Rameshvaram
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| Rameshvaram, Tamil Nadu; |
Sri Chaitani Mahaprabhu then went to Shetubandha, Rameshvaram. Where He took bath in the place called Danush Tirtha. There He visited the Rameshvar Temple and took rest.
Purport:
The path to the ocean to the islands known as Mandapan and Pambal consists partly of sand and partly of water. The island Pampam is about 11 miles long and six mile wide. From the Pampam harbor 4 miles to the North is a Temple known as Rameshvaram. After visiting the Temple of Goddess Durga one should go to the Temple of Rameshvar. In this area there are 24 different holy places. One of them Danushtirtha which is located about 12 miles south east of Rameshvaram. It is the near the last station of the South Indian Railway. The station called Ramanada. It is said that here due to the respect of Vibishan, the younger brother of Ravana Vibishan, Lord Ramachandra destroyed a small bridge with his bow upon returning to his capital. It is said if one visits Danushtirtha one is liberated from the cycle of birth and death. It is also said that if one baths in Danushtirtha he gets all the fruitiative results of performing a sacrifice known as agnistoma. Shetubanda is a island of Pampam. There is a Temple of Lord Shiva
called Rameshvar. This indicates that Lord Shiva is a great personality whose worship able Deity is Lord Rama. Thus the Lord Shiva found in the Temple of Rameshvar. He is a great Devotee of Lord Ramachandra.
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| The Temple of Lord Shiva - Rameshvaram; |
After Sri Chaitania Mahaprabhu departed from the association of Venkatta Bhatta, his brothers and his son and all the Devotees of Sri Rangam He came to a very holy place near Madurai of the name Rishabhill. It is named as Rishab hill because in the forest surrounded Lord Rishabhadev by His own Supreme mystic powers burned His body to ashes. It was that Rishab Hill that Lord Chaitania made a connection that would be one the strongest, intimate relationships of His life. It was there that He first meet the great Paramananda Puri. Paramananda Puri was staying in the house of a Brahman performing pilgrimage. He is originally from Trikuta. When Lord Chaitania found out that he was in the same vicinity with great excitement He went to the house of that Brahman. He feel at the feet of Paramananda Puri. Lord Chaitania is the Supreme Lord and with dandavat obeisances He clasp to the feet of Paramananda Puri. Knowing him to be a dear god brother of His own Spiritual Master Ishvara Puri. Paramananda Puri lifted Lord Chaitania up and in great ecstasy embraced Him. They remained together in that Brahman's house for several days discussing the topics of Lord Sri Krishna. When Lord Chaitania inquired from Paramananda Puri where he was going Paramananda Puri replied that he has just done his way to Purushottam Kshetra to have the darshan of Lord Jagannath and than he was going to Bengal to take his bath in Ganga. Lord Chaitania said:
"I am just going to Setubandha and from there I will be returning to Jagannath Puri. I beg you with all sincerity after you bath in the Ganges in Bengal, please return to Jagannath Puri! And let us there together! For your association will bring Me the greatest happiness." Paramananda Puri agreed to meet Lord Chaitania in Jaganntha Puri.
From Rishab Hill Lord Chaitania went to Sri Shaila. There Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati were living in diskies of two Brahmans. And Lord Chaitania begged alms from them. Lord Shiva took Lord Chaitania to a secluded place in the forest and there they had secret discussions for several days. From there Lord Chaitania traveled to Madurai. Where He was invited by a very gentle Brahman to his home.
There was a story in Srirangam where several acharyas, gurus sitting under a tree on the banks of Chandra Pushkarini in the Temple of Ranganath and they were having a Hari katha. At that the possession of Deities came by. It was in the morning. And there were drowns, horns and the Deity was in the palanquin … and this was a daily affair. And one of the people in the audience of the katha jokingly said that Lord has come to interrupt His own katha. And Ranganath heard that and He told to a pujari that from now on for the next year there will be no precession in the morning. He said:
"I want to sit and listen the Hari katha."
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| Procession of Lord Ranganath, Sri Rangam; |
So Lord Chaitania was invited by this Brahman by name Ram das Vipra for a lunch. Lord Chaitania took His bath in the Ketu Mala River.
And He arrived at house expecting Prasad to be ready. But He found that Ram das had no even began the cooking yet. Lord Chaitania asked:
"Dear Sir, can you tell Me is there some problem! Why you haven't began cooking?"
He said:
"Because Lakshman is still in the forest. He had not brought the ingredients yet for Sita to cook. So we are waiting.”
Lord Chaitania was quite pleased with the honest and genuine absorption of this Devotee had in Lord Rama's lila. Lord Chaitania is the Paramatma. He knows the inner intentions of a person's heart. And He understood, by the blessings of Sri Ram that this person was totally immersed in His pastimes. Because the pastimes of the Lord are not to be understood simple by chronological, historical perspective.
Although Sri Ram's prakata or manifested pastimes in a Treta yuga they are
eternal pastimes. They are always taking place. And they manifest themselves
within the heart of those Devotees whom the Lord chooses to show His special
mercy to.
Although Sri Ram's prakata or manifested pastimes in a Treta yuga they are
eternal pastimes. They are always taking place. And they manifest themselves
within the heart of those Devotees whom the Lord chooses to show His special
mercy to.
So then Ram das prepared a nice, simple lunch Prasad for Lord Chaitania. Lord enjoyed his offering. Then the Lord saw that Ram das looked very sad. He was literally lamenting as well as fasting. Lord Chaitania asked:
"Why do you look so sad? And are you fasting?"
Ram das Vipra revealed his heart which was in great pain. He said that Sita Devi is the Mother of the Universe. He is the consort of Sri Ram. And She has been touched by that demoniac rakshasha Ravana. "how can I live knowing this? How can I breath? I do not have desire to live. This fact the Ravana has touched my beloved, Supreme worshipable Deity Sita brakes my heart. With so much pain that I can not continue living. What to speak of eating? I must end my life and walk into the blazing fire."
Lord Chaitania said:
"Please, give up your lamentation! It is not necessary to feel like this. Because Sita is the goddess of fortune. Her body is completely spiritual. No materialistic people could see what to speak of touch the eternal form of Sita. Spiritual energy is beyond the grasp of material senses. It is impossible for Ravana to have even seen Sita. What to speak of touch Her. It was a false Sita. An illusory, material form of Sita that Ravana had touched."
Srila Prabhupada in this regard explains that the spiritual energy is inaccessible to materialistic people, for materialistic senses. The spiritual energy can only be experienced when the Lord by His own sweet will reveals Himself to us.
So Lord told to Ram das Vipra to not to worry and take his Prasad. Hearing the very compassionate explanation of Lord Chaitania Ram das Vipra took his Prasad.
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| Sri Sri Sita Rama; |
From there Lord Chaitania came to Rameshvaram. First He bathed in the Danushtirtha and came to take the darshan. Sri Chaitania Charitaamrita explains that while He was in the Temple of Rameshvar He learned that there was an original copy of Kurma Purana that the Brahman's were studying. And Lord Chaitania heard an exert from the Kurma Purana. Where it is authoritatively explains the story of the chastity of Sita. And how before Ravana kidnapped Sita Agnidev took the real Sita and put Her under the direction of Pravati and brought false illusory Sita for Ravana to kidnap. And after the destruction of Ravana and his dynasty the original Sita was returned
to the Lord. Lord Chaitania was so pleased to read this and He asked the priest
of the Temple if He could be given the original manuscript of Kurma Purana which was very ancient. The Brahmans here in Rameshvaram scribed copy of a new manuscript and they gave Lord Chaitania the original. Because it was very old.
to the Lord. Lord Chaitania was so pleased to read this and He asked the priest
of the Temple if He could be given the original manuscript of Kurma Purana which was very ancient. The Brahmans here in Rameshvaram scribed copy of a new manuscript and they gave Lord Chaitania the original. Because it was very old.
After leaving Rameshvaram Lord Chaitania brought those original manuscripts back to Madurai. And He went to a house of Ram das Vipra. And said:
"I want to show a shastric evidence that Sita was never touched by Ravana. So you will be always happy."
And Ram das Vipra read from the Kurma Purana and became very happy and said:
"Now I understand that You are my beloved Lord Ramachandra who has personally come to alleviate all my distress and bring me the highest bliss."
This way Sri Chaitania Mahaprabhu's compassionate nature.
Rameshvaram has a great history. Especially in Valmiki Ramayan the glories of Shetubandha are declared Lord considered this to be the southern most point of India…
References:
Taken from the lecture Rameshvaram
