20240227 Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta | First Stream — the beginning

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Today we will continue reading from the Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta by Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. It is translated as the Nectar of the Teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta

The Nectar of the teachings of Śrī Caitanya

Today’s chapter is: First Shower — General description of determining the religion of highest goal.

First Stream — the beginning.

Respectful obeisances unto Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa

Non-criticism and Non-enviousness towards other secondary bhajana systems —

According to these five types of differences, different religions in the world are very different from each other. It is only natural that these various religions will be different. But it is absolutely unfair and harmful to quarrel with each other due to the said difference. If one is present during the time of worship of other’s worship, then one should have this mood, “My object of worship, the absolute truth, is being worshiped in a different form. Due to my different habits, I cannot enter this system properly; but seeing this, greater feelings towards my mode of worship is generated. Parama-tattva (the absolute truth) is one without a second. I offer my obeisances to the form which I see here, and I pray to my Lord who has appeared in this different form, that He increase my love for the form of my desired object of worship.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda was telling us how Christians and Muslims, in one sense, they are also Vaiṣṇavas. Because they believe in one God, which is the basic Vaiṣṇava process. As they have a different system, different form that we have, that is not something we really want to enter. But we appreciate that they are worshiping what they think is the one God. And the differences really are secondary things. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is also suggesting that we should increase our love for the aspect that we are worshiping. So we don’t offend or blaspheme any other processes. We treat them respectfully and stick to our own process.

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Note:

śrīnāthe jānakināthe
cābheda paramātmani
thatāpi mama sarvasva
rāma kamala-locanaḥ

“I see the non-difference in Nārāyaṇa, the husband of Lakṣmī, and Rāmacandra, the husband of Sītā, both being the Supersoul in everyone’s heart. Nevertheless, the lotus-eyed Rāma alone is everything to me.”

* * *

Jayapatākā Swami: Hanumān for instance has this consciousness although fixed in Lord Rāma, he does not disrespect or offend Lord Nārāyaṇa. Just because there is a difference between Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa and Sītā Rāma, it doesn’t mean we have to disrespect. Although on the absolute plane They are non-different.

* * *

Criticism and enviousness is to be given up—

Those who do not behave in this way (as above stated), but hate, violently envy or criticize the different system, they are completely useless and have lost their intelligence. They do not care that much for their own ultimate of goal of life as much as they care for the unnecessary arguments and counter-arguments.

It is necessary to reject the practice of false religions —

There is only one thing to consider among this. It is useless to criticize the different methods of worship, but if any real fault is found, it can never be cherished.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he emphasizes that we should be careful about blaspheming or criticizing other religions.

* * *

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.12–14.

vidharmaḥ para-dharmaś ca
ābhāsa upamā chalaḥ
adharma-śākhāḥ pañcemā
dharma-jño ’dharmavat tyajet

dharma-bādho vidharmaḥ syāt
para-dharmo ’nya-coditaḥ
upadharmas tu pākhaṇḍo
dambho vā śabda-bhic chalaḥ

yas tv icchayā kṛtaḥ pumbhir
ābhāso hy āśramāt pṛthak
sva-bhāva-vihito dharmaḥ
kasya neṣṭaḥ praśāntaye

“There are five branches of irreligion, appropriately known as irreligion [vidharma], religious principles for which one is unfit [para-dharma], pretentious religion [ābhāsa], analogical religion [upadharma] and cheating religion [chala-dharma]. One who is aware of real religious life must abandon these five as irreligious. Religious principles that obstruct one from following his own religion are called vidharma. Religious principles introduced by others are called para-dharma. A new type of religion created by one who is falsely proud and who opposes the principles of the Vedas is called upadharma. And interpretation by one’s jugglery of words is called chala-dharma. A pretentious religious system manufactured by one who willfully neglects the prescribed duties of his order of life is called ābhāsa [a dim reflection or false similarity]. But if one performs the prescribed duties for his particular āśrama or varṇa, why are they not sufficient to mitigate all material distresses?”

Rather, the living entities will be benefitted, if by proper means definite effort is done to uproot them (the faults). This is why Śrī Śrī Mahāprabhu reasoned with the Buddhists, Jains and Nirviśeṣavādis and brought them to the right path. The character of the Lord should be the ideal form for all devotees everywhere.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here he describes different dharmas which were partially true. Vidharma or irreligion; unfit religious principles, para-dharma; pretentious religion, ābhāsa; analogical religion, upadharma; and cheating dharma, chala-dharma - these are the five types of irreligion. So you can see that if someone is giving a misinterpretation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness it must be a type of vidharma.  So we should analyze. Just like some coins may be real gold and some may be some other things. So, there are different nomenclatures for different kinds of false or imitation dharma. And that some dharmas may be completely different than the Vedic principles. It becomes para-dharma, a type of vidharma. A new type if one who falsely has created a new religious system and he is very proud of that, that is called upadharma. So one should understand what type of dharma is being followed. And accept the pure dharma and avoid all types of adharma.

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Different types of apa-dharma (false religions) —

Devotees should not accept as religions that have all of these unwanted things, such falsehoods, atheism, skepticism, materialism, theory of no spiritual soul, naturalism, and voidism (nirviśeṣavāda). These religions will be known as irreligion [vidharma], cheating religion [chala-dharma], pretentious religion [dharma-ābhasa] or irreligion [adharma]. Know that the condition of their worshipers will be deplorable. As far as you can, take care to protect the living entities from all these misfortunes.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in his praṇāma-mantra, he states he comes to deliver the western people from all this adharma. In his praṇāma-mantra it is mentioned nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe. Nirviśeṣa means impersonalism. Śūnyavādi means voidists. Those teachings although religious, if they are promoting the concept of irreligion, or voidism or impersonalism, we should avoid that. I was riding on an airplane and there was one Christian Brother. I told him about the ten commandments of Lord Jesus. He said I don’t accept, I don’t believe that there is God. I like the second commandment that you should love your neighbor. When people like this do not believe in their own religion and are very proud. So we have to be careful.

* * *

Love of God is the eternal religion —

Unalloyed pure love (vimala-prema) is

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.8

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam

“The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.”

The eternal occupational duty (nitya dharma) of the living entity.

Even though the above five types of differences are seen, the dharma in which unalloyed pure love (vimala- prema) is indicated is the actual dharma. It is inappropriate to debate on external differences. If the purpose of dharma is pure, then everything is endowed with good symptoms. Atheism, skepticism, pantheism, materialism, theory of no spiritual soul i.e. karma theory, naturalism and voidism (nirviśeṣavāda) are inherently against love. This will be shown elsewhere in the book.

Jayapatākā Swami: So these misconceptions are against love. That is why the secretary of Lord Caitanya, He would read the books first, Svarūpa Dāmodara, and then if he found something which did not allow love, and then he would not allow the person to see Lord Caitanya. Pure love is pure. If some have misconception like voidism, impersonalism, atheism, they cannot actually have pure love. They are saying you have no soul! That means if there is no soul, then you have no love for Kṛṣṇa. Because you have a soul, Kṛṣṇa has a soul, you are a part of Kṛṣṇa, you have a soul. Who here is without a soul? Who has a soul? Alright! I was just checking if I am in the right place! These are all genuine lovers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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We will end tomorrow.