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Chronology of Shri Chaitanya's 24
years in Jagannatha Puri:

Jan-Feb- In West Bengal, Lord Chaitanya accepts Sannyasa (renounced order of life)

Feb-March- Moves to Jagannatha Puri, Orissa.

April-May- Liberates Sarvabhauma by His preaching.

May June- Left Jagannatha Puri for South India tour. (M7/intro)

Lord Chaitanya lived in the Navadvipa area (West Bengal) for His first 24 years, and he induced every person to chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra, and thus merge in love of Krishna.

For the remaining 24 years of His life, after accepting the renounced order of life, stayed at Jagannatha Puri with his devotees. (Adi13/33,4)

A. First Six Years in Jagannatha Puri- For six of the 24 years in Jagannatha Puri, Shri Chaitanya distributed love of God by always chant¬ing and dancing- He also toured all of India (extending from Cape Comorin, through Bengal and Vrndavan) chanting, dancing and dis¬tributing love of God. He traveled to and from Jagannatha Puri con¬tinuously for the first six years. (Adil3/35; M25/240)

B. Middle Six Years- After traveling to and from Jagannatha Puri for six years. Lord Chaitanya Fixed His residence at Jagannatha Puri and stayed there for the remaining 18 years of His life. During these 18 years He mainly chanted Hare Krishna with His devotees.

Through His personal behavior, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in¬structed all living entities in the mode of devotional service.

Of the last 18 years, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent 6 years with His many devotees- by chanting and dancing He introduced the loving service of the Lord. He induced all the devotees to love Krishna simply by chanting and dancing. (M1/22, 251; M25/241; Adil3/38)

C. Last 12 Years- Shri Chaitanya was continously overwhelmed, night and day by separation from Krishna. Day and night he tasted transcendental blissful songs and verses from Krishna Karnamrta, Gita-Govinda,-Shrimad-Bhagavatam and Jagannatha-Vallabha-Nataka, with two associates, namely Ramananda Raya and Swarupa Damodara. (Antl6/79)

Throughout the entire day and night, Lord Chaitanya relished Krishna's beauty, fragrance and mellow as if He were touching Krishna hand to hand. (Ant20/3-4)

The last twelve years were simply spent relishing the pastimes of Krishna in separation within the heart of the Lord. Shri Chaitanya enjoyed the position of the gopis in separation from Krishna. When Krish¬na left the gopis and went to Mathura, they cried for Him the rest of their lives, feeling intense separation form Him. This ecstatic feeling of separation was specifically advocated by Lord Chaitanya through His actual demonstrations.

In the attitude of separation Lord Chaitanya appeared mad both day and night. Sometimes He laughed, sometimes He cried, sometimes He danced, and sometimes He chanted in great sorrow.

At those times, Shri Chaitanya would visit Lord Jagannatha. Then His feelings exactly corresponded to the gopis feeling when they saw Krishna at Kuruksetra after long separation. (M1/51-53)

Lord Chaitanya now taught everyone to taste the transcendental mellow ecstacy of love of Krishna by tasting it Himself - A person who is advanced in Krishna Consciousness always feels separation from Krish¬na. Lord Chaitanya taught how, with a feeling of separation one can develop his dormant love of Krishna. These feelings develop in time when a person seriously engages in devotional service. (Adil3/39)

Yearly Pastimes with Visiting Devotees: Lord Chaitanya remained in Puri without leaving for 18 years after returning from Vrndavan. During these 18 years, all the Bengal devotees visited Him at Puri every year. They would remain there for four continuous months and enjoy the Lord's company.

Every year Lord Chaitanya would accompany all the visiting Bengal and local devotees in various pastimes; washing Gundica, Chariot fes¬tival, ecstatic kirtans in Jagannatha temple, Narendra Sarovara water sports, and Deity festivals like Dola Yatra. (M1/250; M11/181)

1. Ecstatic Kirtans in Jagannatha Temple- Shri Chaitanya merged the entire world into the ocean of ecstatic love by performing His beautiful dances within the temple of Jagannatha. He danced exquisite¬ly and jumped high. After arriving every year the Bengali devotees met Shri Chaitanya, took sea baths, honored maha-prasada in association with Lord Chaitanya, then went to their respective residences.

In the evening they again met Lord Chaitanya, and saw Lord Jagannatha's dhupa-arati and began congregational chanting. The temple superintendent offered sandalwood and garlands to everyone. Four kirtan parties (with total 8 mrdangas, 32 cymbals) were placed in four directions and Shri Chaitanya Himself danced in the middle.

The tumultuous sound penetrated the whole universe, and ecstatic love immediately overflooded everything. All the residents of Jagan¬natha Puri came running and agreed that never before had kirtan been so performed. Shri Chaitanya circumambulated Lord Jagannatha's temple and continuously danced, and for some time remained at the rear of the temple.

Tears of love forcefully ran out from the Lord, moistening everyone around. Lord Chaitanya performed a miracle though standing in the midst of the dancers, all the dancers in all directions perceived that the Lord was looking at them. When someone came dancing near¬by, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would tightly embrace them.

Retiring to the residence at Kashi Mishra's, Lord Chaitanya per¬sonally distributed maha-prasada to all the devotees. (Mll/211-244)

2. Another Kirtan Years Later- With all the devotees, Shri Chaitanya saw Lord Jagannatha's early morning rising, and began His all encompassing Sankirtan. He formed 7 groups; with 7 main dancers. As Lord Chaitanya went from one group to another inspecting them, the men in each group thought, "The Lord is within our group."

King Prataparudra watched from a distance. Swarupa Damodara sang a tune in the Orissan language, "Let my head fall at the feet of Jagannatha in the kirtan hall known as Jagamohan." Hearing this Lord Chaitanya danced greatly in ecstatic love. The people all around Him floated in the water of His tears. The Lord fell unconscious, not even breathing. Then suddenly He stood up making a loud sound. He bled and perspired from every pore of His body. His voice faltered. Unable to say the line properly, He uttered only, "Jaja gaga pari mumu".

All His teeth shook as if separated. Indeed they seemed about to fall to the ground. His transcendental bliss increased at every moment. Therefore even by mid-afternoon the dancing had not ended. The ocean of transcendental bliss overflooded and everyone present forgot his body, mind, and home.

As long as the devotees stayed at Jagannatha Puri with Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the pastimes of Sankirtan (congregational chanting) were performed with great jubilation every day.

List of Devotees Living Constantly In Puri
With Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

As all the rivers flow to the sea, all the devotees throughout the country finally came to Shri Chaitanya's shelter. He showed them all mercy and kepi them under His protection. (Ml/187, 8)

Among the devotees who accompanied the Lord in Jagannatha Puri, two of them - Paramananda Puri and Swarupa Damodara were the life and soul of the Lord. Other devotees were: Gadadhara, Jagadananda, Sankara, Vakresvara, Damodara Pandit, Thakur Haridas, Raghunatha Vaidya, Raghunatha Das. All these devotees were as¬sociates of the Lord from the very beginning, and when the Lord took up residence in Jagannatha Puri they remained there to serve Him faithfully.

Among His associates, Lord Chaitanya enjoyed paternal loving af¬fection with Paramananda Puri, unalloyed service from Govinda and others humors of conjugal love with Gadadhara, Jagadananda, and Swarupa Damodara. Absorbed in these four trascendental mellows, Shri Chaitanya resided in Jagannatha Puri, feeling very much obliged to His devotees. (M2/78)

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Gopinatha Acarya, Kashi Mishra, Pradyumna, Mishra, Bhavananda Raya and 5 sons, (Ramananda Raya, Gopinatha Pattanayaka, Vaninatha, Kala and Subhanidhis) King Prataparudra, the Oriyan born devotees (Krishnananda, Sivananda) Paramananda Mahapatra, Bhagavan Acarya, Brahmananda Bharati, Shri Sikhi Mahiti and Murari Mahiti were all constant associates of Lord Chaitanya in Puri.

Madhavi Devi, 17th prominent devotee and younger sister of Sikhi Mahili, was formerly a maidservant of Radharani. Kasisvara and Shri Govinda were ordered by their spiritual master, Isvara Puri, to go to Jagannatha Puri and serve Lord Chaitanya.

Kasisvara, being very strong, cleared the crowds aside with his hands so Shri Chaitanya could pass untouched. Govinda was personally assisted by Nandai and Ramai. Krishnadas, Balabhadra Bhattacarya, Bada Haridas, Chota Haridas, Ramabhadra Acarya, Simhesvara, Tapan Acarya, Raghunatha, Nilambara, Singabhatta, Kamabhatta, Sivananda, Kamalananda, Acyutananda, Nirloma Gangadas and Vishnu das were the 22nd thru 37th among Puri devotees. (Adi10/123,151, M10/41-48)

Simply by remembering the names of all these Vaishnavas, one can attain the lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Indeed, simply by remembering their names, one can achieve the fulfillment of all desires. (Adi12/92)

Lord Chaitanya's Daily Activities in Puri:

In the daytime Shri Chaitanya engaged in dancing and chanting and seeing the temple deity of Jagannatha. At night in the company of His most confidential devotees, such as Ramananda Raya and Swarupa Damodara, He tasted the nectar of the transcendental mellow of Lord Krishna's pastimes.

He very happily passed His days in this way at Nilacala, Jagannatha Puri. Feeling separation from Krishna, He exhibited many transcenden¬tal symptoms all over His body. Day after day these symptoms, such as transcebndental anxiety, agitation, and talking like a madman, were present just as they are described in the sastras. (Ant11/11-15)

MORNING: Every morning Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw the Deity of Lord Jagannatba. Standing near the Garuda Stambha, He of¬fered obeisances, prayers, danced, and sang before Lord Jagannatha. He waited to see the Upala bhoga (morning refreshments) offered at noon.

Upala Bhoga is a particular type of offering performed just behind the Garuda Stambha on a stone slab. That stone slab is called the upala. All food is offered within the temple room just below the altar of Lord Jagannatha. This bhoga, however, was offered on the stone slab within the vision of the public. Krishna das Kaviraj also says Lord Chaitanya would wait outside the temple during the Upala bhoga offer¬ing. (Ml/64, M15/6,Ant4/16)

Sometimes when coming from the temple, absorbed in ecstatic love of Krishna, Shri Chaitanya would sit on the ground and mark it with His nails. At such times He would be greatly morose, and would cry, "Alas, where is Vmdavan? Where is Krishna, the son of the king of the cowherd men? Where is that person who plays the flute?"

After visiting the temple, the Lord would visit Siddha Bakula, where Haridas lived along with Sanatana and Rupa Goswamis. If one of these three was not present, He would meet with the others. That was His regular practice. (M1/64, 6: M15/6)

He would talk with them for sometime, then go to the seaside to perform His moontime duties. (Ant1/60,102)

AFTERNOON: Returning to the Gambhira room, Shri Chaitanya would sit in His room and chant on His beads, and Advaita Prabhu would come there to worship Him. Advaita Acarya would smear very fragrant sandalwood pulp all over Lord Chaitanya's body- After being worshiped; Lord Chaitanya worshiped Advaita Acarva in return. (M15/6-12)

Then Lord Chaitanya would take prasadam by accepting invitations at different devotee's homes everyday. After taking prasadam, Lord Chaitanya would return to His room. It was a long standing rule that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would lie down to rest after lunch and Govinda would come to massage His legs.

EVENING: When the Bengali Vaishnavas were visiting Puri, they would meet Lord Chaitanya in the evening after resting, following their noon prasadam. Lord Chaitanya took them all to the temple and began congregational chanting. As long as the devotees remained at Jagannatha Puri with Lord Chaitanya, this pastime of Sankirkan was per¬formed wth great jubilation every day. (Mll/211, 213, 241)

After the Bengali Vaishnavas returned home, Lord Chaitanya spent the nights in the company of His most confidential devotees, Ramanananda Raya, and Svarupa Damodara. With them Lord Chaitanya tasted the nectar of the transcendental mellows of Krishna's pastimes. He recited from Shrimad-Bhagavatam, Gita-Govinda, Jagannatha-vallabha-Nataka, and Krishnakarnamrta. He would also recite His own verses, expressing their emotions, and thus enjoy tasting them with these two friends. Sometimes the Lord would be absorbed in a particular emotion and would stay awake all night reciting verses and relishing their taste.

If Ananta, with His 1,000 heads, tried to describe even one day's pastimes of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He would find them impos¬sible to describe fully. If Ganesh, Lord Siva's son and the expert scribe of the demigods, tried for millions of milleniums to fully describe one day of the Lord's pastimes, he would be unable to find their limit. (Antll/12; 20/6,7; 18/13,14)

INDRADYUMNA LAKE

Located about 1/4 mile from Gundica Temple. During the annual cleansing of the Gundica Temple, The devotees would fetch water and bathe here- Since hundreds of men were engaged in bringing water from the this lake, there was no place to stand on the banks. Hundreds of devotees brought water in the pots, and hundreds took the empty pots away to fill [hem up again. Many water pots were broken when people collided with one another. (M12/107-110)

Water Sports: Lord Chaitanya and the devotees splashed water on each other. They formed circles, played cymbals and croaked like frogs while in the water. Lord Chaitanya enjoyed watching as couples (Svarupa Damodara & Vidyanidhi: Murari Gupta & Vasudeva Datta) would duel in water lights. Advaita Acarya, being defeated by Lord Nityananda, called Him bad names. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was surprised to see the duelers, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya, lose their gravity and become like children. Lord Chaitanya jokingly told Gopinatha Acarya, "Tell them to stop their childish play because they are both learned scholars and very grave personalities."

Lord Chaitanya amazed all the devotees by floating on the water lying on Advaita Acarya and showing His pastime of Sesasayi Vishnu-(M14/75-90)

Water to clean the Gundica Temple would be bought from here. Also Lord Chaitanya engaged in water sports with His inti¬mate associates in this tank. Lord Chaitanya lying on Advaita Acharya, who was floating on the water, showed His pastime of Sesasayi Vishnu.

Lord Chaitanya and the devotees splashed water on each other. They formed circles played cymbals and croaked like frogs while in the water. Lord Chaitanya enjoyed watching as couples would duel in water fights. Advaita Acarya, being defeated by Lord Nityananda, called Him bad names. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was surprised to see the duellers, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya, lose their gravity and become like children. Lord Chaitanya jokingly told Gopinatha Acarya. Tell them to stop their childish play because they are both learned scholars and very grave personalities.

THE TOTA GOPINATHA TEMPLE

The Tota-Gopinatha Temple is situated in a remote area on the Cataka-Parvata sand dunes near the beach, and a tall city water tower; a 15 minute walk from the Samadhi tomb of Haridas Thakur. The Gaudiya Vaishnavas accept that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabbu ended His manifest transcendental pastimes in Jagannatha Puri by entering into this Deity of Tota-Gopinatha.

Lord Chaitanya ordered Gadadhara Pandit to take care of the Tota-Gopinatha Deity and remain in Jagannatha Puri as a Ksetra Sannyasi. However, due to intense affection for Lord Chaitanya, Gadadhara Pandit wanted to give up his life's vow to serve Shri Tota-Gopinatha. Finally, he accepted Shri Chaitanya's order, and returned to his deity service in Jagannatha Puri. (M16/130-148)

Gaudiya Vaishnavas accept that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ended His manifested pastimes in Jagannatha Puri by entering into the foot of the Tota Gopinatha Deity.

On the far left altar is Lord Balarama and His two wives Revati and Varuni. The middle Deity is Tota Gopinatha, with a black Radha and a black Lalita. Tota Gopinatha is in a sitting position. If you come in the morning around seven and you give a small donation you can see the crack in His foot, where Lord Chaitanya is said to have entered. On the right altar are the Dei¬ties of Radha Madana Mohan and Gaura Gadadhara. Shrila Gadadhara Pandita who is none other than Shrimati Radhika Herself in Gauranga’s lila used to worship Lord Tota Gopinatha. He remained in Jagannatha Puri as a Ksetra Sannyasi (one who never leaves the Dham).

According to the priest, this temple is called Tota Gopinatha because Lord Gopinatha appeared within this garden, or tota. Gada¬dhara Pandit is said to have found the Deity of Gopinatha in a hill here. The hill is now a big sand elevation near the temple.

In the courtyard of the temple there is a miniature marble impression of feet. These footprints are said to be Radharani's.

Meaning of Rathayatra Festival

After giving up the company of the gopis in Vrindavana, Shri Krishna, the son of Maharaja Nanda, engaged in His pastimes in Dwarka. When Krishna went to Kurnksetra on the occasion of a solar eclipse. He was accompanied by His brother, Lord Balarama, and sister Subhadra, and others from Dwarka. At Kuruksetra Krishna again met the inhabitants of Vrindavana including Shrimati Radharani and the gopis, who wanted to take Him back to Vrindavana. The gopis ofVrindavana did not like the opulence of Dwarka. They wanted to take Krishna to the village of Vrindavana and enjoy His company in the groves.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself assuming the part of Shrimati Radharani in order to understand Krishna. Lord Jagannatha is Krishna and Shri Chaitanya is Radharani. Lord Cai¬tanya leading Lord Jagannatha toward the Gundica Temple cor¬responded to Shrimali Radharani's leading Krishna toward Vrindavana.

Shri Ksetra, Jagannatha Puri, was taken as the kingdom of Dwarka, the place where Krishna enjoys supreme opulence. However. He was being led by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Vrindavana (represented by the Gundicha Temple), the simple village where all the inhabitants are filled with ecstatic love for Krishna. Jagannatha Puri, is a place of richly opulent pastimes (aisvarya-lila) just, as Vrindavana is the place of intimate conjugal pas¬times (mnadhurya). (Chaitanya Caritamrita Madhya Chap. 13)

Lord Chaitanya Dances before Lord Jagannatha's Cart

Lord Chaitanya would sing before the cart, "I have gotten that Lord of My life for whom I was burning in the fire of lusty de¬sires. That very personality who stole away my heart during My youth is now again my master. These are the same moonlit nights of the month of Caitra. The same fragrance of malati flowers it there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship, I am also the same lover, but I am not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the banks of the Reva under the Vetasi tree. Thai is my desire." (Chaitanya Caritamrita Madhya chap. 13)                   

When the Lord Himself wanted to dance, all seven kirtana parties joined together. Lord Jagannatha was very pleased by the sankirtana, and He brought His car to a standstill just lo see the performance. Lord Chaitanya appeared like a circling fire¬brand, and while dancing and jumping the whole earth, with its hills and seas, appeared to tilt.

Transcendental ecstatic love for Krishna caused blissful changes in the body of Shri Chaitanya; hairs standing on end. He perspired, cried, trembled and changed color. When Lord Cait¬anya fell down with a crash while dancing, He would roll on the ground. At such times it appeared that a golden mountain was rolling on the ground. With hands outstretched. Lord Nityananda would run behind the Lord to catch Him.

As Lord Jagannatha's chariot proceeded along the Temple Road toward the Gundica Temple, Lord Chaitanya became more and more ecstatic. To protect the Lord from the crowds, the devotees formed three circles around the Lord. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu danced and jumped high, eight wonderful trans formations of divine ecstasy were seen in His body. All these symptoms were visible simultaneously. Experiencing deep ec¬static love, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would display further trans¬formations including: goose pimples, chattering of teeth, perspi¬ration and blood oozing from His whole body. Indeed, the people became afraid just to see His teeth chatter, and they even thought that His teeth would fall out.. He would make sounds like, "Jaja, gaga, jaja, gaga." Tears shooting like a syringe would wet the onlookers. His complexion turned pink, and His hands and legs became hard like dry wood.

Sometimes He appeared stunned, and sometimes He rolled on the ground. Indeed sometime His legs and hands became as hard as dry wood. and He did not move. When the Lord fell on the ground, sometimes His breathing almost stopped- When the devotees saw this, their lives also became very feeble. Water flowed from His eyes and sometimes through His nostrils, and foam fell from His mouth.

Hera Pancami Festival

Lord Jagannatha has left His wife, the goddess of fortune, and gone to Vrindavana, which is Gundica temple. Laksmi, the consort of Lord Jagannatha is left behind at the Jagannatha Temple. Due to separation from the Lord, the goddess of for¬tune decides to come to see the Lord at Gundica. She is so upset that She eats only simple food and moves to the storeroom of the temple.

When Lord Jagannatha starts His car festival. He gives assur¬ance to the goddess of fortune thai He will return the next day. When He does not return, the goddess of fortune, after waiting two or three days, begins to feel that her husband has neglected her. This displeases Her greatly. She naturally becomes quite angry.

Five days after the beginning of the Rathayatra festival, on the sixth day of the bright fortnight of Asadha, Laksmi goes to the Gundica temple carried on a palanquin. In an angry mood, the goddess of fortune arrives al the main gate of the temple. When She arrives her servitors, the devidasis confront the head dayita and sing the Hera Pancami songs while pulling at the lower edge of the dayita's dhoti. The song expresses Laksmi anger. One of the devidasis then breaks a piece of Lord Jagannatha's cart.

The word hera means "to see" and refers to the goddess of fortune going to see Lord Jagannatha. The word pancami means "the fifth day" and is used because this festival lakes place on the fifth day of the moon,