19950305 Śrī Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama - Hari Hara Kshetra

https://archives.jayapatakaswami.com/courses/304951/lectures/5015913

 

Lecture Code: 19950305

 

Navadvip Parikrama Lecture by                                                                                                 His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja                                                                                   Śrī Dham Māyāpur

 

vande ‘haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaishnavams ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ tam sa jīvam

 

The following is a talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on March 5^th 1995 in Śrī Dham Māyāpur. The talk occurred during the Śrī Navadvīpa Maṇḍala Parikrama at Hari Hara Kṣetra.

 

Navadvip Parikrama Lecture by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja Śrī Dham Māyāpur.

                                                                                                                                                                  Guru Mahārāja: Sarva Papa Nivemuktam [Not Clear – 00:00:55]

 

Here we are Godrum at the sacred place of Śrī Hari Dham. We discussed, in Skanda Purāṇa where it is mentioned that māyā is attempted [Not Clear – 00:01:22] daya

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: That those who live in this part of Godrum Dham which is also abode of Hari and Hara, he becomes free from all result of sinful activities and ultimately attain the Supreme Lotus Feet of the Lord.

 

Devotees: Jai!

 

Guru Mahārāja: Nitāi Gaura Premānande Hari Hari….bol! Gaurāṅga!

 

Devotees: Jai! Gaurāṅga!

 

Guru Mahārāja: So here is the deity of Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Shiva combined known as Hari and Hara or Hari Har Kṣetra. In this temple you will see many deities including Lord Jagannath. You know we don’t know exactly how all the deities got there but there are many deities. The main deity is Hari Har, half is Lord Shiva, half is Lord Viṣṇu. You’ll see four arms. In two arms, there are the symbols of Viṣṇu and the other two arms, there two symbols of Lord Shiva. There’s also [Not Clear – 00:02:47] and Parvati or [Not Clear – 00:02:49] yoga māyā the protectors of the Dham. There’s also Mahā Lakṣmī, the consort of Lord Viṣṇu. There’s always a lotus foot of Gadādhara Viṣṇu. Gadādhara Viṣṇu is in Gaya. I am planning to take a group of devotees to Gaya and the place of Gajendra Moksha after the Gaura Pūrṇimā festival amongst other places we’ll visit. So here is a replica of that lotus footprint. It is customary for people to offer worship for their departed loved ones and relatives by bathing the lotus feet of Gadādhara Prabhu.

So, these are the deities which are in the temple. We are beside this body of water, on this side that we were walking by the side. Previously this was a full flowing river 500 years ago there in the time of Lord Chaitanya. Now it’s been cut off from the other rivers therefore it is not flowing. But you can still see the riverbed and the body of water which is there all year round. This is known as the Alokānanda. It is not different from Alokānanda.

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: On way to Badrinath there is Alokānanda and Viṣṇu Gaṅgā may visit also in this Dham, it’s said that all the other Dham’s are there and place of spiritual potency. So Alokānanda is of the Navadvīpa Dham.

 

Guru Mahārāja: It is one of the forms of the Ganges flowing in the Himalayas. From Godrum dham to Rishikesh. The Ganges splits and one part of it is Alokānand and again its combined. So, it’s a very celestial form of the Ganges, special form. So being on this side of the Gaṅgā, here in Hari Hara Kṣetra, it is said that this place is not different from Kāśī and Banaras which are special abodes where one can get a kind of moksha in Banaras and Kāśī by leaving your body there, one of the seven tirtas. Of course, here in Navadvīpa Dham it’s explained you get padam padam that means you go back to Kṛṣṇa -Loka, the Supreme Abode. Here Lord Shiva helps the devotees. When any devotee is leaving his body in this area, then at the time of death Lord Shiva comes and speaks in his ear the name Gaurāṅga!

 

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

 

Guru Mahārāja: What name [Not Clear – 00:05:59] Tirtamurti Mahārāja

 

Tirtamurti Mahārāja: Gaurāṅga!

 

Devotees: Gaurāṅga!

 

Guru Mahārāja: and immediately that type person is liberated and given his position in Goluka-Vṛndāvan with Chaitanya Mahāprabhu and Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So here Lord Shiva is a great Patita-pāvan for the devotees and he is residing. How did he get this form? Half Shiva and half Viṣṇu. Lord Shiva was very frustrated after being defeated by the Mohinī-mūrti. Lord Shiva was even able to resist the attractions of Pārvatī-devī, Maha-Māyā and controlling his senses. He is just Yogesh-swara. But he wanted Lord Viṣṇu to show His Mohinī -rupa. So, Lord Viṣṇu took up the feminine form. And then as we studied in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Lord Viṣṇu was able to attract the mind of Lord Shiva using His own potency. And Lord Shiva he lost his, you can say he started running after Mohini-murti and in this way, after this was over, he felt very embarrassed that how he was bewildered by Lord Viṣṇu’s potency. So, Shiva he came here to Navadvīpa Dham. He was meditating. He couldn’t understand how this could happen to him? And then Lord Viṣṇu came, He didn’t want him to feel bad and said you shouldn’t feel bad because you are my expansion and you are not different from Me. So, the fact that Viṣṇu is able to have that pastime with you is nothing to be sad about since you are anyway nondifferent from Viṣṇu and then He revealed He is non different and became Viṣṇu and Hara. So therefore, this murti was manifested; half Viṣṇu and half Hara. Half Hari and half Hara. So therefore, this is known as Hari Hara Kṣetra. And this is mentioned in so many different Vedas and Puranas the glories of this place. It’s not the specific Dham, it’s the sacred abode, not only since, 500 years ago when Lord Chaitanya appeared but eternally! This is eternally a sacred Dham, it’s under the dominion of Lord Kṛṣṇa ’s internal energy. And Lord Chaitanya if He comes here at a particular time. So, all the time it’s kept under, just like sometimes governments have their embassies in some place but it’s always under that government. Sometimes the federal state may go there and stay. The President of America may go and stay at the American embassy. Then Moscow or something. He may only go once in a while but when he comes, he will go to the embassy, he will be there. So, this is the system. The abode of the lord is always under the Lord’s dominion. Therefore, all the different avatars, they also visit their abodes in different parts of the world. So, you’ll find that different incarnations of Godhead Rāma, Baladeva, Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Shiva and so on. The seven Rishi’s and so many different great devotees and all these historical events all happen here in Navadvīpa Dham. And these are recorded in the different Puranas and histories of the Vedas. I’m going to ask you [Not Clear – 00:10:32] about Swami Mahārāj to quote a few verses for us about the glories of this holy place.

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: Read the Sanskrit and the translation

Guru Mahārāja: Read the Sanskrit and the translation

 

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: Here in Matsya Hari Hara Kṣetra Matsya Purāṇa, before that it says in the Varāha Purana, it says [Not Clear – 00:11:06] which means this Hari Hara Kṣetra is one of the is the best place for Lord Shiva and this Dham is even better than the Kashi Dham where Lord Shiva resides. And it destroys the result of all sinful activities whoever comes here. Then in Matsya Purāṇa it says [Not Clear – 00:11:40] means that in Matsya Purana it is also said that unless I free somebody from the clutches of Māyā  one can never become free but this place is called Abhimukta because anybody comes here at once becomes free from the result of one’s sinful activities.

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: Hari Hari Bol! Gaur Premānande Hari Hari….bol!

 

Devotees: Haribol!

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: Then He’s saying [Not Clear – 00:12:24] which means this is even much greater than the [Not Clear – 00:12:36] Dham. Easily anybody can get liberation [Not Clear – 00:12:44]. Here then in Liṅga Purāṇa it says [Not Clear – 00:12:46]. It means if somebody kills some Brahmin sometime but enters in this place then because of the greatness of this place ah he at once becomes free from the result of that sinful activity of killing a Brahman and who stays here in this place, he becomes develops all the good qualities of Me.

[Not Clear – 00:13:30]

Guru Mahārāja: It could also be considered [Not Clear – 00:13:42]. that means it has to be the four types of liberation.

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: [Laughing] It says in Brahma Puran. It’s saying in Brahma Puran one who enters this place and worships this deity in [Not Clear – 00:14:03] thousand million kalpa, even in a thousand years, he won’t take birth again in this material world.

 

Devotees: Jai!

 

[Devotees laugh]

 

Guru Mahārāja: Anyone have a calculator?

 

So, in other words this place is mentioned. Here in the third verse I read

 

(aside) ok read that one

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: [Not Clear – 00:4:37]

 

Translation: 

 

One who visits this place he becomes free from all sorts of result of sinful activities and ultimately attains the Supreme lotus feet of the Lord.

 

Guru Mahārāja: Haribol!

 

Devotees: Haribol!

 

Guru Mahārāja: Haribol!

 

Devotees: Haribol!

 

Maharaj: Haribol!

 

Devotees: Haribol!

 

Guru Mahārāja: So, in a very important place, actually our previous ācārya’s advise us when we get rid of sin, we shouldn’t be like an elephant who takes a bath and gets rid of the dirt, comes down and again throws the dirt on again.  But keeping visiting these holy places, getting rid of so many accumulated sinful reactions and getting so many blessings we should be very careful not to again enter back into sinful activities and we may always stick to Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Then we can get the full blessings that are mentioned in all of these different Puranas and we can get the supreme blessing of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. I like to request His Holiness Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja to give us the lecture today

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja:

 

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

 

śrī-caitanya-mano-’bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

 

 

kshiram yathā dadhi vikara-vishesha-yogat

 

sañjāyate na hi tataḥ prithag asti hetoho

 

yaḥ shambhutam api tathā samupaiti kāryād

 

govindam adi-purusham tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

 

 

[Devotees repeats]

 

Guru Mahārāja: There’s a lot of confusion in the world about Shiva, Viṣṇu. Some people think Shiva’s supreme. But he is a Vaishnava Shamboo; the greatest devotee. But he’s also, almost the same as Viṣṇu. So here the form is manifested half and half. When he contacts the material world to let it happen, to let the souls come in. and he is the husband of Durga who controls everything.

 

srishti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-shaktir eka

 

chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni

 

Guru Mahārāja: Over here we’ve been blessed by Chaitanya Das giving us dramatic performance of a pastime that happened here with Jagadananda Pandit and Chaitanya Mahāprabhu when they were students and they were coming from school. This year unfortunately Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya’s not with us, Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya Das from England. But the thing [Not Clear – 00:18:21] is that who’s coordinating the procession and the drama, he invites that if there are any devotees here who would like to perform a drama here for the assembled devotees or even on the temple programme in the evening for the public. He’ll provide any kind of makeup or dress or anything that they have in their drama too to help. I don’t know if we have anyone here. (aside) Is there anyone here who does drama who would like to put on a skit or something for the devotees? (aside) here we go, we have one. Devotees: Jai! Haribol. Anyone else? You think about it, if we have then we can [Not Clear – 00:19:11]. Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Gaurāṅga!

 

So, the pastime that happened here is mentioned in Prem Vivarta by Jagananthnanda Pandit. He said that on the other side of this river they were going in the forest there. Here Nimāi and they saw a beautiful parrot. Nicely green coloured, beautiful parrot. It was the kind of parrot speaks. So immediately Nimai said “you are not different than Śukadeva Goswami” Śuka is the parrot in Sanskrit. So, he said, “please tell us about Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, tell us the glories of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa my dear Śukadeva.” And the parrot started to dance and little, he started to chant the following words. “Gaura Gaura!”

 

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

 

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Lord Chaitanya covered His ears and said, “No no no I don’t want to hear that!” (devotees laugh). “Chant the Holy Names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa! Chant Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa O Śukadeva!” Again, the parrot began to chant “Gaura Gaura!” Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

 

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: “No no no!” Lord Chaitanya was covering His eyes “I don’t want to hear. This is nondifferent from Vṛndāvan, why aren’t you chanting the names of Rādhā  and Kṛṣṇa? and give Me pleasure.” And the parrot spoke, obviously this was not an ordinary parrot, it was a transcendental parrot of the Dham. The parrot spoke to Lord Gaurāṅga that “Yes this place is not different from Vṛndāvan and here Rādhā  and Kṛṣṇa have combined in the form of Gaurāṅga!

(devotees say Gaurāṅga!).

Guru Mahārāja: “Therefore, if you want to chant Rādhā  and Kṛṣṇa you chant, but I’m going to chant what I want to chant for my pleasure which is the form of Rādhā  and Kṛṣṇa who have come as Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: Gaura Gaura!

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: and he went on chanting “Gaura Gaura!”

Devotees: Gaura Gaura!

Guru Mahārāja: and Lord Chaitanya covered His ears and ran away (devotees laugh). He could not hear anymore. Here Lord Chaitanya has come in the form of a devotee and He wants to worship Kṛṣṇa. he doesn’t like to hear people calling Him as the Lord. That is His Līlā. But now that Lord Chaitanya is not manifesting His visible pastime, Lord Nityānanda said “oh it’s the duty of the devotees to let people know who Lord Gaurāṅga really is! Let them know the glories of Lord Gaurāṅga!” (devotees say Gaurāṅga!). and the glories of His sacred abode, Navadvip Dham. So [Not Clear – 00:23:44] Maharaj will tell us some more shastric evidence of Māyāpur Dham and then we will proceed to the place where Lord Gaurāṅga fed the devotees limbu.

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: Skanda Purana. Māyāpur ni [Not Clear – 00:24:02]. It means the Skanda Purāṇa is saying that if you’re living in Māyāpur and one worships Me he becomes free from all sorts of results of sinful activities and attains the Supreme Abode.

 

Guru Mahārāja: Haribol!

(devotees say Haribol!)

Guru Mahārāja: Living means even living for the Māyāpur festival is also living (devotees Jai! And laugh).

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: [Not Clear – 00:24:45]. All the place of pilgrimage now here in Navadvip. The glories are 100 [Not Clear – 00:25:10] times (aside) you should know.

 

Guru Mahārāja: In the Kali-yuga all the holy places are here in Māyāpur, Nawadwip-Māyāpur Dham. But here the effect of visiting the holy places that are represented here is hundreds of millions of times more beneficial than visiting them in their original in their other place.

 

Kavicandra Swami Mahārāja: [Not Clear – 00:25:33]. As the other [Not Clear – 00:25:45] they become more valuable, the association with touchstone. Just like that, in the association of Lord Gaurāṅga this, the glories are also magnified.

 

Guru Mahārāja: understand that if you touch your face with a touchstone it becomes more valuable, becomes gold. Like that, because of the touch of Gaurāṅga everything here in Navadvip Dham becomes unlimitedly more valuable. Gaurāṅga! (devotees say Gaurāṅga!).

 

So, let’s go on chanting the Holy Names of Nitai-Gaur.

 

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

 

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

 

(aside) more later, more prāṇam’s later, let’s get going, reach the destination before it gets too hot.