20220511 Subuddhi Rāya Gets the Best Remedy From Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 11th,2022 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/

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Continuing the Sri Krishna Caitanya lila class,

Subuddhi Rāya Gets the Best Remedy From Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Under the section: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.186

rūpa-gosvāmīra sahita subuddhi rāyera milana :—

ethā rūpa-gosāñi yabe mathurā āilā
dhruva-ghāṭe tāṅre subuddhi-rāya mililā

Translation: When Rūpa Gosvāmī reached Mathurā, he met Subuddhi Rāya on the banks of the Yamunā, at a place called Dhruva-ghāṭa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Subuddhi Rāya was a very aristocratic person and he was seeking some solution for the problem he had.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.187

pūrve yabe subuddhi-rāya chilā gauḍe ‘adhikārī’
husena-khāṅ ‘saiyada’ kare tāhāra cākarī

Translation: Formerly Subuddhi Rāya had been a big landholder in Gauḍa-deśa [Bengal]. Saiyada Hussain Khān was then a servant of Subuddhi Rāya.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Subuddhi Rāya had much influence when Saiyada Hussain Khān was serving him, and later he became emperor.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.188

dīghi khodāite tāre ‘munsīpha’ kailā
chidra pāñā rāya tāre cābuka mārilā

Translation: Subuddhi Rāya put Hussain Khān in charge of digging a big lake, but once, finding fault with him, he struck him with a whip.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Subuddhi Rāya stuck Hussain Khan on his back with a whip.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.189

pāche yabe husena-khāṅ gauḍe ‘rājā’ ha-ila
subuddhi-rāyere tiṅho bahu bāḍāila

Translation: Later Hussain Khān somehow or other was appointed Nawab by the central Muslim government. As a matter of obligation, he increased the opulences of Subuddhi Rāya.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, he became the emperor or Raja or Nawab, he was grateful to Subuddhi Rāya and later on he increased his wealth.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.190

tāra strī tāra aṅge dekhe māraṇera cihne
subuddhi-rāyere mārite kahe rājā-sthāne

Translation: Later, when the wife of Nawab Saiyada Hussain Khān saw the whip marks on his body, she requested him to kill Subuddhi Rāya.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the wife or queen she wanted on vengeance on Subuddhi Rāya.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.191

rājā kahe,—āmāra poṣṭā rāya haya ‘pitā’
tāhāre mārimu āmi,-bhāla nahe kathā

Translation: Hussain Khān replied, “Subuddhi Rāya has maintained me very carefully. He was just like a father to me,” he said. “Now you are asking me to kill him. This is not a very good proposal.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Subuddhi Rāya maintained Hussain Shah like a son, and Hussain Shah accepted him like a father so he didn’t feel appropriate to kill him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.192

strī kahe,—jāti laha’, yadi prāṇe nā māribe
rājā kahe,—jāti nile iṅho nāhi jībe

Translation: As a last alternative, the wife suggested that the Nawab take away Subuddhi Rāya’s caste and turn him into a Muslim, but Hussain Khān replied that if he did this, Subuddhi Rāya would not live.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, at that time it was very easy to convert a Hindu to Muslim just pour some water on him.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.193

strī marite cāhe, rājā saṅkaṭe paḍila
karoṅyāra pāni tāra mukhe deoyāila

Translation: This became a perplexing problem for him because his wife kept requesting him to kill Subuddhi Rāya. Finally the Nawab sprinkled a little water on Subuddhi Rāya’s head from a pitcher that had been used by a Muslim.

Purport: Five hundred years ago in India, the Hindus were so rigid and strict that if a Muslim would sprinkle a little water from his pitcher upon a Hindu, the Hindu would be immediately ostracized. Recently, in 1947, during the partition days, there was a big riot between Hindus and Muslims, especially in Bengal. The Hindus were forcibly made to eat cow’s flesh, and consequently they began crying, thinking that they had become Muslims. Actually the Muslims in India did not come from the country of the Muslims, but Hindus instituted the custom that somehow or other if one contacted a Muslim, he became a Muslim. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī were born in a high brāhmaṇa family, but because they accepted employment under a Muslim government, they were considered Muslims. Subuddhi Rāya was sprinkled with water from the pitcher of a Muslim, and consequently he was condemned to have become a Muslim. Later, Aurangzeb, the Muslim emperor, introduced a tax especially meant for Hindus. Being oppressed in the Hindu community, many low-caste Hindus preferred to become Muslims. In this way the Muslim population increased. Later the British government made it a policy to divide the Hindus and the Muslims, and thus they maintained ill feelings between them. The result was that India was divided into Pakistan and Hindustan.

From early histories it appears that the entire earth was under one culture, Vedic culture, but gradually, due to religious and cultural divisions, the rule fragmented into many subdivisions. Now the earth is divided into many countries, religions and political parties. Despite these political and religious divisions, we advocate that everyone should unite again under one culture — Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People should accept one God, Kṛṣṇa; one scripture, the Bhagavad-gītā; and one activity, devotional service to the Lord. Thus people may live happily upon this earth and combine to produce sufficient food. In such a society, there would be no question of scarcity, famine or cultural or religious degradation. So-called caste systems and national divisions are artificial. According to our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, these are all external bodily designations. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not based upon bodily designations. It is a transcendental movement on the platform of spiritual understanding. If the people of the world understood that the basic principle of life is spiritual identification, they would understand that the business of the spirit soul is to serve the Supreme Spirit, Kṛṣṇa.

As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.7),

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ:

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts.” All living entities in different life forms are sons of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are all meant to serve Kṛṣṇa, the original supreme father. If this philosophy is accepted, the failure of the United Nations to unite all nations will be sufficiently compensated all over the world by a great Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Recently we had talks with Christian leaders in Australia, including the Catholic Bishop of Melbourne, and everyone there was pleased with our philosophy of oneness in religious consciousness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda had the vision to unite the whole world on the basis of spiritual responsibility to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He didn’t accept caste system, nationalistic divisions he wanted to unite everybody by the service of the Supreme Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.194

subuddhi-rāyera ekākī kāśīte āgamana :—

tabe subuddhi-rāya sei ‘chadma’ pāñā
vārāṇasī āilā, saba viṣaya chāḍiyā

Translation: Taking the Nawab’s sprinkling water upon him as an opportunity, Subuddhi Rāya left his family and business affairs and went to Vārāṇasī.

Purport: It appears that Subuddhi Rāya was a big landholder and a responsible, respectable gentleman. He could not, however, avoid the social misconception that one becomes a Muslim when water is sprinkled on one’s face from a Muslim’s pitcher. Actually, he was planning to give up his material life and leave his family. Hindu culture recommends four divisions — brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Subuddhi Rāya was thinking of taking sannyāsa, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, he received this opportunity. He therefore left his family and went to Vārāṇasī. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma is very scientific. If one is directed by the varṇāśrama institution, he will naturally think of retiring from family life at the end of his life. Therefore sannyāsa is compulsory at the age of fifty.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Subuddhi Rāya took this opportunity to fully surrender unto Kṛṣṇa and thu she went to Benares.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.195

smārta paṇḍitagaṇera nikaṭa prāyaścitta jijñāsā-phale nānājanera nānāvidhāna :—

prāyaścitta puchilā tiṅho paṇḍitera gaṇe
tāṅrā kahe,—tapta-ghṛta khāñā chāḍa’ prāṇe

Translation: When Subuddhi Rāya consulted the learned brāhmaṇas at Vārāṇasī, asking them how his conversion to Islam could be counteracted, they advised him to drink hot ghee and give up his life.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, because of the rigidness of the Hindu brāhmaṇas many people were converted to Islam artificially and there was no way for them to return by the brāhmaṇas idea. But Lord Caitanya had a different idea which we will hear soon.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.196

subuddhi rāyera prāyaścitta vyavasthāsamūhe sandeha :—

keha kahe,—ei nahe, ‘alpa’ doṣa haya
śuniyā rahilā rāya kariyā saṁśaya

Translation: When Subuddhi Rāya consulted some other brāhmaṇas, they told him that he had not committed a grievous fault and that consequently he should not drink hot ghee and give up his life. As a result, Subuddhi Rāya was doubtful about what to do.

Purport: This is another instance of Hindu custom. One brāhmaṇa would give advice condoning a particular fault, and another would give advice to the contrary. Typically, lawyers and physicians differ, giving one kind of instruction and then another. Due to the brāhmaṇas’ different opinions, Subuddhi Rāya became further perplexed. He did not know what to do or what not to do.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, I saw a Śaṅkarācārya in Puri to get permission to enter Jagannātha Purī temple, he also told me to drink boiling ghee, die and take birth as a Hindu.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.197

prabhu kāśīte āsile, sarvavṛttānta varṇanapūrvaka prāyaścitta vyavasthā-jijñāsā :—

tabe yadi mahāprabhu vārāṇasī āilā
tāṅre mili’ rāya āpana-vṛttānta kahilā

Translation: In his state of perplexity, Subuddhi Rāya met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when the Lord was at Vārāṇasī. Subuddhi Rāya explained his position and asked Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu what he should do.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Subuddhi Rāya is placing his problem to Caitanya Mahāprabhu to see what solution He has.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.198

prabhura sarvāpekṣā uttama vyavasthā pradāna o subuddhi rāyake śikṣā :—

prabhu kahe,—ihāṅ haite yāha’ vṛndāvana
nirantara kara kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana

Translation: The Lord advised him, “Go to Vṛndāvana and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra constantly.”

Purport: This is a solution to all sinful activities. In this Age of Kali everyone is perplexed by so many inconveniences — social, political and religious — and naturally no one is happy. Due to the contamination of this age, everyone has a very short life. There are many fools and rascals who advise people to adopt this way of life or that way of life, but real liberation from life’s perplexities means preparation for the next life.

Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati.

One should be situated in his spiritual identity and return home, back to Godhead. The simplest method for this is recommended herein by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We should constantly chant the holy names of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is recommending this process all over the world.

We are saying,

“Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, be freed from all the complexities of life, and realize Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Engage in His devotional service and perfect your life so that you can return home, back to Godhead.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the way or solution for all the perplexities or the faults of Kali-yuga is to constantly chant the hare Kṛṣṇa māhā-mantra and to take shelter of the holy dhāma.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.199

nāmābhāsa o śuddhanāmera phalabheda :—

eka ‘nāmābhāse’ tomāra pāpa-doṣa yābe
āra ‘nāma’ la-ite kṛṣṇa-caraṇa pāibe

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised Subuddhi Rāya: “Begin chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and when your chanting is almost pure, all your sinful reactions will go away. After you chant perfectly, you will get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Purport: The ten kinds of offenses should be considered. In the beginning, when one is initiated into the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, there are naturally many offenses. Therefore the devotee should very carefully try to avoid these offenses and chant purely. This does not mean that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is sometimes pure and sometimes impure. Rather, the chanter is impure due to material contamination. He has to purify himself so that the holy names will be perfectly effective. Chanting the holy name of the Lord inoffensively will help one get immediate shelter at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. This means that by chanting purely, one will immediately be situated on the transcendental platform. We should note, however, that according to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instructions, one should not wait to purify himself before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Whatever our condition may be, we should begin chanting immediately. By the power of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we will gradually be relieved from all material contamination and will get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the ultimate goal of life.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya instructed Subuddhi Rāya to chnat hare Kṛṣṇa and thus he gets purified, by drinking of hot ghee one will commit suicide. just chant the holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 25.200

āra kṛṣṇa-nāma laite kṛṣṇa-sthāne sthiti
mahā-pātakera haya ei prāyaścitti

Translation: “When you are situated at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, no sinful reaction can touch you. This is the best solution to all sinful activity.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by practicing devotional service and chanting the holy name one get ultimately the shelter of lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet and thus he will be freed from all sinful reactions and he will be able to take this so called conversion to Islam would be counteracted.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Subuddhi Rāya Gets the Best Remedy From Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

Under the section: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas