20230706 Only a few persons can fully know what Lord Caitanya tastes in His love for Kṛṣṇa (Part 1)

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 6th,2023 in Sri Dhama Māyāpur, India.

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

Only a Few Persons Can Fully Know What Lord Caitanya Tastes in His Love for Kṛṣṇa, Part 1
Under the Section: Rescuing the Lord from the Sea

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.1

yamunā-jñāne samudre bhāsamāna kṛṣṇavirahī prabhura kṛpā-yācñā :—

Translation: In the brilliant autumn moonlight, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu mistook the sea for the river Yamunā. Greatly afflicted by separation from Kṛṣṇa, He ran and dove into the sea and remained unconscious in the water the entire night. In the morning, He was found by His personal devotees. May that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, protect us by His transcendental pastimes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya had said He would come for three reasons. To establish the Harināma saṅkīrtana and to understand the love of the devotees for Him, like that. So, these later pastimes He was experiencing this love of the devotees, especially the love of Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.3

prabhura tīvra kṛṣṇaviraha :—

ei-mate mahāprabhu nīlācale vaise
rātri-dine kṛṣṇa-vicchedārṇave bhāse

Translation: While thus living at Jagannātha Purī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu floated all day and night in an ocean of separation from Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Lord Caitanya taught us that feeling separation for Kṛṣṇa is the best way of being in the ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya showed how by being in separation of Kṛṣṇa, He was experiencing unparalleled ecstasy.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.4

śāradīya jyotsnārātrite rāsa-līlāra uddīpana :—

śarat-kālera rātri, saba candrikā-ujjvala
prabhu nija-gaṇa lañā beḍāna rātri-sakala

Translation: During a night of the autumn season when a full moon brightened everything, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wandered all night long with His devotees.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya was in separation of Kṛṣṇa, in the mood of the rasa-līlā and the separation from Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.5

udyāne udyāne bhramena kautuka dekhite
rāsa-līlāra gīta-śloka paḍite śunite

Translation: He walked from garden to garden, seeing the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa and hearing and reciting songs and verses concerning the rāsa-līlā.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we are not able to see the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in the gardens. But Lord Caitanya, He would see them and He would have different devotees explain the ślokas from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the rasa-līlā, or to sing songs related to these pastimes. In this way, Lord Caitanya was experiencing ecstatic love.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.6

prabhu premāveśe karena gāna, nartana
kabhu bhāvāveśe rāsa-līlānukaraṇa

Translation: He sang and danced in ecstatic love and sometimes imitated the rāsa dance in emotional ecstasy.

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, Lord Caitanya, He was experiencing these ecstasies and, in this way, He was understanding the love of Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs for Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.7

kabhu bhāvonmāde prabhu iti-uti dhāya
bhūme paḍi’ kabhu mūrcchā, kabhu gaḍi’ yāya

Translation: He sometimes ran here and there in the madness of ecstasy and sometimes fell and rolled on the ground. Sometimes He became completely unconscious.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, only Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī Mahārāja and Rāmānanda Rāya could really understand the ecstasies of Lord Caitanya. But Lord Caitanya, His ecstasies were completely transcendental, and His final days in Jagannātha Purī were filled with these ecstasies.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.8

rāsa-līlāra eka śloka yabe paḍe, śune
pūrvavat tabe artha karena āpane

Translation: When He heard Svarūpa Dāmodara recite a verse concerning the rāsa-līlā or He Himself recited one, He would personally explain it, as He had previously done.

Jayapatākā Swami: In other words, Lord Caitanya, He was completely absorbed in the pastimes that He was explaining. So, only a few devotees could actually understand what He was going through and one time they had the room locked, all the three doors. Still somehow, He slipped even though none of the doors were opened. Just like Kṛṣṇa He left the prison house of Kaṁsa, with His father. So, Lord Caitanya, He left His room, they couldn’t see how He left! and they went looking for Him and finally they found He was in some cowshed or the gośālā. His arms and legs had entered into His body like a turtle, tortoise and chanting was done to bring Him back to external consciousness, but it didn’t work. But finally, they picked Him and took Him back to His room, there they chanted and He came back to normal.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 18.9

samagra rāsa-pañcādhyāyera pāṭha o vyākhyāya prabhura yugapat harṣa o viṣāda:—

ei-mata rāsa-līlāya haya yata śloka
sabāra artha kare, pāya kabhu harṣa-śoka

Translation: In this way, He explained the meaning of all the verses concerning the rāsa-līlā. Sometimes He would be very sad and sometimes very happy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this chapter has 14 more verses. We will continue tomorrow.

Lord Caitanya was going deep into His ecstasies and sometimes these verses would give Him happiness and sometimes they would give sadness.

Thus ends part one of the chapter, Only a few persons can fully know what Lord Caitanya tastes in His love for Kṛṣṇa.
Under the Section: Rescuing the Lord from the Sea