Narada Muni’s Visit to Vaikunthapura

 

The following is a description of Vaikunthapura from the Navadvipadhama- mahatmya, Parikrama-khanda. Nityananda Prabhu said, “This place, which is situated in one corner of Navadvipa-dhama in the shape of an eight-petalled lotus, is undoubtedly Vaikunthapuri. Lord Narayana resides in this Sri Vaikuntha, which is situated in the spiritual sky, paravyoma. Vaikuntha lies beyond the Viraja River. Maya or illusion has no influence upon this place. Here Lord Narayana is served by Sri-devi and Bhu-devi, and the brahmajyoti is the effulgence of this spiritual land. With their material vision, people cannot understand the transcendental nature of this place. In this Narayana-dhama Narada Muni once saw the Lord with his transcendental vision. Narada saw the Narayana form turn into the form of Gaurasundara. After seeing this, Narada Muni stayed here for some time.” This event has been described in the Bhakti-ratnakara more elaborately. Sri Isana Thakura along with Srinivasa and Narottama went to Vaikunthapura from Maugachi. He said, “This place is known as Vaikunthapura. Now I will tell you the glories of this place and why it is called Vaikunthapura. One day Narada Muni came from Vaikuntha to Kailasa Mountain to meet with Lord Siva. At that time Lord Siva was sitting on a skin asana, surrounded by his associates, and was describing the pastimes of Sri Krishna with his five mouths. As soon as Narada Muni saw Sri Mahesa from a distance, he fell on the ground to offer obeisances in great ecstasy. Lord Trilocana embraced Narada and asked, ‘Where have you come from?’ Narada replied with great happiness, ‘I have just taken darsana of Lord Narayana. Vaikuntha-natha was discussing Navadvipa with His associates. In Bharata-varsha there is a most beautiful place called Navadvipa and the Lord was very happy to go there along with His associates. After seeing this scene, I have come here. I do not know what blissful pastimes will take place in Nadia.’ After hearing the words of Narada Muni, Deva Mahesvara smiled and manifested the symptoms of love over his entire body. He was looking at Narada Muni and shaking his head. He was roaring while exhibiting various fantastic bodily postures. Sri Kailasa-girisvara, Lord Siva, was so overwhelmed that tears were flowing from his eyes and soaking all of his white-colored body. Narada Muni could understand from the actions of Lord Siva that the time had come for the manifestation of pastimes in Navadvipa. After witnessing this event Narada Muni left the Kailasa Mountain. Narada then traveled to this place and saw the beauty of Navadvipadhama and so thought to himself, ‘This Navadvipa-dhama is the source of all dhamas. All the Lords of all the dhamas are eternally engaged in their pastimes here in Navadvipa. I have just come here after seeing Sri Vaikuntha-natha Narayana. Will I see Sri Vaikuntha-natha here again?’ As soon as Narada Muni developed such a desire, he immediately saw Lord Narayana along with His associates in Vaikuntha manifest in front of him. Narada became overwhelmed with the ecstasy of love. He could not stop shedding tears and offered many prayers to Navadvipa-dhama. He then went to Dvaraka to take darsana of Lord Sri Krishna.”