“Buy, Beg, borrow or steal. Somehow or other get a copy Sri Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya
HG Rajendranandana Prabhu
In a haste of enthusiasm, leaving their tents, throwing buckets of water on their heads and packing their bags within 5 minutes, the devotees hit the road.
“It seems that we are more than half way through, to complete Navadvipa Mandala. Have 5 days passed ? It feels like it started yesterday. Just when, we began to get used to it all, and even a little attached it , it is coming to and end…
This 5th day started when the party arrived in Mamgachi, which is the celebrated birthplace of Sri Vrindavan Das Thakur, author of Sri Caitanya Bhagavat. That was the first step in the Island of Modadrumadvipa, the island of Dasya- servitorship.
The deities of Saranga Murari Thakur, an avadhuta-like associate of Lord Gauranga, blessed every single devotee with Their sweet darshan. They seemed like They had been waiting eagerly to see everyone.
The katha however waited at the house of Vrindava Das Thakur. There HG Sankarsan NItai Prabhu spoke about the glories of Rama, since Modadrumadvipa is non different from Ayodhya.
“ From every single character in the Ramayan we learn the art of self sacrifice”
Another interesting point which connects Rama Lila and Gaura lila was:
‘ This is a movement of crying and separation. Mahaprabhu taught this mood of crying and longing for Krisna by His own example. Srimati Radharani was stunned between life and death after Lord Krishna’s departure to Mathura. She couldn’t live because Krishna was absent, and she could’t die because the Lord said He will return.
Just like when Sita went back to Mother Earth, and Lord Rama being an Eka Patni Vrata, arranged for a deity of Sitadevi to be made and put next to him, during all yajnas and ceremonies.
HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara spoke. Pancharatna put on the drama on Vasudeva Datta. “ Vasudeva Dattta was more merciful/ compassionate than Jesus Christ, because he asked for the dilliverance of the entire universe and not just his followers” – so say the Thakur.
From Mamgachi it didnt take long to ,reach a village by the bank of the Ganga named, Jahnavi.
At that village the Holy Place of Arkatilla is manifest. Bhaktivinoda Thakur mentions in his Navadvipa Bhava Taranga, that the Sun God resides in Navadvipa in Arkatilla and worships Gauranga, What a vision!
There prasadam was served for the happiness of all, followed by katha. HG Rajendranandana Prabhu mentioned some startling points. He spoke about Sri Ramanuja Acharya who was sent by Lord Visnu to Navadvipa to receive the mercy of Lord Gauranga. In different islands different Acharyas came to receive Gaura Prema. However Mahaprabhu did not welcome Shankaracharya. “ Mayavada philosophy? Not in Navadvipa” – said Mahaprabhu.
Prabhuji continues by sharing an incident which he himself witness one month before Srila Prabhupada’s closing up of pastimes . That was : “ I remember hearing with my own ears Srla Prabhupada though very thin and fragile, receiving his God brothers who came to visit him. Srila Prabhupada told them :’ Please excuse me on behalf of my disciples, sometimes they think they are the ONLY VAISNAVAS”. What a statement!
The Lord Caitanya tree, has many branches, and thus all vaishanavas are dear to the Lord.
For more photos: Click here
Comments