All Posts (4030)

Sort by

paramesvaridasathakura.jpg

Sri Paramesvara dasa Thakura appeared in a family of physicians. His Sripat is at Atapur, which was on theCanpandanga branch of the Howrah-Amrah rail line. Rail service on this line has been discontinued. Direct bus service is available from Howrah station; it is about a 2 hour journey from there.


Atapur was previously known as Visakhala. Sri Sri Radha-Govinda are still residing at his Sripat. In front of the temple are two Bakul trees and in between them is Paramesvara Thakura's Samadhi mandira.

Sri Krsna das Kaviraj Gosvami has written: "Paramesvara das, said to be the fifth gopala of Krsna lila, completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityananda. Anyone who remembers his name, Paramesvara dasa, will get love of Krsna very easily." [C.C. Adi 11.29]

Sri Kavi Karnapura Gosvami has written: namnarjunah sakha prag yo dasah paramesvarah, "Paramesvara dasa Thakura was previously the cowherd friend of Sri Krsna named Arjuna."

Sri Vrindavana dasa Thakura has written:

nityananda jivan paramesv

Read more…
Views: 10
Comments: 0

Narsimha.jpg

The appearance anniversary of Lord Narasimhadeva, Lord Krishna’s incarnation as half-man, half-lion.

 

 

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam
dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam
keshava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

 

"O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp like demon Hiranyakashipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands."

"The fourth incarnation is Nrisimhadeva. Nrisimhadeva appeared to save Prahlada Maharaja, who was five-years-old boy and he was being tortured by his atheistic father. So He appeared from the pillar of the palace as a half-man, half-lion. Because this Hiranyakasipu took benediction from Brahma that he’ll not be killed by any man or any animal. So the Lord appeared neither man nor animal. This is the difference between the Lord’s intelligen
Read more…
Views: 13
Comments: 1

http://henrydoktorski.com/KrishnaKillers.html

One Star Model P .45 hand gun
A One Star Model P .45 hand gun, the same gun that killed Sulochan.

“Krishna Killers—The Danger of Deranged Devotion will go a long way to reconcile ISKCON’s most notorious crime, the murder of Sulochan dasa (Steven Bryant). Henry Doktorski bases his treatise on years of research. In the spirit of the biblical quote, ‘The truth will set you free,’ Krishna Killers offers ISKCON followers the truth about their organization’s dark history.” —Nori Muster (formerly Nandini devi dasi), ISKCON Public Relations Assistant and author of Betrayal of the Spirit (University of Illinois Press)

“Bryant was a martyr for his faith. He was one lone voice in the wilderness and he was killed because he talked about corruption. He went up against the heavyweights and he lost.” —Officer Joe Sanchez, Police Department, Berkeley, California

 

Donors are needed. My goal is to raise 6,000 U. S. dollars ($1,000 for pre-publication work, such as cover design and

Read more…
Views: 97
Comments: 0

JayanandaPortrait191x264enhanced.jpg

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's Beginnings In Krishna Consciousness

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 why he didn't get a

Read more…
Views: 8
Comments: 0

Rukmini Dvadasi

vithoba-rukmani-temple_1424932372.jpg

52 / Kṛṣṇa Kidnaps Rukmiṇī 

(From Krishna Book- (Krishna The Supreme Personality of Godhead Vol 1)

After hearing Rukmiṇī's statement, Lord Kṛṣṇa was very pleased. He immediately shook hands with the brāhmaṇa and said: "My dear brāhmaṇa, I am very glad to hear that Rukmiṇī is anxious to marry Me, since I am also anxious to get her hand. My mind is always absorbed in the thought of the daughter of Bhīṣmaka, and sometimes I cannot sleep at night because I am thinking of her. I can understand that the marriage of Rukmiṇī with Śiśupāla has been arranged by her elder brother in a spirit of animosity toward Me; so I am determined to give a good lesson to all of these princes. Just as fire is extracted and utilized after manipulating ordinary wood, similarly, after dealing with these demoniac princes, I shall bring forth Rukmiṇī, like fire, from their midst."
Kṛṣṇa, upon being informed of the specific date of Rukmiṇī's marriage, became anxious to leave immediately. He asked His driver, Dāruka, to

Read more…
Views: 8
Comments: 0

Sita Navami

1280px-Ram-Sita.jpg

Sita Devi, a manifestation of the goddess of fortune, Laksmi Devi, is the eternal consort of Lord Ramacandra.  

Srimati Sita Devi is the daughter of the Earth goddess, Bhumi Devi, and central figure of the Ramayana. InMaharishi Valmiki's own words, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita "Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat".

Her glories are sun by the poet-saint Thyagaraja in his "Sri Janakatayane"

Oh daughter of Janaka, the blessed souls of refugees! Oh Consort of Sri Raghu Rama, bedecked with shining gem-ornaments! Pray, protect me always! You are the wind that destroys the clouds of demons like the hundres-headed Ravana; You are the indweller in the hearts of the devotees; Your Feet shine with the lustre of gems set in the crown of Indra.

King Janaka was the wise and benevolent King of Janakpuri and although a great saintly king he was childless. 'Rajarshi – a king who lives like a sage: that was how king Janaka of Videha dynasty was renowned. He ruled over the kingdom of Mithila. He looked

Read more…
Views: 10
Comments: 0

Srimati Jahnava Devi Appearance

Jahnava-Mata-3.jpg

In Gaur-Ganoddesh-Dipika it is stated that they are the expansions of Baruni and Revati the eternal consorts of Lord Balaram and Suryadas Sarkhel, was an expansion of Kakudmir, the king of Raivat. (In the image: Lord Balarama with His wives Varuni and Revati, Tota Gopinath Mandir).

   Shri Suryadas Sarkhel was a resident of Shaligram. He had five brothers –  Damodara,  Jagannatha,  Gaura  das,  Krishna  das and Nrsimha Chaitanya. He received the title “Sarkhel” because he used to  keep the accounts for the king of  Gaur desh. He had two daughters named Vasudha and Janhava, who was the youngest.

 
   In Gaur-Ganoddesh-Dipika it is stated that they are the expansions of Varuni and Revati  the eternal consorts of Lord Balaram and Suryadas Sarkhel, was an expansion of Kakudmir, the king of Raivat. 
 
   Once Mahaprabhu drew Prabhu Nityananda aside said to him, “If you also confine yourself to the austere life of a renunciate, then who will deliver the people who are immersed in maya? How will o
Read more…
Views: 14
Comments: 0

 

Madhu Pandit Goswami

Vrajanabha, Lord Krishna's great-grandson, installed the original Gopinatha Deity in Vrindavana over five-thousand years ago. (In the image: Shri Gopinath, Jaipur).

    Vrajanabha, Lord Krishna's great-grandson, installed the original Gopinatha Deity in Vrindavana over five-thousand years ago. About five-hundred years ago, Paramananda Bhattacharya discovered the Deity in the earth at Vamshivata on the banks of the Yamuna. Madhu Pandit Goswami, a disciple of Shri Gadadhara Pandit, worshiped the Gopinatha Deity.

   Bhakti-ratnakar says that Shri Gopinathaji, who is an ocean of mercy, forever sports along the enchanting banks of the Yamuna at Vamshivata. His bodily luster steals the mind of whoever sees Him. When the soothing sweetness of Gopinathaji's charming form enters the heart it immeditately extinguishes the burning fire of material existence. Now the original Gopinatha Deity stays in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

   Madhu Pandit Goswami blessed Shrinivasa Acharya with Gopinatha's garland before

Read more…
Views: 21
Comments: 0

Jahnu Saptami

Jahnu SaptamiThe day when the sage Jahnu released the River Ganges after swallowing her. On this day, if possible, one should worship the Ganges and bathe in her waters.

 


From Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Sri Navadvipa Mahatmya
Chapter 13: Description of Vidyanagara and Jahnudvipa As

Nityananda spoke, they went to Jannagara where they saw the enchanting hermitage of Jahnu Muni. Nityananda Prahhu explained, "This enchanting place named Jahnudvipa is known as Bhadravana. At this place, Jahnu Muni underwent penances and received darsana of the golden form of Gauranga. "Jahnu Muni was sitting here chanting his gayatri mantra, when his acamana cup fell into the Bhagirathi (Ganges) and was swept away by the currents. He opened his mouth and drank all the water in one gulp. King Bhagiratha thought, 'Where has the Ganges gone?' He concluded that Jahnu Muni had drunk theGanges. The king was overwhelmed with anxiety and worshipped the muni for several days. The muni then released the Ganges from his body. Because of

Read more…
Views: 15
Comments: 0

chant Hare Krsna and fight

Oct 30 1976 letter-
"They are now feeling the weight of this movement. Formerly they thought these people come and go, but now they see we are staying. Now we have set fire. It will go on, it cannot be stopped. You can bring big, big fire brigades but the fire will act. The brainwash books are already there. Even if they stop externally, internally it will go on. Our first class campaign is book distribution. Go house to house. The real fighting is now. Krsna will give you all protection. So, chant Hare Krsna and fight."

Read more…

Gurudas Guru said; "We will establish hundreds of temples, and they will all be very opulent. But if we do not follow the instruction of the Spiritual Master, they will just be showbottle. Do you know what showbottle means? It means colored water in a bottle which looks just like medicine, but which does not work."
(Srila Prabhupada, Room conversation NY July 1970)

"It is to be understood that when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted and danced, He did so by the influence of the pleasure potency of the spiritual world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never considered the holy name of the Lord to be a material vibration, nor does any pure devotee mistake the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to be a material musical manifestation. Lord Caitanya never tried to be the master of the holy name; rather He taught us how to be servants of the holy name. If one chants the holy name of the Lord just to make a show, not knowing the secret of success, he may increase his bile secretion, but he will never atta

Read more…

Parasurama Jayanti

other2.jpg

Once King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) and his army visited Jamadagni, a brahmin sage, who fed his guest and the whole army with his divine cow Surabhi; the king demanded the magical cow and Jamadagni refused because he needed the cow for his religious ceremonies. King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) sent his soldiers to take the cow and Parashurama killed the entire army and the king with his axe. In return, the princes beheaded Jamadagni the father of Parshuram.
When Parashurama returned home he found his mother crying hysterically. He asked why she was crying, she beat her chest 21 times. In a rage, Parashurama vowed to exterminate the world's Kshatriyas 21 times. He killed the entire clan of Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna), thus conquering the entire earth. He offered his dead father's soul tarpana with the blood of the kings and warriors he slew. He then conducted the Ashwamedha sacrifice, done only by sovereign kings, and gave the entire land he owned to the priests who perf

Read more…
Views: 16
Comments: 0

Aksaya Tritya – Candana Yatra Starts

DSC08599.jpg

Candana Yatra is a festival during the hot season in India in which the Deities are covered with sandalwood paste (candana) to cool Them. (This is generally impractical in the West, where it is cold during this time.)

For 21 days with the Utsava Vigrahas covered in chandan. The Deities are covered completely with chandan(sandalwood paste), which provides the Lord relief from the scorching heat of summer in the month of Vaisakha/Jyestha (May/June).

Once, Lord Jagannatha instructed the ancient King Indradyumna to perform this festival on this occasion. Smearing the body of the Lord with ointments is an act of devotion, and the best of balms is said to be sandalwood paste. Since heat in the month of Vaisakha is extreme in India, the cooling effect of sandalwood paste would be pleasing to the Lord.

Sandalwood paste is applied all over the body of Lord Jagannatha leaving only his two eyes exposed. The Utsava Vigrahas (functional Deities – Vijay Utsav) are taken on procession and placed in a bo

Read more…
Views: 11
Comments: 0

Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda

Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja


Inspired by and under the guidance of
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda

Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja


How the Holy Name Blooms
Into Kṛṣṇa’s Beautiful Form

by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda


According to the doctrine of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and to the decision of the six Divine Gosvāmis of Śrī Vṛndāvana and their associate Gosvāmīs, śrī nāma-saṅkīrtana (the chanting of God’s names) is our main service to God. Without the grace of śrī nāma, God’s pastimes cannot be awakened in the hearts of men. With the gradual unfolding of the blossom of śrī nāma, which is replete with the totality of transcendent, delicious rasa, the holy Name finally evolves into God’s fascinating beautiful form – sat-cit-ānanda Śrī Śyāmasundara of the transcendental region of Goloka Vṛnḍavana – and so forth.

Within the opening blossom of the holy Name, the practitioner experie

Read more…

Gaura Sundara Das Śrīla Prabhupāda Says - [Regarding how politics, diplomacy, fraud, cheating should not be tolerated in our ISKCON society]

Prabhupāda: He's a rascal, and he was given in charge. Another rascal, Śyāmasundara. What he's doing, sitting and..., only?

Brahmānanda: Just sitting and writing things that cannot be understood.

Prabhupāda: Writing where?

Brahmānanda: In the temple.

Prabhupāda: And the other?

Brahmānanda: He's doing all right.

Prabhupāda: Let him stay there. Don't allow him to come out. Yes.

Brahmānanda: He was planning to leave any day.

Prabhupāda: No, he cannot go. Then we shall charge you all theft charges.

Brahmānanda: Which?

Prabhupāda: Theft charges. He's, he stolen money, and he has stolen something in Bombay also.

Jayatīrtha: Prabhupāda, they still have so many debts from last year.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayatīrtha: They still owe money for last year's festival, so many thousands.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is... And even somehow or other, he goes out, then he should not be allowed

Read more…
Views: 17
Comments: 0

Sri Gadadhara Pandit Appearance

85632089_043_Bozhestva_GauraGadadhar.jpg

    Sri Gadadhar was the consant companion of Mahaprabhu from the time of their childhood. His father's name was Sri Madhva Misra and his mother's name Sri Ratnavati-devi. They lived very near the house of Sri Jagannatha Misra in Mayapura. Ratnavati-devi thought of Saci-devi as her own sister, and always used to visit her.

   During their childhood, Sri Gaura Hari and Gadadhara would play together, sometimes at Mahaprabhu's house and sometimes at Gadadhara's house. They both studied together at the sameschool. Gadadhara was a few years younger then Nimai. Nimai couldn't remain without Gadadhara even for a moment and Gadadhara likewise couldn't stand to be separated from Nimai.

   In the Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, it is described that that person who in Vraja was the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Raja, namely Srimati Radharani, is now celebrated as Sri Gadadhara Pandita.

   Srila Svarupa Damodara has written in his diary: avani sura bavah Sri Panditakhyo jatindrah / sa khalo bhavati Radha Srila Ga

Read more…
Views: 12
Comments: 0

vrndavan-das-thakur_big.jpg

In her childhood, Narayani Devi, neice of Srivasa Pandit, became mad with love of God upon receiving the mercy of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Later she gave birth to Vrindavana Dasa, who was the last disciple of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. On his guru's order he wrote Sri Caitanya Bhagavata.

It is practically a law among Vaisnava writers like Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatana Goswami, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, and Vrindavana Dasa Thakura to always keep themselves in the background. They never mention anything about their family lineage or personal history. The authors of the best written and most relishable verses collected in Sri Rupa Goswami's Padyavali remain unknown.

During the sixteenth century, entire books of exceptional transcendental prose and poetry were penned by prideless Vaisnavas preferring to remain anonymous. Feeling utmost humility, such Vaisnava writers express themselves only in relation to their preceptors. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja glorifies his gurus at the end of each chapter of Sri

Read more…
Views: 11
Comments: 0
Image may contain: 1 person, standing and text
Amit Thakur DasAnudas

In Kali-yuga, you cannot strictly follow, neither I can strictly follow. If I criticize you, if you criticize me, then we go far away from our real life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Devotee: So is it correct to say that if we're not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then if it's not the gṛhastha problem, it would be some other problem?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: We'll find something or another to absorb our time with besides Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No, you should always remember that either gṛhastha or brahmacārī or sannyāsī, nobody can strictly follow all the rules and regulations of them. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible. So if I find simply fault with you, and if you find fault with me, then it will be factional, and our real business will be hampered. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that hari-nāma, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, should be very rigidly performed, which is common for everyone: gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. They should always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Read more…
Image may contain: 4 people, indoor


Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, why has it taken so long for a pure devotee to come to the West? Has the West been so sinful that no pure devotee has come before Your Divine Grace?
Prabhupada: Don’t be sorry. At that time, you were so sinful that you could not receive a pure devotee.
Devotee: Yes. Once in a lecture a lady asked you why hadn’t you come sooner, and you just said, “Well, you weren’t ready for me.”
Prabhupada: Yes, “Because you were not ready.” Yes, I told. Yes. Now the Western boys, the descendant of the Western people, they are fortunate; therefore they receive Kṛṣṇa. Kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). It is Kṛṣṇa’s desire that “These people are suffering so much; let some devotees come here.” So you are all devotees. You have come to join together.

(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Los Angeles, December 7, 1973)

Devotee: If someone is actually sincere, can he be cheated, or will he always get a bona fide guru?
Prabhupada: No, if he is sincere, he’ll get.
Devotee: Bona

Read more…