Monday, January 28, 2019

Chapter 52: An Emotional Experience of the Divine on Beholding Shaligramji


 
Shaligram Shila

Radhe Shyam Banka once came to Vrindavan carrying the Shaligram Shila which he worshipped; this priceless treasure had been given to him by Bhaiji. He had brought the Shila to Venu Vinod Kunj on 10.12.1980, exactly twelve years after having received it. He wanted to get the Shila worshipped by the lotus hands of Shri Maharajji. The shila was honourably placed in the mandir. All associates of the parikar were eager to have darshan of Bhagwan Shaligram who had been gifted by Bhaiji. All of them beheld the black-coloured sacred Shaligram shila. Out of curiosity Shriji too had darshan and picked up the shila in his hand, inspecting its special markings[2] from all sides.

Where is its face?this question got deeply entrenched in Shriji's heart.

 Shri Bankaji got Shriji to his residence after the evening arti. I am presenting the divine experience which Shriji went through from 12 o'clock to 4 o'clock at night, in his own words:

 
Shriji's Mahabhava

Assuming the Mahabhava[3], the whole of Nabadwip[4] was being experienced by Shriji in serious spiritual consciousness.

'What is the delay in going to the banks of the Ganga?' He (Shriji) asked his curious pupils who had gathered.

Hordes of students are waiting at the entrance door of the house, waiting for Shri Nimayi Pandit as always[5].

Gaur Kishore Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

' Look! He, the delicate and agile Gaur Kishore, the golden-complexioned, One has come!'one of them exclaimed.

The entire group of pupils was highly excited and he (Shri Maharajji) too was equally excited.
 
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Amidst His Students

The pious sandy banks of the Ganga became joyful on receiving the unusual mandali of students-Yes! The delicate and charming golden-complexioned One (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) was splendidly present in their midst.

He (Shri Maharajji) was not a newcomer, constantly connected; he had been   amalgamated and integrated, as well as naturally impelled by that divine realm. All  the students were experienced, already known to Maharajji and of the same age. Of course, there was no scope to think of viewing the episode as something strange even in one's dreams!

Thus when he (Shriji) sportingly arrived at Nilachal[6] it was not known.

At the shore of the blue ocean, the beautiful Gauranga was embellished in the form of a fresh sanyasi.


Shri Mahaprabhu At Shri Jagannath Temple

Be it the blue ocean or blue sky, the whole of nature seemed inseparable, inspired and embraced by Gaur Kishore, the golden-complexioned Youth. Along with Him, he (Shriji) came to the temple (of Shri Jagannathji) from the shore. A full view of the Nilachal[7] resident (Mahaprabhu) was visible in front and He was very close.


Shila Marked by Mahaprabhu's Finger

Accompanying Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and seeing Him in this trance like state of religious rapture, he (Shriji) too was being directed towards this rapturous state. Turning around slightly, Shriji could see the mark of Mahaprabhu's finger on that shila which had been delighted because of having the good fortune of being marked by His finger. It was such an indescribable time that he (Shriji) arrived at the correct conclusion along with the students, that just as he used to come along with them for Mahaprabhu's darshan, this mark had also been imprinted[8] on some particular day.

 The Radhakant Math 

It was not known when he (Shriji) reached the courtyard of Shri Radhakant Math afterwards. Yes, the same Bengali Baba met him (Shriji), but he (Shriji) was left alone. He had no inkling when he was separated from Mahaprabhu's company. When Shri Maharajji had gone to Puri the same Bengali Baba had been seen delivering a spiritual discourse to a Bengali woman in religious rapture. He met him all of a sudden and heartily embraced the newcomer (Shriji), recognising him. Holding his hand he took him (Shriji) to the basement of  Gambhira[9] Mandir.

 The Gambhira Mandir

What can be said about what was happening there? It is only a matter of divine experience. He (Shriji) was experiencing it like every other day. In a state of religious rapture Shriman Mahaprabhu was dancing in a circle with captivating mudras. Yes! Holding the hand of the newcomer (Shriji) He began dancing in joyous abandon! He (Shriji) too began dancing in elation and ecstasy, unaware of everything else. When they both got separated from each other is not known.

He (Shriji) was becoming impatient to have darshan in Shri Radha Kant Mandir as he used when attracted by his (Shriji's) state of mind, Shri Shaligramji manifested in an extremely joyous beautiful svarupa of a fresh adolescent boy.


Shri Radha Kant, Gambhira Mandir in Puri

 Indeed, I am the One who is Radha Kant,” He told Shriji.

 Shaligramji Manifests as Young Krishna


The One who had always been embellished in his (Shriji) memory as Shri Shaligramji, had manifested before his eyes as a young adolescent boy and uttered His name with His own auspicious mouth.

Feed me rice, kadhi[10],a thin phulka[11], tasmai[12],halwa[13]  and some papad[14]. They are very much liked by me,” as soon as he said these words Shaligramji assumed His former svarupa.

Then what! His (Shriji's) eyes opened in search of these foodstuffs. The intoxication of a lila or divine play was enveloping him. What could Shriji do except asking for arrangements of bhoga to be made, as had been demanded by Shaligramji.

Soon after, it came to be known that all this was the inexpressible effect of Shriji's beholding and touching Shaligramji for a short while. This particular Shaligramji had been gifted by the lotus hands of the great, excellent divine devotee Shri Bhaiji who would always be steeped in the Mahabhava. Besides, the same Shaligramji had been devoutly worshipped on completing 12 years of being presented to Radhe Shyam Bankaji and on coming to Vrindavan.

At 4 o'clock in the morning when Ghanshyamji woke up he saw that Shriji was wiping his nose intermittently.

  Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Mandali

Hearing this sound Ghanshyamji asked,Maharajji! Are you weeping? Have you reached the mandali of Chaintanya?

 Shri Ghanshyamji

Ghanshyamji got up and saw that Shriji’s pillow was wet due to constant shedding of tears. Making everyone sit down immediately, Shriji narrated the incident. While talking of this occurrence his state became strange. The hair of his body stood on end due to ecstasy, he had tremors and the eight sattvik bhavas were awakened in his body.  Moreover, he burst out crying a couple of times.

 Kheer Bhoga


Today, Shaligramji must be offered rice, kadhi and kheer as bhoga. Shriji told Manoramaji when she came to do pranam.

All right! What you wish will certainly be done! Manoramaji responded.

Shri Hanuman Prasad Poddar

Shri Bankaji was asked to bring Shri Shaligramji and all the dishes were prepared as per Shriji’s orders and offered to Shaligramji. Everyone present took prasad [15]and found that it had an unusual flavour today and was so very delicious.The unusual glory of Shri Shaligramji who had been gifted by Shri Bhaiji( Hanuman Prasad Poddar) to Radha Shyam Banka was revealed in this manner.



[1]     Shaligram: According to Hindu scriptures, the Tulsi plant was a woman named Vrinda (Brinda). She was married to the demon-king Jalandhar. Due to her piety and devotion to Vishnu, her husband became invincible. Even Lord Shiva, could not defeat Jalandhar. So Shiva requested Vishnu to find a solution. Vishnu disguised himself as Jalandhar and violated Vrinda. Her chastity destroyed, Jalandhar was killed by Shiva. Vrinda cursed Vishnu to become black in colour, saying that he would be separated from his wife. Thus, he was transformed into the black Shaligram stone and in the Rama avatar, His wife Sita was kidnapped by a demon-king and separated from Him. Vrinda then drowned herself in the ocean. Eventually Jalandhar was killed by Shiva.  Vishnu transferred her soul to a plant which was called  Tulsi. As per a blessing by Vishnu to marry Vrinda in her next birth, Vishnu married Tulsi in the form of Shaligram.
[2]     Markings:The Shilas  or ammonite fossils are worshipped as manifestations of Vishnu Himself, identifiable from other stones by special markings which resemble Vishnu's paraphernalia such as mace, conch, lotus and disc or sudarshan chakra
[3]     Mahabhava: The Supreme emotion or Mahabhava, is the quintessence of Prema. Radha is the personification of  Mahabhava, .
[4]     Nabadwip: means 9 islands' in Bengali language . It is a city and a municipality in Nadia district of West Bengal.  And the birth place of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s many lilas .
[5]     Nimayi Pandit: The area was suffering from a famine and when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the divine one, descended it poured!  The little ones grandfather named himNimayi(neem) as the bitter taste of neem would repel the God of Death who had taken away his elder siblings. 
[6]     Nilachal:The abode of Hindu deity Jagannath at Puri is known asNilachal.The  place  is of high religious significance in Hinduism and is one of the four Dhams. Religious teachers like Shri Ramanuja Acharya, Swami Vishnuswami visited Nilachal in the Twelfth century and established mathas. Shri Chaitanya spent 18 years at Nilachal
[7]     Neelachal: Mahaprabhu stayed at Neelachal (Puri) for the last eighteen years of his life
[8]     Imprinted: A large flat stone in Shri Alalanathji near Puri, posited in the courtyard of the manditr has twenty-eight marks imprinted on it which is said to have melted by the touch of Shriman Manaprabhu's limbs due to the anguish of His separation from Lord Jagannath, when He lay down on the slab.
[9]     Gambhira
      Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed in Kashi Mishras house in a very small room called Gambhira. He continuously stayed in Gambhira for the last twelve year of His manifested pastimes.
[10]    Kadhi: pulse meal with spices and sour milk
[11]    Phulka: unleavened bread
[12]    Tasmai: boiled rice with milk
[13]    Halwa; flour pudding
[14]    Papad: a thin crisp cake made of pulse
[15]    Prasad: leftover of food offered to a deity

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