Gaura-purnima - A Talk by Giriraj Swami Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Gaura-purnima

A Talk by Giriraj Swami

March 17, 2003

Carpinteria, California

 

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta explains that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, appeared with the luster and mood of Srimati Radharani to understand the glories of Srimati Radharani's love for Krsna, to experience the wonderful qualities of Krsna as Srimati Radharani experiences them, and to taste the happiness that Srimati Radharani tastes in Her love for Krsna:

 

sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-

svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah

saukhyam casya mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhat

tad-bhavadhyah samajani saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh

 

" Desiring to understand the glory of Radharani's love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Sacidevi, as the moon appeared from the ocean. " (Cc Adi 1.6)

 

At the same time, Lord Caitanya descended to propagate the yuga-dharma of hari-nama-sankirtana. Authoritative sources explain that there are four ages that repeat themselves in cycles like the four seasons: Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. Each yuga has a specific method to realize God, called the yuga-dharma, and in each yuga a special incarnation of God--called the yuga-avatara--descends to preach or promulgate the yuga-dharma. The yuga-avatara in each age has a different hue or complexion.

 

The present Kali-yuga is special because it follows immediately after the Dvapara-yuga in which Krsna, the avatari, or source of all avataras, Himself appears. Within one thousand yuga cycles, it is in only one Dvapara-yuga that Krsna Himself appears. And similarly, it is only in the Kali-yuga that immediately follows the Dvapara-yuga in which Krsna appears that Lord Caitanya appears. Lord Caitanya also performs the function of the yuga-avatara, although in other Kali-yugas the yuga-avatara is not Krsna Caitanya Himself.

 

We are especially fortunate because we have taken birth in the Kali-yuga in which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, and then, too, only five hundred years after His pastimes on earth. Sri Krsna Caitanya predicted:

 

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama

sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

 

" In every town and village on the surface of the earth, My holy name will be preached. " (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126) Lord Caitanya is Krsna Himself, so His holy name means Krsna's holy name.

 

Now we know from history that Srila Prabhupada is the one who fulfilled the desire and prophecy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So we are especially fortunate to have taken birth not just in the Kali-yuga in which Lord Caitanya appeared, but also during the presence of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, for he is the empowered servant of Lord Caitanya who fulfilled the desire and prediction of the Lord that the holy name would spread to every town and village of the world.

 

Lord Caitanya also requested:

 

bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara

janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara

 

" One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [bharata-varsa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people. " (Cc Adi 9.41)

 

Anyone who has taken birth in Bharata (which in a limited sense means India but in a broader sense refers to the planet earth) should make his life successful by becoming Krsna conscious and engaging in welfare activities for the benefit of others by helping them to become Krsna conscious. Of course, one can serve the cause in different ways: one may give his life, or, if one is unable to give his life, he can give his money to further the cause. Or, if one has no money to give, he can give his intelligence to help the devotees spread the mission, and if one doesn't have much intelligence, he can give his words to tell people about Krsna consciousness.

 

etavaj janma-saphalyam

dehinam iha dehisu

pranair arthair dhiya vaca

sreya-acaranam sada

 

" It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence, and words. " (SB 10.22.35, Cc Adi 9.42)

 

So, by chanting the holy names, following regulative principles, and reading devotional literatures, we can make our own lives successful in Krsna consciousness. And by engaging our lives, or whatever other assets we have, to spread the Krsna consciousness movement, we can engage in real welfare activities for the benefit of other human beings and living entities in general. Thus we can please Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His servants, such as Srila Prabhupada, and derive the greatest benefit for our own selves, even while giving the greatest benefit to others as well.

 

Now we have with us some esteemed godbrothers and godsisters and other devotees of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so we would like to ask some of them to speak a few words about Lord Caitanya, His existence, His pastimes, His philosophy, or His gifts.

 

When Lord Caitanya descends, he doesn't come alone. He comes with His entourage and His abode, which is Navadvipa. Navadvipa has also appeared here tonight, and we shall request Nabadwip dasa to say a few words.

 

Nabadwip dasa: When I got initiated by Srila Prabhupada and he heard my name, he exclaimed, " Oh, such a good name! " Then he added, " Navadvipa is the place Mahaprabhu appeared, and Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and you are the servant of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. " So it was very nice.

 

Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura gives a nice verse in glorification of the Supreme Lord. He says, " What can I say and who will believe, whom can I tell and who would believe, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared in the courtyard of Nanda Maharaja and is playing just like an ordinary child? " In the same way, what can I say in terms of the glorification of the Lord, and who would understand or who would believe that the Absolute Truth, who eternally separated as Radha and Krsna, comes together as Caitanya Mahaprabhu and actually appears in the Kali-yuga? As Maharaja said, He appears in the most fallen age, and He gives the topmost realization, the topmost service to Himself in Vrndavana. This indeed is extremely, extremely rare. Although in Vrndavana there is audarya [magnanimity], Caitanya Mahaprabhu's manifestation in the material world is specifically known as audarya-lila. Audarya, the mood of infinite compassion, is certainly fully present in Vrndavana, finding its complete expression in Srimati Radharani. But it is only one of many components that combine to produce the overwhelming sweetness of vraja- lila. In gaura-lila, that one component is brought to the forefront, and Mahaprabhu--the full manifestation of Srimati Radharani's audarya--brilliantly exhibits it in the Kali-yuga for the benefit of the most fallen. In Vrndavana, however, because everybody is already a pure devotee, the quality of audarya is not magnified.

 

When Krsna wants to experience the sweetness of rasa in terms of the service rendered to Him by Srimati Radharani in Vrndavana, He appears in this material world as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He brings with Him that mood of audarya, and it becomes magnified. We can see that in this most fallen age, He has freely given the topmost service to Himself. Previous to Mahaprabhu's advent, anyone who studied and followed the sastras could only find subjects related either to karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, or upasana-kanda. His only hope of perfection would be to reach perhaps the heavenly planets, impersonal Brahman, or at best the Vaikuntha planets, where service is rendered to Lord Narayana in awe and reverence. Rarely would you find a person whose heart had actually been touched with vraja-bhakti-rasa. Here we know of only two who appeared before Mahaprabhu: Madhavendra Puri and Isvara Puri.

 

Then Mahaprabhu appears, and He gives the topmost to the most fallen. Who would believe that someone coming from the hellish inner city of South Philadelphia would get such an opportunity to serve the Divine Couple, Radha and Krsna? Through the mercy of Mahaprabhu and the mercy of our beloved spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, I have received that opportunity. So, I consider myself extremely fortunate indeed.

 

The worship of Radha-Krsna, however, is fraught with many difficulties. To approach Radha-Krsna and worship Radha-Krsna by meditating on Their pastimes, performing that type of sadhana, is very, very difficult. If you make a mistake or an offense there, it is held against you, and it becomes an obstacle. But with the worship of Mahaprabhu, He sees only the service that you have rendered. If one makes a mistake or commits an offense, it is overlooked. In this way, He makes it very easy for us to get that topmost service.

 

There is another verse by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura where he says, " Simply worship Caitanya Mahaprabhu! Give Him your all and all! And what will be the result? In a very short time the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani will manifest in your heart. " So, without any separate endeavor of worshiping Radha-Krsna, by simply focusing on gaura-lila, automatically we will get both gaura-lila and krsna-lila. Two for the price of one. That is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's special mercy.

 

I am happy to be here today, and to say a few words in glorification of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thank you.

 

Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!

 

Rose Forkash: Speaking personally, I would begin by thanking my own daughter, Lila-sakti dasi, for having brought her parents to the realization of Krsna consciousness. We are very fortunate at our age, when we are so close to leaving this body, that we may never take another body again (we hope).

 

My sincere and deep-felt thanks go to Srila Prabhupada for having met me and spoken to me. We have gotten the knowledge from him to finish off our life in this way. Without him, it would not have been possible. I thank you.

 

Kandarpa Manjari dasi: Looking at Srimati Gandharvika and Her sidelong glance, I always remember the verse by Prabodhananda Sarasvati about one who is benedicted by the merciful sidelong glance of Sri Gaurasundara: for him, the conception of oneness becomes like hell, the heavenly planets become just like a phantasmagoria, and the senses are like venomous serpents whose fangs have been removed. Srila Prabhupada has drawn the merciful sidelong glance of Sri Gaurasundara in our direction, and so, by his mercy, we are able to understand that the conception of liberation in oneness is like hell, and we don't want to go to the heavenly planets. Even great personalities like Indra, the king of heaven, or people in the mundane world like Mahatma Gandhi or Vivekananda or George Washington, who are being honored--we can understand that they are not so great. This is all by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the mercy of Lord Caitanya.

 

[The verse Kandarpa Manjari referred to is:

 

kaivalyam narakayate tridasa-pur akasa-puspayate

durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate

visvam purna-sukhayate vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate

yat karunya-kataksa-vaibhava-vatam tam gauram eva stumah

 

" For a devotee, the pleasure of merging into the existence of Brahman is considered hellish. Similarly, he considers promotion to heavenly planets just another kind of phantasmagoria. The yogis meditate for sense control, but for the devotee the senses appear like serpents with broken teeth. The whole material world appears joyful for a devotee, and even great personalities like Lord Brahma and Lord Indra are considered no better than insects. Such is the position of a devotee who has received but a small glance of the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Unto this most magnanimous personality I offer my respectful obeisances. " (Sri Caitanya-candramrta 5)]

 

Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!

 

Sarvatma dasa: As I was listening to the exalted Vaisnavas in this room, I was thinking, " What is the actual legacy that I can appreciate? " It seems that I don't understand about the esoteric pastimes of Krsna or Lord Caitanya. I read about them, but I have no insight, no realizations on them (if I can be very frank about it). But there is one thing I can say. That is that Lord Caitanya came to show the process of devotional service firsthand as the best bhakta. Just like Prabhupada said, " Krsna is the best candidate for God, " in the same way, Lord Caitanya is the best candidate for a bhakta, for a devotee. He actually didn't finish His job, and this was done very much on purpose. He didn't even need to do anything. Just with a glance He could have delivered the whole world--which He actually did, in one way. But He left the task unfinished so we could join Him. Although we are totally devoid--at least I am totally devoid--of any type of spiritual emotion or acumen, still, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, we can actually join Him in delivering the world from nescience and the darkest of ages. Just like a father who lets a child think he is doing things, although the father is doing them, in the very same way, Lord Caitanya is doing everything, yet He allows us to take credit for it, just like Krsna gave Arjuna credit for doing something He had already done.

 

Not only that. Lord Caitanya sent His personal associates, particularly Srila Prabhupada, to interact with us. He actually gave us the association of a pure devotee. In the scripture it is said that the value of the association of a pure devotee cannot be measured or calculated. Yet the senapati-bhakta, the commander-in-chief of all the devotees, Srila Prabhupada, appeared in this age and gave his personal association and instruction to us--some of us personally, and some of us indirectly, through his disciples and through his instructions and books.

 

This is my small realization about the mercy of Lord Caitanya, which is even greater than if He would have done everything Himself. He is the perfect party host. He invited everyone and made them feel at home. When I joined Krsna consciousness and read about Krsna, I was thinking, " How is it possible that Krsna has millions and millions of associates and yet He can pay attention to all of them? As insignificant as I feel, still I would like to get a little attention from Krsna if I ever meet Him, or meet Him again. " Because Krsna is expanded within the hearts of the living entities, and because we, the living entities, are never separated from Him, we are one and different. This is the contribution of Lord Caitanya--the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. We are actually with Krsna at every moment, and we are never separated from Krsna. Yet we are not Krsna. So Krsna in the form of Lord Caitanya is paying special attention to us as we begin the infancy of our spiritual lives. This compassion should be transmitted to others. This is all we have to do. We have no other business in this world except to share whatever has been given to us, especially by chanting the holy name and giving it to others, because that is Krsna, and that is Lord Caitanya.

 

Rose Forkash: One of the greatest gifts, I think, of the sankirtana movement is the association of all the Vaisnavas, and I especially think what a blessing that is for me. Always when I think of Lord Caitanya's pastimes, it is in relationship with the devotees. And in relationship with the devotees, there are so many wonderful things. Even for myself, I know it is by the grace of devotees that I have experienced His mercy.

 

Giriraj Swami: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!-- Take advantage of this rare opportunity of this human form of life.  There are 8,400,000 different species of life through which we are rotating lifetime after lifetime. So getting a human body is not an every day affair. This most auspicious opportunity only comes after many millions of lifetimes in the lower species. Anyone who does not utilize their human life for self-realization is making the greatest mistake. When this happens it is the greatest tragedy, and unfortunately today this neglect of the human form has become the standard behavior for the entire human society. What can be done? We must first ourselves become solidly situated in Krishna consciousness and then do the highest welfare activity of spreading to everyone else all over the world.

Chant:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare