By Satyaraja Dasa Maharaja Prataparudra, a king who played a central role in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s life, is mentioned in all of Lord Chaitanya’s sacred biographies as well as in secular historical records. For example, Prabhat Mukherjee, a scholar of Orissan history, has written several books on the Chaitanya tradition, touching on Maharaja Prataparudra’s genealogy and political career. Such historical accounts tell us that the wise king Purushottam Deva ruled Orissa until 1497, when he was succeeded by Prataparudra, who ruled until 1540, about seven years after Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned to His eternal abode. Following the tradition of kings in his line, Prataparudra accepted the titles Gajapati and Gaudeshwar. His empire extended from the Ganges in Bengal to Karnataka, with his capital city in Cuttack, Orissa.

Though his capital was in Cuttack, like Gajapati kings before him he is also associated with Puri, the holy city in Orissa on the Bay of Bengal. Puri is the home of the Jagannatha temple and has been a pilgrimage site for centuries

Historical documents tell of Prataparudra’s battles with both Hussein Shah, the ruler of Bengal, and King Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar, a South Indian kingdom. Hussein Shah played a role in the history of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, leading disciples of Lord Chaitanya, were ministers in the Shah’s government before retiring to join Lord Chaitanya’s mission.

Despite recurring battles during his rule, King Prataparudra led a disciplined and religious life. This is evident from the following account, given to the Vijayanagar emperor by a spy in his court:

[The Gajapati king] gets up from bed early in the morning two hours before sunrise and salutes two Brahmins before looking at any other person. Then accompanied by the Sixteen Patras [the Brahminical council], he goes on a ride of about twenty or thirty miles before returning to the palace. After taking his bath, he engages himself in the daily worship of Lord Jagannath, after which he takes his midday meal. After food, he recites the Ramayana. Then, putting on official robes bedecked with jewels, he sits in the court and transacts his daily business.

—From Dr. R. Subrahmanyam, The Suryavamsi Gajapatis of Orissa

A book called Sarasvati-vilasa, accepted as authoritative by Orissan historians, says that King Prataparudra had four queens, named Padma, Padmalaya, Ila, and Mahila. It is also written that by the time of his death, Prataparudra had thirty-two sons and several daughters. Among his many children, Sarasvati-vilasa highlights the life of one son, Purushottam. Chaitanya-charitamrita (Antya 3.9.99) and Bhakti-ratnakara (6.65) also speak of Purushottam, confirming information from secular texts.

Documents of the Jagannatha temple inform us that even before meeting Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Prataparudra followed the custom of sweeping the road before Lord Jagannatha’s chariot. They also tell us that he was well educated and a patron of learning and brahminical culture. He had already acquired knowledge of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and discussed truths about Krishna with Ramananda Raya, one of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s most important associates and the governor, under the king, of Rajamahendri in the south.

Ramananda Raya dedicates the prefatory verse of every song in his devotional play Jagannatha-Vallabha-Natakam to King Prataparudra, indicating the extent of the king’s attraction for hearing the pastimes of Radha and Krishna. The king’s soft, devotional heart is perhaps most clearly evident in the story behind a painting he commissioned. After many of the Lord’s intimate associates had passed on, the king wanted to “immortalize” them for the pleasure of the remaining Vaishnavas, particularly for Srinivasa, a greatly respected second-generation devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. As the story goes, when Srinivasa arrived in Puri he hoped to study the Bhagavatam under Gadadhara Pandita. But Gadadhara’s manuscript had been irreparably damaged by his tears of spiritual ecstasy. So he sent Srinivasa back to Bengal to get another copy. But by the time he returned, Gadadhara had passed away, leaving Srinivasa disconsolate. To assuage Srinivasa’s grief, Maharaja Prataparudra gave him the painting, so that he could regularly meditate on the Lord and His devotees. The grandson of Srinivasa later gave it to a devotee named Nanda Kumar, which is how it arrived in Kunja-ghat, Kumar’s ancestral home.

The authenticity of this painting has come into question. Did King Prataparudra actually commissioned it? This doubt has been exacerbated by the fact that there are several modern renditions of the original work, all with variations. Gopal Gosh, of the Vrindavan Research Institute (UP, India)—where such things are thoroughly analyzed and catalogued—states after extensive study, “There is no doubt about the authenticity of the painting.” Still, not everyone agrees. But it is certain that the painting has been part of the tradition for several centurie

s.

( Illustration from "Chaitanya's Life and Teachings by Jadunath Sarkar, Calcutta, 1922. The painting depicts King Prataparudra offering obeisances to Lord Chaitanya, who is sitting with Advaita Acharya, Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Acarya, Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis, Gadadhara (reading Bhagavad-gita), and Haridasa Thakur (standing). This image is found in the Chaitanya's Life and Teachings manuscript by J. Sarkar, and as the caption states, the painting was in the possession of the Zamindar of Kunjaghata. Raja Prataparudra of Puri ordered this likeness of Sri Chaitanya to be painted in watercolours, with the King himself depicted lying prostrate before his great spiritual teacher.)

Though there is compelling historical evidence for Pratapuradra’s existence and his reign in sixteenth-century India, as we have seen, his importance as a monarch is overshadowed by his spiritual significance in the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya. The book Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika, by Kavi Karnapura, is accepted by spiritual masters in Lord Chaitanya’s line as the authority on identifying the associates of Lord Chaitanya. In Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (118) the author writes, “Maharaja Prataparudra, who was as powerful as Lord Indra, had formerly been Maharaja Indradyumna, who began the worship of Lord Jagannatha.” It is no wonder, therefore, that as Prataparudra this soul is intimately connected to Jagannatha yet again, but this time through the grace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

On a Quest to Meet the Lord The blessings that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu showered on King Prataparudra have been documented in most of Lord Chaitanya’s biographies: Murari Gupta’s Kadaca, Vrindavana Dasa Thakura’s Chaitanya-Bhagavata, Kavi Karnapura’s Chaitanya-charitamrita-maha-kavya and Chaitanya-candrodaya-nataka, Locana Dasa’s Chaitanya-mangala, and Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami’s Chaitanya-charitamrita. They tell essentially the same story:

King Prataparudra, though a monarch, was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Naturally, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself, came to Puri, the king wanted to see Him. But Mahaprabhu told His associates, “I cannot give him what he wants. Because he is a king, he is like a black serpent.” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then made His position clearer. “For a renunciant like Me,” He said, “it is risky to associate with two kinds of people: women, and persons involved in worldly matters.

”

Although this particular king was a very advanced devotee, Mahaprabhu, on principle, still denied him His association. Lord Chaitanya was very strict, setting an example for others who would take up the life of renunciation. When Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acharya, Ramananda Raya, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya—all beloved associates of Lord Chaitanya—requested Him to see the king, He told them, “I’ll leave Puri and going to Alalanatha, or somewhere else. I will not remain here. You can remain here with him. But I will not.” This is how strongly He felt about avoiding the association of men involved in money and power.

Disappointed, Prataparudra was ready to renounce the world himself. If Lord Chaitanya would not see him because of his royal position, then why not give it up? Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Ramananda Raya, and the others told Lord Chaitanya of the king’s determination, and Lord Chaitanya was pleased. Still, He stood by His vow of renunciation and again asserted that He would avoid the king, despite the king’s devotion.

Nityananda Prabhu then suggested that Lord Chaitanya, out of His mercy, send the king a piece of His outer garment to appease him. Lord Chaitanya did so, and Prataparudra worshiped that garment as if it were Lord Chaitanya Himself.

Ultimately, the great devotee Ramananda Raya interceded on the king’s behalf, and by his prodding, Lord Chaitanya agreed to see the king’s son. After all, Lord Chaitanya reasoned, “a son is one’s own self born again,” as the saying goes. And the young prince was naturally not as ensconced in worldly matters as his father. So Lord Chaitanya’s associates brought the boy to Him.

The prince was dark-hued and handsome, reminding Lord Chaitanya of Krishna Himself. Lord Chaitanya showed him special mercy. Upon seeing the boy, Mahaprabhu embraced him, and the young prince swooned in ecstatic love for Krishna. Later, he went to his father, Prataparudra, who naturally embraced his son as well and received that same intense love.

Sarvabhauma’s Plan

Feeling Lord Chaitanya’s ecstatic love for Krishna, the king now wanted to be in Mahaprabhu’s presence more than ever. Sarvabhauma then devised a plan: The Rathayatra festival would soon be held in Puri, and in spiritual bliss Mahaprabhu would no doubt dance like a madman before the cart of Lord Jagannatha. After a while, Lord Chaitanya would want to rest and would retire to a nearby garden. At that point, the king could, in the dress of a commoner, approach Lord Chaitanya while reciting intimate passages from the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. These sweet verses never failed to move Lord Chaitanya into ecstatic trance. Mahaprabhu would then embrace the king under the assumption that he was a simple Vaishnava.

The day of the festival finally came, and it was marked by the king’s humble act of sweeping the road before Lord Jagannatha. When Mahaprabhu saw this, He was inclined to the king more than ever, and He bore this in mind as He ecstatically sang and danced before the majestic cart. At one point, His mystic reverie reaching a crescendo, He nearly pass out. By His divine arrangement He allowed Prataparudra to be right at His side to catch Him in his arms. The touch of the king, however, restored Mahaprabhu to His senses, and He chided Himself for having touched a worldly person. The Chaitanya-charitamrita tells us something deeper: Lord Chaitanya inwardly relished His association with the king but needed to set an example for others in the renounced order of life.

Sarvabhauma’s plan, too, was enacted later on in the festival, and the king indeed received the embrace of Lord Chaitanya.

It is said that Prataparudra turned over the kingdom to his son even while Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was present in this world. Soon after Lord Chaitanya’s passing, he was so grief-stricken that he left Puri. According to Bhakti-ratnakara (3.217-221), “When the king heard that Lord Chaitanya had departed, he fell to the ground and lamented. Hitting his head again and again, he fell unconscious, and only the company of Ramananda Raya kept him alive. The king was unable to bear the absence of Lord Chaitanya, and so he left Puri, staying elsewhere for the rest of his days.”

Historian N. N. Vasu writes in his Archeological Report of Mayurbhanj that Maharaja Prataparudra started for Vrindavana but didn’t make it there. While en route, he passed away in the village of Ramachandrapur in the Mayurbhanj district of Orissa about eleven miles south of the district capital, Baripada. The name of the village was then changed to Pratappur in his honor, and it is known by that name today.

There is a temple in this town with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Jagannath and Dadhivaman deities. The priests of this temple say that when Mahaprabhu left Puri for Vrindavan, Prataparudra had a wooden murti of the Lord made. When Mahaprabhu disappeared, the King decided to retire to Vrindavan. He left with this Chaitanya deity, but when he arrived at Ramachandrapur, he fell ill and could not proceed. Knowing that his death was near, he made land endowments and engaged 54 Brahmin priests for the deities’ continued service. From this time onward, the town was known as Pratapapur. The king of Mayurbhanj than built a temple in Pratapapur which got desecrated due to foreign invasion . are now being worshipped in a small hut. A building reputed to be Maharaja Prataparudra’s samadhi stood near the Pratapapur Dak Bungalow, but it slipped into the river during a flood. Even so, many pilgrims still come to Pratapapur to worship the deity of Mahaprabhu on the his appearance day in the month of Phalgun (March).

On his way to Jagannath puri from Vrindavan ,Rupgoswami reached Orissa. In the province of Orissa there is a place known as Satyabhama-pura (in district of Kataka & is near the village known as Jankadei-pura).. Srila Rupa Gosvami rested for a night in that village on his way to Jagannatha Puri. While resting in Satyabhama-pura, he dreamed that a celestially beautiful woman came before him and very mercifully gave him the following order.“Write a separate drama about me,” she said. “By my mercy it will be extraordinarily beautiful.” After having that dream, Srila Rupa Gosvami considered, “It is the order of Satyabhama that I write a separate drama for her.I have brought together in one work all the pastimes performed by Lord Krsna in Vrndavana and in Dvaraka. Now I shall have to divide them into two dramas.” (Ref Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya Lila chapter

Deity of Sakshi Gopal in Kataka (Cuttack) – From the Anantavarman inscription of King Prataparudra deva, it is understood that his father Purshottam deva while marrying Padmini had defeated herfather the King of Karnataka, Nrsimha, and brought the Deity of Sakshi Gopala to Cuttack

The Saksi-gopala temple is situated between the Khurda Road railway station and the Jagannatha Puri station. The Deity is not presently situated in Kataka, but when Nityananda Prabhu traveled there, the Deity was present. Kataka is a town in Orissa situated on the Mahanadi River. When Saksi-gopala was brought from Vidyanagara in southern India, He stayed for some time at Kataka. Thereafter, He was situated for some time in the Jagannatha temple. It seems that in the temple of Jagannatha there was some disagreement between Jagannatha and Saksi-gopala, a disagreement called prema-kalaha, a quarrel of love. In order to settle this love quarrel, the King of Orissa constructed a village about eleven miles from Jagannatha Puri. The village was called Satyavadi, and Gopala was stationed there. Thereafter, a new temple was constructed. Now there is a Saksi-gopala station, and people go to Satyavadi to see the witness Gopala. (Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhyalila 5.10) Lord chaitanya Mahaprabhus visits to Cuttack.

From Chaitanya Bhagavat Antyakhanda chapter 2

TEXT 301
hena-mate mahanande sri-gaurasundara ailena kata dine kataka-nagara

In this way Sri Gaurasundara traveled in great ecstasy for a few days and then arrived at Cuttack. CB Antya-khanda 2.302 

TEXT 302
bhagyavati-mahanadi jale kari' snana ailena prabhu saksi-gopalera sthana

After taking bath in the sacred Mahanadi River, the Lord went to the temple of Saksi-gopala. Cuttack is situated between the Mahanadi River and Katjudi and is the capitol of Orissa. A branch of Sri Caitanya Matha, named Sri Sac-cid-ananda Matha, has been established in this city. The Deity of Sri Gaurasundara and Sri Vinoda-ramana Jiu are regularly worshiped within the temple. From this temple various devotional scriptures and spiritual magazines are published in Oriya language. CB Antya-khanda 2.303

TEXT 303
dekhi' saksi-gopalera lavanya mohana ananda karena prabhu hunkara garjana

Upon seeing the sweet, enchanting form of Saksi-gopala, the Lord roared loudly in ecstasy. The Mahanadi River flows on the northern side of Cuttack. The Deity of Saksi-gopala was in Cuttack during the time of Sriman Mahaprabhu. This Deity was later transferred to a village named Saksi-gopala. After the disappearance of Sri Mahaprabhu this Deity of Saksi-gopala was first brought to the temple of Jagannatha and later installed in a separate village. This Deity has a large, four-armed form. The old story of Saksi-gopala is described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Five. CB Antya-khanda 2.304

TEXT 304
`prabhu', bali' namaskara karena stavana adbhuta karena prema-ananda-krandana

The Lord cried out, “Prabhu!” and offered obeisances and prayers. He then began to cry wonderfully in ecstatic love. Saksi-gopala was previously situated in Cuttack on the bank of the Mahanadi River. When Saksi-gopala was first brought from South India, He stayed for some time in Cuttack and then stayed for some time in the Jagannatha temple in Purusottama. After some loving quarrel took place there, the King of Orissa established the village of Satyavadi six miles from Purusottama and kept Saksi-gopala there. At present Sri Saksi-gopala is being worshiped in a full-fledged temple. For a description of Saksi-gopala, one should read Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Five. CB Antya-khanda 2.305

TEXT 305
yara mantre sakala murtite vaise prana sei prabhu—sri-krsna-caitanyacandra nama

Life is invoked in the Deity forms of the Supreme Lord by chanting His holy names. That Lord has now appeared as Sri Krsna Caitanya. The system of invoking life in the Deity form of the Supreme Lord by chanting the maha-mantra given by Sri Gaura is practiced in the Sri Gaudiya-sampradaya. Without chanting the Lord's holy names, the concept that the arca-vigraha is made of stone does not disappear. The rules and regulations for worship that Sri Krsna Caitanyadeva prescribed according to the concepts of the krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam verse consist of lively and proper worship of the Lord's Deity, based simply on chanting the maha-mantra. Wherever the Lord's service is performed without the physical involvement of the worshiper or wherever the worship is performed as a matter of formality, such worship and such deities are devoid of life. Chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra preached by Sri Gaurasundara is the topmost lively form of worship for a worshiper. CB Antya-khanda 2.306

TEXT 306
tathapiha niravadhi kare dasya-lila avatara haile haya ei mata khela

Yet in this incarnation the Lord always relished enacting pastimes as a servant. CB Antya-khanda 2.307

TEXT 307
tabe prabhu ailena sri-bhuvanesvara gupta-kasi-vasa yatha karena sankara

Thereafter the Lord went to Sri Bhuvanesvara, known also as Gupta-kasi, where Lord Sankara resides. Lord Chaitanya Visits Kataka from Chaitanya charitamrita – Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya lila 5th chapter

TEXT 116
gopala rahila, dunhe karena sevana dekhite aila saba desera loka-jana

Lord Gopala stayed, and the two brahmanas engaged in His service. After hearing of the incident, many people from different countries began to come to see Gopala.

TEXT 117
se desera raja aila ascarya sunina parama santosa paila gopale dekhina Eventually the King of that country heard this wonderful story, and he also came to see Gopala and thus became very satisfied.

TEXT 118
mandira kariya raja seva calaila ‘saksi-gopala’ bali’ tanra nama khyati haila

The King constructed a nice temple, and regular service was executed. Gopala became very famous under the name of Saksi-gopala [the witness Gopala].

TEXT 119
ei mata vidyanagare saksi-gopala seva angikara kari’ achena cira-kala

Thus Saksi-gopala stayed in Vidyanagara and accepted service for a very long time.

PURPORT This city of Vidyanagara is situated in Trailanga-desa, South India, on the bank of the river Godavari. The place where the Godavari flows into the Bay of Bengal is called Kotadesa. The Orissa kingdom was very powerful, and Kotadesa was the capital of Orissa. It was then known as Vidyanagara. Formerly this city was situated on the southern side of the river Godavari. At that time King Purusottama-deva managed to control Orissa and appoint a government. The present city of Vidyanagara is on the southeast side of the river, only twenty to twenty-five miles from Rajahmundry. During the time of Maharaja Prataparudra, Sri Ramananda Raya was the governor there. Vijaya-nagara is not identical with Vidyanagara.

TEXT 120
utkalera raja purusottama-deva nama sei desa jini’ nila kariya sangrama

Later there was a fight, and this country was conquered by King Purusottama-deva of Orissa.

TEXT 121
sei raja jini’ nila tanra simhasana ‘manikya-simhasana’ nama aneka ratana

That King was victorious over the King of Vidyanagara, and he took possession of his throne, the Manikya-simhasana, which was bedecked with many jewels.

TEXT 122
purusottama-deva sei bada bhakta arya gopala-carane mage,—‘cala mora rajya’

King Purusottama-deva was a great devotee and was advanced in the civilization of the Aryans. He begged at the lotus feet of Gopala, “Please come to my kingdom.”

TEXT 123 tanra bhakti-vase gopala tanre ajna dila gopala la-iya sei katake aila

When the King begged Him to come to his kingdom, Gopala, who was already obliged for his devotional service, accepted his prayer. Thus the King took the Gopala Deity and went back to Kataka.

TEXT 124
jagannathe ani’ dila manikya-simhasana katake gopala-seva karila sthapana

After winning the Manikya throne, King Purusottama-deva took it to Jagannatha Puri and presented it to Lord Jagannatha. In the meantime, he also established regular worship of the Gopala Deity at Kataka.

TEXT 125
tanhara mahisi aila gopala-darsane bhakti kari’ bahu alankara kaila samarpane

When the Gopala Deity was installed at Kataka, the Queen of Purusottama-deva went to see Him and, with great devotion, presented various kinds of ornaments.

TEXT 126
tanhara nasate bahu-mulya mukta haya taha dite iccha haila, manete cintaya

The Queen had a very valuable pearl, which she wore on her nose, and she wished to give it to Gopala. She then began to think as follows.

TEXT 127
thakurera nasate yadi chidra thakita tabe ei dasi mukta nasaya paraita “If there were a hole in the Deity’s nose, I could transfer the pearl to Him.”

TEXT 128
eta cinti’ namaskari’ gela sva-bhavane ratri-sese gopala tanre kahena svapane

Considering this, the Queen offered her obeisances to Gopala and returned to her palace. That night she dreamed that Gopala appeared and began to speak to her as follows.

TEXT 129 “
balya-kale mata mora nasa chidra kari’ mukta paranachila bahu yatna kari’

“During My childhood My mother made a hole in My nose and with great endeavor set a pearl there.

TEXT 130
sei chidra adyapiha achaye nasate sei mukta paraha, yaha cahiyacha dite”

“That very hole is still there, and you can use it to set the pearl you desired to give Me.”

TEXT 131 svapne dekhi’ sei rani rajake kahila raja-saha mukta lana mandire aila

After dreaming this, the Queen explained it to her husband, the King. Both the King and the Queen then went to the temple with the pearl.

TEXT 132 paraila mukta nasaya chidra dekhina maha-mahotsava kaila anandita hana

Seeing the hole in the nose of the Deity, they set the pearl there and, being very pleased, held a great festival.

TEXT 133
sei haite gopalera katakete sthiti ei lagi ‘saksi-gopala’ nama haila khyati Since then, Gopala has been situated in the city of Kataka [Cuttak], and He has been known ever since as Saksi-gopala.

TEXT 134
nityananda-mukhe suni’ gopala-carita tusta haila mahaprabhu svabhakta-sahita

Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard the narration of Gopala’s activities. Both He and His personal devotees became very pleased.

TEXT 135
gopalera age yabe prabhura haya sthiti bhakta-gane dekhe—yena dunhe eka-murti

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting before the Gopala Deity, all the devotees saw Him and the Deity as being of the same form.

TEXT 136
dunhe—eka varna, dunhe—prakanda-sarira dunhe—raktambara, dunhara svabhava—gambhira

They were of the same complexion, and both had gigantic bodies. Both wore saffron cloth, and both were very grave.

TEXT 137
maha-tejo-maya dunhe kamala-nayana dunhara bhavavesa, dunhe—candra-vadana

The devotees saw that both Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Gopala were brilliantly effulgent and had eyes like lotuses. They were both absorbed in ecstasy, and both Their faces resembled full moons.

TEXT 138
dunha dekhi’ nityananda-prabhu maha-range tharathari kari’ hase bhakta-gana-sange

When Nityananda saw the Gopala Deity and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in that way, He began to exchange remarks with the devotees, all of whom were smiling.

TEXT 139
ei-mata maha-range se ratri vanciya prabhate calila mangala-arati dekhina

Thus with great pleasure Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed that night in the temple. After seeing the mangala-arati ceremony in the morning, He started on His journey.