Chaitanya Bhagavata

by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words

The Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.19.64, English translation, including a commentary (Gaudiya-bhasya). This text is similair to the Caitanya-caritamrita and narrates the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, proclaimed to be the direct incarnation of Krishna (as Bhagavan) This is verse 64 of Madhya-khanda chapter 19—“The Lord’s Pastimes in Advaita’s House”.

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.19.64:

বেদে ও বুঝায `স্বর্গ’, বলে জনা জনা মূর্খ-প্রতি কেবল সে বেদের করুণা ॥ ৬৪ ॥

वेदे ओ बुझाय `स्वर्ग’, बले जना जना मूर्ख-प्रति केवल से वेदेर करुणा ॥ ६४ ॥

vede o bujhāya `svarga’, bale janā janā mūrkha-prati kevala se vedera karuṇā || 64 ||

vede o bujhaya `svarga’, bale jana jana murkha-prati kevala se vedera karuna (64)

English translation:

(64) “Some people claim that the Vedas indicate the heavenly planets are the goal of life, but such teachings are simply the compassion of the Vedas on the foolish.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

As a result of one’s karma, fruits such as wealth are achieved. It is also heard that by the influence of pious activities one can achieve fruits like heavenly pleasures; and greedy, materialistic, ignorant people have been shown compassion by Vedic injunctions prescribed to rectify their respective natures. In this regard one should discuss verses such as parokṣa-vādo vedo `yaṃ and loke vyavāyāmiṣam [parokṣa-vādo vedo

`yaṃ bālānām anuśāsanam, karma-mokṣāya karmāṇi vidhatte hy agadaṃ yathā, “Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive

activities, although the actual goal of life is to become free from such activities. Therefore, the Vedic injunctions indirectly lead one to the path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing fruitive religious activities, just as a father promises his child candy so that the child will take his medicine.” (Bhāg. 11.3.44), loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevānityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanāvyavasthitis teṣu vivāha-yajña, surā-grahair āsu nivṛttir iṣṭā, “In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating and intoxication. Therefore religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through sacred marriage, for meat- eating through sacrificial offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of renunciation.” (Bhāg. 11.5.11)]. People who are averse to the Supreme Lord take great pleasure in becoming lords of mundane objects. That is why Vedic literatures give various forms of encouragement that are favorable to their taste. Yet this is not the actual purpose of the Vedas.

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