Hare Krishna Society

The books of Srila Prabhupada, by Haripada dasa

Srila Prabhupada’s books are no different from Srila Prabhupada, when one reads his books one is associating with Srila Prabhupada. He always said that one who obeys his instructions given in his books, one will live with him. Some very strange people say that one should be having a living guru. I tell you, what happens when Srila Prabhupada and all the gurus of the parampara system are dead gurus? What happens is that when one goes to Vrindavana and prays to Srila Rupa Goswami in his samadhi, he does not listen your prayers?

Srila Prabhupada’s books are like the Sun that dispels all darkness. Srila Prabhupada’s books dispel all the ignorance of Kali yuga. Kali yuga is the sinful age, the dark age, the age of arguments, the age of hypocrisy and the era of quarrel. There is a prophecy that says that Srila Prabhupada’s books will be the law books for all mankind for the next 10,000 years. I remember a class in Los Angeles, USA, Srila Prabhupada said that the philosophy of the Krsna consciousness Movement is very easy, since we do not have to invent anything. We just repeat the message of the guru-parampara, that’s all. The message of the guru-parampara is eternal and is practiced with joy.

I will try to expose those eternal truths that Srila Prabhupada taught us. The first lesson to be understood and accepted is that we are not the temporary material body, but eternal spiritual souls. We are parts and portions of God or Krishna, and our happiness is in serving God or Krishna and His devotees. Srila Prabhupada, taught us that God is Krishna and he gave us a process to awaken our latent love that we all have for God or Krishna, As there is only God or Krishna and His energies in a natural way, when we love God or Krishna, we will love everyone and everything. He taught us that everything is from God or Krishna, because He created everything, and that a person becomes honest and wise when he uses everything to serve God or Krishna and His devotees.

He taught us that there is the spiritual world, and that the goal of human life is to go back home, back to Godhead. He taught us that the real problem are to become liberated from birth, death, old age and diseases. He taught us that the only spiritual process that exists in Kali yuga or the present era, is to chant the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna , Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare (the H is read as J de jota), and taught us that the pure and intimate devotees of God or Krishna never die, they live eternally in their instructions, and those who obey his instructions live with them. When humanity obeys these eternal truths there will be peace and prosperity in the world.

www.fflv.org https://haripadadasa.blogspot.com

Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has sung that the devotees of Lord Caitanya are so powerful that each one of them can deliver a universe.

The Ganges water is celebrated as being able to eradicate all kinds of sinful reactions. In other words, when a person takes his bath in the Ganges, he becomes freed from all life’s contaminations. The Ganges water is celebrated in this way because it emanates from the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.Similarly, those who are directly in touch with the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who are absorbed in the chanting of His glories are freed from all material contamination. Such unalloyed devotees are able to show mercy to the common conditioned soul. Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has sung that the devotees of Lord Caitanya are so powerful that each one of them can deliver a universe.In other words, it is the business of devotees to preach the glories of the Lord and deliver all conditioned souls to the platform of śuddha–sattva, pure goodness. Here the word su–sattva means śuddha–sattva, the transcendental stage beyond material goodness. By his exemplary prayers, Lord Śiva teaches us that our best course it to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu and His Vaiṣṇava devotees. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/24/58

photo taken at 1975 SF Ratha Yatra

[pdf-embedder url=”https://harekrishnasociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/The-Gita-Study-GUide.pdf” title=”The Gita Study GUide”]

The notes I took are sections from the Gita Guide that I find interesting. They are not from my intellect or mind.

By: Hasti Gopala dasa

The ease and clarity with which the author expounds upon the text beckon even students unfamiliar with Indian religious tradition into a genuine understanding and appreciation of this monumental work.

Other features, such as the fifty-six color paintings illustrating the text, and informative introduction, indexes, a glossary, a guide to pronunciation of the Sanskrit, and the other appendixes, make this edition of Bhagavad-Gita a real treasure to students of this perennial classic.

The Gita has long been considered the essence of Vedic philosophy and spirituality. As the essence of the 108 Upanisads, it is sometimes referred to as Gitopanisad.

Arjuna, forgetful of his prescribed duty as a ksatriya (warrior) whose duty is to fight for a righteous cause in a holy war, decides, for personally motivated reasons, not to fight. Krsna, Who has agreed to act as the driver of Arjuna’s chariot, sees His friend and devotee in illusion and perplexity and proceeds to enlighten Arjuna regarding his immediate social duty (varna-dharma) as a warrior and, more important, his eternal duty or nature (sanatana-dharma) as an eternal spiritual entity in relationship with God. Thus the relevance and universality of Krsna’s teachings transcend the immediate historical setting of Arjuna’s battle field dilemma. Krsna speaks for the benefit of all souls who have forgotten their eternal nature, the ultimate goal of existence, and their eternal relationship with Him.

It is important to note, in this connection, that the humanlike form of Krsna visible to Arjuna on the battle field is not a material, carnal form “assumed” or “manifested” by Krsna for the world of men. According to the text, the form seen by Arjuna is Krsna’s own original form, purely spiritual and transcendental. But although Krsna is visible to all those present, only those with eyes “tinged with devotion” can understand that He Himself is the “Supreme Person,” the Godhead. The universal form (visva-rupa) revealed by Krsna to Arjuna in the eleventh chapter is not in any sense a higher manifestation of Krsna, but only a temporary display of His controlling power as eternal time (kala) in the cosmic universe.

Since religion-philosophical concepts are most often experientially based, it is increasingly evident that to gain more than stereotyped or superficial knowledge, the student or researcher must approach the subject not as a hostile critic but as a cautious sympathizer, as unhampered as possible by his own academic or personal prejudices. This is how we should approach the Gita.

Especially when dealing with Vedic spiritual philosophy, which is never theoretical but always aimed at practical transformations of consciousness and perception, we should approach with philosophical introspection. Indeed, intellectual astuteness without sincere eagerness to understand truth has always been considered, in Vedic culture, ineffectual in the realm of spiritual knowledge. The mysteries of transcendental wisdom are revealed to one who has firm faith in God and guru: “Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.”

In the traditional Vedic system of education, the disciple always approaches the guru in an attitude of submission and faith.

After choosing a qualified guru, he submits himself for instruction in a humble, non-arrogant way, as Arjuna does in the Gita itself: “Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” [BG 2.7] Frequently, throughout the text, Krsna reminds Arjuna that He is revealing confidential truths because of Arjuna’s faithful, non envious attitude. At the conclusion of His teachings, He instructs Arjuna further, “This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.” [BG 18.67]

Although we ourselves may not be approaching the Gita as disciples but as critical students, if we study it in a mood of critical introspection and philosophical inquisitiveness, our experience of the Gita will be more penetrating.

Yoga involves withdrawing the mind and senses from sense objects and, through unattached action, meditation, philosophical speculation or devotion (depending on which system of yoga one employs), gradually detaching oneself from the mundane world and ultimately realizing the self and his relationship with God.

Although there is some mention of Astanga-yoga (“the eightfold path”), the Gita deals primarily with three important systems of yoga; Karma-yoga (“the yoga of action”), jnana yoga (“the yoga of knowledge”) and bhakti-yoga (“the yoga of devotion”). In karma-yoga, one acts in selfless duty to the Supreme, sacrificing the fruits of one’s work to God. This purifies the actor and releases him from material entanglement. In jnana-yoga, on gradually cultivates spiritual knowledge by philosophical induction, exercising the intellect to differentiate between matter and spirit.

Friday, May 11, 2018 Ekadasi for both Mayapur, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time and Los Angeles, California USA time zones

Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura avirbhava tithi [appearance day]

Saturday, May 12, 2018 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]

Srila Prabhupada explains the unique position of Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura, in the Gaudiya Sampradaya

compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa Continue reading →

Nobody controls you, by Haripada dasa

I share that when I left Iskcon in 2008, I prayed to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna to please bless me so that if I feel that someone wants to control me immediately I break the relationship with that person. I want to live free and happy in Krishna consciousness, and by the grace of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna that’s how it has been. I had to break relationships with people who pretended to be friends, but behind me they criticized me and wanted to control me. Now by the grace of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna I feel free and happy in Krishna consciousness. I am going to tell a very interesting story. After Srila Prabhupada entered into his lila samadhi, Tamal Krishna invented that no one can go to Srila Prabhupada, but receive my mercy, the other gurus thought that if this invention of Tamal Krishna succeeds, we will not we will have disciples. Then all the gurus stayed with Tamal Krishna to speak with him in Los Angeles at the house of Nrisimhananda. There Tamal Krishna said that in reality Srila Prabhupada did not leave anyone as a guru, but ordered us to initiate the people in the name of Srila Prabhupada. In an artificial way we have become gurus, because we have the desire to control people.

That statement did not please anyone and they said that here we are all gurus. We are going to break all tapes that have been recorded with regards to this conversation. However, a devotee kept the tape without anyone noticing and that’s why these things are known. So the desire to control the others is very strong in this world. I heard that in the US Obama wanted to put a chip to all US citizens to control them. Thanks to the Evangelists who relied on the Bible saying that what Obama wants to do is the mark of the devil, and that it is prophesied in the Bible, and that stopped that idea.

It is not the same to be controlled by a person full of lust, greed and anger, than being controlled by Srila Prabhupada and by Krishna. The control of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna is full of pure goodness and transcendental love. That control is very pleasant, once he feels that he is an instrument in His hands, and everything that one does is full of pure goodness and transcendental love. There is no false ego and one acts in his constitutional position as eternal servant of Krishna and His devotees.

www.fflv.org https://haripadadasa.blogspot.com

SB 1.12.30 purport–

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī remarks in this connection that every child, if given an impression of the Lord from his very childhood, certainly becomes a great devotee of the Lord like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. One may not be as fortunate as Mahārāja Parīkṣit to have the opportunity to see the Lord in the womb of his mother, but even if he is not so fortunate, he can be made so if the parents of the child desire him to be so. There is a practical example in my personal life in this connection. My father was a pure devotee of the Lord, and when I was only four or five years old, my father gave me a couple of forms of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. In a playful manner, I used to worship these Deities along with my sister, and I used to imitate the performances of a neighboring temple of Rādhā-Govinda. By constantly visiting this neighboring temple and copying the ceremonies in connection with my own Deities of play, I developed a natural affinity for the Lord. My father used to observe all the ceremonies befitting my position. Later on, these activities were suspended due to my association in the schools and colleges, and I became completely out of practice. But in my youthful days, when I met my spiritual master, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, again I revived my old habit, and the same playful Deities became my worshipful Deities in proper regulation. This was followed up until I left the family connection, and I am pleased that my generous father gave the first impression which was developed later into regulative devotional service by His Divine Grace. Mahārāja Prahlāda also advised that such impressions of a godly relation must be impregnated from the beginning of childhood, otherwise one may miss the opportunity of the human form of life, which is very valuable although it is temporary like others.

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Hare Krsna–Today’s Deity Darshan, as you can see is lavishly displayed with very fragrant Lilac flower clusters of two different colors. And then there is the other flowers of white snow bells, white and red azaleas,etc.. As Srila Prabhupada tells us below, we will feel happy by so doing.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

Nov 3 1972 New Vrndavana

The next is: “Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa.” You cannot attract Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with full opulences. So you cannot attract Kṛṣṇa by your richness, by your reputation, by your education, by your beauty or by your strength or renunciation. No. You cannot attract Kṛṣṇa by all these things, because He’s already full. You cannot attract by anything, any opulence, Kṛṣṇa, because He’s ātmārāma. But if you offer something to Kṛṣṇa, it is for your benefit. The example is given: just like the original person is decorated, in the mirror the reflection of the person is also decorated. Similarly, if you decorate the Deity gorgeously, you will feel happy.Kṛṣṇa has many devotees, or many things for being decorated. But if you, in the temple, if you offer Kṛṣṇa all nice things, all nice flowers, all nice dress, all nice food, everything, everything, all nice, then you will feel happy. That is your interest. Therefore pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa. Attract Kṛṣṇa… Kṛṣṇa will be happy in this way, that you are doing so much for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has everything, but your devotional service, that sincerity of purpose, will attract. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that “Do not try to see Kṛṣṇa. Render your service in such a nice way that let Kṛṣṇa see you.” When Kṛṣṇa sees you, then your mission is perfect.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Partisan feelings and sectarianism, by Haripada dasa

It is said in the prologue to the teachings of Lord Chaitanya, that He declared that partisan sentiments and sectarianism were the two great enemies of spiritual progress, I remember reading in the science of self-realization, that in a Vyasa Puja of his Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada presented his Gurudeva not as the founder of the Gaudiya Matha, but as the Jagat Guru, the guru of the universe, by understanding and accepting this point all partisan sentiments and sectarianism disappear. It is very interesting that Srila Prabhupada says in The Bhagavad gita, 4, 42 that a spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from eternal time, this statement has a very deep meaning, Srila Bhaktisiddhatna Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada always said that there are two kinds of gurus , one sent by God or Krishna from the spiritual world to preach Krishna consciousness on all the planets of all the Universes, for example Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Srila Prabhupada, Budha, etc., these gurus are called authorized or Saktyavesa avatara and are in the chain of disciplic succession from eternal time, (BG, 4, 42), this kind of guru is for very serious and sincere people in the spiritual life, there are supposed disciples of these gurus who are called guru-druha, those people instead of serving his gurudeva with love and devotion, betray him, envy him and offend him, the future of these people is very dark, and as God has to please everyone and there is nta people who want to be deceived, there are false or unauthorized gurus, these people are made gurus by artificial means, without the authorization of the Acharya that preceded them and these people deceive themselves and others, and become very strange, envious, hypocritical, abominable and very dangerous, and the result of falling into their clutches is that your spiritual life is destroyed. False gurus speculate that you have to have a living guru, but I tell you that perhaps Srila Prabhupada and all the guru-parampara gurus are not living gurus, when Srila Prabhupada was asked who will be his successor when you die, Srila Prabhupada always answered that I will never die, I will live forever in my books, and those who obey my instructions will live with me.

I served in Iskcon from 1984 to 2008, I distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books in Spain, 16 Latin countries and in the USA, then I sent many messages to Iskcon’s leaders to rectify their mentality, I told them that we should help the people to know Srila Prabhupada and love him, so his spiritual life will achieve success, you are educating people to serve you and give you their love, that is pure false ego, Srila Bhaktisiddhatna Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada always said that a spiritual soul should never want another spiritual soul to serve it, Srila Prabhupada is the Jagat-guru, the guru of the Universe, the guru of all, because they do not preach that, the result was that nobody answered my messages, so it is better to pray than to criticize, now I pray to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna to obey Srila Prabhupada and so we will all be happy in Krishna consciousness, and all the partisan feelings and the sectarian ism will be finished.

In this link are the original books of Srila Prabhupada:

PrabhupadaBooks.com Srila Prabhupada’s Original Books

www.fflv.org https://haripadadasa.blogspot.com

Subject: Sri Ramananda raya tirobhava tithi [disappearance day]
compiled by Damaghosa dasa, Narasimha dasa and Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada explains the unique position of Sri Ramanada Raya

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.84 : PURPORT :
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught His principles through four chief followers. Among them, Rāmānanda Rāya is exceptional, for through him the Lord taught how a devotee can completely vanquish the power of Cupid. By Cupid’s power, as soon as one sees a beautiful woman he is conquered by her beauty. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, however, vanquished Cupid’s pride. Indeed, while rehearsing the Jagannātha-vallabha-nāṭaka he personally directed extremely beautiful young girls in dancing, but he was never affected by their youthful beauty. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya personally bathed these girls, touching them and washing them with his own hands, yet he remained calm and passionless, as a great devotee should be. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu certified that this was possible only for Rāmānanda Rāya. Similarly, Dāmodara Paṇḍita was notable for his objectivity as a critic. He did not even spare Caitanya Mahāprabhu from his criticism. This also cannot be imitated by anyone else. Haridāsa Ṭhākura is exceptional for his forbearance because although he was beaten with canes in twenty-two marketplaces, nevertheless he was tolerant. Similarly, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he belonged to a most respectable brāhmaṇa family, was exceptional for his humility and meekness.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.131 : PURPORT :
In Jagannātha Purī Lord Caitanya lived at the house of Kāśī Miśra, who was the priest of the king. Later this house was inherited by Vakreśvara Paṇḍita and then by his disciple Gopālaguru Gosvāmī, who established there a Deity of Rādhākānta. The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (193) states that Kāśī Miśra was formerly Kubjā in Mathurā.. Pradyumna Miśra, an inhabitant of Orissa, was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Pradyumna Miśra was born of a brāhmaṇa family and Rāmānanda Rāya of a non-brāhmaṇa family, yet Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised Pradyumna Miśra to take instruction from Rāmānanda Rāya. This incident is described in the Antya-līlā, Chapter Five.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.131 : PURPORT :
Bhavānanda Rāya was the father of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. His residence was in Ālālanātha (Brahmagiri), which is about twelve miles west of Jagannātha Purī. By caste he belonged to the karaṇa community of Orissa, whose members were sometimes known as kāyasthas and sometimes as śūdras, but he was the governor of Madras under the control of King Pratāparudra of Jagannātha Purī.

rāmānanda rāya, paṭṭanāyaka gopīnātha
kalānidhi, sudhānidhi, nāyaka vāṇīnātha

SYNONYMS

rāmānanda rāya—of the name Rāmānanda Rāya; paṭṭanāyaka gopīnātha—of the name Paṭṭanāyaka Gopīnātha; kalānidhi—of the name Kalānidhi; sudhānidhi—of the name Sudhānidhi; nāyaka vāṇīnātha—of the name Nāyaka Vāṇīnātha.

TRANSLATION

The five sons of Bhavānanda Rāya were Rāmānanda Rāya, Paṭṭanāyaka Gopīnātha, Kalānidhi, Sudhānidhi and Nāyaka Vāṇīnātha. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.133

ei pañca putra tomāra mora priyapātra
rāmānanda saha mora deha-bheda mātra

SYNONYMS

ei—these; pañca—five; putra—sons; tomāra—your; mora—Mine; priya-pātra—very dear; rāmānanda saha—with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; mora—Mine; deha-bheda—bodily difference; mātra—only.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Bhavānanda Rāya, “Your five sons are all My dear devotees. Rāmānanda Rāya and I are one, although our bodies are different.”

PURPORT
The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (120-24) states that Rāmānanda Rāya was formerly Arjuna. He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopī Lalitā, although in the opinion of others he was an incarnation of Viśākhādevī. He was a most confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Although I am a sannyāsī, My mind is sometimes perturbed when I see a woman. But Rāmānanda Rāya is greater than Me, for he is always undisturbed, even when he touches a woman.” Only Rāmānanda Rāya was endowed with the prerogrative to touch a woman in this way; no one should imitate him. Unfortunately, there are rascals who imitate the activities of Rāmānanda Rāya. We need not discuss them further.
In Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s final pastimes, both Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to pacify the Lord’s ecstatic feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa. It is said that when Lord Caitanya went to southern India, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya advised Him to meet Rāmānanda Rāya, declaring that there was no devotee as advanced in understanding the conjugal love of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. While touring South India, Lord Caitanya met Rāmānanda Rāya by the bank of the Godāvarī, and in their long discourses the Lord took the position of a student, and Rāmānanda Rāya instructed Him. Caitanya Mahāprabhu concluded these discourses by saying, “My dear Rāmānanda Rāya, both you and I are madmen, and therefore we met intimately on an equal level.” Lord Caitanya advised Rāmānanda Rāya to resign from his government post and come back to Jagannātha Purī to live with Him. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu refused to see Mahārāja Pratāparudra because he was a king, Rāmānanda Rāya, by a Vaiṣṇava scheme, arranged a meeting between the Lord and the King. This is described in the Madhya-līlā, Chapter Twelve, verses 41-57. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was present during the water sports of the Lord after the Ratha-yātrā festival.
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī to be equal in their renunciation, for although Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was a gṛhastha engaged in government service and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī was in the renounced order of complete detachment from material activities, they were both servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who kept Kṛṣṇa in the center of all their activities. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was one of the three and a half personalities with whom Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed the most confidential topics of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised Pradyumna Miśra to learn the science of Kṛṣṇa from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. As Subala always assisted Kṛṣṇa in His dealings with Rādhārāṇī in kṛṣṇa-līlā, so Rāmānanda Rāya assisted Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was the author of Jagannātha-vallabha-nāṭaka. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.134

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.135-136
Pratāparudra Mahārāja, who belonged to the dynasty of the Gaṅgā kings and whose capital was in Cuttak, was the Emperor of Orissa and a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It was by the arrangement of Rāmānanda Rāya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that he was able to serve Lord Caitanya. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (118) it is said that King Indradyumna, who established the temple of Jagannātha thousands of years ago, later took birth again in his own family as Mahārāja Pratāparudra during the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Mahārāja Pratāparudra was as powerful as King Indra. The drama named Caitanya-candrodaya was written under his directio.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.137 : PURPORT :
In the Antya-līlā of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Chapter Two, verses 104-106, there is a description of Mādhavīdevī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered her one of the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Within this world, Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three and a half very confidential devotees. The three were Svarūpa Gosāñi, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Śikhi Māhiti, and Śikhi Māhiti’s sister, Mādhavīdevī, being a woman, was considered the half. Thus it is known that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three and a half confidential devotees.

vidyāpati, jayadeva, caṇḍīdāsera gīta

āsvādena rāmānanda-svarūpa-sahita
SYNONYMS

vidyāpati—the author of the name Vidyāpati; jayadeva—of the name Jayadeva; caṇḍīdāsera—of the name Caṇḍīdāsa; gīta—their songs; āsvādena—tastes; rāmānanda—of the name Rāmānanda; svarūpa—of the name Svarūpa; sahita—along with.

TRANSLATION

The Lord used to read the books of Vidyāpati, Jayadeva and Caṇḍīdāsa, relishing their songs with His confidential associates like Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

PURPORT
Vidyāpati was a famous composer of songs about the pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. He was an inhabitant of Mithilā, born in a brāhmaṇa family. It is calculated that he composed his songs during the reign of King Śivasiṁha and Queen Lachimādevī in the beginning of the fourteenth century of the Śaka Era, almost one hundred years before the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The twelfth generation of Vidyāpati’s descendants is still living. Vidyāpati’s songs about the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa express intense feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu relished all those songs in His ecstasy of separation from Kṛṣṇa.
Jayadeva was born during the reign of Mahārāja Lakṣmaṇa Sena of Bengal in the eleventh or twelfth century of the Śaka Era. His father was Bhojadeva, and his mother was Vāmādevī. For many years he lived in Navadvīpa, then the capital of Bengal. His birthplace was in the Birbhum district in the village Kendubilva. In the opinion of some authorities, however, he was born in Orissa, and still others say that he was born in southern India. He passed the last days of his life in Jagannātha Purī. One of his famous books is Gīta-govinda, which is full of transcendental mellow feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs felt separation from Kṛṣṇa before the rāsa dance, as mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the Gīta-govinda expresses such feelings. There are many commentaries on the Gīta-govinda by many Vaiṣṇavas.
Caṇḍīdāsa was born in the village of Nānnura, which is also in the Birbhum district of Bengal. He was born of a brāhmaṇa family, and it is said that he also took birth in the beginning of the fourteenth century, Śakābda Era. It has been suggested that Caṇḍīdāsa and Vidyāpati were great friends because the writings of both express the transcendental feelings of separation profusely. The feelings of ecstasy described by Caṇḍīdāsa and Vidyāpati were actually exhibited by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He relished all those feelings in the role of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and His appropriate associates for this purpose were Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī. These intimate associates of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu helped the Lord very much in the pastimes in which He felt like Rādhārāṇī.
Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments in this connection that such feelings of separation as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed from the books of Vidyāpati, Caṇḍīdāsa and Jayadeva are especially reserved for persons like Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara, who were paramahaṁsas, men of the topmost perfection, because of their advanced spiritual consciousness. Such topics are not to be discussed by ordinary persons imitating the activities of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. For critical students of mundane poetry and literary men without God consciousness who are after bodily sense gratification, there is no need to read such a high standard of transcendental literature. Persons who are after sense gratification should not try to imitate rāgānuga devotional service. In their songs, Caṇḍīdāsa, Vidyāpati and Jayadeva have described the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mundane reviewers of the songs of Vidyāpati, Jayadeva and Caṇḍīdāsa simply help people in general become debauchees, and this leads only to social scandals and atheism in the world. One should not misunderstand the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa to be the activities of a mundane young boy and girl. The mundane sexual activities of young boys and girls are most abominable. Therefore, those who are in bodily consciousness and who desire sense gratification are forbidden to indulge in discussions of the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 13: The Advent of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Adi 13.42

paṇḍita-gosāñi ādi yāṅra yei rasa
sei sei rase prabhu hana tāṅra vaśa

SYNONYMS

paṇḍita-gosāñi—Gadādhara Paṇḍita; ādi—headed by; yāṅra—whose; yei—whatever; rasa—transcendental mellow; sei sei—that respective; rase—by the mellow; prabhu—the Lord; hana—is; tāṅra—his; vaśa—under control.

TRANSLATION

Personal associates like Gadādhara, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāmānanda Rāya, and the six Gosvāmīs (headed by Rūpa Gosvāmī) are all situated in their respective transcendental humors. Thus the Lord submits to various positions in various transcendental mellows.

PURPORT
In verses 296 through 301 the emotional devoted service of Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita Prabhu and others has been fully described. Describing such individual service, the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verses 11 through 16, declares that although Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared as a devotee, He is none other than the son of Nanda Mahārāja. Similarly, although Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu appeared as Lord Caitanya’s assistant, He is none other than Baladeva, the carrier of the plow. Advaita Ācārya is the incarnation of Sadāśiva from the spiritual world. All the devotees headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura are His marginal energy, whereas the devotees headed by Gadādhara Paṇḍita are manifestations of His internal potency.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu all belong to the viṣṇu-tattva category. Because Lord Caitanya is an ocean of mercy, He is addressed as mahāprabhu, whereas Nityānanda and Advaita, being two great personalities who assist Lord Caitanya, are addressed as prabhu. Thus there are two prabhus and one mahāprabhu. Gadādhara Gosvāmī is a representative of a perfect brāhmaṇa spiritual master. Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura represents a perfect brāhmaṇa devotee. These five are known as the Pañca-tattva.Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 17: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His Youth : Adi 17.301

rāja-ājñā lañā teṅho āilā kata dine
rātri-dine kṛṣṇa-kathā rāmānanda-sane

SYNONYMS

rāja-ājñā—the permission of the King, Pratāparudra; lañā—getting; teṅho—Rāmānanda Rāya; āilā—returned; kata dine—in some days; rātri-dine—day and night; kṛṣṇa-kathā—talks of Lord Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes; rāmānanda-sane—in the company of Rāmānanda Rāya.

TRANSLATION

Upon the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya took leave of the King and returned to Jagannātha Purī. After he arrived, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much enjoyed talking with him both day and night about Lord Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 1: The Later Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Madhya 1.128