Category: West Bengal

Syamananda Pandita – Biography | Sripat Kanupur (Near Balasore)

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 13, 2018

balasore Sri Syamananda Pandita, the dear disciple of Sri Hridaya Caitanya, is one of the great stalwart Vaishnavas to have graced the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya. Showering his causeless mercy, he has been instrumental in delivering countless fallen souls. Sri Prema Vilasa reveals that Sri Syamananda Pandita eternally serves as Kanaka Manjari in Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes. His spiritual master, Sri Hridaya Caitanya, was the incarnation of Sudhira Sakhi. Hridaya Caitanya, in turn, was the dear disciple of Gaudidasa Pandita, the intimate friend of Lord Gaurahari and Nityananda Prabhu. Gaudidasa was the incarnation of Subala, Krishna’s dear cowherd friend. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered in detail the pastimes of Gaudidasa Pandita in the article entitled – ‘The worshipable deities of Gaudidasa Pandita, Ambika Kalna’.

yam loka bhuvi kirtayanti hridayanandasya shishyam priyam
sakhye shri-subalasya yam bhagavatah preshthanushishyam tatha
sa shriman rasikendra-mastaka-manish citte mamaharnisham
shri-radhapriya-narma-marmasu rucim sampadayan bhasatam

Translation – Sri Syamananda was known in this world as Hridaya Caitanya’s dear disciple; He was the grand-disciple of Subala sakha, the most dear friend of the Supreme Lord; he was the crest-jewel of the enjoyers of sacred rapture. May he appear day and night in my mind, bringing an appreciation for the essence of the joys of the beloved of Sri Radha.
(Syamananda-shataka)

Bankura

Bishnupur, temple town of Bengal – Part 3 | History and Temples

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 13, 2018

bishnupur temples

After going through the previous articles in this series (Part 1 and Part 2) , we hope all of us by now have a fair idea about the rich heritage that punctuates Bishnupur’s glorious past. Bishnupur, a kingdom which Sri Madana Mohana proclaims as His own and whose pious kings ruled only to serve the orders of Sri Guru and Gauranga, oozes with sacred tradition. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ shall try to present below, within our limited capacity, a brief sketch of the various magnificent temples (Bishnupur – temple town of Bengal) and the beautiful traditions that adorn Bishnupur’s vibrant landscape.These three articles (Part 1,2 & 3) are our humble offerings to this beautiful holy city and we pray that she forever accepts us as one of her own.

(Title of the previous articles in the series –
Bishnupur, temple town of Bengal – Part 1 :Srinivasa Acharya and Bir Hambir
&
The Glories of Bishnupur (the temple town of Bengal) – Part 2 :The Amazing Pastimes of Sri MadanaMohana )

North24Paraganas

Who is Raghava Pandita ? | Raghava Bhavan, Panihati

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 13, 2018

Raghava Bhavan ,the residence of Sri Raghava Pandita and Damayanti, is renowned all over the three worlds as the eternal residence of Sri Gaurahari (As described below). Lord Gaura Nitai have manifested their innumerable heart rending pastimes over here at Raghava Bhavan (500 Years ago). Located on the bank of the Ganges at panihati, Raghava Bhavan is very well connected to Kolkata, via road, railways and waterways.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings in his bhoga arati:

Yashomati ajna peye dhanishta anita
Sri Krishna-prasada radha bhunje haiye prita

In Krishna’s Vrindavana Pastimes,mother Yashoda would order Dhanishta Gopi to carry Krishna’s food remnants to Srimati Radharani .Radharani would then relish the remnants (prasada) of Her beloved Lord.

Similarly, in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes, Lord Caitanya who would always remain immersed in the mood of Srimati Radharani, would lovingly accept the prasadam brought to Him by Sri Raghava pandita, the incarnation of Dhanishta Gopi. In Caitanya Caritamrta, it has been revealed that Sri Raghava Pandita was an intimate associate of Lord Caitanya and is said to have been the seventh branch of Mahaprabhu’s desire tree of devotional service.

Sri Kavi Karnapura notes in his Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika that:

The vraja-gopi Dhanishta devi, who had previously fed Lord Krishna with limitless opulent foodstuffs, appeared as Sri Raghava Pandita, in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes.

And the gopi named Gunamala had appeared as Raghava Pandita’s sister Srimati Damayanti devi.

Raghavera Jhali :

After accepting His sannyasa, Lord Caitanya had moved over to reside at Jagannatha puri. Every year, during the Ratha yatra festival, almost all the devotees from Bengal ,led by Sivananda sen, would travel to Puri to reunite with Lord Gaurasundara once again.Srimati Damayanti Devi would cook innumerable items for Mahaprabhu with her love and devotion, and thereafter pack these in separate bags. Raghava Pandita, would then carry these bags to Puri during his annual visit and offer them to Lord Caitanya. These bags of delicious food items came to be subsequently known as Raghavera Jhali (the bags of Raghava Pandita) and they find a very special mention in Sri Caitanya Bhagavat and Sri Caitanya Caritamrta.

Balasore Medinipur and surroundings others

Khirachora Gopinath Temple, Balasore – History | Why did Gopinath steal Khira?

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 13, 2018

khirachora gopinatha

‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ offers its respectful obeisances and heartfelt gratitude to Sri Khirachora Gopinath jiu, whose blessings and mercy enabled us to relish the exceedingly deep and sweet reciprocations between the Supreme Lord and His dear devotees. We shall humbly try to recite to the best of our ability, the sweet pastimes of Khirachora Gopinatha Jiu, as was narrated by the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Himself, while He had visited Remuna.

On His way to Sri Jagannatha Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu along with His associates had halted at Remuna, a place which is presently located within the Balasore District of Orissa. Mahaprabhu along with all His associates offered His prostrated obeisances to Sri Gopinatha jiu, who possesses a very enchanting form. While Lord Caitanya was offering His obeisances to the deity, the helmet of flowers that adorned the crown of Sri Gopinatha fell onto Sri Caitanya. Receiving the blessings of Sri Gopinatha, Lord Caitanya began singing and dancing in ecstasy. The local devotees at the temple became amazed seeing the intense love, the beautiful form, and the transcendental qualities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya rested for the day at the temple because he longed to taste the sweet ‘Khira’ (a preparation of sweet rice) prasadam prepared over here, as He had heard a lot of glories of it from His spiritual master, Sri Isvara Puri. This ‘Khira’ offered over here, tastes as good as nectar, and hence it is also called Amrta-keli. Resting for the night, Lord Caitanya began narrating the story of how Lord Gopinatha jiu had become so famous and how He had come to be known as Khirachora Gopinatha.

Bankura

Madan Mohana of Bishnupur – Pastimes | Temple town of Bengal – Part 2

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

bishnupur temple madan mohan

Sri Madan Mohana is the guardian of Bishnupur. He is the protector, the worshipable deity unto whom the people of Bishnupur surrender, reveal their heart and for whom they reserve their most intimate feelings and reciprocations. Even today, whenever there is any dispute, the people of Bishnupur, refer the matter to Sri Madana Mohana jiu and have firm faith that the Lord would step in and justice would be served. Let us acquaint ourselves with this amazing chapter of Bishnupur, temple town of Bengal.

Appearance of Sri Madanamohana

It is said that there was once a chaste queen whose husband had been slain in the battle.She was pregnant for about nine months.At that time,her friends and relatives were going to a pilgrimage to Sri Jagannatha Puri and she desired to accompany them. So leaving behind all hesitations, she set off along with them.On her way, in the middle of a jungle,she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Seeing no other option, as things was getting delayed, the queen left behind her newborn in the jungle and continued with her journey.At that time Sri MadanaMohana protected this lonely child, and arranged for honey drops to trickle into his mouth, from the adjoining trees.

bishnupur temple madan mohan

The next morning,a Bagdi (tribal) girl ,while she was collecting the woods, saw this little baby lying hidden within the bushes. She felt compassionate, and immediately raised the boy in her arms, and took him to the house of a brahmana. She disclosed to the brahmana how she had found the baby in the woods and requested him to take care of this boy.In course of time, this little boy grew up and started living happily with the brahmanas. Once this boy went inside the jungle to tend his cows but did not return. The Brahmana father ,growing anxious, then entered the jungle searching for the boy. But to his surprise ,he saw the boy sleeping peacefully under a tree being protected by two snakes who were raising their hoods to block the sunlight from falling upon his face. The snakes fled upon seeing the brahmana approach. The brahmana then realized that this boy was not an ordinary personality.

Kalna

Gaudidas Pandit – Life and Pastimes | Sripat Ambika Kalna

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

ambika kalna gaudidas pandit

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura gives us some details of Gaudidas Pandit’s family in his anubhashya. It is mentioned that initially he used to reside in the village of Saligrama (a place not very far from Navadvipa) , and later he had shifted to the town of Ambika Kalna. Sri Gaudidas was very close to and enjoyed the patronage of King Krishna das, the son of Harihoda. Sri Gaudidas Pandit’s father was Sri Kamsari Mishra and his mother’s name was Srimati Kamala devi. He had five brothers – Damodara, Jagannatha, Suryadasa, Krishnadasa, and Nrsimha Caitanya. The elder brother of Gaudidas pandit, Sri Suryadasa, held an important post for the king of Bengal and was hence awarded with the title ‘Sarkhel’ (commander). Later the two daughters of Suryadasa Sarkel, Srimati Vasudha and Jahnava, got married to Lord Nityananda. The ‘Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered this wonderful marriage pastime in a separate article entitled – ‘Lord Nityananda’s marriage with Srimati Jahnava and Vasudha, Ambika Kalna’

Kavi Karnapura mentions in Sri Gaura Gannoddesha dipika, that Sri Gaudidas Pandita was the incarnation of the cowherd boy Subala, an intimate friend of Sri Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana.

Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami greatly glorifies Sri Gaudidas in his Caitanya Caritamrta stating that Sri Gaudidas was an emblem of devotional service and had the potency to receive and deliver ecstatic love of God to one and all (..Krishna prema dite nite dhare maha-shakti..). It is exclaimed that Sri Gaudidas had sacrificed everything for the service of Lord Nityananda ,even the fellowship of his own family. He was one of the primary associates to have assisted Lord Nityananda manifest His magnanimous pastimes.

ambika kalna gaudidas pandit

Sri Gaudidas’s Sripat at Kalna, houses his worshipable mesmerizing Gaura-Nitai deities. At this place, is also worshipped a copy of Bhagavad Gita, that was supposedly handwritten by Lord Caitanya and later gifted to Sri Gaudidas. One visiting the temple can also take darsana of an oar that Mahaprabhu had used to cross over the Ganges while travelling to meet Gaudidas at Kalna. According to the hearsay, Sriman Mahaprabhu had handed it over to Gaudidas, and asked him to similarly use it to help the fallen souls cross over the ocean of material existence.We shall try to narrate in this article a few of the innumerable pastimes that had taken place over the years at Sri Gaudidas’s sripat. We seek the mercy of this great personality in order to pen a few lines in his glorification.

hooghly Lord Nityananda

Abhirama Gopala Thakura – Biography | Sripat Khanakul Krishnanagar

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

khanakul Abhirama Gopala

Sri Abhirama Gopala Thakura was the incarnation of the cowherd boy Sridama,one of the most intimate eternal associates of Sri Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana.In this age of Kali, Lord Krishna had descended as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Balarama jiu had also accompanied His brother ,incarnating as Lord Nityananda. Both of them began freely distributing the nectar of the Lord’s holy names to one and all without any discrimination.The waves of intense love of God washed one and all and drenched them in ecstasy. The spiritual vibrations of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’) echoed across the land and the skies. But inspite of showering their causeless mercy and delivering countless souls, their Lordships dearly missed the association of their dear friend Sridama. Lord Gaurahari and merciful Nitai wished that Sridama was also present to assist and accompany them in their sankirtana pastimes.

Appearance of Sri Abhirama Gopala Thakura:

Lord Gauranga once revealed to Nityananda prabhu that in the age of Dvapara, while Krishna was playing hide and seek along with His friends, Sridama had hid Himself inside a cave to avoid being seen.In due course of time Lord Krishna had left Vrindavana for Mathura, had become the king of Yadus and ultimately wrapped up His earthly pastimes. Thousands of years had since passed,but unfortunately, Sridama, being ignorant of these developments, still lied hidden within that cave in Vrindavana, being completely immersed in that friendly hide-n-seek game with his worshipable Lord.Such is the greatness of the Lord and His innocent devotees, that they are completely oblivious of their external surroundings, to the extent of forgetting even their own existence, in order to serve their beloved Lord with all their heart. Who has the power to describe their exalted qualities? Remembering His dear friend and calling out for Sridama again and again ,Sri Caitanya fell upon the ground unconscious.

Mayapur Nabadwip dham Vaishnava acharyas

Jagannath Das Babaji – Biography | Samadhi temple at Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

jagannatha das babaji Srila Jagannath Das Babaji,was born around the year 1750 AD, at the remote village of Tangail, in the district of Mymensingh (situated in Bangladesh). Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaja, was the most advanced Rasika devotee of his times in all of Vrindavana, Navadvipa and Jagannatha puri.He lived for about 150 years and was a disciple in the line of Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura and Baladeva Vidyabhusana. He used to initially reside at Surya Kunda in Vrindavana, where he used to perform his Bhajana, but towards the end of his manifested pastimes, he shifted to Navadvipa dham. He was famed as Siddha Baba (perfectly realized soul) and used to chant for days altogether ,going without food, water or sleep.In the pastimes of Sri Krishna, Jagannath Das Babaji eternally serves as Rasika Manjari.

His prominent disciples were Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sri Bihari das Babaji, Sri Bhagavata Das Babaji, Sri Ramdas Babaji, Sri Nityananda Das babaji, Sri Hare Krishna das Babaji, Sri Ramhari Das Babaji to mention some. By the initiative of Bihari das ,the residents of Surya Kunda constructed a permanent room for Siddha baba at that place.The deities that are presently being worshipped at Gopal Bagh in Vrindavana (renowned as ‘Sonar Gauranga’), are actually the worshipable deities of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji, who had originally brought them from the Sonarundi village of Bengal (a place about 15 kms from Katwa).The six armed deity (sadbhuja) of Lord Caitanya, that is presently being worshipped at Nidhuvana (in Vrindavana), was also once worshipped by Jagannath das Babaji. Towards the end of his manifested pastimes, Siddha baba, had become bent due to old age, and could hardly keep his eyelids open.However ,with the assistance of his disciples ,he used to daily offer Tulasi leaves unto the Saligrama Sila.Due to his advanced age, he could not see or walk and had to be hence carried within a basket by his disciple Bihari Das ,from one place to the other. Yet inspite of severe physical challenges, he would dance in ecstasy on hearing sankirtana.

Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Vamsi Das Babaji – Biography | His Sripat in Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

vamsidas babaji

“What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering the transcendental abode of Navadvipa” – Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya

Srila Vamsi Das babaji, previously known as Bhairab Chandra, had appeared in the year 1859, in the village of Majeedpur.Majeedpur was formerly part of the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. Sri Sanatana Mallabrahma and Srimati Sarvasundari devi had the great fortune of giving birth and parenting this exalted personality. He was the eldest of his seven siblings, and being the son of a poor fisherman, he had suffered a hard and an austere upbringing. From his very childhood, he was deeply attracted to Lord Gauranga and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. He would keep staring at the deities of Gaura-Nitai at a nearby temple, for hours altogether. Seeing this, his parents became very anxious, and got him married. But he eventually left his home, leaving behind his wife and little son, and became a renunciant. He soon received initiation in the line of the great vaishnava acharya, Sri Narottama Das Thakura. After staying back at Majeedpur for a few years, he left for an extensive pilgrimage all over India.Travelling all over the country, he finally settled down at Navadvipa, where he spent the most of his life.’The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ had the good fortune of visiting and praying at his bhajana Kutira at Navadvipa.Towards the end of his manifested pastimes, he returned to Majeedpur once more, where he left his body.

Kolkata North24Paraganas

Gadadhara das – Life and Pastimes | Ariadaha Pathbari

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 12, 2018

Gadadhara Das ariadaha

Sri Kavi Karnapura reveals in Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika that Sri Gadadhara Das was the combined incarnation of Srimati Chandrakanti devi (an expansion of Radharani) and Purnananda Gopi, who was a dear friend of Lord Balarama.

Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami identifies Sri Gadadhara das, to be the twenty-third branch of Lord Caitanya’s desire tree of devotional service. He has also referred to him as the ‘topmost’ (sarvopari) branch for he had inspired the Kazi (Muslim Magistrate) to chant the holy names of Lord Hari.(Sri Gadadhara das shakha sarvopari, kazi ganera mukhe yenha bolaila Hari). Gadadhara das’ Sripat is situated on the outskirts of North Kolkata, at a place called Ariadaha. Located on the bank of the Ganges, this exalted site, is exceedingly beautiful and spiritually surcharged. The place came across as very quiet, serene and a perfect escape into the realm of transcendence.Sri Gadadhara Das had resided over here at Ariadaha for many years. Finally he shifted to Katwa, where he spent his last days serving the deity of ‘Bara Gauranga’ at Gauranga Bari.’The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered the details of Gauranga Bari in a separate article entitled – ‘Sri Gauranga Bari (katwa) – Where Mahaprabhu accepted Sannyasa’.

Here at Ariadaha, Sri Gadadhara Das had manifested several of his heart melting pastimes. It was here at Ariadaha that he had established the worship of his beloved Bal-gopal deity. Lord Nityananda had also spent a few days here and had performed His ecstatic sankirtana pastimes (described later in the article).The devotees who presently serve this dham are very simple bengalis who were exceedingly happy to narrate the awe-inspiring history of this place to us.

ariadaha

The temple has been managed by different authorities in the course of these last 500 years. Finally the temple was renovated in the year 1849 by Sri Madhusudana Mullick of Kolkata, who had also arranged for the deity worship to be carried out properly (refer – ‘The pious Mullicks of Bengal’).The team from ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to visit and smear our sinful bodies with the all-purifying dust of this holy place.