CC Madhya 7.69 (1975)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 69
- "ghare kṛṣṇa bhaji' more kariha āśīrvāde
- nīlācale āsi' yena tomāra prasāde"
SYNONYMS
ghare—at home; kṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhaji'-worshiping; more—unto Me; kariha—do; āśīrvāde—blessing; nīlācale—at Jagannātha Purī; āsi'-returning; yena—so that; tomāra—your; prasāde—by the mercy.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the Bhaṭṭācārya to bless Him while he engaged in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa at home, so that by Sārvabhauma's mercy the Lord could return to Jagannātha Purī.
PURPORT
The word kariha āśīrvāde means "continue to bestow your blessings upon Me." Being a sannyāsī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was on the highest platform of respect and adoration, whereas Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, as a householder, was on the second platform. Therefore a sannyāsī is supposed to offer blessings to a gṛhastha. Now Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by His practical behavior requested the blessings of a gṛhastha. This is the special significance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. He gave equal status to everyone, regardless of material considerations. His movement is thoroughly spiritual. Although apparently a gṛhastha (householder), Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was unlike the so-called karmīs interested in sense gratification. After being initiated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya was perfectly situated in the spiritual order; therefore it was quite possible for him to offer blessings even to a sannyāsī. He was always engaged in the service of the Lord even at home. In our disciplic line we have the example of a perfect householder paramahaṁsa-Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. In his book Śaraṇāgati, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura stated: ye-dina gṛhe, bhajana dekhi', gṛhete goloka bhāya (Śaraṇāgati 31.6). Whenever a householder glorifies the Supreme Lord in his home, his activities are immediately transformed into the activities of Goloka Vṛndāvana, spiritual activities taking place in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet of Kṛṣṇa. Activities exhibited by Kṛṣṇa Himself at Bhauma Vṛndāvana, the Vṛndāvana-dhāma existing on this planet, are not different from His activities on the planet Goloka Vṛndāvana. This is proper realization of Vṛndāvana anywhere. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we inaugurated the New Vṛndāvana activities, wherein devotees are always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and this is not different from Goloka Vṛndāvana. The conclusion is that one who acts strictly in the line of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is competent to offer blessings to sannyāsīs, even though he be a gṛhastha householder. Although he is in an exalted position, a sannyāsī yet must elevate himself to the transcendental platform by rendering service to the Lord. By his actual behavior, Caitanya Mahāprabhu begged the blessings of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. He set the example of how one should expect blessings from a Vaiṣṇava, regardless of his social position.