20230508 Question and Answer Session

Question: How is the amazing dancing of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Would you like to tell us?

Jayapatākā Swami: Indescribable.

Question: As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is experiencing His ecstasies only certain devotees can observe that. Do they happen in the eternal caitanya-līlā in the spiritual world. What is the qualification for fallen souls like me to qualify to enter into such pastimes?

Jayapatākā Swami: If you desire to enter into these pastimes, that is the qualification. And it is called laulyam, having intense desire to engage in the pastimes. So just by hearing the pastimes it says one will surely get the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So that is the special prabhāva, influence of hearing the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. Alright?

Question: When we are chanting do we have to think about Lord Caitanya or Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, does it help us to connect well with Kṛṣṇa?

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda said we should hear the mantra. And if we chant thinking of Kṛṣṇa’s mantra that is also alright. If while chanting you remember the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, that is alright. But you don’t have to try to remember the pastimes, you try to listen while chanting. While listening, if the pastimes come to your mind, it is alright. 

Question: What was the reason that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was ashamed when He saw Paramānanda Purī? Could you please explain that?

Jayapatākā Swami: They were like spiritual uncles, they wanted to see Lord Caitanya dancing. It is said that He was somewhat ashamed, you could say self-conscious. Lajjita, it means like shy. They were His seniors, and they were saying they wanted to see His dancing. So He was a little shy because of this.

Question: I am just wondering if you have a favorite pastime of Lord Caitanya or Lord Kṛṣṇa that you would like to share?

Jayapatākā Swami: So He went chanting and dancing in ecstasy to Vṛndāvana. Meanwhile Lord Nityānanda He went to Navadvīpa and He told Mother Śacī and all His associates to come with Him to Śāntipur. He led all the devotees to Śāntipur. Then Lord Caitanya, He was also approaching Śāntipur and Advaita was crossing the river by boat. Lord Caitanya was thinking what is Advaita doing in Vṛndāvana, then He realized I am not in Vṛndāvana, I have been cheated by Nityānanda Prabhu! Then He crossed the river with Advaita Ācārya and met His mother and He fell down at her feet and offered obeisances. He said, I owe everything to you, He humbled himself before his mother and said, “What should I do? I have taken sannyāsa.” She said, “Make Your base in Jagannātha Purī. Go sometimes to Vrndvana, but make Your base in Jagannātha Purī because I will get some information, people come and go from Jagannātha Purī. Vṛndāvana is very far and I won’t get any information.” Then Mother Śacī with Advaita Ācārya’s wife Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, they were cooking for Lord Caitanya. And Avaita Gosāñī was serving Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda. Lord Caitanya was saying, “I am a sannyāsī, give Me a little bit.” Lord Nityānanda said, “I am hungry, I haven’t eaten for three days! You have to give Me prasāda!” But Advaita gave Them very opulent prasāda. Lord Nityānanda said, “You are a miser You are not giving enough.” He threw some rice at Advaita Ācārya. Then Advaita Ācārya was in ecstasy! “I am a brāhmaṇa, I have been spoilt by an Avadhūta.” Like this they were having their pastime. Then Lord Caitanya went to Jagannātha Purī. The devotees followed Him but He told them you are gṛhasthas, go back to your families and sometimes you can visit Me in Jagannātha Purī. Someone asked me what is your favorite pastime? So I heard that today devotees from New York brought mangoes for me. So which side do you bite into a mango? All sides are sweet! Every pastime of Lord Caitanya is very sweet. But all the pastimes are my favorite.

Question: As you said all pastimes of Lord Caitanya are very sweet. Just a few verses previous. The ecstatic symptoms that Lord Caitanya exhibits like His arms and legs got extended etc. it is difficult for fools like me to understand. Could you please make us understand?

Jayapatākā Swami: It says that Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are uncommon. If he had demonstrated some ordinary pastimes then it would not be uncommon and then most people like you would say, oh, that is nothing special. Lord Caitanya’s extreme mahā-bhāva cannot be imitated or understood. So Kṛṣṇa took the heart of Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī when She was feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa, She went into these extreme states. There are ten symptoms mahā-bhāva given I think a few days ago. Rādhārāṇī, Lord Caitanya, Mādhavendra Purī are the ones who manifested mahā-bhāva. So, if Lord Caitanya wants to find out the ecstasies of Rādhārāṇī, He has to do that.

Question: Rādhārāṇī was in separation from Kṛṣṇa, Lalitā sakhi chastised Lord Kṛṣṇa, how should we understand this chastisement?

Jayapatākā Swami: Lalitā sakhi is a left-handed gopī, there are two sides, left and right. Left side are argumentative, they chastise Kṛṣṇa, the right side are very submissive.

Question: You mean that if we desire then in the spiritual world what we desire will be given to us by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, will I be able to be with guru and Gaurāṅga eternally?

Jayapatākā Swami: Of course, we have to desire to be there. We also have to do favorable devotional service. The two things together, I mean it is Kṛṣṇa’s causeless mercy that there is nothing we can do that will deserve that. But if we desire and engage in devotional service then Kṛṣṇa, if He pleases will give His mercy. Sometimes Śrīla Prabhupāda said that Rādhārāṇī would say to Kṛṣṇa, this is a very nice devotee. If Rādhārāṇī indicates that Kṛṣṇa should give His mercy, then He will do it. So that is why we say it is causeless mercy. There is nothing we can do that actually we would deserve it. We try and if Kṛṣṇa gives us the causeless mercy, we can have it.

Haribol!