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Inconceivable benefits of performing Sri Navadvipa mandal parikrama

Why do they do so leaving their city comforts and high earning hours? Who inspires them and what makes them convinced that it is the best activities for them during this time of
the year?
By Team Mayapur Voice - February 18, 2018  4769
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Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama 2018 Worldwide Invitation!

Every year thousands of people from around the world gather in Sridham Maypaur to participate in the annual Navadvip Mandal parikrama organized by ISKCON. They walk
around the nine islands camping out for some great nine days apparently in some of the lost villages of India’s West Bengal state. Devotees also use boats to cross Ganga
and other sacred rivers surrounding the islands.
Why do they do so leaving their city comforts and high earning hours? Who inspires them and what makes them convinced that it is the best activities for them during this
time of the year?


It all started before more than 532 years when Lord Nityananda Himself took His dear devotee, Jiva Gosvami, on a tour to this mystical abode of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
He said to Jiva: “My Gauranga never gives up Mayapur or Navadvipa. The devotees can perceive His daily Lila. You, Jiva, will also see Gauranga dancing.” When Jiva
Gosvami heard this, with tears in his eyes, he fell flat like a stick at Nityananda’s feet and requested, “You will show real mercy on this unworthy wretch if You Yourself take
me on parikrama.” Hearing this, Nityananda Raya simply said, “So be it”. Lord Nityananda then took Jiva Gosvami around Sri Navadvipa Dham.

It was none other than Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur who said that just by the performance of Navadvipa mandala parikrama the world can
be liberated. This is by no means an overstatement. The effect of chanting the holy names of Lord Krishna on the sacred land of
Navadvipa has  tremendous effect on the energy pervading the world. This sound vibrations are purely spiritual and produce spiritual
energy, which is superior to material energy. When the atmosphere is surcharged with spiritual energy its effect goes beyond
mundane calculation. (This one thing can save the world – Mayapur Voice)
 

In 18th century, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, after having received an order by Lord Chaitanya in a dream, did an extensive research using old maps, manuscripts, government
records and scriptures in order to relocate holy places where Lord Chaitanya enacted wonderful pastimes. In 1887 the original birth place of Lord Chaitanya in Sri Mayapur,
known as Yoga pith, was discovered. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur instructed his son and spiritual successor, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, to develop Sri Navadvipa
Dhama parikrama, for by its performance, he said, all people of the world can be liberated.

Following this instruction, in 1918, the first official Navadvipa Mandal Parikrama was initiated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupad. Thousands of devotees
carrying flags and led by auspicious elephants walked through sacred streets of Navadvip Dham performing ecstatic kitran.

This year the devotees are celebrating 100 years of Navadvipa Mandal Parikrama.
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For those who do not know the meaning of the term Navadvipa Mandala Parakirama, the word Navadvipa means nine islands, mandala refers to circle, universe or any
geometric pattern, while Parikrama (pronounced Parikramaa, with a long “a” at the end) means circumambulation.

Navadvipa is located at the centre of the Gaura-madala-bhumi, appearing like a large lotus with a hundred petals with a circumference of 270 km (168 miles) and a
diameter of approximately 90 km.

As shown in Knowing Sri Mayapur As It Is – Part 1, the following short video gives a beautiful introduction to the nine islands.

Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya

Navadvipa is where the Supreme Lord incarnated as Lord Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) in kali-yuga to teach the people the best way to attain the ultimate goal of life,
which is the Love of Godhead, or Krishna-prema. Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura says: sri-gauda mandala-bhumi yeba jane chintamani tara haya vraja-bhume vasa – “One who
knows the Gauda-mandala-bhumi, the abode of Lord Gauranga, is transcendental and qualified to live in Vraja-bhumi.” Sri Narahari Thakur says: navadvipa vrndavana dui eke
haya gaura-shyama-rupe prabhu – “Both Navadvipa and Vrindavana are one indeed, where the Lord enjoys as Gaura (golden) and Shyam (dark) respectively.”
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Navadvipa consists of nine islands- Antardvipa, Simantadvipa, Godrumadvipa, Madhyadvipa, Koladvipa, Ritudvipa, Jahnudvipa, Modadrumadvipa, and
Rudradvipa. Traditionally, the week-long parikrama is held from the tithi of Makari-saptami up to the full moon.

“After having darshan of Mayapur in Antar-dvipa, learned devotees go to Simanta dvipa. Next one should go south of Mayapur to Godruma dvipa, then one should joyfully go
to Madhya dvipa. After seeing these four islands on the east bank, one should reverently cross the Ganges. Having walked around Kola dvipa at leisure, then take darshan
of Ritu dvipa. After you have seen the most beautiful Jahnu dvipa, go and see Modadruma dvipa and then Rudra dvipa. Then again cross the Ganges, and walk back to
Mayapur. There, respectfully enter the temple of Sriman Jagannatha Mishra and Sachi mata and take darshan of the Lord. This is the procedure of parikrama for all times.
One who follows this practice will obtain unlimited happiness.” (Sri Navadvipa Dham Mahatmaya)

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur says that whoever walks around the one hundred sixty-eight miles of Gaura Mandala will quickly obtain the treasure of Gaura-prema.

Every island of Navadvipa has its own spiritual significance. Every dvipa corresponds to a particular type of devotional service like sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam, etc. Here
is a brief description of every island, taken from one of our previous articles in this regard:
Simanta dvipa
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Most beneficial devotional process: Sravanam

“LORD GAURANGA INTOXICATED WITH THE PASTIMES OF KIRTANA, WILL DISTRIBUTE THE JEWEL OF PREMA TO
EVERYONE WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION. WHOEVER DOES NOT DROWN IN THAT FLOODOF PREMA IS MOST
UNFORTUNATE. O DEVI, JUST REMEMBERING THE LORD’S PROMISE THAT HE WILL COME, I PASS MY LIFE DROWNING
IN LOVE OF GOD. BEING UNABLE TO CONTROL MYSELF, I HAVE GIVEN UP MY OWN CITY OF KASI. WITHIN MAYAPUR,
ON THE BANK OF THE GANGES, I WILL LIVE IN A HUT AND WORSHIP GAURANGA.” (NAVADVIPA DHAMA MAHATMYA
LORD SIVA ADDRESSES PARVATI WHO THEN COMES TO SIMANTA DVIPA)

Godruma dvipa:

Most beneficial devotional process: Kirtanam

“GODRUMA CORRESPONDS TO THE CITY OF NANDA MAHARAJA IN BRAJA, KNOWN AS SRI NANDISVARA, WHICH IS
THE RESIDENCE OF THE COWHERD FOLK. HERE SRI GAURANGA PERFORMS VARIOUS PASTIMES. AFTER HAVING A
SNACK OF MILK PRODUCTS AT A COWHERD’S HOUSE IN THE FORENOON PERIOD, NIMAI GOES IN THE COMPANY OF
HIS GOPA FRIENDS AND TENDS THE COWS IN THE PASTURELANDS. ONE COWHERD BOY WOULD SAY: ‘O BROTHER,
YOU ARE GOPALA! DRESSING LIKE A BRAHMANA BOY DOES NOT SUIT YOU AT ALL. COME ON, I’LL CARRY YOU ON MY
SHOULDERS AND WE’LL GO HERD THE COWS. LET’S HEAD TOWARD YOUR MOTHER’S HOUSE IN MAYAPUR.’ ONE
GOPA WOULD SHOW GREAT AFFECTION AND GIVE HIM CURDS MIXED WITH CONDENSED MILK, AND ANOTHER GOPA
WOULD BECOME AGITATED WITH LOVE JUST BY SEEING THE WONDERFULLY BEAUTIFUL FORM OF THE LORD. YET
ANOTHER GOPA WOULD PLACE FRUITS AND FLOWERS IN HIS HAND, SAYING, ‘ O BROTHER! PLEASE COME TO MY
HOUSE EVERYDAY!” (SRI NAVADVIPA BHAVA TARANGA BY BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA)

Madhya dvipa

Most beneficial devotional process: Smaranam

“WHEN WILL I WANDER AND WANDER THROUGHOUT THAT FOREST (MADHYADVIPA) AND BEHOLD THE WONDERFUL
VISION OF THIS ASSEMBLY OF SAGES HEARING THE GAURA PURANA BY THE BANK OF THE GOMATI RIVER?… WHEN
WILL THE AUDIENCE OF RISHIS HEADED BY SHAUNAKA SHOW THEIR MERCY BY GRASPING BOTH MY HANDS AND
 PUTTING THE DUST OF THEIR FEET UPON MY HEAD? I WILL EXCLAIM, ‘O RESIDENTS OF NAVADVIPA, LET US
ATTENTIVELY DRINK THE NECTAR OF SRI GAURANGA KATHA IN THIS FOREST!” (NAVADVIPA BHAVA TARANGA BY 
BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA)

Jahnu dvipa

Most beneficial devotional process: Vandanam

“THIS ISLAND OF JAHNUDVIPA IS NON-DIFFERENT FROM THE FOREST OF BHADRAVAN IN BRAJA. WHEN WILL THAT
SPOTLESSLY DIVINE FOREST BE VISIBLE TO MY EYES? WITHIN THAT FOREST IS THE HILL KNOWN AS BHISMA TILA.
ON TOP OF THAT HILL I SHALL STAY AND PERFORM MY WORSHIP OF THE LORD. IN THE EVENING BHISMADEVA
WITH A PLEASED MIND WILL APPEAR IN HIS PURE SPIRITUAL BODY- HIS COMPLEXION BLACKISH LIKE KRISHNA’S,
HOLDING TULASI BEADS IN HIS HAND AND MARKED WITH TWELVE TILAKA MARKS ON HIS BODY, HE IS
OVERFLOWING WITH THE BLISS OF CONSTANTLY CHANTING THE LORD’S HOLY NAMES.” (NAVAVIPA BHAVA
TARANGA BY BHAKTIVINODA THAKUR)

Kola dvipa

Most beneficial devotional process: Pada-sevanam

“ONLY THE MOST FORTUNATE SOULS CAN SEE THIS ISLAND OF KOLADVIPA, THE ABODE OF SUPREME BLISS, WHICH
IS NON-DIFFERENT FROM THE FOREST OF SRI BAHULAVANA IN BRAJA. SRI SACIKUMARA REGULARLY BRINGS HIS
ASSOCIATES HERE AND DEEPLY ABSORBED IN THE ECSTASY OF KIRTANA HE DANCES AGAIN AND AGAIN.”
(NAVADVIPA BHAVA TARANGA)
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Modadruma dvipa
Most beneficial devotional process: Dasyam

“HERE, IN MODADRUMADVIPA IS AYODYA. IN A PREVIOUS KALPA, WHEN RAMA WAS BANISHED TO THE FOREST. HE
CAME TO THIS PLACE WITH LAKSMANA AND JANAKI. HE BUILT A HUT UNDER A HUGE BANYAN TREE HERE AND
LIVED HAPPILY FOR SOME TIME. SEEING THE EFFULGENCE OF NAVADVIPA, THE SON OF RAGHU BEGAN TO SLIGHTLY
SMILE. HOW GRACEFUL WAS THAT FORM, GREEN AS NEW GRASS WITH LOTUS EYES AND A GRACEFUL BOW IN
HAND. WEARING THE DRESS OF A BRAHMACARI AND HIS HEAD PILED WITH MATTED LOCKS, HE STOLE THE MINDS
OF ALL LIVING ENTITIES” (NAVADVIPA DHAMA MAHATMYA, BY BHAKTIVINODA THAKUR)
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Ritu dvipa
Most beneficial devotional process: Archanam
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“THIS PLACE IS RADHA-KUNDA. HERE LORD HARI ALONG WITH HIS DEVOTEES WOULD PERFORM NAMA-SANKIRTANA
EVERY AFTERNOON. JUST SEE THE BEAUTY OF SYAMAKUNDA, ATTRACTING THE MINDS OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
JUST SEE THE KUNJAS OF THE DIFFERENT SAKHIS. HERE GAURACHANDRA WITH HIS SANKIRTANA PARTY PLEASED
EVERYONE BY DISTRIBUTING LOVE OF GODHEAD. OH MY BROTHERS, THERE IS NO PLACE EQUAL TO THIS IN THE
THREE WORLDS. THIS IS THE BEST SPOT FOR DEVOTEES TO PERFORM BHAJANA. WHOEVER RESIDES HERE WILL
GET LOVE OF GODHEAD AND HIS HEART WILL BE PACIFIED. ” (NAVADVIPA BHAVA-TARANGA BY SRILA BHAKTIVINOD
THAKUR)

Rudra dvipa

Most beneficial devotional process: Sakhyam

“SRI RUDRA (SIVA), BECAME VERY DELIGHTED TO KNOW THAT GAURACHANDRA WOULD APPEAR IN NADIA. HE AND
HIS FOLLOWERS BEGAN TO SING MADLY THE PRAISE OF GAURA’S QUALITIES AND PASTIMES. HE ALSO BEGAN TO
DANCE MADLY WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF INSTRUMENTS. THE EARTH BEGAN TO TREMBLE WITH HIS DANCING”
(BHAKTI RATNAKARA BY NARAHARI CAKRAVARTI)

 Antar dvipa

Most beneficial devotional process: Atma-nivedanam

SRI JIVA SAID: O LORD WHAT’S THE REASON FOR THE NAME ANATARDVIPA? NITYANANDA PRABHU ANSWERED: “AT
THE END OF THE DVARPA-YUGA BRAHMA UNDERTOOK AUSTERITIES HERE WITH A DESIRE TO ACHIEVE GAURANGA’S
MERCY…AFTER MANY DAYS GAURACHANDRA MERCIFULLY CAME AND SAID: … BRAHMA, HEAR THIS SECRET
(ANTARA), BUT DO NOT REVEAL THIS OPENLY IN THE SCRIPTURES. TAKING THE ROLE OF A DEVOTEE, I WILL TASTE
THE NECTAR OF BHAKTI-RASA AND PROPAGATE THE MOST RARE PROCESS OF SANKIRTANA. I WILL MAKE ALL THE
DEVOTEES OF THE PREVIOUS AVATARAS DRUNK WITH THE NECTAR OF VRINDAVANA. THE LOVE THAT SRI RADHIKA
POSSESSES IS BEYOND MY EXPERIENCE, SO I WILL APPEAR WITH HER SENTIMENTS AND COMPLEXION. TAKING THE
POSITION OF RADHA, I WILL TASTE THAT HAPPINESS THAT ONLY RADHA OBTAINS IN SERVING ME. FROM TODAY,
ACT AS MY DISCIPLE, IN THE FORM OF HARIDASA, ALWAYS SERVE ME” (NAVADVIPA DHAMA MAHATMYA
PARIKRAMA-KHANDA CH.5 BY SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKUR)
Sri Navadvipa Dham ki Jay!

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