“Sri Madhavendra Puri’s disappearance day.” Srila B. P. Janardan Maharaj and Sripad B. K. Tyagi Maharaj. March 13, 2014. Navadwip Dham, India

Sri Madhavendra Puri’s disappearance day in Nabadwip, 2014.

Informal discourses by Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj and Sripad Bhakti Kamal Tyagi Maharaj, accompanied by a running translation into Telegu by Sripad B. N. Shanta Maharaj.

13 March 2014.

 

День ухода Шри Мадхавендры Пури в Навадвипе в 2014 году.

Неформальная беседа Шрилы Бхакти Павана Джанардана Махараджа и Шрипада Бхакти Камала Тьяги Махараджа, сопровождаемая переводом на телугу Шрипадом Б. Н. Шантой Махараджем.

13 марта 2014 года.

_English

Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj
Sripad Bhakti Kamal Tyagi Maharaj

Sri Madhavendra Puri’s disappearance day

_{(March 13, 2014. Navadwip Dham, India)}

 

Janardan Maharaj: Actually, Mahaprabhu comes in the Brahma-Madhava-Gaudiya-sampradaya. And we could say that’s related with Madhava Acharya. But we get a little different picture when Mahaprabhu went to Udapi. And He met with tattva-vadis [of] Madhava Acharya. And He asked them, “What is the proper means for the achieving the highest goal of life?” And what is this goal of life? And the tattva-vadis they told Him the best thing is to follow the varnashrama-dharma system and to execute your divine duty within that varnashrama-dharma. But Mahaprabhu was very dismissive of that answer. And He said, He said, “You’re just trying to play to My sentiments because you see—I’m a sannyasi. And you’re trying to tell Me that the proper goal of life is to execute your duty in the varnashrama-dharma, knowing that the brahman and the sannyasi-brahman is the highest of the varnas and ashramas. So, this is done to make Me [unclear].”

#00:02:21#

And He said, “In all the scriptures we hear the essences shravanam-kirtanam. To hear from the param Vaishnavas and to chant the holy names having received their mercy,” He said, “this will lead us to the goal of life.” So, He actually chastise the tattva-vadis. I need go to Udapi but I remember when I was in Bangalore and met with also tattva-vadis. I don’t know if they were representative but some of their points of philosophy seem to be very strange. They told me that there were certain class of jivas called tamasik jivas they could never get the mercy of the Lord.

#00:03:55#

And I thought even by the process of hearing, chanting, Guru kripa, Mahaprabhu’s kripa, the kripa [of] Vaishnavas—these, these tamasik jivas cannot get any mercy—[it] seems to me very, very terrible. Anyway, in the Chaitanya-charitamritam Mahaprabhu met with tattva-vadis in Udapi and we don’t see that He had a very favorable impression of them. But even so He is appearing with that sampradaya because we say Brahma-Madhava-Gaudiya-sampradaya. And the way to understand that is through the personality of Sri Madhavendra Puri. Madhavendra Puri as I said represented the [?], the tree of Mahaprabhu shows its first form in person of Madhavendra Puri. And when Mahaprabhu He hears the story, let’s see, He hears the story of… When is it that He hears about Madhavendra Puri, when He is in Remuna, when Mahaprabhu is traveling from Bengal to Jagannath Puri passes through the temple of Remuna.

#00:05:58#

And there He hears the story of Madhavendra Puri with Gopal and with subsequent whole story. Here’s there while He’s, He hears that relates that story of, I guess, He relates it actually, He tells the story of Madhavendra Puri when He is in Remuna. I actually... that the samadhi of Madhavendra Puri is in Remuna?

Shanta Maharaj: Yes.

Janardan Maharaj: And then there is samadhi. So, the story begins when Madhavendra Puri went to Vrindavan and he’s near the Govinda-kund. He drives in Vrindavan, he is very happy and he’s sitting there beneath the tree by the Govinda-kund. And he’s peaceful. But Madhavendra Puri is habit is if he would not beg for anything to eat—something’s offered to him—he will take that but otherwise he is fasting. And after sometime this cowherd boy comes with a pot of milk and says, “Madhavendra Puri, some of the ladies who came here, they saw you sitting here and they have sent Me with this milk to give to you.” And Madhavendra Puri was very happy with that cowherd boy and the cowherd boy left in the pot and then Madhavendra Puri after the cowherd boy left, he took, he took that milk and then Madhavendra Puri began to think about deeply, about that cowherd boy. In his deep feelings of separation, he understands that cowherd boy is Krishna and had come to him and he was… and he… then Madhavendra Puri was feeling much separation from Krishna and then he fell asleep. And when he is in sleeping, he had one dream.

#00:08:41#

And in that dream the cowherd boy appears to him and says, “Oh, Madhavendra Puri! I’ve been waiting for you for so long to come here and you please come and rescue Me.” And He describes to him that He was that, He was established by the grandson of Krishna in Badranava(?) and then by fear of the Muslims coming that they had been moved and finally hidden in one bush. And He said, “I’m suffering so much from heat and cold and you please come and rescue Me. I’m waiting for you.” So, then Madhavendra Puri gathered the persons and said, “The Lord of Govardhan is, you know, waiting us. So, bring shovels, bring cutters to cut away the bush, bushes and bring everything and we will rescue that Gopal.” So Madhavendra Puri led them to where the Deity was and then they unearthed the Deity and then they brought the Deity with them to Govardhan. And initially they established some rocks and everything to form [unclear] asan and made some temporary dwelling chitai, chitai dwelling and everything for the Deity and like this. So, then they prepared to do the abhishek of the Deity.

Shanta Maharaj: [asks about water of Jamuna].

#00:11:40#

Janardan Maharaj: Yes, with Jamuna water, and milk, and ghee and all these things. They did personally abhishek and then after that they did big anukut. They offered everything to Gopal and eventually the fame of Gopal spread to other villages and other villages did anukut for Him also. And many people came with cows to offer to Gopal. And one big capitalist from Mathura he built a temple for Gopal. Rich man from Mathura. And Madhavendra Puri got the help from several Bengali brahmins, they came and they did take charge of the puja. So now everything was, Gopal was properly established and everything. But then Madhavendra Puri had another dream where Gopal appears to him. And in that dream Gopal told him, “Madhavendra Puri, you’ve done everything but still My body is burning with some so much temperature. I’m feeling like fever and I need to be cooled down. You please bring some malaya chandan for Me.”

#00:13:57#

So, then Madhavendra Puri set off and he would get that chandan near Jagannath Puri. So, he begins traveling from Vrindavan towards Jagannath Puri. But as he’s traveling, he goes through Remuna in Orissa, he goes through Remuna and there he goes to the temple of Gopinath. And in the temple of Gopinath they’re offering everyday many pots of khir to Gopinath and they offer that khir to Madhavendra Puri. And he tastes that khir. But then Madhavendra Puri thinks that, “If I could make this khir for…” If he tastes it, right? He tastes this khir. No, he doesn’t taste it, he’s… they actually, they’re offering the khir to Gopinath. And he thinks that, “This khir, [it is] said, to be very nice and beautiful. And if I could, if I could learn, if I could make this khir for Gopal that would be very nice.” But then he thinks, “So I’m very, I’ve done very much wrong because I’m thinking of enjoying what is being offered now to the Lord,” and he leaves.

#00:16:01#

And then he goes into an empty marketplace because the marketplace is already closed. So, he goes into a [unclear] place in the empty marketplace and he’s sitting there chanting. In the meantime, the pujari of the Gopinath temple finishes with the puja and closes the altar and everything and goes home and goes to sleep. And in the dream Gopinath appears to pujari and tells him, “Oh, pujari,” He says, “I have hidden one of the pots of khir that is being offered to Me. I’ve hidden it behind My skirt and that khir is to be given to Madhavendra Puri and he is in the marketplace. So, you please, you’ll go on to the altar now and you’ll find that khir and you please give it to Madhavendra Puri.” And then pujari takes it, he had already lied down… So, he takes his bath again and he goes to the altar and there he finds the pot of khir. And then he goes to the marketplace and he calls out, “Oh, Madhavendra Puri! Oh, Madhavendra Puri, you are the most fortunate man alive. Gopinath has stolen this khir for you. Please come forward and take this khir.” And then Madhavendra Puri [unclear] this khir and he overwhelm with prem.

#00:18:00#

And it was in a clay pot, he breaks that clay pot and wraps it in his, in his dhoti but also every time he will eat it every now, he will eat a piece of the clay pot again, he feels prem again. But now that this incident has happened Madhavendra Puri is thinking, “I have to [unclear] here because this fame will come to me that I am a great devotee because the Deity has stolen khir for me and I don’t want this fame.” So, he immediately left that place. But in the Chaitanya-charitamrita Krishnadas Kaviraj said, “That the fame comes naturally to a Vaishnav and the fame ran faster than Madhavendra Puri could go.” And that was good because that fame of Madhavendra Puri enabled him to normally sandalwood is was very much controlled by the government as was camphor but enabled him because they everyone could appreciate his status as a param Vaishnava, they arranged to get him the sandalwood and camphor and the traveling papers to be able to transport it and a carrier all. And in those times also all the paths and every all the roads were also controlled by the Muslims. It’s difficult to travel with a valuable cargo of sandalwood.

#00:20:30#

Anyway, Madhavendra Puri then return to Remuna. And when he got to Remuna he was resting there and again he had another dream where Gopal appear to him. And Gopal told him, “Actually My body and Gopinath body there are the same. If you prepare all that sandalwood for Gopinath and rub it on His body and with the camphor and everything then that will naturally cool My body and I will be very pleased by that. So, you can do that for Gopinath right away and I will be very much pleased by that.”

#00:21:24#

So Madhavendra Puri told the pujaris. They were very happy with that arrangement. So, they arranged a big festival. And here also we have a festival like that, Chandan-yatra festival for Mahaprabhu. Here in the, in the Govinda-kund, right? Anyway, that all that sandalwood has offered and Gopinath was very happy with that and Gopal also this satisfied, Gopal and this was the way in which the everything happened in Remuna.

#00:22:32#

And Chaitanya-charitamrita’s the conclusion we heard, Govinda Maharaj tell this story many times, it’s a very beautiful story. And I want to read a few concluding lines from the Chaitanya-charitamritam. It’s says similar on consideration. The verses are coming later. Okay. It says talking about the Srila Govinda Maharaj explained that the whole example of… the whole story culminates in bringing the sandalwood to Gopinath and the sandalwood is rubbed and rubbed and rubbed and spread on the body of, of Gopinath. Then, and Srila Govinda Maharaj says this whole story is coming to the conclusion of its understanding Madhavendra Puri’s exalted qualities. And to understand why he is so qualified in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So, I read, here it says:

#00:24:03#

ghaṣite ghaṣite yaiche malayaja-sāra
gandha bāḍe, taiche ei ślokera vicāra

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.192)}

Continuous rubbing increases the aroma of malaya sandalwood. Similarly, consideration of this verse increases one’s understanding of its importance. So, what’s being referred to as a verse, famous verse of Madhavendra Puri that shows his deep feeling of vipralamba in the mood of Srimati Radharani.

#00:24:41#

So, sandalwood is rubbed and rubbed to create the sandalwood pulp to spread put on the Deity. And so Madhavendra Puri is saying over and over this verse like rubbing and rubbing sandalwood. And it’s increasing the aroma of sandalwood and it’s increasing the beauty of the birth. Madhavendra Puri repeats the verse over and over again. And it also says here that our consideration of this verse, like meditating on this verse will increase our understanding of its importance by just revolving this verse in our mind, our consciousness.

It’s says:

#00:25:43#

ratna-gaṇa-madhye yaiche kaustubha-maṇi
rasa-kāvya-madhye taiche ei śloka gaṇi

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.193)}

As the Kaustubha-mani is considered the most precious of valuable jewels. This verse is similarly considered the best of poems dealing with it says rasa-kavya—poetry dealing with the divine rasa of, of devotion.

#00:26:27#

ei śloka kahiyāchena rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī
tāṅra kṛpāya sphuriyāche mādhavendra-vāṇī

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.194)}

Actually, this verse was spoken by Srimati Radharani Herself and by Her mercy only was it manifest in the words of Madhavendra Puri. So Radharani had spoken this very verse but by Her mercy this verse could be shown to what to by Madhavendra Puri. Then [Krishnadas Kaviraj] says:

#00:27:05#

kibā gauracandra ihā kare āsvādana
ihā āsvādite āra nāhi cauṭha-jana

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.195)}

“Only Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has tasted the poetry of this verse. No fourth man is capable of understanding it.” So, this means only three persons have been able are entering into the inner meaning of this verse. They are Radharani who spoke the verse, Madhavendra Puri and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Govinda Maharaj said, Krishna Das Kaviraj he also relating,

#00:28:11#

śeṣa-kāle ei śloka paṭhite paṭhite
siddhi-prāpti haila purīra ślokera sahite

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.196)}

“Madhavendra Puri recited this verse again and again at the end of this material existence.” Thus, uttering this verse, he attained the ultimate goal of life. So Madhavendra Puri said this in these last days on in this world. And this is the verse. And the whole rubbing of sandalwood is being compared to same this verse and meditating on this verse. And this is the verse of Madhavendra Puri:

#00:29:06#

ayi dīna-dayārdra nātha he
mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁ
dayita bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.197)}

That sloka: “Oh my Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathura! When shall I see You again? Because of my not seeing You, my agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?” So, one can understand—Radharani is saying this verse. And it’s Krishna has gone to Mathura and She’s feeling the devastation of separation. And She, and She’s feeling this great sense of separation from Krishna and continually saying this verse and in the mood of asking for help. And Madhavendra Puri in his last days he’s showing this mood of deep separation, that is showing or mirroring the mood of Radharani. And we can understand from the what is being said in the Chaitanya-charitamritam. That this mood is also very strong in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And this is the predominating sentiment that Mahaprabhu was showing.

Then it is says:

#00:31:27#

ei śloka paḍite prabhu ha-ilā mūrcchite
premete vivaśa hañā paḍila bhūmite

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.198)}

“When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recited this verse, He immediately fell to the ground unconscious. He was overwhelmed and had no control over Himself.”

#00:31:43#

āste-vyaste kole kari’ nila nityānanda
krandana kariyā tabe uṭhe gauracandra

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.199)}

“When Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu fell to the ground in ecstatic love, Lord Nityananda quickly took Him on His lap. Crying, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then got up again.”

#00:32:02#

premonmāda haila, uṭhi’ iti-uti dhāya
huṅkāra karaye, hāse, kānde, nāce, gāya

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.200)}

“Exhibiting ecstatic emotions, the Lord began to run here and there, making resounding noises. Sometimes He laughed, and sometimes He cried, and sometimes He danced and sang.”

#00:32:31#

‘ayi dīna, ‘ayi dīna’ bale bāra-bāra
kaṇṭhe nā niḥsare vāṇī, netre aśru-dhāra

_{(CHAITANYA-CHARITAMRITAM: Madhya-lila, 4.201)}

“Mahaprabhu could not recite the whole verse. He simply said, ‘Ayi dīna! Ayi dīna!’ repeatedly. Thus, He could not speak, and profuse tears were in His eyes.”

#00:33:01#

So Mahaprabhu is showing these sentiments when He’s in the Gopinath temple saying the story of Madhavendra Puri. So anyway, this is today is that divine [dis]appearance day of Sri Madhavendra Puri and Mahaprabhu was very much tasting the mood of Madhavendra Puri in our, in our temple here, our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is very much related with these pastimes. Here is, here is Gupta Govardhan, here is Govinda-kund, you know. This is giving us a taste of what is actually the pastimes of Sri Madhavendra Puri. Anyway, I’m just giving the gist of the story of Madhavendra Puri. But our my two sannyasi God-brothers here—Tyagi Maharaj and Shanta Maharaj—they can also, they can also describe something the divine importance of Madhavendra Puri in our line. I’m explaining something of the history…

#00:34:43#

Tyagi Maharaj:

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
chakṣur unmilitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

[unclear]

#00:36:45#

But Madhavendra Puri is eager for this [unclear]. Lord Himself made the necessary arrangement to Madhavendra Puri to complete this verse. And eventually Madhavendra Puri he is coming from Puri and he has free documents, free sandalwood, free camphor, free assistant and he [unclear] back to Vrindavan. And he is working and showing the documents and [unclear] all these things. [Unclear.] So, when Madhavendra Puri [unclear] back to Remuna, Lord [unclear]. So, this is how the Lord expresses His affection and His compassion for His devotees. So, we see in this story simultaneously how extremely affectionate the Lord is to His devotees and how to [unclear] devotees to the Lord.

#00:39:20#

And ultimately the inner form of this relationship is showing [unclear] Madhavendra Puri. And there we can say [unclear] from Srila Govinda Maharaj commentaries, Srila Saraswati Thakur, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur [unclear]. Every person in this world they real position is [unclear] beggar. [Unclear] beggar for the Lord mercy. [Unclear.] Most extreme humble appeal to the Lord mercy. [Unclear.] There in Chaitanya-charitamritam [unclear] a door. By coming to the realization that one is quite completely dependent on the street with the Lord nothing can one can never become more than a beggar. [Unclear] and as we heard from Srila Janardan Maharaj... serving in this day. We pray [unclear] inspiration came to the [unclear].

_{Captured by Ananta Krishna Das
Edited by Tradish Das}