Knowing Sri Mayapur As It Is -3

If the state government were to announce today that anyone who has lived in India for six months will get one million gold coins as a gift, how many of us will not accept such an offer by none other than the government itself? None, provided all of us are smart. Why? First because it is a gift and secondly, it is offered by the state government, a body we can trust in. My question is, do we really trust in God? Do we also not trust the Vedas and Puranas? If we can trust God and if we can trust the Vedas and Puranas, then we ought to also trust what is written in there, in full. Offers and assurances given by such scriptures are not imaginary although they may appear to be fantastic to our miserly intelligence. While reading Sri Navadvipa Dham mahatmaya, we hear the following from Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.

“Listen, everyone, to one more confidential topic. The most suitable thing for the souls of Kali‑yuga is this treasure of Gauranga-lila. Gaurahari is the combined form of Radha and Krishna, who eternally enjoy pastimes in Vrindavan along with the sakhis. The truth of Radha and Krishna’s eternal pastimes and the glories of Vraja‑dhama are known by everyone through the scriptures. And the unlimited glories of Krishna’s name and abode are known through the scriptures by people all over the universe. But still, actually obtaining Krishna-prem is not at all common. Let us contemplate the reason why.

“Herein lies the secret of secrets which the living entities bound by Maya cannot discern. One who does not attain love of God after worshiping Krishna birth after birth has certainly committed heaps of offenses. For only by chanting Krishna’s name without offenses can one attain incessant Krishna-prema.

“Sri Chaitanya’s incarnation, however, is most uncommon. By His mercy, a serious person, though filled with offenses, can quickly obtain love of God. When someone calls out the names of Nitai and Chaitanya, Krishna prema comes looking for him. Offenses do not hinder his progress, and he soon sheds tears of ecstasy out of pure love of God. By the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, all the offenses quickly flee away, the heart becomes pure, and love of God fully blossoms. Because people in Kali‑yuga commit unlimited offenses, which are difficult to check, there can be no means of deliverance other than Gauranga’s name. Therefore, in Kali‑yuga, I see no alternative to Sri Gauranga. This is also the proclamation of the scriptures.”

We need to note here what Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur says – “This is also the proclamation of the scriptures”. He does not talk from his imaginations but quotes scriptures as we will see in the future articles.

Although the realizations of a bona fide Vaishnava acharya, who is a close associate of the Supreme Lord, are beyond what may be revealed in the Vedic scriptures, he does not speak without scriptural references. He does so in order to ensure that unscrupulous people do not spread bogus philosophies in the name of self realization. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur continues:

“As Sri Gaura chandra appeared in Navadvipa, it is therefore the crest jewel of all holy places. Offenders are the object of punishment at other holy pilgrimage places, but in Navadvipa dham they are purified. The example is the two brothers Jagai and Madhai, who committed great offenses yet still received Nitai and Gaura. What to speak of other places, at Vrindavan the offenders are punished. But a person who has committed hundreds of offenses can easily receive the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu and overcome those offenses in Navadvipa dham. For this reason, sages endlessly praise Navadvipa of Gaura‑mandala.

“He who lives in Navadvipa dham is very fortunate, for he achieves attraction for Krishna. He who happens to go there becomes freed from all offenses. What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering Navadvipa. In this way the scriptures sing. He who sees Navadvipa dham gets ecstatic love of Krishna birth after birth. Even one who goes to Navadvipa desiring to gain material comforts through pious activities will not take another birth. The sastras say that one who walks around Navadvipa attains the fruit of millions of asvamedha yajnas at every step. And one who lives in Navadvipa and chants mantras obtains the sound of Chaitanya as his mantra and easily gets free from Maya. What yogis obtain after ten years at other tirthas is obtained in three nights at Navadvipa.”

Sri Mayapur Navadvipa dham ki Jay!