Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Based on the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada By Yaduraja Dasa Published by Sankirtana Seva Trust Bangalore A book in English SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU This book was adapted and compiled from the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of ISKCON, by Yaduraja Dasa who has been a member of ISKCON since 1982. Originally from England, Yaduraja Dasa has written numerous articles for magazines and plays for both stage and BBC radio, all based on the teachings of Lord Krishna as presented by Srila Prabhupada. Published by Sankirtana Seva Trust, Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road, Bangalore-10 Printed at Brilliant Printers Pvt. Ltd. Lottegollahalli, Bangalore [Total Pages : 80, 1/8 Crown] © 2011 Sankirtana Seva Trust, Bangalore All Rights Reserved ISBN: 81-8239-002-8 First Printing 2003 : 5000 copies Second Printing 2010 (Revised) : 3000 copies Third Printing 2011 (Revised) : 4000 copies Fourth Printing 2014 (Revised) : 2000 copies Fifth Printing 2015 : 1500 copies Readers interested in the subject matter of this book are invited by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to correspond with its Secretary at the following address: International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road, Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560 010. Tel: 080-32214522, 23471956 Mobile: 9341211119 Email: [email protected] Website: www.iskconbangalore.org Contents Divine Childhood ...................................................6 Brilliant Youth .....................................................20 The Beginning of a Massive Spiritual Revolution 26 In Jagannatha Puri ............................................. 41 Flooding South India with the Holy Name ..........47 Travelling to Vrindavana .....................................52 Transforming the Impersonalists ........................56 Winning the Buddhists........................................60 Conclusion .......................................................... 61 Srila Prabhupada — A Brief Life Sketch.............64 Model Questions.................................................70 Answers for Model questions .............................80 His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Founder Acharya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness) desired that children are taught the sublime knowledge of Krishna so that they can perfect their lives. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 5 Introduction Whilst modern day scholars argue over whether or not Lord Sri Krishna was a real person who actually lived in a city called Dvaraka, now submerged under the oceans, there is no dispute over whether or not Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu really existed. If you read any encyclopedia, or book on Indian religion, His name will be mentioned, and the dates of His birth, departure and wonderful achievements will be described. It is officially recognized that at a time when, in the West, man was studying the structure of the physical universe and circling the world by sea in search of new oceans and continents, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the East, was inspiring a revolution directed toward a deep understanding of man’s spiritual nature. However, Lord Chaitanya is no ordinary historical figure, since, in the very same Vedic literatures that describe the activities of Lord Krishna, His own mission of spreading the holy names is also foretold. It is further stated that Lord Chaitanya is in fact non-different from Lord Krishna. They are one and the same. The following is a brief account of the amazing life and teachings of this most recent incarnation of Krishna to bless the earth with His presence. * * * 6 Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Divine Childhood krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam sangopangastra-parshadam yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah [Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.32] “In this dark age of Kali those who are wise come together to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although non-different from Krishna He appears in this age not in His usual blackish-blue form, but yellow instead, and, accompanied by His eternal associates, He establishes the sankirtana movement, or chanting of the Holy Names.” Five hundred years ago there was a humble and gentle brahmana called Sri Advaita Acharya. He was disturbed by how the people in Kali-yuga, the current age of quarrel and lies, were becoming worse and worse in their behaviour. They were no longer interested in serving Krishna, visiting the temple, or speaking the truth. They were becoming more and more selfish, Godless and dishonest. But what could he alone do? He knew that only devotional service to Krishna could save mankind from this miserable condition. He knew there was only one solution. So early one morning, when the sun had not yet risen, he made his Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 7 way to the banks of the sacred river Ganges. He dipped a copper pot into the flowing water which he then placed on a small altar of shalagrama with a few leaves from the holy Tulasi plant. He then prayed urgently for the Lord to personally appear on earth to save mankind, just as it was predicted He would, thousands of years before in the above verse from the Srimad-Bhagavatam. * * * The villagers of Navadvipa, in Bengal, had all flocked to the Ganges which glistened in the silvery glow of a glorious full moon. They stood and poured the holy water on their heads, silhouetted against the brightly shimmering stream. Throughout India people were similarly bathing in sacred rivers and chanting the holy names of God since tonight there was to be a lunar eclipse. It was Friday, February 18, 1486, and the prayers of Sri Advaita Acharya were about to be answered. Set back from the river in a district called Sridhama Mayapura was the house of Jagannatha Mishra and his wife Shachidevi. As the moon eclipsed, and the sound of chanting was at its peak, a beautiful baby boy was born to Shachidevi in the courtyard of their house under a neem tree. Because of this He was to be known as Nimai. Another name given to the boy was “Gauranga” meaning “the golden one” since His skin was the colour of molten gold. Later He was to be known as Sri Chaitanya 8 Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Mahaprabhu. Baby Nimai’s maternal grandfather was an astrologer named Nilambara. When he heard the wonderful news he came straight away to the courtyard carrying some large, old books, papers and charts. He looked at the lovely child; then sat down to work out Nimai’s astrological chart. When he had made his calculations, based on the time and place of the birth, he realised that his grandchild would be extraordinary. Nimai was born when all the planets in the heavens were in their very best positions, and as a result the child would be a great pandita (scholar), a saviour of the world and a preacher who would give the best form of religion for this dark age of Kali. Nilambara was astonished by his own findings, and so looked more closely at the child. He was struck with awe when he found various strange markings on his body. For instance, His feet were marked with a flag, thunderbolt, conch and fish. He had other markings on his hands too. Altogether Nilambara found thirty two special signs. On consulting his books Nilambara realised that the baby was actually an incarnation of God. Soon everyone in the village had heard of the wonderful birth, and many brought gifts and presents for the child. His relatives and neighbours noticed that if ever baby Nimai was upset, they only had to chant the names of God: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare; Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 9 Neighbours and relatives brought gifts and presents for baby Nimai. 10 Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and He would immediately stop crying and start smiling and clap His hands. After a while friends and relatives would deliberately chant just to see the beautiful boy dance and laugh. So from His very childhood Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began to preach the importance of the holy name. On the day of little Nimai’s anna-prashana, when He was given His first solid foods of grains and rice, as was traditional, His parents decided to test what things would interest Him in later life. His mother placed before Him on one side a pile of coins and on the other the Srimad- Bhagavatam (the sacred book of all devotees of Krishna). Baby Nimai looked at the coins, and then looked at the book. His family waited to see which He would be drawn to. Straightaway He went towards the holy book, thus showing what His main interest would be in life. One day baby Nimai was crawling in the courtyard under the cooling shade of the neem tree, when a cobra slipped out of some bushes and started making its way towards Him. Nimai watched with interest as the cobra raised itself from the ground, showing off its fearsome hood. Nimai just smiled as the cobra came closer and began coiling itself around Him. It was as Nimai was playing with the cobra that His mother glanced out into the courtyard. She was naturally terrified and cried out to her husband. They both watched helplessly as Nimai fell asleep in the cobra’s coils. They dared not approach the snake in case it should become afraid and bite the child. After some time the snake Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 11 Nimai’s parents and others watched helplessly as he played with the cobra. 12 Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu unwrapped itself and went away, much to the relief of Jagannatha Mishra and his wife Srimati Shachidevi. They had not realised that their son was actually Krishna, and the cobra was His brother Balarama in the form of Ananta Shesha. It was a bright morning and little Nimai was again playing in the yard when two thieves approached. “This is the house,” whispered one thief to the other as he looked around nervously.