8. Prayers to Sri Navadvīpa Dhama

8. Prayers to Sri Navadvīpa Dhama:

“Oh, when will I wander here and there weeping in the shade of the trees and creepers along the banks of the celestial Ganges river in Navadvīpa? I will cry out “Oh Rādhe! Oh Kṛṣṇa!” and will completely forget about all the so-called pleasures of the material body.”

“When will I be able to live so simply by begging some food from the homes of the untouchables? I will drink the water of the Sarasvatī river, and in ecstasy I will roll about of the banks of the river, raising a loud uproar of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!”

“When will I bow down to all the inhabitants of the holy land of Navadvīpa and humbly beg for a drop of their mercy? I will smear the dust of the Vaiṣhṇavas’ lotus feet all over my body and will wander around wearing the dress of a madman.”

“When will I make no distinction between the holy land of Gaura-maṇḍala and Vraja-maṇḍala? At that time, I shall be transformed into a Vrajavāsī. Then I will see the true form of the transcendental realm opening before my very eyes, and I will thus become one of the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.” (Gita Mala)

“When will I, with the hairs of my body erect with joy and shedding profuse tears of great love, roll about in the dust of Navadvīpa where Lord Gaurāṅga once walked?” (Caitanya Sataka)

“Alas... what sorrow I am expressing! When will I take the name of Gaurāṅga and become disgusted with sense gratification? When will I give up all bodily endeavours for eating and sleeping? And when will I wander from village to village in Śrī Navadvīpa dhāma, completely giving up my false ego? I will beg madhūkarī from the homes of the dhāmavāsīs to fill my belly. Sometimes I will walk to the bank of the Ganges. If I feel thirsty, I will drink the sacred water that has washed the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. If I feel tired, I will simply fall under the nearest tree.”

“When I feel enough strength, I will give up my fatigue, and continue walking here and there. In a mood of humble submission, I will call out loudly the names of ‘Gaura-Gadādhara’ and ‘Rādhā-Mādhava.’ Thus, weeping and weeping I will wander throughout the entire dhāma. Seeing a Vaiṣhṇava devotee, I will fall at his feet, knowing him to be the only true friend of my heart. Accepting me as his servant, the most revered devotee will then reveal to me the most confidential kīrtana for worshiping the Lord.” (Kalyana Kalpa Taru)

“May I continually reside in a small, lonely cottage at the base of a desire-tree in the most holy abode of Śrī Navadvīpa dhāma, which is sanctified by the lotus feet of Śrī Śacīnandana. Such a bhajana kuṭira is perfectly suitable for constant remembrance of, and service to the divine daily sports that are always present in Śrī Vraja dhāma. Indeed, in contrast to this, I will never live in any other place, even if it is hankered for with great enthusiasm by the wisest sages and demigods. As far as all other places in this world are concerned, none can attract me as much as my modest bhajana kuṭira in Śrī Navadvīpa dhāma does.” (Sri Svaniyama Dvadasakam)

“In Navadvīpa every home celebrates a great festival in honour of Bhakti-devī, the goddess of devotion. Navadvīpa is sweeter than Vaikuṇṭha. My heart finds its happiness in the transcendental abode of Navadvīpa.”

 “All glories to the lamp of Navadvīpa, which, shining with the oil of transcendental love, destroys the darkness in the cave of the heart and illuminates the barren, thorn-filled, impassable and treacherously winding path that leads to the swiftly flowing nectar stream of the bliss of pure love of Kṛṣṇa.” (Sri Caitanya Candramrta)

“May the Navadvīpa dhama, which is the crest jewel of all holy places, and the resting place of all demigods, ṛṣis, and the Vedas, and which is the principal manifestation of the Lord’s sandhini potency (eternal existence), upon which His cit and ānanda potencies reside, become visible to my eyes.” (Navadvipa Bhava Taranga)