20200422 Mahāprabhu Writes “Rāmadāsa” on the Forehead of Murāri Gupta (Part 1)

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

I was just seeing the prasāda distribution. Today we sent 5 vehicles, tomorrow 7 will go. And some disciple said that he volunteered from Kṛṣṇa Nagar, so we might distribute in some nearby villages. So, he said that people said, we heard that ISKCON is distributing prasāda to the poor. So they were very appreciative. When I see this, I thought of Śrīla Prabhupāda, all the GBCs, all the sannyāsīs, when Śrīla Prabhupāda saw the small poor children fighting off the dogs with sticks and eating the ucchiṣṭa of the people, the left overs. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that we should see that no one should go hungry in a ten-mile radius around our temple. Kṛṣṇa is the Father of all. So, none of Kṛṣṇa’s children should go hungry. Seeing this prasāda distribution, I just cannot hold my tears! Śrīla Prabhupāda would be very happy!

So, I want to thank all the people contributing to me, to make it possible to distribute the prasadam and also those who are sponsoring books.

Now we will read Murari’s character

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Chapter entitled as Lord’s Mercy Towards Murāri Gupta

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.26

murārira caritra—

murārira prati saba-vaiṣṇavera prīta
sarva-bhute kṛpālutāmurāri-carita

Translation: All the Vaiṣṇavas had great affection for Murāri, who was by nature merciful to all living entities.

Jayapatākā Swami: All the great Vaiṣṇavas had significant affection for Murāri Gupta, who was by nature, merciful to all living entitites. This was the character of Murāri Gupta. Today we are facing a pandemic because of the animals, the virus has entered the human society. Corona virus, it is from the bats, animals. So, because people eat animals, therefore the virus has come to the human society. We don’t have any natural immunity, they don’t know of any treatment, they don’t have a vaccine yet. So, scientists are trying their level best, but at the same time we should understand that this was because of breaking the laws of nature. Murāri Gupta, he was kind and merciful to all the living entities. He was a pure vegetarian, he didn’t eat animals, he did not kill animals, he was kind to all living entities. That is what we need to do, to protect our human kind. we shouldn’t risk the whole human race, just for the tongue.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.27

ye-te sthāna murārira yadi saṅga haya
sei sthāna sarva-tīrtha-śrī-vaikuṇṭha-maya

Translation: If Murāri was associated with any place, that place became as sanctified as Vaikuṇṭha.

Jayapatākā Swami: If anyone had any association with Murāri Gupta at any place, that place became sanctified by all the tīrthas, all the places of pilgrimage, in fact it became filled with the quality of Vaikuṇṭha

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.28

murārira prabhāva balite śakti kā'ra
murārira vallabha—prabhu sarva avatāra

Translation: Who can describe the glories of Murāri? In every incarnation, the Lord was the dear friend of Murāri.

Jayapatākā Swami: Who can describe, who has the power to describe the glories of Murāri Gupta? Murāri Gupta was dear to the Lord, and he was the Lord’s dear friend in all of His avatāras, in every incarnation.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.29-030

vaiṣṇavanindakera gaṅgāsnāna o harināmāśrayeo durgati lābha—

ṭhākura caitanya bale,—“śuna sarva-jana
sakṛt murāri-nindā kare yei-jana

 koṭi-gaṅgā-snāne tā'ra nāhika nistāra
gaṅgā-hari-nāme tāre kariba saṁhāra

Translation: Lord Caitanya said, “Listen, everyone, anyone who, even once blasphemes Murāri will not be delivered even if he takes millions of baths in the Ganges. The Ganges and Harināma will destroy such an offender.

In order to remove the sinful mentality of those proud persons who are envious of the devotees and who blaspheme the devotees while considering themselves “engaged in taking bath in the Ganges and in chanting the names of Hari,” Mahāprabhu said, “If a person knowingly or unknowingly blasphemes a devotee constantly engaged in the service of the Lord like Murāri and becomes envious of the devotees by claiming to have taken shelter of hari-nāma and the Ganges, then the Ganges and the holy names destroy such a sinful person rather than award him any benefit.” Even today the place of Murāri Gupta is found in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur in the tract of land between the residential areas of the Moslems and the Hindus. Those proud persons who blaspheme Murāri Gupta by expressing hatred for the present pathetic condition of his place show disrespect for the dhāma and cannot obtain any benefit from the waters that have emanated from the feet of Viṣṇu. The syllables of Lord Hari's holy names (nāmāparādha) that they have received from their unauthorized gurus vanquish such people by converting them into sense enjoyers birth after birth. Envy of Vaiṣṇavas produces such a formidable poisonous result. Such people commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy names and, as offenders of the holy names, they fall into the jaws of death. If such people take bath in the waters of the Ganges ten million times, they will not be delivered. This is Śrī Gaurasundara's instruction and words of chastisement towards the averse living entities. In the Dvārakā-māhātmya it is said:

pūjito bhagavān viṣṇur  janmāntara-śatair api
prasīdati na viśvātmā  vaiṣṇave cāpamānite

“Lord Hari, the Supersoul of the entire universe, is never pleased with the miscreant who insults a Vaiṣṇava, even if he has worshiped Viṣṇu for hundreds of births.” See also the purport to Ādi-khaṇḍa (16.169).

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “listen to Me, all you people, everyone! If someone criticizes or blasphemes Murāri Gupta, even if he bathes in the Ganges, ten million times, he will not be delivered. You don’t know, chanting the names of Hari will actually destroy him.”

So, Lord Caitanya instructed that even if one takes bath in the Ganges, ten million times or chants the holy name of Hari, if they offend a pure devotee like Murāri Gupta, they will not be purified. Actually, the first offence to the holy name is to blaspheme a devotee of the Lord. And the seventh offence is to sin on the strength of chanting. So, it is being stated that if you blaspheme a pure devotee like Murāri Gupta, you are committing the first offence. And if you think, you are very proud and bathing in the Ganges and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so it doesn’t matter, I can get forgiven, so you are guilty of the seventh offence. Here Murāri Gupta, his house is between the Hindus and the Muslims in Māyāpura. But somehow if someone blasphemes Murāri Gupta, that will be a great aparādha not only to the holy name, the holy dhāma, they will be destroyed. Even by taking bath in the Ganges or chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, they are committing all kinds of offences, and therefore they will take birth after birth after birth, and they won’t actually obtain the service attitude to the Lord. Actually, they will fall into sense gratification or become go-dāsa. And they will thus fall into the jaws of repeated death. So, one should avoid any kind of knowing or unknowing offence to the Vaiṣṇavas, and the glories of Murāri Gupta is an example of that, how dear are the devotees to the Lord! The Lord could not be pleased with someone who blasphemes His devotees. So, we should be very careful to respect all the devotees. Sometimes married couples, they fight with each other. Some couples fight and then they make up later. But if someone hits their spouse, they commit domestic violence, and actually the spouse is a Vaiṣṇavī, and hitting a Vaiṣṇavī is a great offence. Or even, emotionally or otherwise criticizing her. So, one should be very careful, even in the gṛhastha domestic āśrama not to commit any vaiṣṇava-aparādha to your spouse. Haribol! Like Jarāsandha he was the worshipper of Viṣṇu, but he wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. So, what is the use of being a Jarāsandha bhakta? We asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, and he said that Jarāsandha, he would obtain material opulence, but he was a demon. He only wanted material opulence, so that he got. But since he wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa, he did not understand, he didn’t get the spiritual benefit, to actually have pure bhakti. So, we don’t want to be Jarāsandha bhaktas! Worshipping Viṣṇu just but want to kill Kṛṣṇa. Worshipping Viṣṇu but to insult His beloved devotees.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.31

‘murārigupta’ nāmera yaugika tātparya’—

`murāri' vaisaye gupte ihāra hṛdaye
eteke `murāri-gupta' nāma yogya haye”

Translation: “Lord Murāri resides in his heart gupte, or secretly, therefore his name, `Murāri Gupta' is quite appropriate.”

Lord Murāri (Śrī Caitanyadeva) always resides gupta-bhāve, or secretly, in the heart of Murāri Gupta, therefore the devotee Murāri is addressed as “Murāri Gupta.” Lord Murāri never resides gupta-bhāve, or secretly, within the bodies of those so-called “Murāris” who are envious of devotional service and who are traversing the road to hell by thinking of themselves as “Murāri Guptas;” they only make a show of Lord Murāri's presence within their hearts. But actually, Lord Murāri remains far from their hearts while inducing them to hanker after gold, women, and fame. The desire of Śrī Gaurasundara is to chastise such persons. Those who are averse to and bereft of the service of Murāri would rather chew betel nuts themselves than offer them to the Lord. Being controlled by intoxicants, they can never become servants of Murāri Gupta. Those who at present mistakenly accept the author of Amiya Nimāi-carita as “an incarnation of Murāri Gupta” with the evil intention of advertising themselves as “incarnations of Śrī Gaurāṅga” gain nothing but offenses.

Jayapatākā Swami: You see Murāri is also the name of Kṛṣṇa. Murāri, he was residing hidden, in the heart of Murāri Gupta. Ha! Gupta means hidden. Murāri Gupta is the appropriate name, because he kept Lord Kṛṣṇa, Murāri in his heart! So, Kṛṣṇa always resides, secretly in the heart of Murāri Gupta. But Kṛṣṇa never resides in the heart of those who are envious against His devotees, or envious against His devotional service. By doing these two activities, being envious to devotee or being envious to bhakti, devotional service, they are going to their abode to hell, hellish existence. They may make a show that Murāri in the heart but Murāri stays far away! And induces them to hanker for gold, fame and sense gratification. So, Lord Gaurasundara, He desired to chastise such persons. Those who are averse to the Vaiṣṇavas, they controlled by intoxication, and never serve the servants of the Lord.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.32

murārira prati prabhura kṛpādarśane bhaktagaṇera premakrandana evaṃ tadākhyānera phalaśruti—

murārire kṛpā dekhi' bhāgavata-gaṇa
prema-yoge `kṛṣṇa' bali karena rodana

Translation: On seeing the Lord's mercy on Murāri, all the exalted devotees cried in love while chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing Lord Gaurāṅga’s mercy on Murāri Gupta, the exalted devotees cried in love, chanting loudly the names of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.33

murārire kṛpā kaila śrī-caitanya rāya
ihā yei śune, sei prema-bhakti pāya

Translation: Anyone who hears the narration of Lord Caitanya bestowing mercy on Murāri attains loving devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu bestowed His mercy on Murāri Gupta. Anyone who hears this, hears of this, he receives the benediction of loving devotional service for Lord Kṛṣṇa. Haribol! Haribol! HARIIIIIBOL! GAUUUUURĀṄGA! GAURĀṄGA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 10.34

murāri o śrīdharera prema-krandana—

murāri-śrīdhara kānde sammukhe paḍiyā
prabhu o tāmbūla khāya garjiyā garjiyā

Translation: The Lord roared and ate betel nuts as Murāri and Śrīdhara cried in front of Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He ate betel nuts, and Murāri and Śrīdhara fell at His feet and cried in front of Him.

Thus ends the Chapter -
Lord’s Mercy Towards Murāri Gupta

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Chapter entitled as Mahāprabhu Writes “Rāmadāsa”
on the Forehead of Murāri Gupta

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17.69

murāri-gupta-mukhe śuni’ rāma-guṇa-grāma
lalāṭe likhila tāṅra ‘rāmadāsa’ nāma

Translation: Murāri Gupta was a great devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. When Lord Caitanya heard Lord Rāmacandra’s glories from his mouth, He immediately wrote on his forehead “rāmadāsa” [the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra].

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 4.315

sapārṣada prabhura sammukhe prabhura ādeśe murāriguptera śrīrāmacandrera stotra-pāṭha—

vasiyā āchena prabhu śrī-gaurasundara
catur-dike vasilena sarva anucara

Translation: Prabhu Gaurasundara is seated and around Him sat all the servants.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrī Gaurasundara Mahāprabhu was seated, and around Him in all directions, were sitting His associates.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 4.316

murāri guptere prabhu sammukhe dekhiyā
balilena tāṅre kichu īṣat hāsiyā

Translation: Seeing Murāri Gupta before Him, the Lord spoke to him, smiling gently.

Jayapatākā Swami: When the Lord saw Murāri Gupta in front of Him, He spoke something to him, and laughing gently.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya, 6.99¼

paścān murārim avadat kavitāṁ paṭheti

Translation: Then he said to Murāri, “Read some poetry.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.9

tataḥ provāca karuṇo murāriṁ tāṁ paṭha svayam
kavitāṁ bhavataḥ śrutvā sa papāṭha śubhākṣaram

Translation: The compassionate Lord Gaurāṅga commanded Murāri Gupta, "Please recite that poetry composed by your good self." Hearing this order, Murāri chanted with pleasing accents the following hymn:

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 4.5

murāri dekhiyā prabhu bole punarbbāra
paḍhaha āpana śloka śuniba tomāra

Translation: Glancing at Murāri, Lord Gaura said: Recite your stanzas. I will hear them.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu seeing Murāri Gupta, He spoke to him again. “Please recite your verses which you have written. I will listen, I will hear them.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 4.6

e bola śuniñā sei murāri catura
paḍhaye kavitva nija–śunaye ṭhākura

Translation: Hearing these words, intelligent Murāri recited the stanzas he had written. As Lord Gaura listened, Murāri recited:

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing this order of the Lord, the intelligent Murāri Gupta, began to recite the poetry that he wrote himself, and Lord Gaura listened. He recited.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 4.317

murārira aṣṭaśloka—

“paḍa gupta, rāghavendra varṇiyācha tumi
aṣṭa-śloka kariyācha, śuniyāchi āmi”

Translation: “O Gupta, I have heard that you composed eight verses describing Rāghavendra. Please recite them.”

Jayapatākā Swami: “I heard that you have composed eight verses glorifying Lord Rāghavendra. So please read those to Me!”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 4.318

īśvarera ājñā gupta-mūrāri śuniyā
paḍite lāgilā śloka bhāvāviṣṭa haiyā

Translation: Being ordered by the Lord, Murāri Gupta became absorbed in ecstasy as he began to recite those verses.

Same śrī-rāmāṣṭakam in the following scriptures

Jayapatākā Swami: Being ordered by the Supreme Lord Gaurāṅga, Murāri Gupta, hearing that, he became absorbed in ecstasy, as he recited the verses that he had composed.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Caitanya Maṅgala, Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, all recite the same verses.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 4.319-320

(śrīcaitanyacarite, 2ya prakrame 7ma sarge, 10-17)

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, 4.7-8

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.10

rājat-kirīṭa-maṇi-dīdhiti-dīpitāṁśam
udyad-bṛhaspati-kavi-pratime vahantam
dve kuṇḍale’ṅka-rahitendu-samāna-vaktraṁ
rāmaṁ jagat-traya-guruṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “Although His face is like a spotless moon, it is further brightened by a shining crown of jewels. His earrings resemble Jupiter and Venus rising in the evening sky. I forever worship this Lord, Śrī Rāma, guru of the three worlds.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.11

udyad-vibhākara-marīci-vibodhitābja-
netraṁ subimba-daśana-cchada-cāru-nāsam
śubhrāṁśu-raśmi-parinirjita-cāru-hāsaṁ
rāmaṁ jagat-traya-guruṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “When He awakens and opens His lotus eyes, their luster resembles the early rays of the rising sun. His teeth are encircled by His charming lips, which are red like the bimba fruit. His nose is shapely and graceful, and upon seeing the beams of His beautiful smile, the moon with its white rays accepts defeat. I forever worship this Lord, Śrī Rāma, guru of the three worlds.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.12

taṁ kambu-kaṇṭham ajam ambuja-tulya-rūpaṁ
muktāvalī-kanaka-hāra-dhṛtaṁ vibhāntam
vidyud-valāka-gaṇa-saṁyutam ambudaṁ vā
rāmaṁ jagat-traya-guruṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “The throat of the unborn Lord is like a three-ringed conchshell, and His form is as soft as the lotus. He wears a shining necklace of pearls set in gold, and thus He resembles a water-laden cloud accompanied by flashes of lightning and a flock of cranes. Such is Śrī Rāma, guru of the three worlds, whom I perpetually adore.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.13

uttāna-hasta-tala-saṁstha-sahasra-patraṁ
pañca-cchadādhika-śataṁ pravarāṅgulībhiḥ
kurvaty aśīta-kanaka-dyuti yasya sītā
pārśve’sti taṁ raghu-varaṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “In Her upraised hand Sītādevī holds a thousand-petaled lotus flower, and Her five graceful fingers make it appear that the flower's hundreds of petals are covered by another five petals. I forever worship Rāma, best of the Raghu dynasty, by whose side forever remains this Sītā, whose radiance is like molten gold.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.14

agre dhanurdhara-varaḥ kanakojjvalāṅgo
jyeṣṭhānu-sevana-rato vara-bhūṣaṇāḍhyaḥ
śeṣākhya-dhāma-vara-lakṣmaṇa-nāma yasya
rāmaṁ jagat-traya-guruṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “I constantly worship Lord Rāmacandra, the guru of the three worlds. Before Him stands Śrī Lakṣmaṇa, who is the best of the archers, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold, who is engaged in the service of His elder brother, who is wonderfully decorated, and who is the form of Ananta Śeṣa.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.15

yo rāghavendra-kula-sindhu-sudhāṁśu-rūpo
mārīca-rākṣasa-subāhu-mukhān nihatya
yajñaṁ rarakṣa kuśikānvaya-puṇya-rāśiṁ
rāmaṁ jagat-traya-guruṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “He who was like the moon shining nectar on the ocean of the Raghu dynasty slew the foremost among the man-eating demons, Mārīca and Subāhu, and thus protected the sacrifice performed by the sage Viśvāmitra for the welfare of His ancestors. I worship this Lord, Śrī Rāma, guru of the three worlds.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.16

hatvā khara-triśirasau sa-gaṇau kabandhaṁ
śrī-daṇḍa-kānanam adūṣaṇam eva kṛtvā
sugrīva-maitram akarod vinihatya śatruṁ
taṁ rāghava daśa-mukhānta-karaṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “I constantly worship Lord Rāmacandra, the guru of the three worlds, who destroyed Khara, Triśira, Kambandha, and their followers, who rid the Daṇḍakāraṇya Forest of the demon Dūṣaṇa, and who killed Vāli and made friends with Sugrīva.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.7.17

bhaṅktvā pinākam akaroj janakātmajāyā
vaivāhikotsava-vidhiṁ pathi bhārgavendram
jitvā pitur mudam uvāha kakutstha-varyaṁ
rāmaṁ jagat-traya-guruṁ satataṁ bhajāmi

Translation: “After breaking Śiva's bow, He married Sītā, daughter of Mahārāja Janaka. Then on the path home He defeated the mighty Paraśurāma, best of Bhṛgu's line, bringing pleasure to Mahārāja Daśaratha, His father. I forever worship this Lord, Śrī Rāma, the foremost descendant of Kakutstha and guru of the three worlds.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 4.321

prabhura ājñāẏa ślokera vyākhyā—

ei mata aṣṭa śloka murāri paḍilā
prabhura ājñāya vyākhyā karite lāgilā

Translation: In this way Murāri Gupta recited eight verses, and on the order of the Lord he then explained them.

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way, Murāri Gupta recited the eight verses and on the order of the Lord, he also explained them. He began to explain them.

We can see how dear Murāri Gupta is to Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. And how these eight verses are so beautiful, and how much he appreciated the characteristics of Lord Rāmacandra, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa.

All glories to Murāri Gupta! Sītā Rāma Lakṣmaṇa Hanumān ki Jaya! Murāri Gupta is Hanumān’s avatāra.

* * *

Tomorrow is Gadādhara Paṇḍita’s appearance day. Wow! So, we should have a special glorification of Gadādhara Prabhu, at 6 o’clock.

Also, in the morning, when will I give class? 11.30 to 12.30 to Chinese devotees. Tomorrow evening going to Kerala.