Holy Arrival of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu at Sripat Panihati

Holy Arrival of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu at Śrīpāṭa Pānihāṭi
Harikathā, Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Goswami Mahārāj

Śrīla Gurudeva narrates about Mahāprabhu’s visit to Śrī Pānihāṭi. In this regard, he then sings the glories of Rāghava Paṇḍita on how he used to please Mahāprabhu by his service.

At first I pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances to the lotus feet of my most merciful and worshipable Divine master, who is the redeemer of the fallen souls, the bestower of knowledge on the Absolute, the non-different manifestation of the Supreme Lord and the bestower of service of the Supreme Lord. I pray for his causeless mercy. I pay my prostrated obeisances to the lotus feet of the worshipable Vaiṣṇavas and pray for their causeless mercy. I pay my due respects to all the devotees inclined to hear discourses on the Supreme Lord and observing Dāmodara-vrata. May they all become satisfied.

Today is the Tithi on which Śrīman Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu set His footprints at Pānihāṭi. Pānihāṭi is situated in West Bengal near Sodepur Station. I got opportunity to go there many a times with Gurujī. It is the place of Rāghava Paṇḍita. Rāghava Paṇḍita and his sister Dāmayantī are personal associates of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa-līlā. Dhaniṣṭhā and Guṇamālā in Kṛṣṇa-līlā who prepare various sorts of things for Kṛṣṇa have appeared as Rāghava Paṇḍita and Dāmayantī, respectively. Mahāprabhu’s Līlā has connection with Kṛṣṇa-līlā.

Attracted by pure love, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu resides in four places eternally—in the house of Śacī Devī, in Nityānanda Prabhu’s dance, in the Bhajana-kuṭīra of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita and in the house of Rāghava Paṇḍita. Rāghava Paṇḍita used to make many sorts of offerings for Mahāprabhu. It was called ‘Rāghava-jhāli’ (wicker-basket).

He used to prepare many of such offerings that could be served even after six months or after one year. He used to send his wicker-basket containing various sorts of eatables for the Lord from his house to Puruṣottama-dhāma for the service of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In Kṛṣṇa-līlā the Lord used to accept the eatables made by Dhaniṣṭhā with intense love. Similarly in Caitanya-līlā, Mahāprabhu used to accept Rāghava Paṇḍita’s offerings with the same mood.

When the Lord took Sannyāsa and went to Puruṣottama-dhāma, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita could not bear separation from Him. All the places of Navadvīpa reminded him of Mahāprabhu. He continuously wept in separation from the Lord. Unable to stay in Navadvīpa he came to Kumārahaṭṭa and started staying there. One can reach Kumārahaṭṭa from a station called ‘Hālisahar’. Mahāprabhu first came to Kumārahaṭṭa and after giving service opportunity to Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, He came to Rāghava Paṇḍita’s house.

During the ‘Pānihāṭi Dadhi-ciḍā Mahotsava’ also, by the desire of Nityānanda Prabhu, Mahāprabhu Himself manifested there in that festival. Nityānanda Prabhu is actually ‘Dāujī’ or ‘Balarāma’ and He first offered ‘Dadhi-ciḍā’ to Mahāprabhu and after that distributed it to all. Though externally Mahāprabhu used to reside in Purī-dhāma those days but being subdued by the devotion He manifested there.

He also used to come to accept the offering of Mother Śacī. Mother Śacī used to prepare offerings thinking about her son and weep, “Oh my son Gaura Gopāla is not here”. Hearing her cries Mahāprabhu used to go to her and accept the offerings. Mother Śacī used to think that someone else ate her preparations. Devotion is very powerful. The Supreme Lord is attracted by pure devotion.

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.”
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā 9.26)

If one cooks with love and devotion for the Lord He will come there attracted by the love. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is always engaged in cooking for Kṛṣṇa. One must have intense love and affection for the Lord. If someone does Lord’s service as a duty or with some other motive then Lord will not come. One should serve with love and affection.

Mahāprabhu used to get attracted by the Love of Śrīdhara. Śrīdhara, the personal associate of Mahāprabhu, played the pastimes of being a very poor person. Though his poverty was only apparent. He used to sell vegetables and with the money he would get he used to perform ‘Gaṅgā Pūjā’ and maintain himself. Mahāprabhu used to go to his shop every day. There were so many other shops but Mahāprabhu used to go particularly to his shop only. Śrīdhara would quote the right price for each item. He used to say, “I am not lying.

Whatever is the correct price I am asking You for that only.” Though he used to quote the correct price for every item but Mahāprabhu would only pay half the price he would have asked for. There used to be sweet quarrel between them. Śrīdhara later would say to Him, “You are a Brāhmaṇa and I do not want to quarrel with a Brāhmaṇa. You can take all the things You want for free.”

After Mahāprabhu accepted Sannyāsa Śrīdhara went to Purī-dhāma with ‘Lāuki’ and Mahāprabhu accepted it. Such is the power of devotion. So externally it is seen that Rāghava Paṇḍita used to cook but his activity of cooking has got devotion in it which attracted the Lord to Him.