20230426 The Danger of Touching a Woman for a Renunciant

The Danger of Touching a Woman for a Renunciant

Under the Section: Pastimes with Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.78

prabhura o gurjjarī-rāgiṇīte gāyikā devadāsīra vṛttānta varṇana; kṛṣṇa viṣayaka padaśravaṇe prabhura arddhavāhyadaśāya premāveśe aprākṛta kṛṣṇasevā-buddhite tatsaha milanārtha dhāvana :—

eka-dina prabhu yameśvara-ṭoṭā yāite
sei-kāle deva-dāsī lāgilā gāite

Translation: One day when the Lord was going to the temple of Yameśvara, a female singer began to sing in the Jagannātha temple.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.79

gujjarī-rāgiṇī lañā sumadhura-svare
‘gīta-govinda’-pada gāya jaga-mana hare

Translation: She sang a gujjarī tune in a very sweet voice, and because the subject was Jayadeva Gosvāmī’s Gīta-govinda, the song attracted the attention of the entire world.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Jagannātha likes Gīta-govinda very much. And He wears a Gīta-govinda cādara many times.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.80

dūre gāna śuni’ prabhura ha-ila āveśa
strī, puruṣa, ke gāya,—nā jāne viśeṣa

Translation: Hearing the song from a distance, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately became ecstatic. He did not know whether it was a man or a woman singing.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was absorbed in ecstasy, He was not aware of any external aspect.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.81

tāre milibāre prabhu āveśe dhāilā
pathe ‘sijera bāḍi’ haya, phuṭiyā calilā

Translation: As the Lord ran in ecstasy to meet the singer, thorny hedges pricked His body.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.82

ātmahārā prabhura rakṣārthe govindera paścāddhāvana

aṅge kāṅṭā lāgila, kichu nā jānilā!
āste-vyaste govinda tāṅra pāchete dhāilā

Translation: Govinda ran very quickly behind the Lord, who did not feel any pain from the pricking of the thorns.

Jayapatākā Swami: Because Lord Caitanya was in ecstasy, He did not feel any pain from the thorns.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.83

govindera prabhuke sāvadhāna kariyā vāhyadaśāya ānayana :—

dhāñā yāyena prabhu, strī āche alpa dūre
strī gāya’ bali’ govinda prabhure kailā kole

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was running very rapidly, and the girl was only a short distance away. Just then Govinda caught the Lord in his arms and cried, “It is a woman singing!”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya did not realize that whether it was a man or woman singing. Govinda, His servant, realized it was a woman and grabbed the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.84

āśrayajātīya-bhāvayukta prabhura jagadgurutva ācāryyatva; ‘gaura-nāgarī’’-vāda-nirāsa; prabhura pratyāvarttana :—

strī-nāma śuni’ prabhura bāhya ha-ilā
punarapi sei pathe bāhuḍi’ calilā

Translation: As soon as He heard the word “woman,” the Lord became externally conscious and turned back.

Jayapatākā Swami: Previously, He was in ecstasy and not conscious of the external world. But when He heard the word woman, He became externally conscious and turned back.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.85

yoṣit sparśa vā saṅga—ācārya vā pracārakera mṛtyukāraṇa, ataeva sarvatobhāve parityājya baliyā govindasamīpe kṛtajñatā-prakāśacchale śikṣādāna :—

prabhu kahe,—“govinda, āji rākhilā jīvana
strī-paraśa haile āmāra ha-ita maraṇa

Translation: “My dear Govinda,” He said, “you have saved My life. If I had touched the body of a woman, I would certainly have died.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was playing the part of a very serious sannyāsī. And as Jagat-guru or ācārya, He was showing by His example how one in the renounced order should behave.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.86

govindera nikaṭa apariśodhya ṛṇa, prapanna govindera jagannāthakei  rakṣaka-jñāna :—

e-ṛṇa śodhite āmi nārimu tomāra”
govinda kahe,—jagannātha rākhena mui kon chāra’?

Translation: “I shall never be able to repay My debt to you.”

Govinda replied, “Lord Jagannātha has saved You. I am insignificant.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.87

govindake prabhura sarvakṣaṇa saṅge thākite anurodha

prabhu kahe,—“govinda, mora saṅge rahibā
yāhāṅ tāhāṅ mora rakṣāya sāvadhāna ha-ibā”

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “My dear Govinda, you should stay with Me always. There is danger anywhere and everywhere; therefore you should protect Me very carefully.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was desirous of showing a very good example. And therefore, He asked Govinda dāsa to stay with Him and protect Him from showing a bad example.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 13.88

saṁvāda-śrabaṇe o prabhura avasthā-smaraṇe svarūpādira āśaṅkā :—

eta bali’ leuṭi’ prabhu gelā nija-sthāne
śuni’ mahā-bhaya ha-ila svarūpādi-mane

Translation: After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned home. When Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and His other attendants heard about the incident, they became very much afraid.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Caitanya said if He touched a woman, He would have died, the other associates like Svarūpa Dāmodara and others were very worried when they heard this.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The Danger of Touching a Woman for a Renunciant

Under the Section: Pastimes with Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

So, today was a short chapter. I had my first day of therapy today and we will be going about three or days a week until we complete 20 visits. Any questions?