Barakona Ghat
Ten meters north of this lies one ghat that attracts the minds of town people. This exceedingly beautiful ghat is called Barakona Ghat. It was constructed on Krishna’s order by Visvakarma. At this ghat, you will see five Siva temple with five lingas and these four ghats make Mayapur very beautiful. Moreover, whoever takes bath here is relieved of all miseries.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 5)
The saṅkīrtana movement started by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, Twenty-third Chapter, beginning with verse 241, which states, “My dear Lord, let my mind be fixed at Your lotus feet.” Following Lord Caitanya’s chanting, all the devotees reproduced the same sound He chanted. In this way the Lord proceeded, leading the entire party on the strand roads by the bank of the Ganges. When the Lord came to His own ghāṭa, or bathing place, He danced more and more. Then He proceeded to Mādhāi’s ghāṭa. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Lord, who was known as Viśvambhara, danced all over the banks of the Ganges. Then He proceeded to Bārakoṇā-ghāṭa, then Nāgariyā-ghāṭa, and, traveling through Gaṅgānagara, reached Simuliyā, a quarter at one end of the town. All these places surround Śrī Māyāpur. After reaching Simuliyā, the Lord proceeded toward the Kazi’s house, and in this way He reached the door of Chand Kazi.
(CC Adi 17.141)
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu walked through Rāḍha-deśa and gradually arrived at the Ganges. After bathing in the river, he crossed it and went to Kuliyā. Because He had promised His mother He would return to Navadvīpa, He went to Vārakoṇā-ghāṭa, a village near His house.
(CC Madhya 16.207 purport)
Then Lord Caitanya married Viṣṇupriyā, the goddess of fortune, and thereafter He conquered a champion of learning named Keśava Kāśmīrī.
PURPORT
…It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara that Keśava Kāśmīrī was a favorite devotee of mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning. By her grace he was an extremely influential scholar, and he was the greatest champion among all the scholars in the four corners of the country. Therefore he got the title dig-vijayī, which means “one who has conquered everyone in all directions.” He belonged to a very respectable brāhmaṇa family of Kashmir. Later, by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he gave up the profession of winning championships and became a great devotee. He joined the Nimbārka-sampradāya, one of the Vaiṣṇava communities of the Vedic culture.
(CC Adi 16.25)
He was now so renowned that He was considered to be the best pandit in Nadia. Keshab Misra of Kashmere, who had called himself the Great Digvijayi, came to Nadia with a view to discuss with the pandits of that place. Afraid of the so-called conquering pandit, the tol professors of Nadia left their town on pretence of invitation, and Keshab met Mahaprabhu at the Barokonaghat in Mayapur and, after a very short discussion with Him, he got defeated by the Boy and mortification obliged him to decamp. Nimai Pandit was now the most important pandit of His times.
(Teachings of Lord Chaitanya Prologue)
“While saying this, They combined in one form as Gauranga. Nimbārka was astounded on seeing that form and exclaimed, Never have I seen or heard of such a remarkable form anywhere!’
“Mahaprabhu said, ‘Please keep this form secret now. Just preach krsna-bhakti and the pastimes of Radha and Krsna, for I am very happy in those pastimes. When I appear as Gauranga, I will enjoy educational pastimes. At that time, you will take birth in Kashmir and tour India as a champion scholar out to defeat all opponents. Your name will be Kesava Kasmiri, and you will be celebrated everywhere for your great learning.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 16)
Information – 2. Barkona Ghat : Where Mahaprabhu defeated Pandit Keshab Bhatta, a prodigious scholar of world-wide fame and victory who later on became a disciple of Mahaprabhu.
(THE HARMONIST AS IT IS VOL.2 (VOL. XXVI, June 1928 – May 1929), Page 187)
