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Srila Nimbarkacarya Appearance

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Sri Nimbarka Acarya comes in the line of the Kumara Sampradaya and is believed to have lived around the 11th and 12thcenturies. Born in the modern Murgarapattam in the southern Dravidian province, he was the son of Aruni and Jayanti, a very pious brahman a couple of the Tailanga order.

He was a great ascetic of the Tridandi order. He wrote many books according to the Dvaitadvaitavada and he lived most of his devotional life at a place called Nimbagrama near Govardhana at Vrindavana.

While at Nimbagrama, he defeated a great Jain pandit in a discussion. The Jain had refused to dine with him saying that the Sun had already set and so he would not take any food. At this, Nimbarka by his own potency made the sun appear from a Nimba tree and the astonished Jain accepted his hospitality. It is said that his name Nimbarka or Nimbaditya has been derived from this miracle of Aditya or Arka meaning sun from a nimba tree.

Once in a village near the forest of Bilva Paksha, a group of brahmanas came to
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Commentary on Mantra 11 of Sri Isopanisad:

 

I am frequently asked how I can hold the views expressed in Sri Isopanisad consistently and still teach in the academic world. How can one such as myself be a devotee of Sri Krsna and yet participate in the world of nescience on a regular basis? Vedic scripture has an answer for every question, and Mantra 11 helps answer this one.

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Prabhupada’s translation is very telling: “Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality” (p.75) So, in order to transcend to our ultimate state,  it is relevant to understand both the Absolute and the temporal; both the genuine knowledge and the nescience.

 

 Originally, of course, everything was one. There was simply the Godhead, but then Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personification of the Godhead expands Himself as Lord Vishnu, and from the navel of Lord Vishnu

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Srila Kasisvara Pandita

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Sri Kasisvara Pandita Gosvami had a temple near Sri Rampura at Catara. Mahaprabhu sent him to Vrindavana later on in his life. His disciple was Sri Govinda Gosai, the pujari of Sri Govinda Deva.

When Srila Rupa Gosvami discovered Sri Govinda Deva's Sri Vigraha at Gomati tila, he immediately sent word to Mahaprabhu at Puri. Mahaprabhu in turn requested Sri Kasisvara Pandita to go to Vrindavana. Kasisvara however expressed that "to have to give up your association will cause my heart to be split in two. Therefore please consider how I can honor your request without giving up my life."

Mahaprabhu could understand the heart of Kasisvara and therefore he gave him a self manifested Deity of Himself. Mahaprabhu sat down along with this Vigraha and accepted prasad at which Kasisvara's faith was kindled. Mahaprabhu intimated to him with this Deity and established him on the right side of Sri Govinda Deva. Then he began to serve Them with great love.

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Srila Bhugarbha Gosvami Disappearance

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As there is not much mention of Sri Lokanatha Goswami in Vaishnava  literatures, similarly there is not much mention either of Sri Bhugarbha Goswami, who was his very close friend. Following Mahaprabhu's order, they  both came to live at Vraja dham. Their hearts were inseparable.

Bhugarbha Goswami was Lokanatha’s closest friend and constant companion. He was Prema Manjari in Vraja (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 187).

bhugarbha-thakkurasyasit purvakhya prema-manjari.

According to the Sadhana-dipika, Bhugarbha was Lokanatha’s paternal uncle. The Shakha-nirnayamrita adds the following comments on Bhugarbha Goswami:
 

gosvaminam ca bhugarbham bhugarbhottham suvishrutam |
sada mahashayam vande krishna-prema-pradam prabhum ||
shrila-govinda-devasya seva-sukha-vilasinam |
dayalum premadam svaccham nityam ananda-vigraham ||

I offer my reverence to the illustrious Bhugarbha Prabhu, who is said to have been born from the bowels of the earth. He bestows love of Krishna; he takes pleasure in the service of Govi
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SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT!!! "Therefore our movement is being checked in the Western countries that this is a brainwash movement. Brainwash movement, that we are injecting some ideas by psychology, mental control, and our people they are taking to it, and it is spreading like epidemic. How to check it? Therefore they are now taking action how to stop this Hare Krsna movement in Europe and America. They are trying. Of course, we are not afraid of this attempt. They will never be successful, rest assured, because we are pushing Krsna consciousness.

Krsna was attempted to be killed from the very beginning of His life. That is the nature of this material world, "How to kill God," "God is dead." This is their attempt. So from the life of Krsna we can understand that so many attempts were made by the demons and the raksasas to kill Krsna, but actually Krsna killed them all.

So if you are sincere, if you follow the principles and push on this Krsna consciousness movemen

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Bhisma Pancaka

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Bhisma Pancaka

 
This kind of 5 day fast is also prescribed for the last 5 days of Kartika (Damodara) Month and it is known as "Bhisma Pancaka". During that vrata puja offerings to the Lord are also prescribed. I am listing them below. There are also mantras that go with these offerings. However, I didn't find any specific mention about this for Purusottama month. In the Padma Purana it only stated that in addition to ekadasee one can observe a "pancaratrika" fast until amavasya. Here are offerings prescribed for Bhisma Pancaka.

Devotees may offer the following to the Deity form of the Lord:
1. On the first day, one must offer padma (lotus) flowers to the feet of the Lord


2. On the second day, one must offer bilva (wood-apple) leaves of the thigh of the Lord


3. On the third day, one must offer gandha (scents) to the navel of the Lord


4. On the fourth day, one must offer java flower to the shoulders of the Lord


5. On the fifth day, one must offer malati flower to the head (siro-desa) of

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Gaura Kishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja

Shrila Gaura Kishora Dasa Babaji.

   In 1849, Shrila Gaura Kishora Dasa Babaji left grihasta life after the death of his wife. He moved to Vrindavana and took initiation from Shri Bhagavata Dasa Babaji, a disciple of Shri Jagannatha Dasa, Babaji. For over thirty years Gaura Kishora Dasa stayed in Vrindavana performing bhajana under the trees at Giri Govardhana, Nandagrama, Varshana, Radha-Kunda, Surya-kunda, Raval, Gokula.

   Sitting in seclusion, he chanted 200,000 names of Krishna every day (128 rounds of japa). He felt painful separation from Radha-Govinda and cried profusely. As he wandered through the dvadasa vana (12 forests) of Vraja, he would loudly chant the Holy Names in a deep voice full of lamentation. He would also relish the following bhajan:

kothay go prema-mayi radhe radhe!
radhe radhe go jaya radhe radhe!
dekha diya prana rakho radhe radhe!
tomar kangal tomay dake radhe radhe!
radhe vrindavana-vilasini radhe radhe!
radhe kanu-mano-mohini radhe radhe!
radhe astha-sakhir si

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Gopastami

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Gopastami, or Gosthastami is came after previously having grazed the calves, on this day Krsna first went out to graze the cows. In this way He became a gopa, a cowherd boy. 

 


On this day lord Sri Krishna became a qualified cowherd. Before this day, he was a keeper of the calves.

The Killing of Dhenukasura:

"Thus Sri Krishna, along with His elder brother Balarama, passed the childhood age known as kaumara and stepped into the age of pauganda, from the sixth year up to the tenth. At that time, all the cowherd men conferred and agreed to give those boys who had passed their fifth year charge of the cows in the pasturing ground. Given charge of the cows, Krishna and Balarama traversed Vrindavana, purifying the land with Their lotus footprints."

It is stated in the Karttika-mahatmya section of the Padma Purana:

suklastami karttike tu
smrta gopastami budhaih
tad-dinad vasudevo bhud
gopah purvam tu vatsapah

"The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Karttika is known by authorities

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Gadadhara Dasa Goswami

...Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describe Lord Chaitanya as radha-bahva-dyuti suvalita, "characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Shrimati Radharani." Gadadhara Dasa is this dyuti, luster. Gadadhara Dasa is sometimes called "the personification of Sri Radhika's divine effulgence." (In the image: Shrimati Radharani).

   Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has basically two groups of associated. One group such as the dvadasa gopalas (Abhirama Gopalas, Gauridasa Pandit, Dhananjaya and others) serve Sri Nityananda Prabhu in the mood of sakhya rasa (Friendship). The second group always stay merged in the mellow of madhurya rasa (conjugal love).

   Sri Gadadhara Goswami is a united form of Chandrakanti gopi (an expansion of Radharani's effulgence) and Purnanada (an expansion of Lord Balarama's dear girlfriend). Thus, Gadadhara Dasa was an associate of both Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describe Lord Chaitanya as radha-bahva-dyuti suvalita, "characterized by t

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Sri Dhananjaya Pandita Disappearance

   
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Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata describe Dhananjaya Pandit as vilaksana mahanta, "having all the characteristics of a great personality." He took part in Lord Gaurachandra's Navadwipa kirtana pastimes before moving to Vrindavana on Mahaprabhu's order.
   
   Carrying only a kamandalu–but remaining absorbed in love of Sri Krishna and Sri Chaitanya–he traveled widely and preached. He established Deities of Gaura-Nitai, Sri Gopinatha, and Damodara. In Vraja lila he is Vasudama, one of Lord Balarama's dvadasa gopalas. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area

- See more at: http://gaudiyahistory.com/sri-dhananjaya-pandit/#sthash.2Qy5Y6TI.dpuf

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Sri Srinivasa Acharya Disappearance

Shrinivasa Acharya

Seeing his absorption in Gauranga prema, they knew he was "an embodiment of Gaura-shakti, the energy of Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu." (In the image: Shrinivasa Acharya

    After witnessing Lord Gauranga's sannyasa ceremony at Katva, Chaitanya Dasa and his pregnant wife visited Lord Chaitanya in Jagannatha Puri. "Soon your wife will give birth to a son named 'Shrinivasa' said Lord Chaitanya, "and through Shrinivasa all the bhakti shastras of Rupa and Sanatana will be distributed."

   When his father left this world Shrinivasa visited the remaining associates of Lord Gauranga in Katva, Navadwipa, Jagannatha Puri. They blessed Shrinivasa and gave him valuable instructions for spiritual advancement. Seeing his absorption in Gauranga prema, they knew he was "an embodiment of Gaura-shakti, the energy of Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu."

   He came to Vrindavana, toured the twelve forests, and took diksha from Gopala Bhatta Goswami. Shri Jiva Goswami taught him the complete philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavis

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Vidura Enquires From Maitreya Rsi Many of us get opportunities to speak on Krsna consciousness, while preaching or interacting with others. We may speak to the best of our ability. Nevertheless, it will surely help us to know, what our mood must be when we try to reach out to oth er and distribute to them the nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam. There is a beautiful episode regarding this in Caitanya Bhagavata, where a con versation takes place between Devananda Pandita and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Once Devananda Pandita approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He pleaded "0 my Lord, I place one request at Your feet. Please tell me what should I do. I know that the Bhagavatam is meant to be spoken by a person who knows everything. However, I don't know any thing at all. Still I lecture on it. Please tell me how should I lecture on the Bhagavatam. How should I explain it ? My dear Lord, please enlighten me. Hearing these words, Lord Caitanya began describing the glories of Srimad Bhagavatam. He said" Please listen and I will explain how to lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam. You should place into your mouth only the word 'bhakti' (devotional service) . Don't speak any other word. l Eternal, imperishable, always perfect devotional service to Lord Visnu is the sole topic in the beginning, middle and the end of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Devotional service is the greatest truth in the numberless universes. When all the universes are destroyed, devotional service will remain, perfect and powerful. Easily giving Out the gift of liberation, Lord Narayana however conceals devotional service. Without Lord Krsna's mercy, no one can understand the truth of devotional service. Srimad-Bhagavatam explains the truth of devotional service. No other scripture can be Srimad Bhagavatam's equal. As Matsya, Kurma, and other incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead sometimes appear before the people and sometimes disappear, in the same way Srimad Bhagavatam also appears and disappears. It is not a book written by someone. Only by Lord Krsna's mercy, and because of Vyasa's sincere devotion did the Srimad-Bhagavatam appear on Vyasadevas tongue. No one can know all the truths of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the same way no can know about all the truths of Srimad Bhagavatam. This is confirmed by all the scriptures. Anyone who declares, I ll understand Srimad-Bhagavatam", does not really know the truth about it. But an uneducated person who humbly takes shelter of the Bhagavatam will easily see it's true meaning. It is made of ecstatic spiritual love. It is Lord Krsn a's own body. It describes Lord Krsna's secret pastimes. After speaking the Vedas and Puranas, Vedavyasa was not contended at heart, instead he was morose and dejected; he felt unfulfilled. But when Srimad-Bhagavatam appeared on his tongue, he at once felt joy in his heart. However, when reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, some people fall into a great danger. Honestly listen, 0 brahmana, and I will tell you about this. When you lecture say that in the beginning, middle, and end of Srimad-Bhagavatam, devotional service alone is described. Then you will not commit any offense. Then you will feel joy in your thoughts. Every scripture speaks only of devotional service to Lord Krsna. But Srimad-Bhagavatam is especially sweet with the nectar of Lord Krsna. In this way go and teach. Explain to everyone the nectar of devotional service to Lord Krsna." Hearing the Lord's in structions, Devananda Pandita offered dandavat obeisances. He realised how he had become very fortunate to h ear this from the Lord Himself. He offered obeisances again and again. Then he departed meditating on the Lord's lotus feet, in his heart.

Many of us get opportunities to speak on Krsna consciousness, while preaching or interacting with others. We may speak to the best of our ability. Nevertheless, it will surely help us to know, what our mood must be when we try to reach out to oth er and distribute to them the nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam. There is a beautiful episode regarding this in Caitanya Bhagavata, where a con versation takes place between Devananda Pandita and Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Once Devananda Pandita approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He pleaded "0 my Lord, I place one request at Your feet. Please tell me what should I do. I know that the Bhagavatam is meant to be spoken by a person who knows everything. However, I don't know any thing at all. Still I lecture on it. Please tell me how should I lecture on the Bhagavatam. How should I explain it ? My dear Lord, please enlighten me.

Hearing these words, Lord Caitanya began describing the glories of Srimad Bhagavatam. He said" Please listen and I will explai

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"Sometimes this question comes up, with the devotees especially, that it says the devotee makes advancement when the spiritual master is pleased. Right? So sometimes the spiritual master is far, far away. He may be in Los Angeles. Somebody is coming to Hamburg temple. He thinks, "How will the spiritual master be pleased?"

Prabhupāda: Just follow his order. Spiritual master is along with you by his words. Just like my spiritual master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words.

Revatī-nandana: And Kṛṣṇa knows that; therefore we make advancement. He is sitting in our heart. He knows what we're doing. So He sees, "He's serving My pure devotee," immediately there is advancement.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Spiritual master..., Kṛṣṇa is not limited. It is not material. You can associate with Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master in any circumstance, provided you want two things. Just like we can associate with Kṛṣṇa immediately if we take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. He is not differen

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Commentary on Mantra 10 of Sri Isopanisad:

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Building upon the notions laid out in mantra 9, this mantra explains that there is a culture of knowledge (vidyaya) and a culture of nescience (aviddaya). Most of society belongs to the culture of nescience, which is why business and science classes swell, and religion and ethics classes go by the wayside. People are concerned with making money, and gaining fame, so much so that they do not understand what they are doing. This is why we have war, poverty, and so many other problems. One can split the atom and create a bomb. One can create new ways of strip mining to destroy the mountains. Of course, one can also cure diseases, but that too is done in the name of profit and fame.

 

The knowledge that our culture tries to attain is a knowledge of destruction. People of this culture seek the money and fame as a way of masking the miseries of this existence. We all want to be happy, and so we seek ways to amuse ourselves, and avoid the pains. So

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Srila Prabhupada

AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada - Founder Acharya of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness).

     His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appeared in a family of pure Gaudiya Vaisnavas in 1896 in Calcutta. From early childhood he showed signs of pure devotion to Lord Sri Krishna. At the tender age of five, he single-handedly organized a neighborhood Ratha-yatra festival to glorify Lord Jagannatha. He authentically decorated a small cart to resemble the Lord's colossal chariot in Puri. Besides leading the kirtana party, he organized cooking and prasadam distribution. With his enthusiasm and ecstatic love for Lord Krishna he engaged the community in chanting:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. 

   Unlike other children his age who would waste their time playing, Srila Prabhupada preferred to visit the local Radha Krishna temple. For hours together, he would lovingly gaze upon the transcendental forms o

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Bhakti is not under karma

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Bhakti is not under karma. Bhakti is under your good will. If you accept to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you can do that without being checked by anything else. Simply you have to will, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa. You are asking me. So long I did not do. From this day I do." That will depend upon you.
-Srila Prabhupada - Morning Walk —

July 2, 1975, Denver

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Srila Vasudeva Ghosh Disappearance

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The three brothers, Sri Vasudeva Ghosa, Sri Madhava Ghosa and Sri Govinda Ghosa were very expert singers. Sri Nityananda Prabhu Himself would dance as they sang. [C.B. Antya 5.259]

According to some, their maternal uncle's house was in the village of Buron (or Burangi) in Sylhet (Srihatta). Their father later took up residence at Kumarahatta. After residing there for some time, the three brothers came to live at Navad­vipa.

They were born in the family of uttara-radhiya Kayasthas, and were very intimate associates of Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur states that they are immediate expansions of Srimati Radhika's body.

All three of them composed very sweet songs describing the lilas of Sri Gaurasundar and Sri Krsna. They have particularly described the childhood pastimes of Gaura Hari, His sankirtana pastimes and acceptance of sannyasa, as well as descriptions of the beauty of Sri Nityananda prabhu.

According to Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, Sri Govinda, Sri Madhava an
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Who, how, when ...

"In every era many persons whose personalities were rajasik (passionate) and tamasik (slothful or dark) attained Me by virtue of associating with My devotees. Some such persons were demons, while others were heavenly beings. Birds and beasts attained Me, and among humans, I have been attained by businessmen, simple labourers, women and others. Vritasur, Prahlad, Bali, Banasur, Maya and Vibhishan (born to demon families) attained Me, as did Sugriv, Hanuman, Jambavan, Gajendra, and Jatayu (animals). Tuladhar, Dharma-Vyadha, Kubja, the gopis and the wives of the Brahmins who were making the sacrificial offerings - all of them attained Me, though they performed no austerities, nor did they study scripture to great lengths or worship the great saints. They attained Me just by associating with Me and My devotees. (Srimad Bhagwatam 11.12.3-7) "

"Intelligence engaged in My devotion cannot be thwarted at any time. Even at the time of creation, as well as at the time of annihilation, your remem

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