20221226 Phalsruti– Attains the Lotus Feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on December 26th, 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:

Phalaśruti—Attains the Lotus Feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Under the section: The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.308

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa’s transcendental bliss was boundless. Forgetting everything external, he served the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with his body and mind.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the perfection of life to serve the Lord with one’s body and mind completely absorbed in His divine seva. Raghunatha dāsa had achieved this boundless bliss by taking full shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.309

gosvāmī raghunāthera kṛṣṇendriyaprītyarthe advitīya adbhuta acañcala vairāgyayuk bhajanādarśa varṇana:—

ananta guṇa raghunāthera ke karibe lekhā?
raghunāthera niyama,—yena pāṣāṇera rekhā

Translation: Who could list the unlimited transcendental attributes of Raghunātha dāsa? His strict regulative principles were exactly like lines on a stone.

Purport: The words pāṣāṇera rekhā are very significant. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī followed the regulative principles so strictly and rigidly that they were compared to the lines on a stone. As such lines cannot be erased at any time, so the regulative principles observed by Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī could not be changed under any circumstances.

Jayapatākā Swami: Raghunatha dāsa Gosvāmī was following his worship principles very strictly on the order of Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.310

sarvakṣaṇa kṛṣṇabhajana:—

sāḍe sāta prahara yāya kīrtana-smaraṇe
āhāra-nidrā cāri daṇḍa seha nahe kona dine

Translation: Raghunātha dāsa spent more than twenty-two hours out of every twenty-four chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord. He ate and slept for less than an hour and a half, and on some days that also was impossible.

Jayapatākā Swami: Each devotees exhibited some qualities, Raghunatha dāsa Gosvāmī exhibited the quality of vairāgya, renunciation. He was completely detached from any form of material sense gratification, fully involved or engaged in the service of Lord Caitanya, chanting the Holy names and worshipping his Govardhana-śilā.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.311

bijitaṣaḍvarga gosvāmī raghunātha:—

vairāgyera kathā tāṅra adbhuta-kathana
ājanma nā dila jihvāya rasera sparśana

Translation: Topics concerning his renunciation are wonderful. Throughout his life he never allowed his tongue sense gratification.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.312

chiṇḍā kāni kāṅthā vinā nā pare vasana
sāvadhāne prabhura kailā ājñāra pālana

Translation: He never touched anything to wear except a small torn cloth and a patchwork wrapper. Thus he very rigidly executed the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Purport: The principle of very rigidly carrying out the order of the spiritual master must be observed. The spiritual master gives different orders to different people. For example, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Jīva Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī to preach, and He ordered Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī to strictly follow the rules and regulations of the renounced order. All six Gosvāmīs strictly followed the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is the principle for progress in devotional service. After receiving an order from the spiritual master, one must strictly try to execute the order. That is the way of success.

Jayapatākā Swami: This principle of following the order of the spiritual master was the guiding principle for His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and his spiritual master had told him that printing books are more important than building temple, that he should also make a GBC body. So Śrīla Prabhupāda had established BBT to publish books and then he personally established 108 temple and he very carefully carried out the order of his spiritual master and then in ISKCON, he established the Governing Body Commission.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.313

yāvannirvāha-pratigraha:—

prāṇa-rakṣā lāgi’ yebā karena bhakṣaṇa
tāhā khāñā āpanāke kahe nirveda-vacana

Translation: Whatever he ate was only to keep his body and soul together, and when he ate he would reproach himself thus.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.314

divyasambandha-jñānodayakrame dehātmabuddhi-hrāsa —
śrīmad-bhāgavate (7/15/40)—

Translation: “If one’s heart has been cleansed by perfect knowledge and one has understood Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Brahman, he then gains everything. Why should such a person act like a debauchee by trying to maintain his material body very carefully?’ ”

Purport: This verse (Bhāg. 7.15.40) was spoken by Nārada to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja regarding a householder’s liberation from material bondage. On the spiritual platform, one does not unnecessarily care for the body. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. One who is spiritually situated does not think that he is the body. Therefore he can transcendentally execute severe penances in the renounced order of life. The best example of such renunciation is Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: Raghunatha dāsa Gosvāmī was the example of extreme renunciation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.315

vipaṇikārera avikrīta paryuṣita karddamākta prasādānna-prakṣālana-pūrvaka kṛṣṇocchiṣṭa cidvastujñāne sammāna:—

prasādānna pasārira yata nā vikāya
dui-tina dina haile bhāta saḍi’ yāya

Translation: Lord Jagannātha’s prasādam is sold by shopkeepers, and that which is not sold decomposes after two or three days.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.316

siṁha-dvāre gābhī-āge sei bhāta ḍāre
saḍā-gandhe tailaṅgī-gāi khāite nā pāre

Translation: All the decomposed food is thrown before the cows from Tailaṅga at the Siṁha-dvāra gate. Because of its rotten odor, even the cows cannot eat it.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.317

sei bhāta raghunātha rātre ghare āni’
bhāta pākhāliyā phele ghare diyā bahu pāni

Translation: At night Raghunātha dāsa would collect that decomposed rice, bring it home and wash it with ample water.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.318

bhitarera dṛḍha yei māji bhāta pāya
lavaṇa diyā raghunātha sei anna khāya

Translation: Then he ate the hard inner portion of the rice with salt.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, now Raghunatha dāsa had taken very extreme renunciation, taking the rotten rice which even the cows would not eat, wash that and take the inner portion, the hard rice and eat that with salt, this is how Raghunatha dāsa was showing great detachment.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.319

ekadina svarūpera sānande cidvastu-jñāne sei kṛṣṇocchiṣṭāṃśa-grahaṇa:—

eka-dina svarūpa tāhā karite dekhilā
hāsiyā tāhāra kichu māgiyā khāilā

Translation: One day Svarūpa Dāmodara saw the activities of Raghunātha dāsa. Thus, he smiled and asked for a small portion of that food and ate it.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this was Lord Jagannātha’s māhā-prasāda. But it had decomposed and even the cows would not eat it. He separated the rotten part, and washed the rest with ample water and ate some inner hard rice, Svarūpa Dāmodara, he begged for that rice and he ate it

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.320

gaura-kṛṣṇera parama-preṣṭha raghunāthera gṛhīta prasādai cinmaya kṛṣṇa-bhuktāmṛta:—

svarūpa kahe,—“aiche amṛta khāo niti-niti
āmā-sabāya nāhi deha’,—ki tomāra prakṛti?”

Translation: Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “You eat such nectar every day, but you never offer it to us. What is your character?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī he was humorously chiding Raghunatha that, ‘you taking such nectar and not giving it to us!’ So, the devotees, they were seeing Raghunatha dāsa’s activities on the completely spiritual platform.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.321

govindera nikaṭa śravaṇapūrvaka svayaṁ prabhurao sei kṛṣṇa-bhuktānnāmṛta-grahaṇa:—

govindera mukhe prabhu se vārtā śunilā
āra dina āsi’ prabhu kahite lāgilā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard news of this from the mouth of Govinda, He went there the next day and spoke as follows.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.322

‘kāṅhā vastu khāo sabe, more nā deha’ kene?’
eta bali’ eka grāsa karilā bhakṣaṇe

Translation: “What nice things are you eating? Why don’t you give anything to Me?” Saying this, He forcibly took a morsel and began to eat.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu He was appreciating what Raghunatha dāsa was doing, so He took some of the rice morsel and ate it.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.323

sādhakera svayaṃ kṛṣṇaprītyarthe vairāgyācaraṇera abhyāsa thākileo nikhilaiśvaryaśālī hari-guru-vaiṣṇavake ekamātra prabhu-jñāne sarvotkṛṣṭa cidupakaraṇadvārā pūjā karttavyatā-śikṣādāna:—

āra grāsa laite svarūpa hātete dharilā
‘tava yogya nahe’ bali’ bale kāḍi’ nilā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking another morsel of food, Svarūpa Dāmodara caught Him by the hand and said, “It is not fit for You.” Thus he forcibly took the food away.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.324

prabhukarttṛka sva-preṣṭha raghunāthera gṛhīta-prasāda-praśaṁsā:—

prabhu bale,—“niti-niti nānā prasāda khāi
aiche svāda āra kona prasāde nā pāi”

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Of course, every day I eat varieties of prasādam, but I have never tasted such nice prasādam as that which Raghunātha is eating.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu He was being offered very opulent Jagannātha prasāda, but He is saying how Raghunatha dāsa’s prasāda is more tasty. This is showing the very deep relationship which Lord Caitanya had with His devotees.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.325

raghunāthera kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-vāñchāmaya vairagya-darśane prabhura ānanda:—

ei-mata mahāprabhu nānā līlā kare
raghunāthera vairāgya dekhi’ santoṣa antare

Translation: Thus, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed many pastimes at Jagannātha Purī. Seeing the severe penances performed by Raghunātha dāsa in the renounced order, the Lord was greatly satisfied.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Raghunatha dāsa coming from a very opulent background and performing this extreme penance of the renounced order satisfied Lord Caitanya. Different activities performed by different devotees would satisfy Lord Caitanya. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda wanted to spread the movement of Lord Caitanya all over the world and he wanted his followers to take responsibility to continue spreading the saṅkīrtana movement.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.326

sva-kṛta stave prabhura karuṇā varṇana:—

āpana-uddhāra ei raghunātha-dāsa
‘gaurāṅga-stava-kalpa-vṛkṣe’ kariyāchena prakāśa

Translation: In his poem known as the Gaurāṅga-stava-kalpavṛkṣa, Raghunātha dāsa has described his personal deliverance.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.327

gaurakṛpāya raghunāthera dāmodarānugatya o gāndharvā giridhāri-sevā-lābha:—
stavāvalīte caitanya-stava-kalpa-vṛkṣa-stave (11)—

Translation: “Although I am a fallen soul, the lowest of men, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu delivered me from the blazing forest fire of great material opulence by His mercy. He handed me over in great pleasure to Svarūpa Dāmodara, His personal associate. The Lord also gave me the garland of small conchshells that He wore on His chest and a stone from Govardhana Hill, although they were very dear to Him. That same Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu awakens within my heart and makes me mad after Him.”

Purport: By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupāda This verse is from Śrī Gaurāṅga-stava-kalpavṛkṣa (11), written by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī.

Jayapatākā Swami: This verse describes how Raghunatha dāsa Gosvāmī got the mercy of Lord Caitanya. The secret is satisfying the order of the spiritual master.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 6.328

prabhu-raghunātha-milana-śravaṇe caitanya-caraṇa lābha:—

ei ta’ kahiluṅ raghunāthera milana
ihā yei śune pāya caitanya-caraṇa

Translation: Thus I have described the meeting of Raghunātha dāsa with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone who hears about this incident attains the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja gives this blessing that by hearing this pastime, how Raghunatha dāsa Gosvāmī met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, will naturally get the shelter of Lotus feet of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Haribol!

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Phalaśruti – Attains the Lotus Feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Under the section: The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī

So, by visiting Māyāpur dhāma one also gets the mercy of Lord Caitanya, it says that one should go to Māyāpur first and then to Vṛndāvana. So, we see like in the temple in Juhu, all people go around Rādhā-Rāsabīhārī or Sītā-Rāma Lakṣmaṇa Hanumā. Actually by the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura we get the mercy of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So, here by hearing this pastime of how Raghunatha dāsa met Lord Caitanya we can get the Lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. The siddha Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī left Vṛndāvana and came to Navadvīpa because in Vṛndāvana if you commit any offense which is inevitable, you get a thousand times of the offense. But in Māyāpur it is not the same, you get thousand times for any devotional service but the offenses are not multiplied. So siddha Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, he realized his siddha-deha that’s why he is called siddha Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī. One can achieve complete perfection in Navadvīpa-dhāma.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!