20181105 Sri Krishna Caitanya Book

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book compilation class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 5, 2018, in Chennai, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So we thought that today was the main Diwali day but we are told that today is the day of appearance of Dhanvantari and it is a preparatory day of  first of five days in which people would like to buy things and hope that they have good fortune for their families. So we would like to give out these sweets specifically on the main Diwali day. So we will see, if it is sufficient, we will give out today as well.

So Lord Caitanya is in Gayā, He had met with Īśvara Purī. Then He went on to perform His rituals for His forefathers. We saw He went to the Phalgu river and Pretha-gayā. It just so happened that our devotees Vaṁśīdhāri Viśāla and Mādhurya Mamatāmayī devī dāsī, they are also in Gayā this time. So now we will have the Bengali read by Deva Gaurāṅga dāsa.

It is said that Lord Caitanya had darśana of the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, that Lord Gaura Gadādhara had defeated had Gayāsura and put His foot on the demon’s chest. The demon said that he would stay there until such time that no one came and did worship, and if that did not happen, he will start to kill people. But till today hundreds and thousands of people come there to perform their rites for their forefathers. So although Lord Caitanya does not have to do all these things, but to give a good example He did. He went to the southern Mānasa and Northern Mānasa Gaṅgā and with the very affectionate brāhmaṇas He performed the rites for His forefathers.

So at the Pretha-gayā, Lord Śacīnandana, Lord Caitanya, the son of mother Śacī, He offered śrāddhā to Lord Viṣṇu for the benefit of His forefathers. He satisfied all the brāhmaṇas present with His sweet words. So the brāhmaṇas would not charge people some fixed rate, but according to their ability people would give them some dakṣiṇā or donation. So Lord Caitanya, He gave them dakṣiṇā and also gave them some sweet words. So people who visit Gayā, they respect the brāhmaṇas and give them profuse donations. But some of the priests or pāṇḍas at Gayā are very greedy and they are very foolish. So they have the pilgrims worship their feet and put tulasī on their feet but tulasī is only supposed to be put on the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. So in this way they are accumulating sinful results to their grave offences. So that is the why the Lord to appreciate the brāhmaṇas did not give them any cash donations. To satisfy the pāṇḍas, He simply gave them sweet words.

This place Gayā was visited by the Lord in previous yugas and previous incarnations. So He remembered His pastimes there in the ancient years long ago and He felt both happy and sad. He remembered Sītā devī and became wild with emotion and love.

So He worshipped the devas, demigods, the forefathers, and He did all the bathing and other requirements of the holy place. He gave charity to the brāhmaṇas and at Prethaśilā He offered piṇḍī-dāna as is prescribed in the Vedic scriptures for the benefit of His forefathers.

So He had made offerings to His forefathers, and He offered the remnants of that to the other brāhmaṇas who were there and then He went to the south and went to the holy place of Udichi.

To the North He visited Jīva Lola and there He worshipped the devas and pitās, demigods and forefathers. He gave wealth in charity to the deserving people.

He was very blissful. He then came again to Gayā. He was very anxious to see Lord Viṣṇu’s footprints.

Murāri-gupta Kaḍacā:

So the Lord after worshipping the universal controllers for the benefit of His forefathers, He engaged in charity to the brāhmaṇas as much as they desired. Then he descended and travelled downwards to the city named Dakṣiṇa Mānasa. There He performed another ceremony for the welfare of His forefathers.

So He performed the mahā-śrāddhā ceremony in Daksiṇa Mānasa and then He went to the thirtha known as Jīva Chapala. He was circled by the brāhmaṇas and he performed another śrāddhā ceremony for His forefathers. And also worshipped the devatas and angels who run the universal affairs for Him. He also remembered that although He was the Supreme Lord, He was acting as a conditioned soul just to teach by His example. Then in a very jubilant mood He went back to the Gayāśilā.

As Lord Rāmacandra He had offered piṇḍa in ancient times and His father Mahārāja Daśaratha came and accepted it. So in all respects Lord Gaurāṅga’s behavior were similar. Still Lord Gaurāṅga’s pastimes are the most unique of all!

So after delivering the forefathers the Lord happily went to the tīrtha, Dakṣiṇa, South Mānasa.

So there are eleven Gayās – Viṣṇu Gayā, Bodh Gayā and there is also Śrī Rāma Gayā. The Lord had previously performed śrāddhā in His incarnation as Lord Rāmacandra. The Lord has many forms, many avatāras, many names, but the Lord is one. He takes different roles and that is how He passes His time. Kṛṣṇa is the original form and Rāma is His expansion. Gaurāṅga is also Kṛṣṇa but He is in the mood of a devotee. His confidential research is to find, why, how Rādhārāṇī feels such spiritual bliss in serving Him. That comes up much later. Now He is performing His śrāddhā ceremonies for His forefathers as He had done in His incarnation as Lord Rāmacandra.

So in His incarnation as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He again performed śrāddhā at that place. Thereafter the Lord went to Yudhiṣṭhira Gayā. As I said there are many Gayās and all in one area so the Lord was visiting one after another.

Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, the emperor of the world, had previously performed śrāddhā at that place. So out of affection for Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, Gaurahari also performed the śrāddhā there. Gaurahari also performed the śrāddhā at that place.

So the brāhmaṇas who were coming with Gaurahari and they sat around Him in all directions. How śrāddhā should be done, they were giving Him directions. Also, that He should perform the śrāddhā ceremony according to the śāstras.

So the Lord performed the śrāddhā and offered the oblations in the water. So He offered the foodstuff viṣṇu-prasāda to the forefathers. And all the resident brāhmaṇas who were coming with the Lord grabbed the offerings and ate them. So He is referring to the pāṇḍas of Gayā or the residents of Gayā. So this is an extreme greedy nature of the Gayā priests is seen because they ate the offering of the ceremony as soon as it was offer. By as Lord Caitanya had offered everything to Lord Viṣṇu before and to His forefathers, so the brāhmaṇa priests of Gayā by eating those remnants, they got blessed.

So Śacīnandana Prabhu the dear of mother Śacī, Lord Gaurāṅga, when He saw the brāhmaṇas eating the prasāda He laughed, He smiled, He was happy. So in this way all the brāhmaṇas who were there they were freed from all material bondage. So we will end here tonight.

Śacīnandana Gaurahari is continuing is His pastimes in Gayā. You can see how much details are given. So we all know that He went to Gayā but through all these scriptures we know the details, where all He went, what He and how He freed all the brāhmaṇas from material bondage. Gaurahari! Gaurahari! Gaurahari! So are there any questions?

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa my beloved Guru Mahārāja. There are programs of songs and dances designed and performed by young devotees who sing the Vaiṣṇava songs in a modern form, like disco music. These are beautiful programs useful for bringing the new generations closer together. Personally, I am for traditional bhajanas. They transmit more powerful vibrations and different energy. A question comes to me. We all have to be very careful not committing offences while singing the holy names. Singing mahā-mantra in this mood is full of energy that can take away from the purpose of singing the holy names. What does all this involve? Thank you very much for your reply. –Antaraṅga Śakti Devī Dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: So Antaraṅga Śakti devī dāsī, thank you for your question. There were some similar type of performances during the time of Śrīla Prabhupāda. At the time modern music was used by the performers. Prabhupāda said, it is alright as far as I remember for the new people. The old people do not need to listen to them. Other words to attract new people to devotional service we may use different methods. But people who are already in devotional service do not need to use these methods for themselves. If you like the traditional rāgas and bhajanas, it is very nice, but for the young people to get involved they use modern tunes. So we can tolerate that if by that means they can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa!