Vrindavan, November 17th 2015 (VT): Celebrations to commemorate Shriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s 5th centennial advent to Vrindavan began amid the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra on Tuesday.
Devotees were seen crying, dancing and chanting as they immersed in Prem rasa, or Divine Love.
Hundreds of people thronged the bank of Yamuna at Siddhapeeth Imlitala to participate in the celebrations of Harinam Sankirtan, discourses by the saints and acharyas, and to relish the nectar of the pastimes of Mahaprabhu.
They chanted the Hare Krishna maha mantra which was given to the world by Mahaprabhu himself. It should be noted that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to visit Imlitala daily during his stay in Vrindavan. He meditated here during day while stayed the night at Akrur village.
The Raas lila troupe of Padmashree Rasacharya Swami Hargovinda ji staged the pastimes of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which left the audience mesmerized. Gouranga Lila will be performed daily between 9 in the morning to 12 noon till 27th Novmeber.
They felt bles
sed to have the darshan of the deities of Mahaprabhu which accompanied the padyatra group, who walked to Vrindavan from Puri. The group of devotees crossed the rivers, passed through difficult terrains, mountains, and the forests of Jharkhand to follow the route through which Mahaprabhu came to Vrindavan 500 years back. The Yatra came to Mathura last month where the devotees followed the footsteps of Mahaprabhu by taking bath in the Yamuna at Vishram Ghat and visited the temples which Mahaprabhu visited.
Then the group of devotees went for Vraja Yatra, carrying the deity of Mahaprabhu, before coming to Vrindavan. Finally the ‘yatra’ arrived at Akrur Ghat, stayed the night there before it reached Imlitala on Monday. The procession of Mahaprabu passed through different markets and roads of Vrindavan, where it was welcomed by the throwing of flower petals. The procession was given a grand welcome at Bhagwat Niwas, which is a home to a a large number of babajis.
Tridandi Swami Bhakti Vedanta Madhusudhan Maharaj and Acharya Pundarik Goswami delivered discourses on the teachings of Shriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Madhusudhan Maharaj said, “Lord Chaitanya’s teachings are practical demonstration of Lord Krishna’s teachings. Krishna takes immediate charge of the surrendered soul of his devotees.”
His Holiness Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami, Shri Radha Nath Swami, Dr. Achyut Lal Bhatt, Shri Prem Das Shashtri, Shri Bhaktiswaroop Shri Dhar Maharaj, Tridandi Swami Shrimad Bhakti Sarvasva Govinda Maharaj will also shower divine nectar in discourses at Imli Tala till 24th November.
According to Shri Tamal Krishna Das Brahmachari, a grand Nagar Sankirtan from Akrur Ghat to Vrindavan is scheduled on the very day of Mahaprabhu’s arrival on Kartik (Raas) Purnima, in which thousands of devotees are expected to participate. The Nagar Sankirtan will be followed by a grand feast where the prasadam of Mahaprabhu will be distributed among the devotees. A Bhakti conference will be held on 26th and 27th November.
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