(Maṅgalācaraṇa (Auspicious Invocation) –)

jaya jaya navadvīpa-candra śacī-suta
jaya jaya nityānanda-rāya avadhūta (1)

All glories, all glories to Śrī Śacī-nandana, the moon of Śrī Navadvīpa! All glories, all glories to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, the avadhūta! (1)

jaya jaya navadvīpa sarva-dhāma-sāra
se dhāmera tattva varṇe sādhya āche kā’ra (2)

All glories, all glories to Śrī Navadvīpa, the essence of all holy abodes! Who would possibly be able to describe the real nature of this dhāma? (2)

navadvīpa-dhāma gaura-maṇḍala-bhitare
jāhnavī-sevita ha’ye sadā śobhā kare (3)

Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma is situated within Gauḍa-maṇḍala and is served by Śrī Jāhnavī-devī (Gaṅgā), who further enhances its beauty. (3)

The Circumference of Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala
and Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma

śrī-gauḍa-maṇḍala ekaviṁśati yojana
madhya-bhāge gaṅgā-devī rahe anukṣaṇa (4)

The circumference of Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala is twenty-one yojanas (168 miles), and Śrī Gaṅgādevī is in its centre, always flowing throughout. (4)

śata-dala padmamaya maṇḍala ākāra
madhya-bhāge navadvīpa ati śobhā tāra (5)

Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala is like a lotus flower with a hundred petals, with the supremely beautiful Śrī Navadvīpa situated at its centre. (5)

pañca-krośa haya tāra keśara ādhāra
parimala pūrṇa puṣpa yojana catvāra (6)

This most fragrant flower (Śrī Navadvīpa) has eight petals and measures four yojanas (thirtytwo miles, or sixteen kosas). In the middle of this flower is a stamen-like base, which is Antardvīpa. The circumference of Antardvīpa is ten miles (five kosas). (6)

bāhira pāpaḍi tā’ra śata-dala haya
ekādhika yojana viṁśati vistāraya (7)

The outer portion of this lotus flower is the entire Gauḍa-maṇḍala with its one hundred petals. It has a circumference of twenty-one yojanas (168 miles, or eighty-four kosas). (7)

maṇḍala paridhi haya sei parimāṇa
yojana saptaka vyāsa śāstrera vidhāna (8)

vyāsārddha-pramāṇa sārddha tṛtīya yojana
madhya-bindu haite tā’ra haibe gaṇana (9)

madhya-bindu navadvīpa-dhāma madhya-sthala
yogapīṭha haya tāhā cinmaya vimala (10)

According to scriptures, the diameter of Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala is seven yojanas (fifty-six miles, (or twenty-eight kosas)). Half of this diameter is three-and-a-half yojana (twenty-eight miles, (or fourteen kosas)). Right in the centre of this flower is Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, where Mahāprabhu’s transcendental and purebirthplace, Yogapīṭha, is splendidly situated. (8–10)

(Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala’s circumference – 168 miles
Śrī Navadvīpa’s circumference – 32 miles
Śrī Antardvīpa’s circumference – 10 miles
Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala’s diameter – 56 miles
The centre point – Śrī Yogapīṭha)

The True Nature of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma

cintāmaṇi-rūpa haya e gauḍa-maṇḍala
cidānandamaya-dhāma cinmaya sakala (11)

This holy abode of Gauḍa-maṇḍala is like a cintāmaṇi, or a desire-fulfilling gem. It is constituted of knowledge and bliss, and all that is within it is transcendental. (11)

jala-bhūmi-vṛkṣa-ādi sakali cinmaya
sadā vidyamāna tathā kṛṣṇa-śakti-traya (12)

Everything in Gauḍa-maṇḍala – including the water, land and trees – is transcendental. The three spiritual potencies of Śrī Kṛṣṇa – sandhinī, samvit and hlādinī – are always present here. (12)

(The transcendental dhāma is a transformation of sandhinī-śakti –)

svarūpa-śaktira jei sandhinī-prabhāva
tāra pariṇati ei dhāmera svabhāva (13)

The constitutional nature of the transcendental dhāma is a transformation of the sandhinī-potency. Sandhinī is a division of svarūpa-śakti, the Lord’s internal energy. (13)

(The ignorant conditioned soul’s vision of the dhāma –)

prabhu-līlā-pīṭha-rūpe dhāma nitya haya
acintya-śaktira kārya prāpañcika naya (14)

tabe je e dhāme dekhe prapañcera sama
baddha-jīve tāhe haya avidyā-vibhrama (15)

This dhāma is eternal because it is the place of Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s pastimes. None of the functions of the Supreme Lord’s inconceivable potency (acintya-śakti) are material. Nevertheless, conditioned souls misled by ignorance perceive the dhāma from an external perspective, as merely the material world. (14–15)

meghācchanna cakṣu dekhe sūrya ācchādita
divākara nāhi kabhu haya meghāvṛta (16)

sei-rūpa e gauḍa-maṇḍala cid-ākāra
prāpañcika jana dekhe jaḍera vikāra (17)

One whose vision is covered by a cloud may think that the cloud is covering the sun, but the sun cannot be covered by a cloud. Similarly, although this Gauḍa-maṇḍala is transcendental, one with material intelligence sees the dhāma as material. (16–17)

(Darśana of this transcendental abode by Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy –)

nityānanda-kṛpā jā’ra prati kabhu haya
se dekhe ānanda-dhāma sarvatra cinmaya (18)

Whoever gets the mercy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu will perceive the spiritual nature of the blissful dhāma. (18)

gaṅgā-yamunādi tathā sadā vidyamāna
sapta-purī prayāgādi āche sthāne sthāna (19)

To such a person, it is revealed that Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Godāvarī and other holy rivers perpetually flow together here, and that Prayāga and the other seven holy cities are present at various important places. (19)

sākṣāt vaikuṇṭha-tattva e gauḍa-maṇḍala
bhāgyavān jīva tāhā dekhe niramala (20)

The fortunate living entity beholds this Gauḍa-maṇḍala as the pure and manifest realm of Vaikuṇṭha. (20)

(Why cannot everyone behold the transcendental dhāma? –)

svarūpa-śaktira chāyā māyā bali jāre
prabhura ājñāya nija prabhāva vistāre (21)

The shadow of the svarūpa-śakti is called māyā-śakti, or the illusory energy, and on the order of the Lord she spreads her power [of illusion]. (21)

bahirmukha jīva-cakṣu kare āvaraṇa
cid-dhāma-prabhāva sabe nā pāya darśana (22)

This illusory energy covers the eyes of the living entities who have turned away from the Lord. For this reason, not everyone can perceive the influence of this transcendental abode. (22)

(The true nature of the inhabitants of Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala –)

e gauḍa-maṇḍale jā’ra vāsa nirantara
baḍa bhāgyavān sei saṁsāra-bhitara (23)

Those who eternally reside in Gauḍa-maṇḍala are the most fortunate in this material world. (23)

deva-gaṇe svarge thāki’ dekhe sei jane
caturbhuja śyāma-kānti apūrva gaṭhane (24)

When the demigods in Svarga see people living in Gauḍa-maṇḍala, they perceive them all as having four arms, darkish complexions, and an astonishingly beautiful body with good stature and strength. (24)

(The true nature of the inhabitants of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma –)

ṣola-krośa-navadvīpa-dhāma-vāsī jata
gaura-kānti, sadā nāma-saṅkīrtane rata (25)

All the inhabitants of this thirty-two mile (sixteen kosas) area of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma have a golden (gaura) complexion, and they are always absorbed in nāma-saṅkīrtana. (25)

(Śrī Brahmā’s glorification of the residents of Navadvīpa –)

brahmā-ādi deva-gaṇe antarīkṣa haite
navadvīpa-vāsi-gaṇe pūje nānā-mate (26)

Even Brahmā and other demigods from the celestial realm worship the inhabitants of Navadvīpa in various ways. (26)

brahmā bale,—“kabe mora hena bhāgya ha’be
navadvīpe tṛṇa-kalevara pāba jabe (27)

śrī-gaura-caraṇa-sevā kare jata jana
tā-sabāra pada-reṇu labhiba takhana (28)

Lord Brahmā prays, “When will I be fortunate enough to take birth even as a blade of grass in Navadvīpa? If someone asks why I should desire such a birth even though I am Brahmā, I will answer, ‘O brother, in this way I will obtain the foot-dust of all the devotees engaged in the service of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu’s divine feet. This would be impossible otherwise.’ (27–28)

hāya, more gauracandra vañcanā kariyā
brahmāṇḍera adhipati rākhila kariyā (29)

“Alas, alas, Śrī Gauracandra tricked me and made me the master of the universe. (29)

kabe mora karma-granthi haibe chedana
abhimāna tyaji’ mora śuddha ha’be mana (30)

“When will the binding knots of my fruitive activities be cut open? When will my mind become pure as I give up false pride? (30)

adhikāra-buddhi mora kabe ha’be kṣaya
śuddha dāsa ha’ye pāba gaura-padāśraya” (31)

“When will my self-conception that ‘I am the creator of this universe’ vanish? When will I become a pure servant of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu and attain the shelter of His lotus feet?” (31)

(The greatly glorious Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma –)

deva-gaṇa, ṛṣi-gaṇa, rudra-gaṇa jata
sthāne-sthāne navadvīpe vaise avirata (32)

Demigods, sages, Rudras and so forth reside in different places of Śrī Navadvīpa. (32)

cira-kāla tapa kari’ jīvana kāṭāya
tabu nityānanda-kṛpā se sabe nā pāya (33)

Even though they all have long since spent their lives engaged in austerities, they still could not receive the mercy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. (33)

(It is impossible to get Śrī Gaura-Nityānanda’s mercy as long as the false ego remains –)

deva-buddhi jatadina nāhi jāya dūre
jatadina dainya-bhāva mane nāhi sphure (34)

tatadina śrī-gaura-nitāi-kṛpādhana
brahmā-śiva nāhi pāya kariyā yatana (35)

Unless demigods such as Brahmā and Śiva abandon the mindset that “I am a demigod” and humility awakens in their heart, they are unable to receive the treasure of Śrī Gaura-Nityānanda’s mercy despite great endeavour, what to speak of others. (34–35)

(The author’s entreaty that the reader faithfully hear narrations of these pastimes further on –)

ei saba kathā āge haibe prakāśa
yatna kari’ śuna bhāi kariyā viśvāsa (36)

All of these topics will be narrated further on in this book. O brothers, listen to them carefully and faithfully. (36)

(The destination of a person using mundane logic [to understand transcendental topics] –)

e-saba viṣaye bhāi tarka parihara
tarka se apārtha ati amaṅgalakara (37)

O brothers, avoid using mundane logic in regard to these topics because logic is useless and inauspicious. (37)

śrī-caitanya-līlā haya gabhīra sāgara
mocā-kholā-rūpa tarka tathāya phāṅpara (38)

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes are like a deep ocean. On the contrary, mundane logic is as troublesome as (the) many layers of skin that cover banana flowers. (38)

tarka kari’ e saṁsāra tarite je cāya
viphala tāhāra ceṣṭā, kichui nā pāya (39)

The efforts of one using mundane logic to attain deliverance from the material world are unsuccessful. Nothing is gained in such endeavour. (39)

(The destination of one who accepts the shelter of the saints and the holy scriptures –)

tarke jalāñjali diyā sādhu-śāstra dhare
acire caitanya-lābha sei jana kare (40)

One who abandons mundane logic and takes shelter of only sādhus and śāstras quickly attains the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (40)

śruti-smṛti-tantra-śāstra avirata gāya
nadīyā-māhātmya nityānandera ājñāya (41)

Following the order of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, the Śrutis, Smṛtis, Tantras and all other scriptures always praise the majesty of Śrī Navadvīpa. (41)

sei saba śāstra paḍa sādhu-vākya māna
tabe ta’ haibe tava navadvīpa-jñāna (42)

Study all these scriptures and have faith in the words of the sādhus; then you will understand the glories of Śrī Navadvīpa. (42)

(Only Navadvīpa-dhāma is powerful in Kali-yuga –)

kali-kāle tīrtha-saba atyanta durbala
navadvīpa tīrtha mātra parama prabala (43)

All sacred places are extremely weak in Kaliyuga. Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma alone is supremely powerful. (43)

prabhura icchāya sei tīrtha bahu dina
aprakaṭa mahimā āchila sphūrti-hīna (44)

By the desire of the Lord, this holy abode and its glories remained unmanifest for an extremely long time. (44)

(The most merciful and compassionate Supreme Lord is concerned for the well-being of the jīvas –)

kalira prabhāva jabe atyanta bāḍila
anya tīrtha svabhāvataḥ nisteja haila (45)

jīvera maṅgala lāgi’ puruṣa-pradhāna
mane-mane cintā kari’ karila vidhāna (46)

When the influence of Kali-yuga greatly increased and all the holy places consequently lost their power, the Supreme Lord, out of His concern for the well-being of the living beings, searched for a remedy to help them. (45–46)

pīḍā bujhi’ vaidya-rāja auśadha khāoyāya
kaṭhina auṣadha deya kaṭhina pīḍāya (47)

ebe kali ghora haila, roga haila bhārī
kaṭhina auṣadha binā nivārite nāri (48)

The Supreme Lord thought, “An expert doctor gives medicine to his patient after understanding his patient’s suffering. If the patient is very sick, the doctor gives him especially potent medicine. Similarly, in the fearsome Kali-yuga, the people have developed a severe disease that cannot be cured without an extremely potent medicine. (47–48)

atiśaya gopane rākhinu jei dhāma
atiśaya gopane rākhinu jei nāma (49)

atiśaya gopane rākhinu jei rūpa
prakāśa nā kaile jīva taribe kirūpa (50)

“How will these living beings attain deliverance if I will not, even now, manifest the name and the divine form of My holy abode, which I so far have kept concealed? (49–50)

(The eternal relationship between the jīva and the Supreme Lord –)

jīva’ta āmāra dāsa, āmi tāra prabhu
āmi nā tārile sei nā taribe kabhu (51)

“All living entities are My servants and I am their master. If I do not liberate them, then who will? Without My mercy they can never be delivered.” (51)

ei bali’ śrī-caitanya haila prakāśa
nija-nāma, nija-dhāma, la’ye nija-dāsa (52)

Thinking in this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in Śrī Dhāma Navadvīpa along with His holy name, His abode and His servants. (52)

(The Supreme Lord’s resolve always comes true –)

prabhura pratijñā ei haya sarvakāla
tāriba sakala jīva ghucā’ba jañjāla (53)

The Supreme Lord always promises that He will liberate all jīvas and dispel all of their tribulations. (53)

brahmāra durlabha dhana bilā’ba saṁsāre
pātrāpātra nā bāchiba ei avatāre (54)

“I will bestow upon every person in this material world a treasure (prema) that is rare for even Brahmā to obtain. In this incarnation, I will not consider who is a fit or an unfit recipient of this treasure. (54)

(Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s promise to destroy Kali’s influence –)

dekhiba kirūpe kali jīvera kare nāśa
navadvīpa-dhāma āmi kariba prakāśa (55)

sei dhāme kalira bhāṅgiba viṣadāṅta
kīrtana kariyā jīve kari ātma-sātha (56)

“I will see how Kali destroys the living beings when I manifest My Navadvīpa-dhāma. In that sacred abode, I will break the poisonous teeth of Kali. Performing kīrtana, I will make the living entities My own. (55–56)

(Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s prophecy –)

jatadūra mama nāma haibe kīrtana
tatadūra haibe ta’ kalira damana (57)

“According to the magnitude of the chanting of My names, [the influence of] Kali-yuga will be subdued. [In other words, Kali-yuga will flee far away from the places where the holy name is chanted.]” (57)

ei bali’ gaurahari kalira sandhyāya
prakāśila navadvīpa svakīya māyāya (58)

Thinking thus, Śrī Gaurahari manifested Navadvīpa-dhāma at the beginning of Kali-yuga by His internal potency (yogamāyā). (58)

chāyā samvariyā nitya svarūpa-vilāsa
gauracandra gauḍa-bhūme karila prakāśa (59)

Śrī Gauracandra manifested His eternal pastimes in Gauḍa-bhūmi, after removing His illusory energy (mahāmāyā), who is the shadow of His svarūpa-śakti yogamāyā. (59)

(The most unfortunate person –)

emana dayālu prabhu je-jana nā bhaje
emana acintya dhāma jei jana tyaje (60)

ei kali-kāle tā’ra sama bhāgya-hīna
nā dekhi jagate āra śocanīya dīna (61)

In Kali-yuga, there is no one more unfortunate and wretched than that person who does not worship such a supremely merciful Lord and who rejects such an inconceivable holy abode. (60–61)

(The desire of the author –)

ataeva chāḍi’ bhāi anya vāñchā rati
navadvīpa-dhāme mātra hao ekamati (62)

Therefore, O brothers, give up all other desires and fix your mind only on Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma; that is, please reside in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. (62)

(The author’s prayer to attain his desired service –)

jāhnavā-nitāi-padachāyā jāra āśa
se bhaktivinoda kare e tattva prakāśa (63)

Desiring to attain the cooling shade of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s and Śrī Jāhnavā-devī’s lotus feet, Bhaktivinoda is revealing this truth. (63)

Thus Ends Chapter Two