[The present article is a compilation on an important aspect of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava history, woven together from several articles published in the Gauḍīya magazine of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. It is prayed that this article will help some genuine seekers in understanding that the Adbhuta-mandira, as predicted by Śrī Nityānanda prabhu and envisioned by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, has already been established by Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.]
A Miracle during the excavation of the foundation
During the excavation of the foundation for this Śrī Mandira, a miraculous event occurred, which heralded the auspiciousness of the work in every respect. It is presumed that this incident is not unknown to the readers. On 30 Jyeṣṭha, 1341 (Bengali calendar), corresponding to Wednesday, 13 June 1934 (Gregorian calendar), during the excavation of the foundation, the deity of Śrī Adhokṣaja, bearing the conch, disc, club, and lotus, self-manifested from the depths of the earth at the very spot where Prabhupāda had, in the previous year during Gaura-janmotsava, ceremoniously begun the work with offerings of flowers, water, and tulasī. Such an occurrence cannot be attributed to human design or imagination. It is entirely the result of divine arrangement (daiva-saṁyoga), as evident and undeniable as the rising of the sun and moon. From the commencement of the construction of the temple, every task has been carried out seamlessly, as if empowered by a divine mantra.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had foretold that an ‘adbhuta-mandira’ would manifest at Śrī Yogapīṭha. Through the efforts of Śrīla Prabhupāda, it is now evident that this mano’bhīṣṭha (cherished desire) of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has been fulfilled after so many years. Bhaktivijaya Prabhu, by becoming an assistant in serving the divine words and the mano’bhīṣṭha of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, has today earned the rare fortune of receiving the blessings and mercy of Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga. Such a fortune is unattainable even by sukṛtis (spiritual merits) accumulated over billions of lifetimes.
The prophecy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu fulfilled
Exactly four centuries after the appearance of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, in the year 400 Gaurābda, the revelation regarding Śrī Māyāpura-Navadvīpa manifested in the heart of Lord Gaurāṅga’s intimate associate, Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. From that time onward, Śrī Viśva-Vaiṣṇava Rāja Sabhā was revived, and the celebration of the birth anniversary of the full moon of Māyāpura-Navadvīpa (i.e. Śrīman Mahāprabhu) began to be prominently propagated throughout the world. The Gaurasundara Janmotsava (the appearance festival of Śrī Gaurasundara), which has now become a widely celebrated public festival throughout Bengal, owes its widespread establishment among the masses to none other than Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda, who was the pivotal force behind its propagation.
When Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu undertook the Śrī Navadvīpa Parikramā, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu spoke to him about Śrī Māyāpura, saying:
cāri-śata varṣa gaura-janma dhari ।
ha-ile śrī-mūrti-sevā habe sarvopari ॥
("Four hundred years after the birth of Śrī Gaurāṅga, the service of His deity will be supremely established.")
This statement of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu has now been fulfilled. Furthermore, from the mouth of Śrī Nityānanda, we also hear:
punaḥ kabhu prabhu-icchā habe balavāna ।
habe māyāpure ei rūpa vāsa-sthāna ॥
adbhuta mandira eka ha-ibe prakāśa ।
gaurāṅgera nitya-sevā ha-ibe vikāśa ॥
("When the will of the Lord will once again become very strong, a magnificent residence will arise in Māyāpura. A wondrous temple, ‘adbhuta-mandira’ will manifest, and the eternal service of Gaurāṅga will expand.")
(Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya, 2nd Edition, p. 45)
May the entire world now witness how this prophecy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu has been fulfilled by the manifestation of His non-different form (nityānanda-abhinna-vigraha). Let every heart experience this fulfillment personally. By the mercy of Śrī Guru (i.e. Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura), who is non-different from Śrī Nityānanda, the divine banner of Bhaktivijaya prabhu [alternatively, the divine banner of the victory of devotional service] has today been raised atop the wondrous temple of Śrī Guru and Gaurāṅga which seems to be piercing the sky itself.
Eyewitness account of the inauguration of the ‘Adbhuta-mandira’
Śrīla Prabhupāda presented a beautifully crafted casket, adorned with intricate and precious artistry in silver, along with letters of felicitation, to the King of Tripurā, Tripurādhipati Śrīman Mahārāja Māṇikyabāhādura. Śrīman Mahārāja received it personally with his own hands, expressing great joy and appreciation.
Following this, Śrīman Mahārāja, under the guidance of Śrīla Prabhupāda, proceeded to the doorway of the newly constructed temple at Śrī Yogapīṭha and ceremoniously inaugurated it in accordance with the prescribed rituals. Immediately, the atmosphere reverberated with jubilant cries of ‘Jaya, Jaya’ (victory! victory!), with the noise of kīrtana, with hulu-dhvani (ululating sound), with the harmonious sound of instruments, with the auspicious resonance of mṛdaṅga (clay-drum), karatāla (cymbals), kāṁsara (gong), ghaṇṭā (bell), and the sacred śaṅkha (conch-shell). The entire sky and earth resounded with this celestial celebration. The maidens of the directions (dig-vadhū-gaṇa), echoing these sounds, further amplified the divine clamor with their melodious chorus of joy. Thereafter, the ceremonial ārātrika of the divine deity (Śrī-vigraha) was performed, completing the auspicious event.
In the central sanctum of the newly constructed Śrī Mandira, Śrī Gaurasundara is seated majestically on the lion-throne, accompanied by His potencies, Śrī Viṣṇupriyā and Śrī Lakṣmīpriyā. In another sanctum, Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava are enshrined, while in the third sanctum, the self-manifested deity of Adhokṣaja Viṣṇu, who appeared from the depths of Yogapīṭha, is established. This Adhokṣaja Śrī-vigraha has dispelled the limited sensory knowledge (akṣaja-jñāna) of scholars and archaeologists who seek to understand Him through empirical methods. Renowned antiquarians and archaeologists have stated that this deity is a Viṣṇu Mūrti worshipped several centuries ago. By reading Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, we can understand that there was a Viṣṇu-gṛha (temple of Viṣṇu) in the house of Śrī Jagannātha Miśra. In this Viṣṇu-gṛha, the deity of Śrī Viṣṇu was worshipped. Prior to the appearance of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, the worship of Dvibhuja Muralīdhara Śyāmasundara Śrī Rādhānātha (two-handed flute-holding beautiful dark Lord of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī) was not widely prevalent in Bengal. This Adhokṣaja Viṣṇu-vigraha is the household deity of Śrī Jagannātha Miśra. The deity has self-manifested from Yogapīṭha to reveal His divine identity.
One of the principal aspirations of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was the construction of a grand, sky-piercing beacon of light at the birthplace of Śrīman Mahāprabhu. By accepting the merciful directive of Śrī Guru (i.e. Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura), the noble Śrīyukta Sakhīcaraṇa Bhaktivijaya prabhu has fulfilled this mano’bhīṣṭha conveyed through the words of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also made a prophetic statement: "In the future, someone will establish an ‘adbhuta-mandira’ at Śrī Yogapīṭha." Today, we are witnessing with our very eyes the glorious fulfillment of this divine prophecy, bringing the words of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to resplendent fruition.
