Sri Jagannatha Mishra’s Festival

Giriraj Swami: As we know, yesterday was Gaura-purnima, the full moon night of the Falgun Month, and during the night, during the lunar eclipse, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Chaitanya appeared. And the next day, news spread that a son had been born to Jagannatha Misra and Sacidevi. And so, as depicted in last night’s drama, the friends and neighbors, Vaishnavas and devotees, came to the home of Jagannatha Misra to see the baby and give presentations and blessings. So, today is observed as the festival of Jagannatha Misra or the feast of Jagannatha Misra, and we will read from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta about His appearance and how the friends and neighbors and devotees celebrated His appearance. But before then, we will read the purport to the song we just sang.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This is a song by Locana dasa Thakura. Pahun means Lord, and dui jana means two. Locana dasa Thakura declares that the two Lords, Nitai-Gauracandra, Lord Nitai and Lord Caitanya, are very merciful, parama karuna. Saba avatara, sara shiromani. Avatara means incarnation, and saba means all. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that prosecuting their way of self-realization is simply joyful, kevala ananda kanda, for they introduced chanting and dancing. There are many incarnations, such as Lord Rama and even Krsna, who taught Bhagavad-gītā, which requires knowledge and understanding. But Lord Caitanya and Nityananda introduced a process that is simply joyful, simply chanting and dancing. Therefore Locana dasa requests everyone, bhaja bhaja bhai, chaitanya nitai: “My dear brother, I request that you just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityananda with firm conviction and faith.” Don’t think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal. It will. It is the assurance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore one must chant with firm faith and conviction, visvasa kori.

But what is the process? The process is vishaya chariya se rase majiya. If one wants to be Krishna conscious by this process, one has to give up his engagement in sense gratification. That is the only restriction. If one gives up sense gratification, it is sure that he will reach the desired goal. Mukha bolo hari hari, one simply has to chant “Hari Krishna, Hari Hari!” without any motive of sense gratification.

Dekho ore bhai, tribhuvane nai. Locana dasa Thakura says, “My dear brother, you just try to examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityananda, because Their merciful qualities are so great that They make even birds and beasts cry, what to speak of human beings.” Actually, when Lord Caitanya passed through the forest known as Jharikhanda, the tigers, elephants, snakes, deer, and all other animals joined Him in chanting Hare Krishna. It is so nice that anyone can join. Even the animals can join, what to speak of human beings. Of course, it is not possible for ordinary men to induce animals to chant, but if Caitanya Mahaprabhu could inspire animals to chant, at least we can encourage human beings to adopt this path of Hare Krishna mantra chanting. It is so nice that even the most stonehearted man will be melted. Pashana means stone. It is so nice that even stone will melt.

But Locana dasa Thakura regrets that he is entrapped by sense gratification. He addresses himself, “My dear mind, you are entrapped in this sense gratification process, and you have no attraction for chanting Hare Krishna. Since you have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, what can I say? I can simply think of my misfortune. Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement.”

Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

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

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Thirteen, “The Advent of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The thirteenth chapter describes Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s appearance.

A learned brāhmaṇa named Upendra Miśra, who resided in the district of Śrīhaṭṭa, was the father of Jagannātha Miśra, who came to Navadvīpa to study under the direction of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī and then settled there after marrying Nīlāmbara Cakravartī’s daughter, Śacīdevī. Śacīdevī gave birth to eight children, all daughters, who died one after another immediately after birth. After her ninth pregnancy she gave birth to a son, who was named Viśvarūpa. Then, in 1407 Śaka Era, on the full-moon evening of the month of Phālguna, during the constellation of Siṁha Lagna, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared as the son of Śrī Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra. After hearing of the birth of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, learned scholars and brāhmaṇas, bringing many gifts, came to see the newborn baby. Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, who was a great astrologer, immediately prepared a horoscope, and by astrological calculation he saw that the child was a great personality. This chapter describes the symptoms of this great personality.

TEXT 1

sa prasīdatu caitanya-

devo yasya prasādataḥ

tal-līlā-varṇane yogyaḥ

sadyaḥ syād adhamo ‘py ayam

TRANSLATION

I wish the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose mercy even one who is fallen can describe the pastimes of the Lord.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

To describe Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one needs supernatural power, which is the grace and mercy of the Lord. Without this grace and mercy, one cannot compose transcendental literature. By dint of the grace of the Lord, however, even one who is unfit for a literary career can describe wonderful transcendental topics. Description of Kṛṣṇa is possible for one who is empowered. Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana (Cc. Antya 7.11). Unless endowed with the mercy of the Lord, one cannot preach of the Lord’s name, fame, qualities, form, entourage and so on. It should be concluded, therefore, that the description of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī manifests specific mercy bestowed upon the author, although he thought of himself as the most fallen. We should not consider him fallen because he describes himself as such. Rather, anyone who is able to compose such transcendental literature is our esteemed master.

TEXT 2

jaya jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya gauracandra

jayādvaitacandra jaya jaya nityānanda

TRANSLATION

All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Advaitacandra! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu!

TEXT 3

jaya jaya gadādhara jaya śrīnivāsa

jaya mukunda vāsudeva jaya haridāsa

TRANSLATION

All glories to Gadādhara Prabhu! All glories to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura! All glories to Mukunda Prabhu and Vāsudeva Prabhu! All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura!

TEXT 4

jaya dāmodara-svarūpa jaya murāri gupta

ei saba candrodaye tamaḥ kaila lupta

TRANSLATION

All glories to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Murāri Gupta! All these brilliant moons have together dissipated the darkness of this material world.

TEXT 5

jaya śrī-caitanyacandrera bhakta candra-gaṇa

sabāra prema jyotsnāya ujjvala tri-bhuvana

TRANSLATION

All glories to the moons who are devotees of the principal moon, Lord Caitanyacandra! Their bright moonshine illuminates the entire universe.

PURPORT

In this verse we find the moon described as candra-gaṇa, which is plural in number. This indicates that there are many moons. In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.21) the Lord says, nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī: “Among the stars, I am the moon.” All the stars are like the moon. Western astronomers consider the stars to be suns, but Vedic astronomers, following the Vedic scriptures, consider them moons. The sun has the ability to shine powerfully, and the moons reflect the sunshine and therefore look brilliant. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta Kṛṣṇa is described to be like the sun. The supreme powerful is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and His devotees are also bright and illuminating because they reflect the supreme sun. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.31) states:

kṛṣṇa — sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra

yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

“Kṛṣṇa is bright like the sun. As soon as the sun appears, there is no question of darkness or nescience.” (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 22.31) Similarly, the present verse also describes that by the illumination of all the moons, brightened by the reflection of the Kṛṣṇa sun, or by the grace of all the devotees of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the entire world will be illuminated, despite the darkness of Kali-yuga. Only the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu can dissipate the darkness of Kali-yuga, the ignorance of the population of this age. No one else can do so. We therefore wish that all the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement may reflect the supreme sun and thus dissipate the darkness of the entire world.

COMMENT

So once, one disciple wrote Srila Prabhupada comparing him, I don’t remember exactly what the comparison by the disciple was, but Srila Prabhupada said that he is like the moon in the sense that the moon by nature is dark and cold, but by association with the sun it appears to be bright and warm. So he said that on his own he was cold and dark, but by the grace of his spiritual master, by the association of his spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he appeared to be very bright. There is a saying that Srila Prabhupada often quoted from Canakya Pandit, that one moon is more valuable than millions of stars. In other words, there may be millions of stars twinkling in the sky at night, but they cannot illuminate the sky or the world as much as the one sun. And the idea is that it is, as Srila Prabhupada said, he didn’t want many disciples who would be like stars, but if he could just get one moon, then he would consider his mission to have been successful. And then, at one stage, he commented that he was hoping to get one moon, but Krishna or his spiritual master had sent many moons. And here, in the last line of the purport, Srila Prabhupada is enjoining all of us to become moons, “We therefore wish that all the devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement may reflect the supreme sun and thus dissipate the darkness of the entire world.”

In 1977, there was an article in one of the popular Indian journals titled something like, 100 Million Harijans Seek A New Messiah. And the idea of the article was that Dr. Ambedkar, who was born in a low family like Caṇḍāla or Harijan, he had risen to great heights in India, and he was the leader of the Harijans, so-called Harijans. But that since he had died, they were looking for a new messiah to lead them and deliver them. This was in Juhu in 1977 when Srila Prabhupada was not well, and Tamal Krishna Goswami said to him, “Srila Prabhupada, you are the messiah who can lead them and deliver them.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “I want you all to become messiahs.” So, it is the same idea, although it is quite a difficult task, but possible, by the mercy of guru and Gauranga.

TEXT 19

sarva-sad-guṇa-pūrṇāṁ tāṁ

vande phālguna-pūrṇimām

yasyāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyo

’vatīrṇaḥ kṛṣṇa-nāmabhiḥ

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the full-moon evening in the month of Phālguna, an auspicious time full of auspicious symptoms, when Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself with the chanting of the holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 20

On the full-moon evening of the month of Phālguna when the Lord took birth, coincidentally there was also a lunar eclipse.

TEXT 21

In jubilation everyone was chanting the holy name of the Lord — “Hari! Hari!” — and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then appeared, after first causing the appearance of the holy name.

TEXT 22

At His birth, in His childhood and in His early and later boyhood, as well as in His youth, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, under different pleas, induced people to chant the holy name of Hari [the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra].

TEXT 23

In His childhood, when the Lord was crying He would stop immediately upon hearing the holy names Kṛṣṇa and Hari.

TEXT 24

All the friendly ladies who came to see the child would chant the holy names, “Hari, Hari!” as soon as the child would cry.

TEXT 25

When all the ladies saw this fun, they enjoyed laughing and called the Lord “Gaurahari.” From then on, Gaurahari became another of His names.

TEXT 26

His childhood lasted until the date of hāte khaḍi, the beginning of His education, and His age from the end of His childhood until He married is called paugaṇḍa.

TEXT 27

After His marriage His youth began, and in His youth He induced everyone to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra anywhere and everywhere.

COMMENT

So, there are three phases described here, similar to Krishna’s. The bālya period, childhood, that was until he began his education. Then, when he was a student, he was in the age of paugaṇḍa. And then, after he was married, he entered the age of yauvana or youth.

TEXT 28

During His paugaṇḍa age He became a serious student and also taught disciples. In this way He used to explain the holy name of Kṛṣṇa everywhere.

TEXT 29

When teaching a course in grammar [vyākaraṇa] and explaining it with notes, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught His disciples about the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. All explanations culminated in Kṛṣṇa, and His disciples would understand them very easily. Thus His influence was wonderful.

PURPORT

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī compiled a grammar in two parts, named Laghu-hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa and Bṛhad-dhari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa. If someone studies these two texts in vyākaraṇa, or grammar, he learns the grammatical rules of the Sanskrit language and simultaneously learns how to become a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

COMMENT

So, this is a very inspired approach to teaching grammar, and one that reflected Lord Chaitanya’s mood of Krishna consciousness, that he explained everything in relation to Krishna. For example, just one very small example, one can utter a vowel independently, but one cannot utter a consonant without a vowel sound. So, he described the vowels as independent, like Krishna, and the consonants as dependent, like the living entities. So, in this way, every description of the letters, there is different categories of letters and how the letters are joined, how to make them into words, how the words are joined into sentences, it was all explained in relation to the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. And based on Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s explanations, Jiva Gosvami compiled that grammar book, which Srila Prabhupada said we should use to teach our students grammar, Sanskrit.

PURPORT (continued)

In the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, first chapter, there is a statement about the method by which Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught grammar. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the quotes of grammar to be eternal, like the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. The purport of all revealed scriptures is understanding of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore if a person explains anything that is not Kṛṣṇa, he simply wastes his time laboring hard without fulfilling the aim of his life. If one simply becomes a teacher or professor of education but does not understand Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that he is among the lowest of mankind, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.15): narādhamā māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. If one does not know the essence of all revealed scriptures but still becomes a teacher, his teaching is like the disturbing braying of an ass.

COMMENT

Hare Krishna. Well, this highlights the importance of Krishna conscious education. We have quite a large congregation now, and the parents are naturally concerned about the education of their children. One of them, and I am sure he is just one of many, many parents, one of them approached me last night about a school. We must have a school for the children because they don’t want their children to have to go to the regular schools, which are bad. And he said he is in a dilemma because he really doesn’t want to put his children in the regular school, so he is thinking, Should he go back to India? What should he do? But the solution that he wants and the others want is that we should have a Krishna conscious school. So, that is something that we should work on as a beginning, good beginning, good elements to make a beginning, it is an important item.

TEXT 30

When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a student, He asked whomever He met to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. In this way He inundated the whole town of Navadvīpa with the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

PURPORT

The present Navadvīpa-dhāma is but a part of the whole of Navadvīpa. Navadvīpa means “nine islands.” These nine islands, which occupy an area of land estimated at thirty-two square miles, are surrounded by different branches of the Ganges.

COMMENT

These nine islands are depicted on the wall as part of our special Gaura-purnima decorations, and each one of the nine islands corresponds to one of the nine processes of devotional service, and those are also mentioned along with the picture of the island. Srila Prabhupada says the same thing.

PURPORT (continued)

In all nine of those islands of the Navadvīpa area there are different places for cultivating devotional service. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23) that there are nava-vidha bhakti, nine activities of devotional service:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

There are different islands in the Navadvīpa area for cultivation of these nine varieties of devotional service. They are as follows: (1) Antardvīpa, (2) Sīmantadvīpa, (3) Godrumadvīpa, (4) Madhyadvīpa, (5) Koladvīpa, (6) Ṛtudvīpa, (7) Jahnudvīpa, (8) Modadruma-dvīpa and (9) Rudradvīpa. According to the settlement map, our ISKCON Navadvīpa center is situated on the Rudradvīpa island. Below Rudradvīpa, in Antardvīpa, is Māyāpur. There Śrī Jagannātha Miśra, the father of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, used to reside. In all these different islands, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as a young man, used to lead His saṅkīrtana party. He thus inundated the entire area with the waves of love of Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 31

Just prior to His youthful life. . .

COMMENT

That means before marriage.

TEXT 31 

. . . He began the saṅkīrtana movement. Day and night He used to dance in ecstasy with His devotees.

TEXT 32 

The saṅkīrtana movement went on from one part of the town to another, as the Lord wandered everywhere performing kīrtana. In this way He inundated the whole world by distributing love of Godhead.

PURPORT

One may raise the question how all three worlds became inundated with love of Kṛṣṇa, since Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed kīrtana only in the Navadvīpa area. The answer is that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. The entire cosmic manifestation results from the Lord’s first setting it in motion. Similarly, since the saṅkīrtana movement was first set in motion five hundred years ago by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s desire that it spread all over the universe, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, in continuity of that same motion, is now spreading all over the world, and in this way it will gradually spread all over the universe. With the spread of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, everyone will merge in an ocean of love of Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 33

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu lived in the Navadvīpa area for twenty-four years, and He induced every person to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and thus merge in love of Kṛṣṇa.

COMMENT

There is a description of Lord Chaitanya’s elders who took birth before him, and especially of Advaita Acharya, whose loud calls summoned the Lord. And we will now come to the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. But first,

TEXT 71

kṛṣṇera āhvāna kare saghana huṅkāra

huṅkāre ākṛṣṭa hailā vrajendra-kumāra

TRANSLATION

By loud cries He invited Kṛṣṇa to appear, and this repeated invitation attracted Lord Kṛṣṇa to descend.

TEXT 72

Before the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, eight daughters took birth one after another from the womb of Śacīmātā, the wife of Jagannātha Miśra. But just after their birth, they all died.

TEXT 73

Jagannātha Miśra was very unhappy at the death of his children one after another. Therefore, desiring a son, he worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.

TEXT 74

After this, Jagannātha Miśra got a son of the name Viśvarūpa, who was most powerful and highly qualified because He was an incarnation of Baladeva.

TEXT 79

The husband and wife [Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā], having gotten Viśvarūpa as their son, were very pleased within their minds. Because of their pleasure, they specifically began to serve the lotus feet of Govinda.

TEXT 80

In the month of January in the year 1406 of the Śaka Era (A.D. 1485), Lord Kṛṣṇa entered the bodies of both Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī.

PURPORT

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His birth in the year 1407 Śaka Era (A.D. 1486), in the month of Phālguna. But here we see that He entered the bodies of His parents in the year 1406, in the month of Māgha. Therefore, the Lord entered the bodies of His parents thirteen full months before His birth. Generally a common child remains within the womb of his mother for ten months, but here we see that the Lord remained within the body of His mother for thirteen months.

TEXT 81

Jagannātha Miśra said to Śacīmātā, “I see wonderful things! Your body is effulgent, and it appears as if the goddess of fortune were now staying personally in my home.

TEXT 82

“Anywhere and everywhere I go, all people offer me respect. Even without my asking, they voluntarily give me riches, clothing and paddy.”

PURPORT

A brāhmaṇa does not become anyone’s servant. To render service to someone else is the business of the śūdras.

Jagannātha Miśra was a brāhmaṇa; therefore people would send him all bodily necessities — money, cloth, grain and so on. While Lord Caitanya was in the womb of Śacīmātā, Jagannātha Miśra received all these necessities of life without asking for them. Because of the presence of the Lord in his family, everyone offered him due respect as a brāhmaṇa. In other words, if a brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava sticks to his position as an eternal servant of the Lord and executes the will of the Lord, there is no question of scarcity for his personal maintenance or the needs of his family.

COMMENT

I should read this statement because so many devotees suffer their spiritual lives because they work so hard to maintain themselves. I haven’t been in that position personally so it is hard to advise them in a detailed way, but in a general way, Srila Prabhupada says, “If a brahman or Vaishnava sticks to his position as an eternal servant of the Lord and executes the will of the Lord, there is no question of scarcity for his personal maintenance or the needs of his family.”

TEXT 83

śacī kahe, — muñi dekhoṅ ākāśa-upare

divya-mūrti loka saba yena stuti kare

TRANSLATION

Śacīmātā told her husband, “I see wonderfully brilliant human beings appearing in outer space, as if offering prayers.”

PURPORT

Jagannātha Miśra was honored by everyone on the earth and was supplied with all necessities. Similarly, mother Śacī saw many demigods in outer space offering prayers to her because of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s presence in her womb.

TEXT 84

Jagannātha Miśra then replied, “In a dream I saw the effulgent abode of the Lord enter my heart.

TEXT 85

“From my heart it entered your heart. I therefore understand that a great personality will soon take birth.”

COMMENT

There are many similarities between the appearance of Lord Chaitanya and the appearance of Lord Krishna. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes that Krishna first entered the heart of Vasudeva, and then, from the heart of Vasudeva, he was transferred into the heart of Devaki. And the Bhāgavatam uses the word dhāma, which means everything about the Lord; His name, form, qualities, pastimes, entourage, paraphernalia, and abode. So, here are the same ideas stated in very explicit and graphic terms.

TEXT 86

After this conversation, both husband and wife were very jubilant, and together they rendered service to the household śālagrāma-śilā.

PURPORT

The transference of the Lord from the heart of Jagannātha Miśra to the heart of Śacīmātā is explained by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura as follows: “It is to be concluded that Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā are nitya-siddhas, ever-pure associates of the Lord. Their hearts are always uncontaminated, and therefore they never forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A common man in this material world has a contaminated heart. He must therefore first purify his heart to come to the transcendental position. But Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā were not a common man and woman with contaminated hearts. When the heart is uncontaminated, it is said to be in the existential position of Vasudeva. Vasudeva can beget Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa, who is transcendentally situated.”

It is to be understood that Śacīdevī did not become pregnant as an ordinary woman becomes pregnant because of sense indulgence. One should not think the pregnancy of Śacīmātā to be that of an ordinary woman, because that is an offense. One can understand the pregnancy of Śacīmātā when one is actually advanced in spiritual consciousness and fully engaged in the devotional service of the Lord.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.16) it is stated:

bhagavān api viśvātmā bhaktānām abhayaṅ-karaḥ

āviveśāṁśa-bhāgena mana ānakadundubheḥ

This is a statement regarding the birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The incarnation of the Lord entered the mind of Vasudeva and was then transferred to the mind of Devakī.

TEXT 87

In this way the pregnancy approached its thirteenth month, but still there was no sign of the delivery of the child. Thus Jagannātha Miśra became greatly apprehensive.

TEXT 88

Nīlāmbara Cakravartī [the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu] then did an astrological calculation and said that in that very month, taking advantage of an auspicious moment, the child would take birth.

TEXT 89

Thus in the year 1407 of the Śaka Era [A.D. 1486], in the month of Phālguna [February-March], in the evening of the full-moon day, the desired auspicious moment arrived.

TEXT 90

According to the Jyotir-veda, or Vedic astrology, when the figure of the lion appears both in the zodiac and the time of birth Lagana, this indicates a very high conjunction of planets, an area under the influence of ṣaḍ-varga and aṣṭa-varga, which are all-auspicious moments.

COMMENT

And there is a technical description of Lord Chaitanya’s horoscope.

TEXT 91

When the spotless moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body?

TEXT 92

Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.

PURPORT

According to the Jyotir-veda, the Rāhu planet comes in front of the full moon, and thus a lunar eclipse takes place. It is customary in India that all the followers of the Vedic scriptures bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. All strict followers of the Vedic religion stand up in the water throughout the whole period of the eclipse and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. At the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally all the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare/Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

TEXT 93

All people thus chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra during the lunar eclipse, and their minds were struck with wonder.

TEXT 94

When the whole world was thus chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth.

TEXT 95

The whole world was pleased. While the Hindus chanted the holy name of the Lord, the non-Hindus, especially the Muslims, jokingly imitated the words.

PURPORT

Although Muslims, or non-Hindus, have no interest in chanting the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the Muslims in Navadvīpa imitated the Hindus as they chanted during the lunar eclipse. Thus the Hindus and Muslims joined together in chanting the holy name of the Lord when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself.

TEXT 96

While all the ladies vibrated the holy name of Hari on earth, in the heavenly planets dancing and music were going on, for the demigods were very curious.

TEXT 97

In this atmosphere, all the ten directions became jubilant, as did the waves of the rivers. Moreover, all beings, moving and nonmoving, were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss.

TEXT 98

Thus by His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the holy name of the Lord.

TEXT 99

At that time Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, in His own house at Śāntipura, was dancing in a pleasing mood. Taking Haridāsa Ṭhākura with Him, He danced and loudly chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa. But why they were dancing, no one could understand.

TEXT 100

Seeing the lunar eclipse and laughing, Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura immediately went to the bank of the Ganges and bathed in the river in great jubilation. Taking advantage of the occasion of the lunar eclipse, Advaita Ācārya, by His mental strength, distributed various types of charity to the brāhmaṇas.

TEXT 101

When he saw that the whole world was jubilant, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, his mind astonished, directly and indirectly expressed himself to Advaita Ācārya: “Your dancing and distributing charity are very pleasing to me. I can understand that there is some special purpose in these actions.”

TEXT 102

Ācāryaratna [Candraśekhara] and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura were overwhelmed with joy, and immediately they went to the bank of the Ganges to bathe in her waters. Their minds full of happiness, they chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gave charity by mental strength.

TEXT 103

In this way all the devotees, wherever they were situated, in every city and every country, danced, performed saṅkīrtana and gave charity by mental strength on the plea of the lunar eclipse, their minds overwhelmed with joy.

TEXT 104

All sorts of respectable brāhmaṇa gentlemen and ladies, carrying plates filled with various gifts, came with their presentations. Seeing the newborn child, whose form resembled natural glaring gold, all of them happily offered their blessings.

TEXT 105

Dressing themselves as the wives of brāhmaṇas, all the celestial ladies, including the wives of Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, King Indra and Vasiṣṭha Ṛṣi, along with Rambhā, a dancing girl of heaven, came there with varieties of gifts.

PURPORT

When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a newborn baby, He was visited by the neighboring ladies, most of whom were the wives of respectable brāhmaṇas. In the dress of brāhmaṇas’ wives, celestial ladies like the wives of Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva also came to see the newborn child. Ordinary people saw them as respectable brāhmaṇa ladies of the neighborhood, but actually they were all celestial ladies dressed in that way.

TEXT 106

In outer space all the demigods, including the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka, Siddhaloka, and Cāraṇaloka, offered their prayers and danced to the accompaniment of music, songs, and the beating of drums. Similarly, in Navadvīpa city all the professional dancers, musicians, and blessers gathered together, dancing in great jubilation.

TEXT 107

No one could understand who was coming and who was going, who was dancing and who was singing. Nor could they understand one another’s language. Yet all unhappiness and lamentation were immediately dissipated, and people became all-jubilant. Thus Jagannātha Miśra was also overwhelmed with joy.

TEXT 108

Candraśekhara Ācārya and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura both came to Jagannātha Miśra and drew his attention in various ways. They performed the ritualistic ceremonies prescribed at the time of birth according to religious principles. Jagannātha Miśra also gave varieties of charity.

TEXT 109

Whatever riches Jagannātha Miśra collected in the form of gifts and presentations, and whatever he had in his house, he distributed among the brāhmaṇas, professional singers, dancers, bhāṭas, and the poor. He honored them all by giving them riches in charity.

TEXT 110

The wife of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, whose name was Mālinī, accompanied by the wife of Candraśekhara and other ladies, came there in great happiness to worship the baby with paraphernalia such as vermilion, turmeric, oil, fused rice, bananas, and coconuts.

TEXT 111

One day shortly after Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born, Advaita Ācārya’s wife, Sītādevī, who is worshipable by the whole world, taking permission of her husband, went to see that topmost child with all kinds of gifts and presentations.

TEXT 112

She brought different kinds of golden ornaments, including armlets, necklaces, anklets and bangles for the hands.

TEXT 113

There were also tiger nails set in gold.

COMMENT

That must be a rare commodity. Hare Krishna. Although Advaita Candra dasa and Kalasuda dasi have one of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s nails from the deity of Mayapur, which they received as a gift from pujari Pankajhangri Prabhu on their altar.

TEXT 113

There were also tiger nails set in gold, waist decorations of silk and lace, ornaments for the hands and legs, nicely printed silken saris, and a child’s garment, also made of silk. Many other riches, including gold and silver coins, were also presented to the child.

TEXT 114

Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by maidservants, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Jagannātha Miśra, bringing with her many auspicious articles such as fresh grass, paddy, gorocana, turmeric, kuṅkuma, and sandalwood. All these presentations filled a large basket.

COMMENT

You can see how although Advaita Acharya was a brahman, but still, we can see how opulent and wealthy he was. His wife could give such offerings.

TEXT 115

When Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Śacīdevī, bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses, and other gifts, she was astonished to see the newborn child, for she appreciated that except for a difference in color, the child was directly Kṛṣṇa of Gokula Himself.

TEXT 116

Seeing the transcendental bodily effulgence of the child, each of His nicely constructed limbs full of auspicious signs and resembling a form of gold, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī was very pleased, and because of her maternal affection, she felt as if her heart were melting.

TEXT 117

She blessed the newborn child by placing fresh grass and paddy on His head and saying, “May You be blessed with a long duration of life.” But being afraid of ghosts and witches, she gave the child the name Nimāi.

PURPORT

Ḍākinī and Śāṅkhinī are two companions of Lord Śiva and his wife who are supposed to be extremely inauspicious, having been born of ghostly life. It is believed that such inauspicious living creatures cannot go near a nima tree. At least medically it is accepted that nima wood is extremely antiseptic, and formerly it was customary to have a nima tree in front of one’s house. On very large roads in India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, there are hundreds and thousands of nima trees. Nima wood is so antiseptic that the Āyurvedic science uses it to cure leprosy. Medical scientists have extracted the active principle of the nima tree, which is called margosic acid. Nima is used for many purposes, especially to brush the teeth. In Indian villages ninety percent of the people use nima twigs for this purpose. Because of all the antiseptic effects of the nima tree and because Lord Caitanya was born beneath a nima tree, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī gave the Lord the name Nimāi. Later in His youth He was celebrated as Nimāi Paṇḍita, and in the neighborhood villages He was called by that name, although His real name was Viśvambhara.

COMMENT

I had an uncle named Ben Solomon, who was a dentist, and he had served in India. Many people of my father’s generation, that generation served in India during World War II, and he was a dentist, and even in India he served as a dentist. And he basically served the military staff and soldiers, and he also attended to the Indians who did service related to the military. And he said he never saw people with such beautiful teeth as the Indians. He said they were the most beautifully shaped white teeth he had ever seen. And he said he would go down the road and he would see them squatting by the roadside, brushing their teeth with twigs. And he said when he saw it, he was very dubious, but when he saw their teeth, he was astonished. He said he never saw such beautiful white teeth in his life. Of course, he said the problem was that their teeth didn’t always stay in, that was the only problem, but they were beautiful and white.

TEXT 118

On the day the mother and son bathed and left the maternity home, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī gave them all kinds of ornaments and garments and then also honored Jagannātha Miśra. Then Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, being honored by mother Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, was greatly happy within her mind, and thus she returned home.

TEXT 119

In this way mother Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, having obtained a son who was the husband of the goddess of fortune, had all their desires fulfilled. Their house was always filled with riches and grains. As they saw the beloved body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, day after day their pleasure increased.

TEXT 120

Jagannātha Miśra was an ideal Vaiṣṇava. He was peaceful, restrained in sense gratification, pure and controlled. Therefore he had no desire to enjoy material opulence. Whatever money came because of the influence of his transcendental son, he gave it in charity to the brāhmaṇas for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu.

TEXT 121

After calculating the birth moment of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī privately said to Jagannātha Miśra that he saw all the different symptoms of a great personality in both the body and birth moment of the child. Thus he understood that in the future this child would deliver all the three worlds.

TEXT 122

In this way Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, out of His causeless mercy, made His advent in the house of Śacīdevī. Lord Caitanya is very merciful to anyone who hears this narration of His birth, and thus such a person attains the lotus feet of the Lord.

TEXT 123

Anyone who attains a human body but does not take to the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is baffled in his opportunity. Amṛtadhunī is a flowing river of the nectar of devotional service. If after getting a human body one drinks the water in a poison pit of material happiness instead of the water of such a river, it would be better for him not to have lived, but to have died long ago.

TEXT 124

Taking on my head as my own property the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Ācārya Advaitacandra, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, have thus described the advent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

PURPORT

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda, Advaita Prabhu, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa and their followers are all accepted by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Anyone who follows in the footsteps of Kavirāja Gosvāmī also accepts the lotus feet of the above-mentioned lords as his personal property. For a materialistic person, material wealth and opulence are only illusory. Actually they are not possessions but entanglements because by enjoying the material world a conditioned soul becomes more and more entangled by incurring debts for his present enjoyment. Unfortunately, a conditioned soul considers property for which he is in debt to be his own, and he is very busy acquiring such property. But a devotee considers such property not real property but simply an entanglement in the material world. If Lord Kṛṣṇa is very much pleased with a devotee, He takes away his material property, as He states in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.8): yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. “To show special favor to a devotee, I take away all his material property.” Similarly, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:

dhana mora nityānanda, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-śrīcaraṇa

sei mora prāṇadhana

“My real riches are Nityānanda Prabhu and the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” He further prays, “O Lord, kindly give me this opulence. I do not want anything but Your lotus feet as my property.” Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung in many places that his real property is the lotus feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunately, we are interested in unreal property and are neglecting our real property (adhane yatana kari’ dhana teyāginu).

COMMENT

It is ironic that material property is called real property, real estate, but it is actually unreal, and the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda and Radha and Krishna are real property.

PURPORT (continued)

Sometimes smārtas consider Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī a śūdra. But Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī here especially mentions svarūpa-rūpa-raghunāthadāsa. Therefore one who considers the lotus feet of Raghunātha dāsa to be transcendental to all divisions of the caste system enjoys the riches of actual spiritual bliss.

COMMENT

Again, seeing a Vaishnava as transcendental, beyond any caste.

PURPORT (continued)

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, thirteenth chapter, describing the advent of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

COMMENT

And I will just read the first verse of the next chapter because I mentioned it yesterday. Chapter Fourteen,

TEXT 1

kathañcana smṛte yasmin

duṣkaraṁ sukaraṁ bhavet

vismṛte viparītaṁ syāt

śrī-caitanyaṁ namāmi tam

TRANSLATION

Things that are very difficult to do become easy to execute if one somehow or other simply remembers Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if one does not remember Him, even easy things become very difficult. To this Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu I offer my respectful obeisances.

COMMENT

Hare Krishna. Well, this was a very jubilant pastime, very jubilant description. So, would anyone like to add anything, share any thoughts or realizations or experiences or good news? Did you complete your rounds yesterday?

Devotee: Yes.

Giriraj Swami: Well, that is good news. Hari Hari! Yes?

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:19:23]

Giriraj Swami: Very nice. She says, when Lord Krishna appeared, King Kamsa had taken custody of His parents. And therefore, His birth was kept secret, and because Kamsa had kept guards to watch over Vasudeva and Devaki and had kept them locked in custody, Krishna, by His potency, had to put all the guards to sleep and open up all the doors so that He could be taken in a stealthy, secret way to Gokul. Whereas, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He appeared very effortlessly in the home of two exalted brahman Vaishnavas, eternal associates, amidst the chanting of the holy names. So, He was able to celebrate His appearance in the world without any hindrance. Very nice.

Any other thoughts? All right. So, whatever nice thoughts, inspirations, intentions that we received by the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates on His appearance day, we will try to keep those alive, keep that spark burning bright, and help each other in our efforts. We really can’t do anything alone, so we need each other to help us and support us, and we also need to help and support others as well. That is also part of our service and development.

Okay, thank you very much.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!