[Nectar] First day of Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama

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Written by Shyamagopika Devi Dasi

 

12km walk in Godrumadvipa

 

Holy places visited : Nandan Acharya Bhavan, Pancanantala,

Nrsimhapally, holy dip in Mandakini river, Harihara Ksetra.

"One easily becomes freed from the bondage of maya by even visiting

Mayapur. The power of maya will go far away and the cycle of birth and

death will cease for one who simply walks in Mayapur" -Sri Navadvip

Dham Mahatmya. After the Managla Aroti, devotees packed up their

luggages, blissfully got ready for the seven day transcendental

experience, started their Parikrama from the main gate and walked just

few metres away from the temple to Nandan Acharya Bhavan - the

historical meeting place of Lord Nityananda and Lord Chaitanya at

the house of Nandan acharya.Devoteed took darshan of the deities and

proceeded to Prabhupada Ghat. More than 8 boats accommodated all the

devotees and proceeded to Godrumadvip. Kirtan was going on in all the

boats After 1 ½ hour ride across Ganga and Jalangi, devotees reached

Godrumadvip.

Pancanantala was the place of Lord Siva , the protector of holy dham A

huge banyan tree under which Lord Shiva is there and a small shrine is

recently built over here.

As this island represents Kirtanam, chanting of holy names of the

Lord, devotees did blissful harinam with singing and dancing. HG

Vrajendra nandan prabhu spoke about the greatness of Lord Shiva as a

topmost vaisnava and his position as servant of supreme Lord though he

is in touch with the material energy. He is always meditating on the

glories of the supreme Lord and at this place, he asked the all the

devotees to pray to Lord Siva to help to understand that we are

eternal servant of Lord Caitanya . In the mood to offer more service

to the Lord and Vaisnavas, we should offer our obeisences.

HH Jayapataka Swami said that this place is one of the gateways to

dham, protected by Lord Siva We are walking on the places where

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes took place and still going on. This

island represents Kirtanam and it is mentioned even in Puranas. These

9 islands are never destroyed even during devastation. This is the

extreme east of the Navadvip dham and then the devotees walked over to

southeast to Narsimhapally.

The morning breakfast was served at this place. The devotees proceeded

to Nrsimhapally. The self manifested deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva with

Hiranyakasipu on his lap and Prahlada at His feet dates back to satya-

yuga. It is here the Lord came to rest after killing hairanyakasipu

There is also Mandakini river flowing next to the temple where Lord

Nrsimhadeva drank her sweet waters to refresh and washed the blood

from His hands. The demigods followed the Lord, constructed large

palaces and worshipped the Lord with great opulence. So, it is called

as Devapally. HH Jayapataka Swami, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami, HH Bhakti

purusottam swami and other vaisnavas spoke on the greatness of this

holyplace. HH Jayapataka Maharaj said this is the place for us to

plead for the mercy of the Lord The delhi temple devotees performed

the Lord Nrsimha dev's appearance as a nice drama , well appreciated

by all the devotees.

The parikrama led to a long walk in the small muddy lane amidst nice

rice fields and small dwellings of the locals to Harihara Ksetra. This

place is also Mahavaranasi or Benares. Here, Lord Siva personally

comes and chants "Gauranga" in the ears of the soul thus delivering

them at the time of death. The main deity is Hari-hara (half Lord

Vishnu and half Lord Siva )A deity of Gopala and footprints of

Gadadhara Pandit are also present in the temple.. Huge tents were

erected to accommodate the devotees. Alakananda river flows just next

to the temple. The pastime of Jagadanandapandit, who is Satyabhama in

Krishna lila and how the parrot revealed that Gauranga was combined

form of Radha and Krishna., was enacted by delhi devotees . Though the

walk was long and tedious, the devotees are never tired of hearing

katha and doing kirtan .

 

 

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