By Deena Bandhu Das

From 5th Chapter of Bhakti-ratnakara

Balarama, the son of Rohini performed his rasalila in Ramaghat. This place is situated quite a long distance from where Krishna had his rasalila.

Balarama was the second body of Krishna himself and the depth of his real self was like the depth of a million oceans. He came to Vraja from Dvaraka and stayed during the two months of Chaita and Vaishakh to console Sri Nanda, Yasoda and the others. He pleased his sakhas in various ways. There also Balarama gave solace to all the Krishna priyas and charmed his own dear and loving gopis by having lilas with them. At that time Krishna killed Sankhachuda. Then Krishna and Balarama both performed divine lilas with their own lovers and played Holi. Only a learned devotee can describe the beauty of these celestial activities. In Sri Krishna Caitanya Carita Murari Gupta says; “Look at Rama and Krishna who are covered with jewels and suitably dressed for spring time. In a humorous mood they perfor

Feeling very sad (dukhi) over losing several children before his birth, his parents named him Dukhi Krishna Dasa. Upon taking diksha from Hrdaya Chaitanya he became known as Krishna Dasa. In Vrindavana, he joined Narottama Dasa Thakura and Shrinivasa Acharya to study the Goswami granthas under Shri Jiva Goswami.
 
   Many "ankle bell stories" describe how Krishna Dasa received Radharani's mercy, the name Shyamananda, and his unique tilaka mark. Shripad B.V. Narayana Maharaja gives this account in Navadwipa Dhama Parikrama:

   "While living in Vrindavana, Krishna Dasa regularly swept the streets before dawn. He performed this humble service so that the Vaishnavas would not hurt their feet while walking to the Temples. One morning he found a captivatingly beautiful golden ankle bracelet. When Lalita and Vishakha-sakhis asked for the bracelet Krishna Dasa said he would only give it to the original owner.
 
   "Blindfolding Krishna Dasa, the gopis brought him to Shrimati Radhika. She allowed

When Vamsivadananda Thakura (Vamsi Dasa, Vamsivadana Thakura) appeared Lord Caitanya and Sri Advaita Prabhu were staying in his home. After the disappearance of Srimati Vishnu Priya Devi, Vamsi Dasa moved Her Mahaprabhu Deity to Koladvipa (present day city of Navadvipa). He began worshiping Him along with Pranavallabha, a Deity of Krishna.   Vamsivadana wrote wonderful poems and songs expressing the philosophy of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. He was also the incarnation of Lord Murlimanohara's flute (vamsi). So it's not surprising that Vamsivadana Thakura's works contain sweet mellow expressions of devotion. - See more at: http://gaudiyahistory.iskcondesiretree.com/sri-vamsivadananda-thakura/#sthash.fqdxjHon.dpuf

One’s devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) over-endeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements.

Damanaka Chori or Dayanalagi

The following days the following is observed in Jagannath Puri.

This festival is celebrated on the thirteenth and fourteenth days of the bright fortnight of Chaitra (April). Deities of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna are taken in procession to the Jagannath Ballava Math. There the Deities get Their Dayana leaves from the garden at the math. On the fourteenth, the leaves are offered to Lord Jagannath, Lady Subhadra and Lord Balarama.

"Damanaka is a particular type of flowering tree, Artemisia indica. In modern Oriya it is called da-aNA. It is one of the two favorite flowers of Lord Jagannath, the other being campaka. It is said that Lord Jagannath comes to the Jagannath Vallabh garden in Puri to steal these flowers. Aropana means to plant. On this dvAdazI there is a ritual planting of the da-aNA tree."

Bhagavān has not, however, employed Māyā just to inflict miseries on the jīvas. She does that, but as mentioned earlier, her real purpose is to chasten the jīvas, to encourage them to turn to Bhagavān. The punishment she metes out serves three purposes: to administer reactions to the living beings for their unwholesome deeds, to deter them from further transgressions, and to impel them to seek a solution to this world of suffering. Since this punishment ultimately benefits the jīvas by uniting them with God, He generally does not choose to come between the jīva and Māyā.

Vishwambhara Priya dd ;

From Vedantic Commentary on Sermon on the Mount;

"But the savior of the Original Gospel, as Christ was represented to be, was a redeemer of the animal world, as he was of men, seeking to alleviate the sufferings of all living beings.

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