Sit down (CC Madhya-lila)
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Let Us sit down in these three places, and We shall take prasādam."
However, Advaita Ācārya said, "I shall distribute the prasādam."
Advaita Ācārya said, "Just sit down here on these seats." Catching Their hands, He sat Them both down.
Upon saying this, Advaita Ācārya supplied water to the two Lords so that They could wash Their hands. The two Lords then sat down and, smiling, began to eat the prasādam.
All the people gathered there sat down to honor the prasādam, and by and by they took food. All the brāhmaṇas and their wives were fed first.
According to the varṇāśrama system, the brāhmaṇas are always honored first. Thus at the festival, the brāhmaṇas and their wives were first offered the remnants of food, and then the others (kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras). This has always been the system, and it is still prevalent in India, even though the caste brāhmaṇas are not qualified. The system is still current due to the varṇāśrama institutional rules and regulations.
In the corridor of the temple, from which people generally viewed the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī chanted and danced. Then he sat down there and asked a brāhmaṇa what kinds of foods they offered to the Deity.
Mādhavendra Purī left the temple and sat down in the village marketplace, which was vacant. Sitting there, he began to chant. In the meantime, the temple priest laid the Deity down to rest.
Although Mādhavendra Purī was not interested in eating and sleeping, his interest in chanting the mahā-mantra was as acute as if he were an aspiring transcendentalist rather than a paramahaṁsa. This means that even in the paramahaṁsa stage, one cannot give up chanting. Haridāsa Ṭhākura and the Gosvāmīs were all engaged in chanting a fixed number of rounds; therefore chanting on beads is very important for everyone, even though one may become a paramahaṁsa. This chanting can be executed anywhere, either inside or outside the temple. Mādhavendra Purī even sat down in a vacant marketplace to perform his chanting. As stated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya in his prayers to the Gosvāmīs: nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. A paramahaṁsa devotee is always engaged in chanting and rendering loving service to the Lord. Chanting the Lord's holy names and engaging in His service are identical. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23), there are nine kinds of devotional service: hearing (śravaṇam), chanting (kīrtanam), remembering (viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam), serving (pāda-sevanam), worship of the Deity (arcanam), praying (vandanam), carrying out orders (dāsyam), serving Him as a friend (sakhyam) and sacrificing everything for the Lord (ātma-nivedanam). Although each process appears distinct, when one is situated on the absolute platform he can see that they are identical. For instance, hearing is as good as chanting, and remembering is as good as chanting or hearing. Similarly, engaging in Deity worship is as good as chanting, hearing or remembering. The devotee is expected to accept all nine processes of devotional service, but even if only one process is properly executed, he can still attain the highest position (paramahaṁsa) and go back home, back to Godhead.
After bathing in the sea, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees returned very soon. The Lord then washed His feet and sat down on a carpet to take lunch.
When they entered the temple, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya offered Caitanya Mahāprabhu a seat, while he himself sat down on the floor out of due respect for a sannyāsī.
When they regained their sanity, they both sat down, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and began to speak as follows.
After finishing His evening bath, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down and waited for Rāmānanda Rāya to come. Then Rāmānanda Rāya, accompanied by one servant, came to meet Him.
A Vaiṣṇava who is supposed to be advanced in spiritual understanding—be he a householder or a sannyāsī—must bathe three times a day: morning, noon and evening. When one is engaged in the service of the Deity, he must especially follow the principles of the Padma Purāṇa and take regular baths. He should also, after bathing, decorate his body with the twelve tilakas.
They were both inundated by the wonderful ecstasy of love that was aroused in them. Finally they sat down and respectfully began to converse.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next sat down at the place prepared for Him, and all the devotees, headed by Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, surrounded Him.
Saying this, the Lord embraced Murāri and had him sit down by His side. The Lord then began to cleanse his body with His own hands.
This statement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is significant. Nibhṛte vasiyā tāhāṅ kariba smaraṇa: "I shall sit down there in that solitary place and remember the lotus feet of the Lord." Neophyte students are not to imitate sitting in a solitary place and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. We should always remember that it was Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself who wanted such a place, either for Himself or Haridāsa Ṭhākura. No one can suddenly attain the level of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and sit down in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Only an exalted person like Haridāsa Ṭhākura or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is personally exhibiting the proper behavior for an ācārya, can engage in such a practice.
At the present moment we see that some of the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are tending to leave their preaching activities in order to sit in a solitary place. This is not a very good sign. It is a fact that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has condemned this process for neophytes. He has even stated in a song, pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava: "Sitting in a solitary place intending to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is considered a cheating process." This practice is not possible for neophytes at all. The neophyte devotee must act and work very laboriously under the direction of the spiritual master, and he must thus preach the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Only after maturing in devotion can he sit down in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself did. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to teach us a lesson He traveled all over India continuously for six years and only then retired at Jagannātha Purī. Even at Jagannātha Purī the Lord chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in great meetings at the Jagannātha temple. The point is that one should not try to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura at the beginning of one's transcendental life. One must first become very mature in devotion and thus receive the approval of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Only at such a time may one actually sit down peacefully in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and remember the lotus feet of the Lord. The senses are very strong, and if a neophyte devotee imitates Haridāsa Ṭhākura, his enemies (kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and mātsarya) will disturb and fatigue him. Instead of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the neophyte will simply sleep soundly. Preaching work is meant for advanced devotees, and when an advanced devotee is further elevated on the devotional scale, he may retire to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in a solitary place. However, if one simply imitates advanced spiritual life, he will fall down, just like the sahajiyās in Vṛndāvana.
"You may sit down and accept the luncheon with Nityānanda Prabhu, and I shall distribute the prasādam to all the Vaiṣṇavas."
Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally sat down to accept lunch with the other sannyāsīs, and Gopīnātha Ācārya began to distribute the prasādam with great pleasure.
After this incident, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very satisfied. He then asked all of the devotees to sit down in two lines on both sides.
The Lord then personally sat down in the middle and picked up all kinds of straw, grains of sand and dirty things.
These are all material desires. A neophyte devotee is certain to be attacked by other material desires as well, namely desires for women and money. In this way the heart is again filled with dirty things and becomes harder and harder, like that of a materialist. Gradually one desires to become a reputed devotee or an avatāra (incarnation).
The word jīva-hiṁsā (envy of other living entities) actually means stopping the preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Preaching work is described as paropakāra, welfare activity for others. Those who are ignorant of the benefits of devotional service must be educated by preaching. If one stops preaching and simply sits down in a solitary place, he is engaging in material activity. If one desires to make a compromise with the Māyāvādīs, he is also engaged in material activity. A devotee should never make compromises with nondevotees. By acting as a professional guru, mystic yogī or miracle man, one may cheat and bluff the general public and gain fame as a wonderful mystic, but all this is considered to be dust, straw and grains of sand within the heart. In addition, one should follow the regulative principles and not desire illicit sex, gambling, intoxicants or meat.
In other words, it is the process by which the mind is cooled. The mind can be peaceful and thoroughly cleansed when one no longer desires anything but devotional service.
Even though all dirty things may be cleansed away, sometimes subtle desires remain in the mind for impersonalism, monism, success and the four principles of religious activity (dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa). All these are like spots on clean cloth. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also wanted to cleanse all these away.
By His practical activity, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu informed us how to cleanse our hearts. Once the heart is cleansed, we should invite Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to sit down, and we should observe the festival by distributing prasādam and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to teach every devotee by His personal behavior. Everyone who spreads the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepts a similar responsibility. The Lord was personally chastising and praising individuals in the course of the cleaning, and those who are engaged as ācāryas must learn from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu how to train devotees by personal example. The Lord was very pleased with those who could cleanse the temple by taking out undesirable things accumulated within. This is called anartha-nivṛtti, cleansing the heart of all unwanted things. Thus the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā-mandira was conducted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to let us know how the heart should be cleansed and soothed to receive Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and enable Him to sit within the heart without disturbance.
In the garden, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down with the other devotees. Vāṇīnātha Rāya then came and brought all kinds of mahā-prasādam.
Receiving the permission of the Lord, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya sat down. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all His devotees sat on raised wooden seats.
In this way all the devotees sat down to take their lunch in consecutive lines, one beside the other.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “Let Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu take His lunch with the devotees. Since I am abominable, I cannot sit down among you.
All the devotees sat down in lines, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally began to distribute the prasādam.
Svarūpa Dāmodara said, "My Lord, please sit down. No one will eat until You do."
At that time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down with His personal associates and had every one of them fed very sumptuously until they were filled to the necks.
After finishing, the Lord washed His mouth and sat down. There was so much extra prasādam that it was distributed to thousands.
“When a woman is neglected and disappointed, out of egoistic pride she gives up her ornaments and morosely sits down on the ground, marking lines on it with her nails.
Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and sat down to eat. The Bhaṭṭācārya, with great pleasure, first offered Him the prasādam from the Jagannātha temple.
Upon seeing the Lord, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya immediately caught hold of His lotus feet. The Lord embraced him and then sat down.
Finally Rāmānanda Rāya pacified the King and made him sit down. The Lord bestowed mercy upon him through His body, mind and words.
"Do not become mad. Simply sit down here, and tomorrow night you will go see Kṛṣṇa."
While walking, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, understanding that the others were fatigued, took them all beneath a tree and sat down.
“This sannyāsī sometimes falls unconscious due to the influence of a disease. Please sit down here, and you will see that He will very soon regain consciousness and His normal condition.
"Sit down here for a while and keep us all under arrest. When the sannyāsī regains his senses, you can question Him. Then, if you like, you can kill us all."
At that time, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and made Him sit down. Seeing the Muslim soldiers, the Lord regained His normal senses.
Walking and walking, Sanātana Gosvāmī finally arrived at a place called Hājipura. That evening he sat down within a garden.
Sanātana Gosvāmī then went to the house of Candraśekhara and sat down by the door. Understanding what was happening, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke to Candraśekhara.
After washing His feet, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down for lunch. He asked Tapana Miśra to supply Sanātana Gosvāmī lunch also.
“The hunter then received the two great sages in the courtyard of his house. He spread out a straw mat for them to sit upon, and with great devotion he begged them to sit down.
The five ingredients for Deity worship are (1) very good scents, (2) very good flowers, (3) incense, (4) a lamp and (5) something edible. As for ṣoḍaśopacāra, the sixteen ingredients, one should (1) provide a sitting place (āsana), (2) ask Kṛṣṇa to sit down, (3) offer arghya, (4) offer water to wash the legs, (5) wash the mouth, (6) offer madhu-parka, (7) offer water for washing the mouth, (8) bathe the Lord, (9) offer garments, (10) decorate the Lord's body with ornaments, (11) offer sweet scents, (12) offer flowers with good fragrance, like the rose or campaka, (13) offer incense, (14) offer a lamp, (15) give good food, and (16) offer prayers.
In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (11.127–140) there is a vivid description of what is required in Deity worship. There are sixty-four items mentioned. In the temple, worship should be so gorgeous that all sixty-four items should be available for the satisfaction of the Personality of Godhead. Sometimes it is impossible to get all sixty-four items; therefore we recommend that at least on the first day of installation all sixty-four items should be available. When the Lord is established, worship with all sixty-four items should continue as far as possible. The sixty-four items are as follows: (1) There must be a big bell hanging in front of the temple room so that whoever comes into the room can ring the bell. This item is called prabodhana, or offering oneself submissively to the Lord.
There are thirty-two offenses to the Deity that should be avoided. (1) One should not enter the temple in a vehicle. Shoes and slippers should be removed before entering the temple. (2) One should offer obeisances as soon as he sees the Deity. (3) One should enter the temple after taking a bath. In other words, one should be very clean. (4) One should not offer obeisances to the Lord with one hand. (5) One should not circumambulate demigods before the Deities. (6) One should not spread his legs before the Deity. (7) One should not sit down before the Deity with his legs crossed, nor should one touch his legs with his hands. (8) One should not lie down before the Deity. (9) One should not eat before the Deity. (10) One should not speak lies before the Deity. (11) One should not speak very loudly before the Deity. (12) One should not talk nonsense before the Deity. (13) One should not cry before the Deity. (14) One should not deal with others before the Deity. (15) One should not utter harsh words before the Deity. (16) One should not cover himself with a blanket. (17) One should not talk enviously of others before the Deity. (18) One should not praise others before the Deity. (19) One should not use slang before the Deity. (20) One should not pass air before the Deity. (21) One should not neglect the sixty-four items of Deity worship. (22) One should not eat anything not offered to the Deity. (23) One should not neglect offering seasonal fruits as soon as they are available. (24) One should always offer fresh, untouched fruit to the Deity. (25) One should not sit with his back toward the Deity. (26) One should not offer obeisances to others before the Deity. (27) One should not sit near the Deity without taking the spiritual master's permission. (28) One should not be proud to hear himself praised before the Deity. (29) One should not blaspheme the demigods. (30) One should not be unkind to others before the Deities. (31) One should observe all festivals in the temple. (32) One should not fight or quarrel before the Deity.
After saying this, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī sat down with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to question the Lord as follows.
| Page Title: | Sit down (CC Madhya-lila) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 17 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=46, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 46 |