Sri Isvara Puri

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

 

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

 

 

One will receive the mercy of the Goswamis and compassionate followers of

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by obtaining their association. That association is

available in their books, in the books describing their activities, in the line

of their followers, and in their samadhi sitting in Vrndavana. Remembering the

Supreme Lord Krishna and His pure devotees is a powerful form of devotional

service called smaranam. Hence, a devotee will make spiritual advancement

simply by remembering and praying for the mercy of the departed Vaisnavas. The

mercy of the Vaisnavas is absolutely essential in order to attain the goal of

human life i.e. eternal service to Sri Sri Radha Krishna.'

 

 

 

One becomes purified of material contamination and attains love of Godhead by

chanting the holy names of Lord Sri Krishna and Sri Krishna Caitanya. Because

the Lord and His pure devotees are non-different, one also becomes free from

sinful reactions and spiritually elevated by chanting the names of Lord

Caitanya's loving associates. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja confirms this in

Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi Lila 12:92,

 

"Yan-saba smarane pai Caitanya-carana, yan-saba-smarane haya vanchita purana,"

 

Simply by remembering the names of Lord Gauranga's eternal associates, one gets

the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and all his desires become

fulfilled.

 

 

 

One must take shelter at the lotus feet of a devotee mahatma and treat him as

the most exalted well wisher of all human society. We should take shelter of

such a mahatma and ask for his causeless mercy. Only by his benediction can one

be relived from attachment to the materialistic way of life. C.C. Madhya Lila

22:51 "mahat-krpa vina kona karme bhakti naya Krsna-bhakti dure rahu, samsara

nahe kasya"- unless one is favoured by a pure devotee, one cannot attain the

platform of devotional service. To say nothing of Krishna bhakti, one cannot

even be relived from the bondage of material existence.

 

 

 

On 17th Feb. is the disappearance day of Sri Isvara Puri. Kindly glorify him by

reading his pastimes. Please use font type 'Balarama' or 'Sca Goudy' to read

the text below.

 

 

 

Sri Sri Isvara Puri ki jaya jaya !!!

 

 

 

Your servant in mission of Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

 

Nanda Gopal dasa

 

 

Sri Isvara Puri

 

 

Receiving the seed of Krishna prema from Madhavendra Puri, Sri Isvara Puri

became the spiritual master of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Madhavendra Puri

couldn't move at the end of his life. So doing all humble services, Isvara Puri

even cleaned up his stool and urine. Isvara Puri helped his guru to remember

Sri Krishna by always chanting Hare Krishna and telling Radha-Krishna's

pastimes. Pleasing Madhavendra Puri by these menial acts, Isvara Puri received

the treasure of Krishna prema from his spiritual master.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, as Nimai increased Çacé's joy by remaining absorbed in the pleasure

of study, Çré Éçvara Puré one day arrived incognito at Çré Advaita's house in

Navadvépa. By seeing his wonderful effulgence, Advaita Äcärya understood that

Éçvara Puré was a Vaisnava sannyasi. When Mukunda sang a song about Kåñëa in

Advaita's assembly, the naturally deep ocean of love for Kåñëa in the pure

heart of Éçvara Puré overflowed. Thereupon everyone came to know that this

devoted sannyasi was Éçvara Puré.

 

One day as Çré Gaurasundara was returning home from teaching, by providence He

met Éçvara Puré on the way. The Lord, who is jagad-guru, displayed honor to His

devotees by immediately offering obeisances to His servant. Seeing Nimäi's

wonderful effulgence, Éçvara Puré inquired about His identity and the subject

of His studies. Nimäi answered all of Éçvara Puré's inquiries and then brought

him home for lunch with great respect. After Çacédevé cooked and offered

foodstuffs to Kåñëa and fed Éçvara Puré, Éçvara Puré began to discuss topics of

Kåñëa with Nimäi. While discussing kåñëa-kathä, Éçvara Puré became overwhelmed

with love of God. Éçvara Puré stayed in Navadvépa at the house of Çré Gopénätha

Äcärya for a few months, and Nimäi regularly went to see him. Seeing the

devotion of Gadädhara Paëòita, who was renounced from his childhood, Éçvara

Puré began to affectionately teach him his book, Çré Kåñëa-lélämåta. Every

evening, after studying and teaching, Nimäi went to offer obeisances to Éçvara

Puré. One day Éçvara Puré requested Nimäi Paëòita to point out the mistakes in

his Çré Kåñëa-lélämåta and indicated his desire to correct the mistakes

according to Nimäi's guidance. Hearing his words, the Lord condemned mundane

scholarship and spoke the following invaluable nectarean words: "First of all,

this book is composed by such a pure devotee as Purépäda, and, moreover, it is

full of topics about Kåñëa. Therefore whoever finds faults in this book is

certainly an offender. The poetry of a pure devotee, in whatever form it may

be, is always pleasing to Kåñëa. There is no doubt about it. The Supreme Lord

never sees any grammatical faults in the statements of His devotees for He is

controlled by devotion and accepts the sentiments of His devotees. A person who

finds faults in the statements of a devotee is himself full of faults. There is

no such audacious person who is able to find faults in the descriptions of the

Supreme Lord by the pure devotee Purépäda." But Éçvara Puré repeatedly

requested Nimäi to point out the faults in his book. In this way Éçvara Puré

regularly spent an hour or two with Nimäi discussing various subjects. After

hearing a verse from Éçvara Puré's book one day, Nimäi Paëòita sportingly said,

"The verb of this verse should be parasmaipadé instead of ätmanepadé In

Sanskrit, the verb form called ätmanepadé is used when the work is to be done

for one's own benefit, and when it is done for others, the form called

parasmaipadé is used. Later, another day when Nimäi came back, Éçvara Puré

said, "The verb that You have not accepted as ätmanepadé, I have accepted as

ätmanepadé." In order to increase the glories and display the victory of His

servant, the Lord did point out any further faults. After spending some time in

this way enjoying educational pastimes with Nimäi, Éçvara Puré left Navadvépa

to continue sanctifying the holy places of India.

 

 

 

Once while passing through Sri Isvara Puri's birthplace Lord Gauranga became

filled with rapture. Taking some dust the Lord said, 'This dust is My life and

soul.' Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krishna, the spiritual master of the entire universe, He nevertheless took

position of a disciple in order to teach by example how a devotee should follow

the orders of a spiritual master in executing the duty of always chanting the

Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Isvara Puri gave instructions to Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

Adi lila 7:72

 

 

 

'Murkha tumi, tomara nahika vedantadhikara

 

Krsna-mantra japa sada, ei mantra-sara'

 

 

 

'You are a fool,' he said, 'You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy,

and therefore You must always chant the holy name of Krsna. This is the essence

of all mantras, or Vedic hymns.'

 

 

 

His samadhi stands in the 64-samadhi area - Vrndavana.

 

 

 

Sri Sri Isvara Puri ki jaya jaya !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

64 Samadhi Area @ Vrndavana