Category: serampore

Kashishwar Pandita – Biography | Kashishwar pith ,Chatra, Serampore

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

chatra serampore

Sri Kashishwar Pandita was a disciple of Sri Isvara Puri, the spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. Sri Isvara Puri ,in his last days, instructed his disciples Kashishwar Pandita and Govinda to render personal service to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which they accepted with their heart and soul. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu honored Kashishwar and Govinda, as His godbrothers,and hence was reluctant to allow them to serve Him But He finally complied as those were the orders of His spiritual master, Sri Isvara puri. So in Puri, Govinda took up the role of Sri Caitanya’s personal servant, whereas Kashishwar Pandita, being a very strong man, protected the Lord from the crowds while He visited the temple of Lord Jagannatha.

Anga seva govindere dilena ishvara
Jagannatha dekhite chalena aage kashishwar
(Caitanya Caritamrta – 10.141 , Adi)

Srila Prabhupada mentions in his Caitanya Caritamrta commentary, that among the prominent devotees of Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri (Nilachal), Sri Kashishwar and Govinda were the eighteenth and nineteenth branches of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire tree of devotional service. According to Gaura Gannodesha Dipika ,the former servants of Sri Krishna, Bhrngara and Bhangura in Vrindavana ,appeared as Kashishwar and Govinda in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.

serampore

Sri RadhaVallav Jiu, Serampore

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

radha vallav jiu serampore

The stone that remained, after giving shape to Syamsundara jiu , was used to carve out two more enchanting deities –Sri Nandadulal jiu who was installed at swamibon (commonly referred to as saibon) and Vallavaji who was installed at Vallavapura (present serampore).
– Prema Vilasa

This is the third of the deities that was carved out of the same sila (stone) that was brought by Birchandra prabhu from the Nawab’s palace in Malda.The other two enchanting deities being Sri Syamasundara jiu of Khardaha, and Sri NandaDulal jiu of Saibon. (Please refer to the article entitled ‘Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara temple, Khardaha’, for more historical details regarding the amazing pastime of appearance of these three deities) .

Every Year,on the day of Magh Purnima (the full moon day in the month of january-February), a huge festival takes place here at Serampore,Saibon and Khardaha ,at the site of these three deities, to commemorate their installation,500 years back. Gaudiya Vaishnavas gather from all around the world to participate in this festival. ‘Festival’ is an integral part of the ‘Gaudiya Vaishnava’ lifestyle and it provides the Vaishnavas with an opportunity to associate with elevated devotees and relish Krishna Katha.Sri RadhaVallav jiu is so beautiful that one might want to gaze at His beautiful form forever. Simply seeing His charming smile makes one forget the illusory problems of this material world.’The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself extremely blessed and fortunate to have taken darsana of Sri RadhaVallav jiu’s captivating form and to have prayed for His shelter and mercy.

Lord Jagannath serampore

Mahesh Jagannath Temple – History & Darshan | Kamalakara Pippalai

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 9, 2018

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes at length regarding Mahesh Jagannath temple and its Rath Yatra in his commentary to Chaitanya Charitamrta (Adi lila ,11.24 purport). The temple, situated near Serampore in West Bengal, has a very beautiful history. There once lived a devotee named Dhruvananda who prayed to the lordships ,Sri Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra at Jagannath Puri, desiring to offer them the food that he had cooked with his own hands. However the devotees at puri informed him that offering of such outside food to the Lordships was not allowed there. Feeling dejected , Dhruvananda began fasting and decided to put an end to his life.Lord Jagannath then being greatly pleased with Dhruvananda, appeared in his dream and instructed him to go to a sacred place called Mahesh, on the bank of the River Ganges, and there start His worship. Dhruvananda left immediately and on reaching Mahesh, found the three deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra floating upon the Ganges water. Mahesh, during those days was a jungle full of carnivorous animals.

Dhruvananda was overwhelmed and installed the deities in his small cottage at Mahesh and started worshipping them there. He could now offer them the food that he had cooked himself . Lord Jagannath is very merciful towards His devotees. We have observed a very similar pastime at Navadvipa wherein Lord Jagannatha had showered His causeless mercy upon a devotee named Jagadish Ganguly and subsequently manifested His divine deity form. (‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered this pastime in a separate article entitled – ‘Lord Jagannatha at Rajapur , Navadvipa (Simantadvipa)’).