SRI NABADWIP DHAM MAHATMYA: CHAPTER THREE

Instructions for
Circumambulating the Dham

jaya jaya navadvipa-chandra sachi-suta
jaya jaya nityananda-raya avadhuta [1]

jaya jaya–All glory sachi-suta–to the son of Sachi, Sri Chaitanya, navadvipa-chandra–the moon of Nabadwip! jaya jaya–All glory avadhuta–to the renunciant nityananda-raya–Nityananda Ray! [1]

All glory to the son of Sachi, the moon of Nabadwip! All glory to the avadhut Nityananda Ray!

jaya jaya sri-advaita prabhu mahasaya
gadadhara srivasa pandita jaya jaya [2]

jaya jaya–All glory mahasaya–to the worshippable sri-advaita prabhu–Sri Advaita Prabhu! jaya jaya–All glory gadadhara–to Gadadhar Pandit [and] srivasa pandita–Srivas Pandit! [2]

All glory to the worshippable Sri Advaita Prabhu! All glory to Gadadhar Pandit and Srivas Pandit!

jaya jaya navadvipa-dhama sarva-dhama-sara
yei dhama-saha gaurachandra avatara [3]

jaya jaya–All glory navadvipa-dhama–to Nabadwip Dham, sarva-dhama-sara–the best of all abodes, yei dhama-saha–the Dham with which gaurachandra–Gaurachandra avatara–appeared! [3]

All glory to Nabadwip Dham, the best of all abodes, the abode with which Gaurachandra appeared!

sola-krosa navadvipa madhye yaha yaha
varniba ekhana bhakta-gana suna taha [4]

bhakta-gana–Devotees, suna–listen! ekhana varniba–I will now describe yaha yaha taha–everything madhye–within sola-krosa–the thirty-two miles navadvipa–of Nabadwip. [4]

Devotees, listen! I will now describe everything within the thirty-two miles of Nabadwip.

sola-krosa madhye navadvipera pramana
sodasa pravaha tatha sada vidyamana [5]

sodasa–Sixteen pravaha–rivers vidyamana–exist sada–eternally tatha madhye–there, within sola-krosa pramana–the thirty-two miles navadvipera–of Nabadwip. [5]

Sixteen rivers exist eternally within the thirty-two miles of Nabadwip.

mula-ganga purva-tire dvipa-chatustaya
tanhara paschime sada pancha-dvipa raya [6]

dvipa-chatustaya–Four islands sada–always raya–exist purva-tire–on the east bank mula-ganga–of the original Ganga, [and] pancha-dvipa–five islands [exist] tanhara paschime–on its west [bank]. [6]

Four islands are on the east bank of the original Ganga, and five are on the west bank.

svardhuni pravaha saba bedi' dvipa-gane
navadvipa-dhame sobha deya anuksane [7]

saba–All these svardhuni–heavenly pravaha–rivers bedi'–flow dvipa-gane–throughout the islands [and] anuksane–always sobha deya–beautify navadvipa-dhame–Nabadwip Dham. [7]

These heavenly rivers flow throughout the islands and always beautify Nabadwip Dham.

madhye mula ganga-devi rahe anuksana
apara pravahe anya punya-nadi-gana [8]

ganga-devi–Ganga Devi's mula–original [stream] anuksana–always rahe–flows madhye–through the centre; anya–the other punya-nadi-gana–holy rivers [flow] apara pravahe–in separate streams. [8]

Ganga Devi's original stream always flows through the centre of the Dham; the other holy rivers flow in separate streams.

gangara nikata vahe yamuna sundari
anya dhara madhye sarasvati vidyadhari [9]

yamuna sundari–The beautiful Yamuna vahe–flows gangara nikata–near the Ganga. sarasvati–The Saraswati, vidyadhari–the carrier of knowledge, [flows] madhye–in anya–another dhara–channel. [9]

The beautiful Yamuna flows near the Ganga. The Saraswati, the carrier of knowledge, flows in another channel.

tamraparni krtamala brahmaputra-traya
yamunara purva-bhage dirgha-dharamaya [10]

purva-bhage–To the east yamunara–of the Yamuna [are] traya–three dirgha-dharamaya–long rivers: tamraparni–the Tamraparni, krtamala–Krtamala, [and] brahmaputra–Brahmaputra. [10]

East of the Yamuna are the three long rivers: the Tamraparni, Krtamala, and Brahmaputra.

sarayu narmada sindhu kaveri gomati
prasthe vahe godavari saha drutagati [11]

sarayu–The Sarayu, narmada–Narmada, sindhu–Sindhu, kaveri–Kaveri, gomati–Gomati, saha–and godavari–Godavari vahe–flow drutagati–swiftly prasthe–on the west side. [11]

The Sarayu, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri, Gomati, and Godavari flow swiftly on the west side.

ei saba dhara paraspara kari' chheda
eka navadvipe nava-vidha kare bheda [12]

ei saba–All these dhara–rivers chheda kari'–cross paraspara–each other [and] bheda kare–divide eka navadvipe–the one area of Nabadwip nava-vidha–into nine parts. [12]

All these rivers cross each other and divide Nabadwip into nine parts.

prabhura ichchhaya kabhu dhara suska haya
punah ichchha haile dhara haya jalamaya [13]

prabhura ichchhaya–By the will of the Lord, dhara–these rivers kabhu–sometimes suska haya–go dry, [and] ichchha haile–when the Lord wills [it], dhara–the rivers punah–again jalamaya haya–fill with water. [13]

By the will of the Lord, these rivers sometimes go dry, and when the Lord wills it, they again fill with water.

prabhura ichchhaya kabhu dube kona sthana
prabhura ichchhaya punah deya ta darsana [14]

prabhura ichchhaya–By the will of the Lord, [they] kabhu–sometimes dube–submerge kona–some sthana–portions of land, [and] prabhura ichchhaya–by the will of the Lord, [they] punah–again darsana deya ta–reveal them. [14]

By the will of the Lord, they sometimes submerge portions of land and then again reveal them.

niravadhi ei rupa dhama lila kare
bhagyavan jana prati sarva-kala sphure [15]

dhama–The Dham lila kare–performs Pastimes niravadhi–eternally ei rupa–in this way [and] sarva-kala–always sphure–appears bhagyavan jana prati–before fortunate souls. [15]

The Dham performs Pastimes eternally in this way and always appears before fortunate souls.

utkata vasana yadi bhakta-hrde haya
sarva-dvipa sarva-dhara darsana milaya [16]

yadi–When utkata–intense vasana–desire haya–arises bhakta-hrde–in the heart of a devotee, sarva-dvipa–all the islands [and] sarva-dhara–all the rivers darsana milaya–reveal [themselves]. [16]

When intense desire arises in the heart of a devotee, all the islands and rivers in the Dham reveal themselves.

kabhu svapne kabhu dhyane kabhu drsti-yoge
dhamera darsana paya bhaktira samyoge [17]

kabhu–Sometimes svapne–in dreams, kabhu–sometimes dhyane–in meditation, [and] kabhu–sometimes drsti-yoge–in their vision, [devotees] dhamera darsana paya–see the Dham bhaktira samyoge–through [their] devotion. [17]

Sometimes in dreams, sometimes in meditation, and sometimes in their vision, devotees see the Dham through their devotion.

ganga-yamunara yoge yei dvipa raya
antardvipa tara nama sarva-sastre kaya [18]

sarva-sastre–All the scriptures nama kaya–call tara yei dvipa–the island [that] raya–exists yoge–at the confluence ganga yamunara–of the Ganga and Yamuna antardvipa–Antardwip. [18]

All the scriptures call the island at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna Antardwip.

antardvipa madhye achhe pitha mayapura
yathaya janmila prabhu chaitanya-thakura [19]

madhye–Within antardvipa–Antardwip achhe–is mayapura pitha–the abode of Mayapur, yathaya–where prabhu chaitanya-thakura–Lord Chaitanya janmila–appeared. [19]

Within Antardwip is Mayapur, where Lord Chaitanya appeared.

golokera antavarti yei mahavana
mayapura navadvipe jana bhakta-gana [20]

bhakta-gana–Devotees jana–know yei mahavana–Mahavan golokera antavarti–in Goloka [to be] mayapura–Mayapur navadvipe–in Nabadwip. [20]

Devotees know Mahavan in Goloka to be Mayapur in Nabadwip.

svetadvipa vaikuntha goloka vrndavana
navadvipe saba tattva achhe sarva-ksana [21]

svetadvipa–Svetadwip, vaikuntha–Vaikuntha, [and] goloka vrndavana–Goloka Vrindavan [are] saba tattva–all sarva-ksana–always achhe–present navadvipe–in Nabadwip.[21]

Svetadwip, Vaikuntha, and Goloka Vrindavan are always present in Nabadwip.

ayodhya mathura maya kasi kanchi ara
avanti dvaraka sei puri sapta sara [22]

navadvipe se samasta nija nija sthane
nitya vidyamana gaurachandrera vidhane [23]

sei–The sapta puri sara–seven great cities— ayodhya–Ayodhya, mathura–Mathura, maya–Maya (Mayapur or Haridvar) kasi–Kasi (Varanasi, Benares), kanchi–Kanchi, avanti–Avanti (Ujjain), ara–and dvaraka–Dvaraka— se samasta–all vidyamana–exist nitya–eternally navadvipe–in Nabadwip nija nija sthane–in their respective places, gaurachandrera vidhane–by the arrangement of Gaurachandra. [22–23]

The seven great cities—Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi, Kanchi, Avanti, and Dvaraka—exist eternally in Nabadwip in their respective places, by the arrangement of Gaurachandra.

ganga-dvara mayara svarupa mayapura
yahara mahatmya sastre achhaye prachura [24]

svarupa–The true form mayara–of Maya (the city), ganga-dvara–the gateway of the Ganga, [is] mayapura–Mayapur (of Nabadwip Dham), yahara–whose mahatmya–glories achhaye–are stated prachura–repeatedly sastre–throughout the scriptures. [24]

The true form of the city Maya, the gateway of the Ganga, is Mayapur, whose glories are stated repeatedly throughout the scriptures.

sei mayapure ye yaya eka-bara
anayase haya sei jada-maya para [25]

ye sei–Those who eka-bara–once yaya–go sei mayapure–to Mayapur (in Nabadwip) anayase–easily para haya–cross over jada-maya–material illusion. [25]

Those who once go to Mayapur easily cross over material illusion.

mayapure bhramile mayara adhikara
dure yaya, janma kabhu nahe ara-bara [26]

bhramile–If a soul wanders mayapure–in Mayapur, [then] adhikara–the influence mayara–of Maya dure yaya–goes away, [and] janma nahe–they do not take birth kabhu–ever ara-bara–again. [26]

If a soul wanders in Mayapur, then the influence of Maya goes away, and they do not take birth again.

mayapura uttara simantadvipa haya
parikrama vidhi sadhu-sastra sada kaya [27]

uttara–North mayapura–of Mayapur haya–is simantadvipa–Simantadwip. sadhu-sastra–The sadhus and scriptures sada–always kaya–explain vidhi–the procedure parikrama–for circumambulation (of the Dham). [27]

North of Mayapur is Simantadwip. The sadhus and scriptures always explain the procedure for circumambulating the Dham.

antardvipe sri-mayapura kariya darsana
sri-simantadvipe chala vijna bhakta-jana [28]

vijna bhakta-jana–O wise devotees, darsana kariya–visit sri-mayapura–Sri Mayapur antardvipe–in Antardwip [and then] chala–go sri-simantadvipe–to Sri Simantadwip. [28]

O wise devotees, visit Sri Mayapur in Antardwip and then go to Simantadwip.

godrumakhya-dvipa haya mayara daksine
taha bhrami' chala madhyadvipa hrsta-mane [29]

godrumakhya-dvipa–The island known as Godruma haya–is daksine–south mayara–of Mayapur. bhrami'–Walk taha–there [and then] hrsta-mane–joyfully chala–go madhyadvipa–to Madhyadwip. [29]

Godrumadwip is south of Mayapur. Walk there and then joyfully go to Madhyadwip.

ei chari-dvipa jahnavira purva-tire
dekhiya jahnavi para hao dhire dhire [30]

dekhiya–Visit ei–these chari-dvipa–four islands jahnavira purva-tire–on the east bank of the Ganga [and then] dhire dhire–slowly para hao–cross jahnavi–the Ganga. [30]

Visit these four islands on the east bank of the Ganga and then slowly cross the river.

koladvipa anayase kariya bhramana
rtudvipa sobha tabe kara darasana [31]

anayase–Peacefully bhramana kariya–walk through koladvipa–Koladwip [and] tabe–then darasana kara–see sobha–the beauty rtudvipa–of Ṛtudwip. [31]

Peacefully walk through Koladwip and then see the beauty of Ṛtudwip.

tarapara jahnudvipa parama sundara
dekhi' modadrumadvipe chala vijna-vara [32]

vijna-vara–O best of the wise, tarapara–thereafter, dekhi'–see [the] parama–wonderful sundara–beauty jahnudvipa–of Jahnudwip [and then] chala–go modadrumadvipe–to Modadrumadwip. [32]

O best of the wise, thereafter, see the wonderful beauty of Jahnudwip and then go to Modadrumadwip.

rudradvipa dekha punah ganga haye para
bhrami' mayapura bhakta chala ara bara [33]

bhakta–O devotees, dekha–see rudradvipa–Rudradwip, para haye–cross ganga–the Ganga punah–again, [and then] bhrami' chala–go mayapura–to Mayapur bara–once ara–more. [33]

O devotees, see Rudradwip, cross the Ganga again, and then visit Mayapur once more.

tathaya sri-jagannatha-sachira mandire
prabhura darsane pravesaha dhire dhire [34]

tathaya–There, dhire dhire–slowly pravesaha–enter mandire–the abode sri-jagannatha-sachira–of Sri Jagannath and Sachi prabhura darsane–to see the Lord. [34]

There, slowly enter the abode of Sri Jagannath and Sachi to see the Lord.

sarva-kale ei rupa parikrama haya
jivera ananta sukha-praptira alaya [35]

parikrama–Circumambulation sarva-kale–always haya–happens ei rupa–in this way, [and is] alaya–a source ananta sukha-praptira–for the attainment of unlimited joy jivera–for the soul. [35]

Circumambulation is always done in this way and is a source of unlimited joy for the soul.

visesatah makari-saptami-tithi gate
phalguni purnimavadhi srestha sarva-mate [36]

sarva-mate–Unanimously, [it is] srestha–best visesatah–in particular [to circumambulate] gate–from makari-saptami-tithi–the day of Makari Saptami (the seventh day of the waxing fortnight in the month of Phalgun) phalguni purnimavadhi–until Phalguni Purnima (the full moon day of the month of Phalgun). [36]

Everyone concurs that it is best to start on Makari Saptami and end on Phalguni Purnima.

parikrama samadhiya yei mahajana
janma-dine mayapura karena darsana [37]

nitai gauranga tare krpa vitariya
bhakti adhikari kare pada-chhaya diya [38]

nitai–Nitai [and] gauranga–Gauranga krpa vitariya–bless tare yei mahajana–the great souls who samadhiya–complete [their] parikrama–circumambulation [and] darsana karena–visit mayapura–Mayapur janma-dine–on the birthday [of the Lord]. [They] adhikari kare–make [them] qualified bhakti–for devotion [and] diya–give [them] pada-chhaya–the shade of [Their] feet. [37–38]

Nitai and Gauranga bless the great souls who complete their circumambulation and visit Mayapur on the birthday of the Lord. They make them qualified for devotion and give them the shade of Their feet.

samksepe kahinu parikrama vivarana
vistariya bali ebe karaha sravana [39]

samksepe–Briefly, vivarana kahinu–I have described parikrama–circumambulation [of the Dham]. ebe–Now vistariya bali–I will elaborate. sravana karaha–[Please] listen. [39]

I have briefly described circumambulating the Dham. Now I will elaborate. Please listen.

yei jana bhrame ekavimsati yojana
achire labhaye sei gaura-prema-dhana [40]

yei sei jana–Those who bhrame–traverse ekavimsati yojana–the one hundred and sixty-eight miles [of Gauda Mandal] achire–quickly labhaye–attain gaura-prema-dhana–the wealth of divine love for Gaura. [40]

Those who traverse the one hundred and sixty-eight miles of Sri Gauda Mandal quickly attain the wealth of divine love for Gaura.

jahnava-nitai-pada-chhaya yara asa
e bhakti-vinoda kare e tattva prakasa [41]

e bhakti-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod, yara–whose asa–aspiration [is] jahnavi-nitai-pada-chhaya–the shade of Jahnava and Nitai's feet, prakasa kare–reveals e–these tattva–glories. [41]

Bhakti Vinod, whose aspiration is the shade of Jahnava and Nitai's feet, reveals the glories of Nadia.