(4/4) Chhota Haridas's Story (2)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Bengali evening class in Sri Puri Dham
9 July 2018, part 4

It is said in the scriptures that Mahaprabhu had three and a half devotees: Ray Ramananda, Svarup Damodar and Sikhi Mahiti, and Sikhi Mahiti's sister, Srimati Madhavi Devi.

Madhavi Devi is a half of a devotee. Women do a lot of service, but why is she only a half? Mahaprabhu did not say why explicitly, but when I went once to Russia, Gurudev gave the answer.

One day, I gave a class in the morning, and later, in the evening, there was a large public programme. Many sannyasis were present at that time, seated on the stage: Srila Janardan Maharaj, Srila Ashram Maharaj, Srila Tirtha Maharaj, Srila Avadhut Maharaj (he had not taken sannyas then yet), Srila Goswami Maharaj. Gurudev told us to start the programme, and while we were waiting for Gurudev to come, devotees asked the present sannyasis questions. The sannyasis were sitting at a large table, with microphones in front of each of us, like in the parliament. Then, one lady jumped up in the audience and asked fiercely, 'Acharya Maharaj gave a class in the morning, and he said that Mahaprabhu had three and a half devotees, the half being Madhavi Devi. We women do a lot of service, why are we only a half?!' When I heard it, I thought, 'O Lord, save me! Gurudev, save me!' I did not know the answer, I had never seen it in any scripture. What was I to say? I took shelter in Gurudev, praying, 'Gurudev, you please give the answer.' Then, suddenly, the answer came to my mind, and I told whatever Gurudev made me say.

I said that everyone can do service. We went to Panihati for the chira-dahi festival not so long ago, it is a place near Kolkata, in North 24 Parganas, on the bank of the Ganges. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami made a flat rice and yoghurt festival there and received Nityananda Prabhu's mercy; after that, he came here to Mahaprabhu. Do you remember who stayed there? They would bring so much prasad here to Puri every year, and if we are fortunate, we can get some prasad – one time, I got it there. A girl called Damayanti would cook many kinds of achara, kasandi and other things every year. They would put everything into baskets, and when devotees went to Puri from Nabadwip, Raghav Pandit would bring everything to Puri on foot. Now they take it by train or bus, it is not necessary to walk. These baskets became famous of 'Raghav's bags' (Raghaver jhali). Mahaprabhu liked those preparations very much. Raghav Pandit's sister, Damayanti, prepared everything, but she could not come herself. She did the service, but she could not come herself – she could not feed Mahaprabhu herself. That is why she could serve only half way.

In the same way, Madhavi Devi cooked for Mahaprabhu, but she could not come in front of Mahaprabhu and feed Him. This kind of fortune never came to her. That is why she served only half way.

When I explained this at that big programme, the lady understood it and accepted it. I thought to myself, 'What have I just told?' Later, I asked Gurudev about it, and Gurudev said that the answer I gave was correct. That was 2000, eighteen years ago. It was about a year after I took sannyas...

So, when Pradyumna Misra first came to see Ramananda Ray and heard what he was busy with, he did not like it at all. But Mahaprabhu told him, 'I am a sannyasi, but even My mind can become disturbed if I see a girl, but when Ramananda Ray dresses those girls, do not think that he is an ordinary man – he becomes a gopi! He has no consciousness of being a male.'

I started telling you about Chhota Haridas and how Mahaprabhu get angry with him. Chhota Haridas only brought some rice for Mahaprabhu; it is a very small matter. When Mahaprabhu was taking prasad, He asked His servitor, Govinda, 'Govinda, this rice is very nice, where did you get it from?' Govinda told, 'Chhota Haridas brought it from Madhavi Devi.' Mahaprabhu did not say anything. He took prasad and went to take rest in Gambhira, at the house of Kashi Misra. At that time, He told Govinda, 'Govinda, Chhota Haridas is not to come here again. Do not allow him to come here. I do not want to see his face.'

You see? How many times did Mahaprabhu get angry? And people say, 'Oh, you are wearing saffron clothes, why are you getting angry?' It is necessary to explain to them how many times Mahaprabhu Himself got angry and why.

When Chhota Haridas heard about Mahaprabhu's order, he left food and began fasting. All the devotees came and asked, 'Prabhu, Chhota Haridas made a small mistake, please forgive him. He has given up eating, bathing and everything else.' Mahaprabhu replied, 'If you ever speak about it again, you will also never see Me here again.' All the devotees became scared, 'Oh no, we must not bring it up again. What if Mahaprabhu gets angry and leaves? No, no!' What did Chhota Haridas do then? He walked to Prayag and jumped into the Yamuna at Triveni, taking his life. Devotees were very sad to hear this news. Mahaprabhu could understand why they were all upset, so He softened up. One day, He called Mukunda and told him, 'Mukunda, call Chhota Haridas and tell him to come here.' Mukunda answered, bewildered, 'Prabhu, how will I call him? He has committed suicide... He has jumped into the Ganges. We have finished his sraddha ceremony and Vaishnav seva...' Mahaprabhu replied, 'What? Do you think My devotee can ever leave Me? Oh, you do not believe it! O HARIDAS! Let Me hear your kirtan.' In those days, there were no tape recorders, there were no DVDs, no CDs. When Mahaprabhu ordered Chhota Haridas to sing, he began to sing. The devotees could hear the sound of kirtan coming as if from nowhere. They thought that maybe Chhota Haridas had become a ghost and his ghost was chanting kirtan. The Lord's devotees can never become ghosts. Even if they commit suicide or die, they can never become ghosts – if they are devotees. Then, Mahaprabhu said, 'Have you heard the kirtan? My devotees always stay with Me.'

These are some of the pastimes of Mahaprabhu. Listen to these things carefully. Practise sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam, vandanam, dasyam, sakhyam, atma-nivedanam (hearing, chanting, remembering, offering obeisance, rendering service as a servitor, as a friend, and self-submission). Anyhow, much has been said today. I will chant some kirtans now. We will meet again tomorrow in the evening, I request everyone to stay. You want to play and have fun, but I will let you go one day – and I will see how many things you can buy, how much money you have brought. One day, I will announce in the microphone, 'You can go tomorrow and enjoy.' Let us chant some kirtans now.

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Length: 33 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Let Maya Go
2) Mahaprabhu's Anger
3) Chhota Haridas's Story (1)
4) Chhota Haridas's Story (2)