At Sri Yogapith (1)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, Day One
Antardwip, 23 March 2021, part 5
Translated from Bengali

[His Divine Grace arrives with the devotees at the holy temple in Sri Yogapith and chants 'Yadi Gaura na haite'.]

By the mercy of Sri Gurupadpadma, we are continuing our parikrama of Sri Antardwip in Sri Nabadwip Dham. We have now come to this temple, which is the birthplace of Sri Sachinandan Mahaprabhu. This is the place where Mahaprabhu appeared. Do you know when He appeared?

chaudda-sata sata-sake masa ye phalguna
paurnamasira sandhya-kale haile subha-ksana

Thus in the year 1407 of the Saka Era (A.D. 1486), in the month of Phalguna [March-April], on the evening of the full moon, the desired auspicious moment appeared.

This appearance festival is coming soon.

Appearing in this place, Mahaprabhu performed so many pastimes. When Nimai was only three years old, a brahman came to His house and asked Jagannath Misra and Sachi Mata, "Will you give any alms?" Because the brahman came at an odd time, he was asked to cook something and offer bhog to the Deities and take prasad. When the brahman cooked and was making the offering, Nimai suddenly came there and started eating it. The brahman became annoyed and chased Him away. (He whom the brahman was inviting to take the offering came there, but he did not recognise Him.) The brahman had to cook again, and this time, Nimai's father guarded the door as the brahman offered bhog again. As he placed the offering before the Deities, he suddenly saw that Nimai had come and eaten the offering again! The brahman went to cook for the third time. This time, everybody had already gone to bed; being confident that no disturbance would come this time, he came to the Deities and made the offering for the third time—he closed his eyes and prayed tearfully, "O Lord! Please forgive my offence, I could not offer you bhog timely today!" When he opened his eyes, he saw that Nimai had cleared the plate! The brahman was angry again, "You again?!"

"Brahman, you call Me time and again, and I come! I was actually sleeping, but you called Me!" said Nimai.

"Why would I call You?!" the brahman could not understand what Nimai was saying.

"Oh, so you did not call Me?" saying this, Nimai showed him His four-armed form.

So many other pastimes took place here. On the way to Yogapith, we usually come to Jagai and Madhai Ghat, but this time I got the news that the road is broken and the cart would not pass there, so we could not go there this time. At that ghat, Jagai and Madhai were rescued. A little ahead, down the road, is also Srivas Pandit's house where Chad Kazi broke the mridanga. When devotees were singing kirtan, Muslim Kazi (ruler) came and broke one of the mridangas. The devotess became very sad and were sitting quietly. When Mahaprabhu learnt what had happened, He told everyone to gather that evening and come out with a great loud sankirtan on the streets, blowing conches, playing the kartals and drums. In this way, everyone came to Chad Kazi's house. Seeing the crowd gathering at his house, Chad Kazi became scared and hid inside his house. Mahaprabhu called out to him, "What is the matter, Kazi? Is this part of your Muslim religion that when a guest comes to you, you must hide inside the house and lock the door?"

"No, Prabhu. I thought you all had come angry, that is why I locked the door. Can I speak to You privately?"

"Why privately? They are all My people, you can speak in front of them," said Mahaprabhu.

"That night after I broke Your mridanga, I went to sleep, suddenly some half-man, half-lion jumped on my chest, pressing it! He then showed His huge claws and said, 'I will tear your chest apart! You broke the mridanga today, so I will break your chest for that!' Petrified, I closed my eyes, and then I heard, 'Oh, you are afraid? Because you closed your eyes in fear today, I will spare you, but if you try to stop My kirtan again, I will destroy all your family.' Out of fear, I now do not say anything. When I tried to send some men to stop Your kirtan, they told me that on the way their beards were caught on fire and burnt down! I saw their faces were full of blisters. That is why I do not try to stop Your kirtan anymore."

It is said in the scriptures that this Chad Kazi was Uncle Kamsa in Dvapar-yuga. In Dvapar-yuga, Krishna killed Kamsa, but in Kali-yuga, the Lord does not destroy demons—this is how, he became rescued.

While Chad Kazi was talking to Mahaprabhu, he sometimes exclaimed, "Haram!" ("abominable" in Muslim language), and everyone was happy, "Oh, he is saying 'Ha Ram!' [O Lord Rama]" Then, he dropped, "I will not chant this Hari Nam!" and everyone was happy, "He has taken the Name of Lord Hari!" The effect of the Holy Name is such that if one pronounces it even once negligently, they become rescued. In the end Chad Kazi declared, "If anyone in my family ever tries to obstruct Your kirtan, I will disown them!" From that day, Chad Kazi not only never tried to stop kirtan, but he also became Mahaprabhu's devotee. A similar pastime happened to Jagai and Madhai—they too were rescued by the Lord.

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