SRI PURI DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

(5) Mahaprabhu’s Journey to Puri: Remuna

When Mahaprabhu came with the devotees to Remuna, He told them about Lord Gopinath. He had heard about it from His gurudev, Sri Ishwar Puri.

It is written in the Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita that Sri Madhavendra Puripad is the sprout of the tree of devotion:

jaya sri-madhava-puri krsna-prema-pura
bhakti-kalpa-taru tenho prathama ankura

‘Glory to Madhav Puri, an abode of love for Krishna, from whom the divine tree of devotion initially sprouts.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.9.10)

One time, while travelling around, Sri Madhadendra Puri arrived in Vrindavan. There, he stayed beneath a tree on the bank of Govinda Kunda. He always felt overwhelmed with divine love for Radha-Krishna and lived in an ayachita-vritti way: he did not go begging – sometimes, if somebody gave him something, he would take it; otherwise, he would fast. This is how he passed his days, always chanting the Holy Name.

One evening, when he was sitting on the bank of Govinda Kunda, a very beautiful cowherd boy came to him and said,

‘Madhav, I have heard that you have not eaten anything the whole day…’

‘How did You know it?’

‘Some ladies came here to fetch water. Later, they told Me that there was a sannyasi sitting at Govinda Kunda who was only chanting the Holy Name without eating anything. That is why they sent Me to you to give you some milk. Here, take this milk.’

Madhavendra Puri was very surprised. He asked,

‘Who are You? Where do You live?’

‘Drink this milk, and I will come later to take the pot – we can talk then. I have to go now to herd the cows.’

When Madhavendra Puri drank the milk, he was astonished. He thought, ‘Unbelievable! It is pure nectar! I have drunk milk in my life, but I have never tasted anything like this!’

He remained sitting at the same place, waiting for the boy to come back, and in the end fell asleep. The cowherd boy came to him in a dream and said, ‘Madhav, you were asking Me who I was. My Name is Govardhan-dhari Gopal. Krishna’s great-grandson installed My Deity a very long time ago, but then the Muslims came and broke My temple. My pujari took Me to a jungle and hid Me there. Please come and take Me out, Madhav! I have been waiting for you for so long.’

bahu-dina tomara patha kari niriksana
kabe asi’ madhava ama karibe sevana
tomara prema-vase kari seva angikara
darsana diya nistariba sakala samsara

‘I have been watching you for a long time, wondering, “When will Madhav come and serve Me?” I want to accept your pure loving service and rescue the whole world by granting them My darshan.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.4.39–40)

Then, the dream broke and Madhavendra Puri woke up. He began to cry, ‘Gosh, Gopal Sri Krishna Himself came to me, but I could not recognise Him! How unfortunate I am!’

In the morning, he came to the villagers of Vrindavan and told them everything. Everybody got excited. They took axes and spades and went to the jungle. Clearing their way through the thick forest, they worked very hard to make their way forward. In the end, they found Gopal and brought Him to the top of Govardhan Hill. Madhavendra Puripad placed one big stone as a platform for Gopal and another stone to support the Deity from behind. Then, all the residents of Vrindavan heard the news and came there with all kinds of offerings. At first, they chanted kirtan and bathed the Deity; after that, they dressed Gopal in nice new clothes and offered Him bhoga. In this way, they made a great annakut festival that lasted several days.

About two years later, Gopal again came to Madhavendra Puri in a dream and asked him, ‘Madhav, I still feel very hot. Please bring Malaya sandalwood for Me, then I will get some relief. Go to Puri Dham and bring some sandalwood from there.’

Following Gopal’s order, Madhavendra Puripad immediately started out to Jagannath Puri Dham. When he came to that part of India, he first spent a few days in Shantipur, at Sri Advaita Acharya’s house. Advaita Acharya was very happy to see him. He welcomed him warmly and washed his holy lotus feet upon his arrival. Eventually, he humbly asked Madhavendra Puri to give him initiation, and before leaving, Madhavendra Puripad initiated him.

A few days later, he arrived in Remuna, where a very famous Deity of Gopinath is installed. Madhavendra Puripad saw how Gopinath was served and worshipped and felt very happy. He came to the pujari and asked him, ‘Prabhu, what bhoga do you offer to Gopinath?’ Pujari Prabhu said that every day he offered twelve pots of special condensed milk (ksir) called ‘amrita-keli’. When Madhavendra Puri heard it, he thought, ‘I wish I could try that condensed milk, then I could offer the same bhoga to my Gopal.’ But as soon as he thought it, he felt ashamed, ‘Oh, no, no! It is my tongue… I have made an offence! It is not good.’ He quickly left the place. He went to an empty marketplace and sat there, crying and chanting the Holy Name.

At night, when the pujari went to sleep, Gopinath came to him in a dream and said, ‘O pujari, listen to Me! Wake up! I have hidden one pot of ksir in a cloth. My dear devotee Madhavendra Puri has come – he is sitting at an empty marketplace. Find him and give that ksir to him.’ The pujari woke up and immediately went out. He went down the street looking for Madhavendra Puri. He walked and shouted, ‘Where is Madhavendra Puri? Gopinath has stolen ksir for you! Where are you?’ Coming to the empty marketplace, he saw a sadhu who was sitting and chanting the Holy Name, tears rolling down his face. He understood that it must have been that Madhavendra Puri. He came to him and asked,

‘Are you Madhavendra Puri?’

‘Yes, it is me,’ Madhavendra Puri replied, feeling shy.

‘Gopinath has stoled this ksir for you. Please take it.’

The pujari gave him the pot of ksir. Seeing Madhavendra Puri’s mood, he was taken aback. He offered him his obeisance and went back to the temple.

Taking the pot of condensed milk, Madhavendra Puri first touched it to his head and then took prasad. After that, he washed the pot nicely and broke it into pieces. He tied the pieces in his cloth and would eat a bit of it every day. Every time he ate the pieces of the pot, he felt a surge of Krishna-prema coming over him.

When Madhavendra Puri took that prasad, he thought, ‘If I stay here, everybody will get to know what has happened. I must leave at once!’

pratisthara bhaye puri rahe palana
krsna-prema pratistha bale sange gadana

‘Puri fled for fear of pratistha, but the pratistha that comes along with Krishna-prema followed him.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.4.147)

The whole world tries so hard to get name and fame, but Madhavendra Puripad wanted to avoid it, and to do that he immediately left Remuna.

After a few days he finally arrived in Puri, but when he came there, he saw that everybody had already known what had happened. As the result, he could easily and quickly find sandalwood for Gopal. Then, he started his way back to Vrindavan. On his way, he again came to Remuna and took the darshan of Gopinath. That night, Gopal again came to him in a dream and said, ‘Madhav, you do not have to take so much trouble to come back. You do not have to come back to Vrindavan. Stay here. Gopinath is nondifferent from Me, so if you offer this sandalwood to Him, My fever will be cured. Trust Me.’ When Madhavendra Puri woke up, he quickly went to the pujari and told him everything. The pujari was very happy, and beginning from the next day he offered sandalwood to Gopinath.

From that time, Madhavendra Puri settled in Remuna. Sometimes, he also went to Puri, but mostly he stayed in Remuna. This is where he lived and served the Lord.

Concluding the description of Madhavendra Puri’s glories, Mahaprabhu said,

prabhu kahe, “nityananda, karaha vichara
puri-sama bhagyavan jagate nahi ara
dugdha-dana-chhale krsna yanre dekha dila
tina-bara svapne asi’ yanre ajna kaila

‘The Lord said, “Nityananda, just think about it! Nobody in this world is as fortunate as Puri. Krishna came to him on the pretext of giving him milk and also appeared to him in a dream three times to tell him what to do.”’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.4.171–172)

parama-virakta, mauni, sarvatra udasina
gramya-varta-bhaye dvitiya-sanga-hina

‘He is very renounced, quiet and always of disinterested nature. Because he was fearful of nonsense talks, he always stayed alone.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.4.179)

Before leaving his body, Madhavendra Puri always recited this verse:

ayi dina-dayardra natha he
mathura-natha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvadaloka-kataram
dayita bhramyati kim karomyaham

‘O gentle-hearted Lord, ever-gracious upon the destitute, O Lord of Mathura, when shall I see You again? In Your absence my broken heart trembles. Beloved! what shall I do now?’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.4.197)

Whenever Mahaprabhu uttered this verse, He always fainted. Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami wrote:

ei sloka kahiyachhen radha-thakurani
tanra krpaya sphuriyachhe madhavendra-vani
sesa-kale ei sloka pathite pathite
siddhi-prapti haila purira slokera sahite

‘This verse was spoken by Sri Radha Thakurani, and by Her mercy it manifested on Madhavendra’s tongue. Puri always recited it during his last days and as the result this verse enabled him to attain all perfection.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.4.194, 196)

As Mahaprabhu spoke about the glories of this Madhavendra Puripad, He became overwhelmed with the asta-sattvika-vikar. Nityananda Prabhu took Him in His lap, and then Mahaprabhu again got up and started dancing and crying.

In the evening, the pujari brought them some ksir prasad, and after spending the night in Remuna, the next day Mahaprabhu and the devotees continued their way.

Jay Sri Madhavendra Puripad ki jay.

A depiction of Govardhan-dhari Gopal and Sri Madhavendra Puripad.

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