Sri Jagannatha Ratha-yatra

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BY SRILA BHAKTI PRAMODE PURI GOSVAMI MAHARAJA

 

In the beginning Sriman Mahaprabhu for His first twenty four years acted as a regular householder in Sridham Navadvipa. He after that time, in the holy City of Puri in His role as a renunciate, began exhibiting the pangs of intense separation characteristic of high devotional moods. Apparently, although it was His mother's behest in Advaita Bhavan for Himself to reside in the holy City of Puri, in actual fact it was all His own very plan. Puri City is the Supreme Lord's natural abode. The other familiar names for this City are Purusottama, Sri Ksetra, Nilacala, Lord Sri Krishna at one time, informed Sri Mahadeva about His hidden realm Puri whose glories are understood by only a very few (Chaitanya Bhagavata Antya 2nd).

 

The Supreme Lord manifests in five pastimes in this universe namely, as the Supreme Lord in His original form (para tattva), His four immediate main expansions (catur vyuha), as the different incarnations (vaibhava), as the Supersoul in the heart of all living entities (antaryami) and lastly the Deity form of the Lord (archa). From the spiritual world, the Supreme Lord incarnates in different Deity forms (archa), together with His personal associates and complete with the original spiritual land, into this world (Bhauma Vaikuntha). Some known examples of these (archa avataras) incarnated transcendental forms of the Lord are Adi Keshava in Mathura City, Bindhu-Madhava in Prayag City, Lord Vishnu in Vishnu-Kanchi, Lord Hari as in Mayapura and likewise Lord Jagannatha in the holy City of Puri.

 

However, Sriman Mahaprabhu viewed this Deity of Jagannatha as non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna Himself who is the origin of all incarnations. Merely seeing the Disc at the summit of the temple dome of Sri Jagannatha from far away, He began to envision a dark-blue boy playing on His flute. Later, in entering the temple and seeing Lord Jagannatha face-to-face, He, in His mood of contemplation of the impeccable three-ending beautiful form of Sri Krishna, rushed to embrace Him. During the time of the cart festival of Lord Jagannatha He, while observing the Deity, became overcome by the sublime sentiments of Sri Radha. The same Sri Radha had nursed similar sentiments on beholding Lord Krishna during the occasion of the solar eclipse at Kuruksetra many, many years ago.

 

Once, previously there was very rare eclipse of the sun in Kuruksetra. On that auspicious occasion, many wealthy, influential Kings came form other different places to congregate at this holy place of pilgrimage. Lord Krishna arrived there from Dvaraka with His chariot driven by servant Daruka in regal opulence. His huge army of soldiers riding on elephants, other soldiers on horses or with horses combined with chariots plus infantrymen. He, in His exhibition of incredible opulence, encamped at this holy place with well-adorned tents consisting of numerous canopies with costly bedsteads, silk cushions and other luxurious paraphernalia. From another direction, the residents of Vraja simultaneously arrived there torn in separation from their beloved Sri Krishna and yearning to see Him, waiting some distance no far away form His camp. Their only real motive to arrive in that place of pilgrimage was to meet the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Conversely Sri Krishna too had arrived there, one of His prime reasons being to pacify the love-pent emotions of the residents of Vraja. Then the traumatic meeting took place of Lord Krishna with His parents, Nanda Baba and Yasoda Ma accompanied by the other older residents, who had either nourished fatherly or motherly affection for Him. It was a very touching scene, for these simple villagers with their voices choked in their throats and with streams of tears issuing from their eyes began to embrace and kiss Him fervently on His cheeks. They had intended to speak many things but were prevented by their force of emotion and the only words that stuttered form their mouths was 'my Gopal'. These tears of love that emanated from their eyes drenched Sri Krishna from head to foot ad He too, was experiencing similar sentiments with tears in His eyes. This same type of touching moods are experienced on the devotee's final sweet reunion with the Supreme Lord.

 

On another side, Subala, Sridama and Sudama etc.. The bosom friends of Sri Krishna were anxiously waiting to meet Him. Thus, after offering obeisances to His tearful parents and the elderly residents, Lord Krishna approached His bosom companions who were in the loving sentiments of friendship. They all on that initial meeting, were reduced to a the similar pitiable state of speechlessness. His friends were having indignantly many things to protest in terms of their neglect by Lord Krishna, but the overwhelming ecstasy of the occasion stunned them to the state where they could only mutter "My brother Kanniah". While fondly embracing their long-last friend. Lord Krishna too, exhibited similar symptoms of ecstasy in friendship for He is "bhava-agrahi" reciprocating with each particular devotee according to his mood. How glorious is the love of the denizens of Vraja! Then the inevitable meeting with the cowherd maidens (gopis) took place. Their pathetic condition was hardly describable.! The crown jewel of the gopis, Srimate Radhika was swooning and fainting at every moment in pangs of separation, so much so that when the sakhis placed a swab of cotton at the base of Her nose, there seemed to be no apparent movement of the cotton indicating the symptoms of no life. Suddenly when the loud cry of "Oh Syamasundar" penetrated the very air Srimati Radhika couldn't withhold Herself anymore and became rejuvenated becoming conscious of Her main reason to arrive at that very place.

 

In the conversation of Raya Ramananda with Sriman Mahaprabhu, the loving sentiments of Srimati Radharani have been termed the topmost of all spontaneous devotional practices. These highest sentiments contain a transformation of moods which enrich and nourish each other. The loving mellows which are torn asunder by mutual separation is called "vipralambha" and that of direct conjugal loving mellows, "sambhoga." The conjugal loving mellows are nourished by that of love in separation, both are existent for the proper transaction of loving mellows. Sriman Mahaprabhu while dancing ecstatically in front of the cart of Lord Jagannatha manifested the same loving sentiments which were possessed by Srimati Radharani. She, at Kuruksetra, after many years of being separated, had experienced an overpowering bliss in the reunion with Lord Krishna. The wise Svarupa Damodar understanding the heart of Sriman Mahaprabhu during His ecstatic dancing, began to sing this couplet:

 

sei ta parana-natha painu

yaha lagi madanadahane juhuri genu

 

As Svarupa Damodar sang this chorus, Sriman Mahaprabhu began to dance ecstatically in front of the cart with great vigor while the cart began to move slowly forward. Sometimes Sriman Mahaprabhu would make a show of dancing to the back of the chariot which would make Lord Jagannatha reluctant to move forward and the chariot would come to a stand-still. When Sriman Mahaprabhu again went forward, the Supreme Lord Jagannatha would also begin to trudge slowly forward. (CC M.13/118-119).

 

The mystery of this pastime has been explained by Sri Srila Prabhupada in his commentary. The reason why Sriman Mahaprabhu went backwards was to test whether His moods, which represented the original sentiments of Srimati Radhika, were the reason for the movement of Lord Jagannatha, or whether Lord Krishna (Lord Jagannatha) had other motives in mind. To solve this doubt, He acted as if He was going backwards. Sri Jagannatha apparently understanding this action of Sriman Mahaprabhu, stopped His own movement to wait for Him. The reason for that being without the presence of Srimate Radhika, the conjugal loving mellows in Vraja does not reach its par-excellence. Lord Gaurasundara, in realizing the non-movement of Lord Jagannatha was due to the superior devotional potency of Srimate Radhika, became joyful and lunged in front of the cart with great bliss while Lord Jagannatha abashed came trudging slowly behind. Here, when Lord Caitanya was exhibiting the moods of Srimati Radharani for Sri Krishna, Lord Jagannatha Deva, too, was unable to ignore these intense loving moods of Lord Gaurasundara. In this way, the loving moods of Sriman Mahaprabhu towards Lord Jagannatha and in turn the reciprocal sentiments of Lord Jagannatha began competing with each other but the intense loving moods of Sriman Mahaprabhu which were similar to Srimati Radharani's own moods, won in the end being more greater. While dancing, Sriman Mahaprabhu began to intone a verse which depicted somewhat the love reunion of the usual hero and heroine in ordinary literature. Nonetheless, Srila Rupa Goswami, detecting the exact devotional sentiments in the heart of Sriman Mahaprabhu, composed the following verse:

 

priyah so' yam krsnah sahacari kuru-ksetra-militas

tathaham sa radha tam idam ubayoh saqngama sukham

tathapy antah-khelan-madhura-murali-pancamajuse

mano me kalindi-pulina-vipinaya sprhayati

 

Meaning: "Hey companion, I did meet our beloved Sri Krishna in Kuruksetra today. I am the same Radha and we had met with usual feelings of ecstasy. Nevertheless, My mind is yearning to be with Lord Krishna by the forest groves on the bank of Kalindi River and to hear Him blissfully playing His melodious fifth note on His flute."