Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation
By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 4th January 2021 in
Śrīdhāma 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
Introduction: Today we are continuing with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book, today’s chapter entitled:
Becoming the Pearl Necklace for All Devotees, The Two Verses Declare the Name and Fame of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.237
sārvabhaumera sarvatobhāve bhakti-mārgāśraya:—
caitanya-caraṇa vine nāhi jāne āna
bhakti vinu śāstrera āra nā kare vyākhyāna
Translation: From that day on, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya did not know anything but the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and from that day he could explain the revealed scriptures only in accordance with the process of devotional service.
Jayapatākā Swami: Previously Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was explaining everything according to Māyāvādī bhāsya, now he is completely changed and he tells everything according to Bhakti-yoga or devotional service . He is fully surrendered to Lord Caitanya.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.238
gopīnāthera harṣabhare nṛtya:—
gopīnāthācārya tāṅra vaiṣṇavatā dekhiyā
’hari’ ’hari’ bali’ nāce hāte tāli diyā
Translation: Seeing that Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was firmly fixed in the cult of Vaiṣṇavism, Gopīnātha Ācārya, his brother-in-law, began to dance, clap his hands and chant, “Hari! Hari!”
Jayapatākā Swami: Hari Bol! Hari Bol!
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.239
bhaṭṭācāryera jagannāthāpekṣā prabhuprati pratyādhikya:—
āra dina bhaṭṭācārya āilā darśane
jagannātha nā dekhi’ āilā prabhu-sthāne
Translation: The next day, the Bhaṭṭācārya went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannātha, but before he reached the temple, he went to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.240
sārvabhaumera dainya:—
daṇḍavat kari’ kaila bahu-vidha stuti
dainya kari’ kahe nija pūrva-durmati
Translation: When he met Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya fell down flat to offer Him respects. After offering various prayers to Him, he spoke of his previous bad disposition with great humility.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.77
itthaṁ sa cānyedyur asau dvijāgryo
dhūpāvasāne prabhu-gauracandram
draṣṭuṁ jagāmātha mahā-kṛpāluṁ
viyukta-vidyā-mada-bhāva-śāntaḥ
Translation: In this way, on another day, the best of brāhmaṇas, devoid of pride in his knowledge and with a peaceful mind, went to see the most merciful Lord after the incense offering.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.78
dṛṣṭvā nanāmāvani-mūla-rājan-
maulir mahātmā stavam apy akārṣīt
atho jagādāśu ca bhīta-bhīto
baddhāṣjaliḥ pāṇi-puṭena vipraḥ
Translation: Sārvabhauma, who shone as the chief person in the whole world, a great soul, on seeing the Lord, offered respects and recited verses of praise. In fear, folding his hands, he then spoke.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.79
vyākhyāhi bho mayy anukampayeśa
padyaikam etad gadituṁ bibhemi
vyākhyāyate’smābhir idaṁ na cātra
hṛt-pratyayaḥ ko’pi ca samprati syāt
Translation: “O Lord! Please explain to me this one verse. I am afraid to speak about it. I have explained it, but I no longer have faith in that explanation.”
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.80
ity ūcivān padya-yugaṁ pramodād
ekādaśa-skandha-bhavaṁ papāṭha
niśamya taṁ kāruṇikāgra-gaṇyo
vyākhyāṁ cakārāti-sudurgamārtham
Translation: Saying this, he then recited two lines in bliss from the Eleventh Canto of Bhāgavatam. Hearing the verse, the most merciful Lord explained the verse having a most difficult meaning.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.81
pṛthak pṛthaktvān navadhā cakāra
vyākhyāṁ sapadya-dvitayasya śaśvat
aṣṭādaśārthān ubhayor niśamya
mahā-vimugdho’bhavad eṣa vipraḥ
Translation: Hearing nine meanings of the first line and nine meanings of the second line, totally eighteen meanings, the brāhmaṇa was overjoyed.
Jayapatākā Swami: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya being a great Paṇḍita, he loved to hear the Lord explain verses very eruditely and, in this way, when Lord Caitanya explained the verses in 18 different ways Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was overjoyed.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.241
sarvaśreṣṭha sādhana ki, jijñāsā karāya prabhura nāmasaṅkīrtanera mahimā-jñāpana:—
bhakti-sādhana-śreṣṭha śunite haila mana
prabhu upadeśa kaila nāma-saṅkīrtana
Translation: Then the Bhaṭṭācārya asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Which item is most important in the execution of devotional service?” The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: There are nine items to be executed in devotional service. These are enumerated in the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23):
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
Hearing the glories of the Lord, chanting, remembering, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, becoming a servant of the Lord, becoming the Lord’s friend, and sarvātma-nivedana, offering oneself fully at the lotus feet of the Lord—these are the nine devotional processes. In The Nectar of Devotion, these are expanded into sixty-four items. When Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya asked the Lord which item was most important, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately answered that the most important item is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. He then quoted the following verse from the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa (38.126) to confirm His statement.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.242
Bṛhan-Nāradīya-Purāṇa (38.126)
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
Translation: “In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’”
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Because the people of this age are so fallen, they can simply chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. In this way they can rid themselves of the bodily conception of life and become eligible to engage in the Lord’s devotional service. One cannot engage in the devotional service of the Lord without being purified of all contamination. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):
yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination.” Sometimes people are surprised to see young men and women take so seriously to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. By giving up sinful activity—illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling—and strictly following the injunctions given by the spiritual master, they have become purified of all contamination. They can therefore fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
In this Age of Kali, hari-kīrtana is very, very important. The importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord is stated in the following verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.51–52):
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
“The most important factor in this Age of Kali, which is an ocean of faults, is that one can be free from all contamination and become eligible to enter the kingdom of God simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The self-realization that was achieved in the Satya millennium by meditation, in the Tretā millennium by the performance of different sacrifices, and in the Dvāpara millennium by worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa can be achieved in the Age of Kali simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Kṛṣṇa.”
Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this age of Kali, Lord Caitanya got the animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa forest to chant so Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “we may not be able to get the animals to chant like Lord Caitanya did, but at least we should get human beings to chant.” Haribol!
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.243
prabhukarttṛka śloka vyākhyā-śravaṇe bhaṭṭācāryera vismaya:—
ei ślokera artha śunāila kariyā vistāra
śuni’ bhaṭṭācārya-mane haila camatkāra
Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very elaborately explained the harer nāma verse of the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa, and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was struck with wonder to hear His explanation.
Jayapatākā Swami: So, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā verse was explained by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu very elaborately to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya who was very inspired to hear such an explanation. All the followers of Lord Caitanya should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and spread this chanting everywhere.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.244
gopīnāthera bhaviṣyadvāṇīra sāphalya:—
gopīnāthācārya bale,—’āmi pūrve ye kahili
śuna, bhaṭṭācārya, tomāra sei ta’ ha-ila’
Translation: Gopīnātha Ācārya reminded Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, what I foretold to you has now taken place.”
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Previously Gopīnātha Ācārya had informed Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that when he would be blessed by the Lord, he would thoroughly understand the transcendental process of devotional service. This prediction was now fulfilled. The Bhaṭṭācārya was fully converted to the cult of Vaiṣṇavism, and he was following the principles automatically, without being pressured. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.40) it is therefore said, sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: “Simply by performing a little devotional service, one can escape the greatest danger.” Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had been in the greatest danger because he had adhered to Māyāvāda philosophy. Somehow or other he came into contact with Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and became a perfect devotee. In this way he was saved from the great falldown of impersonalism.
Jayapatākā Swami: So, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda had mentioned that the greatest welfare work in the human society was to spread the message of Lord Caitanya and engage the people in devotional services. This happened with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and it can happen even today.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.245
gopīnāthasaha sambandhahetu sārvabhaumera prabhu-kṛpā-lābha:—
bhaṭṭācārya kahe tāṅre kari’ namaskāre
tomāra sambandhe prabhu kṛpā kaila more
Translation: Offering his obeisances to Gopīnātha Ācārya, the Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Because I am related to you and you are a devotee, by your mercy the Lord has shown mercy to me.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.246
tumi—mahābhāgavata, āmi—tarka-andhe
prabhu kṛpā kaila more tomāra sambandhe
Translation: “You are a first-class devotee, whereas I am in the darkness of logical arguments. Because of your relationship with the Lord, the Lord has bestowed His benediction upon me.”
Jayapatākā Swami: So, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya is giving all credit to Gopīnātha Ācārya, that because of his association he was delivered by Lord Caitanya. Actually if the devotee who is preaching prays to the Lord in the heart to have mercy on other person, then we can work wonders.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.82
bhūtvā vimugdho’tiśayaṁ mahātmā
tuṣṭāva kurvann adhikaṁ sva-nindām
aho vimūḍho nṛpaśur na mādṛk
tavānubhāvaṁ praviveda deva
Translation: Overjoyed, the great soul praised Him and intensely criticized himself. “I am a fool, a human animal. I could not understand your power, O Lord!”
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.247
bhaṭṭācāryake prabhura jagannātha-darśane anumati dāna:—
vinaya śuni’ tuṣṭye prabhu kaila āliṅgana
kahila,—yāñā karaha īśvara daraśana
Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased with this humble statement. After embracing the Bhaṭṭācārya, He said, “Now go see Lord Jagannātha in the temple.”
Jayapatākā Swami: So Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya criticized himself saying that He was a human animal” Śrīla Prabhupāda had mentioned that people in the Western world are living a very sophisticated animal life, and real human life begins with devotional service, and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya realized that when he was embraced by Lord Caitanya.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.248
gṛhe āsiyā prasāda o prabhu-mahimāsūcaka śloka-preraṇa:—
jagadānanda dāmodara,—dui saṅge lañā
ghare āila bhaṭṭācārya jagannātha dekhiyā
Translation: After visiting the temple of Lord Jagannātha, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya returned home with Jagadānanda and Dāmodara.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.249
uttama uttama prasāda bahuta ānilā
nija-vipra-hāte dui janā saṅge dilā
Translation: The Bhaṭṭācārya brought large quantities of excellent food remnants blessed by Lord Jagannātha. All this prasāda was given to his own brāhmaṇa servant, along with Jagadānanda and Dāmodara.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.83
iti prakāmāṁ stavanaṁ vidhāya
kaṁcit prabhoḥ pāriṣadaṁ gṛhītvā
yayau sva-gehaṁ tad-anantare ca
vilikhya patrīm anavadya-padyām
Translation: Profusely praising the Lord, taking a follower of the Lord with him, he went home and there wrote a flawless verse as a letter.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.84
bhikṣārtham asyaiva mahā-kṛpālor
mahā-prasādānnam ananya-dṛṣṭam
dattvā tam enaṁ prabhave tu patrī
deyeti prasthāpya nananda vipraḥ
Translation: He gave mahā-prasāda which had not been seen by others to the follower, for the Lord’s meal. With joy he sent the follower back, telling him to deliver the letter.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.250
nija kṛta dui śloka likhiyā tāla-pāte
’prabhuke diha’ bali’ dila jagadānanda-hāte
Translation: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then composed two verses on the leaf of a palm tree. Giving the palm leaf to Jagadānanda Prabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya requested him to deliver it to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.251
prabhura prāptira pūrve mukundakarttṛka ślokadvayera nakalarakṣaṇa:—
prabhu-sthāne āilā duṅhe prasāda-patrī lañā
mukunda datta patrī nila tāra hāte pāñā
Translation: Jagadānanda and Dāmodara then returned to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, bringing Him both the prasāda and the palm leaf on which the verses were composed. But Mukunda Datta took the palm leaf from the hands of Jagadānanda before he could deliver it to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 6.265
(tataḥ praviśato’paṭīkṣepeṇa dāmodara-jagadānandau |)
(Tossing the curtain aside, Dāmodara and Jagadānanda enter).
dāmodara-jagadānandau: deva ! bhaṭṭācāryeṇa padya-dvayaṁ bhaikṣyam annaṁ ca bhagavaj-jagannātha-bhuktāvaśiṣṭaṁ prahitam asti |
Dāmodara and Jagadānanda: Lord, the Bhaṭṭācārya sent two verses and the remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s meal as a part of Your bhaikṣa (living on alms).
Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 6.266
bhagavān: anugṛhīto’smi |
Bhagavān: I am been favoured.
Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 6.267
mukundaḥ: padya-dvayaṁ paśyāmi |
(iti tat-karāt patrikām ādāya svagataṁ vācayati |)
Mukunda: Let me look at the two verses. (He takes the page and reads to himself)
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.252
jagadānandera prabhuke bhaṭṭācāryera ślokasaha patra pradāna:—
dui śloka bāhira-bhite likhiyā rākhila
tabe jagadānanda patrī prabhuke lañā dila
Translation: Mukunda Datta then copied the two verses on the wall outside the room. After this, Jagadānanda took the palm leaf from Mukunda Datta and delivered it to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.85
mukunda-datto’tha vilokya patrīṁ
nipaṭhya ca śloka-yugaṁ tadīyam
bhittau vilikhyāpi ca nātha-haste
dadau sa cālokya papāṭha mandam
Translation: Mukunda Datta, seeing the letter, read it and wrote the two verses on the wall. He gave the letter to the Lord. The Lord, seeing the letter, carefully read it.
Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 6.270
(iti vācayitvā bhittau vilikhya deva-haste dadāti |
(After reading and writing it on the wall, Mukunda places the original writing in the Lord’s hand).
bhagavān ālokya vidārayati |)
(The Lord glances at it, and then tears it up).
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.88
iti prapaṭhyaiva vihasya dorbhyāṁ
vidārayāmāsa kṛpāmbudhis tām
bhittau vilokyātha samasta-lokaś
cakāra kaṇṭhe maṇivat tad eva
Translation: Reading the verses, the ocean of mercy laughed and tore up the letter with his two hands. All the people, seeing the verses written on the wall, wore them on their throats like a jewel.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.253
prabhu śloka paḍi’ patra chiṇḍiyā phelila
bhittye dekhi’ bhakta saba śloka kaṇṭhe kaila
Translation: As soon as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu read the two verses, He immediately tore up the palm leaf. However, all the devotees read these verses on the outside wall, and they all kept them within their hearts. The verses read as follows.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.254
Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 6.268
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.86
Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.12.17
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.126
jñāna-virāga-bhakti-vitaraṇakārī gaurake praṇāma:—
vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-
śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī
kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye
Translation: “Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service and detachment from whatever does not foster Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet.
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.127
“vairāgya sahita nija bhakti bujhāite
ye prabhu kṛpāya avatīrṇa pṛthivīte
Jayapataka Swami: Lord Krsna has descended in this world as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to teach own devotional service, combined with renunciation. It was Lord Caitanya’s mercy, He has descended in this world.
Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: To establish the insignificance of false renunciation, the need for proper renunciation, the uselessness of material enjoyment, the uselessness of dry renunciation, and the need for knowledge based on service, the eternal Personality of Godhead mercifully incarnated in this material world. In this way, Sārvabhauma composed one hundred verses, such as the verse beginning kālān naṣṭaṁ [verse 123].
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.128
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya tanu—puruṣa purāṇa
tribhuvane nāhi yāra adhika samāna
Jayapatākā Swami: “The form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. In these three worlds, there is no one equal or greater than Him.
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.129
hena kṛpā-sindhura caraṇa-guṇa-nāma
sphuruk āmāra hṛdayete avirāma”
Jayapatākā Swami: “Such an ocean of mercy His lotus feet, His transcendental qualities and His holy names, be manifest in my heart constantly.”
Another reading for guṇa-nāma (“qualities and names”) is guṇa-dhāma (“reservoir of qualities”).
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.255
Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 6.269
Caitanya Carita Mahā Kāvya 12.87
Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.12.18
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.123
guptabhakti-vyaktakārī gaure niṣṭhā:—
kālān naṣṭaṁ bhakti-yogaṁ nijaṁ yaḥ
prāduṣkartuṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmā
āvirbhūtas tasya pādāravinde
gāḍhaṁ gāḍhaṁ līyatāṁ citta-bhṛṅgaḥ
Translation: “Let my consciousness, which is like a honeybee, take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has just now appeared as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach the ancient system of devotional service to Himself. This system had almost been lost due to the influence of time.”
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.7):
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”
This is also the case with Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s appearance. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in this world as a disguised incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, but His appearance is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Mahābhārata and other Vedic scriptures. He appeared in order to teach the fallen souls in this material world, for in this Age of Kali almost everyone has become attached to fruitive and ritualistic activities and mental speculation. Consequently there was a great need to revive the system of devotional service. The Lord Himself personally came down disguised as a devotee so that the fallen populace might take advantage of the Lord’s example.
At the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa advised complete surrender unto Him, promising all protection to His devotee. Unfortunately, people are so fallen that they cannot accept the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa returned with the same mission, but He executed it in a different way. As Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He ordered us to surrender unto Himself, but as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He taught us how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is praised by the Gosvāmīs: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāye te. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is certainly the Personality of Godhead, but He is not as magnanimous as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Kṛṣṇa simply gave orders for one to become His devotee (man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ), but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu actually taught the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one wants to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he must first take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, following in the footsteps of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and other exalted devotees.
Jayapatākā Swami: So, by Lord Caitanya mercy one is able to render pure devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. We see in many temples there are Rādhā Kṛṣṇa deities, Sītā Rāma Lakṣmaṇa Hanumān deities but they don’t go so much to Nitāi Gaura deities. But by the mercy of Lord Caitanya one can actually get pure devotion for Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Actually, it is more important to first go to Lord Caitanya get His mercy, and then we can approach Rādhā Kṛṣṇa and Sītā Rāma.
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.124
“kāla-vaśe bhakti lukāiyā dine dine
punar-bāra nija bhakti-prakāśa-kāraṇe
Translation: “When in the course of time devotional service became lost, to again manifest His own devotional service, . .
Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 3.125
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāma-prabhu avatāra
tāṅra pāda-padme citta rahuka āmāra”
Jayapatākā Swami: The Lord descended from spiritual world as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, personally as well as in the form of the Holy name. Let my mind be fully attached to His lotus feet.
Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.14.3) the Supreme Lord has stated:
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kālena naṣṭā pralaye
vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñitā
mayādau brahmaṇe proktā
dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ
“By the influence of time, the transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place, I spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahmā because I Myself am the religious principles enunciated in the Vedas.”
In this godless material world, devotional service remains manifested in proportion to one’s good fortune. If out of misfortune one is attached to the path of argument, then his service propensity becomes mixed, or in some cases lost. To reveal that pure devotional service, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya incarnated in this world.
Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya coming to inspire the people to engage in devotional service, that there is only one God worshiped by different people in different ways, but that devotional service is the actual way to worship the Lord.
Transcribed and Verified by JPS Archives team, 05th January 2021