20230623 Evening Pandala Address

The following is an evening Pandala address given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on June 23rd, 2023 in Kolkata, 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!

Jayapatākā Swami: Dear devotees, Lord Caitanya was very happy in the Ratha-yātrā festival. This way the whole sampradāya did kīrtana. And all the devotees were dancing in happiness. Along with Lord Jagannātha’s ratha, Lord Caitanya did kīrtana. This way, He manifested many pastimes, and He enjoyed the Ratha-yātrā festivities. Along with Him all the devotees also were very blissful.

When the devotees came from Bengal, they had reached Narendra Sarovara. From far, the devotees from Bengal heard the sound of the kīrtana. Hearing this they all just stopped. Then Lord Caitanya took all the devotees over and embraced all of them. He embraced some of them, some of them paid obeisances and that way Lord Caitanya associated with all of them very intimately. The ladies had come and were taking darśana of Lord Caitanya from far. All of them were in bliss in kīrtana. Ānandera sīmā nāi, ānandera sīmā nāi, ānandera sīmā nāi, nirānanda dūre jāi. This way all the devotees from Bengal, when they all did kīrtana together, their happiness knew no bounds.

This way we all get so much bliss in the Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā. Who do we feel happy? Serving Lord Jagannātha, we feel happy. People think that by sense gratification we will get happiness. But there is no happiness by sense gratification. Little happiness and then distress. But if we serve Lord Jagannātha, then we get unlimited happiness. People need to be educated on this. This way we will serve the Lord and be happy.

The senses give some happiness, and the same senses give us distress as well. In the summer when the fan is on, we like it. But in winter there is no need of the fan. The fan then gives us distress. This way, the happiness and distress is given by the senses. The happiness we get by serving the Lord, that is completely spiritual. Lord Caitanya gave us this teaching especially. This way, serving the Lord gives us unlimited happiness. There was a complaint that Lord Caitanya was doing kīrtana very loudly. This is an offence, it has to be stopped. The Kazi came and broke the mṛdaṅgas. And he threatened the devotees that if you do Harināma then I will take you to task. Then he got water and sprinkled it on them. The Kazi said that they should not do kīrtana like this. Lord Caitanya said that you will not succeed in stopping our saṅkīrtana. He started the first civil disobedience movement. He got the devotees from all directions of Navadvīpa and started doing kīrtana and approached the house of the Kazi. One party was led by Advaita Gosāñī, one party was led by Haridāsa Ṭhākura, another by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and the fourth party had Lord Caitanya with Nitāi and Gadādhara Prabhu on either side. Sometimes when Lord Caitanya while dancing would fall, then Gadādhara or Nitāi used to pull Him up. The kīrtana was so loud that the sound went all the way up to the higher planets. Hearing this Indradeva and Vāyudeva came to see the kīrtana. When they saw that Lord Caitanya who is Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He was dancing. Seeing this they fainted in amazement. When they regained consciousness then they like other people, joined the kīrtana. This way, Lord Caitanya was doing kīrtana.

There was an atheist. He was mocking at a devotee. But when he saw Lord Caitanya, he was amazed! Then the atheist started dancing. He was rolling on the ground. This way all the devotees were immersed in kīrtana. All the Apasarās from the heavenly planets showered flowers. Slowly they came close to the Chand Kazi’s home. The Kazi heard the sound and asked, “What is going on? Is it a wedding?” He asked his soldiers to stop the noise. When the soldiers went out, they saw an ocean of devotees. They got afraid and saw that all the devotees were dancing and singing in kīrtana. They were all shouting that we should set the Chand Kazi’s home on fire, etc. The devotees outside were all chanting Haribol! Haribol! When Nimāi Paṇḍita came up the Chand Kazi told Him that, “Your grandfather and me were like brothers, so that way I am your uncle.So as we are related this way, is it right to get angry?” Then Lord Caitanya said, “If I am your brother then why have you let Me stay on the street?” Then the Chand Kazi invited Lord Caitanya into his house, and they had a lot of discussion. At the end, the Chand Kazi said that, “I will say something, but I will tell you in confidence, not in front of others.” Then Lord Caitanya said that, “The people who are all here are very special and you can freely say whatever you have to say in front of them.” The Chand Kazi said that, “Yesterday night one half man half lion came up to me. And He said that you dared to stop My kīrtana? If you do that again, I will finish you.” Then with His nails, He scratched the chest of the Chand Kazi. “You can see the mark” and he opened his shirt and showed. Jaya Narsimhadeva kī jaya! Haribol! This way Lord Caitanya did various pastimes. We are very fortunate that Lord Caitanya appeared in the land of Bengal. Devotees from within the country and from other countries come to this blessed land where Lord Caitanya performed His līlās. Lord Caitanya, He gave us the Ratha-yātrā. You are all performing it too and that is why your lives are blessed. Haribol! I hope that you being followers of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, will preach Their glories. Lord Caitanya said that,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra 

(Cc. Ādi 9.41)

Many Indians have gone to various other countries, and it is important that they preach the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya. And here in India, we being devotees of Lord Caitanya should take the names of Kṛṣṇa and preach. All of you know His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Ācārya of ISKCON, he travelled around the world 14 times and preached the holy name of the Lord and established 108 temples. You should also go to the villages and towns and preach. Haribol