By Bhakta Mohana Rangan
Sri Chaitanya caritamritam Tamil book release
05th May 2018, Saturday
Dear maharajas/Prabhujis/mathajis,
All Glories to Sri Guru And Gauranga!!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
All Glories to Sri Chaitanya caritamritam!!
“While I was at the school in Medinipur [in 1868] I decided that I would obtain and read books on Vaisnava dharma. At the Medinipur school there was a jati vaisnava pandit. I learned from speaking with him that Chaitanya Prabhu preached the vaisnava-dharma in Bengal and that there is a books named Chaitanya-caritamrta which contains the history and teachings of Chaitanya. Even after searching for it I could not get a copy of Caritamrta. I had faith that by reading that book my mind would become happy, but Vaisnava books were not in print then.” (p.102-103, Svalikhita-jivani, Autobiography of Srila Bhaktivinod thakura).
This was the condition of Four hundred years old Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita behind hundred years. It was Srila Prabhupada and other acharyas who mercifully delivered it in english about 40 years back for the pleasure reading of devotees all across the globe. And now adding more glory to it, ISKCON devotees of Tamil speaking land by the unlimited mercy of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Guru Parampara could offer Sri Chaitanya Caritamritam in Tamil (Language originally from southern part of india and has major population spread in other countries as well such as Srilanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Some parts of Africa etc.,; It Said to be the second oldest language next to Sanskrit and one of the longest surviving classical languages in the world according some surveys.) the whole event happened on the holy disappearance day of Srila Ramananda raya, the governor of Madras, capital of Tamil State and Significant associate of mahaprabhu.
Entire Project of Tamil translation of Sri Chaitanya Caritamritam which is going to benefit the whole Tamilspeaking population for next 10,000 years started in the year 2012 and got completed in the year of 2017 which marks the 40th Disappearance anniversary of Srila prabhupada from this material world. A group of dedicated devotees worked tirelessly for the whole service.
Tamilnadu and Tamil Languauge has a lot of Significance in Vaishnava culture. Being the birthplace of one of the four Bonafide and vibrant sampradaya, Sri Vaishnava sampradaya which was preached wide across the subcontinent by Sripad Ramanujacharya. The books and hymms composed by their Alvars (Sri sampradaya saints) were prominently in Tamil language only. Srila Gopala Bhatta goswami, One of the Six Goswamis of vrindavana who laid the foundation of Gaudiya sampradaya is originally from Tamilnadu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu travelled longer distance and visited many places in this Tamil speaking land during his SouthIndian yatra. Mahaprabhu visited many places in Tamilnadu including Skanda-kshetra (Tiruttani), Pakshi-teertham (Closest place to Chennai), Visnu kanchi, Siva kanchi, Vriddhakasi, Srimushnam, Chidambaram (Popular shiva shrine), Kumbakonam, papanasam, Rshabha parvata (Azhagarmalai near madurai), Dakshina Mathura (Madurai), Sethu bandana (Rameswaram), tirunelveli, suchindram, Malaya parvata (Podhigai malai), Kanyakumari etc.,. he not just visited various places in Tamilnadu during his SouthIndian yatra but also stayed in Sri Ranga kshetra on the banks of holy kaveri river to spend his chaturmasya vrata for four months. It is heartening to know that SriRanga kshetra of this Tamil speaking land is in third Position among the places where mahaprabhu Stayed for longer time (next to SriDhaam Navadvipa and Srikshetra Jagannathpuri). In rememberance of this pastime, Lord’s lotus footprints were installed in front of the world’s tallest temple tower of Sri Ranganth temple.
Lord Chaitanya mahaprabhu also met Ramadasa vipra, a great devotee of Sri ramacandra in Tamil land only (Madurai). As he was always immersed in the pastimes in Ramayana. Especially When he came across the episode of mother Sita being kidnapped by Demon Ravana, he was very much sad and had no hope to live. Mahaprabhu convinced him by presenting him the evidence that Ravana had kidnapped not the actual Goddess but a false form of mother Sita from the Kurma purana which he heard from a group of brahmanas in Rameswaram ramanathaswamy temple. For doing so Mahaprabhu himself personally made a handwritten copy of the ancient manuscripts through his own hands and went back all the way to Madurai from rameswaram to meet him. To prove the sacred relationship of Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu in Tamil state stood a live miracle – right before the book release day itself more than six hundred full sets of Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita was prebooked by Tamil devotees all across the globe!!!
Since Chaitanya Caritamritam is non-different from Lord Chaitanya Himself, appearance of Tamil version of Chaitanya Caritamritam indicated a great hope of wider spreading of Krishna Consciousness activities in Tamil speaking land. The whole celebrations were made with most grandeur and care. Bhaktivedanta book trust, Tamil division along with ISKCON Chaitanya Nitay Desh (Chennai) temple and many other centres in Tamilnadu enthusiastically arranged an elaborate and gorgeous function which has been for few months.
It is clearly mentioned in Sri Chaitanya Caritamritam that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world to distribute the topmost mellow known as conjugal love to all people. Release of Tamil version of such great composition by the lotus blessings of Sri Radha Krishna lalitha vishaka and Srila prabhupada in the holy presence of Senior sanyasis and Devotees Such HH Bhakti vikas swami, HH Bhanu swami, HG Bhima prabhu, HG Radheshyam prabhu at ISKCON Chaitanya Nitai Desh (Chennai) marked the appearance of this great literature to the Tamil speaking world. The rituals started during the darshana arati in the temple hall when the books where offered to the lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna, Sri Sri Jagannath baladev and subhatra maiya, Sri Sri Gaura Nitay and To Srila Prabhupada during Gurupuja through the hands of senior devotees. Then the program got started in the festive venue after a short break for morning breakfast prasadam. The program initiated with Mangalacharana and Sikshastakam prayers sung by Group of Gurukulis from ISKCON Salem to invoke auspiciousness. There was an enlightening discourse delivered by HH Bhanu swami maharaj and HH Bhakti Vikas swami maharaj. Then there was a short description of how the whole journey of Chaitanya caritamritam manifested in Tamil By the Pioneer of the whole project, HG Sri Giridhari prabhu. Then each of the chief Guests gave their views on importance of Vaishnava Dharma and developing a vedic society. Sri Murali Bhattar, who was a direct descentant of Sri Venkata bhatta’s lineage (father of Gopala bhatta goswami) travelled all the way from Srirangam to participate in this occasion and expressed his gratitude of hosting mahaprabhu in their residence five hundred years ago by his ancestors .
It is notable that many prominent Sri vaishnava Scholars and many eminent Social leaders and eminent media celebrities also graced the event. They spoke on the need for more information and awareness on God consiousness of ancient India and congratulated Sri Giridhari Prabhu for his work in this field. The honourable chief minister of Tamilnadu though couldn’t make up for the event but send a appreciation note. A part of which are as follows “I appreciate the activities of ISKCON spreading devotion to all without any discrimination of Caste or religion. “I believe that release of this Chaitanya Caritamritam in Tamil will establish peace in society and serve as a great contribution to Tamil literatary world. ” At the end of the event, a grand and ethnic SouthIndian Banana leaf feast was arranged for all devotees and served in traditional way by devotees from ISKCON Salem.
The whole event gained a lot of attention from popular media channels and newspapers. As the editor mentioned in his speech, though there are a lot of transcendental books translated from original Sanskrit language revolving in Tamil literary world since ages, this book has its own significance as it became became the First Spiritual book translated from Bengali to Tamil language.
Though this marks a milestone in the whole gaudiya history, this isn’t real success. As Srila krsnadasa kaviraja goswami mentions at the end of the Caritamrita,
sruyatam sruyatam nityam
giyatam giyatam muda
cintyatam cintyatam bhaktas
Chaitanya-caritamrtam
O devotees, may the transcendental life and characteristics of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu always be heard, chanted and meditated upon with great happiness. (Antya 12.1). We request all Maharajas, Prabhus and Matajis to bless all the Tamil devotees to distribute Tamil version of Sri Chaitanya Caritamritam profusely for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and papampara acharyas which will be the real success of such great epic in Tamil Speaking world.
Always in the service of Hari, Guru and Vaishnava,
Bhakta Mohana Rangan
Chaitanya Nitay Desh, (Chennai)
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