Sri Jagannath Puri Yatra – House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya
Getting down from the Auto-Rickshaw, I tried refreshing my memory and tried to remember the place I visited about five years ago. I followed the directions of the Auto driver to go to the house of Sarvamauma Bhattachary, the greatest Advitist Philosopher who had the famous discussion about the impersonalist philosophy with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Five hundred years ago, he was the greatest scholar and the head priest of King Prataparudra kingdom.
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| House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya |
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| Wall Paintings – House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya |
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| Wall Paintings – House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya |
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| Place Where Lord Chaitanya was seated – House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya |
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| Temple – House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya |
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| Temple Door – Temple – House of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya |
History tells that, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Jagannath Puri temple for the first time and while taking darshan of Lord Jagannatha, evoked deep ecstatic symptoms and he fell into a trance. Lord Chaitanya fell down in the temple and the temple guards could not comprehend the highest feelings of love and devotion he was experiencing and considering this to be show of some sort, wanted to throw him out of the temple.
Sarvabauma Bhattachary who was present there, immediately took noticed of the effulgent, golden complexioned young sanyasi. Because, he was well versed with the scriptures and noted that the ecstatic, uncommon symptoms displayed by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are not ordinary. He made all the checks like, feeling the life symptoms, pulse etc. and could see that all the life symptoms like, breathing, heart beat are suspended and could only see a slight movement of cotton placed near the nostrils of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ordered the temple guards to carry the young sanyasi to his home through an underground tunnel from the temple to his home.
After, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu regained his consciousness and after exchange of pleasantries, Sarvabhauma Bhattachary started explaining the Vedanta philosophy continuously for seven days. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, listened without asking any question or saying single word. Finally, frustrated Sarvabhauma asked Chaitanya, if he is able to comprehend what he is speaking. What followed was a wonderful discourse and explanation of Vedanta sutra by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu where he showed the fallacy and convoluted interpretations of Vedanta sutras by Sarvabhauma. Chaitanya explained that the Vedanta sutras originally given by Veda Vyasa are themselves very clear and showed how they are being misinterpreted.
Finally, he spoke the famous Atmarama a verse from Srimad Bhagavatham,
atmaramas ca munayo
nirgrantha apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
“Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krsna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krishna because He has such transcendentally attractive features”
While, Sarvabhauma explained this verse in 9 different ways, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained the verse in 18 different ways.
Finally, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu showed him the four-handed form and then appeared in the form of Krishna.
Coming back to my visit, I proceeded towards the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. The front portion of the house is demolished and grounded. Apparently, they are rebuilding it. We went inside paid our respects to the deities in the small temple. Few, steps away was the place where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting at that time and the entrance to the underground tunnel. I remained there for few moments reminiscing the amazing pastime of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And, took some pictures of the place with old paintings on the wall, which remain as a testimony to the history.
P.S: This was during my visit last to India and Jagannath Puri, which was in Jan 2017. Sorry, for posting this late. There will be few more coming up. Stay tuned.