Sridham Mayapura is non-different from Sri Vrndavan Dhama. Nitya lila pravistha om visnupada paramahamsa astotarra sata Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the Founder/Acarya of the Gaudiya Matha, and our parama gurudeva was personally instructed by his father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur to establish the importance of this Dhama for all devotees world wide. In his Sri Navadvipa Mahatmya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written:
"The whole of Gauda-mandala is cintamani, or touchstone, yielding all desires. The dhama is full of knowledge and bliss and is completely spiritual. The water, the land, the trees -- everything in the dhama is spiritual, unlike the dull matter of this material world. Always present in the dhama are Krsna's three spiritual energies -- sandhini, samvit, and hladini. Krsna`s original energy, svarupa-sakti, manifests
in these three divisions. Of these, the sandhini energy, which supports all existence, finds its perfect function in manifesting the eternal dhama. In that position, the dhama acts eternally as the base or support for the Lord's Appearance and activities. All this is the action of the inconceivable energy of the Lord, which is anti-material and completely transcendental. . ." (Chapter Two, Measurement and Form of the Dhama)
"The dhama is eternally perfect, fully spiritual, and unlimited. Those whose intelligence is tinged with dull matter cannot approach there. But, under the influence of the hladini-sakti the energy governing bliss, the living entities give up material paths and by the strength of perfect knowledge attain their eternal spiritual activity of
devotional service. The whole of Navadvipa is a spiritual manifestation, for at this holy place Sri Gauranga performed His transcendental activities. . ." (Chapter Four, Sri Jiva Hears About Navadvipa-dhama)
"Nityananda Prabhu began speaking, "Listen to My words. Navadvipa extends over sixteen krosas. Within the sixteen krosas of Navadvipa, which are non-different from Vrndavana, there are nine islands, which form an eight-petaled lotus floating on the water. In the middle of the eight islands, or petals, lies Antardvipa. And within Antardvipa, lies the very central point, Mayapur. The eternal pastimes of Lord Caitanya take place within Yogapitha and the circle of Mayapur, the circumference of which measures three and a half miles and the
diameter measures just over one mile. Because the Panca-tattva are seated at the Yogapitha, it is the most glorious of all places.
"Very soon, by the desire of the Lord, this will be nearly hidden under the waters of the Ganges. Then later, by the powerful desire of the Lord, the dhama will again be revealed and shine effulgently. The eternal dhama is never really lost but is temporarily covered, and then again it appears to our eyes.
"My worshipable Lord eternally resides at Mayapur, situated on the east bank of the Ganges. Although in the eyes of common people, Visvambhara took sannyasa and left Navadvipa to go elsewhere, actually My Gauranga never gives up Mayapur or Navadvipa. The devotees can perceive His daily lila. You, Jiva, will also see Gauranga dancing..." (Chapter Five, Sri Mayapur and Antardvipa)
"Nityananda Prabhu said, "He is the guardian of Mayapur. This is where the praudhha maya energy, yoga-maya, in charge of spiritual perception is eternally situated. When our Lord disappears, by His desire, the
Ganges will swell. The Ganges water will almost cover Mayapur for a hundred years, and then the water will again recede. For some time only the place will remain, devoid of houses. Then again, by the Lord's desire, this place will become prominent, and people will live in Mayapur as before. All these ghatas on the bank of the Ganges will again be manifest, and the devotees will build temples of the Lord. One exceedingly wonderful temple will appear from which Gauranga's eternal service will be preached everywhere. Praudha Maya and Vrddha Siva will again come and perform their duties of revealing the spiritual dhama according to the Lord's desire." (Chapter Five, Antardvipa Part 2)
The Bvml.org staff has recently visited the mango grove and we are going to be working with Sripad Mohan Prabhu to assist him in its development. If you are interested in sponsoring any aspect of the preservation of
these 500 year old mango trees, and the development of this tirtha to glorify His Divine Grace, please contact us by email, or write to:
"Navadvipa is the topmost tirtha. Taking shelter of it, the living entities can cross over Kali-yuga. At this place, taraka, the name of Rama, which gives liberation, and paraka, the name of Krsna, which gives prema, always serve the residents of the dhama. . . ." (Chapter One, General Glorification)
To visit Sri Mayapura/Navadwipa Dhama you can fly to Kolkata and then either travel by car or train. His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada visited Sri Mayapura Dhama many times. As a young man he traveled here from Kolkata to visit his spiritual master, hear his harikatha, and associate with his
godbrothers. As a spiritual master he took his own disciples here and established one large temple, ISKCON Candrodaya Mandira. He made the journey often by car. On the main road, approximately one half the distance from Kolkata to Navadwipa is a very large mango grove. As they journeyed from Kolkatta to Sri Mayapur Dhama, His Divine Grace used to stop at this location to honor breakfast prasadam with his disciples. The Bvml.org staff is presenting for you photos of "Then" and "Now." "Then" means the historical record of some of His Divine Grace's visits, and "Now" means photos of the current state of development of the grove.
Sripad Mohan Agarwala Prabhu is the current proprietor of Srila Prabhupada's Mango Grove. He is constructing a Srila Prabhupada Memorial Temple, Guest House, and Restaurant for the enjoyment of all pilgrims who will stop here in the future. He has planted many exotic flowers from Sri Vrndavana Dhama and more than 500 thriving tulasi plants to enhance the spiritual atmosphere of this tirtha (place of pilgrimage) for all the followers of His Divine Grace Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder/Acarya of the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness.
Sripad Mohan Agarwala
135/47/1 Girish Ghosh Road
Belur Math
Howrah --- 711202
West Bengal, India
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