Morning Walk - Badger - June 15, 2008

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
Morning Walk
June 15, 2008: Badger, California

[Respected Harikatha Readers,
     Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
    We are currently working on the first volume of Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s Morning Walks and Darsans, and we are hoping to print it in October, just before Kartika.
     In the meantime, we are sending you this 2008 morning walk from Badger, California. Why? We want to give you a preview of some of the wonderful and interesting subject matters that Srila Maharaja is discussing, which he wants to share not just for those devotees on the walk, but for the entire world.
Your aspiring servants,
The Harikatha team]

Raghunatha Bhatta dasa: Yesterday you were speaking about our Sripad Tirtha Maharaja. You described how he became a good devotee.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He was not learned in the beginning. [*See Endnote 1]
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: He could not remember any verse, so everyone in the matha would tease him.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: He was from a lower-class family. Actually he was born in a poor family of ksatriya origin, which is referred to in Bengal as a lower class, poor family.
Raghunatha Bhatta dasa: I am worse than lower-class.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: But you have finished high school and perhaps university.
Raghunatha Bhatta dasa: I did not finish university.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You did not finish, but you studied there. I did not study in any university. Moreover, Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji was totally illiterate and Srila Haridasa Thakura was as well.
Raghunatha Bhatta dasa: My position is that I am a very fallen soul. I am asking you to please bless me and make me a sadhu.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If you are sincere and pray to God, Krsna, who is very merciful, He will at once make you a sadhu. It is for this reason that He has given you such elevated sadhu-sanga without your praying for it. That is why you are hearing so many beautiful subject matters.
Sri Krsna is very merciful. You are fortunate to have this association, so try to take it in your heart.
Devotee: Srila Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada used the term “Back to Godhead” for more than thirty years. I have also heard you use the term sometimes. I would like to know what this phrase means.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I explained this in my class yesterday – Sri Krsna is beautiful, Srimati Radhika is more beautiful, and together they perform so many sweet pastimes. Our home is with Them.
Brajanath dasa: Srila Gurudeva, in English, the phrase ‘Back to Godhead’ means that one has been there before and that one will be returning there.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Regarding our philosophy, this is not the correct meaning. By constitution, your home is in Goloka Vrndavana, but unfortunately you fell from the tatastha region to this world. Now you should try to go home.
Now, I have a question: Why did Brahma test Krsna? What was the reason?
Tirthapada dasa: The basic answer is that this is part of a pastime.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is of course part of a pastime, but why was this pastime performed?
Govinda dasa: Brahma did this because Krsna wanted to accomplish many other pastimes by this one.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: What were those pastimes?
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: When Sri Krsna killed the demon Aghasura, Lord Brahma saw Aghasura’s soul come out of his body and enter Krsna’s lotus feet. Seeing this, Brahma wanted to witness more sweet pastimes of Sri Krsna.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is all right. Can you explain further?
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: There are many reasons why this pastime had to take place.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Why?
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: The cows and elderly gopis of Vrndavana had a desire to have Krsna as their own son. They wanted to breastfeed Him, to give Him their milk.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: And the teenage gopis wanted Krsna as their beloved.
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: Therefore, during that pastime, those teenage gopis were betrothed to Krsna, who was then in the form of the innumerable cowherd boys.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Knowing the desire of Sri Krsna, Yogamaya attracted Brahmaji to steal the cowherd boys and calves.
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: In Brahma-vimohana-lila, Lord Brahma began to think, “I just saw that Krsna killed Aghasura, and the demon’s soul entered into Krsna’s body. Yet, I also see Him sitting among His friends. He looks almost like an ordinary cowherd boy.” In this way, the question came into his mind, “How can He be the Supreme Lord of all?”
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No. He only thought, “I want to see some more sweet pastimes.” To fulfill Krsna’s desire, Yogamaya came and made that thought enter his mind.
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: At that time he questioned Krsna’s supremacy and power.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: No. He thought, “What will Krsna do if I steal His cowherd boys and calves?”
Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja: Yogamaya then made the calves wander some distance away from the place where Krsna was taking breakfast with His cowherd friends. Krsna told His friends, “Don’t be disturbed. I will go and find the calves.”
He went to search for the calves. In the meantime Lord Brahma came, stole the cowherd boys by his mystic power, and put them to sleep in a cave.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Is he speaking correctly?
Brajanath dasa: No.
Prema Prayojana dasa: In the same way that Ravana cannot steal Sita, Lord Brahma cannot steal the cowherd boys. Lord Brahma merely thought that he had stolen them.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Try to hear this with attention.
Prema Prayojana dasa: The cowherd boys are eternal associates of Sri Krsna. How can any person who is insignificant in comparison to them steal them away and exert his influence over them? This is quite impossible. Actually, Yogamaya gave him the impression that he had stolen the boys and put them in a cave. He then returned to Brahma-loka, but when he reached there he was not allowed entrance to his palace.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Yogamaya made the second set of boys.
Prema Prayojana dasa: And Sri Krsna made a third set. The original boys were still on the bank of the Yamuna, and Yogamaya made the second set.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There were three sets: One set consisted of the original boys and calves, and they were covered by Yogamaya. Mahamaya [*See Endnote 2]
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Yogamaya made the second set.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No, it was Mahamaya. Mahamaya made a replica of those same cowherd boys and calves, and this was the second set, the set that Brahmaji stole.
Regarding the third set, Krsna personally expanded as that third set.
This is the thing I wanted to tell you. This is very mysterious, very mysterious.
Balarama dasa: What happened to the original set of cowherd boys?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yogamaya covered them so that no one would be able to see them. Neither Brahmaji nor the Vrajavasis, nor even Baladeva Prabhu, could see them. Being covered by Yogamaya and under her influence, the year passed in a flash for them.
Sripad Visnu Maharaja: Srila Gurudeva, what is the need of Mahamaya creating the other cowherd boys? Why not Yogamaya?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If Yogamaya had created them, how would Brahma have been able to steal them?
Sripad Visnu Maharaja: Even though Brahma is the head of our sampradaya and he is able to watch this lila?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Still. Being influenced by Yogamaya, even Balarama did not understanding what was actually taking place, so what to speak of Brahma.
Nrhari dasa: I read that Srila Madhvacarya omitted this chapter about Lord Brahma in his commentary.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers have accepted it. Srila Madhvacarya considered, “Brahmaji is my Gurudeva. He cannot be bewildered by illusion.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu reconciled this. He explained that this is one of the very sweet pastimes of Krsna. By performing this pastime, Krsna fulfilled the desires of the cows, mothers, and young gopis.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Madhvacarya did not write commentaries on the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters of the Tenth Canto (the chapters describing Brahma stealing the cows and cowherd boys). It is not that he took out those chapters; rather he did not write commentaries on them.
Sripad Sajjana Maharaja: Srila Sukadeva Gosvami did not mention in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that Sri Krsna went to Brahma-loka and took the form of Lord Brahma.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It has been told in other Puranas and in the commentary of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. What happened when Brahmaji went to Brahma-loka?
Sripad Sajjana Maharaja: When Brahmaji reached there, the guards blocked the door and told him, “Get out! Get out! You are an impostor!”
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: “Our Brahmaji is already here.”
Sripad Sajjana Maharaja: “And He told us to keep the impostor from entering here.”
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then what did Brahma do?
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Brahmaji then returned to Earth and meditated on the possible reasons his servants treated him in that way. During his trance of meditation, he realized that Sri Krsna was behind the whole incident. Krsna had ordered them to do so; He had bewildered them.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: There he realized.
Sripad Sajjana Maharaja: Brahma returned to Earth after one year of Earth-time. He saw that so many wonderful pastimes had taken place in Vraja during that year, like the betrothal of the young gopis. He looked in the cave where he had put the cowherd boys and calves created by Yogamaya and saw that they were still there. Then he looked further and saw that all of the calves and cowherd boys were continuing to play with Krsna as before. He then saw those cowherd boys transforming into the four-armed forms of Sri Krsna known as Lord Narayana. Seeing this, he understood that Sri Krsna had personally taken the form of all of His cowherd boyfriends and calves.
Rohininandana dasa: Gurudeva, today we are celebrating the annakuta ceremony of Sri Govardhana. What should we be meditating on and trying to feel in our hearts while performing our devotional service and making preparations for Sri Govardhana?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Giriraja Govardhana can give what Sri Krsna Himself cannot give, because Govardhana is asraya-vigraha, meaning, ‘the abode of love for Sri Krsna.’ We should pray to him in this way: “Govardhano me disatam abhistam – May Govardhana Hill fulfill my deepest desire.” (Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakura, Sri Govardhanastakam.

pramada-madana-lilah kandare kandare te
racayati nava yunor dvandvam asminn amandam
iti kila kalanartham lagnakas tad-dvayor me
nija-nikata-nivasam dehi govardhana! tvam

["Oh, Govardhana, please grant me a dwelling near your side so that I can easily witness and serve the youthful lovers, Sri Radha Krsna, as They perform newer and newer secret, amorous lilas within your many caves where They become completely maddened from drinking prema. You are present and making everything possible." (Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Govardhana-Vasa-Prarthana-Dasakam, verse 2])

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: “You can enable me to see the sweet pastimes of Sri Krsna – even the intimate kunja pastimes. You can also give me the service of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.” Sri Govardhana, Yamuna devi, and Lalita-sakhi can grant the fulfillment of these desires.
Sripad Sajjana Maharaja: Gurudeva, today is Father’s Day. We wish you a Happy Father’s Day.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Do not merely speak it. This sentiment should manifest by your actions.
Anupama dasa: Yesterday you mercifully gave me harinama. I want to know how I can serve you better and get your blessings.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You can think, “By all means I must try to serve in any way that I can.” In what ways can you serve? What qualifications do you have?
Anupama dasa: I am very fallen. I have no qualification.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Then chant Hare Krsna. I will be happy by that.
Anupama dasa: Can you please explain the meaning of my name – Anupama?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: This is a name of Krsna. It means that no one in this world or the transcendental world is equal to Him.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Incomparable; matchless.
Devotee: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta explains that Srila Ramananda Raya is a manifestation of Srimati Visakha-devi, and that he is Arjuna of the five Pandavas. Can you please explain how this is possible? Is it not rasabhasa to think like that?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: In Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes, Srila Haridasa Thakura is a combination of Sri Prahlada Maharaja and Brahma. In the same way, Srila Ramananda Raya is a combination of Srimati Visakha-sakhi and Arjuna. But which Arjuna?
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: He is not Pandava Arjuna. He is Arjuna, the priya-narma sakha (intimate cowherd friend) in the sweet pastimes of Krsna in Vraja.
Nrhari dasa: Srila Gurudeva, is the Arjuna of the Pandavas an expansion of Arjuna of Vraja?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. Sri Krsna loved Arjuna of the Pandavas because he had the same name as His dear friend Arjuna in Vraja.
Gaurasundara dasa: In your book The Origin of Ratha-Yatra there is a pastime in which Mother Kunti asked Vasudeva Maharaja, “When we were in trouble in the house of shellac and it burned down, why did you not ask about our welfare or help us in any way?” Vasudeva Maharaja replied, “I was in prison being kicked by the soldiers of Kamsa. When I was released I immediately sent a message to you.”
My question is this: Didn’t the pastimes of the Pandavas begin after Vasudeva Maharaja was already freed from prison?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Krsna was still young when Vasudeva Maharaja was in prison. It was during this time that the Kauravas tried to burn the Pandavas in the fire.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Arjuna and Krsna are the same age and Bhima is a little older, so the pastimes of the Pandavas were taking place even before Krsna killed Kamsa.
Sripad Damodara Maharaja: Gurudeva, Srila dasa is here.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: (To Srila) My dear friend. You have no wife, nor any children, nor any related responsibilities, but you do not come with us to preach around the world. You are not merciful to me, or even to Krsna.
Srila dasa: I have no mercy on myself.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: You are very cruel. Krsna wants to take you with Him, but you refuse to go.
Visvambara dasa: Srila Gurudeva, you have often quoted this verse:

barhapidam nata-vara-vapuh karnayoh karnikaram
bibhrad vasah kanaka-kapisam vaijayantim ca malam
randhran venor adhara-sudhayapurayan gopa-vrndair
vrndaranyam sva-pada-ramanam pravisad gita-kirtih

["Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord Krsna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vrndavana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.5)]

I would like to know if there is a special potency in this verse. Every time I think of it or read it, I begin to cry. I don’t know why There must be some magic in it.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Srila Sukadeva Gosvami has filled this verse with all of the sweetness of Sri Krsna’s form (rupa-madhuri). The gopis experience the truth of this verse, and you are fortunate to realize this.
Trilokanatha dasa: Some years ago in Hilo, Hawaii, you said that Krsna’s pastimes of sambhoga (meeting) are superior to those of vipralambha (separation). You cited the example of the gopis cursing Lord Brahma for creating eyelids that cover their eyes. However, a few days ago, we heard that Srimati Radhika feels separation from Sri Krsna even while sitting on His lap, and Krsna very much appreciates Her love in these moods of separation. Srila Prabhupada has also stressed the superiority of feelings of separation.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It has been told in scripture that the mood of separation dances on the head of the happiness of meeting. But do you think that the gopis will be happy in separation from Sri Krsna? Do you want Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna to be separated?
Devotees: No.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It is in this regard that I have said that meeting is the highest situation – in accordance with this line of thought.
Sripad Madhava Maharaja: Srila Sanatana Gosvami has written that feelings of separation dance on the head of the happiness of meeting. However, in the next verse he says that Sri Krsna cannot tolerate His devotees’ feelings of separation and immediately appears before them.
Rohininandana dasa: It is said that the most dangerous thing for us is to commit vaisnava-aparadha. In that connection, I fear that I am not making advancement because I have offended you. I am hoping that you will forgive me so that I can make some advancement.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: I have forgiven you, but you should know that in your past lives you have committed many offences. This is the reason why, when you chant harinama, tears do not fall from your eyes and the hairs of your body do not stand on end:

hena krsna-nama yadi laya bahu-bara
tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe asrudhara
tabe jani, aparadha tahate pracura
krsna-nama-bija tahe na kare ankura

["If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of Krsna does not sprout." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 8.29-30)]


Endnotes:

Endnote 1: At present he knows several thousand verses.
Endnote 2:
Syamarani dasi: Was it Yogamaya or Mahamaya who created the set of cowherd-boys stolen by Brahma?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It was actually Yogamaya, but she acted through the agency of her shadow, Mahamaya. It was the action of Yogamaya, but through Mahamaya. Do you understand?
Syamarani dasi: Are you referring to the same Mahamaya who controls the material world?
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Yes. She who was Yogamaya with Yasoda, and who came with Vasudeva Maharaja to Mathura, at once became Mahamaya for Kamsa. They are the same Maya, but by action, or function, they are known as Yogamaya or Mahamaya.
Brajanath dasa: Madhava Maharaja said that the gopis worshipped Katyayani, Mahamaya, and it was that same Mahamaya who bewildered Brahma.
Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: For the gopis, that Maya was Yogamaya. Maya is one, and by her function she is two. When she acts upon Krsna and His associates, she is Yogamaya. When she acts to bewilder the conditioned living entity, then she is Mahamaya.
Someone may say, “Narayana Maharaja is a most angry person.” Another person may say, “No, he is very loving.” The first person saw me chastising someone, and therefore his idea is that I am an angry person. The second person saw my very sweet behavior and thinks, “Oh, he loves everyone.” (Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, darsana, January 29, 2010, Johannesburg, South Africa).]

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PHOTO TOUR REPORT - NAVADVIPA - February 22-28, 2010

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
PHOTO TOUR REPORT
Navadvipa Parikrama – February 22-28, 2010

Report written by Jayasri dasi



jaya jaya navadvipa sarva-dhama-sara
se dhamera tattva varne sadhya ache ka’ra

[“All glories, all glories to Sri Navadvipa, the essence of all holy abodes! Who would possibly be able to describe the real nature of this dhama.” (Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, 2.1)

From February 22nd to 28th, over 15,000 devotees gathered for this year’s auspicious Gaura Purnima Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama. I arrived a few days early, and was amazed to see the space so quickly filled at Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Koladvipa. Thousands of Bengalis gathered inside and outside of the temple, sleeping on the marble floors in the temple or on the grounds around the temple. Their austerities were matchless; even in old age they were coming for parikrama. Their service was an inspiration.

This brings to mind the incredible organizational proficiency of the prasada distribution. It was always a beautiful sight to see so many people together in one place honoring maha-prasada. All glories to the brilliance of those on prasada seva.





The morning before our official parikrama began, we all walked to Panchaveni Ghat to make our sankalpa (vows for the parikrama) – a most important beginning to our intensive week. I was so happy to see in Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, a verse on this transcendental place where the holy rivers meet. Fortunately, it had been translated into English just in time for this year’s parikrama:

ganga-yamunadi tatha sada vidyamana
sapta-puri prayagadi ache sthane sthana

[“To such a person, it is revealed that Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Godavari and other holy rivers perpetually flow together here, and that Prayaga and the other seven holy cities are present at various important places.” (2.19 Sri-Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya)]

Before the sankalpa, Srila Gurudeva met us as we arrived at Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha. There, after offering arati to his Gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and to his dear god-brother, Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, he shared with us some sweet pastimes of our Parama-gurudeva (grand-spiritual master).


Walking on the platform towards the altars of Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, to offer them obeisances and arati


Guru-puja to Srila Gurudeva



Sripad Madhava Maharaja translated into English Srila Gurudeva’s short Bengali discourse:

“We are very fortunate today, because it is the beginning of our Navadvipa Parikrama, and we are visiting Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha. This matha was established by our beloved Gurudeva, nitya-lila pravista om visnupada Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. Due to certain circumstances, Srila Gurudeva left Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha in Mayapura with many of his god-brothers, and established Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha here.

“At the time of Srila Bhaktididdhana Sarasvati Thakura, many smarta (caste) brahmanas and residents of Navadvipa were against pure bhakti, and they even tried to murder Srila Sarasvati Thakura. Gurudeva loved Srila Prabhupada so much, that he boldly decided, ‘I must establish a Matha here, to teach them the process of pure bhakti.’

“From here, our beloved Gurudeva preached on both sides of the Ganges. At that time Pujyapada Parijataka Maharaja, Sannyasi Maharaja, Visnu Maharaja, Visnu-daivata Maharaja, Vaisnava dasa Babaji Maharaja, and so many other sannyasis were here. Later, as well, when I would come here every year, Parijataka Maharaja and the others were here to welcome me. Due to some circumstances they are not here today, so I am sorry that we are not seeing any of them. On the other hand, I am very happy to see my god-brothers Sripad Madhusudhana Maharaja, Sadhu Maharaja, Giri Maharaja, Mukunda prabhu, and others who are present here.

“I will tell the history of why this matha was so named. Devananda Pandita was considered a great teacher of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He taught many students in his home in Kuliya-nagara. Once, the maha-bhagavata Srivasa Pandita passed by Devananda Pandita’s house and heard Srimad-Bhagavatam being recited. He went in and sat down to listen. As Devananda Pandita described Krsna’s pastimes, Srivasa Pandita was unable to remain calm. He wept bitterly and rolled on the ground. However, Devananda Pandita’s students, being devoid of bhakti, could not understand Srivasa Pandita’s asta-sattvika bhavas.

“Thinking him a disturbance to their studies, they threw him out of the house. Devananda Pandita remained silent. When news of this incident came to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu He angrily said, ‘Devananda does not understand a single syllable of the Bhagavatam, which is Krsna personified and completely transcendental, so what can he teach?! Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot even remain near him. He is an offender of both Vaisnavas and the Bhagavatam. I will tear up his false Bhagavatam and throw it away.’”

“Some time later, Devananda Pandita met Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi, one of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s associates. Pundarika Vidyanidhi mercifully instructed him about the truths regarding devotees, Bhagavatam, and the Supreme Lord. He also taught Devananda Pandita many confidential truths about Mahaprabhu and Srivasa Pandita.”

“Thus, recalling his previous behavior, Devananda Pandita became filled with remorse. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Kuliya after accepting sannyasa, Devananda Pandita came before Him. With great humility, he begged forgiveness for his offence. Sriman Mahaprabhu told him to beg pardon from Srivasa Pandita directly. Devananda approached Srivasa Pandita, who mercifully forgave all his offences. Srivasa Pandit also requested Mahaprabhu to show Devananda Pandit mercy. This He did, here at this place, which is called aparadha bhanjana-sthali, the place where offences are forgiven. Mahaprabhu thus made him qualified to attain love of God.”

“My Gurudeva received the full mercy of Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja.

“In order to avoid the association of materialistic sense enjoyers, Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja resided for some time in an abandoned latrine built by the municipality of Navadvipa. He did not open the door for anyone, not even for the District Judge and Police Superintendent who came to see him. But he did open it for our most worshipful spiritual master Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, who was known at that time as Sri Vinoda-bihari Brahmacari.”

“Once, Gurudeva, his aunt, Saroja-vasini devi, and some of his god-brothers came to meet Babaji Maharaja, who, as usual, refused to come out. However, when Gurudeva revealed that he was a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, Srila Babaji Maharaja opened the door. Recognizing him as a recipient of the mercy of Srila Sarasvati Thakura, he opened the door with great affection, gave his darsana and instructed him in the performance of pure bhajana. He immediately gave Guru Maharaja his blessings, saying that he would take upon his own head all the miseries and troubles that might come to him.


Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja’s bhajana kutir

“Whenever Guru Maharaja tells this story, he begins to weep.”

The next day we began the official parikrama. Leaving just after mangala arati, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu looking extremely opulent on His palanquin, headed the jubilant devotees for Mayapura. As it literally followed in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the kirtana party was ecstatically leading everyone else. There’s no question of performing Navadvipa parikrama without kirtana. When Sri Caityana Mahaprabhu appeared in Mayapura 524 years ago, it was this ecstatic mood of sankirtana which he distributed all over Navadvipa dhama mandala.



On this first day of parikrama, I was determined to stay in the front, with Mahaprabhu. I had to work for it, but then being next to the kirtana was like being with the heart and soul of the parikrama. Before I knew it, I had run all the way to the Mayapura ghata from our Matha. I realized that somehow Gurudeva empowers us in these moments to forget all of our physical concerns and to be absorbed in what he is offering. I found that anytime I was feeling weak or tired, if I just made my way to a kirtana party, the party kept my feet moving and my mind focused on the goal. The euphoric vibrations of the mrdangas and kartalas in the hands of the jubilant kirtaniyas certainly spread triumph to all ears and hearts they touch.



We had the opportunity to see the bhajana kutir of Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, which was situated next to the samadhi of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura at Svananda-sukhada-kunja on the bank of the Sarasvati River in Godruma. It was here that one night Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura saw a transcendental light shinning from a distance across the river. The following day he saw the same light while also witnessing sankirtana being performed by Sri Gaura-Nityananda in the same location. He later went to investigate, found the area covered by tulasi plants, and through further inquiry confirmed it to be the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Gurudeva came to meet us on parikrama, at Yogapitha. We had darsana of this transcendental place, and he told some of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s divine boyhood pastimes.


Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as baby Nimai, with His parents, Jagannatha Misra and Saci Mata, at Yogapitha.


Darsana of the Nrsimhadeva Deity at Yogapitha


Panca-tattva at the Yogapitha temple.

Sri Gaurasundara appeared on the full-moon day, in the evening, during the lunar eclipse, when thousands of people were chanting “Hari Bol!” Such was the providential setting for the appearance of the Lord in His golden complexion, having come to taste the moods of Srimati Radharani and to distribute unnatojjvala-rasa:

aparpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

[“May that Lord, who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi, be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold He had appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what has not been given in a very long time; manjari-bhava, the service of Srimati Radhika as her confidential maidservant. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.4)]

One evening after parikrama, Srila Gurudeva gave hari-katha on the pastime of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s taking sannyasa, and Sripad Damodara Maharaja translated his Bengali class into English:

“Today we had the good fortune of visiting Koladvipa. During the parikrama we had darsana of Sri Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, and there we heard his glories.”


Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

“We then went to the Nirdaya ghata, which is where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu jumped in the Ganges and swam to Katwa to take sannyasa.

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had two marriages. The first was to Laksmi-priya devi. When He went to Bangladesh, she could not tolerate being separated from Him, and in her grief of separation she disappeared from this world. His second wife was Visnu-priya devi.

“On the day of His taking sannyasa, Kolaveca Sridhara gave Nimai Pandita a lauki. Nimai Pandita (a name of Mahaprabhu in His household life) brought it home and asked His mother, ‘Oh mother, please make me lakalaki-kir (lauki cooked in milk with sugar) from this. Mother Saci made that sweet preparation and offered it to Thakurji, and everyone was astonished by its taste.

“That night, Nimai Pandita spent some time with Visnupriya for the first time in a long while. He affectionately laughed and spoke sweetly to her, and also decorated her. Visnupriya became apprehensive. On the previous day, as she was going towards the Ganga, she hit her toe against a rock and some blood came out. Considering this very inauspicious, she thought, ‘I don’t know what will happen to me today.’ Also, while she was taking bath, her nose-ring, which she had received at the time of her marriage, got lost in the Ganga. She had searched for it for a long time, but could not find it. She went to mother Saci weeping and said, ‘I do not know what misfortune will come to me.’

“As she remembered the incident, she trembled and her fear increased. Nimai Pandita had never given her so much external affection, what to speak of intimately associating with her. On this last night, He was decorating her with His own hands – but she was disturbed. She thought, ‘After so long He is giving His affection to me. I think He must want to leave me and take sannyasa.’

“She therefore made a vow that she would not sleep, but Sri Gaurasundara (another name of Mahaprabhu in His household life) called His Yogamaya, and Visnupriya-devi fell asleep against her will. He did parikrama of her one time, and then, apparently hard-hearted and merciless, He took one last look at her and left the house forever.

“Sri Saci-devi stood at the door like a wooden statue, almost inert in her feeling of imminent separation from Him. She did not even have the strength to weep. Sri Gaurasundara offered obeisances to His mother, who gazed in silence, unable to speak, and left His home. On that wintry night He jumped in to the turbulent waters of the Ganga at this ghata, crossed the river and went to Kantaka-nagari (Katava) where He accepted the renounced order from Sri Kesava Bharati. Then, via Santipura, He went to Sri Jagannatha Puri. Seemingly cruel-hearted (nirdaya) He left His widowed mother and His wife, and crossed the Ganga at this ghata. Therefore, from that time on, this ghata became known as Nirdaya-ghata.


Devotees taking bath at Nirdaya-ghata

“At the ashram of Sri Kesava Bharati, the barber performed the haircutting of Nimai, whose hair was very attractive. The barber did not want to cut His hair, but by the desire of Yogamaya, he was forced to do so.

“When Kesavi Bharati came to give the sannyasa mantra to Nimai Pandita, Nimai enquired, ‘Is this the mantra?’ and chanted the mantra in His ‘guru’s’ ear. In this way the Lord actually initiated him, and then Kesava Bharati gave the same mantra back. The Lord then took the sannyasa name ‘Sri Krsna Caitanya.’

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired to go to Vrndavana, but Nityananda Prabhu diverted Him. There were some small cowherd boys on the path, and Nityananda Prabu told them, ‘A sannyasi will come by here. When He asks where Vrndavana is, point Him towards Santipura.’

“When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived there, He said, ‘I have come to Vrndavana already?’ The boys replied, ‘Yes, yes, this is Vrndavana and this is the Yamuna River.’ Sri Advaita Acarya was there and said, ‘Nityananda Prabhu can never tell a lie. This side is the Yamuna and that side is the Ganga. Therefore, You have really come to Vrndavana.’

“Nityananda Prabhu knew that Mahaprabhu had come to Santipura, so He went to Mayapura to bring Mother Saci and all the devotees of Mayapura. Mother Saci asked the benediction from Advaita Acarya that, ‘Only I will cook for Him while He is here.’ Mahaprabhu told her, ‘I have made a mistake by taking sannyasa. I should not have done so. If you order Me, I will return to the household asrama.’

“Mother Saci said, ‘No. One who has taken sannyasa can never return, but please stay in Jagannatha Puri.’ Externally, Mahaprabhu did not reside in Vrndavana because Mother Saci was worried that if He would live there, so far away, she could never have news of Him. However, the actual reason He did not want to stay there is because He would be absorbed in His mood of Krsna, and the mood of Gaura-lila would disappear. From Santipura, Mahaprabhu went to Jagannatha Puri.”

Srila Gurudeva gave darsana every afternoon, and mercifully held two initiation ceremonies during the course of the week, wherein over 350 devotees received either first or second initiation. One morning, the brahmacaris brought in a newly born calf to his room.



How fortunate we were to be able to have darsana of the pastime places of Sri Bhagavan Himself, under the guidance of our beloved Srila Gurudeva. It is only by great mercy that we will be able to understand Sri Navadvipa dhama, the nine islands of the Gaura mandala where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, known there as Sri Gaurasundara and Nimai Pandita, along with His closest associates, are eternally performing their pastimes in the most magnanimous mood and freely giving transcendental Love of God to all.

In this same mood, our most worshipable Gurudeva is annually leading us on parikrama of this holy dhama. We pray to him and to Sri Nityananda Prabhu for the loving service of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and for the qualification to truly see the dhama.

nityananda-krpa ja-ra prati kabhu haya
se dekhe ananda-dhama sarvatra cinmaya

“Whoever gets the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu will perceive the spiritual nature of the blissful dhama.”

I pray that, by their mercy, I will be able to make it every year for Sri Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama, and to bring new devotees to taste the glories of Mahaprabhu’s sankirtana movement.
 

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For the Appearance Day of Sri Ramanujacarya - March 21, 2010

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
The Glories of Ramanujacarya

[Respected Harikatha Readers,
This year, 2010, Sri Ramanujacarya’s appearance day is March 21st. In order to serve you in observing this sacred day, we are sending you a transcription of Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja’s informal darsana, given in North Shore, Hawaii, on January 26, 2007. That informal darsana took place with only the devotees in his traveling party, so we especially thank his personal cook, Madhuvrata dasa brahmacari, for sending us the sound-file. Srila Narayana Maharaja’s talk in Hawaii was brief, and therefore we have included excerpts from his lecture given in Mathura, in 2000, in brackets, to fill out the history:]

Sri Ramanujacarya was born in South India. He is an incarnation of Laksmana. The word ‘anuja’ means ‘younger brother’. Rama-anuja refers to the younger brother of Lord Rama; therefore, he is Ramanuja. In Kali-yuga, he is the acarya of the Sri (Laksmi) Sampradaya. He is the disciple of Yamunacarya.

As a boy, he was exceptionally intelligent. At a very young age, he knew all Sanskrit grammar (vyakarana), literature (sahitya), and all the deep conclusions of the Vedic scriptures.

[Sri Ramanujacarya is an incarnation of Laksmana (Lord Rama’s younger brother), and he accepted the Sri Sampradaya. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada took many teachings from him, such as the duties of the sannyasi, the duties of the disciple, and the etiquette of the Vaisnava. He utilized one-hundred eight teachings. We follow these teachings, and we have also published them in our Bhagavata Patrika and Gaudiya Patrika (Hindi and Bengali Magazines).]

His teacher, Yadavacarya, was a follower of the Mayavada (the theory that all variety and individuality are illusion) and Advaitavada (the theory that the only truth is impersonal undifferentiated oneness) philosophies. One day, his teacher began to explain his understanding of the beauty of Sri Krsna’s eyes. In this regard Chandogya Upanisad uses the word ‘kapyasam.’ Yadavacarya explained that ‘kapi’ means ‘monkey’, and that the monkey’s rear-end (kapi-asam) is reddish on both sides. He concluded that Krsna’s lotus eyes are like a monkey’s rear-end. Hearing this, Ramanuja began to weep.

Later, when Ramanuja was massaging Yadavacarya, he told him, “The explanation you have given for kapyasam is wrong. ‘Kapi’ can be understood to mean ‘that which takes water from everywhere’. Who takes water? The sun. The word ‘asam’ also means ‘to blossom’, so the word ‘kapi-asam’ can be understood as ‘that which blossoms under the sun,’ or, in other words, ‘the lotus flower’. Thus, we can understand the verse to mean that the Lord’s eyes are as beautiful as the lotus flower.”

[Sri Ramanujacarya took birth in a simple family. His mother and father were not very wealthy, but they were of a high brahmana caste and they were very learned. Ramanuja was an outstanding boy from his childhood. While under the guidance of a Mayavadi guru named Yadavacarya, he was very careful in his studies. One day, when his guru was giving an impersonal explanation of a verse that contained the word kapyasana, he compared the lotus-eyes of the Lord to the hind part of a monkey which is reddish near its tail. Hearing this from his Gurudeva’s mouth, Ramanuja began to cry in great pain. He felt grief in his heart that his Gurudeva had used such a bad analogy for describing the lotus-like eyes of the Lord. After collecting himself, he very politely asked if he could say something about the verse. Yadavacarya assented, and Ramanuja very nicely gave many explanations according to Sanskrit grammar. He said that the term kapyasana actually means one who brings water, and that is the sun. The lotus blossoms by the potency of the sun, and therefore the Lord’s eyes are compared to the lotus, not the monkey.]

Ramanuja’s teacher became astonished, thinking, “If this boy is so knowledgeable at such a young age, what will he do when he is grown up? If he remains alive, this Mayavada teaching will be finished.” His teacher then planned to murder him.

[When Yadavacarya heard this, he thought, “This boy is dangerous. He is very expert and is giving such nice explanations. In the future he might uproot all the impersonal teachings from the Vedas, and so I must kill him.”]

Thinking to trick Ramanuja, Yadavacarya told him that he was going to travel with all his students to do some preaching, and that Ramanuja should also accompany them. Ramanuja was a very sincere and innocent boy, so he didn’t understand his teacher’s intentions.

Then, when they were all in a very deep forest, they decided that this would be the time to murder him. Govinda, his cousin-brother, told him of their plan, and urged him to quickly flee from there. Therefore, in the middle of the night, Ramanuja told them that he was going to the toilet, and he ran away.

Now alone, he suddenly saw a hunter, along with his wife, holding a hurricane light. The man asked him, “Where are you going?”

Ramanuja answered, “I am going to Kancipuram.”

The man replied, “We are also going there, so come with us.”

When he arrived at Kancipuram, his own village, which was very far away, those persons disappeared. Ramanuja then began to weep. He understood that it was certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana Himself, along with His eternal consort, Laksimi-devi, who had saved his life.

[Throughout the day and night, he passed through the dense forest. It was difficult for him to discern his way, especially at night. The Lord, seeing His dear devotee in such a state, then appeared in the form of Bharadraja and, holding a lantern in His hand, showed Ramanuja the way. Thus, within no time at all, Sri Ramanuja crossed the entire distance of the forest and found that he was standing outside his village.]

Sometime later, Ramanuja’s teacher returned to the village. He had been thinking that perhaps a lion or tiger had eaten Ramanuja, and he was very happy. However, when he arrived, he saw that Ramanuja was alive. He called him and told him to forget everything that had happened, Ramanuja again resumed his Sanskrit studies with Yadavacarya.

[After some days, out of compassion for Yadavacarya and with a desire to deliver him, he again began studying under his guidance. After some years, Ramanuja converted Yadavacarya to Vaisnava philosophy, whereupon his teacher became his disciple. At one point thereafter, Ramanuja began hearing of the qualities of a great Vaisnava guru in South India by the name of Sri Yamunacarya, and he eventually became Sri Yamunacarya’s disciple.]

Later he married. After his marriage, he began to teach boys in a Sanskrit school, and all the students liked him.

[Later on he married, and his wife was very quarrelsome. Her behavior was discourteous and uncooperative, and incidents would often take place which he would somehow have to tolerate.]

One day, a disciple of Sri Yamunacarya named Kancipurna came to the house of Ramanuja. He was from a very low-caste family, but he was a very high-class devotee. He came there along with his wife by the order of his Gurudeva, and he now began to give his association to Ramanujacarya.

[A disciple of Sri Yamunacarya and elder god-brother of Ramanuja named Kancipurna came to Ramanuja’s village along with his wife. Ramanuja accepted Kancipurna as a siksa-guru.]

One day, when Ramanujacarya’s wife was drawing water from the well, Kancipurna’s wife was also there drawing water. Some water from the bucket of Kancipurna’s wife fell into Ramanuja’s wife’s bucket. She immediately became very angry and started to insult the wife of Kancipurna with abusive language. When Kancipurna returned, his wife told him of the incident at the well, and he immediately left the house of Ramanujacarya. Upon hearing the reason why his siska-guru had departed, Ramanujacarya began to think, “I should not be with this lady. Somehow, I should give her up right away.”

[One day, when Kancipurna’s wife was taking some water from a well, she met Ramanuja’s wife, who had also come to the well for drawing water. It so happened that while taking the water out of the well, some water from the pot of Kancipurna’s wife spilled into the pot of Ramanuja’s wife. Although this was a small accident, Ramanuja’s wife became furious and insulted Kancipurna’s wife with abusive language. Kancipurna became hurt when he later on heard about this, and, without informing Ramanuja, he and his wife left that place and went to Sri Rangam. When Sri Ramanuja came to know that his wife’s behavior had offended a Vaisnava, he felt very bad and thought, “She is committing vaisnava-aparadha; she has such an offensive mentality. I must do something about this.”]

Later, Sri Yamunacarya sent Purnacarya to bring Ramanuja to him in Sri Rangam. However, Yamunacarya was very sick at that time, and, by the time Ramanuja arrived in Sri Rangam, he had departed from the vision of the world. Purnacarya, was sent there to bring him to Sri Rangam. Ramanuja used to give him so much honor – always offering him obeisances and treating him like his siksa-guru. While living with Ramanuja, Purnacarya began to impart the instructions he had received from his Gurudeva, Sri Yamunacarya.

One day, when Ramanuja was teaching at the school, a hungry brahmana came there. Ramanuja told him, “If you go to my house to beg, my wife will give you something.” However, when the brahmana went there, Ramanuja’s very cruel wife said, “I can’t give you anything. Go! Get out of here!” The brahmana returned to Ramanuja, who then told him to go back to his house and tell my wife, “I am coming from the house of your father. He sent me to you, so please take this letter from him.” Ramanuja personally wrote the letter he gave to the brahmana to deliver to his wife. The letter stated, “Your brother will marry very soon, so you must come to your father’s house.” After reading the letter, Ramanuja’s wife began to honor that brahmana, and she gave him a large quantity of delicious prasadam.

[One day, a hungry brahmana came to Ramanuja, asking for some food. Ramanuja sent this brahmana to his wife, telling him, “Go to my home and tell my wife that I sent you. She will give you some food.” When that brahmana came to Ramanuja’s wife, she boldly insulted him again and again. She told him he should get out of there, and that there was no food for him. Returning to Ramanuja, the brahmana reported what had happened, and Ramanuja replied, “Wait here for a few minutes.” He left and wrote a letter to his wife, as though it was written by her father, stating, “O my dear daughter, I am arranging the marriage of my son, your brother. So you should come. Please bring your husband with you.”

Writing these words very nicely, he folded that letter and tied it with colorful threads. And, along with that, he sent a coconut and other auspicious items. He then gave that letter to the brahmana and said, “Now go again to my wife. She will welcome you nicely this time. The brahmana went again. After reading the letter, Ramanuja’s wife’s behavior completely changed. This time she welcomed him warmly and sweetly, and offered him all kinds of palatable food and sweets. When Ramanuja came home, his wife told him about the marriage. She cited her father’s request for both of them to come, and requested him to please come along.

Ramanuja said, “No, I cannot come, for I am very busy; you may go now with this brahmana. Don’t be late.”]

When his wife left to go to the house of her father, Ramanuja also left that house. He went to Sri Rangam to meet his Gurudeva, Sri Yamunacarya, but

Yamunacarya had left his body just before Ramanuja arrived. Ramanuja saw that many devotees were walking with the transcendental body of Yamunacarya. All of his disciples were weeping as they carried his body to be placed in samadhi.

[After his wife left with that brahmana, Ramanuja locked the door of his house and went to Sri Rangam to meet his Gurudeva, Sri Yamunacarya. He wanted to take sannyasa from him, but when he reached Sri Rangam, he found that Sri Yamunacarya had just passed away and his disciples were walking in procession with his divine body. Ramanuja felt very disheartened and sad.]

He told them, “I have accepted Yamunacarya as my Gurudeva. I want to see his face.” Yamunacarya’s disciples stopped and lifted the cloth from his body. Ramanuja could see that three of Yamunacarya’s fingers were folded.

[He asked them to stop for a moment. He wanted them to uncover the transcendental body so that he could take darsana of his Gurudeva’s divine form. He observed that all the fingers on one of his Gurudeva’s hands were open, and on the other, three fingers were closed. He inquired from the disciples all around as to why this was, and he wanted to know when it happened. No one could answer. They said, “We didn’t notice it before; it must have happened just now.”]

He promised in front of all present, ‘I will write the Sri-bhasya commentary on the Vedanta-sutra.” One of the fingers immediately became straight. He then said, “I will take sannyasa,” and the second finger relaxed. Lastly, he said, “I will preach the mission of my Gurudeva, Yamunacarya”, at which time the last finger relaxed and became straight. Seeing this, everyone present became astonished.

[Ramanuja became silent, and after some time he spoke, addressing Sri Yamunacarya’s transcendental body. He said, “Now, I will first of all write a Vaisnava commentary on Vedanta, and I will preach that Vaisnava commentary throughout India.” One finger opened, and Ramanuja spoke further, “I will take tridandi-sannyasa right now, and I will preach the message of vaisnava-dharma and your teachings.” When Sri Yamunacarya heard that, his second finger opened. Ramanuja then said, “I will systematically write about Vaisnava etiquette, explaining the behavior required to execute pure devotional service, and what precautions should be taken. I will also preach this throughout India.” After uttering this third statement, Sri Ramanujacarya observed, along with all present, that three of Yamunacarya’s fingers had now opened. Then and there, Sri Ramanujacarya formally accepted tridandi sannyasa from Sri Yamunacarya.]

After Yamunacarya was given samadhi, Ramanujacarya was elected to become the next acarya, as Yamunacarya’s successor. He immediately said, “I will not become the next acarya right away. Give me time. Give me two years.” He then spent some time with each of the prominent disciples of Yamunacarya. He served them and heard from them what they had learned from their Gurudeva. Only after hearing from them for two years did he accept the post of acarya.

[Sri Ramanujacarya had now formally taken sannyasa initiation from Sri Yamunacarya. Afterwards, all the disciples of Sri Yamunacarya, who were great scholars and who had served their Gurudeva for so many years, came together. Having seen the extraordinary characteristics and personality of Sri Ramanujacarya, they collectively decided that he should be appointed as the next acarya after their Guru, and they honored him with the acarya seat in Sri Rangam. Sri Ramanujacarya accepted the orders of his god-brothers, but before sitting and acting as the acarya, he went to each of his god-brothers, for two months, four months, six months, or one year, and served each of them. He thus formally endeavored to understand the teachings of Sri Yamunacarya, since he had not gotten the opportunity to spend much time with him. After serving and satisfying them, he commenced his role as acarya of the Sri Sampradaya in Sri Rangam.]

Later, the ruler of that country, King Koluttunga II, heard that Ramanujacarya was very strongly preaching his philosophy. Koluttunga II wanted him killed, fearing that if he remained alive, the Saiva Sampradaya (comprised of so-called devotees of Lord Siva) would be finished. He sent a message telling Ramanujacarya to come at once for a debate.

Ramanujacarya and all his associates knew that the king wanted to kill him. His disciple Kuresh told him, “Gurudeva, please do not go. I will go in your place. Please give me your danda and sannyasa cloth.” Insisting, Kuresh took them from him and gave him his own white cloth. He told Ramanuja to leave that place at once. Then, having taken his Guru’s sannyasa cloth and danda, Kuresh went to the palace of the king.

In the palace there was a great debate, during which Kuresh defeated all the king’s pandits. However, Kuresh was alone, so the king’s pandits told everyone that he had been defeated. They forcibly detained him, and only released him after blinding him by plucking out both of his eyes. He then began to search for his Gurudeva, who was now very far away. Fortunately, after some time, he came to the same village where Ramanujacarya was residing.

Within that village there were two disciples – one very rich and one very poor. Ramanujacarya told his disciples to go to the house of the rich devotee, because his group was more than fifty in total, and ask him to prepare prasadam and a place to stay for all of them.

Two of Ramanuja’s disciples went to the rich man’s house and gave him this message. The rich man felt extremely happy and became totally absorbed in preparing for the arrival of Ramanujacarya and all of his devotees. However, he didn’t come back out to share these plans with his two god-brothers at the door. After waiting for some time, those disciples went back to Ramanujacarya and told him that they had gone to the house of that rich devotee, but he had left them waiting and had not come back to them. Ramanujacarya replied, “Oh, then we will all go to the house of that poor man.”

That very poor brahmana used to go and beg for ingredients so that his wife could cook prasadam. He had only one piece of proper cloth, which his wife used, so when he would go begging, he would take the cloth of his wife.

On that particular day, after midday, he could not collect any more, and he decided to return home. In the meantime, before his return, Sri Ramanujacarya, with all of his disciples, suddenly came to his house. His wife was very happy to see her Gurudeva, but she also felt very ashamed because she had no proper cloth to wear. Sri Ramanuja understood this, and he gave her his own chadar. She wrapped this around herself and came in his presence.

After she gave a mat for her Gurudeva and his followers to sit on, she began to wonder, “How shall I arrange prasadam for everyone?” She remembered that one of her neighbors, who was a rich businessman, was very attracted to her and had lusty desires toward her. He had previously told her of his desires, but she was very chaste and had always rejected his proposals. However, in her current predicament, she went to that man and told him that she would fulfill his desire.

She was thinking, “What is the use of my chastity if I cannot serve my Gurudeva? For my Gurudeva, I should be prepared to do anything.” She told that rich man, “I am ready to do what you want, but in return I want you to arrange many ingredients so that I can cook and give prasadam to my Gurudeva and all of his disciples.” Hearing this, the rich man became very joyful and gave her more than what she wanted. Taking all that he gave her, she prepared very good prasadam for all the devotees, and everyone was happy.

While Ramanujacarya and all the devotees were resting after prasadam, her husband returned home. He asked her, “Gurudeva and all his disciples have come. How are we going to arrange for their needs?”

She replied, “I have done everything. There is nothing to worry about. They have all taken prasadam and are resting now.”

Her husband asked, “How did you make all those arrangements?”

She began to tell him the story about the lusty neighbor. She said, “I was thinking that my Gurudeva has come; if I cannot serve him, then what is the use of my chastity? So I went and told that lusty man that if he would give me all the ingredients to make very nice prasadam, then I would offer myself. He did as I asked, so now that it is night I must go to him.”

Her husband told her, “I will come with you.”

It was raining at that time, so they took an umbrella and went to the house of that rich person along with the mahaprasadam. The wife entered his home alone, and the man became very happy. The man asked her, “It is raining heavily tonight, and it appears you have come all alone. Didn’t anyone bring you?” She told him, “My husband came with me,” and she gave him the prasadam remnants of Ramanujacarya. The lusty man took those remnants and became totally transformed. He fell flat at the lotus feet of that lady and begged her, “Excuse me. Excuse me.”

The lady and her husband then returned to their house. The next day, their neighbor came to Ramanujacarya and prayed to him, “I want to be initiated by you.” Ramanujacarya then initiated him.

In the meantime, Kuresh arrived in the village of the poor devotee couple where Ramanujacarya was staying. Seeing Kuresh, Ramanujacarya called out his name. Kuresh went to his Gurudeva and wanted to take his darsana, but he had no eyes. Ramanujacarya put his hand over Kuresh’s wounds and two eyes at once manifested. He could see again.

Afterward, Ramanujacarya went to North India. After traveling for a long time, he eventually arrived in Kashmir. He went to Sarada-pith, the place of Sarada-devi, where he came across the Bodhayana-bhasya (commentary) of Vedanta-sutra. This Bodhayana commentary contained Vaisnava philosophical conclusions, not Mayavada theories. In the library at Sarada-pith he read that commentary, and in the night he took that book and escaped with Kuresh

They fled from there, but the Kashmiri pandits followed them. Finally, the pandits took the book and returned to their own place. Ramanujacarya was very unhappy, but Kuresh told him, “Gurudeva, do not be unhappy. I have also read that book, and I remember all its contents. I will write them down.” Later he did this, and he gave the writings to Ramanujacarya. Ramanujacarya then wrote his Sri-bhasya on Vedanta-sutra [*See Endnote] and fulfilled the three desires of his Gurudeva, Yamunacarya.

[When Sri Ramanujacarya officially became the acarya, he began very strongly preaching the cult of Sri Yamunacarya. In South India, two impersonalist sects are very prominent: Saiva and Sankaracarya. Sankaracarya’s followers subscribe to the Vedanta sutras like "sarvam kalvidam brahma" and "tat tvam asi." They think themselves impersonal brahma (God), and they think everything comes from brahma. The Saiva School considers Lord Siva to be the ultimate truth, and they want to merge into him. This is the basic difference between the two. Sri Ramanujacarya refuted and defeated all impersonalism by his very strong and effective preaching.]

Gaura premanande

[*Endnote: Sri Ramanujacarya has also refuted the arguments of Sankara in his own commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, which is known as the Sri-bhasya: "Sri Sankaracarya has tried to equate the Pancaratras with the philosophy of the atheist Kapila, and thus he has tried to prove that the Pancaratras contradict the Vedic injunctions. The Pancaratras state that the personality of jiva called Sankarsana has emerged from Vasudeva, the supreme cause of all causes, that Pradyumna, the mind, has come from Sankarsana, and that Aniruddha, the ego, has come from Pradyumna. But one cannot say that the living entity (jiva) takes birth or is created, for such a statement is against the injunction of the Vedas. As stated in the Katha Upanisad (2.18), living entities, as individual spiritual souls, can have neither birth nor death. All Vedic literature declares that the living entities are eternal. Therefore when it is said that Sankarsana is jiva, this indicates that He is the predominating Deity of the living entities. Similarly, Pradyumna is the predominating Deity of the mind, and Aniruddha is the predominating Deity of the ego.
     "It has been said that Pradyumna, the mind, was produced from Sankarsana. But if Sankarsana were a living entity, this could not be accepted, because a living entity cannot be the cause of the mind. The Vedic injunctions state that everything-including life, mind and the senses-comes from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is impossible for the mind to be produced by a living entity, for the Vedas state that everything comes from the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord.
      "Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha have all the potent features of the absolute Personality of Godhead, according to the revealed scriptures, which contain undeniable facts that no one can refute. Therefore these members of the quadruple manifestation are never to be considered ordinary living beings. Each of Them is a plenary expansion of the Absolute Godhead, and thus each is identical with the Supreme Lord in knowledge, opulence, energy, influence, prowess and potencies.
      “The evidence of the Pancaratras cannot be neglected. Only untrained persons who have not genuinely studied the Pancaratras think that the Pancaratras contradict the srutis regarding the birth or beginning of the living entity. In this connection, we must accept the verdict of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which says, `The absolute Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vasudeva and who is very affectionate toward His surrendered devotees, expands Himself in quadruple forms who are subordinate to Him and at the same time identical with Him in all respects.' The Pauskara-samhita states, `The scriptures that recommend that brahmanas worship the quadruple forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called agamas .' In all Vaisnava literature it is said that worshiping these quadruple forms is as good as worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vasudeva, who in His different expansions, complete in six opulences, can accept offerings from His devotees of the results of their prescribed duties.
      “Worshiping the expansions for pastimes, such as Nrsimha, Rama, Sesa and Kurma, promotes one to the worship of the Sankarsana quadruple. From that position one is raised to the platform of worshiping Vasudeva, the Supreme Brahman. In the Pauskara-samhita it is said, `If one fully worships according to the regulative principles, one can attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva.' It is to be accepted that Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are as good as Lord Vasudeva, for They all have inconceivable power and can accept transcendental forms like Vasudeva. Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are never born, but They can manifest Themselves in various incarnations before the eyes of pure devotees. This is the conclusion of all Vedic literature.
      “That the Lord can manifest Himself before His devotees by His inconceivable power is not against the teaching of the Pancaratras. Since Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are, respectively, the predominating Deities of all living entities, the total mind and the total ego, the designation of Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha as `jiva,' `mind' and `ego' are never contradictory to the statements of the scriptures. These terms identify these Deities, just as the terms `sky' and `light' sometimes identify the Absolute Brahman.
      "The scriptures completely deny the birth or production of the living entity. In the Parama-samhita it is described that material nature, which is used for others' purposes, is factually inert and always subject to transformation. The field of material nature is the arena of the activities of fruitive actors, and since the material field is externally related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is also eternal. In every samhita, the jiva (living entity) has been accepted as eternal, and in the Pancaratras the birth of the jiva is completely denied. Anything that is produced must also be annihilated. Therefore if we accept the birth of the living entity, we also have to accept his annihilation. But since the Vedic literatures say that the living entity is eternal, one should not think the living being to be produced at a certain time. In the beginning of the Parama-samhita it is definitely stated that the face of material nature is constantly changeable. Therefore `beginning,' `annihilation' and all such terms are applicable only in the material nature.
      "Considering all these points, one should understand that Sankaracarya's statement that Sankarsana is born as a jiva is completely against the Vedic statements. His assertions are completely refuted by the above arguments. In this connection the commentary of Sridhara Svami on Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.1.34) is very helpful."
      For a detailed refutation of Sankaracarya's arguments attempting to prove Sankarsana an ordinary living being, one may refer to Srimat Sudarsanacarya's commentary on the Sri-bhasya, which is known as the Sruta-prakasika. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila, 5.41 purport by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja)]

 

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