20221207 A poet reads his poetry about Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on December 07th,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:

A poet reads his poetry about Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī
Under the section: How Pradyumna Miśra Received Instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.91

pūrvaṅgavāsī vipraveśī prākṛta-kavira vṛttāntaḥ—

baṅga-deśī eka vipra prabhura carite
nāṭaka kari’ lañā āila prabhuke śunāite

Translation: A brāhmaṇa from Bengal wrote a drama about the characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and came with his manuscript to induce the Lord to hear it.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya would not hear any writings unless it was cleared by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.92

bhagavān-ācārya-sane tāra paricaya
tāṅre mili’ tāṅra ghare karila ālaya

Translation: The brāhmaṇa was acquainted with Bhagavān Ācārya, one of the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore after meeting him at Jagannātha Purī, the brāhmaṇa made his residence at Bhagavān Ācārya’s home.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.93

prathame nāṭaka teṅho tāṅre śunāila
tāṅra saṅge aneka vaiṣṇava nāṭaka śunila

Translation: First the brāhmaṇa induced Bhagavān Ācārya to hear the drama, and then many other devotees joined Bhagavān Ācārya in listening to it.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.94

sabei praśaṁse nāṭaka ‘parama uttama’
mahāprabhure śunāite sabāra haila mana

Translation: All the Vaiṣṇavas praised the drama, saying, “Very good, very good.” They also desired that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu hear the drama.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.95

svarūpa-dāmodara-karttṛka parīkṣā-grahaṇa-niyamaḥ—

gīta, śloka, grantha, kavitva—yei kari’ āne
prathame śunāya sei svarūpera sthāne

Translation: Customarily, anyone who composed a song, verse, literary composition or poem about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first had to bring it to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to be heard.

Jayapatākā Swami: It was very painful for Lord Caitanya if anything wrong was written in the manuscript. So He wanted Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to hear first.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.96

svarūpera anumodana vā parīkṣā-uttaraṇānte prabhura anugraha-lābhaḥ—

svarūpa-ṭhāñi uttare yadi, lañā, tāṅra mana
tabe mahāprabhu-ṭhāñi karāya śravaṇa

Translation: If passed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, it could be presented for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear.

Jayapatākā Swami: This was the standard process, which had to be followed.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.97

bhaktisiddhānta vāṇīra virodhai mahāvadānya prabhura krodhera ekamātra kāraṇaḥ—

‘rasābhāsa’ haya yadi ‘siddhānta-virodha’
sahite nā pāre prabhu, mane haya krodha

Translation: If there were a hint that transcendental mellows overlapped in a manner contrary to the principles of the bhakti cult, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would not tolerate it and would become very angry.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes the following definition of rasābhāsa from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (Uttara-vibhāga, Ninth Wave, 1-3, 33, 38 and 41):

“A mellow temporarily appearing transcendental but contradicting mellows previously stated and lacking some of a mellow’s necessities is called rasābhāsa, an overlapping mellow, by advanced devotees who know how to taste transcendental mellows. Such mellows are called uparasa (submellows), anurasa (imitation transcendental mellows) and aparasa (opposing transcendental mellows). Thus the overlapping of transcendental mellows is described as being first grade, second grade or third grade. When the twelve mellows — such as neutrality, servitorship and friendship — are characterized by adverse sthāyi-bhāva, vibhāva and anubhāva ecstasies, they are known as uparasa, submellows. When the seven indirect transcendental mellows and the dried-up mellow of neutrality are produced by devotees and moods not directly related to Kṛṣṇa and devotional service in ecstatic love, they are described as anurasa, imitation mellows. If Kṛṣṇa and the enemies who harbor feelings of opposition toward Him are respectively the object and abodes of the mellow of laughter, the resulting feelings are called aparasa, opposing mellows. Experts in distinguishing one mellow from another sometimes accept some overlapping transcendental mellows (rasābhāsa) as rasas due to their being pleasurable and tasteful.”

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, paraspara-vairayor yadi yogas tadā rasābhāsaḥ:

“When two opposing transcendental mellows overlap, they produce rasābhāsa, or an overlapping of transcendental mellows.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So the emotions of bhakti is a great science. Certain mellows are not compatible with other mellows. And they may produce rasābhāsa. So those who are experienced in this science, they can recognize what is the rasābhāsa and what is not. So Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī was such an expert. Others may not recognize the rasābhāsa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.98

ataeva prabhu kichu āge nāhi śune
ei maryādā prabhu kariyāche niyame

Translation: Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would not hear anything before Svarūpa Dāmodara heard it first. The Lord made this etiquette a regulative principle.

Jayapatākā Swami: This was the way that Mahāprabhu was protected from hearing rasābhāsa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.99

svarūpasamīpe bhagavān-ācāryera prākṛta kavira kāvya-praśaṃsāpūrvaka nivedana

svarūpera ṭhāñi ācārya kailā nivedana
eka vipra prabhura nāṭaka kariyāche uttama

Translation: Bhagavān Ācārya submitted to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, “A good brāhmaṇa has prepared a drama about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that appears exceptionally well composed.

Jayapatākā Swami: Bhagavān Ācārya was recommending this drama for Svarūpa Dāmodara to hear; and that it is passed by Svarūpa Dāmodara, then it could be spoke to Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.100

ādau tumi śuna, yadi tomāra mana māne
pāche mahāprabhure tabe karāimu śravaṇe

Translation: “First you hear it, and if it is acceptable to your mind, I shall request Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear it.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.101

kṛṣṇa-tattvavit-śreṣṭha antaryāmī svarūpakarttṛka bhagavān-ācāryake bhartsanā :—

svarūpa kahe,—“tumi ’gopa’ parama-udāra
ye-se śāstra śunite icchā upaje tomāra

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī replied, “Dear Bhagavān Ācārya, you are a very liberal cowherd boy. Sometimes the desire awakens within you to hear any kind of poetry.

Jayapatākā Swami: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is chastising Bhagavān Ācārya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.102

gaura-kṛṣṇera aprītira ekamātra hetu nirddeśaḥ—

‘yadvā-tadvā’ kavira vākye haya ‘rasābhāsa’
siddhānta-viruddha śunite nā haya ullāsa

Translation: “In the writings of so-called poets there is generally a possibility of overlapping transcendental mellows. When the mellows thus go against the conclusive understanding, no one likes to hear such poetry.

Purport: Yadvā-tadvā kavi refers to anyone who writes poetry without knowledge of how to do so. Writing poetry, especially poetry concerning the Vaiṣṇava conclusion, is very difficult. If one writes poetry without proper knowledge, there is every possibility that the mellows will overlap. When this occurs, no learned or advanced Vaiṣṇava will like to hear it.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the standard that Svarūpa Dāmodara would apply. Only a very advanced devotee could recognize rasābhāsa, or something that goes against the Vaiṣṇava conclusions.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.103

‘rasa’, ‘rasābhāsa’ yāra nāhika vicāra
bhakti-siddhānta-sindhu nāhi pāya pāra

Translation: “A so-called poet who has no knowledge of transcendental mellows and the overlapping of transcendental mellows cannot cross the ocean of the conclusions of devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.104-105

‘vyākaraṇa’ nāhi jāne, nā jāne ‘alaṅkāra’
‘nāṭakālaṅkāra’-jñāna nāhika yāhāra

kṛṣṇa-līlā varṇite nā jāne sei chāra!
viśeṣe durgama ei caitanya-vihāra

Translation: “A poet who does not know the grammatical regulative principles, who is unfamiliar with metaphorical ornaments, especially those employed in drama, and who does not know how to present the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa is condemned. Moreover, the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are especially difficult to understand.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is explaining the difficulties in writing a poetry about Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.106

gauragata-prāṇa kṛṣṇa-bhakterai gaura-līlā-varṇane adhikāraḥ—

kṛṣṇa-līlā, gaura-līlā se kare varṇana
gaura-pāda-padma yāṅra haya prāṇa-dhana

Translation: “One who has accepted the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as his life and soul can describe the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa or the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: This qualification is described by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī that one should accept the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as his very life and soul. 

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.107

grāmya-kavira kavitva śunite haya ‘duḥkha’
vidagdha-ātmīya-vākya śunite haya ‘sukha’

Translation: “Hearing the poetry of a person who has no transcendental knowledge and who writes about the relationships between man and woman simply causes unhappiness, whereas hearing the words of a devotee fully absorbed in ecstatic love causes great happiness.

Purport: Grāmya-kavi refers to a poet or writer such as the authors of novels and other fiction who write only about the relationships between man and woman. Vidagdha-ātmīya-vākya, however, refers to words written by a devotee who fully understands pure devotional service. Such devotees, who follow the paramparā system, are sometimes described as sajātīyāśaya-snigdha, or “pleasing to the same class of people.” Only the poetry and other writings of such devotees are accepted with great happiness by devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: Being a good poet is not the qualification. The qualification is being deeply absorbed in the transcendental ecstasy of devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.108

aprākṛta-kavi-śiromaṇi śrī-rūpera udāharaṇaḥ—

rūpa yaiche dui nāṭaka kariyāche ārambhe
śunite ānanda bāḍe yāra mukha-bandhe”

Translation: “The standard for writing dramas has been set by Rūpa Gosvāmī. If a devotee hears the introductory portions of his two dramas, they enhance his transcendental pleasure.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Dramas of Rūpa Gosvāmī were previously presented and those are being praised by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī as the standard. They enhance the devotees’ transcendental bliss.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.109

tathāpi bhagavān ācāryera nirvandhaḥ—

bhagavān-ācārya kahe,—‘śuna eka-bāra
tumi śunile bhāla-manda jānibe vicāra’

Translation: Despite the explanation of Svarūpa Dāmodara, Bhagavān Ācārya requested, “Please hear the drama once. If you hear it, you can consider whether it is good or bad.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Although, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī had explained the standard, Bhagavān Ācārya requested him to hear it once.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.110

bandhu ācāryera nirvandhahetu śrī-svarūpera śravaṇecchāḥ—

dui tina dina ācārya āgraha karila
tāṅra āgrahe svarūpera śunite icchā ha-ila

Translation: For two or three days Bhagavān Ācārya continually asked Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to hear the poetry. Because of his repeated requests, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī wanted to hear the poetry written by the brāhmaṇa from Bengal.

Jayapatākā Swami: Bhagavān Ācārya thought the poetry was good, so he repeatedly requested Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to hear. And out of respect and friendship Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī agreed to hear it.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.111

svarūpa-samīpe kavira nāndī-śloka paṭhanaḥ—

sabā lañā svarūpa gosāñi śunite vasilā
tabe sei kavi nāndī-śloka paḍilā

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī sat down with other devotees to hear the poetry, and then the poet began to read the introductory verse.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and the other devotees are going to listen to the drama and he will give his opinion.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, A poet reads his poetry about Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī
Under the section: How Pradyumna Miśra Received Instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya