Procedure for Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama

 

That person who once visits Mayapur is easily freed from the bondage of māyā. One who walks throughout Mayapur is freed from the influence of maya and the repetition of birth.
North of Mayapur lies Sīmantadvīpa. Sadhu and sastra have explained the rules of parikrama. After having darsana of Mayapur in Antardvipa, learned devotees go to Simantadvipa. Next one should go south of Mayapur to Godrumadvipa, then one should joyfully go to Madhyadvipa. After seeing these four islands on the east bank, one should reverently cross the Ganges. Having walked around Koladvipa at leisure, then take darśana of Ritudvipa. After seeing the most beautiful Jahnudvipa, go see Modadrumadvipa and then Rudradvipa. Then again cross the Ganges, and walk back to Mayapur. There, respectfully enter the temple of Jagannatha Misra and Sacidevi and take darśana of the Lord. This is the procedure of parikrama for all times. One who follows this practice will obtain unlimited happiness.
Everyone considers the best time for performing parikramā is from the tithi of Mākara-saptami upto the full moon, or purnimă, of Phalguna. After finishing parikrama, fortunate persons take darsana at Māyāpur on the birthday of Lord Caitanya. Nitai and Caitanya bestow Their mercy and the shade of Their lotus feet on those persons, who thus attain the qualification to execute devotional service.
Briefly I have described the rules for parikrama, and now I will describe everything in detail. Therefore, please listen. Whoever walks around the one hundred sixty-eight miles of Gauda-mandala will quickly obtain the treasure of gaura-prema.
Desiring to obtain the shade of the lotus feet of Jāhnavā and Nitai, Bhaktivinoda reveals these truths.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Parikrama-Khanda, Chapter 3)

After that, every Ekādaśī My Lord went on sankirtana, wandering over the sacred islands. Sometimes He wandered over the five krosas of Antardvipa, and sometimes, according to His desire, He wandered eight krosas.
“From His house, He went first to Bārakoṇā-ghāṭa, then around Ballal-dighi, and then to Sridhara’s house. From there, He would go to the edge of Antardvipa and thus easily complete a five krosa tour. From Simuliya, He would go to the Kazi’s house. After talking to Sridhara, He would go to Gadigacha (Godruma) and then to Majidā (Madhyadvīpa). Crossing the Ganges at that point, He would go up to Pāradanga and Chinaḍāngā, on the bank of the Ganges. Then, crossing the Ganges again, He would return home, completing eight krosas.
“The complete parikramā is sixteen krosas, and if that is done, the Lord is pleased. This is the tour I am taking you on. There is no equal to this. Within this tour you will see the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana extending over sixteen krosas. This tour ends after nine nights and is thus called navaratra-parikramā in the scripture. One does the five krosa parikrama in one day, and the eight krosa parikramā is completed after three nights. The first night is spent in Mayapur, the second night in Godruma, and the third night at Pulina, the opposite bank of the Ganges.”
Hearing this instruction on the method of parikramā, Jīva Mahāśaya could not contain his love.
Desiring to attain the lotus feet of Nitai and Jahnavā, this worthless pauper describes the glories of Nadia.
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 10)

The Ten Offenses to the Holy Dhama

 

1) Contempt and disrespect towards the guru who is the revealer of the dhama to his disciple.
2) To think that the holy dhama is temporary.
3) To commit violence towards any of the residents of the holy dhama or to any of the pilgrims who come there, or to think that they are ordinary mundane people.
4) Performing mundane activities while living in the holy place.
5) Earning money by and making a business of Deity worship and the chanting of the holy name.
6) To think that the holy dhama belongs to some mundane country or province such as Bengal, to think that the dhama of the Lord is equal to a holy place connected with some demigod, or to attempt to measure the area of the dhama.
7) To commit sinful acts while residing in the dhama.
8) To consider Vrndavana and Navadvipa to be different.
9) To blaspheme the sastras which glorify the dhama.
10) To be faithless and think that the glories of the dhama are imaginary.
(Reference – The Process of Deity Worship (Arcana-Paddhati))