Mukham karoti vaachaalam…

We are doing the translation of the Lord Caitanya book, combining some of the books on Caitanya Lila.

So they were giving out in the aadivas special snacks and it said that they gave so much that what fell on the ground by accident was five times an ordinary aadhivas. In other words, there was a profuse giving mood in Lord Caitanya’s aadhivas.

Everybody was feeling immense bliss and they were praising the aadhivas ceremony, dhanya, dhanya, auspicious, auspicious. This aadhivas is very auspicious. People did not know who Lord Caitanya was but they were spontaneously happy in serving the Lord.

There was such a festive mood at Lord Caitanya, Vishwambhar’s aadhivas and so much gifts and prasad were profusely flowing. People had never seen this type of aadhivas. Even people in the material world, they don’t have such an auspicious ceremony. So people were praising Lord Caitanya’s marriage aadhivas.

People were given with open hands garlands, chandan, betel nut and paan and all kinds of savories and delicacies. Everybody was overwhelmed and the devotees were immensely happy. Nobody gives out gifts with this kind of openness. Who is qualified, who is unqualified, no discrimination. Everybody was given out. All were welcome to this aadhivas ceremony.

He sought out the qualified people and gave them chandan and garlands. So the qualified brahmanas went to Sanatan Pandit’s house and then he sent them to Lord Caitanya’s house. So they were asked to give their blessings for the successful aadhivas, for their successful marriage.

(Caitanya Mangal)

So the brahmanas were given garlands, sandal and scent, camphor and decoration for the deities. They were respected, so everything was very auspicious. In fact, Vishwambhar gave them special garlands and decorations like jewel necklaces. All the brahmanas were very happy.

The father of the bride, the great Sanatan Pandit, he arrived at Nimai’s aadhivas and gave his blessings at the aadhivas.

So Sanatan Pandit, he was very blissful. He appeared to be overwhelmed with joy. Seeing all the aadhivas ceremony of Nimai.

(Caitanya Bhagavat)

Sanatan Pandit brought with him all auspicious gifts and this was noticed by everyone.

Along with him came brahmanas, came relatives and everyone was in a very blissful mood. There were many kinds of drums, dancing, singing and musical instruments. All added to the festive observance.

Nimai Pandit offered His welcome and respect to Sanatan Pandit. Sanatan Pandit gave his blessings good wishes to Nimai Pandit and he decorated Nimai Pandit with scents and Ganges water on His forehead. In this way the father in law was blessing his son-in-law.

All the ladies chanted ulu dhwani and all the men chanted Hari bol! In this way there was a transcendental sound which filled the air. The ululation is something that is done on the celestial planets. The ladies who do that are considered to be very pious. So the sound produced overall was very auspicious and was filled with ulu dhwani, ululation, Hari naam and praise. Everyone who was present at the aadhivas of Nimai was swept away by the flood of spiritual vibrations.

The married ladies also chanted ululation and Hari naam. And the Lord, the incarnation of bliss had descended from the spiritual world. So everybody was feeling blissful. Haribol! HARIBOL! HARIBOL!

So he brahmana Sanatan Pandit in this way observed the aadhivas and he was very blissful. Then he returned to his house.

Any questions?

Question: Guru maharaj, we learnt in our temple that Mahaprabhu was even more merciful in South India than in Navadvip, can you please explain this.

Guru maharaj: You see devotees would see Lord Caitanya as more spontaneous or natural in Navadvip. All the people of Navadvip loved Lord Caitanya. They may or may not have known who Lord Caitanya was but they loved. Him. It says that if someone was going to do some pious work, he would look at Nimai Pandit and give Haim a donation. The devotees don’t like to see Lord Caitanya as a sanyasi. He doesn’t need to do austerities; we need it but He does not need it. So we see Him as a sanyasi, it is not very pleasing to see Lord Caitanya doing austerities, limiting His eating. So the devotees would rather see Him in Navadvip. Of course in Caitanya Lila He is always merciful and we cannot put any limit to that. As a sanyasi he had one assistant he travelled around India and He had unique pastimes. He stayed in many holy places like Srirangam, Kanyakumari, by the Godavari, Udupi. Those pastimes have their own attractiveness. But after this He starts the sankirtan movement which is also very attractive. There He is able to chant with thousands of people. He went to the Chand Kazi with a big crowd of hundreds of thousands of people and established that everyone can chant Hare Krishna. Seeing the two Lord Caitanya as sankirtan pravartak, He is very special. Travelling alone as a sanyasi is another aspect. Since He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can go wherever He wants. But devotees like to see Him in the Navadvip mood. Lord Caitanya he came for three reasons – one reason is establishing chanting of Hare Krishna. The other two are His confidential reasons. When He went to Jagannath Puri, He was experiencing His confidential pastimes. He was not focused so much outwardly; His experience was more internal. Where He had the mood of Radharani Krishna was observing Radharani’s nature. Gopal Bhatta was serving Lord Caitanya and was thinking I am seeing Lord Caitanya alone but I would like to see Him with all his associates. So then he had a vision, he saw Lord Caitanya, Advaita, Gadaadhara, Srivas. Then he woke up out of his dream. Then Lord Caitanya asked Gopal to go to Vrndavan where he became Gopal Bhatta, one of the six Goswamis. All the aspects of Lord Caitanya are special but amongst them Lord Caitanya in Navadvip was something devotees relished even more. This pastime of Lord Caitanya‘s marriage is very special and so what more to say?

One last question.

Question: Guru maharaj, in the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu staying in Srirangam, he was staying with the family of Gopal Bhatta Goswami, were there any other families with whom Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed other than that?

Guru maharaj: So many. He would stay at a brahmana’s house who would cook for him. So as he travelled in South India, North, India, West India, East India, He would stay one day in one person’s house. Then finishing His morning duties, He would go on. I don’t know if Gopal Bhatta was a grihastha or not. Rupa and Sanatan, they were. One was prime minister and one was finance minister under Hussain Shah. But otherwise Lord Caitanya visited many grihasthas. In Jagannath Puri different grihasthas had the opportunity to cook for him like Advaita mahashoy and Sarva Bhauma Bhattacharya. So many.

21 May 2018
JRDD