45. Ᾱcārya’s Vision of the City

45. Ᾱcārya’s Vision of the City:

Although the bathing ghāṭas, temples and original houses of Lord Caitanya and His associates have vanished under the Gaṅgā’s flood waters, Māyāpur will again manifest its transcendental magnificence.

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu Himself, while on parikramā of Navadvīpa dhāma, told Jīva Gosvāmī: “In due course of time, the Ganges will hide Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, but then again it will be revealed. By Lord Caitanya’s wish people will again inhabit Māyāpur. All the lost bathing ghāṭas on the bank of the Ganges will remanifest, and devotees will build temples of the Lord. Adbhuta mandira eka haibe prakāśa, gaurāṇga nitya-sevā haibe vikāśa, ‘One exceedingly wonderful temple will also appear (in Māyāpur) which will broadcast the eternal service of Lord Gaurāṅga throughout the world.’ Prauḍhā Māyā (the eternal consort of Lord Śiva) will again manifest by the Lord’s will, and act as yogamāyā to reveal the spiritual dhāma of Navadvīpa.” (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya)

500 years ago, Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wrote about the “city” of Māyāpur in his Navadvīpa Śataka: “When, manifesting a spiritual body, will I reside in Lord Gaurāṅga’s city, where all the moving and stationary living entities eternally shine with the splendour of intensely blissful spiritual forms, and which they whose eyes are blinded by Māyā misunderstand with a host of faulty ideas?

“Take shelter of Lord Gaurāṅga’s city where, unseen by the unintelligent, all living entities and even all things are blissful, eternal, spiritual, and full of knowledge. My noble birth, wealth, and even my life-breath, may all perish. My good reputation may wither and die. My religious principles may run to destruction. Everyone may always mistreat me.

“My body may wither away with hundreds of incurable diseases. Still, my heart will never leave Lord Gaurāṅga’s city. If your heart is set on crossing beyond the ocean of repeated birth and death, if your heart relishes the sweet nectar of Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, and if your heart yearns to swim and sport in the ocean of pure love of Kṛṣṇa, then please reside in Māyāpur City.

“Worship millions of the most exalted spiritual masters if you wish! Study millions of Vedic scriptures if you wish! But know that it is they who yearn to reside in Lord Caitanyacandra’s transcendental city who will understand the great secret that is pure love for Lord Kṛṣṇa. O foolish people, please seek the path of pure Hari-bhakti, which even the great sages in ancient times could not find after long searching. If in your heart there is no faith, and if you think it is too difficult to attain, then please abandon all these misconceptions and take shelter of Lord Gaura’s city.” (Navadvipa Sataka)

Since the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Vaiṣhṇava ācāryas have foretold the development of Śrī Māyāpur dhāma. One evening, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda, the great pioneer of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the 19th century, was sitting peacefully in his house in Godrumadvīpa looking across the Jalangi river toward Śrī Māyāpur. Then suddenly he saw a brilliant effulgence spreading out in all directions from the holy land of Śrī Māyāpur. It was a vision of a wonderful golden city, a spiritual city from where the entire world would one day become inundated with Kṛṣṇa-prema. This was the fulfilment of the dreams of all the previous ācāryas.

In Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda predicted that someday people from foreign lands would meet with their Indian brothers in the holy land of Śrī Māyāpur, dance together in ecstasy, and chant “Jaya Śacīnandana! Jaya Śacīnandana!” He also wrote of a great personality who would soon appear to fulfil this prediction. Pure-hearted Vaiṣhṇavas understand that this empowered personality appeared as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, the founder-ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

“In the beginning, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted to develop this place very gloriously, befitting the holy name of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So, he started this movement of developing Māyāpur. He could not finish it, so it was handed down to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. So, under his effort, assisted by his disciples, this place has gradually developed, and our attempt is also to develop this place. Therefore, we have named this temple Māyāpur Chandrodaya.

“We have got great ambition to develop this place nicely and gloriously. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s great desire was that the Americans would come here, develop this place, and chant and dance along with the Indians. So, his dream as well as Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s foretelling, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma, sarvatra pracāra haibe more nāma... Caitanya Mahāprabhu desired that all Indians take part. Bhārata bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra, janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakra. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission, para-upakra, to do good to others.” (Srila Prabhupada Tapes 76/21/2)

“The scriptures of centuries past describe a vast and profoundly influential spiritual centre at Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur; a city which will succeed in ushering in a new world culture based on Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s example and teaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness,” said Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Mayapur Journal 1.2)

“Although unmanifest to material vision, this transcendental city exists eternally in the heart of Śrī Navadvīpa dhāma. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura perceived that the city, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura laid its foundation, and Śrīla Prabhupāda started its construction. By the divine will of Lord Caitanya, and the selfless endeavour of His devotees this spiritual abode will gradually appear before the vision of the conditioned souls of Kali.” (Mayapur Journal)

“This Māyāpur is the birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 500 years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu travelled on this street (in front of ISKCON). Now, that memory is going to be revived by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, ISKCON, all over the world because Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted this, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma, sarvatra pracāra haibe more nāma.

“So His prediction is coming true. Now you European, American, African and Australian, so many, all parts of the world, you have come to Māyāpur. This is due to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s desire. He wanted to become famous, and people should thank Him. He wanted that. He said, ‘When they will know My philosophy’--that is the desire of Śrī Caitanya--They will thank Me.’” (Srila Prabhupada Tapes 74/3/3)