20231219 Avatāra-mahimā (Part 6)

The following is a Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja, on December 19th,2023 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, 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!

Continuation of the comentation on Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam by Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatīpāda.

Avatāra mahimā

Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam 122

Śrīmad-bhāgavata-tātparya o rādhā-rasa-vistārera nimitta gaurāvatāra

Purport of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and expansion of the mellow of Rādhā is the reason for the Gaura-avatāra.

śrīmad-bhāgavatasya yatra paramaṁ tātparyam ūṭaṅkitaṁ
śrī-vaiyāsakinā duranvayatayā rāsa-prasaṅge’pi yat
yad rādhā-rati-keli-nāgara-rasāsvādaika-sad-bhājanaṁ
tad vastu prathanāya gaura-vapuṣā loke’vatīrṇo hariḥ

Anuvāda: Vaiyāsaki śrīla śukadevao kevala śāstrānuśīlana dvārā prāpya nahe baliyā rāsa-līlā-prasaṅge śrīmad-bhāgavatera nigūḍha tātparya ullekhamātra kariyāchena, vistṛtabhāve varṇana karena nāi. sei śrīmad-bhāgavatera tātparya evaṁ nikuñja-surata-līlāya parama-rasika-śiromaṇi śrī-kṛṣṇera rāsādi līlā-mādhurī-āsvādanera ekamātra sarvotkṛṣṭa pātra— ei dui vastu vistāra karibāra nimitta śrī-kṛṣṇa ihaloke gaura-kalevare avatīrṇa haiyāchena.

Translation: Because it is not obtained merely by scriptural study, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī gave only a hint of the secret Purport of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in relation to rāsa-līlā. He did not describe in detail (because of the lack of the candidates to know the truths and relish the mellow of those pastimes). The Purport of that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1) and (2) the super-excellent recipient for relishing the sweet pastimes such as rāsa-līlā of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (who is the supreme crest jewel of the relisher of the amorous mellow pastimes of Śrīmatī Rādhikā in the forest bowers)— in order to propagate these two things, Śrī Kṛṣṇa descended in this world in the golden body.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, So Lord Kṛṣṇa came as Lord Caitanya to be able to experience the mahā-bhāva, because the transcendental mellows of this mādhurya-rasa is not explicitly described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He experienced this rasa and therefore it is said that Lord Caitanya has given appreciation of that which was not revealed by the Vedas. He realized this, and in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta some of these pastimes are explained. So, this is a very confidential thing. Haribol!

Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam 123

gaurāvatāre sakalera dāsya-sakhyādi prema-sampatti o savotkṛṣṭa rādhādāsya-prāpti

During Gaura-avatāra, everyone obtained the super-excellent service to Rādhā and the wealth such as servitude and fraternity.

kecid dāsyam avāpur uddhava-mukhāḥ ślāghyaṁ pare lebhire
śrīdāmādi-padaṁ vrajāmbuja-dṛśāṁ bhāvān ca bhejuḥ pare
anye dhanyatamā dhayanti sudhiyo rādhā-padāmbhoruhaṁ
śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhoḥ karuṇayā lokasya kāḥ sampadaḥ

Anuvāda: Śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhura kṛpāya lokera kon kon sampadai vā lābha nā haiyāche? Uddhava-pramukha bhaktagaṇera madhye (kṛṣṇa-līlāra uddhava-pramukha bhaktagaṇa sakalei gaura-līlāya avatīrṇa haiyā) keha keha raktaka, patrakādira vraja-dāsya-bhāva prāpta haiyāchena, keha vā praśaṁsanīya śrīdāmādira viśrambha sakhyapada evaṁ keha keha vā vrajagopīdigera bhāva prāpta haiyāchena. kintu apara dhanyatama subuddhimān vyaktigaṇa rādhā-pādapadma-mādhurī āsvādana karitechena.

Translation: By the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, what types of wealth were not obtained? Among the devotees like Uddhava (those devotees headed by Uddhava in kṛṣṇa-līlā, all incarnated in gaura-līlā) some have obtained the mood of servitude of Raktaka, Patraka and so on, some have obtained the admirable mood of viśrambha-sakhya (the higher fraternal worship of the Lord especially enjoyed by the cowherd boys Śrīdāmā and so on,devoid of a respectful attitude) and some have obtained the mood of the cowherd damsels. But, the other most fortunate and intelligent people are relishing the sweetness of the lotus feet of Rādhā.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in Lord Caitanya’s movement one could achieve various kinds of tastes in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, one could achieve the servitude, one can achieve sākhya or friendship, and some could achieve the mādhurya-rasa of the gopīs. But particularly special was that Lord Caitanya also relished the special mellow tasted by Rādhārāṇī. It says that, it is explained how Rādhārāṇī would achieve the highest form of prema, māha-bhāva. There are eight levels leading up to bhāva, then there is prema and in prema also there are also eight levels, and the highest level is experienced by Rādhārāṇī. So, these things are gradually revealed to the devotees and this is the special mercy of Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam 124

munigaṇa-pracārita manodharmottha-matavāda evaṁ bhagavat-praṇīta o pracārita bhakti-dharma vā vāstava-satye pārthakya; gaura-pracārita prema-bhaktii veda-pratipādya paramārtha

The difference betweenthe doctrines of the speculative mental concoctions preached by the munis and of the factual truth of devotional service enacted and propagated by the Lord; the loving devotional service propagated by Gaura is the highest spiritual knowledge propounded by the Vedas

sarvajñair muni-puṅgavaiḥ pravitate tat-tan-mate yuktibhiḥ
pūrvaṁ naikataratra ko ‘pi sudṛḍhaṁ viśvasta āsīj janaḥ
sampraty apratima-prabhāva udite gaurāṅgacandre punaḥ śruty-artho
hari-bhaktir eva paramaḥ kair vā na nirdhāryate

Anuvāda: Sarvajña muni-śreṣṭhagaṇa tāṅhādera nija-nija-mata yuktitarka dvārā prakṛṣṭa-rūpe vistṛta karileo kona vyaktii pūrve sei sakala pakṣapātinī yuktite sudṛḍha viśvāsī chilena nā. Samprati apratima-prabhāvaśālī śrī-gauracandra udita haile punarāya ekamātra hari-bhaktii ye veda-pratipādya paramārtha, tāhā kāhārāi vā niścaya nā kariyāche?

Translation: Previously, even though the all-knowing best of the munis have completely expanded their own opinion by logical reasoning, no one had firm faith in all those one-sided reasoning. At present, when the incomparably powerful Śrī Gauracandra has risen, is there anyone who is unable to ascertain that only the devotional service to Hari which is the supreme goal of spiritual life propounded in the Vedas?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, There is a saying, jato muñi tatho patho. Every muñi may have a different version of the Absolute Truth. But Lord Caitanya He had an explanation which was by far the greatest, and those who followed Lord Caitanya they could understand the highest level of loving devotional service. Lord Caitanya, He was giving His mercy in the form of this highest understanding of prema and even devotees like Uddhava, Kṛṣṇa sent to Vṛndāvana, to understand the higher love of the gopīs and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī, She had relished sweetness in Kṛṣṇa that even attracted Kṛṣṇa! Therefore, Kṛṣṇa descended with Rādhārāṇī’s color as Gaurāṅga, to taste this super excellent sweetness. So, the followers of Lord Caitanya are blessed to have this incomparable understanding.