Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
CC - ADI 13.111
advaita-acarya-bharya, jagat-pujita a-rya-,
nama tanra `sita thakurani'
acaryera ajna pana, gela upahara lana,
dekhite baiaka-siromani
TRANSLATION
One day shortly after Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born, Advaita
Acarya's wife Sitadevi, who is worshipable by the whole world, taking
permission of her husband, went to see that topmost child with all
kinds of gifts and presentations
PURPORT
It appears that Advaita Acarya had two different houses, one at Santipura and one at Navadvipa. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born,
Advaita Acarya was residing not at His Navadvipa house but at His Santipura house. Therefore, as formerly explained, "nijalaya," from Advaita's old paternal house in Santipura, Sita came to Navadvipa to present gifts to the newly born child, Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
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When Sita Thakurani came to the house of Sacidevi, bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses and other gifts, she was astonished
to see the newly born child, for she appreciated that except for a difference in color, the child was directly Krsna of Gokula Himself.
Because of all the antiseptic effects of the nima tree and because Lord Caitanya was born beneath a nima tree, Sita Thakurani gave the Lord the
name Nimai. Later in His youth He was celebrated as Nimai Pandita, and in the neighborhood villages He was called by that name, although His
real name was Visvambhara.
SRIMATI SITA THAKURANI
Sri Sita Thakurani, like Sri Sacimata is the eternally worshipable mother of the universe.
She was always intensely absorbed in parental affection for Sri Gaurasundara, and she
used to give friendly advice to Sacimata and Jagannatha Misra as to how they should
raise their son, Nimai.
Sri Sita Thakurani is the incarnation of Yoga-maya -Bhagavati Paurnamasi. Her other
expansion (prakash murti) is her sister, Sri. [Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika]
Sita Thakurani gave the name "Nimai" to the child with the idea in mind that witches and
female sorcerers would not be able to harm Him. The neem tree is highly antiseptic and
evil spirits cannot go near it. So with the name "Nimai", evil spirits will not be able to go
near such a person. In this connection Sitadevi was completely absorbed in parental
affection. In comparison to the mellows of devotional love, the opulences, strength, etc.,
of Bhagavan have to admit defeat. In fact, by this affection, in which one forgets the
supreme position of the Lord and considers Him to be an ordinary human, the Lord
obtains great satisfaction. [Cc. Adi 13.111]
At this time Sita Thakurani spent a few days at Mayapur and gave various instructions to
Jagannatha Misra and Sacidevi regarding the upbringing of the child. Jagannatha Misra
and Sacimata in turn presented valuable clothes and other fineries to Sitadevi during the
birth festival of their son.
Besides his house at Santipura, Advaita Acarya also had another house at Sridhama
Mayapur. After the birth of Sri Gaurasundara he and Sita Thakurani began to spend most
of their time at Mayapur. Sri Sacidevi always remained very reverential towards Sitadevi.
They were extremely close friends and Sita Thakurani would come everyday to
Jagannatha Misra's house to check on the child. As Nimai began to grow up, He
increased the pleasure of the devotees, like the waxing moon in the sky increases our
happiness by its cooling effect. A few years later when Jagannatha Misra's oldest son
(Visvarupa) suddenly took sannyasa and left home, Jagannatha and Sacidevi, as well as
Nimai, were very aggrieved. At that time Sri Advaita Acarya and Sitadevi especially tried
to console them and look after Nimai.
When Sri Gaurasundara returned from Gaya-dhama in a God-intoxicated state and began
to reveal His true self, Advaita Acarya and Sita Thakurani came from Santipura and were
the first ones to offer worship at His lotus feet.
One day Saci-kumara, smiling very sweetly, entered the courtyard of Advaita's temple
and sat down. Nityananda was present with Him and Advaita Acarya also sat down to
join them. Then the three of them very happily decided to hold a sankirtana festival.
Hearing their conversation Sita Thakurani felt great bliss and coming out of the house she
very enthusiastically suggested to Saci-nandana how she could assist in the preparations.
Seeing her enthusiasm, the ecstatic bliss of Sri Gaurasundara increased that much more.
He told her, "Thakurani, please invite many Vaisnavas to your house. Those who are
singers and those who can expertly play the mrdanga and other instruments; each one
should be respectfully invited to come here for a sankirtana festival."
Having spoken to her about this, Sri Gaura Raya instructed everyone to extend invitations
to all the Vaisnavas. Then He told them to bring mrdanga and kartals and with the oil of
aguru and sandalwood paste, to establish a sacred water pot. [This is a process whereby;
performing some puja, the presence of a sacred divinity is invoked and established within
the water pot.] He instructed how the place where the kirtana would be held, should be
carefully cleansed and decorated with banana trees and flower garlands. He then
explained how, in the evening, with flower garlands, sandalwood paste, betel nuts, ghee,
honey and yoghurt, the invocation ceremony should be performed.
Hearing these nectarean instructions of Mahaprabhu, everyone felt great joy and they
immediately began to bring the auspicious articles by which the whole area became
perfumed with a pleasant fragrance and sweet scent. Then, the heavens resounding with
the transcendental sound vibration of "Hari! Hari!" the kirtana began. Paramesvara thus
concludes his description of the sankirtana festival performed at the house of Advaita
Acarya; himself floating in the bliss of those ecstatic mellows. [Sri Padakalpa taru]
When Sri Gaurasundara started in the direction of Vrndavana, after taking sannyasa, Sita
Thakurani, like Sacimata herself, was extremely afflicted and having fallen down on the
earth, remained there for four days as though almost dead. Bhakta-vatsala, Sri
Gaurasundara, being bound by His devotees' love, was not able to go to Vrndavana, and
instead came to Santipura. Sita Thakurani and Advaita Acarya having gotten to see Him
again also got back their life. Then Sitadevi cooked for and fed Mahaprabhu who had
also been fasting for a few days.
Three sons took birth from the womb of Sita Thakurani - Acyutananda, Krsna Misra and
Gopala Misra. They were all followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sita Thakurani's
father's name was Nrsimha Bhaduri. She had a sister, Sri, who was also married to
Advaita Acarya. [B. R. 12.1785]
She cooked many preparations for Mahaprabhu, and when all the devotees were in Puri
for Rathayatra, Mahaprabhu would be invited to accept His lunch. He accepted their
loving offerings as though one charmed by mantra. She was always very affectionate to
Mahaprabhu and treated Him like her own son. Mahaprabhu as well saw her as nondifferent
than His own mother and treated her with the same devotion.
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