20240823 Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta 1.7. The Ultimate Goal of Life

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

First Shower — Seventh Stream

TEXT: Again, He has said (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 4.65–68):

kubuddhi chāḍiyā kara śravaṇa-kīrtana
acirāt pābe tabe kṛṣṇera caraṇa

nīca-jāti nahe kṛṣṇa-bhajane ayogya

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.23.39

dhig janma nas tri-vṛd yat tad
dhig vrataṁ dhig bahu-jñatām
dhik kulaṁ dhik kriyā-dākṣyaṁ
vimukhā ye tv adhokṣaje

[The brāhmaṇas said:] To hell with our threefold birth, our vow of celibacy and our extensive learning! To hell with our aristocratic background and our expertise in the rituals of sacrifice! These are all condemned because we were inimical to the transcendental Personality of Godhead.

sat-kula-vipra nahe bhajanera yogya
yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta — hīna, chāra

kṛṣṇa-bhajane nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra
dīnere adhika dayā kare bhagavān

kulīna, paṇḍita, dhanīra baḍa abhimāna

TEXT: Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Sanātana Gosvāmī, “Give up all your nonsensical desires, for they are unfavorable for getting shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Engage yourself in chanting and hearing. Then you will soon achieve the shelter of Kṛṣṇa without a doubt. A person born in a low family is not unfit for discharging devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor is one fit for devotional service simply because he is born in an aristocratic family of brāhmaṇas. Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a non-devotee is always condemned and abominable. Therefore, in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one’s family. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is always favorable to the humble and meek, but aristocrats, learned scholars and the wealthy are always proud of their positions.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, being proud of your position is not a good quality. If you are humble and meek, Kṛṣṇa will accept no matter who you are. And so even if someone is in some high position, and has high practices if he is proud, it is not good for him. We are nothing compared to some of the great devotees of Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa. So we should pray humbly, and engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

TEXT: The process of Hari-bhajana in varṇāśrama

The meaning of the Lord's words is that if there is reverence for the subjects related to the Lord, then accept Harināma in the association of sādhus. Do not let the mind to be agitated by the attempts of karma and jñāna. As per the rules of counting numbers, take care to constantly chant sixteen names such as, “Hare Kṛṣṇa.” By making the body and the house favorable to the practice of chanting the holy names, should do as much effort as is necessary for the maintenance of these substances (body, house), and offer it to Kṛṣṇa sincerely without duplicity. Don't try too hard on anything else and don't over endeavor on this one either (of body and house). Do not eat food dear to the senses or do not use it in other senses. Protect the body by moderate sāttvika food in such a way that the jīva’s pure knowledge and favorable sense attachment and internal senses such as the mind are not destroyed or distorted.*

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is giving some practical advice. I think that he composed the song: mānasa deho geho jo kichu mora/ arpiluṅ tuyā pade nanda-kiśora [Śaraṇāgati]. So whatever he had, house, body, he was surrendering everything at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. And so he did not only talk, but he walked the talk.

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.7.39

prāṇa-vṛttyaiva santuṣyen
munir naivendriya-priyaiḥ
jñānaṁ yathā na naśyeta
nāvakīryeta vāṅ-manaḥ

A learned sage should take his satisfaction in the simple maintenance of his existence and should not seek satisfaction through gratifying the material senses. In other words, one should care for the material body in such a way that one’s higher knowledge is not destroyed and so that one’s speech and mind are not deviated from self-realization.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.25.28

pathyaṁ pūtam anāyastam
āhāryaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam
rājasaṁ cendriya-preṣṭhaṁ
tāmasaṁ cārti-dāśuci

Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in the mode of goodness, food that gives immediate pleasure to the senses is in the mode of passion, and food that is unclean and causes distress is in the mode of ignorance.

vanaṁ tu sāttviko vāso
grāmo rājasa ucyate
tāmasaṁ dyūta-sadanaṁ
man-niketaṁ tu nirguṇam

Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I reside is transcendental.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if we live in an āśrama where Kṛṣṇa is present in the temple, then that place is transcendental. Whether one lives in some places as it is said here, then it could be in the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance. So, here we have a temple, we are living in the temple. There are āśramas around the temple, so that is transcendental existence. So we want to be in a place where Kṛṣṇa is. I know some devotees, they write to me, how they want to stay in Māyāpur. So, the point of staying in a temple or temple āśrama or temple vicinity is to participate in the temple activities. If someone doesn’t do that, they are not taking advantage living near the temple, then they are having one of the material existences mentioned here. I mean most of the people cannot live in the forest. So, they live either in the town or some tamasic situation.

TEXT: Accept the solitary residence that is not too strenuous or difficult. Staying in such a society that is not unfavorable for kṛṣṇa-bhakti, take care of the progress of such a society. The meaning of doing all this is that you will be sure to worship in solitude with firm care.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we want to always be engaged in devotional service. And we do that with extreme care. Devotees live in houses or flats to participate in devotional service. So we see so many devotees, who come to the temples and participate. So, this is utilizing their time in devotional service.