nÄma-saá¹…kÄ«rtanaá¹ Å›rÄ«man-
mathurÄ-maṇá¸ale sthitiḥ
nÄma-saá¹…kÄ«rtanam - chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahÄ-mantra; Å›rÄ«man-mathurÄ-maṇá¸ale - in MathurÄ, where Kṛṣṇa specifically performs His pastimes; sthitiḥ - residence.
“ ‘One should congregationally chant the holy name of the Lord and reside in Vá¹›ndÄvana.’
ÅšrÄ«la Narottama dÄsa ṬhÄkura has sung:
Å›rÄ« gauá¸a-maṇá¸ala-bhÅ«mi, yeba jÄne cintÄmaṇi,
tÄra haya vrajabhÅ«mi vÄsa
“One who understands the transcendental nature of NavadvÄ«pa and its surrounding area, where ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu enacted His pastimes, resides always in Vá¹›ndÄvana.†Similarly, living in JagannÄtha PurÄ« is as good as living in Vá¹›ndÄvana. The conclusion is that NavadvÄ«pa-dhÄma, JagannÄtha PurÄ«-dhÄma and Vá¹›ndÄvana-dhÄma are identical.
However, if one goes to MathurÄ-maṇá¸ala-bhÅ«mi for sense gratification or to make a livelihood, he commits an offense and is condemned. Whoever does so must be penalized in the next life by becoming a hog or a monkey in Vá¹›ndÄvana-dhÄma. After taking on such a body, the offender is liberated in the next life. ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura remarks that residing in Vá¹›ndÄvana with a view to enjoy sense gratification surely leads a so-called devotee to a lower species.
