View source for When Krsna was staying on this planet He, His brother Balarama, and His sister Subhadra visited Kuruksetra. That ceremony is observed as Ratha-yatra

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{{terms|"Balarama"|"Jagannatha"|"Kuruksetra"|"Ratha-yatra"|"Subhadra"|"When Krsna was staying on this planet"}}
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{{compiler|Sahadeva}}
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[[Category:When Krsna|2]]
[[Category:Krsna Was|2]]
[[Category:Krsna's Staying|2]]
[[Category:Earth - Our Planet|2]]
[[Category:Krsna and Balarama|2]]
[[Category:Krsna and Subhadra|2]]
[[Category:Krsna's Visits|2]]
[[Category:Balarama's Visits|2]]
[[Category:Kuruksetra|2]]
[[Category:Krsna and Ceremonies|2]]
[[Category:Observe|2]]
[[Category:Ratha-yatra|2]]
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<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
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<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
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<div id="CCMadhya13119_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="2849" link="CC Madhya 13.119" link_text="CC Madhya 13.119">
<div class="heading">In his Anubhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes the ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as follows. After giving up the company of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, engaged in His pastimes at Dvārakā. When Kṛṣṇa went to Kurukṣetra with His brother and sister and others from Dvārakā, He again met the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 13.119|CC Madhya 13.119, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Thus there was a sort of competition between Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Jagannātha in seeing who would lead, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so strong that He made Lord Jagannātha wait in His car.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>In his Anubhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes the ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as follows. After giving up the company of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, engaged in His pastimes at Dvārakā. When Kṛṣṇa went to Kurukṣetra with His brother and sister and others from Dvārakā, He again met the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalita, that is, Kṛṣṇa Himself assuming the part of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in order to understand Kṛṣṇa. Lord Jagannātha-deva is Kṛṣṇa, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's leading Lord Jagannātha toward the Guṇḍicā temple corresponded to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s leading Kṛṣṇa toward Vṛndāvana. Śrī Kṣetra, Jagannātha Purī, was taken as the kingdom of Dvārakā, the place where Kṛṣṇa enjoys supreme opulence. But He was being led by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Vṛndāvana, the simple village where all the inhabitants are filled with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṣetra is a place of aiśvarya-līlā, just as Vṛndāvana is the place of mādhurya-līlā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's following at the rear of the ratha indicated that Lord Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, was forgetting the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Although Kṛṣṇa neglected the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, He could not forget them. Thus in His opulent Ratha-yātrā, He was returning to Vṛndāvana. In the role of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was examining whether the Lord still remembered the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell behind the Ratha car, Jagannātha-deva, Kṛṣṇa Himself, understood the mind of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Therefore, Jagannātha sometimes fell behind the dancing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to indicate to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī that He had not forgotten. Thus Lord Jagannātha would stop the forward march of the ratha and wait at a standstill. In this way Lord Jagannātha agreed that without the ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī He could not feel satisfied. While Jagannātha was thus waiting, Gaurasundara, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in His ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, immediately came forward to Kṛṣṇa. At such times, Lord Jagannātha would proceed ahead very slowly. These competitive exchanges were all part of the love affair between Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. In that competition between Lord Caitanya's ecstasy for Jagannātha and Jagannātha's ecstasy for Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu emerged successful.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG1322HyderabadAugust171976_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="371" link="Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976" link_text="Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976">
<div class="heading">When Kṛṣṇa was staying on this planet He, His brother Balarāma, and His sister Subhadrā also visited Kurukṣetra. That ceremony is observed as Ratha-yātrā.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976|Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">When Kṛṣṇa says dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 1.1 (1972)|BG 1.1]]), where is the difficulty? The Kurukṣetra is still there. Everyone knows. There is a railway station of the name Kurukṣetra and there is a place Kurukṣetra. Now it is being developed by the government. So how you can explain Kurukṣetra otherwise? Kurukṣetra is a fact, and it is a dharma-kṣetra. Still many millions of Indians go there to visit, especially during the solar eclipse occasion they go there. And when Kṛṣṇa was staying on this planet He, His brother Balarāma, and His sister Subhadrā also visited Kurukṣetra. That ceremony is observed as Ratha-yātrā. Three persons, two brothers and one sister. We are celebrating, introduced this Ratha-yātrā system in the Western countries and recently we had this festival in New York. Very successfully.</p>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB6115LondonAugust31971_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="610" link="Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971" link_text="Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971">
<div class="heading">If anyone sincerely sees the Ratha-yātrā festival and understands how Kṛṣṇa visited Kurukṣetra along with His brother and sister, that is very nice. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971|Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Guest (4): Your Divine Grace, will you kindly explain the significance of Ratha-yātrā festival?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Ratha-yātrā is Kṛṣṇa's festival.</p>
<p>Guest (4): And purpose of it?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Purpose to see how Kṛṣṇa is enjoying.</p>
<p>Guest (4): Is it a victory procession? I'm not quite sure. I'm not quite sure whether it is a victory procession. And...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes, you'll be sure when you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At this present, at the present moment, you cannot be sure. But when you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness you'll be sure.</p>
<p>Guest (4): No, I mean, When Viṣṇu was returning from the Battlefield of...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes, this is meant for the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa, or those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness people, others also can take the advantage. But if anyone sincerely sees the Ratha-yātrā festival and understands how Kṛṣṇa visited Kurukṣetra along with His brother and sister, that is very nice. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.</p>
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<div id="Festival_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Lectures" text="Festival Lectures"><h3>Festival Lectures</h3>
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<div id="GundicaMarjanamCleansingoftheGundicaTempleLecturethedaybeforeRathayatraSanFranciscoJuly41970_0" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="8" link="Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970" link_text="Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970|Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">People generally did not know that Kṛṣṇa is Vasudeva's son, but later on it was disclosed by talkings one after another. Then, when the fact was disclosed, then Kamsa arranged for a wrestling match, and Kṛṣṇa was called to fight. That you will read in our Kṛṣṇa book. It's a long story. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa went to His father's house, and He came to Kurukṣetra in the chariot. This is Ratha-yātrā. And Rādhārāṇī and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, their only business was... After Kṛṣṇa departed from Vṛndāvana to Mathurā and He never returned... Once He returned. So mother Yaśodā, the cowherd boys and the gopīs, they lost their life and vital force. So they were simply crying and weeping. That was their business. So Kṛṣṇa sent sometimes Uddhava to pacify them, that "I am coming very soon after finishing My business." So when they got this opportunity that "Kṛṣṇa has come to Kurukṣetra with His brother, sister, father. So let us go and see..." So they went to Kurukṣetra to see Kṛṣṇa. Whenever they got some opportunity, they wanted to see. Just like these cowherds boys, when there was Battle of Kurukṣetra near Delhi... Vṛndāvana is not far away from Delhi. It is about ninety miles. So they went to see Kṛṣṇa in the charioteer fighting dress. They were astonished. They thought that "Kṛṣṇa is our friend, cowherd boy. How is that, He is in the chariot fighting?" So they became astonished. So this is the pastimes of Vṛndāvana.</p>
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<div id="RathayatraSanFranciscoJune271971_1" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="12" link="Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971" link_text="Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971">
<div class="heading">On this day Lord Kṛṣṇa, when He was present on this earth, He attended a solar eclipse ceremony at Kurukṣetra, and Kṛṣṇa, along with His brother Balarāma, and Subhadra, sister, came to visit the Kurukṣetra field.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971|Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So today is a very nice, auspicious day. On this day Lord Kṛṣṇa, when He was present on this earth, He attended a solar eclipse ceremony at Kurukṣetra, and Kṛṣṇa, along with His brother Balarāma, and Subhadra, sister, came to visit the Kurukṣetra field. That Kurukṣetra land is still present in India. If someday you'll go to India you'll find that Kurukṣetra land is there. So this Ratha-yatra ceremony is performed in commemoration of Kṛṣṇa's visiting Kurukṣetra with His brother and sister. So Lord Jagannātha, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was in ecstasy. He was in the mood of loving spirit like Rādhārāṇī, so He was thinking, "Kṛṣṇa, please come back again to Vṛndāvana." So He was dancing before the Ratha-yatra, and you will understand, if you read some of the books published by you..., published by our society. One of the book is known as Teachings of Lord Caitanya. It is very important book. If you want to learn this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have got enough books. You can scientifically and philosophically study. But if you have no inclination to study, if you simply take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, gradually everything will be revealed unto you, and you will understand your relationship with Kṛṣṇa.</p>
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<div id="RathayatraSanFranciscoJune271971_2" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="12" link="Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971" link_text="Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971">
<div class="heading">This occasion is the subject matter of this Ratha-yatra festival. Apart from these historical references in the matter of Ratha-yatra festival, there is another spiritual meaning, that the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, and this body is just like ratha, or car.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971|Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Jagannātha svāmī nayana-pathagāmī bhavatu me. (crowd repeats) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (crowd repeats) Thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this great Ratha-yatra festival. I have already explained what is this Ratha-yatra festival. It is in commemoration of a grand visit by Lord Kṛṣṇa along with His elder brother, Balarāma, and His younger sister, Subhadrā, in a solar eclipse ceremony at Kurukṣetra. This occasion is the subject matter of this Ratha-yatra festival. Apart from these historical references in the matter of Ratha-yatra festival, there is another spiritual meaning, that the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, and this body is just like ratha, or car. He is sitting in everyone's heart.</p>
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<div id="RathayatraLondonJuly131972_3" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="15" link="Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972" link_text="Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972">
<div class="heading">At least for 5,000 years. Lord Kṛṣṇa along with His elder brother Balabhadra, or Balarāma, and His sister Subhadrā came in a chariot from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972|Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">We shall periodically remind you by such functions as we are holding today, the Ratha-yātrā festival. This Ratha-yātrā festival is very old. At least for 5,000 years. Lord Kṛṣṇa along with His elder brother Balabhadra, or Balarāma, and His sister Subhadrā came in a chariot from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra. We are commemorating this arrival of Lord Kṛṣṇa with His family on this chariot. This function is held in Jagannātha Purī. Mostly you know. In India it is a great festival. And we are introducing this festival in the Western countries along with Hare Kṛṣṇa movement because the original progenitor of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, namely Lord Caitanya, He took very much active part in this Ratha-yātrā festival. So following His footsteps, we are also introducing this Ratha-yātrā festival in the Western countries.</p>
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<div id="RathayatraLondonJuly131972_4" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="15" link="Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972" link_text="Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972|Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this festival, Ratha-yātrā festival. This festival is coming down since five thousand years when Lord Kṛṣṇa, along with His elder brother Balarāma and His younger sister Subhadrā, all together in a chariot came from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra is still existing, and the Dvārakā, the city, is also still existing. So according to Vedic culture, when there is eclipse, lunar eclipse, people take bath in sacred rivers. So especially they go to Kurukṣetra, a pilgrimage. So Kṛṣṇa along with His family members, brother and sister, came to Kurukṣetra, and receiving this news, the gopīs and inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, where Lord Kṛṣṇa lived in His childhood, they came to see Him. So amongst the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was the chief. And when she saw Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra in all opulence, She said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are also here; I am also here. But We are missing Vṛndāvana. So I wish that You come along with Me again in Vṛndāvana and We enjoy in the forest of Vṛndāvana."</p>
<p>These feelings of separation was preached by Lord Caitanya. So this Ratha-yātrā festival is still observed in Jagannath Purī in India. And five hundred years ago Lord Caitanya participated in this festival, and He was in the mode of separation as if Rādhārāṇī was taking back Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana.</p>
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<div id="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Lectures" text="Arrival Addresses and Talks"><h3>Arrival Addresses and Talks</h3>
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<div id="ArrivalConversationLosAngelesJune201975_0" class="quote" parent="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" book="Lec" index="25" link="Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975" link_text="Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975|Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Our two movements—we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā and we are holding Ratha-yātrā—all these two incidences took place at Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra is so important. Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, and His sister, on some occasion of lunar eclipse, they came from Dvārakā in a chariot, ratha, two brothers and sister, and that is the occasion of Ratha-yātrā. And the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, especially Rādhārāṇī, they came from Vṛndāvana to see Kṛṣṇa after long time. And she pleaded that "Kṛṣṇa, You are the same Kṛṣṇa, I am the same Rādhārāṇī..." (Prabhupāda is coughing) Is there any water? No. "But this place is not the proper place. Let Us go to Vṛndāvana." That is Mahāprabhu's feeling.</p>
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<div id="ArrivalPhiladelphiaJuly111975_1" class="quote" parent="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" book="Lec" index="28" link="Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975" link_text="Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975|Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Reporter (2): Your celebration is tomorrow: Of what will that celebration consist?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Celebration? It is remembering Kṛṣṇa, or Lord. He, with His brother and sister, visited Kurukṣetra, a place in India. So in memory of that visit we observe this Ratha-yātrā.</p>
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<div id="General_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Lectures" text="General Lectures"><h3>General Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureSeattleOctober181968_0" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="25" link="Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968" link_text="Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968|Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Jagannātha festival significance is that when Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana... Kṛṣṇa was raised by His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja. But when He was grown up, 16 years old, He was taken away by His real father, Vasudeva, and They left Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, two brothers, and They were resident..., Their kingdom was in Dvārakā. So in Kurukṣetra—Kurukṣetra is always dharma-kṣetra, pilgrimage—there was some lunar, solar eclipse, and many persons from many parts of India, they came to take bath. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and Their sister Subhadra, They also came in royal fashion, with so many soldiers, and so many..., just like king. So these residents of Vṛndāvana, they met Kṛṣṇa, and especially the gopīs, they saw Kṛṣṇa, and they lamented that "Kṛṣṇa, You are here, we are also here, but the place is different. We are not in Vṛndāvana." So there is a long story how they lamented and how Kṛṣṇa pacified them. This is a feeling of separation, how the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana felt separation from Kṛṣṇa. So this... When Kṛṣṇa came on chariot, that is called Ratha-yātrā. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā. So any pastimes made by Kṛṣṇa, that is observed in ceremonial form by the devotees. So that is Ratha-yātrā.</p>
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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="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1976 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1976 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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<div id="RoomConversationHonoluluMay201976New2003_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="101" link="Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 (New-2003)" link_text="Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 ">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 (New-2003)|Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 ]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: This Ratha-yātrā is in memory of Kṛṣṇa's coming there with His brother and sister during one eclipse, to take bath, coming from Dvārakā.</p>
<p>Devotee (7): And the gopīs  also assembled there?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: The gopīs got the information that Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā, so from Vṛndāvana they went to see Him. And when Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī met, that Rādhārāṇī lamented that Kṛṣṇa—He was the same Kṛṣṇa and the same Rādhārāṇī—so "this is not a good meeting place. So, if You come to Vṛndāvana, then I shall be happy." So it is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. That is the feeling of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Ratha-yātrā. He is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So in Jagannātha Purī still the same feelings are there. Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha, from the temple goes to Guṇḍicā. So, Lakṣmī is angry that "Kṛṣṇa is leaving me, He has gone to Vṛndāvana." So she was, she is punishing. That is called Herā-pañcamī. Punishing the servants of Kṛṣṇa. The maidservants of Lakṣmī chastising them, threatened them, "Why without permission?" So they, out of very fearful condition, offering their respect to Lakṣmī, "Mother, you don't be sorry (indistinct), we are (indistinct)." So this, this is the play performed, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu associates they saw, and they enjoyed very much when the maidservant of Lakṣmī was slapping the servant of Viṣṇu. That is mentioned Caitanya-caritāmṛta. All the servants arrested, brought before Lakṣmī, and they are punished. But they came to invite Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī and other gopīs. And actually they do not go at that time. But this Ratha-yātrā ceremony means Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā.</p>
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<div id="RoomConversationDecember201976Bombay_1" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="348" link="Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay" link_text="Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay|Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Now how you have got a different types of... Just like the Bhagavad-gītā begins, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 1.1 (1972)|BG 1.1]]). So dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre, how you can interpret in a different way? Kurukṣetra is already there. But how you can interpret, "Kurukṣetra means this, Kurukṣetra means that?" You cannot interpret.</p>
<p>Guest: Yes, but who is decided what exactly the meaning...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Exactly the meaning is there.</p>
<p>Guest: Literal, literally.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Literally, yes. The thing is the interpretation is required when you cannot understand. If, if I say, "This is a stick," everyone knows it is a stick. So I say, "Here is a stick." So if you say, "No, I do not accept it is stick." So what is that interpretation? Everyone knows it is stick. Similarly, Kurukṣetra means that the place, still existing. And in the Vedic śāstra it is ordered, kurukṣetre dharma yajayet. You go... From time immemorial it is a place of pilgrimage. Even Kṛṣṇa, during solar eclipse, Kṛṣṇa with His family, He came there, Jagannātha. The ceremony is there, Ratha-yātrā. Because Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadra came in the same chariot. That is being performed. So Kurukṣetra, dharmakṣetra, at least five thousand years ago the system was that people used to come to Kurukṣetra as a place of pilgrimage, dharmakṣetra. And Kurukṣetra, the place is there. And the the two family members, the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, they fought. The Battle of Kurukṣetra took place. These things are evident. Then why there is need of interpreting? That is the first point.</p>
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<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
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<div id="1973_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Correspondence" text="1973 Correspondence"><h3>1973 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoJaduraniBombay4January1973_0" class="quote" parent="1973_Correspondence" book="Let" index="10" link="Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 4 January, 1973" link_text="Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 4 January, 1973">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 4 January, 1973|Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 4 January, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So far your questions about Lord Jagannatha and Ratha-yatra Festival, the first Ratha-yatra Festival was 5,000 years before, when Krsna and Balarama and Subhadra came from Dvaraka to Kuruksetra. So far the festival at Puri, there is no such history, but it must be more than 3,000 years. At least there is recorded history 2,000 years old, because we see in the Aquarian Gospel that Lord Jesus Christ was attending the Ratha-yatra Festival at Puri. Yes, there was attempt by Radharani to take back Krsna from Kuruksetra to Vrndavana.</p>
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