Begging to be sent to hell

[leyh]

Who was the compassionate devotee who begged Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to send him to hell to relieve the suffering of living entities?

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by leyh (edited 01-11-2002).]

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Now that you brought it up, I guess you better post the story as well.

[Bhaktavasya]

 

A summary:

 

Vasudeva Datta, who was very devoted to Sri Chaitanya, approached the Lord in a very unhappy mood. He confided to Mahaprabhu that he couldn't bear to see the suffering of the conditioned souls, and aked that the Lord fulfil his one desire: to take birth forever in the material world and undergo the karma of all those destined to suffer so that they could all go back to Godhead. Lord Chaitanya began to cry, embraced Vasudeva Datta and said "You are the true devotee, because of your pure desire, all the jiva souls are already (destined to be) liberated.

 

It is said (in Chaitanya Charitamrita) that whoever chants the name of Vasudeva Datta will be immediately liberated and will attain love of God.

 

 

 

[InvidShockTrooper]

Originally posted by Bhaktavasya:

A summary:

 

Vasudeva Datta, who was very devoted to Sri Chaitanya, approached the Lord in a very unhappy mood. He confided to Mahaprabhu that he couldn't bear to see the suffering of the conditioned souls, and aked that the Lord fulfil his one desire: to take birth forever in the material world and undergo the karma of all those destined to suffer so that they could all go back to Godhead. Lord Chaitanya began to cry, embraced Vasudeva Datta and said "You are the true devotee, because of your pure desire, all the jiva souls are already (destined to be) liberated.

It is said (in Chaitanya Charitamrita) that whoever chants the name of Vasudeva Datta will be immediately liberated and will attain love of God.

 

Vasudeva Datta is also the siksa guru of Srila Yadunandana Acharya, who was the diksha guru of Srila Raghunatha das Goswami. In Vraja lila, he is Madhuvrata, a singer in Vrindavan.

 

Check out CC Adi Lila chapter 10 starting at around text 40 for the rest.

[valaya]

There is a similar Buddhist boddhisatva (spelling?) vow that asks for all others to be saved first, or something to that effect. Goes to show we can never really tell who is praying what, let alone their motivation...

 

------------------

Radhe Radhe always Radhe!

amanpeter@hotmail.com

[gHari]

<h3>JAYA VASUDEVA DATTA</H3>

 

CC Adi-lila 10.40p:

In the Gaura-gaNoddeza-dIpikA (140) it is said:

<center>vraje sthitau gAyakau yau madhukaNTha-madhuvratau

mukunda-vAsudevau tau dattau gaurAGga-gAyakau</center>

"In Vraja there were two very nice singers named MadhukaNTha and Madhuvrata. They appeared in caitanya-lIlA as Mukunda and VAsudeva Datta, who were singers in the society of Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu."

CC Adi-lila 10.41-42:

vAsudeva datta----prabhura bhRtya mahAzaya

sahasra-mukhe yAGra guNa kahile nA haya

 

vAsudeva datta--VAsudeva Datta; prabhura--of Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; bhRtya--servant; mahAzaya--great personality; sahasra-mukhe--with thousands of mouths; yAGra--whose; guNa--qualities; kahile--describing; nA--never; haya--becomes fulfilled.

 

VAsudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the SrI Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.

 

PURPORT

VAsudeva Datta, the brother of Mukunda Datta, was also a resident of CaTTagrAma. In the Caitanya-bhAgavata it is said, yAGra sthAne kRSNa haya Apane vikraya: VAsudeva Datta was such a powerful devotee that KRSNa was purchased by him. VAsudeva Datta stayed at SrIvAsa PaNDita's house, and in the Caitanya-bhAgavata it is described that Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu was so pleased with VAsudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, "I am only VAsudeva Datta's man. My body is only meant to please VAsudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere." Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. "All My dear devotees," He said, "I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for VAsudeva Datta." VAsudeva Datta initiated SrI Yadunandana AcArya, the spiritual master of RaghunAtha dAsa, who later became RaghunAtha dAsa GosvAmI. This will be found in the Caitanya-caritAmRta, Antya-lIlA, Sixth Chapter, verse 161. VAsudeva Datta spent money very liberally; therefore Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu asked SivAnanda Sena to become his sarakhela, or secretary, in order to control his extravagant expenses. VAsudeva Datta was so kind to the living entities that he wanted to take all their sinful reactions so that they might be delivered by SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. This is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Caitanya-caritAmRta's Madhya-lIlA, verses 159 through 180.

SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura writes in his AnubhASya, "There is a railway station named PUrvasthalI near the NavadvIpa railway station, and about one mile away, in a village known as MAmagAchi, which is the birthplace of VRndAvana dAsa ThAkura, there is presently a temple of Madana-gopAla that was established by VAsudeva Datta." The GauDIya MaTha devotees have now taken charge of this temple, and the sevA-pUjA is going on very nicely. Every year all the pilgrims on the navadvIpa-parikrama visit MAmagAchi. Since SrI BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura inaugurated the navadvIpa-parikrama function, the temple has been very well managed.

 

jagate yateka jIva, tAra pApa laJA

naraka bhuJjite cAhe jIva chADAiyA

 

jagate--in the world; yateka--all; jIva--living entities; tAra--their; pApa--sinful activities; laJA--taking; naraka--hell; bhuJjite--to suffer; cAhe--wanted; jIva--the living entities; chADAiyA--liberating them.

 

SrIla VAsudeva Datta ThAkura wanted to suffer for the sinful activities of all the people of the world so that Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu might deliver them.

CC Madhya-lila 11.137-143:

vAsudeva dekhi' prabhu Anandita haJA

tAGre kichu kahe tAGra aGge hasta diyA

 

vAsudeva--VAsudeva; dekhi'--seeing; prabhu--Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; Anandita haJA--becoming very pleased; tAGre--unto him; kichu kahe--says something; tAGra aGge--on his body; hasta diyA--placing His hand.

 

As soon as SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu saw VAsudeva Datta, the older brother of Mukunda Datta, He immediately became very happy and, placing His hand on his body, began to speak.

 

yadyapi mukunda----AmA-saGge zizu haite

tAGhA haite adhika sukha tomAre dekhite

 

yadyapi--although; mukunda--Mukunda; AmA-saGge--with Me; zizu haite--from childhood; tAGhA haite--than him; adhika--still more; sukha--happiness; tomAre dekhite--to see you.

 

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu said, "Although Mukunda is My friend from childhood, I nonetheless take greater pleasure in seeing you than in seeing him."

 

PURPORT

VAsudeva Datta was the older brother of Mukunda Datta, who was the childhood friend of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. It is naturally a great pleasure to see a friend, but SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu informed VAsudeva Datta that although it was His pleasure to see His friend, His pleasure was increased by seeing the older brother.

 

vAsu kahe,----mukunda Adau pAila tomAra saGga

tomAra caraNa pAila sei punar-janma

 

vAsu kahe--VAsudeva Datta said; mukunda--Mukunda; Adau--in the beginning; pAila--got; tomAra saGga--Your association; tomAra caraNa--Your lotus feet; pAila--got; sei--that; punaH-janma--transcendental rebirth.

 

VAsudeva replied, "Mukunda got Your association in the beginning. As such, he has taken shelter at Your lotus feet. That is his transcendental rebirth."

 

choTa haJA mukunda ebe haila AmAra jyeSTha

tomAra kRpA-pAtra tAte sarva-guNe zreSTha

 

choTa haJA--being junior; mukunda--Mukunda; ebe--now; haila--has become; AmAra--my; jyeSTha--senior; tomAra--Your; kRpA-pAtra--favorite; tAte--therefore; sarva-guNe--in all good qualities; zreSTha--superior.

 

Thus VAsudeva Datta admitted his inferiority to Mukunda, his younger brother. "Although Mukunda is my junior," he said, "he first received Your favor. Consequently he became transcendentally senior to me. Besides that, You very much favored Mukunda. Thus he is superior in all good qualities."

 

punaH prabhu kahe----Ami tomAra nimitte

dui pustaka AniyAchi 'dakSiNa' ha-ite

 

punaH--again; prabhu kahe--the Lord said; Ami--I; tomAra nimitte--for your sake; dui--two; pustaka--books; AniyAchi--have brought; dakSiNa ha-ite--from South India.

 

The Lord said, "For your sake only, I have brought two books from South India.

 

svarUpera ThAGi Ache, laha tA likhiyA

vAsudeva Anandita pustaka pAJA

 

svarUpera ThAGi--in the possession of SvarUpa DAmodara; Ache--they are; laha--you take; tA--them; likhiyA--copying; vAsudeva--VAsudeva; Anandita--very glad; pustaka--the books; pAJA--getting.

 

"The books are being kept with SvarUpa DAmodara, and you can get them copied." Hearing this, VAsudeva became very glad.

 

pratyeka vaiSNava sabe likhiyA la-ila

krame krame dui grantha sarvatra vyApila

 

pratyeka--each and every; vaiSNava--devotee; sabe--all; likhiyA--copying; la-ila--took; krame krame--by and by; dui grantha--the two books; sarvatra--everywhere; vyApila--become broadcast.

 

Indeed, each and every VaiSNava copied the two books. By and by, the two books [the Brahma-saMhitA and SrI KRSNa-karNAmRta] were broadcast all over India.

CC Madhya-lila 14.98-99:

prati-vRkSa-tale prabhu karena nartana

vAsudeva-datta mAtra karena gAyana

 

prati-vRkSa-tale--underneath each tree; prabhu--SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; karena nartana--dances; vAsudeva-datta--VAsudeva Datta; mAtra--only; karena--performs; gAyana--chanting.

 

As SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu danced beneath each and every tree, VAsudeva Datta sang alone.

 

LLßÁ LLßÁ õÔŽÂîÂNH LLßÁ LLßÁ á±D á±LLþ H

óõþ÷-Õ±NõNú LLßÁ± D±NA ÎáGõþõþ±LLþ G 99 G

eka eka vRkSa-tale eka eka gAna gAya

parama-Aveze ekA nAce gaurarAya

 

eka eka vRkSa-tale--under each and every tree; eka eka--a different; gAna--song; gAya--sings; parama-Aveze--in great ecstasy; ekA--alone; nAce--dances; gaurarAya--SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu.

 

As VAsudeva Datta sang a different song beneath each and every tree, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu danced there alone in great ecstasy.

CC Madhya-lila 15.158-181:

tabe vAsudeve prabhu kari' AliGgana

tAGra guNa kahe haJA sahasra-vadana

 

tabe--then; vAsudeve--VAsudeva; prabhu--SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; kari' AliGgana--embracing; tAGra guNa--his good qualities; kahe--began to explain; haJA--becoming; sahasra-vadana--possessing thousands of mouths.

 

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu then embraced VAsudeva Datta and began to speak of his glories as if He had a thousand mouths.

 

nija-guNa zuni' datta mane lajjA pAJA

nivedana kare prabhura caraNe dhariyA

 

nija-guNa--his personal qualities; zuni'--hearing; datta--VAsudeva Datta; mane--in the mind; lajjA pAJA--being ashamed; nivedana kare--submits; prabhura--of Lord SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; caraNe dhariyA--catching the lotus feet.

 

When Caitanya MahAprabhu glorified him, VAsudeva Datta immediately became very much embarrassed and shy. He then submitted himself, touching the Lord's lotus feet.

 

jagat tArite prabhu tomAra avatAra

mora nivedana eka karaha aGgIkAra

 

jagat tArite--to deliver the whole world; prabhu--my Lord; tomAra--Your; avatAra--incarnation; mora--my; nivedana--petition; eka--one; karaha aGgIkAra--please accept.

 

VAsudeva Datta told Caitanya MahAprabhu, "My dear Lord, You incarnate just to deliver all conditioned souls. I now have one petition, which I wish You would accept.

 

karite samartha tumi hao, dayAmaya

tumi mana kara, tabe anAyAse haya

 

karite--to execute; samartha--capable; tumi--You; hao--are; dayA-maya--O merciful one; tumi mana kara--if You so desire; tabe--then; anAyAse--without difficulty; haya--it becomes possible.

 

"My Lord, You are certainly able to do whatever You like, and You are indeed merciful. If You so desire, You can very easily do whatever You want.

 

jIvera duHkha dekhi' mora hRdaya bidare

sarva-jIvera pApa prabhu deha' mora zire

 

jIvera--of all conditioned souls; duHkha dekhi'--by seeing the sufferings; mora--my; hRdaya--heart; bidare--breaks; sarva-jIvera--of all living entities; pApa--the sinful reactions; prabhu--my dear Lord; deha'--just put; mora zire--upon my head.

 

"My Lord, my heart breaks to see the sufferings of all the conditioned souls; therefore I request You to transfer the karma of their sinful lives upon my head.

 

jIvera pApa laJA muJi karoG naraka bhoga

sakala jIvera, prabhu, ghucAha bhava-roga

 

jIvera--of all conditioned souls; pApa laJA--accepting the sinful reactions; muJi--I; karoG--do; naraka--hellish life; bhoga--experience; sakala jIvera--of all living entities; prabhu--my dear Lord; ghucAha--please finish; bhava-roga--the material disease.

 

"My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life."

 

PURPORT

SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta SarasvatI ThAkura gives the following commentary on this verse. In the Western countries, Christians believe that Lord Jesus Christ, their spiritual master, appeared in order to eradicate all the sins of his disciples. To this end, Lord Jesus Christ appeared and disappeared. Here, however, we find SrI VAsudeva Datta ThAkura and SrIla HaridAsa ThAkura to be many millions of times more advanced even when compared with Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ relieved only his followers from all sinful reactions, but VAsudeva Datta is here prepared to accept the sins of everyone in the universe. So the comparative position of VAsudeva Datta is millions of times better than that of Lord Jesus Christ. A VaiSNava is so liberal that he is prepared to risk everything to rescue the conditioned souls from material existence. SrIla VAsudeva Datta ThAkura is universal love itself, for he was willing to sacrifice everything and fully engage in the service of the Supreme Lord.

SrIla VAsudeva Datta knew very well that SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu was the original Personality of Godhead, Transcendence itself, above the material conception of illusion and mAyA. Lord Jesus Christ certainly finished the sinful reactions of his followers by his mercy, but that does not mean he completely delivered them from the pangs of material existence. A person may be relieved from sins once, but it is a practice among Christians to confess sins and yet commit them again. By getting freed from sins and again engaging in them, one cannot attain freedom from the pangs of material existence. A diseased person may go to a physician for relief, but after he leaves the hospital he may again be infected due to his unclean habits. Thus material existence continues. SrIla VAsudeva Datta wanted to completely relieve the conditioned souls from material existence so that they would no longer have an opportunity to commit sinful acts. This is the significant difference between SrIla VAsudeva Datta and Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great offense to receive pardon for sins and then commit the same sins again. Such an offense is more dangerous than the sinful activity itself. VAsudeva Datta was so liberal that he requested SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu to transfer all offensive activity upon him so the conditioned souls would be purified and go back home, back to Godhead. This prayer was certainly without duplicity.

VAsudeva Datta's example is unique not only within this world but within the universe. It is beyond the conception of fruitive actors or the speculation of mundane philosophers. Due to being illusioned by the external energy and due to a poor fund of knowledge, people tend to envy one another. Because of this they are entangled in fruitive activity, and they try to escape this fruitive activity by mental speculation. Consequently neither karmIs nor jJAnIs are purified. In the words of SrIla BhaktisiddhAnta ThAkura, they are kukarmIs and kujJAnIs--bad fruitive actors and bad speculators. The MAyAvAdIs and karmIs should therefore turn their attention to the magnanimous VAsudeva Datta, who wanted to suffer for others in a hellish condition. No one should consider VAsudeva Datta a mundane philanthropist or welfare worker. Nor was he interested in merging into the Brahman effulgence or in gaining material honor or reputation. He was far, far above philanthropists, philosophers and fruitive actors. He was the most exalted personality to ever show mercy to the conditioned souls. This is not an exaggeration of his transcendental qualities. It is perfectly true. Actually, there cannot be any comparison to VAsudeva Datta. As the perfect VaiSNava, he was para-duHkha-duHkhI, very much aggrieved to see others suffer. The entire world is purified simply by the appearance of such a great devotee. Indeed, by his transcendental presence the whole world is glorified and all conditioned souls are also glorified. As Narottama dAsa ThAkura confirms, VAsudeva Datta is the ideal devotee of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu:

gaurAGgera saGgi-gaNe, nitya-siddha kari' mAne,

se yAya vrajendrasuta-pAza

One who executes SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu's mission must be considered eternally liberated. He is a transcendental person and does not belong to this material world. Such a devotee, engaging in the deliverance of the total population, is as magnanimous as SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu Himself.

namo mahA-vadAnyAya kRSNa-prema-pradAya te

kRSNAya kRSNa-caitanya-nAmne gaura-tviSe namaH

[Cc. Madhya 19.53]

Such a personality factually represents SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu because his heart is always filled with compassion for all conditioned souls.

eta zuni' mahAprabhura citta dravilA

azru-kampa-svarabhaGge kahite lAgilA

 

eta zuni'--hearing this; mahAprabhura--of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu; citta--heart; dravilA--became softened; azru--tears; kampa--trembling; svara-bhaGge--with faltering of the voice; kahite--to speak; lAgilA--began.

 

When SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu heard VAsudeva Datta's statement, His heart became very soft. Tears flowed from His eyes, and He began to tremble. In a faltering voice He spoke as follows.

 

"tomAra vicitra nahe, tumi----sAkSAt prahlAda

tomAra upare kRSNera sampUrNa prasAda

 

tomAra--in you; vicitra nahe--this is not extraordinary; tumi--you; sAkSAt prahlAda--incarnation of PrahlAda MahArAja; tomAra upare--upon you; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; sampUrNa--complete; prasAda--mercy.

 

Accepting VAsudeva Datta as a great devotee, the Lord said, "Such a statement is not at all astonishing because you are the incarnation of PrahlAda MahArAja. It appears that Lord KRSNa has bestowed complete mercy upon you. There is no doubt about it.

 

kRSNa sei satya kare, yei mAge bhRtya

bhRtya-vAJchA-pUrti vinu nAhi anya kRtya

 

kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; sei--that; satya kare--fulfills as true; yei--whatever; mAge--wants; bhRtya--servant; bhRtya-vAJchA--the desire of His servant; pUrti--fulfilling; vinu--without; nAhi--there is not; anya--other; kRtya--duty.

 

"Whatever a pure devotee wants from his master, Lord KRSNa doubtlessly grants because He has no duty other than to fulfill the desire of His devotee.

 

brahmANDa jIvera tumi vAJchile nistAra

vinA pApa-bhoge habe sabAra uddhAra

 

brahmANDa--of the universe; jIvera--of all living entities; tumi vAJchile--if you desire; nistAra--deliverance; vinA--without; pApa-bhoge--undergoing tribulations of sinful activities; habe--there will be; sabAra--everyone's; uddhAra--liberation.

 

"If you desire the deliverance of all living entities within the universe, then all of them can be delivered even without your undergoing the tribulations of sinful activity.

 

asamartha nahe kRSNa, dhare sarva bala

tomAke vA kene bhuJjAibe pApa-phala?

 

asamartha nahe--is not unable; kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; dhare--possesses; sarva bala--all potencies; tomAke--you; vA--then; kene--why; bhuJjAibe--would cause to suffer; pApa-phala--results of sinful reactions.

 

"KRSNa is not incapable, for He has all potencies. Why would He induce you to suffer the sinful reactions of other living entities?

 

tumi yAGra hita vAJcha', se haila 'vaiSNava'

vaiSNavera pApa kRSNa dUra kare saba

 

tumi--you; yAGra--of whom; hita vAJcha'--desire the welfare; se--such a person; haila--immediately becomes; vaiSNava--a devotee; vaiSNavera--of a VaiSNava; pApa--the accidental sinful life; kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; dUra kare--vanquishes; saba--all.

 

"Whosever welfare you desire immediately becomes a VaiSNava, and KRSNa delivers all VaiSNavas from the reactions of their past sinful activities.

 

PURPORT

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu here informed VAsudeva Datta that since KRSNa is all-powerful, He can immediately deliver all conditioned souls from material existence. In essence, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu said, "You desire the liberation of all kinds of living entities without discrimination. You are very anxious for their good fortune, and I say that simply by your prayer all living entities within the universe can be liberated. You do not even have to take up the burden of their sinful activities. Thus there is no need for you to suffer for their sinful lives. Whoever receives your compassion becomes a VaiSNava immediately, and KRSNa delivers all VaiSNavas from the reactions to their past sinful activities." KRSNa also promises this in the Bhagavad-gItA (18.66):

sarva-dharmAn parityajya mAm ekaM zaraNaM vraja

ahaM tvAM sarva-pApebhyo mokSayiSyAmi mA zucaH

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

As soon as one fully surrenders to KRSNa, he becomes a VaiSNava. In this verse from the Bhagavad-gItA KRSNa promises to relieve His devotee from all the reactions to sinful life. It is a fact that a fully surrendered VaiSNava is completely out of the range of material infection. This is to say that he does not suffer the results of his previous pious or impious actions. Unless one is freed from sinful life, one cannot become a VaiSNava. In other words, if one is a VaiSNava, his sinful life is certainly ended. According to the Padma PurANa:

aprArabdha-phalaM pApaM kUTaM bIjaM phalonmukham

krameNaiva pralIyeta viSNu-bhakti-ratAtmanAm

"There are different stages of dormant reactions to sinful activities to be observed in a sinful life. Sinful reactions may be just waiting to take effect [phalonmukha], reactions may be still further dormant [kUTa], or the reactions may be in a seedlike state [bIja]. In any case, all types of sinful reactions are vanquished one after another if a person engages in the devotional service of Lord ViSNu."

 

yas tv indra-gopam atha vendram aho sva-karma-

bandhAnurUpa-phala-bhAjanam Atanoti

karmANi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhAjAM

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

 

yaH--He who (Govinda); tu--but; indra-gopam--to the small red insect called indra-gopa; atha vA--or even; indram--to Indra, King of heaven; aho--oh; sva-karma--of one's own fruitive activities; bandha--bondage; anurUpa--according to; phala--of reactions; bhAjanam--enjoying or suffering; Atanoti--bestows; karmANi--all fruitive activities and their reactions; nirdahati--destroys; kintu--but; ca--certainly; bhakti-bhAjAm--of persons engaged in devotional service; govindam--unto Lord Govinda; Adi-puruSam--the original person; tam--unto Him; aham--I; bhajAmi--offer my obeisances.

 

"'Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who regulates the sufferings and enjoyments due to fruitive activity. He does this for everyone--from the heavenly King Indra down to the smallest insect [indra-gopa]. That very Personality of Godhead destroys the karmic reactions of one engaged in devotional service.'

 

PURPORT

This is a quotation from the Brahma-saMhitA (5.54).

 

tomAra icchA-mAtre habe brahmANDa-mocana

sarva mukta karite kRSNera nAhi kichu zrama

 

tomAra icchA-mAtre--simply by your desire; habe--there will be; brahmANDa-mocana--deliverance of the universe; sarva--everyone; mukta karite--to liberate; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; nAhi--there is not; kichu--even a little; zrama--labor.

 

"Because of your honest desire, all living entities within the universe will be delivered, for KRSNa does not have to do anything to deliver all the living entities of the universe.

 

eka uDumbara vRkSe lAge koTi-phale

koTi ye brahmANDa bhAse virajAra jale

 

eka uDumbara vRkSe--in one uDumbara tree; lAge--there are; koTi-phale--millions of fruits; koTi--millions; ye--which; brahmANDa--of universes; bhAse--float; virajAra--of the VirajA River; jale--in the water.

 

"Just as there are millions of fruits on the uDumbara tree, millions of universes float on the waters of the river VirajA.

 

PURPORT

VirajA is a river that divides the material world from the spiritual world. On one side of the river VirajA is the effulgence of Brahmaloka and innumerable VaikuNTha planets, and on the other side is this material world. It is to be understood that this side of the VirajA River is filled with material planets floating in the Causal Ocean. The name VirajA indicates a marginal position between the spiritual and material worlds, but the VirajA River is not under the control of the material energy. Consequently it is devoid of the three guNas.

 

tAra eka phala paDi' yadi naSTa haya

tathApi vRkSa nAhi jAne nija-apacaya

 

tAra--of the tree; eka phala--one fruit; paDi'--falling down; yadi--if; naSTa haya--becomes destroyed; tathApi--still; vRkSa--the tree; nAhi jAne--does not know; nija-apacaya--its loss.

 

"The uDumbara tree is filled with millions of fruits, and if one falls down and is destroyed, the tree does not even consider the loss.

 

taiche eka brahmANDa yadi mukta haya

tabu alpa-hAni kRSNera mane nAhi laya

 

taiche--similarly; eka brahmANDa--one universe; yadi--if; mukta haya --becomes liberated; tabu--still; alpa-hAni--very little loss; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; mane--the mind; nAhi laya--does not take it very seriously.

 

"In the same way, if one universe is vacated due to the living entities' having been liberated, that is a very little thing for KRSNa. He does not take it very seriously.

 

ananta aizvarya kRSNera vaikuNThAdi-dhAma

tAra gaDa-khAi----kAraNAbdhi yAra nAma

 

ananta--unlimited; aizvarya--opulence; kRSNera--of Lord KRSNa; vaikuNTha-Adi-dhAma--innumerable VaikuNTha planets; tAra--of VaikuNThaloka; gaDa-khAi--surrounding water; kAraNa-abdhi--Causal Ocean; yAra--of which; nAma--name.

 

"The entire spiritual world constitutes the unlimited opulence of KRSNa, and there are innumerable VaikuNTha planets there. The Causal Ocean is considered the surrounding waters of VaikuNThaloka.

 

tAte bhAse mAyA laJA ananta brahmANDa

gaDa-khAite bhAse yena rAi-pUrNa bhANDa

 

tAte--in that water; bhAse--floats; mAyA--the material energy; laJA--taking; ananta--unlimited; brahmANDa--universes; gaDa-khAite--in the surrounding water; bhAse--floats; yena--as if; rAi-pUrNa bhANDa--a pot filled with mustard seeds.

 

"MAyA and her unlimited material universes are situated in that Causal Ocean. Indeed, mAyA appears to be floating like a pot filled with mustard seeds.

 

tAra eka rAi-nAze hAni nAhi mAni

aiche eka aNDa-nAze kRSNera nAhi hAni

 

tAra--of it; eka--one; rAi-nAze--loss of a mustard seed; hAni--loss; nAhi--does not; mAni--notice; aiche--in that way; eka--one; aNDa--universe; nAze--being lost; kRSNera--of KRSNa; nAhi hAni--there is no loss.

 

"Of the millions of mustard seeds floating in that pot, if one seed is lost, the loss is not at all significant. Similarly, if one universe is lost, it is not significant to Lord KRSNa.

 

saba brahmANDa saha yadi 'mAyA'ra haya kSaya

tathApi nA mAne kRSNa kichu apacaya

 

saba brahmANDa--all the universes; saha--with; yadi--if; mAyAra--of the material energy; haya kSaya--there is destruction; tathApi--still; nA--not; mAne--considers; kRSNa--Lord KRSNa; kichu--any; apacaya--lost.

 

"To say nothing of one universal mustard seed, even if all the universes and the material energy [mAyA] are destroyed, KRSNa does not even consider the loss.

 

koTi-kAmadhenu-patira chAgI yaiche mare

SaD-aizvarya-pati kRSNera mAyA kibA kare?

 

koTi--of millions; kAma-dhenu--of desire cows; patira--of the master; chAgI--one she-goat; yaiche--as; mare--dies; SaT-aizvarya-pati--the master of six opulences; kRSNera--of KRSNa; mAyA--external energy; kibA--what; kare--can do.

 

"If a person possessing millions of wish-fulfilling cows loses one she-goat, he does not consider the loss. KRSNa owns all six opulences in full. If the entire material energy is destroyed, what does He lose?"

 

PURPORT

SrIla Bhaktivinoda ThAkura, in clarifying verses 171–179, states that the meaning of these stanzas is very simple but that the purport is a little difficult to understand. Generally, the conditioned souls forget KRSNa when they are enticed by the material, external energy. Consequently they are called kRSNa-bahirmukha, bereft of their relationship with KRSNa. When such a living entity comes under the jurisdiction of the material energy, he is sent into one of the innumerable material universes created by the material energy to give a chance to conditioned souls to fulfill their desires in the material world. Being very eager to enjoy the fruits of their activities, conditioned souls become involved in the actions and reactions of material life. Consequently they enjoy and suffer the results of karma. However, if a conditioned soul becomes KRSNa conscious, the karma of his pious and impious activities is completely destroyed. Simply by becoming a devotee, one is freed of all the reactions of karma. Similarly, simply by the desire of a devotee, a conditioned soul can attain liberation and transcend the results of karma. Since everyone can be liberated in this way, one may conclude that it is according to the sweet will of the devotee whether the material world exists or does not exist. Ultimately, however, it is not the sweet will of the devotee but the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, if He so desires, can completely annihilate the material creation. There is no loss on His part. The owner of millions of cows does not consider the loss of one she-goat. Similarly, Lord KRSNa is the proprietor of both the material and spiritual universes. The material world constitutes only one-fourth of His creative energy. If, according to the desire of the devotee, the Lord completely destroys the creation, He is so opulent that He will not mind the loss.

 

jaya jaya jahy ajAm ajita doSa-gRbhIta-guNAM

tvam asi yad AtmanA samavaruddha-samasta-bhagaH

aga-jagad-okasAm akhila-zakty-avabodhaka te

kvacid ajayAtmanA ca carato 'nucaren nigamaH"

 

jaya jaya--kindly exhibit Your glory; jahi--please conquer; ajAm--nescience, mAyA; ajita--O unconquerable one; doSa--faulty; gRbhIta-guNAm--by which the qualities are accepted; tvam--You; asi--are; yat--because; AtmanA--by Your internal potency; samavaruddha--possessing; samasta-bhagaH--all kinds of opulences; aga--nonmoving; jagat--moving; okasAm--of the embodied living entities; akhila--all; zakti--of potencies; avabodhaka--master; te--You; kvacit--sometimes; ajayA--by the external energy; AtmanA--of Your self; ca--also; carataH--manifesting pastimes (by Your glance); anucaret--confirm; nigamaH--all the Vedas.

 

SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu continued, "'O my Lord, O unconquerable one, O master of all potencies, please exhibit Your internal potency to conquer the nescience of all moving and inert living entities. Due to nescience, they accept all kinds of faulty things, thus provoking a fearful situation. O Lord, please show Your glories! You can do this very easily, for Your internal potency is beyond the external potency, and You are the reservoir of all opulence. You are also the demonstrator of the material potency. You are also always engaged in Your pastimes in the spiritual world, where You exhibit Your reserved, internal potency, and sometimes You exhibit the external potency by glancing over it. Thus You manifest Your pastimes. The Vedas confirm Your two potencies and accept both types of pastimes due to them.'"

 

PURPORT

This verse is taken from SrImad-BhAgavatam (10.87.14). It is from the prayers of the zruti-gaNa, the personified Vedas, who glorify the Lord.

The almighty Personality of Godhead has three potencies--internal, external and marginal. The conditioned souls, who are condemned due to their forgetfulness of the Lord, are put under the control of the external potency when she creates the material world. The three modes of material nature keep the living entity in a constant state of fear (bhayaM dvitIyAbhinivezataH). The conditioned soul is always fearful due to being controlled by the external potency; therefore the conditioned soul should always pray to the almighty Lord to conquer the external potency (mAyA) so that she will no longer manifest her powers, which bind all living entities, moving and inert. By praying in this way one will become eligible to remain constantly in the association of the Lord, thus fulfilling the mission of going back home, back to Godhead.

 

ei mata sarva-bhaktera kahi' saba guNa

sabAre vidAya dila kari' AliGgana

 

ei mata--in this way; sarva-bhaktera--of all the devotees; kahi'--describing; saba guNa--all the good qualities; sabAre--unto everyone; vidAya dila--bade farewell; kari' AliGgana--embracing.

 

In this way, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu described the good qualities of His devotees one after the other. He then embraced them and bade them farewell.

The Matchless Gift 3:

Sukadeva GosvAmI and MahArAja ParIkSit discussed this subject, and ParIkSit MahArAja was anxious to know how the conditioned souls could be saved from their hellish lives. It is the natural desire of a VaiSNava to save suffering humanity. Generally others do not care whether people suffer or not, but a VaiSNava, a devotee of the Lord, is always thinking of how to alleviate the fallen condition of the people. Christians believe that through His crucifixion Lord Jesus Christ assimilated all the sinful activities of the world's people. A devotee of the Lord is always thinking of how to assimilate the sufferings of others. A similar devotee was VAsudeva Datta, who was Lord Caitanya's associate. He told the Lord: "Now that You have come, kindly deliver all people on this earth and take them to VaikuNTha, the spiritual world. And if You think that they are so sinful that they cannot be delivered, please transfer all their sins unto me. I shall suffer for them." This is a VaiSNava's mercy. However, it is not that Jesus Christ or VAsudeva Datta should make a contract for our sins and that we should go on committing them, for this is a most heinous proposal. A VaiSNava or devotee may suffer for all humanity, but the human race or a particular devotee's disciples should not take advantage of this facility and continue to commit sins. One should, rather, realize that since Lord Jesus Christ or VAsudeva Datta suffered for him, he should stop committing sins.

[Bhaktavasya]

This truly wonderful story of Vasudeva Datta had me entranced and melting in appreciation of such an exalted devotee, right up until the comparison with Jesus Christ.

 

I have no doubt that remembering the name and activities of Vasudeva Datta is all auspicious. I just wish my guru hadn't added that comment. But then again, he was the one who taught that there can be various commentaries on transcendental subjects, and still the harmonizing factor is that which increases one's love and appreciation for Radha-Krishna and the dear devotees of God.

 

Baja Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivas adi

Gaura Bhakta Vrnda

 

All equal manifestations of the Supreme Truth

 

[This message has been edited by Bhaktavasya (edited 01-12-2002).]

[gHari]

Vasudeva Datta?

[Tarun]

Begging to be Sent to Hell? Make that 2.

[valaya]

Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada:

 

VAsudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the SrI Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.

 

PURPORT

VAsudeva Datta, the brother of Mukunda Datta, was also a resident of CaTTagrAma. In the Caitanya-bhAgavata it is said, yAGra sthAne kRSNa haya Apane vikraya: VAsudeva Datta was such a powerful devotee that KRSNa was purchased by him. VAsudeva Datta stayed at SrIvAsa PaNDita's house, and in the Caitanya- bhAgavata it is described that Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu was so pleased with VAsudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, "I am only VAsudeva Datta's man. My body is only meant to please VAsudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere." Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. "All My dear devotees," He said, "I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for VAsudeva Datta." VAsudeva Datta initiated SrI Yadunandana AcArya, the spiritual master of RaghunAtha dAsa, who later became RaghunAtha dAsa GosvAmI. This will be found in the Caitanya-caritAmRta, Antya- lIlA, Sixth Chapter, verse 161. VAsudeva Datta spent money very liberally; therefore Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu asked SivAnanda Sena to become his sarakhela, or secretary, in order to control his extravagant expenses. VAsudeva Datta was so kind to the living entities that he wanted to take all their sinful reactions so that they might be delivered by SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. This is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Caitanya-caritAmRta's Madhya-lIlA, verses 159 through 180.

Mahaprabhu, the Golden Avatar,

Embraces hearts of gold;

Radha-dasi manjaris

Deepen Her mood in Him,

Divine Love unconditional

Unlimited endless Grace.

 

------------------

Radhe Radhe always Radhe!

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