In order to establish this fact, we shall now first refer to the statement of the great Padma Purana. That is:
sampradaya vibinamshcha mantraste viphala matah
athou kalau bhavishyanti chatvara sampradayane
sri brahma rudra sanaka vaisnava kshiti pavana
chatvaraste kalau bhavyat utkale purushottamat
(Verse from the Padma Purana)
Translation: In this age of Kali, all the 4 principal branches of vaisnava paramparas (Krishna-bhakti) namely Sri, Brahma, Rudra and Sanaka will assimilate together in the Land of Utkala at Sri Purushottama Dham and spread the nectar of Krishna-prema throughout the entire world.
This is the verse that indicates the place from where Krishna-prema will spread. In the Oriya Gopaljiu publication named Suddha Nama Bhajan (conversations), Srila Gour Govinda Swami can be found discussing the prediction made by a great vaisnava sadhu named “Srila Kanupriya Gosvami”.
According to his statement in an old published vaisnava journal, Srila Kanupriya Gosvami had predicted that the age of Prema (Prema-yuga) would begin exactly 10 years after the 500th appearance anniversary of Lord Caitanya.
Coincidently, it was exactly 10 years after the 500th appearance anniversary of Sriman Mahaprabhu; that is in the year 1996, that Dandabhanga Dham was discovered and brought to the limelight.
Now a question may be raised over the verse of the Padma Purana (i.e.): When it only mentions Sri Purushottama Dham and nothing of Dandabhanga then why has Dandabhanga been given the prime emphasis? The answer is very simple, that is — even by looking externally, we can see that the Dandabhanga Tirtha falls exactly within the Pancha Krosha or the Atma Mandala of Sri Purushottama Dham (Jagannath Puri Dham).
The Atma Mandala is the most vital part of Sri Purushottama Dham. It is said in the Brahma Purana that the transcendental significance of Purushottama Khsetra, which is the 80 square mile field of Lord Jagannath, cannot be properly described. Even the demigods from higher planetary systems see the inhabitants of this Jagannath Puri as having exactly the same bodily features possessed by one in Vaikuntha. That is the demigods see the inhabitants of Jagannath Puri as being four-handed.
This Dham is non different from the Lord Himself and it is the expansion of His transcendental body. atma means “the soul”. The entire body derives all its energy from the vital soul and without the soul the body cannot exist. Similarly, in the body of Sri Purushottama Dham, the most vital part is the Atma Mandala (Pancha Krosha) and Sri Dandabhanga Dham falls inside that Atma Mandala. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also known as Prema Purushottama (the Supreme personification of Prema). Through the help of Lord Nityananda, in order to spread Krishna-prema, He had Himself installed over here, in the form of His staff (danda).
This staff is a complete spiritual substance and is non different from Sriman Mahaprabhu Himself. It can never be separated from Him. The most merciful Lord Nityananda, who had especially come to distribute that prema, had purposefully broken this staff and established it here, after having been inspired by Lord Caitanya from His within.
In Sri Caitanya Sahasra Nama compiled by Srila Puri Das (Kavi Karnapura), the names of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu are given as follows:
kalashodasa sampurnah purnabrahma sanatanah
caitanya krishna chaitanyo danda dhrk nyastadandakah
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is named as holder of the danda and is also named as the one who has established Himself at that place in the form of His danda. Furthermore, in Srila Locana Das Thakur’s Caitanya Mangala, at the time of acceptance of the danda (staff), Mahaprabhu is found addressing it by saying:
ami ye sakala chadi karilu sanyasa
tumi na chadile more janme janme vamsa
rama avatare tumi dhanuka hayan
rahile amare hate dustera lagiya
krsna avatare vamsi haya mora kare
mohita karila tume akhila samsare
ebe danda hayan mora aila karete
kali yuge pasanda dalana hetu rite
(Sri Caitanya Mangala, Madhya Khanda, Atirikta paat)
Translation: Oh, My danda! I am amazed to see that although I have given up everything by becoming a sannyasi, still you have never left me but instead remained with Me life after life. When I was traveling in the forest as Lord Sri Ramacandra, you were always in My hand as My bow and arrow.
And also during My Lila Purushottama pastime of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, you were always there in My hand as My flute captivating the entire world with Krishna-prema. And now after I have given up everything, still you have never given Me up and thus you remain with Me as My danda in order to vanquish the bogus philosophies of pasandis (the atheists) in Kali-yuga.” These are just a few of the facts which show that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His danda are non different and inseparable from each other. The Lord, in the form of His danda (staff), is still personally present on this land to give Krishna-prema.
It is also a bonafide truth that the Dandabhanga pastime is evidently the most inconceivable and supremely hidden (Parama Gambhira) pastime of Lord Caitanya as confirmed in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya, 5.158), it is stated:
dandabhanga lila ei parama gambhira
sei bujhe dunhara pade yanra bhakti dhira.
The words parama and dhira, which are so significant, are never found together anywhere in all the unlimited pastimes of Lord Caitanya excluding that of the Dandabhanga pastime.
Moreover, it is also the first ever pastime of the Lord during His sannyasa Lila. All of these facts as mentioned in the scriptures should provide one with more than sufficient evidence to prove this site’s authenticity. There are also many ancient existing manuscripts written in Bengali and Oriya which have not only predicted the authenticity and greatness of this site but have also mentioned how this site will turn out to be the center point of the entire world from where Krishna-prema will spread (in that way, marking a beginning to Prema-yuga). In one such old manuscript, it has been mentioned that a Dham (Prema Dham), meant to spread Krishna-prema, would manifest in Kali-yuga.
Also in another old manuscript it has been very boldly and specifically mentioned that in Kali-yuga the Ganga of Krishna-prema would spread throughout the world from Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Dandabhanga Dham. Actually all these manuscripts and proofs are still present, but they are not in a position to be displayed because of various difficulties. Hence, it will take another laborious process of making the necessary investigations and research in order to retrace their whereabouts.
However, the fact is that they do exist and proof of the existence of these writings and the validity of their claims will be provided in the future when proper research fundings are made available. Therefore, after viewing all these considerations, it has been finally confirmed and declared by great saints of venerated stature that Dandabhanga Dham is undoubtedly the place from where Prema will spread.
The most inconceivable mercy of Lord Caitanya, which is to spread Krishna-prema, has manifested through the revelation of this great Dham.