Thus ends the Sri Caitanya-Caranamrta commentary on the Sri Caitanya Upanisad.
Sri Caitanya-Caranamrta Bhasya, commentary of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
Download SRI CAITANYA UPANISHAD
(from the Atharva Veda)
with Sri Caitanya-Caranamrta commentary by
Srila Bhaktivinoda ThakuraThis Upanisad was published by the great pioneer of the Krsna Consciousness movement, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. The Thakura searched the length and breadth of Bengal to procure an original copy of the manuscript of this rare Upanisad which describes the unique position and advent of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It also describes the glorious position and importance of the Mahamantra, or the chanting of the divine name of Sri Krsna. He was finally provided with a copy of the original handwritten manuscript from Pandita Madhusudana Maharaja of Sambala-Pura.
Upon the request of many Gaudiya Vaishnavas of the time, he wrote a lucid sanskrit commentary called Sri Caitanya-Caranamrta, or the nectar of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. The first edition of this book was originally printed in Calcutta, Bengal by the Sri Caitanya press in 1887.
1.
Atha pippaladah samit panir bhagavantam brahmanam upasanno.
bhagavan me subham kim atra caksvasveti.atha--thereafter; Pippaladah--Pippalada; samit-panih--with sacrificial fuel [sacred wood] in hand; bhagavantam--the opulent; brahmanam--Lord Brahma; upasannah--approached; Bhagavan--O My Lord; me--unto me; subham--auspicious; kim--what; atra--in this world; caksasva--please tell; iti--thus.TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Pippalada, with sacrificial fuel in hand, approached Lord Brahma and said, "O My Lord, in this world, please tell me what is real auspiciousness?"
This Caitanya Upanisad which is included within the eternal Atharva-Veda, and which is full of all bliss, has thus far not been manifest due to being beyond the vision of persons who have become blinded by the influence of the illusory energy and whose minds are directed towards external matters. Then, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the moon of Navadvipa, appeared, by the endeavor of the pure devotees, it became known. According to the authority of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.9.38), even the sastras are in a covered form concerning the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya who is to be worshipped in Kali-Yuga [or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears in a covered form according to the sastras]. Therefore it is not surprising that, due to misfortune, the fools who are engaged in karma and jnana have no faith in this connection.
After examining many sastras and performing much worship, Pippalada Muni, desiring his own welfare, approached the guru, the four-faced Lord Brahma with fuel in hand and asked, "What is best for me?"
sah--He, Lord Brahma. ha--indeed; uvaca--said; bhuyah--very; eva--only; tapasa--with austerity; brahmacaryena--and celibacy; sasvat--always; ramasva--be pleased; manah--the mind; vasa--control; iti--thus.TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma said, "Always be very pleased with only austerity, celibacy and control of the mind."
sah--he, Pippalada; tatha--so; bhutva--becoming; bhuyah--very; enam--thus; upasadya--approaching; aha-- said; bhagavan--O my Lord; kalau--in Kali; papat--due to sin; channah--covered; prajah--people; katham--how; mucyeran--can be liberated; iti--thus.TRANSLATION
He, Pippalada, becoming pure in mind, again approached his father and said: "O my Lord Brahma, in the age of Kali Yuga, people are covered due to sin. How can they obtain liberation?"
kah--which; va--or; devata--deity; kah--which; va--or; mantrah--mantra; bruhi--please tell (me); iti--thus.TRANSLATION
Please tell me which deity or which mantra is worthy of service.
sah--he, Lord Brahma; ha--indeed; uvaca--replied; rahasyam--confidential truth; te--unto you; vadisyami--I will tell; jahnavi-tire--on the bank of the Jahnavi; navadvipe--in Navadvipa; goloka-akhye--which is known as Goloka; dhamni--abode; govindah--Lord Govinda; dvi-bhujah--with two arms; gaurah--golden complexion; sarva-atma--the Supersoul; maha-purusah--the greatest Personality; maha-atma; the Supreme Being; maha-yogi--the greatest yogi; tri-guna-atitah--who is transcendental to the modes of nature; satva-rupah--the form of truth; bhaktim--devotional service; loke--in the world; kasyati--will manifest; iti--thus; tat--that; ete--these; slokah--verses; bhavanti--are.TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma replied, "I will tell you the confidential truth. On the bank of the Jahnavi, in Navadvipa Dhama, which is known as Goloka, Govinda with two arms, golden complexion, the Supersoul, the greatest Personality, the greatest Yogi, the Supreme Being, who is transcendental to the modes of nature, and whose form is truth, will appear to manifest devotional service (bhakti) in this world. These verses describe that.
O Supreme Person, O Protector of the devotees, I offer my respectful obeisances unto Your lotus feet which are worthy of being constantly meditated upon, which destroy misery, yield all desire, which are the abode of all holy places of pilgrimage, which are praised by Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, which are the shelter of all, which dispel the distress of the devotees and which are a boat for crossing over the ocean of material existence.
ekah--one; devah--Lord; sarva-rupi--the form of all; maha-atma--greatest Personality; gaurah--Gaura; rakta--red; syamala--blackish; sveta--white; rupah--whose form; Caitanya--Caitanya; atma--Himself; sah--he;vai--indeed; Caitanya-saktih--the embodiment of the spiritual potency; bhakta--of a devotee; akarah--the form; bhakti-dah--bestower of devotional service; bhakti--by devotional service; vedyah--He can be known.TRANSLATION
The one Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in a variety of transcendental forms, is also known as Gaura. He has also appeared in various complexions such as red, blackish and white. He shall appear in the form of Gaura. He Himself is Caitanya, the embodiment of cit-sakti. He shall appear in the form of a devotee, to bestow devotional service to the Lord and He is also to be known by devotional service.
In Kali-Yuga, He takes the form of a devotee. The confidential truth is that the Lord has descended with His own abode, Goloka-Dhama, to the supremely sanctified land of Gauda, in the form of a devotee as Sri Krsna Caitanya Himself and desiring to deliver love of God, He has exposed the transcendental secret of madhura-rasa which enlivens all the devotees in the material world, headed by Sathakopa, Ramanuja, Visnuswami, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, etc., for the purpose of quickly bestowing auspiciousness unto the living beings in Kali-Yuga. Bhakti vedyah means that the living entities can know the Lord by the practice of devotional service and not by the practice of dry philosophical speculation.
namah--obeisances; vedanta--by vedanta; vedyaya--who can be known; Krsnaya--unto Krsna; parama-atmane--who is the Supersoul; sarva--of everything; caitanya--conscious; rupaya--whose form; caitanyaya--unto Caitanya Mahaprabhu; namo namah--obeisances again and again.TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto He who is to be understood by Vedanta, who is Krsna, the Supersoul, whose form is conscious of everything. Obeisances again and again unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
vedanta-vedyam--who can be known by vedanta; purusam--person; puranam--the oldest; caitanya--Caitanya; atmanam--Himself; visva-yonim--the source of the universe; maha-antam--the greatest; tam--Him; eva--certainly; viditva--upon knowing; ati-mrtyum--beyond death; eti--one goes; na--not; anyah--another; pantha--means; vidyate--there is; ayanaya--for going.TRANSLATION
By knowing Him, who is to be known by Vedanta, who is the oldest personality, who is Himself, Caitanya, the source of the universe and the greatest, one can overcome death. There is no other means for going beyond Maya.
sva--His own; nama--name; mula--whose source; mantrena--by the mantra; sarvam--everything; hladayati--pleases; vibhuh--the Lord [the powerful].TRANSLATION
By the mantra, whose source is His own name, the Lord pleases everything.
dve--two; sakti--potencies; parame--superior; tasya--His; hladini--hladini (bliss); samvit--samvit (knowledge); eva--certainly; ca--and; iti--thus.TRANSLATION
His superior energies are hladini (bliss), and samvit (knowledge).
sah--He, Sri Caitanya; eva--certainly; mula-mantram--the original mantra; japati--chants; Harih--Hari; iti--thus; Krsnah--Krsna; iti--thus; Ramah--Rama; iti--thus.TRANSLATION
He chants the original mantra consisting of Hari, Krsna and Rama, in other words, the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra.
TRANSLATION
He who removes the knot in the heart in the form of material desire,
is called Hari. The union by the remembrance of the root krs- and the
affix -na, is the hymn of praise--Krsna. He who gives pleasure to
everything is the form of bliss--Rama. Here is such a verse.
12.
Harati hrdaya-granthim vasana-rupam iti harih.
krsih smarane tac ca nastad ubhaya-melanam iti krsnah.
ramayati sarvam iti rama ananda-rupah. atra sloko bhavati.
harati--He removes; hrdaya--in the heart; granthim--the knot; vasana--of
material desire; rupam--in the form; iti--thus; Harih--Hari; krsih--the
root krs; smarane--by the remembrance; tat--that; ca--and; nastat--the
affix na; ubhaya--of both; melanam--the union; iti--thus; Krsnah--Krsna;
ramayati--He pleases; sarvam--everything; iti--thus; Ramah--Rama;
ananda-rupah--the form of bliss; atra--here; slokah--a verse;
bhavati--is.
mantrah--the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra; guhyah--confidential; paramah--transcendental; bhakti--by bhakti-yoga; vedyah--can be known.TRANSLATION
The Maha Mantra is confidential, transcendental and can be understood only by devotional service (bhakti-yoga).
namani--names; astau asta ca--eight plus eight; sobhanani--beautiful; tani--those names; nityam--regularly; ye--those who; japanti--chant; dhirah--sober persons; te--they; vai--certainly; mayam--the illusory energy; atitaranti--cross over; na--not; anyah--another means; paramam--transcendental; mantram--mantra; parama-rahasyam--the supreme secret; nityam--regularly; avartayati--one should repeat.TRANSLATION
These sixteen names are supremely beautiful. Those who chant them regularly are sober persons who are able to cross beyond the illusory energy. There is no other means. One should repeat this mahamantra which is the supreme secret, regularly.
Caitanyah--Sri Caitanya; eva--indeed; sankarsanah-Sankarsana; vasudevah--Vasudeva; paramesthi--the Supersoul; rudrah--Rudra (Siva); sakrah--sakra (Indra); brhaspatih--Brhaspati; sarve--all; devah--the demigods; sarvani--all; bhutani--the living entities; sthavarani--non-moving; carani--moving; ca--and; yat--which; kincit--anything; sat--eternal; asat--temporary; karanam--the cause; sarvam--everything; tat--that; atra--herein; slokah--the verses.TRANSLATION
Caitanya is Sankarsana, Vasudeva, and the Supersoul. He is the cause of Rudra (Siva), Sakra (Indra), Brhaspati, all the demigods, all moving and non-moving entities, and everything which is temporary and external. Herein are the celebrated verses.
yat--that which; kincit--whatever; asat--temporary; bhunkte--one enjoys; ksaram--perishable; tata--that; karyam--effect; ucyate--is called.TRANSLATION
Whatever one enjoys which is temporary is known as an effect and is perishable.
sat--eternal; karanam--the cause; param--beyond; jivah--the spirit soul; tat--that; aksaram--perishable; iti--thus; iritam--it is said.TRANSLATION
It is said that the spirit soul is eternal. He is the cause of that which is perishable and also beyond that which is perishable.
ksara--from the perishable; aksarabhyam--and imperishable; paramah--beyond; sah--He; eva--certainly; purusa-uttamah--the Supreme Person; Caitanya-- Caitanya; akhyam--is called; param-tattvam-- the Supreme Truth; sarva-karana-karanam--the cause of all causes.TRANSLATION
He who is beyond that which is perishable and imperishable is the Supreme Person. The name of the Supreme Truth, the cause of all causes, is Sri Caitanya.
yah--one who; enam--this Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rasayati--develops love for; bhajati--worships; dhyayati-- meditates upon; sah--he; papmanam--sin; tarati--crosses over; sah--he; putah--purified; bhavati--is; sah--he; tattvam--truth; janati--knows; sah--he; tarati--overcomes; sokam--lamentation; gatih--destination; tasya--of him; aste--there is; na--not; anyasya--another; iti--thus.TRANSLATION
Anyone who develops love for Caitanya Mahaprabhu, worships Him or meditates on Him is freed from sin, becomes purified, understands the Supreme Truth, and overcomes lamentation. For him, there is no other destination.
Thus ends the Sri Caitanya-Caranamrta commentary on the Sri Caitanya Upanisad.