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Simply by reading

Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta (2013-05-18). Patramrta: Nectar from the Letters (Kindle Locations 1212-1217). Touchstone Media. Kindle Edition.

"Simply by reading about glorification of the Supreme Lord and the devotees, all our needs will be fulfilled. Do not be impatient for the result, but rather always chant the holy names of Krishna with patience and tolerance. The Supreme Lord will certainly not sit quietly. According to the degree of one’s sādhana, Śrī Gauraharī certainly awards one auspicious results . Service to Hari is called bhakti. You will realize that chanting of the names of Krishna is in itself bhakti. You may touch your chanting beads to the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurasundara within your mind and chant the holy names of Krishna on those beads."

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C/o @[823570625:2048:Lea Kusanic] and Brihad-mridanga <br /

The Sankirtana devotees are very very dear to Krishna. Because you are doing the field work of book distribution, Krishna has immediately recognized them as true servants.

Just like during war time, a farm boy or ordinary clerk who goes to fight for his country on the front, immediately becomes a national hero for his sincere effort. So Krishna immediately recognizes a preacher of Krishna consciousness who takes all risks to deliver his message. (Letter to Uttamasloka -- Vrindaban 11 December, 1975)

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Srila Saranga Thakura - Disappearance

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ENTRANCE TO SRI SARANGA THAKURA’S “MADANA-GOPALA TEMPLE”
 

Sri Saranga Murari Thakura used to reside at Modadrumadwipa Mam-gachi, where his Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath are still present. There is also a Bakul tree there which is perhaps existing since the time of Saranga Thakura. There is a local legend concerning this tree. One day when Mahaprabhu came there, he noticed that the Bakul tree in the courtyard of Saranga's temple was dying. So he asked Saran-ga, "This Bakul tree is dying, so what are you going to do?"

 
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Saranga Thakura replied, "Besides Your mercy Prabhu, I don't see any hope for this tree." Then Mahaprabhu embraced that tree, which has remained healthy to this day and is now quite large.

Saranga Thakura had resolved that he would not accept any disciples but Mahaprabhu nevertheless repeatedly requested him to do so. Finally he relented and agreed by saying, "Tomorrow morning the first person I see I will initiate with the divine mantra."

The next day, in the early mornin
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Glories of Mother Laxmi Devi

9468783869?profile=original"Mother Laksmiji, the goddess of fortune, is well known for always massaging the lotus feet of Lord Narayana. She is an ideal wife because she takes care of Lord Narayana in every detail. She takes care not only of His lotus feet but of the household affairs of the Lord as well. She cooks nice foods for Him, fans Him while He eats, smoothes sandalwood pulp on His face and sets His bed and sitting places in the right order. In this way she is always engaged in the service of the Lord, and there is hardly any opportunity for any other devotee to intrude upon His daily activities."

Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:20:28

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"The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, the dust of whose feet is worn on the head by others, waits upon You, as appointed, for she is anxious to secure a place in the abode of the king of bees, who hovers on the fresh wreath of tulasi leaves offered at Your feet by some blessed devotee.

Purport: As previously described, tulasi has attained all superior qualities due to being placed at th

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Srila Kaliya Krsnadasa - Disappearance

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Srila Kaviraja Goswami writes (Chaitanya Charitamrta-lila Adi 11:37.) that Kaliya Krishna Dasa Thakura was one of the principle devotees of Nityananda Prabhu. He knew nothing other than the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

According to Srila Kavi Karnapura's Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika (text 132.), he was one of the 12 gopals in Vrindavana, and in the pastimes of Krishna in Vrindavana was known as Labhanga, one of Krishna's cowherd boy friends. Here he is refered to as Kalah Krsnadasa or Kalakrsnadasa.

On the twelfth day of the dark moon in the month of Caitra, Sri Kaliya Krishna Dasa Thakura disappeared from this world. This is not the same Kaliya Krishna dasa who accompanied Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to South India. At present, Kaliya Krishnadas's descendents live in different holy places in Bengal.

His birthplace is in the Bardhaman (Burdwan) district of West Bengal within a short distance from the Railway station at Katwa, at the village called Akai Hatta. This village is situated on the

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Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was born at Sri Khanda. Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami describes that the residents of Sri Khanda formed a branch of the desire tree of love of God. "Sri Khan davasi (the residents of Sri Khanda) Mukunda and his son Raghu nandan were the thirty ninth branch of the tree, Narahari was the fortieth, Chiran Jiva the forty first and Sulocana the forty second. They were all big branches of the all merciful tree of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere. [Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi-lila 10:78-79] Srila Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaj once stated - "Navadwip is the abode of Goloka. Vrindavana is the abode of Gokula. And Sri Khanda is the abode of Vaikuntha."
 
Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura participated in all of Sri Gaurasundora's pastimes. Bhakti Ratnakara states: "Sri Sarkar Thakura's glories are most uncommon. In Braja he is known as Madhumati, whose good qualities are unlimited." (thus proving he was not
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29 Nov 2013 - Utpanna Ekadashi

“Austerity does not simply mean abstention from worldly pleasure. One who is pure-hearted and kind to all living entities is actually a great sage, even though he may be situated in household life. One who performs austerities with an impure heart receives only bodily pains as a result, for his endeavors can never free him from sinful reactions. It is purity of heart and godliness that cause austerities to become effective. The acts, in and of themselves, such as taking sannyasa, fasting, etc. cannot give any good result.”

From Prabhupad.

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Katyayani Vrata begins

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Chapter Twenty-one contains twenty verses, describing how Krishna entered the forest of Vrindavana in the autumn, playing His flute, and how He attracted the gopis, who were singing His glories. The Twenty-second Chapter contains thirty-eight verses, describing how the gopis prayed to the goddess Katyayani to obtain Krishna as their husband and how Krishna later stole the garments of the gopis while the gopis were bathing in the Yamuna.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10th Canto 22nd Chapter Summary by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.   

 

Krishna Steals the Garments of the Unmarried Gopis

This chapter describes how the marriageable daughters of the cowherd men worshiped Katyayani to get Lord Sri Krishna as their husband, and how Krishna stole the garments of the young girls and gave the girls  benedictions.

During the month of Margasirsha, every day early in the morning the young daughters of the cowherds would take one another’s hands and, singing of Krishna’s transcendental qualities, g

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Tulasi-Saligrama Vivaha (marriage)

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Tulasi - Shaligram Vivaha
 
This is the celebration of the marriage ceremony of Srimati Tulsi Devi and Lord Sri Krishna.
 
Marriage of Shalagrama and Tulasi written by Sri Padmanabha Gosai.
Shri Vasishthaji said that what I have heard in ancient times from Lord Brahma about the marriage of Tulasi I will now describe according to what is written in the Narada-pancaratra. First one should plant Tulasi either in the house or the forest, and after three years one may perform her marriage. The auspicious times when one may perform the marriage of Shalagrama and Tulasi are described as follows. When the sun is moving in the north, Jupiter and Venus are rising, in the month of Kartika, from the Ekadashi to the full moon in the month of Magha, and when constellations that are auspicious for marriage appear, especially the full moon day. - First one should arrange a place for sacrifice (yajna-kunda) under a canopy (mandapa). Then after performing shanti-vidhana, one should install sixteen goddesses,
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Sri Krsna Rasayatra

The purnima or full moon of Damodara month is the second full moon of the autumn season, and rasa lila is again celebrated. This second rasa yatra is celebrated more in Bengal, whereas the first one is celebrated more in Vrndavana.


On this day one should perform full worship of Radha and Krsna with many flowers, and place them in a rasa mandapa surrounded by the gopis.

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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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Srila Kasisvara Pandita - Disappearance

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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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The same thing, we are preaching.

Pamho

9468757096?profile=original  "The same thing, we are preaching. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is nothing new. It is coming down from the original speaker, Kṛṣṇa, by disciplic succession. So we are reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I have manufactured some book and I am preaching. No. I am preaching Bhagavad-gītā. The same Bhagavad-gītā as it was first spoken forty millions of years ago to the sun-god and again it was repeated five thousand years ago to Arjuna. The same thing is coming down by disciplic succession, and the same thing is presented before you. There is no change."

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9468775866?profile=originalWednesday, November 13, 2013
Sri Gaura Kishora dasa Babaji tirobhava tithi (disappearance day)
Srila Prabhupada elaborates on the exalted position of Sri Gaura Kishora dasa Babaji
Lectures : Bhagavad-gita Lectures : Bg 2: Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972 :
So we accept the authorities of Vyāsa. And from Vyāsa, Madhvācārya; from Madhvācārya, so many disciplic succession, up to Mādhavendra Purī. Then Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanyadeva; from Lord Caitanyadeva to six Gosvāmīs; from six Gosvāmīs to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; from him, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya; from him, Viśvanātha Cakravartī; from him, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī; then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; my spiritual master. The same thing, we are preaching. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is nothing new. It is coming down from the original speaker, Kṛṣṇa, by disciplic succession. So we are reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I have manufactured some book
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Saturday November 16, 2013 - Sri Nimbarka acarya avirbhava tithi ( appearance day)

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Saturday, November 16, 2013
Sri Nimbarka acarya avirbhava tithi (appearance day)

Srila Prabhupada refers to Sri Nimbarka acarya.

Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 16: The Pastimes of the Lord in His Childhood and Youth : Adi 16.25 : PURPORT :

The Bhakti-ratnākara mentions Keśava Kāśmīrī and lists his predecessors in the disciplic succession of the Nimbārka-sampradāya: (1) Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, (2) Viśva Ācārya, (3) Puruṣottama, (4) Vilāsa, (5) Svarūpa, (6) Mādhava, (7) Balabhadra, (8) Padma, (9) Śyāma, (10) Gopāla, (11) Kṛpā, (1 2) Deva Ācārya, (13) Sundara Bhaṭṭa, (14) Padmanābha, (15) Upendra, (16) Rāmacandra, (17) Vāmana, (18) Kṛṣṇa, (19) Padmākara, (20) Śravaṇa, (21) Bhūri, (22) Mādhava, (23) Śyāma, (24) Gopāla, (25) Balabhadra, (26) Gopīnātha, (27) Keśava, (28) Gokula and (29) Keśava Kāśmīrī. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnākara that Keśava Kāśmīrī was a favorite devote

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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 the Lor

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