Sri Gaura-Aroti
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Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness
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Kiba jaya jaya gauracandera arotiko sobha. This is the first line of offering sundara arotik. Arotik means to receive the Lord with so many offerings. First with incense, then with blazing light of camphor, then candles, then offering water in the conchshell, then offering a handkerchief, then a flower, then fanning and at the end, blowing the conchshell three times. Each item, except the conchshell, has to be circled seven times, beginning from the feet, lotus feet of the Lord. Then on the abdomen, then on the chest, then on the face. In this way, seven times, each item has to be circled round. This is the process.
So the arotik is going on, and the devotees are singing that, ”All glories to Lord Caitanya, Gauracand." Gauracand is another name of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So here it is said, jaya jaya gauracandera arotiko sobha. The beautiful arotik ceremony is being performed to receive the Lord, Caitanya, and where it is being performed? On the bank of the Ganges, because Lord Caitanya’s house was on the bank of the Ganges, Mayapur. So everyone is seeing the arotik, and they are saying that, janavi tata vane, on the bank of the Ganges, this arotik is going on, and it is so enchanting, that it is attracting the mind of the whole world. Jaga jana mana lobha. Lobha means attract, and jaga jana means all persons of the world. That means Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His activities are attractive for everyone, without exception. Jaga jana mana lobha.
Then, on the right side of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, dakine nitai cand. Dakine means on the right side, and bame gadadhara. Gadadhara is on the left side, and Advaita is nearby and Srivas is just by the side of Gadadhara, and is offering camara. The camara is the bunch of hair, fanning. All the demigods, they have come to see the nice arotik offered to Lord Caitanya. Lord Brahma has come, Narada has come, Lord Siva has come to see how nice the arotik is, and there is a nice garland on the neck of Lord Caitanya, especially, so when devotees are offering arotik, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is feeling very satisfied, and He is moving a little bit, this side, that side, and the garland is also moving. So it is so nice to see, and nice to enjoy, but this enjoyment can be perceived by such persons who has surrendered unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. Others cannot see the beauty. So this is the opulence of Lord Caitanya, and the opulence of Lord Caitanya can be understood by a person who has surrendered everything unto the Lord.
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