Lord Shiva Comes to Mayapur (2006)
On the 9th of April Lord Shiva in a unique form visited Mayapur for the first time.
Pankajanghri Prabhu reports:
Hamsa Vahan Shiva – The ancient Deity of Lord Shiva lying on the back of Lord Brahma’s swan carrier. He, being in great haste to reach Navadvip to hear Gaura Katha, abandoned his own carrier Nandi at Brahmaloka and borrowed his father’s faster swan aeroplane.
The Deity resides submerged in a lake in Madhyadwip except for about one week a year when he leaves the lake for parikrama and to bless his devotees.
This year was historical as he made his first visit to ISKCON Mayapur. It was the day after HH Jayapataka Swami’s Vyasa-puja, so there were 1000 devotees gathered here.
He was brought by boat to Srila Prabhupada’s ghat and greeted by a kirtan party. He was then carried on a flower chariot to a decorated maṇḍapa. The pujaris offered a mahā-abhisheka, and then about 1000 devotees also bathed him. After that, he was carried into the Pañca-tattva Temple and offered a great feast of mahā-prasādam.
Then the devotees carrying him circumambulated the Deities with a roaring kirtan, and finally accompanied him back to the boat. This may become a regular feature each year.
(Mayapur Journal 2006 Gaura Purnima)