Prediction Fulfilled

It is said that Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda, standing on the balcony of his house in Godruma years ago, looked across the River Jalahgi toward the birth site of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and predicted that one day there would be a shining city filled with devotees of Lord Caitanya from all over the world. If today one visits the house of Thakura Bhaktivinoda and goes to that balcony, he will see directly before him, fulfilling the prediction of Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda, the ISKCON Mayapura-candrodaya Mandira, ISKCON's World Center at the Birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Explaining the name of ISKCON's Mayapura center, Srila Prabhupada said that mayapura-candra means Lord Caitanya, who is compared to the moon, and udaya means "the arising." So mayapura-candra means "the arising of Lord Caitanya" He further said that the moon rises in two ways-by coming above the horizon and by growing from the new moon to the full moon. ISKCON's completed building in Mayapura, he said, is like the new moon, which gradually grows until full. When the ISKCON project in Mayapura is actually completed, the prediction of Thakura Bhaktivinoda will be totally fulfilled.

In his recent visit to Sridhama Mayapura, His Divine Grace further solidified the plans for the future city. He indicated the site for an enormous temple to be constructed, pointed out the main streets of the future city, showed where other roads should be constructed and where land should be bought, and encouraged the construction of a huge lake, surrounded by a park, with bathing places for the future residents. In this way, he gave many ideas for a city of pure devotion to the Lord Sri Krsna. As Mayapura-candrodaya develops, the entire world will be able to see the potency of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. From all over the world people will come to stay there, live peacefully and advance steadily in spiritual life. The only actual platform on which all the people of the world may stand united is one of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, and that is found only in the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Every other philosophy or solution, if examined carefully, will be found to fall short. The Mayapura-candrodaya Mandira, therefore, will be the shining example for all the nations of the world.

The discoverer of Sridhama Mayapura, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, has written in simple Bengali verse a book called Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya (The Greatness of Sri Navadvipa-dhama). I am humbly submitting a translation of the first chapter in the hope that those who have taken to the Krsna consciousness movement and are making efforts to take shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be encouraged and inspired with enthusiasm to go to Sridhama Mayapura, either to visit or to stay and help this great program develop.

I humbly offer my respectful obeisances to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, by whose mercy I have been able to visit the holy abode of Sridhama Mayapura and whose mercy I am begging in order to describe the glories of that transcendental land. Srila Bhaktivinoda entitles his first chapter "The General Greatness of Sridhama Mayapura"

ALL GLORIES TO NAVADVĪPA-CANDRA, the moon of Navadvipa, the son of Sri Sacidevi. All glories to Lord Nityananda, the wandering mendicant. All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu, the greatest personality. All glories to Gadadhara and Srivasa Panḍita. All glories to Navadvipa, the essence of all holy places. All glories to the residents of Navadvipa, who are associates of Lord Caitanya. At the feet of all the devotees, I offer my humble obeisances. I shall briefly describe Sri Navadvipa-dhama.

The glories of the circle of Navadvipa are unlimited. Even Brahma and the other demigods do not know them. Who, then, can describe these glories? If Lord Sesa Naga cannot describe them fully with one thousand mouths, how shall I, a tiny living entity, describe them? Although it is true that these glories are unlimited and that even the god of gods, Lord Siva, cannot reach their end, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire is very strong, and His devotees dispense their orders under the control of that desire. By the desire of Lord Caitanya, the devotees have given their command. Thus I shall describe the glories of Nadia by their mercy.