20221122 Lord Caitanya forbids Sanātana Gosvāmī to commit suicide

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 22nd, 2022 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:

Lord Caitanya forbids Sanātana Gosvāmī to commit suicide
Under the section: Sanātana Gosvāmī Visits the Lord at Jagannātha Purī

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.54

ekadina antaryāmī prabhura prakāśye sanātanera pūrvasaṅkalpa-jñāpanaḥ—

eka-dina āsi’ prabhu duṅhāre mililā
sanātane ācambite kahite lāgilā

Translation: One day when the Lord came to meet them, He suddenly began speaking to Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.55

sanātanake upalakṣya kariyā manodharma-cālita anarthayukta sādhakake prabhura śikṣādāna; phalgu-jñāna o vairāgya kṛṣṇa prāptira upāya naheḥ—

“sanātana, deha-tyāge kṛṣṇa yadi pāiye
koṭi-deha kṣaṇeke tabe chāḍite pāriye

Translation: “My dear Sanātana,” He said, “if I could attain Kṛṣṇa by committing suicide, I would certainly give up millions of bodies without a moment’s hesitation.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this demonstrates how committing suicide is not one of the processes allowed in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Some mass suicides are performed by others, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness this is not allowed.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.56

yukta-vairāgyasaha śuddha-bhaktii kṛṣṇaprāptira upāya, anyakichu naheḥ—

deha-tyāge kṛṣṇa nā paī, pāiye bhajane
kṛṣṇa-prāptyera upāya kona nāhi ‘bhakti’ vine

Translation: “You should know that one cannot attain Kṛṣṇa simply by giving up the body. Kṛṣṇa is attainable by devotional service. There is no other means for attaining Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the only means to attain Lord Kṛṣṇa is by performing pure devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.57

aprākṛta viśuddhasattvamayī bhaktitei kṛṣṇādhiṣṭhāna, prākṛta guṇamayī karma-jñāna-ceṣṭāya kṛṣṇaprāptira abhāvaḥ—

deha-tyāgādi yata, saba—tamo-dharma
tamo-rajo-dharme kṛṣṇera nā pāiye marma

Translation: “Acts such as suicide are influenced by the mode of ignorance, and in ignorance and passion one cannot understand who Kṛṣṇa is.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa is only understandable by pure goodness and one can achieve pure goodness by rendering pure devotion.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.58

kṛṣṇa-bhaktii kṛṣṇa-premaprāptira ekamātra upāyaḥ—

‘bhakti’ vinā kṛṣṇe kabhu nahe ‘premodaya’
prema vinā kṛṣṇa-prāpti anya haite naya

Translation: “Unless one discharges devotional service, one cannot awaken one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, and there is no means for attaining Him other than awakening that dormant love.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, hearing, chanting and rendering nine processes of devotional service is the way to awaken our dormant love of Kṛṣṇa and that is the way to attain Kṛṣṇa, no other shortcut is there.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.59

śrīmad-bhāgavate (11/14/20)—

Translation: “[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, said:] ‘My dear Uddhava, neither through aṣṭāṅga-yoga [the mystic yoga system for controlling 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 verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, all the other process mentioned in this verse cannot reveal Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness or devotional service can one awaken their dormant love for Kṛṣṇa which is the only way to attain Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.60

manodharmī sādhakera bhedabuddhimūlaka phalgu-tyāga o jñānaceṣṭā— jaḍendriya-tṛptimayī, kṛṣṇa-prīti-tātparyamayī nahe baliyā taddvārā kṛṣṇa-prāpti asambhavaḥ—

deha-tyāgādi tamo-dharma—pātaka-kāraṇa
sādhaka nā pāya tāte kṛṣṇera caraṇa

Translation: “Measures like suicide are causes for sin. A devotee never achieves shelter at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet by such actions.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, committing suicide is a kind of sinful act. By such acts one cannot achieve shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So therefore, one is told to awaken one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa by engaging in devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.61

siddha anurāgī bhaktera gāḍha-vipralambhajanita dehatyāgecchā— sampūrṇa kṛṣṇecchā-cālitā o kṛṣṇa-prīticeṣṭāmayī, tāhātei tāṅhāra kṛṣṇaprāptiḥ—

premī bhakta viyoge cāhe deha chāḍite
preme kṛṣṇa mile, seha nā pāre marite

Translation: “Because of feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa, an exalted devotee sometimes wants to give up his life. By such ecstatic love, however, one attains the audience of Kṛṣṇa, and at that time he cannot give up his body.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here Lord Caitanya is revealing how one may feel such separation from Kṛṣṇa, that he wants to do something to attain Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself and the devotee doesn’t want to quit his body.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.62

gāḍhānurāgera viyoga nā yāya sahana
tāte anurāgī vāñche āpana maraṇa

Translation: “One who is deeply in love with Kṛṣṇa cannot tolerate separation from the Lord. Therefore such a devotee always desires his own death.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this reveals a very intense, exalted feeling of separation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.63

vāsudevera prati rukmiṇīra anurāga-nivedanaḥ—

Translation: “O lotus-eyed one, great personalities like Lord Śiva desire to bathe in the dust of Your lotus feet to drive away ignorance. If I do not get the mercy of Your Lordship, I shall observe vows to reduce the duration of my life, and thus I shall give up bodies for hundreds of births if it is possible to get Your mercy in that way.’

Purport: This verse was spoken by Rukmiṇīdevī in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.52.43). Rukmiṇīdevī, the daughter of King Bhīṣmaka, had heard about Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental attributes, and thus she desired to get Kṛṣṇa as her husband. Unfortunately, her elder brother Rukmī was envious of Kṛṣṇa and therefore wanted her to be offered to Śiśupāla. When Rukmiṇī became aware of this, she was greatly aggrieved. Thus she wrote Kṛṣṇa a confidential letter, which was presented and read to Him by a brāhmaṇa messenger. This verse appeared in that letter.

Jayapatākā Swami: A pure devotee desires Kṛṣṇa, and everything else in undesirable.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.64

śrī-kṛṣṇera prati rāsotsukā gopīgaṇera anurāga-nivedanaḥ—

śrīmad-bhāgavate (10/29/35)—

Translation: “O dear Kṛṣṇa, by Your smiling glances and melodious talk, You have awakened a fire of lusty desire in our hearts. Now You should extinguish that fire with a stream of nectar from Your lips by kissing us. Kindly do this. Otherwise, dear friend, the fire within our hearts will burn our bodies to ashes because of separation from You. Thus by meditation we shall claim shelter at Your lotus feet.”

Purport: This verse (Bhāg. 10.29.35) was spoken by the gopīs when they were attracted by the vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute in the moonlight of autumn. All of them, being maddened, came to Kṛṣṇa, but to increase their ecstatic love, Kṛṣṇa gave them moral instructions to return home. The gopīs did not care for these instructions. They wanted to be kissed by Kṛṣṇa, for they had come there with lusty desires to dance with Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead He has attraction for His female counterparts and He is fully spiritual and the gopīs are fully spiritual. So their attraction for each other is something which is pure love, which is transcendental. The material, perverted reflection of that is a young man attracted to a young woman and vice versa. But they are not the body, in this life they may be of a particular gender, and in their next life they may be of another gender. So it is not a kind of pure devotion they want their own senses to be satisfied. While the gopīs want simply to please Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.65

sanātanake upalakṣya kariyā prabhura anarthayukta sādhakake nirantara hari-bhajana-śikṣā-dānaḥ—

kubuddhi chāḍiyā kara śravaṇa-kīrtana
acirāt pābe tabe kṛṣṇera caraṇa

Translation: Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Sanātana Gosvāmī, “Give up all your nonsensical desires, for they are unfavorable for getting shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Engage yourself in chanting and hearing. Then you will soon achieve the shelter of Kṛṣṇa without a doubt.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, although Sanātana Gosvāmī didn’t reveal his mind to Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya as Supersoul He understood what Sanātana Gosvāmī was thinking. He told Sanātana Gosvāmī to give up his idea and instead to engage in devotional service. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.66

yoṣitsaṅgaja śaukra ābhijātyavāda-nirāsa; kṛṣṇa-bhajane yogyatā-nirddeśa; śuddha-bhaktai guru vā mahattamaḥ—

nīca-jāti nahe kṛṣṇa-bhajane ayogya
sat-kula-vipra nahe bhajanera yogya

Translation: “A person born in a low family is not unfit for discharging devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor is one fit for devotional service simply because he is born in an aristocratic family of brāhmaṇas.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this was taught by His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda that it was not important what one’s varna was at the time of rendering devotional service. Rather by rendering devotional service one becomes fit for achieving the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.67

yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta—hīna, chāra
kṛṣṇa-bhajane nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra

Translation: “Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a non devotee is always condemned and abominable. Therefore, in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one’s family.

Jayapatākā Swami: Anyone can achieve Kṛṣṇa by rendering pure devotional service and there is no consideration of caste or family situations or any material designation Simply one has to render devotional service, that is the real qualification.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.68

prākṛta janma, aiśvarya, śruta o śrī prabhṛti duḥsaṅga tyāgapūrvaka kṛṣṇe sarvasva-samarpaṇakārī ekānta śaraṇāgaterai bhagavatkṛpālābhe yogyatāḥ—

dīnere adhika dayā kare bhagavān
kulīna, paṇḍita, dhanīra baḍa abhimāna

Translation: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is always favorable to the humble and meek, but aristocrats, learned scholars and the wealthy are always proud of their positions.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.69

śrīmad-bhāgavate (7/9/10)

Translation: “One may be born in a brāhmaṇa family and have all twelve brahminical qualities, but if in spite of being thus qualified he is not devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a navel shaped like a lotus, he is not as good as a caṇḍāla who has dedicated his mind, words, activities, wealth and life to the service of the Lord. Simply to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family or to have brahminical qualities is not sufficient. One must be a pure devotee of the Lord. Thus if a śva-paca, or caṇḍāla, is a devotee, he delivers not only himself but his entire family as well, whereas a brāhmaṇa who is not a devotee but simply has brahminical qualifications cannot even purify himself, what to speak of his family.’

Purport: This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.10).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that in India, he did not know what a dog-eater, but travelling around the world he met many dog-eaters. But their children became devotees and also they stopped eating dogs, they were pure Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīla Prabhupāda was mentioning how by rendering pure devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa they get purified.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.70

abhidheya haitei sambandha o prayojana-lābhaḥ—

bhajanera madhye śreṣṭha nava-vidhā bhakti
‘kṛṣṇa-prema’, ‘kṛṣṇa’ dite dhare mahā-śakti

Translation: “Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine prescribed methods are the best, for these processes have great potency to deliver Kṛṣṇa and ecstatic love for Him.

Purport: The nine kinds of devotional service are mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23):

These nine are hearing, chanting, remembering Kṛṣṇa, offering service to Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, working as a servant, making friendship with Kṛṣṇa and unreservedly surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. These nine processes of devotional service can grant one Kṛṣṇa and ecstatic love for Him.

In the beginning one has to discharge devotional service according to regulative principles, but gradually, as devotional service becomes one’s life and soul, one achieves the most exalted position of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. Ultimately, Kṛṣṇa is the goal of life. One need not have taken birth in an aristocratic brāhmaṇa family to attain the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, nor is a person born in a low family unfit for achieving Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.33.7) Devahūti says to Kapiladeva:

“O my Lord, even a person born in a low family of dog-eaters is glorious if he always chants the holy name of the Lord. Such a person has already performed all types of austerities, penances and Vedic sacrifices, has already bathed in the sacred rivers, and has also studied all the Vedic literature. Thus he has become an exalted personality.”

Similarly, Kuntīdevī says to Lord Kṛṣṇa:

“A person who is proud of his birth, opulence, knowledge and beauty cannot achieve Your lotus feet. You are available only to the humble and meek, not to the proud.” (Bhāg. 1.8.26.)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, by being humble and meek one can achieve the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. If one is proud of any material assets, their birth, beauty, knowledge, whatever these are actually disqualifications. We should be humble and meek and surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, So, in Navadvīpa there are nine islands, these are connected to the nine processes of devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.71

daśāparādha-śūnya haiyā nirantara aviśrānta kṛṣṇa-kīrttana-phalei kṛṣṇa-prema-prāptiḥ—

tāra madhye sarva-śreṣṭha nāma-saṅkīrtana
niraparādhe nāma laile pāya prema-dhana

Translation: “Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.”

Purport: Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu gives the following directions in his Bhakti-sandarbha (270):

“Chanting the holy name is the chief means of attaining love of Godhead. This chanting or devotional service does not depend on any paraphernalia, nor on one’s having taken birth in a good family. By humility and meekness one attracts the attention of Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of all the Vedas. Therefore if one becomes very humble and meek, he can easily attain the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in this Age of Kali. That is the fulfillment of all great sacrifices, penances and austerities because when one achieves ecstatic love of Godhead, he attains the complete perfection of life. Therefore whatever one does in executing devotional service must be accompanied by the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.”

The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare — has been praised by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Nāmāṣṭaka (verse 1):

“O Hari-nāma! The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshiped by the glowing radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upaniṣads, the crown jewels of all the Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated souls such as Nārada and Śukadeva. O Hari-nāma! I take complete shelter of You.”

Similarly, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has praised the chanting of the holy name as follows in his Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (part one, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 14. One, verse 9):

“All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure.”

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.11) Śukadeva Gosvāmī says:

“O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.”

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.22) Yamarāja says:

“Devotional service, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the ultimate religious principle for the living entity in human society.”

Similarly, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said in His Śikṣāṣṭaka (3):

tṛṇād api su-nīcena
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā māna-dena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”

Regarding the ten offenses in chanting the holy name, one may refer to Ādi-līlā, Chapter eight, verse 24.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see that anyone who chants the holy name he or she can get purified and that is the essence of all religious principles.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.72

prabhura abhiprāyānusāre sanātanera phalgu dehatyāgecchā-parityāga-rūpa līlābhinayadvārā jīvaśikṣā-dānaḥ—

eta śuni’ sanātanera haila camatkāra
prabhure nā bhāya mora maraṇa-vicāra

Translation: After hearing this, Sanātana Gosvāmī was exceedingly astonished. He could understand, “My decision to commit suicide has not been greatly appreciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, although Sanātana Gosvāmī did not reveal his mind, Lord Caitanya understood that he wanted to commit suicide, and He is giving various arguments why this will not succeed in getting him Kṛṣṇa’s shelter and how He did nor approve of this.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.73

sarvajña mahāprabhu niṣedhilā more
prabhura caraṇa dhari’ kahena tāṅhāre

Translation: Sanātana Gosvāmī concluded, “Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who knows everything — past, present and future — has forbidden me to commit suicide.” He then fell down, touching the lotus feet of the Lord, and spoke to Him as follows.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.74

niṣkiñcana vaiṣṇavācārya sanātanera dainyokti, prabhustuti o svīya daihika karttavya-jijñāsāḥ—

“sarvajña, kṛpālu tumi īśvara svatantra
yaiche nācāo, taiche nāci,—yena kāṣṭha-yantra

Translation: “My Lord, You are the omniscient, merciful, independent Supreme Lord. Exactly like an instrument of wood, I dance as You make me do so.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Sanātana Gosvāmī was declaring his complete surrender to the will of Lord Caitanya and how he recognized Lord Caitanya as the knower of past, present and future.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 4.75

nīca, adhama, pāmara muñi pāmara-svabhāva
more jiyāile tomāra kibā habe lābha?”

Translation: “I am lowborn. Indeed, I am the lowest. I am condemned, for I have all the characteristics of a sinful man. If You keep me alive, what will be the profit?”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in his humility Sanātana Gosvāmī is making this request to Lord Caitanya, and so we will see what will be His instructions in the next chapter.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Lord Caitanya forbids Sanātana Gosvāmī to commit suicide Under the section: Sanātana Gosvāmī Visits the Lord at Jagannātha Purī

Hari bol! Gaurāṅga!