Sri Advaita Acharya Appearance Day

Humor in spiritual life

PRASADAM AT ADVAITA ACHARYA’S HOUSE

When Srila Prabhupada’s edition of Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Volume 1, was first published, devotees were surprised and pleased to read about the humorous joking between Lord Nityananda and Advaita Acarya during the taking of prasadam at Advaita Acarya’s house. One morning, during a car ride with Srila Prabhupada, one of the devotees expressed his appreciation for the new volume.

“There is such nice humor in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada.”

“Yes,” said Srila Prabhupada, “spiritual life is humor also.” Then he began to tell a story. “Krsna said to one old lady, ‘You are so ugly, you should marry a monkey.’

“‘No,’ said the old lady, ‘I have given up all material desires. I will marry You, Krsna!’

“‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ All the gopis and boys clapped and laughed.”

While Prabhupada said this, his eyes lit up and he became animated, laughing at the humorous pastimes of Krsna. “So Krsna was defeated,” said Prabhupada, “by that laughing of the gopis.”