Book “Imlitalā Mahātmya”

The book “Imlitalā Mahātmya” by Śrīla Bhakti Saraṅga Gosvāmī Mahārāja is available here for download as an Ebook in English:

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Have you heard that, for the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇavas, among all the pastime places of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, Imlitalā is the most esoteric līlā-pīṭha, vital holy pastime place? And were you aware that Imlitalā is called “Siddhapīṭha,” a holy place of perfection, because it grants perfection not only to devotees but even to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself?

Although Imlitalā is Mahāprabhu’s own preferred place in Vraja and counted among Vṛndāvana’s prācīn-devālayas, or most prominent ancient places of worship, many devotees across the globe are still unaware of its excellence. We hope to please Śrī-Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅga by making the glories of Imlitalā widely available in English. Without a doubt, Imlitalā is one of the most esoteric holy places. In Imlitalā, in Dvāpara-yuga, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s supreme victory was celebrated with Her coronation as the Queen of Vṛndāvana. Thereafter, under the same imli tree, for the very first time, Kṛṣṇa attained the perfection of fulfilling His three internal desires – He became immersed in rādhā-mahābhāva-tadātmika-samādhī, or full empathic immersion in the devotional mood of Rādhā, and thus assumed the golden form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Also, at Imlitalā, He attained a deeper entry to Sevā-kuñja, the heart of Vṛndāvana.
Then, much later, in Kali-yuga, Nityānanda Prabhu foresaw Mahāprabhu’s arrival and prepared an āsana or sacred seat for Him here. When Mahāprabhu came to Vraja, He spent most of His time in seclusion under this imli tree, chanting Kṛṣṇa-nāma on the āsana lovingly prepared by Nityānanda Prabhu. On one unique occasion, our beloved golden Lord even again turned blackish here. Some say that relishing the Imlitalā pastimes was the internal reason for Mahāprabhu’s coming to Vṛndāvana. Under the very same imli tree, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī worshiped his beautiful Gaura-Nityānanda Deities. Imlitalā was so dear to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda that he once said:
“I am living eternally at Imlitalā.”
This book, Imlitalā Mahātmyā, is now translated from the original Bengali book by Śrīla Bhakti Sāraṅga Gosvāmī Mahārāja. For those who don’t know the author, he was one of the stalwart disciples of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. When he was with his Gurudeva, he was still a householder, and his name was “Bhakti Sāraṅga Dāsa.” Śrī Bhakti Sāraṅga Prabhu served as the secretary of the Viśva Vaiṣṇava Rāja Sabhā (the World Vaiṣṇava Association, founded by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī) and as the director of the Gauḍīya magazine, established by Śrīla Prabhupāda. He was also in charge of the vraja-maṇḍala parikramā.
The Mahāprabhu Deity in the centre of the altar in Imlitalā was installed by Śrīla Prabhupāda and used to lead those parikramās. This is how this Deity came to Imlitalā. Śrīla Prabhupāda said about Śrī Bhakti Sāraṅga Prabhu:
“Śrīman Mahāprabhu has sent one of His close associates to assist us.”
(From the Introduction.)
This English edition comes with a commentary by Rādhamādhava Dāsa that expounds on the glories of Imlitalā with further insights from various sources. For example, can you imagine, that the already perfected Kṛṣṇa again becomes a sādhaka, and that too with great pleasure? All this will be revealed in this book. Here’s a sample:
“In Imlitalā, the siddha Kṛṣṇa becomes a sādhaka and a disciple and sevaka of Rādhikā, and He finds ultimate perfection in this state of consciousness!”
(Chapt. 2.5)

Review of the book Imlitala Mahatmya

by Steven Rosen aka Satyaraja Dasa

The Inner Portion of All Esoterica

Imlitalā refers to a tamarind tree, but in the esoteric Gauḍīya Vaishnava tradition, it does not refer to just any tamarind tree, but rather to a very special one: a tree in Braj that bore witness to God attaining perfection. Of course, God is already perfect. But how He manifests the achievement of this perfection, which is as eternal as His own perfected state, is nectarean and instructive, if also wholly a part of His divine līlā.

As readers of Caitanya-caritāmṛta know, the Lord wanted to perceive three things:

(1) the glory of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, i.e., what it means to be a perfect devotee in Her particular mood of unending love;
(2) to taste His own sweetness from Her perspective, i.e., not from God’s, but from a devotee’s; and
(3) to relish the bliss She tastes as a product of loving Him.

Those three desires were fulfilled at Imlitalā! That is to say, Lord Krishna first appeared as Gaura Hari on this spot, by this tree, in the mood of Rādhikā. His dark skin would here become golden for the first time! But the reverse is also true: Indeed, when Gaura Hari visited Braj in 1515, He came daily from Akrura Ghat to sit under this very same Imlitalā near the Yamunā. At that time, He assumed the bodily color of Lord Krishna, as He sat under this very same tree in deep meditation, chanting Krishna’s names in the ecstasy of separation.

Today a resplendent deity of Lord Chaitanya is installed under this tree as well, commemorating these events. All of this and so much more is explained in this quaint volume.

“A book to be relished again and again!”

If you feel inspired to be part of this service you can do so by helping with translation into other languages, printing and distribution. Just drop us an email here. You can also offer a donation. If sufficient funds are raised, we can release the Ebook for free reading.

Related Resources

Article about Imlitala

Guided Darshans of Imlitalā and Sevakunja
Gaudiya Sangha in Delhi

How to Get To Imlitala

Imlitalā lies between the Madan-Mohan temple and Keshi Ghat on the banks of the Yamunā. It belongs to Sevakunja. You can walk there or take a bicycle or E-rikshaw. Cars are not recommended because they disturb the peace of the pilgrims.