19. Seeing the Dhāma

19. Seeing the Dhāma:

“One who sees in the dhāma only the activities of material nature is a conditioned soul under the influence of ignorance and illusion. When a person’s eye is covered by a cloud, that person may think that the sun is covered. But a cloud can never cover the sun. The form of Gaura-maṇḍala is eternally transcendental to the material world, and like the sun it can never be covered. The materialistic person whose eye is covered by the cloud of illusion cannot perceive the brilliant spiritual energy of the dhāma. He sees only the dull, inert material world, a mere reflection of the transcendental reality.

“By receiving the mercy of Lord Nityānanda one can see that blissful, fully conscious, transcendental dhāma. The holy rivers such as the Gaṅgā and Yamunā and the 7 holy cities are eternally present in Navadvīpa dhāma. A fortunate living entity can see that Gaura-maṇḍala is directly the pure spiritual world. For those adverse to the Lord, however, the shadow of the Lord’s spiritual energy, Māyā, covers their vision with illusion. Such people never see the glories of the dhāma.” (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya)

“Only by attaining proper qualification can the senses of the living entities taste the spiritual nectar of these dhāmas, Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa. Unqualified material senses, instead of tasting nectar, scornfully deride these holy places as trifling bits of dull matter. Since the cause of qualification is the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, coming through the mercy of the devotees, the living entities should seek out the association of the pure devotees of the Lord.

“Only by means of devotional faith and by the association of the devotees of the Lord can one overcome the prison of the material world. The very moment that the senses of the living entity give up material illusion, the eyes will see the splendor of the spiritual dhāma. Oh! When will I attain that state? When will I see Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma transcending the bounds of material existence? More cooling than the soothing rays of ten million moons, more effulgent than the brilliance of ten million suns, when will that Dhāma appear before my eyes?” (Navadvipa Bhava Taranga)