Lecture for the week (63) – Mahaprabhu Celebrating Ratha Yatra

1. This Ratha Yatra festival has been taking place since time immemorial in Sri Jagannath Puri. Here
in CC the beautiful description of how LCM personally brought his devotees together to
celebrate this most wonderful occasion.
2. It is described that previous to the day of Ratha Yatra, LCM brought together some of the
superintendents of the temple and his confidential devotees and told them that during the
Ratha Yatra, Lord Jagannath goes out from the Jagannath temple which represents Dwarka to
the Gundica temple which represents Vrindavan. So before Jagannath comes to the Gundica
temple, it must be thoroughly cleaned and purified so the SPG himself told his devotees that I
want to lead you all in cleaning the Gundica temple. You bring a hundred brooms and hundred
buckets for watering.
3. The devotees early next morning came together and they were requesting that we will clean the
temple. But LCM insisted that he personally accept the menial service of a sweeper and a
cleaner for Lord Jagannath.
4. LCM is the supreme absolute truth, Krishna himself, the controller of material and spiritual
worlds. To practically show from his own example, how to surrender to Krishna with one’s body,
mind, words and life, the Lord appeared as Sri CM in this age of Kali in the role of his own
devotee. So LCM began to sweep with the broom in the temple and all of associates followed in
his example. They swept and swept and all the devotees together gathered dust and dirt
particles and put it in one pile. The pile from LCM was much bigger than the piles of dust
gathered by all the devotees put together.
5. LCM wanted to show us that if we want to clean our hearts, if we want to clean our minds
appropriate for Krishna to come and sit, then we must be very enthusiastic and very determined
in the process of devotional service.
6. LCM asked the devotees to clean again for finer particles, so they swept again and brought the
finer particles of dust, sand and dirt outside until every particle of dust was cleansed from every
corner of the temple.
7. Then hundreds of buckets of water were used to wash the walls, ceiling and floor again and
again. Then LCM along with his associates with their own clothes, they began to polish the altar,
the throne, the kitchen, floors, walls and ceilings.
8. Srila BSST explains that the cleansing of Gundica temple is very important for all devotees to
understand. Gundica temple represents Vrindavan but it also represents our own hearts. If we
want Krishna to sit on the throne of our heart and reveal himself to us, then our heart must be
perfectly cleansed.
9. The process of cleaning the heart is by constantly hearing and chanting glories of the Lord.
When we chant the holy names (holy name is non-different than Krishna) one of the names of
Krishna is Pavitra. Krishna is all pure and similarly his name is all pure.
10. When we associate intimately with his name naturally we become purified. Association is what
creates our consciousness. SP used the example. If you put the iron rod in fire, it takes the
quality of fire. It becomes red and hot. But if you take the same iron rod and place in ice, it
becomes ice cold. What we associate with, we become. If we associate with materialistic and
egoistic people, we will certainly become egoistic and materialistic. If we associate with the Lord
and his devotees, we become godly and devotional. When we associate with Krishna’s name
 which is all pure, we become purified. Therefore, the greatest of all benedictions for all
humanity is the congregational chanting of the holy names of Krishna.
11. This chanting cleanses our heart. All of the contaminations of material attachments and
conceptions lust, anger, pride, greed, illusion and so forth. We must chant the holy names very
carefully guarding against the ten offences, if we want chanting to have real effect. We have to
chant in the mood of service. There is one mantra which is considered Maha Mantra. It is
particularly recommended in this age of Kali to chant this Maha Mantra. There are many
mantras and processes given in the scriptures. But in this age of Kali, there is a particular mantra
which is prescribed for the disease that everybody is suffering from. That is the Hare krishna
Maha Mantra.
12. As we are cleaning our heart through chanting of God’s holy names, we should know that
surroundings of the world and due to our own previous conditionings, there is a tendency to
again collect dirt. Just as the Elephant goes to the lake to take it’s bath to become nicely clean
and then comes out, the Elephant will roll on the ground and cover himself with dirt again. In
the same way, if we do not carefully guard against the offences to the holy name, even though
we chant and clean our heart, again put more contaminations and dirt upon our heart and thus
making our heart not a fit place for the SPG to sit and to reveal himself to us which is the
perfection of life and the eternal longing of every soul to be unlimitedly attracted to Lord.
Krishna.
13. LCM very carefully showed us all how to cleanse our hearts by the cleansing of the Gundica
temple. Next day the Ratha Yatra was to begin. The first ceremony of Ratha Yatra is called Pandu
Vijay where the servants of the Lord carry Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra to their carts form
the temple.
14. LCM and his devotees after taking their early morning bath having the darshan of Lord
Jagannath, they witnessed these wonderful pastimes. Then King of Orissa Maharaj Prataprudra
who was such a powerful king that he was undefeatable even by Moghul conquerors. He was
such a compassionate and devotional soul that he considered himself only as a servant of the
servant of the servant of the Lord. Therefore, to inaugurate this great procession, MP himself
came in a garb of a street sweeper and with a golden handle broom, he began to sweep the
street. MP wanted to show the world his inner intention although he was a King and living in a
palace with servants, armies and so much wealth and power in his heart of hearts, he had only
one ambition to be the menial humble servant of the Lord and his devotees. As he swept the
street not only for Lord Jagannath, but he also swept so that the street will be a nice place for
devotees to dance. By taking this most menial service LCM became very pleased with him.
15. Previously MP requested through Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Ramanand Raya and others to
have a meeting with LCM but LCM as a sanyasi would always refuse. I cannot meet such a
person as a King. He is worldly man always dealing with money, always associating with the
opposite sex. By being a King, he is always in a contaminated state of material association.
16. LCM explained that for one who desires to cross over this ocean of birth and death and attain
the loving service of Krishna, to associate with materialistic people is more deadly than drinking
poison willingly. By associating with worldly people it kills our propensity and inclination to serve
Krishna, it kills the natural inclination of loving soul toward God.
17. When LCM saw that the King took a humble position, he changed his mind and decided that I
will give him my great mercy and fulfill all of his desires. MP was doing such a grand service for
 Vaishnavas, he was arranging massive prasad distribution. He was making all the arrangements
indirectly for all the devotees residential quarters. He was creating every type of facility in his
kingdom in the service of Lord Jagannath and the devotees.
18. Although he was doing this grand seva for the Lord, LCM would not see him but when he took
the position of a menial street sweeper, then the Lord said I will show him my great mercy. This
is a very important principle for all devotees to understand. In whatever service we perform, we
want to do it in the most wonderful way possible but unless it is done in a menial spirit of
servant with humility towards the Lord and his devotees, the Lord is not really pleased with our
service.
19. The golden rule of Gaudiya Vaishnavas is to be more humble than a blade of grass, to be more
tolerant than a tree, to be ready to offer all respect to other but to expect none in return.
20. LCM took his Sankirtan party and divided them into seven divisions. First he got in each party
one kirtan singer and one lead dancer, two mridangas and many karatals. In the first party, he
appointed SDG to sing the kirtans and Sri Advaita Acharya to be the lead dancer. In the second
party Srivas Thankur was the lead singer and Lord Nityananad Prabhu was the lead dancer. In
the next party Mukunda Dutt was lead singer and Haridas Thakur was the lead dancer. In the
next party Govinda Gosh was the lead singer and Sri Vakreshwar Pandit was the lead dancer.
21. The residents of Shantipur were appointed to lead one party and Achyutananda (favourite son
of AA) was the dancer.
22. When they began the kirtans, it was tumultuous. The whole sky was filled with devotees
chanting the holy names. As they began to chant, LCM became so pleased, he began to dance.
LCM’s dance was the greatest manifestation of divine beauty that has ever been revealed to this
creation. LCM danced in such a graceful and beautiful way. He began to go from one group to
another.
23. Then he performed a great miracle. He appeared in all seven kirtans groups simultaneously and
each of the kirtans groups were thinking LCM is only with us. Only those very fortunate devotees
could understand that he was actually in all seven parties simultaneously. One of those devotees
was MP. Because he pleased the Lord by his menial service, he was able to see what nobody
else could see. As the Lord was dancing and as he was singing, he was inspiring everyone to
become more and more enthusiastic to loudly cry out the holy names of Krishna.
24. Sometimes he would arrange the kirtan in such a way that four of the kirtan groups would be in
front of the Jagannath cart two on either side and one was behind. There were three carts, one
each for Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra and as the carts were moving through the streets,
LCM began to exhibit the most wonderful symptoms of ecstatic love. Tears would pour from his
eyes like syringes. His body was covered by large goosebumps and his hair on the body was
standing stiff and erect. Sometimes his teeth would chatter so hard and so fast that it appeared
as if all his teeth will fall out.
25. Sometimes his body would be covered with perspiration and sometimes from every pore of his
body pure nectarine blood would pour out. Other times, foam would pour out of his mouth and
one devotee named Shubhananda who was expert at relishing divine mellows, he caught the
foam and very pleasingly drank it.
26. As LCM danced, sometimes his limbs would be disjointed, sometimes when he would place any
of his feet on the ground, it appears that his foot was so heavy that the entire earth began to
 tilt. Sometimes he would jump very high, sometimes he would spin around so fast, it was like a
firebrand completely captivating the attention of everyone.
27. Anyone who saw the beautiful dance of LCM attained pure love of Krishna. Lord Jagannath
himself was watching. Sometimes as Lord Jagannath was seeing the beauty of LCM’s dancing, he
became struck with wonder. Sometimes, LCM would go behind the cart and Lord Jagannath
would stop and however hard people tried to pull, he would not move because he wanted to
show LCM that he was waiting to see him again. It was only when LCM would come in front of
the cart dancing that Lord Jagannath would smile and move forward. As LCM was dancing
before Lord Jagannath, he was in the mood of Srimati Radharani. We understand according to
Shastra that LCM was Krishna who appeared with the Maha Bhava of Srimati Radharani.
28. Radharani is the eternal pleasure potency of the SPG, the reservoir of all devotion. As Krishna is
the Supreme Enjoyer, Srimati Radharani is the Supreme enjoyed. She is non-different than
Krishna but she exists only to give pleasure to Krishna and Lord Sri Krishna exists to receive
pleasure from Srimati Radharani. The whole spiritual world and all the material worlds have
simply been manifested for one purpose. To create an atmosphere and environment by which
Radha and Krishna can enjoy their loving pastimes together. To understand this principle is the
highest truth and the conclusion of all the Vedas.
29. But Krishna seeing the beauty, charm and love of Srimati Radharani himself becomes so
conquered that he himself wanted to taste the sweetness of Radharani ‘love. He wanted to see
what was about himself that so much attracted her mind and he wanted to experience the
happiness of her loving service toward him. So Krishna the SPG appeared in this world with the
inner love, devotion and heart of Srimati Radharani just to taste her own spiritual devotional
nature. But at the same time, he came as the Yuga avatar to give everyone entrance into the
loving Lila of Radha and Krishna with the simple process of congregational chanting of the Hare
Krishna Maha Mantra.
30. When LCM was dancing before Lord Jagannath, he was in the mood of Srimati Radharani when
she went to meet Lord Krishna at Kurukshetra and was offering prayers of that nature. Krishna
here in Kurukshetra you have appeared to meet the Vrajvaasis during the solar eclipse but your
appearance is not Govinda, the simple cowherd boy that would meet us in Vrindavan in the
beautiful forest on the bank of Jamuna. Here you are the Dwarkadhish and there are so many
chariots and so many decorated Elephants and so many thousands of queens and soldiers. Here
you have a beautiful crown and an armor. I want to take you back to Vrindavan where you are
decorated by beautiful Malati flowers, where there is a peacock feather decorating your
beautiful divine form. She was longing to see that Vrindavanchandra.
31. In her heart, in her mind, along with Vrajvaasis they created carts and they put Krishna who is
Jagannath, his elder brother Balarama and sister Subhadra each on a car and in their mind
pulling them to Vrindavan. This is the meaning of Ratha Yatra. The love of the devotees of
Vrindavan bringing Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra from Jagannath Temple which is Dwarka to
Gundica temple which is Vrindavan. This was the mood of LCM as he was dancing.
32. Therefore, he was bringing greatest pleasure to Jagannath and Maharaj Prataprudra because he
was blessed by the Lord and few other confidential devotees were revealed this inner truth.
They saw that Lord Jagannath and LCM were the same person simply experiencing the most
wonderful, divine loving exchanges for the pleasure of one another.
33. In this way the beautiful Ratha Yatra was taking place. At one time, during the dancing of LCM all
the devotees to protect him from large crowds they make circles around him. NP himself started
holding hand with other devotees and made one circle around the Lord. Then Govinda and
Kashishwar made the second circle. The MP and his associates made the third circle. As LCM was
dancing so beautifully. We should know that when we dance in Kirtan, we cannot imitate the
great souls but we can follow in their footsteps. When we dance it is not like dancing of this
world. It is not an idea of sense gratification. But in kirtans the dancing is an accompaniment to
the Holy Name.
34. Krishna has given us the tongue so we glorify him by singing his Holy Names. Krishna has given
us eyes so we use them during Kirtan to see the beautiful form of the Lord and his devotees.
Krishna has given us so many limbs in our body. When we dance in kirtans we are offering each
and every one of our limbs as an offering of humble devotion in the service and pleasure of the
Lord. Therefore, LCM taught this wonderful process. When we raise the arms dancing, we are
offering our body, mind and soul and life at the lotus feet of Krishna as we chant his Holy name.
35. As LCM was dancing, MP was watching him with so much pleasure. MP was with his servant
Harishchanda and Srivas Thakur was so enrapt in watching, but he was standing right in the way
of MP. So the servant of MP, Harishchanda was trying to move Srivas. But Srivas not aware of
anything except LCM’s dancing. So the servant of MP kept trying to move him again and again.
Finally, Srivas turned around and slapped him. Harishchanda was very upset. He was just about
to say some angry words to Srivas when MP said you are so fortunate. You have been touched
by Srivas Thankur. I only wish that I could be so fortunate to have been slapped by Srivas. In this
way MP showed us that the mercy of the Vaishnavas comes in many wonderful forms.
36. We benefit to the degree we are able to be grateful and appreciate whatever form the
Vaishnava’s mercy comes upon us. Because Vaishnavas mercy is blessing of God. Sometimes it
appears very sweet like a rose. Sometimes very hard like a thunderbolt. The real capacity in
which we receive the mercy of the Lord is the gratitude of our heart of accepting it and
responding positively to devotionals service.
37. The Kirtan came to place called Balagandi. This is a special part of Ratha Yatra where the
Jagannath cart stops. At that time, everyone is allowed to make offerings to Jagannath. All the
distinguished people, simple people, pilgrims cook at their homes and bring pure vegetarian
food to Lord Jagannath and all around the Jagannath cart there are thousands and thousands of
wonderful offerings from every one and Jagannath accepts all of them,
38. During this time LCM who was dancing so enthusiastically throughout the entire day, he went
into a garden. He laid on a little platform under a tree to rest and all of his devotees, each went
on to a different tree to lay down and rest. At that time MP was sent by RR and SBB in the
clothes of a mendicant and they told him how to massage Lord’s legs and feet and what verses
he should chant. He went in the garden and bowed down in great humility and the Lord was
laying, he began to massage his lotus feet and massage his legs. He began to chant the beautiful
Shlokas from Gopi Geet in the tenth canto of SB beginning with Jayati Te Dikham . LCM was
taking great pleasure in hearing these verses. Then he came to the verse Tava Kathamritam
Tapta Jivanam. When LCM heard that verse translation is “the glories of the Lord when they are
sung, they are like rivers of nectar and songs of the glorification of Lord’s names, form and
pastimes can purify the entire universe. When one tastes the nectar of the narrations of the
 Lord, one’s life becomes purified and perfect and those who chant his names and preach his
glories, they are the most munificent of all welfare workers throughout the world”.
39. As MP chanted this shloka, LCM got up and said you are the most munificent and he began to
embrace him and as the Lord embraced MP their bodies began to tremble and tears flowed
from their eyes in love of one another. LCM asked Who are you? Where have you come from?
Of course the Lord knew he was the King but just to show his causeless mercy, he appeared to
not know. MP replied I am only the servant of your servants and my only aspiration in life is to
be the menial servant of all your servants.
40. SP explains that this is the supreme platform of spiritual consciousness. You cannot become
God. God is always God. God never falls into illusion of his own energies. God is the master of
material nature. We are eternally his parts and parcels. Perfect state of divine love for that part
and parcel is the aspiration to only be the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord.
41. LCM himself quoted this verse “I aspire not to identify myself as being a Brahmin or a Kshatriya
or Vaishya or a Shudra. Nor a Sanyasi nor a Vanprastha or Grihastha or Brahmachari. I have only
one aspiration and one identity eternally to be the servant of the servant of the servant of Lord
Krishna.
42. When Prahlad Maharaj underwent such terrible austerities and inconveniences at the hands of
his father Hiranyakashipu, Lord Narsimhadev appeared to save and protect Prahlad. He offered
him any benediction and Prahlad aspired for only one benediction that I may be the servant of
the servant of your servants.
43. When Dhruva Maharaj was fighting with the Yakshas, Kubera the treasurer of all the Devatas
appeared before him and was satisfied that Dhruva Maharaj compassionately stopped the war.
Kubera had access to all the wealth of all the heavenly abodes. Kubera promised Dhruva I will
give you anything you desire. Dhruva asked for only one benediction. The only treasure that can
satisfy the soul, please grant me only this. I may be eternally the servant of the servant of the
Lord.
44. During Mahaprakash Lila of LCM, Kolvavecha Sridhar was very poor. He lived in a house that was
just a little hut. He was so lean and thin because he hardly had enough food to eat or feed his
family. LCM so mercifully revealed his divine form of Krishna to him and offered any
benediction, take liberation, take any opulence of the heavenly planets, even you can take
residence in Vaikuntha. But KS refused all of these benedictions. SP explains the only thing he
asked for is for him to always remain the humble menial servant of the servant of the Lord’s
devotees. This is the Supreme Benediction.
45. By MP identifying himself in this way, he revealed to the Lord and to the world his pure and
perfect consciousness. LCM was so pleased with him. Not only did he embrace him and bathe
him with his own nectarine tears but he also revealed his supreme opulences as Krishna to MP
and made him promise not to reveal this to anyone.
46. From Balagandi, so much prasad was coming. MP bowed down to LCM and then he arranged for
thousands of preparations of prasad. The whole garden was filled with prasad. LCM sat down to
eat with his devotees. LCM told the devotees to eat Jagannath prasad until they are filled up to
their necks. Then LCM said you feed everyone, especially the beggars. So all the beggars were
sitting down and LCM was directing the devotees to feed them all. LCM invoking everyone to
chant Haribol. Everyone was joyously taking prasad and chanting Haribol.
47. Then it was time for the procession to begin again. The servants of Lord Jagannath began to pull
the ropes. They pulled but Jagannath ’s cart would not move an inch although they pulled and
pulled. So MP got all big strong wrestlers and told them to pull the cart. The big wrestlers with
muscular bodies began to pull and pull strenuously but the cart would not move at all. Everyone
was struck with wonder. MP called for the royal Elephants and the Elephants came and they tied
all the Elephants to the carts. The Elephants were pulling and pulling, staining hard but the cart
would not move at all.
48. When LCM heard that no one can move the cart, he came with his devotees. His devotees are
not big wrestlers. LCM freed all the elephants and sent them away. He put the ropes in the
hands of his devotees and then he personally went behind the cart. With his own beautiful
moonlike head, he touched the cart and pushed it and immediately Jagannath ‘s cart began to
move forward. The dancing and chanting continued until the carts arrived at Gundica temple
and then the devotees carried Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev and Subhadradevi to their
respective thrones and there with the devotees there LCM had a beautiful dancing with kirtan
joyously chanting the holy names.
49. This Ratha Yatra festival is not only something that LCM every single year he would call his
devotees from all directions to celebrate with him. But it was very dear to our own spiritual
master HDG SP. When SP was a little boy on the streets of Calcutta every year, he and his sister
organized Ratha Yatra. They would make a little cart with their own hands and put little deities
of Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra. With little ropes they would pull them through the streets
and hundreds of residents of Calcutta thought this was so beautiful that they would bring
preparations and offer them to Jagannath.
50. When he established ISKCON as the Founder Acharya, it was for fulfillment of his dream to see
his followers performing this Ratha Yatra in practically every major city of the world. Why was
Ratha Yatra so important? Internally we will not understand the ecstasies of love that SP
experienced by seeing this wonderful festival of bringing Krishna to Vrindavan. From the point of
view of preaching, which is the inner heart of such great souls.
51. SP saw that this Ratha Yatra is the most wonderful and merciful of all celebrations because it is
the day when the SPG comes out of his temple to give darshan to everyone without any
discrimination, even the lowest sinners who are addicted to all the sinful activities even they can
see the beautiful form of Jagannath, even they can hear glorious kirtans of the Holy Name and
taste the wonderful prasad of Lord Jagannath.
52. LCM is the most munificent of all incarnations. He has come to do what no other incarnation
attempted to do. Distribute the love of Vrindavan and pure unalloyed bhakti to everyone. The
only price is just to accept his mercy, associate with his devotees and chant his holy names.
53. During the Ratha Yatra, this munificent and magnanimous form of Lord’s mercy is being given to
everyone and what will attract people to this festival? It’s not simply the cart. The deities are all
attractive but for people with material vision it is very limited how much they can appreciate the
beautiful form of the Lord. But what will really attract people is the enthusiasm and devotion of
Vaishnavas. When they see the devotees dancing joyfully, enthusiastically serving one another
and enthusiastically serve them nice prasad, nice hospitality, wonderful kirtans. It is that
atmosphere created by the Vaishnavas that will enable people to see the beauty of Jagannath
and hear the sweetness of the Holy Name. Thus their hearts will be changed.
54. So we have such a blessed opportunity today take part in this beautiful Lila of LCM and Lord
Jagannath and we have the most wonderful opportunity to set the stage for SP centennial by
making his desire fulfilled in this city of Mumbai. Let everyone receive the mercy of the Lord
through his Holy Nam, through his darshan, through his prasad. So as the servants of the
servants of the servants of SP let us perform great sacrifice today. This is the real sacrifice in the
age of Kali. To enthusiastically and wonderfully perform the congregational chanting of the Holy
Names of Krishna.
55. In 1972, there was a time when SP was very sick and the doctors and disciples told him not to
travel. But the devotees in London told SP that there is a Ratha Yatra festival inviting you to
come. Devotees were telling people in London not to invite SP as he is unwell. But SP when he
heard that they are having a big Ratha Yatra, he came to London and to everyone’s great
astonishment SP danced the entire way throughout the entire route of Ratha Yatra in front of
Lord Jagannath with his devotees inspiring everyone to take shelter of the holy name. Following
in his holy footprints, let us all have a wonderful, ecstatic day in Mumbai celebrating Sri
Jagannath Ratha Yatra.