bhagirathi-tate purve
mayapuram tu gokulam
tasyas tate pascime hi
vrindavanam vidur budhah
tatra rasa-sthali divya
pulinam balukamayam
rasa-sthali-pascime tu
punyam dhira-samirakam
yad yad vrindavane devi
tat tat tatra na samsayah
“Intelligent people say that Mayapura, identical to Gokula, lies on the eastern bank of the Ganga. On its western bank lies Vrindavana. In this Vrindavana there is a place called Rasa-sthali. On the west side of the Rasa-sthali is the holy place Dhira-samira where the wind blows very gently. That place is covered by pure sands and has a lovely cooling effect. Oh, Devi! There is no doubt that whatever is manifest in Vrindavana also exists here.”
(Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya ,Pramana-khanda 4.25-26)
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes in his Navadvipa-bhava-taranga,
“After giving his instructions, Lord Siva will disappear. I will bow down and then continue on, crying all the while. After viewing Sri Pulina for some time, I will fall unconscious to the earth with my voice choked and a gurgling sound coming from my throat. While devoid of external consciousness, in a dreamlike state of samadhi, a wondrous figure will appear performing her constitutional service. Suddenly I will recognize that it is I, Kamala-manjari, the eternal assistant of Ananga-manjari, the goddess of my heart. Ananga-manjari will introduce me to all her companions, give me the service of preparing comfort for Their Lordships and reveal to me the confidential pastimes of the divine couple. Near Sri Pulina is the Rasa-mandala, where Gopendra-nandana Krishna, surrounded by a billion gopis, steals the hearts of all by His dancing with Sri Radha, the predominating goddess of the rasa dance. Such graceful dancing does not exist within the material world! By great fortune, whoever sees this pastime at once drowns in that nectar. And whoever attains such a transcendental trance will be unable to give up the happiness of that astounding sight! I will be unable to adequately describe what I have witnessed. I will lock it in my heart, and gaze upon it eternally. In my own grove, while cultivating that vision in my heart, I will serve constantly under the direction of the sakhis. Ananga-manjari, the younger sister of Radharani, will bestow her mercy on me and personally show me the dhama. We will go west of the Rasa-mandala to Sri Dhira-samira, and then a little further to Vamsi-vata and the bank of the Yamuna. Rupa-manjari will question my mistress, Ananga-manjari, who will reply, ‘This new maidservant will be engaged under Lalita-sakhi’s direction. Her name is Kamala-manjari, and she is fixed in devotion to Sri Gauranga. Be merciful and give her spontaneous devotion to our Lordships.’ Hearing this, Rupa-manjari will touch my body with her merciful hand, suddenly imparting to me sublime spiritual emotions and the intense desire to worship in her footsteps. My complexion is like lightning, and my ornaments and dress sparkle like the midnight stars.
I will appear with a camphor tray in my hand, and will fall flat at her feet, begging for the unalloyed shelter of Sri Radha’s lotus feet. Rupa-manjari and Ananga-manjari will take me to the private grove of Lalita, the charming mistress of Svananda-sukhada-kunja, who dwells within, meditating on the service of Radharani’s lotus feet. I will pay my full obeisances at her lotus feet, and Visakha will explain to her my identity, ‘This is one inhabitant of Navadvipa, who wants to serve you and thereby serve the feet of Radha and Krishna.’ Lalita will be very pleased and will say to Ananga-manjari, the consort of Sesha, ‘Give her a place beside you, and carefully arrange her desired service. Take her along when you go to perform your service, and gradually she will receive the mercy of Sri Radha. Without Radha’s mercy, how can the service of Radha and Krishna be attained?’ Hearing Lalita’s words, Anangamanjari will take me to her grove and make me her own maidservant. She shows her affection by graciously allowing me to accompany her when she goes to serve the divine couple. While performing my service, I will catch a glimpse of Radha and Krishna in the distance. Then perhaps Sri Radha will display Her mercy by giving me an order and the shade of Her lotus feet. Remembering the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and constantly engaged in that service, I will gradually become expert. Thus I will please Radha and Krishna, who will occasionally give me Their ornaments as a reward.
As my dream breaks, I will weep softly. And as I cross the Ganga, I will look back at Sri Pulina. Living near Isodyana in my private grove, I will worship Gauranga, who is non-different from Radha and Krishna. Remaining fixed in my vows, I will worship Radha and Govinda, and I will gaze upon Radhakunda and Vrindavana. Remembering the feet of Ananga-manjari and the sakhis, I will drown in love of God and in the bliss attained by my personal service to Their Lordships. This Bhaktivinoda, servant of the servant of Lord Caitanya, is begging for residence in Navadvipa-dhama. I am eager for the feet of Rupa and Raghunatha Gosvamis (Rupa and Ratimanjaris), and from them I anxiously beg to achieve my perfect spiritual body and service. O residents of Navadvipa and Vrindavana, quickly establish me in Isodyana, the abode of the Lord. That is certainly within your power, for it is your place. I am simply a servant, and by assisting in your service to Their Lordships, I may attain residence in the dhama. O Navadvipa-dhama, give me your mercy, for without your mercy, how can anyone attain the Lord’s dhamas? Please do not consider whether I am fit or not, particularly in the service I have just done. I have simply extracted the essence of the instructions of Jahnava (Ananga-manjari) and Nityananda Prabhu, the holder of all energies.” (Navadvipa-bhava-taranga)