His Importance
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Devotee: I am
not aware of any aspect of Gaudiya siddhanta
which
relies on this, (on the point of the divinity of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu)
and I am thinking of Gaudiya siddhanta in terms
of aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam. Please
set me straight on this.
Narasingha Maharaja:
Yes, that is Mahaprabhu's conception contained in the verse by Srila
Viswanatha Cakravarti Thakura;
ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena va kalpita
srimad bhagavatam pramanam amalam prema pum-artho mahan
sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is worshipped along with His transcendental abode Vrndavana. The most pleasing form of worship for the Lord is that which was performed by the gopis
But we find adjustment
in the conception of Mahaprabhus devotees, in that the devotees feel that
their only approach to Vrindavana, to Bhagavata, to prema-bhakti, to Gopi-bhava is via the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya.
A Gaudiya Vaishnava
feels and thinks that his only hope in approaching Radha Krishna is by
surrender to the lotus feet of Guru and Gauranga. Surrender, saranagati, slavery to the infinite
is the highest freedom. This principle has been accepted as essential
by all Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Gauranga is the infinite. See how strongly
Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami speaks in this regard:
sarvottama ha-ileo tare asure ganana
"One who does
not show respect unto this merciful Lord, Sri Caitanya, or does not worship
Him should be considered a demon, even if he is very exalted in human
society." (Adi-lila Ch8, Tx12)
Actually the highest
prema in Krishna-lila
is found in the madhurya-lila but categorically
higher than the madhurya-lila is the
audarya-lila, that is the wholesale distribution
of the madhurya-prema. This madhurya-prema finds its highest expression
in Srimati Radharani whose essential nature is Mahabhava. Gaura-lila is
that audarya-lila, the wholesale distribution
of Krishna prema. To the degree that we
surrender to the lotus feet of Gauranga to that extent we will find ourselves
in Vrindavana, all things provided. In Vrindavana the highest position
is not held by Krishna but by Radharani. The prayojana-tattva of the Gaudiya school is to engage in Her service. Sri Gauranga
is the sole access to that plane of service.
vindeta bhaktim krta punya-rasih
tatha tathot-sarpati hrdya-kasmad
radha-padambhoja-sudhambu rasih
"One who is extremely
fortunate may get the mercy of Lord Caitanya. As much as one can devote
his full attention to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya, to that extent he
will be able to taste the nectarine service of the lotus feet of Srimati
Radharani in Vrindavana. The more one engages in the service of Sri Caitanya,
the more one finds oneself in Vrindavana, tasting the nectar of the service
of Sri Radha" (Caitanya Candramrta 88)
Pure devotion to Gauranga is best of all. Those who neglect to take shelter of Sri Gauranga are in essence destroying themselves.
dhigastu brahmaham vadana-pariphullan jadamatin
kimetan socamo visaya-rasa-mattan-narapasun
na kesancil-leso'py ahaha milito gaura-madhunah
"Woe to the smarta
Brahmans, who blindly follow the Vedic rituals! To hell with those who
unnecessarily practice harsh penance's. Woe to those who try to control
the mind and senses by following the eight fold yoga system. Woe to those
who artificially practice brahmachari and imagine
that they have become liberated simply by saying aham bramasmi, "I am God". Woe to those whose voices
are filled with flowery words of dry speculation. They are intoxicated
by the taste of mundane pleasure.
"Why should we
lament for these animals in the guise of men? We lament because, alas-
they have not tasted even a tiny drop of the nectar from the lotus feet
of Lord Gauranga." (Caitanya Candramrta 32)
Without devotion to Gauranga one's knowledge of scripture is foolish nonsense.
na viduh sarva-sastra-jna hyapi bhramyante te janah
"Great scholars
of the scriptures who do not accept Lord Gauranga, as the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, are forced to wander aimlessly throughout this universe of
dead matter. Their so-called knowledge of the scriptures will be usless
to them. Birth after birth, they will wander from one planet to the next
propelled by their pious and impious acts." (Caitanya Candramrta 37)
Higher than Gauranga are Gauranga's devotees.
tavac-capi visrnkhalatvvamayate no loka-veda-sthitih
tavac-chastra-vidam mithah kalakalo nana-bahir-vartmastu
sri-caitanya-padambuja-priyajano yavan na drg gocarah
As long as one has not seen a pure devotee of Sri Gauranga, he will be engaged in tasting bitter talks about the impersonal path of liberation.
As long as one has not seen a devotee of Lord Gauranga, he will be bound by social and Vedic convention, blindly following formalities and traditions without understanding their purpose.
As long as one never sees one of the beelike devotees addicted to drinking the nectar from the lotus feet of Sri Gauranga, he will be forced to walk in endless circles on the labyrinthine paths of dry Vedic scholarship, wasting valuable time in useless discussions on futile religious practices." (Caitanya Candramrta
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