Text 9
Brahmapura boli srutigana jake gaya
Mayamukta chakshe aha Mayapur bhaya
Sarvopari Sri Gokula nama mahavana
Yatha Nitya Leela kare Sri-Saci-nandana
Translation –
The scriptures sing praises of a transcendental abode, called Brahmapura.Ah ! Mayapur shines bright in that realm, before eyes free from illusion.Identical with the most exalted abode of Gokula, situated in the Mahavana forest of Vrindavana, Mayapur is the abode where the son of mother Saci, performs His eternal pastimes.
Text 10
Vraje sei dham gopa-gopi-ganalaya
Navadvipe Sri-Gokula dvijabasa raya
Jagannatha Misra parama pabana
Mayapura madhye shobhe nitya niketana
Translation –
Sri Gokula dhama of Vraja is the residence of cowherd men and women. In Navadvipa , that same Gokul dham manifests as the residence of the brahmanas.Jagannatha Misra, who is an epitome of purity, has his house at the very center of Mayapur (within Navadvipa). His radiant effulgent house is the eternal residence of the Supreme Lord.
Purport –
Jagannatha Misra and Saci mata, were the Supremely fortunate parents of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the deliverer of the three worlds. The Lord appeared from the womb of mother Saci, on the full moon night of Phalguna (Feb-March) in the year 1486 AD. Saci mata and Jagannatha Misra were no ordinary souls. Sri Gaura Gannodesha Dipika reveals that Saci mata was the combined incarnation of the potencies of Devaki, Yashoda, Aditi and Kaushalya.While Nanda Maharaj, Vasudeva (the king of yadus) ,Dasaratha, and Kasyapa muni combined to incarnate as Jagannatha Misra, Nimai’s father. The ancestors of Jagannatha Misra were originally the residents of Sylhet (situated presently in Bangladesh).
How to Reach Yogpeeth : Mayapur lies within Antardvipa, the sacred island at the junction of Jalangi (yamuna) and the Ganges. Mahavana, situated at the very center of Vrindavana, the highest spiritual realm, is non different to Mayapur. Navadvipa is like a beautiful lotus flower with its eight islands assuming the shape of eight petals.Antardvipa, the ninth and the best of the islands, is situated as the central whorl of this lotus like transcendental abode.
One travelling from kolkata is advised to board a Krishnanagar local train from the Sealdah station. On reaching Krishnanagar, one can book a toto (auto) to take him to the Krishnanagar Ghat. From the Krishnanagar Ghat(bank) one can avail a five minutes ferry ride to reach the Mayapur Hulor Ghat. From the mayapur Ghat one can take a toto/auto/rickshaw to directly reach Yogpeeth
Text 11
Maya-jaala-vrita chakshu dekhe kshudragara
Jadamaya bhumi jol drabya yata ara
Maya kripa kari jaal uthaye yakhana
Ankhi dekhe subishala chinmoy bhavana
Translation –
Eyes covered by material illusion only see a small house , ordinary land, water and material objects. It is only when Maya mercifully lifts her veil can one see a grand spiritual abode.
Purport –
As discussed in verse 4, The spiritual grandeur of the dham is only revealed to those fortunate souls who have received the grace of Sri Guru and Gauranga.
Text 12
Yatha nitya mata-pita dasa-dasi-gana
Sri Gauranga seve preme matta anukshana
Lakshmi-Vishnupriya seve prabhura charana
Pancha-tattvatmaka prabhu apurva darsana
Translation –
Here Lord Gauranga is eternally served by His mother, father ,male and female servants, who are ever enchanted by His divine love. Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya devi (His two wives) also eternally serve the Lord’s divine feet over here. Here one can obtain darsana of Lord Gauranga who manifests Himself as the Pancha Tattva.
Purport –
The Supreme Lord manifests Himself into five in order to taste and relish the different spiritual varieties. These five great personalities are together referred to as the ‘Pancha Tattva’. We offer our humble obeisances unto the supreme Lord, who has manifested Himself as a devotee (Lord Chaitanya), expansion of a devotee (Lord Nityananda), incarnation of a devotee (Advaita acharya), pure devotee (Srivasa Pandita) and devotional energy (Gadadhara pandita).
Text 13
Nityananda Sri Advaita sei mayapur-e
Gadadhara Srivasa-adi sthane sthane sphure
Asankhya vaishnavalaya chaturdike bhaya
Heno mayapur kripa karun amay
Translation –
Lord Nityananda ,Sri Advaita acharya, Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srivasa Thakura manifest themselves here and there at different places throughout Mayapur. Innumerable residences of Vaishnavas illuminate all four directions. May such a Mayapur be merciful upon me.
Purport –
The land of Mayapur is the highest realm of the spiritual world. It is scattered with pastimes and pastime places of the Supreme Lord and His beloved associates. The manifestation of Mayapur in this earth is non-different to the transcendental realm of Mayapur in the spiritual world. The residents of Navadvipa and Mayapur are also not ordinary. 500 years ago, when Lord Chaitanya organized a grand procession to protest against the actions of Chand Kazi, lakhs of devotees participated in the march. Singing and dancing in sankirtana, they marched towards the residence of the Kazi. In the course of this procession, all these residents, who participated, manifested their four-handed forms, just like the denizens of Vaikuntha. Hence we must understand that the Navadvipa-vasis are not ordinary souls. Either they are eternal associates of the Lord or it is due to their immense fortune that they can now reside in the dham.
Text 14
Naireete yamuna Ganga sva-soubhagya gani
Nagarupe seva kare Gaura dvijamani
Bhagirathi tate bahu ghat devalaya
Praudhamaya vriddha shiva upavana-chaya
Translation –
To the south west, rivers yamuna and Ganga reflect upon their great fortunes. Flowing like serpents they serve Lord Gauranga, the jewel of the twice borns (brahmanas). On the bank of the Ganges, there lies many ghats (stairways to reach the water), temples, wherein also rest the deities of Praudhamaya and Vriddha Shiva. There also exist several beautiful groves and gardens.
Purport –
The verses of Bhaktivinoda Thakura are so wonderful and enchanting. We would just like to add a few more details about Prauddhamaya and Vriddha Shiva. Sri Vriddha Shiva and his wife Prauddha Maya are the eternal protectors of Navadvipa Mandala. Initially, they were worshipped on the eastern bank of the Ganges. However after the disappearance of Mahaprabhu, as per earlier predictions, Mayapur was covered by the Ganges for about a hundred years. At this time, some devotees began worshiping Vriddha Shiva and Prauddha Maya on the western side of the Ganges (on Koladvipa). The place where the deities of Prauddha maya and Vriddha Shiva are worshipped today, has since come to be known as Porama-tola and Buro Shiva tola respectively. Prauddha Maya is Yoga-Maya and she protects the dham by veiling its transcendental features and not allowing the non-devotees to enter this holy abode. Even if some non-believers enter this transcendental place, they are not able to experience the glories of the dham.
How to Reach Prauddha maya and Vriddha shiva temples : Take a ferry from Hulor ghat (mayapur) and cross over the Ganges to reach Navadvipa ghat. From there you can take an auto rickshaw to directly reach the temple of Prauddha maya located at the center of Poramatala bazar (market). The deity of Prauddha Maya is worshipped inside a huge banyan tree. The deity of Lord Shiva (Vriddha Shiva) is worshipped at a place called ‘Buro shiva Tola’, which is not very far from Poramatala bazar.
