20201128 Darśana of Mahādeva in Bhuvaneśvara (Part 1)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 28th November 2020 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Introduction: Today we are continuing with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya book, today’s chapter entitled is:

Darśana of Mahādeva in Bhuvaneśvara

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 5.140

caitanya-bhāgavate bhuvaneśvara-darśana prabhṛti varṇita:—

bhuvaneśvara-pathe yaiche kaila daraśana
vistāri’ varṇiyāchena dāsa-vṛndāvana

Translation: [In his book Caitanya-bhāgavata] Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has very vividly described the places visited by the Lord on the way to Bhuvaneśvara. 

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: In his book Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has very nicely described the Lord’s journey en route to Kaṭaka (Cuttak). On that journey, the Lord visited a place known as Bālihastā, or Bālakāṭīcaṭi. He then visited the city of Bhuvaneśvara, where Lord Śiva’s temple is located. The temple of Bhuvaneśvara is situated about five to six miles from Bālakāṭīcaṭi. The temple of Lord Śiva is mentioned in the Skanda Purāṇa, in the narration about the Lord’s garden and the one mango tree. A king named Kāśirāja wanted to fight with Lord Kṛṣṇa, and consequently he took shelter of Lord Śiva to acquire the power to fight the Lord. Being pleased with his worship, Lord Śiva helped him fight Kṛṣṇa. Lord Śiva’s name is Āśutoṣa, which indicates that he is very easily satisfied when one worships him, regardless of the purpose, and he gives his devotee whatever benediction the devotee wants. Therefore, people are generally very fond of worshiping Lord Śiva. Thus Kāśirāja was helped by Lord Śiva, but in the fight with Lord Kṛṣṇa he was not only defeated but killed. In this way the weapon known as pāśupatāstra was baffled, and Kṛṣṇa set fire to the city of Kāśī. Later Lord Śiva became conscious of his mistake in helping Kāśirāja, and he begged Lord Kṛṣṇa’s forgiveness. As a benediction from Lord Kṛṣṇa, he received a place known as Ekāmra-kānana. Later, the kings of the Keśarī dynasty established their capital there, and for many hundreds of years they reigned over the state of Orissa.

Jayapatākā Swami: We have our ISKCON temple in Bhuvaneśvara and Śrīla Prabhupāda he stayed there in his bhajana-kuṭīra and he wrote the ninth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and he regularly had brought water from Kedāra-Gaurī which is situated in Bhuvaneśvara

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 2.307

tabe prabhu āilena śrī-bhuvaneśvara
gupta-kāśī-vāsa yathā karena śaṅkara

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, He then arrived at Śrī Bhuvaneśvara dhāma, and that place is known as Gupta-kāśī, where Lord Śaṅkara resides.

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: A description of the holy place Śrī Bhuvaneśvara is found in various literatures like Svarṇādri-mahodaya, Ekāmra Purāṇa, Skanda Purāṇa, and other Sanskrit Purāṇas. In those literatures this place is addressed by various names like Bhuvaneśvara, Ekāmraka-kṣetra, Hemācala, Svarṇādri-kṣetra.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the modern capital of the state of the Orissa, previously for some time the Kings of Orissa had their capital in Cuttak and sometimes in Bhuvaneśvara. Bhuvaneśvara is also considered a special tīrtha and there the Deity of Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā, known as AnantaVāsudeva. Although the Bhuvaneśvara temple doesn’t allow the westerner devotees to visit at present but the Ananta Vāsudeva temple does. Once I went with the Safari and offered hundreds of bananas to the Narasiṁhadeva temple outside the Śiva liṅga, Bhuvaneśvaraand then those bananas were offered to Lord Bhuvaneśvara and we took the prasāda and later on in purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, He explains that how the Bhuvaneśvara deity is being offered the prasāda of the Ananta Vāsudeva and how that māha-prasāda is offered to Bhuvaneśvara and that is especially purifying. It’s interesting that all the prasāda of the Jagannātha temple is offered to Durgā devī in Her form as Vimalā devī and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s purvāśrama name was Bimalā Prasāda. Somehow in the outskirts of Jagannātha Purī is Bhuvaneśvara and there all the prasāda of Ananta Vāsudeva, who is non-different from Lord Jagannātha is offered to Lord Śiva in his form as Bhuvaneśvara. Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted devotees from all over the world to enter Jagannātha Purī temple and we are trying for that but in meantime, we can get to see the Deity of Ananta Vāsudeva and take His prasāda.

There are many pastimes happened in this place. There were two demons, there were two brothers, Kṛtti and Vāsa, who attained the blessing that they could not be killed by any weapons. At that time, with thousands of cows they came and bathed the Bhuvaneśvara liṅga with the milk. Satī was so happy to see them bathing His Lord Śiva that she took a form of a cowherd girl and for fifteen years she went with cows as cowherd girl. Seeing her intense beauty, the two demons Kṛtti and Vāsa, they wanted to enjoy her and so she disappeared after understanding their wicked intension and then she remembered the lotus feet of Lord Śiva, Her husband and disappeared. Lord Śiva told Her about their benediction, so that they could not be killed by any weapon and she should devise a means to kill them but then she appeared to them as cowherd girl and said, “I would satisfy your desires with one condition, whoever can carry me on their shoulder I will become his wife” and the two brothers were fighting and she managed to step on their two shoulders and she took the form of Viśvambarī, in this form she carries the entire weight of the universe and in that form of Viśvambarī, she crushed those two brothers with her intense weight and they died instantly, like that there are many pastimes that occurred her in Bhuvaneśvara. 

Caitanya-bhāgavata Antya-khaṇḍa 2.308

Śrī śrībhuvaneśvare—
sarva-tīrtha-jala yathā bindu bindu āni'
`bindu-sarovara' śiva sṛjilā āpani

Jayapatākā Swami: All of the water from all holy places were brought drop by dop to that place and there, Lord Śiva created the lake known as Bindu-sarovara. On the eastern shore of Bindu-sarovara is the Ananta Vāsudeva temple and the Northern side is the Bhuvaneśvara temple. So, Nandi, the carrier of Lord Śiva, brought all holy tīrthas to Bhuvaneśvara, from Prayāga, Puṣkara, Gaṅgā, Gaṅgādvara, Naimiṣa, Prabhāsa, Pitṛ-tīrtha, Gaṅgā-sāgara-saṅgama, Payoṣṇī, Vipāśā, Śatadru, Kāverī, Gomatī, Kṛṣṇā, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Gaṇḍakī, Ṛṣikulyā, Mahānadī. So he went to all the tīrthas in the earth and he brought from the milk ocean and he brought also from the lower planets then he had all the tīrtha assembled there and then Lord Śiva of Bhuvaneśvara told them that, “I decide to make a lake here at this place and all of you give one drop of water from your holy waters and fill up the lake. So, by the order of Śambhu, all the holy tīrthas, gave a bindu or drop. In that lake Lord Janārdana took His bath and Lord Brahmā and all others devas.

So Śaṅkara-vāpī and Bindu-sarovara, the two reservoirs reminded of Lord Śiva. Śrīla Prabhupāda would take water from that place of Kedāra Gaurī, where there was a Deity of Śiva and Gaurī and that we have one km distance from the Bindu-sarovar. Since, somehow, we had the great fortune of taking bath in that place which is also Bindu-sarovar, like this Bhuvaneśvara is mentioned in various Sanskrit Purāṇas and Ananta Vāsudeva He showed the mercy to Lord Śiva by giving His prasāda remnants. So, we didn’t know so many glories of this place. 

Lord Śiva is the greatest Vaiṣṇava and He expands Kṛṣṇa-bhakti from this place and His prasāda is the actually the mahā-prasāda of Lord Ananta Vāsudeva and therefore we can also take that prasāda. Normally we don’t take the prasāda offered to Śiva liṅga but the Bhuvaneśvara deity can never be compared with the ordinary Śiva liṅga, He is very special, He eats kṛṣṇa-prasāda. In Bindu-sarovar, you can offer the remnants to your forefathers and they (Bhuvaneśvara-prasāda) can always remain transcendental. If you take Bhuvaneśvara-prasāda, you will not take birth again. If the Bhuvaneśvara-prasāda touches your head you are forgiven from all your sins and offenses. The reactions of having eaten non-vegetarian food its being destroyed. If you smell it controls the sins committed in one’s mind, if you see it you are purified and if you smear it on your body, your body is purified. If you eat to your full satisfaction, it’s like doing full Nīrjala Ekādaśī. Haribol!

It’s explained in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa and various other Purāṇas by Vedā-vyāsa, that Lord Brahmā and other devas they take human form and beg for Bhuvaneśvara-prasāda, no rules and regulations, no auspicious or inauspicious times, anyone who criticizes the Bhuvaneśvara-prasāda goes to the hell as long as the sun and moon are in the sky. Don’t commit Vaiṣṇava aparādha do not offend the greatest of all Vaiṣṇavas, Bhuvaneśvara, vaiṣṇavānām yathā śaṁbhuḥ.

Once a gigantic mango tree which was spread three miles, imagine how many mangoes were there. This was place was known in ancient times as Ekāmraka, now it is known as Bhuvaneśvara and this holy place is three yojanas, 24 miles. It’s a very big mango tree.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.8.1: The powerful king of the twice-born again set forth and gradually He came to the place named Ekāmraka. There on the summit of the best of mountains resides Śiva, the master of mountains, accompanied by Pārvatī, the daughter of Mount Himālaya, with all the demigods.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.77

calilā ṭhākura sei siṃha-parākrame
krame krame uttarilā ekāmraka grāme

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya went, and He walked like a ferocious lion. Proceeding and walking forward, He came to the village of Ekāmraka, which is presently known as Bhuvaneśvara.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.8.2: There He saw a great temple of Śiva, brilliant with all kinds of exquisite craftmanship and finely sculpted arches. Crowning its lofty pinnacle flew a flag which flapped in the breeze. That temple was anointed by celestial nectar and appeared like a snow-capped Himālayan mountain.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.78

sei grāme āche śiva pārvatī-sahite
dekhibāre dhāya prabhu unamata-cite

Jayapatākā Swami: In that village, there is a temple where Lord Śiva stays with Parvatī. In order to see that place Lord Caitanya ran with His consciousness wild.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.8.3: Falling to the earth, the Lord offered obeisances to that abode of Śiva and to the astonishing trident cresting its dome. The curved and waving flag which fluttered in the vault of heaven above it appeared to be a frolicking wave of the celestial Gaṅgā.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.8.4: Then with great elation He entered the city of Tripurāri desiring to see the vision of that great Īśvara. There many tīrthas reside, presided over by millions of Śiva-liṅgams headed by the liṅgam named Viśveśvara. 

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.79

kathodūra haite prabhu dekhilā deula
utkaṇṭhā bāḍhila citte–premāya bāula

Jayapatākā Swami: After a short distance, Lord Caitanya saw the temple. His great loving enthusiasm increased in His heart and he became maddened with ecstatic love.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.80

deula-upare śobhe patākā sundara
śivaliṅgamaya sei ekāmra-nagara

Jayapatākā Swami: Over the beautiful temple a beautiful flag fluttered auspiciously. There were many Śiva-liṅgas in that village of Ekāmra or Bhuvaneśvara.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.81

patākā dekhiyā prabhu namaskāra kari
krame krame giyā praveśilā śivapurī

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing the flag on that temple, Lord Caitanya offered His obeisances. Walking forward He Lord Caitanya entered the city of Lord Śiva.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.82

ekakoṭī liṅga āche ekāmranagare
hāṁṭiyā yāite prāṇa hāle kāṁpe ḍare

Jayapatākā Swami: In the village of Ekāmra, Bhuvaneśvara, there are ten million Śiva-liṅgas. When a person walks there, his life airs tremble.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa 16.83

viśveśvara ādi kari’ āche liṅga-koṭi
dekhite-sandeśa yena nagarera māṭī

Jayapatākā Swami: In that city of Bhuvaneśvara, the Śiva known as Viśveśvara and another millions of Śiva-liṅgas, the ground of that city looks like sandeśa sweets.

So, we will continue tomorrow the second part of this section.