Scientific Faith - The Rational Spirituality of the Vedas

WHOEVER HELPS YOU SPIRITUALLY IS THE GREATEST GURU

by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Goswami Maharaja

"If you repeat Nama (God's names), you will get the answers to your questions. Nama will give it to you. If you are sincerely uttering Nama, but you don’t understand some questions and answers, then somebody may come to you and help you, and not necessarily must be your Guru. Who is Guru? Whoever helps you is a Guru. The world is full of Gurus! Why should you say only 'X' and 'W' [are my Gurus]? Whoever helps you spiritually is a Guru. From whom you learn an art is a Guru. Who gave you birth or medicine and saved you, he is also a Guru. But who is the greatest Guru? Whoever can give me relief from this world. He is the greatest. But everybody is a Guru, you are indebted to all. You are indebted to the sun, to the moon, to the fruits, the vegetables, to the grains, rice, foods, to the water…without water y

Starting of Tulasi Jala Dana During the hot season in India, a pot of dripping water is placed over Tulasi and Salagrama to keep them cool.
 

Keshava Vrata starts; for one month one should control the senses, sleep on the earth, bath twice daily in a river, worship the Lord and give cloth, sugar, sesame, rice, and gold to the brahmanas. If one worships Madhsudana in this month one gains the benefits of one years worship.

While Keshava Vrata lasts one may hang a pot with a hole in it, fill it with water and drip water over Tulasi and a Shalagrama Shila.

This is especially done in the now hot northern hemisphere when water becomes a vital asset for the growth of Tulasi Devi. In the southern hemisphere be careful not to overwater as we come out of Summer and into Autumn.

- See more at: http://harekrishnacalendar.com/vaishnava-calendar/beginning-of-salagrama-and-tulasi-jala-dana-2016/#sthash.54NZ1oPX.dpuf

                                                                   Ramanujacharya.

   When the religion of the Vedas became weakened due to the influence of less intelligent men who blindly performed ritualistic ceremonies and wantonly killed animals in the name of Vedic injunctions, Buddha appeared on the scene as a great reformer. Totally rejecting the Vedic literature and substituting his rational, atheistic views, Buddha advocated the path of ahimsa, (nonviolence and nirvana-the negation of reality as we know it) as the ultimate goal of life. Soon after, the philosophy of Shankaracharya overpowered Buddhism and spread throughout India.

   The authority of the Upanishads and other Vedic literature were revived by Shankara and employed as weapons to fight the Buddhist doctrine. Interpreting the Vedas to draw a particular conclusion, Shankara established the doctrine of non-dualism, adwaita-vedanta, stating that all living entities were on an equal level with God. He prominently stresse

              Gopinath deity of Srila Govinda Ghosh at Agradvipa

Sri Govinda Ghosh, an intimate associate of Lord Caitanya, was known for his sweet kirtans at the annual Jagannatha Puri Ratha- yatra festival. Lord Caitanya would at once begin to dance whenever Govinda Ghosh would sing. Govinda Ghosh and his brothers Vasudeva and Madhava are eternal associates of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

He made his home in Agradvipa, Vasudeva in Tamluk, and Madhava Ghosh in Dain Hat. Govinda Ghosh Thakur’s house is not far from Agradvipa in Kashipura Vishnutala. Some are of the opinion that Vaishnavatala was his birthplace. Govinda Ghosh participated in Mahaprabhu’s lilas in Srivasa Angan, in the nagara-sankirtan to the Kazi’s house, and in the house of Raghava Pandit. During the Rathayatra festival, he was the lead singer in the fourth kirtan group, accompanied by his two brothers, Chota Hari Das, Vishnu Das and Raghava Pandit. Vakresvara Pandit joined this group as the principal dance

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

Christ Is Our Guru

Jagannatha Misra appeared as the father of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

SRI CAITANYA BHAGAVATA
Adi Lila Chapter 3.

1. Even before He took his birth, the Lord propagated the chanting of His holy name.
2. Streams of people went for their bath in the Ganga at the time of the eclipse and all the way they chanted the Lord's name.
3. Some, who from their birth never once uttered the Lord's name, now chanted that name on their way to the Ganga.
4. The sound of chanting emanated from every direction and the Supreme Lord, the best of the brahmins, smiled to Himself as He made His appearance.
5. Sri Jagannatha Misra and Srimati Sacidevi glanced at their child's beautiful face and were over come with unbounded joy.
6. Ladies stood around the child not knowing what to do; fussily they ululated in jubilation.
7. Relatives and friends hurried to see the new born child; Sri Jagannatha Misra's house was a scene of great exultation.
8. Srimati Sacidevi's father, Sri Nilambara Cakravarti, found esoteric and wonderfu

"This account originally appeared in a short work by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura entitled, 'Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts.' (dated 20th August 1896.)" This was taken from "Prologue" to "Teachings of Lord Chaitanya" (A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 1974. pages xiii-xxii.) Who better could we find to include here than the pure unalloyed Devotee, and foremost scholar in Vaishnava circles Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to perform this task. He starts his essay;

Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya in combined Form of Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

   "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayapur in the town of Nadia just after sunset on the evening of the 23rd Phalguna (1407 Sakadba), answering to the 18th of February 1486 of the Christian Era. The moon was eclipsed at the time of His birth, and the people of Nadia were then engaged, as was usual on such occasions, in bathing in the Bhagirathi with loud cheers of Haribol. His father, Jagannatha Misra, a poor 'brahmana' of the Vedic order, and His

"Madhavendra Puri's body was completely full of divine love; so were his followers. He displayed uncommon love of God. Seeing a dark blue raincloud, he would fall down unconscious. Day and night he was intoxicated from drinking the ambrosia of Krishna prema." (Vrindavana Dasa Thakura) (In the image: from right to left Shri Gopal and Shrila Madhavendra Puri).

   Before Lord Chaitanya appeared He sent His eternal associates like Shri Advaita Acharya, Shri Jagannatha Mishra, Sachi Mata, Madhavendra Puri, Ishvari Puri to earth. Shri Madhavendra Puri took initiation from Shri Lakshmipati Tirtha in the Madhvacharya sampradaya. He had many but Shri Advaita Acharya and Shri Ishvara Puri were the chief disciples of Madhavendra Puri. In one way or another, all the Vaisnavas in Bengal and Kshetra mandala (Jagannatha Puri) were connected with Shri Madhavendra Puri. After Lord Chaitanya came many of his disciples joined Mahaprabhu's sankirtana movement.

   "Madhavendra Puri's body was completely full

sadasivasuto namna nagarah purusottamah

gauravirbhava bhumes twam nirdesta sajjana priyah
vaisnava sarvabhauma sri jagannathaya te namah

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, who is respected by the entire Vaisnava community and who discovered the place where Lord Caitanya appeared."

Sri Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja was born was born around the year 1800 AD. 

in the Mayamansingh district of West Bengal. Not much is known about his ealry life. Gaudiya Vedanta-acharya Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana had a disciple named Uddhava das. His disciple was Sri Madhusudana Dasa Babaji who lived in Suryakunda and it was from Madhusudana Dasa Babaji that Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja took initiation.

 Jagannatha Dasa Babaji lived in Vrindavan and performed hisbhajan there for quite some time. He became famous among the devotees there as one who was perfect in Krishna-bhakti.

 He first met Bhakti Vinoda Thakura around 1880 AD and was inspired h

Dissapearance of Sri Rasikananda Prabhu

Accepting the order of his guru, Sri Syamananda, on his head, Rasikananda preached the message of Sri Gaursundar in the world for approximately 16 years. Thereafter he entered into his eternal pastimes through the lotus feet of Gopinatha at Remuna. On the first day of the bright fortnight in the month of Phalguna, Sakabda 1574 (1652AD), Rasikananda quietly slipped out of the village Santa without anyone's notice and walked to Remuna. Arriving there, he discussed Krsna-katha with the devotees there for a while and instructed everyone to serve Sri Krsna with devotion. Then, after requesting them to begin sankirtana, he entered the temple of Sri Gopinatha, and after touching Kshira-chora Gopinatha's lotus feet, which bestow complete fearlessness, he entered into their ultimate shelter.

Rasikananda prabhu’s samadhi is at the Temple of Kshira-chora Gopinath at Remuna just in front and to the right as you go in the main gate, with the temple to the left,

‎Dwijamani Das‎ to Letter From Srila Prabhupada

Los Angeles
11 January, 1968
My Dear Gargamuni,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your statement regarding Jivanuga, and it is clear that he is crazy. I have already advised Jayananda in this connection that we cannot make the society an asylum for crazy people. It is not our business.
Jayananda is a very sincere and intelligent boy and I think his decision should be accepted as final in the matter. Not only in this case, but in every other complicated case. The elected authorities in the management of the temple should be the final authority in these matters. Otherwise, the society cannot be managed. Our main principle should be to advance the cause of K.C.
I am glad to learn that your co-operation for this society is appreciated by the authorities, We should learn to forget and forgive minor incidents because whenever