A summary of Chapter Nine has been given as follows by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya. In the Ninth Chapter the author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta has devised a figurative example by describing the "plant of bhakti." He considers Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Visvambhara, to be the gardener of this plant because He is the main personality who has taken charge of it. As the supreme enjoyer, He enjoyed the flowers Himself and distributed them as well. The seed of the plant was first sown in Navadvipa, the birthsite of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and then the plant was brought to Purusottama-ksetra (Jagannatha Puri) and then to Vrndavana. The seed fructified first in Srila Madhavendra Puri and then his disciple Sri Isvara Puri. It is figuratively described that both the tree itself and the trunk of the tree are Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The devotees, headed by Paramananda Puri and eight other great sannyasis, are like the spreading roots of the tree. From the main trunk there extend two special branches, Advaita Prabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and from those branches grow other branches and twigs. The tree surrounds the entire world, and the flowers of the tree are to be distributed to everyone. In this way the tree of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu intoxicates the entire world. It should be noted that this is a figurative example meant to explain the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 1
tam srimat-krsna-caitanya-
devam vande jagad-gurum
yasyanukampaya svapi
mahabdhim santaret sukham
SYNONYMS
tam--unto Him; srimat--with all opulence; krsna-caitanya-devam--unto Lord Krsna Caitanyadeva; vande--I offer obeisances; jagat-gurum--spiritual master of the world; yasya--whose; anukampaya--by the mercy of; sva api--even a dog; maha-abdhim--great ocean; santaret--can swim; sukham--without difficulty.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual master of the entire world, Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose mercy even a dog can swim across a great ocean.
PURPORT
Sometimes it is to be seen that a dog can swim in the water for a few yards and then come back to the shore. Here, however, it is stated that if a dog is blessed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he can swim across an ocean. Similarly, the author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, placing himself in a helpless condition, states that he has no personal power, but by the desire of Lord Caitanya, expressed through the Vaisnavas and Madana-mohana vigraha, it is possible for him to cross a transcendental ocean to present Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
jaya jaya--all glories; srivasa-adi--to Srivasa and others; gaura-bhakta-gana--all the devotees of Lord Caitanya; sarva-abhista--all ambition; purti--satisfaction; hetu--for the matter of; yanhara--whose; smarana--remembrance.
TRANSLATION
All glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa Thakura! In order to fulfill all my desires, I remember their lotus feet.
PURPORT
The author here continues to follow the same principles of worship of the Panca-tattva that were described in the Seventh Chapter of the Adi-lila.
I also remember the six Gosvamis-Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta Raghunatha, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta and Dasa Raghunatha.
PURPORT
This is the process for writing transcendental literature. A sentimentalist who has no Vaisnava qualifications cannot produce transcendental writings. There are many fools who consider krsna-lila to be a subject of art and write or paint pictures about the pastimes of Lord Krsna with the gopis, sometimes depicting them in a manner practically obscene. These fools take pleasure in material sense gratification, but one who wants to make advancement in spiritual life must scrupulously avoid their literature. Unless one is a servant of Krsna and the Vaisnavas, as Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami presents himself to be in offering respects to Lord Caitanya, His associates and His disciples, one should not attempt to write transcendental literature.
TEXT 5
esaba-prasade likhi caitanya-lila-guna
jani va na jani, kari apana-sodhana
SYNONYMS
esaba--all these; prasade--by the mercy of; likhi--I write; caitanya--of Lord Caitanya; lila-guna--pastimes and qualities; jani--know; va--or; na--not; jani--know; kari--do; apana--self; sodhana--purification.
TRANSLATION
It is by the mercy of all these Vaisnavas and gurus that I attempt to write about the pastimes and qualities of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whether I know or know not, it is for self-purification that I write this book.
PURPORT
This is the sum and substance of transcendental writing. One must be an authorized Vaisnava, humble and pure. One should write transcendental literature to purify oneself, not for credit. By writing about the pastimes of the Lord, one associates with the Lord directly. One should not ambitiously think, "I shall become a great author. I shall be celebrated as a writer." These are material desires. One should attempt to write for self-purification. It may be published or it may not be published, but that does not matter. If one is actually sincere in writing, all his ambitions will be fulfilled. Whether one is known as a great author is incidental. One should not attempt to write transcendental literature for material name and fame.
TEXT 6
mala-karah svayam krsna-
premamara-taruh svayam
data bhokta tat-phalanam
yas tam caitanyam asraye
SYNONYMS
mala-karah--gardener; svayam--Himself; krsna--Lord Krsna; prema--love; amara--transcendental; taruh--tree; svayam--Himself; data--giver; bhokta--enjoyer; tat-phalanam--of all the fruits of that tree; yah--one who; tam--unto Him; caitanyam--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asraye--I take shelter.
TRANSLATION
I take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who Himself is the tree of transcendental love of Krsna, its gardener and also the bestower and enjoyer of its fruits.
TEXT 7
prabhu kahe, ami 'visvambhara' nama dhari
nama sarthaka haya, yadi preme visva bhari
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord said; ami--I; visvambhara--Visvambhara; nama--named; dhari--accept; nama--the name; sarthaka--complete; haya--becomes; yadi--if; preme--in love of God; visva--the whole universe; bhari--fulfilled.
TRANSLATION
Lord Caitanya thought, "My name is Visvambhara, 'one who maintains the entire universe.' Its meaning will be actualized if I can fill the whole universe with love of Godhead."
TEXT 8
eta cinti' laila prabhu malakara-dharma
navadvipe arambhila phalodyana-karma
SYNONYMS
eta cinti'--thinking like this; laila--took; prabhu--the Lord; mala-kara-dharma--the business of a gardener; navadvipe--in Navadvipa; arambhila--began; phala-udyana--garden; karma--activities.
TRANSLATION
Thinking in this way, He accepted the duty of a planter and began to grow a garden in Navadvipa.
sri-caitanya--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mala-kara--gardener; prthivite--on this planet; ani'--bringing; bhakti-kalpa-taru--the desire tree of devotional service; ropila--sowed; sinci'--watering; iccha--will; pani--water.
TRANSLATION
Thus the Lord brought the desire tree of devotional service to this earth and became its gardener. He sowed the seed and sprinkled upon it the water of His will.
PURPORT
In many places devotional service has been compared to a creeper. One has to sow the seed of the devotional creeper, bhakti-lata, within his heart. As he regularly hears and chants, the seed will fructify and gradually grow into a mature plant and then produce the fruit of devotional service, namely, love of Godhead, which the gardener (mala-kara) can then enjoy without impediments.
TEXT 10
jaya sri madhavapuri krsna-prema-pura
bhakti-kalpatarura tenho prathama ankura
SYNONYMS
jaya--all glories; sri madhava-puri--unto Madhavendra Puri; krsna-prema-pura--a storehouse of all love of Godhead; bhakti-kalpa-tarura--of the desire tree of devotional service; tenho--he is; prathama--first; ankura--fructification.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Sri Madhavendra Puri, the storehouse of all devotional service unto Krsna! He is a desire tree of devotional service, and it is in him that the seed of devotional service first fructified.
PURPORT
Sri Madhavendra Puri, also known as Sri Madhava Puri, belonged to the disciplic succession from Madhvacarya and was a greatly celebrated sannyasi. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the third disciplic descendant from Sri Madhavendra Puri. The process of worship in the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya was full of ritualistic ceremonies, with hardly a sign of love of Godhead; Sri Madhavendra Puri was the first person in that disciplic succession to exhibit the symptoms of love of Godhead and the first to write a poem beginning with the words ayi dina-dayardra natha, "O supremely merciful Personality of Godhead." In that poem is the seed of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cultivation of love of Godhead.
sri-isvara-puri--by the name Sri Isvara Puri; rupe--in the form of; ankura--the seed; pusta--cultivated; haila--became; apane--Himself; caitanya-mali--the gardener of the name Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; skandha--trunk; upajila--expanded.
TRANSLATION
The seed of devotional service next fructified in the form of Sri Isvara Puri, and then the gardener Himself, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of devotional service.
PURPORT
Sri Isvara Puri was a resident of Kumara-hatta, where there is now a railroad station known as Kamarhatta. Nearby there is also another station named Halisahara, which belongs to the Eastern Railway that runs from the eastern section of Calcutta.
Isvara Puri appeared in a brahmana family and was the most beloved disciple of Srila Madhavendra Puri. In the last portion of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 8.28-31), it is stated:
isvara-puri gosani kare sri-pada sevana
sva-haste karena mala-mutradi marjana
tusta hana puri tanre kaila alingana
vara dila krsne tomara ha-uka prema-dhana
sei haite isvara-puri premera sagara
"At the last stage of his life Sri Madhavendra Puri became an invalid and was completely unable to move, and Isvara Puri so completely engaged himself in his service that he personally cleaned up his stool and urine. Always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and reminding Sri Madhavendra Puri about the pastimes of Lord Krsna in the last stage of his life, Isvara Puri gave the best service among his disciples. Thus Madhavendra Puri, being very pleased with him, blessed him, saying, 'My dear boy, I can only pray to Krsna that He will be pleased with you.' Thus Isvara Puri, by the grace of his spiritual master, Sri Madhavendra Puri, became a great devotee in the ocean of love of Godhead." Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti states in his Gurv-astaka prayer, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi: "By the mercy of the spiritual master one is blessed by the mercy of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement." It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here. A Vaisnava is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if he appears to be an invalid, this gives a chance to his disciples to serve him. Isvara Puri pleased his spiritual master by service, and by the blessings of his spiritual master he became such a great personality that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted him as His spiritual master.
Srila Isvara Puri was the spiritual master of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but before initiating Lord Caitanya he went to Navadvipa and lived for a few months in the house of Gopinatha Acarya. At that time Lord Caitanya became acquainted with him, and it is understood that he served Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by reciting his book, Krsna-lilamrta. This is explained in Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi-lila, Chapter Eleven.
To teach others by example how to be a faithful disciple of one's spiritual master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, visited the birthplace of Isvara Puri at Kamarhatta and collected some earth from his birthsite. This He kept very carefully, and He used to eat a small portion of it daily. This is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi-lila, Chapter Seventeen. It has now become customary for devotees, following the example of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to go there and collect some earth from that place.
TEXT 12
nijacintya-saktye mali hana skandha haya
sakala sakhara sei skandha mulasraya
By His inconceivable powers, the Lord became the gardener, the trunk and the branches simultaneously.
TEXTS 13-15
paramananda puri, ara kesava bharati
brahmananda puri, ara brahmananda bharati
visnu-puri, kesava-puri, puri krsnananda
sri-nrsimhatirtha, ara puri sukhananda
ei nava mula nikasila vrksa-mule
ei nava mule vrksa karila niscale
SYNONYMS
paramananda puri--of the name Paramananda Puri; ara--and; kesava bharati--of the name Kesava Bharati; brahmananda puri--of the name Brahmananda Puri; ara--and; brahmananda bharati--of the name Brahmananda Bharati; visnu-puri--of the name Visnu Puri; kesava-puri--of the name Kesava Puri; puri krsnananda--of the name Krsnananda Puri; sri-nrsimha-tirtha--of the name Sri Nrsimha Tirtha; ara--and; puri sukhananda--of the name Sukhananda Puri; ei nava--of these nine; mula--roots; nikasila--fructified; vrksa-mule--in the trunk of the tree; ei nava mule--in these nine roots; vrksa--the tree; karila niscale--became very steadfast.
TRANSLATION
Paramananda Puri, Kesava Bharati, Brahmananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Visnu Puri, Kesava Puri, Krsnananda Puri, Sri Nrsimha Tirtha and Sukhananda Puri--these nine sannyasi roots all sprouted from the trunk of the tree. Thus the tree stood steadfastly on the strength of these nine roots.
PURPORT
Paramananda Puri: Paramananda Puri belonged to a brahmana family of the Trihut district in Uttara Pradesh. Madhavendra Puri was his spiritual master. In relationship with Madhavendra Puri, Paramananda Puri was very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, there is the following statement:
sannyasira madhye isvarera priya-patra
ara nahi eka puri gosani se matra
damodara-svarupa paramananda-puri
sannyasi-parsade ei dui adhikari
niravadhi nikate thakena dui jana
prabhura sannyase kare dandera grahana
"Among his sannyasi disciples, Isvara Puri and Paramananda Puri were very dear to Madhavendra Puri. Thus Paramananda Puri, like Svarupa Damodara, who was also a sannyasi, was very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and was His constant associate. When Lord Caitanya accepted the renounced order, Paramananda Puri offered Him the danda. Paramananda Puri was always engaged in meditation, and Sri Svarupa was always engaged in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered full respect to His spiritual master, Isvara Puri, He similarly respected Paramananda Puri and Svarupa Damodara." It is described in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Three, that when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first saw Paramananda Puri He made the following statement:
prabhu bale aji mora saphala sannyasa
aji madhavendra more ha-ila prakasa
"My eyes, My mind, My religious activities and My acceptance of the sannyasa order have now all become perfect because today Madhavendra Puri is manifest before Me in the form of Paramananda Puri." The Caitanya-bhagavata further states:
kathoksane anyo 'nye karena pranama
paramananda-puri caitanyera priya-dhama
"Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exchanged respectful obeisances with Paramananda Puri, who was very dear to Him." Paramananda Puri established a small monastery behind the western side of the Jagannatha temple, where he had a well dug to supply water. The water, however, was bitter, and therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu prayed to Lord Jagannatha to allow Ganges water to come into the well to make it sweet. When Lord Jagannatha granted the request, Lord Caitanya told all the devotees that from that day hence, the water of Paramananda Puri's well should be celebrated as Ganges water, for any devotee who would drink it or bathe in it would certainly get the same benefit as that derived from drinking or bathing in the waters of the Ganges. Such a person would certainly develop pure love of Godhead. It is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila:
prabhu bale ami ye achiye prthivite
niscaya-i janiha puri-gosanira prite
"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to say: 'I am living in this world only on account of the excellent behavior of Sri Paramananda Puri.' " The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 118, states, puri sri-paramanando ya asid uddhavah pura. "Paramananda Puri is none other than Uddhava." Uddhava was Lord Krsna's friend and uncle, and in caitanya-lila the same Uddhava became the friend of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His uncle in terms of their relationship in the disciplic succession.
Kesava Bharati: The Sarasvati, Bharati and Puri sampradayas belong to the Srngeri Matha in South India, and Sri Kesava Bharati, who at that time was situated in a monastery in Katwa, belonged to the Bharati-sampradaya. According to some authoritative opinions, although Kesava Bharati belonged to the Sankara-sampradaya, he had formerly been initiated by a Vaisnava. He is said to have been a Vaisnava on account of having been initiated by Madhavendra Puri, for some say that he took sannyasa from Madhavendra Puri. The temple and Deity worship started by Kesava Bharati are still existing in the village known as Khatundi, which is under the postal jurisdiction of Kandara in the district of Burdwan. According to the managers of that matha, the priests are descendants of Kesava Bharati, and some say that the worshipers of the Deity are descendants of the sons of Kesava Bharati. In his householder life he had two sons, Nisapati and Usapati, and a brahmana of the name Sri Nakadicandra Vidyaratna, who was a member of the family of Nisapati, was the priest in charge at the time that Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati visited this temple. According to some, the priests of the temple belong to the family of Kesava Bharati's brother. Still another opinion is that they descend from Madhava Bharati, who was another disciple of Kesava Bharati's. Madhava Bharati's disciple Balabhadra, who also later became a sannyasi of the Bharati-sampradaya, had two sons in his family life, named Madana and Gopala. Madana, whose family's surname was Bharati, lived in the village of Auriya, and Gopala, whose family's surname was Brahmacari, lived in the village of Denduda. There are still many living descendants of both families.
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 52, it is said:
mathurayam yajna-sutram
pura krsnaya yo munih
dadau sandipanih so 'bhud
adya kesava-bharati
"Sandipani Muni, who formerly offered the sacred thread to Krsna and Balarama, later became Kesava Bharati." It is he who offered sannyasa to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There is another statement from the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 117: iti kecit prabhasante 'krurah kesava-bharati. "According to some authoritative opinions, Kesava Bharati is an incarnation of Akrura." Kesava Bharati offered the sannyasa order to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the year 1432 sakabda (A.D. 1510) in Katwa. This is stated in the Vaisnava-manjusa, Part Two.
Brahmananda Puri: Sri Brahmananda Puri was one of the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu while He was performing kirtana in Navadvipa, and he also joined Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri. We may note in this connection that the name Brahmananda is accepted not only by Mayavadi sannyasis but by Vaisnava sannyasis also. One of our foolish Godbrothers criticized our sannyasi Brahmananda Svami, saying that this was a Mayavadi name. The foolish man did not know that Brahmananda does not always refer to the impersonal. Parabrahman, the Supreme Brahman, is Krsna. A devotee of Krsna can therefore also be called Brahmananda; this is evident from the fact that Brahmananda Puri was one of the chief sannyasi associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Brahmananda Bharati: Brahmananda Bharati went to see Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha-dhama. At that time he used to wear only a deerskin to cover himself, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu indirectly indicated that He did not like this deerskin covering. Brahmananda Bharati therefore gave it up and accepted a loincloth of saffron color, as used by Vaisnava sannyasis. For some time he lived with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri.
TEXT 16
madhya-mula paramananda puri maha-dhira
asta dike asta mula vrksa kaila sthira
SYNONYMS
madhya-mula--the middle root; paramananda puri--of the name Paramananda Puri; maha-dhira--most sober; asta dike--in the eight directions; asta mula--eight roots; vrksa--the tree; kaila sthira--fixed.
TRANSLATION
With the sober and grave Paramananda Puri as the central root and the other eight roots in the eight directions, the tree of Caitanya Mahaprabhu stood firmly.
skandhera upare--upon the trunk; bahu sakha--many branches; upajila--grew; upari upari--over and above them; sakha--other branches; asankhya--innumerable; ha-ila--fructified.
TRANSLATION
From the trunk grew many branches and above them innumerable others.
TEXT 18
visa visa sakha kari' eka eka mandala
maha-maha-sakha chaila brahmanda sakala
SYNONYMS
visa visa--twenty, twenty; sakha--branches; kari'--making a group; eka eka mandala--form a society; maha-maha-sakha--big branches; chaila--covered; brahmanda--the whole universe; sakala--all.
TRANSLATION
Thus the branches of the Caitanya tree formed a cluster or society, with great branches covering all the universe.
PURPORT
Our International Society for Krishna Consciousness is one of the branches of the Caitanya tree.
TEXT 19
ekaika sakhate upasakha sata sata
yata upajila sakha ke ganibe kata
SYNONYMS
ekaika--each branch; sakhate--in the branch; upasakha--subbranches; sata sata--hundreds and hundreds; yata--all; upajila--grew; sakha--branches; ke--who; ganibe--can count; kata--how much.
TRANSLATION
From each branch grew many hundreds of subbranches. No one can count how many branches thus grew.
TEXT 20
mukhya mukhya sakha-ganera nama aganana
age ta' kariba, suna vrksera varnana
SYNONYMS
mukhya mukhya--the foremost of them all; sakha-ganera--of the branches; nama--name; aganana--uncountable; age--subsequently; ta' kariba--I shall do; suna--please hear; vrksera varnana--the description of the Caitanya tree.
TRANSLATION
I shall try to name the foremost of the innumerable branches. Please hear the description of the Caitanya tree.
TEXT 21
vrksera upare sakha haila dui skandha
eka 'advaita' nama, ara 'nityananda'
SYNONYMS
vrksera--of the tree; upare--on the top; sakha--branch; haila--became; dui--two; skandha--trunks; eka--one; advaita--Sri Advaita Prabhu; nama--of the name; ara--and; nityananda--of the name Nityananda Prabhu.
TRANSLATION
At the top of the tree the trunk branched into two. One trunk was named Sri Advaita Prabhu and the other Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
TEXT 22
sei dui-skandhe bahu sakha upajila
tara upasakha-gane jagat chaila
Thus the disciples and the granddisciples and their admirers spread throughout the entire world, and it is not possible to enumerate them all.
TEXT 25
udumbara-vrksa yena phale sarva ange
ei mata bhakti-vrkse sarvatra phala lage
SYNONYMS
udumbara-vrksa--a big fig tree; yena--as if; phale--grew fruits; sarva--all; ange--parts of the body; ei--this; mata--like; bhakti-vrkse--in the tree of devotional service; sarvatra--all over; phala--fruit; lage--appears.
TRANSLATION
As a big fig tree bears fruits all over its body, each part of the tree of devotional service bore fruit.
PURPORT
This tree of devotional service is not of this material world. It grows in the spiritual world, where there is no distinction between one part of the body and another. It is something like a tree of sugar, for whichever part of such a tree one tastes, it is always sweet. The tree of bhakti has varieties of branches, leaves and fruits, but they are all meant for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are nine different processes of devotional service (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam), but all of them are meant only for the service of the Supreme Lord. Therefore whether one hears, chants, remembers or worships, his activities will yield the same result. Which one of these processes will be the most suitable for a particular devotee depends upon his taste.
TEXT 26
mula-skandhera sakha ara upasakha-gane
lagila ye prema-phala,----amrtake jine
SYNONYMS
mula-skandhera--of the chief trunk; sakha--branches; ara--and; upasakha-gane--subbranches; lagila--as it grew; ye--that; prema-phala--the fruit of love; amrtake jine--such a fruit conquers nectar.
TRANSLATION
Since Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the original trunk, the taste of the fruits that grew on the branches and subbranches surpassed the taste of nectar.
TEXT 27
pakila ye prema-phala amrta-madhura
vilaya caitanya-mali, nahi laya mula
SYNONYMS
pakila--ripened; ye--that; prema-phala--the fruit of love of Godhead; amrta--nectarean; madhura--sweet; vilaya--distributes; caitanya-mali--the gardener, Lord Caitanya; nahi--does not; laya--take; mula--price.
TRANSLATION
The fruits ripened and became sweet and nectarean. The gardener, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, distributed them without asking any price.
TEXT 28
tri-jagate yata ache dhana-ratnamani
eka-phalera mulya kari' taha nahi gani
SYNONYMS
tri-jagate--in the three worlds; yata--as much as; ache--there is; dhana-ratna-mani--wealth and riches; eka-phalera--one fruit's; mulya--price; kari'--calculated; taha--that; nahi--do not; gani--count.
TRANSLATION
All the wealth in the three worlds cannot equal the value of one such nectarean fruit of devotional service.
TEXT 29
mage va na mage keha, patra va apatra
ihara vicara nahi jane, deya matra
Not considering who asked for it and who did not, nor who was fit and who unfit to receive it, Caitanya Mahaprabhu distributed the fruit of devotional service.
PURPORT
This is the sum and substance of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. There is no distinction made between those who are fit and those who are not fit to hear or take part in the sankirtana movement. It should therefore be preached without discrimination. The only purpose of the preachers of the sankirtana movement must be to go on preaching without restriction. That is the way in which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced this sankirtana movement to the world.
The transcendental gardener, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, distributed handful after handful of fruit in all directions, and when the poor hungry people ate the fruit, the gardener smiled with great pleasure.
mala-kara--the gardener; kahe--said; suna--hear; vrksa-parivara--the family of this transcendental tree of devotional service; mula-sakha--chief branches; upasakha--subbranches; yateka--as many; prakara--varieties.
TRANSLATION
Lord Caitanya thus addressed the multifarious varieties of branches and subbranches of the tree of devotional service:
TEXT 32
alaukika vrksa kare sarvendriya-karma
sthavara ha-iya dhare jangamera dharma
"Since the tree of devotional service is transcendental, every one of its parts can perform the action of all the others. Although a tree is supposed to be immovable, this tree nevertheless moves."
PURPORT
It is our experience in the material world that trees stand in one place, but in the spiritual world a tree can go from one place to another. Therefore everything in the spiritual world is called alaukika, uncommon or transcendental. Another feature of such a tree is that it can act universally. In the material world the roots of a tree go deep within the earth to gather food, but in the spiritual world the twigs, branches and leaves of the upper portion of the tree can act like the roots.
TEXT 33
e vrksera anga haya saba sa-cetana
badiya vyapila sabe sakala bhuvana
SYNONYMS
e--this; vrksera--of the Caitanya tree; anga--parts; haya--are; saba--all; sa-cetana--spiritually cognizant; badiya--increasing; vyapila--overflooded; sabe--all the parts; sakala--all; bhuvana--the world.
TRANSLATION
"All the parts of this tree are spiritually cognizant, and thus as they grow up they spread all over the world."
TEXT 34
ekala malakara ami kahan kahan yaba
ekala va kata phala padiya vilaba
"I am the only gardener. How many places can I go? How many fruits can I pick and distribute?"
PURPORT
Here Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu indicates that the distribution of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra should be performed by combined forces. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He laments, "How can I act alone? How can I alone pick the fruit and distribute it all over the world?" This indicates that all classes of devotees should combine to distribute the Hare Krsna maha-mantra without consideration of the time, place or situation.
TEXT 35
ekala uthana dite haya parisrama
keha paya, keha na paya, rahe mane bhrama
"It would certainly be a very laborious task to pick the fruits and distribute them alone, and still I suspect that some would receive them and others would not."
ataeva--therefore; ami--I; ajna--order; dilun--give; sabakare--to everyone; yahan--wherever; tahan--everywhere; prema-phala--the fruit of love of Godhead; deha'--distribute; yare--anyone; tare--everyone.
TRANSLATION
"Therefore I order every man within this universe to accept this Krsna consciousness movement and distribute it everywhere."
PURPORT
In this connection there is a song sung by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
bhakativinoda prabhu-carane padiya
sei hari-nama-mantra laila magiya
The sankirtana movement has been introduced by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu just to dispel the illusion of maya, by which everyone in this material world thinks himself to be a product of matter and therefore to have many duties pertaining to the body. Actually, the living entity is not his material body: he is a spirit soul. He has a spiritual need to be eternally blissful and full of knowledge, but unfortunately he identifies himself with the body, sometimes as a human being, sometimes as an animal, sometimes a tree, sometimes an aquatic, sometimes a demigod, and so on. Thus with each change of body he develops a different type of consciousness with different types of activity and thus becomes increasingly entangled in material existence, transmigrating perpetually from one body to another. Under the spell of maya, or illusion, he does not consider the past or future but is simply satisfied with the short life span that he has gotten for the present. To eradicate this illusion, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has brought the sankirtana movement, and He requests everyone to accept and distribute it. A person who is actually a follower of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura must immediately accept the request of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by offering respectful obeisances unto His lotus feet and thus beg from Him the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. If one is fortunate enough to beg from the Lord this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, his life is successful.
TEXT 37
ekala malakara ami kata phala khaba
na diya va ei phala ara ki kariba
"I am the only gardener. If I do not distribute these fruits, what shall I do with them? How many fruits can I alone eat?"
PURPORT
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu produced so many fruits of devotional service that they must be distributed all over the world; otherwise, how could He alone relish and taste each and every fruit? The original reason that Lord Sri Krsna descended as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was to understand Srimati Radharani's love for Krsna and to taste that love. The fruits of the tree of devotional service were innumerable, and therefore He wanted to distribute them unrestrictedly to everyone. Srila Rupa Gosvami therefore writes:
There were many precious incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but none were so generous, kind and magnanimous as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, for He distributed the most confidential aspect of devotional service, namely, the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna. Therefore Sri Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada desires that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu live perpetually in the hearts of all devotees, for thus they can understand and relish the loving affairs of Srimati Radharani and Krsna.
atma--self; iccha-amrte--by the nectar of the will; vrksa--the tree; sinci--sprinkle; nirantara--constantly; tahate--there; asankhya--unlimited; phala--fruits; vrksera--on the tree; upara--upper.
TRANSLATION
"By the transcendental desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, water has been sprinkled all over the tree, and thus there are innumerable fruits of love of Godhead."
PURPORT
God is unlimited, and His desires are also unlimited. This example of unlimited fruits is factually appropriate even within the material context, for with the good will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there can be enough fruits, grains and other foodstuffs produced so that all the people in the world could not finish them, even if they ate ten times their capacity. In this material world there is actually no scarcity of anything but Krsna consciousness. If people become Krsna conscious, by the transcendental will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there will be enough foodstuffs produced so that people will have no economic problems at all. One can very easily understand this fact. The production of fruits and flowers depends not upon our will but the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead. If He is pleased, He can supply enough fruits, flowers, etc., but if people are atheistic and godless, nature, by His will, restricts the supply of food. For example, in several provinces in India, especially Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and other adjoining states, there is sometimes a great scarcity of foodstuffs due to lack of rainfall. So-called scientists and economists cannot do anything about this. Therefore, to solve all problems, one must seek the good will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming Krsna conscious and worshiping Him regularly in devotional service.
TEXT 39
ataeva saba phala deha' yare tare
khaiya ha-uk loka ajara amare
SYNONYMS
ataeva--therefore; saba--all; phala--fruits; deha'--distribute; yare tare--to everyone and anyone; khaiya--eating; ha-uk--let them become; loka--all people; ajara--without old age; amare--without death.
TRANSLATION
"Distribute this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. Let people eat these fruits and ultimately become free from old age and death."
PURPORT
The Krsna consciousness movement introduced by Lord Caitanya is extremely important because one who takes to it becomes eternal, being freed from birth, death and old age. People do not recognize that the real distresses in life are the four principles of birth, death, old age and disease. They are so foolish that they resign themselves to these four miseries, not knowing the transcendental remedy of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from all misery, but because they are enchanted by the illusory energy, people do not take this movement seriously. Therefore those who are actually servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu must seriously distribute this movement all over the world to render the greatest benefit to human society. Of course, animals and other lower species are not capable of understanding this movement, but if even a small number of living beings take it seriously, by their chanting loudly, all living entities, including even trees, animals and other lower species, will be benefited. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from Haridasa Thakura how he was to benefit living entities other than humans, Srila Haridasa Thakura replied that the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so potent that if it is chanted loudly, everyone will benefit, including the lower species of life.
TEXT 40
jagat vyapiya mora habe punya khyati
sukhi ha-iya loka mora gahibeka kirti
SYNONYMS
jagat vyapiya--spreading all over the world; mora--My; habe--there will be; punya--pious; khyati--reputation; sukhi--happy; ha-iya--becoming; loka--all the people; mora--My; gahibeka--glorify; kirti--reputation.
TRANSLATION
"If the fruits are distributed all over the world, My reputation as a pious man will be known everywhere, and thus all people will glorify My name with great pleasure."
PURPORT
This prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's is now actually coming to pass. The Krsna consciousness movement is being distributed all over the world through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and people who were leading confused, chaotic lives are now feeling transcendental happiness. They are finding peace in sankirtana, and therefore they are acknowledging the supreme benefit of this movement. This is the blessing of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His prediction is now factually being fulfilled, and those who are sober and conscientious are appreciating the value of this great movement.
TEXT 41
bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
SYNONYMS
bharata--of India; bhumite--in the land; haila--has become; manusya--human being; janma--birth; yara--anyone; janma--such a birth; sarthaka--fulfillment; kari'--doing so; kara--do; para--others; upakara--benefit.
TRANSLATION
"One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bharata-varsa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people."
PURPORT
The magnanimity of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is expressed in this very important verse. Although He was born in Bengal and Bengalis therefore have a special duty toward Him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is addressing not only Bengalis but all the inhabitants of India. It is in the land of India that actual human civilization can be developed.
Human life is especially meant for God realization, as stated in the Vedanta-sutra: athato brahma-jijnasa. Anyone who takes birth in the land of India (Bharata-varsa) has the special privilege of being able to take advantage of the instruction and guidance of the Vedic civilization. He automatically receives the basic principles of spiritual life, for 99.9% of the Indian people, even simple village farmers and others who are neither educated nor sophisticated, believe in the transmigration of the soul, believe in past and future lives, believe in God and naturally want to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative. These ideas are the natural inheritance of a person born in India. India has many holy places of pilgrimage, such as Gaya, Benares, Mathura, Prayaga, Vrndavana, Haridvara, Ramesvaram and Jagannatha Puri, and still people go there by the hundreds and thousands. Although the present leaders of India are influencing the people not to believe in God, not to believe in a next life and not to believe in a distinction between pious and impious life, and they are teaching them how to drink wine, eat meat and become supposedly civilized, people are nevertheless afraid of the four activities of sinful life--namely, illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling--and whenever there is a religious festival, they gather together by the thousands. We have actual experience of this. Whenever the Krsna consciousness movement holds a sankirtana festival in a big city like Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Ahmedabad or Hyderabad, thousands of people come to hear. Sometimes we speak in English, but even though most people do not understand English, they nevertheless come to hear us. Even when imitation incarnations of Godhead speak, people gather in the thousands, for everyone who is born in the land of India has a natural spiritual inclination and is taught the basic principles of spiritual life; they merely need to be a little more educated in the Vedic principles. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara: if an Indian is educated in the Vedic principles, he is able to perform the most beneficial welfare activity for the entire world.
At present, for want of Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness, the entire world is in darkness, having been covered by the four principles of sinful life--meat-eating, illicit sex, gambling and intoxication. Therefore there is a need for vigorous propaganda to educate people to refrain from sinful activities. This will bring peace and prosperity; the rogues, thieves and debauchees will naturally decrease in number, and all of human society will be God conscious.
The practical effect of our spreading the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world is that now the most degraded debauchees are becoming the most elevated saints. This is only one Indian's humble service to the world. If all Indians had taken to this path, as advised by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, India would have given a unique gift to the world, and thus India would have been glorified. Now, however, India is known as a poverty-stricken country, and whenever anyone from America or another opulent country goes to India, he sees many people lying by the footpaths for whom there are not even provisions for two meals a day. There are also institutions collecting money from all parts of the world in the name of welfare activities for poverty-stricken people, but they are spending it for their own sense gratification. Now, on the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Krsna consciousness movement has been started, and people are benefiting from this movement. Therefore it is now the duty of the leading men of India to consider the importance of this movement and train many Indians to go outside of India to preach this cult. People will accept it, there will be cooperation among the Indian people and among the other people of the world, and the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will then be fulfilled. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will then be glorified all over the world, and people will naturally be happy, peaceful and prosperous, not only in this life but also in the next, for as stated in the Bhagavad-gita, anyone who understands Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will very easily get salvation, or freedom from the repetition of birth and death, and go back home, back to Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore requests every Indian to become a preacher of His cult to save the world from disastrous confusion.
This is not only the duty of Indians but the duty of everyone, and we are very happy that American and European boys and girls are seriously cooperating with this movement. One should know definitely that the best welfare activity for all of human society is to awaken man's God consciousness, or Krsna consciousness. Therefore everyone should help this great movement. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, Twenty-second Chapter, verse 35, which is next quoted in Caitanya-caritamrta.
etavat--up to this; janma--of birth; saphalyam--perfection; dehinam--of every living being; iha--in this world; dehisu--toward those who are embodied; pranaih--by life; arthaih--by wealth; dhiya--by intelligence; vaca--by words; sreyah--eternal good fortune; acaranam--acting practically; sada--always.
TRANSLATION
"It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words."
PURPORT
There are two kinds of general activities--sreyas, or activities which are ultimately beneficial and auspicious, and preyas, or those which are immediately beneficial and auspicious. For example, children are fond of playing. They don't want to go to school to receive an education, and they think that to play all day and night and enjoy with their friends is the aim of life. Even in the transcendental life of Lord Krsna, we find that when He was a child He was very fond of playing with His friends of the same age, the cowherd boys. He would not even go home to take His dinner. Mother Yasoda would have to come out to induce Him to come home. Thus it is a child's nature to engage all day and night in playing, not caring even for his health and other important concerns. This is an example of preyas, or immediately beneficial activities. But there are also sreyas, or activities which are ultimately auspicious. According to Vedic civilization, a human being must be God conscious. He should understand what God is, what this material world is, who he is, and what their interrelationships are. This is called sreyas, or ultimately auspicious activity.
In this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that one should be interested in sreyas. To achieve the ultimate goal of sreyas, or good fortune, one should engage everything, including his life, wealth and words, not only for himself but for others also. However, unless one is interested in sreyas in his own life, he cannot preach of sreyas for the benefit of others.
This verse cited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu applies to human beings, not to animals. As indicated in the previous verse by the words manusya-janma, these injunctions are for human beings. Unfortunately, human beings, although they have the bodies of men, are becoming less than animals in their behavior. This is the fault of modern education. Modern educators do not know the aim of human life; they are simply concerned with how to develop the economic condition of their countries or of human society. This is also necessary; the Vedic civilization considers all aspects of human life, including dharma (religion), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification) and moksa (liberation). But humanity's first concern should be religion. To be religious, one must abide by the orders of God, but unfortunately people in this age have rejected religion, and they are busy in economic development. Therefore they will adopt any means to get money. For economic development one does not need to get money by hook or by crook; one needs only sufficient money to maintain his body and soul. However, because modern economic development is going on with no religious background, people have become lusty, greedy and mad after money. They are simply developing the qualities of rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance), neglecting the other quality of nature, sattva (goodness), and the brahminical qualifications. Therefore the entire society is in chaos.
The Bhagavatam says that it is the duty of an advanced human being to act in such a way as to facilitate human society's attainment of the ultimate goal of life. There is a similar verse in the Visnu Purana, Part Three, Chapter Twelve, verse 45, which is quoted in this chapter of Caitanya-caritamrta as verse 43.
TEXT 43
praninam upakaraya
yad eveha paratra ca
karmana manasa vaca
tad eva mati-man bhajet
SYNONYMS
praninam--of all living entities; upakaraya--for the benefit; yat--whichever; eva--certainly; iha--in this world or in this life; paratra--in the next life; ca--and; karmana--by work; manasa--by the mind; vaca--by words; tat--that; eva--certainly; mati-man--an intelligent man; bhajet--must act.
TRANSLATION
" 'By his work, thoughts and words, an intelligent man must perform actions which will be beneficial for all living entities in this life and in the next.' "
PURPORT
Unfortunately, people in general do not know what is to take place in the next life. To prepare oneself for his next life is common sense, and it is a principle of the Vedic civilization, but presently people throughout the world do not believe in a next life. Even influential professors and other educators say that as soon as the body is finished, everything is finished. This atheistic philosophy is killing human civilization. People are irresponsibly performing all sorts of sinful activities, and thus the privilege of the human life is being taken away by the educational propaganda of the so-called leaders. Actually it is a fact that this life is meant for preparation for the next life; by evolution one has come through many species, or forms, and this human form of life is an opportunity to promote oneself to a better life. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita (9.25):
yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods;those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me." Therefore, one may promote himself to the higher planetary systems, which are the residence of the demigods, one can promote himself to the Pitrloka, one can remain on earth, or one can also go back home, back to Godhead. This is further confirmed elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gita (4.9): tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna. After giving up the body, one who knows Krsna in truth does not come back again to this world to accept a material body, but he goes back home, back to Godhead. This knowledge is in the sastras, and people should be given the opportunity to understand it. Even if one is not able to go back to Godhead in one life, the Vedic civilization at least gives one the opportunity to be promoted to the higher planetary systems, where the demigods live, and not glide down again to animal life. At present, people do not understand this knowledge, although it constitutes a great science, for they are uneducated and trained not to accept it. This is the horrible condition of modern human society. As such, the Krsna consciousness movement is the only hope to direct the attention of intelligent men to a greater benefit in life.
TEXT 44
mali manusya amara nahi rajya-dhana
phala-phula diya kari' punya uparjana
"I am merely a gardener. I have neither a kingdom nor very great riches. I simply have some fruits and flowers that I wish to utilize to achieve piety in My life."
PURPORT
In performing welfare activities for human society, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presents Himself as being not very rich, thus indicating that a man need not be rich or opulent to act for the welfare of humanity. Sometimes rich men are very proud that they can perform beneficial activities for human society whereas others cannot. A practical example is that when there is a scarcity of food in India on account of meager rainfall, some members of the richer class very proudly distribute foodstuffs, making huge arrangements with the help of the government, as if merely by such activities people will be benefited. Suppose there were no food grains. How would the rich men distribute food? Production of grains is completely in the hands of God. If there were no rain, there would be no grains, and these so-called rich men would be unable to distribute grains to the people.
The real purpose of life, therefore, is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Rupa Gosvami describes in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that devotional service is so exalted that it is beneficial and auspicious for every man. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also declared that to propagate the bhakti cult of devotional service in human society, one does not need to be very rich. Anyone can do it and thus render the highest benefit to humanity if he knows the art. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu takes the part of a gardener because although a gardener is naturally not a very rich man, he has some fruits and flowers. Any man can collect some fruits and flowers and satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service, as the Lord recommends in the Bhagavad-gita (9.26):-
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
One cannot satisfy the Supreme Lord by his riches, wealth or opulent position, but anyone can collect a little fruit or a flower and offer it to the Lord. The Lord says that if one brings such an offering in devotion, He will accept it and eat it. When Krsna eats, the entire world becomes satisfied. There is a story in the Mahabharata illustrating how by Krsna's eating, the sixty thousands disciples of Durvasa Muni were all satisfied. Therefore it is a fact that if by our life (pranaih), by our wealth (arthaih), by our intelligence (dhiya) or by our words (vaca) we can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, naturally the entire world will become happy. Therefore our main duty is to satisfy the Supreme Godhead by our actions, our money and our words. This is very simple. Even if one does not have money, he can preach the Hare Krsna mantra to everyone. One can go everywhere, to every home, and request everyone to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. Thus the entire world situation will become very happy and peaceful.
TEXT 45
mali hana vrksa ha-ilan ei ta' icchate
sarva-pranira upakara haya vrksa haite
SYNONYMS
mali hana--although I am the gardener; vrksa ha-ilan--I am also the tree; ei ta'--this is; icchate--by My will; sarva-pranira--of all living entities; upakara--welfare; haya--there is; vrksa--the tree; haite--from.
TRANSLATION
"Although I am acting as a gardener, I also want to be the tree, for thus I can bestow benefit upon all."
PURPORT
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most benevolent personality in human society because His only desire is to make people happy. His sankirtana movement is especially meant for the purpose of making people happy. He wanted to become the tree Himself because a tree is supposed to be the most benevolent living entity. In the following verse, which is from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.22.33), Krsna Himself highly praised the existence of a tree.
aho--oh, just see; esam--of these trees; varam--superior; janma--birth; sarva--all; prani--living entities; upajivinam--one who provides maintenance; su-janasya iva--like the great personalities; yesam--from whose; vai--certainly; vimukhah--disappointed; yanti--goes away; na--never; arthinah--one who is asking for something.
TRANSLATION
" 'Just see how these trees are maintaining every living entity! Their birth is successful. Their behavior is just like that of great personalities, for anyone who asks anything from a tree never goes away disappointed.' "
PURPORT
According to Vedic civilization, ksatriyas are considered to be great personalities because if anyone goes to a ksatriya king to ask for charity, the king will never refuse. The trees are compared to those noble ksatriyas because everyone derives all kinds of benefits from them--some people take fruit, others take flowers, others take leaves, others take twigs, and others even cut the tree, and yet the tree gives to everyone without hesitation.
Unnecessarily cutting trees without consideration is another example of human debauchery. The paper industry cuts many hundreds and thousands of trees for its mills, and with the paper so much rubbish literature is published for the whimsical satisfaction of human society. Unfortunately, although these industrialists are now happy in this life by dint of their industrial development, they do not know that they will incur the responsibility for killing these living entities who are in the forms of trees.
This verse, quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam, was spoken by Lord Krsna to His friends when He was taking rest underneath a tree after His pastime of stealing the clothes of the gopis (vastra-harana-lila). By quoting this verse, Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us that we should be tolerant like trees and also beneficial like trees, which give everything to the needy persons who come underneath them. A needy person may derive many advantages from trees and also from many animals, but in modern civilization people have become so ungrateful that they exploit the trees and animals and kill them. These are some of the sinful activities of modern civilization.
TEXT 47
ei ajna kaila yadi caitanya-malakara
parama ananda paila vrksa-parivara
SYNONYMS
ei--this; ajna--order; kaila--gave; yadi--when; caitanya--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mala-kara--as a gardener; parama--the greatest; ananda--pleasure; paila--got; vrksa--of the tree; parivara--descendants.
TRANSLATION
The descendants of the tree [the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu] were very glad to receive this order directly from the Lord.
PURPORT
It is the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that the benevolent activities of the sankirtana movement, which was inaugurated five hundred years ago in Navadvipa, be spread all over the world for the benefit of all human beings. Unfortunately, there are many so-called followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who are satisfied simply to construct a temple, make a show of the Deities, collect some funds and utilize them for eating and sleeping. There is no question of their preaching the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. But even though they are unable to do so, if anyone else does it they become envious. This is the condition of the modern followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Age of Kali is so strong that it affects even the so-called followers of Lord Caitanya. At least the followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu must come out of India to preach His cult all over the world, for this is the mission of Lord Caitanya. The followers of Lord Caitanya must execute His will with heart and soul, being more tolerant than the trees and humbler than the straw in the street.
TEXT 48
yei yahan tahan dana kare prema-phala
phalasvade matta loka ha-ila sakala
SYNONYMS
yei--anyone; yahan--wherever; tahan--anywhere; dana--charity; kare--gives in; prema-phala--the fruit of love of Godhead; phala--fruit; asvade--by tasting; matta--intoxicated; loka--people; ha-ila--become; sakala--all.
TRANSLATION
The fruit of love of God is so relishable that wherever a devotee distributes it, those who taste the fruit, anywhere in the world, immediately become intoxicated.
PURPORT
Here the wonderful fruit of love of Godhead distributed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described. We have practical experience that anyone who accepts this fruit and sincerely tastes it immediately becomes mad after it and gives up all his bad habits, being intoxicated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's gift, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. The statements of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta are so practical that anyone can test them. As far as we are concerned, we are most confident of the success of the distribution of the great fruit of love of Godhead through the medium of chanting the maha-mantra--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
TEXT 49
maha-madaka prema-phala peta bhari' khaya
matila sakala loka----hase, nace, gaya
SYNONYMS
maha-madaka--great intoxicant; prema-phala--this fruit of love of God; peta--belly; bhari'--filling; khaya--let them eat; matila--became mad; sakala loka--all the people in general; hase--laugh; nace--dance; gaya--chant.
TRANSLATION
The fruit of love of Godhead distributed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu is such a great intoxicant that anyone who eats it, filling his belly, immediately becomes maddened by it, and automatically he chants, dances, laughs and enjoys.
TEXT 50
keha gadagadi yaya, keha ta' hunkara
dekhi' anandita hana hase malakara
SYNONYMS
keha--some of them; gadagadi yaya--roll on the floor; keha--some of them; ta'--certainly; hunkara--hum very loudly; dekhi'--seeing this; anandita--gladdened; hana--becoming so; hase--smiles; mala-kara--the great gardener.
TRANSLATION
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the great gardener, sees that people are chanting, dancing and laughing and that some of them are rolling on the floor and some are making loud humming sounds, He smiles with great pleasure.
PURPORT
This attitude of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very important for persons engaged in the Hare Krsna movement of Krsna consciousness. In every center of our institution, ISKCON, we have arranged for a love feast every Sunday, and when we actually see people come to our center, chant, dance, take prasada, become jubilant and purchase books, we know that certainly Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always present in such transcendental activities, and He is very pleased and satisfied. Therefore the members of ISKCON must increase this movement more and more, according to the principles that we are presently trying to execute. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, thus being pleased, will smilingly glance upon them, bestowing His favor, and the movement will be successful.
TEXT 51
ei malakara khaya ei prema-phala
niravadhi matta rahe, vivasa-vihvala
SYNONYMS
ei--this; mala-kara--great gardener; khaya--eats; ei--this; prema-phala--fruit of love of Godhead; niravadhi--always; matta--maddened; rahe--remains; vivasa--as if helpless; vihvala--as if bewildered.
TRANSLATION
The great gardener, Lord Caitanya, personally eats this fruit, and as a result He constantly remains mad, as if helpless and bewildered.
PURPORT
It is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to act Himself and teach the people. He says, apani acari' bhakti karila pracara (Cc. Adi 4.41). One must first act himself and then teach. This is the function of a real teacher. Unless one is able to understand the philosophy that he speaks, it will not be effective. Therefore one should not only understand the philosophy of the Caitanya cult but also implement it practically in one's life.
While chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes fainted and remained unconscious for many hours. He prays in His Siksastaka (7):
yugayitam nimesena
caksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
"O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence." This is the perfectional stage of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and eating the fruit of love of Godhead, as exhibited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One should not artificially imitate this stage, but if one is serious and sincerely follows the regulative principles and chants the Hare Krsna mantra, the time will come when these symptoms will appear. Tears will fill his eyes, he will be unable to chant distinctly the maha-mantra, and his heart will throb in ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that one should not imitate this, but a devotee should long for the day to come when such symptoms of trance will automatically appear in his body.
TEXT 52
sarva-loke matta kaila apana-samana
preme matta loka vina nahi dekhi ana
SYNONYMS
sarva-loke--all people; matta--maddened; kaila--He made; apana--Himself; samana--like; preme--in love of God; matta--maddened; loka--people in general; vina--without; nahi--do not; dekhi--we see; ana--anything else.
TRANSLATION
With His sankirtana movement the Lord made everyone mad like Himself. We do not find anyone who was not intoxicated by His sankirtana movement.
TEXT 53
ye ye purve ninda kaila, bali' matoyala
seho phala khaya, nace, bale----bhala bhala
SYNONYMS
ye ye--persons who; purve--before; ninda--blasphemy; kaila--made; bali'--saying; matoyala--drunkard; seho--such persons; phala--fruit; khaya--takes; nace--dance; bale--say; bhala bhala--very good, very good.
TRANSLATION
Persons who had formerly criticized Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, calling Him a drunkard, also ate the fruit and began to dance, saying, "Very good! Very good!"
PURPORT
When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu started the sankirtana movement, even He was unnecessarily criticized by Mayavadis, atheists and fools. Naturally we are also criticized by such men. They will always remain and will always criticize anything that is actually good for human society. But the preachers of the sankirtana movement should not be deterred by such criticism. Our method should be to convert such fools gradually by asking them to come and take prasada and chant and dance with us. This should be our policy. Anyone who comes to join us, of course, must be sincere and serious regarding spiritual advancement in life; then such a person, simply by joining us, chanting with us, dancing with us and taking prasada with us, will gradually also come to say that this movement is very good. But one who joins with an ulterior purpose, to get material benefit or personal gratification, will never be able to grasp the philosophy of this movement.
TEXT 54
ei ta' kahilun prema-phala-vitarana
ebe suna, phala-data ye ye sakha-gana
SYNONYMS
ei--this; ta'--however; kahilun--I have explained; prema-phala--the fruit of love of Godhead; vitarana--distribution; ebe--now; suna--hear; phala-data--the giver of the fruit; ye ye--who and who; sakha-gana--branches.
TRANSLATION
After describing the Lord's distribution of the fruit of love of Godhead, I now wish to describe the different branches of the tree of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 55
sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa
SYNONYMS
sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade--at the lotus feet; yara--whose; asa--expectation; caitanya-caritamrta--the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe--describes; krsna-dasa--Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.
TRANSLATION
Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate SriCaitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Ninth Chapter, describing the tree of devotional service.