Speaker:   HH Bhakti Charu Swami
Venue:     Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Mandir, Johannesburg, South Africa
Occasion:  Evening program on the eve of Randburg Ratha Yatra
Transcription sent in by Madri Dasi

[The class continued after chanting Madhurastakam.]

Hare Krishna. I am sorry that this is a little complicated tune butyou did very well. Generally the way we sing it, we sing first twolines together and then the third line single. One line we sing andthen the fourth line – madhuradhi-pater akhilam madhuram – we repeattwice. And then actually the first stanza, the odd stanzas start withthe lower note and the even ones start with the higher note. The oddones start with pa and then even ones start with higher note, sa.Anyway you did very well. [Laughter.]

Hare Krishna. So I want to go back to Jagannath now or you are getting late? [No.]

So When Krishna, Jagannath did not come back to Dvaraka then Rukminiwent with the soldiers from Dvaraka because after all it was anoffense. As it is stealing is an offense.  Kidnapping is stealing. Andthen this is stealing the prince. It is a very serious offense. ThenQueen Rukmini got to know the glory of Vrindavan. Then they had rasadance. Naturally Krishna got together with the gopis so naturally Theyare going to dance rasa dance on the full moon night. Full moon nightmeans when Krishna wants to dance rasa dance then the moon becomes fullautomatically because the moon also becomes ecstatic. In ecstasy moonalso becomes full.

There is a description that the queen, Rukmini, she was marveling,“Oh! What a wonderful sight! What did I see?” But then she got theresponse, “What Did you see? It is nothing! This is nothing compared tothe real rasa dance in Vrindavan.” So that is Vrindavan.

Now that question arises what about this form of Lord Jagannath? Youare saying this is Krishna but He doesn’t look like Krishna. So in thisrespect there are two considerations or two anecdotes or two reasonswhy Krishna became like that. One narration is in Skanda Purana thatdescribes how there was a king called Indradyumna. He was inSatya-yuga. He wanted to see the Lord. In Satya yuga one used to seethe Lord through meditation in the core of his heart. Actually theDeity of the Lord became manifest in Dvapara-yuga.  In Satya-yuga theLord was not manifest in His Deity form. For a king to give up hisroyal responsibilities and meditate in the Himalayas was not possibleso the king became very despondent. He became very heart broken. Inthis way when  he was lamenting all the time, “How can I get to see theLord, how can I get to see the Lord?” At that time one wonderingmendicant, parivrajaka brahmana came to the royal court and he toldthat The Lord is present in His Deity form as Nila Madhava in theNiladri Mountain on the bank of the salt water ocean. So the kingbecame very excited on hearing that the Lord is present and that, “Ican possibly get to see Him.” But before he could enquire where NiladriMountain is, where the Lord is, that person just disappeared. So thenKing Indradyuma sent his brahmanas in different directions to find outwhere is Nila Madhava. Nila Madhava means blue Madhava. Madhava isKrishna. That is that Nila Madhava is Krishna. So his messengers wentin different directions searching for Nila Madhava and after a longsearch practically all of them came back except one.  He was the headpriest, Vidyapati. Vidyapati did not come back.

In the meantime Vidyapati, searching for Nila Madhava became tired.One day he just came to a Sabara village. The Sabaras are actuallyoutcastes. In the Vedic culture only the four classes, brahmana,ksatriya, vaisya and sudra live in the towns or villages. The others,those who are lower than sudras they do not stay in the actual areas.They live in the outskirts of the habitation, meaning near the forest.After all a Sabara is an outcast. So Vidyapati becoming tired arrivedin a Sabara village. For a brahmana to come to a Sabara village isunusual, generally it used to be an unusual thing in those days. He wastired and hungry and thirsty. So when you are hungry and thirsty thenall this caste consciousness automatically disappears.  [Laughter.] Sothe house that he approached was the house of the king of the Sabaras,the leader of the Sabaras.

He was not at home but his young daughter was at home. So whenVidyapati arrived there she treated him very nicely and told him towait until her father came back. So Vidyapati waited. Already he wastired. And when the leader of the Sabaras, Visavasu came he was veryhappy to see that a brahmana became his guest. So with great honor andrespect he treated him and requested him to stay there in his house forsome time. And Vidyapati was also quite tired after long travels so heaccepted the invitation. When he was there eventually he got married tothis daughter of the king of Sabaras. Her name was Lalita. Whilestaying in Visavasu’s house Vidyapati used to notice that every nightVisavas used to go away, go somewhere. And in the morning when he wouldcome back some beautiful fragrance would exude from his body. So he wascurious. One day he asked Lalita, “Where does your  father go atnight?” So Lalita said that he goes to worship Nila Madhava.

So you can well imagine how Vidyapati felt. That he was searchingfor Nila Madhava. He practically forgot his mission and then all of asudden he got to know that here is the person who goes to worship NilaMadhava. So he asked Lalita, “Why don’t you tell your father to take mealso to see Nila Madhava?” So Lalita said, “My father doesn’t wantanyone to even know that he worships Nila Madhava and if I approach himhe will get very, very upset with me.” Also it is understandable why hewas so secretive about it because in those days only a brahmana couldworship the Lord. And he is an outcaste and an outcaste is worshippingthe Supreme Personality of Godhead. If people got to know that then hewould be in real trouble. So that is why he was so secretive about it.

Vidyapati kept on insisting, “Please tell him after all there is nosecret.  I am his son-in-law. Finally Lalita approached and told herfather that Vidyapati wanted to see Nila Madhava. At first Visavasubecame very, very upset. Then on Lalita’s insistence he agreed to takeVidyapati on one condition that he will have to go blindfolded becausehe was afraid that if this brahmana finds out where Nila Madhava isprobably he will take Him away. Vidyapati accepted that condition butat the same time he told Lalita just before leaving that, “Can youplease give me some mustard seeds?” So she asked, “Why do you needmustard seeds?” He said that, “I will need it to worship.” [Laughter.]

So he took the mustard seeds, tied it up in the corner of his clothand blindfolded Visavasu was leading him. And while going he started todrop those mustard seeds. Smart he is. [Laughter.] Why? He knew thatthis is how he will find out where is Nila Madhava because in course oftime the mustard seeds will become plants and following those mustardplants he will find out where is Nila Madhava. So he was taken thereand he got to see the Lord.

In the meantime Visavasu went to collect fruit and flowers from theforest to worship Nila Madhava. When Visavasu was gone and Vidyapatiwas waiting he saw an amazing sight. He saw that a crow was perched ona tree on the bank of a pond and all of a sudden that crow died andfell in the water of the pond. And as soon as it touched the water ofthe pond he immediately assumed his four armed form and went back toVaikuntha. Even a crow dying at that place and coming in contact withthe water of that kunda, water of that pond assumed his spiritual form,spiritual identity. So Vidyapati thought that that is a very convenientway to get liberation, just give up his body in the water and he willgo back to Godhead. So thinking that he wanted to just give up his bodydrowning himself in that water but at that time he heard a voice thatannounced, that told him that, “Vidyapati this is not the time for youto give up your body and achieve spiritual liberation.  Your friend,your king Indradyumna is eagerly waiting for your return so you go andreport to him.” So he refrained from that plan of committing suicide.In the meantime Visavasu came and as he started to worship as hestarted to serve Nila Madhava, Nila Madhava spoke up. Visavasu heard avoice saying that, “Visavasu, I have been receiving your service for along time. Now the time  has come for Me to accept the service of KingIndradyumna.” So when Visavasu heard that he thought that this brahmanamust have convinced Nila Madhava to leave him and got to KingIndradyumna so he became very upset. As it is he was suspecting thatthis brahmana will steal Nila Madhava away from him so he immediatelygot hold of him and he told him that, “I would have killed you. Had younot have been my son-in-law I would have killed you. But I won’t killyou but I won’t let you go either. I will tie you up to a tree withropes and creepers and let the wild animals come and eat you.” Sayingthat he tied him up to a tree.

When he returned home Lalita asked what happen and he told her whathappened. So Lalita went looking for Vidyapati. She found Vidyapatitied up in the forest and released him from his bond. Vidyapati thenwent back to King Indradyumna and reported that he found Nila Madhava.Immediately King Indradyumna came along with his army and entourage. Doyou know where was the kingdom of King Indradyumna? King Indradyumna’skingdom was in Avanti, which is Ujjain, where we have a temple. SoAvanti is not only the place of Sandipani’s asrama. Avanti is also KingIndradyumna’s capital. So King Indradyumna then came. In the meantimethe mustard seeds sprouted into mustard plants and in this way theydetected the way and tracked the way to the temple at the top of themountain. When they arrived there where Nila Madhava was,  they foundthat Nila Madhava was not there. The king thought that Visavasu, theKing of the Sabaras must have shifted him somewhere so he went andarrested the Sabara and asked him where the Deity was. But Visavasu wasjust silent. The king tortured him but still he was silent. Then theyceased the village to force them to submit.

During that time King Indradyumna had a dream that Nila Madahava istelling him that it is not that Visavasu has shifted him somewhere.Actually He, Himself has disappeared and He told the king not tounnecessarily torture the Sabaras along with their king. Then He toldthat, “You won’t see Me in My Nila Madhava form but I have appeared asa transcendental log. Go to the ocean and you will find Me there. Ihave appeared as a transcendental log.  So you carve My Deity out ofthat log and worship that form. That will be non different from Me.”

So King Indradyumna immediately went to the ocean and he found thishuge log floating. So he tried to lift the log out of the water and hecouldn’t. So then he got his soldiers. He employed his whole army withthe elephants and horses and still they couldn’t pull the log out ofthe water. Again he was so frustrated. The Lord came as a log but hecould not shift the log out of the water. Then he was directed in adream by Nila Madhava. He told that, “You get Vidyapati and Visavasu tohold two ends of the log and they will be able to lift Me out of thewater.” So the king immediately got Visavasu and Vidyapati and toldthem about the dream he had and it is true. Amazingly just these twopersons very easily lifted the log out of the water and it was taken tothe residence of the queen. Her name was Gundica. Indradyumna’s wife’sname was Gundica. So there the log was kept. Then the king got the bestcarvers to carve the Deity but all these expert wood carvers as theytried to carve the Deity out of the log, as they would touch theirinstruments, chisels and hammers to the wood immediately it would breakinto pieces. So many such carvers and carpenters came but no one couldeven make a scratch on that wood.

Again King Indradyumna was so disappointed. Then an old man came. He identified himself as Ananta Maharana and he told him that he wouldcarve the Deity out of the wood. The king at first was quite doubtfuland he said that, “All these expert carvers came and they couldn’t evenmake a dent and you are an old man. How will you be able to carve?” Butthat man said, “No I will. But I have a condition that for as long as Iam working in the room no one should come there. If anyone comes inthen I will leave.” So King Indradyumna agreed. It was not a difficultcondition.

Then he started to work behind the closed doors and the King couldhear the sound of work in progress. So he was very excited. But thenone day all of a sudden the sound stopped. The king became worriedabout what happened. Why it had stopped. And he also considered that heis such an old man and if something happened to him. So out of hisintense anxiety the King forgot about the condition and he opened thedoor and walked in. When he walked in there he found the threeincomplete forms there and Ananta Maharana was no way to be seen. Theking was extremely disappointed, extremely guilty that he broke hispromise and as a result of that the Lords form didn’t become manifest.So he decided to give up his body. So he sat on kusa grass and hestopped eating and drinking with the intention of leaving his body.This is called praya-upavesah, just as Pariksit Maharaj did. When hegot the news that in seven days he is going to leave his body he justwent to the bank of the Ganges, sat down on kusa grass and stoppedeating. So the king also decided to give up his body fasting. So he satthere for three days like that but on the third night he had a dream.The Lord appeared to him and told him that, he should not think thatthis form is an incomplete form.  He said that, “This form is Me, nondifferent from Me. And in this form I am eternally manifest in thespiritual sky. So don’t think that it is incomplete.”

So this is how Lord Jagannath appeared along with Subhadra andBaladeva. King Indradyumna established the Deities. Brahma actuallyinstalled the Deities.  So this is how Lord Jagannath appeared. Now thequestion arises that in a dream the Lord told King Indradyumna that Heis present in this form in the spiritual sky so where is He in thatform?

This part has been explained by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta SaraswatiThakur. Just before the Ratha Yatra festival he was asked to speak onLord Jagannath on radio. So he gave this anecdote. That the queens inDvaraka used to always wonder what is there in Vrindavan that Krishna’sheart is always in Vrindavan. Krishna’s mind is always in Vrindavan. Heis always lost in thoughts of Vrindavan so they wanted to know what isthere, what is so special about Vrindavan. So one day they approachedMother Rohini. So Mother Rohini said, “One day when Krishna and Balaramwon’t be here then I will tell you the activities about Krishna andBalaram in Vrindavan. Otherwise if Krishna and Balaram get to knowTheir activities in Vrindavan Their memories will be rekindled and Theywill be feeling very, very sad. As it is They are feeling so heartbroken and They will feel even more miserable. So wait ’til Krishna andBalaram won’t be here then I will tell you.”

Mother Rohini was in Vrindavan so she knew about Krishna’s Vrindavanpastimes. So one day when Krishna and Balaram went somewhere else atthat time sixteen thousand queens approached Mother Rohini to tell themabout Krishna’s Vrindavan lila. So Mother Rohini sat with them and theyposted Subhadra to guard the door so that no one will trespass. SoRohini started to narrate Krishna’s Vrindavan lila.

In the meantime Krishna and Balaram came back. And Subadra just byhearing Krishna’s pastimes became so affected, so overwhelmed withemotion that she lost her speech. Although Krishna and Balaram came shecould not warn them that Krishna and Balaram came. Therefore all shecould do is stretch her arms to stop Krishna and Balaram from entering.Krishna and Balaram could not enter into the room but while standingthere Krishna and Balaram were hearing Rohini describing TheirVrindavan lila. And hearing that Krishna and Balaram assumed a veryunusual form – The form where His face lit up with a beautiful smile;His eyes blossomed like two lotuses, became wide like two fully bloomedlotuses and His hands were stretched forward with the desire to embraceHis friends and the residents of Vrindavan. And Subadra also assumedthe same form. Seeing Krishna and Balaram she was also induced in thesame mood. The only thing is that then she felt very guilty that shestopped Krishna and Balaram by stretching her arms. So with that guiltyfeeling her arms went inside her body. So Subadra doesn’t have arms.Krishna and Balaram have Their arms stretched forward. So this is howKrishna assumed this form of Jagannath.

Caitanya-caritamrta also gives a description that how,

priyah so ‘yam krsnah saha-cari kuru-ksetra-militas
[Madhya 1.76]

Radharani is telling. Actually Caitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing infront of Lord Jagannath during the Ratha Yatra festival and He wassinging one song.  The song goes like, apparently it is a mundane song

yah kaumara-harah sa eva hi varas ta
[Madhya 1.58]

“The one who stole my heart during My maiden days He has become MyLord now.  That means He is My master now, My husband. And it is thesame,

caitra-ksapas, te conmilita-malati-surabhayah praudhah kadambanilah
[Madhya 1.58]

It is the same spring night and the breeze blows the beautifulfragrance of malati flower blowing from the direction of the kadambatrees

sa caivasmi tathapi tatra surata-vyapara-lila-vidhau
[Madhya 1.58]

I am that same girl who is very expert in loving exchange. But still,

reva-rodhasi vetasi-taru-tale cetah samutkanthate
[Madhya 1.58]

My heart is hankering to go back to the Reva River under the Vetasi trees.”

So no one could understand why Mahaprabhu was singing such a song infront of Jagannath’s chariot and dancing. It is like a song describingsome young lover yearning for sentimental happenings of the heart. SoRatha Yatra was over.

One day Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Rupa Goswami’s hut and He sawthat, (Rupa Goswami had at that time gone to take a bath in the ocean)and Mahaprabhu was waiting and He saw that there was a palm leaf stuckon the ceiling. In those days people used to write on palm leaves. SoHe pulled out that palm leaf and he found one verse written there onthat palm leaf. That was saying, “My dear friend I met Krishna inKuruksetra. I am the same Radha but still My heart is yearning for theforest in Vrindavan, forest of Vrindavan on the bank of Kalindi Riverwhere the whole atmosphere is saturated with Krishna’s flute playingthe fifth note.

madhura-murali-pancama-juse
mano me kalindi-pulina-vipinaya sprhayati
[Madhya 1.76]

My mind – mano me; kalindi-pulina-vipinaya – the forest on the bankof Kalindi River, My mind is hankering, yearning to go back there.” Sothis is actually revealing what is the meaning of the song thatCaitanya Mahaprabhu sang. It is actually Srimati Radharani lamentingthat, “I met Krishna but My heart is not satisfied seeing Krishna inthis way

yah kaumara-harah sa eva hi varas ta
[Madhya 1.58]

I found Him – the one whole stole my heart when I was kaumara-harah– when I was a maiden and He has become My Lord but still My heart ishankering to go to the bank of the Reva River which is Kalindi River inthe forest of Vrindavan.”

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu  was very surprised to read that and He askedSvarup Damodara, “Svarup how did Rupa find out, how could he understandMy mind?”  Then Svarup Damodara replied that, “Who can ever understandYour mind?  You must have bestowed Your causeless mercy upon Him. Thatis how he found out.  He must be very dear to You.” And CaitanyaMahaprabhu admitted, “Yes. Rupa is very dear to Me.”

This is how in Caitanaya-caritamrta it has been described how theresidents of Vrindavan met Krishna after a long separation. But whenthey met Krishna that union has been very beautifully described – thatRadharani was feeling that, “This is not the Krishna that I want, thatI knew. The Krishna that I knew is a cowherd boy but this is a ksatriyaprince. The Krishna that I know wears a peacock feather on His head butHe is wearing a helmet. He is wearing a crown. The Krishna that I knowwears a yellow garment and here He is dressed in royal robes. TheKrishna that I know wears flower garlands made of forest flowers andthis Krishna is decorated with all kinds of precious gems andornaments. The Krishna that I know carries a flute but this Krishna iscarrying sword and bow.”

This is how Srimati Radharani was not satisfied to see Krishna inthat mood at Kuruksetra. And Krishna also seeing His associates, seeingHis dear devotees from Vrindavan after such a long time He alsoassumed, He also became so overwhelmed with His emotions, lovingemotions that His hands stretched forward with the desire to embracethem. His face lit up with a beautiful smile and He became all smilesand He was seeing them with such eagerness, such excitement that hiseyes became wide like two fully bloomed lotuses. This is Jagannath.Krishna of Dvaraka wanting to go to Vrindavan. That is Jagannath.

So tomorrow is Jagannath’s Ratha yatra festival so take fulladvantage of this wonderful celebration and this occasion of developinglove for Krishna, love for Jagannath. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

Gaura Premanande – hari-haribol! [Applause.]

[The next day Maharaj led ecstatic kirtan for a long time in theJagannath Rath procession and walked the whole time thereafter in frontof the chariot often looking at the Deities. He gave another talk inthe main tent. Then he left to catch a flight via Dubai to India.]