12. Description of Navadvipa Dhama

12. Description of Navadvipa Dhama:

Lord Śiva said to Pārvatī, “Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s svarūpa śakti (transcendental potency) has three divisions called samvit, hlādinī and sandhinī. The sandhinī potency reveals Lord Hari’s holy names and abode. By sending His sandhinī potency here He makes Navadvīpa visible to the eyes of the world. Navadvīpa is completely spiritual, full of knowledge and bliss. Navadvīpa is way beyond the dull, inert world of matter.” 

“Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma is a transcendental abode, an eternal spiritual city manifested on nine islands like a great golden lotus flower. The 4 islands of Antardvīpa, Sīmanta, Godruma, and Madhya adorn the eastern bank of the Ganges. On the western bank are 5 islands - Koladvīpa, Ṛtu, Jahnu, Modadruma and Rudra. Antardvīpa is the whorl of the great lotus of Navadvīpa, and the other eight islands are its petals.” (Urdhvamnaya Tantra) 

“The Ganges River runs through Gaura maṇḍala. Gaura maṇḍala, which contains Navadvīpa dhāma in its center, is 168 miles in circumference (same size as Vraja-maṇḍala). Sometimes the different islands and tributaries which flow through Navadvīpa like the Sarasvatī and Yamunā dry up and disappear. At other times they become visible. All the islands and streams of Navadvīpa dhāma are visible in dreams, in meditation, and to the naked eye of the devotee steeped in devotion. “All the spiritual abodes (i.e. Śvetadvīpa, Vaikuṇṭha, Goloka and Vṛndāvana), and the famous 7 sacred cities of this world (i.e. Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Haridvāra, Kāśī, Kāñcī, Ᾱvantī and Dvārakā) have their expanded forms situated in Navadvīpa. “In Vṛndāvana there are 12 forests, one after another in sequence, but that does not occur in Navadvīpa. By the Lord’s desire there is no such order. The uncommon form of the forest increases the prema even more. Although the 12 forests of Vṛndāvana are not obviously perceived in Navadvīpa dhāma, still one will find the same transcendental places like rāsa-sthāli, Giri-Govardhana, Rādhā-kuṇḍa and others. All the līlā places of Vṛndāvana are situated in Navadvīpa Dhāma. There is no distinction between Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa or Gaurāṅga and Kṛṣṇa.” (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya)

Lord Śiva told Pārvatī, “The glories of Navadvīpa are like the glories of Vṛndāvana. Hearing them destroys all sins and brings both devotional service and spiritual love.” (Ᾱnanta-saṁhitā) 

“I offer my obeisances to anyone who understands that within or beyond the material world there is nothing as sweet as Gauravāna (Lord Gaurāṅga’s forest of Navadvīpa Dhāma). All glories to Lord Gauranga’s forest which is shining like golden tilaka, covered with the white garments of the Gange’s waters, splendid with blossoming campaka flowers, filled with various rasas and saturated with the sweetest nectar of Kṛṣṇa-prema, which is forever relished by the beloved son of Śrī Jagannātha Miśra.” (Caitanya Sataka) 

“Lord Gaurāṅga’s forest, which is filled with the unlimited nectar of the sweet name of “Rādhā,” is the only goal of my life.” (Navadvipa Sataka)



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