Ritudvipa

Process of Devotional Service: Arcanaṁ (Worshipping the Deity)

Devotee Who Attained Perfection Through This Process: Pṛthu Mahārāja

By adopting only one of these nine principles, the following renowned devotees of the Lord were able to achieve the highest perfection: …. (5) By worshiping the Lord, Pṛthu Mahārāja attained perfection.
(Śrī Īśopaniṣad 17)

All glories to Sri Caitanyacandra and Prabhu Nityananda! All glories to Advaita and Gadadhara! All glories to the devotees headed by Śrīvāsa! All glories to the house of Jagannatha Misra! All glories to Navadvipa, the topmost abode!
When night lifted, the devotees raised their bodies and called out “Nitai Gaura!” Then, leaving Campahaṭṭa behind them, they blissfully went on.
From this point, Vāṇīnātha accompanied Nityananda, saying, “When will that day come when I shall have the pleasure to accompany Nityananda on parikrama to Gaurānga’s house in Māyāpur?”
They came to Rātupura and saw the beauty of that town. Śrī Nityananda said, “We have now come to Rtudvipa. This place is extremely attractive. The trees are bending down their heads in respect, the breeze is blowing gently, and the flowers are blooming everywhere. The humming of the bees and the fragrance of the flowers intoxicate the travelers’ minds here.”
As He was saying this, Nityananda became like a madman and exclaimed, “Quickly, bring My horn! The calves have gone far off, and Krsna is fast asleep and won’t come. He is acting like a baby. Where are Subala and Dama? All alone I cannot go and herd the cows!” Shouting, “Kanai! Kānāi!” Nityananda jumped a few yards.
Seeing His state, the devotees immediately supplicated at Nityananda’s feet, “O Prabhu Nityananda, Your brother, Gauracandra is no longer here. He has taken sannyāsa and gone to Nilacala, leaving us poor beggars.”
Upon hearing those words, Nityananda became dejected and fell to the ground crying, “You have put us in such sorrow, Kanai, My brother! You have taken sannyāsa and left us to go to Nilacala. I will not continue My life. I will jump in the Yamunā River!” Saying this, Śrī Nityananda lost consciousness.
Sensing Nityananda Prabhu’s elevated state of spiritual emotional, they began to chant the holy name. After two hours had
passed, Nityananda still did not rise. Finally, when the devotees began chanting the glories of Gauranga, Nitai awoke.
“This is the place of Radha-kunda!” He exclaimed. “Here in the afternoon, Gaurahari would perform kirtana with His associates. Look at the brilliance of Syama-kunda, which attracts the minds of everyone in the universe! And look, here and there are the sakhis’ groves. In the afternoon, Gauranga would become immersed in singing Krsna’s glories and satisfy all by distributing prema. Know that in the three worlds there is no equal to this place, where the devotees worship the Lord. Whoever lives here will get love of God, which will soothe the burning fire of material life.”
That day the devotees stayed there and drowned in love of God as they called out Gaurānga’s name. Staying there in Rtudvipa, they passed the whole day and night worshiping the moonlike Lord Caitanya. The next day Nityananda Prabhu, dancing all the while, came to Vidyanagara, a splendid place attractive to munis. This gladdened the devotees.
Holding the devotees’ feet and begging from them the treasure of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, this worthless and unqualified Bhaktivinoda, whose only wealth is the lotus feet of Nitai and Jāhnavā, sings the glories of Nadia.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 12)