Mahesh Pandit – The Lord and his associates elevate everyone by their grace

Transcript

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Hare Krishna. On the sacred occasion associated with Mahesh Pandit, let us contemplate on his glories.
The Gaurav Ganodesh Deepika which describes the relationships between the associates of Lord Chaitanya and the associates of Lord Krishna, how the associates of Lord Krishna manifested in Gaur Leela, it mentions that this particular person, exalted person, Mahesh Pandit was actually Mahabahu Sakha, one of the very intimate Sakhas in the Leelas of Vrindavan and in his Gaur Leela, he was especially an intimate associate of Lord Nityananda. He is described as the Param Mahanta, as the greatest among great souls because of being so intimate and dear to Lord Nityananda and he participated as an intimate associate in many of the most important pastimes of Lord Nityananda. For example, one of the most important pastimes that Lord Nityananda performed is not just delivering Jagai and Madhai but even delivering Raghunatha Das Thakur.
Through the delivery of Jagai and Madhai, Lord Nityananda demonstrated his unparalleled, unconditional mercy which can come to anyone and everyone but through Raghunatha Das Thakur, he demonstrated another principle. Even if somebody is eager to receive mercy, at that time, one cannot get that mercy easily unless one gets the mercy of the devotees, of the representatives of the Lord. So, Lord Chaitanya’s mercy came through Lord Nityananda who is representing him.
Of course, Lord Nityananda is the Lord itself but in this case, he was acting as a servant of Lord Chaitanya. So, when Raghunatha Das Thakur served Lord Nityananda, he performed a magnificent Panihati Chiradahi festival. It is also called the Danda Mahotsav because that was the punishment which Lord Nityananda gave to Raghunatha Das Thakur.
He was staying at a far distance away from him, feeling too impure to approach Lord Nityananda. So, Lord Nityananda playfully called him close by and said, you’re staying away like a thief. I’ll punish you and your punishment is feed all the Vaishnavas.
It is Danda Mahotsav. So, the celebration of punishment. Where do we see such a thing? I mean, punishment is never a celebration normally but it was here in this case and it was in this festival that Mahesh Pandit participated and Mahesh Pandit had his own deities, very beautiful deities at his home and he would worship them diligently and he would travel around with Lord Chaitanya.
Now, his home has shifted from one place to another because of the very flow of the Ganga and it is considered to be a very sacred place in Navadvip Mandal and the Sanskrit author mentions about his home with the deities over there. The Gauranathai deities are extremely beautiful and Mahesh Pandit is also considered by some Gaudiya sources as another brother of the two brothers Hiranya Pandit and Mahesh Pandit and Gauranathai Pandit. Actually, these three were the brothers according to some Gaudiya sources and they were all in their own way exalted devotees of Lord Chaitanya.
So, he demonstrates the principle of how just by the presence of an associate, the Lord sends blessings to so many people. He just by manifesting his pastimes over here. Now, with the sources that we have, we don’t know much about his glories but the very fact that his name finds mention among the special select associates of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Ityananda indicates his glory and by praying to him, we can understand more and more the glory of Lord Chaitanya as he has understood and we can get gratitude for the gift that Lord Chaitanya has given and then take greater and greater shelter of the bhakti that they are giving to us.
Thank you. Shri Mahesh Pandit ki Jai. Hare Krishna.