20221107 Descent of Lord Caitanya is due to Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 07th,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!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Today's chapter is entitled as:

Descent of Lord Caitanya is due to Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.215

śrī advaita-ācāryasaha milanaḥ—

ācārye miliyā kailā daṇḍavat praṇāma
advaita āliṅgana kari’ karilā sammāna

Translation: Upon meeting Advaita Ācārya, Haridāsa Ṭhākura offered Him respect and obeisances. Advaita Ācārya embraced him and showed respect to him in return.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this shows how when two Vaiṣṇavas meet, because Haridāsa Ṭhākura was junior, Advaita Gosāñi was senior, Haridāsa Ṭhākura offered his obeisances showing respect. But Advaita Ācārya embraced him and showed his respects in that way.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.216

ācāryakarttṛka ṭhākurera ānukūlya-vidhāna o gītā-bhāgavata-kīrtana :—

gaṅgā-tīre goṅphā kari’ nirjane tāṅre dilā
bhāgavata-gītāra bhakti-artha śunāilā

Translation: On the bank of the Ganges, in a solitary place, Advaita Ācārya made a cavelike home for Haridāsa Ṭhākura and spoke to him about the real meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā in terms of devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda was asked which Gītā to recommend since there were about 400 Gītās in English. Actually he could not recommend any Gītā fully, some were close. Generally he couldn’t recommend anyone fully because they did not maintain bhakti-yoga or devotional service focus, therefore he wrote the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.217

ubhayera nitya kṛṣṇakathā-saṁlāpa :—

ācāryera ghare nitya bhikṣā-nirvāhaṇa
dui janā mili’ kṛṣṇa-kathā-āsvādana

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura accepted food daily at the house of Advaita Ācārya. Meeting together, the two of them would taste the nectar of discourses on the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: They would discuss Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and discuss the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa and in this way they pass everyday.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.218

haridāsera dainyoktiḥ—

haridāsa kahe,—“gosāñi, kari nivedane
more pratyaha anna deha’ kon prayojane?

Translation: Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “My dear Advaita Ācārya, let me submit something before Your Honor. Every day You give me alms of food to eat. What is the necessity of this?

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura being a mendicant, he could go out and beg alms everywhere, but Advaita Gosāñi is feeding him everyday, so he is asking about that.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.219

mahā-mahā-vipra ethā kulīna-samāja
nīce ādara kara, nā vāsaha bhaya lāja!!

Translation: “Sir, You are living within a society of great, great brāhmaṇas and aristocrats, but without fear or shame You adore a lower-class man like me.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although Haridāsa Ṭhākura is a mahā-bhāgavata, he presented himself very humbly.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.220

alaukika ācāra tomāra kahite pāi bhaya
sei kṛpā karibā,—yāte mora rakṣā haya

Translation: “My dear Sir, Your behavior is uncommon. Indeed, sometimes I am afraid to speak to You. But please favor me by protecting me from the behavior of society.”

Purport: While Haridāsa Ṭhākura was staying under the care of Advaita Ācārya, he was afraid of the behavior of the society in Śāntipura, Navadvīpa, which was full of exceedingly aristocratic brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a Muslim family and was later recognized as a great Vaiṣṇava, but nevertheless the brāhmaṇas were very critical of him. Thus Haridāsa Ṭhākura was afraid that Advaita Ācārya would be put into some difficulty because of His familiarity with Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Śrī Advaita Ācārya treated Haridāsa Ṭhākura as a most elevated Vaiṣṇava, but others, like Rāmacandra Khān, were envious of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Of course, we have to follow in the footsteps of Advaita Ācārya, not caring for people like Rāmacandra Khān.

At present, many Vaiṣṇavas are coming to our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement from among the Europeans and Americans, and although men like Rāmacandra Khān are always envious of such Vaiṣṇavas, one should follow in the footsteps of Śrī Advaita Ācārya by treating all of them as Vaiṣṇavas. Although they are not as exalted as Haridāsa Ṭhākura, such Americans and Europeans, having accepted the principles of Vaiṣṇava philosophy and behavior, should never be excluded from Vaiṣṇava society.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is expressing his open mindedness about what Lord Caitanya had predicted that in every town and village of the world, people would be chanting His holy names. So, by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s great vision this will gradually take place.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.221

jagadguru lokaśikṣaka śrī-advaita-ācāryera nirapekṣa sātvata-śāstra-sammata vākya :—

ācārya kahena,—“tumi nā kariha bhaya
sei ācariba, yei śāstra-mata haya

Translation: Advaita Ācārya replied, “My dear Haridāsa, do not be afraid. I shall behave strictly according to the principles of the revealed scriptures.

Purport: Śrīla Advaita Ācārya was not afraid of the strict brahminical culture and customs of society. As stated in the śāstric injunctions, which are the true medium of evidence or proof, anyone can go back to Godhead, even if born of a low family.

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32):

“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants] and śūdras [workers] — can attain the supreme destination.”

Though having taken a low birth in human society, one who accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is quite competent to go back home, back to Godhead; and one who is a bona fide candidate for going back to Godhead should not be considered a lowborn person, or caṇḍāla. That is also a śāstric injunction.

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18):

Not only the yavanas and khasādayaḥ but even those born in still lower families can be purified (śudhyanti) by the grace of a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, for Kṛṣṇa empowers such devotees to perform this purification. Advaita Ācārya had confidence in the śāstric evidence and did not care about social customs. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, therefore, is a cultural movement that does not care about local social conventions. Following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Ācārya, we can accept a devotee from any part of the world and recognize him as a brāhmaṇa as soon as he is qualified due to following the principles of Vaiṣṇava behavior.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by these verses of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we understand that taking shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa immediately brings one up to the highest standard, so that they can achieve complete perfection and they can go to the highest destination. So in this way we can encourage people to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and that is the real essence of the scriptures .

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.222

tumi khāile haya koṭi-brāhmaṇa-bhojana
eta bali, śrāddha-pātra karāilā bhojana

Translation: “Feeding you is equal to feeding ten million brāhmaṇas,” Advaita Ācārya said. “Therefore, accept this śrāddha-pātra.” Thus Advaita Ācārya made him eat.

Purport: Śrāddha is prasādam offered to the forefathers at a certain date of the year or month. The śrāddha-pātra, or plate offered to the forefathers, is then offered to the best of the brāhmaṇas in society. Instead of offering the śrāddha-pātra to any other brāhmaṇa, Advaita Ācārya offered it to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, considering him greater than any of the foremost brāhmaṇas. This act by Śrī Advaita Ācārya proves that Haridāsa Ṭhākura was always situated in a transcendental position and was therefore always greater than even the most exalted brāhmaṇa, for he was situated above the mode of goodness of the material world.

Referring to the Bhakti-sandarbha, text 177, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes the following statements from the Garuḍa Purāṇa in this connection:

“A brāhmaṇa qualified to offer sacrifices is better than an ordinary brāhmaṇa, and better than such a brāhmaṇa is one who has studied all the Vedic scriptures. Among many such brāhmaṇas, one who is a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu is the best, and among many such Vaiṣṇavas, one who fully engages in the service of the Lord is the best.”

“There are many different kinds of devotees, but even a Vaiṣṇava coming from a family of mlecchas or yavanas is understood to be a learned scholar, complete in knowledge, if he knows the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. He should therefore be given charity, for such a Vaiṣṇava is as worshipable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Lord Kṛṣṇa says, “Even if a nondevotee comes from a brāhmaṇa family and is expert in studying the Vedas, he is not very dear to Me, whereas even if a sincere devotee comes from a low family of meat-eaters, he is very dear to Me. Such a sincere pure devotee should be given charity, for he is as worshipable as I.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here the scripture is declaring how a devotee is considered better than a brāhmaṇa, therefore if someone chants Hare Kṛṣṇa and follows the principles and studies Bhagavad-gītā and other bhakti-śāstras, he would give them the scared thread and second initiation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.223

śrī-advaita-ācāryera atulanīyā jīve kṛpā :—

jagat-nistāra lāgi’ karena cintana
avaiṣṇava-jagat kemane ha-ibe mocana?

Translation: Advaita Ācārya was always absorbed in thoughts of how to deliver the fallen souls of the entire world. “The entire world is full of nondevotees,” He thought. “How will they be delivered?”

Purport: Śrīla Advaita Ācārya sets the standard for ācāryas in the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. An ācārya must always be eager to deliver the fallen souls. A person who establishes a temple or maṭha to take advantage of people’s sentiments by using for his livelihood what people contribute for the worship of the Deity cannot be called a gosvāmī or ācārya. One who knows the conclusion of the śāstras, follows in the footsteps of his predecessors and endeavors to preach the bhakti cult all over the world is to be considered an ācārya. The role of an ācārya is not to earn his livelihood through the income of the temple. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that if one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an ācārya or gosvāmī. It would be better for him to accept service even as a sweeper in the street, for that is a more honorable means of earning one’s living.

Jayapatākā Swami: We were establishing the Lotus feet of Lord Caitanya in Radha-kuṇḍa and Śyama-Kuṇḍa. But because of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura's strong preaching, he didn’t want to have us mention his name. So, he was very much against the professionalism of showing deities and taking money. He wanted people to engage in loving devotion with no ulterior motives.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.224

ācāryera kṛṣṇārādhana :—

kṛṣṇe avatārite advaita pratijñā karilā
jala-tulasī diyā pūjā karite lāgilā

Translation: Determined to deliver all the fallen souls, Advaita Ācārya decided to cause Kṛṣṇa to descend. With this vow, He began to offer Ganges water and tulasī leaves to worship the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Advaita is saying that since his name meant non-different, he would bring the Lord down, because only Kṛṣṇa could give out love of Kṛṣṇa and since the people were very materially conditioned, they require the special mercy of Kṛṣṇa. So, by Advaita Ācārya’s prayers Lord Caitanya descended.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.225

haridāsera nāmakīrtanaḥ—

haridāsa kare goṅphāya nāma-saṅkīrtana
kṛṣṇa avatīrṇa ha-ibena,—ei tāṅra mana

Translation: Similarly, Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted in his cave on the bank of the Ganges with the intention of causing Kṛṣṇa’s descent.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here we see how Brahmā Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was performing his saṅkīrtana desiring the Lord to descend.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.226

ubhayera āhvāne jīvoddhārārtha kṛṣṇa-caitanyāvatāra o nāmaprema vitaraṇadvārā sarvajagat uddhāra :—

dui-janera bhaktye caitanya kailā avatāra
nāma-prema pracāri’ kailā jagat uddhāra

Translation: Because of the devotional service of these two persons, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu descended as an incarnation. Thus He preached the holy name of the Lord and ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa to deliver the entire world.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here we see how Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura by their strong devotion and intense desire brought Lord Caitanya down into the world as avatāra. In this way, to deliver the people of the world Lord Caitanya descended with His associates.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Descent of Lord Caitanya is due to Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!