Swarna Champa (Golden Campaka Flowers)

Nityananda Prabhu then came to Campahaṭṭa, and the party took rest at Vāṇīnātha’s house. In the afternoon, as they toured Campahaṭṭa, Nityananda Prabhu said, “Listen, son of Vallabha, there was once a campaka forest at this beautiful place, which is a portion of Khadiravana of Vṛndāvana. Campakalatā-sakhi takes campaka flowers, strings garlands, and offers them to Radha and Kṛṣṇa as her eternal pastime. When Kali-yuga grew in influence, capitalists moved here and eagerly took the flowers. They set up a hatta, or market, and sold the campaka flowers to the villagers and townsfolk. Therefore this enchanting place is called Campakahaṭṭa, or, more commonly, Canpāhāti.
“When Laksmana Sena was the king of Nadia, Jayadeva was one of his subjects in Navadvipa. He built a hut on the bank of Ballal-dirgika and peacefully lived there with his wife, Padmā. He wrote the Dasa-avatāra poem there, which came into the King’s hand. The king read the poem with great relish and inquired who had written it. Govardhana Acarya told the king the great poet Jayadeva had written it. The king asked where he lived, and Govardhana told him Jayadeva stays in Navadvīpa.
“Hearing this, the king secretly searched and arrived in the night at Jayadeva’s house. The king entered the cottage dressed as a Vaisnava and, after offering respects to the poet, seated himself. Jayadeva, however, knew he was the king dressed as a penniless Vaisnava. The king soon introduced himself and begged the poet to come to his palace. Jayadeva, being very detached from materialism, could not agree to go to the house of a materialist.
“He answered the king, I will give up your kingdom and go elsewhere. Association with materialists is not auspicious. I will cross the Ganges and go to Nilacala, Jagannatha Puri.’
“The king said, ‘Listen to me, Prabhu, you should never leave Navadvipa. Your words should remain true, but my wish should also be fulfilled. O Prabhu, kindly do what you must in such a way that I may also be favored. Across the Ganges is the enchanting Campahatta. Stay there for a few years. I will not go there as I please, but I may see your lotus feet only when you desire.’
“Hearing the king’s words, the great poet agreed and immediately replied, Though you are endowed with so much wealth and such a kingdom, you are a devotee of Krsna and not bound to the material world. I called you a materialist to test you, but you have tolerated it. Thus I know that you are a devotee of Krsna. Though accepting material things, you remain unattached. I will remain some time in Campahatta and you can come secretly, giving up your opulent position.’
“The king very happily had his ministers build Jayadeva a cottage in Campahaṭṭa. Jayadeva stayed there for some time and worshiped Krsna according to the process of raga-marga. Padmavati would bring heaps of campaka flowers, which Jayadeva would offer to Kṛṣṇa.
“In great love the poet worshiped Krsna, who then appeared before Jayadeva with a complexion the color of the campaka flower, resplendent with the radiance of molten gold. The shining beauty of a million moons would have been put to shame by His beautiful face. He had curly hair and a garland of flowers around His neck. His arms were long, and His effulgence illumined the room. Seeing that form of Gauranga, Jayadeva fainted with tears streaming from his eyes, while Padmavati also fell to the earth unconscious.
“The Lord lifted the couple up with His two lotus hands and spoke nectarean words, Both of you are My exalted devotees, therefore I desired to give you My darsana. Very soon I will take birth in Nadia in the womb of Śaci. With all the devotees of all the avatāras, I will distribute the gift of prema and kṛṣṇa-kirtana. After twenty-four years, I will take sannyasa and live in Nilācala. There, in the association of the devotees and overcome with prema, I will continuously taste the poems of your Gītā-govinda, for it is very dear to Me. You will return to this Navadvīpa-dhāma after death. This I say for certain. Now, both of you go to Nilacala, where you will attain love of God by worshiping Lord Jagannatha.’
“After speaking, Gauranga disappeared and they both fainted in separation. When they recovered, they began to weep profusely. While weeping, they humbly stated, ‘What a form we have seen! How can we live in His absence? Why did the Lord order us to leave Nadia? We must have committed some offense here. This Navadvīpa-dhāma is fully spiritual; just to think about leaving, we are becoming disturbed. It would have been better to be a bird or beast in Navadvipa, for then we could stay a long time and always meditate on the dhama. We can give up living, but we cannot give up Navadvipa, for the attachment is too deep. O Lord Gauranga, give us Your mercy. Give us shelter at Your lotus feet so we may stay here.’
“As they were crying, they heard a voice say, ‘Do not be sorrowful, but go to Nilacala. There are two things to keep your heart undisturbed. Some time before, you were both thinking of going to stay in Nilacala for a while. The Lord had to fulfill that wish. Lord Jagannatha is eager for your darsana. By pleasing Him, on leaving your body, you will again come to Navadvipa and remain here eternally.’ Hearing that, the two immediately left.
“While going, they turned back and glanced once more at Navadvipa. As they went, tears flowed from their eyes and in distress they spoke to the residents of Navadvipa, Please bestow your mercy on us. We are offenders. Please purify us!’
“As they proceeded further on, they repeatedly looked back at Navadvipa, which shines like an eight-petaled lotus. After going some distance, Navadvipa was no longer visible, and they crossed out of Gaura-bhumi, weeping as they went. Arriving at Nilacala some days later, they were pleased to have darsana of Lord Jagannatha. O Jīva, this is the place of Jayadeva. Only a raised portion of earth remains. This is the story the old people tell.”
Seeing Jayadeva’s place, Jiva began weeping as he rolled on the ground in ecstatic love. “Fortunate are Jayadeva and Padmavati! And glorious is Gita-govinda and their attachment to Kṛṣṇa! Be merciful to me and give me one drop of the ocean of prema that Jayadeva enjoyed!” Saying this, Jiva fell to the ground and rolled in the dust at Nityananda’s feet.
That night they stayed in Vānīnātha’s house, where Vāṇīnātha and his family attended to Nityananda Prabhu.
Aspiring for the shade of the lotus feet of Nitai and Jahnavā, this vile worthless one sings this glorification of Nadia.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 11)