Why did Lord Chaitanya perform shraddha?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
in this case Tukaram Maharaj. Thank you. Hare Krishna.
When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute pure devotional service, then why did he perform Shraddha for his ancestors? Answer, to set an example for society according to his time, place and circumstances. You see, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he appeared in a particular culture at a particular time and although he taught devotional principles that are universal, that are transcultural, that are completely spiritual, but he also did not usually disturb the existing cultural norms. So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was sensitive to cultural norms even at the time of, even at the time of the, even after he took Sannyas.
That s why even after Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took Sannyas, he would not eat, he would not take food at the house of non-Brahmanas. Although many of his intimate devotees were non-Brahmanas, he did not eat at their houses. So, or for that matter, he did not force that Haridasa, insist that Haridasa Thakur be allowed entry into Jagannath temple.
So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not accept, did not go about disrupting existing cultural principles, but focused on the universal spiritual essence and this was even after he took Sannyas and he was focusing on the propagation of pure devotional service. What then to speak of before he took Sannyas and what then to speak of before he exhibited his devotion. So, prior to that, that means in his, we could say broadly his Adilila in Chaitanya Amrit or even the, we could say Adilila in Chaitanya Bhagwat, where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not take initiation, before Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had taken initiation, that time he was acting like a scholar.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was basically demonstrating through his lifetime that a person who was at the summit of whatever people at his times considered the summit and then he gave that all up to go to ascend to the summit of devotion by which he demonstrated that what people at that time considered definition of success was nothing great, that the real definition, real success was in becoming a devotee of the Lord. So, this was what, this evolution in people’s definition of success was what Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was exemplifying. So, what this means is that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu demonstrated that he became a champion scholar at a very young age, at the age of 14 he defeated Keshav Kashmir who was undefeatable practically in all of the country at that time.
So, thereafter what did he do? Thereafter he moved on and took up the process of devotion. So, what this demonstrates is now that kind of scholarship that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited in defeating Nimai Pandit, that was the stuff of the dreams for the existing people especially the scholars at that time. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had it all and then he gave it up all for the sake of bhakti.
So, by this he demonstrated that this scholarship in logic or even scholarship in scripture if it is not concluding in devotion that is not of much use and he took people towards the higher concept, more evolved concept of pure devotional scholarship or rather scholarship which culminates in pure devotion. So, now just as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu demonstrated what was considered standard and what was considered ideal during his times and then he went beyond that. So, one part of his demonstrating what was standard at his time was his doing the pindadaan.
So, So, it is described that Aryadharmapal, this is Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s hundred names of Lord Chaitanya. So, in that he describes Aryadharmapal. So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu followed the Aryadharma that was followed by Pilate’s times and then he Aryadharmapal gaya pindadaata.
So, he went to Gaya to do pindadaan. So, that was a part of his plan to demonstrate ideal dharma according to his times. So, that after he had demonstrated, exemplified it all and achieved it all what was considered successful by success by people then he showed them what is actually success which goes beyond all the success.
So, to exemplify dharma as it was present at that time and as it was understood according to scripture at that time Chaitanya Mahaprabhu performed the Aryadharma of doing pindadaan. Thank you. Hare Krishna.