Cakravartī offends Haridāsa Ṭhākura and is attacked by leprosy, Part 4

Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura