44. Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur

44. Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur:

“Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma is essentially non-different from Śrī Vṛndāvana dhāma. But Māyāpur is above both Navadvīpa and Vṛndāvana. In the middle of Śrī Māyāpur is the mahā-yogapīṭha, the temple of Jagannātha Miśra, the father of Lord Caitanya. As the incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is covered in Kali-yuga, so is His dhāma, Śrī Navadvīpa. No other holy place of pilgrimage in Kali-yuga compares with Śrī Navadvīpa. If one performs devotional service in Śrī Navadvīpa dhāma, especially in Śrī Māyāpur, one quickly gets Kṛṣṇa-prema-siddhi (the perfection of love of Kṛṣṇa).” (Jaiva Dharma)

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that “Māyāpur is the most sacred place in the whole universe.”

“Māyāpur is considered the Mahāvana of Gokula.” (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya)

“In Navadvīpa there was a special area known as Māyāpur where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Gauracandra, took His birth. Māyāpur is the Yogapīṭha of Navadvīpa, non-different from Rādhā-Govinda’s Yogapīṭha in Vṛndāvana. All one’s miseries can be destroyed simply by seeing Māyāpur.” (Bhakti Ratnakara)

“Māyāpur is called a dhāma. Dhāma is not in the material world. A dhāma is not visible with these eyes, but it is seen when,

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu

the eyes are anointed with the salve of pure love of God.” (Srila Prabhupada Tapes 76/6/2)

5000 years ago, after the disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa from this world, His transcendental abode of Dvārakā sank into the ocean. Recently, Indian archeologists have found what they claim to be remains of Dvārakā under the sea off the coast of India. Similarly, 500 years ago, after Lord Caitanya left this world, His spiritual abode of Māyāpur was inundated by the combined flood waters of the Ganges and Jalaṅgī. The Ganges, feeling intense separation from the Lord, flooded the entire area of Gaurahari’s glorious pastimes. The exact location of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s birthplace was lost, and the holy dhāma remained covered for almost 350 years.

Up to the mid-19th century, Śrī Māyāpur dhāma was a neglected place, just a jungle of green vegetation. In 1887, late one December night, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had a divine revelation while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa on the roof of the Rani Dharmashala in Navadvīpa. His meditation was broken suddenly by a divine vision appearing across the Ganges. He saw an unusual illumination of a tall palm tree standing beside a small, effulgent house. The Ṭhākura immediately realized this was the factual birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

For centuries no one knew the exact location of Mahāprabhu’s birthplace. After studying gazettes, old manuscripts of Caitanya-bhāgavata, Narahari Sarakāra’s "Navadvīpa Dhāma Parikramā", and other authentic works written during the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, 18th century British survey maps, and old government records, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura discovered that Nadia was previously on the eastern bank of the Gaṅgā; from where the wonderful illumination was coming.

The site of the wonderful illumination contained 7 large dirt mounds on which nothing would grow except tulasī plants. On some nights strange sounds and lights emanated from the spot. superstitious muslim villagers kept a respectful distance.

To confirm his findings, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda brought Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī to the site. Bābājī Mahārāja could not walk and had to be carried in a basket. Realizing that this indeed was the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī immediately leaped from his basket and began shouting the Lord’s holy names. Śrī Māyāpur Dhāma ki jai!

A short time later, Sir John Anderson, the Governor of Bengal, conducted a research expedition to verify the exact location of Lord Caitanya’s birthplace. Based on his extensive findings, the British Government of India passed an order confirming Māyāpur as the authentic and bonafide birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then the government established a post office here which they officially named “Śrī Māyāpur.” The government added the holy title ‘Śrī’ to acknowledge that Māyāpur was a sacred place of pilgrimage.

Today in Mathurā there are two different places claiming to be the original site of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birth. One is called "Śrī Kṛṣṇa Janmasthana" which contains the beautiful Birla Mandir standing beside a red sandstone mosque. The other site is called the "Prachīna Janmasthaṅa", located about 300 meters away beside Potrā Kuṇḍa.

Today in Navadvīpa, as there was in 1840, there is a rising controversy over the actual birthplace of Lord Caitanya. The birth place of Lord Gaurāṅga, which was discovered by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, confirmed by Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī, and developed by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is opposed by critics who claim that the original birthplace is on the opposite side of the Ganges.

When confronting the same controversy over a century ago, Śrīla Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī said, “The words of those great souls who have already uncovered the birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by the power of their bhajana are the genuine, conclusive proof. Holy places reveal themselves to pure devotees, and those saintly persons do not restore the lost tīrthas for the sake of acquiring wealth. Only those who are Gaurāṅga’s personal associates can reestablish the lost places of Gaurāṅga. Others do not have such spiritual power. By the power of their knowledge and proper discrimination Śrīla Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī and Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda have discovered the real birth site of Mahāprabhu, just as Śrī Advaita Ᾱcārya brought about the advent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” (Babaji Maharaja)