Sri Navadvipa-dhama-parikramaya Ahvana

An invitation to Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama

Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Originally published in Sri Gaudiya Darsan:
Volume 1, Issue 8, Sunday, 11 March 1956

bhramite habe nā āra — e-chhār bhuvana
anitya e deha-rathe chaḍiyā mṛtyura pathe
hiṁsra-śārddūla-pūrṇa saṁsāra-kānana
bhramite habe nā āra e-chhāra bhuvana [1]

You do not have to wander any longer in this miserable world, riding along the path of death in the chariot of this temporary body within the forest of material existence, which is filled with ferocious tigers. You do not have to wander any longer in this miserable world.

añchale añchala bā̐dhi’ yauvanera sādha sādhi’
‘gṛha-vrata’ nāme śudhu hale parichita
janma-janmāntara dhari’ gṛha parikramā kari’
bujhile ki māyā-bhūmi — kaṇṭaka-āvṛta? [2]

Getting married and pursuing the desires of youth, you have known the ‘vow of household life’ in name only. Continuing in this way birth after birth, circling about in household life, have you realised that the land of Maya is covered with thorns?

ārao karitechha mana bhramaṇera āyojana —
deśa hate videśete grāma-grāmāntare,
ekhano meṭeni āśā ārao bā̐dhitechhe vāsā —
du’dinera pāntha-śālā — pṛthivīra pare? [3]

Still your mind is making arrangements to continue your wandering from country to country and village to village, when even now your desires have never been fulfilled? Still you are going to build a residence — a mere temporary inn which lasts but a few days — upon this earth?

mahāmāyā-moha-ghore āra kata-kāla ore!
anitya o gṛhaṭire — karabi bhramaṇa,
dārā-putra-paribāra asāra-anitya chhāra
bile — khāle — ā̐stākuḍe mile ki ratana? [4]

Hey! How much longer will you wander in the darkness of Mahamaya’s illusion in that temporary home? Your wife, sons, and family are worthless, temporary, and miserable. Will you find a jewel within a swamp, trench, or rubbish heap?

pāye dhari’ kahi sāra bhramite habe nā āra
nāhi hethā bharasāra — eka-bindu jala,
nāhi āśā sāntvanāra, āchhe śudhu hāhākāra
samasta saṁsāra bharā — jalanta-anala [5]

Clasping your feet, I tell you this essential truth: you do not have to wander any longer. There is not one drop of the water of hope here. There is no hope of any solace but only cries of distress here. The burdens of material existence are like a blazing fire.

bhramite habe nā āra saṁsāra-kānane
«ai śona», gaura-jana ḍāke sarva-jane [6]

You do not have to wander any longer in the forest of material existence. The devotees of Gaura call everyone: «Hey, listen!

«āya āya tvarā kari’ bāla-vṛddha nara-nārī
divya-chintāmaṇi-dhāma — gaura-janma-bhūmi
praṇayi-bhakta sane jīvanera śubha-kṣaṇe
gaurāṅga-janma-dine āya parikrami’ [7]

«Men and women, young and old, come immediately! Come to the divine abode made of wish-fulfilling gemstone, the land of Sri Gauranga’s advent! Come and circumambulate this land in the company of loving devotees at the most auspicious time in life: the day of Sri Gauranga’s advent.

dhāma-parikramā kare sāṅga habe chira-tare
ananta janama dhare brahmāṇḍa-bhramaṇa,
dūre yābe bhava-roga khaṇḍibe sakala bhoga
bhūloke-goloka-lābha»ḍāke gaura-jana [8]

«Circumambulate this divine abode and your prolonged wandering throughout this universe for innumerable births will end. The disease of material existence will go away, all your suffering will be cut away, and you will attain Goloka on this earth.» So call the devotees of Gaura.

bhramite habe nā āra e-chhāra bhuvana [9]

You do not have to wander any longer in this miserable world.

Circumambulating The Dham

<Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Those days have gone by, when I guided the parikrama, singing and dancing in the front. I was mad when I guided the parikrama: I became almost mad to sing and dance in the Name of Gauranga. I would do so almost without any fatigue. Those days have gone by. Now I cannot go.

Devotee: We can get a palanquin. Then you can come with us.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Gauraharibol, Gauraharibol, Gauraharibol … I am pleased to think that so many of you will dance somewhere in Gaura Mandal taking the Name. That makes me more proud. We feel more proud to think that so many souls are adding to the glorious opulence of Gaura Dham, as foretold by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur: «The day is not far off when the devotees from the Western countries will mix with the Eastern devotees, and they will chant and dance together in the Name of Gaurasundar and Nityananda.»