Gaura Lila

Jaya Jaya Sri Caitanya Jaya Nityananda Jai Advaita Candra Jaya Gaura Bhakta Vrnda!

Over Monday and Tuesday Srila Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja lead us in the most inspiring and instructive seminar on Lessons from the Pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

Who is Lord Caitanya? He is Krishna who has come in the form of His own devotee. Interestingly all the incarnations of Krishna are in the mood of servant. If you ask Krishna, “What or who is the absolute?” Krishna will very simply say “Me” but if you ask the incarnations starting from Baladev, they will answer, “Krishna!”

What did I learn?

1)
Things happen to you all the time but how if affects you depends on your consciousness. For example, Madavendra Puri chastised Ramachandra Puri. Because Ramachandra Puri was envious he could not accept this chastisement and thought, “how can he speak to ME like that” this kind of attitude is not good and led to Ramachandra Puri continuing his offensive course. The chastisement of the spiritual master is his mercy and if we take it in a submissive, humble way it will be of great benefit to us.

Once Srila Prabhupada also got chastised by Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakur when Srila Prabhupada was listening to a lecture of Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakur, he was sitting next to a gentleman who could not hear very well and who would keep asking Srila Prabhupada what Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Maharaja was saying. Finally Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Maharaja asked Srila Prabhupada if he would like to give the class! Whoa! But Srila Prabhupada never felt resentful for this rather, he told his disciples, he cherished that moment for the rest of his life.

2)
Searching for recognition and fame is like taking bath in the Urine of a donkey! Oh yeah, I think this lesson was especially for me as I heard just read the same thing on the same day that Maharaja spoke about it. Twice in one day – definitely a sign from Krishna. This is like Gopala Chakravati who had great envy for Haridas Thakur just because Haridas Thakur was born a Muslim and he, Gopala Chakravati, was a “great” brahmana. Like this he lost he nose from leprosy.

3)
The devotee is never offended by the blasphemy on ignorant persons and Krishna never forgets the blasphemy done to His devotee.

I hear so much of this but am still prone to so much blasphemy! Don’t be like the fly be like the bee. When you blasphemy you don’t feel good.

What about constructive criticism?

Maharaja said practically there hardly anything like constructive criticism. One can give advice but not to criticise and get on someone’s case. Actually only the spiritual master and the father are justified in getting on someone’s case.

4)
Gopala Chapala left the paraphernalia of Durga worship on the doorstep of Srivas Thakur. When Srivas Thakur saw this he said, “Now you know my actual position” he did not defend himself. Maharaja explained we have 4 propensities: eating sleeping, matiung and defending. Defending is the most subtle. We mustn’t be in this defensive spirit.

Nice hey!!

Jaya Jaya Sri Caitanya Jaya Nityananda Jai Advaita Candra Jaya Gaura Bhakta Vrnda!