20230108 The Lord Is Able To Act Freely and Can Do and Undo Whatever He Likes

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 8th, 2023 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!

So reading from Caitanya Lila,chapter entitled is:

The Lord Is Able to Act Freely and Can Do and Undo Whatever He Likes
Under the section: The Deliverance of Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.31

prabhura nirapekṣatā pradarśana o gopīnāthake tiraskāra

śuni’ prabhu kahe kichu kari’ praṇaya-roṣa
“rāja-kauḍi dite nāre, rājāra kibā doṣa?

Translation: After hearing this explanation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied with affectionate anger. “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka does not want to pay the King the money that is due,” the Lord said. “How then is the King at fault in punishing him?

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the King has the right to collect taxes and since Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was a tax collector and he owed 200,000 kāhanas to the King therefore the King is correct in punishing him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.32

rāja-vilāt sādhi’ khāya, nāhi rāja-bhaya
dārī-nāṭuyāre diyā kare nānā vyaya

Translation: “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is in charge of collecting money on behalf of the government, but he misappropriates it. Not fearing the King, he squanders it to see dancing girls.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, apparently the brother of Rāmānanda Rāya is squandering the tax money which he is supposed to give to the King on visayīs, sense gratification.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.33

yei catura, sei kuruka rāja-viṣaya
rāja-dravya śodhi’ pāya, tāra karuka vyaya

Translation: “If one is intelligent, let him perform service to the government, and after paying the government, he can spend whatever money is left.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Here Lord Caitanya is giving the correct way to perform this service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.34

tatkāle prabhura sagoṣṭhī bhavānandādira bandhana-saṁvāda prāpti —

hena-kāle āra loka āila dhāñā
‘vāṇīnāthādi savaṁśe lañā gela bāndhiyā’

Translation: At that time another person came there in great haste, bringing the news that Vāṇīnātha Rāya and his entire family had been arrested.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, now Vāṇīnātha Rāya's family has various devotees and Kṛṣṇa promises He will protect His devotees.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.35

sannyāsa-dharmera ādarśarūpe prabhura prākṛta viṣayakathāya audāsīnya vā nairapekṣya-pradarśana

prabhu kahe,—“rājā āpane lekhāra dravya la-iba
āmi—virakta sannyāsī, tāhe ki kariba?”

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “The King must personally realize the money that is due. I am but a sannyāsī, a member of the renounced order. What can I do?”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.36

svarūpa-dāmodarādi bhaktagaṇera prabhuke audāsīnya chāḍiyā rāmānandera svajana-rakṣaṇārtha prārthanā —

tabe svarūpādi yata prabhura bhakta-gaṇa
prabhura caraṇe sabe kailā nivedana

Translation: Then all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, fell at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and submitted the following plea.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.37

“rāmānanda-rāyera goṣṭhī, saba—tomāra ‘dāsa’
tomāra ucita nahe aichana udāsa”

Translation: “All the members of Rāmānanda Rāya’s family are Your eternal servants. Now they are in danger. It is not befitting for You to be indifferent to them in this way.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, all the servants of Lord Caitanya headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara pleaded to the Lord to be active in saving Rāmānanda Rāya’s family.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.38

prabhura krodha o bhatsanā :—

śuni’ mahāprabhu kahe sakrodha vacane
“more ājñā deha’ sabe, yāṅa rāja-sthāne!

Translation: After hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke in an angry mood. “You want to order Me to go to the King,” He said.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya had a policy to avoid dealings with the kings since He considered that they were bad association for sannyāsīs.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.39

tomā-sabāra ei mata,—rāja-ṭhāñi yāñā
kauḍi māgi’ laṅ muñi āṅcala pātiyā

Translation: “Your opinion is that I should go to the King’s palace and spread My cloth to beg money from him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.40

sannyāsīra viṣaya-kathāya ayogyatā :—

pāṅca-gaṇḍāra pātra haya sannyāsī brāhmaṇa
māgile vā kene dibe dui-lakṣa kāhana?”

Translation: “Of course, a sannyāsī or brāhmaṇa may beg for up to five gaṇḍās, but why should he be granted the inappropriate sum of 200,000 kāhanas of conchshells?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is presenting Himself as an ordinary sannyāsī, and He was giving this logic.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.41

prabhura gopīnāthera nidhanodyoga-saṁvāda-prāpti —

hena-kāle āra loka āila dhāñā
khaḍegara upare gopīnāthe diteche ḍāriyā

Translation: Then another person came with the news that Gopīnātha had already been set up to be thrown upon the points of the swords.

Jayapatākā Swami: Just as we have seen hangings done in public places, the way this execution was implemented was by throwing the person on top of swords. So, Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was raised on the cāṅga and he was going to be thrown on to the swords unless he paid the money.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.42

bhaktagaṇakarttṛka gopīnāthake rakṣaṇārtha prabhuke prārthanā, tathāpi lokaśikṣārtha prabhura kaṭhora nirapekṣatā —

śuni’ prabhura gaṇa prabhure kare anunaya
prabhu kahe,—“āmi bhikṣuka, āmā haite kichu naya

Translation: Hearing this news, all the devotees again appealed to the Lord, but the Lord replied, “I am a beggar. It is impossible for Me to do anything about this.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the devotees were pleading with Lord Caitanya to do something, but He replied that He could not do anything because He wanted to teach the position of a sannyāsī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.43

tadarthe jagannāthacaraṇe prārthanā jānāite sakalake upadeśa —

tāte rakṣā karite yadi haya sabāra mane
sabe meli’ jānāha jagannāthera caraṇe

Translation: “Therefore if you want to save him, you should all pray together at the lotus feet of Jagannātha.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the advice of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that they should all go and pray to Lord Jagannātha.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.44

jagannāthadeva svayaṁ īśvara o sarvaprabhu —

īśvara jagannātha,—yāṅra hāte sarva ‘artha’
kartum akartum anyathā karite samartha”

Translation: “Lord Jagannātha is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He possesses all potencies. Therefore, He is able to act freely and can do and undo whatever He likes.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is glorifying Lord Jagannātha. Of course Lord Caitanya is also Himself Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He is playing as an ordinary sannyāsī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.45

pratāparudrera nikaṭa haricandana-mahāpātrera gopīnāthaprāṇa-bhikṣāyācñā —

ihāṅ yadi mahāprabhu eteka kahilā
haricandana-pātra yāi’ rājāre kahilā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied in this way, an officer named Haricandana Pātra went to the King and spoke with him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.46

hatyā vā prāṇadaṇḍa-vidhira anupayogitā —

“gopīnātha-paṭṭanāyaka—sevaka tomāra
sevakera prāṇa-daṇḍa nahe vyavahāra

Translation: “After all,” he said, “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is your faithful servant. To condemn a servant to death is not good behavior. 

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.47

viśeṣa tāhāra ṭhāñi kauḍi bākī haya
prāṇa nile kibā lābha? nija dhana-kṣaya

Translation: “His only fault is that he owes some money to the government. If he is killed, however, what profit will there be? The government will be the loser, for it will not get the money.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haricandana Pātra is giving good logic to the King and since the Supersoul is present in everyone’s heart, He gives intelligence and forgetfulness as needed.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.48

yathārtha mūlye ghoḍā laha, yebā bākī haya
krame krame dibe, vyartha prāṇa kene laya”

Translation: “It would be better to take the horses for a proper price and let him gradually repay the balance. Why are you killing him unnecessarily?”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.49

gopīnāthera hatyā-sambandhe rājāra sampūrṇa anabhijñatā-jñāpana —

rājā kahe,—“ei bāt āmi nāhi jāni
prāṇa kene la-iba, tāra dravya cāhi āmi

Translation: The King answered in surprise, “I did not know about all this. Why should his life be taken? I only want the money from him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the King Pratāparudra Mahārāja, he did not know that Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was going to be executed, he told his eldest son, prince to get the money.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.50

gopīnāthake tatkṣaṇāt rakṣaṇārtha ādeśa dāna —

tumi yāi’ kara tāhāṅ sarva samādhāna
dravya yaiche āise, āra rahe tāra prāṇa”

Translation: “Go there and adjust everything. I want only the payment, not his life.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Mahārāja Pratāparudra he is convinced that Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka’s life should not be taken, he just want to receive the amount due.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.51

yuvarājake baliyā gopīnāthera prāṇa-rakṣā

tabe haricandana āsi’ jānāre kahili
cāṅge haite gopīnāthe śīghra nāmāila

Translation: Haricandana then returned and informed the prince of the King’s desire, and immediately Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was taken down from the cāṅga.

Jayapatākā Swami: Such was the pastime of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His desire things could be done or undone.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.52

rājāra artha-śodhanārtha upāya-jijñāsā, gopīnāthera uttara—

‘dravya deha’ rājā māge—upāya puchila
‘yathārtha-mūlye ghoḍā laha’, teṅha ta’ kahila

Translation: Then he was told that the King demanded the money due him and asked what means he would adopt to pay it. “Kindly take my horses,” he replied, “for a proper price.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.53

‘krame krame dimu, āra yata kichu pāri
avicāre prāṇa laha,—ki balite pāri?’

Translation: “I shall gradually pay the balance as I can. Without consideration, however, you were going to take my life. What can I say?”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.54

yathārtha mūlya kari’ tabe saba ghoḍā la-ila
āra dravyera muddatī kari’ ghare pāṭhāila

Translation: Then the government took all the horses for a proper price, a time was set for payment of the balance, and Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was released.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, a proper solution was arrived at, and Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was released.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.55

saṁvādadātāke prabhura vāṇīnātha-saṁvāda-jijñāsā —

ethā prabhu sei manuṣyere praśna kaila
‘vāṇīnātha ki kare, yabe bāndhiyā ānila?”

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from the messenger, “What was Vāṇīnātha doing when he was arrested and brought there?”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.56

vāṇīnāthera kare saṁkhyānāma-grahaṇa —

se kahe—“vāṇīnātha nirbhaye laya kṛṣṇa-nāma
'hare kṛṣṇa, hare kṛṣṇa’ kahe aviśrāma

Translation: The messenger replied, “He was fearlessly, incessantly chanting the mahā-mantra — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the activity of a pure devotee who always takes shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa, whether one is in danger or one is in happiness, they always chant the holy names.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.57

saṅkhyā lāgi’ dui-hāte aṅgulīte lekhā
sahasrādi pūrṇa haile, aṅge kāṭe rekhā”

Translation: “He counted the chants on the fingers of both hands, and after he had finished chanting one thousand times, he would make a mark on his body.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Vāṇīnātha Rāya was chanting his japa and in this way he could maintain the count.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 9.58

tacchravaṇe prabhura ānanda –

śuni’ mahāprabhu ha-ilā parama ānanda
ke bujhite pāre gaurera kṛpā-chanda-bandha?

Translation: Hearing this news, the Lord was very pleased. Who can understand the mercy of the Lord upon His devotee?

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually Kṛṣṇa is aware of everything as Supersoul, He is in every body and He knows what everyone is doing with their thinking so if he wants He can direct someone to act in this way. Haricandana Pātra, he went to the King Pratāparudra and he got Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka released . Actually we should see in every situation, even if we are facing some difficulties, we should chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Who can understand the mercy of the Lord? He does not have to work in any specific way to achieve His goal, simple by His desire things are done .

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The Lord Is Able to Act Freely and Can Do and Undo Whatever He Likes
Under the section: The Deliverance of Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka