Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Part 11

BY: SUN STAFF - 26.11 2024

Maha-Prayaga - Confluence of the Yamuna (Bhogavati) and Ganges Rivers

Eighteen chapters describing a complete tour of the land of Navadvipa, as traversed by Lord Nityananda. Written by Thakur Bhaktivinoda in Bengali, 1890.

Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya

Parikrama-khanda

Chapter Eleven
Sri Koladvipa, Sri Samudragada, Sri Campahatta, and Descriptions Regarding Jayadeva

All glories to Sri Caitanya! All glories to Nityananda! All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu and the devotees of Lord Caitanya headed by Srivasa! All glories to Gaura-bhumi, the essence of all abodes, where Sri Caitanya descended with the holy name.

Nityananda spoke, "Listen everyone! This is Pancaveni, where five rivers join the Ganges. The Bhagirathi mixes with the Mandakini and Alakananda, and the Sarasvati flows here hidden from view. From the west, the Yamuna flows along with the Bhogavati. The Manasa-ganga also quickly flows there. This place is called Maha-Prayaga by the rishis, who performed millions of sacrifices here along with Lord Brahma. The glories of this place are incomparable. If one takes bath here, he will not take another birth. Who can describe the glories of this place? All other tirthas become like dried up rivers in comparison. One who leaves his body here on the earth, in the air, or in the water will attain Sri Goloka Vrindavana. This place, known as Kuliya Pahada, is situated on the bank of the Ganges and is raised up like a mountain. This place is called Koladvipa in the scriptures. Now hear one story from Satya-yuga.

A young brahmana named Vasudeva was always engaged in the service of Varaha. As he worshiped the form of Varaha, he always prayed to the Lord in these words `Please be merciful and appear before me. Let my eyes and life be successful.' Saying this, he cried and rolled on the ground. `If my Lord does not show Himself, my life is worthless.'

"Shortly thereafter, the merciful Lord showed Himself to Vasudeva in the form of a boar. His body was decorated with ornaments, and His feet, neck, nostrils, face, and eyes were all-attractive. His body was as tall as a mountain. Seeing him, the brahmana thought himself very fortunate. He fell on the earth and offered his respects. Crying and confused, he rolled on the ground.

Seeing the vipra's devotion, Varaha sweetly said, 'O Vasudeva, as you are My devotee, I am satisfied by your worship. When Kali-yuga comes I will display My pastimes here. Hear My words. In the three worlds, there is no comparison to Navadvipa. Though it is hidden now, it is My very dear abode. The scriptures confirm that all holy places such as Brahmavarta reside here.

The place where Brahma performed a sacrifice and I appeared to kill Hiranyaksha with My tusks, that holy place is present here, where I have appeared now. By serving Navadvipa, all tirthas are served; and by living in Navadvipa, the fruit of living at all other tirthas is attained. You are fortunate to serve Me in Navadvipa. When Gauranga advents, you will be born here again. You will see the maha-sankirtana and the astounding form of Gauranga.'

After speaking these words, Varaha disappeared, and the vipra researched the meaning of the Lord's words. Being a great pandita, Vasudeva scrutinized the scriptures and thus clearly understood that during the reign of Vaivasvata Manu, at the beginning of Kali-yuga, Lord Gauranga would manifest His pastimes at Nadia. The sages kept this secret, but they indicated by hints so that intelligent men could understand. After the Lord manifested His pastimes on earth, the scriptural evidences would also become clear. Thus the brahmana received the hint about the secret truths of Gaura.

In great bliss, the brahmana performed sankirtana. He constantly sang the name of Gaura within his mind. After seeing the mountainous form of Varaha, Vasudeva carefully decided to call this place Koladvipa Parvata [kola-boar; parvata-mountain], but it is now known as Parvata. The devotees know that this is Giri Govardhana of Vrindavana.

See to the north is Bahulavana, whose wonderful effulgence spreads out in all directions. O son of Vallabha, in Vrindavana, the twelve forests come in a particular sequence, but here they are not in the same order. By the Lord's desire, the sequence here is reversed. One should see the forests in the order that they are arranged here, for the change in the sequence enhances one's prema."

Giri Govardhana

Going a little further, Nityananda again said, "See here Samudragada. O wise one, both Dvaraka Puri and Ganga-sagara are directly present here. Samudra Sena, a king and great devotee, held Krishna as all in all. When Bhima came here with his soldiers to conquer all opponents, he surrounded Samudragada. The king knew that Krishna was the only resort of the Pandavas and that when they were in danger, He would come to their rescue. He thought that if he could get Bhima to show some fear and cry out, then Krishna would appear, being merciful to His devotees.

He will be kind and come to this servant's country, and I will easily see the blackish form of Krishna with my own eyes.' Thinking like this, he gathered together his soldiers, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers and went to battle. He began firing his arrows while remembering Krishna. Bhima was very oppressed by the shower of arrows, and in great danger he called for Krishna within his mind, `O Lord, protect Your Bhima! Give me shelter at Your lotus feet. I cannot fight with Samudra Sena. If he were to defeat me, that would be humiliating. O merciful Krishna! You are the Lord of the Pandavas, so if I am defeated it will be very shameful news.'

Hearing the plaintive call of Bhima, Krishna appeared on the battlefield. No one could see that form except the King. The complexion of His youthful form was like the color of a new cloud. Around His neck hung a garland, and on His head a crown sparkled. His wonderful form was covered with yellow garments, and His limbs were decorated with beautiful ornaments.

Seeing that form, the king fainted in ecstasy. After controlling himself, he revealed his desire to the Lord, 'O Krishna, You are the Lord of the universe, the deliverer of the fallen. Seeing me so fallen, You have appeared here. Everyone sings the glories of Your pastimes, and hearing that, I desired to see them. But my vow was that You should appear in Navadvipa. Now that I see Your enchanting form here, I will never leave Navadvipa. You have mercifully upheld my vow by appearing in the form of Krishna in Navadvipa. But my desire goes even further. Please become Gauranga before my very eyes!'

As he looked on, the king beheld the sweet pastimes of Radha and Krishna. In the forest of Kumuda, Krishna and His friends performed their afternoon activities of going to herd the cows. Then in an instant this lila disappeared and he saw Gauranga with His devotees in a huge kirtana. Gauranga was dancing and singing. His brilliant golden complexion was most enchanting, His eyes rolled as if due to intoxication, and His mind was agitated with love.

When he saw this, the king considered his great fortune and offered prayers at the Lord's lotus feet. In a few moments, however, this all vanished. Deprived, the king began to weep.

Bhima had not been able to see this incident and thought that the king had suddenly become afraid of his prowess. And the king, who was completely satisfied, simply begged to pay his tax. Bhima took the levy and went off to other places. The whole world sings the praises of Bhima, conqueror of all directions.

That incident took place at Samudragada, on the edge of Navadvipa. Even Brahma cannot know the glories of this place. The ocean once took shelter of the Jahnavi and came here to serve the Lord's feet with devotion. Jahnavi said, `O ocean, very soon my Lord will stay in a forest on your shore.'

The ocean answered, `Listen, goddess! The son of Saci will never leave Navadvipa. Although He will stay for some days on my shores, He will remain here unseen to the common eye. This Navadvipa is the eternal abode of the Lord. All the Vedas sing of His manifest and unmanifest pastimes here. O beautiful one! I will stay here under your shelter and serve Gauranga in Navadvipa.' Thus the milky ocean stayed at Navadvipa, contemplating always the eternal pastimes of Gauranga."

Nityananda Prabhu then came to Campahatta, and the party took rest at Vaninatha's house. In the afternoon, as they toured Campahatta, Nityananda Prabhu said, "Listen, son of Vallabha, there was once a campaka forest at this beautiful place, which is a portion of Khadiravana of Vrindavana. Campakalata-sakhi takes campaka flowers, strings garlands, and offers them to Radha and Krishna as her eternal pastime. When Kali-yuga grew in influence, capitalists moved here and eagerly took the flowers. They set up a hatta, or market, and sold the campaka flowers to the villagers and townsfolk. Therefore this enchanting place is called Campakahatta, or, more commonly, Canpahati.

When Lakshmana Sena was the king of Nadia, Jayadeva was one of his subjects in Navadvipa. He built a hut on the bank of Ballal-dirgika and peacefully lived there with his wife, Padma. He wrote the Dasa-avatara poem there, which came into the King's hand. The king read the poem with great relish and inquired who had written it. Govardhana Acarya told the king the great poet Jayadeva had written it. The king asked where he lived, and Govardhana told him Jayadeva stays in Navadvipa.

Hearing this, the king secretly searched and arrived in the night at Jayadeva's house. The king entered the cottage dressed as a Vaishnava and, after offering respects to the poet, seated himself. Jayadeva, however, knew he was the king dressed as a penniless Vaishnava. The king soon introduced himself and begged the poet to come to his palace. Jayadeva, being very detached from materialism, could not agree to go to the house of a materialist.

He answered the king, 'I will give up your kingdom and go elsewhere. Association with materialists is not auspicious. I will cross the Ganges and go to Nilacala, Jagannatha Puri.'

The king said, 'Listen to me, Prabhu, you should never leave Navadvipa. Your words should remain true, but my wish should also be fulfilled. O Prabhu, kindly do what you must in such a way that I may also be favored. Across the Ganges is the enchanting Campahatta. Stay there for a few years. I will not go there as I please, but I may see your lotus feet only when you desire.'

Hearing the king's words, the great poet agreed and immediately replied, 'Though you are endowed with so much wealth and such a kingdom, you are a devotee of Krishna and not bound to the material world. I called you a materialist to test you, but you have tolerated it. Thus I know that you are a devotee of Krishna. Though accepting material things, you remain unattached. I will remain some time in Campahatta and you can come secretly, giving up your opulent position.'

The king very happily had his ministers build Jayadeva a cottage in Campahatta. Jayadeva stayed there for some time and worshiped Krishna according to the process of raga-marga. Padmavati would bring heaps of campaka flowers, which Jayadeva would offer to Krishna.

In great love the poet worshiped Krishna, who then appeared before Jayadeva with a complexion the color of the campaka flower, resplendent with the radiance of molten gold. The shining beauty of a million moons would have been put to shame by His beautiful face. He had curly hair and a garland of flowers around His neck. His arms were long, and His effulgence illumined the room. Seeing that form of Gauranga, Jayadeva fainted with tears streaming from his eyes, while Padmavati also fell to the earth unconscious.

The Lord lifted the couple up with His two lotus hands and spoke nectarean words, 'Both of you are My exalted devotees, therefore I desired to give you My darsana. Very soon I will take birth in Nadia in the womb of Saci. With all the devotees of all the avataras, I will distribute the gift of prema and krishna-kirtana. After twenty-four years, I will take sannyasa and live in Nilacala. There, in the association of the devotees and overcome with prema, I will continuously taste the poems of your Gita-govinda, for it is very dear to Me. You will return to this Navadvipa-dhama after death. This I say for certain. Now, both of you go to Nilacala, where you will attain love of God by worshiping Lord Jagannatha.'

After speaking, Gauranga disappeared and they both fainted in separation. When they recovered, they began to weep profusely. While weeping, they humbly stated, `What a form we have seen! How can we live in His absence? Why did the Lord order us to leave Nadia? We must have committed some offense here. This Navadvipa-dhama is fully spiritual; just to think about leaving, we are becoming disturbed. It would have been better to be a bird or beast in Navadvipa, for then we could stay a long time and always meditate on the dhama. We can give up living, but we cannot give up Navadvipa, for the attachment is too deep. O Lord Gauranga, give us Your mercy. Give us shelter at Your lotus feet so we may stay here.'

As they were crying, they heard a voice say, `Do not be sorrowful, but go to Nilacala. There are two things to keep your heart undisturbed. Some time before, you were both thinking of going to stay in Nilacala for a while. The Lord had to fulfill that wish. Lord Jagannatha is eager for your darsana. By pleasing Him, on leaving your body, you will again come to Navadvipa and remain here eternally.' Hearing that, the two immediately left.

While going, they turned back and glanced once more at Navadvipa. As they went, tears flowed from their eyes and in distress they spoke to the residents of Navadvipa, `Please bestow your mercy on us. We are offenders. Please purify us!'

As they proceeded further on, they repeatedly looked back at Navadvipa, which shines like an eight-petaled lotus. After going some distance, Navadvipa was no longer visible, and they crossed out of Gaura-bhumi, weeping as they went. Arriving at Nilacala some days later, they were pleased to have darsana of Lord Jagannatha. O Jiva, this is the place of Jayadeva. Only a raised portion of earth remains. This is the story the old people tell." Seeing Jayadeva's place, Jiva began weeping as he rolled on the ground in ecstatic love. "Fortunate are Jayadeva and Padmavati! And glorious is Gita-govinda and their attachment to Krishna! Be merciful to me and give me one drop of the ocean of prema that Jayadeva enjoyed!" Saying this, Jiva fell to the ground and rolled in the dust at Nityananda's feet.

That night they stayed in Vaninatha's house, where Vaninatha and his family attended to Nityananda Prabhu.

Aspiring for the shade of the lotus feet of Nitai and Jahnava, this vile worthless one sings this glorification of Nadia.