PLATE SEVEN

“Outside the garden, when it was time to pull Jagannatha’s car, all the
workers called gaudas tried to pull it, but it would not move forward.
When the gaudas saw that they could not budge the car, they abandoned
the attempt. Then the King arrived in great anxiety, and he was accom-
panied by his officers and friends. The King then arranged for big wrestlers
to try to pull the car, and even the King himself joined in, but the car
could not be moved. Becoming even more eager to move the car, the
King had very strong elephants brought forth and harnessed to it. The
strong elephants pulled with all their strength, but still the car remained at
a standstill, not budging an inch. As soon as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
heard this news, He went there with all His personal associates. They then
stood there and watched the elephants try to pull the car. The elephants,
being beaten by the elephant goad, were crying, but still the car would
not move. The assembled people cried out, ‘Alas!’ At that time, Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu let all the elephants go free and placed the car's
ropes in the hands of His own men. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then went
to the back of the car and began to push with His head. It was then that
the car began to move and ramble along, making a rattling sound. Indeed,
the car began to move automatically, and the devotees simply carried the
rope in their hands. Since it was moving effortlessly, they did not need to
puli it. When the car moved forward, everyone began to chant with great
pleasure, ‘All glories! All glories!’ and ‘All glories to Lord Jagannatha!’ No
one could hear anything else.” (pp.248-252)
