Crows And Gopi-Prema Tattva

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

His Divine Grace Paramapujyapada Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja

 

(An excerpt from a lecture on Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-lila 12.80-83, at Krishna-Balarama Mandir, Bhubaneswar, India, September 10, 1993)

 

Often we say, "This Caitanya Caritamrta is the postgraduate study", because in the Caitanya Caritamrta the most confidential tattva, namely prema-tattva is there. Especially, gopi-prema-tattva and radha-prema-tattva are there. It is a very, very deep and confidential tattva. It is not discussed in the general public, because it is meant for paramahamsas. For those who are on the paramahamsa stage, very, very elevated Vaishnavas who have achieved at least the bhava-stage, this course is there. So somehow or other we have this postgraduate class, but I do not know how many students there are.

 

I am a fool because I do not know how many are there. Somehow I beg mercy at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is the supreme authority of this course. So I beg for His mercy because He is wonderfully merciful and He can, as we say, kakera garuda kare, make a crow into Garuda.

 

Mahaprabhu is so wonderfully merciful and His mercy is so inconceivably powerful, potential that even a crow will become Garuda, kakera garuda kare. Therefore I beg mercy at the lotus feet of wonderfully merciful Sriman Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the supreme authority of this tattva.

 

"These students are all crows Mahaprabhu, please shower your mercy on them so that they will become Garuda and understand this tattva. Otherwise there is no question at all."

 

I am a fool, I have such a class here but I do not know how many students there are, all crows. As a matter of fact, if this topic comes up, I cannot but speak it. Because this is Caitanya Caritamrta, this topic of tattva comes up. In this verse it says, krishna-prema-maya, this prema-tattva comes up so I cannot but speak it. What shall I do? I have been cursed. If I won't speak I will die. This curse is on me so what shall I do?

 

Although crows are there and they cannot understand, the curse is on me. I cannot but speak it, otherwise I will die, that is the curse. So I pray for the mercy of Mahaprabhu, "Please shower Your mercy on these crows Mahaprabhu, and let them be empowered, let them be Garuda and understand this tattva."

 

[This excerpt is found in the book "Bhakti-naipunya - The Last Limit of Bhakti", published by Sri Guru Gauranga Press, 1994.]