Vyas of Chaitanya-lila

Vrndavan Das Thakur glorified the Pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu greatly, but he also mentioned that in the future they would be more fully revealed. In many places in Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat Vrndavan Das Thakur mentioned, «What I am expressing, it will be fully expressed in the future when Vedavyas appears. I am not Vedavyas. Vedavyas will come, and he will give you the Pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.» But in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami said, «No. Vrndavan Das Thakur really is Vedavyas. He has truly revealed Chaitanya-lila. What he has willingly left unexpressed, the final Pastimes of Mahaprabhu, that I am describing here in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta.» So Vrndavan Das Thakur said, «Vyas will come in the future», and Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami said, «Vrndavan Das Thakur is Vedavyas». We also see that Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami became Vyasdev. He revealed the final Pastimes of Mahaprabhu and fulfilled Vrndavan Das Thakur’s prediction.

By the mercy of Srila Guru Maharaj we have got some light from these expressions, and come to the realisation that both are Vedavyas. First is Vrndavan Das Thakur, who was mentioned by Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami as the Vyas of Chaitanya-lila. And second is Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami because he also expanded Chaitanya-lila and very scrutinisingly and finely gave us the revelation of the final portion of Chaitanya-lila. Vrndavan Das Thakur’s style was overflooded with enthusiasm, and Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami’s style was very fine and authentic. I composed two slokas about the two Vyasas — Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami and Vrndavan Das Thakur — when we published Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta.

dāsa-vṛndāvanaṁ vande kṛṣṇa-dāsa-prabhuṁ tathā
chhannāvatāra-chaitanya-līlā-vistāra-kāriṇau
dvau nityānandapādābja-karuṇāreṇu-bhuṣitau
vyakta-chhannau budhāchintyau vāvande vyāsa-rūpiṇau

«I bow to Vrndavan Das Thakur and Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. They have revealed the hidden Pastimes of Lord Krishna.» Krishna is known as Tri-yuga in Srimad Bhagavatam because He only appears openly in three ages, and He is covered in the Kali-yuga (chhannah kalau yad abhavas Tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam (SB: 7.9.38)). In Kali-yuga He appears in a hidden way (chhanna) as His own devotee, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Chhanna-avatar [hidden Avatar]. So Chaitanya-lila is the hidden Pastimes of Lord Krishna. And when the Lord appears in a hidden way as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Vedavyas of His lila may also appear in that way: hidden (chhanna).

So first, «I bow down to Vrndavan Das Thakur and then to Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami because they both appeared as Vedavyas. Vrndavan Das Thakur was the open (vyakta) Vedavyas, and Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami was the hidden (chhanna) Vyas. Together they have revealed Chaitanya-lila. Both are extremely blessed by Nityananda Prabhu! They are decorated with the dust of Nityananda Prabhu’s all-merciful lotus feet (dvau Nityanandapadabja-karunarenu-bhusitau).» Vrndavan Das Thakur was Nityananda Prabhu’s disciple, and Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami received merciful blessings from Nityananda Prabhu. They were both enriched with the blessings of Nityananda Prabhu. If Nityananda Prabhu had not appeared, no one could understand Mahaprabhu, and no one would have Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta or Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat. Nowhere would there be Mahaprabhu’s life history, Mahaprabhu’s preaching programme, Mahaprabhu’s glorification, and so on. We have everything only by the grace of Nityananda Prabhu!

In this way Vrndavan Das Thakur and Srila Kaviraj Goswami blessed me. By their mercy we can understand a little bit of their glories. Vrndavan Das Thakur was very much intoxicated with the Pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu and Mahaprabhu, but he had unlimited love for Nityananda Prabhu, who gave us our real property in Krishna consciousness.