The following blog will talk about the Story of Sri Isvara Puri and how he became an important name in the history of ISKCON.
Story of Sri Isvara Puri
“Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has described in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta that the first sprout of the desire tree of devotion was manifested in the person of Sri Madhavendra Puri and that that sprout developed into a sapling in the person of Sri Isvara Puri. Then, in the person of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Who was also the gardener Himself, that the sapling become the trunk of an enormous tree- the desire tree of devotion.” – [C. C. Adi 9.10-11]
“Sri Isvara Puri appeared in this world on the full moon day of the month of Jyestha. He served his guru, Sri Madhavendra Puri, very faithfully, especially during the end of Sri Puripada’s life.” – [C. C. Antya 8.26]
“Sri Isvara Puri, in his travels to various holy places, once came to Sridhama Navadwipa, where he stayed in the house of Sri Gopinatha Acarya. At that time, Sri Nimai Pandita was absorbed in His pastimes of learning. Iswara Puri entered Nadiya nagara in disguise, and thus no one could understand who he was.”
“That noble-minded gentleman was always absorbed in the mellows of devotion to Sri Krishna. He was thus extremely dear to Sri Krishna, and he was an ocean of mercy. No one, however, could recognize him by his dress. By the will of fate, he came to Sri Advaita Acarya’s house.” [C. B. Adi 11]
He got here to where Sri Advaita Acarya worshiped Sri Krishna and quietly sat there. By his divine luster, one Vaishnava can’t continue to be hidden from another. Advaita Acarya started to appear in his path once more and once more. Finally, he requested him: “Bap! Who are you? I have a sense you’re a Vaishnava sannyasi.”
Sri Isvara Puri very humbly answered: “I am a low elegance shudra, come to view your lotus feet.” Mukunda Datta, who changed into an additional gift, may also apprehend that that is a Vaishnava sannyasi, and hence he contrived to show him.
He started a kirtana describing Sri Krishna’s hobbies in his candy voice. When Sri Isvara Puri heard that kirtan, he immediately fell to the ground, and the earth under him became moist together and his tears. The devotee’s gift has been amazed. “We have not visible a Vaishnava like this earlier than.”
Also Read: Ekadashi Fasting
Now everybody should apprehend that Madhavendra Puri’s most loved disciple, Sri Isvara Puri. Advaita Acarya very firmly embraced him. Loud shouts of “Hari! Hari!” rose into the air.
Sri Isvara Puri remained at Navadwipa for a few days. One day while Nimai Pandita changed into returning domestic from the school, he occurred through risk to satisfy Sri Isvara Puri at the way.
“He has all of the indicators of being a divine personage and looks very grave indeed.” Srila Isvara Puri inquired, “Oh Viprabori ! May I understand your call? Where do you live? What is that manuscript in Your hand?” Mahaprabhu very humbly supplied His namaskar. Some of his disciples answered, “His call is Nimai Pandit.”
Exclaiming, “You are the well-known Nimai Pandita!” Isvara Puri felt very glad to satisfy Him. Coming ahead and bowing his head, Mahaprabhu humbly requested, “Sripada, please include Me to My residence and be My visitor for lunch.”
Isvara Puri notion to himself, “What a nice demeanor He has!” Arriving there, Mahaprabhu, in my view, washed his feet while withinside the Deity room, Saci Mata supplied the diverse arrangements that she had organized to the Lord.
Then Mahaprabhu served that prasadam to Sri Isvara Puri and afterward usual his remnants. After that, they sat withinside the temple and mentioned Krishna-Katha, through which they each have become full of ecstatic love.
Sri Iswara Puri remained at Navadwipa for some months, staying on the residence of Sri Gopinatha Acarya. Every day Mahaprabhu might come to have darshan of his lotus feet, and sometimes He might invite him for lunch. At that point, Srila Gadadhara Pandita changed into only a younger boy, and Isvara Puri changed into very affectionate to him. He started to train him from the book he composed, “Sri Krishna Lilamrta.”
One nighttime, while Mahaprabhu had come to provide His obeisances to Isvara Puri, Srila Puripada spoke to him, “You are an extremely good Pandita. I have composed a manuscript approximately Sri Krishna’s hobbies. If you’ll please listen, then I can recite it earlier than You, and You can get accurate any errors that there may be. I can be very thrilled if You do this.”
Mahaprabhu answered smiling, “Whatever a devotee speaks is dictated through Sri Krishna Himself. Whatever poems he composes, simply Krishna could be very thrilled through that. If everybody sees any fault in this, they are virtually a sinful wretch. Krishna accepts the temper wherein matters are supplied because the maximum size is a part of the offering.”
To Isvara Puri, those phrases have been like drops of nectar, and he should apprehend that Sri Nimai Pandita changed into an exceptional person. After passing a few days in Nadia, Isvara Puri persisted in his excursion of the holy places.
Meanwhile, Mahaprabhu changed into bringing His hobbies of mastering to a near and now preferred to show His real Self and set up the faith of the age through dispensing love of Godhead via the chanting of His Holy Names. Thus He got here to Gaya, ostensibly to provide pinda for His departed father and forefathers.
Sri Isvara Puri changed into a gift at that point at Gaya. After having supplied pinda on the diverse holy shrines, he sooner or later got here to the area where the lotus footprints of Sri Visnu are. While taking darshan and listening to the glories of the shrine, Mahaprabhu fainted and fell to the ground.
By the association of Providence, Sri Isvara Puri returned to that spot simply then and found out from Sri Chandrashekar Acarya what had transpired. After a quick time, Mahaprabhu regained His consciousness, and, seeing Isvara Puri, He was given as much as provide His obeisances. Sri Isvara Puri embraced Him, and the 2 of them have been sopping wet through every other’s tears of love.
Mahaprabhu addressed Isvara Puri, “My adventure to Gaya is a hit simply by seeing your lotus feet. If one gives Pinda at this holy area, his forefathers come to be delivered. But virtually through seeing you, tens of hundreds of thousands of forefathers get liberation. Therefore your presence is even extra optimistic than that of this holy tirtha. All of the holy tirthas pray for the dirt of your lotus feet. Therefore, O Puripada, I am praying at your lotus feet to ferry me throughout the sea of cloth life and to motive me to drink the nectar from Krishna’s lotus feet.”
Srila Isvara Puri answered, “Please listen to me, Panditji. I have understood that You are an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. This morning I noticed an auspicious dream, and now that has without a doubt materialized. From the primary day, I noticed you at Navadwipa. I constantly have the notion of You. I get such pride through seeing You, as a great deal pride as I get through seeing Krishna.”
Hearing this, Mahaprabhu bowed his head and smilingly answered, “This is my extremely good fortune.”
On another day, Mahaprabhu approached Sri Isvara Puri and requested that he initiate Him with the divine mantra. “My mind is becoming very restless in anticipation of this initiation. “Srila Puripada very blissfully replied, “What to speak of mantras, I am prepared to offer You my very life.” [C. B. Adi 17.10]
One morning Srila Isvara Puri got here to in which Mahaprabhu become staying. Mahaprabhu became extraordinarily thrilled to peer him, and after supplying His obeisances, He invited him to live for lunch. After that, Srila Isvara Puri initiated Mahaprabhu with the divine mantra. Isvara Puri responded, “Being capable of being given foodstuffs from Your hand is an issue of exquisite fortune for me.”
Mahaprabhu Himself cooked, after which very cautiously served His guru the prasadam. Afterward, he smeared sandalwood paste on his frame and positioned a garland of plants around his neck. Thus the Supreme Lord Himself taught how one has to serve his guru. Service to the guru is the door to devotion. Without serving the exquisite devotees, it isn’t always viable to get hold of the love of Godhead.
On his return from Gaya, Mahaprabhu got here via way of means of manner of Kumarhatta, the birthplace of His guru, and started to roll at the floor in ecstasy there because the floor has become moist with His tears. Finally, He accrued a few dirt from that holy location and sure it withinside the nook of his top garment, saying, “This dirt is as expensive to me as My life.” then he set out for Navadwipa.
Srila Isvara Puri’s birthplace is located within the gift metropolis of Halyahor, close to the Kangra-para rail station, which is at the Sealdah -Krishnanagar line. One has to get down at Kangra-para station, continuing via the rickshaw to Caitanya Doha.
Doha approach pond that is what becomes created. At the same time, many fans of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, following in His footsteps, got here right here and accrued earth from the birthplace of Srila Isvara Puri.
After that, Mahaprabhu became familiar with sannyasa and got here to stay at Jagannath Puri via way of his mother’s order. He despatched his disciples Sri Govinda and Kasisvara Brahmacari to serve the Lord at Nilacala. By this time, Isvara Puri had already left this world.
Also Read: What is moksha?
How Service to the Guru is the Door to Devotion?
Guru is the person who introduces us to the almighty. Without the presence of a guru in our lives, we would never be able to achieve salvation because there would be no one to guide us to the right path. The reason being, the old saying goes, “Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara; Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shri Guravay Namah.”
Conclusion
There is no problem in the world that Hare Krishna Chanting cannot resolve! So join us in chanting Hare Krishna!
