20240818 Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta 1.7. The Ultimate Goal of Life

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

First Shower — Seventh Stream

Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa! Does the microphone work?

Symptoms of Bhāva

The following symptoms are observed at the time when bhāva arises in the heart of the sādhaka. The Lord said:

ei nava prīty-aṅkura yāṅra citte haya

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.33

kvacid rudanty acyuta-cintayā kvacid
dhasanti nandanti vadanty alaukikāḥ
nṛtyanti gāyanty anuśīlayanty ajaṁ
bhavanti tūṣṇīṁ param etya nirvṛtāḥ

“Having achieved love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes weep loudly, absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure, speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing. Such devotees, having transcended material, conditioned life, sometimes imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And sometimes, achieving His personal audience, they remain peaceful and silent.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So when Lord Caitanya told Nitāi to go back to Bengal and preach there, He said, Lord Caitanya should give Him some devotees. That, He cannot go without any staff. So, Lord Caitanya then gave some devotees to Lord Nityānanda. Usually, it takes a month or so to go between Bengal and Jagannātha Purī. But His team acted out different pastimes of Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa and as a result, they went off the road! The road was straight; they went zig zag! So it took them three months. Normally, it takes one month. So they were completely ecstatic in acting out Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. So, devotees who are absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, they forget everything! So they would go off the road, and then some villagers would say, “What are you doing? Where are you going?” They would say, “No, we are going to Bengal.” The villagers would say, “The road is back there!” So devotees, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness around the world, they also feel bliss. So this thing that Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is writing about is something very practical.

prākṛta-kṣobhe tāṅra kṣobha nāhi haya
kṛṣṇa-sambandha vinā kāla vyartha nāhi yāya
bhukti, siddhi, indriyārtha tāre nāhi bhāya

‘sarvottama’ āpanāke ‘hīna’ kari māne
‘kṛṣṇa kṛpā karibena’ — dṛḍha kari’ jāne

samutkaṇṭhā haya sadā lālasā-pradhāna
nāma-gāne sadā ruci, laya kṛṣṇa-nāma

kṛṣṇa-guṇākhyāne haya sarvadā āsakti
kṛṣṇa-līlā-sthāne kare sarvadā vasati

“If love for Kṛṣṇa in a seedling state has fructified in one’s heart, one is not agitated by material things. Not a moment should be lost. Every moment should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa or connected with Him. In the material field, people are interested in material enjoyment, mystic power and sense gratification. But these things do not appeal to the devotee at all. Although a pure devotee’s standard is above all, he still considers himself to be in the lowest stage of life. A fully surrendered devotee always hopes that Lord Kṛṣṇa will be kind to him. This hope is very firm in him.”

TEXT: This eagerness is chiefly characterized by an ardent desire to associate with the Lord. Due to having great relish for the holy name, one is inclined to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra constantly. At this stage of bhāva, a devotee has awakened the tendency to chant and describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord. He has attachment for this process. A devotee absorbed in ecstatic emotion for Kṛṣṇa always resides in a place where Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes were performed.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one who tastes these emotions in Kṛṣṇa consciousness loses attraction for the material happiness. He only wants to enjoy Kṛṣṇa consciousness and so this experience is relished by the devotees. This is a very rare thing! But Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, They gave it out freely! So devotees can experience these symptoms of bhāva, and other things seem insignificant.

Symptoms of love

TEXT: If we discuss the fifth shower, we will get a special explanation of all these instructions of the Lord. The symptoms of love are very difficult. Therefore, the instruction of the Lord in this regard is that:―

kṛṣṇe ‘ratira’ cihna ei kailuṅ vivaraṇa
‘kṛṣṇa-premera’ cihna ebe śuna sanātana

yāṅra citte kṛṣṇa-premā karaye udaya
tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya

TEXT: These are the symptoms of a person who has developed attraction [bhāva] for Kṛṣṇa. Now let Me describe the symptoms of a person who is actually elevated to love of Kṛṣṇa. O Sanātana, please hear this from Me. Even the most learned man cannot understand the words, activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of Godhead. (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 23.28-39)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, someone who has gone from bhāva to prema, he cannot be understood. His activities are completely different and since others are not having that experience, they cannot understand what he is doing.

So today is Jhulana-yātrā. Tomorrow is Balarāma appearance day. Devotees they love Lord Caitanya, they love Nitāi and they don’t know what someone in prema is experiencing. How many of you would like to have kṛṣṇa-prema? Haribol!

TEXT: Prema is of four different types – śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhura. Among all, mādhurya-prema and mādhurya-rasa is the best. The sweetness of Kṛṣṇa has attained the ultimate limit in mādhurya-rasa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So in mādhurya-rasa, Kṛṣṇa, His beauty, His activities are appreciated. Actually, He told the gopīs that He cannot repay them. That their love is so great that often He cannot reciprocate. So Kṛṣṇa, He was enjoying the vraja-prema, and that prema was something that Kṛṣṇa could find nothing greater! He thought that I enjoy so much but the conditioned souls, for a long time, I haven’t given them. What is the use of having the material world manifested, if they cannot get the vraja-prema! I will incarnate as a devotee and give out this vraja-prema! Haribol!

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.14–15

nṛṇāṁ niḥśreyasārthāya
vyaktir bhagavato nṛpa
avyayasyāprameyasya
nirguṇasya guṇātmanaḥ

kāmaṁ krodhaṁ bhayaṁ sneham
aikyaṁ sauhṛdam eva ca
nityaṁ harau vidadhato
yānti tan-mayatāṁ hi te

“O King, the Supreme Lord is inexhaustible and immeasurable, and He is untouched by the material modes because He is their controller. His personal appearance in this world is meant for bestowing the highest benefit on humanity. Persons who constantly direct their lust, anger, fear, protective affection, feeling of impersonal oneness or friendship toward Lord Hari are sure to become absorbed in thought of Him.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So the ācāryas rather than keeping all these verses of love to themselves, they want to distribute it! So we are all part of Lord Caitanya’s army to distribute this transcendental bliss. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Kṛṣṇe matir astu! Koṭi koṭi bāra!

So we are very happy you came to Māyāpur (to devotees who have come from UK, Mexico, Middle East, Canada) Su-svāgatam!