Radhanath Swami

SPIRIT OF REAL RENUNCIATION
We have been discussing the last few days here on Sri Mayapur Dham a few drop from the ocean of pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in relation to his lila of taking sannyas which took place specifically in this Nadia area, Navadvip, Shantipur. After lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is formally initiated by keshav Bharathi Maharaj in Katva, He roamed thought the Radhadesh with is devotees. He has specially recited a particular verse from the Srimad Bhagavatham which Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu felt in his heart, and wanted to present to world the real spirit of renunciation. Again and again He chanted the sloka

etäà sa ästhäya parätma-niñöhäm
adhyäsitäà pürvatamair maharñibhiù
ahaà tariñyämi duranta-päraà
tamo mukundäìghri-niñevayaiva

In this verse a Brahman from Avanthi Desh is surrendering his life at the lotus feet of Lord Mukunda. In the eleventh canto of Bhagavatham Krishna tells the story to Uddava. This particular Brahmana from Avanthi Desh is very greedy, very self centered and cause much pain to others, but as he grew older many reversals took place in his life. He lost his entire fortune, whatever property he had, all of his family members rejected him, his friends abandoned him he had nothing. He suffered. And then the people around, they ridiculed him they prosecuted him. They did wild, horrible things to him the worse possible things from the material situation that could happen in a person’s life happened to him. He lost everything and everyone and everyone else turned against him. He had nothing and no one. A similar type of situation when Draupadi is striped by Dussasana in the kurus courtyard but of course the difference is Draupadi had many people who loved her, who could do anything but they couldn’t do anything, she was helpless and all alone this brahmana from Avathi Desh like draupadi,  he was completely  helpless, on his own and he had nothing, but unlike draupadi nobody liked him. In fact, practically everybody hated him nobody wanted to help him. In that state he surrendered his life, his body mind words and life to the Supreme Personality of God Head and in his surrender he chanted this beautiful sloka, where he is expressing that like all the great soles in the past in parampara I will surrender my life unconditionally to the service of Lord Mukunda. Because this vast ocean of material birth and death where there is so much suffering can only be crossed over by one who surrenders to the loving service of the Supreme Lord who is paramatma within the heart of every living being.

tat te 'nukampäà susamékñamäëo
bhuïjäna evätma-kåtaà vipäkam

When one is in a difficult situation, even crisis or tragedy and that person could gratefully fold hands and thank Krsna, “I am yours. Whatever is happening is just what I need. I give my life to you. If you can just do that, that alone entitles one to the supreme liberation.”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he wasn’t rejected, but he left the most beautiful of everything. But he did it for one purpose, for the service of Mukunda, the giver of liberation. Who has a face like the beautiful flower. Lord Caitanya wanted to teach that real renunciation is not a formality. It is not based on the type of dress we wear, the type of names that we have. Real renundiciation is determined by our spirit of servitude to the supreme Lord. And in this sense if we examine the associates of Lord Caitanya, some were married, some were sannyasis, some were brahmacaris, some were vanaprasthas. Rupa Goswami, Raghunath Das Goswami left everything to go to Vrindavan. But Sivananda Sen had several children, a wonderful wife. Caitanya Mahaprabhu loved him dearly. Ramananda Ray and Swaroop Damodar were the closest companions of Lord Caitanya in Puri. One was a grihassta, one was a sanyasi. What do they have in common? Their qualities of such a humble spirit of total desire to serve Lord Mukunda.

ataù pumbhir dvija-çreñöhä
varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù
svanuñöhitasya dharmasya
saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam

Whatever our varna, whatever our ashram, our success is to the extent we please Krsna. That’s all. Everything else is temporary. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when he took sanyas it appeared to be cruel. Why?

SEPERATION INTENSIFIES LOVE
What did his wife or his mother or his devotees in Navadwip do to deserve the suffering he put them through. Why did he leave them after they committed his whole life only for him?

It was for several reasons:First is that he wanted to give them the highest experience of love, love in separation. As we have explained, when we come together on the spirit, now what we are going to speak is totally on the spiritual platform. If we in any way indicate within our minds that our relationships with people in this world are related to what we are speaking it is a great mistake and it could be offensive also. Although there is correlation sometimes. But we are speaking now of the love of the pure unfettered soul for God and of the love of God for the pure devotee. In the relationships of such prema, separation makes union very deep rooted within the very heart of the soul, because it creates a deeper necessity.

A glass of water, what is its value? Its value is according to how thirsty we are. If we are not thirsty the glass of water is not worth anything. Just water out of the river, bottled water we have to pay for, we are taking now of jut water out of the river. Somebody gives you a glass of water, if you are not thirsty, it is worth nothing. But if you are really dying of thirst, then that glass of water is more valuable than your life, it will save your life. If you were dying of thirst and someone gave you a choice of a diamond ring or a glass of water and you are in a desert where you cant sell the ring, what will you take? If someone drove up to you and offered you a brand new Mercedes Benz or a glass of water, you would take the water. It is more valuable than anything money could buy. So separation makes the presence of Krsna an absolute necessity.

When Lord Caitnanya left Navadwip to become a sannyasi, and they didn’t know if they would ever see Him again. How deep that separation was. How deep their appreciation, and especially their absorption. They couldn’t think of anything but Krishna, but Mahaprabhu.

Love in this world is a perverted reflection. But we understand, when I say, I mean, based on the bodily concept of life. But even that type of emotion, if you have a nice relation with someone you are together, you are not as absorbed as if your heart is broken, if that person dies… Yes! We all have this experience. We love our friends, we love our relatives. We don’t think about them much, but when they die, we can’t stop thinking about them. We are crying… crying for their loss, totally absorbed. We are thinking, ‘why didn’t I meet them at this time? There are so many things I could have done. Why? Why? I could have done. When they are alive, we don’t think that way.

But the nature of the world – time heals the broken heart. Somebody dies or leaves us, after sometime, we come to grips with it. But in the spiritual platform, Krishna left Vrindavan when He was ten and half years old. And a hundred and ten years later, the gopis and the gopas, everyone in Vrindavan were still totally immersed ever increasingly absorbed in remembering Krishna. That is spiritual love. And when Krishna returned, what an incomprehensible experience, when He finally did return to bring them all back to Goloka.

TYPES OF SEPERATION
Our acaryas teach us that there are various types of separation. There are four particular types.
1.    Purvaraga, which is the separation one feels just before meeting the beloved. Just like the gopis, before meeting Krishna, just by hearing about Him, they absolutely fell in love with Him. Just by hearing His holy names, even they ever saw Him.  Their lives were completely surrendered to Him. And they were feeling such deep separation, “When will I see Him?”. Or even later, before the meetings of Krishna and the gopis, when they would hear Krishna’s flute, that purvaraga would come, they would feel such deep deep deep separation, such a deep necessity – “I have to with him.”

   2. The next category is Maana, which means even if you are with Krishna there can be deep feeling of separation, due to some differences between Krishna and Gopi’s. Krishna may neglect Radharani. And so even they are together she is feeling a very very deep separation. We have a Brijwasi hear who tomorrow is going to tell us the pastime about the Maana lila from Barsana. Pastimes were Radha and Krishna are together but still there is such a feeling of separation because of a difference of views.  Neglect towards each other as an expression of love. But it is not done out of disgust, its done of love.
   3. And then there is Prema Vaichitya where the lover and the beloved are together that causes such feelings that we are apart. There is that beautiful story Radha and Krishna were together sitting in a beautiful Kunja and a bumblebee came and began to buzz around Srimati Radharani’s lotus feet. And Krishna told Madhumangal, “Please chase this bumble bee away”. So Madhumangal chased the bumble bee away and came back and said Madhu is gone he will never return. I am telling the story because Madhumangal prabhu is here and even though she is sitting right next to Krishna touching Krishna, when Madhumangal said “Madhu is gone and will never return”, Krishna’s name is Madhusudan. So Radharani due to her intensified love, supreme love, she was thinking “Oh! Madhu is gone and he will never return” she was thinking that Krishna is gone, even though they were holding hands and than she falls of their seat where she is sitting with him and she is crying and crying and crying” Madhu is gone and he will never return” and Krishna sees this and he feels such separation from Radharani that he falls of the seat and is crying. Radharani!! I am apart from her. And the combination of their tears filled a body of water called Prema Sarovar, one of the very holy places even today in Vrindavan. Prema Vaichitya where they are together but due to there love some situation makes them feel separation.
   4. And then there is Prabhas where there is actual duration of distance between Krishna and Gopi’s. One is a very short duration of time and the other is a very long duration of time like when Krishna goes to Mathura.

LOVE IN SEPERATION EXCEEDS LOVE IN UNION
So Rupa Goswami explains that these various sentiments, emotions of separation deepen ones love so greatly, because when we are absorbed in Krishna, Krishna is absorbed in us and he is reciprocating. Krishna told the Gopi’s and he told the residents of Dwaraka also. When the Gopis are feeling separation from me, I cannot resist but to be conquered by that feeling of love, and I am embracing them within their heart of hearts. So separation brings the deepest, internal unity. When Krishna is in front of us, the love of our heart goes outside towards him. But when Krishna is in separation from us, the love of our heart goes deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper within. Cultivating love in separation is much safer then cultivating love in union. Because the beautiful loving relations of Krishna and his devotees can corrupt our spiritual lives if we impose our material tendencies upon them. Which is very difficult not to do when we are condition souls. But love in separation, if it is done carefully, cultivated carefully, that danger is minimized. Therefore Srila Prabhupada have taught us that Lord Chaitanya and the six Gosvamis especially preferred to teach the world how to cultivate love in separation. Lord Chaitanya himself, if we think that we very great devotees, then we should remember the lord himself who was the greatest devotee, Krishna in mood of Sri Radha’s love and his telling his devotees, I do not have even a drop of love for Krishna. If I had even a single drop, I would not be able to live in separation from him. The fact that I am breathing, that I’m living means I have no love. That’s the nature of love, pure love. One who actually is tasting love of god becomes

Trnadapi sunicena…….

Become humble like a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree, eager to offer all respects to others and expect none in return. Such a lover of god can constantly taste these unlimited sweetness of the holy names. When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was wandering through Radhadesh, one night he was with Mukunda, Chandrashekar and Nityananda Prabhu. In the middle of the night he just left them. One of them woke up it was still pitched dark. They saw that the lord was gone. They were looking everywhere. But in the darkness there just out in fields and forests, where to look? They were searching everywhere and anywhere but they couldn’t find him. Finally they heard the lord was crying in separation from Krishna. Where is Krishna, where is the son of Nanda Maharaja, where did he go, when will I find him, how can I serve him, and he was crying in separation, chanting the holy names so loud that they heard him two miles away. They just ran after that sound, following the sound vibration and finally found the lord laying in the forest field. And we heard the story yesterday of how the lord came to Shantipur. And the beautiful reunion with his devotees that took place at that time. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, took sannyas to draw from the hearts of the residence of Navadvip. Those deepest most precious, feelings of love and separation. He was giving them the highest experience, an experience that pierced their hearts to the deepest possible level with love.

When lord Ramacandra banished Sita to the forest, actually everywhere in the world people ask me why did he do that. As much in the west as in India. I was recently in New York, and there were no Indians, they were all Caucasian Americans, or African Americans. Some yoga students, I was speaking to them, giving a class, and this was their most heated question. How could we tolerate that Lord Rama banished his wife, what did she do wrong? For the rest of her lives. Unless we hear from the Acaryas, we cannot understand the scriptures directly. Along with the essential purpose of giving the world pure devotional service, He allowed his devotees to go through that separation and He suffered that same separation from them so that he could give all of us pure devotional service.

ANOTHER REASON FOR LORD LEAVING – TO CONQUER OPPOSITION
Why did Krishna leave Vrindavan. Because Kamsa kept sending asuras. He sent Putana and Trinavatha Vastasura Aghasura Bakasura Kesi Aristasiura. They were all been sent by Mathura one after other and it was a great disturbance to Vrindavana Krishna wanted to go to the root cause kamsa. Kamsa was sending them, he wouldn’t come himself. So when He left Vrindavan to go to knew, but he saw around himself Jarasnadha and Bhoumasura and Banasura and Kalivahana and there was salva and shisupal and dantha vakra. So He didn’t go back. Similarly lord Chaitany Mahaprabhu was enjoying the same rasa with the same devotes of Vrindavan, here in Navadvip. Why did He take sannyas and leave? For the purpose of conquering the opposition. The people who were against devotion al service, the people who were blasphemes  offensive, the purpose the people who were promoting materialism in the name of spirituality but unlike Krishna who conquered  people with his Suradshan chakra or through other means lord Chaintanya did not kill any one he was perfectly non violent in that sense.  Of coure Krishna was non violent too. Because after killing them they all got liberation some of them went to godhead. But Lord Chaitanya, He kept every one’s bodies alive and with the weapon of holy name he killed their demonic mentality and awakened their love of godhead. So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left Navadvip, met his devotees and Sacimata in Shantipur and was requested to make his residence in Jagganath puri. He travelled by foot to Sri Puri Dham and from there He wanted to unrestrictedly give Krishna consciousness,  pure love of God through Hari nam kirtan every one and every one. He told his devotes, “I wanted to tour south India” First off all when he first started to puri He delivered Sarvabhouma Battacharya who is the greatest scholar in the world, he was mayavadi, he had no bhakthi what so ever, he had no real appreciation of bhakthi it was just through intellectual discrimination, to discriminate between matter and spirit and through this process to merge into the impersonal unmanifested absolute. He practically memorized so many scriptures from all the different thesis of so called philosophies and Vedic knowledge, he was declared the greatest master. Kings, sannyasis everyone was coming to him. Lord Caitanya conquered his heart and he became a gentle, humble devotee, a pure lover of Krsna. With the same intellectual prowess, but now using it in the humble service of the Lord. And King Prataprudra as well, just by hearing about Lord Caitanya from Sarva Bhauma Bhattacarya, the king surrendered his life and soul.

MIRACLES OF LORD CAITANYA
Then the Lord said “I want to look for my brother Viswaroop. Its been a long time since we met. And He was in His heart eager to find His elder brother. But His real reason was to give prema bhakti to everyone. And wherever He roamed, wherever He saw, because He was a sanyasi, they would bow to Him, they would open their hearts to hear from Him. He would just smile at them with that loving gaze and chant Hare Krsna. And because they chanted with such a desire just to please Him, immediately love of God awakened in their hearts. This was the miracles He performed when He was physically present. If we ask the question, “How is that possible?” Why should the Lord appear to do things that are possible? Things that are so called possible are happening at every moment. But actually if we look deep beneath the veneer of whats possible, everything we look at in this world is impossible.

For me to be sitting here talking is very possible, but if you actually think, how does a man or woman actually have the ability to talk. Something very deep. This most complicated and intricate of all computers, the human brain., it is all interconnected with the vocal chords and everything else and it gives us the power to talk. Its really impossible. Every blade of grass, every tree, if you really look to the origin of how it is actually happening, its miracles everywhere. But because they are common place, miracles we see all the time we just think are normal things. Because we take it for granted. When the supreme Absolute Truth comes to this world, He comes in every yuga, but Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He descends as Krsna in the mood of Radharani, only once in a day of Brahma. That’s about 4 billion, 320 million years. Now if he is going to come that rare in His original divine form, is He going to do normal things that we think are possible. The Absolute truth, the controller of all controllers, the cause of all causes, so, when Lord caitanya wants to spread love of God, just one glance from His beautiful lotus like eyes… but still we have our freewill. Then Lord will not interfere with our freewill. He just wants us to open our hearts a little. And then He gives us everything. He could give them love of God, but still there were blasphemers who were against Him. He took sannyas just so that they would open their hearts a little, then they could give them love of God. Because it has to be by their own will. They have to earn it.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE COME TO SEE THE LORD
Five years after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, one of the most historical memorable of all moments, He decided to return to Navadwip. And we will see just what happened when he came back. May I share this story with you? – (Audience: Haribol!) 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to His devotees, “I will go to Vrindavan. But on the way, I will bathe in Ganga in Navadwip.” So, He came to the house of Vidya vacaspathi who is the brother of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. He came with just a few of His devotees. And He told Vidya vacaspati that, “I am on My way to Mathura and Vrindavan. I have come here just to take bath in Ganga for a few days. I do not want anybody else to know that I am here. If you keep it completely secret, so I can have My privacy and seclusion, then will remain with you here for some days.” Vidya vacaspati, he fell at Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet, and he offered his dandavat pranamas, and with such gratefulness, he said, “ This is the supreme fortune of my life that You have come to my home. You have given me service to Your lotus feet. My whole family, all my ancestors, my forefathers, everyone is supremely blessed. Because You have come to my home. No one will know that You are here. I will completely keep it secret.”

But how long can you keep the sun hidden at noon? Somehow or other the word spread. The great Nimai pandit, who have left us five long years ago to take sannyasa has returned to Navadwip. It was across the river in a place called Vidyanagar. Did all of you go to Vidyanagar? Please say Haribol if you visited Vidyanagar. (Audience: haribol!) Very nice. So, then you already know the story. You have seen it. You have realized it.

So, this is where Vidya vacaspati was living. Suddenly the word spread in all the directions. And thousands, then  hundreds of thousands, then millions of people were not walking, but running to Vidya Vacaspati’s house. And they were running in such enthusiasm that the roads were totally congested with human bodies running. No more could fit on the roads. Hundreds and thousands of people were just running through the forest. And they were so enthusiastic that they were running right through areas that were roads of thorns. But they didn’t care, they just ran through all the thorns, in fact they made perfect roads throughout the forest, just by so many people trampling. And nobody stopped at all once. Nobody got a single cut from a thorn. No one felt the slightest inconvenience. How is that possible? Because of their enthusiasm to see Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

These people were in separation from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for five long years and Lord Caitanya heard their chanting and smiled. He came out of the house raised his long golden arms which were like pillars of beauty and gazing upon all these eager people to receive his mercy he gave them the simple message, Chant Hare Krishna! Chant about Krishna, sing about Krishna, worship Krishna, speak about Krishna, always server Krishna, Krishna is your wealth, Krishna is your life , Krishna is your very breath, Chant Hari Hari!! And they began to chant, how they were chanting and chanting and chanting, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was gazing upon them so happily and people so eagerly wanted to see Lord Caitanya in these crowds. According to Vrindavan das thakur, now this may sound impossible but in the Lords pastimes impossible things become most possible. Thousands of people at the same time were trying to climb the same tree and there were more people on the trees than there were leaves. And they were at the farthest branches and twigs and they did not think that I can fall, I am standing on a twig. They just wanted to see Lord Caitanya and not a single person fell down, not a single person got hurt, not a single branch from a tree broke and then thousands of people crowded on single roof a house some of the thatched roofs and not a single house collapsed.  There was not a single injury because the Lord by his internal potency was reciprocating, facilitating and protecting his devotees. They were crying out , “My Dear Lord you have descended to deliver us and thousands and thousands, tens and thousands of people were crying out “I am so sinful, I blasphemed you, for years I blasphemed your devotees, I had no faith in you, I was thinking all these Vaishnavas are simple disturbance, they are all fake, they are all fraud, I believed the lying propaganda, Some were saying I was the one spreading the lying propaganda, please forgive us! forgive us. We surrender our hearts to you and hearing there prayers because the Lord is, there are hundreds and thousands of voices at the same time but the lord is hearing everyone of them and reciprocating and because they were sincere and with that sincere repentant humble heart they chanted Hari Hari!! . The Lord intoxicated them with ecstatic love for Krishna. No one wanted to return home. Now sometimes like in this yatra might be crowded. Some of you are wondering when I get back to my house in Bombay things will be so nice. But they had no house. They were so absorbed in Lord Caitanys they forgot everything else. Even if they were amassed in a crushing crowd of millions in India they wanted nothing else. Just the fact that the lord was seeing them and they were seeing the Lord no one wanted to go home, they were happy to remain forever there. Suddenly Lord Caitanya without saying anything to anyone with his associated slipped away, by his Yoga maya potency nobody even saw him leave. But then they were all in separation they had just met him, this union is separation, how they work on each other,  how they complement each other, how they increase each other. Suddenly he was gone, they were looking for him and they were crying for him and they understood he came out of the house because they said Hari Hari!! So they chanted even louder. All this millions of voices, everyone raised their voice chanting Hari Hari!!, but he didn’t come. Even louder, Hari Hari!! Again and Again, Hari Hari!! Hari Hari!! Hari Hari!! Hari Hari!!.  Thank you very much I needed some rest.

THE LORD DISAPPEARS FROM HIS DEVOTEES
Where did he go, Why, how, who’s with him, he was totally bewildered. He was the most bewildered because he didn’t know where the lord was. Everybody else, they didn’t think they were bewildered, they knew exactly where the lord was, in Vidya-vacaspati’s house. Some one person would take him to the side, come, come I just wanted confidentially, say I know for sure he is in your house. I won’t bring anybody else with me. Just take me in to see the lord. I won’t tell anyone. Vidya-vacaspati then ssaid, his not there, his not in my house. And hundreds and hundreds of people were coming with the same request and he was saying the same thing. And then soon thousands were shouting Vidya-vacaspati, we want to see him, we know he is in your house. he say his not in my house. then they started chastising him spreading nasty rumors about him. You’re supposed to be a devotee; devotees are supposed to be saintly people. A saintly person is not selfish, you don’t care anything about our liberation, and you just want to enjoy the lord yourself for your own liberation. What kind of a human being are you. Even an  ordinary person, if he has many, many sweets, he distributes them amongst friends. He doesn’t just eat all of them himself. But the sweetest of all sweet thing, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is in your house, you know where he is and you just want to taste him and enjoy him all by yourself and you don’t care anything if we all die and go to hell. Vidya-vacaspati is a cheater, his a liar, his cruel. Poor Vidya-vacaspati, his just a simple Brahman. People are really angry and really nasty and he doesn’t know what to do and he doesn’t know where the lord is. His heart is broken and his mind is in pieces. Then one person comes up to him and whispers in his ear. The lord has gone to Kuliya. Vidya-vacaspati screams out to everyone, you have called me a cheater, you have called me a liar, but now I am going to prove my innocence, the lord has gone to Kuliya. I have received this information and now everyone let us all go to Kuliya to see the lord. They all then followed Vidya-vacaspati, atleast they began to but then the news spread in all directions, even people who were not there in Vidyanagar that lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had gone to Kuliya and they were many times more people running to Kuliya. Then some of them boarded ships, boats and the boatmen somehow got away before too many people were on it, but still people swimming and jumping on it and soon the boat would sink. There were hundreds of boats sinking at the same time. And the Ganga is very deep. In the middle of the river, sinking and sinking. Then every single boat mystically, when it just about came to the level where the people were before it went all the way down, a little mountain came out bottom of the Ganga and supported it and it hit some land. So not a single boat sank. But what to do, they were in the middle of the Ganga. They are stuck on this little piece of earth and boat. They didn’t think about it. They were too eager to see Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. All these millions of people were jumping of boats and swimming across. And somehow or other shop keepers they were thinking this is fantastic. They were thousands and thousands of shops being set up all along the way. Everyone was becoming rich. As they were going to somehow or other reach Kuliyagram. The entire area of Kuliya was, what is the word covered with human beings. They were all looking for Lord Chaitanya. But nobody told Vidya-vacaspati where he was in Kuliya. Kuliya is a big area. So Vidya-vacaspati was really in anxiety. I have to find him. If I don’t find him, what’s going to happen to me? So he was looking frantically everywhere and then by Krishna’s grace, Mahaprabhu’s Grace, h found him in the house of Madhava Das. And meanwhile all these masses of people were crying out HARI, HARI. Trying to somehow or attract him.

LORD APPEARS AGAIN IN FRONT OF THE DEVOTEES
Vidya-vacaspati came to the house and he met the lord, and there he told the lord that everyone has been calling me a liar and a cheater, please save me. And even for a second, just even for one second, give your audience to these people. And he heard millions of voices chanting the holy name of the lord. You may wonder how all these people crossed over the rivers and crossed through forest without any impediment. According to the scriptures for one who is enthusiastic to serve the lord and who take shelter of the lord within the their heart, the entire ocean of material existence becomes no more difficult to cross over then the quantity of water in a small hoof print of a calf. So now  the farm land, the village, the town crawling with people all chanting HARI, HARI. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu after hearing the words of Vidya-vacaspati who he loves so dearly, he smiled and immediately came out of the house and raised his arms and cried out “Hari Hari!” Lord Caitanya inspired them so much that there were thousands of kirtan groups with millions of people chanting. And Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu both were so enthusiastic they embraced each other and they danced with all the people. They danced from one kirtan group to another kirtan group, dancing among all the people for hours and hours and hours. In this way vipralambha – sambhoga, the separation of the devotees in Navadwip had transformed into the most glorious, heartfelt, loving reunion of joy. As Lord Caitanya was reciprocating with every single person within His heart of hearts.

After hours and hours of kirtan, and everyone watching the Lord dancing in ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made himself available to the people who were the most cruel and the most hateful towards Him and His devotees. Because their hearts had changed. One brahmana approached Him and said, “Before you took sanyas, I didn’t have any appreciation for you. I didn’t know who you were. In fact I was criticizing you and I was criticizing all of your devotees. In fact I was saying that in the age of Kali, for anybody to call himself a vaishnava its all a fraud. No one could be a vaishnava in the age of Kali. They are all pretenders. They are all just exploiting people. This is what I was saying. But when you took sanyas and when you left, it had such an effect on my heart I realized that I was the worst sinful person blaspheming the greatest people on earth and for five years he was living with this shame. Please tell me what can I do to rectify my sins of blaspheme.

LORD CAITANYA’S UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS
Lord Caitanya gave an instruction which is universal, He said, “If a person drinks deadly poison, tat poison has the power to destroy him. But if a person after taking the poison, stops drinking poison forever more, and drinks amrita, nectar, then that nectar will nullify all the effects of the poison and award that person eternal life.

To criticize Krishna, or to criticize Krishna’s devotees, is like drinking poison with your mouth. It has the most devastating effect ones spiritual life. But praising Krishna’s names and by chanting the glories of the vaisnavas, the devotees - that is like nectar. And if a person simply gives up his criticism, or her criticism, and spends his or her days chanting the praises of the devotees, and the names of Krishna, then all their offenses will be nullified and love of Godhead will awaken within their hearts.

So, my instruction to you is with your mouth, spend your days for the rest of your life chanting the glories of the vaisnavas, and chant the holy names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

That was a universal instruction for all of us.

LORD DELIVERS DEVANANDA PANDIT
Another brahmana named Devananda pandit, he had committed an offence to Srivas thakur a long before. But he had no sense of devotion. He looked down on the devotees. Although factually, Devananda pandit, was very moral, very austere, very clean, very simple, he had all good qualities. But he just couldn’t appreciate the devotees. So, therefore Lord Caitanya never gave him love of God. In fact Lord Caitanya was very angry with him at that time. But after Lord caitanya took sannyasa, something happened to Devananda pandit. His heart began to change. He was struck by the Lord’s decision to leave home.

And then Vakreswara pandit, one of the most intimate loving associates of Lord Caitanya, whose body and heart was filled with love of God. He was performing kirtan from place to place. Devananda pandit was so attracted to Vakreswara pandit’s humility and devotion. His heart transformed. He invited bakreswara pandit to do kirtan in his asram, and personally served Vakreswara pandit. And when Vakreswara pandit was dancing and dancing in ecstasy, devananda pandit would keep the crowds away from him with a stick, protecting him. And when Vakreswara pandit would  be very exhausted and lay on the ground, Devananda pandit would catch him and massage his legs, and wipe the dirt from his body. He loved Vakreswara pandit. He fell in love with this Vaisnava. Because of that his heart completely opened to receive the mercy of Lord Caitanya. But he was so humble, because he knew how offensive he was in the past, that from a distance he offered his obeisances to the Lord.

The Lord saw him, “Devananda, because you have served with appreciation vakreswara pandit that great devotee, please come to Me.” Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, how He loved to glorify His devotees! He said, “Krishna always resides in Vakreswara pandit’s heart.  Therefore wherever he goes, all holy places are there. When Vakreswara pandit sings, it is Krishna singing through Him, to purify all living beings. Because you have served with affection, my devotee Vakreswara pandit, please come, I am yours.”

And Devananda pandit begged forgiveness with a humble and genuine heart and ask Lord Caitanya that, “my whole life, I will recite the Srimad Bhagavatam, please tell me how I should recite Srimad bhagavatam. And what should I do in my life? Lord Caitanya very elaborately explained from the very beginning, middle and end, “Srimad Bhagavatam teaches one thing - Pure devotional service – pure bhakti. It is the ultimate perfection of life. vedavyas wrote all the Vedas, he was not satisfied. But when Narada muni told him to write Srimad Bhagavatam, after discussing the glories of pure devotion, Vedavyas was perfectly fulfilled. When you recite Bhagavatam, please go ahead. Do it. Enlighten people in pure devotion.” Devananda Pandit attained perfection.

LORD DELIVERS GOPALA CHAPALA
And then Gopala Chapala came – the poor man so seriously offended Srivas thakur by trying to destroy his reputation and destroy his life. He contracted miserable leprosy and suffered for years. He came there to Kulia gram, and fell at the feet of Mahaprabhu, with a genuinely sincere heart, and after getting the forgiveness of Srivas Thakur, Caitanya Mahaprabhu wiped off his leprosy, gave him perfect health both physically and spiritually. He gave him the highest perfection of love of God.

Gopal Chakravarti who had offended Haridas Thakur, he also got leprosy. He blasphemed Haridas Thakur, so cruelly with such ill intentions. When he came to Kulia and begged forgiveness and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu not only forgave him, but gave him the precious jewel of all jewels – Loving devotional service to Krishna.

In this way Kuliagram is known as the place where the lord forgave even the greatest offenders. In this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabu, after 5 long years of separation returned to Navadwip and His mission was successful. All the people that escaped the net of His mercy now totally caught in that net of ecstatic love of God.and the whole Navadwip without any exception, everyone was dancing in ecstasy in perfect Krishna consciousness loudly chanting the holy names.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

LORD CAITANYA TAKING SANYAS IS LIKE KRSNA GOING TO MATHURA
Bhakti Vinod Thakur writes, in the mood of a Navadvipwasi, who is a personal associate of the Lord at Srivas Angan, he writes that he is seeing Lord Caitanya on the roof top of Vidyavacaspati. And in the mood of the residents of Vrindavan, he is asking the Lord, please take off your sanyas robes, and back to Srivas angan and do kirtan with us. We are yours.

In this way Bhakti Vinod Thakur explains one of the most critical moments in history of Krishna lila is when gopis met Krishna in Kurukshetra. Because they were so close but so far. They longed to bring Him back to Vrindavan. And Krishna responded, He said, “I am crying day and night in separation from all of you, the gopis, the gopas, and of everyone, specially Srimati Radharani. I live for you. You are the very life of My life. In the love that we share for each other, to be apart, neither of us could possibly live. Knowing that , every single day, I pray to Lord Narayana and by His grace, I everyday come to Vrindavan and spend the entire day here, having pastimes with all of you within your hearts. Because in separation from Krishna, they are not only chanting His names, they are remembering every singleone of the beautiful pastimes with Him. And actually its happening. He is there in their hearts, having those pastimes with them. I come everyday just to keep you alive and keep Me alive, and then I return to Dwaraka as a formality. I left Vrindavan because of the opposition, so many demons. There is only 20r4moredemons left. I promise you, within 10 or 20 days I will be back in Vrindavan and we will be together. And it was this mood that the gopis in their hearts, when they returned to Vrindavan, they made chariots for Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra to bring Them home. This is Rathyatra.

Bhakti Vinod Thakur in the mood of one of devotees of Srivasangan, he was praying to Lord Caitanya just like the gopis of Vrindavan. Here in Vidya Nagar, You are in the dress of a sannyasi. We don’t like this shaved head. We all need Your hair back. We don’t like these ragged saffron robes. We want You to be Nimai, Gauranga those beautiful jewels, and beautiful golden silks and wandering about through the forests. Comeback home. You are one of us. And let us enjoy together the highest pleasures again and again in Navadwip dham and Srivasangan performing Nama sankirtan with our arms raised and chanting the holynames.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

And in this way Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed to the world, the highest treasures of pure love in SriNavadwip dham. And Bhakti vinod Thakur churned that nectar to the very essence and shared with all of us. Thank you very much.

And HDG A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, he took the lila and mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the essence of all nectar that Bhakti vinod Thankur churned and it was further refined by Bhakti siddhanta saraswati Thankur, Srila Prabhupada took that and shared it with all the world. That is the very essesnce of the purposeof Lord Caitanya taking sannyasa, the very essence of the purpose of His descending into this world. Srila Prabhupada gave his life to fulfil it, by giving the world the holy names.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

SrilaPrabhupada ki Jai!