Rath Yatra

Asaadh Sud 2: Rath Yatra Utsav is celebrated on the 'Pushya Nakshatra' on this day.

Seva Prakaar: On the day before Utsav, the 'Rath' i.e. chariot of Shree Prabhu with horses are kept ready for Shree Prabhu. Next day, 'Adhivasan' of this chariot i.e. 'Rath' is done. Today Raag Malhaar is started to sung in kirtans by doing first, the alapchari - 'Shree Govardhanodharan Dhir Param Dayal Laadilo Lalan Var Gaayiye..'.After Adhivasan, from today onwards kirtans are sung in Raag Malhaar. In some Gruhs, the horses are not tied with the Chariot e.g. Shree Navnitpriyaji's Gruh.

Shree Prabhu sits on 'Rath' during Rajbhog Darshan or Shrungar Darshan (As per Gruh's pranalika). In this darshan, four bhogs are offered to Shree Prabhu and Four darshans of Shree Prabhu are done. During these bhogs, specially the samagri of 'Bij Laddu' is offered to Shree Prabhu.

Bhav Bhavna:

This utsav is very well known utsav in Jaganaathpuri and this utsav is celebrated with great enthusiasm. The same pranalika was also accepted by Shree Mahaprabhuji in pushtimarg. But the 'Bhav' divine sentiment behind this celebration is with the bhav of 'Vrajpati' i.e. 'Vrajpati' i.e. Shree Prabhu now visits personally each and every Vrajbhaktas to fulfill their manorathas. Vrajbhaktas are broadly categorised in four groups i.e.

1. Satvik

2. Rajasic

3. Tamasic

4. Nirguna

Thus with the bhav of these four groups of Vrajbhaktas, four bhogs are offered to Shree Prabhu.

The Four darshans have below bhav:

1. First Darshan: Shree Prabhu starts visit from Nandalaya

2. Second Darshan: Shree Prabhu halts at the places of Vrajanganas

3. Third Darshan: Shree Prabhu meets Shree Vrushbhannandini at Barsana

4. Fourth Darshan: Shree Prabhu Visits Nikunjas and returns back to Nandalay

The First Rathyatra Utsav in pushtimarg was celebrated by Shree Gusaiji to Shree Navnitpriyaji Thakurji. Shree Jaganaathji ordered Shree Gusaiji to include this utsav in pushtimarg and thus Shree Gusaiji ordered Carpenter named 'Raasa' to make 'Rath' for Shree Prabhu.

On V.S. 1616 on Maha Sud Teras when Shree Gusaiji with Shree Shobha Betiji and Shree Girdharji went to Shree Jaganaathpuriji, their Apshri stayed for 6 months and their, with the orders of Shree Jagannathji, Shree Gusaiji started celebrating this utsav in pushtimarg. At that time, Madhavdas, sevak of Shree Gusaiji sang the kirtan 'Jai Shree Jagannath Hari Deva ..'. Listening to this kirtan, Shree Gusaiji became very happy and ordered to keep this kirtan as the primary Rathyatra kirtan.

source: vallabhkankaroli.org