View source for What does this story (the story of the Gopala, Saksi) have to do with the temple? Lord Caitanya has entered this temple

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[[Category:Questions asked to Srila Prabhupada]]
[[Category:Questions asked to SP... 1967]]
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<div id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="section" sec_index="5" parent="compilation" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
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<div id="1967_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1967 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1967 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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<div id="DiscourseonLordCaitanyaPlayBetweenSrilaPrabhupadaandHayagrivaApril561967SanFrancisco_0" class="quote" parent="1967_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="1" link="Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco" link_text="Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco">
<div class="heading">That's all. But how this temple was established, how Gopāla was established, that history is in that story. The Sākṣi-gopāla means witness. This Gopāla was situated in Vṛndāvana, but to give witness for His devotee He came to Orissa, that place. That is the significance of this Gopāla. Do you follow?
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco|Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Hayagrīva: We might be able to... Now what is this second scene? This is another temple.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: This is another temple, yes. Here also, this temple, Sākṣi-gopāla.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: I might be able to combine these if they...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No. They are different temples. So Lord Caitanya is visiting different temples, that you have to show. And each temple, the significance of the temple has to be described. Especially the Deity. When the importance is to the Deity, the Deity should be shown nicely decorated. (end of first tape)</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Well I don't know if I have enough information for that first scene. But I'll think of something ... I don't know if I have enough information for the first scene. It can be very short.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: First scene, why you have to... The ārātrika is going on and kīrtana is going on, you can continue for five minutes, ten minutes the kīrtana, and short description of the Deity. That's all. That will finish.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Now the other is the Sākṣi-gopāla.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Sākṣi-gopāla. Sākṣi means witness. Gopāla. That picture, we have brought that big picture, that is Gopāla mūrti. Alone standing Kṛṣṇa and playing... You have seen that big picture?</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: The big picture, yes.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: A Deity like that should be situated in that temple. And His name is Sākṣi-gopāla. Similarly Lord Caitanya entered with His party and saw the ārātrika in Gopāla temple. Then the story of the Gopāla, Sākṣi, why He was known as Sākṣi-gopāla.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Saw what? Darate. Saw what? He saw...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Ārati.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Entered and saw in the Sākṣi temple and saw...? What did you say?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Sākṣi-gopāla means witness Gopāla. So how He became witness, that story was also narrated by Nityānanda to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That story is that in that village, two brāhmaṇas... That's a very long story.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: What does this have to do with this temple? What does this story have to do with the temple? Lord Caitanya has entered this temple.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: That's all. But how this temple was established, how Gopāla was established, that history is in that story. The Sākṣi-gopāla means witness. This Gopāla was situated in Vṛndāvana, but to give witness for His devotee He came to Orissa, that place. That is the significance of this Gopāla. Do you follow?</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: No. (laughs) No.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: This Gopāla was situated at Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana means about more than one thousand miles away from where the temple is situated now. But He came one thousand miles to give witness for His devotee. Since then, Gopāla is situated there. So that story is narrated. That story should be narrated or what? How to do it? That is the significance of the temple. There was some family quarrel and Gopāla came to give witness to decide judgement on that quarrel. So it is possible to describe?</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: I think from a dramatic point of view, that in your third act, you can't have too many narrations. It becomes very tedious. If you have a narration. Someone telling the history of various temples. Like in the first scene, now there's a story being told Lord Caitanya by Nityānanda. Now in the second scene He visits another temple. And is there going to be another narration about how the temple was founded? I don't think that's... I don't know. (laughs) Do you think that will be all right?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No. That will be all right in this way, that the narration should be shortly described in poetry and that will be chanted with kīrtana. In that way, you see.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Yes. You see the first two acts there was a lot of action. Now we're in the third act and we have two scenes of description. Now they can be two short scenes of description. That will be all right, I think.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: So what is the story? A short little story?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: The short story is that there was two brāhmaṇas. Two brāhmaṇas. One young brāhmaṇa, one old brāhmaṇa. They went to Vṛndāvana to see Gopāla, and the old brāhmaṇa was so obliged to the young brāhmaṇa, he promised to hand over his youngest daughter to the young brāhmaṇa. But when he came back home his eldest son objected. So he kept mum. Then when the young brāhmaṇa, I mean to say, reminded him that "You promised before Gopāla to hand over your daughter. Now you are silent. What is this?" So his eldest son said, "Well, if Gopāla comes to give witness that my father promised before Him then my sister can be married with you." So he went back to Vṛndāvana and requested Gopāla to come and give witness. So He came and the marriage ceremony was performed. This is the sum and substance of the story. And since then Gopāla did not... Gopāla means statue. So in those days there was no transport service. And when Gopāla was present everyone became struck with wonder that "Oh, such a devotee that Gopāla has come from Vṛndāvana to Orissa, more than 1,500 miles." So the king of that place constructed a very nice temple and since then that temple is known as witness Gopāla. Sākṣi-gopāla means witness. So this story can be shortly described and chanted with music and the scene of the temple will be seen, Caitanya Mahāprabhu dancing. Our real purpose will be the dancing and singing and little description.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Yes. Now, is that all of this?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Then He visited Jagannātha temple. And the Jagannātha temple you have to arrange, it is very crowded temple. So many people were visiting Jagannātha temple, at the same time Lord Caitanya also entered, and He entered alone.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: How old is He at this point?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu?</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: His age at this time?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Twenty-four years. It is just after His sannyāsa. He took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four. So He's visiting. After sannyāsa He's going to Jagannātha Purī. On the way He visited this Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha, Sākṣi-gopāla, and ultimately He came to Jagannātha temple. And in the Jagannātha temple was very crowded temple because it is always at least 500, 1,000 devotees are always seeing. It is significance of Jagannātha temple. So He entered and as soon as He saw Jagannātha He became overwhelmed with ecstasy and fell down unconscious. So all the people gathered, "He's a young sannyāsī. He has fallen down." So there was Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, the learned scholar of Purī. He saw, "Oh, this young sannyāsī, He's not ordinary." So he asked his men to carry Him to his place and that will be the scene. Then after His departure His followers will come, and they will search in the temple that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not there. Then one Gopīnātha Ācārya, I think the character is there? Gopīnātha Ācārya?</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Now is this the...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes, Gopīnātha Ācārya.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Is this the learned brāhmaṇa?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Gopīnātha Ācārya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. They were brother-in-law.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Saba...Be...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Bhauma.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Oh, his name is here. Yes, you didn't mention...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: And Gopīnātha Ācārya is also there.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Yes, all right. Sarvabhooma.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: So just note down. First of all, Caitanya Mahāprabhu enters the temple. As soon as He sees Jagannātha He becomes fainted and fell down unconscious. So all the visitors, they became astonished that here is a young sannyāsī and how is that He has fallen down? But Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya noted that He is a high-grade sannyāsī. So he asked his men that "You carry this body, unconscious body to my place." So his men took away Caitanya Mahāprabhu's body unconscious, and Sārvabhauma also and exit. Then after their departure His party entered the temple. Nityānanda, Gadādhara, and Murāri, all these men entered. So Gopīnātha Ācārya was present there. He was known to Gadādhara and Gadādhara inquired that is there any sannyāsī who came here? Then Gopīnātha Ācārya said, "Yes, we have seen one sannyāsī. He fell down in ecstasy and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has taken Him to his home." So he invited, "All right, you come with me. I am taking you there." So all the parties were taken to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's place.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: The friends of Caitanya. What are their names again?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Their name is Nityānanda, Gadādhara...</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: What's that name?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Gadādhara.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: Oh I see, yes. And Murāri.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: And Murāri and Mukunda. And Haridāsa also. Yes.</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: And Haridāsa. What about Advaita?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No, Advaita and Śrīnivāsa, they were left in...</p>
<p>Hayagrīva: All right. They're not there.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: The next scene comes to the Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's place.</p>
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