CC Madhya 8 – Sri Ramananda Raya’s Appearance Day—Part 01

Giriraj Swami: Ramananda Raya is one of the intimate associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya met with Ramananda Raya on the banks of the Godavari. They discussed conclusive truths about devotional service. And in the discussion, Lord Chaitanya took the part of the student, and He made Ramananda Raya to take the part of instructor. Although Ramananda Raya was considered a sudra by birth, and because he was a servant of Maharaja Prataprudra, still Lord Chaitanya accepted him as teacher and established the fact that anyone who knows the science of Krishna, whether he is a brahman or a sudra or a sannyasi or whatever, he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Krishna and teaches the same to others. So the discussion is very long, and the commentaries are very elaborate. We won’t be able to read the whole discussion, but at least we will read the beginning, and those who wish to, can read the rest in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta or Teaching of Lord Chaitanya.

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Sri Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Eight, “Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya”

CHAPTER 8

The summary of the eighth chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. After visiting the temple of Jiyaḍa-nṛsiṁha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the banks of the river Godāvarī, to a place known as Vidyānagara. When Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya went there to take his bath, they met. After introducing himself, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya requested Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to remain in the village for some days. Honoring his request, Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed there in the home of some Vedic brāhmaṇas. In the evening, Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya used to come to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rāmānanda Rāya, who was clothed in ordinary dress, offered the Lord respectful obeisances. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu questioned him on the object and process of worship and also asked him to recite verses from the Vedic literature.

First of all, Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya enunciated the system of the varṇāśrama institution. He recited various verses about karmārpaṇa, stating that everything should be dedicated to the Lord. He then spoke of detached action, knowledge mixed with devotional service, and finally the spontaneous loving service of the Lord. After hearing Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya recite some verses, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the principle of pure devotional service devoid of all kinds of speculation. After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya to explain the higher platform of devotional service. Then Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya explained unalloyed devotional service, love of Godhead, and serving the Lord in the moods of pure servitude, fraternity and parental love. Finally he spoke of serving the Lord in conjugal love. He then spoke of how conjugal love can be developed in various ways. This conjugal love attains its highest perfection in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s love for Kṛṣṇa. He next described the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the transcendental mellows of love of God. Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya then recited a verse of his own concerning the platform of ecstatic vision, technically called prema-vilāsa-vivarta. Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya also explained that all stages of conjugal love can be attained through the mercy of the residents of Vṛndāvana, especially by the mercy of the gopīs. All these subject matters were thus vividly described. Gradually Rāmānanda Rāya could understand the position of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His real form, Rāmānanda Rāya fell unconscious. After some days, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya to retire from government service and come to Jagannātha Purī. These descriptions of the meetings between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are taken from the notebook of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

TEXT 1

sañcārya rāmābhidha-bhakta-meghe
sva-bhakti-siddhānta-cayāmṛtāni
gaurābdhir etair amunā vitīrṇais
taj-jñatva-ratnālayatāṁ prayāti

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is known as Gaurāṅga, is the ocean of all conclusive knowledge in devotional service. He empowered Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, who may be likened to a cloud of devotional service. This cloud was filled with the water of all the conclusive purports of devotional service and was empowered by the ocean to spread this water over the sea of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself. Thus the ocean of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became filled with the jewels of the knowledge of pure devotional service.

COMMENT

So Lord Chaitanya is the reservoir of all conclusive truths about devotional service, and Ramananda Raya is likened to the cloud which extracts the water from the ocean and then again showers the water back upon the ocean. So Ramananda Raya was filled with conclusive truths about devotional service by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And then by answering Lord Chaitanya’s questions, he gave back the same conclusive truths to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 2

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda
jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

TRANSLATION

All glories to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!

TEXT 11

godāvarī dekhi’ ha-ila ‘yamunā’-smaraṇa
tīre vana dekhi’ smṛti haila vṛndāvana

TRANSLATION

When He saw the river Godāvarī, the Lord remembered the river Yamunā, and when He saw the forest on the banks of the river, He remembered Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma.

TEXT 12

After performing His usual chanting and dancing for some time in this forest, the Lord crossed the river and took His bath on the other bank.

TEXT 13

After bathing in the river, the Lord walked a little distance from the bathing place and engaged in chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 14

At that time, accompanied by the sounds of music, Rāmānanda Rāya came there on a palanquin to take his bath.

TEXT 15

Many brāhmaṇas following the Vedic principles accompanied Rāmānanda Rāya. According to the Vedic rituals, Rāmānanda Rāya took his bath and offered oblations to his forefathers.

TEXT 16

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could understand that the person who had come to bathe in the river was Rāmānanda Rāya. The Lord wanted so much to meet him that His mind immediately began running after him.

COMMENT

Before Lord Chaitanya left Jagannatha Puri, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya advised Him that no one knows about the confidential mellows of devotional service like Ramananda Raya, and when You go to South India, You must meet him and discuss with him about Radha-Krishna. So, when Lord Chaitanya saw the Ramananda Raya, He couldn’t control His mind, His mind immediately raced towards him.

TEXT 17–22

Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was running after him mentally, He patiently remained sitting. Rāmānanda Rāya, seeing the wonderful sannyāsī, then came to see Him.

Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya then saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be as brilliant as a hundred suns. The Lord was covered by a saffron garment. He was large in body and very strongly built, and His eyes were like lotus petals. 

When Rāmānanda Rāya saw the wonderful sannyāsī, he was struck with wonder. He went to Him and immediately offered his respectful obeisances, falling down flat like a rod.

The Lord stood up and asked Rāmānanda Rāya to arise and chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very eager to embrace him.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then inquired whether he was Rāmānanda Rāya, and he replied, “Yes, I am Your very low servant, and I belong to the śūdra community.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then embraced Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya very firmly. Indeed, both the master and the servant almost lost consciousness due to ecstatic love.

TEXT 23

svābhāvika prema doṅhāra udaya karilā
duṅhā āliṅgiyā duṅhe bhūmite paḍilā

TRANSLATION

Their natural love for each other was awakened in them both, and they embraced and fell to the ground.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya was an incarnation of the gopī Viśākhā. Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, there was naturally an awakening of love between Viśākhā and Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the combination of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa, and the gopī Viśākhā is a principal gopī assisting Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Thus the natural love between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu awakened and they embraced.

TEXT 24

When they embraced each other, ecstatic symptoms — paralysis, perspiration, tears, shivering, paleness and standing up of the bodily hairs — appeared. The word “Kṛṣṇa” came from their mouths falteringly.

TEXT 25

When the stereotyped, ritualistic brāhmaṇas who were following the Vedic principles saw this ecstatic manifestation of love, they were struck with wonder. All these brāhmaṇas began to reflect as follows.

TEXT 26

The brāhmaṇas thought, “We can see that this sannyāsī has a luster like the effulgence of Brahman, but how is it He is crying upon embracing a śūdra, a member of the fourth caste in the social order?”

TEXT 27

They thought, “This Rāmānanda Rāya is the Governor of Madras, a highly learned and grave person, a mahā-paṇḍita, but upon touching this sannyāsī he has become restless like a madman.”

TEXT 28

ei-mata vipra-gaṇa bhāve mane mana
vijātīya loka dekhi, prabhu kaila samvaraṇa

TRANSLATION

While the brāhmaṇas were thinking in this way about the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw those outsiders and restrained His transcendental emotions.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Rāmānanda Rāya was intimately related to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; therefore he can be accepted as a sajātīya, a person within the intimate circle of the Lord. The brāhmaṇas, however, were followers of the Vedic rituals and were not able to have an intimate connection with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Consequently they are called vijātīya-loka. In other words, they were not pure devotees. One may be a highly learned brāhmaṇa, but if he is not a pure devotee, he is a vijātīya, an outcaste, one outside devotional service — in other words, a nondevotee. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya were embracing in ecstasy, the Lord restrained His transcendental emotions upon seeing the outsider brāhmaṇas.

COMMENT

So, pure devotees do not exhibit transcendental ecstasy in the presence of others who are not pure devotees and who will not understand properly. Therefore, Lord Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya restrained themselves in the presence of the brahmans because, although they were learned in Vedic rituals, they were not actually devotees and they could not understand the transcendental loving transactions between Ramananda Raya and Lord Chaitanya. Once, one disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Gargamuni, said that sometimes he felt like crying in the kirtan and whether he could or not. Srila Prabhupada said that, “Well, you are crying in the company of devotees, so it is all right.”

TEXT 29

When they regained their sanity, they both sat down, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and began to speak as follows.

TEXT 30

 “Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya spoke of your good qualities, and he made a great endeavor to convince Me to meet you.

TEXT 31

 “Indeed, I have come here just to meet you. It is very good that even without making an effort I have gotten your interview here.”

TEXT 32

Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya thinks of me as his servant. Even in my absence he is very careful to do me good.

TEXT 33

 “By his mercy I have received Your interview here. Consequently I consider that today I have become a successful human being.

TEXT 34

 “I can see that You have bestowed special mercy upon Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. Therefore You have touched me, although I am untouchable. This is due only to his love for You.

TEXT 35

 “You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa Himself, and I am only a government servant interested in materialistic activities. Indeed, I am the lowest among men of the fourth caste.

TEXT 36

mora sparśe nā karile ghṛṇā, veda-bhaya
mora darśana tomā vede niṣedhaya

TRANSLATION

 “You do not fear the Vedic injunctions stating that You should not associate with a śūdra. You were not contemptuous of my touch, although in the Vedas You are forbidden to associate with śūdras.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) the Lord says:

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 attain the supreme destination.”

The word pāpa-yonayaḥ means “born into a lower-class.” According to the Vedic system of classification, women, vaiśyas, and śūdras belong to a lower social order. A low life means a life without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. High and low positions in society are calculated by considering a person’s Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A brāhmaṇa is considered to be on the highest platform because he knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth. The second caste, the kṣatriya caste, also know Brahman, but not as well as the brāhmaṇas. The vaiśyas and śūdras do not clearly understand God consciousness, but if they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, they do not remain in the lower castes (pāpa-yonayaḥ). It is clearly stated: te ‘pi yānti parāṁ gatim.

Unless one has attained the highest standard of life, one cannot return home, back to Godhead. One may be a śūdra, vaiśya or woman, but if one is situated in the service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one should not be considered strī, śūdra, vaiśya or lower than śūdra. Though a person may be from a lowborn family, if he is engaged in the Lord’s service he should never be considered to belong to a lowborn family. The Padma Purāṇa forbids, vīkṣate jāti-sāmānyāt sa yāti narakaṁ-dhruvam. A person goes to hell quickly when he considers a devotee of the Lord in terms of birth. Although Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya supposedly took birth in a śūdra family, he is not to be considered a śūdra, for he was a great advanced devotee. Indeed, he was on the transcendental platform. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore embraced him. Out of spiritual humility, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya presented himself as a śūdra (rāja-sevī viṣayī śūdrādhama). Even though one may engage in government service or in any other pounds-shillings-pence business — in short, in materialistic life — he need only take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a very simple process. One need only chant the holy names of the Lord and strictly follow the principles forbidding sinful activity. In this way one can no longer be considered an untouchable, a viṣayī or a śūdra. One who is advanced in spiritual life should not associate with nondevotees — namely men in government service and men engaged in materialistic activity for sense gratification or in the service of others. Such men are considered viṣayī, materialistic. It is said:

niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya
 pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya
sandarśanaṁ viṣayiṇām atha yoṣitāṁ ca
 hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato ‘py asādhu

“A person who is very seriously engaged in cultivating devotional service with a view to crossing the ocean of nescience and who has completely abandoned all material activities should never see a śūdra, a vaiśya or a woman.” (Śrī Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 8.23)

COMMENT

So, the material universe is compared to an ocean of space, and within the ocean of space are many planets, which are compared to islands within the ocean. So the goal of human life should be to cross the ocean of material existence. In other words, to go beyond the material universe and enter the spiritual sky, wherein there are many spiritual planets, and wherein the highest planet is Krishnaloka. So if one is serious about going beyond the material ocean, he should not associate intimately with women or men attached to women and sense gratification. If a sannyasi does so, he is considered to be drinking poison, or in other words, he is considered to be committing suicide. Therefore, Lord Chaitanya set the example by refusing to meet the king. But still, out of causeless mercy, He met with Ramananda Raya, and not only met with him but embraced him in ecstatic love. Ramananda Raya is appreciating the great favor that Lord Chaitanya bestowed upon him. And he considered the favor due to the special relationship between Lord Chaitanya and Sarvabhauma, and Sarvabhauma’s special concern for Ramananda Raya. In other words, he was very humble. He didn’t consider himself qualified to be touched by the Lord. In fact, he considered himself to be untouchable, but he considered, due to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s mercy and Lord Chaitanya’s mercy, he was shown such favors.

TEXT 37

tomāra kṛpāya tomāya karāya nindya-karma
sākṣāt īśvara tumi, ke jāne tomāra marma

TRANSLATION

 “You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself; therefore no one can understand Your purpose. By Your mercy You are touching me, although this is not sanctioned by the Vedas.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

A sannyāsī is strictly forbidden to see the viṣayīs, the materialistic people. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, out of His boundless and causeless mercy, could show favor to anyone, regardless of birth and position.

āmā nistārite tomāra ihāṅ āgamana
parama-dayālu tumi patita-pāvana

TEXT 38

“You have come here specifically to deliver me. You are so merciful that You alone can deliver all fallen souls.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings in his Prārthanā (39):

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu dayā kara more,
tomā vinā ke dayālu jagat-saṁsāre

patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra,
mo sama patita prabhu nā pāibe āra

“My dear Lord, please be merciful to me. Who can be more merciful than Your Lordship within these three worlds? You appear as an incarnation just to reclaim the conditioned, fallen souls, but I assure You that You will not find a soul more fallen than me.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s specific mission is to deliver fallen souls. Of course, in this Age of Kali there is hardly anyone who is not fallen according to the calculations of Vedic behavior. In His instructions to Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu described the so-called followers of Vedic religion in this way (Madhya 19.146):

veda-niṣṭha-madhye ardheka veda ‘mukhe’ māne
veda-niṣiddha pāpa kare, dharma nāhi gaṇe

So-called followers of Vedic principles simply accept the Vedas formally, but they act against Vedic principles. This is symptomatic of this Age of Kali. People claim to follow a certain type of religion, saying formally, “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian,” “I am this or that,” but actually no one follows the principles enunciated in religious scriptures. This is the disease of this age. Therefore the merciful Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has simply advised us to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. The Lord can deliver anyone and everyone, even though one may have fallen from the injunctions of revealed scriptures. This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s special mercy. Consequently He is known as patita-pāvana, the deliverer of all fallen souls.

COMMENT

So, generally, the human population is divided between the followers of Vedic culture and those who do not follow the Vedic culture. But in Kali-yuga, even those who are supposed to follow Vedic culture do not actually follow. Actually, they engage in sinful activities prohibited by Vedic culture. When Srila Prabhupada first returned to India with his foreign disciples, he attended one big program on the Bombay seafront, and many sadhus from throughout India came to speak. The assembly was called Sadhu Samaj, or a meeting organized by the association of sadhus in India. And so many Mayavadis, especially, had assembled on the platform, and Prabhupada was also on the platform in the front with the Mayavadis. And then after two or three rows of sadhus, all the way across the front of the stage, Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were sitting. So one after the other, the Mayavadis spoke. And finally, Srila Prabhupada was asked to speak. Generally, Srila Prabhupada asked to speak last. One reason is that the topmost personality was given the last place to speak, and the other thing was that the audience was generally wanting to hear Srila Prabhupada speak and the devotees’ chant and dance, so they kept the devotees last. Otherwise, if the devotees performed earlier, then the audience might leave, not staying to hear the Mayavadi speeches.

So after so many long-winded speeches, Srila Prabhupada’s turn came, and he asked the devotees to perform kirtan. So the devotees began to chant and dance on the stage, and then some of the devotees went into the audience. There were thousands and thousands of people on chairs on the beachfront, Bombay Chowpatty. And gradually, all devotees jumped off of the stage onto the sand and started to run through the audience, chanting and dancing, and getting the audience to chant and dance. Pretty soon, the whole audience, thousands of people, were chanting and dancing in ecstasy, and many were crying. They were just overwhelmed with ecstasy. So after some time chanting and dancing, the kirtan ended, and Prabhupada was to speak. He spoke very briefly, because he knew that the audience must have been tired from hearing the Mayavadis. He spoke very briefly, and he said that this is the movement of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and the followers of Mahaprabhu’s movement, the foreign boys and girls, who were accustomed to all sorts of sinful activities, had completely given up all sinful activities and were completely refraining from eating meat, fish, and eggs, gambling, taking intoxicants including coffee, tea, and cigarettes, and illicit sex. And Srila Prabhupada said that even India, it is very rare to find someone who is following these four principles, even to the point of not smoking or drinking tea. And he said that this result has been achieved by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, by the process of chanting Hare Krishna. And he appealed to the audience to participate and concluded the talk within a few minutes.

So even amongst the sadhus, or so-called sadhus, we very rarely find someone who follows the four principles strictly. Even they drink tea quite commonly, if they don’t smoke cigarettes or chew pan. So, the standard of what Srila Prabhupada said is very high, even by Indian standards, and the devotees are able to keep to the standard by the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by the process of chanting the Hare Krishna. And therefore, if someone does take to the process and adhere to the standard, he should be considered a Vaishnava or a brahman, or more than a brahman, without consideration of his birth or past activities. And here, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu set the example by accepting Ramananda Raya as a devotee, not considering his birth or so-called material activities.

TEXT 39

mahānta-svabhāva ei tārite pāmara
nija kārya nāhi tabu yāna tāra ghara

TRANSLATION

“It is the general practice of all saintly people to deliver the fallen. Therefore they go to people’s houses, although they have no personal business there.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

A sannyāsī is supposed to beg from door to door. He does not beg simply because he is hungry. His real purpose is to enlighten the occupant of every house by preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A sannyāsī does not abandon his superior position and become a beggar just for the sake of begging. Similarly, a person in householder life may be very important, but he may also voluntarily take to the mendicant way of life. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī were ministers, but they voluntarily accepted the mendicant’s life in order to humbly preach Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s message. It is said about them: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Although the Gosvāmīs were very aristocratic, on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu they became mendicants just to deliver the fallen souls. One should also consider that those who engage in the missionary activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are under the guidance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They are not actually beggars; their real business is to deliver fallen souls. Therefore they may go from door to door just to introduce a book about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can become enlightened by reading. Formerly brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs used to beg from door to door. At the present moment, especially in the Western countries, a person may be handed over to the police if he begs from door to door. In Western countries, begging is considered criminal. Members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have no business begging. Instead, they work very hard to introduce some literatures about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can read them and be benefited. But if one gives some contribution to a Kṛṣṇa conscious man, he never refuses it.

COMMENT

So, the sannyasis used to visit the householders not for the sake of begging or getting food, but for the sake of giving them association, or giving them transcendental knowledge. It is said that Śukadeva Gosvami used to visit the householders only at the time that the cows were being milked. He would stay only as long as the time required to milk the cow. In other words, he did not associate unnecessarily with them but he associated with them only for the sake of giving them some knowledge of Krishna consciousness, in the guise of accepting a little milk or a little butter. So, we should always remember that the real purpose of our visiting people is not getting something from them, but the real purpose is to give them Krishna consciousness, specifically in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books. So, the real purpose is to give them transcendental knowledge. And incidentally, if the householders offer some contribution, we accept it. But we should not think that the purpose for which we approach the householders is to get money or anything from them, because Lord Chaitanya is the incarnation of causeless mercy, and as the servants of Lord Chaitanya, and through disciplic succession, we should also be agents for distributing Lord Chaitanya’s mercy. So, we should go in the mood of giving mercy, and therefore, not hesitate to go from door to door and try to introduce some books about Krishna consciousness.

TEXT 40

mahad-vicalanaṁ nṝṇāṁ
gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām
niḥśreyasāya bhagavan
nānyathā kalpate kvacit

TRANSLATION

 “ ‘My dear Lord, sometimes great saintly persons go to the homes of householders, although these householders are generally low-minded. When a saintly person visits their homes, one can understand that it is for no other purpose than to benefit the householders.’

PURPORT

This verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.8.4).

COMMENT

This verse was actually spoken by Nanda Maharaja to Gargamuni. He felt that Gargamuni had come there to show favor to him.

TEXT 41

“Along with me there are about a thousand men — including the brāhmaṇas — and all of them appear to have had their hearts melted simply by seeing You.

TEXT 42

“I hear everyone chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone’s body is thrilled with ecstasy, and there are tears in everyone’s eyes.

TEXT 43

ākṛtye-prakṛtye tomāra īśvara-lakṣaṇa
jīve nā sambhave ei aprākṛta guṇa

TRANSLATION

“My dear Sir, according to Your behavior and bodily features, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is impossible for ordinary living beings to possess such transcendental qualities.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s bodily features were uncommon. Indeed, His body was extraordinary in its measurements. The measurement of His chest and the measurement of His forearms were the same. This is called nyagrodha-parimaṇḍala. As far as His nature is concerned, He was kind to everyone. No one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be kind to everyone. Therefore the Lord’s name is Kṛṣṇa, “all-attractive.” As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.4), Kṛṣṇa is the kind father of everyone. In every species of life (sarva-yoniṣu), He is the original father, the seed-giver (bīja-pradaḥ pitā). How, then, can He be unkind to any living entity? One may be a man, an animal or even a tree, but the Lord is kind to everyone. That is God’s qualification. He also says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.29), samo ‘haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu: “I am equally kind to everyone.” And He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: “Give up all other engagements and simply surrender unto Me.” This instruction is meant not only for Arjuna but for all living entities. Whoever takes advantage of this offer is immediately immune to all sinful activity and returns home, back to Godhead. While present on this planet, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made the same offer.

COMMENT

So, how does the Lord Chaitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is kind to everyone, in all species of life is demonstrated in the talk with Haridasa Thakura. Again, for Thakura Haridasa, Lord Chaitanya took position of hearing from Haridasa Thakura, just as He took the position of hearing from Ramananda Raya. And he told Haridasa Thakura that He very anxious about the welfare of the living entities, how the living entities could be delivered from the material world. And Haridasa replied that by chanting the holy names of the Lord, the living entities could be delivered. Lord Chaitanya said, “I am very glad to hear this, that in Kali-yuga, simply by chanting the holy names of Krishna, one can be delivered. But what about those who are not followers of Vedic culture? They never chant the holy names of Krishna. So, how can they be delivered?” Haridasa Thakura replied, “They also chant the holy names of Krishna, not knowing that they are chanting the holy names.” They chant in nāma-ābhāsa, but even by chanting the name in nāma-ābhāsa, they can also be delivered.” And Thakura Haridasa cited one reference from scripture where one hunter was hunting in the forest and he was attacked by a wild boar, who pierced him with his horns or something. And the Yavana shouted, “Ha Rama! Ha Rama!” which means “horrible! horrible!” He wasn’t meaning to chant the holy name of Rama, but he was saying something else, “Ha Rama,” which meant horrible But by chanting the holy name of Rama unintentionally, he was delivered.

And we find the same truth in the case of Ajamila. He chanted the holy name of Narayana without intending to chant the holy name, and he was also freed from sinful reactions. So, Haridasa Thakura said that even those who are not followers of Vedic culture, by unintentionally chanting the holy name, they can also be delivered. So, Lord Chaitanya said, “I am very glad to hear this, and by chanting in nāma-ābhāsa, even Yavanas can be delivered. But what about those who are not even in the human form of life? How can they be delivered?” So, Lord Chaitanya was so kind that He actually thought of every living entity, not only the civilized human beings but even the uncivilized ones, and not only the human beings but even the lower species. Then, of course, Haridasa Thakura replied that the living entities in lower species can also be delivered by hearing the holy names. Even though they can’t chant the holy names, they can still hear them, and thus they can also become free from sinful reactions. Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead could show so much love for every living entity as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did. Therefore, Ramananda Raya concluded that He must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He was right. Lord Chaitanya was accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by learned scholars and advanced devotees like Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Ramananda Raya, Rupa Gosvami. He was not like the modern incarnations or so-called incarnations who are accepted as incarnations by ignorant, foolish people. But He was recognized by highly advanced persons in knowledge of devotion.

There is more discussion between Lord Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya, even before they begin the questions and answers, so we will just have to skip now to the end of the chapter.

TEXT 292

ei-rūpa daśa-rātri rāmānanda-saṅge
sukhe goṅāilā prabhu kṛṣṇa-kathā-raṅge

TRANSLATION

For ten nights Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya spent a happy time discussing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 293

nigūḍha vrajera rasa-līlāra vicāra
aneka kahila, tāra nā pāila pāra

TRANSLATION

The conversations between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu contain the most confidential subject matters, touching the conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana [Vrajabhūmi]. Although they talked at great length about these pastimes, they could not reach the limit of discussion.

TEXT 294

tāmā, kāṅsā, rūpā, sonā, ratna-cintāmaṇi
keha yadi kāhāṅ potā pāya eka-khāni

TRANSLATION

Actually, these conversations are like a great mine where, from a single place, one can extract all kinds of metals — copper, bell metal, silver and gold — and also touchstone, the basis of all metals.

PURPORT

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the conversations between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rāmānanda Rāya replied to five questions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and these questions and their replies are recorded in verses 57–67. The first answer is compared to copper, the second to a better metal, bell metal, the third to a still better metal, silver, and the fourth to the best metal of all, gold. But the fifth answer is compared to the most valuable gem, touchstone, because it deals with unalloyed devotion, the ultimate goal of devotional life, and illuminates the preceding four subordinate answers.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura points out that in Vrajabhūmi there is the Yamunā River with its sandy banks. There are kadamba trees, cows, Kṛṣṇa’s sticks with which He herds cows, and Kṛṣṇa’s flute. All of these belong to śānta-rasa, the mellow of neutrality in devotional service. There are also the direct servants of Kṛṣṇa, such as Citraka, Patraka and Raktaka, and these are the embodiments of service in the mellow of servitude. There are also friends like Śrīdāmā and Sudāmā, who embody service in fraternity. Nanda Mahārāja and mother Yaśodā are the embodiments of parental love. Above all of these are Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Her assistants, the gopīs Lalitā, Viśākhā and others, who embody conjugal love. In this way all five mellows — śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya — exist eternally in Vrajabhūmi. They are also compared, respectively, to copper, bell metal, silver, gold and touchstone, the basis of all metals. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī therefore refers to a mine eternally existing in Vṛndāvana, Vrajabhūmi.

COMMENT

So, Lord Chaitanya originally asked five questions to Ramananda Raya, and Ramananda Raya answered them elaborately. The discussions are compared to a mine from which precious metals are extracted. And the metals are copper, bell metal, silver, gold, and touchstone. So, the Bhaktivinoda Thakura compares the five metals to the five processes described by Ramananda Raya in the beginning of discussion which culminate in spontaneous devotional service. And Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura compares the five metals to the five relationships that exist when one comes to the platform of love of Godhead. So, in this way, there is a gradual progression in the discussion from different processes leading to pure devotional service, and then, having come to pure devotional service, different relationships that one can have with Krishna in Vrindavan. These five relationships do not exist outside of Vrindavana. Outside Vrindavan, one gets śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, and lower half sākhya-rasa.