Yatra 2018 - Day 2 - Bhajana Kutir of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and Tota Gopinath Mandir

Day 2 - Yatra 2018

Day started with Mangala Aaarti at Tota Gopinath Mandir followed by Guru Puja. Please visit HG Vaisesika Prabhu's Facebook page to see all videos. You can click here to go to his facebook page.

Guru puja video can be seen here.

After Guru Puja we had class given by Gurudeva. You can listen to the class here on SB 10.13.50 .

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's Bhajan Kutir

The kutira is on the top of the hill behind the Purusottama Gaudiya Matha. It stands on the hilly sand dune known as Cataka Parvata where Mahaprabhu enjoyed ecstatic pasttimes. Mahaprabhu mistook them as Govardhana Hill and then ran there while wailing and crying loudly, expressing the state of mind exhibited by Radharani. His state of mind brought Him the atmosphere of Vrindavan and Govardhana Hill and thus He experienced transcendental bliss of separation and meeting.

The main temple houses deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha Vindoa Madhava Jiu. Inside the bhajana kutir are Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's bed and other personal effects. There is a murti of Srila Vedavyasa here too.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura did bhajana here near the end of his manifest presence. Within the temple compound he celebrated Govardhana puja by worshipping cataka parvata. Our dear Srila Prabhupada stayed here for a few days.

To listen to the entire class during the yatra, please click here and here.

Tota Gopinath Mandira

The main deities here from L to R are:

• Lord Balaram with Revati and Varuni on His left and right side
• Sri Tota Gopinath in the center altar with Radhika playing vian and Lalitha playing flute on His left and right respectively. Being deeply absorbed in syama rasa - mellow of satisfying all of Krsna's conjugal desires, Radhika and Lalitha sakhi appear black here.
• On the right are deities of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha Madana Mohan installed by Mamu Thakura whose birth name was Jaganattha Cakravarti. After departure of Sri Gadadhara Pandita, Mamu Thakura became the pujari of this temple.

Tota Gopinath is the most unique Deity because He is the only Krsna deity in the world sitting down. Mahaprabhu concluded His manifest pastimes by entering the Gopinath Deity. You can see a small golden streak on Gopinath's right knee where Mahaprabhu entered the Lord. Why Gopinatha is sitting down have 3 pasttimes, spanning millions of years:

• Lord Brahma and Tota Gopinath: In the very beginning of creation, Lord Brahma sat in meditation and saw Lord Gopinath sitting in the middle of a lotus flower in the spiritual world. It is said after this experience, Lord Brahma installed and worshipped a sitting deity of Sri Krsna which was this Deity. 
• Bhagavan Sri Krsna and Tota Gopinath: It is said He is sitting because He is in the mood of the pleasing the Vraja gopis. The story is in SB 10.32 During the rasa dance Sri Krsna disappeared and the Vraja gopis became so disturbed by His absence. When He appeared He sat on a seat made by the Vraja gopis. 
• Gadadhara pandita and Tota Gopinath: It was said that this deity was earlier standing and was previously been worshiped by Gadadhara Pandita. But after the departure of Mahaprabhu Gadadhara pandita was devasted and bent over from intense agony of separation from his beloved Gaura. His body became lean and thin like like an old man.  To allow him to continue serving Him, Tota Gopinatha obliged him by become shorter and the merciful Lord sat down to receive service only from the hands of Gadadhara Pandita. 

Then we had evening session which was ecstatic. Please listen to the entire class here.

Tomorrow our Yatra goes to the following places for parikrama, please join us. Hare Krishna!

1. Harinaam at Sri Jagannatha Mandir 
2. Siddha Bakul.