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Śāstra‑mārga Darśanam — daily lila contemplation

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A śāstra‑mārga darśanam page: image + śāstra pramāṇa + practice.

Guṇḍicā–Mārjana‑līlā

Guṇḍicā–mārjana-līlā — Mahāprabhu cleanses the Guṇḍicā temple before Ratha‑yātrā
Śāstra‑mārga Guṇḍicā–Mārjana‑līlā
गुण्डिचा–मर्जन‑लीला — Guṇḍicā–Mārjana‑līlā
Mahāprabhu cleanses the Guṇḍicā temple (service before Ratha‑yātrā)

Saṅkṣepa (short meaning)

Before Ratha‑yātrā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally leads the devotees in cleansing the Guṇḍicā temple. With brooms, waterpots, and joyful determination, they wash away dust and debris until the entire temple shines. This līlā reveals a deep secret of bhakti: preparing a place for the Lord means first preparing the heart—removing pride, neglect, and distraction through humble service.

"prathame prabhu guṇḍicā-mandira karāilā śodhana
tāhāṅ yata raja-mala, sakala nirdhūna"

First the Lord arranged for the cleaning of the Guṇḍicā temple. All the dust and refuse within the temple were completely removed.

— Śrī Caitanya‑caritāmṛta, Madhya‑līlā 12.1

Śāstra‑pramāṇa (scriptural proof)

CC Madhya 12.1 — Arranging the cleansing
prathame prabhu guṇḍicā-mandira karāilā śodhana
tāhāṅ yata raja-mala, sakala nirdhūna Translation: First the Lord arranged for the cleaning of the Guṇḍicā temple. All the dust and refuse within the temple were completely removed.
CC Madhya 12.4 — Mahāprabhu’s personal involvement
mahāprabhu śodhana karena svayaṁ haya yukta
karena śodhana saba bhaktera saṅga mukta Meaning: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally engaged in the cleaning. All the devotees, free from material attachment, joined Him in the cleaning.
CC Madhya 12.14 — Cleaning even hidden places
yata ghara, gavākṣa, kāṇḍa, kāṇḍāra, koṇa-sthāna
śodhāilā, nā rahilā raja-malera cihna Meaning: They cleaned every room, window, raised platform, corner and hidden place. Not a trace of dust or dirt remained.
CC Madhya 12.19 — Joy in service
śodhana kariyā prabhu ha-ilā santuṣṭa
dekhiyā sabāra kṛṣṇa-premera vistṛṣṭa Meaning: After finishing the cleaning, the Lord was very satisfied, seeing everyone’s abundant love for Kṛṣṇa.

Tattva (what this lila teaches)

Bhakti begins with śuddhi (purification): sincere service cleanses the heart for the Lord’s presence.
Humility is strength: the Lord Himself teaches by taking the mood of a servant.
Attention to “hidden dust”: subtle anarthas remain unless we clean deeply and repeatedly.
Sevā as preparation for festival: true celebration starts with inner readiness.

Sevā today (practice for this day — 20 January 2026)

1) Chant with the prayer
Chant one focused round with the prayer: “Let my heart become a clean place for You.”
2) Do one small cleaning service
Clean your home, altar, or workspace today as a conscious offering to the Lord.
3) Remove one “hidden dust” habit
Remove one distraction, complaint, or harsh word—replace it with gratitude and gentle speech.
"yata ghara, gavākṣa, kāṇḍa, kāṇḍāra, koṇa-sthāna
śodhāilā, nā rahilā raja-malera cihna"

They cleaned every room, window, raised platform, corner and hidden place. Not a trace of dust or dirt remained.

— Śrī Caitanya‑caritāmṛta, Madhya‑līlā 12.14

How to use this darśanam page

This page provides a complete śāstra‑mārga contemplation on the Guṇḍicā‑mārjana līlā. Use it for daily meditation: View the image → read the narration → study the śāstra pramāṇa → contemplate the tattva → perform the seva. The structure is fixed to maintain śāstric integrity while allowing deep personal reflection.