20141110 Lord's Associates Appearing Before the Lord's Advent on the Order of the Lord

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book work 10th November 2014 in New Delhi, India

By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja

Reading – Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter 13 Text 52- 60, 72-73, 120.

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Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa and Deva Gaurāṅga Dāsa:

TEXT 52

kona vāñchā pūraṇa lāgi’ vrajendra-kumāra
avatīrṇa haite mane karilā vicāra

Translation: To fulfill a particular desire within His mind, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vrajendra-kumāra, decided to descend to this planet after mature contemplation.

TEXT 53

āge avatārilā ye ye guru-parivāra
saṅkṣepe kahiye, kahā nā yāya vistāra

Translation: Lord Kṛṣṇa therefore first allowed His family of superiors to descend to the earth. I shall try to describe them in brief because it is not possible to describe them fully.

TEXTS 54–55

śrī-śacī-jagannātha, śrī-mādhava-purī
keśava bhāratī, āra śrī-īśvara purī

advaita ācārya, āra paṇḍita śrīvāsa
ācāryaratna, vidyānidhi, ṭhākura haridāsa

Translation: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, before appearing as Lord Caitanya, requested these devotees to precede Him: Śrī Śacīdevī, Jagannātha Miśra, Mādhavendra Purī, Keśava Bhāratī, Īśvara Purī, Advaita Ācārya, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, Ācāryaratna, Vidyānidhi and Ṭhākura Haridāsa.

TEXT 56

śrīhaṭṭa-nivāsī śrī-upendra-miśra-nāma
vaiṣṇava, paṇḍita, dhanī, sad-guṇa-pradhāna

Translation: There was also Śrī Upendra Miśra, a resident of the district of Śrīhaṭṭa. He was a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, a learned scholar, a rich man and a reservoir of all good qualities.

Purport: Upendra Miśra is described in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (35) as the gopāla named Parjanya. The same personality who was formerly the grandfather of Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as Upendra Miśra at Śrīhaṭṭa and begot seven sons. He was a resident of Dhākā-dakṣiṇa-grāma, in the district of Śrīhaṭṭa. There are still many residents of that part of the country who introduce themselves as belonging to the Miśra family of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TEXTS 57–58

sapta miśra tāṅra putra — sapta ṛṣīśvara
kaṁsāri, paramānanda, padmanābha, sarveśvara

jagannātha, janārdana, trailokyanātha
nadīyāte gaṅgā-vāsa kaila jagannātha

Translation: Upendra Miśra had seven sons, who were all saintly and most influential: (1) Kaṁsāri, (2) Paramānanda, (3) Padmanābha, (4) Sarveśvara, (5) Jagannātha, (6) Janārdana and (7) Trailokyanātha. Jagannātha Miśra, the fifth son, decided to reside on the bank of the Ganges at Nadia.

(Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda has mentioned in his purport that Upendra Miśra the father of Jagannātha Miśra was a gopāla named Parjanya. He was formerly the grandfather of Lord Kṛṣṇa.)

TEXT 59

jagannātha miśravara — padavī ‘purandara’
nanda-vasudeva-rūpa sadguṇa-sāgara

Translation: Jagannātha Miśra was designated as Purandara. Exactly like Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva, he was an ocean of all good qualities.

TEXT 60

tāṅra patnī ‘śacī’-nāma, pativratā satī
yāṅra pitā ‘nīlāmbara’ nāma cakravartī

Translation: His wife, Śrīmatī Śacīdevī, was a chaste woman highly devoted to her husband. Śacīdevī’s father’s name was Nīlāmbara, and his surname was Cakravartī.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (104) it is mentioned that Nīlāmbara Cakravartī was formerly Garga Muni. Some of the family descendants of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī still live in the village of the name Magḍobā, in the district of Faridpur, in Bangladesh. His nephew was Jagannātha Cakravartī, also known as Māmu Ṭhākura, who became a disciple of Paṇḍita Gosvāmī and stayed at Jagannātha Purī as the priest of Ṭoṭā-gopīnātha. Nīlāmbara Cakravartī lived at Navadvīpa, in the neighborhood of Belapukuriyā. This fact is mentioned in the book Prema-vilāsa. Because he lived near the house of the Kazi, the Kazi was also considered one of the maternal uncles of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Kazi used to address Nīlāmbara Cakravartī as kākā, or ‘uncle.’ One cannot separate the residence of the Kazi from Vāmanapukura because the tomb of the Kazi is still existing there. Formerly the place was known as Belapukuriyā, and now it is called Vāmanapukura. This has been ascertained by archeological evidence.”

TEXT 72

jagannāthamiśra-patnī śacīra udare
aṣṭa kanyā krame haila, janmi’ janmi’ mare

Translation: Before the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, eight daughters took birth one after another from the womb of Śacīmātā, the wife of Jagannātha Miśra. But just after their birth, they all died.

TEXT 73

apatya-virahe miśrera duḥkhī haila mana
putra lāgi’ ārādhila viṣṇura caraṇa

Translation: Jagannātha Miśra was very unhappy at the death of his children one after another. Therefore, desiring a son, he worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.

TEXT 120

miśra — vaiṣṇava, śānta, alampaṭa, śuddha, dānta,
dhana-bhoge nāhi abhimāna

putrera prabhāve yata, dhana āsi’ mile, tata,
viṣṇu-prīte dvije dena dāna

Translation: Jagannātha Miśra was an ideal Vaiṣṇava. He was peaceful, restrained in sense gratification, pure and controlled. Therefore he had no desire to enjoy material opulence. Whatever money came because of the influence of his transcendental son, he gave it in charity to the brāhmaṇas for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu.

Reading - Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa,

Chapter 1 Text 92 – 94, Chapter 2 Text 136 - 139

TEXT 92

navadvīpe āche jagannātha-miśra-vara
vasudeva-prāya teṅho—sva-dharma-tatpara

Translation: Jagannātha Miśra was always enthusiastic in following his religious principles while residing in Navadvīpa. He was equal to Vāsudeva, the father of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 93

tāna patnī śacī nāma—mahā-pati-vratā
dvitīya-devakī yena sei jagan-mātā

Translation: His most chaste wife, Śacīdevī, was just like Devakī, the universal mother.

TEXT 94

tāna garbhe avatīrṇa hailā nārāyaṇa
śrī kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāma saṁsāra-bhūṣaṇa

Translation: From the womb of mother Śacī appeared Nārāyaṇa. His name, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, is the ornament of this world.

Commentary: While narrating topics regarding the Absolute Truth, the author has addressed Lord Caitanya’s father and mother as Vasudeva and Devakī and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Nārāyaṇa. Such statements are not incorrect when describing the Absolute Truth or His opulences, for if the sweet features of the Lord are discussed amongst ignorant people they will achieve no benefit. While at home, Śrīmān Mahāprabhu had various names like Nimāi and Viśvambhara. After accepting sannyāsa, He was known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. The Lord inspired the people of the world to chant the names of Kṛṣṇa and thus fulfilled the purport of the name “Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.” Amongst the social orders, the order of sannyāsa is the highest. That is why the sannyāsa names are ornaments of the world.

TEXT 136

navadvīpe āche jagannātha miśra-vara
vasudeva-prāya teṅho sva-dharme tatpara

Translation: Śrī Jagannātha Miśra lived in Navadvīpa. He was just like Vasudeva, and he was expert in following his prescribed duties.

TEXT 137

udāra-caritra teṅho brahmaṇyera sīmā
hena nāhi, yāhā diyā kariba upamā

Translation: He was greatly magnanimous and the best of the brāhmaṇas. Indeed, I can find no comparison to him.

Commentary: There is no comparison with Śrī Jagannātha Miśra’s magnanimous characteristics in this world.

TEXT 138

ki kaśyapa, daśaratha, vasudeva, nanda
sarva-maya-tattva jagannātha-miśra-candra

Translation: All the good qualities of Kaśyapa, Daśaratha, Vasudeva, and Nanda Mahārāja were found in the person of Jagannātha Miśra.

Commentary: All personifications of pure goodness like Kaśyapa Muni, the father of Upendra; Daśaratha, the father of Rāmacandra; Vasudeva, the father of Vāsudeva; and Nanda Mahārāja, the father of Vrajendra-nandana, were all simultaneously manifested in the person of Jagannātha Miśra.

TEXT 139

tāṅna patnī śacī-nāma mahā-pati-vratā
mūrti-mati viṣṇu-bhakti sei jagan-mātā

Translation: His wife was the most chaste Śacīdevī, the universal mother and personification of devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: These are all statements about Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīdevī.

Jayapatākā Swami: (not clear)

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You want to talk about all the Guru-varga?

Jayapatākā Swami: It’s started with all the Guru-varga, as mentioned we put all of them or only Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīdevī? We already put something about Guru-varga in front.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: But Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā are special.

Jayapatākā Swami: I just want to know what we have.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: What we have here?

Syāma Rasika Dāsa: Before what we compiled, in that, anything… Guru Mahārāja mentioned about Guru-varga…

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Where this… I have to extract it from there…

Jayapatākā Swami: (not clear)

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: Yea, It is there in Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Jayapatākā Swami: He took Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Bhāgavata-maṅgala and he took all together and dealing one after another… At this time, I don’t remember what I put in.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: I am working on it. I am trying to extract it from that also… First, we are gathering the references to check what you did was complete. I think in another 3, 4 days we should have finish the referencing. And then I’ll start looking into what you did before, that means until bālya-līlā, until and including bālya-līlā.

Jayapatākā Swami: Like in the pre-incarnation? Also, the information in the Caitanya-Bhāgavata. Caitanya-Maṇgala!

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: You have taken a substantial amount of material about Nārada Muni, his travels from Caitanya-Maṅgala already in the previous work that you did, that I saw. But I want to again counter check it with every verse of Caitanya-Maṅgala dealing with that pastime. To make sure it’s all covered. But these are about the exceptional qualities of Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā because Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura says there were ideal vaiṣṇavas. Prabhupada also says that. I think you could have a chapter or at least a few paragraphs about them.

Syāma Rasika Dāsa: Guru Mahārāja! You want to summarize the glories of Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā now?

Jayapatākā Swami: No… Whole chapter(?)… (not clear)

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: That is how Caitanya-caritāmṛta does. So, you can follow that. I’ll read the translation of this particular portion from Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Jayapatākā Swami: (not clear)

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: (reading Cc. Ādi-līlā 13.52- 58)

Jayapatākā Swami: Read the beginning of this verse again.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: (reading Cc. Ādi-līlā 13.52): To fulfill a particular desire within His mind, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vrajendra-kumāra, decided to descend to this planet after mature contemplation.

Jayapatākā Swami: To fulfill particular desire… what was the verse?

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: (reading Cc. Ādi-līlā 13.52 verse). Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī identifies these are the three internal desires of lord Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Three external and three internal?

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: No… no…, that desire to relish the mood of Rādhārāṇī and those three internal desires. In the heading in Caitanya-caritāmṛta he identifies that vāncā-traya, three inner desires of lord Kṛṣṇa. That is described in Ādi-līlā chapter three, I think. I can read out that section… there is one verse that describes those three desires.

Jayapatākā Swami: (not clear) stick to the verse… (not clear) What I say…

Jayapatākā Swami: Vrajendra Nandana Kṛṣṇa after mature contemplation, He decided to fulfill certain desires He had to descend on this planet and for this purpose he ordered different seniors to take birth before Him such as [Śrī Śacīdevī, Jagannātha Miśra, Mādhavendra Purī, Keśava Bhāratī, Īśvara Purī, Advaita Ācārya, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, Ācāryaratna, Vidyānidhi and Ṭhākura Haridāsa.] His mother and father, Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, His grandfather Spiritual Master Mādhavendra Purī, His sannyāsa-guru Keśava Bhāratī Mahārāja, His mantra-guru Īśvara Purī Mahārāja, His incarnation and person who called Him into the material world Advaita Ācārya, and senior Vaiṣṇava of the Navadvīpa Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, another senior Vaiṣṇava who is his maternal uncle Ācārya Ratna, another senior Vaiṣṇava Vidyānidhi and the spiritual master of the holy name Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

He also called Upendra Miśra, who acted as his paternal grandfather, father of Jagannāth Miśra and seven other sons. He was the resident of Śrīhaṭṭa and the spiritual grandfather of Kṛṣṇa in Dvāpara-yuga līlās pastimes by the name of Parjanya. And to this day there are members of his family, descendants of his family who live in the region of Śrīhaṭṭa which is now commonly known as Sylhet. So, his 5^th son Jagannātha Miśra went to live by the side of the Ganges in the holy city of Navadvīpa. New paragraph!

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: (reading Cc. Ādi-līlā 13.59 verse and translation).

Jayapatākā Swami: Jagannātha Miśra was the residence of all good qualities, it was said that the good qualities of Kaśyapa, the father of Upendra, the good qualities of the father of Lord Rāmacandra King Daśaratha, the good qualities of Vasudeva the father of Vāsudeva, the form of Kṛṣṇa in Dvāpara-yuga and all good qualities of Nanda Mahārāja who was acting as the father of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. All these great personalities good qualities were brilliantly, effulgently present in the personality of Jagannātha Miśra.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: (reading Cc. Ādi-līlā 13.60 verse and translation).

Jayapatākā Swami: The very chaste wife Śacīdevī who was the daughter of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī who was the famous astrologer at that time and the reincarnation of Garga Muni. So mother Śacī, she had all good qualities and she was non-different from Devakī and other great mothers of the Lord. She is known as the mother of the whole universe, Jaganmātā. She was very beautiful and she was the embodiment of pure devotion for the Lord, she is very faithful to her husband.

Vidvān Gaurāṅga Dāsa: (reading CB. Ādi-khaṇḍa 2.136, 137 verse and translation).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Jagannātha Miśra was the reservoir of brahminical good qualities; he was very faithful to his gṛha household duties and he would give charity to all people who needed help in serving Lord Viṣṇu.