samudra-sena-rajye tu
ganga-sagara-sangame
kirtayitva harim devi
campa-hattam jagama ha

“O Devi! The Lord performed harikirtana in the kingdom of Samudra Sena at the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean before proceeding to Campahatta.” (Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Pramana-khanda 4.43) 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has mentioned the following in his Navadvipa-bhava-taranga: “Towards the north of Koladvipa there is a place called Campahatta. In all of Navadvipa-dhama this place is the most beautiful. This Campahatta village is a great tirtha and the most attractive location of the poet Jayadeva’s worship of Gaura- sasadhara. There, at the house of Vaninatha, Sri Saci-nandana along with His associates performed namasankirtana. There was a great festival at the house of Vaninatha, where Sri Gauranga showed His opulence of love. In Campahatta village there is a forest of campaka flowers, which the gopi Campakalata comes here to pick. This forest in Navadvipa is non-different from Khadiravana in Vraja where Balarama and Krishna take rest.”

One day the ocean saw Sri Gauracandra on the bank of the pristine Ganga sitting on a throne under a tree, surrounded by His associates. Sri Gaurahari was happily sitting on a transcendental simhasana. His beauty defeated the pride of millions of Kandarpas. Neither gold nor kunkuma can be compared to His form. The entire universe forgets everything, seeing the beauty of His hair. His moon-like face destroys the pride of millions of moons. When He smiles, nectar flows from His lips. His posture is most attractive. His long eyes extend up to His ears, His hands reach to His knees, and He has a broad chest and strong thighs on either side of abeautiful deep navel. The soles of His lotus feet are red like the rising sun. He was wearing white silk cloth with a red border. His whole body was anointed with Malaya sandalwood pulp and was decorated with different varieties of flowers. His dear associates were looking at Him in a wonderful way. As Gauracandra was beautiful, so too were His dear associates. On the Lord’s right, Lord Nityananda was sitting and on His left side Sri Gadadhara was standing. In front of the Lord, Advaita and Srivasa along with all the other associates were standing. All these devotees were very much overwhelmed by love and were gazing upon Sri Gauracandra unblinkingly. The Lord’s servants were engaged in various kinds of services for the Lord’s pleasure. Seeing all this, Samudra became impatient in ecstasy and developed many desires within his mind. That Lord, who is sitting within everyone’s heart, fulfilled all his desires. Samudra became overwhelmed with bliss seeing the Lord along with all His associates. He praised the River Ganga again and again. By taking shelter of the Ganga, Samudra came to Navadvipa every day. Samudra flows (gati) with the current of the Ganga. Therefore people called this place Samudra-gati. Now it is known as Samudragadi. Isana Thakura said, “O, Srinivasa! How can I describe to you the pastimes of Sri Gauranga in the houses of His devotees here, with only one mouth?”

The Ganga merges with the ocean at Ganga-sagara. The ocean is known as Samudra and flows all the way up to Samudragarh to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, under the shelter of the Ganga who is also known as Jahnavi. Samudrasaid, “Jahnavi! You are very fortunate to have Lord Gauranga staying on your bank and bathing in your water.” Jahnavi replied, “Oh, Sindhu! Yes, I am indeed very fortunate to have the Lord here. But unfortunately my Lord will leave Navadvipa after some time and go to reside on your shore.” The ocean then informed Ganga, “O, Devi! Please listen to me. Saci-nandana never leaves Navadvipa.

Even if He goes to stay on my shore for some time, He eternally resides in Nadia in His un-manifested form.Navadvipa is the eternal abode of the Lord. The Vedas explain about the prakata (manifested) and aprakata (unmanifested) pastimes of the Lord. O, beautiful one! I will stay here under your shelter and serve Navadvipadhama and Lord Sri Gaurahari.” To this day the ocean known as Payonidhi (the milk ocean) remains in Navadvipa and constantly meditates upon the eternal pastimes of Lord Gauranga. This topic has also been described by Isana Thakura in Bhakti- ratnakara: Isana Thakura came to Samudragadi village, also known by some asSamudra-gati. At this place the topic of the Ganga and the ocean is very pleasing to hear. Samudra flows here taking shelter of the Ganga. One day Samudra said to Ganga-devi, “There is no one as fortunate as you in this whole universe. Everyone says that purna- brahma Sri Gauranga will appear and manifest His pastimes in Nadia. Along with His associates He will always perform His pastimes on your banks, manifesting unlimited happiness. Just as the Lord enjoys water sports in the Yamuna of Vrajamandala, so Gaura Raya will play here in your waters.” Hearing this Gangadevi revealed her heart to Samudra with these sweet words, “I do not know to whom I will tell my suffering. The Lord will give me happiness in the beginning but later He will give me so much distress. He will leave Nadia, take sannyasa and go to live on your shore. He will manifest the most amazing pastimes there and thus will eternally increase your happiness. Everyone will sing your glories. Instead of speaking this truth, you are unnecessarily joking with me.” Samudra replied, “What you have said is correct, the Lord will go to Puri and live there on my shore, but He will go there after taking sannyasa wearing the simple dress of the renounced order. My heart will break to see Him dressed in this way. Just by remembering the Lord in that cloth I feel uncomfortable within my heart. Therefore I have taken shelter of you. You will show me that most attractive form of Gauracandra in this city of Nadia. I will never forget seeing the curling hair of the Lord. As the Lord is wonderful to behold, so too are His dear associates. I will see all of them by your mercy.” Ganga-devi and Samudra discussed in this way while waiting for the advent of the Lord. Here Ganga-devi and the ocean are always in ecstasy by meditating on Sri Gauracandra. Both the Ganga and Samudra were very eager and came to know that the time for the Lord to descend had arrived. At the time of the Lord’s advent everything was very auspicious. On the pretext of a lunar eclipse everyone was chanting the holy name of Lord Hari. The land of Navadvipa became very effulgent. The house of Jagannatha Misra became very beautiful. All kinds of inauspiciousness were removed. Everyone was floating in an ocean of bliss. The rishis were chanting different types of prayers. Brahma and all the demigods were showering flowers. As soon as the Lord appeared as the son of Saci-devi, the news spread all over the universe. When the Lord appeared, the ocean (Samudra) with great eagerness asked Ganga-devi to show him the Lord’s different pastimes, including His appearance lila. By taking shelter of the River Ganga, the ocean came to Navadvipa every day and saw the pastimes of Sri Gauracandra.

Samudragarh is non-different from Dvaraka-puri. Both Dvaraka-puri and Ganga-sagara exist here. Many years ago there was a king, known as Samudra Sena, living here in Samudragarh. He was a great devotee of Lord Sri Krishna and did not know anything except the glories of Krishna. Once, Sri Bhimasena, one of the five Pandavas, came here with his soldiers to conquer Vanga-bhumi (Bengal). Bhimasena was roaming the earth to become the Digvijayi (conqueror of all directions). According to the established system, he would travel to various kingdoms, collecting tax from the rulers who would thus submit themselves to the rule of the Pandavas. If anyone refused to pay the tax he had to fight with Bhimasena. In order to conquer Vanga-bhumi, Bhimasena surrounded the country with his soldiers. King Samudra Sena was a great devotee of Lord Sri Krishna and had a strong desire to attain the Lord’s darsana. He then devised a plan to take advantage of the presence of Bhimasena to bring Krishna to his kingdom. He did not submit to Bhima by paying him the proper tax but rather chose to wage war. The king thought, “When Bhimasenais in trouble during the battle, and calls for Lord Krishna then the Lord, being the protector of His devotees, will come to rescue Bhimasena and thus I will receive darsana of Sri Krishna.” With this plan in mind, Sri Samudra Sena prepared his battalions to fight with Bhima. The king started shooting arrows furiously, in meditation on Lord Krishna. Feeling the force of the king’s arrows, Bhimasena became fearful and mentally prayed to Lord Krishna, 

“Oh my Lord, kindly protect Your servant from this danger by giving me the shelter of Your lotus feet. I can no longer endure this fight with Samudra Sena and at the same time I can not tolerate abandoning the battlefield.O, merciful Lord! It is a great shame that the Pandavas, whose Lord is Sri Krishna, will be defeated.” By hearing the pitiful prayers of Bhima, Lord Krishna appeared on the battlefield, visible only to Samudra Sena. The king sawthe youthful form of the Lord, whose bodily color was like freshly formed clouds. A flower garland graced His neck, He wore a beautiful yellow dhoti and His entire body shone due to the magnificent array of jewellery He wore. When the king saw that most incredible form of the Lord, he immediately fainted, falling to the ground. When he regained his external senses he prayed to the Lord, “Oh, Krishna! You are the Lord of the universe, deliverer of the fallen living entities. You have come here to bestow Your mercy upon me, understanding me as one of the most fallen. The entire universe is glorifying Your wonderful pastimes. By hearing Your glories I developed a great desire to have Your darsana and made a vow to bring You to this Navadvipa-dhama as it was not possible for me to leave Navadvipa. O, most merciful Lord! In order to keep my vow, being merciful upon me, You have now appeared here in Your form as Sri Krishna. But I have another deeper, confidential desire. I wish to see Your Gauranga form manifest in front of me.” 

Immediately, the king could see the incomparably sweet pastimes of Radha and Krishna. He saw Sri Krishna along with His sakhas, enjoying His go-carana (grazing the cows) pastime during the afternoon in Sri Kumudavana. After just one moment that pastime disappeared and he saw the most beautiful form of Gauranga. He was filled with bliss, seeing the Lord along with Hisassociates, chanting and dancing in maha- sankirtana. The Lord’s transcendental form was the color of molten gold, giving ecstatic pleasure to the eyes. The king felt blessed to behold that form and offered many prayers at the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga. After some time the scene disappeared from the vision of the king, who began weeping in separation. While all this was transpiring, neither Bhimasena nor anyone else could perceive it. Seeing the king crying, Bhima thought that he must have become afraid of the battle. The Pandava then gained courage and began to show his prowess in the fight. The king, being pleased by the efforts of Bhima, eventually submitted and offered to pay him the tax, leaving him to continue on his quest. This is the place known as Samudragarh which is the boundary or outer limit of Navadvipa-dhama. Even Lord Brahma does not know the glories of this place.