LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU
krsna-varnam tvishakrishnam
sangopangastra-parshadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi sumedhasah
sangopangastra-parshadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi sumedhasah
krsna-varnam — repeating the syllables krishna; tvisa — with a luster; akrsnam — not black (golden); sa-anga — along with associates; upa-anga — servitors; astra — weapons; parsadam — confidential companions; yajnaih — by sacrifice; sankirtana-prayaih — consisting chiefly of congregational chanting; yajanti — they worship; hi — certainly; su-medhasah — intelligent persons
“In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions.” [Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.32]
“YOGAPITHA”
THE APPEARANCE PLACE OF LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU (NIMAI)
AT “SRI ANTARDVIPA” ISLAND OF SRI NAVADVIPA-MAYAPUR DHAMA
Antardvipa: “Antar” means ‘secret’ and ‘dvipa’ means ‘island’, and this island is where Lord Krishna revealed His internal secret feelings about His future appearance as Lord Caitanya.
Yogapitha: Yogapitha is the actual site of Lord Caitanya’s appearance. In 1893, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura established this site. He personally collected funds to purchase this land and built a small temple here. This was completed in 1906 at which time he installed the Deities of Gaura-Narayana and His two wives, Laksmipriya & Visnupriya. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s son and spiritual successor, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, built the present Temple in 1934. It was inaugurated on Gaura-Purnima day in 1935.
APPEARANCE OF LORD CAITANYA
It was 1486 in the month of Phalguna (Feb-Mar) and Navadvipa-Mayapur vibrated with tumultuous sound of chanting of “HARI! HARI!” which penetrated the entire material universe and heralded the appearance of Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It was lunar eclipse and everyone, even the most impious and atheists who had never chanted the name of Krishna, found themselves going to Ganga and chanting “HARI! HARI!” as if compelled by some imperceptible force.
By His own sweet will, the Supreme Lord, who incarnated as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to inaugurate Harinam Sankirtan movement, appeared in the midst of the loud chanting of His own names:
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
Nilambara Cakravarti, Sachimata’s father, saw 32 divine symbols on the body of his grandson. He read astrological calculations for the time of birth but became more overwhelmed the more he tried to explain the unlimited glories he saw in the chart. An elevated saintly person was present dressed as brahmana.
He predicted, “This child is the Supreme Lord, Narayana Himself. He will establish the essence of all religion. He will initiate a wonderful preaching movement and deliver the whole world. Even stubborn atheists will worship His feet.”
Sachimata named her new son Nimai because He was born under a neem tree.
The ladies named Him Gaurahari because of His beautiful golden complexion.
And His father named Him Gauranga.
When Nimai was six months old, Sachimata noticed divine signs on His lotus feet. Seeing this Nilambara Cakravarti immediately called all brahmanas and held a festival for Nimai’s nama-karana (name-giving) ceremony. Recalling extraordinary predictions in his grandson’s chart, he said, “In the future this child will protect and maintain the whole world. For this reason He is to be called Visvambhara.”
“YOGAPITHA” -
APPEARANCE PLACE OF LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU (NIMAI)
MAIN GATE TO “YOGAPITHA”
“YOGAPITHA” ENTRANCE
THE RESIDENCE OF NIMAI -
BABY NIMAI IN THE LAP OF HIS MOTHER SRIMATI SACHI DEVI AND HIS FATHER SRIMAN JAGANNATHA MISRA
BABY NIMAI IN THE LAP OF HIS MOTHER SRIMATI SACHI DEVI AND HIS FATHER SRIMAN JAGANNATHA MISRA
RESIDENCE OF NIMAI
“NEEM TREE” UNDER WHICH NIMAI APPEARED IN YEAR 1486
“NEEM TREE” UNDER WHICH NIMAI APPEARED IN YEAR 1486
THEIR LORDSHIPS SRI SRI RADHA-MADHAVA INSTALLED BY SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA AT YOGAPITHA IN YEAR 1906
LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU WITH HIS WIVES SRIMATI LAXMI DEVI THAKURANI & SRIMATI VISNUPRIYA THAKURANI
“GAURA KUNDA” -
The Kunda Where Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to take bath daily. Glories of this Kunda are compared to Sri Radha-Kunda & Sri Syama-Kunda in Vrindavana
“GAURA KUNDA” -
The Kunda Where Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to take bath daily. Glories of this Kunda are compared to Sri Radha-Kunda & Sri Syama-Kunda in Vrindavana
Besides the main temple hall at Yogapitha, there is temple of Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara and Lord Lakshmi Nrsimhadeva
SRI SRI GAURA-GADADHARA
SRI SRI LAKSHMI NRSIMHADEVA
ANNUAL “NAVADVIPA-MANDALA PARIKRAMA” RETURNS TO MAYAPUR.
DEVOTEES FROM INTERNATIONAL PARTY, BENGALI PARTY & RUSSIAN PARTY MEET AT YOGAPITHA AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PARIKRAMA at YOGAPITHA
YOGAPITHA
