20200702 The Actors and Audience Assemble in the House of Śrī Candraśekhara Ācārya

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 2^nd July 2020 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Introduction: So before we begin our Caitanya class, we want to request all the devotees, that please pray to Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Prahlāda Narasiṁhadeva, Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā, if They so pleased, may His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami regain his health and return to the preaching field. Also, if you liked the mercyonwheel.com, please give your realizations, how you liked it, how you enjoyed it and what could we do to improve in the virtual Ratha-yātrā we had.

The Actors and Audience Assemble in the House of Śrī Candraśekhara Ācārya

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.028

sarvagaṇa-saha mahāprabhura candraśekhara-bhavane gamana—

sarva-gaṇa sahita ṭhākura viśvambhara
calilā ācārya-candraśekharera ghara

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Viśvambhara Mahāprabhu went with all His associates to the house of Ācārya Candraśekhara.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.029

prabhura nṛtya-darśane śacī prabhṛti nārīgaṇera gamana—

āi calilena nija vadhūra sahite
lakṣmī-rūpe nṛtya baḍa adbhuta dekhite

Jayapatākā Swami: So, mother Śacī and her daughter in law, Viṣṇupriyā, went to see how Lord Gaurāṅga would perform dancing, in the role of Lakṣmī, they wanted to see this very wonderful performance.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.030

yata āpta vaiṣṇava-gaṇera parivāra
calilā āira saṅge nṛtya dekhibāra

Jayapatākā Swami: The family members of all the Vaiṣṇavas, went with mother Śacī, to see the dance or performance of the drama.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.031

granthakāra-kartṛka candraśekharera saubhāgya praśaṃsā—

śrī-candraśekhara-bhāgya tāra
ei sīmāyāra ghare prabhu prakāśilā e mahimā

Jayapatākā Swami: Candraśekhara Ācārya had the good fortune, which reached the highest limit, because Lord Gaurāṅga manifested his pastime at his house.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.032

mahāprabhura sakalake sva-sva kāca-abhinayārtha ādeśa—

vasilāṭhākura sarva-vaiṣṇava sahite
sabāre haila ājñā sva-kāca kācite

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga sat down with all the Vaiṣṇavas, upon arriving there. Then He gave instructions to everyone, to dress up in their costumes. We can see that Lord Caitanya was personally directing the drama, telling which devotee should take which part, and how they should wear the appropriate costumes. Like this, it was a very ecstatic pastime of the Lord, and everybody was going to see, all the family members of the Vaiṣṇavas, they were also present to watch this dramatic performance, that was a special event for everyone.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.033

advaitera nija kāca-viṣaye jijñāsā o prabhura uttara—

kara-yoḍe advaita balilā bāra-bāra
“more ājñā prabhu kon kāca kācibāra?”

Jayapatākā Swami: With folded hands, Advaita Ācārya, He said, again and again, O Lord, tell Me, give Me Your instruction, what costume should I wear?

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.034

prabhu bale,—“yata kāca, sakali tomāra
icchā-anurūpa kāca kāca' āpanāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga said, “Whatever costumes are there, all are Yours! Whatever You desire, You put on that costume!”

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.035

vāhyarahita advaita-prabhura vividha vilāsa—

bāhya nāhi advaitera, ki kariba kāca?
bhrūkuṭi kariyā bule śāntipura-nātha

Jayapatākā Swami: Advaita Ācārya had no external consciousness. He was absorbed in love of Kṛṣṇa. What need did He have for any costume? The Lord of Śāntipur wandered around with His eyebrows in a frown.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.036

sarva-bhāve nāce mahā-vidūṣaka-prāya
ānanda-sāgara-mājhe bhāsiyā veḍāya

Jayapatākā Swami: He could perform in various moods, almost like an expert gesture, and He floated in an ocean of spiritual bliss, and wandered around.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.037

sakalera kṛṣṇa-kīrtana—

mahā-kṛṣṇa-kolāhala uṭhila sakala
ānande vaiṣṇava-saba hailā vihvala

Jayapatākā Swami: So, loud chanting of the names of Kṛṣṇa, arose from everyone, all the Vaiṣṇavas became overwhelmed in loving ecstasy.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 2.15.8

ekadā samabhidhāya suveśaṁ
yoṣitāṁ smita-sudhā-mukha-candraḥ
candra-śekhara-gṛhāṅgane vibhur
nartanam nija-janaiḥ sa cakāra

Translation: Once the sense-controlled great Lord with His moonlike face and smile of nectar dressed Himself in sublime women’s attire and performed a drama with His associates in the courtyard of Candraśekhara Ācārya.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.93

āra aparūpa kathā, guna gaurā-guṇa gāthā,
loka-deva-agocara vāṇī
āveśera vaśe kare, bhaktiyoga-paracāre,
karuṇāvigraha guṇamaṇi

Jayapatākā Swami: Please hear about one other wonderful pastime, hear the wonderful glories of the unlimited qualities of Lord Gaura, what to speak of the human beings, this wonderful pastime is not known, even to the devas, demigods. The Lord who has descended from the spiritual world and preaching the glories of bhakti-yoga. He who is the form of transcendental mercy, the jewel of good qualities.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 9.94

śuna kathā mana diyā, āna-kathā teyāgiyā,
āra saba kahibāra velā
nijajana saṅge kari, śrīla viśvambhara hari,
śrīcandraśekhara-bāḍī gelā

Translation: Please listen this with all your heart, by giving up hearing other talks and giving up all other talks. Accompanied by His associates, Lord Viśvambhara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, went to Candraśekhara’s house.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He was performing this drama in Candraśekhara’s house, which was displaying the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, and thus by His demonstration of drama, He was preaching the essence of devotional service, and all the Vaiṣṇavas were ecstatic at this unexpected display by Lord Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, “now listen to this description, will full attention, give up all other discussions. This is the time to hear of the wonderful pastimes of the Lord, How the Lord went with His associates, Śrī Viśvambhara Hari, to the house of Candraśekhara Ācārya.”

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya, 11.1

itīdaṁ tat sarvaṁ vilasitam anusmṛtya sudṛśāṁ
sa-santoṣaṁ vṛndāvana-madana eṣo’timadhuraḥ
vihartuṁ tad-bhāvair akṛta purataḥ svāṅghri-dayitaiḥ
samantād ārambhaṁ druta-kanaka-gaurojjvala-tanuḥ

Translation: “The most sweet Cupid of Vṛndāvana, endowed with a body of shining molten gold, remembering all these pastimes with the gopīs with great satisfaction began to perform pastimes with the devotees in those previous moods.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Normally to perform a drama, one practices many times and memorizes lines. But to Lord Gaurāṅga, He was in Vṛndāvana as Kṛṣṇa, and He knew the pastimes, as He had experienced them. So, He did not have to memorize any lines or practice, He could do the spontaneous enacting of these pastimes.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya, 11.2

kramād etāṁ rātriṁ prahara-niyamenaiva vibhajan
dideśa prāyeṇa priya-janam asau yogya-lalitam
vicintyātho nṛtya-sthalam aniśam ācārya-nilaye
mudā raṅgī cakre prasṛmarataraṁ catvaram atha

Translation: Dividing the night into praharas and considering that the Ācārya’s house (Candra-śekharācārya) was a suitable, he instructed his devotees and joyfully transformed that broad courtyard into a dancing place.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the dramas are described as a dance. Since the dramatic performers speak and play out the different parts, it is kind of like a dance. So, they called the acts in the drama as a dance.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 11.3

tato ramye sthāne pariniyamite nirvṛti-kare
gurūtkaṇṭhā-bhājo dvija-vara-ramaṇyo’tinibhṛtāḥ
samaṁ śacyā devyā prabhu-matam abhijṣāya samayo-
citaṁ dhairyārambhaṁ gṛham abhidadhatyaḥ praviviśuḥ

Translation: The brāhmaṇa women, having great desire, and understanding the Lord’s mind in that attractive, confined area, which gave joy, maintaining proper decorum along with Śacī, entered that place separately.

Jayapatākā Swami: Five hundred years ago, there was discrete separation of the genders in public functions. They observed this decorum, but they were very eager to watch the Lord’s dramatic performance. So, they with mother Śacī, were seated in some separate place to watch the wonderful performance of Lord Gaurāṅga.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya, 11.4

alinde gehasya prabhu-naṭana-sandarśana-mahot-
sukā līnā āsan nibhṛtam upaviṣṭāḥ saha-bhayaiḥ
amūś citrotkīrṇā vinimiṣa-gata-spanda-vapuṣo
na vai rāgaiḥ kāntāḥ phala-bhuvi tā mūrtaya iva

Translation: Eager to see the Lord, they fearfully sat separately, on the veranda of the house, not showing themselves. With unblinking eyes and trembling bodies, they seemed like figures painted on a canvas.

Jayapatākā Swami: This describes the great ecstasy of all the participants or the viewers. So, these ladies did not want to disturb the performance, at the same time, they were very eager to watch the drama, and they were watching with unblinking eyes and their bodies were trembling in ecstasy, they were overwhelmed by the situation.

Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya, 11.5

niyamyaikaṁ dvāre dṛḍha-lalita-śauṭīrya-valitaṁ
yathaiko’py āyāti kṣaṇam api na tatreti nirataḥ
janān āptān āptān puram abhiniveśyaivam asakau
mahatyā nirvṛtyā jayati satataṁ gaura-śaśabhṛt

Translation: Restricting entrance at the door, with great valor the Lord said, “See to it that no one can enter even for a moment.” First having all the devotees enter, Gauracandra with great joy presided there constantly.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this was a private performance for the devotees and their families and outside people were not allowed to come. So, the people that attended this drama were especially blessed.

Caitanya candrodaya nāṭaka 3.37

(nepathye mṛdaṅga-tālādi-dhvaniḥ)

(From Behind the scenes the sound of mṛdaṅgas, karatālas, and other instruments).

prema-bhaktiḥ: vatse! śrutam | ayam ārabdhaḥ pūrva-raṅgāṅga-bhūtaḥ pratyāhāraḥ |

Prema Bhakti: Child, listen. The recitation of special pūrvaraṅga (an auspicious activity done prior to the beginning of drama, to remove obstacles) has begun.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the loud chanting of the names of Hari, and the playing of musical instruments, used in the saṅkīrtana sacrifice, was done prior to the performance, to remove all the obstacles.

Caitanya-bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 18.038

kīrtanera śubhārambha karilā mukunda
“rāma-kṛṣṇa bala hari gopāla govinda”

Jayapatākā Swami: Mukunda Datta, he started an auspicious kīrtana, He chanted as follows: “Rāma-kṛṣṇa bala hari gopāla govinda!”

Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 3.38

(punar nepathye):

Again a Voice From Behind the Scenes:

jayati jana-nivāso devakī-janma-vādo
yadu-vara-pariṣat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam
sthira-cara-vṛjina-ghnaḥ su-smita- śrī-mukhena
vraja-pura-vanitānāṁ vardhayan kāma-devam
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.90.48)

Translation: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is He who is known as Jana-nivāsa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is also known as Devakīnandana or Yaśodā-nandana, the son of Devakī and Yaśodā. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana. May He be all glorious and happy!” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.90.48)

Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 3.39

api ca—
sampūrṇendu-mukhī saroja-nayanā koka-stanī kairava-
smāyā kambu-śirodhir-ambudhi-bhuvo garvasya sarvaṅkaṣā
māṅgalyair iva vastubhir viracitā nāndīva vṛndāvana-
krīḍā-kautuka-nāṭakasya diśatu śrī-rādhikā vaḥ śubham

Translation: May Śrī Rādhikā, Her face like the full moon, Her eyes like lotuses, Her breasts like cakravāka birds, Her smile like a white lotus, Her neck like a conchshell, and Her beauty crushing Lakṣmī's pride, who has brought auspicious articles to this world, and like nāndī bestow auspiciousness to the play of pastimes in Vṛndāvana.

(Note: The introductory portion of a drama, which is written to invoke good fortune, is called nāndī-śloka)

Jayapatākā Swami: So Kṛṣṇa is glorified by the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and then Rādhārāṇī, the heroine, She is also glorified, so this sets the stage of the drama.

Caitanya candrodaya nāṭaka 3.40

prema-bhaktiḥ : satyam evaitat | yan niraṭaṅki mayā yad asau sūtradhāra-bhūmiko haridāsaḥ śrī-bhāgavata-padyaṁ maṅgalaṁ kurvan nāndīṁ papāṭha | tan-madhye ekāṅko bhāṇo vyāyogo vā rūpakam atra nirūpayitavyam anena, yato nepathye gīyate nāndī [sā.da. 6.289] ity ādi tayor lakṣaṇam | tad vatse! tavāsya didṛkṣā vartate ?

Translation: Prema Bhakti: This is true as I had ascertained. That was Director, Haridāsa, that recited a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the nāndī (auspicious invocation). He will decide the type of drama and I think it will be either a ‘ekāṅkabhāṇa’ or ‘vyāyoga’, because the sign of these type of drama is stated, “the nāndī (introduction) is spoken from behind the stage.” Child, do you want to see this?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, there are different kinds of dramas that are mentioned in the Vedas. So, since this auspicious verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was cited to glorify Lord Kṛṣṇa, behind the scene of the stage, and that reciting of the auspicious verse or nāndī. Two types of drama is recited from behind the scene – ‘ekāṅkabhāṇa’ and ‘vyāyoga’. How the drama performance and rules of the drama are very specific.

Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 3.41

maitrī : kahiṁ me tārisaṁ bhāa-dheyaṁ ? [kutra me tādṛśaṁ bhāga-dheyam ?]

Translation: Maitrī: When will I be so fortunate?

and so Prema Bhakti is giving her observation, that it must be one of the two kinds of drama, she is asking personified friendship, do you want to see this drama? and she said, “when will I be so fortunate?” Who wants to see the drama?

Caitanya candrodaya nāṭaka 3.42

prema-bhaktiḥ: kā te cintā ? mayā saha vartitavyam, mat-prabhāvāt kenāpi bhavatī na lakṣaṇīyā tvad-anurodhān mayāpi tan-nikaṭa eva tathā bhūtvā sthātavyam |

Translation: Prema Bhakti: What is your anxiety? You should stay with me. By my influence you will not be seen by anyone, and by your agreement you will see me next to you unseen by others.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Prema Bhakti is telling personified friendship, stay with me, and we will watch the drama together.

Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 3.43

maitrī: anugahidamhi | [anugṛhītāsmi |]

Maitrī: I am blessed.

prema-bhaktiḥ: tad ehi |

Prema Bhakti: So, come.

(iti niṣkrānte)

(They exit).

iti praveśakaḥ

Thus, ends the expository interlude of the drama

Jayapatākā Swami: This sets the stage for the performance of this wonderful drama, by Lord Gaurāṅga and His associates. If you want to see the drama, you need special mercy. These associates of Lord Caitanya can see the Lord performing this drama, dancing in the dress of Rādhārāṇī, Haribol!

Thus, ends the chapter, The Actors and Audience Assemble in the House of Śrī Candraśekhara Ācārya.

Any questions?

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa dear Gurudeva! Please accept my respectful obeisances. When we will be ever able to understand such a great drama, in what mood should we understand this?

Your spiritual daughter,
Pritimayī Rādhikā devī dāsī

Jayapatākā Swami: To understand the drama, we need some special mercy. How the Lord is performing a drama, how the devotees were the audience, were so ecstatic to watch this, and we should be in the mood of devotional service, to understand these auspicious pastimes.

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! In the first month of Cāturmāsya we are supposed not to eat śāk. Could you please clarify on this point if the abstention is only for a specific kind of śāk, or includes any other kind of leafy vegetables? There are many kinds of śāk like spinach, pālak, lāl, polmi, sweet potato leaves, water cress, etc. And what about the leaves from the trees like moringa or drumstick leaves?

Your servant,
Citāmaṇī devī dāsī, Malaysia.

Jayapatākā Swami: All the types of cooked green leafy vegetables that are considered śāk like pālak, lāl, polmi śāk, are all prohibited this month. According to Bhakti Vidyāpūrṇa Mahārāja, it does not include lettuce or the coriander leaves. I don’t know about moringa or drumstick leaves, if they are considered as śāk or not. One month we don’t take śāk, and next month we don’t take yogurt, third month we don’t take milk, and then the fourth month we don’t take urad-dāl. Non-vegetarians for this month, they don’t take any nonveg. Since we are vegetarians, we give up high protein like urad-dāl. In the middle of this Cāturmāsya comes the Puruṣottama month when there is no specific restriction for eating. But in that month, no auspicious ceremony like śubha-karma is performed. But one gets a thousand times benefit for any devotional service. It is good to offer lamps to Kṛṣṇa, bathe in the Ganges, to do devotional service. So, I start it on the Ekādaśī, you have the alternative to start on the Ekādaśī or the full moon day. So, most devotees do on full moon, I do it on Ekādaśī, because it is very hard to find out for me when is the full moon! But I know when it is Ekādaśī, also, we follow at the end of the Cāturmāsya, the Bhīṣma-pañcaka, from the Ekādaśī to the full moon. So, I finish my Cāturmāsya on the day before Ekādaśī, and then I can observe the Bhīṣma-pañcaka anyway.

Question: Dear Guru Mahārāja, please accept my respectful obeisances, in regard to ajñāta-sukṛti, is it possible for someone that has no intention to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, to become a devotee involuntarily? By the mercy of devotees or Kṛṣṇa Himself? A mouse in a temple approached a burning lamp that was about to get extinguished. At that moment, his moustache which caught fire, lighted the lamp again. And he died due to fire and because of this he was promoted to Vaikuṇṭha. How can the Lord seemingly favor one and not the other? Is not Lord Caitanya changing in a way, the statements made by Lord Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā?

Your insignificant servant,
Acintya Nitāi dāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: You seem to have offered an answer to the question, if you are in the right place, at the right time, even if you accidently offer a service, you will still get the benefit. So why do you consider that as a contradiction? Kṛṣṇa is all auspicious. If you think of Kṛṣṇa positively, negatively, still it is auspicious. If you do worship of Kṛṣṇa consciously, it is auspicious, if you do it accidentally, it is also auspicious. So, we are trying to encourage you, to do it consciously. But even if it is done accidentally, it still works. So that way if you distribute prasāda to a person, he or she may take it as food, but you know it is prasāda, so they get the blessing, like this, we want to give everybody the mercy.

Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances. With regards to Cāturmāsya, this time Puruṣottama māsa is coming in the middle of the third month of Cāturmāsya. The third month is between 2^nd to 30^th October where we fast from milk. Puruṣottama māsā is from 17^th September to 16^th October. Can we take milk in between during the Puruṣottama māsā? - Anādi Jagannātha dāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: In the restrictions of the four months, as far as I understand, they don’t apply to the Puruṣottama month. So, you could also take milk then, because it is a different month, restriction is only for the third month. But then you have to again not take milk, in the last two weeks of the month. So, thank you very much!