20200727 The Lord Hints of Taking Sannyāsa

The following is the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 27th July 2020 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Introduction: So, we are going to continue with the compilation of the Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. This chapter is entitled,

The Lord Hints of Taking Sannyāsa

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 11.38: After seven days, Śrīvāsa with fear and timidity as well as joy, spoke to the Lord, shining like a hundred suns. “In Kali-yuga singing the Lord’s names is prescribed in the scriptures. Is the result which is described false or true? Please tell me.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.5: Then Śrīvāsa inquired from the Lord, the Jagat-guru, "You have proclaimed only the hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana in Kali-yuga?”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.6: “Are the benefits achieved through hari-nāma inferior in any way to those of the other ages such as the age of Satya?" Hearing this, the Lord replied, "Please listen. I will tell you.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So if in the Satya-yuga there was the process of meditation, in the Tretā-yuga the process of homa, yajña, fire sacrifice, in the Dvāpara-yuga there was temple worship and the Lord Himself was present, in the Kali-yuga the sacrifice recommended is chanting the Harināma in saṅkīrtana. So, the question was, are the benefits you get by chanting Harināma in Kali-yuga, the same is the benefit one achieves in the Satya-yuga by meditation? Or in any other yuga by the process of that yuga?

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.14

tāra-para-dine śrīnivāsa dvijavara
puchaye ṭhākura-āge hṛdaya uttara

Jayapatākā Swami: On another day, Śrīnivāsa, the best of brāhmaṇas, he asked Lord Gaurāṅga to answer his heart’s question.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.15

kaliyuge harināmaguṇa-saṅkītana
pūrṇa phala bole kene āra yuge nyūna

Jayapatākā Swami: So, he is saying that in Kali-yuga, by chanting the Harināma saṅkīrtana, the holy names of Hari, brings the complete fruit in the Kali-yuga. Why does it bring a lesser fruit in other yugas?

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.16

śuniñā ṭhākura kahe-śuna śrīnivāsa
bhāla kathā śudhāile-kahiba viśeṣa

Jayapatākā Swami: So, when Lord Gaurāṅga heard the question, He said, “Listen Śrīnivāsa, your question is good. I will give a clear answer to your specific question.”

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 11.39: The Lord said, “O brāhmaṇa! In Satya, Treta, and Dvāparā the result is achieved by meditation, sacrifice and Deity worship. In Kali-yuga these are without power. Seeing this, the Lord has manifested Himself as the name. Can this give a lesser result?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Here the Lord is saying that by chanting the holy name, you don’t get a lesser result. But the other practices are not so effective in Kali-yuga, without chanting the holy name. 

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.7: In Satya-yuga, when all men followed all the principles of dharma, realization of one's self and one's relationship with the Supreme Lord could be achieved through contemplative yoga.That same benefit was achieved in the Tretā Age simply through yajña and in the age of Dvāpara, self-realization was achieved through worship of the Lord in His Deity incarnation.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.8: In the Age of Kali, the people are very sinful and are unable to practice these other processes, therefore the illustrious Lord Hari, Master of the cosmic manifestation, has personally advented in the brilliant form of śrī-nāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, since people are not able to perform meditation, fire sacrifice, or temple worship, effectively because of their sinful nature, the Lord has advented as the Harināma, the holy name. And therefore, by chanting the holy name, we can get all the benefits. There is no difference between the Lord and His name.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.17

satyayuge pūrṇa dharma dhyānamātra sādhi
tretāya sādhaye yajñadharma udāradhī

Jayapatākā Swami: In the Satya-yuga, the perfect religion was achieved by meditation. In the Tretā-yuga, the perfect religion or the religion of the yuga was the performance of sacrifice, that would deliver one.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.18

dvāpare kṛṣṇera pūjā kahila e marma
kaliyuge śakta keho nahe ei karma

Jayapatākā Swami: In the Dvāpara-yuga, worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa in His Deity form is the heart of religion. In Kali-yuga, no one has the power to perform these different activities properly. 

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.9: In the other ages headed by Satya, the three processes of meditation, fire sacrifice and Deity worship were feasible. But in this terrible age of Kali, when all bad qualities are in ascendance, Kṛṣṇa Himself (in the form of the name) has come.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.19

āpane ṭhākura nāmarūpī bhagavān
kali-yuge sarva śaktimaya harināma

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Supreme Lord is Himself, the Lord in the form of Harināma. In Kali-yuga, the Harināma, Lord Hari’s holy name has all power.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.20

satya ādi tin-yuge yata mahājana
dhyāna yajñārcanāvidhi seve nārāyaṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: In the three other yugas, headed by Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, all the great devotees serve Lord Narayana by properly performing meditation, yajña or deity worship, in the different yugas.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.21

pāpa kaliyuge loka durantacarita
ei ta kāraṇe dayā bhela viparīta

Jayapatākā Swami: The people of Kali-yuga are very sinful and ill-behaved, having bad character. Therefore, the Lord for this reason, feels extreme compassion for them.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.22

āpane ṭhākura nija saṅkīrtanarūpe
anāyāse sarvasiddhi sādhi’ kaliyuge

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Supreme Lord Himself comes personally in the form of the congregational chanting of the holy name, saṅkīrtana. Easily a person in the Kali-yuga, by chanting these holy names, achieves all perfection.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.23

satya ādi yuge yāhā sādhi’ mahādukhe
prabhura kṛpāte sukhe sādhi kaliyuge

Jayapatākā Swami: In the other yugas, Satya, Tretā and Dvāpara, one must strive with great effort, in doing many great austerities. But in Kali-yuga, by the Lord’s mercy, one can easily achieve all perfection.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.10: Hearing that with great gladness, Śrīvāsa, the best of the scholars and enlightened brāhmaṇa, understood that auspicious śrī-nāma is the essential need and goal of life for all beings. 

Jayapatākā Swami: This answer of Lord Gaurāṅga, shows how the chanting of the holy name, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, can give all perfection to the people of Kali-yuga. And how it’s important, that people should chant the holy name, in this age of Kali.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.11: From town to town, Gaura Hari, the lord of all beings performed hari-saṅkīrtana. Thus, he delivered all people including the mlecchas. 

Jayapatākā Swami: Normally the mlecchas are the meat-eaters, and they are very hard to be spiritualized. But Lord Gaura Hari, by preaching the glories of the Harināma, and by personally performing the Harināma, Hari-saṅkīrtana, He could deliver all the people - even the mlecchas. So, His Divine Grace Abhaya Caraṇāravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, has brought this method of Lord Caitanya all over the world. Anyone who chants the holy names, they can experience unlimited spiritual happiness, and they can achieve all perfection in their spiritual life. So, this shows the importance, how we should make chanting our goal in life.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.24

narahari-pādapadma kari’ śiropari
kahaye locanadāsa gaurāṅga-mādhurī

Jayapatākā Swami: Placing Narahari’s (the spiritual master of Locana dāsa) lotus feet on his head, Locana dāsa repeats Lord Gaurāṅga’s sweet words. Bhagavān’s separation from Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.25

ei mate ānande sānande dina yāya
ācambite dekha uṭhe prabhura hiyāya

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way the days passed happily, in great bliss. Suddenly, in the Lord’s heart the thought arose.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.12: Once Bhagavān Gaura, His body bathed by tears, declared, “I am unable to remain at home. I shall depart for the city of Mathurā.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.26

nārila nārila ethā thākibāre āmi
dekhibāre yāba āmi vṛndāvanabhūmi

Jayapatākā Swami: I cannot stay here, I cannot! I must go to see the land of Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.27

kati mora kālindī, yamunā, vṛndāvana
kati mora bahulā, bhāṇḍīra, govardhana

Jayapatākā Swami: “Where is My Kālindī river? My Yamunā? My Vṛndāvana? Where is My Bahulāvana? My Bhāṇḍīravana? My Govardhana Hill?” Lord Gaurāṅga is feeling separation from the forests of Vṛndāvana, the Yamunā river, Govardhana hill, the holy places of Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.28

kati gelā āre mora lalitādi rādhā
kati gela āre mora e nanda, yaśodā

Jayapatākā Swami: “Where has gone My dear Rādhā and Lalitā, and all the other gopīs? Where has gone my dear Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśoda?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.29

śrīdāma, sudāma mora rahilā kothāya
dhavalī sāṅalī bali’ anurāge dhāya

Jayapatākā Swami: “Where is My Śrīdāma? Where is My Sudāma? Where are they now? Where are My white and dark Surabhi cows?” Saying these words, Lord Gaurāṅga ran about, overcome with ecstatic love.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.30

kṣaṇe dante tṛṇa kare karuṇā kariyā
phukari phukari kānde caudike cāhiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: For a moment, He held the straw within His teeth, and He pleaded with great mercy, looking in all the directions, He wept piteously.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.31

e bhava-saṁsāra kāla kemane chāḍiba
se nanda-nandana-pada kothā gele pāba

Jayapatākā Swami: “Amidst the world of birth and death, how will I give up? Where can I go to find the lotus feet of Nanda Mahārāja’s son?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.32

ihā bali’ chindila galāra uparīta
kṛṣṇera virahe duḥkha bhela viparīta

Jayapatākā Swami: Speaking these words, He broke the sacred thread, resting on His neck. Feeling separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, He was overcome with grief.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.13: The Lord then broke His sacred thread, feeling torment out of separation from Kṛṣṇa. Hearing Gaurāṅga's words, this lowly physician Murāri spoke as follows:

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.33

harihari bali’ ḍāke—chāḍaye niḥśvāsa
aśrudhārā gale kichu nā kahe viśeṣa

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga called out, “Hari! Hari! Haribol!” And He sighed very heavily. The tears were flowing from His eyes. So, the tears were flowing like rivers, but He didn’t say anything special.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.34

pulake purita aṅga aruṇa varaṇa
dekhiyā murārī kichu kahaye vacana

Jayapatākā Swami: His hairs on the body stood erect and His body became reddish. Seeing this, Murāri Gupta, he said something.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 11.40: Saying this, with tears in his eyes, the Lord again spoke. “I cannot stay in my house. I must now go away.” Hearing this, Murāri said in fear, “O Lord! Do what must be done. But seeing the people this is not proper.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 2.17.14: “O Lord, You know all truths and can do whatever You desire. You can go or You can stay. However according to the Āryan principles you should not leave Your home.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this Lord Gaurāṅga is hinting or stating that He has to leave the house. That means indirectly, He is saying that He has to take sannyāsa. According to the Āryan principles, one should not take the sannyāsa order at the early stage of one’s life. So, that was being presented by Murāri Gupta, but he said of course, Lord Gaurāṅga was independent, and He can do whatever He wanted. So, nothing was impossible for Him to do. So, I will stop here. Did we cover all the other pastimes in Navadvīpa? Day after tomorrow is lockdown. Maybe it was yesterday, He went across the river, He was looking to the north, He was not talking to anyone. In the north He takes sannyāsa in Katwa, was He looking, and thinking how He had to leave the association of all these nice devotees?It’s a mystery. 

Any questions?

Question: [Bengali] Jaya Guru Mahārāja! (Jayapatākā Swami: Jaya! Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!) Please accept my respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet (Jayapatākā Swami: Accepted).

If someone commits an offence to a pure devotee in the mind, will you accept that person as your servant? Kindly answer my question Mahārāja.

—Yours spiritual aspiring daughter,
Annu Prasāda.

Jayapatākā Swami: Annu Prasad!

In Kali-yuga, one doesn’t get a reaction for mentally creating some offence. You have to do that practically. Since the mind is not very easily controlled in the Kali-yuga, it may think many weird things. So Gadādhara Prabhu, He was thinking that Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhī was a materialistic, later He realized that he was a pure devotee. So therefore, He accepted him as His guru, because the guru always forgives his disciples’ offences. So, if someone offends a guru mentally, and later surrenders and becomes the guru’s disciple, that is authorized in the process, example set by Gadādhara Prabhu.

Last question.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja, please accept my respectful obeisances unto Your merciful lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Gurudeva!

First question: What should we do if we mistakenly break our caturmāsya-vratā?

Jayapatākā Swami: 1. We should observe it after that. And plead to Kṛṣṇa for forgiveness.

Second question: Aren’t the people of Kali-yuga most fallen, yet most fortunate. We got the name of Hari, but still why is it sometimes so hard for us to chant? Knowing that it is the only way back home.

Please kindly enlighten.

—Your insignificant aspiring daughter,
Keya Rāṇī 

Jayapatākā Swami: 2. Because the people of Kali-yuga are very fallen, therefore sometimes it is difficult for them to chant. But we should understand that by chanting, we can achieve all perfection. So, we should chant, and thus become fortunate. And just take it that, if we find difficulty in chanting, it is because of our being very fallen. So, pray for the mercy of the Pañca-tattva, our gurudeva, guru-paramparā, and thus we can achieve the mercy of the Lord, and chant His holy name. Haribol! Thank you very much! Haribol!