20221229 Pride of Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was Cut Down as He Heard the Preaching by Lord Caitanya Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on December 29th, 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 we will be continuing Part 2 of the chapter is entitled:

Pride of Vallabha Bhaṭṭa Was Cut Down as He Heard the Preaching by Lord Caitanya,
Under the section: The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Vallabha Bhaṭṭa

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.36

rāyake svīya śikṣāgururūpe prabhura pracāra : —

e saba śikhāilā more rāya-rāmānanda
anargala rasa-vettā prema-sukhānanda

Translation: “Rāmānanda Rāya is extremely aware of transcendental mellows. He is incessantly absorbed in the happiness of ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. It is he who has taught Me all this.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya He likes to glorify the people of different lower castes, who are expert in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to have them take higher positions, than the caste brāhmaṇas by their power of bhakti.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.37

rāmānandera guṇa:—

kahana nā yāya rāmānandera prabhāva
rāya-prasāde jāniluṅ vrajera ‘śuddha’ bhāva

Translation: “It is impossible to describe the influence and knowledge of Rāmānanda Rāya, for only by his mercy have I understood the unalloyed love of the residents of Vṛndāvana.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is Himself a brāhmaṇa and a sannyāsī, normally according the varṇāśrama-dharma, He would not listen to Rāmānanda Rāya who was born in a śūdra family but because Rāmānanda Rāya was very advanced in bhakti-yoga, therefore Lord Caitanya not only listened to him but He is giving him this praise.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.38

(5) dāmodara-svarūpera guṇāvalī; premarasavigraha o gopītattva-māhātmyavettā vā vraja-mādhurya-rasa-tattvācārya: —

dāmodara-svarūpa—‘prema-rasa’ mūrtimāna
yāṅra saṅge haila vraja-madhura-rasa-jñāna

Translation: “The transcendental mellows of ecstatic love are personified by Svarūpa Dāmodara. By his association I have understood Vṛndāvana’s transcendental mellow of conjugal love.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is now being mentioned but previously Rāmānanda Rāya and others were mentioned. Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī is the incarnation of Lalītā devī, the principle confidante of Rādhārāṇī, so she knows all these essential ecstasies of conjugal love. Lord Caitanya referred him vraja-madhura-rasācārya

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.39

kṛṣṇendriya-toṣiṇī gopīra māhātmya:—

‘śuddha-prema’ vraja-devīra—kāma-gandha-hīna
‘kṛṣṇa-sukha-tātparya’,—ei tāra cihna

Translation: “The unalloyed love of the gopīs and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is without any trace of material lust. The criterion of such transcendental love is that its only purpose is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: The difference between bhakti-yoga and the lust of the material world, is that bhakti-yoga is meant to satisfy Kṛṣṇa that is its only purpose. If you satisfy Krsna, all are satisfied.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.40

śāstra-pramāṇa:—

śrīmad-bhāgavate (10/31/19)—

Translation: “O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our lives rest only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.’

Purport: This verse is spoken by the gopīs in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.31.19).

Jayapatākā Swami: The Gopīs are always putting the pleasure and satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa as higher, this is special feature of vraja-prema.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.41

gopī-gaṇera śuddha-prema aiśvarya-jñāna-hīna
premete bhartsanā kare ei tāra cihna

Translation: “Obsessed with pure love, without knowledge of opulences, the gopīs sometimes chastise Kṛṣṇa. That is a symptom of pure ecstatic love.

Jayapatākā Swami: The gopīs see Kṛṣṇa on an equal or dependent level and sometimes out of love they chastise Him. their dealings are not with any of the respect of appreciation of His opulence which is present in Vaikuṇṭha.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.42

śrīmad-bhāgavate (10/31/16) —

Translation: “O dear Kṛṣṇa, we gopīs have neglected the order of our husbands, sons, family, brothers and friends and have left their company to come to You. You know everything about our desires. We have come only because we are attracted by the supreme music of Your flute. But You are a great cheater, for who else would give up the company of young girls like us in the dead of night?’

Purport: This verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.31.16).

Jayapatākā Swami: The gopīs who were blocked by their fathers-in-laws in their doorway, they left their material bodies and in their spiritual svarupa they came and joined Kṛṣṇa. But then when they joined Kṛṣṇa, He was saying all kinds of things to send them back, which they found very cruel, they wanted to serve Him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.43

gopīpremera nikaṭa kṛṣṇera ṛṇa:—

sarvottama bhajana ei sarva-bhakti jini’
ataeva kṛṣṇa kahe,—‘āmi tomāra ṛṇī’

Translation: “The conjugal love of the gopīs is the most exalted devotional service, surpassing all other methods of bhakti. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa is obliged to say, ‘My dear gopīs, I cannot repay you. Indeed, I am always indebted to you.’

Jayapatākā Swami: In the special mantras of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Gāyatrī mantra and other mantra, they often mention the gopīs and how Kṛṣṇa is the object of their love, and Kṛṣṇa is saying that their love is so pure that He has no way to repay it.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.44

śrīmad-bhāgavate (10/32/22)—

Translation: “O gopīs, I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahmā. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.’

Purport: This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.32.22).

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa, He doesn’t need anything, He is opulent in all aspects. But He appreciates pure love. And Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs in Vṛndāvana have got matchless love for Kṛṣṇa, so He is unable to repay them that quality of love.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.45

vrajera śuddha kevalabhāvera śreṣṭhatā, tadviṣaye uddhavera prārthanāi pramāṇa:—

aiśvarya-jñāna haite kevalā-bhāva—pradhāna
pṛthivīte bhakta nāhi uddhava-samāna

Translation: “Completely distinct from love of Kṛṣṇa in opulence, pure love of Kṛṣṇa is on the highest level. On the surface of the world there is no devotee greater than Uddhava.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.46

teṅha yāṅra pada-dhūli karena prārthana
svarūpera saṅge pāiluṅ e saba śikṣaṇa

Translation: “Uddhava desires to take on his head the dust of the gopīs’ lotus feet. I have learned about all these transcendental loving affairs of Lord Kṛṣṇa from Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is glorifying His devotee, Uddhava, to Vallabha Bhaṭṭa and Vallabha Bhaṭṭa, he may not be used to someone who glorifies everyone else and takes a humble position. So this was a very new experience for Vallabha Bhaṭṭa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.47

Translation: “The gopīs of Vṛndāvana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to become one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vṛndāvana, for the gopīs trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet.’

Purport: This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.47.61) was spoken by Uddhava. When Uddhava was sent by Kṛṣṇa to see the condition of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, he stayed there for a few months in their association and always talked with them about Kṛṣṇa. Although this greatly pleased the gopīs and other residents of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana, Uddhava saw that the gopīs were severely afflicted by their separation from Kṛṣṇa. Their hearts were so disturbed that their minds were sometimes deranged. Observing the unalloyed devotion and love of the gopīs for Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava desired to become a creeper, a blade of grass or an herb in Vṛndāvana so that sometimes the gopīs would trample him and he would receive the dust of their lotus feet on his head.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, although Uddhava is celebrated in the world as one of the greatest devotees of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa but he, after visiting the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, wanted to be a blade of grass or bush in Vṛndāvana, so that he can get the dust of the lotus feet of the gopīs in Vrndavana.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.48

(6) mahā-bhāgavata ācārya ṭhākura haridāsera guṇāvalī:—

haridāsa-ṭhākura—mahā-bhāgavata-pradhāna
prati dina laya teṅha tina-lakṣa nāma

Translation: “Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the teacher of the holy name, is the most exalted of all pure devotees. Every day he chants 300,000 holy names of the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.49

nāmera mahimā āmi tāṅra ṭhāñi śikhiluṅ
tāṅra prasāde nāmera mahimā jāniluṅ

Translation: “I have learned about the glories of the Lord’s holy name from Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and by his mercy I have understood these glories.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is glorifying to the great brāhmaṇa Vallabha Bhatta, the wonderful qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, nāmācārya although he is born in a non-Hindu family.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.50-52

anyānya nāma-prema-pracāraka gaura-bhaktagaṇa :—

ācāryaratna ācāryanidhi paṇḍita-gadādhara
jagadānanda, dāmodara, śaṅkara, vakreśvara

kāśīśvara, mukunda, vāsudeva, murāri
āra yata bhakta-gaṇa gauḍe avatari’

śuddha-bhaktira ācāra o pracārakārī sādhura saṅgei jīvera kṛṣṇa-bhakti-lābha : —

kṛṣṇa-nāma-prema kailā jagate pracāra
iṅhā sabāra saṅge kṛṣṇa-bhakti ye āmāra”

Translation: “Ācāryaratna, Ācāryanidhi, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Jagadānanda, Dāmodara, Śaṅkara, Vakreśvara, Kāśīśvara, Mukunda, Vāsudeva, Murāri and many other devotees have descended in Bengal to preach to everyone the glories of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and the value of love for Him. I have learned from them the meaning of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.”

Jayapatākā Swami: All these devotees, Lord Caitanya explained they have descended to help Him preach the glories of the holy name. because these devotees have actually descended with Lord Caitanya from the spiritual world.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.53

vallabhera garva-haraṇārtha prabhura tadapekṣā adhikaguṇasampanna bhaktagaṇera guṇa-varṇana:—

bhaṭṭera hṛdaye dṛḍha abhimāna jāni’
bhaṅgī kari’ mahāprabhu kahe eta vāṇī

Translation: Knowing that Vallabha Bhaṭṭa’s heart was full of pride, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke these words, hinting at how one can learn about devotional service.

Purport: Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was greatly proud of his knowledge in devotional service, and therefore he wanted to speak about Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without understanding the Lord’s position. The Lord therefore hinted in many ways that if Vallabha Bhaṭṭa wanted to know what devotional service actually is, he would have to learn from all the devotees He mentioned, beginning with Advaita Ācārya, Lord Nityānanda, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Rāmānanda Rāya. As Svarūpa Dāmodara has said, if one wants to learn the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one must take lessons from a realized soul. One should not proudly think that one can understand the transcendental loving service of the Lord simply by reading books. One must become a servant of a Vaiṣṇava. As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has confirmed, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra peyeche kebā: one cannot be in a transcendental position unless one very faithfully serves a pure Vaiṣṇava. One must accept a Vaiṣṇava guru (ādau gurv-āśrayam), and then by questions and answers one should gradually learn what pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is. That is called the paramparā system.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was teaching Vallabha Bhaṭṭa how to recognize these great devotees and how to learn the process of devotional service. Lord Caitanya is Himself Kṛṣṇa combined with Rādhā, so He is giving a process how to recognize the most advanced devotees.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.54

adhokṣaja-viṣaye akṣaja-jñānī vallabhera prākṛta ahaṅkāra-ceṣṭā, bhāgavatānugatya-tyāgapūrvaka vallabhera bhagavata-ṭīka-racanā : —

“āmi se ‘vaiṣṇava’,—bhakti-siddhānta saba jāni
āmi se bhāgavata-artha uttama vākhāni”

Translation: [Vallabha Bhaṭṭa was thinking:] “I am a great Vaiṣṇava. Having learned all the conclusions of Vaiṣṇava philosophy, I can understand the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and explain it very well.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 7.55

prabhura kṛpāya vallabhera darpa-cūrṇa : —

bhaṭṭera manete ei chila dīrgha garva
prabhura vacana śuni’ se ha-ila kharva

Translation: Such pride had existed for a long time within the mind of Vallabha Bhaṭṭa, but as he heard the preaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his pride was cut down.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He wanted to cut the pride of devotees but maintain them. When the Digvījaya Kāśmīri came to Navadvīpa, Lord Caitanya cut down his pride but He did it in such a way that he would maintain his self-respect. Keśava Kaśmīri prayed to Mother Sarasvatī why did this young Paṇḍita defeat me? And she said, “He is my Husband so I couldn’t protect you, and then he surrendered to Lord Caitanya and he became a great ācārya in Nimbārka sampradāya. Similarly, Vallabha Bhaṭṭa became the most famous ācārya in the Valllabha sampradāya, he established the puṣṭi-mārga where they understand the vātsalya-rāsa but they didn’t enter into the mādhurya-rāsa.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Pride of Vallabha Bhaṭṭa Was Cut Down as He Heard the Preaching by Lord Caitanya, Part 2
Under the section: The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Vallabha Bhaṭṭa

Haribol!