Ratha Yatra - Article By Sri MahanamBrata Ji

[Deleted]

Jay Nitai,

On the eve of Ratha yatra let me share one beautiful Article published in renowned bengali daily newspaper "Bartaman" by Sri MahanamBrata Brahmachari where in Acharyya discussed about the importance of RathaYatra that leads us from Sri Khestra Puri to Land of Love Sri Vrindavan as shown by pastime of Sriman Mahaprabhu . In this Article Acharyya explained Lila of GaurKishori where mahaprabhu acted as Radharani to invite his pranavallava Jagannatha deva to come back to Vrindavan and meet once again in those eternal kunja leaving behind the conflict of KurusKhestra . This intern symbolises and shows the path of transcedental journey of Jivas from day to day fighting/struggling of material life which is KuruKhestra for us to eternally loving land of Brindavan.

Here is the first part. I have created .jpg file from the online edition since the daily edition gets changed with new article.

for those who are interested online edition here is the link which is current for today.

www.bartamanpatrika.com/content/amritakatha.htm

This is from the Book of "Sri MahanamBrata Prabandhabali Part 1" the Articles by Sri Mahanam Brata.

Nitai das Ji in case it is possible to do a quick translation I am sure many memeber of this forum would love and gain a lot.

Jay Nitai

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Here is the part 2 of the Article.

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Here is the last part ( part 3 )

Jay Nityananda Ram

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[Nitaidas]

Sure. I will try a quick translation. It is a lovely article.

Here goes:

Every human being is a chariot. The journey of this chariot goes constantly on. From morning to evening, from birth to the last day, this journey is going on. But, where will we go? What is our destination? That we do not know. The chariot is traveling but we do not know where it will go.

The chariot of Jagannath drives away our ignorance. It makes known our real destination. That work of education Mahaprabhu Gaurangasundara has come into this world, visited Puri and revealed to us in a very beautiful way. Mahaprabhu spent the last half of his 48 year sport-life, 24 years, living in the holy abode of Puri.

Sri Gaurahari, along with his companions, traveled together along the path of journey of that chariot. His inner state on the path of that movement is for our instruction. His emotional state was like this --- He, with all of his own folk as his companions, used to travel from Kuruksetra to Vrndavana with Bhagavan Jagannathadeva and his two powers.

Kuruksetra is the land of war, Vrndavana the land of peace. We are human beings. ...

[end of part one]

[Nitaidas]

[Part 2]

We spend almost our whole lives in Kuruksetra. But we never want to stay in that land of war. Because in this place of war there is always and again violence and hatred, opposition, retaliation, and revenge. Here there is always, to the end of life, rising and falling, victory and defeat.

We want to depart from here. Without knowing it we want to go to the land of love where there is only love. There is no pettiness, lowliness, lack of generosity. There is no ego-centricity and selfishness. There is only a pouring out of oneself, an offering of oneself for the happiness of others.

That sort of land of love we do not find. Still we want to go there. In every way we wish to go there. That land exists---it certainly exists. That land is named Vrndavana. That land is free of all shortcomings, of surpassing beauty, and adorned with sweetness.

Every one of our life-chariots wants to travel constantly with Mahaprabhu's companions from Kuruksetra to that land of love Vrndavana. It wants to but does not know it.

[malati]

That is a nice article. Thank you Subrataji.

However, my realization is that Vrindaban is what you make of your space-time. Kuruksetra is what you make of your space-time. That is my realization, realization that comes from not taking the shastras literally. Afterall, I dont know that any anthropologist has found the geographical Kuruksetra.

Many times when western devotees come to Vraja they carry with them their sentimental romantic idea of Vrindaban, Uttar Pradesh, India. And when they dive deep into the realities of the whole scene and the people they come out disappointed. Many westerner devotees go that way. I think westerners should bring with them a more broad minded view of the realities of human nature. That human failures are just part of being human.

I myself had an unpleasant experience in the dham in my recent visit there this year. I wont give details but its about too much "team spirit". However, my faith in CV was not affected at all because I know that it's not that the CV teachings are lacking and whatever I may perceive as unpleasant or unVaishnava is just part of human nature.

[Nitaidas]

[Part 3]

Today, on the day of the chariot, is the day to learn about this highest truth, the day to contemplate it. From Kuruksetra to Vrndavana---meditating on this truth, holding it in one's heart, it is the day to travel to the eternal abode Vrndavana pulling with ropes of compassion one's own life-chariot and everyone else's too. Puri's other name is Sriksetra. Sri means Lakshmi. Sriksetra is Lakshmi's place of dominance. Vrndavana dhama is the home of Radharani, the controller of Vrndavana. The abode of Radharani the controller of Vrndavana, the forest of bliss, the grove of rasa. Lakshmi has mastery over wealth, but there is no relish in that. Radharani has no wealth. There is a forest and in the forest is an ebony vine, there is a relishableness, a bottomless sweetness. The entire society is moving nowadays to the cultivation of Lakshmi. As a result Sarasvati cries. Radharani turns away and hides her body in secret bowers.

Today on the day of the chariot we should resolve to reverse this direction. Today we don't want wealth and respect, we want life and heart. We don't want the blow and counter blow of violence; we want the affectionate exchanges of love. Today there is none of the bad-mouthing of anger; there is the embrace of respect. Saying "Victory to Jagannatha, Victory to Jagadbandhu," we should wish for friendship for one another, kindness, compassion, and self-achieved immortality for all.

[Deleted]

Jay Nitai,

Thanks a lot Nitai Das Ji for the translation. Since I was not sure if you will have time I had also asked Visakha for the translation. and She also did that. Here is the link

uddharan.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/vrindavan-the-land-of-love/

Good to have two version for extended time to relish the article.

Jay Nitai

[Nitaidas]

Jul 13, 2010 8:29:19 GMT -6 @subrata said:

Jay Nitai,

Thanks a lot Nitai Das Ji for the translation. Since I was not sure if you will have time I had also asked Visakha for the translation. and She also did that. Here is the link

uddharan.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/vrindavan-the-land-of-love/

Good to have two version for extended time to relish the article.

Jay Nitai

I am glad that Visakha has also done a translation too and that it is available. I think it is excellent. She is really developing into a fine translator of Bengali. I hope to see more of her work here in the future. There is sooooooo much good stuff to translate.

[Deleted]

Nitai Ji, I feel like a kindergarten student showing her crayon scribbles to Picasso. But Picasso is kind. I will keep scribbling. One day by your mercy something good may come out of it!

Translating Bengali is not at all easy! I have great respect for the work you are doing. It takes me so long to translate a single page - I cannot even imagine how you've managed to do entire books!! Amazing stuff.

[Nitaidas]

Jul 13, 2010 22:28:28 GMT -6 @bisakhadasi said:

Nitai Ji, I feel like a kindergarten student showing her crayon scribbles to Picasso. But Picasso is kind. I will keep scribbling. One day by your mercy something good may come out of it!

Translating Bengali is not at all easy! I have great respect for the work you are doing. It takes me so long to translate a single page - I cannot even imagine how you've managed to do entire books!! Amazing stuff.

Visakha, you are really becoming quite good and I am certainly no Picasso. Keep working at it and you will be far better than I ever was or can be. It is not easy but you are well on your way.