6. Appearance of Śri Navadvipa-Dhāma

6. Appearance of Śri Navadvipa-Dhāma: 

When Krsna descends, His abode and all His associates and other paraphernalia also descend with Him and manifest as His holy dhama within the material realm. 

Śrī Māyāpur-dhāma, however, was Śrīmatī Rādhārānī's own creation, to lure Krsna away from another lover. 

In the Ananta-samhita, Lord Śiva explains to Pārvatī why Śrīmati Rādhārānī created the merciful Śrīdhāma Māyāpur.

Lord Śiva told Pārvatī, "As a bee plays in a lotus, Krsna was enjoying with Virajā in the pleasant forest groves of Vrndāvana. Moon-faced, doe-eyed Rādhikā heard this news from one sakhi and hastily ran to find Krsna. Seeing that Rādhā was coming, Krsna suddenly disappeared and Virajā became a river. When Śrīmati Rādhārāņī arrived there She could not find them. Absorbed in thoughts of Krsna, Rādhā began to think of how to attract Him away from Virajā.

"She gathered Her sakhis together between the Gangā and Yamuna rivers. She created a beautiful place, decorated with creepers and trees and filled with male and female bumblebees. Deer and bucks were happily enjoying as they wandered about, and the whole area was filled with the fragrance of jasmine, mallikā, and malati flowers. That transcendental abode was adorned with tulasi forests and decorated with various groves. On Rādhā's order, the Ganga and Yamuna, with their pleasant water and banks, acted as a moat to protect the garden. Cupid himself, along with springtime, eternally resides there, and the birds constantly sing the auspicious name of Krsna. There were frolicking animals, buzzing bumblebees, and birds eternally singing, “O Kṛṣṇa!” 

Dressed in colorful clothing and ornaments, the incomparibly beautiful Śrīmatī Rādhikā began playing sweet music on a flute to attract Krsna. 

Captivated by that celestial sound, Śrī Kṛṣṇa immediately appeared in that charming place and said: 

Rādhā, the attractor of Krsna's mind, seeing that Krsna had come, held His hand and experienced ecstatic delight. Then Krsna, understanding Rādhā's mood, spoke in a voice choked with love.

"O lovely-faced Rādhā, You are My very life. There is no one dearer to Me than You. Therefore, I will never leave You. Just for Me You have created this wonderful place. Staying with You, I will transform this place, filling it with new sakhis and groves. The devotees will glorify this place as New (nava) Vrndāvana. As this place is like an island (dvipa), the wise will call it Navadvipa (nine islands). By My order, all the holy places will reside here. Because You have created this place for My pleasure, I will live here eternally. Those people who come here and worship Us will certainly attain Our eternal service in the mood of the sakhis. O dear Rādhā, like Vrndāvana, this place is extremely pure and here one can attain pure devotional service.’ If anyone comes here just once, he will obtain the results of going to all sacred places. He will quickly attain devotional service, which satisfies Us."

“Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Rādhā joined to become a single spiritual form of eternal bliss and knowledge. That unified form was Kṛṣṇa inside, and Gaura (fair, golden complexioned) outside. Seeing this, Lalitā, Viśākhā and all the sakhīs at once accepted male forms to serve their Lord Gaura. They all began loudly chanting, ‘Jaya Gaurahari! Jaya Gaurahari!’ Golden-complexioned Śrī Rādhīkā is fair (Gaura), and Lord Śyāmasundara is dark (Hari). Becoming one, They are now known as Gaurahari and live eternally in Navadvīpa. Here the Vraja-gopīs have accepted male forms as to joyfully serve Lord Gaurahari, who is Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in a single form.” (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya)

Phala Sruti:

"O Pārvati," Lord Śiva continued, "I have described to you the reason for the appearance of Navadvipa. When heard by mankind, this narration removes all sins and bestows devotional service. Whoever rises early in the morning and with devotion to Gaura recites or hears this story of Navadvīpa's creation will certainly attain Gauranga."