Devānanda Paṇḍita delivered by mercy of Śrī Vakreśvara Paṇḍita The next visitor was Devānanda Paṇḍita. When Lord Caitanya was still in family life in Navadvīpa, where He performed many transcendental pastimes, Paṇḍita had not the desire to meet the Lord. He did not possess sufficient faith in the Lord and so he avoided contact with Him. Yet now, here in Kuliyā, Devānanda was qualified and eagerly wanted to see the Lord, so why had he apparently changed? All such arrangements are actually in the merciful hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, at the time Śrī Caitanya had accepted the sannyāsa order and left home, Devānanda Paṇḍita had had the good fortune to meet and closely associate with Śrī Vakreśvara Paṇḍita. Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was very dear to Lord Caitanya. He was always absorbed in relishing the devotional mellows with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Thereby, he was such an elevated soul that he could purify the entire universe. When he danced, both the demigods and the demons were captivated. In fact, as soon as he would begin to dance, by Śrī Caitanya’s mercy, all the ecstatic symptoms like crying, shivering, roaring, perspiration, laughter, horripilation, and swooning in divine bliss would appear in his person. It is impossible to describe all the devotional symptoms in Vakreśvara Paṇḍita. By some providential arrangement, Vakreśvara Paṇḍita came to stay in the house of Devānanda Paṇḍita. Devānanda Paṇḍita became increasingly pleased and impressed with the radiant appearance and unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Lord of his guest. He began to serve Vakreśvara with sincere devotion. When Vakreśvara Paṇḍita would dance, he would walk around him with a cane keeping the crowd away. If Vakreśvara fell swooning in ecstasy, Devānanda would rush to catch him in his arms. He would take the dust from the feet of Vakreśvara and smear it over his own body with sincere humility and devotion. In this way, by serving Śrī Vakreśvara and seeing his elevated devotional characteristics there developed in Devānanda Paṇḍita a strong faith in Śrī Caitanya. From this incident, one can understand the words from the Purāṇas, where it is stated that devotion to the Supreme Lord is developed only through serving the pure devotees of the Lord. Devānanda Paṇḍita was undoubtedly a very pious and noble person. From his childhood, he had studied the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. He was calm and peaceful, in control of his senses, unattached to material things, and had so many other good qualities. In spite of all these merits, he had not developed attraction to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya, even though he had personally met Him. Nonetheless, by the grace of Śrī Vakreśvara, his perverted intelligence had become rectified. Therefore, we find in the Vedic literature that service to a pure devotee is even higher than service to the Supreme Lord Himself. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, it is stated, “There may exist some doubt about attaining perfection by serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever in achieving perfection by serving the pure devotee of the Supreme Lord.” Therefore, it is clear that to gain the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa one must serve His unalloyed and surrendered devotee. Devānanda Paṇḍita had developed the right devotional attachment for Śrī Gaurāṅga due to his intimate association with Vakreśvara Paṇḍita. Now he lay prostrate, offering obeisances and hugging the lotus feet of the Lord in great awe and humility. The Lord was very pleased to see the devotion and meekness in the mood of Devānanda Paṇḍita. He reached out to him and made him sit up. In this way, He forgave all his previous offences and blessed him. The Lord said, “Since you have served Vakreśvara Paṇḍita so well, I am able to see you here today. Vakreśvara is a manifestation and embodiment of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental potency; therefore, whosoever serves him well, immediately attains the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s favourite residence is the heart of Vakreśvara Paṇḍita. Where and when Vakreśvara dances, Kṛṣṇa Himself is induced to dance at that place. Thus, the presence of Śrī Vakreśvara converts anywhere into all the places of pilgrimage, the spiritual abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Vaikuṇṭha.” The brāhmaṇa, Devānanda Paṇḍita, folded his hands and began to pray to the Lord, “O Lord, out of Your infinite compassion You have appeared in Navadvīpa solely for the deliverance of the entire humanity. Previously, due to my sinful activities, I neither saw You, nor experienced the divine bliss of Your association. Your nature is to shower benedictions upon every living soul. I pray that I may now develop undeviating attachment to Your lotus feet. I have one special favour to ask of You, I need Your divine guidance. I am completely without knowledge, yet I am trying to teach from a book full of knowledge. The Bhāgavatam is meant to be taught only by the most realized souls. O Lord, please instruct me what to teach, and how to explain the Bhāgavata.” The Lord began to explain the essence of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, “Listen, O learned brāhmaṇa, interpret the Bhāgavatam only in the light of bhakti, devotion. Do not enter into any other process. The beginning, middle, and end of the Bhāgavatam establish that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is eternal, absolute, and infallible. Devotional service is the only reality, the Absolute Truth. At the time of the total dissolution of the cosmic creation, when everything is completely annihilated, only the reality of devotional service remains unaffected and perfect. The Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, does not give devotional service to everyone, but He easily offers liberation to an aspirant whilst hiding the science of unalloyed devotion. Only through His personal grace, does He elevate someone to the path of bhakti. “The philosophical conclusions on the path of bhakti, available in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, have no parallel in any other scripture. Just as all the incarnations of the Lord, like Matsya, Kūrma, and so on are self-manifest, appearing and disappearing on Their own sweet will; similarly, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is not a text composed by ordinary mortals. Being transcendental, the Bhāgavatam also appears and disappears only by the will of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The Bhāgavatam having previously disappeared has once again appeared on the tongue of Śrīla Vedavyāsa by the causeless mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The esoteric truth about the Supreme Lord is inconceivable, as is the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. This is the verdict of all the scriptures. “If one proudly claims to know and understand the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, then he is certainly ignorant about its real conclusions. On the other hand, if one is submissive and admits his lack of understanding, then the essence of the Bhāgavatam will indeed be revealed to him. The Bhāgavatam is saturated with divine kṛṣṇa-prema. It is in fact the body of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, for it contains the confidential pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Vedavyāsa, after having compiled the many different Purāṇas and Vedas was still feeling a vacuum within himself, but when he finally spoke the Bhāgavatam, he became completely satisfied in his heart. However, sometimes, even someone engaged in trying to expound upon this great scripture might find himself in a dilemma, so be very careful. “Therefore, the only way you must explain the entire Bhāgavatam is through bhakti. In this way, you can clear away your offences and you will experience sublime bliss in your heart. All scriptures conclude that devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate destination. Especially the Bhāgavatam is imbued with the transcendental, supra-mundane exchanges of mellows with Kṛṣṇa. Now return and study the Bhāgavatam well, and explain to everyone that devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the highest ambrosia.” Devānanda Paṇḍita fell flat on the ground at the Lord’s lotus feet, thinking of himself as the most fortunate soul. After surrendering his body, mind, and words to the Lord, and offering repeated obeisances, he returned to his home. Thus, Gaurasundara instructed everyone about the actual position of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. The Bhāgavatam actually teaches bhakti alone, so if one does not expound the path of devotional service whilst teaching the Bhāgavatam, then he uselessly wastes words and energy and earns the fruit of offence. One who understands that the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is a treatise dedicated fully to the science of devotional service becomes a recipient of the special grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The presence of the Bhāgavatam in any house makes that house sanctified and free from all inauspiciousness. Worshiping the Bhāgavatam is equivalent to worshiping Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Hearing and reading the Bhāgavatam is unalloyed devotional service. There are two meanings of the word, ‘Bhāgavata’: One is the ‘Book-Bhāgavata’ and the other is the ‘Person-Bhāgavata’ who is the personification of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. By daily worshiping, studying, and hearing the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, one is elevated to become a ‘Person-Bhāgavata’. On the other hand, if a sinful person without the proper attitude reads the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, then due to a lack of the proper understanding, he will criticize and offend Śrī Nityānanda. Śrī Nityānanda is the embodiment of the essence and divine mellows of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. One who perfectly understands this is truly an intelligent and fortunate soul. Śrī Nityānanda is continuously explaining the purport of the Bhāgavatam with His thousand mouths even now. Although Śrī Nityānanda is unlimited, He is not able to fully complete His dissertation upon the Bhāgavatam, which is unlimited, transcendental, and contains the conclusions of the path of bhakti. Thus, the Lord taught everyone the real essence of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, using His discussion with Devānanda Paṇḍita as a means. All those who came with spiritual questions the Lord answered to their full satisfaction. By coming to Kuliyā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya blessed everyone, making all fortunate and glorious. Gazing fully enraptured, their vision remained glued upon the wondrous Lord in bliss. In this way, the Lord fulfilled everyone’s desires and dissolved all their distress, making all His devotees float in an ocean of bliss. One who hears these pastimes with pleasure will certainly associate with the Lord directly. A person may be born in any family or caste: All is good if he hears about the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Śrī Nityānanda are my life and soul. I, Vṛndāvana dāsa, humbly offer this song at Their lotus feet.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 06:01:13 +0000
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