20230222 Devotees and the Lord Feel Mutual Separation from Each Other

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on february 22,2023 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!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Today's chapter is entitled as:

Devotees and the Lord feel mutual separation from each other
Under the section: Jagadānanda Paṇḍita’s loving dealings with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.61

guṇḍicā-mārjjana o rathāgre narttana :—

pūrvavat sabā lañā guṇḍicā-mārjana
ratha-āge pūrvavat karilā nartana

Translation: All the devotees engaged in the cleansing ceremony of the Guṇḍicā temple and danced in front of the Ratha-yātrā chariot, just as they had done in the past.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, there were seven kīrtana parties all around the Ratha and Lord Caitanya would simultaneously dance in each party. Every party thought that the Lord is with us.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.62

īśvarera yātrādi-darśanānte śrīvāsapatnīra prabhuke bhikṣādāna :—

cāturmāsya saba yātrā kailā daraśana
mālinī-prabhṛti prabhure kailā nimantraṇa

Translation: For four consecutive months, the devotees observed all the festivals. The wives, such as Mālinī, extended invitations for lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Mālinī, the wife of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was a very special devotee and she was accepted as a mother by Lord Nityānanda. So, she would invite Lord Caitanya for lunch. This showed how the ladies, the Vaiṣṇavīs had some opportunity to do some seva for the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.63

prabhura priya nānā dravya āniyāche deśa haite
sei vyañjana kari’ bhikṣā dena ghara-bhāte

Translation: From Bengal the devotees had brought varieties of Bengali food that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu liked. They also cooked various grains and vegetables in their homes and offered them to the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: Bengal has many vegetables and Lord Caitanya would appreciate the natural vegetables. So, they brought the vegetables from Bengal to serve the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.64

divase sagoṣṭhī saṅkīrtana, rātrite nirjjane kṛṣṇaviraha :—

dine nānā krīḍā kare lañā bhakta-gaṇa
rātrye kṛṣṇa-vicchede prabhu karena rodana

Translation: During the day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged in various activities with His devotees, but at night He felt great separation from Kṛṣṇa and used to cry.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was experiencing separation from Kṛṣṇa at night and He will be crying in separation from Krsna. His intimate devotees would tell Him pastimes of Krsna and increase His separation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.65

cāturmmāsyānte gauḍa-gamanera pūrve bhaktagaṇa-prati prabhura ukti :—

ei-mata nānā-līlāya cāturmāsya gela
gauḍa-deśe yāite tabe bhakte ājñā dila

Translation: In this way the Lord spent the four months of the rainy season in various pastimes, and then He ordered the Bengali devotees to return to their homes.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is giving the annual routine of Lord Caitanya. During the four months of the rainy season, Bengali devotees would attend the Ratha-yātrā and associate with the Lord. After the rainy season was over, they would be sent back to Bengal.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.66

saba bhakta karena mahāprabhura nimantraṇa
sarva-bhakte kahena prabhu madhura vacana

Translation: All the devotees from Bengal would regularly invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for lunch, and the Lord would speak to them in very sweet words.

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees from Bengal would have this opportunity to do personal service for Lord Caitanya. The Lord would talk with them very sweetly.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.67

bhakta-duḥkhe bhagavānera duḥkha :—

“prati-varṣe āisa sabe āmāre dekhite
āsite yāite duḥkha pāo bahu-mate

Translation: “All of you come to see Me every year,” the Lord said. “To come here and then return must certainly give you great trouble.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.68

bhaktaduḥkhahetu prabhura taddarśane niṣedhājñā, athaca bhaktasaṅga-lobha :—

tomā-sabāra duḥkha jāni’ cāhi niṣedhite
tomā-sabāra saṅga-sukhe lobha bāḍe citte

Translation:“I would like to forbid you to do this, but I enjoy your company so much that My desire for your association only increases.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is realizing that He must cause big suffering for the devotees to come and then go and be separated from Him. But, if they didn’t come to the Lord, He was feeling great desire to associate with the devotees and therefore, He cannot forbid them to come.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.69

bhagavānera bhaktaguṇa-kīrtana :—

nityānande ājñā diluṅ gauḍete rahite
ājñā laṅghi’ āilā, ki pāri balite?

Translation: “I ordered Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu not to leave Bengal, but He has transgressed My order and come to see Me. What can I say?

Jayapatākā Swami: The devotees were very anxious to see the Lord out of their intense love and the Lord, He also likes to see the devotees. So, what can He say?!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.70

āilena ācārya-gosāñi more kṛpā kari’
prema-ṛṇe baddha āmi, śudhite nā pāri

Translation: “Out of His causeless mercy upon Me, Advaita Ācārya has also come here. I am indebted to Him for His affectionate behavior. This debt is impossible for Me to liquidate.

Jayapatākā Swami: This reminds that Krsna told the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, their selfless service, He cannot repay, and He was always indebted to them.

So, like that, Advaita Gosvāmī has rendered such affectionate service to Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya says that He cannot liquidate that debt.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.71

mora lāgi’ strī-putra -gṛhādi chāḍiyā
nānā durgama patha laṅghi’ āisena dhāñā

Translation: “All My devotees come here just for Me. Leaving aside their homes and families, they travel by very difficult paths to come here in great haste.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is appreciating the great sacrifice the devotees were making to walk all the way from Bengal to Jagannātha Purī. And therefore, He feels indebted to them.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.72

bhaktagaṇera prabhuprīti-tulanāya svīya bhaktaprītyabhāva rūpa dainya-jñāpana :—

āmi ei nīlācale rahi ye vasiyā
pariśrama nāhi mora tomā sabāra lāgiyā

Translation: “There is no fatigue or trouble for Me, for I stay here at Nīlācala, Jagannātha Purī, and do not move at all. This is the favor of all of you.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is comparing the devotees from Bengal are going through great difficulty, but He is remaining in Jagannātha Purī, He has no trouble.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.73

bhaktasamīpe svīya apariśodhya ṛṇa :—

sannyāsī mānuṣa mora, nāhi kona dhana
ki diyā tomāra ṛṇa karimu śodhana?

Translation: “I am a mendicant and have no money. How can I clear My debt for the favor you have shown Me?

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is expressing His feeling of indebtedness to all the devotees, and how would He repay that?

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.74

ṛṇa-śodhera upāya varṇana :—

deha-mātra dhana tomāya kailuṅ samarpaṇa
tāhāṅ vikāi, yāhāṅ vecite tomāra mana”

Translation: “I have only this body, and therefore I surrender it unto you. Now, if you wish, you may sell it anywhere you like. It is your property.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He is giving them His body, telling them they can sell It and realize the profit. But actually, the devotees have given themselves to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.75

bhagavānera dainyavilāpokti-śravaṇe bhaktagaṇera krandana :—

prabhura vacane sabāra dravī-bhūta mana
ajhora-nayane sabe karena krandana

Translation: When all the devotees heard these sweet words of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, their hearts melted, and they began to shed incessant tears.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was expressing such things that melted the devotees’ hearts. All the devotees were incessantly crying. While the Lord is feeling separation from the devotees, the devotees are feeling separation from the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.76

bhaktagaṇake bhagavānera āliṅgana :—

prabhu sabāra galā dhari’ karena rodana
kāndite kāndite sabāya kailā āliṅgana

Translation: Catching hold of His devotees, the Lord embraced them all and began to cry and cry.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was feeling so much indebted to the devotees that He was embracing them and crying. But the devotees were overwhelmed by the sweet words of the Lord, they also began to cry!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.77

viraha-duḥkhabhārahetu sakalera gamane vilamba :—

sabāi rahila, keha calite nārila
āra dina pāṅca-sāta ei-mate gela

Translation: Unable to leave, everyone remained there, and five to seven more days thus passed by.

Jayapatākā Swami: Normally, at the end of the rainy season, they would go back home. But the emotions of Lord Caitanya were so intense that they could not leave.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.78

nityānandādvaitera prabhuvātsalya varṇana :—

advaita avadhūta kichu kahe prabhu-pāya
“sahaje tomāra guṇe jagat vikāya

Translation: Advaita Prabhu and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu submitted these words at the lotus feet of the Lord: “The entire world is naturally obligated to You for Your transcendental attributes.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.79

bhagavad-vātsalya-preme bhakta ābaddha :—

ābāra tāte bāndha’ — aiche kṛpā-vākya-ḍore
tomā chāḍi’ kebā kāhāṅ yāibāre pāre?”

Translation: “Yet You bind Your devotees again with Your sweet words. Under these circumstances, who can go anywhere?”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya, He was expressing Himself with this intense devotion for His devotees. Hearing this, the devotees could not leave.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.80

sakalake sāntvanā o vidāya dāna :—

tabe prabhu sabākāre prabodha kariyā
sabāre vidāya dilā susthira hañā

Translation: Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu peacefully calmed them all and bade each of them farewell.

Jayapatākā Swami: On the request of Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu, Lord Caitanya calmed everyone and bade them farewell.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.82

bhakta o bhagavān—paraspara premabaddha, ubhayera vicchede ubhayera viṣāda :—

cale saba bhakta-gaṇa rodana kariyā
mahāprabhu rahilā ghare viṣaṇṇa hañā

Translation: The devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began their journey crying, while the Lord remained morosely at His residence.

Jayapatākā Swami: This mutual feeling of affection was so intense that the devotees when they left Jagannātha Purī they were crying and Lord Caitanya He stayed in His room and He was very sad.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.83

bhagavānera vātsalya-ṛṇao bhakta-viśeṣera apariśodhya :—

nija-kṛpā-guṇe prabhu bāndhilā sabāre
mahāprabhura kṛpā-ṛṇa ke śodhite pāre?

Translation: The Lord bound everyone by His transcendental mercy. Who can repay his debt for the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu?

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is Kṛṣṇa with the heart of Rādhārāṇī, and His affection for the devotees made all of them to feel great indebtedness, and the devotion of the devotees also had Lord Caitanya feel intense separation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.84

sarveśvareśvara prabhui paricālaka, bhaktai paricālita :

yāre yaiche nācāya prabhu svatantra īśvara
tāte tāṅre chāḍi’ loka yāya deśāntara

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the fully independent Personality of Godhead and makes everyone dance as He likes. Leaving His company, therefore, all the devotees returned to their homes in different parts of the country.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave loving emotions to all His associates and their relationship was something very special.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 12.85

kāṣṭhera putalī yena kuhake nācāya
īśvara-caritra kichu bujhana nā yāya

Translation: As a wooden doll dances to the will of a puppeteer, everything is accomplished by the will of the Lord. Who can understand the characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by the Lord’s loving relationship, affection for His devotees, He was controlling the devotees. But they were feeling very overwhelmed with the wonderful characteristics of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Devotees and the Lord feel mutual separation from each other, Under the section: Jagadānanda Paṇḍita’s loving dealings with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

How the Lord, He was so affectionate with His devotees that they all started to cry in great love of the Lord. And He was also crying in great love of His devotees. In this way, they were experiencing the highest level of Kṛṣṇa-prema.

Who can understand the transcendental relationship with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu?