20230503 A Woman Climbs the Column of Garuḍa, Placing Her Foot on Lord Caitanya’s Shoulder to See Jagannātha

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 3rd,2023 in Dallas, Texas, USA.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Continuation of the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, Today's chapter is entitled as:

A Woman Climbs the Column of Garuḍa, Placing Her Foot on Lord Caitanya’s Shoulder to See Jagannātha
Under the Section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Feelings of Separation from Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.24

eka uḍiyā strīlokera ajñātasāre prabhuskandhe padārpaṇapūrvaka jagannātha-darśana —

uḍiyā eka strī bhīḍe darśana nā pāñā
garuḍe caḍi’ dekhe prabhura skandhe pada diyā

Translation: Suddenly, a woman from Orissa, unable to see Lord Jagannātha because of the crowd, climbed the column of Garuḍa, placing her foot on Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s shoulder.

Jayapatākā Swami: This woman was so eager to see Lord Jagannātha that she was oblivious to the fact that she was standing on Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.25

taddarśane govindera sei strīlokake avaropaṇa

dekhiyā govinda āste-vyaste strīke varjilā
tāre nāmāite prabhu govinde niṣedhilā

Translation: When he saw this, Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s personal servant, Govinda, hastily got her down from her position. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, chastised him for this.

Purport : Because Garuḍa is the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, he is the supreme Vaiṣṇava. Therefore to touch his body with one’s feet or to climb the column of Garuḍa is certainly a vaiṣṇava-aparādha, an offense to a Vaiṣṇava. The woman was also offensive to Kṛṣṇa by putting her foot on the shoulder of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Seeing all these offenses, Govinda very hastily made her get down.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He forbade Govinda from getting the lady down, appreciating her eagerness to see Lord Jagannātha.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.26

kṛṣṇa-darśanadvārā kṛṣṇera sevāsukha-vidhānahetu strīmūrtike aprākṛta kārṣṇajñāna:—

‘ādi-vasyā’ ei strīre nā kara varjana
karuka yatheṣṭa jagannātha daraśana

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Govinda, “O ādi-vasyā [uncivilized man], do not forbid this woman to climb the Garuḍa-stambha. Let her see Lord Jagannātha to her satisfaction.”

Purport: For another explanation of the word ādi-vasyā, refer to Antya-līlā, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, chapter ten, verse 116.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that the word ādi-vasyā refers to one who has been living with another for a very long time. Govinda was addressed as ādi-vasyā because he had been living with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for a very long time, whereas other devotees, who were mostly new, would come and go. In effect, the Lord told Govinda, “Since you have been living with Me for a long time, you should not be foolishly disappointed in this situation. Bring all the food to Me, and you will see that I can eat it.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was in the mood to let the woman see Lord Kṛṣṇa to her full satisfaction and He didn’t mind facilitating her to worship Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.27

sei strīlokera tatkṣaṇāt avataraṇa o prabhuke praṇāma pūrvaka svadainyokti-jñāpana:—

āste-vyaste sei nārī bhūmete nāmilā
mahāprabhure dekhi’ tāṅra caraṇa vandilā

Translation: When the woman came to her senses, however, she quickly climbed back down to the ground and, seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately begged at His lotus feet for forgiveness.

Jayapatākā Swami: The lady was so eager to see Lord Jagannātha that she was not conscious that she was doing an offence to Lord Caitanya. But once she realized, she offered her obeisances and prayed for forgiveness.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.28

tatpremārttidarśane prabhura svadainyoktipūrvaka gurujñāne stuti:—

tāra ārti dekhi’ prabhu kahite lāgilā
“eta ārti jagannātha more nāhi dilā!

Translation: Seeing the woman’s eagerness, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Lord Jagannātha has not bestowed so much eagerness upon Me.

Purport : The woman was so eager to see Lord Jagannātha that she forgot she was offending the feet of a Vaiṣṇava by climbing the column of Garuḍa. She also neglected to consider that by putting her foot on the shoulder of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, she offended the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These are both grievous offenses that displease the Supreme Lord and Vaiṣṇavas. She was so eager to see Lord Jagannātha, however, that she committed all these offenses obliviously. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu praised her eagerness; He regretted that Lord Jagannātha had not bestowed such great eagerness upon Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya, He was seeing the good qualities in this lady, that she had so much eagerness to see Lord Jagannātha. This, we could find so may faults that she was doing, but Lord Caitanya saw the good qualities.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.29

akṣajajñāne kṛṣṇasevakake ‘strī-puruṣādi’ vāhya paricaye darśananiṣedha-śikṣā-dāna:—

jagannāthe āviṣṭa ihāra tanu-mana-prāṇe
mora skandhe pada diyāche, tāho nāhi jāne

Translation: “She has fully absorbed her body, mind and life in Lord Jagannātha. Therefore she was unaware that she was putting her foot on My shoulder.

Jayapatākā Swami: The lady was so absorbed in seeing Lord Jagannātha, she was not aware she was committing many offences. Lord Caitanya said that Lord Jagannātha has not given Me such eagerness.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.30

aho bhāgyavatī ei, vandi ihāra pāya
ihāra prasāde aiche ārti āmāra vā haya”

Translation: “Alas! How fortunate this woman is! I pray at her feet that she favor Me with her great eagerness to see Lord Jagannātha.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is praying to this simple lady to have her eagerness to see Lord Jagannātha. This shows how the Supreme Lord sees how the devotee is eager to serve Him. Śrīla Prabhupāda was giving the example that a baby if they are just half-heartedly crying, the mother may not give him what he wants. But if the baby really cries intensely, “Waaah! Mummy!!!” She would drop everything and come running, what happened? So like that if we are very eager to serve Kṛṣṇa, He comes, if we are not eager, He may not come.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.31

‘pūrve āsi’ yabe kailā jagannātha daraśana
jagannāthe dekhe—sākṣāt vrajendra-nandana

Translation: Just previously, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had been seeing Lord Jagannātha as Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, in person.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya while having Jagannātha darśana and He would see Jagannātha as Kṛṣṇa directly, as Vrajendranandana.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.32

kṛṣṇāviṣṭacitta gopībhāvamaya prabhura sarvatra kṛṣṇadarśana:—

svapnera darśanāveśe tad-rūpa haila mana
yāhāṅ tāhāṅ dekhe sarvatra muralī-vadana

Translation: Becoming fully absorbed in that vision, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had assumed the mood of the gopīs, so much so that everywhere He looked He saw Kṛṣṇa standing with His flute to His lips.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was seeing Kṛṣṇa, with a flute to His lips, everywhere He looked. He was completely in the mood of the gopīs and Rādhārāṇī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.33

prabhura vāhyadaśāya avataraṇa:—

ebe yadi strīre dekhi’ prabhura bāhya haila
jagannātha-subhadrā-balarāmera svarūpa dekhila

Translation: After seeing the woman, the Lord’s external consciousness returned, and He saw the original Deity forms of Lord Jagannātha, Subhadrā and Lord Balarāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, when Lord Caitanya was seeing Lord Jagannātha, He would see the son of Nanda Mahārāja. But when the lady climbed on His shoulder, He returned to His external consciousness.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.34

kurukṣetre vāsudeva-darśane śyāmavirahiṇī gopībhāvamaya prabhu:—

kurukṣetre dekhi’ kṛṣṇe aiche haila mana
‘kāhāṅ kurukṣetre āilāṅa, kāhāṅ vṛndāvana?’

Translation: When He saw the Deities, Lord Caitanya thought He was seeing Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra. He wondered, “Have I come to Kurukṣetra? Where is Vṛndāvana?”

Jayapatākā Swami: When the gopīs and Rādhārāṇī saw Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra, they wanted to take Him back to Vṛndāvana.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.35

kṛṣṇasaṅga-vañcitā gopībhāve kātara prabhu:—

prāpta-ratna hārāñā aiche vyagra ha-ilā
viṣaṇṇa hañā prabhu nija-vāsā āilā

Translation: Lord Caitanya grew very much agitated, like a person who has just lost a recently acquired jewel. Then He became very morose and returned home.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the mood of the gopīs, He wanted Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. This lady climbing Him on His shoulder, brought Him to the external consciousness, and then He thought, “Now I have reached Kurukṣetra, why am I not in Vṛndāvana?” And He became very agitated.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.36

kṛṣṇavirahe prabhura mahābhāva-ceṣṭā:—

bhūmira upara vasi’ nija-nakhe bhūmi likhe
aśru-gaṅgā netre vahe, kichui nā dekhe

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down on the ground and began to mark it with His fingernails. He was blinded by tears, which flowed from His eyes like the Ganges.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was experiencing mahā-bhāva, highest ecstasy of separation of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.37

‘pāiluṅ vṛndāvana-nātha, punaḥ hārāiluṅ
ke mora nileka kṛṣṇa? kāhāṅ mui āinu’?

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I found Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of Vṛndāvana, but I have lost Him again. Who has taken My Kṛṣṇa? Where have I come?”

Purport: These are the feelings of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. First Lord Caitanya felt that He had been taken to Vṛndāvana, where He saw Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance with the gopīs. Then He was brought to Kurukṣetra to see Lord Jagannātha, His sister (Subhadrā) and Lord Balarāma. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu lost Vṛndāvana and Kṛṣṇa, the master of Vṛndāvana. At this time, Caitanya Mahāprabhu experienced divyonmāda, transcendental madness in separation from Kṛṣṇa. At Kurukṣetra, Kṛṣṇa displays His opulence, whereas in Vṛndāvana He is in His original position. Kṛṣṇa never goes even a step away from Vṛndāvana; therefore Kurukṣetra is less important for the gopīs than Vṛndāvana.

Although devotees who worship Kṛṣṇa in opulence (His Vaikuṇṭha aspect) may prefer to see Lord Kṛṣṇa at Kurukṣetra along with Subhadrā and Balarāma, the gopīs want to see Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, performing the rāsa dance with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed by practical example how one can cultivate the mood of Rādhārāṇī and the other gopīs in separation from Kṛṣṇa. Devotees absorbed in this mood do not like to see Kṛṣṇa anywhere else but Vṛndāvana. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu lamented, “I found Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, and now I have again lost Him and come to Kurukṣetra.” Unless one is a very highly advanced devotee, he cannot understand these intricate feelings. The author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, however, has tried to explain this divyonmāda as far as possible, and it is our duty simply to appreciate it as far as possible. Therefore the author has made the following request in verse 11:

“My dear readers, simply try to hear this description with faith and love. That will help you understand transcendental ecstasy, and at last you will achieve love of Godhead very easily.”

Jayapatākā Swami: These pastimes of Lord Caitanya, they are very difficult to understand and if one just hears them and appreciates them with faith and love, then they can achieve love of Kṛṣṇa very easily.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.38

ardhavāhyadaśāra lakṣaṇa:—

svapnāveśe preme prabhura gara gara mana
bāhya haile haya—yena hārāila dhana

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu dreamed of the rāsa dance, He was fully absorbed in transcendental bliss, but when His dream broke, He thought He had lost a precious jewel.

Jayapatākā Swami: So sometimes, Lord Caitanya was fully absorbed in these Vraja pastimes and then He became half externally conscious and half internally conscious. Then He would feel, “Oh, I have lost Kṛṣṇa!” And He would feel separation at that point.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.39

divyonmādagrasta prabhura abhyāse nityakṛtyādi-sampādana:—

unmattera prāya prabhu karena gāna-nṛtya
dehera svabhāve karena snāna-bhojana-kṛtya

Translation: Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would chant and dance, always absorbed in the bliss of transcendental madness. He carried out the necessities of the body, such as eating and bathing, merely out of habit.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was absorbed in His transcendental consciousness, that could be compared to transcendental madness. At that time, His material necessities of the body were performed out of habit, and His consciousness remained fixed in Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14.40

rātrite svarūpa-rāmānandera nikaṭa vilāpa:—

rātri haile svarūpa-rāmānande lañā
āpana manera bhāva kahe ughāḍiyā

Translation: At night, Lord Caitanya would reveal to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Rāmānanda Rāya the ecstatic feelings of His mind.

Gaurāṅga-līlā-smaraṇa-maṇgala stotra 70
By Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

Translation: In Lord Jagannātha’s temple, by the side of the column of the sitting place of Garuḍa, the pure hearted Lord Caitanya happily stood looking upon Jagannātha. An old woman overwhelmed with loving devotion saw Jagannātha by climbing on the shoulders of Lord Caitanya. May that Śacī's son eternally travel on the path of my memory.

Jayapatākā Swami: This verse by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is a type of meditation of Lord Caitanya. So, he was desiring to always remember how Lord Caitanya facilitated this lady’s eagerness to see Lord Jagannātha.

So, the essence of this chapter is something that Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted to remember. Lord Caitanya, He was sometimes so much absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, that He was in a type of divyonmāda – divine transcendental madness in love of Kṛṣṇa, and so this chapter explains how He got different moods and how He would explain His consciousness in the night time to Svarūpa Dāmodara dāsa and Rāmānanda Rāya.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, A Woman Climbs the Column of Garuḍa, Placing Her Foot on Lord Caitanya’s Shoulder to See Jagannātha
Under the Section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Feelings of Separation from Kṛṣṇa

Lord Caitanya was so much absorbed in Kṛṣṇa that He was not aware of material things going on. So, this is something that is difficult for us to understand and naturally we are concerned with all our material situations. But we should understand that there is a perfectional stage where one is completely absorbed in Lord Kṛṣṇa, and eventually how we can attain that.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!