20201109 Govardhana-dhārī Gopāla Tells Mādhavendra Purī to Bring Sandalwood and Smear the Pulp on His Body (Part 2)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 9th November 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: Today we are continuing with Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today’s chapter entitled is:

Govardhana-dhārī Gopāla Tells Mādhavendra Purī to Bring Sandalwood and Smear the Pulp on His Body (Part 2)

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.96

mahā-prasāda khāila āsiyā saba loka
gopāla dekhiyā sabāra khaṇḍe duḥkha-śoka

Translation: Throngs of people came from different villages to see the Deity of Gopāla, and they took mahā-prasāda sumptuously. When they saw the superexcellent form of Lord Gopāla, all their lamentation and unhappiness disappeared.

Jayapatākā Swami: So in the material world everybody either desires something or laments something when they lost something but those who came to see Gopāla were so transcendentally blissful that all their lamentations and unhappiness disappeared. Hari bol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.97

pratyaha nānā upahāra o mahotsava :—
āśa-pāśa vraja-bhūmera yata grāma saba
eka eka dina sabe kare mahotsava

Translation: All the villages in neighboring Vrajabhūmi [Vṛndāvana] became aware of the appearance of Gopāla, and all the people from these villages came to see Him. Day after day they all performed the Annakūṭa ceremony.

Jayapatākā Swami: So in India especially in Vraja-bhumi people are very much interested in serving Kṛṣṇa. When they heard that the deity has appeared, they all came and offered prasāda, Annakūṭa ceremony and thus all the villagers participated in Kṛṣṇa conscious feasting.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.98

gopāla-prakaṭa śuni’ nānā deśa haite
nānā dravya lañā loka lāgila āsite

Translation: In this way not only the neighboring villages but all the other provinces came to know of Gopāla’s appearance. Thus people came from all over, bringing a variety of presentations.

Jayapatākā Swami: Gradually first the neighboring villagers heard but by the word of mouth it expanded further and further so people from other provinces also came to see Gopāla and to serve Lord Gopāla.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.99

mathurāra loka saba baḍa baḍa dhanī
bhakti kari’ nānā dravya bheṭa deya āni’

Translation: The people of Mathurā, who are very big capitalists, also brought various presentations and offered them before the Deity in devotional service.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the appearance of the Deity people were very inspired to serve the Deity they came even from Mathurā city, big, big capitalist, rich people they also came and offered gifts for Gopāla.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.100

svarṇa, raupya, vastra, gandha, bhakṣya-upahāra
asaṅkhya āise, nitya bāḍila bhāṇḍāra

Translation: Thus countless presentations of gold, silver, garments, scented articles and eatables arrived. The store of Gopāla increased daily.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the people naturally wanted to serve the incarnation of Lord, the deity form. When they came, they offered the gifts, if they give little bit to the Lord they get many fold.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.101

gopālera mandira nirmāṇa :—
eka mahā-dhanī kṣatriya karāila mandira
keha pāka-bhāṇḍāra kaila, keha ta’ prācīra

Translation: One very rich kṣatriya of the royal order constructed a temple, someone made cooking utensils, and someone constructed boundary walls.

Jayapatākā Swami: So the gṛhasthas-dharma is to give charity. Since the deity needed a temple and various facility various rich gṛhasthas came forward to facilitate the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.102

eka eka vraja-vāsī eka eka gābhī dila
sahasra sahasra gābhī gopālera haila

Translation: Each and every family residing in the land of Vrajabhūmi contributed one cow. In this way, thousands of cows became the property of Gopāla.

Purport: This is the way to install the Deity, construct the temple and increase the property of the temple. Everyone should be enthusiastic to contribute to the construction of the temple for the Deity, and everyone should also contribute food for the distribution of prasāda. The devotees should preach the gospel of devotional service and thus engage people in practical service to the Deity. Wealthy people can also be attracted to take part in these activities. In this way everyone will become spiritually inclined, and the entire society will be converted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The desire to satisfy the material senses will automatically diminish, and the senses will become so purified that they will be able to engage in bhakti (devotional service to the Lord). Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Serving the Lord with one’s senses gradually purifies them, and the engagement of one’s purified senses in the service of Lord Hṛṣīkeśa is called bhakti. When the dormant propensity for bhakti is awakened, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. (Bg. 18.55) This is the process of giving humanity the chance to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus people can perfect their lives in all respects.

Jayapatākā Swami: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivendata Swami Prabhupāda gave a system how people can perfect their lives by performing devotional service to the Lord.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.103

dui udāsīna brāhmaṇake anugraha o sevā-samarpaṇa :—
gauḍa ha-ite āilā dui vairāgī brāhmaṇa
purī-gosāñi rākhila tāre kariyā yatana

Translation: Eventually two brāhmaṇas in the renounced order arrived from Bengal, and Mādhavendra Purī, who liked them very much, kept them in Vṛndāvana and gave them all kinds of comforts.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.104

sei dui śiṣya kari’ sevā samarpila
rāja-sevā haya,—purīra ānanda bāḍila

Translation: These two were then initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, and he entrusted them with the daily service of the Lord. This service was performed continuously, and the worship of the Deity became very gorgeous. Thus Mādhavendra Purī was very pleased.

Purport: The Six Gosvāmīs and their followers started many temples, including the temples of Govinda, Gopīnātha, Madana-mohana, Rādhā-Dāmodara, Śyāmasundara, Rādhā-ramaṇa and Gokulānanda. The disciples of the Gosvāmīs were entrusted with the sevā-pūjā (Deity worship) of these temples. It was not that the disciples were family members of the original Gosvāmīs. All the Gosvāmīs were in the renounced order of life, and Jīva Gosvāmī in particular was a lifelong brahmacārī. At present, sevāitas assume the title of gosvāmī on the basis of their being engaged as sevāitas of the Deity. The sevāitas who have inherited their positions now assume proprietorship of the temples, and some of them are selling the Deities’ property as if it were their own. However, the temples did not originally belong to these sevāitas.

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually, the temple is the property of the Deities and the sevāites are those who are responsible for worshipping the deities. According to the real position the deities are like minors and the sevāites act on their behalf. Sevāites are not the owners and the deities are the owners they should act for the interest of the Deity. Originally the disciples of the Gosvāmī were worshipping the Deity, at some point the family members of the disciples began to inherit the sevaiteship so this is mentioned by Śrīla Prabhupāda as aspect which is not appropriate.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.105

dui vatsara purīra gopāla-sevā :—
ei-mata vatsara dui karila sevana
eka-dina purī-gosāñi dekhila svapana

Translation: In this way the Deity worship in the temple was very gorgeously performed for two years. Then one day Mādhavendra Purī had a dream.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.106

svapne purīra nikaṭa gopālera candanākāṅkṣā :—
gopāla kahe, purī āmāra tāpa nāhi yāya
malayaja-candana lepa’, tabe se juḍāya

Translation: In his dream, Mādhavendra Purī saw Gopāla, who said, “My bodily temperature still has not decreased. Please bring sandalwood from the Malaya province and smear the pulp over My body to cool Me.”

Purport: The Deity of Gopāla had been buried within the jungle for many years, and although He was installed and was offered thousands of pots of water, He still felt very hot. He therefore asked Mādhavendra Purī to bring sandalwood from the Malaya province. Sandalwood produced in Malaya is very popular. That province is situated on the western ghāṭa, and the hill Nīlagiri is sometimes known as Malaya Hill. The word malaya-ja is used to indicate the sandalwood produced in Malaya Province. Sometimes the word Malaya refers to the modern country of Malaysia. Formerly this country also produced sandalwood, but now they have found it profitable to produce rubber trees. Although the Vedic culture was once prevalent in Malaysia, now all the inhabitants are Muslims. The Vedic culture is now lost in Malaysia, Java and Indonesia.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although the majority of Malaysia may be Muslims but during the British rule different Indians were brought in and also the Chinese so there is about 55 % Muslims and 30-35% chinese and 15 or so % Indians, aproximetly so today they have all the different culture co-existing. Six hundred years ago the system was a Vedic King but in order to marry a beauty from Arabia, he converted himself and thus Islam became predominant in Malaysia. So, we have many temples there also In Bali, Indonesia shows original Vedic culture is still there.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.107

malayaja āna, yāñā nīlācala haite
anye haite nahe, tumi calaha tvarite

Translation: “Bring sandalwood pulp from Jagannātha Purī. Kindly go quickly. Since no one else can do it, you must.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Mādhavendra Purī received this request from Lord Gopāla.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.108

svapna dekhi’ purī-gosāñira haila premāveśa
prabhu-ājñā pālibāre gelā pūrva-deśa

Translation: After having this dream, Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī became very glad due to ecstasy of love of Godhead, and in order to execute the command of the Lord, he started east toward Bengal.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since Mādhavendra Purī was completely dedicated for serving the desires of Lord Gopāla, immediately He was very ecstatic to receive this request and he quickly left to the east to fulfill the desires of Gopāla.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.109

purīpathe purīpādera gauḍe āgamana :—
sevāra nirbandha—loka karila sthāpana
ājñā māgi’ gauḍa-deśe karila gamana

Translation: Before leaving, Mādhavendra Purī made all arrangements for regular Deity worship, and he engaged different people in various duties. Then, taking up the order of Gopāla, he started for Bengal.

Jayapatākā Swami: So being in sannyāsa order, one doesn’t have a family still have to see for the proper service of the Deity. They may do some management but that’s for the service of the Lord. So he remain so that Lord Gopāla would be properly worshipped. After he had made all the arrangements, he left to get the sandalwood pulp. He followed the path of the Ganges and thus headed east and then gradually went through the different parts of Bengal.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Govardhana-dhārī Gopāla Tells Mādhavendra Purī to Bring Sandalwood and Smear the Pulp on His Body Haribol!