HOW IS GOD SEING YOU FROM WITHIN?
By the common people he is nothing but a beggar. His name Suklumbar Brahmacharis. He is a very poor Brahman. Every day he would go out with a tattered cotton shoulder bag and he would go out to beg. He didn’t discriminate whom he begged from. He would go even to the most impoverished people of Navadvip to beg for some rice from them. Hours of the day door to door, misused by people, criticized by people considered to be a useless beggar. However he was constantly chanting the name of Krishna. In his heart was the flood of love of Krishna. He was so happy, as he would be begging he would b crying tears of ecstasy. Immersed in tasting the sweetness of the holy name. Perfection of life is to taste the nectar of the holy name. Krishna has descended in his name and as our heart is pure we can experience the beautiful form, pastimes, and qualities in abode of the lord as we chant his name. The holy name awakens our ecstatic love and reveals Krishna within us. This was Suklumbar Brahmacharis realization. Just blissfully weeping tears of joy chanting Hare Krishna as he would go door to door begging. What do people give beggars, the worst thing, and the cheapest thing? Providing they are willing to give anything. In the evening when Suklumbar brahmacharis would come home, he would take that broken pieces of raw rice and prepare it and offer it to Krishna with great love. And then he would honor the remnants. He was unknown by most and who ever saw him considered him useless. But there is a moral to the story, our value is how god sees us from within and not how the world sees us from without. Because the worlds perception of us is based on the illusion of Maya. saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam. Success is when we please Krishna. Krishna is pleased is by what he sees within our hearts. Srila Prabhu pad writes that Krishna doesn’t see what you do; he sees the purpose in which you do it. The purpose in which you make an offering to Krishna is what gives him pleasure. Because Suklumbar Brahmacharis had such a pure heart, he was allowed entrance all day and all night to his hearts content into the house of Srivasa. Where the only the most confidential associates of lord where permitted great avatars, like Nityanada Who is Balaram. Advaita Acharya who is Maha Vishnu, Gadadhar Pandit who is Radharani, Hari das Thakur who is lord Brahma, Srivasa Thakur who is Narada Muni. Those very exalted company in Srivasa house. Pundrik Vidyanidhi who is Vrishabhanu the father of Radharani. Parvat Muni was Ramie Pandit and there was Suklumbar Brahmacharis dancing and singing with all the Vaishnavas.
 
LORD ONLY WANTS LOVE.
Now lord Chaitanya descended in this world to teach us the process of Bhakti Yoga., pure devotional service by his own example. The lord speaks in Bhagvat Gita.
yad yad äcarati çreñöhas
tat tad evetaro janaù
(Bhagvad Gita 3.21)
What great people do common people will follow? What ever standard they exhibit the world will pursue it. So Krishna knowing how misguided people will be in this age of Kali, due to this menace like dog of Kali, he came in the role of his own devotee. Krishna already outlined all the necessary truths to attain perfection, in Bhagvat Gita.
man-manä bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru
mäm evaiñyasi satyaà te
pratijäne priyo 'si me
(Bhagvad Gita 18.65)
Always think of me become my devotee, worship me and offer your homage unto me and in this way you will come to me without fail. That is the essence and conclusion of Bhagvat Gita. But Krishna saw although I spoke it every body has their own conception of how to think of me and who I am and as far as being my devote everyone has their own conception of that. So Krishna came as lord Chaitanya to demonstrate by his own example. Lord Chaitanya is Krishna chanting his own holy names to teach us. This is his great kindness. Suklumbar Brahmacharis saw lord Chaitanya who is usually always in the mood of a devotee taking the dust of the feet of his own devotees, doing menial service for his devotees. Sometimes he would see a devote carrying a heavy lad from the Ganges back to his home, lord Chaitanya would take it and walk with him. Sometimes he would bring water for his devotees; sometime he would serve his devotee sin the most humble ways. The lord wanted to show the world there is no greater opulence than to have the opportunity to be the servant of the servant of the servant. We want to be master but the lord wants to serve. The supreme master wants to serve and the infinite testimal insignificant servants want to be masters. But there is no pleasure in being a master. It only infatuates the false ego which intensifies the sufferings of material bondage. Lord Chaitanya loved to serve. But sometimes simply to give the highest pleasure to his devotees he would manifest his mood of the supreme lord .And one day he sat on the altar with his simhassan in the house of Srivasa where the Shaligram Sheila’s were kept. That was the time when he would be accepting the offerings of his devotees. These were very rare, special occasions. As he sat there devotees were very happy to see the god taking this mood they were dancing ecstatically loudly chanting the holy names of the lord. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hara Hare.”  
 
LORD CHAITANYA SHOWERED MERCY ON SUKLUMBAR.
Then every one took great joy in seeing Suklumbar Brahmacharis dance, because he danced with such simplicity, he had no agenda, he had no object of false ego that he had to achieve. He was absolutely humble. When you are simple in the true sense it means you are really humble. He had no possessions, but he was the happiest man that anyone ever saw. Because real wealth is the treasure of joy which comes from love of god. He was dancing so gleefully just leaping in the air and lord Chaitanya was watching him smiling very happily as Suklumbar little cloth bag was banging around and he was dancing with his arms raised. Lord Chaitanya from the thrown called him,”Suklumbar come close to me.” He said, “You do not remember but birth after birth you have been a beggar. Why are you a beggar? Because every thing that you veer get you offer to me and you remain a beggar.” If Suklumbar brahmacharis was offered every thing and anything he would give that all to the lord, and still be a beggar. He said, “In your previous birth you were Sudama, when you came to my palace in Dwaraka, ad al you had to offer me was some chipped rice, but you were afraid to offer it our of your humility. I had to steal it form you by force. Because I had such an intense appetite to enjoy it. My beggar friend, if you do not offer me food then I ill take it by force.” And at that moment Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu, the supreme personality of godhead, the husband of lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, the king of vaikuntha, thrashed his lotus like hand in the cloth bag of Suklumbar and hand full after handful he was eating eth broken pieces of rice that was begged from the houses of poor people. Suklumbar Brahmacharis is cried, he said “my lord you are the master of all religious principles, you are the supreme personality of godhead, these are broken hard chips of rice.”And the lord kept eating handful after handful. He said,”I am tasting something so pleasing to my heart. I will always take the food of my devotee, even if you don’t offer it I will take it because of your love. But egoistic people even if they offer with all kinds of rituals I will not accept it.” The devotee seeing lord Chaitanya do this they fell to the ground in happiness, immediately they started dancing ecstatically rejoicing Suklumbar Brahmachari’s good fortune, chanting Krishna’s holy names.
 
RULES AND REGULATIONS V/S SPONTANEOUS LOVE.
From this story there is a very important principle that is revealed. According to the scripture when you offer bhoga or food to the lord you have to do it according to the rules and regulations. Within all the scriptures in the world especially the Vedas there are many rules and regulations that one has to live by. Rules and regulations of cleanliness, rules and regulations of, to control the mind, rules and regulations to perform our sadhana rules and regulations to maintain our family, rules and regulations to cook and offer. There are rules and regulations for practically every thing. If you want to do it in a satvik, brhamanical way. To offer food to the lord there must be mantras there a must be mudra. Mantra, Tantra, Yantra, Mudra, Puja, these are all required for a proper offering. However there is one principle that defeats all other regulative principles. Love. Where there is spontaneous love all the rules and regulations stand aside. We cannot artificially put the rules and regulations aside. But when there is such spontaneous love Krishna, is hungry to steal our food. In this case, Suklumbar Brahmacharis, he didn’t chant any mantra, He didn’t do and tantra, mantra or mudra or puja. The lord stole his food, because the lord had an uncontrollable appetite to taste his love. Vrindavan das Thakur tells,”Anyone who sincerely hears this story of the mercy of lord Chaitanya on Suklumbar brahmacharis will attain loving devotional service to lord Chaitanya.”
 
LORD CHAITANYA FEASTING AT SUKLUMBAR’S HUT.
On another occasion lord Chaitanya went to Suklumbar brahmacharis small hut. Then he says,”Suklumbar Brahmacharis I am going to make a proposal to you that you will not like. I know you are a beggar and I have come to your house to beg for the food that you beg for. I have come to your home as a beggar. I have uncontrollable appetite to eat your rice. Suklumbar brahmacharis said, “what are you saying m y lord. He said,” I am insignificant like an insect. I am the most fallen. I am the most sinful. The most unqualified. You should be coming to my house to bless me, to give me shelter, to let me serve you. How can I hear your words my lord? I am in such illusion, please save me from this illusion.” Lord Chaitanya responded, “My words are no an illusion. I am hungry for the food. In fact I am coming in noon today. So prepare the meal for me.” Then the lord left. Suklumbar brahmacharis was simultaneously blissful and miserable. Miserable because he felt so unqualified,”How can I cook for lord Chaitanya. Lakshmi Devi cooks for him. And what do I have to cook? Only the broken, cheap things that I beg for.” So he went to the devotes to find out what should I do? “My lord is going to come for lunch; he is going to bring his associates.” The devotees said, “You are very fortunate Suklumbar. The lord is accepting your love. After all the lord refused any food form Duryaodahna but he accepted the simple banana form the house o f Vidhura. Because of his love and devotion. Your love is attracting the lord’s heart. So you should be happy and cook. And if you are really disturbed by this cooking, then try not to touch anything. Try not to touch any of the preparations with your hands. So Suklumbar went out and begged and he came home and out water on his little fire stove and he started the fire with cow dung, put pot on it. He put scented water and cooked some rice. And then he cooked the very very simple cheap food that is very dear to lord Chaitanya. It was made out of the inner pit of banana. Within the stem of the banana. Hare Krishna! He boiled it and all the while he was coking, he was weeping tears of humility and loudly chanting the holy names. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Because the lord is so pleased with his devotees love he was chanting with such feeling that the goddess personally entered his house, glanced on the pot and put her own bhakti into that food. And while he was cooking the aromas of that simple rice and banana peak stems it was ambrosial, it was nectarine. Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu took his bath in his Ganges and with Nityanada Prabhu and his associates he came soaking wet to the house of Suklumbar brahmacharis. And there in the house he changed his clothes and said,”Oh! Suklumbar what have you cooked for me today.” He sat down and Suklumbar Brahmacharis served the Prasad. Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu  was so blissful, he said, “In my life I have never tasted such delicious Prasad as what I am having here today in the house of Suklumbar.”
 
LOVE OF GOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR DESIGNATION.
In Jaggannath Puri lord Chaitanya in his form of Jaggannath is getting 56 offerings a day. What to speak of Vaikuntha, what kind of offerings he gets there. But he performed to eat the rice of a beggar that was begged because of his pure and simple devotion. Please understand that lord Brahma, and such exalted persons as him are making offerings to lord Chaitanya in Yajna. In Brahmloka he is making thousands of offerings, but lord Chaitanya prefers the pot f rice on the bank of the Ganges from Suklumbar brahmacharis, why? Because Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu has come to the world to teach, that is only by pure love that he can be understood. Love of god has nothing to do with external designations. It has to do with the sincerity and the purpose of the heart. It is very important for a devotee to hear these beautiful stories, otherwise Maya is so powerful, she will distract us; distract us from the real essence of what we want. We become envious of somebody who I materially more successful than us. Envious of somebody who has more or better property than us, better influence or a higher position. Krishna tells in Bhagvat Gita, “only a person who has no envy in the heart can truly understand his teachings.” Whether we are professional in our occupation in Bombay or students or simple brahmacharis. Whether we are farmers, businessman or industrialist or engineers, its not important what’s important is that we place on top of pour heads as an aspiration that we long to achieve the wealth of Suklumbar Brahmacharis, the wealth of simplicity, humility and pure unalloyed devotion. Because in this period following in the footsteps of the great souls we could chant the holy names of the lord in such a way that the supreme proprietor of everything wants to beg the love from our hearts. That is Krishna. Begging for the love of his devotees. What greater lord? What greater aspiration or purpose in life could be there than just serve such a personality as this? Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu not only taught the highest perfection through his own example but through the example of his loving devotees.
Thank you very much. Hare Krishna!
 
 
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