CC Madhya 8 – Sri Ramananda Raya’s Appearance Day—Part 02

Giriraj Swami: Reading from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Eight “Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

TEXT 297

viṣaya chāḍiyā tumi yāha nīlācale
āmi tīrtha kari’ tāṅhā āsiba alpa-kāle

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told him, “Give up all material engagements and come to Jagannātha Purī. I will return there very soon after finishing My tour and pilgrimage.

TEXT 298

dui-jane nīlācale rahiba eka-saṅge
sukhe goṅāiba kāla kṛṣṇa-kathā-raṅge

TRANSLATION

“The two of us shall remain together at Jagannātha Purī and happily pass our time discussing Kṛṣṇa.”

TEXT 299

eta bali’ rāmānande kari’ āliṅgana
tāṅre ghare pāṭhāiyā karila śayana

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then embraced Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, and after sending him back to his home, the Lord took rest.

TEXT 300

prātaḥ-kāle uṭhi’ prabhu dekhi’ hanumān
tāṅre namaskari’ prabhu dakṣiṇe karilā prayāṇa

TRANSLATION

After rising from bed the next morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the local temple, where there was a deity of Hanumān. After offering him obeisances, the Lord departed for South India.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

In almost all the cities and towns of India there are temples of Hanumānjī, the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra. There is even a temple of Hanumān near Govindajī temple in Vṛndāvana. Formerly this temple was in front of the Gopālajī temple, but the Gopālajī Deity went to Orissa to remain as Sākṣi-gopāla. Being the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra, Hanumānjī has been respectfully worshiped for many hundreds and thousands of years. Here even Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu set the example in showing how one should offer respects to Hanumānjī.

TEXT 301

‘vidyāpūre’ nānā-mata loka vaise yata
prabhu-darśane ‘vaiṣṇava’ haila chāḍi’ nija-mata

TRANSLATION

All the residents of Vidyānagara were of different faiths, but after seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they abandoned their own faiths and became Vaiṣṇavas.

TEXT 302

rāmānanda hailā prabhura virahe vihvala
prabhura dhyāne rahe viṣaya chāḍiyā sakala

TRANSLATION

When Rāmānanda Rāya began to feel separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he was overwhelmed. Meditating on the Lord, he gave up all his material business.

TEXT 303

saṅkṣepe kahiluṅ rāmānandera milana
vistāri’ varṇite nāre sahasra-vadana

TRANSLATION

I have briefly described the meeting between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya. No one can actually describe this meeting exhaustively. It is even impossible for Lord Śeṣa Nāga, who has thousands of hoods.

TEXT 304

sahaje caitanya-caritra — ghana-dugdha-pūra
rāmānanda-caritra tāhe khaṇḍa pracura

TRANSLATION

The activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are like condensed milk, and the activities of Rāmānanda Rāya are like large quantities of sugar candy.

TEXT 305

rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā — tāte karpūra-milana
bhāgyavān yei, sei kare āsvādana

TRANSLATION

Their meeting is exactly like a mixture of condensed milk and sugar candy. When they talk of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, camphor is added. One who tastes this combined preparation is most fortunate.

TEXT 306

ye ihā eka-bāra piye karṇa-dvāre
tāra karṇa lobhe ihā chāḍite nā pare

TRANSLATION

This wonderful preparation has to be taken aurally. If one takes it, he becomes greedy to relish it even further.

TEXT 307

‘rasa-tattva-jñāna’ haya ihāra śravaṇe
‘prema-bhakti’ haya rādhā-kṛṣṇera caraṇe

TRANSLATION

By hearing the talks between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one becomes enlightened with the transcendental knowledge of the mellows of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Thus one can develop unalloyed love for the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 307

caitanyera gūḍha-tattva jāni ihā haite
viśvāsa kari’ śuna, tarka nā kariha cite

TRANSLATION

The author requests every reader to hear these talks with faith and without argument. By studying them in this way, one will be able to understand the confidential truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TEXT 309

alaukika līlā ei parama nigūḍha
viśvāse pāiye, tarke haya bahu-dūra

TRANSLATION

This part of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes is most confidential. One can derive benefit quickly only by faith; otherwise, by arguing one will always remain far away.

COMMENT

So confidential discussions are not easily understood by logic and reason, and if one tries to argue, then the conclusive truths will remain far from him. But if one hears him submissively with faith, then he can benefit from the discussions very quickly and develop love for Radha and Krishna. Arguments with spiritual authority are not beneficial, but hearing submissively is very beneficial.

TEXT 310

śrī-caitanya-nityānanda-advaita-caraṇa
yāṅhāra sarvasva, tāṅre mile ei dhana

TRANSLATION

He who has accepted as everything the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu can attain this transcendental treasure.

COMMENT

Here is a very important verse and purport because it tells us how we can get the treasure.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that Kṛṣṇa is obtainable for the faithful, but for those who are accustomed to argue, Kṛṣṇa is far, far away. Similarly, these talks between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can be understood by a person who has firm faith. Those who are not in the disciplic succession, the asauta-panthīs, cannot have faith in these talks. They are always doubting and engaging in mental concoctions. These talks cannot be understood by such whimsical people. Transcendental topics remain far, far away from those engaged in mundane arguments. In this regard, the Vedic mantras in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.9) state, naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā proktānyenaiva su-jñānāya preṣṭha. According to the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.2.3):

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo
na medhayā na bahunā śrutena
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas
tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām

And according to the Brahma-sūtra (2.1.11), tarkāpratiṣṭhānāt.

All Vedic literatures declare that transcendental subjects cannot be understood simply by argument or logic. Spiritual matters are far above experimental knowledge. Only by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy can one who is interested in His transcendental loving affairs understand them. If one tries to understand these transcendental topics simply by using one’s material brain substance, the attempt will be futile. Whether one is a prākṛta-sahajiyā or a mundane opportunist or scholar, one’s labor to understand these topics by mundane means will ultimately be frustrated. One therefore has to give up all mundane attempts and try to become a pure devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. When a devotee follows the regulative principles, the truth of these talks will be revealed to him. This is confirmed in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.234):

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

One cannot understand the Lord’s holy name, pastimes, form, qualities, or entourage with one’s blunt material senses. However, when the senses are purified by the constant rendering of service, the spiritual truth of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is revealed. As confirmed in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas. Only one who is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead can understand the transcendental features of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TEXT 311

rāmānanda rāye mora koṭī namaskāra
yāṅra mukhe kaila prabhu rasera vistāra

TRANSLATION

I offer ten million obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya because from his mouth much spiritual information has been expanded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TEXT 312

dāmodara-svarūpera kaḍacā-anusāre
rāmānanda-milana-līlā karila pracāre

TRANSLATION

I have tried to preach the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s meeting with Rāmānanda Rāya in accordance with the notebooks of Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

At the end of every chapter, the author admits the value of the disciplic succession. He never claims to have written this transcendental literature by carrying out research work. He simply admits his indebtedness to the notes taken by Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and other authoritative persons. This is the way of writing transcendental literatures, which are never meant for so-called scholars and research workers. The process is mahā-jano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: one has to strictly follow great personalities and ācāryas. Ācārya-vān puruṣo veda: one who has the favor of the ācārya knows everything. This statement made by Kavirāja Gosvāmī is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes the prākṛtā sahajiyās claim that they have heard the truth from their guru. But one cannot have transcendental knowledge simply by hearing from a guru who is not bona fide. The guru must be bona fide, and he must have heard from his own bona fide guru. Only then will his message be accepted as bona fide. Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.1):

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave ‘bravīt

“The Supreme Lord said, ‘I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.’ ”

In this way the message is transmitted in the bona fide spiritual disciplic succession from bona fide spiritual master to bona fide student. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī therefore as usual concludes this chapter by reasserting his faith in the lotus feet of the six Gosvāmīs. Thus he is able to set forth this transcendental literature, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

TEXT 313

śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa

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.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, eighth chapter, describing the talks between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya.

COMMENT

So, Ramananda Raya follows the instructions of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and engage in service of Maharaja Pratap Rudra and came to Nilacala Jagannatha Puri to spend time with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in discussing topics of Radha and Krishna. Especially, Lord Chaitanya’s final pastimes, He was absorbed in deep feelings of separation in the mood of Srimati Radharani. And Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara used to set forth by the reciting appropriate sections from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other literatures. Ramananda Raya was the most confidential associate of Lord Chaitanya and moods of Lord Chaitanya expanded many conclusive truths about devotional service.

Today, we celebrate the appearance day of Ramananda Raya, who was the incarnation of the Gopī Vishakha. The Gopī Vishakha appeared on the same day and at the same moment as Srimati Radharani. She is considered like the replica of Srimati Radharani. She took birth at the same moment and has a very similar appearance and very similar qualities. So, Radhastami is also the appearance day of Vishakha devi.

Are there any questions or comments?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 00:15:35]

Giriraj Swami: There different types of nāma-ābhāsa. In one type of nāma-ābhāsa, the syllables of the holy name are joined, but the purpose is not to indicate the name of the Lord; the purpose is different. In another type of nāma-ābhāsa, the syllables of the holy name are separated. Just like you give the example of the Aradhe. So, syllables is together but they are separate. So, one can get benefit from that type of nāma-ābhāsa. Although the benefit is not as great as if the syllables were joined, still one can derive benefit.

Question: He says the deity of Venkateshwara, his eyes are covered, and he wants to know why?

Giriraj Swami: Well, one reason which I heard was that the Lord didn’t want to see the horrible conditions in Kali-yuga. Therefore, the Lord’s eyes were covered. But as we have been reading, the Lord feels compassionate when He sees the condition of fallen souls, so He doesn’t want to destroy them, but He wants to deliver them. Therefore, the Lord came as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver them through the saṅkīrtana.

Sri Sri Radha-Radhanath ki jaya!
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!
Sri Ramananda Raya ki jaya!