19820819 Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 3.2-8

(Disclaimer: The following is a machine-generated transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It will be reviewed and verified against the original audio soon.)

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 19, 1982 – in New Mayapur, France. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 3.2-8.

Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. And on behalf of all our Iskana charges and guests sannyasis, we’d like to welcome all of you here to Namayapur for our annual zonal festival. Actually, we’re all looking forward to this festival every year because as it is a spiritual festival, one cannot. Estimate or know what to expect in the form of increasing the ocean of transcendental bliss. Chaitanya Mahāprabhu has said that the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is Anandam Budhi Bharven always increasing depth and increasing waves in the ocean of transcendental bliss. So everyone is always wondering each year who will come and how nice the kirtans will be. What’s the prashadam going to be like? And Śrīla Ramashwar, he wanted to know how much I am going to get on Vyas Pūjā. It is very nice for me especially of course, because I know all of you.

That when we see all the devotees assembled and you are chanting and coming before the Vyasasant, to see on the spiritual platform means to see everyone in their constitutional position. So the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is very wonderful like that. Because we can see a devotee not in terms of the nationality or the body, but in terms of his service to our Guru Paramparā. And by seeing a person’s service and appreciating his service, we actually are situated on the Brahman platform in the Bhagavad Gītā. It is said Mamchayo Vyabicharena Bhakti Yogenasevate Saguna Samatityaitan Brahmabhuya Kalbhat that if we can see on this spiritual platform and we can remain free from the influence of the modes of nature.

So every time I see this festival and I see all of you in one spot and see how much service all of you are performing, I am very grateful to Prabhupāda and to Lord Caitanya that he is given such nice association. Because by that association we can remain free from the modes of nature and be very happy in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. So it is a very. Important festival actually for our movement in general. Because this festival gives actually devotees all over the world great hope and inspiration that in Prabhupda’s absence things are going on in a very happy, enthusiastic and progressive manner. I am especially grateful to śrīla Vishnupat and Rla Rameshwar who actually on the 21st, there is our Rathyatra festival in Washington D.C. the nation’s capital actually is the capital of the world for Māyā.

So it is A great victory that we are able to have Rathayatra. And I feel very much appreciative that Rla Ramashwara and Rla Vishnupda have come here. And even though this is such an important event in Washington, they have agreed to stay and give you their association during this festival. I have been praying that. I have been praying that Lord Jagannath is not going to be angry with me. So Vishnu Pad, he was having some doubts whether he should go or come. But I told him that there would be a thousand devotees here who are anxious to hear. And I told him how nice you were chanting and dancing in the kīrtana. So he said at that point he was convinced.

So this morning, or now rather, we’re going to begin the functions for the Sannyas initiation ceremony of two of our older God brothers, Vishwambara Prabhu and Sundarupa Prabhu. It is a very auspicious way to begin our festival. No doubt because Chaitanya Mahāprabhu’s Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement Vairagya Vidyani ja Bhakti Yogam, it is based on being able to renounce what is necessary for the spreading of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Actually, for certain events there are certain auspicious days. But it is said that for renunciation anytime is very good. So I know that this is will mark a very great step forward in establishing our movement and in giving them strength by the blessings of Prabhupda and all our ISKCON devotees to very much increase their service. So we will be speaking more. Of course. Now I think we should begin. Where is the cloth? So who’s chanting? Brahma Saṁhitā.

First begin with purification of water. You have the Archman cups there. Now three drops.

So from the Śrī Chaitanya Charitami Tamadyalilila Chapter 3. Like to read text 2 through 8 regarding Lord Caitanya accepting Sannyas. Translation by Śrīla Prabhupāda all glories to Steve Caitanya Mahāprabhu all glories to Nithyananda all glories to Advaita Prabhu. All glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya headed by Śrīvāsa Sasha. At the end of his 24th year in the month of Magga C. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the Sannyas order during the waxing period of the Moon. Rādhā Deshetina Dina Kodi la Brahman after accepting the Sannyas order Chaitanya Mahprabhu out of intense love For Kṛṣṇa started for Vrindavana. However, he mistakenly wandered about in a trance continuously for three days in the tract of land known as Rādhā Desha. Text 5. Translation Passing through the tract of land known as Rādhā Desha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recited the following verse in Ecstasy. Text 6.

Give Guru Dave the mic.

There should be more than one translator for each country. Is there who’s translating for Italy, France.

Ahangatarishamidurantaparang Tamomu Kondangri Nishtam. Translation by Śrīla Prabhupda As a Brāhmaṇa from Avanti Desh said, I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of Nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This was approved by the previous cryas who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

You translate a little loudly and you can translate while he reads in order to save time.

Okay. Report by Śrīla Prabhupāda in connection with this verse, which is a quotation From Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11:23 58 Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarashati Thakur says that of the 64 items required for rendering devotional service, acceptance of the symbolic marks of Sannyāsa is a regulatory principle. If one accepts the sannyas order, his main business is to devote his life completely to the service of Mukunda Kṛṣṇa. If one does not completely devote his mind and body to the service of the Lord, he does not actually become a sannyāsī. It is not simply a matter of changing dress. In Bhagavad Gītā 6:1 it is also stated Anasvita Karma Falang Karjang Karma Karotija Sasamyasi Cha Jogi Cha. One who works devotedly for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa is a sannyāsī. The dress is not sannyas, but the attitude of service to Kṛṣṇa is the word paramātmā.

Nishtha means being a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Paramātmā, the supreme person is Kṛṣṇa, Īśvara Paramah Kṛṣṇa Satchidana da Vigaha. Those who are completely dedicated to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in service are actually sannyasis. As a matter of formality, the devotee accepts the Samyas dress as previous Acharyas did. He also accepts the three Dhammas. Later Vishnu Swami considered that accepting the dress of a Tri Dandi was Paratmanishtha. Therefore, sincere devotees add another danda, the Jīva Danda to the three existing Dandas. The Vaishnava Sanyasi is known as a Tridandi Sanyasi. The Māyāvādī Sannyāsī accepts only one Dhamma. Not understanding the purpose of three Dhamma. Later, many persons in the community of Shiva Swami gave up the Atmanishtha devotional service of the Lord and followed the path of Shankaracharya.

Instead of accepting 108 names, those in the Shiva Swami Shankradaya follow the path of Shiva Shankaracharya and accept the 10 names of Sannyas. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahprabhu accepted then existing order of Sannyas, namely Akodanga, he still recited a verse from Simad Bhgavatam about the three danda sannyas accepted by the Brāhmaṇa of Avantipura. Indirectly he declared that within that Akkadanda 1 Danda 4 Dandas existed as one accepting Academya Sannyas without Paranatama Nishtha devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is not acceptable by Śrī Caitamya Mahāprabhu. In addition, according to the exact regulative principles, one should add the Jīva Danda to the Tri Danda. These four Dhammas bound together as one are symbolic of unalloyed devotional service to the Lord.

Because the academda sannyasis of the Mayavada school are not devoted to the service of Kṛṣṇa, they try to merge into the Brahman effulgence which is a marginal position between material and spiritual existence. They accept this impersonal position as liberation Māyāvādī sannyasis. Not knowing that ŚRĪC Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a Tridandi, think of Caitanya Mahprabhu as an Akadandi Sanyasi. This is due to their vivartha bewilderment. In Sima Bhgavatam there is no such thing as an Akadanda sannyāsī. Indeed, the Tridandi Sannyāsī is accepted as a symbolic representation of the Sannyas order. By citing this verse from Sima Bhāgavatam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the sannyas order recommended in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. These Māyāvādī sannyasis who are enamored by the external energy of the Lord, cannot understand the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

To date, all the devotees of S. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, following in his footsteps, accept the Samya’s order and keep the sacred thread and tuft of unshaved hair. The Akadandi sannyasis of the Māyāvādī school give up the sacred thread and do not keep any tuft of hair. Therefore, they are unable to understand the purport of tridanda sannyas and as such they are not inclined to dedicate their lives to the service of makunda. They simply think of merging into the existence of Brahman because of their disgust with the material existence. The cryas who advocate the Daiva Banastrama social order of Chhata Varnasra mentioned in Bhagavad Gītā do not accept the proposition of Asura Varnashrama which maintains that the social order of varṇa is indicated by birth.

The most intimate devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahprabhu, namely Gadādhara Param Ditta, accepted tridanda sannyas and also accepted Mādhava Upadhya as his tridandi sannyāsī disciple. It is said that from this Madhavacharya the Sampradāya known in western India as the Baluvacharya Sampradāya has begun. See Śrīla Gopāla Bhatrik Bhosh, who is known as Smithya Acharya in the Gauḍīya Vaishnava Sampradāya, later accepted the Chidanvi Sanyas order from Tridandi Pad Prabodha Ananda Saraswati. Although acceptance of tridanda sannyāsa is not distinctly mentioned in the Gaudi of Aishnav literature, the first verse of Śiva Rūpa Goswami’s Upadesha Amita advocates that one should accept the tridanda sannyas order by controlling the six forces. One who can control the forces of speech, mind, anger, belly, tongue and genitals is known as a goswami and is competent to accept disciples all over the world.

The followers of CJ Tanya Mahāprabhu n never accepted the Mayavada order of Sannyas and for this they cannot be blamed. Sree Caitanya Mahprabhu accepted Siddhara Swami who was a tridandi sannyāsī. But the Mayaladi sannyasis, not understanding Śrīdhara Swami, sometimes think that Siddhartha Swami belonged to the Mayalad Academy sannyas community. Actually this was not the case. Thus in the purport of Taksim text by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Text 7&8 Prabhu kohe text 7 Prabhu kohe sadhu a Bikura. Translation approved the purport of this verse. An account of the determination of the mendicant devotee to engage in the service of Lord Makhanda. He gave approval of this verse indicating that it was very good text. 8 for atmanishtamatra veran makunda Sevai Hoyasang Sharata, the real purpose of accepting sannyas is to dedicate oneself to the service of Mukunda.

By serving Makhanda one can actually be liberated from the bondage of material existence. Report by Prabhupda the short report in this connection Rla Bhakti Bino Thakur says that Śrī Caitanya Mahprabhu accepted the Sannyas order and recommended the determination of the Avanti poor Bhikshu to engage in the service of Makhanda. He accepted the Brāhmaṇa’s version due to his determination to serve Mukunda. The Sannyāsī dress is actually an attraction for material formality. Śrī Caitanya Mahabharud did not like such formality, but he wanted the essence of it service to Makhanna. Such determination in any condition is paratmanishta that is required. The conclusion is that the Sannyas order depends not on the dress but on the determination to serve Mukunda. Let us end the readings from Śrī Caitanya Charattamita. So this is a very memorable occasion.

I am very grateful that Śrīla Gurudev has invited us here to participate in the festival. Who can help but have their heart melted by seeing the glowing faces of so many sincere Vaishnavas? Today we are celebrating also the Sannyas ceremony which is most important to understand the mood of sannyas. As we have just read in these verses, Śrīla Prabhupda has requested that every one of his followers should take up the mood of this type of sannyas. To engage thought, word and deed in the service of Mukunda of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But to take formally the Sannyas order means that basically one is declaring war against Māyā, that one is completely determined now to make the all out effort with no holds barred thought, word and deed in the service of Kṛṣṇa. The Tri Dandi.

The stake of that this sannyas is given has been Described in the purport 3D. One is mano using the mind in the service of Kṛṣṇa Bacho Begum using the speech in the word in the service of Kṛṣṇa and then Karoti Vegam Karoti using the action Karma. The third, the fourth stick as was described is the soul Ātmā which is used which is controlling these three different activities, dedicating everything unto the lotus feet of the Lord. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he specifically loved this Brāhmaṇa’s determination to serve the Lord. This service is the essence and is the perfection of the whole progress of the individual soul. It is expected that by sincerely following the system of sannyas, one by dedicating everything in the service of the Lord will definitely be able to achieve the personal service in the spiritual world.

One will not have to again take birth again in the material world. But even then, Caitanya Mahpragu, of course he did not put any condition, Under any condition. Simply he wanted to serve that being the real essence of liberation is simply pure loving service of the Lord. So of course in the international society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, sannyas brings with it lot of extra responsibility for taking up preaching. But especially Sundaroop and Vishwam Bhar have already been prabhu have already been very active and very responsible in preaching, in assisting Śrīla Gurudev Śrīla Prabhupāda in pushing on this Samkirta movement in Italy, in France and in many ways. So now this is simply more condensing. This is Bhakti Vinod Thakur has described that in devotional service we get the seed of devotion that is like the seed of the sugar cane.

From that grows the sugar cane, then it’s further squeezed and we get the juice from the juice, then we get the gur from the gur, we get gur candy, then we get sugar, then finally we get sugar candy. In this way devotion is also refined and condensed. So this process of sannyas is just one way of further focusing the mind, fixing the mind at the lotus feet of the spiritual master of Nitāi Gor. And it needs the blessing of all the Vaishnavas. Everyone should give a favorable thought so that this great responsibility can be met favorably, can be met positively and successfully also. He found that Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, he only accepted sannyas for the sake of preaching. Because he could not preach as well. Being a Grihasta, people were not listening as attentively. They were in fact disrespecting him.

Not knowing his position, for various reasons, he decided to take big sannyas. So that was also a tremendous trial for his former wife, Vishnu Priya Ṭhākurani. But she completely focused herself in service of the Lord her whole life. Thus, Śrīla Prabhupāda advised that former wives also this is a time when they have to now firmly establish themselves closer in their relationship with their spiritual master.

And that way they can help so this Tidandi sannyāsī as it’s mentioned is not something new, but it’s a tradition which is coming down since time immemorial and Rla Prabhupāda on the order of Bhakti Siddhānta Saroshi Thakur is continuing this tradition and it’s going on so that many Tridandi sannyasis taking up the order of preaching, taking up the order of serving through thought, word and deed, the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa will go on purifying the universe and bringing everyone to their real constitution, institutional position. As eternal servants of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So thank you very much Hare Kṛṣṇa. Wish all good success to Sundarupa and Vishwambara on their journey. So I want to thank Śrīla Bhagavān.

Maharaj Gurudev for inviting me to this very ecstatic festival.

It is great joy for all the.

Vaishnavas to be able to assemble together.

And share the chanting of the Bhagavān Goshami Maharaj Gurudev for inviting me here. Actually he told a little story, but I’d like to give you the other side of the story for the Jagannath Rajatra. So I was going to leave here on the 19th, which was today. So Śrīla Bhagavān Maharaj, he called me and he said, Vishnu Bhat, you can’t go. I said, no, I. I have to go. I have a lot of work to do. In.

In the Shastra it is said that the bondage to this material world is this attraction for man and woman. Actually there’s something which is even more attractive lower than this and that is the desire to be Guru. And since the passing away of Rla Prabhupāda we have seen many people even leave the embrace of the woman to take the embrace of Guru. It is a fact that Chaitanyanda Mahāprabhu has said Amara Agyaya Guru everyone should qualify themselves as Guru. Prabhupāda said, it is the most glorious position to be had within this world. But people who are still bound by as Bhagananda Maharaj quoted the verse this Ahamka, they don’t become attracted to the position for saving souls but for being worshiped by them. And as Kṛṣṇa, he is Upadeshthanamantacha, he knows the heart of everyone.

Unless the motive is proper, if one takes this position of Guru, that worship. Because Kṛṣṇa God can change matter to spirit and smile spirit to matter, he can change that worship and that service into poison. So we bring this up, this point because as was quoted by Acharya Pad Sarvama Pimam Pritivim Sasheesyat, that one who is qualified and that he can control the six pushings, he is qualified to take disciples all over the world. So if some of these God brothers who were, we can say, still lusty for enjoying in this material world, would have understood this point and taken up sannyas purely, then they could see a very wonderful phenomenon in that when someone can control his hensis, he becomes completely trustworthy.

And therefore, even though some of us may be named specifically as Acharya in order to do initiation, actually we feel that such godbrothers of the quality and standard of Vishalmar Prabhu and Sundar the Rūpa Prabhu, we feel no hesitation to put our disciples 100% in their charge. And we have no hesitation to tell our disciples that you should serve them and respect them just as you would ourselves. So actually, I can say, working with these two wonderful devotees, that in one sense this sannyas is a formality because I have observed for many years how they have dedicated everything to spreading the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement and the mood that Prabhupda wanted, sacrificing everything. Even. It is an appropriate time to say that for over one year Vishon Bar Prabhu had been trying to sell the old building in Paris, which is another Leela of Kṛṣṇa.

How we moved from one place into another more wonderful place. Anyway, very much on his own, having to stay by himself many days at a time and deal with very materialistic and unpalatable karmis doing this day after day, actually for almost over a year. Just yesterday actually, when Śrīla Rameshwar touched ground in Paris, the contract was finally signed after a year and a half, And immediately Vishwambara could shave his head again. So how Kṛṣṇa moves the living entity, He is in everyone’s heart and he is moving us from place to place. So as I am also living empty, Kṛṣṇa is in my heart and moving me from place to place more and further and further.

I am very much relying on my godbrothers in the zone, such as Rishwan Bharasundaroop Keshavarti and all the other sannyasis and devotees to take up and understand that they have a very deep spiritual role to play. And I have always tried to train our older men to understand that they are not just managers, but they have to be spiritual representatives of Lord Caitanna and Rla Prabhupda. And now to Prabhupda’s grand disciples or my immediate disciples, they have to be able to fill the gap due to my forced absence. Somehow, by Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement, I know that I have enjoyed and I know the devotees also that we have had long extended periods together in each temple and now, having taken on the responsibility of England.

Sa.