The external and confidential reasons for Śrī Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā

This custom of performing Ratha-yātrā has been prevalent since Satya-yuga. The narration of Ratha-yātrā has been described in the Skanda Purāṇa, Padma Purāṇa, Puruṣottama-māhātmya, Śrī Jagannātha’s Diary, Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta by Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, and in the books of our other Gosvāmīs. The purpose of this Ratha-yātrā is to bestow good fortune upon those who are unable to enter the temple throughout the year, by giving them the opportunity to have darśana of Bhagavān. But this is just the external reason. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has revealed the deep secret behind Rathayātrā. Śrī Jagannātha Mandira is like Dvārakā, or Kurukṣetra, and Guṇḍicā Mandira represents Vṛndāvana.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa stayed in Vraja, where He exhilarated the Vrajavāsīs by His supremely sweet pastimes, from birth until eleven years of age. After that, He left with Akrūra for Mathurā. There He slayed Kaṁsa, thus liberating Śrī Vasudeva and Devakījī from Kaṁsa’s atrocities. Upon Jarāsandha’s repeated attacks on Mathurā, to protect its inhabitants, Kṛṣṇa took all of them to Dvārakā in the middle of the night.

Upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s departure from Vraja, all the Vrajavāsīs became completely aggrieved in separation from Him. After many years, the Vrajavāsīs were reunited with Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra, during a solar eclipse. Having met with Him, the gopīs’ pain of separation from Him did diminish somewhat, but still, seeing Śrī Kṛṣṇa there in royal attire and atmosphere, their hearts did not feel the same wonderful joy they used to feel when meeting with Him in His attire of a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana. During their reunion in Kurukṣetra, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, topmost among all gopīs, said, “O Kṛṣṇa, our mind is Vṛndāvana. Stationed on the chariot of our heart, come with us to that Vṛndāvana, where Your most sweet, love-filled pastimes took place with us.” Deeply moved by the bhāvas of Śrī Rādhājī, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu manifested these bhāvas at the time of Ratha-yātrā.

Source : Śrī Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā
An Account of its Origins and a Description of the
Confidential Moods of Śrī Caitanya Mahäprabhu

Experience Divine Grace: Feed 100,000 Devotees During this Festival and Receive Lord Sri Jagannath’s Special Blessings – Donate Now

Sri Jagannath Puri Ratha Yatra. This grand festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Puri, and we are excited to be a part of it once again. This year, we aim to distribute food for 1 lakh people during the festival. Our team of volunteers is working hard to make this ambitious goal a reality, and we appreciate the support of our donors. Our society is dedicated to serving those in need, and we want to ensure that everyone can enjoy the festivities without going hungry. We are grateful for the community’s support in helping us achieve our mission of creating a hunger-free future for all.

To achieve our goal of distributing food to 1 lakh people, we need the support of your great contribution. We are seeking donations to cover the cost of purchasing the necessary food supplies, as well as to compensate our team of dedicated volunteers who will be working tirelessly to distribute the meals. The amount of donation is greatly appreciated and will go a long way in helping us make a positive impact in the lives of those in need. Together, we can make sure that everyone has access to nutritious food during this auspicious occasion. Explore more charitable work are running by International Goudiya Vedanta Trust’s new program “Food For Soul”