Thursday, October 16, 2008
Question re: Chaitanya-bhagavata
Hare Krishna,
I have pointed out a few sections, below. Reading this again for the third time, perhaps Chakra-tirtha is not actually located on Mandara Hill...or, perhaps it is. But the Chakra-tirtha temple should still exist??? ....where the Lord visited, saw the impressions of Krishn'a feet, and met Ishvara Puri.
MY EXACT QUESTION IS: Does this Chakra-tirta temple still exist where the Lord met Ishvara Puri? Has anyone been there? Taken photos of it? Can describe it? Are the impressions of Lord Krishna's lotus feet still there today? How does one travel there, i.e., directions to it?
Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat
Adi-khanda Chapter 17
in part...
Supreme Lord Gaurasundara desired within his heart that now the time was ripe to reveal his true identity and manifest His transcendental pastimes..
...but first he decided to visit Gayadham,
such was the desire of the fully independent Supreme Personality Gaura Sundara. He performed the last rites, Sraddha ceremony of his father according to the scriptural injunctions and then accompanied by His disciples proceeded to Gayadham. The Lord was in a very blissful mood at the thought of being able to see Gayadham so taking leave of Mother Saci he left for Gaya.
...Finally he arrived, and on the Mandara hill there is a very famous place. The Lord visited the temples on the hill, the temple of Lord Madhusudana.
The Lord took his bath and offered worship to the departed soul of his father and then he entered Gaya Dham. On entering Gaya Dham the Lord offered his obeisances with folded hands to the holy place of pilgrimage. He came to Brahma-kunda and took his bath and worshipped his father in the proper way the Lord then...
....went to Chakra-tirtha, went inside to see the impressions of the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. All the brahmin priests sat surrounding the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. Vast offerings to the lotus feet were piled around...
...One could never take account of all the incense, flowers, perfumes, clothes and ornaments which were offered to the lotus feet and which now lay all around. The brahmins looked like divine beings and sat there describing the wonderful glories of the lotus feet of the Lord. They said, "Lord Vishveshvaar, Siva, holds these lotus feet always close to his heart, and they are the life and soul of Srimati Laksmi Devi, the Goddess of fortune. The Supreme Lord blessed Bali Maharaja by placing these feet on his head,
now all of you pious souls, see his very same lotus feet. Just a moment of sincere meditation on these lotus feet will immediately save you from hell. These lotus feet that are so rarely attained even by great mystic yogis. You have the good fortune to see them. Mother Ganga sprang forth from these lotus feet and surrendered souls of the Lord always hold these lotus feet deep in their hearts. All you fortunate souls please see these lotus feet that lies on the head of Ananta Sesha." Hearing the wonderful glories of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Lord Gauranga merged into an ocean of ecstatic bliss. Tears flowed profusely from his lotus eyes, and ecstatic symptoms like horripilation, shivering manifested on his transcendental body at the sight of the lotus feet. For the benefit of the entire human society, for the good fortune for all living entities, Supreme Lord Gaura Chandra now began to manifest the process of devotional service, love of
Godhead. All the brahmana priests marvelled at the sight as unrestricted stream like mother Ganga poured from the Lord's lotus eyes.
...By divine arrangement Srila Isvara Puri was also present there at that time.
When Lord Gaura-chandra saw Srila Isvara Chandra Puri, he offered his obeisances with great affection. Isvara-chandra Puri was also overjoyed to see Lord Gaura-chandra and he embraced him very lovingly. They could not control their intense joy of meeting each other and tears flowed profusely from their eyes drenching each other. Lord Gauranga said, "Now that I have seen your lotus feet, My visit to Gaya has become successful and worthy. Oblations offered in a place of pilgrimage, for the liberation of the
departed souls of forefathers, effect only those who they are intended for, but just by your presence you have liberated so many innumerable souls of departed forefathers. Therefore no place of pilgrimage can be compared to you, in fact you are the purifier of even the places of pilgrimage. So kindly save me from drowning in the ocean of material existence, because I am surrendering my heart and soul and body to your feet. The only benediction that I desire from you is that you make me drink the nectar from Sri Krishna's lotus feet." Then Isvara Chandra Puri spoke, "Listen to me Pandita! I know very well that you are an expansion of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise how is it possible to possess vast learning like yourself or such a transcendental nature as you have? I had a dream last night of meeting the Supreme Lord, and now meeting You, that dream has been fulfilled. To tell You the truth, O Pandita, every moment I am feeling increasing ecstasy in Your
presence. Ever since I saw You in Nabadwip, there has been nothing else on my mind except for You. Whatever I have spoken is certainly the truth. I have no other motivation for speaking this, the bliss one experiences in Lord Krishna's presence I am expressing that fully in Your presence." The Lord was very pleased to hear these sincere words from his beloved Isvara Puri. He said, "It is My good fortune that I have met you." They were very happy with each other's company talking confidential topics of Krishna consciousness, Srila Veda Vyasa in the future will describe in details these discussions between Lord Chaitanya and Isvara Chandra Puri.
Thanks for trying to look into this matter for me.
Rohini-suta dasa
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