14. Sri Mäyäpur dhama

14. Sri Mäyäpur dhama:

tvam hi mäyä hareh sakti-durghatana-patiyasi 

cin-mayam antar-ädityam äcchädayasi sämpratam 

tato mäyäpura-khyätir yoga-pithasya bhü-tale 

praudhä mäyä tava khyätih sarvatra vartate priye 

Lord Siva said to goddess Pärvati, “You are the mäyä potency of Lord Sri Hari who is expert in making impossible things possible. In the form of the external mäyä potency of the Lord you hide the sun-like Lord of Antardvipa from the vision of materialistic people. Therefore Yoga-pitha is known as Mäyäpur (the city of mäyä) on this earth planet. Mäyäpur is covered by mäyä so that non-devotees or materialistic people cannot see the brilliant Lord. Dear goddess, you are therefore famous as Praudhä Mäyä everywhere.” (Navadvipa Dhäma Mähätmya, Pramäna-khanda 4.27-28)

Sri Mäyäpur is situated in the center of Antardvipa. The circumference of Sri Mäyäpur measures 3.5 miles and the diameter measures just over one mile. In his Navadvipa-bhäva-taranga Srila Bhaktivinoda Thäkura glorifies Mäyäpur as follows: 

“To the south-west of Mäyäpur, the combined Gangä and Yamunä rivers praise their own good fortune as they flow in the form of a serpent for rendering service to Lord Gaura, the jewel of the twice born brähmanas. Upon the banks of the Gangä are many different landing-steps for bathing (ghätas) and numerous temples, housing many deities such as Praudhä Mäyä and Vrddha Siva, as well as many groves and gardens. In Mäyäpur there are countless homes of the brähmanas, wide avenues, courtyards, forests and temples of Lord Siva. Flowing in the south-east are the incessant currents of the Sarasvati River. Upon her bank is the sacred area known as Isodyäna, the Lord’s Garden. Why should the fallen rascals of Kali yuga, bound up tightly by material illusion, have the privilege of seeing all these eternal, fully spiritual, limitless treasures of the divine realm? Mäyä has therefore hidden the dhäma by means of the erosive, ever-changing nature of the 3 rivers Gangä, Yamunä and Sarasvati. Thus, the eyes of a materialist can see only a shadow of the real Mäyäpur. 

By the mercy of Sri Nityänanda, the possessor of all spiritual powers, may that Mäyäpur be revealed unto my eyes imbued with proper reverence. May I, this worthless fool, become truly fortunate to behold a vision of the household pastimes of Sri Gauränga that eternally take place in this land. In the center of the island called Antardvipa is the village of Mäyäpur, situated as the central whorl of the 8 petalled lotus. That transcendental abode glows with a fair yellow aura, it is resplendent with networks of effulgence and is supremely pure. May this place always shimmer before my eyes. Wooded groves can be seen here and there. Among them stands a lake called Prthu-sarovara, and many pastures for grazing the cows. Oh, how beautiful these places are to behold! There are many water canals, partitioned grain fields, and wide main roads lined with bakula, kadamba, and many other types of large trees.” (Navadvipa Bhäva Taranga)




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