Mayapur Is My Place Of Worship

Lord. Citing Vedic evidence, he established that many previous incarnations of Vishnu had enacted pastimes in Navadvipa. Not only did Bhaktivinoda Thakura document Navadvipa’s past glory, but he also foresaw its glorious future, when a religion based on the teachings of Lord Caitanya would emerge and spread through- out the world, and when European and American Vaishnavas would throng to Navadvipa to join their Bengali brothers in chanting “Jaya Sacinandana!”. The time would come, Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote, when in the land of Navadvipa on the plain of the Ganges a magnificent temple would arise, proclaiming to the world the glories of Lord Caitanya. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, carrying out the de- sires of his father and preceptor, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, had formed the Gaudiya Math for propagat- ing the teachings of Lord Caitanya and the glories of Navadvipa-dhama. He had induced a wealthy disci- ple to spend his fortune for erecting a temple at Lord Caitanya’s birthsite in Mayapur, and he had construct- ed a kirtana hall commemorating the place of Lord Caitanya’s kirtanas. He had also constructed his own residence in Mayapur. He had built temples through- out India-sixty-four in all-but because he wanted the English-speaking world especially to take to Lord Caitanya’s movement, he had emphasized as first priority the publishing and distributing of Krsna conscious literature. Srila Prabhupada, sitting in his room in the Calcutta temple, shared the great vision of Bhaktisid- dhanta Sarasvati and Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Yet to enact this great vision he had to take practical steps, and he was content to take them in the most humble way. A

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