Abhirāmapura Śrīpāṭa of Śrī Dhruvānanda Gosvāmī

Śrīpāṭa of Śrī Dhruvānanda Gosvāmī, the eldest son of Gadādhara Paṇḍita's brother Dvija Vāṇīnātha

Abhirāmapura is situated in the district of Bardhamān. One has to go from Bardhamān to Ghuskarā by bus or by train and from there one has to travel fifteen kilometers by bus towards Benācita and get down at Abhirāmapura. From there one can reach this Śrīpāṭa by walking.

Abhirāmapura is known as the Śrīpāṭa of Śrī Gaura-Gadādhara. This place is the Śrīpāṭa of Gadādhara Paṇḍita’s branch, Śrī Dhruvānanda Gosvāmī. Dhruvānanda Gosvāmī is the eldest son of Dvija Vāṇīnātha, brother of Gadādhara Paṇḍita. He studied Śrīmad Bhāgavatam from Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita. It is said that he went to Vṛndāvana at the instruction of Mahāprabhu to serve Madanamohana and Govindadeva. Śivānanda was his previous name. Mahāprabhu had given his name Dhruvānanda. It is said that the Deities of Jaya Govinda and Vijaya Govinda were worshiped in Govinda temple in Vṛndāvana. Amongst Them Jaya Govinda is now in Jaipur and Vijaya Govinda celebrates vijaya-utsava in Prabhā ceremony during Dola and Rāsa Pūrṇimā. Dhruvānanda brought Vijaya Govinda along with two sakhīs Rādhā and Anurādhā in Gauḍadeśa by the order of Śrī Govinda and started worshiping Them in Abhirāmapura.

He got married there and in due course of time one son was born. His name was Kṛṣṇadāsa. Then he again went back to Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇadāsa begot few sons. They are staying in different places and the Deity of Vijaya Govinda also goes to many places.

It is mentioned in the book named “Śrī Śrī Gadādhara Kulārṇava” (Sixth Pallava) written by Dhruvānanda Goswāmī that Mahāprabhu came here in Abhirāmpura on the way to Gayā. Mahāprabhu took some rest in the village Mānkara which is situated five miles away towards west of Abhirāmapura and then went towards north to Mandāra. Mahāprabhu remembered Nandagrāma while staying in this place and due to this rememberance He blessed Dhruvānanda by embracing him. He said, “In the future this village will be named as Nandagrāma and the people will call this village as Abhirāmapura for this place is pleasing to the mind (manobhirāma).”

Mahāprabhu asked Dhruvānanda after His arrival in this place, “Oh! Gadādhara kulapradīpa (glory to the Gadādhara family), please search one small place where I can take some rest.” After getting this instruction, the intelligent Dhruvānanda selected this place and showed it to Mahāprabhu. By seeing this place Mahāprabhu mis-took this place as Nandagrāma and told Dhruvānanda by embracing him, “Dhruvānanda, you are blessed. Because of you I remembered Nandagrāma and for this, accept My blessings. In this village the pastime of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda will be described, this village will be famous by the name Nandagrāma, and will be known as Abhirāmapura due its beautiful sites. Dhruvānanda, you will achieve the highest perfection in devotional life. You are very dear to Me as you are related to Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita who is more dear to Me than My own life. I am speaking one confidential message. By remembering My words you will get married after some days to perform devotional service.”

Till today devotional activities and worshiping are going on like those of Vraja-dhāma. The environment is spiritually surcharged here. The beauty of this place cannot be expressed in words. Family Deities Śrī Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa of Vāṇinātha is worshiped here. Besides this, Śrī Gaura-Gadādhara Deity is also worshiped here. Mahāprabhu stepped in there and sat down under a bakula tree. Nowadays, this tree is famous by name 'Siddha Bakula'. The surrounding local people respect and worship this place for this was touched by the lotus feet of Mahāprabhu.