The Essence of All Abodes

Such is the glory of Navadvipa-dhama, which is in the circle of Gauḍa (West Bengal). "Most fortunate is that land," say all the rsis, or sages. O brother! One who resides in the land of Navadvipa is greatly fortunate, for he obtains pure love for Krsna. Whosoever goes at any time to visit Navadvipa becomes freed from all offenses. Whatever a pilgrim obtains by wandering to all the holy places is obtained simply by remembering Sri Navadvipa. This all the scriptures sing. A person who simply sees Navadvipa gets the great fortune of love for Krsna birth after birth. Even one who practices karma-or buddhi-yoga never again takes birth if he goes to Navadvipa. If a person wanders in Navadvipa, at every step he obtains the result of ten million horse sacrifices. That too is stated in all the scriptures. If anyone resides there and chants his given mantra, that mantra becomes Lord Caitanya, and so he is easily delivered. What yogis obtain in other holy places after ten years of practice is obtained in Navadvipa by practicing for only three nights. The liberation obtained in other holy places by knowledge of Brahman is obtained simply by bathing in the Bhagirathi in Sridhama Navadvipa. The five types of liberation-achieving the same planet as the Lord, getting a form similar to that of the Lord, obtaining opulence equal to that of the Lord, getting direct association with the Lord, and merging into the Brahman effulgence-can be obtained in Navadvipa, even without one's knowledge, by those who desire such liberation. Falling at the feet of the pure devotees in Sri Navadvipa, material enjoyment and liberation always remain their maidservants. The devotees, however, beat these two and try to drive them away. But still these maidservants do not give up the lotus feet of the devotees and run away. What one obtains, O brother, in the seven holy places after one hundred years is obtained in Sri Navadvipa by residing there a single night. That Navadvipa-dhama is the essence of all holy abodes. In the Kali-yuga the living entity can cross over the ocean of material life by taking shelter of Sri Navadvipa. The two fields of knowledge called taraka (crossing over the ocean of material existence) and paraka (obtaining the other side of that ocean) continuously serve the residents of Sri Navadvipa as a matter of ordinary course. Taking great pleasure, thus sings Bhaktivinoda, whose desire is the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda and His eternal consort, Jahnava-devi.

Thus ends the First Chapter of Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatyma, entitled "The General Glories of Sri Navadvipa."

Nitai dasa, a graduate of Exeter Academy and the University of Colorado, is a personal secretary to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.