CHAPTER 13

The Ecstatic
Dancing of the Lord at Ratha-yatra

Asummary of this chapter is given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pra-
vaha-bhasya as follows. After bathing early in the morning, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu saw the Deities (JIagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra) get aboard
Their three carts. This function is called Pandu-vijaya. At that time, King Pra-
taparudra took a broom with a golden handle and began to cleanse the road. Lord
Jagannatha took permission from the goddess of fortune and then started in the
car for the Gundica temple. The road to the temple led along a broad, sandy
beach, and on both sides of the road were residential quarters, houses and gar-
dens. Along that road the servants called gaudas began to pull the cars. Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu divided His sarikirtana party into seven divisions. With two
mrdarigas in each division, there were altogether fourteen mrdarigas. While per-
forming kirtana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited various symptoms of tran-
scendental ecstasy, and Jagannatha and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exchanged
Their feelings very blissfully. When the cars reached the place known as Balagan-
di, the devotees offered the Deities simple food. At this time, in a nearby garden,
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees took a brief rest from the dancing.

TEXT 1

A Pale Fatosa: Baaical ars 4: |
CantAeaatete fear wetaicete ls fafass usu

sa jiyat krsna-caitanyah
sri-rathagre nanarta yah

yenasij jagatam citram
jagannatho ‘pi vismitah

SYNONYMS
sah—He; jiyat—may live long; krsna-caitanyah—Lord Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu; sri-ratha-agre—in the front of the car; nanarta—danced; yah—
who; yena—by whom; dsit—there was; jagatam—of the whole universe;

113
