Samudragarh (Samudragada)

Samudragarh (Samudragada)

 

       This place is situated in the southern side of Navadwipa in the banks of Ganges, which is separated only with few trees. In this place eternally exists Dvaraka dhama and Ganga Sagara - the place where Ganges meet with the ocean.  Also this land is not different than that of the forest Bahulavan in Vrindavan. Once upon a time here was a kingdom of a king Samudra Sena.

The story of Samudra Sena

 

       Bhaktivinod Thakur tells the next story about this place.

       Soon after the Kurukshetra battle King Yudhishtira sent her brothers to other kings in order to tell to them to accept the kingship of Yudhishtra Maharaja and collect wealth for the great sacrifice of Rajasuya Yagya. Bhima who went to the south soon reached this place and meeting Maharaja Samudra Sena told him to obey to king Yudhishtra.

       King Samudra Sena was a great Devotee and he used to see Krishna in everything. King knew that they – Pandavas were under the protection of Krishna, and whenever they had difficulty He used to come to them and protect them. He thought if he frightens Bhima and makes him to cry then Krishna will come for his protection. “He will enter to this land of His insignificant servant and I will be able to see Krishna with dark complexion with my own eyes.” With this intention the king went to the battle against Bhima with his soldiers, elephants, and horses. Always remembering Krishna he started to let the arrows on one after another. Bhima feeling the danger started to pray to Krishna:

      “Oh Lord, please protect Your Bhima! Please, give me shelter under Your lotus feet! I cannot fight against Samudra Sena. Failure will be shame to me. Oh dear Krishna! You are the Lord of all Pandavas! If I fail it will be a shame to the name of our family.

Hearing the prayers of Samudra Sena Krishna appeared in the battle field but no one except Samudra Sena could see Him. His youthful body reminded about a just appeared rainy cloud in the sky. His shoulders were embraced by lushly garland and His head was decorated with glamorous crown. He was in golden clothes and all His body was decorated with wonderful jewelries.

       

       Seeing the transcendental form of the Lord king felt unconscious out of over flowing feelings. Controlling himself he revealed his wishes to the Lord:

“Oh Krishna! You are the Lord of Universe! Protector of fallen souls! Seeing how low I felt You appeared here. Everyone is glorifying Your lilas, and when I heard about them I also wanted to see them. But I gave a vow that you will appear here in Navadwipa, and now after seeing Your charming form here I never ever will leave here. You mercifully supported my vow by appearing here in Your form of Krishna. But I desire more. Please, appear before me in Your golden form as Lord Gauranga!

King opened his eyes and saw sweet lilas of Radha and Krishna. In the forest of Kumuda Krishna and His friends were feeding calves.

       Suddenly all these disappeared and Samudra Sena saw Lord Gauranga and His Devotees in the grand Kirtan. Gouranga sang and danced and it was impossible to turn away the vision from that beautiful form of the Lord.

 

       Seeing this Kirtan king felt himself very fortunate in all three worlds and prayed to the lotus feet of Lord. After sometime everything disappeared and he started to cry.

      Bhima seeing anything thought that king became fearful of his powers. And king being fully satisfied gifted him wealth. Bhima took and went further.

All this happened here in the land of Samudragarha, in Navadwipa.

The ocean in Navadwipa

 

       This story is there in “Sri Navadwipa dhama mahatma”.

       Once the ocean paid obeisance before Jahnavi Devi – Ganges and arrived here to worship the lotus feet of the Lord with love and devotion.

       “Oh ocean!” told Jahnavai “soon my Lord will appear in the forest of your shores”.

       “Please hear my Lord!” replied the ocean, “Son of Mother Sachi won’t never ever leave Navadwipa. Although He will spend only some time on my banks, even though He will remain here, not being seen to the ordinary visions.  Navadwipa is the eternal abode of the Lord. All the Vedas glorify His pastimes in Navadwipa. Oh dear One! I will remain here under Your protection and will worship Lord Gauranga in Navadwipa.

       In this way the ocean remained in Navadwipa being merged in deep thoughts of pastimes of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada about Samudragarh

 

       “Don’t harry! You are very busy with the duty of – organizing a preaching center in Gawain. I hope you will be able to turn it into Sri Navadwipa dhama. There is a railway station in Samudragarh in Navadwipa and it say that sometimes before there used to be an ocean. And if you will be able to open a center in the shore of pacific ocean new Navadwipa dhama then it would be great achievement.” (from the letter to Govinda das, January 8th, 1970)

 

(Reference: information is translated from Russian into English from the web site: http://dhama.dayalnitay.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:koladvipa&catid=52:navadvip&Itemid=64)

 (if any mistakes or something to add please feel free to contact Bhaktin Maral Your advices will be accepted with gratefulness.)