Title: Mukunda and Other Processes

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2007-03-13 15:25:23

 

NG HK JSG JSP

Pranam and dandavat.

Dear Sri Gaurangapada, Gurudev,

Q.I used to sing the Hanuman Chalisa daily some years ago. Is it an acceptable practice for an aspiring servant of the Vaisnavas?

I do understand (well..partially) the tremendious and divine benefits of chanting the Mantrarajas. I am asking this question regarding the Hanuman Chalisa as also an example of practices/sadhanas @on the side@ of GD

(ex: others bona fide mantra repetitions, mixing Christian/Buddhist/e.t.c (-name it!-) practices, hatha-yoga, Reiki, ......).Can someone benefits from such practices?While speaking to GD devotees online, I had a very little realization concerning this matter. A bhaktin and friend of mine began dance classes. We discussed and she told me how if improved her spiritual life. Now she dances while chanting and it makes her enter into deep ecstacy of the Holy Names. My conclusion is that all practices that are done/learned in a karuna spirit (compassionate for all sentient beings) and that are awakening love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be used to build a strong foundation for Gauranga-Nityananda Yoga.Am I correct on this?Thank you very much Shrila Gurudeva, our Gaurangapada.

My eternal pranam to you.

 

Haribol! Jaya Lord Nityananda! Jaya Lord Gauranga!

 

It is a very indirect way and too much mixing of so many practices from different places may not yield beneficial results because it is very difficult to identify whether those practices are authentic or not.

 

My conclusion is that all practices that are done/learned in a karuna spirit (compassionate for all sentient beings) and that are awakening love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be used to build a strong foundation for Gauranga-Nityananda Yoga.Am I correct on this?

         

Answer by Swami Gaurangapada:

 

You are right but since there is a very thin line between compassion and sentimentalism, so we have be very careful with interfaith practices. I would like to recount the pastime of Mukunda and Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu in this regard:

 

Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata Madhya Khanda 10.173-265:

 

Text 173

Smiling and smiling, Lord Gauranga, who makes true His devotees' words, granted every boon.

Text 174

All this while Mukunda was outside, hiding behind a curtain. Mukunda did not have the power to come before Lord Gauranga.

Text 175

The great devotee Mukunda was dear to everyone. Everyone thought well of him.

Text 176

When he sang in k閞tana, Lord Gauranga always listened. Why was he being punished by the Lord? No one knew.

Text 177

The Lord did not call for him, so he had no power to come. When the devotees saw this, sadness was born in their hearts.

Text 178

莚関a鏰 said, "O master of the universes, please listen. How did Mukunda offend You?

Text 179

"Mukunda is dear to You. To us, he is our life and soul. Who, hearing Mukunda's singing, does not melt?

Text 180

"He is diligent in devotional service. He is respectful to all. Without seeing an offense in him, You have put him in disgrace..

Text 181

"If he has committed an offense, then punish him. Why do You reject Your servant and send him far away?

Text 182

"If You do not call for him, he cannot come before You. O Lord, please allow him to see You. Please say that he has permission."

Text 183

Then Lord Gauranga said, "Never speak like that to Me. Don't plead that wretched person's case to Me.

Text 184

"The words you have heard, `Sometimes he takes up a blade of grass, and sometimes he takes up an iron mace,' apply to Mukunda. You don't know the truth about him.

Text 185

"One moment he has a blade of grass between his teeth, and the next moment he attacks Me with an iron mace. I will not look at that fellow holding a blade of grass and an iron mace."

Text 186

Very eloquent 莚関鋝a again said, "Who is qualified to understand Your powers?

Text 187

"We did not see any fault in Mukunda. The fact that Your lotus feet made him fearless is a witness that testifies in his favor."

Text 188

Then Lord Gauranga said, "Wherever he goes, that wretch talks like the people he meets.

Text 189

"When he is with the impersonalists, he talks the imp"ersonal philosophy of Vasistha. When he is with the devotees, he places a blade of grass between his teeth and he sings and dances.

Text 190

"When he is with people of other samprad鋣as he does not glorify devotional service. In this way again and again he attacks Me with an iron mace.

Text 191

"To these people he says, `There is something better than devotional service.' In this way again and again he attacks Me with an iron mace.

Text 192

"He has committed an offense to devotional service. Therefore he cannot see Me."

Text 193

Staying outside, Mukunda heard everything. He heard the words, "He cannot see Me".

Text 194

Previously, by his guru's order, Mukunda did not think highly of devotional service. Lord Gauranga knew all this. That is Lord Gauranga's great power.

Text 195

The great devotee Mukunda thought in his heart, "It is not right for me to keep this body alive.

Text 196

"I should at once leave this offensive body. When will I see the Lord again? I don't know."

Text 197

Then Mukunda openly said, "Listen, O 莚関鋝a 謍鋕ura. Please ask the Lord when I will see Him again."

Text 198

Again and again Mukunda shed tears from his eyes. Because of Mukunda's suffering, all the devotees wept.

Text 199

Lord Gauranga said, "After ten million births he will see Me again. Of this there is no doubt."

Text 200

Hearing these words from the Lord's mouth, Mukunda became splashed with bliss.

Text 201

Calling out, "I will! I will!", he danced wildly. Mukunda, a true servant of the Lord, was overcome with love.

Text 202

With his ears hearing the words, "He will see", Mukunda danced in bliss.

Text 203

Seeing Mukunda, Lord Gauranga laughed and said, "Bring Mukunda at once."

Text 204

All the Vai耠avas called out, "Bring Mukunda!" Overcome with bliss, Mukunda was not aware of anything.

Text 205

The Lord said, "Mukunda, your offense is now destroyed. Come. Look at Me. Take My mercy."

Text 206

By the Lord's order everyone went, picked up Mukunda and carried him there. Seeing the Lord, Mukunda at once fell down before Him.

Text 207

The Lord said, "Rise. Rise, Mukunda. You do not have even half a sesame seed worth of an offense to Me.

Text 208

"Your fault of associating with bad people is now destroyed. Now you have conquered Me.

Text 209

"When I said the words, `After ten million births he will see Me again', in half a sesame seed's worth of time you destroyed all your offenses.

Text 210

"You had full faith in My words. By that faith you have made Me eternally a prisoner in your heart.

Text 211

"You are My singer. Stay in My association. I enjoy talking and joking with you.

Text 212

"Even if you commit ten million offenses, those offenses are not really offenses, for you are very dear to Me.

Text 213

"Your body is filled with devotional service. You are My servant. I always stay on your tongue."

Text 214

Hearing these reassuring words from the Lord, Mukunda wept. He rebuked himself. He described himself as a fool.

Text 215

He said, "I have no faith in devotional service. I am worthless like a pile of ashes. I am completely empty of devotion. Why is it, then, that when I gaze at Your face I become filled with bliss?

Text 216

"Duryodhana saw Your universal form, which scholars search the Vedas to see.

Text 217

"Although he saw Your universal form, Duryodhana and his family all perished. He did not find happiness, for he had no devotion to You.

Text 218

"Like him, I have no faith in devotional service. I am worthless like a pile of ashes. Why is it, then, that when I gaze at Your face I become filled with bliss and love?

Text 219

"When You went to kidnap Rukmi腴, all the kings saw You flying on Garu騛.

Text 220

"At the time of the abhi馿ka named R鋔a-r鋔e鐅ara all the kings saw Your effulgent form.

Text 221

"The form You directly manifested in the city of Vidarbha, Brahm?and all the demigods yearn to see.

Text 222

"When they saw Your form, all the kings perished. They did not attain happiness, for they had no devotion to You.

Text 223

"Assuming the form of a boar whose limbs were made of the Ved?yaj颽s, You appeared from the waters.

Text 224

"Then You, the limitless Lord, picked up the earth in Your tusks. All the demigods yearned to see this form of Yours.

Text 225

"The demon Hir鋘y鋕馻 saw this wonderful form. Still, he did not attain happiness, for he had no devotion to You.

Text 226

"Hir鋘y鋕馻's brother also saw a very confidential form of Yours, and form whose chest is the resting-placed of Goddess Lak駇?

Text 227

"The three worlds call this wonderful form `N錽i鄅a'.Even though he saw this form, Hir鋘y鋕馻's brother perished, for he had no devotion to You.

Text 228

"I am worthless like a pile of ashes. I have no faith in devotional service. It is a great wonder, then, that my head has not already been severed and fallen to the ground.

Text 229

"How is it that Kubj? the yaj颽-patn閟, the women of Mathur? and the garland-maker were able to see You?

Text 230

"They attained You because they engaged in devotional service. At the same time Ka鄐a saw You and perished.

Text 231

"I am worthless like a pile of ashes. I have no faith in devotional service. Still You are merciful and You protect me.

Text 232

"By the power of His devotional service, very powerful Lord Ananta 莈馻 happily holds up the countless universes.

Text 233

"Passionately chanting Your glories, He is not even aware of the universes, which rest like a single drop on one of His thousand hoods.

Text 234

"Although He does not rest on anything, everything rests on Him. It is by the power of His ldevotional service that He is able to support everything.

Text 235

"I am a sinner. I have no faith in devotional service. For endless births my future will not be good.

Text 236

"Because he engaged in devotional service Lord 莍va became the giver of auspiciousness. Because he engaged in devotional service, N鋜ada became the best of the sages.

Text 237

"Vy鋝adeva compiled many scriptures describing the religion of the Vedas. Still, he did not feel even half a sesame seed worth of satisfaction in His heart.

238-Text 239

"When He briefly explained the secrets of devotional service, all the offenses in His heart perished.

Text 240

"On N鋜ada's order, He explained devotional service in detail. Then the sadness in His heart fled. Then He transcended the world of birth and death.

Text 241

"I am a worm who has no faith in devotional service. How did I get the power to see You?"

Text 242

Raising his arms, the great devotee Mukunda wept. His body trembled. He sighed.

Text 243

By his nature he was a pure devotee of the Lord. What more can I say? He was one of Lord Gauranga's personal associates.

Text 244

Seeing Mukunda's unhappiness, Lord Gauranga became embarrassed and said,

Text 245

"Mukunda, your devotion is very pleasing to Me. Whenever you sing, I will at once come to that place.

Text 246

"What you have said is the truth. Without engaging in devotional service, no one can see Me.

247-Text 248

"What I say is the truth: You are very dear to Me. Who has the power to destroy what I have spoken, through the Veda's mouth, about pious deeds and about returning to the spiritual world?

Text 249

"Only I have the power to these rules. Only I.

Text 250

"I placed the truth in your mouth. ,No action is auspicious if it is not devotional service to Me.

Text 251

"When someone has no faith in devotional service, that brings pain to My heart. My pain destroys any happiness they might feel by seeing Me.

Text 252

"A washerman saw Me. I even asked something of him. But he was cheated, for he had no love for Me.

Text 253