View source for The Bhattacarya, who had taken pleasure in explaining Mayavada philosophy, became such a staunch devotee that he hated even to utter the word mukti. This is possible only by the causeless mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya

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{{terms|"the Bhattacarya, who had taken pleasure in explaining Mayavada philosophy, became such a staunch devotee that he hated even to utter the word mukti. This is possible only by the causeless mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya"|"that very person who had been accustomed to reading and teaching Mayavada philosophy was now even hating the word"}}
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[[Category:Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya]]
[[Category:Who Has]]
[[Category:Take Pleasure]]
[[Category:Explain]]
[[Category:Mayavada Philosophy]]
[[Category:Become]]
[[Category:Staunch]]
[[Category:Staunch Devotees of God]]
[[Category:Hatred of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Hate]]
[[Category:Utter]]
[[Category:Words]]
[[Category:Mukti]]
[[Category:This Is]]
[[Category:Possible Only...]]
[[Category:Only By]]
[[Category:Caitanya's Causeless Mercy]]
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<div id="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" class="section" sec_index="3" parent="compilation" text="Other Books by Srila Prabhupada"><h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
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<div id="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya"><h3>Teachings of Lord Caitanya</h3>
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<div id="TLC26_0" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="32" link="TLC 26" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 26">
<div class="heading">The Bhaṭṭācārya, who had taken pleasure in explaining Māyāvāda philosophy, became such a staunch devotee that he hated even to utter the word mukti. This is possible only by the causeless mercy of Lord Śrī Caitanya. The Lord is like a touchstone, for by His grace He can turn iron into gold. After the Bhaṭṭācārya's conversion, everyone marked a great change inhim, and they concluded that this change was made possible only by the inconceivable power of Lord Caitanya. Thus they took it for granted that Lord Caitanya was none other than Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 26|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 26]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The next day, after visiting the Jagannātha temple early in the morning, the Bhaṭṭācārya went to see Lord Caitanya, and he offered his respects by falling down before the Lord. He then began to explain his past undesirable behavior. When he asked the Lord to speak something about devotional service, the Lord began to elaborately explain the verse in the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa beginning harer nāma harer nāma. While hearing this explanation, the Bhaṭṭācārya became more and more ecstatic. Seeing the condition of his brother-in-law, Gopīnātha Ācārya said, "My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, previously I had said that when one is favored by the Supreme Lord he will understand the techniques of devotional service. Today I am seeing this fulfilled."</p>
<p>The Bhaṭṭācārya offered him his due respect and replied, "My dear Gopīnātha Ācārya, it is through your mercy that I have received the mercy of the Supreme Lord." The mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be obtained by the mercy of a pure devotee. Lord Caitanya's mercy was bestowed upon the Bhaṭṭācārya because of Gopīnātha Ācārya's endeavor. "You are a great devotee of the Lord," the Bhaṭṭācārya continued, "and I was simply blinded by my academic education. So it is only through your agency that I have obtained the mercy of the Lord." Lord Caitanya was greatly pleased to hear the Bhaṭṭācārya say that a man can achieve the mercy of the Lord through the agency of a devotee. Lord Caitanya appreciated his words and embraced the Bhaṭṭācārya, confirming his statement.</p>
<p>The Lord then requested the Bhaṭṭācārya to go see Jagannātha in the temple, and the Bhaṭṭācārya started out for the temple accompanied by Jagadānanda and Dāmodara, two principal associates of Lord Caitanya. After seeing Jagannātha the Bhaṭṭācārya returned home, bringing with him much prasādam purchased from the temple. He sent all this prasādam to Lord Caitanya through his brāhmaṇa servant.</p>
<p>The Bhaṭṭācārya also dispatched two verses written on a palm-tree leaf and requested Jagadānanda to do him a favor by delivering them to the Lord. Thus Lord Caitanya was offered the prasādam and the verses on the palm leaf. But before reaching the Lord, Mukunda Datta, who had also undertaken the delivery of the verses, had copied the verses into his book. When Lord Caitanya read the verses on the palm leaf, He tore it to pieces, for He never liked to be praised by anyone. The verses only survive because they had been copied by Mukunda Datta. </p>
<p>The verses praised Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead, declaring that He had descended as Lord Caitanya to preach to the people in general about detachment, transcendental knowledge and devotional service. Comparing Lord Caitanya to an ocean of mercy, the Bhaṭṭācārya wrote, "Let me surrender unto that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord, seeing that devotional service was absent, descended Himself in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu to preach devotional service. Let us all surrender unto His lotus feet and learn from Him what devotional service actually is." These two important verses are considered the most valuable jewels by the devotees of the Lord in disciplic succession, and by virtue of these famous verses Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has become known as the highest of devotees.</p>
<p>Thus Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was converted into one of the most important devotees of the Lord, and he had no other interest than to serve the Lord. His only concern was to think of Lord Caitanya constantly, and this meditation and chanting became the main purpose of his life.</p>
<p>One day Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya came before the Lord, offered his respects and began to recite one of Lord Brahmā’s prayers from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.8). The Bhaṭṭācārya recited as follows:</p>
:tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo
:bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
:hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
:jīveta yo bhakti-pade sa dāya-bhāk
<p>In reciting the verse the Bhaṭṭācārya changed the original word mukti (liberation) to bhakti (devotional service) in the last line. The meaning of the original verse is "A person who devotes his mind, body and speech to the service of the Lord, even though in the midst of a miserable life caused by his past misdeeds, is assured of liberation." </p>
<p>"Why have you changed the original verse?" the Lord asked the Bhaṭṭācārya. "The word is mukti, and you have changed it to bhakti." The Bhaṭṭācārya replied that mukti is not as valuable as bhakti and that mukti is actually a sort of punishment for the pure devotee. For this reason he changed the word mukti to bhakti. The Bhaṭṭācārya then began to explain his realization of bhakti. "Anyone who does not accept the transcendental Personality of Godhead and His transcendental form cannot know the Absolute Truth. One who does not understand the transcendental nature of the body of Kṛṣṇa becomes His enemy and decries Him or fights with Him. The destination of such enemies is to merge into the Lord's Brahman effulgence. Such mukti, or liberation, is never desired by the Lord's devotees. There are five kinds of liberation: (1) gaining admission to the planet where the Lord resides, (2) being able to associate with the Lord, (3) attaining a transcendental body like the Lord's, (4) attaining opulence like the Lord's, and (5) merging into the existence of the Lord. A devotee has no particular interest in any of these types of liberation. He is satisfied simply by being engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. A devotee is especially averse to merging into the existence of the Lord and losing his individual identity. Indeed, a devotee considers oneness with the Lord to be worse than hell. But he will accept one of the four other kinds of liberation if it enables him to be engaged in the service of the Lord. Out of the two possibilities of merging in transcendence—namely becoming one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence and becoming one with the Personality of Godhead—the latter is more abominable to the devotee. The devotee has no aspiration other than engaging in the transcendental loving service of the Lord."</p>
<p>On hearing this, Lord Caitanya informed the Bhaṭṭācārya that there is another meaning to the word mukti-pade. The word mukti-pade directly indicates the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead has innumerable liberated souls engaged in His transcendental loving service, and He is the ultimate resort of liberation. In either case, Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate shelter.</p>
<p>"Despite this reading," Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, "I prefer bhakti-pade to mukti-pade. Although according to You there are two meanings to the word mukti-pade, still, because this word is ambiguous, I prefer bhakti-pade to mukti-pade because when one hears the word mukti he immediately thinks of becoming one with the Supreme. I therefore even hate to utter the word mukti. But I am very enthusiastic to speak of bhakti."</p>
<p>At this, Lord Caitanya laughed very loudly and embraced the Bhaṭṭācārya with great love.</p>
<p>Thus the Bhaṭṭācārya, who had taken pleasure in explaining Māyāvāda philosophy, became such a staunch devotee that he hated even to utter the word mukti. This is possible only by the causeless mercy of Lord Śrī Caitanya. The Lord is like a touchstone, for by His grace He can turn iron into gold. After the Bhaṭṭācārya's conversion, everyone marked a great change inhim, and they concluded that this change was made possible only by the inconceivable power of Lord Caitanya. Thus they took it for granted that Lord Caitanya was none other than Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself.</p>
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<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
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<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
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<div id="CCMadhya6278_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1246" link="CC Madhya 6.278" link_text="CC Madhya 6.278">
<div class="heading">Indeed, that very person who had been accustomed to reading and teaching Māyāvāda philosophy was now even hating the word "mukti." This was possible only by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 6.278|CC Madhya 6.278, Translation]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Indeed, that very person who had been accustomed to reading and teaching Māyāvāda philosophy was now even hating the word "mukti." This was possible only by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.</p>
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