CC Antya 5.88
শ্রীচৈতন্যলীলা এই — অমৃতের সিন্ধু ।
ত্রিজগৎ ভাসাইতে পারে যার এক বিন্দু ॥ ৮৮ ॥
śrī-caitanya-līlā ei — amṛtera sindhu
trijagat bhāsāite pāre yāra eka bindu
Synonyms
śrī-caitanya-līlā — transcendental activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ei — these; amṛtera sindhu — the ocean of nectar; tri-jagat — the three worlds; bhāsāite — to inundate; pāre — is able; yāra — of which; eka bindu — one drop.
Translation
The activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are just like an ocean of nectar. Even a drop of this ocean can inundate all the three worlds.
Purport
To inundate the three worlds with nectar is the purpose of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. How this could be possible was exhibited by Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and later by Ṭhākura Narottama dāsa and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, who all represented the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Now that same mercy is overflooding the entire world through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nondifferent from the pastimes performed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was personally present, for the same principles are being followed and the same actions performed without fail.
1975
Sounds of Mayapur - Godrumadvipa Parikrama 1975
Compared to the previous year, the 1975 Mayapur Festival was above and beyond, with significant building projects completed or underway and much improved organization. We all had appreciation for the tangible progress being made to manifest Srila Prabhupada’s vision.
It was Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur who, while looking out his window toward Yoga Pitha, predicted what is now the TOVP would manifest. He was in his home in Saurabi Kunja on Godrumadvipa located across the Jalangi river.
This is a transcript and summary of the parikram to Bhaktivinode Thakur’s home and Samadhi in Godrumadvip on March 25, 1975 by hundreds of disciples of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Summary of the Visit
The audio documents a spiritual procession (Parikram) led by Acyutananda Swami at Godrumadvipa. The event begins with an intense and rhythmic congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, featuring traditional instruments like mridangas and kartals.
Acyutananda Swami provides commentary on the significance of the site. He explains that Bhaktivinoda Thakur lived here and predicted the global spread of the sankirtan movement. The speaker emphasizes the necessity of following the Acharyas (spiritual teachers) and performing devotional service (Bhakti) for its own sake, without personal ambition or desires for liberation (Moksha).
Srila Prabhupada then gives a brief, profound talk, noting that unlike many who write commentaries on Krishna based on personal opinion, his movement writes about what Krishna desires. He defines the "marketplace of the holy name" (Nama Hatta) and stresses that success in spiritual life comes from the mercy of Lord Nityananda. The visit concludes with the chanting of "Jaya Saccinanandana" as the group moves toward the Samadhi of Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s personal servant and the deities of Sri Chaitanya and Gadadhara.
Transcript of Discourse
"Everyone please step here on the side by the wall. Don't get up on the temple... Bhaktivinoda Thakur, an Acharya in the line of disciplic succession, predicted in his magazine Sajjan-tosani—which means 'for the satisfaction of the devotees'—that we would come to satisfy the hearts of pure devotees. Those who are pure devotees are enthused by the activities of this worldwide movement, which is the desire of the Acharyas."
"No one can make any success if they follow some personal independent ambition. Rupa Goswami states that devotional service must be without any personal ambition, without any desire to elevate ourselves to Brahmaloka or for any mystic powers or even for Moksha. The yogis are performing tapasya to get siddhi; the karmis are performing yagya for enjoyment; the gyanis are meditating for liberation. But we are performing Bhakti for Bhakti. Love for love's sake."
"Everyone's writing commentary about Krishna, but we are writing commentary on what Krishna wants, what Krishna desires. Therefore, to execute that, we must give up our personal interest and dovetail it to the interest of Krishna. Then everyone will be satisfied."
"The key to satisfaction is to satisfy the pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada has come like the strength of the previous Acharya. He has picked up the full mercy of Bhaktivinoda Thakur to spread this movement all over the world. This center is the first center of Bhaktivinoda Thakur to preach the holy name. The birthplace is most important, but the place of Leela (pastimes) is more important. Bhaktivinoda Thakur put his center here called Nama Hatta—the marketplace where the holy name is sold at the price of pure devotion."
"This is the place where Mahaprabhu sent Nityananda along the banks here to preach Hari Nama. So we must get spiritual potency from Lord Nityananda through Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur... Srila Prabhupada has often said, 'I have given some idea, now you expand on what I have done.' Our future is to make every town and village Krishna Conscious."
(The group begins chanting "Jaya Saccinanandana" and describes the local landmarks, including the Bhajan Kutir of Gaura Kishora das Babaji and the house of Bhaktivinoda Thakur where he composed many songs.)
The recording concludes with an excerpt from the following morning with Acyutananda Swami speaking to devotees in the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir after Mangal Arati while Srila Prabhupada was on his morning walk.
Audio and Photos recorded March 1975 by Gopati das (ACBSP)
Srivasa Angan 1975
This video is a historical treasure from the 1975 Mayapur Gaura Purnima Festival. It features Acyutananda Swami leading a group of international devotees on parikrama (pilgrimage) to Srivasa Angan, the home of Srivasa Thakura and the birthplace of the congregational chanting movement (Sankirtana).
Summary of the Visit
In 1975, the Mayapur festival was a landmark event, marking the second time hundreds of Western devotees traveled to India to celebrate the appearance of Lord Chaitanya. Acyutananda Swami, one of the first Western disciples of Srila Prabhupada to live in India, leads the group to Srivasa Angan.
Key themes of the talk:
The Birth of Sankirtana: Srivasa Angan is described as the "cradle" of the Hare Krishna movement, where Lord Chaitanya performed nightly kirtans behind closed doors for His intimate associates.
The Maha-Prakasa Lila: Acyutananda Swami details the famous 21-hour revelation where Lord Chaitanya manifested His divinity to the devotees.
Resistance and Victory: He recounts the breaking of the mridanga (drum) by the Chand Kazi’s men, which sparked the first civil disobedience movement in history.
Transcript Highlights
(Note: This transcript captures the essence of Acyutananda Swami's narration as he guides the devotees through the holy site.)
Introduction to the Holy Site
"Now we have arrived at Srivasa Angan. This is the house of Srivasa Thakura. Just as Yoga-pitha is the place where the Lord appeared, Srivasa Angan is the place where the Lord appeared as the Sankirtana-Yajna [the sacrifice of congregational chanting]. For one full year, Mahaprabhu and His devotees stayed inside these doors and chanted every night, and no one else could enter."
The Breaking of the Drum
"The local administrator, the Chand Kazi, became very angry because of the loud chanting. He sent his guards here, and they broke the mridanga drums to stop the kirtan. This is why this place is also known as Kholabhanga-danga—the place of the broken drum. But Mahaprabhu did not stop. He organized thousands of people to march to the Kazi’s palace with torches, proving that the Holy Name cannot be suppressed by political power."
The Maha-Prakasa (The Great Revelation)
"Inside this temple, you see the deities depicting the Maha-Prakasa Lila. For twenty-one hours, Lord Chaitanya sat on the throne and revealed His various incarnations. To one devotee He showed He was Lord Ramachandra; to another, He showed He was Lord Krishna. He accepted worship and told them, 'I have come to deliver the world through this chanting.' Srivasa Thakura was the heart of this group, always fanning the Lord and serving Him with pure love."
Closing Instructions
"When we visit this place, we must pray for that same taste for the Holy Name that Srivasa Pandita had. Even when his own son passed away during a kirtan, Srivasa did not stop the chanting because he did not want to disturb the Lord’s pleasure. That is the level of devotion found here."
Significance of the 1975 Parikrama
This specific visit was historically significant because it fulfilled a prophecy by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who predicted that one day devotees from around the world would join Indian devotees in Mayapur to chant "Jaya Sacinandana!" The 1975 footage captures the exact moment this global spiritual integration became a reality.
Historic Yoga Pitha Parikrama 1975
Step back in time to March 1975, a landmark moment in the history of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement. This video features rare archival audio and photographs from the second major ISKCON Mayapur Festival, documenting the historic parikrama to Yoga Pitha (the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya) led by Acyutananda Swami.
Fulfilling the Vision
This 1975 festival was the tangible fulfillment of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur’s 19th-century prediction: a day when devotees from all corners of the globe would chant "Jaya Sacinandana!" in the holy dhama. More than 800 international devotees descended upon Mayapur to celebrate Gaura Purnima in the presence of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The Significance of Gaura Purnima
As the 1975 parikrama party moved through the holy streets, the devotees were meditating on the profound mercy of Lord Chaitanya’s appearance. Srila Prabhupada often explained that Lord Chaitanya’s advent was like the rising of a spotless moon meant to dissipate the darkness of the Kali-yuga. In his purports, he emphasized that Lord Chaitanya did not just appear in a specific village in Bengal, but He appeared to initiate a movement that would eventually reach every town and village across the globe. Seeing the international crowd in 1975—devotees from America, Europe, and Japan walking side-by-side with local Vaisnavas—was the living proof of Prabhupada's statement: “He distributes the love of Godhead to everyone without consideration.”
Srila Prabhupada on the Appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
"Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared... for the benefit of the entire world. He is the most munificent incarnation of Godhead because He distributes the love of Godhead to everyone without any consideration of who is fit and who is not fit. In this age of Kali, everyone is suffering, but by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, by the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can be immediately relieved from all material anxieties."
— Teachings of Lord Kapila, Chapter 13
Mayapur in 1975: A Mission Expanding
At this stage of ISKCON’s history, the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir was transforming rapidly:
The monumental entrance gate was nearing completion.
The perimeter wall was lined with new residential rooms for the growing global family.
The massive Prasadam Hall, serving 10,000 people daily, was fully operational.
A bathing ghat was under construction at the exact site where the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) stands today.
The Ecstatic Atmosphere
The air was charged with devotion. Every morning, Srila Prabhupada would circumambulate Sri Sri Radha Madhava, ringing the temple bell and driving the devotees into an ecstatic frenzy. This parikrama to Yoga Pith was a highlight of the festival’s first leg, which concluded with the journey to Vrindavan for the historic opening of the Krishna Balarama Mandir.
Key Moments in the Video
Arrival at Yoga Pith: Standing at the birthplace of Nimai.
Darshan of the Deities: Seeing the forms of Lord Nrsimhadeva and Gaura Gadadhara.
The Ecstatic Kirtan: Witnessing the "frenzy" of devotion fueled by Srila Prabhupada ringing the temple bell.
The Fulfillment: Seeing the diverse faces of the international devotee community fulfilling the Thakur's vision.
Archival Credits
Audio & Photography: Captured on-site during the 1975 Gaura Purnima Festival by Gopati das ACBSP
Parikrama Leader: Acyutananda Swami.
Historical Context: This recording serves as a bridge to the early days of ISKCON Mayapur, preserving the voices and sights of the pioneers of the movement.
1976
March 15, 1976, featuring Jayapataka Swami leading a parikrama through Yoga Pitha.
Speaker: Jayapataka Swami
Location: Yoga Pitha, Mayapur (Birthplace of Lord Chaitanya)
Below is the word-for-word transcript of the recording from March 15, 1976, featuring Jayapataka Swami leading a parikrama through the Yoga Pitha and Srivasa Angan temple complex.
Speaker: Jayapataka Swami
[00:01] "Just to the right of this temple, over to the right, you'll see that there is a type of vine awning. This is the place where Lord Chaitanya had His nocturnal kirtan. Here all the devotees would assemble, do the sankirtan."
[00:18] "The idea at that time was, there were many envious people. There were so many envious people that it was difficult for Mahaprabhu to do the kirtan at that time. So to keep out envious people who were simply mocking them, they kept the doors closed. Later on, Mahaprabhu started that in every house all over Navadvipa the kirtan would start. But in the beginning, it started behind closed doors here."
[00:44] "So from this place now, we'll be singing Kiba Jaya Jaya to commemorate that holy time when Lord Chaitanya exhibited His transcendental form to all His devotees. Hoping that we may also get similar blessing and one day be able to see always within our heart the form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His beloved associates."
[01:10] "We will circumambulate the temple thereafter, stopping for a short kirtan in the Srivas Angan. Then we'll go over nearby to the house of Advaita Acharya where He's worshipping Lord Chaitanya, and by His side is living Gadadhara Prabhu. And thereafter, taking darshan of those residences and murti, then we'll go over to the birthplace temple."
[01:35] [Crowd interaction/background noises]
[01:54] "Now this is the deity of Srivasa Thakura, which was worshipped by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. And as we circumambulate, on our left as we come round on the left, there's a deity of Gaura-Gadadhara. They were also worshipped by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. Now we'll circumambulate counter-clockwise, yeah?"
[02:15] "Then we'll come round this temple and out again into the outside courtyard and we'll come to the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu where we'll all... this is the deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Lord Nrsimha deity, which was worshipped by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, and Gaura-Gadadhara deity."
[02:45] "Sitting on Lord Nrsimhadeva's lap is Lakshmi. Nitai Gaura Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!"
[03:00] [Kirtan: Jaya Sachinandana]
[04:59] "Here on the night of Phalguna Purnima, when the full moon was eclipsed, the spotless moon of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made His appearance. Haribol! Haribol! Amidst the loud chanting of Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Due to the eclipse, it is enjoined that one spend the time in doing some auspicious activity like bathing in the Ganges and vibrating the Holy Name."
[05:23] "So the whole Navadvipa, which was at that time very greatly populated with scholars and pandits, was all at the Ganges roaring the names of 'Jai Hari Haribol!' And even the Yavanas, Mohammedans, they were imitating the Hindus and chanting 'Hare Krishna'. Somehow or other they were all chanting 'Hare Krishna'."
[05:44] "And the thieves thought they would take the opportunity—everyone is out of their house, so we can steal from them. But when they heard 'Hare Krishna' everywhere, their hearts melted also and they started chanting 'Hare Krishna'. Jai Haribol!"
[05:58] "Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance... previous to that, Sachi Devi, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was still in her womb, was visited by all the demigods. And the mother of the demigods, Aditi, also came and bestowed blessings on her. But she could not understand what was happening. So Jagannath Misra told her some great Mahapurusha, great personality, is going to be born."
[06:23] "Then after the appearance day, after His birthday of Phalguna Purnima, there was great celebrations and musicians, and all the local Brahmin ladies and gentlemen came to offer their gifts and blessings. And disguised as the wives of the Brahmins were the wives of demigods who also came in with their celestial gifts to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And touched the lotus feet of Sachi Devi and went off in their aerial cars unseen by the locals. Haribol!"
[06:57] "Do not take off any neem leaves from the tree. We will only circumambulate. Everything here is original. Well, it picks up life from another—that is called 'Siddha'. When a tree always lives, it picks up another branch and continues living. This is the original tree."
[07:16] [Kirtan resumes]
[08:52] [Srila Prabhupada's Pranama Mantra and Jai sounds]
[09:00] "We will return to Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir in kirtan. Those who wish will come to Ganges for bath, japa, reading, and classes."
[09:30] "Srila Prabhupada stresses to us the importance of the birthplace. The birthplace, of course, is eternally sacred. But He stresses even more important is... this is called the Janma-sthan. Janma-sthan means the birthplace where the Lord takes birth. As He says in the Gita: janma karma ca me divyam. If one can understand the birth and activities of the Supreme Lord, because they are all divyam, transcendental, then he can be freed from punar-janma, from repeated birth and death."
[10:15] "Simply by understanding the transcendental activities, the transcendental birth of the Lord. But more important, Prabhupada stresses, than birth, is the activities of the Lord. He gave the example that for instance, Lord Chaitanya was born here in Navadvipa—but can you hear me?"
[10:35] "Lord Chaitanya was born here at Sri Mayapur, but later on He went all over India—to Puri, to South India, to Vrindavan for preaching. That means that He didn't stay at His birthplace; He went all over India, all over the world, for preaching. So that proves that the activities are more important than the birthplace."
[10:59] "That's why presently the Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, Prabhupada declares, is actually the Karma-sthana of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The workplace, the lila-place. Janma karma ca me divyam—both My birth and My activities are transcendental. So Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir is the place of the Lord's activities. Therefore, it is more important than the birthplace. Jai Haribol!"
[11:30] "All these buildings have been constructed by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura by his own preaching and effort. Now we could understand that the activities of Lord Chaitanya have shifted from here to Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. We can always see activity going on there all year round, and we see all the devotees coming from all over the world just as Mahaprabhu predicted."
[12:05] "So we want to keep both the Karma-sthana—the activities of the Lord active—and the Janma-sthan. We don't simply want to say 'Oh, this is the birthplace' then we'll sit back and take it easy. No, we want to do the actual preaching work, the Sankirtan of Mahaprabhu. Jai Haribol!"
[12:30] "Now this place is very important place... there's some controversy which Bhaktivinode Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta have conclusively proved that this is actually the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. However, there's some anti-parties who've got some business interests who want to prove otherwise."
[12:50] "Actually the Chand Kazi, as you know, he tried to stop the Sankirtan of Lord Chaitanya. The Chand Kazi's house is very nearby, about a mile down the road. So he used to hear Lord Chaitanya's nocturnal kirtan, which disturbed him. Therefore, he came and broke up the kirtan one night, which later on caused to his gaining liberation."
[13:14] "At this place, by calculating the distance from the Chand Kazi and also by Bhaktivinode Thakura actually found this exact location. As you probably was explained the very first day when we went to Bhaktivinode Thakura's house, that Bhaktivinode Thakura was in meditation in his room one night when he saw in his vision light coming from this birthplace."
[13:39] "Seeing that light, he knew that the birthplace was in this location. He took his guru, Jagannath Das Babaji, who at that time was about 113 years old and he couldn't walk because he was tied up with rheumatism and other ailments, so he had to be carried on a basket. Bhaktivinode Thakura carried him on his head on a basket trying to find out... finally they came to one place which was covered with Tulsi. Tulsi was growing thick, a big Tulsi forest."
[14:10] "When they came to that location, entered into the Tulsi forest, immediately Jagannath Das Babaji, filled with ecstasy, he jumped up—113 years old—from his basket high in the sky: 'Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!'"
[14:27] "So they could understand that this was the exact location of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's birthplace. From that time, Bhaktivinode Thakura established a small temple here. That temple has since been changed, but that temple has been here in this exact location for about a hundred years."
[14:48] "Then Bhaktivinode Thakura personally went through Calcutta, every door, begging people to just give one rupee or less, just some donation. He would never accept more than a rupee, and he constructed this red building here. This is the first structure."
[15:11] "So Prabhupada, during the appearance day celebration of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura here at Mayapur, he started his lecture by saying that Bhaktivinode Thakura, he did something to develop Sri Mayapur. It was his desire to develop Sri Mayapur, the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. Then Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he also developed Sri Mayapur. He built this birthplace temple, he built the other temples, he did so much preaching."
[15:45] "Now Prabhupada said 'I also, I also wanted to do something in following in the disciplic succession in the footsteps, I want to do something also to develop Sri Mayapur. And on that very birthplace, we are building the Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, and the biggest temple in the world for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Haribol! Haribol!'"
[16:08] "In this temple is the place where baby Lord Chaitanya, on the lap of Sachi Mata, and by the side is Jagannath Misra. In this temple, when they excavated this temple, they found the deity murti under the ground of Adhoksaja Vishnu. As you may recall from reading Chaitanya-charitamrta, Adhoksaja Vishnu was the family deity of Jagannath Misra. When you see in the center deity just at the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, there's a deity—that deity is of Adhoksaja Vishnu."
[16:47] "The deities in the big Mandir: on the right-hand side is Jagannath and the Panca-tattva. In the center is Mahaprabhu with Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya Devis. And on the left is Radha Govinda and Mahaprabhu."
[17:03] "This temple was constructed by one businessman whose name was Sakhi Babu Rai. He gave everything he had to Bhaktisiddhanta, every last paisa. His samadhi mandir is at the gateway."
[17:21] "But this Mandir here on the left is the temple of Bhaktivinode Thakura. Srila Prabhupada objects to this temple as being out of etiquette, asiddhanta. Bhaktivinode Thakura is our param-gurudeva, he is to be respected with all just honor. But they have put the param-gurudeva at the gateway. He is not a doorkeeper. He should have been given place in this house here or some other internal place with a big temple, not at the doorway. Therefore, none of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada should enter into that temple."
[18:03] "Jai Sachinandana! Jai Sachinandana! Haribol! Haribol!"
The Nocturnal Kirtan: The kirtan at Srivas Angan was originally conducted behind closed doors to prevent mockers and envious people from disturbing the devotees.
The Eclipse Miracle: Lord Chaitanya appeared during a lunar eclipse when the entire population was already chanting the Holy Name. The spiritual potency was so high that even thieves and non-believers were moved to join the chanting.
The Original Neem Tree: The tree at the birthplace is considered original (Siddha), having continued its life through successive branches over centuries.
Janma-sthan vs. Karma-sthan: While the birthplace (Janma-sthan) is sacred, Srila Prabhupada emphasized that the place of activities (Karma-sthana)—represented by the ISKCON Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir—is even more important because it carries forward the Lord's mission of preaching.
Discovery of Adhoksaja Vishnu: During the excavation of the temple, a small stone murti of Adhoksaja Vishnu was found, which was the family deity of Jagannath Misra, providing physical proof of the site's authenticity.
Srivasa Angan is the courtyard of Srivasa Thakura’s house, located adjacent to the Yoga Pitha temple. It holds immense historical significance as the place where Lord Chaitanya began His nocturnal kirtan. In the early days of the Sankirtan movement, the doors were kept closed during these assemblies to prevent mockers and envious people from disturbing the devotees. It was here that Lord Chaitanya revealed His transcendental form to His most intimate associates.
In the 1976 parikrama recording, Jayapataka Swami explains the historical and philosophical context behind why the early kirtans at Srivasa Angan were held behind closed doors:
Protection from Envy: During the early stages of the Sankirtan movement, there were many envious people who would mock the devotees. The doors were kept closed specifically to prevent these "envious people who were simply mocking them" from disturbing the assembly.
Intimate Association: By closing the doors, Lord Chaitanya created a space where His most intimate associates could assemble and perform sankirtan without outside interference.
The "Nocturnal" Nature: These sessions are described as "nocturnal kirtans," suggesting a time of private, intense devotion before the mission was expanded into a public movement.
Evolution of the Movement: Jayapataka Swami notes that while the movement began behind closed doors at Srivasa Angan, it was a temporary stage. Lord Chaitanya eventually shifted the paradigm, starting the kirtan "in every house all over Navadvipa" to make the Holy Name accessible to everyone.
Spiritual Revelation: The closed-door setting was the environment in which Lord Chaitanya "exhibited His transcendental form to all His devotees". The swami expresses the hope that by commemorating this, modern devotees can also "see always within our heart the form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu".
Yoga Pitha is the sacred birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, located in Antardvipa, Mayapur.
Discovery: The site was lost to history until Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur used ancient maps and texts to relocate it in the late 19th century.
Confirmation: The location was spiritually confirmed by Srila Jagannath Das Babaji, who, despite being over 140 years old and unable to walk, miraculously leapt into the air upon reaching the spot, proclaiming it the true birthsite.
Authenticity: When the ground was excavated to build the temple, an ancient deity of Adhoksaja Vishnu was discovered. This deity was the family worshipable Lord of Jagannath Misra (Lord Chaitanya’s father), providing physical proof of the site’s identity.
The Neem Tree: The temple grounds house an original neem tree. It is under this tree that Nimai (Lord Chaitanya) took His birth on the night of a lunar eclipse on Phalguna Purnima.
Jayapataka Swami is a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and a prominent leader within ISKCON who took Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to "develop Mayapur" as his life's mission. While Yoga Pitha is the Janma-sthan (birthplace), Jayapataka Swami helped manifest the Karma-sthana (place of activities) at the ISKCON Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. Following Prabhupada’s emphasis that preaching activities are more important than the birthplace alone, Jayapataka Swami spearheaded the development of the international community, the massive prasadam halls, and the parikramas that bring thousands of devotees from all over the world to Mayapur. His leadership fulfilled the prophecy of Bhaktivinode Thakur, ensuring that devotees from every nation now gather in Mayapur to celebrate Lord Chaitanya’s appearance.
1977
Mayapur Gurukuli Kirtan Greeting Srila Prabhupada 1977
Every morning, the students of the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir Gurukula gathered faithfully by the Lotus Building entrance. Their mission was simple yet profound: to hold kirtan for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada as he descended the grand stairway toward the temple.
This recording captures the "soundtrack" of that historic festival—the final one Srila Prabhupada personally attended. Beyond their daily morning devotion, these students also participated in the inaugural kirtan competition that year, the only one ever held, ultimately taking home the grand prize.