Excerpts from a lecture given by HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, 8/12/08, Sridham MayapurI was studying the biographies of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes and in particular the pastime of the Lord taking sannyasa. And within this pastime where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s taking sannyasa, Kavi Karnapura in his biography in drama form, known as the Caitanya Candradoya Nataka, is giving a description of what’s going on when all the devotees of Navadvipa are just practically dying in separation. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has left. It’s three days; it’s been three days and they are still living! How is this possible? It is said that they are only living by the rope of hope, that maybe He’ll return. Otherwise, they would have given up their bodies. Then, then suddenly in a distance everyone sees Acarya Ratna; Acarya Ratna, he had gone with Lord Nityananda along with Lord Caitanya and Acarya Ratna is returning in a distance. When Acarya Ratna is coming closer all the devotees are surrounding him and are asking him, “Acarya Ratna, what is the new? Where is the Lord?” Acarya Ratna is in a totally broken hearted state. Acarya Ratna says, “I cannot…I cannot speak.” And everyone is getting totally, totally…very strong and says, “you cannot speak? You shall speak! Where is the Lord?” So Acarya Ratna finally covers his mouth with his hand and he says, “The Lord took sannyasa!” everyone understood it, everyone understood- the Lord took sannyasa. And a cry of agony is echoing in all directions. And the Acarya Ratna says, “but, I have a message from Lord Nityananda for Advaita Acarya,” everyone says, “What is it? What is it?” no one thinks it’s for Advaita Acarya- everyone wants to hear it! And he says, “Nityananda says that somehow or other He will arrange that the Lord will come to the house of Advaita Acarya in Santipura.” And Advaita Acarya, when he hears that message, he calls out, “Nityananda! Nityananda! What a friend! What a friend! He has conquered my heart!”
So I like this story very much! And it really illustrates what friendship is all about. We can so easily say, ‘yes he’s my friend’ and on some level there may be natural friendship between people. But real friendship comes from conquering the heart, from completely conquering the heart, and we see that in this case Nityananda conquered the heart of Advaita Acarya.
…so this is the wonderful nature of true relationships- they are not cheap- and everyone in society whether he is in the superior position or in the junior position has to conquer. And we see that Srila Prabhupada kept on conquering the hearts of his disciples in various ways until the last days in Vrndavana, Prabhupada was putting himself in the hands of his disciples, and there was a debate: to go on the bullock cart around Govardhana. Then finally a group came and said, “Please don’t go!” and finally one of them said, “you are driving us mad- mad with love!” and Prabhupada said, “that is my duty!” so in this way the spiritual master also conquers the heart of the disciple and never takes it for granted.
So I like this story very much! And it really illustrates what friendship is all about. We can so easily say, ‘yes he’s my friend’ and on some level there may be natural friendship between people. But real friendship comes from conquering the heart, from completely conquering the heart, and we see that in this case Nityananda conquered the heart of Advaita Acarya.
…so this is the wonderful nature of true relationships- they are not cheap- and everyone in society whether he is in the superior position or in the junior position has to conquer. And we see that Srila Prabhupada kept on conquering the hearts of his disciples in various ways until the last days in Vrndavana, Prabhupada was putting himself in the hands of his disciples, and there was a debate: to go on the bullock cart around Govardhana. Then finally a group came and said, “Please don’t go!” and finally one of them said, “you are driving us mad- mad with love!” and Prabhupada said, “that is my duty!” so in this way the spiritual master also conquers the heart of the disciple and never takes it for granted.
