Discussing Caitanya Caritāmṛta, part 8

This is the final part of a long phone discussion on various English editions of Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta:

Bhakta: “In Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 15.33, the gopīs are quoted from Śrīmad Bhāgavata 10.30.7. Prof. Dimock translates it as such: “O Tulasi, have you seen Acyuta, most beloved to you, who supports you with the black bees?”

Advaitadas: “There is a translation error there. Tulasī is worn as a garland here by Kṛṣṇa and that garland attracts bees, that swarm around it.”

Bhakta: “In Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 16.7 Kālidās is shown to play dice. Do jīvas do that?”

Advaitadas: kautukete teho jadi pāśak khelāy,

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kori pāśak cālāy

1. It is said kautukete – Kālidās threw dice for fun only and 2. Kālidās chanted hare kṛṣṇa while playing dice. Leisure or no leisure – chant hare kṛṣṇa.”

Bhakta: “Then do mañjarīs also play dice?”

Advaitadas: “Where will they find time for that? They are engaged 24/7 in Rādhārāṇī’s service. Sādhu Bābā didn’t give me a husband, parents or anything because he said there is no time for that. mañjarīs are expert in dice, but only to support Swāminī when She plays Kṛṣṇa.”

Bhakta: “But still, why did Kālidās play dice then?”

Advaitadas: “There is no explanation to that. 

yara citte kṛṣṇa-prema koroye udoy; tara vākya, kriyā, mudra vijñe-o nā bujhoy

 (Caitanya-Caritāmṛta Madhya 23.39):

"Even a learned person cannot grasp the activities or words of a premik Vaiṣṇava."

rasikas may explain it that within his mind Kālidās may have been assisting Smt. Rādhārāṇī in Her dice match with Kṛṣṇa, but I have heard no reliable comment like that.”

Bhakta: “"In Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 16.125 Kṛṣṇa’s flute is described as male. I thought the flute was female?”

Advaitadas: “Depends. Muralī and Vaṁśī are female but Veṇu is male. This verse speaks about the venu. This attraction of males to Kṛṣṇa should not be misunderstood for homosexuality or so. We as male devotees are also attracted to Kṛṣṇa but not in a sensual way. In Śrīmad Bhāgavata (9.24.65) it is said: nityotsavaṁ na tatṛpur dṛśibhiḥ pibantyo nāryo narāś ca – ‘Kṛṣṇa is an inexhaustible festival for the eyes of both women and men.” Our love for Kṛṣṇa as men is of course based on purely spiritual attraction, not a sensual one like that of the sahajīyas. Such verses prove that love of Kṛṣṇa is totally spiritual.”

Bhakta: “"In his comment on Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 17.10, Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī says that there was a hole in the ceiling of the Gambhīrā, through which Mahāprabhu crept, onto the roof, from which He jumped down to meet Kṛṣṇa. This is how he explains how Mahāprabhu could leave the Gambhīrā although its three doors were bolted.”

Advaitadas: “Amazing. It must be pure nara-līlā then, human pastimes. Viśvanātha here eliminates all aiśvarya (superhuman miracles) from the Nīlācala līlā.”

Bhakta: “"To Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 19.19-21, Advaita Prabhu’s riddle, Prof. Dimock comments that āul comes from the word ākula, or anxiety – there is no more anxiety needed for spreading prema, everyone in the world is supplied now, and bāul from Bātul, which means crazy. Advaita Prabhu thus told Mahāprabhu to end His pastimes just as He invoked Him.”

Advaitadas: “In Gaura Gaṇoddeśa Dīpikā Sītā-devī is called Yogamāyā, and since śakti-śaktimator abheda, there is no difference between energy and energetic, Advaita Prabhu is also Yogamāyā, who pilots the Lord’s pastimes. So Advaita both brought the Lord and sent Him off again.”

Bhakta: “"To Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 19.29, Prof. Dimock comments: “Knowing his work was over He longed to return to the svarūpa of the eternal līlā.”

Advaitadas: “Perhaps Prof. Dimock did not express himself so well, but on face value this is not correct. Gaura līlā is eternal itself, it is not some side-excursion by Kṛṣṇa from Goloka, a random holiday trip or so. Since Gaura līlā must be intrinsically eternal it means also that Gaura’s mission, to understand Rādhā’s love for Kṛṣṇa, will never be fulfilled.”

Bhakta: “"Prof. Dimock translates Caitanya Caritāmṛta Antya 20.46, the last verse of Śikṣāṣṭakam, as: ‘He may crush my breasts, a slave of His feet…’

Advaitadas: “No that is not correct, pinaṣṭu (may he crush) just applies to Mahāprabhu/the Pada-dāsī him/herself, not to any body part. The word marma-hata in the next line means ‘broken hearted’ not due to Kṛṣṇa’s feet but due to adarśanam, not being able to see Him.”