Expanding the Mercy
[Madhya 15]
The Bengali devotees remained in Jagannatha Puri for four continuous months and celebrated many festivals including Janmashtami, Dusshera, Rasayatra and Diwali. This enlivening pilgrimage became an annual tradition.
Shri Chaitanya had descended with the mission to inundate the entire world with the holy name. Thus, after inspiring and empowering His close associates with this ecstatic spiritual experience, He requested them to expand the mercy beyond Jagannatha Puri. He instructed Advaita Acharya, who was the head of the Bengali Vaishnavas, to inundate Navadvip and the surrounding areas with the sankirtan movement. He ordered Nityananda Prabhu to preach in wider Bengal, assigning some devotees to assist him. He encouraged Shrivas Thakur to continue the congregational chanting at his home. In this way, Shri Chaitanya began to weave a network of preachers who would continue to expand His mission.
In addition to these leading preachers, other devotees were contributing to the sankirtan movement by their gleaming example and unique abilities. Shri Chaitanya glorified Raghava Pandita for his devotional offerings, Shivananda Sena for his selfless service to the devotees, Gunaraja Khan for his writing skills, Raghunandana for being an ideal son, Mukunda for his deep and profound love, Murari Gupta for his devotion to Rama, and Vasudeva Datta for his unparalleled compassion. These interactions highlight how personal Shri Chaitanya was with each and every devotee. Though followed by thousands of people, He took the time to understand, appreciate and guide His associates individually.
Despite Shri Chaitanya’s magnanimous personality, a few wayward souls were adamant to find fault in Him. When Sarvabhauma invited Shri Chaitanya for a prasadam feast at his home, the Lord humbly accepted the various items. Sarvabhauma’s son-in-law, Amogha, however, began to criticise Shri Chaitanya, positing that acceptence of such opulent foods was in violation of His sannyasa principles. Sarvabhauma and his wife were aghast at Amogha’s comments and immediately disowned their son-in-law, profusely begging the Lord for forgiveness. Shri Chaitanya, however, was unaffected by the incident, and always humbly welcomed the correction of even irrational critics. Later, as a result of the offense, Shri Chaitanya discovered that Sarvabhauma and his wife were fasting for atonement, while Amogha was dying of cholera. When Shri Chaitanya visited Amogha, urging him to give up his envious mentality, the boy’s heart was transformed and he began to chant in great ecstasy. After begging forgiveness, Amogha became an unalloyed devotee happily engaged in the Lord’s service.
A Vaishnava is like a honeybee, attracted to the positive and pleasing, whereas a materialist is like a fly, searching for the dirty and defective. Shri Chaitanya was ever-enlivened to glorify each Vaishnava. Indeed, when He described their qualities it was as if He had five mouths! Amogha, on the other hand, was always looking for a fault, and even criticised Shri Chaitanya when there was absolutely no grounds for it. Only when his critical mentality was mercifully extricated by the Lord, did his heart become a fertile place for devotion to sprout.
By adopting the mood of encouragement, appreciation, and positivity, we not only grow our own spirituality, but can create miraculous change in others. Shrila Prabhupada is a prime example. Having spent his entire life amidst refined and immaculate spiritual culture, he arrived in New York’s skid row and lived side-by-side with bohemians, acidheads, potheads and hippies. He saw beyond their misunderstandings, frustrations and difficulties, detecting the spark of genuine spiritual enthusiasm and sincerity within them. He fanned that spark, and ignited a fire of devotion that could incinerate all their issues. Convinced that every soul is amazing, he diligently endeavoured to enliven that spirit.
“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”
- Goethe (German poet)
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