Guest guest Posted August 27, 2001 Report Share Posted August 27, 2001 "IT IT VERY URGENTLY REQUIRED TO TRANSLATE AND PUBLISH THE BOOKS ABOUT THE PASTIMES OF LORD SRI CAITANYA INTO ALL THE LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD. BECAUSE IN A VERY SHORT TIME, LORD CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU WILL BECOME THE SOLE OBJECT OF WORSHIP OR THE WORSHIPPABLE LORD IN ALL THE VILLAGES, TOWNS, AND CITIES OF THE WORLD." (THAKURA BHAKTIVINODA IN SAMALOCANA, SAJJANA TOSANI 4/3) [Comment: If we do not translate and publish Gauranga-lila now all over the world, how will people be able to people worship Gauranga as their worshippable Lord within a very short time? Developing faith in Gaura as our sole worshippable Lord is only possible by reading & hearing about His pastimes and His holy names & associates? I appeal to all the Gaudiya Vaisnavas to kindly think deeply about this point and act immediately to hasten the advent of the golden age of Lord Gaura. IT IS AM EMERGENCY.] After carefully reading the statements of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda given below, I feel all the Gaudiya Vaisnavas should come together all the over world (or in their areas) and set up a publishing house with a mission of translating, publishing, distributing and continuously speaking from the books about the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in all the languages of the world. The books should be very affordable just like Prabhupada's Krsna book in English. The intention should be not to make money but mass distribution of Gaura-katha. I think the top priority should be the follwoing two books (1) Sri Caitanya-bhagavata in a highly affordable version in all languages. The most ideal book for destroying the heavily offensive mentality of the people of Kali-yuga. (2) A condensed (introductory) version (with only translations) of Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita (Cc), the great biography of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu written by Shrila Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami, to create an interest among the people for buying and studying the exquisite nine-volume set of Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita with the most wonderful commentaries of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Shrila Prabhupada which cover the essence of the commentaries of his own Guru Maharaj Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada & Thakura Bhaktivinoda. Cc is so great that I am sure after buying thiss introductory version, every home will order Srila Prabhupada's Cc set, which is exactly what he wanted. Other books which can be done later: (3) Bhakti Ratnakara by Narahari Chakravarti about the lives of the great associates of Lord Gaura. Even the maha-pasandis become maha-devotees by reading this book. The stones melt by the descriptions in this book what to speak of the hard hearts of the materialistic people. (4) Sri Caitanya-mangala by Srila Locana Das Thakura to give people a small but complete and nectarean glimpse into Lord Gaura's pastimes. THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF TRANSLATION, PUBLICATION & MASS DISTRIBUTION OF CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA & GAURA-LILA IN ALL THE ALL THE LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD (by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisidhhanta Prabhupada, Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda.) (1) SRILA PRABHUPADA Cc Adi 8.36: caitanya-nitaira yate janiye mahima yate jani krsna-bhakti-siddhantera sima By reading Sri Caitanya-bhagavata one can understand all the glories and truths of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda and come to the ultimate conclusion of devotional service to Lord Krsna. PURPORT Srimad-Bhagavatam is the authoritative reference book from which to understand devotional service, but because it is very elaborate, few men can understand its purport. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, which is called nyaya-prasthana. It was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is extremely elaborate. Professional reciters have created the impression that Srimad-Bhagavatam deals only with Krsna's rasa-lila, although Krsna's rasa-lila is described only in chapters 29 through 33 of the Tenth Canto. They have in this way presented Krsna to the Western world as a great woman-hunter, and therefore we sometimes have to deal with such misconceptions in preaching. Another difficulty in understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam is that the professional reciters have introduced bhagavata-saptaha, or seven-day readings of the Bhagavatam. They want to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam in a week, although it is so sublime that even one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, if properly explained, cannot be completed in three months. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS A GREAT AID FOR THE COMMON MAN TO READ SRILA VRNDAVANA DASA THAKURA'S CAITANYA-BHAGAVATA, FOR THUS HE CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, KRSNA, LORD CAITANYA AND NITYANANDA. Srila Rupa Gosvami has said: sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratra-vidhim vina aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate [bRS 1.2.101] "Devotional service to the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures-the Upanisads, Puranas, Narada-pancaratra, etc.-is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society." DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM, PEOPLE ARE MISLED REGARDING THE SCIENCE OF KRSNA. HOWEVER, BY READING SRILA VRNDAVANA DASA THAKURA'S BOOK ONE CAN VERY EASILY UNDERSTAND THIS SCIENCE. TEXT 33 ore mudha loka, suna caitanya-mangala caitanya-mahima yate janibe sakala PURPORT ....This acceptance of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami indicates his acceptance of the disciplic succession. A writer of transcendental literature never tries to surpass the previous acaryas. TEXT 37 bhagavate yata bhakti-siddhantera sara likhiyachena inha jani' kariya uddhara In Sri Caitanya-mangala [later known as Sri Caitanya-bhagavata] Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has given the conclusion and essence of devotional service by quoting the authoritative statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam. O fools, just read Sri Caitanya-bhagavata! By reading this book you can understand all the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 'caitanya-mangala' sune yadi pasandi, yavana seha maha-vaisnava haya tataksana If even the greatest sinner, atheist, meat-eater or offender hears Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, he immediately becomes a very great devotee. Cc Adi 8.40: vrndavana-dasa-pade koti namaskara aiche grantha kari' tenho tarila samsara I offer millions of obeisances unto the lotus feet of Vrndavana dasa Thakura. No one else could write such a wonderful book for the deliverance of all fallen souls. (2) SRILA BHAKTISIDHHANTA SARASVATI PRABHUPADA >From the Gaudiya Bhasya of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (translated by Bhumipati Prabhu and published by Pundarika Prabhu): This work of Srila Thakura Vrndavana is so simple that even less-intelligent persons can make their lives glorious by understanding the highest conclusions of devotional service and seeing the wonderful beauty of the liberated pure Vaisnavas of this visible world who renounce all forms of liberation, including salokya and sarsti, living on the same planet as the Lord and having the same opulence as the Lord. The language of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata is very simple and touching to the heart. Those who are fond of the beauty of Gaudiya literature can experience extraordinary pleasure on seeing the proficiency that Thakura Mahasaya has displayed while describing the characteristics of Haridasa Thakura, while describing the social condition of Navadipa during Gauranga's time, while describing the literacy status of the bhogipalas, yogipalas and mahipalas, the leaders of the sense enjoyers, yogis, and the earth, while describing the brahmanas' occasional chanting of Pundarikaksa, and while depicting Sri Gaurasundara's glories and opulences. Those who wish to enter the temple of this book will also receive the opportunity to experience the literal variegatedness of Vaikuntha apart from the description of the enjoying spirit of Navadvipa's residents. The Gaudiyas are not only residents of Gauda but by the help of Gaudiya language they become expert in the language of the eternally liberated inhabitants of Goloka and thus understand themselves as associates of the Lord. When the Absolute Truth mercifully exhibits a portion of His supreme opulence, in the form of omnipotency, then most people, being unable to understand this feature, fall into mundane conceptions. The platform of madhurya is situated higher than that of aisvarya-those who cannot understand this are to be considered followers of the path of maryada. But when the Absolute Truth, who is the basis of aisvarya and madburya, exhibits His audarya, or magnanimous, pastimes, then nonduplicitous persons who are freed from material conceptions and devoid of considerations of enjoyment and renunciation not only understand the differences between madhurya, aisvarya, and audarya pastimes and become self?realized, but in their constitutional position and through their pure vision they also see the eternal variegated pastimes of the Lord. There is a lack of audarya in the considerations of bondage and freedom that ordinary literatures and those who teach them present to those who are desirous of self?realization. Therefore we realize the necessity of studying the maha?kavya, or great poetic work, named Sri Caitanya?bhagavata, written in ancient Bengali language. If one relishes a fraction of the magnanimity displayed by the Supreme Lord while preaching the aisvarya and madhurya pastimes of the Lord in order to benefit those who are wandering throughout the universe, he will undoubtedly become glorious. Those who will be faithful to the subject matter of this book written by Sri Thakura Vrndavana can, by giving up mundane knowledge and weak arguments, enter into the kingdom of devotional service and eternally engage in serving the audarya pastimes of Sri Vrajendra?nandana, who is the reservoir of all transcendental mellows. In this way they will achieve the highest benediction and eternally remain absorbed in the pastimes of Sn Krsna Caitanya. Srila Thakura Vrndavana dasa has been accepted as Sri Vyasa and one of the front line acaryas of gaura-bhakti by his follower, Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. Therefore if the residents of this world desire to go to the spiritual abode, they should first take shelter of the Supreme Lord in His audarya feature. The statements of Sri Caitanya?bhagavata written by the soothing hands of Sri Vrindavana dasa will certainly favor such people with fulfillment of their desired goal. Since Sri Caitanya-bhagavata is the most ancient Bengali literature, the author has for some time been addressed as adi-kavi, or the original poet. Before him, Sri Locana dasa Thakura has written a Bengali pancali poem named Sri Caitanya-mangala. Even before that, Sri Gunaraja Khan, or Maladhara Vasu, composed another book in Bengali named Sri Krishna?vijaya, which describes the pastimes of Lord Krishna. Therefore this book is the third book, yet first kavya, written in Bengali language. This book is neither a mundane kavya nor the fulfiller of the litterateurs' desires. Unless the community of short?sighted litterateurs, who are full of indiscretion, become completely qualified to understand the purport of the descriptions in this book, they will not be able to respect this book. >From this work of Sri Thakura Vrindavana we can understand that He who is the cause of all causes, who is the beginningless, primeval Lord Govinda, who possesses an eternal fomm of bliss and knowledge can? appear in the land of birth and death even though He is unborn. He appears as Sri Caitanya and supplies love of God to the hearts of the living entities and yet remains impartial. How great a teacher is Sri Thakura Vrindavana, who has described how Sri Gaurasundara has taught in His childhood pastimes that the untouchable, impure, clay cooking pots are equal to the dearest items of those who are engaged in sense gratification and maintaining dualities like good and bad. He also described the topics of Sri Caitanyadeva, the ideal teacher of renunciation, concerning His mother's glorious understanding of spiritual variegatedness, which every reader should consider. sri-caitanya-bhagavata, lila-mani-marakata, caitanya-nitai-katha-sara sune sarva-ksana karne, sahasra-mukhete varne, grantha-raja-mahima apara Sri Caitanya-bhagavata is a collection of the jewel-like pastimes of Sri Caitanya and Nityananda. One should always hear and chant with thousands of mouths the unsurpassable glorification of the Lord contained in this great book. Simply by hearing the pastimes of Sriman Mahaprabhu, one's constitutional position is revived. The activity of one in that constitutional position is the devotional service of Lord Krsna. Knowledge of Sri Caitanya, His manifestations, and His glories is nourishment for the living entity's ears. When the living entity awakens to his constitutional activities, he fully engages in the service of Sri Gaura-Krsna. In other words, he performs pure devotional service with knowledge of his relationship with the Lord. (SBSST purport to Cb Adi 2.3) >From Bhakti Vikasa Swami's notes on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: Sarasvati Thakura read both Caitanya-bhagavata & Caitanya-caritamrta 108 times and told others to do likewise, expecting everyone to do that. Of course, it's doubtful if anyone did, but the idea was meant to read again and again and absorb the mind in Gauranga just as Mahaprabhu liked to hear the stories of Dhruva and Prahlada Maharaja. Sarasvati Thakura said to read Caitanya-bhagavata first then Caitanya-caritamrta, and then Srimad-Bhagavatam. The reason being that Caitanya-bhagavata is very easy reading for all kinds of people because it has no difficult philosophy and is mostly lila. Caitanya-caritamrta is also very attractive with some very difficult sections also. In the Srimad Bhagavatam the language is difficult Sanskrit. Once, when Jotisekhara was new in the Math, Sarasvati Thakura asked him if he was reading Caitanya-bhagavata when he said "No", he told him he should read it early in the morning, before mangalarati, at 5.00am. Jotisekhara said it would be difficult for him to read so early, because he had a bad cough. Sarasvati Thakura said, "Starting from tomorrow, you read from 4.00am - 5.00am. Read it clearly and loudly and it will clear any cough in your throat." Sarasvati Thakura said the Caitanya-bhagavata and Caitanya-caritamrta, even though in Bengali verse, are full of all sastric conclusions, and he recommended them, along with Srimad-Bhagavatam. (especially the sections on Dhruva Maharaja, Prahlada-charita, the story of Prahlada, and Kapiladeva's instructions). He recommended all of these to be read 100 times. He did not recommend reading the Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, but Caitanya-bhagavata, except learned scholars, whom he would recommend to read the Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Gaudiya Vaisnava scholars generally consider Caitanya-caritamrta to be the most important biography of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, even more so than Caitanya Bhagavata, in as much as it deals with: (a) the philosophy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in great detail and (b) the highest ecstasies of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which are referred to only somewhat in Caitanya Bhagavata. Sarasvati Thakura himself would generally explain philosophy very deeply, but he said that Caitanya Bhagavata is more important than Caitanya-caritamrta for the common man because it is a lila-grantha. Without describing so much about philosophy, it describes the lila of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and is therefore easy for the common man to follow and understand the philosophy. Even though Sarasvati Thakura himself mostly explained philosophy, he said that philosophy is only for the greatly learned people, and for the common men Caitanya Bhagavata is more important. So he said, "Read Caitanya Bhagavata from time to time." If anyone came to him he would ask them if they had read Caitanya Bhagavata. He often asked people this, including non-devotees. He recommended that for ordinary people, the first Vaisnava literature they read be Caitanya Bhagavata. He recommended to everyone to first read Caitanya Bhagavata, then Prema Bhakti Chandrika, then Srimad Bhagavatam. O.B.L. Kapoor, being a learned scholar from Allahabad, the Hindi speaking part of India, was instructed by Sarasvati Thakura to learn Bengali, so as he could study the original Bengali texts of the Caitanya Bhagavata and the Caitanya-caritamrta, etc. Sarasvati Thakura liked other Gaudiya Math members who were also learned and non-Bengalis, to learn Bengali for this reason. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's letter to one of his disciples from Sri Caitanya Math, Mayapur, December 22, 1927 (from the book Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura by Mandala Publishing Group): Even though in this world we don't get to meet many devotees from the spiritual world, the conversations and pastimes of the devotees of Mahaprabhu's time eternally exist in the form of books and sound, and that is why we do not feel so much pain from material troubles. If we live here in the association of the words of the spiritual world, then the memory of this association will keep us at a distance from material misery. (3) SRILA SACCIDANANDA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA >From Samalocana, Sajjana Tosani 4/3: (BVV Chapter 62: Pracara) sri caitanya-lila sakala bhasaya likhita haoya prayojaniya. It it very urgently required to translate and publish the books about the pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya into all the languages of the world. ati alpa dinera madhei mahaprabhu sarva desa vyapi haiya eka matra upasya-tattva haitechen. In a very short time, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will become the sole object of worship or the worshippable Lord in all the villages, towns, and cities of the world. >From Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya by Thakura Bhaktivinoda: Listen, everyone, to one more confidential topic. The most suitable thing for the souls of Kali-yuga is this treasure of gauranga-lila. Gaurahari is the combined form of Radha and Krsna, who eternally enjoy pastimes in Vrndavana along with the sakhis. The truth of Radha and Krsna's eternal pastimes and the glories of Vraja-dhama are known by everyone through the scriptures. And the unlimited glories of Krsna's name and abode are known through the scriptures by people all over the universe. But still, actually obtaining krsna-prema is not at all common. Let us contemplate the reason why. Herein lies the secret of secrets which the living entities bound by Maya cannot discern. One who does not attain love of God after worshiping Krsna birth after birth has certainly committed heaps of offenses. For only by chanting Krsna's name without offenses can one attain incessant krsna-prema. Sri Caitanya's incarnation, however, is most uncommon. By His mercy, a serious person, though filled with offenses, can quickly obtain love of God. When someone calls out the names of Nitai and Caitanya, krsna-prema comes looking for him. Offenses do not hinder his progress, and he soon sheds tears of ecstasy out of pure love of God. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, all the offenses quickly flee away, the heart becomes pure, and love of God fully blossoms. Because people in Kali-yuga commit unlimited offenses, which are difficult to check, there can be no means of deliverance other than Gauranga's name & lila. Therefore, in Kali-yuga, I see no alternative to Sri Gauranga. This is also the proclamation of the scriptures. There is one other topic I would like to mention. As it is a confidential matter, I hesitate to disclose it. But, on the other hand, I cannot resist telling it, for Lord Caitanya instructed His devotees to publicize the glories of His pastimes and abode after His disappearance. Though Sri Caitanya is the most concealed of all avataras, I know well that He is all in all. But because His confidential activities are described ambiguously in scripture, the nondevotees are unable to realize them. For a long time Mayadevi kept hidden the confidential scriptures that describe Lord Caitanya's pastimes. These topics are described in both the unmanifest scriptures, which were scattered here and there, as well as in the manifest scriptures. Maya kept all these scriptures hidden from view by covering the eyes of the scholars. After Gauranga completed His pastimes on earth, however, His obedient servant Mayadevi, understood the desire of the Lord. She lifted the veil of illusion from the eyes of the living entities and revealed the true nature of Sri Gauranga within this material universe. Thus the hidden meaning in the scriptures became easily revealed, and the arguments inhibiting understanding Lord Caitanya were dispelled. It was the all-merciful Nityananda Prabhu who revealed the truth about Gauranga in the hearts of the living entities. On His command, Maya pulled away the covering so that the pure devotee scholars could receive this precious treasure of the scriptures. (Published by Pundarika Vidaynidhi Prabhu, Vrindavan) Thakura Vrindavandas is not only the crest-jewel writer of world of Gaudiya Vaisnavas but he is the only ornament of the whole Bengali literature society. (Sajjan Tosani 2/2) Compiled by Your aspiring servant, Nayana-ranjana Das Brahmacari. Mira Road, Mumbai. Tel 91-22-8112230, 9602 900797 nayana-ranjana (AT) pamho (DOT) net P.S. Feedback from Vaisnavas will be very encouraging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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