19810323 Śrī Navadvīpa Maṇḍala Parikramā

The following is a Parikramā lecture given by His Holiness Jāyapatākā Swami Mahārāja on March 23rd, 1981 in Rājāpura, Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma, India.

jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me
nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me
nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Jaya Jagannātha Jaya Jagannātha
Jaya Jagannātha Jaya Jagannātha

Jaya Jagannātha Jaya Jagannātha
Jaya Baladeva, Jaya Subhadrā

Jaya Jagannātha Jaya Jagannātha
Jaya Subhadrā Jaya Baladeva,

Jaya Jagannātha Jaya Jagannātha
Jaya Jagannātha Jaya Jagannātha

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare 

This is a temple five hundred years old. The building may not be 500 years old; but the Deities were self-manifested to a devotee, during the presence of Caitanya Mahāprabhu on this planet. And actually, it’s described in the Navadvīpa-māhātmyaṁ by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that this part of Navadvīpa-dhāma is non-different from the Jagannātha-Purī dhāma where Jagannātha is always residing.

Devotees: Haribol!

Jayapatākā Swami: Jagannātha-deva kī… Jaya! 

Jagannātha Subhadrā Balarāma kī… Jaya!

Many many thousands of years ago, when the demon came, by the name of Raktabāhu; and he liked to tear the arms off brāhmaṇas and suck their blood out of their bodies. And he was always bloody, so he was also called “bloody-armed” or Raktabāhu. So, he was, to say the least, a man-eater – cannibal, Rākṣasa - demon.

So, the pujārīs, to protect Lord Jagannātha, they took Him from Jagannātha Purī and brought Him here to Navadvīpa-dhāma to hide from the demon. Actually it was a trick by Lord Jagannātha to visit Navadvīpa-dhāma. Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma kī…

Devotees: Jāya!

Jayapatākā Swami: So just like Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, when He passed over here, He stopped. Lord Balarāma visited nearby here. Just over there, behind Nitāi-Gaura deity, there is a field called the Mayamārī-maṭha. When Lord Balarāma was visiting all the holy places during Kṛṣṇa-līlā, He visited Navadvīpa and killed this Maya demon. So that the field is still known as Mayamārī Māṭh or the field where Balarāma killed the Maya demon.

Like that, all the different incarnations, they all visit holy places when They come. Especially Vṛndāvana, Navadvīpa, Mathurā and Gaura-maṇḍala bhūmi. These transcendental dhāmas are extensions from the spiritual world. And in the dhāma you find representation of all the holy places. Here you will find Jagannātha Puri, you will find Banaras, Kāśī, you will find Haridvāra, you will find all the holy places have their place here also.

So, this Jagannātha deity was given to ISKCON to worship several years ago. And actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda predicted to Śrīla Rameśvara Swami that in the future, ISKCON will have to maintain all of the temples in the holy dhāma. Possibly that responsibility will be ours; that if any temple is unmanageable, if they cannot manage it and they request us; and it is some ancient significant temple, then ISKCON would take up that responsibility to preserve the ancient roots and ancient places which are connected with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Prabhupāda ki…!

Devotees: Jāya! Therefore you preachers from all over the world, coming back to your original home here in the holy dhāma, to render service to Caitanya Mahāprabhu; you can know that this place you are seated right now is the special favorite place to Srimati Rādhārāṇi. Because here, Mother Pārvati worshipped her Lord Caitanya and she got the darśana of Caitanya Mahāprabhu; and having the darśana of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, she took the dust from Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet and put it on her forehead, where the women wear the red mark for marriage. She put the dust right at that place which is known as the sīmanta. So this island of Navadvīpa, we cross over to a new island. This is the island of Sīmantadvīpa, or where Pārvati worshipped Gaurāṅga and she prayed to Gaurāṅga that “You are giving mercy to the whole world, everyone. But you are preaching to everyone to stay away from māyā. So I don’t get association with any of Your devotees.” (laughter) “So, You are delivering everybody but me, Māyādevī. So when will I get delivered? What is my hope?”

So then Lord Caitanya said that “You are the extension of Rādhārāṇi. You are the shadow of Yogamāyā.” and so He blessed her she could realize this oneness and difference. Normally we realize the difference but then that moment by Kṛṣṇa’s, Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy, she could realize the oneness between herself and Rādhārāṇi, and experience pure Kṛṣṇa-prema of the highest order. So here, it is said that by worshipping Caitanya Mahāprabhu one can get the special mercy of Śrīmati Rādhārāṇi.

So, I would like to request Śrīla Harikeśa Swami Maharāja Viṣṇupāda, while we’re bringing the prasāda, to just speak for a few seconds.

Devotees: Haribol! Śrīla Viṣṇupāda kī… Jāya!

Harikeśa Swami: At times like this, after walking in the hot sun, there is so much dust; and we are waiting to take prasāda. So, a philosophical class is the last thing one wants to hear. (laughter) And I didn’t want to do it. But I was forced by Ācāryapāda. He is very transcendental. I think we should just have a soft kīrtana.

Devotees: Jaya!

Harikeśa Swami: And somebody should go over there and tell them to get prasāda quick! (laughter)

*blissful kīrtana starts* ♫~hari harāye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ~♫