20231203 Chapter 8 Loka-śikṣā (Part 2)

The following is a Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja, on December 3rd,2023 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

Today we will continue with comentation of the Śrī Caitanya Candrāmṛtam. Continuation of the chapter 8. Chapter entitled:

Loka-śikṣā — Instructions to the People

Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam 85

sarvadharma parityāga-pūrvaka sarvārthasādhikā gaurakṛpāi prārthanīya

Abandoning all types of religion, the only desirable is the mercy of Gaura which fulfills all necessities

vṛthāveśaṁ karmasv apanayata vārtām api manāk
na karṇābhyarṇe’pi kvacana nayatādhyātma-saraṇeḥ
na mohaṁ dehādau bhajata paramāścarya-madhuraḥ
pum-arthānāṁ mauler milati bhavatāṁ gaura-kṛpayā

Anuvāda: Nityanaimittikādi karmme vṛthā abhiniveśa dūre parihāra kara; āroha-vicārapathera ati alpamātra kathāo kadāca tomāra karṇadvārera nikaṭeo āsite dio nā evaṁ deha o tat- samparkīya yāvatīya viṣaye kakhanao mohaprāpta haio nā; tāhā hailei śrī-gaurasundarera kṛpāya tomādera puruṣārtha-śiromaṇi paramāścarya-mādhurya - maya kṛṣṇa-premā lābha haibe.

Translation: Abandon far away the useless absorption in the compulsory (nitya) and occasional (naimittika) activities; do not even let the talks of the advocates of the ascending path (ārohana) of consideration of ‘not this’ ‘not this’ (neti neti) come near the ears at any time; do not be bewildered at any time by the subject of body and things related to the body, such as wife, son, country and society and so on; Only then, by the mercy of Gaurasundara, the super excellent wonderful sweet relishment, the ultimate goal life which is fifth goal of life (love of Godhead) will be obtained.

Jayapatākā Swami: The impersonalists, they try to find out the Absolute Truth by the process of neti, neti – not this not this, not this, not this, – neti, neti. By that way, they will never actually arrive at the sweet Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, he is recommending that rather being absorbed in neti neti, be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa bhakti, that is the system that Lord Caitanya taught. Things in relation to the body should not be considered, they are temporary and not important. So, the pure devotee sees there is a spirit soul and a body and identify with the spirit soul and not the body. And they have the shelter of Lord Caitanya. So, this year we have the parikramā of the temporary body in Vṛndāvana. The devotee is only interested in how to go with this body to the spiritual world. Those who want to stay in this material world, they identify with the body. So, this verse tells us to identify with the spirit soul, and we can achieve the ultimate goal of life which is kṛṣṇa-prema.

Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam 86

strī-sambhāṣaṇa, svargābhilāṣa, śāstrābhyāsa prabhṛtira tucchatva o ekamātra gaurapadāśrayera śreṣṭhatva

Greatness of the shelter of Lord Caitanya and the insignificance of talking with women, desiring heaven and study of scriptures

alaṁ śāstrābhyāsair alam ahaha tīrthāṭanikayā
sadā yoṣid-vyāghrās trasata vitathāṁ thūt-kuru divam
tṛṇam-manyā dhanyāḥ śrayata kila sannyāsikapaṭaṁ
naṭantaṁ gaurāṅgaṁ nija-rasa-madād ambhudhi-taṭe

Anuvāda: Bāghinī kāminī-saṅga haite sarvadā sāvadhāna hao; tṛṇatuccha jñāna kariyā (kālavipluta) svargapade thutkāra pradāna kara; rāśi rāśi śāstrānuśīlane ki prayojana?— tāhāo tyāga kara; āra tīrtha-paryaṭanei vā ki lābha?—tāhā haiteo virata hao. (ai dekha) sannyāsa-līlābhinayakārī śrī-gaurāṅga nīlācala-nīlāmbudhitaṭe nija kṛṣṇa-svarūpera premānande nṛtya karitechena! — He bhāgyavān bhakta-maṇḍali, (yāo, yāo) tomarā tāṅhārai caraṇe āśraya grahaṇa kara.

Translation: Beware of the association of the tigress in the form of women; considering the position in heaven to be insignificant (temporary) like a grass, spit on it; and what is the use of even the pilgrimage? Avoid even all these. (Behold!) Śrī Gaurāṅga, who is performing the pastime as a sannyāsī is dancing in the happiness of love of His own form of Kṛṣṇa, on the ocean bank in Nīlācala!— O fortunate devotees, (go, go) take shelter at His feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: In the 9th Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, an apsarā criticized women. But in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda said when it comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then men, women, śūdras, whatever, there is no difference – all are one. So, we should simply speak, talk to anyone for the purpose of engaging them in Kṛṣṇa’s service, not for enjoying. Gaurāṅga! Commentary by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: Always beware of the association of women. If the question arises, “By comparing the women to a tigress, ‘talking with women’ is forbidden, then how can one obtain the position in the heaven which is obtained by the performance of the religious activities headed by sacrifice (yāga) along with wife? Because of expecting such a question, the author says next that these (heavens) are false or temporary and so tells to spit on it considering them to be insignificant like grass.

Well, the heavenly happiness might be temporary, but then we will perform the mystic yogic practice. Expecting this, the author says, “What is the use of the study of scriptures?” Because, let alone perfecting the process of yoga and achieving success, even the best of the mystic yogīs who have achieved perfection have fallen away. So, what is the use of the process, which is difficult, painful and uncertain in the perfection?

If that is the case, then the pilgrimage is very pleasing. We will serve the holy places, obtain knowledge and so on and as a result we will be the fit candidates to attain liberation. Expecting this question, the author says next, “What is the use of travelling to holy places?” Because, first of all travelling to holy places is hard labor, secondly, there is the presence of dhāma-aparādha, due to material intelligence of the karmīs and jñānīs and so their travelling to holy places is merely useless endeavor coming from their sense gratification.

Then, what should be done? That is what the author gives as the conclusion here;

O men who are fit to obtain the wealth of love! All of you must take shelter of Lord Gaurāṅga who while performing the pastime as a sannyāsī is dancing in the happiness of love of His own form of Kṛṣṇa, on the ocean bank in Nīlācala!

Jayapatākā Swami: Gaurāṅga! So, he estimated all the excuses that people will make. He answered all those. And then he is advising that people should take to the blissful process of following Lord Caitanya. There is a song by Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, he said, parama karuṇa, pahū dui jana nitāi gauracandra saba avatāra-sāra śiromaṇi kevala ānanda-kanda this process is simply nectar and simply by following this process one can achieve all success. Women who are not Krsna conscious, they are dangerous. But if a woman is Kṛṣṇa conscious then she is fit for association.

Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam 87

kaṣṭasādhya yogādimārge viphala-ceṣṭā-parityāga-pūrvaka gaurānurattii upadeśasāra—

The essence of all advice is to be attached to Gaura, giving up the futile-attempt in the process of yoga and so on that are difficult to achieve

kiṁ tāvad bata durgameṣu viphalaṁ yogādi-mārgeṣv aho
bhaktiṁ kṛṣṇa-padāmbuje vidadhataḥ sarvārtham āluṇṭhata
āśā prema-mahotsave yadi śiva-brahmādy-alabhye’dbhute
gaure dhāmani durvigāha-mahimodāre tadā rajyatām

Anuvāda: Ahe bhrātṛvṛnda, kṛcchrasādhya aṣṭāṅga-yogādi-panthāra vṛthā anusandhāna kariyā ki phala! Kṛṣṇa-pādapadme bhakti-vidhāna-kārīra sarvārtha premadhana luṇṭhana kara. Śiva-brahmādirao duṣprāpya paramāścarya premānandotsave yadi tomāra āśā thāke, tāhā haile mahāvadānya durjñeya-mahima gauraharite anurakta hao.

Translation: O brothers! What is the use of performing the difficult paths of eight-fold mystic yoga and so on! Plunder the wealth of love of the one who gives devotional service to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. If you have the hope in the difficult to attain, greatly wonderful festival of love that is difficult to be obtained for Śiva, Brahmā and so on, then be attracted to the most magnanimous Gaurasundara, whose glories are extraordinary and incomprehensible.

Jayapatākā Swami: We heard one yogi who had been practicing yoga in some South Indian āśrama. Somehow the yogī heard of ISKCON. So, the yogī came here and started to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and the yogi said that there was more bliss than he had experienced doing aṣṭāṅga-yoga for years together! So, the yogī could not believe, how is it possible? I am feeling so much bliss! It can’t be possible. So, people who are taking bliss from Lord Caitanya, they cannot comprehend it. We should understand that Lord Caitanya is giving out mercy which was never given out before. We should take His mercy and enjoy love of Kṛṣṇa. Haribol! Gaurāṅga! Gaura sundara!