DOL POORNIMA

DOL POORNIMA

🕉 Dol Poornima is a day of great strength for it is a day that marks the advent of God on earth in the form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He came and rescued undivided Bengal and Orissa largely from the ravages of proselytising Islam. He was the saviour of the depressed classes and gave them an honoured and equal rank with all others as devotees of the Lord Sri Krishna. He thus prevented many a conversion to Islam that would otherwise have resulted. The tradition of the Nagar Sankeertan was his introduction on the streets of Bengal and Orissa which flooded the states with waves of spiritual bliss and drew all to the fold of his Bhakti Movement. One massive prophecy of his has seen filfilment in modern times. Mahaprabhu had prophesied,

"পৃথিবীতে যত আছে নগরাদি গ্রাম,

  সর্বত্র প্রচার হইবে মোর নাম |"

["As many towns and villages there are on earth,

Everywhere shall be preached My Name."]

In the early sixties of the last century an aged gentleman called Abhaycharanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada with supposedly a bare four US dollars sailed for America. Miraculous is what then unfolded. Over the next decade Prabhupada deluged the world with Mahaprabhu's bhaktibhava in the form of his movement which he dubbed ISKCON [International Society for Krishna Consciousness]. Today, the movement has spread to every nook and corner of the world and is truly the fulfilment of Mahaprabhu's prophecy. The Rathayatra which was a national festival for us for centuries is now a global phenomenon.

On this day in revered memory and feeling his palpable Presence, we bow down to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in devotion that is unconditional love. No barter involved. No hope of heaven or fear of hell. No gain or greed fuelling pretentious prostration. Simply sublime love of the devotee responding to sublime love of the Lord. Jai Mahaprabhu! ❤️ 

Written by Sugata Bose