THE APPEARANCE DAY of Lord Nrishinghadeva turns Mayapur into a festival frenzy. Mathura's King Kamsa of Krishna Lila became Chand Kazi in Gaura Lila. Under orders from Hussein Shah, who was the king of the Bengal empire and Jarasandha in Krishna Lila, the Kazi caused disturbance during kirtan performance by breaking the mrdangas. The Lord appearing in the form of Nrishingha, put fear in the Kazi's heart. Sri Chaitanya however, gave him prema and thus made the Kazi a great devotee.
Jayapataka Swami told us that Lord Nrishinghadeva came to Mayapur to take some rest after vanquishing Hiranyakasipu. Bhaktivinode Thakur said, " At this abode of Nrishingha I will roll about on the ground in ecstatic love begging for unalloyed love of Krishna. In my heart reside duplicity, insincerity, the desire for fame and the six enemies beginning with lust. therefore I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrishingha to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krishna."
ASA - Jaya! Om namo bhagavate narasimhaya... Kill the demons (in our heart!).
The festival began with a huge agni hotra fire yajna. After a five day load in, the courtyard to the temple had a big pit made of mud and cow dung. The fire was huge with Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami's boys rattling off many mantras and the Hare Krishna mantra being sung in the temple room. Many guests came for the weekend. Must have been over a hundred thousand easy.
Bhagavatam Classes were given by Gopal Krishna Goswami, Jayapataka Swami, and in Bengali, Bhakti Purushottama Swami. I went to Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami's samadhi to pray. There I met my friend Hayagriva Prabhu. He maintains Goswami's samadhi making a daily offering and arotik.
Hayagiva and I decided to get some cows milk. In India to get pure cow's milk we have to walk a coup[le of miles to Ghose village. the house of Tappan Ghose is very sattvik. The family there live just like in Lord Chaitanya's time. No television, computers, or radio racket. Mataji makes cow dung circles all over the ground that keep away mosquitoes.
We watch the cow get milked and the liquid religion go from the bucket direct into my 3 litre container. Coming back we walk on the same path Lord Chaitanya would wander while chanting Hare Krishna. We pass the place that Madhai built a bathing ghat for purification.
cont'd in Part Two!
