TLC 26 (1968)

Teachings of Lord Chaitanya (1968)

TLC 25 (1968) - TLC 27 (1968)

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Bhattacharya Is Converted

For the impersonalist and void philosophers the next world is senseless eternity and bliss. The void philosophers want to establish that ultimately everything is senseless, and the impersonalists want to establish that the next world is simply knowledge without any activities. In other words, less intelligent salvationists want to carry imperfect knowledge into the perfect sphere of spiritual activity. The impersonalist, having experienced a great disadvantage in material activity, wants to establish spiritual life without activity. He cannot understand the activities of devotional service. Spiritual activity in devotional service is not intelligeble to the void phiolsophers and impersonalists. The Vaishnava philosophers know perfectly well that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, having the power of innumerable potencies, can never be impersonal or void. He can present Himself in multiple Forms with innumerable energies, and still He remains Himself as the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is competent Himself to maintain His transcendental position in spite of His becoming expanded in multiple Forms and diffused by His innumerable multiple Forms of energy.

Thus Lord Chaitanya showed many defects in the Mayavadi philosophy, and although Bhattacharya wanted to establish himself with various juggleries of words and logic, Lord Chaitanya was able to maintain Himself from such attacks, and He established that the Vedic literature is meant for three things: to understand our relationship with the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead, to act according to that understanding, and at the end to achieve the highest perfection of life, love of Godhead. Anybody who wants to prove something other than the above-mentioned three purposes must be the victim of his own imagination.

The Lord then quoted some verses from the Puranas, by which He wanted to establish that Sankaracharya was meant to do his teaching by the Supreme order of the Personality of Godhead. He quoted a verse from Padma Purana in which it is stated that the Lord ordered Mahadeva Lord Shiva to present some imaginary interpretation of the Vedic literature, and thus try to distract persons from the actual position of the Veda. "By such activity you try to make them atheists, and after that they can be engaged in producing more population." In the same Padma Purana it is also said that Lord Shiva explained to his wife, Parvati, that in the Age of Kali, in the form of a Brahmin, he would preach the imperfect explanation of the Veda, known as Mayavadi, which is actually a second edition of the atheist philosophy of Buddha.

By such explanations of Lord Chaitanya, Bhattacharya was overwhelmed. And, hearing the explanation of Mayavadi philosophy from Lord Chaitanya, he could not speak, and simply remained silent for some time. Lord Chaitanya asked him, "My dear Bhattacharya, don't be hampered with this explanation. Please take it from Me that the devotional service of the Supreme Lord is the highest perfectional stage of human understanding. Devotional service of the Lord is so attractive that even persons who are already liberated become devotees of the Lord by the inconceivable potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." There are many instances of this in the Vedic literature, such as in the Srimad Bhagwatam, First Canto, Seventh Chapter: therein is the famous Atmarama verse for persons who are attached to self-realization, and liberated from all material attachment. Such liberated impersonalist sages become attracted to devotional service by the various activities of Lord Krishna. That is the transcendental Quality of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Actually, the pure consciousness of the living- entity is to understand himself as the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Under the spell of illusion, a less intelligent person accepts the gross body and the subtle body as his self; such a conception is the basis of the doctrine of transference. Actually the part and parcel of the Supreme is not subjected eternally to such a false conception of gross and subtle bodily life. The covering of the living entity by the gross and subtle body is not his eternal form, but can be changed; or, the living entity can become free from such existence. While he is in the conception of the body and mind he has certainly transferred his position from spirit to matter. Mayavadi philosophers, of course, take advantage of this doctrine of transference: they say that the living entity under the wrong impression thinks himself as part and parcel, but he is the Supreme Himself This doctrine cannot be tenable.

Bhattacharya then asked Lord Chaitanya to explain the famous Atmarama verse, as he desired to hear it from the Lord, Lord Chaitanya replied to him that, first of all, he should explain the verse according to his own understanding, and then Lord Chaitanya would explain it by His own understanding. Bhattacharya then began to explain the Atmarama Sloka with his method of logic and grammar. He explained the Atmarama Sloka in nine different ways. The Lord appreciated his erudite scholarship in explaining the verse, and said: "My dear Bhattacharya, I know that you are personally a representation of the learned scholar, like Brihashpati, and you can explain any portion of the Shastras in such a nice way. And yet your explanation is more or less based on academic education only. But there is another explanation, beside the academic, scholarly explanation."

Then, at the request of Bhattacharya, Lord Chaitanya explained the Atmarama Sloka thus: On the basis of the analytical parts of the verse, the verse is explained as follows: 1. Atmarama, 2. Cha, 3. Munayah, 4. Nirgranthah, 5. Api, 6. Urukrama, 7. Kurvanti, 8. Ahaituki, 9. Bhaktim, 10. Itthambhutagunah, 11. Harih. (This verse is already explained in connection with the Lord's teachings to Sanatan Goswami). Lord Chaitanya did not touch the nine different explanations of Bhattacharya, but He explained on the basis of 11 analyses of the verse, and each analytical basis He divided into five and six and, in this way, He expounded a total of 61 different explanations of the Atmarama verse. It is summarized, then, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of innumerable potencies: nobody can estimate how many transcendental qualities are possessed by Him. They are always inconceivable, and any process of self-relization generally inquires into these inconceivable potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His energies, and His qualities. But those who are devotees at once accept this inconceivable pos1t1on of the Supreme Lord. He explained that even great liberated souls like the Kumaras and Sukadeva Goswami also become attracted to the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord.

Bhattacharya then appreciated the explanation of Lord Chaitanya, and he concluded that Lord Chaitanya is none other than Krishna Himself. And he began to deprecate his own position. He related that at first he had considered Lord Chaitanya as an ordinary human being, and therefore he felt that he had been offensive to the identity of Lord Chaitanya. He fell down at the Lotus Feet of Lord Chaitanya, deprecating his own position, and requested Lord Chaitanya to show His causeless mercy upon him. Lord Chaitanya appreciated the humbleness of such a great learned scholar. He therefore exhibited His own Form, first with four hands, and then the six-handed form called Sadabhuj. Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya then repeatedly fell down on the Lotus Feet of the Lord and began to pray with various kinds of prayers composed by himself. He was a great scholar undoubtedly, and after receiving the causeless mercy of the Lord he was empowered to explain the Lord's activities in different ways—such as being able to express the benefit of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

It is said that Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya then composed 100 verses in appreciation of the Lord's activities, and those verses are so important that even Brihashpati, the learned scholar in the heavenly planet, could not compose such nice verses. The Lord was very much pleased by hearing his composition of 100 verses, and He embraced Bhattacharya. By His touching, Bhattacharya became overwhelmed with ecstasy, and practically became unconscious. He was crying, sometimes trembling, sometime; shivering, sometimes perspiring, sometimes dancing, sometimes singing, and in this way he fell at the Lotus Feet of Lord Chaitanya. His brother-in-law, Gopinath Acharya, and the devotees of the Lord, were surprised to see the condition of Bhattacharya as he was transformed into a great devotee.

Gopinath Acharya addressed the Lord and began to thank Him: "Sir, it is by Your grace only that Bhattacharya has been transformed from his stonelike position into such a devotee." Lord Chaitanya replied to Gopinath Acharya that, due to a devotee's favor upon others, a stonelike man can be transformed to a mild flower-like devotee. Actually, Gopinath Acharya, the brother-in-law of Bhattacharya, had sincerely desired that such a scholar as Bhattacharya should become a devotee of the Lord. He had sincerely desired that the Lord show favor to Bhattacharya, and was glad to see his desire fulfilled by Lord Chaitanya. In other words, a devotee of the Lord is more merciful than the Lord Himself When a devotee desires to show his mercy to a person, the Lord accepts, and by His grace such a person becomes a devotee.

Lord Chaitanya pacified Bhattacharya and asked him to go home. Bhattacharya again began to praise the Lord and said, "You have descended Yourself to deliver all the fallen souls of this material world. That project is not so difficult for You, but You have turned a stonehearted man like me, and that is Your wonderful act. I am very expert at logical arguments and grammatical explanations of the Vedic process. I am as hard as a lump of iron. But Your influence and temperature is so strong that You could melt away even hard iron like me."

Lord Chaitanya then returned to His place and Bhattacharya, through Gopinath Acharya, sent various kinds of Prasadam from Jagannath temple. The next day, the Lord went to see the temple of Jagannath early in the morning, which is called Mongalarati. The priests in the temple brought Him a garland from the deity and offered Him various kinds of Prasadam. The Lord was very much pleased to receive them, and He at once went to the house of Bhattacharya, taking the Prasadam and the flowers to present to Bhattacharya. It was early in the morning, and Bhattacharya understood that the Lord had come and was knocking on his door. He at once rose up from his bed and began to say Krishna, Krishna!, which was heard by Lord Chaitanya. And at once he came to the door and opened it and saw the Lord standing there. He was so pleased to see the Lord early in the morning, and wanted to receive Him with all care. He again offered Him a nice seat, and both of them sat there and Lord Chaitanya offered him the Prasadam which He had received in the temple of Jagannath. Bhattacharya was very glad to receive Prasadam from the hand of Lord Chaitanya, and without taking his bath and without performing his daily duties or washing his teeth he began immediately to eat the Prasadam. Actually, he was now freed from all contamination of material attachment; and he cited a verse from Padma Purana as he began to eat the Prasadam.

In the Padma Purana it is stated that when Prasadam is brought or is received even if it has become very dry or it is even very old or brought from a distant place, as soon as it is received it must be eaten immediately, without following any of the rules or duties of one's daily activities. It is enjoined in the Shastras that Prasadam should be immediately taken, and there is no restriction of time and space—that is the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, there are restrictions in accepting foodstuff from different kinds of people, but there are no such restrictions in accepting Prasadam from different kinds of people—neither a restriction as to time, place, or atmosphere. Prasadam is always transcendental, and it can be taken under any condition.

Lord Chaitanya was very much pleased to see that Bhattacharya, who always obeyed rules and regulations, could accept Prasadam without following any such rules and regulations. Being so pleased Himself, Lord Chaitanya embraced Bhattacharya. Both of Them began to dance in transcendental ecstasy. In that ecstasy, Lord Chaitanya explained: "My mission in Jagannath Puri is now fulfilled because I have converted a person like Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya."

The Lord continued: "I shall be able now to attain Vaikuntha without fail." The missionary activity of a devotee is to convert one person to become a pure devotee. Then admission to the Spiritual Kingdom is guaranteed. The Lord was so much pleased with Bhattacharya's philosophy that He began to bless him repeatedly: "Dear Bhattacharya, now you are a completely pure devotee of Lord Krishna, and Krishna is now very much pleased with you. From today you are free from the contamination of this material body, and from today you are free from any entanglement under the spell of material energy. You are now fit to go back to Godhead, back to Home." He then cited one nice verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam, Second Canto, Seventh Chapter: "Anyone who takes complete shelter of the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord is favored by the Supreme Lord, Who is known as Unlimited. And such a person gets permission to cross over the ocean of nescience. Anyone who is under the misconception that this material body is himself, cannot have appreciation or causeless mercy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

After this incident, Lord Chaitanya returned to His place, and Bhattacharya became a pure devotee without any faults. Since he was formerly an academic scholar, this conversion of Bhattacharya was possible only by the causeless mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. From that day forward he never explained any Vedic literature without an explanation of devotional service. Gopinath Acharya, his brother-in-law, was very much pleased to see the condition of Bhattacharya, and he began to dance in ecstasy, vibrating the transcendental sound, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The next day, after visting Jagannath temple early in the morning, Bhattacharya came to the place of Lord Chaitanya and offered his respects by falling down before the Lord; and he began to explain his past undesirable behavior. He asked the Lord to say something about devotional service, and the Lord began to instruct him on the verses of Brihadnaradia Purana, in which is stated Harer Nama Harer Nama. Lord Chaitanya explained the meaning of this verse very explicitly. After hearing the explanation of the Harer Nama from Lord Chaitanya, Bhattacharya became more and more ecstatic. Seeing his condition, his brother-in-law, Gopinath Acharya, addressed him and said, "My dear Bhattacharya, what I stated before—'when he is favored by the Supreme Lord he will understand about the techniques of devotional service'—I am today seeing fulfilled."

Bhattacharya offered him his due respect and replied, "My dear Gopinath Acharya, it is through your mercy that I have the mercy of the Supreme Lord." The mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be achieved through the agency of the pure devotee. Lord Chaitanya's mercy was bestowed upon Bhattacharya because of Gopinath Acharya's endeavor.

Bhattacharya said to his brother-in-law: "You are a great devotee of the Lord, and I was simply blind with my academic education. So I have achieved the mercy of the Lord through your agency only." The Lord was very much pleased to hear from Bhattacharya that a man can achieve the mercy of the Lord through the agency of the devotee, and he appreciated the verses and embraced Bhattacharya, confirming his statement.

The Lord then requested Bhattacharya to go and see Jagannath temple. Bhattacharya then started out for Jagannath temple, accompanied by Jagadananda and Damodar, two principal associates of Lord Chaitanya. He returned to his home after seeing Jagannath temple, and brought with him much nice Prasadam purchased from the temple. He sent all this Prasadam to Lord Chaitanya through his Brahmin servant, and also dispatched two verses written by him on palm tree leaves, and requested Jagadananda to do this favor and deliver them. All of them again came back to Lord Chaitanya and offered Him the Prasadam and the verses on the palm leaf. But before reaching the Lord, Mukunda Datta, who also undertook the delivery of the written palm leaf, had noted the verses down in his book. Lord Chaitanya read those verses and tore them into pieces, because He never liked to be praised by anyone. But his devotees had the verses written by Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya, from the notes of Mukunda Datta.

The purport of the verses written by Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya was praise of the Lord, the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead. He—Lord Chaitanya—has descended to preach detachment and transcendental knowledge along with devotional service to the people in general. Lord Chaitanya is the Original Personality of Godhead, and is compared with the ocean of mercy. "Let me surrender unto that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." The other verse states, "The Lord, seeing that devotional service was absent, descended Himself in the Form of Lord Chaitanya to preach that devotional service. Let us all surrender unto His Lotus Feet to learn from Him what is actual devotional service." These two important verses are taken by the devotees of the Lord in disciplic succession, as the most important jewels, and Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya has become highest amongst the devotees because of these famous verses.

Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya was thus converted to become one of the important devotees of the Lord, and he had no other interest than to serve the Lord. His only concern was to think of Lord Chaitanya constantly, and this meditation and chanting became the main purpose of his life. One day Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya came before the Lord, and after offering his respects he began to read a verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam. This verse is stated in the Tenth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, in connection with Lord Brahma's prayer to the Lord. Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya wanted to change two letters in the last portion of the verse, where the word Muktipade occurs. Sarbabhouma Bhattacharya wanted to change it into Bhakti. The purport of the verse is: A person who devotes his mind, body and speech to the service of the Lord, even in the midst of miserable life due to past misdeeds, is assured of liberation. And Bhattacharya wanted to change the Mukti, to Bhakti—devotional service.

The Lord inquired from Bhattacharya, "Why have you changed the original verse? The word is Mukti, and why have you changed it into Bhakti?" Bhattacharya replied that Mukti is not so valuable as Bhakti; and therefore Mukti is a sort of punishment for the pure devotee. He had therefore changed the word from Mukti to Bhakti. He began to explain his realization of Bhakti, and said, "Any person who does not accept the transcendental Personality of Godhead and His transcendental Form cannot know the Absolute Truth.

Anyone who does not understand the transcendental nature of the Body of Krishna becomes His enemy and decries or fights with Him. And for such enemies of the Lord, the destination is to merge into the Brahman effulgence of the Lord. Such kind of Mukti or liberation is never befitting the devotees of the Lord. Although there are five kinds of liberation, as, (1) getting admission to the same planet in which the Lord resides, (2) being able to associate with the Lord, (3) having a transcendental body like the Lord, (4) having opulence like the Lord, and (5) merging into the existence of the Lord, a devotee is satisfied being engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, without any particular interest for any one of the above mentioned kinds of state of liberation. Specifically, a devotee is most averse to merging into the existence of the Lord, and becoming without any individual identity. A devotee considers oneness with the Lord as worse than hell, even though he may accept one of the other four kinds of liberation in consideration of being engaged in the service of the Lord. Of the two possibilities for merging in the Transcendence, namely, (1) becoming one with the Impersonal Brahman effulgence, and (2) becoming one with the Personality of Godhead, the latter is still more abominable to a devotee. The devotee has no other aspiration than to be always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. On hearing this, Lord Chaitanya informed Bhattacharya that there is another purport of the word Mukti. Muktipada means directly the Personality of Godhead. That is to say, the Personality of Godhead has innumerable liberated souls engaged in His transcendental loving service, or He is the ultimate Resort for the ninth subject, called liberation. So, in either of the above mentioned import, Krishna becomes the ultimate Shelter. Sarvabhouma replied, "In spite of such import, I prefer Bhakti to Mukti. Although according to You, there are two kinds of imports of the word Mukti, still, because this sound is equivocal, I shall prefer directly Bhakti to Mukti because by direct perception, Mukti refers to the context of becoming one with the Supreme. I therefore hate to utter the word Mukti, and I feel enthusiastic in uttering the word Bhakti." At this, Lord Chaitanya laughed very loudly, and embraced the Bhattacharya with great love.

Thus the same Bhattacharya who took pleasure in explaining Mayavadi philosophy became a staunch devotee, so much so that he hated to utter the word Mukti. This is only possible by the causeless mercy of Lord Sri Chaitanya, and by His Grace He can turn iron into gold, like a touchstone. After this incident, all persons marked a great change in the Bhattacharya and they concluded that this was possible only by the inconceivable power of Lord Chaitanya. And they took it for granted that Lord Chaitanya was none other than Lord Krishna Himself.

TLC 25 (1968) - TLC 27 (1968)