CONTENTS:
- TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIMES OF SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU CONTINUES
- SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
- GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
1. TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIMES OF SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU CONTINUES
SARANAGATI
This is the first song of Saranagati by Bhaktivinoda Thakura. What is the meaning of the word Saranagati? Surrender and surrender is a process. Bhaktivinoda Thakura is explaining the process of surrender. Surrender has six limbs, sometimes in Sanskrit the entirety is considered to be the body and different aspects are considered to be the limbs just like I explained yesterday, Srimad Bhagavatam is Krishna Himself and Bhagavatam has how many limbs? How many Cantos? Twelve Cantos are twelve limbs of the Bhagavatam similarly the body of Saranagati has six limbs and those six limbs are humbleness dainya; atma-nivedana, surrender, offering oneself; goptrtvevarana accepting Krishna as the Lord and Master; avasya Raksibe Krsna visvasa Palana to have the implicit faith that Krishna will protect; bhakti-anukulamatra karyera svikara accepting whatever is favourable to Krishna Consciousness and finally rejecting whatever is detrimental to Krishna Consciousness, so how many limbs we got? Six. Saranagati, the process of surrender comprises of these six aspects.
In order to surrender to Krishna what we have to do first? Become humble, can an arrogant person surrender? No. When we become humble then only can we offer ourselves to Krishna. atma-means the self and nivedana means offering of the self. The third aspect is? Why should anyone surrender? Because Krishna is the Lord and Master therefore there is a natural consideration of surrender. Okay, of Krishna is the Lord and Master what will Krishna do? Does the Lord and Master exploit? No. Generally Lord and Master protects so to have that implicit faith that Krishna will protect and then accepting whatever is favourable to Krishna Consciousness and rejecting whatever is detrimental in Krishna Consciousness. To be fixed up what do we need to do? Accept whatever is favourable and reject whatever is unfavourable or detrimental. We will sing it at the end of the session.
NIMAI WAS VERY NAUGHTY
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as a child Nimai was very naughty and his parents used to get quite upset naturally parents become annoyed when children become naughty especially when they do something which is very unpleasant. So, one day Jagannatha Misra invited one Brahmana to his house. In those days Brahmanas used to wander from one place of pilgrimage to another so this was a natural tendency of the Brahmanas because those days especially the Brahmanas were not so interested in the mundane way of life, they generally be more concerned and inclined towards spiritual development and therefore one of the things they would do was just go from one place of pilgrimage to another and they were very strict. They used to travel but they used to cook their own food, these Brahamanas used to not take food even cooked by other Brahmanas and naturally the householder Brahmanas when they used to see such a wandering Brahamana they would invite him to their house. Jagannatha Misra invited one such Brahmana who was travelling from one place of pilgrimage to another place of pilgrimage and as I have said the Brahmana cooked his own food, householder provided all the ingredients and a place for him to cook.
NIMAI STARTED TO EAT THE OFFERING
The Brahmana was a worshipper of BalGopal Krishna as a baby and at that time Nimai was also a baby so when the Brahmana cooked the food and was about to offer it to his saligram deity at that time Nimai came and started to eat that food so the Brahmana was offering with his eyes closed and when he opened his eyes he saw this little child is eating the food that was meant to be offered to Krishna, BalGopal.
So, he cried out, “Oh look this child has spoilt my offering!” Jagannatha Misra came running and saw what happened and was about to beat this little boy Nimai, Nimai was only about 5 years old at the time and the Brahmana stopped him and said, “He is a child, he doesn’t know what he did. By chastising him by beating him won’t help, what kind of lesson will you teach him?” In this way he prevented Jagannatha Misra from chastising Nimai and Jagannatha Misra was naturally very embarrassed, like how would you feel if you invite someone to your house and he is about to eat and your son comes and starts eating his food not only his food but the food that was being offered to the Lord? So, Jagannatha Misra was very embarrassed so the Brahmana said, “It’s alright, sometimes I travel through forest and for days I don’t get anything to eat, I am used to fasting so today Krishna probably does not want me to eat so He did not accept this offering.” Jagannatha Misra begged him and the Brahmana said, “Give me some fruits that will be fine.”
PLEASE COOK AGAIN BRAHMANA
No please cook again and finally the Brahmana agreed so they took Nimai away from the house to a neighbour’s house, those days they used to stay near, Saci Mata took Nimai there and other ladies also went and in the meantime the Brahmana was cooking and these ladies were teasing, “Nimai, you have eaten the food cooked by some Brahmana, who knows what is His caste?” Even amongst Brahmanas there are different castes, a high-class Brahmana will not eat the food cooked by a lower-class Brahmana and this Brahmana no one knew what his caste is. They were saying, “Nimai, you lost your cast you have eaten food cooked by somebody, who knows his caste?” Nimai’s answer was, “Does a cowherd man lose his caste by eating the food cooked by Brahmanas?” They didn’t even understand what he was talking about. Does a cowherd man lose his caste by eating the food of a Brahmana? So, they couldn’t understand why Nimai was speaking like that. Nimai even said, “A cowherd man loves to eat the food cooked by a Brahmana, he makes it a point to get the food cooked by the brahmanas.
“AGAIN, HE SPOILT MY OFFERING!”
The second time when the Brahmana was about to offer again this little boy came to eat and again this Brahman cried out, “Again he spoilt my offering!” Again, Jagannatha Misra was about to beat him up and again the Brahmana stopped him. That’s one thing, Jagannatha Misra as a father would like to chastise his son but somehow or the other something would happen and someone would plead on his behalf and he won’t be chastised. The same thing happened again. Jagannatha Misra asked the Brahmana please cook again and the Brahmana said, “No, it seems that my destiny today, the Lord doesn’t want me to eat.” This is the attitude of a devotee, mundane people will get upset. When something unfavourable happens materialistic attitude is complaining, get angry but a devotee how should a devotee take it? A devotee takes it as the Lord’s mercy, The Lord’s desire. The food didn’t come to me in spite of making all the arrangements therefore I have to understand that the Lord does not want me to eat today. This is the meaning of Krishna Consciousness, seeing things in the light of Krishna. Body consciousness controlling attitude, I want this, I am arranging this therefore this must happen but Krishna Consciousness is Lord wanted this and whatever Krishna arranges is for our benefit and that is a devotee’s attitude. There is a saying in India; whatever Krishna does for you is for your benefit. I will tell you a short anecdote in that respect.
ITS KRISHNA’S DIVINE ARRANGEMENT
A prince while playing with his friends, (they play with weapons and things) so the tip of his little finger got chopped off. The King was very upset so he told the minister what happened to his son and the Minister responded that whatever the Lord does is for our benefit. Whatever the Lord does is for our good. The king became so upset that his son lost his finger and the minister said it as if he was very happy so the king put the minister into prison. One day the prince went hunting and lost his way and got separated from the group and some dacoits came and arrested him, they were looking for somebody to offer to Kali. You remember the story of Jadbharata. They thought he was a very nice offering for Maha Kali. The offering takes place in the depth of the forest in the middle of new moon when there is no moon in the sky. They also have a dacoit Brahmana but he knows the culture and the offering has to be made through the Brahmana.
When the Brahmana who was watching found that this boy was defective, his finger was cut he cannot be offered so the son returned home and told his father what had happened and the father felt very guilty that he kept the minister and immediately went and begged forgiveness and freed him. Apparently, something may not happen according to our desire but we should take it as Krishna’s divine arrangement. Another happening to that effect, somebody missed a flight where the flight was going? From Boston and the day was 9/11, 11 September and that person came late because he had a very important appointment and he was so upset for missing the flight but after some time he got the news that the plane he was supposed to be on went straight into World Trade Centre in New York. Therefore, if you miss the flight or the boat do not lament and get upset even if someday you miss your dinner don’t get upset rather take it as Krishna’s mercy. So, this Brahmana took it that way, Krishna doesn’t want me to eat but then
VISVARUPA APPEALED TO THE BRAHMANA TO COOK AGAIN
Visvarupa came and he walked into the house he was in his early youth and was very handsome and the Brahmana just by seeing him became awestruck, what a beauty he had never seen such beauty. When Visvarupa heard what happened he begged the Brahmana, “Please for our sake cook again.” A householder considers that it is inauspicious if a guest remains hungry in his house so Visvarupa appealed him to make another offering and finally the Brahmana agreed but this time everybody became extremely careful. The other times they dosed off to sleep and being at the next-door neighbour Nimai came out so this time they took Nimai to a house far away and everyone surrounded Nimai, Jagannatha Misra bolted the door from outside and not only that with a stick in his hand he was sitting by the door.
It was quite late as the Brahmana had cooked three times already so it was close to midnight and when he was making the offering again this boy came although he was locked in the house surrounded by everybody including Jagannatha Misra with a stick but they fell asleep and Nimai came and started to eat but this time when the Brahmana was about to shout again, Nimai said, “What kind of person are you? You invite me to come and eat but when I come and eat then you start screaming and shouting and crying.” Nimai showed his eight-armed form, first He showed His form as baby Krishna and then showed Himself with His four arms He was holding lotus, conch, disc and mace and with two hands of a baby He was holding the yogurt rice and eating that and with two hands He was playing His flute. In this way Nimai revealed His identity to the Brahmana as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nimai told the Brahmana not to reveal His identity to anyone and that Brahmana who was always travelling stopped travelling and he settled down in Navadwip and every morning he used to come and have the darshan of baby Nimai. Krishna also played these pastimes with the Brahmanas. Nimai was very very naughty. Thank you very much. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
And Prabhupada mentioned that finally when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sent him to the West, he sent him as a pauper, without any money, without any resources. But all kinds of wonderful things started to happen. So, Srila Prabhupada was not in the limelight, Srila Prabhupada was not even in the forefront when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati was present. But Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur knew who Srila Prabhupada was and what Srila Prabhupada would do.
(Prabhupada Realizations)
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
- When something unfavourable happens materialistic attitude is complaining, get angry but a devotee how should a devotee take it? A devotee takes it as the Lord’s mercy, The Lord’s desire;
- This is the meaning of Krishna Consciousness, seeing things in the light of Krishna. Body consciousness controlling attitude, I want this, I am arranging this therefore this must happen but Krishna Consciousness is Lord wanted this and whatever Krishna arranges is for our benefit and that is a devotee’s attitude;
- Apparently, something may not happen according to our desire but we should take it as Krishna’s divine arrangement; and
- Therefore, if you miss the flight or the boat do not lament and get upset even if someday you miss your dinner don’t get upset rather take it as Krishna’s mercy
(The content of this E-magazine is based on a seminar entitled, “the transcendental Pastimes of Lord Chaitanya” given by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja at Drakensburg Retreat, South Africa on 20 January 2017)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)