Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Adi-lila
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 8
The Author Receives the Orders of Krsna and Guru
The Eighth Chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta is summarized by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya. In this Eighth Chapter the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda are described, and it is also stated that one who commits offenses in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra does not achieve love of Godhead, even after chanting for many years. In this connection, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura warns against artificial displays of the bodily symptoms called asta-sattvika-vikara. That is also another offense. One should seriously and sincerely continue to chant the Panca-tattva names sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. All these acaryas will bestow their causeless mercy upon a devotee and gradually purify his heart. When he is actually purified, automatically he will experience ecstasy in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Previous to the composition of Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura wrote a book called Sri Caitanya-bhagavata. Only those subjects which were not discussed by Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura in his Caitanya-bhagavata have been taken up by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami to be depicted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. In his very old age, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami went to Vrndavana, and by the order of Sri Madana-mohanaji he wrote Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. Thus we are now able to relish its transcendental bliss.
Adi8.1
TEXT 1
vande caitanya-devam tam
bhagavantam yad-icchaya
prasabham nartyate citram
lekha-range jado ’py ayam
SYNONYMS
vande—I offer my respectful obeisances; caitanya-devam—unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tam—Him; bhagavantam—the Personality of Godhead; yat-icchaya—by whose desires; prasabham—all of a sudden; nartyate—dancing; citram—wonderfully; lekha-range—in the matter of writing; jadah—dull fool; api—although; ayam—this.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respects to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose desire I have become like a dancing dog and, although I am a fool, I have suddenly taken to the writing of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
Adi8.2
TEXT 2
jaya jaya sri-krsna-caitanya gauracandra
jaya jaya paramananda jaya nityananda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; sri-krsna-caitanya—Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gaura-candra—whose name is Lord Gauranga; jaya jaya—all glories; paramananda—most joyful; jaya—all glories; nityananda—unto Nityananda Prabhu.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gaurasundara. I also offer my respectful obeisances unto Nityananda Prabhu, who is always very joyful.
Adi8.3
TEXT 3
jaya jayadvaita acarya krpamaya
jaya jaya gadadhara pandita mahasaya
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; advaita—unto Advaita Prabhu; acarya—teacher; krpamaya—very merciful; jaya jaya—all glories to; gadadhara—of the name Gadadhara; pandita—learned scholar; mahasaya—great personality.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Advaita Acarya, who is very merciful, and also to that great personality Gadadhara Pandita, the learned scholar.
Adi8.4
TEXT 4
jaya jaya srivasadi yata bhakta-gana
pranata ha-iya vandon sabara carana
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; srivasa-adi—unto Srivasa Thakura, etc.; yata—all; bhakta-gana—devotees; pranata—offering obeisances; ha-iya—doing so; vandon—I pray; sabara—all; carana—lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Srivasa Thakura and all other devotees of the Lord. I fall down to offer them respect. I worship their lotus feet.
PURPORT
Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami teaches us first to offer respect to the Panca-tattva-Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu and Srivasa and other devotees. We must strictly follow the principle of offering our respects to the Panca-tattva, as summarized in the mantra sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. At the beginning of every function in preaching, especially before chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-we must chant the Panca-tattva’s names and offer our respects to them.
Adi8.5
TEXT 5
muka kavitva kare yan-sabara smarane
pangu giri langhe, andha dekhe tara-gane
SYNONYMS
muka—dumb; kavitva—poet; kare—becomes; yan—whose; sabara—all; smarane—by remembering; pangu—the lame; giri—mountains; langhe—crosses; andha—blind; dekhe—sees; tara-gane—the stars.
TRANSLATION
By remembering the lotus feet of the Panca-tattva, a dumb man can become a poet, a lame man can cross mountains, and a blind man can see the stars in the sky.
PURPORT
In Vaisnava philosophy there are three ways for perfection-namely, sadhana-siddha, perfection attained by executing devotional service according to the rules and regulations; nitya-siddha, eternal perfection attained by never forgetting Krsna at any time; and krpa-siddha, perfection attained by the mercy of the spiritual master or another Vaisnava. Kaviraja Gosvami here stresses krpa-siddha, perfection by the mercy of superior authorities. This mercy does not depend on the qualifications of a devotee. By such mercy, even if a devotee is dumb he can speak or write to glorify the Lord splendidly, even if lame he can cross mountains, and even if blind he can see the stars in the sky.
Adi8.6
TEXT 6
e-saba na mane yei pandita sakala
ta-sabara vidya-patha bheka-kolahala
SYNONYMS
e-saba—all these; na—does not; mane—accept; yei—anyone; pandita—so-called learned; sakala—all; ta-sabara—of all of them; vidya-patha—the educational cultivation; bheka—of frogs; kolahala—tumultuous sound.
TRANSLATION
The education cultivated by so-called learned scholars who do not believe these statements of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta is like the tumultuous croaking of frogs.
PURPORT
The croaking of the frogs in the rainy season resounds very loudly in the forest, with the result that snakes, hearing the croaking in the darkness, approach the frogs and swallow them. Similarly, the so-called educational vibrations of the tongues of university professors who do not have spiritual knowledge is like the croaking of frogs.
Adi8.7
TEXT 7
ei saba na mane yeba kare krsna-bhakti
krsna-krpa nahi tare, nahi tara gati
SYNONYMS
ei—these; saba—all; na mane—does not accept; yeba—anyone who; kare—executes; krsna-bhakti—devotional service; krsna-krpa—mercy of Krsna; nahi—is not; tare—unto him; nahi—there is not; tara—his; gati—advancement.
TRANSLATION
One who does not accept the glories of the Panca-tattva but still makes a show of devotional service to Krsna can never achieve the mercy of Krsna or advance to the ultimate goal.
PURPORT
If one is seriously interested in Krsna conscious activities, he must be ready to follow the rules and regulations laid down by the acaryas, and he must understand their conclusions. The sastra says: dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.117). It is very difficult to understand the secret of Krsna consciousness, but one who advances by the instruction of the previous acaryas and follows in the footsteps of his predecessors in the line of disciplic succession will have success. Others will not. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says in this connection, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: “Unless one serves the spiritual master and acaryas, one cannot be liberated.” Elsewhere he says:
ei chaya gosani yara--mui tara dasa
tan’ sabara pada-renu mora panca-grasa
“I simply accept a person who follows in the footsteps of the six Gosvamis, and the dust of such a person’s lotus feet is my food.”
Adi8.8
TEXT 8
purve yaiche jarasandha-adi raja-gana
veda-dharma kari’ kare visnura pujana
SYNONYMS
purve—formerly; yaiche—as it was; jarasandha—King Jarasandha; adi—heading; raja-gana—kings; veda-dharma—performance of Vedic rituals; kari’-doing; kare—does; visnura—of Lord Visnu; pujana—worship.
TRANSLATION
Formerly kings like Jarasandha [the father-in-law of Kamsa] strictly followed the Vedic rituals, thus worshiping Lord Visnu.
PURPORT
In these verses the author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, is very seriously stressing the importance of worship of the Panca-tattva. If one becomes a devotee of Gaurasundara or Krsna but does not give importance to the Panca-tattva (sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda), his activities are considered to be offenses, or, in the words of Srila Rupa Gosvami, utpata (disturbances). One must therefore be ready to offer due respects to the Panca-tattva before becoming a devotee of Lord Gaurasundara or of Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Adi8.9
TEXT 9
krsna nahi mane, tate daitya kari’ mani
caitanya na manile taiche daitya tare jani
SYNONYMS
krsna—Lord Krsna; nahi—does not; mane—accept; tate—therefore; daitya—demon; kari’ mani—we accept; caitanya—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na—without; manile—accepting; taiche—similarly; daitya—demon; tare—to him; jani—we know.
TRANSLATION
One who does not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly a demon. Similarly, anyone who does not accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Krsna, the same Supreme Lord, is also to be considered a demon.
PURPORT
Formerly there were kings like Jarasandha who strictly followed the Vedic rituals, acted as charitable, competent ksatriyas, possessed all ksatriya qualities and were even obedient to the brahminical culture but who did not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Jarasandha attacked Krsna many times, and each time, of course, he was defeated. Like Jarasandha, any man who performs Vedic rituals but does not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be considered an asura, or demon. Similarly, one who does not accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Krsna Himself is also a demon. This is the conclusion of authoritative scriptures. Therefore, both so-called devotion to Gaurasundara without devotional service to Krsna and so-called krsna-bhakti without devotional service to Gaurasundara are nondevotional activities. If one wants to be successful on the path of Krsna consciousness, he must be thoroughly conscious of the personality of Gaurasundara as well as the personality of Krsna. Knowing the personality of Gaurasundara means knowing the personalities of sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. The author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, pursuant to the authorities, stresses this principle for perfection in Krsna consciousness.
Adi8.10
TEXT 10
more na manile saba loka habe nasa
ithi lagi’ krpardra prabhu karila sannyasa
SYNONYMS
more—unto Me; na—without; manile—accepting; saba—all; loka—people in general; habe—will go to; nasa—destruction; ithi—for this; lagi’-for the reason of; krpa-ardra—all merciful; prabhu—Lord Caitanya; karila—accepted; sannyasa—the sannyasa order.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thought, “Unless people accept Me they will all be destroyed.” Thus the merciful Lord accepted the sannyasa order.
PURPORT
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51) it is said, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet: “Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, or Lord Krsna’s name, one is liberated and goes back home, back to Godhead.” This Krsna consciousness must be achieved through the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One cannot be complete in Krsna consciousness unless he accepts Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates as the only means for success. It is because of these considerations that the Lord accepted sannyasa, for thus people would offer Him respect and very quickly come to the platform of Krsna consciousness. Since Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krsna Himself, inaugurated the Krsna consciousness movement, without His mercy one cannot be elevated to the transcendental platform of Krsna consciousness.
Adi8.11
TEXT 11
sannyasi-buddhye more karibe namaskara
tathapi khandibe duhkha, paibe nistara
SYNONYMS
sannyasi-buddhye—by consideration of a sannyasi; more—unto Me; karibe—they will; namaskara—offer obeisances; tathapi—therefore; khandibe—will diminish; duhkha—distress; paibe—will get; nistara—liberation.
TRANSLATION
“If a person offers obeisances to Me, even due to accepting Me only as an ordinary sannyasi, his material distresses will diminish, and he will ultimately get liberation.”
PURPORT
Krsna is so merciful that He always thinks of how to liberate the conditioned souls from the material platform. It is for this reason that Krsna incarnates, as clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gita (4.7):
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.”Krsna always protects the living entities in many ways. He comes Himself, He sends His own confidential devotees, and He leaves behind Him sastras like the Bhagavad-gita. Why? It is so that people may take advantage of the benediction to be liberated from the clutches of maya. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa so that even a foolish person who accepted Him as an ordinary sannyasi would offer Him respect, for this would help diminish his material distresses and ultimately liberate him from the material clutches. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati points out in this connection that Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the combined form of Sri Radha and Krsna (mahaprabhu sri-caitanya, radha-krsna-nahe anya). Therefore when fools considered Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be an ordinary human being and thus treated Him disrespectfully, the merciful Lord, in order to deliver these offenders, accepted sannyasa so that they would offer Him obeisances, accepting Him as a sannyasi. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa to bestow His great mercy on people in general, who cannot appreciate Him as Radha and Krsna Themselves.
Adi8.12
TEXT 12
hena krpamaya caitanya na bhaje yei jana
sarvottama ha-ileo tare asure ganana
SYNONYMS
hena—such; krpamaya—merciful; caitanya—Lord Sri Caitanya; na—does not; bhaje—worship; yei—one; jana—person; sarvottama—supreme; ha-ileo—in spite of his being; tare—unto him; asure—among the demons; ganana—the calculation.
TRANSLATION
One who does not show respect unto this merciful Lord, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, or does not worship Him should be considered a demon, even if he is very exalted in human society.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja says in this connection: “O living entities, simply engage yourselves in Krsna consciousness. This is the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” Lord Caitanya preached this cult, instructing the philosophy of Krsna consciousness in His eight verses, or Siksastaka, and He said, iha haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomara: “By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, one will get all perfection in life.” Therefore one who does not show Him respect or cannot appreciate His mercy despite all these merciful gestures is still an asura, or opponent of bona fide devotional service to Lord Visnu, even though he is very exalted in human society. The word asura refers to one who is against devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. It should be noted that unless one worships Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu it is useless to become a devotee of Krsna, and unless one worships Krsna it is also useless to become a devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Such devotional service is to be understood to be a product of Kali-yuga. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks in this connection that atheist smartas, or worshipers of the five kinds of demigods, worship Lord Visnu for a little satisfaction in material success but have no respect for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thinking Him to be one of the ordinary living entities, they discriminate between Gaurasundara and Sri Krsna. Such understanding is also demoniac and is against the conclusion of the acaryas. Such a conclusion is a product of Kali-yuga.
Adi8.13
TEXT 13
ataeva punah kahon urdhva-bahu hana
caitanya-nityananda bhaja kutarka chadiya
SYNONYMS
ataeva—therefore; punah—again; kahon—I speak; urdhva—lifting; bahu—arms; hana—so doing; caitanya—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nityananda—Lord Nityananda; bhaja—worship; kutarka—useless arguments; chadiya—giving up.
TRANSLATION
Therefore I say again, lifting my arms: O fellow human beings, please worship Sri Caitanya and Nityananda without false arguments!
PURPORT
Because a person who performs krsna-bhakti but does not understand Sri Krsna Caitanya and Prabhu Nityananda will simply waste his time, the author, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami; requests that everyone take to the worship of Sri Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu and the Panca-tattva. He assures everyone that any person who does so will be successful in Krsna consciousness.
Adi8.14
TEXT 14
yadi va tarkika kahe,--tarka se pramana
tarka-sastre siddha yei, sei sevyamana
SYNONYMS
yadi—if; va—or; tarkika—logician; kahe—says; tarka—logic; se—that; pramana—evidence; tarka-sastre—in the logic; siddha—accepted; yei—whatever; sei—that; sevyamana—is worshipable.
TRANSLATION
Logicians say, “Unless one gains understanding through logic and argument, how can one decide upon a worshipable Deity?”
Adi8.15
TEXT 15
sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karite citte pabe camatkara
SYNONYMS
sri-krsna-caitanya—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; daya—His mercy; karaha—just put into; vicara—consideration; vicara—when such consideration; karile—will be done by you; citte—in your heart; pabe—you will get; camatkara—striking wonder.
TRANSLATION
If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments in this connection that people in general, in their narrow-minded conception of life, create many different types of humanitarian activities, but the humanitarian activities inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are different. For logicians who want to accept only that which is proven through logic and argument, it is a fact that without logic and reason there can be no question of accepting the Absolute Truth. Unfortunately, when such logicians take to this path without the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they remain on the platform of logic and argument and do not advance in spiritual life. However, if one is intelligent enough to apply his arguments and logic to the subtle understanding of the fundamental spiritual substance, he will be able to know that a poor fund of knowledge established on the basis of material logic cannot help one understand the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of imperfect senses. The Mahabharata therefore says: acintyah khalu ye bhava na tams tarkena yojayet. (Mahabharata, Bhisma-parva 5.22) How can that which is beyond the imagination or sensory speculation of mundane creatures be approached simply by logic? Logic and argument are very poor in spiritual strength and always imperfect when applied to spiritual understanding. By putting forward mundane logic one frequently comes to the wrong conclusion regarding the Absolute Truth, and as a result of such a conclusion one may fall down to accept a body like that of a jackal.
Despite all this, those who are actually inquisitive to understand the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through logic and argument are welcome. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami addresses them, “Please put Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy to your crucial test, and if you are actually a logician you will come to the right conclusion that there is no personality more merciful than Lord Caitanya.” Let the logicians compare all the results of other humanitarian work with the merciful activities of Lord Caitanya. If their judgment is impartial, they will understand that no other humanitarian activities can surpass those of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Everyone is engaged in humanitarian activities on the basis of the body, but from the Bhagavad-gita (2.18) we understand, anta-vanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah: The material body is ultimately subject to destruction, whereas the spiritual soul is eternal. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s philanthropic activities are performed in connection with the eternal soul. However one tries to benefit the body, it will be destroyed, and one will have to accept another body according to his present activities. If one does not, therefore, understand this science of transmigration but considers the body to be all in all, his intelligence is not very advanced. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, without neglecting the necessities of the body, imparted spiritual advancement to purify the existential condition of humanity. Therefore if a logician makes his judgment impartially, he will surely find that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the maha-vadanyavatara, the most magnanimous incarnation. He is even more magnanimous than Lord Krsna Himself. Lord Krsna demanded that one surrender unto Him, but He did not distribute love of Godhead as magnanimously as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore Srila Rupa Gosvami offers Lord Caitanya his respectful obeisances with the words namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah. Lord Krsna simply gave the Bhagavad-gita, by which one can understand Lord Krsna as He is, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is also Krsna Himself, gave people love of Krsna without discrimination.
Adi8.16
TEXT 16
bahu janma kare yadi sravana, kirtana
tabu ta’ na paya krsna-pade prema-dhana
SYNONYMS
bahu—many; janma—births; kare—does; yadi—if; sravana—hearing; kirtana—chanting; tabu—still; ta’-in spite of; na—does not; paya—get; krsna-pade—unto the lotus feet of Krsna; prema-dhana—love of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says in this connection that unless one accepts Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although one goes on chanting the Hare Krsna mantra for many, many years, there is no possibility of his attaining the platform of devotional service. One must follow strictly the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu given in the Siksastaka (3):
trnad api sunicena
taror iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.” One who follows this direction, being freed from the ten kinds of offenses, becomes successful in Krsna consciousness and ultimately reaches the platform of loving service to the Personality of Godhead.
One must come to the understanding that the holy name of the Lord and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself are identical. One cannot reach this conclusion unless one is offenseless in chanting the holy name. By our material calculation we see a difference between the name and the substance, but in the spiritual world the Absolute is always absolute; the name, form, quality and pastimes of the Absolute are all as good as the Absolute Himself. As such, one is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself an eternal servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world. One who chants in that spirit, without offenses, is certainly elevated to the platform of understanding that the holy name and the Personality of Godhead are identical. To associate with the holy name and chant the holy name is to associate with the Personality of Godhead directly. In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is clearly said: sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. The holy name becomes manifest when one engages in the service of the holy name. This service in a submissive attitude begins with one’s tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau: One must engage his tongue in the service of the holy name. Our Krsna consciousness movement is based on this principle. We try to engage all the members of the Krsna consciousness movement in the service of the holy name. Since the holy name and Krsna are nondifferent, the members of the Krsna consciousness movement not only chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, but also do not allow their tongues to eat anything that is not first offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord declares:
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bg. 9.26) Therefore the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has many temples all over the world, and in each and every temple the Lord is offered these foods. On the basis of His demands, the devotees chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly and never eat anything that is not first offered to the Lord. The functions of the tongue in devotional service are to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and eat prasada that is offered to the Lord.
Adi8.17
TEXT 17
jnanatah su-labha muktir
bhuktir yajnadi-punyatah
seyam sadhana-sahasrair
hari-bhaktih su-durlabha
SYNONYMS
jnanatah—by cultivation of knowledge; su-labha—easily obtainable; muktih—liberation; bhuktih—sense enjoyment; yajna-adi—performance of sacrifices, etc.; punyatah—and by performing pious activities; sa—that; iyam—this; sadhana-sahasraih—execution of thousands of sacrifices; hari-bhaktih—devotional service; su-durlabha—is very rare.
TRANSLATION
“By cultivating philosophical knowledge one can understand his spiritual position and thus be liberated, and by performing sacrifices and pious activities one can achieve sense gratification in a higher planetary system, but the devotional service of the Lord is so rare that even by executing hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices one cannot obtain it.”
PURPORT
Prahlada Maharaja instructs:
matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho ’bhipadyeta grha-vratanam
naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
These slokas are to be discussed. Their purport is that one cannot obtain krsna-bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord, by official execution of the Vedic rituals. One has to approach a pure devotee. Narottama dasa Thakura sings, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: “Who has been elevated without rendering service to a pure Vaisnava?” It is the statement of Prahlada Maharaja that unless one is able to accept the dust from the lotus feet of a pure Vaisnava there is no possibility of achieving the platform of devotional service. That is the secret. The above-mentioned tantra-vacana, quoted from the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.36), is our perfect guidance in this connection.
Adi8.18
TEXT 18
krsna yadi chute bhakte bhukti mukti diya
kabhu prema-bhakti na dena rakhena lukaiya
SYNONYMS
krsna—Lord Krsna; yadi—of course; chute—goes away; bhakte—unto the devotee; bhukti—material enjoyment; mukti—liberation; diya—offering; kabhu—at any time; prema-bhakti—love of Godhead; na—does not; dena—give; rakhena—keeps; lukaiya—hiding.
TRANSLATION
If a devotee wants material sense gratification or liberation from the Lord, Krsna immediately delivers it, but pure devotional service He keeps hidden.