Revatinandana, London, July 13, 1972: The spiritual master who has founded this Hare Krishna movement will address in just a few minutes. Then we’ll begin the procession to Trafalgar Square.
Devotees: Haribol!
Prabhupada: Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this festival, Ratha-yatra festival. This festival is coming down since five thousand years when Lord Krishna, along with His elder brother Balarama and His younger sister Subhadra, all together in a chariot came from Dvaraka to Kuruksetra.
Kuruksetra is still existing, and the Dvaraka, the city, is also still existing. So according to Vedic culture, when there is eclipse, lunar eclipse, people take bath in sacred rivers. So especially they go to Kuruksetra, a pilgrimage.
So Krishna along with His family members, brother and sister, came to Kuruksetra, and receiving this news, the gopis and inhabitants of Vrndavana, where Lord Krishna lived in His childhood, they came to see Him. So amongst the gopis, Srimati Radharani was the chief.
And when she saw Krishna in Kuruksetra in all opulence, She said, “My dear Krishna, You are also here; I am also here. But We are missing Vrndavana. So I wish that You come along with Me again in Vrndavana and We enjoy in the forest of Vrndavana.”
These feelings of separation was preached by Lord Caitanya. So this Ratha-yatra festival is still observed in Jagannath Puri in India. And five hundred years ago Lord Caitanya participated in this festival, and He was in the mode of separation as if Radharani was taking back Krishna to Vrndavana. So this Ratha-yatra festival is a feeling festival for the Vaishnavas. Lord Caitanya taught us how to feel separation of God.
Lord Caitanya never taught us that He had seen God, but He felt the separation of God very severely. Similarly, His next disciples, the Sad-Gosvamis, they also prosecuted their devotional service by separational feelings.
he radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau
So this Ratha-yatra festival is very nice, feelings festival for the Vaishnava. And anyone who is participating in this festival, he’ll gradually develop his dormant love for Krishna. Thank you very much for your kindness.
Devotees: All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Jaya! (end)
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