SRI NABADWIP DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

Godrumdwip (Kirtanam: chanting)

Sri Gadigachha

As it has already been mentioned, Sri Godrumdwip is the place of kirtan: coming here, we must chant kirtan. In the holy book Sri Sri Prema-Vivarta, we can find the evidence of kirtan’s glory. The pastime that is described there took place in a village called Gadigachha, here in Sri Godrumdwip. (There is no temple established in honour of this place, but we always stop on the way while walking through Godrumdwip with sankirtan to speak about and remember the glory of this pastime of the Lord.)

There is a forest called Kamyavan within the churasi krosh (eighty-four miles) of Vrindavan. One day in Satya-yuga, when Durvasa Muni was resting in this forest, a small boy-god (dev-sisu) childishly cut his sikha (jata, or dreadlock). Durvasa Muni became very angry and cursed the boy, ‘You shall be a crocodile for four ages (Satya, Treta, Dvapar, Kali)!’

Hearing Durvasa Muni’s words, the boy started to cry, ‘Prabhu, please forgive me! I have committed an offence, I did not mean to, please forgive me!’

At first, Durvasa Muni replied, ‘I have already uttered the curse, so I cannot take it back.’ But then, hearing the bitter crying of the boy, the sage softened up, ‘Listen, naughty boy! When you are born for the fourth time in the Age of Kali, Lord Sri Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaj, will come as Gauranga Mahaprabhu. (“Kali-kale Nama-rupe Krishna-avatara, Nama haite haya sarva-jagat nistara. In Kali-yuga, Krishna appears in the form of His Holy Name, and the whole world becomes rescued through that Holy Name.”) When Gauranga Mahaprabhu comes to the bank of your lake chanting kirtan, you will be rescued by hearing the Holy Name.’

So, Satya-yuga passed, Treta-yuga passed, Dvapar-yuga passed. Finally, Kali-yuga came.

One day, coming from Mayapur to Godrumdwip, Gauranga Mahaprabhu was strolling and chanting kirtan with devotees. Suddenly, He came across the lake where the boy-god lived in the form of a crocodile. When they came closer to the lake, Mahaprabhu saw a cowherd boy hurrying to Him. ‘My name is Bhim Ghosh,’ the boy said as he approached. ‘My mother always calls Sachi Ma “mother”, so, Uncle, please come with me. Mother is waiting for You. She has prepared some curd, butter, etc. for You. Please come.’

‘All right, let us go to your home!’ Nimai agreed, and everyone went to Bhim Ghosh’s house. By the time Bhim Ghosh welcomed Mahaprabhu and gave Him a chair to sit on, his mother came out. She asked Nimai, ‘Brother, how is Mother? Is she all right?’

‘Yes, she is fine,’ Nimai replied.

‘Good.’ Then she said to all the devotees, ‘Please sit down, I will give you some prasad.’

Everybody sat on the ground and Bhim’s mother served prasad to everyone. After taking prasad, Nimai said, ‘Come, let us go to the lake and chant kirtan!’

Getting frightened, Bhim said, ‘Uncle, do not go there!’

‘But why not?’ Mahaprabhu asked.

‘There is a crocodile in that lake. We never go there, and our cows also do not drink water from that lake – they only get scared and keep mooing when they see the crocodile.’

Although Nimai actually knows everything, He asked, ‘A crocodile? What is there to be afraid of? Come, let us go and see!’ He came with the devotees to the shore of the lake and sat there chanting kirtan. Hearing the Hari-kirtan and the maha-mantra, a baby crocodile came out of the water and, clasping Mahaprabhu’s feet, immediately assumed his human form.

‘Where have you come from?’ Mahaprabhu asked. ‘Why have you been living in this water?’

‘Prabhu, I was not a crocodile before,’ the boy explained. ‘I used to be a boy-god, but because I had cut off Durvasa Muni’s jata when I was playing, he cursed me. You have rescued me through Your Harinam-sankirtan!’

The boy then paid obeisance to the Lord and, taking His permission, left for heaven to reunite with his parents.

Such is the result of chanting the Holy Name. This pastime happened here, in Sri Godrumdwip.

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay.

His Divine Grace Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj leading Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama party through Sri Godrumdwip.

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