Glories of Godruma dvipa

[Guest guest]

Dear Vaisnavas

PAMHO

AGTSP

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura went on Navadvipa MAndal Parikrama and this was

recorded in his book NAvadiva bhava TAranga.

This part is from his entering Godruma:

"Oh my dear mind!Just worship ,just worship the forest of Godruma!By this

you will very soon behold the transcendental treasure of Lord Gauras

pastimes.Seeing the vision of these pastimes ,you will easily attain the

eternally sportive pastimes of Radha and Krsna.Only this will fulfull all your

desires.

 

Godruma correspondes to the city of Nanda MAharaja in Braja known as Sri

Nandisvara,which is the residence of the cowherd men and women.Here Sri

Gauranga performs various pastimes.After having a snack of milk products at a

cowherd's house in the forenoon period,Nimai goes in the company of His gopa

friends and tends the cows in the pasturelands.

 

The cowherd boys would say :"O brother,you are a gopala!Dressing like a

brahmana boy does not suit you at all!Come on,I'll carry you on my shoulders

and we'll go herd the cows.Lets head toward your mothers house in MAyapure."

(note:obviously these cowherdboys want Nimai to not be a brahmana and "waste

time" with study,they want Him to show His form as Krsna and tend the cows

with them,and play the games of the Gopas in Vrindavana)

 

One Gopa would show great affection and give Him curds mixed with condensed

milk,and another gopa would become agitated with love just by seeing the

wonderfully beautiful form of the Lord.Yet another Gopa would place fruits and

flowers in His hand saying."O brother!Please come to my house everyday!

 

You are the worshipable deity for the brahmanas ,but You are also the very

purpose of life for us Gopas.We cannot possibly forsake You,You are the only

object of our meditation and consciousness.Just see the cows!On

sighting You,they begin mooing and give up eating grass,even forgetting about

their own calves!"

(note:the cows are always attracted to Lord Gauranga as is also found in the

CC when the Lord entered Vrindavana)

 

"Since it is now getting late,you should go home to your farthers house and

tomorrow we'll meet again at this place.I'll save some youghurt and condensed

milk for you -but if you come late ,I'll be very upset."

(note:this is just like the Gopa's of Vrindavana that bring food for Krsna to

relish during their taking lunch together)

 

In this way Sri GAura and Nitai play with the cowherd boys from day to day in

the divine Godruma forest.If there is enough time ,Gaura Bhagavan

again bathes in the river Ganga before proceeding home to Sri Sachi.

 

Will such a day ever be mine?When will I see the pure loving pastimes of

Godruma,performed by the Lord in the mood of a cowherd boy playing with His

cowherd friends?With a mind fixed in the longing to serve the Lord,I will

reside at my house in Godruma.

 

Your servant

Payonidhi das