After a long seven days of total assumption, it still feels like it wasn’t enough. The separation is avid as the Navadvip Mandala Parikrama comes to an end. Sri Navadvipa dhama’s mood is full of personalism and love exchange between the Lord and His beloved devotees. Hearing about it fulfills our inner desire to love and to be loved. In fact, performing Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama is the antidote for our disease of impersonalism.
This year 8 parties – 13000 registered participants – 15 Sanyasis, and senior leaders were a full attendance of the Parikrama.
II śri-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo vānayaivāsvādyo yenādbhuta-madhurimā kīdṛśo vā madīyaḥ
saukhyaṁ cāsyā mad-anubhavataḥ kīdṛśaṁ veti lobhāt
tad-bhāvāḍhyaḥ samajani śacī-garbha-sindhau harīnduḥ II
Desiring to understand the glory of Radharaṇi’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Sacī-devi, as the moon appeared from the ocean – (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, 1.1.6)
Thus, after visiting these wonderful Nine Islands of Gaura Mandala Bhumi, the parikrama concluded its ever-nourishing journey for the year. During the parikrama, each group is headed by the Lord on a beautiful decorated Palanquin and at the last day the group with the best outfit is chosen and this year Sri Nitaipadakamala from the international group won the best outfit of the Parikrama.
Navadwip means ‘nine islands’ (‘nava’ means nine and ‘dvip’ means ‘island’) and is where Lord Chaitanya manifested many pastimes. These nine islands also represent the different limbs of devotional service:
1.Antardvip is where Lord Chaitanya was born and represents atma-nivedanam (submission).
2.Simantadvip represents shravanam – the hearing limb of devotion.
3.Godrumdvip represents kirtanam (congregational chanting).
4.Madhyadvip represents smaranam (rememberance).
5.Koladvip represents pada-sevanam (service at the lotus feet of Radha Krishna);
6.Ritudvip represents archanam (deity-worship).
7.Jahnudvip – vandanam (prayer);
8.Modadrumdvip – dasyam (being a servant of the Lord); and
9.Rudradwip represents sakhyam (serving as a friend)
In this way, one can take darshan of one or two different islands each day, and on Purnima, the appearance day of Sri Gaurasundar, one may take darshan of Sridham Mayapur.
Source: https://www.mayapur.com/2023/navadwip-mandala-parikrama-mahamilan-2023/
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