Shantipura Nath
By Swami Gaurangapada

 

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Today we went to the Holy Abode of Lord Shrimad Advaita Acharya know as Shri Shantipur Dhaam. As I was chanting, my mind became automatically peaceful just by thinking about Shantipur. Shanti means peace and pur means home. Because the Supreme Personality Lord Advaita who is Lord Mahavishnu Himself resides here eternally, one gets delivered even by thinking about Shantipur Dhaam.

 

Sometimes during deep meditation while chanting, I see myself fanning Lord Nityananda, Lord Gauranga and Lord Advaita, the Supreme Trio, as they sit and discuss Their own pastimes behind Lord Advaita's home in Shantipur. The beautiful sitting place in Shantipur of These Three Personalities who are my life and soul is the constant object of my Naam meditation. Sometimes I see myself rolling on the ground with streams of blissful tears flowing from my eyes in front of this divine sitting place. While chanting Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Naam, I can see the three beautiful Lords overwhelmed with the most sublime feelings of ecstatic devotion in Shantipur Dhaam. Oh, what a beautiful sight!!! Sada hridaya kandare sphuratu vah shachinandanah...may these vision of the three Lords in Shantipur be the constant object of my Naam meditation.

 

Though the word "Advaita" is more commonly known and identified in India with the impersonalistic Mayavada philosophy as it means "non-dual", some very rare souls do know that it is actually one of the primary Holy Names of the Lord when He advents in the form of the most merciful and ecstatic Shrimad Advaita Acharya. Since He is Maha Vishnu Himself, that is why He is non-different (advaita) from Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga and is Their first purusha expansion.

 

For impersonalists, chanting "Advaita" makes their heart very hard and dry as falsely think that they are non-different (advaita) from God. But the most confidential devotees realize that Lord Advaita's Holy Name is full of infinite devotional mellows since He Himself is the supreme reservoir of all devotion. It was His cries which penetrated into Goloka and brought the Lord down in Kali Yuga. Wehn I chant Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Naam deeply with full surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Advaita Acharya, I can hear the loud ecstatic roaring of Lord Advaita with the spiritual ears of the soul. Lord Gauranga Krishna is easily attained in this way as Lord Gauranga is the sold out property of those who understand the actual Advaita tattva.