20200817 Kṛṣṇa Benedicts Dhruva – Viśvambhara’s Narration to Śacī-devī

The following is a reading from the new Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 17th,2020 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

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

Introduction: So today we continue with the Caitanya-līlā compilation, Lord Viśvambhara, He is giving the narration to Śacī-devī. The chapter is entitled:

Kṛṣṇa Benedicts Dhruva – Viśvambhara’s Narration to Śacī-devī

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.120

rāṅgācaraṇe śaraṇa laïu gopāla e dīna dayāla

Jayapatākā Swami: I take shelter of the reddish lotus feet of Gopāla, the cowherd boy, Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is very kind to the poor and fallen.

tomāra nāma patitapāvana
jaya re jaya re jaya adhamatāraṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Your name is Patita-pāvana, the deliverer of the fallen. “O savior of the fallen, glory to You! Glory to You! Glory to You!”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.121

āra aparūpa kathā śuna sarvajana
nārada kṛṣṇera kichu kahiba vacana

Jayapatākā Swami: Everyone please hear more of this wonderful history. “I will tell you something about the conversation between Nārada Muni and Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.122

vaikuṇṭhe kamalā-sane ratnasiṁhāsane
nāradera vīṇāgīta śune tinajane

Jayapatākā Swami: In the spiritual world Vaikuṇṭha, Lord Kṛṣṇa sat with Kamalā, goddess Lakṣmī on a jeweled throne. The Lord listened to Nārada Muni’s vīṇā music.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.123

īṣat hāsiyā kṛṣṇa nāradere kahe
āji kena vīṇāgīte mana nāhi rahe?

Jayapatākā Swami: Gently smiling, Lord Kṛṣṇa said to Nārada Muni, “Why today, does your mind not pay attention to your vīṇā music?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.124

nārada belena- śuna kamalalocana
ye kāraṇe vīṇāgīte nāhi rahe mana

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārada Muni replied, “my dear lotus-eyed Lord, the reason why my mind does not pay attention on my vīṇā music.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.125

tomāra bhakate mora mana hari nila
manera daridra nātha tumi sarvakāla

Jayapatākā Swami: One of your devotees has captured my mind, stolen away my mind. You are the knower of all time, and the master of the poor and helpless mind.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.126

nāradera bola śuni’ kamalalocana
kaha more kon bhakta karena smaraṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing Nārada Muni’s words, the lotus-eyed Lord Kṛṣṇa said, “Please tell Me which devotee is thinking of Me or remembering Me.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.127

uttānapādera beṭā baḍa mahāmati
svāmite durbhagā tāra mātāte sumati

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārada Muni said, “He is Uttānapada’s son, very noble hearted son, his saintly hearted mother is not favored by her husband.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.128

dhruvera satāi tāra nāma suruci
svāmisaṅge nānāraṅge siṁhāsane basi

Jayapatākā Swami: Dhruva’s stepmother, name is Suruci, one day she was enjoying in various ways, sitting with her husband on his throne.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.129

uttamādi sāta bhāi mā-bāpera saṅge
ratnasiṁhāsane basi’ hāse khele raṅge

Jayapatākā Swami: The seven sons headed by Uttama, would sit on the jeweled throne, with their mother and father, they were laughing and playing in different ways.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.130

bāpera kole dekhilena bhāi sātajane
tā’ dekhiyā uṭhe dhruva ratnasiṁhāsane

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing his seven brothers sitting on the lap of his father, seeing that, Dhruva climbed up on that jewel throne.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.131

siṁhāsane uṭhiyā bāpera kole yāite
dhruvera satāi ṭheli’ phelila bhūmite

Jayapatākā Swami: Climbing on the jewel throne, he went to sit on his father’s lap, but Dhruva’s stepmother pushed him and threw Dhruva down to the ground.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.132

bhūmite paḍiyā dhruva kāndite lāgila
strīra vaśa haiyā rājā kichu nā balila

Jayapatākā Swami: Falling on the ground, Dhruva wept. Being under the control of his wife, king Uttānapada did not say anything.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.133

satāira bole dhruva paḍila saṅkaṭe
madhuvane tapa kare kālindī nikaṭe

Jayapatākā Swami: Dhruva was distraught by his stepmother’s words, and he went to Madhuvana and performed austerities, near to the Yamunā bank.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.134

nāradera bola śuni’ kamalalocana
īṣat hāsiyā bole madhura vacana

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing Nārada Muni’s words, the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa gently smiled and said the following sweet words.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.135

adīkṣita-jane āmi kṛpā nāhi kari
adīkṣitajanera aparādha nāhi dhari

Jayapatākā Swami: “I don’t give My mercy to people who are not initiated, and I do not take offence with the misdeeds of those who are not initiated.”

So, this is a very important thing to note. That if one doesn’t have initiation, we don’t qualify for the mercy of the Lord. Also, He doesn’t take offence from those who are not initiated. That means those who are initiated, they may offend the Lord, so they have to be very careful.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.136

āmāre bhāvive ye pratijñā kariyā
madhuvane tapaḥ kare mātā pitā chāḍiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Giving up his mother and father, this boy is performing austerities, in Madhuvana. With a vow, he meditates on Me.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.137

vaiṣṇavīra garbhe kabhu avaiṣṇava nahe
vaiṣṇava, vaiṣṇavī haile saba duḥkha sahe

Jayapatākā Swami: From a Vaiṣṇavī’s womb, from a female devotee’s womb, a non-devotee or a non Vaiṣṇava is never born. Vaiṣṇavas and Vaiṣṇavīs, devotees who are male and female, are ready to tolerate all difficulties.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.138

vaiṣṇavapratijñā āmi avaśya kariba
yei vara cāhe dhruva sei vara diba

Jayapatākā Swami: A Vaiṣṇava’s vow, I will certainly make it successful. I will grant whatever boon Dhruva wants.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.139

premabhakti ḍore bāndhiyāche bhaktajana
nā pāri rahite bhakta karile smaraṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: “My devotees bind Me with the ropes of prema-bhakti, pure love and devotion. I have no power to escape from a devotee who remembers Me.”

So,this is another important thing. Kṛṣṇa is Ajīta, He is undefeatable. He says, a devotee who remembers Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa gets bound by their love and devotion. So we should be devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That is the special instruction of this example.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.140

nārada bolena–dhruva adīkṣita nahe
tumi kṛpā kara giyā dāvānala dahe

Jayapatākā Swami: Nārada Muni said, “Dhruva is not uninitiated. Please visit him and have Your mercy on him. At this moment, if You go, you can put out the forest fire, he is burning it.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.141

nāradera mukhe śuni’ kamalalocana
garuḍe caḍiyā āilā sei madhuvana

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing the words from Nārada Muni’s mouth, the lotus-eyed Lord Kṛṣṇa, climbing on the back of Garuḍa, flew to Madhuvana.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.142

dhruvere kahila kṛṣṇa īṣat hāsiyā –
vara dite āilāṅa, tomāya vaikuṇṭha chāḍiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Gently smiling, Lord Kṛṣṇa said to Dhruva, “I left Vaikuṇṭha and have come to grant a boon to you.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.143

śrīkṛṣṇera ājñā śuni’ ānanda bāḍhila
dhyāna bhāṅgi’ joḍahaste sanmukhe rahila

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s words, his happiness increased, his meditation broken, with folded hands, he stood before Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.144

dhruva bole mahāprabhu ki vara māgiba
more kṛpā kara—tomāra mahimā bāḍhiba

Jayapatākā Swami: Dhruva, he said to the great Lord, “What boon should I ask for? Please have Your mercy on me, that I will always chant Your glories.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.145

prabhu bele-tomāra kārya avaśya kariba
yei pada cāha tumi se-i pada diba

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa said, “I will do whatever you wish, whatever post you want, I will give you that post.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.146

samprati kaha kene āilā madhuvane
satamāe vasite nā dila siṁhāsane

Jayapatākā Swami: “Why did you come to Madhuvana? Please tell Me. Your stepmother did not allow you to sit on the throne?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.147

baḍa uccapada yadi tere nāhi diba
vāñchākalpataru nāma kemane dhariba

Jayapatākā Swami: “If I do not give you an elevated post, then how do I maintain the name of vāñchākalpataru (the wish fulfilling desire tree), a tree that fulfills all desires?”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.148

dhruva bole– uccapada tṛṇa hena bāsi
tomāra bhakta nahile saba bhasmarāśi

Jayapatākā Swami: Dhruva said, “Exalted posts are like blades of grass, Your devotees do not desire them, they will see them as ashes.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.149

kṛṣṇa bole—saba siṁhāsana diba āmi
trijagate uccapade thāka giyā tumi

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa said, “I will give you all the thrones, I will give you the highest post in the three worlds. There you can stay.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.150

uttānapādera beṭā tumi habe rājā
āmāra mahimā pābe tomāra saba prajā

Jayapatākā Swami: “You are king Uttānapada’s son. You will become a king. All your subjects will chant My glories.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.151

sabhāra upare ṛṣi-vāsasthānamaṇḍala
dhruvaloka vase yena kahila sakala

Jayapatākā Swami: Above all the planets where the sages stay, is Dhruvaloka, So, even Dhruva did not ask for anything. But the Lord knows what he desires, and this is the danger, that if you desire something, the Lord may give you. But when he actually saw the Lord, he realized that what he desired was like ashes. But still the Lord gave him the topmost planet in the universe.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.152

ei vara diyā kṛṣṇa haila antardhāna
viśvakarmā dhruvaloka karila nirmāṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: Giving this blessing, this boon, Lord Kṛṣṇa disappeared, and Viśvakarmā, the architect of the devas, began to build Dhruvaloka.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 11.153

ei vara pāñā dhruva karila gamana
gauraguṇa gāya sukhe e dāsa locana

Jayapatākā Swami: Attaining this boon, Dhruva, he left that place. And Locana dāsa, he is singing the glories of Lord Gaura, very happily.

So tomorrow will be Śacīmātā’s reaction. At this point it is not clear, why Lord Caitanya is telling the history of Dhruva. We will continue reading tomorrow. We can see – I was reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, last night and there, there is an instruction that we should not make sense gratification as our ultimate goal. We should not spend money on sense gratification. I was thinking, the whole world is based on sense gratification. The people of Kali-yuga do not know any other happiness. Actually, this happiness is very insignificant, it is a perverted reflection. Since we are only conscious of our own bodies, we are not conscious what other people, the pain or pleasure they feel. Of course, they may say, oh, I am happy or something. But actually, we are all part of Kṛṣṇa. So, if we please Kṛṣṇa, automatically, we are pleased. But in the material world that is not possible. That is why love is actually possible with Kṛṣṇa. There, naturally one loves Kṛṣṇa, serves Kṛṣṇa, He is happy. If He becomes happy, you are happy. When He sees you are happy, He is happier! So this is an ideal situation. But this material world, it is not like that. Any way we should not make sense gratification, the ultimate goal. Since we have senses naturally, Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed that to be happy, we have to have some kind of pleasure. But this material pleasure also produces suffering. Just like, now it is summer, you have fan or AC. You like it. But in the winter, you don’t want the fan. So, the same senses that give you pleasure, they also give you suffering. So, if we practice to serve Kṛṣṇa, that is the real happiness of life. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Guru Mahārāja, You mentioned Lord Kṛṣṇa mentions I will not give My mercy to people who are not initiated. Guru Mahārāja here initiation refers to first or second initiation? Uninitiated devotees do not qualify for the mercy of the Lord. How do we relate this to the age of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, where Śrī Nitāi Gaura gave out Their mercy without any qualification? Can you please explain?

—Your spiritual daughter,
Supriyā Jāhnavā devī dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: It shows that Lord Caitanya is more merciful than Lord Kṛṣṇa. Although He is Kṛṣṇa, but He has Rādhārāṇī’s heart, so He is more merciful. One who is not initiated, He also said, He does not accept their offence. So, if you are initiated, it is a two-edged sword. If you follow strictly, you get the Lord’s mercy, if you don’t follow, then He may take offence.