26 Jun 2023 evening – Kurukshetra Milana and the Inner Meaning of Ratha Yatra (English) – Lisbon, Portugal | Srila BV Vana Maharaja

  • The inner mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
  • The story of Srila Gurudeva’s arrival at the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti at the Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha in Navadwipa.
  • At that time Srila BV Narayana Goswami Maharaja preached the Kurukshetra-milana-katha.
  • The Ratha Yatra is Lord Jagannatha’s journey from Kuruksetra to Vrndavana. This is the mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
  • All our sins and offences are destroyed by having darshan (vision) and offering obeisances to Lord Jagannatha in the chariot.
  • All the Vrajavasis, kings and queens, rishis, munis, gopis, gopas, went to Kurukshetra to meet Krishna.
  • In Srimad-Bhagavatam, the highest feeling of separation of the gopis is described in this meeting with Krishna – Kurukshetra-milana.
  • Verse: gopyaś ca kṛṣṇam upalabhya cirād abhīṣṭaṁ yat-prekṣaṇe dṛśiṣu pakṣma-kṛtaṁ śapanti (…) Srimad Bhagavatam (10.82.39).
  • Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is absorbed in the feeling of separation, thinking that it is Radha who feels separation from Krishna, in Kurukshetra.
  • Krishna explains to the gopis that long separation depends on time (kala).
  • Five tattvas: Isvara (Supreme Controller), jiva (living entities), prakriti (matter, nature), kala (time) and karma ( fruitive activities).
  • To know the Lord, one must practise devotional service.
  • The Lord is one, but has three aspects: Brahman ( effulgence ), Paramatma ( Supersoul ) and Bhagavan ( Supreme Personality of Godhead ).
  • Verse: āhuś ca te nalina-nābha padāravindaṁ yogeśvarair hṛdi vicintyam agādha-bodhaiḥ (…) Srimad Bhagavatam (10.82.48).
  • Lalita, Vishakha, Rupa Manjari are parikara-tattva, not jiva-tattva.
  • The gopis have no corporeal material conception and are angry with Krishna who tells them to meditate on Paramatma like yogis.