Description of Sri Modadrumadvipa and Rama-Lila
All glories to Gaurahari, who has manifested Himself as the Panca-tattva! All glories to Navadvipa-dhama, the topmost abode!
Arriving at Mamagacchi village, Nityananda explained to Jiva, "Here, in Modadrumadvipa is Ayodhya. In a previous kalpa, when Rama was banished to the forest, He came to this place with Laksmana and Janaki. He built a hut under a huge banyan tree here and lived happily for some time. Seeing the effulgence of Navadvipa, the son of Raghu began to slightly smile.
"How attractive was that form, green as new grass, with lotus eyes and a graceful bow in hand! Wearing the dress of a brahmacari and His head piled with matted locks, He stole the minds of all living entities. Seeing Rama smiling, Sita, the daughter of Janaka, asked Him the reason.
"'Listen, Sita, here is one very secret story. When the glorious age of Kali advents, I will display a yellow complexioned form here in Nadia. I will take birth in the womb of Saci in Jagannatha Misra's house. I will, give all the fortunate souls who see My childhood pastimes the supreme gift of prema. At that time, I will enjoy My beloved educational pastimes and reveal the glories of the holy name. I will then take sannyasa and go to Puri, and My own mother will weep with My wife in her arms.
"Hearing this, Sita asked,'O lotus-eyed one, why will You make Your mother cry? Why will You give up Your wife and take sannyasa? What happiness is there in giving sorrow to Your wife?'
"Sri Rama replied. 'O dear one, you know everything. But you have become ignorant just to teach the living entities. Listen Sita, My devotees relish prema-bhakti in two ways. In union with Me they enjoy sambhoga, and in separation from Me they enjoy vipralambha. My eternal associates desire sambhoga, but mercifully give them vipralambha. The devotees know that distress due to separation from Me is actually the topmost bliss. After separation, when union occurs, they feel happiness so much greater than before, a million times multiplied. That is the explanation of how there can be happiness in separation. You should accept this mood which is described in the four Vedas.
"'She who is known as Aditi in the Vedas is now mother Kausalya and will become mother Saci in Gauranga's pastimes. And you, Sita, will serve Me as Visnupriya. In separation, you will worship My Deity and spread My glories. Separated from you, I will worship a golden Sita Deity in Ayodhya. But this topic is very confidential, Sita. Do not reveal this to the people now.
"This Navadvipa is My dear place, even Ayodhya is not equal to it. When Kali-yuga comes, this huge banyan tree, Rama-vata, will disappear from vision and stay here in an unmanifest form.'
'In this way, Rama passed His time here with Laksmana and Sita. Later He went to Dandakaranya to complete His activities. See here the place where His hut stood.
"By the desire of the Lord, Rama's friend Guhaka took birth here in a brahmana's family. His name was Sadananda Vipra Bhattacarya. He knew nothing in the three worlds except Rama. He was present in Jagannatha Misra's house when Gauranga was born. At that time all the demigods came to see the child. The exalted Sadananda realized by the demigods' presence that his Lord had taken birth. In great delight he returned home, and. while meditating on his worshipable Lord Ramacandra, he saw Gaurasundara.
"Lord Gauranga was seated on a throne and surrounded by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, who were waving camaras. Then Sadananda saw Ramacandra, green as grass. On Rama's right was Laksmana, the abode of Ananta. On His left was Sita, and in front was Hanuman. Seeing this, the vipra understood the truth about the Lord.
"The vipra went to Mayapur in great ecstasy, and, unseen by anyone. he feasted his eyes on the form of Gauranga. 'Blessed am I, blessed indeed! Ramacandra is present before me as Gaurachandra!' Later, when the sankirtana movement started, Sadananda took part by dancing and chanting the name of Gaura.
"O Jiva, here the pure devotees see the Khandiva forest."
Hearing the topics and seeing the places in the eternal dhama, the devotees surrounded Nityananda and danced. Jiva's body displayed symptoms of ecstasy as he shouted the name of Gauranga.
That day Nityananda stayed in the house of Narayani. And Narayani, the pure chaste mother of Vedavyasa (Vrndavana Dasa Thakura), served the Vaisnavas. The next morning. after walking some distance, they entered Vaikunthapura.
To carry out the order of Jahnava and Nitai, this worthless wretch sings the glories of Nadia.
Vrndavan dasa Thakura
Srimad Vrndavan dasa Thakura's mother's name was Sri Narayani Devi. Narayani Devi was the daughter of Srivas Thakura's brother. After the disappeareance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srivas Thakura went to live in Kumar Hatta. Srivasa Thakura had three brothers: Sripati, Srirama and Srinidhi. He also had one son, but at a young age, his son passed away, returning to the Lord's supreme abode.
Srivasa Thakura had previously lived in Sri Hatta, but because he wanted the association of devotees he went to live on the banks of the Ganges in Nabadwip. When Mahaprabhu revealed his divinity in the house of Srivasa, showing his true self to the assembled devotees there, Narayani devi was only a four year old girl. In the Caitanya Bhagavata it is written:
"The golden moon, Sri Gauranga, revealed himself as the soul of all souls. At that time he ordered Narayani to chant the name of Krishna. Although she was only four years old she became mad with love of God. And crying, "O Krishna!" she swooned in ecstasy. As she laid on the ground in a trance of bliss, her eyes filled with tears, overwhelmed with divine love."
Narayani Devi's son was Vrindavana Das Thakura. In the Caitanya Bhagavata he has written of how Narayani was the object of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's affection:
"As a result of her great piety, Narayani would get whatever remnants the Lord might leave after eating. Although she was only an unschooled little girl, the Lord would favor Srivas Thakur's niece by giving her the leftovers of food touched by His holy lips."
Indeed it was by the mercy of the Lord's prasada that Vrindavan dasa Thakura took birth in the womb of Narayani as the incarnation of Vyasa. Sri Gauranga and Sri Nityananda were the very life and soul of Vrindavana dasa Thakura. About the father of Vrindavana dasa Thakrua little is mentioned any;where. Apart from his relationship with Narayani, Vrinavana, not much is known of Vrindavan das Thakura's ancestry.
In his commentary on the Caitanya Bhagavata, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura: "At the ancestral home of Malini-devi [the wife of Srivasa Thakura] Vrindavana dasa played as a small boy growing up. There he was nourished and cared after just like a valuable gem."
One may find many facts regarding the life of Vrindavana Dasa by going to Mamagachi, the village where Sri Narayani's wedding took place. Soon thereafter, in Magagachi, while Vrindavana dasa was still within the womb Narayani became a widow. In the small room of a poor brahmana, she lived in great poverty and hardship as a maidservant in the house of Vasudeva Dutt. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura was born, and soon began his studies. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura took birth four years after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa. When Mahaprabhu had disappeared from this world and entered into his aprakrita-lila, Vrindavana Das was barely twenty years old.
Soon thereafter, Vrindavan Das Thakura accepted initiation from Sri Nityananda Prabhu. He is Nityananda's eternal servant. Sri Vrindavana Dasa Thakura went with Sri Jahnava-devi to the great festival in Kheturi gram. The poet Sri Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami writes of the endless glories of Vrindavan das Thakura:
"Krishna's life was written in the Bhagavata of Vyasa. The Vedavyasa for Sri Caitanya was Vrindavana Dasa. Vrindavan das has called his book the "Caitanya Mangala". Whoever hears his book no grave misfortunes shall befall. Who reads it knows the glories of Caitanya and Nitai. And knows what Krishna-bhakti is, and how it is, and why. His book contains the essence of the holy Bhagavata. And shows what Krishna-Bhakti is and what Bhakti is not. An atheist who hears the Thakura's words will soon relent. And join the ranks of saintly men whose souls are heavensent. No ordinary man can sing of God as he has sung: The Lord Himself has spoken through the Thakur's holy tongue. I bow a million times before the holy lotus feet of Sri Vrindavan das, whose verses are so sweet that one who reads them shall be freed from this dark, mortal earth; I bow a million times before the place where he took birth."
More Information
In her childhood, Narayani Devi, neice of Srivasa Pandit, became mad with love of God upon receiving the mercy of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Later she gave birth to Vrndavana Dasa, who was the last disciple of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. On his guru's order he wrote Sri Caitanya Bhagavata.
It is practically a law among Vaisnava writers like Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, and Vrndavana Dasa Thakura to always keep themselves in the background. They never mention anything about their family lineage or personal history. The authors of the best written and most relishable verses collected in Sri Rupa Gosvami's Padyavali remain unknown.
During the sixteenth century, entire books of exceptional transcendental prose and poetry were penned by prideless Vaisnavas preferring to remain anonymous. Feeling utmost humility, such Vaisnava writers express themselves only in relation to their preceptors. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja glorifies his gurus at the end of each chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: sri rupa raghunatha-pade yara asa, caitanya caritamrta kahe krsnadasa.
"Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishna Dasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps."
Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami shows his supreme homage and gratitude by honoring Vrndavana Dasa Thakura with the appelation "Vyasa" in the Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 20.82:
"Vrndavana Dasa Thakura is Lord Nityananda's favorite devotee. And therefore he is the original Vyasadeva in describing the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu." As Srila Vyasadeva told Sri Krishna's pastimes in Bhagavatam and other Puranas, Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura described Caitanya lila in Caitanya Bhagavata.
The humble heart of Krishna Dasa Kaviraja pours out more praises of Vrndavana Dasa Thakura: "Hearing Caitanya Bhagavata destroys all misfortune. By reading Caitanya Bhagavata one will understand the glories of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. And he will attain the highest perfection of knowledge—pure love of Krishna.
"Since such a wonderful book could not be written by a human being, it seems that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself has spoken it through the mouth of Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura. I offer millions of respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of Vrndavana Dasa Thakura. By compiling such a valuable book he has delivered everyone from the cycle of birth and death." (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 8.33-42)
At Mamagacchi in Modadrumadvipa (Navadvipa), Vrndavana Dasa Thakura establised Deities of Nitai-Gauranga and Sri Jagannatha. He lived there as a celibate and worshiped his beloved Deities. Vrndavana Dasa Thakura had many disciples including Gopinatha Brahmacari, a descendent of Sri Kesava Bharati.
In Krishna's pastimes Vrndavana Dasa Thakura is Srila Vyasadeva. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area of Vrindavana.
Saranga Thakura
Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: “Ramadasa, Kavidatta, Sri Gopala dasa, Bhagavat acarya, and Thakura Saranga dasa were all important branches of the Sri Caitanya tree.” (C.C. adi 10.113)
Sri Saranga Murari Thakura is also sometimes known as Sarnga Murari, Sarnga Pani, or Saranga Dhara. He lived on the banks of the Ganges in Modradrumadvipa in Nabadwipa dhama in what is now known as Mamagacchi. At present in that place there is a temple of Radha-Gopinatha. The old temple was built next to an ancient Bakula tree that is supposed to have been standing since the time of Saranga Thakura. Recently a new temple building has been constructed there which is at present under the management of the Gaudiya Matha.
It is said that Saranga Murari Thakura had vowed never to accept any disciples. But again and again he received some messages from Caitanya Mahaprabhu encouraging him to make disciples. At length, he decided to accept a disciple and said, “I shall make a disciple of the first person I see tomorrow and shall initiate him into the mantra. The next morning he went to the Ganges to bathe, and as he was bathing he touched a dead body with his foot. Grabbing hold of the dead body, he brought it to life again and asked it, “Who are you? What is your gotra?” The man gradually regained consciousness, and, finding himself in the presence of a great soul, he bowed down before Saranga Thakura. At last the man who had risen from the dead by the power of Saranga Thakura identified his caste and family background, saying, “My name is Murari. Have mercy on me!” At that time, Saranga Thakura accepted him as his disciple and gave him mantra-diksa. It is for this reason that he became famous as Saranga Murari Thakura. After a few days Saranga Thakura trained his new disciple in the worship of his deities, Radha-Gopinatha. That disciple became famous as Murari Thakura.
According to Kavikarnapura's Gaura-ganodesa-dipika, “That person who was formerly the gopi called Nandimukhi in Vraja-lila appeared in the pastimes of Sri Caitanya as Saranga Thakura.”
Saranga Thakura's appearance day is on the fourteenth day of the dark moon in the month of asadha and his disappearance day is on the thirteenth day of the dark moon in the month of Agrahayana.
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