Kamarhatta

[kailasa]

Isvara Puri

 

"The seed of devotional service next fructified in the form of Sri Isvara Puri, and then the gardener Himself, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of devotional service."

 

PURPORT

 

Sri Isvara Puri was a resident of Kumara-hatta, where there is now a railroad station known as Kamarhatta. Nearby there is also another station named Halisahara, which belongs to the Eastern Railway that runs from the eastern section of Calcutta.

Isvara Puri appeared in a brahmana family and was the most beloved disciple of Srila Madhavendra Puri.

 

To teach others by example how to be a faithful disciple of one’s spiritual master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, visited the birthplace of Isvara Puri at Kamarhatta and collected some earth from his birthsite. This He kept very carefully, and He used to eat a small portion of it daily.

 

 

Sivananda Sena

 

"Srila Sivananda Sena experienced the three features saksat, avesa and avirbhava. Later I shall vividly describe this transcendentally blissful subject."

 

PURPORT

 

Srila Sivananda Sena has been described by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja as follows: He was a resident of Kumarahatta, which is also known as Halisahara, and was a great devotee of the Lord.

 

Srila Sivananda Sena guided all the devotees of Lord Caitanya who went from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri, and he personally bore all the expenses for their journey.

 

Sri Sivananda Sena actually experienced Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu&'s features of saksat, avesa and avirbhava. He once picked up a dog while on his way to Jagannatha Puri, and it is described in the Antya-lela, First Chapter, that this dog later attained salvation by his association.

 

 

Paramananda Mahapatra

 

"King Prataparudra of Orissa, the Oriya devotees Kaneananda and Sivananda, Paramananda Mahapatra, Bhagavan Acarya, Brahmananda Bharate, Sri Sikhi Mahiti and Murari Mahiti constantly associated with Caitanya Mahaprabhu while He resided in Jagannatha Puri."

 

In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lela, Chapter Five, Paramananda Mahapatra is described as follows: Paramananda Mahapatra was among the devotees who took birth in Orissa and accepted Caitanya Mahaprabhu as their only asset. In the ecstasy of conjugal love, he always thought of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Bhagavan Acarya, a very learned scholar, was formerly an inhabitant of Halisahara, but he left everything to live with Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannatha Puri. His relationship with Caitanya Mahaprabhu was friendly, like that of a cowherd boy.

 

 

Vasudeva Datta

 

"Please take care of Vasudeva Datta's family affairs. Become his manager and make the proper adjustments.

 

PURPORT

 

Both Vasudeva Datta and Sivananda Sena were living in the same neighborhood, which is presently called Kumarahatta or Halisahara.

 

 

Srivasa Thakur

 

"The Lord stayed at Raghava Pandita's place for only one day. The next morning, He went to Kumarahatta, where Srivasa Thakura lived."

 

PURPORT

 

After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, Srivasa Thakura due to separation from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left Navadvepa and went to Halisahara to live.

 

Vasudeva Datta stayed at Srivasa Pandita's house, and in the Caitanya-bhagavata it is described that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so pleased with Vasudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, I am only Vasudeva Datta's man. My body is only meant to please Vasudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere. Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. All My dear devotees He said, I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for Vasudeva Datta. Vasudeva Datta initiated Sri Yadunandana Acarya, the spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa, who later became Raghunatha dasa Gosvame.

 

After this function at the house of Srivasa Thakura, Nityananda Prabhu appeared, and when He met with Lord Caitanya He got the opportunity to see Him in His six-armed form.

 

PURPORT

 

The form of Nao-bhuja, the six-armed Lord Gaurasundara, is a representation of three incarnations. The form of Sri Ramacandra is symbolized by a bow and arrow, the form of Lord Sri Krsna is symbolized by a stick and flute like those generally held by a cowherd boy, and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is symbolized by a sannyasa-danda and kamaeoalu, or waterpot.

 

****************

 

Thereafter the Lord charitably bestowed His benediction upon all His devotees. He gave the remnants of His food to Narayani, showing her special respect.

 

There was a tailor who was a meat-eater but was sewing garments for Srivasa Thakura. The Lord, being merciful to him, showed him His own form.

 

Saying - I have seen! I have seen! and dancing in ecstatic love as though mad, he became a first-class Vaisnava.

 

In ecstasy the Lord asked Srivasa Thakura to deliver His flute, but Srivasa Thakura replied, Your flute has been stolen away by the gopis.

 

Hearing this reply, the Lord said in ecstasy, Go on talking! Go on talking!. Thus Srivasa described the transcendental mellow pastimes of Sri Vrndavana.

 

In the beginning Srivasa Thakura described the transcendental sweetness of Vandavana's pastimes. Hearing this, the Lord felt great and increasing jubilation in His heart.

 

Thereafter the Lord again and again asked him, Speak on! Speak on! Thus Srivasa again and again described the pastimes of Vrndavana, vividly expanding them.

Adi 17.237

 

Srivasa Thakura extensively explained how the gopis were attracted to the forests of Vrndavana by the vibration of Krsna's flute and how they wandered together in the forest.

Adi 17.238

 

Srivasa Pandita narrated all the pastimes enacted during the six changing seasons. He described the drinking of honey, the celebration of the rasa dance, the swimming in the Yamuna, and other such incidents.

 

When the Lord, hearing with great pleasure, said, Go on speaking! Go on speaking! Srivasa Thakura described the rasa-lila dance, which is filled with transcendental mellows.

 

**********************

 

In His incarnation as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Sri Krsna descended to deliver all the living beings in the three worlds, from Brahmaloka down to Patalaloka. He caused their deliverance in three ways.

 

The Lord delivered the fallen souls in some places by meeting them directly, in other places by empowering a pure devotee, and in still other places by appearing before someone Himself.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered almost all the fallen souls by directly meeting them. He delivered others by entering the body of Nakula Brahmacare and by appearing before Nasiahananda Brahmacare. I shall deliver the fallen souls. This statement characterizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

PURPORT

 

The Lord always manifested His avirbhava appearance in the following four places: (1) the house of Srimati Sacimata, (2) wherever Nityananda Prabhu danced in ecstasy, (3) the house of Srivasa (when kertana was performed), and (4) the house of Raghava Pandita. Lord Caitanya Himself appeared in these four places.

 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was personally present, anyone in the world who met Him even once was fully satisfied and became spiritually advanced.

 

Every year, devotees from Bengal would go to Jagannatha Puri to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and after the meeting they would return to Bengal.

 

Similarly, people who went to Jagannatha Puri from various provinces of India were fully satisfied after seeing the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

People from all over the universe, including the seven islands, the nine khaeoas, the planets of the demigods, Gandharvaloka and Kinnaraloka, would go there in the forms of human beings.

 

*******

 

The Lord's chariot passed over the seven islands of the middle universe, each with its ocean and its seven principal mountains. Then it crossed the Lokaloka boundary and entered the vast region of total darkness.

 

In that darkness the chariot's horses lost their way. Seeing them in this condition, O best of the Bharatas, Lord Krsna, the supreme master of all masters of yoga, sent His Sudarcana disc before the chariot. That disc shone like thousands of suns.

 

The Lord's Sudarsana disc penetrated the darkness with its blazing effulgence. Racing forward with the speed of the mind, it cut through the fearsome, dense oblivion expanded from primeval matter, as an arrow shot from Lord Rama's bow cuts through His enemy's army.

 

Following the Sudarcana disc, the chariot went beyond the darkness and reached the endless spiritual light of the all pervasive brahma-jyoti. As Arjuna beheld this glaring effulgence, his eyes hurt, and so he shut them.

 

From that region they entered a body of water resplendent with huge waves being churned by a mighty wind. Within that ocean Arjuna saw an amazing palace more radiant than anything he had ever seen before. Its beauty was enhanced by thousands of ornamental pillars bedecked with brilliant gems.

 

In that palace was the huge, awe-inspiring serpent Ananta Sesa. He shone brilliantly with the radiance emanating from the gems on His thousands of hoods and reflecting from twice as many fearsome eyes. He resembled white Mount Kailasa, and His necks and tongues were dark blue.

 

Arjuna then saw the omnipresent and omnipotent Supreme Personality of Godhead, Maha-Visnu, sitting at ease on the serpent bed. His bluish complexion was the color of a dense raincloud, He wore a beautiful yellow garment, His face looked charming, His broad eyes were most attractive, and He had eight long, handsome arms. His profuse locks of hair were bathed on all sides in the brilliance reflected from the clusters of precious jewels decorating His crown and earrings. He wore the Kaustubha gem, the mark of Srivatsa and a garland of forest flowers. Serving that topmost of all Lords were His personal attendants, headed by Sunanda and Nanda; His cakra and other weapons in their personified forms; His consort potencies; and all His various mystic powers.

 

Lord Krsna offered homage to Himself in this boundless form, and Arjuna, astonished at the sight of Lord Maha-Visnu, bowed down as well.

 

*********

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu enjoys His pastimes with His immediate expansion Nityananda Prabhu. His pure devotees and His three purusa incarnations always accompany the Supreme Lord to propound the sankirtana movement.

 

(Adi. 7.18-19 purport)