Snana Yatra Booklet

Çré Jagannätha Mahä-Bhäva-Prakäça

His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja‘ - --

The History of Lord Jagannatha’s

Snana-YatraMaha-Bhava-Prakasa

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Snäna-YäträÇré Jagannätha Mahä-Bhäva-Prakäça

His Divine Grace Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja

An evening lecture by His Divine Grace Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja, given on the 23rd June 1994, in Towaco, USA. (Little or no editing done.)

TATTVA VICARA PUBLICATIONS

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Snäna-YäträÇré Jagannätha Mahä-Bhäva-Prakäça

I am very happy to come here and meet you all on this auspi-cious full moon day, Lord Jagannätha’s snäna-yäträ, bathing ceremony. Jagannätha takes a public bath today. You might

have seen in Jagannätha Puré, how Jagannätha, Baladeva and Subhadrä are sitting and taking a public bath on this day. Why does He take a public bath on this day? What is the occasion? Does anyone know?

Devotee: It is His appearance day.

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Today is Jagannätha’s birthday. Ja-gannätha is Kåñëa. Kåñëa’s birthday is in the month of Bhädrava, that is añöami, the eighth day of the dark fortnight, Kåñëäñöami. Jagannätha is Kåñëa so how is it Jagannätha’s birthday? That is another question.

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Devotee: Jagannätha is a manifestation of Kåñëa.

Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Jagannätha manifested on this day. Jagannätha is carved out of wood so Jagannätha, Balade-va and Subhadra appear in wooden forms today, three logs of wood. He appears in that form today. This is His birthday. It is mentioned in the Skanda Puräëa. So on this day He takes a public bath. Rathayäträ, the car festival will come after fifteen days. Jagannätha will be painted nicely, then Jagannätha gives darçana in His fresh color and young appearance, known as na-va-yauvana veça. Then after 15 days from today, Rathayäträ will take place. So this is the birthday. Then next question comes. Why?

From this day we should offer prayers to Lord Jagannätha, beg for His mercy. So I will recite Jagannätha’s prayer, praëäma. You will all repeat and you will get the mercy of Jagannätha.

Çré Jagannätha Praëäma

deva deva jagan-nätha prapannärti vinäçana

trähi mäà puëòarékäkña patitaà bhava-sägare

“O God of gods! O Jagannätha, the Lord of the Universe! Please destroy this great distress that has overcome me! O


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Lotus-eyed One! Please deliver this fallen soul from the ocean of material existence!” (Skanda Puräëa)

namas te jagadädhärajagad-ätman namo’stu te

kaivalya triguëätétaguëäïjana namo’stu te

“I offer my obeisances unto You, the support of the uni-verse. To You, the very soul of the universe, I humbly bow. You are situated above the three material qualities and the impersonal brahman as well, yet You are decorated with wonderful transcendental qualities. To You I offer my re-spectful obeisances.” (Skanda Puräëa)

karuëämåta päthodhisudhämne namo namaù

dénoddhäraika guhyäyakåpä-päthodhaye namaù

“O You wùo are an ocean of nectarean compassion and whose abode is most attractive, I offer my obeisances unto You again and again! You are the sole uplifter and deliv-erer of the fallen souls, but how you do this no one can understand. O ocean of mercy, I offer you my respectful obeisances!” (Skanda Puräëa)

pariträhi jagan-näthadéna-bandho namo’stu te

nistérno ‘haà bhavämbodhiàpräpya tvaà taraëéà sukhäm

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“O Lord Jagannätha, please rescue me! O friend of the fallen, I offer my obeisances unto You! Please deliver me from this vast material ocean! Obtaining Your lotus feet I will become supremely happy.” (Skanda Puräëa)

Jaya Jagannätha!

Çré Baladeva Praëäma

Now we will offer praëäma to Baladeva:

namas te tu hala-gräma namas te muñaläyudha

namas te revaté-känta namas te bhakta-vatsala

“Obeisances to You, O holder of the plow! Obeisances to You, O wielder of the mace! Obeisances to You, O beloved of Revaté! Obeisances to You, who are very kind to Your devotees!” (Skanda Puräëa)

namas te balinäà çreñöhanamas te dharaëé-dhara

pralambäre namas te tuträhi mäà kåñëa-pürvaja


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“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Balaräma, the best of the strong and the support of the earth. Obei-sances unto You, O enemy of Pralamba! Please deliver me, O elder brother of Kåñëa!” (Skanda Puräëa)

Jaya Baladevajé ki jaya!

Çré Subhadrä Praëäma

Now we will offer praëäma to Subhadrä Devé:

devé tvaà viñëu mäyäpi mohayanti caräcaram

håt padmäsana sansthäsi viñëu-bhävänusäriëé

“O Devé, You are Lord Viñëu’s mäyä, and as such you cause the bewilderment of all moving and non-moving liv-ing entities in the universe. Situated on the lotus seat of Your heart is great loving devotion to Lord Viñëu.” (Skanda Puräëa)

jaya devé bhakti-dätripraséda-parameçvari

jaya devé subhadre tvaàsarveñäà bhadra-däyiné

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“All glories to You, the bestower of bhakti! You are fa-mous as the supreme controller. All glories to You, Sub-hadrä Devé, the giver of auspiciousness to one and all.” (Skanda Puräëa)

Subhadräjé ki jaya!

Çré Sudarçana Praëäma

Now we will offer praëäma to Sudarçana-cakra:

sudarçana mahä-jvälakoöi-surya-sama-prabhä

ajnäna-timirändhänäàvaikuëöhäbdha pradarçaka

“O, Sudarçana! Your great effulgence is as brilliant as millions of suns! You dispel the darkness of ignorance and thus reveal the path to the eternal world of Vaikuntha.”

namas te nitya vilasadvaiñëavästra-niketana

avärya-véryaà yad rüpaàviñëos tat praëamämy aham

“I offer my obeisances unto the brightly shining Sudar-


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çana Cakra, which never fails to offer all protection to the Vaiñëavas. I humbly bow before Lord Viñëu’s weapon of ir-resistable strength.”

Sudarçanajé ki jaya!Jagannätha, Baladeva, Subhadrä-devé, Sudarçana, ki jaya!

Why are They in this Form?

Jagannätha is Kåñëa. Jagannätha, Balaräma and Their sister Subhadrä, why do They have these forms with big, big dilated eyes, and hands and legs shrunken? Why is it? Does anybody know why Öhey are in this form? What is it? Why this mahä-bhäva form? Why mahä-bhäva?

Devotee: It is Kåñëa feeling separation from Rädhäräëé.Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Kåñëa feels separation. What hap-pened to Balaräma and Subhadrä? (devotees laugh) Why are They in that form?

Devotees: We were hearing a story.Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: What story?

Devotee: a story in Våndävana.Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Äre bäbä! Why is He carved like that? That is what you should understand. Why that form came out.

Devotee: It is an unfinished form.Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Why is it unfinished? Why in that form?

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Devotee: Because the king promised that…Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Äre, that is not the reason (devo-tees laugh). Everything takes place by the will of the Lord, so why will the Lord appear in that form? They are not finished, the king promised, these are external things, they are external, bähya, bähya. You should understand what is the real cause?

Kåñëa’s Heart is in Vrajabhümi

Kåñëa left Vrajabhümi, came to Mäthura, then went to Dvärakä and married more than sixteen thousand wives. They are all serving Him very nicely, still Kåñëa is not happy. He is just staying there physically, but His mind, heart, everything is in Vrajabhümi with the damsels of Vrajabhümi, especially Räd-häräëé, with His father and mother, Nanda and Yaçodä, with the very dear cowherd boys. They are very dear. Though the queens are serving Him, still, sometimes Kåñëa while sleeping, deliri-ously He is calling: Rädhe, Rädhe, Rädhe, Rädhe. Gopé, gopé, gopé.” The queens are thinking, “What is this? We are taking so much care of Kåñëa. Why is our most beloved husband thinking like this? And while sleeping, in a dream he is uttering: ‘Rädhe, Rädhe, gopé, gopé, like a delirious madman. Who are they?”

His Queens’ Love is Mixed

They don’t know, and they have no access to Vrajabhümi be-cause they are aiçvarya-mayé, full of opulence. Vrajabhümi-lélä, vraja-lélä is mädhurya-mayé-lélä, very sweet transcendental lélä, there is no question of aiçvarya, opulence. The aiçvarya is cov-ered up with mädhurya in Vrajabhümi, whereas in Mathurä and Dvärakä, mädhurya is covered up with aiçvarya. So the queens,


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Rukmiëé, Satyabhämä, Jämbavaté, so many wives have no access there. They are aiçvarya-mayé not mädhurya mayé. The damsels of Vrajabhümi, and chief is Rädhäräëé, they are all mädhurya-mayé. Their love is not mixed with jïäna and aiçvarya, but it is pure love. But the love of the wives of Kåñëa in Dväräka is mixed with jïäna and aiçvarya, therefore not pure. When jïäna and aiçvarya are mixed, then préti-saìkucita, the love becomes shrunken.

Vraja-Lélä is Intoxicating

So the queens wanted to know the reason, why sometimes when Kåñëa is sleeping He is uttering ‘Rädhe, Rädhe, gopé, gopé, so they asked Rohiëé Mätä, “Mother, please tell us why Kåñëa is always thinking like that? We are taking so much care.”

Mother Rohiëé said, “O, vraja-lélä is such sweet mädhurya-mayé-lélä, so nectarian, intoxicating, sweet lélä. How can I de-scribe it? It is such a lélä, if I speak about it, it is so attractive even Kåñëa and Balaräma will be attracted.

“Yes, please tell us. We have no access, we cannot go there, at least we will hear about it. We cannot take part in the räsa dance, we are deprived of that.” In this way they requested Mother Rohiëé. Rohiëé agreed, “All right.”

Subhadrä Barred the Entrance

In the big hall more than 16 000 wives assembled, Mother Rohiëé said, “I will tell you, but there is one condition. This lélä is so attractive Kåñëa and Balaräma will be attracted. If They come here everything will finish, I cannot speak. So one of you should stay at the door and keep guard. If she sees Kåñëa and

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Balaräma coming she will indicate to me and I will stop speak-ing.” They are all are interested in hearing so who will guard the door? They requested Subhadrä, “All right, Subhadrä, you go and guard there.” Subhadrä went to the doorway and stretched out her arms sideways, barring the entrance.

Subhadrä Could Not Indicate to Rohiëé

Rohiëé Mother began narrating the intoxicating story. Every-one was hearing with concentrated attention. Subhadrä, stand-ing guard at the door is hearing vraja-lélä kähäëé. When she became ecstatic her hands and legs retracted into the body, her eyes dilated. In the meantime Kåñëa and Balaräma came, and Subhadrä already intoxicated couldn’t indicate to Rohiëé. So Kåñëa and Balaräma came as Jagannätha or Kåñëa, on one side, and Balaräma on the other, They heard Rohiëé speaking, ‘Oh! Vraja-lélä, so sweet!’ Kåñëa is always thinking of Vrajabhümi. Then all of them became ecstatic, Their hands and legs shrank into their body their eyes became dilated, then the three forms, Jagannätha, Subhadrä, Baladeva standing there.

This Form Should Appear and Be Worshipped

In the meantime Närada came. From a distance Närada saw these three ecstatic forms, mahä-bhäva-prakäça. As Närada came nearer those forms vanished, and their natural legs and hands came out. Närada said, “I saw this form! I already saw these forms! My request is that this form should appear and be worshipped.” That is Jagannätha, Balabhadra, Subhadrä in that ecstatic form. That was Närada’s request.


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Acute Pangs of Separation

Kåñëa is always thinking of Rädhäräëé, feeling acute pang of separation from Rädhä and the gopés in Vrajabhümi. In Vrajab-hümi Rädhäräëé and all gopés are feeling acute pangs of separa-tion from Kåñëa Sometimes Kåñëa faints, becomes unconscious. In Vrajabhümi, the same thing happened, Rädhäräëé fainted, unconscious. Kåñëa here fainted, unconscious, feeling acute pangs of separation from Rädhä and Rädhäräëé is feeling acute pangs of separation from Kåñëa.

One day it happened, Kåñëa fainted and fell down uncon-scious. His consciousness is not coming back. What is to be done? By the arrangement of providence Närada Muni and Ud-dhava came there. Närada and Uddhava are very dear to Kåñëa, they know everything, they are all-knowing personalities, Nära-da Muni and Uddhava said, “Kåñëa fainted thinking of Räd-häräëé, feeling acute pangs of separation from Rädhä, therefore Kåñëa’s condition is like this.

How to Bring Back Kåñëa’s Consciousness?

This is a wonderful mysterious lélä that Kåñëa is now going to manifest. Kåñëa is lélä -puruñottama, so a wonderful lélä He is going to manifest. Still they are all in anxiety, how to bring back consciousness to Kåñëa? They are anxious. Meanwhile Balarä-ma came, the three of them are there, Balaräma, Närada and Uddhava, discussing the problem, how to bring back Kåñëa’s consciousness. They came to the conclusion that Närada Muni should sing and play his véëä. Kåñëa will hear vraja-lélä and He will regain His consciousness. That is the clue. All three came

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to this conclusion. Närada said, “I can do it but there is one danger.”“What danger?” “As soon as Kåñëa regains His consciousness, wakes up, He won’t wait. He’ll get up and run very quickly to Vrajabhümi, yes, I know it, this will happen. So my request is that we tell Däruka to keep the chariot ready.” Däruka is Kåñëa’s charioteer. “Tell Däruka that as soon as Kåñëa wakes up, He will certainly run, so let the chariot be ready.”

Uddhava’s Apprehension

Then Uddhava, thinking very deeply said: “Yes, you are cor-rect, but from what I understand, the vraja-gopés, Rädhäräëé es-pecially, are feeling acute pangs of separation from Kåñëa, their condition now in Vrajabhümi is grave, they are in a dying con-dition and they are all very, very weak. If Kåñëa goes there and sees them in this condition He won’t be able to tolerate it. The condition there will be so precarious I feel that we will not get Kåñëa back.” Uddhava said like that.

Närada said, “O Uddhava, you are Kåñëa’s messenger. Kåñëa sent you to Vrajabhümi as a messenger, düta, carrying His mes-sage of love, so I am saying that you should go ahead to Vra-jabhümi and inform all vrajaväsés that Kåñëa is coming from Dvärakä, that He has just started His journey, He will reach there soon.”

Hearing this Uddhava became morose and said: “All right Näradajé, whatever you say, I accept your order on my head be-cause you are a most elevated person. I have no objection, but I do have one apprehension.”“What is that?”


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“You might all know this, that when Kåñëa sent me from Mäthura carrying His message of love to the vrajaväsés, I went to Vrajabhümi and stayed there for three months. I went there to give them consolation, but what consolation could I give them? They are feeling so acute pangs of separation from Kåñëa and always crying for Kåñëa. If someone is crying, his friends will come and ask him, “Hey, why are you crying?” “O, my wife died.” “O, your wife died? Yes, that is natural, your wife died. It is a temporary relationship. Everything in the material world is temporary, why are you crying, lamenting?’ But what consola-tion can I give them? How can I say, ‘Don’t cry for Kåñëa?’ That will be a great aparädha, a great offence on my part. We have a perfect, eternal, loving relationship with Kåñëa. It is not a tem-porary or material relationship. When every material relation-ship breaks, we give consolation. What consolation can I give the vrajaväsés? I have no language. How can I say ‘don’t cry’? Rather my heart says to tell them, ‘Cry more! Cry more! Cry more!” If you want to cry, cry for Kåñëa. Mahäprabhu is teach-ing this. Mahäprabhu, feeling acute pang of separation is crying for Kåñëa. He is in rädhä-bhäva.

“So I couldn’t do anything. I said, ‘All right, all right, I am going back. I will tell Kåñëa everything and I will request Him, ‘Please, go immediately to Vraja.’” “I gave these words to them, but Kåñëa has not yet gone, not yet gone. If after this long in-terval I go there and again tell them that Kåñëa is coming, they won’t have any faith in my words. Rather they will say, ‘You are a liar! You are a liar! You are liar! You told us you would send Kåñëa immediately. Kåñëa had not come, and now again you are saying?’ No, they won’t put faith in my words.” Uddhava said like that. “They’ll all chastise me and call me bad names. So how can I go?”

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Balaräma’s Heart Broke

Balaräma was hearing everything. Then Närada and Uddhava requested, “Balaräma Prabhu, please, You go. You go,” Balarä-ma’s heart is cracking. He said, “Näradajé, you see, I would have gone to Vraja. I would not have waited for that time. I would have gone to Vraja, but you think very deeply, your Prabhu Kåñëa only says, ‘Yes, I’ll go, I’ll go, I’ll go, I’ll go, I’ll go,’ but He is not going. He is only saying He will go but He is not going. I saw that Kåñëa is not going. Then I went to Vraja.” Balaräma said, “I went to give them consolation. I stayed there for three months. I told them, ‘Please don’t lament. Have patience, Kåñëa is com-ing, Kåñëa is coming.’ I also told them like that, but they are like fish out of water. Kåñëa is their life, and their life has gone out. Now they are all feeling acute pangs of separation. They are in such a condition, that they are dying. I could see very well that without the presence of Kåñëa their condition cannot improve, so they are all in a dying condition. Only Kåñëa’s presence will bring back their life, otherwise, in such a condition there is no hope. I especially went to Mother Yaçodä and touched her feet. I said, ‘Mother, please don’t lament. I am going back to Dvärakä. As soon as I reach Dvärakä I will request Kåñëa to come here im-mediately.’ I also told them like you. ‘I will make all the arrange-ments and I will send Kåñëa immediately. Please have patience.’ I told Kåñëa to go immediately to Vrajabhümi. I requested Kåñëa many times. Kåñëa said, ‘Yes, yes, I will go, I will go.’ but He is not going. I told Him, ‘O my brother Kåñëa, stop all Your work here and immediately go to Vraja because You are the life of the vrajaväsés. They are dying, their life is leaving them.’ Previ-ously, whatever I had told Kåñëa, immediately He accepted, but this request He has not accepted up to now. He is only saying,


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‘Yes, I’ll go, I’ll go.’ How can I go again? What shall I tell Mother Yaçodä? How can I show my face to Mother Yaçodä? What will Mother Yaçodä think of Me? Tell me.” Saying this thing Balarä-ma started crying. He felt so deeply for them, His heart broke.

Subhadrä Will Go to Vrajabhümi

At that time Subhadrä came. “Hey! Don’t think so much. I will go to Vrajabhümi. I am a woman, näri api, so I will go to Mother Yaçodä, sit on her lap and wipe away the tears from her eyes with my säré, then I will tell her, ‘O my mother, Kåñëa is coming, we have made the arrangements for Kåñëa’s coming. We have come ahead. Kåñëa is a bit late but He is coming along the road with many kings. There are many ladies and gentle-men, they have decorated the gates to welcome Kåñëa. I have come ahead to inform you.’ “I’ll tell like that. ‘He’s a bit late, but still coming. I came to give you this message. Have patience, don’t cry, don’t be so upset, don’t be in such anxiety.’ “Then I’ll go to the gopés and then tell them, ‘Kåñëa is coming, He is a bit late. You should know, the male persons, they are a little crooked. But we women, we are very simple, but the males are a little crooked.’ “When speaking as a woman, my sisters will put faith in my words. So now engage yourselves in giving a nice welcome to Kåñëa, arranging a big festival.’ “I will organise them to be engaged so that they will give up crying, give up la-menting.” When Subhadrä finished speaking, Närada, Uddhava and Balaräma agreed, “O yes, this is nice, this is a very good proposal.”

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Why Would Subhadrä Go Alone?

Baladeva has love and affection for Vrajabhümi. Think-ing seriously Balaräma said, “Why will Subhadrä go alone? I’ll also go.” So the two chariots came, one for Balaräma and one for Subhadrä. Therefore, in Rathayäträ, Baladeva’s chariot goes first, then Subhadrä’s chariot goes next, and Jagannätha’s chariot comes last. Now Balaräma said, “I’ll go with My sister, Subhadrä.” Then three chariots were decorated. Uddhava and Närada said, “You both, brother and sister, Baladeva and Sub-hadrä go, we will make arrangements to send Kåñëa after you go. We are giving our word.”

Kåñëa Drank the Mellow of Radha-Prema

Balaräma and Subhadrä climbed up on their chariots and the wheels started rolling. As the wheels of their chariots rolled for-ward Närada Muni started to sing vraja-lélä, prema-lélä, mäd-hurya-lélä kértana with his vinä-tantra. As soon as that kértana entered Kåñëa’s ears immediately His consciousness returned, He jumped up and stood in tri-bhaìga bhaìgi, three places curved, “Hey! Where is My flute? Where is My flute? Who took My flute?” In Mäthura and Dvärakä there is no flute, only in Vrajabhümi there is a flute, and only in Vrajabhümi tri-bhaì-ga bhaìgi, Kåñëa is curved in three places, not in Mäthura or Dvärakä. Kåñëa is not like that. “O! Where is My flute? Where is My mohana-muralé? Who took it? Oh, this is the work of the gopés.” Saying this, “O gopés! O Rädhe!” He ran and ran. Kåñëa is mad now. He started running. Then He looked and saw Ud-dhava and Närada. Kåñëa is always thinking of Vrajabhümi, the gopés and Rädhäräëé. He has forgotten that He is in Dvärakä,


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so He is asking, “Where is My flute? The gopés have stolen it.” When He saw Uddhava, “Hey Uddhava! Why are you here in Vrajabhümi?” Then He saw Närada. “Äre! Närada? Why are you here in Vrajabhümi? ”Kåñëa has completely forgotten that He is in Dvärakä. He always thinks of Vrajabhümi. “Why are you both here?” Then Uddhava and Närada told Him: “O, our Lord, You will go to Vraja, we have already prepared Your chariot. Go and sit there! We have already prepared, ratha is prepared, “Please go and sit there.”

Kåñëa is always thinking of Rädhäräëé, like a mad man, as if He is intoxicated with liquor. Rädhä-prema-rasa, He has drunk the mellow of radha-prema, so He was intoxicated like a mad man. Both Närada and Uddhava helped this mätäla, mad man, Kåñëa and took Him into the ratha. He was so mad and saying “O, Rädhe, Rädhe!” In this condition He sat in the ratha. Then Närada and Uddhava told the driver to drive very speedily and Däruka drove the ratha at the speed of the wind, väyudeva.

Mahä-Bhäva-Prakäça

So in the meantime Subhadrä’s and Baladeva’s rathas already reached Vrajabhümi. Kåñëa’s ratha goes behind. This is Ra-thayäträ. Just thinking of Vrajabhümi Balaräma became ecstatic, that is mahä-bhäva-prakäça with his hands and legs shrunken, and eyes dilated. Because what the mood inside is, is externally visible. The visibility is that immediately the form changes. It is the mood inside, that bhava. Because there is no difference between deha [the body] and dehé [the embodied soul] for a conditioned soul it is different, deha and dehé, but Balaräma ’s deha and dehé is not different: what is inside, that is outside. So in that form Balaräma is with Jagannätha in Puré temple. In that

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form with eyes dilated, hands and legs shrunken, ecstatic mahä-bhäva and in the same condition is Subhadrä also, yes Subhadrä has the same condition. Subhadrä could not go to Mother Ya-çodä because of that ecstatic condition. Thinking of Vrajabhümi they developed that bhäva. This vraja-bhäva – vrajara-mädhu-réma, the sweetness of Vrajabhümi is vast like an ocean, now Balaräma and Subhadrä are drowning in that ocean of mädurya. This bhäva is mahä-bhäva-prakäça.

Rädhäräëé is in a Dying Condition

Then on the other side, what is the condition of Rädhäräëé? Rädhä is in a dying condition. There is doubt, is She really alive or has She died? All of the vrajaväsés, the inhabitants of Vrajab-hümi were in anxiety. ‘Rädhäräëé is almost dead. All Her sakhés, especially Her añöa-sakhés, very intimate sakhés were surround-ing Her not knowing what to do. “O, our dearest sakhé is in this condition.” Hanging their heads the añöa-sakhés were sit-ting there as if there is no life in them. They are also in a dy-ing condition, especially Lalitä and Viçäkhä, Rädhäräëés most intimate girl companions, and they were only just holding on, with some patience, and chanting, kåñëa-näma-kértana into Räd-häräëé’s ears: “Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare.” Sometimes they hold a piece of cotton under Rädhä’s nose to see whether Her breath is coming and Rädhäräëé is alive or dead, to see if the cotton shakes or not. There is very slow, very slow breathing. Such is Rädhäräëé’s condition. Rädhäräëé is lying in Her kuïja, nidhuvana-kuïja with Her head in Lalitä-sakhé’s hands.


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Ayana Ghosh is Ùer So-Called Husband

At that time Rädhäräëé’s so-called husband, Ayana Ghosh came. Her Real husband is Kåñëa. Ayana Ghosh is Ùer so-called husband. It is external only. Ayana Ghosh came to see Rädhäräné. He was crying and crying he touched the feet of Rädhäräëé, took some dust from Rädhäräëé’s feet and put it on his head, and said: “O, all-worshipable Rädhe! I have never touched Your body. I have no such fortune.” How can he touch Rädhäräëé’s body? Nobody else but Kåñëa can touch Rädhäräëés body. Ayana Ghosh said, “I have not touched Your body, I have no such fortune, but today I have had this opportunity to get some dust from Your feet, O Rädhe! My life is successful today, I got some dust from Your feet and put on my head. Today my life is successful.”

Kåñëa’s Desire to Relish Parakéyä-Rasa

“Everyone knows that I am Kätyäyané’s püjäré, and my wor-shipable Devé is Paurëamäsé. Paurëamäsé who is yoga-mäyä. “O Rädhe! In order to relish parakéyä-rasa, paramour love, Kåñëa has manifested this lélä.” This is Kåñëa’s lélä. No one can con-ceive of it. This is bhauma-lélä, vraja-lélä, parakéyä-rasa-lélä. In order to nourish that lélä Kåñëa relishes parakéyä-rasa. All the gopés and Rädhäräëé, they are wives of Kåñëa, but in Vrajab-hümi they are the wives of others. “Kåñëa’s desire is to relish parakéyä-rasa, paramour love. Therefore, to fulfill His desire Paurëamäsé-devé has manifested this lélä. Your real husband is Kåñëa and You are His wife. You are eternally husband and wife, but to fulfill Kåñëa’s desire to relish parakéyä-rasa, Paurëamäsé ordered Vånda-devé to perform our marriage ceremony. This is

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only external; it is not real. Kåñëa is Your real husband and You are His wife. You are the goddess of my heart. I married the chäyä, the shadow of Rädhäräëé, not the real Rädhäräëé. Now that You are in a dying condition, what will happen to us? Hav-ing spoken in this way, he cried out, “Today, let everyone know that I have married chäyä-Rädhä!” When this Rävaëa kidnapped Sétä. He could not kidnap the real Sétä; he kidnapped a shadow, chäyä-sétä, mäyä-sétä, illusory Sétä. Similarly this Ayana Ghosh married chäyä-rädhä, not real Rädhä. Rädhä is the real wife of Kåñëa. Kåñëa is Her real husband, rädhä-känta, rädhänätha.”

The Only Chaste Lady

Then came Kuöila, Ayana Ghosh’s sister. She is the sister-in-law of Rädhäräëé. Crying and shedding tears, Kuöila put her head on the lotus feet of Rädhäräëé. She took some dust from Rädhä’s lotus feet and put it on her head. Married ladies who are not widowed put vermilion on the parting of their hair, çinthi. So Kuöila put some dust from the lotus feet of Rädhä as vermil-ion on that çinthi.

“With a choked voice she said, “O Rädhe, I am very fortunate today. I got the opportunity to put some dust from Your lotus feet on my çinthi. Today I really became saté, a chaste lady. I had great pride. Yes, as great as a skyscraper, äkäça-cumbi. I was always proclaiming, ‘I am the only chaste lady. There are no other chaste ladies in Vrajabhümi. All are prostitutes.’ I used to say that and I have tried my best to prove that You are a great prostitute and that You have no chastity at all. Although You married my brother, You are always running to Kåñëa. So I have tried my best to prove that You are most unchaste and that I am the most chaste. You are going to that Kåñëa, disregarding Your


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husband. I had that pride, great pride, but Rädhe! You are all-worshipable! Kåñëa is the only husband of all the women in the world, sarva hi pati.”

Sannyäsa Fever

“But once a very mysterious thing happened. One day Kåñëa manifested a jvara-lélä, as if He was very sick with a high fever. Kåñëa was overcome with a disease, sannyäsa roga. ‘I will give up everything and take up sannyäsa.’ This fever had come. All were in anxiety, ‘How will it be cured? What is the medicine for You?’ ‘O yes. I know a medicine.’‘What is that medicine?’‘If there is some saté-sädhvé, a lady who is very chaste and pure, only she can supply the medicine. Let her go to the Yamunä carrying a pot that has hundreds of holes. If she can bring back some water from the Yamunä in that pot, and not a single drop of water falls down, then that is the medicine. If you put it on My body I will be cured of this fever.’”

Kuöila continued, “All decided that I was the most chaste lady. I was always beating drums and proclaiming, ‘I am the most chaste lady and all others are unchaste.’ So they said, ‘All right. Call her and give her that pot with hundreds of holes. Let her bring water from the Yamunä without spilling a single drop.’ But when I tried to do it, all the water poured out. That proved that I was not chaste at all.”

Kuöila admitted, “It was proved; my pride was completely crushed. That is why Kåñëa manifested such a jvara-lélä, to crush my pride.”

“Then Rädhäräëé was called. ‘Let us give that pot to Räd-

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häräëé. Let Her bring water.’ When Rädhäräëé went to the Ya-munä to fetch water, although the pot had hundreds of holes not a single drop fell out.”

Kutila continued, “So it was proved to the whole world that You are the real chaste lady, not I. Yogamäyä had created that lélä just to crush my pride. O Rädhe, my pride was crushed, but today I am very proud to have had the opportunity to take some dust from Your lotus feet. My life has become successful today.”

The Most Condemned Person

Then, from another direction, Candrävalé came running. She was followed by her sakhés headed by Çaibya. Candrävalé came and fell flat, putting her head on the lotus feet of Rädhäräëé. Washing the lotus feet of Rädhäräëé with the tears from her eyes, she said, “Rädhe, I am kalaìkiëé, I am the most condemned per-son in Vrajabhümi. It is not You who are condemned, but I.”In Vraja, everyone is condemning Rädhäräëé. Rädhäräëé says, “ko vä na yäti yamunä pulina vane rädhä näme kalaìkapavada”— “Who is not going to the Yamunä to fetch water? But if I go, then I become a prostitute.”

Everyone says, “O, She is a prostitute. On the plea of fetching water She went to the Yamunä only to mix with Kåñëa.”

Who is not going to the Yamunä to fetch water? Everyone is going, but when Rädhä goes, suddenly She becomes a prosti-tute.

They accuse Rädhäräëé in this way, but Candrävalé said, “No, I am condemned. You are not condemned; O Rädhäräëé. Sri Kåñëa is Your real husband. You are leftist, so sometimes Kåñëa goes to my kuïja just to increase Your leftist mood. That is my good fortune. In that way I am related to You. Today I am very


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fortunate that I could put my head at Your lotus feet, O Räd-häräëé. Though I am very eager to fulfill the desires of Kåñëa, still, I am most distressed and condemned. I have become a cause of taking Kåñëa away from You. Kåñëa is Your husband. Sometimes Kåñëa goes to my kuïja, but He is not happy with me. He is only happy with You. Even in dreams, He only thinks of You. He never thinks of me.”

It is said that while Kåñëa is with Candrävalé, He thinks of as-sociating with Rädhä. He never thinks of Candrävalé. He never gets such pleasure or happiness when He is with her.

Candrävalé said, “This is all lélä created by yogamäyä. Yo-gamäyä has made everyone dance here in Vrajabhümi. And, for the pleasure of Kåñëa, in whatever way she made us dance, we all danced. I know it very well. Everyone here is engaged in nourishing the lélä of Kåñëa, nothing else. But today I heard that You were in a dying condition. If You give up Your body then no one in this Vrajabhümi will survive, O Rädhe, not even a single animal. Everyone will die. Then Kåñëa will never come to Vrajabhümi. We will never see Kåñëa again. Please don’t die.” Candrävali said like that.

Kåñëa Appears in Nidhuvana

Just at that moment, Kåñëa’s chariot reached Vrajabhümi. As soon as Kåñëa arrived in Vraja, He jumped down from His chariot. Yogamäyä was manifesting another lélä. As if by provi-dential arrangement, Kåñëa appeared there in Nidhuvana where Rädhäräëé was lying as if dead. Kåñëa ran there, and from His mouth the words were coming, “rädhe, rädhe, dehi-pada-palla-vam udäram”,— “O Rädhe! O Rädhe! Please give Me Your lo-tus feet. I want to put them on My head.” Kåñëa is shouting in

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that way. Such a wonderful lélä was manifest. Kåñëa, feeling the acute pangs of separation from Rädhäräëé, became completely ecstatic. His hands and legs were pushed into the body. He be-came like a tortoise. This is the form of Jagannätha. With big dilated eyes He was only gazing at Rädhäräëé, who was lying there in the kuïja as if dead. Seeing Her condition, He lost His consciousness and fell to the ground. In that form He is feeling the acute pangs of separation from Rädhä. That is the form of Jagannätha, rädhä-bhäva sindhure bhäsamäna, as if He is a log of wood floating in the ocean of rädhä-bhäva.

Kåñëa in a Tortoise-Like Form

The wind was blowing over the transcendental body of Kåñëa. When that wind touched the body of Rädhäräëé, who was just about to die, it acted like a soothing balm. Rädhäräëé’s life returned immediately. In a very sweet voice, Çrémati Lalita whispered in the ear of Rädhäräëé, “Kåñëa has come.” When She heard this, Rädhäräëé gradually opened Her eyes to see Her präëa-vallabha, most beloved Kåñëa. This was the medicine by which She regained Her life and got up. Now She has forgotten everything. All the pangs of separation have completely gone.

Kåñëa is still unconscious in this tortoise-like form. Seeing Kåñëa in this condition, Çrémati Rädhika gave direction to Her priya-sakhé, Viçäkhä, “Please help Kåñëa.” Viçäkhä knows what medicine to apply. In a very sweet voice she started to chant the name, “Rädhe, Rädhe, Rädhe,” in the ears of Kåñëa. Hearing this, Kåñëa regained His consciousness and opened His eyes. Kåñëa looked at Rädhäräëé and Rädhäräëé looked at Çyämasundara, Kåñëa. Eye-to-eye union. Then everyone forgot the past condi-tion. Where is Dväräka? Where are Kåñëa’s pangs of separation?


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And where is Çrémati Rädhäräëé’s viraha? All these things have now gone. This is the union of Rädhä and Kåñëa in Nidhuvana-kuïja.

Nidhuvana-kuïja is where niça-lélä, the night pastimes of Rädhä and Kåñëa, take place. So the sakhés arranged a nice bed and Rädhä and Kåñëa spent the night together. Then brahma-muhürta came, 4:00 p.m. A cuckoo bird produced a very sweet sound, cooh! cooh! indicating that dawn had come. “Get up! Get up! Get up! Rädhä and Kåñëa, get up!” The Divine Couple awoke. Kåñëa is standing in His three-fold bending form, çyä-masundara tri-bhaìga. He is dressed in a yellow dhoti with a pea-cock feather in His hair. Kåñëa is playing on His flute, producing sweet sounds, and on His left side stands Rädhäräëé, dressed in a blue sari. Lalitä-sundaré is offering païca-pradépa ärati. Viçäkhä is singing nice kértana of the union of Rädhä and Kåñëa, yugala-mahimä kértana. Some other sakhés are playing mådäìga, some karatäla, and others are playing the véëä. Maìgala-ärati is going on; such beautiful, nectarean union after separation. Kåñëa is casting His glance at Rädhäräëé. And through Her eyes, Räd-häräëé is drinking the sweet honey coming from the lotus-like face of Kåñëa. Both of Them are sitting on an effulgent jewelled throne, dévyaratna-siàhäsana.

Viçäkhä started. All the narma-sakhés came, they joined, kér-tana was there, all pangs of separation gone, now milana, now there is union after viraha, and after union again viraha, Union after viraha, again viraha after union. This is such a nice won-derful mädhurya-mayé lélä in Vrajabhümi.

I am Always With You

So Kåñëa is looking at the lotus-like face of Rädhäräëé, cast-ing glance, casting glance in crooked way, crooked way. Kåñëa

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is very crooked person, crooked way, thereby shooting arrows, madana, Cupid’s arrow and that pierces the heart of Rädhäräëé, pierces the heart of Rädhäräëé, and at the same time also Kåñëa is relishing, the madhu, honey emanating from the lotus-like face of Rädhä. There’s honey in the lotus flower, yes, and now both Rädhä and Kåñëa sitting on a transcendental golden throne, divya-çréngañana, you understand? At that time Kåñëa says, “O Rädhe! In tattva there is no separation between Yourself and Myself. Where is separation? There is no separation, In order to show Your vamya-bhäva, leftist mood, and raise it to the high-est level, I create such lélä, such separation. Otherwise in tattva there is no separation. You are always with Me, I am always with You, because Your love for Me is pure love. “Rädhe, Your love for Me is like a unlimited ocean and I want to drown in that ocean and enter into the core of Your heart. In order to reach such an ocean and to drown in that deep ocean I have assumed this form, Jagannätha. In this form I will stay eternally in Çré-kñetra.”

Rädhä-Prema Sägara

This is Jagannätha-vigraha, rädhä-viraha-vidhura, Kåñëa feel-ing intense separation from Rädhä. In the form of a log of wood, He is floating in the ocean of rädhä-bhäva which is in the heart of Rädhäräëé. So in order to do that I remain in Jagannätha Pu-ré-dhäma, Néläcala-kñetra in this form, tortoise form: big, big eyes, hands and legs pushed up. In that form I will remain there in Jagannätha Puré-dhäma. That is rädhä-viraha-vidhura-rüpa, feeling pangs of separation from Rädhä and become so ecstatic, mahä-bhäva, just drowning in the rädhä-prema sägara. That is the form of Jagannätha. “Assuming Your sentiment and com-


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plexion, I will also stay in there in the form of Çré Kåñëa Cait-anya in that Puré Kñetra.”

Jagannätha is Kåñëa but rädhä-viraha vidhura, feeling acute pangs of separation from Rädhä, Caitanya is Kåñëa feeling acute pangs of separation from Kåñëa, rädhä-viraha vidhura and kåñëa-viraha vidhura. Two are there. Why òid Mahäprabhu go there after taking up sannyäsa? Mahäprabhu is in rädhä-bhäva, always crying for Kåñëa. The same mood Rädhäräëé feels, same mood. Feeling acute pangs of separation from Kåñëa, yes, it is rädhä-bhäva.

Vipralambha-Kñetra

Kåñëa in the form of Caitanya Mahäprabhu is kåñëa-viraha vidhura. Kåñëa in the form of Jagannätha is rädhä-viraha vid-hura. Both are there, meeting in Jagannätha Puré-kñetra. Jagan-nätha is crying for Rädhä, and Mahäprabhu is crying for Kåñëa. When They meet they see, “O, My präëa-vallabha.” Jagannätha showed His Çyämasundara form to Caitanya Mahäprabhu be-cause He is in rädhä-bhäva. Then Mahäprabhu says, “He is My präëa-vallabha.” Jagannätha is rädhä-viraha vidhura and Cait-anya is kåñëa-viraha vidhura. Both viraha-vidhuras are there. So Jagannätha Kñetra is vipralambha-kñetra, the mood of feel-ing pangs of separation. Kåñëa says, “I will appear there in that form, and I will also be in the form of Mahäprabhu, accepting Your mood, O Rädhäräëé. With Your complexion, feeling pangs of separation from Kåñëa, and Jagannätha, feeling pangs from Rädhä, I will take My brother Balaräma and sister Subhadrä with Me, because They helped Me in this meeting in Vrajabhümi. Therefore I will appear in this form with My brother Balaräma and sister Subhadrä.”

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They Appear in the Form of Three Logs

Do you understand why this form has manifest? So we are all drowning in the rädhä-prema samudra, the ocean of rädhä-prema, and floating in that ocean of rädhä-prema are three logs. On this day Jagannätha, Baladeva, Subhadrä appear in the form of three logs, floating in the ocean of rädhä-prema. Today is that day, Snäna-yäträ day, the birthday of Jagannätha. Therefore there is a public bathing ceremony.

Jaya Jagannäthajé ki! Jaya!Jagannäthajé snäna-yäträ mahotsava ki! Jaya!

So this is the lélä. Mahäprabhu is the combined form of ra-sa-räja and mahä-bhäva-mayé, mädanäkhya-mahä-bhäva mayé Rädhä.

rasaräja-mahäbhäva eka-tanu haiyä näma-saìkértana rase jagat mätäiyä

hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare

I will remain there chanting Hare Kåñëa. I Myself will relish that prema-rasa, that nectarean loving mellow emanating from harinäma saìkértana and I will also distribute it to all fortunate jévas, those are very greedy for it. I will give them an opportu-nity to relish it. All of you vraja-gopés, gopas-gopés will be there taking part in My caitanya-lélä as My associates. All the vraja-gopas are gopés in male forms at that time, in caitanya-lélä. Räya Rämananda is Viçäkhä-sakhé, Svarüpa Dämodara Gosvämé is


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Lalitä-sakhé. In this way I will do My lélä, there in Jagannätha Puré-dhäma.

Thank you very much. Hare Kåñëa! Jaya Jagannätha! Jaya Mahäprabhu!

Questions & Answers

Why this form, and how is it? Why are they in Jagannätha Puré-dhäma? Why is Mahäprabhu taking sannyäsa? Why did He stay there? What is the reason behind it? This is the rea-son: Mahäprabhu is kåñëa-viraha-vidhura, Jagannätha is rädhä-viraha-vidhura. Jagannätha is crying for Rädhä, Mahäprabhu is crying for Kåñëa. They meet together. So Mahäprabhu went and stayed there. Jagannätha Kñetra is such a kñetra, it is vip-ralambha-kñetra. Both of Them are feeling pangs of separation, vipralambha, viraha, in vipralambha-kñetra.

Devotee: What is the difference between Jagannätha Puré and Våndävana?Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Jagannätha Kñetra is not different from Våndävana. This is viraha-vidhura: vipralambha-kñetra. Vipralambha-kñetra, is mentioned in the Vaiñëava-tantra:

mathurä dvärakä lélä yäh karoti ca gokulenilachala stitah kåñëastä eva carati prabhuù

“Whichever léläs Kåñëa does in Gokula, Mäthura and Dvärakä, He does the same léläs in Néläcala-kñetra.” It is mentioned in Vai-ñëava-tantra. Why is Mahäprabhu there? Why? Why is He there taking sannyäsa? Because it is vipralambha-kñetra. Mahäprabhu

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is kåñëa-viraha-vidhura, Jagannätha is rädhä-viraha-vidhura. They meet together. Mahäprabhu is crying for Kåñëa, Jagan-nätha is crying for Rädhä. When Jagannätha sees Mahäprabhu, “O Rädhä! My dear wife!” When Mahäprabhu sees Jagannätha and Jagannätha shows Him His beautiful Çyämasundara form, Mahäprabhu says, “O My präëa-vallabha! Lord of My life!” So, meeting together. This is Jagannätha. Come, visit Jagannätha-kñetra! Such Kñetra is very dear.

Devotee: Is Lord Nityänanda playing a special role?Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Yes. Nityänanda is Balaräma. Ja-gannätha says, “I am taking My brother and sister and I will stay there, because they helped Me in this lélä.” Nityänanda is Balaräma, yes, Baladeva.

balaräma haila nitäivrajendra-nandana yei,

çacé-suta haila sei,balaräma haila nitäi

Devotee: Lord Balaräma is the original guru?Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Yes.

Devotee: There are two statements: Balaräma is original guru, Rädhäräëé is also guru. Who is real ädi-guru?Çréla Gour Govinda Swami: Guru has two faces: he is the manifestation of Nityänanda Räma, and other face is rädhä-priya-sakhé. Two faces.

nikuïja-yüno rati-keli-siddhyaiyä yälibhir yuktir apekñaëéyä


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taträti-däkñyäd ati-vallabhasyavande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

That is rädhä-priya-sakhé. Guru is a very dear girl-companion of Rädhä. He is rädhä-priya-sakhé. The other face of guru is the manifestation of Nityänanda Räma. Baladeva has a plough in His hand and Kåñëa has a flute. Kåñëa and Balaräma, plow and flute, Why? Plow means plowing, deep cultivation of the kñetra, the field to take out the weeds and throw them away then the barren field will be a fertile field, then the bhakti-latä-béja will be sown. Baladeva’s plow is the first requirement, for cultivation.

Then Kåñëa’s flute, akarçaëa, attraction; karçaëa-akarçaëa. Karçaëa means cultivation, then akarçaëa, then Kåñëa’s flute will attract you. Otherwise, if it is not properly cultivated, Kåñëa’s flute cannot attract you. Both karçaëa and akarçaëa, Kåñëa and Balaräma, plow and flute. And, Kåñëa Balaräma tem-ple. Prabhupäda waited, waited for the appearance day of Ni-tyänanda Prabhu to install the cornerstone. Why did he wait? Now you understand? Yes, Kåñëa-Balaräma Mandir, yes, both are there. Rädhä-viraha-vidhura, Caitanya is there, Jagannätha is there, kåñëa-viraha-vidhura, Caitanya is there. Rädhä is com-ing, now we are constructing Rädhä-Gopénätha temple, we will install Rädhä-Gopénätha deities. Rädhä is coming now. Do you understand what that is? Thank you.

Prabhupädjé Mahäräja ki jaya!Samavetä bhakta-vånda ki jaya!

Jaya Jagannätha, Baladeva Subhadra Devé ki jaya!Jaya Çré Çacénandana Gaurahari ki jaya!

Gaura bhakta-vånda ki jaya!

Snana Yatra Booklet

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