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The Transcendental Dham

Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj describes the transcendental vision of the dham. (Excerpt from The Divine Servitor.)


Bhaktivinod Thakur said that we see Nabadwip Dham as though it is the mundane world. Many thorn trees used to be at Ishodyan and also on the land in Mayapur where the Mayapur Chandradoy Mandir is now. But Bhaktivinod Thakur said, “You are only seeing many thorn trees. When you see Mayapur proper, you will see here many transcendental things; I am seeing those.” Here there are many flower gardens and many nice transcendental buildings. Everything is transcendental here. The dust of Mayapur is transcendental; the grass also. Everything here is eager to serve Mahaprabhu. It is all very nice and continually serving Him. Mahaprabhu is coming here and performing His lila, chanting with His associates and devotees, and every bathing ghat on the Ganges here is built out of mani, manikya, ratna, etc. (invaluable spiritual gems, jewels, etc.). Everything is transcendental. But we are living in maya so we cannot see in that way at present. Therefore it is necessary for us to open the door to the world of consciousness.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad-gita:

daivī hy eṣā guamayī, mama māyā duratyayā
m
ām eva ye prapadyante, māyām etāṁ taranti te
(Bhagavad-gita: 7.14)

Everything here is happening with the combination of maya and the jiva soul. The soul is getting happiness, sadness, and many things, but with the connection of maya. When maya leaves us, then our material ego will also leave and then we shall be able to see the transcendental world; and we will get our position in the service of our Supreme Lord, our Supreme Godhead. We are waiting for that day. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has written many things in his songs in this regard, including the following:

kabe gaura-vane, suradhunī-taṭe,
‘hā rādhe hā kṛṣṇa’ bale’
kā̐diyā beḍāba, deha-sukha chhāḍi’
nānā latā-taru-tale
[1]

[When will I abandon all bodily pleasures and wander along the banks of the Ganges beneath the trees and creepers of the forests of the land of Sri Gaurasundar, crying and calling out, “Oh Radha! Oh Krishna!”?]

śvapacha-gṛhete, māgiyā khāiba,
piba saraswatī-jala
puline puline, gaḍā-gaḍi diba,
kari’ kṛṣṇa-kolāhala
[2]

[Then I will eat by begging food from the houses of dog-eating outcasts and drink the water of the River Saraswati. I will roll about on the banks of the Ganges and uproariously call out, “Krishna!”]

dhāma-vāsī jane, praṇati kariyā,
māgiba kṛpāra leśa
vaiṣṇava-charaṇa- reṇu gāya mākhi’,
dhari’ avadhūta-veśa
[3]

[I will bow down before the residents of the abode of Sri Gaurasundar and beg for a particle of their mercy. I will wear the garb of an avadhut and smear my body with the dust of the feet of the devotees.] 

gauḍa-vraja-jane, bheda nā dekhiba,
ha-iba varaja-vāsī
dhāmera svarūpa, sphuribe nayane,
ha-iba rādhāra dāsī
[4]

[I will see no difference between the residents of Gauda and the residents of Vraja and I will become a resident of Vraja. The true nature of the Lord’s abode will manifest before my eyes and I will become a maidservant of Sri Radha.] 

He says that, when we can see that transcendental form of Nabadwip, we will understand where we are. Then we can say confidently, “We are living on Gupta Govardhan now!” Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur said that this place Koladwip—where this Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is situated—is Gupta Govardhan, and that it is aparadha bhanjan pat in Mahaprabhu’s lila. That means that if we live here with full faith for one night all our sins and offences will go. Also in the holy book Bhakti-ratnakar it is given that this place, Koladwip, where we are living is aparadha bhanjan pat. When that day will come to us—when maya and our ego leave us—then we will be able to see everything including our Lord’s manifestation in the form of the dham. With our transcendental body we will be able to serve our Lord in many ways: shanta, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and up to the highest, madhura.

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