21--Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.57–58, India, 1970

Prabhupada:

A pure devotee who is carrying, everyone is carrying within his heart. Paramatma antaryami [the indwelling Supersoul], the plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But one who has got realization, he is called bhakta, or yogi. So yoginam api sarvesam [Bg 6.47], amongst all the yogis the bhakti-yogi is always seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart.

Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs 5.38], how he is seeing? Premanjana-cchurita. It is not very difficult to understand if you have got intense love for somebody you'll always find him within your heart. You cannot forget. Similarly we also can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead if we have developed such ecstatic love for Krsna.

So such devotee is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam. That wherever he goes he makes that place a pilgrimage, bhavad-vidha.

Sanatana Gosvami is accepted by Lord Caitanya although he was in government service and he was first approaching him after retirement. But a still Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand his position. Actually the Sanatana Gosvami is amongst the gopis and Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. So they are eternal associates but in this incarnation they have appeared in different stages of life, again combine together. The mission. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission and their constant companion they are called nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha means; any circumstances a living entity cannot forget Krsna. Nitya-siddha. There are nitya-baddha and nitya-siddhas. Nitya-baddhas-conditioned souls, they are within this material world. And Nitya-siddhas they are in the spiritual world.

So Sanatana Gosvami is nitya-siddha and he's accepted by Lord Caitanya. That-whenever I am touching you because just to purify Me. If we touch the lotus feet of a pure devotee then immediately you become purified. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says like that: prabhu kahe,-"toma sparsi atma pavitrite [Cc Madhya 20.56]. "I am touching you just to purify Myself." He is teaching by example. Bhakti-bale para tumi brahmanḍa sodhite. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca taraḥ sahasrasaḥ [Niti-Sastra 4.6].

If there is one devotee in a society, in a country, a place, he can do tremendous service to the humanity by transforming them into Krsna conscious. Bhakti-bale. What is the strength? The strength is devotional service, bhakti-bale. Not by material strength, nor by bodily strength, nor by mental speculation but by the strength of devotional service. Bhakti-bale para tumi brahmanḍa sodhite. There is actual sodhite in Narada Muni. Narada Muni he is traveling all over the universe and his business is to transform devotees, that is his business. Another example is cited here is; na me 'bhaktas catur-vedi [Cc Madhya 20.58].

You know there are brahmanas who are called vedi, dvi-vedi, tri-vedi, catur-vedi. A brahmana who is expert in one Vedas, there are four Vedas, Sama, Yajur, Rk, Atharva. Just like one scholar takes a particular subject matter especially. Similarly a brahmana who is expert in reciting one Veda he is called vedi. And two Vedas-dvi-vedi, three Vedas-tri-vedi and four Vedas-catur-vedi.

Of course in the modern age they are simply names, nobody has any connection with the Vedas. But the tri-vedi, dvi-vedi they are going on. But actually that is the meaning and here Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: na me, na me 'bhaktascatur-vedi. Even one has studied all the Vedas but if he is not devotee, na me 'bhaktascatur-vedi. Mad-bhaktaḥsva-pacaḥ priyaḥ, Krsna says that. This is a recitation from Hari-bhakti-vilasa [10.127].

Hari-bhakti-vilasa was composed later on after hearing from Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Hari-bhakti-vilasa was composed by Sanatana Gosvami and Gopal Bhatta Gosvami. Actually Sanatana Gosvami compiled there is a direction that is called Vaisnava smrti. Sruti, smrti. There is a Avaisnava smrti [sruti] also and Vaisnava smrti. Vaisnava smrti means they are not Mayavadi. I have...

Perhaps you may know that in the, the Almanac it says gosvami-mata. There is smarta-mata-opinion, smarta opinion and Gosvami opinion. When something is recited on the gosvami-mata. Sometimes Ekadasi you'll find two different opinions, the smarta says, "Today Ekadasi," the Gosvami read, gosvami-mate parahe. According to gosvami-mata-opinion, next day. Smarta-mata if the Ekadasi tithi is the whole day they accept on that day but gosvami-mata is if the Ekadasi is not exactly on the sunrise point they will not observe. Similarly there are different opinions. So these gosvami-mata, I mean to say, social activities, religious activities under the direction of Hari-bhakti-vilasa is called gosvami-mata.

So this verse is recited from Hari-bhakti-vilasa:

So this is spoken by Krsna that if a person is catur-vedi, well versed in all these Vedic literatures but not a devotee, "He is not nice, he is not very dear to Me," na priyaḥ. Mad-bhaktaḥsva-pacaḥ priyaḥ, "And if a person born of a family dog eater," sva-pacaḥ-dog eaters. "If he is My devotee, he is very dear to Me." Tasmai deyam tato grahyam, so "I accept from My devotees, not from non devotees." This is the...

In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said: tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami [Bg 9.26]. Krsna does not touch anything which is offered by a nondevotee. Therefore our regulation is unless one is, I mean to say, advanced in devotional service-twice initiated. First of all with hari-nama and then with sacred thread. He is not allowed to worship the Deity. That is the principal. Tasmai deyam tato grahyam, everything depends on advancement of devotion:

Krsna is not hungry, that daridra-narayana. Krsna is the most opulent, sarva-sakha pūrna . He does not come to me for eating. He has got thousands of thousands goddesses of fortune always serving Him.

Krsna has no want, He is self-sufficient but He is so kind that if a devotee offers Him-He cannot refuse. That is Krsna's quality. Harav'bhaktas… [SB 5.18.12] Krsna, He is being served by hundreds and thousands of Laksmi's just like in Dvaraka. He has 16,108 wives. And that is in one Dvaraka there are innumerable universes and innumerable Dvaraka's and innumerable gopis and innumerable goddesses of fortune. So He is not hungry but He is so kind that when His bhakta, devotee offers Him a little patram puspam phalam. A little flower, little fruit, little water, bhaktya. But the real ingredients is bhakti, then He accepts. It is not that Krsna has to be given, luci [puris in Bengali], kachoris, and rasgulla very nice, nice. No. Krsna says He is able to accept even a little flower, a little fruit-universal.

Anyone, either he is in India or in Czechoslovakia or in... patram puspam phalam everyone is available, everywhere. You can collect a little flower, a little fruit, it doesn't matter that you are not rich. Even you are the poorest of the poor, you can serve Krsna. Krsna is so kind. Mam hi partha vyapasritya. [Bg 9.32]

And it doesn't matter whether he is brahmana, catur-vedi or a canḍala-dog eater. It doesn't matter. Simply this qualification wanted-whether he is a devotee. Whether his heart is always crying for Krsna. Then Krsna agrees, "Yes. I love him." The gopis they are not catur-vedis they were village girls and that also not from very good families, only cowherd's. So what qualification they had? No qualification. From the materialistic point of view. Simply their heart were dedicated to Krsna. That's all.

So Krsna says that it doesn't require that one has to become a catur-vedi, to understand Krsna. Unless, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg 18.55], Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, "To understand Me the only way is bhakti."

It is not like yata mata tata patha, that anyone can understand by any way. This is all rascaldom. Only bhakti. Simply bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvataḥ. You can know Krsna in very. But if you want to know Krsna as He is then you have to take to this devotional, you have to surrender. You have to surrender. You have to purify yourself of all material contamination, pure devotee. Anyabhilasita-sūnyam [Cc Madhya 19.167], no other desire.

Anyabhilasita, anya means-save and accept Krsna's service, there is no any other desire. Anyabhilasita-sūnyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam, by knowledge, by speculation, by philosophical research understanding Krsna. That attempt should be given up. Krsna is so nice, Krsna is so lovely, Krsna is so kind-simply this. The very first-realization of this fact is sufficient to understand Krsna. Not by philosophical research. Ah, Philosophical research, what philosophical research you can do? For Krsna. He is so unlimited. Eh? What you can? Krsna's only partial representation is Maha-Visnu, that is explained in the. Brahma-samhita,

Maha-Visnu, Maha-Visnu is lying in the causal ocean. Just between the margin of spiritual world and the material world and in that causal ocean Maha-Visnu is lying down. Yoga-nidra. And innumerable universes are coming out from the holes of His body. And their existence only nisvasita-kalam athavalambya, the breathing period, exhaling. So long there is exhaling all these universes exist and as soon as there is inhaling they are all gone again. Bhūtva bhūtva praliyate [Bg 8.19].

So this Maha-Visnu is described as kala-visesaḥ. Kala-visesaḥ means-plenary expansion, part of plenary expansion, part of... parts, parts, there is so many. Expansions. You see? Maha-Visnu is plenary expansion of Sahkarsana. Dvitiya catur-vyūha sahkarsana. That dvitiya catur-vyūha sahkarsana, is plenary expansion of Narayana. Narayana is plenary expansion of first catur-vyūha. The first catur-vyūha expansion of Balarama. In this way in the sastras there are description.

Oh there are innumerable incarnations, visnu-tattva expansions. And They are, some of Them are directly part and plenary expansion and some of Them plenary expansion of the plenary expansion. They are called kalaḥ. So visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso, Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita: athava bahunaitena kim jnatena tavarjuna. When Krsna was asking. Arjuna was asking Krsna, "How your opulences and energies are expanded?" Vibhūti-yogam. That Krsna said, "So many things you have read, I am this amongst this, I am this amongst this, this amongst this." But He concludes:

How much I shall go on describing about my beauty, you simply try to understand that this material creation is only one part manifestation of My energy. So how you can understand Krsna? It is not possible. But the only way is, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yaḥ ca [Bg 18.55]. Simply a pure devotee, a pure devotee how he can understand? Krsna reveals tesam evanukampartham. It is a special favor for the devotees:

So this is the process. You cannot understand Krsna by speculation. This is all nonsense, it is not possible. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo [Bs 5.34]. To understand Krsna, if one, I mean to say, makes progress on the path of understanding Krsna, panthaḥ. How many years? Koti-sata-vat, koti you know and hundreds and thousands of kotis-years. Koti-sata-vat. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo, traversing very nicely and what is the speed? Vayor mano. By the speed of the air. By the speed of the mind. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor mano, so 'py asti yat-prapada-simny avicintya-tattve. [Bs 5.34]

Even one makes progress travels in this speed, a still He remains avicintya-tattva. Beyond your perception. So we cannot understand Krsna although He is so long, long distance away. A still He is nearer also that is all pervading. Everywhere He is there, sarvato pani-padas tat [Bg 13.14].

Everywhere He has got His legs and hands. So immediately you offer something with devotion, He is immediately there. Immediately. The only thing that we require-to be qualified as a pure devotee, then Krsna is always [taps microphone]. Otherwise Krsna is not available, we cannot approach. He is far, far away.

It is said here:

"Such devotee can offer Me and if he offers then I accept it. And he's worshipable as I am." A devotee, a pure devotee is worshipable as Krsna. Therefore a guru, a spiritual master because he's pure devotee of Krsna. He is described in the sastra, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair [Sri Sri Gurv-astaka 7]. We offer prayers to our guru, that guru is worshipped, saksad-dharitvena.

The sastras says and Krsna also says, Krsna says sa ca pūjyo yatha hy aham, "He is as good as I am." He should be worshipped as good as I am worshipped. And the sastra says also that, saksad-hari. A guru should be accepted as directly Krsna, saksad-haritvena samasta-sastrair [Sri Sri Gurv-astaka 7]. Not only in one sastra, in all the Vedic literature, guru-brahma, guru hari like that. [Adi Sahkaracarya] In so many places.

Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktas, it is said saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhiḥ. It is not only said but it is carried in toto by sadbhiḥ, those who are expert in devotional service. But does it mean that guru is Krsna? No. No guru will say that I am Krsna or I am God, I am better than Krsna. This is all nonsense. Guru is always a servant of Krsna, sevaka krsna. Sevya-krsna, sevaka krsna. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya, and because he is very confidential servant of Krsna therefore he is to be worshipped as Krsna.

And again Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says: yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. [Sri Gurv-astaka 8] Such pure devotee if he is pleased then Krsna is pleased. Because he is the most confidential representative, he is doing the same work as Krsna-is very much eager to act. Krsna is very much eager to reclaim all these conditioned souls again back to home, back to Godhead. Because all of them are sons of Krsna, as the father is always anxious to get back his mad sons. He is bewildered loitering in the street and suffering all kinds of trouble. And the father, the rich father is always hankering to see, "Oh he is my son, he is rotting in this way, in the street as a madman." If he comes back, he is always there, any father realize that. So Krsna is the father, He is not happy that these conditioned souls are loitering within this universe simply for sense gratification and suffering different types of miserable conditions. Therefore He comes.

These rascals sons, a still they will not agree. Krsna says, "My dear sons you give up all your nonsense business, please surrender, you'll be happy." But no, "I shall become a hog and eat stool, why shall I go with You?" This obstinate, obstinate. Krsna says, Krsna's devotee says, "They are so obstinate, they'll never become devotee of Krsna." A mad, pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna [Prema-vivarta 6.3], just like a person ghostly haunted.

He speaks all nonsense, similarly all these rascals who talks of becoming God. They are most naradhama, the lowest of the mankind. Na mam prapadyante mūḍhaḥ duskrtino naradhamaḥ [Bg 7.15]. They're mad they are so much entrapped by the modes of material nature. They are falsely claiming something nonsense, speculating something nonsense. They will never agree to surrender to Krsna.

They are duskrtino naradhamaḥ mūḍhaḥ, rascals. This language is used, it is not that we are using. This language is used in the Bhagavad-gita. So Krsna leaves behind Him Bhagavad-gita.

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Krsna leaves behind Him His pure devotee, Krsna comes Himself as a devotee... [End]