The Iron Water Pot

Mayapur Parikrama day 7: Kolaveca Sridhar’s Home

Under the shade of the expansive mango trees at the place where Kolaveca Sridhar lived in Rajapur, Bada Haridas led the Parikrama devotees in kirtan before Indradyumna Swami gave a talk covering the pastimes of Mahaprabhu with His beloved devotee, Kolaveca Sridhar. He began by appreciating the beauty of the peaceful environment: the lush fields, the wildlife, the banana orchards. Most importantly, however, he emphasized the spiritual beauty which is so easily perceived at this particular tirtha.

He described how Kolaveca Sridhar was a poor brahmana who lived in Mayapur a little over 500 years ago. He made his living selling cups and plates made of banana leaves. He also sold the bananas, the banana flowers, and the banana pulp. He actually lived right next to a banana orchard, and so it wasn’t too difficult to pick all of these items and subsequently sell them.

Indradyumna Swami said that the Acaryas in the commentaries point out that since bananas are everywhere, everyone could just go out and pick their own bananas. So it’s noted that he didn’t have a very good income, but the amazing thing about this devotee is that whatever he made he would spend fifty percent on the worship of Mother Ganges. Whatever was left, he lived on that. Srila Prabhupada comments on this personality, “Kolaveca Sridhar is a typical example of how a poor man with no possessions can become a most exalted devotee of the Lord.” Kavi Karnapur in Gaura-Ganodesa-dipika describes that Kolaveca Sridhar is the cowherd boy Kusumasava in Krsna-lila.

Indradyumna Swami posted the question, “Why does the Lord put His devotees in such awkward circumstances?” Kolaveca Sridhar was dirt poor. How does a nitya-siddha, an eternally liberated soul, end up in a situation like Kolaveca Sridhar, in which he is just maintaining his life by selling banana leaves. This is described by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, that the different devotees in Krsna-lila took birth to assist Mahaprabhu in different capacities. Some appeared very wealthy, some very poor; some were simple, some of them had complicated lives; some were educated, some were not; some appeared as kings, some as servants. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta describes that the vision of the Vaisnava is that all of them were great, because they had given their lives and souls to Mahaprabhu. They had taken birth in these different capacities in order to provide an example to devotees who could relate to them, to show how someone could be Krsna conscious in any situation. The important thing is to always remember Krsna and never forget Him.

Sometimes we need examples, Indradyumna Swami said. We need heroes, people who are like us and set an example for us to follow. For the poor people, there is the example of Kolaveca Sridhar. There are plenty of poor people in the world; however, poverty is not a disqualification for becoming Krsna conscious.

So Kolaveca Sridhar lived in this area, in a hut that leaked water. He drank water from a cracked, iron pot. However, he was unaffected because he was Krsna conscious. Like Jesus said, “To be in this world, but not of this world.” Indradyumna Swami used the example that his situation is comparable to the lotus flower in the lake. Its roots are stuck in the mud, but the lotus flower is always above the water. Similarly, whatever situation we are in, if we are always remembering Krsna, then we are transcendental to material existence.

How did Kolaveca Sridhar remain Krsna conscious? He had nama-ruci. He was very attached to singing the Maha Mantra. He worked during the day, but he spent most of the night chanting very loudly. Indradyumna Swami mentioned that the neighbors who lived nearby assumed that Kolaveca Sridhar was so poor that the sounds in the night were his cries of hunger pains. They didn’t know who this Kolaveca Sridhar was. Meanwhile, though, he was very blissful after chanting so much, and after sleeping, he would go to the orchard and pick the items he needed, and then he would go to Navadvipa and sell his items.

One of his regular customers happened to be Nimai Pandit, who was not yet recognized as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nimai would buy bananas and leaves from Kolaveca Sridhar. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur describes that they had a loving, but complicated relationship. Nimai would tease Kolaveca Sridhar. He would ask the price for the bananas, He’d be given the price, and He would only want to pay half! Kolaveca Sridhar would say, “I’m a poor man, please give me this amount.” But Mahaprabhu would argue with him, and He would often pull the bananas away and not pay anything!

One day, Nimai Pandit asked Kolaveca Sridhar, “Why are you so poor? I heard that you are a great devotee of the Lord. You are worshiping the husband of the Goddess of fortune, Lakshmi devi. But you don’t have enough food or water and your hut is leaking. You’re worshiping the husband of the Goddess of Fortune, but you are a poor man. Yet, those who worship the bloodthirsty Kali have an abundance of material wealth. What is going on here?”

Kolaveca Sridhar replied, “Sir, a bird makes a nest in a tree and then spends his time wandering around looking for sense gratification, something to eat, all day long. Similarly, a king lives in a palace and spends his whole day making his plans for sense gratification, as well. In my understanding, there is no difference in pleasure experienced by one or the other. They are engaged in the same activity. The pleasure comes and goes. So why should I change my position and try to become the king? It’s the same thing.”

Nimai then asked, “Where do you get your pleasure from?” Kolaveca Sridhar smiled and said, “From service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” The Lord was very pleased by this response, and Nimai Pandit said, “Externally, though you appear to be poor, you are actually a rich man, because real wealth is love for the Supreme Lord. I will very shortly show to the entire foolish world that a devotee alone is qualified to possess such wealth.” Indradyumna Swami said that this pastime between Kolaveca Sridhar and the Lord would go on practically every day. Nimai Pandit would come and they would argue and the arguments would go on for hours.

Caitanya Bhagavata comments on this and mentions that Kolaveca Sridhar was a very honest person and was asking a reasonable price for the bananas. He was so honest that anyone who purchased bananas would not barter with him. They trusted him so much, but Nimai Pandit would argue with him. Caitanya Bhagavata says that although it appeared they were arguing, Kolaveca Sridhar was experiencing great pleasure in seeing the beautiful form of the Lord every day. The Acaryas say that if that meant that Kolaveca Sridhar needed to argue to keep the Lord in his presence a little bit longer, he would do so, just to have darshan of the Supreme for a little longer.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur confirms that Kolaveca Sridhar knew who Nimai Pandit was. He was under no illusion — if only because during their arguments, Mahaprabhu would refer to His own divine personality sometimes.

In Caitanya Bhagavata, Mahaprabhu says to Kolaveca Sridhar: “Every day, you buy things to offer to the Ganges. Why don’t you just give something to Me without changing anything? Don’t you know that I am the father of the Ganga that you worship? I am telling you the truth. I am the father of the Ganga.”

After some time, whenever Kolaveca Sridhar would see Nimai Pandit, he would just push the bananas toward Mahaprabhu and say, “Take them.” Kolaveca Sridhar gave Mahaprabhu everything he had, all of the bananas he had. Mahaprabhu would eat them with great relish.

Indradyumna Swami said that this pastime mirrors the verse in the Bhagavad-gita that describes how if even a fruit, flower or leaf is offered with love, the Lord will accept it. By contrast, if a very wealthy person offers something to the Lord, without devotion, Krsna is not interested in accepting it.

Indradyumna Swami used the example that a wealthy man came to see Srila Prabhupada in Mumbai and donated 1,000 rupees, which was really nothing for the wealthy man. The man asked Prabhupada, “Swamiji, do you like the donation I have given you?” Prabhupada replied, “Krsna is not watching what you are giving. He is watching what you are keeping in your pocket.”

Srila Rupa Goswami presents the same idea in a slightly different angle in Padyavali, verse number 8. Indradyumna Swami mentioned that this verse is one of his favorite verses in Padyavali.

Indradyumna Swami also gave an example from Canakya Pandit: when a herd of calves are walking down a trail together; the mother cows watching from above can each see her own calf, even mixed in as it is with hundreds of other calves. The calves all look the same, but she can pick out her own calf due to her great love.

Later on, Indradyumna Swami described how Mahaprabhu tested Kolaveca Sridhar to show other devotees how his devotion for the Lord was so deep. The pastime took place when Mahaprabhu revealed His form as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the home of Srivas Thakur. Mahaprabhu asked, “Where is Kolaveca Sridhar?” He wanted him there and asked for the devotees to bring him. The devotees ran to Kolaveca Sridhar’s home and they told Kolaveca Sridhar that the Lord was currently revealing Himself.

Caitanya Bhagavata describes that when Kolaveca Sridhar arrived and saw Nimai revealing Himself as Mahaprabhu, he fainted on the ground. After he came back to consciousness, Mahaprabhu called him and said, “I would like to give you a benediction.” All the devotees were listening intently.

Mahaprabhu said, “Kolaveca Sridhar, you are a poor person. I want to give you the eight perfections of mystic yoga. It would make your life easier. What do you think about that?” Kolaveca Sridhar replied, “All I want is devotion to Your lotus feet.” However, Mahaprabhu replied, “I want to give you a boon.” He was insistent.

Kolaveca Sridhar said,

Indradyumna Swami said that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur finds this verse so pure. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta commented on this verse. He writes, “Through external analysis no one can recognize the true character of a devotee. No one should think that the ability to collect great amounts of money is a sign of devotion, or that someone who is able to accumulate a great number of followers is a better Vaisnava than someone who can’t. Furthermore, if someone is a great religious scholar, it does not necessarily mean he is a great devotee of the Lord.” Conversely, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati went on to describe that a servant of Sri Caitanya may have very little money and may be lacking in all of the aforementioned qualities, but in his heart he is a great Vaisnava. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta went on to say that such a devotee considers service to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be more valuable than the accumulation of wealth, followers, or learning. But unfortunately the general public may not appreciate the depth of such devotees, their glories, or their superior nature.

Similarly, Indradyumna Swami mentioned that because we are conditioned from the material world, we bring some dirt along with us to devotional life, and we may not be able to recognize the devotees. So we start the day, he said, by offering obeisances to the Vaisnavas.

Kolaveca Sridhar remained a simple brahmana. He was revealed by his devotion to the Lord. After this pastime at Srivas Angan, Kolaveca Sridhar was part of a number of other pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Indradyumna Swami said that he found it interesting how much the Lord loved this devotee. “The Lord loves those who love the Lord,” he quoted from George Harrison.

After the pastime during which the Lord delivered Chand Khazi, Mahaprabhu was thirsty. So many devotees would have relished the opportunity to help the Lord satisfy His thirst. However, the Lord went to Kolaveca Sridhar’s house. It was evening time when He arrived, and Kolaveca Sridhar was loudly chanting. The neighbors were still thinking that Kolaveca Sridhar was groaning from hunger pangs. They could not recognize the devotee. However, the love of His devotee brought Mahaprabhu here. There was the old beaten iron water pot of Kolaveca Sridhar, which had a little crack in it. It had some water in it and with great relish, Mahaprabhu took the water from the broken water pot of Kolaveca Sridhar.

When Kolaveca Sridhar saw His Lord drinking from this pot, he was mortified and fell down unconscious. The Acaryas comment that Mahaprabhu wanted to show that the water from a devotee, even if it is old and offered in a broken water pot, is like nectar to the Lord. By contrast, the Lord ignores the proud nondevotees’ water even if it is offered in a jeweled goblet. The love of the devotee attracts the Supreme. It is the most valuable thing we have, Indradyumna Swami said. It is there in our hearts right now, only a little covered over. The process of chanting awakens prema for the Lord.

Indradyumna Swami said that if you’re impatient to develop this love, because life is short and because anything can happen at any time, then there is another call you can make. He said we can all raise our arms and call out, “Gauranga! Nityananda!” Mahaprabhu is even more merciful than Krsna.

He ended his lecture by saying that if we pray and chant in this most holy place, we can develop some of the qualities of Kolaveca Sridhar. He then led the devotees in one more rousing kirtan in which they chanted and danced and called out the names of Gauranga and Nityananda.

This article, written by Gandharvika keli devi dasi, was based on Indradyumna Swami’s lecture at Kolaveca Sridhar’s house in Rajapur during the Mayapur Parikrama 2018.

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