20221204 Pradyumna Miśra is Sent Again by Lord Caitanya to Hear Kṛṣṇa-Kathā from Rāmānanda Rāya

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on December 04th,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! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Today's chapter is entitled as:

Pradyumna Miśra is Sent Again by Lord Caitanya to Hear Kṛṣṇa-Kathā from Rāmānanda Rāya
Under the section: How Pradyumna Miśra Received Instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.27

bhṛtyera mukhe miśrāgamana-śravaṇe mānada rāyera sabhāgṛhe āgamanaḥ—

miśrera āgamana rāye sevaka kahilā
śīghra rāmānanda tabe sabhāte āilā

Translation: When the servant informed Rāmānanda Rāya of Pradyumna Miśra’s arrival, Rāmānanda Rāya immediately went to the assembly room.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.28

amānī o mānada rāyera miśrake yathocita abhinandana o dainya-jñāpanaḥ—

miśrere namaskāra kare sammāna kariyā
nivedana kare kichu vinīta hañā

Translation: He offered his obeisances to Pradyumna Miśra with all respect and then, with great humility, spoke as follows. 

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.29

“bahu-kṣaṇa āilā, more keha nā kahila
tomāra caraṇe mora aparādha ha-ila

Translation: “Sir, you came here long ago, but no one informed me. Therefore I have certainly become an offender at your lotus feet.

Jayapatākā Swami: Rāmānanda Rāya being very humble is offering his apologies at the lotus feet of Pradyumna Miśra

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.30

tomāra āgamane mora pavitra haila ghara
ājñā kara, kyā karoṅ tomāra kiṅkara”

Translation: “My entire home has been purified by your arrival. Kindly order me. What can I do for you? I am your servant.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.31

miśrera savinaye pratyuttara-dānaḥ—

miśra kahe,—“tomā dekhite haila āgamane
āpanā pavitra kailuṅ tomāra daraśane”

Translation: Pradyumna Miśra replied, “I came simply to see you. Now I have purified myself by seeing Your Honor.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Pradyumna Miśra he replied to Rāmānanda Rāya also in great humility that he had just come to see him. But actually one should hear a devotee, by hearing a devotee one can actually understand the Absolute Truth.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.32

asamaya dekhiyā seidina miśrera gṛhe pratyāgamanaḥ—

atikāla dekhi’ miśra kichu nā kahila
vidāya ha-iyā miśra nija-ghara gela

Translation: Because Pradyumna Miśra saw that it was late, he did not say anything else to Rāmānanda Rāya. Instead, he took leave of him and returned to his own home.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since it was very late, Pradyumna Miśra did not want to disturb Rāmānanda Rāya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.33

anyadivasa miśrake prabhu rāyasamīpe kṛṣṇa-kathā-lābha-jijñāsāḥ—

āra dina miśra āila prabhu-vidyamāne
prabhu kahe,—‘kṛṣṇa-kathā śunilā rāya-sthāne’?

Translation: The next day, when Pradyumna Miśra arrived in the presence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord inquired, “Have you heard talks about Kṛṣṇa from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya?”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was following up whether Pradyumna Miśra had heard from Rāmānanda Rāya, topics about Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.34

prabhusamīpe miśrera śrī-rāya vṛttānta-varṇanaḥ—

tabe miśra rāmānandera vṛttānta kahilā
śuni’ mahāprabhu tabe kahite lāgilā

Translation: Pradyumna Miśra thereupon described the activities of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. After hearing about these activities, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to speak.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.35-36

amāni-dharmera ādarśa-śikṣaka bhagavānera sadainye āpanā apekṣā sva-bhaktera adhikatara kṛṣṇānurāga-māhātmya-kīrtanaḥ—

“āmi ta’ sannyāsī, āpanāre virakta kari’ māni
darśana rahu dūre, ’prakṛtira’ nāma yadi śuni

tabahiṅ vikāra pāya mora tanu-mana
prakṛti-darśane sthira haya kon jana?”

Translation: “I am a sannyāsī,” He said, “and I certainly consider Myself renounced. But what to speak of seeing a woman, if I even hear the name of a woman, I feel changes in My mind and body. Therefore who could remain unmoved by the sight of a woman? It is very difficult.

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually Lord Caitanya is revealing how great Rāmānanda Rāya is!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.37

indriyasukha-lālasā o yoṣiddarśana-pravṛttihīna virakta vidvatsannyāsi-śiromaṇi adhokṣaja-draṣṭā mahā-bhāgavata ātmārāma śrī-rāmānanda-gosvāmīra carita-varṇanaḥ—

rāmānanda rāyera kathā śuna, sarva-jana
kahibāra kathā nahe, yāhā āścarya-kathana

Translation: “Everyone please hear these topics about Rāmānanda Rāya, although they are so wonderful and uncommon that they should not be spoken.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.38

eke deva-dāsī, āra sundarī taruṇī
tāra saba aṅga-sevā karena āpani

Translation: “The two professional dancing girls are beautiful and youthful, yet Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya personally massages their entire bodies with oil.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.39

snānādi karāya, parāya vāsa-vibhūṣaṇa
guhya aṅgera haya tāhā darśana-sparśana

Translation: “He personally bathes and dresses them and decorates them with ornaments. In this way, he naturally sees and touches the private parts of their bodies.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.40

tabu nirvikāra rāya-rāmānandera mana
nānā-bhāvodgāra tāre karāya śikṣaṇa

Translation: “Nevertheless, the mind of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya never changes, although he teaches the girls how to physically express all the transformations of ecstasy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya is describing how Rāmānanda Rāya’s mind is not affected, even though Lord Caitanya said that his mind would be affected, but Rāmānanda Rāya’s mind is not affected.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.41

nirvikāra deha-mana—kāṣṭha-pāṣāṇa-sama!
āścarya,—taruṇī-sparśe nirvikāra mana

Translation: “His mind is as steady as wood or stone. Indeed, it is wonderful that even when he touches such young girls, his mind never changes.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is describing the wonderful qualities of Rāmānanda Rāya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.42

phalera dvārā kāraṇānumāna; guṇātīta śuddha-sattva cidvastura prākṛta guṇa-sparśa-rāhityahetu rāmānanda—aprākṛta cidānanda-tanuḥ—

eka rāmānandera haya ei adhikāra
tāte jāni aprākṛta-deha tāṅhāra

Translation: “The authority for such acts is the prerogative of Rāmānanda Rāya alone, for I can understand that his body is not material but has been completely transformed into a spiritual entity.

Jayapatākā Swami: Rāmānanda Rāya's body is transcendental, this is the siddhānta of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.43

adhokṣaja bhakta-cittavṛtti—akṣajajñānātītāḥ—

tāṅhāra manera bhāva teṅha jāne mātra
tāhā jānibāre āra dvitīya nāhi pātra

Translation: “He alone, and no one else, can understand the position of his mind.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, only Rāmānanda Rāya can understand his transcendental nature, how he is simply dedicated in serving Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.44

amala śabdapramāṇa śrī-bhāgavatera ānugatyei anumānera sārthakatā; śrī-rāyera aprākṛta cittavṛttira hetu-nirddeśarūpa siddhāntaḥ—

kintu śāstra-dṛṣṭye eka kari anumāna
śrī-bhāgavata-śāstra—tāhāte pramāṇa

Translation: “But I can make a guess in terms of directions from the śāstra. The Vedic scripture Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives the direct evidence in this matter.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.45-46

aprākṛta śraddhā vā rāgānugā-bhaktiyājīra kṛṣṇa-līlā-śravana-kīrtana-phale siddhi vā gosvāmitvaḥ—

vraja-vadhū-saṅge kṛṣṇera rāsādi-vilāsa
yei jana kahe, śune kariyā viśvāsa

hṛd-roga-kāma tāṅra tat-kāle haya kṣaya
tina-guṇa-kṣobha nahe, ‘mahā-dhīra’ haya

Translation: “When one hears or describes with great faith the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, such as His rāsa dance with the gopīs, the disease of lusty desires in his heart and the agitation caused by the three modes of material nature are immediately nullified, and he becomes sober and silent.

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments in this connection, “Any person seriously inclined to hear about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance, as mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, with great faith and a transcendental, spiritually inspired mind, is immediately freed from the natural lusty desires found within the heart of a materialistic man.”

When a pure Vaiṣṇava speaks on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and another pure Vaiṣṇava hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from such a realized soul, both of them live in the transcendental world, where the contamination of the modes of material nature cannot touch them. Freed from the contamination of the modes of nature, the speaker and hearer are fixed in a transcendental mentality, knowing that their position on the transcendental platform is to serve the Supreme Lord. The class of men known as prākṛta-sahajiyās, who consider the transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa something like the behavior between a man and a woman in the material field, artificially think that hearing the rāsa-līlā will help them by diminishing the lusty desires of their diseased hearts. But because they do not follow the regulative principles but instead violate even ordinary morals, their contemplation of rāsa-līlā is a futile attempt, which sometimes results in their imitating the dealings of the gopīs and Lord Kṛṣṇa. To forbid such habits of the prākṛta-sahajiyās, *repetition*, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has excluded their material intelligence by using the word viśvāsa (“faith”).

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.30), Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī says:

“Certainly one who is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead should never, even within his mind, imitate the activities of the transcendental rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. If out of ignorance one does so, he will be destroyed, just as if he were to imitate Lord Śiva, who drank poison produced from the ocean.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His activities are totally transcendental, and He has nothing to do with the material activities. If one thinks that Kṛṣṇa's activities are material and if one imitates or thinks, thinking that he can do what Kṛṣṇa does then he will destroy himself.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.47

ānande kṛṣṇa-mādhurye vihare sadāya

Translation: “Tasting transcendental, effulgent, sweetly ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, such a person can enjoy life twenty-four hours a day in the transcendental bliss of the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

Jayapatākā Swami: If one awakens their pure love for Kṛṣṇa, they can enjoy Kṛṣṇa's transcendental pastimes twenty-four hours a day.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 5.48

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.33.39)

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ

bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ

Translation: “A transcendentally sober person who, with faith and love, continually hears from a realized soul about the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa in His rāsa dance with the gopīs, or one who describes such activities, can attain full transcendental devotional service at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus lusty material desires, which are the heart disease of all materialistic persons, are for him quickly and completely vanquished.’

Purport: All the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa are transcendental, and the gopīs are also transcendentally situated. Therefore the activities of the gopīs and Lord Kṛṣṇa, if seriously understood, will certainly free one from material attachment. Then there is no possibility that lusty material desires will awaken.

Jayapatākā Swami: The gopīs want the pleasure of Lord Kṛṣṇa that is why they have pure love. In the material life people want their own sense pleasure, this is termed as lusty desires. So, one needs to transcend material lust and achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa.