All Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

Founder Acharaya His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Thakura BHAGAVATA

The e-magazine of Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math Issue No.24 May 2020 President & Acharaya His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Goswami Maharaja

In this issue:

Appearance of Lord Chaitanya 2 A kshaya Tritiya 3 Sri Jahnava Mata’s instruction to her disciple 4

Sage Yajnavalkya’s advice to Matreyi 4 The Nature of Spirit Souls 11

All of you are going through the calamity of corona virus in the world these days. Bear in mind that whatever the Lord does is ultimately beneficial for us, although we do not know at this point what that benefit is. During this time, I request you to please pray to Lord Nrsimha Dev to protect all of us from these dangers around us, and chant Hare Mahamantra, while following the government restrictions around the world, to stay safe.

In the Service of Sri Krishna 's Mission,

His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Goswami Maharaja President, Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math

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APPEARANCE OF Chaitanya’s forefathers came from Sylhet in LORD CHAITANYA East Bengal, but had left their ancestral home to come to Navadwip, which was then a great center of learning. They established the by HDG Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan new family home on the banks of the Goswami Maharaja Ganges, where Chaitanya’s father Mishra had been born. Chaitanya’s mother The earth was suffering from high Sachi was the eldest daughter of another turbulence of castism and racism, and was Navadwip scholar, the astrologer Nilambar dominated by cruel rulers of demoniac Chakravarti. The young couple had eight nature whose actions were inhuman and successive daughters, but none survived irreligious. There was a lot of violence and to childbirth. Finally, Sachi’s ninth child, a boy live a peaceful life was next to impossible. named Vishwarupa, was born. Twelve years Brahmins and other upper castes in the later, Chaitanya followed. society, whom the people would normally look up to for leadership and guidance, Chaitanya’s birth corresponded with created and forced others religious practices Krishna’s spring swing festival, Dol Yatra, for selfish motives and pseudo asceticism which is celebrated on the full moon day instead. Thus, people were extremely between February and March. Vaishnava distressed and had no choice but to follow theologians say that Krishna, who is always these sinful principles in the name of religion absorbed in the love of His precious , in order to maintain their livelihood. With no accepted the mood and golden hue of the options left, these people in their despair Goddess Radharani and left his beloved begged for mercy from the Supreme Lord to appear in his secret abode of and prayed for shelter at His lotus feet. Navadwip, the hidden Vrindavan. In this Would there be any hope for them? incarnation, He flooded the land of Bengal with divine love and brought order back into When entire society was in the tremendous the land’s political, judicial and social orders. turbulence, the land of Bengal was blessed with the appearance of a great luminary on Ordinarily, on the full-moon day, the moon 7 March 1486. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, proudly rises to bathe the world in pure, prophesized as the incarnation of divine love gentle rays of silver. On the Dol Purnima of by the Vedic scriptures, was born in a 1486, however, there was an eclipse, as Brahmin family in the town of Navadwip, though nature was announcing that another , India. Throughout his life, moon, unique and divine, was also rising on acquaintances affectionately referred to Him that night—one that was greater in fullness, by many names, such as Sachinandan, the purity, coolness, gentleness, generosity, and son of Sachi, His mother. Because His birth poetic beauty than any ordinary moon, or took place under a neem tree, He was also indeed any other joy-giving thing in the lovingly called Nimai, especially during His world. As it was spring, the still leafless trees childhood and youth. The townspeople were filled with fresh new twigs and copper- knew Him as Gauranga, because of His light, colored sprouts. The mango buds were golden skin and physical beauty. Later in life, attracting swarms of buzzing bees in search upon taking vows of renunciation, He would of nectar, while the flower shrubs and formally be given the name Chaitanya, and creepers waved their branches and spread after His reputation as a great saint spread, their fragrance in the wind. It was as though the honorific title Mahaprabhu (great master) the goddess of nature herself was a young was further bestowed upon Him. bride who, on hearing the jingling ankle bells of her groom, the Lord of the infinite worlds, had dressed herself in all her finery

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and was now eagerly awaiting his arrival for and his mother’s nickname was Ai; thus, he the wedding. Seeing nature take on such a got the nickname “Nimai.” He also had other beautiful aspect, one could easily conclude names according to his qualities. He was that this truly was the day that the Creator golden in color, so people used to call Him and His creation were to be united. Gaura, Gauranga, Gaurahari, Gaurasundara, and Gauragopala. He was also known as The ladies of the town blew their conch Sachinandana and Jagannathsuta because shells, filling the earth and sky with an He was the son of Mother Sachi and Father auspicious reverberation. In every direction, Jagannath Mishra. the earth was filled with peace; the river waters were calm and even the ordinary Written by HDG Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan plants and creatures seemed to be filled with Goswami Maharaja, May 2020 joy. The world was awash with bliss. The sound of the Supreme Lord’s name was on AKSHAYA TRITIYA everyone’s lips and all hearts overflowed with happiness. It was as though all were Akshaya Tritiya is the third tithi of the bright holding their breath in expectation of His half of the month Vaisakh. The word aksaya appearance as Nimai, the son of Sachi. means ‘inexhaustible’ or ‘eternal’. It is observed as an auspicious day, signifying At the very moment the world was filled with prosperity. On this day, various events of the sound of people everywhere calling out significance to Vaishnavas have taken place, the names of God [in response to the and some of those include: eclipse], Krishna descended to the earth in his golden form. (Chaitanya Charitamrita v Lord Parasu Ram appeared 1.13.94) v Holy River Ganga descended to Earth kali-käle näma-rüpe kåñëa-avatära v Marked the beginning of Satya Yuga näma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistära v Sudama vipra visited Lord Krishna in Dwaraka and received unlimited wealth Krishna appears in this age of Kali in the form of His name. This entire universe will v Draupadi and the Pandavas received be saved by chanting the names of God. Akshaya Patra from Lord Krishna (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.17.22) v Vyasadeva started composing the There is no religious practice in this age of Kali other than the chanting of the Holy v Kubera, the Lord of Wealth received his Names. The Holy Name is the essence of all wealth from Goddess Annapoorna Devi —this is the fundamental meaning of v The construction of the chariots for Lord all the scriptures. (Chaitanya Charitamrita Jagannath’s Ratha Yatra begins 1.3.99) v In the temple of Khira-Chora Gopinath After Chaitanya’s birth, astrologers assessed in Remuna, , the Deities of his birth chart in preparation for his name- Madan Mohan Jiu and Gopinath Jiu are giving ceremony. They concluded that, in smeared with sandalwood pulp accordance with the scriptures, the name Vishwambhar was appropriate, for it means Compiled by the editors one who supports, nourishes and protects (bhara) the universe (viçvam). Nevertheless, everyone continued to affectionately call him Nimai. He was born under the neem tree

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SRI JANHAVA MATA’S SAGE YAJNAVALKYA’S INSTRUCTION TO HER DISCIPLE ADVICE TO MAITREYI

by Sri Nityananda das by HDG Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami

“After several days of journey, her disciple Why should we renounce all things that are Nityananda Das asked Jahnava Mata, non-Self and worship the Self or the “Mother, kindly tell me how one can obtain Supersoul? In order to understand the a Vaishnava’s food remnants and the water answer to this question, the Brihad-aranyaka that has washed his lotus feet.” Jahnava Mata Upanishad states— replied, “My dear son, the remnants of a Vaishnava’s food and the water that has tad etat preyaù puträt preyo vittät washed a Vaishnava’s lotus feet and are preyo’nyasmät rarely attained in this world. Great piety is sarvasmäd antarataraà yad ayam ätmä. needed to be able to drink such water and eat such remnants. Please put faith in my That which is the innermost words, because serving the Vaishnavas and thing of all is the Self. It is honouring their remnants is the supreme dearer to us than our children, form of worship. One should serve exalted dearer to us than our Vaishnavas who naturally possess all good possessions, and dearer to us qualities. But don’t serve in order to get than any other thing. (1.4.8) something in return from the Vaishnavas. This attitude is counter to the purpose of One has to hear from the pure devotee service” spiritual master about the nature of this Supreme Self, the most worshipable “Unless one renders devotional service to Supreme Person. But then, in order to attain the Lord, no matter how important they it, we must renounce everything that comes seem by material estimation, all his activities between us and this Truth. One can learn a are factually useless. One can achieve lot about this from the conversation between Krishna’s mercy by becoming detached from Yajnavalkya and his wife and disciple, material life. In to attain Krishna, in his life Maitreyi. This story appears in exactly the one should take shelter of a bona fide same form twice in the Brihad-aranyaka spiritual master and cultivate devotional Upanishad, in the second chapter, fourth service under his direction.” brähmaëa, and in the fourth chapter, fifth brähmaëa. According to the Nyaya “All pure devotees are part of Krishna’s philosophy of Gautama, such repetition is family and so one should never be envious called nigamana, or the conclusion, defined of any of them. In the same way that Krishna as “the repetition of a statement of what was is great, the spiritual master and other to be proved after showing proofs.” Vaishnavas are also great. This is the truth and one must realise it. Anyone who thinks Once there was a great sage named he is superior to the Vaishnavas and has the Yajnavalkya, who had two wives, Maitreyi audacity to take service from them has not and Katyayani. Both were pious and saintly even reached the platform of kanistha- women, and equally devoted to their adhikari. He can never achieve the spiritual husband. Of the two, however, Maitreyi had master’s mercy.” more interest in spiritual matters and was more aware of the transitory nature of this Adapted from Prema Vilasa- Sri Jahnava mata meets material world and therefore indifferent to its the Goswamis of Vrindavana by Sri Nityananda das

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pleasures. Katyayani, on the other hand, was you know that will give me somewhat attached to the world. freedom from death.” (2.4.3)

One day, as Yajnavalkya grew old, he Yajnavalkya was pleased to hear his decided that it was time for him to leave intelligent wife say this and he said, family life and go to the forest to finish his days as a hermit. He called Maitreyi to him priyä batäre naù saté priyaà bhäñase. and said, “O Maitreyi, I intend to leave this ehy ässva vyäkhyäsyämi te. vyäcakñäëasya householder life to dedicate my life to go to tu me nididhyäsasveti. higher things, namely the renounced order of life. I wish to ask for your permission to “O Maitreyi, you were always do so. Before going, however, I would like very dear to me. Now that you to divide whatever possessions I have are speaking these words that between you and Katyayani.” are so close to my heart, you are even more dear. So sit On hearing this, Maitreyi said, down here next to me and I will explain these things. I will yan nu ma iyaà bhagoù sarvä påthivé tell you everything you want vittena to hear, but you must listen to pürëä syät, kathaà tenämåtä syäm ? me with attention.” (2.4.4)

O master, if this entire world Then Yajnavalkya spoke a long passage were filled with riches, would that is one of the most famous in all the that make me immortal? Upanishads. (Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad 2.4.1) na vä are patyuù kämäya patiù priyo bhavati, Yajnavalkya answered, “No— ätmanas tu kämäya patiù priyo bhavati | | na vä are jäyäyai kämäya jäyä priyä yathaivopakaraëavatäà jévitaà tathaiva te bhavati, jévitaà syät, ätmanas tu kämäya jäyä priyä bhavati | amåtatvasya tu nä’’çä’asti vitteneti. na vä are puträëäà kämäya puträù priyä bhavanti, “You may be able to enjoy life ätmanas tu kämäya puträù priyä bhavanti in this world, as the rich are | able to. But all the wealth in na vä are vittasya kämäya vittaà priyaà the world will not give you bhavati, any hope of immortality.” ätmanas tu kämäya vittaà priyaà bhavati (2.4.2) | On hearing this, Maitreyi said, na vä are brahmaëaù kämäya brahma priyaà bhavati, yenähaà nämåtä syäà, kim ahaà tena ätmanas tu kämäya brahma priyaà kuryäm ? bhavati | yad eva bhagavän veda tad eva me brühéti. na vä are kñatrasya kämäya kñatraà priyaà bhavati, “What do I need of that which ätmanas tu kämäya kñatraà priyaà cannot make me immortal? O bhavati | my lord, please tell me what

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na vä are lokänäà kämäya lokäù priyä but for the sake of the self that the bhavanti, worlds are dear. ätmanas tu kämäya lokäù priyä bhavanti | Truly, it is not for the sake of the gods na vä are devänäà kämäya deväù priyä that the gods are dear, but for the sake of the self that the bhavanti, gods are dear. ätmanas tu kämäya deväù priyä bhavanti | Truly, it is not for the sake of all na vä are bhütänäà kämäya bhütäni creatures that the creatures are dear, priyäëi bhavanti, but for the sake of the self that all ätmanas tu kämäya bhütäni priyäëi creatures are dear. bhavanti | na vä are sarvasya kämäya sarvaà priyaà Truly, it is not for the sake of anything bhavati, else that those things are dear, ätmanas tu kämäya sarvaà priyaà but for the sake of the self that all things are dear. bhavati |

In other words, one is not really interested in Truly, it is not for the sake of the the happiness of one’s husband or wife husband that one’s husband is dear, when one loves them. Ultimately, one is but for the sake of the self that the really interested in pleasing oneself. husband is dear. So, says Yajnavalkya, Truly, it is not for the sake of the wife that one’s wife is dear, ätmä vä are drañöavyaù çrotavyo mantavyo but for the sake of the self that the nididhyäsitavyaù. wife is dear. maitreyy ätmano vä are darçanena Truly, it is not for the sake of children çravaëena matyä vijïänenedaà sarvaà that one’s children are dear, viditam. but for the sake of the self that the children are dear. “Therefore, Maitreyi, the self is what you must seek out. You must hear Truly, it is not for the sake of wealth about the self, reflect on the self and that one’s wealth is dear, meditate in depth on the self. O but for the sake of the self that the Maitreyi, when you have seen the wealth is dear. self, heard it, reflected on it, and come to know it perfectly, then you Truly, it is not for the sake of the shall know all things.” (2.4.5) brahmin that the brahmin is dear, but for the sake of the self that the In other words, if it is for the self or atma that brahmin is dear. one loves anything in this world, then it should be the principle thing that we attempt Truly, it is not for the sake of the to understand. We must learn what will truly kshatriya that the kshatriya is dear, please the self. The thing that is truly most but for the sake of the self that the dear to the atma is the Paramatma, or kshatriya is dear. “beyond self,” what we often call the Supersoul, or God. Truly, it is not for the sake of the worlds that the worlds are dear,

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The word atma in the Vedic literature is The nature of bhakti is sometimes held to mean the individual soul revealed here: O Maitreyi ! (jévätmä) and sometimes the Supreme Soul The atma alone must be seen, (paramätmä), the Param Brahma, the Cause heard, reflected upon and it of all Causes and Supreme Lord, the Whole alone is worthy of being of which all others are parts, the reservoir of meditated upon with all loving relationships and the Supreme constancy. When that atma is Lover, Sri Krishna. He is he most dear and seen, heard, meditated upon the ultimate object of all our love. So, that and realized, then everything Supreme Soul is what we must strive to see. will be known. Krishna is We should hear from the spiritual masters dearer than one’s son, dearer and the scriptures about the Supreme Soul to than one’s wealth, because He understand His nature and form. Then is the indwelling soul of all comes reflection on what one has heard, creatures. Whatever one with the aim of removing all contradictions desires is not necessarily dear, and establishing the real meaning of what is but they become dear as a being said in the Vedanta. This is, of course, result of one’s desire for the not a matter of dry argument, but an act of Self. Therefore the eternal devotion and faith. When one has come to joyful relationship that the this understanding, then one should engage individual soul has with in nididhyäsana, or meditation with firm Krishna is called prema, or faith. When one has seen, heard, reflected divine love. This prema is a on and meditated with firm faith on the completely spiritual thing. Supreme Soul Krishna, then one will (Caitanya-çikñämåta 6.3) understand all things. The passage from the Upanishads under Earlier in the same Båhad-äraëyaka discussion states that one’s husband, wife, Upaniñad, a similar statement was made— children, wealth, priests, rulers, heavenly planets, gods—in short, everything—seem tad etat preyaù puträt preyo vittät dear to us only because of the presence of preyo’nyasmät the Soul within them. Maharshi Yajnavalkya sarvasmäd antarataraà yad ayam ätmä. said these things to his wife and disciple Maitreyi in order to awaken in her a That which is the innermost detachment from all these impermanent thing of all is the Self. It is relationships, for unless one can become dearer to us than our children, detached, how can there be any possibility dearer to us than our of liberation? Krishna is the soul of the world, possessions, and dearer to us and therefore He alone is the dearmost than any other thing. (1.4.8) person, the only true object of our love. Therefore all the affection we feel is really a The conclusion that one should arrive at displacement of our eternal and as yet after hearing a text such as this is to unmanifest love for Him. renounce everything and turn to the one Supreme Truth, the Supreme Self, Krishna, If we take the word atma in the above and engage in His service. passage to mean the individual self, in other words, everyone loves their husbands, wives Bhaktivinoda has discussed these texts from and children due to the presence of a soul in the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad in his that entity. But that Soul is the beloved of the Caitanya-çikñämåta as follows: individual soul, the supreme object of love is the Supreme Soul or Paramatma.

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Furthermore, this Supreme Soul is the shelter In his commentary to Brahma Sutra 2.3.18, or source of the worshipable object of the Madhvacharya cites the Paugavana-çruti, philosophers, namely the impersonal which says: Brahman or “Ground of Being.” Furthermore, the Paramatma worshiped by aëur hy eña ätmäyaà vä ete the yogis is a portion of the Supreme Person. sinétaù puëyaà cäpuëyaà These things are stated by Krishna Himself in ca. the —brahmaëo hi pratiñöhäham “I am the basis of the This self is infinitesimal, and Brahman” (14.27). therefore it can become the refuge of both sin and piety. athavä bahunaitena kià jïätena tavärjuna However, in the Gita, Krishna clearly states viñöabhyäham idaà kåtsnam that ultimately, the individual soul is ekäàçena sthito jagat transcendental to matter, and therefore untouched by the body. On the other hand, what need is there for you to know all yathä prakäçayaty ekaù these things, ? I pervade kåtsnaà lokam imaà raviù this entire universe with just a kñetraà kñetré tathä kåtsnaà single portion of Myself. (Gita prakäçayati bhärata 10.42) As the sun alone illuminates The “single portion” is a reference to the this entire solar system, so a God’s indwelling Supersoul aspect. In order single living entity pervades to create the material world, Krishna first the body with consciousness. expands as the who dwells in the (13.34) Causal Ocean from whose pores an infinite number of universes emanate. This portion In the Vedanta Sutra 2.3.24, it is said, guëäd of the Lord is called Karanarnavashayi välokavat. The meaning of this is that, just as Vishnu. He is also sometimes called the a lamp in one room lights up the entire Antaryami or “indweller” of the entire room, the soul in the body lights up the material nature. So this single portion of the entire body with consciousness. Lord sustains and pervades the entire material creation. The conclusion is that This jivatma or individual soul has an eternal, Krishna is the ultimate object of our love. unbreakable relationship with Krishna. Therefore it is constantly searching for Him. However, the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.9) But when Krishna is pleased, then all uses the word atma to mean the jivatma. It creatures are pleased, when He is satisfied, says eño’ëur ätmä— “The atma is all are satisfied. He is more pleasing than any infinitesimal.” Krishna’s internal energy has of the things that are accepted as pleasing in its most infinitesimal manifestation as the this world. Therefore, each living being has jiva, who is also called Krishna’s marginal the necessity of seeking Him out. He is the potency. The Svetasvatara Upanishad says closest, most intimate thing that we can that the individual soul is smaller than the imagine, and therefore the Sruti tells us to 10,000th portion of a hair in an attempt to make a global effort, with every fiber of our show how small it is. being, to attain Him.

Both the individual soul, the infinitesimal particle of consciousness, and the all-

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pervading Paramatma are fragmental parts of jévera svarüpa hay kåñëa the Supreme Lord. Both of them are nitya-däsa “knowers of the field” in the language of the kåñëera taöastha çakti Gita. The body is considered the field, and bhedäbheda-prakäça the living entity is the owner of the consciousness that is aware of the body. The eternal constitutional Simultaneously, the Paramatma is also position of the living entity is present, though not in a single body, but in to be Krishna’s servant, His all bodies everywhere. He is the controller marginal potency, which is and maintainer of each jiva and his field. The simultaneously one and living beings are like puppets riding different from Him. helplessly on the roller-coaster of this (CC 2.20.108-9) material energy, wandering from body to body in this universe and entangled in the The jiva is a part of Krishna’s energies. In the cycle of action and its results. Those Bhagavad Gita, Krishna calls the jiva His fortunate souls who have had the parä prakåti, his higher potency. Since God intelligence to take shelter of the Lord’s lotus and his energies are not different from each feet are freed from this cycle by the Lord’s other, we can conclude that the relationship grace and they attain peace and his eternal between them is inconceivably one and abode. different—acintya-bhedäbheda.

In his commentary to Brahma-sutra 2.3.18, These things can be found in the Upanishads Madhvacharya cites the Paugavana-çruti, also. The Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad says— which says: asmän mäyé såjate viçvam aëur hy eña ätmäyaà vä ete etat sinétaù puëyaà cäpuëyaà tasmiàç cänyo mäyayä ca. sanniruddhaù mäyäà tu prakåtià vidyät This Self is infinitesimal, and mäyinaà tu maheçvaram therefore it can become the refuge of both sin and piety. With his wondrous power of Maya, he made all things. And There are many contradictory ideas about by this Maya is the jiva soul the jivatma in this world. Krishna is the bound to this world. Know controller of Maya, whereas the jiva is therefore that Maya is one of subject to the control of Maya. Therefore the Lord’s potencies. And that there could be no question of non-difference the controller of Maya is the of the two. Nevertheless, the Lord is the Supreme Lord. (Çvetäçvatara supreme conscious reality, whereas the Upaniñad 4.9-10) jivatma is only an infinitesimal spark of consciousness. So, from the point of being In this matter, the jiva cannot be considered spiritual beings, conscious by nature, there is separate or absolutely different from the a commonality between the jiva and the Supreme Lord. By nature, the jiva is the Lord. So from certain points of view, there is eternal servant of God; he is Krishna’s an insurmountable difference between the marginal energy, simultaneously one with jiva and the Lord, from others there are and different from Him. That energy which points of commonality. Therefore Kaviraja has potential to be part of either the Lord’s Goswami comes to the conclusion: internal or external potencies is called Krishna’s marginal potency. Even so, it is still

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simultanously different and not different, not the material and spiritual exclusively the one or the other. This is worlds, sometimes comes to clearly stated in the Båhad-äraëyaka wakefulness and sometimes Upaniñad— to the dream state. (4.3.18)

tasya vä etasya puruñasya The Lord’s marginal energy, the jiva, issues dve eva sthäne bhavataù. from the Lord, but he nevertheless has a idaà ca para-loka-sthänaà separate existence from the Lord. Thus Jiva ca. sandhyaà tåtéyaà Goswami has given the name “separated svapna-sthänam. portion” (vibhinnäàça) to the jiva, distinct tasmin sandhye sthäne from the “personal portion” (sväàça) that tiñöhann ete ubhe sthäne refers to the unlimited incarnations of the paçyatédaà ca para-loka- Lord. The latter, though appearing like sthänaà ca separate individuals, never lose the sense identity with Krishna. They continue to There are only two states for possess all his potencies. They fully identify the soul: one here in this with Krishna’s will and show no world, the other in the next. independence from him. On the other hand, There is a third, intermediate the jivas, who are separate from Krishna, position, which is the dream though by nature beyond the material state. When in that nature, due to their tininess and their intermediate state, he is able separatedness, are able to come under the to survey both this world and influence of the illusory energy. the next. (4.3.9) ayaà ätmä sarveñäà This is taken to mean that the jiva surveys bhütänäà madhu both this material energy and the sa vä ayam ätmä sarveñäà transcendent, divine realm that is the Lord’s bhütänäm adhipatiù internal energy. The jiva is situated between sarveñäà bhütänäà räjä the two and is ultimately obliged to choose between them. This atma, Krishna, is the “honey,” in other words, A similar point is made a little further on in the supreme object of love, for the same Upanishad— all beings. He is the overlord of all creatures, the king of all tad yathä mahä-matsya ubhe creatures. (2.5.14-15) küle’nusaàcarati pürvaà cäparaà caivam Krishna is overtly identified as the atma in eväyaà puruña etäv ubhäv the Srimad Bhagavatam— antäv anusaàcarati svapnäntaà ca buddhäntaà sarveñäm api bhütänäà nåpa ca. svätmaiva vallabhaù itare’patya-vittädyäs tad- This intermediate state can be vallabhatayaiva hi described as follows—Just as tad räjendra yathä snehaù a large fish swims from one sva-svakätmani dehinäm bank of the river and back to na tathä mamatälambi- the other, so does the jiva, putra-vitta-gåhädiñu who is capable of swimming dehätma-vädinäà puàsäm in the Causal Ocean between api räjanya-sattama

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deho’pi mamatä-bhäk cet tasyäpi bhagavän kåñëaù kim tarhy asau nätmavat priyaù atad vastu rüpyatäm yathä dehaù priyatamas tathä na hy anu ye ca tam Know this : This Krishna is the yaj jéryaty api dehe’smin Self of all selves. For the jévitäçä baléyasé benefit of the world, He has tasmät priyatamaù svätmä appeared here by His illusory sarveñäm eva dehinäm potency, as though an tad-artham eva sakalaà embodied being. Those who jagac caitac caräcaram know things in their truth see Krishna in all conscious and In all beings, O King, it is one's unconscious manifestations. own self alone that one finds They see everything as the dear. All other things, whether form of the Lord and do not children or property, are dear see any substance other than only because of the love one Him. There is a meaningful has for oneself. Therefore, O essence present in all things, king, embodied beings never but the essence of that essence have as much affection for is the Lord Krishna. Please tell those like their children, me if you can identify wealth or homes, who are anything that is not Him. merely connected to them, as they do for the body, with Written by HDG Srila Bhakti Promode Puri which they identify Goswami Thakur and published in Chaitanya Vani, themselves. February 1988.

O greatest of kings! Those THE NATURE OF THE SPIRIT who identify with the body, SOULS still have more affection for (JIVA-TATTVA-PRAKARANA) the soul than for the body, to which they are so attached. by Sacchinananda Srila Bhaktivinode Thus, when the body grows Thakur old and becomes useless, they still continue to desire life. Sutra 30 Therefore, one’s own self is the most dear thing to every paratma-surya-kirana-paramanavo jivah living being. It is for the self that this world exists, whether “The individual spirit souls are rays of moving or unmoving. light coming from the sun of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” kåñëam enam avehi tvam ätmänam akhilätmanäm Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura jagad-dhitäya so’py atra dehéväbhäti mäyayä In the Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad it is said: vastuto jänatäm atra kåñëaà sthäsnu cariñëu ca yathagneh kshudra visphulinga bhagavad-rüpam akhilaà vyuccaranti evam evasmad atmanah nänyad vastv iha kiïcana sarvani bhutani vyuccaranti. sarveñäm api vastünäà bhävärtho bhavati sthitaù

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"As sparks fly from a fire, so the individual to be an eternal servant of Krishna because spirit souls are manifest from the Supreme." he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one and In the Svetasvatara Upanishad (5.9) it is different from the Lord, like a molecular said: particle of sunshine or fire."

balagra-sata-bhagasya satadha Sutra 31 kalpitasya ca bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya ubhaya-vaibhava-yogyas tatastha-dharmat kalpate “Because the individual spirit souls "If we divide the tip of a hair into one are situated between them, the souls hundred parts and then take one part and can stay in either of the Lord's two divide this into another one hundred parts, energies.” that ten-thousandth part is the dimension of the living entity. Knowing this fact, a soul Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura becomes eligible for liberation." In the Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad it is said: In the Bhagavad-gita (7.4-5), Lord Krishna explains: asya va etasya purushasya dve eva sthane bhavata idam ca para-loka-sthanam ca bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano sandham tritiyam svam. buddhir eva ca ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakritir "The Supreme Personality of Godhead has ashtadha two abodes: the spiritual world and the material world. The individual spirit souls apareyam itas tv anyam prakritim are situated between those worlds." viddhi me param jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said: dharyate jagat tasmad bhavadbhih "Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, kartavyam karmanam tri- intelligence, and false ego, all together these gunatmanam eight constitute My separated material bija-nirharanam yogah pravaha- energies. Besides these, O mighty-armed paramo dhiyah Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities "Therefore please destroy the seeds of who are exploiting the resources of this material actions, which are based on the material, inferior nature." three modes of nature, and fix your thoughts on the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (Sri Caitanya- caritamrita, Madhya 20.108-109) explains: Sri Nimbarka Svami explains: jivera svarupa haya krishnera nitya dasa anadi-maya-parimukta-rupam tv enam krishnera tatastha sakti bhedabheda- vidur vai bhagavat-prasadat. prakasa baddham ca muktam ca kila baddha- muktam prabheda-bahulyam tathapi suryamsu kirana yena agni jvala caya bodhyam.

"It is the living entity's constitutional position "By the mercy of the Lord the devotees

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understand the nature of the beginningless "Thus by logic it is proved that the soul is material world and the nature of liberation eternal, conscious, and effulgent." from it." Sutra 33 Sutra 32 asmad-arthah svarupatah suddha-cin-mayah “We are the individual spirit souls, “By nature they are pure spirit.” each of us endowed with a distinct identity.” Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura In the Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad (4.3.11) it is said: In the Svetasvatara Upanishad (5.8) it is said: svapnena sariram api prahatyasuptah suptan abhicakasiti sukram adaya punar angushtha-matro ravi-tulya- eti sthanam hiranmayam purusha eka rupah sankalpahankara-samanvito hamsah. yah buddher gunenatma-gunena "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who caiva aragra-matro 'py aparo 'pi is graceful like a swan, wakens the souls drishtah sleeping in material bodies and takes them back to His effulgent spiritual abode." "The conditioned soul is small like a thumb, splendid like the sun, and filled with false- In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said: ego and material desire. Different from him is the Supersoul, whose form is also very atma nityo 'vyayah suddha ekah small, but who is filled with intelligence and kshetrajna asrayah spiritual knowledge." avikriyah sva-drig-ghetur vyapako sanganavritah In Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda it is said:

"`Atma' refers to the Supreme Lord or the living entities. Both of them are spiritual, free aham-artho 'vyayah kshetri bhinna- from birth and death, free from rupah sanatanah deterioration, and free from material adahyo 'cchedyo 'kledyo 'soshya eva ca contamination. They are individual, they are evam-adi-gunair yuktam sesha-bhutah knowers of the external body, and they are parasya vai the foundation or shelter of everything. They are free from material change, they are self- "I am the knower of the field of activities that illuminated, they are the cause of all causes, is the material body. I am different from the and they are all-pervading. They have body. I am eternal. I cannot be burned, cut, nothing to do with the material body, and moistened, or dried. I have many other therefore they are always uncovered." spiritual qualities like these."

Sri Sankaracaraya explains: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (in Sri Caitanya- caritamrita, Madhya 22.9-10) explains: atha sthitam caitat nyayato nityam svarupam caitanya-jyotishtamatmanah.

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vibhinnamsa jiva tanra saktite ganana body, which is to be illuminated by sei vibhinnamsa jiva dui ta prakara consciousness. Thus the spirit soul and the eka nitya mukta eka nitya samsara body possess different characteristics and are different entities." "The separated expansions are living entities. Although they are expansions of In his commentary on Vedanta-sutra, Srila Krishna, they are counted among His Baladeva Vidyabhushana explains: different potencies. The living entities (jivas) are divided into two categories. Some are jna eva atma jnana-svarupate sati jnatri- eternally liberated, and others are eternally svarupah. conditioned." "By its nature the soul possesses Sutra 34 knowledge."

jnana-jnatritva-gunakas ca Sutra 35

“The souls also have the quality of paresa-vaimukhyat tesham being knowers of knowledge.” avidyabhinivesah

Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Because they rebelled against the Supreme Lord they have entered into ignorance. In the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.9) it is said: Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura esho 'nur atma cetasa In the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.1-2) it is veditavyo yasmin pranah pancadha said: sannivesa pranais cittam sarvam otam dva suparna sayuja sakhaya samanam prajanam yasmin visuddhe vibhaty vriksham praishasvajate esha atma tayor anyah pippalam svadv atty anasnann anyo 'bhicakasiti "The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. The "The individual spirit soul and the Supersoul, atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air Supreme Personality of Godhead, are like (prana, apana, vyana, samana, and udana), two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. is situated within the heart, and spreads its One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) influence all over the body of the embodied is eating the fruit of the tree (the sense living entities." gratification afforded by the material body), and the other bird (the Supersoul) is not In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.10.8) it is said: trying to eat these fruits, but is simply watching His friend. vilakshanah sthula-sukshmad dehad atmekshita sva-drik samane vrikshe purusho yathagni-daruno dahyad dahako nimagno 'nisaya socati muhyamanah 'nyah prakasakah jushtam yada pasyati anyam isam ` asya mahimanam iti vita-sokah "Just as fire, which burns and illuminates, is different from firewood, which is to be "Although the two birds are on the same tree, burned to give illumination, similarly the the eating bird is fully engrossed with seer within the body, the self-enlightened anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the spirit soul, is different from the material fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other

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he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord, worship Lord Gauranga? Why study them? and knows His glories, at once the suffering What use is a mirror to a blind man? bird becomes free of all anxieties."

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.37) it is said: veda vidya dui kichui na janata sei jadi gauranga jane sara bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad nayanananda bhane sei se sakala jane isad apetasya viparyaya-smritih sarva-siddhi kara-tale tara

"When the living entity is attracted by the "If one knows the two kinds of Vedic material energy, which is separate from knowledge, he still does not know anything. Krishna, he is overpowered by fear. Because But if one knows Lord Gauranga, he knows he is separated from the Supreme the most precious knowledge. Nayanananda Personality of Godhead by the material says: Such a person knows everything. All energy, his conception of life is reversed. In perfections stay in the palm of his hand. other words, instead of being the eternal servant of Krishna, he becomes Krishna's Adapted from Sri Amnaya Sutra, translation and competitor. This is called `viparyayo commentary by Sacchinananda Srila Bhaktivinode 'smritih'." Thakur

Sri Nayanananda dasa sings:

kali-ghora timire garasala jagajana

dharana karama bahu-dura

asadhane cintamani vidhi milaula ani

gora bada dayara thakura

"Plunged by their materialistic deeds into the terrible darkness of Kali-yuga, the people cannot find the cintamani jewel of Lord

Gaura's mercy.

bhai re bhai gora guna

kahane na yaya

kata sata-anana kata catur-anana

baraniya ura nahi paya

O my brother! O my brother! No one has

told you the glories of Lord Gaura. How

great is Lord Brahma? How great is Lord

Sesha? They are not as great as Lord Gaura.

cari veda shad-darasana padiya se

jadi gauranga nahi bhaje kiba tara adhyayana locana vihina jena

darpane kiba tara kaje

"What use are the four Vedas and the six systems of philosophy if one does not

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VAISHNAVA FESTIVALS: MARCH – APRIL 2020

Date Festival

2 May Appearance day of Sri Jahnava Mata 4 May Mohini Ekadashi 6 May Appearance day of Lord Nrasimha Dev (Nrsimha Chaturdashi) 7 May Vaisakh (Buddha) Purnima, Appearance day of Lord Buddha and Srila Srinivas Acharya 12 May Disappearance day of Srila Ramananda Ray 18 May Apara Ekadashi 19 May Appearance Day of Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur 1 June Disappearance Day of Srila Baladev Vidyabhushan Prabhu 2 June Nirjala Ekadashi 4 June Festival of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami at Panihatti 5 June Snan Yatra of Lord Sri Jagannath, Disappearance day of Srila Mukunda Datta and Sridhar Pandit 6 June Disappearance day of Srila Shyamananda Prabhu 10 June Appearance day of Srila Vakreshwar Pandit 17 June Yogini Ekadashi 21 June Disappearance day of Srila Sachchinananda Bhaktivinode Thakur and Gadhadhar Pandit 22 June Gundicha Marjan 23 June Ratha Yatra of Lord Sri Jagannath

Bhagavata Dharma A free e-magazine published monthly in service to the mission of Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya, by: Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math, Isodhyan, Sri Mayapur Nadia, West Bengal, India 741313

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