Month: January 2018

Sivananda Sen and Kavi Karnapura | Krishna Raya Temple, Rathtala

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

krishna raya temple halisahar sivananda sen kavi karnapura

The Krishna Raya temple is one of the biggest in Bengal and is one of the most significant for the Gaudiya vaishnavas. It is situated in a spacious compound ,adorned with beautiful gardens ,with high boundary walls on its four sides. The temple today also houses a big kitchen along with residential quarters. Sri Nimai Mullick, the then prominent zamindar of kolkata, is said to have seen the broken down temple while he was on his way to Benares (refer – ‘The pious Mullicks of Bengal’). The pious zamindar thereafter reconstructed the temple and arranged for the proper worship of the deities in the year 1786 AD. Sri Krishna Raya are the worshipable Radha Krishna deities of Sri Srinatha Prabhu, the spiritual master of Kavi Karnapura, the third son of Sivananda Sen. Kavi Karnapura does not reveal the original identity of his spiritual master,Sri Srinatha Chakravarthy, in his book Sri Gaur Ganoddesha Dipika. The reason being that a disciple should not address his spiritual master by his name.

Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami highly glorifies Sri Srinatha Prabhu in his Caitanya Caritamrta and reveals that he was blessed by Mahaprabhu and that his love for Krishna mesmerized all the three worlds (Srinatha paṇḍita Prabhura kripara bhajana, yanra Krishna-seva dekhi vash tribhuvana).Srinatha Chakravarthy was a disciple of Sri Advaita Acharya.

North24Paraganas

Chaitanya Doba, Halisahar – The birthplace of Isvara Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

Caitanya Doba

The birthplace of Sri Isvara Puri, the spiritual master of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is popularly known today as ‘Chaitanya Doba’. The word doba means ‘a pool of water’. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu travelled through Halisahar (kumarhatta) on His way to Puri, He showed respect for His spiritual master by picking up some earth from the place of his birth, wrapping it in His cloth and keeping it carefully with Him. He used to eat a small portion of this dust daily. Thousands of pilgrims have since followed His example, thus forming a pit that has since filled with water (as visible in picture).Just opposite to Chaitanya Doba is an ashrama (the yellow building visible in the picture), where devotees reside and serve the sacred dham.The team from ’The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to visit and pay our obeisances unto this ancient sacred pilgrimage site. Talking to the local devotees, we came to know that a huge festival takes place here every year, during the month of October-November, to commemorate the arrival of Lord Gaurasundara at Chaitanya Doba, who is believed to have arrived during this time of the year.

Sri Isvara Puri had been the most prominent disciple of Sri Madhavendra Puri. He spent most of his time residing at his guru’s ashram in Gaya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Isvara Puri at the Vishnu Temple in Gaya, and accepted Vaishnava initiation from him.

Katwa & Srikhanda Vaishnava acharyas

Lochan das Thakura – Biography | Sripat Baradanga – where he composed Chaitanya Mangala

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

baradanga lochan das

Sri Lochan Das Thakura, the dear disciple of Sri Narahari Sarkara Thakura, is renowned all over the three worlds as the author of the great bengali classic, Sri Caitanya Mangala, the beautiful musical composition of Lord Gaurahari’s manifested pastimes.It has been composed with such ecstasy and poetic rhythm ,that simply reading it is sufficient to evoke within one the emotions of divine love and attachment for Sri Krishna Caitanya, the Supreme personality of Godhead.Sri Lochan das thakura serves as Lochana sakhi in Krishna’s vrindavana pastimes. In Vaishnava acara darpana, it is mentioned that the potency of King Vrishbhanu’s niece , ‘Tara’, has also incarnated as Sri Lochan Das Thakura, in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes.

Lochan das thakura was a contemporary of Sri Vrindavana Das Thakura, the author of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, another revered biography of Lord Caitanya’s heart melting pastimes. Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura, who was the incarnation of the sakhi Madhumati, and who was very dear and completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of Sri Gaurasundara, once desired for a book to be composed in bengali, that shall depict the heart melting pastimes of Sri Krishna Caitanya. He desired that the biography would uphold before the world the esoteric treasures of Gaura lila and shall help the readers develop love and attachment unto the Supreme (refer – ‘YogPeeth, Mayapur, Navadvipa – The birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’). It was only to give shape to the desires of Narahari ,that Lochan das thakura had taken birth in this world.Taking shelter of his Guru, he composed the ecstatic ‘Caitanya Mangala’, thereby satisfying the yearnings of his spiritual master. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered the life and pastimes of Sri Narahari Thakura in a separate article entitled – ‘The Great Vaishnavas of Srikhanda’.

serampore Vaishnava acharyas

Kashishwar Pandita – Biography | Kashishwar pith ,Chatra, Serampore

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

chatra serampore

Sri Kashishwar Pandita was a disciple of Sri Isvara Puri, the spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. Sri Isvara Puri ,in his last days, instructed his disciples Kashishwar Pandita and Govinda to render personal service to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which they accepted with their heart and soul. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu honored Kashishwar and Govinda, as His godbrothers,and hence was reluctant to allow them to serve Him But He finally complied as those were the orders of His spiritual master, Sri Isvara puri. So in Puri, Govinda took up the role of Sri Caitanya’s personal servant, whereas Kashishwar Pandita, being a very strong man, protected the Lord from the crowds while He visited the temple of Lord Jagannatha.

Anga seva govindere dilena ishvara
Jagannatha dekhite chalena aage kashishwar
(Caitanya Caritamrta – 10.141 , Adi)

Srila Prabhupada mentions in his Caitanya Caritamrta commentary, that among the prominent devotees of Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri (Nilachal), Sri Kashishwar and Govinda were the eighteenth and nineteenth branches of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire tree of devotional service. According to Gaura Gannodesha Dipika ,the former servants of Sri Krishna, Bhrngara and Bhangura in Vrindavana ,appeared as Kashishwar and Govinda in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.

serampore

Sri RadhaVallav Jiu, Serampore

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

radha vallav jiu serampore

The stone that remained, after giving shape to Syamsundara jiu , was used to carve out two more enchanting deities –Sri Nandadulal jiu who was installed at swamibon (commonly referred to as saibon) and Vallavaji who was installed at Vallavapura (present serampore).
– Prema Vilasa

This is the third of the deities that was carved out of the same sila (stone) that was brought by Birchandra prabhu from the Nawab’s palace in Malda.The other two enchanting deities being Sri Syamasundara jiu of Khardaha, and Sri NandaDulal jiu of Saibon. (Please refer to the article entitled ‘Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara temple, Khardaha’, for more historical details regarding the amazing pastime of appearance of these three deities) .

Every Year,on the day of Magh Purnima (the full moon day in the month of january-February), a huge festival takes place here at Serampore,Saibon and Khardaha ,at the site of these three deities, to commemorate their installation,500 years back. Gaudiya Vaishnavas gather from all around the world to participate in this festival. ‘Festival’ is an integral part of the ‘Gaudiya Vaishnava’ lifestyle and it provides the Vaishnavas with an opportunity to associate with elevated devotees and relish Krishna Katha.Sri RadhaVallav jiu is so beautiful that one might want to gaze at His beautiful form forever. Simply seeing His charming smile makes one forget the illusory problems of this material world.’The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself extremely blessed and fortunate to have taken darsana of Sri RadhaVallav jiu’s captivating form and to have prayed for His shelter and mercy.

Katwa & Srikhanda

Kaliya Krishna Das – Life and Pastimes | Sripat Akaihata

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

akaihata

Sri Kaliya Krishna Das is an intimate associate of Lord Nityananda .He is the ninth of the twelve Gopalas (Dvadasha Gopalas) who have assisted Lord Nitai in manifesting His magnanimous pastimes. Within the desire tree of devotional service, Sri Kaliya Krishna is the 22nd branch to have arisen out of the trunk of Nityananda prabhu.Sri Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika reveals the identity of Sri Kaliya Krishna Das as the cowherd boy Lavanga ,in Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes. Sri Caitanya Bhagavata exclaims that one who simply remembers Kaliya Krishna das is sure to attain the lotus feet of Sri Gauranga and Nityananda.Sri Kaliya Krishna das or Kala Krishna Das , as he is often referred to, had his headquarters here at Akaihata, near Katwa. It is worthwhile mentioning, that Sri Kala Krishna das should not be herein confused with another devotee with the same name, who had accompanied Lord Caitanya in His south India tour.The other devotee, who had to be personally rescued by Caitanya Mahaprabhu from the clutches of the Bhattaharis, was a different person.

North24Paraganas

Nandadulal jiu temple , Saibon

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

saibon

The stone that remained, after giving shape to Syamsundara jiu , was used to carve out two more enchanting deities – sri Nandadulal jiu who was installed at swamibon (present saibon) and Vallavaji who was installed at Vallavapura (present serampore).
– Prema Vilasa

The abovementioned verse reveals that Sri Nanda dulal jiu was fashioned from the same stone (sila) which was brought by Sri Birchandra Prabhu from the nawab’s palace in Malda. The other two enchanting deities that were carved out from the same stone being Sri Radha Syamasundara jiu, who presently resides at Khardaha and Sri RadhaVallav jiu, who is installed at Serampore (Hooghly, West bengal). According to the hearsay,the great devotee Sri Madhu Pandita, who also hailed from Saibon, used to worship our beloved Radha Nandadulal jiu ,before he shifted to Vrindavana.Sri Madhu Pandita and Paramananda Bhattacharya, were later instrumental in discovering the deity of Gopinatha jiu in Vrindavana. The deity of Gopinatha jiu which had been originally installed five thousand years ago by Lord Krishna’s great grandson Vajranabha, and which was lost in the due course of time, was rediscovered in the holy land of Vrindavana few hundred years ago by these two stalwarts. This has been confirmed in Bhakti Ratnakara as well.

As discussed in detail in the article entitled -’Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara temple, Khardaha’, Sri Birchandra Prabhu, the son of Lord Nityananda, and the dear disciple of Jahnava Mata, persuaded the king of Bengal to part with a stone from his palace, which happened to be a very sacred Saligrama Sila, out of which these three beautiful deities were subsequently sculpted.Please refer to that article to relish the beautiful appearance pastime of these three mesmerizing deities.

saibon

Katwa & Srikhanda

Uddharana Pur and Sakhai Bazar, Katwa – Pastimes of Uddharna Datta

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

uddharana pura

Sri Uddharana Datta Thakura is an eternal associate of Lord Nityananda. He is one of the most prominent of the twelve cowherd boys (Dvadasha Gopala) who had assisted Lord Nitai manifest His magnanimous pastimes. Sri Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika reveals that Sri Uddharana Datta was the incarnation of Subahu, the intimate friend of Krishna and Balarama in vrindavana. Nityananda Prabhu, was his very life and soul and he had served his master in all possible ways.Prema Vilasa reveals that Lord Nitai used to relish the prasada cooked by Uddharana Datta. Not only He but even Sri Gaurahari enjoyed his cooking a lot. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja reveals that Sri Uddharana datta Thakura was the foremost of the Maha Bhagavata devotees who completely engaged his mind,body and words in serving Nityananda Prabhu, his eternal Gurudeva.

Maha bhagavata sreshtha datta Uddharana
Sarba bhave seve Nityanandera carana
(caitanya caritamrta, Adi, 11.41)

Srila Prabhupada mentions in his purport, that Sri Uddharana Datta was born with the right to worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu.Sri Uddharana belonged to the caste of suvarna baniks (gold merchants) who were looked down upon in the society, in those days. Lord Nitai however stayed in Saptagram,at the house of Sri Uddharana Datta, for many months, and by His grace and association ,all the suvarna baniks (gold mercantile community) regained their stature. Sri Caitanya Bhagavata also glorifies the ecstatic pastimes that patita pavana Lord Nitai had manifested here at Saptagram in order to deliver the members these so called outcastes.

yateka banik kula Uddharana haite
pavitra haila dvidha nahika ihate
(Caitanya Bhagavata)

Surrendering his life unto the lotus feet of his spiritual master, Sri Uddharana , who had hailed from a very opulent gold mercantile family,subsequently renounced his wealth, fame ,prestige and accepted the robes of a mendicant to further the cause of Krishna consciousness.Being Nityananda Prabhu’s personal cook, Sri Uddharana received the rare fortune of accompanying the Lord wherever He travelled.

Mayapur Nabadwip dham Pastimes of Chaitanya

Srivasa Angan & Chand Kazi samadhi, Mayapur Nabadwip dham – Part 2

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

srivasa angan

“What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering the transcendental abode of Navadvipa” –
Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya

Panca tattvatmakam krsnam bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam namami bhakta saktikam

I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, who is non-different from His features as a devotee (Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu), devotional manifestation (Sri Nityananda Prabhu), devotional incarnation (Sri Advaita Acarya), devotional energy (Sri Gadadhara Pandita) and pure devotee (Sri Srivasa Pandita).

Continued from Part 1 (Srivasa Angan ,Mayapur,Navadvipa – Part 1 : where Lord Gaurahari eternally performs His ecstatic pastimes) …

For those who have not read Part1 of this article, we request them to kindly read it in order to relish the beautiful pastimes enacted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, at the house of Srivasa Pandita, 500 years ago. Here in this article, we shall try to narrate a few more of the ecstatic pastimes to have taken place at Srivasa Angan.’The Gaudiya treasures of Bengal’ would like to reiterate that the pastimes at Srivasa Angana are infinite and is impossible even for the Ananta Sesha with His thousands of hoods to describe.We ,insignificant servants are trying our best to narrate as much as we have heard from our seniors. The readers are hereby requested to excuse any of our unintentional mistakes ,as we are mere fools who, not knowing our limits, are trying to delve deep into this esoteric well, to excavate the mesmerizing jewels that adorn the devotees of Sri Gaurasundara.

Khol Bhanga Danga and the pastimes of Chand Kazi :

About 500 years ago, the state of Bengal was ruled by Nawab Hussain Shah. Nawab Hussain Shah was the incarnation of King Jarasandha, who had conspired and fought numerous wars against Krishna in Dwapara yuga.The magistrate unto whom the administration of Navadvipa was then entrusted ,was known as Chand Kazi (Kazi translates to magistrate in english). Chand Kazi was the incarnation of King Kamsa (Krishna’s maternal uncle) .The residence of Chand kazi was not very far from Srivasa Angana.Chand Kazi also happened to be the spiritual counsellor of Nawab Hussain Shah.

Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Sri Nilambar Chakravarti’s residence, Belpukur, Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

belpukur Sri nilambar gtb One of the sweetest spiritual sites that ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has come across during its vast journey across Bengal is the maternal home of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Located at a place called Belpukur within the precincts of Simantadvipa (one of the nine islands constituting Navadvipa) , this is where Sri Nilambar Chakravarti, Mahaprabhu’s maternal grandfather, used to reside along with his family 500 years ago.Sri Madana Gopala, the worshipable deity of Sri Nilambar, has been carefully preserved at this holy place and continues to accept our humble service till this day. The beautiful deities of Sri Nilambar Chakravarti and his daughter Srimati Saci devi is also worshipped over here.The temple priest ,Sri Nimai Krishna das Prabhuji, who lives and serves here, has been subsequently initiated into the Gaudiya Sampradaya by HH Jayapataka Swami Guru Maharaj.

Being His maternal home, this place is very dear to Sri Gaurahari. Infact all of us have a very special place in our hearts towards our maternal homes, and the Supreme Lord ,being a person, is also no different. In fact, a lot of His balya lilas (childhood pastimes) have taken place here at Belpukur. The dust of this holy place is thus sanctified with the lotus footprints of Little Nimai.