20250311 Śāntipura Festival Address

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda and Advaita Ācārya got together here. Here our Parama-guru Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, desired that here Lord Caitanya’s lotus footprints be established here. The previous sevaite of this temple had called me and he used to call me younger brother. That is why I am his (the present sevaite, Praśānta Goswami Mahārāja) uncle. This place is a very sacred place. Here is the place of birth of Advaita Gosāñī and here Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda came here. Lord Caitanya had come here very many times, where all of you are sitting. On this tithi when Lord Caitanya came, Dvādaśī, was the disappearance day of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī and Advaita Gosāñī was the disciple of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī. The Ganges used to flow close here. Advaita Gosāñī used to worship the śālagrāma-śilā and Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī wanted to live by the side of the Ganges. As he was walking on the main road, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī heard the Māyāvādīs calling out to each other, Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa! But he did not like this. So when he came by the Ganges walking, he saw Advaita Gosāñī. Advaita Gosāñī saw that a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī has come! He offered obeisances to him and the two of them for quite a few days discussed kṛṣṇa-kathā. Advaita Gosāñī then took initiation from him. Then Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī then started his journey from here. So, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī was Advaita Gosāñī’s dīkṣā-guru. And when he disappeared in Remuṇā, then Advaita Gosāñī arranged his worship here. He created a massive feast. There were huts filled with dal, rice, banana leaves, etc. This way, sabjī etc. were in many huts. Milk and yogurt were in plenty. One sweet chipiṭok is a specialty which not many know about. I came to know that this sweet is available in Sylhet. The sevaite does not know but we got the place of birth of Advaita Gosāñī.

When the festival was organized here, Lord Caitanya came from the north. He saw the arrangements and said that these are not possible to be done by any ordinary human being. He is the avatāra of Lord Śiva (Advaita Ācārya). After the program, Lord Caitanya honored prasāda and said, on this tithi, at this place, those who honor prasāda, they will get govinda-bhakti! So all of you will not go without honoring prasāda! Everybody should take prasāda.

I said, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, our Parama-guru, he wanted to establish the lotus footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in all His pastime places. He personally established Them in eight places. We are trying to establish the rest of Them. Today the sevaite here has cooperated with us and we have established the lotus footprints of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda, and Advaita Ācārya here. Lord Caitanya said that He advented because of Advaita Gosāñī. He used to loudly chant Harināma and worship the śālagrāma-śilā with Ganges water and tulasī-mañjarī. He fasted and cried for Lord Caitanya to come. He came because of Advaita Gosāñī’s call. You have all come and pay obeisances to Advaitan Gosāñī.

I will not speak any longer. There is a special offer on Caitanya-caritāmṛta sets, with discount, His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami will announce about it. Haribol!