91. Mahaprabhu's Pastimes at Jagannath Temple

Mahaprabhu's Pastimes at Jagannath Temple:

The pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are unlimited, and so many books glorify these most relishable pastimes. The following is just a few of the Lord's pastimes that took place inside Jagannath Mandira:

Jagamohana-pari-munda Yau:

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went with His personal associates to see Lord Jagannath when Lord Jagannath arose early in the morning. After seeing Lord Jagannath, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began His all-encompassing sankirtana. He formed 7 groups, which then began to chant. In each of the 7 groups was a principal dancer, such as Advaita Acarya or Lord Nityananda. The dancers in the other groups were Vakreśvara Pandita, Acyutananda, Pandita Śrīvāsa, Satyaraja Khan and Narahari dasa. As Śri Caitanya Mahaprabhu walked from one group to another inspecting them, the men in each group thought, "The Lord is within our group."

The congregational chanting made a tumultuous roar that filled the sky. All the inhabitants of Jagannath Puri came to see the kirtana. Accompanied by his personal staff, the King also came there and watched from a distance, and all the queens watched from the elevated parts of the palace. Due to the forceful vibration of kirtana, the entire world began trembling. When everyone chanted the holy name, they made a tumultuous sound. In this way the Lord had congregational chanting performed for some time, and then He Himself desired to dance. The 7 groups began chanting and beating their drums in 7 directions, and Śri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began dancing in the center in great ecstatic love.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remembered a line in the Orissan language and ordered Svarupa Damodara to sing it. 

"jagamohana- pari-munda yau: 

Let my head fall at the feet of Jagannath in the kirtana hall known as Jagamohana." Simply because of this line, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing in greatly ecstatic love. People all around Him floated in the water of His tears. Raising His two arms, the Lord said, "Chant! Chant!" Floating in transcendental bliss, the people responded by chanting the holy name of Hari. The Lord fell to the ground unconscious, not even breathing. Then suddenly He stood up, making a loud sound. The hairs on His body constantly stood up like the thorns on a simula tree. Sometimes His body was swollen and sometimes lean and thin. He bled and perspired from every pore of His body. His voice faltered. Unable to say the line properly. He uttered only "jaja gaga pari mumu." All His teeth shook, as if each was separate from the others. Indeed, they seemed about to fall to the ground. His transcendental bliss increased at every moment. Therefore even by mid-afternoon the dancing had not ended. The ocean of transcendental bliss overflowed, and everyone present forgot his body, mind and home.

Then Lord Nityananda found a way to end the kirtana. He gradually stopped all the chanters. Thus only one group continued chanting with Svarupa Damodara, and they chanted very softly. When there was no longer a tumultuous sound, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to external consciousness. Then Nityananda Prabhu informed Him of the fatigue of the chanters and dancers. Understanding the fatigue of the devotees, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stopped the congregational chanting. Then He bathed in the sea, accompanied by them all. Then Śri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took prasadam with all of them and then asked them to return to their dwellings and take rest. (Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 10.57-81)