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Sri Advaita Acharya.

   The foremost of all the Vaishnavas who reside at Navadwip is Sri Advaita Acarya, whose virtuous presence has made all the worlds blessed. He is the most preeminent preceptor in all fields including knowledge, renunciation and devotion. In explaining Krsna-bhakti he is like unto Lord Shankara (Shiva) himself, and whatever scriptures that exist within the three worlds he explains in the light of Krsna-bhakti.

   With the intense eagerness he continually worships the Shalagram of Sri Krsna with Tulasi manjaris and Ganges water. By the momentum of his spiritual force, his loud shouts pierce the coverings of this universe and, resounding throughout Vaikuntha, reach the ears of Sri Krsna. Hearing this loving summons saturated with devotion, Sri Krsna advents Himself. 

Advaita Achariya worshipping Shalagram Sila offering to Him Tulasi leaves and Ganges water.

   On the seventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh, the great ocean of ecstasy swelled to its limit

Palaka Dasa

KRSNA BECOMES ATTACHED TO HIM

But a person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness even by sentiment and has fallen, he has great benefit because once he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa becomes attached to him. That is ajñāta-sukṛti. Therefore, in all circumstances, we should accept the Kṛṣṇa’s instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66], and surely we shall be benefited.

The Supreme Lord has three different internal saktis (potencies), Sri, Bhu and Nita. Bhu sakti appeared as Srimati Vishnupriya Devi in Gaura lila to assist Sri Caitanya's sankirtana movement. King Satrajit, the father of Satyabhama in Krishna lila, appeared in Gauranga lila as the brahmana Sanatana Mishra, Vishnupriya Devi's father.

Srimati Vishnupriya Devi overflowed with all good qualities. Her beauty surpassed the goddess of fortune. She was devoted to her parents and dutifully followed scriptural injunctions. Regularly she worshiped Tulasi Devi, and observed vows of austerity such as bathing thrice daily in the Ganges.
 
Whenever she met Saci Mata at the Ganges Vishnupriya would humbly bow down at her feet. Saci Devi often thought that chaste beautiful Vishnupriya would make an ideal bride for her son Nimai. After Laxmipriya Devi, Lord Caitanya's first wife, "died in separation from the Lord," Nimai Pandit married Srimati Vishnupriya Devi. Caitanya Mangala and Caitanya Bhagavata giv

The deity of baby Raghunandana on the lap of his mother at his birthplace, Sri Khanda. Courtesy of Sakhicharan dasa. Being called away on medical business, Mukunda Dasa once asked his young son, Raghunandana, to offer the raja bhoga to the family Deity of Gopinatha. Raghunandana prepared everything timely, carefully, and with great devotion. When he made the offering he remembered his father's order, "make sure the Deity eats." Ringing the bell the simple boy told the Gopinatha Deity, "Eat, eat!" Raghunandana began crying when he saw the untouched food remaining on the Deity's plate. He feared his father's anger for his inability to "make the Deity eat." Gopinatha couldn't resist the child's intense devotion. So the Lord ate everything on the plate, leaving no remnants. Upon returning, Mukunda asked for Gopinatha's Maha-Prasadam. Raghunandana said the Deity ate everything. Astonished, Mukunda told his son to make the offering again. From a hidden place Mukunda watched in total amazemen

Today is Vasanta Panchami, the beginning of the Vasanta season, at which time the Rasa Dance of Krishna was performed in Govardhana, in the village of Parsauli, by the lake known as Chandra Sarovar. Srila Jayadeva Gosvami has described the vasanta-rasa-lila in his Gita-govinda.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to hear this description and weep loudly, with tears rolling down His face and with a melted heart. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta vasanta-rasa has been described as giving vivid evidence of as the prominency of Srimati Radhika over millions of gopis.

Appearing in 1638, (Hari Vallabha Dasa) came in the disciplic succession from Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura. Visvanatha took diksa from Sri Radha Ramana Cakravarti. Although married, Visvanatha was indifferent and soon renounced family life. He came to Vrindavana dhama and did Krishna bhajana at Radha-kunda.
 
He was known as "the crest jewel of the Vaisnavas" because of his pure devotion, scholarship, and realized perception of Radha Gokulananda's intimate conjugal pastimes. Gaudiya authorities say that Sri Rupa Goswami is vag-devavatara (an incarnation of the god of speech). And Gaudiya acaryas, especially among his direct disciples, believe that Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura is an incarnation of Sri Rupa Goswami.

Among all Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas only Visvanatha Cakravarti comes close to matching Srila Rupa Goswami's profound realizations on the Absolute Truth. Visvanatha Cakravarti's name itself implies his position. Visvanatha means "He who reveals the jewel of devotion to Visvanatha

A disciple of Shri Madhavendra Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi was Shri Gadadhara Pandit's guru, and an intimate friend of Svarupa Damodara. (In the image: Pundarika Vidyanidhi).

   A disciple of Shri Madhavendra Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi was Shri Gadadhara Pandit's guru, and an intimate friend of Svarupa Damodara.
 
   Once in Jagannatha Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi met Svarupa Damodara after a long separation. In a joyful mood of friendship Pundarika and Svarupa wanted to take the dust from each other's feet. A scuffle began as they tried to simultaneously catch the feet of one another, but at the same time, avoid having their own feet caught. Both being quite strong, neither won. But Shri Gauranga enjoyed their sporting play and everyone laughed.
 
   Pundarika Vidyanidhi has other names-Shri Vidyanidhi, Acaryanidhi, Bhaktyanidhi, and Premanidhi (given by Lord Chaitanya). "Simply by hearing his name," said Shri Gaura, "the whole world becomes purified." Premanidhi's pure devotion caused Sh

For a Krsna conscious person there is no distinction that this is hell, this is heaven." And if Krsna desires that he should go to sun planet then he'll go. What is wrong there? There is nothing wrong. You have to act what Krsna says. It doesn't matter what He says. You should not select Krsna's order according to your choice. You should accept Krsna's order by Krsna's choice. If Krsna says you go to hell, "Yes, I am going to hell." That's all. Svargapavarga-narakesv api tulyartha-darsinah. For a Krsna conscious person there is no distinction that this is hell, this is heaven. Just like we have come here to preach Krsna consciousness. We have no distinction between Los Angeles and Vrndavana. Wherever I am, I am in Krsna consciousness, that is Vrndavana. That's all. I don't live in Los Angeles or anywhere. I live in Krsna consciousness, I preach Krsna consciousness, therefore I live in Krsna. So your principle should be like that. You be fully in Krsna consciousness, you forget all othe

He mentions an especially touching conversation Shri Gaurasundara had with Vishnupriya Devi the night before He took sannyasa. Being a talented musician, Lochana Dasa told Mahaprabhu's pastimes in beautiful poetry filled with fire and rhythm. Common people could easily understand the divine character of Shri Chaitanya and awaken their religious feelings. As Devotees regularly chant the Vedic epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, Gaudiya Vaishnava's still wander through Bengal reciting the Chaitanya Mangala. (In the image: Shri Gaurachandra, ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai).

   Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya.
 
   "My hope of hopes is to be near the lotus feet of Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura and serve him with my very life. The cherished desire of the fallen Lochana Dasa is to be allowed, by Narahari's grace, to sing the glories of Lord Gauranga. My Lord is Shri Narahari Thakura, I am His servant. Bowing before him I beg

Uniformity - Part One

by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda

In spiritual endeavour proper, there is a division of external and internal practices. But this division is not one between the physical and the mental. Neither the physical nor the mental functions are activities of the ātmā (soul).

Activities in the preliminary stage of spiritual endeavour, prior to the awakening of spontaneous attraction, constitute the external aspect of spiritual conduct. During that stage, the neophyte displays a decisive inclination for following the injunctions of śāstra under the guidance of the spiritual preceptor, who belongs to the class of inner devotees. Obedience to the spiritual preceptor prevents this kind of endeavour from degenerating into lifeless ritualism and rigid orthodoxy.

Nevertheless, there is an observable and striking uniformity of practice during this preliminary stage. This uniformity should not, however, be mistaken for the lifeless standardization of physical a

Three hundred years before the appearance of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Jayadeva Goswami served as the court pandita of Shri Lakshmana Sena, King of Bengal. Jayadeva and Padmavati (his wife and an expert dancer) used to worship Lord Shri Krishna with single-minded devotion. (In the image: Jayadeva Goswami and his wife Padmavati).

   Three hundred years before the appearance of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Jayadeva Goswami served as the court pandita of Shri Lakshmana Sena, King of Bengal. Jayadeva and Padmavati (his wife and an expert dancer) used to worship Lord Shri Krishna with single-minded devotion. After some time, he left the opulent royal life to live peacefully in a grass hut in Champahatti, Navadwipa. Here Jayadeva wrote Gita Govinda.

   One day while working on Gita Govinda Jayadeva felt inspired to write, "Krishna bows down to touch the lotus feet of Shrimati Radharani." Jayadeva was hesitant to say something which might diminish Lord Krishna's position as the Supreme

Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami.

   Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami (the son of a Vyenkata Bhatta, a Shri Vaishnava brahmana) appeared in Shri Rangam, South India. Lord Chaitanya once stayed four months in his home, and converted the family to Gaudiya Vaishnavism. A mere boy at this time, Gopala personally served the Lord. Shri Chaitanya treated him affectionately giving His remnants and blessings to' become an acharya.

   During His four month stay, Lord Chaitanya developed a close friendship with Vyenkata Bhatta, which Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describes as "sakhya rasa." Freely conversing with each other, they would often laugh and joke together. One day in a humorous mood Lord Chaitanya asked Vyenkata:

   "Why does your worshipable goddess of fortune, Shri Lakshmidevi, abandon the happiness of Vaikuntha and her service to Her Lord Narayana? Why does she go to Vrindavana and perform severe austerities to attain the association of My Lord Gopala, the cowherd boy of Vraja?"

   "I can't understand these

"Whether blind or dumb, anyone can drown in this flood of prema. In this way, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has filled everyone with love of God. But Ramachandra Dasa is so unfortunate that he couldn't even taste a drop of that nectar." (In the image: Shrila Ramachandra Kaviraja).

   Ramachandra Kaviraja, the son of Shri Chiranjiva Sena (eternal associate of Lord Chaitanya), appeared in Shri Khanda. "Ramachandara Kaviraja was especially earnest, beautiful, intelligent, energetic, and enthusiastic," said one biographer. Although married, Ramachandra and his wife, Ratanala, had no material attachments. They stayed fully engaged in the loving service of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They had no children. With steadfast devotion he served his spiritual master, Shrinivasa Acharya. In Vrindavana, Shri Jiva Goswami gave him the title, kaviraja, "king of poets." He wrote the following beautiful verse:

I have recently become involved with a group that some of you know about, and those that don't should. It is called the "Vedic Care Cooperative". It is a wonderful organization that is working to offer real care to devotees in need.

Imagine a devotee forced by circumstances into a retirement home. He is surrounded by non-devotees who do not understand his needs. There are strange images and sounds, meat eating is rampant. There is no one to chant with, and no one to discuss Prabhupada's books with.

This situation is all too common, but the Vedic Care Cooperative is there to help in this and many other situations.

I make a monthly donation, and serve on the Proofreading and Editing team. What service will you give? There are many opportunites that require only a small commitment. Please go to www.vediccare.org.

Thank you and Hare Krsna!

   "Jagadish Pandit was the savior of the world. He was a monsoon cloud of Krishna prema, pouring showers of mercy upon everyone." (Chaitanya-charitamrta)
 
   Jagadish Pandit and his brother, Mahesh, lived near Jagannatha Mishra in Shridhama Mayapur. One Ekadashi day baby Nimai was crying constantly. He stopped after taking Maha-prasadam rice in Jagadish Pandit's home. Then Nimai performed a miracle. Jagadish Pandit swooned in ecstasy upon seeing baby Gauranga manifest a beautiful form with a monsoon cloud blue complexion, shining like lightning, and adorned with a shimmering peacock feather.
 
   After moving to Shri Kshetra Dhama (Jagannatha Puri) , Lord Gaurachandra asked Jagadish to come help spread the Hari Nama sankirtana movement. Taking Lord Jagannatha's permission, Jagadish Pandit took a Deity of Jagannatha back to Nadia to worship in his village of Yashora.
 
   In Krishna's nitya-lila Jagadish Pandit serves as the dancer Chandrahasa, or a naga-patni (wife of Kaliya). 

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