Category Archives: Koladvipa

Why is this place known as Campahatti?

During their Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama, Lord Nityananda, along with the devotees including Sri Jiva and Srivasa Pandita, reached the village called Campahatti. There all of them took rest at the house of Dvija Vaninatha, a great devotee of Lord Gauranga. During the afternoon they went for a walk around the Campahatti village and Lord Nityananda explained to Sri Jiva about this place. The Lord said, “O, son of Vallabha! Please listen to Me. Previously there was a campaka flower garden at this place. This place is part of Khadiravana and is very beautiful to behold. Every day Campakalata sakhi would come here to collect campaka flowers and make garlands as an offering to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. As Kali-yuga progressed, the gardeners began plucking all the flowers and selling them to the villagers.

Thus a market place for campaka flowers was established.

At that time this place received the name Sri Campakahatta and is now known as Campahatti among the people.”

Campahatti

samudra-sena-rajye tu
ganga-sagara-sangame
kirtayitva harim devi
campa-hattam jagama ha

“O Devi! The Lord performed harikirtana in the kingdom of Samudra Sena at the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean before proceeding to Campahatta.” (Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Pramana-khanda 4.43) 

Campahatti

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has mentioned the following in his Navadvipa-bhava-taranga: “Towards the north of Koladvipa there is a place called Campahatta. In all of Navadvipa-dhama this place is the most beautiful. This Campahatta village is a great tirtha and the most attractive location of the poet Jayadeva’s worship of Gaura- sasadhara. There, at the house of Vaninatha, Sri Saci-nandana along with His associates performed namasankirtana. There was a great festival at the house of Vaninatha, where Sri Gauranga showed His opulence of love. In Campahatta village there is a forest of campaka flowers, which the gopi Campakalata comes here to pick. This forest in Navadvipa is non-different from Khadiravana in Vraja where Balarama and Krishna take rest.”

The ocean receives darsana of Lord Gauranga

Lord Gauranga

One day the ocean saw Sri Gauracandra on the bank of the pristine Ganga sitting on a throne under a tree, surrounded by His associates. Sri Gaurahari was happily sitting on a transcendental simhasana. His beauty defeated the pride of millions of Kandarpas. Neither gold nor kunkuma can be compared to His form. The entire universe forgets everything, seeing the beauty of His hair. His moon-like face destroys the pride of millions of moons. When He smiles, nectar flows from His lips. His posture is most attractive. His long eyes extend up to His ears, His hands reach to His knees, and He has a broad chest and strong thighs on either side of abeautiful deep navel. The soles of His lotus feet are red like the rising sun. He was wearing white silk cloth with a red border. His whole body was anointed with Malaya sandalwood pulp and was decorated with different varieties of flowers. His dear associates were looking at Him in a wonderful way. As Gauracandra was beautiful, so too were His dear associates. On the Lord’s right, Lord Nityananda was sitting and on His left side Sri Gadadhara was standing. In front of the Lord, Advaita and Srivasa along with all the other associates were standing. All these devotees were very much overwhelmed by love and were gazing upon Sri Gauracandra unblinkingly. The Lord’s servants were engaged in various kinds of services for the Lord’s pleasure. Seeing all this, Samudra became impatient in ecstasy and developed many desires within his mind. That Lord, who is sitting within everyone’s heart, fulfilled all his desires. Samudra became overwhelmed with bliss seeing the Lord along with all His associates. He praised the River Ganga again and again. By taking shelter of the Ganga, Samudra came to Navadvipa every day. Samudra flows (gati) with the current of the Ganga. Therefore people called this place Samudra-gati. Now it is known as Samudragadi. Isana Thakura said, “O, Srinivasa! How can I describe to you the pastimes of Sri Gauranga in the houses of His devotees here, with only one mouth?”

Conversation between Samudra (the ocean) and Ganga-devi

The Ganga merges with the ocean at Ganga-sagara. The ocean is known as Samudra and flows all the way up to Samudragarh to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, under the shelter of the Ganga who is also known as Jahnavi. Samudrasaid, “Jahnavi! You are very fortunate to have Lord Gauranga staying on your bank and bathing in your water.” Jahnavi replied, “Oh, Sindhu! Yes, I am indeed very fortunate to have the Lord here. But unfortunately my Lord will leave Navadvipa after some time and go to reside on your shore.” The ocean then informed Ganga, “O, Devi! Please listen to me. Saci-nandana never leaves Navadvipa.

Even if He goes to stay on my shore for some time, He eternally resides in Nadia in His un-manifested form.Navadvipa is the eternal abode of the Lord. The Vedas explain about the prakata (manifested) and aprakata (unmanifested) pastimes of the Lord. O, beautiful one! I will stay here under your shelter and serve Navadvipadhama and Lord Sri Gaurahari.” To this day the ocean known as Payonidhi (the milk ocean) remains in Navadvipa and constantly meditates upon the eternal pastimes of Lord Gauranga. This topic has also been described by Isana Thakura in Bhakti- ratnakara: Isana Thakura came to Samudragadi village, also known by some asSamudra-gati. At this place the topic of the Ganga and the ocean is very pleasing to hear. Samudra flows here taking shelter of the Ganga. One day Samudra said to Ganga-devi, “There is no one as fortunate as you in this whole universe. Everyone says that purna- brahma Sri Gauranga will appear and manifest His pastimes in Nadia. Along with His associates He will always perform His pastimes on your banks, manifesting unlimited happiness. Just as the Lord enjoys water sports in the Yamuna of Vrajamandala, so Gaura Raya will play here in your waters.” Hearing this Gangadevi revealed her heart to Samudra with these sweet words, “I do not know to whom I will tell my suffering. The Lord will give me happiness in the beginning but later He will give me so much distress. He will leave Nadia, take sannyasa and go to live on your shore. He will manifest the most amazing pastimes there and thus will eternally increase your happiness. Everyone will sing your glories. Instead of speaking this truth, you are unnecessarily joking with me.” Samudra replied, “What you have said is correct, the Lord will go to Puri and live there on my shore, but He will go there after taking sannyasa wearing the simple dress of the renounced order. My heart will break to see Him dressed in this way. Just by remembering the Lord in that cloth I feel uncomfortable within my heart. Therefore I have taken shelter of you. You will show me that most attractive form of Gauracandra in this city of Nadia. I will never forget seeing the curling hair of the Lord. As the Lord is wonderful to behold, so too are His dear associates. I will see all of them by your mercy.” Ganga-devi and Samudra discussed in this way while waiting for the advent of the Lord. Here Ganga-devi and the ocean are always in ecstasy by meditating on Sri Gauracandra. Both the Ganga and Samudra were very eager and came to know that the time for the Lord to descend had arrived. At the time of the Lord’s advent everything was very auspicious. On the pretext of a lunar eclipse everyone was chanting the holy name of Lord Hari. The land of Navadvipa became very effulgent. The house of Jagannatha Misra became very beautiful. All kinds of inauspiciousness were removed. Everyone was floating in an ocean of bliss. The rishis were chanting different types of prayers. Brahma and all the demigods were showering flowers. As soon as the Lord appeared as the son of Saci-devi, the news spread all over the universe. When the Lord appeared, the ocean (Samudra) with great eagerness asked Ganga-devi to show him the Lord’s different pastimes, including His appearance lila. By taking shelter of the River Ganga, the ocean came to Navadvipa every day and saw the pastimes of Sri Gauracandra.