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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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According to this book Festivals, Fairs and Fasts of India regarding the Ganga Sagara Mela it says, "In Bengal, the Ganga Sagara festival (Mela) is held on Makara Sankranti (15th January when the sun goes from kumbha [Aquarius] rasi to makara [Pisces] rasi) on Sagara Island. Sagara means the ocean, and the island is located where the river Ganga enters the ocean. A well-attended fair is held and people come from long distances to bathe here. After the bath Ganga Ma or the Goddess Ganga is worshipped. It is believed that Ganga entered the ocean at this point to wash the bones of the 60,000 sons of Sagara, in whose memory the island is held sacred. There were reportedly killed by a curse from sage Kapila
(see Ganga Dussehra)"page 17.

Ganga Dussehra:
"Festivals connected with rivers are essentially bathing festivals. Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of Jyeshtha. River Ganga is worshipped as a mother as well as a Goddess, particularly by people of Uttara Pradesh, Bihar, and Benga

The Sun enters the Makara raasi (the zodiac sign of Capricorn - the goat), on Sankranti day, signifying the onset of Uttarayana Punyakalam.

Hare Krsna religion; Eat tasty vegetarian food, first offered by your own hands to Godhead. Read wonderful books from Krsna. Play instruments, sing, dance, chant spiritual Names, have fun and grow your love, then live eternally in Goloka in due course.

Dont be sinful. Dont kill or abuse others, dont gamble, live healthily without addictions, be chaste to your married spouse. Karma hurts.

Chant Hare Krsna. and become advanced in consciousness, perform pure devotional service to all others, via your service to Sri Krsna. Accept the mercy of Nitai and Gauranga. Love enriches and nourishes.

Astrology is for karmis     Govinda Sundara

Srila Prabhupada - ''You should not bother with all this nonsense Astrology. Astrology will not save you at the time of death. My Guru Maharaja was a great astrologer and astronomer, but he gave it all up. It is meant for the karmīs. We have NO interest in such things''

Appearing as the nephew of Shri Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis, Shri Jiva Goswami displayed all the charming features of a mahapurusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body. (In the image: Shrila Jiva Goswami).

   Appearing as the nephew of Shri Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis, Shri Jiva Goswami displayed all the charming features of a mahapurusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body. 

   In his boyhood he made a Deity of Krishna-Balarama. Expressing his pure devotion, he would often cry while worshiping Them. After offering clothes, chandana, flowers, ornaments, and tasty sweets to Krishna-Balarama he would take some and give Maha-Prasadam to his playmates. From the beginning Jiva showed his kindness to other jivas (living entities). Jiva was so much attached to Krishna-Balarama that at bed time he would embrace his Deities and fall asleep. His parent

The wives of the sacrificing Brahmins in Vraja took birth as Jagadisha and Hiranya. The Lord (Mahaprabhu) asked for and ate their Prasad on the Ekadashi day. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 192) (In the image: Wives of Brahmins are giving food to Krishna and His Friends).).

   apare yajna-patnyau shri-jagadisha-hiranyakau

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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

Uddharana Datta Thakura, a dvadasa gopala, lived in Saptagrama, a cluster of seven villges (Krishnapura, Nityanandapura, Vasudevapura, Sivapura, Bansabediya, Sahanagara, Saptagrama.). Raised in luxury within a family of gold merchants, he later married and worked as a wealthy state minister. The place where he once held office is today called Uddharanapura in his honor.   Lord Nityananda would often stay in his home and accept food from his hand. Performing prema nama sankirtana in Saptagrama, Lord Nityananda delivered the entire community of bankers and gold merchants. Udhharana Datta said that Saptagrama is such a holy place that simply by seeing it one is freed from all sins. When he was twenty-six years old his wife suddenly died. He left everything to associate with Sri Nityananda Prabhu and preach the glories of Krishna's holy names.   He personally installed and' worshiped Deities of Sad-bhuja Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandit. He serves Lord Balarama as Subahu