Vakresvara Pandit - Disappearance Day on Sasthi

[raga]

Today (Vamana Masa/Sasti/Variyana/Uttara-Phalguni) we are remembering the disappearance of Vakresvara Pandit. His appearance day was celebrated some two weeks prior to today, on the Pancami. You can read more about Vakresvara here.

 

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<font face=Georgia color=#0E334D><center>VAKRESVARA AND DEVANANDA PANDIT</center>

 

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.”

 

<center>(Caitanya Bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter three)</center>