Gundica temple

Expressions researched:
"Gundica temple" |"Gundica"

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

As long as the Lord remained at Purī, thousands of His devotees used to come to see Him during the Ratha-yātrā car festival of Lord Jagannātha. And during the car festival, the washing of the Guṇḍicā temple under the direct supervision of the Lord was an important function. The Lord's congregational saṅkīrtana movement at Purī was a unique exhibition for the mass of people. That is the way to turn the mass mind towards spiritual realization. The Lord inaugurated this system of mass saṅkīrtana, and leaders of all countries can take advantage of this spiritual movement in order to keep the mass of people in a pure state of peace and friendship with one another. This is now the demand of the present human society all over the world.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 12 Summary:

Other so-called descendants and followers of Advaita Ācārya are not to be recognized. This chapter also includes narrations concerning the son of Advaita Ācārya named Gopāla Miśra and Advaita Ācārya's servant named Kamalākānta Viśvāsa. In his early life Gopāla fainted during the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā-mandira at Jagannātha Purī and thus became a recipient of the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The story of Kamalākānta Viśvāsa concerns his borrowing three hundred rupees from Pratāparudra Mahārāja to clear a debt of Advaita Ācārya's, for which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chastised him when He came to know of it. Kamalākānta Viśvāsa was then purified by the request of Śrī Advaita Ācārya. After describing the descendants of Advaita Ācārya, the chapter concludes by describing the followers of Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī.

CC Adi 12.20, Translation:

When Lord Caitanya personally cleansed the Guṇḍicā-mandira in Jagannātha Purī, Gopāla danced in front of the Lord with great love and happiness.

CC Adi 12.20, Purport:

The Guṇḍicā-mandira is situated in Jagannātha Purī, and every year Jagannātha, Balabhadra and Subhadrā come there from the Jagannātha temple to stay for eight days. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu lived at Jagannātha Purī, every year He personally cleansed this temple with His principal devotees. The Guṇḍicā-mārjana chapter of Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 12) describes this vividly.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.48, Translation and Purport:

At the time of departure, the Lord requested all the devotees, “Please come here every year to see the Ratha-yātrā festival of Lord Jagannātha's journey to the Guṇḍicā temple.”

There is a temple named Guṇḍicā at Sundarācala. Lord Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā are pushed in their three cars from the temple in Purī to the Guṇḍicā temple in Sundarācala. In Orissa, this Ratha-yātrā festival is known as Jagannātha's journey to Guṇḍicā. Whereas others speak of it as the Ratha-yātrā festival, the residents of Orissa refer to it as Guṇḍicā-yātrā.

CC Madhya 1.49, Translation:

Following the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the devotees used to visit Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu every year. They would see the Guṇḍicā festival at Jagannātha Purī and then return home after four months.

CC Madhya 1.56, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught everyone that one should not be overly anxious to see the Lord, but should rather feel separation from Him in ecstasy. It is actually better to feel separation from Him than to desire to see Him face to face. When the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, the residents of Gokula, met Kṛṣṇa at Kurukṣetra during the solar eclipse, they wanted to take Kṛṣṇa back to Vṛndāvana. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu also felt the same ecstasy as soon as He saw Jagannātha in the temple or on the Ratha-yātrā car. The gopīs of Vṛndāvana did not like the opulence of Dvārakā. They wanted to take Kṛṣṇa to the village of Vṛndāvana and enjoy His company in the groves. This desire was also felt by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He danced in ecstasy before the Ratha-yātrā festival when Lord Jagannātha went to Guṇḍicā.

CC Madhya 1.133, Translation:

After seeing the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed and cleaned Śrī Guṇḍicā temple with the assistance of many devotees.

CC Madhya 1.143, Translation:

First the Lord washed the temple of Guṇḍicā very thoroughly. Then everyone saw the Ratha-yātrā festival and the Lord's dancing before the car.

CC Madhya 1.144, Translation:

In the garden along the road from the Jagannātha temple to Guṇḍicā, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed various pastimes. A brāhmaṇa named Kṛṣṇadāsa performed the bathing ceremony of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Madhya 1.145, Translation:

After dancing in the Guṇḍicā temple, the Lord sported in the water with His devotees, and on Herā-pañcamī day they all saw the activities of the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī.

CC Madhya 11.55, Translation:

“On that Ratha-yātrā festival day, after dancing before the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will enter the Guṇḍicā garden. At that time you should go there alone, without your royal dress.

CC Madhya 11.56, Translation:

“When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enters the Guṇḍicā garden, you should also go there and read the five chapters of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about Lord Kṛṣṇa's dancing with the gopīs. In this way you can catch hold of the Lord's lotus feet.

CC Madhya 12 Summary:

After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed the Guṇḍicā temple before the Ratha-yātrā took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lake and partook of prasādam in the garden nearby. While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed the temple of Guṇḍicā, a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava washed the lotus feet of the Lord and drank the water. This incident is very significant, for it awoke within the devotee ecstatic love. Then the son of Advaita Prabhu named Gopāla fainted during kīrtana, and when he did not come to his senses, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu favored him by awakening him. There was also some humorous talk between Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu during prasādam. Advaita Prabhu said that Nityānanda Prabhu was unknown to anyone and that it was not the duty of a householder brāhmaṇa to accept dinner with a person unknown in society. In answer to this humorous statement, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu replied that Advaita Ācārya was a monist and that one could not know how his mind could be turned by eating with such an impersonalist.

CC Madhya 12.1, Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed and cleansed the Guṇḍicā temple with His devotees and associates. In this way He made it as cool and bright as His own heart, and thus He made the temple a befitting place for Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to sit.

CC Madhya 12.73, Translation:

When these three people came before the Lord, He begged them for permission to wash the temple known as Guṇḍicā.

CC Madhya 12.73, Purport:

The Guṇḍicā temple is situated two miles northeast of the Jagannātha temple. At the time of the Ratha-yātrā festival, Lord Jagannātha goes to the Guṇḍicā temple from His original temple and stays there for one week. After one week, He returns to His original temple. It is understood by hearsay that the wife of Indradyumna, the King who established the Jagannātha temple, was known as Guṇḍicā. There is also mention of the name of the Guṇḍicā temple in authoritative scripture. The area of the Guṇḍicā temple is estimated to be 288 cubits by 215 cubits (a cubit is about a foot and a half). The main temple inside is about 36 cubits by 30 cubits, and the kīrtana hall is 32 cubits by 30 cubits.

CC Madhya 12.74, Translation:

Upon hearing the Lord's request for permission to wash the Guṇḍicā temple, the paḍichā, the superintendent of the temple, said, “My dear Sir, we are all Your servants. Whatever You desire is our duty to perform.

CC Madhya 12.80, Translation:

He then gave each devotee a broom with His own hand, and taking all of them personally with Him, the Lord went to Guṇḍicā.

CC Madhya 12.81, Translation:

In this way the Lord and His associates went to cleanse the Guṇḍicā temple. At first they cleansed the temple with the brooms.

CC Madhya 12.128, Translation:

At this point Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī caught the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava by the neck and, giving him a little push, ejected him from the Guṇḍicā Purī temple and made him stay outside.

CC Madhya 12.133, Translation:

In this way all the quarters of the Guṇḍicā temple were completely cleansed and cleared. All quarters were cool and spotless, like one's cleansed and pacified mind.

CC Madhya 12.135, Purport:

In commenting on the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā temple, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as the world leader, was personally giving instructions on how one should receive Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, within one's cleansed and pacified heart. If one wants to see Kṛṣṇa seated in his heart, he must first cleanse the heart, as prescribed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Śikṣāṣṭaka: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). In this age, everyone's heart is especially unclean, as confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi. To wash away all dirty things accumulated within the heart, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised everyone to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The first result will be that the heart is cleansed (ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)). Similarly, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17) confirms this statement:

CC Madhya 12.135, Purport:

If a devotee at all wants to cleanse his heart, he must chant and hear the glories of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17)). This is a simple process. Kṛṣṇa Himself will help cleanse the heart because He is already seated there. Kṛṣṇa wants to continue living within the heart, and the Lord wants to give directions, but one has to keep his heart as clean as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu kept the Guṇḍicā temple. The devotee therefore has to cleanse his heart just as the Lord cleansed the Guṇḍicā temple. In this way one can be pacified and enriched in devotional service. If the heart is filled with straw, grains of sand, weeds or dust (in other words, anyābhilāṣa-pūrṇa), one cannot enthrone the Supreme Personality of Godhead there. The heart must be cleansed of all material motives brought about through fruitive work, speculative knowledge, the mystic yoga system and so many other forms of so-called meditation. The heart must be cleansed without ulterior motive.

CC Madhya 12.135, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to teach every devotee by His personal behavior. Everyone who spreads the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepts a similar responsibility. The Lord was personally chastising and praising individuals in the course of the cleaning, and those who are engaged as ācāryas must learn from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu how to train devotees by personal example. The Lord was very pleased with those who could cleanse the temple by taking out undesirable things accumulated within. This is called anartha-nivṛtti, cleansing the heart of all unwanted things. Thus the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā-mandira was conducted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to let us know how the heart should be cleansed and soothed to receive Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and enable Him to sit within the heart without disturbance.

CC Madhya 12.136, Purport:

The Nṛsiṁha temple is a nice temple just outside the Guṇḍicā temple. In this temple there is a great festival on the day of Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī. There is also a Nṛsiṁha temple at Navadvīpa where the same festival is observed, as described by Murāri Gupta in his book Caitanya-carita.

CC Madhya 12.203, Translation:

The fully independent Supreme Personality of Godhead performs various types of pastimes. The pastime of washing and cleansing the Guṇḍicā temple is but one of them.

CC Madhya 12.220, Translation:

I have briefly described the pastimes of the Lord in washing and cleansing the Guṇḍicā temple. By seeing or hearing these pastimes, even sinful men can awaken their Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

CC Madhya 13 Summary:

After bathing early in the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the Deities (Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā) get aboard their three cars. This function is called Pāṇḍu-vijaya. At that time, King Pratāparudra took a broom with a golden handle and began to cleanse the road. Lord Jagannātha took permission from the goddess of fortune and then started in the car for the Guṇḍicā temple. The road to the temple led along a broad, sandy beach, and on both sides of the road were residential quarters, houses and gardens. Along that road the servants called gauḍas began to pull the cars. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu divided His saṅkīrtana party into seven divisions. With two mṛdaṅgas in each division, there were altogether fourteen mṛdaṅgas. While performing kīrtana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited various symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, and Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exchanged Their feelings very blissfully. When the cars reached the place known as Balagaṇḍi, the devotees offered the Deities simple food.

CC Madhya 13.70, Translation:

Now please hear about Lord Jagannātha's going to the Guṇḍicā temple while Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced before the Ratha car.

CC Madhya 13.119, Purport:

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.

CC Madhya 13.147, Purport:

Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī did not express Her personal unhappiness at being separated from Kṛṣṇa. She wanted to evoke Kṛṣṇa's feelings for the condition of all the others in Vṛndāvana-dhāma—mother Yaśodā, Mahārāja Nanda, the cowherd boys, the gopīs, the birds and bees on the banks of the Yamunā, the water of the Yamunā, the trees, the forests and all the other paraphernalia associated with Kṛṣṇa before He left Vṛndāvana for Mathurā. These feelings of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī were manifested by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and therefore He invited Lord Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, to return to Vṛndāvana. That is the purport of the Ratha-yātrā car's going from Jagannātha Purī to the Guṇḍicā temple.

CC Madhya 14 Summary:

When there was an offering of prasādam in the garden, Lord Caitanya also partook of it. After this, when Lord Jagannātha's ratha car stopped moving, King Pratāparudra called for many elephants to pull it, but they were unsuccessful. Seeing this, Lord Caitanya began to push the car from behind with His head, and the car began moving. Then the devotees began pulling the car with ropes. Near the Guṇḍicā temple is a place known as Āiṭoṭā. This place was fixed up for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to rest in. When Lord Jagannātha was seated at Sundarācala, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw it as Vṛndāvana. He performed sporting pastimes in the water of the lake known as Indradyumna. For nine continuous days during Ratha-yātrā, the Lord remained at Sundarācala, and on the fifth day He and Svarūpa Dāmodara observed the pastimes of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune. During that time, there was much talk about the pastimes of the gopīs.

CC Madhya 14.58, Translation:

In a moment the car reached the door of the Guṇḍicā temple. Upon seeing the uncommon strength of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the people were struck with wonder.

CC Madhya 14.65, Translation:

In the evening, after finishing His dancing in the yard of the Guṇḍicā temple, the Lord observed the ārati ceremony. Thereafter He went to a place called Āiṭoṭā and took rest for the night.

CC Madhya 14.72, Translation:

Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged Vakreśvara and other devotees in chanting and dancing. Three times daily—morning, noon and evening—He would perform saṅkīrtana in the yard of the Guṇḍicā temple.

CC Madhya 14.75, Translation:

There were many gardens near the Guṇḍicā temple, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees used to perform the pastimes of Vṛndāvana in each of them. In the lake named Indradyumna, He sported in the water.

CC Madhya 14.94, Translation:

In the afternoon, Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the Guṇḍicā temple to visit the Lord and dance. At night He went to the garden to take rest.

CC Madhya 14.95, Translation:

The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also went to the temple of Guṇḍicā and saw the Lord. He then chanted and danced in the yard for some time.

CC Madhya 14.104, Translation:

For nine continuous days His Lordship Śrī Jagannātha-deva stayed at the Guṇḍicā temple. During this time Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also stayed there and performed the pastimes with His devotees that have already been described.

CC Madhya 14.107, Purport:

The Herā-pañcamī festival takes place five days after the Ratha-yātrā festival. Lord Jagannātha has left His wife, the goddess of fortune, and gone to Vṛndāvana, which is the Guṇḍicā temple. Due to separation from the Lord, the goddess of fortune decides to come to see the Lord at Guṇḍicā. The coming of the goddess of fortune to Guṇḍicā is celebrated as Herā-pañcamī. Sometimes this is misspelled as Harā-pañcamī among the ativāḍīs. The word herā means "to see" and refers to the goddess of fortune going to see Lord Jagannātha. The word pañcamī means "the fifth day" and is used because this takes place on the fifth day of the moon.

CC Madhya 14.113, Translation and Purport:

In the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His personal associates with Him to see Lord Jagannātha at Sundarācala.

Sundarācala is the Guṇḍicā temple. The temple of Jagannātha at Jagannātha Purī is called Nīlācala, and the temple at Guṇḍicā is called Sundarācala.

CC Madhya 14.120, Translation:

“Externally He gives the excuse that He wants to participate in the Ratha-yātrā festival, but actually He wants to leave Jagannātha Purī to go to Sundarācala, the Guṇḍicā temple, a replica of Vṛndāvana.

CC Madhya 14.253, Translation:

Every year thereafter, when the Guṇḍicā temple was being cleansed, Satyarāja and Rāmānanda Vasu would come with the other devotees and with great pleasure bring silken rope.

CC Madhya 15.40, Translation:

Bidding farewell to all the devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested them to return to Jagannātha Purī every year to see Him and then see the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā temple.

CC Madhya 15.97, Translation:

"Come every year and bring all My devotees with you to the Guṇḍicā festival. I also request you to maintain all of them."

CC Madhya 16 Summary:

In due course of time, all the devotees of Bengal visited Jagannātha Purī for the third year. This time, all the wives of the Vaiṣṇavas brought many types of food, intending to extend invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī. When the devotees arrived, Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent His blessings in the form of garlands. In that year also, the Guṇḍicā temple was cleansed, and when the Cāturmāsya period was over, all the devotees returned to their homes in Bengal. Caitanya Mahāprabhu forbade Nityānanda to visit Nīlācala every year. Questioned by the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma, Caitanya Mahāprabhu again repeated the symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava. Vidyānidhi also came to Jagannātha Purī and saw the festival of Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī. When the devotees bade farewell to the Lord, the Lord was determined to go to Vṛndāvana, and on the day of Vijaya-daśamī, He departed.

CC Madhya 16.48, Translation:

As in the previous year, they all washed the Guṇḍicā temple when the time for Ratha-yātrā arrived.

CC Madhya 25.251, Translation:

In the Eleventh Chapter I have described the great chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra that surrounded the Lord. In the Twelfth Chapter I have given a narration of the cleansing and washing of the Guṇḍicā temple.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 1.62, Translation:

After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, taking all His devotees with Him, performed the Guṇḍicā-mārjana (washing and cleansing of the Guṇḍicā temple), He went to the garden known as Āiṭoṭā and accepted prasādam at a picnic within the garden.

CC Antya 6.243, Translation:

As He had previously done, He cleansed the Guṇḍicā temple and held a picnic feast in the garden with the devotees.

CC Antya 10 Summary:

The day when all the devotees arrived at Jagannātha Purī, Lord Govinda was enjoying sporting pastimes in the waters of the lake known as Narendra-sarovara. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also enjoyed the ceremony in the water with His devotees. As previously, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed the cleansing ceremony at Guṇḍicā and chanted the famous verse jagamohana-pari-muṇḍā yāu. After kīrtana ended, He distributed prasādam to all the devotees and also took some Himself. Then He lay down at the door of the Gambhīrā to take rest. Somehow or other Govinda, the personal servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, crossed over the Lord's body and massaged His feet. Govinda could not go out that day, however, and therefore he was unable to accept prasādam. From the character of Govinda it is to be learned that we may sometimes commit offenses for the service of the Lord, but not for sense gratification.

CC Antya 10.103, Translation:

Accompanied by His personal associates, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed and swept the Guṇḍicā temple, cleansing it as usual.

CC Antya 12.61, Translation:

All the devotees engaged in the cleansing ceremony of the Guṇḍicā temple and danced in front of the Ratha-yātrā chariot, just as they had done in the past.

CC Antya 18.36, Translation:

"Perhaps He went to the Guṇḍicā temple, or to Lake Narendra, or to the Caṭaka-parvata. Maybe He went to the temple at Koṇārka."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

We could not take the last instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa again came as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṇa. If we read the life of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His acceptance of sannyāsa order, His preaching all over India, His chanting and dancing, His living at Jagannath Purī, His activities, His meeting with the devotees, His Guṇḍicā-mārjana, His Ratha-yātrā kīrtana—if we study all these activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately you understand Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore, we are inviting you at this place of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His birthsite, to take the inspiration given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That will help us understanding Kṛṣṇa. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā visate tad anantaram. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, in truth, by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53).

Festival Lectures

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

It is working? (taps microphone) Huh? No. So just one day before Ratha-yātrā there is a festival in Jagannātha Purī which is called Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Guṇḍicā-mārjana. From the Jagannātha temple, about two miles away there is another temple house, not exactly temple, where the Deity Jagannātha goes during this Rathayātrā festival, from the temple to that Gundica house. And then the deities remain there for one week and then comes back. And during that one week there are many festivals. As I told you in this morning, this Jagannātha, He's proceeding toward Vṛndāvana. Rādhārāṇī is inviting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, after His childhood, pauganda-līlā, He was called by His father, His real father. Practically, He was called for killing Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle, who was giving trouble to the whole Yadu dynasty, and everyone was waiting for Kṛṣṇa.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So the Lord Caitanya was taking the part of Rādhārāṇī, when Rādhārāṇī requested Kṛṣṇa to come to Vṛndāvana. So when Lord Caitanya was before the Ratha-yātrā, He was thinking that "I am taking Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana." That is His ecstasy. "I am taking Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana."

So that function is observed yearly, and Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha, goes to that Gundica. So today is Guṇḍicā-mārjana day. So Lord Caitanya personally used to wash the whole temple along with His assistants. Hundreds of... At that time there was no hose pipe, but people used to bring water in big, big waterpots. So when Lord Caitanya wanted to wash the Guṇḍīca Mandir, the king of Jagannātha Purī, Mahārāja Pratāparudra... He was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya. So it was his open order to his officers that whenever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask for anything, it must be immediately supplied. So during this time about... In those days there was no railway facilities five hundred years ago. So people used to go on foot from, especially from Bengal.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king, and at the same time he was a devotee of Lord Caitanya. So his open order was that whenever and whatever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask anything, it must be supplied. So on this day Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to wash that Guṇḍīca Mandir with hundreds of His followers. And they were ordered to bring water from the nearest tank. There is one tank. If you go sometimes to Jagannātha Purī, you'll see that place. So from that tank hundreds of waterpots were brought, and first of all it was... What is called? Sweeping. The sweeping process is first of all taken. And He wanted to see all the devotees, "How much dust you have gathered." He'll see personally. "Let Me see what is the amount of your dust you have gathered by sweep... (break) Then I will understand that you worked very hard." So then after it is very finely, twice. First of all, once swept, then second time. Not even a small particle grain should remain.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Then... That was... Caitanya Mahāprabhu already adored, He was. So, there is... Rathayātrā car festival, and Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Before the Rathayātrā festival, the system is Jagannātha goes from the temple to another place about two miles away. There is a big temple there also which is called Jagannātha Aunt's(?) house, Mahiṣī badi. So He stays there for eight days. Just like we make program in San Francisco to reside on seaside. So that temple was to be washed. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do it by His personal supervision. So all the devotees... And He will check how much dust you have recovered, and then you shall be rewarded. Otherwise, it should be understood that you have not labored nicely.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Then... That was... Caitanya Mahāprabhu already adored, He was. So, there is... Rathayātrā car festival, and Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Before the Rathayātrā festival, the system is Jagannātha goes from the temple to another place about two miles away. There is a big temple there also which is called Jagannātha Aunt's(?) house, Mahiṣī badi. So He stays there for eight days. Just like we make program in San Francisco to reside on seaside. So that temple was to be washed. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do it by His personal supervision. So all the devotees... And He will check how much dust you have recovered, and then you shall be rewarded. Otherwise, it should be understood that you have not labored nicely. (chuckles) So He'll sweep over the whole temple nicely and wash the ceilings and walls and everything so clearly. And He'll see in this way if there is any sand. If there is, "Oh, it is not washed." That means He would engage everyone. Then after washing, then call for prasādam and distribute Himself. This is called Guṇḍicā-mārjana. Actually, whatever He was doing, they were washing, "Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa," chanting. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He used to eat a lot of food?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Excerpt -- April 2, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Car?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, car is locked, and the driver of the other car is watching it.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...small park, they cannot maintain it.

Tripurāri: ...reading in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the cleansing of the Guṇḍicā temple. And towards the end, one Bengali Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa washed the feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He became a little angry, outwardly angry, and unhappy within. And in one purport you mention that the spiritual master should not be offered obeisances or have his feet washed before the Deity. But the impression of most of the devotees has been that in the presence of the spiritual master one can stop worshiping the Deity and offer obeisances to the spiritual master. So I was wondering which is correct.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Dilemma.

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

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)."

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a first-class place for a center, the West Village. We can make many devotees there. We'll keep a small preaching center, maybe a restaurant, prasādam distribution.

Bali-mardana: We'll call it the Guṇḍicā center.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Guṇḍicā. We will call it Guṇḍicā.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Guṇḍicā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we should have a restaurant there, because a restaurant brings in a lot of people. No Deities. We won't install any Deities, just a preaching center, book distribution...

Prabhupāda: Yes, book distribution, restaurant, pictures...

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, you can't get their land either, not for a building like that. You can put a hospital maybe. Thing is, park space is so short in that area of the city that they..., I don't think they'd give it up for a building. Prabhupāda told us yesterday that we should rent a small building downtown in that area and call it Guṇḍicā, so that Lord Jagannātha will stay down there.

Prabhupāda: For one week.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For one week. And we'll keep a restaurant there.

Prabhupāda: And then they'll again come in procession.

Rāmeśvara: Wow!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, two festivals.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gaura-govinda: There was one baḍa pāṇḍā. I don't know his name. One who does offerings.(?) He is chief of those pāṇḍās. And then, when this pulling of car... That took place just a few minutes before sunset. It was the custom that as soon as the sun set, there will be no pulling. Only Balarāma's car was pulled a few yards, dashed against a (indistinct), and four of the wheels were broken. So then it stopped. For two days there was no pulling unless it is repaired. Then for two days car stopped there. So on the third day it was pulled. The cars were pulled to the Guṇḍicā. Such things happened this year. And we were the only party who chanted before ratha from ten to four.

Prabhupāda: Only party means?

Gaura-govinda: We. Lokanātha Swami's party had arrived, and we are at Bhuvaneśvara, four, five devotees. We were there two days before at Purī, and we went there and we chanted and did kīrtana before the ratha from ten to four. There were much crowd this year, so much crowd that this whole baḍa danda(?) was filled. And above, the top of the roofs, the buildings, were all overfilled. The government people that were broadcasting of radio, they all took photos and also they recorded our kīrtana. They announced in the radio also. This incident took place this year.