English
Topic: The Glories of Rathayatra Mahotsava
Date: 09th July 2024
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
HH Lokanath Swami Guru Maharaj:
Lord’s form is most watchable and touchable thing in this world.
CC Madhya 13.78
jayati jayati devo devakī-nandano ’sau
jayati jayati kṛṣṇo vṛṣṇi-vaṁśa-pradīpaḥ
jayati jayati megha-śyāmalaḥ komalāṅgo
jayati jayati pṛthvī-bhāra-nāśo mukundaḥ
Translation
‘All glories unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as the son of Devakī! All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as the light of the dynasty of Vṛṣṇi! All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose bodily luster is like that of a new cloud, and whose body is as soft as a lotus flower! All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared on this planet to deliver the world from the burden of demons, and who can offer liberation to everyone!’
Jagannath cuts down the burden of the Earth which increases when papa increases on the Earth.
Bg. 4.7
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
Translation
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.
So Jagannath who is Krishna himself, he killed many demons to reduce burden on the mother Earth.So Krishna and Balrama, Krishna Balarama ki Jai. Rathayatra Mahotsav ki Jai! So Rathayatra are lovely pastimes of the Lord. Today they sit on the ratha and go back to Gundicha temple. In Puri, this Gundicha temple is similar to Vrindavan dham.
Nilachala Nivasaya
Hareye Paramatmane;
Balabhadra Subhadrabhyam,
Jagannathayate Namah
These prayers which we do and it happens in Puri. He resides in Nilachal and he resides with Baldeva and Subhadra. So we paid obeisances to them with these prayers with our mouths. So Nilachal dham is considered as Dwaraka. So he goes from Dwaraka to Vrindavan. The Vraja vasi bhaktas bring them to Vrindavan. All these pastimes happened in Prakatlila. Krishna said I will just come back soon. He went out of the hands of gopis, Yashoda Maiyya, gopas etc.But they went to Mathura and then after that they went to Dwaraka and stayed there for 60-70 years and didn’t come back. So then Vrindavan vasis, came to Kurushetra and they thought we will bring back Krishna to Vrindavan because it was difficult for them to survive in Vrindavan without Krishna.
CC Antya 20.39
yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa
cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ
govinda-viraheṇa me
Translation
‘My Lord Govinda, because of separation from You, I consider even a moment a great millennium. Tears flow from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I see the entire world as void.’
They were very unhappy without Krishna. Krishna was in Dwaraka and when they met him, they thought we will bring them back in the chariot, and they will remove the horses and they will become themselves become horses and donkeys and bring him back to Vrindavan. They went with this intention but could not bring him back.
Bg. 4.8
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Translation
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
I have to kill some more demons and said then he said he will return back to Vrindavan. So Vraja Vasis came empty handed and they could not bring him back. They failed at the attempt to bring Krishna back to Vrindavan at that time but due to this Ratha yatra their desire gets fulfilled. So Vraj vasis go to Puri to pull the rath today also. In one rath Jagannath, in another Balram and in another Subhadra sat. So Krishna is also pulled back to Vrindavan dham.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to this Rathyatra in the mood of Radharani and with all Vraja vasis he is successful in bringing Krishna to Vrindavan. Balaram and Subhadra also like to stay in Vrindavan. So it is there favourite place and favourite people to live with. He reaches Gundicha Marjan today and he also shows how to do Gundicha Marjan. Puri dham and Rathayatra glories are the most.In four dhams, Jagannath Puri Dham’s glories are the most.
"Jei Gaura, Sei Krishna Sei Jagannath" Vasudeva Ghosh says with folded hands, "He who is Gaura is He who is Krishna is He who is Jagannatha."
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also stayed 18 years there, who is Krishna himself. So Jagannath Swami is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Jagannath is always there and both stayed together and at the time of rathyatra they used to come together. Jagannath Swami ki Jai! Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ki Jai! So he showed his joy and pleasure by participating in this Rathayatra and this is most pleasing festival for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Rath yatra Utsav happened in Puri and in some cities of Orissa. Prabhupada also organised Rathayatra during his childhood and then when he became Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada then when he established ISKCON, he gave Jagannath to the whole world. He is not only Purinath or Pandanath, he is Jagannath, the Lord of the universe. When we take the shelter of Jagannath, we are no longer orphans in this world,
Bg. 8.15
mām upetya punar janma
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
Translation
After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.
This world is orphanage in real sense as our Nath is not here, we don’t go in his sharan, we don’t consider him as Lord, we don’t sing his names:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Bg. 18.66
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
Translation
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
So those who don’t surrender, they live in this orphanage as orphans but we all have become humans from sometime. We are bowing down to Jagannath. So when we take shelter of Jagannath then we become snath from anath. So, die in this material world and there are so many problems in this material world.
But as soon as we become snath, we do not need to fear. Whatever sins we have done, that will be washed away once we take his shelter otherwise this world is filled with so many sins. We hear and do kirtan so he gives us his shelter. I am with you. So this Rathayatra is happening in Noida today. This material world is Papalya. So as we come towards Jagannath, we come to his darbar, and then we listen about him then he gives us shelter, then he says then he says Oh dear, I am here, do not fear! I am with you.. I am here. I am with you. So ISKCON’s rathyatra is happening in Noida. So from Kannayakumari to Kasmir this Rathyatra is happening. In more than 100 cities, this Rathyatra is happening. In 700 cities and towns, around the world, Jagannath Rathyatra is happening. So is that not good news? So that is how he is distributing his mercy. Seeing all of you in so much number, I am very happy. We see later but at first Lord sees you all and Jagannath is very happy to see you all. Do think he knows that you all are here? He brings us, we don’t come ourselves. This is not an accident but an arrangement of Lord. This kripa is done by Jagannath on everyone. Thank you to all of you but you can say thank you to Jagannath for bringing us in his lotus feet. So please stay in his lotus feet and I invite you for Rathyatra! Come at 4 pm in sector 18, Rath is there, you must become horses there and you have to reach there in the mood of Rathyatra. So you have to come from Dwarka which is Sector-18 to Vrindavan which is in Noida. So you have reached early! But since you are Vraj vasis, it is ok. So let us bring Jagannath back. Lord says there are more demons in my hit list I will say this quickly, goes to Dwaraka but the Vrajvasis heard again that he will come back again. So they didn’t go back to their homes and they stayed at the entrance of Vrindavan and whenever he comes they will be ready to receive him.
He kills Shishipal and Dantvakra who were Jaya and Vijay in Krishna lila. They became Ravan and Kumbhakaran in Ram Lila. They became Hiranyaksha and Hiranykashpu. Shishipal was killed in Hastinapur as you all are aware already. So when Dandtvakra come to know this news, he used to live in Dantiha in Mathura Pradesh. He was killed in Datiha. So when he came to know that Shishupal is no more, he wanted to kill Krishna. Is this possible? Those who think this is possible, they are demons. He was very angry. So in what direction where I have to go. Narada Muni offers to guide him to Krishna. He says that if I bring Krishna here then is that ok? So he says that Dant vakra wants to kill you, so Krishna goes to kill him and he reaches there and he kills Dandtvakra.
There were other demons who were killed after that and he went to Vishram Ghat on the banks of Yamuna to immerse all his weapon. All his mission were achieved in killing all the demons.Dandvakra was the last one. After this Krishna never forgot what he promised that he will return to Vrindavan after killing all the demons. So, when he blew his Panchajanya shankha and the Vraja vasis waited for Krishna for so many years. They understood that this is the Counchshell of Krishna and they first saw the dust, then the chariot and then they saw Krishna. So, they said Aayore! He came back. In Vrindavan there is a place called as Aayore village. So, there was grand welcome of the Lord. So, the same welcome is happening every year in Puri. So Vrajvasis bring Krishna to Vrindavan. So, are you ready? Haribol
Jagannath Puri Dham ki Jai. Jagannath Rathayatra ki Jai. Jagannath Baladev Subhadra Mai ki Jai. ISKCON Noida ki Jai.
