Varanasi Yatra
Varanasi, also popularly known as Kashi and Benares, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Varanasi has a documented history tracing 4500 years back. Varanasi was founded by Lord Siva and the entire city rests on his trident. Situated in the vast Gangetic plains of India, it is amongst the seven most sacred cities (sapta-puri). It draws millions of pilgrims from all over the world. In the Rig Veda, the city was referred to as Kasi or Kashi, which means ‘the luminous one’. Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 10, chapter 66 describes how Lord Krishna went to Kasi and killed Paundraka and Kasiraja, and how the Lord’s Sudarsana disc defeated a demon, incinerated the city of Kasi and killed Sudaksina.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Varanasi while going to and returning from Vrindavana to Puri, as described in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. While staying in Varanasi for two months on His way back from Vrindavana, Lord Caitanya became the guest of Chandrasekhar Vaidya and Tapana Misra. He stayed at the house of Chandrasekhar and honoured prasadam at the home of Tapana. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, who is one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavana, was the son of Tapana Misra. It was here that Lord Caitanya met Sri Sanatana Gosvami, after Sanatana had escaped from Nawab’s prison at Ramkeli (Bengal). By the arrangement of a Maharashtriyan brahmana, who was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, the Lord was invited to a philosophical discourse by Prakasananda Sarasvati, a great giant scholar and sannyasi of the Mayavadi or Sankara sampradaya and discussion was made on the Vedanta philosophy.
After the discussion, Prakasananda immediately fell at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and regretted his past behaviour towards the Lord. Prakasananda, along with his 60,000 followers, took up the process of pure devotion to Lord Sri Krishna. Thus, Lord Caitanya established the easy method of Sankirtana movement as the most suitable method for the deliverance of the people in this age of Kali-yuga. Thereafter, Lord Caitanya performed the amazing pastime of tumultuous chanting of Hare Krishna kirtans in front of the famous Sri Bindu Madhav at Pancanada ghat. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-lila chapter 7, verses 40 to 161 and Madhya-lila chapter 25 describe in detail how all the residents of Varanasi were converted to Vaisnavism.
In particular, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya-lila chapter 25, verses 165 to 167 describe: “All the inhabitants of Kasī [Varanasi] began chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in ecstatic love. Sometimes they laughed, sometimes they cried, sometimes they chanted, and sometimes they danced. All the Mayavadi sannyasīs and learned scholars at Varanasi began discussing Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered them. Thus, He turned the whole city of Varanasi into another Navadvīpa [Nadiya-nagara].”
Revered Sri Bindu Madhav Temple is situated on the banks of Pancanada ghat. This temple hosts the most merciful and charismatic deity of Lord Sri Bindu Madhav. When Lord Caitanya was in Varanasi, He chanted and danced before Sri Bindu Madhav performing Harinama Sankirtana. At that time, Sri Bindu Madhav temple was majestic with unique architecture. Unfortunately, being envious of seeing the astounding glories of Lord Bindu Madhav, the tyrant Aurangzeb ordered a decree to demolish the temple and built a mosque here in 1673 AD. Sri Bindu Madhav is now worshiped in a temple beside the mosque. However, by the desire and mercy of the Vaishnava Acaryas, Lord Sri Bindu Madhav’s glories have now spread all over the world!
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