(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 śrī-advaita-prabhu mahāśaya
gadādhara śrīvāsa paṇḍita jaya jaya (2)

All glories, all glories to Śrī Advaita Ācārya! All glories, all glories to Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita and Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita! (2)

jaya jaya navadvīpa-dhāma sarva-dhāma-sāra
jei dhāma-saha gauracandra-avatāra (3)

All glories, all glories to the holiest of all holy abodes, Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. Śrī Gauracandra descended together with this dhāma. (3)

(Beginning of the description of pastime places within the thirty-two mile Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma –)

ṣola-krośa navadvīpa-madhye jāhā-jāhā
varṇiba ekhana bhakta-gaṇa śuna tāhā (4)

O devotees, I will now describe the different places within the sixteen kosas Navadvīpa. All of you should listen. (4)

Rivers Flowing Through Śrī Navadvīpa

ṣola-krośa-madhye navadvīpera pramāṇa
ṣoḍaśa pravāha tathā sadā vidyamāna (5)

Sixteen rivers are situated eternally in the sixteen kosas Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. (5)

mūla-gaṅgā pūrva-tīre dvīpa-catuṣṭaya
tāṅhāra paścime sadā pañca-dvīpa raya (6)

Four dvīpas, or islands, exist eternally on Gaṅgā’s eastern bank, and on her western bank are five islands. (6)

svardhunī-pravāha saba beḍi’ dvīpa-gaṇe
navadvīpa-dhāme śobhā deya anukṣaṇe (7)

Svardhunī (Bhagavatī Bhāgīrathī-Gaṅgā) flows encircling all these islands, thus eternally increasing the splendour of Śrī Navadvīpadhāma. (7)

madhye mūla gaṅgā-devī rahe anukṣaṇa
apara pravāhe anya puṇya-nadī-gaṇa (8)

The original Gaṅgā-devī always flows through the centre of Śri Navadvīpa-dhāma, and many other rivers who purify the world flow here and there throughout Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. (8)

gaṅgāra nikaṭe bahe yamunā-sundarī
anya dhārā-madhye sarasvatī vidyādharī (9)

Beautiful Śrī Yamunā Mahārānī flows with Bhagavatī Bhāgīrathī-Gaṅgā next to the western bank, and the presiding goddess of learning, Sarasvatī, flows within another stream. (9)

tāmraparṇī kṛtamālā brahmaputra-traya
yamunāra pūrva-bhāge dīrgha dhārāmaya (10)

In the eastern part of the Yamunā, the strong and swift rivers Tāmraparṇī, Kṛtamālā and Brahmaputra flow. (10)

sarayū, narmadā, sindhu, kāverī, gomatī
prasthe bahe godāvarī saha drutagati (11)

Rivers like Sarayū, Narmadā, Sindhu, Kāverī, Gomatī and all other (holy rivers) who purify this world flow with mighty speed together with Śrī Godāvarī. (11)

ei saba dhārā paraspara kari’ cheda
eka navadvīpe navavidha kare bheda (12)

As separate currents, these rivers divide Śrī Navadvīpa into nine parts. (12)

prabhura icchāya kabhu dhārā śuṣka haya
punaḥ icchā haila dhārā haya jalamaya (13)

According to the Lord’s desire, these rivers sometimes dry out and then again become filled with water. (13)

prabhura icchāya kabhu ḍube kona sthāna
prabhura icchāya punaḥ deya ta’ darśana (14)

According to the Lord’s desire, a place will sometimes become immersed in water and then again give darśana. (14)

niravadhi eirūpa dhāma līlā kare
bhāgyavān jana prati sarvakāla sphure (15)

Although the dhāma continuously performs pastimes in this way, it is always manifest for the most fortunate person. (15)

utkaṭa vāsanā yadi bhakta-hṛde haya
sarva-dvīpa sarva-dhārā darśana milaya (16)

The devotee who has a strong desire within the heart to behold these rivers will attain darśana of all the islands and rivers. (16)

kabhu svapne, kabhu dhyāne, kabhu dṛṣṭi-yoge
dhāmera darśana pāya bhaktira saṁyoge (17)

This kind of devotee will sometimes attain, by the help of his devotion, a vision of the dhāma in dreams, sometimes in meditation and sometimes even directly with his eyes. (17)

Śrī Antardvīpa

gaṅgā-yamunāra yoge jei dvīpa raya
antardvīpa tāra nāma sarva-śāstre kaya (18)

All holy scriptures call the island formed at the confluence of the rivers Gaṅgā and Yamunā Antardvīpa. (18)

antardvīpa-madhye āche pīṭha māyāpura
jathāya janmila prabhu caitanya-ṭhākura (19)

Śrīman Mahāprabhu took birth in Māyāpura-Yogapīṭha in the centre of Antardvīpa. (19)

(Māyāpura is Gokula-Mahāvana of Vraja –)

golokera antarvartī jei mahāvana
māyāpura navadvīpe jāna bhakta-gaṇa (20)

Gokula-Mahāvana in Goloka corresponds with Māyāpura in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. (20)

(All dhāmas and tīrthas are present in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma –)

śvetadvīpa, vaikuṇṭha, goloka, vṛndāvana
navadvīpe saba tattva āche sarvakṣaṇa (21)

Śvetadvīpa, Vaikuṇṭha, Goloka and Śrī Vṛndāvana are always splendidly situated in Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma. (21)

ayodhyā, mathurā, māyā, kāśī, kāñcī āra
avantī, dvārakā sei purī sapta sāra (22)

navadvīpe se-samasta nija-nija sthāne
nitya vidyamāna gauracandrera vidhāne (23)

According to Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s arrangement, the seven holy cities –Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā (Haridvāra), Kāśī, Kāñcī, Avantī (Ujjain) and Dvārakā – are eternally situated in their respective places in Śrī Navadvīpadhāma. (22–23)

gaṅgādvāra māyāra svarūpa māyāpura
jāhāra māhātmya śāstre āchaye pracura (24)

The city Māyā (Haridvāra) at Gaṅgādvāra is situated in its actual form in Māyāpura. The excellence of this place is described repeatedly throughout the scriptures. (24)

sei māyāpure je jāya eka-bāra
anāyāse haya sei jaḍa-māyā pāra (25)

One who even once visits Māyāpura, the residence of all sacred places, easily crosses the material realm. (25)

(The fruit of wandering throughout Māyāpura –)

māyāpure bhramile māyāra adhikāra
dūre jāya, janma kabhu nahe āra bāra (26)

One who wanders throughout Māyāpura becomes freed from the control of the illusory energy and from taking birth in this material world again. (26)

Rules for Performing
Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Parikramā

māyāpura-uttare sīmantadvīpa haya
parikramā-vidhi sādhu-śāstre sadā kaya (27)

antardvīpe māyāpura kariyā darśana
śrī-sīmantadvīpe cala vijña bhakta-jana (28)

Sīmantadvīpa is situated to the north of Śrī Māyāpura. With regard to the procedure of parikramā [of Navadvīpa], saints and holy scriptures consistently state, “O learned devotees, please proceed to Śrī Sīmantadvīpa after visiting Antardvīpa Śrī Māyāpura. (27–28)

godrumākhyadvīpa haya māyāra dakṣiṇe
tāhā bhrami’ cala madhyadvīpe hṛṣṭa-mane (29)

“After visiting Sīmantadvīpa take darśana of the island called Godruma, situated south of Māyāpura. Then blissfully go to Madhyadvīpa. (29)

ei cāri-dvīpa jāhnavīra pūrva-tīre
dekhiyā jāhnavī pāra hao dhīre-dhīre (30)

“These four islands (Antardvīpa, Sīmantadvīpa, Godrumadvīpa and Madhyadvīpa) are situated on the river Jāhnavī’s eastern bank. After taking darśana of them, reverentially cross the river Jāhnavī Gaṅgā (by taking ācamanaand bathing in her waters, and then glorifying her with the prayer, ‘Only by your mercy is it possible to attain darśana of the dhāma’). Then take darśana of the other five islands (Koladvīpa, Ṛtudvīpa, Jahnudvīpa, Modadrumadvīpa and Rudradvīpa). (30)

koladvīpa anāyāse kariyā bhramaṇa
ṛtudvīpa-śobhā tabe kara daraśana (31)

“Effortlessly walk around Koladvīpa, and then behold the splendour of Ṛtudvīpa. (31)

tārapara jahnudvīpa parama sundara
dekhi’ modadrumadvīpe cala vijña-vara (32)

“O best of scholars, afterwards proceed to the supremely beautiful Jahnudvīpa, and then continue to Modadrumadvīpa. (32)

rudradvīpa dekha punaḥ gaṅgā ha’ye pāra
bhrami’ māyāpura bhakta cala āra bāra (33)

“After visiting Modadrumadvīpa take darśana of Rudradvīpa, then again cross the Gaṅgā and walk to Māyāpura. (33)

tathāya śrī-jagannātha-śacīra mandire
prabhura darśane praveśaha dhīre-dhīre (34)

“In Māyāpura, respectfully enter Jagannātha Miśra and Mother Śācī’s temple (Yogapīṭha) to take darśana of Mahāprabhu. [Enter the Yogapīṭha performing nāma-saṅkīrtana and begging for the mercy of the nearby pastime places, and beg forgiveness for offences committed consciously or unconsciously during the circumambulation of the dhāma.]” (34)

sarvakāle eirūpa parikramā haya
jīvera ananta sukha-prāptira ālaya (35)

This is always the procedure for performing the sixteen kosas Navadvīpa-dhāma parikramā. This parikramā is the abode for the jīvas to attain unlimited happiness. (35)

The Best Time for Performing Parikramā

viśeṣataḥ mākarī-saptamī-tithi gate
phālgunī-pūrṇimāvadhi śreṣṭha sarva-mate (36)

According to the opinion of all devotees, the best time for performing parikramā is from Mākarī-saptamī to Phālguna-pūrṇima. (36)

(The fruit of taking darśana of Māyāpura on Gaura-pūrṇimā –)

parikramā samādhiyā jei mahājana
janmadine māyāpura karena darśana (37)

nitāi-gaurāṅga tā’re kṛpā vitariyā
bhakti-adhikārī kare pada-chāyā diyā (38)

One who, after completing the parikrama of Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, takes darśana of Māyāpura on Śrī Gaura-pūrṇima will attain qualification for bhakti through the mercy of the shade of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu’s and Śrī Nityānanda’s divine feet. (37–38)

saṅkṣepe kahinu parikramā-vivaraṇa
vistariyā bali ebe karaha śravaṇa (39)

In this chapter I have in brief presented a description of the parikramā [of Śrī Navadvīpadhāma]. Now, in the following chapters, I will describe it in detail. Please listen attentively. (39)

(The fruit of performing Śrī Gauḍa-ṁaṇḍala parikramā—)

jei jana bhrame ekaviṁśati yojana
acire labhaya sei gaura-prema-dhana (40)

One who performs parikramā of the 168 miles (twenty-one yojana) of Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala quickly obtains the treasure of gaura-prema. (40)

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

jāhnavā-nitāi-pada-chāyā jāra āśa
e bhaktivinoda kare e tattva prakāśa (41)

Bhaktivinoda, whose only desire is to attain the cooling shade of the lotus feet of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Jāhnavā-devī, reveals this truth. (41)

Thus Ends Chapter Three