Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya – Chapter Thirteen

jaya gaura nityānandādvaita gadādhara
śrīvāsa śrī-navadvīpa kīrtana-sāgara [1]

All glory to Gaura, Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, and the ocean of kīrtana, Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma!

śrī-vidyā-nagare āsi’ nityānanda-rāya
vidyā-nagarera tattva śrī-jīve śikhāya [2]

Coming to Vidyā Nagara, Nityānanda Rāya taught Śrī Jīva the importance of the town.

“nitya-dhāma navadvīpa pralaya-samaye
aṣṭa-dala padma-rūpe thāke śuddha haye [3]

“During the destruction of the universe, the eternal abode of Navadvīpa remains undisturbed as an eight-petalled lotus.

sarva-avatāra āra dhanya-jīva yata
kamalera ekadeśe thāke kata śata [4]

“All the avatāras and thousands of fortunate souls stay in one part of that lotus.

ṛtudvīpa antargata e vidyā-nagare
matsya-rūpī bhagavān sarva-veda dhare [5]

“In Vidyā Nagara within Ṛtudvīpa, the Lord, as Matsya, holds all the Vedas.

sarva-vidyā thāke veda āśraya kariyā
śrī-vidyā-nagara nāma ei sthāne diyā [6]

“The Vedas, which contain all knowledge, took shelter and stayed here. They named this place Śrī Vidyā Nagara.

punaḥ yabe sṛṣṭi-mukhe brahmā mahāśaya
ati bhīta hana dekhi’ sakala pralaya [7]

“When Brahmā desired to create the world again, he saw the full devastation and became extremely afraid.

sei kāle prabhu-kṛpā haya tāṅra prati
ei sthāne peye bhagavāne kare stuti [8]

“At that time, the Lord bestowed mercy upon him. He received that mercy here and then prayed to the Lord.

mukha khulibāra kāle devī sarasvatī
brahma-jihvā haite janme ati rūpavatī [9]

“As he opened his mouths, the extremely beautiful goddess Sarasvatī manifested from his tongues.

sarasvatī-śakti peye deva-catur-mukha
śrī-kṛṣṇe karena stava peye baḍa sukha [10]

“Becoming empowered by Sarasvatī, four-headed Brahmā prayed to Kṛṣṇa and felt great satisfaction.

sṛṣṭi yabe haya māyā sarva-dika gheri’
virajāra pāre thāke guṇa-traya dhari’ [11]

“When creation takes place, Māyā remains on the bank of the Virajā River and envelops all directions with the three modes of material nature.

māyā prakāśita viśve vidyāra prakāśa
kare ṛṣi-gaṇa tabe kariyā prayāsa [12]

“Then, within that world manifested by Māyā, the sages reveal knowledge.

ei ta sāradā-pīṭha kariyā āśraya
ṛṣi-gaṇa kare avidyāra parājaya [13]

“They take shelter in this abode of Sarasvatī and conquer ignorance.

cauṣaṭṭi vidyāra pāṭha laye ṛṣi-gaṇa
dharā-tale sthāne sthāne kare vijñāpana [14]

“They study the sixty-four branches of knowledge and then teach them at various places on the earth.

ye ye ṛṣi ye ye vidyā kare adhyayana
ei pīṭhe se sabāra sthāna anukṣaṇa [15]

“The residences of all the sages who study each and every type of knowledge are present here eternally.

śrī-vālmīki kāvya-rasa ei sthāne pāya
nārada-kṛpāya te̐ha āilā hethāya [16]

“Śrī Vālmīki came here by the grace of Nārada and learned the art of poetry.

dhanvantari āsi’ hethā āyurveda pāya
viśvāmitra ādi dhanur-vidyā śikhi’ yāya [17]

“Dhanvantari came here and learned āyurveda. Viśvāmitra and others learned archery.

śaunakādi ṛṣi-gaṇa paḍe veda-mantra
deva-deva mahādeva ālocaya tantra [18]

“Śaunaka and other sages studied Vedic mantras. The god of gods, Lord Śiva, studied tantra.

brahmā-cāri-mukha haite veda catuṣṭaya
ṛṣi-gaṇa prārthanāya karila udaya [19]

“At the request of the sages, the four Vedas manifested from the four mouths of Lord Brahmā.

kapila racila sāṅkhya ei sthāne vasi’
nyāya tarka prakāśila śrī-gautama ṛṣi [20]

“Kapila resided here and wrote about sāṅkhya, and Śrī Gautama Ṛṣi wrote texts about logic and argument.

vaiśeṣika prakāśila kaṇabhuk muni
pātañjali yoga-śāstra prakāśe āpani [21]

“Kaṇāda wrote about vaiśeṣika, and Pātañjali wrote texts on yoga.

jaiminī mīmāṁsā śāstra karila prakāśa
purāṇādi prakāśila ṛṣi vedavyāsa [22]

“Jaiminī wrote texts about mīmāṁsā, and Vedavyāsa wrote the Purāṇas and other texts.

pañcarātra nāradādi ṛṣi pañca-jana
prakāśiyā jīva-gaṇe śikhāya sādhana [23]

“Nārada and four other sages wrote the Pañcarātras and taught souls spiritual practices.

ei upavane sarva-upaniṣad-gaṇa
bahu-kāla śrī-gaurāṅga kare ārādhana [24]

“In this garden, all the Upaniṣads worshipped Śrī Gaurāṅga for a long time.

alakṣye śrī-gaura se sabe kahila
‘nirākāra-buddhi tava hṛdaya dūṣila [25]

“Invisibly, Śrī Gaura said to them, ‘The conception of formlessness has polluted your hearts.

tumi sabe śruti-rūpe more nā pāibe
āmāra pārṣada-rūpe yabe janma labe [26]

prakaṭa-līlāya tabe dekhibe āmāya
mama guṇa kīrtana karibe ubharāya’ [27]

“‘As scriptures, you will not attain Me, but when you take birth as My associates in My manifest Pastimes, you will see Me and loudly chant My glories.’

tāhā śuni’ śruti-gaṇa nistabdha ha-iyā
gopane āchhila hethā kāla apekṣiyā [28]

“Hearing this, the Upaniṣads became silent and secretly waited here.

ei dhanya kali-yuga sarva-yuga-sāra
yāhāte ha-ila śrī-gaurāṅga avatāra [29]

“This glorious Age of Kali, in which Śrī Gaurāṅga has descended, is the best of all ages.

vidyā-līlā karibena gaurāṅga-sundara
gaṇa-saha bṛhaspati janme ataḥpara [30]

“Hearing that Gaurāṅgasundara would perform Pastimes of scholarship, Bṛhaspati and his associates took birth before the Lord.

vāsudeva sārvabhauma sei bṛhaspati
gaurāṅge tuṣite yatna karilena ati [31]

“As Vāsudeva Sārvabhauma, Bṛhaspati endeavoured greatly to please Gaurāṅga.

‘prabhu mora navadvīpe śrī-vidyā-vilāsa
karibena’ jāni’ mane ha-iyā udāsa [32]

indra-sabhā parihari’ nija-gaṇa laye
janmilena sthāne sthāne ānandita haye [33]

“Knowing within his heart, ‘My Lord will perform Pastimes of scholarship in Navadvīpa’, and becoming detached, Bṛhaspati left the assembly of Indra with his associates. Joyfully, he and his associates took birth in various places.

ei vidyā-nagarīte kari’ vidyālaya
vidyā pracārila sārvabhauma mahāśaya [34]

“Bṛhaspati made a school in Vidyā Nagara and taught here as Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.

‘pāchhe vidyā-jāle ḍube hārāi gaurāṅga’
ei mane kari’ eka karilena raṅga [35]

“Thinking, ‘Later, I may sink into the net of knowledge and forget Gaurāṅga’, he performed a trick.

nija śiṣya-gaṇe rākhi’ nadīyā-nagare
gaura-janma pūrve te̐ha gelā deśāntare [36]

“Keeping his disciples in Nadīyā, he went elsewhere before the birth of Gaura.

mane bhāve, ‘yadi āmi ha-i gaura-dāsa
kṛpā kari’ more prabhu la-ibena pāśa’ [37]

“He thought, ‘If I am Gaura’s servant, then my Lord will mercifully bring me to His side.’

ei bali’ sārvabhauma yāya nīlācala
māyāvāda śāstra tathā karila prabala [38]

“Thinking this, Sārvabhauma went to Nīlācala and propagated texts on māyāvāda there.

hethā prabhu gaura-candra śrī-vidyā-vilāse
sārvabhauma-śiṣya-gaṇe jine parihāse [39]

“Here, during His Pastimes of scholarship, Gaura-candra Prabhu defeated and joked with the disciples of Sārvabhauma.

nyāya phāṅki kari’ prabhu sakale hārāya
kabhu vidyā-nagarete āise gaura-rāya [40]

“Sometimes the Lord came to Vidyā Nagara, posed trick questions, and defeated everyone.

adhyāpaka-gaṇa āra paḍuyāra gaṇa
parājita haye sabe kare palāyana [41]

“Defeated, all the teachers and students would flee.

gaurāṅgera vidyā-līlā apūrva kathana
avidyā chāḍaye tāra ye kare śravaṇa” [42]

“Ignorance leaves those who hear about Gaurāṅga’s extraordinary Pastimes of scholarship.”

śuni’ jīva premānande se veda-nagare
vyāsa-pīṭhe gaḍāgaḍi yāya prema-bhare [43]

Hearing this with the joy of divine love, Jīva rolled on the ground at the school in Vidyā Nagara, filled with divine love.

nityānanda-śrī-caraṇe kare nivedana
“āmāra saṁśaya chedana karaha ekhana [44]

At the holy feet of Nityānanda, he submitted, “I have a doubt. Please cut it away.

sāṅkhya-vidyā tarka-vidyā amaṅgalamaya
kemane nitya-dhāme se sakala raya” [45]

“Knowledge of analysis and argument are inauspicious, so how do they reside in the eternal Dhāma?”

śuni’ prabhu nityānanda jīve deya kola
ādara kariyā bale, “hari hari bola [46]

Hearing this, Nityānanda Prabhu embraced Jīva and affectionately said, “Hari! Haribol!

prabhura pavitra dhāme nāhi amaṅgala
tarka sāṅkhya svataḥ nahe hethāya prabala [47]

“Nothing is inauspicious in the holy abode of the Lord. Here, argument and analysis have no power of their own.

bhaktira adhīna saba bhakti-dāsya kare
karma-doṣe duṣṭa jane viparyaya dhare [48]

“Here, everything is dependent on devotion and serves devotion. As a result of their sins, the wicked think the opposite.

bhakti mahādevī hethā āra saba dāsa
sakale karaya bhakti-devīra prakāśa [49]

“Here, the goddess of devotion is supreme: everyone is her servant, and everything reveals her.

navadvīpe nava-vidhā bhakti adhiṣṭhāna
bhaktire sevaya sadā karma āra jñāna [50]

“Navadvīpa is the abode of the ninefold practice of devotion. Here, action and knowledge always serve devotion.

bahirmukha-jane śāstra deya duṣṭa-mati
śiṣṭa-jane sei śāstra deya kṛṣṇa-rati [51]

“The scriptures give misconceptions to those who are averse, and love for Kṛṣṇa to those who are gentle.

prauḍhā-māyā gaura-dāsī adhiṣṭhātrī devī
sarva-yuge ei sthāne thāke gaura-sevī [52]

“Prauḍhā Māyā, a servant of Gaurāṅga, is the presiding goddess here. In every age, she stays here and serves Gaurāṅga.

ati karma-doṣa yāra vaiṣṇavete dveṣa
tāre māyā andha kari’ deya nānā kleśa [53]

“Māyā blinds those who are very sinful and inimical to Vaiṣṇavas, and subjects them to various miseries.

sarva-pāpa sarva-karma hethā haya kṣaya
prauḍhā-māyā vidyā-rūpe kare karma laya [54]

“All sin and karma are annihilated here. In the form of knowledge, Prauḍhā Māyā destroys karma.

kintu yadi śrī-vaiṣṇave aparādha thāke
tabe dūra kare tāre karmera vipāke [55]

“If, however, someone offends a Vaiṣṇava, Prauḍhā Māyā drives them further into the miseries of karma.

vidyā paḍi’ nadīyāya se saba durjana
kabhu nāhi pāya kṛṣṇa-pade prema-dhana [56]

“Such sinners may study in Nadīyā, but they never attain the wealth of divine love for the feet of Kṛṣṇa.

vidyāra avidyā lābha kare sei saba
nāhi dekhe śrī-gaurāṅga nadīyā-vaibhava [57]

“They attain only ignorance of true knowledge and do not see the glory of Śrī Gaurāṅga in Nadīyā.

ataeva vidyā nahe amaṅgalamaya
vidyāra avidyā chāyā amaṅgala haya [58]

“Thus, knowledge is not inauspicious; its shadow, ignorance, is inauspicious.

e saba sphuribe jīva gaurāṅga-kṛpāya
likhibe āpana śāstre prabhura icchāya [59]

“O Jīva, you will reveal all this by the mercy of Gaurāṅga. By His desire, you will write scriptures about it.

tomāra dvārā karibena śāstra-parakāśa
ebe cala yāi morā jahnura āvāsa” [60]

“Actually, He will write scriptures through you. Now, let us go to the residence of Jahnu Muni.”

balite balite sabe jānnagara yāya
jahnu-tapovana-śobhā dekhibāre pāya [61]

While speaking, they went to Jān Nagara and saw the beauty of the hermitage of Jahnu Muni.

nityānanda bale, “ei jahnudvīpa nāma
bhadravana nāme khyāta manohara dhāma [62]

Nityānanda Prabhu said, “This charming abode is known as Jahnudvīpa and Bhadravana.

ei sthāne jahnu-muni tapa ācarila
suvarṇa pratimā gaura darśana karila [63]

“Jahnu Muni performed austerities here and saw the golden form of Gaura.

hethā jahnu-muni baise sandhyā karibāre
bhāgīrathī vege kośā-kuśī paḍe dhāre [64]

 

“Once, when Jahnu Muni sat here to perform his evening meditation, His copper vessel fell into the swiftly flowing River Gaṅgā.

dhāre paḍi’ kośā-kuśī bhāsiyā chalila
gaṇḍuṣe gaṅgāra jala saba pāna kaila [65]

“The copper vessel fell into the river and floated away. Jahnu Muni then drank all the water of the Gaṅgā with his palm.

bhagīratha mane bhāve, ‘kothā gaṅgā gela’
vihvala ha-iyā tabe bhāvite lāgila [66]

“Mahārāja Bhagīratha thought, ‘Where did the Gaṅgā go?’ Bewildered, he began to think over the situation.

jahnu-muni pāna kaila saba gaṅgā-jala
jāni’ bhagīratha mane ha-ila vikala [67]

“Understanding that Jahnu Muni had drunk all the water of the Gaṅgā, Mahārāja Bhagīratha became concerned.

kata-dine munire pūjila mahādhīra
aṅga vidāriyā gaṅgā karila bāhira [68]

Sober Mahārāja Bhagīratha worshipped the sage for some time, and eventually the Gaṅgā broke out of the sage’s body.

sei haite jāhnavī ha-ila nāma tāṅra
‘jāhnavī’ baliyā ḍāke sakala saṁsāra [69]

“Thereafter, she became known as Jāhnavī. The whole world now calls her ‘Jāhnavī’.

kata-dina pare hethā gaṅgāra nandana
bhīṣmadeva kaila mātāmaha daraśana [70]

“Some time later, Gaṅgā’s son, Bhīṣmadeva, met his grandfather Jahnu Muni here.

bhīṣmere ādara kare jahnu-mahāśaya
bahu-dina rākhe tāre āpana ālaya [71]

“Jahnu Muni honoured Bhīṣma and kept Bhīṣma at his home for a long time.

jahnu-sthāne bhīṣma dharma śikhila apāra
yudhiṣṭhire śikṣā dila sei dharma-sāra [72]

“Bhīṣma learned profound religious principles from Jahnu Muni and later taught the essence of them to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja.

navadvīpe thāki’ bhīṣma pāila bhakti-dhana
vaiṣṇava-madhyete bhīṣma ha-ila gaṇana [73]

“Residing in Navadvīpa, Bhīṣma attained the wealth of devotion and became recognised as a Vaiṣṇava.

ataeva jahnudvīpa parama pāvana
hethā vāsa kare sadā bhāgyavāna jana” [74]

“Thus, Jahnudvīpa is supremely purifying. Fortunate souls reside here eternally.”

sei dina jahnudvīpe nityānanda-rāya
bhakta-gaṇa saha rahe bhaktera ālaya [75]

That day Nityānanda and the devotees stayed at the home of a devotee in Jahnudvīpa.

para-dina prāte prabhu laye bhakta-gaṇa
modadrumadvīpe tabe karila gamana [76]

The next morning, Nityānanda Prabhu took the devotees and went to Modadrumadvīpa.

jāhnavā-nitāi-pada yāhāra garimā
e bhaktivinoda gāya nadīyā-mahimā [77]

Bhaktivinoda, whose pride is the feet of Jāhnavā and Nitāi, chants the glories of Nadīyā.