|| Sri-Sri-Gauranga-vidhur jayati ||
||
Sri-Sri-Radha-Shyamasundara-devo vijayatetamam ||
||
Sri-Sri-Shyamananda-prabhuh sharanam ||
||
Sri-Sri-Rasikananda-prabhuh sharanam ||
||
Sri-Baladeva-Vidyabhushanah sahayam ||
SRI KRISHNA-PRIYA SRI SHYAMANANDA PRABHU
Second Edition
2016
Author:
Descendant
of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu
Sri
Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradayacharya
Sri
Krishna Gopalananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada
Translated
by Dr. Baladeva Dasa
Sri
Sri Radha-Shyamsundar Temple
Jagadguru
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu Dwar Peeth
One
of the prominent Dwar Peeth among the fifty two Dwar Peeth of the Four
Vaishnava Sampradayas in the whole world, and the main one among the only two
Dwar Peeths of the Madhva Gaudeshvara Sampradaya
Mobile: 94122 26368 ; 92580 56368 ; WhatsApp: 94122
80938
e-mail: shyamanandaprabhu@radhashyamsundar.com
shyamanandaprabhu1535@gmail.com
website: www.radhashyamsundar.com
Sevakunj,
Sridham Vrindavan-281121, Mathura, U.P., India
Copyright Reserved
Published
by:
Prabhu Sri Shyamananda Prem Sansthan
Trust
Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar Temple
Sevakunj, Loi Bazar, Sridham
Vrindavan-281121
Mathura,
U.P., India –Mobile: 94122 26368 ; 92580 56368
This booklet is
available at:
1. Sri
Sri Radha-Shyamsundar Temple
Sevakunj, Sridham
Vrindavan-281121, Mathura
U.P.,
India - Mobile: 94122 26368 ; 92580 56368
2. Sri Sri Radha-Govind Temple, Sri
Shyamananda Gaddi
Gopiballabhpur, Medinipur Dist.,
West Bengal
India, Pin-721506 – Mobile:
09932792543
3. Sri
Sri Mahaprabhu Temple, Sri Vasudeva Ghosh Thakura’s Sripat
Tamluk, Medinipur Dist., West
Bengal, India
Pin-721636 – Mobile: 09734415031
4. Sri
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s Birthplace
Dharenda,
Medinipur Dist., West Bengal, India
5. Sri
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu’s Birthplace
Rohini,
Medinipur Dist., West Bengal, India
6. Sri
Sri Madana-Mohan Temple
Nadajol,
Medinipur Dist., West Bengal, India
7. Sri
Sri Kunj Math, Sri Mahaprabhu’s first residence in Puri
Ganamalla Sahi, Vali Sahi, Puri,
Odisha, India, Mobile: 07504699049
8. Sri
Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana Prabhupada’s Birthplace
Athantar,
Remuna, Balasore, Odisha, India
9. Sri
Sri Shyamananda Niketan
Gaura Vihar, Patia, Bhubaneswar,
Odisha, India
Pin-751030 Ph. (0674) 2600665
10. Sri
Sri Shyamananda Ashram
Radha Nagari, Chandaneshvar,
Balasore
Odisha, India
Preface
By
doing a critical study of the biography of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and
remembering his divine pastimes, the mind, intelligence and senses become astonished.
By
giving to Sri Shyamananda Prabhu Her golden anklet, the “Nupur Tilak” in the
shape of Her lotus foot, the beautiful Deity of Sri Shyamsundar bent in three
ways, etc., Srimati Radharani, the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, showered the
nectar of Her divine mercy on him. We don’t find any other example of such
mercy in the Vaishnava world. Even Sri Jiva Goswami, the best of sober
scholars, started dancing like a child in divine joy after hearing about Srimati
Radharani’s exceptional mercy.
In
those days, acharyas from all sampradayas would regularly come to the grove of
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in Sri Vrindavan to have darshan of the Deities served
by him: Sri Shyamsundar, the personified Mahabhava from Srimati Radharani’s
heart, and the self-manifested Srimati Radharani. Especially Srila Jiva Goswami,
Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Srila Lokanatha Goswami, Srila Bhugarbha Goswami,
etc. would regularly go there, and Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, Srila Krishna
Dasa Kaviraja Goswami, etc. would also often come from Radha Kunda to have
darshan.
In
Sri Nityananda Dasa’s book entitled “Prema Vilasa,” Sri Shyamananda Prabhu is
described as an avatar invested with the energy and devotional emotions of Sri
Advaitacharya. In connection with Yogi Damodara’s episode as well as the
description of how Sri Rasikananda Prabhu met his Gurudeva, in Sri
Gopijanavallabha Dasa’s book entitled “Sri Rasika Mangala,” Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
is described as an eternal beloved (manjari) of Lord Sri Krishna. In Sri
Krishnacharana Dasa’s book named “Sri Shyamananda Prakasha,” Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
is described as Lord Jagannatha’s body and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s soul.
In Sri
Vrindavan, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu remained completely immersed in the ocean of
loving devotional service to Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar. Lord Sri Krishna
Himself ordered him thrice to go to Utkal (Odisha), which was burning in the
illusory energy, to propagate loving devotional service. By his mercy, there in
Odisha, the king of yogis Sri Damodara Mishra then became the king of devotees.
Uddanda Bhuinya, a cruel landlord from Baliya near Nrisinghpur, had indulged in
the cold-blooded murder of countless Vaishnavas and kept 718 rags, the only
possessions of his victims, in one room of his palace as articles of
exhibition. Such a devil-like man also became a Vaishnava by the great mercy of
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu.
On the
way to Sri Vrindavan via Jharikhand, he granted the rarely attained love for
Lord Krishna even to animals, birds and immovable beings in the forest. From
tigers up to crocodiles, all became entitled to obtain the rarely attained love
for Sri Krishna by receiving Sri Hari Nama from Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. Even
among those Muslims who had destroyed countless temples and deities because of
their blind hate for Hindus, there were many who felt attracted by Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu’s devotion and uncommon divine personality and ultimately sought refuge
at his lotus feet.
Not to
speak of human beings, animals and birds, even demigods and supernatural beings
living in this mortal world also took refuge at his lotus feet and thus made
their lives prosperous. Rankini Devi (presiding deity of Dhalbhumgarh), Vasuli
Devi of Bhograi, Sarvamangala Devi of Keshiyadi, etc., who used to eat the flesh
of both humans and animals, also gave up their cruelty and became great
Vaishnavis after taking refuge at his lotus feet.
It
was at the call of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu that the Acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva Gaudiya
Vedanta Acharya, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana Prabhupada, the crest jewel among
Shyamanandi Vaishnavas, appeared in Athantara village in Remuna, Balasore
District, Odisha.
It is a
very difficult and ambitious task for an ignorant, arrogant, extremely
faithless and wicked person like me, overwhelmed by the Kali Yuga, to narrate
the divine pastimes of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, who is a combined incarnation of
Sri Advaitacharya and Sri Mahavishnu, as well as Lord Sri Krishna’s eternal
beloved (manjari). Nevertheless, taking shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu and considering a drop of mercy from the staunch Vaishnavas from all
over the world as my only possession, I am having the impudence to start
narrating his divine pastimes.
If
the supremely merciful Vaishnavas enjoy this book and thus take even a drop of
the sweet nectar of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s pastimes within their hearts, then
I will consider my effort a success.
Several
contradictions are found in the narrations of the pastimes of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
in different books by different authors. I spared no effort to reconcile them
in my book and present the authentic versions. The composition of this text was
based on the following books:
Name of Book Name of author
1.
Sri Shyamananda-shatakam Sri Aniruddhavatar Sri Rasikananda
Prabhu
2.
Sri Shyamananda-rasa-nidhi -do-
3. Sri Bindu-prakasha Sri Acharya Murari
4. Sri Shyamananda-rasarnava Sri Krishnacharana Dasa
5.
Sri Shyamananda-prakasha -do-
6. Sri Bhakti-ratnakara Sri Narahari Chakravarti
7.
Sri Narottama-vilasa -do-
8. Sri Sri Rasika-mangala Srimad Gopijanavallabha Dasa
9. Sri Prema-vilasa Sri Nityananda Dasa
10. Sri Abhirama-lilamrita Sri Abhirama Dasa
11.
Kanaka Manjari Sri Shyamananda Sri
Brajendra Nandanananda Deva Goswami
12. Sri
Shyamananda Charitra Sudha Sri Subala
Chandra Goswami
13. Sri Shyamananda Charitamrita Sri Kanhailal Adhikari
O Bhajan Paddhati (Oriya)
14. Prabhu Sri Shyamananda (Oriya) Sri Parvati Charana Dasa
15.
Sri Shyamananda Lilamrita
O Bhajan Paddhati (Oriya) Sri Narasimhananda
16. Sri
Guru Kripar Dan Sri
Ramadas Babaji Maharaj
17. Sri
Hari-bhakti-vilasa Srila
Gopala Bhatta Goswami
May Sri
Sri Radha-Shyamsundar give the right of rendering service in Their sweet
pastimes in the groves to those who have helped in any capacity to make this
publication possible. This is my earnest request at Their lotus feet.
The unworthy author
Dedication
sandrananda-karam
rasonnati-karam sri-krsna-bhava-karam
cetah-santi-karam
tamah-ksaya-karam bhaktavali-sankaram
duhkhoccheda-karam
sukhanvaya-karam karunya-sampat-karam
dinoddhara-karam namami rasikanandam prabhum bhaskaram
(Sri Rasika Mangala, verse 3)
I offer
this flower-like book entitled “Sri Krishna-priya Sri Shyamananda Prabhu” as an oblation of devotion at the
lotus hands of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, who is another form of Sri Krishna
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, an avatar of Aniruddha from Sri Krishna’s quadruple
expansions, and an incarnation invested with the mood of Sri Srinivasa Pandita.
Being always absorbed in an ocean of love for Sri Sri Radha Krishna from
childhood, for the souls in this mortal word he was like a sun shining the
taste of such love, and among the star-like Shyamanandi Vaishnavas, he was like
the moon.
- Sri
Krishna Gopalananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada
||
Sri-Sri-Radha-Shyamasundara-devo vijayatetamam ||
||
Sri-Sri-Shyamananda-prabhuh sharanam ||
||
Sri-Sri-Rasikananda-prabhuh sahayam ||
A Short
Biography of
Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu
In the
sixteenth century AD, a very rich man named Sri Krishna Deva lived in the
village Dharenda Bahadurpur in Gauda Mandala. He was very serene, gentle,
handsome, devoted to the brahmanas, and above all, a great devotee of Lord Sri
Krishna. His wife, Durika Devi, was a faithful follower of her husband in every
respect, and like him was also a devotee of Lord Krishna. Such a beautiful
union is very rarely seen. Despite being very prosperous in all respects, Sri
Krishna Deva was very sad because every child he had died immediately after
birth. After the demise of many children, a son with all the characteristics of
a great personality was born in the house of Sri Krishna Deva on Madhu Purnima
of Chaitra month in 1535 AD. Apprehensive that he might also attract the
attention of Yamaraja and bad stars if they give him a beautiful name, the
villagers gave that cute boy an ordinary name: Duhkhi (sad).
Duhkhi
started growing slowly like the phases of the moon. From his very childhood, he
was very vigilant to associate only with saintly people and avoid the wicked.
Due to his serene and gentle nature, modest behavior, simplicity, character and
devotion, not only his parents loved him, but so did all the neighbors. His
“anna-prashana,” “chuda-karana” and other samskaras were performed with great
celebrations. Due to his wonderful intellect and extraordinary talent, he
finished his study of grammar, etc. in a very short time before going on to
study rhetoric, etc.
From
childhood, a ray of devotion for Lord Sri Krishna was clearly visible in his
heart. The attractive forms of worldly sense objects held no allure for his
mind. He totally immersed himself in the waves of love for Lord Sri Krishna,
which attracts the minds and souls of devotees. Being a knower of the
scriptures, he understood that it was very essential to take refuge at the
lotus feet of a true guru to cross the ocean of material existence and attain
the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. He had heard from the Vaishnavas about the
extraordinary devotion of Sri Hridaya Chaitanya Adhikari Thakura, a dear
disciple of Sri Gauri Dasa Pandita Thakura, who was very dear to Sri Sri Gaura
and Nityananda. Within his mind, Duhkhi chose him as guru. His father, Sri
Krishna Deva, felt extremely happy about his son’s selection of a guru.
However, when Duhkhi was ready to go to Ambika with the intention of
surrendering to the feet of his guru, following a long and dangerous road on
foot, his father became overwhelmed by paternal affection and started adopting
several deceptive means to delay the impending separation. When Duhkhi realized
that his affectionate father would go on creating hindrances to delay his
departure to Ambika, he left his heaven-like home on a foggy night in the month
of Phalguna. Overwhelmed by his powerful desire to serve the Lord, his home
seemed as if worthless to him. Crossing a very long and arduous path alone, he
finally reached Ambika.
A
virtuous man is able to easily recognize other virtuous man. An expert jeweler
is able to identify a diamond among many pieces of glass. Similarly, as soon as
he saw the young Duhkhi, Sri Hridaya Chaitanya understood that the newcomer was
qualified to worship Lord Sri Krishna. In a very short time, Duhkhi won his
Guru’s heart by his devotion and dedicated service. On Phalghuni Purnima of
1553 AD, his affectionate Gurudeva initiated him in Sri Hari Nama and then in
the Sri Krishna Mantra. He gave him the name “Duhkhi Krishna Das” and engaged
him in the service of Sri Sri Gaura and Nityananda.
Despite
serving the lotus feet of his Guru, performing worship with devotion, regularly
chanting Sri Hari Nama on beads, singing and listening to the pastimes of Lord
Sri Krishna, etc., Duhkhi Krishna Dasa was not feeling satisfied. He felt that
something was still missing. Consequently, with the permission of his Gurudeva,
he left on a pilgrimage to all the holy places of India to pacify his restless
mind. After spending about eight years taking darshan of all the holy places,
he returned to his ancestral village, Dharenda, in 1562 AD. On seeing Duhkhi
Krishna Dasa after such a long time, his parents and relatives felt extremely
happy. In order to bind his son to the home, his father arranged for his
marriage to Srimati Gauranga Dasi, even though it went against his wish, for he
was so absorbed in love for Krishna.
Those
who have tasted the sweetness of nectar even once do not feel satisfied with
ordinary worldly sweets. During his pilgrimage, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa had been to
the enchanting twelve forests and gardens of the holy land of Vraja Mandala,
which had once been touched by the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. Memories
of the Dham were always attracting him. Due to this intense attraction, he took
the permission of his parents and in 1566 AD again left his village to go to
Vraja. First he spent some days in Ambika, where Sri Hridaya Chaitanya was
astonished to see how he had advanced in exclusive devotion by following his directives.
His
Gurudeva ordered him to regularly water the flower garden of Sri Sri Gaura and
Nityananda, which he gladly did. Following this order with mind and body,
everyday he used to fill a pitcher with water from the Ganges, place it on his
head, carry it to the garden, water it and then start over again. The mere
thought that he was watering the garden of Sri Sri Nitai and Gauranga would
make his eyes fill with tears of love. He was not even aware of how many
pitchers of water he had brought. Gradually, due to the friction of the
pitcher, wounds appeared on his head, which soon became infected and infested
with worms. Yet he was so absorbed in his service that this did not make any
difference for him. One day, when he reached the garden with a pitcher full of
water on his head, his Gurudeva was present there. As soon as he placed the
pitcher on the ground, a worm fell from his head right before his Gurudeva. On
seeing it, Sri Hridaya Chaitanya was disturbed, especially when he noticed that
Duhkhi Krishna Dasa’s head was full of wounds infected by worms. He understood
that this had happened only because he had been obeying his order, and doing so
despite of much hardship, without telling anyone of his difficulties. Sri
Gurudeva’s heart then melted with paternal affection for his disciple. He
embraced him and made him sit by his side. He placed his hand endowed with
mystic power on his disciple’s head and made both the wounds and the worms
immediately disappear. After this, Sri Hridaya Chaitanya Thakura felt that Duhkhi
Krishna Dasa was qualified to worship of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and therefore
should be sent to the land of Their pastimes, Sri Vraja Mandala. Arriving at
this conclusion, he advised Duhkhi Krishna Dasa: “My dear child, go quickly to
Vrindavan. There all your desires will be fulfilled by Srila Jiva Goswami.”
Following
the above instruction of his Gurudeva, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa arrived in his long
cherished Sri Vraja Mandala in 1566 AD. His heart became full of bliss and love
on touching and seeing the land where Sri Sri Radha-Krishna had performed Their
pastimes. Wetting his clothes with tears of love, he offered obeisances to Sri
Vraja Mandala again and again. He felt as if that land was echoing with the
names “Radhe Radhe” and “Shyam Shyam” everywhere. The parrots, starlings and
honey intoxicated bees were filling the sky with sounds as if they were singing
the qualities of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. A fresh breeze was spreading the
fragrance of the divine bodies of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna on all directions.
Trees like Ashoka, Bakula, Champaka, pomegranate, etc. were standing in rows
decorated with their flowers and desiring to serve Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar.
Longing to have the touch of the soft hands of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, tall creepers
gave up their upwards path and bent down.
Thrilled
with joy and full of love, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa started having darshan of the
twelve forests and gardens of Vraja Mandala. After that, he had darshan of the
house of Sri Nanda Maharaja in Nandagram, the house of Sri Vrishabhanu Maharaja
in Barsana, and Giriraja Govardhana and its many caves where Sri Sri Radha-Krishna
had performed Their pastimes.
From
there he visited Yavat village and then went to Sri Radha Kunda, which is very
dear to Lord Krishna, where he had darshan of Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami,
the best of renunciants, and Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami, humility
personified.
Srila Raghunatha
Dasa Goswami sent him to meet Srila Jiva Goswami accompanied by a resident of
Vrindavan named “Dasa.” In Vrindavan, which is surrounded by the River Yamuna,
daughter of Kalinda, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa fulfilled his strong desire to have darshan
of Sri Govinda Deva, Sri Madana Mohana and Sri Gopinatha. As soon as he
appeared before Srila Jiva Goswami and fell prostrated at his feet like a rod, Srila
Jiva Goswami felt a thrill of joy all over his body and immediately realized
that his long wait for such a person had come to an end. He also felt that in a
short time the stream of the nectarean supreme love displayed by the gopis of
Vraja in their spontaneous (raganuga)
mode of worship as propagated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would flow
everywhere. Sri Srinivasa Acharya, an avatar invested with the energy and
loving emotions of Sriman Mahaprabhu, and Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura, an avatar
invested with the energy and loving emotions of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, had
already reached Sri Vrindavan. Now Duhkhi Krishna Dasa, an avatar invested with
the energy and loving emotions of Sri Advaitacharya, had also reached there to
join them. Following Srila Jiva Goswami, these three great personalities
gathered to study the devotional books written by the Gaudiya Vaishnava Goswamis.
Sri
Gauri Dasa Pandita was a devotee worshipping in the mood of friendship (sakhya-rasa). Since Duhkhi Krishna Dasa was
a disciple of Sri Gauri Dasa Pandita’s disciple, Sri Hridaya Chaitanya Adhikari,
he was also worshipping in the mood of friendship. However, while studying the
treatises on Bhakti under the guidance of Srila Jiva Goswami, he clearly felt
that among neutrality (shanta),
servitude (dasya), friendship (sakhya), paternal love (vatsalya) and conjugal love (madhura), the last one is the best. In
view of this, he became particularly eager to serve Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar
in Their sweet pastimes in the groves. He expressed this strong desire to Srila
Jiva Goswami, who then concluded that Duhkhi Krishna Dasa was quite qualified
to perform the spontaneous (raganuga)
mode of worship, and therefore there was no hindrance to enlighten him about
the secret principles of madhura-bhava.
Following the instructions of Sri Hridaya Chaitanya, Srila Jiva Goswami started
to instruct Duhkhi Krishna Dasa on those secret topics. In this way, under the
guidance of Srila Jiva Goswami, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa obtained the right to
perform devotional service mentally as approved by Srila Rupa Goswami. Due to
Duhkhi Krishna Dasa’s determined insistence, Srila Jiva Goswami also gave him
the rarely attained right to clean the groves. From then on, Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa started spending most of his time in the service and worship of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna
inside his underground bhajan kutir (cave), meditating on Them with a fixed
mind, doing Sri Hari Nama kirtana, chanting mantras on his beads, etc. And
every day before sunrise he used to joyfully go to the groves with a broom and
a scraper to clean the groves.
In this way, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa spent twelve
years engaging in very hard spiritual practices until his eternal original
identity was revealed. Once at night while sitting in his bhajan kutir, Duhkhi
Krishna Dasa, was deeply absorbed in remembering the sweetest pastimes of Sri
Sri Radha-Krishna during the eight periods of the day. All of a sudden, he
became engrossed in a very enchanting pastime. He saw that the enjoyer of rasa,
Sri Shyamsundar, was absorbed in dancing and singing with the doe-eyed damsels
of Vraja. Some Sakhis were dancing, while some were singing with a melodious
voice. At that time, at the hint given by the glances of the Sakhis, Srimati
Radharani also started a very attractive and alluring dance to give even more
joy to Sri Shyamsundar. Seeing that unique dance, capable of causing jealousy
even in the minds of Gandharvas, Sri Shyamsundar and the Sakhis became immersed
in an ocean of joy. During that fast-paced dance, a golden anklet named
“Manjughosha,” which was studded with sapphires, all of a sudden slipped from
the left foot of Srimati Radharani and fell on the dancing arena, but nobody
noticed this.
After
enjoying the dance, Sri Sri Kishori and Kishora (Radha-Krishna) sported on a
diamond studded bed until They fell asleep. Upon looking through the window and
seeing the sweet couple united, the Sakhis became immersed in an ocean of
bliss. Early in the morning, when a female monkey named Kakkhati uttered some
scary words, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna woke up and left for their respective homes
in a hurry followed by the Sakhis, even though They did not want to go away. At
that time, with a mind determined to do a superhuman effort, Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa also stood up and went to clean the groves as usual, carrying a broom and
a scraper and singing a morning bhajan. On reaching the place of the Rasa
dance, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa directly experienced that compared with the other
days, there were more signs of loving pastimes. Jasmine creepers, etc. were
lying scattered here and there, but despite that, all the trees and creepers
were full of fresh, fragrant flowers. Inside the groves, the divine footprints
of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and the Sakhis could be seen here and there. Parrots,
cuckoos and black bees were singing morning songs in praise of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna
with more enthusiasm than usual. Surcharged with divine love, Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa started rolling on that sacred ground. When he started cleaning the arena
of the Rasa dance within the groves while singing a morning song about Sri Sri Radha-Krishna,
he suddenly saw a glittering object under a pomegranate tree and with great
curiosity ran towards it. By the influence of Yoga Maya, he had forgotten the
pastimes of the previous night. Reaching the place under the pomegranate tree,
he became wonder-struck to see a divine golden anklet studded with sapphires,
which was lighting up the groves with its radiance. With great surprise he
looked in all directions with inquisitive eyes and suddenly heard a voice from
the sky: “Keep this anklet very carefully.”
Duhkhi
Krishna Dasa thought that this must be some transcendental pastime of the transcendental
Sri Vrindavan, a mystery which would be solved at the proper time. As soon as
he thought “This anklet is certainly supernatural,” and touched it to his
forehead, a thrill of transcendental joy ran throughout his body. The eight bodily transformations due to emotion (ashta-sattvika-bhava) such as
perspiration, trembling, tears, standing of the hairs on end, etc. appeared in
his body, and being surcharged with loving emotions, he started dancing. Loudly
chanting “Radhe Radhe,” he lost his steadiness. However, after remembering his
regular service in the place of the Rasa dance, with great effort he somehow
composed himself. “There must certainly be some secret in connection with this
anklet,” thinking in this way, he carefully kept the anklet and the scraper
under his shawl and hid it in the middle of the creepers inside the grove.
After
that, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa became absorbed in sweeping the groves with great
zeal. After
some time, an old woman wearing torn clothes appeared before him. Upon being
questioned by Duhkhi Krishna Dasa, she told him that her name was Radha Dasi, a
Kanya-kubja brahmana by caste and a resident of the village Yavat in the
Mathura district. She further said that in the previous evening, after fetching
water from the Yamuna, her daughter-in-law had come to that place to pluck
flowers, but after suddenly seeing a lion (Sri Shyamsundar) nearby, she had become
frightened and quickly run away. She had been in such a hurry that she had not
noticed that the golden anklet adorning her left foot had slipped and fallen somewhere
in that grove. Radha Dasi continued informing that she had come to that place
to search for that lost golden anklet and requested Duhkhi Krishna Dasa to
quickly return it to her if he found it. Duhkhi Krishna Dasa admitted that the
anklet had been found by him but humbly told her that such an item could not
belong to any inhabitant of this mortal world because with a simple touch of
it, he felt surcharged with divine love for Srimati Radharani. Hence it was
clear that there must be some mystery related to it. He added that since she
seemed to be a normal resident of this mortal world, her daughter-in-law must
also certainly be so. Moreover, from her torn clothes it was evident that she
was a poor lady and that her daughter-in-law could not possibly adorn herself
with a golden anklet encrusted with sapphires. Yet he concluded by stating that
in any case, if her daughter-in-law came personally and showed him that on her
other foot she wore a similar anklet, then on the presence of five to ten
witnesses from their village, he would hand over the precious anklet he had found.
Hearing
these words of Duhkhi Krishna Dasa, the old lady felt a bit perplexed.
Factually that old lady in torn clothes was not an ordinary poor woman but Sri
Lalita Sakhi, the dear friend of Srimati Radharani. She understood that it
would not be possible to win over him with her cleverness. Duhkhi Krishna Dasa was
fully convinced that the anklet was supernatural and that the old lady’s
daughter-in-law was a common mortal. Seeing that Sri Lalita Sakhi was in a
predicament, Srimati Radharani, who was standing behind the creepers with Sri
Vishakha Devi, Sri Vrinda Devi and other Sakhis, appeared before Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa and took on the role of mediator.
Unable
to persuade him, Sri Lalita Sakhi at last told him the truth. She frankly
admitted that his guess that the divine anklet could not belong to any mortal
lady was true, for indeed it belonged to Srimati Radharani, daughter of King
Vrishabhanu and beloved of Sri Krishna, son of the King of Gokula, Sri Nanda.
Upon hearing that, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa was wonder-struck and inquired how the
anklet had slipped from Her foot and fallen in the grove. Being very
compassionate, Sri Lalita Sakhi then narrated the whole pastime in detail. She
further told him that they all wanted to get the anklet back and reach home
before Srimati Radharani’s harsh-tongued mother-in-law awakened. She advised
Duhkhi Krishna Dasa to ask for a boon in exchange for the anklet. As a boon, he
expressed his desire to have darshan of Sri Lalita’s real form. She fulfilled his
desire by granting him divine vision with which he could then behold her
original, transcendental form. After that, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa requested the
right to engage in the eternal service of Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar in their
pastimes in the groves of the eternal Goloka Vrindavan. Sri Lalita Sakhi told
him that he would certainly obtain that right after leaving his mortal body. He
then expressed his strong desire to have darshan of Srimati Radharani’s lotus
feet. Following Her directions, Sri Lalita gave him Srimati
Radharani’s mantra which consists of fifteen syllables and is full of six
divine opulences, and Sri Vrinda Devi then took him to bathe in Radha Kunda.
After taking bath in that pond and chanting that powerful mantra, Duhkhi
Krishna Dasa suddenly attained the transcendental form of a Manjari with a
golden effulgence.
Then,
in the eternal Sri Vrindavan, that Manjari placed that divine anklet on her
head and entered Srimati Radharani’s temple inside a grove, closely following behind
Sri Lalita Sakhi and Sri Rupa Manjari.
Following Srimati Radharani’s merciful direction, Sri Lalita Sakhi touched the
golden anklet to the forehead of that Manjari and by its mere touch her previous
tilak in the form of a temple of Lord Hari (Hari mandir) immediately turned
into a tilak that had the shape of Sri Radha’s lotus foot. Then Srimati
Radharani mixed sandal, camphor and honey with the saffron smeared on Her
breasts, rubbed the mixture on a moonstone, and using the extremity of the
anklet, with Her own hand She affectionately made a resplendent dot in the
middle of the new tilak on the forehead of that doe-eyed Manjari. Seeing that,
Sri Lalita Sakhi named that unique tilak with a resplendent dot in the middle
made by Srimati Radharani as “Shyam mohana,” and because Duhkhi Krishna Dasa had
given so much joy to Srimati Shyama (Radharani), therefore from then on his
name would be “Shyamananda.” When Sri Vishakha Sakhi saw how Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa had assumed the form of a Manjari, which was resplendent like gold, she
addressed her as “Kanaka Manjari.”
Srimati
Radharani and Her companions had showered their special mercy on Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa (Shyamananda) and then advised him to go back to the mortal world to
accomplish the mission assigned to him. However, upon hearing this instruction
and apprehending the impending separation from Srimati Radharani, Sri
Shyamananda started to wail very pitifully. With tears in his eyes, he humbly
requested Her again and again not to send him back to the mortal world and thus
deprive him of the service to Her lotus feet. Srimati Radharani also felt
deeply afflicted upon seeing Kanaka Manjari (Shyamananda) in such distress, and
Her heart melted with pity. To relieve him from that mental agony, from Her
lotus heart Srimati Radharani mercifully manifested Sri Shyamsundar, a faultlessly
beautiful Deity, Her life and soul and Her Mahabhava personified, and then
asked Sri Lalita Sakhi to deliver Him to Shyamananda.
“Dear Shyamananda, as long as you live in the mortal
world you should keep yourself engaged in the loving service and worship of
this Deity. In this way you will not suffer due to separation from Me. After
that you will come back to my eternal service in the eternal abode.”
At
that moment, with Her own lotus mouth Srimati Radharani revealed to Sri
Shyamananda the fruits of serving and having darshan of this Deity manifested
from Her lotus heart:
“1. Whoever has darshan of this Deity even once
with devotion shall obtain Prema Bhakti and go to the rarely attained
divine abode of Sri Krishna and never be born again. Misfortunes, poverty and
heinous sins shall not enter his home;
“2. Whoever
has regular darshan of this Deity shall go to the rarely attained divine
abode of Sri Krishna accompanied by ten past and ten future generations. In
this world, accompanied by sons, grandsons and other relatives, they shall
enjoy life in happiness, wealth and opulence desired even by the demigods. They
shall move around fearless like a lion freed from the blazing trap of the
threefold miseries caused by one’s mind, by other living entities and by
natural forces;
“3. Whoever
regularly cleans the temple of Sri Shyamsundar shall go to the heavenly
planets and after enjoying all pleasures there, they shall attain the abode of
Lord Krishna as one of His attendants and obtain the bliss of His service.
If one regularly smears the temple with cow dung after cleansing it, then
the relatives of their mother, father and spouse will never go to hell;
“4. Any pious person who places a flag on the top
of the temple of Sri Shyamsundar and decorates it with banners shall
immediately become free from all sins committed since birth;
“5. A
fortunate great soul who regularly worships this Deity shall attain the
power to deliver the whole world and all his desires will be fulfilled;
“6. A
fortunate person who gives new garments to this Deity shall reside on the
Moon planet and then attain bliss in the abode of Lord Hari. They shall become
rich, fortunate, disease free, and attractive. They shall obtain the fruits of
having performed the Ashvamedha and the Rajasuya Yajnas and then live eternally
in the abode of Lord Hari;
“7. A
rich person who offers precious ornaments studded with pearls and gems to the
Deity of Lord Shyamsundar shall become the emperor of the whole earth, the
destroyer of the enemies, free from all sins, dear to the ladies, and supremely
fortunate, and after obtaining the fruits of having performed the Ashvamedha
and the Rajasuya Yajnas, he will reside eternally in the abode of Lord Krishna.
If being full of devotion, one shall have the fortune of even once having
the darshan of Sri Shyamsundar adorned with golden ornaments, all his relatives
going back seven generations will be delivered.
“8. A
pious person who offers the Deity flower ornaments, an umbrella made of
flowers, a pavilion made of flowers, a bed made of flowers, etc. shall
obtain the best objects of enjoyment, amusement and pleasure, and at the end
shall go to the eternal abode of Lord Shyamsundar.
“9. A
fortunate person who shall offer first class foodstuffs and beverages to the
Deity shall have all their wishes fulfilled. They will become long-lived,
rich, powerful, handsome, attractive, and free from worries and diseases. They
will obtain the fruits of having performed the Agnishtoma, Atiratra, Ashvamedha
and Rajasuya Yajnas, and at the end shall attain the supreme abode of Lord
Krishna;
“10. Whoever
circumambulates the temple of Sri Shyamsundar four times with a heart full of
devotion shall obtain the fruits of having circumambulated the whole
universe, having visited all holy places, and having bathed in all of them.
They shall become free from all sins, attain the fruits of having performed ten
Ashvamedha Yajnas, and at the end shall be carried by a swan to Lord Krishna’s
own abode. They will never be born again and all their good wishes will be
fulfilled;
“11. A
fortunate person who has darshan of Sri Shyamsundar during the Arati shall
obtain the fruits of all worship, mantras and rituals previously performed,
even if these were given up. Millions of sins committed, even the killing of a
brahmana or illicit intercourse, shall be destroyed and at the end they shall
attain the supreme abode of Lord Krishna;
“12. If
a fortunate person constructs, renovates and cleanses the temple of Sri
Shyamsundar, then ten thousands of past and future generations in their
family shall go to the abode of Lord Krishna. All the sins committed by them
shall be burnt into ashes and they shall very soon attain the bliss of serving
Lord Krishna.
Sri Lalita
Sakhi then said to Sri Shyamananda that except for Sri Jiva Goswami, he should
not reveal this very confidential pastime to anyone else and that if he ever
faces any adversity, by merely uttering the divine Sri Radha-mantra given to
him, he would be able to directly have her darshan. In this way, after giving
all their blessings to him, Srimati Radharani and Her Sakhis disappeared from
the grove.
By the
wish of Srimati Radharani, Sri Shyamananda then resumed his previous form as a
male devotee and left the grove. By the touch of the Manjughosha anklet of Srimati
Radharani’s foot, his iron scraper had become golden and Sri Shyamananda’s
previous complexion had turned brightly golden complexion. On his forehead was the “Shyam mohana” tilak in the
form of Sri Radha’s foot, having a resplendent dot in the middle; on his chest was
written “Shyamananda.” Under his arm was a golden scraper; and on his head was
the divine Deity of Shyamsundar. Shedding tears, his heart overwhelmed with
love, he thus arrived at Sri Jiva Goswami’s hut.
As soon as Sri Jiva saw him in such transcendental
mood, he became astonished and started inquiring again and again about what
happened to him. Sri Shyamananda took Sri Jiva Goswami to a lonely place, and
with his heart overwhelmed by emotions and in a choked voice, he narrated the whole
confidential pastime. Hearing the incident, Sri Jiva Goswami, who was usually
very sober, could not check himself. All of a sudden, he became mad with joy
and started dancing like a boy, his heart full of transcendental loving
emotions. He embraced Sri Shyamananda again and again very tightly and spoke
the following words in a faltering voice, “Today I have completely sold myself to
you on account of your deep love. Srimati Radharani was so merciful unto you!
Just by thinking about it I am feeling a thrill in my body. From now on you
will be known among the Vaishnavas by the name given by Sri Lalita,
‘Shyamananda,’ and your new tilak will be known as ‘Shyamanandi Tilak.’ This
divine Deity, the life and soul of Srimati Radharani, will be known by the name
‘Shyamsundar,’ and by giving His darshan he will deliver the souls afflicted by
the Age of Kali.”
Sri Shyamsundar (Lala), the only Deity within the
whole creation that was manifested from the lotus heart of Srimati Radharani,
was received by Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
on Vasanta Panchami (13th January) in 1578 AD, and was installed by
him inside his underground bhajan kutir located in Seva Kunj in Sri Vrindavan
Dham. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu then became fully absorbed in the loving service
to Sri Shyamsundar. In memory of such divine mercy given by Srimati Radharani, Srila
Jiva Goswami established a marble altar on the holy spot where the anklet was
found.
When
a bud blooms, its sweet fragrance reaches every nook and corner of the garden.
It is not possible to confine its fragrance to one place or hide it. In the
same way, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s ‘Nupur Tilak’ with a shining dot in the
middle, and the uncommonly beautiful Deity of Shyamsundar soon became known in
every house in Vraja Mandala. However at the same time seeds of doubt also
started sprouting. Some Vaishnavas from Gauda Mandala had come to Vraja for
darshan, and after returning they misinformed Sri Hridaya Chaitanya Thakura that
Duhkhi Krishna Dasa had given him up as Guru, given up the name given by him,
and had adopted a new name, “Shyamananda” and a new tilak known as
“Shyamanandi.” Hearing such a bad news about his very dear disciple, Sri
Hridaya Chaitanya Thakura felt deeply hurt. He thought that by deserting his
original Gurudeva Duhkhi Krishna Dasa had acted against the scriptures and
tainted the dignity of his Vaishnava lineage for which he would have to suffer
in hell. Thinking about this, he became disturbed and left Gauda Mandala
accompanied by the sixty-four Mahantas, twelve Gopalas and other distinguished
Vaishnavas. After reaching the Dhira Samira area of Sri Vrindavan, he called
for a large meeting of Vaishnavas at Kalpa Kunja to decide which action should
be taken against Duhkhi Krishna Dasa.
At the beginning of the meeting, Sri Hridaya
Chaitanya asked Duhkhi Krishna Dasa to explain on whose direction he had given
up his original Guru and adopted a new name and tilak. In reply, with all
humility and with folded hands, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa stated that it was only by
his Gurudeva’s mercy that he received the name “Shyamananda” and a new tilak.
Hearing this Sri Hridaya Chaitanya was very displeased and angry and openly
declared that to the best of his knowledge he had no idea what Duhkhi Krishna
Dasa was talking about. In the presence of all assembled Vaishnavas he said
that if after washing off the tilak and name, they once again appeared on his
body in the presence of all, then he would accept that these were indeed obtained
by his mercy—otherwise Duhkhi Krishna Dasa would be excommunicated from the
Vaishnava community for misbehaving and speaking lies. Then Srila Hridaya
Chaitanya washed the new tilak adorning the forehead of Duhkhi Krishna Dasa and
the name “Shyamananda” written on his chest, rubbing them off with his hand.
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu requested the Vaishnavas to give him 48 minutes and started
chanting the Sri Radha-mantra. As soon as he chanted the mantra, he assumed his
Manjari form, and accompanied by Sri Lalita Sakhi reached Srimati Radharani’s
lotus feet in the eternal abode and informed Her about the incident. Under the
direction of Srimati Radharani, her cousin brother Subala, who also happened to
be a close friend of Sri Krishna, assured Sri Shyamananda of protection. Back
in the assembly at Dhira Samira in Sri Vrindavan, by the unlimited mercy of
Srimati Radharani, and in the presence of all Vaishnavas, the name
“Shyamananda” on his chest and the tilak on his forehead reappeared, even
brighter than before. Seeing this miracle, the sixty-four Mahantas, twelve
Gopalas and all other Vaishnavas present filled the sky exclaiming, “Jaya
Radhe!” Being definitely proved before everyone’s eyes that Sri Shyamananda
received such mercy directly from Srimati Radharani, all the present Vaishnavas
started praising him.
After
this incident Sri Hridaya Chaitanya went to circumambulate Sri Vraja Mandala
accompanied by all the Vaishnavas who came from Gauda Mandala with him, and Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu followed them. After having darshan of the twelve forests
they reached Sanketa Kunja, where the sweet Rasa Lila of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna
was being performed. Seeing that uncommon presentation of the dance of Sri Sri
Radha-Krishna, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu became surcharged with the mood of the
gopis and started dancing sweetly like a gopi, touching the end of his cloth on
his forehead and shaking his waist. Seeing his dance, Sri Hridaya Chaitanya
thought that Sri Shyamananda Prabhu had abandoned the worship of Lord Sri Krishna
in the mood of friendship and adopted Srimati Radharani’s mood of a girlfriend
(sakhi-bhava). Being a worshipper in the mood of friendship, Sri Hridaya
Chaitanya became angry and repeatedly ordered Sri Shyamananda Prabhu to stop
dancing, but when he refused to give up the gopi mood, his Gurudeva hit his
back with a stick three times.
That
night Sri Hridaya Chaitanya saw Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in a dream. He saw
that the bright white outer garment of Sriman Mahaprabhu was stained with blood
in several spots. Sri Hridaya Chaitanya enquired about the cause of the stains
and Sriman Mahaprabhu told him that He took upon His soft body all the wounds
due to the thrashing given to Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. Upon hearing this, Sri
Hridaya Chaitanya felt very hurt and asked for His forgiveness again and again.
Sriman Mahaprabhu directed him to organize a twelve day Danda Mahotsava
(Punishment Festival) to atone for the horrible Vaishnava offence committed by
him.
The
next day Sri Hridaya Chaitanya informed all Vaishnavas about the incident and
the punishment given by Sriman Mahaprabhu. When Sri Shyamananda Prabhu came to
know about it, he felt very sad and requested the Vaishnavas to allow him to
organize the festival instead of his Gurudeva. Appreciating how much devotion
and faith Sri Shyamananda Prabhu had in his Gurudeva, the Vaishnavas
unanimously allowed him to organize the Danda Mahotsava. With the help of Srila
Jiva Goswami and the Vaishnavas of Vraja, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu organized the
first Danda Mahotsava in Vrindavan with great pomp as ordered by Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. After the festival Sri Hridaya Chaitanya left for Gauda Mandala
accompanied by the sixty-four Mahantas, twelve Gopalas and the other
Vaishnavas, and Sri Shyamananda Prabhu became again absorbed in the service and
worship of Sri Shyamsundar.
During those days another unprecedented
incident took place. One night Sri Shyamsundar appeared in Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu’s dream and told him, “My Radharani has appeared in the palace of the
King of Bharatpur. Bring Her here and unite Us.” Meanwhile, Srimati Radharani
had appeared in the treasury of the King of Bharatpur in the form of a small
deity of a girl and directed the King in a dream, “Dear King, My Shyamsundar
became manifested in the grove of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in Sri Vrindavan.
Arrange My marriage with Him.” The very fortunate King came to Vrindavan with
his Queen and ministers and on the Vasanta Panchami day of 1580 AD he performed
the marriage of Srimati Radharani and Sri Shyamsundar with great pomp. After
the marriage the King built the present temple and gave the village Chatikara
for the service of the Deity. In those days, the King of Jaipur also donated
the village Shyamali. During the life of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu such transcendental
pastimes happened one after the other and therefore with the consent of all,
Srila Jiva Goswami awarded him the title “Prabhu.”
For
the propagation of Prema Bhakti, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inspired Srila Rupa
Goswami, Srila Sanatana Goswami, Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Srila Jiva
Goswami, etc. to write many books. To preach the message in those books, all
the Gaudiya Vaishnava Goswamis living in Vrindavan unanimously decided to send
Sri Srinivasa Acharya, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura and Sri Shyamananda Prabhu to
Gauda Mandala carrying copies of the manuscripts with them. On the way,
Virahambira, King of Vanavishnupur and descendant of the Malla dynasty, stole
all the books. Sri Srinivasa Acharya stayed in Vanavishnupur to search for the
stolen books while Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura and Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left
for Kheturi. They spent some days in Kheturi absorbed in reflecting on the
secret conclusions of the principles of Bhakti. From there Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu left for Ambika, where his Gurudeva, Sri Hridaya Chaitanya, also ordered
him to preach. Strictly following this order, he went to Sri Nrisinghpur via
Dharenda, his birth place. By the direct mercy of Srimati Radharani, being
influenced by the unlimited Prema Bhakti emanating from the heart of Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu, thousands of residents of Utkal took initiation from him.
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu resided in Sri Vrindavan for fifteen years in Sri
Shyamsundar’s transcendental kingdom of love, receiving the direct mercy of
Srimati Radharani, and on account of this he had a very close connection with
Sri Vrindavan. Feeling deep attraction for Sri Vrindavan, he returned there
from Utkal bringing with him his family Deity, Sri Shyam Ray, and many dear
disciples. Travelling through the forests, he blessed not only the human beings
but also tigers, elephants, bears, deers, peacocks and cuckoos and gave them
Sri Hari Nama initiation making all of them mad of love for Krishna. One day two big tigers were lying on the
path obstructing his way. He advised those ferocious tigers to chant Sri Hari
Nama, and to the surprise of all those present the tigers entered the dense
forest saluting Sri Shyamananda Prabhu again and again. On his arrival in
Vrindavan, Srila Jiva Goswami and all Vaishnavas living there became very glad
to have him back after so many years.
One
day he was immersed in meditating on the lotus feet of Sri Sri
Radha-Shyamsundar in Nibhrita Kunja. Suddenly Sri Shyamsundar manifested
Himself in his meditation and said, “O Shyamananda! Nowadays all inhabitants of
Utkal (Odisha) are misbehaving and indulging in horrible sinful activities. Go
there and give initiation to my dear Rasika Murari and work jointly to deliver
all the inhabitants of Utkal.” Despite this order, because of his unwillingness
to leave Sri Vrindavan, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu did not take any action and also
did not disclose this matter to anyone. Sri Shyamsundar then appeared in the
dream of Sri Jiva Goswami and said, “O Jiva! I have directed Shyamananda thrice
to go to Utkal, but he is not going. You should instigate him to go.”
Getting
this message from Srila Jiva Goswami, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu finally left for
Utkal accompanied by Kishora, Balaka, Shyam Dasa, Thakura Prasada Dasa and
other disciples. When they reached Agra they were imprisoned by the local
guards, who suspected them of being robbers because they did not have documents
of identity. However on that night Lord Krishna, Who is always very
affectionate towards His devotees, assumed the form of Narasimhadeva and duly
chastised the Mughal officer there. The officer surrendered to Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu and became a Vaishnava and great servant of the sadhus and devotees of
Lord Krishna.
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu reached Gauda Mandala via Prayaga and Varanasi, and then went
to Bagadi to have darshan of Sri Krishna Ray. From Bagadi he went to Bhatbhumi
where the local king himself came to meet him and later received initiation
from him. One of the previous kings of Bhatbhumi had insulted a great
Vaishnava, and being cursed by him, Bhatbhumi was being terrorized by a fierce
tiger. By the mercy of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu the effect of the curse subsided
and the inhabitants of the kingdom became free from the tiger’s menace.
From
Bhatbhumi Sri Shyamananda Prabhu reached Dharenda distributing the priceless
Sri Hari Nama everywhere. At that place, a Pathan named Sher Khan, who was a
Royal Deputy, with the assistance of his subordinates broke the mridangas and
other instruments of the sankirtana party. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu became
enraged and made a frightening roar, which amazingly produced a terrific
blazing fire that started burning the beards and moustaches of the Yavanas.
Those tyrants started vomiting blood and, almost dead, fled the place. The next
day Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went around the town with several sankirtana
parties. Pathan Sher Khan then came before him, fell at his feet and asked for
forgiveness. Afflicted with fear, he narrated the incident he had in the
previous night, “In a dream I first saw Allah in a very frightening form.
Afterwards, He appeared in a very pleasing golden form and introduced Himself
as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He suddenly became angry and warned me to take
initiation from Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, otherwise I will have to go to hell.
Therefore, O my lord, please consider me yours and give me your mercy.” The
greatly merciful Sri Shyamananda Prabhu was touched by the Pathan’s humble
request and initiated him in the Sri Hari Nama Maha-mantra and gave him the
name “Sri Chaitanya Dasa.”
From
Dharenda, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Rohini, and from there he visited the
royal assembly in Ghantashila, where he met Sri Rasikananda Prabhu. Although
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu had never seen Sri Rasikananda Prabhu before, he
recognized him at first sight. He gave initiation in the Sri Krishna-mantra to
Sri Rasikananda, his little daughter Devaki and his wife Srimati Ichha Devi,
whose name was changed to Shyamdasi.
One
day Sri Rasikananda Prabhu became absent-minded while listening to a lecture on
the Shrimad Bhagavatam in the royal assembly in Ghantashila. Becoming angry at
this, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu kicked him twice. Sri Rasikananda Prabhu felt very
embarrassed, and prostrating at Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s lotus feet he
repeatedly requested him for forgiveness. Feeling very joyful, he said that by
receiving such mercy from Gurudeva in the form of these kicks, his life was
blessed and that all his auspicious and inauspicious actions had been
destroyed.
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu then went to
Nrisinghpur where Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura came to meet him after arriving
from Nilachala. When Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura went back, Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu went to Chakulia accompanied by Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and stayed at the
house of Sri Damodara Pandita, a devoted practitioner of yoga and an old
classmate of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu. One day Sri Rasikananda Prabhu requested
Sri Damodara Pandita to become a disciple of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, but full
of pride he replied that he would do so only if he sees something very special
in him and not otherwise.
Every
day Yogi Damodara practised yoga at a lonely place in a small forest on the
bank of River Kharba in Chakulia. One day he went to that place to perform yoga
and was struck with wonder. All of a sudden he saw a divine image of Sri
Vrindavan. In that city made of precious stones he saw the youth Sri
Shyamsundar, the best of dancers, sitting on a throne made of jewels under a
wish-fulfilling tree. He was dressed in yellow, there was a flute on His lips
and He was gently smiling. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in a Manjari form was
offering pan to Him. Seeing this, Yogi Damodara understood that Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu was not an ordinary man but was directly an eternal beloved of Lord Sri
Krishna. However the pride of being a brahmana by caste prevented him from
taking refuge at the lotus feet of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. On another occasion,
when Yogi Damodara returned home after his regular practice of yoga he saw Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu sitting in padmasana with his eyes closed, deeply immersed
in chanting Sri Hari Nama on his beads, steadily meditating on the incomparable
form of Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar. The room was completely illuminated by the
light emanating from his body. Suddenly Yogi Damodara saw an effulgent
brahminical thread shining on Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s body. Seeing this all,
Yogi Damodara became perplexed and gradually his pride for his high caste
disappeared. He realized that Sri Shyamananda Prabhu was an eternal beloved of
Lord Sri Krishna and that bhakti to Sri Krishna was far superior to birth in
the brahmana caste. After experiencing this, Yogi Damodara could not check
himself. He ran towards Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, placed his lotus feet on his
own chest and repeatedly apologized for the offence committed by him out of his
negligence and pride. In 1609 AD, he, his mother and his two wives took
initiation from Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, gave up the path of yoga and engaged
exclusively in pure devotional service.
From
Chakulia Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Dhalbhumgarh. The King there, Navina
Kishora Dhal, was a Shakta and worshipped Mundalia Rankini Devi and he made
arrangements for the stay of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and
their disciples in the temple of this Devi. At midnight, feeling hungry, the
man-eater Rankini Devi came out from her inner chamber and saw Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu. She became frightened and remorseful, and
prostrating at their lotus feet, she apologized again and again for all the
sins committed by her. After that she assumed a very terrific form and went to
the King. Filled with wrath she ordered him to take refuge at the lotus feet of
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, otherwise she would kill the King and his family. Being
terrified, the King immediately went to the temple accompanied by his queens,
but Sri Shyamananda Prabhu refused to see the face of someone so hostile to the
Vaishnavas.
Rankini
Devi started to worship the lotus feet of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, and the next
morning Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu left the temple with
their disciples. When they stopped at a mango garden 12 miles away to perform
their daily rituals, Rankini Devi brought King Navina Kishora Dhal to that
place and made him prostrate at the lotus feet of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. Being
touched by the pitiful supplications of Rankini Devi, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu at
last forgave the King and gave initiation to him and his family. At the
insistent request of the King, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu organized a festival in
the mango garden in which many sadhus and the residents of Dhalbhumgarh also
participated.
One
day, to test Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, King Navina
Kishora Dhal sent some stones of the shape and color of potatoes together with
other foodstuffs. As soon as he saw those stones, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu
understood the real intentions of Navina Kishora Dhal. He used the stones in
different vegetables preparations and then offered it all to Lord Sri Krishna’s
deity, and everything tasted great. Because he cooked (ghanta) the stones
(shila) like potatoes, that place became known as Ghantashila, whose corrupted
form is Ghatashila, nowadays situated near Tata Nagar, Jharkhand, and testifies
to the transcendental pastimes of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu.
After
taking initiation from Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Rankini Devi did not go back to
the kingdom of King Navina Kishora Dhal. She went to Sripat Gopiballabhpur with
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and started living in a new temple specially constructed
for her in Belavan on the western side of Gopiballabhpur. She used to supply
all the leaf plates and cups for the festivals organized in Sri Gopiballabhpur.
However, due to the misbehavior of a servant of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, Rankini
Devi became disturbed and discontinued her service for the last hundred years
since the time of Mahanta Sri Sarveshvarananda Deva Goswami Prabhupada.
From
Ghantashila, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu sent Sri Rasikananda Prabhu to Chakulia,
whereas he himself went to Nilachala. After spending some days there, in 1610
AD he again went to Sri Vrindavan, where he met Sri Srinivasacharya. Soon Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu also arrived from Utkal to Vraja to have darshan. In the
temple of Sri Keshavadeva in Mathura, he met Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. On his
order, after having darshan of the twelve forests, gardens and other holy
places, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went back to Utkal. In 1613 AD, Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu, Sri Srinivasa Acharya and Sri Ramachandra Kaviraja went to
Vanavishnupur via Shantipur, Katwa, Ambika and Jajigram. The King there,
Virahambir, met Sri Shyamananda Prabhu for the first time and came to the
conclusion that he was many times more virtuous than he had heard. From there,
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left for Sri Nrisinghpur.
In
1613 AD Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura organized the installation festival of six
deities in Kheturi with great pomp. Many
Vaishnavas from Gauda Mandala, Nilachala, Vraja Mandala and other parts of
India took part. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu were present
with many disciples. After the festival, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left for
Dharenda via Budhani, whereas Sri Rasikananda Prabhu returned to Rohini, where
he came to know that his father, Sri Achyutananda Deva, had left this world and
his (Rasikananda’s) brothers were fighting fiercely over the property and
wealth left by him. Sri Rasikananda Prabhu’s brothers and their wives were
openly against his Vaishnava way of life and they all started confronting him.
Seeing
so many obstacles to practicing the sixty-four limbs of devotional service in
Rohini, he felt very sad. Without caring for the incomparable wealth left by
his father, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu left Rohini and went to live in Kashipur
with his family. He carried only his family Deity with him, Whom he considered
his only support. When Sri Shyamananda Prabhu visited Kashipur, at Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu’s request, he renamed his family Deity “Sri Gopivallabha
Ray” and Kashipur as “Gopiballabhpur.”
While
staying in Sripat Gopiballabhpur, one day Sri Shyamananda Prabhu asked Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu to sit in front of him and said to him with affection, “Dear
Rasika, please give me one thing in charity.” Sri Rasikananda Prabhu shyly
replied with folded hands, “My lord, I have already surrendered my body, mind
and life at your lotus feet. What else do I have which may be given to you?
Nevertheless, just command me and I will carry your order as if it were an
injuction of the Vedas.”
Hearing this, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu ordered
him, “Please distribute the Sri Hari Nama Maha-mantra to everyone in Utkal,
from the brahmanas up to the chandalas, to men and women, kings and paupers,
old persons, brahmacharis, grhasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis without any
discrimination.” Sri Rasikananda Prabhu committed to execute his Gurudeva’s
order, and Sri Shyamananda Prabhu placed his hand on his head and mercifully
imparted complete power unto him. After that Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to
Chakulia and also ordered Sri Damodara Mishra to distribute Sri Hari Nama in
every house in Utkal.
In
1616 AD, following Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s order, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu
organized the Panchama Dola Festival in Badakola. It was attended by several
minor and major kings and by the Mughal Viceroy of Medinipur. Influenced by the
splendor of the festival, the Mughal Viceroy requested Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
to organize a similar festival in Medinipur. Acceding to his request, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu went to Medinipur with Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and organized
a grand festival lasting for twenty-four hours. During the festival the Mughal
Viceroy, surcharged with divine love, chanted “Haribol! Haribol!” again and
again, and hearing this, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu named him “Haribola.” After the
festival, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Nadajal with Sri Rasikananda Prabhu
and established the service to the Deity of Sri Madana Mohana.
From
Nadajal Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Tamluk with his disciples and they
stayed in a nearby Durga Mandapa. In those days the King of Tamluk was under
the influence of a tantric sannyasi. On the suggestion of that tantric, the
King declared that the place where the Vaishnavas sat had become impure and he
ordered that the clay covering the floor be thrown out and replaced by new
clay. The King’s attendants then started to remove the clay, but to their
astonishment, despite their best efforts, the amount of clay would not
diminish. Hearing about this fantastic incident, the King became frightened and
came out to take refuge at the lotus feet of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, who flatly
refused to see even the face of someone so hostile to the Vaishnavas.
That
night Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in a dream that
previously He used to be worshipped in Padumvasan, but because of the
wickedness of that mayavadi tantric, His Deity was on a mat, hidden in the
house of a brahmana of Mirzapur. Sriman Mahaprabhu directed Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu to bring His Deity from that place and restart His worship and service.
Under the orders of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, the next morning Sri Rasikananda
Prabhu went to Mirzapur incognito and after having darshan of the faultlessly
beautiful Deity of Sriman Mahaprabhu in the house of the brahmana, he went back
and informed Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu then went to
Mirzapur with Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, many disciples and a sankirtana party.
The King of Tamluk also followed them with his large army. After satisfying the
brahmana of Mirzapur, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu brought back the Deity of Sriman
Mahaprabhu to Tamluk. The King constructed a new temple for the Deity and
donated many lands and riches for His service. Following the orders of Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu, Sri Radhavallabha Dasa, a disciple of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, gave
initiation to the King, after which the mayavadi tantric ran away from Tamluk.
After
reestablishing the service to the Deity of Sriman Mahaprabhu previously
worshipped by Sri Vasudeva Ghosh in Tamluk, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left for
Basantia with Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, where he started the service to Sri
Gokula Chandra in 1617 AD. After appointing someone to carry on the service,
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left for his native village, Dharenda, with his
disciples. While he was staying in Dharenda, Srila Hridaya Chaitanya Adhikari
Thakura arrived there with many disciples. Seeing that Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
and his disciples and grand-disciples had immersed the whole of Utkal in Sri
Hari Nama and loving devotional service as desired by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
Srila Hridaya Chaitanya felt extremely satisfied. During this period, being
repeatedly requested by devotees like Sri Rasamaya, Sri Bamsi, Sri Bhima, Sri
Srikara, etc. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu married Srimati Shyampriya Dasi, daughter
of Sri Jagannatha Dasa, a resident of Badabalarampur.
Following
the instruction of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu gave
initiation to the King of Mayurabhanj, Sri Vaidyanatha Bhanj, and his brothers
and received many priceless gifts from him. In those days Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu was in Sri Govindapur. Sri Rasikananda Prabhu went, along with Srimati
Yamuna Thakurani, a resident of Mayurabhanj, to see him with all the above
gifts. Bound by the desire and request
of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu accepted Srimati Yamuna
Thakurani as his wife. In 1618 AD, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu started the service
and worship of Sri Vinoda Ray in Sri Govindapur and organized a huge Rasa
Festival. From that day on that place became known as Sri Rasa Govindapur.
Uddanda
Bhuniya, a landlord of Balia nearby Sri Nrisinghpur, was very arrogant
(uddanda) which befitted his name. Part of the road leading from Gauda Mandala
to Nilachala was within his property and he used to kill and plunder the
travellers crossing it. In 1619 AD Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Balia with
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and many other disciples. Uddanda Bhuniya could not
recognize both Prabhus, and assisted by his cruel servants he attacked them. At
that time a very strange and surprising thing happened. The arrows shot by the
servants of Uddanda Bhuniya started boomeranging and hurting the archers
themselves. Becoming frightened by this miracle, Uddanda Bhuniya surrendered at
the lotus feet of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. Never seeing others’ faults, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu was so merciful to him that even such an aggressive rascal
turned into a great Vaishnava. Before meeting Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Uddanda
Bhuniya used to kill sadhus and Vaishnavas who were passing through the road in
his estate. He stored their torn clothes in a room of his palace, 718 in total,
as a display of his strength. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu later distributed all of
them to the Vaishnavas.
From
Balia, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and their disciples went
to Remuna to have darshan of Kshirachora Gopinatha, Who was carved by Lord Sri
Rama and mother Srimati Sita with Their own hands in Treta-yuga when They were
living on Chitrakoot Hill. Subsequently the King of Cuttack brought Him to
Remuna and installed Him in a temple especially constructed for Him. Sri
Madhavendra Puri, grand-spiritual master of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, once
visited this temple for darshan and Sri Gopinatha hid an earthen pot full of
Khira (condensed milk) for him and therefore became known as “Kshirachora
Gopinatha.”
Reaching
Remuna, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu visited the temple, but Sri Gopinatha was not
there. Not being able to have His darshan, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu felt so sad
that he stopped taking food and water. At night Lord Krishna, Who is always
affectionate toward His devotees, told Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in a dream that
at present the villagers were worshipping Him as Chandi Devi in the village
market.
The
next morning Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to the market with some villagers and
found some people worshipping a stone image as Chandi Devi and smearing it with
vermilion. On Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s order the image was retrieved from the
villagers and after washing it and removing the vermillion, the faultlessly
beautiful form of Sri Gopinatha, bent in three places, became visible. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu organized a
twenty-four hour Sri Hari Nama Yajna festival and reinstalled the Deity in the
temple. At this occasion the local Muslim Shah was present and took shelter at
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s lotus feet.
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu went to have darshan of Sapta Sarovara, Rama Chandi, Vraja
Sarovara, Gargeshvara Mahadeva, the birth place of Sri Sridhara Swami (the
commentator of the Shrimad Bhagavatam), and then went to Gauradanda, where he
loudly called the name “Baladeva” three times. At that time nobody could
understand whom he was calling, but on his call, at the end of the 17th
century AD, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana, the prestigious Gaudiya Vedanta
commentator, would take birth at that place.
After
restarting the service and worship of Sri Kshirachora Gopinatha in Remuna, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu travelled through Nilagiri,
Badagram, Bhadrak, and then had darshan of Sri Sakshi Gopala. It was the time
of the Ratha-yatra in Sri Jagannatha Puri and both Prabhus and the devotees
quickly walked towards Puri to have darshan of Lord Jagannatha’s Ratha. However
night fell before they could arrive, and they had to spend the night at a place
about 10 miles away from Puri. The next morning after completing their daily
rituals, they started running towards Puri. Meanwhile, with great pomp the
chariot of Lord Balarama, named Taladhvaja, and the chariot of Subhadra
Maharani, named Devadalana, left towards Gundicha Mandir amidst the sound of
conches, kettledrums, mridangas, etc., but the chariot of Lord Jagannatha,
named Nandighosha, remained standing in the same place. When the King of Puri
saw that thousands of devotees and his powerful elephants could not make the
chariot move forward, he became hopeless. Then one of the chief priests
received a message from Lord Jagannatha Himself that His two devotees, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, had reached Atharnala and that
the chariot would move forward only when they arrive in Puri. The King
immediately left for Atharnala with his ministers and brought them to Puri. At
the sound of sankirtana, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu circumambulated the chariot and
instructed Sri Rasikananda Prabhu to push it. As soon as Sri Rasikananda Prabhu
touched the chariot with his forehead to push it forward, to the astonishment
of all those present, it started moving forward speedily, and making a
thundering sound it reached Gundicha Mandir without delay.
The
amazed King, Gajapati Sri Langula Narasimha Deva, granted Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu a permanent residence at a good and secluded place in the flower garden
of Lord Jagannatha, where he established the “Kunja Math.” After taking
sannyasa, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Nilachala and resided in this same
place for some days and subsequently moved to Gambhira.
From
Nilachala, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and their disciples
went to Rajaghat via Rasagovindapur and Remuna. One day a mayavadi sannyasi
teased him by calling him a “hypocrite Vaishnava,” but Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
did not retort. They went to the bank of the Suvarnarekha River, where they saw
a big crocodile lying with its mouth open. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu said, “O
crocodile! Due to some sinful activities in your previous birth you have become
a crocodile. Now you should give up violence. Lord Sri Krishna shall surely be
merciful unto you.” Surprising all those present, the crocodile came forward
towards Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, who then initiated him in the Sri Hari Nama
Maha-mantra. After that the crocodile bowed down to Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and
slowly entered the deep waters of the river. Seeing this with his own eyes, the
sannyasi started burning with remorse for having offended Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu and fell at his lotus feet begging for forgiveness. Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu was merciful unto him and named him as “Shankara Dasa.”
From
Rajghat, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left for Bhograi via Bedapal. In Bhograi there
lived four tantric sannyasis who performed tamasik worship offering animal
sacrifices to Vasuli Devi. One day the four sannyasis teased the Vaishnavas
following Sri Shyamananda Prabhu very much. Hurt by that, they informed Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu and he advised them to start sankirtana very loudly, which
would automatically ruin those rascals.
On
that same night Vasuli Devi came to the residence of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in
a celestial form and started serving his lotus feet. He said to her in anger, “You
kill living beings, drink their blood and eat their flesh, therefore you should
not touch my feet.” Vasuli Devi repeatedly asked forgiveness for all her sins.
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, who is an ocean of mercy, pardoned her and asked his
disciple Sri Anandananda to initiate her into Sri Hari Nama. After that Vasuli
Devi went to the dwelling place of those four wicked tantrics and in a great
rage punished them very severely. They fled away and took shelter at the lotus
feet of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu to save their lives. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu became
compassionate and assured them that they had nothing to fear. He gave them many
instructions and they became great Vaishnavas. On his order, Sri Anandananda
gave them initiation.
While
he was residing in the house of Sri Rasamaya in Dharenda, Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu once instructed Sri Rasikananda Prabhu to organize such a Rasa Festival
in Sri Gopiballabhpur that the inhabitants of the whole universe would become
astonished. Abiding by the order of his Gurudeva, in 1621 AD Sri Rasikananda
Prabhu organized a transcendental Rasa Festival. It was attended by innumerable
Vaishnavas from Sri Vrindavan, Navadvip, Puri, Ayodhya, Dvarka and many other
parts of India. It was so splendid and successful that all the participants
returned to their homes fully satisfied exclaiming, “All glories to Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu!” The water from the feet (charanamrita) of one hundred
thousand Vaishnavas was collected at that time and is still available in Sri
Gopiballabhpur and at the Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar Temple in Sri Vrindavan.
While Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu was in Sri Gopiballabhpur he received the information that a
Mughal officer, Ahmadi Beg, was oppressing the residents of Sri Radha Nagar. The
officer was forcibly usurping the lands and wealth gifted to Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu by several kings and landlords of Odisha for
the service of Sri Sri Radha Krishna, the sadhus and Vaishnavas, etc. Shri
Shyamananda Prabhu instructed Sri Rasikananda Prabhu to get back all the properties.
Abiding by his Gurudeva’s order, in 1623 AD Sri Rasikananda Prabhu arrived in
Vanapur at the palace of the King of Mayurabhanj, Sri Vaidyanatha, accompanied
by Vamshi Dasa and other disciples.
In those
days a huge wild elephant was devastating Vanapur. The inhabitants, including
Ahmadi Beg, were terrified that they would be killed. Irritated by Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu’s bright face, attractive personality, manners befitting a
great Vaishnava, uncommon pastimes and popularity, Ahmadi Beg made a plot to
humiliate him. In the presence of several kings and landlords he stated that if
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu could overpower that violent elephant, he (Ahmadi Beg)
would accept him as Narayana and return all the usurped land and wealth. When Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu received this information he went to meet Ahmadi Beg, and by
chance took the same road through which that wild elephant was travelling.
Seeing the elephant, those following Sri Rasikananda Prabhu fled to a secure
place to save their lives leaving him alone there, but he was not at all scared
and kept chanting Sri Hari Nama on his beads. Trumpeting in a frightening way,
the elephant ran towards Sri Rasikananda Prabhu at full speed but upon reaching
him stood silently with its trunk raised. Sri Rasikananda Prabhu gave many
instructions to the elephant, who listened very attentively and started
shedding tears, bowing down again and again. Sri Rasikananda Prabhu initiated
him by murmuring the Sri Hari Nama Maha-mantra in his ear and named him “Gopala
Dasa.” Subsequently, wearing Tulasi beads around its neck, the elephant Gopala
Dasa became a great servant of sadhus and Vaishnavas.
Ahmadi
Beg saw the miracle with his own eyes from the top of his palace. Realizing the
greatness of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, he became very afraid on account of his
sinful deeds and took shelter at his lotus feet. He returned all the usurped
land and wealth and donated several new villages for the service of sadhus and
Vaishnavas. On the order of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, he also donated several
bars of gold for the Navakalevara Festival of Lord Jagannatha in Puri.
In
his previous life the elephant Gopala Dasa was a resident of Vanapur named
Harihara. Once when He was coming from Ramakeli to Nilachala, Lord Chaitanya
spent a night at his house. The Lord noticed that Harihara would engage a pure
brahmana to daily offer five kilos of uncooked rice to Sri Shaligrama. Angry at
this offense, Sriman Mahaprabhu cursed Harihara and his family to be born as
elephants. In the next life, Harihara took birth as an elephant and was engaged
in large scale destruction in Vanapur until he was delivered by Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu in the form of Sri Rasikananda.
While
returning from Vanapur, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu spent a night in Sri Jagannatha
Puri. Lord Jagannatha appeared in his dream and directed him to install a deity
of Govinda in Sri Gopiballabhpur. In the morning, the brothers Raghunatha
Kamilya and Ananda Kamilya, two good sculptors of Nilachala, met Sri Rasikananda
Prabhu after receiving separate instructions from Lord Jagannatha in their
dreams. Sri Rasikananda Prabhu brought them to meet Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in
Thuriya. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu had both sculptors carve the extremely
beautiful deity of Sri Vrindavan Chandra. In 1625 AD, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu
took both sculptors to Sri Gopiballabhpur and under the direction of Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu carved a celestial and enchanting deity of Sri Govinda. He married
Sri Govinda to a deity of Srimati Radharani self-manifested in the palace of
the King of Mayurabhanj, and became immersed in the worship and service of the
divine couple.
From
Thuriya, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu went to Ghantashila
where they received the village Satuti as a donation from the local king for
the service of sadhus and Vaishnavas. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu renamed the
village Sri Shyamsundarpur. After staying there for some days he went to a
village named Ayodhya, where he constructed a house and lived there for some
time. From Ayodhya he went to live in Sana Govindapur, and his three wives –
Srimati Gauranga Dasi, Srimati Shyampriya Dasi and Srimati Yamuna Dasi – joined
him.
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu toured the whole of Utkal with Sri Rasikananda Prabhu to
propagate Sri Hari Nama and love of God as desired by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
One day, in order to reveal the greatness of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu conferred upon him the title “Thakura Goswami” or “Deva
Goswami.” After that, by the order of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, everyone
addressed him as “Deva Goswami.”
After
some time, with the help of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, Sri Damodara and others, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu organized the Dola Festival in Thuriya. Immediately after
the festival he was ordered by Lord Sri Krishna to go to Vraja. He entrusted
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu with responsibility for the Shyamanandi congregation and
was ready to depart for Vraja, but because of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu’s and the
other devotees’ continuous and pitiful requests, he was compelled to change his
decision. Subsequently, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu suffered from rheumatism and Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu brought a medicinal oil named “Himasagara” from a renowned
Ayurvedic physician, Sri Harichandana. By massaging his head with that oil, he gradually
recovered his health.
After
recovering, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left Thuriya and went to Sri Gopiballabhpur
via Dharenda in the company of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and other disciples. During
his stay there, Mahanta Suryananda, head of the Ramanandi sampradaya in Galta,
Rajasthan, visited Sri Gopiballabhpur with 14,000 Naga Sadhus. Seeing the first
class worship offered to Sri Govinda and the regular service to thousands of sadhus,
Sri Suryananda was touched and developed a desire to take birth as the son of Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu. However, following the directions of Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu, he took birth as Nayanananda, the eldest son of Sri Radhananda, who was
the eldest son of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu. Sri Suryananda had a scar on his back
caused by the stroke of a spade during a fight in the Kumbha Mela in Haridwar.
Surprisingly, when he took birth as Nayanananda, that same mark appeared on his
back.
After
the departure of Mahanta Suryananda from Sri Gopiballabhpur, Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu went to Keshiyadi via Rohini. On his arrival a huge festival started, in
which countless people from villages and hilly areas came daily to have his
Darshan. One night Sarvamangala Devi came to see Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and
started praising his glories in many ways, but Sri Shyamananda Prabhu scolded
her for committing violence to sustain herself, and hence she should not even
touch him. She became very dejected, and holding his feet she begged
forgiveness again and again. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, who was an ocean of mercy,
then gave her initiation into Sri Hari Nama. Sarvamangala Devi promised to
never commit violence again and thus she became a great Vaishnavi.
Seeing
the daily festivals at Keshiyadi and the large sankirtana parties due to the
presence of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, the Mughal ruler of the area became jealous
of him. He thought that Sri Shyamananda Prabhu was just the guru of some rascal
villagers and aborigines, and that if he could imprison him they would be
automatically suppressed. On this pretext, he sent Sri Shyamananda Prabhu to
jail. Even in jail Sri Shyamananda Prabhu remained immersed in unalloyed loving
devotion as usual, but Lord Sri Krishna, Who is always affectionate towards His
devotees, cannot tolerate the slightest insult to His devotee. Within three
days the wife, son and other relatives of the Mughal ruler died. That wicked
Mughal lost his wealth, properties, horses and elephants, and faced unending bodily
difficulties. Only after all this happened did he become conscious of his serious
offence against a Vaishnava. Full of remorse, he surrendered at the lotus feet
of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu who showered his mercy and made him a great Vaishnava.
From
Keshiyadi Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Panchati, where the local landlord,
Sri Harinarayana, and all his family members took initiation from him. He then
went to Patashpur, where the landlord named Sri Nrisimha Gajapati also took initiation
from him. From Patashpur he went to Khanakul via Narayanagarh, where he stayed
at the house of Sri Abhirama Gopala. Sri Shyamananda Prabhu himself narrated the
divine pastimes of Sri Abhirama Gopala— how he stayed in a cave in Dvapara
Yuga, how in Kaliyuga he was taken out by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and brought
to Khanakul, and how the service and worship of Sri Gopinatha was established
by him (Sri Abhirama Gopala) at that place. Surcharged with emotions, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu narrated all these incidents as they happened.
One
day, with great faith and devotion, a Kayastha leader of Khanakul took Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu and his devotees to his residence. At that time a great fire
ceremony was being conducted at his home. The chief priest sent his assistant outside
to bring fire to light the sacrificial pyre. Sri Bhuvana Mangala, a disciple of
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu who was also present, told the chief priest that only
spiritual fire (Brahmagni) was desirable in a sacrifice. Saying this, Sri
Bhuvana Mangala blew air from his mouth on the sacrificial pyre and it
immediately caught on fire. Seeing his uncommon power, all those present started
to show great reverence for him.
From
Khanakul Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri Rasikananda Prabhu went to Chandana
Nagar via Chunchuda. Here they installed the deities of Sri Sri Radha Govinda
on the bank of the River Ganges in 1628 AD and established Their service and
worship, accompanied by a twenty-four hour Sri Hari Nama mahayajna and a huge
festival. From Chandana Nagar he went to Miragoda and then Basantiya, where he
had previously started the worship and service of Sri Gokula Chandra Ji. At
night, Sri Gokula Chandra told him in a dream that every morning He and the
gopas take the cows for grazing and come back at the sunset, and that He is so
distressed with hunger that He is unable to sleep at night. He further said
that it is absolutely true that He is suffering from hunger. After the dream, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu woke up and called the head of the temple and made suitable
arrangements to prepare offerings of foodstuffs to Sri Gokula Chandra eight
times a day.
From
Basantiya, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu went to Sri Shyamsundarpur via Hijali and
Mayurabhanj. Meanwhile, in 1629 AD, Srila Hridaya Chaitanya Thakura disappeared
from this world in Ambika. Hearing about the sad disappearance of his Gurudeva,
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu felt as if struck by a thunderbolt and wept bitterly.
After organizing a festival in his memory, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left for Sri
Govindapur where he received the bad news about the disappearance of his dear
disciple Sri Damodara. Feeling very sad, he told Sri Rasikananda Prabhu that
Sri Damodara had shown him the way to leave this world. In Sri Govindapur he
organized the first festival in the memory of Sri Damodara and the second
festival in the memory of Srila Hridaya Chaitanya Adhikari Thakura. In the
presence of the devotees who had come to participate in the festival, Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu said to Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, “Dear Rasika, according to
Lord Sri Krishna’s wish and directions, all inhabitants of Utkala have become mad
out of love for Him. Please stay with the people here for some time more. I
received orders from Lord Sri Krishna to leave this world, therefore I shall not
stay here much longer.” After making this statement, he went to Sri Nrisinghpur
with Sri Rasikananda Prabhu and other devotees, where all of a sudden he became
ill and felt acute pain. Many renowned Ayurvedic physicians and Sri Rasikananda
Prabhu remained in his service and looked after him day and night, but despite
the best treatment four months passed with no improvement in his health.
One
day, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu called all the devotees present there and said to
them, “Please do not make more efforts for my recovery, as I have received a
call from Lord Sri Krishna to leave this world. I shall now take your leave. Just
perform Sri Hari Nama kirtana day and night. Dear saintly devotees, you should just
sing the glories of Sri Krishna. At this juncture, this is the only medicine for
me.” He called Sri Rasikananda Prabhu near to him, placed his feet on his (Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu’s) head and imparted his full power to him. In the presence
of all the devotees of the Shyamanandi congregation, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu
tied a turban on Sri Rasikananda Prabhu’s head, applied a tilak on his forehead
with his own hands and declared him as the Mahanta of entire Shyamanandi community
and added that all should follow his directions and instructions. The
descendants of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu, the Goswami Prabhupadas, carry on the
unbroken stream of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s mercy by guiding the whole
Shyamanandi community and the Vaishnava society at large.
On
the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Jyestha of 1623 AD, the
twelve day ‘Danda Mahotsava’ was started by the devotees in Sri Govindapur
according to the tradition. Meanwhile, Sri Rasikananda Prabhu was busy serving Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu who was bedridden in Sri Nrisinghpur. On the full moon day Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu felt increasing pain and because of this all the devotees
became very anxious. Sri Hari Nama sankirtana was sounding loudly in the land
and sky of Sri Nrisinghpur. At that time, on the first lunar day after the
Jyestha Sankranti Purnima, amidst lakhs of wailing Vaishnavas, Sri Shyamananda
Prabhu concluded his manifested pastimes thus making everyone feel helpless. Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu wept bitterly and fell unconscious several times. The news
of the disappearance of Sri Shyamananda Prabhu spread all over Utkal like fire.
Kings, rulers, rich, poor, men, women – lakhs of Vaishnavas assembled in Sri
Nrisinghpur to mourn his disappearance. The pitiful wailing of the Vaishnavas
became heart rending. It was unanimously decided that two samadhis of Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu should be established: one in Sri Nrisinghpur (presently
called Kanpur) and the other in Sri Vrindavan near the Sri Sri Radha-shyamsundar
Temple, on the same spot as he had found Srimati Radharani’s anklet and
received the Deity of Sri Shyamsundar from Her.
O
Kanaka Manjari, Shyamananda Prabhu! We bid farewell to you. While absorbed in
the eternal worship and service of Sri Sri Radha-shyamsundar in the groves Sri
Goloka Vrindavan, please keep showering the nectar of your merciful glance on
the people afflicted by the heat of Kali-yuga. May your merciful glance help
them at every step in their blissful journey.
Appendix
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu was not merely a great religious preacher, great Vaishnava,
renowned singer, expert flute player and a famous poet, but an eternal beloved
(Manjari) of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Mahavishnu and an incarnation invested
with the loving emotions of Sri Advaitacharya. The “Ranihati” or “Reneti Sur” style
of kirtana is his own creation. Different songs sung in every house in Bengal
and Odisha even today were written and pioneered by him. Many songs were
written by Sri Shyamananda Prabhu in Bengali and Oriya and they were published
in a different booklet.
The
flute used by Sri Shyamananda Prabhu, his beads made of palm leaves with verses
of “Gita-Govinda” written on them, a Govardhana rock, a manuscript of the Srimad
Bhagavata Purana, and some torn clothes used by him are still preserved in the
principal center of the Shyamanandi community at Sri Gopiballabhpur.
Sri
Shyamananda Prabhu had innumerable disciples, among whom thirteen are
considered the principal ones, including Srimati Shyamdasi, wife of Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu. Since she was a woman, reference to only twelve branches of
Sri Shyamananda’s parampara is found.
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu and Sri
Rasikananda Prabhu together established 3,500 temples and Mathas all over India.
They flooded the people of this world, who are burning in the heat of Kali-yuga,
with the Holy Name of Lord Sri Krishna and His loving service. The Shyamanandi
community keeps on influencing Vaishnavas all over the world. One of
the prominent Dwar Peeths among the fifty two of the four Vaishnava
Sampradayas, and the main one among the only two Dwar Peeths of the Madhva
Gaudeshvara Sampradaya
is “Jagadguru
Sri Shyamananda Prabhu’s Dwar Peeth” known as the Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar
Temple in Vrindavan.
Disclaimer: The aforementioned dates and statements are the sole responsibility of the author. The translator has not made any attempt to verify their accuracy or historicity.
Disclaimer: The aforementioned dates and statements are the sole responsibility of the author. The translator has not made any attempt to verify their accuracy or historicity.
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