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BY: SUN STAFF
Gujarat Mural Mar 17, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — An exploration of Sri Caitanya's instructions on renunciation. Today we continue our discussion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings on renunciation. We begin by again turning to Sri Krsna's instructions to Arjuna on the perfection of renunciation, from Bhagavad-gita Chapter 18: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 18, Texts 1-12 "Arjuna said, O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the purpose of renunciation [tyaga] and of the renounced order of life [sannyasa], O killer of the Kesi demon, Hrsikesa. The Supreme Lord said, To give up the results of all activities is called renunciation [tyaga] by the wise. And that state is called the renounced order of life [sannyasa] by great learned men. Some learned men declare that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up, but there are yet other sages who maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance should never be abandoned. O best of the Bharatas, hear from Me now about renunciation. O tiger among men, there are three kinds of renunciation declared in the scriptures. Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls. All these activities should be performed without any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Prtha. That is My final opinion. Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If, by illusion, one gives up his prescribed duties, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance. Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome, or out of fear, is said to be in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation. But he who performs his prescribed duty only because it ought to be done, and renounces all attachment to the fruit--his renunciation is of the nature of goodness, O Arjuna. Those who are situated in the mode of goodness, who neither hate inauspicious work nor are attached to auspicious work, have no doubts about work. It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. Therefore it is said that he who renounces the fruits of action is one who has truly renounced. For one who is not renounced, the threefold fruits of action--desirable, undesirable and mixed--accrue after death. But those who are in the renounced order of life have no such results to suffer or enjoy."
In previous segments we considered the Gita's instructions on renunciation in goodness, in the context of Lord Caitanya and the Sampradaya Acaryas' accepting the renounced order. Today we begin to consider renunciation in passion and ignorance, with a famous pastime from Caitanya-caritamrta. "Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If, by illusion, one gives up his prescribed duties, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance. Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome, or out of fear, is said to be in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation." (Bg 18.7-8) The pastime of Lord Caitanya's tirtha-yatra travels in South India with His servant, Kala Krsnadasa, provides an interesting framework for discussing renunciation in both passion and ignorance. Following the narrations below from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta of Krsnadasa's experiences in Mallara-desa, in the Malabar district of Kerala/Karnataka region, tomorrow we'll offer some commentary on the principles of renunciation as they relate to this pastime. Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 10.145
krishnadasa nama suddha kulina brahmana "The twenty-second devotee, Krishnadasa, was born of a pure and respectable brahmana family. While touring southern India, Lord Caitanya took Krishnadasa with Him. PURPORT Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 1.112
tabe bhattathari haite krishna-dasera uddhara "After this, Krishnadasa, the servant of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was delivered from the clutches of a Bhattathari. Caitanya Mahaprabhu then preached that Lord Krishna's name should also be chanted by brahmanas who were accustomed to chanting Lord Rama's name. PURPORT Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 9.224
amlitalaya dekhi' sri-rama gaurahari "After visiting Kanya-kumari, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Amlitala, where He saw the Deity of Sri Ramacandra. Thereafter He went to a place known as Mallara-desa, where a community of Bhattatharis lived. PURPORT Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya Lila 9.226-233 "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was accompanied by His servant, Krishnadasa. He was a brahmana, but he met with the Bhattatharis there. (226) With women the Bhattatharis allured the brahmana Krishnadasa, who was simple and gentle. By virtue of their bad association, they polluted his intelligence. (227) Allured by the Bhattatharis, Krishnadasa went to their place early in the morning. The Lord also went there very quickly just to find him. (228) Upon reaching their community, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the Bhattatharis, "Why are you keeping My brahmana assistant? (229) "I am in the renounced order of life, and so are you. Yet you are purposefully giving Me pain, and I do not see any good logic in this." (230) Upon hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all the Bhattatharis came running from all sides with weapons in their hands, desiring to hurt the Lord. (231) However, their weapons fell from their hands and struck their own bodies. When some of the Bhattatharis were thus cut to pieces, the others ran away in the four directions. (232) While there was much roaring and crying at the Bhattathari community, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu grabbed Krishnadasa by the hair and took him away." (233)
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Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 1972 original edition, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust