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150th Divine Anniversary of Jagadguru Srila Prabhupad Saraswati Goswami Thakur

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JAGADGURU SRILA PRABHUPAD It was Friday 6 February 1874, on the auspicious 5 th waning moon cycle during the winter season of the Magha month of the Vedic calendar, when in the holy land of India, in Jagannath Puri Dham, an effulgence newborn baby boy appeared to father Kedarnath Dutta and mother Bhagavati Devi. At the time, by the selection of British government, Kedarnath Dutta was holding the post of deputy magistrate of the Puri district in Orissa province along with the post of superintend of the world famous Lord Jagganath Deva temple. Father Kedarnath Dutta, later known and revered as Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur, chooses the name “Bimala Prasad” for the newborn baby boy. At the time of birth, the baby Bimala Prasad's body was wrapped with an umbilical cord in such a way that it looked like the boy was wearing a Brahmin thread. Furthermore, a famous astrologer read the baby's astrological chart and based on its ascendant declared that Bimala Prasad would spread...

Glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu in Scriptures

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• Sri Nityananda Pranam nityanandam aham naumi sarvananda-karam param hari-nama-pradam devam avadhuta-siromanim I bow down to the Supreme Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who is known as Avadhut, the crest jewel of all paramahamsa mendicants. He is the awarder of the highest joy to all and the bestower of the Holy Name of Lord Hari. • Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Adi-lila, 5.1 vande 'nantadbhutaisvaryam sri-nityanandam isvaram yasyechchhaya tat-svarupam ajnenapi nirupyate Let me offer my obeisances to the Supreme Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His divine will, even a fool can understand His identity. • Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Adi-lila, 1.7 sankarsanah karana-toya-sayi garbhoda-sayi cha payobdhi-sayi sesas cha yasyamsa-kalah sa nitya- nandakhya-ramah saranam mamastu Maha-Sankarsana, the predominating Deity of Vaikuntha who is the foundation of spiritual and material existence, Karanodakasayi Visnu, who presides upon the Causal Oce...

Appearance Day of Bhakti Dayitya Madhav Goswami Maharaj

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A Brief Account of His Holy Life Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja, one of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada's favorite disciples, is the tenth Acharya in the disciplic succession from Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and is the Founder Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Registered Institution. His auspicious appearance occurred in the village of Kanchanpara, Subdivision Madaripur, District Faridpur in East Bengal (now in Bangladesh) on Friday, November 18th - Utthan Ekadasi Tithi - in the year 1904 AD at 0800 AM. As the pastime of the Awakening of the All-Merciful, All-Good, All-Blissful Supreme Lord, Sri Hari, on Utthan Ekadasi Tithi (Utthan awakening) is for the eternal good of all the living beings of the world, the pastime of the Advent-Awakening of His Personal Associate, His Absolute Counterpart Gurudev (Madhava Goswami Maharaja), on Utthan Ekadasi Tithi is also for the eternal benefit of all. Param Pujyapad Most Revered Srimad Bhakti...

Gita Jayanti

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   This is the annirversary day commemorating the day that Shrimad Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Shri Krishna to His dearmost devotee Arjuna at the place now known as Jyotisar Tirtha amid the waring families of the Kurus and the Pandavas at Kurukshetra. If one wishes one can still go and visit that place and see the monument erected there with Krishna as Parthasarati (the chariot driver) and Arjuna the warrior on their chariot. It is claimed by the ashram who maintain the shrine that the tree that is next to Them is a continum growth of the original tree witness that was there at the actual day of speaking.    Traditionally devotees come to Kurukshetra (Dharmakshetra) and recite Bhagavad Gita from early morning until the next morning, perform arati to Bhagavad Gita and to Krishna and Arjuna upon the chariot, offer lamps 'deep daan' at Brahma Sarovar, shloka recitals, shobha yatras and seminars on the significance of the Gita today.    Devotee...

Jhulan Yatra

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Jhulan Yatra is one of the most important festivals celebrated in the monsoon month of Shravan (Raini season between July - August) . After Holi and Janmashthami, it is the biggest and most popular religious occasion known for its spectacular display of decorated swings, song, and dance, Jhulan is a joyful festival celebrating the Radha Krishna love coupled with the romantic fervor of the rainy season. ORIGIN OF THE JHULAN YATRA FESTIVAL Jhulan Yatra has been inspired from the swing pastimes of Krishna and his consort Radha during their fabled romance in the idyllic pastoral groves of Vrindavan, where the divine lovers along with their cowherd friends and 'gopis' took part in joyful swinging in the cool monsoon season. Jhulan Yatra has its origins in the major Krishna legends and literature such as the Bhagavata Purana, the Harivamsa, and the Gita Govinda, and the metaphor of the swing of the monsoon or 'Sawan Ke Jhuley' have since been used by poets and so...

Narasimha Chaturdashi

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Lord Narasimha was the 4th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On Narasimha Chaturdashi day Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha, a half lion and half man, to kill Demon Hiranyakashipu. The combination of Madhusudana Gaura Chaturdashi with Swati Nakshatra and weekday Saturday is considered highly auspicious to observe Narasimha Chaturdashi Vratam. The rules and guidelines to observe Narasimha Chaturdashi fasting are similar to those of Ekadashi fasting. Devotees eat only single meal one day before Narasimha Chaturdashi. All type of grains and cereals are prohibited during Narasimha Chaturdashi fasting. Parana, which means breaking the fast, is done next day at an appropriate time. On Narasimha Chaturdashi day devotees take Sankalp during Madhyahna (Hindu afternoon period) and perform Lord Narasimha Pujan during Sanyakal before sunset. It is believed that Lord Narasimha was appeared during sunset while Chaturdashi was prevailing. It is advised to keep night vigil and perfor...

Akshya Tritiya

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Akshya Tritiya, one of the most significant days in the Vedic calendar. Akshaya means, “Imperishable” or “that which never diminishes”.  IMPORTANCE OF AKSHYA TRITIYA • It is the day Srila Madhavendra Puri applied sandalwood paste on Khira-chora Gopinatha. The 21-day Chandan-yatra festival wherein due to the summer season, the Deities are covered with sandalwood paste to cool their bodies. • The construction of new chariots for RathaYatra in JagannathPuri begins on this day. • On this day, Sudama gave the Lord a tiny portion of chipped rice and was rewarded with unimaginable opulence’s. • Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, received the Akshaya-Patra from Lord Krishna on this day. • Draupadi was protected by Lord Krishna twice on this day, once when he provided her an unlimited sari at the dice game in return for a tiny piece of cloth, and later, when she needed to provide food for Durvasa Muni, the Lord took a single grain of rice from her pot and satisfied the hunger of all the sa...

Holika Dahan

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Demon Holika sat inside fire holding young Prahlad on her lap. But it was Holika who was burnt; Prahlad came out unharmed from fire. Is this just another story of good winning over evil? No! Look deep and we will find that demon Holika represents the unwanted desires, anger, jealousy, ego, pride, and greediness in us that multiplies daily. We are burning the ignorance that has enveloped us. When impurities are cleared we become child Prahlad free from attachment or hatred we regain childlike pure nature we become truth Satchidananda. Holika is not a woman but symbolically represents ignorance desires, ego, avarice, jealousy, anger which constantly multiplies in us. Why Holika is a woman and not a male demon? Only a woman can reproduce. And we regularly reproduce our desire, ego, anger, frustration, avarice and jealousy. This piles up and covers the pure self. Childlike pure nature is covered with everything unwanted. Hiranyakashipu symbolizes one who is gross. Prahlad embodies innocenc...

Appearance Day of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

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Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupad was born in 1873 at Jagannatha Puri. His father, Kedar Dutta Bhaktivinoda Thakura, was magistrate of the city and superintendent of Jagannatha temple. Once, during the Ratha yatra festival, the car stopped in front of the family’s house. Taking the opportunity, the mother of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupad came out with the baby and put him on the Lotus Feet of Jagannatha. A garland from the hand of Jagannatha fell down on the baby.  Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupad was educated in Calcutta and became learned in Mathematics and Astronomy. In his childhood he once took a mango which was meant as an offering for the Deity. When his father rebuked him, saying that he should not have taken the fruit which was meant for the Lord, the child took it very seriously and thought himself a great offender, promising not to take mango again throughout his whole life. He was known as Bimal Prasad...

Appearance Day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu

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nityananda namastubhyam premananda-pradayine kalau kalmasa-nasaya jahnava-pataye namah I offer pranama unto Sri Nityananda Prabhu who bestows the bliss of divine love, who eliminates the filth of the age of Kali, and who is the master of Jahnava-devi. On Trayodashi tithi of the auspicious Magha maas(feb-march), just after Vasant Panchami, when the earth is covered in beautiful and fragrant flowers blooming everywhere, the moon of Nityananda ray arose from the womb of Devi Padmavati in the most sanctified village of Ekachakra, giving unlimited bliss to Hadai Pandit, lord Nityananda’s father and all the other Vaishnavas. Lord Nityananda performed his inconceivably enchanting and amazing pastimes first in Ekachakra, after which he travelled to various places of pilgrimage and then joined shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Shridham Mayapur and together the two brothers drowned the entire universe in the loud and ecstatic chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Lord Nityananda is even more merci...