In2-MeC

Takonin, Czech Republic
23 June 2004

From the Anubhasya commentary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
to Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 11. 13
translated by Punya-palaka dasa (ISKCON Prague)

TEXT 13

Two devotees of Lord Caitanya named Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa always lived with Sri Virabhadra Goswami.

From Srila Prabhupada's Purport: The temple where Abhirama Thakura worshiped has a very old history. The Deity in the temple is known as Gopinatha. There are many sevaita families living near the temple. It is said that Abhirama Thakura had a whip and that whoever he touched with it would immediately become an elevated devotee of Krsna. Among his many disciples, Sriman Srinivasa Acarya was the most famous and the most dear, but it is doubtful that he was his initiated disciple. "

Anubhasya commentary: Inside the temple there is Sri Baladeva, Sri Madana-mohana (alone), on a 1 1/4 cubit high and 1 cubit wide slab of touchstone there is vastra-harana-lila, a kadamba tree, Yamuna, and along with the cowherd boys a form of Sri Gopinatha engraved--these are the worshipable Deities. Then there is a murti of Abhirama Thakura dancing in ecstasy, and on the throne there is a murti of Sri Vraja-vallabha (the Divine Couple). Besides that there is also Sri Salagrama and Sri Gopala-murti.

From the local sevaitas it is known that since the time of Abhirama Thakura it is a practice here that parboiled rice is being used for offerings but it remains bhoga until it is parched on hot sand. One more unprecedented practice here is that at the time of putting Thakura to rest, the temple doors remain open and he is being laid down in front of everyone's eyes. At present there is no mangala arati for Thakura being held early in the mornings.

Presently there are priests living around at some 36-37 houses. It is said that inside the temple there is an iron chest in which the famous Abhirama's whip "Sri-jaya-mangala" is being kept by the priests under a lock. It is 2 cubits long and wrapped with a silver (or golden) thread. At the time of big festivals all the priests agree to take the whip out of the chest. In the Bhakti-ratna-kara (the 4th wave) it is written about the whip that whoever was hit by it by Abhirama Thakura, that person's love of Krsna awoke. Once Srinivasa Acarya came to Abhirama's residence, and Abhirama Thakura touched his body with the whip three times. Then Abhirama's wife, the brahminical daughter Malini-devi, took Thakura by the hand and smilingly said, "Cool down, Thakura, Srinivasa is a greenhorn, if you keep touching him with your whip, he will lose his composure. " . . . (Srinivasa Acarya was very dear to Abhirama, an object of his love and mercy, nevertheless he was probably not initiated by him, and thus he is counted as his half-disciple. )

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