CC Madhya 6.239–255 – Sri Gaura-purnima

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

We welcome you on the most auspicious occasion of Sri Gaura-purnima, the appearance day of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We say that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead but how do we know? In one sense one could question how we know anything and in general there are three processes of knowledge. One is direct perception—pratyakṣa—-which has its limitations. Then another is anumāna or inference, logic and reason, or deduction. That also has its deficiencies. But the third process—śabda—-hearing from authorities, that is considered the best, hearing from the Lord Himself.

So the Lord’s words are recorded in scriptures and so in Vedic civilization we accept the words of the scriptures, of the Vedas as perfect because it is apauruṣeya, it is not created by any human being but it comes from the Lord Himself. But even then it is difficult to know the real truths of the scriptures because there are so many scriptures and they say so many different things and it is hard to know what is what. Sometimes it is said that the devil also cites scripture to suit his purposes. So how do we know the real truth of the scriptures?

There is one verse in the Mahābhārata that says there is so many scriptures and they say so many different things and there are so many different sages and they also have different theories and philosophies. So how do we know the real truth? And the answer is given, mahājana yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ, that the truth of the scriptures is enshrined within the hearts of mahājanas or great devotees and therefore one should follow the path of the mahājanas.

Still, that raises another question, who is a mahājana? Ultimately as we consider and analyze and discuss, we come to the point that one cannot understand anything of God without the mercy of God. We can only understand who is God by the mercy of God. We can understand who is a mahājana, who is a great soul by the mercy of God. 

I thought to discuss today the story of the transformation of a very learned scholar and logician who did not believe that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and he also had his references from scripture to support his position. The history is that after Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa and left His hometown of Navadvipa, He came to Jagannatha Puri and when He saw the deity of Lord Jagannatha, He was overwhelmed with ecstasy. Recently we have been discussing in relation to Sri Madhavendra Puri and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the mood of separation. So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, as we understand, was Krishna but in the mood of Radharani in separation from Krishna. So the whole way that He was walking to Jagannatha Puri He was feeling separation from Krishna and eventually He became so eager to see the Lord. Because the deity of Lord Jagannatha is Krishna Himself that He just broke away from His companions and rushed into the Jagannatha temple. And when He saw the deity of Lord Jagannatha He didn’t see the deity of Lord Jagannatha, He saw Krishna. And feeling that He had gained the master of His life and soul, He fainted in ecstasy.

There was quite a commotion in the temple and devotees gathered around Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and He was in such a deep state of internal ecstasy that there were practically no symptoms of life in His body. People thought He may have left His body. Finally they took a little cotton swab and feather and they detected a very slight movement of air through His nostrils and they concluded, “He is alive.”

Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was the chief pandita of King Prataparudra and so he was informed of the incident. He came to the site, ascertained that this young sannyasi was in a very extreme state of transcendental ecstasy and had the body removed to his home. And eventually Nityananda Prabhu and the others caught up and heard the story and came to Sarvabhauma’s home.

Now Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya had a sister and his sister was married to a devotee named Gopinatha Acharya. Gopinatha Acharya was a real devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, he was thinking Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is like a young man who has taken sannyasa and quite handsome, so he thought that this young sannyasi may have difficulty maintaining his vows because he is so young and handsome. And he thought to fix him in his renunciation of sannyasa he should teach him Vedanta. Now for anyone who knew that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is actually Krishna, his proposal was absurd. We also discussed in relation to Madhavendra Puri how his disciple, Ramachandra Puri, had been so foolish as to dare to instruct his spiritual master. So here was Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, he was going to instruct the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So Gopinatha Acharya said, “Actually it is not what you think. This young sannyasi is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.” And Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said, “No. No. No.” “He is Krishna in the guise of a devotee. He has come in the guise of a devotee in Kali-yuga.” Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said, “But according to scripture there is no incarnation in the age of Kali.” And he quoted Triyuga, that one of the Lord’s names is Triyuga. Triyuga means that He appears only in three ages—Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, and Dvapara-yuga. He doesn’t appear in Kali-yuga. But Gopinatha Acharya quoted many other verses to establish that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is a verse in the Bhāgavatam that uses that same word triyuga, that same name, but says that the Lord appears in Kali-yuga as channa-avatāra. Channa-avatāra means an avatāri, an incarnation of God who is covered. So He is called Triyuga not because He doesn’t come in Kali-yuga but because in Kali-yuga He doesn’t assert Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead but covers His original identity and acts as a devotee. And there are other verses which we may discuss in the evening.

So Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya heard it all but he wasn’t convinced. He was very knowledgeable, he was proud, and he didn’t accept it. Gopinatha Acharya said that, “When you receive the mercy of the Lord then you will understand. Only one who has received the Lord’s mercy can understand the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu listened to the whole discussion and the devotees were very upset with Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “He is My elder. He is My superior. He is just like a father to Me. He is trying to protect Me so we honor his words.” So it was fixed that Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya would instruct Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Vedanta philosophy.

Day after day Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sat silently listening. After about six days Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said, “You are just sitting and listening for six days but you are not saying anything. Is it that you are not able to understand what I am saying about Vedanta?” And Mahaprabhu replied, “I can understand Vedanta very easily but I cannot understand what you are saying.” So Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said, “What do you mean?” And then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained and by Mahaprabhu’s mercy Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya had a realization that the young sannyasi actually is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And he became a great devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And he had many of his own disciples, so many of his own disciples. So that became a major event in Jagannatha Puri and the news spread that Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, the most learned scholar and logician, Pandita, spiritual advisor to the king had become a devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Krishna. 

Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya composed one hundred verses on glorification of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu but we don’t have all of them. But fortunately two of them were preserved and one in particular encapsulates the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and so I thought to read it and discuss it. I will begin by reading a few of the verses leading up to it to give you an idea of the beautiful pastimes of the Lord and His devotees in Jagannatha Puri.

So after Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya became convinced by the mercy of Lord Chaitanya. . . I will read more. There is so much nectar here and Nityananda Prabhu, most merciful Nityananda Prabhu has said we can go as long as we want, but don’t get worried, we are not going to overdo it.

TEXT 239

The next day, the Bhattacharya went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannatha, but before he reached the temple, he went to see Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

COMMENT

This is Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Six: “The Liberation of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.” 

TEXTS 240–241

When he met Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya fell down flat to offer Him respects. After offering various prayers to Him, he spoke of his previous bad disposition with great humility.

Then the Bhaṭṭācārya asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Which item is most important in the execution of devotional service?” The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.

COMMENT

And then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu quoted:

harer nāma harer nāma

harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva

nāsty eva gatir anyathā

TEXT 242 

“ ‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’ ”

TEXTS 243–244

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very elaborately explained the harer nāma verse of the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa, and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was struck with wonder to hear His explanation.

Gopīnātha Ācārya reminded Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, what I foretold to you has now taken place.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Previously Gopīnātha Ācārya had informed Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that when he would be blessed by the Lord he would thoroughly understand the transcendental process of devotional service. This prediction was now fulfilled. The Bhaṭṭācārya was fully converted to the cult of Vaiṣṇavism, and he was following the principles automatically, without being pressured.

COMMENT

Earlier Gopinatha Acharya and all the devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were trying to convince Bhattacharya of the identity of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the value of devotional service but he could not appreciate their instructions and he remained stubbornly attached to his conceptions. But when he received the Lord’s mercy then automatically without any pressure from his family members and friends and well-wishers, he spontaneously began to follow the principles of devotional service.

PURPORT (continued)

In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) it is therefore said, sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: “Simply by performing a little devotional service, one can escape the greatest danger.” Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had been in the greatest danger because he had adhered to Māyāvāda philosophy. Somehow or other he came into contact with Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and became a perfect devotee. In this way he was saved from the great falldown of impersonalism.

COMMENT

This is also a very important point because our constitutional position is eternal servant of Krishna, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if we are not acting in our constitutional position it means we have fallen down from our constitutional position. Whatever the position is we have fallen down from our original position. And so to adhere to the impersonal view that there is no difference between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul or in other words to want to merge and become one with the Supreme is a fallen condition. 

Sometimes people raise the question—it is a legitimate question—if we are originally Krishna conscious how could we have fallen into the material world? So some philosophers says that, “We didn’t fall from a direct relationship with Krishna but we fell from the brahmajyoti.” And Srila Prabhupada’s reply to that is, “To be in the brahmajyoti is already a fallen position so where is the question of falling from the brahmajyoti. You are already fallen if you are in the brahmajyoti,” the impersonal spiritual light, effulgence from the transcendental body of Krishna.

TEXT 245

Offering his obeisances to Gopīnātha Ācārya, the Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Because I am related to you and you are a devotee, by your mercy the Lord has shown mercy to me.

COMMENT

This is also a very important point that the Lord’s mercy follows the devotee’s mercy. We are saying okay, it is only by the Lord’s mercy that one can appreciate devotional service and follow bhakti-yoga, but then what determines who gets the Lord’s mercy? So someone could say, “Well, the Lord is free, He can bestow His mercy upon whomever He wishes.” But that cannot be the answer because the Lord is the Supersoul, He is the Supreme Father of every living entity, He is equal to everyone. So it cannot be that the Lord choses, yes for one and no for another. The Lord is equal to everyone. He is impartial. So then what is the explanation? 

Another explanation is the mercy of the devotee. But one may say, “Well, a devotee also is impartial.” But if we read the description of the madhyam-bhakta, we find that he distinguishes between four categories: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotees, the innocent, and the envious, and he deals differently with each category. Prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā: he gives his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he makes friendship with devotees, he gives mercy to the innocent, and he neglects the envious. So the function of giving mercy belongs to the devotee and by definition the preacher, the devotee acting on the second-class platform, he does make distinctions.

And then when the devotee gives his mercy to some soul the Lord gives His mercy. Why? Because the Lord loves His devotees, the Lord has actually nothing to do with anyone or anything other than His devotees. So if a devotee prays to the Lord, “Please be merciful to some other soul, innocent person, or another devotee,” then the Lord will give His mercy out of His affection for His devotee. So someone might say, “Well, that means that the Lord is partial to His devotee.” And that is true but that is not a fault. That is not a dūṣaṇaṁ, a fault, but it is a bhūṣaṇam, an ornament or decoration of the Lord. Srila Jiva Gosvami has discussed reasons why one should surrender to the Lord and serve Him and one is because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, another is because it is our constitutional position, but Jiva Gosvami says of all the reasons the best reason is because the Lord is so affectionate to His devotees. 

So if we become a devotee we get the Lord’s affectionate care and reading of the Lord’s affectionate pastimes with His devotees should make us think, “I would also like to have that mercy. I would also like to become a devotee and have that mercy.” And it is possible for each and every one of us.

So Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya said:

TEXTS 245–248

Offering his obeisances to Gopīnātha Ācārya, the Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Because I am related to you and you are a devotee, by your mercy the Lord has shown mercy to me.

“You are a first-class devotee, whereas I am in the darkness of logical arguments. Because of your relationship with the Lord, the Lord has bestowed His benediction upon me.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased with this humble statement. After embracing the Bhaṭṭācārya, He said, “Now go see Lord Jagannātha in the temple.”

After visiting the temple of Lord Jagannātha, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya returned home with Jagadānanda and Dāmodara.

COMMENT

They are two associates of Mahaprabhu.

TEXTS 249–250

The Bhaṭṭācārya brought large quantities of excellent food remnants blessed by Lord Jagannātha. All this prasādam was given to his own brāhmaṇa servant, along with Jagadānanda and Dāmodara.

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then composed two verses on the leaf of a palm tree. . ... 

COMMENT

In those days they didn’t have paper like we have. So they would use the leaves of a palm tree and they would have a style or something that would make an indentation in the fabric of the palm leaf. Even now we talk about the leaves of a book because originally they actually wrote on leaves.

TEXT 250 (continued)

Giving the palm leaf to Jagadānanda Prabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya requested him to deliver it to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TEXT 251

Jagadānanda and Dāmodara then returned to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, bringing Him both the prasādam and the palm leaf on which the verses were composed. But Mukunda Datta took the palm leaf from the hands of Jagadānanda before he could deliver it to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

COMMENT

Can anyone guess why? Then please listen attentively and then you will hear the answer.

TEXTS 252–253

Mukunda Datta then copied the two verses on the wall outside the room. After this, Jagadānanda took the palm leaf from Mukunda Datta and delivered it to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

As soon as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu read the two verses, He immediately tore up the palm leaf. . ..

COMMENT

Because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was playing the part of a devotee and in Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s prayers he acknowledges that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as the ideal exemplar or acharya did not tolerate the blasphemy of equating a living entity with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was rather averse to hearing praise of Himself but when it came to equating Him with the Supreme Personality of Godhead He would not tolerate it to show the example that no living entity should accept to be called God.

There are so-called gods in India who are accepted as God by some foolish followers and sometimes they say, “Well, I don’t say I am God, but my followers say I am God. But I don’t say I am God.” But Srila Prabhupada says that, “If your followers wrongly say that you are God then it is your duty to correct them.” And the only time that I can recall in the whole history of the Krishna consciousness movement that Srila Prabhupada ever actually expelled someone from the society was when four disciples somehow came up with the idea that actually Prabhupada was God. Prabhupada took that so seriously he expelled them from the association of devotees. 

So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, He would not tolerate it although He actually was Krishna, but because He was playing the part of a devotee and setting the example, He would not accept it.

TEXT 253

As soon as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu read the two verses, He immediately tore up the palm leaf. However, all the devotees read these verses on the outside wall, and they all kept them within their hearts. The verses read as follows.

COMMENT

And this is the verse that we have on the board. First we will say the prayer of invocation. Please repeat:

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

TEXT 254

vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-

śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī

kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye

TRANSLATION

“Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service and detachment from whatever does not foster Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

This verse and the following verse are included in the Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka (6.74–75), by Śrī Kavi-karṇapūra.

TEXT 255

kālān naṣṭaṁ bhakti-yogaṁ nijaṁ yaḥ

prāduṣkartuṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmā

āvirbhūtas tasya pādāravinde

gāḍhaṁ gāḍhaṁ līyatāṁ citta-bhṛṅgaḥ

TRANSLATION

“Let my consciousness, which is like a honeybee, take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has just now appeared as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach the ancient system of devotional service to Himself. This system had almost been lost due to the influence of time.”

COMMENT

So these two verses are very significant and the first one in particular is often quoted by Srila Prabhupada and our acharyas. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga, śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. The Lord descended to teach vairāgya (detachment), vidya (knowledge), and bhakti-yoga (devotional service). In the beginning Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, like many less fortunate souls, could not appreciate that bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krishna was the supreme occupational duty although it is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, that the supreme occupation for the living entity is devotional service to Krishna or that which awakens love for Krishna. They think that bhakti is something like a material emotional process which is good for less qualified people. In their conception that is good for vaishyas and sudras and lower class people. But higher grade people, they can cultivate knowledge and detachment. 

But the fact is that the independent cultivation of knowledge and detachment are not effective. But if one engages in devotional service real knowledge and detachment follow. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, vāsudeve bhagavatibhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, that anyone who renders devotional service unto Vasudeva, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam, very quickly transcendental knowledge and detachment from anything that is not favorable to Krishna consciousness follow. 

So that idea, that stereotype, that the bhaktas they are emotional, they can’t really understand knowledge, they can’t be detached, but okay, let them sing and dance, but actually in the devotional line, they are very great scholars, the greatest scholars, beginning from Lord Brahma himself. There is Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and His followers. Srila Prabhupada said that Jiva Gosvami is the greatest philosopher of all time and he will remain the greatest philosopher for all time.

So there is a whole science of bhakti-yoga that has been explicated by very learned scholars in the devotional line and as we saw in the case of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya that without the Lord’s mercy he couldn’t really understand what was in the Vedas although it was clear to the devotees.

This detachment (vairāgya), Srila Prabhupada very kindly explained, it is not detachment per say, it is detachment from anything unfavorable to Krishna consciousness. He says that negation of that which is unnecessary like anartha—anartha is not required, not wanted, not necessary—does not imply negation of the essential. Negation of the negative does not necessitate negation of the positive. So devotees they fix themselves on the positive form of the Lord which is not material. And by focusing on the positive form of the Lord they automatically lose interest in negative forms of illusory maya. 

Knowledge also follows—jnana or vidya. Knowledge as Srila Prabhupada says means to be able to distinguish between matter and spirit and the controller of both. So the devotee automatically develops that knowledge that he is not the body which is matter but he is the soul which is spirit and he is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul or Krishna who is the controller of both matter and spirit. So he has perfect knowledge and because he has perfect knowledge he is naturally detached because if he knows he is not the body why should he be attached to the things that maybe favorable for the temporary happiness of the body but which are unfavorable for the progressive development of Krishna consciousness.

So there are many devotees who are great renunciates but the ultimate principle is yukta-vairāgya. Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained the science of devotional service in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, The Nectar of Devotion, the complete science of bhakti-yoga, and after listing sixty-four items of devotional service, he discusses other items that one might think are devotional service but which are not. Then he explains why he has not included them in the list. Those items include jnana and vairāgya, the separate cultivation of knowledge which without bhakti, without Krishna consciousness, without the Lord’s mercy leads to the impersonal conclusion that, “I am spirit (ahaṁ brahmāsmi) and I will merge into the Supreme brahman and lose my individual identity.” The usual, the drop merges and becomes one with the ocean. That type of spiritual suicide. 

Vairāgya can lead someone to reject even things related to Krishna. Like someone may be doing severe austerities and someone will offer some mahā-prasāda. “No, I can’t take. I am doing my. . .” So that becomes an offense. You are rejecting mahā-prasāda, objecting the Lord’s mercy. 

Srila Rupa Gosvami then discusses that if vairāgya is not an item of devotional service then what? Obviously enjoyment is not an item of devotional service, material enjoyment is not an item. And then if renunciation is not an item then what is left? So Rupa Gosvami has written a beautiful verse and very important verse that explains how a devotee can live in the world without becoming materially attached and at the same serve Krishna. He says anāsaktasya viṣayān. First anāsaktasya means “without attachment,” viṣayān means “the sense objects.” Understanding their relationship with Krishna—nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate—-they use everything in the service of the Lord who is the proprietor of everything. 

Our Srila Prabhupada, his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, they showed what yukta-vairāgya is, engaging everything to broadcast the glories of the Lord. There was popular so-called saintly person in India and it was reputed that he was so saintly that if anyone offered him money, his hand would immediately shrink away. Prabhupada said, “But if anyone offers us money, we will take it and use it for Krishna.”

One example that Srila Prabhupada has given is that suppose someone drops his wallet on the street or purse. So, one person will see the purse and open it up and look inside, “Ooh, lots of good things here. Money. . . credit cards. . . social security numbers. Ooh,” and he takes it. So that person is a thief. Another person sees the purse and says, “Oh, someone lost their purse. It is not mine. I am not going to get involved with it. It is not mine. It is someone else’s.” And he carries on. So that is good in the sense that the person is not a thief but it is not complete. That is like the renunciate. But another person will find the purse and look inside, “Oh, this belongs to so-and so. Let me find out that person, get in touch with that person, and return the person’s lost property.” And that is the mood of a devotee. He doesn’t just pass by things but he sees things of value and he searches out who is the owner and the owner is Krishna. And so it should be given to Krishna in Krishna’s service. 

And what does that mean Krishna’s service? It is very appropriate to consider it today. Krishna says paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge, that He appears in every millennium to deliver the devotees, to annihilate the miscreants, and to reestablish the principles of religion, and that is why the Lord descends and that is His mission, that is His purpose. So we should use His property for His mission: to serve the devotees, to defeat the atheistic propaganda, and to establish real religious principles. So that is yukta-vairāgya. That is how a devotee lives in the world and does not become entangled.

Opposed to yukta-vairāgya is phalgu-vairāgya in which someone artificially rejects everything material. He thinks it is material and he artificially rejects it. That phrase comes from a river in Behar called the Phalgu River and it looks like dry land. If you look at it, it looks like dry land like sand, but underneath there is a whole river, there is a whole current of flowing underneath. So the impersonalists they try to be very renounced but under the surface they are usually filled with material desires because they don’t have the higher taste. 

Here is another wonderful verse: yat-pāda-paṅkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā, that the desire for fruitive work—that means you work to get money to enjoy sense gratification—is very deep-rooted. And material desires flow like waves in a river without cessation. So the context of the verse is that those who are not devotees like karmis, jnanis, yogis, they cannot overcome deep-rooted desires for sense gratification which flow like waves in a river but devotees who have taken shelter of Krishna, who engage in the service of Krishna, Vasudeva, they are able to overcome deep-rooted desires for material enjoyment because they relish pleasure from the tips of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada explains that, yes, the waves of a river flow without cessation and you cannot stop them but sometimes at the time of high tide the tide from the ocean, the waves from the ocean coming in become more prominent than the waves of the river going into the ocean. So the idea is that when one’s desire to serve Krishna becomes very strong, that desire is more powerful than the desires for sense gratification and the spiritual desires to serve Krishna overwhelm the material desires for sense gratification. Therefore the devotee is absorbed in always thinking of how to serve Krishna, how to spread Krishna consciousness. So we cannot eliminate desire but we change the desire, we change the quality of the desire from the inferior desire for sense gratification to the superior desire for devotional service.

So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came or Krishna came as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to teach vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga and He is an ocean of mercy. We are all so unqualified. The Bhagavad-gītā says, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, that one who is free from sinful actions and reactions and who has engaged in pious activities, he is eligible for devotional service, but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is so merciful that He gives everyone the opportunity even sinful people who do not have much background in pious activities. There are so many examples like Jagai and Madhai and tam ahaṁ prapadye. So I surrender under Him. 

So that should be our meditation today how we can be recipients of the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, vairāgya, develop detachment from anything that does not favor Krishna consciousness and that follows. When we become attached to Krishna we naturally become detached from maya. And share our good fortunate with others. That was very much Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mood. We discussed His mission what is His mission, what does it mean to serve Him. Well, Srila Prabhupada elaborated on that mission—dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, yāre dekha, tare kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa, that Krishna came to speak the Bhagavad-gītā—that is His mission—and so Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed that we should repeat the same message—’kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa—-the same message of Krishna and preach. The verse uses the word guru. “By My order, become a guru.” But preacher means guru. Not necessarily dīkṣā-guru but at least a type of śikṣā-guru. And that is service to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that is service to Krishna, and that will absorb us and that will purify our hearts, that will make us attached to Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada, and that will flood us with mercy.

Srila Prabhupada quoted a saying that he heard in his childhood that if God with His ten hands wants to take what you can hold onto with your two hands how much can you hold onto and if God wants to give you with His ten hands how much can you accept with your two hands. In other words, He can take away anything unfavorable for Krishna consciousness. We discussed this in Houston: yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ, that if someone has some material attachment and is unable to give it up on his own, but is sincere, then the Lord Himself will take away the material attachment from the devotee so that the devotee becomes free to make further progress in Krishna consciousness. And then when the devotee is actually detached then the Lord gives the devotee more than the devotee could even imagine. Srila Prabhupada said that whenever Krishna takes something away from a devotee it is only to give the devotee something better. So sometimes the Lord does that if a devotee is sincere and needs some help, the Lord will take away his material attachments and then the devotee will be free to serve the Lord fully in this way—vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga. Hare Krishna.

We mentioned it earlier but the process, the practical process that removes the dirt from the mirror of the mind—that means that it cleanses these material desires from the heart—is nāma-saṅkīrtana, the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

So whatever we do we should chant Hare Krishna. Just the other day I read that even if one has material desires or has engaged in sinful activities, if he just keeps chanting Hare Krishna then everything will be all right. Just keep chanting.

Are there any questions or comments?

Devotee: Hare Krishna. The first question, in terms of receiving the mercy of a devotee, could it be said that anybody who takes prasāda would by Prabhupada’s mercy be receiving, has access to Krishna’s grace and by the same way if anyone says, “Hare Krishna,” by Prabhupada’s grace and the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, also will they receive Krishna’s mercy?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. We quoted that verse, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ. So that is certainly the devotee’s mercy in a general sense that you get prasāda, that you hear the holy name, but that does not guarantee that you will take to the process of bhakti-yoga. So many people get prasāda they don’t take to Krishna consciousness. So many people hear the holy name but they don’t take to Krishna consciousness. That counts as puṇya-karmaṇām. It is like a pious activity and when those pious activities reach a certain threshold there is a good chance that the person can actually take to devotional service.

Devotee: For it to count as puṇya-karmaṇām, do they have to recognize it as prasāda? Do they have to recognize that when they say “Hare Krishna,” you are Hare Krishna, that is [unclear]?

Giriraj Swami: No. Ajñāta-sukṛti. It counts as a pious activity performed without knowledge.

Devotee: Another question. Krishna has three yuga incarnations—tri-yuga. I thought it was accepted generally that in the fourth yuga, Kali-yuga, He comes in a white form as Kalkī avatāra. How does that go with the three yugas?

Giriraj Swami: Well, Kalki comes at the end of Kali-yuga. At the end of Kali-yuga there is no preaching. Kalki just comes and kills all the demons which is almost everyone. So He is not the yuga- avatāra. He doesn’t present the yuga-dharma. He comes at the very end and just kills almost everyone. So He is in a different category. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu definitely didn’t fit the description of Kalki avatāra.

Nimai Pandita dasa: You were describing that the verses were written on leaves and the devotee wrote it on the wall outside. So will it not be an offense to not follow the instruction of Lord Chaitanya because Lord Chaitanya didn’t want everybody to know that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He wanted everyone to see Him as a devotee and not as the Lord.

Giriraj Swami: I wouldn’t say that. He was showing us the example of how a devotee should behave and as a devotee if someone says that we are Krishna then we should reject that statement but it doesn’t mean that He didn’t want people to know that He is God because otherwise how did Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya know? He knew because of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. So some selected devotees who were recipients of His mercy knew and that was His mercy.

Devotee: Maharaja, you mentioned how the main process is chanting the holy names. So I was thinking sometimes our chanting tends to be mechanical. We should have the confidence and faith in the holy name and not chant mechanically. So what is the difference between mechanical chanting and chanting without offenses, chanting attentively?

Giriraj Swami: You just said what the difference is. In mechanical chanting, you are like a machine, the machine keeps repeating whatever it is supposed to do and it is not conscious of what it is doing, but offenseless chanting means attentive chanting and that means a conscious effort to articulate and hear each mantra, each name, each syllable. And that takes some effort and practice. But we have to do it. And chanting loudly can help. The more you give yourself to the process, the more Krishna reciprocates. So yes, kirtan and japa or japa.

Bhakta Michael: I have a question about these feelings of separation that you were talking. It is known that Krishna is present in His names but He is also present within the heart. So once we have [unclear] we have realized that, why are there still feelings of separation?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, that is a good question. Yes, Krishna is in your heart. That is very good. He is in the atom, He is in the space between the atoms. That is very good. What good does that do you? You want to have a relationship with Him, you want to have a loving relationship with Him, and to enter a loving relationship with Him you have to really very strongly desire it. And that is what gives rise to feelings of separation. You have that desire to serve Him, to enter into a loving relationship, and somehow He is not accepting you. So you feel unworthy. It is very humbling, He is not accepting and in that humble mood of feeling unworthy you cry out for His mercy.

Nityananda dasa: Maharaja, I read that Srila Prabhupada when he was asked this question about where [quality chanting] is chanting, one of his responses was that one should chant sixteen thousand rounds a day. I was wondering when I read that, I was thinking to myself is he telling us that we should like to chant all the time, that is what it means to be quality, when one likes to chant all the time or that ultimately by the time we end our lives we should come to that point that we are always chanting because we realize that that is the most important and most beloved to the Supreme Lord. That is my speculation. Is there something else that we need to chant sixteen thousand rounds?

Giriraj Swami: Maybe it will help if I give fuller context. Actually it began with Lokanath Swami. Actually I think you might have put together two conversations with Prabhupada. So the first one was on Juhu Beach and Lokanath Swami asked Srila Prabhupada, “Why have you prescribed sixteen rounds?” And Srila Prabhupada said, “I haven’t prescribed sixteen rounds. Sixteen minimum. I prescribed sixteen minimum. If you can chant sixteen thousand, that is most welcome. Sixteen minimum. You can increase the quota you set for yourself to be more than sixteen but you can’t set a quota for yourself that is less than sixteen.” So that was that one.

The other one was in Nairobi and a disciple asked, “How do I know when I am chanting with quality?” And Srila Prabhupada said, “When the quality comes you won’t have to ask. You’ll know.” He said, “It is just like if you are eating and relishing and digesting, you don’t have to ask someone, ‘Am I getting satisfied by eating?’ You yourself will know. You don’t have to get a certificate from someone else.” And then he said that that quality comes when one. . . and he quoted this govinda-viraheṇa me from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that, “The whole world is vacant in Your absence.” He said that is quality. He said, “[Ata?] śakti, it is an advanced stage—āsakti—almost ecstatic love of Godhead.” He said, “Now you chant as a matter of duty and when the quality comes then you won’t chant just as a matter of duty but you won’t be able to stop chanting.”

We do chant as a matter of duty and Prabhupada says that gives us hope that in future one day we may chant with the quality, that quality. But when the quality comes, then it is like Rupa Gosvami that, “What can I chant with one tongue and two ears. If I had millions of tongues and millions of ears then I could begin to relish all the nectar in the holy name.” He said that is quality.

Now we may find some relative gradations in the quality of our chanting without experiencing that quality. But it is the same principles, you yourself can feel the difference. At the end of one’s life the devotee can dedicate himself fully to chanting the holy name and nothing else. It is a sort of traditional that at the end of his life the spiritual master will retire and engage in nirjana-bhajana with maybe a few intimate disciples and just chant the holy name. Prabhupada said for himself he didn’t want to do that. He’d pray for the benediction to die on the battlefield preaching. That was an exchange with Tamal Krishna Goswami and Srila Prabhupada. Tamal Krishna Goswami brought up about nirjana-bhajana. Prabhupada said, “Yes, that is one system.” Prabhupada said what his mood was and then Tamal Krishna Goswami said, “Well, if that is your mood then that will also be our mood.” Prabhupada said, “Yes, but it is up to each individual. If he wants to retire and absorb himself fully in nirjana-bhajana just chanting and hearing he can do that.”

And sometimes it happens and Tamal Krishna Goswami said that it was even true of Srila Prabhupada that although he wanted to die on the battlefield when his physical condition was such that he couldn’t really move and so in a way he did engage in nirjana-bhajana at the end. So sometimes it is like that, we may want to die on the battlefield but our physical condition doesn’t allow us and then, “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,. . .”

Gopi-gita dasi: I was wondering, you told the story of how Lord Chaitanya didn’t like to be praised as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in other pastimes we see the maha-prakāśa-līlā where He seems to take on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Was that distinction between the earlier pastimes and the later sannyasa pastimes or where there differences and moods at different times?

Giriraj Swami: Everyone has different moods at different times and we come from Krishna from Sri Krishna Chaitanya so He also has different moods at different times. One factor is the association He is in. So He showed the maha-prakāśa to very intimate devotees and He wanted to give them that mercy. But even outside of Navadvipa He showed Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya His six-armed form—Ṣaḍbhuja—and He showed Ramananda Raya that He was actually Radha and Krishna. Not to get into a controversy but some devotees made the point that we shouldn’t put a peacock on Gaura because that disturbs His mood of being a devotee but one answer is that He has many moods at different times. Sometimes He wears a peacock feather. Even if He is not in the mood of showing Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He gets in the mood of being a cowherd boy and puts peacock feathers. There are different moods. We all do it. He does too. Because He does we do.

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Gaura-bhakta-vrnda ki jaya!

Sri Gaura-purnima maha-mahotsava ki jaya!