JAGADISHA PANDITA – LIFE HISTORY WITH TWO PASTIMES!
(1) WHO IS SRI JAGADISHA PANDITA?
In Vraja there was a dancer named Chandrahasa who was very expert in the tasting of rasa. In Chaitanya-lila, he became Jagadisha Pandita who also took great pleasure in dancing for the Lord.
(2) Jagadisha Pandita is considered to be simultaneously both Nityananda-shakha and Chaitanya-shakha, a branch both of Chaitanya as well as Nityananda in the desire tree of devotion.
(3) BIRTH: In the town of Gauhati (Pragjyotishpur) in modern Assam.
(4) FATHER: Kamalaksha Bhatta. Both of his parents were Devotees of Vishnu.
(SWAYAMBHUVA MANU – HISTORY AS A MAHAJANA – DIARY! READ HERE!)
(5) BROTHER: Hiranya ; WIFE: Duhkini.
(6) When the Parents died, he came with his wife Duhkhini and his brother Hiranya to Mayapur on the shores of the Ganga where they built a home near that of Jagannath Mishra.
(7) Jagadisha Pandita became Jagannath Mishra’s very close friend.
(8) Jagadisha and his wife Duhkhini had the same kind of parental affection for the little Nimai as Jagannath and Sachi themselves. Duhkhini was like a mother to Nimai and even sometimes acted as his wet-nurse.
(9) Through His pastimes, Mahaprabhu showed just how dear He considered Jagadisha Pandit to be.
(10) A NICE PASTIME OF MAHAPRABHU WITH JAGADISHA PANDITA
(From Chaitanya Bhagavat, Adi-khanda, chapter 4)
On an Ekadashi day, Nimai kept on crying despite Sachi Mata and Jagannath Mishra’s chanting the Names in the usual way.
His parents became confused and anxious, and in desperation asked Him, “What do You want, child? What must we give You to make You to stop crying?”.
(King Janaka – History as a Mahajana in Diary form! READ HERE!)
Nimai answered, “Today, they have made a rice offering to Vishnu at Jagadisa’s house. I want to eat some of that Prasad. Give Me some of that Prasad and I will stop crying.”
Jagannath Mishra was amazed to hear Nimai say such things. How could he know that Jagadisha Pandit made a rice offering on Ekadashi?
Jagannath Mishra immediately went to his neighbor’s house and was surprised to see that a large offering had indeed been made to their Vishnu Deity.
Jagannath told Jagadisha of Nimai’s request, adding that he was worried that it would not be correct for Him to eat rice on Ekadashi day.
But Gauranga’s eternal associate Jagadisha Pandit knew that it was little Gopal in the form of Nimai who was hungry.
(History of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, Author of Sri Caitanya Caritamruta! READ HERE!)
Without any hesitation, he gave the entire offering to Jagannath Mishra.
As soon as Nimai received the plate, He immediately stopped crying and joyfully started to eat.
(11) Before taking sannyas, Mahaprabhu ordered Jagadisha to go to Nilachala to preach Krishna-bhakti and the religious practice of the age, Harinama-sankirtan.
(12) ANOTHER PAASTIME:
FEELING OF SEPARATION FROM SRI JAGANNATH OF PURI
After visiting Puri Jagannath, Jagadisha felt the feeling separation from the Lord Jagannath and was crying.
Lord Jagannath saw Jagadisha crying and so mercifully appeared to him in a dream and told him to take His vigraha and serve it.
(GAURA KISHORE DAS BABAJI – LIFE HISTORY IN DIARY FORM! READ HERE!)
Simultaneously, He appeared to the king of Orissa and ordered him that at the time of the nava-kalevara, when the wooden Deity of Jagannath is changed, the outgoing form should be given to Jagadisha Pandita.
Thus, when He met Jagadisha, the Maharaj considered it to be a great honor to give him Jagannath’s outgoing form, which is known as the samadhi-stha-vigraha.
Jagadisha prayed to Jagannath, asking Him just how he could possibly carry the heavy figure of the Deity all the way back to Bengal.
The Lord Jagannath answered him that He would become as light as a cork; Jagadisha should simple cover him with a new cloth and then carry him with the help of a staff.
(Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura – Diary of 40 Life Events! READ HERE!)
Jagadisha would have to make permanent arrangements to stay wherever Jagannatha was set down on the ground.
Jagadisha enlisted the aid of two Brahmins, and they took turns carrying Jagannath as far as the village of Jashora on the banks of the Ganges, near the town of Chakdaha.
Jagadisha left Jagannath with one of the Brahmins and went to take his bath in the Ganges. Suddenly, the Brahmin found that Jagannath was becoming very heavy and that He was no longer able to hold Him up.
Thus when Jagadisha came back from his bath, he saw Jagannath sitting on the ground and realized that the Lord wanted to stay in that very spot.
(Prahlad Maharaja – History as One of the 12 Mahajanas! READ HERE!)