Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.08.2018, Ludasto)

(continues from the previous Friday) 

“The Lord remained there because He was very eager to receive the remnants of sweet rice offered to the Gopinatha Deity, having heard a narration from His spiritual master, Ishvara Puri, of what had once happened there. That Deity was known widely as Kshira-chora-gopinatha, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told His devotees the story of how the Deity became so famous.”[1]

So, following in the footsteps of Mahaprabhu, and also Gurudev, let me repeat this story as well. There were only four devotees with Mahaprabhu. Very few. And in the old times, Gurudev gave a lecture on this topic. It was a long lecture, so be prepared. It was an evening lecture and it started with this long story. You know, after a long day of service and dancing and kirtan and prasad, devotees were exhausted. And the lecture started and went on and on and on for hours. Those devotees who were present, they told me this story. Gurudev was laughing and shining and jumping and enjoying. And they were very exhausted, they were constantly falling asleep. So they decided to put match sticks to hold their eyes open. Gurudev was teasing them: “Well, if you are sleepy, you can go to sleep.” But he was so ecstatic in telling the story that nobody could sleep. Because Mahaprabhu was like a golden volcano. The lava erupted, burning everything, but so sweet that you cannot give it up. You want to hide, but you cannot run away. So, let’s plunge.

“Formerly the Deity had stolen a pot of sweet rice for Madhavendra Puri; therefore He became very famous as the Lord who stole the sweet rice. Once, Shri Madhavendra Puri travelled to Vrindavana, where he came upon the hill known as Govardhana.

Madhavendra Puri was almost mad in his ecstasy of love of Godhead, and he did not know whether it was day or night. Sometimes he stood up, and sometimes he fell to the ground. He could not discriminate whether he was in a proper place or not. After circumambulating the hill, Madhavendra Puri went to Govinda-kunda and took his bath. He then sat beneath a tree to take his evening rest.”[2]

This is the goswami style of travelling. You know, there is different types of tourism. Like survival trip, or excitement excursions, or luxury holidays. Or the goswamis style. They take shelter under a tree; next night – another tree. Not to enjoy the facilities of the other tree, but rather not to develop an attachment to the previous tree. And this is not only a five star or a this Burj Khalifa – seven stars hotel. Thousands of stars!

So, Madhavendra Puri was almost mad from the ecstasy of divine love. He didn’t recognize whether it is day or night. This realization also exists in the boring perfection stage. Because they say, “Oh my Lord, please remember all the sacrifices that I have done to You; due to my spiritual studies the night and day merge.” The same realization is there due to ascetic practice or to some ecstatic experience. So, if you are so busy that you don’t know whether it is day or night, don’t complain to me. This is ecstasy, the lifestyle of Madhavendra Puri. What is your kirtan?

(to be continued)

[1] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.18-19

[2] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.20-23