20211106 The Parable to Explain Sambandha, Abhidheya, Prayojana

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 06th, 2021 in Śrī Dhāma 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!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Today's chapter is entitled as:

The Parable to Explain Sambandha, Abhidheya, Prayojana

Under the section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.127

caturvidha abhidheya-madhye sakala-śāstre ekamātra śuddha-bhaktirai nirāpadatva o anāyāsatva varṇana; upamā—sarvajña vā siddha mahājanera upadeśa :—

ihāte dṛṣṭānta—yaiche daridrera ghare
‘sarvajña’ āsi’ duḥkha dekhi’ puchaye tāhāre

Translation: “The following parable may be given. Once a learned astrologer came to the house of a poor man and, seeing his distressed condition, questioned him.

Purport: Sometimes we go to an astrologer or palmist when we are in a distressed condition or when we want to know the future. The living entity in conditioned life is always distressed by the threefold miseries of material existence. Under the circumstances, he is inquisitive about his position. For instance, Sanātana Gosvāmī approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to ask Him why he was in a distressed condition. This is the position of all conditioned souls. We are always in a distressed condition, and an intelligent man naturally becomes inquisitive. This position is called brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma-jijñāsā (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.1). Brahma here refers to the Vedic literature. One should consult the Vedic literature to know why the conditioned soul is always in a distressed condition. The Vedic literatures are meant to free the conditioned soul from the miserable conditions of material existence. In this chapter, the story of the astrologer Sarvajña and the poor man is very instructive.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the astrologer is asking the poor man why he is feeling miserable, this is parable and let us see what happens.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.128

jīvera nitya-siddha-bhāva kṛṣṇa-premā

‘tumi kene duḥkhī, tomāra āche pitṛ-dhana
tomāre nā kahila, anyatra chāḍila jīvana”

Translation: “The astrologer asked, ‘Why are you unhappy? Your father was very wealthy, but he did not disclose his wealth to you because he died elsewhere.’

Jayapatākā Swami: The father didn’t tell his son where the wealth was hidden and he died in a foreign place there was no chance to tell his family members where he had hidden the wealth.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.129

sādhya-premāra sādhanabhūta bhaktira avaśya- kartavyatā; śāstre tāhāi vidhāna —

sarvajñera vākye kare dhanera uddeśe
aiche veda-purāṇa jīve ‘kṛṣṇa’ upadeśe

Translation: “Just as the words of the astrologer Sarvajñā gave news of the poor man’s treasure, the Vedic literatures advise one about Kṛṣṇa consciousness when one is inquisitive to know why he is in a distressed material condition.

Jayapatākā Swami: If we know that we have an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then there is no reason to be distresed, because by serving Kṛṣṇa we can achieve natural spiritual bliss.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.130

jīvera nitya-sambandha kṛṣṇai sarva-śāstrera uddiṣṭa —

sarvajñera vākye mūla-dhana anubandha
sarva-śāstre upadeśe, ‘śrī-kṛṣṇa’—sambandha

Translation: “By the words of the astrologer, the poor man’s connection with the treasure was established. Similarly, the Vedic literature advises us that our real connection is with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Purport: In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.26), Śrī Kṛṣṇa says:

vedāhaṁ samatītāni
vartamānāni cārjuna
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni
māṁ tu veda na kaścana

“O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities, but Me no one knows.”

Thus Kṛṣṇa knows the cause of the distressed condition of the conditioned soul. He therefore descends from His original position to instruct the conditioned soul and inform him about his forgetfulness of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa exhibits Himself in His relationships in Vṛndāvana and at the Battle of Kurukṣetra so that people will be attracted to Him and will return home, back to Godhead. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā that He is the proprietor of all universes, the enjoyer of everything that be and the friend of everyone.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(Bg. 5.29).

If we revive our original intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa, our distressed condition in the material world will be mitigated. Everyone is trying to adjust to the distressed conditions of material existence, but the basic problems cannot be solved unless one is in an intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: The goal of the materialist is to have a very peaceful situation to enjoy sense gratification, this is all illusory because existence in the material world is temporary, no matter how nice the situation we have. Attachment to material sense gratification naturally will leave the person distressed and frustrated. Reestablishing our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, is the real way to receive eternal happiness.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.131

nitya-siddha-bhāvera prākaṭyai baddha-jīvera sādhana —

‘bāpera dhana āche’—jñāne dhana nāhi pāya
tabe sarvajña kahe tāre prāptira upāya

Translation: “Although being assured of his father’s treasure, the poor man cannot acquire this treasure by such knowledge alone. Therefore the astrologer had to inform him of the means whereby he could actually find the treasure.

Jayapatākā Swami: The poor man by hearing that he had a great treasure left by his father could not benefit because just knowing that his father had riches Missing Missing So he needs to find out a system how to get the money.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.132

abhakti-mārga—(1) bhukti-lābhārtha karma-mārge vipadāśaṅkā —

‘ei sthāne āche dhana’—yadi dakṣiṇe khudibe
‘bhīmarula-barulī’ uṭhibe, dhana nā pāibe

Translation: “The astrologer said, ‘The treasure is in this place, but if you dig toward the southern side, the wasps and drones will rise, and you will not get your treasure.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the astrologer knew where the treasure was, so he guided if you cut to the south, you will be bitten by wasps and bumble bees, drones, and you will not get the treasure.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.133

(2) vibhūti-siddhi-lābhārtha yoga-mārge vipadāśaṅkā :—

‘paścime’ khudibe, tāhā ‘yakṣa’ eka haya
se vighna karibe,—dhane hāta nā paḍaya

Translation: “‘If you dig on the western side, there is a ghost who will create such a disturbance that your hands will not even touch the treasure.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the poor man was told, digging to the west he would be attacked by a dangerous ghost and won’t get the wealth.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.134

(3) sāyujya-lābhārtha jñāna-mārge vipadāśaṅkā —

‘uttare’ khudile āche kṛṣṇa ‘ajagare’
dhana nāhi pābe, khudite gilibe sabāre

Translation: “‘If you dig on the northern side, there is a big black snake that will devour you if you attempt to dig up the treasure.

Jayapatākā Swami: The northern side if he digs he would be attacked by the gigantic snake which would devour him up, he won’t get the treasure, what does this mean?

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.135 

pūrva vā purāṇa vā nitya śāśvata dhana kṛṣṇa-bhakti ekamātra āpatśūnya —

pūrva-dike tāte māṭī alpa khudite
dhanera jhāri paḍibeka tomāra hātete

Translation: “‘However, if you dig up a small quantity of dirt on the eastern side, your hands will immediately touch the pot of treasure.’

Purport: The Vedic literatures, including the Purāṇas, state that according to the position of the conditioned soul, there are different processes — karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, the yogic process and the bhakti-yoga process. Karma-kāṇḍa is compared to wasps and drones that will simply bite if one takes shelter of them. Jñāna-kāṇḍa, the speculative process, is simply like a ghost who creates mental disturbances. Yoga, the mystic process, is compared to a black snake that devours people by the impersonal cultivation of kaivalya. However, if one takes to bhakti-yoga, he becomes quickly successful. In other words, through bhakti-yoga, one’s hands touch the hidden treasure without difficulty.

The goal of all the revealed scriptures and Vedic injunctions is Kṛṣṇa, as He Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15):

vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ.

Since the Vedas enjoin one to search out Kṛṣṇa and take shelter at His lotus feet, and since no Vedic process but devotional service will enable one to do this, one has to take to devotional service. According to the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), only the bhakti process is said to be definitive.

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti.

This is the conclusive statement of the Vedas, and one has to accept this process if one is serious in searching for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this connection, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following statement: “ The eastern side represents devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. The southern side represents the process of fruitive activity (karma-kāṇḍa), which ends in material gain. The western side represents jñāna-kāṇḍa, the process of mental speculation, or sometimes siddhi-kāṇḍa, the mystic yoga system. The northern side represents mystic yoga, or sometimes the speculative method.” It is only the eastern side, devotional service, that enables one to attain life’s real goal. On the southern side, there are fruitive activities, by which one is subject to the punishment of Yamarāja. When one follows the system of fruitive activity, his material desires remain prominent. Consequently the results of this process are compared to wasps and drones. The living entity is bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity and thus suffers in material existence birth after birth. One cannot become free from material desires by following this process. The propensity for material enjoyment never ends. Therefore the cycle of birth and death continues, and the spirit soul suffers perpetually.

The mystic yoga process is compared to a black snake that devours the living entity and injects him with poison. The ultimate goal of the yoga system is to become one with the Absolute. This means finishing one’s personal existence. But the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an eternal individual existence. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms that the individual soul existed in the past, is existing in the present and will continue to exist as an individual in the future. Artificially trying to become one with the Absolute is suicidal. One cannot annihilate his natural condition.

A yakṣa, a protector of riches, will not allow anyone to take away riches for enjoyment. Such a demon will simply create disturbances. In other words, a devotee will not depend on his material resources but on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can give real protection. This is called rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsaḥ or (in the Bengali poetry of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Śaraṇāgati) ‘avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa’ — viśvāsa pālana. The surrendered soul must accept the fact that his real protector is Kṛṣṇa, not his material acquisitions.

Considering all these points, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the real treasure house for the living entity. When one comes to the platform of devotional service, he always remains opulent in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is bereft of devotional service is swallowed by the black snake of the yoga system and bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity, and he suffers consequent material miseries. Sometimes the living entity is misled into trying to merge into spiritual existence, thinking himself as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that when he comes to the spiritual platform, he will be disturbed and will again return to the material platform. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas Such people may become sannyāsīs, but unless they take shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, they will return to the material platform to perform philanthropic activities. In this way, one’s spiritual life is lost. This is to be understood as being devoured by the black snake.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this purport describes what this parable means, why west, north, south it produce bad result but why only the east will give the treasure, only by devotional service one overcome all the miseries of life.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.136

śuddha-bhaktibale kṛṣṇa-premā-lābhai sarva-śāstrera tātparya —

aiche śāstra kahe,—karma, jñāna, yoga tyaji’
‘bhaktye’ kṛṣṇa vaśa haya, bhaktye tāṅre bhaji

Translation: “The revealed scriptures conclude that one should give up fruitive activity, speculative knowledge and the mystic yoga system and instead take to devotional service, by which Kṛṣṇa can be fully satisfied.

Jayapatākā Swami: Just as it says in the ‘Teachings of Lord Caitanya’, bhukti mukti siddhi kāmi-sakali aśānta, krsna bhakti niskama ata eva santa, that only by Kṛṣṇa-bhakti can one actually become peaceful and achieve the real treasure.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.137

bhagavān bhaktyekalabhya; bhaktibalei mucio śuci:—

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (11.14.20-21)—

na sādhayati māṁ yogo/ na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava
na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo/ yathā bhaktir mamorjitā

Translation: “[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, said:] ‘My dear Uddhava, neither through aṣṭāṅga-yoga [the mystic yoga system to control the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyāsa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me.

Purport: This and the following verse are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20-21). The explanation for this verse is given in Ādi-līlā 17.76.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.138

bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ
śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām
bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā
śva-pākān api sambhavāt

Translation: “‘Being very dear to the devotees and sādhus, I am attained through unflinching faith and devotional service. This bhakti-yoga system, which gradually increases attachment for Me, purifies even a human being born among dog-eaters. That is to say, everyone can be elevated to the spiritual platform by the process of bhakti-yoga.’

Jayapatākā Swami: So, bhakti-yoga can actually deliver us to the real position of kṛṣṇa-prema, other processes are not successful in this regard. they are considered as simply disturbances and we should perform devotional service as the only recommended process.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.139

sarva-śāstre kṛṣṇa-prāptira sādhana-‘bhaktirai’abhidheyatva gīta —

ataeva ‘bhakti’—kṛṣṇa-prāptyera upāya
‘abhidheya’ bali’ tāre sarva-śāstre gāya

Translation: “The conclusion is that devotional service is the only means for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This system is therefore called abhidheya. This is the verdict of all revealed scriptures.

Purport: As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55).

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram

“One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.”

The aim of life is to get rid of the material conditioning and enter into spiritual existence. Although the śāstras prescribe different methods for different men, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that one ultimately must accept the path of devotional service as the assured path of spiritual advancement. Devotional service to the Lord is the only process actually confirmed by the Lord. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (Bg. 18.66). One must become a devotee if one wants to return home, back to Godhead, and become eternally blissful.

Jayapatākā Swami: Although the scriptures advise different processes, that will help people to make a little advancement but ultimately to achieve complete success, to achieve the spiritual world one has to take shelter of devotional service.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.140

dṛṣṭānta :—

dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya
sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya

Translation: “When one actually becomes rich, he naturally enjoys all kinds of happiness. When one is actually in a happy mood, all distressful conditions go away by themselves. No extraneous endeavor is needed.

Jayapatākā Swami: When one achieves Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then one achieves everything, all the problems are solved and one becomes totally happy so we should simply try be become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.141

sambandha-yukta sevā-phale kṛṣṇa-prīti-vṛddhi, tatsaṅge- saṅga mukti vā anartha-nivṛtti —

taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya
preme kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa pāya

Translation: “Similarly, as a result of bhakti, one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakens. When one is so situated that he can taste the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa, material existence, the repetition of birth and death, comes to an end.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by Kṛṣṇa bhakti the dormant love of Kṛṣṇa which is in everyone’s heart awakens and one is naturally freed from material existence.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.142

kṛṣṇa-prīti-mūlā sevāra mukhyaphala— kṛṣṇa-premānanda-lābha, gauṇaphala—vaimukhya-nivṛtti o mukti—

dāridrya-nāśa, bhava-kṣaya,—premera ‘phala’ naya
prema-sukha-bhoga—mukhya prayojana haya

Translation: “The goal of love of Godhead is not to become materially rich or free from material bondage. The real goal is to be situated in devotional service to the Lord and to enjoy transcendental bliss.

Jayapatākā Swami: One may think that by bhakti that they should become materially rich, they should be free of fear but the real result to get transcendental bliss and be always with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Purport: The results of devotional service are certainly not material benefits or liberation from material bondage. The goal of devotional service is to be eternally situated in the loving service of the Lord and to enjoy spiritual bliss from that service. One is said to be in a poverty-stricken condition when one forgets the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One has to end such a life of poverty in order to automatically end the miserable conditions of material existence. One is automatically liberated from material enjoyment when one tastes the service of Kṛṣṇa. One does not have to endeavor separately for opulence. Opulence automatically comes to the pure devotee, even though he does not desire material happiness.

Jayapatākā Swami: The pure devotees only desires to serve Kṛṣṇa but Kṛṣṇa may give all kinds of opulence that whatever Kṛṣṇa wants but the devotees is fixed on his duty, only to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.143

vede kṛṣṇa—sambandha, bhakti—abhidheya, prema—prayojana —

veda-śāstre kahe sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana
kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, prema,—tina mahā-dhana

Translation: “In the Vedic literatures, Kṛṣṇa is the central point of attraction, and His service is our activity. To attain the platform of love of Kṛṣṇa is life’s ultimate goal. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’s service and love of Kṛṣṇa are the three great riches of life.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, our real sambandha is relationship with Kṛṣṇa, acting in that relationship the devotional service is abhidheya and the result of doing devotional service awakens the dormant love of kṛṣṇa-prema, and that is the goal of life.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, The Parable to Explain Sambandha, Abhidheya, Prayojana 
Under the section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth