Chapter Ten from the book The Origin of Ratha-yātrā, by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja

 

(In the following article originally printed in the December 1969 issue of Śrī Bhāgavata Patrikā, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja replies to some doubts regarding the present-day performance of Śrī Ratha-yātrā in Navadvīpa by the Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, as established by Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja.)

Doubt 1: Ratha-yātrā is not performed in Śrī Vṛndāvana. Therefore, in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, which is abhinna-vraja-maṇḍala (non-different from Vraja), why should this līlā be exhibited?

Reply 1: The three worshipable deities of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, namely Śrī Madana-mohana, Śrī Govinda, and Śrī Gopīnātha, have Their respective temples in Vṛndāvana. The festival of ratha-yātrā-līlā has been held in these temples with great pomp and splendour for hundreds of years. At the same time as the Śrī Ratha-yātrā procession is held in Purī, the same festival is also held in the temples established by the Gosvāmīs, such as the Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Mandira, and also in the Śrī Rādhā-Śyāmasundara Mandira, the Śrī Rādhā-Gokulānanda Mandira, and others. In addition, it is also held in almost all the prominent temples of the other sampradāyas such as the Śrī Raṅganātha Temple and the Śrī Śaha-bihārī Mandira. This annual ratha-yātrā-līlā is also a common sight in the homes of thousands of Vrajavāsīs. This procession takes place not only in Vṛndāvana but also in Mathurā, Nandagaon, Varṣāṇā, and even at Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Moreover, there are also ancient temples of Śrī Jagannātha-deva in Vṛndāvana and at Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Therefore, the statement that the ratha-yātrā-līlā is not performed in Vṛndāvana or Vraja-maṇḍala is completely false.

There are rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas throughout the world. They have performed the procession of śrī-ratha-yātrā-līlā in the past, and they are still performing it, in order to nourish their bhajana. An associate of Śrī Gaurasundara, Śrī Kamalākara Pippalāi, is a friend of Kṛṣṇa named Mahābala Sakhā among the dvādaśa-gopālas (twelve prominent cowherd boys) in kṛṣṇa-līlā. He manifested the service and pastimes of ratha-yātrā-līlā of Śrī Jagannātha-deva in Bengal, in the district known as Maheśa. Even today, this Ratha-yātrā Festival is observed annually with magnificent pageantry. In the nearby district of Śrī Rāma-pura, the service of Śrī Jagannātha-deva is conducted both in Vallabhapura and Chatra, where Ratha-yātrā has been observed for hundreds of years. In the village of Dhāma-rāi (in the district of Ḍhākā), Ratha-yātrā is also very famous.

The Vyāsadeva of śrī-gaura-līlā, Śrī Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, has also established a deity of Śrī Jagannātha-deva in his own village of Śrīpāṭa, Śrī Māmagāchi in Śrī Modadrumadvīpa in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. The service of Śrī Jagannātha-deva is still going on there even today. The Ratha-yātrā of Mahīṣadala, in the district of Medinīpura, is also very famous. These days, even in large cities of America such as San Francisco, Śrī Ratha-yātrā is celebrated in a grand style, in accordance with the mood of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrīman Mahāprabhu expressed a particular mood in regard to Ratha-yātrā. He always considered that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, being mounted upon His chariot, is returning to Vṛndāvana to meet with all the gopīs, especially Śrīmatī Rādhikā, who had been afflicted by the severe pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa for a very long time. We should always remember that the rūpānuga-ācāryas who had the necessary facilities manifested this pastime of the Ratha-yātrā Festival on the earthly plane in order to stimulate the aforementioned mood of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu within their hearts and to nourish their bhajana. Some niṣkiñcana-rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas, being bereft of the necessary facilities for observing this festival, have stimulated this mood within their hearts by mānasī-sevā, service performed within the mind. Alternatively, they nourish their bhāva by taking darśana of śrī-ratha-yātrā-līlā in various places such as Purī-dhāma. The purpose of both approaches is fundamentally one; there is no difference between them.

Doubt 2: Seeing the ratha would stimulate a terribly undesirable apprehension in the hearts of the vraja-gopīs. Therefore, how can the rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas, who are following the moods of the gopīs, join in the Ratha-yātrā procession?

Reply 2: This concept is also completely wrong in all respects. Adorned with the sentiment and complexion of Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Gaurasundara is directly Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Śrī Gadādhara Gosvāmī (Śrīmatī Rādhikā), Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara (Śrī Lalitā), Śrī Rāya Rāmānanda (Śrī Viśākhā), Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī (Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī), Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī (Śrī Lavaṅga Mañjarī), Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī (Śrī Rati Mañjarī), and all of the associates of Śrī Gaurasundara, who were all mainly sakhīs or sakhās in Vraja, assembled together for Ratha-yātrā. They all danced and chanted before the chariot, deeply immersed in the mood: “kṛṣṇa lañā vraje yāi e-bhāva antara – let us take Kṛṣṇa and go back to Vṛndāvana.” Did the associates of Mahāprabhu feel any distress or anguish upon seeing the chariot? Definitely not. Then why will their followers, the rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas, feel any anguish or undesirable apprehension?

The internal moods of Ratha-yātrā, as promoted by Śrī Gaurasundara are as follows: after a long period of separation, on the occasion of the solar eclipse at Kurukṣetra, Śrīmatī Rādhikā and the gopīs met with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. But Śrīmatī Rādhikā was not satisfied because Śrī Kṛṣṇa was dressed as a king and surrounded by immense opulence, elephants, horses, military generals, and His associates of Dvārakā. She wanted to see Kṛṣṇa dressed as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana, the place of His sweet, human-like pastimes. Therefore She wanted to bring Kṛṣṇa back to Vraja. It is evident from the Padma Purāṇa that śrī-rathayātrā-līlā, the pastime of Kṛṣṇa’s returning again to Vṛndāvana on a chariot, is exhibited in Śrī Jagannātha Purī and other places. Therefore, what is there to impede the manifestation of Ratha-yātrā in Śrī Vṛndāvana or Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma? In order to stimulate this profound mood that was established by Śrīman Mahāprabhu, His devout followers can perform Ratha-yātrā everywhere, and have indeed done so. The mood of Śrīman Mahāprabhu has been revealed in this verse:

yaḥ kaumāra-haraḥ sa eva hi varas tā eva caitra-kṣapās
te conmīlita-mālatī-surabhayaḥ prauḍhāḥ kadambānilāḥ
sā caivāsmi tathāpi tatra surata-vyāpāra-līlā-vidhau
revā-rodhasi vetasī-taru-tale cetaḥ samutkaṇṭhate

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 13.121)

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 mālatī flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship I am also the same lover, yet still my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Revā under the Vetasī tree. That is my desire.

And also:

ei dhuyā-gāne nācena dvitīya prahara
kṛṣṇa lañā vraje yāi — e-bhāva antara

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 1.56)

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to sing this song [sei ta parāṇanātha], especially during the latter part of the day, and He would think, “Let Me take Kṛṣṇa back to Vṛndāvana.” This ecstasy was always filling His heart.

Yes, it is true that when the gopīs, or the Vaiṣṇavas who have taken shelter of gopī-bhāva, see the chariot which takes Kṛṣṇa out of Vraja and far away from them, they feel anguish and the apprehension that Kṛṣṇa will not return. However, when they see the chariot on which Kṛṣṇa sat and returned to Vṛndāvana, they become overjoyed – not sorrowful.

After taking permission from the gopas and gopīs of Vṛndāvana, Uddhava sat upon his chariot and was about to return to Mathurā to meet with Kṛṣṇa. At that time the vraja-gopas and gopīs, overwhelmed with prema, adorned the chariot with various gifts for Kṛṣṇa and bade Uddhava farewell with great respect.

śrī-śuka uvāca
atha gopīr anujñāpya
yaśodāṁ nandam eva ca
gopān āmantrya dāśārho
yāsyann āruruhe ratham

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.47.64)

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī said:] Uddhava, the descendant of Daśārha, then took permission to leave from the gopīs and from Mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. He bade farewell to all the cowherd men and, about to depart, mounted his chariot.

Furthermore, after some time, Śrī Baladeva came to Nanda-Gokula on a chariot. When he arrived, all the gopas and gopīs welcomed Him with great affection.

śrī-śuka uvāca
balabhadraḥ kuru-śreṣṭha
bhagavān ratham āsthitaḥ
suhṛd-didṛkṣur utkaṇṭhaḥ
prayayau nanda-gokulam

 (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.1)

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī said:] O best of the Kurus, once Lord Balarāma, eager to visit his well-wishing friends, mounted his chariot and travelled to Nanda-Gokula.]

pariṣvaktaś cirotkaṇṭhair
gopair gopībhir eva ca
rāmo ’bhivādya pitarāv
āśīrbhir abhinanditaḥ

(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.2)

Having long suffered the anxiety of separation, the cowherd men and their wives embraced Lord Balarāma. The Lord then offered respects to his parents, and they joyfully greeted him with blessings.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, on the basis of the verses of the Padma Purāṇa, has described that Kṛṣṇa, after killing Dantavakra, indeed returned to Vraja upon a chariot. Upon hearing the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s conch and the rumbling of His chariot, all the gopas and gopīs of Vraja surmised that Kṛṣṇa was returning. Driven by an excessive eagerness to see Him, even feeble old women ran with great haste from wherever they were in the direction of the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s conch and chariot. When they drew nearer and saw that Garuḍa was sitting on the flag of the chariot, they became sure that Kṛṣṇa was definitely returning to Vraja. Being overwhelmed with joy, they became motionless like statues and were unable to go any further. Only their gaze advanced in the direction of the approaching chariot. This is described in the following verse from Śrī Gopāla-campū (30.34):

strī-bāla-vṛddha-valitā vraja-vāsinas te
kṛṣṇāgatiṁ yadu-purād anumāya śaṅkhāt
evaṁ dravanti capalaṁ sma yathā vidur na
svātmānam apy ahaha kiṁ punar agra-paścāt

Therefore, the idea that the vraja-gopīs become distressed and apprehensive upon seeing a chariot in all circumstances is incorrect.

In the pastime of Śrī Ratha-yātrā, and also on the path of śrī-rūpānuga-bhajana, the importance of the internal mood is predominant. Externally perceived substances or places are not more important than the internal mood. In Ratha-yātrā, the internal mood that Kṛṣṇa is returning to Vraja is stimulated and inspired, not the pastimes of Dvārakā or Mathurā. Kṛṣṇa returned to Vraja after being absent for a very long time, and it is in this mood that Śrī Jagannātha-deva travels from the Jagannātha Mandira in Purī to the Śrī Guṇḍicā Mandira. During this journey Śrī Gaurasundara and His confidential associates experienced the utmost jubilation, being deeply absorbed in the moods of Śrī Rādhā and the vraja-gopīs, respectively. Moreover, they all assembled together before the chariot, singing and dancing in great joy, fully absorbed in exactly the same bhāva, during the ulta-ratha-yātrā (the festival of Jagannātha-deva’s return to Śrī Mandira from Śrī Guṇḍicā).

Did they think that by observing Ratha-yātrā as it proceeded in the opposite direction Śrī Kṛṣṇa was leaving Vṛndāvana and returning to Mathurā or Dvārakā? Never. Such an understanding must be mistaken. It has been mentioned in Śrī Caitanyacaritāmṛta how Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates assembled together, danced, and performed kīrtana at the ulta-ratha-yātrā:

āra dine jagannāthera bhitara-vijaya
rathe caḍi’ jagannātha cale nijālaya

 (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 14.244)

The next day Lord Jagānnātha came out from the temple and, riding on the car, returned to His own abode.

pūrvavat kaila prabhu lañā bhakta-gaṇa
parama ānande karena nartana-kīrtana

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 14.245)

As previously, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees chanted and danced with great pleasure.

Although the vraja-gopīs, especially Śrīmatī Rādhikā, were extremely anxious to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they would not leave Vṛndāvana even to go the very short distance to where Kṛṣṇa was staying in Mathurā. Then how can Śrī Gaurasundara, who is adorned with the sentiments of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, along with His associates, stay at the Purī Mandira or Śrī Gambhīrā? The Purī Mandira and Śrī Gambhīrā are the embodiment of Dvārakā because the Ratha-yātrā sets off from there. Alternatively, Śrī Gaurasundara used to see the gardens of Purī as Vṛndāvana, the ocean as Yamunā, and Caṭaka-parvata as Govardhana. In such a Vṛndāvana, what aspect of the Ratha-yātrā Festival would be contrary to the principles of rāgānuga- or rūpānuga-bhakti?

Why did the Vrajavāsī Gosvāmīs, Śrīla Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, and all the prominent rūpānuga-ācāryas go to Śrī Purī-dhāma to have darśana of Ratha-yātrā if Ratha-yātrā darśana would be the cause of any type of disturbance or apprehension that something undesirable was about to happen? It appears that darśana of Ratha-yātrā simply stimulates vraja-gopī-prema.

Doubt 3: From ancient times up until the present day, no great personality who was expert in the performance of bhajana has ever performed the procession of ratha-yātrā-līlā in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, which is abhinna-vraja, non-different from Vraja-maṇḍala.

Reply 3: This statement is meaningless and incoherent in all respects for the following reasons. From the time of Śrīman Mahāprabhu until the present day, almost all Gauḍīya ācāryas and bhaktas have made a pilgrimage to Purī-dhāma at the time of Ratha-yātrā to have darśana of the festival. In this way, the divinely inspired vision of the moods exhibited by Śrī Gaurasundara is stimulated within their hearts, and thus, their bhajana is nourished. Until now, there had been no impetus to manifest Ratha-yātrā in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma and our previous ācāryas had not considered it necessary to do so. However, whenever the inspiration came into the hearts of great personalities, they manifested this līlā in various places in Gauḍa-maṇḍala, such as in the district of Maheśa. Thus if a great personality is also inspired to manifest this līlā in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, then it is in no way contrary to the path of śrī-rūpānuga-bhajana.

For example, in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, from the time of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has been considered the natural commentary on Śrī Brahma-sūtra. However, when the necessity arose, Śrī Gauḍīya Vedāntācārya Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu manifested a separate commentary, namely Śrī Govinda-bhāṣya. Is this activity contrary to siddhānta, or is it the embodiment of prestige for our Gauḍīya sampradāya?

Doubt 4: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura did not perform ratha-yātrā-līlā in Śrī Gaura-dhāma.

Reply 4: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura manifested Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śrī Śyāma-kuṇḍa in Vrajapattana (at Śrī Caitanya Maṭha) within Śrīdhāma Māyāpura. He preached daivavarṇāśrama-dharma, re-established the use of saffron cloth and tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, and flew the victory flag of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava dharma throughout the world. Prior to the appearance of this crown jewel in the dynasty of ācāryas, no other ācārya ever inaugurated the aforementioned activities. Yet, can any of these projects of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda be considered contrary to the principles of rūpānuga-bhakti? Never. Anyone who says such a thing is utterly ignorant of bhakti-tattva. [The point here is that, just as Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura set precedents in certain areas, so his disciple, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, can also set precedents when there is a need to do so.]

Doubt 5: In Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, how is the darśana of Dvārakā possible or appropriate?

Reply 5: We have already explained that the predominant bhāva in śrī-ratha-yātrā-līlā is “kṛṣṇa lañā vraje yāi – let us take Kṛṣṇa to Vraja.” There is not even the slightest scent of a sphūrti (momentary vision) or darśana of Dvārakā in this bhāva. Therefore, even the question of any kind of dvārakā-darśana arising from the performance of ratha-yātrā-līlā in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma is irrelevant. On the other hand, Śrī Navadvīpa-maṇḍala, which is non-different from Vṛndāvana, is aṁśi-dhāma, i.e. the root dhāma in which all other dhāmas exist. Mathurā, Dvārakā, Ayodhyā, and Paravyoma are all eternally existing in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, just as all the plenary portions of aṁśī Kṛṣṇa, such as Nārāyaṇa and Viṣṇu, exist eternally within Him.

At Candraśekhara–bhavana (Vrajapattana) in Māyāpura-dhāma, Śrī Gaurasundara personally used to dance in the mood of Śrī Rukmiṇī, yet it is well known that Śrī Rukmiṇī-devī is an associate of dvārakā-līlā. Therefore, if this līlā is possible in Vrajapattana, which is non-different from Vraja or Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, then how can dvārakā-darśana be impossible in Śrīdhāma Navadvīpa? Thus on what grounds can it be said that the manifestation of ratha-yātrā-līlā is not possible?

Hence, the conclusion is that there is an inseparable relationship between ratha-yātrā-līlā and rūpānuga-ānugatya, the pursuance of the pure path established by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrī-rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas manifest this līlā throughout Navadvīpa-dhāma and thus, according to the path founded by Śrīman Mahāprabhu, they inspire the internal mood expressed in the following verse written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:

priyaḥ so ’yaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ saha-cari kuru-kṣetra-militas
tathāhaṁ sā rādhā tad idam ubhayoḥ saṅgama-sukham
tathāpy antaḥ-khelan-madhura-muralī-pañcama-juṣe
mano me kālindī-pulina-vipināya spṛhayati

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 1.76)

[Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī said:] My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend Kṛṣṇa on this field of Kurukṣetra. I am the same Rādhārāṇī, and now we are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but still I would like to go to the bank of the Yamunā beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of Vṛndāvana.

This mood thoroughly nourishes the bhajana of the genuine śrī-rūpānuga Vaiṣṇavas.

The following is an excerpt from a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Vṛndāvana, India on August 15, 2000

 

Similarly, my Gurudeva served Prabhupāda so earnestly. In one night, he changed a graveyard into a garden. Whenever he used to talk about his Gurudeva, he could not utter the words ‘Śrīla Prabhupāda’, and he used to weep bitterly. We see that this does not happen in our case. He was so dedicated to his Gurudeva.

If someone criticises one’s Gurudeva and the disciple remains quiet, then he is not more than an impotent eunuch. When our Gurudeva started Ratha-yātrā in Navadvīpa, no one criticized him. However, when he left this world, a highly advanced devotee spoke something against Ratha-yātrā in Navadvīpa. The day I heard it, I could not sleep at night. I was restless and so much agitated. Soon after that, I wrote an article in our magazine, which created chaos, havoc and great agitation on the other side. Hence, there was a fight that lasted for an entire year. If we do not do these things, we are not doing manobhīṣṭa-sevā, service to the inner heart’s desire of Śrī Gurudeva. We should establish Gurudeva’s principles, and when any opposition comes, we should defeat them.

Source: Purebhakti.com

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Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)