enlighten me - Appearance day of the great preacher -- Sita Thakurani

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Auspicious appearance day of great preacher and Mahaprabhus close

associate Sri Sita Thakurani Prabhu a wife of Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu

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When the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as the son of

Jagannatha Misra and Sacimata, Sita Thakurani became absorbed in

parental affection for Him. To protect Him from witches and sorcerers,

she gave Him the name Nimai, after the neem tree. It is said that evil

spirits cannot go near neem trees; therefore Sita Thakurani thought that

no harm could come to a boy named Nimai.

 

Sita Thakurani and Advaita Acarya moved from Shantipur to Mayapur to be

near Jagannatha Misra's house. Sita Thakurani would go every day to see

Nimai, and she would give friendly advice to Jagannatha Misra and

Sacimata on how they should raise Him.

 

Years later, even after Lord Caitanya accepted the renounced order of

life, Sita Thakurani continued to treat Him as her son. She loved to

cook for Him, and when she invited Him to lunch He could not refuse. The

love Sita Thakurani showed Lord Caitanya was so intense that He looked

upon her as His own mother.

 

(See Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 13.111-118.)

 

Back to Godhead Magazine

July/August 1998

 

 

Sri Sita Thakurani is to be worshiped just as much as Sacidevi herself,

as the mother of the universe. She is the eternal wife of Sri Advaita

Acharya. She was the daughter of Sri Nrishinga Baduri. She was married

to Sri Advaita Acharya in Phuliya Nagara.

 

After their wedding, Advaita Acharya went to Nadiya, to live in

Shantipura. Sita Thakurani was always absorbed in vatsalya prema for Sri

Gaurasundara Prabhu, and, out of parental concern used to instruct

Jagannatha Mishra on how to care for the boy. Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja

Goswami has described the birth celebration at the house of Jagannatha

Mishra upon the advent of the Lord, giving special attention to the

position of Sri Sita Thakurani. Advaita Acharya's wife, worshipable by

all the three worlds was Sita Thakurani. Taking the Acharya's orders on

her head, she had come to take a look at this new child, this jewel of

jewels, and to offer him presents.

 

On the eve of his son's advent Sri Jagannatha Mishra, seeing the

imminent signs of his child's arrival, sent word to Advaita Acharya in

Shantipura that the long-awaited child was being born. Hearing news of

the advent of this unprecedented child, Advaita Acharya floated in the

waves of ecstasy. With Sri Haridasa Thakura, he went to bathe in the

river, and, after much dancing and song, he sent his wife to go quickly

to Mayapura in Navadwipa.

 

According to Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika, Sri Sita Thakurani is Yogamaya. The

Gaura-Parshada-Charitvali says that in Krishna Lila, she was Purnamasi,

the mother of Sandipani Muni, grandmother of Madhumangal and Nandimukhi

and a disciple of Narada Muni. (Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika, however, says

that Paurnamasi in Krishna-lila became Sri Govinda Acharya in Chaitanya

lila.)

 

In Dvapara-yuga, during the celebration of Krishna's birth ceremony, she

was present in the house of Nanda, and at that time gave Nanda and

Yashoda many instructions on how to care for the child. The

Caitanya-Caritamrita gives the following account of Sita Thakurani's

visit to the house of Jagannatha Mishra after the birth of the Lord:

"One day, shortly after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born, Advaita

Acharya's wife, Sitadevi, who is worshipable by the whole world, taking

permission of her husband, went to see that topmost child with all kinds

of gifts and presents. She brought different kinds of golden ornaments,

including bangles for the hand, armlets, neclaces, and anklets. There

were also tiger nails set in gold, waist decorations of silk and lace,

ornaments for the hands and legs, nicely printed silken saris and a

child's garment, also made of silk. Many other riches, including gold

and silver coinds, were also presented for the child.

Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by

maidservants, Sita Thakurani came to the house of Jagannatha Mishra,

bringing with her many auspicious articles such as fresh grass, paddy,

gorocana, turmeric, kunkuma, and sandalwood. All these presentations

filled a big basket. When Sita Thakurani came to the house of Sacidevi,

bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses, and other gifts, she

was astonished to see the newly born child, for she appreciated that

except for a difference in color, the child was directly Krishna of

Gokula Himself.

 

Seeing the transcendental bodily effulgence of the child, each of His

nicely constructed limbs full of auspicious signs and resembling a form

of gold, Sita Thakurani was very much pleased, and because of her

maternal affection, she felt as if her heart were melting. She blessed

the newly born child by placing fresh grass and paddy on His head and

saying, "May You be blessed with a long duration of life." But being

afraid of ghosts and witches, she gave the child the name Nimai. On the

day that the mother and son took bath and left the maternity room, Sita

Thakurani gave them all kinds of ornaments and garments, and then also

honored Jagannatha Mishra. Then Sita Thakurani, being honored by mother

Sacidevi and Jagannatha Mishra, was greatly happy within her mind, and

thus she returned home."

 

>From that day on, Sita Thakurani would often come to Mayapura from

Shantipura, in order to teach Sacimata how to care for the new baby. She

would give her many different instructions on how to raise children. And

after helping with the child in this way, she would return to

Shantipura. When it came time for the child's birthday ceremony,

Jagannatha Mishra and Sacidevi let the worshipable Sita Thakurani be the

first to offer the child his new clothes.

 

Advaita Acharya Prabhu also had a house in Navadwipa. There he would

live from time to time and discuss Krishna-katha with the devotees

headed by Srivasa, diving and surfacing in the waves of joy until the

break of dawn. After Sri Gaurasundara's appearance, all the devotees

prayed together with Sri Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani that the

child might live long in Mayapura and have good fortune.

 

Sita Thakurani and Sacidevi were of one mind; the baby Nimai was their

life and soul. Every day Sita Thakurani would go to the house of

Sacidevi and help her with the care and nurturing of the boy. In the

house of Jagannatha Mishra, the divine child increased the pleasure of

the eyes and minds of all the devotees, just as the waxing moon

gradually grows more brilliant with each passing day.

 

After several years, when Jagannatha Mishra's son Vishvarupa - Nimai's

older brother - had grown up, he suddenly took sannyasa. The grief and

agony of Jagannatha Mishra and Sacidevi upon their son's leaving was

great. Gaurasundara was also dismayed and unhappy at his brother's

separation. At that time Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani consoled

Jagannatha Mishra and Sita Thakurani, and helped take care of Nimai.

 

Srivasa Pandit's wife Malini Devi also was always very affectionate

towards the child, nurturing him and caring for him. She and Sacidevi

were of one mind in doing this.

 

After exhibiting his childhood pastimes, Nimai gradually progressed into

his Kishora-lila, or pastimes of youth. After some time, he went to Gaya

and revealed his true form and real purpose. Having returned from Gaya

he gathered all the devotees at the house of Srivasa Angan for the

purpose of beginning kirtan. At that time, Advaita Acharya brought Sita

Thakurani from Shantipura to Mayapura, and, having arrived there was the

first to worship the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya.

 

Gradually Sri Gaurasundara began, in Navadwipa, to unfold his kirtan

pastimes, wishing to deliver the fallen souls. As time went by he took

sannyasa and turned his face towards Vrindavana, and ran off, half mad

into the jungle in search for Sri Krishna. Upon hearing this, Sri Sita

Thakurani spent four days with Sacidevi, who, plunged in the darkness of

separation as if the sun had left the sky forever, lay fallen on the

ground like one near death.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, being bound by the ropes of love, was unable to

go to Vrindavana, but was drawn to return to Shantipura. When he arrived

in Shantipura, Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani felt as if their life

has returned. After having fasted for four days, Sri Gaurasundara

accepted prasada cooked by the hand of Sita Thakurani.

 

Previous to taking sannyasa also, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu along with

Nityananda Prabhu would, from time to time go to the house of Advaita in

Shantipura, where they would have a festival and perform

Krishna-nama-lila-kirtan all day and all night. The beautiful nature of

this subject has been described by Sri Parameshvari Dasa Thakura in his

Sri Pada Kalpataru as follows:

One day the Lord laughed, having arrived in the temple of Sri Advaita

and thus the son of Saci took his seat. Along with Nityananda, Advaita

sat down, and the two of them began playfully assessing the idea of

having a festival. Hearing all this, Sita Thakurani entered smiling. At

that time, in sweet words which made the minds of those who heard them

blissful, the son of Saci ruled that there must be a great festival. He

said, "Listen Sita Thakurani: we shall extend invitations to all the

different Vaishnavas who live nearby. Let whoever hears the sound of our

song, resounding through the air, come and join us. We shall invite one

and all."

Saying this, Sri Gaurachandra gave orders to the devotees saying, "You,

invite the Vaishnavas."

"You, ready the mridanga and karatalas."

"You, prepare sandalwood and aguru for distribution."

"Have everything ready at the ghat."

"Carrying out these assignments expertly, and after garlanding the

devotees with flower garlands, the devotees shall gather together in a

circle for an uproarious kirtan."

 

Hearing the words of Mahaprabhu, the devotees followed his orders with

great affection, collecting garlands, sandalwood, betel, ghee, honey,

and milk, and everything else essential for worhsiping the Lord. The

different gifts and fragrant articles for the devotees and the Lord were

then distributed in the proper ways. The kirtan began at midday. At that

time everyone chanted "Hari! Hari!" and the mridanga made the whole

kirtan auspicious. Thus swims Parameshavara Dasa in the rasik pastimes

of the Lord.

 

After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and went to live in

Jagannatha Puri, Sri Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani used to go and

visit him each year, bringing their son Achyutananda with them. On one

such occasion, Sita Thakurani prepared some of the Lord's favorite

preparations for him and invited Him to their home to take lunch. Simply

to increase their ecstasy, the Lord, who was always absorbed in Krishna

Nama, honored their invitation and took lunch in the home of Advaita and

Sita.

Sita Thakurani, being always overwhelmed with vatsalya-prema treated him

as affectionately as if he were her own son. The Lord himself also

treated her with the same kind of regard and affection that he had for

Sacidevi herself. Sri Sita Thakurani bore three sons, Achyutananda,

Krishna Mishra and Gopala Mishra, who were followers of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

 

According to Bhakti-Ratnakara, Sri Sita Thakurani's father was Sri

Nrishimha Baduri. Sita Thakurani also had a sister, Sri. According to

the Gaura-Ganoddesha-Dipika, Sita Thakurani, the wife of Sri Advaita

Acharya, is Yogamaya, and her sister Sri is the prakasha, or

manifestation, of Yogamaya. (yogamaya bhagavati, grihini tasya

sampratam, sita rupenavatirna, "Sri" namni tat prakashatah)