Preaching far and wide?

[Guest guest]

Krishna Susarla wrote:

 

>>> Lord Chaitanya's instructions to preach far and wide, as recorded in

Chaitanya Charitamrita, were pretty clear and do not need interpretation. <<<

Krishna Susarla has presented extensive arguments to the extent that the

followers of Sri Caitanya must travel and preach far and wide. However, none of

the verses he quotes conclusively substantiates his argument, given that a

conservative translation is accepted instead of the one presented by him. The

verses quoted are as follows:

 

ataeva aami aaj~naa dilu.n sabaakaare |yaahaa.n taahaa.n prema-phala deha'yaare

taare || CC, aadi, 9.36 ||Therefore I order every man within this universe to

accept this Krishna consciousness movement and distribute it everywhere. (shrii

chaitanya charitaamR^ita, aadi-liila, 9.36)ataeva saba phala deha'yaare taare

|khaaiyaaha-uk loka ajara amare || CC, aadi, 9.39 ||Distribute this

Krishna-consciousness movement all over the world. Let people eat these fruits

and ultimately become free from old age and death. (shrii chaitanya

charitaamR^ita, aadi-liila, 9.39)jagat vyaapiyaa mora habe puNya khyaati

|sukhii ha-iyaa loka mora gaahibeka kiirti || CC, aadi, 9.40 ||If the fruits

are distributed all over the world, My reputation as a pious man will be known

everywhere, and thus all people will glorify My name with great pleasure.

(shrii chaitanya charitaamR^ita, aadi-liila, 9.40)bhaarata-bhuumite haila

manuShya janma yaara |janma saarthaka kari'kara para-upakaara || CC, Aadi, 9.41

||One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India

[bhaarata-varsha] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of

all other people. (shrii chaitanya charitaamR^ita, aadi-liila, 9.41)

The instruction in 9.36 is for everyone (sabAkare) to give it to whomsoever one

meets (yare tare). In 9.39, the words yare tare are again used, to "whomever,

to him". Nowhere do these verses propose that one individual should try to go

everywhere. As people meet each other, the message will naturally spread

without extraneous endeavor.

 

I will quote one more verse missing from the series of shloka you present,

namely the famous instruction of Sri Caitanya to brahmin Vasudeva (CC 2.7.128).

 

yAre dekha, tAre kaha ‘kRSNa’-upadeza

AmAra AjJAya guru haJA tAra’ ei deza

 

"Whomever you meet, instruct him about Krishna. On my order become a guru and

deliver the land you live in."

 

Here Prabhu gives the order to deliver people in the land one lives in. Further,

two verses ahead, it is stated that at whomsoever's house Prabhu stopped, he

gave the same order to them.

 

Thus there is certainly no fault or disobedience if each individual stays in his

own land and preaches there. In this way, the Krishna consciousness movement

becomes naturally established everywhere in the course of time without

extraneous endeavors. The fastest way is not the only way, nor indeed always

the best way.

 

In this context I should note that many Babaji, prior to retiring to Vraja for a

life of worship, preached extensively in their respective locales. My own gurus,

Ananta Das Pandit and Kunja Vihari Das Baba, are splendid examples of this.

 

Having said that, there is no denying of the fact that some will also come to

travel far and wide to preach. Narottama, Srinivasa and Syamananda are splendid

examples of this, traveling throughout the land of Bengal and Orissa to preach

on the order of Sri Jiva. Likewise, many who live in Vraja, following in the

wake of the example of Rupa-Sanatana, are eagerly encouraging others to preach

wherever they go. There should be no conflict in this.

 

We may note that among the 12 acaryas listed in the parampara of Bhaktisiddhanta

after Sri Caitanya and before him, only two traveled and preached here and

there. Rupa was a recluse in Vrindavan, Svarupa stayed with Mahaprabhu in Puri,

Sanatana lived as a recluse in Vrindavan, Raghunatha weeped on the banks of

Radha Kund for the darshan of Radharani, Jiva was a scholar in his own right

who stayed in Vraja. Krishnadas also did not travel and preach, whereas

Narottama did. Visvanatha also lived on the banks of Radha Kund, absorbed in

the mellows of bhakti-rasa. He did preach, though, through his splendid

writings, but not by traveling around. Baladeva was likewise a recluse in

Vrindavan, though he went to Jaipur on the request of Visvanatha. Bhaktivinoda

did preach in several locations, though one cannot claim for his having

traveled here and there for the sake of preaching. Gaura Kishora was a recluse

roaming about in the land of Navadvipa. There is certainly no fault in

following their example. If one desires to dismiss the modern day hermits of

Vraja on account of their not traveling and preaching, he will have to dismiss

ten of the twelve aforementioned mahatmas as well.

 

 

>>> There are many Vaishnavas who remain in a solitary place, perform

austerities, and do bhajan. I don't wish to criticize them. But why must I

accept this as equal to the Vaishnavas who travel and preach? Did Mahaaprabhu

instruct all these babajis to give up preaching and just do bhajan? <<<

 

"If Mohammad can't come to the mountain, then the mountain will come to Mohammad."

 

If on account of their attachment to the holy land of Vraja and to all the

lila-sthanas therein the mahatma who is desirous to preach cannot leave Vraja,

then certainly on his sheer desire preaching will be done, as people will come

to him, accept his message and spread it elsewhere.

 

Speaking of the desire of Mahaprabhu, it is accepted that Rupa fulfilled and

established his desires. Would someone like to demonstrate, on the basis of

Rupa Gosvami's writings, what are the essential desires of Sri Caitanya for his

followers? I am certain that will prove to be interesting.

 

 

>>> When I encounter harsh criticism by Srila Prabhupada's followers against

others, I always step in and point this out, even when the critics turn around

and lash out at me. It's my way of showing that I care about fair play,

regardless of what views are being discussed. Perhaps you should consider that

example, rather than remaining silent when obviously outrageous criticism is

being delivered in the name of your so-called "rest of the Gaudiya tradition."

<<<

 

Please send me, either here or in private letter, a comprehensive list of

everything you consider outrageous and unjust criticism.

 

 

Regards,

 

Madhava