Month: February 2022

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu longed to visit Vrindavan for a long time but was unable to do so due to Ramananda Raya’s tricks. The devotees wanted to hold the Lord with them at Jagannath Puri. However, the Lord’s desire to visit Vrindavan increased with time, and finally, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Ramananda Raya relented. When King Pratap Rudra came to know of Lord Chaitanya’s desire, He made all the necessary arrangements for the Lord’s travel. He ordered his officers to set up shelters, store ample food, and arrange for the Lord’s transport. Lord Chaitanya wanted to reach Vrindavan journeying through Bengal. He stated that He had two shelters in Bengal – Mother Saci and mother Ganges, and he wished to pay both of them a visit.

Gadadhar Pandita wanted to accompany Lord Chaitanya to Vrindavan

However, when Gadadhar Pandita heard of the Lord’s plans, he decided to accompany the Lord to Vrindavan. Lord Chaitanya forbade Gadadhar Pandita and instructed him to stay back at Jagannath Puri as he had the vow of Kshetra sannyasa (where a sannyasi must not leave his holy dham). However, Gadadhar Pandit refused to obey as his love for Lord Chaitanya far outweighed the consequences of breaking any vows. Although Lord Chaitanya asked him, again and again, to stay back, Gadadhar refused. Gadadhar Pandita and Lord Chaitanya conversed as follows –

Gadagadia temple, situated on the bank of Mahanadi in the city of Cuttack, is believed to be one of the oldest temples of Orissa. The temple was established by King Pratap Rudra deva around 500 years back. Gadagadia temple happens to be very close to the King’s palace at Barabati fort. During Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s return to Puri from Vrindavan, He crossed over the river Mahanadi at this point (Gadagadia ghat). It is considered that the Gajapati emperor of Odisha, Pratap Rudra Dev, received Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at the Gadagadia Ghat. Later the King arranged for Lord Chaitanya’s stay at this place. Gadagadia temple commemorates this ancient exalted pastime. The temple compound exhibits the footprints of Lord Chaitanya and the tree under which the Lord once sat. Sri Chaitanya is believed to have taken a bath in Mahanadi on the full moon day of Kartika and to have then rested on the sands of the river bed. In his state of divine ecstasy, He rolled on the sands of the Ghat. In Odia, rolling is translated as ‘gadiba’, and the place came to be later known as Gadagadia.