13. Why is this island named Antardvipa?

13. Why is this island named Antardvipa? 

This island represents the devotional process of “Atma-nivedanam, the full surrender to the Supreme Lord.”

“Let Krsna tightly embrace this maidservant, who has fallen at His lotus feet. Let Him trample me or break my heart by never being visible to me. He is a debauchee after all and can do whatever He likes, but He is still none other than the worshipable Lord of my heart.”

Non-different from Gokula:

The petal island of Antardvipa in the lotus flower of Navadvipa dhama is non-different from Gokula of Vrndavana. And in the center of Antardvipa is Mayapur, which is non-different from Mahavana forest, the center of Gokula. It is the smallest island and is in the center, just as the stamen of a lotus flower is the smallest part of the flower and rests in the center.

Antardvipa’s secret revelation:

Antardvipa was previously known as Atopur. 5000 years ago, Brahmä came here to worship Lord Gauränga. 

Once, 500 years ego, Isana Thäkura took Sriniväsa Äcärya, Narottama däsa Thäkura and Rämacandra Kaviräja on Navadvipa Parikramä. Very early one morning Isäna Thäkura brought them here and gave them the following explanation as to why this place is known as Antardvipa. 

During Dväpara-yuga Lord Sri Krsna was displaying His pastimes in Vraja. Everyone including Brahmä was bewildered by the illusory energy of Lord Sri Krsna. 

Once Lord brahma saw Krsna, small coward boy, kill Aghasura, a demon so powerful that even the demigods fled in fear of him. Brahma then saw Aghasura’s soul merge into Krsna’s body. After this, Krsna sat down with His cowherd boyfriends to take prasadam together. At first Brahma was thinking Krishna was His worshipable Lord, Lord Narayana, but when he saw Krsna taking the prasadam given to Him by his friends, Brahma knew this was not Narayana. To test who Krsna was, Brahma stole all the calves and cowherd boyfriends of Krsna by his yogic power and hid them in a cave. 

But Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately knew what Brahmä had done. Lord Krsna wanted to teach Brahmä a lesson, so the Lord instantly created, from His own transcendental body, the same number of calves and cowherd boys. Thus, Lord Sri Krsna destroyed the pride of Brahmä. 

Defeated by the Lord, Brahmä realized his mistake. He understood that he had committed a great offense at the lotus feet of the Lord and so offered prayers to the Lord and begged for forgiveness. 

Lord Krsna out of His causeless mercy excused Brahmä, but Brahmä was not yet satisfied. He thought to himself, “Because of my elevated position as Brahmä I am very proud. Therefore, I have been deprived of Krsna-premä and enjoyment of Krsna’s sweet vraja lilä. This position of Brahmä is useless. If I would take birth as a cowherd boy I would very easily be able to serve Lord Sri Krsna, the husband of the gopikäs. I could not develop the proper mood, and I dared to steal the cows and cowherd boys. Due to pride in my elevated position, I fear that I may again commit the same offense towards the Lord when He comes as Lord Gauränga during the next yuga, Kali-yuga.” Once Brahmä was sitting alone thinking to himself, “I do not see anyone else who can help me except Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahäprabhu will descend during the first part of Kali yuga to bless the people of that yuga. If I worship the Lord in Navadvipa dhäma then the Lord will fulfil my desire.” 

Thinking like this Brahmä came to this place known as Ätopur in Navadvipa dhäma and worshiped Lord Gauränga very jubilantly. After the completion of a period of bhajana, the most merciful Lord Gauracandra appeared in front of the four-headed Lord Brahmä. The Lord appeared there in His most captivating form, attracting the living entities of the whole world. All ten directions were dazzled by the effulgence of His transcendental body. The beauty of His body defeated the beauty of Kandarpa (Cupid). He had a broad chest and long arms extending all the way down to His thighs. His whole body was decorated with many varieties of ornaments. His eyes extended up to His ears and His glances were very wonderful. His face was more beautiful than millions of moons and He had a slight smile on His face. There was no one who was not attracted to Him. 

When Brahmä saw the Lord of his life, he became very ecstatic and could not control himself. His whole body started to tremble. He began offering many prayers to the Lord as his eyes filled with tears. Brahmä fell at the lotus feet of Lord Gauränga. 

Seeing Brahmä in this condition Lord Gauränga, the son of Saci-devi, embraced him and spoke to him with very sweet words, “Oh, Brahmä! I am very pleased with your worship of Me. Now I have come to you to fulfil your desire.” By hearing the sweet words of the Lord, Brahmä opened his eyes, fainted upon seeing Lord Gauränga in front of him and fell on the ground at the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord placed His lotus feet on the head of Brahmä and thus Brahmä gained transcendental knowledge and started to offer prayers to the Lord. 

Brahmä said, “I am very wretched. Due to my proud nature, I have forgotten Your lotus feet and became engrossed in material pleasures. The scriptures describe me, Indra, Mahädeva and all the other devas as Your servants, but we are not so fortunate to be Your pure devotees. That is why we sometimes become influenced by Your illusory energy. I have passed the first parärdha of my life (half of my life). I am concerned about how to spend the second half of my lifespan. I am worried that I will become bahirmukha (averse, turning my face away from You). I pray at Your lotus feet to kindly accept me as Your associate in Your manifested pastime in this Kali-yuga when You will appear in Nadia along with Your associates. Please bless me so that my pride of thinking of myself as Brahmä will be removed and I will chant Your glories, constantly staying in Your association. For this, kindly give me birth in a low family. I am very proud. Kindly punish me in such a way that people will hate me. Remove my terrible mentality and allow me to develop great attachment to Your holy name. As You have bewildered me in Your previous pastime, please do not bewilder me in this pastime. I want constant association of Your devotees and to meditate on You always.” Lord Gauränga was very happy to hear Brahma’s prayer. 

He replied, “Let it be so. Let your desire be fulfilled. When I next manifest My pastimes on earth you will take birth in the house of Yavanas (persons outside of Vedic culture). At that time, you will be completely free from any pride. You will be a great devotee and known as Haridäsa. You will feel very fallen and humble. You will chant 3,00,000 holy names daily and at the time of leaving your body you will have My darsana. By the power of your sädhana you will enter My eternal abode Navadvipa dhäma at the end of your life.” 

Hearing this from the Lord, Brahmä offered obeisances again and again. He spoke very gently, “O my Lord! You are independent and transcendental to everything. Who can understand Your heart? You have exhibited many pastimes during Your previous incarnations. I do not know which special pastimes You will exhibit when You appear in Nadia. It is no wonder that You will deliver all the living entities. This is a very simple task for You. Please tell me, I wish to hear whether You have any other special purpose for manifesting Your pastimes in Nadia.” 

Hearing the words of Brahmä and looking at him, the Lord spoke from His heart (antar), saying, “O Brahmä! Please listen, I will tell you something from the inner core of My heart (antar) but do not describe this fact anywhere in the scriptures. I will manifest Myself accepting the mood of My devotee and relish the mellows of devotion. I will manifest the most secret sankirtana, giving vraja premä to all the devotees of all My other incarnations. Everyone will be a follower of vraja-bhäva in the mood of mädhurya-rasa. My heart is bound by the love of Sri Rädhikä and I will descend accepting the mood and bodily colour of Srimati Rädhäräni. I will relish the same pleasure which is relished by Sri Rädhikä in serving Me. From today you are accepted as My disciple, and you will serve Me as Haridäsa.” 

While saying this, the Lord’s heart became filled with love for Rädhäräni. His eyes became flooded with tears due to the desire to fulfil three of His unfulfilled desires of Krsna-lilä. The Lord was merciful to Brahmä and He informed him of these unfulfilled desires. 

Sri-rädhäyäh pranaya-mahimä 

kidrso vänayaivä-svädyo yenädbhuta-madhurimä 

kidrso vä madiyah saukhyam cäsyä 

mad-anubhavatah kidrsam veti lobhät 

tad-bhävädhyah samajani saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh 

“Desiring to understand the glory of Rädhäräni’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Saci-devi, as the moon appeared from the ocean.” (Sri Caitanya-caritämrta, Ädi-lilä 1.7) 

The Lord again told Brahmä that he would see His pastimes in Navadvipa. After revealing His heart (antar) in this way the Lord disappeared (antardhäna). Therefore, people call this place Antardvipa. 

When Brahmä saw the Lord disappear in front of him he immediately fainted due to separation and fell to the ground crying, “Hä Gauräìga! Hä Dina-bandhu! Bhakta-vatsala! When will I attain Your lotus feet?” After crying for some days Brahmä went back to Brahmaloka to perform his duties. On this island Lord Gauränga revealed the most confidential desire within His heart (antar) to Brahmä therefore it is known as Antardvipa.