Glories of Sri Mayapur Dham

“As Sri Gauracandra appeared in Navadvipa, it is therefore the crest jewel of all holy places. Offenders are the object of punishment at other holy pilgrimage places, but in Navadvipa‑dham they are purified. The example is the two brothers Jagai and Madhai, who committed great offenses yet still received Nitai and Gaura. What to speak of other places, at Vrindavan the offenders are punished. But a person who has committed hundreds of offenses can easily receive the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu and overcome those offenses in Navadvipa‑dham. For this reason, sages endlessly praise Navadvipa of Gaura‑mandala. He who lives in Navadvipa‑dham is very fortunate, for he achieves attraction for Krsna. He who happens to go there becomes freed from all offenses. What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering Navadvipa. In this way the scriptures sing. He who sees Navadvipa‑dham gets ecstatic love of Krsna birth after birth. Even one who goes to Navadvipa desiring to gain material comforts through pious activities will not take another birth. The sastras say that one who walks around Navadvipa attains the fruit of millions of asvamedha‑yajnas at every step. And one who lives in Navadvipa and chants mantras obtains the sound of Caitanya as his mantra and easily gets free from maya. What yogis obtain after ten years at other tirthas is obtained in three nights at Navadvipa. That liberation attained by Brahman realization at other holy places is obtained simply by bathing in the Ganges at Navadvipa. Thus, all types of liberation—salokya, sarupya, sarsti, samipya, and sāyujya—can be obtained in Navadvipa without speculative practice. Falling at the feet of the pure devotees in Navadvipa, Bhukti and Mukti (personified material enjoyment and liberation) remain there as obedient servants. Not caring for their blessings, the devotees kick them away, but still they do not leave the devotees feet. The fruits obtained by staying one hundred years at the seven holy cities can be attained by staying one night in Navadvipa‑dham. In conclusion, Navadvipa is the topmost tirtha. Taking shelter of it, the living entities can cross over Kali‑yuga. At this place, Taraka, the name of Rama, which gives liberation, and Paraka, the name of Krsna, which gives prema, always serve the residents of the dham.
(Sri Navadvipa Dham Mahatmaya, Chapter one)

“Living in Navadvipa for one day is better than living in Prayaga, Varanasi, or any other tirtha for a kalpa. Whatever results one obtains by yoga, one achieves in Navadvipa. With every step one attains the results of great sacrifices, and by lying down and sleeping in Navadvipa, one gets the results of offering obeisances. Just by taking an ordinary meal in Navadvipa, one gets the results of eating the Lord’s remnants. So, what more can I say regarding the faithful person who is devoted to chanting the holy name and taking Gauranga’s remnants with faith and devotion?
(Sri Navadvipa Dham Mahatmaya, Chapter 4)

Hearing Parvati’s words, Lord Siva embraced her and with great respect said, “O Gauri, please listen as I describe the glories of Navadvipa, which bestow prema-bhakti on mankind and destroy all types of sins. I describe truly the glories of Navadvīpa just as I have described the glories of Vṛndāvana.
“The Lord, who gives bliss to His devotees, performs His pastimes in Navadvīpa just as Kṛṣṇa enjoys pastimes with Rādhā in Vrndāvana. Just by remembrance of glorious Navadvīpa, an island situated within the combined Ganges and Yamunā Rivers, one will develop attraction for Radha and Kṛṣṇa.
“A person may wander about the earth and visit a thousand holy tirthas, but if one does not see Navadvipa, he cannot obtain Radha and Kṛṣṇa. O Parvati, in just one portion of Navadvipa all the sacred places, sages, munis, demigods, āśramas, Vedas, scriptures, and mantras constantly reside for the pleasure of Rādhā and Krsna. Whatever results a person can attain by performance of thousands of horse sacrifices, thousands of vajapeya sacrifices, various types of rituals and yoga exercises, can be attained ten million times over just by remembering Navadvīpa. What can I say then of the results of actually seeing Navadvīpa?
“O Parvati, if even the most sinful people remember Navadvipa just once, they become devotees. Know this for certain. Day by day their devotion will increase. The earth becomes purified by the dust from their lotus feet.
“Those who live in Navadvipa and accept Gauranga as their only worshipable Lord should not be thought of as ordinary mortals. They are personal associates of Gaurānga. Just by remembering those devotees the most sinful persons become purified. And what to speak of seeing them!
“If Ananta with His thousands of mouths is unable to describe the glories of Navadvīpa, how will I be able to do so with my five mouths? O Parvati, the wise men know that Navadvipa is the only means by which to ascend to Vṛndāvana.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Pramana-Khanda, Chapter 2)

“There is no consideration of fitness for hearing the glories of Navadvipa. Dying in other tirthas gives either material enjoyment or liberation, but dying in Navadvipa gives pure devotion to the Lord. In Navadvipa there is no consideration of a faulty death-at an inauspicious time, in pain, in the house, or by accident. Death at other tirthas while practicing yoga or death in Kasi while absorbed in impersonal meditation become insignificant when compared to death in Navadvipa.
“Living in Navadvipa for one day is better than living in Prayaga, Vārānasī, or any other tirtha for a kalpa. Whatever results one obtains by yoga, one achieves in Navadvipa. With every step one attains the results of great sacrifices, and by lying down and sleeping in Navadvipa, one gets the results of offering obeisances. Just by taking an ordinary meal in Navadvipa, one gets the results of eating the Lord’s remnants.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Pramana-Khanda, Chapter 4)

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, specifically in Bengal, in the district of Nadia, where Navadvīpa is situated. It is therefore to be concluded, as stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that within this universe, this earth is the best planet, and on this planet the land of Bhārata-varṣa is the best, in the land of Bhāratavarṣa, Bengal is still better, in Bengal the district of Nadia is still better, and in Nadia the best place is Navadvīpa because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there to inaugurate the performance of the sacrifice of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
(SB 5.19.24 purport)