Peacock Feathers
BY: BAHUSHIRA DASA
Mar 16, INDIA (SUN) — It seems that now there is a re-occurrence of fanatical static coming from the worried minds of only some devotees accusing that ISKCON has "disturbed the mood" of Lord Caitanya! But like many before them, they have only endeavored to do partial research.
One may worship the Lord in whatever mood one wants in one's home. That is the first method. The second method is the worship in the temple of the Lord as a King, in awe and reverence. In ISKCON temples, Gaura Nitai are worshipped as Grhasthas, not as Sannyasis, per Srila Prabhupada. Chaitanya tasting Radha Mahabhava, in great intensity, came later after the Lord took Sannyasa. So there is no question of disturbing Gaura's mood.
Gaura is worshipped in the Gaura Arotika song as the Supreme Lord. This is sung every evening in ISKCON temples. This is when Gaura was in the Grhastha Ashrama. Srila Prabhupada set all this up and it was under his watchful eye. According to Hridaya Govinda dasa in the early San Francisco temple, he was there when Srila Prabhupada told the Japanese woman pujari not to put so many peacock feathers behind Gaura's head. He didn't say don't put any peacock feathers. He said don't put so many because they were putting whole peacock plumes behind His head.
The critics say that Srila Prabhupada was against using peacock feathers on any other Deity than Sri Krsna, but can they produce one quote supporting this? That they can't do. Can they give one quote that Sri Krsna is the only one who can wear a peacock feather? That they can't do either. I was in Atlanta in April 1975 when Srila Prabhupada came there. He really got emotional when he saw Gaura Nitai and They were wearing peacock feathers. He could have said something if it was wrong to dress the Deities with peacock feathers but he didn't, and these peacock feathers were on the Deities in temple after temple that he went to. Do you really think he missed this detail as he was looking directly at the Deities for darshan?
The Gaudiya Vaisnava sastras have references referring to Lord Caitanya wearing peacock feathers. In the Gauranga-Praty-Anga-Varnana, which are verses by Sri Advaita Acarya and Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya (describing the wonderful features of Lord Caitanya):
"His lovely curling locks are interwoven with creepers of glistening pearls, and his crest made of richly fragrant flower clusters is enhanced by the tail feathers of a peacock" (text 5) (The Sanskrit word is "sikhanda"...Which specifically means "peacock'')
His round cheeks shine between jewel earrings and on His left ear a glowing peacock feather is jauntily cocked" (text 8) (Again, the Sanskrit word "sikhandakam" meaning the peacock feather is used)
These great personalities were present before Gaura Nataraja and witnessed His movements and attire. So who would know better about the Lord than the eye witnesses? In the Preyo Bhakti Rasarnava (Cowherd Boy Nectar) Page 237, "Rama and Kanu (Balarama and Krsna) proceed...These two young Yugala Kishore boys advance...upon Their lovely and variegated colorful turbans are peacock feathers."
In the Nityananda Caritnmrita, page 207, it describes how Abhirama Thakura was decorated with a peacock feather and a gunja bead garland. In the Ananda Vrindavana Champu, by Sri Kavi Karnapura translated by Banu Swami and Subhaga Swami, Page 61, "When Yashoda's hair braid untied, the jewels, flowers, and peacock feathers decorating it fell on the ground."
"Beautiful peacock feathers caress Their crowns and garlands swing from Their necks to ornament Their elegant forms. Radiant tilak made from various colored mineral powders grace Their foreheads. Bouquets of small creepers and flowers ornament Their bodies. Thus Krsna and Balarama please the eyes of everyone with Their charming beauty as They enter Vrndavana just like dramatic actors walking onto a stage."
Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Krsna Khanda, Chapter 5, Verses 19-21, has this to say: It (the fifth gate of Radha's palace) was guarded by a cowherd named Devabhan who was gorgeously clad... His head was crowned with a plumage of peacock; and his neck was adorned with a wreath of gems."
Balarama and Nitai are the same person just having different functions. In the early 1970's, Srila Prabhupada saw with his disciples a performance, in Calcutta, of Gaura Nitai Lila. Afterwards the devotees asked Prabhupada why Nitai was dressed like a cowherd boy, and Srila Prabhupada remarked that Lord Nityananda is very controversial. So one can infer that because Balarama is wearing a peacock feather, Nitai also has a right to wear the peacock feather.
As we have seen from the above quotes, cowherd boys also wear peacock feathers, so why not Nitai? Are the critics thinking that Nitai is less than the cowherd boys? Hence these quotes show that others have also worn the peacock feather, besides Sri Krsna, and not all of them are in Madhurya Lila. Therefore the conclusion is that Sri Krsna is the most prominent personality that the peacock feather is identified with, and all others are His servants.
