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At Sri Yogapith (2) His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
People used to think that the Ganges had taken Mahaprabhu's birthplace away. It is true that the Ganges can take some place, but the Ganges can also return it. I can tell you how this happened. Eventually, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur saw that many misconception teachings—aul, baul, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, saki, sahajiya, sakhibheki, smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, chudadhari, gauranga-nagari—had come into prominence. When he served as deputy magistrate in Puri, he prayed to Bimala Devi (the Deity of Laksmi Devi in Sri Jagannathdev's temple), "Mahaprabhu's religion has become distorted and is going now in the wrong direction. Please send me one person who would be able to teach Mahaprabhu's pure conception and preach genuinely." There are many sahajiya and other movements that preached about chanting of all kinds of Names, but Mahaprabhu taught:
হরের্নাম হরের্নাম হরের্নামৈব কেবলম্ ।
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam "Only chanting the Holy Name, chanting the Holy Name, chanting the Holy Name—there is no other way, no other way, no other way." (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 7.76) What did you all come to this world for? To eat, sleep, wear clothes and enjoy? You can get rescued and go to your own home. For this, Mahaprabhu brought the Holy Name to this abode. Mahaprabhu taught His teachings to Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatan Goswami, and after them, the line continued through Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, Narottam Das Thakur, Acharya Srinivas, but after them, the teachings became concealed. That is why Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur prayed to Bimala Devi to send him a person who would be able to revive Mahaprabhu's teachings. Hearing Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur prayer, Bimala Devi became pleased and sent him a son, Bimala Prasad, who later became known as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Srila Saraswati Thakur is Gurudev of our Param Guru Maharaj. He served Mayapur Dham a lot, and he stayed in Godrumdwip, where we have come from today. We will go to the parikrama of Godrumdwip in two days. The day after tomorrow is the Trisprisa Mahadvadasi. We will be observing ekadasi on this day. Other places observe it on a different date, but we follow the pure conception (suddha-siddhanta), following the rules established by Srila Saraswati Thakur. We do not follow outside calendars. We follow ekadasis as stated in our temple's calendar. Anyhow, Srila Prabhupad appeared in Sri Puri Dham (when we go for the parikrama, we always visit his birthplace), and that year, when the Ratha-yatra festival was going on, the chariots stopped in front of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's house—the Lord wanted to see His devotee. The Lord cannot stay without His devotees; it is said in the scriptures also that, the Lord always takes rest in the heart of His devotees (bhaktera hrdaye sada Govinda visrama). So, when the chariots stopped and would not move, Bimala Prasad's mother, Sri Bhagavati Devi, brought out his newly born son to the chariot, and Jagannathdev's garland broke and fell on Bimala Prasad. At that time, everyone understood that he was not an ordinary child—that he is a very great soul. He is Srila Prabhupad, Nayana Manjari—he is Srimati Radharani's dear friend.
শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য প্রভু জীবে দয়া করি' ।
sri-krsna-chaitanya prabhu jive daya kari' "Being merciful to the souls, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descends with His associates and abode." Srila Prabhupad is a personal associate of the Lord, of that very Sri Gauranga without whom nobody would have ever known about the glory of Srimati Radharani, as we were singing earlier when we came. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur grew up, he stayed with his father, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, in Godrumdwip. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur would go to bed very early, at about 7 p.m., wake up very early at night, at midnight or 2 a.m., and chant the Holy Name the whole night. Such was his habit. One night, he was chanting the Holy Name on the roof of his house in Godrumdwip, and he saw some strange light far off in Mayapur. In those days, there was nothing opulent in Mayapur—no big houses, nothing. When Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur came there the next day with his people, the local people were surprised to see them. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur asked them, "Why do you not cultivate anything on this land?" Some local people replied, "We tried hard, but nothing grows here. We tried planting wheat, rice, jute, but only Tulasi trees grow here. So, we have given up." Then, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur came to see Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj in Koladwip (we go to his bhajan kutir during the parikrama). Srila Babaji Maharaj was very old at that time, over 130 years old, and his servant would carry him in a basket. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur asked Srila Babaji Maharaj to come to Mayapur with him to see that place, and when Bihari Das, Srila Babaji Maharaj's servant, brought him there and put the basket down, Srila Babaji Maharaj jumped out and started dancing, chanting "Gaura Haribol! Gaura Haribol! This is my Prabhu's place!" Many people objected against recognising Mayapur as the actual birthplace of Mahaprabhu. Some people in Nabadwip town believed that Mayapur was on the other bank of the Ganges. There is one temple called Prachin Mayapur—this is a man-made, concocted idea. Even in Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's time, babajis were jealous of him and tried to object. That is why it is said:
কুলিয়াতে পাষণ্ডীরা অত্যাচার কৈল যা'রা
kuliyate pasandira atyachara kaila ya'ra "You forgave all the atheists of Kuliya village, despite their bad behaviour. Loudly you proclaimed to one and all: one who is more tolerant than a tree can always chant the glories of Lord Hari." (Acharya Vandana) Nabadwip gosai and gunda people beat Srila Prabhupad! However, Srila Prabhupad did not do anything—he forgave everyone and said that we must be as tolerant as trees. This is Srila Prabhupad's glory. Srila Prabhupad and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur preached and established the marketplace of the Holy Name on the island of kirtan, Godrumdwip. Sri Mayapur, where we are now, is situated in Antardwip; this is the island of self-surrender, or self-submission. This is the place where Mahaprabhu appeared...
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