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Only one treasuse - the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
World Tour 2002
28 July 2002, Berlin
Very far beyond this material world, beyond the Viraja River, beyond Brahma-jyoti, the endless undifferentiated spiritual light, beyond Vaikuntha, beyond Ayodhya, Dvaraka and Mathura Dhama, lies the most confidential and secret realm. That is called Vrndavana, Vraja Gokula. It is so mysterious, very difficult to understand and more difficult to attain. There, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Their associates engage in Their eternal, sweet lila, Their loving pastimes. For those who come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the end object and destination in life is to attain prema just like Radha and Krsna’s eternal associates in that realm. But it is not so easy. I know that one time one gentleman who was expert in kirtana came to our Gaudiya Matha at the time of Param Gurudeva, nitya-lila pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja. He was doing kirtana very expertly, with all raga and tala, and singing very high-class of pastimes of Radha and Krsna, “O Rai-Kanu.” These are very sweet names for Radha and Krsna. “O Rai and Kanu, please wake up. Get up. Now the morning sun is coming.” Then Param Gurudeva came there, and in a very strong mood, he stopped him, saying, “Hey, why are you singing ‘Rai and Kanu, wake up’? Before you wake up Rai and Kanu, first you should wake up yourself.” You are sleeping. What is that sleeping? Identification with this material body, attachment to this body and to material comfort, sense gratification, attachment with family members and country, society, all kinds of temporary material connections which compose the very enchanting darkness of material existence. This is called slumber. You are sleeping day by day by day in forgetfulness of your eternal relationship with Radha and Krsna. So how is it that we will come out from this darkness to that transcendental plane? It is extremely difficult. Yet still, there is some hope. What hope is that? My Gurudeva wrote one kirtana:
radha-krsna mili ab dou, gaura-rupa avatari
kirtana dharama pracari
radhe-syama syama syama
No one could attain that place, so Radha and Krsna Themselves combined in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and came down into this world-for what? Kirtana dharama pracari-to show this nitya dharma, prema dharma, of the jiva-sankirtana. Not kirtana, but sankirtana-kirtana with sambandha-jnana, relationship. Being absorbed in a very thick relationship with Radha and Krsna, as indicated and inspired within the heart of the disciple by Sri Guru, one should chant this name:
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Being absorbed in chanting of harinama, and following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we can overcome all kinds of obstacles and attain that transcendental place. Narottama dasa Thakura said:
gaurangera duti-pada, jara dhana sampada,
se jane bhakati rasa sara
gaurangera madhura lila, ja'ra karne pravesila,
hrdoya nirmala bhelo ta'ra
Narottama Thakura is saying, “Who can be successful in their spiritual life? That person who possesses nothing, who has only one wealth (dhana), one treasure (sampada), in his life-the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-he will be successful. The lotus feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu belong to him.” This indicates ‘mamata’, mine-ness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is mine. He is my hero, He is my Istadeva, He is my example, He is my all-in-all. In my life I have nothing but Him. As He has practiced bhakti, as He has taught bhakti, I will follow. Why? Because I am His and He is mine. Who has this mood, se jane bhakati rasa sara-only that person can have the essence of bhakti-rasa. And what is that? Srngara rasa, parakiya srngara-rasa unnatojjvala rasa sva-bhakti sriyma-the love of the maidservants of Radhika-this is bhakti-rasa-sara. Only those who have only the two lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as their treasure can understand it.
Now it seems we are very far away from our goal because our heart is filled with so much trash-only material impressions, bodily feelings, skin, eyes, ears, nose and ears-all these bars of the prison of the soul are surrounding us, and we cannot get out from this. But what will happen? Gaurangera madhura lila, ja'ra karne pravesila-if the sweet pastimes of Mahaprabhu go in the ears, your heart will become nirmala, immaculate, fresh and perfect, and suitable for Radha and Krsna to come and take Their seat there. So, though in Kali Yuga we are not qualified and though our goal is so high, we have so much hope because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, came in this world. And carefully, in a very beautiful and attractive way, in an enchanting way, by His pastimes He steals our hearts and minds, bringing us by force to His lotus feet. So we are fortunate to come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
How is Mahaprabhu chanting and remembering? This evening I want to speak a few words about this. You know that when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Jagannatha Puri, He was staying in Kasi Misra Bhavan. In the daytime He would remember Krsna and feel separation. He was always chanting Krsna-nama and feeling separation from Krsna, but when evening time came, as the sun was setting and nighttime would come, His separation would increasing more and more. Why? Because it was going to be a very long night and unbearable night without Krsna. In the evening time, His nearest and dearest friends, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda, would come to the house of Kasi Misra. Mahaprabhu’s servant, Govinda, would meet them, saying, “Oh, why have you come? You always upset Him and make Him cry.” “OK, let Govinda think like this. But anyway, we will come.” And they would go inside.
Inside Kasi Misra Bhavan there is a very small room called Sri Gambhira. Gambhira means deep, so deep. How deep? Unintelligibly deep. No one can enter there without very high class of transcendental love for Radha and Krsna. Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda were qualified, so they could enter in Gambhira. The room was very small; it had three doors and no windows. It was so small that Mahaprabhu, being very big, could not lie down fully and stretch out. And the ceiling was not high enough to stand up straight also. There, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda would come to meet with Mahaprabhu.
Raya Ramananda was very expert in Sanskrit poetry. He would recite the poems of Krsna Karanamrta and Gita Govinda. And Svarupa Damodara was more qualified than any Gandharva in music and in singing. Svarupa Damodara would sing very sweetly. He was Mahaprabhu’s friend from childhood in Navadvipa. When Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and left, Svarupa Damodara became like a mad person and quickly went to Kasi, Benares, where he also took sannyasa. Before his name was Purusottama Acarya, but then when he came into the asrama of his sannyasa guru, Caitanyananda Bharati, he received the brahmacari name Svarupa Damodara. He underwent the preliminary rituals of the sannyasa ceremony, but being unable to wait any longer, he departed for Puri without receiving his sannyasa name. Thus he kept his name Svarupa Damodara brahmacari since he was very eager to meet with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he would sing, at once Mahaprabhu would enter antar-dasa. He would lose sense of this world the moment Svarupa Damodara would begin to sing. So happily in the night they would meet together and relish Krsna’s pastimes.
One evening Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was keeping His arms around the shoulders of Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda. But He never thought, “I am Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am in Gambhira in Puri.” He was thinking, “I am Srimati Radhika, and I am in Vrndavana. My sakhis have come-Lalita and Visakha.” In this way, He crying tears of separation because Krsna had gone to Mathura. “The sweetheart of My life since childhood has now left Me. What can I do?” And embracing Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda, He would sing so many verses.
kva nanda-kula-candramah kva sikhi-candrakalankrtih
kva mandra-murali-ravah kva nu surendra-nila-dyutih
kva rasa-rasa-tandavi kva sakhi jiva-raksausadhir
nidhir mama suhrt-tamah kva bata hanta ha dhig vidhim
(CC Antya 19.35, from Lalita-Madhava 3.25)
Crying in the mood of Radhika, He was saying, “O my dear friend, where is the moon who appeared in the dynasty of Nanda Maharaja? Where is that Krsna, who wears a very beautiful peacock feather in His hair and plays such slow and deep notes upon His flute? Where is that person who is the hero of the Rasa-lila? Now I am about to die without Him.This disease of separation-for this there is only medicine. Can you bring that medicine here at once? Do you know that medicine? Only Krsna. O sakhi, please bring Him here at once.” But they could not help. “Oh, where is My treasure and My best friend?” Who is Radharani’s best friend? Do you know? Krsna! “He is My surhtama. Alas! I am being victimized by My destiny, by vidhi, by Providence. So fie on you, Creator! Fie on you. I condemn you. Why are you putting me through this torment?” In this helpless mood, Mahaprabhu would cry.
ei-mata gaura-raya, visade kare haya haya,
‘ha ha krsna, tumi gela kati?’
gopi-bhava hrdaye, tara vakye vilapaye,
‘govinda damodara madhaveti’
(CC Antya 19.53)
In the Gambhira, Mahaprabhu was crying, taking the very words of the gopis themselves, “Hey Govinda! Hey Damodara! Hey Madhava!” In this way He would pass many hours. When the night was halfway through, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda would devise some means to bring Him back into sense and make Him lie down. Then they would say, “Good night,” and close the door of Gambhira. Raya Ramananda would return to his home, but Svarupa Damodara and Govinda would lie down outside the door of Gambhira. They could hear sounds Mahaprabhu was making inside, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” Sleep was not coming to Him. After a long time, He could not even chant. His voice was choking, and only the sound “gon-gon, gon-gon” was coming out from Gambhira.
Svarupa Damodara and Govinda were outside listening. After some time, even this sound did not come, and they were wondering, “What is happening?” Svarupa Damodara got up, lit a lamp, and opened the door of Gambhira. Going inside, he found Mahaprabhu lying there. As he came closer with the light, he saw that there were bruises around His head, His face, His lips. On His nose were cuts and scratches, and some blood was coming also. He was very young, He always looked very young, fresh and soft, with a beautiful face, but now there were cuts and scratches and blood coming. When Svarupa Damodara saw this, he was horrified. “Why have You done this to Yourself? Mahaprabhu was keeping His head on Svarupa Damodara’s shoulders and saying, “What could I do? I was in such anxiety and I wanted to get out. But I could not find the door, but trying to get out, again and again My face struck the walls. I was trying to get out and My face was rubbing on the walls.” Then Svarupa Damodara helped Mahaprabhu by dressing His wounds, and he was feeling very concerned, “What can we do? Now His separation and His madness has become so high, He is so absorbed that He is a danger to Himself even.” So Svarupa Damodara, Raya Ramananda, Govinda and other devotees met together to determine, “How can we take care of Him?” They had so much love for this very sweet sannyasi.
Svarupa Damodara came up with a very good idea. “Sankara Pandita should stay inside the Gambhira with Mahaprabhu. He will look after Him to prevent Him cannot hurt Himself.” Sankara Pandita was the brother of Damodara Pandita. These two were staying in Puri with Mahaprabhu. Actually, when Mahaprabhu left Navadvipa, Jagadananda Pandita, Nityananda Prabhu, Mukunda Dhatta, and Damodara Pandita-these four came with Him on the journey. So Damodara Pandita was there from the beginning.
Damodara Pandita was a brahmacari. Yet, he was not afraid to speak up if he thought Mahaprabhu was doing something wrong. One time Caitanya Mahaprabhu was staying in Kasi Misra Bhavan, doing bhajana there. One young boy would come and Mahaprabhu was very affectionate to him, talking with him. Becoming attached to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the boy started coming every day, and for one hour Maharpabhu would speak with him. He was lucky, very fortunate. After some time, Damodara Pandita came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and told him, “You are a very great teacher, a great master. Everyone knows what a great master You are because You are expert at giving good advice and spiritual instruction to everyone. But very soon, we will see just what kind of great master You are.” Mahaprabhu was surprised and said, “Why are you saying this?” Damodara Pandita warned, “Why are you keeping relationship with this young boy? Don’t You know that he is the son of a brahmana widow? If you will maintain affection for her son, then everyone will start to gossip because the world is full of gossipers. Everyone likes to look and see some fault and gossip about it to everyone else. I know that she is a brahmani and very chaste and austere, but she has two defects, two faults-1) she is young and 2) she is beautiful. So if You keep relation with her son, everyone will think You have relation with her, and everyone will joke and talk.”
Mahaprabhu was struck with wonder. “Oh, now I see a very high wave of pure love. No one is as uninhibited as Damodara Pandita. Though I am a sannyasi and he is a brahmacari, he does not care for anyone’s opinion. By Krsna’s causeless mercy, he does not hesitate to put Me in My place. But I am a sannyasi, so I cannot be indifferent to public opinion. Sannyasi must fear public opinion by body, mind and words.But he is brahmacari-he does not care. He can do anything, even out of etiquette. This is Krsna’s mercy upon Me that he behaves like this.”
One time Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Damodara Pandita, “I have affection for you but there is some respect mixed in with it. But your younger brother, Sankara Pandita-our loving relation is pure affection only.” Damodara Pandita replied, “I used to think that he is my younger brother, but from today I will consider him my elder brother. Why? Because the love which is free from awe and reverence is higher. So according to prema-tattva, he is superior, he is senior.” Damodara Pandita was very sincere. After some time Mahaprabhu sent him to Navadvipa to stay with Saci Mata. He did not stay in Mahaprabhu’s company all the time in Puri. There is some reason that Mahaprabhu sent him away. Do you know who Damodara Pandita is in Krsna-lila? Saibya, the sakhi of Candravali, so Mahaprabhu, being absorbed in the mood of Radharani, felt some affection but some distance also. But Sankara Pandita in Krsna-lila is Sri Bhadra-gopi. Now she has come in Gaura-lila as Sri Sankara Pandita. Sankara Pandita was now staying at night alone in the Gambhira with Mahaprabhu. And what was he doing? The devotees gave him the name ‘Prabhu-padopadhana’. Prabhu-padopadhana means ‘the foot-pillow of Mahaprabhu’.
When Mahaprabhu would lie down to rest, He would keep His legs on Sankara Pandita’s body, and Sankara Pandita would massage His legs during the night. In Krsna-lila also, Sri Bhadra-gopi is known as the pillow of Krsna. Krsna would sleep with His head resting on the breast of Sri Bhadra-gopi. After chanting so much, Mahaprabhu would lie down to rest, but sleep would not come to Him. He would keep His feet on Sankara Pandita, who would massage Him. Sankara Pandita was not in bhava like Mahaprabhu, so he would massage for hours and hours in the middle of the night in the Gambhira. And what would happen? He would fall asleep for a moment and then wake up again. Then he would fall asleep and just lie down and he would stay asleep. Mahaprabhu is teaching us what is Vaisnavism. Mahaprabhu was seeing that now Sankara Pandita had fallen asleep with no cloth, no covering. Mahaprabhu would take off His own uttariya and cover Sankara Pandita’s body so he would be warm. And Mahaprabhu would lie on the ground with no cover. Then, after some time Sankara Pandita would wake up and see, “Oh, I have Mahaprabhu’s own cloth,” and quickly he would cover Mahaprabhu. But now, because Sankara Pandita was in Gambhira, Mahaprabhu could not rub His face on the wall or hurt Himself. So the devotees made this nice arrangement.
One day it happened that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu along with His associates was wandering in Puri in the gardens along the shore. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has described:
eka-kale vaisakhera paurnamasi-dine
ratri-kale mahaprabhu calila udyane
(CC Antya 19.78)
“One full-moon night in the month of Vaisaka (April or May), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to a garden.” This is the day of the manifestation of Radha-Ramana. We were just discussing the appearance of Radha-Ramana a few days ago.
‘jagannatha-vallabha’ nama udyana-pradhane
pravesa karila prabhu laia bhakta-gane
“Mahaprabhu along with His associates came to the garden called Jagannatha-Vallabha Vatika.” Have you been there? In Puri, if you go down the Grand Road, just past the birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is the entrance to Jagannatha-Vallabha Vatika. Still today this garden is beautiful, full of so many different types of trees, flowers and birds. I remember going there several times with Srila Gurudeva, sometimes with only a few devotees. He was describing the different types of flowers, picking some flowers and showing them to us and saying something about them. At that time, when I was hearing, I thought, “Oh, how beautiful.” But actually I could not understand what was his mood, but his mood is coming here in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta.
praphullita vrksa-vali,--yena vrndavana
suka, sari, pika, bhrnga kare alapana
“In the garden were fully blossomed trees and creepers, exactly like those of Vrndavana. Bumblebees and birds like suka, sari and pika were talking with one another. A mild breeze was blowing and carrying the fragrance of aromatic flowers, and the breeze had become like a Guru, who was teaching all the trees and creepers how to dance. Brightly illuminated by the full moon, the trees and creepers glittered in the light.” So Mahaprabhu, in the moonlight, was going around the garden, Jagannatha Vallabha Vatika, and birds were singing, like suka and sari and cuckoos and pika birds. The pika birds were singing, “Pika, pika.” Pi means ‘priyatam’ (beloved), and ka means where, “Where is my beloved?” Mahaprabhu was hearing the discussions of the birds and He was thinking, “I am now in Vrndavana, and it is full-moon night.” He became absorbed in the mood of Radharani and wanted to taste that mood more deeply. So then He said:
“lalita-lavanga-lata” pada gaoyaia
nrtya kari’ bulena prabhu nija-gana laia
“In that atmosphere, Mahaprabhu told His associates, ‘Sing that song, Lalita-lavanga-lata.’ This kirtana is from Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-Govinda. When He heard this kirtana, He began to dance and wander around the garden with His associates.” At that time, Mahaprabhu’s associates headed by Svarupa Damodara began to sing this kirtana mentioned here by Krsnadas Kaviraja Gosvamipada.
lalita lavanga lata parisilana komala malaya samire
madhukara nikara karambita kokila kujita kunjakutire (1)
viharati harir iha sarasa vasante
nrtyati yuvati janena samam sakhi virahi janasya durante (chorus)
unmada madana manoratha pathika madhu jana janita vilape
ali kula sankula kusuma samuha nirakula bakula kulape (2)
In this way, the devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara, began to sing this kirtana, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu lost His external consciousness, completely absorbed in the mood of Srimati Radharani. This is called ‘viraha utkanthita nayaka’. It was a full moon night in the spring season and Radharani had made an arrangement to meet with Krsna. She went into the Vrndavana forest, dressed so beautifully, and was waiting for Him. But He did not come there. Instead, very close by, He was singing and dancing with so many other young gopis. Viharati harir iha sarasa vasante-in this springtime (vasante) which is so full of rasa, Hari is just here, and nrtyati yuvati janena samam sakhi-one friend of Radhika’s is telling Her (the associates of Mahaprabhu are like sakhis of Radhika and they are telling Him), “O my dear friend, Krsna is dancing with so many young girls here in the forest. This is very very hard to tolerate.” Why? Lalita lavanga lata parisilana komala malaya samire-one friend of Radhika is telling Her, “O my dear sakhi, O priya sakhi! Alas! This vasant kala (spring season) is the cause of great distress for virahi-jana (a lonely lover). For virahi-jana it is very difficult. Why? Just see. Komala malaya samire-here the Malaya samire, the breeze coming from the Malaya Mountains, is coming and again and again embracing the latas (creepers). Decorated by the breeze’s embrace, how beautiful those very soft and charming creepers look! And all directions are filled with the sounds-madhukara nikara karambita kokila-of the bumblebees who are flying inside the kunjas. They are humming in the kunja pavilions, and the cuckoo birds are cooing. It is very hard to tolerate these things because just over there Krsna is enjoying pastimes with some fortunate young girl. He is dancing with her due to being completely immersed in prema-uttsava (festival of love). This is very hard for me to tolerate.”
28 July 2002, Berlin
Very far beyond this material world, beyond the Viraja River, beyond Brahma-jyoti, the endless undifferentiated spiritual light, beyond Vaikuntha, beyond Ayodhya, Dvaraka and Mathura Dhama, lies the most confidential and secret realm. That is called Vrndavana, Vraja Gokula. It is so mysterious, very difficult to understand and more difficult to attain. There, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Their associates engage in Their eternal, sweet lila, Their loving pastimes. For those who come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the end object and destination in life is to attain prema just like Radha and Krsna’s eternal associates in that realm. But it is not so easy. I know that one time one gentleman who was expert in kirtana came to our Gaudiya Matha at the time of Param Gurudeva, nitya-lila pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja. He was doing kirtana very expertly, with all raga and tala, and singing very high-class of pastimes of Radha and Krsna, “O Rai-Kanu.” These are very sweet names for Radha and Krsna. “O Rai and Kanu, please wake up. Get up. Now the morning sun is coming.” Then Param Gurudeva came there, and in a very strong mood, he stopped him, saying, “Hey, why are you singing ‘Rai and Kanu, wake up’? Before you wake up Rai and Kanu, first you should wake up yourself.” You are sleeping. What is that sleeping? Identification with this material body, attachment to this body and to material comfort, sense gratification, attachment with family members and country, society, all kinds of temporary material connections which compose the very enchanting darkness of material existence. This is called slumber. You are sleeping day by day by day in forgetfulness of your eternal relationship with Radha and Krsna. So how is it that we will come out from this darkness to that transcendental plane? It is extremely difficult. Yet still, there is some hope. What hope is that? My Gurudeva wrote one kirtana:
radha-krsna mili ab dou, gaura-rupa avatari
kirtana dharama pracari
radhe-syama syama syama
No one could attain that place, so Radha and Krsna Themselves combined in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and came down into this world-for what? Kirtana dharama pracari-to show this nitya dharma, prema dharma, of the jiva-sankirtana. Not kirtana, but sankirtana-kirtana with sambandha-jnana, relationship. Being absorbed in a very thick relationship with Radha and Krsna, as indicated and inspired within the heart of the disciple by Sri Guru, one should chant this name:
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Being absorbed in chanting of harinama, and following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we can overcome all kinds of obstacles and attain that transcendental place. Narottama dasa Thakura said:
gaurangera duti-pada, jara dhana sampada,
se jane bhakati rasa sara
gaurangera madhura lila, ja'ra karne pravesila,
hrdoya nirmala bhelo ta'ra
Narottama Thakura is saying, “Who can be successful in their spiritual life? That person who possesses nothing, who has only one wealth (dhana), one treasure (sampada), in his life-the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-he will be successful. The lotus feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu belong to him.” This indicates ‘mamata’, mine-ness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is mine. He is my hero, He is my Istadeva, He is my example, He is my all-in-all. In my life I have nothing but Him. As He has practiced bhakti, as He has taught bhakti, I will follow. Why? Because I am His and He is mine. Who has this mood, se jane bhakati rasa sara-only that person can have the essence of bhakti-rasa. And what is that? Srngara rasa, parakiya srngara-rasa unnatojjvala rasa sva-bhakti sriyma-the love of the maidservants of Radhika-this is bhakti-rasa-sara. Only those who have only the two lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as their treasure can understand it.
Now it seems we are very far away from our goal because our heart is filled with so much trash-only material impressions, bodily feelings, skin, eyes, ears, nose and ears-all these bars of the prison of the soul are surrounding us, and we cannot get out from this. But what will happen? Gaurangera madhura lila, ja'ra karne pravesila-if the sweet pastimes of Mahaprabhu go in the ears, your heart will become nirmala, immaculate, fresh and perfect, and suitable for Radha and Krsna to come and take Their seat there. So, though in Kali Yuga we are not qualified and though our goal is so high, we have so much hope because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, came in this world. And carefully, in a very beautiful and attractive way, in an enchanting way, by His pastimes He steals our hearts and minds, bringing us by force to His lotus feet. So we are fortunate to come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
How is Mahaprabhu chanting and remembering? This evening I want to speak a few words about this. You know that when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Jagannatha Puri, He was staying in Kasi Misra Bhavan. In the daytime He would remember Krsna and feel separation. He was always chanting Krsna-nama and feeling separation from Krsna, but when evening time came, as the sun was setting and nighttime would come, His separation would increasing more and more. Why? Because it was going to be a very long night and unbearable night without Krsna. In the evening time, His nearest and dearest friends, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda, would come to the house of Kasi Misra. Mahaprabhu’s servant, Govinda, would meet them, saying, “Oh, why have you come? You always upset Him and make Him cry.” “OK, let Govinda think like this. But anyway, we will come.” And they would go inside.
Inside Kasi Misra Bhavan there is a very small room called Sri Gambhira. Gambhira means deep, so deep. How deep? Unintelligibly deep. No one can enter there without very high class of transcendental love for Radha and Krsna. Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda were qualified, so they could enter in Gambhira. The room was very small; it had three doors and no windows. It was so small that Mahaprabhu, being very big, could not lie down fully and stretch out. And the ceiling was not high enough to stand up straight also. There, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda would come to meet with Mahaprabhu.
Raya Ramananda was very expert in Sanskrit poetry. He would recite the poems of Krsna Karanamrta and Gita Govinda. And Svarupa Damodara was more qualified than any Gandharva in music and in singing. Svarupa Damodara would sing very sweetly. He was Mahaprabhu’s friend from childhood in Navadvipa. When Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and left, Svarupa Damodara became like a mad person and quickly went to Kasi, Benares, where he also took sannyasa. Before his name was Purusottama Acarya, but then when he came into the asrama of his sannyasa guru, Caitanyananda Bharati, he received the brahmacari name Svarupa Damodara. He underwent the preliminary rituals of the sannyasa ceremony, but being unable to wait any longer, he departed for Puri without receiving his sannyasa name. Thus he kept his name Svarupa Damodara brahmacari since he was very eager to meet with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he would sing, at once Mahaprabhu would enter antar-dasa. He would lose sense of this world the moment Svarupa Damodara would begin to sing. So happily in the night they would meet together and relish Krsna’s pastimes.
One evening Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was keeping His arms around the shoulders of Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda. But He never thought, “I am Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am in Gambhira in Puri.” He was thinking, “I am Srimati Radhika, and I am in Vrndavana. My sakhis have come-Lalita and Visakha.” In this way, He crying tears of separation because Krsna had gone to Mathura. “The sweetheart of My life since childhood has now left Me. What can I do?” And embracing Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda, He would sing so many verses.
kva nanda-kula-candramah kva sikhi-candrakalankrtih
kva mandra-murali-ravah kva nu surendra-nila-dyutih
kva rasa-rasa-tandavi kva sakhi jiva-raksausadhir
nidhir mama suhrt-tamah kva bata hanta ha dhig vidhim
(CC Antya 19.35, from Lalita-Madhava 3.25)
Crying in the mood of Radhika, He was saying, “O my dear friend, where is the moon who appeared in the dynasty of Nanda Maharaja? Where is that Krsna, who wears a very beautiful peacock feather in His hair and plays such slow and deep notes upon His flute? Where is that person who is the hero of the Rasa-lila? Now I am about to die without Him.This disease of separation-for this there is only medicine. Can you bring that medicine here at once? Do you know that medicine? Only Krsna. O sakhi, please bring Him here at once.” But they could not help. “Oh, where is My treasure and My best friend?” Who is Radharani’s best friend? Do you know? Krsna! “He is My surhtama. Alas! I am being victimized by My destiny, by vidhi, by Providence. So fie on you, Creator! Fie on you. I condemn you. Why are you putting me through this torment?” In this helpless mood, Mahaprabhu would cry.
ei-mata gaura-raya, visade kare haya haya,
‘ha ha krsna, tumi gela kati?’
gopi-bhava hrdaye, tara vakye vilapaye,
‘govinda damodara madhaveti’
(CC Antya 19.53)
In the Gambhira, Mahaprabhu was crying, taking the very words of the gopis themselves, “Hey Govinda! Hey Damodara! Hey Madhava!” In this way He would pass many hours. When the night was halfway through, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda would devise some means to bring Him back into sense and make Him lie down. Then they would say, “Good night,” and close the door of Gambhira. Raya Ramananda would return to his home, but Svarupa Damodara and Govinda would lie down outside the door of Gambhira. They could hear sounds Mahaprabhu was making inside, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” Sleep was not coming to Him. After a long time, He could not even chant. His voice was choking, and only the sound “gon-gon, gon-gon” was coming out from Gambhira.
Svarupa Damodara and Govinda were outside listening. After some time, even this sound did not come, and they were wondering, “What is happening?” Svarupa Damodara got up, lit a lamp, and opened the door of Gambhira. Going inside, he found Mahaprabhu lying there. As he came closer with the light, he saw that there were bruises around His head, His face, His lips. On His nose were cuts and scratches, and some blood was coming also. He was very young, He always looked very young, fresh and soft, with a beautiful face, but now there were cuts and scratches and blood coming. When Svarupa Damodara saw this, he was horrified. “Why have You done this to Yourself? Mahaprabhu was keeping His head on Svarupa Damodara’s shoulders and saying, “What could I do? I was in such anxiety and I wanted to get out. But I could not find the door, but trying to get out, again and again My face struck the walls. I was trying to get out and My face was rubbing on the walls.” Then Svarupa Damodara helped Mahaprabhu by dressing His wounds, and he was feeling very concerned, “What can we do? Now His separation and His madness has become so high, He is so absorbed that He is a danger to Himself even.” So Svarupa Damodara, Raya Ramananda, Govinda and other devotees met together to determine, “How can we take care of Him?” They had so much love for this very sweet sannyasi.
Svarupa Damodara came up with a very good idea. “Sankara Pandita should stay inside the Gambhira with Mahaprabhu. He will look after Him to prevent Him cannot hurt Himself.” Sankara Pandita was the brother of Damodara Pandita. These two were staying in Puri with Mahaprabhu. Actually, when Mahaprabhu left Navadvipa, Jagadananda Pandita, Nityananda Prabhu, Mukunda Dhatta, and Damodara Pandita-these four came with Him on the journey. So Damodara Pandita was there from the beginning.
Damodara Pandita was a brahmacari. Yet, he was not afraid to speak up if he thought Mahaprabhu was doing something wrong. One time Caitanya Mahaprabhu was staying in Kasi Misra Bhavan, doing bhajana there. One young boy would come and Mahaprabhu was very affectionate to him, talking with him. Becoming attached to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the boy started coming every day, and for one hour Maharpabhu would speak with him. He was lucky, very fortunate. After some time, Damodara Pandita came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and told him, “You are a very great teacher, a great master. Everyone knows what a great master You are because You are expert at giving good advice and spiritual instruction to everyone. But very soon, we will see just what kind of great master You are.” Mahaprabhu was surprised and said, “Why are you saying this?” Damodara Pandita warned, “Why are you keeping relationship with this young boy? Don’t You know that he is the son of a brahmana widow? If you will maintain affection for her son, then everyone will start to gossip because the world is full of gossipers. Everyone likes to look and see some fault and gossip about it to everyone else. I know that she is a brahmani and very chaste and austere, but she has two defects, two faults-1) she is young and 2) she is beautiful. So if You keep relation with her son, everyone will think You have relation with her, and everyone will joke and talk.”
Mahaprabhu was struck with wonder. “Oh, now I see a very high wave of pure love. No one is as uninhibited as Damodara Pandita. Though I am a sannyasi and he is a brahmacari, he does not care for anyone’s opinion. By Krsna’s causeless mercy, he does not hesitate to put Me in My place. But I am a sannyasi, so I cannot be indifferent to public opinion. Sannyasi must fear public opinion by body, mind and words.But he is brahmacari-he does not care. He can do anything, even out of etiquette. This is Krsna’s mercy upon Me that he behaves like this.”
One time Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Damodara Pandita, “I have affection for you but there is some respect mixed in with it. But your younger brother, Sankara Pandita-our loving relation is pure affection only.” Damodara Pandita replied, “I used to think that he is my younger brother, but from today I will consider him my elder brother. Why? Because the love which is free from awe and reverence is higher. So according to prema-tattva, he is superior, he is senior.” Damodara Pandita was very sincere. After some time Mahaprabhu sent him to Navadvipa to stay with Saci Mata. He did not stay in Mahaprabhu’s company all the time in Puri. There is some reason that Mahaprabhu sent him away. Do you know who Damodara Pandita is in Krsna-lila? Saibya, the sakhi of Candravali, so Mahaprabhu, being absorbed in the mood of Radharani, felt some affection but some distance also. But Sankara Pandita in Krsna-lila is Sri Bhadra-gopi. Now she has come in Gaura-lila as Sri Sankara Pandita. Sankara Pandita was now staying at night alone in the Gambhira with Mahaprabhu. And what was he doing? The devotees gave him the name ‘Prabhu-padopadhana’. Prabhu-padopadhana means ‘the foot-pillow of Mahaprabhu’.
When Mahaprabhu would lie down to rest, He would keep His legs on Sankara Pandita’s body, and Sankara Pandita would massage His legs during the night. In Krsna-lila also, Sri Bhadra-gopi is known as the pillow of Krsna. Krsna would sleep with His head resting on the breast of Sri Bhadra-gopi. After chanting so much, Mahaprabhu would lie down to rest, but sleep would not come to Him. He would keep His feet on Sankara Pandita, who would massage Him. Sankara Pandita was not in bhava like Mahaprabhu, so he would massage for hours and hours in the middle of the night in the Gambhira. And what would happen? He would fall asleep for a moment and then wake up again. Then he would fall asleep and just lie down and he would stay asleep. Mahaprabhu is teaching us what is Vaisnavism. Mahaprabhu was seeing that now Sankara Pandita had fallen asleep with no cloth, no covering. Mahaprabhu would take off His own uttariya and cover Sankara Pandita’s body so he would be warm. And Mahaprabhu would lie on the ground with no cover. Then, after some time Sankara Pandita would wake up and see, “Oh, I have Mahaprabhu’s own cloth,” and quickly he would cover Mahaprabhu. But now, because Sankara Pandita was in Gambhira, Mahaprabhu could not rub His face on the wall or hurt Himself. So the devotees made this nice arrangement.
One day it happened that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu along with His associates was wandering in Puri in the gardens along the shore. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has described:
eka-kale vaisakhera paurnamasi-dine
ratri-kale mahaprabhu calila udyane
(CC Antya 19.78)
“One full-moon night in the month of Vaisaka (April or May), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to a garden.” This is the day of the manifestation of Radha-Ramana. We were just discussing the appearance of Radha-Ramana a few days ago.
‘jagannatha-vallabha’ nama udyana-pradhane
pravesa karila prabhu laia bhakta-gane
“Mahaprabhu along with His associates came to the garden called Jagannatha-Vallabha Vatika.” Have you been there? In Puri, if you go down the Grand Road, just past the birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is the entrance to Jagannatha-Vallabha Vatika. Still today this garden is beautiful, full of so many different types of trees, flowers and birds. I remember going there several times with Srila Gurudeva, sometimes with only a few devotees. He was describing the different types of flowers, picking some flowers and showing them to us and saying something about them. At that time, when I was hearing, I thought, “Oh, how beautiful.” But actually I could not understand what was his mood, but his mood is coming here in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta.
praphullita vrksa-vali,--yena vrndavana
suka, sari, pika, bhrnga kare alapana
“In the garden were fully blossomed trees and creepers, exactly like those of Vrndavana. Bumblebees and birds like suka, sari and pika were talking with one another. A mild breeze was blowing and carrying the fragrance of aromatic flowers, and the breeze had become like a Guru, who was teaching all the trees and creepers how to dance. Brightly illuminated by the full moon, the trees and creepers glittered in the light.” So Mahaprabhu, in the moonlight, was going around the garden, Jagannatha Vallabha Vatika, and birds were singing, like suka and sari and cuckoos and pika birds. The pika birds were singing, “Pika, pika.” Pi means ‘priyatam’ (beloved), and ka means where, “Where is my beloved?” Mahaprabhu was hearing the discussions of the birds and He was thinking, “I am now in Vrndavana, and it is full-moon night.” He became absorbed in the mood of Radharani and wanted to taste that mood more deeply. So then He said:
“lalita-lavanga-lata” pada gaoyaia
nrtya kari’ bulena prabhu nija-gana laia
“In that atmosphere, Mahaprabhu told His associates, ‘Sing that song, Lalita-lavanga-lata.’ This kirtana is from Jayadeva Gosvami’s Gita-Govinda. When He heard this kirtana, He began to dance and wander around the garden with His associates.” At that time, Mahaprabhu’s associates headed by Svarupa Damodara began to sing this kirtana mentioned here by Krsnadas Kaviraja Gosvamipada.
lalita lavanga lata parisilana komala malaya samire
madhukara nikara karambita kokila kujita kunjakutire (1)
viharati harir iha sarasa vasante
nrtyati yuvati janena samam sakhi virahi janasya durante (chorus)
unmada madana manoratha pathika madhu jana janita vilape
ali kula sankula kusuma samuha nirakula bakula kulape (2)
In this way, the devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara, began to sing this kirtana, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu lost His external consciousness, completely absorbed in the mood of Srimati Radharani. This is called ‘viraha utkanthita nayaka’. It was a full moon night in the spring season and Radharani had made an arrangement to meet with Krsna. She went into the Vrndavana forest, dressed so beautifully, and was waiting for Him. But He did not come there. Instead, very close by, He was singing and dancing with so many other young gopis. Viharati harir iha sarasa vasante-in this springtime (vasante) which is so full of rasa, Hari is just here, and nrtyati yuvati janena samam sakhi-one friend of Radhika’s is telling Her (the associates of Mahaprabhu are like sakhis of Radhika and they are telling Him), “O my dear friend, Krsna is dancing with so many young girls here in the forest. This is very very hard to tolerate.” Why? Lalita lavanga lata parisilana komala malaya samire-one friend of Radhika is telling Her, “O my dear sakhi, O priya sakhi! Alas! This vasant kala (spring season) is the cause of great distress for virahi-jana (a lonely lover). For virahi-jana it is very difficult. Why? Just see. Komala malaya samire-here the Malaya samire, the breeze coming from the Malaya Mountains, is coming and again and again embracing the latas (creepers). Decorated by the breeze’s embrace, how beautiful those very soft and charming creepers look! And all directions are filled with the sounds-madhukara nikara karambita kokila-of the bumblebees who are flying inside the kunjas. They are humming in the kunja pavilions, and the cuckoo birds are cooing. It is very hard to tolerate these things because just over there Krsna is enjoying pastimes with some fortunate young girl. He is dancing with her due to being completely immersed in prema-uttsava (festival of love). This is very hard for me to tolerate.”
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