Bharatapura

Śrīpāṭa of Nayanānanda Ṭhākura, the son of Dvija Vāṇīnātha who is brother of Gadādhara Paṇḍita

Bharatapura is situated in Kāndi sub-division of Murshidābād district. Boarding a train from Howrāh to Bārahāwḍā one can get down at Sālāra station. From there, one can travel twelve kilometers by bus to reach this Śrīpāṭa at Bharatapura.

The Śrīpāṭa of Nayanānanda Ṭhākura is here. Nayanānanda Ṭhākura is the son of Dvija Vāṇīnātha who is the brother of Gadādhara Paṇḍita. While Gadādhara Paṇḍita was staying in Nīlācala, Nayanānanda Ṭhākura went to Śrī Kṣetra and took mantra-initiation from him. At that time, Gadādhara Paṇḍita gave him the Gītā written by his own hands, where Mahāprabhu composed one verse Himself. Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī’s neck was adorned with a Deity of Śrī Kṛṣṇa that was also given to Nayanānanda Ṭhākura. He instructed Nayanānanda Ṭhākura to go to Bharatapura of Rāḍhadeśa and to establish the Śrīpāṭa there. This has been described in the twentysecond vilāsa of Prema Vilāsa book-

paṇḍita gosāñi prabhura aprakaṭa samaya
nayanānandere ḍāki ei kathā kaya

mora galadeśe thākita ei kṛṣṇa mūrti
sevana kariha sadā kari ati prīti

tomāre arpilā ei gopīnāthera sevā
bhakti-bhābe sevibe nā pūjibe anya devī devā

svahasta likhita ei gītā tomāya dilā
mahāprabhu eka śloka ihāte likhilā

bhakti-bhāve ihā tumi karibe pujana
eta kahi paṇḍita gosāñi hailā antardhāna

nayana paṇḍita gosāñira antyeṣṭi kriyā kari
rāḍhadeśe bharatapure karilena bāḍi

At the time of his passing away from this world, Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosāñi called Nayanānanda and told him, “I am giving you the Kṛṣṇa Deity hanging around my neck. Please worship Lord Gopīnātha always with love and devotion. Never worship any Demigod/Goddess. I am giving you the Bhagavad-gītā compiled by myself where Mahāprabhu has Himself written one verse. Please worship this with devotion.” By saying this, Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosāñi disappeared. Nayanānanda performed the final rites of Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosāñi and settled his residence in Bharatapura of Rāḍhadeśa.

After the disappearance of Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī, Śrī Nayanānanda Gosvāmī brought the Kṛṣṇa Deity and the Bhagavad-gīta and he established the Śrīpāṭa here. The small Kṛṣṇa Deity was always kept on the chest of Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosāñi. The Deity of Meya-Kṛṣṇa and the Deity of Gopīnātha worshiped by Nayanānanda Ṭhākura are present here. The Bhagavad-gītā composed by Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosāñi himself is nicely kept and protected by wrapping with red cloth. Mahāprabhu wrote one verse in this Bhagavad-gītā-

ṣaṭ śatāni śa biṁśāni śloka nāmāha keśava arjuna sapta-pañcāśa sapta-ṣaṣṭhiñca sañjaya dhṛtarāṣṭra ślokamekaṁ gītāyāmānaṁ ucyate

The meaning of this verse-In this Gītā, 620 verses are spoken by Lord Keśava, 57 verses are spoken by Arjuna, 67 verses are spoken by Sañjaya and 1 verse is spoken by Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

The Deity of Rādhā-gopīnātha is present in this Śrīpāṭa. Gopīnātha Yantra is also seen at the Lotus feet of Śrī Gopīnātha Deity. There are six Gopāla Deities and one Śālagrāma śīlā. Once in the Bengali year 1075 on 1st. Phālaguna (Mid February) one local devotee from Bāṅśabeḍiyā renovated this temple. Some years ago one big Nāṭa-mandira (Temple courtyard) was constructed in front of the temple by Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust (Māyāpur, Nadia), the founder of which is Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. There is a Danta-samādhi (Samādhi of his teeth) of Śrīla Dāsa Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana which was estab- lished by Nayanānanda Gosvāmī. Nayanānanda Gosvāmī brought all these Deities and the Bhagavad- gītā from Śrīdhāma Purī and preached the message of Śrīman Mahāprabhu in and around this area by establishing the Śrīpāṭa here. Presently the descendant Gosvāmīs of Nayanānada Ṭhākura are the worshipers in this Śrīpāṭa.