The mood of Ratha yatra

[Paramananda das]

 

 

dandavat pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada 

 Nice lecture by Devamrta Swami : http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL3mtxwuJqZM1xh2KeNgplffD8PkZ13yw...

Lord Caitanya came to Jagannatha Puri to be absorbed in the mood of seperation from Krsna in the mood of Radha. In order to understand these mood of seperationes from Krsna ,there is only one 

solution sure we have to hear the Caitanya Caritamrta over and over again .Srila Narottama das Thakura has stated that I never developed attraction for Caitanya Caritamrta and Govinda lilamrta.

These books are essential for understand Lord Caitanyas ratha yatra mood .In the Govinda Lilamrta we hear how Radha is feeling seperation from Krsna and in his Ujjvala Nilamani ,Srila Rupa Goswami has explained the bhavas of Sri Radha.In Puri Lord Caitanya was most strict about all vaisnavas that they chant 64 rounds daily .Lord Caitanya did not accept any offerings from anyone that did not chant this much daily .Lord Caitanya purified everyone around him .Lord Caitanya was absorbed in chanting 192 rounds daily in Jagannatha Puri .

I have written an article about Srila Ramananda Raya and his Jagannatha  Vallabha Natakam http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/jagannathavallabhanataka-1 .

 In Vrindavana Krsna once sat under a tamarind tree and feeling seperation from Sri Radha and turned into Gaura ,golden just like Sri Radha in this mood .Sri Radha and the gopis found Krsna in this mood on the bank of the Yamuna .So even when Krsna was in Vrindavana ,Radha Krsna manifested their vipralambha bhava. Once on the banks of Prema Sarovara, Radha sat on the lap of Krsna. There was a  bumble bee  disturbing Radha and Krsna and Krsna asked Madhumangala to fan Them so the bee  would leave the Divine couple alone ,the disturbing Radha Krsna took place   under the guidance of Yoga maya because even the  bees are pure devotees of Radha Krsna. Madhumangala chased away the bee and said Madhu the bee is gone (Sudana ) .But Radha sitting on the lap of Krsna thought oh no Krsna has gone . taking Madhusudana to mean Krsna. She started to cry in seperation from Krsna. This mood is called  Prema Vaicitya  .So Radha started to cry even sitting on the lap of Krsna and Krsna also started to cry in seperation of Radha influenced by Sri Radhas Prema Vaicitya love.The Divine couple cried a lake of tears called Prema Sarovara.

The devotees of Sri Radha takes bath in Prema Sarovara and prays to Radha Krsna to one day or life to experience this pastime of Radha Krsna.Another mood is manifested at Mana Sarovara on the otherside of Yamuna there Sri Radha cried in jealous anger with  Krsna meeting Chandravali .Lord Caitanya spoke the Siksastakam in the mood of Sri Radha , the prayers are actually all the prayers of Sri Radha as well : 

 Text 7

yugayitam nimeshena
chakshusha pravrishayitam
shunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

Text 8
ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord unconditionally.

 

So these 2 kundas are most importantly related with Sri Radha. Radha Kunda and Shyamakunda are simply the melted love of Radha Krsna as well .Shyamakunda and Radhakunda . In Radha kunda Sri Radha  manifested all her saktis ,potencies and Krsna did the same in Shyama kunda 

.

The mood of Viyogini Radha ,Her mood of seperation of Krsna.Is what we Gaudiya vaisnavas are interested in  .Sri Radha arranged ,She could meet Krsna at Kuruksetra, She is Krsnas eternal consort. She is actually also Krsnas wife, Lord Brahma did the  d wedding of Radha and Krsna in Bandiravana(though they are eternally married). SO both wedded and unwedded love is found in Radha and Krsna . Srila Jiva Goswami actually preached that Radha Krsna are eternally married .Otherwise sinful men may leave their wife and look for a lover and try to imitiate Radha Krsna and the world would have gone to hell .

 Sri Radha also went to Dvaraka and met Krsna outside Dvaraka  this is explained in Garga Samhita and also confirmed by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura .The mood of Ratha Yatra is Radha asking Krsna to return to Vrindavana. She was telling Krsna stop these lilas of Vasudeva Krsna and come back with me to Vrindavana that is the mood of Ratha yatra .That is one of the moods.But Lord Caitanyas mood of seperation from Krsna is of another total nature Unmada ,total transcendental mad love of Krsna in seperation .I could describe something about it ,but I do not think this article is the right time and place to describe it .

 Rohini devi was explaining the glories of Krsnas Vrindavana pastimes to the queens of Dvaraka that time Krsna assumed the form of Jagannatha completly stunned from hearing these pastimes so did Baladeva and Subhadra. Krsnas sister Subhadra was taken by Krsna to Dvaraka during the 13 year of the pandavas exile .During the thirteenth year of exile of the Pandavs, Krishna took Subhadra and Abhimanyu with him to Dvarka. Subhadra is Krsnas Yogamaya potency in Dvaraka .And Subhadra is the wife of Arjuna.

  When Lord Caitanya was getting massage from Maharaja Prataparudra, he was instructed to reciete the whole Gopi Gita in the 10 Canto of Srinad Bhagavatam.He knew all slokas by heart and chanted them to Lord Caitanya .The Gopi Gita is the gopis prayers during seperation from Krsna during the Rasa dance ,so Lord Caitanya experienced this mood of Radharanis seperation from  Krsna. Anyhow Devamrita Swami kind of challenged devotees in his class how far does your own realization and understanding go in regards to the Ratha yatra lila.    Ratha yatra is taking Krsna to Vrindavana ,the Gundica Mandir is Vrindavana ,so that is cleaned nicely just like the heart has to be to accept Vrajendra Nandana Krsna in our hearts,Lord Caitanya is n the mood of Radha looking at Krsna and dancing in front of Jagannatha, telling Him you are Vrajendra Nandana Krsna give up this pastimes as a king and come with me to Vrindavana ,take my hand and again accept the flute and turban and peacock feather and stand in 3 fold bending form at Yamuna and play your flute.. Lord Caitanya never saw Lord Jagannatha as Krsna in Dvaraka simply as the son of Nanda Maharaja this is the secret of Ratha Yatra. I pray this   gives transcendental pleasure  to the associates of Lord Caitanya and to  Lord Caitanya .May whoever read this feel the presence of Lord Caitanya by His own grace and mercy.

your servant

Paramananda das