Chapter 3
The Glories of Srila Haridasa Thakura
A summary of this Third Chapter of Antya-lila is given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura as follows. A beautiful young brahmana girl in Jagannatha Puri had a very handsome son who was coming every day to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This was not very much to the liking of Damodara Pandita, however, who therefore told Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "If You display so much love for this boy, people will doubt Your character." Hearing these words from Damodara Pandita, the Lord sent him to Navadvipa to supervise the affairs of His mother, Sacidevi. He also especially requested Damodara Pandita to remind His mother that He was sometimes going to her home to accept the food she offered. Thus, following the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Damodara Pandita went to Navadvipa, taking with him all kinds of prasada from Lord Jagannatha.
On another occasion, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu once inquired from Haridasa Thakura, who was known as Brahma Haridasa, how the yavanas, or persons bereft of Vedic culture, would be delivered in Kali-yuga. Haridasa Thakura replied that their deliverance would be possible if they very loudly chanted the Hare Krsna mantra, for hearing the Hare Krsna mantra chanted loudly, even with but little realization, would help them.
After describing this incident, the author of Caitanya-caritamrta also describes how Haridasa Thakura was tested at Benapola, a village near Santipura. A person named Ramacandra Khan, who was envious of Haridasa Thakura, sent a professional prostitute to attempt to defame him, but by the mercy of Haridasa Thakura, even the prostitute was delivered. Because of offending a pure Vaisnava, Ramacandra Khan was later cursed by Nityananda Prabhu and ruined.
From Benapola, Haridasa Thakura went to the village known as Candapura, where he lived at the house of Balarama Acarya. Thereafter, Haridasa Thakura was received by two brothers known as Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara, but in the course of a discussion he was offended by a caste brahmana known as Gopala Cakravarti. Because of this offense, Gopala Cakravarti was punished by being afflicted with leprosy.
Haridasa Thakura later left Candapura and went to the house of Advaita Acarya, where he was tested by Mayadevi, the personification of the external energy. She also received his favor by being blessed with the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
TEXT 1
TEXT
vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca
sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam
sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devam
sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca
SYNONYMS
vande--offer my respectful obeisances; aham--I; sri-guroh--of my spiritual master; sri-yuta-pada-kamalam--unto the opulent lotus feet; sri-gurun--unto the spiritual masters in the parampara system, beginning from Madhavendra Puri down to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada; vaisnavan--unto all the Vaisnavas, beginning from Lord Brahma and others coming from the very point of creation; ca--and; sri-rupam--unto Srila Rupa Gosvami; sa-agra-jatam--with his elder brother, Sri Sanatana Gosvami; saha-gana--with associates; raghunatha-anvitam--with Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; tam--unto him; sa-jivam--with Jiva Gosvami; sa-advaitam--with Advaita Acarya; sa-avadhutam--with Nityananda Prabhu; parijana-sahitam--and with Srivasa Thakura and all the other devotees; krsna-caitanya-devam--unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sri radha-krsna-padan--unto the lotus feet of the all-opulent Sri Krsna and Radharani; saha-gana--with Their associates; lalita-sri-visakha-anvitan--accompanied by Lalita and Sri Visakha; ca--also.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service, unto all the Vaisnavas and unto the six Gosvamis, including Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as well as all His devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna and Srimati Radharani and all the gopis, headed by Lalita and Visakha.
TEXT 2
TEXT
jaya jaya gauracandra jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya--all glories; gaura-candra--to Sri Caitanya; jaya--all glories; nityananda--to Lord Nityananda; jaya advaita-candra--all glories to Advaita Acarya; jaya--all glories; gaura-bhakta-vrnda--to the devotees of Lord Caitanya.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Acarya! And all glories to all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
TEXT 3
TEXT
purusottame eka udiya-brahmana-kumara
pitr-sunya, maha-sundara, mrdu-vyavahara
SYNONYMS
purusottame--in Jagannatha Puri; eka--one; udiya-brahmana-kumara--young son of a brahmana from Orissa; pitr-sunya--without his father; maha-sundara--possessing very beautiful bodily features; mrdu-vyavahara--having very gentle behavior.
TRANSLATION
In Jagannatha Puri there was a young boy who had been born of an Orissa brahmana but had later lost his father. The boy's features were very beautiful, and his behavior was extremely gentle.
TEXTS 4-5
TEXT
prabhu-sthane nitya aise, kare namaskara
prabhu-sane vat kahe prabhu-'prana' tara
prabhute tahara priti, prabhu daya kare
damodara tara priti sahite na pare
SYNONYMS
prabhu-sthane--to the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nitya--daily; aise--comes; kare namaskara--offers respectful obeisances; prabhu-sane--with the Lord; vat kahe--talks; prabhu-prana tara--his life and soul was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prabhute--unto the Lord; tahara priti--his affection; prabhu--the Lord; daya kare--reciprocates His mercy; damodara--Damodara Pandita; tara--his; priti--love of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sahite na pare--could not tolerate.
TRANSLATION
The boy came dally to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and offered Him respectful obeisances. He was free to talk with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu because the Lord was his life and soul, but the boy's intimacy with the Lord and the Lord's mercy toward him were intolerable to Damodara Pandita.
TEXT 6
TEXT
bara bara nisedha kare brahmana-kumare
prabhure na dekhile sei rahite na pare
SYNONYMS
bara bara--again and again; nisedha kare--forbids; brahmana-kumare--the son of the brahmana; prabhure--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na dekhile--without seeing; sei--that boy; rahite na pare--could not stay.
TRANSLATION
Damodara Pandita again and again forbade the son of the brahmana to visit the Lord, but the boy could not bear staying home and not seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 7
TEXT
nitya aise, prabhu tare kare maha-prita
yanha priti tanha aise,----balakera rita
SYNONYMS
nitya aise--he comes daily; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tare--to him; kare--does; maha-prita--very affectionate behavior; yanha priti--wherever there is love; tanha aise--one comes there; balakera rita--the nature of a small boy.
TRANSLATION
The boy came every day to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who treated him with great affection. It is the nature of ay boy to go see a ma who loves him.
TEXT 8
TEXT
taha dekhi' damodara duhkha paya mane
balite na pare, balaka nisedha na mane
SYNONYMS
taha dekhi'--seeing that; damodara--Damodara Pandita; duhkha paya--gets unhappiness; mane--in his mind; balite na pare--could not say anything; balaka--the boy; nisedha--prohibition; na mane--would not care for.
TRANSLATION
This was intolerable for Damodara Pandita. He became greatly unhappy, but there was nothing he could say, for the boy would ignore his restrictions.
TEXT 9
TEXT
ara dina sei balaka prabhu-sthane aila
gosani tare priti kari' varta puchila
SYNONYMS
ara dina--one day; sei balaka--that boy; prabhu-sthane aila--came to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gosani--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tare--unto him; priti kari'--with great affection; varta--news; puchila--inquired.
TRANSLATION
One day when the boy came to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord very affectionately inquired from him about all kinds of news.
TEXT 10
TEXT
kata-ksane se balaka uthi' yabe gela
sahite na pare, damodara kahite lagila
SYNONYMS
kata-ksane--after some time; se balaka--that boy; uthi'--standing up; yabe--when; gela--left; sahite na pare--could not tolerate; damodara--Damodara Pandita; kahite lagila--began to say.
TRANSLATION
After some time, when the boy stood up and left, the intolerant Damodara Pandita began to speak.
TEXT 11
TEXT
anyopadese pandita----kahe gosanira thani
'gosani"gosani' ebe janimu 'gosani'
SYNONYMS
anya-upadese--by instructing others; pandita--learned teacher; kahe--says; gosanira thani--in front of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gosani gosani--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the supreme teacher; ebe--now; janimu--we shall know; gosani--what kind of teacher.
TRANSLATION
Damodara Pandita impudently said to the Lord, "Everyone says that You are a great teacher because of Your instructions to others, but now we shall find out what kind of teacher You are.
PURPORT
Damodara Pandita was a great devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes, however, a person in such a position becomes impudent, being influenced by the external energy and material considerations. Thus a devotee mistakenly dares to criticize the activities of the spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Despite the logic that "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion," a devotee should not be disturbed by the activities of his spiritual master and should not try to criticize him. A devotee should be fixed in the conclusion that the spiritual master cannot be subject to criticism and should never be considered equal to a common man. Even if there appears to be some discrepancy according to an imperfect devotee's estimation, the devotee should be fixed in the conviction that even if his spiritual master goes to a liquor shop, he is not a drunkard; rather, he must have some purpose in going there. it is said in a Bengali poem:
yadyapi nityananda sura-badi yaya
tathapio haya nityananda-raya
"Even if I see that Lord Nityananda has entered a liquor shop, I shall not be diverted from my conclusion that Nityananda Raya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
TEXT 12
TEXT
ebe gosanira guna-yasa saba loke gaibe
tabe gosanira pratistha purusottame ha-ibe
SYNONYMS
ebe--now; gosanira--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; guna-yasa--attributes and reputation; saba loke--everyone; gaibe--will talk about; tabe--at that time; gosanira--of the Lord; pratistha--the position; purusottame--in Purusottama (Jagannatha Puri); ha-ibe--will be.
TRANSLATION
"You are known as Gosani [teacher or acarya], but now talk about Your attributes and reputation will spread throughout the city of Purusottama. How Your position will be impaired!"
TEXT 13
TEXT
suni' prabhu kahe,----'kya kaha, damodara?'
damodara kahe,----tumi svatantra 'isvara'
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing; prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; kya kaha--what nonsense are you speaking; damodara--My dear Damodara; damodara kahe--Damodara Pandita replied; tumi--You; svatantra--independent; isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew that Damodara Pandita was a pure and simple devotee, upon hearing this impudent talk the Lord said, "My dear Damodara, what nonsense are you speaking?" Damodara Pandita replied, "You are the independent Personality of Godhead, beyond all criticism.
TEXT 14
TEXT
svacchande acara kara, ke pare balite?
mukhara jagatera mukha para acchadite?
SYNONYMS
svacchande--without restriction; acara kara--You behave; ke pare balite--who can talk; mukhara--talkative; jagatera--of the whole world; mukha--mouth; para acchadite--can You cover.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Lord, You can act as You please. No one can say anything to restrict You. Nevertheless, the entire world is impudent. People can say anything. How can You stop them?
TEXT 15
TEXT
pandita hana mane kene vicara na kara?
randi brahmanira balake priti kene kara?
SYNONYMS
pandita hana--being a learned teacher; mane--in the mind; kene--why; vicara na kara--do You not consider; randi brahmanira--of a widowed wife of a brahmana; balake--unto the son; priti--affection; kene kara--why do You show.
TRANSLATION
"Dear Lord, You are a learned teacher. Why then don't You consider that this boy is the son of a widowed brahmani? Why are You so affectionate to him?
TEXT 16
TEXT
yadyapi brahmani sei tapasvini sati
tathapi tahara dosa----sundari yuvati
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; brahmani--wife of a brahmana; sei--that; tapasvini--austere; sati--chaste; tathapi--still; tahara--her; dosa--fault; sundari--very beautiful; yuvati--young girl.
TRANSLATION
"Although the boy's mother is completely austere and chaste, she has one natural fault--she is a very beautiful young girl.
TEXT 17
TEXT
tumi-ha----parama yuva, parama sundara
lokera kanakani-vate deha avasara"
SYNONYMS
tumi-ha--You also; parama yuva--young man; parama sundara--very beautiful; lokera--of the people in general; kanakani--whispering; vate--talks; deha avasara--You are giving an opportunity for.
TRANSLATION
"And You, my dear Lord, are a handsome, attractive young man. Therefore certainly people will whisper about You. Why should You give them such a opportunity?"
PURPORT
As a simple and staunch devotee of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Damodara Pandita could not tolerate criticism of the Lord, but unfortunately he himself was criticizing Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in his own way. The Lord could understand that it was because of Damodara Pandita's simplicity that he impudently dared criticize Him. Nevertheless, such behavior by a devotee is not very good.
TEXT 18
TEXT
eta bali' damodara mauna ha-ila
antare santosa prabhu hasi' vicarila
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; damodara--Damodara Pandita; mauna ha-ila--became silent; antare--within Himself; santosa--pleased; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; hasi'--smiling; vicarila--considered.
TRANSLATION
Having said this, Damodara Pandita became silent. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu smiled, pleased within Himself, and considered the impudence of Damodara Pandita.
TEXT 19
TEXT
"ihare kahiye suddha-premera taranga
damodara-sama mora nahi 'antaranga' "
SYNONYMS
ihare--such behavior; kahiye--I can say; suddha-premera taranga--waves of pure devotional service; damodara-sama--like Damodara; mora--My; nahi--there is not; antaranga--intimate friend.
TRANSLATION
"This impudence is also a sign of pure love for Me. I have no other intimate friend like Damodara Pandita."
TEXT 20
TEXT
eteka vicari' prabhu madhyahne calila
ara dine damodare nibhrte bolaila
SYNONYMS
eteka vicari'--considering like this; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; madhyahne calila--went to perform His noon duties; ara dine--the next day; damodare--unto Damodara Pandita; nibhrte--in a solitary place; bolaila--called.
TRANSLATION
Thinking in this way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to perform His noon duties. The next day, He called Damodara Pandita to a solitary place.
TEXT 21
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----"damodara, calaha nadiya
matara samipe tumi raha tanha yana
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; damodara--My dear friend Damodara; calaha nadiya--you had better go to Nadia (Navadvipa); matara samipe--in the care of My mother; tumi--you; raha--stay; tanha--there; yana--going.
TRANSLATION
The Lord said,"My dear friend Damodara, you had better go to Nadia and stay with My mother.
TEXT 22
TEXT
toma vina tanhara raksaka nahi dekhi ana
amake-ha yate tumi kaila savadhana
SYNONYMS
toma vina--besides you; tanhara--of mother Sacidevi; raksaka--protector; nahi--not; dekhi--I see; ana--anyone else; amake-ha--even unto Me; yate--by which; tumi--you; kaila--did; savadhana--care.
TRANSLATION
"I see no one but you to protect her, for you are so careful that you can caution even Me.
TEXT 23
TEXT
toma sama 'nirapeksa' nahi mora gane
'nirapeksa' nahile 'dharma' na yaya raksane
SYNONYMS
toma sama--like you; nirapeksa--neutral; nahi--there is not; mora gane--among My associates; nirapeksa--neutral; nahile--without being; dharma--religious principles; na yaya raksane--cannot be protected.
TRANSLATION
"You are the most neutral among My associates. This is very good, for without being neutral one cannot protect religious principles.
TEXT 24
TEXT
ama haite ye na haya, se toma haite haya
amare karila danda, ana keba haya
SYNONYMS
ama haite--from Me; ye--whatever; na haya--is not; se--that; toma haite--from you; haya--becomes possible; amare--Me; karila danda--punished; ana--others; keba haya--what to speak of.
TRANSLATION
"You can do whatever I cannot. Indeed, you can chastise even Me, not to speak of others.
TEXT 25
TEXT
matara grhe raha yai matara carane
tomara age nahibe karo svacchandacarane
SYNONYMS
matara--of My mother; grhe--at the home; raha--stay; yai--going; matara carane--at the shelter of My mother's lotus feet; tomara age--in front of you; nahibe--there will not be; karo--of anyone; svacchanda-acarane--independent activities.
TRANSLATION
"It is best for you to go to the shelter of My mother's lotus feet, for no one will be able to behave independently in front of you.
TEXT 26
TEXT
madhye madhye asiba kabhu amara darasane
sighra kari' punah tahan karaha gamane
SYNONYMS
madhye madhye--at intervals; asiba--you will come; kabhu--sometimes; amara darasane--to see Me; sighra kari'--very soon; punah--again; tahan--there; karaha gamane--arrange to go.
TRANSLATION
"At intervals you may come see Me here and then soon again go there.
TEXT 27
TEXT
matare kahiha mora koti namaskare
mora sukha-katha kahi' sukha diha' tanre
SYNONYMS
matare--to My mother; kahiha--inform; mora--My; koti--ten million; namaskare--obeisances; mora--My; sukha--of happiness; katha--topics; kahi'--saying; sukha--happiness; diha' tanre--give to her.
TRANSLATION
"Offer My mother millions of My obeisances. Please speak to her about My happiness here and thus give her happiness.
TEXT 28
TEXT
'nirantara nija-katha tomare sunaite
ei lagi' prabhu more pathaila ihante'
SYNONYMS
nirantara--constantly; nija-katha--personal activities; tomare sunaite--to inform you; ei lagi'--for this reason; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; more--me; pathaila--has sent; ihante--here.
TRANSLATION
"Tell her that I sent you to inform her of My personal activities so that she may share in My happiness.
TEXT 29
TEXT
eta kahi' matara mane santosa janmaiha
ara guhya-katha tanre smarana karaiha
SYNONYMS
eta kahi'--saying this; matara mane--in the mind of My mother; santosa janmaiha--give satisfaction; ara--another; guhya-katha--very confidential message; tanre--her; smarana karaiha--make to remember.
TRANSLATION
"Speaking in this way, satisfy the mind of mother Saci. Also, remind her of one most confidential incident with this message from Me.
TEXT 30
TEXT
'bare bare asi' ami tomara bhavane
mistanna vyanjana saba kariye bhojane
SYNONYMS
bare bare--again and again; asi'--coming; ami--I; tomara bhavane--at your place; mistanna--sweetmeats; vyanjana--vegetables; saba--all; kariye--do; bhojane--eating.
TRANSLATION
"I come to your home again and again to eat all the sweetmeats and vegetables you offer.
TEXT 31
TEXT
bhojana kariye ami, tumi taha jana
bahya virahe taha svapna kari mana
SYNONYMS
bhojana--dining; kariye--do; ami--I; tumi--you; taha--that; jana--know; bahya--externally; virahe--in separation; taha--that; svapna--dream; kari--as; mana--you accept.
TRANSLATION
" 'You know that I come and eat the offerings, but because of external separation, you consider this a dream.
PURPORT
Because mother Saci was feeling separation from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, she thought she was dreaming that her son had come to her. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, however, wanted to inform her that actually it was not a dream. He actually came there and ate whatever His mother offered Him. Such are the dealings of advanced devotees with the Supreme personality of Godhead. As stated in the Brahma-samhita:
premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti
yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Syamasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee." (Brahma-samhita 5.38) pure devotees realize dealings with the Lord on the transcendental plane, but because the devotees are still in the material world, they think that these are dreams. The Lord, however, talks with the advanced devotee, and the advanced devotee also sees Him. It is all factual; it is not a dream.
TEXT 32
TEXT
ei magha-sankrantye tumi randhana karila
nana vyanjana, ksira, pitha, payasa randhila
SYNONYMS
ei--this; magha-sankrantye--on the occasion of the Magha-sankranti festival; tumi--you; randhana karila--cooked; nana vyanjana--varieties of vegetables; ksira--condensed milk; pitha--cakes; payasa--sweet rice; randhila--cooked.
TRANSLATION
"During the last Magha-sankranti festival, you cooked varieties of vegetables, condensed milk, cakes and sweet rice for Me.
TEXT 33
TEXT
krsne bhoga lagana yabe kaila dhyana
amara sphurti haila, asru bharila nayana
SYNONYMS
krsne--unto Lord Krsna; bhoga--offering; lagana--giving; yabe--when; kaila dhyana--you meditated; amara--My; sphurti--sudden appearance; haila--there was; asru--tears; bharila--filled; nayana--your eyes.
TRANSLATION
"You offered the food to Lord Krsna, and while you were in meditation I suddenly appeared, and your eyes filled with tears.
TEXT 34
TEXT
aste-vyaste ami giya sakali khaila
ami khai,----dekhi' tomara sukha upajila
SYNONYMS
aste-vyaste--in great haste; ami--I; giya--going; sakali khaila--ate everything; ami khai--I eat; dekhi'--seeing; tomara--your; sukha--happiness; upajila--grew.
TRANSLATION
"I went there in great haste and ate everything. When you saw Me eating, you felt great happiness.
TEXT 35
TEXT
ksaneke asru muchiya sunya dekhi' pata
svapana dekhilun,'yena nimani khaila bhata'
SYNONYMS
ksaneke--in a moment; asru--tears; muchiya--wiping; sunya--vacant; dekhi'--seeing; pata--the plate; svapana dekhilun--I saw a dream; yena--as if; nimani--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; khaila bhata--ate the food.
TRANSLATION
"In a moment, after you had wiped your eyes, you saw that the plate you had offered Me was empty. Then you thought,"I dreamt as if Nimai were eating everything."
TEXT 36
TEXT
bahya-viraha-dasaya punah bhranti haila
'bhoga na lagailun',----ei jnana haila
SYNONYMS
bahya-viraha--of external separation; dasaya--by the condition; punah--again; bhranti haila--there was illusion; bhoga--offering to the Deity; na lagailun--I have not given; ei--this; jnana haila--you thought.
TRANSLATION
"In the condition of external separation, you were again under illusion, thinking that you had not offered the food to Lord Visnu.
TEXT 37
TEXT
paka-patre dekhila saba anna ache bhari'
punah bhoga lagaila sthana-samskara kari'
SYNONYMS
paka-patre--the cooking pots; dekhila--she saw; saba--all; anna--food; ache bhari'--were filled with; punah--again; bhoga lagaila--offered the food; sthana--the place for offering; samskara kari'--cleansing.
TRANSLATION
"Then you went to see the cooking pots and found that every pot was filled with food. Therefore you again offered the food, after cleansing the place for the offering.
TEXT 38
TEXT
ei-mata bara bara kariye bhojana
tomara suddha-preme more kare akarsana
SYNONYMS
ei-mata--in this way; bara bara--again and again; kariye bhojana--I eat; tomara--your; suddha-preme--pure love; more--Me; kare akarsana--attracts.
TRANSLATION
"Thus I again and again eat everything you offer Me, for I am attracted by your pure love.
TEXT 39
TEXT
tomara ajnate ami achi nilacale
nikate lana yao ama tomara prema-bale'
SYNONYMS
tomara ajnate--on your order; ami--I; achi--reside; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; nikate--nearby; lana yao--you take away; ama--Me; tomara--your; prema--transcendental love; bale--on the strength of.
TRANSLATION
"Only by your order am I living in Nilacala [Jagannatha Puri]. Nevertheless, you still pull Me near you because of your great love for Me.' "
TEXT 40
TEXT
ei-mata bara bara karaiha smarana
mora nama lana tanra vandiha carana"
SYNONYMS
ei-mata--in this way; bara bara--again and again; karaiha--cause; smarana--remembrance; mora--My; nama--name; lana--taking; tanra--her; vandiha--worship; carana--feet.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Damodara Pandita, "Remind mother Saci in this way again and again and worship her lotus feet in My name."
TEXT 41
TEXT
eta kahi' jagannathera prasada anaila
matake vaisnave dite prthak prthak dila
SYNONYMS
eta kahi'--saying this; jagannathera--of Jagannatha; prasada--remnants of food; anaila--ordered to be brought; matake--to His mother; vaisnave--and all the Vaisnavas; dite--to deliver; prthak prthak--separately; dila--he gave.
TRANSLATION
After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered that varieties of prasada offered to Lord Jagannatha be brought. The Lord then gave him the prasada, separately packed, to offer to various Vaisnavas and His mother.
TEXT 42
TEXT
tabe damodara cali' nadiya aila
matare miliya tanra carane rahila
SYNONYMS
tabe--then; damodara--Damodara Pandita; cali'--walking; nadiya aila--reached Nadia (Navadvipa); matare miliya--just after meeting Sacimata; tanra carane--at her lotus feet; rahila--remained.
TRANSLATION
In this way Damodara Pandita went to Nadia [Navadvipa]. After meeting mother Saci, he stayed under the care of her lotus feet.
TEXT 43
TEXT
acaryadi vaisnavere maha-prasada dila
prabhura yaiche ajna, pandita taha acarila
SYNONYMS
acarya-adi--headed by Advaita Acarya; vaisnavere--to all the Vaisnavas; maha-prasada dila--delivered all the prasada of Lord Jagannatha; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yaiche--as; ajna--the order; pandita--Damodara Pandita; taha--that; acarila--performed.
TRANSLATION
He delivered all the prasada to such great Vaisnavas as Advaita Acarya. Thus he stayed there and behaved according to the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 44
TEXT
damodara age svatantrya na haya kahara
tara bhaye sabe kare sankoca vyavahara
SYNONYMS
damodara age--in front of Damodara Pandita; svatantrya--independent behavior; na haya kahara--no one dares to do; tara bhaye--due to fear of him; sabe--all of them; kare--do; sankoca vyavahara--dealings with great care.
TRANSLATION
Everyone knew that Damodara Pandita was strict in practical dealings. Therefore everyone was afraid of him and dared not do anything independent.
TEXT 45
TEXT
prabhu-gane yanra dekhe alpa-maryada-langhana
vakya-danda kari' kare maryada sthapana
SYNONYMS
prabhu-gane--in the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yanra--whose; dekhe--sees; alpa-maryada-langhana--a slight deviation from the standard etiquette and behavior; vakya-danda kari'--chastising with words; kare--does; maryada--etiquette; sthapana--establishing.
TRANSLATION
Damodara Pandita would verbally chastise every devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu whom he found deviating even slightly from proper behavior. Thus he established the standard etiquette.
TEXT 46
TEXT
ei-ta kahila damodarera vakya-danda
yahara sravane bhage 'ajnana pasanda'
SYNONYMS
ei-ta--in this way; kahila--I have described; damodarera--of Damodara Pandita; vakya-danda--chastisement by words; yahara sravane--by hearing which; bhage--goes away; ajnana pasanda--the atheist of ignorance.
TRANSLATION
In this way I have described Damodara Pandita's verbal chastisements. As one hears about this, atheistic principles and ignorance depart.
TEXT 47
TEXT
caitanyera lila----gambhira, koti-samudra haite
ki lagi' ki kare, keha na pare bujhite
SYNONYMS
caitanyera lila--the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gambhira--very deep; koti-samudra haite--more than millions of seas; ki lagi'--for what reason; ki kare--what He does; keha--anyone; na--not; pare bujhite--can understand.
TRANSLATION
The pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are deeper than millions of seas and oceans. Therefore no one can understand what He does nor why He does it.
TEXT 48
TEXT
ataeva gudha artha kichui na jani
bahya artha karibare kari tanatani
SYNONYMS
ataeva--therefore; gudha artha--deep meaning; kichui--any; na jani--I do not know; bahya artha karibare--to explain the external meanings; kari--I make; tanatani--hard endeavor.
TRANSLATION
I do not know the deep meaning of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's activities. As far as possible I shall try to explain them externally.
TEXT 49
TEXT
eka-dina prabhu haridasere milila
tanha lana gosthi kari' tanhare puchila
SYNONYMS
eka-dina--one day; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; haridasere--with Haridasa Thakura; milila--met; tanha lana--taking him; gosthi kari'--making a discussion; tanhare puchila--the Lord inquired from him.
TRANSLATION
One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Haridasa Thakura as usual, and in the course of discussion He inquired as follows.
TEXT 50
TEXT
"haridasa, kali-kale yavana apara
go-brahmane himsa kare maha duracara
SYNONYMS
haridasa--My dear Haridasa; kali-kale--in this age of Kali; yavana--demons against the Vedic principles; apara--unlimited; go-brahmane--cows and brahminical culture; himsa kare--do violence against; maha duracara--extremely fallen.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Thakura Haridasa, in this age of Kali most people are bereft of Vedic culture, and therefore they are called yavanas. They are concerned only with killing cows and brahminical culture. In this way they all engage in sinful acts.
PURPORT
From this statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu we can clearly understand that the word yavana does not refer only to a particular class of men. Anyone who is against the behavior of the Vedic principles is called a yavana. Such a yavana may be in India or outside of India. As described here, the symptom of yavanas is that they are violent killers of cows and brahminical culture. We offer our prayers to the Lord by saying, namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. The Lord is the maintainer of brahminical culture. His first concern is to see to the benefit of cows and brahmanas. As soon as human civilization turns against brahminical culture and allows unrestricted killing of cows, we should understand that men are no longer under the control of the Vedic culture but are all yavanas and mlecchas. It is said that the Krsna consciousness movement will be prominent within the next ten thousand years, but after that people will all become mlecchas and yavanas. Thus at the end of the yuga, Krsna will appear as the Kalki avatara and kill them without consideration.
TEXT 51
TEXT
iha-sabara kon mate ha-ibe nistara?
tahara hetu na dekhiye,----e duhkha apara"
SYNONYMS
iha-sabara--of all these yavanas; kon mate--by which way; ha-ibe nistara--will be deliverance; tahara hetu--the cause of such deliverance; na dekhiye--I do not see; e duhkha apara--it is My great unhappiness.
TRANSLATION
"How will these yavanas be delivered? To My great unhappiness, I do not see any way."
PURPORT
This verse reveals the significance of Lord Sri Caitanya's appearance as patita-pavana, the deliverer of all the fallen souls. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura sings, patita-pavana-hetu tava avatara: "O my Lord, You have appeared just to deliver all the fallen souls." mo-sama patita prabhu na paibe ara: "And among all the fallen souls, I am the lowest." How Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always thinking about the deliverance of the fallen souls is shown by the statement e duhkha apara ("It is My great unhappiness"). This statement indicates that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the Supreme personality of Godhead Krsna Himself, is always very unhappy to see the fallen souls in the material world. Therefore He Himself comes as He is, or He comes as a devotee in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to deliver love of Krsna directly to the fallen souls. Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so merciful that He not only gives knowledge of Krsna but by His practical activities teaches everyone how to love Krsna (krsna-prema-pradaya te).
Those who are following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu should take the Lord's mission most seriously. In this age of Kali, people are gradually becoming less than animals. Nevertheless, although they are eating the flesh of cows and are envious of brahminical culture, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is considering how to deliver them from this horrible condition of life. Thus He asks all Indians to take up His mission.
bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
"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." (Cc. Adi-lila 9.41) it is therefore the duty of every advanced and cultured Indian to take this cause very seriously. All Indians should help the Krsna consciousness movement in its progress, to the best of their ability. Then they will be considered real followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Unfortunately, even some so-called Vaisnavas enviously refuse to cooperate with this movement but instead condemn it in so many ways. We are very sorry to say that these people try to find fault with us, being unnecessarily envious of our activities, although we are trying to the best of our ability to introduce the Krsna consciousness movement directly into the countries of the yavanas and mlecchas. Such yavanas and mlecchas are coming to us and becoming purified Vaisnavas who follow in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One who identifies himself as a follower of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu should feel like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who said, iha-sabara kon mate ha-ibe nistara: "How will all these yavanas be delivered?" Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always anxious to deliver the fallen souls because their fallen condition gave Him great unhappiness. That is the platform on which one can propagate the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 52
TEXT
haridasa kahe,----"prabhu, cinta na kariha
yavanera samsara dekhi' duhkha na bhaviha
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahe--Haridasa replied; prabhu--my dear Lord; cinta na kariha--do not be in anxiety; yavanera samsara--the material condition of the yavanas; dekhi'--seeing; duhkha na bhaviha--do not be sorry.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura replied, "My dear Lord, do not be in anxiety. Do not be unhappy to see the condition of the yavanas in material existence.
PURPORT
These words of Haridasa Thakura are just befitting a devotee who has dedicated his life and soul to the service of the Lord. When the Lord is unhappy because of the condition of the fallen souls, the devotee consoles Him, saying, "My dear Lord, do not be in anxiety." This is service. Everyone should adopt the cause of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to try to relieve Him from the anxiety He feels. This is actually service to the Lord. One who tries to relieve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's anxiety for the fallen souls is certainly a most dear and confidential devotee of the Lord. To blaspheme such a devotee who is trying his best to spread the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the greatest offense. One who does so is simply awaiting punishment for his envy.
TEXT 53
TEXT
yavana-sakalera 'mukti' habe anayase
'ha rama, ha rama' bali' kahe namabhase
SYNONYMS
yavana-sakalera--of all the yavanas; mukti--liberation; habe--there will be; anayase--very easily; ha rama ha rama--O Lord Rama, O Lord Rama; bali'--saying; kahe--they say; nama-abhase--almost chanting the holy name of the Lord without offenses.
TRANSLATION
"Because the yavanas are accustomed to saying, 'ha rama, ha rama' [O Lord Ramacandra], they will very easily be delivered by this namabhasa.
TEXT 54
TEXT
maha-preme bhakta kahe,----'ha rama, ha rama'
yavanera bhagya dekha, laya sei nama
SYNONYMS
maha-preme--in great ecstatic love; bhakta kahe--a devotee says; ha rama ha rama--O Lord Ramacandra, O Lord Ramacandra; yavanera--of the yavanas; bhagya--fortune; dekha--just see; laya sei nama--they are also chanting the same holy name.
TRANSLATION
"A devotee in advanced ecstatic love exclaims, 'O my Lord Ramacandra! O my Lord Ramacandra!' But the yavanas also chant, 'ha rama, ha rama!' Just see their good fortune!"
PURPORT
If a child touches fire, the fire will burn him, and if an elderly man touches fire, it will burn him also. Haridasa Thakura says that a great devotee of the Lord exclaims, "ha rama, ha rama," but although yavanas do not know the transcendental meaning of "ha rama, ha rama," they say those words in the course of their ordinary life. For the yavanas the words "ha rama" mean "abominable," whereas the devotee exclaims the words "ha rama" in ecstatic love. Nevertheless, because the words "ha rama" are the spiritual summum bonum, the fact is the same, whether they are uttered by yavanas or by great devotees, just as fire is the same both for a child and for an elderly man. In other words, the holy name of the Lord, "ha rama," always acts, even when the holy names are chanted without reference to the Supreme Lord. Yavanas utter the holy name in a different attitude than devotees, but the holy name "ha rama" is so powerful spiritually that it acts anywhere, whether one knows it or not. This is explained as follows.
TEXT 55
TEXT
yadyapi anya sankete anya haya namabhasa
tathapi namera teja na haya vinasa
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; anya--another; sankete--by intimation; anya--that other; haya--is; nama-abhasa--almost equal to the holy name; tathapi--still; namera teja--the transcendental power of the holy name; na haya vinasa--is not destroyed.
TRANSLATION
Namacarya Haridasa Thakura, the authority on the chanting of the holy name, said, "The chanting of the Lord's holy name to indicate something other than the Lord is an instance of namabhasa. Even when the holy name is chanted in this way, its transcendental power is not destroyed.
TEXT 56
TEXT
damstri-damstrahato mleccho
ha rameti punah punah
uktvapi muktim apnoti
kim punah sraddhaya grnan
SYNONYMS
damstri--of a boar; damstra--by the teeth; ahatah--killed; mlecchah--a meat-eater; ha--O; rama--my Lord Rama; iti--thus; punah punah--again and again; uktva--saying; api--even; muktim--liberation; apnoti--gets; kim--what; punah--again; sraddhaya--with faith and veneration; grnan--chanting.
TRANSLATION
"Even a mleccha who is being killed by the tusk of a boar and who cries in distress again and again, "ha rama, ha rama" attains liberation. What then to speak of those who chant the holy name with veneration and faith?"
PURPORT
This refers to an instance in which a meat-eater being killed by a boar uttered the words "ha rama, ha rama"again and again at the time of his death. Since this is a quotation from the Nrsimha Purana, this indicates that in the puranic age there must also have been mlecchas and yavanas (meateaters), and the words "ha rama,, meaning "condemned," were also uttered in those days. Thus Haridasa Thakura gives evidence that even a meat-eater who condemns something by uttering the words "ha rama" gets the benefit of chanting the holy name that the devotee chants to mean "O my Lord Rama."
TEXT 57
TEXT
ajamila putre bolaya bali 'narayana'
visnu-duta asi' chadaya tahara bandhana
SYNONYMS
ajamila--Ajamila; putre--unto his son; bolaya--calls; bali--saying; narayana--the holy name of Narayana; visnu-duta--the attendants of Lord Visnu; asi--coming; chadaya--remove; tahara--of him; bandhana--the bonds.
TRANSLATION
"Ajamila was a great sinner during his life, but at the time of death he accidentally called for his youngest son, whose name was Narayana, and the attendants of Lord Visnu came to relieve him from the bonds of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death.
TEXT 58
TEXT
'rama' dui aksara iha nahe vyavahita
prema-vaci 'ha'-sabda tahate bhusita
SYNONYMS
rama--the holy name of the Lord; dui--two; aksara--syllables; iha--these; nahe--are not; vyavahita--separated; prema-vaci--a word indicating love; ha--"O"; sabda--the word; ta-hate--by that; bhusita--decorated.
TRANSLATION
"The word 'rama' consists of the two syllables, 'ra' and 'ma.' These are unseparated and are decorated with the loving word 'ha,' meaning 'O.'
TEXT 59
TEXT
namera aksara-sabera ei ta' svabhava
vyavahita haile na chade apana-prabhava
SYNONYMS
namera--of the holy name; aksara--letters; sabera--of all; ei--this; ta'--certainly; sva-bhava--the characteristic; vyavahita haile--even when improperly uttered; na--do not; chade--give up; apana-prabhava--their own spiritual influence.
TRANSLATION
"The letters of the holy name have so much spiritual potency that they act even when uttered improperly.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that the word vyavahita ("improperly uttered") is not used here to refer to the mundane vibration of the letters of the alphabet. Such negligent utterance for the sense gratification of materialistic persons is not a vibration of transcendental sound. Utterance of the holy name while one engages in sense gratification is an impediment on the path toward achieving ecstatic love for Krsna. On the other hand, if one who is eager for devotional service utters the holy name even partially or improperly, the holy name, who is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exhibits its spiritual potency because of that person's offenseless utterance. Thus one is relieved from all unwanted practices, and one gradually awakens his dormant love for Krsna.
TEXT 60
TEXT
namaikam yasya vaci smarana-patha-gatam srotra-mulam gatam va
suddham vasuddha-varnam vyavahita-rahitam tarayaty eva satyam
tac ced deha-dravina-janata-lobha-pasanda-madhye
niksiptam syan na phala-janakam sighram evatra vipra
SYNONYMS
nama--the holy name; ekam--once; yasya--whose; vaci--in the mouth; smarana-patha-gatam--entered the path of remembrance; srotra-mulam gatam--entered the roots of the ears; va--or; suddham--pure; va--or; asuddha-varnam--impurely uttered; vyavahita-rahitam--without offenses or without being separated; tarayati--delivers; eva--certainly; satyam--truly; tat--that name; cet--if; deha--the material body; dravina--material opulence; janata--public support; lobha--greed; pasanda--atheism; madhye--toward; niksiptam--directed; syat--may be; na--not; phala-janakam--producing the results; sighram--quickly; eva--certainly; atra--in this matter; vipra--O brahmana.
TRANSLATION
"If a devotee once utters the holy name of the Lord, or if it penetrates his mind or enters his ear, which is the channel of aural reception, that holy name will certainly deliver him from material bondage, whether vibrated properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, and properly joined or vibrated in separate parts. O brahmana, the potency of the holy name is therefore certainly great. However, if one uses the vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material body, for material wealth and followers, or under the influence of greed or atheism--in other words, if one utters the name with offenses--such chanting will not produce the desired result very soon. Therefore one should diligently avoid offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord.' "
PURPORT
This verse from the Padma Purana is included in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (11.527) by Sanatana Gosvami. Therein Srila Sanatana Gosvami gives the following explanation:
vaci gatam prasangad van-madhye pravrttam api, smarana-patha-gatam kathancin manah-sprstam api, srotra-mulam gatam kincit srutam api; suddha-varnam va asuddha-varnam api va; 'vyavahitam' sabdantarena yad-vyavadhanam vaksyamana-narayana-sabdasya kincid uccarananantaram prasangad apatitam sabdantaram tena rahitam sat.
This means that if one somehow or other hears, utters or remembers the holy name, or if it catches his mind while coming near his ears, that holy name, even if vibrated in separate words, will act. An example of such separation is given as follows:
yadva, yadyapi 'halam riktam' ity ady-uktau hakara-rikarayor vrttya hariti-namasty eva, tatha 'raja-mahisi' ity atra rama-namapi, evam anyad apy uhyam, tathapi tat-tan-nama-madhye vyavadhayakam aksarantaram astity etadrsa-vyavadhana-rahitam ity arthah; yadva, vyavahitam ca tad-rahitam capi va; tatra 'vyavahitam'----namnah kincid uccarananantaram kathancid apatitam sabdantaram samadhaya pascan namavasistaksara-grahanam ity evam rupam, madhye sabdantarenantaritam ity arthah, 'rahitam' pascad avasistaksara-grahana-varjitam, kenacid amsena hinam ity arthah, tathapi tarayaty eva.
Suppose one is using the two words "halam riktam." Now the syllable ha in the word "halam" and the syllable ri in "riktam" are separately pronounced, but nevertheless it will act because one somehow or other utters the word "hari." Similarly, in the word "raja-mahisi," the syllables ra and ma appear in two separate words, but because they somehow or other appear together, the holy name rama will act, provided there are no offenses.
sarvebhyah papebhyo 'paradhebhyas ca samsarad apy uddharayaty eveti satyam eva; kintu nama-sevanasya mukhyam yat phalam, tan na sadyah sampadyate. tatha deha-bharanady-artham api nama-sevanena mukhyam phalam asu na sidhyatity aha----tac ced iti.
The holy name has so much spiritual potency that it can deliver one from all sinful reactions and material entanglements, but utterance of the holy name will not be very soon fruitful if done to facilitate sinning.
tan nama ced yadi dehadi-madhye niksiptam----deha-bharanady-artham eva vinyastam, tadapi phala-janakam na bhavati kim? api tu bhavaty eva, kintu atra iha loke sighram na bhavati, kintu vilambenaiva bhavatity arthah.
The holy name is so powerful that it must act, but when one utters the holy name with offenses, its action will be delayed, not immediate, although in favorable circumstances the holy names of the Lord act very quickly.
TEXT 61
TEXT
namabhasa haite haya sarva-papa-ksaya
SYNONYMS
nama-abhasa haite--from the vibration of namabhasa; haya--is; sarva-papa--of all reactions to sins; ksaya--destruction;
TRANSLATION
Namacarya Haridasa Thakura continued, "If one offenselessly utters the holy name even imperfectly, one can be freed from all the results of sinful life.
TEXT 62
TEXT
tam nirvyajam bhaja guna-nidhe pavanam pavananam
sraddha-rajyan-matir atitaram uttamah-sloka-maulim
prodyann antah-karana-kuhare hanta yan-nama-bhanor
abhaso 'pi ksapayati maha-pataka-dhvanta-rasim
SYNONYMS
tam--Him; nirvyajam--without duplicity; bhaja--worship; guna-nidhe--O reservoir of all good qualities; pavanam--purifier; pavananam--of all other purifiers; sraddha--with faith; rajyat--being enlivened; matih--mind; atitaram--exceedingly; uttamah-sloka-maulim--the best of the personalities who are worshiped by choice poetry or who are transcendental to all material positions; prodyan--manifesting; antah-karana-kuhare--in the core of the heart; hanta--alas; yat-nama--whose holy name; bhanoh--of the sun; abhasah--slight appearance; api--even; ksapayati--eradicates; maha-pataka--the resultant actions of greatly sinful activities; dhvanta--of ignorance; rasim--the mass.
TRANSLATION
"O reservoir of all good qualities, just worship Sri Krsna, the purifier of all purifiers, the most exalted of the personalities worshiped by choice poetry. Worship Him with a faithful, unflinching mind, without duplicity and in a highly elevated manner. Thus worship the Lord, whose name is like the sun, for just as a slight appearance of the sun dissipates the darkness of night, so a slight appearance of the holy name of Krsna can drive away all the darkness of ignorance that arises in the heart due to greatly sinful activities performed in previous lives."
PURPORT
This verse is found in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (2.1.103).
TEXT 63
TEXT
namabhasa haite haya samsarera ksaya
SYNONYMS
nama-abhasa haite--even on account of namabhasa; haya--there is; samsarera ksaya--deliverance from material bondage;
TRANSLATION
"Even a faint light from the holy name of the Lord can eradicate all the reactions of sinful life."
TEXT 64
TEXT
mriyamano harer nama
grnan putropacaritam
ajamilo 'py agad dhama
kim uta sraddhaya grnan
SYNONYMS
mriyamanah--dying; hareh nama--the holy name of the Supreme Lord; grnan--chanting; putra-upacaritam--though spoken for his son; ajamilah--Ajamila; api--also; agat--attained; dhama--the spiritual world; kim uta--what to speak of; sraddhaya--with faith and reverence; grnan--chanting;
TRANSLATION
"While dying, Ajamila chanted the holy name of the Lord, intending to call his son Narayana. Nevertheless, he attained the spiritual world. What then to speak of those who chant the holy name with faith and reverence?'
PURPORT
This is a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.49);
TEXT 65
TEXT
namabhase 'mukti' haya sarva-sastre dekhi
sri-bhagavate tate ajamila----saksi"
SYNONYMS
nama-abhase--simply by a glimpse of the rays of the holy name; mukti--liberation; haya--there is; sarva-sastre--in all the revealed scriptures; dekhi--I find; sri-bhagavate--in Srimad-Bhagavatam; tate--to that; ajamila--Ajamila; saksi--witness.
TRANSLATION
"Because of even the faintest rays of the effulgence of the Lord's holy name, one ca attain liberation. We can see this in all the revealed scriptures. The evidence appears in the story of Ajamila in Srimad-Bhagavatam."
TEXT 66
TEXT
suniya prabhura sukha badaye antare
punarapi bhangi kari' puchaye tanhare
SYNONYMS
suniya--hearing; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sukha--happiness; badaye--increased; antare--within the heart; punarapi--still; bhangi kari'--as a matter of course; puchaye tanhare--inquires from Haridasa Thakura.
TRANSLATION
As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this from Haridasa Thakura, the happiness within His heart increased, but as a matter of course, He still inquired further.
TEXT 67
TEXT
"prthivite bahu-jiva----sthavara-jangama
iha-sabara ki prakare ha-ibe mocana?"
SYNONYMS
prthivite--on this earth; bahu-jiva--many living entities; sthavara--not moving; jangama--moving; iha-sabara--of all of these; ki prakare--how; ha-ibe mocana--there will be deliverance.
TRANSLATION
"On this earth there are many living entities," the Lord said, "some moving and some not moving. What will happen to the trees, plants, insects and other living entities? How will they be delivered from material bondage?"
TEXT 68
TEXT
haridasa kahe,----"prabhu, se krpa tomara
sthavara-jangama age kariyacha nistara
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahe--Haridasa replied; prabhu--my dear Lord; se--that; krpa--mercy; tomara--Your; sthavara-jangama--nonmoving and moving living entities; age--previously; kariyacha nistara--You have delivered.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura replied, "My dear Lord, the deliverance of all moving and nonmoving living entities takes place only by Your mercy. You have already grated this mercy and delivered them.
TEXT 69
TEXT
tumi ye kariyacha ei ucca sankirtana
sthavara-jangamera sei hayata' sravana
SYNONYMS
tumi--You; ye--what; kariyacha--have executed; ei--this; ucca--loud; sankirtana--chanting; sthavara-jangamera--of all living entities, moving and nonmoving; sei--they; hayata'--there is; sravana--hearing;
TRANSLATION
"You have loudly chanted the Hare Krsna mantra, and everyone, moving or not moving, has benefited by hearing it.
TEXT 70
TEXT
suniya jangamera haya samsara-ksaya
sthavare se sabda lage, pratidhvani haya
SYNONYMS
suniya--hearing; jangamera--of the living entities who can move; haya--there is; samsara-ksaya--annihilation of bondage to the material world; sthavare--unto the nonmoving living entities; se sabda--that transcendental vibration; lage--touches; prati-dhvani--echo; haya--there is.
TRANSLATION
"My Lord, the moving entities who have heard Your loud sankirtana have already been delivered from bondage to the material world, and after the nonmoving living entities like trees hear it, there is an echo.
TEXT 71
TEXT
'pratidhvani' nahe, sei karaye 'kirtana'
tomara krpara ei akathya kathana
SYNONYMS
prati-dhvani nahe--that sound vibration is not an echo; sei--they; karaye kirtana--are chanting; tomara krpara--of Your mercy; ei--this; akathya kathana--inconceivable incident;
TRANSLATION
"Actually, however, it is not an echo; it is the kirtana of the nonmoving living entities. All this, although inconceivable, is possible by Your mercy.
TEXT 72
TEXT
sakala jagate haya ucca sankirtana
suniya premavese nace sthavara-jangama
SYNONYMS
sakala jagate--all over the universe; haya--there is; ucca sankirtana--loud chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra; suniya--hearing; prema-avese--in ecstatic emotional love; nace--dance; sthavara-jangama--all living entities, nonmoving and moving;
TRANSLATION
"When loud chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is performed all over the world by those who follow in Your footsteps, all living entities, moving and nonmoving, dance in ecstatic devotional love.
TEXT 73
TEXT
yaiche kaila jharikhande vrndavana yaite
balabhadra-bhattacarya kahiyachena amate
SYNONYMS
yaiche--as; kaila--You have performed; jharikhande--in the forest known as Jharikhanda; vrndavana yaite--while going to Vrndavana; balabhadra-bhattacarya--Your servant Balabhadra Bhattacarya; kahiyachena amate--has said to me.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Lord, all the incidents that took place while You were going to Vrndavana through the forest known as Jharikhanda have been related to me by Your servant Balabhadra Bhattacarya.
TEXT 74
TEXT
vasudeva jiva lagi' kaila nivedana
tabe angikara kaila jivera mocana
SYNONYMS
vasudeva--the Lord's devotee named Vasudeva; jiva lagi'--for all living entities; kaila nivedana--submitted his appeal; tabe--at that time; angikara kaila--You accepted; jivera mocana--the deliverance of all living entities.
TRANSLATION
"When Your devotee Vasudeva Datta submitted his plea at Your lotus feet for the deliverance of all living entities, You accepted that request.
TEXT 75
TEXT
jagat nistarite ei tomara avatara
bhakta-bhava age tate kaila angikara
SYNONYMS
jagat nistarite--to deliver the whole world; ei--this; tomara avatara--Your incarnation; bhakta-bhava--the mood of a devotee; age--previously; tate--therefore; kaila angikara--You accepted;
TRANSLATION
"My dear Lord, You have accepted the form of a devotee just to deliver all the fallen souls of this world.
TEXT 76
TEXT
ucca sankirtana tate karila pracara
sthira-cara jivera saba khandaila samsara"
SYNONYMS
ucca sankirtana--loud chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra; tate--therefore; karila pracara--You have spread; sthira-cara--nonmoving and moving; jivera--of the living entities; saba--all; khandaila--You finished; samsara--the bondage to material existence;
TRANSLATION
"You have preached the loud chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and in this way freed all moving and nonmoving living entities from material bondage."
TEXT 77
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----"saba jiva mukti yabe pabe
ei ta' brahmanda tabe jiva-sunya habe!"
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord replied; saba jiva--all living entities; mukti--liberation; yabe--when; pabe--will achieve; ei--this; ta'--certainly; brahmanda--universe; tabe--then; jiva-sunya--devoid of living entities; habe--will be;
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "If all living entities were liberated, the entire universe would be devoid of living beings."
TEXTS 78-79
TEXT
haridasa bale,----"tomara yavat martye sthiti
tavat sthavara-jangama, sarva jiva-jati
saba mukta kari' tumi vaikunthe pathaiba
suksma-jive punah karme udbuddha kariba
SYNONYMS
haridasa bale--Haridasa Thakura said; tomara--Your; yavat--as long as; martye--in this material world; sthiti--situation; tavat--for that duration of time; sthavara-jangama--nonmoving and moving; sarva--all; jiva-jati--species of living entities; saba--all; mukta kari'--liberating; tumi--You; vaikunthe--to the spiritual world; pathaiba--will send; suksma-jive--the undeveloped living entities; punah--again; karme--in their activities; udbuddha kariba--You will awaken;
TRANSLATION
Haridasa said, "My Lord, as long as You are situated within the material world, You will send to the spiritual sky all the developed moving and nonmoving living entities in different species. Then again You will awaken the living entities who are not yet developed and engage them in activities.
TEXT 80
TEXT
sei jiva habe ihan sthavara-jangama
tahate bharibe brahmanda yena purva-sama
SYNONYMS
sei jiva--such living entities; habe--will be; ihan--in this material world; sthavara-jangama--nonmoving and moving living entities; tahate--in that way; bharibe--You will fill; brahmanda--the entire universe; yena--as; purva-sama--the same as previously.
TRANSLATION
"In this way all moving and nonmoving living entities will come into existence, and the entire universe will be filled as it was previously.
PURPORT
While we are preaching, opposing elements sometimes argue, "If all living entities were delivered by the Krsna consciousness movement, what would happen then? The universe would be devoid of living entities." In answer to this, we may say that in a prison there are many prisoners, but if one thinks that the prison would be empty if all the prisoners adopted good behavior, he is incorrect. Even if all the prisoners within a jail are freed, other criminals will fill it again. A prison will never be vacant, for there are many prospective criminals who will fill the prison cells, even if the present criminals are freed by the government. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu: "Because of the living entity's association with material nature, he meets with good and evil among various species." (Bg. 13.22) There are many unmanifested living entities covered by the mode of ignorance who will gradually come to the mode of passion. Most of them will become criminals because of their fruitive activities and again fill the prisons.
TEXT 81
TEXT
purve yena raghunatha saba ayodhya lana
vaikunthake gela, anya-jive ayodhya bharana
SYNONYMS
purve--previously; yena--as; raghunatha--Ramacandra; saba--all; ayodhya--the population of Ayodhya; lana--taking with Him; vaikunthake gela--went back to Vaikunthaloka; anya-jive--other living entities; ayodhya--Ayodhya; bharana--filling.
TRANSLATION
"Previously, when Lord Ramacandra left this world, He took with Him all the living entities of Ayodhya. Then He filled Ayodhya again with other living entities.
TEXT 82
TEXT
avatari' tumi aiche patiyacha hata
keha na bujhite pare tomara gudha nata
SYNONYMS
avatari'--descending; tumi--You; aiche--like that; patiyacha hata--have set up a market; keha na bujhite pare--no one can understand; tomara--Your; gudha nata--deep acting.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Lord, You have set a plan in motion by descending on the material world, but no one can understand how You are acting.
TEXT 83
TEXT
purve yena vraje krsna kari' avatara
sakala brahmanda-jivera khandaila samsara
SYNONYMS
purve--previously; yena--as; vraje--in Vrndavana; krsna--Lord Krsna; kari' avatara--descending as an incarnation; sakala--all; brahmanda-jivera--of living entities within this universe; khandaila--destroyed; samsara--the material existence.
TRANSLATION
"Formerly, when Lord Krsna descended in Vrndavana, He freed all living entities in the universe from material existence in the same way.
TEXT 84
TEXT
na caivam vismayah karyo
bhavata bhagavaty aje
yogesvaresvare krsne
yata etad vimucyate
SYNONYMS
na--not; ca--also; evam--thus; vismayah--wonder; karyah--to be done; bhavata--by You; bhagavati--unto the Supreme personality of Godhead; aje--the unborn; yoga-isvara-isvare--the master of all masters of mystic power; krsne--unto Lord Krsna; yatah--by whom; etat--all living entities; vimucyate--are delivered.
TRANSLATION
"Krsna, the unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead, master of all of the masters of mystic power, delivers all living entities, moving and nonmoving. Nothing is astonishing in the activities of the Lord.'
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.29.16).
TEXT 85
TEXT
"ayam hi bhagavan drstah kirtitah samsmrtas ca
dvesanubandhenapy akhila-surasuradi-durlabham
phalam prayacchati, kim uta samyag bhaktimatam" iti
SYNONYMS
ayam--this; hi--certainly; bhagavan--Supreme Personality of Godhead; drstah--seen; kirtitah--glorified; samsmrtah--remembered; ca--and; dvesa--of envy; anubandhena--with the conception; api--although; akhila-sura-asura-adi--by all demigods and demons; durlabham--very rarely achieved; phalam--result; prayacchati--awards; kim uta--what to speak of; samyak--fully; bhakti-matam--of those engaged in devotional service; iti--thus.
TRANSLATION
"Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead may be seen, glorified or remembered with an attitude of envy, He nevertheless awards the most confidential liberation, which is rarely achieved by the demigods and demons. What, then, can be said of those who are already fully engaged in devotional service to the Lord?'
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Visnu Purana (4.15.17).
TEXT 86
TEXT
taiche tumi navadvipe kari' avatara
sakala-brahmanda-jivera karila nistara
SYNONYMS
taiche--in that way; tumi--You; navadvipe--at Navadvipa; kari' avatara--descending as an incarnation; sakala--all; brahmanda--of the universe; jivera--the living entities; karila nistara--have delivered;
TRANSLATION
"By descending as an incarnation at Navadvipa, You, just like Krsna, have already delivered all the living entities of the universe.
TEXT 87
TEXT
ye kahe,----caitanya-mahima mora gocara haya'
se januka, mora punah ei ta' niscaya
SYNONYMS
ye kahe--whoever says; caitanya-mahima--the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mora gocara--known to me; haya--are; se januka--he may know; mora--of me; punah--again; ei ta' niscaya--this is the decision;
TRANSLATION
"One may say that he understands the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He may know whatever he may know, but as far as I am concerned, this is my conclusion.
TEXT 88
TEXT
tomara ye lila maha-amrtera sindhu
mora mano-gocara nahe tara eka bindu"
SYNONYMS
tomara--Your; ye--whatever; lila--pastimes; maha-amrtera sindhu--a great ocean of nectar; mora--for me; manah-gocara nahe--it is not possible to conceive; tara--of it; eka bindu--one drop;
TRANSLATION
"My dear Lord, Your pastimes are just like an ocean of nectar. It is not possible for me to conceive how great that ocean is or even to understand a drop of it."
TEXT 89
TEXT
eta suni' prabhura mane camatkara haila
'mora gudha-lila haridasa kemane janila?'
SYNONYMS
eta suni'--hearing this; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mane--in the mind; camatkara haila--there was astonishment; mora--My; gudha-lila--confidential pastimes; haridasa--Haridasa; kemane--how; janila--has understood.
TRANSLATION
Hearing all this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was astonished. "These are actually My confidential pastimes," He thought. "How could Haridasa have understood them?"
TEXT 90
TEXT
manera santose tanre kaila alingana
bahye prakasite e-saba karila varjana
SYNONYMS
manera santose--with complete satisfaction of the mind; tanre--him; kaila alingana--He embraced; bahye--externally; prakasite--to disclose; e-saba--all this; karila varjana--He avoided;
TRANSLATION
Greatly satisfied by the statements of Haridasa Thakura, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced him. Outwardly, however, He avoided further discussions of these matters.
TEXT 91
TEXT
isvara-svabhava,----aisvarya cahe acchadite
bhakta-thani lukaite nare, haya ta' vidite
SYNONYMS
isvara-svabhava--the characteristic of the Supreme personality of Godhead; aisvarya--opulence; cahe--wants; acchadite--to cover; bhakta-thani--before His devotee; lukaite nare--He cannot cover; haya ta' vidite--is well-known.
TRANSLATION
This is a characteristic of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He wants to cover His opulence, He cannot do so before His devotees. This is well-known everywhere.
TEXT 92
TEXT
ullanghita-trividha-sima-samatisayi-
sambhavanam tava parivradhima-svabhavam
maya-balena bhavatapi niguhyamanam
pasyanti kecid anisam tvad-ananya-bhavah
SYNONYMS
ullanghita--passed over; tri-vidha--three kinds; sima--the limitations; sama--of equal; atisayi--and of excelling; sambhavanam--by which the adequacy; tava--Your; parivradhima--of supremacy; sva-bhavam--the real nature; maya-balena--by the strength of the illusory energy; bhavata--Your; api--although; niguhyamanam--being hidden; pasyanti--they see; kecit--some; anisam--always; tvat--to You; ananya-bhavah--those who are exclusively devoted;
TRANSLATION
"O my Lord, everything within material nature is limited by time, space and thought. Your characteristics, however, being unequaled and unsurpassed, are always transcendental to such limitations. You sometimes cover such characteristics by Your own energy, but nevertheless Your unalloyed devotees are always able to see You under all circumstances."
PURPORT
This is a verse from the Stotra-ratna of Yamunacarya;
TEXT 93
TEXT
tabe mahaprabhu nija-bhakta-pase yana
haridasera guna kahe sata-mukha hana
SYNONYMS
tabe--after this; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nija-bhakta-pase--to His personal devotees; yana--going; haridasera guna--the transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura; kahe--explains; sata-mukha--as if with hundreds of mouths; hana--becoming.
TRANSLATION
Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to His personal devotees and began speaking about Haridasa Thakura's transcendental qualities as if He had hundreds of mouths. hundreds of mouths.
TEXT 94
TEXT
bhaktera guna kahite prabhura badaye ullasa
bhakta-gana-srestha tate sri-haridasa
SYNONYMS
bhaktera--of the devotees; guna--qualities; kahite--speaking; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; badaye--increases; ullasa--jubilation; bhakta-gana--of all devotees; srestha--topmost; tate--in that; sri-haridasa--Haridasa Thakura.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His devotees, and among the devotees, Haridasa Thakura is the foremost.
TEXT 95
TEXT
haridasera guna-gana----asankhya, apara
keha kona amse varne, nahi paya para
SYNONYMS
haridasera guna-gana--the stock of transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura; asankhya--innumerable; apara--unfathomed; keha--someone; kona amse--some part; varne--describes; nahi paya para--cannot reach the limit.
TRANSLATION
The transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura are innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of them, but to count them all is impossible.
TEXT 96
TEXT
caitanya-mangale sri-vrndavana-dasa
haridasera guna kichu kariyachena prakasa
SYNONYMS
caitanya-mangale--in the book known as Caitanya-mangala (Caitanya-bhagavata); sri-vrndavana-dasa--Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura; haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; guna--qualities; kichu--some; kariyachena prakasa--manifested.
TRANSLATION
In Caitanya-mangala, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has described the attributes of Haridasa Thakura to some extent.
TEXT 97
TEXT
saba kaha na yaya haridasera caritra
keha kichu kahe karite apana pavitra
SYNONYMS
saba--all; kaha--to speak; na yaya--is not possible; haridasera caritra--the characteristics of Haridasa Thakura; keha kichu kahe--someone says something; karite--just to make; apana--himself; pavitra--purified.
TRANSLATION
No one can describe all the qualities of Haridasa Thakura. One may say something about them just to purify himself.
TEXT 98
TEXT
vrndavana-dasa yaha na kaila varnana
haridasera guna kichu suna, bhakta-gana
SYNONYMS
vrndavana-dasa--Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura; yaha--whatever; na--not; kaila varnana--described; haridasera guna--qualities of Haridasa Thakura; kichu--something; suna--hear; bhakta-gana--O devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
O devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, please hear something about the qualities of Haridasa Thakura that Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has not described in detail.
TEXT 99
TEXT
haridasa yabe nija-grha tyaga kaila
benapolera vana-madhye kata-dina rahila
SYNONYMS
haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; yabe--when; nija-grha--his own residence; tyaga kaila--gave up; benapolera--of the village known as Benapola; vana-madhye--in the forest; kata-dina--for some time; rahila--stayed.
TRANSLATION
After leaving his home, Haridasa Thakura stayed for some time in the forest of Benapola.
TEXT 100
TEXT
nirjana-vane kutira kari' tulasi sevana
ratri-dine tina laksa nama-sankirtana
SYNONYMS
nirjana-vane--in a solitary forest; kutira--a cottage; kari'--making; tulasi--the tulasi plant; sevana--worshiping; ratri-dine--throughout the entire day and night; tina--three; laksa--hundred thousand; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasi plant, and in front of the tulasi he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.
PURPORT
The village of Benapola is situated in the district of Yasohara, which is now in Bangladesh. Benapola is near the Banagano station, which is at the border of Bangladesh and may be reached by the eastern railway from Shelda Station in Calcutta. Haridasa Thakura, being the acarya of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, is called Namacarya Haridasa Thakura. From his personal Example we can understand that chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and becoming highly elevated in Krsna consciousness is very simple. Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamuna or any sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasi, and before the tulasi chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra undisturbed.
Haridasa Thakura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridasa Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-purusa, or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasi plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra with a vow before the tulasi plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Krsna movement to follow Haridasa Thakura's example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasi plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity.
TEXT 101
TEXT
brahmanera ghare kare bhiksa nirvahana
prabhave sakala loka karaye pujana
SYNONYMS
brahmanera ghare--in the house of a brahmana; kare--does; bhiksa nirvahana--asking alms of food; prabhave--by spiritual potency; sakala loka--all people; karaye pujana--worship.
TRANSLATION
For his bodily maintenance he would go to a brahmana's house and beg some food. He was spiritually so influential that all the neighboring people worshiped him.
PURPORT
In the days of Haridasa Thakura, all the brahmanas worshiped Narayana in the form of the salagrama-sila. Therefore begging from a brahmana's house meant taking krsna-prasada, which is transcendental (nirguna). If we take food from the house of others, such as karmis, we shall have to share the qualities of those from whom we take alms. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took prasada in the houses of Vaisnavas. This is the general process. The members of the Krsna consciousness movement are advised not to take food from anywhere but a Vaisnava's or brahmana's house where Deity worship is performed. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, visayira anna khaile dusta haya mana: if a devotee takes alms or food from the house of a karmi who is simply interested in money, his mind will be unclean. We must always remember that a devotee's life is one of vairagya-vidya, or renunciation and knowledge. Therefore all devotees are warned not to live unnecessarily luxurious lives at the cost of others. Grhasthas living within the jurisdiction of the temple must be especially careful not to imitate karmis by acquiring opulent clothing, food and conveyances. As far as possible, these should be avoided. A member of the temple, whether grhastha, brahmacari or sannyasi, must practice a life of renunciation, following in the footsteps of Haridasa Thakura and the six Gosvamis. Otherwise, because maya is very strong, at any time one may become a victim of maya and fall down from spiritual life.
TEXT 102
TEXT
sei desadhyaksa nama----ramacandra khanna
vaisnava-vidvesi sei pasanda-pradhana
SYNONYMS
sei--that; desa-adhyaksa--landholder; nama--whose name; ramacandra khanna--Ramacandra Khan; vaisnava-vidvesi--envious of Vaisnavas; sei--that; pasanda-pradhana--chief of the atheists.
TRANSLATION
A landholder named Ramacandra Khan was the zamindar of that district. He was envious of Vaisnavas and was therefore a great atheist.
TEXT 103
TEXT
haridase loke puje, sahite na pare
tanra apamana karite nana upaya kare
SYNONYMS
haridase--unto Haridasa Thakura; loke--people; puje--offer respect; sahite na pare--he could not tolerate; tanra--his; apamana--dishonor; karite--to do; nana--various; upaya--means; kare--plans.
TRANSLATION
Unable to tolerate that such respect was being offered to Haridasa Thakura, Ramacandra Khan planned in various ways to dishonor him.
TEXT 104
TEXT
kona-prakare haridasera chidra nahi paya
vesya-gane ani' kare chidrera upaya
SYNONYMS
kona-prakare--by any means; haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; chidra--fault; nahi--not; paya--gets; vesya-gane--prostitutes; ani'--bringing; kare--makes; chidrera upaya--a means to find some fault.
TRANSLATION
By no means could he find any fault in the character of Haridasa Thakura. Therefore he called for local prostitutes and began a plan to discredit His Holiness.
PURPORT
This is typical of atheistic men, but even among so-called religionists, sadhus, mendicants, sannyasis and brahmacaris, there are many enemies of the Krsna consciousness movement who always try to find faults in it, not considering that the movement is spreading automatically by the grace of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who wanted it spread all over the world, in every town and village. We are trying to fulfill the Lord's desire, and our attempt has become fairly successful, but the enemies of this movement unnecessarily try to find faults in it, exactly like the old rascal Ramacandra Khan, who opposed Haridasa Thakura.
TEXT 105
TEXT
vesya-gane kahe,----"ei vairagi haridasa
tumi-saba kara ihara vairagya-dharma nasa"
SYNONYMS
vesya-gane--unto the prostitutes; kahe--said; ei--this; vairagi--mendicant; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; tumi-saba--all of you; kara--cause; ihara--his; vairagya-dharma--from the life of a mendicant; nasa--deviation.
TRANSLATION
Ramacandra Khan said to the prostitutes, "There is a mendicant named Haridasa Thakura. All of you devise a way to deviate him from his vows of austerity."
PURPORT
Devotional service is the path of vairagya-vidya (renunciation and knowledge). Haridasa Thakura was following this path, but Ramacandra Khan planned to induce him to break his vows. Renunciation means renunciation of sensual pleasure, especially the pleasure of sex. Therefore a brahmacari, sannyasi or vanaprastha is strictly prohibited from having relationships with women. Haridasa Thakura was strictly renounced, and thus Ramacandra Khan called for prostitutes because prostitutes know how to break a man's vow of celibacy by their feminine influence and thus pollute a mendicant or a person engaged in devotional life. It was impossible for Ramacandra Khan to induce any other women to break Haridasa Thakura's vow, and therefore he called for prostitutes. Free mingling with women has never been possible in India, but for one who wanted to associate with society girls, they were available in a district of prostitutes. There were prostitutes in human society even in Lord Krsna's time, for it is said that the prostitutes of Dvaraka City came forth to receive the Lord. Although they were prostitutes, they were also devotees of Krsna.
TEXT 106
TEXT
vesya-gana-madhye eka sundari yuvati
se kahe,----"tina-dine hariba tanra mati"
SYNONYMS
vesya-gana-madhye--among the prostitutes; eka--one; sundari--attractive; yuvati--young; se--she; kahe--said; tina-dine--in three days; hariba--I shall attract: tanra--his; mati--mind.
TRANSLATION
Among the prostitutes, one attractive young girl was selected."I shall attract the mind of Haridasa Thakura," she promised, "within three days."
TEXT 107
TEXT
khanna kahe,----"mora paika yauka tomara sane
tomara sahita ekatra tare dhari' yena ane"
SYNONYMS
khanna kahe--Ramacandra Khan said; mora paika--my constable; yauka--let him go; tomara sane--with you; tomara sahita--with you; ekatra--together; tare--him; dhari'--arresting; yena--so that; ane--can bring.
TRANSLATION
Ramacandra Khan said to the prostitute,"My constable will go with you so that as soon as he sees you with Haridasa Thakura, immediately he will arrest him and bring both of you to me."
TEXT 108
TEXT
vesya kahe,----"mora sanga ha-uka eka-bara
dvitiya-bare dharite paika la-imu tomara"
SYNONYMS
vesya kahe--the prostitute said; mora sanga--union with me; ha-uka--let there be; eka-bara--one time; dvitiya-bare--the second time; dharite--to arrest; paika--constable; la-imu--I shall take; tomara--your.
TRANSLATION
The prostitute replied,"First let me have union with him once; then the second time I shall take your constable with me to arrest him."
TEXT 109
TEXT
ratri-kale sei vesya suvesa dhariya
haridasera vasaya gela ullasita hana
SYNONYMS
ratri-kale--at night; sei--that; vesya--prostitute; su-vesa dhariya--dressing herself very nicely; haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; vasaya--to the place; gela--went; ullasita hana--with great jubilation.
TRANSLATION
At night the prostitute, after dressing herself most attractively, went to the cottage of Haridasa Thakura with great jubilation.
TEXT 110
TEXT
tulasi namaskari' haridasera dvare yana
gosanire namaskari' rahila dandana
SYNONYMS
tulasi namaskari'--after offering obeisances to the tulasi plant; haridasera--of Thakura Haridasa; dvare--at the door; yana--going; gosanire--unto the acarya; namaskari'--offering obeisances; rahila dandana--remained standing.
TRANSLATION
After offering obeisances to the tulasi plant, she went to the door of Haridasa Thakura, offered him obeisances and stood there.
TEXT 111
TEXT
anga ughadiya dekhai vasila duyare
kahite lagila kichu sumadhura svare
SYNONYMS
anga ughadiya--exposing part of her body; dekhai--visible; vasila--sat down; duyare--on the threshold of the door; kahite lagila--began to speak; kichu--something; su-madhura svare--in very sweet language.
TRANSLATION
Exposing part of her body to his view, she sat down on the threshold of the door and spoke to him in very sweet words.
TEXT 112
TEXT
"thakura, tumi----parama-sundara, prathama yauvana
toma dekhi' kon nari dharite pare mana?
SYNONYMS
thakura--O great devotee acarya; tumi--you; parama-sundara--very beautifully constructed; prathama yauvana--the beginning of youth; toma dekhi'--seeing you; kon nari--what woman; dharite pare--can control; mana--her mind.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Thakura, O great preacher, great devotee, you are so beautifully built, and your youth is just beginning. Who is the woman who could control her mind after seeing you?
TEXT 113
TEXT
tomara sangama lagi' lubdha mora mana
toma na paile prana na yaya dharana"
SYNONYMS
tomara sangama--union with you; lagi'--for the sake of; lubdha--greedy; mora mana--my mind; toma--you; na paile--if I do not get; prana--my life; na--not; yaya--can be; dharana--maintained.
TRANSLATION
"I am eager to be united with you. My mind is greedy for this. If I don't obtain you, I shall not be able to keep my body and soul together."
TEXTS 114-115
TEXT
haridasa kahe,----"toma karimu angikara
sankhya-nama-samapti yavat na haya amara
tavat tumi vasi' suna nama-sankirtana
nama-samapti haile karimu ye tomara mana"
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahe--Haridasa Thakura said; toma--you; karimu angikara--I shall accept; sankhya-nama--the number of holy names; samapti--finishing; yavat--as long as; na--not; haya--it is; amara--my; tavat--so long; tumi--you; vasi'--sitting; suna--hear; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name; nama--of the holy name; samapti--finishing; haile--when there is; karimu--I shall do; ye--what; tomara--your; mana--mind.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura replied,"I shall accept you without fall, but you will have to wait until I have finished chanting my regular rounds on my beads. Until that time, please sit and listen to the chanting of the holy name. As soon as I am finished, I shall fulfill your desire."
TEXT 116
TEXT
eta suni' sei vesya vasiya rahila
kirtana kare haridasa pratah-kala haila
SYNONYMS
eta suni'--hearing this; sei vesya--that prostitute; vasiya rahila--stayed there sitting; kirtana--chanting; kare--performs; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; pratah-kala haila--there was the light of morning.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, the prostitute remained sitting there while Haridasa Thakura chanted on his beads until the light of morning appeared.
TEXT 117
TEXT
pratah-kala dekhi' vesya uthiya calila
saba samacara yai khannere kahila
SYNONYMS
pratah-kala dekhi'--seeing the morning; vesya--the prostitute; uthiya calila--stood up and left; saba samacara--all information; yai--going; khannere kahila--she spoke to Ramacandra Khan.
TRANSLATION
When she saw that it was morning, the prostitute stood up and left. Coming before Ramacandra Khan, she informed him of all the news.
TEXT 118
TEXT
'aji ama angikara kariyache vacane
kali avasya tahara sange ha-ibe sangame'
SYNONYMS
aji--today; ama--me; angikara--acceptance; kariyache--he has done; vacane--by word; kali--tomorrow; avasya--certainly; tahara sange--with him; ha-ibe--there will be; sangame--union.
TRANSLATION
"Today Haridasa Thakura has promised to enjoy with me. Tomorrow certainly I shall have union with him."
TEXT 119
TEXT
ara dina ratri haile vesya aila
haridasa tare bahu asvasa karila
SYNONYMS
ara dina--the next day; ratri--night; haile--when there was; vesya--the prostitute; aila--came; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; tare--unto her; bahu--many; asvasa karila--gave assurances.
TRANSLATION
The next night, when the prostitute came again, Haridasa Thakura gave her many assurances.
TEXT 120
TEXT
'kali duhkha paila, aparadha na la-iba mora
avasya karimu ami tomaya angikara
SYNONYMS
kali--yesterday; duhkha paila--you were disappointed; aparadha--offense; na la-iba--please do not take; mora--my; avasya--certainly; karimu--shall do; ami--I; tomaya--unto you; angikara--acceptance.
TRANSLATION
"Last night you were disappointed. Please excuse my offense. I shall certainly accept you.
TEXT 121
TEXT
tavat ihan vasi' suna nama-sankirtana
nama purna haile, purna habe tomara mana'
SYNONYMS
tavat--until that time; ihan--here; vasi'--sitting; suna--hear; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name of the Lord; nama purna haile--as soon as the regular chanting is fulfilled; purna--satisfied; habe--will be; tomara mana--your mind.
TRANSLATION
"Please sit down and hear the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra until my regular chanting is finished. Then your desire will surely be fulfilled."
TEXT 122
TEXT
tulasire tanke vesya namaskara kari'
dvare vasi' nama sune bale 'hari' 'hari'
SYNONYMS
tulasire--unto the tulasi plant; tanke--unto Haridasa Thakura; vesya--the prostitute; namaskara kari'--offering obeisances; dvare vasi'--sitting at the door; nama--the holy name; sune--hears; bale--says; hari hari--O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari.
TRANSLATION
After offering her obeisances to the tulasi plant and Haridasa Thakura, she sat down at the door. Hearing Haridasa Thakura chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, she also chanted,"O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari."
PURPORT
Herein one can clearly see how a Vaisnava delivers a fallen soul by a transcendental trick. The prostitute came to pollute Haridasa Thakura but he took it as his duty to deliver the prostitute. As clearly demonstrated here, the process of deliverance is very simple. With faith and reverence the prostitute associated with Haridasa Thakura, who personally treated her material disease by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Although the prostitute had an ulterior motive, somehow or other she got the association of a Vaisnava and satisfied him by occasionally chanting in imitation, "O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari." The conclusion is that associating with a Vaisnava, chanting the holy name of the Lord and offering obeisances to the tulasi plant or a Vaisnava all lead one to become a transcendental devotee who is completely cleansed of all material contamination.
TEXT 123
TEXT
ratri-sesa haila, vesya usimisi kare
tara riti dekhi' haridasa kahena tahare
SYNONYMS
ratri--night; sesa haila--came to an end; vesya--the prostitute; usimisi--restless; kare--became; tara--her; riti--activities; dekhi'--seeing; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; kahena--says; tahare--unto her.
TRANSLATION
When the night came to an end, the prostitute was restless. Seeing this, Haridasa Thakura spoke to her as follows.
TEXT 124
TEXT
"koti-nama-grahana-yajna kari eka-mase
ei diksa kariyachi, haila asi' sese
SYNONYMS
koti-nama-grahana--chanting ten million names; yajna--such a sacrifice; kari--I perform; eka-mase--in one month; ei--this; diksa--vow; kariyachi--I have taken; haila--it was; asi'--nearing; sese--the end.
TRANSLATION
"I have vowed to chant ten million names in a month. I have taken this vow, but now it is nearing its end.
PURPORT
If one regularly chants 333,333 times daily for a month and then chants one time more, he will thus chant ten million times. In this way a devotee worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such worship is called yajna. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah: those whose intelligence is brilliant accept this hari-nama-yajna, the yajna of chanting the holy name of the Lord. By performing this yajna, one satisfies the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus attains perfection in spiritual life. According to external vision, Haridasa Thakura belonged to a Mohammedan family. Nevertheless, because he engaged himself in performing the yajna of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he became a regularly initiated brahmana. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.6):
yan-namadheya-sravananukirtanad
yat-prahvanad yat-smaranad api kvacit
svado 'pi sadyah savanaya kalpate
kutah punas te bhagavan nu darsanat
Even if a devotee comes from a family of dog-eaters, if he surrenders to the personality of Godhead he immediately becomes a qualified brahmana and is immediately fit to perform yajna, whereas a person born in a family of brahmanas has to wait until completing the reformatory processes before he may be called samskrta, purified. It is further said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.1.40):
asamskrtah kriya-hina
rajasa tamasavrtah
prajas te bhaksayisyanti
mleccha rajanya-rupinah
"In the age of Kali, mlecchas, or lowborn people who have not undergone the purifying process of samskara, who do not know how to apply that process in actual life and who are covered by the modes of passion and ignorance, will take the posts of administrators. They will devour the citizens with their atheistic activities." A person who is not purified by the prescribed process of samskara is called asamskrta, but if one remains kriya-hina even after being purified by initiation--in other words, if one fails to actually apply the principles of purity in his life--he remains an unpurified mleccha or yavana. On the other hand, we find that Haridasa Thakura, although born in a mleccha or yavana family, became Namacarya Haridasa Thakura because he performed the nama-yajna a minimum of 300,000 times every day.
Herein we find that Haridasa Thakura strictly followed his regulative principle of chanting 300,000 times. Thus when the prostitute became restless, he informed her that first he had to finish his chanting and then he would be able to satisfy her. Actually Haridasa Thakura chanted the holy name of the Lord for three nights continuously and gave the prostitute a chance to hear him. Thus she became purified, as will be seen in the following verses.
TEXT 125
TEXT
aji samapta ha-ibe,----hena jnana chila
samasta ratri nilun nama samapta na haila
SYNONYMS
aji--today; samapta ha-ibe--will be finished; hena jnana chila--I thought that; samasta ratri--all night; nilun--I took; nama--the holy name of the Lord; samapta--finished; na haila--was not.
TRANSLATION
"I thought that today I would be able to finish my performance of yajna, my chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. I tried my best to chant the holy name all night, but I still did not finish.
TEXT 126
TEXT
kali samapta habe, tabe habe vrata-bhanga
svacchande tomara sange ha-ibeka sanga"
SYNONYMS
kali--tomorrow; samapta habe--it will end; tabe--at that time; habe--there will be; vrata-bhanga--the end of my vow; svacchande--in full freedom; tomara sange--with you; ha-ibeka--there will be; sanga--union.
TRANSLATION
"Tomorrow I will surely finish, and my vow will be fulfilled. Then it will be possible for me to enjoy with you in full freedom."
PURPORT
Haridasa Thakura never wanted to enjoy the prostitute, but he tricked her to deliver her by giving her a chance to hear the holy name of the Lord while he chanted. Pure devotees chant the Hare Krsna mantra, and simply by hearing this chanting from a purified transcendental person, one is purified of all sinful activities, no matter how lowborn or fallen one may be. As soon as one is thus completely free from the reactions of sinful activities, he is eligible to render devotional service to the Lord. This is the process for engaging the fallen souls in devotional service. As Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.28):
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination."
TEXT 127
TEXT
vesya giya samacara khannere kahila
ara dina sandhya ha-ite thakura-thani aila
SYNONYMS
vesya--the prostitute; giya--returning; samacara--information; khannere kahila--spoke to Ramacandra Khan; ara dina--the next day; sandhya ha-ite--beginning from the evening; thakura-thani aila--she came and remained at the residence of Haridasa Thakura.
TRANSLATION
The prostitute returned to Ramacandra Khan and informed him of what had happened. The next day she came earlier, at the beginning of the evening, and stayed with Haridasa Thakura.
TEXT 128
TEXT
tulasike, thakurake namaskara kari'
dvare vasi' nama sune, bale 'hari' 'hari'
SYNONYMS
tulasike--unto the tulasi plant; thakurake--and unto Haridasa Thakura; namaskara kari'--offers her obeisances; dvare vasi'--sitting at the door; nama sune--hears the holy name; bale--chants; hari hari--the holy name of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
After offering obeisances to the tulasi plant and Haridasa Thakura, she sat down on the threshold of the room. Thus she began to hear Haridasa Thakura's chanting, and she also personally chanted "Hari, Hari," the holy name of the Lord.
TEXT 129
TEXT
'nama purna habe aji',----bale haridasa
'tabe purna karimu aji tomara abhilasa'
SYNONYMS
nama--chanting of the holy name; purna--complete; habe--will be; aji--today; bale haridasa--Haridasa Thakura said; tabe--then; purna karimu--I shall satisfy; aji--today; tomara abhilasa--your desires.
TRANSLATION
"Today it will be possible for me to finish my chanting," Haridasa Thakura informed her. "Then I shall satisfy all your desires."
TEXT 130
TEXT
kirtana karite aiche ratri-sesa haila
thakurera sane vesyara mana phiri' gela
SYNONYMS
kirtana karite--chanting and chanting; aiche--in that way; ratri-sesa haila--the night ended; thakurera sane--by the association of Haridasa Thakura; vesyara--of the prostitute; mana--mind; phiri' gela--was converted.
TRANSLATION
The night ended while Haridasa Thakura was chanting, but by his association the mind of the prostitute had changed.
TEXT 131
TEXT
dandavat hana pade thakura-carane
ramacandra-khannera katha kaila nivedane
SYNONYMS
dandavat hana--offering obeisances; pade--she fell down; thakura-carane--at the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura; ramacandra-khannera--of Ramacandra Khan; katha--policy; kaila--did; nivedane--submission.
TRANSLATION
The prostitute, now purified, fell at the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura and confessed that Ramacandra Khan had appointed her to pollute him.
TEXT 132
TEXT
"vesya hana muni papa kariyachon apara
krpa kari' kara mo-adhame nistara"
SYNONYMS
vesya hana--being a prostitute; muni--I; papa--sinful activities; kariyachon--have done; apara--unlimited; krpa kari'--being merciful; kara--please do; mo-adhame--unto me, the most fallen; nistara--deliverance.
TRANSLATION
"Because I have taken the profession of a prostitute," she said, "I have performed unlimited sinful acts. My lord, be merciful to me. Deliver my fallen soul."
TEXT 133
TEXT
thakura kahe,----khannera katha saba ami jani
ajna murkha sei, tare duhkha nahi mani
SYNONYMS
thakura kahe--Haridasa Thakura said; khannera katha--the plans of Ramacandra Khan; saba--all; ami jani--I know; ajna murkha sei--he is an ignorant fool; tare--by that; duhkha nahi mani--I do not feel unhappiness.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura replied, "I know everything about the conspiracy of Ramacandra Khan. He is nothing but an ignorant fool. Therefore his activities do not make me feel unhappy.
TEXT 134
TEXT
sei-dina yaitama e-sthana chadiya
tina dina rahilana toma nistara lagiya
SYNONYMS
sei-dina--on that very day; yaitama--I would have left; e-sthana--this place; chadiya--giving up; tina dina--for three days; rahilana--I stayed; toma--you; nistara lagiya--for delivering.
TRANSLATION
"On the very day Ramacandra Khan was planning his intrigue against me, I would have left this place immediately, but because you came to me I stayed here for three days to deliver you."
TEXT 135
TEXT
vesya kahe,----"krpa kari' karaha upadesa
ki mora kartavya, yate yaya bhava-klesa"
SYNONYMS
vesya kahe--the prostitute said; krpa kari'--being merciful; karaha upadesa--please give instructions; ki--what; mora kartavya--my duty; yate--by which; yaya--go away; bhava-klesa--all material tribulations.
TRANSLATION
The prostitute said, "Kindly act as my spiritual master. Instruct me in my duty by which to get relief from material existence."
TEXT 136
TEXT
thakura kahe,----"gharera dravya brahmane kara dana
ei ghare asi' tumi karaha visrama
SYNONYMS
thakura kahe--Srila Haridasa Thakura said; gharera--at home; dravya--articles; brahmane--to the brahmanas; kara dana--give as charity; ei ghare--in this room; asi'--returning; tumi--you; karaha visrama--stay.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura replied, "Immediately go home and distribute to the brahmanas whatever property you have. Then come back to this room and stay here forever in Krsna consciousness.
PURPORT
Haridasa Thakura's instruction that the prostitute should distribute to the brahmanas all the property she had at home is very significant. Haridasa Thakura never advised the prostitute to give charity to the so-called daridra-narayana ("poor Narayana") or any other such persons. According to Vedic civilization, charity should be given only to the qualified brahmanas. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.42):
samo damas tapah saucam
ksantir arjavam eva ca
jnanam vijnanam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam
The brahminical qualifications are truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, tolerance, simplicity, knowledge, practical application of transcendental knowledge in one's life, and full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. persons engaged in pursuing spiritual understanding have no time to earn their livelihood. They depend completely on the mercy of the Lord, who says in Bhagavad-gita (9.22) that He personally carries to them all their necessities (yoga-ksemam vahamy aham).
The Vedic civilization recommends that one give charity to brahmanas and sannyasis, not to the so-called daridra-narayana. Narayana cannot be daridra, nor can daridra be Narayana, for these are contradictory terms. Atheistic men invent such concoctions and preach them to fools, but charity should actually be given to brahmanas and sannyasis because whatever money they get they spend for Krsna. Whatever charity one gives to a brahmana goes to Krsna, who says in Bhagavad-gita (9.27):
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
"O son of Kunti, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." Everything actually belongs to Krsna, but so-called civilized men unfortunately think that everything belongs to them. This is the mistake of materialistic civilization. The prostitute (vesya) had earned money by questionable means, and therefore Haridasa Thakura advised her to distribute to the brahmanas whatever she possessed. When Srila Rupa Gosvami retired from family life, he distributed fifty percent of his income to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas. A brahmana knows what the Absolute Truth is, and a Vaisnava, knowing the Absolute Truth, acts on behalf of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme personality of Godhead. Generally one earns money by many questionable means. Therefore at some time one should retire and distribute whatever one has to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas who engage in devotional service by preaching the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 137
TEXT
nirantara nama lao, kara tulasi sevana
acirat pabe tabe krsnera carana"
SYNONYMS
nirantara--twenty-four hours a day; nama lao--chant the Hare Krsna mantra; kara--perform; tulasi sevana--worship of the tulasi plant; acirat--very soon; pabe--you will get; tabe--then; krsnera carana--the lotus feet of Krsna.
TRANSLATION
"Chant the Hare Krsna mantra continuously and render service to the tulasi plant by watering her and offering prayers to her. In this way you will very soon get the opportunity to be sheltered at the lotus feet of Krsna."
PURPORT
At least five thousand years ago, Lord Sri Krsna expressed His desire that everyone surrender to Him (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja). Why is it that people cannot do this? Krsna assures, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah: "I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Everyone is suffering from the results of sinful activities, but Krsna says that if one surrenders unto Him, He will protect one from sinful reactions. Modern civilization, however, is interested neither in Krsna nor in getting relief from sinful acts. Therefore men are suffering. Surrender is the ultimate instruction of Bhagavad-gita, but for one who cannot surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna, it is better to chant the Hare Krsna mantra constantly, under the instruction of Haridasa Thakura.
In our Krsna consciousness movement we are teaching our followers to chant the Hare Krsna mantra continuously on beads. Even those who are not accustomed to this practice are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads so that they may be trained. Otherwise, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended:
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." Sada means "always." Haridasa Thakura says, nirantara nama lao: "Chant the Hare Krsna mantra without stopping."
Although Krsna wants everyone to surrender to His lotus feet, because of people's sinful activities they cannot do this. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: rascals and fools, the lowest of men, who engage in sinful activities, cannot suddenly surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna. Nevertheless, if they begin chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and rendering service unto the tulasi plant, they will very soon be able to surrender. One's real duty is to surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna but if one is unable to do so, he should adopt this process, as introduced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His most confidential servant, Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakura. This is the way to achieve success in Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 138
TEXT
eta bali' tare 'nama' upadesa kari'
uthiya calila thakura bali' 'hari' 'hari'
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; tare--her; nama upadesa kari'--instructing about the process of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra; uthiya--standing up; calila--left; thakura--Haridasa Thakura; bali'--chanting; hari hari--the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
TRANSLATION
After thus instructing the prostitute about the process of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, Haridasa Thakura stood up and left, continuously chanting "Hari, Hari."
TEXT 139
TEXT
tabe sei vesya gurura ajna la-ila
grha-vitta yeba chila, brahmanere dila
SYNONYMS
tabe--thereafter; sei--that; vesya--prostitute; gurura--of the spiritual master; ajna--order; la-ila--took; grha-vitta--all household possessions; yeba--whatever; chila--there was; brahmanere--to the brahmanas; dila--gave.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, the prostitute distributed to the brahmanas whatever household possessions she had, following the order of her spiritual master.
PURPORT
Sometimes the word grha-vrtti is substituted for the word grha-vitta. Vrtti means "profession." The grha-vrtti of the prostitute was to enchant foolish people and induce them to indulge in sex. Here, however, grha-vrtti is not a suitable word. The proper word is grha-vitta, which means "all the possessions she had in her home." All the girl's possessions had been earned by professional prostitution and were therefore products of her sinful life. When such possessions are given to brahmanas and Vaisnavas who can engage them in the service of the Lord because of their advancement in spiritual life, this indirectly helps the person who gives the charity, for he is thus relieved of sinful reactions. As Krsna promises, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: "I shall save you from all sinful reactions." When our Krsna conscious devotees go out to beg charity or collect contributions in the form of membership fees, the money thus coming to the Krsna consciousness movement is strictly employed to advance Krsna consciousness all over the world. The Krsna conscious devotees collect the money of others for the service of Krsna, and they are satisfied with Krsna's prasada and whatever He gives them for their maintenance. They do not desire material comforts. However, they go to great pains to engage the possessions of prostitutes, or persons who are more or less like prostitutes, in the service of the Lord and thus free them from sinful reactions. A Vaisnava guru accepts money or other contributions, but he does not employ such contributions for sense gratification. A pure Vaisnava thinks himself unfit to help free even one person from the reactions of sinful life, but he engages one's hard-earned money in the service of the Lord and thus frees one from sinful reactions. A Vaisnava guru is never dependent on the contributions of his disciples. Following the instructions of Haridasa Thakura, a pure Vaisnava does not personally take even a single paisa from anyone, but he induces his followers to spend for the service of the Lord whatever possessions they have.
TEXT 140
TEXT
matha mudi' eka-vastre rahila sei ghare
ratri-dine tina-laksa nama grahana kare
SYNONYMS
matha mudi'--shaving her head; eka-vastre--wearing one cloth; rahila--remained; sei ghare--in that room; ratri-dine--throughout the entire day and night; tina-laksa--300,000; nama--holy names; grahana kare--chants.
TRANSLATION
The prostitute shaved her head clean in accordance with Vaisnava principles and stayed in that room wearing only one cloth. Following in the footsteps of her spiritual master, she began chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day. She chanted throughout the entire day and night.
TEXT 141
TEXT
tulasi sevana kare, carvana, upavasa
indriya-damana haila, premera prakasa
SYNONYMS
tulasi--the tulasi plant; sevana kare--she worshiped; carvana--chewing; upavasa--fasting; indriya-damana--controlling the senses; haila--there was; premera prakasa--manifestations symptomizing love of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
She worshiped the tulasi plant, following in the footsteps of her spiritual master. Instead of eating regularly, she chewed whatever food she received as alms, and if nothing was supplied she would fast. Thus by eating frugally and fasting she conquered her senses, and as soon as her senses were controlled, symptoms of love of Godhead appeared in her person.
TEXT 142
TEXT
prasiddha vaisnavi haila parama-mahanti
bada bada vaisnava tanra darsanete yanti
SYNONYMS
prasiddha--celebrated; vaisnavi--devotee of the Lord; haila--became; parama-mahanti--very advanced; bada bada vaisnava--many recognized, highly situated devotees; tanra--her; darsanete--to see; yanti--used to go.
TRANSLATION
Thus the prostitute became a celebrated devotee. She became very advanced in spiritual life, and many stalwart Vaisnavas would come to see her.
PURPORT
Stalwart, highly advanced Vaisnava devotees are not interested in seeing prostitutes, but when a prostitute or any other fallen soul becomes a Vaisnava, stalwart Vaisnavas are interested in seeing them. Anyone can be turned into a Vaisnava if he or she follows the Vaisnava principles. A devotee who follows these principles is no longer on the material platform. Therefore, it is one's strict adherence to the principles that should be considered, not the country of one's birth. Many devotees join our Krsna consciousness movement from Europe and America, but one should not therefore consider them European Vaisnavas or American Vaisnavas. A Vaisnava is a Vaisnava and should therefore be given all the respect due a Vaisnava.
TEXT 143
TEXT
vesyara caritra dekhi' loke camatkara
haridasera mahima kahe kari' namaskara
SYNONYMS
vesyara--of the prostitute; caritra--character; dekhi'--seeing; loke--all people; camatkara--astonished; haridasera--of Thakura Haridasa; mahima--glories; kahe--speak; kari' namaskara--offering obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Seeing the sublime character of the prostitute, everyone was astonished. Everyone glorified the influence of Haridasa Thakura and offered him obeisances.
PURPORT
It is said, phalena pariciyate: one is recognized by the result of his actions. In Vaisnava society there are many types of Vaisnavas. Some of them are called gosvamis, some are called svamis, some are prabhus, and some are prabhupada. One is not recognized, however, simply by such a name. A spiritual master is recognized as an actual guru when it is seen that he has changed the character of his disciples. Haridasa Thakura actually changed the character of the professional prostitute. People greatly appreciated this, and therefore they all offered obeisances to Haridasa Thakura and glorified him.
TEXT 144
TEXT
ramacandra khanna aparadha-bija kaila
sei bija vrksa hana agete phalila
SYNONYMS
ramacandra khanna--Ramacandra Khan; aparadha--of the offense; bija--seed; kaila--caused to germinate; sei bija--that seed; vrksa hana--becoming a tree; agete--later; phalila--fructified.
TRANSLATION
By inducing a prostitute to disturb Haridasa Thakura, Ramacandra Khan caused a seed of offense at his lotus feet to germinate. This seed later became a tree, and when it fructified, Ramacandra Khan ate its fruits.
TEXT 145
TEXT
mahad-aparadhera phala adbhuta kathana
prastava pana kahi, suna, bhakta-gana
SYNONYMS
mahat-aparadhera--of a great offense at the feet of the exalted devotee; phala--the result; adbhuta--wonderful; kathana--narration; prastava--opportunity; pana--taking advantage of; kahi--I say; suna--hear; bhakta-gana--O devotees.
TRANSLATION
This offense at the lotus feet of an exalted devotee has resulted in a wonderful narration. Taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by these incidents, I shall explain what happened. O devotees, please listen.
TEXT 146
TEXT
sahajei avaisnava ramacandra-khanna
haridasera aparadhe haila asura-samana
SYNONYMS
sahajei--naturally; avaisnava--nondevotee; ramacandra-khanna--Ramacandra Khan; haridasera--at the lotus feet of Haridasa; aparadhe--by offenses; haila--was; asura-samana--exactly like a demon.
TRANSLATION
Ramacandra Khan was naturally a nondevotee. Now, having offended the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura, he became just like a demoniac atheist.
TEXT 147
TEXT
vaisnava-dharma ninda kare, vaisnava-apamana
bahu-dinera aparadhe paila parinama
SYNONYMS
vaisnava-dharma--the cult of Vaisnavism; ninda kare--blasphemes; vaisnava apamana--insults to the devotees; bahu-dinera--for a long time; aparadhe--by offensive activities; paila--got; parinama--the resultant action.
TRANSLATION
Because of blaspheming the cult of Vaisnavism and insulting the devotees for a long time, he now received the results of his offensive activities.
PURPORT
Ramacandra Khan was a great offender at the lotus feet of the Vaisnavas and Visnu. Just as Ravana, although born of a brahmana father, Visvasrava, was nevertheless called an asura or raksasa because of his offenses against Lord Ramacandra (Visnu) and Hanuman (a Vaisnava), so Ramacandra Khan also became such an asura because of his offenses against Haridasa Thakura and many others.
TEXT 148
TEXT
nityananda-gosani gaude yabe aila
prema pracarite tabe bhramite lagila
SYNONYMS
nityananda-gosani--Lord Nityananda; gaude--in Bengal; yabe--when; aila--came back; prema pracarite--to preach the cult of bhakti, love of Godhead; tabe--at that time; bhramite lagila--began to tour.
TRANSLATION
When Lord Nityananda returned to Bengal to preach the cult of bhakti, love of Godhead, He began touring all over the country.
TEXT 149
TEXT
prema-pracarana ara pasanda-dalana
dui-karye avadhuta karena bhramana
SYNONYMS
prema-pracarana--preaching the cult of bhakti; ara--and; pasanda-dalana--subduing atheistic men; dui-karye--with two kinds of activities; avadhuta--the great devotee and mendicant; karena--does; bhramana--touring.
TRANSLATION
For two purposes--to spread the cult of bhakti and to defeat and subdue the atheists--Lord Nityananda, the most dedicated devotee of the Lord, moved throughout the country.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.8):
paritranaya sadhunam-
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
Lord Krsna appears in every millennium for two purposes, namely to deliver the devotees and kill the nondevotees. His devotees also have two similar purposes--to preach the bhakti cult of Krsna consciousness and defeat all kinds of agnostics and atheistic demons. Nityananda Prabhu carried out the order of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this way, and those who strictly follow Nityananda Prabhu perform the same activities. There are two classes of devotees. One is called gosthyanandi, and the other is called bhajananandi. A devotee who does not preach but always engages in devotional activities is called a bhajananandi, whereas a devotee who not only is expert in devotional service but who also preaches the cult of bhakti and defeats all kinds of agnostics is called a gosthyanandi.
TEXT 150
TEXT
sarvajna nityananda aila tara ghare
asiya vasila durga-mandapa-upare
SYNONYMS
sarva-jna--omniscient; nityananda--Lord Nityananda; aila--came; tara ghare--at his house; asiya--coming; vasila--sat down; durga-mandapa-upare--on the altar of the Durga-mandapa.
TRANSLATION
Lord Nityananda, who is omniscient because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, came to the house of Ramacandra Khan and sat down on the altar of the Durga-mandapa.
PURPORT
Well-to-do Hindu gentlemen constructed their houses with a place called the Durga-mandapa for the worship of the goddess Durga. There they generally held worship of the goddess every year in the month of Asvina (October). Ramacandra Khan possessed such a Durga-mandapa at his residence.
TEXT 151
TEXT
aneka loka-jana sange angana bharila
bhitara haite ramacandra sevaka pathaila
SYNONYMS
aneka--many; loka-jana--crowds of people; sange--accompanied by; angana--the courtyard; bharila--became filled; bhitara haite--from inside; ramacandra--Ramacandra Khan; sevaka--servant; pathaila--sent.
TRANSLATION
When the Durga-mandapa and courtyard were filled with crowds of men, Ramacandra Khan, who was inside the house, sent his servant to Lord Nityananda.
PURPORT
In those days, and also even now, the palatial buildings of respectable people, especially in the villages of Bengal, were divided into two parts. The inside part was especially meant for the family, and the ladies would live there unexposed to men. That part was called the bhitara-badi, or inside house. In the outside house, or bahir-badi, the respectable gentleman received visitors and kept his business office. The Durga-mandapa would be part of the outside house. Thus when Lord Nityananda entered the outside house, Ramacandra Khan was in the inside house with the members of his family. When Nityananda Prabhu arrived, Ramacandra Khan did not receive Him personally but sent his servant to inform Him indirectly to go away.
TEXT 152
TEXT
sevaka bale----"gosani, more pathaila khanna
grhasthera ghare tomaya diba vasa-sthana
SYNONYMS
sevaka bale--the servant said; gosani--my dear Lord; more--me; pathaila--sent; khanna--Ramacandra Khan; grhasthera ghare--at the house of some ordinary person; tomaya--unto You; diba--I shall give; vasa-sthana--residential place.
TRANSLATION
The servant informed Lord Nityananda, "My dear sir, Ramacandra Khan has sent me to accommodate You in some common man's house.
TEXT 153
TEXT
goyalara gosala haya atyanta vistara
ihan sankirna-sthala, tomara manusya----apara"
SYNONYMS
goyalara--of a milkman; go-sala--cow shed; haya--is; atyanta--very; vistara--spacious; ihan--here; sankirna-sthala--very narrow place; tomara--Your; manusya--adherents; apara--unlimited.
TRANSLATION
"You might go to the house of a milkman, for the cow shed is spacious, whereas the space here in the Durga-mandapa is insufficient because You have many followers with You."
TEXT 154
TEXT
bhitare achila, suni' krodhe bahirila
atta atta hasi' gosani kahite lagila
SYNONYMS
bhitare achila--was staying inside; suni'--hearing; krodhe--in anger; bahirila--came out; atta atta--very loudly; hasi'--laughing; gosani--Lord Nityananda Prabhu; kahite lagila--began to say.
TRANSLATION
When Nityananda Prabhu heard this order from the servant of Ramacandra Khan, He became very angry and came out. Laughing very loudly, He spoke as follows.
TEXT 155
TEXT
"satya kahe,----ei ghara mora yogya naya
mleccha go-vadha kare, tara yogya haya"
SYNONYMS
satya kahe--Ramacandra Khan says rightly; ei ghara--this house; mora--for Me; yogya naya--is not fit; mleccha--the meateaters; go-vadha kare--who kill cows; tara--for them; yogya haya--it is fit.
TRANSLATION
"Ramacandra Khan has spoken rightly. This place is unfit for Me. It is fit for cow-killing meateaters."
TEXT 156
TEXT
eta bali' krodhe gosani uthiya calila
tare danda dite se grame na rahila
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; krodhe--in anger; gosani--Lord Nityananda; uthiya calila--got up and left; tare--him; danda dite--to chastise; se--that; grame--in the village; na rahila--did not stay.
TRANSLATION
Having said this, Lord Nityananda stood up and left in an angry mood. To chastise Ramacandra Khan, He did not even stay in that village.
TEXT 157
TEXT
ihan ramacandra khana sevake ajna dila
gosani yahan vasila, tara mati khodaila
SYNONYMS
ihan--here; ramacandra khana--Ramacandra Khan; sevake--to the servant; ajna dila--ordered; gosani--Lord Nityananda Prabhu; yahan--where; vasila--sat down; tara--of that place; mati--earth; khodaila--caused to dig.
TRANSLATION
Ramacandra Khan ordered the servant to dig up the dirt in the place where Nityananda Prabhu had sat.
TEXT 158
TEXT
gomaya-jale lepila saba mandira-prangana
tabu ramacandrera mana na haila parasanna
SYNONYMS
go-maya-jale--with water mixed with cow dung; lepila--smeared; saba--all; mandira--the Durga-mandapa temple; prangana--the courtyard; tabu--still; ramacandrera mana--the mind of Ramacandra Khan; na haila parasanna--was not happy.
TRANSLATION
To purify the Durga-mandapa temple and the courtyard, Ramacandra Khan sprinkled and smeared it with water mixed with cow dung, but still his mind was unsatisfied.
TEXT 159
TEXT
dasyu-vrtti kare ramacandra rajare na deya kara
kruddha hana mleccha ujira aila tara ghara
SYNONYMS
dasyu-vrtti--the business of a thief; kare--does; ramacandra--Ramacandra; rajare--to the government; na--does not; deya--pay; kara--tax; kruddha hana--being angry; mleccha--the Mohammedan; ujira--minister; aila--came; tara ghara--to his house.
TRANSLATION
Ramacandra Khan's business was questionable, for he tried to avoid paying income tax to the government. Therefore the government's minister of finance was angry and came to his residence.
TEXT 160
TEXT
asi' sei durga-mandape vasa kaila
avadhya vadha kari' mamsa se-ghare randhaila
SYNONYMS
asi'--coming; sei durga-mandape--at that very place of the Durga-mandapa; vasa kaila--made his residence; avadhya--a cow or calf, which is not to be killed; vadha kari'--killing; mamsa--meat; se-ghare--in that place; randhaila--cooked.
TRANSLATION
The Mohammedan minister made his residence in the Durga-mandapa of Ramacandra Khan. He killed a cow and cooked the meat at that very place.
TEXT 161
TEXT
stri-putra-sahita ramacandrere bandhiya
tara ghara-grama lute tina-dina rahiya
SYNONYMS
stri-putra--his wife and children; sahita--with; ramacandrere bandhiya--arresting Ramacandra Khan; tara--his; ghara-grama--house and village; lute--plundered; tina-dina rahiya--staying three days.
TRANSLATION
He arrested Ramacandra Khan, along with his wife and sons, and then he continuously plundered the house and village for three days.
TEXT 162
TEXT
sei ghare tina dina kare amedhya randhana
ara dina saba lana karila gamana
SYNONYMS
sei ghare--in that room; tina dina--for three days; kare--does; amedhya randhana--cooking the flesh of a cow; ara dina--the next day; saba lana--accompanied by his followers; karila gamana--left.
TRANSLATION
In that very room he cooked the flesh of a cow for three consecutive days. Then the next day he left, accompanied by his followers.
TEXT 163
TEXT
jati-dhana-jana khanera sakala la-ila
bahu-dina paryanta grama ujada rahila
SYNONYMS
jati--birthright; dhana--riches; jana--followers; khanera--of Ramacandra Khan; sakala--everything; la-ila--he took away; bahu-dina--a long time; paryanta--for; grama--the village; ujada rahila--remained deserted.
TRANSLATION
The Mohammedan minister took away Ramacandra Khan's position, wealth and followers. For many days the village remained deserted.
TEXT 164
TEXT
mahantera apamana ye desa-grame haya
eka janara dose saba desa ujadaya
SYNONYMS
mahantera--of persons who are highly advanced in spiritual life; apamana--disrespect; ye desa-grame--in which country or village; haya--is; eka janara--of one man; dose--for the fault; saba desa--the whole country; ujadaya--becomes afflicted.
TRANSLATION
Wherever an advanced devotee is insulted, for one man's fault the entire town or place is afflicted.
TEXT 165
TEXT
haridasa-thakura cali' aila candapure
asiya rahila balarama-acaryera ghare
SYNONYMS
haridasa-thakura--Haridasa Thakura; cali'--walking; aila--came; candapure--in the village known as Candapura; asiya--coming; rahila--remained; balarama-acaryera ghare--at the residence of Balarama Acarya
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura walked until he came to the village known as Candapura. There he stayed at the house of Balarama Acarya.
PURPORT
The village of Candapura is situated near the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna at Saptagrama in the district of Hugli. Candapura is just east of the house of the two brothers Hiranya and Govardhana, the father and uncle of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. In Candapura lived Balarama Acarya and Yadunandana Acarya, the priests of these two personalities, and when Haridasa Thakura went there he lived with them. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that the name of this village was later changed to Krsnapura.
TEXT 166
TEXT
hiranya, govardhana----dui mulukera majumadara
tara purohita----'balarama' nama tanra
SYNONYMS
hiranya--Hiranya; govardhana--Govardhana; dui--two; mulukera--of that country; majumadara--treasurers of the government; tara--their; purohita--priest; balarama--Balarama; nama--name; tanra--his.
TRANSLATION
Hiranya and Govardhana were the two governmental treasurers in that division of the country. Their priest was named Balarama Acarya.
PURPORT
The word majumadara refers to a treasurer who keeps accounts of revenue.
TEXT 167
TEXT
haridasera krpa-patra, tate bhakti-mane
yatna kari' thakurere rakhila sei grame
SYNONYMS
haridasera krpa-patra--favored by Haridasa Thakura; tate--therefore; bhakti-mane--a great devotee of Haridasa Thakura; yatna kari'--with great care and attention; thakurere--Haridasa Thakura; rakhila--kept; sei grame--in the village.
TRANSLATION
Balarama Acarya, being favored by Haridasa Thakura, was very attached to him. Therefore he kept Haridasa Thakura in the village with great care and attention.
TEXT 168
TEXT
nirjana parna-salaya karena kirtana
balarama-acarya-grhe bhiksa-nirvahana
SYNONYMS
nirjana--solitary; parna-salaya--in a thatched cottage; karena--performs; kirtana--chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra; balarama-acarya-grhe--at the house of Balarama Acarya; bhiksa-nirvahana--accepting alms.
TRANSLATION
In the village, Haridasa Thakura was given a solitary thatched cottage, where he performed the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra He accepted prasada at the house of Balarama Acarya.
TEXT 169
TEXT
raghunatha-dasa balaka karena adhyayana
haridasa-thakurere yai' karena darsana
SYNONYMS
raghunatha-dasa--Raghunatha dasa; balaka--a boy; karena adhyayana--was engaged in study; haridasa-thakurere--to Haridasa Thakura; yai'--going; karena darsana--used to see.
TRANSLATION
Raghunatha dasa, who was the son of Hiranya Majumadara and was later to become Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, was at that time a boy engaged in study. He came to see Haridasa Thakura daily.
TEXT 170
TEXT
haridasa krpa kare tanhara upare
sei krpa 'karana' haila caitanya paibare
SYNONYMS
haridasa--Thakura Haridasa; krpa kare--shows mercy; tanhara upare--upon him; sei krpa--that mercy; karana--the cause; haila--became; caitanya--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; paibare--to attain.
TRANSLATION
Naturally Haridasa Thakura was merciful toward him, and because of the merciful benediction of this Vaisnava, he later attained the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet.
TEXT 171
TEXT
tahan yaiche haila haridasera mahima kathana
vyakhyana,----adbhuta katha suna, bhakta-gana
SYNONYMS
tahan--at that place; yaiche--just as; haila--there was; haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; mahima--glories; kathana--discussion; vyakhyana--discourse; adbhuta--wonderful; katha--incident; suna--hear; bhakta-gana--O devotees.
TRANSLATION
At the residence of Hiranya and Govardhana, discourses took place by which Haridasa Thakura was glorified. O devotees, please listen to that wonderful story.
TEXT 172
TEXT
eka-dina balarama minati kariya
majumadarera sabhaya aila thakure lana
SYNONYMS
eka-dina--one day; balarama--Balarama Acarya; minati kariya--in great humility; majumadarera--of the Majumadaras, Hiranya and Govardhana; sabhaya--at the assembly; aila--came; thakure--Haridasa Thakura; lana--taking with him.
TRANSLATION
One day Balarama Acarya requested Haridasa Thakura with great humility to come to the assembly of the Majumadaras, Hiranya and Govardhana. Thus Balarama Acarya went there with Haridasa Thakura.
TEXT 173
TEXT
thakura dekhi' dui bhai kaila abhyutthana
paya padi' asana dila kariya sammana
SYNONYMS
thakura dekhi'--seeing Haridasa Thakura; dui bhai--the two brothers; kaila abhyutthana--stood up; paya padi'--falling at the lotus feet; asana dila--offered a sitting place; kariya sammana--with great respect.
TRANSLATION
Seeing Haridasa Thakura, the two brothers immediately stood up and fell at his lotus feet. Then with great respect they offered him a place to sit.
TEXT 174
TEXT
aneka pandita sabhaya, brahmana, sajjana
dui bhai maha-pandita----hiranya, govardhana
SYNONYMS
aneka pandita--many learned scholars; sabhaya--in that assembly; brahmana--brahmanas; sat-jana--respectable gentlemen; dui bhai--the two brothers; maha-pandita--very learned scholars; hiranya--Hiranya; govardhana--Govardhana.
TRANSLATION
In that assembly were many learned scholars, brahmanas and respectable gentlemen. The two brothers Hiranya and Govardhana were also greatly learned.
TEXT 175
TEXT
haridasera guna sabe kahe panca-mukhe
suniya ta' dui bhai paila bada sukhe
SYNONYMS
haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; guna--the qualities; sabe--all of them; kahe--began to speak; panca-mukhe--as if speaking with five mouths; suniya--hearing; ta'--certainly; dui bhai--the two brothers; paila--got; bada sukhe--very great happiness.
TRANSLATION
Everyone there began to speak of Haridasa Thakura's great qualities as if they had five mouths. Hearing this, both brothers were extremely happy.
TEXT 176
TEXT
tina-laksa nama thakura karena kirtana
namera mahima uthaila pandita-gana
SYNONYMS
tina-laksa--300,000; nama--holy names of the Lord; thakura--Haridasa Thakura; karena kirtana--used to chant; namera--of the holy name; mahima--glories; uthaila--raised; pandita-gana--all the learned scholars.
TRANSLATION
It was mentioned in the assembly that Haridasa Thakura chanted the holy names of Krsna 300,000 times a day. Thus all the learned scholars began to discuss the glories of the holy name.
TEXT 177
TEXT
keha bale,----'nama haite haya papa-ksaya'
keha bale,----'nama haite jivera moksa haya'
SYNONYMS
keha bale--some of them said; nama haite--by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra; haya--there is; papa-ksaya--disappearance of all reactions to sinful activities; keha bale--some of them said; nama haite--by chanting the holy name; jivera--of the living entities; moksa haya--there is liberation.
TRANSLATION
Some of them said, "By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is freed from the reactions of all sinful life." Others said, "Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, a living being is liberated from material bondage."
TEXT 178
TEXT
haridasa kahena,----"namera ei dui phala naya
namera phale krsna-pade prema upajaya
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahena--Haridasa Thakura replied; namera--of chanting the holy name of the Lord; ei--these, dui--two; phala--results; naya--are not; namera phale--by the result of chanting the holy name; krsna-pade--at the lotus feet of Krsna; prema upajaya--awakening of ecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura protested, "These two benedictions are not the true result of chanting the holy name. By actually chanting the holy name without offenses, one awakens his ecstatic love for the lotus feet of Krsna.
TEXT 179
TEXT
evam-vratah sva-priya-nama-kirtya
jatanurago druta-citta uccaih
hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty
unmadavan nrtyati loka-bahyah
SYNONYMS
evam-vratah--when one thus engages in the vow to chant and dance; sva--own; priya--very dear; nama--holy name; kirtya--by chanting; jata--in this way develops; anuragah--attachment; druta-cittah--very eagerly; uccaih--loudly; hasati--laughs; atho--also; roditi--cries; rauti--becomes agitated; gayati--chants; unmada-vat--like a madman; nrtyati--dances; loka-bahyah--not caring for outsiders.
TRANSLATION
"When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.'
PURPORT
For an explanation of this verse (Bhag. 11.2.40) one may consult Chapter Seven, text 94, of the Adi-lila.
TEXT 180
TEXT
anusangika phala namera----'mukti', 'papa-nasa'
tahara drstanta yaiche suryera prakasa
SYNONYMS
anusangika--concomitant; phala--result; namera--of the holy name; mukti--liberation; papa-nasa--extinction of the resultant actions of sinful life; tahara--of that; drstanta--example; yaiche--as; suryera prakasa--light of the sun.
TRANSLATION
"Liberation and extinction of the reactions of sinful life are two concomitant by-products of chanting the holy name of the Lord. An example is found in the gleams of morning sunlight.
TEXT 181
TEXT
amhah samharad akhilam sakrd
udayad eva sakala-lokasya
taranir iva timira-jaladhim
jayati jagan-mangalam harer nama
SYNONYMS
amhah--the resultant action of sinful life, which causes material bondage; samharat--completely eradicating; akhilam--all; sakrt--once only; udayat--by rising; eva--certainly; sakala--all; lokasya--of the people of the world; taranih--the sun; iva--like; timira--of darkness; jala-dhim--the ocean; jayati--all glories to; jagat-mangalam--auspicious for the whole world; hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord. name of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
"As the rising sun immediately dissipates all the world's darkness, which is deep like an ocean, so the holy name of the Lord, if chanted once without offenses, can dissipate all the reactions of a living being's sinful life. All glories to that holy name of the Lord, which is auspicious for the entire world.' "
PURPORT
This verse is found in the Padyavali (16).
TEXT 182
TEXT
ei slokera artha kara panditera gana"
sabe kahe,----'tumi kaha artha-vivarana'
SYNONYMS
ei slokera--of this verse; artha--meaning; kara--explain; panditera gana--O groups of learned scholars; sabe kahe--everyone said; tumi kaha--you speak; artha-vivarana--the meaning and explanation.
TRANSLATION
After reciting this verse, Haridasa Thakura said, "O learned scholars, please explain the meaning of this verse." But the audience requested Haridasa Thakura,"It is better for you to explain the meaning of this important verse."
TEXT 183
TEXT
haridasa kahena,----"yaiche suryera udaya
udaya na haite arambhe tamera haya ksaya
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahena--Haridasa Thakura began to explain; yaiche--like; suryera udaya--sunrise; udaya na haite--although not visible; arambhe--from the beginning; tamera--of darkness; haya ksaya--there is dissipation.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura said, "As the sun begins to rise, even before visible it dissipates the darkness of night.
TEXT 184
TEXT
caura-preta-raksasadira bhaya haya nasa
udaya haile dharma-karma-adi parakasa
SYNONYMS
caura--thieves; preta--ghosts; raksasa--demons; adira--of them and others; bhaya--fear; haya--becomes; nasa--destroyed; udaya haile--when the sunrise is actually visible; dharma-karma--all religious activities and regulative principles; adi--everything; parakasa--becomes manifest.
TRANSLATION
"With the first glimpse of sunlight, fear of thieves, ghosts and demons immediately disappears, and when the sun is actually visible, everything is manifest, and everyone begins performing his religious activities and regulative duties.
TEXT 185
TEXT
aiche namodayarambhe papa-adira ksaya
udaya kaile krsna-pade haya premodaya
SYNONYMS
aiche--similarly; nama-udaya--of the appearance of the holy name; arambhe--by the beginning; papa--reactions of sinful activities; adira--of them and others; ksaya--dissipation; udaya kaile--when there is actually awakening of offenseless chanting; krsna-pade--at the lotus feet of Krsna; haya prema-udaya--there is awakening of ecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
"Similarly, the first hint that offenseless chanting of the Lord's holy name has awakened dissipates the reactions of sinful life immediately. And when one chants the holy name offenselessly, one awakens to service in ecstatic love at the lotus feet of Krsna.
TEXT 186
TEXT
mukti' tuccha-phala haya namabhasa haite
SYNONYMS
'mukti--liberation; tuccha-phala--insignificant result; haya--is; nama-abhasa haite--from a glimpse of awakening of offenseless chanting of the holy name.
TRANSLATION
"Liberation is the insignificant result derived from a glimpse of awakening of offenseless chanting of the holy name.
TEXT 187
TEXT
mriyamano harer nama
grnan putropacaritam
ajamilo 'py agad dhama
kim uta sraddhaya grnan
SYNONYMS
mriyamanah--dying; hareh nama--the holy name of the Supreme Lord; grnan--chanting; putra-upacaritam--though spoken for his son; ajamilah--Ajamila; api--also; agat--attained; dhama--the spiritual world; kim uta--what to speak of; sraddhaya--with faith and reverence; grnan--chanting.
TRANSLATION
"While dying, Ajamila chanted the holy name of the Lord, intending to call his son Narayana. Nevertheless, he attained the spiritual world. What then to speak of those who chant the holy name with faith and reverence?'
PURPORT
This is a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.49).
TEXT 188
TEXT
ye mukti bhakta na laya, se krsna cahe dite"
SYNONYMS
ye--which; mukti--liberation; bhakta--a devotee; na laya--does not take; se--that; krsna--Lord Krsna; cahe dite--wants to offer.
TRANSLATION
"Liberation, which is unacceptable for a pure devotee, is always offered by Krsna without difficulty.
TEXT 189
TEXT
salokya-sarsti-sarupya-
samipyaikatvam apy uta
diyamanam na grhnanti
vina mat-sevanam janah
SYNONYMS
salokya--to live on the same planet; sarsti--to acquire the same opulence; sarupya--to achieve the same bodily features; samipya--to live always near the Supreme Lord; ekatvam--to merge into the existence of the Lord; api--even; uta--certainly; diyamanam--being offered; na grhnanti--do not take; vina--without; mat-sevanam--My service; janah--the devotees.
TRANSLATION
"My devotees do not accept salokya, sarsti, sarupya, samipya, or oneness with Me--even if I offer these liberations--in preference to serving Me.' "
PURPORT
This verse is spoken by Lord Kapila, an avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.29.13).
TEXT 190
TEXT
'gopala cakravarti' nama eka-jana
majumadarera ghare sei arinda pradhana
SYNONYMS
gopala cakravarti--Gopala Cakravarti; nama--named; eka-jana--one person; majumadarera ghare--at the residence of Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara; sei--he; arinda pradhana--the chief tax collector.
TRANSLATION
At the house of Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara, a person named Gopala Cakravarti was officially the chief tax collector.
TEXT 191
TEXT
gaude rahi' patsaha-age arinda-giri kare
bara-laksa mudra sei patsara thani bhare
SYNONYMS
gaude rahi'--living in Bengal; patsaha-age--on behalf of the emperor; arinda-giri kare--acts as the chief tax collector; bara-laksa--twelve hundred thousand; mudra--coins; sei--he; patsara thani--for the emperor; bhare--collects.
TRANSLATION
This Gopala Cakravarti lived in Bengal. His duty as chief tax collector was to collect 1,200,000 coins to deposit in the treasury of the emperor.
TEXT 192
TEXT
parama-sundara, pandita, nutana-yauvana
namabhase 'mukti' suni' na ha-ila sahana
SYNONYMS
parama-sundara--very beautiful; pandita--learned; nutana--new; yauvana--youth; nama-abhase--by the glimpse of awakening of pure chanting of the holy name; mukti--liberation; suni'--hearing; na ha-ila sahana--could not tolerate.
TRANSLATION
He had handsome bodily features, and he was learned and youthful, but he could not tolerate the statement that simply by glimpsing the awakening of the Lord's holy name one can attain liberation.
PURPORT
Vaisnavas strictly follow the directions of the sastras regarding how one can be liberated simply by a slight awakening of pure chanting of the holy name. Mayavadis cannot tolerate the statements of the sastras about how easily liberation can be achieved, for as stated in Bhagavad-gita (12.5), kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam: impersonalists must work hard for many, many births, and only then will they perhaps be liberated. Vaisnavas know that simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, one achieves liberation as a by-product. Thus there is no need to endeavor separately for liberation. Srila Bilvamangala Thakura has said, muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate 'sman: liberation stands at one's door, ready to render any kind of service, if one is a pure devotee with unflinching faith and reverence. This the Mayavadis cannot tolerate. Therefore the arinda pradhana, chief tax collector, although very learned, handsome and youthful, could not tolerate the statements of Haridasa Thakura
TEXT 193
TEXT
kruddha hana bale sei sarosa vacana
"bhavukera siddhanta suna, panditera gana
SYNONYMS
kruddha hana--becoming very angry; bale--said; sei--he; sa-rosa vacana--angry words; bhavukera--of an emotional person; siddhanta--conclusion; suna--just hear; panditera gana--O assembly of learned scholars.
TRANSLATION
This young man, Gopala Cakravarti, became very angry upon hearing the statements of Haridasa Thakura. He immediately criticized him. "O assembly of learned scholars," he said, "just hear the conclusion of the emotional devotee.
TEXT 194
TEXT
koti-janme brahma-jnane yei 'mukti' naya
ei kahe,----namabhase sei 'mukti' haya"
SYNONYMS
koti-janme--after millions upon millions of births; brahma-jnane--by absolute knowledge; yei--which; mukti naya--liberation is not possible; ei--this person; kahe--says; nama-abhase--simply by the awakening of a glimpse of the pure chanting of the holy name; sei--that; mukti--liberation; haya--becomes possible.
TRANSLATION
"After many millions upon millions of births, when one is complete in absolute knowledge, one still may not attain liberation, yet this ma says that one may attain it simply by the awakening of a glimpse of the holy name."
TEXT 195
TEXT
haridasa kahena,----kene karaha samsaya?
sastre kahe,----namabhasa-matre 'mukti' haya
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahena--Haridasa Thakura said; kene--why; karaha samsaya--are you doubtful; sastre kahe--it is stated in the revealed scriptures; nama-abhasa matre--simply by a glimpse of the chanting of the holy name; mukti haya--there is liberation.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura said, "Why are you doubtful? The revealed scriptures say that one can attain liberation simply by a glimpse of offenseless chanting of the holy name.
TEXT 196
TEXT
bhakti-sukha-age 'mukti' ati-tuccha haya
ataeva bhakta-gana 'mukti' nahi laya
SYNONYMS
bhakti-sukha--transcendental bliss derived from devotional service; age--before; mukti--liberation; ati-tuccha--extremely insignificant; haya--is; ataeva--therefore; bhakta-gana--pure devotees; mukti--liberation; nahi laya--do not accept.
TRANSLATION
"For a devotee who enjoys the transcendental bliss of devotional service, liberation is most insignificant. Therefore pure devotees never desire to achieve liberation.
TEXT 197
TEXT
tvat-saksatkaranahlada-
visuddhabdhi-sthitasya me
sukhani gospadayante
brahmany api jagad-guro
SYNONYMS
tvat--You; saksat-karana--by meeting; ahlada--of pleasure; visuddha--spiritually purified; abdhi--in an ocean; sthitasya--situated; me--of me; sukhani--happiness; gospadayante--is like a calf's hoofprint; brahmani--derived from understanding of impersonal Brahman; api--also; jagat-guro--O master of the universe.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness, including even brahmananda, to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf.' "
PURPORT
This verse is quoted from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (14.36).
TEXT 198
TEXT
vipra kahe,----"namabhase yadi 'mukti' naya
tabe tomara naka kati' karaha niscaya"
SYNONYMS
vipra kahe--the brahmana said; nama-abhase--simply by the awakening of offenseless chanting of the holy name; yadi--if; mukti naya--liberation is not attainable; tabe--then; tomara--your; naka--nose; kati'--I shall cut off; karaha niscaya--take it as certain.
TRANSLATION
Gopala Cakravarti said, "if one is not liberated by namabhasa, then you may be certain that I shall cut off your nose."
TEXT 199
TEXT
haridasa kahena,----"yadi namabhase 'mukti' naya
tabe amara naka katimu,----ei suniscaya"
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahena--Haridasa Thakura said; yadi--if; nama-abhase--simply by the awakening of the holy name of the Lord; mukti naya--mukti is not available; tabe--then; amara--my; naka--nose; katimu--I shall cut off; ei--this; suniscaya--certain.
TRANSLATION
Then Haridasa Thakura accepted the challenge offered by Gopala Cakravarti. "If by namabhasa liberation is not available," he said, "certainly I shall cut off my nose."
TEXT 200
TEXT
suni' sabha-sad uthe kari' hahakara
majumadara sei vipre karila dhikkara
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing; sabha-sat--all the members of the assembly; uthe--got up; kari' haha-kara--making a tumultuous sound; majumadara--Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara; sei vipre--unto that brahmana who was their servant; karila--made; dhik-kara--chastisement.
TRANSLATION
All the members of the assembly who had heard the challenge were greatly agitated, and they got up, making a tumultuous sound. Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara both immediately chastised the brahmana tax collector.
TEXT 201
TEXT
balai-purohita tare karila bhartsana
"ghata-patiya murkha tuni bhakti kanha jana?
SYNONYMS
balai-purohita--the priest named Balarama Acarya; tare--unto Gopala Cakravarti; karila--did; bhartsana--chastisement; ghata-patiya--interested in the pot and the earth; murkha--fool; tuni--you; bhakti--devotional service; kanha--what; jana--do know.
TRANSLATION
The priest named Balarama Acarya chastised Gopala Cakravarti. "You are a foolish logician," he said, "What do you know about the devotional service of the Lord?
PURPORT
The philosophy enunciated by the Mayavadis is called ghata-patiya philosophy. According to this philosophy, everything is one, everything is earth, and therefore anything made of earth, such as different pots, is also the same earth. Such philosophers see no distinction between a pot made of earth and the earth itself. Since Gopala Cakravarti was a ghata-patiya logician, a gross materialist, what could he understand about the transcendental devotional service of the Lord?
TEXT 202
TEXT
haridasa-thakure tuni kaili apamana!
sarva-nasa habe tora, na habe kalyana"
SYNONYMS
haridasa-thakure--unto Haridasa Thakura; tuni--you; kaili--did; apamana--insult; sarva-nasa--destruction of everything; habe--there will be; tora--your; na--not; habe--will be; kalyana--auspicious result.
TRANSLATION
"You have insulted Haridasa Thakura. Thus there will be a dangerous position for you. You should not expect anything auspicious."
TEXT 203
TEXT
suni' haridasa tabe uthiya calila
majumadara sei vipre tyaga karila
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; tabe--then; uthiya calila--got up and began to go away; majumadara--Hiranya and Govardhana Majumadara; sei vipre--this tyaga karila--kicked out.
TRANSLATION
Then Haridasa Thakura got up to leave, and the Majumadaras, the masters of Gopala Cakravarti, immediately dismissed Gopala Cakravarti from their service.
TEXT 204
TEXT
sabha-sahite haridasera padila carane
haridasa hasi' kahe madhura-vacane
SYNONYMS
sabha-sahite--with all the members of the assembly; haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; padila carane--fell down at the lotus feet; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; hasi'--smiling; kahe--said; madhura-vacane--in a sweet voice.
TRANSLATION
With all the members of the assembly, the two Majumadaras fell at the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura was smiling, however, and he spoke in a sweet voice.
TEXT 205
TEXT
"toma-sabara dosa nahi, ei ajna brahmana
tara dosa nahi, tara tarka-nistha mana
SYNONYMS
toma-sabara--of all of you; dosa--fault; nahi--there is not; ei--this; ajna--ignorant; brahmana--so-called brahmana; tara dosa nahi--he is also not at fault; tara--his; tarka-nistha--accustomed to speculation; mana--mind.
TRANSLATION
"None of you are at fault," he said. "Indeed, even this ignorant so-called brahmana is not at fault, for he is accustomed to dry speculation and logic.
TEXT 206
TEXT
tarkera gocara nahe namera mahattva
kotha haite janibe se ei saba tattva?
SYNONYMS
tarkera--by argument and logic; gocara--appreciable; nahe--is not; namera--of the holy name; mahattva--the glory; kotha haite--from where; janibe--will know; se--he; ei--this; saba--all; tattva--truth.
TRANSLATION
"One cannot understand the glories of the holy name simply by logic and argument. Therefore this man cannot possibly understand the glories of the holy name.
TEXT 207
TEXT
yaha ghara, krsna karuna kusala sabara
amara sambandhe duhkha na ha-uka kahara"
SYNONYMS
yaha ghara--go to your homes; krsna karuna--may Lord Krsna bestow; kusala sabara--blessings to everyone; amara sambandhe--on my account; duhkha--unhappiness; na ha-uka--may there not be; kahara--of anyone.
TRANSLATION
"All of you may now go to your homes. May Lord Krsna bestow his blessings upon you all. Do not be sorry because of my being insulted."
PURPORT
From this statement by Haridasa Thakura, it is understood that a pure Vaisnava never takes anyone's insults seriously. This is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." A Vaisnava is always tolerant and submissive like trees and grass. He tolerates insults offered by others, for he is simply interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord without being disturbed.
TEXT 208
TEXT
tabe se hiranya-dasa nija ghare aila
sei brahmane nija dvara-mana kaila
SYNONYMS
tabe--thereupon; se--that; hiranya-dasa--Hiranya Majumadara; nija--own; ghare--to home; aila--returned; sei--that; brahmane--to Gopala Cakravarti; nija--own; dvara--door; mana--prohibition; kaila--issued.
TRANSLATION
Then Hiranya dasa Majumadara returned to his home and ordered that Gopala Cakravarti not be admitted therein.
TEXT 209
TEXT
tina dina bhitare sei viprera 'kustha' haila
ati ucca nasa tara galiya padila
SYNONYMS
tina dina--three days; bhitare--within; sei--that; viprera--of the brahmana; kustha--leprosy; haila--appeared; ati--very; ucca--raised; nasa--nose; tara--his; galiya--melting; padila--fell.
TRANSLATION
Within three days that brahmana was attacked by leprosy, and as a result his highly raised nose melted away and fell off.
TEXT 210
TEXT
campaka-kali-sama hasta-padanguli
konkada ha-ila saba, kusthe gela gali'
SYNONYMS
campaka--of a golden-hued flower; kali--buds; sama--like; hasta-pada-anguli--fingers and toes; konkada ha-ila--became crumpled; saba--all; kusthe--because of leprosy; gela gali'--melted away.
TRANSLATION
The brahmana's toes and fingers were beautiful like golden-colored campaka buds, but because of leprosy they all withered and gradually melted away.
TEXT 211
TEXT
dekhiya sakala loka haila camatkara
haridase prasamsi' tanre kare namaskara
SYNONYMS
dekhiya--seeing; sakala loka--all people; haila--became; camatkara--astonished; haridase--Haridasa Thakura; prasamsi'--praising; tanre--unto him; kare--offer; namaskara--obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Seeing the condition of Gopala Cakravarti, everyone was astonished. Everyone praised the influence of Haridasa Thakura and offered him obeisances.
TEXT 212
TEXT
yadyapi haridasa viprera dosa na la-ila
tathapi isvara tare phala bhunjaila
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; viprera--of the brahmana; dosa--offense; na--did not; la-ila--take seriously; tathapi--still; isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tare--unto him; phala--the result of insulting a Vaisnava; bhunjaila--made to suffer.
TRANSLATION
Although Haridasa Thakura, as a Vaisnava, did not take seriously the brahmana's offense, the Supreme Personality of Godhead could not tolerate it, and thus he made the brahmana suffer the consequences.
TEXT 213
TEXT
bhakta-svabhava,----ajna-dosa ksama kare
krsna-svabhava,----bhakta-ninda sahite na pare
SYNONYMS
bhakta-svabhava--the characteristic of a pure devotee; ajna-dosa--offense by an ignorant rascal; ksama kare--excuses; krsna-svabhava--the characteristic of Krsna; bhakta-ninda--blaspheming the devotees; sahite na pare--cannot tolerate.
TRANSLATION
A characteristic of a pure devotee is that he excuses any offense by an ignorant rascal. The characteristic of Krsna, however, is that He cannot tolerate blasphemy of His devotees.
PURPORT
trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
A Vaisnava strictly follows this principle of being humbler than the grass and more tolerant than a tree, expecting no honor from others but offering honor to everyone. In this way, a Vaisnava is simply interested in chanting about the Supreme personality of Godhead and glorifying Him. Haridasa Thakura epitomized this foremost order of Vaisnavism. Krsna cannot tolerate any insults or blasphemy against a Vaisnava. For example, Prahlada Maharaja was chastised by his father, Hiranyakasipu, in so many ways, but although Prahlada tolerated this, Krsna did not. The Lord therefore came in the form of Nrsimhadeva to kill Hiranyakasipu. Similarly, although Srila Haridasa Thakura tolerated the insult by Gopala Cakravarti, Krsna could not. The Lord immediately punished Gopala Cakravarti by making him suffer from leprosy. While instructing Srila Rupa Gosvami about the many restrictive rules and regulations for Vaisnavas, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has very vividly described the effects of offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava. Yadi vaisnava-aparadha uthe hati mata (Madhya 19.156). Offending or blaspheming a Vaisnava has been described as the greatest offense, and it has been compared to a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it ruins all the creepers, flowers and trees. Similarly, if a devotee properly executing his devotional service becomes an offender at the lotus feet of his spiritual master or a Vaisnava, his devotional service is spoiled.
TEXT 214
TEXT
viprera kustha suni' haridasa mane duhkhi haila
balai-purohite kahi' santipura aila
SYNONYMS
viprera--of the brahmana; kustha--leprosy; suni'--hearing; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; mane--within the mind; duhkhi haila--became unhappy; balai-purohite--unto Balarama Acarya; kahi'--speaking; santipura aila--came to Santipura.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura was unhappy when he heard that the brahmana Gopala Cakravarti had been attacked by leprosy. Thus after informing Balarama Acarya, the priest of Hiranya Majumadara, he went to Santipura, the home of Advaita Acarya.
TEXT 215
TEXT
acarye miliya kaila dandavat pranama
advaita alingana kari' karila sammana
SYNONYMS
acarye miliya--meeting Advaita Acarya; kaila--offered; dandavat pranama--obeisances and respects; advaita--Advaita Acarya; alingana kari'--embracing; karila sammana--showed respect.
TRANSLATION
Upon meeting Advaita Acarya, Haridasa Thakura offered Him respect and obeisances. Advaita Acarya embraced him and showed respect to him in return.
TEXT 216
TEXT
ganga-tire gonpha kari' nirjane tanre dila
bhagavata-gitara bhakti-artha sunaila
SYNONYMS
ganga-tire--on the bank of the Ganges; gonpha kari'--constructing a small cavelike residence; nirjane--in a solitary place; tanre--unto him; dila--offered; bhagavata--of Srimad-Bhagavatam; gitara--of Bhagavad-gita; bhakti-artha--the real meaning of devotional service; sunaila--spoke to him.
TRANSLATION
On the bank of the Ganges, in a solitary place, Advaita Acarya made a cavelike home for Haridasa Thakura and spoke to him about the real meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita in terms of devotional service.
TEXT 217
TEXT
acaryera ghare nitya bhiksa-nirvahana
dui jana mili' krsna-katha-asvadana
SYNONYMS
acaryera ghare--at the house of Advaita Acarya; nitya--daily; bhiksa-nirvahana--accepting food as alms; dui jana--the two of them; mili'--meeting together; krsna-katha--discourses on the subject matter of Krsna; asvadana--tasting.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura accepted food daily at the house of Advaita Acarya. Meeting together, the two of them would taste the nectar of discourses on the subject matter of Krsna.
TEXT 218
TEXT
haridasa kahe,----"gosani, kari nivedane
more pratyaha anna deha' kon prayojane?
SYNONYMS
haridasa kahe--Haridasa Thakura said; gosani--my dear Advaita Acarya; kari nivedane--let me submit one prayer; more--unto me; prati-aha--daily; anna deha'--You give food; kon prayojane--what is the necessity.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura said, "My dear Advaita Acarya, let me submit something before Your Honor. Every day You give me alms of food to eat. What is the necessity of this?
TEXT 219
TEXT
maha-maha-vipra etha kulina-samaja
nice adara kara, na vasaha bhaya laja!!
SYNONYMS
maha-maha-vipra--great, great brahmanas; etha--here; kulina-samaja--aristocratic society; nice--to a low-class person; adara kara--You show honor; na vasaha--You do not care for; bhaya laja--fear or shame.
TRANSLATION
"Sir, You are living within a society of great, great brahmanas and aristocrats, but without fear or shame You adore a lower-class man like me.
TEXT 220
TEXT
alaukika acara tomara kahite pai bhaya
sei krpa kariba,----yate mora raksa haya"
SYNONYMS
alaukika acara--uncommon behavior; tomara--Your; kahite--to speak; pai bhaya--I am afraid; sei krpa--that favor; kariba--kindly do; yate--by which; mora--my; raksa--protection; haya--there is.
TRANSLATION
"My dear sir, Your behavior is uncommon. Indeed, sometimes I am afraid to speak to You. But please favor me by protecting me from the behavior of society."
PURPORT
While Haridasa Thakura was staying under the care of Advaita Acarya, he was afraid of the behavior of society in Santipura, Navadvipa, which was full of exceedingly aristocratic brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas. Haridasa Thakura was born in a Mohammedan family and was later recognized as a great Vaisnava, but nevertheless the brahmanas were very critical of him. Thus Haridasa Thakura was afraid that Advaita Acarya would be put into some difficulty because of His familiarity with Haridasa Thakura. Sri Advaita Acarya treated Haridasa Thakura as a most elevated Vaisnava, but others, like Ramacandra Khan, were envious of Haridasa Thakura. Of course, we have to follow in the footsteps of Advaita Acarya, not caring for people like Ramacandra Khan. At present, many Vaisnavas are coming to our Krsna consciousness movement from among the Europeans and Americans, and although a man like Ramacandra Khan is always envious of such Vaisnavas, one should follow in the footsteps of Sri Advaita Acarya by treating all of them as Vaisnavas. Although they are not as exalted as Haridasa Thakura, such Americans and Europeans, having accepted the principles of Vaisnava philosophy and behavior, should never be excluded from Vaisnava society.
TEXT 221
TEXT
acarya kahena,----"tumi na kariha bhaya
sei acariba, yei sastra-mata haya
SYNONYMS
acarya kahena--Advaita Acarya said; tumi--you; na--not; kariha--do; bhaya--fear; sei acariba--I shall behave in that way; yei--whatever; sastra-mata--sanctioned by the revealed scriptures; haya--is.
TRANSLATION
Advaita Acarya replied, "My dear Haridasa, do not be afraid. I shall behave strictly according to the principles of the revealed scriptures.
PURPORT
Srila Advaita Acarya was not afraid of the strict brahminical culture and customs of society. As stated in the sastric injunctions, which are the true medium of evidence or proof, anyone can go back to Godhead, even if born of a low family. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita:
mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te 'pi yanti param gatim
"O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth--women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]--can approach the supreme destination." (Bg. 9.32) Though having taken a low birth in human society, one who accepts Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is quite competent to go back home, back to Godhead; and one who is a bona fide candidate for going back to Godhead should not be considered lowborn, or candala. That is also a sastric injunction. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):
kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
Not only the yavanas and khasadayah but even those born in still lower families can be purified (sudhyanti) by the grace of a devotee of Lord Krsna, for Krsna empowers such devotees to perform this purification. Advaita Acarya had confidence in the sastric evidence and did not care about social customs. The Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, is a cultural movement that does not care about local social conventions. Following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Advaita Acarya, we can accept a devotee from any part of the world and recognize him as a brahmana as soon as he is qualified due to following the principles of Vaisnava behavior.
TEXT 222
TEXT
tumi khaile haya koti-brahmana-bhojana"
eta bali, sraddha-patra karaila bhojana
SYNONYMS
tumi khaile--if you eat; haya--there is; koti-brahmana-bhojana--feeding ten million brahmanas; eta bali--saying this; sraddha-patra--the dish offered to the forefathers; karaila bhojana--made to eat.
TRANSLATION
"Feeding you is equal to feeding ten million brahmanas," Advaita Acarya said. "Therefore, accept this sraddha-patra." Thus Advaita Acarya made him eat.
PURPORT
Sraddha is prasada offered to the forefathers at a certain date of the year or month. The sraddha-patra, or plate offered to the forefathers, is then offered to the best of the brahmanas in society. instead of offering the sraddha-patra to any other brahmana, Advaita Acarya offered it to Haridasa Thakura, considering him greater than any of the foremost brahmanas. This act by Sri Advaita Acarya proves that Haridasa Thakura was always situated in a transcendental position and was therefore always greater than even the most exalted brahmana, for he was situated above the mode of goodness of the material world. Referring to the Bhakti-sandarbha, verse 177, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura quotes the following statements from the Garuda Purana in this connection:
brahmananam sahasrebhyah
satra-yaji visisyate
satra-yaji-sahasrebhyah
sarva-vedanta-paragah
sarva-vedanta-vit-kotya
visnu-bhakto visisyate
vaisnavanam sahasrebhya
ekanty eko visisyate
"A brahmana qualified to offer sacrifices is better than an ordinary brahmana and better than such a brahmana is one who has studied all the Vedic scriptures. Among many such brahmanas, one who is a devotee of Lord Visnu is the best; and among many such Vaisnavas, one who fully engages in the service of the Lord is the best."
bhaktir asta-vidha hy esa
yasmin mlecche 'pi vartate
sa viprendro muni-sresthah
sa jnani sa ca panditah
tasmai deyam tato grahyam
sa ca pujyo yatha harih
"There are many different kinds of devotees, but even a Vaisnava coming from a family of mlecchas or yavanas is understood to be a learned scholar, complete in knowledge, if he knows the Vaisnava philosophy. He should therefore be given charity, for such a Vaisnava is as worshipable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
na me 'bhaktas catur-vedi
mad-bhaktah sva-pacah priyah
tasmai deyam tato grahyam
sa ca pujyo yatha hy aham
Lord Krsna says, "Even if a nondevotee comes from a brahmana family and is expert in studying the Vedas, he is not very dear to Me, whereas even if a sincere devotee comes from a low family of meat-eaters, he is very dear to Me. Such a sincere pure devotee should be given charity, for he is as worshipable as I."
TEXT 223
TEXT
jagat-nistara lagi' karena cintana
avaisnava-jagat kemane ha-ibe mocana?
SYNONYMS
jagat-nistara--the deliverance of the people of the whole world; lagi'--for; karena cintana--was always thinking; avaisnava--full of nondevotees; jagat--the whole world; kemane--how; ha-ibe mocana--will be delivered.
TRANSLATION
Advaita Acarya was always absorbed in thoughts of how to deliver the fallen souls of the entire world. "The entire world is full of nondevotees," He thought. "How will they be delivered?"
PURPORT
Srila Advaita Acarya sets the standard for acaryas in the Vaisnava sampradaya. An acarya must always be eager to deliver the fallen souls. A person who establishes a temple or matha to take advantage of people's sentiments by using for his livelihood what people contribute for the worship of the Deity cannot be called a gosvami or acarya. One who knows the conclusion of the sastras, follows in the footsteps of his predecessors and endeavors to preach the bhakti cult all over the world is to be considered an acarya. The role of an acarya is not to earn his livelihood through the income of the temple. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that if one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an acarya or gosvami. it would be better for him to accept service even as a sweeper in the street, for that is a more honorable means of earning one's living.
TEXT 224
TEXT
krsne avatarite advaita pratijna karila
jala-tulasi diya puja karite lagila
SYNONYMS
krsne--Lord Krsna; avatarite--to cause to descend; advaita--Advaita Acarya; pratijna--promise; karila--made; jala-tulasi--Ganges water and tulasi leaves; diya--offering; puja--worship; karite--to do; lagila--began.
TRANSLATION
Determined to deliver all the fallen souls, Advaita Acarya decided to cause Krsna to descend. With this vow, he began to offer Ganges water and tulasi leaves to worship the Lord.
TEXT 225
TEXT
haridasa kare gonphaya nama-sankirtana
krsna avatirna ha-ibena,----ei tanra mana
SYNONYMS
haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; kare--performed; gonphaya--in the cave; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name of the Lord; krsna--Lord Krsna; avatirna ha-ibena--will descend; ei--this; tanra mana--his mind.
TRANSLATION
Similarly, Haridasa Thakura chanted in his cave on the bank of the Ganges with the intention to cause Krsna's descent.
TEXT 226
TEXT
dui-janera bhaktye caitanya kaila avatara
nama-prema pracari' kaila jagat uddhara
SYNONYMS
dui-janera--of these two persons; bhaktye--because of the devotional service; caitanya--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila--made; avatara--incarnation; nama-prema--the holy name and love of Krsna; pracari'--preaching; kaila--did; jagat uddhara--deliverance of the whole world.
TRANSLATION
Because of the devotional service of these two persons, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu descended as an incarnation. Thus He preached the holy name of the Lord and ecstatic love of Krsna to deliver the entire world.
TEXT 227
TEXT
ara alaukika eka caritra tanhara
yahara sravane loke haya camatkara
SYNONYMS
ara--another; alaukika--uncommon; eka--one; caritra--characteristic; tanhara--of Haridasa Thakura; yahara sravane--in hearing which; loke--in human society; haya--there is; camatkara--astonishment.
TRANSLATION
There is another incident concerning Haridasa Thakura's uncommon behavior. One will be astonished to hear about it.
TEXT 228
TEXT
tarka na kariha, tarkagocara tanra riti
visvasa kariya suna kariya pratiti
SYNONYMS
tarka na kariha--do not argue; tarka-agocara--beyond argument; tanra--his; riti--behavior; visvasa kariya--believing; suna--listen; kariya pratiti--having confidence.
TRANSLATION
Hear about such incidents without putting forth dry arguments, for these incidents are beyond our material reasoning. One must believe in them with faith.
TEXT 229
TEXT
eka-dina haridasa gonphate vasiya
nama-sankirtana karena ucca kariya
SYNONYMS
eka-dina--one day; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; gonphate vasiya--sitting in his cave; nama-sankirtana karena--was chanting the holy name of the Lord; ucca kariya--resounding very loudly.
TRANSLATION
One day Haridasa Thakura was sitting in his cave, reciting very loudly the holy name of the Lord.
TEXT 230
TEXT
jyotsnavati ratri, dasa dik sunirmala
gangara lahari jyotsnaya kare jhala-mala
SYNONYMS
jyotsnavati--full of moonlight; ratri--the night; dasa dik--ten directions; su-nirmala--very clear and bright; gangara lahari--the waves of the Ganges; jyotsnaya--in the moonlight; kare jhala-mala--appear dazzling.
TRANSLATION
The night was full of moonlight, which made the waves of the Ganges look dazzling. All directions were clear and bright.
TEXT 231
TEXT
dvare tulasi lepa-pindira upara
gonphara sobha dekhi' lokera judaya antara
SYNONYMS
dvare--at the door; tulasi--the tulasi plant; lepa--very clean; pindira upara--on the altar; gonphara sobha--the beauty of the cave; dekhi'--seeing; lokera--of everyone; judaya--was satisfied; antara--the heart.
TRANSLATION
Thus everyone who saw the beauty of the cave, with the tulasi plant on a clean altar, was astonished and satisfied at heart.
TEXT 232
TEXT
hena-kale eka nari angane aila
tanra anga-kantye sthana pita-varna ha-ila
SYNONYMS
hena-kale--at this time; eka--one; nari--woman; angane aila--came to the courtyard; tanra--her; anga-kantye--by the beauty of the body; sthana--that place; pita-varna ha-ila--became yellowish.
TRANSLATION
At that time, in that beautiful scene, a woman appeared in the courtyard. The beauty of her body was so bright that it tinged the entire place with a hue of yellow.
TEXT 233
TEXT
tanra anga-gandhe dasa dik amodita
bhusana-dhvanite karna haya camakita
SYNONYMS
tanra--her; anga-gandhe--the scent of the body; dasa dik--ten directions; amodita--perfumed; bhusana-dhvanite--by the tinkling of her ornaments; karna--the ear; haya--becomes; camakita--startled.
TRANSLATION
The scent of her body perfumed all directions, and the tinkling of her ornaments startled the ear.
TEXT 234
TEXT
asiya tulasire sei kaila namaskara
tulasi parikrama kari' gela gonpha-dvara
SYNONYMS
asiya--coming; tulasire--unto the tulasi plant; sei--that woman; kaila--did; namaskara--obeisances; tulasi--the tulasi plant; parikrama--circumambulating; kari'--doing; gela--went; gonpha-dvara--to the door of the cave.
TRANSLATION
After coming there, the woman offered obeisances to the tulasi plant, and after circumambulating the tulasi plant she came to the door of the cave where Haridasa Thakura was sitting.
TEXT 235
TEXT
yoda-hate haridasera vandila carana
dvare vasi' kahe kichu madhura vacana
SYNONYMS
yoda-hate--with folded hands; haridasera--of Haridasa Thakura; vandila carana--offered prayers at the lotus feet; dvare vasi'--sitting at the door; kahe--says; kichu--some; madhura vacana--sweet words.
TRANSLATION
With folded hands she offered obeisances at the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura. Sitting at the door, she then spoke in a very sweet voice.
TEXT 236
TEXT
"jagatera bandhu tumi rupa-gunavan
tava sanga lagi' mora ethake prayana
SYNONYMS
jagatera--of the whole world; bandhu--friend; tumi--you; rupa-guna-van--so beautiful and qualified; tava sanga--your union; lagi'--for; mora--my; ethake prayana--coming here.
TRANSLATION
"My dear friend," she said, "you are the friend of the entire world. You are so beautiful and qualified. I have come here only for union with you.
TEXT 237
TEXT
more angikara kara hana sadaya
dine daya kare,----ei sadhu-svabhava haya"
SYNONYMS
more--me; angikara kara--accept; hana sa-daya--being very kind; dine--to the fallen souls; daya kare--show favor; ei--this; sadhu-svabhava--the characteristic of saintly persons; haya--is.
TRANSLATION
"My dear sir, kindly accept me and be merciful toward me, for it is a characteristic of all saintly persons to be kind toward the poor and fallen."
TEXT 238
TEXT
eta bali' nana-bhava karaye prakasa
yahara darsane munira haya dhairya-nasa
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; nana-bhava--various postures; karaye prakasa--began to manifest; yahara darsane--seeing which; munira--of even the great philosophers; haya--there is; dhairya-nasa--loss of patience.
TRANSLATION
After saying this, she began to manifest various postures, which even the greatest philosopher would lose his patience upon seeing.
TEXT 239
TEXT
nirvikara haridasa gambhira-asaya
balite lagila tanre hana sadaya
SYNONYMS
nirvikara--unmoved; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; gambhira--very deep; asaya--determination; balite lagila--began to speak; tanre--unto her; hana sadaya--being merciful.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura was immovable, for he was deeply determined. He began to speak to her, being very merciful toward her.
TEXT 240
TEXT
"sankhya-nama-sankirtana----ei 'maha-yajna' manye
tahate diksita ami ha-i prati-dine
SYNONYMS
sankhya-nama-sankirtana--numerical chanting of the holy name; ei--this; maha-yajna--great sacrifice; manye--I have vowed; tahate diksita--initiated in that; ami--I; ha-i--am; prati-dine--every day.
TRANSLATION
"I have been initiated into a vow to perform a great sacrifice by chanting the holy name a certain number of times every day.
TEXT 241
TEXT
yavat kirtana samapta nahe, na kari anya kama
kirtana samapta haile, haya diksara visrama
SYNONYMS
yavat--as long as; kirtana--chanting; samapta--finished; nahe--is not; na--not; kari--I do; anya--other; kama--desire; kirtana--chanting; samapta--finished; haile--becoming; haya--there is; diksara--of initiation; visrama--rest
TRANSLATION
"As long as the vow to chant is unfulfilled, I do not desire anything else. When I finish my chanting, then I have an opportunity to do anything.
TEXT 242
TEXT
dvare vasi' suna tumi nama-sankirtana
nama samapta haile karimu tava priti-acarana
SYNONYMS
dvare vasi'--sitting at the door; suna--hear; tumi--you; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy names; nama--the holy name; samapta haile--when finished; karimu--I shall do; tava--your; priti--pleasure; acarana--activities.
TRANSLATION
"Sit down at the door and hear the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. As soon as the chanting is finished, I shall satisfy you as you desire."
TEXT 243
TEXT
eta bali' karena tenho nama-sankirtana
sei nari vasi' kare sri-nama-sravana
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; karena--performs; tenho--he; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name; sei nari--that woman; vasi'--sitting; kare--does; sri-nama-sravana--hearing the holy name.
TRANSLATION
After saying this, Haridasa Thakura continued to chant the holy name of the Lord. Thus the woman sitting before him began to hear the chanting of the holy name.
TEXT 244
TEXT
kirtana karite asi' pratah-kala haila
pratah-kala dekhi' nari uthiya calila
SYNONYMS
kirtana karite--chanting and chanting; asi'--coming; pratah-kala--morning; haila--appeared; pratah-kala dekhi'--seeing the morning light; nari--the woman; uthiya calila--got up and left.
TRANSLATION
In this way, as he chanted and chanted, the morning approached, and when the woman saw that it was morning, she got up and left.
TEXT 245
TEXT
ei-mata tina-dina kare agamana
nana bhava dekhaya, yate brahmara hare mana
SYNONYMS
ei-mata--in this way; tina-dina--three days; kare--she does; agamana--approaching; nana bhava--all kinds of feminine postures; dekhaya--exhibits; yate--by which; brahmara--even of Lord Brahma; hare--attracts; mana--mind.
TRANSLATION
For three days she approached Haridasa Thakura in this way, exhibiting various feminine postures that would bewilder the mind of even Lord Brahma.
TEXT 246
TEXT
krsne namavista-mana sada haridasa
aranye rodita haila stri-bhava-prakasa
SYNONYMS
krsne--unto Lord Krsna; nama-avista--absorbed in chanting the holy name; mana--mind; sada--always; haridasa--Haridasa Thakura; aranye--in the wilderness; rodita--crying; haila--became; stri-bhava-prakasa--exhibition of feminine postures.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura was always absorbed in thoughts of Krsna and the holy name of Krsna. Therefore the feminine poses the woman exhibited were just like crying in the forest.
TEXT 247
TEXT
trtiya divasera ratri-sesa yabe haila
thakurera sthane nari kahite lagila
SYNONYMS
trtiya divasera--of the third day; ratri-sesa--the end of the night; yabe--when; haila--there was; thakurera--of Haridasa Thakura; sthane--at the place; nari--the woman; kahite lagila--began to speak.
TRANSLATION
At the end of the night of the third day, the woman spoke to Haridasa Thakura as follows.
TEXT 248
TEXT
"tina dina vancila ama kari' asvasana
ratri-dine nahe tomara nama-samapana"
SYNONYMS
tina dina--for three days; vancila--you have cheated; ama--me; kari' asvasana--giving assurance; ratri-dine--throughout the entire day and night; nahe--is not; tomara--your; nama-samapana--finishing of the chanting of the holy name.
TRANSLATION
"My dear sir, for three days you have cheated me by giving me false assurances, for I see that throughout the entire day and night your chanting of the holy name is never finished."
TEXT 249
TEXT
haridasa thakura kahena,----"ami ki karimu?
niyama kariyachi, taha kemane chadimu?"
SYNONYMS
haridasa thakura--Haridasa Thakura; kahena--said; ami ki karimu--what shall I do; niyama kariyachi--I have made a vow; taha--that; kemane--how; chadimu--shall I give up.
TRANSLATION
Haridasa Thakura said, "My dear friend, what ca I do? I have made a vow. How, then, can I give it up?"
TEXT 250
TEXT
tabe nari kahe tanre kari' namaskara
'ami----maya' karite ailana pariksa tomara
SYNONYMS
tabe--at that time; nari--the woman; kahe--said; tanre--unto Haridasa Thakura; kari' namaskara--offering obeisances; ami--I; maya--the illusory energy; karite--to do; ailana--I came; pariksa--testing; tomara--your.
TRANSLATION
After offering obeisances to Haridasa Thakura, the woman said: "I am the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I came here to test you.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (7.14) Lord Krsna says:
daivi hy esa guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." This was actually proved by the behavior of Haridasa Thakura. Maya enchants the entire world. Indeed, people have forgotten the ultimate goal of life because of the dazzling attractions of the material world. But this dazzling attraction, especially the attractive beauty of a woman, is meant for persons who are not surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: "One who is surrendered unto Me cannot be conquered by the illusory energy." The illusory energy personally came to test Haridasa Thakura, but herein she admits her defeat, for she was unable to captivate him. How is this possible? it was because Haridasa Thakura, fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Krsna, was always absorbed in thoughts of Krsna by chanting the holy names of the Lord 300,000 times daily as a vow.
TEXT 251
TEXT
brahmadi jiva, ami sabare mohilun
ekela tomare ami mohite narilun
SYNONYMS
brahma-adi jiva--all living entities, beginning from Lord Brahma; ami--I; sabare mohilun--captivated everyone; ekela--alone; tomare--you; ami--I; mohite narilun--could not attract.
TRANSLATION
"I have previously captivated the mind of even Brahma, not to speak of others. Your mind alone have I failed to attract.
PURPORT
Beginning from Lord Brahma down to the insignificant ant, everyone, without exception, is attracted by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigods, human beings, animals, birds, beasts, trees and plants are all attracted by sexual desire. That is the illusion of maya. Everyone, whether man or woman, thinks that he is the enjoyer of the illusory energy. In this way, everyone is captivated and engaged in material activities. However, because Haridasa Thakura was always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and was always busy satisfying the senses of the Lord, this process alone saved him from the captivation of maya. This is practical proof of the strength of devotional service. Because of his full engagement in the service of the Lord, he could not be induced to enjoy maya. The verdict of the sastras is that a pure Vaisnava, or devotee of the Lord, never thinks of enjoying the material world, which culminates in sex life. He never thinks himself an enjoyer; instead, he always wants to be enjoyed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the conclusion is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, transcendental, beyond the perception of sense gratification and beyond the material qualities. Only if a living entity gives up the false conception that the body is the self and always thinks himself an eternal servant of Krsna and the Vaisnavas can he surpass the influence of maya (mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te). A pure living entity who thus attains the stage of anartha-nivrtti, cessation of everything unwanted, has nothing to enjoy in the material world. One attains this stage only by properly performing the functions of devotional service. Srila Rupa Gosvami has written:
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage, one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes freed from all material attachments, attains steadiness in self-realization and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15) If one is actually executing devotional service, then anarthas, the unwanted things associated with material enjoyment, will automatically disappear.
TEXTS 252-253
TEXT
maha-bhagavata tumi,----tomara darsane
tomara krsna-nama-kirtana-sravane
citta suddha haila, cahe krsna-nama laite
krsna-nama upadesi' krpa kara mote
SYNONYMS
maha-bhagavata--the foremost devotee; tumi--you; tomara darsane--by seeing you; tomara--your; krsna-nama--of the holy name of Krsna; kirtana--chanting; sravane--by hearing; citta--consciousness; suddha haila--became purified; cahe--wants; krsna-nama laite--to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna; krsna-nama upadesi'--instructing about chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra; krpa kara--show mercy; mote--unto me.
TRANSLATION
"My dear sir, you are the foremost devotee. Simply seeing you and hearing you chant the holy name of Krsna has purified my consciousness. Now I want to chant the holy name of the Lord. Please be kind to me by instructing me about the ecstasy of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
TEXT 254
TEXT
caitanyavatare vahe premamrta-vanya
saba jiva preme bhase, prthivi haila dhanya
SYNONYMS
caitanya-avatare--by the incarnation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vahe--flows; prema-amrta--of the eternal nectar of love of Godhead; vanya--the flood; saba jiva--all living entities; preme--in ecstatic love; bhase--float; prthivi--the whole world; haila--became; dhanya--thankful.
TRANSLATION
"There is now a flood of the eternal nectar of love of Godhead due to the incarnation of Lord Caitanya, All living entities are floating in that flood. The entire world is now thankful to the Lord.
TEXT 255
TEXT
e-vanyaya ye na bhase, sei jiva chara
koti-kalpe kabhu tara nahika nistara
SYNONYMS
e-vanyaya--in this inundation; ye--anyone who; na bhase--does not float; sei--that; jiva--living entity; chara--most condemned; koti-kalpe--in millions of kalpas; kabhu--at any time; tara--his; nahika--there is not; nistara--deliverance.
TRANSLATION
"Anyone who does not float in this inundation is most condemned. Such a person cannot be delivered for millions of kalpas.
PURPORT
The kalpa is explained in Bhagavad-gita. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh. One day of Brahma is called a kalpa. A yuga, or maha-yuga, consists of 4,320,000 years, and one thousand such maha-yugas constitute one kalpa. The author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta says that if one does not take advantage of the Krsna consciousness movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he cannot be delivered for millions of such kalpas.
TEXT 256
TEXT
purve ami rama-nama panachi 'siva' haite
tomara sange lobha haila krsna-nama laite
SYNONYMS
purve--formerly; ami--I; rama-nama--the holy name of Lord Rama; panachi--got; siva haite--from Lord Siva; tomara sange--by your association; lobha haila--I became greedy; krsna-nama laite--to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
TRANSLATION
"Formerly I received the holy name of Lord Rama from Lord Siva, but now, due to your association, I am greatly eager to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna.
TEXT 257
TEXT
mukti-hetuka taraka haya 'rama-nama'
'krsna-nama' paraka hana kare prema-dana
SYNONYMS
mukti-hetuka--the cause of liberation; taraka--deliverer; haya--is; rama-nama--the holy name of Lord Rama; krsna-nama--the holy name of Lord Krsna; paraka--that which gets one to the other side of the ocean of nescience; hana--being; kare--gives; prema-dana--the gift of love of Krsna.
TRANSLATION
"The holy name of Lord Rama certainly gives liberation, but the holy name of Krsna transports one to the other side of the ocean of nescience and at last gives one ecstatic love of Krsna.
PURPORT
In an indirect way, this verse explains the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. The Hare Krsna maha-mantra--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--includes both the holy name of Lord Krsna and the name of Lord Rama. Lord Rama gives one the opportunity to be liberated, but simply by liberation one does not get actual spiritual benefit. Sometimes if one is liberated from the material world but has no shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna, one falls down to the material world again. Liberation is like a state of convalescence, in which one is free from a fever but is still not healthy. Even in the stage of convalescence, if one is not very careful, one may have a relapse. Similarly, liberation does not offer as much security as the shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. It is stated in the sastra:
ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.32) Yusmad-anghrayah refers to the lotus feet of Krsna. If one does not take shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, he falls down (patanty adhah), even from liberation. The Hare Krsna maha-mantra, however, gives liberation and at the same time offers shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna. If one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna after liberation, he develops his dormant ecstatic love for Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life.
TEXT 258
TEXT
krsna-nama deha' tumi more kara dhanya
amare bhasaya yaiche ei prema-vanya
SYNONYMS
krsna nama--the holy name of Lord Krsna; deha'--please give; tumi--you; more--me; kara dhanya--make fortunate; amare--me; bhasaya--may cause to float; yaiche--so that; ei--this; prema-vanya--inundation of ecstatic love of Lord Krsna.
TRANSLATION
"Please give me the holy name of Krsna and thus make me fortunate, so that I also may float in the flood of love of Godhead inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."
TEXT 259
TEXT
eta bali' vandila haridasera carana
haridasa kahe,----"kara krsna-sankirtana"
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; vandila--worshiped; haridasera carana--the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura; haridasa kahe--Haridasa said; kara--just perform; krsna-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name of Krsna.
TRANSLATION
After speaking in this way, Maya worshiped the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura, who initiated her by saying,"Just perform chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra."
PURPORT
Now even Maya wanted to be favored by Haridasa Thakura. Therefore Haridasa Thakura formally initiated her by asking her to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
TEXT 260
TEXT
upadesa pana maya calila hana prita
e-saba kathate karo na janme pratita
SYNONYMS
upadesa pana--getting this instruction; maya--Maya; calila--left; hana prita--being very pleased; e-saba kathate--in all these narrations; karo--of someone; na--not; janme--there is; pratita--faith.
TRANSLATION
After thus being instructed by Haridasa Thakura, Maya left with great pleasure. Unfortunately, some people have no faith in these narrations.
TEXT 261
TEXT
pratita karite kahi karana ihara
yahara sravane haya visvasa sabara
SYNONYMS
pratita karite--just to make one faithful; kahi--I say; karana ihara--the reason for this; yahara sravane--hearing which; haya--there is; visvasa--faith; sabara--of everyone.
TRANSLATION
Therefore I shall explain the reasons why people should have faith. Everyone who hears this will be faithful.
TEXT 262
TEXT
caitanyavatare krsna-preme lubdha hana
brahma-siva-sanakadi prthivite janmiya
SYNONYMS
caitanya-avatare--in the incarnation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; krsna-preme--for ecstatic love of Krsna; lubdha hana--being very greedy; brahma--Lord Brahma; siva--Lord Siva; sanaka-adi--the Kumaras and others; prthivite--on this earth; janmiya--taking birth.
TRANSLATION
During the incarnation of Lord Caitanya to inaugurate the Krsna consciousness movement, even such personalities as Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and the four Kumaras took birth upon this earth, being allured by ecstatic love of Lord Krsna.
TEXT 263
TEXT
krsna-nama lana nace, prema-vanyaya bhase
narada-prahladadi ase manusya-prakase
SYNONYMS
krsna-nama--the holy name of Lord Krsna; lana--chanting; nace--dance; prema-vanyaya--in the inundation of the flood of love of Godhead; bhase--float; narada--the sage Narada; prahlada-adi--and devotees like Prahlada; ase--come; manusya-prakase--as if human beings.
TRANSLATION
All of them, including the great sage Narada and devotees like Prahlada, came here as if human beings, chanting the holy names of Lord Krsna together and dancing and floating in the inundation of love of Godhead.
TEXT 264
TEXT
laksmi-adi kari' krsna-preme lubdha hana
nama-prema asvadila manusye janmiya
SYNONYMS
laksmi-adi--the goddess of fortune and others; kari'--in this way; krsna-preme--for love of Krsna; lubdha hana--being greedy; nama-prema--the holy name of Krsna in love; asvadila--tasted; manusye janmiya--taking birth in human society.
TRANSLATION
The goddess of fortune and others, allured by love of Krsna, also came down in the form of human beings and tasted the holy name of the Lord in love.
TEXT 265
TEXT
anyera ka katha, apane vrajendra-nandana
avatari' karena prema-rasa asvadana
SYNONYMS
anyera ka katha--what to speak of others; apane--personally; vrajendra-nandana--the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna; avatari'--descending; karena--performs; prema-rasa asvadana--tasting of the nectar of love of Krsna.
TRANSLATION
What to speak of others, even Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, personally descends to taste the nectar of love of Godhead in the form of the chanting of Hare Krsna.
TEXT 266
TEXT
maya-dasi 'prema' mage,----ithe ki vismaya?
'sadhu-krpa-'nama' vina 'prema' na janmaya
SYNONYMS
maya-dasi--the external energy is a maidservant; prema mage--she wants love of Godhead; ithe--in this; ki vismaya--what is the wonder; sadhu-krpa--the mercy of the devotee; nama--chanting of the holy name; vina--without; prema--love of Godhead; na janmaya--is not possible.
TRANSLATION
What is the wonder if the maidservant of Krsna, His external energy, begs for love of Godhead? Without the mercy of a devotee and without the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, love of Godhead cannot be possible.
TEXT 267
TEXT
caitanya-gosanira lilara ei ta' svabhava
tribhuvana nace, gaya, pana prema-bhava
SYNONYMS
caitanya-gosanira--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lilara--of the pastimes; ei--this; ta'--certainly; sva-bhava--the characteristic; tri-bhuvana nace--the three worlds dance; gaya--chant; pana--getting; prema-bhava--love of Krsna.
TRANSLATION
In the activities of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the three worlds dance and chant, having come in touch with love of Godhead. This is the characteristic of His pastimes.
TEXT 268
TEXT
krsna-adi, ara yata sthavara-jangame
krsna-preme matta kare krsna-sankirtane
SYNONYMS
krsna-adi--beginning from Krsna; ara--and; yata--ail; sthavara-jangame--moving and nonmoving creatures; krsna-preme--in love of Krsna; matta--maddened; kare--make; krsna-sankirtane--chanting the holy name of Krsna.
TRANSLATION
The holy name of Krsna is so attractive that anyone who chants it--including all living entities, moving and nonmoving, and even Lord Krsna Himself--becomes imbued with love of Krsna. This is the effect of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
TEXT 269
TEXT
svarupa-gosani kadacaya ye-lila likhila
raghunatha-dasa-mukhe ye saba sunila
SYNONYMS
svarupa-gosani--Svarupa Damodara Gosvami; kadacaya--in his notes; ye--whatever; lila--pastimes; likhila--has noted; raghunatha-dasa-mukhe--from the mouth of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; ye--that; saba--all; sunila--I have heard.
TRANSLATION
I have heard from the mouth of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami all that Svarupa Damodara Gosvami recorded in his notes about the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 270
TEXT
sei saba lila kahi sanksepa kariya
caitanya-krpate likhi ksudra-jiva hana
SYNONYMS
sei saba--all those; lila--pastimes; kahi--I say; sanksepa kariya--in brief; caitanya-krpate--by the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; likhi--I write; ksudra-jiva hana--being a very insignificant living entity.
TRANSLATION
I have briefly described those pastimes. Whatever I have written is by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, since I am an insignificant living being.
TEXT 271
TEXT
haridasa thakurera kahilun mahimara kana
yahara sravane bhaktera judaya sravana
SYNONYMS
haridasa thakurera--of Haridasa Thakura; kahilun--I have described; mahimara--of the glories; kana--a fragment; yahara--of which; sravane--the hearing; bhaktera--of the devotees; judaya--satisfies; sravana--the aural reception.
TRANSLATION
I have described but a fragment of the glories of Haridasa Thakura, Hearing this satisfies the aural reception of every devotee.
TEXT 272
TEXT
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 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, Third Chapter, describing the glories of Srila Haridasa Thakura.