RGYatra

Annual yatra announcement.

2010-04-22T03:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Devotees, we are happy to inform you that we will be visiting South India this year during our annual yatra this will take place in Dec 2010 date for the same are as follows:
Yatra will begin on 21st Dec 2010 and end on 1st Jan 2011 both dates inclusive, please take note of the important dates mentioned on the left side bar.

Yatra Dates announcement.

2010-03-23T02:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Devotees, we will soon announce the yatra dates for this years annual Sri Sri Radha Gopinath yatra. Please keep checking for the same.
We will also try and come up with some good pastimes of devotees from the South.

Lord Nrsimhadev Reciprocates Instantly.

2009-10-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

by Pankajanghri das
The fact that people just love to hear stories is one reason why some of the Vedic codes were gradually transmitted in story form, like the epic histories Mahabharata and Ramayana and the Puranas. When such stories concern the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees, they are called lilas. Being labeled Lord Nrsimhadev's pujari in Mayapur, I have been asked to recount some stories in connection with Him, but unlike the sastras (scriptures), these "lilas" (pastimes) have no authority except for the testimony of the devotees who told them. In most cases there were no other witnesses. Although I am generally quite skeptical when it comes to accepting other people's mystical experiences as truth, just too many things started happening recently, not to sit up and take notice.
For instance, during the last Gaura Purnima festival, I called over a devotee in the crowd and asked her to distribute the Lord's caranamrta to the ladies, which she did. Later, when she brought the caranamrta pot back, she remarked that Lord Nrsimhadev was very merciful to reciprocate so quickly.
"I was praying this morning that I might be able to offer some direct service to Him, and now you have given me this service."
"Yes," I said, "desires are quickly fulfilled in the dham. Just see, the same day you desire, it happened."
"No, not the same day--the same moment," she replied. "The very instant I expressed that desire to serve Him, you called me over."
"Wow! that is amazing," I acknowledged. "Did you hear about how one devotee's eye problem was cured at the same time that Lord Nrsimhadev's original eyes were placed back, after one donor had bought Him new eyes?"
"Oh, yes," she told me. "As a matter of fact, I was staying in the same building when Lord Nrsimhadev spoke to her." She added, "You know, there was so much energy around that night that nobody could get any sleep."

Just a few days later, another devotee revealed how Lord Nrsimhadev helped him. "I was suffering intensely. I could not even stand without supporting myself on the column in front of Lord Nrsimhadev's altar. I prayed, 'Please help me. Take away this suffering condition so that I may serve You fully.' I then felt all my pain moving up and flowing out of my body. It just left."
While I was hearing this, I noticed another devotee who had come for the darshan of the Lord. Earlier in the morning this devotee had asked my advice what to do, for she had been afflicted for about two weeks with a severe problem that contaminated her body, that wouldn't allow her to paint some Deities in Assam, although she had already been commissioned to do it and had an air ticket to go.
"Mataji," I exclaimed while walking over to her, "Lord Nrsimhadev is giving instant benedictions. Why don't you ask Him to remove your problem?"
The very next morning, when she saw me, she said "Thank you so much for the advice! You know, when I arrived home from the temple yesterday, my problem had completely disappeared."
Some days later another devotee came to the pujari room and told us about a dream, wherein Lord Nrsimhadev walked and talked with her just like a father. When she asked how she could serve Him, He told her to offer Him some mangoes. It wasn't the mango season, but she managed to get some, and we offered them for her. This was the year that left his body in Mayapur.
A few days after this tragedy she came again and said, "Actually, I only told you half of the dream. Lord Nrsimhadev also said to me, "My pujari is very dear to Me, and I am going to take him back with Me."
"Oh, don't do that, please," I fearfully exclaimed. "We want him to stay here."
"No, I think I will take him back."
"And after my pleading with Him for a long time, the Lord firmly announced. 'All right, then, I will take one of the gurus instead.'"
She concluded by saying, "I told my spiritual master about this dream, and he advised me not to tell anyone. But now, because it has come true, I think I can tell you."
When I repeated this story to my friend, Visvambhar from Carolina, he said, "This is amazing! My wife also dreamed about Lord Nrsimhadev and mangoes. You see, yesterday, while she was walking outside the Mayapur campus, she saw a jar of mango pickles in a shop and desired to buy them for Lord Nrsimhadev. But doubting the purity of the contents, she refrained. However, last night, Lord Nrsimhadev appeared in her dream and asked, "Where are My mango pickles?"
When Lord Nrsimhadev first came to Mayapur, all the pujaris were reluctant to worship His awesome form. Bhava Siddhi das was particularly frightened and always very nervous worshiping Him. One night, after putting the Lord to rest, he was leaving the altar, when he heard such a tremendous sound that it made his hairs stand on end. Looking back fearfully, he saw that everything was in place. So he quickly left, locked the door and paid his obeisances, praying for forgiveness for any offense he might inadvertently have committed. At the end of that night he was awakened by the shaking of his bed. Bhava Siddhi was sleeping on the top of a bunk bed. So he thought it must be the pujari below him getting up for mangala-arati (morning worship).
However, when he opened his eyes, he saw Lord Nrsimhadev sitting on his bed. That fortunate pujari became very fearful, practically to the point of panic. As he tried to get up, Lord Nrsimhadev place His two hands, which felt like the weight of the universe, on his shoulders. "Be peaceful, be calm," the Lord consoled him. "I have just come to tell you that when you worship Me in the temple, there is no need to fear Me. Please, give up this fear."
The Lord then disappeared, but Bhava Siddhi began to run up and down the veranda of the Long Building, where he slept.
"What happened?" asked some concerned devotees. But they received only incoherent replies. They started to think maybe he had gone mad or become haunted by a ghost. Finally Bhava Siddhi ran over the the temple and prostrated himself before the door where Lord Nrsimhadev is worshiped and offered heartfelt prayers. After some time he became a little pacified, and began walking back to his room. "I wonder why everyone is staring at me," he thought. When he looked down, the answer was obvious: He had gone to the temple in his night dress.
I saw Bhava Siddhi at last year's Gaura Purnima festival--he is living in America now--and asked him about that incident. "Yes," he said. "I still have those two marks from Lord Nrsimhadev on my shoulders. They are almost gone now, but they are still visible."
He wasn't the only one to claim to have seen Lord Nrsimhadev. Once, a devotee from a nearby Gaudiya Math came to offer worship to Lord Nrsimhadev and told our head pujari, Jananivas, that on Nrsimha Caturdasi (the Appearance Day of Nrsimhadev), he had been staying up all night chanting. Then, at the end of the night, Lord Nrsimhadev manifested Himself in his room. It was the form of Nrsimhadev from the ISKCON temple, and He appeared to be smiling very sweetly at me. My Guru Maharaj said I was very fortunate and should come here and worship Lord Nrsimhadev.
Another time the frantic parents of a runaway boy, after searching all over the country, finally heard that their son was at our Mayapur center. They immediately came and spent the whole day looking for him, inquiring at the reception desk and from individual devotees, but they were not at all lucky in tracing him.
At the end of the day, during the sandhya arati (evening worship) of Lord Nrsimhadev, his mother was praying with folded hands,"My dear Lord, the last time I came here, I happily participated in the chanting and dancing, but now my heart is broken because of my lost son, and I find no pleasure in life anymore. My Lord, if only my son could be returned to me, then I would also raise my hands and chant 'Haribol, Hare Krishna.'"
As these words left her mouth, a figure passed and stepped before her and Lord Nrsimhadev: it was her lost son. Both parents have now accepted Vaishnava initiation, started a nama hatta preaching center, and are enthusiastically preaching the Lord's glories.
There are other stories--some I would be hesitant to repeat, and others that I can't, having been told them in confidence. The devotees who told me these stories have had their faith and conviction strengthened, and certainly mine was, too, by hearing them. So if others derive the same benefit from reading them--even though they are not sastra (scripture)--it will be most beneficial. They help us advance in Krishna consciousness.

Pastimes of Lord Nrsimhadev during 2006 - 2007

2009-09-25T00:08:00.000-07:00

Lord Nrsimhadev resolves a father's dilemma
9th September 2006
My father and mother, living at Bakura district, Catna village, are initiated devotees of the Gaudiya Math. My name is Gauranga. I had joined the ISKCON Sri Mayapur temple six months ago, and after finishing the three months bhakta training course, I was put in the school preaching service.
A few days ago just before Jhulan Purnima (the Lord's swing festival), my father came to take me back to my house with a request from him aand other family members that I should sit for the higher board examination and get a degree. I also had a slight desire to go and see my mother. However on hearing my father's intention, devotees, concerned devotees made heartfelt requests. One even fell at his feet, begging him not to take me back to the world of maya (illusion). My father, being a Vaishnava (devotee of the Lord) himself, fell in a great dilemma. Finally he took shelter of Lord Nrsimhadev and prayed to Him for guidance. That night Lord Nrsimhadev appeared in my father's dream. The Lord was in a very calm mood. He rubbed the palm of his hand on my father and said, "My dear son, you go. Your son shall remain here at My lotus feet." Upon seeing the Lord, my father, completely startled, started to pay obeisances. Then Lord Nrsimhadev disappeared. My father happily told my incharge that I may remain and continue to serve here. I also called and informed the other family members that I was not ready to appear for any kind of examinations this year.
Please Help Me!
On the 10th of December, 2006, while taking the bhakti shastri course in Mayapur, Deepak Gupta from Delhi, suddenly contracted chicken pox. Hoping against hope he consulted three doctors--aleopath, homeopath and ayurvedic. All three confirmed the same thing: "Take complete rest in isolation for for at least twenty days." Deepak became really upset because his parents had let him come to Mayapur only after his repeated requests over a long period of time. Now he would have to miss the courses as well as the association of sannyasis and other senior teachers.
After suffering intensely for three days, Deepak just couldn't tolerate it any more so he made his way to the temple. He arrived just after sandhya aroti (evening worship). As he stood before Lord Nrsimhadev, he said, "Dear Lord just look at my pitiable condition (his whole body aching and covered with sores). Please help me." Then he joined the que for the Deity's mahaprasadam (sanctified remnants). The startled pujari, seeing his condition, gave him some prasadam and called for the security guard, who escorted him out from the temple and told him not to come back with such a contagious disease.
Deepak returned to his room depressed at the thought of having to suffer like this for another seventeen days or so. At 2 a.m. the next morning, Deepak awoke feeling very energetic. He got up to take a shower, and to his delight and surprise, he saw that the sores on his body had gone. All the marks had just disappeared. He attended the whole morning program without feeling any trace of fatigue. Deepak says, "I am really thankful to Lord Nrsimhadev for what He did for me in the holy dham. He saved my life. I could not tell you the pain I was getting and He cured me in just one day."
Letter from Andharupa devi dasi
Hare Krishna. My name is Andharupa dasi initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1975 at Miami Florida. I was asked to tell my story of my cure from Hepatitis C.
The summer of 2004 His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja visited New Ramana reti temple in Alachua Florida. I approached Maharaja and asked him for his blessings for my departure from this world. My illness: Hepatitis C of 3rd stage fibrosis of the liver. I was undergoing medical treatment for a duration of 48 weeks with only 45% chance to be cured with many side affects. Jayapataka Maharaja said to me "You see this staff? It was touched to Lord Nrsimhadev in Mayapur." Then he touched it to my head. That night I had a dream my body was diseased with leprosy and started to fade away. The next morning I had a phone call from the University of Florida. The doctors told me "Congratulations. You are Hepatitis C free. The viral count is non reactive in just 8 weeks!" The doctors were amazed especially for I had genotype 1, the deadly type of Hepatitis C.
When I started this treatment I prayed to Lord Nrsimhadev every day, "Whatever your desire, You may take me from this world or you may cure me. Whatever you see fit. However, please allow me to always be engaged in your pure devotional service." Thank you Lord for giving me a second chance.
Thank you for your time.
Gratefully yours, Andharupa dasi
Government Doctor's Inspiration
Dr. Bashudev Das is a Bangladesh Government doctor. His 20 year old daughter Mistee Das who is a medical student, became very sick in March 2006. She was diagnosed with a life-threatening germ cell tumor in the ovary. They brought her to Mumbai, where treatment started. But soon the doctors gave up on her. Dr. Das went to visit the ISKCON Temple in Juhu, where one devotee gave him a leaflet about the upcoming Nrsimha Caturdasi festival in Mayapur, which he attended. There he received a small book of pastimes of Lord Nrsimhadev in Mayapur. He read in the book some of the miraculous cures that Lord Nrsimhadev had performed, and was convinced that by Lord Nrsimhadev's mercy his daughter would be cured. He went back to Bangladesh and contacted Lord Nrsimhadev's pujari in Mayapur. He requested him to offer a special offering to Lord Nrsimhadev to save his daughter's life. Immediately Mistee's health started to improve. Now gradually she is returning back to her normal state.
Basudev Das became so inspired by Lord Nrsimhadev's mercy that he printed the book of His pastimes and distributed it in Bangladesh. He says, "I feel every person should pray to Lord Nrsimhadev for personal and spiritual development."
Miracle at Mayapur
On October 28th, 2006, Chakravarty Raj, the 14 year old son of Radha Kanta Gopal das and Padma Radhika devi dasi was injured when a fire cracker burst in his face. He was immediately rushed to hospital. The doctors said that he suffered from 2nd degree burn injuries on his face and suggested (1) facial dressing immediately, (2) chemical crafting after a fortnight and then (3) plastic surgery after 6 months or 1 year.
Next morning, the parents requested Pankajanghri Prabhu to offer special offerings to Lord Nrsimhadev for the speedy recovery of Chakravarty Raj, which were duly performed.
For the next 2 days, he was just lying in bed without much movement. He could not even open his eyelids. He was then taken to Disha eye hospital at Barackpur, where they found that the carina (the white portions of the eyes) took the burn injury and the pupils were unharmed. Hence, there would be no problem with his sight and a treatment of 15 days would cure the carina.
On 2nd November morning, Padma Radhika devi dasi approached her Guru Mahraja, His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, and told him of what had happened. He gestured that he will pray for him and applied Nrsimha oil on her forehead. The same morning, Chakra was taken to Kolkata for treatment of his facial injuries
After getting an opinion at the Apollo Hospital in the morning, Chakravarty was taken to the Railway Hospital at Howrah. One of the senior Doctors tested him and confirmed that it was a second degree burn and sent him to the dressing room for initial facial dressing. But within 3 minutes one of the staff from the dressing room rushed out yelling and took the parents inside. Upon seeing Chakravarty the parents stood there motionless, struck with wonder and amazement. There was Chakra, standing and smiling, with no trace of any injury or mark on his face!! Nrsimhadev ki jai.
When asked for clarification, the Doctor and others present in that place could not give any valid reason. One of them said, "You can go back in your temple and ask you Lord about it. "yeh tho apke Bhagavan ka chamarkar hai." "This is your Lord's miracle."
All glories to Lord Nrsimhadev and all glories to Sri Sri Radha Madhava.
Padmaradhika devi dasi, Principle of Bhaktivedanta National School, Sri Mayapur.

"I Want My Eyes Back"

2009-09-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

On a warm December morning last year, around 11:00 a.m., as I sought the association of the magnificent Lord and prayed to His dear most devotee Prahlada, I found myself involved in one of His temple lilas (pastimes), much to my astonishment
After offering my obeisances to the captivating Prahlada, who stands next to his beloved Lord with his hands folded and his small body decorated with fresh fresh flowers and beautiful ornaments, I prayed, "My dear Prahlada, you are expert in receiving all kinds of blessings from Lord Nrsimhadev. ou even received the blessings of forgiveness for you demoniac father, Hiranyakasipu. Please ask you Lord to bless this poor sould with the destruction of everything that stands in the way of her devotional service. Show me the way to real happiness."
Then, as i stood meditating on the Lord's beauty and mercy, I heard a very sweet, deep voice: "I want My eyes back!" At first, I ignored it and kept my mind in the mode of prayer. But the voice spoke a second time: "I want My eyes back!" Attempting again to disregard this clear message raised a burning and almost a painful sensation in my heart. I was dumbfounded. What was I to do? Then the voice continued: "Go to the pujari." Okay, I thought, I have nothing to lose. If the pujaris think I am crazy, I will at most lose a bit of my false ego.
Praying to the Lord to give me the strength to carry out His order, I paid my obeisances and almost breathlessly headed for the pujari rooms. There I found Jananivas Prabhu reading the Srimad Bhagavatam. The atmosphere in the room was extremely serene and otherworldly. I stood there for several minutes and waited for him to notice me. Then, after I told him what happened, he asked me to go see his twin brother, Pankajanghri Prabhu, the actual pujari of Lord Nrsimhadev.
Somehow I felt that I didn't have to do more at this point."
The following day, as I approached the magnificent form of Lord Nrsimhadev, my mind buzzed with doubt. "What if that voice was just my mind, demanding the healing of my eyesight, which has been very poor and painful for the past six week?"Thinking in this way, I prayed for an answer. The voice spoke to me again, this time with a more serious and firm tone: "you will get your eyes back when I get mine!" His form always emanates a soft light, and my heart felt peaceful and warm. I felt overwhelmed with unusual confidence, as if my head were touching the sky.
The next morning, at 2:20 a.m., I woke up fully refreshed and wide-awake. It was unusually early for me, as I usually get up around six O'clock. A soft voice urged me to rise, bathed and attend mangala-arati (early morning worship)-- which I did.
After the ceremony was over, the same voice urged me to follow Pankajanghri Prabhu from Lord Nrsimhadev's altar into the pujari room. I felt very embarrassed and had tears in my eyes. I also felt a kind of unwillingness in my heart to reveal my mind to him.
As he was preparing the articles for the Lord's abhisheka, I started to talk to him. Pankajanghri Prabhu listened attentively to my story. Then, without saying anything, he smiled and gave me maha sweets from Lord Nrsimhadev's plate.
The following morning, when my daughter returned from the temple, she was shouting, "Mommy, they changed Nrsimhadev's eyes! He has beautiful red eyes now." And as the sweet deep voice had promised, my eyesight was miraculously cured--within three days.
All glories, all glories to the merciful Lord Nrsimhadev in Sri Mayapur.
[Editor's note: Lord Nrsimhadev originally had red eyes. One day, a devotee came to Mayapur and offered two precious yellow stones for His eyes, and the pujaris reluctantly changed the eyes on the Deity. They felt happy when the Lord revealed that He wanted His original red eyes.]
Atmarati Dasi, who joined ISKCON in 1980 is from Greece, and she wrote this article for Mayapur journal in 1997,

Some Pastimes of Lord Nrsimhadev.

2009-09-17T22:57:00.000-07:00

Pastime One
Lord Nrsimhadev's pujari had a very startling dream in which the director of the Temple called him and told him to bring some diesel oil, saying, "We are going to sacrifice Lord Nrsimhadev."You are going to what?!" exclaimed the pujari." "Yes we are going to sacrifice Lord Nrsimhadev."
"You can't do that, this is crazy."
"Just bring the diesel will you?"
“Ok, I will bring the oil but I don't want anything to do with this, it doesn't make any sense.”
After some time the pujari returned to the temple and was totally shocked to see that everything had been completely burned by a great fire and all that remained of the Deity was his feet and ankles. Early next morning he approached the chief pujari and asked if he could explain the meaning of this terrible nightmare. After thinking for awhile, he began to smile and said "Oh yes, you see yesterday was the start of jaladan (the festival of dripping water on salagram for one month), but we forgot to observe it, therefore Lord Nrsimhadev is letting you know that He is burning up and you should immediately begin the jaladan," which we did!
Pastime Two
Once, Lord Nrsimhadev's worship was going on as usual when the pujari noticed that one flower fell from Nrsimhadev's garland. The pujari asked the visitors if anyone was offering any special prayers to Lord Nrsimhadev. The visitors in front did not say anything, but from the back one lady came forward with tears in her eyes. She said, "My daughter got married about four or five years ago and she has no issue. The people in my son-in-law's house consider it inauspicious. So I was praying to Nrsimhadev that He might help her in her desperate situation." Then the pujari said, "Your prayer is granted, the symptom is that this flower fell from Nrsimhadev's garland. Please take this and keep it nicely. You can wash this flower and give the water to your daughter to drink." Then the lady left, and later the pujari forgot the incident.
After one year, the same devotee, along with her daughter, son-in-law and a newborn baby came smiling to Nrsimhadev. She reminded the pujari about the prayer she made one year back, as a result of which her daughter gave birth to a very nice baby boy, whom they named Prahlad. And once again they offered a very nice puja (offering) to Lord Nrsimhadev.
Pastime three
One of our Namahatta devotees, Kalyanit dasi, has two daughters, the elder one is Prathibha and the younger is Anubha. Both of them are married, and they have grown-up children. They both live in the same city, Berhampur. Once the husband of Prathibha fell extremely sick and was in a coma, near to death. Along with the other relatives the younger sister, Anubha, was also in great anxiety about her brother-in-law's situation. She went to the hospital, and as she was a devotee, she prayed to Lord Nrsimhadev (at ISKCON Mayapur) to help her brother-in-law. She came home and went to bed with a heavy heart. At the end of the night she had a dream in which Lord Nrsimhadev came near to her and told her, "Don't worry, your brother-in-law is ok." And then her dream broke. In the morning the news came from the hospital that the patient was doing well, his saline drip and oxygen had both been removed, and he was now able to talk.
Pastime four
There was a fight in a village, and in the course of the fight one person was attacked with acid as a result of which his whole face was burnt and terribly disfigured. The sight of one of the eyes was completely lost and the other eye had only about 10% vision. The doctors said that the remaining eye, through which he had 10% vision, would also go blind very soon. They suggested taking the patient to Vellore (South India) for further treatment, to see if they could do something about it. At that time a devotee who was there, suggested that they should pray to Lord Nrsimhadev for the recovery of his eyes. As a result they prayed to Lord Nrsimhadev (at ISKCON Mayapur). The next day, much to the doctor's surprise, it was found that the patient could see everything very nicely.
Pastime five
One Russian lady used to make tulasi garlands for Nrsimhadev every day. Being pleased with her, Nrsimhadev's pujari gave her one of Lord Nrsimhadev's false finger nails as prasad. She took it and kept it with her. That night she had a dream in wich she saw that Lord Nrsimhadev had come to her and was sitting one her bed. The Lord then put His fingers with His long nails inside her heart and pulled out something black and said "You see this? This is not love, it is lust. And there is still more here. What shall I do with it?" She could not reply, and her dream broke. The next day she went before Lord Nrsimhadev and asked Him to throw it far away.
Pastime Six
The father of one of the devotees of ISKCON your forum used to argue with him saying, "Why do we have to worship Nrsimhadev, when Radha Madhava are there?" The boy tried to make his father understand that Krishna and Nrsimhadev are non-different, but his father was not very convinced in this regard. During Nrsimha Caturdasi 2003, this boy, along with his father, came to the temple and was watching Lord Nrsimhadev's Abhisek ceremony. Suddenly the boy's father saw Madhava's face in place of Nrsimhadev's. He turned to Radha Madhava and again he looked back at Nrsimhadev and found Nrsimhadev's face as Madhava's still. This contineud for about 20 seconds. In this way he realized that there is no difference between Madhava and Nrsimhadev.
Pastime seven
During 2004 Kavipriya devi dasi of South Kolkata, a disciple of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, made some bracelets for Lord Nrsimhadev. Somehow or other she could not come to Mayapur and offer them to the Lord. In the meantime she started becoming sick in different ways. She went to the doctors and tried various treatments, but there was no cure. Lastly the doctors said that her problem was thyroid. As a result, she would eventually be unable to move.
As she was in great anxiety, thinking what to do, all of a sudden she remembered about Lord Nrsimhadev and the bracelets which she was supposed to offer to Him. Even though she was ill, she made the endeavor to come to Mayapur to give Him the bracelets. After offering them to Lord Nrsimhadev, all the symptoms of illness were totally removed within three days.
All glories to Lord Nrsimhadev!
Pastime Eight
“Thank You, Lord Nrsimhadev.”
On april 22, 2005, Revati Sundari devi dasi, age 8, was climbing on the roof of the bamboo playhouse in the Grhastha park in Sri Mayapur dham. To her great surprise she fell through the roof, landing on her head, and the roof caved in on top of her. She was in shock for an hour, shaking and crying and incoherent. She also had concussion. Gaura Baba, our wonderful homeopathic vaishnava doctor, treated her for concussion and shock and suggested a scan.
After three days, Revati woke up in the night vomiting black blood. We rushed her off to Kolkata. On the way, clear fluid was leaking from her nose, then violent nosebleeds started.
We took her straight to a good pediatrician, who immediately called in the top neurologist in the city. He ordered a CT scan and then, seeing the results, he sent us to a very good neurosurgeon, who has his own private hospital. Revati was admitted straight away.
The symptoms continued through the night, and we found out that the clear fluid from her nose was the brain fluid (CFS)leaking out. The scan clearly showed a fracture in the floor of her brain, from which the brain fluid was escaping. Also her brain was swollen and blood was pooling there, causing pressure. She had extreme pain in her head which was unabated since the accident. The doctors worked on her for a couple of days, giving her medicine intravenously. The whites of her eyes became totally red. She was like a limp rag with little interest in anything.
Finally the doctors said that the next morning, early, they would do a special scan showing all the sections of her brain to determine the exact extent of the injuries and then would probably decide to operate to repair the damage. They would tell us their decision by 9 am.
I phoned Pankajanghri Prabhu, explaining the situation and asking him to please pray to Lord Nrsimhadev. He immediately said he would do a full puja (offering) between 5 and 7 am, complete with abhisekha and everything else. This was the time of the special scan.
The next morning when I met the doctors, they were looking amazed and said that the new scan showed that the injuries were miraculously almost healed. All the symptoms such as pain, violent nosebleeds, brain fluid leakage, vomiting, etc. had abruptly stopped.
When I went in to see Revati, she was sitting up in bed looking bright-eyed and fresh, and her eyes were fully white again. Thank you, Lord Nrsimhadev!
In gratitude and love, your servant Racitambara dasi
Pastime Nine
Lord Nrsimhadev shows His mercy even to a non-devotee.
Yasoda Mata's 85 year old foster father passed away two months ago.
During his stay in the hospital, Yasoda Mata prepared a tape recorder and played the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra all day long in his ward. Her foster father was actually in semi-coma, but miraculously when he heard the maha-mantra, gradually he awoke and with closed eyes he appeared to be enjoying the music and the sound vibration.
He started to follow the tempo by tapping his hand on the edge of his bed. His finger ring made the sound like "don, don, don" "don don don"..." He looked like he was totally meditating on the Maha mantra. Suddenly he spoke, "Look! There is a huge five-clawed man, and his head looks just like a lion's. He is coming into my ward. Don't you see him? He is coming." The foster father still with eyes closed said. "Oh, yes, I forgot you all cannot see him, but he is really here. I do not know who he is."
At that moment Yasoda Mata and her daughters looked at each other in great surprise and answered, " Father, He is Lord Nrsimhadev," "What dev???” he asked. “I don't know Him. But He is nodding His head to tell me that He is."
Yasoda Mata felt great ecstasy in hearing this, for in her house she keeps a model of the Nrsimha Deity from Mayapur and had been offering heartfelt prayers to Him so that her father could leave the body without any attachment and that his soul can become Krishna's devotee in his next birth.
Continuously her father said, "Look, He is smiling to me and starting to speak again. Oh, He is telling me that I have to learn to chant what you are chanting now. What exactly are you chanting?" He said.
"It is a mantra to call the holy name of Lord," Yasoda Mata replied.
"I don't know what mantra, but please teach me," he said.
"All right father, please repeat after me and listen carefully--Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare." Yasoda Mata taught her foster father word by word patiently. Without taking a long time, he learned and tried to chant, and chanted so nicely.
The next day he passed away with tranquility.
During that weekend we devotees here congregated together to do the kirtan(chanting) for Yasoda Mata's father at the funeral service. Yasoda Mata prepared the prasadam garland, Ganga water, tulasi and put tilak on her father, which have all been done nicely and properly according to her guru maharaj His Holiness Giridhari Swami's telephone instruction. Her foster father's face looked so peaceful. His cheeks were a little pink and his body was soft. After some customary ceremonies, the body was sent to the incinerator. A few hours later the people who work in the memorial service came to us and and exclaimed to us in amazement, "We have never seen anyone's ashes look so white and beautiful like jade as your father's! What happened to him? What were you chanting for him? Could you write it down for us? We want to learn and we think we can also chant while doing our service here."
Why the Lord personally appeared before someone who we consider is not a devotee proves the scriptural statement that if one is always engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, all their family members will be benefited as well. From Lin Tulip, Taiwan, 20th March 2006.

Sri Nrsimhadev: The Lord in His Most Terrific Form.

2009-09-14T03:44:00.000-07:00

Om namo bhagavate sri maha-Nrsimhaya/ damstra-karala-vadanaya/ ghora-rupaya vajra-nakhaya/ jvala-maline mama vighnan paca paca/ mama bhayan bhindi bhindi/ mama satrun vidravaya vidravaya mama/ sarva ristan prabhanjaya prabhanjaya/ chata chata, hana hana, chindi chindi/ mama sarvabhistan puraya puraya mam/ raksa raksa hum phat svaha
"O Nrsimhadeva, whose form is terrible by sharp and long teeth: who is very fearful to see with strong, large nails, and who is garlanded by flames--destroy, destroy my obstacles and kick out, kick out my fear. Scatter, scatter my enemies, destroy, destroy my karma. Flash, flash! Kill, kill! Cut, cut! Ever fulfill, fulfill my desire to serve You and protect, protect me and all around me."
Startling, isn't it--this maha-mantra of Lord Nrsimhadeva? For those who have had darsana of this Deity form here in Mayapur--especially at mangala-arati, when in the darkness of pre-dawn, His doors open to reveal His awesome form, illuminated by 200 oil lamps, that make His eyes and teeth glint in His lion-like face with a gaping mouth--they know that this description is no exaggeration. While inside the altar area, the pujari circles large lamps of bright flaming camphor and ghee. Outside, many devotees throng for a glimpse of their Lord, for they know that this auspicious arati will be over in just three or four minutes.
It is just before 5:00 a.m. The arati is over and the heavy wooden doors to Lord Nrsimhadeva's altar are closed.
I enter the Deity room, after offering prostrated obeisances and praying for the blessings of Srila Prabhupada and the assembled devotees. While standing before the Lord with folded hands, I recited the following prayer: "O Kesava, O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who has assumed the form of half-man, half-lion. All glories to you! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp-like demon Hiranyakasipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful painted nails on Your beautiful lotus hands."

After cleaning the floor and sitting on a kusa-grass mat, the puja begins... The first thing I do is to purify the articles to be used, as well as the body and the mind. Then I meditate on my spiritual identity as different from the body, understanding myself to be the eternal servant of the servant of the Lord. Next comes my worship for my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, with sandalwood paste, flowers, incense, a ghee lamps, and some food. I then ask for his permission to assist in the worship of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Repeating the same procedure for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Prahlada Maharaja, I begin to offer 16 items of worship through mantras--through the medium of water--to Lord Nrsimhadeva.
I touch my head to the lotus feet of the deity of Sri Prahlada Maharaja, praying for his blessings. "It was only to relieve the distress brought to you by your demoniac father Hiranyakasipu, that the Supreme Lord appeared in His wonderful form of Lord Nrsimhadeva. O Sri Prahlada Maharaja, you are one of the twelve mahajanas, or great authorities of devotional service. Kindly bless me with the understanding of spiritual truths."
On the altar of Lord Nrsimhadeva are 60 salagrama-silas. I remove Them to offer abhiseka. The big sila in the center who wears a crown is a Nrsimha saligram.

Although it is a scriptural injunction that one should touch one's head to the feet of the Deity, it's not always possible or practical. Therefore, we bring out the satari, the Deity's shoes, mounted on what looks like a helmet, and place it over the heads of the devotees. One of the benedictions of being a pujari is that he can place his head directly on the Lord's lotus feet. Receiving this benediction and begging forgiveness for any inconvenience I may cause Him, I undress the Lord and wipe His body with a soft, damp towel. His body begins to shine when I massage it with cooling oils like sandalwood or khus. His form is exquisite, slender and perfectly formed. He looks powerful but also graceful. The Lord's knees are bent, ready to spring, and around His hips is an engraved girdle, bearing a face with large cheeks, open mouth and a protruding tongue. His navel is deep and his chest is broad. Lord Nrsimhadeva's transcendental body is smooth, soft to the touch, and very much appealing to the eye. He is bedecked with bracelets and other ornaments. The Lord has eight arms. In six hands He holds a sword, lotus flower, disc, conch, club and shield, and to keep the promise of Brahma, His two front hands yield no weapons.

The Lord cannot bear any intolerance against His devotees. It is said that the face is the index of the mind. If this proves to be true, then we can see how furious Lord Nrsimhadeva must have been when He burst out from the pillar to attack the greatest of all demons, Hiranyakasipu, who tried to kill the Lord's pure devotee, Prahlada. "His angry eyes resembled molten gold, and His shining mane expanded the dimensions of His fearful face. His deadly teeth and His razor sharp tongue moved about like a dueling sword. His ears were erect and motionless, and His nostrils and gaping mouth appeared like caves of a mountain. His jaws parted fearfully and His entire body touched the sky." When it was decided to bring a Deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva to Mayapur for the protection of the devotees and the temple, three of the main pujaris were called by the managers to discuss the importance of establishing this Deity. However, when it came to the point of who would peform daily puja, no one was willing to step forward. "After such a long waiting period, the Deity is finally ready, and now nobody wants to worship Him!" Their concern was obvious. And then I was singled out...."Why don't you want to worship Him?" I was asked. "I'm too scared," I replied. They intimated me: "Oh, you probably don't follow the four regulative principles...." "Of course, but..."
Fortunately, our fears were allayed by Atma-tattva Prabhu, who had procured the Deity in South India. He told us that first, even the sthapati refused to make such a Deity, saying that nobody worships this sthanu form of Nrsimhadeva [the ferocious form of the Lord when He stepped out fo the pillar to Kill Hiranyakasipu]. Generally one goes before the Deity of the Lord to ask for some benediction, but to ask for something when He is shaking with fury--just wouldn't be a smart thing to do. It is certainly better to go for a more pacified form, e.g. after He has killed Hiranyakasipu. But later, when the stapati found out that it was for Mayapur Dhama, he agreed, because any deity brought to the dhama takes on the mood of the presiding deity of the dhama. In this case it is audarya, "benevolence," the mood of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Gaura-Hari!
"Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to non-devotees like Hiranyakasipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very gentle and kind to His devotees like Prahlada Maharaja."
While dressing the Lord and remembering His mercy, I am thinking how some people misunderstand our purpose of worshiping Lord Nrsimha. Sometimes devotees say that worship of Nrsimhadeva is Vaikuntha-bhava, and it cannot take one to Goloka Vrindavana, the Lord's supreme and most intimate abode. But Lord Nrsimhadeva is partucularly inclined towards the devotees of Radha and Krishna. He is Krishna Himself, appearing especially in this form to reciprocate with our desire to remove all the obstacles in our devotional service. If one can always raise his hands and call out with great love the names of Nitai-Gaura and Radha-Madhava, that is wonderful. But if there is something in your heart that is stopping you from that spontaneous call, why not go in all humility before Lord Nrsimhadeva and pray that with His sharp nails, He may pierce those crooked desires in your heart and throw them far away... This is His main function. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura writes: "Therefore, I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrsimhadeva to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krishna. Weeping, I will beg at the lotus feet of Nrsimha that I may worship Sri Sri Radha and Krishna in Navadvip Dhama, free from all obstacles." His prayers continue: "At that moment, by Lord Nrsimhadeva's mercy, I will exhibit symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha and Krishna, and I will roll on the ground by the door of Lord Nrsimhadeva's temple."
Didn't Lord Caitanya reveal His divinity to Srivasa Thakura while Srivasa was worshipping his Nrsimha Deity, by saying: "Srivasa, don't you know that I am the same person whom you are worshipping behind those closed doors?" And what about Advaita Acarya, whose offerings of tulasi buds and Ganga water, along with His loud calling, caused the Lord to descend, it is said that He worshipped a Nrsimha Salagram!

I now begin putting ornaments on the Lord's body. I adjust Sri Nrsimhadeva's necklaces, so they hang symmetrically; tie shining bracelets on His wrist, and fix beautiful rings on His lotus fingers. "I am so close to you, oh Lord, and yet so far away. When will I become a devotee?" Prahlada, your foremost bhakta, is indicating that he is not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue; Your eyes as bright as the sun, and Your frowning eyebrows. He fears not Your sharp, pinching teeth, your garland of intestines, and Your mane soaked with blood, nor Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee; nor Your nails meant for killing your enemies. However, he says, "I'm very much afraid of my condition of life within this material world. When will that moment come when You will call me to the shelter of Your lotus feet?" I know Sri Prahlada was saying that last point only for our benefit, for he was always completely surrendered unto You.
One time, I also felt surrendered unto You--at least for a few minutes. That was during the big flood in 1987. While offering You puja, standing waist deep in water, a big, frightening snake swam in the temple, passing behind You. It stopped about five feet in front of me, finding its exit blocked. After examining me for some long moments, it dipped down, out of sight, in the muddy Ganga water. Feeling myself in imminent danger, I noticed the hair on my arms standing on end, with no weapon to defend myself, nor the ability to run away, I felt very insecure. In such a helpless condition, I turned to You, oh Lord, and I knew that my fate was completely in Your hands. "You are the Supersoul in everyone's heart. If You want that snake to bite me, it will bite--if You don't, it won't. Let me continue my service; the result is dependent on You." Then, I became peaceful again, feeling the safety of Your shelter.
I finished the morning puja, but I couldn't stop thinking about the incident. It reminded me of the description by Lord Kapila of the babies in the womb. In their helpless and painful condition, they get the darshan of Paramatma, the Lord in the heart. If they are pious, they pray that if He relieves them from their suffering condition, they would--after being relieved from the womb--exclusively worship Him. But as soon as they're out and in good shape, they forget everything. Still, I have great hope that one day I'll be able to serve You nicely for Your pleasure. By the way, as long as the temple room was filled with water from the flood, the snake would come every day, circumambulate the Deity once, and then go out. Who knows who that snake actually was?
Covering His body with fresh garlands of flowers and tulasi, offering sandalwood paste, mixed with fragrant flowers and tulsi leaves to His lotus feet (which symbolizes sacrificing everything to the Lord), the morning puja is now complete. Hearing the devotees gathering outside makes me hurry--it's time for darshan. I blow the conch three times and open the doors to reveal the resplendent Lord. Jaya Sri Prahlada Nrsimhadeva! The devotees bow down, happy to see their Ugra Nrsimha again. In their hearts they know that He is not really as ugra as He looks.
--from an article published in Mayapur Journal, Summer 1994.

Lord Nrsimhadev's Appearance at ISKCON Mayapur

2009-09-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

Based on a talk with H.G. Atmatattva das
On the 24th of March, 1984, at 12:20 am, thirty five dacoits (thieves) armed with weapons and bombs attacked Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple. They harassed the devotees and treated them with derision. But the greatest shock came when the dacoits decided to steal the Deities of Srila Prabhupada and Srimati Radharani. Fearlessly the devotees challenged the attackers. How could they see Srila Prabhupada and Srimati Radharani carried away? Shots were fired, a few dacoits fell, and their plans were foiled. Srila Prabhupada was rescued, but that beautiful form of Srimati Radharani would no longer grace the main altar.
This incident really disturbed the minds of the devotees. Those involved in management were especially concerned to make some permanent solution. This was not the first time the devotees had faced violence and harassment in Mayapur. Bhavananda das, who was the co-director of ISKCON Mayapur, suggested that Lord Nrsimhadev be installed. When the dacoits had threatened devotees at the Yoga Pitha, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur and his son Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, had promptly installed Sri Sri Laksmi Nrsimhadev. There had been no further disturbances. Other devotees in Mayapur were not so keen to follow so closely in these footsteps. The pujari must be a naisthika brahmacari (celibate from birth), and the worship of Lord Nrsimhadev must be must be very strict and regulated. Who would be prepared to worship Him?
Despite such hesitancy, Bhavananda das was enthusiastic to bring Lord Nrsimhadev to Mayapur. He asked Bhaktisiddhanta das and myself to draw some sketches. One day quite spontaneously he said that the Deity's legs should be bent, ready to jump, He should be looking around ferociously, His fingers should be curled, and flames should be coming from His head. I sketched a Deity in this mood.
The devotees liked in and Pankajanghri das agreed to worship Him. Radhpada Das, a wealthy devotee from Kolkata, offered to sponsor the sculpting and installing of the Deity. It seemed Lord Nrsimhadev's appearance in ISKCON Mayapur would be a simple, straight forward affair. Radhapada Das promptly gave Rs. 130,000, and it was accepted that the Deity would be ready for installation in three months.
I left for South India to get things organized. By Krishna's grace I soon found a very famous sthapati. A sthapati not only sculpts Deities; he also expert in temple architecture and engineering. The man was very obliging until I mentioned that the Deity we wanted carved was Ugra Nrsimhadev. He emphatically refused to make such a Deity. I approached man Deity sculptors, but the answer was always the same: No. I had made a number of trips between Mayapur and South India. Six months had passed, but Lord Nrsimhadev had not yet manifested in His Deity form.
Radhapad Das was very anxious to see Lord Nrsimhadev installed in Mayapur. He asked me to visit the original sthapati I had seen and once again plead our case. This time the sculptor was a little more congenial and offered to read me a chapter from the Silpa Sastra (A Vedic scripture on sculpture and temple architecture.) that deals with different forms of Deities. He read aloud some verses describing Lord Nrsimhadev. A series of verses described His flamelike mane, His searching glance, and His knees bent with one foot forward ready to jump from the pillar. When he read this I was amazed. This was exactly what we wanted. I showed him the sketch I had done.He was impressed and offered to draw an outline based on the scriptural description, which we could use as a guide for sculpting the Deity. He reminded me, though, that he would not carve the form himself. It took him a week to complete the sketch. It was very impressive. I returned to Mayapur and showed the sketch to the temple authorities. Everyone wanted the same sthapati to carve the Deity. Once again I was sent back to South India to try to convince him.
I went straight to the house of the sthapati. I was feeling very anxious. What could I do but pray to Lord Nrsimhadev to be merciful and agree to manifest Himself in our temple in Sri Mayapur Dham? I had hardly said two sentences when the man matter-of-factly said he would carve the Deity. The story of how he came to this decision is interesting.
The sthapati had approached his guru, the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Puram, about our request. His guru's immediate reply was "Don't do it." When he heard that it was Hare Krsihna people from Navadvip, he became very concerned. "They want Ugra Nrsimha? Are they aware of the implicatins of sculpting and installing Ugra Nrsimha? Such Deities were carved over three thousand years ago by very elevated sthapatis. There is a place on the way to Mysore there is a place where a very ferocious Ugra Nrsimha. The demon Hiranyakasipu is torn open on His lap and his intestines are spilling out all over the altar. Once the standard of worship there was very high. There was an elephant procession and a festival every day, but gradually the worship declined. Today that place is like a ghost town. The whole village is deserted. No one can live there peacefully. Is that what they want for their project?"
The sthapati replied, "They are very insistent. They are constantly coming to talk to me about the Deity. Apparently they have some problem with dacoits." Handing his guru a sketch of the Deity, he said "This is the Deity they want." His guru took the sketch and looked at it knowlingly.
"Ah,this is Ugra category," he said, "but a Deity in this particular mood is called Sthanu Nrsimha. He doesn't exist on this planet. Even the demigods in the heavenly planets don't worship a form like this. Yes, this Deity belongs to the Ugra category. Ugra means ferocious, very angry. There are nine forms within this category. They are all very fierce. The one they want is Stanu Nrsimha: stepping out of the pillar. No. Don't carve this Deity. It will not be auspicious for you. I will talk with you about this later."
A few nights later the sthapati had a dream. In the dream his guru came to him and said, "For them you can carve Sthanu Nrsimha." The next morning he received a hand-delivered letter from Kanchipuram. The letter was from the Sankaracharya and gave some instructions regarding temple rennovations. There was a footnote at the bottom. It read, "For ISKCON you can carve Sthanu Nrsimha."
The sthapati showed me the letter and said, "I have my guru's blessings. I will carve your Deity." I was overwhelmed with joy. I gave him an advance payment and asked him how much time it would take to carve the Deity. He said the Deity would be ready for installation within six months. I returned to Mayapur.
After four peaceful months in the Holy Dham, I decided to go to South India and purchase the heavy brass paraphernelia required for Nrsimha worship and then collect the Deity. The trip was well-organized and trouble-free until I visited the sthapati. I explained to him that all the paraphernelia required for the worship had been purchased and that I had come to collect the Deity. He looked at me as though I had lost me senses and exclaimed, "What Deity? I haven't even found a suitable stone!" I couldn't believe my ears.
"But you told me He would be ready in six months," I exclaimed.
"I will keep my promise." he said. "Six months after I have found the stone the Deity will be ready for installation." His reply was emphatic, but I just couldn't understand or accept the delay. In frustration I challenged him, "There's big slabs of stone all over South India. What's the problem.?" He looked at me the way a teacher would view a slow student and said very deliberately, "I am not making a grinding mortar. I am making a Deity. The scriptures tell us that only a stone that has life can be used to make a Vishnu Deity. When you hit seven points of the stone slab, and each makes the sound mentioned in the scriptures, then that stone may be suitable. But there is a second test to indicate whether the stone is living stone. There is a bug that eats granite. If it eats from one side of the stone to the other, and leaves a complete trail behind it, then the second test of living stone has been passed. That stone is living stone, and expression can manifest from it. Only from such a stone can I carve your Nrsimhadev. Such stone speaks poetry. All features a Deity sculpted from such a stone will be fully expressive and beautifu. Please be patient. I've been searching sincerely for your six-foot slab."
I was amazed and a little anxious. The devotees in Mayapur were expecting the arrival of the Deity soon. How was I going to explain the "living stone" search to them? Maybe they would decide to make Nrsimhadev from marble I decided to try to lighten the subject by discussing the Prahlad Maharaj murti with the sthapati. "Please forgive me but I forgot to tell you last time I came that we also want a Prahlada Murti. We want to worship Prahlada Nrsimhadev. What do you think?
"I don't think that will be possible," the sthapati replied matter-of-factly. I looked at him incredulously, not sure what to say. He smiled and continued. "You want everything done exactly according to the scriptures. Your Nrsimhadev will be four feet high. Comparatively speaking, that will make Prahlada Maharaja the size of an amoeba."
"But we want Prahlada Maharaja one foot high," I interrupted.
"Fine," the sthapati replied, "but that means your Nrsimhadev will have to be about 120 feet high." We began to argu back and forth about Prahlada Maharaja's form. Finally the sthapati sighed in resignation and agreed to make Prahlada Maharaja one foot tall. At least now I had something positive to report when I returned to Mayapur.
After two months I returned to South India. There had been no developments. I shuttled back and forth from Mayapur to South India every thirty or forty days. Finally our stone was found, and the sthapati became a transformed man. For over a week he hardly spent any time at home. Hour after hour, day after day, he just sat staring at the slab. He had chalk in hand but didn't draw anything. He refused to allow his laborers to do anything besides remove the excess stone to make the slab rectangular. The next time I visited him, he had made a sketch on the stone. Thatwas all. I was worried. The Mayapur managers were becoming impatient.
"Are you sure the Deity will be finished in six months?" I asked in desperation.
"Don't worry. The work will be done," he replied.
I returned to Mayapur, only to be sent back to South India to check on some details of the Deity. I found the sthapati carving the form himself with intense care and dedication. At that stage the stone had gone and the shape had come. The sthapati had just started on the armlets. He took two weeks to carve them. All the features were so refined an delicate. I was impesssed and very happy.
It took the sthapati a little ove twelve months to finish the Deity. When he complete the work he didn't immediately inform me but decided to visit some friends for a few days. It was the monsoon season. There were few visitors, and he felt it safe to lock up Lord Nrsimhadev securely in his thatched shed. Two days later his neighbours ran to inform him that the thatched shed was on fire . There was ha\eavy rain and everything was wet, but the coconut tree roof had caught fire. He ran to the scene to find Nrsimhadev untouched but the shed burned to ashes. Immediately he phoned me, "Please come and take your Deity, He's burning everything. He's made it clear He wants to go NOW!"
Enthusiastically I traveled to South India, hired a truck, and half-filled it with sand. I arrived at the sthapati's studio thinking this final stage would be relatively simple. I had foolishly forgotten that Lord Nrsimhadev is a very heavy personality. He weighed one ton! Aftern two or three hours we managed to lift the Deity safely from the shed onto the truck. To ravel across the border safely, we also needed police permission, along with signed papers from the Central Sales Tax Department, the Archeological Director, and the Art Emporium Directorate in Tamil Nadu.
All the officers demanded to see the Deity before signing the necessary papers. Once they took darshan of Lord Nrsimhadev, they all became very obliging and efficient. We had all the necessary papers in hand within twenty-four hours--a miracle given the usual quagmire of bureaucracy found in government offices in India. The trip back to Mayapur was also amazingly troulbe-free and peaceful. Our protector was certainly present with us.
Usually the sthapati comes on the day fo the installation ceremony, goes into the Deity room, and carves the eyes of the Deity This is called netra-nimilanam (opening the eyes). It was an exceptional case that our Nrsimhadev's sthapati had already carved the eyes. He had not only carved the eyes; he had also done the prana-pratistha (installing the life force), a little puja and an arati. I am sure that is why all the papers were prepared so obligingly, and transporting the Supreme Lord was so easy. He was already present. And who would dare to say no to Lord Nrsimhadev?"
The installation of Lord Nrsimhadev was very simple and lasted three days: from the 28th to the 30th of July, 1986. I remember feeling apprehensive that perhaps the installation was so simple. The grave warnings of the Sankaracarya of Kanchipuram had deeply impressed me. But my mind was soon appeased by an awareness of loud, dynamic kirtana. Sankirtana-yajna, the only true opulence of Kali Yuga, was dominating the scene. I felt enlivened and satisfied. Lord Nrsimhadev, the protector of the sankirtana mission, had finally decided to manifest at Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir.

The Passing of Haridasa Thakura

2009-09-03T01:41:00.000-07:00

On the most auspicious occasion of the Dissappearance of Srila Haridas Thakur, we are adding his final journey pastime, please read.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya has said; “Brahma Haridasa Thakura gave up his body with the consent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Lord Himself personally performed the funeral ceremony and carried the body to the sea. He personally entombed the body, covered it with sand, and erected a platform on the site. After taking bath in the sea, He personally begged prasada of Jagannatha from shopkeepers and distributed prasada to the assembled devotees.”
By using the words tomara avatara (”your incarnation”), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms that Haridasa Thakura is the incarnation of Lord Brahma. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that advanced devotees help the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His mission and that such devotees or personal associates incarnate by the will of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord incarnates by His own will, and, by His will, competent devotees also incarnate to help Him in His mission. Haridasa Thakura is thus the incarnation of Lord Brahma, and other devotees are likewise incarnations who help in the prosecution of the Lord’s mission.
As He described the transcendental attributes of Haridasa Thakura, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu seemed to possess five mouths. The more He described, the more His great happiness increased.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bathed the body of Haridasa Thakura in the sea and then declared, “From this day on, this sea has become a great pilgrimage site.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this benediction: “Anyone who has seen the festival of Sri Haridasa Thakura’s passing away, anyone who has chanted and danced here, anyone who has offered sand on the body of Haridasa Thakura and anyone who has joined this festival to partake of the prasada will achieve the favor of Krsna very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridasa Thakura.
At Purusottama-ksetra, or Jagannatha Puri, there is a temple of Tota-gopinatha. If one goes from there to the sea, he can discover the tomb of Haridasa Thakura still existing. Every year on the date of Ananta-caturdasi there is a festival to commemorate the passing away of Haridasa Thakura. At the same place, three Deities of Nityananda, Krsna Caitanya and Advaita Prabhu were established about one hundred years ago. A gentleman named Bhramaravara from Kendrapada in the province of Orissa contributed funds to establish these Deities in the temple. The management of the temple was under the Tota-gopinatha gosvamis.
This temple was later sold to someone else, and this party is now maintaining the seva-puja of the temple. Near this temple and the tomb of Haridasa Thakura, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura constructed a small house, called Bhakti-kuti. In the Bengali year 1329 (A.D. 1922), Purusottama-matha, a branch of the Gaudiya Matha, was established there. in the Bhakti-ratnakara it is stated:
Haridasa Thakura is mentioned here as the most learned scholar, parama-vidvan. Actually, the most important science to know is the science of getting out of the clutches of material existence. Anyone who knows this science must be considered the greatest learned person. Anyone who knows the temporary situation of this material world and is expert in achieving a permanent situation in the spiritual world, who knows that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is beyond the jurisdiction of our experimental knowledge, is understood to be the most learned scholar. Haridasa Thakura knew this science perfectly. Therefore, he is described in this connection as parama-vidvan. He personally preached the importance of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, which is approved by the revealed scriptures.
As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.24):
iti pumsarpita visnaubhaktis cen nava-laksanakriyeta bhagavaty addhatan manye dhitam uttamam
There are nine different processes of devotional service to Krsna, the most important being sravanam kirtanam–hearing and chanting. Haridasa Thakura knew this science very well, and he can therefore be called, technically, sarva-sastradhiti. Anyone who has learned the essence of all the Vedic scripture is to be known as a first-class educated person, with full knowledge of all sastra.
After the passing away of Haridasa Thakura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap, and He danced with it in great ecstasy.
Nama Acharya Srila Haridas Thakur Ki Jaya

Pastimes of Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura.

2009-09-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura took birth in the year 1654 Shaka era (according to the Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidana, Part 3, p. 1370) within the Nadia district of West Bengal in a place called Prasiddha Deva Gram. He appeared in the Radhiya line of brahamanas. He had two brothers: Shri Ramabhadra Chakravarti and Shri Raghunatha Chakravarti. Srila Chakravarti Thakura went on to live in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, in Saiyadabad, where he received mantra initiation from Shri Krishna Charana Chakravarti. He lived for a long time in the house of his gurudeva, where he wrote many books. Because Chakravarti Thakura lived for so long in Saiyadabad, he became known as a resident of Saiyadabad. In one of the final verses of his commentary on the Alankara Kaustubha, he himself has written: saiyadabadanivasi shri vishvanatha sharmana, chakravartiti namneyam krita tika subodhini. "Shri Vishvanataha Cakravarti, a brahmana residing in Saiyadabad, has composed this commentary on the Alankara Kaustubha." When Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura lived in Nadiya, he closely studied the scriptures, beginning with a study of Sanskrit grammar, poetry, and rhetoric. It is said that even as a boy in school, he was an undefeatable scholar who could overcome anyone in argument and debate. From an early age, he was indifferent towards family life. For the purpose of binding his son in the contract of family life, Vishvanatha's father arranged for his marriage when he was very young. He remained a married man for only a short time. Soon he renounced his wife and home and went to live in Vrindavan. After this, his parents and relatives made many unsuccessful attempts to induce him to return to family life, but Vishvanatha Chakravarti was fixed in his determination to renounce wordly life and surrender himself completely to the service of Krishna.
After having come to Vrindavan Dhama, Shri Vishvanatha took up his residence in the bhajan kutir of Shri Krishna Das Kaviraja Goswami on the banks of the Radha-kunda, where there lived a disciple of Krishna das Kaviraja whose name was Mukunda das. There, Shri Vishvanatha Cakravarti made a careful study of the Goswami's literatures. In that holy place he later wrote many commentaries on the books of the Goswamis.
Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura established the worship of the deity of Shri Gokulananda. Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur was also sometimes known as Harivallabha das. Vishvanatha's title, "Chakravarti" was awarded to him by the devotees. Generally this title designates one who maintains (varti) a circle (chakra) of influence. Hence chakravarti usually means "emperor," for the emperor's maintains his power over a vast circle. A more devotional explanation of this title is found in the introduction to Vishvanatha's Svapna-Vilasamrita. There is has been written vishvasya natharupausau, bhaktiratna pradarshanat, bhakta chakre vartitatva, chakravartamaya bhavat. "He who reveals the jewel of devotion to Vishvanatha, the Lord of the Universe, and thus expands the circle of bhakti is a"Cakravarti."
Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura has written many books, among which are the following: Commentaries on Srimad-Bhagavatam (Sararthadarshini-tika), Bhagavad-gita (Sararthavarshini-tika), Alankara Kaustubha (Subodhini-tika); Ujjvala-nilamani, Ananda Vrindavana Champu (Sukhavartini-tika); Rupa Goswami's Vidagdha-Madhava Natakam, Gopal-tapani-upanishad; Chaitanya-charitamrita; and original works such as Shri Krishna-Bhavanamrita Mahakavya; Svapnavilasamrita; Madhurya Kadambini; Stavamala-lahari; Aishvarya Kadambini [Note: this is not the same Aishvarya Kadambini as that of Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Baladeva Vidyabhusan's book describes the opulences of Shri Krishna, whereas Vishvanatha's book by the same name deals with the philosophy of achintya-bhedabheda-vada, Shri Chaitanya's philosophy of inconceivable oneness and difference].
The diksha-guru-parampara of Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura is given as follows: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lokanatha Goswami, Narottama Thakura, Ganganarayan Chakravarti, Krishnacharan Chakravarti, Radharaman Chakravarti, Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura. Shri Krishna Charan Chakravarti and Radha Ramana Chakravarti both lived in Saiyadabad. Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura studied extensively under them when he was in Saiyadabad before going to Vrindavan, where he met Mukunda das Goswami, a disciple of Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami and studied the Goswami literatures.
The siksha-guru-parampara is considered more important than the diksha-guru-parampara,because it follows the descent of revealed truth through its most significant representatives, as opposed to following a strictly sacerdotal heirarchy. The siksha-guru-paramapara from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura is, according to Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, as follows: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarup Damodara, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami (along with Raghunatha Das Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami), Shri Jiva Goswami, Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami, Narottama Das Thakura (along with Shyamananda Prabhu and Shrinivasa Acharya), Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura.
Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura disappeared on the Vasant Panchami day in the month of Magh.

Request from the MAYAPUR TEMPLE for all devotees joining the Kartik yatra -2009

2009-08-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

Devotees are requested to please go through this very carefully and try and maintain the cleanliness and Sanctity of the holy dham while our visit to the Dham during our annual Kartik Yatra-2009.
We received a mail from the Mayapur Temple we are sharing with everyone and will request not one or two but all to be the part of the clean team.

To the Dear Devotees of the Lord who are arranging the annual pilgrimages with H H Radhanath Swami,Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
My name is Julia Carlberg and I belong to the Stockholm yatra where I am very nicely being taken care of dear deciples of Radhanath Swami Maharaj- our Temple president Tapas Prabhu and his wife Lajjavati Mtj. I am also a student of bhakti shastri and bhakti vaibhav at the Mayapur Institute which means that I spend six months each year in Mayapur Dham.
In Mayapur I take part in a group calling itself the Mayapur Dham Clean team. Our prospective is to preserve the natural environment in Mayapur Dham and in due time make Mayapur the cleanest place in the whole of India. This means that we regularly go to clean ourselves in the streets, we plan for long time solutions as well as trying to preach to locals, foreigners and pilgrimages about environmental consciousness and especially the dangers of excess use of plastic. We cooperate with another group who share our vision called Friends of Mayapur.
We have identified it as a problem that in yatras and parikramas ISKCON devotees leave a lot of rubbish behind in the holy places.
At the Gaura Purnim Parikrama this year The Mayapur Dham Clean Team worked together with the ISKCON management trying avoid this problem and encourage devotees to be conscious and to take responsibility to leave the holy places of pilgrimages clean. Some improvement surely was made in terms of less littering.
Because of this concern I am now turning to you with a humble request that you plan for good disposal of garbage during the yatra. I would like to suggest some measures on how to protect the ecology of the holy Dham and keep it clean - for the pleasure of the Lord as well for preaching through example.
1. To inform the pilgrims before leaving for the yatra if possible in the yatra leaflets that it is of a high concern to keep the Dham clean and that we all should remind each other not to litter on the way.
2. To announce each day during the yatra that devotees bring back their garbage to the ISKCON camps.
3. Not to give out prasadam in plastic bags or cups. (Plastic bags with murlie was unfortunately left in many places on the Mayapur Yatra 2007. I picked up hundreds of them.. On the Vrindavan yatra 2008 the situation of littering was improved a lot though.)
4. To arrange for garbage bins that can be put up in the different places we visit.
5. To request the devotees to bring and use their own steel cups while buying sugarcane uses or coconuts etc on the way instead of using plastic cups and straws. (Plastic cups from sugarcane juices has been a big problem during Gaur Purnima Parikramas)
6. To arrange for a clean team of devotees who make sure we leave the spots of the pastimes of the Lord clean.
Please consider these points. I have been fortunate enough to partake in two yatra with H H Radhanath Swami and on two Gaur Purnim Parikramas. It has been such a wonderfull experiences but it has really hurt my heart to see how ISKCON devotees leaves holy places of the Lord in a mess.
In my opinion the most efficient measures for keeping the yatras clean is when authorities and if possible Maharaj himself anounces this concern of keeping the Dham clean. Generally devotees follow what authorities and the Gurus say.
Please let me know your view on this concern and suggestions and let me know how I can serve in the yatra.I am glad to assist you in any way and I would be honoured to be on the clean team of the yatra.
Your aspiring servant bhaktin Julia (sheltered by H H Jayapataka Swami)

Pastimes of Sita Thakurani(Eternal Consort of Shri Advaita Acharya)

2009-08-12T03:59:00.000-07:00

Shri Sita Thakurani is to be worshiped just as much as Sachidevi herself, as the mother of the universe. She is the eternal wife of Shri Advaita Acharya. She was the daughter of Shri Nrishinga Baduri. She was married to Shri Advaita Acharya in Phuliya Nagara. After their wedding, Advaita Acharya went to Nadiya, to live in Shantipura. Sita Thakurani was always absorbed in vatsalya prema for Shri Gaurasundara Prabhu, and, out of parental concern used to instruct Jagannatha Mishra on how to care for the boy. Shri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami has described the birth celebration at the house of Jagannatha Mishra upon the advent of the Lord, giving special attention to the position of Shri Sita Thakurani. Advaita Acharya's wife, worshipable by all the three worlds was Sita Thakurani. Taking the Acharya's orders on her head, she had come to take a look at this new child, this jewel of jewels, and to offer him presents.
On the eve of his son's advent Shri Jagannatha Mishra, seeing the imminent signs of his child's arrival, sent word to Advaita Acharya in Shantipura that the long-awaited child was being born. Hearing news of the advent of this unprecedented child, Advaita Acharya floated inthe waves of ecstasy. With Shri Haridasa Thakura, he went to bathe in the river, and, after much dancing and song, he sent his wife to go quickly to Mayapura in Navadwipa.
According to Gaura-Ganodesh Dipika, Shri Sita Thakurani is Yogamaya. The Gaura-Parshada-Charitvali says that in Krishna Lila, she was Purnamasi, the mother of Sandipani Muni, grandmother of Madhumangal and Nandimukhi and a disciple of Narada Muni. (Gaura-Ganodesha-dipika, however, says that Paurnamasi in Krishna-lila became Shri Govinda Acharya in Chaitanya lila.)In Dvapara-yuga, during the celebration of Krishna's birth ceremony, she was present in the house of Nanda, and at that time gave Nanda and Yashoda many instructions on how to care for the child. The Chaitanya Charitamrits gives the following account of Sita Thakurani's visit to the house of Jagannatha Mishra after the birth of the Lord:
"One day, shortly after Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born, Advaita Acharya's wife, Sitadevi, who is worshipable by the whole world, taking permission of her husband, went to see that topmost child with all kinds of gifts and presents. She brought different kinds of golden ornaments, including banlges for the hand, armlets, neclaces, and anklets. There were also tiger nails set in gold, waist decorations of silk and lace, ornaments for the hands and legs, nicely printed silken saris and a child's garment, also made of silk. Many other riches, including gold and silver coinds, were also presented for the child. Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by maidservants, Sita Thakurani came to the houe of Jagannatha Mishra, bringing with her many auspicious articles such as fesh grass, paddy, gorocana, turmeric, kunkuma, and sandalwood. All these presentations filled a big basket. When Sita Thakurani came to the house of Sachidevi, bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses, and other gifts, she was astonished to see the newly born child, for she appreciated that except for a difference in color, the child was directly Krishna of Gokula Himself. Seeing the transcendental bodily effulgence of the child, each of His nicely constructed limbs full of auspicious signs and resembling a form of gold, Sita Thakurani was very much pleased, and because of her maternal affection, she felt as if her heart were melting. She blessed the newly born child by placing fresh grass and paddy on His head and saying, "May You be blessed with a long duration of life." But being afraid of ghosts and witches, she gave the child the name Nimai. On the day that the mother and son took bath and left the maternity room, sita Thakurani gave them all kinds of ornaments and garments, and then also honored Jagannatha Mishra. then Sita Thakurani, being honored by mother Sachidevi and Jagannatha Mishra, was greatly happy within her mind, and thus she returned home."
From that day on, Sita Thakurani would often come to Mayapura from Shantipura, in order to teach Sachimata how to care for the new baby. She would give her many different instructions on how to raise children. And after helping with the child in this way, she would return to Shantipura. When it came time for the child's birthday ceremony, Jagannatha Mishra and Sachidevi let the worshipable Sita Thakurani be the first to offer the child his new clothes.
Advaita Acharya Prabhu also had a house in Navadwipa. There he would live from time to time and discuss Krishna-katha with the devotees headed by Shrivasa, diving and surfacing in the waves of joy until the break of dawn. After Shri Gaurasundara's appearance, all the devotees prayed together with Shri Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani that the child might live long in Mayapura and have good fortune.
Sita Thakurani and Sachidevi were of one mind; the baby Nimai was their life and soul. Every day Sita Thakurani would go to the house of Sachidevi and help her with the care and nurturing of the boy. In the house of Jagannatha Mishra, the divine child increased the pleasure of the eyes and minds of all the devotees, just as the waxing moon gradually grows more brilliant with each passing day.
After several years, when Jagannatha Mishra's son Vishvarupa—Nimai's older brother—had grown up, he suddenly took sannyasa. The grief and agony of Jagannatha Mishra and Sachidevi upon their son's leaving was great. Gaurasundara was also dismayed and unhappy at his brother's separation. At that time Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani consoled Jagannatha Mishra and Sita Thakurani, and helped take care of Nimai.
Shrivasa Pandit's wife Malini Devi also was always very affectionate towards the child, nurturing him and caring for him. She and Sachidevi were of one mind in doing this.
After exhibiting his childhood pastimes, Nimai gradually progressed into his Kishora-lila, or pastimes of youth. After some time, he went to Gaya and revealed his true form and real purpose. Having returned from Gaya he gathered all the devotees at the house of Shrivasa Angan for the purpose of beginning kirtan. At that time, Advaita Acharya brought Sita Thakurani from Shantipura to Mayapura, and, having arrived there was the first to worship the lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya.
Gradually Shri Gaurasundara began, in Navadwipa, to unfold his kirtan pastimes, wishing to deliver the fallen souls. As time went by he took sannyasa and turned his face towards Vrindavan, and ran off, half mad into the jungle in search for Shri Krishna. Upon hearing this, Shri Sita Thakurani spent four days with Sachidevi, who, plunged in the darkness of separation as if the sun had left the sky forever, lay fallen on the ground like one near death.
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, being bound by the ropes of love, was unable to go to Vrindavan, but was drawn to return to Shantipura. When he arrived in Shantipura, Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani felt as if their life has returned. After having fasted for four days, Shri Gaurasundara accepted prasada cooked by the hand of SitaThakurani.
Previous to taking sannyasa also, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu along with Nityananda Prabhu would, from time to time go to the house of Advaita in Shantipura, where they would have a festival and perform Krishna-nama-lila kirtan all day and all night. The beautiful nature of this subject has been described by Shri Parameshvari Das Thakura in his Shri Pada Kalpataru as follows:
One day the Lord laughed, having arrived in the temple of Shri Advaita and thus the son of Sachi took his seat. Along with Nityananda, Advaita sat down, and the two of them began playfully assessing the idea of having a festival. Hearing all this, Sita Thakurani entered smiling. At that time, in sweet words which made the minds of those who heard them blissful, the son of Sachi ruled that there must be a great festival. He said, "Listen Sita Thakurani: we shall extend invitations to all the different Vaishnavas who live nearby. Let whoever hears the sound of our song, resounding through the air, come and join us. We shall invite one and all." Saying this, Shri Gaurachandra gave orders to the devotees saying, "You, invite the Vaishnavas." "You, ready the mridanga and karatalas." "You, prepare sandalwood and aguru for distribution." "Have everything ready at the ghat." "Carrying out these assignments expertly, and after garlanding the devotees with flower garlands, the devotees shall gather together in a circle for an uproarious kirtan."
Hearing the words of Mahaprabhu, the devotees followed his orders with great affection, collecting garlands, sandalwood, betel, ghee, honey, and milk, and everything else essential for worhsiping the Lord. The different gifts and fragrant articles for the devotees and the Lord were then distributed in the proper ways. The kirtan began at midday. At that time everyone chanted 'Hari! Hari!' and the mridanga made the whole kirtan auspicious. Thus swims Parameshavara dasa in the rasik pastimes of the Lord.
After Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and went to live in Jagannatha Puri, Shri Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani used to go and visit him each year, bringing their son Achyutananda with them. On one such occasion, Sita Thakurani prepared some of the Lord's favorite preparations for him and invited Him to their home to take lunch. Simply to increase their ecstasy, the Lord, who was always absorbed in Krishna Nam, honored their invitation and took lunch in the home of Advaita and Sita. Sita Thakurani, being always overwhelmed with vatsalya-prema treated him as affectionately as if he were her own son. The Lord himself also treated her with the same kind of regard and affection that he had for Sachidevi herself. Shri Sita Thakurani bore three sons, Achutananda, Krishna Mishra and Gopala Mishra, who were followers of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
According to Bhakti-Ratnakara, Shri Sita Thakurani's father was Shri Nrishimha Baduri. Sita Thakurani also had a sister, Shri. According to the Gaura-Ganoddesha Dipika, Sita Thakurani, the wife of Shri Advaita Acharya, is Yogamaya, and her sister Shri is the prakasha, or manifestation, of Yogamaya. (yogamaya bhagavati, grihini tasya sampratam, sita rupenavatirna, "shri" namni tat prakashatah).

About Kaliya Krishna Dasa Thakura.

2009-08-12T03:55:00.000-07:00

Kaviraja Goswami writes (CC Adi 11.37) that Kaliya Krishna Dasa was one of the principle devotees of Nityananda Prabhu. He knew nothing other than the lotus feet of Shri Nityananda Prabhu. According to Kavi Karnapura's Gaura-Ganodeshs Dipika, He was one of the 12 gopals in Vrindavana, and in the pastimes of Krishna in Vrindavana was known as Labhanga, one of Krishna's cowherd boy friends.
His birthplace is in the Bardhaman (Burdwan) district of West Bengal within a short distance from the Railway station at Katwa, at the village called Akai Hatta. This village is situated on the old king's road between Nabadwipa and Katwa. Akai Hatta is a very small village. On the twelfth day of the dark moon in the month of Caitra, Shri Kaliya Krishna Dasa Thakura disappeared. This is not the same Kala Krishna dasa who accompanied Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to South India. At present, Kala Krishnadas's descendents live in different holy places in Bengal.

We cannot visit the dham just by buying tickets.

2009-08-07T00:37:00.000-07:00

Srila Prabhupada quote from the lecture: on visiting/ staying in the dham.
"When I shall be free from the desires of material enjoyment, then it will be possible to see the real nature of Våndävana.'' Viñaya chäòiyä kabe çuddha ha'be mana: "When my mind will be completely purified, uncontaminated from the material contamination, at that time it will be possible for me to see what is Våndävana.'' Actually, one cannot go to Våndävana by purchasing a ticket. In other words, one cannot go to Våndävana by force and live there, and he will achieve that transcendental bliss. No. One has to make his mind freed from all material desires. Then one can live at Våndävana and relish its residential benefit. So Narottama däsa Öhäkura says that. Viñaya chäòiyä kabe, çuddha ha'be mana: "When my mind will be freed from the contamination of this material enjoyment and I shall be purified, then it will be possible for me to see Våndävana as it is.'' Otherwise it is not possible.
And he says again that to go to Våndävana means to understand the transcendental pastimes of Rädhä and Kåñëa. How this will be possible? So he says, rüpa-raghunätha-pade hoibe äkuti. Rüpa, Rüpa Gosvämé, beginning from Rüpa Gosvämé down to Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, there were six Gosvämés: Rüpa, Sanätana, Gopäla Bhaööa, Raghunätha Bhaööa, Jéva Gosvämé, Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé. So he says, rüpa-raghunätha-pade: "Beginning from Rüpa Gosvämé down to Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé," pade, "in their lotus feet, at their lotus feet. When I shall be eager to be attached at their lotus feet..." Rüpa-raghunätha-pade, hoibe äkuti. Äkuti, eagerness. What is that eagerness? That means to understand Rädhä-Kåñëa through the guidance of the Gosvämés. One should not try to understand Rädhä-Kåñëa by his own effort. That will not help him. As these Gosvämés, they have given us direction, just like Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, so one has to follow step after step how to make progress. Then there will be a fortunate day when we shall be able to understand what is the pastimes or loving affairs between Rädhä and Kåñëa. Otherwise, if we take it as ordinary boy and girls reciprocating their loving feelings, then we will misunderstand. Then there will be the production of prakåta-sahajiyä, victims of Våndävana.

Pastimes at Kurmarhatta (Sri Ishvara Puri Spiritual Master of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu)

2009-08-06T03:30:00.000-07:00

Srimad Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami writes: "All glories to Madhavendra Puri, the storehouse of all Krishna-prema! He is a desire tree of bhakti, and it is to him that the seed of bhakti first fructified. The seed of Krishna-prema next fructified in the for of Sri Ishvara Puri, and then the gardener himself, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of bhakti." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati comments on this section of the Caitanya Caritamrita (CC Adi 9.10): "
Sri Isvara Puri was a resident of Kumarahatts. (At this place there is now a railway station known as Kamarhatty. Nearby there is also another station named Halisahara, which belongs to the eastern railway that runs from the eastern section of Calcutta). Isvara Puri appeared in a brahmin family and was the most beloved disciple of Sri Madhavendra Puri."
The nature of Sri Ishvara Puri's personal devotional service to the lotus feet of his guru, Sri Madhavendra Puri, is mentioned in another part of the Caitanya Caritamrita by Kaviraj Goswami as follows: "At the last stage of his life, Sri Madhavendra Puri became an invalid and was completely unable to move, and Isvara Puri so completely engaged himself in his service that he personally cleaned up his stool and urine. Always chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and reminding Sri Madhavendra Puri about the pastimes of Lord Krishna in the last stage of his life, Ishvara Puri gave the best service among his disciples. Thus Madhavendra Puri, being very pleased with him, blessed him, saying, 'may you have Krishna prema.' Thus Ishavara Puri, by the grace of his spirutal master, Sri Madhavendra Puri, became a great devotee in the ocean of love of Godhead."
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta points out in his commentary on this verse, "It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here. A Vaishnava is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if he appears to be an invlaid, this gives a chance to his disciples to serve him. Ishvara Puri pleaed his piritual master by service, and by the blessings of his spiritual master he became such a great personality that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted him as his spiritual master. "
Before Initiationg Sri Caitanya, Ishvara Puri stayed at the house of Gopinath Acarya in Nabadwip-dham. There he lived for a few months. At that time he met Sri Caitanya, when he was Nimai Pandit, and requested him to help him with his book, Krishna-lilamrita. The Lord was highly pleased with Ishvara Puri's devotion and highly praised his book, saying that it was faultless. Still, when he was pressed, he made some corrections with his own lotus hands. This pastime is elaborately described in the Caitanya Bhagavata. The following is a synopsis of Vrindavan Das Thakur's account of Sri Ishavara Puri.
When Mother Sachi saw that Sri Caitanya was happily engaged in his studies, her own ecstasy increased. At that time, Sri Ishvara Puri came to Nabadwipa in disguise. Caitanya Bhagavata records that Ishavara Puri was overwhelmed with the ecstasy of Krishna-rasa. And yet, as he was very dear to Krishna, he was also very humble and didn't want to attract any attention to himself as a great devotee. So that no one would know who he was, he hid his real identity and went to the temple of Advaita.
Upon arriving there, he found that Advaita was busy in service to the Lord in the temple, so he came in and sat down very cautiously and timidly. But the power of a great Vaishnava is not easily hidden from another great Vaishnava. Again and again, Advaita Acaraya kept looking away from his duties in the direction of Ishvara Puri. finally he asked him "O Father! who art thou?"
With great humility, Ishvara introduced himself, saying, "I am a sudra of the lowest class." In this way, the jewel of learned scholars and the best of the renounced, Ishvara Puri, showed how humility is the true ornament of a Vaishnava.
Immediately upon seeing him, Mukunda Datta recognized that Ishavara Puri was a Vaishnava Sannyasi. At that time, Mukunda Datta very sweetly began to perform Krishna-lila kirtan. Vrindavan Das asks, Who is there who can remain unmoved when Mukunda Datta performs his sweet kirtan? Upon hearing the deeply moving songs of Mukunda Datta, Sri Ishvara Puri lost his composure and fainted on the ground in a trance of deep ecstasy. Tears of ecstasy rained forth from his eyes. The assembled devotees were dumbstruck upon seeing such a display of transcendental emotion. When their power of speech returned, they all remarked that nowhere had any of them ever seen a Vaishnava such as this. Sri Advaita Acarya also began to experience grave symptoms of transcendental emotion. After this, they all concluded their visitor must be none other than the dearmost disciple of Madhavendra Puri—Sri Ishvara Puri. At this, they all joyously began chanting the holy name of Krishna, saying, "Hari! Hari!" over and over again.
Sri ishavara Puri stayed in Nabadwipa for a while. One day, the footpath near where he stayed was blessed by the divine footsteps of Sri Gaurasundara. Mahaprabhu was going home from school. Upon seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ishavara Puri was amazed by his perfect body and supremely grave disposition. He wanted to somehow make contact with the Lord. Finally, he called out, "O best of the brahmins! What is your name? Where is your house? And what book are you reading?"
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with great humility offered his humble obeisances to Sri Ishvara Puri. Mahaprabhu's disciples said, "His name is Nimai Pandit." Ishavara Puri said, "You are THE Nimai Pandit!?" Ishavara Puri's joy knew no bounds. Mahaprabhu with great humility bowed his head and said, "Sripada, have mercy upon me and kindly grace my house with your company. This very afternoon we shall prepare prasada for your pleasure. Please accept it. With these sweet and humble words, Mahaprabhu extended his invitation to Ishavara Puri. Accepting the invitation, Ishavara Puri went to the house of Mahaprabhu.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the lotus feet of Ishavara Puri with his own hands. Sri Saci devi quickly prepared various wonderful kinds of preparations and offered them to the Deity. After it had been offered, Mahaprabhu accepted it.
Later, the two of them entered the temple of Vishnu and discussed Krishna with each other at great length. And gradually Krishna-prema sprang up in their hearts and flooded them with the ecstasy of love of Godhead.
In this way, for one month, Sri Ishavara Puri stayed at the house of Sri Gopinatha Acarya. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would constantly invite Ishavra Puri to visit him. And from time to time Ishvara Puri would invite Mahaprabhu to visit him.
At this time, Sri Gadadhara was a young boy. Sri Ishvara Puri was very affectionate to him. He would read to Gadadhara from the book he had written, "Shri Krishna-Lilamrita." Every day around sunrise Mahaprabhu would come and offer his obeisances to Sri Ishavara Puri. One day, Ishvara Puri told Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, " You are the topmost of pundits; I am writing a book about krishna's pastimes. You must help me by pointing out whatever faults you may find in this work. This will give me great pleasure. Sitting at the holy feet of Sri Ishvara Puri and hearing these words, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu smiled and said, "The words of Krishna's devotees are as good as Krishna himself. They are in the same category as he is, they are from his "alphabet," not from any material alphabet. Such words are not mundane. One who finds fault with Krishna or his devotees is a great sinner. What a bhakta writes is not mere poetry; it is completely different—it is dear to Krishna, and so is perfect." "A devotee's prayers of love for Krishna have nothing to do with the rules of grammar and does not depend on them. Krishna is only interested in the love in such prayers. They are dear to Krishna in any case, whether they are properly constructed according to the rules of grammar or not. One who looks for faults in the words of a devotee will never be pleasing to Krishna."
Upon hearing Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words, Ishvara Puri felt as if his senses had been drenched in nectar. Ishvara Puri could understand that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Person. A few days later, Ishvara Puri left Navadwip with some devotees to continue visiting the holy places of pilgrimage.
In this way, Sri Gaurasundara's pastimes of scholarship reached their completion, and the Lord wanted to manifest his divinity. He wanted to reveal himself and distribute the nectar of the holy name of Krishna, and inundate the world in Krishna-prema, thus delivering the world. But first, he went to Gaya to offer oblations to his ancestors. At that time, Sri Ishavara Puri was in Gaya.
After staying in Gaya for some time, When Mahaprabhu had finished his offerings to his ancestors, he went to complete his worship of the lotus feet of Vishnu. when he had darhsan of the holy feet of the Lord, and had heard the glories of the Lord he began to drown in the ecstasy of love of Godhead, and fell to the ground in wonder and delight. By divine arrangement, it was at that time that Ishvara Puri arrived. Upon seeing Sri Gaurasundara, he became speechless. Candrashekaracarya, who was close by was informed of all this. A little time later, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to external consciousness and saw Ishavara Puri nearby. At once he arose and then offered his humble obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Ishvara Puri.
At that time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Ishvara Puri heartily embraced one another. Soon the two of them were drowning in an ocean of tears that poured incessantly from their lotus eyes. At that time, Mahaprabhu said, "Now my visit to Gaya has really been fruitful, as by coming here I have had the chance to see your lotus feet. By traveling to a holy place and offering pinda one may deliverer one's ancestors—that is the person who offers the pinda may deliver only his ancestors. But one who sees you automatically delivers millions of ancestors, and not only will they become free from certain of their sins, but they will all attain eternal deliverance from material bondage. Therefore this pilgrimage I have undertaken is unparalleled, because of your holiness having rendered everything perfectly auspicious.
In this way, Sri Caitanya mahaprabhu in great humility told Ishvara Puri, "All my visiting of holy places has become perfect because I have seen you. A saintly person is a real "tirtha," or holy place, since he sanctifies the holy places by his very presence. Therefore you are the supreme fulfillment of all holy places. All the holy places pray for the dust of your lotus feet. O Ishvara Puri, in the same way, I am praying for the dust of your lotus feet, knowing which I shall become free from the ocean of repeated birth and death and drink the nectar of divine rasa at the lotus feet of Sri Krishna. Because you alone can free me from the ocean of repeated birth and death, I offer you this body to do with as you wish. You alone can make me drink the nectar of divine rasa at the lotus feet of Krishna, and my desire is that you grant me this gift."
Hearing this from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Ishavara Puri spoke as follows: "Listen Pandit: Upon seeing your learning and character, I can understand that you are divinity Himself, descended amongst men. This very day, I had a beautiful dream. In my dream were many people, and their hands were laden with fruit. O Pandit! To speak truthfully, upon seeing you, I am filled with an unusual feeling of transcendental bliss that surpasses ordinary joy. In fact, after I first saw you in Nabadwipa-dhama, from that time on, I couldn't think of anything else but you. I didn't want to think of anything else but you. I am speaking the truth! Upon seeing you I am as happy as if I were seeing Krishna Himself!
Upon hearing all this, Mahaprabhu humbly lowered his head in respect and smiling, said: "I am supremely fortunate."
A few days later, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in a mood of great humility sought out Ishavara Puri and said, "Your holiness, please show mercy upon me and initiate me in the Gayatri mantram as your disciple. For want of the Gayatri mantra my mind is very much disturbed. "
Sri Ishvara Puri, upon hearing the words of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very happy and spoke as follows: "Whether I am giving you my words in speech or a mantra, it is my life I wish to give you; I wish to give you everything I have."
After this, Sri Ishvara Puri initiated Sri Gaurasundara in the divine mantra. One day, Sri Ishvara Puri came to the residence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Upon seeing him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became ecstsatic. He offered his obeisances and all proper respects and greetings and begged him to stay for lunch.
Ishvara Puri said, "I would consider myself extremely fortunate to accept some rice from your lotus hand." Mahaprabhu cooked with his own hands and with great care fed Sri Ishavara Puri. After lunch, the Lord smeared sandalwood pulp over the limbs of Sri Ishvara Puri and offered him a nice garland of flowers.
In this way, in order to acquaint us with the way in which to properly worship the guru, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed us all by his personal example how to serve the guru-parampara. One who does not undertand how to honor a saintly person can never attain Krishna-prema-bhakti. Service to the lotus feet of the guru is the gateway to Krishna-bhakti.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was returning to Nabadwipa from Gaya, he passed through Kurmarhatta, the divine birthplace of Shri Ishvara Puri. Upon arriving there, he became filled with divine love and his voice choked up in ecstasy. He soaked the earth with the tears of divine love from his lotus eyes. Before he left Kumarahatta, he went to the place of Ishavara Puri's birth and took some dust from his birthsite. As he left for Nabadwipa, he announced, "This dust is my life and soul!" After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and went to Jagannatha Puri on the order of his mother. At that time, Sri Ishvara Puri had finished his role in the Lord's manifest pastimes. At the time of his passing into the unmanifest pastimes of the Lord, he ordered his two disciples, Govinda and Kashishvara Pandit to live near Mahaprabhu and render service to Him.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta has written: "The best of sannyasis, Madhavendra Puri had as his foremost disciples Ishvara Puri, Nityananda and the great Advaita. In order to honor Sri Ishavara Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the guru of the whole world accepted him as his spiritual master.

Wedding of Lord Gauranga and Laksmipriya.

2009-08-04T05:56:00.000-07:00

A brahmana pandit of the name Sri Vallabha Acarya used to live in Navadwip. He had a very well behaved and beautiful daughter who was just like Laksmidevi and whose name was Laksmipriya. Thinking that the time for her marriage had arrivedhe called the match maker, Vanamali Acarya. Vanamali Acarya considered Nimai Pandit [Sri Caitanya] to be the most suitable match for Vallabha Acarya's daughter and so he came to see Saci Mata. He spoke to her thusly: "The time for your son's marriage has come but why is it that you haven't thought to arrange a nice bride for Him? There is a brahmana by the name Sri Vallabha Acarya, who is from a very good family and who is very well behaved. There is no taint whatsoever on his name. He has a daughter who is just like the goddess of fortune in beauty and good qualities. Why don't you accept this proposal if you have a mind to." [C. B. Adi 10.54] Sri Saci devi replied, "My son has no father. Let Him get a little older first. Now he is absorbed in studies." Vanamali was not very engladdened by Saci Mata's reply and so, in a melancholy mood he went away. However, just by chance, he happened to meet Nimai Pandit on the way. Nimai inquired, "Acarya Mahasaya, where had you gone?" Vanamali replied, "I have just been to your house, to see your mother. You see, Vallabha Acarya has a very nice daughter and he considered You to be a quite suitable bridegroom in this respect. However I didn't notice any enthusiasm in your mother's part regarding this matter. Therefore I am going home now." Hearing this, Nimai Pandit smiled. After bidding farewell to the brahmana He Himself returned home but kept completely silent. His mother accosted Him, "Nimai why are you so grave today. You are not speaking?" Nimai replied, "Why couldn't you speak nicely with Vanamali Pandita?" By this Saci Mata could understand that Nimai had a desire to marry that girl. Therefore she sent someone to call the match maker again. This time she addressed him, "Vipra! That which you spoke to me about yesterday - please complete the arrangements quickly. I am in full agreement with your proposal." [C. B. Adi 10.45]. Hearing this latest development, Vanamali went to Vallabha Acarya's house. Seeing the cheerful face of Vanamali, Vallabha Acarya, could guess that his work had turned out successfully, and so his own mind became filled with joy. Receiving him with all due respects he seated him and inquired about the good news. Vanamali replied, "Very auspicious news: you can now begin the arrangements for your daughter's marriage to Nimai Pandit. To get a boy like this as a son-in-law is a matter of great fortune." Having heard this happy news the household members of Vallabha Acarya felt unlimited joy. Sri Ballabha told Vanamali, "If Krsna is pleased with me and if Laxmi devi and Gauri devi are satisfied with my daughter, then such a son-in-law as this might be obtainable. Please arrange everything as soon as possible." "But the only thing is that I am not able to give a proper dowry. I am just a poor brahmana. I'll only be able to give 5 haritaki (dried fruits) as a dowry along with my daughter. You will have to plead this on my behalf." So Vanamali came to Saci mata and spoke to her on this point. Sacimata replied, "Since she is a nice girl, we won't demand any dowry. Whatever he gives, we will be satisfied with that." Vanamali returned to Vallabha Acarya and informed him that again he had arranged everything satisfactorily. Hearing those glad tidings the members of Vallabha Acarya's house were completely delighted. Meanwhile Sacidevi informed Srivas Pandit, Advaita Acarya and the other well wishers of her son about Nimai's impending marriage. Everyone was very happy to receive this news and requested her to complete everything as soon as possible. Saci Mata then called the astrologers (Bhattacharya) and requested them to ascertain when the next favorable conjunction of the constellations would take place. Vallabha Acarya had also done likewise so the two families discussed it together and then set a date for the wedding. With the wedding date finalized, Saci Mata in joyful anticipation of the event, now sent out people to personally invite the family's friends and relatives to the preliminary ceremony, which would be held at her house before the wedding. Having received the news of Nimai Pandit's marriage, everyone was very happy and began to look forward to the event. On the morning of the Adhivas ceremony, the professional dancers and musicians arrived and by their music and dancing created a festive atmosphere. Meanwhile the ceremonial pavilion was very nicely and charmingly constructed, with banana trees, mango leaves, decorative designs painted on the ground with rice flour, and flower garlands. The brahmanas known as Bhattacarya recited various hymns from the Vedas, such as "Nandi Mukh" sraddha, as the preliminary rites. Then the invocation ceremony began as Sri Vallabha Acarya arrived with many auspicious articles to present to the bridegroom. These articles are waved before the bridegroom as in an aroti ceremony, in order to convey the blessings of the father upon his future son-in-law. As the rituals were performed the musicians filled the air with the vibrations of their instruments while Sacimata was very busy in receiving the many guests with sweets and plates of pan leaves and betel. In this way the invocation ceremony was completed. Early the next morning preparations for the wedding ceremony began as the friends and relatives of Jagannath Misra began to arrive. Sacimata received the ladies by annointing their heads with oil and arranging their bath. After arranging their hair she placed the vermilion dot between the eyebrows. Then by presenting them new cloths and offerings of puffed rice, bananas and sweets, etc., she satisfied everyone to the fullest extent. They all felt as though they were floating in an ocean of happiness having been welcomed so nicely by Sri Sacimata. On the morning of the wedding, Sri Gaurasundara, after taking bath in the Ganges, first performed the daily worship of Lord Visnu and then worshipped his forefathers. In all directions the sweet sound of the musicians playing on their instruments could be heard as the singers and dancers began their activities. Demigods and demigoddess from the heavenly planets, havingdisguised themselves as ordinary human beings, arrived in anticipation of seeing the Lord's marriage ceremony. Meanwhile, Sri Vallabhacarya had also completed his duties on the evening of the preceeding day by conducting the invocation ceremony and worshipping his forefathers. At his house, also the air was filled with the sound of singing and dancing, playing on instruments and chanting auspicious hymns. During the go-dhuli lagna (time period of day) Sri Gaurasundara set out from his house with a huge crowd of friends, relatives, students and musicians, after first offering His salutations at the feet of His mother and the other elders present. To the accompaniment of the musicians, music, singers and dancers the party proceeded towards the Ganga. There Sri Gaurasundara got down from His palanquin and offered His obeisances to Mother Ganges. Then they proceeded along the banks of the Ganges, finally approaching the house of Sri Vallabha Misra. Vallabhacaryaji, seeing that the bridegroom's party had arrived was completely in ecstasy and came out to greet them. He very respectfully led his future son-in-law in the the courtyard and seated Him within the wedding pavilion. Then he brought his daughter, who had been decorated very beautifully with ornaments and tilok markings on her face, and seated her next to Sri Gaurasundara. The ladies all began to yodel while the musicians made the heavens resound with the sound of their instruments. After Laksmipriya was seated on a wooden seat, she was picked up along with the seat and caused to circumambulate Sri Gaurasundara seven times. Finally Laksmidevi, after having offered water at the lotus feet of her husband offered her obeisances to Him. She placed a garland of flowers around the neck of her Prabhu, Who in placing His garland on her neck, duly accepted her as His wife. In this way Sri Sri Laksmi-Narayana were united with auspicious shouts of joy. Sri Gaurasundara now seated Laksmipriya on His left side, after performing the Mukhcandrika ritual. Prabhu, still in the bloom of youth, was defeating the beauty of Cupid himself, with Laksmidevi seated on His left side, their radiant beauty increased manifold, and the waves of ecstatic bliss which were felt at that moment in Sri Vallabh Misra's house are beyond description. [C. B. Adi 10.102] It was late into the night when the ladies completed their various family customs and social rites and rituals. Finally the Supreme Lord along with His eternal consort Laksmidevi lay down on a bed of flowers and slept. In the early morning they rose and completed their morning duties. After spending the day at Vallabha Misra's house, Sri Gaurasundara set out for His own house during the go-dhuli lagna. At the time of bidding farewell to his daughter and son-in-law, Sri Vallabha Acarya along with his family members became completely overwhelmed. The divine couple having been decorated with sandalwood paste, flower garlands, ornaments, crowns and eye shadow looked radiant as they were seated in the palanquin. The people along the path were very pleased to see the newly wedded couple and exclaimed, "This young girl must have worshiped Hara-Gauri for a long time in order to have obtained such a handsome husband." Amidst the music of the musicians and the joyous shouts of those accompanying him, Sri Gaurasundara entered the courtyard of His own house. Saci Mata along with many other brahmana ladies received the couple by offering aroti and many auspicious articles. The house of Sacimata became inundated with an ocean of happiness as the musicians' music filled the sky. In this way the marriage of Sri Gaurasundara was performed very auspiciously and thus the whole world became filled with joy. All of the guests, brahmanas, dancers, musicians and various performers received presents of money, cloth and foodstuffs from the Lord as tokens of appreciation and as a means of bidding them farewell. All of the desires of Sacimata were thus fulfilled and she began to float in an ocean of happiness. Her house was as though filled with a divine aura and the scent of lotus flowers emanating from the body of Laksmipriya. From this Sacima could understand that the goddess of fortune, Laksmidevi, was personally present in the body of Laksmipriya. Sacima treated her with great affection, as though Laksmipriya was dearer to her than her own life. Laksmipriya was extremely well-behaved and could understand by simple gestures what activities were to be accomplished by her. Sometimes Sri Gaurasundara would come and sit next to Laksmipriya when she was in the company of Sacimata, simply to increase the happiness of His mother. In the mornings, Laksmi would clean the Deity room, make rice paintings on the floor, pick flowers and Tulasi leaves, and then begin to cook. Every day Mahaprabhu would invite some guests and serve them in his house. Mahaprabhu, as the instructor of religion to the householders, taught that their main duty is to receive guests in their house. Those who do not serve guests are inferior to birds and beasts. If due to one's previous bad activities, he has nothing to offer, then he can at least offer a grass mat on the ground as a sitting place and some water. [C. B. Adi 14.21] The Lord descends to this world to disseminate the principles of religion. He is very affectionate to His devotees and thus enacts many pastimes for their pleasures. Laksmidevi, as His eternal consort, would act in such a way as to enhance these pastimes. "She was always engaged in the service of Tulasi and above and beyond that, her primary attention was the service of Sacimata. Hearing of the activities of his wife, Sri Gaurasundara remained externally silent but was very pleased within." [C.B. Adi 14.43] After entering the grhastha ashram, and accepting the responsibility of maintaining others, Sri Gaurasundara decided to go to East Bengal as a teacher, for the purpose of earning some wealth. After submitting this proposal to His mother He instructed His new bride, "During this time you should give your full attention to serving My mother." Thereafter, on an auspicious day for beginning a journey, He set out for Bangladesh, with a small number of students. Gradually they reached the Padma River, as the news of Nimai Pandit's arrival spread far and wide. Being invited to stay in the houses of various greatly fortunate householders, he would hold classes which were attended by thousands of students. By obtaining the sight of His divine personage, the residents of that land became blessed. "Even to this day the virtuous gentlemen and ladies of this land are so fortunate that they still sing the glories of the Lord (Hari-nam-sankirtan). This is due to the fact that the Lord came here and cast His merciful glance on this land." [Caitanya Bhagavat] In this way the Lord of Vaikuntha engaged in His pastimes of scholarship while in the land of Bangladesh. Meanwhile, in Navadwip, Laksmipriya had given up eating and sleeping due to intense feelings of separation from Mahaprabhu. Allthe family members tried to console her but to no avail. In name only she would place a few morsals of food in her mouth and her nights were spent simply crying. Unable to bear separation from the Lord of Vaikuntha the Goddess of fortune relinquished her mortal frame and went to join her eternal consort. As she is the Supreme Goddess of Fortune and endowed with unlimited opulences, she is capable of accomplishing anything. Giving up her reflected form of this world, she went to join her Lord in her original form. Her disappearance from this world was not like that of an ordinary human being, however. For her, separation from the Lord was like a dose of strong poison, thus having taken this form, she was bit by the snake of separation and being unable to bear the pain of that poison she gave up her existence in this world. [C. B. Adi 14.104] Seeing that Laksmidevi had left this world all of the family and friends were plunged into grief. Sacimata became completely immersed in sorrow. The all omniscient Lord became aware of everything and thus returned home in the company of many students and with many possessions earned through His teaching profession. Arriving home he came to know of Laksmipriya's deparure and in imitation of ordinary mortals he displayed some sorrow. Then He consoled His mother and imparted many transcendental instructions to her. Saci Mata somehow tried to restrain her grief while Sri Gaurasundara again engaged in His pastimes of scholarship.

Pastimes of Murari Gupta.

2009-07-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

Sri Murari Gupta, a disciple of Sri Candrasekhara Acarya, possessed extraordinary humility. He had an intimate lifelong relationship with Lord Caitanya. Although senior in class, Murari would always lose in debates with Sri Nimai Pandit. During one heated argument they began pushing each other. The scuffle continued into the Ganges. They stirred up so much mud that ladies couldn't fill their pots and brahmanas couldn't bathe properly.
At the nightly kirtans in Srivasa Angam Murari Gupta pleased Gaurahari with melodious chanting of the Bhagavata. He would also sing and dance expertly. Murari Gupta served Sri Caitanya in all His Nadia lilas.
Lord Caitanya once tested Murari Gupta's attachment to his worshipable Lord Ramacandra. Lord Gaurasundara preached to Murari about the supreme sweetness and position of Vrajendra-kumara (Krishna): "Murari, just worship Krishna and take shelter of Him. Nothing but His service can satisfy the mind." Although Murari Gupta became somewhat inclined toward Sri Krishna, the thought of losing Lord Ramacandra's association devastated him. That night he prayed to Lord Rama to take his life. He asked for this because he couldn't stop serving Rama, nor could he defy Sri Caitanya's request.
After crying all night Murari approached Lord Caitanya and said: "What should I do? I've sold my head to the lotus feet of Lord Ramacandra. But if I break Your order to worship Lord Sri Krishna, then what can I do?"
Smiling, Sri Gaura Raya replied, "All glories to Murari Gupta! You're so fixed in your worship that even My request couldn't turn your mind. This is exactly the type of love and affection the servitor must have for the lotus feet of the Lord. Even if the Lord wants separation, a devotee cannot abandon the shelter of His lotus feet. Just to test your firm faith in your Lord I repeatedly asked you to change your worship from Lord Rama to Lord Krishna."
Congratulating Murari Gupta, the Lord continued, "You are the incarnation of Hanuman, the eternal servant of Lord Rama. Therefore, why should you give up your worship of Lord Rama?"
At another time, Lord Caitanya showed His form as Lord Ramacandra with Janaki, Laksmana, and a host of monkeys reciting hymns and prayers. Seeing himself amongst those monkeys in his original form as Hanuman, Murari Gupta fainted. In Katva, when Lord Caitanya took sannyasa Murari stood by weeping like a child. And when Sriman Mahaprabhu moved to Jagannatha Puri, Murari and his wife would come every year to relish the Lord's company.
Since he was born in a dynasty of AyurVedic doctors Murari Gupta practiced medicine. But his practice was unique in that he cured his patient's physical ailments and also freed them from the disease of material existence. He wrote the first biography of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, an important Sanskrit work entitled Sri Caitanya Carita Mahakavya.

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"An expert physician by the name Murari Gupta could cure people of their disease of material existence. Along with so many other Vaisnavas, Advaita Acarya, Sen Sivananda, Jagannath Misra, Nilambar Cakravarti, he also appeared in Sylhet. [C. B. Adi 2.35]Srivas Pandit, Candrasekhara Acarya and Sri Murari Gupta Thakur were all from Srihatta. Murari Gupta came from there to live in Navadwip, near the home of Jagannath Misra. He was a few years older than Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Murari Gupta, Kamalakanta, Sri Krsnananda, etc. all used to study together with Nimai Pandit. Nimai used to like a debate in disputations on logical fallacy but none could defeat him; rather he could defeat all of them put together. Finally being exasperated by his uncanny sharpness of intelligence, Murari Gupta would resort to slinging mood, until finally they were all pushing one another back and forth as they came to the Ganges to take their bath.There arose such a hue and cry at the ghat that the ladies couldn't fill their water pots, the water having become so muddy. Neither the brahmanas could properly take their bath. In this way Sri Gaurasundara would play with His friends on the banks of the Ganges. [C. B. Adi 8]When they entered the school of Ganga Das Pandit, Nimai immediately became first in the class, having attained the highest marks. Then all of the other students were forced to accept defeat. Murari Gupta however would neither accept defeat, nor would he engage in local debate. Therefore Nimai became angry and told him; "You are a doctor; what is the use of you studying these subjects? Your business is to collect leaves & creepers to heal the sick. Grammatical science is very abstruse, you won't find anything in it to help you in dealing with mucus, bila and dyspepsia."Hearing this challenge, Murari was pricked, and became angry within, but he didn't exhibit his anger. He simply gazed peacefully at Nimai. Nimai's divine form was so enchanting and the touch of his lotus soft hands so pacifying that no one became agitated by his dealings. At that time, Nimai had just began his studies in grammar. Therefore Murari began to discuss rhetoric with Him, but he still could not defeat him. Completely astonished, he thought to himself, "Is it possible that such scholarship is found in ordinary mortals? He must be some kind of divine personage. Not one student in Navadwip has been able to defeat him in argument." In this way they used to sometimes argue together but they would go together in a friendly mood to take bath in mother Ganges.When Mahaprabhu returned from Gaya and began to manifest symptoms of ecstatic love, Murari Gupta became intensely devoted to Him. When he saw Mahaprabhu crying in ecstatic love at the house of Suklambar Pandit he became struck withwonder.Sri Murari Gupta used to worship Sri Sri Sita Ram. One day, Mahaprabhu suddenly arrived in Murari Gupta's house. Roaring in the mood of Varahadeva he picked up a water pot in His teeth, while Murari Gupta fell down on the floor to offer his dandavats, being dumbstruck with wonder at having seen this divine form. Then Mahaprabhu said; "Murari! Just sing some hymns in my praise." Then Murari recited some slokas at which Mahaprabhu became very happy and thus addressed him, "Murari! I am just speaking this truth to you. I am the essence of all scriptures. I have come to engage in Harinam sankirtan Myself, as well as to induce others also to chant My Holy Names. I cannot tolerate malice towards my devotee. If someone tries to harm my devotee, even if he is my son I will tear off his head. The proof of this is Narakasur." After telling Murari so many secret things about Himself, Mahaprabhu returned home.During the time when Mahaprabhu exhibited for 21 hours His transcendental existence as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He was calling His various devotees and bestowing various blessings to them. He next called Murari: "Murari! For so many days you couldn't recognize who I am? Just see My divine form." Then Murari saw Mahaprabhu as His most worshipable Deity, Lord Raghunatha, His body the colour of green grass. Sitting in the virasana, his legs folded beneath His body, and holding a great bow in His hand, Lakshman and Janaki were seated on each side of Him. In all directions the chiefs of the monkeys were reciting prayers and hymns. Then when he saw himself amongst those monkeys in his original form, he fainted straight away. Mahaprabhu called him: "Murari! Get up! Just see My divine form. Have you forgotten who set Ravana'sLanka on fire? It was you, Hanuman! Get up and gaze on the form of Laksmana, who is the very embodiment of your life. Offer your obeisances to that one for whose sadness you cried so much (Sita devi)."Hearing Mahaprabhu's voice Murari regained his consciousness and seeing that form again he offered his dandavats again while crying in ecstatic love. Seeing this divine display of the Lord's infinite mercy towards Murari, the devotees filled the sky with the sounds of "Hari! Hari!"One evening, Mahaprabhu & Nityananda Prabhu were sitting in the courtyard of Srivas Pandit when Murari Gupta arrived there. First he offered his obeisances to Mahaprabhu and then to Nityananda Prabhu.Mahaprabhu told him: "Murari! You have made a mistake. You offered your obeisances in the opposite order."Murari: "Prabhu! As you have inspired me, so I have done."Mahaprabhu: "All right. Go home now and later you will be able to understand everything."Murari Gupta went to his house and after having his meal, lay down to take rest. That night he saw a dream. In his dream he saw the chief of the Mahabhagavat; Lord Nityananda, his cloth tied up behind in the fashion of a wrestler, proceeding in front. Above his head was a great, many-headed serpent. In his hands were a plow and club. Nityananda Prabhu appeared just as Balaram. Following behind, with a peacock feather on his head, was Sri Visvambhar. [C. B. Mad. 20.14]Lord Nityananda is none other than Haladhar, the manifestation of Anantadeva, and the greatest devotee. Now Murari could understand who is greater.Mahaprabhu, smiling sweetly called him, "Murari! Now have you understood? If you breach proper conduct then how will it look?" Murari Gupta, in the depth of his dream began to call out "Nityananda! Nityananda!" with tears in his eyes. His wife then called out "Krsna! Krsna!" and woke him up. Murari Gupta could understand the greatness of Nityananda Prabhu's position now. It is he who reveals Lord Gauranga. Without his mercy one cannot get the mercy of Lord Caitanya.On another day, Murari Gupta came to Srivas's courtyard and saw Mahaprabhu seated very regally on a decorated sitting place, being served by his various devotees. Gadadhar was offering pan and betel nuts which Mahaprabhu was chewing very happily, while Narahari was fanning Him with a camara. Murari Gupta offered his obeisances and Prabhu offered him some of the remnants of the chewed betel. Murari placed the betel in his mouth and then wiped his hand on his head. Mahaprabhu told him: "Murari! My offal has touched your body!" Murari replied, "Today my entire body has become purified." The prasadam of the Lord is completely nonmaterial. His self, His name, His prasadam, all are not different. If anyone thinks that His prasadam has become offal, by being in contact with His mouth then this is a great aparadh. The mouths of ordinary human beings are considered unclean but this doesn't apply to the supremely pure Personality of Godhead.Having received the tambula (pan and betel) prasadam of Mahaprabhu, Murari became intoxicated with love of Godhead and arrived at his house in this condition. His devoted wife, seeing that her husband had returned home, spread an asana and having seated him, she brought a plate of prasadam and placed it before him. Murari, who was still in an ecstatic mood, was forming the rice in his hand into balls and saying "Eat! Eat!" He was then placing it on the ground. His wife could understand what was going on and thus she requested her husband, "Swamin! That is enough, don't give (Him) anymore, now you eat something."Thereafter Murari, still under the influence of ecstatic love, ate a little and then lay down to take rest. In the morning Mahaprabhu came to Murari's house and began to call him. Murari called out, "Krsna! Krsna!" and quickly got up from bed. Coming to the door he saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu and thus offered his obeisances and inquired what had brought the Lord to his house so early in the morning. Mahaprabhu replied; "Murari! You forgot already? Last night, all the while saying "Eat! Eat!" you fed Me so much rice with ghee. If you offer me, then how can I refuse? But eating rice with so much ghee I have gottenindigestion. Now give me some medicine." Hearing this, Murari felt very sorry, but Mahaprabhu immediately told him, "Murari! By eating your nice rice I got indigestion, the medicine for that is your water." [C. B. Mad. 20.69]Then seeing a lota of water which was sitting there, Mahaprabhu began to drink it up. Seeing this Murari exclaimed, "Prabhu! I am a fallen, low class person. The water in my house is not fit for You." (Generally at that time brahmanas would not accept water or foodstuffs from the houses of non-brahmanas).The Lord is known as bhakta-vatsala, who is very affectionate to His devotees. He accepts foodstuffs in the house of His devotee, and submissive to their love for Him, He is happy to remain in whatever condition they keep Him. Whatever they feed Him, He accepts very happily. Whatever they like, He likes. In this way the Lord enacted so many pastimes with His dear devotee, Hanuman (or Garuda, according to others' opinion).One day Murari Gupta began to reflect, "If I can leave my body in the Lord's presence then that will be very good." For this purpose he fashioned a large dagger and hid it in his house. But the supreme Lord Sri Caitanya, who is totally omniscient immediately came to his house and called, "Murari!, I have so many pastimes to complete in your company. If you go away then how will I go on? I know everything."Murari caught hold of the Lord's feet and began to cry. Thereafter Mahaprabhu consoled him and after explaining to him many things He returned to His own house. Murari Gupta was present with the Lord during all of his pastimes in Nadiya Nagar.Every year when the devotees would go to Puri, Murari Gupta would go along with his wife and they would take many preparations of foodstuffs to offer to the Lord."This was brought by Vasudeva Datta and this by Murari Gupta! This was brought by Buddhimanta Khan. Just see all these various preparations!" [C. C. Antya-lila].There has been a temple constructed by Gaudiya Math, in memory of Murari Gupta Thakur, near Ballal dighi in Sridham Mayapur.

Gauranga Takes Sannyasa (Katwa Pastimes)

2009-07-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Gauranga Takes Sannyasa On Makara Sankrantiby Mahanidhi SwamiIn 1510 a.d. on January 14, the auspicious day of Makara-sankranti, NimaiPandita left home and went to Katwa to take sannyasa, the renounced orderof life. Murari Gupta, an eternal associate of Lord Gauranga andeyewitness, explains why in his diary entitled Sri Caitanya-caritaMahakavya:"One day for some reason Lord Gauranga began to think, 'I cannot stay herein Navadvipa anymore. I must go to Vrndavana! Where are My Yamuna andforests of Vraja? Where is My Govardhana Hill, Bhandiravan and Bhadravan?Where is Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda? Where are My Sridama and Subala?Where are Radha, Lalita and the others?' Sometimes Gauranga would startrunning and ecstatically call out for His favorite cows, 'Dhavali!Shabali!' Other times He would sigh in anguish, 'When will I give up familylife and attain the lotus feet of Nandanandana?' Drowning in an ocean ofseparation, Lord Gauranga cried, 'Hari! Hari!' "By this time Sri Gauranga had liberated Jagai and Madhai, saved the Kazi,and inundated Navadvipa-dhama with the ambrosial waves of Kåñëa prema bypropagating His Sankirtana movement. While sitting peacefully at home oneday Visvambhara adopted the mood of the Vraja gopis, gopi bhava, andstarted chanting, "Gopi! Gopi! Gopi! Vrndavana!" A student visiting at thetime heard this and, not understanding Lord Visvambhara's internal mood,impudently tried to correct Him saying, "What are You doing? There is nopiety accrued by chanting this 'gopi! gopi!' But you will get great pietyby chanting the name of Kåñëa."Lord Gauranga became angry, picked up a stick and chased the student.The devotees restrained the Lord and tried to pacify Him. Meanwhile, thestudent met with his classmates and narrated the incident. The classmatessympathized with their fellow student saying, "Nimai Pandit can't get awaywith this. We are also brahmanas. We all studied together, so why shouldthis fellow now think He has become the 'big master.' If He tries to attackus again, then all together we will beat Him."As the Supersoul in everyone's heart, Gauranga understood the students'conversation and their aggressive angry mood. Gauranga revealed His heartto few of His intimate associates like Nityananda, Gadadhara and MukundaDatta: "I came to deliver the fallen souls from bondage, but now they wantto beat Me. I am producing the opposite result. Instead taking updevotional service, the people are blaspheming Me and thus will never besaved. They think I am just another Misra, a relative and family man likethemselves. Therefore, to show that I am not one of them, I will leavehome, shave My sikha and take sannyasa. Then if these rogues offerobeisances to Me, the reactions of their offenses will be nullified and Ican awaken bhakti in their hearts. By this process all the pasandis(faithless) in the world such as students, scientists, smartas andlogicians will be delivered."These words felt like thunderbolts crashing on their heads. They all feltunhappy and cried over their impending separation from the Lord of theirhearts. Nityananda said, "You ask My permission to take sannyasa, but whatcan I say? I have no power to forbid You. You are the completelyindependent Lord, so do whatever You must to save the world." Thinking howmuch mother Saci would suffer in Nimai's absence, Nityananda went away to asecluded place and wept continually. Overwhelmed with separation, Mukundafell to the ground unconscious.Then Visvambhara visited all the devotees to inform them of His plan toleave home, shave His sikha and take sannyasa. The painful news plungedeveryone in an ocean of grief. They thought, "Never again will we smell thesweet fragrance of His hair, anoint His beautiful hair with amla oil, orplace malati flowers in His curly locks. Anticipating their separation fromNimai Pandit, the devotees cried without stop while loudly chanting, "Hari!Hari!"Attempting to pacify His beloved devotees, Lord Gauranga embraced them alland said, "Fearing impending separation from Me, you are all sad andmiserable. I too am feeling totally overwhelmed in separation from Kåñëa. Iwill take the dress of a sannyasa and search everywhere for the Lord of Myheart. Do not be aggrieved, I will never leave you for a moment. I havedescended in two forms: Sankirtana and the bliss of Deity worship. Byworshiping My Deity and performing sankirtana in great joy you will alwayshave My association. I'll accept sannyasa to teach devotional service tothe world. Do not worry."Continuing Lord Gauranga said, "Listen, material existence is full ofdangers and material desires which burn the heart like poison. Greed,anger, lust, envy and false pride never spare anyone. Lodged in the heart,they rob a man's mind. All the beautiful things of the world make us forgetKrsna. Real life begins when one starts to serve Krsna. Please, all of youbless Me so that love of Kåñëa will appear in the core of My heart."You should always sing the glories of Kåñëa and see His beautiful face andlotus eyes. One who sees Kåñëa as His father, mother, friend, guru and onlyLord can easily worship the Lord. May your hearts be tied to Kåñëa's lotusfeet. As for Myself, I am burning alive without seeing Kåñëa in My heart. Iam drowning in the ocean of material existence."Then Gauranga breathed heavily and snapped His brahmin thread whileroaring, "Hari! Hari!" Visvambhara rolled on the ground covering His goldenbody with dust. Due to ecstatic love, Gauranga's body perspired profuselyand shivered. He jumped around crying out, "O Prananatha! Vrndavana!Radha!" Beating His chest with His fists, Gauranga wailed, "Hari! Hari!"Overwhelmed with sadness, Gauranga's astonished friends and associatesstood by helplessly wondering how to comfort the Lord in His anguish ofseparation from Kåñëa.When mother Saci heard the news of Gauranga's sannyasa she fell unconsciousand just wept and wept. Awaking, she ran madly here and there in Navadvipaasking everyone if the news was true. Meeting Nimai Pandit, she spoke sometear-soaked words in a faltering voice, "My dear son. Please don't leave mealone and go away. Your brother has left and your father has gone toVaikuntha. Only by seeing Your beautiful face can we stay alive."Nimai tried to comfort His mother by narrating the story of DhruvaMaharaja. He explained how Dhruva became a famous devotee by the mercy ofhis mother Suniti. After hearing the story mother Saci said, "You willleave home and shave Your hair. I will also cut off my hair and wear thered cloth of a sannyasi. In this way as a yogini I will go with You."Seeing Saci overcome with grief, Gauranga tried again to pacify her bytelling her some secrets. "Please mother be peaceful. In many births indifferent ages I appeared as your son as Vamana, Kapila, Rama and Krishna.In Kali-yuga, I have taken birth twice to begin the Sankirtan movement.Both times I am Your son. As the personified earth goddess you are themother of My Deity forms, and as the tongues of everyone you are the motherof My form as the holy names. In this way mother, in My heart I will neverleave you. And because of your pure love you will be able to see Mewhenever you want."Saci said, "You are the supremely independent Lord. It was my greatfortunate that I raised You. Now per Your sweet will, You may takesannyasa."A few days before Makara-sankranti, Gauranga informed Nityananda Prabhu,Candrasekhara Acarya, Gadadhara Pandit, Mukunda Datta, Sacimata andParamananda (some say Brahmananda or Jagadananda Pandit) that He would goto Katva and take sannyasa from Kesava Bharati. Other than these six, noneof the devotees in Navadvipa knew that Gauranga would leave home onMakara-sankranti. In Bengal the day before Makara-sankranti is celebratedas Laksmi-puja, worship Laksmi with great pomp and festivity. Knowing Hewould leave the next day to take sannyasa, Nimai inspired all the leadingdevotees to come see Him that evening. They brought flower garlands andsandalwood paste to offer to Gauranga.Lord Visvambhara graciously accepted the garlands. Then He placed them onthe necks of the devotees who gave them and urged them to, "Always thinkabout Kåñëa and chant His holy name. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna KrishnaKrishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. No otherreligious practice is required besides chanting this maha-mantra. If youhave any real attraction for Me, then always talk about Kåñëa and doeverything while chanting His holy name." Attaining Gauranga's mercy,everyone floated in an ocean of bliss and loudly chanted the names of Hariwhile returning home. No one had any idea that Gauranga was leaving homethe next morning to take sannyasa.The famous sabji walla Kholaveca Sridhara, with whom Nimai Pandit wouldalways playfully bicker over prices, arrived later in the evening gifting asquash to Gauranga. The Lord thought that He could not eat this since Hewas leaving in the morning. But out of love for His devotee, He decided toeat it that night. Another devotee arrived with an offering of milk, somother Saci prepared loki kheer for the pleasure of Lord Gauranga.Knowing that her beloved son would leave the next day, mother Saci criedall night while guarding the front door. Gadadhara and Haridasa weresleeping in the house too. At about three o'clock in the morning onMakara-sankranti, Nimai left Visnupriya sleeping in bed and left the house.Gadadhara stopped the Lord saying, "I will go with You." Gauranga replied,"I will go alone. That is My happiness."Seeing His mother sitting by the front door crying, Gauranga embraced Herand spoke some enlightening words: "Mother, you have always protected andnourished Me. You taught Me the scriptures and continually made Me happy.In a million lives I could never repay the love you gave Me moment aftermoment. I will forever be in debt to you." Stunned, Saci simply sat byshedding constant tears. Gauranga put the dust of mother Saci's feet on Hishead, circumambulated her and departed. Lord Gauranga left home to acceptsannyasa and thereby deliver all the conditioned souls.At dawn all the devotees rose, bathed, and came to pay obeisances toGauranga. They saw Saci collapsed by the door, stiff as a statue, tearsstreaming down her face. When Saci said, "The Lord left me," everyone fellunconscious on the ground. Holding each other's necks, they wept andlamented, "O Gopinatha! Why this night had to end? If we can't see Hismoon-like face, how will we live!" They beat their chests, rolled on theground and wet the earth with the deluge of their tears. Drowning in theocean separation, all the devotees cried out, "Hari! Hari!" All of Nadiajoined the anguished party of crying devotees upon hearing the news, "thejewel of the brahmanas has left Nadia to take sannyasa!"Lord Gauranga swam across the Ganga and in His wet clothes ran thetwenty-five miles to Katva where He met Nityananda, Gadadhara,Candrasekhara, Mukunda and Paramananda. He reached there by about nineo'clock. Gauranga petitioned Kesava Bharati, "Please give Me service toLord Krishna and nothing else!"At first Kesava Bharati refused to give sannyasa on the grounds that NimaiPandit was too young and handsome, and that He had left a widowed motherand a sonless wife who was a mere fourteen years old. Meanwhile, since itwas the auspicious day of Makara-sankranti many people had come to bathe inthe Ganga. A huge crowd gathered upon hearing that Nimai Pandit ofNavadvipa would take sannyasa. The crowd turned into an angry mob enragedover the proposed sannyasa of this young married man with a widowed mother.They threatened to destroy Kesava Bharati's asrama if He gave sannyasa toNimai Pandit.In a mood of ecstasy Gauranga began a kirtana, chanting Hare Krishna,roaring loudly and dancing in a circle. Millions of people rushed to thescene, and Gauranga bathed them all with His tears of prema. Women, men,the young and old all chanted "Hari! Hari!" Gauranga exhibited many sattvicbhavas like trembling, perspiring and falling unconscious. Witnessing this,all the onlookers wept continually.When Lord Gauranga returned to external consciousness, Kesava Bharati said,"Seeing Your ecstasy I realize You are the Supreme Personality of Godheadand the spiritual master of all the worlds. No one can become Yourspiritual master. But just to teach the world, You want me to act as Yourspiritual master." Gauranga passed the night absorbed in Hari katha.The next day Candrasekhara Acarya made all the arrangements for thesannyasa ceremony. Gauranga enchanted the eyes of everyone with His long,beautiful curly hair tied in a topknot and decorated with malati flowers.The devotees in Navadvipa had maintained their lives just by meditating onGauranga's wonderful hair. While crying and crying the barber said, "MyLord! How can I cut Your beautiful hair which satisfies the hearts ofeveryone. I am in shaking in fear of committing an offense, which I knowcan never be counteracted. I am just a simple barber from a low classfamily."Gauranga reassured the barber, "After today, you can give up this haircutting business. By the mercy of Krishna you will live a happy life and atthe end go back to Godhead." After shaving Lord Gauranga the barber becamea sweet maker.Nityananda Prabhu, the assembled women and the unseen demigods all brokedown crying at the tragedy of Gauranga's hair cutting ceremony. All theunlimited universes filled with weeping. By this pastime of karunya-rasa,the mellow of grief, Lord Gauranga melted the stones and trees. Feelingrestless, weeping and trembling Gauranga ordered Mukunda to sing. Then theLord started dancing wildly and roaring.Before receiving initiation Gauranga told Kesava Bharati, "Recently I had adream wherein a great personality whispered the sannyasa mantra in My ear.I will repeat it to you and you can tell Me if it is the same mantra youwill give."By this trick Gauranga made Kesava Bharati His disciple. Hearing thatmantra from Gauranga transformed Kesava Bharati's heart. He then repeatedthe mantra to Gauranga. As Gauranga accepted sannyasa His lotus eyes pouredstreams of tears, and the four directions resounded with kirtana. With Hisbright saffron robes, limbs anointed with sandalwood paste, waterpot anddanda Lord Gauranga looked more attractive than millions of Cupids.Kesava Bharati could not think of a suitable sannyasa name for Gauranga.Inspired by Sarasvati, he said, "You make the whole world chant the nameKrishna. By doing this You make the whole world come alive (caitanya) withkirtana. Therefore, Your name should be Sri Krishna Caitanya." Showers offlowers and shouts of "Jaya! Jaya! Hari! Hari!" filled the air. All theVaisnavas floated in bliss.Externally Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa to preach pure devotionalservice and distribute Krsna prema to the conditioned souls. In Navadvipathe smarta brahmanas, students, logicians and mundane scholars formed anopposition party against Nimai Pandit. Due to pride and ignorance theyoffended the Lord, considering Him to be a merely another grhasta Brahmanpandita and family man. To gain victory over the oppostion party SriCaitanya had to leave Navadvipa and take sannyasa. A similar situationoccurred in Krsna's pastimes where opposition came in the form of variousdemons sent by Kamsa like Putana, Agha, Bakasura and Keshi. To rout theopposition party and vanquish various demons Kåñëa had to leave Vrndavanaand go to Mathura and then ultimately Dvaraka.Internally Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa to experience Sri Radha'sunique prema and increase the love of His devotees. The pain of separationenhances the taste of meeting. True love is tested, purified andconcentrated in the blazing fires of separation. Before going to Mathura,Krsna only spent five years enjoying with the gopis in Vrndavana. (age sixto eleven). The gopis relished union with Krsna for only five years, butsustained their love in separation for 120 years! Just see theinconceivable depth of the Vraja gopis' pure love for Krsna.After five years of preaching and conquering different philosophers andreligionists Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Navadvipa. All the men,women and children ran madly to catch a glimpse of the Lord's lotus face.In separation from the Lord everyone's hearts had filled with divine love.They realized the identity of Mahaprabhu and the great treasure He came todeliver. They had now become sympathetic and supportive toward Him since Hehad left everything. The separation induced by Mahaprabhu's sannyasaenabled all His devotees and relatives to fully relish the ecstasy ofunion. The riverbanks of both union and separation are essential for theflow of prema to reach the ocean of transcendental ecstasy.Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa to teach us and attract us tobeautiful Vrndavana, the sweet home of pure devotional service. AlthoughMahaprabhu's sannyasa seemed cruel to His devotees and family members, itwas meant only to deliver the conditioned souls to the highest plane ofpure love. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jai!Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Pastimes of Sri Gadadhara dasa Thakura at Nabadwip.

2009-07-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

Sri Gadadhara dasa Thakura used to live in Nabadwipa dhama, but after the disappearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he moved to Katwa. Finally he moved to a village called Endiyadaha-grama, where he made his ultimate residence. Gadadhara dasa Thakura had a disciple in Katwa named Yadunandana Cakravarti. Gadadhara dasa was one of the eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. The Gaura-ganodesa-dipika mentions Gadadhara dasa as the extension of Srimati Radharani's beauty and luster. There it is written: “The gopi named Candrakanti, who was a vibhuti (expansion) of Sri Radha, appeared in Gaura-lila as Gadadhara dasa, a close associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” Sri Gadadhara dasa was not one of the Gopalas who served Nityananda Prabhu in the mood of sakhya-rasa, friendship. Rather he was always merged in the mellow of madhurya-rasa.
Sripad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja writes as follows of Gadadhara dasa in his Caitanya-Caritamrta commentary: “About eight or ten miles from Calcutta on the banks of the Ganges is a village known as Endiyadaha-grama. Srila Gadadhara dasa was known as an inhabitant of this village...After the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Gadadhara dasa came from Nabadvipa to Katwa. Thereafter he came to Endiyadaha-grama and resided there. He is stated to be the luster of the body of Srimati Radharani, just as Srila Gadadhara Pandita is an incarnation of Srimati Radharani Herself. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is sometimes explained to be radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalita, or characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Srimati Radharani. Gadadhara dasa is this dyuti or luster. He counts among the associates of both Srila Gaurahari and Nityananda Prabhu....Even though he was an associate of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, he was not among the cowherd boys but was situated in the transcendental mellow of conjugal love. He established a temple of Sri Gaurasundara in Katwa.
“In 1434 sakabda (1534 A.D.) when Lord Nityananda Prabhu was empowered by Lord Caitanya to preach the sankirtana movement in Bengal, Sri Gadadhara dasa was one of Lord Nityananda's chief assistants. He preached the sankirtana movement by requesting everyone to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra....When Srila Gadadhara dasa was preaching the cult of hari-kirtana, there was a magistrate who was very much against his sankirtana movement. Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Gadhadhara dasa one night went to the house of the Kazi and requested him to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. The Kazi replied, “All right, I shall chant Hare Krsna tomorrow.” On hearing this, Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu began to dance, and he said, “Why tomorrow? You have already chanted the Hare Krsna mantra, so simply continue.”
“...Srila Gadadhara dasa is considered to be a united form of Candrakanti, who is the effulgence of Srimati Radharani, and Purnananda, who is an expansion of Lord Balarama's dear girlfriend. Thus Srila Gadadhara dasa was one of the associates of both Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. Once while Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was returning to Bengal from Jagannatha Puri with Nityananda Prabhu, he forgot himself and began talking very loudly as if he were a girl of Vrajabhumi selling yogurt, and Srila Nityananda Prabhu noted this. Another time, while absorbed int he ecstasy of the gopis, he carried a jug filled with Ganges water on his head as if he were selling milk. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the house of Raghava Pandita while going to Vrndavana, Gadadhara dasa went to see Him, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so glad that He put His foot on his head. When Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was present in Endiyadaha he established a Balagopala murti for worship there. Sri Madhava Ghosh performed a drama known as Dana-khanda with the help of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Gadadhara dasa.
“The tomb of Gadadhara dasa Prabhu, which is in the village of Endiyadaha, was under the control of the Samyogi Vaisnavas and later under the direction of Siddha Bhagavan dasa Babaji of Kalna. Byhis order, Sri Madhus¨dana Mullik, one of hte members of the aristocratice Mullik family of the Narikeladanga in Calcutta, established a patavadi (monastery) there in the Bengali year 1256. He also arranged for the worship of a Deity named Sri Radhakanta. His son, Balaicanda Mullik, established Gaura-Nitai Deities there in the Bengali year 1312. Thus on the throne of the temple are both Gaura-Nityananda Deities and Radha-Krsna Deities.”
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent Nityananda Prabhu to Bengal to preach the nectar of the holy name, he sent Sri Rama dasa and Sri Gadadhara dasa with him. Once when he was carrying a waterpot on his head, Gadadhara dasa, in the mood of a gopi called out “Who will buy milk? Who will buy yogurt?” Saying this, he laughed at the joke.
The details of how Gadadhara dasa delivered the Kazi are as follows: One day, Gadadhara dasa went to the house of the Kazi, overwhelmed with krsna-prema, madly dancing and performing hari-sankirtana. When he arrived at the Kazi's door, he began loudly calling for the Kazi. The Kazi, enraged, went outside his house ready to chastise Gadadhara dasa for disturbing the peace. But when he beheld the beautiful form of Gadadhara dasa, who was the personification of Sri Radhika's divine luster, he was stunned. When Gadadhara dasa embraced the Kazi with great affection the Kazi said, “Thakura! Why have you come?”
Gadadhara dasa said, “I want to have a talk with you.
“What do you wish to talk about?”
“Gaura-Nityananda have appeared upon this earth to deliver humankind with divine love by distributing the sweet nectar of the holy name of Hari. Why don't you chant this sweet name of Hari?”
“Tomorrow I shall chant the name Hari.”
“Why chant the holy name tomorrow? I have come to deliver you with the holy name of Krsna. Now you have begun your life of auspiciousness by vibrating the holy name of Hari. From today on all your sins and miseries will disappear by the grace of the holy name if you simply continue this chanting—this is why I have come: to deliver you.”
Hearing the words of Gadadhara dasa, the Kazi was bewildered. At length, he smiled and again said, “Tomorrow I will chant the holy name of Hari.” Upon hearing the holy name of Hari issuing from the mouth of the Muslim Kazi, Gadadhara dasa at once became mad in the ecstasy of Krsna prema. At last he said, “Why tomorrow! Just now you have said the name ‘Hari.’ All your sins will now melt away and you will become supremely purified by the power of the holy name.”
Purified by the grace of Gadadhara dasa and the holy name of Krsna, the Kazi took shelter of the holy feet of Gadadhara dasa.
In this way, Gadadhara dasa delivered countless sinners, nonbelievers, and yavanas with the holy name of Krsna. He disappeared on the eight day of the full moon in the month of Kartika. All glories to Sri Gadadhara dasa Thakura Prabhu.

Pastimes at Ambika Kalna(Gauri Dasa Pandita)

2009-07-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

In Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Krishna dasa Kaviraja Goswami has written:
tasya shri krishna chaitanya
sat premamara shakhinah
urdvhva-skandhavadhutendoh
shakharupan ganan numah
"Shri Nityananda Prabhu is the topmost branch of the indestructible tree of eternal love of Godhead, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer my respectful obeisances to all the sub-branches of that topmost branch." Gauridasa Pandit is one of the most important sub-branches of the Nityananda branch of the Chaitanya tree of bhakti. Of this particular sub-branch of Nityananda, Shri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: gauridasa pandit yara premoddanda-bhakti, krishna-prema dite, nite, dhare mahashakti. nityananda samarpila jati kula-panti, shri chaitanya-nityananda kari pranapati. "Gauridasa Pandita, the emblem of the most elevated devotional service in love of Godhead, had the greatest potency to receive and deliver such love. Making Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda the Lords of his life, Gauridas Pandit sacrificed everything for the service of Lord Nityananda, even the fellowship of his family."
Shri Gauridasa Pandit's father's name was Shri Kamsari Mishra. His mother's name was Shri Kamala Devi. He had five brothers: Damodara, Jagannatha, Suryadasa, Krishnadasa, and Nrishinga-Chaitanya. Previously, in Vrindvana, Gauridasa Pandit was Subala Shakha, one of the twelve most important cowherd-boy friends of Krishna who were known as the dvadasha-gopals.
In the Bardhaman district lies the town of Ambika-kalna, not far from the city of Shantipura. In Ambika-kalna lived Gauridasa Pandit. At present, in the house of Shri Gauridasa Pandit there is a temple where the deities of Gaura-Nityananda are installed. In that temple there is an ancient manuscript, which is said to be a copy of the Bhagavad-gita written in Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's own hand, although this is not accepted by some authorities. Hearsay has it that Shriman Mahaprabhu crossed the Ganges in a boat with an oar. Giving the oar to Gauridasa Pandita, Mahaprabhu is supposed to have said, "With this oar, you may help the fallen souls cross over the ocean of material existence." That oar is still found at the temple of Gauridasa Pandit.
Gauridasa Pandit had an elder brother named Suryadas Sarakhela. Suryadasa Sarakhela lived a few miles from Navadwipa in a place called Shaligram. At that time he accepted employment as a secretary in the Mohammedan government. He had two daughters: Shri Vasudha and Jahnava Devi. These two daughters later married Shri Nityananda Prabhu. Of Gauridasa Pandit's brothers, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: "Suryadasa Sarakhela and his younger brother Krishnadasa Sarakhela both possessed firm faith in Nityananda Prabhu. They were a reservoir of love of Godhead. "
Regarding Gauridasa Pandita, Bhaktivedanta Swami translates the comments of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura i as follows: "It is said that Gauridasa Pandit was always patronized by King Krishnadasa, the son of Harihoda. Gauridasa Pandit lived in the village of Shaligrama, which is situated a few miles from the railway station Muragaccha, and later he came to reside in Ambika-kalana. It is stated in Gaura-ganodesha-dipika, verse 128, that formerly he was Subal, one of the cowherd boy friends of Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana. Gauridas Pandit was the younger brotehr of Suryadasa Sarakhela, and with the permission of his elder brother he shifted his residence tot he bank of the Ganges, living there in the town known as Ambika-Kalna....The eldest son of Gauridasa Pandita was known as big Balrama, and the youngest was known as Raghunatha. The sons of Raghunatha were Mahesha Pandita and Govinda. Gauridasa Pandit's daughter was known as Annapurna." According to Bhaktivinoda Thakura, some of the descendants of Gauri Dasa Pandit are living today in the village of Shaligram.
Bhaktivedanta Swami gives the location of Ambika-kalna as follows: "The village Ambika-kalna, which is situated just across the River Ganges from Shantipura, is two miles east of the Kalakanorta railway station on the Eastern Railway." It may be noted that Ambika-Kalna may be visited by catching to train to Nabadwip--dham at Howrah station in Calcutta and getting off at Ambika-Kalna. Bhaktivedanta Swami writes: "In Ambika-Kalna there is a temple constructed by the Zamindar of Burdwan. In front of the temple there is a big tamarind tree, and it is said that Gauridasa Pandita and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu met under this tree. The place where the tempole is situated is known as Ambika, and because it is in the area of Kalna, the village is known as Ambika-kalna. It is said that a copy of Bhagavad-gita written by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu still exists in this temple."
When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, after performing different kinds of pastimes in Navadwipa, wanted to take sannyasa, at that time he went to bid goodbye to Gauridasa Pandita. At that time, Gauridasa Pandita felt great separation from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
This is described in a song by a devotee named Krishna dasa:
thakura panditera bari, gora nache phiri phiri,
nityananda bole hari hari
kandi gaurdasa bole pori prabhur padatole
kabhu na charibe mora bari
amara vachana rakha ambika nagare thako
ei nivedana tuwa pai
yadi chari yabe tumi nischoya maribo ami
rahibo se nirakhiya kai
tomara ye duti bhai, thako mora ei thai
tabe sabara hoy paritran
punah nivedana kori na chariho gaurahari
tabe jani patita pavan
prabhu kahe gauridasa charaho emata asha
pratimurti seva kari dekha
tahate achaye ami, nischaya janiho tumi
satya mora ei vakya rakha
eta shuni gauridasa chari dirgha nihshvasa
phukari phukari punah kande
punah sei dui bhai prabhodha karoye tai
tabu hiya khira nahi vandhe
kahe dina krishnadasa, chaitanya carane asha
dui bhai rahilo tathaya
thakura panditer preme, vandi hoila dui jane
bhakata vatsala teni gaya
akula dekhiya tare, kahe gaura dhire dhire
amara thakilam tora thai
nischaya jani-i tumi, tomara ei ghare ami
rahilam ei dui bhai
eiteka pravodha diya dui prati murti loiya
aila pandita vidyaman
chari jana danrailo pandita vismaya bhelo
bhave ashru bahaye nayana
puna prabhu kahe tanre tora iccha hoy yare
sei dui rakha nija ghare
tomara pratita lagi tora thai khavo magi
satya satya janiha antare
shuniya pandita raja korila randhana kaja
chari jane bhojana karila
padma malya vastra diya tambuladi samarpiya
sarva ange chandana lepila
nnana mate paratita karyarya phirala chita
dehare rakhila nija ghare
panditera prema lagi dui bhai khaya magi
donhe gela nilachalapuri
pandita karaye seva yakhana ye iccha yeba
seimata karaye vilasa
heno prabhu gauridasa
tara pad kari asha
kahe dina hina krishnadasa
"Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, dancing, with Nityananda who was chanting, "Hari Hari" arrived at the house of Gauridasa Pandita to bid farewell. Weeping and weeping in separation, Gauridasa fell at the feet of the Lord and said, 'You must never leave my house! Please heed my words. Stay here in Ambika Kalna. This is my humble submission. If you leave me, I shall surely die. You must stay here. And I will always stay here and view your divine form. You are two brothers. Stay here at my place, and everyone will be delivered just by seeing you. Again I submit—don't leave, O Gaurahari: you are the savior of the fallen.'
"The Lord said, 'Gauridasa, allow me to fulfill your hope in this way: I shall give you an exact copy of Gaura and Nityananda, a murti that you may worship. By seeing this murti you can think of us. My murti is as good as I am. Know it for certain that my words are true.'
"Hearing this, Gauridasa, let out a deep breath and began sobbing and sobbing, wept and wept. Again, the two brothers tried to console him. Still, nothing they did could steady or pacify him. Thus sings the fallen Krishna dasa who aspires for the lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya, of how those two brothers stayed in Ambika Kalna. In ecstasy, Gauridasa Pandit begged the two brothers to stay, and because Chaitanya and Nityananda are bhakta-vatsala—always affectionate to his devotees—they were captured by Gauridasa Pandit. He imprisoned those two Lords in a temple of divine love from which they could not escape.
"Seeing the great anxiety of Gauridasa Pandita, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, with great gravity, 'We will stay here at your place. Know for certain that we two brothers will always stay here in your home.' Consoling him with these words, those two brothers manifest themselves in the form of two perfect deity forms.
"The four of them stood there: Gaura-Nityananda and the exact replicas of Gaura-Nityananda. Gauridas Pandit was stunned. Tears of divine love filled his eyes. Again the Lord told him, 'Your wish is fulfilled. These two will stay here in your home forever. You will always internally realize that in this way, at your home we shall eternally stay and beg to eat the offerings you cook.'
"Hearing this, Gauridasa the king of pandits, began to cook. When the preparations were ready, he offered everything before his four guests. After this he offered them garlands made of lotuses and fresh cloth, along with tambula and other fine things. Then he decorated their limbs with sandalwood pulp.
"After all these various things were realized, it was time for the two Lords to go. The two Lords left the two Lords standing at the home of Gauridasa Pandita and left for Jagannatha Puri. To the great satisfaction of Gauridasa Pandita, Gaura and Nityananda in their replica form stayed at his house and ate the rice he offered them. In this way, Gauridasa Pandit rendered service to his heart's delight and enjoyed the pastimes of Gaura and Nityananda. My only hope is to take shelter at the lotus feet of Gauridasa Pandita. Thus says the fallen Krishnadasa."
One day, just to increase the divine love of Gauridasa Pandita, the murtis of Shri Gaura-Nityananda decided to revive in Gauridasa Pandita the Vrindavana conception. At that time they smiled sweetly and said, "O Gauridasa! You were formerly Subal Shakha. Don't you remember? Together we used to have many pastimes on the banks of the Yamuna in Vrindavana. While acting in this way, Shri Gaura and Nitayananda caused Gauridasa to conceive of them in the forms of Krishna and Balarama. In this way, they appeared in the dress of cowherd boys, with a stick for driving cows in their hands. Krishna held a flute in his hands and a peacock feather in his hear. Their necks were decorated with garlands of forest flowers. Their lotus feet were ornamented with anklets. In this way, they brought Gauridasa into the mood of his previous conception. In this mood they revealed different pastimes to Gauridasa Pandit for some time. After this, it was the Lord's wish that Gauridasa be returned to external consciousness. At that time, Krishna and Balaram returned to the altar in their forms as Gaura and Nityananda.
Every day, Gauridasa Pandit used to prepare various wonderful edibles for the pleasure of his deities and offer it to Gaura and Nityananda. He was always engaged in serving them. He was so absorbed in service that he was completely unaware of the pleasures and pains of his own body. Gradually, he approached old age and became feeble and infirm. In this way, although it was difficult for him to do, he did not cease working hard to cook for his deities. One day, seeing his hard labor at cooking, Gaura and Nityananda externally appeared very angry, and refused to eat. At that time, Gauridasa Pandit embraced them affectionately, saying: "If you don't want to eat this, tell me what you would like me to cook. I'm ready to cook whatever will make you happy." Saying this, Gauridasa Pandita fell silent. Smiling, the Lord then said in great seriousness, "There is nothing wrong with your cooking. But there is no need, at your advanced age, to cook so many preparations. We can't tolerate seeing you go to such a great effort on our behalf. We would be happier if you would exert less effort and just do something simple."
Gauridasa Pandit said, "Eat what I have cooked today. In the future, I won't take such great steps. Everything will be kept simple. I will only cook a little shak and offer it on a fresh banana leaf." Hearing the words of the Pandit, the brothers, Gaura and Nityananda, smiled and laughed and ate everything on their plates.
Once Gauridasa Pandita wanted to decorate Gaura and Nityananda lavishly with beautiful ornaments. Knowing his mind, Gaura-Nityananda decorated themselves with ornaments and then got back up on their throne on the altar. When the pandit entered the temple, he was speechless with delight. He thought, "Where did they get these ornaments?" In this way, Gaura and Nityananda were involved in many different kinds of pastimes in the home of Gauridasa Pandita.
Shri Gauridas Pandit's dearmost disciple was Shri Hridaya Chaitanya. Once around the time of the appearance day of Shri Gauranga, Gauridasa went to the house of one of his disciples. At that time, he entrusted the service of Shri Gaura and Nityananda in the care of Hridaya Chaitanya. Hridaya Chaitanya, in great ecstasy, rendered service to those deities. The festival of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance day drew near. When only three days remained before the big festival that was to take place, Gauridas Pandita still had not returned. Hridaya Chaitanya became very worried. Acting on his own, he arranged to send a written message to the different devotees and disciples inviting them to the festival that would soon be held. Just at that time, Gauridasa Pandita arrived at his ashram. Hridaya Chaitanya told his guru about how he had sent out invitations of his own, worried that Gauridasa Pandit would not return in time to do so. Although Gauridasa Pandit was internally very happy, externally he showed himself to be very angry with Hridaya Chaitanya's acting independently.
Gauridasa scolded his disciple, saying, "In my presence you are acting independently, sending invitations here and there as you please and summoning my disciples at your will. This cannot go on. You cannot stay here."
Hearing this, Hridaya Chaitanya fell at the feet of his guru and offered his pranams. He went to stay under a tree on the banks of the Ganges. A short time later a rich merchant came by on a boat and gave a large donation to Hridaya Chaitanya, saying, "Give this to your guru, Gauridas Pandit." After he went to Gauridasa and gave him the donation, Hridaya Chaitanya was told by his guru to hold a big festival on the banks of the Ganges. Taking the order of his guru on his head, Hridaya Chaitanya began a big festival on the banks of the Ganges. Gradually all the Vaishnavas in the surrounding areas began to assemble there. Taking those great souls with him, Hridaya Chaitanya began a wonderful and superexcellent performance of dancing and chanting the holy name. In the midst of this kirtan Gaura and Nityananda Themselves appeared, singing and dancing. Hridaya Chaitanya saw it with his own eyes. In this way Gauridasa Pandita arranged for a great festival to be held. When the pujari back at the temple, Big Ganga Dasa Pandit, entered the temple he saw that Gaura and Nityananda were not on the simhasana, the deity throne on the altar. He went immediately to Gauridas Pandit to report this incident. The pujari could understand that to increase the prema of Hridaya Chaitanya, Gaura and Nityananda had gone off and joined the kirtan. Seeing the amazement of his pujari, Gauridasa Pandit smiled sweetly. Then, to stop the two brothers from getting away, he took a club in his hand and went off to the banks of the Ganges to the place where Gaura and Nityananda had joined in the great kirtan that was going on there. He soon arrived at the banks of the Ganges where the kirtan was going on. He could see the two brothers dancing in ecstasy. But when the two brothers, Gaura and Nityananda saw the angry mood of Gauridas Pandita, they became invisible.
Shri Gauridas Pandit could see that Gaura and Nityananda had entered into the temple of Hridaya Chaitanya's heart. Beholding this in great wonder and ecstasy, Gauridasa Pandit could not hold himself back—he began crying tears of ecstasy. He forgot his external show of anger at the two brothers, and holding his disicple Shri Hridaya Chaitanya Prabhu in his arms, he said, "You are truly fortunate. From today on your name will be will be "Hridaya Chaitanya:" one who has Shri Chaitanya within his heart. He drenched Hridaya Chaitanya Prabhu with the water of his tears.
In great humility and overwhelmed with Krishna-prema, Shri Hridaya Chaitanya fell at the feet of Shri Gauridasa Pandit. After this, Gauridasa took Hridaya Chaitanya back to his house where they danced and chanted in the courtyard in the ecstasy of sankirtan. The devotees filled the ten directions with the loud chanting of "Hari! Hari!" In this way the great festival of the appearance day of Shri Gauranga came to a close. After this, Shri Gauridasa Pandita blessed Shri Hridaya Chaitanya with the adhikara or qualifications for divine seva. On the Shukla Ekadashi in the month of Shravana, Shri Gauridasa Pandita passed away from this earth and entered into the eternal unmanifest pastimes of Shri Gauranga and Nityananda. His most important disciple was Hridaya Chaitanya, whose most important disciple was Shri Shyamananda prabhu. Shri Narahari Chakravarti Thakura records all the history of Gauri Das Pandit's life and extols his glories in the seventh taranga or wave of his book, Bhakti-Ratnakara.

Pastimes of Lokanatha Goswami.

2009-07-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

On this Most Auspicious occasion of the Disappearance of Srila Lokanatha Goswami, we decided to put some of his pastimes he visited Mayapur before he was sent to Vrindavan by Mahaprabhu. Please Relish.

In the village of Talakhori Gram in the Yashohara district, lived the mother and father of Shri Lokanatha Goswami. His father's name was Padmanabha and his mother's name was Shri Sitadevi. Shri Padmanabha Bhattacharya was a very dear follower of Shri Advaita Acharya. One day, Shri Lokanatha Goswami took his birth in the house of Shri Padmanabha and Shri Sita Devi. His younger brother's name was Shri Pragalabha Bhattacharya. The descendents of Pragalabha still live in Talakhori Gram.
From his early childhood, Shri Lokanatha was indifferent to family life. One day, giving up his mother and father, and leaving his home behind forever, he went to Mayapura in Nabadwipa to take darshan of the holy feet of Shri Gauranga. Shri Gaurangadeva embraced Lokanatha Goswami with great affection, and soon he ordered Lokanatha Goswami to quickly go to Vrindavana. But Lokanatha Goswami could understand by certain evidence that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would leave home and take sannyasa within two or three days. Therefore, he was in great anxiety.
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu could understand the mind and heart of Lokanatha Goswami and consoled him, saying, "We shall be reunited in Vrindavana."
In this connection, Shrila Narahari Chakravarti has written in his Bhakti-Ratnakara: "While he was weeping and weeping, crying out his heart at the lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya, Lokanatha felt himself being caught up and embraced by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Later, as Lokanatha bid him farewell, the Lord gave him a confidential message which consoled him greatly. After this, he offered his soul at the lotus feet of Shriman Mahaprabhu, and after giving his pranamas to the all the devotees, he went on his way."
After this, Lokanatha never returned to home life. Rather, afflicted with deep separation from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he began wandering from one holy place of pilgrimage to the next. Gradually, after visiting many holy places, he came to Vrindavana Dham.
In the meantime, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and went to Jagannatha Puri. After staying in Puri for some time, the Lord had a mind to deliver the fallen souls, and so began his tour of South India. Hearing of the Lord's tour of South India, Shri Lokanatha also went to South India, in search of the Lord.
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, after visiting many holy places of pilgrimage in South India and again returning to Jagannatha Puri for some time, finally came to Vrindavana. Hearing of this, Lokanatha Goswami quickly went to Vrindavan. Meanwhile, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had already left for Prayaga-dham. Arriving in Vrindavana and not seeing Mahaprabhu, Lokanatha was heartbroken. He resolved to set everything right by starting out the very next morning for Prayaga, to meet the Lord. That night the Lord came to him in a dream and consoled him, saying, "O Lokanatha, stay in Vrindvana. I have not broken my vow. I have already come to Vrindavana and live there in another form. In this way you shall always maintain my connection."
A few days later, Shrila Lokanatha Goswami chanced to meet the most dear followers of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: Shri Rupa, Shri Sanatana, Shri Gopala Bhatta, Shri Bhugarbha and others. The exchange of divine love between them was wonderful to behold! They were all of one mind, one heart. In the midst of the Goswamis, Shri Lokanatha was the oldest. He was fully absorbed in prema. In his mangalaracana to the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Shri Sanatana Goswami offers his respects to Lokanatha Goswami as follows:
vrindavan priyan vande shri govinda padashritan
shrimad-kashishvaram lokanatam shri krishnadasakam
"I offer my obeisances unto Shri Kashishvara Pandit, Shri Lokanatha Goswami and Shri Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami who are very dear to Shri Govinda in Vrindavan, having taken shelter at his lotus feet."
Shri Lokanatha Goswami wandered throughout all twelve forests of Vrindavan in great ecstasy. In one of the forests there is a village named Umarao. There he stayed for some time on the banks of Kishori-kunda. He had a great desire to establish the worship of the deity and render service to Krishna in that way. Understanding Lokanath's aspiration to serve, Krishna Himself appeared before him and offered Lokanatha a vigraha, saying, "Worship this Deity here. This deity's name is Radha-vinoda. After giving him this beautiful deity, the Lord suddenly disappeared.
At this, Lokanatha Goswami became stricken with anxiety. Seeing him absorbed in worry, Radhavinoda smiled and said, "Why have you brought me here? I have come here personally just to satisfy your purpose. What do you want from me? I live in the forest here, near the village of Umarao. By this Kishori kunda you see before you, I make my residence. You must now give me something to eat. Quickly."
Lokanatha Goswami's joy knew no bounds. He floated in the waves of prema. After this he prepared an offering for the Lord to eat. After offering fine rice ona fresh banana leaf to the deity he experienced great ecstasy by offering his life at the lotus feet of the Lord. He was stunned by drinking in the nectarine beauty of the Lord. After this he offered a bed of flowers and made the Lord rest.
Shri Lokanatha Goswami made this place his home. The local villagers and cowherd men wanted to construct a bhajan kutir for him, but he refused to accept it. In order to protect the deity, he prepared a cloth bag which he would keep around his neck at all times. Shri Radhavinoda became like a jeweled necklace around the neck of Lokanatha Goswami. The cloth bag was his temple. This was Lokanatha Goswami's practice until the day he disappeared from this earth, and is an example of the strict vairagya he maintained. With great care he always stayed in the association of the Goswamis of Vrindavana.
It is very difficult to exhaustively describe the life and pastimes of Lokanatha Goswami who was very dear to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his dear followers beginning with Shri Rupa and Shri Sanatana disappeared, Shrila Lokanatha Goswami could not tolerate the separation. After this his only purpose in life was to establish the wishes of Shri Chaitanya Mahprabhu.
Shrila Lokanatha Goswami gave mantra diksha to Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura. There is no mention in the shastras that he accepted any other disciples. Narottam Thakura served him in secret by going in the dead of night to the place where Lokanatha would pass stool and urine and cleansing the area very carefully. Seeing Narottama's humility, Lokanatha accepted him.
Shrila Lokanatha Goswami, in his ripe old age, while performing his bhajan in Khadiravan in Khayara Gram, passed away and entered into the eternal unmanifest pastimes of the Lord. At that place is a kunda called Shri Yugala Kunda. On the banks of that kunda, Shrila Lokanatha Goswami entered into samadhi.
It is said that when Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami went to Lokanatha Goswami and asked his blessings to compile the Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Lokanatha Goswami gave his blessings, but prohibited Kaviraja Goswami from mentioning his name in the Chaitanya Charitamrita. For fear of violating the order of Lokanatha, Kaviraj Goswami has only briefly mentioned him in the Chaitanya Charitamrita. On the day of Krishnastami in the month of Shravana, he entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord.
Shrila Narottama Dasa Thakura Mahashaya prays as follows at the lotus feet of his gurudeva:
ha ha prabhu lokanatha, rakha padadvandve
kripadrishthye chaha yadi haiya anande
manovancha siddhi habe hang purna trishna
hethaya chaitanya mile setha radhakrishna
tumi na karile daya ke kairbe ara
manera vasana purna kara eibara
ei tini samsare mora ara keho nai
kripa kari nija padatale deha thai
radhakrishna lilaguna gao ratri dine
narottama vancha purna nahe tuwa vine
"O Lokanatha, O gurudeva! If you are pleased with me, please keep me in the shelter of your lotus feet, and cast your merciful glance upon me. by your mercy I can find the perfection of inner fulfillment. And by your mercy I can someday meet Shri Chaitanya and Radha-Krishna. If you are not merciful to me, then what shall I do? Please, just once, fulfill my heart's desire. In the three worlds of birth and death no one is more in need of your mercy. Please give me your mercy and give me a place at your lotus feet. Day and night I sing the qualities and pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Still, the inner aspirations of Narottama for the service of Shri Shri Radha-Govinda and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can only be realized through your grace, O Lokanatha Goswami Prabhu. "

Pastimes of Lochan Das Thakura.

2009-07-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

Shrila Lochan Das Thakura took his birth in a family of brahmans who lived in a village in the rada-desh, in Mahakumara, near Katwa, in the Burdhaman district of Bengal. When he was only a little boy, he enjoyed the good fortune of meeting the devotees of Shri Gauranga. His guru was Narahari Sarakara Thakura. In his Chaitanya Mangala, Shrila Lochana Dasa Thakura has written: "My hope of hopes is to be near the lotus feet of Shri Narahari Thakura, to serve and worship him with my very life. The cherished desire of the fallen Locana Dasa is to be allowed by the grace of Narahari to sing the glories of Shri Gauranga. My Lord is Shri Narahari Thakura, and I am his servant. Bowing and praying before him I beg him to allow me his service. This is my only aspiration."
Previously in Bengal the poets used to compose sacred songs and verses in different forms of classic rhymes and rythmic meters called Panchali. The Panchali style of composition was especially used for glorifying the Lord. Shrila Lochana Dasa Thakura used the Panchali form of verse-meter in composing his famous work, Shri Chaitanya Mangala. The Panchali form employs five different kinds of song-styles.
Shri Lochana Das's father's name was Shri Kamalakara Dasa. His mother's name was Shri Sadanandi. Lochan Dasa was his father's only son, and so was the darling of his parents. He spent the better part of his years staying at the house of his grandparents. and there began his studies and his education. At a very young age, Shri Lochana Dasa was married. From early childhood, Shri Lochana Dasa had great attachment for Shri Gauranga and at the same time great detachment from material enjoyment. In the prime of his youth he went to Shri Khanda where he found his gurudeva, Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakur, and took shelter at his lotus feet. He stayed there for some time, and there he was instructed in kirtan.
The principle source material that was drawn upon by Shri Lochan Dasa Thakura in composing his Chaitanya Mangala was a Sanskrit book by Murari Gupta called Shri Chaitanya Charitamritam. Lochan Dasa Thakura explains this in his Chaitanya Mangala as follows: "That very Murari Gupta who lived in Nadiya composed many Sanskrit verses about the life of Shri Gauranga, which he later arranged in the form of a book. Having heard these verses from Murari Gupta, Damodara Pandit taught them to me, and I memorized them with great delight. As these Sanskrit verses, and the conception of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu imparted to me through Damodara Pandita developed within my mind, it flowed forth from me in the form of these Panchali verses in Bengali, which I write in glorification of the life and pastimes of Shri Chaitanya." (C.M. Sutra-Khanda) In his preface to the Chaitanya Mangala, Shrila Lochana Dasa Thakura offers his prayers to Vrindavan dasa Thakura before proceeding with the narrative. He says, "I offer my prayers of submission to Vrindavana Dasa Thakura with all my heart. The sweet song of his Chaitanya Bhagavata has enchanted the whole world." (C.M. Sutra-Khanda)
Vrindavan Dasa Thakura's Chaitanya Bhagavata was originally called Chaitanya Mangala. It is said that Shrila Lochana Dasa Thakura and Shrila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami gave it the name Chaitanya Bhagavata. Krishnadasa Kavriaja Goswami writes: "krishna lila bhagavate kahe vedadvyasa, chaitanya lilara vyasa—vrindavana dasa." Vedavyasa has described the pastimes of Krishna in his Bhagavata. The Vyasa of Chaitanya Lila is Vrindavan Dasa." From this comparison between Vedavyasa and Vrindavana Dasa, it has been concluded that Kaviraja Goswami is probably responsible for Vrindavan Dasa Thakur's work becoming known as the Bhagavata of Chaitanya Lila, or Chaitanya-Bhagavata.
There are many pastimes of Shri Chaitanya that have only been touched on briefly by Vrindvana Dasa Thakura. These are described in detail in the Chaitanya Mangala of Lochana Dasa Thakura.
The Chaitanya Mangala is divided into four parts: Sutra Khanda, Adi Khanda, Madhyama Khanda and Shesha Khanda. The Sutra Khanda has two chapters, Adi Khanda has seven chapters, the Madhyama Khanda twelve, and the Shesha Khanda three. The contents of the Adi Khanda are as follows.
The first chapter in the Sutra Khanda is called Mangalaracharanam, or auspicious invocation. It begins with a song of the glories of Shri Chaitanya and then praises the Vaishnavas who were personal associates of Shri Chaitanya. After this, Lochan Dasa Thakura offers respects to his gurudeva, Narahari Sarakara Thakura, and prays for his guru's mercy. He offers his obeisances at the lotus feet of the countless devotees and personal associates of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, known and unknown. Having prayed for the blessings of guru and vaishnavas, Lochan dasa explains that Murari Gupta had written a book in Sanskrit called the Chaitanya Charitamritam, and that since that book is no longer available, he is giving its essence in the form of Bengali verse called Panchali. He then briefly describes the subjects found in the Adi, Madhya, and Shesha Khandas.
The second chapter of the Sutra Khanda is called Grantharambha, for here the book actually begins. In this chapter Lochan Dasa relates how he heard from Damodara Pandita the story of Jaimini's Mahabharata recital, wherein he describes a conversation between Narada and Uddhava. In that conversation Narada explained the cause of Krishna's appearance in the golden form of Shri Gauranga.
One time Narada saw that with the coming of the age of Kali the living beings had fallen into great suffering. He began to worry about how they could be delivered and the principles of dharma restored. Thinking in this way, he decided that only Krishna's descent into this world would deliver the fallen souls and restore the principles of religion. Wanting to appeal to Krishna to descend as an avatara, he set out for Dwaraka dham. At that time, Krishna was staying in the palace of Shri Rukmini devi.
Just then, upon learning that Shri Krishna would soon appear on earth in a golden form, with the golden luster and devotional mood of Radharani, Rukminidevi became deeply troubled. Feeling separation from the Lord, she fell at the lotus feet of Krishna and began praising the qualities of Shri Radha—whose devotion was so glorious that Krishna wanted to honor her by assuming her luster and mood. At that time Narada entered the room. He explained to Krishna the reason for his trip—that he wanted Krishna to descend to the earth planet in order to deliver the fallen souls. At that time, Krishna revealed to him how in the future he would appear as the son of Sachidevi and Jagannatha Mishra in Nabadwipa dham: in a golden form with all his transcendental associates.
Having seen that golden form revealed, Narada was overwhelmed with ecstasy. Constantly thinking of this golden form and the Lord's plans to appear in Navadwipa dhama as Shri Gauranga, Narada the best of munis went to visit Naimisharanya, all the while singing the glories of the Lord. There, in answer to Uddhava's inquiries about the welfare of the living beings, he explained how in Kali-yuga—the best of all ages because of Shri Gauranga's advent—Krishna would appear in a golden form as Shri Gauranga and perform the kirtan of the holy name of Hari. Narada told Uddhava how the Lord would come to establish the Sankirtana of the holy name of Krishna as the yuga-dharma, the religious principle for the age of Kali. Narada explained the glories of kirtana.
Thereafter, Narada Muni related to Uddhava the discussion that had previously taken place when he had gone to Kailasa and visited Lord Shiva, the best of Vaishnavas. There, Narada and Parvati discussed the glories of Mahaprasada, having heard of the glroies of Mahaprasada from Narada, Parvati had performed 12 years of Lakshmi-seva. By her mercy, Parvait got some of Laksmidevi's own mahaprasada. and also gave shiva a small bit of that prasada. Not able to tolerate the dancing of Lord Shiva upon obtaining this Mahaprasada, the earth came before Parvati, begging her to give the Mahaprasada of the Vaishanvas to all the jivas. With this proposal, Parvati explained how the Gaura-avatara would come in kaliyuga and distribute Mahaprasada to all the fallen souls.
After this, Narada went to Brahma and discussed the Gaura-avatara with him. Brahma, the creator, at that time explained to him the essential subject of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, and showed him how the version of the Bhagavatam supported the gaura-avatara. After this, Narada began wandering here and there. As he went form place to place he became concerned about he sufferings of the jivas. As he was worrying about the living entities in this way, he came near Jagannatha Puri. There he heard a divine voice disccussing the avatara of Jagannatha. On the order of the divine voice he went to Puri. From there, the Lord ordered him to go to Goloka. First he came to Vaikuntha. After this, he arrived in Goloka, where he saw many pastimes of the Lord. There he saw the Lord in his golden form as Shri Gaura, and fainted in ecstasy. After this, he went all over the universe, informing all the gods of the news.
In Shwetadwipa he saw the supernatural pastimes of Balarama, the very figure of service. After this, all the demigods began taking birth on earth. As previously mentioned by Krishna in his conversation with Rukmini, the Lord, along with Satyabhama, Rukmini, and all his eternal associates from the spiritual world came with the luster and mood of Radharani in a golden form as Shri Gauranga. He came to spead the sankirtan of the holy name of Krishna. Balarama came as Nityananda, Shiva came as Advaita Prabhu, and other great souls descended as his other eternal associates like Murari, Mukunda, Shrivasa, Raya Ramananda, Ishvara Puri, and Madhavendra Puri. Lochan Dasa Thakur concludes the chapter by praising the glories of his guru, Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, and his nephew Raghunandana Thakura.
The first chapter of the Adi lila of Chaitanya Mangala describes the Janma-lila, or birth pastimes, of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The chapter first describes the advent of the Lord's eternal associates, who appeared in this world before Mahaprabhu Himself. Lochan Thakura describes the Lord as the remote and immediate cause of creation, the Parabrahman, Shri Narayana Himself. That Supreme Personality of Godhead descended within the womb of Sachidevi and advented Himself upon this earth. In this way, gradually Sachi's womb grew day by day, and her body assumed a supernatural effulgence. Seeing her wonderful bodily effulgence, everyone was astonished, and thought, "Surely a great personality is about to take birth from the womb of Shri Sachidevi." When her "pregnancy" was in its sixth month, one day Advaita Acharya Prabhu went to the house of Sachidevi and Jagannatha Mishra. Arriving there, he offered his obeisances to the child in the womb of Mother Sachi and then circumambulated her. Shacidevi and Jagannatha Mishra could not understand the cause of Advaita's unusal behavior. In this way, Brahma, Shiva, and the other gods came to offer their respects to that Supreme Personality of Godhead who had hidden himself within the womb of Sachidevi, knowing well that he would soon advent Himself in this world to deliver the lowest of men with the highest nectar of Krishna prema. Detecting their presence, Sachidevi felt great joy. When the heart of Sachidevi was full of mercy for the whole world, that is to say, when the most merciful Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had completely filled her heart, gradually the tenth month came. After this, taking advantage of an auspicious moment on the full moon day in the month of Phalguna, in the midst of Hari-sankirtana, Shri Guarachandra appeared like a golden moon from the ocean of the womb of Mother Sachi. In this way, the Lord appeared on earth, and the ten directions were jubilant. The gods and godesses, men and women, eager to see the moonlike face of the son of Sachi, hurried to the house of Jagannatha Mishra and Sachidevi. In this way, their home was transformed into Vaikuntha.
Jagannatha Mishra and all the residents of Nadiya who had turned out to see that divine child were all struck with wonder to see his beauty. He had a neck like a lion, arms like the trunks of elephants, and a broad chest. His lotus feet were marked with the auspicious symbols of Lord Vishnu: a flag, a thunderbolt, a rod for driving elephants. Seeing all these wonderful and superhuman manifestations of divinity in the child, the people there were all astonished. Everyone speculated about his supernatural origin, saying, "He is definitely not an ordinary human." For eight days, the newborn child and its mother were quarantined, as is traditional for childbirth in Bengal, and on the ninth day a great festival was held. At that time, all the neighbors were filled with great joy to see the boy, and their attraction for him increased.
The second chapter of the Adi Khanda describes the Lord's bala-lila childhood pastimes. Here, Lochan das Thakura describes how after six months, the grain-eating ceremony of Shri Gaurasundara was held, and after this the name-giving ceremony was performed. At the appearance of the Lord, the whole world was delighted. Since the Lord gave pleasure to the whole world, the brahmanas said his name should be Vishvambhara. Soon, Vishvambara began to walk, by holding onto Jagannatha Mishra's finger with his tiny hand. The different women in the village used to decorate him with different ornaments, and they would wonder at the beautiful effulgence that emanated from the child, which was as bright as millions of moons.The moon outside can brighten the darkness of night only slightly, but the moon of Shri Gaurachandra can eliminate all darkness, both within and without.
Shachidevi would sing to her son while threshing wheat, and at that time, all the demigods and offer prayers to her son. Seeing this, Sachidevi wa quite amazed. Sometimes she would see Gaurahari chanting the glories of Radha-Krishan with the gods and would become astonished and faint. When she heard ankle-bells ringing on the bare feet of her child, again she was bewildered. Sometimes she was afraid that ghosts were causing a disturbance, and sometimes she would look in the mouth of her child, and, beholding the universal form, become completely astonished.
In this way, gradually Gaurahari grew old enough to play outside, where he astounded his newfound childhood friends with his divine antics. His playmates were quite attached to him. Sachidevi would carry the baby Gaurahari in her arms and watch after him carefully as he ran about, to keep him from smashing everything as he played. Once, he explained to Mother Sachi the nature of things pure and impure, instructing her on the aprakrita nature of Krishna, who is master of everything. While sitting on a heap of broken clay pots soiled with leftovers, he instructed his mother on jnana. Seeing his mother bewildered, he brought her some coconut fruit. In this way, he performed many childhood pranks. He used to play with puppydogs. When Sachidevi chastised him for playing with a dog, and Gaurahari had to give up his pet, he cried tears of anger before Sachidevi. At that time, he bestowed a divine spiritual body upon that dog while performing Harikirtana. The dog went to Vaikuntha, and as Brahma, Shiva, and the other demigods saw the good fortune of the dog they were all amazed. Sachidevi was astonished at the activities of her son, who made her understand his Supreme Position as the Absolute Lord.
The fourth chapter of the Adi Lila of Chaitanya Mangala describes the Lord's pauganda, or boyhood lila. Having heard Murari Gupta reciting the yogashastras, the Lord mimicked his gestures and speech, making fun of him and then began to laugh uproariously. Thus Murari Gupta was enraged and chastised the Lord with words of anger. In return, the boy, intending to express his contempt for the conclusions of yogis went to Murari's afternoon lunch and urinated on Murari Gupta's plate. After this, he instructed Murari Gupta on the superiority of Krishna-bhakti. Finally, the author discusses Mahaprabhu's boyhood performance of sankirtana, and relates what he heard from Damodara Pandit of Murari Gupta's notes on the sannyasa of Vishvarupa, the Lord's older brother. He also relates the lamentation of Sachidevi and Jagannatha upon their son's taking sannyasa. He also recounts many other pastimes performed by the Lord as a boy. At that time the Lord's hair-cutting ceremony took place. And soon thereafter, the day of Hate-khare, or the first holding of chalk, came. On that day, to signify the beginning of a child's formal education begins, he is given a piece of chalk and a chalkboard, upon which he is to draw the letters of the alphabet. Upon beginning his studies, the Lord was overjoyed to meet many new classmates. On the day that his son's education began, Jagannatha Mishra was very pleased. That night, however, he had a dream in which a brahmana appeared to him and told him that his son Vishvambhara was Bhagavan Himself. Who can educate the Supreme Lord, or discipline him as a small boy? From this, Jagannatha Mishra could understand the supreme position of his child. When his dream broke, he was again overwhelmed with the sentiments of parental love and soon forgot the dream.
At a particular time, the sacred thread ceremony of the boy was performed. After this, there is a discussion of the four ages and the yuga-avatara. In Dvapara-yuga, the Supreme Lord Himself, Shri Krishna the son of Nanda in Vrindavana, makes his appearance on earth. In Kaliyuga, Shri Krishna, appearing with the luster and mood of Shri Radha, advents himself as Shri Gauranga. By performing Sankirtana, he establishes the religious principle for the age of Kali: hari-nama-sankirtana. In order to establish the yuga-dharma, he comes as a preacher. Maddened with Krishna-prema, he delivers all souls with the ecstasy of love of God, by moving here and there and distributing divine love. While in his grihastha-lila, he ordered his mother to refrain from eating grains on Ekadashi, in this way instructed everyone to follow this injunction.
Gradually, Jagannatha Mishra fell ill, and passed away, entering into the Lord's unmanifest pastimes. At that time, the Lord instructed Sachidevi on the fleeting nature of a man's short life within the material world. He also explained many other important principles of divine reality to her. With the passing of her husband, Sachidevi greatly lamented. Gaurahari Himself also lamented the passing of his father. After this time, he began paying close attention to his studies.
Chapter four describes the Lord's pastimes of youth and marriage. One day, after school, the Lord was walking home from his teacher's house and at that time he met Vanamali Acarya. As they talked, the Acharya made the Lord understand that he had just been to see his mother Sachidevi, where he had been making arrangements for the Lord's wedding. Sachidevi had rebuffed him, and unable to secure her permission for the match, Vanamali was a little unhappy. In this way, he was returning to his home, downcast. Shri Gaurahari returned home. Without intimating anything of his conversation with the matchmaker, the Lord informed her of his intentions to wed, saying that she should seek out Vanamali and make the necessary arrangements for the wedding of her son. She did so, and on the orders of Sachimata, Vanamali Acharya went to Vallabhacharya's house. There he informed Vallabhacarya of the Lord's intent to wed Vallabhacarya's daughter Lakshmidevi.
Having made all the arrangements for the wedding, Sachidevi informed all her friends and relatives of the auspicious event and invited them to the occasion. Everyone floated in the waves of the joyful ocean. In this way, Sachidevi made preparations for her son's wedding. All the residents of Nadia turned out to see the wedding. The relatives saw to it that all the old traditional Bengali wedding customs were followed. The Hindu ceremony of besmearing the bridegroom and bride with a paste of turmeric and then bathing them on the eve of the wedding was performed, as were many other rituals. The place where the wedding was to be performed was cleansed with sanctified water, and all the Vedic purificatory rites were observed. All this took place at the house of Vallabhacharya. At last, with great pomp and grandeur, in the midst of a great assembly of devotees, relatives and friends, the wedding of Shri Gaurahari and Lakshmidevi was performed in the house of Vallabhacarya. The Acharya himself performed the Vedic wedding ceremony. He offered his new son-in-law sanctified water and arghya to sweeten his lotus mouth. After this, he brought Lakshmidevi up on the wedding stage and presented her to Gaurahari. Finally, the scriptural sacrifice that is performed at weddings took place. After this, the brahmanas were fed sumptuous prasadam at the conclusion of the wedding, and Shri Lakshmidevi was escorted to her new home as the bride of Shri Gaurahari.
The Fifth Chapter of the Adi Khanda of Chaitanya Mangala describes more of the Lord's pastimes of youth, including his tour of Bengal. After some time the Lord journeyed down the banks of the Ganges, sanctifying that holy river even further by the touch of his lotus footsteps. In order to provide for his new family, the Lord set out for East Bengal, where he took up the occupation of teaching. In this way he gave his mercy to the residents of East Bengal who lived on the banks of the Padmavati river. When he returned to Bengal, he found that Lakshmidevi had been unable to tolerate the pain of his absence. She was bitten by the snake of separation and passed away into the unmanifest pastimes of the Lord. Sachidevi was heartbroken and was consoled in her lamentation by Gaurahari who glorified the sublime qualities of Lakshmidevi.
The Sixth Chapter of the Adi Khanda of Chaitanya Mangala describes the arrangements made by Sachidevi for the Lord's second wedding. Through Dvija-Kashishvara it was arranged that he was to be wed to the daughter of Sanatana Pandita, Vishnupriya devi. Here, the wedding of Vishnupriya and Gaurahari is elaborately described.
The seventh chapter of the Adi Khanda describes the Lord's journey to Gaya. Some time after the wedding of Gaurahari and Vishnupriyadevi, the Lord, having completed his education busied himself in his teaching work. One day, he left for Gaya to offer respects to his departed father. As he walked down the road, everywhere, the birds and animals who saw him were stunned with ecstasy upon beholding his lotus feet. After instructing a brahmana in Krishna-bhakti, the Lord allowed a brahmana to drink the water of his lotus feet. That brahmana immediately became free from all his bodily distress. At that time, the Lord also instructed how the mysteries of Krishna-bhajana cannot be understood simply on the basis of one's birth in a brahmana family. At last arriving in Gaya, the Lord performed worship of the devas and pitris, in order to do his duty regarding his departed father. While so engaged, he went to see the lotus feet of the Vishnu Deity. At that time, the Lord met that best of Vaishnavas, Shri Ishvara Puri. At that time, he prayed for the mercy of Ishvara Puri Prabhu, who, soon thereafter, initiated him in the Krishnamantra. With this, the Lord's transcendental ecstasy became manifest. After this, he went to take darshan of the lotus feet of Vishnu. Upon seeing the Lord's holy feet, Shri Gaurahari was overwhelmed with prema and exhibited his ecstasy by laughing, singing and dancing. Only a few days later, he returned home.
From this point the first chapter of the Madhya Khanda begins. Here, the author describes the Lord's pastimes as a teacher, and explains how he showed mercy to his students. Praising her good fortune, the Lord showed his grace to Sachimata. Soon after this he revealedsymptoms of mahaprema at the home of Suklambara Brahmacari. This was the first time that he publicly revealed his absorption in Krishna-prema, by showing the symptoms of great ecstasy, such as swooning, tears shooting from the eyes, hairs of the body standing on end, choking up of the voice, laughing madly, and so on. Performing sublime kirtan, Shri Gaurahari drowned everyone in the waves of bliss. In this way the Supreme Lord appeared as his own devotee in order to glorify the position of Bhakti.
After this, the Lord began his pastimes of preaching the glories of Shri Krishna prema, engaging many devotees in preaching. He began organizing all the devotees, beginning with Gadadhara, as well as many devotees from within and wihtout Bengal. One day the Lord went to the house of Shrivasa and his brothers. At that time, the devotees could hear the flute of Krishna. At that time the Lord became overwhelmed by the mood of Shrimati Radhika. In the madness of separation, he began laughing and crying. Sometimes he would fall completely silent and his mood became grave. In thiw ay he manifest differing divine moods. At that time, a divine voice siad, "O Vishvambhara! You are the Lord Himself. For the purpose of preaching Krishna-prema, you have descended within this world."
Later, at the house of Murari Gupta, the Lord would reveal his form as the Varaha avatara. At that time, Murari offered prayers before the Lord in great ecstasy, and the Lord told him to serve Krishna the son of Nanda, following in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindvana. Murari Gupta wanted to see the form of Shri Ramachandra. At that time the Lord instructed him on the glories of the holy name of Krishna. At last, the devatas headed by Lord Brahma appeared before the Lord, praying for Krishna-prema and attained Krishna-prema by the mercy of Shri Gauranga. After this, the kirtan-performer Suklambhara Brahmachari began chanting "Jai Radhe! Jai Govinda!" and attained the mercy of Shri Chaitanya. After this, Lochan dasa Thakura describes the glories of Shri Shri Gaura-Gadadhara.
In the second chapter of the Madhya Khanda, the author describes the beauty of Shri Gauranga's divine form. The Lord performed a miracle by planting a mango seed that immediately became a mango tree with fully ripened fruit for the satisfaction of the devotees. Whoever ate the fruit of that tree was delivered from the tree of material existence. The Lord instructed Mukunda Datta on the supremacy of Krishna bhakti, and how one should give up thinking of the body and mind and think only of the worshipable service of Krishna. The Lord gave his blessings to Murari Gupta. The Lord's pastimes of kirtana at the house of Shrivasa Thakura are described. When a foolish brahman remarked that the murti of Shri Krishna is a product of Maya, the Lord jumped in the Ganges with his clothes on, to purify himelf from the offender.
The third chapter of the Madhya-Khanda describes the glories of Shri Advaita. Here, the author describes the Lord's pastimes with Advaita, how he performed kirtan in the house of Advaita, and how they embraced in ecstasy. A brahman who tried to stop the kirtan of Mahaprabhu by attempting to frighten Shrivasa Pandita was bewildered by the Lord's mayic potency. Also described is how the Lord, in the house of Shrivasa, performed the worship known as Gada-puja, wherein the club of Vishnu is worshiped in order to invoke the Lord's power in smashing the atheists. This chapter also explains the visit paid by Advaita to Nabadwipa, how Advaita bowed before Shri Gauranga, and danced in ecstasy before him, realizing that his prayers for Krishna's descent had been fulfilled. When Shrivasa Thakura inquired into the glories of Advaita, Mahaprabhu described Advaita-tattva, and advised everyone to worship Shri Hari.
In the fourth chapter of the Madhyama Khanda, Shri Gaurahari explains the esoteric meaning of "Shrivasa." Murari Gupta's book, "Raghubhirashtaka" is discussed. The Lord writes "Ramdasa" on Murari's forehead. He reveals himself as Rama and orders Rama Pandita, the brother of Shrivasa Pandita to serve Shrivasa. The devotees are sent to search for Nityananda. The Lord meets Nityananda at the house of Nandana Acharya. The Lord explains the glories of Shri Nityananda and how it is that by Nityananda's mercy one may attain Krishna-prema. At that time, the Lord reveals his six-armed, four-armed, and two-armed forms to Nityananda.
The fifth chapter of the Madhya-Khanda reveals how, late at night, the Lord was weeping tears of ecstatic love for Krishna. He discussed his dream with Sachidevi. The story of how Nityananda Prabhu spent two days at the house of Advaita Acharya is recounted. Nityananda Prabhu's prema is described. The worship by Advaita of Mahaprabhu in the house of Shrivasa Pandita is described. The meeting of the Lord and Haridasa Thakura. The author also tells how Nityananda's kaupin was saved by Mahaprabhu, who later had the devotees wear it as a kavacha. Mahaprabhu's trance and the devotees' separation from the Lord is also described. The ecstasy of the devotees upon the Lord's reawakening is also described.
The sixth chapter of the Madhya-Khanda discusses the following subjects: How Gaurahari enjoyed pastimes of prema in the midst of the devotees; his meeting with Haridasa Thakura; His visit at the house of Advaita; his order to Advaita to preach Krishna-prema without any consideration of fitness and unfitness; His order to all the devotees to preach nama-prema and thus deliver everyone; the effects of nama-bhasa; How the Lord would wander through the streets of Nadiya performing Nama-kirtana; the story of the deliverance of Jagai and Madhai. After this, the author glorifies the mercy of Shri Nityananda and Shri Gauranga.
The seventh chapter of the Madhyama-Khanda describes the following subjects: How the Lord cast his merciful glance upon the son of an East Bengal brahmana named Vanamali; the brahmana, and, seeing the Shyamansundra form of the Lord, he offered many prayers to Shri Gauranga. After this, the Lord revealed his Nrishimha manifestation at the house of Shrivasa. He bestowed mercy upon a follower of Shiva. After a brahman lady touched his feet, he jumped into the Ganges. The Lord gave instructions regarding the worship of Shri Hari. His mercy towards Shrivasa is described as are Mukunda's prayers, the Lord's manifestation of His Godhood, and Shrivas Pandit's abhishek of Mahaprabhu. The author's glorification of the qualities of Shri Gauranga and his instructions on the worship of Shri Gauranga conclude the chapter.
The eighth chapter of the Madhyama Khanda describes the following subjects: How the envious brahmana who was stricken with leprosy prayed for forgiveness in order to become freed from the sin of Vaishnava aparadha and was delivered by the mercy of Shrivasa Thakura; how a brahmana was forbidden to enter the Lord's nocturnal kirtan and how the Lord danced in ecstasy when that brahmana then cursed the Lord never to enjoy the pleasures of samsara. How the Lord in the mood of Balarama demanded honey is described. The assembly of devotees at the house of Advaita is described. The visit of the devotees headed by Acharyaratna is recorded. How all of them saw the Lord's manifestation of Balarama and bathed in the Ganges is also described.
The ninth chapter of the Madhyama Khanda of Shri Chaitanya Mangala records the following subjects: the Lord's manifestation of Varaha; How the devotees headed by Advaita were ordered to preach and perform sankirtana; how the mood and qualities of the gopis was glorified in kirtan; how Shrivasa in the dress of Narada glorified Gadadhara Pandita; a discussion of the divine correlation between Shri Gadadhara and Shri Radhika; Thakur Haridas's visit; the ecstasy of Sankirtana; the Lord's mad manifestation of the mood of Vaikuntha opulence; How the Lord, in the dress of Lakshmidevi rendered service to the Lord in great ecstasy; How the Lord expressed the inner moods of the personality of Godhead.
The Tenth Chapter of the Madhyama-Khanda of Chaitanya Mangala describes the following: The Lord tells Shrivasa of the different religious principles for the different ages and how Sankirtan is the best religious principle in the age of Kali. In the mood of Shri Radha the Lord began asking "Where is Vrindavan? Where is Lalita?" in great anxiety. Murari Gupta consoled him, and they all performed kirtana. In a dream Sachidevi sees Gaurahari receive the sannyasa mantra from Keshava Bharati. The Lord's powerful separation from Krishna is described. Worried that the Lord will take sannyasa, the devotees are heartbroken. Mahaprabhu consoles the devotees.
The Eleventh Chapter of Madhyama Khanda describes the following: Upon hearing of the Lord's sannyasa, Sachidevi's lamentation; Her entreaty to Gaurahari to remain a grihastha; The Lord's advice to everyone to worship Krishna; His different attempts to console his mother and his revevlation of the divine form of Krishna to her.
The twelfth chaper of the madhyama khanda discusses the following subjects: The lamentation of Vishnupriyadevi; the Lord's sweet words of pacification to her and his instructions regarding divine reality, as well as his revelation of of his four-handed Narayana form; the visit by Shrivasa and Murari, the Lord's attempt to pacify them.
The thirteenth chapter describes the following: The Lord's attemtp to console the devotees, and his instructions on different truths; with the aim to take sannyasa, he swims across the Ganges and meets Keshava Bharati at Katwa; Sachimata and Vishnupriya faint; Nityananda Prabhu tries to pacify them; Headed by Chandrashekhara Acharya and Damodara Pandit, all the devotees follow Nityananda Prabhu to Katwa where the sannyasa is taking place. The Lord asks for the sannyasa mantra from Keshava Bharati; The Lord first gives the sannyasa mantra to Bharati and then hears it from him; the lamentation of all the devotees at the sannyasa of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; The Lord's attempt to pacify them; the Lord's eagerness for Krishna-bhakti; the giving of the name Shri Krishna Chaitanya; At the conclusion of sannyasa the Lord's wandering half-mad in the Radadesha.
The fourteenth chapter describes how Chandrashekara returns from Katwa to Nadia bearing news to Sachimata and Vishnupriya; their lamentation; Nityananda Prabhu causes Mahaprabhu to detour to Shantipura; the Lord's vist there; Nityananda's conversation with Sachidevi; the devotees of Nadiya go to the house of Advaita in Shantipur to see the Lord; the Lord's reciprocation of affection with the residents of Nadiya, and their separation.
The fifteenth chapter describes the Lord's deliverance of all souls through the performance of nam-sankirtan, and how he bestowed upon all the jivas the supreme goal of life. After this his journey to Jagannatha Puri is described as well as the humility of Haridasa Thakura, the exodus of devotees who went to Puri to be with the Lord, His sweet words of consolation, how the Lord used to chant the shloka, "rama-raghava raksha mam," on his way to Puri, how Nityananda Prabhu broke his sannyasa danda, and how the Lord manifest his pastimes of anger with Nityananda after the breaking of his danda.
The sixteenth chapter of the Madhyama Khanda describes how on the way to Jagannatha Puri, the devotees bathed in a place called Brahma-kunda; how they went to Remuna and had dashan on the Lord there; how the Lord danced before the Gopal deity; how after bathing in the Vaitarani river they had darshan of Varaha-deva; how the Lord went to Yajapura; How the Lord took darshan of a Shiva-linga there; Then, from Brahma-kunda, he visited Nabhigaya and Shivanagara; how he received the darshan of Kshirodakshayi Vishnu; how in a grove of mangos he took up the question of Shiva Prasada and prayers to Shiva; after this, how he went from Kapoteshwara and bathed in the Bhargavi river; How the Lord fainted before the Jagannatha deities while having darshan there; his visit to the house of Sarvabhauma; How the Lord would go from the house of Sarvabhauma, take a position west of the Garuda Stambha, and see the deity of Lord Jagannatha; how Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and the Lord discussed Vedanta; How Sarvabhauma was converted; How the Lord revealed his six-armed form to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya.
From here, the Shesha Khanda begins. The first chapter of the Shesha Khanda describes: the Lord's kirtan pastimes in which Sarvabhauma took part; the Lord's tour of South India and his journey to Setubandha; his mercy on Vasudeva Vipra, the brahmana who had leprosy; the Lord's visit to Jiyada-Nrishimha and its ancient history; the Lord's meeting with Ramananda Raya on the banks of the Godavari; Ramananda's vision of Mahaprabhu's dual feature as Rasaraja and Mahabhava; the Lord's visit to Panchavati and Shri Rangam; How he bestowed mercy on Trimalla Bhatta; His four month stay in Shri Rangam during the period of Chatur Masya; his meeting with Paramananda Puri; the prayers by Paramananda Puri to Gaura Bhagvan.
The second chapter of the Shesh Khanda describes the following: How the Lord continued on his South Indian tour and delivered the seven trees that had been standing since the time of Lord Ram; How at Setubandha in great ecstasy, the Lord chanted the names of Rama, Lakshman, Sita, and Hanuman; how the Lord returned to Alalanatha by way of the Godavari; his return to Jagannatha Puri; His visit to Mathura; His meeting with Rupa and Sanatana; How with Balabhadra Bhattacharya, he wandered down the banks of the Yamuna and through the twelve forests of Vrindavana.
The third and final chapter of the Shesh Khanda of Chaitanya Mangala records how: the Lord returned to Jagannatha Puri; the Lord's trip to Gauda-desha; how he passed through in the Rada-desha; how he stopped in Kuliya; How everyone in Navadwip turned out to see the Lord; How they prayed for His mercy and he bestowed amnesty on all; How, to satisfy his mother's desire, he went to Nabadwipa and instructed her on of Krishna-bhajan; How the Lord went to Shantipura where he visited Shri Advaita; His kirtan there; How the Lord left Shantipura; His return to Jagannatha Puri; How he visited the deity of Jagannatha; how he performed kirtana day and night; How King Prataparudra attained the Lord's mercy; His revelation of the six-armed form to Prataparudra Raja; The Dravidian brahmana who come to visit the Lord, how he was fasting for seven days, and how he was delivered by the Lord's mercy.
In the Chaitanya Mangala, Lochan Dasa Thakura mentions the details of certain pastimes not revealed by Vrindvana Dasa Thakura. For example, Vrindavana Dasa Thakura does not record the conversation that took place between Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Vishnupriya Devi just before the Lord left to take sannyasa. But Lochan Das Thakura describes this as follows:
"Seeing Mahaprabhu's eagerness to take sannyasa, the moon-faced Vishnupirya-devi said, with her voice choked in emotion, " Tell me, O Prananatha, Lord of my life, and I shall take your order upon my head. Will you take sannyasa? I have heard this rumor being circulated among the people in general. Hearing this, my heart is broken. If it is true, I shall enter into fire. You are the treasure of my life. Your beautiful form is always everfresh and newly youthful. Will you give up everything and go away? If am deprived of your association, I might as well give up my life by drinking poison."
Hearing the pitiful words of lamentation spoken by Vishnupriya devi, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu smiled a little, and spoke as follows: "Listen, O you who are dear as life itself: Please don't be in any anxiety. There is no need to worry at all. What I am about to say is for your own benefit. Please hear me attentively, with your whole mind. Whatever you see in this world is all false; the only truth is Bhagavan and theVaishnavas, without that whatever you see is all illusion. Know this for a fact. Sons, wives, husbands, ladies, fathers, mothers, and everything else—all these relationships are illusory. They are temporary and transitional. In one lifetime we have one set of sons, wives, husbands, mothers and fathers, and in our next life this changes. Other than the lotus feet of Krishna, we have no real family. Everything else that we see as our family is an illusion of maya. What we see as man and woman is unreal. Beneath the surface all souls are spiritual energy; the relationship between men and women is an illusory connection of maya. Shri Krishna is the real husband of everyone; he is the master. Everything else is material, but unfortunately this is not understood by the people in general. The souls is embedded in a mixture of semen and blood from which it is born into a body composed of stool and urine. In this way the soul moves upon this earth in ignorance. From boyhood to youth to old age, we suffer different miseries, all the while mistaking the housing of this body as our real self. Absorbed in false ego, we make friends, maintain attachments, suffering abuse, and are gradually cheated by old age. Even hearing the truth, however, still our eyes are blind, and while our suffering in the material world brings us to tears, we never worship Govinda.
Fosaking Krishna's service, we maintain these bodies in the material world of birth and death, trapped in the bondage of maya. Mad with false ego we have forgotten our Lord, and so we insure our passage to hell. Your name is Vishnupriya, however. Fulfill the real purport of Vishnupriya, and do not lament for what is false. Remembering what I have said here, cast your worries at a distance, and always think of Krishna within your heart, day and night."
Having conveyed all these divine instructions to Vishnupriya devi, the Supreme Lord, Shri Gaurasundara revealed to her His four-armed form, thus making her understand his absolute position. At that time, he told Vishnupriya devi, "You see before you the Supreme Lord, cast your mayik lamentaion away." At this, Vishnupriya devi became joyful within. Her grief and pain vanished, and her heart became blissful upon suddenly seeing the Lord's four-armed form.
After hearing the instructions of the Lord and seeing his absolute form, Vishnupriya cast off her bewilderment, but her mentality of taking the Lord as her husband was intact. At that point, she fell at the feet of the Lord and said: "O Lord, please listen to my entreaty. Falling at your feet again and again, I implore you to accept my humble submission. I am certainly the lowest, having taken birth in this world of samsara; but you are my most dear Lord of life. This is my only wealth; without you I have nothing. Without your service, I will certainly go down." Saying this, Vishnupriya devi began loudly weeping, sobbing and sobbing again and again in ever-increasing frenzy of sorrow. Seeing the affliction of someone so dear, the Lord bestowed his merciful glance upon Vishnupriya devi, embracing her with his eyes and so giving her his mercy.
At that time, the Lord said, "Listen O Vishnupriya devi, and give close attention to my answer to your words. I shall go there and there, but wherever I go, I shall still remain at your place: This truth I have spoken with great determination."
Upon hearing the order of the Lord, Vishnupriya devi could understand that the Lord is supremely independent. At that time she said, "You must do what makes you happy. Let no one be an obstacle to your divine mission."
Addressing the Lord in this way, Vishnupriya tearfully averted her eyes from the Lord's glance and fell silent. Thus went the conversation between the Lord and Vishnupriya, which is painful to hear. This is reported by Lochan Dasa.
Lochan Dasa Thakura also sings the glories of Shri Gauranga and Nityananda in the following beautiful song:
parama karuna pahun dui jana
nitai gaurachandra
saba avatara, sara shiromani
kevala ananda kanda
bhaja bhaja bhai, chaitanya nitai
sudhrida visvasa kori
vishaya chariya se rase majiya
mukha bolo hari hari
dekho ore bhai, tribhuvane nai
emona doyala data
pashu-pakhi jhure, pashana vidore
shuni yar guna gantha
samsare majiya, rahile pariya
se pade nahilo asha
apana koroma, bhunjaye shamana,
kohoye locana dasa
This song was especially dear to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who translates it is follows:
"This is a song by Locan dasa Thakura. Locan dasa declares that the two Lords, Nitai-Gauracandra—Lord Nitai and Lord Chaitanya—are very merciful. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that prosecuting their way of self-realization is simply joyful, for they introduced chanting and dancing. There are many incarnations, like Lord Rama and even Krishna, who taught Bahgavad-gita, which requires knowledge and understanding. But Lord Chaitanya introduced a process which is simply joyful—simply chant and dance. Therefore Lochan Das requests everyone: "My dear brother, I request that you just worship Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda with firm conviction and faith." Don't think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal. It will. It is the assurance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore one must chant with firm faith and conviction.
But what is the process? If one wants to be Krishna conscious by this process, one has to give up his engagement in sense gratification. That is the only restriction. If one gives up sense gratification, it is sure that he will reach the desired goal. One simply has to chant "Hari Hari!" without any motive of sense gratification.
Lochan das says, "My dear brother, you just try and examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Chaitanya or Lord Nityananda, because Their merciful qualities are so great that They make even birds and beasts cry, what to speak of human beings." Actually, when Lord Chaitanya passed through the forest known as Jharikhanda, the tigers, elephants, snakes, deer, and all other animals joined Him in chanting Hare Krishna. It is so nice that anyone can join. Even teh animals can join, what to speak of human beings. Of course, it is not possible for ordinary men to induce animals to chant, but if Chaitanya Mahaprabhu could inspire animals to chant, at least we can encourage human beings to adopt this path of Hare Krishna mantra chanting. It is so nice that even the most stonehearted man will be melted. It is so nice that even stone will melt.
But Lochan dasa Thakura regrets that he is entrapped by sense gratification. He addresses himself, "My dear mind, you are entrapped in this sense gratification process, and you have no attraction for chanting Hare Krishna. Since you have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda, what can I say? I can simply think of my misfortune. Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement."
Shri Lochan Dasa Thakura was born in Shakabda 1445 and disappeared in 1540.

Dhananjaya Pandit in Nabadwip

2009-07-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Caitanya-Bhagavata says that Dhananjaya Pandita had all the symptoms of a great personality. At every moment he was dear to Nityananda Prabhu's heart. In this way, Vrndavana dasa Thakura describes the glories of Dhananjaya Pandita. Dhananjaya Pa.dita's birthplace was in Sitalagrama. This village is in the Bardhaman district in Katwa and is situated near the Mangalakota police station and the post office of Kaicara. Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami remarks, "On the narrow railway from Burdwan to Katwa is a railway station about nine miles from Katwa known as Kaicara. One has to go about a mile northeast of this station to reach Sitala. The temple was a thatched house with walls made of mud. Some time ago, the Zamindars of Bajaravana Kabasi, the Mulliks, constructed a big house for the purpose of a temple, but for the last sixty-five years, the temple has been broken down and abandoned. The foundation of the old temple is still visible. There is a tulasi pillar near the temple, and every year during the month of January the disappearance day of Dhananjaya Pandita is observed. It is said that for some time Pandita Dhananjaya was in a sankirtana party under the direction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and then he went to Vrndavana. Before going to Vrndavana, he lived for some time in a village named Sancadapancada, which is six miles south of the Memari railway station. Somteimes this village is also known as the "place of Dhananjaya" (Dhananjayera Pata). After some time, he left the responsibility for worship with a disciple and went back to Vrndavana. After returning from Vrndavana to Sitala-grama, he established a Deity of Gaurasundraa in the temple. The descendants of Pandita Dhananjaya still look after the temple worship."
Some people differ with the orthodox opinion of Dhananjaya Pandita's birthplace. According to their view, he took birth within the Cattagrama district in the area known as Jadagrama. There, in a place which is also called Sitalagrama and is known as Sancada Pancada Grama is a deity whose service was established by him.
Dhananjaya Pandita was in Nabadwipa when Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed his kirtana pastimes there. After he returned to Bengal from Vrndavana he established a deity in a village called Jalandi Grama. The deities of that temple are Sri Sri Gopinatha, Sri Sri Nitai-Gaura, and a salagrama-sila, Sri Sri Damodara. Dhananjaya Pandita left no direct descendants. He had a brother named Sri Sanjaya. His son's name was Sri Rama Kanai Thakura. His birthplace is presently known as Muluka-grama and is near present-day Bolapura. Some people say that Sanjaya Pandita was the disciple of Dhananjaya Pandita. At present the service of the deities established in Sitalagrama by Dhananjaya Pandita are worshiped by the descendants of Sri Dhananjaya Pandita's disciples. Sri Dhananjaya Pandita had a disciple named Sri Jiva Krsna who established a deity of Sri Syamasundara which is presently maintained there in the house of a devotee named Sri Gopala Caudhari. Sri Dhananjaya Pandita's samadhi-mandira or memorial resting place may be found in Sitala-grama. Dhananjaya Pandita passed away and entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord on the eighth day of the full moon in the month of Karttika.

Pastimes of Devananda Pandit at Kuliya or Koladwipa.

2009-07-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

Devananda Pandita lived in Nabadwipa-dhama, in the section known as Kuliya, or Koladwipa (near where the present-day Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math of Srila Sridhara Maharaja is now located). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used him to manifest the glories of Srimad-Bhagavatam to the world. Devananda Pandita was highly renowned for his expertise in considering the sayings of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Many people used to go and study the Srimad-Bhagavatam under him.
One day Srivasa Pandita went to hear the Srimad-Bhagavatam class given by Devananda Pandita. After some time, Devananda began giving his lecture. He was surrouned on all four sides by his students, who listened carefully to his reading. Srivasa Pandita was a highly exalted rasika bhakta, a devotee experienced in tasting the mellows of devotion. Hearing the sweetness of the verses of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Srivasa Thakura fell to the ground with tears of ecstasy in his eyes. Weeping and wailing with tears of ecstasy in his eyes, he began rolling on the ground with his voice choked up with emotion. Seeing all this, the students of Devananda said, "This man is mad. He is not properly giving his attention to the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Throw him out! Eject him!" In this way, the foolish followers of Devananda, who were devoid of knowledge. Devananda Pandita saw all this, but did nothing to prevent his disciples from ejecting Srivasa Pandita from the class. If a disciple commits a sin as a result of the guru's ignorance, the guru partakes of the sinful reaction. Therefore Devananda Pandita also partook of the sinful reaction of offending Srivasa Pandita. Without saying a word of this to anyone, and without telling anyone of his suffering at the hands of Devananda Pandita, Srivasa Thakura returned home. All these events took place before the advent of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
At length, the advent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took place, as the Supreme Lord made his appearance within this material world. Gradually he manifest his childhood pastimes, his studies, his pastimes of learning, and his pastimes as a young professor, as well as the revelation of his divinity in the house of Srivasa Thakura. At the time of that divine manifestation, when the Lord revealed his Mahaprakasa in the temple of Srivasa Thakura amidst all the devotees, he told Srivasa, "Srivasa! Don't you remember the time when you went to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam at the house of Devananda Pandita? When you fell to the ground in ecstasy upon hearing the nectarine verses of the Bhagavatam, then the disciples of Devananda—as a result of his ignorance of your exalted devotion—threw you out of the class. At that time you went home, feeling distressed, but you told no one of the incident. Do you remember this?" Hearing the words of the Lord, Srivasa was astonished and fell at his lotus feet, catching hold of them.
One day, as Mahaprabhu was wandering through the towns of Nabadwipa, he came upon the road near where Sarvabhauma's father, Mahesvara Visarada Pandit used to live. There was the house of Devananda Pandita. And at that time, within the house of Devananda Pandita a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam was being held. From a long way off, Caitanya Mahaprabhu could hear this. Upon hearing Devananda's Bhagavatam class, Mahaprabhu became enraged. Caitanya Bhagavata records: "With sharp words, the Lord said, 'What does this fellow know about the meaning described by the Bhagavatam? He will never know the Bhagavatam even in many lifetimes. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary avatara of Krsna Himself. The Bhagavatam promotes bhakti as the ultimate goal of life. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of the four Vedas; it is the literary form of divine love. The four Vedas are like milk; the Srimad-Bhagavatam is like butter. Sukadeva Goswami is the churner of the butter, which was eaten by Pariksita Maharaja. That Sukadeva Goswami, who is dear to me, knows the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sukadeva expressed the truths about Myself; he expressed my own opinions. Me and My servants are glorified in the Srimad-Bhagavatam; one who finds a difference between Myself and My servants will find all his good intelligence destroyed. An irreligious person who rejects bhakti and finds some other meaning in the Srimad-Bhagavatam will never understand the Bhagavatam."
After saying all these things in an angry mood, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, began to flee away from the house of Devananda Pandita, which he considered condemned. The devotees caught hold of him and begged him not to go. The Lord again said, "All the scriptures sing of the Srimad-Bhagavatam as being highly mysterious, inconceivable. It cannot be understood by vast learning or powerful austerity. One who attempts to know the Srimad-Bhagavatam through scholarship will never understand it. One who recognizes that the Bhagavatam is nondifferent from the inconceivable Supreme Controller knows that the essence of the Bhagavatam can be known only through devotion and not through scholarship."
"One who understands that Srimad-Bhagavatam is Krsna Himself can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. One can only understand the Bhagavatam's meaning through divine love. If one wants to understand this he must served both the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata."
In this way, Mahaprabhu spoke many different truths to his followers and then returned to his own home, accompanied by the devotees. From far away, Devananda Pandita could hear all these different instructions. But at the time, he did not pay any mind to all this.
After some time, Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and went to Jagannatha Puri. At that time, Devananda remembered the instructions the Lord had given. He began to think, "Such a great person as this came near my residence, and I did not get to meet him? I could not understand the glories of such a great and exalted Personality as Caitanya Mahaprabhu who was filled with krsna-prema?
One day in Kuliya, or Koladwipa as it is now known, Sri Vakresvara Pandita went to visit the house of a devotee. That evening Vakresvara Pandita was absorbed in kirtana and dancing. Hearing the news of this, people gathered from all around to take part in the kirtana. As the night went on, more and more devotees began arriving there. Hearing this news, Devananda Pandita could not maintain his steadiness. He also hurried to the place where the kirtana was going on. Seeing the empowered figure of Vakresvara Pandita and hearing his sweet kirtana Devananda Pandita was astonished. He stood transfixed for what seemed like hours. As the night wore on, the crowd grew and, in attempts to push forward and see the dancing of Vakresvara Pandita, it became boisterous and rowdy. At that time, Devananda Pandita, with a cane in his hand, held the crowd back and quieted the mob. When Vakresvara Pandita, after dancing and dancing, fell to the ground overwhelmed by ecstasy, Devananda Pandita carefully picked him up and held him on his lap. With his own scarf, Devananda wiped the dust from the holy body of Vakresvara Pandita. In this way, it was on that day that Devananda Pandita began his bhakta-seva, his service to devotees.
One day, five years after he took sannyasa, Sri Caitanya Mahpaabhu returned to Nabadwipa-dhama from Jagannatha Puri. Upon his return the devotees felt that their lives had returned. Their joy knew no bounds. In order to see the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thousands of people gathered there. Whoever had previously committed offenses to the lotus feet of the Lord when he had manifested his lila in Nabadwipa was eager to be forgiven. They all came there to beseech the Lord's forgiveness for whatever offenses they might have committed. At that time, in the place known today as the aparadha-bhanjanam, or the place of amnesty (where Srila Sridhara Maharaja now has his temple), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu granted forgiveness to all who gathered there and instructed them in the science of devotion.
At that time, Devananda Pandita took darsana of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Offering his obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya at a distance, Devananda cowered and shrank away from the Lord, standing off to one side. At that time the Lord saw him and said, "You are the servant of my dear devotee Vakresvara Pandita. By your service to him you have greatly pleased Me. As a result of your service to him you have come close to Me. Vakresvara is empowered by krsna-sakti. By serving my dear devotee Vakresvara Pandita you have attained the mercy of Krsna."
Hearing these words of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Devananda was overwhelmed with the sentiments of bhakti. His voice was choked with divine emotion, and he said, "O My Lord; O Supreme Master—You have appeared in Nabadwipa just to deliver all the fallen souls. I am a sinner. I have commited great sins against divinity. I have failed to worship your lotus feet. As a result of this, I have cheated myself out of your causeless mercy. O Lord of all creation; Supersoul of all that lives! You are supremely merciful. By your causeless mercy I have been able to take darsan of your holy feet on this day. O Supremely merciful one—please be kind upon me and instruct me in the goal of life. Please explain the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam to me as well. Hearing this humble request of Devananda Pandita, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke as follows:
"Listen carefully, O brahmana. Always praise Srimad-Bhagavatam. Never let any explanation of Srimad-Bhagavatam other than bhakti issue forth from your lips. From beginning, middle to end, this is its meaning: constant devotion to Krsna is eternally perfect flawless, and infallible. It is the highest goal of life. The Supreme Lord appears in innumerable avataras beginning with Kurma. His appearance and disappearance is transcendental. In the same way, Srimad-Bhagavatam is not a material creation: its appearance and disappearance is completely divine. In a trance of bhakti-yoga Vyasa compiled the Srimad-Bhagavatam. It passed through him and appeared on his tongue as a result of the mercy of Krsna. If one doesn't understand that the Srimad-Bhagavatam is divine truth on the level of God Himself he will never realize its meaning. This is the verdict of all authorized scriptures. One who understands the Srimad-Bhagavatam in that way has real knowledge. If one approaches the Srimad-Bhagavatam with material knowledge he will never understand it. If, however, one is unlearned but takes shelter of the Srimad-Bhagavatam he will be enlightened with its meaning. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is filled with divine love, prema. It is an extension of Krsna Himself and it reveals his confidential pastimes of divine love.
"O brahmana! Previously you committed an offense to the lotus feet of Srivasa Pandita. You must go to him and beg forgiveness at his lotus feet. There is no difference between the book Bhagavata and the bhakta bhagavata. If you get the mercy of the bhakta bhagavata then you will easily attain the mercy of the book Bhagavata."
Having thus heard the words of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Devananda Pandita immediately went to Srivasa Thakura and begged forgiveness for his offenses. At that time, Srivasa Thakura embraced Devananda and forgave his offenses. The four directions were filled with the sound of the holy name of Hari as the devotees were all jubilant upon Mahaprabhu's return to Nabadwipa-dhama. From that day on, Devananda Pandita was accepted in the midst of the followers of Mahaprabhu as a great devotee. Devananda Pandita's disappearance day falls on the dark moon ekadasi of the month of Pausa, which corresponds to the month of December.

Sri Candrasekhara Acarya at Mayapur

2009-07-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Sri Candrasekhara Acarya (Acaryaratna) lived in Navadvipa near the house of Sri Nimai Pandit, his nephew. Since Candrasekhara had no children, he accepted Nimai Pandit as his own and often entertained the Lord within his home. After the disappearance of Sri Jagannatha Mishra, Acaryaratna served as Gauranga's guardian and father. Sri Gaurasundara would regularly hold kirtans and once enacted a play in Candrasekhara's house. Dressed as Sri Laksmi Devi, Lord Caitanya played the part so expertly that even Mother Saci couldn't recognize Him.
Overcome with intense pangs of separation, Candrasekhara fell down on the ground when he heard Lord Gauranga's plan to take sannyasa. "Are You going to plunge Nadia into darkness by going away?" he asked the Lord.
With tears spilling out of His lotus eyes Lord Gauranga embraced him and replied, "Acaryaratna, although I may accept sannyasa, I will forever remain bound within the temple of your heart. Please be patient, for you must assist in My sannyasa ceremony."
Sri Candrasekhara was one of the main branches of Sri Caitanya's sankirtana movement. From the beginning of Sri Caitanya's Navadvipa lila he and his innumerable disciples faithfully served the Lord. In Sridhama Mayapur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established the headquarters of Sri Caitanya Matha at the site of Candrasekhara Acarya's original home. His samadhi is behind the Madana Mohana temple and next to Sanatana Gosvami's samadhi. He is Subhadra or Candra-deva (moon god) in Krishna's divine pastimes.

Pastimes at Khanakula-Krishnanagara(Shri Abhirama Gopal Thakura)

2009-07-06T22:25:00.000-07:00

Shri Abhirama Gopal Thakura was also known as Shri Rama Das. He was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. On the order of Shri Nityananda Prabhu, he became a great acharya and preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.He was a very influential personality, and atheists and blasphemers were very much afraid of him. Empowered by Shri Nityananda Prabhu, he was always in ecstasy and was kind to all fallen souls. It is siad that if he offered obeisances to any stone other than a shalagram-shila, it would immediately burst into pieces. According to Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika (12) in Krishna-lila he was Shridama, one of the 12 prominent boy cowherd friends of Shri Krishna. He was Nityananda's dearmost devotee. Abhiram Gopal's wife's name was Shri Malini devi.
Abhirama Gopala Thakura lived in Khanakula Krishnanagara. Khanakula Krishanagar may be visited by taking the narrow gauge train from Howrah Station in Calcutta to Amta. It is located in the present Hooghly District of West Bengal. There, in Khanakula Krishnanagara, near the bankof the Khana river, is the temple of Abhirama Thakura. Because it is a town (nagara) with a Krishna temple, the town is called Krishna-nagara, and because the temple is on the kula (banks) of the Khana, it is called Khanakula-krishna nagara Just outside the temple is a bakula tree. This place is known as Siddha-bakula-kunja. It is said that Abhirama Thakura used to like sitting beneath this tree.
The story of how the Gopinath deity of Khanakula Krishnanagara was established is as follows. One day, the deity of Gopinatha appeared to Abhiram Gopal in a dream, and informed him that he wanted to manifest himself in Khanakula Krishnanagara. It is said that he was buried in the earth, and that in the dream he ordered Abhirama Gopal to excavate him and inaugurate his worship. Abhirama Gopal went to the place where the Lord had indicated he would be found, and began excavation. There, after digging for some time, he found the mind-enchanting deity of Shri Gopinatha. The place where this discovery was made is now called Rama kunda, and there is a small lake there. The Bhakti Ratnakara says, "After having excavated the Gopinatha deity, all the devotees headed by Rama Dasa (Abhirama Gopala) bathed in the sacred waters of the kunda near the spot where the deity had been found. From that day on the kunda became famous as Rama Kunda. Whoever bathes there becomes free from repeated birth and death."
One day Shri Abhirama Gopala was overwhelmed with the ecstasy of sakhya rasa, and had a desire to play the flute of a cowherd boy. Intoxicated by the bliss of Krishna-prema, he began searching the four directions for a suitable flute. As he searched through the forest for a suitable instrument all at once he saw before him a big log. The log was so huge that sixteen men could not move it. Grabbing hold of that log, he turned it into a flute and began to play upon it. The Chaitanya Charitamrita says, "Rama dasa was one of the principle branches of the Nityananda branch of the Chaitanya tree of bhakti. He was full of sakhya-prema—love of Krishna saturated with the mellow of friendship. He once picked up a log that sixteen men couldn't lift and used it as a flute."
Shri Abhirama Thakura had a bullwhip that was imbued with divine power. Its name was "Jayamangal." Whoever was struck with this whip became filled with Krishna prema. One day Shrinivasa Acharya went to take darshan of Abhiram Gopala. At that time, Abhiram Gopal touched him three times with Jayamangal. The Thakur's good wife, Malini, cried out, "My Lord! Do not touch him again. Calm yourself. Shrinivas is only a boy. If you touch him again he will lose consciousness." As a result of coming in contact with the whip of Abhirama Thakura, Shrinivasa Acharya became filled with Shri Krishna prema.
When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal, he sent Abhirama Gopal and Gadadhara Das along with him. Simply upon seeing Abhiram Gopal, atheists and blasphemers would flee in terror. He was a remarkable scholar, well-versed in all the scriptures. He married his wife, Malini, upon the order of Shri Nityananda Prabhu. His disappearance day is on the seventh day of the dark moon in the month of Chaitra, and on that day a great festival attended by thousands of devotees is held every year in Khanakula-Krishnanagara

Pastimes at Shri Khanda (Narahari Sarakara, Mukunda Dasa & Raghunandana Thakura)

2009-07-04T03:03:00.000-07:00

Mukunda Dasa
Sri Mukunda acted as the royal physician to Emperor Hussain Shah. Upon seeing a shimmering peacock fan waving before the king, he fell down in ecstasy. Seeing the peacock feathers flooded the pure heart of Mukunda with overwhelming memories of Lord Sri Krishna.

Sri Caitanya once jokingly asked Mukunda, "Who is the father and who is the son?"

Mukunda replied, "My son, Raghunandana, is actually the father because through him I have understood Krishna consciousness. Therefore, he is my real father."

Lord Caitanya confirmed his realization, "Yes, whoever give us Kzishna-bhakti is our guru and our real father."

To expand the preaching in Sri Khanda, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu assigned different duties to the Sarakara family. Mukunda Sarakara, working as a doctor already, was told to make money, follow the regulative principles, and increase his spiritual wealth. Narahari Sarakara Thakura was ordered to stay with the Lord's devotees and preach Krishna consciousness. Raghunandana, Mukunda's son, was asked to worship the family Deity of Sri Caitanya Deva. By this pastime Lord Gaurasundara teaches that by different activities everyone can engage in the service of Lord Krishna.

Mukunda Dasa serves Radha-Murlimanohara as Vrnda-devi in Vraja Gokula.

Raghunandana Thakura

Shri Mukunda Dasa, Shri Madhava Dasa and Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura were three brothers who lived in Shri Khanda. Shri Mukunda Dasa Thakura's son was Shri Raghunandan Thakura. Mukunda Dasa Thakura was the doctor in the court of the muslim king. He was always absorbed in Krishna, whatever work he did.

An example of this is found in what happened to Mukunda Dasa one day when he went to the court of the king to give him some medical advice. The king was seated on an elevated throne. Mukunda Dasa sat before him, a little lower, on a half-elevated seat, and began inquiring about his health. At taht time a servant came with a large peackock fan to fan the king. The sight of peacock feathers filled Mukunda with a deep memory of Krishna's pastimes. He fainted. When the king saw Mukunda laying on the ground he was alarmed. He thought, "Is he dead?" Gradually they managed to bring him back to consciousness. The king asked him, "What is the nature of your disease?" Shri Mukunda Dasa replied, "I am not greatly ill." The king asked him the cause of his behavior. Hiding his real ailment (separation from Krishna) from the king, Mukunda told him that he had epilepsy and sometimes fainted. He told him, "It is nothing. Don't worry." Although Mukunda Dasa did his best to hide his devotional sentiments from the king, the king could understand that Mukunda Dasa was a highly elevated soul, a perfected being. With great respect he sent Mukunda Dasa home.

Every year Mukunda Dasa, Madhava Dasa and Narahari Sarakara would go to Jagannatha Puri to take darshan of the holy feet of Shri Chaitanya and to dance and chant in Rathayatra kirtan. One day, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu affectionately asked Mukunda Dasa, "Mukunda! Betweend you and Raghunandan, who is the father and who is the son?" Mukunda said, "Raghunandana is my father. Through him I have found Krishna consciousness, so he is really my father." The Lord said, "Your judgement is correct. Whoever gives us Krishna-bhakti is our guru and our father." The Lord ordered Raghunandana to serve the deity, without thinking of anything else.
When he was a boy, Raghunandan used to make the deity eat laddu. Shri Uddhava Dasa has described this subject in a very beautiful way:
prakata shri khandavasa nama shri mukunda das
ghare seva gopinatha jani
gola kon karyanatare seva karibara tare
shri rahunandane daki ani
ghare ache krishna-seva yatna kare khaoyaiba
eta boli mukunda chalila
pitara adesha paiya sevara samagri loiya
gopinather sammukhe aila
shri raghunandana ati vayakrama sishumati
khao bole kandite kandite
krishna se premer vashe na rakhiya avasheshe
sakala khaila alakshita
asiya mukunda dasa kahe balakera pasha
prasada naivedya ano dekhi
shishu kahe vap shuno sakali khailo punah
avashesha kichui na rakhi
shuni aparupa heno vismita hridoye punah
ara dine balake kahiya
seva anumati diya varir bahira hoiya
punah asi rahe lukaiya
shri raghunandana ati hoiya harisha mati
gopinathe laddu diya kare
khao khao bale ghana arddhaka khaite heno
samaye mukunda dekhi dvare
ye khailo rahe heno ara na khaila puna
dekhiya mukunda preme bhora
nandana kariya dole gadgad svare bole
nayane varishe ghana lora
adhyapi shri khandapure ardha laddu ache kare
dekhe yata bhagvyavanta jane
abhinna madana yei shri raghunandana sei
ei uddhava dasa rasa bhane
Shri Raghunandana Thakura made his appearance within this world in Shri Khanda. In his home he became acquainted with the worship of Shri Gopinatha from an early age. One day his father, Mukunda Dasa, who was a doctor, had to go away on medical business. He called Raghunandana to his side. He told Raghunandana to see to it that their deity was served with great care and attention. He told him to be sure and feed the deity. At the appointed hour, taking the order of his father on his head, Raghunandan went to peform the service. He took the offering of food into the deity. Raghunandan was just a little boy. He told the deity: "Eat! Eat!" When he saw that the offering appeared untouched, he began to cry. Not being able to resist the child's intense devotion, Krishna ate everything on the plate, leaving no remnants.

When Mukunda Dasa returned, he asked the boy, "Bring me the prasada remnants of the offering you made earlier." The boy said, "Father, listen. I made the deity eat as you told me to. He left no remnants. He ate everything on his plate." Mukunda was amazed at what the child was saying. Ordering the boy to offer food as before, Mukunda hid himself outside the house and watched through the window. Raghunandana, then, with great delight, offered Gopinatha a laddu. "Eat! Eat!" he said. The Lord ate half the laddu. Meanwhile, Mukunda, who was watching from outside, beheld all this in great amazement. He could understand that since the deity had already eaten once, and had not left any remnants, his hunger was satisfied. As a result, he could only finish half the laddu.

He embraced his son and held him on his lap. His voice was choked with divine emotion. Tears poured from his eyes like rain from a thundercloud. It is said that even today that half a laddu may be seen in Shri Khanda, where it is kept in one of the temples there.

For the pleasure of that great devotee whose bodily beauty resembles that of Cupid himself, Uddhava Dasa narrates this story.

The great devotee Shri Abhirama Gopala Thakura and Shri Raghunandan Thakura once danced together in Krishna prema in the house of a devotee in Boro-Dangita. Shri Raghunandana Thakura's nupura, or ankle-bracelet, opened while he was dancing and fell into a pond in Akai-hatta. From that time on, the pond has been known as Nupura-kunda. It is said that at present, in the town of Akaihatta, south of Boro-grama that nupura may be seen in a temple maintained by the local devotees.

According to certain authorities, Shri Raghunandana Thakura was Kandarpa Manjari. According to others, he was one of Krishna's sons in Dvaraka whose name was Kandarpa. This is on the basis of Kavi Karnapura's Gaura-Ganodesha-dipika.

Raghunandana Thakura had a son named Kanai Thakura. The descendants of Raghunandan Thakura's line live today in Shri Khanda. One of the most famous of them is a person by the name of Panchanana Kaviraja, who was born in the line of Shri Raghunandana. Raghunandana Thakura was born in the Saka year 1432.

Quoting from Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's commentary on Chaitanya Charitamrita, Bhaktivedanta Swami writes: "Shri Mukunda dasa was the son of Narayana dasa and eldest brother of Narahari Sarakara. His second brother's name was Madhava dasa, and his son was named Raghunandana dasa. Descendents of Raghunandana dasa still live four miles west of Katwa in the village named Shri Khanda, where Raghunandana dasa used to live. Raghunandana had one son named Kanai, who had two sons—Madana Raya, who was a disciple of Narahari Sarakara Thakura, and Vamshivadana. It is estimated that at least four hundred men descended in this dynasty. All their names are recorded in the village known as Shri Khanda. In the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipikca it is stated that the gopi whose name was Vrindadevi became Mukunda dasa, lived in Shri Khanda village and was very dear to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His wonderful love and devotion for Krishna are described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Fifteen of the Chaitanya Charitamrita. It is stated in the Bhakti-Ratnakara, Chapter Eight, that Raghunandana used to serve a Deity of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."

Narahari Sarakara Thakura

About four miles west of Katwa, within the Barddhaman district is Shri Khanda, the birthplace of Narahari Sarakara Thakura. Shri Mukunda Dasa, shri Madhava Dasa and Shri Narahari Dasa were brothers. Shri Mukunda's son was Shri Raghunandana Thakura.

Shri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami mentions the devotees of Shri Khanda as a major branch of the Chaitanya tree of Krishna-prema (CC Adi 10:78-79): "The residents of Shri Khanda include Mukunda Dasa, Shri Raghunandana, Narahari Dasa, Chiranjiva, and Sulochana. All of them together form a major branch of the Shri Chaitanya tree. As such they were an abode of the Lord's mercy. This branch produced the fruits and flowers of bhakti in profusion."

Shri Narahari Thakura was connected with many of Mahaprabhu's pastimes. Narahari Chakravarti Thakura writes in Bhakti Ratnakara: "Shri Narahari Thakura's glories are wonderful. In Vrindavana he was Madhumati, and his excellences are boundless." Shri Lochan Dasa Thakura was a dear disciple of Narahari Sarakara Thakura. In his Chaitanya Mangala he describes his gurudeva as follows: "Shri Narahari Dasa is my Lord. He has taught me transcendental knowledge, and I am under his influence in many other ways. His abundant Krishna-prema saturates his very being; its symptoms are clearly evident in his body. No one can understand the extent of his devotion and Krishna-prema. In his former existence in Vrindavana he was known as Madhumati, a dear gopi friend of Shri Radha who was a storehouse of sweetness. That very sakhi friend of Shri Radha appeared in the pastimes of Shri Gauranga during the age of Kali as Narahari. He was a stores house of Radha-Krishna prema."

Shri Bhaktivinoda Thakura has mentioned Narahari Sarakara in his Gaura-Aroti song: "narahari adi kori chamara dulaya, sanjaya mukunda vasughosh adi gaya." Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura was as great a singer as he was a poet. He wrote many poems and songs in connection with the pastimes of Shri Gauranga and Shri Nityananda. He has written a Sanskrit book of songs called Shri Bhajanamrita. A book of songs called Padakalpataru, describing intense separation from Shri Gauranga has been attributed to Narahari Sarakara Thakura, as have some other books.

Almost all of the songs of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura have been included in Bhakti Ratnakara by Narahari Chakravarti Thakura. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to tell just which parts of Bhakti Ratnakara are the songs of Narahari Sarakara being quoted by Narahari Chakravarti, and which parts have been written by Narahari Chakravarti Thakura. By the same token it is hard to say exactly which songs of Gaura-lila included in Bhakti Ratnakara are written by Narahari Sarakara Thakura. What complicates this is that both authors bear the same name and often end a song simply by saying "This song was sung by Narahari." This has led to a degree of confusion about the specific authorship of certain parts of the work, although both Naraharis are great devotees and Bhakti Ratnakara is revered as an authorized Vaishnava scripture describing the lives of the great Vaishnava saints.

Shrila Lochan Dasa Thakura has written "Before the birth of Shri Gauranga many different ragas were written by Narahari which sang of Vraja-rasa." Before he wrote songs of Gauranga, Narahari Sarakara Thakura composed many songs glorifying Krishna. Shrila Narahari Thakura passed away on the Krishna ekadashi (the eleventh day of the dark moon) in the month of Agrahayana.

Pastimes of Srila Haridas Thakur (Fulia Gram)

2009-06-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Srila Haridas Thakur appeared in this world in the village of Buron, in the present district of Sat-kira, which was previously a sub-division of Khulna, Bangladesh. By this great fortune that land has been blessed, in that the chanting of the Holy Names of Hari-Nam Sankirtan, became revealed there. After remaining there for some time, he came to the banks of Ganga at Fulia, near Santipur. Advaita Acarya was overjoyed to get his association and roared very loudly. The two of them thus began to float in the waves of the mellows of pastimes of Sri Krsna - Govinda. [C. B. Adi 16.18]
Sri Haridas Thakur is an eternally liberated associate of the Lord. The associates of the Lord are worshipable wherever they make their appearance. Just as Garuda appeared as a bird, and Hanuman as a monkey, Haridas Thakur appeared in a family of Yavanas (Mohammedans). From his very birth he was very deeply devoted to the Holy Names of Sri Krsna.
When he came to live by the banks of the Ganges, Advaita Acarya was very happy to get his association. The brahmana residents of Fulia were very pleased to see how he worshipped the Holy Name, and they used to come everyday to have his darshan. Gradually word began to spread of his glories. When the Mohammedan administrator came to know of all this he began to burn with malice and went to the local Mohammedan king to inform him, "Though he is Mohammedan, he behaves as a Hindu, are therefore he should be brought here for trial." Hearing the words of that sinful man, the local king who was also very sinful, had Hari das Thakur brought there immediately. [C. B. Adi 16.37].
The Mohammedan King told Haridas, "Just give up this chanting and say the Kalma (prayer of the Mohammedans)."
Haridasa Thakura replied, "The Supreme Lord is one, though His names might be different. The Hindu shastras are the Puranas and the Muslim sastra is the Koran. Everyone acts as he is inspired by the Lord, as also do I. Some yavanas become Hindus and some Hindus become yavanas, to worship the Lord. O Maharaja, you can now judge me."
Hearing these words the Kazi replied that it would be necessary to punish him. Hearing the decree of the Kazi, the Muluk pati addressed Haridasa, "My brother, just follow your own religion. Then you will have nothing to worry about. Otherwise you will have to be punished."
In reply to this Haridasa Thakura exclaimed, "Even if you cut my body into pieces, I will never give up the chanting of Hari nama." [C. B. Adi 6.94]
After hearing these words of Haridasa spoken with great determination, the Kazi declared, "He should be beaten in twenty two market places. If he doesn't die after this, then I will know that the learned gentleman speaks the truth."
Thus having heard the words of the Kazi, the sinful Muluk pati then ordered that Haridasa Thakura be beaten in twenty two market places. Haridasa remembered the Lord by chanting "Krsna Krsna", and in the happiness of that remembrance, he didn't feel any bodily inconvenience. [C. B. Adi 16.102].
As the demoniac associates of Hiranyakasipu tried in so many ways to kill Sri Prahlada Maharaja, but were unsuccessful, similarly the demoniac Mohammedans, though they tried to harm Haridasa Thakura, were unable to do so. Haridasa Thakur was immersed in the nectar of the Name and thus gradually the Mohammedans could understand that he wasn't an ordinary person.
Thus they humbly submitted to the Thakura, "Haridasa! We can understand that you are a genuine saintly person. No one can do anything to you. But the Mulukpati won't understand any of this. Rather he will have our heads." Hearing their frightened please Haridasa's external consciousness ceased and he entered into deep meditation on the Lord's Holy Name.
Then the Mohammedans carried his body on their shoulders to the Mulukpati, who surmised that he was dead. Thinking as such he ordered that his body be thrown in the Ganga. Haridasa's body floated down the Ganga until he reached Fulia ghat, where he got out of the water and began to loudly chant Hari Nama. Seeing the greatness of Haridasa Thakura, the Mulukpati became fearful. Along with the other Mohammedans he came there and begged Haridas Thakur to forgive him for his offence.
Considering him to be a holy man, they all offered their salutations and thus were delivered from their offences. Having witnessed the pastimes of the Thakura the devotees were in ecstasy.
Haridasa Thakur used to chant Hari Nama in a hollowed out cave like hole at the base of a tree. This "cave" still exists near Fulia, on the banks of the Ganga. One can get there by train from Santipura. Within the roots of this tree also lived a poisonous snake. Being fearful of this snake the devotees couldn't remain there for very long and one day they mentioned to the Thakura about this snake which was worrying them. Seeing the distress of the devotees Haridasa Thakur called to that snake and spoke to him, "My dear sir, if in fact you are residing here, then I am requesting that you please leave by tomorrow, otherwise I myself will definitely leave here."
Hearing these words of the Thakura, that snake immediately came out of its hole and after offering namaskar to the Thakura, it went elsewhere. Seeing this pastime, the devotees were struck with wonder and they developed profound and deep devotion for Haridasa Thakura.
One time Haridasa Thakura came to a village within Jessore district named Harinodegram, which was predominantly inhabited by brahmanas. One day during a religious discussion one puffed brahmana approached Haridasa Thakura and remarked, "O Haridasa! Why do you chant the holy name loudly? In the scriptures it is recommended to chant within the mind." In reply Haridasa Thakura told him, "The birds, beasts and insects cannot chant themselves, but if they get to hear Hari Nama then they also become delivered. If one chants only to himself then he delivers only himself, but if one chants loudly, the benefit is a hundred times greater. This is the conclusion of the scriptures." [C. B. Adi 16.180]
Hearing this objective statement of Haridasa Thakura that sinful brahmana couldn't tolerate it and exclaimed, "In Kali yuga sudras will recite the shastras, now I am seeing this with my own eyes." In answer to this personal insult delivered by that miscreant brahmana, Haridasa Thakura simply silently walked out of that assembly. Within a few days that brahmana contracted ulcerous leprosy. The result of Vaishnava aparadha became immediately manifest. In Kali yuga, Raksasas take birth in brahmana families in order to give trouble to the honest, virtuous people. [C.B. Adi 16.300]
On another day a snake-charmer was giving a display of his art at the house of a wealthy resident of Fulia to the accompaniment of dance and music. Thakur Haridas happened to arrive on the spot and taking his stand on one side watched the performance which was a representation of a Feat of Sree Krishna, viz., the quelling of the serpent Kaliya.
Overpowered by the associations awakened in him by the sacred theme, Thakur Haridas fainted away, and, when he was helped to regain his consciousness, himself joined in the dance, exhibiting all the external signs of the eight satvika perturbations. The snake-charmer stopped his performance, and, with palms joined in the attitude of reverence standing motionless on one side, gazed with awe on the devotional activities of Thakur. This mood of Haridas was, however, soon over; and, after he had stopped, the snake-charmer resumed his musical performance. Those present were so moved by the occurrence that they devoutly took the dust of the feet of Thakur.

A Brahmana, who happened to be in the crowd and had watched the whole affair, thought of acquiring a cheap reputation for sanctity by imitating the satvika perturbations of Haridas that he had witnessed. He accordingly affected to swoon away and forthwith began to sing, dance, laugh and shiver, in imitation of Thakur Haridas.

The snake-charmer now behaved in a most strange manner. He, who had been so quiet and respectful towards Thakur Haridas, suddenly fell upon the unlucky Brahmana with great fury and began to belabor him, with a cudgel that he snatched from one of his men, in a most merciless fashion. That Brahmana, unable to bear the severe thrashing, took to his heels in a very short time. On being asked by the spectators the reason of his strange and violent conduct towards the Brahmana, the snake-charmer replied that he had beat the Brahmana, because by his hypocritical exhibitions he was trying to bring into contempt the conduct of the revered Thakur Haridas.
Another time, Haridasa desired to have darshan of the Vaishnavas of Navadwipa. Everyone there became overwhelmed with ecstasy, to see Haridasa. Adwaita Acarya loved Haridasa as much as His own life and he would offer the first prasadam to Haridasa Thakura (which is to be offered only to high class brahmanas) after performing Pitr-sraddha (worship of his forefathers).
Haridasa Thakura lived for some time at Benapol, which was within Jessore district. Every day and night he would chant three hundred thousand Holy Names. At the time, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed His divine opulences by manifesting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the courtyard at Srivasa Pandita's house, He was calling his dear devotees: "Haridasa! when those Mohammedans were beating you I was ready to destroy them with My Sudarsana Cakra, but as you were praying for their welfare I was unable to do anything." [C. B. Madhya 10.42]
Therefore I accepted their blows on My own body. Just see, the scars are still here on My body." Seeing those marks Haridasa fainted in ecstatic love. Regaining his consciousness he began to praise the Lord of his life, "O Lord Viswambhara, master of the universe, please have mercy on this sinner, who has fallen at Your feet. I have no good qualities and am a vile wretch, rejected by all classes of men. How can I describe Your divine character?" [C. B. Mad 20.58]
Thakura Haridasa was present during most of the Lord's pastimes in Nadia, and when the Lord went to Jagannatha Puri, Haridasa also went and took up residence there. Everyday, after attending Lord Jagannath's mangal arati, Lord Caitanya would come to see Haridasa Thakura and would bring him some of Lord Jagannath's prasadam. When Sri Sanatana Goswami and Sri Rupa Goswami would come from Vrindavana to Puri they used to stay with Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa, in order to maintain the etiquette, would not go near Lord Jagannatha's temple but would offer his obeisances to the Cakra on top of the temple, from a distance. As he was considered to be a Mohammedan by birth, his presence in the temple would be objectionable to those who were caste conscious.
Mahamaya devi took initiation in the maha-mantra from Haridasa Thakura and Caitanya Mahaprabhu appointed him as the acarya of the Holy Name. His departure from this world, in the presence of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is fully described by Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami in the Antya-lila of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta.

Ratha Yatra in Mayapur

2009-06-29T04:44:00.000-07:00

On the second day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha, the most splendid festival of Ratha Yatra takes place in the holy city of Puri. On the same day, Ratha Yatra takes place at Rajapur, in Simantadvipa, which is non-different from Puri dhama. Lord Baladeva and Subhadra devi mounted on Their chariots Taladwaja and Darpadalan while Lord Jagananth was carried in a rhythmicmovement in a colorful Pandu Vijaya ceremony to His Chariot, Nandi Ghosha. The Ratha was inaugurated by celebrities from Kolkata. On the day of Ratha Yatra,Rajapur Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra deities gave special darshan with golden hands.

Mayapur devotees and thousands of pilgrims enthusiastically pulled the ropes taking Their Lordships to Gundica Mandir, where They rest for seven days in Their garden house. The Lord accepted bhoga and offerings throughout His journey. Variety band parties and colorful dancing girls marched in front, followed by kirtan parites and harinam. Gurukulis were constantly chanting vedic mantras in the chariots.

“As the Lord mounts His Ratha-yatra cart and parades along the road,there is a constant accompaniment of loud prayers and songs chanted by large assemblies fo brahmanas. Hering theri hymns, Lord Jagannath is favorably disposed towards them. He is an ocean of mercy, and is the true friend of all the worlds.May that Lord of the Universe,along with His consort Lakshmi,who was born from the ocean of nectar kindly becoem visible unto me”- Jagannath Astakam verse5.
In the Pancha-tattava Mandir, a beautiful Gundica Mandira has been set up. Devotees on the day before Ratha Yatra performed Gundica Marjana or cleaning of Gundica Mandir, welcoming the Lord to stay here. Everyday evening for next seven days, devotees will offer lamps and sing Jaganantha Astakam prayers in the Pancha-tattva Mandir.

Pastimes of Vrndavana Dasa Thakura and Saranga Thakura (Mamagacchi)

2009-06-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

Description of Sri Modadrumadvipa and Rama-Lila
All glories to Gaurahari, who has manifested Himself as the Panca-tattva! All glories to Navadvipa-dhama, the topmost abode!
Arriving at Mamagacchi village, Nityananda explained to Jiva, "Here, in Modadrumadvipa is Ayodhya. In a previous kalpa, when Rama was banished to the forest, He came to this place with Laksmana and Janaki. He built a hut under a huge banyan tree here and lived happily for some time. Seeing the effulgence of Navadvipa, the son of Raghu began to slightly smile.
"How attractive was that form, green as new grass, with lotus eyes and a graceful bow in hand! Wearing the dress of a brahmacari and His head piled with matted locks, He stole the minds of all living entities. Seeing Rama smiling, Sita, the daughter of Janaka, asked Him the reason.
"'Listen, Sita, here is one very secret story. When the glorious age of Kali advents, I will display a yellow complexioned form here in Nadia. I will take birth in the womb of Saci in Jagannatha Misra's house. I will, give all the fortunate souls who see My childhood pastimes the supreme gift of prema. At that time, I will enjoy My beloved educational pastimes and reveal the glories of the holy name. I will then take sannyasa and go to Puri, and My own mother will weep with My wife in her arms.
"Hearing this, Sita asked,'O lotus-eyed one, why will You make Your mother cry? Why will You give up Your wife and take sannyasa? What happiness is there in giving sorrow to Your wife?'
"Sri Rama replied. 'O dear one, you know everything. But you have become ignorant just to teach the living entities. Listen Sita, My devotees relish prema-bhakti in two ways. In union with Me they enjoy sambhoga, and in separation from Me they enjoy vipralambha. My eternal associates desire sambhoga, but mercifully give them vipralambha. The devotees know that distress due to separation from Me is actually the topmost bliss. After separation, when union occurs, they feel happiness so much greater than before, a million times multiplied. That is the explanation of how there can be happiness in separation. You should accept this mood which is described in the four Vedas.
"'She who is known as Aditi in the Vedas is now mother Kausalya and will become mother Saci in Gauranga's pastimes. And you, Sita, will serve Me as Visnupriya. In separation, you will worship My Deity and spread My glories. Separated from you, I will worship a golden Sita Deity in Ayodhya. But this topic is very confidential, Sita. Do not reveal this to the people now.
"This Navadvipa is My dear place, even Ayodhya is not equal to it. When Kali-yuga comes, this huge banyan tree, Rama-vata, will disappear from vision and stay here in an unmanifest form.'
'In this way, Rama passed His time here with Laksmana and Sita. Later He went to Dandakaranya to complete His activities. See here the place where His hut stood.
"By the desire of the Lord, Rama's friend Guhaka took birth here in a brahmana's family. His name was Sadananda Vipra Bhattacarya. He knew nothing in the three worlds except Rama. He was present in Jagannatha Misra's house when Gauranga was born. At that time all the demigods came to see the child. The exalted Sadananda realized by the demigods' presence that his Lord had taken birth. In great delight he returned home, and. while meditating on his worshipable Lord Ramacandra, he saw Gaurasundara.
"Lord Gauranga was seated on a throne and surrounded by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, who were waving camaras. Then Sadananda saw Ramacandra, green as grass. On Rama's right was Laksmana, the abode of Ananta. On His left was Sita, and in front was Hanuman. Seeing this, the vipra understood the truth about the Lord.
"The vipra went to Mayapur in great ecstasy, and, unseen by anyone. he feasted his eyes on the form of Gauranga. 'Blessed am I, blessed indeed! Ramacandra is present before me as Gaurachandra!' Later, when the sankirtana movement started, Sadananda took part by dancing and chanting the name of Gaura.
"O Jiva, here the pure devotees see the Khandiva forest."
Hearing the topics and seeing the places in the eternal dhama, the devotees surrounded Nityananda and danced. Jiva's body displayed symptoms of ecstasy as he shouted the name of Gauranga.
That day Nityananda stayed in the house of Narayani. And Narayani, the pure chaste mother of Vedavyasa (Vrndavana Dasa Thakura), served the Vaisnavas. The next morning. after walking some distance, they entered Vaikunthapura.
To carry out the order of Jahnava and Nitai, this worthless wretch sings the glories of Nadia.
Vrndavan dasa Thakura
Srimad Vrndavan dasa Thakura's mother's name was Sri Narayani Devi. Narayani Devi was the daughter of Srivas Thakura's brother. After the disappeareance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srivas Thakura went to live in Kumar Hatta. Srivasa Thakura had three brothers: Sripati, Srirama and Srinidhi. He also had one son, but at a young age, his son passed away, returning to the Lord's supreme abode.
Srivasa Thakura had previously lived in Sri Hatta, but because he wanted the association of devotees he went to live on the banks of the Ganges in Nabadwip. When Mahaprabhu revealed his divinity in the house of Srivasa, showing his true self to the assembled devotees there, Narayani devi was only a four year old girl. In the Caitanya Bhagavata it is written:
"The golden moon, Sri Gauranga, revealed himself as the soul of all souls. At that time he ordered Narayani to chant the name of Krishna. Although she was only four years old she became mad with love of God. And crying, "O Krishna!" she swooned in ecstasy. As she laid on the ground in a trance of bliss, her eyes filled with tears, overwhelmed with divine love."
Narayani Devi's son was Vrindavana Das Thakura. In the Caitanya Bhagavata he has written of how Narayani was the object of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's affection:
"As a result of her great piety, Narayani would get whatever remnants the Lord might leave after eating. Although she was only an unschooled little girl, the Lord would favor Srivas Thakur's niece by giving her the leftovers of food touched by His holy lips."
Indeed it was by the mercy of the Lord's prasada that Vrindavan dasa Thakura took birth in the womb of Narayani as the incarnation of Vyasa. Sri Gauranga and Sri Nityananda were the very life and soul of Vrindavana dasa Thakura. About the father of Vrindavana dasa Thakrua little is mentioned any;where. Apart from his relationship with Narayani, Vrinavana, not much is known of Vrindavan das Thakura's ancestry.
In his commentary on the Caitanya Bhagavata, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura: "At the ancestral home of Malini-devi [the wife of Srivasa Thakura] Vrindavana dasa played as a small boy growing up. There he was nourished and cared after just like a valuable gem."
One may find many facts regarding the life of Vrindavana Dasa by going to Mamagachi, the village where Sri Narayani's wedding took place. Soon thereafter, in Magagachi, while Vrindavana dasa was still within the womb Narayani became a widow. In the small room of a poor brahmana, she lived in great poverty and hardship as a maidservant in the house of Vasudeva Dutt. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura was born, and soon began his studies. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura took birth four years after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa. When Mahaprabhu had disappeared from this world and entered into his aprakrita-lila, Vrindavana Das was barely twenty years old.
Soon thereafter, Vrindavan Das Thakura accepted initiation from Sri Nityananda Prabhu. He is Nityananda's eternal servant. Sri Vrindavana Dasa Thakura went with Sri Jahnava-devi to the great festival in Kheturi gram. The poet Sri Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami writes of the endless glories of Vrindavan das Thakura:
"Krishna's life was written in the Bhagavata of Vyasa. The Vedavyasa for Sri Caitanya was Vrindavana Dasa. Vrindavan das has called his book the "Caitanya Mangala". Whoever hears his book no grave misfortunes shall befall. Who reads it knows the glories of Caitanya and Nitai. And knows what Krishna-bhakti is, and how it is, and why. His book contains the essence of the holy Bhagavata. And shows what Krishna-Bhakti is and what Bhakti is not. An atheist who hears the Thakura's words will soon relent. And join the ranks of saintly men whose souls are heavensent. No ordinary man can sing of God as he has sung: The Lord Himself has spoken through the Thakur's holy tongue. I bow a million times before the holy lotus feet of Sri Vrindavan das, whose verses are so sweet that one who reads them shall be freed from this dark, mortal earth; I bow a million times before the place where he took birth."
More Information
In her childhood, Narayani Devi, neice of Srivasa Pandit, became mad with love of God upon receiving the mercy of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Later she gave birth to Vrndavana Dasa, who was the last disciple of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. On his guru's order he wrote Sri Caitanya Bhagavata.
It is practically a law among Vaisnava writers like Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, and Vrndavana Dasa Thakura to always keep themselves in the background. They never mention anything about their family lineage or personal history. The authors of the best written and most relishable verses collected in Sri Rupa Gosvami's Padyavali remain unknown.
During the sixteenth century, entire books of exceptional transcendental prose and poetry were penned by prideless Vaisnavas preferring to remain anonymous. Feeling utmost humility, such Vaisnava writers express themselves only in relation to their preceptors. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja glorifies his gurus at the end of each chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: sri rupa raghunatha-pade yara asa, caitanya caritamrta kahe krsnadasa.
"Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishna Dasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps."
Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami shows his supreme homage and gratitude by honoring Vrndavana Dasa Thakura with the appelation "Vyasa" in the Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 20.82:
"Vrndavana Dasa Thakura is Lord Nityananda's favorite devotee. And therefore he is the original Vyasadeva in describing the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu." As Srila Vyasadeva told Sri Krishna's pastimes in Bhagavatam and other Puranas, Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura described Caitanya lila in Caitanya Bhagavata.
The humble heart of Krishna Dasa Kaviraja pours out more praises of Vrndavana Dasa Thakura: "Hearing Caitanya Bhagavata destroys all misfortune. By reading Caitanya Bhagavata one will understand the glories of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. And he will attain the highest perfection of knowledge—pure love of Krishna.
"Since such a wonderful book could not be written by a human being, it seems that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself has spoken it through the mouth of Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura. I offer millions of respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of Vrndavana Dasa Thakura. By compiling such a valuable book he has delivered everyone from the cycle of birth and death." (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 8.33-42)
At Mamagacchi in Modadrumadvipa (Navadvipa), Vrndavana Dasa Thakura establised Deities of Nitai-Gauranga and Sri Jagannatha. He lived there as a celibate and worshiped his beloved Deities. Vrndavana Dasa Thakura had many disciples including Gopinatha Brahmacari, a descendent of Sri Kesava Bharati.
In Krishna's pastimes Vrndavana Dasa Thakura is Srila Vyasadeva. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area of Vrindavana.

Saranga Thakura
Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: “Ramadasa, Kavidatta, Sri Gopala dasa, Bhagavat acarya, and Thakura Saranga dasa were all important branches of the Sri Caitanya tree.” (C.C. adi 10.113)
Sri Saranga Murari Thakura is also sometimes known as Sarnga Murari, Sarnga Pani, or Saranga Dhara. He lived on the banks of the Ganges in Modradrumadvipa in Nabadwipa dhama in what is now known as Mamagacchi. At present in that place there is a temple of Radha-Gopinatha. The old temple was built next to an ancient Bakula tree that is supposed to have been standing since the time of Saranga Thakura. Recently a new temple building has been constructed there which is at present under the management of the Gaudiya Matha.
It is said that Saranga Murari Thakura had vowed never to accept any disciples. But again and again he received some messages from Caitanya Mahaprabhu encouraging him to make disciples. At length, he decided to accept a disciple and said, “I shall make a disciple of the first person I see tomorrow and shall initiate him into the mantra. The next morning he went to the Ganges to bathe, and as he was bathing he touched a dead body with his foot. Grabbing hold of the dead body, he brought it to life again and asked it, “Who are you? What is your gotra?” The man gradually regained consciousness, and, finding himself in the presence of a great soul, he bowed down before Saranga Thakura. At last the man who had risen from the dead by the power of Saranga Thakura identified his caste and family background, saying, “My name is Murari. Have mercy on me!” At that time, Saranga Thakura accepted him as his disciple and gave him mantra-diksa. It is for this reason that he became famous as Saranga Murari Thakura. After a few days Saranga Thakura trained his new disciple in the worship of his deities, Radha-Gopinatha. That disciple became famous as Murari Thakura.
According to Kavikarnapura's Gaura-ganodesa-dipika, “That person who was formerly the gopi called Nandimukhi in Vraja-lila appeared in the pastimes of Sri Caitanya as Saranga Thakura.”
Saranga Thakura's appearance day is on the fourteenth day of the dark moon in the month of asadha and his disappearance day is on the thirteenth day of the dark moon in the month of Agrahayana.

Pastimes of Lord Jagganatha at Rajapur.

2009-06-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

With Rath Yatra fast approaching we wanted everyone to dive in to the ocean of pastimes of LORD JAGANNATHA AT RAJAPUR, which is none different from the deities in Puri, please read it carefully and relish each pastimes with great joy. So as when we visit them during our yatra we can pray with devotion and faith.

Excerpt from the book By His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Swami :
The Pastime and History of LORD JAGANNATHA IN RAJAPUR

How Lord Jagannatha Came to Simantadvipa

In Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Lord Jagannatha instructs Sri Ramanujacarya as follows:

"Everyone knows Krsna, the Lord of Goloka. That Krsna, whose vildsa-murti is Narayana, is the supreme Truth, and He resides in Vrndavana. That Krsna is fully manifest in the form of Gaurahari, and that Vrndavana is fully manifest in the form of Navadvipa-dhama, the topmost abode in the universe. By My mercy that dhdma has appeared within Bhu-mandala, yet it remains without the scent of maya. This is the verdict of the scripture. If you say that Navadvipa is part of the material world, then your devotion will dwindle day by day. I have placed this spiritual abode within the material world by My desire and inconceivable energy. Simply by reading scriptures one will not get the highest truth, for the highest truth surpasses all reasoning power. Only the devotees can understand by My mercy." To teach the yuga-dharma of nama-sankirtana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead assumed the form of a devotee immersed in love of God. He is known by the names of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaurariga, and Gaurahari."

Just a few kilometers away from the place where Lord Gaurahga appeared, situated on the top of a hill in Simantadvipa, is the village of Rajapur. Within that lovely rural area one can find the charming temple of Lord Jagannatha, which is now managed by ISKCON. Whoever visits Sri Navadvipa must take darsana of Lord
Jagannatha. It is stated in the sastras that Sri Ksetra, or Jagannatha Puri, is eternally manifest in this holy place and that all benefits one can attain by visiting Jagannatha Purl may be achieved by visiting the Sri Jagannatha Mandir in Rajapur.

Seventh Century History
Lord Jagannatha of Sri Simantadvipa is not different from the Master of Sri Nilacala Dhama (Jagannatha Purl) Himself. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has reestablished this truth with historical facts is his book Sri Navadvlpa-dhdma-mdhatmya, "the glories of Navadvipa-dhama." The following story is mentioned in that book:

Around the seventh century, one Yavana king named Raktabahu appeared in the region of Orissa. He was very sinful and irreligious and caused great devastation, destroying temples and terrorizing the hearts of the pious people in Orissa. When the devotees of Lord Jagannatha in Purl came to know about the mischievousness of Raktabahu, they became very much afraid. They immediately approached Lordjagannatha: "O worshipful Lord," the devotees prayed, "we are in great anxiety knowing that a miscreant named Raktabahu is breaking down all temples and destroying the Deities inside. He is now proceeding in this direction. He may come at any moment and attack Your temple. If that happens, then we will have to give up our lives, because we'll never be able to tolerate any action against You. Please, save us from this danger by making proper arrangements for the protection of Your divine form and the temple, O Almighty Lord!"

Being thus approached by his devotees, Lordjagannatha appeared in the dream of the head priest that night and spoke to him as follows: " My dear pujdrl, I am completely overwhelmed by perceiving the ardent love and devotion that you devotees have for Me. You all love Me more than your own self. Lhis is the symptom of a pure devotee. Actually nobody can harm My divine form or My temple. I certainly need not worry about that. Just by My powerful will I can keep all miscreants away from the place where I stay with My beloved devotees. But in order to bless My devotees and to reciprocate with them, many times I accept this kind of 'hardship' willingly. In this way My devotees' love and attachment for Me increases manifold. And since this is their desire, I establish their love for Me in a more prominent way. Tomorrow, therefore, please, remove the Deities of Myself, Lord Balarama, and Subhadra Devi and set out for Bengal. You should take the path through the jungle so that you can easily escape Raktabahu, who is coming by the main road. Have no fear, I will always protect you!"
The Lord then disappeared from the dream and the pujarl woke up. He immediately broadcast the message, which stirred the devotees, and they all started to make the proper arrangements for the Lord's journey.

The traditional system of service to the Lord in Jagannatha Purl is that devotees from different sections of society are assigned to various services. For instance, Brahmanas are responsible for worship of the deities. Other devotees cook for the Lord's pleasure. Those devotees known as the Sabaras perform the service of carrying Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi when Their Lordships attend certain festivals like sndna-yatra, etc.

When the message reached the Sabaras that the Lord wanted to leave for Bengal, they immediately made all necessary arrangements for departure the next morning. They walked all day and just before dusk set in, they settled in a suitable place. There they collected fruits, flowers, and leaves from the jungle and worshipped Their Lordships. Finally they put Them to rest, and after honoring the Lord's mahd-prasddam they themselves took rest. The next morning, after the Deities had been worshipped, the Sabaras again started for their destination. In this way they spent eleven days, and on the twelfth they arrived in Simantadvipa, one of the nine islands of Navadvipa Dhama. That night, Lord Jagannatha appeared in the dream of the head Sahara and expressed His desire to settle in this very place, which was transcendental in all respects. At once, the Sahara devotees made all efforts for the proper arrangements to fulfill the Lord's desire to stay there permanently. The Sahara Vaisnavas went on serving the Lord for generations to come. Due to their pure love and devotion they all attained liberation and finally went back to Godhead, to Lord Jagannatha's eternal abode in the spiritual sky. Till today the Sahara's village is located near the Jagannatha temple and is known as Sabara-dariga, "the place of the Sabaras." Gradually, by the influence of time, the Deities and the temple disappeared from sight. The Lord, however, never left that place ...

Sixteenth Century History
At the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a devotee named Jagadisa Ganguli lived in a small village near the present-day Mayapur. Jagadisa was a highly elevated Vaisnava and even though he was very old, still every year he would make the 900km journey on foot to Jagannatha Purl on the Bay of Bengal. He would travel with other devotees from Bengal to meet their most dear Lord Caitanya, have darsana of Their Lordships Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi, and participate in the ecstatic Rathayatra. After four months they would return to their homes in Bengal. One day Jagadisa's happiness was ruined. He was stricken with a serious disease that left him totally blind. When he realized that he could no longer see the divine forms of Lord Caitanya and the Jagannatha Deities, he became very depressed. Worse yet, his friends considered the annual pilgrimage to Purl too long and too dangerous for a blind man and they refused to take him along with them. Jagadisa remained in Navadvlpa in constant lamentation and despondency. Out of hopelessness he even considered committing suicide.

Then one night Lord Jagannatha appeared to Jagadisa in a dream. The next morning, the Lord told him, whenjagadisa went for his daily bath in the Gariga a log would touch his head and restore his vision. The Lord told Jagadisa that he should take that log and go to a nearby village where a devotee-carpenter lives. The Lord explained also that the carpenter would refuse the work because he was a leper and had deformed hands. Jagadisa would have to insist, and convince the carpenter to do this work. On completion of this job, the Lord assured, the carpenter's leprosy would immediately vanish.

Upon awakening, Jagadisa was amazed at his dream. He immediately left for his morning bath in the Gariga and became ecstatic when a log touched his head and restored his vision. He took the wood and went to a nearby village, where he searched and searched until he found a leper-carpenter. Jagadisa implored the leper to carve a deity of Lord Jagannatha from the wood, but the carpenter flatly refused. He showed Jagadisa his deformed fingers and asked him, "How is it possible for me to carve the divine form of the Lord with these hands?" But Jagadisa insisted. He explained to the leper that his leprosy would be cured once he finished the carving. Finally the leper agreed.

Jagadisa stayed with the leper as he was working and saw him suffering terribly. Blood and pus oozed from the stumps that were once his fingers and he wanted to quit the work. But Jagadisa encouraged him and enabled him to forget his agony long enough to finish the deity of Lord Jagannatha. The very moment he finished, his leprosy disappeared. Jagadisa took the deity to a site near the present Jagannatha temple and established His worship there. A few nights later, Jagadisa had another dream. This time Lord Jagannatha instructed him to take some nearby neem wood to the same carpenter and have him make deities of Subhadra and Balarama. Jagadisa did so and installed Them in the temple next to Lord Jagannatha.

Legend has it that after the demise of Jagadisa Ganguli, the Lord, being dissatisfied with the neglectful state of His worship, decided to end His manifest pastimes. Suddenly there was an outbreak of cholera. The inhabitants of the surrounding area assembled at the temple and prayed to Prabhu Jagannatha to have pity on them and save their lives. That night, Jagannatha came to the head priest in a dream and said, "One of the housewives of the Ganguli family, who is characterless, dared to dishonour me. For this offense everyone in the Ganguli family and the village will die if they do not leave the place." The next morning the villagers found the members of the Ganguli family dead and immediately deserted the entire area. Since there was no more worship at the temple, Lord Jagannatha, Subhadra. and Balarama were forgotten, and save for the flat roof over Their heads, the temple fell down around Them and was soon covered by the surrounding jungle.

PASTIMES FROM 1950's TO 1970's
Lord Jagannatha's Mercy on Phatik Chatterjee's'Family Narrated by Gauri, the youngest daughter of Sri Phatik Chatterjee

"Why is no one feeding us!"

During the Bangladesh war in 1971, there was a lot of communal agitation in India. Phatik Chatterjee, the previous owner of the temple, had seven daughters. He was a little afraid living here because there is a Muslim village nearby. So he moved to Katwa to protect his daughters. But one of the local Muslims from here went to him and said, "Please come back to Rajapur." Phatik Chatterjee refused. The Muslim said, "We will give you all protection." Phatik again politely refused. Then the Muslim said, "Actually we have been hearing voices coming from the temple. They are saying, 'Why isn't anyone coming anymore? Why no one is feeding us?' We are very frightened, please come back and we promise to give you a twenty-four hour guard." So then he agreed to come back and the villagers gave full protection.

"I Saw a Light Hovering over You!"

While one of Phatik Chatterjee's daughter was getting married, a group of anti-socials turned up. He knew they were thieves, dacoits. But since the wedding was under way, he invited them in, saying, "Please come, eat something." Later on the group were discussing amongst themselves, and people were watching them because a wedding means there is gold around and they were a little nervous. Then the group began to argue amongst themselves, and finally they broke away from each other and left. A few nights later, their leader came back and knocked on Phatik's door and said,"I want to speak to you."
Phatik said, "I am not going to open the door, please don't mind."

The dacoit said that he was genuine. "I want to tell you something. Actually that night of the wedding, we came to rob you. And while we were planning how to do it, I saw a light coming from Jagannatha's temple and hovering over you. And I knew that it was not an ordinary thing. I told the others what I saw and told them, 'We won't be successful in our job, we won't do anything tonight.' But some members who wanted to go ahead with the robbery became angry, and a fight broke out, then every one left." And thus Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra protected Their pujari.

Unusual Footprint

One Snana-yatra day, Phatik Babu's wife, Nirmala Devi, became very ill. There was heavy rain that day and people had assembled in the temple of Jagannatha. Nirmala Devi was in bed the whole day. When Phatik Babu came back to his house and entered the room, he was astonished to see an unusual footprint in the dust on the floor. He realized that the footprint was of none other than Jagannathaji Himself. He at once took some dust of that footprint and placed it on the body of Nirmala Devi and some of it on his own head and immediately Nirmala Devi recovered from her illness.

"Did you see anything unusual last night?"

Phatik Babu used to worship mother Kali and one time he bought a goat for sacrificing. Somehow or other the goat disappeared. Many persons were deployed to search out the goat, but in vain. Gauri, the youngest daughter of Phatik Babu, also went out to search for that goat along with her niece, Kalpana. While out searching, Gauri suddenly saw the beautiful images of Lord Jagannatha and Krishna in front of her. Their colour was deep black and Their bodies were fully decorated with ornaments. They had crowns that made Them so attractive. Gauri saw that both of Them were laughing. Meanwhile Kalpana called out for Gauri. Instead of going back, Gauri tried to attract Kalpana's attention to these images in front of her. But despite all efforts Kalpana could not see Them, and she turned and went away. Gauri followed Kalpana but she did not reveal anything of what had happened. The next day Jaimini Ghosh, under inspiration from Lord Jagannatha, asked Gauri to tell her parents if she saw anything unusual last night. Then Gauri narrated the above incident.

The following stories were narrated by Dilip Bhattacharya, grandson of Sri Phatik Chatterjee

Jagannatha Removes Darkness

When Dilip was approximately 10 years old, he and his elder brother, plus two other cousin brothers, were given upanayam by Phatik Chatterjee, who was very keen on making them worshippers of Lord Jagannatha. As per the ritual, the boys were kept inside for three days and only on the fourth day were they allowed out. At that time the boys, who were very excited about having a clean-shaved head and wooden peg shoes, thought of going to the nearby market at Bamanpukur. It was early evening by the time they returned, and along the way they suddenly felt a very fearful presence, and so they all huddled up together. Phatik Chatterjee had instructed them that if they ever felt frightened, they should chant the Hare Krsna mantra, Jagannatha's name, and the Gayatrl mantra. So they began to chant the mantras. Then suddenly they saw a brilliant blue light coming from the temple sikhara, shooting up into the sky and lighting up the entire area. The boys still huddled up managed with great effort to drag themselves away from that place until they reached their house where they fell flat on the floor. They told Phatik Chatterjee of what had happened to them, and he told them that Lord Jagannatha had protected them.

Effulgence From the Temple

Another time Dilip's mother went to the temple to offer a lamp. After some time they could see so much light inside the closed doors of the temple. They thought a rat might have pulled the lamp and it had caught fire inside the temple. When they ran to the place they saw a strong blue light coming from underneath the door. When they opened the door, the light disappeared but the scent of frankincense was everywhere.

"Don't leave this place."

After the temple was given to ISKCON and Phatik Chatterjee left his body (in 1986), Dilip's father, Ram Bhattacharjee—who had been assisting Phatik for many years—decided to return to Belpukur, where he had his own house and property, and settle there. That same night both Ram and his wife both had startling experiences. Ram's wife started foaming at the mouth and Ram started choking, his eyes bulging in their sockets.After some time they returned to normal, but they were left shaken. Later on in the morning, Lord Jagannatha appeared before Ram, sitting on his chest, telling him that he cannot leave this place. So Ram declared that as long as he lived, he will not move anywhere. He also advised his children (Dilip and brother) to do the same. Later they built a house just 500 metres away from Jagannatha temple.

"1 must take darshan of Jagannatha."

After Dilip's parents passed away, on several occasions Dilip tried to move back to Belpukur or other places where he could earn a better income, but Lord Jagannatha would come to him in his dreams and, sometimes lovingly and other times threateningly, tell him not to move away from Him. Dilip says, "If I don't visit Jagannatha two days in a week, everything in the house gets disturbed and life becomes very irritating. And still now, so many problems 1 constantly face, I just go and inform Dada (a name he has lovingly called Lord Jagannatha since childhood, which means elder brother), and sure enough within no time it all settles down."

Pastimes Narrated byjaimini Ghosh
"You have to maintain yourself."

After the temple and Deities had been repaired, Jaimini Ghosh desired to serve Them, but he had no money, so he appealed to Lord Jagannatha and explained his plight. That night two huge branches fell from the tree beside the Temple; he sold that wood and the money provided for the se\d for a few months.
When the money was finished, he again approached Lord Jagannatha and said, "Prabhu, I cannot maintain You anymore, You will have to maintain Yourself." From that day on, inside the temple on the side of the altar he would find just enough money to pay for the days puja."

"Free trip to Puri"

Another time Jaimini fell asleep outside the temple. When he awoke, to his surprise he found himself in Puri during the Rathayatra festival. He enjoyed the festival for some days, but thought of how his parents, who knew nothing of his whereabouts, would be terribly worried about him. He decided to return home, but didn't have any money for his fare. Approaching some pandas, he explained his situation. The pandas advised him, "If Lord Jagannatha brought you here, then go before Him and ask Him to take you back." Jaimini did just that, and the next morning when he woke up he found himself back in Rajapur.

Stories From Other Sources
Lord Jagannatha Didn't Want to Leave

Some Brahmanas from a local village felt they could offer Lord Jagannatha a better standard of worship and wanted to take Him to their village. So one day they came and stole Lord Jagannatha. While carrying Him across the fields, they all suddenly felt the need to answer nature's call, so they put Lord Jagannatha down and went to relieve themselves. But upon returning they found that they could not lift Lord Jagannatha, and so they went and found some more men to help them. Despite their many attempts, however, they could not budge the Lord. Then they realized that He didn't want to leave Rajapur, so they came back and told the priests, "We have made a big offense; your Deity is out in the field, please bring Him back." So two pujarls went and easily picked Him up and carried Him back home.

Epidemic

Once there was a very serious epidemic in this area; a lot of people were getting sick and some of them were dying. Lord Jagannatha appeared in a dream to the pujarl and told him of a medicine that would cure this disease. In the morning the pujarl called all the villagers and told them to gather the ingredients to make this medicine. They did so, but were unable to find one ingredient, which doesn't grow in this area. But later in the day a small boy came to the temple carrying a branch, which he gave to the pujarl's wife. When the pujarl returned and saw that branch he became very excited and said, "Oh, that's just what we want, this is the last herb we need to make this medicine! Who has brought this?" The wife replied, "Oh, a very charming little boy brought it. I don't think he was from this village, for I have not seen him before." So they made that medicine and everybody was cured. From that day Lord Jagannatha has earned great respect even from the non-Hindus.

"Don't show your feet to the deities."

Once some children were playing in front of the old temple. One of the girls started showing the soles of her feet to the Deities in an insolent way. "Don't do that," the other children said. "This is the Thakura." The girl, who was from a Muslim family, said, "What do I care for Them?" Within a very short time her feet became infected. The infection spread to her legs and she could not walk properly anymore. She is a grown woman now and you can still see her in the village moving around on her knees. So everyone in the locality is very respectful and a little fearful of Lord Jagannatha.

Heavy Punishment

There was a thief who sometimes used to come to the temple and steal whatever he could. Even though he was warned again and again by his friends that this Deity of Jagannatha is very powerful and intolerant of any bad behaviour, still he continued.One night he was captured while robbing a house and the locals chopped his hand off. When the police arrived to arrest him, in his pitiable condition he made a plea. "I know why this has happened to me. Before you take me to the jail please take me to Jagannatha's temple, so that I may beg forgiveness from Him!"

None of Lord Jagannatha's Property is Insignificant

An old man from this village told this story to the pujarl. When he was a young boy, he was herding cows through the Jagannatha Mandir. At that time the temple was in ruins so there were many bricks strewn around the temple. Just for fun he took a brick, broke it with his stick, and threw it out. That night he couldn't sleep. The whole night he was constantly hearing a voice saying, "Why did you throw the brick out of My temple?" The next day he retrieved the brick and put it back from where he had taken it. Only then, the old man said, did he have peace.

The Lord Speaks Through His Devotee

This story was told by Srila Prabhupada's godbrother, Srila Damodara Maharaja. He relates, " I was having darsana of Lord Jagannatha (this was at the old temple) when the pujarl brought the bhoga offering." Having been a pujarl at the Yogapith for many years, Maharaja noticed that the bhoga plate was not covered and that there were dogs around. He also saw that something fell into the bhoga plate as the pujarl was passing through the door. Damodara Maharaja didn't say anything about it, but later in the day an old lady dressed in white came and started to chastise that pujarl severely, "Why are you offering something impure to Lord Jagannatha? Why you are not covering the bhoga plate with a cloth. You have to be more careful in the future!"Maharaja was surprised and wondered how she could have known, for he had been alone; there was no one else around at that time! Then he added that one should always be respectful to everyone in the dhama, for it's not so easy to discern who is a great devotee.

Offense to Maha-prasadam

Lord Jagannatha is very popular here. He is known as a very powerful Deity amongst all the different villages in this area. About 25 years ago, on sndna-yatra day, a riksha driver took some kichari prasadam while at the temple, and also took some for his friend, who was a Muslim. But his friend threw it on the ground and said, "I don't eat food that has been offered to idols!"

That night in his dream, the friend saw that Lord Balarama was sitting on him, strangling him, beating him like anything, and saying, "Don't you know that My brother is worshipped by honoring his maha-prasadam, and you dared to throw it on the ground?! I will kill you!" The man was very fearful. Subhadra was there too. She was laughing and saying, "Kill him, kill him!" Lord Jagannatha was there and He was also laughing, but He said, "No, no, no, don't kill him." The next day this Muslim came very humbly before the Deity and offered worship to Lord Jagannatha. He narrated his story and also asked for some maha-prasadam. But there was nothing left. "There must be something," he pleaded. So the pujarl went and searched the pots and found a little, which the man happily accepted.

JAGANNATHA RESOLVES A DILEMMA

These pastimes have occurred since ISKCON accepted the responsibility of caring for the Temple

When ISKCON first acquired the temple there was no facility for cooking, so we would cook extra at Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir and the pujarl would take it in a tiffin carrier by bicycle to the Jagannatha Mandir. One day after making the raja-bhoga plate, he realized that he had forgotten to bring tulasl leaves. At that time the old temple was in a very dilapidated condition. The doors could not be shut properly. So he thought to himself, "If I go and pick tulasl then maybe some children would come inside or worse still may be a dog would come in. He was in a dilemma: what to do? But seeing how it was time for the Lord to eat, he told Lord Jagannatha, "Dear Lord, I know that You say that You don't accept any food offerings without tulasl, but please understand the situation and accept this offering anyway." He then made the offering to Lord Jagannatha and went outside to chant the Gayatri mantra. When it came time for the arati, he opened the doors and was about to remove the plate of prasadam, when to his great surprise he saw a ten inch branch of tulasl leaves sticking out of the mound of rice! Jagannatha Swami kijaya! Tulasl maharani ki jaya!

"They have nice prasadam down there..."

This story was told by His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja. When ISKCON was first given this temple and land, there were many joint owners and most of them had already signed it over to us. However, Jayapataka Maharaja stressed that he didn't want full worship to begin until the remaining persons had signed the deeds. Unknown to him, the pujarl was already offering bhoga that had been brought up from Radha Madhava's kitchen in Mayapur. So upon hearing this instruction, he stopped the offerings. But that night he dreamed that when he was going to wake the Deities', he found They were not there—they were gone! Frantically running outside he spotted them walking across the fields. "Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra!" he shouted, "Where are You going?"

"You are not feeding us, so we are going to Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir," They replied. "They have nice prasadam. down there. Lot's of prasadam.'"
Of course when Jayapataka Maharaja heard about this dream he said, "T didn't know that you were already making offerings otherwise I never would have told you to stop. I just wanted to make sure the temple was ISKCON's before establishing a high standard of worship, but now immediately continue the offerings."
Now we are feeding Lord Jagannatha very opulently with over twenty items for raja bhoga, so we hope He is satisfied and will never leave. Actually, it's an interesting story how we started to offer chappan bhoga. Just after this new temple was constructed we invited some cooks from the Jagannatha temple in Puri to come and teach us how to make the kind of preparations that they offer there. Our devotees learned very nicely, so much so that it is now an internationally acclaimed cuisine!

Sojananivasa Prabhu, the head pujarl of Mayapur temple, wanted to offer chappan bhoga every day, but the temple just didn't have sufficient funds. Regardless, he decided to start anyway. He went before the Deities and told Them, "We are going to offer You chappan bhoga for one month beginning from this purnimd, and if You want us to continue it, then You kindly make some arrangement!" The first day, he took some guests to take the mahd-prasddam and when he explained about his desire, one guest immediately offered to sponsor the next month. Upon returning to Mayapur he was telling one devotee about what had happened and she in turn offered to pay for the next two months. So like that the program has been going on ever since.

To ensure that Lord Jagannatha never goes hungry again we have started a Nitya-seva scheme where devotees and well-wishers give Rs. 25,000/- as a one time donation, which is kept in a corpus fund and interest provides for one day's seva. We are happy to announce that we have received a very good response to this program.

Lord Jagannatha Goes for Walks

Before ISKCON built the present temple, the old temple was buried under a tree that was a combined banyan and peepul tree. The local people say that Lord Jagannatha would go for walks. They never actually saw Him, but they could hear Him, especially on Saturday nights. They would see a glow coming from the temple, a sweet scent would permeate the air, and they could hear jingling sounds, like that of ankle bells. Those fortunate residents understood that the independent Lord was taking a stroll.

Snana-yatra Festival

Snana-yatra, the Lord's bathing festival, takes place fourteen days before Rathayatra. During that fourteen day period the temple remains closed for darsana on the plea that Jagannatha Swami has caught a cold. It is also an opportunity to repaint the Deities. Some say that the reason that Lord Jagannatha feigns sickness is to take a break from the thousands and thousands of people who visit Puri every day, most of whom ask, "Lord Jagannatha, please fulfill my desires, give me this, give me that." So the Lord takes it easy for a couple of weeks, and along with His brother and sister, peacefully enjoys fine sweet preparations and nectar drinks made from cream, molasses, and invigorating herbs.

Actually it is the biggest festival of the year here and it was started by the desire of the Lord Himself. Once a Gaudiya Matha devotee from Purl came to Navadvlpa to visit the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Upon arriving, he enquired if there was a temple of Lord Jagannatha in the locality. He was directed to Simantadvlpa, where he came and began to worship these Deities. The same night, in a dream, Lord Jagannatha told the devotee, "They don't give Us much to eat here. At least once in a year We should eat nicely! Our snana-yatra is coming soon; try to arrange a feast for Us."

On this order, the devotee arranged a big feast for the Lord and fed all the devotees the Deities' maha-prasadam. This festival has continued up to present day. When ISKCON took over the management of the temple, it was decided to increase the festival by taking a procession from Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. Many hundreds of devotees take their bath in the Gariga, fill a clay pot with Gariga-jala, and then proceed to the Jagannatha Mandir, led by our elephant and a klrtana party. As soon as the devotees arrive, the Deities are placed on a marble sndna-vedi, or bathing platform, which is erected in Their garden. The whole area is covered by a pandal to protect all from the hot sun, and hundreds of devotees bathe Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra with Gariga water or milk. This continues for several hours until the Deities go back to Their temple, where They are dressed in the hdti-vesa (elephant dress), and offered a sumptuous feast and ardti ceremony. After ardti, mahd-prasddam kicharl, subji, and sweet rice is served in the mango grove to the many thousands of devotees and visitors who keep arriving, and the serving goes on and on until the darkness of night brings it to a close.

Hati-vesha

Because many people are curious to know why Their Lordships are dressed in elephant costumes, we add this story. Of course anyone you may ask in Purl will give a slight variation—or even a large variation!—on this story:
One time a great devotee of Ganesa was visiting the king of Purl, but was reluctant to visit Lord Jagannatha's temple as his principle was to only worship Sri Ganesa. "Lord Jagannatha is non-different than Lord Visnu, Who is the origin of all devatds" coaxed the king, who finally persuaded him to visit the temple. It was Sndna-yatra day, and as he stood before the Deities he said to Lord Jagannatha, "If You are what they say You are, Daru-brahman (wooden Brahman), then kindly show to me that form of Ganesa, whom I worship." Deciding to bestow His causeless mercy, Lord Jagannatha transformed Himself into the form of Ganesa, to the great astonishment and delight of that devotee.

Jagannatha Sneezes!

Many years ago, there was an English devotee, Gaura Hari Dasa living here. After one Sndna-yatra festival, after everyone had left, they closed the temple, but from inside the closed altar Gaura Hari heard what sounded like someone sneezing. "Oh no!" he thought; "I must be imagining this!" Then again it came, loud and clear:"Ahhh-chuuh!!" So it's confirmed: Jagannatha does catch cold.

Causeless Mercy

Satadhanya Prabhu, a long time devotee of ISKCON Mayapur, recalls how one time, while returning from Krsnanagar, he felt a burning desire for Lord Jagannatha's darsana, which he admitted was unusual for him. He told the driver of the car to drive there quickly as it was almost one o'clock—closing time. As fate would have it he arrived just as the pujari was locking the temple door. Looking at the pujari and then at the door and back to the pujari he asked in a half expectant voice, "Is it possible to have darsana of their Lords?"
"Yes," replied the pujari as he turned and headed for his room. "Come at four o'clock".

Feeling disappointed, Satadhanya thought, "Well,maybe I can see Them through the cracks in the door." (This incident took place before the present temple had been constructed and the previous temple was quite dilapidated). Save for the glint of some jewelry, the Deities were quite indistinguishable in Their dark room. He tried the wooden windows, but they too were locked. Lying on the ground, he tried to see beneath the doors. For fifteen minutes he was trying, but to no avail. Finally he gave up and walked away despondently. A creaking sound made him turn his head, only to see the temple window swinging open. He rushed back to the windows, where daylight flooded into the altar, illuminating the Deities. Jagannatha's fortunate devotee was awarded darsana to his full satisfaction.

Muslim Girl Regains Eyesight

Many years back, when Jagannatha was in His old temple, there was one young Muslim girl from the village who had very poor eyesight. There were no proper eye doctors available then and the family was too poor to take her to Calcutta for proper treatment. The many doctors she did see all said her condition was incurable. Gradually her vision became worse and worse. Finding no other hope her family decided to seek the shelter of Lord Jagannatha. So they brought her to the temple and told her that Lord Jagannatha had helped many people in the past, and that she should pray for His mercy. With complete faith in Jagannatha, she took carandmrta for seven days and miraculously her vision became normal. Until her last days she would say that even though she is quite old she could still see very nicely.

The Magic Lamp

One evening some students came to the temple and they exclaimed to the pujari how they had heard so many wonderful things about these Deities. "So we thought we have to come and see Them." But at that time it was dark; the temple wasn't so opulent in those days and there was only one candle providing light. They could hardly see the Deities in that dim light so they were disappointed. They told the pujdrl that they came a long way to see the Deities but could hardly see. The pujdrl began to offer the ardti and they decided to leave, but the pujdrl called them to come back. After he had offered the panca-pradlpa lamp and placed it on a ledge near the altar, the flame started increasing in size, until they reached nine or ten inches high, giving off a very bright light that illuminated the whole altar. Then the students came back running in and enjoyed a nice darsana.

Marble Thief

Every day during the temple construction, one of the workers would take a slab of marble home. Baladeva appeared to the thief while he was resting and angrily told him, "How dare you steal the marble meant for building Jagannatha's temple! Return it all, or else I will destroy you and your family!" So the next morning the thief shamefully and fearfully returned a cart-load of marble slabs.

"Such a nice brooch!"

Some years after the temple was given to ISKCON, a devotee family moved here. The father's name was Sadhana Siddhi Prabhu. One day, his young son Dalim, came running to his mother crying hysterically. She asked, "What's the matter, what's the matter?!" After he calmed down he told her, "I went to the temple and I saw that Subhadra was wearing a lovely brooch. I wanted to have it, so I went in to take it, but just as I was about to take it from Her, then," he began to sob, "Lord Balarama swung His arm around slapped my face and sent me tumbling out of the room."

Caranamrita Cure

Some years ago, Hrday, the eldest son of Prangopal Prabhu (Lord Jagannatha's cook), became so sick that when his father tried to admit him to the local hospital, the doctors told him that the boy was dying and there was no use admitting him. They told Prangopal to either take him home or to Calcutta. Prangopal replied that if the boy was going to die, then better he dies here as they couldn't afford to take him to Calcutta anyway. Reluctantly, the doctors admitted Hrday. After admitting his son, Prangopal came to temple, cooked for Lord Jagannatha, took some caranamrta, tulasi leaves, and flowers from Jagannatha's lotus feet, and prayed to Him, "If at all my son has to die in the hospital, at least give him some good destination." He then returned to the hospital and without anybody's knowledge, put the flowers and tulasi under Hrday's pillow and gave him caranamrta. The next day when Prangopal went to the hospital, he found Hrday healthy. The doctors told him that it was a miraculous recovery and he could take his son back soon. By Jagannatha's mercy, Prangopal Prabhu brought his healthy son back home the next morning.

Jagannatha Arranges a Marriage

There was one lady from a cobbler family named Krsna. She was over forty years old and would come to the temple every day. She wore tilaka, took prasadam, and even performed Ekadasl. She was still not married, so she sincerely prayed to Jagannatha to make some arrangement for her marriage. Thus after some time she got married to a very wealthy man. Now she has two servants and her husband tells her that she need do nothing else other than cook for the Lord. Previously she was so poor that she was working in someone else's house for a little money. After her marriage she came to the temple and told the pujari that now, by Jagannatha's arrangement, she is married and leading a peaceful life which she thought never deserved. "Surely you will get married!"
There was another similar incident where an unmarried woman used to come to visit the temple. Many of us in the temple know her. She once came during the afternoon, and as the curtain for Jagannatha's altar was closed, she thought that was nobody there. Thus she spoke aloud, "Jagannatha, will I not get married?" Hearing this, the pujari, who was inside the altar replied "Yes, surely you will get married." The woman was simultaneously shy and happy to hear this. She had faith that since the voice came from the altar, it was auspicious. She was 35-40 years of age and no one thought she could get married at that age, but by Jagannatha's mercy, even though she was very poor, she was married to a man from a wealthy family near Rajapur. She is happy now and still comes to the temple.

Jagannatha Cures a Child

There was a girl named Hemalata who from birth was suffering from anaemia. No treatment was working. The family happened to move to Jagannatha Mandir. After just three days of taking Jagannatha's prasada, the child became cured from anaemia and was completely healthy. She never had to take any further treatment.

Prahlad, the Temple Guard

In the year 1982, on Balarama Jayanti, a nice festival was held in honor of Lord Balarama. After the program at midday, the temple manager, Sri Svarupa Damodara Prabhu, gave guard Prahlad a pot of mahd-prasddam from the Lord. Instead of honoring the prasddam immediately, he dozed off for a while. When he woke up he found the pot lying next to him—empty. A dog had come by while he slept and eaten the mahd-prasddam.

Understanding his mistake, Prahlad immediately begged forgiveness from 'Bhagavan'. But in his mind he knew that some punishment was coming for his carelessness.The next day, he came for his night patrol, but at about one a.m. he fell asleep. He saw that Lord Jagannatha was speaking from the window: "You have not honored My prasadam, you will have to take some punishment for this." He then caught hold of Prahlad's neck and sitting on his chest, He began to strangle him saying, "There is no other way for you than death!" Jagannatha was very angry. Prahlad recalls, "I was choking and not able to speak any more, I was praying to Him internally, 'My Lord, I know I am an offender, but please forgive me.'" But Jagannatha said, "No! this aparadha has no forgiveness. You have disregarded Lord Balarama's mahd-prasddam. You know that the devotee of the Lord is greater than the Lord Himself. You will have to accept this punishment."

Then Subhadra Devi said to the Lord, "My dear brother, what are you doing? Please stop it." But Jagannatha was riot listening to Her. She appealed to Jagannatha again and again. Then She appealed to Lord Baladeva, "This person is a devotee, he made a mistake, and he is begging forgiveness. Please ask our brother to stop and not kill him for such an offense. Why is He so angry?" Baladeva was only smiling and did not say anything.

Prahlad says, "Jagannatha was still very angry and did not leave my neck, this was going on for almost seven or eight minutes. My tongue was coming out. Still internally I was praying, 'Lord, please protect me. There is no one except You who can free me from this sin.' Subhadra Devi could see that I was about to lose my life, so She took Baladeva by His hand and said, 'Please stop our brother.' Then Baladeva took Jagannatha by His hands and spoke: What are you doing? He has committed a sin, but why such a heavy punishment!' They were speaking like this. And then Lord Baladeva pulled Lord Jagannatha off my body.
"Sweating like anything, I sat up and started to pray for protection. Then Lord Jagannatha instructed me with ten rules and regulations, 'You will do all this for the temple,' He said. After this He left and I stood up and went to the pump and straight away drank so much water. Then I was meditating on this mercy of Lord Jagannatha."

Five of the instructions were:

1) If any person comes with some dust or seed or anything from this place, and says that it is mahd-prasddam, you must accept it. Even if you die, whatever happens to you, I will take care of that.

2) If anybody takes intoxication, gambles, or plays frivolous music, then you must stop him. If they do not listen, then with all force you must try to stop them and I will provide you with all necessary strength.

3) You will never smoke or commit any illicit act on your own.

4) You should not look at any other women with lust.Regard them as your sister or mother. If you see anyone disrespecting any mataji within the campus, then raise your voice against it.

5) If any one steals any property which belongs to the temple, such as bricks, wood, flowers etc., then try to stop that person.

Prahlad added, "The other five are personal, I cannot tell you. From that time onwards and even now, I can still understand in my heart, when I see the Lord, if He is angry or if He is pleased with me. If I have to go somewhere for some family work, I first come to take darsana of Jagannatha, and He lets me know if it will be good or harmful for me."

Stranger In The Night

The same guard was once sitting in one of the mango trees in the orchards at night. There were snakes around and other dangerous things around, so he had climbed up high. Then one person came through the mango orchard and passed by Prahlad walking towards the temple. This person was dressed very nicely, and his hair was well-groomed with scented oil. The guard was very surprised that such a gentleman was walking in the middle of the night through the fields. A little later Prahlad heard the sound of a roaring kirtana. It was late but the sound was coming from the temple. Bells were ringing and ladies were ululating. He told us that this person could have been a demigod, because the temple was actually locked and there was nobody there at that time.

"Where are Our blankets?"

The nights had been increasingly cold, and we hadn't started offering chadars to the Deities. Odana-sasthi is the day when we offer the Deities starched cloth, and this day marks the beginning of winter. This story happened before Odana-sasthi, but still it was cold. The pujarl had a dream that someone was banging on the door while he was sleeping. So he got up and opened the door and he saw the small Deities of Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Balarama lying on their backs on the ground. They were shivering and They asked him, "Why are you not offering us blankets? You have one, what about us? You are sleeping very nicely under your quilt. Don't you think we feel cold?"

"I like you doing My puja!"

Another time, the pujarl was very sick with fever, and as he was putting the Deities to rest for the afternoon, he thought to himself, "I am not going to wake the Deities at four o'clock. I am too sick." So he went and told the guard, "I am going to take rest, I have a fever and 1 won't be doing my service at four. So please don't wake me up." While he was sleeping Jagannatha appeared in his dream and said, "Why are you not doing our puja?"
The pujarl said, "I am very sick with fever and feeling very weak."
Jagannatha said, "You are not too sick to perform klrtana or take prasadam, but for a little fever you want to stop Our service."

The pujari awoke abruptly, but feeling too exhausted he again went to sleep, only to be awakened by the guard banging on the door, "Wake up! It's time to wake the Deities!" "There are just too many omens," he thought. "I have to wake Them up." So he came to the Deity room and as he started waking up the Deities, Lord Jagannatha said to him, "Actually I like you to do My puja, because this other pujarl is not very careful, sometimes he sticks pins in Me. If you look under My chadar you will see." The pujarl lifted up His chadar and on Lord Jagannatha's arm he saw a spot of blood. Another time while the pujarl was dressing the Deities, he was putting necklaces on Jagannatha. He had placed three around the Lord's neck, but the fourth fell to the ground. He picked it up and put it on Jagannatha and again it fell down. Again he picked it up and put it on, but again it fell down. When he tried again, Lord Jagannatha said, "Don't you understand? Three is enough: I don't want anymore!"

He Is So Greedy!

The same pujari told us that shortly after we put a Govardhana slla on the altar, Lord Jagannatha appeared to him in a dream and started complaining in his dream: "That Govardhana slla, He is so greedy you know—He eats everything and He is very quick. He doesn't even wait until it is offered. As soon as the pujarl comes in, He starts eating and He especially likes the sweets. Please do something!"
So now the pujarls have arranged a separate plate for Giri Govardhana.

"Don't touch me with that finger!"

Another time the pujarl told Jananivasa Prabhu that in a dream he was putting the little Deities to rest in bed. So while he was carrying the Deities he had his two forefingers on Lord Jagannatha's eye. Lord Jagannatha said, "Don't touch Me with that finger, this is considered muchi finger, pointing, cursing finger. Don't touch me with that finger, don't do that." Awakening from that unusual dream he began to follow the instruction of the Lord but after sometime he slipped back to his old habits. Then one day he was carrying the little Deities to Their bed and he was doing the same thing. And the Lord then held out His hand extending His forefinger and said, "I have told you, don't touch Me with that finger." So Jananivasa questioned, "How can He show His finger? He doesn't have any hands." This pujdrl immediately and emphatically replied, "Yes, He has, I have seen. I have seen!"

Water in Jagannatha's Milk

One time the milkman was talking to the guard, Prahlad, and complaining that he has so much bad luck. "Every day before I reach the market my milk spoils. Seven days in a row, 40 litres of my milk would spoil." Prahlad asked him, "Do you put water in the milk that you give to Jagannatha? Tell me honestly."
Feeling embarrassed and looking down he confessed, "This is our practice, our business!" "May be that's the reason why," Prahlad said. The next morning, he didn't add any water to Jagannatha's milk. From then on, his milk didn't spoil.

Lord Jagannatha Provides Everything

One morning on entering the kitchen the cook saw that there were no coconuts, which is an essential item for cooking Lord Jagannatha's bhoga. Coconut is used in vegetable preparations as well as in dhal and sweets. "How can I go to the market, I don't have time! But how can I cook without coconut? Oh Jagannatha what am I to do?"

Just then a guest came and handed three big coconuts to the pUjdrl and asked him to offer to Lord Jagannatha. Jai Jagannatha. You immediately arranged to relieve your devotee's anxiety.

Shoes Inside the Temple!

A rich man once visited the temple. It was crowded and he became worried that his fancy shoes might get stolen. So he stuck his shoes in his belt, covered himself with his shawl, and entered the temple. As he bent to offer obeisances, his backbone cracked and he was no longer able to stand straight. Despite undergoing much treatment he never got cured. The next time he visited Jagannatha, he admitted that this happened to him as a result of the offense he committed.

Pastimes Since the Year 2000
"We will make you better!"

One devotee named Manjarl Devi DasI was blessed to have had the mercy of Lord Jagannatha. She says, "I was very sick with jaundice and came here to rest and recover. I had dark purple rings under my eyes indicating how sick I was. Seeing these dark rings was making me miserable; at times I would cry in fear that I would be sent back to the west as I just was not getting better. But on the fourth morning, I was putting on tilaka as usual and to my amazement I saw that the purple rings under my eyes had completely vanished. I was elated and went for darsana of the Deities. The pujdrl opened the curtains. I looked at the Deities to behold Their beautiful forms and simply froze in complete shock and astonishment. Both Lord Jagannatha and Baladeva were wearing dark purple beads hanging down from their turbans, going across Their foreheada and under Their eyes exactly where I had the dark purple rings under my eyes. I then heard Lord Balarama telling me, "It's all right Manjari, We will make you better."

Golden Tulasi Leaf

Just before Gaura-purnimd 2006, a family came to the temple tp offer a golden Tulasi leaf to Jagannatha. When the pujdri asked the reason for their offering, the man told him that although he and his wife had been married for over ten years, they were not able to have any children even after worshipping many demigods and undergoing various medical treatments. Finally some of their relatives told them that Lord Jagannatha in Rajapur is very lively and powerful. So both husband and wife came and prayed to Jagannatha that if He blessed them with a child they would offer Him a golden Tulasi leaf. Lo and behold, within a year or so they had a very nice7 baby boy! Along with the child they came to offer the golden Tulasi leaf and asked the pujdrl to place it on Jagannatha's forehead. The family stayed in the temple the whole day and took'prasddam. They expressed to the pujdrl their amazement at Jagannatha's power that within such a short time they got their desired result.

"Please make their eyes shine like a mirror!"

A poor local Muslim couple had a son and daughter who were both born almost blind. They spent around 40,000 rupees in various treatments and even sold whatever little land they had. But nothing worked. Finally two eye specialists certified that it was 75% sure that the children would never be able to see. The parents were feeling very frustrated that all their efforts for their children had failed and they had even lost their little property. In this kind of situation it is quite natural for one to take shelter of God.

So in autumn 2005, the couple took shelter of Lord Jagannatha and offered prayers to Him. They submitted their sad story and begged for His mercy. The mother sincerely prayed, "If my children get their eyesight back I will offer You a mirror. Please You make our children's vision as clear as a mirror." (This is a Bengali tradition.) Within a few short days of hearing their sincere prayer the merciful Lord Jagannatha gave vision to those blind children. Upon waking up, the children excitedly exclaimed to their parents that they could now see and walk without any help! The parents joyfully observed this change, and later the grandmother came and offered a small mirror to Jagannatha. They told us that this Jagannatha is so powerful and very fast in fulfilling the desires of the devotees. Jagannatha had made the impossible possible within a very short time.

The following pastimes were narrated by Jananivasa Dasa on Odana-sashthi 06

Jagannatha Does Get Fever

In June 2005, two days after sndna-yatra, the head pujdrl from Mayapur came to the Jagannatha temple in Rajapur to repaint the Deities. While he painted under their bases, the Deities were laid on Their backs on warm bedding, and left in that position overnight to dry. At midnight the pujdrl awoke feeling a burning sensation throughout his body, which he thought may have come from drinking Lord Jagannatha's medicine, called Brahmastra; he also felt fearful, which was very unusual for him. Thinking he may have caused an aparddha by laying the Deities down, he read from Bhagavad-gitd for some time.In the morning the night guard reported that when he went to check the temple area he heard what sounded like the moaning and groaning of someone with a high fever coming from within the temple. He walked around the other side of the temple and from the open window he heard the same distressful sounds. The guard said he became afraid and ran away. Locking the garden gate behind him, he returned to the guesthouse where the devotees stay. When asked what time this had occurred, he replied, "At midnight!"

"Jaga Jaga Jaga Jaga..."

A couple of weeks ago when I was here, Bhadrasen Prabhu, Lord Jagannatha's pujdrl, told me that just before we arrived, there was another couple here with their child. They tried to conceive a child for a long time but were unsuccessful. About three years ago, when they heard about Jagannatha here, they came and did some puja with the expectation of having a son. This time they came back with their son; he was about two years old, just learning to speak.

They came to Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir and showed him to Radha-Madhava, and he was saying,"Jaga jaga jaga jaga." They asked him, "Are you happy?" He said, "No." They took him to Panca-tattva, and he kept saying, "Jaga jaga jaga jaga." They said, "Are you happy?" and he again said. "No." Then they brought him here to Jagannatha Mandir and he saw Jagannatha and said, "Jaga Jaga Jaga Jaga!" They asked him, "Are you happy?" "Yes," he said. "Happy now." Jai Jagannatha!

"Mayapur! Mayapur!"

Two or three weeks before that, another couple were here with their son. Pandav Pran, the temple manager,asked them, "Where are you from?"
"We come from Durgapur," they replied.
"You are coming a long way!" Pandav Pran exclaimed.
"Yes," the lady replied. "Let me tell you why..."

She then told Pandav Pran: "I had for a long time desired to go to Puri, but no one could take me. I was really despondent. I was dreaming about it, I was crying, I really wanted to go to Puri. Then I had a dream at the end of the night where I was trying to go Purl and suddenly I saw Radha Madhava. Your Radha Madhava. Then I heard this voice saying, 'Mayapur, Mayapur, Mayapur!' I woke up; my hairs were standing on end. I told my son, 'We have to go to Mayapur.'"

So they came to Mayapur and took darsana of Radha Madhava. They didn't know that there was Jagannatha Temple here. But some devotees told them, "You can go to our Jagannatha Mandir." Then they came here and found out that this place is non-different from Jagannatha Puri. The lady said, "It was the fulfillment of my dream. I wanted to go to Puri but no one would take me. But by the mercy of Lord Jagannatha I have come here."

Jagannatha Protects His Devotees

Once very recently a man and his wife were coming to attend mangala-drati at Jagannatha Mandir. The husband was carrying a torch but as it was getting late, the wife, Visakha, ran ahead in the dark. As she was passing under the banyan tree next to Lord Jagannatha's boundary wall, there came a bright light and a loud voice commanding her to stop. Looking ahead she saw a tall, bare-chested man shining a torch on the ground in front of her.

Looking down, she gasped as she saw that she was about to step on a huge, venomous cobra that was lying in her path. She quickly stepped back and the snake slithered away. Her husband arrived to see the snake just as it disappeared. He also saw the tall dark man leaving without saying a word. The couple could understand that Lord Jagannatha had sent the man to save Visakha, otherwise no one is on the road at that time of the morning.

Memories of His Holiness Sridhar Swami.

2009-06-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

Today being the Disappearance day of our most beloved HH Sridhar Swami Maharaj we thought of remembering one of Srila Prabhupada’s favorite sons, his Samadhi is in Mayapur next to the Samadhi of HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj, and Srila Prabhupadas Pusya Samadhi.
HH Niranajan Swami Maharaj remembers the Jolly Swami:
There are many things more we could say about Sridhar Maharaja. He was a very wonderful devotee and the world is going to experience a great loss. He was a Vaisnava through and through. He had only one attachment. He just wanted to be Prabhupada's dog.
Of course as we know there is really no cause for lamentation. "He reasons ill who say that Vaisnavas die when thou are living still in sound. Vaisnavas die to live and in living try to spread the holy name around." (Some difficulty translating and it was taking some time)
Vaisnavas don't die! That's the point. They may simply disappear from our vision. But Vaisnavas will always go on, continuing to do what they've done in this world, which is serving the Lord. Of course, we lament for the loss of the association of Vaisnavas. But for the Vaisnavas, themselves, there is no cause for lamentation. So in that sense, that's why we celebrate the disappearance day of great Vaisnavas. Someone might ask, "How is it a cause for celebration?" But it's a celebration because when a Vaisnava departs from our vision they are simply going on to continue their service for the Lord. When Sridhar Maharaja departed he was fully conscious. Devotees were chanting and he was hearing the holy name. He was completely absorbed in meditation on a picture of Prabhupada. Prabhupada's dog. That's all he wanted to see, was Prabhupada. And he departed very peacefully. Devotees who were present with him said that it was a very auspicious departure.
So actually, in a sense, we do lament for the departure of a Vaisnava. Just like Srivas Thakur. Right. Today is his appearance day. There is a very wonderful pastime of Srivasa Thakur. Srivas Thakur as we know, he would conduct kirtans every night in his home with Lord Caitanya and His associates.
Lord Caitanya would appear in four places. He would appear wherever Lord Nityananda was dancing in ecstacy. He would appear in the altar room of Sacimata. He would appear in the home of Raghava Pandit. And He would always appear when there was kirtan in the house of Srivas Pandit. The Lord would appear in different ways. One way is called "saksat", when he would directly appear. Another was called "avirbhava". He would manifest due to the strong love of His devotees. They would attract him to come. Not everybody would see His presence. But those whose eyes were deeply imbued with love and who had attracted the Lord could see the Lord's presence in His "avirbhava" form. And He would also appear in the form called "avesa." Avesa form is when He would appear in an empowered person. So Lord Caitanya would appear in the house of Srivasa Thakur.
Of course, at this particular time about which we are speaking, He was directly present. And Lord Caitanya would regularly conduct all-night kirtans. He would experience great ecstasy during these kirtans. Only the most confidential associates of the Lord were allowed to participate in these kirtans. Present were Haridas Thakur, Lord Nityananda, Advaita Acarya, Srivasa Pandit, Srivas Pandit's brothers, Srirama Pandit, Srinidhi, Sripati and so many other associates of the Lord were there. And the Lord, in the presence of these intimate associates would experience such great ecstatic love.
But one night, during one of these kirtans, the son of Srivasa Pandit left his body. Present at the time of the son's departure were Srivas Pandit's wife, his brothers and their wives. And when the son of Srivasa Pandit had departed, many of them felt great lamentation within their hearts. They were crying, very distressed at the disappearance of their close son. Srivasa understood that something had taken place in the other room, so Srivasa walked into the other room and saw that his son had returned to the spirtual world. He then turned around and saw that everyone was lamenting, and immediately chastised them, "Why are you lamenting? Why are you crying like this? Don't you understand? The Supreme Personality of Godhead is here in our home, dancing in kirtan. Anyone who sees His face receives the highest benediction. Anyone who hears His name receives the highest benediction. Why are you lamenting in this way? The Lord is omniscient. He knows everyone's heart. Please give up your lamentation. Otherwise you will disturb the kirtan of the Lord." Srivasa Thakur was thinking that the Lord was experiencing so much ecstasy, but if He saw everybody crying and lamenting then His ecstacy would break. He said, "If you do not give up your lamentation right at this minute, I will immediately tie a rope around my neck and I will drown myself in the Ganges."
So Srivasa Thakur preached very strongly to all of his family members to give up their lamentation and go back in the kirtan and smile. And he threatened them, "If you don't, I'll drown myself." So he returned to the kirtan and he was ecstatic, dancing in ecstasy. And everybody else was also dancing, but within their hearts they were lamenting. But all Srivasa could think of was that he did not want to disturb the ecstasy of the Lord. And so the kirtan continued for many hours.
Then at one moment, all of a sudden Lord Caitanya stopped, and He came to external consciousness. Because usually when He was in such ecstasy, He would lose external consciousness and would go completely into internal consciousness. So He came to external consciousness and said, "I think that something has happened here in this house," because the Lord could understand what was going on in their hearts. Then Srivasa Thakur immediately spoke up. "Oh Lord, how can there be anything lamentable in my house? You are present. I am seeing Your face! You are dancing in such bliss! Everyone here is so blissful. What could be the cause for lamentation?! Nobody can be lamenting." And Srivasa Thakur was trying to convince Lord Caitanya that, "Nothing is going on here. Please continue. Chant! Dance! Ecstacy! Ecstacy!" But gradually Lord Caitanya could understand and others began speaking.
They said, "Oh Lord, Srivasa's son has departed from this world. And Lord Caitanya said, "What? Tell me, when did it happen? How long ago?" The devotees said, "It happened about seven and a half hours ago. But Srivasa, not wanting to disturb your ecstasy, told us all to keep it within our hearts." When Lord Caitanya heard this he began to cry. He understood how much love Srivasa had for Him. And He said to Srivasa, "How is it possible that you have so much love for Me that you don't even know grief for your departed son?" So Lord Caitanya then went into the other room and He saw that Srivasa's son had departed. He approached the son, and He asked, "Tell me, why did you leave?" And everyone was gathered around. Srivasa was gathered there, all his family members were gathered there. So the Lord arranged for the living entity to appear back in the body of Srivasa's departed son. And then the son began speaking.
He said, "Oh, my Lord. The destined time for my life span in this world is now exhausted. Now it is time to depart from this world and go on to my next destination. Who is anyone's son? Who is anyone's father? We are all living beings meant to go on in our journey from one body to the next. Oh my Lord, I simply pray to Your lotus feet. Please forgive me for any offenses I may have committed in your presence, and please allow me to continue to my next destination." And then he stopped speaking. Everyone that was standing there were overwhelmed. Through the mouth of this young boy, they were all given appropriate instructions and they could all understand that the living entity that was in the body of Srivasa Thakur's son was simply returning back to the spiritual world. Lord Caitanya arranged this simply to remove everyone's lamentation. The Lord does not like to see lamentation within the heart of His devotee. So He instructed everyone through the mouth of the departed son of Srivasa Thakur. And when they heard all of these instructions, all of them, folded their hands, they bowed down, touched the lotus feet of the Lord and began offering prayers. "Oh Lord, You are our father, You are our son, You are everything to us! Simply by Your presence we are feeling such great happiness and they began many wonderful prayers in gratitude to the Lord. Then all all the proper rites were performed for the departed son of Srivasa Thakur, and everyone's lamentation was completely dispelled.
Then Lord Caitanya turned to Srivasa Thakur, and He said again, "Srivas, how can I ever give up the association of one who has so much love for Me? One who does not even know grief for the loss of his own son? From this day, both Nityananda and Myself, We will become your sons. You will never know suffering. Anybody who ever sees you will also never know suffering. Simply by seeing you all their suffering will go away."
In this way, Lord Caitanya gave the benediction to Srivasa. Because Srivasa was so devoted to the Lord, the Lord benedicted him.

Now Sridhar Maharaja likes prasadam. He's always been known as somebody who likes prasadam. He was called the "Jolly Swami" also because he had a jolly appearance. So the doctor gave him a very restricted diet and something like that was not easy for Sridhar Maharaja. But the doctor said that, "You should follow this diet and take this medicine for three weeks." It was a very bland diet. So after a few days of following the treatment, Sivarama called from Vrndavana. And he was asking Sridhar Maharaja how he was feeling. Maharaja replied, "Well my lungs are working all right." Because he was having some problems with his lungs, too at that time. He said "My liver seems to be working." Then he said, "But I'm afraid that this diet is going to kill me."
Prabhupada was like that also, actually. When Prabhupada was very ill the devotees were trying to restrict his intake of food. And they were giving him very bland food. And Prabhupada said, "Get rid of this. Let us die eating prasadam." Prabhupada also had a similar mood. He did't like this strict diet.
But still Sridhar Maharaja followed it. So, because the doctor felt so confident, Sridhar Maharaja started to feel more confident. So all the godbrothers who were there in Mayapura started to think, "Well Sridhar Maharaja is feeling so confident." Then it gradually became the time for most of the devotees to leave because the festival was ending. So Sridhar Maharaja was telling everybody, "Hey, don't come in here and say good-by to me." I'm not going anywhere. Get out of here. You should just go do your preaching. Prabhupada wouldn't want you to stay here." To many godbrothers who came in, he said, "Don't say good-by." To me he said, "I'll see you in Moscow." So his disposition completely changed.
And before that many of us were thinking, "How can we leave Mayapura?" In fact, earlier I was thinking that, too. I had changed my ticket to stay a few days longer, because I didn't know what was going to happen. Many devotees would ask me, "When are you leaving?" and I said, "Well to tell you the truth, I can't imagine going into the room and saying good-by to Sridhar Maharaja and I can't imagine leaving and not saying good-by to Sridhar Maharaja. So how can I go anywhere?" So I was also thinking that, "Maybe I'll stay a little bit longer to see how Maharaja's health develops." But Maharaja was getting so positive, that he was telling everybody, "Go, Go. Don't come in here and say good-by to me." He wanted everybody to go out and preach.
Even when I called him yesterday. Maharaja said, "Why are you wasting your money calling me?" He said you have more important things to do with your money. So I said, "Maharaja, it's not my money, it's Prabhupada's money and you're Prabhupada's dog." So I said, "Don't try to get me off the phone. Let's talk for awhile." So after some talk, he said, "Call me back in a couple of weeks." I said, "Maharaja, I'll call you back in a couple of days." And even yesterday, Maharaja's spirits were good. Although he did say to me, "Please, preach to me to keep the faith to stay here, because my faith to stay is getting a little weak right now."
So, of course, it was very difficult for me. I actually wanted to stay in Mayapura, but because he was feeling so positive, and so was I, I decided to leave. And the irony is that I had left Mayapura, and then flew from Calcutta to Bombay. Two days later I got a phone call in Bombay at about 11:15 at night. I was leaving for the airport to fly to Kiev at 11:30. Vraja Kumara dasa called me and told me, "I just spoke to Mayapura dasa, Sridhar Maharaja's servant and Mayapura says that Sridhar Maharaja is feeling distressed right now because his godbrothers have left, and he feels that it is a rough night for him tonight. He's having difficulty breathing and not many of his godbrothers are there right now. So at that particular point, I had to choose to either cancel the flight and go back to Mayapura, although I was leaving to catch my flight literally in 15 minutes, or to leave for Ukraine. I left for Ukraine. And I guess that's why it was a little extra painful for me this morning when I found out that Sridhar Maharaja had left his body at 6:15 this morning in Mayapura.

Some Memories of HH Srila Sridhar Swami :BY JAYAPATAKA SWAMI
When I met HH Srila Sridhar Swami to seek his blessings just prior to going on the South Indian Safari Maharaja was very emphatic! His time was not yet up! He had many things to still do or Srila Prabhupada. I mentioned to him that the Temple of Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur was one such work. Sridhar Swami confirmed. He said he wanted to encourage and help Ambarish Prabhu in building the main Panca Tattva Mandir at Mayapur. Srila Sridhar Swami said many things at that time. How he felt better. His diet was difficult, but it seemed the medicines were working. Tridandi Prabhu, from Italy, had brought an Ayurvedic Doctor (who treated and had cured many hopeless cases in the past) to Mayapur. It was his cure that Srila Sridhar Swami was taking. In fact it was visible that Srila Sridhar Swami was improving. Even his dear brothers had gone on a pilgrimage seeing his improvement.
When Srila Sridhar Swami had arrived in Mayapur his mood was almost resigned to die very soon. But now Srila Sridhar Swami was in a fighting mood! He told me he was planning to fight to stay alive and do some more devotional service for Srila Prabhupada. He was concerned that with his illness it was quite common to go into a coma and then pass away. He said he didn’t want to leave like that in a coma. He wanted to be conscious and hear the holy names and remember Lord Sri Krishna in full consciousness. He said the cure was working and he was feeling better so he was going to fully follow the treatment and hoped to survive this terminal disease if Lord Sri Krishna so desired. That was the last mood I saw Srila Sridhar Swami in when I left Sri Mayapur just over a week ago. On the wall he had a poem which wrote about leaving the world in a fighting spirit to live. Considering that I come to the conclusion that it was only the divine desire of Lord Sri Krishna that has taken our beloved Srila Sridhar Swami from us at this time.
Srila Sridhar Swami was so loving with me during his last period in Mayapur. He always addressed me as “Big Brother” or “older Brother”. He would treat me like a loving Brother. He thanked me for having him do the Arotik to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the Maha Installation day, for giving my frequent flyer miles to bring him first class to India now, for so many even insignificant things. He would love to reminisce about times we were together and things we did with Srila Prabhupada or together. I didn’t spend so much time in the room with Srila Sridhar Swami, but would just sneak in now and again or otherwise consult with Mayapur Das, his secretary, if he needed anything. We arranged a hospital bed from Kolkatta, for instance. Still whenever I would come in he was always so friendly and loving. I cannot help but cry to think I won’t be able to see and associate with Srila Sridhar Swami anymore in this lifetime.
Srila Sridhar Swami was a very jolly devotee most of the time. He liked to joke and had his own unique sense of humor. He could surprise devotees with some of his statements. He was not an overly diplomatic person, but would rather speak as he saw things. Sometimes his statements would embarrass the listeners they would be so blunt. Srila Sridhar Swami liked to have a personal relationship with all his god brothers and god sisters. Many can tell about personal dealings received from Srila Sridhar Swami. He sometimes addressed god brothers by nicknames. Often he would say something humorous to a god brother. Sometimes he was very serious and would request some devotional service to be performed for Srila Prabhupada. Sometimes he was impatient and encourage people who were not doing enough or their spiritual life to get active. Srila Sridhar Swami had in the past years given a lot of time to the Balkans and surely the devotees there have much to say about his contributions and association. I have close relationships with many of Srila Sridhar Swami Disciples. Srila Sridhar Swami authorized some to be siksa disciples. He was open and caring, wanting always the best for his disciples and for everyone, for that matter. I don’t think it is possible to explain all the good qualities of Srila Sridhar Swami. So instead I would just share some experiences I had together with him.
I can’t remember even when the first time I met Srila Sridhar Swami was. I also can hardly remember a time since I came to India when he wasn’t somehow involved at one point or another.
One thing happened when we were living in Mayapur in the grass hut in the early 1970’s. Srila Prabhupada was in the grass hut and behind it was a tent which was being used as a kitchen. Srila Sridhar Swami came with a new “high tech” invention which had just hit the market—an automatic puri roller! He was asked to give a demonstration. So we were all sitting around him and he rolled some puris. Whether they would cook properly or not? So someone heated up some ghee and cooked the puris. Seemed they came out quite okay. Let’s try how they tasted! There was nothing to eat any hot puris with. I suggested we take some of the liquid date gur and that was poured on everyone’s leave plate. Maybe we were making some commotion. Like children trying out a new toy. Well Srila Prabhupada was looking out from his window seeing what we were doing. He instructed that it wasn’t proper for people in the renounced order to sit around and eat hot puris like we were doing. Later we explained what was happening, but we always will remember the instruction. Srila Prabhupada also tried some puri rolled on the puri rolling machine.
Like that Srila Sridhar Swami was a player in so many activities. At that time he was a Brahmacari. I don’t know how, but I was present in the room with Srila Prabhupada in Bombay when Srila Sridhar Swami asked Srila Prabhupada or Sannyasa initiation. What I remember was Srila Prabhupada asked him I he was 100% sure he wouldn’t fall down. Srila Sridhar Swami was very humble and straightforward. He said he wasn’t 100% sure he wouldn’t fall down. Then Srila Prabhupada asked him if he was 75% sure he would maintain sannyasa. Sridhara Brahmacari said he wasn’t 75% sure either. Then Srila Prabhupada asked Sridhara Brahmacari if he was 50% sure that he would maintain Sannyasa strictly. Sridhara Brahmacari confirmed that he was 50% sure that he could maintain Sannyasa. Then Srila Prabhupada said it was okay. Srila Prabhupada said he would grant Sannyasa order of life to him in Vrindavana were an initiation ceremony was being planned in the near future. Srila Prabhupada obviously knew the nature of Srila Sridhar Swami perfectly. Srila Sridhar Swami observed his Sannyasa vows very strictly.
Srila Sridhar Swami was a totally Srila Prabhupada man. He was sold out to Srila Prabhupada! He wanted to do whatever he could to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desires. Srila Sridhar Swami was very active in the Srila Prabhupada Centennial campaign, for instance. Srila Sridhar Swami was also always involved in the Mayapur Project, mainly in the field of fund raising. Talking about fund raising, Srila Sridhar Swami was ISKCON’s Minister in that field for some years. I don’t remember the official title off hand, but I remember attending his seminars. He would use white boards, black boards, flip charts and sometimes computer projections. His presentations inspired me very much. He became my presentation guru. I learned from him how to make presentations. He inspired me to attend the VTE trainers course. Srila Sridhar Swami also inspired me to take up the Monitor-ship and Minister-ship of Congregational Development. We used to work together with the different aspects of cultivating the Congregation. I would do the spiritual side of their development and he would do the devotional service engagement through contributions. Srila Sridhar Swami created direct mail campaign program Bhisma in Mumbai which was very successful in many campaigns. I remember Srila Sridhar Swami having some technical books on the topic of direct mail campaigns. Whatever Srila Sridhar Swami got into he became a real expert on the concerned topic. In this regard I found him a real role model to emulate.
Sometimes I would meet Srila Sridhar Swami at the Croatian Summer camp. He was his jolly self. He would be preaching according to the schedule and then he would also be giving guidance to whoever came up to see him. Like all of us it was a time when many devotees would come and take association. Sometimes I would take prasadam with Srila Sridhar Swami. Other times we would see him taking care of his health by jogging with a walkman on his ears hearing Srila Prabhupada lecture or some spiritual vibrations. He had a saffron colored jog suit and with the big black earphones he was something to see. He didn’t seem to care what people thought about how he looked. Srila Sridhar Swami did what he had to do. His nature was like that.
Some years ago when his liver was suffering from cirrhosis due to having Hepatitis C infection and he was in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mera Road, a suburb of Mumbai. He had been to other Hospitals as well. We were all worried about him. It was very serious and his body had filled up with fluid. His liver wasn’t functioning properly. I went to see him in the hospital. Srila Sridhar Swami was happy to see me. He asked me to give him some quality association. He asked me to read some sastra to him. So I read some pastimes of the Lord to Srila Sridhar Swami for over almost an hour. I tried to dramatize it. I was feeling very ecstatic in his association reading sastra. At the same time to see a beloved god brother ill with a life threatening disease was also very heavy. After the reading Srila Sridhar Swami embraced me and thanked me for reading to him. I felt our relationship had grown closer from that simple service.
Srila Sridhar Swami went to some healer in Brazil and it seemed that he was helped by him. He told me the healer would have Srila Sridhar Swami sit and chant japa as he could see Srila Sridhar Swami was a very spiritual person so his prayers would help the healer to heal others. So this healer could also recognize the spiritual strength of Srila Sridhar Swami.
Anuttama das, a god brother and friend of Srila Sridhar Swami, reminded us last night how Srila Sridhar Swami got his famous Narasimha Saligram Sila. Srila Sridhar Swami was visiting Nepal and saw a man with a basket of saligrama Sila’s. Srila Sridhar Swami looked through the basket and found the unique sila of Narasimha with open mouth and crown. He asked the man how to get that one. The man asked for $1000! Srila Sridhar Swami said he was a Sannyasi and didn’t have any money. But the business man said he couldn’t give it free since he was a business man and needed money. Then they began bargaining, as is done in India and Nepal. Finally, miraculously, Srila Sridhar Swami got the man to give him the Saligram Sila free. I was present in the room when Srila Sridhar Swami asked Srila Sivaram Swami to agree to take charge of his sila after his departure.
Sometimes Srila Sridhar Swami would preach very heavy. Generally he could surprise one as to what he would say. Sometimes he would be gentle as well, but generally he would be very straightforward and tell things as he saw them. I remember once we were together a couple of years at the Woodstock Festival in Poland at the camp organized by Srila Indradyumna Swami. Giving lectures to that crowd was the most difficult thing to do as they were mainly tuned to entertainment mode. They wanted to be entertained and were not in a patient mood. It was a music festival so the young people wanted to hear music or see some drama or something. I found it difficult so when it was my turn I tried to present things in a colorful way with a Bharat Natyam dancer demonstrating my points. Srila Sridhar Swami was asked to give a lecture at around 9-10 in the night. That is the most difficult time as many of the young people are already very much under the influence of different intoxicants and become a bit rowdy. For big bands heavy security is put in place at that time. Somehow Srila Sridhar Swami was speaking to them, but then he became impatient with their Maya. He took a heavy tone in his voice and chastised them for wasting their time imitating hippies. I can’t remember all the things he said but he was simultaneously humorous and heavy. Someone through a full beer can on the stage and barely missed Maharaja. He took it lightly and after looking at the beer he told the crown it wasn’t his brand. He was stomping back and forth on the stage and admonishing the crowd to not misuse this valuable human form of life. Sri Prahlad das was a bit anxious as the usual tone of talks is in the mode of “love and peace” and this could get out of control. Then Srila Sridhar Swami closed his speech. I asked him with a smile why he got so heavy in his preaching. He smiled at me and said, “I got in the mood.” Like that Srila Sridhar Swami could sometimes preach very bluntly and very directly. Not everyone could immediately digest everything he said, but I you could it would certainly do you good!
Like that there are so many pastimes with Srila Sridhar Swami. He was a vibrant person. Maybe because I settled down in Canada and he was from Canada, or maybe because we were always brought together for different devotional services, or maybe because we looked similar, he always called me as Brother and I would address him in the same way. Somehow he was always an action person wanting to do something for Srila Prabhupada.
We are all very thankful for how Srila Indradyumna Swami accompanied Srila Sridhar Swami to India and to Mayapur. That was really a wonderful expression of affection. When Srila Sridhar Swami arrived in Mayapur everyone came to receive him in natural affection and love for this great Krsna conscious Warrior and General who had returned home from valiant battles in the War against Maya. He was received with conch shell blowing and a Sannyasi Maharaja reception. When Srila Sridhar Swami got out of the bus he put his arm around me and addressed me as Brother. I was able to accompany him to the temple and to all the Deities. It was a very moving moment.
Although it would have been more wonderful for all of us if Srila Sridhar Swami had been given a miraculous recovery and still been here with us, it is truly wonderful that Srila Sridhar Swami had such a glorious departure from this world. Leaving surrounded by devotees chanting the holy names, in the Holy Dhama of Mayapur, at the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, after having performed abhisheka and arotika of Panca Tattva, after having met with his disciples and god brothers and sisters, leaving in a positive frame of mind as a great spiritual warrior was truly a wonderful and blessed event. It makes one feel proud of Srila Sridhar Swami in some ways blissful, but then I think, “When will I see my dear brother again?” The tears flow again. Like this I am feeling happy for him and sad for us who are deprived of his transcendental association.
I tried to reach in time to help with the Samadhi ceremony, but there was no way from Rajamundhry, Andhra Pradesh, India that I could have reached prior to late at night long after the program would be finished. So everyone advised me it was no use in my coming. So I advised Mayapur Das over the phone of all the things to be done and he assured me also he had expert guidance there for the details. Last night in Vijayawada we observed and today in Tirupati we are also observing Smriti Sabha’s or remembrance festivals in the memory and glory of Srila Sridhar Swami.

Vishnupriya devi Eternal consort of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

2009-06-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Lord Visnu has three different Saktis: Sri, Bhu, and Nila. Sri Visnupriya is the internal potency known as Bhu-sakti. She appeared in Gaura-lila to assist Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his mission of spreading the holy name of Krsna.
In Nabadwipa-dhama there lived a brahmana named Sanatana Misra, who was an extremely exalted Visnu-bhakta. He was a pious and generous brahmana as well, and used to feed, clothe and shelter many people. He was famous as the king of panditas. In fact, in Dvapara-yuga, he had been a king named Satrajit. As a result of his pure devotion to Visnu he was blessed with a beautiful daughter who was rich in all good qualities. From her early childhood, Visnupriya devi used to bathe in the Ganges three times daily. She was devoted to her parents and carefully followed the scriptural principles, and performed puja, arcana, and served the tulasi tree, while observing many different vows of austerity and piety.
Every day, when Visnupriya went to visit the Ganges, she would bow at the feet of Mother Saci with great humility. When Sacidevi noticed the modest and beautiful Visnupriya-devi she gave Visnupriya-devi her blessing that she might find a good husband, saying, “May Krsna bestow upon you a good husband.” Fom that moment, she began thinking of how Visnupriya would make a good bride for her son Nimai. Upon further inquiry she found that the girl's name was Visnupriya, that she was the daughter of Sanatana Misra, a wealthy and respect pandita of Nabadwipa.
At this time, the Lord's first wife, Laksmipriya had passed away and entered into the spiritual domain. Saci's heart had been tormented with great pain at first, but as the days passed, she had become anxious for her son's happiness. In this way she began to think of quickly arranging for a new bride for her son. When she found that Sri Gaurasundra had no objections to the idea, Sacidevi began to make arrangements in earnest. She sent a servant to the house of Kasinatha Pandita, the matchmaker to arrange an appointment. When she met with Kasinatha Pandita, she proposed that a match be made between Nimai Pandita and Visnupriya-devi, saying, “Speak to the Raja-pandita; If he so desries he may bestow his daughter's hand in marriage upon my son Nimai.” When the matchmaker heard of these plans, he was overjoyed and was eager to conclude the arrangements quickly. He set out immediately for the house of Sanatana Misra, chanting the holy name of Hari in jubilation.
According to caste, Sanatana Misra was situated in a higher social position, and so might not agree to the wedding. Saci was concerned that Sanatana Misra, who was higher in social position would refuse to marry his daughter to Nimai Pandita, the son of poor parents, and who had a reputation as an eccentric.
When Sacimata submitted the proposal to the matchmaker, he was highly pleased. When she told him she was worried whether or not Sanatana Misra would accept the idea, she said, “Thakurani! If Sanatana Misra wouldn't give his daughter's hand in marriage to Nimai Pandita, whom would he have her marry?”
Meanwhile, Sanatana Misra had always hoped that Visnupriya would be wed to Nimai Pandita. In fact, for a long time Sanatana Misra himself had been considering just such a match. As he had seen his daughter approaching marriageable age, he had begun keeping his eye our for a boy who would make her a suitable husband. After surveying the field, he concluded that the best possible husband for her would be Nimai Pandita. He was the only choice of Sanatana Misra, who found that in personal beauty and in good qualities Nimai Pandita had no equal. His age was also just right. He thought that if such a perfect match could take place, he would be extremely fortunate. He prayed to Hari, “O Lord! If I have any pious credits as a result of my previous births, let my daughter and Nimai Pandita be married.”
One day, just as the brahmana and his wife were confidentially discussing the possibility of arranging their daughter's wedding, Kasinatha Pandita, the matchmaker sent by Sacidevi, arrived. Sanatana Misra offered him a respectful seat and a glass of sweet water. Sanatana Misra thought within himself that the appearance of the famous matchmaker Kasinatha Misra must bode well for him. He began to think that perhaps his prays had been answered. He said, “Pandita! What news?” Kasinatha Pandita smiled and explained to him all about Sacimata's plans for the marriage of Nimai Pandita and Visnupriya-devi.
This is recorded in the Caitanya-Bhagavata as follows: Kasinatha Pandita said, “You should give your daughter in marriage to Visvambhara Pandita, and thus arrange a wedding between the divine Lord and your daughter, the highly chaste and gentle Visnupriya-devi. Visnupriya and Nimai Pandita would make a perfect match. It would be a marriage made in heaven, just as the wedding of Rumkini-devi and Sri Krsna.”
Hearing the news of Kasinatha Pandita, Sanatana Misra and his wife felt as if their souls had been stolen by happiness. The Supreme Lord, acting as the Supersoul within, knew their heartfelt desires to marry their daughter to Nimai Pandita and satisfied their desire.
Sanatana Misra said, “O Kasinatha Pandita Prabhu, how is it that you come to suggest such a thing?” Then Kasinatha Pandita explained everything about Sacidevi's proposals for the wedding and told him that marrying his daughter to Nimai Pandita would be the cause of supreme good fortune, both for his daughter and for his family. Sanatana Misra was overjoyed, and discussed everything with relatives and friends for their approval. As all of them said, “This wedding should be performed immediately.” eagerly set about making all the necessary arrangements with the matchmaker Kasinatha Pandita, saying, ““By all means, I shall give my daughter's hand in marriage to Nimai Pandita. This will certainly enhance the good fortune of my entire family. Go to them and give them my assurances. You have my word.”
In this way, Kasinatha Pandita, having set everything right with Sanatana Misra, retruned to the house of with great satisfaction Sacidevi and told her everything about their meeting. After hearing all this, Sacidevi said, “Now I have done everything that I can. The rest is up to Sri Hari; now everything is in the hands of Providence.”
Nimai himself, up to this point knew nothing of all this; but after everything was set, his mother informed him of the arrangements she had made and Nimai gave his consent to the marriage. When the people of Nabadwipa heard that Nimai Pandita was soon to be married they were filled with joy.
Different friends of the family and students of Nimai Pandita wanted to step forward and offer something charity so that the wedding would be a success, but a rich landowner named Bhuddhimanta Khan proclaimed, “I myself will bear the entire cost of the wedding!” Mukunda Sanjaya, in whose worship hall Nimai Pandita conducted his school said, “Listen, friend and brother: why should you bear all the expense? Let us share some of the cost with you. We all wish to ensure the success of this event.” But Buddhimanta Khan refused saying, “Listen my brother: this wedding is not to be performed in the style of poor brahmanas, but in a manner entirely fit for a prince. This is not a time for brahminical austerity.” Nimai Pandita's students also took the matter seriously and helped to see to it that the wedding was a grand one, with great pomp and circumstance.
Thereafter an auspicious day was selected, and at an auspicious time, the preliminary ceremonies began. The whole of Nabadwipa turned out for the wedding of Sri Nimai Pandita and Srimati Visnupriya-devi. Immense canopies were set up, and an enclosure was made with rows of plaintain trees. Sri Nimai Pandita and his new bride looked beautiful together, dressed in fine garments. Decorated with all the traditional wedding ornaments, the two of them shone together on the raised wedding platform as radiantly as the spotless harvest moon. The temple was also finely decorated: the earth was sprinkled with colored rice powder in paintings of auspicious symbols, and fresh green plaintain leaves created a festive atmosphere. The temple was also decorated with waterpots filled with fresh water, as well as mango leaves, lighted ghee lamps, new rice paddy, as well as pots filled with yogurt, and many other auspicious things.
Not only did the whole of Nabadwipa turn out for the wedding, but people came from all the neighboring villages from miles around to see the wonderful event. Everyone was invited. The poets came and sang the songs they had composed in honour of the happy couple. Many friends and well-wishers came to congratulate Sacidevi and express their best wishes for the nuptial bliss of Sri Nimai and Visnupriya-devi.
As noon approached, musicians began playing their instruments—mrdanga, sanai, big drums, cymbals, all arose together in song to create a beautiful sound. The professional poets chanted verses of praise, and everything was auspicious. Then Lord Visnu was worshiped, bhoga was offered to the Deities and arotika was performed, and the auspcious wedding ceremony was performed.
As the wedding took place, everyone's eyes were upon Nimai and Visnupriya as if to devour the beauty of the divine couple. The ladies present there all adored Nimai, but so pure were their hearts upon seeing the holy spectacle that none of them felt the least bit of envy or jealously at Visnupriya-devi's good fortune. Within the inner parts of the house reserved for the ladies, the sounds of jubilation were uproarious. Some of them sounded the call of the peacocks as is traditionally done by Hindu ladies on festive occasions, while others blew on conches to celebrate.
All the Vaisnavas present chanted the glories of Hari. And brahmanas chanted the Vedas, as the jewel of the twiceborn took his seat in their midst. The brahmanas surrounded him on all sides with great enthusiasm. At the wedding of the Lord the four directions were inundated by a sea of joy; those who did not drown in that sea of joy simply floated in bliss.
The ceremonial offerings of sweet water and betel nut to the new bride and groom were made. And one by one all the devotees and brahmanas stepped forward had their brows daubed with sandalwood pulp by the Lord, placed fragrant garlands of exotic flowers around their necks and gave them boxes of betel nuts. It was impossible to count all the brahmanas who had gathered there. Among them, some were greedy, and after standing in line once for garlands and betel-nut, they would again get in line, repeatedly receiving gifts of sandalwood, garlands, and betel. Everyone was lost in a sea of joy, and did not notice this, as Gauranga Himself ordered that gifts be given three times over for everyone. The stock of garlands, sandalwood paste, and betel turned out to be endless; this was a great miracle that no one could understand. What to speak of what the people gathered there actually received, what was disgarded and left on the ground was enough for five weddings. Everyone cheerfully made their offerings of auspicious gifts to the Lord and Visnupriya-devi. And in this way, all of Nadia was drowned in the ocean of bliss.
Everyone said, “This purificatory ceremony is praiseworthy beyond belief: we have seen great wealth in Nabadwipa before, but such a celebration on the eve of a wedding has never taken place. No one has ever given such charity to the brahmanas with such an open hand. Sanatana Misra, the Raja-pandita, filled with delight, arrived with all manner of auspicious articles just suitable for the occasion, accompanied with friends, relatives, and brahmanas amdist a joyous display of dance, song, and musical performances. With a cheerful mind, he then performed the ceremony of anointing the Lord with perfume, and then the crowd began a triumphal chant in praise of the holy name of Hari.
Sri Gaurasundara performed the customary cermonies, worshiping Visnu and the ancestors amid a happy atmosphere of song and dance. Earthen vessels filled with water, unhusked rice, curd, lamps, and mango twigs decorated the hall and the courtyard as the banners waved. With all these decorations, an auspicious atmosphere was created. Then Sacidevi in the compnay of the local ladies began to perform the customary rites, worshiping the Ganges and the goddess Sasthi. Finally she returned home and loaded the local ladies down with charity: she made gifts of rice, plaintains, ghee, betel, and vermillion. By the Lord's mystic power, she was able to give all these things in abundance beyond belief. All the women were drowned in ghee, rice, and vermillion beyond measure and everyone's desires were thus fulfilled and their minds pacified.
The mother of Visnupriya-devi also rejoiced with the local ladies, and the pious Sanatana Misra himself swam in the ocean of ecstatic delighht. Sri Gaurasundara meanwhile, had finished performing all the duties enjoined by the sastras, and sat smiling in a leisurely fashion for some time.
Thereafter, Sri Gaurasundara satisfied the brahmanas by distributing great wealth in charity. He humbly gave them nice foodstuffs and fine cloth in charity, honoring everyone according to his status with appropriate gifts, respects, and affection. After all this, the brahmanas returned to their homes for their afternoon meals. Having already performed his ceremonial duties, Sanatana Misra had returned home to prepare for the Lord's arrival.
As the afternoon wore on, the Lord's devotees and well-wishers took great pleasure in decorating the person of the Lord. They anointed his body with sandalwood paste and perfumed oils. Upon his forehead they painted a crescent moon with sandalwood paste. Then they crowned his forehead with a tiara and covered his body with garlands. After giving him beautiful garments to wear, they applied collyrium to his lotus eyes. Then they tied unhusked rice, kusa grass and fine thread to his arm and placed in His lotus hand a fresh plaintain leaf and a mirror. His ears were ornamented with golden earrings and his forearms and biceps with bangles and gold chains. And as they decorated the Lord's body, his devotees were enchanted and entranced.
As the sun began to set, everyone said, “Let us now perform the auspicious ceremony of starting for the house of the bride. After circumambulating Nabadwipa, Nimai Pandita will arrive near the bride's house at the end of twilight. At that time, Buddhimanta Khana, having prepared the palanquin, had it brought there. A loud vibration of chanting and songs arose, as the brahmanas chanted hymns from the Vedas and the poets again sang their verses. Sri Gaurasundara, after receiving all the wedding gifts offered to the bride and groom, offered his humble respects to his mother, the brahmanas, and his guru, bowing down before their feet.
After this Gaurasundara was carried upon a palanquin to the banks of the Ganges amidst cries of jubilation. After bathing in the Ganges and offering respects to Gangadevi, he again sat upon the wedding palanquin as the poets sang auspicious prayers that resounded throughout the four directions with the glories of the Lord as the festival procession began.
The parade itself is wonderful to recall: thousands of torches were lit and various musical instruments created a sweet vibration as the singers sang and dancers danced. Behind the palanquin marched the foot-soldiers of Buddhimanta Khan and all his servants and bearers in parallel lines. Behind them marched the flag-bearers who held various multi-colored banners of wondrous designs and emblems. After the flag-bearers were the clowns and tumblers, magicians and dancing actors, entertaining the crowd. All kinds of musicians followed the procession with their various instruments: victory drums, war drums, wedding drums, mrdangas, kholas, patasas, conches, flutes made of reeds, cymbals, varanga, horns, all produced a great concert. Hundreds of thousands of children danced in that procession as Sri Gaurasundara smiled. Not only children behaved like children, but the old and wise also threw off their inhibitions and danced like jubilant peacocks.
They all halted on the banks of the Ganges for some time, where there was a wonderful concert of music, song, and dance. At last, after bowing to the Ganges and circumambulating the whole of Nabvadwipa, the wedding procession of Nimai Pandita arrived at the home of Sanatana Misra, where Visnupriya-devi waited eagerly to meet her new husband.
In this way, as the sun set over Nabadwipa dhama, Nimai Pandita arrived at the house of his waiting bride accompanied by music, torches and fireworks and followed by a garish parade and a huge crowd. On beholding the vast and superhuman procession, the people gathered there were awed. “Such opulence surpasses that of even the King of Heavan or the Lord of Vaikuntha,” they said, “Never before have we seen such pomp and circumstance,” they said. “What opulence!” Those unlucky brahmanas who failed to marry their own daughters to Nimai Pandita all though to themselves that they had missed an opportunity that only passes once in many lifetimes.
Upon reaching the house of Sanatana Misra, there was an uproar of triumphal shouts of joy. The musicians, competing to defeat each other in dexterity and tempo, began playing faster and faster and the crowd became excited. The Raja-pandita, Sri Sanatana Misra came forward to greet the Lord and helping him down from the palanquin, he took him by the hand, led him to the seat of honor within the wedding hall and made him sit. He had made many grand arrangements to accommodate the bride and groom and was overjoyed to see Nimai Pandita's arrival at his home. After seating the Lord, he too took his seat, so that he could perform the reception ceremonies. Sanatana Misra then offered the Lord water for washing his feet, and a fragrant mouthwash for rinsing his mouth. He also offered the Lord fine garments and ornaments, thus welcoming the Lord to his family and home.
After this, Sanatana Misra's wife, in the company of the ladies present there did her part in the ceremony. She placed a finely woven wreath of fresh rice stalks and blades of kusa straw upon the Lord's beautiful head and after performing the arotika ceremony and waving the lamp of seven wicks, she chanted various hymns, threw rice, and blew the conch. After all the customary rituals had been thus performed, they carried Sri Visnupriya-devi, Laksmi herself, into the wedding arena on a palanquin.
It is said that Nimai Pandita, royally dressed in the finery of his wedding garments put cupid himself to shame. When the Supreme Goddess of Fortune, Visnupriya appeared before the assembled devotees, brahmanas, and guests garbed in silk and richly adorned with jewels, she looked just like an angel from heaven.
With her radiance dazzling the eyes of all present, she performed the traditional circumambulation of the groom, walking in seven circles around Sri Nimai Pandita, before offering herself at his feet by bowing down. According to tradition they were required to exchange their first glances with one another at that time, but due to her natural shyness, Visnupriya-devi was unable to look upon the Lord's holy face. But according to the customs of Hindu marriage this ceremony had to be performed. A screen was therefore placed around the bride and groom, that they might privately exchange their first glance at one another. At first glance they re-established their eternal relationship, for just as Laksmi and Narayana are eternally inseparable, Sri Visnupriya-devi and Sri Gaurasundara are eternally related to one another as consorts.
At last the Supreme Laksmi, Visnupriya-devi exchanged garlands with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Gaura-Narayana, and at that time the crowd let out a tumultuous roar of jubilation. Visnupriya-devi first offered the garlands at the holy feet of the Lord, thus surrendering herself. After this, Lord Gaurasundara picked up the garlands and placed them around Visnupriya's neck. At this time, Laksmi and Narayana, (Visnupriya-devi and Sri Gauranga) began throwing flowers at each other with great delight, while from above, in the heavens, all the gods headed by Brahma invisibly showered flowers upon the divine couple.
At that time, various mock quarrels broke out between the families of the two parties as everyone laughed and joked with one another. The Lord smiled, and his smile brought bliss to the hearts of all who were assembled there. As thousands of torches burned brightly, the crowd became ecstatic. Their cries of joy filled the four directions with a pleasing vibration as the bride and groom beheld each other for the first time.
Then Sanatana Misra with joyful heart sat down to officially give his daughter away to Nimai Pandita. Having washed his feet and rinsed his mouth, he performed the ceremony of bestowing his daughter's hand upon the Lord. At that time he gave the Lord as a dowry many cows, lands, and servants. After this the final fire sacrifice was performed, and having finished all the scriptural procedures and having observed all the rituals, ceremonies and customs of a proper Hindu wedding, they led the bride and groom into their new quarters within the palatial home of the Raja-pandita, Sanatana Misra. And as the two of them resided there, the house of Sanatana Misra was transformed into Vaikuntha.
Who can describe the ecstasy tasted by Sanatana Misra and his family upon the wedding of their beloved Visnupriya-devi to Nimai Pandita? The same good fortune that was bestowed upon Janaka Maharaja when his daughter Sita was married to Rama, the same good fortune that was showered upon Bhishmaka when his daughter Rukmini was married to Sri Krsna was now being rained upon Sri Sanatana Misra along with his family.
On the following day, Sri Gauracandra, the essence of all the worlds, performing the remaining customary rites. That afternoon it was time for Gauracandra and his new bride to return to their home. Amid joyous song, music and dance, and the benedictions of the brahmanas and poets gathered there, Sri Gaurasundara and Visnupriya-devi, bowed to the assembled exalted personalities, and ascended the finely decorated palanquin. Everyone cheered them on with shouts of victory as the divine couple were carried in procession on the palanquin to their new home. Everyone who saw them praised Nimai and Visnupriya. Some of the ladies said, “This girl is supremely fortunate. She must have served Kamala and Parvati in her previous lives to have wed such a husband.“ Others said, “They must be Kamala and Sri Hari themselves.” Others said, “They must certainly be Rati and Kamadeva themselves, the god and goddess of love.” At this point in Caitanya-Bhagavata, Vrndavana dasa Thakura remarks, “Who can estimate the good fortune of the residents of Nabadwipa who were able to behold the wedding of Sri Gaurasundara and Visnupriya-devi?”
The wedding procession continued in this way, surrounded by jubilation, song, dance, showers of flowers and the vibration of various musical instruments including the mrdanga, shenai, kartals, baranga, and dhak. Finally the divine couple arrived at their new home. At that time, mother Saci and those ladies who were close friends of the family welcomed Sri Visnupriya devi into the home as her new daughter. As Visnupriya-devi and Sri Gaurasundara (Laksmi and Narayana) entered their home and took their seats, shouts of jubilation filled the entire universe.
After this, the Lord gave charity to all, satisfying them according to their station. To the poets he offered sweet words; to the dancers fine clothes, and to the beggars he gave money. In this way he gave something to everyone and satisfied all the friends and relatives by his lavish charity. Upon Buddhimanta Khan, who had borne the majority of the wedding expense, he bestowed his embrace. No one can describe the joy of Buddhimanta Khan upon being embraced by the Lord.
In this way, Vrndavana dasa Thakura describes the wedding of Visnupriya-devi and Gaurasundara. Whoever hears the description of the Lord's wedding festival with faith and love will attain the mercy of Sri Gauranga.
After describing Visnupriya-devi's wedding with Sri Gaurasundara, Vrndavana dasa Thakura does not give any further elaborate description of her pastimes, except to mention that when Gauranga returned from Gaya after having been initiated by Isvara Puri she was greatly relieved and felt as if her life had returned. Vrndavana dasa does not describe the separation she felt at the sannyasa of the Lord, as it is a painful subject. This is, however, discussed by Locan dasa Thakura, and this description may be found in the chapter on his life. After the disappearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, When Srinivasa acarya made his pilgrimage to Navadwipa dhama he was fortunate enough to meet Sri Visnupriya-devi when she was approaching old age. The description of their meeting may be found in the chapter on Srinivasa acarya.

Childhood Pastimes of Nimai(YogaPita)

2009-06-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

Srila Jagannath Mishra
Jagannath Mishra was born in the village of South Dhaka in Sylhet (Sylhet). His grandfather, Madhu Mishra, had four sons: Upendra, Rangada, Kirtida, and Kirtivasa. His father and mother, Upendra Mishra and Kalavati, had seven sons: Kamsari, Paramananda, Padmanabha, Sarveshvara, Jagannath Mishra, Janardana and Trailokyanath. (Prema-vilasa, 24). According to the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika, Upendra was Krishna’s grandfather, the cowherd Parjanya, while Jagannath was Nanda Maharaj in Krishna’s Vraja pastimes (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 37). Nanda or Jagannath were, in Krishna’s various appearances, Kashyapa, Dasharath, Sutapa and Vasudeva.
pura yashoda-vrajarajanandau vrindavane premarasakarau yau shaci-Jagannath-purandarabhidhau babhuvatus tau na ca samshayo’tra
amu avishatam eva devavaditikashyapau shrikaushalya-dasharathau tatha shriprishni-tatpati
The king of Vraja has become Chaitanya’s father, Jagannath; the queen of Vraja is his mother Sachi. The son of Nanda is Chaitanya Gosai, and Baladeva is his brother Nityananda. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.17.294-295).
The birth of Mahaprabhu
In the Chaitanya Charitamrita, it is also stated that Jagannath Mishra was also known by his title Purandara, which is an epithet of Indra. His wife’s name was Sachidevi. Sachi’s father was Nilambara Cakravarti. (Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi, 13.59-60)
At first, eight baby girls were born to Jagannath and Sachi, but each of them died at birth. Jagannath then performed a special ceremony to have a son, and not long afterward a boy, Vishvarupa, was born. Vishvarupa is a manifestation of Baladeva and belongs to the same ontological category that is named Sankarshan in the spiritual world. At the age of 12, Vishvarupa took sannyasa, adopting the name Shankararanya. He died in the year 1509 in Pandharpur, in the Solapur district of Maharashtra.
Jagannath Mishra and Sachidevi are eternally liberated companions of Krishna; thus, it is clear that their heart and body are made of pure goodness or the shuddha-sattva. Another name for pure goodness is vasudeva. Krishna is named Vasudeva because he takes pleasure in the spiritual nature and makes his appearance through pure goodness or vasudeva.
In 1486, at sundown on the full moon day of the month of Phalguna, at the auspicious moment of a lunar eclipse, in the midst of an ecstatic hubbub made by the townspeople filling the sky with the joyful sound of Hari! and Krishna!, the women making their uludhvani, and the gods playing on their divine instruments, Gauranga Mahaprabhu accepted Jagannath Mishra and Sachidevi as his father and mother and appeared in the holy dham of Sri Mayapur. It is said that witches, evil female spirits and other powerful demonic specters cannot go near a neem tree. Out of their feelings of maternal love, Sachi and the other women named him Nimai in order that he be protected from any inauspiciousness. Later, when Nimai took the renounced order of life, he was given the name Sri Krishna Chaitanya. Some of the other names by which he is known are Vishvambhara, Nabadwipa-chandra, Gaurahari, Gauranga and Mahaprabhu.
When Sachi and Jagannath saw their child’s face, they forgot themselves in their excitement. Nilambara Chakravarti was a great astrologer and when he examined the constellations at the baby’s birth, he divined that he was to be a king among kings, that he was to possess all virtues, indeed that he was Narayan himself. Jagannath and his entire household were immersed in the ocean of ecstasy upon hearing these predictions. This ocean only increased in fullness as the baby Nimai began to display his childhood pastimes. Whenever Nimai cried, the adults would sing the Holy Names in order to pacify him. When he was only four months old, he started throwing various household articles about, but would only do this until he saw his mother when would lie down and start to cry. Sachi would sing the Holy Names to stop Nimai from crying, and only when he had stopped would she notice the disorder into which the child had put the room. Never suspecting him, she though that it must be some evil spirit whose efforts to harm the baby had failed due to the protective incantations she was always making over him.
When the time came for Nimai’s name-giving ceremony, Nilambara Chakravarti and other learned men in the community called him Vishvambhara, which is thus his principal name, while the women gave him the name Nimai. This latter name was given because neem leaves have a bitter taste and are said to keep death away, and they wished to bless Nimai with a long life. The name-giving ceremony is also the occasion when a child’s tastes and tendencies are tested. Jagannath placed rice, puffed rice, gold, silver and a manuscript of the Srimad Bhagavatam before the child, who ignored everything to reach out for the Bhagavatam. All were delighted by Nimai’s choice. The philosophers amongst them began to say, “Nimai will be a great scholar.” In fact, Nimai wished to show, even at this young age, that the Bhagavatam is the supreme authority in spiritual matters. This is the teaching hidden within this lila.
Nimai’s childhood
As Nimai grew, he began to crawl, giving pleasure to his mother and father and all their neighbors. One day, the child saw the god Sesha in the form of a cobra in the garden. He played with him for a while in the mood of a golden Narayan, and then, like Narayan, he curled up on the coiled snake and fell asleep. When Jagannath Mishra came upon the scene, he feared the worst for the child and started to shout and cry, frightening the beast that slithered away. Nevertheless, Sachi and Jagannath had seen the wondrous form that the child had displayed and became convinced that he was a divine personality.
The neighborhood women found that whenever they loudly chanted the names of the Lord, Nimai would stop crying and start dancing in ecstasy, even rolling about in the dust. So every morning they would surround him and sing the Holy Names. Whether they knew him or not, people would be attracted by his beautiful appearance and would affectionately give him sandesha sweets or bananas. Nimai would take all these sweets and fruits and give them as prasad to the women who sang for him.
When Nimai was able to walk, he would go into the neighbors’ houses and take milk and rice, and if he found nothing to eat, he would break various household items. This naughty behavior is a source of delight for his devotees. On one occasion, as Nimai was playing in front of Jagannath Mishra’s house, two thieves saw that he was wearing valuable ornaments and became greedy. They charmed the child by offering him a ride on their shoulders and then started to carry him away. However, they were bewildered by Vishnu’s illusory power and shortly they found themselves back in front of Nimai’s own home. Frightened by this unexpected turn of events, the two rascals ran away. Meanwhile, Jagannath had been searching anxiously for Nimai. When he saw that his child had returned, he held him tightly to his heart and felt as though his life had also been returned to him.
One day, Jagannath Mishra asked Nimai to bring him a book from inside the house. When Nimai ran to fetch it, Sachi was surprised to hear the wondrous jingling of ankle bells. After Nimai had given his father the book and gone off to play, Sachi was amazed to see that his footprints held the auspicious signs of the flag, the lightning bolt, the elephant rod and the banner. Under the influence of their parental love, Jagannath and Sachi were not able to accept that these were Nimai’s footprints, but took them rather to be the traces of Damodar, their household Shalagrama-shila deity and so they did a special ceremony for him, bathing him, peforming the puja and offering food.
On another day, a Brahmin pilgrim passed through Nabadwip with his deity of the baby Krishna. Jagannath offered him a place to his puja as well as food to cook for an offering. When the pilgrim had finished cooking, he sat down to offer the bhoga to his deity. But as soon as he started meditation on his mantra, Nimai came and began eating the offering. The Brahmin saw this and started to shout in distress. Jagannath Mishra was extremely disturbed by the incident and the Brahmin had to intercede to stop him from giving the child a spanking.
Although the Brahmin did not want to cook again, Jagannath begged him to do so. Before he recommenced preparing the offering. Jagannath took Nimai to a neighbor’s house so that he would not do any more mischief. Once again, however, when the Brahmin sat down to meditate on his Bala Gopal mantra to make his offering, Gaura Gopal appeared out of nowhere and started to enjoy the foodstuffs. The Brahmin again began to shout in frustration, “It’s been ruined. It’s been ruined!” Jagannath was devastated a second time and again wished to punish the child, only to be stopped by his guest. The Brahmin said, “He’s only a child and doesn’t understand anything. It’s not his fault. It seems that it is not my destiny to eat today.”
This time, Nimai’s older brother Vishvarupa begged the Brahmin to try a third time, and so finally, on his insistence, he began to cook again. This time it was quite late at night and Nimai was fast asleep in his room so no one suspected any trouble. The Brahmin waited until the entire household had gone to bed before making his offering, but once again, contrary to all expectation, Gaura Gopal came to consume it. This time, however, he gave the Brahmin a vision of an astonishing eight-armed form, holding not only the conch, discus, mace and lotus in four of his hands, but a lump of butter from which he was taking pieces and a flute which he was playing with the others. When he saw this wonderful vision, the Brahmin fainted.
Mahaprabhu told him not to reveal this lila to anyone. But from then on, the Brahmin remained in Nabadwip and though he engaged in his daily activities as was his wont, would return each evening to Nimai’s house to behold his worshipable lord. Nimai told him, “You have been my servant for many, many births. This very same lila also took place at Nanda’s house in Gokula.”
Nimai’s education
Jagannath Mishra completed the three rituals (samskaras) in which the child’s ears are pierced, his hair is shorn and his education is begun. It took Nimai only three days to learn the entire alphabet and he started to read and write all of Krishna’s names.
The little Gaura Gopal would often ask his parents to bring him birds, even the stars or the moon, and would cry if they could not do so. When they chanted the Holy Names, he would stop crying, otherwise there was no way to quiet him. One day, however, though they repeatedly sang the names of Hari, the child’s tears did not stop flowing. When pressed to tell why he was crying so insistently, Nimai said that though it was Ekadasi, he wanted to eat the offerings which the Brahmins Jagadisa and Hiranya had made to their Vishnu deity. Jagannath was astonished to hear this unusual request, but went to the house of his two friends. He told them the whole story, and they were delighted to give him the offering. When Jagannath brought the prasad home and gave it to Nimai, he finally stopped crying.
Nimai continued his naughty behavior and the males in the community reported it to his father while the girls and women would complain to Sachi. Though Jagannath would be angry and want to punish his child, he would be quite astonished to see him completely calm and free from any guilty demeanor. Both his parents wondered, “Who is this child? Has Krishna secretly appeared here as our son?”
Vishvambhara’s older brother Vishvarupa had been indifferent to material life since his childhood. After studying at Advaita Acharya’s school, or tol, he came to understand that the ultimate conclusion of the scriptures was devotion to Krishna. When he was twelve years old, his parents started making arrangements for his marriage, he left home and took sannyasa, taking the name Shankararanya. This event traumatized Sachi and Jagannath, who were greatly pained by their separation from their oldest son. Jagannath was afraid that Nimai too would become indifferent to family life through studying the scriptures, so he stopped his education. Rather that the boy should remain a fool at home than become a scholar only to leave the household! But after this, Nimai started to misbehave again. One day, he went to a place where used and contaminated pottery was thrown and sat down. When Sachi saw this she became angry and told him several times to leave the dirty spot. Nimai answered her in the spirit of the divine philosopher Dattatreya, “How can a fool tell the difference between that which is pure and that which is not? How can the pots that have been used to cook for Vishnu possibly be contaminated? What is more, how can any place be impure if I am there? Ideas of purity and impurity from the karma-kanda have no place in devotion to the Lord. It is just the imagination of people who know nothing but the material world.”
Seeing that the boy would in no way heed her order to leave the unclean spot, Sachi finally dragged him away and made him bathe and herself took a bath. After this she and other members of the community approached Jagannath and entreated him to allow Nimai to resume his studies, which he did.
Some time after this, Nimai’s sacred thread ceremony was held, after which Nimai went out to beg, just as Vamana did. Afterward, Jagannath entrusted him to Ganga Das Pandit, who is none other than the same Sandipani Muni who taught Krishna. Ganga Das Pandit was overjoyed to accept the handsome and virtuous boy Nimai as his student. Nimai would ask him and his fellow students trick questions based on Nyaya and the ensuing arguments would be a source of amazement to everyone.
Jagannath was pleased to see his son take up a disciplined life in which he would bathe daily in the Ganges, perform puja to Vishnu strictly according to the regulations, and offer water to the sacred tulasi plant before finally taking prasad. Nimai would then go to a place where he could be undisturbed and would study alone. Jagannath prayed to Krishna for Nimai’s continued welfare, but at the same time was always afraid that he would come to understand the emptiness of the cycle of samsara and eventually leave home. One day, he had a dream in which he saw Mahaprabhu’s beautiful form as a sannyasi, performing sankirtan while surrounded by his devotees, dancing, singing, laughing, crying. After this he came to believe that it was inevitable that Nimai would one day leave home. Sachi Devi tried to convince him that because he had become so attached to his studies, he would never leave home, but she could not convince him. Jagannath disappeared before Nimai became a sannyasi. On the death of his father, Gaurasundara lamented just like Ramachandra did upon hearing of the death of Dasharath, but at the same time consoled his heartbroken mother