FW: Ratha Yatra Festival held at Audarya

[Guest guest]

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S a n g a Thursday, August 15, 2002

 

Ratha Yatra Festival at Audarya

by Vrindaranya dasi

 

"On this day the Lord of the Universe is dragged down from his throne by

the force of his raga, or attachment. Just as we are degraded by our

material attachments and weakened by them, so too on the day of Ratha

Yatra, Jagannatha, weakened by his raga for the gopis of Vrindavana, is

made human-like, moving among the common people, accessible to all.

Contemplating this will help in no small measure to loosen the bonds of our

material raga and open the door to the highest spiritual prospect."

- Swami B.V. Tripurari

 

Inspired by the spirit of Ratha Yatra both in terms of its inner

significance and its outreach to all souls, Swami B.V. Tripurari hosted a

three-day festival at Audarya, his beautiful monastery in the California

redwoods. Invitees included members of several Gaudiya sects, including Sri

Caitanya Gaudiya Math's acarya B.V. Tirtha Maharaja and his sannyasa

disciple B.V. Visnu Maharaja, Iskcon's Radhanatha Swami, Jayadwaita Swami,

and Malatidevi, and Narasingha Caitanya Math's B.B. Visnu Maharaja. Eighty

devotees attended the festival, which culminated in Iskcon's San Francisco

(New Jagannatha Puri) Ratha Yatra.

 

The limited physical facilities at the monastery, which has yet to complete

its second and third phases of construction, were more than made up for by

the big hearts of the visitors and the deep insights of the speakers. The

panoramic vistas of Audarya underscored the nature of true sadhu sanga: the

association of real devotees breaks down the walls of unhealthy

sectarianism allowing one to glimpse the all-accommodating nature of Krsna

Consciousness, and it serves as a simple yet profound solution to the

perceived problems in our devotional lives.

 

The morning programs began at 5:00 AM with mangala arati, tulasi kirtan,

and the singing of Sri Visvantha Cakravarti's Guruvastakam in a small

temple room suited for no more than fifteen devotees. Somehow everyone

squeezed in, as Swami Tripurari sang Sri Gaura Mangala Mahima and the

devotees celebrated the spirit of Mahaprabhu's nisanta-lila in Navadwipa

dhama.

 

Throughout the festival Swami Tripurari sought to conceptually orient the

devotees in terms of Sri Gauracandra's lilas in Navadwipa and Puri. He

instructed us that we should think of ourselves as being in Navadwipa-dhama

and going not to San Francisco but Jagannatha Puri itself for the Ratha

Yatra festival. In his vision the peaks of the hills surrounding Audarya

represent the islands of Navadwipa, and the coastal fog the Ganges.

Gaura-Nityananda are here presiding over the dhama and devotees. But he

instructed us that although we were in Navadwipa, we were like the pious

souls who although desiring to enter Mahaprabhu's kirtan at Srivasa-angan,

were not qualified to do so. We had to go to Puri and follow the example

that Mahaprabhu set in terms of Harinama-sankirtana and his internal bhajan

in separation to gain entrance into his lila-kirtana at the house of

Srivasa Thakura that is synonymous with Vrindavana. There is much to be

learned in this regard from contemplating the Ratha Yatra that Mahaprabhu

took part in for twenty consecutive years in Puri.

 

Jayadwaita Swami spoke of humility and Raja Prataparudra's sweeping the

street for Sri Jagannatha. This humility is the doorway to bhakti proper.

Radhanatha Swami narrated the entire Ratha Yatra lila of Mahaprabhu in

mellifluous detail, and B.V. Tirtha Maharaja explained how the Brajavasis

entered the yajna (sacrifice) at Kuruksetra during the solar eclipse on the

occasion of the original Ratha Yatra in Krsna lila, recounting the sweet

explanation found in Orissan texts.

 

Srila Prabhupada's senior disciples, Agnideva and Uttamasloka were among

the prominent kirtaneers, and B.V. Tirtha Maharaja's disciples Ananta dasa

brahmacari and Bhuta-bhavana Prabhu engaged the devotees in hours of

bhajana. Tirtha Maharaja himself also led kirtana as did Swami Tripurari.

 

Early Sunday morning, after arotika and more nectarian talks, everyone

proceeded to New Jagannatha Puri. Swami Tripurari and B.V. Tirtha Maharaja

were asked to sweep the street for Jagannatha and the procession began with

Agnideva leading the kirtana for Jagannatha Swami, who eagerly rushed to

meet the devotees of Vraja-dhama who had been intensely suffering the pangs

of love in separation for many years.

 

The Ratha Yatra was well organized, and the devotees involved in management

seva were very concerned to see that the sannyasis were satisfied with all

of the arrangements, exhibiting a perfect example of service to the

Vaisnavas. As the Deities reached Vrindavana at the festival sight with

Radhanatha Maharaja leading kirtana, Maharaja asked Swami Tripurari to lead

the kirtana for Sri Jagannatha. Along with Srila Prabhupada's Bharadaraja

dasa, Swami sang Jaya Radha Madhava with a cracked voice and heart of

devotion. The kirtana of the holy name then took to the main stage,

following which Swami Tripurari was asked to perform the arati while

Trivikrama Maharaja led the devotees in the final kirtana.

 

After the festival, Malatidevi took many devotees to nearby "Hippie Hill"

and gave a charming account of Srila Prabhupada's early lilas with his

youthful devotees and their new-found Lord Jagannatha.

 

The devotees were enthused by the nonsectarian spirit which reigned

throughout the festival, showing that it is indeed possible for members of

many missions to joyously worship their common Deity: the Jagannatha, the

Lord of all.

 

Audio CDs of the talks are available. Please contact orders.

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