Surabhi Cow & Markandeya

“Märkandeya, the son of Mrkanda, once lived on this island during the flood of devastation. The muni was awarded a lifetime of seven kalpas. Seeing the great danger during the devastation as everything became inundated with water, he began looking for a place to stay. Tossed in the waves, he went here and there. ‘Oh why did I take such a benediction?’ he lamented.
“The dhāma of Navadvipa remained however, giving shelter to the devotees. Submerged in a wave, the muni became unconscious and sank. But merciful Surabhi happened to see him and carefully lifted him out. When the son of Mrkanda regained consciousness, he saw the island of Godruma—an astounding place extending for a billion krosas. He saw beautiful streams and rivers, beautiful trees and vines, and birds that sang the glories of Gauranga. He saw a banyan tree extending over an area of eight miles, and under the tree he saw Surabhi.
“The muni was extremely distressed due to hunger, so he begged Surabhi, O goddess, please protect my life! Kindly rescue me by giving me your milk.’ Surabhi then mercifully gave her milk to the muni.
“The muni thus regained his strength and said to Surabhi, ‘O goddess, my mother, you pervade the universe by your mystic potency. Without understanding the consequences I took a boon to live for seven kalpas. But at the time of devastation, I suffered greatly from various miseries. There was no happiness at all. What am I to do, mother? Please tell me how to get free from this misery.’
“Surabhi then instructed the muni: Worship the two lotus feet of Gauranga. This Navadvipa is beyond material nature and therefore never destroyed. By material vision this place is sixteen krosas, but it is the supreme Vaikuntha and therefore without fault or illusion. Place and time here have nothing to do with material existence, nor is anyone here affected by material illusion. Just see the unprecedented wonders of Navadvīpa, which is surrounded on all sides by the chaste Virajā River. Each part measures a billion krosas, and in the center is Māyāpur, a vast city. The eight islands are like petals of a lotus with Antardvīpa as the central stamen. All the tirthas, devas, and rṣis reside here, worshiping Gauranga. For your own good, dear Märkandeya, take shelter of Gauranga’s feet. Take shelter of unmotivated dharma, by keeping far away from the desire for bhukti and mukti.’
“By taking shelter in the worship of Gauranga, you will attain the sweet fruit of love of God. When that prema sits in your heart, it will drown you in the nectar of the artful pastimes of the Lord. You will get the shelter of Rādhā’s lotus feet in Vraja, and your mind will be fixed in the service of the divine couple. The happiness of this service is unmatched, while in the nondifferentiated Brahman there is only illusory knowledge.’
“The muni, hearing the words of Surabhi, folded his hands and said, ‘If I worship Gauranga, what will be my destiny?’
“Surabhi answered with the essence of siddhanta, In worshiping Gaurānga, there is no consideration. When you call out the name of Gaura, your sinful reactions are destroyed and you are freed from all distress as your material life is vanquished. Besides sinful reactions, even the fruits of mental speculation, which are only trouble, will be cut out at the root. Therefore, you should stay on this island and submerge yourself in gaurānga-rasa while worshiping the Lord.’
“Hearing this, Markandeya became filled with bliss. As he chanted the name of Gaura, he sometimes laughed and sometimes cried. Look at this remarkable place where Märkandeya received life.”
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 8)

Lord Rāmacandra’s spotless name and fame, which vanquish all sinful reactions, are celebrated in all directions, like the ornamental cloth of the victorious elephant that conquers all directions. Great saintly persons like Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi still glorify His characteristics in the assemblies of great emperors like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Similarly, all the saintly kings and all the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, worship the Lord by bowing down with their helmets. Let me offer my obeisances unto His lotus feet.
(SB 9.11.21)

In a conversation between Mārkaṇḍeya and Bhagīratha, it is said, “My dear King, one who derides an exalted devotee loses the results of his pious activities, his opulence, his reputation, and his sons. Vaiṣṇavas are all great souls. Whoever blasphemes them falls down to the hell known as Mahāraurava, accompanied by his forefathers. Whoever kills or blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava and whoever is envious of a Vaiṣṇava or angry with him, or whoever does not offer him obeisances or feel joy upon seeing him, certainly falls into a hellish condition.”
(CC Madhya 15.261 purport)

A person who is freed from the false egotism of material existence, or an advanced mystic, is eligible to enter into the kingdom of God known as Vaikuṇṭha. Such a mystic becomes so joyful by constant execution of the regulative principles of devotional service that he thereby achieves the special favor of the Supreme Lord. Yamarāja, the mighty superintendent of death, is afraid to go near such a devotee; so we can imagine the potency of advanced devotional service, especially when devotees sit together and engage in talking of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those devotees express their feelings in such a way that they automatically melt with ecstasy, and many transcendental symptoms become manifested in their bodies. Anyone desiring advancement in devotional service must follow in the footsteps of such devotees.
Prahlād Mahārāj said that no one can attain the perfectional stage of devotional service without bowing down before exalted devotees. Learned sages like Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi attained perfection in devotional service simply by executing such regulative principles of service.
(Nectar of Devotion 25)

For instance, in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa there is mention of Devī worship, or worship of the goddess Durgā or Kālī, but in this same caṇḍikā it is also stated that all the demigods—even in the shape of Durgā or Kālī—are but different energies of the Supreme Viṣṇu. Thus study of the Purāṇas reveals Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be the only object of worship. The conclusion is that directly or indirectly, all types of worship are more or less directed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. In Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that one who worships the demigods is in fact only worshiping Kṛṣṇa because the demigods are but different parts of the body of Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa.
(Teachings of Lord Caitanya 5)