Nabadwip Mandal Parikrama - Day six

[Guest guest]

Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama Day 6

 

Sunday, February 21, 1999

 

Belpukur to Jagannath Mandir

 

"As Sri Gauracandra appeared in Navadwipa, it is therefore the crest jewel

of all holy places. Offenders are the object of punishment at other holy

pilgrimage places, but in Navadvipa-dhama they are purified. The example is

the two brothers Jagai and Madhai, who committed great offenses yet still

received Nitai and Gaura. What to speak of other places, at Vrndavana the

offenders are punished. But a person who has committed hundreds of offenses

can easily receive the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu and overcome those

offenses in Navadwipa-dhama. For this reason, sages endlessly praise

Navadvipa of Gaura Mandala." - (Sri Navadvipa Mahatmya by Bhaktivinode

Thakur)

 

Senior devotees present on the party today included: H.H. Jayapataka

Maharaja, H.H. B.B. Govinda Maharaja, H.H. Kavichandra Maharaja, H.H.

Subhaga Maharaja, H.H. Devamrita Maharaja, H.H. Bhaktivibhava Maharaja,

H.H. Chandra Mauli Maharaja, H.H. Param Gacit Maharaja, H.H. Bhaktisiddhanta

Maharaja, H.G. Pritu prabhu, Kaliyaphani Prabhu, H.G. Pankajanari prabhu,

H.G. Lad Vamsi Prabhu, H.G. Gaura Kishore Prabhu. Please forgive me if I

have left anyone off the list.

 

H.G. Racitambara Mataji visited us at Jagannatha Mandir to make sure the

gurukula boys were o.k.

 

The high point of the day today were several dramas performed. The first

was at the Chand Kazi's samadhi. Devamrita Maharaja was the Chand Kazi and

Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja was Lord Caitanya. Bhaktivibhava Maharaja

was Lord Nityananda and was taking the sankirtan party into Navadwipa. The

brahmans played by Param Gacit Maharaja and Gaura Kishore Prabhu were

complaining to the Chand Kazi about Lord Caitanya's sankirtan party. The

Muslems, played by H.G. Bhadra Caru prabhu and friends were also

complaining. Then the Kazi sent them out to stop the sankirtan party. They

broke the mrdunga! (played by a clay pot). Then Lord Caitanya organized

the first civil disobediance movement with 100,000 devotees marching to the

Chand Kazi's house with torches brighter than the daylight chanting "Hare

Krishna!" And "Kill the Kazi!!" (played by all the assembled devotees).

Finally Lord Caitnaya and the Kazi come to a peaceful agreement and there is

a joyous, victorius kirtan.

 

Then we stopped at our ISKCON Jagannath Mandir for darshan of Lord

Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. Here we had our breakfast. Then we

proceeded to the home of Kolavechar Sridhara. Here we had another drama

with Kavichandra Maharaja taking the role of Kolavechar Sridhara. He was so

poor that there were 7 holes in his dhoti. He would sell banana leaf plates

and whatever income he would receive, he would engage %50 of it in worship

of the Ganges. Nimai used to bargin with him about the price of the banana

leaves and even steal them sometimes, saying the price was too high and

unfair. Lord Caitanya (again played by Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja) was so

pleased with him that He drank from Kolavechar Sridhara's own old, metal,

beat-up and full of holes, water pot. Then we had a big dust rolling kirtan

there. Jayapataka Maharaja directed both of the plays.

 

We returned to the Jagannath Mandir to hear the stories of Lord Jagannatha

from special guest Pankajanari prabhu and also from Subhaga Maharaja and

Jayapataka Maharaja. When the worship was first started there by ISKCON,

all the papers had not yet been signed. The pujari asked Jayapataka

Maharaja if the worship should start but Maharaja said not to start the

worship until all the papers had been signed. So, the pujari thought that

he had made a mistake and stopped the worship. Then the pujari had a dream

that he saw that the temple was empty and that Jagannatha, Baladeva and

Subhadra were walking across the fields. In his dream he approached Them

and asked Them where they were going and they said that they were hungry and

were on Their way to Mayapur to get something to eat. Hearing this,

Maharaja insisted that the worship begin again immediately and the worship

continues until this day. We heard more than 20 stories like this one.

 

Then the devotees went for bath in the Jalangi river. Following the holy

dip was a wonderful feast.

 

This evening is planned kirtans and more dramas directed by Kaliaphani

prabhu and other international devotees.

 

Hoping to become a speck of dust at the lotus feet of the devotees of

Mahaprabhu, and begging for your blessings,

 

Your servant,

Ekalavya dasa