TLC 27: Lord Caitanya and Ramananda Raya
Chapter Twenty-seven: Lord Caitanya and Ramananda Raya
The author of Caitanya-caritamrta has described Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as
the ocean of transcendental knowledge and Sri Ramananda Raya as the cloud
which is produced from that ocean.
Ramananda Raya was a greatly advanced scholar in devotional service, and by the
grace of Lord Caitanya he gathered all transcendental conclusions just
as a cloud gathers water from the ocean.
As clouds appear from the ocean, distribute water all over the
world, and return to the ocean, so by the grace of Lord Caitanya,
Ramananda Raya attained his higher knowledge of devotional service and
again, after retiring from service, resolved to see Lord Caitanya in Puri.
When Lord Caitanya visited the southern part of India, He first went to the
great temple known as Jiyara-nrsimha-ksetra.
This temple is situated in a place known as Simhacalam, five miles from
the Visakhapattana railway station.
The temple is situated on the top of a hill.
There are many temples in that area, but Jiyara-nrsimha-ksetra
temple is the largest of all.
This temple is filled with beautiful sculpture, of interest to many
students, and due to its popularity it is a very rich temple.
An inscription in the temple states that the
King of Vijayanagara formerly decorated this temple with gold and even smeared
the body of the Deity with gold.
To facilitate attendance, there are free apartments for
visitors at the temple.
The temple is managed by priests of the Ramanujacarya sect.
When Lord Caitanya visited this temple, He praised the Deity and quoted a
verse from Sridhara Svami's commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.9.1):
ugro 'py anugra evayam sva-bhaktanam nrkesari
kesariva svapotanam anyesam ugra-vikramah
"Although Lord Nrsimha is very severe to demons and nondevotees, He is very
kind to His submissive devotees like Prahlada."
Lord Nrsimha appeared as a half-man, half-lion incarnation of Krsna when
Prahlada, a boy devotee of the Lord, was harassed by his demoniac father
Hiranyakasipu.
Just as a lion is very ferocious to other animals but
very kind and submissive to his cubs, so Lord Nrsimha appeared ferocious
to Hiranyakasipu and very kind to His devotee Prahlada.
After visiting the temple of Jiyara-nrsimha, the Lord proceeded further
south into India and ultimately reached the bank of the Godavari.
While on the bank of this river, the Lord remembered
the Yamuna River in Vrndavana, and He considered the trees on the bank to
be the forest of Vrndavana.
Thus He was in ecstasy there.
After taking a bath on the banks of the Godavari, the Lord sat near the bank and began
chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama,
Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
While sitting and chanting, the Lord saw that the governor of the
province, Sri Ramananda Raya, had reached the banks of the river
accompanied by his associates, which included many brahmanas.
Previously the Lord had been asked by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya
to visit the great devotee Ramananda Raya at Kabur.
The Lord could understand that the man approaching the river bank was Ramananda Raya,
and He desired to see him immediately.
However, because He was in the renounced order of life, He
restrained Himself from going to see a political personage.
Being a great devotee, Ramananda Raya was attracted by the
features of Lord Caitanya, who appeared as a sannyasi, and he himself
came to see the Lord.
Upon reaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramananda Raya
prostrated himself and offered his obeisances and respects.
Lord Caitanya received him by vibrating Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna,
Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
When Ramananda Raya presented his credentials, Lord Caitanya embraced him,
and both of them were overwhelmed with ecstasy.
The brahmanas who accompanied Ramananda Raya were surprised
to see them embracing in transcendental ecstasy.
The brahmanas were all stalwart followers of the
rituals, and they could not understand the meaning of such devotional
symptoms.
Indeed, they were rather surprised to see such a great sannyasi
touch a sudra, and they were also surprised to see Ramananda Raya, who was
a great governor and practically king of that province, crying simply by
touching a sannyasi.
Lord Caitanya understood the brahmanas' thoughts, and, considering the unfavorable situation,
He pacified Himself.
After this, Lord Caitanya and Ramananda Raya sat down together.
"Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya has spoken very highly of you," Lord Caitanya
informed him.
"So I have come to see you."
"Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya considers me to be one of his devotees," Ramananda
Raya replied.
"Therefore he has kindly recommended that You see me."
Ramananda Raya very much appreciated the Lord's touching a man of wealth.
A king, governor or any politician is always
absorbed in thoughts of political affairs and pounds-shilling-pence;
therefore such persons are avoided by sannyasis.
Lord Caitanya, however, knew Ramananda Raya to be a
great devotee, and therefore He did not hesitate to touch and embrace him.
Ramananda Raya was surprised by Lord Caitanya's behavior, and he cited a
verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.8.4): "The great personalities and sages
appear in the homes of worldly men just to show them mercy."
Lord Caitanya's special treatment of Ramananda Raya indicated that although
Ramananda Raya was born in a nonbrahminical family, he was far, far
advanced in spiritual knowledge and activity.
Therefore he was more respectable than one who simply happens to
be born in a brahminical family.
Although Ramananda, out of his meek and gentle behavior,
considered himself to be born in a lower sudra family, Lord Caitanya
nonetheless considered him to be situated in the highest transcendental
stage of devotion.
Devotees never advertise themselves as great, but the
Lord is very anxious to advertise the glory of His devotees.
After meeting for the first time that morning on the banks
of the Godavari, Ramananda Raya and Lord Caitanya separated with the
understanding that Ramananda Raya would come in the evening to see the
Lord.
That evening, after the Lord had taken His bath and seated Himself,
Ramananda Raya came to see Him with a servant.
He offered his respects and sat down before the Lord.
Before Ramananda Raya could even ask the Lord a
question about the advancement of spiritual knowledge, the Lord Himself
said, "Please quote some verses from scripture about the ultimate goal of
human life."
Sri Ramananda Raya at once replied: "A person who is sincere in his
occupational duty will gradually develop a sense of God consciousness."
He also quoted a verse from Visnu Purana (3.8.9)
which states that the Supreme Lord is worshiped by one's occupational
duty and that there is no alternative for satisfying Him.
The purport is that human life is meant for understanding one's relationship with
the Supreme Lord, and by acting in that way any human being can dovetail himself
in the service of the Lord by discharging his prescribed duties.
For this purpose human society is divided into four classes: the intellectuals
(brahmanas), the administrators (ksatriyas), the merchants
(vaisyas), and the laborers ( sudras).
For each class there are prescribed rules and regulations as well
as occupational functions.
The prescribed duties and qualities of the four
classes are described in Bhagavad-gita (18.41-44).
A society which is civilized and organized should follow the
prescribed rules and regulations for the particular classes.
At the same time, for spiritual advancement, the four stages of asrama must also be followed:
namely, student life ( brahmacarya), householder (grhastha), retired
(vanaprastha) and the renounced life (sannyasa).
Ramananda Raya stated that those who strictly follow the rules and
regulations of these eight social divisions can actually satisfy the
Supreme Lord, and one who does not follow them certainly spoils his human
form of life and glides toward hell.
One can peacefully execute the goal of human life simply by following the rules
and regulations which apply to one's self.
The character of a particular person develops by following the
regulative principles in accordance with one's birth, association and
education.
The divisions of society are so designed that many people of
different character can be regulated under them for the peaceful
administration of society and for spiritual advancement as well.
The social classes can be further characterized
as follows: (1) He whose aim is to understand the Supreme Lord, the Personality
of Godhead, and devote himself to the learning of the Vedas and similar
literatures is called a brahmana. (2) He who has taken to displaying
force and entering government administration is called a ksatriya. (3) He
who is engaged in agriculture, herding cows and carrying out a trade or business
is called a vaisya. (4) He who has no special knowledge but is satisfied
by serving the other three classes is called a sudra.
If one faithfully discharges his prescribed duties, he is sure to advance toward
perfection.
Thus regulated life is the source of perfection for everyone.
When regulated life culminates in devotional service to the Lord,
one attains his perfection.
Otherwise such regulations are simply a useless waste of time.
After hearing Ramananda Raya expound upon the proper execution of a
regulated life, Lord Caitanya said that such regulations are simply
external.
Indirectly He asked Ramananda to expound on something superior
to such an external exhibition.
Formal execution of rituals and religion is useless unless it culminates in the perfection
of devotional service.
Lord Visnu is not satisfied simply by a ritualistic adherence to Vedic
instructions; He is actually pleased when one attains the stage of
devotional service.
According to the verse cited by Ramananda Raya, one can rise to the point
of devotional service by ritualistic performance.
In Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krsna, who appeared to deliver all classes
of people, states that a human being can attain the highest perfectional
stage of life by worshiping the Supreme Lord, from whom everything has emanated,
through his occupational duty.
sve sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah
svakarma-niratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrnu
yatah pravrttir bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam
svakarmana tam abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah
"By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect.
Now please hear from Me how this can be done.
By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading,
man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain perfection."
(Bg. 18.45-46) This perfectional process is followed by great
devotees like Bodhayana, Tanka, Dramida, Guhadeva, Kapardi and Bharuci.
All these great personalities have followed this particular path of perfection.
The Vedic injunctions also aim in this direction.
Ramananda Raya wanted to present these facts before
the Lord, but apparently discharge of ritualistic duties wasn't
sufficient, for Lord Caitanya said that it was external.
Lord Caitanya was pointing out that if a man has a material
conception of life, he cannot attain the highest perfection even if he follows
all the ritualistic regulations.