The Eighth Chapter of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is summarized by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. In this Eighth Chapter the glories of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda are described, and it is also stated that one who commits offenses in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra does not achieve love of Godhead, even after chanting for many years. In this connection, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura warns against artificial displays of the bodily symptoms called aṣṭa-sāttvika-vikāra. That is also another offense. One should seriously and sincerely continue to chant the Pañca-tattva names śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. All these ācāryas will bestow their causeless mercy upon a devotee and gradually purify his heart. When he is actually purified, automatically he will experience ecstasy in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Previous to the composition of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura wrote a book called Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata. Only those subjects which were not discussed by Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura in his Caitanya-bhāgavata have been taken up by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī to be depicted in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. In his very old age, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana, and by the order of Śrī Madana-mohanajī he wrote Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Thus we are now able to relish its transcendental bliss.
TEXT 1
vande caitanya-devaṁ taṁ
bhagavantaṁ yad-icchayā
prasabhaṁ nartyate citraṁ
lekha-raṅge jaḍo ‘py ayam
SYNONYMS
vande-I offer my respectful obeisances; caitanya-devam-unto Lord Srī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tam-Him; bhagavantam-the Personality of Godhead; yat-icchayā-by whose desires; prasabham-all of a sudden; nartyate-dancing; citram-wonderfully; lekha-raṅge-in the matter of writing; jaḍaḥ-dull fool; api-although; ayam-this.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respects to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose desire I have become like a dancing dog and, although I am a fool, I have suddenly taken to the writing of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
TEXT 2
jaya jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya gauracandra
jaya jaya paramānanda jaya nityānanda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya-all glories; śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu; gaura-candra-whose name is Lord Gaurāṅga; jaya jaya-all glories; paramānanda-most joyful; jaya-all glories; nityānanda-unto Nityānanda Prabhu.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is known as Gaurasundara. I also offer my respectful obeisances unto Nityānanda Prabhu, who is always very joyful.
TEXT 3
jaya jayādvaita ācārya kṛpāmaya
jaya jaya gadādhara paṇḍita mahāśaya
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya-all glories; advaita-unto Advaita Prabhu; ācārya-teacher; kṛpāmaya-very merciful; jaya jaya-all glories to; gadādhara-of the name Gadādhara; paṇḍita-learned scholar; mahāśaya-great personality.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Advaita Ācārya, who is very merciful, and also to that great personality Gadādhara Paṇḍita, the learned scholar.
TEXT 4
jaya jaya śrīvāsādi yata bhakta-gaṇa
praṇata ha-iyā vandoṅ sabāra caraṇa
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya-all glories; śrīvāsa-ādi-unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, etc.; yata-all; bhakta-gaṇa-devotees; praṇata-offering obeisances; ha-iyā-doing so; vandoṅ-I pray; sabāra-all; caraṇa-lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and all other devotees of the Lord. I fall down to offer them respect. I worship their lotus feet.
PURPORT
Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī teaches us first to offer respect to the Pañca-tattva-Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadādhara Prabhu and Śrīvāsa and other devotees. We must strictly follow the principle of offering our respects to the Pañca-tattva, as summarized in the mantra śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. At the beginning of every function in preaching, especially before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare-we must chant the Pañca-tattva’s names and offer our respects to them.
TEXT 5
mūka kavitva kare yāṅ-sabāra smaraṇe
paṅgu giri laṅghe, andha dekhe tārā-gaṇe
SYNONYMS
mūka-dumb; kavitva-poet; kare-becomes; yāṅ-whose; sabāra-all; smaraṇe-by remembering; paṅgu-the lame; giri-mountains; laṅghe-crosses; andha-blind; dekhe-sees; tārā-gaṇe-the stars.
TRANSLATION
By remembering the lotus feet of the Pañca-tattva, a dumb man can become a poet, a lame man can cross mountains, and a blind man can see the stars in the sky.
PURPORT
In Vaiṣṇava philosophy there are three ways for perfection-namely, sādhana-siddha, perfection attained by executing devotional service according to the rules and regulations; nitya-siddha, eternal perfection attained by never forgetting Kṛṣṇa at any time; and kṛpā-siddha, perfection attained by the mercy of the spiritual master or another Vaiṣṇava. Kavirāja Gosvāmī here stresses kṛpā-siddha, perfection by the mercy of superior authorities. This mercy does not depend on the qualifications of a devotee. By such mercy, even if a devotee is dumb he can speak or write to glorify the Lord splendidly, even if lame he can cross mountains, and even if blind he can see the stars in the sky.
TEXT 6
e-saba nā māne yei paṇḍita sakala
tā-sabāra vidyā-pāṭha bheka-kolāhala
SYNONYMS
e-saba-all these; nā-does not; māne-accept; yei-anyone; paṇḍita-so-called learned; sakala-all; tā-sabāra-of all of them; vidyā-pāṭha-the educational cultivation; bheka-of frogs; kolāhala-tumultuous sound.
TRANSLATION
The education cultivated by so-called learned scholars who do not believe these statements of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is like the tumultuous croaking of frogs.
PURPORT
The croaking of the frogs in the rainy season resounds very loudly in the forest, with the result that snakes, hearing the croaking in the darkness, approach the frogs and swallow them. Similarly, the so-called educational vibrations of the tongues of university professors who do not have spiritual knowledge is like the croaking of frogs.
TEXT 7
ei saba nā māne yebā kare kṛṣṇa-bhakti
kṛṣṇa-kṛpā nāhi tāre, nāhi tāra gati
SYNONYMS
ei-these; saba-all; nā māne-does not accept; yebā-anyone who; kare-executes; kṛṣṇa-bhakti-devotional service; kṛṣṇa-kṛpā-mercy of Kṛṣṇa; nāhi-is not; tāre-unto him; nāhi-there is not; tāra-his; gati-advancement.
TRANSLATION
One who does not accept the glories of the Pañca-tattva but still makes a show of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can never achieve the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or advance to the ultimate goal.
PURPORT
If one is seriously interested in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, he must be ready to follow the rules and regulations laid down by the ācāryas, and he must understand their conclusions. The śāstra says: dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahā-jano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.117). It is very difficult to understand the secret of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but one who advances by the instruction of the previous ācāryas and follows in the footsteps of his predecessors in the line of disciplic succession will have success. Others will not. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says in this connection, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: “Unless one serves the spiritual master and ācāryas, one cannot be liberated.” Elsewhere he says:
“I simply accept a person who follows in the footsteps of the six Gosvāmīs, and the dust of such a person’s lotus feet is my food.”
TEXT 8
pūrve yaiche jarāsandha-ādi rāja-gaṇa
veda-dharma kari’ kare viṣṇura pūjana
SYNONYMS
pūrve-formerly; yaiche-as it was; jarāsandha-King Jarāsandha; ādi-heading; rāja-gaṇa-kings; veda-dharma-performance of Vedic rituals; kari’-doing; kare-does; viṣṇura-of Lord Viṣṇu; pūjana-worship.
TRANSLATION
Formerly kings like Jarāsandha [the father-in-law of Kaṁsa] strictly followed the Vedic rituals, thus worshiping Lord Viṣṇu.
PURPORT
In these verses the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, is very seriously stressing the importance of worship of the Pañca-tattva. If one becomes a devotee of Gaurasundara or Kṛṣṇa but does not give importance to the Pañca-tattva (śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda), his activities are considered to be offenses, or, in the words of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, utpāta (disturbances). One must therefore be ready to offer due respects to the Pañca-tattva before becoming a devotee of Lord Gaurasundara or of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 9
kṛṣṇa nāhi māne, tāte daitya kari’ māni
caitanya nā mānile taiche daitya tāre jāni
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; nāhi-does not; māne-accept; tāte-therefore; daitya-demon; kari’ māni-we accept; caitanya-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nā-without; mānile-accepting; taiche-similarly; daitya-demon; tāre-to him; jāni-we know.
TRANSLATION
One who does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly a demon. Similarly, anyone who does not accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa, the same Supreme Lord, is also to be considered a demon.
PURPORT
Formerly there were kings like Jarāsandha who strictly followed the Vedic rituals, acted as charitable, competent kṣatriyas, possessed all kṣatriya qualities and were even obedient to the brahminical culture but who did not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Jarāsandha attacked Kṛṣṇa many times, and each time, of course, he was defeated. Like Jarāsandha, any man who performs Vedic rituals but does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be considered an asura, or demon. Similarly, one who does not accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa Himself is also a demon. This is the conclusion of authoritative scriptures. Therefore, both so-called devotion to Gaurasundara without devotional service to Kṛṣṇa and so-called kṛṣṇa-bhakti without devotional service to Gaurasundara are nondevotional activities. If one wants to be successful on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he must be thoroughly conscious of the personality of Gaurasundara as well as the personality of Kṛṣṇa. Knowing the personality of Gaurasundara means knowing the personalities of śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. The author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, pursuant to the authorities, stresses this principle for perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
TEXT 10
more nā mānile saba loka habe nāśa
ithi lāgi’ kṛpārdra prabhu karila sannyāsa
SYNONYMS
more-unto Me; nā-without; mānile-accepting; saba-all; loka-people in general; habe-will go to; nāśa-destruction; ithi-for this; lāgi’-for the reason of; kṛpā-ārdra-all merciful; prabhu-Lord Caitanya; karila-accepted; sannyāsa-the sannyāsa order.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “Unless people accept Me they will all be destroyed.” Thus the merciful Lord accepted the sannyāsa order.
PURPORT
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.51) it is said, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: “Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name, one is liberated and goes back home, back to Godhead.” This Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be achieved through the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One cannot be complete in Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless he accepts Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates as the only means for success. It is because of these considerations that the Lord accepted sannyāsa, for thus people would offer Him respect and very quickly come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Since Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, inaugurated the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, without His mercy one cannot be elevated to the transcendental platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
TEXT 11
sannyāsi-buddhye more karibe namaskāra
tathāpi khaṇḍibe duḥkha, pāibe nistāra
SYNONYMS
sannyāsi-buddhye-by consideration of a sannyāsī; more-unto Me; karibe-they will; namaskāra-offer obeisances; tathāpi-therefore; khaṇḍibe-will diminish; duḥkha-distress; pāibe-will get; nistāra-liberation.
TRANSLATION
“If a person offers obeisances to Me, even due to accepting Meonly as an ordinary sannyāsī, his material distresses will diminish, and he will ultimately get liberation.”
PURPORT
Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that He always thinks of how to liberate the conditioned souls from the material platform. It is for this reason that Kṛṣṇa incarnates, as clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.7):
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.”Kṛṣṇa always protects the living entities in many ways. He comes Himself, He sends His own confidential devotees, and He leaves behind Him śāstras like the Bhagavad-gītā Why? It is so that people may take advantage of the benediction to be liberated from the clutches of māyā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa so that even a foolish person who accepted Him as an ordinary sannyāsī would offer Him respect, for this would help diminish his material distresses and ultimately liberate him from the material clutches. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī points out in this connection that Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the combined form of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (mahāprabhu śrī-caitanya, rādha-kṛṣṇa-nahe anya). Therefore when fools considered Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be an ordinary human being and thus treated Him disrespectfully, the merciful Lord, in order to deliver these offenders, accepted sannyāsa so that they would offer Him obeisances, accepting Him as a sannyāsī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa to bestow His great mercy on people in general, who cannot appreciate Him as Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa Themselves.
TEXT 12
hena kṛpāmaya caitanya nā bhaje yei jana
sarvottama ha-ileo tāre asure gaṇana
SYNONYMS
hena-such; kṛpāmaya-merciful; caitanya-Lord Srī Caitanya; nā-does not; bhaje-worship; yei-one; jana-person; sarvottama-supreme; ha-ileo-in spite of his being; tāre-unto him; asure-among the demons; gaṇana-the calculation.
TRANSLATION
One who does not show respect unto this merciful Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, or does not worship Him should be considered a demon, even if he is very exalted in human society.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Mahārāja says in this connection: “O living entities, simply engage yourselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” Lord Caitanya preached this cult, instructing the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in His eight verses, or Śikṣāṣṭaka, and He said, ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra: “By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one will get all perfection in life.” Therefore one who does not show Him respect or cannot appreciate His mercy despite all these merciful gestures is still an asura, or opponent of bona fide devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu, even though he is very exalted in human society. The word asura refers to one who is against devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. It should be noted that unless one worships Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu it is useless to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and unless one worships Kṛṣṇa it is also useless to become a devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Such devotional service is to be understood to be a product of Kali-yuga. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that atheist smārtas, or worshipers of the five kinds of demigods, worship Lord Viṣṇu for a little satisfaction in material success but have no respect for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thinking Him to be one of the ordinary living entities, they discriminate between Gaurasundara and Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such understanding is also demoniac and is against the conclusion of the ācāryas. Such a conclusion is a product of Kali-yuga.
TEXT 13
ataeva punaḥ kahoṅ ūrdhva-bāhu hañā
caitanya-nityānanda bhaja kutarka chāḍiyā
SYNONYMS
ataeva-therefore; punaḥ-again; kahoṅ-I speak; ūrdhva-lifting; bāhu-arms; hañā-so doing; caitanya-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nityānanda-Lord Nityānanda; bhaja-worship; kutarka-useless arguments; chāḍiyā-giving up.
TRANSLATION
Therefore I say again, lifting my arms: O fellow human beings, please worship Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda without false arguments!
PURPORT
Because a person who performs kṛṣṇa-bhakti but does not understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda will simply waste his time, the author, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī; requests that everyone take to the worship of Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu and the Pañca-tattva. He assures everyone that any person who does so will be successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
TEXT 14
yadi vā tārkika kahe,–tarka se pramāṇa
tarka-śāstre siddha yei, sei sevyamāna
SYNONYMS
yadi-if; vā-or; tārkika-logician; kahe-says; tarka-logic; se-that; pramāṇa-evidence; tarka-śāstre-in the logic; siddha-accepted; yei-whatever; sei-that; sevyamāna-is worshipable.
TRANSLATION
Logicians say, “Unless one gains understanding through logic and argument, how can one decide upon a worshipable Deity?”
TEXT 15
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
vicāra karite citte pābe camatkāra
SYNONYMS
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dayā-His mercy; karaha-just put into; vicāra-consideration; vicāra-when such consideration; karile-will be done by you; citte-in your heart; pābe-you will get; camatkāra-striking wonder.
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.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura comments in this connection that people in general, in their narrow-minded conception of life, create many different types of humanitarian activities, but the humanitarian activities inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are different. For logicians who want to accept only that which is proven through logic and argument, it is a fact that without logic and reason there can be no question of accepting the Absolute Truth. Unfortunately, when such logicians take to this path without the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they remain on the platform of logic and argument and do not advance in spiritual life. However, if one is intelligent enough to apply his arguments and logic to the subtle understanding of the fundamental spiritual substance, he will be able to know that a poor fund of knowledge established on the basis of material logic cannot help one understand the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of imperfect senses. The Mahābhārata therefore says: acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. (Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma-parva 5.22) How can that which is beyond the imagination or sensory speculation of mundane creatures be approached simply by logic? Logic and argument are very poor in spiritual strength and always imperfect when applied to spiritual understanding. By putting forward mundane logic one frequently comes to the wrong conclusion regarding the Absolute Truth, and as a result of such a conclusion one may fall down to accept a body like that of a jackal.
Despite all this, those who are actually inquisitive to understand the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu through logic and argument are welcome. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī addresses them, “Please put Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy to your crucial test, and if you are actually a logician you will come to the right conclusion that there is no personality more merciful than Lord Caitanya.” Let the logicians compare all the results of other humanitarian work with the merciful activities of Lord Caitanya. If their judgment is impartial, they will understand that no other humanitarian activities can surpass those of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Everyone is engaged in humanitarian activities on the basis of the body, but from the Bhagavad-gītā (2.18) we understand, anta-vanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ: The material body is ultimately subject to destruction, whereas the spiritual soul is eternal. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s philanthropic activities are performed in connection with the eternal soul. However one tries to benefit the body, it will be destroyed, and one will have to accept another body according to his present activities. If one does not, therefore, understand this science of transmigration but considers the body to be all in all, his intelligence is not very advanced. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, without neglecting the necessities of the body, imparted spiritual advancement to purify the existential condition of humanity. Therefore if a logician makes his judgment impartially, he will surely find that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the mahā-vadānyāvatāra, the most magnanimous incarnation. He is even more magnanimous than Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa demanded that one surrender unto Him, but He did not distribute love of Godhead as magnanimously as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī offers Lord Caitanya his respectful obeisances with the words namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ. Lord Kṛṣṇa simply gave the Bhagavad-gītā, by which one can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as He is, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is also Kṛṣṇa Himself, gave people love of Kṛṣṇa without discrimination.
TEXT 16
bahu janma kare yadi śravaṇa, kīrtana
tabu ta’ nā pāya kṛṣṇa-pade prema-dhana
SYNONYMS
bahu-many; janma-births; kare-does; yadi-if; śravaṇa-hearing; kīrtana-chanting; tabu-still; ta’-in spite of; nā-does not; pāya-get; kṛṣṇa-pade-unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; prema-dhana-love of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says in this connection that unless one accepts Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although one goes on chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for many, many years, there is no possibility of his attaining the platform of devotional service. One must follow strictly the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu given in the Śikṣāṣṭaka (3):
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.” One who follows this direction, being freed from the ten kinds of offenses, becomes successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ultimately reaches the platform of loving service to the Personality of Godhead.
One must come to the understanding that the holy name of the Lord and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself are identical. One cannot reach this conclusion unless one is offenseless in chanting the holy name. By our material calculation we see a difference between the name and the substance, but in the spiritual world the Absolute is always absolute; the name, form, quality and pastimes of the Absolute are all as good as the Absolute Himself. As such, one is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself an eternal servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world. One who chants in that spirit, without offenses, is certainly elevated to the platform of understanding that the holy name and the Personality of Godhead are identical. To associate with the holy name and chant the holy name is to associate with the Personality of Godhead directly. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu it is clearly said: sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. The holy name becomes manifest when one engages in the service of the holy name. This service in a submissive attitude begins with one’s tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: One must engage his tongue in the service of the holy name. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle. We try to engage all the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the service of the holy name. Since the holy name and Kṛṣṇa are nondifferent, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement not only chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, but also do not allow their tongues to eat anything that is not first offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord declares:
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtaṁ
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bg. 9.26) Therefore the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has many temples all over the world, and in each and every temple the Lord is offered these foods. On the basis of His demands, the devotees chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly and never eat anything that is not first offered to the Lord. The functions of the tongue in devotional service are to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and eat prasāda that is offered to the Lord.
TEXT 17
jñānataḥ su-labhā muktir
bhuktir yajñādi-puṇyataḥ
seyaṁ sādhana-sāhasrair
hāri-bhaktiḥ su-durlabhā
SYNONYMS
jñānataḥ-by cultivation of knowledge; su-labhā-easily obtainable; muktiḥ-liberation; bhuktiḥ-sense enjoyment; yajña-ādi-performance of sacrifices, etc.; puṇyataḥ-and by performing pious activities; sā-that; iyam-this; sādhana-sāhasraiḥ-execution of thousands of sacrifices; hari-bhaktiḥ-devotional service; su-durlabhā-is very rare.
TRANSLATION
“By cultivating philosophical knowledge one can understand his spiritual position and thus be liberated, and by performing sacrifices and pious activities one can achieve sense gratification in a higher planetary system, but the devotional service of the Lord is so rare that even by executing hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices one cannot obtain it.”
PURPORT
Prahlāda Mahārāja instructs:
matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho ‘bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
(Bhāg. 7.5.30)
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-‘bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
(Bhāg. 7.5.32)
These ślokas are to be discussed. Their purport is that one cannot obtain kṛṣṇa-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, by official execution of the Vedic rituals. One has to approach a pure devotee. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: “Who has been elevated without rendering service to a pure Vaiṣṇava?” It is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja that unless one is able to accept the dust from the lotus feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava there is no possibility of achieving the platform of devotional service. That is the secret. The above-mentioned tantra-vacana, quoted from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.36), is our perfect guidance in this connection.
TEXT 18
kṛṣṇa yadi chuṭe bhakte bhukti mukti diyā
kabhu prema-bhakti nā dena rākhena lukāiyā
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; yadi-of course; chuṭe-goes away; bhakte-unto the devotee; bhukti-material enjoyment; mukti-liberation; diyā-offering; kabhu-at any time; prema-bhakti-love of Godhead; nā-does not; dena-give; rākhena-keeps; lukāiyā-hiding.
TRANSLATION
If a devotee wants material sense gratification or liberation from the Lord, Kṛṣṇa immediately delivers it, but pure devotional service He keeps hidden.
TEXT 19
rājan patir gurur alaṁ bhavatāṁ yadūnāṁ
daivaṁ priyaḥ kula-patiḥ kva ca kiṅkaro vaḥ
astv evam aṅga bhagavān bhajatāṁ mukundo
muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam
SYNONYMS
rājan-O King; patiḥ-master; guruḥ-spiritual master; alam-certainly; bhavatām-of your; yadūnām-of the Yadus; daivam-God; priyaḥ-very dear; kula-patiḥ-head of the family; kva-even sometimes; ca-also; kiṅkaraḥ-order carrier; vaḥ-you; astu-there is; evam-thus; aṅga-however; bhagavān-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhajatām-those who are in devotional service; mukundaḥ-Lord Kṛṣṇa; muktim-liberation; dadāti-gives; karhicit-sometimes; sma-certainly; na-not; bhakti-yogam-devotional service.
TRANSLATION
“The great sage Nārada said, ‘My dear Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help you. He is your master, guru, God, very dear friend and head of your family. Yet sometimes He agrees to act as your servant or order-carrier. You are greatly fortunate because this relationship is possible only by bhakti-yoga. The Lord can give liberation [mukti] very easily, but He does not very easily give one bhakti-yoga, because by that process He is bound to the devotee.’ “
PURPORT
This passage is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.6.18). While Śukadeva Gosvāmī was describing the character of Ṛṣabhadeva, he distinguished between bhakti-yoga and liberation by reciting this verse. In relationship with the Yadus and Pāṇḍavas, the Lord acted sometimes as their master, sometimes as their advisor, sometimes as their friend, sometimes as the head of their family and sometimes even as their servant. Kṛṣṇa once had to carry out an order of Yudhiṣṭhira’s by carrying a letter Yudhiṣṭhira had written to Duryodhana regarding peace negotiations. Similarly, He also became the chariot driver of Arjuna. This illustrates that in bhakti-yoga there is a relationship established between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotee. Such a relationship is established in the transcendental mellows known as dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya. If a devotee wants simple liberation, he gets it very easily from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. Muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate ‘smān: for a devotee, mukti is not very important because mukti is always standing on his doorstep waiting to serve him in some way. A devotee, therefore, must be attracted by the behavior of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, who live in a relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The land, water, cows, trees and flowers serve Kṛṣṇa in śānta-rasa, His servants serve Him in dāsya-rasa, and His cowherd friends serve Him in sakhya-rasa. Similarly, the elder gopīs and gopas serve Kṛṣṇa as father and mother, uncle and other relatives, and the gopīs, the young girls, serve Kṛṣṇa in conjugal love.
While executing devotional service, one must be naturally inclined to serve Kṛṣṇa in one of these transcendental relationships. That is the actual success of life. For a devotee, to get liberation is not very difficult. Even one who is unable to establish a relationship with Kṛṣṇa can achieve liberation by merging in the Brahman effulgence. This is called sāyujya-mukti. Vaiṣṇavas never accept sāyujya-mukti, although sometimes they accept the other forms of liberation, namely, sārūpya, sālokya, sāmīpya and sārṣṭi. A pure devotee, however, does not accept any kind of mukti. He wants only to serve Kṛṣṇa in a transcendental relationship. This is the perfectional stage of spiritual life. Māyāvādī philosophers desire to merge into the existence of the Brahman effulgence, although this aspect of liberation is always neglected by devotees. Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, describing this kind of mukti, which is called kaivalya, or becoming one with the Supreme, has said, kaivalyaṁ narakāyate: “Becoming one with the Supreme is as good as going to hell.” Therefore the ideal of Māyāvāda philosophy, becoming one with the Supreme, is hellish for a devotee; he never accepts it. Māyāvādī philosophers do not know that even if they merge in the effulgence of the Supreme, this will not give them ultimate rest. An individual soul cannot live in the Brahman effulgence in a state of inactivity; after some time, he must desire to be active. However, since he is not related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore has no spiritual activity, he must come down for further activities in this material world. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ‘nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world to open hospitals or schools or perform similar philanthropic activities.
TEXT 20
hena prema śrī-caitanya dilā yathā tathā
jagāi mādhāi paryanta–anyera kā kathā
SYNONYMS
hena-such; prema-love of Godhead; śrī-caitanya-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dilā-has given; yathā-anywhere; tathā-everywhere; jagāi-of the name Jagāi; mādhāi-of the name Mādhāi; paryanta-up to them; anyera-of others; kā-what to speak; kathā-words.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has freely given this love of Kṛṣṇa everywhere and anywhere, even to the most fallen, such as Jagāi and Mādhāi. What then to speak of those who are already pious and elevated?
PURPORT
The distinction between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s gift to human society and the gifts of others is that whereas so-called philanthropic and humanitarian workers have given some relief to human society as far as the body is concerned, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offers the best facilities for going back home, back to Godhead, with love of Godhead. If one seriously makes a comparative study of the two gifts, certainly if he is at all sober he will give the greatest credit to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It was with this purpose that Kavirāja Gosvāmī said:
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra
“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.” (Cc. Ādi 8.15)
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:
dīna-hīna yata chila, hari-nāme uddhārila,
tā’ra sākṣī jagāi mādhāi
The two brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi epitomize the sinful population of this Age of Kali. They were most disturbing elements in society because they were meat-eaters, drunkards, woman-hunters, rogues and thieves. Yet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu delivered them, to say nothing of others who were sober, pious, devoted and conscientious. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms that to say nothing of the brahminically qualified devotees and rājarṣis (kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā), anyone who by the association of a pure devotee comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) the Lord thus declares:
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye ‘pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te ‘pi yānti parāṁ gatim
“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]-can approach the supreme destination.”
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu delivered the two fallen brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi, but the entire world is presently full of Jagāis and Mādhāis, or, in other words, woman-hunters, meat-eaters, gamblers, thieves and other rogues, who create all kinds of disturbance in society. The activities of such persons have now become common practices. It is no longer considered abominable to be a drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater, thief or rogue, for these elements have been assimilated by human society. That does not mean, however, that the abominable qualities of such persons will help free human society from the clutches of māyā. Rather, they will entangle humanity more and more in the reactions of the stringent laws of material nature. One’s activities are all performed under the influence of the modes of material nature (prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ). Because people are now associating with the modes of ignorance (tamo-guṇa) and, to some extent, passion (rajo-guṇa), with no trace of goodness (sattva-guṇa), they are becoming increasingly greedy and lusty, for that is the effect of associating with these modes. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhavāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye: “By associating with the two lower qualities of material nature, one becomes lusty and greedy.” (Bhāg. 1.2.19) Actually, in modern human society, everyone is greedy and lusty, and therefore the only means for deliverance is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s saṅkīrtana movement, which can promote all the Jagāis and Mādhāis to the topmost position of sattva-guṇa, or brahminical culture.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.18-19) states:
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ
kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati
Considering the chaotic condition of human society, if one actually wants peace and tranquillity, one must take to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and engage always in bhāgavata-dharma. Engagement in bhāgavata-dharma dissipates all ignorance and passion, and when ignorance and passion are dissipated one is freed from greed and lust. When freed from greed and lust, one becomes brahminically qualified, and when a brahminically qualified person makes further advancement, he becomes situated on the Vaiṣṇava platform. It is only on this Vaiṣṇava platform that it is possible to awaken one’s dormant love of Godhead, and as soon as one does so, his life is successful.
At present, human society is specifically cultivating the mode of ignorance (tamo-guṇa), although there may also be some symptoms of passion (rajo-guṇa). Full of kāma and lobha, lust and greed, the entire population of the world consists mostly of śūdras and a few vaiśyas, and gradually it is coming about that there are śūdras only. Communism is a movement of śūdras, and capitalism is meant for vaiśyas. In the fighting between these two factions, the śūdras and vaiśyas, gradually, due to the abominable condition of society, the communists will emerge triumphant, and as soon as this takes place, whatever is left of society will be ruined. The only possible remedy that can counteract the tendency toward communism is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which can give even communists the real idea of communist society. According to the doctrine of communism, the state should be the proprietor of everything. But the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, expanding this same idea, accepts God as the proprietor of everything. People can’t understand this because they have no sense of God, but the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can help them to understand God and to understand that everything belongs to God. Since everything is the property of God, and all living entities-not only human beings but even animals, birds, plants and so on-are children of God, everyone has the right to live at the cost of God with God consciousness. This is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
TEXT 21
svatantra īśvara prema-nigūḍha-bhāṇḍāra
bilāila yāre tāre, nā kaila vicāra
SYNONYMS
svatantra-fully independent; īśvara-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prema-love of God; nigūḍha-very confidential; bhāṇḍāra-stock; bilāila-distributed; yāre-to anyone; tāre-to everyone; nā-not; kaila-did; vicāra-consideration.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, is fully independent. Therefore, although it is the most confidentially stored benediction, He can distribute love of Godhead to anyone and everyone without consideration.
PURPORT
This is the benefit of Lord Caitanya’s movement. If one somehow or other comes in contact with the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, without consideration of his being a śūdra, vaiśya, Jagāi, Mādhāi or even lower, he becomes advanced in spiritual consciousness and immediately develops love of Godhead. We now have actual experience that throughout the entire world this movement is making many such persons lovers of God simply by the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Actually, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared as the spiritual master of the entire world. He does not discriminate between offenders and the innocent. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: He liberally gives love of Godhead to anyone and everyone. This can be actually experienced, as stated in the next verse.
TEXT 22
adyāpiha dekha caitanya-nāma yei laya
kṛṣṇa-preme pulakāśru-vihvala se haya
SYNONYMS
adyāpiha-even up to date; dekha-you see; caitanya-nāma-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s name; yei-anyone; laya-who takes; kṛṣṇa-preme-in love of Kṛṣṇa; pulaka-aśru-tears in ecstasy; vihvala-overwhelmed; se-he; haya-becomes.
TRANSLATION
Whether he is offensive or inoffensive, anyone who even now chants śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda is immediately overwhelmed with ecstasy, and tears fill his eyes.
PURPORT
The prākṛta-sahajiyās who chant nitāi-gaura rādhe śyāma have very little knowledge of the Bhāgavata conclusion, and they hardly follow the Vaiṣṇava rules and regulations, and yet because they chant bhaja nitāi-gaura, their chanting immediately invokes tears and other signs of ecstasy. Although they do not know the principles of Vaiṣṇava philosophy and are not very advanced in education, by these symptoms they attract many men to become their followers. Their ecstatic tears will of course help them in the long run, for as soon as they come in contact with a pure devotee their lives will become successful. Even in the beginning, however, because they are chanting the holy names of nitāi-gaura, their swift advancement on the path of love of Godhead is very prominently visible.
TEXT 23
‘nityānanda’ balite haya kṛṣṇa-premodaya
āulāya sakala aṅga, aśru-gaṅgā vaya
SYNONYMS
nityānanda balite-while talking of Nityānanda Prabhu; haya-it so becomes; kṛṣṇa-prema-udaya-awakening of love of Kṛṣṇa; āulāya-agitated; sakala-all; aṅga-limbs of the body; aśru-gaṅgā-tears like the Ganges waters; vaya-flow down.
TRANSLATION
Simply by talking of Nityānanda Prabhu one awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa. Thus all his bodily limbs are agitated by ecstasy, and tears flow from his eyes like the waters of the Ganges.
TEXT 24
‘kṛṣṇa-nāma’ kare aparādhera vicāra
kṛṣṇa balile aparādhīra nā haya vikāra
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-nāma-the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kare-takes; aparādhera-of offenses; vicāra-consideration; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; balile-if one chants; aparādhīra-of the offenders; nā-never; haya-becomes; vikāra-changed.
TRANSLATION
There are offenses to be considered while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one does not become ecstatic.
PURPORT
It is very beneficial to chant the names śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra because by chanting these two holy names-śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda-one immediately becomes ecstatic, and if he then chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra he becomes free of offenses.
There are ten offenses to avoid in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in distributing the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the śāstra (Cc. Antya 7.11), kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana: one cannot distribute the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra unless he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not criticize or blaspheme a devotee who is thus engaged.
Śrī Padma Purāṇa states:
satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute
yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad-vigarhām
To blaspheme the great saintly persons who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. One should not criticize a preacher of the glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If one does so, he is an offender. The Nāma-prabhu, who is identical with Kṛṣṇa, will never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as a great devotee.
The second nāmāparādha is described as follows:
śivasya śrī-viṣṇor ya iha guṇa-nāmādi-sakalaṁ
dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari-nāmāhita-karaḥ
In this material world, the holy name of Viṣṇu is all-auspicious. Viṣṇu’s name, form, qualities and pastimes are all transcendental, absolute knowledge. Therefore, if one tries to separate the Absolute Personality of Godhead from His holy name or His transcendental form, qualities and pastimes, thinking them to be material, that is offensive. Similarly, to think the names of demigods such as Lord Śiva to be as good as the name of Lord Viṣṇu-or, in other words, to think Lord Śiva and the other demigods to be other forms of God and therefore equal to Viṣṇu-is also blasphemous. This is the second offense at the lotus feet of the Lord.
The third offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, which is called guror avajñā, is to consider the spiritual master to be material and therefore envy his exalted position. The fourth offense (śruti-śāstra-nindanam) is to blaspheme Vedic scriptures such as the four Vedas and the Puraṇas. The fifth offense (artha-vādaḥ) is to consider the glories of the holy name to be exaggerations. Similarly, the sixth offense (hari-nāmni kalpanam) is to consider the holy name of the Lord to be imaginary.
The seventh offense is described as follows:
nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ
To think that since the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the same time chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to neutralize them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of hari-nāma.
The eighth offense is stated thus:
dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-
śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ
It is offensive to consider the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to be a religious ritualistic ceremony. Performing religious ceremonies, following vows and practicing renunciation and sacrifice are all materialistic auspicious activities. The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra must not be compared to such materialistic religiosity.This is an offense at the lotus feet of the Lord.
The ninth offense is described as follows:
aśraddadhāne vimukhe ‘py aśṛṇvati
yaś copadeśaḥ śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ
It is an offense to preach the glories of the holy name among persons who have no intelligence or no faith in the subject matter. Such people should be given the chance to hear the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but in the beginning they should not be instructed about the glories or the spiritual significance of the holy name. By constant hearing of the holy name, their hearts will be purified, and then they will be able to understand the transcendental position of the holy name.
The tenth offense is as follows:
śrute ‘pi nāma-māhātmye yaḥ prīti-rahito naraḥ
ahaṁ-mamādi-paramo nāmni so ‘py aparādha-kṛt
If one has heard the glories of the transcendental holy name of the Lord but nevertheless continues in a materialistic concept of life, thinking “I am this body and everything belonging to this body is mine [ahaṁ mameti],” and does not show respect and love for the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, that is an offense.
TEXT 25
tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ
yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāmadheyaiḥ
na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro
netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ
SYNONYMS
tat-that; aśma-sāram-as hard as iron; hṛdayam-heart; bata-O; idam-this; yat-which; gṛhyamāṇaiḥ-in spite of taking the chanting; hari-nāmadheyaiḥ-meditating on the holy name of the Lord; na-does not; vikriyeta-change; atha-thus; yadā-when; vikāraḥ-transformation; netre-in the eyes; jalam-tears; gātra-ruheṣu-in the pores of the body; harṣaḥ-ecstasy.
TRANSLATION
“If one’s heart does not change, tears do not flow from his eyes, his body does not shiver, and his bodily hairs do not stand on end as he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, it should be understood that his heart is as hard as iron. This is due to his offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord’s holy name.”
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, commenting on this verse, which is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.24), remarks that sometimes a mahā-bhāgavata, or very advanced devotee, does not manifest such transcendental symptoms as tears in the eyes, and sometimes a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, a neophyte devotee, displays them artificially. This does not mean, however, that the neophyte is more advanced than the mahā-bhāgavata devotee. The test of the real change of heart that takes place when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is that one becomes detached from material enjoyment. This is the real change. Bhaktir pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhāg. 11.2.42). If one is actually advancing in spiritual life, he must become very much detached from material enjoyment. If it is sometimes found that a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī (neophyte devotee) shows artificial tears in his eyes while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra but is still completely attached to material things, his heart has not really changed. The change must be manifested in terms of one’s real activities.
TEXT 26
‘eka’ kṛṣṇa-nāme kare sarva-pāpa nāśa
premera kāraṇa bhakti karena prakāśa
SYNONYMS
eka-one; kṛṣṇa-nāme-by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kare-makes; sarva-all; pāpa-sinful life; nāśa-exhausted; premera-of love of Godhead; kāraṇa-cause; bhakti-devotional service; karena-becomes; prakāśa-manifest.
TRANSLATION
Simply chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra without offenses vanquishes all sinful activities. Thus pure devotional service, which is the cause of love of Godhead, becomes manifest.
PURPORT
One cannot be situated in the devotional service of the Lord unless one is free from sinful life. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):
yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ
pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmanām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the duality of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.” A person who is already cleansed of all tinges of sinful life engages without deviation or duality of purpose in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this age, although people are greatly sinful, simply chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra can relieve them from the reactions of their sins. Eka kṛṣṇa-nāme: only by chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name is this possible. This is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya). Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also taught us this. While passing on the road, He used to chant:
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa rakṣa mām
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi mām
rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rakṣa mām
kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava pāhi mām
If one always chants the holy name Kṛṣṇa, gradually one is freed from all reactions of sinful life, provided he chants offenselessly and does not commit more sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way one is purified, and his devotional service causes the arousal of his dormant love of God. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and not committing sinful activities and offenses, one’s life is purified, and thus one comes to the fifth stage of perfection, or engagement in the loving service of the Lord (premā pum-artho mahān).
TEXT 27
premera udaye haya premera vikāra
sveda-kampa-pulakādi gadgadāśrudhāra
SYNONYMS
premera-of love of Godhead; udaye-when there is awakening; haya-it becomes so; premera-of love of Godhead; vikāra-transformation; sveda-perspiration; kampa-trembling; pulaka-ādi-throbbing of the heart; gadgada-faltering; aśru-dhāra-tears in the eyes.
TRANSLATION
When one’s transcendental loving service to the Lord is actually awakened, it generates transformations in the body such as perspiration, trembling, throbbing of the heart, faltering of the voice and tears in the eyes.
PURPORT
These bodily transformations are automatically manifested when one is actually situated in love of Godhead. One should not artificially imitate them. Our disease is desire for that which is material; even while advancing in spiritual life, we want material acclaim. One must be freed from this disease. Pure devotion must be anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, without desire for anything material. Advanced devotees manifest many bodily transformations, which are symptoms of ecstasy, but one should not imitate them to achieve cheap adoration from the public. When one actually attains the advanced stage, the ecstatic symptoms will appear automatically; one does not need to imitate them.
TEXT 28
anāyāse bhava-kṣaya, kṛṣṇera sevana
eka kṛṣṇa-nāmera phale pāi eta dhana
SYNONYMS
anāyāse-without hard labor; bhava-kṣaya-stoppage of repetition of birth and death; kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sevana-service; eka-one; kṛṣṇa-nāmera-chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa; phale-as a result of; pāi-we achieve; eta-so much; dhana-wealth.
TRANSLATION
As a result of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that by chanting even one name, one very easily achieves these transcendental riches.
TEXTS 29-30
hena kṛṣṇa-nāma yadi laya bahu-bāra
tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe aśrudhāra
tabe jāni, aparādha tāhāte pracura
kṛṣṇa-nāma-bīja tāhe nā kare aṅkura
SYNONYMS
hena-such; kṛṣṇa-nāma-holy name of the Lord; yadi-if; laya-one takes; bahu-bāra-again and again; tabu-still; yadi-if; prema-love of Godhead; nahe-is not visible; nahe aśru-dhāra-there are no tears in the eyes; tabe-then; jāni-I understand; aparādha-offense; tāhāte-there (in that process); pracura-enough; kṛṣṇa-nāma-the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; bīja-seed; tāhe-in those activities; nā-does not; kare-do; aṅkura-sprout.
TRANSLATION
If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa does not sprout.
PURPORT
If one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra offensively, one does not achieve the desired result. Therefore one should carefully avoid the offenses which have already been described in connection with verse 24.
TEXT 31
caitanya-nityānande nāhi esaba vicāra
nāma laite prema dena, vahe aśrudhāra
SYNONYMS
caitanya-nityānande-when chanting the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda; nāhi-there are not; esaba-all these; vicara-considerations; nāma-the holy name; laite-simply by chanting; prema-love of Godhead; dena-they give; vahe-there is a flow; aśru-dhāra-tears in the eyes.
TRANSLATION
But if one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon as he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that if one takes shelter of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda, follows Their instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and humbler than the grass,and in this way chants the holy name of the Lord, very soon he achieves the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and tears appear in his eyes. There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-Nityānanda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but his life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityānanda, he is very quickly freed from the reactions to his offenses. Therefore, one should first approach Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, or worship Guru-Gaurāṅga, and then come to the stage of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, our students are first advised to worship Guru-Gaurāṅga, and then, when they are somewhat advanced, the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity is installed, and they are engaged in the worship of the Lord.
One should first take shelter of Gaura-Nityānanda in order to reach, ultimately, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings in this connection:
gaurāṅga balite habe pulaka śarīra
hari hari balite nayane ba’be nīra
āra kabe nitāicāṅdera karuṇā ha-ibe
saṁsāra-vāsanā mora kabe tuccha habe
viṣaya chāḍiyā kabe śuddha habe mana
kabe hāma heraba śrī-vṛndāvana
In the beginning one should very regularly chant Śrī Gaurasundara’s holy name and then chant the holy name of Lord Nityānanda. Thus one’s heart will be cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach Vṛndāvana-dhāma to worship Lord Kṛṣṇa. Unless one is favored by Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, there is no need to go to Vṛndāvana, for unless one’s mind is purified, he cannot see Vṛndāvana, even if he goes there. Actually going to Vṛndāvana involves taking shelter of the six Gosvāmīs by reading Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Vidagdha-mādhava, Lalita-mādhava and the other books that they have given. In this way one can understand the transcendental loving affairs between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pirīti. The conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary human affair; it is fully transcendental. In order to understand Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, worship Them and engage in Their loving service, one must be guided by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and the six Gosvāmīs, Lord Caitanya’s direct disciples.
For an ordinary man, worship of Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu or the Pañca-tattva is easier than worship of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Unless one is very fortunate, he should not be induced to worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa directly. A neophyte student who is not sufficiently educated or enlightened should not indulge in the worship of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa or the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Even if he does so, he cannot get the desired result. One should therefore chant the names of Nitāi-Gaura and worship Them without false prestige. Since everyone within this material world is more or less influenced by sinful activities, in the beginning it is essential that one take to the worship of Guru-Gaurāṅga and ask their favor, for thus despite all his disqualifications one will very soon become qualified to worship the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa vigraha.
It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not consider one name to be more potent than the other. Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. By serving Gaura-Nityānanda one is freed from the entanglements of material existence and thus becomes qualified to worship the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity.
TEXT 32
svatantra īśvara prabhu atyanta udāra
tāṅre nā bhajile kabhu nā haya nistāra
SYNONYMS
svatantra īśvara-the fully independent Supreme Lord; prabhu-the Lord; atyanta-very much; udāra-magnanimous; tāṅre-unto Him; nā-without; bhajile-worshiping; kabhu nā-never at any time; haya-becomes so; nistāra-liberation.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead, is greatly magnanimous. Unless one worships Him, one can never be liberated.
PURPORT
Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura here remarks that one should not give up the worship of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa to worship Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. By worshiping either Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or Lord Caitanya alone, one cannot become advanced. One should not try to supersede the instructions of the six Gosvāmīs, for they are ācāryas and very dear to Lord Caitanya. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings:
rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti
kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pirīti
One must be a submissive student of the six Gosvāmīs, from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī to Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Not following their instructions but imagining how to worship Gaurasundara and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is a great offense, as a result of which one clears a path to hell. If one neglects the instructions of the six Gosvāmīs and yet becomes a so-called devotee of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, he merely criticizes the real devotees of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. As a result of speculation, he considers Gaurasundara to be an ordinary devotee and therefore cannot make progress in serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 33
ore mūḍha loka, śuna caitanya-maṅgala
caitanya-mahimā yāte jānibe sakala
SYNONYMS
ore-O all of you; mūḍha-foolish; loka-people; śuna-just hear; caitanya-maṅgala-the book of this name; caitanya-Lord Caitanya’s; mahimā-glories; yāte-in which; jānibe-you will know; sakala-all.
TRANSLATION
O fools, just read Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala! By reading this book you can understand all the glories of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
PURPORT
Śrī Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura’s Caitanya-bhāgavata was originally entitled Caitanya-maṅgala, but when Śrīla Locana dāsa Ṭhākura later wrote another book named Caitanya-maṅgala, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura changed the name of his own book, which is now therefore known as Caitanya-bhāgavata. The life of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very elaborately described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, and Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has already informed us that in his Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta he has described whatever Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has not mentioned. This acceptance of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī indicates his acceptance of the disciplic succession. A writer of transcendental literature never tries to surpass the previous ācāryas.
TEXT 34
kṛṣṇa-līlā bhāgavate kahe veda-vyāsa
caitanya-līlāra vyāsa–vṛndāvana-dāsa
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhāgavate-in the book Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; kahe-tells; veda-vyāsa-Vyāsadeva, the editor of the Vedic literature; caitanya-līlāra-of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyāsa-compiler; vṛndāvana-dāsa-is Vṛndāvana dāsa.
TRANSLATION
As Vyāsadeva has compiled all the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa has depicted the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.
TEXT 35
vṛndāvana-dāsa kaila ‘caitanya-maṅgala’
yāṅhāra śravaṇe nāśe sarva amaṅgala
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvana-dāsa-of the name Vṛndāvana dāsa; kaila-compiled; caitanya-maṅgala-the book named Caitanya-maṅgala; yāṅhāra-of which; śravaṇe-by hearing; nāśe-annihilated; sarva-all; amaṅgala-inauspiciousness.
TRANSLATION
Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa has composed Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala. Hearing this book annihilates all misfortune.
TEXT 36
caitanya-nitāira yāte jāniye mahimā
yāte jāni kṛṣṇa-bhakti-siddhāntera sīmā
SYNONYMS
caitanya-nitāira-of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu; yāte-in which; jāniye-one can know; mahimā-all glories; yāte-in which; jāni-I can understand; kṛṣṇa-bhakti-of devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa; siddhāntera-of the conclusion; sīmā-limit.
TRANSLATION
By reading Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala one can understand all the glories and truths of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda and come to the ultimate conclusion of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
PURPORT
Śrīmad-Bhagavatam is the authoritative reference book from which to understand devotional service, but because it is very elaborate, few men can understand its purpose. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the original commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, which is called nyāya-prasthāna. It was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is extremely elaborate. Professional reciters have created the impression that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam deals only with Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā, although Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā is described only in the Tenth Canto (chapters 29-35). They have in this way presented Kṛṣṇa to the Western world as a great woman-hunter, and therefore we sometimes have to deal with such misconceptions in preaching. Another difficulty in understanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is that the professional reciters have introduced bhāgavata-saptāha, or seven-day readings of the Bhāgavatam. They want to finish Śrīmad-Bhagavatam in a week, although it is so sublime that even one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, if properly explained, cannot be completed in three months. Under these circumstances, it is a great aid for the common man to read Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura’s Caitanya-bhāgavata, for thus he can actually understand devotional service, Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has said:
śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-
pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir
utpātāyaiva kalpate
“Devotional service to the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic scriptures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, Nārada-pañcarātra, etc., is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” Due to misunderstanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, people are misled regarding the science of Kṛṣṇa. However, by reading Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura’s book one can very easily understand this science.
TEXT 37
bhāgavate yata bhakti-siddhāntera sāra
likhiyāchena iṅhā jāni’ kariyā uddhāra
SYNONYMS
bhāgavate-in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; yata-all; bhakti-siddhāntera-in understanding devotional service; sāra-essence; likhiyāchena-has written; iṅhā-this; jāni’-I know; kariyā-making; uddhāra-quotation.
TRANSLATION
In Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala [later known as Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata] Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has given the conclusion and essence of devotional service by quoting the authoritative statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
TEXT 38
‘caitanya-maṅgala’ śune yadi pāṣaṇḍī, yavana
seha mahā-vaiṣṇava haya tatakṣaṇa
SYNONYMS
caitanya-maṅgala-the book named Caitanya-maṅgala; śune-anyone hears; yadi-if; pāṣaṇḍī-great atheist; yavana-a disbeliever in the Vedic culture; seha-he also; mahā-vaiṣṇava-great devotee; haya-becomes; tatakṣaṇa-immediately.
TRANSLATION
If even a great atheist hears Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala, he immediately becomes a great devotee.
TEXT 39
manuṣye racite nāre aiche grantha dhanya
vṛndāvana-dāsa-mukhe vaktā śrī-caitanya
SYNONYMS
manuṣye-a human being; racite-compiled; nāre-cannot; aiche-such; grantha-book; dhanya-so glorious; vṛndāvana-dāsa-the author, Srīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura; mukhe-from his mouth; vaktā-speaker; śrī-caitanya-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
The subject matter of this book is so sublime that it appears that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has personally spoken through the writings of Śrī Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.
PURPORT
Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has written in his Hari-bhakti-vilāsa:
avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
Transcendental literature that strictly follows the Vedic principles and the conclusion of the Purāṇas and pañcarātrika-vidhi can be written only by a pure devotee.
It is not possible for a common man to write books on bhakti, for his writings will not be effective. He may be a very great scholar and expert in presenting literature in flowery language, but this is not at all helpful in understanding transcendental literature. Even if transcendental literature is written in faulty language, it is acceptable if it is written by a devotee, whereas so-called transcendental literature written by a mundane scholar, even if it is a very highly polished literary presentation, cannot be accepted. The secret in a devotee’s writing is that when he writes about the pastimes of the Lord, the Lord helps him; he does not write himself. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.10), dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. Since a devotee writes in service to the Lord, the Lord from within gives him so much intelligence that he sits down near the Lord and goes on writing books. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī confirms that what Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura wrote was actually spoken by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he simply repeated it. The same holds true for Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī wrote Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta in his old age, in an invalid condition, but it is such a sublime scripture that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja used to say, “The time will come when the people of the world will learn Bengali to read Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.” We are trying to present Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta in English and do not know how successful it will be, but if one reads the original Caitanya-caritāmṛta in Bengali he will relish increasing ecstasy in devotional service.
TEXT 40
vṛndāvana-dāsa-pade koṭi namaskāra
aiche grantha kari’ teṅho tārilā saṁsāra
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvana-dāsa-pade-unto the lotus feet of Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura; koṭi-millions; namaskāra-obeisances; aiche-such; grantha-book; kari’-compiling; teṅho-he; tarilā-delivered; saṁsāra-all the world.
TRANSLATION
I offer millions of obeisances unto the lotus feet of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. No one else could write such a wonderful book for the deliverance of all fallen souls.
TEXT 41
nārāyaṇī–caitanyera ucchiṣṭa-bhājana
tāṅra garbhe janmilā śrī-dāsa-vṛndāvana
SYNONYMS
nārāyaṇī-of the name Nārāyaṇī; caitanyera-of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ucchiṣṭa-bhājana-eater of the remnants of food; tāṅra-of her; garbhe-in the womb; janmilā-took birth; śrī-dāsa-vṛndāvana-Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Thākura.
TRANSLATION
Nārāyaṇī eternally eats the remnants of the food of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura was born of her womb.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, a book written by Kavi-karṇapūra that describes all the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and who they previously were, there is the following statement regarding Nārāyaṇī:
ambikāyāḥ svasā yāsīn
nāmnā śrīla-kilimbikā
kṛṣṇocchiṣṭaṁ prabhuñjānā
seyaṁ nārāyaṇī matā
When Lord Kṛṣṇa was a child, He was nursed by a woman named Ambikā, who had a younger sister named Kilimbikā. During the time of Lord Caitanya’s incarnation, the same Kilimbikā used to eat the remnants of food left by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That Kilimbikā was Nārāyaṇī, who was a niece of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s. Later on, when she grew up and married, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura was born from her womb. A devotee of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is celebrated in terms of devotional service rendered to the Lord; thus we know Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura as the son of Nārāyaṇī. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura notes in this connection that there is no reference to his paternal ancestry because there is no need to understand it.
TEXT 42
tāṅra ki adbhuta caitanya-carita-varṇana
yāhāra śravaṇe śuddha kaila tri-bhuvana
SYNONYMS
tāṅra-Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura’s; ki-what; adbhuta-wonderful; caitanya-carita-of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; varṇana-description; yāhāra-of which; śravaṇe-by hearing; śuddha-purified; kaila-made; tri-bhuvana-the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
What a wonderful description he has given of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya! Anyone in the three worlds who hears it is purified.
TEXT 43
ataeva bhaja, loka, caitanya-nityānanda
khaṇḍibe saṁsāra-duḥkha, pābe premānanda
SYNONYMS
ataeva-therefore; bhaja-worship; loka-O people in general; caitanya-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nityānanda-Nityānanda Prabhu; khaṇḍibe-will vanquish; saṁsāra-duḥkha-miserable condition of material existence; pābe-he will get; premānanda-the transcendental bliss of devotional service.
TRANSLATION
I fervently appeal to everyone to adopt the method of devotional service given by Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda and thus be freed from the miseries of material existence and ultimately achieve the loving service of the Lord.
TEXT 44
vṛndāvana-dāsa kaila ‘caitanya-maṅgala’
tāhāte caitanya-līlā varṇila sakala
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvana-dāsa-Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura; kaila-did; caitanya-maṅgala-the book of the name Caitanya-maṅgala; tāhāte-in that book; caitanya-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; varṇila-described; sakala-everything.
TRANSLATION
Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has written Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala and therein described in all respects the pastimes of Lord Caitanya.
TEXT 45
sūtra kari’ saba līlā karila granthana
pāche vistāriyā tāhāra kaila vivaraṇa
SYNONYMS
sūtra kari’-making a synopsis; saba-all; līlā-pastimes; karila-did; granthana-writing in the book; pāche-later; vistāriyā-vividly describing; tāhāra-all of them; kaila-did; vivaraṇa-description.
TRANSLATION
He first summarized all the pastimes of the Lord and later described them vividly in detail.
TEXT 46
caitanya-candrera līlā ananta apāra
varṇite varṇite grantha ha-ila vistāra
SYNONYMS
caitanya-candrera-of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; līlā-pastimes; ananta-unlimited; apāra-unfathomable; varṇite-describing; varṇite-describing; grantha-the book; ha-ila-became; vistāra-expansive.
TRANSLATION
The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are unlimited and unfathomable. Therefore, in describing all those pastimes, the book became voluminous.
TEXT 47
vistāra dekhiyā kichu saṅkoca haila mana
sūtra-dhṛta kona līlā nā kaila varṇana
SYNONYMS
vistāra-expansive; dekhiyā-seeing; kichu-some; saṅkoca-with hesitation; haila-became; mana-mind; sūtra-dhṛta-taking the aphorisms; kona-some; līlā-pastimes; nā-did not; kaila-make; varṇana-description.
TRANSLATION
He saw them to be so extensive that he later felt that some had not been properly described.
TEXT 48
nityānanda-līlā-varṇane ha-ila āveśa
caitanyera śeṣa-līlā rahila avaśeṣa
SYNONYMS
nityānanda-Lord Nityānanda; līlā-pastimes; varṇane-in the matter of description; ha-ila-there was; āveśa-ecstasy; caitanyera-of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; śeṣa-līlā-pastimes in the last portion of His life; rahila-remained; avaśeṣa-supplement.
TRANSLATION
He ecstatically described the pastimes of Lord Nityānanda, but the later pastimes of Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained untold.
TEXT 49
sei saba līlāra śunite vivaraṇa
vṛndāvana-vāsī bhaktera utkaṇṭhita mana
SYNONYMS
sei-those; saba-all; līlāra-of the pastimes; śunite-to hear; vivaraṇa-description; vṛndāvana-vāsī-the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana; bhaktera-of devotees; utkaṇṭhita-in anxiety; mana-minds.
TRANSLATION
The devotees of Vṛndāvana were all very anxious to hear those pastimes.
TEXT 50
vṛndāvane kalpa-drume suvarṇa-sadana
mahā-yogapīṭha tāhāṅ, ratna-siṁhāsana
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvane-in Vṛndāvana; kalpa-drume-under the desire trees; suvarṇa-sadana-golden throne; mahā-great; yoga-pīṭha-pious temple; tāhāṅ-there; ratna-bedecked with jewels; siṁhāsana-throne.
TRANSLATION
In Vṛndāvana, in a great place of pilgrimage underneath the desire trees, is a golden throne bedecked with jewels.
TEXT 51
tāte vasi’ āche sadā vrajendra-nandana
‘śrī-govinda-deva’ nāma sākṣāt madana
SYNONYMS
tāte-on that throne; vasi’-sitting; āche-there is; sadā-always; vrajendra-nandana-the son of Mahārāja Nanda; śrī-govinda-deva-whose name is Govinda; nāma-name; sākṣāt-direct; madana-transcendental Cupid.
TRANSLATION
On that throne sits the son of Nanda Mahārāja, Śrī Govindadeva, the transcendental Cupid.
TEXT 52
rāja-sevā haya tāṅhā vicitra prakāra
divya sāmagrī, divya vastra, alaṅkāra
SYNONYMS
rāja-sevā-majestic service; haya-render; tāṅhā-there; vicitra-varieties; prakāra-all kinds of; divya-spiritual; sāmagrī-ingredients; divya-spiritual; vastra-garments; alaṅkāra-ornaments.
TRANSLATION
Varieties of majestic service are rendered to Govinda there. His garments, ornaments and paraphernalia are all transcendental.
TEXT 53
sahasra sevaka sevā kare anukṣaṇa
sahasra-vadane sevā nā yāya varṇana
SYNONYMS
sahasra-many thousands; sevaka-servitors; sevā-service; kare-render; anukṣaṇa-always; sahasra-thousands; vadane-mouths; sevā-process of service; nā-not possible; yāya-goes on; varṇana-description.
TRANSLATION
In that temple of Govindajī, thousands of servitors always render service to the Lord in devotion. Even with thousands of mouths, one could not describe this service.
TEXT 54
sevāra adhyakṣa–śrī-paṇḍita haridāsa
tāṅra yaśaḥ-guṇa sarva-jagate prakāśa
SYNONYMS
sevāra-of the service; adhyakṣa-commander; śrī-paṇḍita haridāsa-Haridāsa Paṇḍita; tāṅra-of his; yaśaḥ-fame; guṇa-quality; sarva-jagate-all over the world; prakāśa-known.
TRANSLATION
In that temple the chief servitor was Śrī Haridāsa Paṇḍita. His qualities and fame are known all over the world.
PURPORT
Śrī Haridāsa Paṇḍita was a disciple of Śrī Ananta Ācārya, who was a disciple of Gadādhara Paṇḍita.
TEXT 55
suśīla, sahiṣṇu, śānta, vadānya, gambhīra
madhura-vacana, madhura-ceṣṭā, mahā-dhīra
SYNONYMS
suśīla-well behaved; sahiṣṇu-tolerant; śānta-peaceful; vadānya-magnanimous; gambhīra-grave; madhura-vacana-sweet words; madhura-ceṣṭā-sweet endeavor; mahā-dhīra-completely sober.
TRANSLATION
He was gentle, tolerant, peaceful, magnanimous, grave, sweet in his words and very sober in his endeavors.
TEXT 56
sabāra sammāna-kartā, karena sabāra hita
kauṭilya-mātsarya-hiṁsā nā jāne tāṅra cita
SYNONYMS
sabāra-of all; sammāna-kartā-respectful; karena-does; sabāra-everyone’s; hita-benefit; kauṭilya-diplomatic; mātsarya-jealousy; hiṁsā-envy; nā jāne-does not know; tāṅra-his; cita-heart.
TRANSLATION
He was respectful to everyone and worked for the benefit of all. Diplomacy, envy and jealousy were unknown to his heart.
TEXT 57
kṛṣṇera ye sādhāraṇa sad-guṇa pañcāśa
se saba guṇera tāṅra śarīre nivāsa
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; ye-that; sādhāraṇa-general; sat-guṇa-good qualities; pañcāśa-fifty; se-those; saba-all; guṇera-qualities; tāṅra-his; śarīre-in the body; nivāsa-were always present.
TRANSLATION
The fifty qualities of Lord Kṛṣṇa were all present in his body.
PURPORT
In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, the transcendental qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are mentioned. Among these, fifty are primary (ayaṁ netā su-ramyāṅgaḥ, etc.), and in minute quantity they were all present in the body of Śrī Haridāsa Paṇḍita. Since every living entity is a part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all fifty of these good qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are originally minutely present in every living being. Due to his contact with material nature, these qualities are not visible in the conditioned soul, but when one becomes a purified devotee, they all automatically manifest themselves. This is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12), as mentioned in the text below.
TEXT 58
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
SYNONYMS
yasya-one who; asti-has; bhaktiḥ-devotional service; bhagavati-unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akiñcanā-without motive; sarvaiḥ-all; guṇaiḥ-qualities; tatra-there; samāsate-become manifested; surāḥ-with all the demigods; harau-unto the Supreme Personality; abhaktasya-one who is not a devotee; kutaḥ-where; mahat-guṇāḥ-high qualities; manaḥ-rathena-concoction; asati-the material existence; dhāvataḥ-run on; bahiḥ-externally.
TRANSLATION
“In one who has unflinching devotional faith in Kṛṣṇa, all the good qualities of Kṛṣṇa and the demigods are consistently manifested. However, one who has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no good qualifications because he is engaged by mental concoction in material existence, which is the external feature of the Lord.”
TEXT 59
paṇḍita-gosāñira śiṣya–ananta ācārya
kṛṣṇa-premamaya-tanu, udāra, sarva-ārya
SYNONYMS
paṇḍita-gosāñira-of Gadādhara Paṇḍita; śiṣya-disciple; ananta ācārya-of the name Ananta Ācārya; kṛṣṇa-premamaya-always overwhelmed by love of God; tanu-body; udāra-magnanimous; sarva-in all respects; ārya-advanced.
TRANSLATION
Ananta Ācārya was a disciple of Gadādhara Paṇḍita. His body was always absorbed in love of Godhead. He was magnanimous and advanced in all respects.
TEXT 60
tāṅhāra ananta guṇa ke karu prakāśa
tāṅra priya śiṣya iṅha–paṇḍita haridāsa
SYNONYMS
tāṅhāra-his; ananta-unlimited; guṇa-qualities; ke-who; karu-can; prakāśa-display; tāṅra-his; priya-dear; śiṣya-disciple; iṅha-this person; paṇḍita haridāsa-of the name Haridāsa Paṇḍita.
TRANSLATION
Ananta Ācārya was a reservoir of all good qualities. No one can estimate how great he was. Paṇḍita Haridāsa was his beloved disciple.
PURPORT
Śrī Ananta Ācārya is one of the eternal associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Previously, during the advent of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Ananta Ācārya was Sudevī, one of the eight gopīs. This is stated in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 165, as follows: anantācārya-gosvāmī yā sudevī purā vraje. “Ananta Ācārya Gosvāmī was formerly Sudevī-gopī in Vraja [Vṛndāvana].” In Jagannātha Purī, or Puruṣottama-kṣetra, there is a monastery known as Gaṅgā-mātā Maṭha that was established by Ananta Ācārya. In the disciplic succession of the Gaṅgā-mātā Maṭha, he is known as Vinoda-mañjarī. One of his disciples was Haridāsa Paṇḍita Gosvāmī, who is also known as Śrī Raghu Gopāla and as Śrī Rāsa-mañjarī. His disciple Lakṣmīpriyā was the maternal aunt of Gaṅgā-mātā, a princess who was the daughter of the King of Puṭiyā. Gaṅgā-mātā brought a Deity of the name Śrī Rasika-rāya from Kṛṣṇa Miśra of Jaipur and installed Him in the house of Sārvabhauma in Jagannātha Purī. The disciple in the fifth generation after Śrī Ananta Ācārya was Śrī Vanamālī; in the sixth generation, Śrī Bhagavān dāsa, who was a Bengali; in the seventh generation, Madhusūdana dāsa, who was an Oriyā; in the eighth generation, Nīlāmbara dāsa; in the ninth generation, Śrī Narottama dāsa; in the tenth generation, Pītāmbara dāsa; and in the eleventh generation, Śrī Mādhava dāsa. The disciple in the twelfth generation is presently in charge of the Gaṅgā-mātā monastery.
TEXT 61
caitanya-nityānande tāṅra parama viśvāsa
caitanya-carite tāṅra parama ullāsa
SYNONYMS
caitanya-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nityānande-in Lord Nityānanda; tāṅra-his; parama-very great; viśvāsa-faith; caitanya-carite-in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; tāṅra-his; parama-great; ullāsa-satisfaction.
TRANSLATION
Paṇḍita Haridāsa had great faith in Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. Therefore he took great satisfaction in knowing about Their pastimes and qualities.
TEXT 62
vaiṣṇavera guṇa-grāhī, nā dekhaye doṣa
kāya-mano-vākye kare vaiṣṇava-santoṣa
SYNONYMS
vaiṣṇavera-of devotees; guṇa-grāhī-accepting good qualities; nā-never; dekhaye-sees; doṣa-any fault; kāya-manaḥ-vākye-with heart and soul; kare-does; vaiṣṇava-devotee; santoṣa-pacification.
TRANSLATION
He always accepted the good qualities of Vaiṣṇavas and never found fault in them. He engaged his heart and soul only to satisfy the Vaiṣṇavas.
PURPORT
It is a qualification of a Vaiṣṇava that he is adoṣa-darśī: he never sees others’ faults. Of course, every human being has both good qualities and faults. Therefore it is said, saj-janā guṇam icchanti doṣam icchanti pāmarāḥ: everyone has a combination of faults and glories. But a Vaiṣṇava, a sober man, accepts only a man’s glories and not his faults, for flies seek sores whereas honeybees seek honey. Haridāsa Paṇḍita never found fault with a Vaiṣṇava but considered only his good qualities.
TEXT 63
nirantara śune teṅho ‘caitanya-maṅgala’
tāṅhāra prasāde śunena vaiṣṇava-sakala
SYNONYMS
nirantara-always; śune-hears; teṅho-he; caitanya-maṅgala-the book prasāde-mercy; śunena-hear; vaiṣṇava-sakala-all other Vaiṣṇavas.
TRANSLATION
He always heard the reading of Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala, and all the other Vaiṣṇavas used to hear it by his grace.
TEXT 64
kathāya sabhā ujjvala kare yena pūrṇa-candra
nija-guṇāmṛte bāḍāya vaiṣṇava-ānanda
SYNONYMS
kathāya-by words; sabhā-assembly; ujjvala-illuminated; kare-does; yena-as; pūrṇa-candra-full moon; nija-own; guṇa-amṛte-nectar of qualities; bāḍāya-increases; vaiṣṇava-of the devotees; ānanda-pleasure.
TRANSLATION
Like the full moon, he illuminated the entire assembly of the Vaiṣṇavas by speaking Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala, and by the nectar of his qualities he increased their transcendental bliss.
TEXT 65
teṅho ati kṛpā kari’ ājñā kailā more
gaurāṅgera śeṣa-līlā varṇibāra tare
SYNONYMS
teṅho-he; ati-very much; kṛpā-mercy; kari’-showing; ājñā-order; kailā-made it; more-unto me; gaurāṅgera-of Lord Caitanya; śeṣa-līlā-last portion of the pastimes; varṇibāra-describing; tare-for the matter of.
TRANSLATION
By his causeless mercy he ordered me to write about the last pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 66
kāśīśvara gosāñira śiṣya–govinda gosāñi
govindera priya-sevaka tāṅra sama nāñi
SYNONYMS
kāśīśvara gosāñira-of Kāśīśvara Gosvāmī; śiṣya-disciple; govinda-of the name Govinda; gosāñi-spiritual master; govindera-of Govinda; priya-sevaka-most confidential servitor; tāṅra-his; sama-equal; nāñi-is none.
TRANSLATION
Govinda Gosāñi, the priest engaged in the service of Lord Govinda in Vṛndāvana, was a disciple of Kāśīśvara Gosāñi. There was no servant more dear to the Govinda Deity.
PURPORT
Kāśīśvara Gosāñi was one of the contemporaries of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu who was with the Lord in Jagannātha Purī. Also known as Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita, he was a disciple of Īśvara Purī and son of Vāsudeva Bhaṭṭācārya, who belonged to the dynasty of Kāñjilāla Kānu. His surname was Caudhurī. His nephew, his sister’s son, who was named Rudra Paṇḍita, was the original priest of Vallabhapura, which is situated about one mile from the Śrīrāmapura railway station in the village of Cātarā. Installed there are the Deities of Rādhā-Govinda and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kāśīśvara Gosāñi was a very strong man, and therefore when Lord Caitanya visited the temple of Jagannātha, he used to protect the Lord from the crowds. Another of his duties was to distribute prasāda to the devotees after kīrtana.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura also visited this temple at Vallabhapura. At that time the person in charge was a Śaivite, Śrī Śivacandra Caudhurī, who was a descendant of Kāśīśvara Gosāñi’s brother. In Vallabhapura there was a permanent arrangement to cook nine kilos of rice, vegetables and other foodstuffs, and near the village there is sufficient land, which belongs to the Deity, on which this rice was grown. Unfortunately, the descendants of Kāśīśvara Gosāñi’s brother have sold a major portion of this land, and therefore the Deity worship has now been hampered.
It is said in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā that the servant of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana named Bhṛṅgāra descended as Kāśīśvara Gosāñi during the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In our householder life we also sometimes visited this temple of Vallabhapura and took prasāda there at noon. The Deities of this temple, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda and the Gaurāṅga vigraha, are extremely beautiful. Near Vallabhapura is another beautiful temple of Jagannātha. We sometimes used to take prasāda in this Jagannātha temple also. These two temples are situated within a one mile-radius of the Śrīrāmapura railway station, near Calcutta.
TEXT 67
yādavācārya gosāñi śrī-rūpera saṅgī
caitanya-carite teṅho ati baḍa raṅgī
SYNONYMS
yādavācārya-of the name Yādavācārya; gosāñi-spiritual master; śrī-rūpera-of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; saṅgī-associate; caitanya-carite-in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; teṅho-he; ati-very much; baḍa-great; raṅgī-enthusiastic.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Yādavācārya Gosāñi, a constant associate of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, was also very enthusiastic in hearing and chanting about Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
TEXT 68
paṇḍita-gosāñira śiṣya–bhugarbha gosāñi
gaura-kathā vinā āra mukhe anya nāi
SYNONYMS
paṇḍita-gosāñira-of Paṇḍita Gosāñi (Gadādhara Paṇḍita); śiṣya-disciple; bhugarbha gosāñi-of the name Bhugarbha Gosāñi; gaura-kathā-topics of Lord Caitanya; vinā-without; āra-else; mukhe-in his mouth; anya nāi-nothing else.
TRANSLATION
Bhugarbha Gosāñi, a disciple of Gadādhara Paṇḍita, was always engaged in topics regarding Lord Caitanya, knowing nothing else.
TEXT 69
tāṅra śiṣya–govinda pūjaka caitanya-dāsa
mukundānanda cakravartī, premī kṛṣṇadāsa
SYNONYMS
tāṅra śiṣya-his disciple; govinda-the Govinda Deity; pūjaka-priest; caitanya-dāsa-of the name Caitanya dāsa; mukundānanda cakravartī-of the name Mukundānanda Cakravartī; premī-a great lover; kṛṣṇadāsa-of the name Kṛṣṇadāsa.
TRANSLATION
Among his disciples were Caitanya dāsa, who was a priest of the Govinda Deity, as well as Mukundānanda Cakravartī and the great devotee Kṛṣṇadāsa.
TEXT 70
ācārya-gosāñira śiṣya–cakravartī śivānanda
niravadhi tāṅra citte caitanya-nityānanda
SYNONYMS
ācārya-gosāñira-of Ācārya Gosāñi; śiṣya-the disciple; cakravartī śivānanda-of the name Śivānanda Cakravartī; niravadhi-always; tāṅra-his; citte-in the heart; caitanya-nityānanda-Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda are situated.
TRANSLATION
Among the disciples of Ananta Ācārya was Śivānanda Cakravartī, in whose heart Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda constantly dwelled.
TEXT 71
āra yata vṛndāvane baise bhakta-gaṇa
śeṣa-līlā śunite sabāra haila mana
SYNONYMS
āra yata-there are many others; vṛndāvane-in Vṛndāvana; baise-residents; bhakta-gaṇa-great devotees; śeṣa-līlā-the last portions of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes; śunite-to hear; sabāra-of everyone; haila-became; mana-the mind.
TRANSLATION
In Vṛndāvana there were also many other great devotees, all of whom desired to hear the last pastimes of Lord Caitanya.
TEXT 72
more ājñā karilā sabe karuṇā kariyā
tāṅ-sabāra bole likhi nirlajja ha-iyā
SYNONYMS
more-unto me; ājñā-order; karilā-gave; sabe-all; karuṇā-merciful; kariyā-doing so; tāṅ-sabāra-of all of them; bole-by the order; likhi-I write; nirlajja-without shame; ha-iyā-becoming.
TRANSLATION
By their mercy, all these devotees ordered me to write of the last pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because of their order only, although I am shameless, I have attempted to write this Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
PURPORT
To write about the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not an ordinary endeavor. Unless one is empowered by the higher authorities, or advanced devotees, one cannot write transcendental literature, for all such literature must be above suspicion, or, in other words, it must have none of the defects of conditioned souls, namely, mistakes, illusions, cheating and imperfect sense perceptions. The words of Kṛṣṇa and the disciplic succession that carries the orders of Kṛṣṇa are actually authoritative. To be empowered to write transcendental literature is a privilege in which a writer can take great pride. As a humble Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, being thus empowered, felt very much ashamed that it was he who was to narrate the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 73
vaiṣṇavera ājñā pāñā cintita-antare
madana-gopāle gelāṅ ājñā māgibāre
SYNONYMS
vaiṣṇavera-of all the Vaiṣṇava devotees; ājñā-order; pāñā-receiving; cintita-antare-anxiety within myself; madana-gopāle-to the temple of Śrī Madana-mohana; gelāṅ-I went; ājñā-order; māgibāre-to receive.
TRANSLATION
Having received the order of the Vaiṣṇavas but being anxious within my heart, I went to the temple of Madana-mohana in Vṛndāvana to ask His permission also.
PURPORT
A Vaiṣṇava always follows the order of guru and Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta was written by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī by their mercy. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī considered all the devotees that have been mentioned to be his preceptor gurus, or spiritual masters, and Madana-gopāla (Śrī Madana-mohana vigraha) is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus he took permission from both of them, and when he received the mercy of both guru and Kṛṣṇa, he was able to write this great literature, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. This example should be followed. Anyone who attempts to write about Kṛṣṇa must first take permission from the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone’s heart, and the spiritual master is His direct external representative. Thus Kṛṣṇa is situated antar-bahiḥ, within and without. One must first become a pure devotee by following the strict regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds daily, and when one thinks that he is actually on the Vaiṣṇava platform, he must then take permission from the spiritual master, and that permission must also be confirmed by Kṛṣṇa from within his heart. Then, if one is very sincere and pure, he can write transcendental literature, either prose or poetry.
TEXT 74
daraśana kari kailuṅ caraṇa vandana
gosāñi-dāsa pūjārī kare caraṇa-sevana
SYNONYMS
daraśana-by visiting; kari-doing; kailuṅ-made; caraṇa-lotus feet; vandana-worship; gosāñi-dāsa-of the name Gosāñi dāsa; pūjārī-priest; kare-does; caraṇa-lotus feet; sevana-service.
TRANSLATION
When I visited the temple of Madana-mohana, the priest Gosāñi dāsa was serving the feet of the Lord, and I also prayed at the Lord’s lotus feet.
TEXT 75
prabhura caraṇe yadi ājñā māgila
prabhu-kaṇṭha haite mālā khasiyā paḍila
SYNONYMS
prabhura-of the Lord; caraṇe-lotus feet; yadi-when; ājñā-order; māgila-requested; prabhu-kaṇṭha-the neck of the Lord; haite-from; mālā-garland; khasiyā-slipped; paḍila-fell down.
TRANSLATION
When I prayed to the Lord for permission, a garland from His neck immediately slipped down.
TEXT 76
saba vaiṣṇava-gaṇa hari-dhvani dila
gosāñi-dāsa āni’ mālā mora gale dila
SYNONYMS
saba-all; vaiṣṇava-devotees; gaṇa-group; hari-dhvani-chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa; dila-made; gosāñi-dāsa-of the name Gosāñi dāsa; āni’-bringing; mālā-garland; mora-my; gale-on the neck; dila-gave it.
TRANSLATION
As soon as this happened, the Vaiṣṇavas standing there all loudly chanted, “Haribol!” and the priest, Gosāñi dāsa, brought me the garland and put it around my neck.
TEXT 77
ājñā-mālā pāñā āmāra ha-ila ānanda
tāhāṅi karinu ei granthera ārambha
SYNONYMS
ājñā-mālā-the garland of order; pāñā-receiving; āmāra-my; ha-ila-became; ānanda-great pleasure; tāhāṅi-then and there; karinu-attempted; ei-this; granthera-of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta; ārambha-beginning.
TRANSLATION
I was greatly pleased to have the garland signifying the order of the Lord, and then and there I commenced to write this book.
TEXT 78
ei grantha lekhāya more ‘madana-mohana’
āmāra likhana yena śukera paṭhana
SYNONYMS
ei-this; grantha-great scripture; lekhāya-causes me to write; more-unto me; madana-mohana-the Deity; āmāra-my; likhana-writing; yena-like; śukera-of the parrot; paṭhana-responding.
TRANSLATION
Actually Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is not my writing but the dictation of Śrī Madana-mohana. My writing is like the repetition of a parrot.
PURPORT
This should be the attitude of all devotees. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead recognizes a devotee, He gives him intelligence and dictates how he may go back home, back to Godhead. This is confirmed in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā (10.10):
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” The opportunity to engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is open to everyone because every living entity is constitutionally a servant of the Lord. To engage in the service of the Lord is the natural function of the living entity, but because he is covered by the influence of mayā, the material energy, he thinks it to be a very difficult task. But if he places himself under the guidance of a spiritual master and does everything sincerely, immediately the Lord, who is situated within everyone’s heart, dictates how to serve Him (dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam). The Lord gives this direction, and thus the devotee’s life becomes perfect. Whatever a pure devotee does is done by the dictation of the Supreme Lord. Thus it is confirmed by the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta that whatever he wrote was written under the direction of the Śrī Madana-mohana Deity.
TEXT 79
sei likhi, madana-gopāla ye likhāya
kāṣṭhera puttalī yena kuhake nācāya
SYNONYMS
sei likhi-I write that; madana-gopāla-the Deity Madana-gopāla; ye-whatever; likhāya-dictates to me; kāṣṭhera-wooden; puttalī-a doll; yena-like; kuhake-the enchanter; nācāya-causes to dance.
TRANSLATION
As a wooden doll is made to dance by a magician, I write as Madana-gopāla orders me to do so.
PURPORT
This is the position of a pure devotee. One should not take any responsibility on his own but should be a soul surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who will then give him dictation as caitya-guru, or the spiritual master within. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased to guide a devotee from within and without. From within He guides him as the Supersoul, and from without He guides him as the spiritual master.
TEXT 80
kulādhidevatā mora–madana-mohana
yāṅra sevaka–raghunātha, rūpa, sanātana
SYNONYMS
kula-adhidevatā-the family Deity; mora-mine; madana-mohana-Lord Madana-mohana; yāṅra-whose; sevaka-servitor; raghunātha-Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; rūpa-Rūpa Gosvāmī; sanātana-Sanātana Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
I accept as my family Deity Madana-mohana, whose worshipers are Raghunātha dāsa, Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs.
TEXT 81
vṛndāvana-dāsera pāda-padma kari’ dhyāna
tāṅra ājñā lañā likhi yāhāte kalyāṇa
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvana-dāsera-of Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura; pāda-padma-lotus feet; kari’-doing; dhyāna-meditation; tāṅra-his; ājñā-order; lañā-receiving; likhi-I write; yāhāte-in which permission; kalyāṇa-all auspiciousness.
TRANSLATION
I took permission from Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura by praying at his lotus feet, and upon receiving his order I have attempted to write this auspicious scripture.
PURPORT
Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī took permission not only from the Vaiṣṇavas and Madana-mohana but also from Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, who is understood to be the Vyāsa of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 82
caitanya-līlāte ‘vyāsa’–vṛndāvana-dāsa
tāṅra kṛpā vinā anye nā haya prakāśa
SYNONYMS
caitanya-līlāte-in describing the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyāsa-Vyāsadeva; vṛndāvana-dāsa-is Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura; tāṅra-his; kṛpā-mercy; vinā-without; anye-other; nā-never; haya-becomes; prakāśa-manifest.
TRANSLATION
Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura is the authorized writer on the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. Without his mercy, therefore, one cannot describe these pastimes.
TEXT 83
mūrkha, nīca, kṣudra muñi viṣaya-lālasa
vaiṣṇavājñā-bale kari eteka sāhasa
SYNONYMS
mūrkha-foolish; nīca-lowborn; kṣudra-very insignificant; muñi-I; viṣaya-material; lālasa-desires; vaiṣṇava-of the Vaiṣṇavas; ājñā-order; bale-on the strength of; kari-I do; eteka-so much; sāhasa-energy.
TRANSLATION
I am foolish, lowborn and insignificant, and I always desire material enjoyment; yet by the order of the Vaiṣṇavas I am greatly enthusiastic to write this transcendental literature.
TEXT 84
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-caraṇera ei bala
yāṅra smṛte siddha haya vāñchita-sakala
SYNONYMS
śrī-rūpa-Rūpa Gosvāmī; raghunātha-Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; caraṇera-of the lotus feet; ei-this; bala-strength; yāṅra-whose; smṛte-by remembrance; siddha-successful; haya-becomes; vāñchita-sakala-all desires.
TRANSLATION
The lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī are my source of strength. Remembering their lotus feet can fulfill all one’s desires.
TEXT 85
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
SYNONYMS
śrī-rūpa-Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; raghunātha-Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; pade-at the lotus feet; yāra-whose; āśa-expectation; caitanya-caritāmṛta-the book named Caitanya-caritāmṛta; kahe-describes; kṛṣṇa-dāsa-Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Eighth Chapter, in the matter of the author’s receiving the orders of the authorities-Kṛṣṇa and guru.
