Sri Krishna Kathamrita

Tav k QaaMa*Ta& TaáJaqvNaMa( tava kathāmta tapta-jīvanam BBBiiinnndududu Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications Issue No. 24 10 March 2002 Śrī Vijaya Ekādaśī, 11 Govinda, 515 Gaurābda

• KRISHNA’S FRIEND UDDHAVA Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada • HOLY NAMES FOR DIFFERENT YUGAS Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode • THE TRANSPARENT PURE ENTITY Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada Highlights Highlights • THE STORY OF JIYADA-NRSIMHADEVA







From Srila Murari Gupta’s Śrī Caitanya-caritra

KRISHNA’S FRIEND with His dvārakā-līlā (His residence in Dwarka as its king). Sometimes Lord Krishna began to UDDHAVA play by dressing Himself like a woman. Seeing His Divine Grace A.C. this form, Uddhava said, “How wonderful it is Bhaktivedanta Swami that this woman is attracting my ecstatic love Prabhupada exactly as Lord Krishna does. I think she must be Krishna covered by the dress of a woman!” Excerpts from The Nectar of Devotion — Chapter 21: Qualities of Sri Krishna Out of the many close associates of Lord Krishna, When Uddhava was describing Krishna’s Uddhava is considered the best. The following is pastimes to Vidura, he said, “One day the gopīs a description of him: “His body is blackish like the became stunned when Krishna, in the dress color of the Yamuna River, and it is similarly as of a gardening maid, entered the greenhouse cool. He is always decorated with flower garlands and enlivened them with joking and laughter. first used by Lord Krishna, and he is dressed with Then when Krishna left the greenhouse, the yellow silk clothing. His two arms are just like the gopīs were seeing Krishna so ecstatically that bolts of a door, his eyes are just like lotus flowers, it was as though both their minds and eyes and he is the most important devotee among all were following Him.” These symptoms signify the associates. Let us therefore offer our respect- that although the gopīs’ business was not fin- ful obeisances unto Uddhava’s lotus feet.” — ished, they had become stunned with ecstatic Chapter 36: Constant Associates love. — Chapter 28: Becoming Stunned Although Krishna is independent of everyone, [Once] Krishna began to praise Uddhava for out of His causeless mercy He is dependent upon his various high qualifications. Upon being Garga Rishi for religious instruction; for learn- praised by Krishna, Uddhava also bowed down ing the military art He is dependent upon Satyaki; and for good counsel He is dependent upon His his head bashfully. — Chapter 30: Bashfulness friend Uddhava. — Chapter 24: Magnanimous When transcendental humors in relationship Personal features can be divided into two: one with Krishna become mixed (e.g., when the feature is covered, and the other feature is mani- relationships with Krishna in friendship, fested. When Krishna is covered by different servitorship and parental love become mixed kinds of dress, His personal feature is covered. together), the result is called mixed humor or There is an example of His covered personal flavor. Such mixed transcendental flavors are feature in Srimad-Bhāgavatam in connection manifested by such devotees as Uddhava, Issue Twenty-four, Page — 2 é[q k* ZVrindavan cannot sleep at night think- ship without any tinge of reverence. — Chap- ing of You, so now they are all lying down ter 32: Pure and Mixed Flavors on the bank of the Yamuna almost para- When Krishna was in the capital Indraprastha, lyzed. And it appears that they are almost someone addressed Him thus: “My dear Lord, dead, because their breathing is very slow.” Your personal associates, headed by Uddhava, This is an instance of becoming unconscious are always awaiting Your order by standing at due to separation from Krishna. — Chap- the entrance gate of Dwarka. They are mostly ter 38: Indifference and Separation looking on with tears in their eyes, and in the en- thusiasm of their service they are not afraid even HOLY NAMES FOR DIFFERENT YUGAS of the devastating fire generated by Lord Siva. From Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode’s They are souls simply surrendered unto Your lo- Śrī Ka-sahitā tus feet.” — Chapter 36: Constant Associates The past compilers of the scriptures have There is a statement about Uddhava’s symp- established the appropriate holy names to toms of love. When he saw Lord Krishna, his deliver one in the different ages after ana- eyes filled with tears and created a river that lyzing the peoples’ stage of advancement. flowed down toward the sea of Krishna to offer The holy names to deliver one in satya- tribute, as a wife offers tribute to her husband. When his body erupted with goose pimples, he yuga are as follows: appeared like the kadamba flower, and when he nārāyaa-parā vedā nārāyaa-parākarā began to offer prayers, he appeared completely nārāyaa-parā muktir nārāyaa-parā gati distinct from all other devotees. — Chapter 37: The purport of this verse is that Lord Impetuses for Krishna’s Service Narayan is the goal of all science, language, When Lord Krishna went to the city of and liberation, and He is the supreme desti- Sonitapur to fight with Bali’s son Bana and to cut nation. The name of the mixture of the Abso- off all his hands, Uddhava, being separated from lute Truth with opulence is “Narayan”. The Krishna and thinking of His fight, was almost Supreme Lord is fully realized in the form of completely stunned into unconsciousness. — Narayan, who is surrounded by His associ- Chapter 38: Indifference and Separation ates in Vaikuntha. Pure śānta-rasa and a little When Lord Krishna went to the capital of dāsya-rasa is found at this stage. King Yudhihira, Uddhava was so afflicted rāma nārāyaānanta mukunda madhusūdana by the fire of separation from Sri Krishna that ka keśava kasāre hare vaiku ha vāmana the perspiration from his inflamed body and the tears from his eyes poured from him, and These are the holy names to deliver one in in this way he became completely stunned. tretā-yuga. The names that are mentioned in When Sri Krishna left the city of Dwarka to this text indicate Narayan’s prowess. At this seek out the Syamantaka jewel and He was late stage full dāsya-rasa and a reflection of sakhya- returning home, Uddhava became so afflicted rasa are indicated. that the symptoms of disease became manifest hare murāre madhu-kai abhāre on his body. Actually, due to his excessive ecstatic gopāla govinda mukunda saure Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu Issue Twenty-four, Page — 3 yajñeśa nārāyaa ka vio the absolute; whereas, other so called preceptors virāśraya mā jagadīśa raka have always an impure opacity with which they These are the holy names to deliver one in impede our impressions of the eternity, full knowl- dvāpara-yuga. The names that are mentioned edge and incessant bliss of the all-love. in this verse aim towards Krishna, who is the — Sri Chaitanya’s Teachings page 257-258 shelter of unsheltered persons. In this stage there is a prominence of śānta, dāsya, sakhya, THE STORY OF JIYADA- and vātsalya-rasas. NRSIMHADEVA hare ka hare ka ka ka hare hare FROM SRILA MURARI GUPTA’S hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare Śrī Caitanya-carita 3.14.19-31 These are the topmost sweet names of the Lord. There is no prayer in this mantra. Provo- Srimad Bhakti Vedanta Bhagavat Swami has cation for all rasas mixed with affection is described Śrī Caitanya-carita as follows: found in this mantra. There is no mention of Śrī Ka-Caitanya-caritāmta-mahā-kavyam, writ- the Lord’s prowess or giving of liberation. This ten by Sri Murari Gupta, is known commonly as mantra reveals only that a soul has an inde- Śrī Caitanya-carita. This work was the first biog- scribable attraction for the Supersoul by the raphy of Sri Chaitanya to be written by any of thread of love. These names are the mantra His followers, and it is the authoritative basis for all later biographies, especially in reference for those who are on the path of mādhurya- to Lord Gauranga’s early life, of which Murari rasa. Constant deliberation on these names is Gupta was a personal witness. Known as a the best form of worshiping the Lord. All spiri- ka acā, personal notebook or biography, the work tual activities of swanlike people such as wor- was written as a summary of gaura-līlā. Some shiping the Deity, following vows, and study- parts are described in detail and others in brief. ing the scriptures, are included in these holy Amongst Sanskrit literatures, Śri Caitanya-Carita names. There is no consideration of time, place, is classified as a mahā-kavya (epic poem), and is and the candidate for chanting this mantra. written in the style of the Purāas, with the flow — Śrī Ka-sahitā, pages 56-57. Translated by Bhumipati Das, edited of topics being conveyed in the form of a conver- by Pundarik Vidyanidhi Das. Vrajaraj Press. 1998. Vrindavan. sation between Murari Gupta and Damodar Pandit. Most of the other biographers of Sri THE TRANSPARENT PURE ENTITY Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, such as Vrindavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Das Thakur, Krishnadas Kaviraj, Lochan Das, Thakur Prabhupada Kavi Karnapura, and others, have admittedly used Murari Gupta’s book as the original source A mere flatterer’s role of lulling and encourag- of information regarding key events of Lord ing the wrong aptitudes of a disciple should never Chaitanya’s life. Thus they were able to elabo- be aimed at in the selection of a real and true guru. rate on the Lord’s pastimes in their own way. . . . The preceptor will never let us fall into the When Gaura came to the temple of Lord extensive snare of māyā, as he has no ulterior Nrsimha named Jiyada, He saw the deity with motive to dissuade us from having a sure access great delight. Out of love, tears fell from His to the transcendental treasures. He will show us eyes and His hairs thrilled in rapture. for our inspection or examination a comparative Gauranga, the Lord of all sentient beings and chart of the magnitude of time, space and entity. the beloved of His own devotees, then told When we submit to measurement, we see no ne- the people an ancient history that illustrates cessity of any outside help; but when we consider the deity’s quality of subordination to His him [the guru] to be our most intimate friend com- devotee’s wish: ing down to us out of causeless mercy, and at the “Once, long ago, a certain man lived here same time to be the bona fide and sure healer of named Pundraya, who was renowned for his our present maladies, we find that he is identical ox-like strength and who earned his living by in his activities with the all-love and that he is not growing wheat. Sri Murari personally ap- only superior to us in every respect but he ever peared to him in the form of a boar and ren- remains in the same direction with Godhead, pos- dered his evenly plowed field uneven and sessed of a transparent pure entity to approach filled it with chasms. That pious, strong- Issue Twenty-four, Page — 4 é[q k* ZRama, and for that reason Pundraya un- “The origin of the cosmos then muttered, derstood this boar to be an incarnation of ‘om‘, indicating His acceptance. Thus, the the Lord. Therefore he atoned by fasting and deity has become famous as Sri Jiyada other penances. Nrsimha, giving evidence that Sri Hari is al- “The merciful Lord then told him, ‘You must ways submissive to the will of His devotee.” sprinkle milk over your field. In this way, you After narrating this history, Sri Hari in the will be able to see Me. The king must also person of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu disap- come to see Me. This is My command.’ peared from that very spot. Who, indeed, can “After hearing Lord Boar’s instructions, perceive that Supreme Lord as He is? the cowherd, overwhelmed by loving senti- — Translated into English by Bhaktivedanta Bhagavata Svami. Gaura ments for Him, informed the king of the Vani Press. Distributed by Nectar Books, Union City, Georgia. 1998. Lord’s order, with which the king complied. Simply by the sprinkling of milk, the Lord CONVERSION IS NOT OUR PROCESS showed Himself in His transcendental form From the Life of to saintly persons and also sometimes pre- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada vented them from seeing Him. After some A magistrate once came to the Gaudiya time passed, a certain wealthy man who was Math and said, “You should go and very devoted arrived in the company of his preach in the hilly places and convert the two wives, desiring to have the Lord’s jungle tribes to Hinduism and darśana. When He received darśana of Sri Varaha that man became intoxicated with vaiavism.” Saraswati Thakur replied, pleasure. He entered the temple of “Dictating or commanding, to forcefully Nrsimha, and when he saw that he had convert others, is not our process. To turn obtained the treasure of the Lord’s two a Christian into a Hindu or a Hindu into lotus feet, he became jubilant. The Lord Christian is not our goal. Everyone is the said to that godly man, ‘Choose from Me son of God, so we should explain to them whatever boon you desire.’ their actual position, or svarūpa. jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya kera ‘nitya-dāsa’— It is SRI KRISHNA KATHAMRITA BINDU the living entity’s constitutional position a free bi-monthly service provided by: to be an eternal servant of Krishna. [Cc. Gopal Jiu Publications madhya 20.108] We should explain to c/o ISKCON Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir them about the soul, not try to convert a National Highway No. 5, IRC Village Christian to a Hindu or vice versa. We are Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India, 751015 not preaching in this spirit. We are con- Phone: (0674) 557026 Email: [email protected] cerned with the soul and not with any sectarian matter. The Arya Samaj are try- For more information about Gopal Jiu Publica- ing to make Hindus out of Christians, not tions check out our website: www.gopaljiu.org us.” He was then asked, “Why do you To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. (To subscribe put preach to scholars and in universities?” “subscribe” in the subject line.) to which he answered, “If we go to ordi- Gopal Jiu Publications is a branch of the International nary people then people will say this is Society for Krishna Consciousness, Founder-Acarya His cho a-lokera dharma — religion for the Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. small people, or the low classes, unimpor- Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda tant people. yad yad ācarati śre has — we ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. All other mate- should preach to the leaders and others rials, unless specified, © ISKCON Bhubaneswar/Gopal Jīu Publications. All rights reserved. Blanket permission is will follow.” [Bg. 3.21] given to redistribute Bindu in electronic or print form pro- — Remembrances of Sripad Jatisekhar Das, disciple of Srila vided no changes are made to the contents. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, from the upcoming biography of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta by Srimad Bhaktivikash Swami