Cataka Bird

Expressions researched:
"cataka bird" |"cataka birds" |"cataka"

SB Canto 2

SB 2.4.3-4, Purport:

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī spoke thus:

viracaya mayi daṇḍaṁ dīna-bandho dayāṁ vā

gatir iha na bhavattaḥ kācid anyā mamāsti

nipatatu śata-koṭir nirmalaṁ vā navāmbhas

tad api kila payodaḥ stūyate cātakena

"O Lord of the poor, do what you like with me, give me either mercy or punishment, but in this world I have none to look to except Your Lordship. The cātaka bird always prays for the cloud, regardless of whether it showers rains or throws a thunderbolt."

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 10.40, Translation:

"In Your absence all these people have been exactly like thirsty cātaka birds crying in disappointment. Kindly accept them."

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 15.65, Translation:

“My dear friend, please tell Me what I should do. Kṛṣṇa is as attractive as a wonderful cloud, and My eyes are just like cātaka birds, which are dying of thirst because they do not see such a cloud.

CC Antya 15.68, Translation:

“The cloud of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is drenching the fourteen worlds with a shower of nectar. Unfortunately, when that cloud appeared, a whirlwind arose and blew it away from Me. Being unable to see the cloud, the cātaka bird of My eyes is almost dead from thirst.”

CC Antya 17.43, Translation:

“The tinkling of Kṛṣṇa's ankle bells surpasses the songs of even the swan and crane, and the sound of His bangles puts the singing of the caṭaka bird to shame. Having allowed these sounds to enter the ears even once, one cannot tolerate hearing anything else.

CC Antya 18.86, Translation:

“The gopīs were like steady streaks of lightning, and Kṛṣṇa resembled a blackish cloud. The lightning began sprinkling water upon the cloud, and the cloud upon the lightning. Like thirsty cātaka birds, the eyes of the gopīs joyously drank the nectarean water from the cloud.

CC Antya 19.42, Translation:

“The deep vibration of Kṛṣṇa's flute surpasses the thundering of new clouds and attracts the aural reception of the entire world. Thus the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana rise and pursue that sound, drinking the showering nectar of Kṛṣṇa's bodily luster like thirsty cātaka birds.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: There is a bird, cataka. They drink rain water.

Siddha-svarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: The example is given, these cataka birds, they want water from the cloud and they will never come down to take water, take water down. Similarly, devotees will simply depend on Kṛṣṇa. They'll not accept anything from this material world. (break) Example is given that sometimes the cloud, instead of giving water, gives thunderbolt. Still, they will not take water from down. That is a cataka. Although it is... Sometimes they are punished—instead of water, they are given thunderbolt—but still, they will not take any.

Morning Walk -- July 6, 1975, Chicago:

Brahmānanda: Of the American Indians, the red Indians. Sometimes their chiefs are called Chief Thunderbird. It's a popular name for their chiefs.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh. We have got an idea of thunderbird. The bird flies in the, near the cloud in expectation of water, and they are not afraid of thunder. That is called cataka. That example is given by Rūpa Gosvāmī. The cataka does not take water from ground. They will take water when it falls from the cloud. So in the beginning of every cloud there is thunder. So this bird, because they expecting water from the cloud, the cloud is giving him thunder, but still he does not, will not take water from ground.

Dhīra Kṛṣṇa: In what connection do the Gosvāmīs use that example to illustrate?

Prabhupāda: Example means a devotee will take mercy from Kṛṣṇa, not from the material world. Even there is thunder, Kṛṣṇa does not give mercy but puts him into difficulty, still, he will not take any mercy from the material world.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So sometimes when a devotee goes, joins Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then leaves again and goes back to the material world, its just like a pig going back to the stool.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The materialism and spiritualism is explained by Rūpa Gosvāmī. There is bird, cātaka. So they drink water when the rain falls, and otherwise they will starve. They will never accept any water from this earth.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is actually such a bird.

Prabhupāda: A devotee will never accept materialism, even if he dies of starvation. You'll see so many still. They are sticking to this principle. There are still many saintly persons in India. They do that. They don't care for any bodily care. "Some food comes; I shall eat. Never mind." Still you'll find. They are sitting in their place and chanting or meditating without any concern for bodily necessities.