English
Date- 12th Feb 2024
Speaker - HH Bhakti Prema Swami Maharaj
Theme- Glories of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
Hare Krishna! I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to HH Lokanath Swami Guru Maharaj. He has done such wonderful arrangement that thousands of devotees daily chant together and listen about the Lord. He is Acharya. He is showing how in this present time we can utilize the facilities like media in the service of the Supreme Lord. Like this Gurudeva Acharya should keep guiding us, this is the only prayer at the Lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and the Supreme Lord.
So Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur is our previous Acharya. We should feel proud seeing our strong Guru Parampara. Right in the beginning of Bhagavad Gita, Srila Prabhupada has given Guru Parampara. This is our pride that we have such Guru Parampara. Srila Prabhupada, Bhakti Vinod Thakur, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur is one of them. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur was born in 1638 in Nadia district of West Bengal, in the village named as Devagrama. From his childhood he was a scholar. In those days education means study of the scriptures. It was not like the present time, study to work in factories. In West Bengal there is another district Murshidabad, there was one more scholar, named as Radha Raman Cakravarthy. From him Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur took initiation and in Bengal only he started study of scriptures and preaching. Later on, he saw that in Vrndavana because of Aurangzeb, the Vrindavana culture is getting ruined. Therefore he thought to go in Vrindavan and serve there. So he went to Vrindavan. He spent rest of his life in Vrindavan.
Sub-theme- Writings of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur’s writing is very impressive. When we read the purports of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur, we feel that this situation is crated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur himself. When we will read his purports, we will see that there are many complicated subjects, but he has explained these complicated subjects deeply and very beautifully. For example, if within any discussion, dialogue, why this particular situation came? What was the intention behind this? Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur used to dive deeply in that and then used to write the purport. I will give one example. In Bhagavad Gita Arjuna says-
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān
śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam apīha loke
hatvārtha-kāmāṁstu gurūn ihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān
Translation
It would be better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though desiring worldly gain, they are superiors. If they are killed, everything we enjoy will be tainted with blood.[BG 2.5]
gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān, O Madhusudan I do not want to enjoy Kingdom by killing my spiritual master. So, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur says, why he is calling Lord as Madhusudan, because Arjuna wanted to remind Krishna, O Krishna, You have killed demon Madhu, that's why Your name is Madhusudan. That is okay that You killed a demon, but why are You asking me to kill Guru? Why You want me to become Gurusudan? Like this Visvanatha Cakravarti is seeing in minute details.
Sub-theme- Madhurya Kadambini
Srila Prabhupada writes in his Bangla bhajan –
mādhurya kādambinī grandtha cakravartī gāya
siddhānta dekhaha tathā kibā tāńra rāy-
Translation
According to the scripture “Madhurya Kadambini” written by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, see what conclusion is and what his judgment is.[from āpaniācari prabhu jīvereśikhāya Text 4, Gaudiya Patrika. Prabhupada]
Prabhupada is saying, Visvanatha Cakravarti has written Madhurya Kadambini. siddhānta dekhaha tathā kibā tāńra rāy see what the philosophy, Siddhanta is and what his judgment is. Prabhupada says, Krishna Prema is nitya siddha. No one can give it. This is not a thing which can be given by Guru or devotees or the Lord. No one can give it, because Krishna Bhakti is connected with the soul. It is nitya siddha. Now everyone is already having it, then why someone gets it and someone doesn’t? So Prabhupada says, to understand this, you need to read Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur's Madhurya Kadambini.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur has written many literatures. From the name Madhurya Kadambini we can understand the meaning. Madhuryamaya and Kadambini mean clouds. Clouds give water, but the source of water is the ocean. But the expansion of ocean is cloud. Ocean will not come to your place, clouds will come. Clouds come in the sky and they do not bring salty water. They bring sweet water. Clouds are more merciful than the ocean. And this particular cloud is Madhurya cloud. In this book the chapters are named as Vrishti, the rain. What is in the clouds? Nothing except water! So, the book’s name is Madhurya Kadambini and the chapters are named as Prathama Vrishti, Dvitiya Vrishti, like that. Vrishti means rain drops. This is the name of the chapters. Just as, Rupa Goswami gave his literature the name Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, the ocean of nectar of devotion; this is Ocean. Then how can one divide the ocean. So he divided as pürva-vibhäga (eastern division), daksina-vibhäga (southern division), pascima-vibhäga (western division) and uttara-vibhäga (northern division). And how this division will be divided? Then he named each chapter as Pratham Lahari, Dvitiya Lahari, Tritiya lahari, like that. Lahari, lahar means wave.
Sub-theme- Other writings of Visvnatha Cakravati Thakur
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur is so humble; he has done promotion of literatures written by the Acharyas and considered his writings as insignificant in front of them. Rupa Goswami wrote Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur named his own literature as Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu Bindhu. Bindu of Sindhu, the drop of ocean. ‘I am not expanding that Ocean. No, I am explaining only one drop, Bindu of that Sindhu, ocean.’
There is one well known literature of Narottama Das Thakur, written in Bangala. In that he has given more than hundred songs in Bangala. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur wrote commentary on it in Sanskrit. Normally Sanskrit literatures are translated in Bangala, Hindi or English, but Visvanatha Cakravarthi is so talented, he wrote commentary in Sanskrit on ‘Prema Bhakti Vilasa’, the book by Narottama Das Thakur. He gave beautiful commentary on Srimad Bhagavat named as ‘Sarartha Darshini’. Sar-artha, by the name itself we understand the meaning. In that he explains, why this particular thing or statement is spoken or given in Srimad Bhagavatam. Like this he has written many books. He has also written one more important book, ‘Krishna Bhavana Amrita’. Book’s name is Krishna Bhavanamrita. From there only Prabhupada took ISKCON's name, International Krishna Bhavanamrta/Krishna consciousness movement. Krishna Bhavana is like Amrita, nectar. He has not only written Madhurya Kadambini, but also written Aishvarya Kadambini. So, one is Madhurya and another is Aishvarya. He has also written Sankalp Kalpa Druma, Ragavartma Chandrika, Chamatkar Chandrika, Mantrartha Dipika, Svapna Vilasamrta, and others. He also wrote Gitavali, Stavamrta Lahari.
Sub-theme- vyavasäyätmikä buddhih
In the purports of Bhagavad Gita Prabhupada mentions many times the definitions given by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur. In the 41st sloka of second chapter
vyavasäyätmikä buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-säkhä hy anantäs ca
buddhayo 'vyavasäyinäm
Translation
Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched.[BG 2.41]
There, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur defines ‘vyavasäyätmikä buddhih’as, ‘one should accept the teachings of spiritual master as life and soul’ is ‘vyavasayatmika buddhi’. Disciple should consider the order of spiritual master as his life and soul. If there is no life and soul in the body, the person will be considered as dead, similarly when the disciple is not following the orders of spiritual master, he is a dead disciple. ‘vyavasäyätmikä buddhih’ one pointed, resolute, Avyabhicarini Bhakti, Kevala Bhakti, unflinching faith in devotional service.
Prabhupada writes in one purport, ‘When I was reading the commentary of Visvanath Cakravarthi Thakur, I saw the definition of vyavasäyätmikä Buddhi given by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur. Then I again remembered the order given by my spiritual master.’ What was that instruction? To preach the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in English!
So, like this there are very beautiful commentaries by Visvanatha Cakravarthi Thakur. When we read Srila Prabhupada’s purports, we find many, hundreds of definitions given by Visvanatha Cakravarthi Thakur. Like if someone has blasphemed Krishna, Visvanatha Cakravarthi Thakur explained it as, ‘Goddess Saraswati is glorifying the Lord from their mouth’. Like, Shisupala said Krishna is a fool. Then Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur said, yes, he is talking regarding the knowledge of material World, materialistic knowledge. Like that, whoever has criticized the Lord, how to forgive that person. When we read Bhagavatam, many times such duality comes, ‘how can we accept this thing?’ We do not understand. There Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur gives very powerful commentary. He has written commentary on Rupa Goswami's Vidagdha Madhava, Lalita Madhava. He has given commentary on Brahma Samhita. He has done lot of preaching.
Sub-theme- Govinda Bhasya by the disciple of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
In his old age, in 1706, he was in Vrndavan. At that time in Jaipur, argument was going on, in connection with Govind Devaji, which Sampradaya will serve Him. There was no commentary by Gaudiya Sampradaya on Vedanta. Now you will see, Mayavadis very proudly say, we are Vedantist. What is their Brahmastra? We are Vedantist. What is the meaning of Vedanta? The essence of Vedas, the Anta, end of Vedas! Vyasadeva himself has written Vedanta. But after reading Vedanta, these Mayavadis give Mayavada Bhasya. But, Srila Prabhupada has given very beautiful commentary. The original, natural commentary of Vedanta is Srimad Bhagavatam, because Vyasadeva himself has written Srimad Bhagavatam. The person, who has written Vedanta Sutra, has written the commentary on that. So, we can understand which commentary is correct. So like this there are different commentaries on Vedanta given by different Sampradayas, given by each of four sampradayas. But in between these four sampradayas, there is also Madhva Sampradaya, which is also known as Gaudiya Sampradaya. So Gaudiya Sampradaya had no separate commentary. So the king of Jaipur, King Jai Singh sent message to Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur, ‘if you are authentic Sampradaya then give your commentary on Vedanta. You come with your commentary. If your commentary is correct, then your sampradaya will get the opportunity to serve Govinda Deva.’ Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur was very old at that time, so it was not possible for him to go.
Just as once there was debate in Bengal, ‘who is superior, Brahmana or Vaisnava?’ that time they invited Bhakti Vinod Thakur for the debate on behalf of Vaisnavas. At that time Bhakti Vinod Thakur was old and sick. So he was very upset, what these people will think? ‘They have accepted their defeat, and that’s why they did not come out of fear.’ So Vimal Prasad, that time Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was Vimal Prasad. So he said to his father, ‘father you bless me. I want to go’. So Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur went there. It was in Medinipur. He went there and he defeated them. Similarly Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur sent his disciple Baladeva Vidyabhusan. So Baladeva Vidyabhusan went there and asked for some time. He prayed to Govinda Deva, ‘hey Govinda Deva have mercy on me. This is Your responsibility to write commentary.’ So, Govinda Dev showered His mercy. And as per the instructions of Govinda Dev, Baladev Vidyabhusan wrote the commentary on Vedanta. This Bhasya is given by Govinda Dev Himself, therefore Baladeva Vidyabhusan named this commentary, Bhasya as Govinda Bhasya. In our Guru Parampara, after Visvanatha Cakravarthi Thakur comes Baladeva Vidyabhusan’s name. Srila Prabhupada dedicated, you must have seen, Bhagavad Gita is dedicated to Baladev Vidyabhushan. Srimad Bhagavat Prabhupada dedicated to Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Krishna book he dedicated to his father, Gaura Mohan Day.
Sub-theme- The essence of Mahaprabhu’s teachings in one verse
Visvanatha Cakravarthi Thakur’s one teaching is very powerful. I am sure all of you know this sloka. In this sloka the essence of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings is given. Visvanatha Cakravarthi Thakur has given this sloka and commentary on it.
Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛṇdāvanaṁ
Ramyakaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya kalpita
śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇaṁ premāpum-artho mahān
śrī-caitanya mahāprabhor matamidaṁ tatradaraḥ naparaḥ
Translation
[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is to be worshiped along with His transcendental abode, Vṛndāvana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopīs of Vṛndāvaṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the spotless authority on everything, and pure love of God is the ultimate goal of life for all men. These statements, for which we have the highest regard, are the opinion of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.][Caitanya-mañjusā]
Who is Aradhya Bhagwan, the worshipable Lord? vrajeśa-tanayas. Which Lord should be worshipped? Vrindavan’s Krishna! Mathura’s Krishna, Dwarka’s Krishna, Lord Ramchandra, and all others are Lord's expansion, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching that Aaradhya Bhagwan is Vrindavan’s Krishna, vrajeśa-tanayas, the son of Vrindavana and Nanda Maharaj, tad-dhāma vṛṇdāvanaṁ. How He should be worshipped? Ramyakaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya kalpita, the way Gopis worship the Lord. Ramya, Lakshmi is expansion of the Gopis. The worship done by the Gopis is the topmost. So the first teaching is Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas, second is the way Gopis worshipped the Lord is the topmost. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, what is the authority? Srimad Bhagavatam is the authority. Like this we see that, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was having discussion with Ramanand Raya, he didn’t say, you tell. No, Mahaprabhu said,
prabhu kahe,—“pada sloka sädhyera nirnaya”
räya kahe,—“sva-dharmäcarane visnu-bhakti haya”
Translation
Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu ordered Rämänanda Räya, “Recite a verse from the revealed scriptures concerning the ultimate goal of life.”
Rämänanda replied, “If one executes the prescribed duties of his social position, he awakens his original Krsna consciousness.[Cc Madhya 8.57]
pada sloka sädhyera nirnaya, recite a verse from the revealed scriptures concerning the ultimate goal of life. So Ramananda Raya gave another quote. Lord said, No, this is material goal. Tell me spiritual goal. This is bahya, talks of outside world, material world. He told one more quote from scriptures.
Like that, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was discussing with Venkata Bhatta, He said, if it is written like this in the scripture, then why Goddess Laksmi is doing like that? Venkata Bhatta said, No, No, Laksmi and Radharani are same. Mahaprabhu said, ‘that is okay, but in the scriptures it is also written that Sivaji could enter in the Rasalila, but Laksmi could not. Why is it so?’ So, whichever question Mahaprabhu asked, whatever He spoke, that was from scriptures only. Similarly He gave order to six Gosvamis, whatever you want to tell, that should be from the scriptures. So like this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching is Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛṇdāvanaṁ. And what is the authority? śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇaṁ, tatradaraḥ naparaḥ, therefore the topmost literature is Srimad Bhagavatam. This is the topmost gift of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur, where he has given all teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in one verse.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur disappeared in Vrindavana on the Vasanta Pancami of Magha masa. Hare Krishna! Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur ki Jay! Srila Lokanatha Swami Guru Maharaj ki Jay!
