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Tav k QaaMa*Ta& TaáJaqvNaMa(
tava kathāmta tapta-jīvanam Bi n du
Issue No. 100 Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications
5 April 2005 Śrī Pāpamocani Ekādaśī, 11 Viu, 518 Gaurābda Circulation 1,511

• WORSHIP ACCORDING TO THE LORD’S MOOD

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Highlights

• GHOSTS, AND CHANTING RAMA-NAMA

From the Life of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode
• A SPECIAL RESIDENCE FOR THE LADY DEVOTEES
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
• KRISHNA DISPLAYS A PASTIME OF LORD RAMACHANDRA
PAGE ONE TOP COLLUMN TWO
From Murari Gupta’s Śrī Chaitanya-carita 4.5.5-14
• MAHAPRABHU IN THE MOOD OF LORD RAMA
From Srila Lochan Das Thakur’s Śrī Caitanya-magala śea-khaa 1.115-123

WORSHIP ACCORDING TO THE Not that we should overlap the attitude of

Krishna to Lord Chaitanya, or Lord Chaitanya
LORD’S MOOD to Krishna, or Krishna to Ramachandra, or
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Ramachandra to Krishna.

Swami Prabhupada — Letter to Satsvarupa Das. 16 June 1968.
These comparative studies on the life of GHOSTS, AND CHANTING RAMA-NAMA
Krishna and Ramachandra are very intricate,
From the Life of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode
but the basic principle is that
Ramachandra appeared as an ideal One day I went to eat gamarul fruit in the gar-
king and Krishna appeared as the den near my grandfather’s parlor. I heard that
Supreme Personality of Godhead, a ghost lived in the fruit tree, and on that day I
although there is no difference be- ran away in fear of the ghost. Another day I
tween the two. A similar example thought that if some remedy
is Lord Chaitanya. He appeared could be effected, then I could go
as a devotee, and not as the Supreme and eat the fruit without fear of
Personality of Godhead, although He is Krishna the ghost. In the hot weather,
Himself. We should accept the Lord’s mood in gamarul fruit is very tasty. I
particular appearances, and we should worship made inquiries from many
Him in that mood. Lord Chaitanya, because He people about how to deal
is Krishna Himself, is sometimes worshiped in with ghosts, and no one said that there was no
the same manner as Krishna. But Krishna was such thing as ghosts. Being very disturbed, I
in the role of enjoyer, and Lord Chaitanya is in asked Vachaspati Mahashaya, who said that
the role of being enjoyed. So, the party known ghosts were a particular form of living being.
as Gauranga Nagari is considered to be deviated Their form is of the wind and their eyes are like
from pure devotional service, because of giving the kancha fruit [very small and red]. Hearing
Lord Chaitanya the same facility as Krishna, the words of Vachaspati Mahasaya, I became
which He did not like. Our service mood even more afraid of ghosts. But where there is
should be compatible to the attitude of the Lord. no gamarul, there is no eating.
next column ! !
Issue One hundred, Page — 2 Top right 2é[q k* Z<ak QaaMa*Ta ibNdu
top left 2
The mother of Chiba was very expert in the home. Then you won’t have any material feel-
occult. She was an exorcist for some people, ings for your home. You will be relieved from
and she oversaw the storage room of my the propensities of householder life.
grandfather. Upon questioning her, she in- Our maths are being built at many places,
formed me that there is no fear of ghosts while and many sannyāsīs, vānaprasthas, ghasthas
one chants the name of Rama. One servant and brahmacārīs are living there all the time
said the same thing. By way of experiment, I and receiving the opportunity to learn spiri-
went to the site of the gamarul tree, calling tual conduct. But we have been trying for a
the name of Rama over and over again, and I long time to also give the mothers [women]
found no evidence of a ghost in any fashion. the opportunity for devotional service. Of
Knocking down some fruit, I ate two quarters. course, those who have the facility and op-
I understood that the name of Rama was pro- portunity for devotional service in their own
tection against the ghost. At dusk, I would al- homes do not need a separate residence.
ways utter rāma-nāma. When walking about But very often we hear that many of them are
in the streets and alleys I always chanted rāma- impeded in their devotional service due to bad
nāma. I obtained great satisfaction in my mind association. It will be very beneficial for them if
and for many days I took this medicine against we can build Sri Vishnupriya Palli [palli means
the ghost. I heard that a ghost lived in the homa “neighborhood”] in Sridham Mayapura, near
building. Uttering the name of Rama, I chased the residence of Sriman Mahaprabhu, and they
the ghost away from the pūjā building. Now I can live there separately from their families and
was no longer afraid to go outside at dusk.
render devotional service. They actually belong
— Svalikhita Jīvani, Thakur Bhaktivinode’s autobiography. to the group of Sri Vishnupriya Devi [the wife of
Chapters 79-80. English Translation by Shukavak Das. Mahaprabhu, who was left behind in Nabadwip
when He took sannyāsa]. Therefore, it is proper
A SPECIAL RESIDENCE for them to live in the house of Sriman
FOR THE LADY DEVOTEES Mahaprabhu and to serve Him under the shel-
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur ter of Sri Vishnupriya Devi. There should not be
Prabhupada any bad association or mundane male associa-
tion for them there. Only a few devotees like
On 21 September 1925, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Ishan [the old devotee servant who took care of
Saraswati Prabhupada gave a long lecture to the Sri Sachidevi and Sri Vishnupriya Devi after
devotees assembled at the Gaudiya Math about Mahaprabhu left] can stay at a distance and take
how to lead an exemplary devotional life. An care of them. It is necessary to have such an ex-
excerpt from that lecture follows: emplary neighborhood so that the mothers
All of you please perceive everything of this [women] can read scripture every day, discuss
world as ingredients for serving Krishna; every- devotional topics with each other, and have i
a-
thing of this world is actually meant for Krishna’s go
hī about devotional topics, so they can give
service. Please see the whole race of women as up all luxury, live an exemplary, saintly life, al-
beloved consorts of Krishna, and help them to ways chant the holy name, and take care of the
always engage themselves in the service of ingredients of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s service and
Krishna. Please do not consider them as objects serve him in every way.

of your sense enjoyment. They are to be enjoyed — From page 339 of Saraswati Jayaśrī, edited by Sri
by Krishna; they are never to be enjoyed by the Sundarananda Vidyavinode. Translated and published in
living entities. Please do not see your fathers and Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur, page 32-33. Mandala Publish-
ing. Eugene, Oregon. 1997.
mothers as a means to your own sense gratifica-
tion, but see them as Krishna’s fathers and moth- KRISHNA DISPLAYS A PASTIME
ers. Please do not see your sons as a means to
OF LORD RAMACHANDRA
your own sense gratification, but see them as
belonging to the group of servitors of Bala From Murari Gupta’s
Gopala. With your eyes, please see the kadamba Śrī Chaitanya-carita 4.5.5-14
tree, the river Yamuna and its sandy bank, and In the invocation (1.1.48-53) to his Śrī
the beauty of the full moon. You won’t have any Caitanya-magala, Srila Lochan Das Thakur
more mundane feelings; you will see Goloka, and has expressed his gratitude to Srila Murari Gupta
the beauty of Goloka will be manifest in your and his book Śrī Caitanya-carita:
! !
Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu top right 3
Issue One hundred, Page — 3
Top left 3
While living in Nabadwip, Sri Murari Gupta had the rocks and trees from the mountains and weave
opportunity to always remain in the company of Lord them together on the water, they could never
Gaurachandra. Who can describe the greatness of float. Still, O source of My ecstasy, You may
Murari Gupta? He is known throughout the world as now witness a demonstration of the power of
Hanuman. After crossing the ocean to Lanka,
My host of sublime jewel-like qualities!’
Hanuman burned Ravana’s palace to the ground. Then
Hanuman brought Rama the good news about His
“All of Radha’s sakhīs are topmost rasikās,
beloved Sita. He revived Lakshman by bringing me- and understood the inner meaning of
dicinal herbs. That same Hanuman now resides in Radhika’s words. Enthusiastically forming a
Nadia as Murari Gupta. Being highly realized, Murari line, they brought many rocks, trees and so
Gupta knows all truths. As an eternal associate of the forth from the forest. Sri Krishna used them
Lord, he is fixed at the lotus feet of Sri Gauranga to form a bridge that floated upon the water
Mahaprabhu. He expertly told all of Lord Chaitanya’s of this lake, and as everyone looked upon the
childhood and boyhood pastimes in his great Sanskrit scene, they bowed down and glorified Him
epic, Śrī Krishna-caitanya-carita Mahākavya. with utterances of `Jaya! Jaya!’
While taking Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on “The pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna in the
vraja-maala-parikramā, the brāhmaa company of their gopī friends are imbued with the
Krishna Das said to Him, “Please look upon zenith of relishable rasa, always beginning with the
this reservoir of water named Setu-Bandha, rasa of comedy. All glories to those pleasure pas-
that was personally created by Sri Krishna.” times, which are forever filled with the uninter-
Hearing this with great wonder, Gauranga rupted ever-expanding flow of Their divine prema!
Mahaprabhu’s divine body became covered The topmost rasikas who hear of these pastimes
with goose bumps of ecstasy, and He said re- and thus remember the Divine Couple, simply laugh
spectfully, “O Krishna Das! Kindly tell Me the at the idea of achieving happiness through mere
story of this lake.” transcendental knowledge, and without a qualm
Drinking the ambrosial words of Sri they utterly ridicule the thought of liberation.”

Gaurachandra through his ears, and remem- — Adapted from the English translation by Sri Bhakti
bering Sri Krishna, Krishna Das smiled brightly Vedanta Bhagavata Swami. Gaura Vani Press. Distributed
by Nectar Books. Union City, Georgia. 1998.
and replied as follows, “Sri Hari, the chief
among all rasikas, delights in tasting sweet MAHAPRABHU IN THE
mellows in the midst of the assembly of gopīs.
Once, while sporting like a young elephant
MOOD OF LORD RAMA
within this lake, He announced, ’I am Sri From Srila Lochan Das Thakur’s
Ramachandra, the best of the Raghu dynasty!’ Śrī Caitanya-magala śea-khaa 1.115-123
“Srimati Radharani, the crest-jewel of all As He traveled through South India, Sri
charming goddesses, responded, ’You are only Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was continually ab-
a cowherd’s son. All that You do is wander about sorbed in the ecstasy of pure Krishna conscious-
tending his herds of cows. A king is the protec- ness. Crossing the Godavari River, the Lord ar-
tor of truth and virtue. His task is certainly a very rived in Panchavati where Sita, Rama and
difficult one for others to attempt. To destroy the Lakshman once lived. Observing the beauty of
demon Ravana, Sri Ramachandra built a bridge Panchavati, Lord Gauranga became entranced
to Lanka. That was certainly a very glorious in love and repeatedly called out, “Sri Rama!
achievement. Don’t venture to broadcast Your Lakshman!” Panchavati is the place where
own qualities and compare Yourself to Him, for Lakshman stayed in a thatched hut, protecting
You are nothing but a thief of the clothes and Sitadevi, while Rama pursued the golden deer.
ornaments of young girls!’ The moment Lakshman left to search for Rama,
“Then Sri Krishna, who is the master of un- the evil demon Ravana kidnapped Sitadevi. See-
countable transcendental pranks and the ex- ing this place overwhelmed Lord Chaitanya with
clusive enjoyer of mischievous rasa-imbued remembrances of His previous pastimes here. At
jests, replied to Radha, ’I am an exquisite jewel one moment Gauranga yelled, “Kill! Kill! Kill!”
of all sublime qualities, and this You know very The next moment He said, “Catch him! Catch
well, for You are a cowherd’s daughter! If him!” Then He loudly shouted the name of
someone were to take a great abundance of Lakshman. Remembering Sita, Gauranga cried
! !
Issue One hundred, Page — 4
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4 Top right 4
é[q k* Z<ak QaaMa*Ta ibNdu
so deeply that His associates could do nothing durbādala nava śyāmala-sundara
to pacify Him. Finally, Mahaprabhu controlled kañja-nayana raa-vīra
Himself and became peaceful.
vāme dhanur-dhara āhine niśita śara
jaladhi ko
i gambhīra
Bibliography
— Lochan Das Thakur. Śrī Caitanya-magala. English translation by Glory to You, O Lord, handsome and dark
Subhag Swami. Published by Mahanidhi Swami. 1994. Vrindavan.
like a new monsoon cloud, O lotus-eyed hero
— Lochan Das Thakur. Śrī Caitanya-magala. Gaudiya Mission. Bag
Bazaar. Calcutta. 1991. Bengali.
on the battlefield! You hold a bow in Your left
hand and a sharp arrow in Your right hand!
KIRTANA OF THE NAMES OF Your wisdom is deeper than millions of oceans!
LORD RAMA śrī-pada pāduka dharu bharatānuja
cāmara chatra nichoi
By the poet Govinda Das śiva caturānana sanaka sanātana
(For more about Govinda Das see Bindu #25.) śatamukha raha kara-joi
(Dhānaśī-rāga) Glory to You, O Lord whose sandals were
jaya śiva sundara viśva parāt-para worshiped with a parasol and a cāmara whisk
paramānandānanda-kārī by Your younger brother Bharata. Before You,
Glory to You, O handsome auspicious Lord, Shiva, Brahma, Sanaka, Sanatan, and hun-
greatest of all great persons in the worlds, and dred-faced Ananta stand with folded palms!
most delightful of delightful persons! bhakata ānanda māruta nandana
caraa-kamala karu sevā
jaya jaya śrīla rāma raghunandana
govinda dāsa hdaye avadhāraa
janaka-sutā-rati-kānta
hari nārāyaa devā
sura nara vānara khacara niśākara
yachu gua gāya ananta Glory to You, O bliss of the devotees, whose
lotus feet are served by Hanuman, the son of the
Glory, glory to You, O handsome Lord Rama,
wind god! O Hari! O Narayan! O Supreme Lord!
descendant of Raghu, beloved of Janaka’s
The heart of Govinda Das is fixed on You!

daughter! Lord Ananta Sesh praises Your glo-
— Jagadbandhu Bhadra. Gaura-pada-taraginī. Sri
rious mercy to the demigods, humans, mon- Gauranga Press. Calcutta. 1931. Bengali.
keys, witches, and night-roving demons!
! HEARING HIS OWN PASTIMES FROM
A PREVIOUS AGE
SRI KRISHNA KATHAMRITA BINDU Srila Rupa Goswami’s Padyāvalī, text 151
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Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. As Lord Krishna heard His mother narrate
Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His His own activities performed in ancient times,
Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada He suddenly called out: “Lakshman! Where
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rials, unless specified, © ISKCON Bhubaneswar/Gopal
is My bow? Where is My bow? Where is My
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vided no changes are made to the contents.
— Adapted from the English translation by Kusakratha
Das. Krishna Library. Culver City, California. 1989.