Sita Thakurani

Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī

Śrī Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī is to be worshiped just as much as Śacīdevī herself, as the mother of the universe. She is the eternal wife of Śrī Advaita Ācārya. She was the daughter of Śrī Nṛsiṁha Bāduṛi. She was married to Śrī Advaita Ācārya in Phuliyā Nagara.

After their wedding, Advaita Ācārya went to Nadiyā, to live in Śāntipura. Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī was always absorbed in vātsalya-prema for Śrī Gaurasundara Prabhu, and, out of parental concern used to instruct Jagannātha Miśra on how to care for the boy. Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has described the birth celebration at the house of Jagannātha Miśra upon the advent of the Lord, giving special attention to the position of Śrī Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī.

Advaita Ācārya’s wife, worshipable by all the three worlds was Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī. Taking the Ācārya’s orders on her head, she had come to take a look at this new child, this jewel of jewels, and to offer him presents.

On the eve of his son’s advent Śrī Jagannātha Miśra, seeing the imminent signs of his child’s arrival, sent word to Advaita Ācārya in Śāntipura that the long-awaited child was being born. Hearing news of the advent of this unprecedented child, Advaita Ācārya floated in the waves of ecstasy. With Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he went to bathe in the river, and, after much dancing and song, he sent his wife to go quickly to Māyāpura in Navadvīpa.

According to Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, Śrī Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī is Yogamāyā. The Gaura-pārṣada-caritāvalī says that in Kṛṣṇa-līlā, she was Paurṇamāsī, the mother of Sāndīpani Muni, grandmother of Madhumaṅgala and Nandīmukhī and a disciple of Nārada Muni. (Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, however, says that Paurṇamāsī in Kṛṣṇa-līlā became Śrī Govinda Ācārya in Caitanya-līlā.)

In Dvāpara-yuga, during the celebration of Kṛṣṇa’s birth ceremony, she was present in the house of Nanda, and at that time gave Nanda and Yaśodā many instructions on how to care for the child. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta gives the following account of Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī’s visit to the house of Jagannātha Miśra after the birth of the Lord:

«One day, shortly after Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born, Advaita Ācārya’s wife, Sītādevī, who is worshipable by the whole world, taking permission of her husband, went to see that topmost child with all kinds of gifts and presents. She brought different kinds of golden ornaments, including bangles for the hand, armlets, necklaces, and anklets.

There were also tiger nails set in gold, waist decorations of silk and lace, ornaments for the hands and legs, nicely printed silken sārīs and a child’s garment, also made of silk. Many other riches, including gold and silver coins, were also presented for the child.

Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by maidservants, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Jagannātha Miśra, bringing with her many auspicious articles such as fresh grass, paddy, gorocana, turmeric, kuṅkuma, and sandalwood.

All these presentations filled a big basket. When Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Śacīdevī, bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses, and other gifts, she was astonished to see the newly born child, for she appreciated that except for a difference in color, the child was directly Kṛṣṇa of Gokula Himself.

Seeing the transcendental bodily effulgence of the child, each of His nicely constructed limbs full of auspicious signs and resembling a form of gold, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī was very much pleased, and because of her maternal affection, she felt as if her heart were melting. She blessed the newly born child by placing fresh grass and paddy on His head and saying, «May You be blessed with a long duration of life.»

But being afraid of ghosts and witches, she gave the child the name Nimāi. On the day that the mother and son took bath and left the maternity room, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī gave them all kinds of ornaments and garments, and then also honored Jagannātha Miśra. Then Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, being honored by mother Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, was greatly happy within her mind, and thus she returned home.»

From that day on, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī would often come to Māyāpura from Śāntipura, in order to teach Śacīmātā how to care for the new baby. She would give her many different instructions on how to raise children. And after helping with the child in this way, she would return to Śāntipura. When it came time for the child’s birthday ceremony, Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīdevī let the worshipable Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī be the first to offer the child his new clothes.

Advaita Ācārya Prabhu also had a house in Navadvīpa. There he would live from time to time and discuss kṛṣṇa-kathā with the devotees headed by Śrīvāsa, diving and surfacing in the waves of joy until the break of dawn. After Śrī Gaurasundara’s appearance, all the devotees prayed together with Śrī Advaita Ācārya and Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī that the child might live long in Māyāpura and have good fortune.

Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī and Śacīdevī were of one mind; the baby Nimāi was their life and soul. Every day Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī would go to the house of Śacīdevī and help her with the care and nurturing of the boy. In the house of Jagannātha Miśra, the divine child increased the pleasure of the eyes and minds of all the devotees, just as the waxing moon gradually grows more brilliant with each passing day.

After several years, when Jagannātha Miśra’s son Viśvarūpa – Nimāi’s older brother – had grown up, he suddenly took sannyāsa. The grief and agony of Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīdevī upon their son’s leaving was great. Gaurasundara was also dismayed and unhappy at his brother’s separation. At that time Advaita Ācārya and Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī consoled Jagannātha Miśra and Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, and helped take care of Nimāi. Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita’s wife Mālinī Devī also was always very affectionate towards the child, nurturing him and caring for him. She and Śacīdevī were of one mind in doing this.

After exhibiting his childhood pastimes, Nimāi gradually progressed into his kiśora-līlā, or pastimes of youth. After some time, he went to Gayā and revealed his true form and real purpose. Having returned from Gayā he gathered all the devotees at the house of Śrīvāsa Aṅgan for the purpose of beginning kīrtana. At that time, Advaita Ācārya brought Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī from Śāntipura to Māyāpura, and, having arrived there was the first to worship the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya.

Gradually Śrī Gaurasundara began, in Navadvīpa, to unfold his kīrtana pastimes, wishing to deliver the fallen souls. As time went by he took sannyāsa and turned his face towards Vṛndāvana, and ran off, half mad into the jungle in search for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Upon hearing this, Śrī Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī spent four days with Śacīdevī, who, plunged in the darkness of separation as if the sun had left the sky forever, lay fallen on the ground like one near death.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being bound by the ropes of love, was unable to go to Vṛndāvana, but was drawn to return to Śāntipura. When he arrived in Śāntipura, Advaita Ācārya and Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī felt as if their life has returned. After having fasted for four days, Śrī Gaurasundara accepted prasāda cooked by the hand of Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī.

Previous to taking sannyāsa also, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu along with Nityānanda Prabhu would, from time to time go to the house of Advaita in Śāntipura, where they would have a festival and perform kṛṣṇa-nāma-līlā-kīrtana all day and all night. The beautiful nature of this subject has been described by Śrī Parameśvarī Dāsa Ṭhākura in his Śrī Pada Kalpataru as follows:

One day the Lord laughed, having arrived in the temple of Śrī Advaita and thus the son of Śacī took his seat. Along with Nityānanda, Advaita sat down, and the two of them began playfully assessing the idea of having a festival. Hearing all this, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī entered smiling. At that time, in sweet words which made the minds of those who heard them blissful, the son of Śacī ruled that there must be a great festival.

He said, «Listen Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī: we shall extend invitations to all the different Vaiṣṇavas who live nearby. Let whoever hears the sound of our song, resounding through the air, come and join us. We shall invite one and all.»

Saying this, Śrī Gauracandra gave orders to the devotees saying, «You, invite the Vaiṣṇavas.»
«You, ready the mṛdaṅga and karatālas.»
«You, prepare sandalwood and aguru for distribution.»
«Have everything ready at the ghāṭa.»
«Carrying out these assignments expertly, and after garlanding the devotees with flower garlands, the devotees shall gather together in a circle for an uproarious kīrtana.»

Hearing the words of Mahāprabhu, the devotees followed his orders with great affection, collecting garlands, sandalwood, betel, ghee, honey, and milk, and everything else essential for worshipping the Lord. The different gifts and fragrant articles for the devotees and the Lord were then distributed in the proper ways. The kīrtana began at midday. At that time everyone chanted «Hari! Hari!» and the mṛdaṅga made the whole kīrtana auspicious. Thus swims Parameśvara Dāsa in the rasika pastimes of the Lord.

After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa and went to live in Jagannātha Purī, Śrī Advaita Ācārya and Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī used to go and visit him each year, bringing their son Acyutānanda with them. On one such occasion, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī prepared some of the Lord’s favorite preparations for him and invited Him to their home to take lunch.

Simply to increase their ecstasy, the Lord, who was always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa-nāma, honored their invitation and took lunch in the home of Advaita and Sītā. Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, being always overwhelmed with vātsalya-prema treated him as affectionately as if he were her own son. The Lord himself also treated her with the same kind of regard and affection that he had for Śacīdevī herself. Śrī Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī bore three sons, Acyutānanda, Kṛṣṇa Miśra and Gopāla Miśra, who were followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

According to Bhakti-ratnākara, Śrī Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī’s father was Śrī Nṛsiṁha Bāduṛi. Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī also had a sister, Śrī. According to the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, the wife of Śrī Advaita Ācārya, is Yogamāyā, and her sister Śrī is the prakāśa, or manifestation, of Yogamāyā. (Yogamāyā bhagavatī, gṛhiṇī tasya samprataṁ, sītā-rūpeṇāvatīrṇā, ‘Śrī’-nāmnī tat-prakāśataḥ).