Sree Krishna Chaitanya
BY: SUN STAFF
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Jan 12, CANADA (SUN) — An idea of certain features of the Transcendental Personality of the Supreme Lord through the medium of the English Language. By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's disciple, Prof. N. K. Sanyal, M.A., of Ravenshaw College, Cuttack.
SREE KRISHNA CHAITANYA
VOL. I
BY
NISIKANTA SANYAL, M.A., BHAKTISHASTRl
Senior Professor of History, Ravcnshaw College, Cuttack
PREFACE
The writer does not intend the book for the Indianists only, nor for any particular sect or group of people. His appeal is to all persons, in every country, of both sexes, young and old including children, for accepting the unique chance of self-acquaintance offered by the living words of the present Most Revered Spiritual Head of Sree Madhva-Gaudiya Community, His Divine Grace Paramahansa-paribrajakacharyya Sree Srimat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj.
No one can be more alive to the endless imperfections of the book than the unworthy writer. He has only one apology to offer to all his readers, vis., that he was compelled to write by the overpowering necessity of placing his experiences of the Personality and Activities of His Divine Grace and His associated counterparts before the world by way of his humble service, in response to the great and causeless mercy of Sree Guru towards a confirmed rationalist whose case is more or less typical of that of his brethren.
It is also for the same reason
that the work will be found to embody the method of rational
enquiry being committed to the apparently vain attempt of measuring the unlimited by its admittedly incompatible resources. This
performance would never have seen the light of the day of actual
publication but for the causeless kindness of the Acharyya who
was pleased to accept this unworthy offering and thereby impart
the real value to the gropings of irreclaimable egotism.
My only request to the reader is that he or she may not
really doubt that the above words are penned by an unrepentant
rationalist who has been unable to find for himself the relief that
he has the hardihood of declaring to be within the reach of all.
In his own case this is, no doubt, the real and unpar3onable piece
of inconsistency. He is something like a privileged onlooker, by
unsolicited permission, of a secondary aspect of the transcendental
activities of the group of bona fide devotees of the Supreme Lord
Sree Krishna-Chaitanya, who have been unaccountably pleased to
appear in the midst of the polemical generation of the present
wrangling Age, for making real enlightenment available to all
persons who are compelled seriously to seek for the same by the
driving pressure of a denying rationalism.
It is the submission of this slight and imperfect narrative that
the needed relief is to be sought from the living source who is no
other than the Transcendental Agent of Godhead Himself. It is
possible for the rational judgment also to be satisfied, so far as such
satisfaction is at all possible, if the Office of the Acharyya is really,
even though at first necessarily tentatively, admitted by the establishment of personal communion, by temporary unreserved abeyance
of one's assertive judgment, with His Divine Grace, through the
enlightening help of His associated counterparts. The narrative
seeks to set forth some of the rational grounds in favour of the
universal adoption of such course.
As the writer had to stay at a long distance from the publisher
and printers by the pressure of his official duties, many small and
a few major inaccuracies, for which the writer is responsible,
have unfortunately escaped detection. The kind forgiveness of
the reader is solicited for these regrettable shortcomings which
should be avoidable in a work of this nature.
RAVENSHAW COLLEGE, CUTTACK,
NISIKAXTA SAXYAL
November 15, 1932
CONTENTS
AUSPICATORY OBSERVANCE pp. 1-9
Obeisance to Sree Guru, the devotees and the Supreme
Lord. Sree Krishna-Chaitanya did not appear primarily for
delivering conditioned souls. The Real Purpose of His
Appearance concerns Himself as He is. Godhead is willing
and able to disclose His Own Specific Self.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER I, OBJECT AND METHOD. pp. 10-27
The object is to write the theistic account of Sree
Krishna-Chaitanya identical with the Absolute Truth fully
revealed by Himself. The Narrative has been received from
preceptors whose vision is undisturbed by physical or mental
obstruction. But they did not tell this thing in the present
form and language. Sources of the present work.
Thakur Bhaktivinode is the pioneer of the spiritual exposi-
tion of the Career of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya in the present
Age.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER II, THE REAL NATURE OF SREE KRISHNA pp. 28-45
Empiric misinterpretation of the transcendental history
of Krishna due to sectarian rancour. Outline of the Career
of Krishna.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER III, THE HIGHEST WORSHIP OF SREE KRISHNA pp. 46-65
The transcendental nature of the amorous service of
Krishna by the spiritual milkmaids of Braja is realisable by
conditioned souls by gradual stages as the result of their
progressive endeavours on the path of spiritual living.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER IV, COMPARATIVE STUDY
OF RELIGION pp. 66-94
The comparative study of Religion is the study of the
Distinctive Divine Personalities revealed by the Vedic and
Puranic records.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER V, HISTORY OF ATHEISM, pp. 95-136
The genesis and great variety of the atheistical schools
directly and indirectly dominate religious opinion of the
world.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER VI, HISTORY OF THEISM, pp. 137-148
Progressive revelation of the highest Divine service has
been the correlative of the growing volume and nature of
atheistical opposition.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER VII, THE FOUNDER-
ACHARYYAS PP-149-165
The systems of Sree Vishnuswami, Sree Nimbaditya,
Sree Ramanuja and Sree Madhva mark the revival of Vaishnavism traceable to the pre-historic records. They embody
the reverential worship of Vishnu. Their secondary value
consists in being an uncompromising protest against the
opinions of the speculative creeds. Their spiritual synthesis,
although sound, is incomplete.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER VIII, HISTORICAL
VAISHNAVISM pp. 166-194
Historical evidence of the prevalence of the worship of
Vishnu, as Transcendental Godhead, is available from time
immemorial. Revelation is an eternal spiritual process and
not a mundane phenomenon occurring within the span of
measurable time. The nature of the historical position of
Srimad Bhagavatam.
INTRODUCTORY: CHAPTER IX, HISTORY OF DIVINE
DESCENTS (AVATARAS) pp. 195-212
The History of Theism is the History of the Descents
of the "Divinity and His Paraphernalia to the mundane plane
CHAPTER I: COUNTRY AND SOCIETY pp. 213-232
Spiritual Gauda and Nabadwip are different from the
mundane country and town bearing those names. Identification of the site of Old Nabadwip, 'the City of the Nine
Islands', and the places that are the scenes of the Activities
of the Lord. Sree Mayapur. Old Nabadwip was a famous
university town. Current religious practices of the period.
Nature and cause of the unpopularity of the Vaishnavas.
CHAPTER II: FAMILY AND ELDERS pp. 233-250
Correspondence between the Leelas of Sree Krishna and
Sree Krishna-Chaitanya. The Kindreds, associates and
servitors of the Lord form the eternal Divine Paraphernalia.
Sree Jagannath Misra; Sree Nityananda; Sree Thakur Hari-
das; Sree Advaitacharyya; Sree Madhabendra Puri; Sree
Iswara Puri. Implications of the Name 'Sree Krishna-
Chaitanya'.
CHAPTER III: BIRTH AND INFANCY pp. 251-269
Advaita invokes the Birth of Sree Krishna. The
Appearance of the Lord hinted in the Scriptures. Divine
Birth described. The Birth of the Lord hailed by His
Elders. Spiritual nature of the Event. Advent of the
Lord was greeted by the chant of Hari. Casting the Horoscope of the Divine Infant. Sachi Devi worships the Ganges
and the goddess Sasthi. The nature of the parental affection
of Jagannath Misra and Sachi Devi. Avatara (Descent)
does not mean 'Incarnation'.
CHAPTER IV: INFANCY AND BOYHOOD pp. 270-282
The Baby was attended by all the ladies of the neighbourhood who constantly sang the Name of Hari to stop His
cries. Extraordinary and funny incidents happened daily.
Naming of the Baby. Significance of the Name 'Viswambhara*. The custom of testing the disposition of a new-born
baby embodies the underlying principle of the varnashrama
institution. The Activities of Infant Nimai are very much
appreciated by devotees. The Baby catches hold of a venomous serpent and is couched on its coils. The Deeds of Sree
Chaitanya are not manifestations of yogic powers.
CHAPTER V: BOYHOOD pp. 283-303
Child Nimai dances to the ladies chant of Hari. He
begs from passers-by fruits and sweetmeats and gives them
as reward to those ladies. His reckless depredations in the
neighbours' houses. An extremely naughty Child. The
Boy is detected in the Act of eating raw earth in preference
to fried rice and sweetmeats. The Child is stolen by two
thieves. The parents see the Foot-prints of Vishnu in the
room of the Child. Nimai eats the food cooked by a pilgrim Brahmana for being offered to Divine Cow-Boy and manifests to him His Own Divine Form of Gopdla.
CHAPTER VI: GROWING BOY pp. 304-318
Beginning of study. Perforation of the ear. Tonsure.
Learning the alphabet. Strange Boyish demands. Nimai ate
the offerings prepared for Vishnu on ekddashi clay by Jagadis
and Hiranya Pandits. The Lord is recognisable only by His
servants. Nimai was leader of all the turbulent Brahmana
urchins. His mischievous pranks at the bathing ghats of the
Ganges. Imitations of these Activities by modern pseudo-
Incarnations. Supernatural experiences of Sachi and tyfisra.
CHAPTER VII: GROWING BOY (continued) pp. 319-342
Nimai makes His mother promise to observe the ekddashi
fast. His turbulence continues to increase. He is afraid
only of Viswarup, His elder brother. Account of Viswarup.
Attractiveness of Nimai. Viswarup renounces the world.
Advaita declares to the devotees the certainty of the Coming
of Krishna within a short time. Child Nimai shows Himself
to the devotees in response to the assurance of Advaita.
Nimai becomes more attentive to His studies. The ban on
His studies is removed. The underlying principle of ceremonial purity and impurity. His Investiture with the
sacrificial thread. Sree Vamana and King Bali. Nimai is
admitted to the chatuspathi of Sree Gangadas Pandit. His
relations with His fellow-students. Nimai's tippani of the
sutras of Kalapa Fyakarana. Misra beholds in a dream the
sannyas of Nimai. Misra's disappearance.
CHAPTER VIII: EARLY YOUTH AND STUDENT-LIFE, pp. 343-357
Love of Sachi Devi for Nimai. Wayward Conduct of
Nimai towards Sachi Devi. Nimai procures gold for the
family in an unaccountable manner. Vaishnavism is not
sentimentalism. The Career of Sree Chaitanya is to be
followed, not imitated. The beautiful appearance of Nima: as student. Looked up to by the pupils of Gangadas
Pandit. Routine work at the Academy of Gangadas Pandit.
Murari Gupta. Nimai's opposition to the mode of instruc-
tion current in the Academies of Nabadwip.
CHAPTER IX: PROFESSOR-LIFE AND MARRIAGE pp. 358-374
Nimai Pandit sets up His Own Academy in the Chandi Mandap of Mukunda-Sanjaya. He regrets mal-interpretation of the Shastras by the empiric teachers of Nabadwip.
Meeting with Sree Lakshmi Devi. Nature of the Marriage
of Godhead. Banamali Acharyya is match-maker. Marriage
Ceremonies. Sachi Devi realises the Divine Nature of the
Bride. Misunderstandings regarding Marriage of Nimai
Pandit.
CHAPTER X: PROFESSOR-LIFE (continued) pp. 375-390
Professor Nimai was admired by all except the Vaishnavas. Mukunda Datta. Popular estimate of Kirtana as mode
of worship. Nimai Pandit makes the acquaintance of Sree
Isvara Puri. Sree-Krishnaleelamrita. Sree Isvara Puri's
loving devotion to Krishna. Nimai Pandit's disputations
with Mukunda Datta and Gadadhar. Nimai Pandit's logical
riddles. Strolls the streets of Nabadwip in the company of
His pupils, inviting public disputation on any subject.
Discourses to pupils on the bank of the Ganges.
CHAPTER XI: UNRECOGNISED DIRECT MANIFESTATION, pp. 391-406
Manifestation of Himself as the Divinity under the guise
of nervous malady. Rationale of misunderstandings regarding spiritual manifestation. Is such manifestation inconsistent with His Role of Devotee? Complete understanding
of the subject not possible except by the mercy of the spiritual preceptor. Specific difficulty in the way of physicians
who put their faith in Medical Science. Departmental view
of Religion. Real nature of spiritual activity.
CHAPTER XII: IN THE STREETS OF NABADWIP pp. 407-428
Afternoon visits to citizens. In a weaver's home. In
the milk-men's quarter. In the homes of, a dealer of per-
fumes, a garland-maker, a betel-seller, a dealer in conches.
In the home of a diviner who calculates His former Births.
The diviner's realisation. The Lord's conversation with
Sridhar. Object of these visits. Sridhar's philosophy. Is
begging the legitimate occupation of Brahmauas? Did Sree
Gaursundar approve the trade of the betel-seller? The
eternally free state of the soul. Sachi hears the strains of
the Divine Flute and has the vision of the never-ending
Divine Manifestations. Nature of the service of Sree Sachi
Devi. Arrogance of Sree Gaursundar. Sree Gaursundar
did not engage in amorous pastimes with hypothetical mistresses. Krishna's Conduct not to be imitated by jivas.
Mercy of Sree Gaursundar. Sribas Pandit discourages
Arrogance of Sree Gaursundar. Reverential rersus confidential service.
CHAPTER XIII: THE IDEAL HOUSEHOLDER pp. 429-466
Hospitality to chance-guests. Charity and open-handed
hospitality to chance-guests the principal duties of every
householder. The underlying principle of such injunction.
Provision for the poor. Relation of house holder to Sannyasin. The specific Nature of the Charity of Sree Gaursundar.
Duties of Vaishnava Householder. Lakshmi Devi cooks the
family meals. Her household duties described. Position of
wife in the household of her husband. Personal service of
Godhead. Performance of domestic duties to please the
Supreme Lord. Menial work and personal subordination.
Desire for sensuous enjoyment root-cause of all mundane
trouble. Relationship of Sree Lakshmi Devi to Sree Gaursundar grossly misunderstood by philanthropists. Sojourn of the Lord to East Bengal. Sree Gaursundar teaches the
Brahmanas of East Bengal. Effect of His Visit Pre-
tenders to saviourship condemned by Thakur Vrindavandas.
Ethical conduct obligatory on all. Moral life not the goa1
of human activities. Disappearance of Sree Lakshmi Devi.
Personality of Sree Lakshmi Devi.
CHAPTER XIV: TAPAN MISRA; RETURN FROM EAST BENGAL.
pp. 467-488
Nimai Pandit accepts presents from His pupils. Trade
in religious teaching forbidden. Tapan Misra enquires about
the real nature of the object and method of spiritual practices.
Tapan Misra's dream. The Lord divulges to Tapan Misra
the Divine Dispensation of the Kali Age. The Mahamantra.
Observations on the Creed. Misunderstandings. The simplest
possible Creed. Is faith in Creed rational? Mahamantra not
a magical formula. Nature of spiritual enlightenment. Return
of Nimai Pandit from East Bengal. He learns about the
Disappearance of Sree Lakshmi Devi. Nimai Pandit consoles
His mother. Spiritual conduct and worldly needs. Grief of
Sree Gaursundar.
CHAPTER XV: MARRIAGE WITH SREE VISHNUPRIYA DEVI.
pp. 489-511
The making of tilaka mark on the forehead compulsory
for His students. Distinction between tripundra and urdha-pundra. Is tilaka mark a ''symbol"? Nimai Pandit shuns the
society of woman. This is ignored by the pseudo-sect of
Gaur-Nagaris. Condemnation of sexuality by the Scriptures.
Spiritual amour and carnality. The charge that Sree
Chaitanya was of unsound mind. Marriage of the Lord for
a second time. The sacrament of marriage. The Conduct
of Sree Chaitanya identical with, yet distinct from, the
Leela of Sree Krishna. Sree Chaitanya personates the
Function of Sree Radhika. Kasinath Pandit is matchmaker.
The adhibtis ceremony.
CHAPTER XVI: MARRIAGE WITH SREE VISHNUPRIYA
DEVI (continued) pp. 512-524
The Marriage Ceremonies. Buddhimanta Khan. Significance of the Lord's Marriage. The Personality of Sree
Vishnupriya Devi. Sree, Bhu, and Nedd. The inter-
dependant nature of the Functions of the Distinctive Powers
of the Lord. Significance of the subsequent Renunciation
of the world by the Lord.
CHAPTER XVII: TRIUMPHS OF LEARNING pp. 525-541
New Method of Teaching. Nature of His erudition
distinct from defective intcllectualism. Pandits of Nabadwip
tailed to learn the Truth. Personal mediation of the
Teacher. Nimai Pandit exposes the sophistries of the
Pandits of Nabadwip. Controversy with Keshab Bhatta 'Conqueror of all quarters* (digvijayi). Deliverance of Keshab
Bhatta. Popular appreciation of the scholarship of the Lord.
CHAPTER XVIII: SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOLASTIC
TRIUMPHS pp. 542-563
The text of the shloka of Keshab Bhatta impeached by
Sree Chaitanya. Hie goddess of worldly learning always
misleads her votaries. Sree Jiva Goswami not an empiric
controversialist. Plight of Keshab Bhatta. Real remedy
of real miseries. Cause and nature of the deliverance of
Keshab Bhatta. Empiric knowledge does not give possession
of power. Empiric knowledge superfluous on attainment of
spiritual enlightenment. It is possible to know the Truth.
Non-transcendental knowledge subordinate to transcendental.
The want to know identical with the want to serve the
Absolute. How inclination to serve the Truth is produced.
The shock of spiritual awakening. Sight of the Lord. Function of empiric learning. Submission to the Divine Person.
Personality and Truth. Transcendental personality of the
devotee. Keshab I'hatta not to be confounded with Keshab
Kashmiri. 'Krama-decpika'. The distinctive characteristic
of the servants of Sree Gaursundar. Why the achievements
of this world pass away. Abuse of empiric knowledge aggra vates aversion to Truth. Arrogance of the devotee of the
Lord the perfection of humility.
CHAPTER XIX: THAKUR HARIDAS BEFORE His
MEETING WITH SREE GAURSUNDAR pp. 565-592
Thakur Haridas is the Authorised Divine Agent for the
promulgation of the chant of the Holy Name, the New Dispensation of the Age. Horn in a Muhammadan family.
Conversion of the harlot. Process of reclamation of sinners
by the chant of the Name explained. It is not blind faith.
Sensuousness obstructs faith. Conventional and real morality.
'Reformers' often misunderstand the Scriptures. The teaching of the Shastras is the function of Brahmanas. Novelty
of the new worship resented by Hindus. Empiricism cannot
consistently object to the chant of the Name. The only
function of the soul. Thakur Haridas is real Brahmana.
Raghunath Das Goswami, then a boy, meets Thakur Haridas and receives his mercy. Thakur Haridas' exposition of
the chant of the Name opposed by Gopal Chakravarty as
contravening the principles of monistic interpretation of the
Vcddnta. Devotion, work and knowledge. Pessimism and
optimism versus Absolutism. Truth is not impersonal which
is the limiting point of all rational discussion. Submission
to non-God. The Transcendental Sound. Crossness of the
ideal of Liberationism. Enjoyment versus love. Children
benefit by association with Sadhus.
CHAPTER XX : THAKUR HARIDAS BEFORE His MEETING
WITH SREE GAURSUNDAR (continued) pp. 593-622
Thakur Haridas shifts to Fulia and meets Advaita
Acharyya. Chanting of the Name identical with the
amorous loving devotion of Braja. The Ten offences against
the Name. Thakur Haridas' life at Fulia is altogether
different from the practices of prakrita sahajiyas (psilanthrophists). Does Thakur Haridas' creed provide for the
needs of our worldly life, or should it be admired from a
distance like Monism? The real meaning of the Life of
Sree Chaitanya can be realised by following the teaching
of Thakur Haridas. Thakur Haridas same as Brahma. Chant-
ing of the Name suits modern conditions. Realisation is progressive. How to avoid the clutches of the pseudo-sadhu. The
Kazi sets the Moslem Governor against Thakur Haridas.
Thakur Haridas' advice to the prisoners. Does the chanter
of the Name require the so-called 'necessaries' of life?
Thakur Haridas ordered by the Governor to be beaten to
death. The form of the dialogue, used in transcendental
narratives, should not be misunderstood. Principle of religious toleration liable to be misunderstood. Why the
persecution of Thakur Haridas cannot be defended.
Immunity of Thakur Haridas from bodily pain and injury.
CHAPTER XXI: THAKUR HARIDAS (continued) pp. 623-642
Exhibition of power by Thakur Haridas impresses his
persecutors and secures him against further molestation.
Thakur Haridas dances at the show of the snake-charmer.
The cudgelling of the hypocrite Brahmana by the snake-
charmer. Spiritual perturbation. The standing grievances
of atheists. A Brahmana of Harinadi opposes the chanting
of the Name with a loud voice. Name and mantra.
CHAPTER XXII: PILGRIMAGE TO GAYA AND
INITIATION pp. 643-666
Brahmana as sole custodian of the education of the
people. The life, enjoined by the Scriptures on a Brahmana,
is the probationary stage of spiritual enlightenment. The
Lord sets out on pilgrimage to Gaya ostensibly for the
purpose of performing the funeral rites of His departed
father. The Lord visits Sree Madhusudana at Mandara.
He drinks the feet-wash of Brahmanas. The Lord is the
Servant of His servant. At Poonapoona. The sight of the
Foot-prints of Sree Gadadhara produces in the Lord all the
perturbations of loving devotion and is the turning point of
His Career. The sight of Hari's Feet produces the serving
disposition irrespective of fitness. The ethical problem.
Ethical necessity of Divine Grace. The Real Presence of the
Feet of Sree Gadadhara at Gaya as Archa. The Lord meets
Sree Isvara Puri in the Temple of the Holy Feet of Gadadhara. Meeting with Sree Guru. The Lord obtains the
favour of initiation (diksha) from Sree Isvara Puri. The
nature of unconditional surrender to the Guru.
CHAPTER XXIII: His INITIATION (continued) pp. 667-688
The spiritual principle underlying ritualistic worship.
Mentalist objections to ritual. Quest for the substantive
spiritual function rendered possible by the grace of the bona
fide teacher of the Truth. Objectionable form of association
with evil. Funeral rituals. Misunderstandings regarding
the ritual of diksha. Readiness to appreciate the transcendental point of view in India, a valuable asset for humanity.
The relation of the Guru to his disciple. Mantra admits to
the spiritual communion which is necessary for its fruition.
Connection of the New Dispensation with the older communions. Speedy effects of the Mantra on Nimai Pandit.
Nimai Pandit's changed Conduct. Miracles and transcendental events. Human Form of the Divinity.
CHAPTER XXIV: His INITIATION AND AFTER pp. 689-709
Method of service analogous to that of the mood of
separation, alone available on the material plane. Mood of
separation different from asceticism. Infinity of functions
towards the Absolute. Cause of the Sorrowful Mood of
Nimai Pandit. His Search for Krishna as sannyasin, not to
be mistaken for Salvationism. Sight of Krishna the fulfilment of the probationary stage and beginning of the real
search. Archana and symbolical worship. Place of mantra
in Archana. Archana sanctioned by Godhead is fulfilled by
the vision of the Divinity as He is. Quasi-spiritual activities
involve neither attachment nor aversion to mundane entities
but are full of spiritual interest. Archana and bhajana.
Conduct prompted by the higher form of worship cannot be
understood by those who are not spiritually advanced. The
Religion of the Chant of the Name is supremely simple and
profound. The personality of a stidhu. Every one is
naturally sincere. Insincerity a suicidal folly. The Absolute
docs not deceive anybody. Physical cases obstruct spiritual
living. Persistence of spiritual memory possible by the grace
of the sadhu. Service of the sadhu possible only on the
transcendental plane. Perfect openness of mind is necessary
for not grossly misunderstanding the Activity of Sree Chaitanya after His Initiation, which is the subject of the next
volume.
ALL GLORY TO SREE GURU AND GAURANGA
AUSPICATORY OBSERVANCE
I make my prostrated obeisance to Sree Guru in the two forms
of the Guide who imparts enlightenment and those who teach
the function of Divine service to prevent lapse into the conditioned
state by ensuring progressive advance on the path of devotion.
Obeisance to the Devotees of the Lord, to the Supreme Lord
Himself, to those eternal Forms in which the Lord manifests His
Appearances (Avataras) on this mundane plane, to His different
Manifestations and His Powers! I bow to the Name Krishna-
Chaitanya Who is Krishna Himself and all the Divine Categories. Obeisance to Sree Krishna-Chaitanya with Lord Nityananda Who are like the Sun and the Moon risen in conjunction
on the Eastern Hill of Gauda! Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya
manifested His Appearance in this world in order to give away
by His causeless mercy the highest loving service of Himself
that had never been bestowed on the conditioned souls of this
world prior to His Appearance. May Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya, resplendent with the concentrated hue of beauteous shining
gold, manifest Himself in the inmost chamber of the hearts of all
persons!
Submission to Sree Hari, Sree Guru and the Vaishnavas is the
only condition of attaining to loving devotion to the Feet of Sree
Krishna and His devotees. The fulfilment of this condition
assures the success of the undertaking by enabling all persons who
listen to the Narrative of the Deeds of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya
to obtain His mercy in the shape of the highest quality of devotion to the Feet of Sree Radha-Krishna.
Sree Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami in the opening verses of
his work on the Deeds of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya has mercifully
explained in some detail, for our benefit, the nature, purpose and
necessity of the auspicatory observance as a preliminary for the
success of all spiritual undertakings. I can do no better than
follow in his footsteps by attempting to explain the significance of
the form of the auspicatory observance.
The auspicatory observance consists of three parts, rk., (1)
the postulation of the subject-matter, (2) benedictory purpose, and
(3) offering of submissive obeisance.
The subject-matter of the present work is Sree Krishna-
Chaitanya.
Sree Krishna-Chaitanya is identical with Sree Krishna. He
is the Final and Absolute Reality. He is Isvara, the Gurus, the
Devotees, the Divine Appearances and the Divine Powers. These
are the distinctive Divine Identities. The undifferentiated
Brahman of the Upanishads is the glow bf His Person. The
Oversold, Who indwells and regulates every entity, is His Portion.
Bhagawan, Who is full of all Supremacy, all Power, all Glory, all
Beauty, all Knowledge and Freedom from every mundane Desire,
is Sree Chaitanya. There is no higher Entity than Sree Chaitanya and Sree Krishna.
The Deeds of the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya
are narrated in this work. His Deeds were made manifest to the
view of the people of this world that all conditioned souls may be
enabled thereby to attain to the realisation of loving devotion to
the Feet of Sree Sree Radha-Govinda, which constitutes the highest platform of the service of the Divinity and the knowledge of
which had not been divulged to any soul of this world by any former Dispensation. All this will flash to the hearts of all persons
who really seek for the Truth, by the causeless mercy of the Son of
Sree Sachi Devi wearing the yellow colour of shining gold.
The Deeds of Sree Chaitanya are grounded in His Divinity.
The Activity of the Hlliddini Potency born of the reciprocal Love
of Sree Sree Radha Krishna, Who constitute One Personality,
brings about differentiation of Divine Body as Couple. The Two
Bodies of the Divine Couple re-unite as Chaitanya. The united
Form is Krishna's Ownself clothed with the glow of the Beauty
of Sree Radhika.
The secondary Purpose of the Appearance of Sree Krishna-
Chaitanya in this world found in the Scriptures is what has been
stated above, viz., the bestowal of loving devotion to all conditioned souls. But there was another Purpose which is the main
cause of His Appearance. It is not explicitly mentioned in the
Scriptures but is recognisable as their hidden Import.
The main Purpose of the Appearance of the Supreme Lord
Sree Krishna-Chaitanya is connected with His distinctive Nature
that has been indicated. Krishna is anxious to learn how His
Divine Counter-Whole, Sree Radhika, realises His Own Sweetness
and Beauty. In order to have this experience Sree Krishna
clothes Himself with the mood of Sree Radhika and appears in
the Form of an Eternal Union with Her, alongside of and identical
with the coupled Form.
This is the inner hidden significance of the Deeds of Sree
Krishna-Chaitanya. This distinguishes the Lccla of Sree Chaitanya from that of Sree Krishna.
Sree Nityananda and Sree Advaita are inseparably associated
with the Appearance of Sree Chaitanya in this world. It is not
possible to realise the nature of the Deeds of Sree Chaitanya without the knowledge of the Personalities of Sree Nityananda and
Sree Advaita.
Through Nityananda and Advaita the connection of Sree
Krishna with the mundane world is established and maintained.
This brings us to the question of the transcendental cosmology of
the Scriptures. There is a gradation of spheres one above another
up to Goloka, the Abode of Sree Krishna. In Goloka are found
Baladeva, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, the "Other Selves" of
Krishna. Nityananda is identical with Baladeva in Goloka.
Below Goloka, in the realm of the Absolute, is Vaikuntha.
In Goloka Balarama or Baladeva is the serving Self of Krishna
(Bilas-bigraha). Baladeva is Krishna in the role of serving His
Own Self in various capacities. Vaikuntha is the realm of the
exclusive Activities of Baladeva. In Vaikuntha, accordingly, the
fourfold expansion of Sree Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha, the
Manifestation of Baladeva, corresponds to the ''Other Selves" of
Krishna in Goloka with the difference that in Vaikuntha the
^expansion" (byuha) is of the "Other Self" of Krishna or Baladeva
Who is delegated the power of expressing his service of Sree
Krishna in a realm of his own where His plenary Manifestation,
Sree Narayana, is served by the method of reverence. Baladeva
and his realm of Vaikuntha express and serve the Majesty of Sree
Krishna. The conception of the service of Sree Baladeva, the
Majestic Other Self of Krishna, is the highest that is reached by
the help of such imperfect Revelation as is not wholly unacceptable
to the empiric instinct, although the practice of this pure form
of the reverential service is also very rare in this world. All the
revealed Scriptures, with the single exception of the Bhagawatam,
are to a more or less extent the text-books of reverential worship.
The reverential service of Godhead in its genuine form is wholly
free from any mundane grossness, although there is in it a comparative reference of eligibility. The ordinary degenerate
practices of the revealed religions are a caricature of the real function which cannot be realised till the soul is released from the
fetters of Nescience.
In Vaikuntha there exist positive transcendental activities
resulting from the relationships of servants and Master between
the individual souls and Godhead. But Godhead is there present
in His Majesty and not in His Beauty and Sweetness except in the
sense that is compatible with the predominance of His Majesty.
The ideal of Heaven and Paradise of the Elevationist religions is
a misrepresentation of Vaikuntha in terms of mundane felicity.
Vaikuntha is, however, the goal that is dear to ordinary theistically
inclined persons with pure morals. It is substantially inconceivable but is not apparently opposed to the ordinary aspirations and
functions of this world, at the first sight.
Next below Vaikuntha is the realm of the Brahman in which
there is no specific spiritual activity neither any form of worldly
existence but which is full of a light which has the negative quality
of dispelling all worldly ignorance without having power to disclose the specific nature of the transcendental realm. This is the
realm of the Brahman of the Upanishads, which has been the
.source and support, as manipulated by Sree Sankaracharya, of the
empiric worship current in this country that denies the existence
of Godhead and substitutes in place of the religion of His service
one aiming at complete spiritual annihilation by the process of
merging the individual soul in the Divinity. As a matter of fact
the realm of. the Brahman of the Upanishads is not a habitable
region at all but a sphere of light which has to be got across to
reach the realm from where it proceeds and with which alone the
emancipated soul can have anything really to do.
The realm of the Brahman is the outer limit of the Absolute
world. Between this outer uninhabited zone of the spiritual realm
and the highest sphere of this mundane world there flows the
stream of the Biraja whose water is the causal essence in the
nascent form of liquid. This liquid is pure from all mundane
quality. A person who bathes in the river prior to entry into the
realm of the Brahman is freed from all mundane aptitudes.
It is in this stream that there appears the Purusha, Who is
the derivative of Balarama, being a secondary plenary Form of
the Divinity. There are three Purushas in the successive order
of such secondary derivative manifestation, viz., (1) He, Who
lies in the Ocean of the causal water of the Biraja, (2) He Who
lies in the water of the Ocean of Milk, and (3) He Who lies in
the Ocean of the fluid of the Womb of the worlds. It is these
Purushas, the secondary extended selves of Baladeva, each being
the proximate source of the One next following Him, Who are
the Creators and Regulators of the mundane world without being
themselves any constituent part, or whole, of the same.
The first of these three Purushas wills the creation of the
world and wills to make use of the deluding Potency for the
purpose. In respect of the process of material creation He
occupies the position that the potter occupies in the making of pots
of clay. The potter's wheel, clay and appliances attain their effective existence by another potency of the same Purusha. It is,
therefore, the first of the series of the Purushas Who is the source
of both the efficient as well as material cause of creation. But
in neither capacity He Himself belongs to this world. He does
all this work from outside the plane of the limiting energy. Brahma and Siva are connected with the material energy by actual
incorporation with her. While Vishnu (the Purusha), although
exercising His function with reference to the material world, is
situated wholly beyond all touch with the material energy. The
Purushas bear the Name of Vishnu by reason of this transcendental pervading relationship with the mundane world.
As transcendence, in the form of both cause and material of
the mundane creation, belongs to the first Purusha, the second
Purusha is charged by Him with the function of the collective
regulation of the created entities. The third Purusha performs
the same function from inside each separate created entity. These
two, therefore, are the sources of those spiritual functions that
bear some analogy to the imperfect empiric notions, enunciated
by Kant and other philosophers of the idealist schools of the West,
conveyed by the ill-defined terms, Immanence and Transcendence.
These terms of the empiric vocabulary refer to aspects of limited
phenomena but the immanence and transcendence of the third and
second Purusha Avataras of Vishnu are not a continuum of the
material sheaf which is called phenomenon. There is always the
categorical difference of plane between the phenomena and the
spiritual transcendent and immanent functions of Vishnu that have
a reference to them by way of being their spiritual source.
The functions of Brahma and Siva are those of creation and
destruction. These two great personages belong to this phenomenal world and are in charge of its temporal regulation in a
semi-conscious manner. The semi-conscious nature of the ruling
functions of Brahma and Siva makes them the prototypes of the
conditioned soul. They are the ideals of personality conceivable
by the mind of man, possessed of the super-human powers of creation and destruction of all phenomena. The nature of this power
itself is not intelligible to its wielders although they know that
they are really endowed with the same by some unknown superior
Agency in an unknown manner. There are other "powers" of
this class who wield similar but lesser powers over the phenomenal world than Brahma and Siva. These super-human beings
possessed of specific powers over physical nature in different
measures, are the highest order of souls in the conditioned state.
The Will of Vishnu in the Forms of the three Purushas is
ultimately derived from Nityananda. The source of the material
cause of creation is also Vishnu in the Form of the first Purusha
or Maha-Vishnu in whom the Material cause and creating Will
of the Divinity by reference to this mundane world are
incorporated and reconciled.
The word 'Advaita' means 'non-duality'. Matter and Will
are not categorically different from one another at their source.
Neither are they, as regards their source, different from Godhead.
But matter as it appears to the conditioned soul as well as the
operative will of Godhead as viewed by the same agency, appear
to be altogether dissociated from and incompatible with the spiritual essence which is the Nature proper of the Divinity. The
solution of this difficulty that besets all speculative enquiry is to be
sought in the actual knowledge of the substantive Reality in His
graduated Manifestations and not in the hypotheses of inevitable
ignorance of fundamental conditions.
The Appearance of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya so far as the Event
has a reference to the deliverance of conditioned souls, was effected
by the agencies of Nityananda and Advaita. The functions of
Nityananda and Advaita should, however, be neither over-estimated
nor under-estimated as regards Their respective bearings on the
Deeds of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya. Those functions are of primary
importance to the conditioned soul who, however, need not, therefore, remain confined to the contemplation of these plenary Manifestations of the Divinity. Neither need the conditioned soul suppose himself to be above all help from Advaita and Nityananda
either at the initial or the advanced stages of spiritual endeavour
and realisation.
The Real Purpose of the Appearance of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya is not the deliverance of the conditioned souls. The
Real Purpose is one that exclusively concerns the Divinity as He
is. It is that which was meant when we observed above that the
Deeds of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya, as Those of Sree Krishna, are
grounded in His Divinity. The Knowledge of those Deeds is identical with the Deeds Themselves. It is for this reason that it is
necessary to approach this Narrative with the reverence and confidence that is due to the Person of Godhead Himself. Such
reverence and confidence are also necessarily complete. There must
be no reservation. The least reservation will lead the hearer or
reader of this Narrative to a certain face of the limited energy and
not even to the level of the Purusha Avataras Who are related to
this world without being of it.
But the mercy of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya enables all conditioned souls to pass through all these graded stages of spiritual
progress, by appearing to us in the form of this Divine Narrative
of His Deeds. This, Narrative has been made available by the
mercy of Sree Advaita and Sree Nityananda Who are the eternal
Divine Intermediaries between ourselves and the Supreme Lord.
The function of making our prostrated obeisance to Hari,
Guru and the Vaishnavas is not an idle or symbolic ceremony. It
is exercise of the function of devotion to Godhead made possible
by the causeless grace of Sree Advaita who is the source of the
material as well as the sanction of all spiritual, functions of us,
conditioned souls, under all circumstances. Obeisance to Sree
Advaita is obeisance to the Vaishnavas. Obeisance to Nityananda
is obeisance to Sree Guru. Obeisance to Sree Krishna-Chaitanya
is obeisance to Godhead Himself as He is. Obeisance to Sree
Krishna-Chaitanya is obeisance both to Sree Krishna and His
Divine Counter-Whole Sree Radhika in One.
The relationship of Sree Radhika to Sree Krishna must not
be confounded with the mundane sexual relationship between male
and female of this world. The service of Sree Radhika is not an
amorous function in the disruptive specific unwholesome sense of
the analogous mundane activity. That supposition, which is due
to the mundane import of the term used in describing the Divine
Function, may lead the ignorant critic to presume to find the defects
of the mundane passion in even the Divine Activity as He is, i.e., in
His Fullest and Most Perfect Manifestation. It is, therefore, necessary to implore our readers not to approach the study of this
Narrative in such unnecessarily irreverent and superficial temper
which will necessarily prevent his regarding the subject from the
only genuine point of view, vis., that of the Scriptures. It is
only by loyally following the method of submitting to look at the
subject unreservedly from the point of view of the Narrative itself
that it will be possible for the impartial reader, after he has gone
through his self-imposed task with the patience that is due to the
right understanding of a subject which is likely to be radically
different, at [?] many [?] European readers, from most
current standards in its outlook on and valuation of the activities
of this world, to attempt to form a comparative estimate of the
view of the Absolute that is presented to him in the following
pages.
Vaishnavism stands alone among the revealed Religions of
the world in providing a specific account of the Name, Form,
Qualities, Activities and the individual personalities of the Servitors
of Godhead Himself. The silence of the other Religions on this
subject should not be misunderstood as implying the non-existence
of any or all specification in the Absolute. There is also no rational
ground for supposing that Godhead is unwilling or unable to
disclose His Own Specific Self and Divine Paraphernalia to the
serving impulse of pure souls.
Return to "Foreword by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur"
