Lord Caitanya's Mission to Restore Vrindavana

0:00: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.66–96 Type: Caitanya-caritamrta Dated: November 27th 1966 Location: New York Audio file: 661127CC-NEW-YORK.mp3

Sanatana Gosvami meets Lord Caitanya

0:01CC Madhya 20.66প্রভু কহে, — “তোমার দুইভাই প্রয়াগে মিলিলা ।রূপ, অনুপম — দুঁহে বৃন্দাবন গেলা” ॥ ৬৬ ॥prabhu kahe, — "tomāra dui-bhāi prayāge mililārūpa, anupama — duṅhe vṛndāvana gelā"Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I met your two brothers, Rūpa and Anupama, at Prayāga. They have now gone to Vṛndāvana.”

0:09Prabhupāda: So Lord Caitanya informed Sanātana Gosvāmī that "Your two other brothers, I met them at Prayāga, and they have started for Vṛndāvana." Lord Caitanya deputed the Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī to excavate the glories of Vṛndāvana.

0:34Before Lord Caitanya, the Vṛndāvana city was not there. The present Vṛndāvana city was not there. It was all forgotten practically.

0:47But when Lord Caitanya visited this land He first of all pointed out Radha-kunda and then He made a survey, and His assistants, these Gosvāmīs, they went there, and this present Vṛndāvana was constructed by the disciples of Lord Caitanya.

1:13So He said that "I have instructed your two brothers, Rūpa Gosvāmī, to go to Vṛndāvana, and I have met them." CC Madhya 20.67তপনমিশ্রেরে আর চন্দ্রশেখরেরে ।প্রভু-আজ্ঞায় সনাতন মিলিলা দোঁহারে ॥ ৬৭ ॥tapana-miśrere āra candraśekharereprabhu-ājñāya sanātana mililā doṅhāreBy the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sanātana Gosvāmī met both Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara.

1:29And He was guest in the house of Tapana Miśra. So He introduced Tapana Miśra with Sanātana Gosvāmī. CC Madhya 20.68তপনমিশ্র তবে তাঁরে কৈলা নিমন্ত্রণ ।প্রভু কহে, — ‘ক্ষৌর করাহ, যাহ, সনাতন ॥’ ৬৮ ॥tapana-miśra tabe tāṅre kailā nimantraṇaprabhu kahe, — 'kṣaura karāha, yāha, sanātana'Tapana Miśra then extended an invitation to Sanātana, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Sanātana to go get a shave.

1:54The Tapana Miśra invited him that "Please accept your bhikṣā at my place." It is the system when a sannyāsī, or renounced order of life, is in the village or in the vicinity of a...

2:07So it is the Hindu system that somebody will invite.

2:09So Tapana Miśra invited him to take..., accept prasādam at his place, and Lord Caitanya said that "First of all you get him to a barber and have him cleansed of, of his beard and hairs which has grown for so many days.

2:37Let him become a gentleman." The Lord said that "Let him become a gentleman." CC Madhya 20.69চন্দ্রশেখরেরে প্রভু কহে বোলাঞা ।‘এই বেষ দূর কর, যাহ ইঁহারে লঞা’ ॥ ৬৯ ॥candraśekharere prabhu kahe bolāñā'ei veṣa dūra kara, yāha iṅhāre lañā'After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called Candraśekhara and asked him to take Sanātana Gosvāmī with him. He also asked him to take away Sanātana’s present dress.

2:47"Just get him to a barber and clean, clean-shaving." According to the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya, they keep themself clean-shaving. And only single instance is there, Advaita Prabhu. He had His beard.

3:11And Caitanya Mahāprabhu never asked Him to cleanse. Because one reason is that Advaita Prabhu was just contemporary to His father, so He did not like to dictate. But otherwise, all His disciples, they were clean-shaved.

3:33CC Madhya 20.70ভদ্র করাঞা তাঁরে গঙ্গাস্নান করাইল ।শেখর আনিয়া তাঁরে নূতন বস্ত্র দিল ॥ ৭০ ॥bhadra karāñā tāṅre gaṅgā-snāna karāilaśekhara āniyā tāṅre nūtana vastra dilaCandraśekhara then made Sanātana Gosvāmī look like a gentleman. He took him to bathe in the Ganges, and afterwards he brought him a new set of clothes.

Principles of the renounced order

3:42Then, after getting him washed in the Ganges and cleansed by a barber, Candraśekhara offered him a new pair of clothing and... sei vastra sanātana nā kaila aṅgīkāra And Sanātana Gosvāmī did not accept that new clothing.

4:07Śuniyā prabhura mane ānanda apāra. And when Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard it that Sanātana Gosvāmī, after renouncement, he's not going to accept any new clothing...

4:22So for a really renounced person is that whatever clothing is thrown in the street, he'll collect and he'll wear it. He would not purchase any new clothing. That is the order of strictly one who follows...

4:44Cīrāṇi. Sanātana... Svarūpa... Śukadeva Gosvāmī, in the Bhāgavata, he said that "Whether old clothings and torn clothings cannot be had on the street? Whether trees are not giving fruits? Whether the rivers are dried up?

5:13Whether the caves in the mountain, they are closed? Then why the renounced order of persons go to the viṣayi?" Viṣayi means those, those who are materialistic.

5:26Sometimes the renounced order of life, sannyāsī, they go to the householders... Of course, that is their duty. But still... So Śukadeva Gosvāmī, a great personality in the renounced order of life, he would live naked.

5:48He would not go even to the human society. So those who are following strictly, they don't make themselves dependent on the householders or on the worldly people.

6:00So Sanātana Gosvāmī did not accept that new clothing, and when it was heard by Lord Caitanya, He was very glad. CC Madhya 20.72মধ্যাহ্ন করিয়া প্রভু গেলা ভিক্ষা করিবারে ।সনাতনে লঞা গেলা তপনমিশ্রের ঘরে ॥ ৭২ ॥madhyāhna kariyā prabhu gelā bhikṣā karibāresanātane lañā gelā tapana-miśrera ghareAfter bathing at noon, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the house of Tapana Miśra for lunch. He took Sanātana Gosvāmī with Him.

6:18Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu... There were two gentlemen, Candraśekhara Ācārya and Tapana Miśra.

6:28So Candraśekhara Ācārya took care of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Tapana Miśra took Sanātana Gosvāmī at his place to give him prasādam. CC Madhya 20.76মিশ্র সনাতনে দিলা নূতন বসন ।বস্ত্র নাহি নিলা, তেঁহো কৈল নিবেদন ॥ ৭৬ ॥miśra sanātane dilā nūtana vasanavastra nāhi nilā, teṅho kaila nivedanaWhen Tapana Miśra offered Sanātana Gosvāmī a new cloth, he did not accept it. Instead, he spoke as follows.

6:45Again Miśra offered him that new clothing, but he refused. CC Madhya 20.77“মোরে বস্ত্র দিতে যদি তোমার হয় মন ।নিজ পরিধান এক দেহ’ পুরাতন ॥” ৭৭ ॥"more vastra dite yadi tomāra haya mananija paridhāna eka deha' purātana"“If you want to give me some cloth according to your desire, please give me an old cloth you have used.”

6:56"If you like to give me some clothing, please give me some old clothing which you have used. That will suffice me." CC Madhya 20.78তবে মিশ্র পুরাতন এক ধুতি দিল ।তেঁহো দুই বহির্বাস-কৌপীন করিল ॥ ৭৮ ॥tabe miśra purātana eka dhuti dilateṅho dui bahirvāsa-kaupīna karilaWhen Tapana Miśra gave Sanātana Gosvāmī a used dhotī, Sanātana immediately tore it into pieces to make two sets of outer cloth and underwear.

7:12Then he offered him one dhotī. Dhotī, in India, they use dhotī, about five yards, one dhotī. So he offered that dhotī, old clothing, and he divided into bahirvāsa and kaupīna, underwear and outward clothing.

Practice of begging and detachment

7:39CC Madhya 20.79মহারাষ্ট্রীয় দ্বিজে প্রভু মিলাইলা সনাতনে ।সেই বিপ্র তাঁরে কৈল মহা-নিমন্ত্রণে ॥ ৭৯ ॥mahārāṣṭrīya dvije prabhu milāilā sanātanesei vipra tāṅre kaila mahā-nimantraṇeWhen Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the Maharashtrian brāhmaṇa to Sanātana, the brāhmaṇa immediately invited Sanātana Gosvāmī for full meals.

7:44Then again one Maharashtrian brāhmaṇa also met him. He also invited him that "Next day, you please come to my place." CC Madhya 20.80“সনাতন, তুমি যাবৎ কাশীতে রহিবা ।তাবৎ আমার ঘরে ভিক্ষা যে করিবা ॥” ৮০ ॥"sanātana, tumi yāvat kāśīte rahibātāvat āmāra ghare bhikṣā ye karibā"The brāhmaṇa said, “My dear Sanātana, as long as you remain at Kāśī, please accept lunch at my place.”

7:58That Maharashtriya brāhmaṇa, he invited him, Sanātana Gosvāmī, "So long you shall stay at Benares, kindly accept my invitation. You come to my place and take your prasādam."

8:15CC Madhya 20.81সনাতন কহে, — “আমি মাধুকরী করিব ।ব্রাহ্মণের ঘরে কেনে একত্র ভিক্ষা লব ?” ৮১ ॥sanātana kahe, — "āmi mādhukarī karibabrāhmaṇera ghare kene ekatra bhikṣā laba?"Sanātana replied, “I shall practice the process of mādhukarī. Why should I accept full meals in the house of a brāhmaṇa?”

8:22Just see. He said, "No, no. I cannot accept sumptuous foodstuff from a brāhmaṇa's place. That is not my duty. I shall accept mādhukarī." Mādhukarī is a principle introduced by these Gosvāmīs.

8:41Mādh..., mādhu. Mādhu means honey. And the bees who collect honey from flower—a drop from this flower, a drop from that flower, a drop from that flower—in this way, he subsists.

9:01So this mādhukarī system means a renounced order of sannyāsī or a vairāgī, he should not accept in one place sumptuously.

9:11He should go to every householder and take a bit of capātī from this house, a bit of capātī from that house, a bit of capātī from that house, so that the householders also may not be disturbed and they may be benefited.

9:28When a real sannyāsī or vairāgi accepts something from the householder, it is a great benefit for him.

9:37Therefore to accept little from this house, to accept little from that house, that is also another mercy of the renounced sannyāsī or devotee of the Lord. Yes.

9:50So he did not accept that invitation, that "I shall go somewhere and take sumptuously." No. "I shall beg from door to door, and collect my capātī and live on that way."

10:06CC Madhya 20.82সনাতনের বৈরাগ্যে প্রভুর আনন্দ অপার ।ভোটকম্বল পানে প্রভু চাহে বারে বার ॥ ৮২ ॥sanātanera vairāgye prabhura ānanda apārabhoṭa-kambala pāne prabhu cāhe bāre bāraŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt unlimited happiness to observe Sanātana Gosvāmī’s strict following of the principles of sannyāsa. However, He repeatedly glanced at the woolen blanket Sanātana Gosvāmī was wearing.

10:14Sanātana, he was so strict in renounced order of life, so that gave Caitanya Mahāprabhu too much pleasure: "Oh, it is very nice." But while he was coming, his brother-in-law gave him a nice blanket.

10:35That was on the body of Sanātana. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu several times overlooked about that blanket. CC Madhya 20.83সনাতন জানিল এই প্রভুরে না ভায় ।ভোট ত্যাগ করিবারে চিন্তিলা উপায় ॥ ৮৩ ॥sanātana jānila ei prabhure nā bhāyabhoṭa tyāga karibāre cintilā upāyaBecause Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was repeatedly glancing at this valuable woolen blanket, Sanātana Gosvāmī could understand that the Lord did not approve of it. He then began to consider a way to give it up.

10:47Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was very intelligent; he was minister. He could understand that "Lord is observing my blanket.

10:58That means He doesn't like that I should have such valuable blanket on my body." So he thought that "I should give up this blanket." CC Madhya 20.84এত চিন্তি’ গেলা গঙ্গায় মধ্যাহ্ন করিতে ।এক গৌড়িয়া কান্থা ধুঞা দিয়াছে শুকাইতে ॥ ৮৪ ॥eta cinti' gelā gaṅgāya madhyāhna kariteeka gauḍiyā kānthā dhuñā diyāche śukāiteThinking in this way, Sanātana went to the bank of the Ganges to bathe. While there, he saw that a mendicant from Bengal had washed his quilt and spread it out to dry.

11:18Thinking this, he went to the bank of the Ganges and he saw one, another vairāgi. He had a torn clothing, and he, after washing it, he gave it for drying.

11:32So Sanātana Gosvāmī went there and asked him, "Please take this blanket and kindly give me your that torn clothing." So that man thought that he's cutting jokes with him, that he wants to exchange such a nice blanket.

11:51So he said, "Sir, you appear to be very good gentleman. You should not cut joke with me in this..." Then Sanātana Gosvāmī, "No, I am not cutting joke with you. I am really serious. Please exchange this.

12:06You take my this valuable blanket and give me that torn clothing." And after taking that torn clothing, when he appeared before Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very much pleased. Yes.

12:29CC Madhya 20.89প্রভু কহে, — ‘তোমার ভোটকম্বল কোথা গেল ?’প্রভুপদে সব কথা গোসাঞি কহিল ॥ ৮৯ ॥prabhu kahe, — 'tomāra bhoṭa-kambala kothā gela?'prabhu-pade saba kathā gosāñi kahilaWhen Sanātana Gosvāmī returned, the Lord asked, “Where is your woolen blanket?” Sanātana Gosvāmī then narrated the whole story to the Lord.

12:35He inquired again, "Oh, where is that your blanket, that valuable blanket I saw? Where you left it?" Then he described that "I could understand Your opinion.

12:46So I have exchanged that valuable blanket with this torn clothing." Yes.

12:51CC Madhya 20.90প্রভু কহে, — “ইহা আমি করিয়াছি বিচার ।বিষয়-রোগ খণ্ডাইল কৃষ্ণ যে তোমার ॥ ৯০ ॥সে কেনে রাখিবে তোমার শেষ বিষয়-ভোগ ?রোগ খণ্ডি’ সদ্বৈদ্য না রাখে শেষ রোগ ॥ ৯১ ॥prabhu kahe, — "ihā āmi kariyāchi vicāraviṣaya-roga khaṇḍāila kṛṣṇa ye tomārase kene rākhibe tomāra śeṣa viṣaya-bhoga?roga khaṇḍi' sad-vaidya nā rākhe śeṣa rogaŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “I have already deliberately considered this matter. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, He has nullified your attachment for material things. Why should Kṛṣṇa allow you to maintain a last bit of material attachment? After vanquishing a disease, a good physician does not allow any of the disease to remain.

12:57"Yes, I was just thinking of you. Now you are complete in renounced order. Now you are completely independent. You don't depend on anything. So it is giving Me much pleasure." Yes.

13:29CC Madhya 20.91প্রভু কহে, — “ইহা আমি করিয়াছি বিচার ।বিষয়-রোগ খণ্ডাইল কৃষ্ণ যে তোমার ॥ ৯০ ॥সে কেনে রাখিবে তোমার শেষ বিষয়-ভোগ ?রোগ খণ্ডি’ সদ্বৈদ্য না রাখে শেষ রোগ ॥ ৯১ ॥prabhu kahe, — "ihā āmi kariyāchi vicāraviṣaya-roga khaṇḍāila kṛṣṇa ye tomārase kene rākhibe tomāra śeṣa viṣaya-bhoga?roga khaṇḍi' sad-vaidya nā rākhe śeṣa rogaŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “I have already deliberately considered this matter. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, He has nullified your attachment for material things. Why should Kṛṣṇa allow you to maintain a last bit of material attachment? After vanquishing a disease, a good physician does not allow any of the disease to remain.

Instructions on spiritual master and disciple

13:36CC Madhya 20.92তিন মুদ্রার ভোট গায়, মাধুকরী গ্রাস ।ধর্মহানি হয়, লোক করে উপহাস ॥” ৯২ ॥tina mudrāra bhoṭa gāya, mādhukarī grāsadharma-hāni haya, loka kare upahāsa"“It is contradictory to practice mādhukarī and at the same time wear a valuable blanket. One loses his spiritual strength by doing this, and one will also become an object of jokes.”

13:43Then this is a hint by Lord Caitanya that a sannyāsī who has renounced everything, if he lives very gorgeously, with good dress and good house and apartment... No. This is not approved by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

14:05Then what is that? What does it mean? A sannyāsī living like a first-class gentleman, smoking, and very nice apartment, and some, I mean to say, lady assistant, secretary... What is this?

14:21Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not approve. He must be, as far as possible... Whatever is absolutely necessity he should accept, not more. Yes.

14:35That is renounced order, not that in the name of renounced order of life he should live at the expense of the householders, very gorgeously. No.

14:47This is not sannyāsa. It is not accepted by Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya. So He said that "You live by begging from door to door, and you have a valuable blanket on your body. This is contradictory.

15:04Now I am very glad that you have done this." CC Madhya 20.93গোসাঞি কহে, — “যে খণ্ডিল কুবিষয়-ভোগ ।তাঁর ইচ্ছায় গেল মোর শেষ বিষয়-রোগ ॥” ৯৩ ॥gosāñi kahe, — "ye khaṇḍila kuviṣaya-bhogatāṅra icchāya gela mora śeṣa viṣaya-roga"Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead has saved me from the sinful life of material existence. By His desire, my last piece of material attraction is now gone.”"Now, You wanted me to be in renounced order of life.

15:20I first met You when I was at, in Bengal, in the capital of Gaudadeśa. And You desired me that I should be in renounced order of life. So I came, and my last attachment to that kambala is also now finished by You."

15:44CC Madhya 20.94প্রসন্ন হঞা প্রভু তাঁরে কৃপা কৈল ।তাঁর কৃপায় প্রশ্ন করিতে তাঁর শক্তি হৈল ॥ ৯৪ ॥prasanna hañā prabhu tāṅre kṛpā kailatāṅra kṛpāya praśna karite tāṅra śakti hailaBeing pleased with Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bestowed His causeless mercy upon him. By the Lord’s mercy, Sanātana Gosvāmī received the spiritual strength to inquire from Him.

15:48Now, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is sitting together for discussion. This is called "Instruction to Sanātana Gosvāmī." Caitanya Mahāprabhu had discussion with some of His principal disciples.

16:09One was Rāmānanda Rāya. Raya Rāmaṇanda. He was Governor of Madras, and later on he retired from that governorship and became a constant companion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

16:26Although he was a householder—he never accepted renouncement—but still, he was con..., he was the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although he was a householder.

16:39Because he was highly advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa.

16:45So there was some discussion with this Rāmānanda Rāya, and there was some discussion with this Sanātana Gosvāmī, and some discussion with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, and some discussion with Rūpa Gosvāmī.

16:58So He had no other discussion with anyone, and the rest of His life was spent by simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

17:10And these disciples, under the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they have made volumes of books on the basis of the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not write any book in His own hand.

17:28He wrote only eight verses, which is called Śikṣāṣṭaka. That was His only writing.

17:36Otherwise, all the books, valuable books that you have got in His sampradāya, they are written by His disciples, especially by Rūpa Gosvāmī. He's famous.

17:50Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī and that boy, the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī who left home at ten years old and later on, after becoming a very great Sanskrit scholar, he approached their uncles—that Jīva Gosvāmī—oh, he has written many valuable volumes of books.

18:17So the asset of this Caitanya-sampradāya about this devotional service is very great. Very great. This Caitanya-caritāmṛta is also one of them. Yes. So,

18:32CC Madhya 20.95পূর্বে যৈছে রায়-পাশে প্রভু প্রশ্ন কৈলা ।তাঁর শক্ত্যে রামানন্দ তাঁর উত্তর দিলা ॥ ৯৫ ॥ইহাঁ প্রভুর শক্ত্যে প্রশ্ন করে সনাতন ।আপনে মহাপ্রভু করে ‘তত্ত্ব’-নিরূপণ ॥ ৯৬ ॥pūrve yaiche rāya-pāśe prabhu praśna kailātāṅra śaktye rāmānanda tāṅra uttara dilāihāṅ prabhura śaktye praśna kare sanātanaāpane mahāprabhu kare 'tattva'-nirūpaṇaFormerly, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had asked Rāmānanda Rāya spiritual questions, and by the Lord’s causeless mercy, Rāmānanda Rāya could properly reply. Now, by the Lord’s mercy, Sanātana Gosvāmī questioned the Lord, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally supplied the truth.[Cc Madhya 20.95–96]

18:40Now, after Caitanya Mahāprabhu's approval of renouncement of Sanātana Gosvāmī, He instructed him for two months at Benares. In the formerly... Here it is referred.

19:11In the formerly, as He instructed Rāmānanda Rāya at..., in Kovur—Kovur is a place in the Madras, South India—similarly, in that occasion the Lord was questioning Rāmānanda Rāya, and Rāmānanda Rāya was replying.

19:24And here, in the similar way, the Sanātana Gosvāmī will question and Lord Caitanya will reply. So sometimes the disciple and the spiritual master, the relationship is like that.

19:40Sometimes the teacher questions to the student, and student replies, and sometimes the student questions to the teacher, and teacher replies.

19:52This is called iṣṭagoṣṭhī. To develop knowledge, these questions and answers are required. According to system of accepting a spiritual master, it is said that just after acceptance...

20:10Ādau gurvāśrayam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.74]. One must have to accept a spiritual master. Then the next position is sad-dharma-pṛcchāt: then he should be very much inquisitive. A student...

20:25Not finishing, that "Now I am initiated. Everything finished." No. He should be very inquisitive. Unless one is very inquisitive, there is no necessity of accepting a spiritual master.

20:37That is the instruction in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam SB 11.3.21*.*

20:49One has the necessity of accepting a spiritual master who is very much inquisitive about transcendental matter. Otherwise, there is no necessity.

21:03Simply, "Oh, because so many people accept a spiritual master, so I'll have to accept somebody as spiritual master. My business finished"—no. One should be very much inquisitive. Yes.

21:18He must be very much eager to understand what is transcendental subject. Then his, this business of accepting a spiritual master will be fulfilled.

Qualifications and duties of a guru

21:33So here also...

21:38And when the questions and answers were going on between Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Rāmānanda Rāya was not even a brāhmaṇa. Because in those days, the brāhmaṇas were very respectable community, and they were learned scholars, so...

22:09And he was a kāyastha. Kāyastha. Kāyastha, in... Of course, now..., not now; in some hundreds or two hundred years before, these kāyastha were considered very lower caste.

22:19So Rāmānanda Rāya belonged to that kāyastha community. But he was very much learned. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He belonged to the brāhmaṇa community, and He was vastly learned.

22:32At the same time, He was in renounced order of life.

22:36So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asking question from Rāmānanda Rāya, he felt himself shy, that "I am a householder, and I belong to the kāyastha community, and Lord, You belong to the..., You come from the brāhmaṇa community, and You are so vast learned.

22:58At the same time, You have accepted renounced order. So You are in all respect my master. How is that, You are trying to understand from me?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed this example by His life's activity.

23:16So he was hesitating, that "I should rather put question to You as teacher, and You should answer me." But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "No, no, no. There is no such differentiation between master..."

23:30CC Madhya 8.128কিবা বিপ্র, কিবা ন্যাসী, শূদ্র কেনে নয় ।যেই কৃষ্ণতত্ত্ববেত্তা, সেই ‘গুরু’ হয় ॥ ১২৮ ॥kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene nayayei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya“Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra — regardless of what he is — he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa.”

23:36"It doesn't matter whether you are a householder or you are a brāhmaṇa or you are a renounced order of...

23:46If you know the science of Kṛṣṇa—you are fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—you are My guru. You are my spiritual master."

23:53So that is the relation between spiritual master and the student, not that the spiritual master, because he has officially accepted the post as spiritual master, he should remain as...

24:07He should accept the students also as his spiritual master. This is the reciprocation. Prabhu. Everyone would address the other as prabhu. But officially one may be a spiritual master.

24:23But in spiritual platform there is no such difference. But officially, custom is that spiritual master is considered in the place of Supreme Lord, and therefore he is given the such respect.

24:39But the spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, he thinks that "I am your disciple.

24:46I am your disciple." And practical example I have seen: our Guru Mahārāja, when we offered obeisances, he used to return, dāso 'smi: "I am your servant." He used to return me this way, "I am your servant."

25:04So these are the things we have to learn from the behavior, practical demonstration, of Caitanya's Mahāprabhu's life. So tomorrow we shall discuss the questions and answers of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Thank you very much. [break]

25:23...You see? So similarly, a material qualification, that is not bad, provided they are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Engaging material qualities in service

25:35Otherwise it has no value. Material qualification, if they are engaged... Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255].

25:44If one is able to dovetail his material qualities in the service of the Lord, then that becomes a great qualification. Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha SB 7.9.10*.*

26:06Aravinda-nābha. Aravinda means lotus flower, and nābha means this navel. So Viṣṇu... Kṛṣṇa is Viṣṇu; therefore His another name is Aravinda-nābha*.* He has got a lotus flower. On that lotus flower, Brahmā is born.

26:24This is omnipotency, omnipotency of God.

26:29You have seen that picture in the cover of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is lying, and there is a lotus flower from His navel, and upon the lotus flower, Brahmā is born, and Lakṣmīji is engaged in serving His lotus feet.

26:51But just see. Kṛṣṇa was to beget a son. His wife, Lakṣmī, or Viṣṇu's wife, was sitting. But He did not take... [break] ...He begot a child, Brahmā, from His own navel. This is called omnipotency. He can do anything and everything.

27:19Now, when we conceive of begetting a child, oh, we must have a..., we must have to secure a wife first of all. Then I have must sex intercourse with her, then she should be pregnant, then I... Then there will be child.

27:35Otherwise there is no child. Because we are..., we are not omnipotent, we cannot produce child in that way. This is called omnipotency. And He did not require the help of the wife, neither there was necessity.

27:53So Kṛṣṇa's wife or Kṛṣṇa's girlfriends, they are not Kṛṣṇa's necessities. Kṛṣṇa is without any necessity, without any want. But if somebody wants "Kṛṣṇa should be my friend," "Kṛṣṇa should be my husband," He accepts.

28:13That's it. He is not in want. He is full in Himself. One who knows this fact, he is pure devotee. You are a...

28:30You are offering capātī. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa is in want of your capātī. But if you offer Kṛṣṇa and take the capātī, you are benefited. Kṛṣṇa bada dayāmaya, karibāre jihvā jaya [Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura].

28:46I sing this—perhaps you do not know the meaning—that Kṛṣṇa is very merciful.

28:52Because my tongue is always hankering after some good, tasty food, this or that, this or that, but if I eat Kṛṣṇa's prasāda, then my tongue will be controlled.

29:07And as soon as your tongue is controlled, your all other senses will be controlled. These are the philosophy. So don't think that Kṛṣṇa is in want or Kṛṣṇa is in need, He needs your third-class service. No.

29:29He's full Himself. But if you can offer your service some way or other, then you are benefited; you are elevated to the transcendental position. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thank you very much. [end]