Audarya Dhama: The Most Munificent Abode,
Part 33
BY: SUN STAFF
Jul 15, 2012 — SRIDHAM MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL (SUN) — Compiled by Sriman Padmalochan dasa; Revised Edition (1992).
KOLADVIPA
Yamuna Prasada
Here the Ganga and Yamuna flow as one river. Its left bank is considered the Ganga and its right bank the Yamuna. This secret is only understood by the devotees. Where the Yamuna touches Koladvipa is nondifferent to Vansivat and Yamuna pulin in Vrindavan.
Samudraghara
The following story is narrated in the Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya: When Bhima was travelling far and wide collecting taxes so that his brother, Yudhisthira, could perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, he arrived at this place, which was then ruled by Samudra Sena. When the king saw Bhima coming, he thought to himself: "Bhima is coming here to collect taxes, but if I refuse to pay and instead fight with him, and if I somehow manage to put him into great difficulty, then Krsna who is very affectionate towards Bhima, will come to defend him, Thus I will obtain Lord Krsna's darshan."
When Bhima requested tax from the king the king refused and brought his army out. In the battle the king put Bhima into great difficulty with his heroic fighting. At that time Lord Krsna appeared on the battlefield. At that time also, the king saw the pastimes of Radha-Krsna and beheld the forest of Kumudavan, where he saw Lord Krsna and His friends performing their pastimes. But suddenly these pastimes disappeared, and he saw the form of Lord Gauranga along with His huge Kirtan. Lord Gauranga's complexion was as brilliant as gold. In this way, the desire of the king was being fulfilled and he offered his prayers to the lotus feet of the Lord, then suddenly the Lord disappeared.
Bhima was unable to see any of this and thought that the king had suddenly become afraid. He was surprised when he saw the king suddenly give up fighting and thereupon requested him to pay tax.
This place is considered to be nondifferent from Kumudavan in Vrindavan and also Gangasagara and Dvaraka. Once the ocean came here to offer his respects to the Ganga. Therefore this place is known as Samudraghara (Home of the ocean).
Gangadevi told the ocean, "Ocean, very soon Lord Gauranga will stay in a forest on your shores."
"My dear goddess, Gangadevi", replied the ocean, "The son of Saci will never leave Sri Navadvipa. Although imperceivable to contaminated material vision, holy Navadvipa is His eternal transcendental abode. All the Vedas sing of His manifested and unmanifested pastimes here, O Ganga. I will stay here under your shelter and serve the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga, the Lord of Navadvipa."
The ocean stays here in Sri Navadvipa, meditating incessantly upon the eternal pastimes of Lord Caitanya
