20241007 Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta 2.2. Pious Activity

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

Second Shower — Consideration of secondary rules

Second Stream — Pious Activity

Jayapatākā Swami: So we are hearing the items of proper behavior. Now we are on the fourth item –

4. Ārjava (Simplicity)

Simplicity is called ārjava. As much simpler the human life is, that much pious they will be.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this verse says the simpler the human being is, the more pious he will be. So, we should try to simplify our lives. Men, women, they should simplify their lives. We see that in the modern world even common things are very complicated.

5. Not stealing

Not taking other people's goods unjustly is called asteya (not stealing). He has no right to any property as long as it is not earned by hard work or righteous donation.

Jayapatākā Swami: It is a very interesting thing that Lord Caitanya, He showed by His practical life, He did not take anyone’s objects. So the property one got by hard labor or a righteous person giving a donation. So that is the principle that is being followed today by most of the world.

6. Aparigraha (Non-acceptance)

Disabled persons such as blind, crippled etc. are entitled to alms. Those who have the ability, they have to collect goods through fair work. If such people beg, then it is parigraha (accepting). Not doing so is called aparigraha (non-acceptance).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, certain people are allowed to beg because of their disability. But those who have the capability of working should not beg.

7. Kindness

One should be kind to all living beings. Kindness that is appropriate and reasonable is legitimate kindness. The virtue of kindness out of rāga-vṛtti (spontaneous affection) will be discussed elsewhere. The decision to show mercy only to humans and treat animals mercilessly is unjust. If a person suffers, one should try in a way that the person does not suffer.

Jayapatākā Swami: So kindness should be offered to men and also animals. I remember in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s room over the window they had a velvet curtain. And there were many mosquitos, which were taking shelter of this velvet curtain. So Śrīla Prabhupāda said there are so many mosquitos there. We went to kill them. He said, we should not do this, first we put curtains to attract mosquitos and then kill them. So he was suggesting curtains that do not attract mosquitos. This is a kind of kindness. And kindness was not only for human beings, but also for animals, even for mosquitos!

8. Detachment (Vairāgya)

Attachment to sense objects is removed by controlling the mind (śama), controlling the senses (dama), tolerance (titikṣā) and abstinence (uparati). Controlling the internal senses is called śama. Controlling the external senses is called dama. The practice of tolerating the difficulty of sinful desires is called titikṣā. Relinquishment of thirst for general sense objects is called uparati. Vairāgya is a pious action. If there is vairāgya, sin almost does not appear. According to the vaidhi (regulative practice), vairāgya-dharma should be practiced gradually. On the path of rāga (spontaneous attraction) vairāgya is easily attained. It will be discussed elsewhere. Practicing detachment is a pious action. Vairāgya is practiced while observing physical vows such as cāturmāsya, darśa, paurṇamāsī etc. In the beginning, after gradually abandoning the desire for pleasure about food and sleep, at last, when the habit of giving up all pleasures and accepting the sense objects only for the existence of life is fulfilled, then vairāgya becomes habituated. If vairāgya is accustomed, the qualification for the fourth āśrama in the form of sannyāsa is born.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, vairāgya or detachment from the sense objects is, it says here that in this way there is hardly any sin. So people should be trained in different kinds of vairāgya. Just like on Ekādaśī we do not take grains, beans, pulses. And then the caturmāsya. In the first month we don’t take sāk or spinach. In the second month we do not take yogurt. In the third month we don’t take milk. And the fourth month people are supposed to be vegetarian, we avoid urad dal as a token. So all these things train you for vairāgya or detachment.

9. Respecting the śāstra

It is everyone's duty to respect scriptures. If it is written down judging the truth and falsehood, then, it can be called scripture. Those who have gained good qualification, and formulated the scriptures, they have revealed the true śāstra. Those who have not qualified but have formulated the śāstra by being inclined to judge the system of rules and prohibitions and the ultimate goal, they have manifested false śāstra by giving false advice. The scriptures in which illogical and atheistic views are seen, these śāstras are born of false arguments. These should not be respected. When a blind man guides another blind man, both fall into a well. Similarly, the false śāstra makers and their blind followers are all on the wrong path and lamentable. True śāstra means Vedas and śāstras that supplement the Vedas are to be understood. Discussing those scriptures and teaching them to others is a pious action.

Jayapatākā Swami: This is the fourth offence in the ten offences to the holy name, not to follow or disrespect the śāstra. So some of the śāstras are not very bona fide which are not following or hearing the Vedas, they may have some contradiction. So Lord Caitanya, He was expert in all the śāstras. And then He preached to the five Islamic pirs from the Quran. And so He said that the Quran says this this this this. I was curious, so I asked one Islamic PhD or something, a very learned man. Where are the verses in the Ayats or Surats, that says such things in the Quran. He said, oh, we published a book, apparently in the Quran there is one verse that says that Allah is a light, something like that. Something like that. But other places it says He is kind, He is merciful, He is just. So you don’t think a light bulb is not kind or merciful. So we published a book where we took all the verses by Lord Caitanya and supported those by the verses of the Quran. And this Islamic scholar he said that originally in the Kaaba in Mecca, they had Deities of Lakṣmī, Devī, etc. Because they said that Mohammad (Peace be upon Him), he apologized because one day He was late for the prayers. He said that He was offering His prayers and Allah put His hands on His shoulder. Then he realized that he was late for his prayers. This scholar, he was saying that this proves that Allah was a person. His hands were on Mohammad, (Peace be upon Him) on His shoulder. The Chand Kazi, he refuted some of the teachings of the Quran. So the Chand Kazi said that our scriptures are relatively new and we know that are some contradictions.

10. Pilgrimage

Many topics are known, and many superstitions are removed by going on pilgrimage.

Jayapatākā Swami: People come here to Māyāpur on pilgrimage. So we should receive them and preach to them.

11. Proper judgement

Proper judgement or discrimination is always be to discussed. He who does not have such a discrimination as to what is the world, who am I, who created the world, what is my duty and what will happen to me by doing it, — is not counted among the human beings. The only difference between animals and humans is that animals have zero intelligence, humans are capable of that judgment. Knowledge of the self is the result of proper judgement.

Jayapatākā Swami: The animals they eat, fight, propagate, but they cannot understand the self. They don’t have any intelligence like that. So if the human being is the only engaged in animalistic activities, then they are only animals.

12. Etiquette

Manners are virtuous. The behavior that the sādhus in the past have followed and instructed to be followed are the etiquette.*

Jayapatākā Swami: Etiquette are the manners, the activities that one should follow in a polite human society.

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.18.4–5

tān ātiṣṭhati yaḥ samyag
upāyān pūrva-darśitān
avaraḥ śraddhayopeta
upeyān vindate ’ñjasā

tān anādṛtya yo ’vidvān
arthān ārabhate svayam
tasya vyabhicaranty arthā
ārabdhāś ca punaḥ punaḥ

One who follows the principles and instructions enjoined by the great sages of the past can utilize these instructions for practical purposes. Such a person can very easily enjoy life and pleasures. A foolish person who manufactures his own ways and means through mental speculation and does not recognize the authority of the sages who lay down unimpeachable directions is simply unsuccessful again and again in his attempts.

Etiquette changes from time to time, i.e. the specific yajñic activity of killing of cows and bulls for rejuvenation practiced by the virtuous men in the Satya, Tretā and Dvāpara yugas, has been abolished in the Age of Kali. All the rules made in the past are to be examined through proper judgement and adopted as etiquette.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in previous ages brāhmaṇas were more powerful. In Kali-yuga they don’t have that power they used to have. So therefore, certain activities are prohibited.

Koṭi, koṭi Kṛṣṇe matir ruhu!