Verse 3.2.368

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.2.368:

সিন্ধু-তীরে বট-মূলে `নীলাচল’ নাম ক্ষেত্র-শ্রী-পুরুষোত্তম-অতি রম্য-স্থান ॥ ৩৬৮ ॥

सिन्धु-तीरे वट-मूले `नीलाचल’ नाम क्षेत्र-श्री-पुरुषोत्तम-अति रम्य-स्थान ॥ ३६८ ॥

sindhu-tīre vaṭa-mūle `nīlācala’ nāma kṣetra-śrī-puruṣottama-ati ramya-sthāna || 368 ||

sindhu-tire vata-mule `nilacala’ nama ksetra-sri-purusottama-ati ramya-sthana (368)

English translation:

(368) “On the shore of the ocean beneath one banyan tree is the most enchanting place named Nīlācala, which is also known as Śrī Puruṣottama-kṣetra.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

The glories of Śrī Puruṣottama-kṣetra (Jagannātha Purī) are described in the Padma Purāṇa, Kriyā-yoga-sāra, Eleventh Chapter, as follows:

lavaṇāmbho-nidhes tīre puruṣottama-saṃjñakam puraṃ tad brāhmaṇa-śreṣṭha svargād api su-durlabham

“On the shore of the saltwater ocean is the sacred city named Puruṣottama. O best of the brāhmaṇas, it is more difficult to attain than even heaven.

svayam asti pure tasmin yataḥ śrī-puruṣottamaḥ puruṣottamam ity uktaṃ tasmāt tan nāma-kovidaiḥ

“Because the divine Personality of Godhead is directly present in that city, it is called Puruṣottama by those who are expert knowers of names.

kṣetraṃ tad durlabhaṃ vipra samantād daśa-yojanam tatra-sthā dehino devair dṛśyante ca catur-bhujāḥ

“O brāhmaṇa, that rarely achieved holy district measures ten yojanas on all sides. The embodied living beings who reside there are seen by the demigods as having four arms.

praviśantas tu tat kṣetraṃ sarve syur viṣṇu-mūrtayaḥ tasmād vicāraṇā tatra na kartavyā vicakṣaṇaiḥ

“Everyone who enters that holy district assumes a form like that of Lord Viṣṇu. Those who have discrimination need not be concerned at all about the truth of this.

caṇḍālenāpi saṃspṛṣṭaṃ grāhyaṃ tatrānnam agrajaiḥ sākṣād viṣṇur yatas tatra caṇḍālo ‘pi dvijottamaḥ

“Even if the food of that place has been touched by a caṇḍāla, it may be accepted by superior persons. Because Lord Viṣṇu Himself is in that food, even such a caṇḍāla is counted among the best of the twice born.

tatrānna-pācikā lakṣmīḥ svayaṃ bhoktā janārdanaḥ tasmāt tad annaṃ viprarṣe daivatair api durlabham

“The cook who has prepared that food is Lakṣmī, and the enjoyer of that food is Lord Janārdana Himself. Therefore, O sage among the brāhmaṇas, that food is difficult for even the demigods to obtain.

hari-bhuktāvaśiṣṭaṃ tat pavitraṃ bhuvi durlabham annaṃ ye bhuñjate martyās teṣāṃ muktir na durlabhā

“That food, the remnants of Lord Hari, is purifying and is rarely achieved in this world. For mortals who eat it, liberation is not at all difficult to achieve.

brahmādyās tridaśāḥ sarve tad annam ati-durlabham bhuñjate nityam ādṛtya manuṣyāṇāṃ ca kā kathā

“That food is very difficult to obtain for all the demigods headed by Brahmā. Whenever they get it, they eat it with great respect. What to speak then of ordinary mortals?

na yasya ramate cittaṃ tasminn anne su-durlabhe tam eva viṣṇu-dveṣṭāraṃ prāhuḥ sarve maharṣayaḥ

“If someone’s heart does not take pleasure in that rarely obtained food, all the great sages call him an enemy of Lord Viṣṇu.

pavitraṃ bhuvi sarvatra yathā gaṅgā-jalaṃ dvija tathā pavitraṃ sarvatra tad annaṃ pāpa-nāśanam

“As the Ganges water purifies the entire earth, O brāhmaṇa, so that food purifies all places and destroys all sins.

tad annaṃ komalaṃ divyaṃ yadyapi dvija-sattama tathāpi vajra-tulyaṃ syāt pāpa-parvata-dāraṇe

“O best of the brāhmaṇas, although that divine food is very tender, it acts like a thunderbolt in shattering one’s mountain of sins.

pūrvārjitāni pāpāni kṣayaṃ yāsyanti yasya vai bhaktiḥ pravartate tasminn anne tasya su-durlabhe

“One whose sinful reactions earned from previous lives have been eradicated develops devotion for that difficult to obtain food.

bahu-janmārjitaṃ puṇyaṃ yasya yāsyati saṅkṣayam tasminn anne dvija-śreṣṭha tasya bhaktiḥ pravartate

“And someone whose pious reactions earned over many lifetimes have become depleted also develops devotion for that food, O best of the brāhmaṇas.”