5. An Ocean of Mercy

 5. An Ocean of Mercy:

"Go to Lord Caitanya’s Forest of Navadvipa, read pastimes, and roll in the dust along the banks of the Ganges, which was touched by Gauranga's lotus feet. In this way, worship Lord Gauracandra who shines like a moon in the forest groves of Godruma."

Krsna's name, form, and lilás, manifest into this material nature for the sole reason of attracting conditioned souls to His sweet and sublime pastimes. Because Krsna's pastimes are enacted in the spiritual realm, attraction to them automatically frees the conditioned souls from their attraction to the temporary material realm and the suffering it brings. This is the causeless mercy the holy dhāmas are surcharged with, and which the dhamas freely give out to anyone and everyone.

A materialist who comes to Navadvīpa-dhāma wanting material benefits through pious activity, also gets the benefit of not having to take another birth. Someone who just happens to come to Navadvipa-dhāma is freed of all offenses, and visitors to Navadvipa-dhama also get the benefit of being freed from the bondage of maya. For those who walk throughout Navadvipa, the benefit of millions of aśvamedha yajñas are accrued with every step, and the bonds of mayā are cut along with the cycle of repeated birth and death. To attain liberation (Brahman realization), one simply needs to bathe in the Gańgå at Navadvipa. Here, eating Gauranga's mahā-prasādam gives devotion to Gauranga, and sleeping is accepted as paying obeisances. In three nights in Navadvipa-dhāma, one gets the results of ten years of yogic practices performed in other tirthas. While those who die in other tirthas receive material benefits or liberation, persons who die in Navadvipa-dhama receive devotion to the Lord.

Along with describing the causeless mercy freely available in Navadvipa-dhama, Bhaktivinoda Thakura also gave the secret of this dhama that makes it, "the crest jewel of all holy places."

After stating how obtaining krsna-prema is extremely rare even though the pastimes of Rädha and Krsna are known to everyone, Thakura Bhaktivinoda gives the reason for this:

"Herein lies the secret of secrets which the living entities bound by māyā cannot discern. One who does not attain the love of God after worshiping Krşņa birth after birth, has certainly committed heaps of offenses. For only by chanting Krsna's name without offenses can one attain incessant Krsna- prema.

"Sri Caitanya's incarnation, however, is most uncommon. By His mercy, a serious person, though filled with offenses, can quickly obtain the love of God. When someone calls out the names of Nitai and Caitanya, Krsna-premă comes looking for him. Offenses do not hinder his progress, and he soon sheds tears of ecstasy out of pure love of God. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, all the offenses quickly flee away, the heart becomes pure, and the love of God fully blossoms. Because people in Kali-yuga commit unlimited offenses, which are difficult to check, there can be no means of deliverance other than Gauranga's name. Therefore, in Kali-yuga, I see no alternative to Sri Gauranga."

This is the special quality of Navadvipa-dhāma. It has foregone all conditions and is freely giving out the highest possible benediction of Krsna-prema that is otherwise unobtainable by the unqualified jivas of Kali-yuga. In Navadvipa-dhāma, "a person who has committed hundreds of offenses can easily receive the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu and overcome those offenses." Thus, the holy name and devotion to Krsna easily blossoms within the hearts of those sincerely seeking this mercy overflowing in Sri Navadvipa-dhama. This is the unlimited and causeless mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Hearing is the Key:

Sravanam, hearing, is the most important principle in purifying the heart and awakening our dormant love of Godhead. Therefore, whether you want to relish the places and pastimes by reading them or by going out on parikrama of Navadvipa- dhama, the result will be the same - the nectarean pastimes of Gaurahari and His associates will inundate your heart with unbounded bliss.