Category: Nadia

One of the sweetest spiritual sites that ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has come across during its vast journey across Bengal is the maternal home of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Located at a place called Belpukur within the precincts of Simantadvipa (one of the nine islands constituting Navadvipa) , this is where Sri Nilambar Chakravarti, Mahaprabhu’s maternal grandfather, used to reside along with his family 500 years ago.Sri Madana Gopala, the worshipable deity of Sri Nilambar, has been carefully preserved at this holy place and continues to accept our humble service till this day. The beautiful deities of Sri Nilambar Chakravarti and his daughter Srimati Saci devi is also worshipped over here.The temple priest ,Sri Nimai Krishna das Prabhuji, who lives and serves here, has been subsequently initiated into the Gaudiya Sampradaya by HH Jayapataka Swami Guru Maharaj.

Being His maternal home, this place is very dear to Sri Gaurahari. Infact all of us have a very special place in our hearts towards our maternal homes, and the Supreme Lord ,being a person, is also no different. In fact, a lot of His balya lilas (childhood pastimes) have taken place here at Belpukur. The dust of this holy place is thus sanctified with the lotus footprints of Little Nimai.

Travelling north from Mayapur, ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ reached the sacred island of Modadrumadvipa, which is non-different to the forests of Bhandirvan in Vraja. Here in Modadrumadvipa, within the village of Mamgachi, lies the residence (sripat) of Sri Saranga Murari Thakur. Sri Saranga Murari Thakur was a dear associate of Lord Caitanya and the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet are smeared all over his residence. The Thakur’s Radha Gopinath deities are carefully preserved till this day and daily worshipped with due diligence here at his sripat.

Life and pastimes of Sri Saranga Murari Thakur :

Sri Saranga Murari Thakur was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya. He used to reside here at Mamgachi in Modadrumadvipa, and would pass his days serving his deities and contemplating upon the Lord’s magnanimous pastimes. According to Sri Gaura Gannodesha Dipika , Saranga Thakur was the incarnation Nandi Mukhi devi, who was the wife of a brahmana in Vraja.Inspite of repeatedly being inspired from within, Saranga Thakur did not accept any disciple. But understanding that this was the desire of the Lord, Sri Saranga Thakur, decided one day ,that he would initiate the very first person he would meet the next morning. It thus happened that on the very next day, early morning, while he was taking bath, a dead body floated down the Ganges and touched his feet. He uttered mantra into the ears of the dead boy, following which the boy regained his consciousness. Regaining his life, the boy revealed that his name was Murari and that he had died on being bitten by a snake. From then on, Sri Saranga Thakur came to be known as Saranga Murari Thakur as he had given a new life to this boy Murari.

“What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering the transcendental abode of Navadvipa” –
Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya

Srimad Bhagavatam reveals that Lord Shiva is the foremost of all the Vaishnavas.

vaishnavanam yatha sambhuh
purananam idam tatha
(SB – 12.13.16)

Some people with incorrect sambandha gyan (knowledge of relationship with Supreme) falsely claim that Lord Shiva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However the scriptures state otherwise. The scriptures unambiguously mention that Lord Shiva is a devotee of the Supreme Lord and in fact he is a devotee of the highest order. The Mohini murti pastime, wherein Lord Shiva was bewildered by the supreme Lord who took the form of a beautiful attractive woman, or the pastime of Bhasmasura , wherein Lord Shiva had to flee from the asura unto whom he had bestowed several benedictions a while before, clearly reflect the superiority and the position of Lord Krishna as the Supreme.

In fact,Shiva is always meditating and hankering to render service unto Sri Krishna who is his dear beloved Lord. In Caitanya Mangala, it is described how Lord Shiva once became mad with ecstasy after honoring a tiny morsel of Krishna Prasadam which he had received from Narada Muni. Such were his feelings, that he began loudly singing and dancing. The dance slowly became more and more vigorous and took the shape of ‘Tandava’, a dance that is usually performed at the time of annihilation. As the whole world started shaking, the helpless demigods approached mother Parvati requesting her to console her husband. We can thus clearly understand how dear Krishna and His remnants are to Lord Shiva.

Sri Narsimha palli is the residence of Lord Narasimha deva, the half man-half lion incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Located on the southern boundaries of Navadvipa Dham (Godrumadvipa), near the city of Mayapur, this ancient deity of Lord Narasimha deva at Narasimha palli, is worshipped here since Satya Yuga (since 2,160,000 years atleast). Lord Narasimha deva is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who mercifully provides protection to His devotees. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ shall be narrating below the beautiful appearance pastime of Lord Narasimha deva and how He had once protected His dear devotee Prahlada, by killing His father Hiranyakashipu, the ferocious demon, who wanted to murder his own child.

History of the Narasimha temple of Narasimha Palli (Near Mayapur) 

So it was here at Narasimha Palli, in the waters of the Mandakini river, that Lord Narasimha deva had washed His hands stained with Hiranyakashipu’s blood in the Satya yuga. He also drank some water from this river in order to refresh Himself. The Mandakini river is reduced to a small lake today, and still exists adjacent to this ancient temple. Knowing that Lord Narasimha deva had come to take rest here, all the demigods headed by Brahma, came over and set up their residences, and engaged themselves in service of the Lord. Hence this place also came to be known as Devapalli or the neighbourhood of the Devas(demigods). Viswakarma had himself constructed thousands of houses out of stone, which served as the residences of these demigods. In course of time, the Mandakini river shifted its course and the houses were all destroyed. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to often come over here at Narasimha Palli, to discuss the glories of Lord Narasimha deva. The temple had been later reconstructed and restored to its present health by Maharaja Kshitish Candra in 1896 AD.

“What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering the transcendental abode of Navadvipa” –
Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya