This place near the southern border of Navadvipa, on the banks of the Ganges, is marked only by a large tree. Here Dvaraka Dham and Ganga Sagara (the place where the Ganga meets the ocean) are forever invisible. Also, this place is not different from the Bahulavan forest in Vraja. Once there was the capital of King Samudra Seine.
History of Samudra the Seine
Bhaktivinoda Thakur tells the following story about this place.
Soon after the Battle of Kurukshetra, Yudhisthira Maharaja sent his brothers to take the oath of allegiance from the vassal kings, and at the same time collect tribute for the grand Rajasuya-yagya. Bhima, going to the East, soon reached these places and, turning to King Samudra Sene, asked him to submit to Emperor Yudhisthira.
King Samudra was a great devotee and saw Krishna in everything. The king knew that Krishna was the only refuge of the Pandavas, and that when they were in danger, He always came to protect them. He thought that if he could frighten Bhima, make him cry and cry out to the Lord, Krsna would appear out of mercy to His devotee. "He will descend into this country of His servant, and I can easily see the dark-faced Krishna with my own eyes." With this intention, the king gathered warriors, elephants, horses and infantry and entered the battlefield. Without forgetting Krishna for a moment, he began to shoot his arrows one after another. Bhima, sensing danger, begged Krsna:
- O Lord, protect Your Bhima! Grant me refuge at Your lotus feet. I cannot fight Samudra Sena. Defeat will bring me shame. O gracious Krishna! You are the Lord of all the Pandavas! If I fail, it will disgrace our name.
Hearing the complaints of Bhima, Krishna appeared on the battlefield, but no one saw him except King Samudra Sena. His youthful body resembled in color a cloud that had just appeared in the sky. A magnificent garland hugged his neck, and a crown sparkled on his head. He was dressed in yellow robes, and all parts of His body shone with wonderful ornaments. Seeing the transcendental form of the Lord, the king lost consciousness from the surging feelings. Having mastered himself, he revealed to the Lord his desire:
- O Krishna, You are the Lord of the Universe, the savior of the fallen. Seeing how low I fell, You appeared here. Everyone praises the glory of Your games, and when I heard about them, I wanted to see them. But I made a vow that You will descend to Navadvipa, and now, after I have seen Your bewitching appearance here, I will never leave this land. You graciously supported my vow by appearing in the form of Krsna. But I crave more. Please, come to my eye in the golden guise of Gauranga!
The king looked up and saw the sweet pastimes of Radha and Krishna. In the forest of Kumuda, Krishna and His friends grazed cows. And suddenly this scene disappeared, and Samudra saw Gauranga and His devotees in a huge kirtana. Gauranga danced and sang, and it was impossible to take his eyes off His shining with gold and beauty.
Seeing this picture, the king, considering himself the most fortunate in all three worlds, offered prayers to the lotus feet of the Lord. After a few moments, everything disappeared, and the king burst into tears.
Bhima, who did not see anything, thought that the king was suddenly frightened of his strength and valor. And the king, who was completely satisfied, simply offered him tribute. Bhima took his and went on.
All this happened here in Samudragarh, on the edge of Navadvipa.
Ocean in Navadvip
This story is also given in Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya.
Once the ocean bowed before the Jahnavi-devi (Ganges) and came here to serve the feet of the Lord with love and devotion.
- “Oh ocean,” said Jahnavi, “soon my Lord will settle in the forest on your shore.”
- Listen, goddess! - answered the ocean, - the son of Saci will never leave Navadvipa. Although He will spend several days on my banks, He will still remain here, invisible to ordinary eyes. Navadvipa is the eternal abode of the Lord. All the Vedas glorify His pastimes in Navadvipa. Oh beautiful! I will remain here under your protection and will serve Gauranga in Navadvipa.
So the great ocean remained in Navadvipa, plunged into constant reflection on the eternal pastimes of Gauranga.
Srila Prabhupada about Samudragarh
"Do not rush. You are busy with a very important thing - you are organizing a preaching center in Hawaii. I hope you manage to turn him into New Navadvipa Dhama. There is a Samudragarh railway station in Navadvip, and it is said that once there was an ocean. And if you install a new Navadvipa on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, it will be a great achievement ”(from a letter to Govinda dasu, January 8, 1970).
Translated from dhama.dayalnitay.ru