Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.66-76 Prabhupada: So Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Prakasananda Sarasvati, they are now together. Now there will be discussion. Now Prakasananda Sarasvati, he (is) asking Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “I think Your name is Sri Krsna Caitanya, and You are disciple, You have accepted this renounced order of life from Kesava Bharati.” As I’ve explained to you, that there are ten different names in the Sankara sampradaya of the sannyasis, and there are 108 names amongst the Vaisnava sannyasa. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although He was initiated by Vaisnava, He took sannyasa, He accepted sannyasa, from Bharati, who belongs to the Sankara sampradaya, Sankara sect. The rule is that if one has to accept renounced order of life, there is ceremony; as there is ceremony of initiation, there is ceremony of accepting this renounced order of life. And that ceremony must be performed by another bona fide, I mean to…, sannyasi, renounced order. It is not that you take your cloth and get it colored and one day you become a sannyasi. No. There are ceremonies. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa from Kesava Bharati. This Kesava Bharati belonged to Sankara sampradaya. Therefore Prakasananda Sarasvati also belonged to Sankara sampradaya. So he’s asking that “I understand that Your name is Sri Krsna Caitanya.” Now, there are different kinds of names of brahmacari also under the guidance of a sannyasi. So the person who is under the guidance of Bharati, the brahmacari’s name is Caitanya. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although He took sannyasa, He did not change His brahmacari name. That is also very significant. Because in the Mayavadi sannyasa, as soon as they take sannyasa, they think that, “I have become Narayana.” So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although He was regularly a sannyasi, He did not change His name of brahmacari. That means brahmacari’s meant for serving the spiritual master. So He continued to be a servitor. That is the significance. So Prakasananda Sarasvati’s asking that “You are a sannyasi of our sampradaya because You have accepted renounced order from Bharati. So what is the reason that You do not mix with us?” That is his first question. “And another complaint is that You are a sannyasi. You should devote Your time in discussing philosophy, Sankhya philosophy, and Vedanta-sutra. You should learn. You should understand. Why You have taken sannyasa? And what is this, that You are simply dancing and chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare?” This was his first question. Yes. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu was simply dancing and chanting. This is the specific contribution of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because, amongst the Mayavadi sannyasis, dancing and chanting is considered to be material. So that is also, they take, it is also one kind of sense gratification. So sannyasa means they should stop sense gratification. So this is also, according to them, sense gratification, because they took it as ordinary singing. So Prakasananda Sarasvati asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Why do you follow this sentimentalism, chanting and dancing? You are a… And some of the foolish persons, who have no knowledge, they also follow You. What is this?” Vedanta-pathana, dhyana, sannyasira dharma. “You have taken sannyasa, renounced order of life. Your duty is to study Vedanta always and meditate.” Taha chadi’ kara kene bhavukera… “And You have given up all these procedure. And You are simply chanting and dancing?” Prabhave dekhiye toma saksat narayana. “So far I see You, from Your bodily features, oh, You appear to be very glorious. You are very intelligent.” Because He was boy. Prakasananda Sarasvati was very elderly, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was only twenty-four years old. So he’s appreciating that, “From Your face it appears that You are very learned, advanced. And why do You indulge in this sentimentalism?” This is very important question, and answer you should know. This sankirtana movement… Hinacara kara kene, ithe ki karana: “So this is not deserving to a sannyasi.” prabhu kahe—suna, sripada, ihara karana guru more murkha dehki’ karila sasana “Yes. You are right, My dear Prakasananda Sarasvati. You are right. But there is reason why do I do it. Now I can explain to you. When I took sannyasa from My Guru Maharaja, from My spiritual master, he found Me a rascal and fool number one, rascal.” So guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana: “So, because he found Me a foolish person, therefore he has chastised Me.” Why? What is that? “He said murkha tumi: ‘You are foolish. You have no education. You are illiterate.’ ” Tomara nahika vedantadhikara: “ ‘It is not possible for You to understand Vedanta.’ ” ‘Krsna-mantra’ japa sada,—ei mantra-sara: “ ‘Therefore, You simply chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. That will make You all right.’ ” Now here is the point, that was Caitanya Mahaprabhu a foolish person? No. He was not a foolish person. In His childhood He was known as Nimai Pandit, the greatest learned man. Even when He was sixteen years old, He defeated another very learned fellow from Kashmir. So He was reputed scholar, and He was known. And Prakasananda Sarasvati knew it that Caitanya Mahaprabhu, even in His grhastha asrama or in His householder life, He was a teacher of nyaya, logic, and He’s great learned man. He knew it. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that “My spiritual master found Me a rascal, a fool. Therefore he said that ‘You have no chance for understanding Vedanta. Therefore You take to this principle: chant simply Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare.’ ” What is the purpose of presenting Himself as fool and rascal? The idea is that in this age, 99.9% are fools and rascals; therefore it is very difficult for them to understand what is the purpose of Vedanta. He’s representing Himself as one of the fools and rascals. So Cai…, according to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the so-called Vedanta societies, the so-called, I mean to say, learned scholars on Vedanta, they are not actually Vedanta scholars. They are all fools and rascals. Because Vedanta-sutra is very difficult to understand. The compiler, the author of Vedanta-sutra, is Vyasadeva. He himself thought it wise that “I must leave one commentation of Vedanta-sutra. Otherwise, in future, people will misunderstand and misuse Vedanta-sutra.” In this connection I’ll, oh, I may declare herewith that some of you, if you read the Chicago speech by Vivekananda… That was, he was the first man. He came from India to preach this Hindu philosophy in 1893. Some of you know. So he has got his speech, Chicago speech of Vedanta. You’ll see, it is simply rascaldom. Simply. By his speech it is written… If you can secure, you bring it, you’ll see how rascaldom he was. You’ll be surprised. Even a clergyman from this country, oh, he was surprised. “Oh, you come from India and you are decrying God in this way? Oh, I’m surprised.” He was…, simply he has decried God: “Oh, why do you care for God? Throw Him, God. You are God.” In this way, he has spoken. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, five hundred years before, He knew it that in future the all these rascals will misinterpret Vedanta-sutra. Therefore He presented Himself that “I am fool.” Vedanta-sutra is not a very easy thing. Therefore Vyasadeva, he explained Vedanta-sutra in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam. The first aphorism of Vedanta-sutra is janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1]. Athato brahma jijnasa: “Now it is the time for understanding what is Brahman.” The next sutra is… “What is Brahman?” The next answer is janmady asya yatah: “Brahman is that from whom or from where everything emanates.” Now he explains janmady asya verse: janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah [Bhag. 1.1.1] In this way, there is lucid explanation of Vedanta-sutra. Now, if you take Vedanta-sutra, this janmady asya aphorism, that Brahman is that Absolute Truth from where everything emanates, or everything is born… Janma means, janma means born, birth. And sthiti, sthiti means maintenance. Janmadi. Janma sthiti and pralaya. Pralaya means dissolution. This material world, it has got a date of its creation. Just like your body, it has got a date of its creation. It stays for some time, and again there is a date of its dissolution. You take the history of everything material, either you take this body, or take this world, or take any empire or any… Just like your American country, oh, it has a date of its beginning. Now it is staying. Now it will be, some day will come, there will be no more America. You should know it. That means, that is nature’s law. Everything. Everything is born, it stays for some time, then it is dissolute, dissolved. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, bhutva bhutva praliyate. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. All this thing, whatever material, that manifests, it comes out, it is manifested. It… Just like bubbles in the ocean. There are millions and millions bubbles created one second, and next second, it is finished. So janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1] But this is the manifestation of material creation. Behind this, the, this spirit is there. Therefore that spirit is Brahman. In this way… Now, what is the nature of that Brahman? Is it impersonal or personal? Now, Vyasadeva says, abhijnah svarat. No. “That Supreme Truth is cognizant. He knows.” And Bhagavad-gita also confirms that, vedaham samatitani. The Lord says, “I know everything. I know…” Unless He’s cognizant, unless behind this mani…, cosmic manifestation, if there is no brain, if there is no cognizance, how nicely it can be made so regulation, I mean to say, timely, everything is working? The planets are working. Do you think there is no brain behind this? There must be. Therefore Bhagavata says yes, abhijnah… Abhijnah means He’s cognizant; He’s not a fool. Therefore He’s a person. Cognizant is a person. And it is said, svarat. He also educated Brahma. He also… Because Brahma is considered to be the first created being in this universe. So Bhagavata says, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Adi-kavaye means the first created being, and brahma means this Vedic knowledge. So He impregnated Brahma with Vedic knowledge. So these are the explanation of Vedanta-sutra. But there are so many foolish rascals, they are misusing Vedanta-sutra in a different way. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very cunningly represented Himself that “I am a fool. I am a rascal. Therefore My Guru Maharaja, My spiritual master, chastised Me, that ‘You rascal, You fool, You cannot understand Vedanta-sutra. You better take this. That will make You happy.’ ” Or, in other words, at the present moment, the circumstances are so awkward that it is not possible to understand Vedanta. If you indulge in Vedanta-sutra, it will be very difficult for you. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s contribution: harer nama harer nama harer nama [Adi 17.21]. “Just chant Hare Krsna.” That will make you everything progressive. Murkha tumi, tomara nahika vedantadhikara. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is representing Himself as the chief man of the fools and rascals, and He says that “My Guru Maharaja, My spiritual master, ordered Me that ‘You better chant Hare Krsna. That will make You happy and progressive. That will make You one day understand what is Vedanta.’ ” ‘Krsna-mantra’ haite habe samsara-mocana. Now one may question, “Oh, Vedanta-sutra, understanding Vedanta-sutra, one is liberated from this material entanglement. So you are asking me simply to chant Hare Krsna? Will that purpose be served?” Oh, His guru said, “Yes, it will be served.” He said, krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana: “If You go on, continue this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, there will be a day when You come to the perfectional stage. Then You will be liberated.” The same result as one gets out of studying Vedanta philosophy or Sankhya philosophy, the same result also you will get by simply by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana. “Not only that, the Vedantists, sometimes they cannot reach up to the Krsna planet. But Your advantage will be that You’ll not only be liberated, but You will be achieving the highest planet, planetary kingdom, or the kingdom of God, You’ll be able to achieve there.” And nama vinu. Nama vinu kali-kale nahi ara dharma. Now Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained that, “This Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna is the only universal religious principle in this age.” No other religion process will be effective because people are so many and diverted in different way. This is the common formula and this is the effective formula. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, nama vinu kali-kale: “Without chanting this Hare Krsna, there is no other alternative for self-realization in this age of Kali.” nama vinu kali-kale nahi ara dharma sarva-mantra-sara nama, ei sastra-marma Now the essence of all scripture is this Hare Krsna. Essence. Sarva-sastra-marma means essence of all scripture. And sarva-mantra-sara. And there are different kinds of hymns and mantras, and this is the, I mean to say, topmost part of all mantras. “In this way, My Guru Maharaja asked Me to chant Hare Krsna.” Eta bali’ eka sloka sikhaila more. [break] …dogmatic or dictator. Because one cannot be a guru or spiritual master if he creates something. No. He cannot create. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says to Prakasananda Sarasvati that “My Guru Maharaja, My spiritual master, has reason.” Why? What is that reason? Kanthe kari’ ei sloka kariha vicare: “My Guru Maharaja said, he gave Me one verse from authoritative Vedic literature, and he asked Me that ‘You should always keep this verse within Your,’ ” what is called, “ ‘throat.’ ” That means, keeping in throat means… And what is that? This is a quotation from the Vedic literature, Brhad-naradiya Purana. There are four Vedas, and the, there are supplementary Vedas also. There are eighteen puranas. So one of the puranas is called Brhad-naradiya Purana. So in that Brhad-naradiya Purana, this quotation is there: harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Adi 17.21] “In this age of Kali…” Kali means disagreement, quarrel and misunderstanding. This is Kali-yuga, misguiding and, I mean to say, less intelligence, less merciful, living for short period. There are so many disqualifications in this age. So therefore, in the Brhad-naradiya Purana it is explicitly stated that, harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Adi 17.21] Kalau means in this age of Kali there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. Thrice. Just like, when you want to stress upon some point, you say thrice: “Do this. Do this. Do this.” Similarly, in the Brhad-naradiya Purana, thrice it has been emphasized that you must take to this harer nama, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Why I must take it? Now, because there is no other alternative than this for your self-realization. If you at all want to know yourself, if you at all want to become perfect or, if you want, at all, to reach the goal of human life, then you must, you must, you must. “So My Guru Maharaja…” Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that “My Guru Maharaja, My spiritual master, asked Me to ‘Keep this verse within Your throat and You go on chanting and I bless You that You will be liberated. You’ll not only be liberated, but You shall also reach the highest goal, the Krsna planet.’ ” So we shall explain further tomorrow. Any question? (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
San Francisco, February 6, 1967