CONTENTS:
- The transcendental pastimes of Lord Caitanya;
- Srila Prabhupada's Appreciation; and
- Guru Maharaja’s Instructions;
1. THE TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIMES OF LORD CAITANYA
Nimai was very naughty
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as child Nimai was very naughty and his parents used to get quite upset, naturally parents become annoyed when children become naughty especially when they do something which is very unpleasant. So, one day Jaganatha Misra invited one Brahmana to his house. In those days Brahmanas used to wander from one place of pilgrimage to another, this was a natural tendency of the Brahmanas because they were not so interested in the mundane way of life. They generally be more concerned and inclined towards spiritual development and therefore one of the things they would do was just go from one place of pilgrimage to another and they were very strict. They used to travel but they used to cook their own food, these Brahmanas did not take food even cooked by other Brahmanas and naturally the householder Brahmanas when they used to see such a wandering Brahmana, they would invite him to their house. Jaganatha Misra invited one such Brahmana who was travelling from one place of pilgrimage to another place of pilgrimage and as I have said the Brahmana cooked his own food, householder provided all the ingredients and a place for him to cook.
Nimai started to eat the offering
The Brahmana was a worshipper of Bal Gopal Krishna as a baby and at that time Nimai was also a baby so when the Brahmana cooked the food and was about to offer it to his saligram deity at that time Nimai came and started to eat that food so the Brahmana was offering with his eyes closed and when he opened his eyes, he saw this little child is eating the food that was meant to be offered to Krishna, Bal Gopal.
So, he cried out, “Oh look this child has spoilt my offering!” Jaganatha Misra came running and saw what happened and was about to beat this little boy Nimai, Nimai was only about 5 years old at the time and the Brahmana stopped him and said, “He is a child, he doesn’t know what he did. By chastising him by beating him won’t help, what kind of lesson will you teach him?” In this way he prevented Jaganatha Misra from chastising Nimai and Jaganatha Misra was naturally very embarrassed, like how would you feel if you invite someone to your house and he is about to eat and your son comes and starts eating his food not only his food but the food that was being offered to the Lord? So Jaganatha Misra was very embarrassed so the Brahmana said, “It’s alright, sometimes I travel through forest and for days I don’t get anything to eat, I am used to fasting so today Krishna probably does not want me to eat so He did not accept this offering.” Jaganatha Misra begged him and the Brahmana said, “Give me some fruits that will be fine.”
Please cook again Brahmana
No please cook again and finally the Brahmana agreed so they took Nimai away from the house to a neighbor’s house, those days they used to stay near, Saci Mata took Nimai there and other ladies also went and in the meantime the Brahmana was cooking and these ladies were teasing, “Nimai, you have eaten the food cooked by some Brahmana, who knows what is His caste?” Even amongst Brahmanas there are different castes, a high-class Brahmana will not eat the food cooked by a lower-class Brahmana and this Brahmana no one knew what his caste is. They were saying, “Nimai, you lost your cast you have eaten food cooked by somebody, who knows his caste?” Nimai’s answer was, “Does a cowherd man lose his caste by eating the food cooked by Brahmanas?” They didn’t even understand what he was talking about. Does a cowherd man loose his caste by eating the food of a Brahmana? So, they couldn’t understand why Nimai was speaking like that. Nimai even said, “A cowherd man loves to eat the food cooked by a Brahmana, he makes it a point to get the food cooked by the brahmanas.
“Again, he spoilt my offering!”
The second time when the Brahmana was about to offer again this little boy came to eat and again this Brahman cried out, “Again he spoilt my offering!” Again, Jaganatha Misra was about to beat him up and again the Brahmana stopped him. That’s one thing, Jaganatha Misra as a father would like to chastise his son but somehow or the other something would happen and someone would plead on his behalf and he won’t be chastised. The same thing happened again. Jaganatha Misra asked the Brahmana please cook again and the Brahmana said, “No, it seems that my destiny today, the Lord doesn’t want me to eat.” This is the attitude of a devotee; mundane people will get upset. When something unfavourable happens materialistic attitude is complaining, get angry but a devotee how should a devotee take it? A devotee takes it as the Lord’s mercy, The Lord’s desire. The food didn’t come to me in spite of making all the arrangements therefore I have to understand that the Lord does not want me to eat today. This is the meaning of Krishna Consciousness, seeing things in the light of Krishna. Body consciousness controlling attitude, I want this, I am arranging this therefore this must happen but Krishna Consciousness is Lord wanted this and whatever Krishna arranges is for our benefit and that is a devotee’s attitude. There is a saying in India; whatever Krishna does for you is for your benefit.
Visvarupa appealed to the Brahmana to cook again
Visvarupa came and he walked into the house he was in his early youth and was very handsome and the Brahmana just by seeing him became awestruck, what a beauty he had never seen such beauty. When Visvarupa heard what happened he begged the Brahmana, “Please for our sake cook again.” A householder considers that it is inauspicious if a guest remains hungry in his house so Visvarupa appealed him to make another offering and finally the Brahmana agreed but this time everybody became extremely careful. The other times they dosed off to sleep and being at the next-door neighbor Nimai came out so this time they took Nimai to a house far away and everyone surrounded Nimai, Jaganatha Misra bolted the door from outside and not only that with a stick in his hand he was sitting by the door. It was quite late as the Brahmana had cooked three times already so it was close to midnight and when he was making the offering again this boy came although he was locked in the house surrounded by everybody including Jaganatha Misra with a stick but they fell asleep and Nimai came and started to eat but this time when the Brahmana was about to shout again, Nimai said, “What kind of person are you? You invite me to come and eat but when I come and eat then you start screaming and shouting and crying. Nimai showed his eight-armed form, first He showed His form as baby Krishna and then showed Himself with His four arms He was holding lotus, conch, disc and mace and with two hands of a baby He was holding the yogurt rice and eating that and with two hands He was playing His flute.
In this way Nimai revealed His identity to the Brahmana as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nimai told the Brahmana not to reveal His identity to anyone and that Brahmana who was always travelling stopped travelling and he settled down in Navadwip and every morning he used to come and have the darshan of baby Nimai. Krishna also played these pastimes with the Brahmanas. Nimai was very very naughty. Thank you very much. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
Therefore, Prabhupada established this International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give this proper education to people in general. This is open to all; anyone can come and enroll his or herself in this educational institution and make his life really successful. At least we are benefitting because Prabhupada came, we at least found some information about our true identity otherwise prior to reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and joining this institution we all were thinking that we are this bodies and the ultimate goal of our existence is to enjoy through this body. Due to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings we have realized that this body is just a covering of our real self.
(Lecture given by HH Bhakti Charu Swami on 2 August 1993)
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
When something unfavourable happens materialistic attitude is complaining, get angry but a devotee how should a devotee take it? A devotee takes it as the Lord’s mercy, The Lord’s desire;
Apparently, something may not happen according to our desire but we should take it as Krishna’s divine arrangement; and
Therefore, if you miss the flight or the boat do not lament and get upset even if someday you miss your dinner don’t get upset rather take it as Krishna’s mercy.
(The content of this E-magazine is based on a seminar entitled, “the transcendental Pastimes of Lord Caitanya” given by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja at Drakensburg Retreat, South Africa on 20th January 2017)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Dasi)