Five hundred years ago in the district of Puri, in the village of Bentapur adjacent to Brahmagiri Alalnath, there lived a great devotee named Bhavananda Raya.
Bhavananda had five sons, the eldest of which was Ramananda.
Descendants of this family-line are known as Choudhury Pattanayaka.
It is said that Lord Caitanya visited the birth-place of Ramananda in Alalnath every year.
Ramananda was the Governor of East and West Godavari and a minister of King Prataparudra.
A great statesman of that period, Ramananda was also a poet and a scholar.
When Bhavananda met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord embraced him and said, "Formerly you appeared as Pandu, and your five sons appeared as the five Pandavas."
The five sons of Bhavananda Raya were Ramananda Raya, Pattanayaka Gopinatha, Kalanidhi, Sudhanidhi and Nayaka Vaninatha.
The Gauraganoddesadipika (120-124) states that Ramananda Raya was Arjuna in his past incarnation.
He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopi Lalita, alth
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"It is said in the śāstras that by once uttering the holy name of the Lord, the sinner gets rid of a quantity of sins that he is unable to commit. Such is the power of uttering the holy name of the Lord. There is not the least exaggeration in this statement.
Actually the Lord's holy name has such powerful potency. But there is a quality to such utterances also. It depends on the quality of feeling.
A helpless man can feelingly utter the holy name of the Lord, whereas a man who utters the same holy name in great material satisfaction cannot be so sincere. A materially puffed up person may utter the holy name of the Lord occasionally, but he is incapable of uttering the name in quality.
Therefore, the four principles of material advancement, namely (1) high parentage, (2) good wealth, (3) high education and (4) attractive beauty, are, so to speak, disqualifications for progress on the path of spiritual advancement.
The material covering of the pure spirit soul is an external feature, as
Once, sage Vyasa went to Brahmaloka to get his doubts cleared on certain spiritual matters from Lord Brahma. While dwelling on a wide range of religious topics such as importance of austerities and various incarnations Lord Vishnu took to protect righteousness, Lord Brahma narrated a tale of a Brahmin woman who possessed divine powers on account of her chastity.
Lord Brahma said--'During ancient times there lived a Brahmin named Kaushik in Pratishthanpur Nagar. He was inflicted with leprosy but still his wife was very chaste and faithful towards him. His wife used to be on her toes attending to all his demands and looking after all his requirements. But still, he used to scold and abuse his wife at the first given opportunity without any rhyme or reason. However, his wife did not mind his behaviour understanding quite well the frustrations of a man suffering from dreaded disease like leprosy.'
One day, something happened which made Kaushik extremely angry and in a fit of rage he made an
>>> SRILA SRINIVASA ACARYA <<<
Srila Srinivasa Acarya was a member of the party that first brought the books of the six Gosvamis from Vrndavana to Bengal and Orissa. He converted King Birahambira to the Vaisnava religion and helped organized the first Gaura Purnima festival, celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya, in Kheturi Gram.
Srila Srinivasa Acarya is one of the most important personalities in the religious history of Bengal, perhaps the most important Vaisnava teacher in the generation immediately following Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
After witnessing Lord Gauranga's sannyasa ceremony at Katva, Chaitanya Dasa and his pregnant wife visited Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri. "Soon your wife will give birth to a son named 'Srinivasa' said Lord Caitanya, "And through Srinivasa all the bhakti sastras of Rupa and Sanatana will be distributed."
When his father left this world Srinivasa visited the remaining associates of Lord Gauranga in Katva, Navadwipa, Jagannatha Puri.
The Ganda Berunda took physical form in the Narasimha,after Narasimha has slain the demon Hiranyakashyapa, through the taste of blood, Narasimha did not let go of his dreadful form and the demigods were even more afraid from the supreme lord now, than before the demon. Shiva, the best friend of Vishnu, thus incarnated himself as Sharabha a part-lion and part-bird beast. With his Wings, representing Goddess Durga and Kali, he embraced Narasimha and pacified him. But out of Narasimha (Vishnu) emerged an even more fearful form: Ganda Berunda, having two heads, fearful rows of teeth, black in complexion and with wide blazing wings. The destructive energy of Narasimha (Vishnu) in the form of the two-headed bird, began to fight fiercely with Sharabha (Shiva) for eighteen days. After the eighteenth day, Narasimha (Vishnu) was finally able to overcome his infinite fierce energy, and regained control over it. In order to save the universe from Vishnu and Shiva's fiercest forms (Berunda and Shar
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotra by Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada. Lakshmi Nrsimha Karavalamba Stotram, also known as Lakshmi Narasimha Karunarasa Stotram is a 17-verse Stotram in praise of Lakshmi Narasimha. The Stotram is so called because each of these verses ends with the same refrain “Lakshmi Narasimha, Mama Dehi Karavalambam” which means "Oh Lord Narasimha, please lend me your helping hand".
We have added the English Translation and Meaning of Lakshmi Narsimha Karavalamba stotram. The English Meaning is added after each stanza in italics. We are indebted to Mr P.R.Ramachander Sir, who have provided the English translation of the stotra.
Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram dedicated to the feet of Lord Lakshmi Nrsimha.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram Lyrics - Lakshmi Nrsimha Prayer
Srimat Payonidhi Nikethana Chakra Pane,
Bhogeendra Bhoga Mani Rajitha Punya Moorthe,
Yogeesa Saswatha Saranya Bhabdhi Potha,
Lakshmi Nrsimha Mama Dehi Karavalambam 1
Oh Great God Laks
By Payonidhi das
We have just found these prayers to Lord Narasimha on the Acaraya folio, they are prayers offered by Saturn Personified, Sri Sani deva, Saturn is so much feared that in India on Saturday some persons collect donations for his worship in a bucket with his deity form, covered in some kind of oil. Actually he is great devotee of Lord Narasimhadeva. Many devotees are spending much money onastrology and yajnas to counteract the influence of inauspicious planets or constellations, Lord Narasimha protects one from the influence of so-called bad planets and make them auspiscious for ones devotional planets.Sr Sani is obviously a great devotee of Lord Narasimha as is evident from this text.
I just travelled with a devotee to South India who was going to spend 1000th of dollars for having bad planetary influence counteracted.There is no need simply please take shelter of the Lotus feet of Lord Narasimhadeva as shown bySri Sani. Saturn is the day of Lord Narasimhadeva and a perfect
The Appearance Day of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
by TVP BOOKS
The Only Prayer that Everyone Should Offer
yadi dāsyasi me kāmān varāṁs tvaṁ varadarṣabha kāmānāṁ hṛdy asaṁrohaṁ bhavatas tu vṛṇe varam“O my Lord, best of the givers of benediction, if You at all want to bestow a desirable benediction upon me, then I pray from Your Lordship that within the core of my heart there be no material desires.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.70)
Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami: Offer this prayer, and if the Lord grants this boon then material desires will be gone. This is the prayer that all should offer. We have so many lusty desires. Who will root them out? So every one should offer prayers at the lotus feet of the Lord from the core of their heart. “If You want to give me a boon, please take away all lusty desire so that never at any time, in any condition, under any circumstance material desires will crop up in my heart.” When Nṛsiṁhadeva was ready to give him any boon he desired, Prahlāda Mahārāja a
by Kalakantha dasa
After the disappearance of Jayananda Das on May 1, 1977, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada instructed devotees all over the world to commemorate the event every year as they would any great Vaishnava's disappearance day.
Therefore we respectfully submit these pages to all devotees and friends of ISKCON as a means to remember and understand more about Jayananda's devotional service. Of course, we will see how he joined ISKCON and how he left this mortal world. More importantly, we shall see the astounding qualities possessed by a true devotee, a sincere disciple and genuine servant of Srila Prabhupada.
Jayananda was the all-American boy. Handsome, strong, intelligent, born in a more than middle-class family, Jayananda (Jim Kohr) took a degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University. With a background like that, it is surprising that Jayananda ended up as a cab driver in San Francisco. Karandhara once asked him w
Rukmini-devi's prayer to Sri Krishna
Devi requests Bhagavan to marry Her
Krishna, You are the most attractive person in the whole universe, and having listened to Your glories which enter one's thoughts through the ears and destroys all woes of the body and mind . Oh Achyutha, my shameless mind dwells incapable of being wrenched away upon Your beautiful form which is the ultimate thing for anyone to set his eyes upon and bestows on all eternal fortune.
Oh Mukunda, which girl , who has some strength of mind, who is born of high family , and in at least some way comparable to You in upbringing, character beauty, education ,age, wealth and status would not simply woo You by mind. You who looks like a lion in human form (You were once Narasaimha) and who are simply enchanting to the minds of all the living beings in this world.
Therefore, You please accept me who has by my own will accepted You as my husband in mind and has simply placed my body and soul at Yourlotus feet, as You are the grant
[The following passages from “Four Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas and Gauḍīya Darśana”, published by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, illuminate, through the interaction between Prahlāda and Hiraṇyakaśipu, the potency of pure preaching and the resistance to it by those who are inimical to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. – The Editors]
The Vaiṣṇava ācāryas are not fearful of preaching the Truth even at the cost of their own life, nor, by staying exclusively submerged in the bliss of their own bhajana, do they remain indifferent to the eternal welfare of any soul, even one who is averse to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Rather, they follow the footsteps of Śrī Gaurasundara, who descended to spread and teach us the substance of His own bhajana. Hence, the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas display their activities to the inhabitants of this world just to bring about their eternal benefit, interacting with them in a natural way. But seeing this, ordinary, antagonistic people, who have envious and cri
Srila Vrindavan das Thakur, author of Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, narrates the marriage of Nityananda and Jahnava Devi in Antya Khanda, Chapter 12 of Sri Nityananda Charitamrita.
'All of a sudden, everyone heard crying inside the house. Something had happened to Jahnava. They rushed inside and picked up Jahnava. They put her on the front veranda. She was unconscious and her eyes rolled in their sockets. Her whole body was cold and her face perspired.
'A doctor came and diagnosed that she had epilepsy and there was no cure for it. Seldom does a person in such a case survive. He thus treated her according to the scripture. The doctor said, "Even after applying proper medication, there's no improvement. Now try to arrange for her spiritual rites. Take her to the bank of the Ganges for she is your eldest daughter.
...
'Suryadasa Pandita fell at the feet of Nityananda Prabhu and lamented, "You bewildered me completely. You're able to do anything, yet You never inspired me to give up my attac
SITA STUTI
Rama:
Oh! Divine Mother,
Consort of the supreme Brahma:,
You are the incarnation of the primordial sound OM,
You have indeed manifested with several names,
Aditi, Usha, Pusha, Wakk, Mahi, Saraswati (the Goddess of knowledge) …
MotherEarth,
‘Laxmi’, the Goddess of auspicious inspirations,
‘Gauri’, the consort of Lord Shiva,
‘Janaki’, the consort of Lord Rama,
Katyayini, Manasa, Durga, Kali,
Chandi, Vimala, Maheshwari
And many other powerful incarnations are but You.
Oh! Divine Mother,
Consort of the supreme Brahma,
You have infinite number of names,
You dwell in the several beautiful forms of all women,
You are endowed with all of nature’s wealth,
The cosmos is but Your expression.
Oh! Divine Mother, Consort of the supreme Brahma, The infinite space
And the countless stars it holds,
Are but Your sparkling ornaments.
You are indeed the Mother of The evolution of life on earth.
Oh! Divine Mother, Consort of the supreme Brahma,
Shakti (Energy), Bhakti (devotion), Mukti (liberation),
Are the three Gunas (
The transcendental pastimes of pure love and affection between Sri Radha and the gopis are also very beautiful and wonderful to hear. Not all of the gopis are situated in madhurya-rasa. Many consider themselves to be dear maidservants and loving friends to Sri Radha alone, and they have no desire to unite with Krsna in conjugal love. This is described in the Ujjvala-nilamani by Srila Rupa Goswami, wherein he discusses the nitya-sakhis as follows:
The sakhis [cowherd girlfriends] who are always satisfied by the friendship of the other sakhis and do not aspire to become nayikas or direct lovers of Krsna, are called nitya-sakhis.
There are also gopis who are equally affectionate to both Radha and Krsna, and these are called sama-sakhis:
The intimate, sweet and rare friendship existing among the sama-madhya-sakhis is very difficult to understand. Only those learned in the intricacies of transcendental love can understand it.
Describing the activities of Sasikala and Kamala (two friends of
Various Levels of Spiritual Love
In ujjvala-rasa (the topmost pinnacle of all devotional mellows), the permanent mellow is madhurya-rati (loving attachment for Krsna expressed in the mood of a lover). This madhurya-rati is of three kinds: (1) sadharani [attachment wherein one’s own personal enjoyment is present], (2) samanjasa [attachment wherein both one’s personal enjoyment and the desire to please Sri Krsna are equally present], and (3) samartha [attachment wherein only the desire to please Krsna is present]. The sadharani-madhurya-rati found in Kubja is like an ordinary gemstone. The royal queens of Dvaraka, beginning with Rukmini, are possessed of samanjasa-madhurya-rati. This is compared to cintamani or touchstone. The gopis of Vraja are possessed of samartha-madhurya-rati, and this is compared to the Kaustubha jewel.
That attachment which has of its design and intent one’s own personal enjoyment is called sadharani. That attachment, which has as its purpose the enjoyment that accr
"What benefit will you achieve from practicing the arduous and dreary yogic paths? Give them up because they are all useless! Instead I beg you to please try to plunder the treasure-house of pure devotional service constantly emanating from the Lotus Feet and Holy Names of Lord Gauranga-Krishna. This is the culmination of all achievements in life. If you really aspire to attain the supremely wonderful festival of this pure love for Lord Krishna, which even Shiva, Brahma and all the demigods cannot attain, then please become lovingly and fanatically devoted to the most fathomless and magnanimous Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu and His Holy Name."- Sri Chaitanya Chandramrita.
kim tavad bata durgameshu viphalam yogadi-margeshv aho
bhaktim krishna-padambuje vidadhatah sarvartham alunthata
asha prema-mahotsave yadi shiva-brahmady-alabhye’dbhute
gaure dhamani durvigaha-mahimodare tada rajyatam
"Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." Bhagavad Gita As It Is 10-11 by HDG Swami Srila Prabhupada
Chapter 10. The Opulence of the Absolute
TEXT 11
tesam evanukampartham
aham ajnana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhavastho
jnana-dipena bhasvata
SYNONYMS
tesam--for them; eva--certainly; anukampa-artham--to show special mercy; aham--I; ajnana-jam--due to ignorance; tamah--darkness; nasayami--dispel; atma--within; bhavasthah--themselves; jnana--of knowledge; dipena--with the lamp; bhasvata--glowing.
TRANSLATION
Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
PURPORT
When Lord Caitanya was in Benares promulgating the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, thousands of people were following Him. Prakasananda, a very influential and learned sch
Devotee: That takes practice, to stop desiring for oneself.
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. And therefore...
Devotee: You have to practice...
Srila Prabhupāda: ...the practice is that you should simply desire what your spiritual master says. Don't desire yourself.
Morning Walk Conversation -- March 6, 1974, Mayapura
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. And therefore...
Devotee: You have to practice...
Srila Prabhupāda: ...the practice is that you should simply desire what your spiritual master says. Don't desire yourself.
Morning Walk Conversation -- March 6, 1974, Mayapura
"So this time should not be wasted. We should always remain... You Western people, you know the value of time from material point of view. Material point of view. That is also good. Don't waste your time; engage always yourself in some good activities. But for spiritual advancement also, we should be more accurate and strict, avyartha-kalatvam [Cc. Madhya 23.18-19]. Srila Rupa Gosvami has recommended that one who is always anxious to see that not a moment is spoiled, that is advancement of Krsna consciousness, avyartha-kalatvam nama-gane sada rucih, vivikta deva desa sevitam, like that. Upadesamrta, you will find: "A devotee should always think, 'Whet
"This is a conversation between Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, five thousand years ago he was the emperor of the whole world. Formerly, up to five thousand years ago, the whole world was being controlled and ruled over by kings whose capital was Hastināpura, New Delhi. There was only one flag, only one ruler, one scripture, Vedic scripture, and the Aryans, Arya, they were the civilized persons. You Europeans, Americans, you are also Aryans. Indo-European stock. Mahārāja Yayāti, grandson of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he gave to his two sons the portion of eastern Europe, Greek and Roman. That is the history, Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means great India. So there was no different religion. One religion, Vedic religion. Vedic religion means to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Supreme Person Absolute Truth. This is Vedic religion. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, it is said there in the Fifteenth Chapter, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. Ve
Nama Nishtha Das May 13, 1973, Los Angeles Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course "They are exactly like cats and dogs. As soon as you enter some country, dog, watchdog: "Wowf! Wowf! Why you have come? What is your position?" ("Where is your visa?"?) This is dog's business."
