Nama Om Vishnu Paadaya, ….
Hari Haraaya Naam Krishna Yadavaya Naama Hari…
Mukham karoti…
Welcome to all the devotees. Today was the auspicious 2nd of February, a Saturday here in India, Chennai. In the morning I had the physical therapy and then in the afternoon I had cycling, I went over 900 cycles, and also had dinner. Various kinds of sandwiches and then now, giving class on Lord Caitanya. We are happy to welcome devotees from Manipal university, and Krishna, Ankita and Lakshmi. So today we are having the first verse which is from Caitanya Caritamrita. Since that was translated by Prabhupad, I will just take the translation as he gave it.
“Srivas Thakur then worshipped Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by the process of abhishek. Sitting on a cot, the Lord exhibited transcendental opulence.”
Purport by Srila Prabhupad: Abhishek is a special function for the installation of the deity. In the ceremony the deity is bathed with milk and water and then worshipped and then given a change of dress. This abhishek function was specially observed at the house of Srivas. All the devotees according to their means, worshipped the Lord with all kinds of paraphernalia and the Lord gave benedictions to each devotee, according to his desire.”
My dear brothers, hear with a single minded concentration, all the topics of the Madhya kanda, how Gaurachandra Mahaprabhu enjoyed His pastimes!
Now listen to Lord Caitanya’s Mahaprakash lila where all the vaishnavas got their desires fulfilled. So by you hearing the pastime of Lord Caitanya’s Mahaprakash or great revelation, you will also get your desires fulfilled. Haribol! Haribol! I hope you all have Krishna conscious desires?!
(Caitanya Chandrodaya Naatak)
“With a sidelong glance He lightens all sins and tears apart lust and all other vices in the hearts of others. How can He be overcome with anger?”
“Behind the scenes is a blissful tumult. “
Caitanya Chandrodaya Naatak:
So the personality of Kali is listening and is talking to his friend, irreligion, friend listen, irreligion listen!
“I hear tumultuous sounds of bliss from Srivas’s house. I can guess these are limitlessly glorious pastimes of Shri Caitanya that feel the heart with wonder are revealed.”
So Kali, the personality of this yuga, he was carefully looking. It is ascertained to be true, as if I can see it.
So Kali is telling his friend, irreligion, look, the auspicious ulu dhwani calls have begun of the brahmana ladies, the blissful sounds of jaya, jaya, jai jai! I can’t hear you over the internet! The playing of many instruments and the unrestrained, tumultuous sounds of conch shells, mridangas are a great festival, like a flood of nectar to hear! I must get a closer look! Kali does that, he is looking. This is a drama written in the Caitanya Chandrodaya Naatak, the drama of Caitanya Chandrodaya. The drama is in Sanskrit and we are reading the Bengali translation.
So Srivas, he is speaking from behind the scenes. Rama, quickly bring the aargya, and the other articles of worship. Sripathi, please bring the astotharashata, 108 new kalash, excellent new kalash – kalash is a jar. Srikantha, from every direction direct the brahmana ladies and the pious women to bring water from the Ganges, now, now!! Festival! Festival! Gauranga! Nityananda! Advaita Gosain, Gadaadhar, Srivas Adi gaur bhakta Vrnda ki jai!
Oh my friend irreligion, I see Srivas giving duties to his brothers. I think Vishwambhar dev is now revealing his expansive, supreme influence, His Mahaprakash, and thus His Maha abhishek festival has ecstatically begun! Haribol! Haribol!
So irreligion, adharma says, if He is the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead, then why is He manifesting His supremacy only now? Tell me!
The personality of kali says to his friend irreligion, friend, listen. Although He is eternally the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is supremely independent, He does not always reveal His identity to others. By His own desire He sometimes performs actions, similar to the ordinary people. The wise call these, His supremely sweet pastimes.
(Caitanya Bhagavat)
Seven prahars ecstasy or the 21 hour prahar bhaav or ecstasy is known by the people. And there the Lord revealed all His different incarnations. So a prahar is 7 half dhandas or 3 hours. 7prahars is equal to 21 hours. Gaurahari manifested the pastimes of all Vishnu incarnations, for 21 hours. During this period, He manifested His wonderful pastimes and satisfied the devotees by eating their offerings and awarding them with devotional service to Lord Hari or Krishna. Hari is the name of Krishna. So ashtam prahar is 24 hours, saptam prahar is 21 hours. So the Lord’s arati, abhishek and puja went on continuously for 21 hours. Haribol! How many would like to be there? Haribol!
So this is the Caitanya Caritamrita Maha kaavya and the Bengali is – you can read.
3 prahars of the day and 8 prahars of the previous day had passed. Devotees during this time, had not bathed, had not performed their duties and had not rested.
There was a break in audio at this point.
So the ecstasy that the people were in is described and all the people, for a long time became motionless. Their eyes not seeing, their ears not hearing and their minds inoperable like that of newborn infants. In other words, they were in ecstasy, completely stunned.
The wives of the brahmanas looked at Lord Vishwarup with unblinking eyes continually, happy with the great mercy given by GAUURANGAAAAA! With external and internal joy, they forgot their bodies for a short time. They were in total bliss! Haribol!
Beholding this great secret reveal, the devotees did not have urges of hunger or thirst. Two days felt like a moment, what is the use of hunger, thirst and other bodily urges?
During this pastime the Lord ate wonderful offerings, He manifested wonderful forms, and He gave devotional service of Vishnu to one and all. Giving Krishna bhakti pastime was enacted by the Lord. Giving Krishna bhakti to everyone!
Another day while teaching the sons of the brahmanas, He emanated the most dazzling, spiritual effulgence.
Lord Gaurahari was effulgent like the sun, with unlimited perfections, He had the sunrise color, kind of saffron colour, pink or what is the color of sunrise here? That Arun color. He was going alone and His lotus feet were also like saffron coloured lotuses, and His two lotus feet went into the house of Srivas.
So we are just half way through this chapter and so we will take some questions now. Two from the public here and two from the internet. Please write your questions down, if you have.
Question: We are going thru the places in parikrama where Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda roamed, as Navadvip Mandal parikrama. What is Gaura mandal parikrama guru maharaj?
Guru maharaj: Like a lotus has a central whorl and has eight petals and then has many petals, so the Navadvip dham is like the centre and the eight petals. That is nine islands – Simantadvip, Godrumdvip, Madhyadvip, Koladvip, Ritudvip, Modrumadvip, Rudradvip, and Antardvip. So that is the nine islands of Navadvip parikrama which we do at Gaura Purnima time. Gaura mandal bhumi is the greater place of the Lord’s pastimes, that is like 160 miles. Compared to 32 miles. So it starts from south west Remuna to north west Kanainaathshaala and beyond. And then in the east, north east is the Srihatta, the birthplace of Madhavendra puri and Advaita Gosain, Sachi devi, Jagannath Mishra and their forefathers. In the south east, is Pundarik dham and the appearance place of the brothers Vaasudev Dutta and Mukunda Dutta. So this whole are of Bengal, parts of Orissa and parts of Jarikhanda and Bangladesh, that is known as Gaura mandal bhumi. That place is described by Narottama das Thakur. Gaura mandal bhumi jebe jaane chintamani taara hoi Braja bhumi vaas. What is the meaning? Who accepts the pastime places of Gaura mandal as transcendental, they also reside in Vraja bhumi in Vrndavan dham.
Question: How can one be steady in the journey of devotion and remain dhira against any types of obstacles coming in this path? Shuvra Dey babu
Guru maharaj: Shuvra Deb babu! This is what is called determination. Dhruva maharaj, he wanted to get justice. He was a six-year-old child. He got pushed off his father’s lap, because his step mother that he is not born from my womb. Therefore, you cannot keep him on your lap. Only my son can sit on your lap. And Dhruva got pushed off. So he went to all the ministers, went to his mother, but nobody could do anything. His mother said, that some rishis go to the forest and they meditate and they realize God, so maybe Bhagavan can help you. So Dhruva maharaj went to the forest. He had no idea what Bhagavan looked like. He went up to the lions, tigers, are you BHAGAVAN? They didn’t answer. Then Bhagavan, Narayan, sent Narada muni down to help him. He saw Narada muni, he said are you BHAGAAN? ARE YOU BHAGAVAN? He said, no, no I am not Bhagavan. Then I won’t talk to you, ha! Ha! I am looking for Bhagavan. I am sent by Bhagavan and I am here to help you. So it is dangerous that you are a child and here in the jungle there are wild animals and, don’t you want to go home? Either you help me find Bhagavan or I will look myself. Ok, ok. So he revealed how he could achieve Bhagavan. So if you are as determined as Dhruva, then nothing will stop us. We will go on looking – WE WANT BHAGAVAN! BHAGAVAN or nothing! So we should have that kind of determination. That we want Bhagavan! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Who wants Bhagavan? (raise your hands)! Bhagavan! Bhagavan! Bhagavan! Ha! Ha So that is how we remain determined. We hear the pastimes of Dhruva maharaj and Prahlad maharaj. Hare Krishna.
Question: Sri Guru Sevanandini devi dasi: Why ladies are not allowed to sing mangala arati and Nrsimha arati in India?
Guru maharaj: There should be a question which is related to the class. We just follow the tradition, here in India. So we have many devotees, ladies, men, who sing in their houses, the Nrsimha prayers.
Devotees on line – names were read by repeater. 217 online.
We have one more question here?
Transcribed by Jayaraseshwari devi dasi
2 February 2019