Objectives

Objective 1: To emphasize the importance of Chataka Parvata in Puri.

Objective 2: To know more about this place and the relevance with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Objective 3: To understand the symptoms of Mahaprabhu’s ecstasy.

Objective 4: To glorify the vision of Mahaprabhu.

Objective 5: To relate this place with Srila Bhakthi Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur & Srila Prabhupada.

Location and Origin

Objective 1: To emphasize the importance of Chataka Parvata in Puri.

The Chataka Parvata is a sand dune situated beside the Tota Gopinath Temple, in the Gaurabatsahi area of Jagannath Puri. It is regarded by Gaudiya Vaishnavas as non-different from Giri Govardhan, the sacred hill in Vrindavan celebrated for Krishna’s pastimes.

Signboard at the entrance to the Bhajan Kutir of Srila Prabhupada, Chataka Parvata —
“Identical with Sri Govardhan”

The Lord Mistakes the Dune for Govardhan

Objective 2: To know more about this place and the relevance with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu moved to Jagannath Puri from Bengal roughly five hundred years ago, after accepting the renounced order of sannyasa. One day, on His way to bathe in the sea, He caught sight of this sand dune and, absorbed in ecstatic love, mistook it for Govardhan Hill itself.

Overwhelmed, Mahaprabhu cried out the verse originally spoken by the gopis of Vrindavan in praise of Govardhan Hill, and ran toward the dune while His associates hurried after Him:

hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo
yad rama-krishna-charana-sparasa-pramodah
manam tanoti saha-go-ganayos tayor yat
paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kanda-mulaih
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.18

The gopis exclaimed that of all the Lord’s servants, Govardhan Hill is the greatest, for it supplies Krishna, Balarama, and Their cows and cowherd friends with drinking water, soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and roots and, jubilant at the touch of Their lotus feet, offers all of this in loving service.

Symptoms of Divine Ecstasy

Objective 3: To understand the symptoms of Mahaprabhu’s ecstasy.

Seeing the Lord’s ecstatic mood, the devotees ran to protect Him from harm, among them Svarupa Damodara, Jagadananda Pandita, Gadadhara Pandita, Ramai, Nandai, Shankara Pandita, Paramananda Puri, Brahmananda Bharati, Bhagavan Acharya and Govinda.

The symptoms of transcendental ecstasy appeared in the Lord’s body; the pores of His skin erupted like pimples and His bodily hairs stood erect. Blood and perspiration flowed from Him without pause and, overcome, He could only utter a choked, gurgling sound. Tears streamed ceaselessly from His eyes and His body turned pale as a conch shell. Trembling, He collapsed to the ground, until Govinda came forward and sprinkled water on Him to revive His senses.

The sand dune of Chataka Parvata, adjoining Tota Gopinath temple

The Vision of Krishna’s Pastimes

Objective 4: To glorify the vision of Mahaprabhu.

As He gradually regained partial external consciousness, Lord Chaitanya described what He had seen, Krishna Himself playing on His flute and tending cows at Govardhan. He had also beheld the gopis, led by Radharani, arriving to meet Krishna.

When Krishna and Radharani withdrew together into a cave, the gopis had asked Mahaprabhu to gather flowers for them — and it was at that very moment that the devotees, raising a great commotion, had carried Him away from Chataka Parvata.

Recounting this vision, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wept, overwhelmed with separation from Krishna. After some time, He returned fully to external consciousness, bathed in the sea, and took lunch together with the assembled devotees.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and Purushottam Gaudiya Math

Objective 5: To relate this place with Srila Bhakthi Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur & Srila Prabhupada.

In later years, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, founder of the worldwide Gaudiya Math institutions, spent time in meditation at Chataka Parvata, absorbed in the pastimes of Krishna and Lord Chaitanya.

In 1922 he established the Purushottam Gaudiya Math at this sacred site and installed the deities of Sri Gaura-Gadadhara and Vinoda Madhava jiu. He also instituted worship of Vyasa deva and Sripad Madhvacharya at the same temple.

A bhajan kutir associated with Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur still stands atop the dune, and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is also remembered to have spent time here in His own spiritual life. Today Chataka Parvata continues to be visited by pilgrims as a place non-different from Govardhan Hill itself, sanctified by the tears and longing of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Location

Chataka Parvata is in the Gaurabatsahi area of Jagannath Puri, immediately beside the Tota Gopinath Temple.