Kismet
19 May 2012, 04:43 PM
Namaste All,
It's been a while since I've posted, here or anywhere, mostly because I've been trying to seek out my own truth in this thing called 'life', but now and again something catches my eye, even shocks me, which pulls me back into the loop of internet discussion...
One of the things which has deeply troubled me is the following 'pastime' of Lord Chaitanya in which he, apparently very callously and casually, provokes the suicide of one of his most devoted associates. All this was due merely to his begging of some rice from one 'Madhavi-devi', an elderly women who was also 'very advanced' in devotional service.
So, Chota "Junior" Haridas took the rice, and here is how the rest played out, per the CC:
After begging the rice from her, Junior Haridasa brought it to Bhagavan Acarya, who was very pleased to see its quality.
...
At noon, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to eat the offerings of Bhagavan Acarya, He first appreciated the fine rice and therefore questioned him.
"Where did you get such fine rice?" the Lord asked.
Bhagavan Acarya replied, "I got it by begging from Madhavi-devi."
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked who had begged the rice and brought it back, Bhagavan Acarya mentioned the name of Junior Haridasa.
Praising the quality of the rice, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu partook of the prasadam. Then, after returning to His residence, He gave the following order to Govinda, His personal assistant.
"From this day forward, do not allow Chota Haridasa to come here."
When Junior Haridasa heard that he had been ordered not to approach Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he was very unhappy. No one could understand why he had been ordered not to come.
Haridasa fasted continuously for three days. Then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and other confidential devotees approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to inquire from Him.
"What great offense has Junior Haridasa committed? Why has he been forbidden to come to Your door? He has now been fasting for three days."
The Lord replied, "I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman.
...
After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered His room. Seeing Him in such an angry mood, all the devotees fell silent.
The next day, all the devotees together approached the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to submit an appeal on behalf of Junior Haridasa.
"Haridasa has committed a small offense," they said. "Therefore, O Lord, please be merciful to him. Now he has received a sufficient lesson. In the future he will not commit such an offense."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My mind is not under My control. It does not like to see anyone in the renounced order who talks intimately with women.
"You should all tend to your respective engagements. Give up this useless talk. If you speak this way again, I shall go away, and you will no longer see Me here."
Hearing this, all the devotees covered their ears with their hands, got up and went about their respective duties.
...
...
After all the devotees saw this example, a mentality of fear grew among them. Therefore they all stopped talking with women, even in dreams.
In this way a complete year passed for Junior Haridasa, but still there was not a sign of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy toward him.
Thus at the end of one night, Junior Haridasa, after offering Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu his respectful obeisances, departed for Prayaga without saying anything to anyone.
Junior Haridasa had conclusively decided to attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus he entered deep into the water at Triveni, the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna at Prayaga, and in this way gave up his life.
Immediately after committing suicide in this way, he went in his spiritual body to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and received the mercy of the Lord. However, he still remained invisible.
In a spiritual body resembling that of a Gandharva, Junior Haridasa, although invisible, would sing at night for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to hear. No one but the Lord, however, knew of this.
One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from the devotees, "Where is Haridasa? Now you may bring him here."
The devotees all replied, "One night at the end of a full year, Junior Haridasa got up and went away. No one knows where he has gone."
While hearing the devotees lament, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was mildly smiling. Thus all the devotees were very much astonished.
...
"Junior Haridasa chanted the Hare Krishna mantra throughout his entire life and served the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Moreover, he is dear to the Lord and has died in a holy place.
"Haridasa cannot have been degraded; he must have attained liberation. This is a pastime of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's. You will all understand it later."
A devotee returned to Navadvipa from Prayaga and told everyone the details of Junior Haridasa's suicide.
He explained how Junior Haridasa had made his resolution and had thus entered the waters at the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganges. Hearing these details, Srivasa Thakura and the other devotees were very surprised.
...
When Srivasa Thakura inquired from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Where is Junior Haridasa?" the Lord replied, "A person is sure to achieve the results of his fruitive activities."
Then Srivasa Thakura related the details of Haridasa's decision and his entering the waters at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these details, He smiled in a pleased mood and said, "If with sensual intentions one looks at women, this is the only process of atonement."
Then all the devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, concluded that because Haridasa had committed suicide at the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna, he must have ultimately attained shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
In this way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother Saci, performs His pastimes, which greatly satisfy the ears and minds of pure devotees who hear about them.
...
Thoughts? Concerns? I hope there are at least some!
It's been a while since I've posted, here or anywhere, mostly because I've been trying to seek out my own truth in this thing called 'life', but now and again something catches my eye, even shocks me, which pulls me back into the loop of internet discussion...
One of the things which has deeply troubled me is the following 'pastime' of Lord Chaitanya in which he, apparently very callously and casually, provokes the suicide of one of his most devoted associates. All this was due merely to his begging of some rice from one 'Madhavi-devi', an elderly women who was also 'very advanced' in devotional service.
So, Chota "Junior" Haridas took the rice, and here is how the rest played out, per the CC:
After begging the rice from her, Junior Haridasa brought it to Bhagavan Acarya, who was very pleased to see its quality.
...
At noon, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to eat the offerings of Bhagavan Acarya, He first appreciated the fine rice and therefore questioned him.
"Where did you get such fine rice?" the Lord asked.
Bhagavan Acarya replied, "I got it by begging from Madhavi-devi."
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked who had begged the rice and brought it back, Bhagavan Acarya mentioned the name of Junior Haridasa.
Praising the quality of the rice, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu partook of the prasadam. Then, after returning to His residence, He gave the following order to Govinda, His personal assistant.
"From this day forward, do not allow Chota Haridasa to come here."
When Junior Haridasa heard that he had been ordered not to approach Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he was very unhappy. No one could understand why he had been ordered not to come.
Haridasa fasted continuously for three days. Then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and other confidential devotees approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to inquire from Him.
"What great offense has Junior Haridasa committed? Why has he been forbidden to come to Your door? He has now been fasting for three days."
The Lord replied, "I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman.
...
After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered His room. Seeing Him in such an angry mood, all the devotees fell silent.
The next day, all the devotees together approached the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to submit an appeal on behalf of Junior Haridasa.
"Haridasa has committed a small offense," they said. "Therefore, O Lord, please be merciful to him. Now he has received a sufficient lesson. In the future he will not commit such an offense."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My mind is not under My control. It does not like to see anyone in the renounced order who talks intimately with women.
"You should all tend to your respective engagements. Give up this useless talk. If you speak this way again, I shall go away, and you will no longer see Me here."
Hearing this, all the devotees covered their ears with their hands, got up and went about their respective duties.
...
...
After all the devotees saw this example, a mentality of fear grew among them. Therefore they all stopped talking with women, even in dreams.
In this way a complete year passed for Junior Haridasa, but still there was not a sign of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy toward him.
Thus at the end of one night, Junior Haridasa, after offering Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu his respectful obeisances, departed for Prayaga without saying anything to anyone.
Junior Haridasa had conclusively decided to attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus he entered deep into the water at Triveni, the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna at Prayaga, and in this way gave up his life.
Immediately after committing suicide in this way, he went in his spiritual body to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and received the mercy of the Lord. However, he still remained invisible.
In a spiritual body resembling that of a Gandharva, Junior Haridasa, although invisible, would sing at night for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to hear. No one but the Lord, however, knew of this.
One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from the devotees, "Where is Haridasa? Now you may bring him here."
The devotees all replied, "One night at the end of a full year, Junior Haridasa got up and went away. No one knows where he has gone."
While hearing the devotees lament, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was mildly smiling. Thus all the devotees were very much astonished.
...
"Junior Haridasa chanted the Hare Krishna mantra throughout his entire life and served the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Moreover, he is dear to the Lord and has died in a holy place.
"Haridasa cannot have been degraded; he must have attained liberation. This is a pastime of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's. You will all understand it later."
A devotee returned to Navadvipa from Prayaga and told everyone the details of Junior Haridasa's suicide.
He explained how Junior Haridasa had made his resolution and had thus entered the waters at the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganges. Hearing these details, Srivasa Thakura and the other devotees were very surprised.
...
When Srivasa Thakura inquired from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Where is Junior Haridasa?" the Lord replied, "A person is sure to achieve the results of his fruitive activities."
Then Srivasa Thakura related the details of Haridasa's decision and his entering the waters at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these details, He smiled in a pleased mood and said, "If with sensual intentions one looks at women, this is the only process of atonement."
Then all the devotees, headed by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, concluded that because Haridasa had committed suicide at the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna, he must have ultimately attained shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
In this way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother Saci, performs His pastimes, which greatly satisfy the ears and minds of pure devotees who hear about them.
...
Thoughts? Concerns? I hope there are at least some!