[Nectar] First day of Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama

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Fifth day of Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama: 18 Km. walk across three

islands - Jahnudvipa, Modadrumadvipa, Rudradvipa

Holy places visited: Jahnumuni's Ashrama, Saranga Murari Sripat,

Mamagachi-Vrindandasa Takhura's birthplace, replica of Dankaranya

forest, Arka-tila, Sankarapura, Belpukur and Madana Gopala temple.

The devotees had a long walk of 18Km. across the three islands

representing the devotional process of Vandanam(Jahnudvipa), Dasyam

(modadrumadvipa) and Sakhyam (Rudradvipa). The parikrama devotees

enjoyed bathing at Ganga especially after an hour ride in Ganga at

mid noon.

Jahnudvipa is non-different from Bhadravana, one of the twelve forests

of Vrndavana.The hermitage of Jahnumuni, as identified by a big banyan

tree is located in this area. HH Jayapataka Swami explained the story

how Gangamata came to be calle as Jahnavi. Once when Bhagiratha

brought down Ganga to deliver his ancestors, he entered Navadvipa

Dhama.Ganga devi became excited on entering this dhama and splashed

her waters with great force in all directions and this washed away

Jahnu Muni's ashram and his acamana cup. He became fierceful and

swallowed all her waters in one gulp .The king pleaded Muni to release

Ganga and he released her again, she is called as Jahnavi. Lord

Caitanya appeared to Jahnu Muni at this place and fulfilled the sage's

desire to stay here birth after birth.The parikrama proceeded to

Saranga Murari Sripat in Modadruma dvipa .This is Saranga Thakura's

residence and the place where he did bhajana and on instruction of

Mahaprabhu, he gave initiation to Saranga Murari Thakura. A beautiful

Radha-Madana Gopala , the beloved deities of Vasudeva Datta and Radha-

Gopinatha, the deities of Saranga Murari thakura are worshipped here

in this temple. Behind this temple, in a small temple 500 years old

siva-lingas are worshipped. The Bakula tree infront of the temple is

also over 500 years old, is a siddhi Bakula tree due to Lord

Visvambhara's mercy. As the tree was dying, He embraced it, giving it

new life. Although now the tree is hollow inside, it is still growing

in full bloom.The next halt was at Mamagachi- the birthplace of

Vrindavandas Thakura- author of Caitanya Bhagavata. He is Vyasadeva's

incarnation in Caitanya Lila.He stayed here on the instruction of his

guru, Lord Nityananda and preached here. This dvipa is also Ayodya.

Here Lord Rama, Laksmana and Sita Devi lived during their period of

exile. Once Lord Rama was smiling within Himself and when Sitadevi

asked for reason, he said that during Kali-yuga, He will display

yellow complexioned form here in Nadia. He will give Krishna Prema and

at 24, He will take sanyasa. Guhaka took birth and participated in

Lord Caitanya's pastimes as Sadananda Vipra Bhattacarya and was a

great devotee of Rama. Many devotees moved to Mamagachi after Lord

Caitnaya left Mayapur, unable to stay there without their Lord. This

is also the birthplace of Vasudeva Datta, an incarnation of Prahlad

maharaj and dear devotee of Lord Caitanya. He was an abode of

compassion begging Caitanya Mahaprabhu to end the material life of all

the sinful persons and he would take the sufferings of all the

conditioned souls and take their Karma. The devotees reached Arka-tila

or surya-kunda and took breakfast there. After a walk, devotee crossed

the river by boat to enter Rudradvipa.devotees reached Shankarpura

where Sripad Sankaracarya had darshan of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who

ordered him to leave navadvipa as it is a place for devotees and not a

place for Mayavada philosophy. Belpukur was reached after a long walk

in narrow fields . This is the place where Nilambara Cakravarthy,

Mahaprabhu's maternal grand father's house and Madana gopala deity of

Nilamabara Cakravarthy is worshipped in an ancient temple. Parikrama

party camped at Belpukura for the day.

 

 

Sixth day of the Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama : 12 Km walk in

Simantadvipa (sravanam)

Holy places visited : Pncavaktra Siva sthan, Bilva-pushkarini or

Raplica of Bilvavana in Vrindavana, Meghera Chara, Simantini devi

temple, Chand kazi Samadhi, Rajapur Jagannatha temple and Sridhara-

Angan.

>From Belpukura, devotees reached Siva sthana where Lord Siva resides

eternally absorbed in the pastimes of Sri Caitanya. This place is

identified by a large banyan tree and HH Kavichandra Swami asked the

devotees to pray to Lord Siva for compassion and mercy. They took

darshan of the pukur, pond situated near by and proceeded to enter

Siamtadvipa. At Megher chara , once when devotees Sankirtan was about

to be disturbed by rain as stormy clouds appeared, devotees expressed

their eagerness to pursue Sankirtan to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Mahaprabhu ordered the clouds to stop from pouring out and so, this

place is known as Megher chara. It is located on the fields as

devotees passed by this area, they did a blissful kirtan at this spot.

The glories of Simatadvipa was narrated by HH Jayapataka Swami at

simantini devi temple. Once when Lord Siva was dancing as he was

chanting 'Gauranga', Parvati devi asked him to say about Gauranga. He

said Lord Gauranga will appear in Navadvipa and distribute freely the

love of Godhead to fallen souls of kali yuga .Upon hearing , eager to

see His form, Parvati came to this dvipa and was absorbed in chanting

the names of Gauranga.As the Lord appeared, she took the dust from His

lotus feet and put on her simanta, the partition of hair at her

forehead and so this island is also called as Simantadvipa. Devotees

proceeded to Chandkazi Samadhi .Once Chand Kazi was against the

sankirtan movement and broke mrdanga of devotees and changed them to

muslims. On undergoing these atrocities, devotees pleaded to

Mahaprabhu to save them. Mahaprabhu went on a Maha Sankirtan

procession and eventually, chand kazi surrendered to Mahaprabhu and

assured Him that he and his descendents will never stop Sankirtan and

became a devotee of Mahaprabhu. At his Samadhi, a champaka tree

(representing Chand kazi) and Neem tree (representing Caitanya

Mahaprabhu) are intertwined as if they were embracing. The delhi

devotees performed this pastime as drama at Jagannath temple. HH

Bhakti Siddhanta Maharaj played the part as CaitanyaMahaprabhu. HH

Jayapataka Swami said that it was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who had

first started the civil disobedience movement at Navadvipa. Devotees

reached Rajapur Jagannatha temple. Sridhar Angan, located behind the

temple is the Kolavecha Sridhara's place This is also Visrama sthana

as Lord Caitanya rests here after performing Sankirtana. Mahaprabhu

had intimate relationship with Sridhara as he enjoyed fighting over

the price for bananas with him. HH Jayapataka swami took the devotees

for a bath at Jalangi. At the evening, this year we had a special

quiz program at Jagannatha temple and questions were asked in the

subject matters of what they heard during Parikrama. It was also a

recapitulation exercise of glories of Navadvipa for the devotees. HG

Jananivas Prabhu and HG Pankajangri Prabhu detailed the wonderful

pastimes of Lord Jagannatha here at Rajapur. Also now HG Pankajangiri

prabhu had published a book , "Wonderful Pastimes of Jagannath of

Rajapur" for the pleasure of devotees worldwide to relish the

nectarean pastimes of Lord Jagannatha.

 

 

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