Hare Krsna,
Silence is golden. Lord Krsna’s silence to Lord Brahma’s prayers in Krsna-lila leads to a golden benediction for Brahma in the Caitanya-lila.
I was about to ask in one of the forum posts the connection between Lord Brahma’s prayers and his appearance as Haridas Thakura. I knew I had heard it before; just wasn’t sure in which scripture the mystery was revealed. Thank you, dear teachers, for sharing the section from Sri Navadvipa Mahatmya.
My first thought after studying this lesson is one of amazement. Why is Krsna not reciprocating to Lord Brahma’s beautiful prayers of glorification? Why is Krsna silent? Thankfully Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakura revealed the mystery. He writes, “Kṛṣṇa remained silent through the entirety of Brahmā’s prayers. Seeing the Lord’s silence, Brahma took that as His permission to depart. Kṛṣṇa could not break His silence because He was playing exactly like an innocent young cowherd boy, the son of the king of Vraja, in the pastime of bewildering Brahma. Thus, Kṛṣṇa’s silence here was deliberate.” (Srila VCT commentary to 10.14.42)
Krsna did not want to be disturbed from His effort to find His lost cowherd friends and calves. This is the special arrangement of yoga-maya to keep Krsna ignorant of His own powers and opulences. Just as children are least concerned with anything other than their absorption in their games with their playmates, Krsna too didn’t have time to ponder on Brahma’s prayers. He remained busy looking for His lost friends/. When Brahma, seeing Krsna remaining silent throughout his prayers, decided to leave, Krsna remained silent indicating He gave Brahma permission to leave.
My second thought is one of hope. Krsna’s silence inspired Lord Brahma to perform intense austerities to gain the Lord’s mercy – if not in this yuga, in another yuga – and eventually to taste Krsna-prema. He knew that Mahaprabhu would appear in the future to bestow what no incarnation of the Lord has ever bestowed before – pure love of Godhead.
CC Adi 1.4: May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacī-devī be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.
When Gauracandra mercifully appeared to him, Brahma prayed that he be allowed to become the Lord’s associate when He manifests His pastimes. And what benediction that Lord Gauracandra bestow upon Brahma: pure taste for the Holy Name.
“When my pastimes become visible on earth, you will take birth in a yavana’s house. Your name will be Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and you will be famous for your humility and will be completely free from all pride. You will chant three hundred thousand names a day, and when you pass from this world you will be seeing me. And at the end of the second one hundred trillion years of your life, you will attain Navadvīpa‑dhāma and be absorbed in eternal rasa.” (Excerpts from Sri Navadvipa-dhama mahatmya)
This blessing by the Lord includes every benediction a devotee can hope for. Humility, pridelessness, engaging in kirtaniya-sada-harih, seeing the Lord at the time of leaving the body, attainment of Krsna-prema, and the Lord’s eternal abode of Navavdipa-dhama.
Wow! I am so inspired! What more can a devotee ask for! No wonder, Gauranga Mahaprabhu is considered the most munificent and charitably disposed according to Srila Rupa Goswami.
namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. (CC Madhya 19.53)
We offer our respectful obeisances unto that merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead who has converted all three worlds, which were maddened by ignorance, and saved them from their diseased condition by making them mad with the nectar from the treasure-house of love of God. Let us take full shelter of that Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, whose activities are wonderful. (Govinda-līlāmṛta (1.2))
Therefore, I consider this pastime one of hope-giving. It inspires me to think that no matter what a big offender I may be, there is hope that the Lord will ignore my offenses and bestow His merciful glance one day. It inspires me to think that even though the Lord may not reciprocate immediately to my chanting, hearing and service, He will definitely reciprocate one day. And even if everything seems hopeless, my ultimate hope will always be Lord Caitanya. And even if Lord Caitanya does not reciprocate, I can always take shelter of Lord Nityananda who doesn’t turn away anyone – no matter how fallen one is. And the personality who has appeared in Lord Nityananda’s mood is HDG and our beloved acarya – Srila Prabhupada who will always remain our well-wisher.
It is nice to conclude this forum post with remembrance of Srila Prabhupada whose disappearance we observed yesterday.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 