Subuddhi Raya

Expressions researched:
"Subuddhi Raya"

SB Canto 7

SB 7.3.12, Purport:

In the material world, a servant is provided for by the master but is always planning how to capture the master's post. There have been many instances of this in history. Especially in India during the Mohammedan rule, many servants, by plans and devices, took over the posts of their masters. It is learned from Caitanya literature that one big Zamindar, Subuddhi Rāya, kept a Mohammedan boy as a servant. Of course, he treated the boy as his own child, and sometimes, when the boy would steal something, the master would chastise him by striking him with a cane. There was a mark on the boy's back from this chastisement. Later, after that boy had by crooked means become Hussain Shah, Nawab of Bengal, one day his wife saw the mark on his back and inquired about it. The Nawab replied that in his childhood he had been a servant of Subuddhi Rāya, who had punished him because of some mischievous activities. Upon hearing this, the Nawab's wife immediately became agitated and requested her husband to kill Subuddhi Rāya. Nawab Hussain Shah, of course, was very grateful to Subuddhi Rāya and therefore refused to kill him, but when his wife requested him to turn Subuddhi Rāya into a Mohammedan, the Nawab agreed. Taking some water from his waterpot, he sprinkled it upon Subuddhi Rāya and declared that Subuddhi Rāya had now become a Mohammedan. The point is that this Nawab had been an ordinary menial servant of Subuddhi Rāya but was somehow or other able to occupy the supreme post of Nawab of Bengal. This is the material world. Everyone is trying to become master through various devices, although everyone is servant of his senses. Following this system, a living entity, although servant of his senses, tries to become master of the whole universe. Hiraṇyakaśipu was a typical example of this, and Brahmā was informed by the demigods of his intentions.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 10.84, Purport:

The present-day village of Prembagh, which lies near Ramshara in the Jessore district of Bangladesh, is said by many to be the site of Kumāradeva's house. Of his many sons, three took to the path of Vaiṣṇavism. Later, Śrī Vallabha and his elder brothers Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana came from Candradvīpa to the village in the Maldah district of Bengal known as Rāmakeli. It is in this village that Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī took birth, accepting Vallabha as his father. Because of engaging in the service of the Muslim government, the three brothers received the title Mullik. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the village of Rāmakeli, He met Vallabha there. Later, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, after meeting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, resigned from government service, and when he went to Vṛndāvana to meet Lord Caitanya, Vallabha accompanied him. The meeting of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Vallabha with Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Allahabad is described in the Madhya-līlā, Chapter Nineteen.

Actually, it is to be understood from the statement of Sanātana Gosvāmī that Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Vallabha went to Vṛndāvana under the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. First they went to Mathurā, where they met a gentleman named Subuddhi Rāya, who maintained himself by selling dry fuel wood. He was very pleased to meet Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Anupama, and he showed them the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana. Thus they lived in Vṛndāvana for one month and then again went to search for Sanātana Gosvāmī. Following the course of the Ganges, they reached Allahabad, or Prayāga-tīrtha, but because Sanātana Gosvāmī had come there by a different road, they did not meet him there, and when Sanātana Gosvāmī came to Mathurā he was informed of the visit of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Anupama by Subuddhi Rāya. When Rūpa Gosvāmī and Anupama met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, they heard about Sanātana Gosvāmī’s travels from Him, and thus they returned to Bengal, adjusted their affairs with the state and, on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, went to see the Lord at Jagannātha Purī.

CC Adi 10.84, Purport:

Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana by the main road, and when he reached Mathurā he met Subuddhi Rāya. Then he returned to Jagannātha Purī through Jhārikhaṇḍa (Jharkhanda), the Madhya Pradesh jungle. At Jagannātha Purī he decided to give up his body by falling down beneath a wheel of the Jagannātha ratha, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu saved him. Then Sanātana Gosvāmī met Haridāsa Ṭhākura and heard about the disappearance of Anupama. Sanātana Gosvāmī later described the glories of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Sanātana observed the etiquette of Jagannātha's temple by going along the beach to visit Lord Caitanya, although it was extremely hot due to the sun. He requested Jagadānanda Paṇḍita to give him permission to return to Vṛndāvana. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu praised the character of Sanātana Gosvāmī, and He embraced Sanātana, accepting his body as spiritual. Sanātana Gosvāmī was ordered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to live at Jagannātha Purī for one year. When he returned to Vṛndāvana after that time, he again met Rūpa Gosvāmī, and both brothers remained in Vṛndāvana to execute the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 25 Summary:

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to take a bath at Pañcanada, and afterwards all His devotees began chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in front of the temple of Bindu Mādhava. At this time Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and all his devotees approached the Lord. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī immediately fell down at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and very much regretted his past behavior toward the Lord. He asked Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about devotional service in terms of the Vedānta-sūtra, and the Lord told him about devotional service that is approved by great personalities who know the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then pointed out that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the proper commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. He then explained the catuḥ-ślokī (SB 2.9.33/34/35/36) (four ślokas) of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the essence of that great scripture.

From that day on, all the sannyāsīs of Vārāṇasī became devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Before returning to His headquarters at Jagannātha Purī, the Lord advised Sanātana Gosvāmī to go to Vṛndāvana. The Lord then departed for Jagannātha Purī. Kavirāja Gosvāmī then describes something about Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Subuddhi Rāya. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to Jagannātha Purī through the great forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa in central India. At the end of this chapter, Kavirāja Gosvāmī sums up the incidents of the madhya-līlā and instructs every living being to read this sublime book of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes.

CC Madhya 25.186, Translation:

When Rūpa Gosvāmī reached Mathurā, he met Subuddhi Rāya on the banks of the Yamunā, at a place called Dhruva-ghāṭa.

CC Madhya 25.187, Translation:

Formerly Subuddhi Rāya had been a big landholder in Gauḍa-deśa (Bengal). Saiyada Hussain Khān was then a servant of Subuddhi Rāya.

CC Madhya 25.188, Translation:

Subuddhi Rāya put Hussain Khān in charge of digging a big lake, but once, finding fault with him, he struck him with a whip.

CC Madhya 25.189, Translation:

Later Hussain Khān somehow or other was appointed Nawab by the central Muslim government. As a matter of obligation, he increased the opulences of Subuddhi Rāya.

CC Madhya 25.190, Translation:

Later, when the wife of Nawab Saiyada Hussain Khān saw the whip marks on his body, she requested him to kill Subuddhi Rāya.

CC Madhya 25.191, Translation:

Hussain Khān replied, "Subuddhi Rāya has maintained me very carefully. He was just like a father to me," he said. "Now you are asking me to kill him. This is not a very good proposal."

CC Madhya 25.192, Translation:

As a last alternative, the wife suggested that the Nawab take away Subuddhi Rāya's caste and turn him into a Muslim, but Hussain Khān replied that if he did this, Subuddhi Rāya would not live.

CC Madhya 25.193, Translation:

This became a perplexing problem for him because his wife kept requesting him to kill Subuddhi Rāya. Finally the Nawab sprinkled a little water on Subuddhi Rāya's head from a pitcher that had been used by a Muslim.

CC Madhya 25.193, Purport:

Five hundred years ago in India, the Hindus were so rigid and strict that if a Muslim would sprinkle a little water from his pitcher upon a Hindu, the Hindu would be immediately ostracized. Recently, in 1947, during the partition days, there was a big riot between Hindus and Muslims, especially in Bengal. The Hindus were forcibly made to eat cow's flesh, and consequently they began crying, thinking that they had become Muslims. Actually the Muslims in India did not come from the country of the Muslims, but Hindus instituted the custom that somehow or other if one contacted a Muslim, he became a Muslim. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī were born in a high brāhmaṇa family, but because they accepted employment under a Muslim government, they were considered Muslims. Subuddhi Rāya was sprinkled with water from the pitcher of a Muslim, and consequently he was condemned to have become a Muslim. Later, Aurangzeb, the Muslim emperor, introduced a tax especially meant for Hindus. Being oppressed in the Hindu community, many low-caste Hindus preferred to become Muslims. In this way the Muslim population increased. Later the British government made it a policy to divide the Hindus and the Muslims, and thus they maintained ill feelings between them. The result was that India was divided into Pakistan and Hindustan.

CC Madhya 25.194, Translation:

Taking the Nawab's sprinkling water upon him as an opportunity, Subuddhi Rāya left his family and business affairs and went to Vārāṇasī.

CC Madhya 25.194, Purport:

It appears that Subuddhi Rāya was a big landholder and a responsible, respectable gentleman. He could not, however, avoid the social misconception that one becomes a Muslim when water is sprinkled on one's face from a Muslim's pitcher. Actually he was planning to give up his material life and leave his family. Hindu culture recommends four divisions—brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Subuddhi Rāya was thinking of taking sannyāsa, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, he received this opportunity. He therefore left his family and went to Vārāṇasī. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma is very scientific. If one is directed by the varṇāśrama institution, he will naturally think of retiring from family life at the end of his life. Therefore sannyāsa is compulsory at the age of fifty.

CC Madhya 25.195, Translation:

When Subuddhi Rāya consulted the learned brāhmaṇas at Vārāṇasī, asking them how his conversion to Islam could be counteracted, they advised him to drink hot ghee and give up his life.

CC Madhya 25.196, Translation:

When Subuddhi Rāya consulted some other brāhmaṇas, they told him that he had not committed a grievous fault and that consequently he should not drink hot ghee and give up his life. As a result, Subuddhi Rāya was doubtful about what to do.

CC Madhya 25.196, Purport:

This is another instance of Hindu custom. One brāhmaṇa would give advice condoning a particular fault, and another would give advice to the contrary. Typically, lawyers and physicians differ, giving one kind of instruction and then another. Due to the brāhmaṇas' different opinions, Subuddhi Rāya became further perplexed. He did not know what to do or what not to do.

CC Madhya 25.197, Translation:

In his state of perplexity, Subuddhi Rāya met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when the Lord was at Vārāṇasī. Subuddhi Rāya explained his position and asked Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu what he should do.

CC Madhya 25.199, Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised Subuddhi Rāya: “Begin chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and when your chanting is almost pure, all your sinful reactions will go away. After you chant perfectly, you will get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 25.201, Translation:

Thus receiving the order from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to go to Vṛndāvana, Subuddhi Rāya left Vārāṇasī and went through Prayāga, Ayodhyā and Naimiṣāraṇya toward Vṛndāvana.

CC Madhya 25.202, Translation:

Subuddhi Rāya stayed for some time at Naimiṣāraṇya. During that time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Prayāga after visiting Vṛndāvana.

CC Madhya 25.203, Translation:

After reaching Mathurā, Subuddhi Rāya received information of the Lord's itinerary. He became very unhappy because he was not able to contact the Lord.

CC Madhya 25.204, Translation:

Subuddhi Rāya would collect dry wood in the forest and take it to the city of Mathurā to sell. For each load he would receive five or six paise.

CC Madhya 25.205, Translation:

Earning his livelihood by selling dry wood, Subuddhi Rāya would live on only one paisa's worth of fried chick-peas, and he would deposit whatever other paise he had with some merchant.

CC Madhya 25.205, Purport:

In those days there was no banking system like the one now found in Western countries. If one had excess money, he would deposit it with some merchant, usually a grocer. That was the banking system. Subuddhi Rāya would deposit his extra money with a mercantile man and spend it when necessary. When one is in the renounced order, saving money is not recommended. However, if one saves money for the service of the Lord or a Vaiṣṇava, that is accepted. These are the dealings of Subuddhi Rāya, who is one of the confidential devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also followed this principle by spending fifty percent of his money in order to serve Kṛṣṇa through brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. He gave twenty-five percent of his money to relatives, and twenty-five percent he deposited in the custody of a merchant. These are the approved methods recommended in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Whether in the renounced order or in the gṛhastha order, a Vaiṣṇava should follow these principles set forth by the previous ācāryas.

CC Madhya 25.206, Translation:

Subuddhi Rāya used to spend his savings to supply yogurt to Bengali Vaiṣṇavas who came to Mathurā. He also gave them cooked rice and oil massages. When he saw a poverty-stricken Vaiṣṇava, he would use his money to feed him.

CC Madhya 25.206, Purport:

There is a special reference for the maintenance of Bengali Vaiṣṇavas. A Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava is a Bengali Vaiṣṇava. Most of the devotees of Lord Caitanya at that time were Gauḍīyas and Oriyās, inhabitants of Bengal and Orissa. There are still many hundreds of thousands of His followers in Bengal and Orissa. Bengalis are habituated to eating cooked rice as their staple food. When they went to Mathurā in the north, they found that the people generally ate capatis or roṭis made of wheat. The Bengalis could not digest this food because they were used to cooked rice. Therefore as soon as Subuddhi Rāya saw a Bengali Vaiṣṇava arriving in Mathurā, he would try to supply him with cooked rice. Bengalis are also accustomed to taking a massage with mustard oil. In any case, Subuddhi Rāya wanted to serve the Vaiṣṇavas according to their needs. Therefore he would supply yogurt to ease the digestion of food eaten in Mathurā, particularly the capatis and roṭis made with wheat.

CC Madhya 25.207, Translation:

When Rūpa Gosvāmī arrived at Mathurā, Subuddhi Rāya, out of love and affection for him, wanted to serve him in so many ways. He personally took Rūpa Gosvāmī to see all the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana.

CC Madhya 25.207, Purport:

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī had been a minister in the government of Hussain Shah, and Subuddhi Rāya was also known to Hussain Shah because, as a boy, the Shah had been Subuddhi Rāya's servant. It appears that Subuddhi Rāya was elderly, yet while he was living in Mathurā he showed Rūpa Gosvāmī the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana.

CC Madhya 25.208, Translation:

Rūpa Gosvāmī remained in Mathurā and Vṛndāvana for one month in the association of Subuddhi Rāya. After that, he left Vṛndāvana to search for his elder brother, Sanātana Gosvāmī.

CC Madhya 25.211, Translation:

When Sanātana Gosvāmī met Subuddhi Rāya at Mathurā, Subuddhi Rāya explained everything about his younger brothers Rūpa Gosvāmī and Anupama.

CC Madhya 25.213, Translation:

Subuddhi Rāya and Sanātana Gosvāmī had known each other before accepting the renounced order. Therefore Subuddhi Rāya showed much affection to Sanātana Gosvāmī, but Sanātana Gosvāmī hesitated to accept his sentiments and affections.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Adi-kesava, Dhrstadyumna -- Vrindaban 23 November, 1976:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 9, 1976.

Upon your recommendation I will be pleased to accept Drsya Krsna, Hamsarupa, and Subuddhi Raya for second initiation. Now hold a fire sacrifice for devotees only. Let the initiates hear the tape of me chanting Gayatri in the right ear. Teach them how to chant on the finger divisions.