Jagāī-Mādhāī-ghāṭa was near Jagannātha Miśra’s house in Māyāpura, on the bank of the Gaṅgā. By the mercy of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, Śrī Mādhāī used to clean this ghāṭa with his own hands. Jagāī and Mādhāī, previously Jagadānanda and Mādhavānanda Bandhopādhyāya, were born into a prestigious brāhmaṇa family of Navadvīpa, but bad association corrupted their characters and they became great rogues, drunkards and sinners. In fear of their oppressive and tyrannical behaviour, no virtuous persons – especially the elderly, children or women would come to bathe at this ghāṭa.
Śrīman Mahāprabhu had appointed the exalted Nityānanda Prabhu and Haridāsa Ṭhākura to go throughout the town to propagate nāma-prema, transcendental love for Kṛṣṇa through chanting the holy name. They both considered Jagāī and Mādhāī to be the most suitable candidates for receiving nāma-prema, and they asked them to chant the holy name. But the brothers were completely intoxicated on wine. Mādhāī took a piece of a broken, earthen wine pot and threw it at Nityānanda Prabhu’s head, making it bleed.
Haridāsa Ṭhākura reported this unfor tunate incident to Śrīman Mahāprabhu, who, enraged, went there with all of His associates. Raising His hand above His head, He summoned His disc weapon, crying, “Cakra, cakra!” The sight of the transcendental disc weapon in the hand of Mahāprabhu made Jagāī and Mādhāī tremble in fear. This melted the heart of the most compassionate Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, who grasped Mahāprabhu’s hand and said, “The purpose of Your appearance in this incarnation is to distribute love of God. It is therefore not fitting for You to kill someone. Instead it is appropriate for You to purify a person’s heart by giving him prema. Jagāī prevented Mādhāī from striking Me a second time, so please be merciful to him.”
Mahāprabhu embraced Jagāī, who fainted in ecstasy, then He placed His feet on Jagāī’s chest. Jagāī began to weep and chant, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa!” Seeing this, Mādhāī fell at the feet of Nityānanda Prabhu begging for forgiveness and Mahāprabhu bestowed prema upon him also. Mādhāī asked Nityānanda Prabhu how he could become free from his former sins of killing various living entities, and Nityānanda Prabhu instructed him to tend to the maintenance of this ghāṭa. He told him that rendering service to the Gaṅgā would remove his offences. On the order of Nityānanda Prabhu, Mādhāī performed this service for the rest of his life, and in this way took the dust of the Vaiṣṇavas’ feet. He built steps at this ghāṭa with his own hands and also cleaned them daily. People therefore called this ghāṭa Jagāī Mādhāī-ghāṭa, or just Mādhāī-ghāṭa. It was situated thirty yards north of Mahāprabhu-ghāṭa.
Deepen your Bhakti-yoga practice, harmonize relationships, and receive guided coaching — all at Vedavarsity.com
