HOW TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE VRINDAVANA...

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HOW TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE VRINDAVANA...

Compiled by Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami

 

In Shri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, it is described that is very easy to

achieve success in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and the

'Gauranga' Mantra by chanting them while residing in the most merciful Sri

Navadvipa-dhama and thus actually achieve Vrindavana-dhama:

 

(1) navadvipe vasi jei mantra japa kare;

sri mantra caitanya haya anayase tare.

 

"For one who chants one's mantra while residing in Navadvipa, the mantra

becomes supremely conscious very soon and he or she is effortlessly

delivered from material bondage."

 

(2) yei sei vraja giya nahi paya rasa;

aparadha-vase rasa haya ta virasa.

 

"Though the rasa (loving mellows) of Radha-Krsna is the ultimate goal, an

ordinary person who goes to Vrindavana to achieve that rasa will not be able

to attain it there. Infact due to the offenses, the rasa will turn sour or

will become perverted (virasa)."

 

(3) hetha vasa kari nama karile asraya;

rase adhikara janme aparadha ksaya.

 

"But if one goes and resides in Navadvipa and takes shelter of the name of

Lord Gauranga and the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, then one's offenses will be

finished and he or she will become quickly qualified to understand the

mellows of love of Sri Radha and Krsna (because Navadvipa is non-different

from Vrindavana)."

 

(4) svalpa dine krsna prema haya ta ujjvala;

yugala rasera varta haya ta prabala.

 

"In a very days in Navadvipa, one heart will be illuminated by the effulgent

rays of pure love for Krsna. And the mind will always want to remain

absorbed and merged in the topics of Sri Radha-Krsna."

 

***************************MOST IMPORTANT VERSE ***************************

TO BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS

 

(5) ei dhame vrndavana haya ta udaya;

tabu vrajadhama tava hauka asraya.

 

"WHEN VRINDAVANA ARISES IN THE HEART WHILE RESIDING IN NAVADVIPA, THEN AND

ONLY THEN ONE CAN FACTUALLY TAKE SHELTER OF SHRI VRINDAVANA-DHAMA."

 

***************************************************************************

 

(6) navadvipa krpa yabe labhe sadhujane;

tabe anayase labhe dhama vrndavane.

 

"Only by the causeless mercy of Sri Navadvipa-dhama on a sincere devotee,

can that devotee achieve the shelter of Vrndavana without much delay or

effort."

 

>From Navadvipa-Shataka by Shrila Prabodhananda Sarasvati. Bengali

versification by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

 

78

sevilei navadvipa vrndavana sphure, navadvipa seva vina vrndavana dure

ye sevila gaura paya yasoda-nandana, gaura-seva vina krsne na paya kakhana

 

"If one worships the nine forests of Navadvipa, he then finds himself in the

forest of Vrndavana. But he who does not worship Navadvipa remains far away

from the forest of Vrindavana. Similarly, if one worships Lord Gauranga

Mahaprabhu, he achieves the association of the hero of Vrindavana, Lord

Krsna. But he who does not worship Lord Gauranga will never attain Lord

Krsna.

 

79

e gauda-mandale navadvipa-vrndavana, sacira tanaya saksat vrajendra-nandana

sei nandasuta radha-dyuti acchadita, vrajera durlabha lila karila vihita

 

"Navadvipa is actually Vrndavana manifested in the land of Bengal. Lord

Caitanya, the son of Saci, is Lord Krsna, the greatest hero, the son of

Vraja's king, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Accepting the

complexion of Srimati Radharani, the Lord Gauranga performs pastimes in

Navadvipa which are very rarely manifested even in Vrndavana.

 

80

gauranga sambandhe yanr navadvipe sthiti kara-sthiti vraj tanra sanatan riti

anyatra sri-vrndavana ye kare sandhana, maru-maricika yena krame dure bhana

 

"It is an undisputed fact that one who resides in Navadvipa, faithfully

worshiping Lord Gauranga, holds in his hand the ultimate goal of eternal

residence in Vrindavana. In any other place, Vrndavana is like a faraway

mirage.

 

81

vrndavane ache yata vana upavana, sri-krsna-lilara sthala ke kare ganana

navadvipe se sakala ache sthane sthane, gaura-rupe krsna-lila prakata karane

 

"To make Lord Gauranga's pastimes perfect, Navadvipa embraces to its chest

all of beautiful Vrndavana's forests and gardens of Krishna-lila. Thus

Navadvipa and Vrindavana are completely non-different. There is nothing in

Vrindavana that does not exist in Navadvipa."

 

>From Ananta-Samhita:

 

NAVADVIPA IS THE STAIRCASE TO VRINDAVANA:

 

(15) dhama-sarasya krsnasya, vrndaranyasya sailaje;

arohanasya sopanam, navadvipam vidur budhah.

 

"O Parvati, the learned and wise know that Navadvipa is a staircase leading

to Vrndavana, the topmost abode of Lord Krsna.

 

(5) yadi tirtha-sahasrani, paryatanti narah ksitau;

navadvipam vina devi, na radham krsnam apnuyat.

 

"O goddess, people travel to thousands of holy places in this world will not

attain Sri Sri Radha and Krsna if they do not also travel to visit

Navadvipa.

 

(10) sakrd yadi navadvipam, samsmareyur naradhamah;

sadhavas te tadaiva syuh, satyam satyam hi parvati.

 

"If the lowest among men faithfully remember Navadvipa for just a single

moment, they immediately become great saints. O Parvati, this is the truth,

this is the truth.

(12) ye vasanti navadvipe, manavah gaura-devatah;

na ca te manava-jneya, sri-gaurasya ca parsadah.

 

"Those human beings who reside in Navadvipa and accept Lord Gaura as their

worshipable Lord should not be considered as ordinary human beings. They are

the transcendental associates of Lord Gaura.

 

(13) tesam smarana-matrena, maha-patakino 'pi ca;

satyam sudhanti vai durge, kim punar darsanadibhih.

 

"O Durga, simply by remembering them, the greatest sinners are purified. How

much more blessed are those who directly see them or associate with them!.

 

(15) dhama-sarasya krsnasya, vrndaranyasya sailaje;

arohanasya sopanam, navadvipam vidur budhah.

 

"O Parvati, the learned and wise know that Navadvipa is a staircase leading

to Vrndavana, the topmost abode of Lord Krsna.

 

(16) navadvipe ca sa krsna, adaya hrdaye svayam;

gajendra-gamanam radham, sada ramayate muda.

 

"Lord Krsna will appear in Navadvipa. Taking the mood of Srimati Radha to

His heart, Lord Krsna will constantly and blissfully relish Her love for

Him. At that time, His movements will be more graceful than those of the

best of elephants.

 

(17) navadvipe tu tah sakhyo, bhakta-rupa-dharah priye;

ekangam sri-gaura-harim, sevante satatam muda.

 

"O beloved, assuming the forms of male devotees, the gopis and other

associates will also appear in Navadvipa. With great happiness they will

constantly serve Lord Gaurahari, who is Radha and Krsna combined in a single

form.

 

(18) ya eva radhika-krsnah, sa eva gaura-vigrahah;

yac ca vrndavanam devi, navadvipam ca tat subham.

 

"O goddess, know for sure that Radha and Krsna will combine to become the

single golden form of Lord Gaura, and Vrndavana will become the beautiful

and auspicious Navadvipa.

 

(19) vrndavane navadvipe, bheda-buddhis ca yo narah;

tam eva radhika-krsne, sri-gaurange paratmani.

 

(20) mac-chala-pata-nirbhinna-dehah so 'pi naradhamah;

pacyate narake ghore, yavad ahuta-samplavam.

 

"With my trident I will cut into pieces anyone who thinks that Vrndavana and

Navadvipa are different, or that Radha-Krsna and Lord Gauranga are

different, or that Lord Gauranga is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Such a person is most degraded and will burn in a terrible hell until the

time of the universal devastation.

 

(21) yahi turnam navadvipam, bhaja gauram krpa-nidhim,

yadi vrndavane ramye, sri-radha-krsna-sannidhau;

dasatvam durlabham loke, bhakti-saram yam icchasi.

 

"Lord Hari said to Anantadeva: `If you desire the most rare essence of all

kinds of pure devotional service, i.e., the direct service to Sri Sri

Radha-Krsna in the beautiful abode of Vrndavana, then go at once to

Navadvipa and worship Lord Gaura, who is an ocean of causeless mercy.'

 

(22) tatra gatva navadvipe, naga-rajo drdha-vratah;

pujayam asa gaurangam, api varsayutam priye.

 

"O beloved, the king of serpents, Ananta, then went to Navadvipa. Following

strict vows with great determination, He worshipped Lord Gauranga for ten

thousand years.

 

(23) tatah prasanno bhagavan, sri-gauro jagad-isvarah;

darsayam asa svam rupam, anantaya mahatmane.

 

"Greatly pleased, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and master of all

universes revealed His transcendental golden form to His great devotee

Ananta.

 

(24) ayam eva navadvipo, vrndavana-samo 'nagha;

anugrahaya jivanam, radhaya nirmitah pura.

 

"Lord Gauranga then said to Ananta: `O sinless one, Navadvipa is equal to

Vrndavana in all respects. To show mercy to the living entities Sri Radha

created it long ago.

 

(25) yatha mama priya radha, tatha vrndavanam mahat;

tadvad ayam navadvipa, iti satyam vadamy aham.

 

"`As Radha is dear to Me, so the great Vrndavana and Navadvipa are also dear

to Me. I speak to You the truth.

 

(26) vrndavane yathananta, vasami radhaya saha;

radhaya militango `'ham, tathaivasmin sada vase.

 

"`O Ananta, as I reside in Vrndavana with Sri Radha, so also do I stay

eternally in Navadvipa, in My transcendental form embraced by Sri Radha.

 

(27) yatha vrndavanam tyaktva, gacchami na ca kutracit;

tatha deva navadvipam, na tyajami kadacana.

 

"`O Anantadeva, as I do not leave Vrndavana to go to any other place, so

also do I never give up Navadvipa to go anywhere else.'"

 

(From the recently published book by Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami: 'Our Eternal

Home -- Navadvipa')

 

(Kindly forgive me if I will not be able to respond immediately to email

philosophical queries related to this email or otherwise due to the heavy

load of book writing, translation, publication and preaching work at

present.)

 

Daso'smi, Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami