The meaning of Hera-pancami is as follows. On the fifth day of the Rathayatra Festival, Laksmi-devi becomes very worried and thinks, "Where has my husband gone? He told me, 'I am going for a change of environment for some days, and I will return very soon.' It has been five days now, and still He has not come back." Unable to tolerate this, she becomes very angry and gives orders to all her associates as though they had to fight with the enemy: "Take up your weapons!" Then she becomes the commander-in-chief of her "army," and goes to "attack" her husband.
During the Ratha-yatra Festival, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted totaste the mellows of Hera-pancami In early morning He went to Sundaracala along with His associates and took darsana of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra in the Gundica Mandira. Whenever He went to Jagannatha's temple, He used to see Jagannatha as Krsna, Vrajendra-nandana Syamasundara, with a peacock featherin His crown, a flute in His hands, with very beautiful lotus eyes, and with all the other attributes of Krsna when He is with the gopis in Vrndavana. Mahaprabhu never saw Baladeva, Subhadra, or Sudarsana cakra, because Krsna never carries Sudarsana in Vrndavana. Mahaprabhu never prayed to Baladeva or to Subhadra in the temple. He saw them both during the Chariot Festival, but otherwise He saw only Jagannatha. This was all very wonderful.
Jagannatha had gone to Sundaracala (which represents Vrndavana) from His temple in Nilacala (which represents Dvaraka) and, on the evening of the fifth day, Laksmi arrived at Sundaracala with all her associates. (See Endnote 1) She was decorated with many precious ornaments made of gold and jewels, and she wore very beautiful and opulent garments. The previous day, Kasi Misra, who was the guru of King Prataparudra, had advised the King, "Bring Laksmi-devi very valuable gold and jeweled ornaments, and decorate her with them. Make such a beautiful festival for her that everyone will be struck with wonder. They should think they have never seen anything like this before. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wants to taste all the mellows of this festival." Accordingly, Laksmi was decorated with gold and jeweled ornaments, opulent garments, and other paraphernalia.
At the Simha-dvara (lion gate) in front of the Jagannatha Temple, Kasi Misra gave very beautiful seats to Mahaprabhu and His associates such as Srivasa Pandita, Sri Svarupa Damodara, and Sri Raya Ramananda. Soon after they were seated, Laksmi arrived with all her associates and opulence, as if she was coming to attack Jagannatha. First she "attacked" Jagannatha's associates, who were actually Mahaprabhu's associates, like Sikhi Mahiti, Vakresvara Pandita, and so on, and then she tied them up and bound them like prisoners. Her associates then punished them all by striking them with "whips" made of soft cloth, and she accused them, "Oh, you should admit your guilt and pay something. You have taken my husband. Where are you keeping Him? Bring Him here right now."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was extremely happy to see this pastime and, tasting its mellows, He said, "I have heard that when Satyabhama used to exhibit mana, She would remove all Her golden ornaments. Then she would enter a dark, private room, put on dirty garments, scratch the ground with her nails, andweep continually. But here I see another kind of mana in Laksmi. She is like a commander-in-chief going to attack with many soldiers. I have never seen anything like this, nor have I ever even heard of such a thing."
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