SUVARNA VIHARA TEMPLE

Established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

AT “SRI GODRUMADVIPA” ISLAND OF NAVADVIPA-MAYAPUR DHAMA

...suvarna-sena-durge sa
nanarta kirtane harih
“Sri Hari danced in kirtana at the fort of King Suvarna Sena.” (Sri Navadvipa-dhama-
mahatmya)

THE VISION OF AN ACARYA

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established this Temple. One day, while taking his
disciples on pilgrimage from Svananda Sukhada Kunj (Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s house) to
Nrsimhapalli, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura saw this tract of land and told his disciples
to locate the owner as he wanted it. The owner was a little perplexed. He told the devotees,
“Please inform Maharaj that I am more than happy to give this land to him, but it is wild
jungle with tigers and jackals and no one dares to go there. I would prefer to give him some
other cultivated land”. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura insisted he wanted that land only
and after securing it, sent his disciples to search the place. They came back and reported
they had seen carved stones and raised areas where high walls had once stood. They also
saw a huge celestial cobra with shining jewel on its head. It was protecting the ruins of a
huge building. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura then revealed that this place was the
palace of King Survarna Sena, from the time of Satya-yuga”.

In Navadvipa-bhava-taranga Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes: “Looking east from there

(Sridhara Angana) I shall see Suvarna-Vihar, the site of King Suvarna Sena’s incomparably
majestic palace. This is where moonlike Lord Sri Gauracandra dances along with His
associates in an enchanting golden for. When will I wander throughout Suvarna-Vihar, alone
or in the company of other devotees, weeping and sobbing piteously with choked voice? At
the lotus feet of Gauranga I will beg for a speck of service to the Divine Couple, and then
offer my very life unto the shelter of Sri Radha’s lotus feet.”

KING SENA’S DELIVERANCE

Lord Nityananda described this place to Sri Jiva as follows: During Satya-yuga King Suvarna
Sena was ruling here. He had ruled his kingdom for a long time and even though he had
become very old he was still very attached to his kingly duties. He was always engrossed in
material life and once due to his good fortune Narada Muni visited his palace. King was very
happy to see great sage and welcomed by worshipping him nicely. He offered prostrated
obeisance to Narada Muni, who then took the king to a solitary place and mercifully
explained him tattva-upadesa (instructions about tattva).

Narada Muni said,

- “You are spending your days uselessly only meditating on how to increase your wealth. You should
know very well that this material wealth is useless and the cause of all suffering. Real supreme wealth
is transcendental knowledge.
- Please try to think about this for once seriously within your heart. None of your family members, like
your wife and children and all your relatives, are yours eternally. At the time of your death no one will
be yours. When you will die all your relatives will put your body into river water to float away and go
back to their homes. If no one is a real relative of anyone then why do you run after these false hopes,
hankering for so much material achievement?
- If you say that at least you are achieving pleasure in your life and are free from suffering and that is
your justification for trying to accumulate so much wealth, dear king, that is also false, because this
body will be destroyed one day. It will not exist more than 100 years.
- Therefore you should understand that the essence of everything is beyond this illusory material world
in the spiritual world, where there is no trace of suffering in the enjoyment. In this material world
some enjoyment is there but it always comes along with suffering.
- One must know how to cross over material nescience. What kind of sadhana should one follow to
achieve that wonderful result of going back to Godhead, where there is no sorrow or suffering? Not
only by renunciation nor just by knowledge can one achieve that. By knowledge and renunciation one
may become free from material bondage and get liberation. But by achieving that kind of liberation one
does not get real pleasure. In fact to get that kind of liberation is the greatest loss, because material
pleasure is lost and at the same time not much worthwhile is achieved.
- Therefore the actually intelligent person will not accept bhukti or mukti, material sense gratification or
liberation. Rather they practice, Bhakti-yoga, devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna. To be detached
from material things and attached to the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna is everything on one’s life -
sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana.
- The jiva is the eternal servant of Sri Krishna. Without Bhakti everything is destroyed. The tree of
Bhakti, Bhakti-Vriskha, gives the fruit of prema. That fruit is prayojana or the final goal of life.
- That Krishna-prema is our eternal wealth, in comparison to which bhukti and mukti are insignificant.
Lord Sri Krishna is sat, cit and ananda. He is like the sun, the jivas are like rays of the sun and maya is
the shadow. The Jiva is the tatastha sakti, marginal energy of the Lord and due to his marginal nature,
 when he comes in contact with maya she puts him in bondage. When the jiva becomes Krishna-
bahirmukha or turns his face away from Krishna, he touches maya.
- By coming in contact with maya the jiva falls into the bondage of karma. Being caught by the net of
maya the jiva moves around in the material universes and undergoes lots of suffering.
- Due to his attachment to karma he does not get liberation even if he tries his best to be free from
suffering. Sometimes the jiva engages in logic. In spite of all these he ultimately remains in bondage,
due to his non-acceptance of the real wealth of knowledge about the science of the self.
- If the jiva, while traversing this material world, gets the association of a sadhu then he will achieve
sraddha or faith. In due course of time by practicing, Bhakti-yoga, devotional service to Lord Sri
Krishna in the association of devotees, his heart will become free from anarthas, unwanted desires,
and then he will achieve nistha, steadiness. After continuing his bhajana, at some time due to that
nistha, he will develop ruci or taste and then later he will develop attachment or asakti to the Lord.
From asakti he will attain bhava, which will later bring him to the platform of prema.
- This is the gradual process of achieving pure Bhakti, devotion. By practicing nine kinds of devotional
service in the association of devotees, one will achieve the wealth of Krishna-prema.”

Narada Muni continued, “Oh, King! You are very fortunate to have taken birth in Navadvipa-
dhama. By residing in this Navadvipa-dhama you have achieved great fortune. Now you
must try to develop sraddha by the association of sadhus. Strive to achieve prema by
engaging in the chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna -
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||

The Lord will descend in Kali-yuga accepting a golden color and exhibit wonderful pastimes,
Gauranga-lila. He will be engaged in Sankirtana which is rarely witnessed by the demigods
including Brahma. The Lord will be mad with nama-sankrtana and will make the whole world
mad. Just as the Lord danced in maha-rasa in Vrindavana, in the same way He will dance
and give pleasure to all His devotees. All Navadvipa will be filled with happiness. One who
chants the holy name of Lord Gauranga will get the mercy of Lord Sri Krishna and will
become eligible to reside in Vraja-dhama. One who worships Lord Sri Krishna without
chanting the holy name of Lord Gauranga will get Sri Krishna after a long time, but one who
chants the holy name of Gauranga will attain Sri Krishna immediately, because by chanting
the holy name of Gauranga he will become free from all offenses. No one can understand the
glories of Navadvipa-dhama unless the associates of the Lord explain them to him.”

While speaking to King Suvarna Sena in this way, Narada Muni became very impatient. Due
to great ecstasy he could not control himself anymore and started dancing, chanting the holy
name of Gauranga. He was playing on his vina, chanting the name of Gaurahari and asking,
“When will that most blessed Kali-yuga come?’ While speaking in this way to the king, great
Vaishnava, Narada Muni blessed him and left.

Hearing Narada Muni’s words the king thought to himself,

“Shame on my life, shame on my birth as a human being. I always engaged in kingly
activities. It is my bad fortune that I never had the association of devotees. Without the
association of devotees no one achieves perfection in anything. After such a long time this
most merciful sadhu has now blessed me. Now I know this Nadia is the abode of my Lord.”

Considering this he felt ecstasy in his heart and started to shed tears looking towards
Navadvipa while offering prostrated obeisance to the holy dhama. He was asking for Krishna-
prema from all the Vaishnavas and thus became free from all material desires. He prayed to
Navadvipa-dhama to bless him so that he could take birth at the time when the Lord would
manifest His pastimes there.

Once when the king was sleeping, he dreamt that Gaura-Gadadhara along with all Their
associates were dancing in his courtyard. All of them were chanting Hare Krishna maha-
mantra and embracing the golden form of Lord Gaurahari. King saw thousands of devotees
playing different varieties of musical instruments and singing in a very sweet way which
attracted the whole world. Among those devotees, he saw the moon of Nadia, Sri
Gauracandra, in His most beautiful blue form of Sri Krishna appearing like a stream of
nectar. King saw the form of Sri Krishnacandra and immediately that blue form transformed
to gold. King started to think, “Who is this golden form (suvarna-vigraha) moving (vihara) in
the crowd of Sankirtana?”

When the king woke up, he became very worried and started to cry for Gauranga. Just then
he heard a voice, “O, King! You will appear here again during the manifested pastimes of
Lord Gauranga. You will be one of the great associates if the Lord. Your name will be
Buddhimanta Khan. During this time you will serve the lotus feet of the Lord.” After hearing
this daiva-vani (heavenly voice) the king became pacified and started to worship Lord
Gauranga.

Because king meditated on the Lord in His golden form (suvarna-vigraha) who was
moving (vihara) there, this place is named “Suvarna-vihara”. At this very place
Lord Gauranga was present in His manifested pastime. He performed Sankirtana
here and many people relished seeing His dancing. With great ecstasy people
would speak to each other, “We have never seen such a beautiful complexion.
There is no comparison to it. His moving and dancing is so wonderful that it
attracts the people of the three worlds.”

While Lord Nityananda was describing this subject to Srivasa Thakura, who is an incarnation
of Narada Muni, Srivasa in the mood of Narada Muni fainted. Everyone very ecstatically
started to chant the nectarine holy name of Gauranga and Sri Jiva Gosvami was rolling
around on the ground. All of them were anticipating and praying for the darshana of the
golden form of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Immediately, to their surprise, the most beautiful
form of Gauranga appeared there right in front of them and He started to dance. Nityananda
along with Sri Advaita Acarya began chanting the glories of Gauranga Mahaprabhu and there
was a big Sankirtana with many mrdangas.

The mind of one who takes darsana of Suvarna-vihara will drown in the pastimes of
Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
[references: ‘Navadvipa-dhama-Mahatmya, Parikrama-khanda’ by Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura and ‘Sri Bhakti-Ratnakara’ by Srila Narahari Cakravarti Thakura]
Entrance to Suvarna Vihara Temple
Devotees at Suvarna Vihara Temple
SUVARNA VIHARA TEMPLE
SUVARNA VIHARA TEMPLE
Ruins of the Palace of King Suvarna Sena - Holy Stones of the Golden Age (Satya-
Yuga)
Although the ruins of King Sena’s palace used to be visible in nearby mango
prchard, they have had to be moved near the temple as they were being gradually
stolen. If one ask the helpful devotees here, they will show you what is left of the
original ruins of the palace.
THEIR LORDSHIPS SRI SRI RADHA-MADHAVA and SRI GAURANGA MAHAPRABHU
at Suvarna Vihara Temple

THEIR LORDSHIPS SRI SRI RADHA-MADHAVA and SRI GAURANGA MAHAPRABHU

at Suvarna Vihara Temple
SRIMATI TULASI DEVI AT SUVARNA VIHARA TEMPLE
Devotees having darshan at Suvarna Vihara Temple during the annual Navadvipa-
Mandala Parikrama
Suvarna Vihara Temple
Goshala: Behind the main temple, there is also a small Goshala, vegetable garden
and mango and lychees orchard
Devotees listening to the transcendental pastimes of Suvarna Vihara during the
Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama

Devotees listening to the transcendental pastimes of Suvarna Vihara during the

Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama
Devotees listening to the transcendental pastimes of Suvarna Vihara
Transcendentalists at Suvarna Vihara Temple
Transcendentalists at Suvarna Vihara Temple
Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, the Deities of Sri Navadvipa-Mandala Parikrama
 Suvarna Vihara Temple

AMRA GHATA
Amra-ghata is where Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed His pastime of planting a
mango (amra) seed, which immediately grew into a tree full of ripen mangoes.

Harinama Sankirtana and Mangoes: Once while performing Harinama Sankirtana Lord
Caitanya noticed the devotees were becoming tired. He stopped the kirtana and planted a
mango seed in the ground at this spot. Within minutes a huge mango tree grew covered in
big, beautiful, red and yellow mangoes that had no skin or seeds. Lord Caitanya picked
around 200 mangoes, one for each devotee present. He washed the mangoes and offered
them all to Lord Sri Krishna. Gaurasundara then ate one mango and after washing His hands,
distributed the rest of the mangoes to the devotees. One mango was enough to completely
satisfy each devotee. Daily after kirtana with Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu, the
devotees would hold a mango eating festival. The tree supplied mangoes every day for one
year without interruption. After one year, by the desire of Lord, it suddenly disappeared.
Amghata
Amghata
Amghata
Amghata
Amghata
Amghata
Amghata
Amghata
 Beautiful marigold fields one the way from Suvarna Vihara Temple to Gaura-daha

Darshan times at Suvarna Vihara Temple: 6am to 12pm and 3pm to 8pm
Directions: Suvarna Vihar Temple is located in Godrumadvipa island of Navadvipa-Mayapur
Dhama on the southern side of Jalangi river. Leaving Hari-Hara temple, return to the
Amghata railway station and turn right. Continue down the main road for a short distance.
Take road on left at Syampur bazaar and turn right at the end onto a smaller dirt road. After
going past some houses the road will become smaller and will to number of path leading.
Take the second path on left. A large champaka tree will come on right side of the path.
Temple is at the end of this short path.

Directions to Amra-Ghata: Amra-Ghata is close to Suvarna Vihar Temple. Turn right

outside Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s house and continue down the same road. One will see a
railway line on the right of the road and after a few kilometres a signboard for the “Amghat
Railway Station”. Almost immediately after that, on the left, is the mango grove. It is about
20 minutes by rickshaw from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s house.

Sri Navadvipa Mandata Parikrama - Nine Islands of Navadvipa Dhama and Pastimes on
these transcendental islands: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=14426

Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP): www.tovp.org

MAYAPUR TV: http://Mayapur.tv

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