The Conversation Between Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu & Çré Rämänanda Räya Çré Räya RämänandaSaàväda Çré Räya Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé réla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé is the humble Ç author of the celebrated Çré Caitanya-caritämåta. He appeared in this world shortly after Lord Caitanya’s divine, manifest pastimes, which he heard about from Çréla Bhaktivedänta Näräyaëa Gosvämé Mahäräja the Lord’s own dear devotees. His account of those pastimes and of the Lord’s precepts is authoritative, n 1921, Çréla Bhaktivedänta Näräyaëa poetic, and laden with the most pristine transcendental Gosvämé Mahäräja, a perfected and pure conceptions. It is thus cherished by devotees, spiritual devoteeI of the Supreme Lord, took birth Tivärépura seekers, and scholars as the pinnacle of devotional in central Bihar, near the sacred Ganges River. In literature and the essence of India’s ancient Vedic 1946, he surrendered his life to his spiritual master, wisdom. Çréla Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava Gosvämé Mahäräja, Çré Räya and deeply embraced his teachings. Then, after only five years, he was awarded the renounced order of life. Rämänanda More than five hundred years ago, the Supreme Now nearly ninety years old, he has circled Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu sat with His intimate the earth thirty times, spreading Lord Caitanya’s Saàväda devotee Çré Rämänanda Räya on the banks of the river immaculate message of selfless love of God. Godävaré. For the benefit of all living beings, the Lord Simultaneously, he prolifically writes commentaries Chapter Eight of inquired from him about the ultimate goal of life, as if on authentic devotional literatures, thus Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä ignorant. expounding the science of pure devotion to the Çré Rämänanda’s initial response did not satisfy Supreme Lord. ÇRÉLA KÅÑËADÄSA KAVIRÄJA GOSVÄMÉ Lord Caitanya, who probed for a deeper answer. Again In his classes, time and again he has taken his and again He rejected the goal Çré Rämänanda put audiences on a journey to the Godävaré River in forth, calling it external. Finally, when Çré Rämänanda South India, recounting this immortal conversation touched upon the natural, eternal religion of the between Lord Caitanya and Rämänanda Räya Commentary by soul, the Lord was somewhat satisfied. His subsequent in such a way as to inspire in his listeners a inquiries continued to depths that astounded and determination to attain the ultimate goal of life. ÇRÉ ÇRÉMAD delighted His devotee, who replied wonderfully to each BHAKTIVEDÄNTA NÄRÄYAËA GOSVÄMÉ MAHÄRÄJA of them. Çré Räya Rämänanda Saàväda ᇹᇺ The Conversation between Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu & Çré Rämänanda Räya BOOKS BY ÇRÉ ÇRÉMAD BHAKTIVEDÄNTA NÄRÄYAËA GOSVÄMÉ MAHÄRÄJA Arcana-dépikä Çré Dämodaräñöakam Beyond Nérväëa Çré Gauòéya Géti-guccha Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu-bindu Çré Géta-govinda Çré Bhajana-rahasya Çré Gopé-géta Bhakti-rasäyana Çré Harinäma Mahä-mantra Bhakti-tattva-viveka Çré Navadvépa-dhäma Çré Brahma-saàhitä Çré Prema-sampuöa Controlled by Love Çré Saìkalpa-kalpadrumaù Dämodara-lélä-mädhuré Çré Çikñäñöaka The Essence of Bhagavad-gétä Çré Upadeçämåta Five Essential Essays Çré Vraja-maëòala Parikramä Going Beyond Vaikuëöha Çréla Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava Gosvämé – Guru-devatätmä His Life and Teachings Happiness in a Fools´s Paradise Çrémad Bhagavad-gétä Jaiva-dharma The Butter Thief Çré Manaù-çikñä The Essence of All Advice Pinnacle of Devotion The Nectar of Govinda-lélä Räga-vartma-candrikä The Origin of Ratha-yäträ Çré Prabandhävalé The Way of Love Secret Truths of the Bhägavatam Letters From America Secrets of the Undiscovered Self My Çikñä-guru and Priya-bandhu Çiva-tattva Veëu-géta Çré Camatkära-candrikä Rays of The Harmonist (periodical) For further information, free downloads of all titles, world tour lectures, and more, please visit: www.purebhakti.com ISBN 978-1-935428-16-9 First printing: 2,000 copies © 2009 Gaudiya Vedanta Publications. Some Rights Reserved. Except where otherwise noted, content on this book is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/ Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.purebhakti.com/pluslicense or write to: [email protected] çré çré guru-gauräìga jayataù Çré Räya Rämänanda Saàväda ᇹᇺ The Conversation between Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu & Çré Rämänanda Räya Chapter Eight of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä by ÇRÉLA KÅÑËADÄSA KAVIRÄJA GOSVÄMÉ Commentary by ÇRÉ ÇRÉMAD BHAKTIVEDÄNTA NÄRÄYAËA GOSVÄMÉ MAHÄRÄJA vrindavan, uttar pradesh, india Dedicated to my Holy Master çré gauòéya-vedänta-äcärya-kesaré nitya-lélä-praviñöa oà viñëupäda añöottara-çata çré ÇRÉMAD BHAKTI PRAJÏÄNA K EÇAVA GOSVÄMÉ MAHÄRÄJA the best amongst the tenth generation of descendants in the bhägavata-paramparä from Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and the founder of the Çré Gauòéya Vedänta Samiti and its branches throughout the world. Acknowledgements Translation: Çrépada B. V. Dämodara Mahäräja Fidelity and Sanskrit check: Çrépada B. V. Viñëu-daivata Mahäräja Editors: Vicitri däsé, Prabhä däsé Assistant editor: Vaijayanté-mälä däsé Proofreaders: Jänaké däsé, Çänti däsé, Sulatä däsé, and Çyämaräëé däsé Translation assistance: Çrépada B. V. Mädhava Mahäräja, Çrépada B. V. Tértha Mahäräja, Çyämasundara Brahmacäré, Viñëu däsa, Dhéra-kåñëa däsa, Rämacandra däsa, and Vraja-sundaré däsé Layout & Design: Kåñëa-karuëya däsa Front cover drawing: Väsudeva däsa Contents ࣍ ᇹᇺ Introduction ľ xi Maìgaläcaraëa ľ 1 (verse 1) Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu Meets Rämänanda Räya ľ 9 (verses 2–56) Varëäçrama-dharma ľ 33 (verses 57–58) Offering the Results of One’s Activities to Kåñëa ľ 39 (verses 59–60) Renouncing Occupational Duties ľ 45 (verses 61–63) Bhakti Mixed with Empiric Knowledge ľ 51 (verses 64–65) Bhakti Devoid of Empiric Knowledge ľ 57 (verses 66–67) Prema-bhakti ľ 63 (verses 68–70) Däsya-prema – the love of a servant for Kåñëa ľ 71 (verses 71–73) Sakhya-prema – the love of a friend for Kåñëa ľ 77 (verses 74–75) Vätsalya-prema – the love of a parent for Kåñëa ľ 83 (verses 76–78) Käntä-prema – the love of a beloved for Kåñëa ľ 91 (verses 79–96) Rädhä-prema – Çré Rädhä’s love for Kåñëa ľ 109 (verses 97–132) Kåñëa-tattva ľ 129 (verses 133–148) Rädhä-tattva ľ 147 (verses 149–180) Contents ࣍ ᇹᇺ Prema-tattva ľ 167 (verses 181–184) Viläsa-tattva ľ 169 (verses 185–194) Under the Guidance of the Sakhés ľ 183 (verses 195–243) Questions and Answers What is the topmost knowledge? 207 (verse 244) What is the most glorious act? ľ 209 (verse 245) What is the greatest treasure? ľ 218 (verse 246) What is the greatest distress? ľ 219 (verse 247) Who is truly liberated? ľ 220 (verse 248) What is the greatest song? ľ 221 (verse 249) What is the most beneficial activity? ľ 223 (verse 250) Who should the living entity remember at every moment? ľ 224 (verse 251) What is the most important meditation? ľ 226 (verse 252) Where should one reside? ľ 227 (verse 253) What is the best topic to hear? ľ 228 (verse 254) What is the most worshipable object? ľ 229 (verse 255) What is the fate of those desiring liberation and those desiring sense gratification? ľ 231 (verses 256–260) The Final Evening ľ 235 (verses 261–312) ᇹᇺ Introduction ࣍ [to the first Hindi edition] t is a matter of great joy that today, by the causeless mercy and Iinspiration of my most revered spiritual master, oà viñëupäda añöottara-çata çré Çrémad Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava Gosvämé Mahäräja, this commentary known as Sajjana-toñaëé on Çré Räya Rämänanda Saàväda is being presented as a separate book for the faithful readers. Çré Räya Rämänanda Saàväda (the conversation between Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Çré Räya Rämänanda) is one of the most shining treasures within the Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, written by Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja. Indeed, it is like the Kaustubha-maëi, the most brilliant jewel adorning the neck of Çré Kåñëa Himself. Çré Caitanya- caritämåta is a most unprecedented, gem-like literature containing the siddhänta (transcendental conclusions) of pure devotion. With regards to this, the most respected Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura has written the following: kåñëadäsa kaviräja, rasika bhakata-mäjha, jeìho kailä caitanya-carita gaura-govinda-lélä, çunite galaye çilä, tähäte nä haila mora cita Prärthanä (2) “Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja is an exceptionally high-class devotional poet. He is also bhävuka, one who is immersed in experiencing the more elevated expressions of divine love. He has composed the unprecedented sacred texts, Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, which describes the pastimes of Çré Gauräìga, and Çré Govinda-lélämåta, which depicts the pastimes of Çré Govinda. Both of these books, being crown jewels of transcendental literature, are the best of all contributions.” xi ᇹᇺ Çré Räya Rämänanda Saàväda Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the king of devotional literature and the essence of all Vedänta, is considered to be the birthplace of çuddha-bhakti (pure devotion) and it was revealed to Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa-dvaipäyana Vedavyäsa during his devotional trance. Similarly, the two above- mentioned books by Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé are also acknowledged as the very essence of Veda, Vedänta, the Puräëas, and all historical records. Full of humility, Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja writes in Çré Caitanya- caritämåta: ei grantha lekhäya more ‘madana-mohana’ ämära likhana yena çukera paöhana sei likhi, madana-gopäla ye likhäya käñöhera