English
23 March 2024
Pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Speaker: HG Anatashesha prabhu
Hare Krsna.
parama koruna, pahu dui jana
nitai gauracandra
saba avatara-sara siromani
kevala ananda-kanda (Param Karuna Pahu Dui Jana 1)
Translation: The two Lords, Nitai-Gauracandra, are very merciful. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that They introduced a process of chanting and dancing that is simply joyful.
Garuda Purana says,
yo reme saha-ballavi ramayate vrndavane ‘har-nisam
yah kamsam ni jaghana kaurava-rane yah pandavanam sakha
so ‘yam vainava-danda-mandita-bhujah sannyasa-vesah svayam
nihsandeham upagatah ksiti-tale caitanya-rupah prabhuh (Garuda Puran)
Translation: he Supreme Lord who took delight in His pastimes with the gopis, who filled the residents of Vrindavana with joy day and night, who slew Kamsa, and who made friends with the Pandavas in the battle between the Kauravas, will without any doubt, come again to the earth. He will be a sannyasi with the name Chaitanya whose arm will be decorated with a bamboo stick.
Krsna who plays around in the forests of Vraja and who guided Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, has appeared as Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Nabadwip Dham.
Chaitanya Chandramrita speaks,
kalinda-tanayā-taṭe sphurad-amanda-vṛndāvanaṁ
vihāya lavaṇāmbudheḥ pulina-puṣpa-vāṭīṁ gataḥ |
dhṛtāruṇa-paṭaḥ parihṛta[ parākṛta iti pāṭhaḥ chandasaḥ samīcīnaḥ.]-supīta-vāsā haris
tirohita-nija-cchaviḥ prakaṭa-gaurimā me gatiḥ
( Sri Caitanya Candramrtam 79)
Translation: Leaving the charming forest on the bank of the Yamuna and entering a flower garden by the shore of the salt-water ocean, rejecting His yellow garment and accepting a saffron cloth, Lord Hari has now concealed His own bodily lustre and manifests a golden complexion. Let me take shelter of that golden Lord Hari.
That who has left his yellowish garments and has accepted Sanyas in Kaliyuga, may that Krsna become by destination. When Krsna enters Queen Rukmini's palace, immediately she sees Krsna and faints. Krsna was surprised, usually people become happy to see me, then why Rukmini Fainted! After she revived her consciousness, Krsna asked what had happened?? Rukmini replied, as soon as I saw your Lotus face, I became jubilant.
yo brahma rudra śuka nārada bhīṣma mukhyai, rālakṣito na sahasā paruuṣasya tasya
sadyo vaśīkaraṇa cūrṇa mantra śaktiṃ, taṃ rādhikā caraṇa reṇumanusmarāmi
(Śrī Rādhā Sudhā Nidhi 4)
Translation: Lord Brahma, Shiva, Sukadeva, Narada, Bhisma, and a host of great saints cannot easily get the association of Shri Krishna. The same Shri Krishna can be captured immediately by the grace of the dust of the lotus feet of Shri Radha, the dust that has limitless power. Let me meditate on the dust of Shri Radha’s feet.
But the very next moment, I remembered very soon you will go somewhere else leaving me alone. As soon as this thought struck me that feeling of separation was unbearable and I fainted. When this pastime was taking place, Narada Muni arrived and the Lord Shared that in Kaliyuga I will appear with this intense love of my pure devotees. I will take birth as a child of Mother Sachi and spread the glories of my Holy name everywhere.
My external appearance will be very beautiful, just like Sumeru Mountain. When he was describing this,very soon Dwarkadhish himself transformed into Gauranga's Form. Narada Muni was jubilant having such divine Darshans. Similarly in Chaitanya Mangal, the Lord told Katyayini Devi, In Kaliyuga I will appear as human and preach the Love of Godhead. Keep this as secret.
Lochana Das Thakura, commented, Gauranga Mahaprabhu's incarnation is the essence of all the different incarnations of the Lord who has appeared to deliver the fallen conditioned souls of the entire universe.
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
vicāra karite citte pābe camatkāra (CC Adi 8.15)
Translation: If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful.
Gauranga Mahaprabhu told Narada Muni, I will be distributing the causeless mercy all around to the people of Kaliyuga.
patrapatravicaranam na kurute na svam param viksyate
deyadeyavimarsako na hi na va kalapratiksah prabhuh
sadyo yah sravaneksana-pranamana-dhyanadina durlabham
datte bhakti rasam sa eva bhagavan gaurah param me gatih
( Sri Caitanya Candramrtam Verse 77)
Translation: He does not consider whether a person is qualified or not. He does not see who is His own and who is an outsider. He does not consider who should receive and who not. He does not consider whether it is the proper time. The Lord at once gives that nectar of pure devotional service that is difficult to attain even by hearing the message of the Lord, seeing the Deity, offering obeisances, meditating, or following a host of spiritual practices. That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Gaurahari, is my only shelter.
He says, this incarnation is not like any other incarnations in any other Yuga. This is very different. In other Yugas, I would kill the big demons using different weapons. But in Kaliyuga, demons exist in the heart of the people, they can't be killed by gross weapon. To destroy them, I would use the weapon which is used by Vaishnavas. I would use the sharp weapon of Nama Sankirtan, congregational chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra. This sword can enter the hearts of the people and kill the demon inside. In Dwapar Yuga itself Lord Dwarkadhish, predicted his appearance as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Kaliyuga. And also Krsna predicted the appearance of Srila Prabhupada.
(Caitanya Mangala Sutra-khanda Song 12, texts 562-565)
nama-guna-sankirtana vaisnavera shakti
prakasa karibe ami nija prema-bhakti
Translation: Chanting of the name & qualities of Krsna is the life & energy of the Vaisnavas. I will reveal these activities & rejuvenate pure devotional service unto Myself.
ei mate kali-papa karibe sanhara
sabe cala age pache na kara vichara
Translation: In this way I will destroy all the sins in Kali Yuga. So all of you, My associates, go ahead and take birth on the earthly planet before My advent and don't remain behind.
ebe nama sankirtana tikshna khadaga laiya
antara asura jivera phelibe katiya
Translation: Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out & destroy the demoniac mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls.
yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya
mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya
Translation: If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them Krsna consciousness. (senapati - a military field commander, bhakta - a devotee. Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna Consciousness around the world.)
He said, even the demons who have hidden themselves in foreign lands will be delivered by "My" Commander in chief. That devotee would reach the entire world and he would drown the entire universe in Krsna Prema. Lochana Das Thakura speaks, He would drown everyone without any exception.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Haridas Thakura, when we chant the Holy names of the Lord loudly it gives pleasure to all the species of life including trees, birds, animals etc. Krsna speaks, I will distribute Krsna Prema which is hardly received by Brahma or Lord Shiva after begging for ages.
In other ages, it's difficult to practice spirituality. But in Kaliyuga, one just has to chant the holy names and dance. That's why Sri Krsna Das Kaviraj Goswami speaks, dear devotees just imagine the extent of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy on the fallen souls of this Kaliyuga.
Sri Chaitanya Chandramrita says,
rakṣo-daitya-kulaṁ hataṁ kiyad idaṁ yogādi-vartma-kriyā-
mārgo vā prakaṭī-kṛtaḥ kiyad idaṁ sṛṣṭy-ādikaṁ vā kiyat |
mediny-uddharaṇādikaṁ kiyad idaṁ premojjvalāyā mahā-
bhakter vartma-karīṁ parāṁ bhagavataś caitanya-mūrtiṁ stumaḥ
atigūḍhojjvalā bhaktiḥ kalau yena prakāśitā |
avatāra-varaṁ naumi gaura-harim īśvaram ||7||
(Sri Caitanya Candramrtam Verse 7)
ranslation: What benefit did the world attain when Lord Rama, Lord Nrsimha, and many other incarnations of Godhead killed so many raksasa and daitya demons? How important is it that Lord Kapila and other incarnations revealed the paths of sankhya and yoga? How glorious is it that Lord Brahma and other guna-avataras create, maintain and destroy the material universes? How auspicious is it that Lord Varaha lifted the earth from the Garbhodaka Ocean? We do not consider any of these activities to be very important. The most important thing is that Lord Caitanya has revealed the great splendour of pure love of Krsna. Let us glorify that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu does not consider any qualification or disqualification. Neither does he think whether he should be awarded or not. Instantly,he gives out the mellow of devotional service to anyone in Kaliyuga.
Also it says, I worship Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who saved us by killing the different demons, for example as you appeared as Lord Rama. Also in other ages you appeared as Kapila Deva and practiced Yoga practices. As Varaha, you delivered Mother Earth. But this Incarnation of yours is very different, in which you delivered everyone without any consideration of qualification or disqualification.
Srila Vrindavan Das Thakura also glorified Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, after the Jagai Nitai pastime.
Vrajendra-nandana jei, saci-suta hoilo sei,
balarama hoilo nitai
dina-hina jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo,
tara sakshi jagai madhai (Hari Hari Bifale 3)
Translation: Lord Krishna, who is the son of the King of Vraja, became the son of Saci (Lord Caitanya), and Balarama became Nitai. The holy name delivered all those souls who were lowly and wretched. The two sinners Jagai and Madhai are evidence of this.
After Jagai and Madai were delivered, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu declared, go door to door and beg the people of Kaliyuga to chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra.
(sraddhaban jana he sraddhaban jana he)
prabhura ajnaya bhai magi ei bhikha
bolo krishna bhajo krishna koro krishna-sikha (Nadiya Godrume 2)
Translation: (O faithful people, O faithful people,) O my brothers, by the Lord's command I ask this charity of you: Please chant, Krishna!", worship Krishna, and learn and teach about Krishna.
And if they are still not chanting my Holy name then I will personally come and kill them with my Sudarshan Chakra. Later on as part of Jagai and Madai pastimes, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard Madai hitting Nityananda Prabhu with a pot and Nityananda Prabhu was bleeding. He appeared at that spot. He had Sudarshan Chakra, but Nityananda Prabhu asked Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to forgive Jagai.
Whatever he faced was the result of some past sinful activities. But Jagai was so merciful, he saved him and stopped Madai from killing him.
eka jiva, dui deha—jagai-madhai eka punya,
eka papa, vaise eka thani (CB 2.13.200)
Translation: Jagāi and Mādhāi were like one soul with two bodies, yet here one was pious and one was sinful.
As soon as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard that Jagai had saved Nityananda, he immediately embraced Jagai and blessed Jagai with his Chaturbhuja Darshan. Jagai fainted out of ecstasy.
pātrāpātra-vicāra nāhi, nāhi sthānāsthāna
yei yāṅhā pāya, tāṅhā kare prema-dāna (CC Adi 7.23)
Translation: In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.
Looking at this even Madai thought, Jagai got such mercy from the Lord. When will I get delivered and he fell at the Lotus feet of Nityananda prabhu and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and he begged for the mercy. Then Lord even forgive him. And he delivered both Jagai and Madai. Then Jagai and Madai glorified Lord Gauranga with the following words.
(Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.13)
papi uddharile yata nana avatare
parama adbhuta—taha ghosaye samsare (259)
Translation: You have delivered numerous sinful persons in Your various incarnations. This is glorified throughout the world as most wonderful.
ama’-dui patakira dekhiya uddhara
alpatva paila purva mahima tomara (260)
Translation: By delivering us two, however, Your past glories have become minimized.
ajāmila-uddhārera yateka mahattva
āmāra uddhāre seho pāila alpatva (261)
Translation: Even the glories of delivering Ajāmila have been minimized by delivering us.
satya kahi,—āmi kichu stuti nāhi kari
ucitei ajāmila mukti-adhikārī (262)
Translation: We are not flattering You, we are speaking the truth. Ajāmila was actually fit for liberation.
ebe se haila veda—maha-balavanta
ebe se badani kari’ gaiba ananta (271)
Translation: By Your influence and behavior the science of sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana has fully blossomed. Therefore Ananta can now loudly sing the Vedic truths.
ebe se vidita haila gopya guna-grama
`nirlaksya-uddhara’—prabhu, ihara se nama (272)
Translation: Now Your hidden quality is known to all. Delivering unqualified fallen souls by Your causeless mercy is the shining example of this.
yadi bala—kamsa-adi yata daitya-gana
tahara o droha kari’ paila mocana
kata laksya ache tathi, dekha nija-mane
nirantara dekhileka se narendra-gane (273-274)
Translation: If You say that despite their attack, demons like Kaṃsa were also delivered, then consider what qualities they had. Those kings constantly saw You. They fought with You according to kṣatriya principles and constantly thought of You in fear. Yet they could not avoid the sin of attacking You, and as a result they and their dynasties were destroyed.
sarva-mate prabhu, tora e mahima bada
kahare bhandiba? sabe janileka dadha (279)
Translation: O Lord, this is certainly due to Your extraordinary glories. Who can be deceived now? Everyone is convinced.
mahabhakta gajaraja karila stavana
ekanta sarana dekhi’ karila mocana (280)
Translation: The great devotee Gajendra offered You prayers, and You delivered him because he was fully surrendered.
daive se upama nahe asura putana
agha-baka-adi yata keha nahe sima (281)
Translation: That example cannot be applied to demons like Pūtanā,Agha,and Baka
chadiya se deha tara gela divyagati
veda vine taha dekhe kahara sakati? (282)
Translation: Although they attained the spiritual world when they left their bodies, who had the power to see that without Vedic knowledge?
ye karila ei dui pataki-sarire saksate
dekhila iha sakala samsare (283)
Translation: What You have done to us two sinners, however, has been directly seen by people of the entire world
yateka karila tumi pataki-uddhara
Karo kona-rupa laksya ache sabakara (284)
Translation: The sinners that You have previously delivered all had some qualification or another.
nirlaksye tarila brahma-daitya dui-jana
tomara karunya sabe ihara karana” (285)
Translation: But now You have causelessly delivered two persons who were brāhmaṇa demons. This is only due to Your mercy.
They said, the deliverance of Ajamila is not something extraordinary. Ajamila had chanted your Holy name then you Delivered him. But we were so sinful, we tried to hit you. You delivered the demons in Dwapara as Krsna but this is not something extraordinary too. All those demons were connected to you. Kamsa was your maternal uncle and also other demons left their bodies in front of you so their deliverance was guaranteed.
But look at us, we are still living and people are glorifying us. Also in the case of Putana, scriptures tell us that you gave her the position of your mother in the spiritual world, but who knows this, we have not seen that. But in our case we were so fallen that even people will not appreciate our shadow. But now you transformed our hearts.
Hare Krsna.
