CC Madhya 11

Giriraj Swami:

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Reading from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Eleven, “The Beḍā-kīrtana Pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” So, we are reading how Maharaja Pratāparudra went to the roof of the palace with Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Gopinatha Acharya in order to see the devotees who had come to meet Lord Chaitanya from Bengal and to hear the names of the devotees.

TEXT 88

“Here also are Govinda Ghoṣa, Mādhava Ghoṣa and Vāsudeva Ghoṣa. They are three brothers, and their saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting, pleases the Lord very much.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Govinda Ghoṣa belonged to the kāyastha dynasty of the Uttara-rāḍhīya section, and he was known as Ghoṣa Ṭhākura. Even to the present day there is a place named Agradvīpa, near Katwa, where a fair takes place and is named after Ghoṣa Ṭhākura. As far as Vāsudeva Ghoṣa is concerned, he composed many nice songs about Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and these are all authorized Vaiṣṇava songs, like the songs of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, Govinda dāsa Ṭhākura and other great Vaiṣṇavas.

TEXT 89

“Here is Rāghava Paṇḍita, here is Nandana Ācārya, there is Śrīmān Paṇḍita, and here are Śrīkānta and Nārāyaṇa.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, honoring the personal associates of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, has sung as follows (Prārthanā 13):

gaurāṅgera saṅgi-gaṇe nitya-siddha kari’ māne
se yāya vrajendra-suta-pāśa

One who is intelligent understands that all the personal associates and devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are ever liberated. This means that because they are always engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, they do not belong to this material world. One who is engaged in the Lord’s devotional service twenty-four hours daily and never forgets the Lord is called nitya-siddha. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī confirms this statement:

īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṇā manasā girā
nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

“A person acting in the service of Kṛṣṇa with body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 1.2.187)

A devotee is always thinking of how better to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and how to broadcast His name, fame, and qualities throughout the world. One who is nitya-siddha has no business other than broadcasting the glories of the Lord all over the world according to his ability. Such people are already associates of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, nitya-siddha kari’ māne. One should not think that because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was personally present five hundred years ago, only His associates were liberated. Rather, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that anyone is a nitya-siddha if he acts on behalf of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by spreading the glories of the holy name of the Lord. We should respect those devotees preaching the glories of the Lord as nitya-siddha and should not consider them conditioned.

māṁ ca yo ‘vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
(Bg. 14.26)

One who has transcended the material modes of nature is said to be on the Brahman platform. That is also the platform of nitya-siddha. The nitya-siddha not only stays on the Brahman platform but also works on that platform. Simply by accepting the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as nitya-siddha, one can very easily go back home, back to Godhead.

TEXT 90

śuklāmbara dekha, ei śrīdhara, vijaya
vallabha-sena, ei puruṣottama, sañjaya

TRANSLATION

Gopīnātha Ācārya continued to point out the devotees: “Here is Śuklāmbara. See, there is Śrīdhara. Here is Vijaya, and there is Vallabha Sena. Here is Puruṣottama, and there is Sañjaya.

TEXT 91

kulīna-grāma-vāsī ei satyarāja-khāna
rāmānanda-ādi sabe dekha vidyamāna

TRANSLATION

“And here are all the residents of Kulīna-grāma, such as Satyarāja Khān and Rāmānanda. Indeed, all of them are present here. Please see.

TEXT 92

mukunda-dāsa, narahari, śrī-raghunandana
khaṇḍa-vāsī cirañjīva, āra sulocana

TRANSLATION

“Here are Mukunda dāsa, Narahari, Śrī Raghunandana, Cirañjīva and Sulocana, all residents of Khaṇḍa.

“How many names shall I speak to you? All the devotees you see here are associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is their life and soul.”

TEXT 94

rājā kahe — dekhi’ mora haila camatkāra
vaiṣṇavera aiche teja dekhi nāhi āra

TRANSLATION

The King said, “Upon seeing all these devotees, I am very much astonished, for I have never seen such an effulgence.

TEXT 95

koṭi-sūrya-sama saba — ujjvala-varaṇa
kabhu nāhi śuni ei madhura kīrtana

TRANSLATION

“Indeed, their effulgence is like the brilliance of a million suns. Nor have I ever heard the Lord’s names chanted so melodiously.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Such are the symptoms of pure devotees when they are chanting. All the pure devotees are as bright as sunshine, and their bodily luster is very effulgent. In addition, their performance of saṅkīrtana is unparalleled. There are many professional chanters who can perform congregational chanting with various musical instruments in an artistic and musical way, but their chanting cannot be as attractive as the congregational chanting of pure devotees. If a devotee sticks strictly to the principles governing Vaiṣṇava behavior, his bodily luster will naturally be attractive, and his singing and chanting of the holy names of the Lord will be effective. People will appreciate such kīrtana without hesitation. Even dramas about the pastimes of Lord Caitanya or Śrī Kṛṣṇa should be played by devotees. Such dramas will immediately interest an audience and be full of potency. The students of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should note these two points and try to apply these principles in their spreading of the Lord’s glories.

COMMENT

So, Srila Prabhupada says that any devotee who follows the principles of Vaishnava behavior will naturally become bright and effulgent, and sometimes even ordinary people would appreciate the features of the devotees and say that they were bright-faced. And Srila Prabhupada was very pleased and proud that his disciples were being appreciated by others as bright-faced. So, kirtan and performance of līlā are attractive and effective when performed by pure devotees. Srila Prabhupada told the story of one performance of caitanya-līlā that he participated in as a student. The story is that one famous director in Bengal agreed to direct the boys in the drama on one condition, and that was that they would not put on the performance until he agreed that they were ready. So, for two months or more, the director rehearsed the drama with the boys, and after some time, he agreed that now they are ready. So, the boys enacted the drama in the auditorium, and the hall was completely full of people. And Srila Prabhupada said, after some time, he noticed that all of the members of the audience were crying; they were shedding tears and he was surprised. Then realized that because the director was so strict and he wouldn’t let the boys perform until he thought they were ready, and because the artists were sincere and well-rehearsed, so the drama had spiritual effect, and the audience was moved to tears.

TEXT 96

aiche prema, aiche nṛtya, aiche hari-dhvani
kāhāṅ nāhi dekhi, aiche kāhāṅ nāhi śuni

TRANSLATION

“I have never before seen such ecstatic love, nor heard the vibration of the holy name of the Lord chanted in such a way, nor seen such dancing during saṅkīrtana.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Because the temple of Lord Jagannātha is situated at Jagannātha Purī, many devotees from all parts of the world came to perform saṅkīrtana in glorification of the Lord. All these devotees were certainly seen and heard by Mahārāja Pratāparudra, but he herein admits that the kīrtana performed by the associates of the Lord was unique. He had never before heard such saṅkīrtana nor seen such attractive features manifest by the devotees. The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should go to India during the birthday ceremony of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Māyāpur and perform saṅkīrtana congregationally. This will attract the attention of all the important personalities in India, just as the beauty, bodily luster, and saṅkīrtana performance by the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu attracted the attention of Mahārāja Pratāparudra. The associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were unlimited during the Lord’s presence on this planet, but anyone who is pure in life and devoted to the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to be understood as a nitya-siddha associate of the Lord.

TEXT 97

bhaṭṭācārya kahe ei madhura vacana
caitanyera sṛṣṭi — ei prema-saṅkīrtana

TRANSLATION

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “This sweet transcendental sound is a special creation of the Lord known as prema-saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting in love of Godhead.

TEXT 98

“In this Age of Kali, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has descended to preach the religion of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore the chanting of the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the religious principle for this age.

TEXT 99

saṅkīrtana-yajñe tāṅre kare ārādhana
sei ta’ sumedhā, āra — kali-hata-jana

TRANSLATION

“Anyone who worships Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu by congregational chanting should be understood to be very intelligent. One who does not do so must be considered a victim of this age and bereft of all intelligence.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Rascals propose that anyone can invent his own religious process, and this proposition is condemned herein. If one actually wants to become religious, he must take up the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The real meaning of religion is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.19–22):

dharmaṁ tu sākṣād-bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
 na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāh
 kutaś ca vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam

dvādaśaite vijānīmo dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ
guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvāmṛtam aśnute

etāvān eva loke ‘smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ
bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ

The purport of these verses is that dharma, or religion, cannot be manufactured by a human being. Religion is the law or code of the Lord. Consequently religion cannot be manufactured even by great saintly persons, demigods, or siddha-mukhyas, and what to speak of asuras, human beings, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas, and so on. The principles of dharma, religion, come down in the paramparā system beginning with twelve personalities — namely, Lord Brahmā; the great saint Nārada; Lord Śiva; the four Kumāras; Kapila, the son of Devahūti; Svāyambhuva Manu; Prahlāda Mahārāja; King Janaka; grandfather Bhīṣma; Bali Mahārāja; Śukadeva Gosvāmī; and Yamarāja. The principles of religion are known to these twelve personalities. Dharma refers to the religious principles by which one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma is very confidential, uncontaminated by any material influence, and very difficult for ordinary men to understand. However, if one actually understands dharma, he immediately becomes liberated and is transferred to the kingdom of God. Bhāgavata-dharma, or the principle of religion enunciated by the paramparā system, is the supreme principle of religion. In other words, dharma refers to the science of bhakti-yoga, which begins by the novice’s chanting the holy name of the Lord (tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ).

Therefore in this Age of Kali, as recommended here in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (text 98), kali-kāle dharma — kṛṣṇa-nāma- saṅkīrtana: the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is the method of religion approved by all Vedic scriptures. In the next text of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32), this principle is further stressed.

TEXT 100

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

TRANSLATION

“ ‘In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.’ ”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

For an explanation of this verse, refer to Ādi-līlā, chapter three, verse 52.

COMMENT

Now, who can remember the translation of the last verse that we just read?

“Anyone who worships Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by congregational chanting should be understood to be very intelligent. One who does not do so must be considered a victim of this age and bereft of all intelligence.”

So, once when I was in the car with Srila Prabhupada, I said that I thought that I was a fool. And Srila Prabhupada replied, “You are not a fool; you are most intelligent.” And then he quoted this, “Anyone who worships Lord Chaitanya is most intelligent.”

TEXT 101

rājā kahe, — śāstra-pramāṇe caitanya hana kṛṣṇa
tabe kene paṇḍita saba tāṅhāte vitṛṣṇa?

TRANSLATION

The King said, “According to evidence given in the revealed scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Why, then, are learned scholars sometimes indifferent to Him?”

COMMENT

Now, this is very, very interesting. That previously, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, who was the most learned scholar of the time, did not accept Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And Gopinatha Acharya accepted Lord Chaitanya. So here, King Pratāparudra is asking the question to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya that, “According to evidence given in revealed scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord Krishna Himself. Why then are learned scholars sometimes indifferent to Him?” So now, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya gives the same answer that Gopinatha Acharya gave to him when he was one of the learned scholars who could not understand Lord Chaitanya’s position.

TEXT 102

bhaṭṭa kahe, — tāṅra kṛpā-leśa haya yāṅre
sei se tāṅhāre ‘kṛṣṇa’ kari’ la-ite pare

TRANSLATION

The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “A person who has received but a small fraction of mercy from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can understand that He is Lord Kṛṣṇa. No one else can.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The saṅkīrtana movement can be spread by a person who is especially favored by Lord Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana). Without first obtaining the mercy of the Lord, one cannot spread the holy name of the Lord. One who can spread the Lord’s name is called labdha-caitanya in the words of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. The labdha-caitanya is one who has actually awakened his original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The influence of the pure devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is such that it can awaken others to become immediately Kṛṣṇa conscious and engage themselves in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa. In this way the descendants of pure devotees increase, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu takes much pleasure in seeing the increase of His devotees. The word su-medhasaḥ means “sharply intelligent.” When one’s intelligence is sharp, he can increase the interests of common men in loving Caitanya Mahāprabhu and through Him in loving Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Those not interested in understanding Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are simply material in their attempts at professional chanting and dancing for money, despite their supposed artistry. If one does not have full faith in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he cannot properly chant and dance in the saṅkīrtana movement. Artificial chanting and dancing may be due to sentiments or sentimental agitation, but this cannot help one advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

TEXT 103

tāṅra kṛpā nahe yāre, paṇḍita nahe kene
dekhile śunileha tāṅre ‘īśvara’ nā mane

TRANSLATION

“If the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not bestowed upon a person — regardless of how learned a scholar that person may be and regardless of his seeing or listening — he cannot accept Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The same principles can be applied to demoniac persons, even though they be in the sampradāya of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Without receiving the Lord’s special power, one cannot preach His glories all over the world. Even though one may celebrate himself as a learned follower of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and even though one may attempt to preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world, if he is not favored by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu he will find fault with the pure devotee and will not be able to understand how a preacher is empowered by Lord Caitanya. One must be considered bereft of the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he criticizes the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement now spreading all over the world or finds fault with this movement or the leader of the movement.

COMMENT

Unfortunately, after the disappearance of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, most of the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura deviated from his instruction that they preach cooperatively under the Governing Body Commission. And even in his presence, and even after his departure, most of them who tried to preach were not very successful. In fact, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura sent one disciple to Europe, but he could not make much tangible progress. And in the end, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had to call him back. But the same persons who themselves were not able to preach the message of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, they found fault with the pure devotee, with Srila Prabhupada, and could not appreciate the fact that he was spreading Krishna consciousness throughout the world, which they failed to do. So, Srila Prabhupada is comparing the pure devotee of Lord Chaitanya with Lord Chaitanya Himself, that if one gets the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, he can understand that Lord Chaitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And one who cannot understand that Lord Chaitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is considered to be bereft of the mercy of Lord Chaitanya.

So, in the same way, Srila Prabhupada says that if one is bereft of the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, he will not be able to appreciate the pure devotee of Lord Chaitanya. And therefore, if one criticizes the Krishna consciousness movement or the leader of the movement, he is to be considered bereft of the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, even though he may celebrate himself as a learned follower of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and even though he may attempt to preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world. If he is not favored by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he will find fault with the pure devotee and will not be able to understand how a preacher is empowered by Lord Chaitanya. One must be considered bereft of the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when he criticizes the Krishna consciousness movement now spreading all over the world, or finds fault with this movement or the leader of the movement.

TEXT 104

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-
prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi
jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno
na cānya eko ‘pi ciraṁ vicinvan

TRANSLATION

“[Lord Brahmā said:] ‘My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.’ ”

PURPORT Srila Prabhupada

This verse is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.29). It is explained in the Madhya-līlā, in the sixth chapter, text 84.

COMMENT

So here, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya quotes the same verse that was quoted to him by Gopinatha Acharya, that if one is favored by a slight trace of the mercy of the lotus feet of the Lord, he can understand the greatness of the Lord. So Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also says that when one is favored by the pure devotee or by the spiritual master, he develops a worshipful attitude towards the spiritual master.

TEXT 105

rājā kahe, — sabe jagannātha nā dekhiyā
caitanyera vāsā-gṛhe calilā dhāñā

TRANSLATION

The King said, “Instead of visiting the temple of Lord Jagannātha, all the devotees are running toward the residence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

TEXT 106

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “This is spontaneous love. All the devotees are very anxious to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

“First the devotees will meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then take Him with them to the temple to see Lord Jagannātha.”

TEXT 108

rājā kahe, — bhavānandera putra vāṇīnātha
prasāda lañā saṅge cale pāṅca-sāta

TRANSLATION

The King said, “The son of Bhavānanda Rāya named Vāṇīnātha, along with five or seven other men, went there to obtain the remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s food.

“Indeed, Vāṇīnātha has already gone to the residence of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and has taken a huge quantity of mahā-prasādam. Please let me know the reason for this.”

TEXT 110

bhaṭṭa kahe, — bhakta-gaṇa āila jāniñā
prabhura iṅgite prasāda yāya tāṅrā lañā

TRANSLATION

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Understanding that all the devotees have come, Lord Caitanya gave the sign, and therefore Vāṇīnātha and the others have brought such great quantities of mahā-prasādam.”

TEXT 111

rājā kahe, — upavāsa, kṣaura — tīrthera vidhāna
tāhā nā kariyā kene khāiba anna-pāna

TRANSLATION

The King then asked the Bhaṭṭācārya, “Why have the devotees not observed the regulations for visiting the pilgrimage place, such as fasting, shaving and so on? Why have they first eaten prasādam?”

TEXT 112

bhaṭṭa kahe, — tumi yei kaha, sei vidhi-dharma
ei rāga-mārge āche sūkṣma-dharma-marma

TRANSLATION

The Bhaṭṭācārya told the King, “What you have said is right according to the regulative principles governing the visiting of holy places, but there is another path, which is the path of spontaneous love. According to those principles, there are subtle intricacies involved in the execution of religious principles.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

According to the Vedic regulative principles, one has to be celibate before entering a holy place of pilgrimage. Generally people are very much addicted to sense gratification, and unless they have sex at night, they cannot sleep. The regulative principles therefore enjoin that before a common man goes to a holy place of pilgrimage, he should observe complete celibacy. As soon as one enters a holy place, he must observe fasting for the day, and after shaving his head clean, he must take a bath in a river or ocean near the holy place. These methods are adopted to neutralize the effects of sinful activities. Visiting a holy place of pilgrimage means neutralizing the reactions of a sinful life. Those who go to holy places of pilgrimage actually unload the reactions of their sinful lives, and consequently holy places are overloaded with sinful activities left there by visitors.

When a saintly person or pure devotee visits such a holy place, he absorbs the sinful effects left by the common men and again purifies the holy place. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni (Bhāg. 1.13.10). Therefore a common man’s visit to a holy place and an exalted saintly person’s visit there are different. The common man leaves his sins in the holy place, and a saintly person or devotee cleanses these sins simply by his presence. The devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu were not common men, and they could not be subjected to the rules and regulations governing the visiting of holy places. Rather, they exhibited their spontaneous love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Immediately upon arrival at the holy place, they went to see Lord Caitanya, and by His order they took mahā-prasādam without following the regulations governing holy places.

TEXT 113

īśvarera parokṣa ājñā — kṣaura, upoṣaṇa
prabhura sākṣāt ājñā — prasāda-bhojana

TRANSLATION

“The scriptural injunctions for shaving and fasting are indirect orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, when there is a direct order from the Lord to take prasādam, naturally the devotees take prasādam as their first duty.

COMMENT

In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and He gave the direct instruction to take prasāda. So the direct instruction of the Lord was more important than the indirect instruction of the Vedas that one should shave, fast, take a bath, and so on.

TEXT 114

tāhāṅ upavāsa, yāhāṅ nāhi mahā-prasāda
prabhu-ājñā-prasāda-tyāge haya aparādha

TRANSLATION

“When mahā-prasādam is not available, there must be fasting, but when the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly orders one to take prasādam, neglecting such an opportunity is offensive.

TEXT 115

viśeṣe śrī-haste prabhu kare pariveśana
eta lābha chāḍi’ kon kare upoṣaṇa

TRANSLATION

“When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is distributing prasādam with His transcendental hand, who will neglect such an opportunity and accept the regulative principle of fasting?

TEXT 116

pūrve prabhu more prasāda-anna āni’ dila
prāte śayyāya vasi’ āmi se anna khāila

TRANSLATION

“Previously the Lord gave me mahā-prasādam rice one morning, and I ate it just sitting on my bed, without having even washed my mouth.

TEXT 117

yāṅre kṛpā kari’ karena hṛdaye preraṇa
kṛṣṇāśraya haya, chāḍe veda-loka-dharma

TRANSLATION

“The man to whom the Lord shows His mercy by inspiring him within the heart takes shelter only of Lord Kṛṣṇa and abandons all Vedic and social customs.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This is also the teaching of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66):

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” Such firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead is possible only by the mercy of the Lord. The Lord is sitting within everyone’s heart, and when He personally inspires His devotee, the devotee does not stick to the Vedic principles or social customs but rather devotes himself to the transcendental loving service of the Lord. This is confirmed in the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.29.46).

TEXT 118

yadā yam anugṛhṇāti
bhagavān ātma-bhāvitaḥ
sa jahāti matiṁ loke
vede ca pariniṣṭhitām

TRANSLATION

“ ‘When one is inspired by the Lord, who is sitting in everyone’s heart, he does not care for social custom or Vedic regulative principles.’ ”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This instruction (Bhāg. 4.29.46) was given by Nārada Gosvāmī to King Prācīnabarhi in connection with the story of Purañjana. Here Nārada implies that without the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead one cannot extricate himself from the fruitive activities that are under the jurisdiction of the Vedas. In previous verses (Bhāg. 4.29.42–44) Nārada admits that even personalities like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Manu, the Prajāpatis (headed by Dakṣa), the four Kumāras, Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha and even Nārada himself could not properly receive the causeless mercy of the Lord.

TEXT 119

tabe rājā aṭṭālikā haite talete āilā
kāśī-miśra, paḍichā-pātra, duṅhe ānāilā

TRANSLATION

After this, King Pratāparudra came down from the top of his palace to the ground and called for Kāśī Miśra and the inspector of the temple.

TEXT 120–121

pratāparudra ājñā dila sei dui jane
prabhu-sthāne āsiyāchena yata prabhura gaṇe

sabāre svacchanda vāsā, svacchanda prasāda
svacchanda darśana karāiha, nahe yena bādha

TRANSLATION

Mahārāja Pratāparudra then told both Kāśī Miśra and the temple inspector, “Provide all the devotees and associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with comfortable residences, convenient eating facilities for prasādam and convenient visiting arrangements at the temple so that there will not be any difficulty.

TEXT 122

prabhura ājñā pāliha duṅhe sāvadhāna hañā
ājñā nahe, tabu kariha, iṅgita bujhiyā

TRANSLATION

“The orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be carefully carried out. Although the Lord may not give direct orders, you are still to carry out His desires simply by understanding His indications.”

TEXT 123

eta bali’ vidāya dila sei dui-jane
sārvabhauma dekhite āila vaiṣṇava-milane

TRANSLATION

Saying this, the King gave them permission to leave. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya also went to see the assembly of all the Vaiṣṇavas.

COMMENT

Okay, we will end now.

Scores—were the scores from Thursday and Friday read?

Okay. The pleasure of Their Lordships Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and all the assembled devotees, we read the saṅkīrtana results for Saturday, June 16, 1990:

[Applause]

With one mahā-big book, five small books, and three hundred and thirty-nine Lakshmi points, Bhakti devi and Janava devi dasi.

With one big book, five small books, and five hundred and seven Lakshmi points, Vrinda devi.”

[Applause]

With one big book, eighteen small books, and five hundred and fifty-seven Lakshmi points, Maduriya Lila and Bhaktin Vishwani.

[Applause]

“With life membership donation, six hundred Lakshmi points, Draupadi dasi. And with forty ISKCON World Reviews, seven hundred and thirty-five Lakshmi points, Sudevi and Vrajashwari dasi.

[Applause]

For a grand total of one mahā-big book Big Two, Big Forty, ISCON World Reviews, 28 small and 2738 Lakshmi points.

[Applause]

So actually, according to the injunctions, now we should stop everything and take the opportunity to receive the mahā-prasāda of the Lord.