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15 July 2020
The Vaisnava Brahmana from Sri-Rangapuri
Hare Krishna! I welcome you all to the Japa Talk. Today 832 devotees are chanting with us. After the Japa talk there is an important announcement so please stay with us till the end.
Today’s Japa talk topic is from Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya Lila 9.93 to 9.107.
It is the time when Caitanya Mahaprabhu reached Sri-Rangam at the time of Caturmasaya.
sei kṣetre rahe eka vaiṣṇava-brāhmaṇa devālaye āsi' kare gītā āvartana
Translation In the holy place of Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra, a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava used to visit the temple daily and recite the entire text of the Bhagavad-gītā [CC Madhya Lila 9.93]
A Vaisnava brahmana was living over there. He was not only a brahman, but a Vaisnava brahmana. This will prove that Vaisnsavas are greater than brahmanas.
aṣṭādaśādhyāya paḍe ānanda-āveśe aśuddha paḍena, loka kare upahāse
Translation The brāhmaṇa regularly read the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā in great transcendental ecstasy, but because he could not pronounce the words correctly, people used to joke about him. [CC Madhya Lila 9.94]
That brahmana would come to temple and recite all 18 chapters with complete emotion. He was not able to pronounce everything correctly. This is case with us also. I'm getting reports that you are reading Ramayana, Bhagavatam in Caturmasya. You might also not be having the correct pronunciation.
sukha-duḥkhe same kṛitvā lābhālābhau jayājayau tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi
Translation Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin. [BG 2.38]
keha hāse, keha ninde, tāhā nāhi māne āviṣṭa hañā gītā paḍe ānandita-mane
Translation Due to his incorrect pronunciation, people sometimes criticized him and laughed at him, but he did not care. He was full of ecstasy due to reading the Bhagavad-gītā and was personally very happy. [CC Madhya Lila 9.95]
But karma kandi brahmanas made fun of him. Still this Vaisnava brahmana was not affected.
pulakāśru, kampa, sveda,--yāvat paṭhana dekhi' ānandita haila mahāprabhura manaTranslation While reading the book, the brāhmaṇa experienced transcendental bodily transformations. His hair stood on end, tears welled in his eyes, and his body trembled and perspired as he read. Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy. [CC Madhya Lila 9.96]
As the Lord has said that he was not affected by others’ comment. He kept on reciting. Tears flowed from his eyes and all 8 ecstatic symptoms manifested in him.
mahāprabhu puchila tāṅre, śuna, mahāśaya kon artha jāni' tomāra eta sukha haya
Translation Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the brāhmaṇa, "My dear sir, why are you in such ecstatic love? Which portion of the Bhagavad-gītā gives you such transcendental pleasure?” [CC Madhya Lila 9.97]
The Lord was very pleased with all his symptoms. But one day the Lord went near him and asked him “Oh brahmana! When you read Bhagavad-gita what do you understand. What confidential thing do you understand?
vipra kahe,--mūrkha āmi, śabdārtha nā jāni śuddhāśuddha gītā paḍi, guru-ājñā māni’
Translation The brāhmaṇa replied, "I am illiterate and therefore do not know the meaning of the words. Sometimes I read the Bhagavad-gītā correctly and sometimes incorrectly, but in any case I am doing this in compliance with the orders of my spiritual master.” [CC Madhya Lila 9.98]
That brahmana said, “ I'm a fool and I don't know the correct recitation. My Guru has ordered me. I just know this. My Guru has ordered me to recite Bhagavad-gita. I try to follow it. I don't pay attention to correct or incorrect pronunciation. The same instruction is there from Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The same instruction is repeated by Sri Guru. I just know this.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
Translation ”Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” [CC Madhya Lila 7.128]
That’s why whether we are capable or not, we have to read Srimad Bhagavatam and we must also preach as Caitanya Mahāprabhu has ordered. The same instruction is repeated by Sri Guru. The ame thing is being said in Gita. Krsna’s form attracts me. Lord is attractive and the jiva gets attracted.
arjunera rathe kṛṣṇa haya rajju-dhara vasiyāche hāte totra śyāmala sundara
Translation The brāhmaṇa continued, "Actually I only see Lord Kṛṣṇa sitting on a chariot as Arjuna's charioteer. Taking the reins in His hands, He appears very beautiful and blackish. [CC Madhya Lila 9.99]
arjunere kahitechena hita-upadeśa tāṅre dekhi' haya mora ānanda-āveśa
Translation While seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa sitting in a chariot and instructing Arjuna, I am filled with ecstatic happiness. [CC Madhya Lila 9.100]
yāvat paḍoṅ, tāvat pāṅa tāṅra daraśana ei lāgi' gītā-pāṭha nā chāḍe mora mana
Translation ”As long as I read the Bhagavad-gītā, I simply see the Lord's beautiful features. It is for this reason that I am reading the Bhagavad-gītā, and my mind cannot be distracted from this.” [CC Madhya Lila 9.101]
I have a Gita in front of me and I try to read it. But I feel that Krsna is telling the Gita to Arjuna and I'm also hearing to it. I keep on taking darsana of the Lord. I see that Lord is instructing Arjuna. Hence I'm not able to stop the recitation of the Gita.
prabhu kahe,--gītā-pāṭhe tomārā-i adhikāra tumi se jānaha ei gītāra artha-sāra
Translation Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told the brāhmaṇa, "Indeed, you are an authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gītā. Whatever you know constitutes the real purport of the Bhagavad-gītā.” [CC Madhya Lila 9.102]
The Lord said to him that if someone is worthy of reciting the Gita then that one is you. This is the essence of the Gita. Krsna is the essence of the Gita. Krsna instructing Arjuna is essence of Gita.
eta bali' sei vipre kaila āliṅgana prabhu-pada dhari' vipra karena rodana
Translation After saying this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced the brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa, catching the lotus feet of the Lord, began to cry. [CC Madhya Lila 9.103]
Then the Lord embraced him. He said, “I'm not qualified to be embraced by the Lord,” and he offered obeisances at the feet of the Lord.
tomā dekhi' tāhā haite dvi-guṇa sukha haya sei kṛṣṇa tumi,--hena mora mane laya
Translation The brāhmaṇa said, "Upon seeing You, my happiness is doubled. I take it that You are the same Lord Kṛṣṇa.” [CC Madhya Lila 9.104]
Then same Vaisnava brahmana shared his additional realisation that my bills have multiplied. Why? Because you are the same Krsna who is giving the instruction of the Gita. By reading the Gita that brahmana was purified. Hence he had realised that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna.
kṛṣṇa-sphūrtye tāṅra mana hañāche nirmala ataeva prabhura tattva jānila sakala
Translation The mind of the brāhmaṇa was purified by the revelation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and therefore he could understand the truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in all details. [CC Madhya Lila 9.105]
When we read the scriptures purification of the heart takes place. After that realization we get Caitanya tattva, without purification of the heart we cannot feel it.
sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa- sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
Translation ‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the service of the Lord, one's senses are purified.’ [This verse quoted from the Nārada-pañcarātra is found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.12).]
tabe mahāprabhu tāṅre karāila śikṣaṇa ei bāt kāhāṅ nā kariha prakāśana
Translation Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then taught the brāhmaṇa very thoroughly and requested him not to disclose the fact that He was Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. [CC Madhya Lila 9.106]
When the Lord heard this from that brahmana then the Lord asked him to keep that secret between the two of them.
sei vipra mahāprabhura baḍa bhakta haila cāri māsa prabhu-saṅga kabhu nā chāḍila
Translation That brāhmaṇa became a great devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and for four continuous months he did not give up the Lord's company. [CC Madhya Lila 9.107]
After that the brahmana also became a devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and he never left the association of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He also received the association of Mahaprabhu during Caturmasya.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu ki Jai! Sri-Ranga Brahmana ki Jai!
There will be an auspicious announcement about sannyasa ceremony of Sundaralal Prabhuji. Please listen carefully.
Announcement: Chanting will be between 5.30 to 6.30 am as tomorrow is Kamika Ekadasi and then a class by Gurudev which will be telecast live on Facebook, YouTube and Zoom. Please attend the program.
