Nabadwip Mandal Parikrama - Day four

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Somehow it appears that Day four report didn;t get sent. Here it is, a l

ittle late but still nectarean:

 

Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama - Day 4

 

Friday, February 19, 1999

 

Navadwipa, Pratap Nagar to Vidyanagar

 

Distance to cover: 12 km.

 

"By performance of Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama, all the world will be

delivered." - Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur

 

"By the power and mercy of the Dhama, the mercy of the holy name and the

mercy of the devotees, expertly keep undesirable association far away. Very

soon you will attain residence in the eternal abode, where pure devotional

service to the Divine Couple will become manifest by direct revelation." -

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Navadvipa Bhava Taranga)

 

"To the tirtha of Vidya Nagar I make this request - I pray that the

ignorance which hides the truth of Lord Gaura's pastimes may never cover my

mind. With that veil lifted, may I always transcend and live far beyond the

realm of maya's illusion." - Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Navadvipa Bhava

Taranga)

 

Sannyassis and Prabhupada disciples on the party today included: H.H.

Jayapataka Maharaja, H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami, H.H. Subhag Swami, H.H.

Kavichandra Maharaja, H.H. Sivarama Maharaja, H.H. Lokanath Maharaja, H.H.

Bhakti Bringa Govinda Maharaja, H.H. Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja, H.H.

Vrajendranandan Maharaja, H.G. Hari Sauri Prabhu,H.G. Saunaka Rsi prabhu,

H.G. Hunkar prabhu and H.G Kaliyaphani Prabhu, H.G. Gaurasundar Prabhu, and

H.G. Adikarta prabhu. H.H. Tatpar Maharaja was heading up the Bengali

party. Please forgive me if I left anyone off the list.

 

The morning started with the party traveling a short distance from our camp

at Pratap Nagar to the banks of mother Ganga. There we all boarded the

boats and traveled 7 km to Samudragarh. Samudragarh is the Southernmost tip

of Navadwipa. There we had Srila Prabhupada's Guru Puja and heard the

pastime of King Samududra Sena from H.H. Gopal Krishna Maharaja.

 

Then we traveled through the town with kirtan to Champahatti. There we took

darshan of the beautiful Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Gadadhara and took our

breakfast. After prasadam, we all sat behind the temple in a cool and quiet

bamboo tree grove to hear the pastimes associated with Champahatti including

the pastimes of Jayadeva Goswami who lived here with his wife Padmavati.

 

The highlight of the day was the talk given by H.H. Nayanananda Babaji

Maharaja. He spoke in Bengali and this was translated by H.H. Subhag Swami

into English. Nayanananda Babaji Maharaja is 93 years old. He just took

Babaji initiation last year. He has been serving the Deities of Sri Sri

Gaura Gadadhara for the past 72 years. Maharaja made a important historical

comment saying that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja Thakur sent

several preachers to the West. The first was Bon Maharaja and he was not

very successful. Then Goswami Maharaja (who left his body here in Mayapur

in 1937), also was not very successful. In Maypur, the year before his

departure, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja Thakur predicted that

one person will go to the west in the future and fulfill the order of

Mahaprabhu: pritivite ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra prachara hoibe

mora nama. Nayananadana Babaji Maharaja went on to further glorify Srila

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Then Maharaja took up a collection to

improve the road conditions leading to the temple and collected RS 21,000

cash from the ISKCON devotees.

 

Then the party proceeded to Ratnapura which is synonomous with Radha Kunda.

(All holy places in Navadwipa have corresponding places in Vraja).

 

Bhakti Bringa Govinda Maharaja and Sivarama Maharaja joined the party at

Vidyanagar, the birth place of Sarvabhuma Bhattacarya and the residence of

his brother Vidyavacaspati. There was a great dust rolling kirtan there.

Then the party proceeded to their residence for the evening in Rtu dvipa.

There is a pandal program for the public tonight.

 

I also visited the Bengali Parikrama today. H.H. Tatpar Maharaja was giving

the lecture at Dharmesvara (Mahaprabhu Bari) Temple. There were about 700

devotees present. The devotees were very enthusiastic. It was a special

atmosphere with all the devotees speaking the same language and coming from

the same part of the world - Bengal. Then kirtan through the streets of

Navadwipa and finally wonderful Bengali prasadam featuring rice, more rice,

dahl and banana subjee.

 

Begging at the lotus feet of all the devotees of Lord Caitanya, I remain

 

Your servant,

Ekalavya dasa