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We the devotees of Mahaprabhu are of one loving family tree...our roots thirsty, the fruits sweet and for all. We drink deeply of Godhead's lessons, and distribute the resulting precious fruits as our service.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada And Gauranga Mahaprabhu!

On this day in 1965, Srila Prabhupada left Calcutta aboard the steamship Jaladuta.

..Then in 1965, just before he turned seventy, an age when most devotees of Krsna are confined to Vrndavana and preparing to pass away, Srila Prabhupada took the risk of going to the West. A Mr. Agarwal in nearby Mathura had a son who agreed to sponsor Srila Prabhupada at his home in Butler, Pennsylvania, for one month. And Sumati Morarjee, the head of the Scindia Steamship Company, agreed to give him free round-trip passage to America on one of her cargo ships. But he had to travel without money, since governmental restrictions prevented him from taking money out of the country. His prospects, therefore, were full of uncertainty: he had only a month’s residence in the United States, he would be living with strangers, and he had no money and no formulated plan for what to do in America. But he was thoroughly convinced of the potency of his spirit

Lord Balarama is the first personal expansion of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All other incarnations expand from Him. In Lord Krsna’s pastimes, He plays as Krsna’s older brother. Together Krsna and Balarama enact many pastimes as cowherd boys in the land of Vrndavana.

Who is Lord Balarama?
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and He assists in Lord Krishna's transcendental pastimes. He is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the adi-guru, the original spiritual master.

He assumes five other forms to serve Lord Krishna. He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Krishna, and He does the work of creation in four other forms called the catur-vyuha (four armed) forms known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Anirudha. He executes the orders of Lord Krishna in the

Hayagriva sthothram- Hymn on the Horse faced Lord

This is Hymn in thirty two slokas on Hayagriva, the Supreme God of learning in Vaishnava Sampradaya. About this incarnation of Bhagavan, the purana narrates that a demon took away all the Vedas from four-faced Brahma and Bhagavan as Hayagriva killed him and gave them back to Brahma. God Dakshina-murti, Saraswati and sages like Vyasa shine with the knowledge bestowed to them by Hayagriva and are worshipped by others for attaining knowledge. The tradition about Sri Vedanta Desika is that he meditated on Hayagriva on the Hill Oshadhadri on the banks of River Garuda repeating the Mantra. The Lord appeared before him and blessed him with all knowledge. Thus Sri Desika became the master of all sciences and arts-“Sarva-tantra-svatantra”. All words were before him so that he could choose and use them as he wanted. The devotion of Sri Desika to Hayagriva was so great that hayagriva-stotra is the first of his lyrics. His prayer to the Lord Hayagri

The swing festival of Radha-Krsna. The Deities ride on an elaborately decorated swing.

Deities in the temples are swung on a swing. Some of the main temples that this festival is celebrated at are the Banke Bihari Temple and the Radha-Raman Temple in Vrindavana, the Dwarkadish temple in Mathura, and the Larily Lal Temple in Varsana.

In our Iskcon temples we observe for five days in accordance with Srila Prabhupada's instructions. So whether one observes for the four days or for the seven, or thirteen days, the same festival is put on for the pleasure of the Lord and His loving associates.

This is a wonderful ceremonial function of Lord Krishna's pastimes that reflects practically how we are to render service to the Lord for His pleasure.

At the time of the Jhulan Yatra festival it is Monsoon in India and the air is thick, heavy and humid with the heat and the rains. In the midst of the rainy season, when fields and jungle have turned shades of lush green and flowers are blossoming all arou

Second month: No yoghurt (if one requires it for health, it can be mixed with water)

Caturmasya stands for ‘four months’. It is the period between sayana and uttana ekadasis. The scriptures refer to this period as the duration of Lord Visnu’s sleep in this universe.

"Gauridasa, My Murti form is as good as I am," said Lord Gauranga, "We will forever remain in your home to accept your service." (In the image: Shri Shri Gaura Nitay Deities of Shrila Gauridasa Pandit).

   "Gauridasa Pandit, the emblem of the most elevated devotional service in love of Godhead, had the greatest potency to receive and deliver such love. Making Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda the Lords of his life, Gauridasa Pandit sacrificed everything for the service of Lord Nityananda."( Chaitanya-charitamrta). 
 
   Before taking sannyasa, Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda visited Gauridasa Pandit in Ambika Kalna. Fearing their impending separation, Gauridasa cried and begged the Lord to stay longer. Mahaprabhu made life-like neem wood Deities of Gaura-Nitai to console his loving servant. "Gauridasa, My Murti form is as good as I am," said Lord Gauranga, "We will forever remain in your home to accept your service." 

   Gauridasa Pandit worshiped Gaura Nitai in many intimate ways–ta

Sattvic Das
Jay Srila Prabhupada!

MULAPRAKRTI DEVI DASI RELATES THE STORY OF SRILA PRABHUPADA AT ADVAITA BHAVAN

One day in Mayapur, an old Gaudiya Vaishnava came to the pujari room looking for someone to talk to. He was holding a Back to Godhead magazine and he said, "Is anyone here a disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj?" A few of us said, "We are." He said, "I have to tell you something really special." He was very excited. He said, "For many years at Advaita Acharya's house in Shantipur, I humbly served as the pujari, doing the aratis and taking care of guests. Many years ago, when I was young, I noticed a grihastha gentleman who, in a sober and quiet way, sometimes sat at the back of the hall, chanting japa and weeping. I never disturbed him. I never asked who he was, but whenever he came, my heart would fill with joy and I would give him some maha-prasadam. He moved with great determination - he came in in a very determined way and he left in a very determined way. Sometimes