Category: Leela – Spiritual pastimes

Lord Chaitanya and His ecstatic dance | Gauranga’s dance enchants the whole world | Glories of Gauranga

Post author By gaudiya
Post date November 10, 2019

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has manifested the most heart melting pastimes ever witnessed in human history. His mood, His demeanor, His pastimes struck a positive chord even with the most sinful atheists and was instrumental in transforming their hardened hearts. Thousands of men and women abandoned their homes ,raised their arms and joined Mahaprabhu in His ecstatic sankirtana (congregational chanting of the holy names of the Supreme Lord). All of them were surcharged with deep ecstatic feelings. Being completely devoid of external consciousness and surrendering themselves completely, they sang and danced along. Simply by catching a glimpse of His divine lotus feet, people would get infected with the disease of intense love for the Supreme. These men in turn would infect others. In this way, villages, towns and entire cities would become surcharged with the devotional mood of spontaneous loving service unto the Supreme Lord. An ocean of Love would flood the people with waves after waves of divine ecstasy. Observing Lord Gaurahari’s smiling demeanor ,people would completely forget their miseries.Only a fortunate person could possibly attain this most treasured fruit of pure love for God. The most merciful Lord Chaitanya, however distributed this sacred fruit to one and all without making any discrimination. Chaitanya Chandramrta , composed by Prabodhananda Sarasvati, hence exclaims :

Glorifications of Sri Chaitanya What is Spirituality

Did God create the Caste system? | Krishna Chaitanya lays the foundation of a casteless society

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 6, 2019

The Indian Varna system (caste system), which is often painted negatively and presented likewise even in school textbooks, is perhaps one of the most misinterpreted social hierarchies of the world. It is popularly accepted that the Indian caste system is at least 3000 years old, though an analysis of the Vedic literatures suggests that it is perhaps as old as Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) itself. This article attempts to exhibit the system of Varna (class) and Ashrama (order) as it had been originally conceived and how it has gradually degenerated with time. The article also seeks to establish how the caste system is an integral part of any successful society and an indispensable tool to ensure its survival.

It is said that the division of the Indian society on the basis of castes, this caste system, finds its origin in the ancient Indian varnashrama system. Varnashrama is a system of classifying the society on the basis of ‘varnas’ and ‘ashramas’. Now what are varnas ? ‘Varna’ basically translated to class. Now there are four varnas that has been broadly identified.

The four Varnas are –

brahmanas – the priestly class.
Kshatriyas – those who are rulers and administrators
Vaishyas – the mercantile class
Shudras – the labourers or he working class.

While Ashramas is the division of society on the basis of the four orders of life –

Brahmacharya , or the celibates
Grihasta, or the householder
Vanaprastha – one who is retired
Sannyasi – one who is renounced

Lord Nityananda Nitai Jahnava Pada-kalpa-taru Pastimes of Chaitanya

Meeting of Gauranga and Nityananda at Mayapur

Post author By gaudiya
Post date August 20, 2019

nandan acharya bhavan

After touring various holy places, Nityananda Prabhu finally reached Vrindavana. Visiting His previous pastime places (ie, those of Lord Balaram), He became ecstatic and began roaring loudly. Going without any food or water, He incessantly chanted the names of Krishna and rolled upon the sacred dust of Vrindavana dham. By this time, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had already started revealing His devotional mood in Navadvipa. Mahaprabhu (Krishna) started to feel an intense separation from His brother Nitai (Balaram), and longed to have Him in His sankirtana. As soon Lord Nityananda realized that Mahaprabhu had begun manifesting His ecstatic mood, He at once came over to Navadvipa to assist the Lord in His magnanimous pastimes.

Lord Nityananda Nitai Jahnava Pada-kalpa-taru

Nityananda Prabhu breaks Mahaprabhu’s sannyasa Danda (rod)

Post author By gaudiya
Post date August 20, 2019

Return to Main Menu

Mahaprabhu travels to Jagannatha Puri :

On being requested by mother Saci, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ,who by then had already accepted sannyasa, decided to make Jagannatha Puri instead of Vrindavana, His headquarters. Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandita, Mukunda, Govinda, Jagadananda and Brahmananda accompanied the Lord in His travel to Nilachala dham. The Lord asked them, whether any of them had any possession along with them. They replied that all they had with them was the treasure of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s association. Mahaprabhu was very pleased to hear this.He wanted His associates to depend entirely on Krishna for their own subsistence.

Travelling they reached the village of Atisara (Baruipura) where they rested for the night, at the Sripat of Sri Ananta acharya. Sri Ananta was an intimate associate of Mahaprabhu. The next morning they continued with their travel. Reaching the bank of the Ganges at Chhatrabhoga, the devotees happily bathed at the Ambulinga ghat.By the will of the Supreme, the landlord of that place, Sri Ramachandra Khan, arrived there at that time. Seeing the ecstatic symptoms of Mahaprabhu, he at once surrendered unto His lotus feet. Ramachandra informed the devotees that the relations between the two kingdoms of Bengal and Orissa were at an all time low. Hence it was very difficult for one to cross over the borders and escape into Orissa. However Ramachandra , being influential, secretly arranged for a boat which could carry Mahaprabhu to the other side. The Lord and His associates engaged in an ecstatic sankirtana, while the boat slowly crossed the river. Lord Chaitanya assured His associates that they had nothing to fear as the sudarshana chakra of the supreme Lord always protected His devotees.

Lord Nityananda Mayapur Nabadwip dham Nitai Jahnava Pada-kalpa-taru Pastimes of Chaitanya

Pastimes with Jagai and Madhai

Post author By gaudiya
Post date August 20, 2019

Return to Main Menu

madhai tala jagai madhai

On the orders of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda and Haridasa Thakura, went over to each and every house in Nabadwip and begged the residents to chant the holy name of Krishna. Some people took it well and assured them that they would indeed start chanting, while some considered them to be utter mad men. Some of them concluded that it was due to the bad association of Nimai pandita, that the two of them, Nitai and Haridasa, had got spoilt as well. Being unable to comprehend their transcendental mission, some people thought of them to be thieves.

Chaitanya Mangala Sutra Khanda Glorifications of Sri Chaitanya Kali Yuga

Vishnu-Katyayani samvada

Post author By gaudiya
Post date April 25, 2019

(Bivas raga – tripadi)

Text 261
Bole pahun lahun bole, naha devi utrole
Eki haye tor vyavahar
Tor maya bondhe andha, shakala samsara khanda
Tenyi sristi achhoye amar

Translation –
Lord Narayana spoke in a sweet voice ,’ O goddess do not be in ignorance. What you wish shall definitely happen. The ropes of your illusion has kept everyone in this material world blinded. I create this material world through you’.

Purport –
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita :

mayadhyaksena prakritih
suyate sa characharam
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate

O son of Kunti, this material nature is working under My direction, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings accordingly. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.

Chaitanya Mangala Sutra Khanda Glorifications of Sri Chaitanya

Gauranga and Krishna – Lord Krishna reveals the form of Gauranga

Post author By gaudiya
Post date April 21, 2019

adisaptagram uddharana thakura gauranga

(Dhanashi Raga – Madhya chhanda)

Oki aare oki aare haya (refrain)
Heno adbhuta katha , sravana mangala nama
Ara shuno gauraguna gatha

Translation –
O! O! O! O! Such wonderful amazing pastimes. Please hear the auspicious holy names of the Lord, please listen more of Lord Gauranga’s glories.

Chaitanya Mangala Sutra Khanda Radha Krishna

Lotus feet of Krishna and its Power | Rukmini, Krishna and Radha

Post author By gaudiya
Post date April 21, 2019

Rukmini devi recites the glories of Krishna’s lotus feet and how devotees headed by Radha rani treasure them

dhameshwar Mahaprabhu lotus feet of Krishna

(All glories to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna !!!)

Text 64-65
Bole devi Rukmini , shuno prabhu gunamani
Chitte na bhabio kichhu aan
Ja laagi kandiye aami, se katha na jano tumi
Ara jata jata saba gyan
Tuya charana kamale, ki achhe katek bol-e
Bhalo na janoho tumi iha
E pada amara ghare, chadiya jabe anyatare
Ta laagi kandiye mor hiya

Translation –
Rukmini devi said,’O Lord (Krishna) , who is a jewel of virtues, please listen to Me. You cannot feel it in Your heart the reason why I am weeping. You do not know this, although everything else is known to You.You do not properly know the power of Your lotus feet. This same lotus feet will eventually leave my house and go somewhere else – this is why my heart cries’

Medinipur and surroundings Vaishnava acharyas

Rasikananda Murari – Life and pastimes | Sripat Gopiballavpur

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 10, 2019

rasikananda gopiballavpur

Sri Rasikananda Murari was born in the city of Rohini, which was then part of the kingdom of Mallabhum. He was born on a Sunday, the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartika, in the year 1590 AD. It was the time of Dipavali and lamps had illuminated the entire city. All the auspicious planets had converged at the time of his birth. Sri Acyuta Mahasaya, the King of Mallabhum, and Bhavani Devi became the fortunate parents of Sri Rasikananda Murari, who was an eternal associate of the Lord Caitanya. In this article we are going to discuss about Rasikananda’s childhood, devotional life, widespread preaching and the enchanting pastimes of Gopiballavpur. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ offers millions of humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Rasikananda Murari, the mere contemplation upon whose life and pastimes, evokes within one, the pure ecstatic love of God.

Rasikendra pada dvandvam , vande parama mangalam
Sarva madhurya sharanam , asharam paramotsava
–
I worship the lotus feet of Rasikendra (Sri Rasikananda) , who is the reservoir of all sweetness and the highest joy

The Kingdom of Utkala, which then stretched from modern-day Orissa and included the provinces of Bankura, Purulia, and Medinipur in Bengal, was largely inhabited by impious people in those days. These people used to attack anyone who sang the holy names of Lord Hari. They used to attack and rob sages who meditated within the forests. Whenever they would see Vaishnavas, they would immediately attack them, and push them out of their villages. The devotees of Utkala would always pray to Lord Krishna, to bestow His causeless mercy upon these sinners and bless them with the understanding of absolute truth. Lord Krishna, who is bhakta-vatsala, listened to these prayers, and sent His dear servant, Rasikananda, to widely preach and deliver the land of Utkala.

Glorifications of Sri Chaitanya

Gauranga Prema (love) – The essence of Bhakti (devotion)

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 14, 2018

An Excerpt from our Book – Sri Chaitanya Mangala (Sutra Khanda)

Yata yata avatara saba haite sar
Kabhu nahi dekhi heno premar bhandar
Safal janam din, safal nayan
Ki dekhilun Gaura rupa , prasanna bayan
(Chaitanya Mangala , 2.121-122)

Translation –
(Narada muni says) ‘Of all the Lord’s incarnations , Lord Gauranga is the best. I have never ever seen such a reservoir of pure ecstatic love. My life has become successful, my eyes have borne fruit, as today I have been able to behold the beautiful form of Lord Gauranga with His pleasant, blissful, smiling face’.

Sri Chaitanya Mangala is an expression of Sri Locana das Thakura’s transcendental ecstasy. It is a spontaneous outflow of the intense feelings of love and devotion he possesses for Lord Gauranga, the supreme personality of Godhead. 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.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had appeared in this world out of His causeless mercy to establish the yuga dharma of congregational chanting of the names ,glories and pastimes of the supreme Lord (Himself).

Krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam sangopangastra-parshadam,yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah
(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.5.32)

– In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead (Gauranga) who constantly sings the holy name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, weapons , servants, and confidential companions.

Lord Chaitanya had descended to flood this world and its people with an intense ecstasy of love of God, that shall be instrumental in mitigating all sufferings and elevating one to the state of ultimate perfection. This was one of the primary reasons why Lord Gauranga had appeared in this world (500 years ago, 1486 AD). The mood and mission of Lord Chaitanya has been summarized in the below verses :