19990302 Gaura Pūrṇimā Festival

Lecture Code: 19990302

Gaura Purnima Festival Lecture By

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja

In Sri Mayapur Dham, India

vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca

  sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devam

sri-radha-Kṛṣṇa-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami: Sings kirtan and devotees repeat

jaya jaya śrī caitanya jaya nityānanda;

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura bhakta vrṇda

jaya jaya śrī caitanya jaya nityānanda;

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura bhakta vrṇda

jaya jaya śrī caitanya jaya nityānanda;

jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura bhakta vrṇda

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki! Jai!

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ

paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim

yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande

śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam

Paramananda Madhavan Sri Caitanya Isvaram

Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on the Phalguna purnima, in the lunar eclipse, according to calculation that was the 27th of February. Prabhupada always told us that Lord Caitanya’s appearance was within the recorded history, sometimes when we talk about Kṛṣṇa and the previous avatars it’s so far in the past that modern historians are trying to put it in some kind of regulus stylus. But although the faithful, they believe everything given in the vedas, they accept all the histories given in the puranas. The others who try to speculate and make it all relative.  But Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada brought up that well, Lord Caitanya’s appearance it’s, it’s only 500 years ago, the biography saw that we are either in His presence or just immediately after, with places where He went, they are still there. His birth place is there here, used to come here with the kirtan party over this land. So therefore people should accept Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s activities affirly, His pastimes are all transcendental. At least for those who don’t believe in transcendence they certainly are historically clarified. Just to bring things into some kind of a western contact according to the english parampara of kings, the dynastic rule of their kings, Edward V was in 1483, Richard III in 1483 till 1485 and Henry VII was the ruling monarch when Lord Caitanya appeared from 1485 to 1509. When Lord Caitanya disappeared from the world the ruling monarch was Henry VIII.

(aside:) He was the king crazy ha! Henry VIII. oh he changed the, he brought to

So anyway just like people are still talking about these english monarchs in the history they made, it was the same time Lord Caitanya. And other famous thing that happened was Christopher Columbus, so called discovered the Amaricans, then Lord Caitanya was six years old. So we are discussing someone who is always in our recorded history, but His activities are then mysterious, people have not understood about Lord Caitanya’s activities. And there is Prabhupada who has brought this pastimes of Lord Caitanya for the first time to the western world. And the one time as the Calcutta president, one newspaper wanted to do a, a book review of Caitanya Caritamrta. But they wanted to be reviewed by a Christian priest. So they asked me to give two books, two volumes of Caitanya Caritamrta. So I gave volume-1 Adi Lila and I gave the last volume of the Anthya Lila. After reading that he never wrote the review (laughing). I heard later he wanted to read rest of the book. 

The people they don’t understand all of Lord Chaitanya’s pastimes. I am very secretive because His channa avatar, He is the Supreme devotee. He is the Lord who came down as a devotee. In the Caitanya Mangal Sutra Khanda there is a pastime that explains how Lord Caitanya one of the reasons why He agreed to come. Lord Narada muni was travelling over the world in Dwapara yuga he saw that people were starting to become lusty. They were starting to argue with each other, they even were mistreating each other and simply doing things that he never saw before in Dwapara yuga except for, you know, a few rare demons. Generally people were very pious and they are not so much inclined towards sense gratification. When he started seeing these symptoms just like as daylight when we start to see the sun begins to go close to setting. It’s gets cooler, the heat intensity is not there, the light changes a bit. So he was seeing these changes and he understood that Lord Caitanya was about to leave the world, or the Lord Kṛṣṇa And he was very worried that when Lord Kṛṣṇa leaves Kali-yuga begins, what is going to happen? So he went, decided to go to see Kṛṣṇa in Dwaraka and ask Him what was happening. It is a very long pastime, I’ll just shorten it.

Kṛṣṇa that happened at that time, He was sent a message He wanted to go to Rukimini’s palace, He was in Satyabhama’s palace. Rukimini made a wonderful reception all kinds of arrangements and Kṛṣṇa came and she had all the children well decorated, had brahmins chanting mantras, had a musical band there, had a auspicious articles like sugar cane stokes, like banana trees with the fruits, everything auspicious to welcome the coming of the Lord to her house, to her palace. When the Lord came she pushed her children forward to embrace Him and give garlands. Like in those, in public even the queen won’t embrace the king, and the children do that reception in public and then suddenly she took Kṛṣṇa’s feet and held Him to her bosom and she laughs just looking at His lotus face and holding His lotus feet she started to cry. And then Kṛṣṇa was perplexed why, I’m arriving, why she’s crying! Why she would cry, in the happy moment of reception, wonderful great joyous occasion and she’s holding His lotus feet and she’s crying like she’s feeling separation of something. So what’s wrong? Why you’re crying? Did some servant mistreat you? You know, did the, one of the children you know, not be properly respectful? What happened? Why is it that you are crying and then He was this like speculating and reading different things and she is just looking in here and incredulously, Kṛṣṇa! You know, My dear Lord You know everything going on in the universe, You know what Shiva is doing in Kailasha, You know what Brahma was doing in Satyaloka, You know everything what’s going on! It’s the only thing You don’t know what Your devotee feels for You? Is this the only thing beyond Your gochara, beyond Your ability to grasp? I know that Radha Rani, she knows what I am feeling today! But it seems You don’t know! What what! And He was like, and Kṛṣṇa, not many people tell Him that He doesn’t know something you know. What do You mean? Of course I know what you are feeling! I know how My devotees are feeling! Devotees are My inner heart! But what do you mean? Why you a're crying? (laughing) Why You are crying, tell Me. You see my Lord, why shouldn’t I cry? You come in my house today but any moment You may leave me again and I’ll be without Your presence. If You promise me that You’ll never leave my palace then I won’t cry, that I know You’ll not leave. Then Kṛṣṇa picked her up not as Kshatriya so with His screaming quickly jumped up quick (laughing). 

Changed the subject now, and go when we see Lord, our rather gurudev Narada muni. So they gave a seat to Narada muni naturally as all vedic etiquette provide whenever the guru arrives we have to wish his lotus feet, offer him, Lord Kṛṣṇa offered him the lamp and flowers and everything and fanned him preserving all the Vedic etiquette which is part of human culture. But He saw that Nārada muni was quivering and shaking and he was like, like uneasy and he said I can’t believe that You are all dhira, stira, you are always completely controlled, passive, today I see You in so much our condition. Why it was happening? Why a day, My queen said I don’t know what my devotees feel. My guru is in the agitated uneasy. What tell Me, Why you are disturbed? I never seen you disturbed Nārada muni! I tell you, I’m very disturbed because I see the symptoms of the world that any day You may be leaving us! And Kaliyuga would begin and I’m worried what will happen to the conditioned souls? Who will they be delivered when You leave this planet? Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, He said what a day! Alright, since you are worried about what will happen to the conditioned souls in kaliyuga, and my queen is saying, I don’t know want My devotees feels for Me! Then I hear by declare that I will appear in the age of Kali as My own devotee so that I will know what the devotee feels for me, I’ll became My own devotee! and I will distribute to everyone love for Kṛṣṇa freely as a devotee! 

Nitai Gaur Sitanadh premanande! Hari Haribol! 

So in this way Lord Kṛṣṇa revealed that He would come. When mother Saci and Jagannath Mishra were living here in Navadwip dham they had come from Srihatta and came over here, Viswarupa appeared. So that time in the month of Magha another holy month Lord Kṛṣṇa enters the bodies of both Jagannath Mishra and Saci. Jagannath Mishra said that in Saci mata I am seeing a wonderful thing, your body is effulgent! It appears as if the Goddess of fortune is now staying personally in my home! What happened was Jagannath Mishra, in his mind came Lord Caitanya then went to his heart, from his heart went into the heart of Saci mata and from her heart it went to the womb. It was an immaculate conception as it’s called by some religion, it was completely transcendental transference. And as long as mother Saci was caring Lord Gauranga inside her, she was effulgent. People were coming and offering respect to Jagannath Mishra for giving him money, he was a poor brahmana. They were barely just pulling on giving some blessings, getting some dakshina, living in a simple way. But as a brahmana he never sacrifice his principles and try to go for making more money and some other unrelated business, rather he continued working as a brahmana. But suddenly when Lord chaitanya was present in the home in the womb of mother Saci everyone was getting Him presents, riches, clothing! Oh! Jagannath Mishra, I feel like giving you some money! Here! So why is this, see like Goddess of fortune has come to my house and Saci mata also said, yes! I am seeing brilliant human beings appeared in outer space as if they are offering prayers. Jagannath Mishra, then he explained how everyone has only saw the Lord enter his heart. Like this mother Saci was carrying Lord Gauranga for 13 months! And then finally on the auspicious day, today at the most Simha lagna, very auspicious moment, then Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared that it be tonight at the moon rise. At that time everybody was chanting the holy names, Kṛṣṇa! Govinda! Haribol! Haribol! Everyone was chanting

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Even the Muslims, all islamic namaz, Hindus are chanting, 

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

There all were chanting Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Where the others! So everyone where in fun or whether seriously they were all chanting the holy names. Because when the lunar eclipse is out is considered auspicious, so all the brahmanas and devotees would all go to the Ganga and dip in the water, and when they were in the water they were chanting loudly. There was some kind of propaganda virus bypass that you shouldn’t chant the holy name except when you were in the Ganga. So since there was a lunar eclipse everyone went to the Ganga and everyone was chanting the holy names. Even all the ladies, they were vibrating the holy name. Here on earth they were all chanting.

(aside:) Ladies! Haribol! (Haribol!)

Not only the ladies on earth, the ladies in the heavenly planets, they were also chanting Haribol! (Haribol!). So like this everybody! The whole universe was vibrating. The devas were curious to see the Lord, they quickly came down transformed themselves looking like brahmanas and brahmanis and came with a cow to see the golden baby who was born to mother Saci. Especially brahmanis was a good way, men were not allowed to go into the birth house. So the lady brahmanas can go, brahmanis and they could see and they were giving gifts and they are seeing the golden form of Lord Caitanya. In this way Gaura Hari, He appeared here in Navadwip dham and He made everything auspicious.

Like that just like the sun and the moon rise from the east and they may go all over the world, like that the comparison giving Lord Caitanya is like the rising moon. And mercy coming from the east, while His lumination would cover over the entire worlds. Srila Prabhupada took that moonlight on Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s vani, borrowed all over the world, giving everyone this pure message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We heard wonderfully from Bhanu Maharaj about the significance of the appearance of the Lord, esoteric, external, the various reasons for His appearance. So we should rejoice in that appearance. That’s why all day long we’d be chanting because everyone was chanting on the time of Lord Caitanya’s appearance. 

And when the Lord appeared they also perform abhisheka, so we’re also performing abhisheka. When we do the abhisheka tonight I want to get everyone’s cooperation to help them chanting different mantras and make it a tumultuous spiritual vibration in the temple during that abhisheka. I’ll give details just before the abhisheka begins. 

While the appearance the Lord was going on in Nabadwip all the devotees all over the whole world, they were all feeling ecstatic. In Shantipur Advaita Goswami he just started to dance in ecstasy! Nobody could understand why he was dancing! He took Haridas Thakur with him, embarrassed him and they began chanting and dancing, Haribol! Haribol!

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Advaita Acharya was so blissful, he went to the Ganga, took his bath, and in his mind he gave huge donation to everyone. With mental strength he was giving out charity to people. That’s why right here sitting here from proven we’d be distributing Prasadam. Those who like to participate, you can also help Advaita Goswami giving prasad. Prabhupada said that those who were fasting they won't eat, they’ll come tomorrow, again we’re disturbing tomorrow. Those who don’t fast management let them take prasadam, better than eating garbage outside. They came to temple, let them take some prasad. 

So like this everybody, Haridas Thakur said, why you are chanting and dancing in so much ecstatic Advaita Acharya? There must be some reason. Yes! the reason of course was Lord Kṛṣṇa has come as He predicted, come here in Kaliyuga and manifesting his pastimes. When the mother Ganga was coming down from the Himalayas down from the upper planets and after Shiva’s re-manifested by Janu muni and again she start moving down. She only when a distance and she stopped right opposite our, right opposite here, somewhere opposite our temple, the temple of the birthplace somewhere in there she stops. And Bhagiratha says you know, then a rough ship it took the Ganges down. Janu muni drunk up the Ganges, now the Ganges is not moving, it just stopped. You can see the wall of water and he dug the bed, he went up to Ganga and he’s praying, meditating on Ganga. Why haven't she moving? Why she’s standing there? Why is she you know. And then the Ganga appeared and revealed, it’s almost Gaura Purnima! I’m waiting for the Gaura Purnima! I want to be here on the sacred Gaura Purnima day then after that I’ll move onwards towards the ocean. 

So even the Ganga personally is here Gaura Purnima day. That’s why it’s auspicious to take a bath but please be careful. Take this Gaura Purnima day as a greatest opportunity to get the mercy of Lord Caitanya. Hear from the Vaishnavas, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, read Caitanya Caritamrta, distribute the prasadam, some people take their spiritual birth today. Whatever simply get absorbed in the mood of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, participate in the continuous chanting in the Panchatatva temple, do as much service you can do because you get a thousand times the benefit for everything you do.

Thank you very much! Hare Kṛṣṇa! (Haribol!) (clapping)

Transcribed By: Yasaswi Ravuri

Transcribed On: 06 Apr, 2020

Proof Reading By: Amrita Padma Devi Dasi

On 15/10/2020