By Nitya Kishora devi dasi
Before sunrise the International Party moved slowly from Svarupa Ganj (Godrumadvipa) to Hamsa Vahana (Madhyadvipa) . Lord Shiva appeared in this place just to hear Gauranga Lila. So this is a very auspicious island. From there we went to the manifestation of Kuruksetra in Navadvipa dhama where the devotees heard about the glorious of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam from HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj.
Delicious breakfast was served in Pancaveni, under Gauranga setu as we go every year. Panchaveni means the confluence of the five sacred rivers: Ganga, Sarasvati, Yamuna, Alakananda and Godavari rivers. The current in this part of the island is very strong, so the devotees just pour water in their heads and pay obeisances.
From there the party went to our new camp this year, Mahisura. It is situated in a beautiful muslim village area. It was amazing to see all these vaishnavas from different part of the world given the Holy Name to the curious hundreds of Muslim families on the way. Believe it or not, our Mayapur sankirtan devotees distributed 300 Bhagavad Gitas for free to these village people. The devotees were happy to give spiritual knowledge and the holy name in the Muslim area and they were happy to see the international party. Nonetheless Parikrama management had a security force and dozens of army soldiers were there to protect the party just in case.
The names “Nitai Gauranga” were vibrating all around the camp during Sandhya Arati time. After blissful kirtan performed in the very land of Lord Caitanya, the pilgrims devotees were ready to listen Gauranga Katha from HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj.
HH Lokanath Swami Maharaja was giving class about how Lord Caitanya was making the animals in the Jarikhand forest love each other despite of the ‘deadly’ difference (the tiger and the deer for example). He said “…the tiger was awaken by Lord Caitanya Himself and he was confused ‘..somebody is waking me up..’ then it started to walk side by side with the deer and both of them forgot about their natural enmity, forgetting their false ego … and by seeing it, as described in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta “Seeing the tigers and deer following Him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately remembered the land of Vrindavan. He then began to recite a verse describing the transcendental quality of Vrindavana.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said “Vrindavana is the transcendental abode of the Lord. There is no hunger, anger or thirst there. Though naturally inimical, both human beings and fierce animals live together there in transcendental friendship.”
In this way Maharaj was describing the nectar of the eternal pastimes of Lord Caitanya, he continued to say how he met Rupa Goswami in Prayaga and his travel to Benares.
Some years ago the devotees wrote in their feedback research that they want more activities in the camp at evening time, so we created the evening class that has a duration of minimum 1 hour. During Parikrama we have sannyasis and senior devotees every evening speaking about different topics related to Lord Caitanya with the aim of enlivening those who are doing little bit more austerity by staying in the camp. When staying in the camp they get a chance to go deeper in Gauranga lila. By hearing and remembering these pastimes your love for Lord Caitanya will increase more and more.
