Narrations on the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha-Krishna.
Caitanya Caritamrita Jayanti -
Madhava - Tue, 20 May 2003 16:41:01 +0530
Today is Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Jayanti.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 01:58:34 +0530
Today is Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Jayanti, the day on which Sri Krishna Das Kaviraja completed his Caitanya Caritamrita. This day is the Pancami of the dark fortnight in the month of Jyaistha.
The devotees at Sri Radha Kunda, where his bhajan kutir was, celebrate a festival in the memory of this significant event. Sri Krishna Das Kaviraja rendered an astonishing service to all Vaishnavas of past, present and future by narrating the nectarine, confidential pastimes of Sri Caitanya, while at the same time explaining the essence of the writings of Sri Rupa Gosvami in lucid, simple Bengali language in the course of his narration.
I will now post the 85 verses of the eight chapter of the Adi-lila of Caitanya Caritamrita, where Sri Krishnadas Kaviraja narrates the reasons for his writing the title in his own words.
kRSNadAsa kavirAja, rasika bhakata-mAjha,
ye racila caitanya-carita |
gaura-govinda-lIlA, zunile galaye zilA,
na DUbila tAhe mora cita ||
Krishnadasa Kaviraja, the rasika among devotees,
He presented the pastimes of Caitanya;
Hearing the pastimes of Gaura and Govinda, the stones melt,
My mind is not immersed in them!
Thus laments Sri Narottama Das Thakur Mahasaya in his Prarthana.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 02:04:11 +0530
CHAPTER EIGHT
vande caitanya-devaM taM
bhagavantaM yad-icchayA |
prasabhaM nartyate citraM
lekha-raGge jaDo ’py ayam || 1 ||
Obeisances to Caitanyadeva,
the Lord by whose desire
all of a sudden, although a I am a fool,
I am dancing wonderfully, joyfully writing.
jaya jaya zrI-kRSNa-caitanya gauracandra |
jaya jaya paramAnanda jaya nityAnanda || 2 ||
Glory, glory to Sri Krishna Caitanya, the Golden Moon!
Glory, glory to the supremely blissful, glory Nityananda!
jaya jayAdvaita AcArya kRpAmaya |
jaya jaya gadAdhara paNDita mahAzaya || 3 ||
Glory, glory to Advaita Acarya who is full of mercy!
Glory, glory to the great Gadadhara Pandita!
jaya jaya zrIvAsAdi yata bhakta-gaNa |
praNata ha-iyA vandoG sabAra caraNa || 4 ||
Glory, glory to the devotees headed by Srivasa!
Offering obeisances, I pray at the feet of them all.
mUka kavitva kare yAG-sabAra smaraNe |
paGgu giri laGghe, andha dekhe tArA-gaNe || 5 ||
By remembering them all a dumb man becomes a poet,
A lame man crosses the mountains, and a blind man beholds the stars.
e-saba nA mAne yei paNDita sakala |
tA-sabAra vidyA-pATha bheka-kolAhala || 6 ||
Whoever scholar does not accept them all,
his knowledge and studies are like the uproar of the frogs.
ei saba nA mAne yebA kare kRSNa-bhakti |
kRSNa-kRpA nAhi tAre, nAhi tAra gati || 7 ||
Who ever engages in Krishna-bhakti, not accepting them,
there is no mercy of Krishna, nor attainment of his goal.
pUrve yaiche jarAsandha-Adi rAja-gaNa |
veda-dharma kari’ kare viSNura pUjana || 8 ||
Previously, kings headed by Jarasandha
worshiped Vishnu through executing the religion of the Vedas.
kRSNa nAhi mAne, tAte daitya kari’ mAni |
caitanya nA mAnile taiche daitya tAre jAni || 9 ||
They did not accept Krishna, therefore we regard them as demons,
and similarly we regard the one who does not accept Caitanya.
more nA mAnile saba loka habe nAza |
ithi lAgi’ kRpArdra prabhu karila sannyAsa || 10 ||
“If people do not accept me, they will face destruction,”
For this reason the merciful Lord accepted sannyasa.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 02:26:31 +0530
sannyAsi-buddhye more karibe namaskAra |
tathApi khaNDibe duHkha, pAibe nistAra || 11 ||
“Considering me a sannyasi, they will offer respect,
thus vanquishing their distress, attaining liberation.”
hena kRpAmaya caitanya nA bhaje yei jana |
sarvottama ha-ileo tAre asure gaNana || 12 ||
He, who does not worship such a merciful Caitanya,
No matter if he is the greatest of the great, he is counted among the asuras.
ataeva punaH kahoG Urdhva-bAhu haJA |
caitanya-nityAnanda bhaja kutarka chADiyA || 13 ||
Therefore, I say it again: “Raising up your arms,
Rejecting your poor arguments, worship Caitanya and Nityananda!”
yadi vA tArkika kahe,——tarka se pramANa |
tarka-zAstre siddha yei, sei sevyamAna || 14 ||
Some logicians say, “Logic is the evidence,
And whatever is accepted in the scriptures of logic is useful.”
zrI-kRSNa-caitanya-dayA karaha vicAra |
vicAra karite citte pAbe camatkAra || 15 ||
Consider the mercy of Sri Krishna Caitanya,
Such considerations will certainly cause astonishment in your mind!
bahu janma kare yadi zravaNa, kIrtana |
tabu ta’ nA pAya kRSNa-pade prema-dhana || 16 ||
Engaging in hearing and chanting for many births,
Still one does not gain the treasure of prema for Krishna’s feet.
jJAnataH su-labhA muktir
bhuktir yajJAdi-puNyataH |
seyaM sAdhana-sAhasrair
hAri-bhaktiH su-durlabhA || 17 ||
Through jnana, liberation is easily attained,
and through sacrifices, piety and so forth, enjoyment is easily attained.
However, through thousands of practices,
devotion for Hari is very rarely attained.
kRSNa yadi chuTe bhakte bhukti mukti diyA |
kabhu prema-bhakti nA dena rAkhena lukAiyA || 18 ||
Krishna easily gives enjoyment and liberation to a devotee,
But He keeps prema-bhakti hidden, giving it rarely.
rAjan patir gurur alaM bhavatAM yadUnAM
daivaM priyaH kula-patiH kva ca kiGkaro vaH |
astv evam aGga bhagavAn bhajatAM mukundo
muktiM dadAti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam || 19 ||
“O King, certainly He is the master and the guru of the Yadavas,
as well as their destiny, dear one, head of the family, and even their servant;
however, such a relationship with Bhagavan Mukunda is there because of their bhajana,
As He is the giver of liberation, but rarely gives a relationship of bhakti.”
hena prema zrI-caitanya dilA yathA tathA |
jagAi mAdhAi paryanta – anyera kA kathA || 20 ||
Sri Caitanya has given such prema here and there,
Even to Jagai and Madhai – what to speak of others!
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 02:44:17 +0530
svatantra Izvara prema-nigUDha-bhANdAra |
bilAila yAre tAre, nA kaila vicAra || 21 ||
He is the independent Lord, and this confidential storehouse of prema,
He distributed to one and all without considerations.
adyApiha dekha caitanya-nAma yei laya |
kRSNa-preme pulakAzru-vihvala se haya || 22 ||
Even now it can be seen that by taking the name of Caitanya,
One becomes agitated by Krishna-prema, his hairs standing on end, tears flowing.
‘nityAnanda’ balite haya kRSNa-premodaya |
AulAya sakala aGga, azru-gaGgA vaya || 23 ||
By speaking about Nityananda, Krishna-prema awakens,
All the limbs of the body become agitated, tears flowing like Ganges.
‘kRSNa-nAma’ kare aparAdhera vicAra |
kRSNa balile aparAdhIra nA haya vikAra || 24 ||
In chanting Krishna’s name, offenses are considered,
An offender who chants Krishna will not be transformed.
tad azma-sAraM hRdayaM batedaM
yad gRhyamANair hari-nAmadheyaiH |
na vikriyetAtha yadA vikAro
netre jalaM gAtra-ruheSu harSaH || 25 ||
O, that heart is like iron,
which upon taking the name of Hari
does not change, and transformations do not appear,
the joy with like water in the eyes and in the pores of the skin.
eka kRSNa-nAme kare sarva-pApa nAza |
premera kAraNa bhakti karena prakAza || 26 ||
By chanting the name of Krishna once, sins are destroyed,
It is the cause of prema and causes bhakti to appear.
premera udaye haya premera vikAra |
sveda-kampa-pulakAdi gadgadAzrudhAra || 27 ||
When prema arises, the transformations of prema,
perspiration, trembling, bristling of the bodily hairs,
faltering of the voice, and tears, appear.
anAyAse bhava-kSaya, kRSNera sevana |
eka kRSNa-nAmera phale pAi eta dhana || 28 ||
Easily mundane existence comes to an end and Krishna is served,
Such a treasure is attained as a result of chanting the name of Krishna!
hena kRSNa-nAma yadi laya bahu-bAra |
tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe azrudhAra || 29 ||
If one takes such a name of Krishna again and again,
But still if prema does not appear, there is no flow of tears...
tabe jAni, aparAdha tAhAte pracura |
kRSNa-nAma-bIja tAhe nA kare aGkura || 30 ||
Then it is known that there is some aparadha,
And the seed of Krishna’s name does not sprout.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 02:55:32 +0530
caitanya-nityAnande nAhi esaba vicAra |
nAma laite prema dena, vahe azrudhAra || 31 ||
With Caitanya and Nityananda, there is no such consideration –
Taking their names yields prema and tears flow from the eyes.
svatantra Izvara prabhu atyanta udAra |
tAGre nA bhajile kabhu nA haya nistAra || 32 ||
Prabhu is the independent controller, most magnanimous,
Without worshiping Him liberation is not attained at any time.
ore mUDha loka, zuna caitanya-maGgala |
caitanya-mahimA yAte jAnibe sakala || 33 ||
Ho, fools of the world! Hear the Caitanya-mangala,
From which you will know all of Caitanya’s glories!
kRSNa-lIlA bhAgavate kahe veda-vyAsa |
caitanya-lIlAra vyAsa – vRndAvana-dAsa || 34 ||
The pastimes of Krishna were narrated in the Bhagavata by Veda-Vyasa;
The Vyasa of the pastimes of Caitanya is Vrindavana Dasa.
vRndAvana-dAsa kaila ‘caitanya-maGgala’ |
yAGhAra zravaNe nAze sarva amaGgala || 35 ||
Vrindavana Dasa compiled the Caitanya-mangala,
By hearing of which all that is inauspicious is destroyed.
caitanya-nitAira yAte jAniye mahimA |
yAte jAni kRSNa-bhakti-siddhAntera sImA || 36 ||
From it, the greatness of Caitanya and Nitai is known,
And the pinnacle of conclusions on Krishna-bhakti is understood.
bhAgavate yata bhakti-siddhAntera sAra |
likhiyAchena iGhA jAni’ kariyA uddhAra || 37 ||
In the Bhagavata the essence of devotional conclusions is written,
knowing this, I am extracting from it.
‘caitanya-maGgala’ zune yadi pASaNDI, yavana |
seha mahA-vaiSNava haya tatakSaNa || 38 ||
Upon hearing Caitanya-mangala, atheists and barbarians
Instantly become great Vaishnavas.
manuSye racite nAre aiche grantha dhanya |
vRndAvana-dAsa-mukhe vaktA zrI-caitanya || 39 ||
A human being cannot compile such a valuable book;
Sri Caitanya has spoken through the mouth of Vrindavana Dasa.
vRndAvana-dAsa-pade koTi namaskAra |
aiche grantha kari’ teGho tArilA saMsAra || 40 ||
Millions of respects to the feet of Vrindavana Dasa,
Such a book he made which delivers the whole world!
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 03:05:28 +0530
nArAyaNI – caitanyera ucchiSTa-bhAjana |
tAGra garbhe janmilA zrI-dAsa-vRndAvana || 41 ||
Narayani ate the remnants of Caitanya’s food;
From her womb, Sri Dasa Vrindavana was born.
tAGra ki adbhuta caitanya-carita-varNana |
yAhAra zravaNe zuddha kaila tri-bhuvana || 42 ||
He narrated such astonishing pastimes of Caitanya,
Hearing them the three worlds become purified.
ataeva bhaja, loka, caitanya-nityAnanda |
khaNDibe saMsAra-duHkha, pAbe premAnanda || 43 ||
Therefore, people, worship Caitanya and Nityananda,
Then the miseries of samsara will vanish and the joy of prema is attained!
vRndAvana-dAsa kaila ‘caitanya-maGgala’ |
tAhAte caitanya-lIlA varNila sakala || 44 ||
Vrindavana Dasa composed the Caitanya Mangala,
In which he narrated all the pastimes of Caitanya.
sUtra kari’ saba lIlA karila granthana |
pAche vistAriyA tAhAra kaila vivaraNa || 45 ||
He described all the pastimes as a summary,
Later giving a detailed description of them.
caitanya-candrera lIlA ananta apAra |
varNite varNite grantha ha-ila vistAra || 46 ||
The pastimes of Caitanya-candra are infinite and endless,
He described and described, and the book became large.
vistAra dekhiyA kichu saGkoca haila mana |
sUtra-dhRta kona lIlA nA kaila varNana || 47 ||
Seeing its volume, he became hesitant in his mind,
And did not describe some of the pastimes he had summarized.
nityAnanda-lIlA-varNane ha-ila Aveza |
caitanyera zeSa-lIlA rahila avazeSa || 48 ||
Joyfully he narrated the pastimes of Nityananda,
While the final pastimes of Caitanya were left aside.
sei saba lIlAra zunite vivaraNa |
vRndAvana-vAsI bhaktera utkaNThita mana || 49 ||
Desiring to hear narrations of all those pastimes,
The minds of the devotees living in Vrindavana became anxious.
vRndAvane kalpa-drume suvarNa-sadana |
mahA-yogapITha tAhAG, ratna-siMhAsana || 50 ||
Amidst the desire-trees of Vrindavana, there is a golden building,
there is the great Yogapitha with a throne bedecked with jewels.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 03:20:04 +0530
tAte vasi’ Ache sadA vrajendra-nandana |
‘zrI-govinda-deva’ nAma sAkSAt madana || 51 ||
On that, Vrajendra-nandana is always sitting,
He is known as Sri Govinda-deva, who is Cupid himself.
rAja-sevA haya tAGhA vicitra prakAra |
divya sAmagrI, divya vastra, alaGkAra || 52 ||
There He receives various charming royal services
With divine paraphernalia, divine clothes and ornaments.
sahasra sevaka sevA kare anukSaNa |
sahasra-vadane sevA nA yAya varNana || 53 ||
Thousands of servants always render service to Him,
Describing his service with thousands of mouths.
sevAra adhyakSa – zrI-paNDita haridAsa |
tAGra yazaH-guNa sarva-jagate prakAza || 54 ||
The overseer of the service is Sri Pandita Haridasa,
whose glory and attributes are known throughout the world.
suzIla, sahiSNu, zAnta, vadAnya, gambhIra |
madhura-vacana, madhura-ceSTA, mahA-dhIra || 55 ||
He is well-behaved, tolerant, peaceful, magnanimous, grave,
sweet in his words and sweet in his deeds, and very sober.
sabAra sammAna-kartA, karena sabAra hita |
kauTilya-mAtsarya-hiMsA nA jAne tAGra cita || 56 ||
He always respects everyone and works for their good,
Crookedness, jealousy and envy are unknown to his heart.
kRSNera ye sAdhAraNa sad-guNa paJcAza |
se saba guNera tAGra zarIre nivAsa || 57 ||
The fifty common good qualities of Krishna,
All of those qualities always resided in his body.
yasyAsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiJcanA
sarvair guNais tatra samAsate surAH |
harAv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guNA
mano-rathenAsati dhAvato bahiH || 58 ||
In the one who has unmotivated devotion for Bhagavan,
all the good qualities and the gods become manifest;
Whatever good qualities are in those who are not devoted to Hari,
Are external and temporary, riding on the chariots of their minds.
paNDita-gosAJira ziSya – ananta AcArya |
kRSNa-premamaya-tanu, udAra, sarva-Arya || 59 ||
Ananta Acarya was the disciple of Gadadhara Pandita Gosani,
His body was filled with Krishna-prema, he was magnanimous and in all respects noble.
tAGhAra ananta guNa ke karu prakAza |
tAGra priya ziSya iGha – paNDita haridAsa || 60 ||
Who can describe all of his unlimited qualities?
His dear disciple was Pandita Haridasa.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 03:35:22 +0530
caitanya-nityAnande tAGra parama vizvAsa |
caitanya-carite tAGra parama ullAsa || 61 ||
He had great faith in Caitanya and Nityananda,
Caitanya’s deeds were his greatest joy.
vaiSNavera guNa-grAhI, nA dekhaye doSa |
kAya-mano-vAkye kare vaiSNava-santoSa || 62 ||
He accepted the good qualities of the Vaishnavas, not seeing faults,
With body, mind and words he satisfied the Vaishnavas.
nirantara zune teGho ‘caitanya-maGgala’ |
tAGhAra prasAde zunena vaiSNava-sakala || 63 ||
He constantly heard Caitanya-mangala,
And by his grace, all the Vaishnavas heard as well.
kathAya sabhA ujjvala kare yena pUrNa-candra |
nija-guNAmRte bADAya vaiSNava-Ananda || 64 ||
With his words, he illuminated the assembly like the full moon,
Increasing the joy of the Vaishnavas with his own nectarine qualities.
teGho ati kRpA kari’ AjJA kailA more |
gaurAGgera zeSa-lIlA varNibAra tare || 65 ||
He gave me a lot of mercy, ordering me,
“Describe the final pastimes of Gauranga.”
kAzIzvara gosAJira ziSya – govinda gosAJi |
govindera priya-sevaka tAGra sama nAJi || 66 ||
Govinda Gosani was the disciple of Kasisvara Gosani,
There was no servant dearer to Govinda than him.
yAdavAcArya gosAJi zrI-rUpera saGgI |
caitanya-carite teGho ati baDa raGgI || 67 ||
Yadavacarya Gosani was the associate of Sri Rupa,
And greatly enjoyed the pastimes of Caitanya.
paNDita-gosAJira ziSya – bhugarbha gosAJi |
gaura-kathA vinA Ara mukhe anya nAi || 68 ||
Bhugarbha Gosani was the disciple of Gadadhara Pandita Gosani,
There was never anything but narrations about Gaura in his mouth.
tAGra ziSya – govinda pUjaka caitanya-dAsa |
mukundAnanda cakravartI, premI kRSNadAsa || 69 ||
His disciples were Caitanya Dasa, the pujari of Govinda,
And Mukudananda Cakravarti, the loving servant of Krishna.
AcArya-gosAJira ziSya – cakravartI zivAnanda |
niravadhi tAGra citte caitanya-nityAnanda || 70 ||
Sivananda Cakravarti was a disciple of Acarya Gosani,
Caitanya and Nityananda were always in his heart.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 03:47:09 +0530
Ara yata vRndAvane baise bhakta-gaNa |
zeSa-lIlA zunite sabAra haila mana || 71 ||
Thus the devotees, residents of Vrindavana,
All in their minds desired to hear about the final pastimes.
more AjJA karilA sabe karuNA kariyA |
tAG-sabAra bole likhi nirlajja ha-iyA || 72 ||
They all mercifully ordered me,
And shamelessly I write, on their order.
vaiSNavera AjJA pAJA cintita-antare |
madana-gopAle gelAG AjJA mAgibAre || 73 ||
Receiving the order of the Vaishnavas, I became thoughtful,
And went to Madana-gopala to ask for His order.
darazana kari kailuG caraNa vandana |
gosAJi-dAsa pUjArI kare caraNa-sevana || 74 ||
As I took darsana, offering prayers to His feet,
Gosani Dasa, the pujari, served His feet.
prabhura caraNe yadi AjJA mAgila |
prabhu-kaNTha haite mAlA khasiyA paDila || 75 ||
At the feet of Prabhu I asked for His order,
And a garland fell down from His neck.
saba vaiSNava-gaNa hari-dhvani dila |
gosAJi-dAsa Ani’ mAlA mora gale dila || 76 ||
All the Vaishnavas chanted the name of Hari,
As Gosani Dasa placed the garland around my neck.
AjJA-mAlA pAJA AmAra ha-ila Ananda |
tAhAGi karinu ei granthera Arambha || 77 ||
Receiving the order and the garland caused joy in me,
And then I decided to commence writing the book.
ei grantha lekhAya more ‘madana-mohana’ |
AmAra likhana yena zukera paThana || 78 ||
Madana-mohana makes me write this book,
My writing is like the narration of a parrot.
sei likhi, madana-gopAla ye likhAya |
kASThera puttalI yena kuhake nAcAya || 79 ||
Whatever Madana-gopala narrates, that I write,
Like the puppeteer makes a wooden doll dance.
kulAdhidevatA mora – madana-mohana |
yAGra sevaka – raghunAtha, rUpa, sanAtana || 80 ||
Madana-mohana is the deity of my family,
Whose servants are Raghunatha, Rupa and Sanatana.
Madhava - Wed, 21 May 2003 03:56:47 +0530
vRndAvana-dAsera pAda-padma kari’ dhyAna |
tAGra AjJA laJA likhi yAhAte kalyANa || 81 ||
Meditating on the lotus feet of Vrindavana Dasa,
With his order, in which there is all auspiciousness, I write.
caitanya-lIlAte ‘vyAsa’ – vRndAvana-dAsa |
tAGra kRpA vinA anye nA haya prakAza || 82 ||
Vrindavana Dasa is the Vyasa of Caitanya’s pastimes,
Without his mercy no-one can describe them.
mUrkha, nIca, kSudra muJi viSaya-lAlasa |
vaiSNavAjJA-bale kari eteka sAhasa || 83 ||
Foolish, vile, insignificant and desirous of sensual enjoyment,
On the strength of the order of the Vaishnavas I dare to do this.
zrI-rUpa-raghunAtha-caraNera ei bala |
yAGra smRte siddha haya vAJchita-sakala || 84 ||
This is the potency of the feet of Sri Rupa and Raghunatha.
Remembering them, all desires become fulfilled.
zrI-rUpa-raghunAtha-pade yAra Aza |
caitanya-caritAmRta kahe kRSNadAsa || 85 ||
Taking shelter at the feet of Sri Rupa and Raghunatha,
Krishnadasa speaks the Caitanya Caritamrita.
= = = = =
Thus ends the eight chapter of Sri Caitanya Caritamrita.