Hari Saran Das posted Jul 17 2003, 03:04 AM:
QUOTE
Some Vaishnavas starts Carturmasya at the day of Guru-Purnima... some do different...
Please, could any good soul say something about these four month in relation to the Traditional Gaudiya Vaishnavas, what are their views ? Any particular detail, pastime, or... ?
Thanks !
Dear busy-bees-good-souls, Radhe Radhe!
Sorry if I’m interrupting your bhajan or daily life again. The reason why I’m asking about Caturmasy has nothing to do to the rules and regulations of it (which is considerably relevant in this case), I had enough of it from last year trying to follow as I could...
If that was the question, a simple browsing here and there would bring me some info, as you can read
here: The real idea behind it was to learn more about the fellings and meditations that one should cultivate in these four super-excellent-months that will culminate into Kartika-vrata; that very special month to glorify the Queen of Vraja (Srimat Radhika)Vrisabhanu-Suta.
Indeed, Kartika is a very special time for all Vaishnavas, as described as follows:
Among the glories of Kartika, Vrata-Kartik is the best, the purest of purifiers, it is the most glorious of all months. Kartika month is particularly dear to Lord Sri Krsna. This month is full of bhakta vatsalya. Any vrata, even the smallest, will yield huge results. The effect of performing a Kartika Vrata lasts for one hundred lifetimes, whereas ordinary vratas only last for one lifetime! The above is an unknown Vaisnava literature source for me, maybe Padma Purana…As Krsna says in Gita that He is the month of Nov-Dev, similarly, Srimati Radhika is the holy month of Kartik . Rupa Gosvami and others refer to Radharani as the Kartika-devata or Kartika Devi, in other words, Radhika is the goddess or presiding Deity of the Kartika Vrata.
Well, way before I actually get into the unlimited glories of Kartika-vrata let me go back to my initial point and ask for the audience,(again) how the raganugas/rupanugas, from the traditional lineages, do prepare themselves during these four months prior to Kartika; what are the steps and recommended Bhajan ?
As an addicted cakora-bird, your servant Hari Saran waits for that drop of nectar…
The Parrot's Speculator Purana
chapter 16108
'The Liberation of Cakora-bird'QUOTE
Dear busy-bees-good-souls, Radhe Radhe!
As an addicted cakora-bird, your servant Hari Saran waits for that drop of nectar…
Oh dearest Cakora! I could not stop thinking about you, how come that the bumble bees did not give you any nectar ? They must be so busy or they maybe drunk; they are often intoxicated with honey after a long day of labor. Do not be surprised my dear Cakora, this bumble-beeees are vicious by nature so they do not always have a good behavior. Just see, although they produce so much nectar, they are selfish and attached for they honey. If one tries to get some honey from them they do attack the poor victim. My dear one, what about this bumble-beeees? Comparing to birds they are just little insects with an ugly looking
Oh Cakora! Seeing your determination to drink the nectar of Lord Hari’s eternal pastimes and feeling sorry about your abandoning condition, I shall reveal some confidential pastime, so you can quench your thirsty.
Since you are in Cartumasya, a special period of four month to offering one’s sense control to Lord Visnu, let me introduce you...
The austerities for these four months are (lightly) described as follows:"In the month of Sravana (July, August) one should refrain from eating spinach. In the month of Bhadra (August, September) of yogurt, in Asvina (September, October) milk. In Karttika (October, November) meat and urad dahl." (Skanda Purana, Nagava Khanda).
But if one wants to go little deeper, hear the benefits of it :Visnu Rahasya (Lord Brahma to Narada Muni): "If one accepts all these Vaisnava austerities and observances with devotion, one attains the supreme destination, O Narada. One who desires within himself to execute all these Vaisnava austerities and vows, his sins obtained within one hundred births are destroyed. If one is exclusively devoted, peaceful, takes daily bath, is fixed in vow and worships the Lord during these four months, he goes to the abode of the Lord. He who accepts the austerity of sleeping on the ground this time when the Visnu Deity is sleeping in yoga nidra underwater, he goes to the abode of Laksmi."
Let me go ahead and give entrance to Mahaprabhu’s Lila, in Caturmasya , so you will start to feel better :Gopal Bhatta (1503-1578) was born in an orthodox Brahman family in South India. His father Vyenkata Bhatta was a priest of the famous Narayana temple of Sri Rangam. Vyenkata Bhatta and his brothers, Prabhodhananda Saraswati and Tirumalla Bhatta were famous for their vast learning and piety. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu had undertaken His walking trip to South India in 1511, He spent the four rainy months of Caturmasa with them and engaged in deep discussion about philosophy and bhakti.
It is said in Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika that Gopal Bhatta Goswami is an incarnation of Ananga manjari. That refers to the younger sister of Radha. Ananga manjari is a peculiar manifestation of Baladeva by which he is represented in madhurya rasa. Nitai's consort, Jahanava, is also considered to be an incarnation of Ananga manjari, and she became a very prominent guru in the Gaudiya sampradaya.
I shall tell you now about the transcendental sleeping pastime of the Lord, Yoga-Nindra; His energy named Nindra-devi particularly characterizes it. Listen to this, here is Lord Brahma, beautifully reciting and reminding us about the transcedental sleeping state of Lord Vishnu :Brahma Samhita
yah karanarnava-jale bhajati sma yoga-
nidram ananta-jagad-anda-saroma-kupaha
adhara-shaktim avalambya param sva-murtim
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda who assumes His own great subjective form, who bears the name of Shesha. Replete with the all-accommodating potency, and reposing in the causal ocean with the infinity of the world in the pores of His hair, He enjoys creative sleep (yoga-nidra).
See Ananthashahi Vishnu More over it says that :1. Vishnu of the celestial ocean, always sleeps and often awakes. The Splendour of ignition (Agni) is the waking state. The ignition will be weak in the sea and hence the sacrifice will be slackened. The word ‘sleep’ denotes this condition
2. It is creation (sristi) if the Lord of Goloka is in waking state and it is destruction (pralaya) if He sleeps.
3. Vaikuntanatha will be awake for eight months and sleeps for four months. During these four months, there will be dominating influence of water and the fire becomes recessive. So the sacrifices will be destroyed. This is what we call ‘sleep of Vishnu’
Although Vishnu is sleeping in the ocean of creation he is not unaware of the actions of his offspring, the tiny souls. In their hearts he is following them as they journey through the vastness of time and space. Waiting. Watching.Let’s get into that realm and drink some more nectar...
The Cosmic Sleep of Lord Vishnu: "In the cosmic night before the appearance of the manifest world, Lord Vishnu sleeps in the cosmic ocean, reclining on the serpent, Shesha (meaning "remainder"), sometimes also called, Ananta (meaning "the endless or eternal"). Vishnu holds within his body all of the elements of creation, including the creator god, Brahma. As Vishnu sleeps, a lotus plant grows out of his navel, and from a drop on one of the petals of the lotus, the creator god, Brahma, emerges. From Brahma emerges the great Cosmic Egg (Anda) which is this manifest universe, including the celestial worlds or heavens at the top, the mundane world of ordinary life in the middle, and the nether worlds or hells in the lower regions of the Cosmic Egg."
Please tell me something about the Nagas (snakes).
Yes, it is said that Nagas (snakes) are children of a
saint named Kashyapa. According to the Varaha
Purana, they occupy the three lower worlds, namely
Patala, Atala, and Sutala Of all the Nagas, three
are most prominent. They are Vasuki, Sesha
(Ananta) and Takshaka. Vasuki is the snake we
see crawling around the neck of Lord Siva and in
mythology it helped as a rope to churn 'the ocean
of milk. Sesha or Ananta has one thousand heads
and it is on this snake that Lord Vishnu sleeps in
Vaikunta. Takshaka always gets into trouble and
is very vicious, It tried to annihilate Arjuna, the
great hero of the Mahabharata and at the end of
the Mahabharata war, he managed to kill King
Parikshit, the last heir of the Pandavas. The Nagas
are worshipped in many Hindu temples along with
the major and minor gods.Now, my dear friend, let me tell you how Nindra-devi served Nimai, in a particular pastime, when He was in that angry mood of Lord Rudra :Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat
Adi Lila Chapter Eight One day when Nimai was going to bathe in the Ganga, He asked His mother for oil, amalaki and other ingredients.
"I want to bathe in the Ganga and also offer her worship," He said. "So please give me a nice garland and aromatic sandalwood for this purpose."
"Please wait a few minutes my dear son," said mother Saci. "I will have to go and get a garland."
Nimai went into a fit of rage like Lord Rudra when He heard the words "I am going to get it."
"You want to go now to bring a garland?" He raged as He stormed into the house.
In the fury He smashed all the pots of Ganga water. Then with a stick He smashed every pot or container He could find. As the Supreme, independent Lord, He did whatever He pleased. Husked rice, cotton, grains, and salt from the broken vessels ran in rivets created by spilled oil, ghee and milk. Mother Saci saved dried foodstuffs in cloth bags which hung from the ceiling, but Nimai pulled down every bag. He scattered their contents, and in His rage He even tore up the cloth bags. When nothing in the house remained whole, Nimai directed His wrath on the residents themselves. -
Taking up His stick again, Nimai began to beat the walls. Not a soul dared to reproach Him.
After the walls He smashed the windows and doors, and then He attacked a tree in the courtyard with the stick fixed in both hands.
And without a moment of remorse over the tirade, He at last struck the ground with His stick and lost His sense entirely.
In fear for her life Mother Saci hid in one end of the building.
Lord Gaurasundara, propagator of religious principles, came to establish eternal religion or Sanatana dharma. He would never raise His hand against His mother.
Although his anger still boiled visibly, He refrained from beating His mother.
Having demolished everything in sight, Nimai fumed as He rolled in the dust of the courtyard.
His beautiful golden form was covered with dust. His glory was truly indescribable for even in that condition He was
utterly charming.
At last He grew calm and lay quite still in the dust of the courtyard.
That Lord of Vaikuntha called for His internal "Yoga maya" potency with simply a glance and entered into a "yoga nidra" sleep as He lay on the hard earth.
The transcendental form of Lord Ananta Sesha is Nimai's resting place, and Sri Laksmi devi eternally serves His lotus feet.
That Supreme Personality, Who is sought after by the four Vedas, lay asleep in Mother Saci's courtyard. The endless cosmic manifestation emanates from the pores of His body. His servants perform the act of creation, maintenance and annihilation. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and other elevated personages become overwhelmed while meditating on His transcendental attributes. But that Supreme Lord Nimai was resting peacefully in Saci's courtyard. -
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tasted the mellow of self perception and then fell asleep as the demigods looked on with joyous tears.
Mother Saci brought a garland for the worship of Ganga devi and placed it directly in front of Nimai.
She wiped the sand and dust from His transcendental body and lifted Him up.
"Wake up, dear child," she said softly. "Take your garland and go worship Ganga devi as you desired."
"What has happened is good, my son. I hope that all dangers and difficulties were driven out with the broken pieces."
Sri Gaurasundara was ashamed, but He rose and went to take His bath.
Mother Saci cleaned the house and prepared to cook.
She felt no unhappiness although so much had been wasted by Nimai's tirade."
Now that we are in the realm of Navadvipa Dham, let me tell you about the glories of Sri Saci-nandana’s Nisanta-lila; as you will realize, Sri Nindra-devi confidentially serves His sweet pastime:Bhavana-Sar-Sangraha Sri Saci-nandana is resting upon a cooling bedstead smothered in flower-petal within a jeweled mandira in Srivasa Thakura’s enchanting garden. Hearing the humming drone of the bumble bees and the shrill of the kokila, He awakens. Although the Lord’s consciousness overflows in His own madhurya, the remembrance of Radha-Krishna’s nikunja-vilasa causes an amazing effulgence to emanate from Gourasundar’s body; conflicting sancari-bhavas such as jubilation, fear and remorse also combine. This, tears of prema stream from the Lord’s lotus-eyes as His body erupts in goose bumps!
While peaking through the window, the bhaktas float in prema-ananda seeing Gouranga’s reddish eyes fill with anuraga for the Divinie Couple! Then, rising from the bed, the Lord raises His two golden arms, interlocks His fine tapered fingers above His head, and streches to relieve fatigue. As Gourangacandra yawns, a sparkling effulgent emanates from His bright teeth, and the peal hanging from His nose elegantly twitches back and forth.
Meanwhile, the bhaktas enter Gourangasundar’s sayana-mandira, and Svarupa Damodara begins Goura-aratika. As the bhaktas dance in ecstasy gazing upon Gourangacandra’s moon-face, madhura-kirtan begins accompanied with kartala and mohan-mrdanga playing. Thus everyone submerges within an indescribable ocean of bliss! After arati, Sriman Mahaprabhu proceeds homewards, and arriving at His own door front, requests His devotees to return home. Them Dvija-mani Gouracandra takes rest. Oh mind! Please relish Gouracandra’s delightful Nisanta-lila in this way.”
Now that you are more familiar with the unique position of Nindra-devi, I shall reveal you one of the most exalted moments of Nindra-devi’s offering her seva to the Divine Couple, Sri Sri Yugal Kisora; at that very special time, in the island known as Sri Govinda-sthali, inside Hemambuja Kunja (the golden lotus bower). “This immense bower is the resting place for all the sakhis and manjaris in Radha’s jutha. In the center is Radha-Govinda’s jeweled sayana-mandira encircled by groves of golden banana trees. Beyong in the eight directions, are the sayana-mandira of the Asta-sakhis. Next there are consecutive spheres of kunjas that double in number beginning with sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, and so on wherein infinite gopis take rest. At the outer perimeter of Hemambuja Kunja (in the four directions), Sri Vrinda-devi, Sri Vrindarika, Sri Menaka and Sri Murala-devi act as doorkeepers.”
{The above is based on the Gutika of Siddha Krishna das Babaji, by G.P.D.}
In Krishna-Bhavanamrta, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti gives a nice description :Being eager to perform their timely Nisanta-seva, the manjaris automatically rise before the night’s end -- but was it Nindra-devi herself who personally woke them ? And when their eyes open, they suddenly look this way and that in panic to consider: “Has the time to begin the seva elapsed?”
Then after realizing that Rasika-nagara and Rasika-nagari still remain asleep (having concluded Anaga’s festival), the manjaris quietly sit up on their beds. Yet while yawning, they cleverly jest with one another (as if to weigh the rasa from the previous evening). “Oh sakhis!” they say, “You’ve been sleeping after enjoying a night with the Nikunja-raja, but has your rest ended ? Due to insufficient sleep, however, everyone’s eyes whirl like tired bumble bees. Thus when left by Krishna’s nails!
Meanwhile, some of the manjaris string flowers-malas, while others prepare pan for the upcoming pastime. But suddenly the cooling Malayan breeze carries Radha-Krishna’s bodily aroma before their nostrils. And, as it lingers, coincidentally, one seva-dasi appears. “Oh manjaris! “ she exclaims. “Come and see the youthful couple for whom your flowers malas and pan are intended. Jus see how They are tightly embraced within the Kunja! Oh prya-nama-sakhis, come and place your lotus faces uo to the Nikunka-mandira’s windows and allow your beautiful eyes to freely roam! Having expertly performed the dance of Kandarpa, Kisora and Kisori were honored by Nindra-devi who now joyfully embraces Them!”
With these drops of nectar from the unlimited ocean of the Lord’s glories and energies, I hope that you, my dear friend Cakora, can now be free from this unfair condition and completely relish a deep and more suitable meditation within these four glorious months (Caturmasya)."The Mundaka Upanishad gives a simple allegory for understanding the Supersoul. There are two birds sitting on the branch of a tree. One bird is tasting the fruits of the tree, some bitter, some sweet. The other bird is a friend, watching the first bird. The friend is patiently waiting for the first bird to turn to him and share his friendship, but the first bird is unaware of his presence. The tree is the body, the bird who tastes its fruits is the individual soul, and the friendly bird is the Supersoul - Vishnu - who offers his protection, friendship and love."
B.G 5.18
vidyaivinaya-sampanne
brahmane suka cakora
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
"The humble sages,
by virture of true knowledge,
see with equal vision
a learned and gentle brahmana,
a parrot,
a cakora,
a dog and
a dog-eater [outcaste]."Hey my dear friend Cakora, let’s go and freely fly all over… Poor bumble bees..., they can fly short only.
Say bye, bye to them Cakora....
Bye, byeeee... 