CC Madhya-lila 23.039 yanra citte krsna-prema karaye udaya... cited

Expressions researched:
"Even the most learned man cannot understand" |"tanra vakya, kriya, mudra vijneha na bujhaya" |"yanra citte krsna-prema karaye udaya"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "madhya 23.39" or "Even the most learned man cannot understand" or "tanra vakya, kriya, mudra vijneha na bujhaya" or "yanra citte krsna-prema karaye udaya"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.28, Translation and Purport:

In this way you will be freed from bondage to work and its auspicious and inauspicious results. With your mind fixed on Me in this principle of renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me.

One who acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness under superior direction is called yukta-vairāgya. The technical term is yukta-vairāgya. This is further explained by Rūpa Gosvāmī as follows:

anāsaktasya viṣayān

yathārham upayuñjataḥ

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe

yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255)

Rūpa Gosvāmī says that as long as we are in this material world we have to act; we cannot cease acting. Therefore if actions are performed and the fruits are given to Kṛṣṇa, then that is called yukta-vairāgya. Actually situated in renunciation, such activities clear the mirror of the mind, and as the actor gradually makes progress in spiritual realization he becomes completely surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore at the end he becomes liberated, and this liberation is also specified. By this liberation he does not become one with the brahma-jyotir, but rather enters into the planet of the Supreme Lord. It is clearly mentioned here: mām upaiṣyasi, "he comes to Me," back home, back to Godhead. There are five different stages of liberation, and here it is specified that the devotee who has always lived his lifetime here under the direction of the Supreme Lord, as stated, has evolved to the point where he can, after quitting this body, go back to Godhead and engage directly in the association of the Supreme Lord.

Anyone who has no interest but to dedicate his life to the service of the Lord is actually a sannyāsī. Such a person always thinks of himself as an eternal servant, dependent on the supreme will of the Lord. As such, whatever he does, he does it for the benefit of the Lord. Whatever action he performs, he performs it as service to the Lord. He does not give serious attention to the fruitive activities or prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas. For ordinary persons it is obligatory to execute the prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas, but although a pure devotee who is completely engaged in the service of the Lord may sometimes appear to go against the prescribed Vedic duties, actually it is not so.

It is said, therefore, by Vaiṣṇava authorities that even the most intelligent person cannot understand the plans and activities of a pure devotee. The exact words are tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 23.39). A person who is thus always engaged in the service of the Lord or is always thinking and planning how to serve the Lord is to be considered completely liberated at present, and in the future his going back home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. He is above all materialistic criticism, just as Kṛṣṇa is above all criticism.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.17.34-35, Purport:

It is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: (CC Madhya 23.39) one should not be astonished to see the activities of exalted, liberated Vaiṣṇavas. As one should not be misled by the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should also not be misled by the activities of His devotees.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.8.40, Purport:

Therefore, who can understand the Lord's transcendental activities? Not to speak of understanding the transcendental activities of the Lord, no one can understand even the activities of His servants. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC Madhya 23.39) it is said, tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bhujhaya: no one can understand the activities of the Lord's servants.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.4.68, Purport:

"Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." The devotee does not do anything not sanctioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya (CC Madhya 23.39). Even the most learned or experienced person cannot understand the movements of a Vaiṣṇava, a pure devotee. No one, therefore, should criticize a pure Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava knows his own business; whatever he does is precisely right because he is always guided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 9.5.20, Purport:

It is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: (CC Madhya 23.39) even a very intelligent man cannot understand the activities of a pure Vaiṣṇava. Therefore, because Durvāsā Muni was a great mystic yogī, he first mistook Mahārāja Ambarīṣa for an ordinary human being and wanted to punish him.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 17.249, Purport:

It is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: (CC Madhya 23.39) no one can understand the activities of a pure devotee. A student or neophyte devotee could not possibly understand why Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was chanting the name of the gopīs, nor should the student have asked the Lord about the potency of chanting gopī gopī.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 7.66, Purport:

Our knowledge is fully perfect due to being handed from master to disciple. A Vaiṣṇava is always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and thus neither karmīs nor jñānīs can understand the activities of a Vaiṣṇava. It is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: (CC Madhya 23.39) even the most learned man depending on direct perception of knowledge cannot understand the activities of a Vaiṣṇava. After being initiated into Vaiṣṇavism by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya realized what a mistake he had made in trying to understand Rāmānanda Rāya, who was very learned and whose endeavors were all directed to rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord.

CC Madhya 15.120, Purport:

Unless Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu discloses the fact, no one can understand who is actually a great devotee of the Lord engaged in His service. It is therefore said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC Madhya 23.39), tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: even the most perfect and learned scholar cannot understand a Vaiṣṇava's activities. A Vaiṣṇava may be engaged in governmental service or in a professional business so that externally one cannot understand his position.

CC Madhya 19.155, Purport:

An ordinary neophyte devotee cannot realize this; therefore it is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya (CC Madhya 23.39). The activities of a pure Vaiṣṇava cannot be understood even by a learned scholar in the material world.

CC Madhya 23.39, Purport:

“Even the most learned man cannot understand the words, activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of Godhead.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 16.7, Purport:

Playing with dice is certainly gambling, but it is clearly said here that Kālidāsa did this only in jest. A mahā-bhāgavata can do anything, but he never forgets the basic principles. Therefore it is said, tāra vākya, kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: (CC Madhya 23.39) "No one can understand the activities of a pure devotee." We should not imitate Kālidāsa.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

So ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). So this behavior of Kṛṣṇa, how ordinary men can understand? Because they have got their ordinary senses, therefore they mistake. Why Kṛṣṇa? Even Kṛṣṇa's devotee, Vaiṣṇava. That is also stated. Vaiṣṇavera kriyā mūdra vijñeha nā bujhaya (CC Madhya 23.39). Even a Vaiṣṇava ācārya, what he is doing, even the most expert intelligent man cannot understand why he is doing this. Therefore we should not try to imitate the higher authorities, but we have to follow the order, injunction, given by the higher authorities. It is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is exciting Arjuna to fight.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Just try to understand. Therefore, we have to follow only the instruction of mahājana; otherwise, we'll be bewildered. Vaiṣṇave kriyā mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya (CC Madhya 23.39). We cannot understand what are the activities of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. We have to simply follow their instruction. That's all. The sahajiyās, they do not follow the instruction. They imitate only: "Kṛṣṇa has made rāsa-līlā; so why not we also make rāsa-līlā?" It is going on, regularly.