Category: orissa

Bali Math – established by Abhiram Gopal, Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 8, 2022

bali math puri

Bali Math, which is said to have been established by Sri Abhiram Gopal Thakur, the incarnation of Sridama in Lord Krishna’s pastimes, is a medieval temple that lies in ruins today. It is situated in the Markandeshwar Sahi area behind the Bada Oriya Math. Beautiful deities of Radha Krishna are worshiped in this ancient temple.

Sri Abhirama Gopal Thakur had manifested innumerable heart-melting pastimes here at Jagannath Puri. One of them was his test of Gopal Guru Goswami, the disciple of Vakreshwar Pandita. It was well-known that whoever Abhiram Gopal Thakur paid His obeisances died if that person was not the Supreme Lord or His expansion. Several deities of Bengal had cracked not being able to tolerate the obeisances of Abhiram Gopal. Several sons of Nityananda Prabhu had died for they were not expansions of the Supreme.

bali math puri

Birchandra Prabhu and Raghunandan Thakur, sons of Lord Nityananda and Mukunda das respectively, could endure Abhiram Thakura’s obeisances for they were expansions of the Supreme Lord Himself.

Abhiram Gopal tests Gopal Guru :

So when Abhiram Thakur desired to test Gopal Guru Goswami, Vakreshwar Pandita became anxious. However, when Abhiram Thakur paid His obeisances to Gopal Guru, he remained unaffected. Seeing this all became overjoyed. Abhiram Thakur then affectionately embraced Gopal Guru Goswami. According to some, Gopal Guru Goswami was the incarnation of Tungavidya, one of the eight principal Gopis of Vrindavan.

Jagannath Puri

Ahulya Math – Residence of Advaita Acharya & Lord Nityananda in Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 31, 2021

ahulya math puri

Although Ahulya Math is a significant Gaudiya Vaishnava site of Jagannath Puri, this place is not that well-known. Lord Chaitanya shifted to Jagannath Puri after His sannyasa initiation, and it became a tradition that devotees from Bengal would visit Him each year on the occasion of the Rath Yatra festival. Ahulya Math is where Advaita Acharya and Nityananda Prabhu stayed during their annual visits to Jagannath Puri.

Jagannath Puri

Satasana Bhajana sthali, Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 30, 2021

giridhari math satasana puri

Situated on Satasana Road, next to Iskcon Bhakti Kuti (Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s house) and Srila Haridas Thakur’s samadhi, one shall locate Sat Asana Mathas, which are actually seven temples that had been established to celebrate the pastimes of seven celestial sages (sapta-rishis) who had once meditated at this place. These seven celestial sages namely Kashyapa, Atri, Vasistha, Viswamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, and Bharadvaja are glorified throughout the Vedic scriptures. Later many associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had also performed their bhajan at these sacred places. A brief description of these seven temples or asanas is provided below. Out of the seven temples that were previously established, only four remain at present – Giridhari math, Syamasundara math, Madana Mohana math, and Krishna Balaram Math.

Jagannath Puri Pastimes of Chaitanya

Gangamata Math – Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s House, Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 26, 2021

gangamata sarvabhauma

Gangamata Math is situated to the south of the Jagannath temple on the bank of the Sweta Ganga tank in Jagannath Puri. This was previously the residence of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. The initial encounter between Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has been described by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in the sixth chapter of ‘Amrita Pravaha bhasya’.

The deliverance of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya

On entering the temple of Jagannatha, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu immediately fainted. Seeing this, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya took Him to his residence. Meanwhile, Gopinath Acarya, brother-in-law of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, met Mukunda Datta and spoke to him about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s sannyasa and His journey from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri. After listening about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s fainting and Him being carried to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, people swarmed to catch a glimpse of the Lord. Nityananda Prabhu and other devotees visited the Jagannatha temple, and when they returned to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had regained His external consciousness. Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya welcomed everyone and distributed Jagannath Maha-prasadam with great care. The Bhattacharya then became acquainted with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and arranged for His accommodations at his aunt’s house. His brother-in-law, Gopinath Acarya, proved that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was Krishna Himself, but Sarvabhauma and his many disciples could not accept this. However, Gopinath Acarya convinced Sarvabhauma that no one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead without being favored by Him. Gopinath established through scriptural references that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was none other than Krishna. Yet, Sarvabhauma did not take these words very seriously.

Bhaktivinoda thakur Jagannath Puri

Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s bhajan Kutir, Jagannath Puri – Iskcon Bhakti kuti

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 23, 2021

bhaktivinoda thakura's house bhakti kuti

Iskcon Bhakti Kuti is situated beside the sea, near Haridas Thakura’s samadhi, in the well-known area of Swargadwar, in Jagannath Puri. ‘Bhakti Kuti’ is the original name that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur gave to his bhajana Kutira. This is the same area where the sapta-rishis (seven celestial sages) had performed severe austerities and hari-bhajana millions of years ago. The place is now administered by Iskcon who have founded a beautiful temple at the site. Radha Giridhari jiu and an enchanting deity of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bless all who visit this sacred place. A pure Sattvik restaurant is now located on the ground floor of the temple premises. Deities of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur grace the simhasana in the temple hall.

Jagannath Puri Vaishnava acharyas

Birthplace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 16, 2021

birthplace of bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati thakur

On the 6th of February 1874 AD at 3.30 pm, Bimala prasad Datta (later renowned as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) appeared in this world, at a place not very far from the Jagannatha temple in Puri. He was the fourth son of Bhaktivinoda Thakura (Kedarnath Dutta) and Srimati Bhagavati Devi. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, an exalted Vaishnava acharya, was then posted as the regional governor. He was also in charge of the administration of the Jagannath Puri temple. Sri Bimala Prasad Datta exhibited thirty-two bodily symptoms of a great personality, at the time of his birth. He was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck like a Brahmin’s thread, perhaps a sign of his glorious mission. Analyzing his horoscope, a renowned astrologer commented, ‘I have done many horoscopes in my life, but never before have I witnessed a horoscope filled with all the signs of a great personality. This child shall become world-famous as a brilliant teacher of life’s ultimate goal’.

When Bimala Prasada was just six months old, Lord Jagannatha’s Rathayatra cart had halted in front of Srila Bhaktivinoda’s house in Puri for three continuous days. It could not be moved. The cart began moving only after little Bimala was brought before Lord Jagannath. As soon as Bimala came out, a garland fell off from the Lord’s neck and wrapped the child. This was taken as a sign of special favor by the Lord. The child’s grain ceremony was observed on the cart and it was done with Jagannath Maha-Prasad.

Bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati Thakura

Jagannath Puri

Jagannath Vallabh garden, Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 9, 2021

Jagannath Vallabh Garden

Jagannath Vallabh Garden, situated on the south of Narendra Sarovara, is considered to be as ancient as the temple of Lord Jagannath. This large garden, full of coconut trees and a cooling pond, is very dear (vallabha) to Lord Jagannath because it grows a variety of flowers and fruits that are engaged in His service. Lord Jagannath’s ‘utsava murti’ (festival Deity) is also brought here on numerous auspicious occasions for Him to relish the various festivities that are conducted here. On the left entrance is situated Jagannath Vallabh Math, which is believed to have been established by the devotees of Sri Vishnuswami sampradaya. This garden is very significant for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had enacted many of His wonderful pastimes here at this place.

Jagannath Puri Pastimes of Chaitanya

Chataka Parvata, Jagannath Puri : Non-different to Giri Govardhan

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 4, 2021

chataka parvata puri

The Chataka Parvata is a sand dune located near the temple of Tota Gopinath, in the Gourbatsahi area of Jagannath Puri. After His sannyasa, Sri Chaitanya had shifted to Jagannath Puri from Bengal about 500 years ago. On one occasion, while He was going to take a bath in the sea, He mistook this sand dune to be Giri Govardhan of Vrindavan, the sacred hill renowned for Krishna’s pastimes. Crying out the following verse which was originally recited by the Gopis, He rushed towards the Chataka Parvata –

hantayam adrir abala hari dasa varyo
yad rama Krishna charana sparasa pramodah
manam tanoti saha go ganayos tayor yat
paniya suyavasa kandara kanda mulaih
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.18)
–
(The Gopis of Vrindavan exclaimed) Of all the servants of the Lord, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krishna and Balarama, as well as their calves, cows, and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities including drinking water, soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers, and vegetables. In this way, the hill offers its respect to the Supreme Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krishna and Balarama, Giri Govardhana appears very jubilant.

Jagannath Puri

Gundicha temple, Jagannath Puri

Post author By gaudiya
Post date November 27, 2021

gundicha temple

Gundicha temple is situated at the end of Badadanda or Grand Road, to the northeast of the main Jagannath temple. It is at a distance of around two kilometers from the Jagannath temple. Within the Gundicha Temple, there is a ‘Mahavedi’ where the deities of Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra had appeared in Satya Yuga during the time of King Indradyumna. The Gundicha temple is identified as the birthplace of Lord Jagannath and is named after King Indradyumna’s wife, Gundicha Maharani. It was in this area that King Indradyumna had performed a thousand Ashwamedha Yajnas. Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra along with Sudarshan, leave Jagannatha Mandira for nine days. They travel to the Gundicha on the Ratha Yatra day, reside there for seven days, and then on the ninth day, they return to the main temple.

This Journey is also known as Gundicha Yatra, Nava Dina Yatra (nine days Journey), or Ghosa Yatra. It is very auspicious to attain the darshan of Jagannatha during this time. Darshan of Jagannatha during His stay at Gundicha temple is known as ‘Adapa Darshan’. It is mentioned in the scriptures that the darshan of Lord Jagannatha at Gundicha is ten times more spiritually beneficial than taking His darshan at the main Nilachala temple (main temple).

Jagannath Puri Pastimes of Chaitanya

Gambhira, Jagannath Puri – Residence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Post author By gaudiya
Post date November 20, 2021

gambhira jagannath puri chaitanya

Gambhira is the house of Kasi Misra where Lord Chaitanya resided for the last twelve years of His manifested pastime. Gambhira is situated at Balisahi, to the southeast of Jagannath temple in Puri. The place has also come to be referred to as the ‘Radha Kanta Math’ because ‘Radha Kanta’, a beautiful deity of Sri Krishna, is also worshiped at this place. After accepting His sannyasa, Lord Chaitanya shifted from Bengal to Jagannath Puri. He initially stayed at the residence of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. But later, after He returned from His tour of South India, He accepted the Gambhira, the house of Kasi Misra, as His residence. It is described in Chaitanya Charitamrita, how the house of Kasi Misra became the residence for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya requested the King for a nice, peaceful and solitary place for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that would also not be far from the Jagannath temple, King Pratap Rudra deva considered and replied that Kasi Misra’s house would be the ideal place for the Lord’s stay.

raja kahe – aiche kasi misrera bhavana
thakurera nikata, haya parama nirjana
(Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 10.21)
–
The King replied, ‘Kasi Mira’s house is exactly what you require. It is adjacent to the Jagannath temple and also secluded, quiet, and serene’.

When Kasi Misra heard of the King’s desire, he considered himself to be very fortunate and was thrilled that Lord Chaitanya, the master of all devotees, would reside at his home. Lord Chaitanya was very pleased to see the residential quarters of Gambhira, in which all His necessities were taken care of. When Kasi Misra fell at the lotus feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and surrendered himself, Lord Chaitanya embraced him and revealed to him His four-armed form.