Gundica Mandira June 28th

The cleansing of the Gundica temple in Jagannatha Puri, India.

In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizesthis chapter as follows. The King of Orissa, Maharaja Prataparudra,tried his best to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Nityananda Prabhu andthe other devotees informed the Lord about the King's desire, but SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu would not agree to see him. At that time Sri NityanandaPrabhu devised a plan, and He sent a piece of the Lord's outward garment to the King. The next day, when Ramananda Raya again entreated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to see the King, the Lord, denying the request, asked Ramananda Raya to bring the King's son before Him. The prince visited the Lord dressed like a Vaisnava, and this awakened remembrance of Krsna. Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu delivered the son of Maharaja Prataparudra.

After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the Gundica temple before the Ratha-yatra took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lake and partook of prasadam in the garden nearby. While Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the temple of Gundica, a Gaudiya Vaisnava washed the lotus feet of the Lord and drank the water.

This incident is very significant, for it awoke within the devotee ecstatic love. Then the son of Advaita Prabhu named Gopala fainted during kirtana, and when he did not come to his senses, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu favored him by awakening him. There was also some humorous talk between Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu during prasadam. Advaita Prabhu said that Nityananda Prabhu was unknown to anyone and that it was not the duty of a householder brahmana to accept dinner with a person unknown in society. 

In answer to this humorous statement, Sri Nityananda Prabhu replied that Advaita Acarya was a monist and that one could not know how his mind could be turned by eating with such an impersonalist.The conversation of these two prabhus – Nityananda Prabhu and AdvaitaPrabhu – carried a deep meaning that only an intelligent man can understand. After all the Vaisnavas finished their luncheon, Svarupa Damodara and others took their prasadam within the room. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took great pleasure when He saw the Jagannatha Deity after the period of the Deity'sretirement. At that time Lord Caitanya was accompanied by all the devotees, and all of them were very pleased.