Vakresvara Pandit

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July 5th, 2003, Saturday (Sasti)

Disappearance day of Sri Vakresvara Pandita

 

VAKRESVARA AND DEVANANDA PANDIT

 

When Lord Caitanya was still in family life in Navadvipa, where He

performed many transcendental pastimes, Devananda Pandita had not the desire

then to come and meet the Lord. He did not possess sufficient faith in the

Lord so he avoided coming in contact with Him. Yet although having the

required piety to see Him again, why did he not come accros tha Lord

earlier? All such arrangements are actually in Krsna's hands. So when Lord

Caitanya had accepted the sannyasa order and left home, Devananda Pandita

had the good fortune to closely associate with Vakresvara Pandita.

 

Vakresvara Pandita was very dear to Lord Caitanya. He was such an

elevated soul that he could purify the entire universe. He was always

totally absorbed in relishing devotional mellows with Lord Krsna. When he

danced, both the demigods and the demons were captivated. In fact, as soon

as he would begin to dance, by Lord Caitanya's mercy all the ecstatic

symptoms like crying, shivering, perspiring, laughing, horripilation,

roaring, and swooning in divine bliss would all appear on his person. It is

impossible to describe all the devotional symptoms in Vakresvara Pandita. By

some provedential arrangement Vakresvara Pandita came to stay in Devananda

Pandita's house, attracted by his devotional qualities.

 

Devananda Pandita was very pleased and impressed with Vakresvara

Pandita's radiant appearance and his unalloyed devotion to yhe Supreme Lod.

He began to serve Vakresvara Pandita with sincere devotion. When Vakresvara

Pandita would dance, he would walk around him with a cane keeping the crowd

away from disturbing him. And when on ocassion Vakresvara would fall

swooning in ecstacy Devananda Pandita rushed to catch himin his arms. He

would take the dust from Vakresvara's body and feet and smear it all over

his own body with much humility and devotion. In this way, serving him and

seeing his elevated devotional characteristics, there developed a strong

faith in devananda Pandita for Lord Caitanya.

 

From this incident one can understand the words from the Puranas

where it states that devotion to the Supreme Lord is developed only through

serving the pure devotees of the Lord. Devananda Pandita was a very pious

and noble person. From his childhood he was studying the Srimad-Bhaavatam.

He was calm and peaceful, in control of his senses, unattached to material

things, and had so many other good qualities. Inspite of these qualities he

could not develop attraction to Lord Caitanya's lotus feet. But by

Vakresvara's grace, his perverted intelligence became rectified. Therefore

we find in Srimad-Bhagavatam that service to a pure devotee is even higher

than service to the Supreme Lord Himself. Thus in the Bhagaavtam it is

stated, “There may exist some doubt about the success in attaining

perfection by serving the Supreme personality of Godhead, but there is

absolutely no doubt whwtever in achieving perfection by serving the pure

devoteed of the Supreme Lord.”

 

Therefore it is clear that to gain the mecy of Lord Krsna one must

serve His unalloyed and surrendered devotee. Devananda Pandita developed the

right devotional attachment for Lord Gauranga due to his intimate

association with Vakresvara Pandita. Now he lay supine, hugging the Lord's

lotus feet in great awe and humility. The Lord was very pleased to see

Devananda Pandita's mood of devotion and humility. He reached out to him and

made him sit. In this way He forgave all his previous offences and blessed

him.

 

The Lord said, “Because you have served Vakresvara Pandita so well,

I am able to see you here today. Vakresvara is a manifestation and

embodiment of Krsna's transcendental potency, hence whosoever serves him

well immediately attains the lotus feet of Krsna. Lord Krsna's favorite

residence is the heart of Vakresvara Pandita. When Vakresvara dances, Krsna

Himself is induced to dance. Vakresvara Pandita's presence converts any

place into a place of holy pilgrimage - into the spiritual abode of Krsna,

Vaikuntha.”

 

(Caitanya Bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter three)