20230702 Sunday Feast Address

The following is a Sunday feast address given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 2nd,2023 in Chennai, 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!

Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa! All glories to Nitāi-Gaura, Rādhā Kṛṣṇa and Jagannātha Baladeva Subhadrā and Sudarśana cakra! Who are Nitāi-Gaura? In Dvārakā, Rukmiṇī was discussing with Lord Kṛṣṇa. Rukmiṇī said to Kṛṣṇa, “You know everything! You know what Lord Brahmā is doing in Satyaloka. You know what Lord Śiva is doing in Kailāsa. You know what is going on in the ananta-koṭi-brahmāṇaḍa. But there is one thing that You don’t know. I know,” said Rukmiṇī, “Rādhārāṇī knows, but You don’t know.” Kṛṣṇa, He was amazed, no one had told Him that there was something He did not know! So He asked, “What is that?” And Rukmiṇī said, “You don’t have anyone above You. Therefore, I know something, Rādhārāṇī knows something, but You don’t know!” Then He asked, “What is that?” Then she said, “You don’t know how much Your devotees love You! You don’t know in what way We love You.” So the only way that one can know that is by being a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So then, Kṛṣṇa replied then, “I will come as My devotee in Kali-yuga. I WILL COME AS MY DEVOTEE IN KALI-YUGA! I WILL COME AS MY DEVOTEE!” GAURĀṄGA! GAURĀṄGA! GAURĀṄGA!

So Lord Kṛṣṇa came as Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He is His devotee. He took the heart and mood of Rādhārāṇī. He started the saṅkīrtana movement in Bengal. After 24 years of householder life, He took sannyāsa and He went to Jagannātha Purī. And to research this essence of kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Every year, the Bengali devotees would come down to Jagannātha Purī to participate in the Ratha-yātrā and to remain with Lord Caitanya for the four months of the rainy season. Then He called Lord Nityānanda and together They were discussing. You see, Lord Caitanya is Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa combined. Balarāma haila nitāi – Nitāi is Balarāma! Just like we have here, Lord Jagannātha and Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. So Lord Caitanya told Nitāi that, “We come down from the spiritual world and We promised that in this avatāra, We would deliver people who don’t normally get delivered. We will deliver four kinds of people. foolish; the nīcas, the lowborn; the patitas, the people who break the regulative principles; and the duḥkhī, the distressed. Normally, in the avatāras the Lord delivers the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, but now He stated that We will deliver all the people. Do you know anyone who thinks they are the body, they are foolish? Who is born in a family with spiritual culture but not very prominent? Someone who breaks the regulative principles, eats meat, takes intoxication, things like that? Anyone who is distressed by material life? So these are the people, the special people that Lord Caitanya would deliver. Of course, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, anyway they get delivered. So, Lord Caitanya told Lord Nityānanda that We started the preaching in Bengal, I came, You should go back and take up the work. You see Nitāi Gaura, by Their mercy we get the worship of Rādhā Kṛṣṇa, Lalitā, Viśākhā. By Nitāi-Gaura’s mercy we also get the worship of Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā and Sudarśana cakra. So Lord Nityānanda, with about forty devotees, He came to Pānihāṭi, He preached in Ādi-saptagrāma, where there were many businessmen, vaiśyas, gold dealers, they were also there. They are not usually very spiritual. But He got all of them to chant saṅkīrtana and there He awarded them kṛṣṇa-prema! Eventually, He went back to Navadvīpa and Mother Śacī was very happy to see Him! And so, she requested Him, please stay for some time in Navadvīpa. So, everyday Lord Nityānanda would go out and do Harināma saṅkīrtana.

Lord Caitanya, because He took sannyāsa He was very austere. But He told Lord Nityānanda to remain opulent. Lord Nityānanda had diamond earrings! And arm bands with gold and gems. All His fingers had rings with gems. Around His neck, apart from tulasī, there was also a pearl necklace. He had also silver ankle bells. So that you would read the books! Purify your heart! And I heard that here for the pleasure and following Nitāi-Gaura they are having saṅkīrtana-yajña. Haribol! During Poṅgal, they are doing the Harināma saṅkīrtana. So usually you do Ratha-yātrā then, but now you are doing Ratha-yātrā at the same time as in Purī. So it is very nice that you are doing kīrtana during Poṅgal time. Lord Nityānanda is very humorous. And He would use different techniques to give out mercy! The dacoits are rough people. So they played hard cricket with them. Hard ball, hard cricket! You know hard ball? Hard ball means it goes over your head! That is an American slang! But Jagāi and Mādhāi, Lord Nityānanda was hit on the head but He pleaded to Lord Caitanya to please forgive them.

So anyway, it is time for your prasāda, so I don’t want to talk too long! Just remember, Nitāi-Gaura are mercy avatāras!