Madhya 1.144

upavane kaila prabhu vividha vilasa

prabhura abhisheka kaila vipra krishnadasa

TRANSLATION

In the garden along the road from the Jagannatha temple to Gundica, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed various pastimes. A brahmana named Krishnadasa performed the bathing ceremony of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Madhya 1.145

gundicate nritya-ante kaila jala-keli

hera-pancamite dekhila lakshmi-devira keli

TRANSLATION

After dancing in the Gundica temple, the Lord sported in the water with His devotees, and on Hera-pancami day they all saw the activities of the goddess of fortune, Lakshmidevi.

Madhya 14.106

TEXT

‘hera-pancami’ra dina aila janiya

kasi-misre kahe raja sayatna kariya

TRANSLATION

Knowing that the Hera-pancami festival was drawing near, King Prataparudra attentively talked with Kasi Misra.

Madhya 14.107

kalya ‘hera-pancami’ habe lakshmira vijaya

aiche utsava kara yena kabhu nahi haya

TRANSLATION

“Tomorrow will be the function of Hera-pancami or Lakshmi-vijaya. Hold this festival in a way that

The chariot festival in which Lord Krsna in the form of Lord Jagannatha rides with Lord Balarama and Subhadra Devi in Jagannatha Puri, India.

At the height of Indian summer, right at the beginning of the Monsoon, the Lord of Puri goes to his garden palace for the annual summer vacation. Originally the festival has its foundation in the residents of Vrindavan bringing back their Lords, Krishna, Balaram and Lady Subhadra from Kurukshetra.

Today in Puri He, the Lord of the Universe travels in some style from his temple in Puri, to his garden temple, located outside the town centre called Gundicha. Thousands of Hindus flock to see, and to pull the grand chariots from one temple to the other. The English word "Jagannaut" comes from the giantchariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri. The British were so stunned by the size of the chariots, they coined a word for it!

In Puri, Lord Jagannath is worshipped with his elder brother Bala-Rama and his sister Subhadra. Each sibling has his / her own chariot an

Just as Lalita and Vishakha are Radharani's dearest gopis, Svarupa Damodara (Vishakha-sakhi) and Ramananda Raya (Lalita-sakhi) are Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's most confidential associates. (In the image: Shrimati Vishakha Devi, ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai).

  One of the closest associates of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Purushottama Acharya (Svarupa) knew exactly the heart of Shri Krishna Chaitanya. Glorifying him as "the storehouse of all devotional mellows," Lord Chaitanya added the word Damodara to his name.

   Svarupa Damodara revealed to the world the innermost emotions of Shri Chaitanya's mood of Radharani feeling separation from Krishna. Sensing Lord Gauranga's moods, Svarupa Damodara would perform kirtana to enhance the Lord's internal sentiments. To soothe Lord Chaitanya's love pangs in viraha bhava he would sing songs from Gita-Govinda, Krishna Karnamrta, and the love poems of Chandidasa and Vidyapati.

   Throughout the day and night Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya stayed near Sh

pura vrindavane vira duti sarvash ca gopikah

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 12 Summary

In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizesthis chapter as follows. The King of Orissa, Maharaja Prataparudra,tried his best to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Nityananda Prabhu andthe other devotees informed the Lord about the King's desire, but SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu would not agree to see him. At that time Sri NityanandaPrabhu devised a plan, and He sent a piece of the Lord's outward garmentto the King. The next day, when Ramananda Raya again entreated SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu to see the King, the Lord, denying the request, askedRamananda Raya to bring the King's son before Him. The prince visited theLord dressed like a Vaisnava, and this awakened remembrance of Krsna. Thus SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu delivered the son of Maharaja Prataparudra.

After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the Gundica temple before the Ratha-yatra took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lakeand partook of prasadam in the garden nearby

Sri Gadadhara Pandit. He was a member of the Panca Tattva and is described as the effulgence of Srimate Radharani.

 Sri Gaurahari had so much affection for Sri Gadadhara Pandit that He couldn't be without him for a moment. He appeared a year after Lord Caitanya. Gadai and Nimai were inseparable as childhood playmates. Peaceful, renounced, serious, self-composed, fond of solitude Gadadhara proved quite a contrast to his bosom friend Gaura Raya, who was fickle, unsteady, and whimsical. In Ganga Dasa Pandit's tol (school) Nimai Pandit regularly teased Gadadhara by challenging him with illogical questions.
 
   Sri Kavi Karnapura states that in Vraja lila Gadadhara Pandit is the daughter of King Vrsabhanu–Srimati Radharani. Gadadhara Pandit served as Lord Gaura's chief assistant during His Navadvipa-lila. Sri-Sri Radha Krishna in Vrindavana appear as Gaura-Gadadhara to perform pastimes in Navadvipa in the forest groves beside the Ganges. 

  Gadadhara Pandit"No one call describe the characteris

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur

Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal. He revealed that he is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by his extraordinary preaching activities and prolific writing. Living as a, mahabhagavata Vaisnava, he stayed in the grhasta ashram until the last few years of his life. Then he renounced everything, accepted babaji, and entered samadhi, totally absorbed in the loving service of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-Madhava.
 
   "He had a responsible government position as the District Magistrate (high court judge), maintained a Krishna conscious family, and wrote almost one hundred books on Krishna consciousness. At the same time, he served the Supreme Lord in so many ways. That is the beauty of his life. After a full day of government service he would sleep four hours, get up at midnight and write until morning. That was his daily program." (Srila Prabhupada)
 
   Thakura Bhaktivinoda took Vaisna

Crying For Krishna In Ekachakra Dham

by Devaki Devi Dasi

Every room of the ISKCON Guest House at Ekachakra was fully occupied by our group of ladies from all parts of the world: Australia, South America, North America, South Africa, Mayapur, India, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Swizzerland, Germany and France. We had come together in order to spend five days in seclusion to deepen our relationship with the holy name….

On the day of our arrival we went on parikrama in the peaceful village of Lord Nityananda. Seeing all the beautiful cows and the simple village life we were immediately reminded of Vrindavan. Visiting various places of significance we were praying for Lord Nityananda’s mercy to enter deeply into chanting the holy name. For the following four days we embarked on an internal journey and adventure, systematically preparing our consciousness in order to open our hearts and receive Sri Harinama Prabhu – in japa aswell as kirtan. We remembered Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thaku

Radhagovindas Amit Raajput courtesy; HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada said;

"We should never sit idly and ask Krishna to do everything. That is the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita. It is clearly said in the Gita: "Yuddhasya ca mam anusmara [Bg. 8.7].'' So ordinarily, we have to try our best to our best capacity to achieve something, and by Krishna's Grace, all of a sudden we shall see everything is there. This sort of help from Krishna is transcendental happiness. "

- Letter to: Brahmananda, Los Angeles, February 20, 1968

Shrivasa lead his brothers Shri Rama, Shri Nidhi, and Shripati in their devotional lives of singing Krishna's names, worshiping the Lord, and bathing thrice daily in the Ganges. (In the wallpaper: Shrivasa Pandit, ISKCON Leicester, UK).

   Shrivasa Pandit, fifth member of the Panca-tattva, Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Shri Advaita, Gadadhara, Shrivasadi, Gaura Bhakta Vrinda lived in Navadwipa before the advent of Lord Chaitanya. Shrivasa lead his brothers Shri Rama, Shri Nidhi, and Shripati in their devotional lives of singing Krishna's names, worshiping the Lord, and bathing thrice daily in the Ganges.

   Meeting with Shri Advaita Acharya Prabhu, they studied Bhagavatam and prayed for an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Why did they pray? Because only an avatara of Krishna could reestablish Vaishnavism among the staunch atheists, logicians, and proud pandits harassing Nadia at that time.

   Malini, wife of Shrivasa, was a constant friend of Sachi Devi. She served Nimai as a

"In answer to your second question, you should know that Arjuna and Kunti Devi are not in Krishna Loka. They are associated with Krishna eternally only in the material world. Just as Krishna is always in the spirit world and similarly he is always in the material world and His hobbies also happen there. In the material world, Krishna also has eternal associates such as Arjuna and Kunti Devi. There is a difference between body and soul of Arjuna and Kunti Devi. But while Arjuna is with Krishna in innumerable different material universes, while there is still only a spiritual soul who is Arjuna. This spiritual soul expands in many different bodies and so you can understand that there are also incarnations of devotees as well as incarnations of Krishna. This is the power of the spiritual soul, which is unlimited. Such a concept can not be understood while you're still in the conditioned state."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Saradiya, December 12, 1968)