At Sri Rudradwip

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, Day One
Simantadwip, 23 March 2021, part 15
Translated from Bengali

[His Divine Grace reads from Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya Mukta-Mala:]

Between Sri Antardwip and Sri Simantadwip (to the north-west), there lies one more enchanting island called Sri Rudradwip. We used to come here every year before, but we have not visited this place for many past years — we did not have that kind of sukrti. This year, we have got the fortune to come here again by the mercy of Sri Gurupadpama.

This island Sri Rudradwip is divided by the current of the Ganges into two parts: one part of the island is on the western bank, where Nabadwip town is, and the second part, where we are sitting now, is on the eastern bank. Although, by the desire of the Lord, nobody lives in this area, the kirtan of the glories of this place is chanted eternally.

There is a famous village called Sri Sankarpur in the middle of this island (in the western part).

In ancient times, Sri Sankar Acharya was a great preacher in this world. He is a Vaisnav and an expansion of Sivji Maharaj (Rudra), but following a special order of the Lord, when he performed his pastimes, he showed he was a servant of Maya and preached advaitavad (disguised Buddhism, or mayavad, impersonalism). When Sri Sankar Acharya came to Nabadwip to conquer local scholars and establish his universal authority, Gauranga Mahaprabhu appeared before him and spoke to him sweetly in this way:

'Sankar, you are My servant — placing My order on your head, you are very ardently preaching mayavad, but this Nabadwip Dham is My favourite place, and mayavad will never get any place here. Vriddha Siva and Praudha Maya reside here and preach an artificial (imaginary) conception, but they only cheat those who are jealous of devotees. Apart from that, only My devotees live here — there is no need to preach any misconception here. Please go somewhere else. Do not worry the residents of Nabadwip'.

Understanding the nature of Nabadwip and feeling overwhelmed with devotion, Sankar Acharya left.

This Rudradwip is also the residence of many Rudras, where they dance and chant the glories of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Seeing their dance and feeling overjoyed, all the demigods shower flowers from the sky.

One time, Sri Visnu Swami came here with his disciples, desiring to conquer local scholars and establish his worldwide authority. Hearing Visnu Swami reciting praises and prayers and his disciples chanting 'Hari! Hari!', seeing them all dance, Sivji Maharaj became very pleased and appeared before them. They were greatly surprised to see Sivji Maharaj and immediately fell flat on the ground, offering him their obeisances. Then, Sivji Maharaj said to them mercifully, 'You are all Vaisnavs and very dear to me. When I see you, my heart rejoices. What boon would you like to receive from me? When Vaisnavs ask for something or need something, I can give them anything'. Then, Visnu Swami said, 'If you desire to give us a boon, then we would like to ask you to bless us so that we may one day become established within the devotional school'. Greatly jubilant, Rudra (Sivji Maharaj) bestowed this boon on them, and by the wish of Sri Visnu Swami, he called that school 'Rudra Sampradaya'.

By the mercy of Sivji Maharaj, Visnu Swami stayed here for some time and always worshipped Gauranga Mahaprabhu. One day, Mahaprabhu came to him in a dream and said, 'Listen, Visnu. My devotee, Rudra, bestowed his mercy on you — you are very fortunate that you have got the gift of devotion in Nabadwip. However, you must preach suddhadvaita here. When I appear, you will come as Sri Vallabha Bhatta and meet with Me in Puri Dham, after that you will go to Mahavan and your sampradaya will gain renown'. Following the order of Mahaprabhu, Visnu Swami started to preach suddhadvaita.

In this area, Lord Sri Gaurasundar in the same way granted His darsan and appeared to Sri Ramanuja Acharya, Madhva Muni and Nimbarka Acharya and gave them comprehensive instructions on how they must preach. This is how the four Vaisnav sampradayas (schools) — Sri Sampradaya (Sri Ramanuja Acharya), Brahma Sampradaya (Sri Madhva Acharya), Rudra Sampradaya (Sri Visnu Swami) and Kumar Sampradaya (Sri Nimbarka Acharya) — manifested in this world in this Sri Nabadwip Dham and have existed since ancient times.

When Mahaprabhu appeared in this world, He Himself accepted Sri Brahma Sampradaya. Before coming to Sri Rudradwip, Sriman Nityananda Prabhu told Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu about Sri Madhva Acharya:

When Sri Madhva Muni lived with his disciples in Sri Nabadwip Dham, Sri Gaurasundar once came to him in a dream and said with a smile, 'Madhva, everyone knows that you are My eternal servant. When I manifest Myself in Nabadwip, I will accept Your sampradaya. As for now, please do Me a favour — eradicate all mayavad and misconception from the entire country and reveal the glory of Deity worship. Later, when I come, I will display your pure conception'. Saying this, Gauranga Mahaprabhu disappeared, and Madhva Muni woke up and fell unconscious. When he came round, he began to cry, 'Will I ever see this beautiful golden form of the Lord?' After that, he heard a divine message in the sky, 'If you serve Me, you will come to Me'. Composing himself, Madhva Acharya then followed Mahaprabhu's order and conquered all mayavadi digvijayas (great scholars of impersonalism who were accepted as absolute authority).

Strolling abound Sri Rudradwip, Sriman Nityananda Prabhu showed Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu various other places, such as Sri Pulina, where Sri Rasa Mandal and Dhira Samira are manifest. Sri Nabadwip Dham is non-different from Sri Vrindavan Dham, so all the holy places are manifest here and all the pastimes are happening here too: every day, Krishna enjoys here His ecstatic pastimes with the gopas and gopis. Those who are fortunate can sometimes see this.

অধ্যাপিহ সেই লীলা করে গোরা-রায় ।
কোন কোন ভাগ্যবানে দেখিবারে পায় ॥

adyapiha sei lila kare gora raya
kona kona bhagyavane dekhibare paya

Gora Ray continues performing His Pastimes, and those who are fortunate can see it.

Sri Rudradwip ki jay. Sivji Maharaj ki jay

[His Divine Grace chants 'Gurudev krpa bindu diya', recites Sri Jaya Dhvani, and, leaving the temple of Sri Rudradwip Gaudiya Math, completes the parikrama for the day.]

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