20050820 Ratha-yātrā Day

 

Lecture Code: 20050820 

Ratha yātrā Address Lecture By

His Holiness Jayapatākā swāmī Mahārāja

In Italy

 

20/AUG/2005

             https://soundcloud.com/Jayapatākāswāmī/20aug2005-Ratha-yātrā-day-italy?in=Jayapatākāswāmī/sets/enlightenment-10

 

 

 

Ratha yātrā Address Lecture By

His Holiness Jayapatākā swāmī Mahārāja

In Italy

 

 

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā swāmī Mahārāja on 20/Aug/2005 in Italy.The lecture was given on Rath   yātrā day.

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Today Rath yātrā Day, Jaii ,, Jagannāth Rath yātrā,   Devotee laughs. Lord Caitanya  danced before the Rath yātrā some 490 years ago, He appeared 519 years ago , 519 years, Five hundred, so when He was 24 he took sannyāsa then He went to Jagannāth Purī, so, about 6 years to the 500 anniversary for the first Rathyātrā festival in his arrival in Jagannāth Purī, good arrange festival in Jagannāth Purī, in 6years from now, anniversary day, 500 anniversary of Lord Caitanya taking initiation, and 40th anniversary departure for west and His arrival Chicago, He arrived also 40years ago Prabhupāda. 

Hare Kṛṣṇa (Guru Mahārāja and devotee laughs)...                                          

so, how many years is this Rath yātrā arranged in Vrindavan, 81, every year, 23years, I did few Rath yātrās , that was a big, one year,... two years, one in Malaysia and one in (Not clear 5.6) In Malaysia they do about 20 Rathyātrās, they do more Rath yātrā Hindu than any other country, so many ... that only Muslim country got the permission for Rath yātrā , It’s a Muslim country only get permission for Rath yātrā procession, may be you can do Ratha yātrā any where anyway, Lord Caitanya, Caitanya caritāmṛta in details the Pāndu Vijaya, Lord Jagannāth leaving His throne and coming to Ratha .  I had a good fortune 1970 ,71 to see the ceremony, what amazing is that, the same description what we find in Caitanya caritāmṛta 500 years ago is based on the even today, tradition that they keep going 1000 of years, keep that going, just like for us moving Jagannāth is a big thing, yesterday, day before yesterday, we moved Jagannāth it was nice, but Jagannāth Purī lot more details, big __ they move the Lord, for the Rath yātrā day, someone sprinkling holy water in the front   they have right before Jagannāth 100 pūjārīs fanning the Cāmaras, big cāmaras, they are  fanning before Jagannāth, and in front of them, about 200 horn players on each side, big horn, you are playing yesterday, this time, like this type, 200 on each side 400, and all beat exactly the same time, .... (playing the instrument) and this is a light, they have even deeper sound and 400 horns playing exactly the same time, they said the rhythm Lord Jagannāth, I mean,  you can hear the sound , how many  kilometers, they do the same thing 1000s of years, I did the right thing, they have different beats for different things , they change the beat, what beat, I do remember the walking beat, (Playing the instrument) move like that,

(Devotee claps)

 The Lord is moving like He is walking, they put rope around His neck, they pull out, walking forward, big Jagannāth, is ISKCON one of  the biggest, in hidel park we have big Jagannāth, in Jagannāth Purī immense, there were 2m height, I don’t; know almost 20metre high and almost wide also, I don’t know, the pūjārīs looks small compare to them, huge ramp hanging in front of the chariot, and there also, pulling Jagannāth up in the ramp, first they pull Balarāma up then Subhadrā  the Jagannāth, and they also so many people shouting Jagannāth swāmī ki jai (Devotees say jai ) 

Jagannāth swāmī ki Jai ( Devoteee say jai)

 

And so, when I was there 30 years ago, 35years ago, then Lord Balarāma He was having trouble getting up the ramp, then Lord Balarāma He was having trouble getting up the ramp, the ropes, He started going backwards, and 10 pūjārīs pushing not enough, looks like the pūjārīs going to crush, and there was big screaming and other pūjārīs jumping, back these pūjārīs pushing, what a amazing thing, some have Balarāma got up, told this pastime by other sannyāsa when He went  Lord Jagannāth fallen backward but they pull it control actually laid down, He was almost in the edge of the ramp that was very precarious, announced over micro phone He starts pulling out , Jagannāth , Jagannāth, anybody Rath yātrā, please go up, wants to take Rath yātrā , very personal relationship with the Lord , the Lord Jagannāth .... sosss got up, Jagannāth swāmī ki  (Devotee says jai)   

So unique worship in Jagannāth Purī, nowhere else in the world. very wonderful to read how Lord Caitanya was described the same thing going on 500 years ago, He was joining with His associates, so Lord Caitanya got up in the dark and took  His early morning bath, so early in the morning to see all the ceremony called Pāndu vijaya, because Lord Kṛṣṇa goes to see the Pāndavas, so, king Pratāparudra arranged for Lord Caitanya very good view of the whole ceremony, same things 500 years ago , the servants, the carriers of Jagannāth very strong, and Jagannāth and Baladev and very nice verse here, 

 

CC Madhya 13.13

viśvambhara Jagannāthe ke cālāite pāre?
āpana icchāya cale karite vihāre

Lord Jagannātha is the maintainer of the whole universe. Who can carry Him from one place to another? However the Lord moves by His personal will just to perform His pastimes.

so this all this pastime of Lord moving is very special that refused the devotee are moving the Lord but the Lord of Universe, actually He is moving, this pastime moving Himself, so the King sprinkle the road with Sandal wood scented water, He also , Lord Caitanya was chanting a particular chant to receive the Lord, 

Manima, Manima 

Manima, Manima (Devotee repeats)
Manima, Manima  (Devotee repeats)
Manima, Manima (Devotee repeats)

This manima is a way to address a respectful person in Orissa, so while the Lord was being carried King Pratāparudra engaged in Lords service by sweeping the road with broom that had golden handle  

uttama hañā rājā kare tuccha sevana

ataeva Jagannāthera kṛpāra bhājana 

(CC Madya13.17)

Although the King was the most exalted respectable person, still he accepted menial service for the Lord; he therefore became a suitable candidate for receiving the Lord’s mercy.

mahāprabhu sukha pāila se-sevā dekhite
mahāprabhura kṛpā haila se-sevā ha-ite (CC Madya 13.18)

Upon seeing the Lord King engaged in such menial service, Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy. Simply by rendering this service, the King received the mercy of the Lord.

Prabhupāda writes in the purport 

Unless one receives the mercy of the Lord, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or engage in His devotional service.

 

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-
prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi 
jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno
na cānya eko ’pi ciraṁ vicinvan

(SB 10.14.29)

 

A devotee who has received even a small fraction of the mercy of the Lord can understand Him. Others may engage in theoretical speculation to understand the Lord, but they cannot know anything about Him. Although Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very eager to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord refused to see him. But when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the King engaged in menial service for Lord Jagannātha, He became very happy. Thus the King became eligible to receive Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy. If a devotee accepts Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the universal guru and Lord Jagannātha as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, he is benefited by the combined mercy of Kṛṣṇa and guru. That is stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His instructions to Rūpa Gosvāmī

(Cc. Madhya 19.151):

 

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-Kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

 

The seed of devotional service fructifies and becomes a transcendental creeper. Finally it reaches the lotus feet of the Lord in the spiritual sky. This seed is obtained by the mercy of the Lord and the guru.   By the Lord’s mercy one gets the association of a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of the guru one gets a chance to render devotional service. Devotional service, the science of bhakti-yoga, carries one from this material world to the spiritual world.

So in order to get mercy of the Lord, in order to do devotional service one understand needs Lord mercy , the king by some menial service got the mercy of universal guru, Jagad guru, Caitanya Mahāprabhu ki jai,

Gaurāṅga  (Devotee repeats) 

Gaurāṅga  (Devotee repeats)

Gaurāṅga (Devotee repeats)

So we want to get devotional service, we need to get the mercy, who wants the mercy. Who really wants to chant Gaurāṅga ..?

(Devotee roars Gaurāṅga).. Gaurāṅga (Devotee roars Gaurāṅga) 

Gaurāṅga (Devotee roars Gaurāṅga) 

Gaurāṅga (Devotee roars Gaurāṅga) 

Gaurāṅga (Devotee roars Gaurāṅga) 

Gaaaaaurāngaa (Devotee roars Gaurāṅga) 

To get the mercy to do devotional service is not a small thing, Rath yātrā so many people had opportunity to see the Lord to do some service, unless the devotee tell what to do., they don't know, I was once in Rath yātrā Toronto Canada, I was going from the one Rath to the other, chanting before different Rath, we have only one Rath, so they always will we have three... (Discussion not able to hear) 

So we used to have three Raths actually, three Raths means more pulling, more kīrtana, anyway, I was just standing and looking how beautiful one of the Rath.  I was very keen you people are wonderful, this festival are wonderful, this is so beautiful I liked so much, I remembered Prabhupāda says if someone appreciates Rath yātrā they get special blessings, so this way He was appreciating Rath yātrā and got  special blessings, you know, if you go and pull the rope you will get more blessings  really a special blessings, I just went to grocery store, because I have some needs and she was a western lady, I thought stand here few minutes, and pull the rope and come back get you bag , so she went pull the chariot and came back, and said Thank you , I feel so good, that she can pull the Rath. People they don't know they can pull the rope, you know, chariot one day, they have a Rath, by the ocean, they have two Raths, one goes on new year’s eve and one goes in a beach in few days before.... you know the sand in beach is very soft, so this goes, very, then its hard, very close to the ocean, but pulling in the sand, you have to really pull it.  . not so  easy like road  , come on come on pull,  something like great deal of muscles  they are pulling, everyone pulling  , so much mercy, so some have everybody pulls the Rath so, Rath goes in the city in the new years eve, everybody in happy mood 12 midnight, no way, 9to 12 new years eve, new years day, before they used to ride in the city, they used to have ride, they requested us to do Rath yātrā, since we do Rath yātrā no one, so they have permission to have procession on new year’s eve, (some discussions not audible ) and the Rath is, sound of conch shell then , you know the peoples on the new years eve are very lubricated, lubricated, (laughs) very friendly, city they can't drink on the streets, the Government not allowed, no drinking on the streets, but people some have anyway,  on houses or ... the street trying to enjoy the new years eve, but chewing the chewed, every year the same thing, so when they see Jagannāth some how they are happy, they dance in front of the Jagannāth, they pull the rope, they embrace the devotee, Caitanya Mahāprabhu dancing  (other sound couldn't hear 39.00), so , interesting Rath yātrā going around the world, many people get so much mercy, I am not explaining everything ….one gets to grab that, so we are also going to the beach today, we do Rath yātrā on the roads, and the people will pull the Rath, they chant and they appreciate and they all get blessings, and  now a days we just had a Rathyātrā in Birmingham as Lord Mayor of Birmingham came there for .. They call Lord mayor worship, he wears a golden things, I don't know, golden, like two kilos of Gold, so over 600years old, the price... the Mayor only 60years old (everyone laughs).... so we gave him the broom to sweep, so this was the custom from India, he said, normally the Mayor doesn't have to do it, we have other employees of the city will do it, but out of respect for your culture I will do it., (hari bol) so he also swept the road before Jagannāth  so like that, Prabhupāda was in the purport write the Rath yātrā in London and elsewhere he considers the modern day Rath yātrās were extension of Lord Caitanya's līlā, one time in Calcutta the Balarāma Rath wheel broke, and Jagannāth Purī, Balarāma Rath wheel also broke, that year all the pandas say when Balarāma's wheel broke means that there is going to be a war, that was the year desert storm first war in Iraq, so what happens to Jagannāth it affects the entire universe, the Lord of Universe, is on the move anything can happen, you have to be very careful, what you do when Lord Jagannāth affects the entire universe? what He does? so, describes the decoration of the Rath. White sand on the side of the road, Purī  is like Yamuna sand in Vṛndāvana just like taking Jagannāth to Vṛndāvana, (Text no.25)

 

Rathe caḍi’ Jagannātha karilā gamana
dui-pārśve dekhi’ cale ānandita-mana

As Lord Jagannātha rode in His car and saw the beauty on both sides, His mind was filled with pleasure.

Sometimes Lord Caitanya gave sandal wood pulp and flower garlands to His devotees, He personally gave garlands to Paramānantha Purī, Rāmānanda Bhārathi different sannyāsais, Advaita ācārya , Nityānanda when Lord Caitanya gave them the Garland touched their bodies, when they felt the hand of Lord Caitanya touching them  they were feeling great transcendental bliss, Lord Caitanya gave garlands even to the Sankīrtana devotees, there were four different parties, 24 chanters in each party, there are also, extra mṛdaṅga players, describes, they didn't have loud speakers, so they have five people sings together, that was their amplification, amplified by five, organic, No tech so describes how kīrtana party is dancing, and finally three more parties from the different, fourteen mṛdaṅgas were playing, I remember once we have kīrtana party with 100 drums, mṛdaṅgas all played together that’s amazing sound, yeah Māyāpur, how many mṛdaṅgas played today, two guys, that what each party two, when the devotees chanting the holy name tears and felt great ecstasy like rainfall from their eyes , so the kīrtana is mainly for the devotees to share their feelings with the Lord, the sound of the kīrtana filled the whole universe, and He was going to each party inspiring chanting, 

Hari Hari  (Devotee repeats)

Hari Hari  (Devotees repeats)

Hari Hari (Devotee Repeats) raising his hand, 

Hari Hari  (Devotee Repeats)

Hari Hari(Devotee Repeats)

Hari Hari (Devotee Repeats)

Jai Jagannāth (Devotee Repeats)

Jai Jagannāth (Devotee Repeats)

 

Sometimes we all should chant jai Jagannāth like here Lord Caitanya chants

sāta ṭhāñi bule prabhu ‘hari’ ‘hari’ bali’

‘jaya Jagannātha’, balena hasta-yuga tuli’ ( CC Madya 13.51)

 

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu wandered through all seven groups chanting the holy name, “Hari, Hari!” Raising His arms, He shouted, “All glories to Lord Jagannātha!” 

 

Then Lord Caitanya went into the seven groups at the same time, through His mystical power, Seven Caitanya's, in seven kīrtana parties but each kīrtana party thought Lord Caitanya is in our group , we are very proud and He is not going any other group, He likes us, today how many want Lord Caitanya in their group, (Hari hari... ) we have only one group, easier, (devotee laughs) that is the problem with the microphone we have only one group, in three Raths, we can have three groups, in Māyāpur, in Calcutta, we put our loud speaker on a rickshaw, so the kīrtana and loud sound, because we need the sound system on the Rath for controlling the pulling , people pull like crazy, we have an old system for controlling the pulling,  we have green flag, and red flag, when red flag stop, green flag, Go, we have to have the each beginning of the each group because  we have also the we have the co commander in charge of all the pulling, and it very much, because when people pull, people pull so hard, sometimes people fall over like, crush by the wheel, if we don't stop, we have brakes, but the people pull so hard, even with the brakes, wheels locks but the Rath still move, 20 tons, very enthusiastic in pulling, so we have to have control sound system for the pulling area, I don't have here in Italy they don't pull so hard   that why we supply for two sound system, sound system on the Rath, (laughs,) you feel important, isn't it, so, get the people to pull, get people  to dance, get the people to chant, get them to get some mercy, the King Prathāparudra blessed he could see the seven forms of Lord Caitanya, , all the king and sarvabhauvma battācārya could see the trick of the Lord, Lord Caitanya came and understand here, without Lord's mercy even the demigods, even Lord Brahmā they cannot understand, Lord Caitanya was satisfied , the king did the menial service , he gave him the mercy, king was not allowed to have a personal interview with Lord Caitanya , but he was  given the internal potency , special mercy, very amazing, so that is the secret if you want mercy we have to do service, sometimes, devotees, say I don't have taste for chanting, my chanting mechanical, but whatever it is do it, if you get the mercy, then you will the taste, then you will get everything, by doing this, even I have no taste, I have no qualification, pray to Lord please give me your mercy, that  I have a taste for serving, there was very amazing, 

 

līlāveśe prabhura nāhi nijānusandhāna
icchā jāni ‘līlā śakti’ kare samādhāna

 ( CC Madya 13.65)

Do you understand, text 65,

 

The Personality of Godhead forgot Himself in the course of His transcendental pastimes, but His internal potency [līlā-śakti], knowing the intentions of the Lord, made all arrangements.

 

The Supreme Lord forget himself, He got  so immersed in ecstasy that he was not thinking of anything Himself but all the arrangement were made by the internal potency. this is amazing revolution, sometimes Lord so ecstatic He forget about everything, but energy,  but so Lord energies can do everything so perfectly, like if we something food gets digested we don't know how, the Lord does automatically energies to do everything so His pastimes go smoothly. Lord Caitanya he was expressing His feeling for Jagannāth, he was in the mood of Rādhārāni, and Jagannāth was Kṛṣṇa, so he danced in front of Lord Jagannāth in great Jubilation, sometimes in separation, sometimes he would go in front sometimes he would go behind when he goes behind he testing Lord Jagannāth, as he remember  me or not,  then Lord Jagannāth He reciprocate with him, He stops the cart, yes I am remembering you, then Lord Caitanya come forward and he move the Rath cart start moving, so this like Lord Caitanya just like Lord Kṛṣṇa has rāsalīlā and different pastimes, Lord Caitanya had this pastime, which are wonderful, sometimes Lord Caitanya would do the kīrtana, he will inspire all the devotee to dance, when he wanted to dance all the seven groups came together, everyone was watching his dancing, nine devotee running with the Lord and chanting with the Lord, sometimes he also offered his obeisance’s with folded hand to Jagannāth, 

 

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya Kṛṣṇaya

govindāya namo namaḥ

jayatu jayatu devo devakī-nandano ’yaṁ

jayatu jayatu kṛṣṇo vṛṣṇi-vaṁśa-pradīpaḥ

jayatu jayatu megha-śyāmalaḥ komalāṅgo

jayatu jayatu pṛthvī-bhāra-nāśo mukundaḥ

 (Devotee repeats) (Mukunda mala Text 2)

 

Like this he will chant all the different verses. to the Lord, Prabhupāda in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , He explains that the Lord can do different pastimes just to express his feelings with the devotee, like Kṛṣṇa dancing with the millions of gopīs, He express the heartfelt feeling with the Lord, these are not material dealings with the men and women, in the material world, just expressing ones feelings to the Lord is the perfection of our life. so Lord Caitanya expressing himself so much, Lord with His association, sometimes He is dancing, sometimes jumping, sometimes He will spinning in a circle , amazing, amazing dancing, sometimes fell down, Lord Nityānanda would catch him, try to catch him, running after him, advaita would walk behind the Lord and chant loudly, 

Hari bol (devotee repeats)

Hari bol (devotee repeats)

hari bol(devotee repeats)

Hari bol (devotee repeats)

again and again, then there was main thing, Lord Caitanya was dancing in the centre and there was circle of devotees protecting from the crowd. King Pratāparudra was trying to watch him, his general Harichandra moving, but some have Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura came right in the front, and Harichandra wanted to move, move, the king wanted to see, he poked him from the side, Śrīvāsa watching and push the hand and tappp (slap) King wants to see, tappp.. Harichandra punched him in the side and pushed, something, Śrīvāsa, what are you doing,..? tappp , Harichandra was the General of the Army you know, and the king you got blessed, 

Hari bol (Devotee repeats)

Hari bol (Devotee repeats)

Hari bol (Devotee repeats)

Hari booooooooool 

 

So, long, prasadam ready 

So everyone is fired up for the Rath yātrā today 

Jai Jagannāth Baladev Subadra Ki jai ( Devotee repeats)

 

Translator : HH.Jayapatākā swāmī Mahārāja ki jai (Devotee repeats jaiiii )

 

Jai Jagannāth Baladev Subhadrā ki jai  (Devotee repeats)

śrī śrī Gaura Nitai ki jai (Devotee repeats) 

 

*** That’s end the recordings**** 

 

Transcribed By: Svayam Nitāi Das

Transcribed On: 29-Oct-2020

 

 

Proof Reading By: Amrita Padma Devi Dasi

On 22/11/2020

Proofread by:Srivani Mataji

Date:09/Dec/2020