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X-WR-CALNAME:ISKCON Punjabi Bagh,
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for ISKCON Punjabi Bagh,
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DTSTART:20260101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260409
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260410
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T082621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T063448Z
UID:47863-1775692800-1775779199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Abhirama Thakura 9th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Abhirama Thakura was one of the most vigorous preachers among the associates of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. In the mood of a cowherd boy\, Sri Abhirama Thakura carried a bullwhip named Jaya Mangala.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-abhirama-thakura-9th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Abhirama.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260412
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260413
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T082745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T063523Z
UID:47865-1775952000-1776038399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakura 12th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Vrndavana Dasa Thakura was the author of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata\, a great biography of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is considered the manifest Vyasadeva of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-vrindavana-dasa-thakura-12th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Srila-Vrndavana-Dasa-Thakura.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260413
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260414
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T082902Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T082902Z
UID:47867-1776038400-1776124799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Varuthini Ekadashi 13th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Varuthini Ekadasi most mercifully descends in the month of Vaisakha (April/May) and is described in details in a conversation between Sri Krsna and Yudhisthira Maharaj. Once upon a time the sublime king Yudhisthira asked the Lord: “Please explain to me the process for observong this Ekadasi which takes place during the waning Moon in the month of Vaisakha. What is the process for observing this Ekadasi and what results may be obtained by such practice.” \nLord Krsna replied: “My dear Raja (king) the name of this Ekadasi is Varuthini and it awards one greatly intrinsic fortune\, both in this life and the next. By following the vow of Ekadasi one obtains perpetual happiness and his sinful reactions dwindle as of a dimminuendo. By following such a vow an unfortunate wife grows fortunate\, a lame man may leap and a blind man see. A human being attains prosperity in this life and the next\, and even without realising so; an animal may be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Many saintly kings such as Dhundhumara and Jambhudra became liberated by following this delectable and most transcendent of days… Varunthini Ekadasi.” \n“O great king! Donating an elephant is superior to donating a horse\, donating land is superior to donating an elephant and donating sesame seeds is greater than donating sesame seeds and donation of food grains is greater than donating gold. In fact there is no greater charity than donating food grains in charity. By such munificence one can satisfy the forefathers\, the demigods and all living entities. The learned scholars have recorded in their Vedic legacy that\, giving a daughter in charity is equal to giving  grains in charity. The Supreme Lord Himself has compared donating food grains to be equal in stature and benificence to donating cows! Moreover\, among all kinds of charities sharing one’s knowledge with others is the highest. \n“By following Varuthini Ekadasi one can attain the results of all charities. A person who earns his livelihood by cowardly selling of his daughter\, deserves to live in hell untill the end of time. Therefore no one should ever accept wealth in exchange for his daughter. A householder who\, under the influence of greed sells his daughter in exchange for money becomes a cat in his next life. But one who decorates his daughter with beatific ornaments according to his own capacity and gives her away in all good faith to a qualified and chaste groom\, even Citragupta-the secretary of Yamaraja\, is unable to count his piety. \nThe follower of this Ekadasi should abstain from eating out of a bell metal pot\, eating meat\, masura gram\, chickpea\, spinach\, honey\, accepting foodstuffs cooked by others\, eating more than neccessary\, eating more than once and engaging in sex life from the day before Ekadasi. He should not engage in gambling\, sleeping\, eating betel nuts\, brushing his teeth\, blaspheming anyone\, gossiping\, speaking ill truths\, speaking with a sinful person\, becoming angry and telling lies on the day of Ekadasi. If one observes the Ekadasi day in this manner with great tenacity and determination\, according to these reglatory stipulations-all his sinful reactions will be completely annhiliated and he will attain the supreme destination. One who remains awake on the day of Ekadasi and worships Lord Janardana becomes freed from all sins and attains the supreme goal of life. Anyone who hears or reads some narration of the inscrutable glories of this Ekadasi surely achieves the result of donating one thousand cows\, and being freed from all his sinful reactions he attains the abode of Visnu.”
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/varuthini-ekadashi-13th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Ekadashi.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260415
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260416
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T083020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T083020Z
UID:47869-1776211200-1776297599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Beginning of Salagrama and Tulasi Jala Dana 15th April 2026
DESCRIPTION: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.\nKeshava 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.\nWhile 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. \nThis 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.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/beginning-of-salagrama-and-tulasi-jala-dana-15th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tulsi.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260417
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260418
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T083123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T063545Z
UID:47872-1776384000-1776470399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srila Gadadhara Pandita 17th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Gadadhara Pandita is among the group known as the Panca-tattva\, consisting of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and four of His closest associates. Gadadhara Pandita spent most of his life in Jagannatha Puri worshiping the Tota-Gopinatha Deity.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-sri-gadadhara-pandita-17th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/gadadhar.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260420
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260421
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T083233Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T083233Z
UID:47874-1776643200-1776729599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Aksaya Tritya – Candana Yatra Starts 20th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Candana Yatra is a festival during the hot season in India in which the Deities are covered with sandalwood paste (candana) to cool Them. (This is generally impractical in the West\, where it is cold during this time.) \nFor 21 days with the Utsava Vigrahas covered in chandan. The Deities are covered completely with chandan(sandalwood paste)\, which provides the Lord relief from the scorching heat of summer in the month of Vaisakha/Jyestha (May/June). \nOnce\, Lord Jagannatha instructed the ancient King Indradyumna to perform this festival on this occasion. Smearing the body of the Lord with ointments is an act of devotion\, and the best of balms is said to be sandalwood paste. Since heat in the month of Vaisakha is extreme in India\, the cooling effect of sandalwood paste would be pleasing to the Lord. \nSandalwood paste is applied all over the body of Lord Jagannatha leaving only his two eyes exposed. The Utsava Vigrahas (functional Deities – Vijay Utsav) are taken on procession and placed in a boat in the temple pond. To commemorate this festival\, Lord Caitanya also performed water sport with his devotees. \nChandan yatra is said to have been celebrated first on the day when Treta-yuga began. Sages and devotees perform homa (yajna) during this holy occasion. Usually barley is used as a major ingredient for homa. Ganga Devi is said to have descended to earth on this day. People also perform special puja on the occasion of this holy day. Bathing in a holy river\, offering charity\, performing japa and fire sacrifices\, offering barley in sacred fire\, and preparations of delicious food using barley are common celebrations among the people. \nIn the Mahabharata\, the Pandavas lived in disguise in the palace of King Virata during their Ajnatavasa. After Bhima killed Kichaka\, King Virata realised that the Pandavas were living in his palace. The king felt proud of them and made strong bonds of friendship with them. Once\, the king expressed his desire to have a darshan of Lord Krishna with the Pandavas. Yudhisthira then advised the king to organise a boat journey in a lake for the amusement of Lord Krishna in summer months. \nThe king also organised to embalm the body of the Lord with sandalwood paste in fragrant water to comfort Him from summer heat. Satisfied with the devotion of King Virata\, Lord Krishna arrived with his elder brother Balarama. The two Lords and the Pancha Pandavas enjoyed the Snana-yatra and rowing festival. Thus with the close association of Lord Krishna\, the pious king fulfilled his devotional desire. To commemorate this incident\, Lord Jagannatha (Krishna) enjoys Chandan Yatra with Pancha Pandava at the Narendra Sarovar. This festival is known as Chandan Mahotsava. Prior to the existence of Narendra Sarovar\, this festival was said to have been observed in other tanks like Benta Sarovar. \nMadhavendra Puri was a great follower of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. When he was in Govardhana\, he dreamt of a deity of Gopala dug in the jungles. The Lord said\, “Madhava\, I am much suffocated in the jungle beneath the earth. Please excavate my place and install Me in a temple.” So Madhavendra Puri\, with the help of the Annore villagers\, excavated the earth and found the deity and Gopala was installed on top of the Govardhana Hill. One day\, Gopala said\, “I was beneath the earth for long and My body is worn out. Would you please bring some sandalwood from Jagannatha Puri and smear on Me with its pulp and soothe My body?” \nMadhavendra Puri was then an old man and he couldn’t deny the order of Lord Gopala. So he set out to Jagannatha Puri. On the way\, he reached the Remuna where the Gopinätha temple is located at the border of Orissa and Bengal. He stayed there overnight and saw that the pujari offered twelve pots of ksira to the deity. So Madhavendra Puri thought\, “If I could taste a bit of ksira\, then I would also make similar offerings to my Gopala in Vrindävan. Immediately\, his consciousness scolded him\, “Oh\, I am so stupid. Before offering it to the Deity\, I think of eating it.” Realising his mistake\, he immediately left the temple. He went outside and sat beneath a tree and chanted the Hare Krisha Mahamantra to pass the night. At night\, the Deity appeared in the dream to the priest and said\, “I have shielded one pot of kshira (condensed milk) behind My garment. Take it to Madhavendra Puri sitting beneath the tree outside the temple. The priest reached the temple and did so as instructed. Then the priest described the whole episode to Madhavendra Puri. Thereafter\, Gopinatha became famous as Kñéra-cora\, who stole ksira for His great devotee. \nIn the next day morning\, Madhavendra Puri set out to Jagannatha to collect chandan for Gopala. Before he reached Puri\, the news was spread there that Gopinatha stole kshira for Madhavendra Puri. At Jagannatha Puri\, Madhavendra met the pujari of Lord Jagannatha and expressed the desire of Lord Gopala. The pujari took him to the King of Puri. Hearing the episode\, the king gave him one mann (nearly 37 kg) of special sandalwood used in Puri and two security guards and gave him a written order not to harm Madhavendra\, the carrier of chandan. While he reached near Gopinatha\, Govinda appeared in his dream and said\, “Madhava\, you embalm Lord Gopinatha with sandal paste so that I too would receive it\, for Gopinatha and I are one.” Madhavendra Puri anointed Lord Gopinatha with chandan paste as Gopala instructed. The Chandan Yatra festival started since then to commemorate the incident. \nBefore one month of the festival\, ISKCON Vrindavan devotees enthusiastically ground the sandalwood paste (approximately 100 kilograms) for anointing the embodiments of their wonderful Divinities for the Chandan-yatra festival. On the day of Chandan Yatra\, HG Aindra Prabhu and his qualified team of pujaris started to smear with chandan since 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm on their Lordships with pure love and devotion. We all had a wonderful darshan on that auspicious day and we unanimously thank all those pious devotees who actively participated in the chandan festival to make the event a grand success. \nPlease see the extract from Caitanya Caritamrita below to commemorate the event. (Translation and purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada): \nSri Caitanya Caritamrita: Madhya Lila (4.106) says\,\ngopala kahe\, puri amara tapa nahi yaya malayaja-candana lepa’\, tabe se judaya.\n“In his dream\, Mädhavendra Puri saw Gopäla\, who said\, “My bodily temperature still has not decreased. Please bring sandalwood from the Malaya province and smear the pulp over My body to cool Me.” \nPURPORT:\nThe Deity of Gopala had been buried within the jungle for many years\, and although He was installed and was offered thousands of pots of water\, He still felt very hot. He therefore asked Madhavendra Puri to bring sandalwood from the Malaya province. Sandalwood produced in Malaya is very popular. That province is situated on the western ghäöa\, and the hill Nilagiri is sometimes known as Malaya Hill. The word malaya-ja is used to indicate the sandalwood produced in Malaya Province. Sometimes the word Malaya refers to the modern country of Malaysia. Formerly this country also produced sandalwood\, but now they have found it profitable to produce rubber trees. Although the Vedic culture was once prevalent in Malaysia\, now all the inhabitants are Muslims. The Vedic culture is now lost in Malaysia\, Java and Indonesia.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/aksaya-tritya-candana-yatra-starts-20th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260423
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260424
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T083505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T083505Z
UID:47878-1776902400-1776988799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Jahnu Saptami 23rd April 2026
DESCRIPTION:The day when the sage Jahnu released the River Ganges after swallowing her. On this day\, if possible\, one should worship the Ganges and bathe in her waters. \nFrom Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Sri Navadvipa Mahatmya\nChapter 13: Description of Vidyanagara and Jahnudvipa As \nNityananda spoke\, they went to Jannagara where they saw the enchanting hermitage of Jahnu Muni. Nityananda Prahhu explained\, “This enchanting place named Jahnudvipa is known as Bhadravana. At this place\, Jahnu Muni underwent penances and received darsana of the golden form of Gauranga. “Jahnu Muni was sitting here chanting his gayatri mantra\, when his acamana cup fell into the Bhagirathi (Ganges) and was swept away by the currents. He opened his mouth and drank all the water in one gulp. King Bhagiratha thought\, ‘Where has the Ganges gone?’ He concluded that Jahnu Muni had drunk theGanges. The king was overwhelmed with anxiety and worshipped the muni for several days. The muni then released the Ganges from his body. Because of this incident the Ganges is known as Jahnavi\, the daughter of Jahnu\, throughout the world.”
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/jahnu-saptami-23rd-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260425
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260426
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T083647Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T083647Z
UID:47880-1777075200-1777161599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srimati Sita Devi 25th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Sita Devi\, a manifestation of the goddess of fortune\, Laksmi Devi\, is the eternal consort of Lord Ramacandra. \nSrimati Sita Devi is the daughter of the Earth goddess\, Bhumi Devi\, and central figure of the Ramayana. InMaharishi Valmiki’s own words\, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita “Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat”. \nHer glories are sun by the poet-saint Thyagaraja in his “Sri Janakatayane” \nOh daughter of Janaka\, the blessed souls of refugees! Oh Consort of Sri Raghu Rama\, bedecked with shining gem-ornaments! Pray\, protect me always! You are the wind that destroys the clouds of demons like the hundres-headed Ravana; You are the indweller in the hearts of the devotees; Your Feet shine with the lustre of gems set in the crown of Indra. \nKing Janaka was the wise and benevolent King of Janakpuri and although a great saintly king he was childless. ‘Rajarshi – a king who lives like a sage: that was how king Janaka of Videha dynasty was renowned. He ruled over the kingdom of Mithila. He looked upon his people with love and affection. \nThe Finding of Sita Devi in a casket in the Earth: \nJanaka maharaj was ploughing a piece of land and then to prepare it for conducting a Yajna (spiritual sacrifice). He unearthed a golden casket in which he found a beautiful girl and was overjoyed. A land ploughed by the yoke is called ‘Sita’\, and so he named the baby as Sita. With the arrival of the baby\, the king’s good luck appeared to soar up. His queen also gave birth to a daughter who was named Urmila. The royal couple brought up the children with great affection. They gave them a good education. The twobeautiful girls\, by their noble qualities\, good behavior and intelligence\, endeared themselves to one and all and grew to become ideal princesses. \nSita grew up and played in the palace of Janakaraj. She became well known for her beauty as well as her devotion. She could often be seen absorbed in the Deity of the Lord of the Surya-vamsa. She would when on her own\, sometimes lovingly enact the pastimes of the various forms of the Lord and relish His pastimes. In this way she revealed to those close to her that she was no ordinary young girl. \nHer fame like her beauty became well known\, and soon it was time for her to be betrothed and then married. As with kshatriya kings of those days Janakaraj organised that all the worthy kings and princes would come\, there would be a challenge for her hand\, and the victor would become her husband. \nThe story goes that one day\, revered sage Parashurama came to visit king Janaka. He carried a bow with him. He left it at the doorstep of the royal hall and went inside. Sita saw the bow\, ran to it and began playing with it as if it was a play-horse. Only those with great physical strength and daring could lift and handle the ‘Vaishnava’ bow. When Parashurama came out\, the bow was missing. Ordinary persons could not lift it with ease and he\, curiously looking around\, spotted Sita playing with it as if it was a play-horse. The sage and the king were astonished. \nThe great Sage Parashurama\, who is a partial incarnation (shaktyavesha avatara) of Vishnu then blessed Sita and said to king Janaka: “My dear king\, only a great\, and strong person can wed this girl of such capacity. Arrange a ‘Swayamvara’ (where the brides choose their spouses for their prowess) for her and let the most suitable person in the three worlds the marry her.” \nIn course of time\, Sita and Urmila attained maturity. \nKing Janaka possessed a bow said to have been blessed by Lord Shiva. It was a great bow and the king decided to marry off his daughter to one who could lift it and charge its arrow. He prepared for a Swayamvara. \nThe challenge is sent out\, “The Man Who Conquers the ‘Shiva\, Bow’ Weds Sita”\, and so all manner of qualified princes and “wannabe’s” came from all over the world. But how to find such a heroic young man to wed such a girl? \nMany noble princes from several kingdoms came aspiring for the hand of the beautiful damsel Sita. But they were awed by the mighty bow and\, saluting it turned away. \nSage Vishwamitra\, accompanied by his disciples Rama and Lakshmana\, arrived at Mithila. The princes\, sons of renowned king Dasharatha\, had conquered many demons (‘rakshasas’). King Janaka felt glad at their arrival. \nVishwamitra told Rama:”Dear Ramachandra\, pray to Lord Shiva and take to the bow.” Sri Rama bowed to Vishwamitra and offered his respects. He then prayed for the grace of Lord Shiva\, went and raised the bow with ease and thrust an arrow. As he bent the bow\, it broke. Sitadevi came and garlanded him and accepted him as her husband. The news reached king Dasharatha who rushed to Mithila with his entourage. The marriage of Rama and Sita Devi was solemnized in a grand manner. \nAfter this event\, Dasharatha spent many happy years ruling the kingdom. Old age gradually crept on\, and he decided to retire. He naturally thought of handing over the reigns of the kingdom to his eldest son Rama. He wanted to spend the rest of his life in meditation\, away from the worries of physical life. He consulted his elderly priests and decided on the day of Sri Rama’s installation on the royal throne. \nThe king was very joyful on the auspicious day. His senior consort Kausalya Devi was engaged in worship and serving the elders and priests. People in the kingdom were rejoicing and eagerly looked forward to the coming coronation. \nKing Dasharatha’s third consort was Kaikeyi. She too was very affectionate towards Rama. But carried away by the advice of her maid Manthara\, she claimed that her son Bharata should Succeed as the next king\, and that Rama should go to forest for fourteen years. Dasharatha was shocked to hear this. All his pleadings with Kaikeyi to change her mind proved in vain. \nA long time ago\, the King had promised her that he would fulfil two wishes of hers. Now\, as a fulfillment\, she demanded that the king install Bharata as the Crown Prince and that Rama should go to forest for fourteen years. \nRama came to know about this\, consoled his father and said he would go to the forest to fulfil his pledge. Rama immediately discarded his royal robes and ornaments and wearing sack-clothes\, prepared to leave for the woods. Kausalya was grief-stricken. Rama pacified her and obtained her permission to leave. \nAfter meeting his mother\, Rama went to his wife Sita. She was then bubbling with joy at the impending coronation of her husband and was performing worship for his good; she was giving away doles and offerings. \nLooking at Sita’s joy and celebration\, Rama felt it painful to inform her that he would not be crowned and that he would be leaving for the jungle. He knows she would be shocked. Looking at his worried face\, Sita asked: “You appear to be worried at such a joyous moment. What is the matter? Did anything untoward happen?” She gently wiped the sweat on his face with the edge of her saree. \nRama said: “Dear Janaki\, do not feel grieved at what I am going to tell you. I have to leave the capital for a distant place. You should see me off without tears.” He told her about the king’s dilemma and said: I will go to the forest for fourteen years and return. You should remain without anger or sorrow. Be calm. The parents are old. Look after them. Be good and courteous towards Bharata also. Permit me to leave.” \nSita was saddened. She was not sorry either at the canceling of her husband’s coronation or at the demanded crowning of Bharata. But she felt angry that Rama should leave her behind and go to the forest alone. She declared: “My Lord\, I can’t stay for a moment in a place without you. In your absence\, this Ayodhya will be a jungle to me. The forest wherein you stay will be my kingdom. My life runs under your shadow. It is not becoming of you to leave me behind.” \nRama explained to her the rigours of life in the woods. “Sita\, you do not know about jungle-life. It is not a cosy\, royal garden; cruel wild animals and evil demons (rakshasas) infest it. You hear ferocious voices. You have to live on roots and wild fruits. A tender lady like you cannot withstand these hazards.You have to pass every day in fear of some impending danger. After all\, fourteen years is not a long period.” \nSita would not listen to his pleadings. She insisted: “Whether it is jungle or town\, it is my. duty to be with you. I do not care for comforts here. I am not afraid of the difficulties we may encounter in the forest. You are such a lion of a man. Can’t you protect me there?” Tears rolled down her eyes. \nRama eventually had to agree with her: “Sita if you are with me\, any jungle is heaven. Let it be\, as you desire. Prepare to leave.” Sita happily made preparations for the sojourn. \nRama’s younger brother Lakshmana also insisted that he would accompany them. Rama had to acquiesce. \nDeciding to stay at Chitrakoota Mountain\, the three-some left and reached their destination. \nIt was a picturesque area. Many sages had built their ashrams (hermitages) there. They warmly welcomed Rama\, Sita and Lakshmana. Rama and Lakshmana built a hermitage for themselves. \nAfter a time\, Bharata\, with his entourage\, came to visit them. He wanted to plead with Rama to return to Ayodhya and assume kingship. He mournfully informed them about king Dasharatha’s passing away. Rama\, Sita and Lakshmana were overcome with grief. \nAll the pleadings of Bharata to Rama were in vain. Rama did not change his mind. At last\, Bharata requested Rama to give him his sandals so that he could place them on the throne and rule in the name of Rama. He also decided to reside in the village Nandi as a hermit. \nFrom Chitrakoota\, the three went Dandakaranya forest. \nThe sages of Dandakaranya received them with regard and affection. They told Rama that evil rakshasas and wild animals had\nbeen harassing them and sought his help to relieve them of these troubles and protect them. Rama\, by nature\, was compassionate; he promised them he would free them from the menace of rakshasas. \nSitadevi was worried. At an appropriate time she told Rama: “Aryaputra\, let me submit to you a few of my thoughts. Please do not think I am more learned than you. The sages narrated their problems and you promised them you would annihilate the rakshasas and wild animals. You have now forsaken all the royal paraphernalia and have come to the forest. Now you have to live like an ascetic and should not carry weapons. You have a bow and arrows for self-protection. By your promise to the sages\, the rakshasas will become your enemies. I am worded about this. We cannot say what danger might hit us at any time. And also\, is it just to kill wild animals and rakshasas who have not harmed us in any way? Hatred without reason may result in danger. Please think it over.” \nRama patiently listened to Sita’s words and said: “Devi\, listen. We are Kshatriyas by birth and no time is objectionable for us to punish the evil doers. Can the rakshasas attack innocent sages and devour them? Punishing them and protecting theinnocent is our dharma (sacred duty). Your thoughts deserve consideration. You have thought about this matter seriously. I will go about this very carefully.” Sita was relieved at his explanation. \nAs Rama\, Sita and Lakshmana were approaching a spot called Panchavati\, they came across a huge banyan tree. Atop it sat a large-sized eagle. They thought it might also be a rakshasas in disguise. But it said: “Raghurama\, I am a friend of your father Dasharatha. My name is Jatayu. When you and Lakshmana go out\, I will be here with Sita and keep guard. I will try to be of some help to you. “They felt happy that they met a friendly soul in the jungle. \nThey built a hermitage and lived comfortably for sometime. Close by was the Godavari river. The area was dotted with hills. The jungle trees and plants provided fruits and flowers in abundance. With majestic trees\, various plants\, chirping birds and attractive animals like the deer\, the spot was a feast to the eye. \nA demoness\, Shurpanakha\,was wandering about in that area in search of food. She scented some human beings staying there and came to Rama’s hermitage and peeped in. \nShe was instantly struck by the graceful personalities of Rama and Lakshmana and wished to marry one of them. She assumed the appearance of a beautiful damsel and asked Rama to marry her. \nRama said: “I am married and my wife is with me here. I cannot bring in” another wife. My younger brother Lakshmana is alone and he is also good-looking. Go to him.” \nShurpanakha then approached Lakshmana and asked him to marry her. He said: “I am Rama’s devout attendant. If you marry me\, you will also become a servant and have to be subserviant to Sita. Go back and ask Rama.” \nIt was a sport between the brothers. She was made to go from one to the other several times and became fed up with this game. She angrily said: “it is because Rama’s wife is here that things are happening this way. I am going to finish her off.” So saying\, she came to pounce upon Sita. \nRama told Lakshmana: “No point in being too light-hearted with evil people. Punish her and drive her away.” Thereupon\, Lakshmana went and cut off her ears\, nose and breasts and thus drove her away. \nShurpanakha\, apart from the physical pain\, felt humiliated and ran away growling loudly. She was the sister of Ravana\, the king of Lanka\, a man endowed with immense prowess. Another demon\, Khara\, who ruled over Janasthana\, where Rama’s hermitage was located\, was Ravana’s younger brother. Shurpanakha went to Khara and told him of her humiliation. He became wild with anger and\, accompanied by a large army\, came to attack Rama and Lakshmana. But Rama’s powerful arrows annihilated the enemy force. The sages of the forest extolled Rama. Sita also felt happy\, but a nagging worry continued to haunt her. \nShurpanakha then went to Lanka and wailed before Ravana. She narrated her humiliation and the defeat of Khara and his army. She also told him about Sita’s beauty. \nRavana felt sad; anger welled up in him. Should a sister of such a hero as himself suffer such humiliation? Hearing her description of Sita’s beauty\, an evil thought entered his mind – that he should abduct Sita! \nRavana thought of many ways and finally decided to seek the assistance of Mareecha\, who was his relative. Mareecha shivered at the mention of Rama. He explained to Ravana about the fury of Rama’s arrows. He advised Ravana: “To abduct Sita is a bad idea. Forget it.” \nBut Ravana was insistent. “If you do not listen to me\, your life is finished\,” he threatened Mareecha\, who then realized that any amount of advice to Ravana would be futile. \nRavana’s plan was to see that Rama and Lakshmana would be lured away from the hermitage; he could then go there and kidnap Sita. He conceived a plan and Mareecha was asked to execute it. \nMareecha assumed the guise of a lovely golden deer and moved about in the presence of Sita. Sighting it\, Sita told Rama: “Look at this beautiful deer. If we can catch it\, will it not be an ornament to Ayodhya?” \nLakshmana said: “It is not a real deer. It looks artificial. Let us not be fooled by some tricks of the rakshasas.” \nBut Rama wished to fulfil Sita’s desire and proceeded to follow the golden deer. \nHowever\, Rama could not easily catch the deer. In pursuit\, it took him far away from their residence. Finally\, tired and angry Rama struck it with an arrow. As he lay dying\, Mareecha cried out: “Ha\, Lakshmana! Ha Sita!” was imitating Rama’s voice. \nSita was worried at Rama’s not returning early when heard this cry. She entreated Lakshmana to go and find out whether Rama was in danger and needed protection. \nLakshmana tried to console her and said: “My brother is the protector of the world. What danger can affect him*? There is no need for anyone to go to his aid. These are all the rakshasas’ tricks.” \nBut Sita did not think so. She became angry and denounced Lakshmana thus: “You have come with us with some object of personal benefit. When your elder brother is facing danger you are wasting time here. I do not approve of your designs.” \nLakshmana could not tolerate this insinuation. He was worried about the welfare of Sita if he went away leaving her alone. He invoked the demigods (devas) of the forest\, and protracted the ashram by placign the Rekha line around it. Then offering respects before Sita he reluctantly left the place. \nMeanwhile\, taking advantage of Lakshaman and Rama’s absence a ‘Sannyasi’ (monk) arrived at Rama’s hut. He wore saffron robes\, had tied his hair into a top-knot and chanted Vedic hymns like any other ascetic. \nSita looked at him and he asked her: “Why are you\, such a beautiful damsel staying in this jungle suffering misery?” \nThinking that a respectable sage had come\, Sita treated him with reverence and told him about her life-story. She did not comprehend that Ravana ‘had come in disguise. \nThe Sannyasi said: “I am Ravaneshwara. All the three worlds shudder at the mention of my name. \nI have never seen a more beautiful woman like you. Come and be my queen and lead a happy life.” \nSitadevi\, hearing these words\, was see thing with anger and said: “You wretched man! I am the wife of lionhearted Rama. If you touch me\, you will be touching fire!” \nIn spite of her entreaties\, Ravana would not relent. He carried her to his chariot even as she was denouncing him and praying for her protection. \nJatayu\, who was sleeping atop a tree\, was awakened by Sita’s cries. He immediately jumped forward and attacked Ravana’s chariot\, killed the driver and damaged it considerably. \nEnraged\, Ravana lashed at Jatayu and cut off his wings. Sita was saddened to see Jatayu fall to the ground mortally wounded. Carrying Sita\, Ravana flew away in the skies towards Lanka. \nAs soon as Rama heard Mareecha’s cries\, he felt that something was wrong. He hurriedly retreated and met Lakshmana on the way back. Rama’s suspicions grew and sensing something bad\, asked Lakshmana: “Brother\, What is this? Why did you come?\nWhat about Sita’s welfare? What could happen to her by the time we get back to our place? May we see her again alive?” \nThey rushed to the hermitage and Rama cried out: “Devi\, Janaki\, where are you?” There was no answer. The ashram was empty. Rama searched around to no avail. He wandered uttering Sita’s name all over the place. “0 trees\, birds\, animals\, can’t you tell me about Sita’s whereabouts?” At one spot Rama found a bunch of flowers Sita had worn. Nearby lay Jatayu\, injured and in agony. It seemed as if the bird was struggling to keep alive only to inform Sri Rama about the abduction of Sita. It said: “Raghurama\, Ravana\, the king of Lanka\, has abducted Sitadevi. I fought him to protect her but he beat me.” With these words\, the bird died. \nRama and Lakshmana\, full of grief\, conducted the last rites of Jatayu in accordance with the tradition. \nRavana brought Sita to Lanka. He showed her his palace and riches. He showed her his rakshasas army. He told her: “Look here\, Rama cannot come here. Forget him. There is no one more heroic and rich than I am. Become my queen and lead a happy life.” \nSita did not want even to talk to him. She held a blade of grass before her and looking at it said: “Ravana\, you have carried me to this place stealthily when Rama was not present. If he was there at that time\, you would have been destroyed. It looks as if your life is now ended.” \nRavana was enraged. He kept her in the Ashokavana garden and engaged demonizes to guard her. \nRama and Lakshmana proceeded in search of Sita. Wandering all around\, they arrived at Rishyamooka hill. Sighting them from atop the hill\, Sugriva\, a king of the monkeys\, sent his minister Anjaneya (Hanuman) to meet them and bring them to him. \nHis elder brother Vali\, who also kept Sugriva’s wife for himself\, had deported Sugriva from his land. Sugriva narrated his woes to Rama and sought his help. In turn\, Rama told him about his own sorrow. Both pledged to help each other. They declare their friendship in front of the Fire God Agni (sacred fire). \nRama killed Vali and installed Sugriva on the throne. \nSugriva sent his soldiers to all corners of the country to search for Sita. Rama called Anjaneya (Hanuman) and told him: “Dear son of Vayu wind\, I feel that you will succeed in your mission. You are the only one able to reach Lanka. Go forth and meet Sita. Tell her about our welfare. As a sign of recognition\, give her this ring.” He blessed and sent him away. \nThe armies of ‘vanaras’ (monkeys and bears) reached the seashore. They thought to themselves\, How to cross the vast sea? One has only to fly. Who is capable of it. They all agreed that only Hanuman possessed the prowess to undertake the task. Thus\, Anjaneya embarked on his voyage of a distance of 100 yojanas with the speed of wind and reached Lanka he went to Ravana’s palace\, searched around and found Sita at Ashokavana. \nSita sat under a Shimshupa tree. Pale and weary-looking\, and wearing a worn-out saree\, she was sitting there on the floor crying. She was pining: “0 Ramachandra! Can’t you see my plight? Can I be so lucky as to see you again?” Ugly looking demonesses around pressed on: “Forget Rama. Marry the heroic\, wealthy Ravana. If you please him\, you can lead a life of luxury. If you refuse\, you will be finished.” But Sita sternly told them: I will never think of another man even in my dreams. “Rich or Poor\, My Life is Only with Rama” \nI would not touch another being even with my left foot.” \nSitting on the branches of a nearby tree\, Anjaneya saw all and heard these words. \nIn the morning\, Ravana accompanied by his harem came there. Ravana said: “Sita\, why you are suffering like this without good food and clothing? I am the king of the three worlds. My palace\, riches\, opulence – everything will be yours. Come to the palace. One does not know whether Rama\, living in the jungle like a hermit\, is alive or dead. Forget him.” \nAddressing the blade of grass before her\, Sita said: “I am Rama’s wife. Whether he is rich or poor\, my place is with Rama and nowhere else. I do not even want to look at you. By bringing me here\, you are ruining yourself and your family.” \nThough Ravana continued to persuade Sita\, he was insulted by her as a coward and evil man. He was angered and dashed forward with fury saying he would kill her. He was held back by one of his wives Dhanyamalini. He told Sita: “I will give you two months time. If you do not change your mind\, I will kill you!” So saying\, he went away. \nAfter he left\, the demonesses began to harass Sita who was now thinking of almost ending her life\, before these devils devoured her. An old demoness Trijata checked her associates and told them about a bad dream she had: “Do not harass Sita. She is the purest wife. Lanka is now faced with great danger. Ask her pardon.” Then\, they left off harassing her. \nHanuman came down from the treetop and stood before Sita singing the praise of Rama. \nSita\, surprised\, feared that this too might be a ruse of Ravana. But Hanuman assured her and revealed his real self. He gave her the ring given by Rama as a sign of recognition and told her about the welfare of the brothers. Sita felt relieved. She reverently touched her eyes with the ring. She explained her experiences to him and said: “If Rama does not come within two months\, my life will be finished. Tell Rama to come soon and save me.” \nHanuman said: “0 Mother\, why should we wait that long? I can carry you on my shoulders and fly to Rama now itself.” But Sita did not agree and said: “Anjaneya\, it is Rama’s duty. That duty should not be interfered with. I will suffer all the hardships here till he comes. Give this to him as a sign of recognition.” So saying\, she gave Hanuman a Chudamani (crest-jewel) she was wearing and blessed him. Anjaneya returned. \nThen\, Rama\, accompanied by the army the monkeys\, immediately proceeded towards Lanka. A bridge was built across the sea. \nThe armies of Rama and Ravana fought a fierce battle. Ravana was also a man of extraordinary prowess. His sons Indrajit\, younger brother Kumbhakarna\, commander Prahasta\, were all great warriors and fought determinedly. However\, Ravana’s army was at last defeated\, after the fall of Indrajit\, Kumbhakarna and many others who died in the battle. Still\, Ravana would not relent. Finally\, he faced Rama directly. It was a long fight\, ending in the death of Ravana. Rama installed Vibhishana\, a younger brother of Ravana\, as the king of Lanka. After that\, at Rama’s asking\, Vibhishana brought Sita to Rama. \nMother Sita had spent all her days in worshipping Rama in her mind. She had patiently withstood Ravana’s insults and threats\, the how lings of the demonesses and other humiliations. She waited long for Rama to come\, conquer Ravana and free her. \nRama won the battle and Ravana died but happiness eluded Sita. \nVibhishana brought Sita in a palanquin.Armies of Sugriva and Vibhishana stood in attendance. Sitadevi stepped down and going to Rama\, exclaimed: “Aryaputra!” She was so overcome with emotion that words failed her. \nRama told Sita: “Good woman\, you are now freed. As a matter of my duty I came to rescue you. It is not because of my passion towards you. You have been with the rakshasas for a year. I cannot accept you as my wife as before. You are now free. Go anywhere you like and live.” \nRama’s forest sojourn ended by then. He and others reached Ayodhya flying in ‘Pushpaka-vimana’. Bharata and the citizens accorded a grand welcome to Rama. Everybody was filled with happiness. All were talking about Sita. Already\, preparations for Rama’s coronation were complete. He was ceremonially crowned the king. \nThe Fire Ordeal. \nCan such a kind-hearted soul as Rama speak so cruelly? Sita could not believe her ears. “This is a great test for me. All right. If my husband rejects me\, why should I live? I will sacrifice this body- to Agni” -she decided and asked Lakshmana to prepare a fire. \nLakshmana became furious and stared at Rama. Sugriva and others stood shocked. Rama stood like a rock. With tears in his eyes\, Lakshmana prepared the fire. \nSita bowed to her husband and prayed: “0 Fire God Agni\, if I am pure\, unsullied and faithful to my husband\, protect me.” So saying\, she walked into the flames. All were shocked and the women present wailed. \nBut the fire subsided. God Agni stepped out carrying Sita. He told Rama: “She is absolutely pure. How can you suspect her?\nHere\, accept this pure and fine woman.” \nBugles blew\, flowers were showered on them. Rama then said\, “I know Sita is pure. Still\, I had to do this so that people should\nnot say something bad later.” He gladly welcomed Sita. \nOn occassion Lord Rama dressed himself like an ordinary person and began wandering within Ayodhya to understand what impression the citizens had of Him. By chance one night Rama heard a man talking to his wife who had gone to another man’s house. In the course of rebuking his wife\, the man spoke detrimentally about the character of Sita devi\, saying that he (the husband) is not like Rama who allows his wife to come back after staying at another’s house. Rama immediately returned home\, and fearing such rumours\, he externally decided to give up the company of Sita devi. He sent her away to the ‘ashrama’ of Valmiki Muni. Sita\, who was pregnant at the time\, later gave birth to twin sons named Lava and Kusa. \nLord Rama continued to perform many sacrifices during his ruling Ayodhya. At one such sacrifice\, some fifteen years later\, two boys came into the arena of the sacrifice while Rama was sitting on his ‘asana’. Valmiki had taught the boys the whole poem of the Ramayana and had put the story to a very beautiful and melodious ‘swara’\, tune. Valmiki\, accompanying the two boys\, asked Rama’s permission so the boys could recite his poem. Rama gave permission\, and the boys commenced in perfect unison. \nSri Ramacandra Bhagavan was deeply stirred by the depth of the knowledge of him and his pastime. Night after night the recital continued until it came to Sita’s abandonment to Valmiki’s ‘ashrama’. Rama was then convinced they were his very own sons born to Mother Sita. He sent word to Valmiki that he should come with Sita and vouch for her purity and faithfulness. If Sita was willing to come before the assembly and give proof of her innocence\, she could resume her rightful place at her Lord’s side.\nEveryone agreed and the next day Srimati Sitadevi came. Everyone was touched at the sight of her\, her head and eyes downcast\, tears running down her beautiful face\, her long hair chastely adorning her back. \niyam dasarathe sita suvrata dharmacarini\napapa te oparityakta mamasramasamipatah\nlakopavadabhitasya tava rama mahavarata\npratyayam dasyate sita tamanujnatumarhasi \nValmiki Muni respectfully approached Sri Rama saying\, “O son of Dasaratha\, here is your wife Sita. She has been staying in my ‘ashrama’ since you abandoned her\, performing austerities. She is completely without blame and is pure and innocent. Due to your position as King you played the part that you feared public opinion may be detrimental for you\, and so you have also performed severe austerities. However\, it is now proper that your impeccable wife be allowed to prove her own innocence.” (Valmiki Ramayana Uttara Khanda 7:87:14-15.) \nSita stood in silence\, her eyes transfixed on the ground without blinking. With folded hands she said\, “If Rama has always been foremost in my heart\, then may my Mother Earth (Bhumi) herself deliver me. If I have been only true to him\, wholly\, mind\, body and soul\, then may my Mother Earth deliver me. If I have loved none but him\, then let my Mother Earth deliver me.” \nAs she spoke\, the earth rumbled\, shook and cracked open where Sita stood. Srimati Bhumi devi (Mother Earth personified) then appeared\, seated on a throne of incredible natural earthly opulence\, surrounded by ‘nagas’ (snakes)\, and she invited Sita to take her seat along side her. \nSita\, entrusting her children to Valmiki\, ascended the throne supported by ‘nagas’ adorned with fiery eyes and jewels on their heads. There\, seated besides her mother\, Bhumi and Sita disappeared from sight. The earth closed up leaving not even so much as a furrow on the surface as thought nothing had happened. \nSripad Madhwacarya’s Mahabharata Tatparaynirnaya 9:40.\, he relates\, \npravisya bhumau sa devi loke drstyanusaratah\nreme ramenavi yukta bhaskarena prabha yatha \n“That beautiful Sita devi seemingly entered into the earth though actually she always remains with Lord Rama\, just as the sun’s rays are always with the sun.” \nRemembering Sri Rama\, true to his vow of ‘ekapatni’\, never accepted another woman other than Sita. Next to him on his ‘asana’ he kept a golden deity of Sitadevi for some time\, performing sacrifices for thirteen thousand years.\nAt the end of this period\, Agastya Muni and many demigods and sages approached the Lord and reminded him that his pastimes on earth had now been fulfilled and he should now return to Vaikuntha. Lord Rama performed ‘acaman’\, sipping water and reciting ‘mantras’\, once\, twice\, thrice\, then he resumed his form of Visnu\, for it is from that seat of Visnu that his pastimes became manifest.\n“Lord Ramacandra returned to his abode\, to which ‘bhakti yogis’ are promoted. This is the place to which all the inhabitants of Ayodhya went after they served the Lord in his manifest pastimes by offering him obeisance’s\, touching his lotus feet\, fully observing him as a father like king\, sitting or lying down with him like equals\, or even just accompanying him.”(Srimad Bhagavatam 9:11:22.)
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-srimati-sita-devi-25th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260426
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T083957Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T063900Z
UID:47882-1777075200-1777161599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Madhu Pandita 25th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Madhu Pandita\, a disciple of Sri Gadadhara Pandita\, established the temple of Gopinatha in Vrndavana\, India.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-sri-madhu-pandita-25th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260426
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T084326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T084326Z
UID:47884-1777075200-1777161599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srimati Jahnava Devi 25th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Jahnava Mata was the wife of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Especially after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda\, she became a leading figure in the sankirtana movement.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-srimati-jahnava-devi-25th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260427
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260428
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T084454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T084454Z
UID:47886-1777248000-1777334399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Mohini Ekadasi 27th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:The glories of Mohini Ekadasi which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha are told in the Surya Purana.\nOnce Maharaja Yudhisthira asked Lord Krsna\, “O Janardana! Pray tell me\, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing Moon in the month of Vaisakha (April/May.) Please describe unto me the most meritorious benefit one may receive by such observance. \nSri Krsna replied: “O most merciful King\, son of Dharma personified! Please hear Me attentively as I describe unto you the story that the great sage Vaisistha once told to Lord Ramacandra. \n“One time\, long ago Lord Ramacandra appealed to the sage Vasistha ‘O respected and knowledgeable sage\, I am feeling such separation from Sita devi and am therefore in the most honorific distress. She is the daughter of king Janaka and is appalling my mind with intense hankering. Please kindly explain to Me the great and merciful vow which I can follow and by which will mitigate all one’s sinful reactions and distresses. \n“The greatly realised sage Vasistha replied: My dear Rama\, Your intelligence is sharp and mixed with faith. Moreover\, your question is beneficial in a way hitherto unknown\, to all humanity. Just by chanting and remembering Your all auspicious qualities\, all living entities can become purified and eligible to achieve liberation. Still\, for the benefit of the public at large\, I will describe to You about a great vow. \n“O Lord Rama the Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing Moon in the month of Vaisakha is famously renowned as Mohini Ekadasi and is most beneficial to all. By following this Ekadasi all one’s sinful reactions are annihilated and one receives great purity of speech and mind. One’s network of illusion is vaporised\, and the grey veil of despair drifts away. Please hear attentively as I describe the topics regarding this wonderfully marvellous Ekadasi. \n“There was once an exquisitely beautiful city named Bhadravati\, situated on the banks of the sacred river Sarasvati\, which was ruled by a king named Dyutimana. O Lord Rama\, this king was born in the dynasty of Candra (the Moon) and he was tolerant and truthful; and wore a broad smile. There was a pious and prosperous devotee of Lord Visnu named Dhanapala who also lived in that city. He was a Vaisya (mercantile community) by profession. For the benefit of the ordinary people this devotee Dhanapala built many dharmashalas or guest houses\, schools\, temples of Lord Visnu\, charitable hospitals\, wide roads and market places. He also made arrangements for distributing water and foodstuffs. He dug wells for cool drinking water and ponds for clear water\, he also built gardens for flowers and fruits. In this way he properly utilized his wealth for the benefit of all and thus successfully demonstrated the true meaning of his name. \nThis pious devotee of Lord Visnu who was always peaceful\, tolerant\, determined and compassionate engaged in devotional service to Visnu\, had five sons named: Samana\, Dyutimana\, Medhavi\, Sukriti and Dhrstabuddhi. His son Dhrstabuddhi was most sinful. He was extremely wicked and ill natured\, always engaged in bad association and having illicit connection with unchaste women. He was also killing and torturing other living entities. In this way he engaged in all kinds of sinful activities. Although the son of a most chaste and fortunate father he squandered the wealth of his family and brought ill repute to his caste. He never showed respect to the demigods\, guests\, old forefathers or brahmanas. He was constantly engaged in thinking of committing sinful activities and thus lived a contemptible life. The sinful wretch misused all his fathers wealth in many useless activities. He always ate abominable foodstuffs and remained always absorbed in drinking wine. One day on seeing his shameless son walking in a public place with his hand on the shoulder of a prostitute\, Dhanapala became extremely hurt. On that very day he was degraded from his position in caste society and the pious community and became an object of hatred for everyone. \n “After being thrown out from his father’s house\, Dhrstabuddhi continued his sinful propensities with the money he received by selling his personal clothes and ornaments. Soon that also came to an end and gradually\, due to lack of sufficient food\, his body became weak and skinny. He was a most forlorn and presupposed wretch. On realising that he had become poor\, his so-called friends left him\, condemning him on various pretexts. \n “Dhrstabuddhi was now full of anxiety\, his words faltered and his mind was most horrifically agitated. He became afflicted with hunger. So he began to contemplate\, “What should I do now? Where should I go and by what means will I survive? After meditating in this way he decided there was no other means to earning his living but stealing.” So with a desire to steal he wandered throughout the city of Bhadravati. Sometimes the kings guard would arrest him and after careful consideration of his fathers greatness he would release him. After being caught and released in this way many times\, he was once again formally arrested for committing a special kind of theft. He was again taken to the King who awarded him severe punishment. The King said\, ‘O sinful foolish creature you cannot stay within this kingdom any more for you are the greatest sinner. I am releasing you for now\, but you must leave this city and go wherever you so desire.” \n“Dhrstabuddhi\, afraid of being punished again\, left the kingdom. He went far away and entered into a dense forest. There were creepers and vines\, tall trees and moss in the jungle-like forest. Within the forest he became so afflicted with hunger and thirst that he began to kill beasts and birds indiscriminately. For many years he wandered throughout the forest like a hunter\, holding a bow and arrows in his hands and killing innocent animals and engaging in sinful activities. \n“Dhrstabuddhi was always miserable and anxious\, but one day\, due to some past pious deeds\, he arrived at the sacred asrama of the great sage and ascetic known as Kaundinya. It was the month of Vaisakha (April/May) and the great sage Kaundinya was just returning home after taking bath in the Ganges. At that time by providence\, Dhrstabuddhi\, who was very aggrieved by distress and lamentation\, happened to touch a drop of water falling from the sage’s cloth. Dhrstabuddhi was immediately relieved of his sinful reactions. With folded hands and great humility he said to sage Kaundinya\, ‘O great brahmana\, I am the most sinful person. There is no sin that I have not committed. Now please instruct me about a topmost type of atonement which a wretched person like myself can easily perform. As a result of committing unlimited sinful activities till now I have been bereft of my house\, wealth\, relatives and friends. I am drowning in the ocean of mental agony.’ \n“After hearing these statements of Dhrstabuddhi the great sage Kaundinya\, feeling distress by seeing another’s distress\, said\, ‘I am telling you a sublime method by which all your sinful reactions can be easily refuted\, in a very short time; please hear me attentively. Mohini Ekadasi which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha (April/May\,) totally destroys a mountain of sinful reactions as big as Mt. Sumeru\, which have been accumulated from many many lifetimes. Therefore you should faithfully observe this Ekadasi.” \n“Hearing these words from the great sage\, Dhrstabuddhi became joyful and properly observed that Ekadasi according to the rules and regulations instructed by the sage. O best of kings! By observing this Mohini Ekadasi the most sinful Dhrstabuddhi soon became devoid of all sinful reactions\, and after assuming a divine body he returned to the all-auspicious abode of Lord Visnu by riding on the back of Garuda. O Ramacandra! This vow certainly removes all kinds of illusion and the darkness of ignorance. Any piety accumulated by taking bath in the holy waters\, giving in charity and performance of sacrifice cannot be compared with the piety one attains by observing this Mohini Ekadasi
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/mohini-ekadasi-27th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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UID:47889-1777334400-1777420799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Rukmini Dvadasi 28th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Sri Rukhmini Dwadasi\, is observed as the birthday (the day Rukmini Devi appeared on earth) of Rukmini\, the consort of Lord Krishna. \nThe love story of Rukmini and Lord Krishna and their elopement is one of the most famous stories associated with Lord Krishna. Rukmini Dwadashi is observed on the twelfth day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) of Vaisakh month (April – May). It is believed that those who offer worship prayers and pujas with flowers will have their wishes fulfilled. \nPrayers dedicated to Rukhmini Devi are held on the day at Lord Krishna Temples. Special pujas are held at the Dwarkadish Temple in Mathura on the day.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/rukmini-dvadasi-28th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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UID:47891-1777420800-1777507199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Jayananda Prabhu 29th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Jayananda Prabhu was a dedicated disciple of Srila Prabhupada’s who helped Srila Prabhupada introduce the Rathayatra festival in the United States.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-jayananda-prabhu-29th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260123T084858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T084858Z
UID:47893-1777507200-1777593599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Narasimha Caturdasi – Appearance of Lord Narasimhadeva 30th April 2026
DESCRIPTION:The appearance anniversary of Lord Narasimhadeva\, Lord Krishna’s incarnation as half-man\, half-lion. \ntava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam\ndalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam\nkeshava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare \n“O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari\, who have assumed the form of half-man\, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one’s fingernails\, so in the same way the body of the wasp like demon Hiranyakashipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands.” \n“The fourth incarnation is Nrisimhadeva. Nrisimhadeva appeared to save Prahlada Maharaja\, who was five-years-old boy and he was being tortured by his atheistic father. So He appeared from the pillar of the palace as a half-man\, half-lion. Because this Hiranyakasipu took benediction from Brahma that he’ll not be killed by any man or any animal. So the Lord appeared neither man nor animal. This is the difference between the Lord’s intelligence and our intelligence. We are thinking that we can cheat the Lord by our intelligence\, but the Lord is more intelligent than us. This Hiranyakasipu wanted to cheat Brahma by indirect definition. First of all he wanted to become immortal. Brahma said\, “That is not possible because even I am not immortal. Nobody in this material world is immortal. That is not possible.” So Hiranyakasipu\, the demon… The demons are very intelligent. He thought that “Round about way I shall become immortal.” He prayed to Brahma that “Please give me the benediction that I shall not be killed by any man or any animal.” Brahma said\, “Yes\, that is all right.” \n“I shall not be killed in the sky\, on the water or on land.” Brahma said\, “Oh yes.” “I shall not be killed by any man-made weapons.” “That’s all right.” In this way he utilized his intelligence in so many ways just to come to the conclusion of being immortal. But the Lord is so cunning that He kept intact all the benediction given by Brahma\, still he was killed. He said that “I’ll not be killed either during daytime or night.” Brahma said “Yes.” So he was killed just in the evening\, just in the junction of day and night. You cannot say it is day or night. He took the benediction that “I shall not be killed in the sky\, on the water\, on the land.” So he was killed on His lap. He took the benediction that “I shall not be killed by any man-made or any God-made weapons.” That was given\, “All right.” So he was killed by the nails. In this way\, all the benedictions were kept intact\, still he was killed. Similarly\, we may make plan\, we may make very advancement in scientific knowledge\, but the killing process of nature will be there. Nobody can escape. By our intelligence we cannot escape. The four principles of material existence means birth\, death\, old age and disease. We can manufacture many medicines\, many weapons\, many means\, many methods\, but you cannot escape these four principles of material existence\, however great you may be. That was proved by Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu was one of the stalwart materialistic and he wanted to live forever\, enjoy\, but he also could not live. Everything was finished” (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 18th February 1970. Class on Sri Varaha-dwadasi purporting the Dasavatar-stotra – Ten main incarnations of the Lor. Los Angeles.) \nLord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance Day\nSrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34. Los Angeles\, May 27\, 1972\,\n720527SB.LA \nPrabhupada: So today\, appearance day of Lord Nrisimhadeva. Lord Nrisimhadeva appeared on this Nrisimha Caturdasi on account of His devotee\, Prahlada. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita\, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata\, abhyutthanam adharmasya [Bg. 4.7]. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca dushkritam\, sambhavami yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8]. The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritranaya sadhunam: just to give protection and rescue the devotees\, and to kill the demons\, vinasaya ca dushkritam. So Prahlada Maharaja\, five-years-old boy\, his only fault was that he was Krishna conscious. He was devotee of Krishna. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child\, even five years old. He could not excuse\, “Oh\, let this boy do whatever\, chanting Hare Krishna.” No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili… So you’ll find many critics\, many enemies\, because you are making progress in Krishna consciousness. So the demons are always against this Krishna consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ\, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness\, that’s all. This society is so cruel. So Prahlada Maharaja was tortured in so many ways. The torturing methods\, I think you will find as you will see in today’s picture\, how Prahlada Maharaja was tortured.\nSo one day\, Hiranyakasipu… After all\, he was his son. Affection was there. So one day\, Hiranyakasipu asked the boy\, \nprahradanucyatam tata\nsvadhitam kincid uttamam\nkalenaitavatayushman\nyad asikshad guror bhavan\n[SB 7.5.22] \nSo he asked his son\, “My dear son\, what you have learned? The best thing\, what you have learned from your teachers\, so you kindly let me know.” So Prahlada Maharaja informed that “I have learned like this.” What is that? \nsravanam kirtanam vishnoh\nsmaranam pada-sevanam\narcanam vandanam dasyam\nsakhyam atma-nivedanam  \niti pumsarpita vishnau\nbhaktis cen nava-lakshana\nkriyeta bhagavaty addha\ntan manye ’dhitam uttamam\n[SB 7.5.23-24] \nTan manye ’dhitam uttamam: one who is engaged in the matter of hearing about Vishnu\, sravanam kirtanamvishnoh. We are engaged in hearing and talking and chanting about so many things non-Vishnu. Just like you’ll find thousands of\, millions of different types of magazines sold in your country\, in all countries. Some of the magazines are sex literature\, some cinema literature\, some this literature\, that… So many different types. There is one paper I have seen\, “Diabetes Literature.” There are many patients of diabetes\, so they have formed a society\, “Diabetic Society.” I have seen it. (laughter) And there are many diabetic patients\, they are being hoaxed\, that “You pay two dollars per year\, and you get all information how to protect yourself from diabetes disease.” So in America two dollars is nothing\, but it is collecting millions and millions of dollars\, Diabetic Society. Diabetic magazine. So that sort of hearing and chanting is not needed. We are not interested in all these magazines\, because we are followers of Prahlada Maharaja. He’s our acarya. He’s guru. Prahlada Maharaja’s guru is Narada\, and Narada is also our guru. Narada is guru of Vyasadeva. So we are a branch\, but the original guru is Narada\, Brahma-sampradaya. So Prahlada Maharaja is also a disciple of Narada Muni. So he teaches that sravanam kirtanam vishnoh [SB 7.5.23]. \nWe have to hear and talk and chant about Vishnu. Sravanam kirtanam vishnoh smaranam pada-sevanam. To remember Him always\, to worship His lotus feet\, pada-sevanam. Arcanam\, temple worship\, to keep the Deity nicely worshiped\, offer foodstuff\, arati\, this is called arcanam. Vandanam\, offering prayers. Just like we offer prayer\, govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami **. These are prayers. There are so many prayers. Kesava-dhrita buddha-sarira\, keshava-dhrita narahari-rupa. These are all prayers. This is also part of devotional service. \nsravanam kirtanam vishnoh\nsmaranam pada-sevanam\narcanam vandanam dasyam\nsakhyam…\n[SB 7.5.23] \nArcanam vandanam dasyam. To be always in service of the Lord\, dasyam; sakhyam\, to make friendship with Him\, to consider Krishna as your friend. He says… Even if I do not say that He’s my friend\, He says\, “I am friend of everyone.” Suhridam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. He’s friend of everyone. We don’t want His friendship\, but He wants our friendship. He wants us to go back to home\, Godhead; we don’t want. So He is more anxious to take us\, exactly like the father is more affectionate than the son. That’s a fact. So He’s the supreme father. So He wants that we may be happy\, and therefore He comes to show us. He sends His representative\, son. He leaves behind Him books so that we may go back to home\, back to Godhead. So\, sakhyam. He’s always sitting with me\, within my heart. I am in the heart\, and Paramatma is also within the heart as friend to give me advice that “Why you are bothering in this material world? Please come back to home\, back to Me.” This is going on. Sakhyam atma-nivedanam. Atma-nivedanam means fully surrendered. So there are examples of devotees who\, sarvatma-nivedanam. Just like Bali Maharaja. He gave everything to Krishna\, even his body\, everything\, whatever\, his kingdom\, money\, everything. \nSo Prahlada Maharaja says\, iti pumsarpita vishnau bhaktis cen nava-lakshana. All these items means hearing. Hearing about Vishnu\, chanting about Krishna\, giving everything to Vishnu\, offering prayers to Vishnu\, offering arcana\, temple worship\, Vishnu. In this way Prahlada Maharaja summarizes that “Anyone who is doing like this\, everything about Vishnu…” iti pumsarpita vishnau bhaktis cen nava-lakshana\, “this nine kinds of different devotional services\,” kriyeta bhagavatay addha\, “directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\,” tan manye ’dhitam uttamam\, “I think he is the best learned man in the world. He is the most learned.” Tan manye ’dhitam. “He has studied everything very nicely.” Actually\, that is the fact. Jnana\, knowledge Knowledge means to know Krishna\, God\, and the Vedic injunction is\, yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. If you understand the Supreme Lord\, then you understand everything. You haven’t got to study differently different subject matters. Just like we sometimes talk of science\, of astronomy\, economics\, politics. We talk sometimes. But we are not going to\, or we didn’t study all the subject matter separately. But in course of our studying Krishna consciousness\, we know something of everything. So Prahlada Maharaja says\, tan manye adhitam uttamam: “One who is engaged in these nine kinds of devotional services directly…” So Prahlada Maharaja recommends\, kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye ’dhitam uttamam. \nnisamyaitat suta-vaco\nhiranyakasipus tada\nguru-putram cedam rusha\nprasphuritadharah \nAs soon as he heard\, “Oh\, what this nonsense boy is speaking?” he became so angry that sphuritadharah. When one becomes angry\, his lips vi…\, I mean to say\, jumps. What is called? Quiver\, yes. So he became so angry that it is said\, sphuritadharah. (He) immediately called his teacher. He’s king… Because he thought\, “The rascal teachers\, they have taught him like this. I have entrusted the boy to the teachers\, to brahmanas\, and they have taught this Krishna consciousness. So call him. Otherwise\, how is that this small boy\, five years old only\, he’s talking just like a great saint? So call his teacher!” \nbrahma-bandho kim etat\nte vipaksham srayatasata\nasaram grahito balo\nmam anadritya durmate \nHiranyakasipu became bitterest enemy of Vishnu because his brother Hiranyaksha\, he was killed by Vishnu taking the shape of Varaha. You know the story. Since then\, Hiranyakasipu was bitterest enemy. “Oh\, He has\, Vishnu has killed my brother. So He is my greatest enemy.” So he won’t hear anything about Vishnu. Any Vishnu devotee\, he will punish him\, even his own son. That was his policy. So he immediately called him\, the teachers\, and addressed him\, \nbrahma-bandho kim etat te\nvipaksham srayatasata\nasaram grahito balo\nmam anadritya durmate \nSo here… Teachers are generally brahmanas. Not generally. To become teacher is the business of the brahmanas. Brahmana means they have got six kinds of… Everyone must have livelihood. This material world is that you must work; otherwise you cannot get your livelihood. That is the law\, whatever you may be. So the brahmanas’ means of livelihood\, six things: pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Pathana means he must be a very learned scholar\, study the Vedic literature\, and must teach others also. That is brahmana’s business. And in that way\, whatever the disciples bring\, that is his income. No salary\, no contract\, that “If you pay me hundred dollars or five hundred dollars weekly\, then I can teach you.” No. There is no such contract. \nTeaching is free. It is the business of a brahmana to give free education to everyone. Now\, it is the… Just like in our institution\, I am your teacher\, but there is no such contract that you have to pay me. But you pay me more than anything. So pathana pathana\, that is the means of livelihood of brahmana. And kshatriya\, they are kings. They can levy tax of the citizens because they are giving protection from being hurt by others. Kshatriya means one who gives protection (to) a man being hurt by others. That is the real root meaning. Kshatriya. And vaisya means they should\, krishi-gorakshya-vanijyam\, they should engage themselves in producing foodstuff\, foodgrains\, krishi\, protect cows. Especially gorakshya. As the king is meant for giving protection to the man\, similarly\, a vaisya is supposed to give protection to the cows\, or they keep cows and produce milk products. They are vaisya. And sudra\, simply service. So these are the different types of employment of different kinds of social order. And a king\, the king has to see that everyone is employed. Not that hundreds of people are unemployed\, and government has to give welfare\, subsidy. Not like that. The king’s duty is that everyone is independently earning his livelihood. That is king’s duty. \nSo here the teachers are addressed here brahma-bandho. Brahma-bandho means a person who is born by a brahmana father but is not acting as a brahmana. He’s called brahma-bandho\, dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu\, one who is born of a\, actually born of a brahmana father\, but he’s not acting as a brahmana. So Hiranyakasipu addressed the teachers brahma-bandho\, not brahmana. “Because you are untrustworthy. I gave you\, I entrusted you with my son to be taught\, and you have taught him this Krishna consciousness. So against my will…” He says practically\, brahma-bandho kim etat te vipaksham srayatasata: “I entrusted my child for being educated by you\, and you have instigated him to speak in favor of my enemy\, Vishnu? Vishnu is my enemy. How is that?” Asaram grahito balo mam anadritya durmate. “This rascal boy\, he does not care for me\, and he has learned this Krishna consciousness\, and you have taught him. How is that?” \nsanti hy asadhavo loke\ndurmaitras chadma-vesinah\ntesham udety agham kale\nrogah patakinam iva \n“So I think these demigods who are followers of Vishnu\, they are coming in disguise and poisoning my son by teaching Krishna consciousness\, and you did not take care of him. So what is this?” Then the teachers replied\, \nna mat-pranitam na para-pranitam\nsuto vadaty esha tavendra-satro\nnaisargikiyam matir asya rajan\nniyaccha manyum kad adah sma ma nah \nThey said\, “My dear King\, don’t think we have taught him like this. It is not… I know\, it is not our duty to teach him against your will. But his Krishna consciousness is not due to our teaching; neither somebody is coming in disguise and teaching him.” Na mat-pranitam na para-pranitam. “He is neither taught by us\, nor by anyone else.” Suto vadaty esha tavendra-satro. Indra-satro. The enemy… The Hiranyakasipu is the enemy of the demigods; therefore he is addressed as Indra-satro. As he addressed the brahmana\, brahma-bandho\, so they retaliated also\, that “You are enemy of the demigods.” Naisargikiyam\, “By nature he is doing that. We try to forbid him. We try to stop him chanting Hare Krishna\, but still he’s doing.” Matir asya rajan niyaccha manyum kad adah sma ma. “You don’t be angry upon us. We never did it.” So… “He is\, by his own nature he chants\, he preaches\, he’s doing all this.” \ngurunaivam pratiprokto\nbhuya ahasurah sutam\nna ced guru-mukhiyam te\nkuto ’bhadrasati matih \nThen he again asked his son\, “Now I understand that your teacher has not taught you all these things. You rascal\, where you have learned all this Krishna consciousness?” (laughter) Abhadra. Kuto abhadrasati matih: “Wherefrom you got this rascal wisdom? Tell me.” So this is the position\, you see. Even father becomes enemy. Now\, Prahlada Maharaja is replying. Prahlada Maharaja is replying\, \nmatir na krishne paratah svato va\nmitho ’bhipadyeta griha-vratanam\nadanta-gobhir visatam tamisram\npunah punas carvita-carvananam\n[SB 7.5.30] \n“My dear father\, don’t be afraid. It is not a thing to be taught.” Matir na krishne. “Nobody can become Krishna conscious\,” matir na krishne parato\, “being taught by others\,” matir na krishne paratah svato va\, “or by mental speculation or thinking oneself\,” mitho ’bhipadyeta\, “or by making conference meeting\, religious meeting\, conference.” No. Three things. One thing is to learn Krishna consciousness by speculative method\, self-realization. Just like so many people are very much interested that “Why shall I go to a guru? I can realize myself. I shall meditate.” So that is called svatah. And paratah means by others’ instruction. And mitho\, mitho means by assembly. So who? Now\, griha-vratanam. If one is griha-vrata… There are two things: grihastha and griha-vrata\, or grihamedhi. “So those who are griha-vrata…” because he is pointing out his father’s position\, that he’s griha-vrata. He has no other business. He simply wants to get money\, hiranya. Hiranya means gold\, and kasipu\, a nice apartment. That’s all. So he says that griha-vratanam\, “If one makes it his point to remain in a comfortable home life\, for him\, either by speculation or by teaching or by meeting\, he’ll never develop Krishna consciousness.” Griha-vratanam. Then what is their position? Now\, adanta-gobhir visatam tamishram: “They are unable to control their senses\, and as such\, they are entering into the darkest region of material existence.” Punah punas carvita-carvananam: [SB 7.5.30] “Their only business is chewing the chewed.” They have no other ways. Griha-vratanam\, those who want to be happy materially\, actually they are chewing the chewed. Material happiness means sex life\, ultimate\, utmost\, topmost happiness. So people are simply trying to\, how to utilize this sex life in so many ways\, in pictures and in… I do not wish to discuss. In dancing\, in club\, in so many ways. Because they cannot control the senses. The same thing\, same thing\, the same sex life in different way. Sometimes a naked dance\, sometimes in this way\, sometimes in that way. \nTherefore it is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. I have heard that some people go to Florida and they spend fifty thousand dollars per week for organizing naked dance. So naked woman he has seen so many times\, but still he spends more money to see it in a different way. That is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]\, “chewing the chewed.” So persons who are too much attached to sense gratification\, and they have made it their conclusion that “We shall be happy within our family life or this social life…” Vidyapati sings\, tatala saikate vari-bindu sama suto-mita-ramani-samaj(?). Our society means… Society\, friendship\, and love. There must be woman\, must be children\, suto-mita-ramani-samaje. So there is some pleasure\, undoubtedly. Otherwise\, why people are working so hard to stick to this position? Vidyapati sings that tatala saikate vari-bindu sama suto-mita-ramani-samaj(?). There is undoubtedly some pleasure\, but that pleasure is so insignificant that it can be compared: a drop of water on the desert. Desert\, if you want to utilize desert to make it a garden or productive field\, you have to pour water. The whole ocean water you have to pour there. Now\, if somebody says\, “All right\, you want water. Now take this one drop water\,” then what it will do? Similarly\, our heart is hankering after so many things. We are hankering… Actually we are hankering after Krishna\, but we do not know. We are trying to satisfy our hankering in so many ways in material life. Actually we are hankering after Krishna. Just like a small child\, it is crying. It cannot express\, but it is wanting the mother’s breast feeding. So you cannot stop him crying unless it is transferred to the mother. Similarly\, actually we love Krishna. That is a fact. Because we love Krishna… Therefore you\, who did not hear even the name of Krishna\, say\, four or five years ago\, why you after so much Krishna? This is the proof\, that actually we are after Krishna. This Krishna consciousness movement is being accepted in Western countries by the younger generation. Why? Because every one of us\, we love Krishna. But it is now covered by maya. We have to simply take out the covering\, maya; then we are Krishna conscious.\nThat is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrita\, \nnitya-siddha krishna-bhakti ‘sadhya’ kabhu naya\nsravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya \nThat Krishna consciousness is not an artificial thing\, that we are making some propaganda on Krishna consciousness\, publishing some books\, magazines\, and our preachers are going place to place. No\, there are so many propaganda is going on. But they are not so effective. And our\, what means we have got to make propaganda? We simply make this propaganda\, “Please chant Hare Krishna.” That’s all. Of course\, we do sincerely. So if we propagate sincerely and seriously\, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu has ordered\, yare dekha\, tare kaha ‘krishna’ upadesa… [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. We must be sincere. Then\, if we canvass\, “Please chant Hare Krishna\,” it will be effective. It will be effective. The business is not very serious or very difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says\, yare dekha\, tare kaha ‘krishna’… “Anyone you meet\, you simply request him about hearing about Krishna.” So… But if one is so much covered by materialistic enjoyment\, it takes little time. It takes little time. Otherwise\, automatically there is love for Krishna\, and sravanadi-suddha-citte… \nTherefore Prahlada Maharaja says\, sravanam. If we hear about Krishna constantly\, through realized souls\, not professional—if we hear\, satam prasangan mama virya-samvido [SB 3.25.25]—then automatically\, our dormant Krishna consciousness come out. So Prahlada Maharaja says\, therefore\, that “Those who are determined to become happy within this material world\, they cannot be raised to Krishna consciousness either by personal teaching or by making conference or by mental speculation.” That is not possible\, because he is determined. So our duty is that we should know that in the materialistic way of life we shall never be happy. This is called knowledge. And vairagya. So this vairagya and knowledge is not so easy. Prahlada Maharaja says\, adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram: it is not possible. That means he assures his father\, “Don’t be worried. You will never be Krishna conscious. (laughter) Because your only aim is to stick to home and money and women. Therefore rest assured\, you’ll not be … It is not that a person like you will be raised to Krishna consciousness.” Then? How you have done? The next question should be: Why they are sticking to this materialistic way of life? That is answered by Prahlada\, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum [SB 7.5.31]. “These persons\, those who are so much materially attached\, they do not know the ultimate goal of life is Vishnu\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Vishnu.” That is actually the ultimate goal of life. We are here in this material world\, forgetting Krishna\, to enjoy\, to lord it over the material nature. Everyone is trying to become the lord\, master of material… That is struggle. Nobody can become lord or master of this material world. But that struggle to become master\, they are taking it happiness. They are taking it happiness. That is the nature of persons who are influenced by the modes of passion. They’ll work hard\, and that will\, they will take it is very good\, pleasing. Because they do not know that the… Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are hoping against hope to become happy within this material world. That is the whole history. Take the history\, any history\, modern history. There are so many empires: the Roman Empire\, the Carthaginian Empire\, the Greek Empire\, the British Empire recently\, Hitler’s Nazism\, and so many. For some time they become very powerful. Just like Hiranyakasipu\, he’s now very powerful. He’s thinking\, “Nobody can…” Now today he’ll be killed. Kesava-dhrita narahari rupa is coming. So this demonic civilization will never be successful. That’s a fact. But they are so fool\, they do not see even historical evidences. So many empires failed. The Roman Empire failed\, the British Empire failed. Still\, somebody is trying to create another empire\, another\, different empire. Just like your President Nixon\, he’s trying to influence all other nations under his control. Why? Of course\, I should not speak all these things. There may be criticism. But that is the way\, going on. That is the way. We can understand. We can understand politics\, economics\, everything\, but we do not bother about. But our aim is that this way of life\, to increase materially happiness\, it will never be successful. That is our conclusion. We are not fools that we have given up everything for advance in Krishna consciousness. Because we know that this\, this way we shall never be happy. It is not possible. That is explained by Prahlada Maharaja. These rascal people who are so much materially attached… Krishna also says in the Bhagavad-gita\, \nbhogaisvarya-prasaktanam\ntayapahrita-cetasam\nvyavasayatmika buddhih\nsamadhau na nigacchati\n[Bg. 2.44] \nThose who are too much attached\, bhoga\, material enjoyment\, aisvarya\, material opulence … Bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam tayapahrita-cetasam. Persons whose heart has been misled by this kind of civilization\, they cannot take to Krishna consciousness. Therefore to become too much materially opulent is a disqualification for attaining Krishna consciousness. It is a disqualification. Because they don’t care. Just like in our temple\, not very rich men\, they are coming\, because they (say\,) “What is this nonsense\, Krishna consciousness? We have got everything. These boys\, they haven’t got to eat anything; therefore they are chanting Hare Krishna on the street. That’s all.” They think like that. “They’re needy. All right\, they are needy. Give them some money.” That’s all. They don’t like to take anything from us because the same business\, matir na krishne paratah svato va. They’ll never understand\, because their aim is grha-vratanam. They want to be happy… Although they are seeing there is no happiness\, they never can be happy\, still… This is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]\, chewing the chewed. One\, the sugarcane\, is chewed by somebody. It is thrown away. And if somebody else comes and chew it again\, what juice he will have it? So punah punas carvita… Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum [SB 7.5.31]. Durasaya ye durasaya vishaya vasi (reads Sanskrit commentary) tantraya karanam te hi vishnum na viduh. Tatra hetu svasminn eva arthe purushartha yesham tesham gatim gramyam. Na tu te ’pi guru pati syat vishnu jnasyasi tatra bhak bahir vishaye bahavo yesham te bahir arthas tann eva guru tena mantra silam yesham te. \nSo one who is fixed up in this conclusion\, that “We shall become happy with this materialistic way of life\,” they cannot take to Krishna consciousness. And they do not know also that our ultimate goal of life is Krishna\, Vishnu. Then why it is so? Now\, andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te ’pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah. They have become blind. They are blind themselves\, and they are also led by blind leaders. The leaders\, at the present moment\, leaders\, they say that “Why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? If you want your bread…” Just like in Christian religion you go to church\, “O God\, give us our daily bread.” But the atheist class\, they are propagating\, “For bread\, why you are going to church? You make industry\, you make business\, and you get bread.” But actually… We were just talking that there are so many unemployment. Our Karandhara prabhu was… No. Who was talking? Syamasundara. Syamasundara said that the computer… What is called\, computer? It can do thousands of men’s business. So they have discovered this machine. That means thousands of men will be unemployed. That is actually happening in your country due to so many machines. Now\, take for example\, formerly… You have seen the picture\, Krishna\, Vrindavana picture\, Krishna’s father transferring Krishna. They were going on bullock carts\, no motorcar. You have seen the picture. So formerly\, transport was bullock carts. The cows and the bulls\, the bulls were employed for agricultural purpose\, for drawing the carts. So there was no necessity of motorcar. Now you have got motor\, motor-tractor. You don’t want the bullocks. Therefore kill them. How you can utilize them? Therefore you must have slaughterhouse to kill them. And as soon as you kill them\, then you have to eat them. So this is the\, I mean to say\, entanglement. If you kill\, then you become responsible for being killed. The subtle laws… \nTherefore\, without knowing our ultimate goal of life is Vishnu\, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum… [SB 7.5.31]. That is our interest. The human form of life is offered by nature after so much evolutionary process. Just to understand Vishnu\, God\, this is the only business. But instead of attending our real business\, we are trying to be happy in other ways. Then you can say that “If we are engaged in real business\, then how the economic question will be solved? We have to work.” That’s all right\, you work. But work simple. Why you have invented so much botheration? Work is there. If you have cows and if you have got land\, then you till the land\, get grains\, and there is milk\, there is fruit\, there is flower. Anywhere\, you can live peacefully. Whole economic question is solved. And because we have forgotten\, we have missed the real point\, that our life is meant for God-realization. We are simply increasing botheration. Punah punas carvita. Adanta-gobhir vishatam tamisram. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. The leaders are blind; we are also blind. So they are advising that “If you want to solve your economic problem\, why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? Come here\, increase business\, industry. Take loan and start business.” That’s all. This is going on. But actually\, the more we are trying to mislead this people… Because they are thinking it is all right. They are… That the social condition is becoming more and more grave. That’s a fact. We are trying to solve one problem\, but many other problems are coming because we do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Because we are missing the real point. \nTherefore Prahlada Maharaja said\, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals\, they are thinking that by so-called economic development\, by exploiting material resources\, we shall be happy. That is not possible. The best example your country has given. You have exploited the material resources\, and other countries are also following\, but where is the happiness? Instead of happiness\, there is “hippyness.” (laughter) So still\, they have no eyes to see that “Where we are going?” Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Because we cannot control our senses\, we are driving\, we are being pushed towards the darkest region of material existence\, very hard to leave. Darkest region means that we are going to become animals next life. Because this is animalistic civilization. Nature gave us the opportunity to realize God\, but God-realization is meant for human being. The human being\, if he does not realize God\, he’s simply engaged in animalistic way of life—eating\, sleeping\, mating—then nature will call\, “All right\, sir\, again become animal.” Punar mushiko bhava: “Again become a mouse.” You know this story? Punar mushiko bhava. There is a story. There is a very nice story. One rat\, mouse\, he came to a saintly person. Everyone comes to saintly person for some blessing\, you see. Real blessing they don’t want. Some material blessing. Real blessing\, Krishna\, they don’t want. If you give him some blessing that “You become very rich man and…” These are all very well\, this. So this mouse also came and begged the saintly person\, “Sir\, I am in difficulty. If you give me some blessing?” \n“What is that?”\n“The cat chases after me always. I’m very unhappy.”\n“So what do you want?”\n“Now\, if you make me a cat\, then I can get relief from this thing.”\n“All right\, you become cat.” So he became cat.\nSo after few days\, again he comes. “Sir\, again I am in trouble.”\n“What is that?”\n“The dog is chasing me.” (laughter) Don’t laugh\, hear seriously. “Dog is chasing me.”\n“All right\, then\, what do you want?”\n“Now\, make me a tiger.”\n“All right\, you become a tiger.”\nSo when he became a tiger he was staring on the saintly person like this.\nSo he asked\, “Why you are staring upon me? You want to eat me?”\n“Yes.”\nSo he again curses\, punar mushiko bhava: “Again you become mouse. Again you become mouse.” \nSo that is our position. We are advanced in civilization. Now we want to kill God. So we are again going to be uncivilized\, to remain in the forest and to remain naked. Actually\, they are practicing that: nature’s way. So again they are going to be aborigines. And that is being practiced. They are going to the forest\, they remain naked. So actually\, punar mushiko bhava: “Again become mouse.” Civilized human being means God conscious\, happy life\, no trouble\, no enviousness\, everything happy\, no hard labor. Why hard labor? Everything is there. You just employ your little intelligence\, you get sufficient food by grains\, by fruits\, by flowers\, milk. There is no difficulty if we remain in our own way. So that is the difficulty\, that we do not know that our ultimate goal of life is God-realization. Then God has got all arrangement. You cannot produce fruits and grains in factory. They are given by God. Why? That “You eat them and be Krishna conscious\, chant Hare Krishna.” But we don’t want that. We want slaughterhouse\, unnecessarily. Actually\, if you go to the store… There are so many stores. How many stores are selling only meat? It is not possible. Ninety-nine percent fruits\, vegetables\, grains you are taking\, and maybe a little percentage of meat. So why you cannot give up this little percentage? If you think that meat is very palatable\, why don’t you live on meat? Russia is also trying like that. That has become the fashion. In Moscow\, it was very difficult to find out nice grains. With great difficulty Syamasundara used to spend two hours daily to secure these things. \nSo this is the problem. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum durashsaya ye bahir-artha maninah [SB 7.5.31]. They are trying to be happy by the arrangement of these material activities. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te ’pisa-tantryam. They do not know that the material nature is so strong that you cannot get out of it unless you are prepared to suffer more and more. If you take to natural life and live peacefully and take to Krishna consciousness\, that is your real life. And if you simply increase botheration and problems\, then you’ll have to suffer. That is the position of modern civilization. Actually\, superficially we see that material advancement of material science\, people have got so many machines\, so many facilities. But actually\, they are in trouble. Just like I gave you one example: the computer machine. It can work for thousands of men. So thousands of men means the thousands of men must be unemployed. And especially in your country\, they are taking advantage of this machine because the salary is If you want to pay to the worker\, a big\, big salary. So they want to save. They are taking machine\, and they think they will save money\, so many workers. But the workers are becoming unemployed. The government has to give them welfare. The government will tax. That’s all. (laughter.) Government will not give money\, welfare\, from government’s pocket. The government will increase your taxation. So you are…\, you stop payment by importing some machine\, now you have to pay that money to the government. This is called entanglement. This is a crude example. I don’t say that you stop all this business\, but the material world is like that. You want to solve something; instead of solving\, you’ll create so many problems. This is material life. Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating problems. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is all right. But that you have given up. \nna te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum\ndurasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah\nandha yathandhair upaniyamanas\nte ’pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah \nThey do not know that you cannot go an inch beyond the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible.\nThen the next question is that how… People are not interested in Krishna consciousness\, and then\, they are misled by blind leaders. So how\, what is the solution? That is Prahlada Maharaja saying\, \nnaisham matis tavad urukramanghrim\nsprisaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah\nmahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhishekam\nnishkincananam na vrinita yavat \nTherefore one has to take shelter of a pure devotee. That is the only solution. He says\, naisham matis tavad urukramangrhim. The beginning was that “They are not interested in Krishna consciousness.” Then how to become Krishna conscious if that is the solution? Then Prahlada Maharaja says\, naisham matis tavad: “So long one does not approach a pure devotee\,” mahiyasam nishkincananam\, “great personalities\, who has no more any material interest\,” nishkincana\, “and takes the dust of his lotus feet on the head…” Naisham matis tavad urukramanghrim: “So long one does not approach such personality\, there is no possibility of becoming Krishna conscious.” Naisham matis tavad urukramanghrim. As soon as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus feet and puts it on his head\, immediately\, anartha apagamah\, he’ll be freed from all this nonsense. That means he’ll forget this idea that “Materially we can advance.” This is the process. So we have to approach a nishkincana\, who has nothing to do with this material world. His only ambition is to serve more Krishna. And if somebody approaches him and takes the dust of his lotus feet\, then he can understand. Mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhishekam nishkincananam na vrinita yavat. (aside:) Our time is over? All right. \nSo in this way Prahlada Maharaja talked with his father\, and the father became more angry. Instead of taking the lesson … Murkhaya upadesa hi prakopaya na santaye. If you teach lesson to a foolish person\, he’ll be simply angry. He’ll not take your lesson. How it is so? Payah-panam bhujanganam kevalam visha-vardhanam. If you keep a snake and if you want to make friendly behavior with him\, that\, “My dear snake\, don’t bite any more. I’ll give you milk and banana. You eat here and stay here nicely\,” he’ll not… His poison will increase\, and one day he will… There is a story in the Hitopadesa: one day\, one… The same thing. So payah-panam bhujanganam kevalam visha-vardhanam. So these are lessons\, stories. So his father\, Hiranyakasipu\, became more and more angry. So one day… Because after all\, son and father… The son was simple boy. So one day he said\, “Prahlada\, I shall now kill you. I shall see how your Krishna saves you.” So immediately\, Prahlada was seeing to the pillars of the hall. He was king. So Hiranyakasipu asked him\, “Is your God\, Krishna\, in the pillar?” He said\, “Yes\, sir. Yes\, my father\, He is there.” So immediately\, with anger he broke the pillar and Nrisimhadeva came out.\nNow we can honor Him. (end) \n(Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34. Los Angeles\, May 27\, 1972. ) \nSrila Rupa Goswami mentions some of the benefits of worshipping a Nrsimha shalagram sila in his book\, Padyavali: \n“A tulasi leaf offered to the lotus feet of the Nrsimha shalagram sila destroys the sin of murder. Water that has washed the lotus feet of the Nrsimha shalagram sila destroys the sin of theft. Foodstuff offered to the Nrsimha shalagram sila destroys the sin of drinking liquor. Sincere surrender to the Nrsimha shalagram sila destroys the sin of adultery with the wife of the spiritual master. Association with the devotees of the Nrsimha shalagram sila destroys the sin of offenses to the devotees. This is the extraordinary glory of the Nrsimha shalagram sila.”
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/narasimha-caturdasi-appearance-of-lord-narasimhadeva-30th-april-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Nar.jpg
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T121734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T121734Z
UID:48030-1777593600-1777679999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Krishna Phula Dola\, Salila Vihara 1st May 2026
DESCRIPTION:A summer boat festival for the Deities of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. \nIn the Krishna Balaram mandir in Sri Vrindavana the devotees fill the large marble court-yard with water\, make a pontoon boat for Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundara’s pleasure and take Them (the utsav vighraha) around the pond with kirtan and loving sentiments.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/krishna-phula-dola-salila-vihara-1st-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Krishna1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T122144Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T122144Z
UID:48032-1777593600-1777679999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Sri Sri Radha-Ramana Devji 1st May 2026
DESCRIPTION:The appearance of the Deity of Lord Krsna worshiped by Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-sri-sri-radha-ramana-devji-1st-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Sri-Sri-Radha-Ramana-Devji.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T122331Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T122331Z
UID:48034-1777593600-1777679999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Buddha Purnima – Appearance Day of Lord Buddha 1st May 2026
DESCRIPTION:The festival of Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti celebrates the birth of Gautam Buddha. Lord Buddha was born on the Full Moon day in the month of Vaisakh in 563 BC. Siddhartha Gautama or Gautam Budhha was a spiritual teacher and the founder of Buddhism.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/buddha-purnima-appearance-day-of-lord-buddha-1st-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/buddha.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T122436Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T063945Z
UID:48036-1777593600-1777679999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srila Madhavendra Puri 1st May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Madhavendra Puri was the spiritual master of the spiritual master of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Madhavendra Puri established the worship of the Gopala Deity\, who is today worshiped as Srinathaji.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-sri-madhavendra-puri-1st-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Sri-Madhavendra-Puri.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T122554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064024Z
UID:48038-1777593600-1777679999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srila Srinivasa Acharya 1st May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Srinivasa Acharya was a member of the party that 1st brought the books of the 6 Gosvamis from Vrndavana to Bengal & Orissa. He converted King Birahambira to the Vaisnava religion & helped organized the 1st Gaura Purnima festival.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-srila-srinivasa-acharya-1st-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sri-Srinivasa-Acharya.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T123250Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064017Z
UID:48040-1777593600-1777679999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Paramesvari Dasa Thakura 1st May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Paramesvari Dasa Thakura\, also known as Paramesvara Thakura\, was an intimate associate of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-paramesvari-dasa-thakura-1st-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Sri-Paramesvari-Dasa-Thakura.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260507
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260508
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T124151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064119Z
UID:48044-1778112000-1778198399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Ramananda Raya 7th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Ramananda Raya was one of the most intimate associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Gauraganoddesadipika (120-124) states that Ramananda Raya was Arjuna in his past incarnation.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-ramananda-raya-7th-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Sri-Ramananda-Raya.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260513
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260514
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T124337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T124337Z
UID:48046-1778630400-1778716799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Apara Ekadashi 13th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:The divine topics of Apara Ekadasi are described in the Brahmanda purana in a conversation between Lord Krsna and Maharaja Yudhisthira. Once Maharaja Yudhisthira asked of Lord Krsna. “O Lord\, O Janardana\, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waning moon in the month of Jyestha (May / June) and what are it’s glories? Please descrive unto me in understandable language the process for observing this Ekadasi. \nSri Krsna replied\, “O Maharaja Yudhisthira\, you have asked Me and intelligent question that is actually beneficial for everyone. The name of this Ekadasi is Apara. O King! This Ekadasi awards a tremendous amount of piety to those who observe it and destroys all their sinful reactions. By observing this Apara Ekadasi many grave sinful activities are destroyed such as killing a Brahmana\, cow slaughter\, killing an embryo\, criticizing others\, illicit sex life\, speaking lies\, giving false witness\, bragging to others\, reciting or teaching the Vedas for the sake of money\, and concocting one’s own scripture.  \nA cheater\, a pseudo astrologer\, and a cheating physician are also as sinful as those who give false witness. All these sinful activities are totally eradicated by observing this Apara Ekadasi. Any ksatriya who gives up his profession and runs away from the battlefield certainly falls down from his occupational duties and goes to hell. If such a person observes this Ekadasi with faith he also attains the heavenly planet. \nLord Krsna continued\, “O King! A disciple who after receiving knowledge from his spiritual master engages in blasphemy or neglects to hear his spiritual master’s instructions\, certainly accumulates greatly mammothian quantities of sins. Such a condemned sinful person can be relieved from his sinful reactions by following this Apara Ekadasi and can attain the supreme destination. \nO King of Kings! The result one obtains by taking bath three times at Pushkar in the month of Kartika\, the piety one accumulates by taking bath at Prayaga in the month of Janurary when the sun enters the house of Capricorn\, the results one obtains by observing the vow of Sivaratri at Kasi and by offering oblations at the lotus feet of Visnu at Gaya\, and the auspicious results one obtains by taking bath in the river Gautami when the planet Jupiter enters Leo\, by visiting Kedarnatha during Kumbha-Mela\, by visiting and worshipping Badrinatha\, by taking bath at Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse\, and by giving elephants\, horses\, cows\, gold and land in charity are all obtained easily by observing the vow of Apara Ekadasi.  \nIt is like the sharp axe for cutting down the tree of sinful activities and like the lion to a deer in the forest of sinful activities. O King! By observing this Apara Ekadasi and worshipping Lord Visnu in His form as Trivikram\, a person attains the all-auspicious abode of Lord Visnu. Anyone who hears or reads the glories of this Ekadasi\, that I have described to you for the benefit of everyone\, is relieved of all his sinful reactions.”
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/apara-ekadashi-13th-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260514
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T124433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T124433Z
UID:48048-1778716800-1778803199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura 14th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Vrndavana Dasa Thakura was the author of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata\, a great biography of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is considered the manifest Vyasadeva of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-srila-vrndavana-dasa-thakura-14th-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Srila-Vrndavana-Dasa-Thakura.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260516
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T124654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T124654Z
UID:48050-1778803200-1778889599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:End of Jala Dana 15th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:End 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.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/end-of-jala-dana-15th-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Tulsi.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260527
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260528
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T133357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T133357Z
UID:48052-1779840000-1779926399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Padmini Ekadasi 27th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Sri Suta Goswami said\, “Yudhishthira Maharaja said\, Oh Janardana\, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight (shukla paksha) of the extra\, leap year month?\nHow does one observe it properly? Please narrate all this to me.” \n“The Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Sri Krishna\, replied\, ‘Oh Pandava\, the meritorious Ekadasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the extra month of leap-year is called Padmini.\nIt is very auspicious. The fortunate soul who observes it with great determination and faith will return to My personal abode. This extra-month Ekadasi is as powerful as I am in nullifying sins. Even four-headed Lord Brahma cannot glorify it sufficiently. Long ago Lord Brahma told Narada about this liberating\, sin-removing Ekadasi.’ \n“Lotus-eyed Lord Krishna became very pleased by the enquiry of Yudhishthira and spoke to him the following pleasing words:\n‘Oh king\, please listen carefully as I narrate to you the process of fasting on Padmini Ekadasi\, which is rarely done even by great sages. “‘One should begin his fast on the Dashami\, the day before Ekadasi\, by not eating any Urad dahl\, chickpeas\, spinach\, honey\, or sea salt\, and also by not dining in homes of others or off bell-metal plates. These eight things should be avoided. One should eat only once on the Dashami\, sleep on the ground\, and remain celibate. On Ekadasi the devotee should rise early in the morning but should not brush his teeth. Then he should thoroughly bathe – in a place of pilgrimage\, if possible. While chanting sacred hymns from the Vedas\, he should smear his body with cow dung mixed with clay\, sesame-seed paste\, kusha grass\, and the powder of Amalaki fruits. Then the devotee should take another thorough bath\, after which he should chant the following prayers: “‘”Oh sacred clay\, you have been created by Lord Brahma\, purified by Kashyapa Muni\, and lifted by Lord Krishna in His form as Varaha\, the boar incarnation. Oh clay\, please purify my head\, eyes\, and other limbs. Oh clay\, I offer my obeisances unto you. Kindly purify me so I may worship the Supreme Lord\, Sri Hari. \n“Oh cow-dung\, you posses medicinal and antiseptic qualities because you have come directly from the stomach of our universal mother\, the cow. You can purify the entire planet Earth. Please accept my humble obeisances and purify me. \n“Oh Amalaki fruits\, please accept my humble obeisances. You have taken your birth from the saliva of Lord Brahma\, and thus by your very presence the entire planet is purified. Kindly cleanse and purify my bodily limbs. \n“Oh Supreme Lord Vishnu\, Oh God of the gods\, Oh master of the universe\, Oh holder of the conch\, disc\, club\, and lotus\, please allow me to bathe in all the holy places of pilgrimage.” \n‘Reciting these excellent prayers\, chanting mantras to Lord Varuna\, and meditating on all the places of pilgrimage located on the banks of the Ganges\, one should bathe in whatever body of water is at hand. Then\, Oh Yudhishthira\, the devotee should rub his body\, thus purifying his mouth\, back\, chest\, arms\, and waist as a prelude to worshipping the Supreme Lord\, who wears brilliant yellow garments and gives pleasure to all creatures. By so doing\, the devotee will destroy all his sins. Afterwards\, he should chant the sacred Gayatri mantra\, offer oblations to his forefathers\, and then enter a Vishnu temple to worship Lord Narayana\, the husband of the Goddess of Fortune\, Laxmi-devi. \nIf possible\, the devotee should then fashion Deities of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna or Shiva and Parvati out of gold and offer them nice devotional worship. He should fill a copper or clay pot with pure water mixed with scents\, and then he should cover the pot with a cloth lid and a gold or silver lid\, in this way preparing an Asana upon which the Radha-Krishna or Shiva-Parvati murthis may sit for worship. According to capacity\, the devotee should then worship these murtis with fragrant incense\, a bright ghee lamp\, and sandalwood paste along with camphor\, musk\, kumkum\, and other scents\, as well as selected aromatic flowers like white lotuses and other seasonal blooms\, and also very nicely prepared foods. On this special Ekadasi the devotees should dance and sing ecstatically before the Deity. He should avoid prajalpa (talking unnecessarily of ordinary\, mundane conversational topics) at all costs and should not talk to or touch low-born persons (untrained persons habituated to low acts) or a woman in her menstrual period\, or others so absorbed. On this day he should be especially careful to speak the truth and certainly not criticize anyone before the Deity of Lord Vishnu\, the brahmins\, or the spiritual master. Rather\, with other devotees he should be absorbed in listening to Vaishnavas read the glories of Lord Vishnu from the Puranas. One should not drink or even touch water to his lips on this Ekadasi\, and one who is unable to perform this austerity should drink only water or milk. Otherwise\, the fast is considered broken. One should remain awake that Ekadasi night\, singing and playing musical instruments for the transcendental pleasure of the Supreme Person. \nDuring the first quarter of the Ekadasi night the devotee should offer some coconut meat to his worshippable Deity (Isthadeva)\, during the second part he should offer soothing bel fruit\, during the third part an orange\,  and as the night draws to a close some betel nut. Remaining awake during the first part of the Ekadasi night bestows on the devotee/sadhaka the same merit as that gained by performing the Agnistoma-yajna. Staying awake during the second part of the night bestows the same merit as that gained by performing a Vajapeya-yajna. Stay awake during the third part gives one the same merit as that attained by performing an Ashvamedha-yajna. And one who remains awake throughout the night receives all of the above mentioned merit\, as well as the grand merit of having performed a Rajasurya-yajna. Thus there is no better fasting day in the year than Padmini Ekadasi. Nothing can compare to it as a giver of merit\, whether it be a fire sacrifice\, knowledge\, education\, or austerity. Indeed\, whoever observes this sacred Ekadasi fast receives all the merit attained by bathing in all the places of pilgrimage in the world. \nAfter remaining awake throughout the night\, the devotee should bathe at sunrise and then worship Me nicely. He should then feed a qualified brahmin and respectfully give him the Deity of Lord Keshava and the pot filled with pure scented water. This gift will guarantee the devotee success in this life and liberation in the hereafter. \n‘Oh sinless Yudhishthira\, as you have requested\, I have described the rules and regulations\, as well as the benefits\, regarding the Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight of the extra\, leap-year month. Fasting on this Padmini day bestows merit equal to that gained by fasting on all other Ekadasis. The Ekadasi that occurs during the dark part of the extra month\, which is known as Parama Ekadasi\, is as powerful at removing sin as this one\, Padmini. Now please listen to Me carefully as I narrate to you a fascinating account connected with this sacred day. Pulastya Muni once recited this history to Naradji. \nPulastya Muni once had occasion to rescue the ten headed demon Ravana from the prison of Kartaviry Arjuna\, and upon hearing of this event Narada Muni asked his friend\, “Oh greatest of sages\, since this Ravana defeated all the demigods\, including Lord Indradev\, how could Kartaviry Arjuna defeat Ravana\, who was so skilled in battle?” \nPulastya Muni replied\, “Oh great Narada\, during the Tretayuga\, Kartavirya (Kartaviry Arjuna’s father) took birth in the Haihaya dynasty. His capital city was Mahishmati\, and he had one thousand Queens\, whom he loved very dearly. None of them\, however\, was able to give him the son he wanted so badly. He performed sacrifices and worshipped the devas (demigods) and forefathers (pitris)\, but due to the curse of some sage he was unable to beget a son – and without a son\, a king cannot enjoy his kingdom\, just as a hungry man can never really enjoy his senses. \nKing Kartavirya carefully considered his plight and then decided to perform severe austerities to achieve his goal. Thus he donned a loincloth made of bark\, grew matted locks\, and turned over the reins of his kingdom to his ministers. One of his queens\, Padmini – who was born in the Ikshvaku dynasty\, who was the best of all women\, and who was the daughter of King Harishchandra – saw the king leaving. She felt that\, since she was a chaste wife\, her duty was to follow in the footsteps of her beloved husband. Removing all the regal ornaments from her beautiful body and donning but one piece of cloth\, she thus followed her husband into the forest. \nAt last Kartavirya reached the summit of Mount Gandhamadana\, where he performed severe austerities and penances for ten thousand years\, meditating and praying to Lord Gadadhara\, who wields a club. But still he did not get a son. Seeing her dear husband waste away to mere skin and bone\, Padmini thought of a solution to the problem. She went to the chaste Anasuya. With great reverence\, Padmini said\, ‘Oh great lady\, my dear husband\, Kartavirya\, has been performing austerities for the last ten thousand years\, but Lord Krishna (Keshava)\, who alone can remove one’s past sins and present difficulties\, has not yet become pleased with him. Oh most fortunate one\, please tell me a fast day we can observe and thus please the Supreme Lord with our devotion\, so much so that He will bless me with a nice son who will later rule the world as emperor.’ \nUpon hearing the appealing words of Padmini\, who was very chaste and deeply devoted to her husband\, the great Anasuya replied to her in a very cheerful mood: ‘Oh beautiful\, lotus-eyed lady\, usually there are twelve months in a year\, but after every thirty-two months an extra month is added\, and the two Ekadasis that occur during this month are called Padmini Ekadasi and Parama Ekadasi. They fall on the Dvadasis of the light and dark part of the month\, respectively. You should fast on these days and rema n awake throughout the night. If you do so\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Sri Hari\, will bless you with a son.’ \nOh Narada\, in this way Anasuya\, the daughter of the sage Kardama Muni\, explained the potency of these special Ekadasis. Hearing this\, Padmini faithfully followed the instructions to fulfill her desire for a son. Padmini fasted completely\, even from water\, and remained awake all night\, chanting the glories of God and dancing in ecstasy. Lord Keshava thus became most pleased with her devotion and appeared before her\, riding on the back of the great Garuda. The Lord said\, ‘Oh beautiful one\, you have greatly pleased Me by fasting on the special Ekadasi of the extra month of Purushottama. Please ask Me for a benediction.’ \nHearing these sublime words from the overseer of the entire universe\, Padmini offered the Supreme Lord devotional prayers and asked Him for the boon her husband desired. Lord Keshava (Krishna) was moved to reply\, ‘Oh gentle lady\, I am very happy with you\, for there is no month dearer to Me than this\, and the Ekadasis that occur during this month are the most dear to Me of all Ekadasis. You have followed My devotee Anasuya’s instructions perfectly\, and therefore I shall do what will please you. You and your husband will have the desired son that you wish.’ \nThe Lord\, who removes the distress of the world\, then spoke to King Kartavirya: ‘Oh King\, please ask of Me any boon that will fulfill your heart’s desire\, for your dear wife has pleased Me greatly with her devotional fasting.’ The king was very happy to hear this. Naturally he asked for the son he had desired for so long: ‘Oh master of the universe\, Oh killer of the Madhu-demon\, kindly grant me a son who will never be conquered by the demigods\, human beings\, snakes\, demons\, or hobgoblins\, but whom only You can defeat.’ The Supreme Lord immediately replied\, ‘So be it!’ and disappeared. \nThe king became so very pleased with his wife and returned to his palace in her company. Padmini soon became pregnant\, and the mighty-armed Kartaviry Arjuna appeared as her son. He was the mightiest person in all the three worlds\, and thus even the ten-headed Ravana could not defeat him in battle. Except for Lord Narayana\, who holds a club\, a disc\, and other symbols in His hands no one could overcome him. By the merit that resulted from his mother’s strict and faithful observance of Padmini Ekadasi\, he could defeat even the dreaded Ravana. This is not at all surprising\, Oh Naradji\, for Kartaviry Arjuna was the fulfillment of the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” With these words\, Pulastya Muni departed.’ \n“The Supreme Lord\, Sri Krishna\, concluded\, ‘Oh sinless Yudhishthira\, as you have enquired from Me\, I have explained to you the power of this special Ekadasi. Oh best of kings\, whoever observes this fast will surely attain to My personal abode. And similarly\, if you want all your desires fulfilled\, you should do likewise.’ \nHearing these words from the mouth of his beloved Keshava\, Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) became filled with joy\, and when the time came he faithfully observed Padmini Ekadasi. Suta Goswami concluded\, “Oh sage Saunaka\, I have explained to you all about this meritorious Ekadasi. Anyone who devotedly fasts on the Ekadasis that occur during the extra\, leap-year months\, carefully following all the rules\, becomes glorious and happily goes back to Godhead. And one who merely hears or reads about these Ekadasis will also obtain great merit and ultimately enter the abode of Lord Sri Hari. \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Padmini Ekadasi\, the Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight of the extra\, leap-year month of Purushottama\, from the Skanda Purana.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/padmini-ekadasi-27th-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Ekadashi.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260611
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260612
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260129T133825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T133825Z
UID:48055-1781136000-1781222399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Parama Ekadasi 11 June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Sri Yudhishthira Maharaja said\, “Oh Supreme Lord\, what is the name and character of that Ekadasii that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the extra\, leap year month of Purushottama.\nAlso\, Oh master of all the universes\, what is the process for observing it properly? Kindly narrate all of this to me?” \nThe Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Sri Krishna\, replied\, “Oh Yudhishthira\, this meritorious day is called Parama Ekadasi. It bestows the great benediction of an enjoyable life and ultimate liberation\, release from birth and death. The process for observing it is similar to that for observing the Ekadasii that occurs during the light part of this month of Kartika. That is to say\, on this Ekadasi one should worship Me\, the best of all living beings\, with full love and devotion. In this connection I will now tell you a wonderful history\, just as I heard it from the great sage in the city of Kampilya. \n“Once a very pious brahmin named Sumedha resided in Kampilya with his wife\, Pavitra\, who was extremely chaste and devoted to her husband. On account of having committed some sin in his previous life\, Sumedha was without any money or food grains\, and even though he begged many people for food\, he could not obtain any substantial amount. He hardly had adequate food\, clothing\, or shelter for himself and his beautiful young wife\, who was of such excellent character that she continued to serve Sumedha faithfully despite their poverty. When guests would come to their home\, Pavitra mataji would give them her own food\, and although she often went hungry\, her beautiful\, lotuslike face never faded. This fasting made her weak\, but her affection for Sumedha remained unbreakable. \n“Seeing all this\, and lamenting his bad luck\, Sumedha one day said to Pavitra\, ‘My dear wife\, Oh most beautiful one\, I beg alms from the rich but receive scarcely a scrap. What am I to do? What possible relief is there for our plight? Where should I go for relief? Oh most obedient and loving wife\, without enough wealth\, household affairs are never successful\, – na vandhu madhye dhanahina jivanam. Therefore please permit me to go abroad and attain some wealth. If I make such an effort\, I shall certainly obtain whatever fortune I am destined to enjoy. Without making some endeavour a person cannot satisfy his desires or meet his needs.\nThus wise men have said that enthusiastic endeavour is always auspicious.’ The revealed scriptures declare\, udyoginah siNgham upaiti laxmi daivena deyati ka purushah vadantii: “One who endeavours enthusiastically will certainly attain success\, but one who merely says\, ‘I accept my lot in life is a lazy man”. \n“Upon hearing this from her husband as he spoke these words\, Pavitra joined her palms and\, her eyes brimming with tears\, spoke to him with great respect and affection: ‘I think there is no one greater or more learned than you\, my dear. One who\, though in misery\, is interested in the welfare of others speaks just as you have. However\, the scriptures state that whatever wealth a person attains in his life is due to his having given charity in previous lives\, and that if one has not given charity in previous lives\, then even though he may sit a top a mound of gold as big as Mount Sumeru\, he will still remain poor. \npurva-janmarjitam vidya\npurva-janmarjitam dhanam\npurva-janmarjitam kanya\nagre dhavati dhavatih \n“Transcendental knowledge\, spiritual education\, satisfying wealth\, and pleasing family members are acquired by a person who has given profuse charity. Whatever good a person does returns to him many fold.”\nIn Manu-nitii\, Manu Maharaja says\, bhagyam phalanti sarvatra na cha vidya na cha paurusham: “Whatever is predestined by Viddhata\, the fortune-maker\, will surely happen. One’s so called good education\, skill\, and enthusiasm will not necessarily guarantee to bring one success.” Whatever charity a person gives in the form of education\, money\, fertile land\, and the like is returned to him in a future lifetime. We gain what we have given\, when given with a good heart. Indeed\, whatever the Lord of destiny\, the creator\, has written as one’s fortune will certainly come to pass. No one attains any wealth without having given in charity in his previous life. Oh best of the brahmins\, since we are now poor\, in our previous lives neither you nor I must have given any/sufficient charity to worthy persons. Therefore\, Oh gracious husband\, you should remain here with me.\nWithout you I cannot live even a moment. \n“‘Bereft of her husband\, a woman is not welcomed by her father\, mother\, brother\, father-in-law\, or any other family members. Everyone will say\, “You have lost your husband; you are bad luck/fortune personified!”\nIn this way I shall be criticised severely! The Nitii-shastras says\, vinaashraye na tishthanti panditah vanita latah: “Without proper shelter and support\, the following three things cannot survive; a learned man/brahmin\, a woman\, and a creeper.” Therefore the modern women’s liberation movement is a total failure. Furthermore\, the GaruDa Purana states\, pati dharma pati sargah pati hi paramam tapah patiri pritim Apanne priiyante sarva devata “A chaste woman always thinks that pleasing her spiritually situated husband is her heavenly pleasure\, utmost duty\, and greatest austerity. If her husband is pleased (as Kulottama\, Vishnu personified)\, she thinks the Supreme lord and all the demigods are pleased. The Supreme Lord includes all the devatas (demigods).” \nPavitra continued\, ‘Please\, therefore\, stay with me and be satisfied with whatever wealth we get. Whatever is destined\, we shall obtain in due course of time and enjoy here in perfect happiness.’ \n“Hearing these plaintive words from his wife\, Sumedha decided to remain in their native village. One day the great sage Kaundinya arrived at their place\, and upon seeing him the brahmin Sumedha and his wife stood up before him and then offered him their respectful obeisances. With his head bowed\, Sumedha welcomed him: ‘We are very fortunate to behold you here today\, Oh wisest of sages. My life has become successful\, and I am much obliged to you.’ \n“Sumedha offered Kaumdinya Muni a comfortable seat and highly praised his austerities and learning. ”Just by having your darshan today\,’ said Sumedha\, ‘I have become very fortunate.’ The poor brahmin couple fed the sage as sumptuously as they could afford to according to their means \, and afterwards Pavitra asked the mendicant\, ‘Oh most learned one\, what process can we follow to be relieved of our poverty? How can a person who has not given anything in charity in his previous life get a good family\, much wealth\, and a fine education in this life? My husband wants to leave me here and go abroad to beg alms\, but I have earnestly prayed to him to stay here with me. I humbly told him that if one lacks wealth in the present life\, it is because of not having given sufficient charity in previous life times. And so he has consented to remain here.\nIt is only due to my great fortune that you have so mercifully come here today. Now we are certain to see the end of our poverty very soon. \n“Oh best of the brahmanas\, please tell us how we can be free of this perpetual misery brought on by poverty. Oh merciful one\, kindly describe some means – a place of pilgrimage we may visit\, a day of fasting we may observe\, or an austerity we may perform – by which our ill fortune will end forever.’ \n“Hearing this sincere supplication from the patient lady\, the great sage Kaundinya reflected silently for a moment and then said\, ‘There is a fast day very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Hari.\nFasting on this day nullifies all kinds of sins and removes all miseries caused by poverty. This fast day\, which occurs during the dark part (krishna paksha) of the extra\, leap-year month\, is known as Parama Ekadasi.\nIt is the topmost day of Lord Vishnu\, hence the name Parama. This extra month (Purushottam Mase)\, dark fortnight Ekadasi bestows all the necessities of life\, such as money and food grains\, and at last gives liberation/release. When the evening of this day comes\, one should begin singing the glories of the Lord and dancing in ecstasy\, and one should continue through the entire night. \nThis holy fast was once observed faithfully by Lord Kuvera (the treasurer of the devas). When Lord Shiva saw how strictly he had fasted\, Shiva became very pleased and made Kuvera the treasurer of heaven.\nAlso\, king Harishchandra fasted on this Ekadasi after his dear wife and son had been sold\, and the king was able to get them back. Thereafter he ruled his kingdom with no further impediments. Therefore\, Oh broad-eyed lady\, you also should observe the sacred fast of Parama Ekadasi\, following all the appropriate rules and regulations and remaining awake all night.’” \nLord Sri Krishna continued\, “Oh Yudhishthira\, son of Pandu\, in this way Kaundinya Muni mercifully and affectionately instructed PavitrA about the Parama Ekadasi fast. Then he said to Sumedha\, ‘On the Dvadasi\, the day after Ekadasi\, you should vow to observe Pancharatriki fasting according to all the rules and regulations. After taking a bath early in the morning\, you and your good wife\, along with both your parents and hers\, should fast for five days according to your ability. Then you will all become eligible to return home\, to the abode of Lord Vishnu. \n‘A person who simply makes use of only one seat during these five days goes to the heavenly planets. Whoever feeds qualified brahmins nicely on these five days has in effect fed all the demigods\, all human beings\, and even all the demons. Whoever donates a pot of drinking water to a twice born brahmin during this five-day period will gain merit equal to that gained by donating the entire planet in charity. Anyone who gives a learned person a pot filled with sesame seeds resides in heaven for as many years as there are seeds in the pot. One who donates a pot filled with golden ghee will surely go to the abode of the sun god after fully enjoying the pleasures of this earthly planet. Whoever remains celibate during these five-days will attain celestial happiness and enjoy with the maidens of Indraloka. Therefore both of you – Sumedha and Pavitra – should fast during these five days of Pancharatrika in order to be rewarded with ample grains and wealth for the rest of your lives on this planet.  The spiritual world will be your abode thereafter.’ \nHearing this sublime advice\, the brahmin couple\, Sumedha and Pavitra\, properly observed the Parama Ekadasi and the fast of Pancharatrika\, and very soon thereafter they beheld a handsome prince approaching them from the royal palace. On the orders of Lord Brahma\, the prince gave them a beautiful\, exquisitely furnished house and invited them to live in it. Praising their austerity and patience\, he also gave them an entire village for their livelihood. Then he returned to the palace. Thus Sumedha and his wife enjoyed all kinds of facilities in this world and at last went to the abode of Lord Vishnu. \nAnyone who observes a fast on Parama Ekadasi and also the fast of Pancharatrika is freed from all his sins\, and after enjoying life he returns to Vishnuloka\, as did the brahmin Sumedha and his faithful wife\, Pavitra.\nIt is impossible\, Oh Yudhishthira\, to calculate the extent of the merit one obtains by fasting on Parama Ekadasi\, for such an observance is equal to bathing in places of pilgrimage such as Pushkara Lake and the Ganges river\, giving cows in charity\, and performing all sorts of other religious activities. One who fasts on this day has also completed the offerings of oblations to his forefathers in Gaya. He has\, in effect\, fasted on all other auspicious days. \n“As in the social order the brahmin are considered the best\, as amongst four-legged creatures the cow is best\, and as among demigods Lord Indradev is the best\, so among all months the extra month of leap-year is the best. The Pancharatrika fast – the fast of five days (panch = five\, ratri = nights) in the extra\, leap year month – is said to remove all kinds of abominable sins. But the Pancharatriki fast\, together with the fasts of Parama and Paramai Ekadasi\, destroys all a person’s sins. If a person is unable to fast on these days\, he should observe the fasts during the extra month according to his ability. A person who\, having received a human birth\, does not take a proper bath during this extra month and then observes these Ekadasis\, which are very dear to Lord Hari\, commits suicide and suffers in the cycle of 8\,400\,000 species. The rare human birth is meant for accumulating merit and at last achieving liberating release from this material world. Therefore one should by all means observe fasting on this auspicious Parama Ekadasi.” \nLord Sri Krishna concluded\, “Oh sinless Yudhishthira\, as you have requested\, I have described to you the wonderful merit one can attain by fasting on the Ekadasi named Parama\, which occurs during the dark part of the extra\, leap-year month. You should observe this fast if at all possible.” \nKing Yudhishthira did exactly as Lord Krishna had instructed\, and so did all his brothers and their wife\, Draupadi. After enjoying pleasures rarely achieved in the material world\, they returned home\, back to Godhead.\nWhoever\, after taking a proper bath\, observes a fast on these two extra-month Ekadasis will go to heaven and finally attain to the abode of Sri Vishnu\, and as he travels there he will be praised and prayed to by all the demigods. \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Parama Ekadasi\, the Ekdasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the extra\, leap-year month\, from the Skanda Purana.
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SUMMARY:Ganga Puja 24th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:The appearance anniversary of Ganga Devi\, the goddess of the River Ganges. \nThis is literally the “birthday or descent of mother Ganges – Ganga Ma”. Throughout india this festival lasts ten days beginning on the Amavasya (dark moon night) and going through to the dasami tithi (tenth phase of the Moon\, the day before Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi) \n“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 Bengal through which the river flows. On this day\, if a devotee is unable to visit and bathe in the river Ganga\, then Ganga jal (water) kept in most Hindu homes is used for purification. A bath in the river is said to purify the bather of all sins. The Ganga is revered all over India even in places far from its course. \nInitially\, river Ganga flowed in the heavens. She was brought down to earth by the severe penances of the sage Bhagiratha and that is why she is also called Bhagirathi. According to the story\, of the descent of the Ganga\, once a number of demons were harassing the hermits by disturbing them in their ascetic duties. During the day\, they would be chased into the ocean. But in the darkness of the night\, they would emerge from the ocean and start harassing the hermits again. In desperation the hermits appealed to Rishi Agastya. Agastya\, known for his gastronomic powers\, drank all the water of the ocean. Though this was done in good faith\, it resulted in depriving the world of the water needed for sustenance and the earth became parched and dry. Bhagiratha brought this drought to and end. \nAccording to the legend\, King Sagara of the Ikshvaku dynasty ruling at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh had two queens\, Keshani and Sumati\, but neither had a child. Sagara performed severe austerities before his wives could produce sons. But whereas Keshani gave birth to a son called Asmajas\, Sumati bore 60\,000 sons. Sagara performed the Ashwamedha sacrifice to declare his suzerainty over the neighbouring kingdoms. According to the prevalent custom\, the sacrificial horse was let loose and allowed to wander into the neighbouring kingdoms. If the horse was caught\, a battle ensued and the outcome decided the winner. The 60\,000 sons of Sagara were following the horse when they saw him enter a cavern where sage Kapila was meditating. Not seeing the horse in the cavern\, they presumed that Kapila had captured it. They did not kill Kapila as he was a sage but they started disturbing his meditations. Annoyed at being disturbed\, Kapila with a curse burnt the 60\,000 sons of Sagara. \nTime passed and later Bhagiratha\, the great grandson of Sagara\, chanced to come across the bones of his dead ancestors. He wanted to perform the shraddha of his ancestors but there was no water available for the ceremony. Agastya having drunk all the waters of the ocean\, the country was passing through a severe drought. Bhagiratha prayed to Brahma\, the Creator\, to end the drought. Brahma asked him to pray to Vishnu\, the Preserver\, to allow the heavenly Ganga\, issuing from His big toe\, to come down to earth. Vishnu when prayed to by Bhagiratha agreed\, but asked him to request Shiva\, the third member of the Hindu trinity of Gods\, to allow the torrential rain to fall on his head before it came to the earth as the river was very forceful and if she were allowed to come down unchecked\, her fall would split the earth. Shiva agreed to take the gigantic weight of the cascading Ganga on the matted hair piled high on his head. This ensnared and delayed the progress of the river which\, in meandering through the labyrinth of his hair\, lost its force and then gently descended to the Himalayas from whence it flowed to the plains bestowing its waters on the parched earth. And that is why the anthropomorphic image of Ganga is shown in the matted hair of Shiva who is also called Gangadhara. Being born in the Himalayas\, Ganga is considered the elder sister of Parvati\, who is also a daughter of the Himalayas. \nAccording to the Agni Purana and Padma Purana\, the Ganga descended to the earth on Ganga Dussehra day and a bath in the holy river on this day is said to purify one of all sins. To die on the banks of the Ganga is considered most auspicious. If that is not possible\, then the immersion of the ashes after cremation in the river Ganga is a must\, as it then releases one from the cycles of birth and re-birth. \nthe seven ways of worshipping the Ganga are: by calling out her name\, ‘Oh Ganga’; having darshan of her; by toughing her waters; by worshipping and bathing; by standing in the waters of the river; and by carrying clay dug out of the river. Ganga in her anthropomorphic form is shown as a beautiful young woman standing on a crocodile and holding a waterpot in her hands. Her image\, with that of the Goddess Yamuna\, another sacred river deity\, is often depicted on the doors of temples and palaces. In Gujarat\, there is a legend according to which Ganga came down to the earth on Rishi Panchami\, the fifth day of Bhadra (September) at Tarnetar. There is a sacred tank where people congregate for a holy bath on that day (pages 82-82.) (see Tarnetar festival 106-107\, 120-121. not so relevant to us – nice pictures of the fair and bathing ghats though.) (Shakti M. Gupta. 1991. Festivals\, Fairs and Fasts of India. Clarion Books) \nThe first ten days of the month Jyeshth\, known as Dashahara\, are dedicated to honour the river Ganges\, or Mother Ganges. The Ganges is believed to flow in the three worlds: in heaven it is called Mandakini\, on earth the Ganges (or Ganga)\, and in the nether region the Bhagirathi. Thus the Ganga is known as “Tripathaga”\, or the “Three Path River”. People believe that by bathing in the Ganga sins are washed away. The principle centres for the worship of the Ganga are Gangotri\, the source of the river; Haridwar\, where she comes down to the plains; Allahabad\, where she joins the Yamuna; Varanasi\, the holy city; and Sagara Island in her estuary where she finally flows into the Bay of Bengal. \nGanga is supposed to be the daughter of the Himalayas and the goddess Mena. According to the Puranas\, the heavenly Ganga flows from Vishnu’s toe. Ganga sometimes assumed a human form. In one such appearance\, she married King Shantanu and was the mother of Bhishma\, grandsire to the warring Pandava and Kaurava clans (see Mahabharata). \nLong ago there was a king named Sagar. Once he performed the horse sacrifice known as Ashvamedh. After much wandering one day the king’s horse reached the ashram of Kapil Muni. Then seven thousand of the king’s boys also reached there in search of the horse. They had wickedly imagined that Kapil Muni had deliberately kidnapped the horse\, and they decided to destroy the muni. Kapil Muni got angry and cursed them. There upon they all were burnt and reduced to ashes. \nSince neither the horse nor his soldiers returned King Sagar became anxious. He sent his grandson Anshuman to search for them. Kapil Muni told Anshuman the whole story. Anshuman asked\, “How can the sin of the king’s boys be destroyed?” \nKapil Muni answered\, “They will be saved if the water of the Ganga will flow over this land.” \nAnshuman tried but did not succeed in bringing down the Ganga on earth. Then his son Dilip also tried\, but without success. Finally his son Bhagirath after performing terrible austerities managed to bring down the Ganga to this earth. Mother Ganga was pleased with Bhagirath\, but asked him to obtain also the good pleasure of Shankar (Lord Shiva). Shankar agreed to take the burden of bringing the Ganga on earth. Thus on the tenth day of the bright half of Jyeshth\, Mother Ganga began to flow from heaven to the matted hair of Shankar\, and from the hair of Shankar she began to flow on this earth. In this way the children of Sagar were saved. For this reason the Ganges is also known as the Bhagirathi. END. \nIf you are so fortunate as to be in a place in Bharat Bhumi where the sacred Ganges flows or one of the mystical magical places where She appears contrary to material science\, such as Mana Sarovara\, Manasi Ganga (Bhubaneshwar)\, Madhwa Sarova (Udupi)\, etc.\, then you will be able to go down to her waters and pay your obeisances\, say your prayers and take that water upon your head. Then please say a prayer to invoke the blessings of the Lord upon all of us not so fortunate as to be there with you. \nFor most of us reading this that will not physically be possible\, although certainly through Manasa puja – meditation one may still perform that worship. \nWhether you are in Gangotri (the place where she manifests first in this realm) or if you are at (H)Rishikesha or Haridwar\, Benares (Varanarsi)\, Allahabad (Prayag) or in Mayapur\, West Bengal\, or as I am here writing this remembering those wonderful places the purifying association of Mother Ganga remains the same. \nScientists’ still cannot understand how unlike ordinary water\, when you take a bottle of that and keep it for YEARS\, it never becomes green and slimmy. It always remains in its pure condition. \nMy memories of early morning (03:30am) dips at Haridwar (Vishnupadi) still leave me as near breathless as entering into her icey waters as we did in January (winter in the Norther Hemisphere) 1980. In the evening the floatila of thousands of leaf boats laden with flames\, flowers\, and sweetmeats\, bobbing gently as they flow with the current to the resounding sounds of the bells and arati songs\, and disappearing flickering into the distance. A sight worth seeing. \nThe Descent of the River Ganges\nSrimad Bhagavatam 5th Canto 17the Chapter Summary\nby HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. \nThe Seventeenth Chapter describes the origin of the Ganges River and how it flows in and around Ilavrita-varsha. There is also a description of the prayers Lord Siva offers to Lord Sankarshana\, part of the quadruple expansions of the Supreme personality of Godhead. Lord Vishnu once approached Bali Maharaja while the King was performing a sacrifice. The Lord appeared before him as Trivikrama\, or Vamana\, and begged alms from the King in the form of three steps of land. With two steps\, Lord Vamana covered all three planetary systems and pierced the covering of the universe with the toes of His left foot. A few drops of water from the Causal Ocean leaked through this hole and fell on the head of Lord Siva\, where they remained for one thousand millenniums. These drops of water are the sacred Ganges River. It first flows onto the heavenly planets\, which are located on the soles of Lord Vishnu’s feet. The Ganges River is known by many names\, such as the Bhagirathi and the Jahnavi. It purifies Dhruvaloka and the planets of the seven sages because both Dhruva and the sages have no other desire than to serve the Lord’s lotus feet. \nThe Ganges River\, emanating from the lotus feet of the Lord\, inundates the heavenly planets\, especially the moon\, and then flows through Brahmapuri atop Mount Meru. Here the river divides into four branches (known as Sita\, Alakananda\, Cakshu and Bhadra)\, which then flow down to the ocean of salt water. The branch known as Sita flows through Sekhara-parvata and Gandhamadana-parvata and then flows down to Bhadrasva-varsha\, where it mixes with the ocean of salt water in the West. The Cakshu branch flows through Malyavan-giri and\, after reaching Ketumala-varsha\, mixes with the ocean of salt water in the West. The branch known as Bhadra flows onto Mount Meru\, Mount Kumuda\, and the Nila\, Sveta and Sringavan mountains before it reaches Kuru-desa\, where it flows into the ocean of salt water in the north. The Alakananda branch flows through Brahmalaya\, crosses over many mountains\, including Hemakuta and Himakuta\, and then reaches Bharata-varsha\, where it flows into the southern side of the ocean of salt water. Many other rivers and their branches flow through the nine varshas. \nThe tract of land known as Bharata-varsha is the field of activities\, and the other eight varshas are for persons who are meant to enjoy heavenly comfort. In each of these eight beautiful provinces\, the celestial denizens enjoy various standards of material comfort and pleasure. A different incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead distributes His mercy in each of the nine varshas of Jambudvipa. \nIn the Ilavrita-varsha\, Lord Siva is the only male. There he lives with his wife\, Bhavani\, who is attended by many maidservants. If any other male enters that province\, Bhavani curses him to become a woman. Lord Siva worships Lord Sankarshana by offering various prayers\, one of which is as follows: “My dear Lord\, please liberate all Your devotees from material life and bind all the nondevotees to the material world. Without Your mercy\, no one can be released from the bondage of material existence.” \nsri-suka uvaca\ntatra bhagavatah sakshad yajna-lingasya vishnor vikramato vama-padangushtha-nakha-nirbhinnordhvanda-kataha-vivarenantah-pravishta ya bahya-jala-dhara tac-carana-pankajavanejanaruna-kinjalkoparanjitakhila-jagad-agha-malapahopasparsanamala sakshad bhagavat-padity anupalakshita-vaco ’bhidhiyamanati-mahata kalena yuga-sahasropalakshanena divo murdhany avatatara yat tad vishnu-padam ahuh. \nTRANSLATION\nSukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King\, Lord Vishnu\, the enjoyer of all sacrifices\, appeared as Vamanadeva in the sacrificial arena of Bali Maharaja. Then He extended His left foot to the end of the universe and pierced a hole in its covering with the nail of His big toe. Through the hole\, the pure water of the Causal Ocean entered this universe as the Ganges River. Having washed the lotus feet of the Lord\, which are covered with reddish powder\, the water of the Ganges acquired a very beautiful pink color. Every living being can immediately purify his mind of material contamination by touching the transcendental water of the Ganges\, yet its waters remain ever pure. Because the Ganges directly touches the lotus feet of the Lord before descending within this universe\, she is known as Vishnupadi. Later she received other names like Jahnavi and Bhagirathi. After one thousand millenniums\, the water of the Ganges descended on Dhruvaloka\, the topmost planet in this universe. Therefore all learned sages and scholars proclaim Dhruvaloka to be Vishnupada [“situated on Lord Vishnu’s lotus feet”]. \nPURPORT\nIn this verse\, Sukadeva Gosvami describes the glories of the Ganges River. The water of the Ganges is called patita-pavani\, the deliverer of all sinful living beings. It is a proven fact that a person who regularly bathes in the Ganges is purified both externally and internally. Externally his body becomes immune to all kinds of disease\, and internally he gradually develops a devotional attitude toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Throughout India\, many thousands of people live on the banks of the Ganges\, and by regularly bathing in her waters\, they are undoubtedly being purified both spiritually and materially. Many sages\, including Sankaracarya\, have composed prayers in praise of the Ganges\, and the land of India itself has become glorious because such rivers as the Ganges\, Yamuna\, Godavari\, Kaveri\, Krishna and Narmada flow there. Anyone living on the land adjacent to these rivers is naturally advanced in spiritual consciousness. Srila Madhvacarya says: \nvarahe vama-padam tu\ntad-anyeshu tu dakshinam\npadam kalpeshu bhagavan\nujjahara trivikramah \nStanding on His right foot and extending His left to the edge of the universe\, Lord Vamana became known as Trivikrama\, the incarnation who performed three heroic deeds. \nyatra ha vava vira-vrata auttanapadih parama-bhagavato ’smat-kula-devata-caranaravindodakam iti yam anusavanam utkrishyamana-bhagavad-bhakti-yogena dridham klidyamanantar-hridaya autkanthya-vivasamilita-locana-yugala-kudmala-vigalitamala-bashpa-kalayabhivyajyamana-roma-pulaka-kulako ’dhunapi paramadarena sirasa bibharti. \nTRANSLATION\nDhruva Maharaja\, the famous son of Maharaja Uttanapada\, is known as the most exalted devotee of the Supreme Lord because of his firm determination in executing devotional service. Knowing that the sacred Ganges water washes the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu\, Dhruva Maharaja\, situated on his own planet\, to this very day accepts that water on his head with great devotion. Because he constantly thinks of Krishna very devoutly within the core of his heart\, he is overcome with ecstatic anxiety. Tears flow from his half-open eyes\, and eruptions appear on his entire body. \nPURPORT\nWhen a person is firmly fixed in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, he is described as vira-vrata\, fully determined. Such a devotee increases his ecstasy in devotional service more and more. Thus as soon as he remembers Lord Vishnu\, his eyes fill with tears. This is a symptom of a maha-bhagavata. Dhruva Maharaja maintained himself in that devotional ecstasy\, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also gave us a practical example of transcendental ecstasy when He lived at Jagannatha Puri. His pastimes there are fully narrated in Caitanya-caritamrita. \ntatah sapta rishayas tat prabhavabhijna yam nanu tapasa atyantiki siddhir etavati bhagavati sarvatmani vasudeve ’nuparata-bhakti-yoga-labhenaivopekshitanyarthatma-gatayo muktim ivagatam mumukshava iva sabahu-manam adyapi jata-jutair udvahanti. \nTRANSLATION\nThe seven great sages [Marici\, Vasishtha\, Atri and so on] reside on planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Well aware of the influence of the water of the Ganges\, to this day they keep Ganges water on the tufts of hair on their heads. They have concluded that this is the ultimate wealth\, the perfection of all austerities\, and the best means of prosecuting transcendental life. Having obtained uninterrupted devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, they neglect all other beneficial processes like religion\, economic development\, sense gratification and even merging into the Supreme. Just as jnanis think that merging into the existence of the Lord is the highest truth\, these seven exalted personalities accept devotional service as the perfection of life. \nPURPORT\nTranscendentalists are divided into two primary groups: the nirvisesha-vadis\, or impersonalists\, and the bhaktas\, or devotees. The impersonalists do not accept spiritual varieties of life. They want to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord in His Brahman feature (the brahmajyoti). The devotees\, however\, desire to take part in the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord. In the upper planetary system\, the topmost planet is Dhruvaloka\, and beneath Dhruvaloka are the seven planets occupied by the great sages\, beginning with Marici\, Vasishtha and Atri. All these sages regard devotional service as the highest perfection of life. Therefore they all carry the holy water of the Ganges on their heads. This verse proves that for one who has achieved the platform of pure devotional service\, nothing else is important\, even so-called liberation (kaivalya). Srila Sridhara Svami states that only by achieving pure devotional service of the Lord can one give up all other engagements as insignificant. Prabodhananda Sarasvati confirms his statement as follows: \nkaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa-pur akasa-pushpayate\ndurdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damshtrayate\nvisvam purna-sukhayate vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate\nyat karunya-kataksha-vaibhavavatam tam gauram eva stumah \nSri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has perfectly enunciated and broadcast the process of bhakti-yoga. Consequently\, for one who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu\, the highest perfection of the Mayavadis\, kaivalya\, or becoming one with the Supreme\, is considered hellish\, to say nothing of the karmis’ aspiration to be promoted to the heavenly planets. Devotees consider such goals to be worthless phantasmagoria. There are also yogis\, who try to control their senses\, but they can never succeed without coming to the stage of devotional service. The senses are compared to poisonous snakes\, but the senses of a bhakta engaged in the service of the Lord are like snakes with their poisonous fangs removed. The yogi tries to suppress his senses\, but even great mystics like Visvamitra fail in the attempt. Visvamitra was conquered by his senses when he was captivated by Menaka during his meditation. She later gave birth to Sakuntala. The wisest persons in the world\, therefore\, are the bhakti-yogis\, as Lord Krishna confirms in Bhagavad-gita (6.47): \nyoginam api sarvesham\nmad-gatenantaratmana\nsraddhavan bhajate yo mam\nsa me yuktatamo matah \n“Of all yogis\, he who always abides in Me with great faith\, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service\, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.” \ntato ’neka-sahasra-koti-vimananika-sankula-deva-yanenavatar-antindu mandalam avarya brahma-sadane nipatati. \nTRANSLATION \nAfter purifying the seven planets near Dhruvaloka [the polestar]\, the Ganges water is carried through the spaceways of the demigods in billions of celestial airplanes. Then it inundates the moon [Candraloka] and finally reaches Lord Brahma’s abode atop Mount Meru. \nPURPORT \nWe should always remember that the Ganges River comes from the Causal Ocean\, beyond the covering of the universe. After the water of the Causal Ocean leaks through the hole created by Lord Vamanadeva\, it flows down to Dhruvaloka (the polestar) and then to the seven planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Then it is carried to the moon by innumerable celestial airplanes\, and then it falls to the top of Mount Meru\, which is known as Sumeru-parvata. In this way\, the water of the Ganges finally reaches the lower planets and the peaks of the Himalayas\, and from there it flows through Hardwar and throughout the plains of India\, purifying the entire land. How the Ganges water reaches the various planets from the top of the universe is explained herein. Celestial airplanes carry the water from the planets of the sages to other planets. So-called advanced scientists of the modern age are trying to go to the higher planets\, but at the same time they are experiencing a power shortage on earth. If they were actually capable scientists\, they could personally go by airplane to other planets\, but this they are unable to do. Having now given up their moon excursions\, they are attempting to go to other planets\, but without success. \ntatra caturdha bhidyamana caturbhir namabhis catur-disam abhispandanti nada-nadi-patim evabhinivisati sitalakananda cakshur bhadreti. \nTRANSLATION \nOn top of Mount Meru\, the Ganges divides into four branches\, each of which gushes in a different direction [east\, west\, north and south]. These branches\, known by the names Sita\, Alakananda\, Cakshu and Bhadra\, flow down to the ocean. \nsita tu brahma-sadanat kesaracaladi-giri-sikharebhyo ’dho ’dhah prasravanti gandhamadana-murdhasu patitvantarena bhadrasva-varsham pracyam disi kshara-samudram abhipravisati. \nTRANSLATION \nThe branch of the Ganges known as the Sita flows through Brahmapuri atop Mount Meru\, and from there it runs down to the nearby peaks of the Kesaracala Mountains\, which stand almost as high as Mount Meru itself. These mountains are like a bunch of filaments around Mount Meru. From the Kesaracala Mountains\, the Ganges falls to the peak of Gandhamadana Mountain and then flows into the land of Bhadrasva-varsha. Finally it reaches the ocean of salt water in the west. \nevam malyavac-chikharan nishpatanti tato ’nuparata-vega ketumalam abhi cakshuh praticyam disi sarit-patim pravisati. \nTRANSLATION\nThe branch of the Ganges known as Cakshu falls onto the summit of Malyavan Mountain and from there cascades onto the land of Ketumala-varsha. The Ganges flows incessantly through Ketumala-varsha and in this way also reaches the ocean of salt water in the West. \nbhadra cottarato meru-siraso nipatita giri-sikharad giri-sikharam atihaya sringavatah sringad avasyandamana uttarams tu kurun abhita udicyam disi jaladhim abhipravisati. \nTRANSLATION\nThe branch of the Ganges known as Bhadra flows from the northern side of Mount Meru. Its waters fall onto the peaks of Kumuda Mountain\, Mount Nila\, Sveta Mountain and Sringavan Mountain in succession. Then it runs down into the province of Kuru and\, after crossing through that land\, flows into the saltwater ocean in the north. \ntathaivalakananda dakshinena brahma-sadanad bahuni giri-kutany atikramya hemakutad dhaimakutany ati-rabhasatara-ramhasa luthayanti bharatam abhivarsham dakshinasyam disi jaladhim abhipravisati yasyam snanartham cagacchatah pumsah pade pade ’svamedha-rajasuyadinam phalam na durlabham iti. \nTRANSLATION\nSimilarly\, the branch of the Ganges known as Alakananda flows from the southern side of Brahmapuri [Brahma-sadana]. Passing over the tops of mountains in various lands\, it falls down with fierce force upon the peaks of the mountains Hemakuta and Himakuta. After inundating the tops of those mountains\, the Ganges falls down onto the tract of land known as Bharata-varsha\, which she also inundates. Then the Ganges flows into the ocean of salt water in the south. Persons who come to bathe in this river are fortunate. It is not very difficult for them to achieve with every step the results of performing great sacrifices like the Rajasuya and Asvamedha yajnas. \nPURPORT\nThe place where the Ganges flows into the salt water of the Bay of Bengal is still known as Ganga-sagara\, or the meeting place of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. On Makara-sankranti\, in the month of January–February\, thousands of people still go there to bathe\, hoping to be liberated. That they can actually be liberated in this way is confirmed herein. For those who bathe in the Ganges at any time\, the results of great sacrifices like the Asvamedha and Rajasuya yajnas are not at all difficult to achieve. Most people in India are still inclined to bathe in the Ganges\, and there are many places where they can do so. At Prayaga (Allahabad)\, many thousands of people gather during the month of January to bathe in the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna. Afterward\, many of them go to the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Ganges to take bath there. Thus it is a special facility for all the people of India that they can bathe in the water of the Ganges at so many places of pilgrimage. \nanye ca nada nadyas ca varshe varshe santi bahuso merv-adi-giri-duhitarah satasah. \nTRANSLATION\nMany other rivers\, both big and small\, flow from the top of Mount Meru. These rivers are like daughters of the mountain\, and they flow to the various tracts of land in hundreds of branches.\ntatrapi bharatam eva varsham karma-kshetram anyany ashta varshani svarginam punya-seshopabhoga-sthanani bhaumani svarga-padani vyapadisanti. \nTRANSLATION\nAmong the nine varshas\, the tract of land known as Bharata-varsha is understood to be the field of fruitive activities. Learned scholars and saintly persons declare the other eight varshas to be meant for very highly elevated pious persons. After returning from the heavenly planets\, they enjoy the remaining results of their pious activities in these eight earthly varshas. \nPURPORT\nThe heavenly places of enjoyment are divided into three groups: the celestial heavenly planets\, the heavenly places on earth\, and the bila heavenly places\, which are found in the lower regions. Among these three classes of heavenly places (bhauma-svarga-pada-ni)\, the heavenly places on earth are the eight varshas other than Bharata-varsha. In Bhagavad-gita (9.21) Krishna says\, kshine punye martya-lokam visanti: when the persons living in the heavenly planets exhaust the results of their pious activities\, they return to this earth. In this way\, they are elevated to the heavenly planets\, and then they again fall to the earthly planets. This process is known as brahmanda bhramana\, wandering up and down throughout the universes. Those who are intelligent—in other words\, those who have not lost their intelligence—do not involve themselves in this process of wandering up and down. They take to the devotional service of the Lord so that they can ultimately penetrate the covering of this universe and enter the spiritual kingdom. Then they are situated on one of the planets known as Vaikunthaloka or\, still higher. Krishnaloka (Goloka Vrindavana). A devotee is never caught in the process of being promoted to the heavenly planets and again coming down. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: \nei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva\nguru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija \nAmong all the living entities wandering throughout the universe\, one who is most fortunate comes in contact with a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus gets the opportunity to execute devotional service. Those who are sincerely seeking the favor of Krishna come in contact with a guru\, a bona fide representative of Krishna. The Mayavadis indulging in mental speculation and the karmis desiring the results of their actions cannot become gurus. A guru must be a direct representative of Krishna who distributes the instructions of Krishna without any change. Thus only the most fortunate persons come in contact with the guru. As confirmed in the Vedic literatures\, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: one has to search out a guru to understand the affairs of the spiritual world. Srimad-Bhagavatam also confirms this point. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam: one who is very interested in understanding the activities in the spiritual world must search out a guru—a bona fide representative of Krishna. From all angles of vision\, therefore\, the word guru is especially meant for the bona fide representative of Krishna and no one else. \nPadma Purana states\, avaishnavo gurur na syat: one who is not a Vaishnava\, or who is not a representative of Krishna\, cannot be a guru. Even the most qualified brahmana cannot become a guru if he is not a representative of Krishna. Brahmanas are supposed to acquire six kinds of auspicious qualifications: they become very learned scholars (pathana) and very qualified teachers (pathana); they become expert in worshiping the Lord or the demigods (yajana)\, and they teach others how to execute this worship (yajana); they qualify themselves as bona fide persons to receive alms from others (pratigraha)\, and they distribute the wealth in charity (dana). Yet even a brahmana possessing these qualifications cannot become a guru unless he is the representative of Krishna (gurur na syat). Vaishnavah sva-paco guruh: but a Vaishnava\, a bona fide representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Vishnu\, can become a guru\, even if he is sva-paca\, a member of a family of dog-eaters. Of the three divisions of heavenly planets (svarga-loka)\, bhauma-svarga is sometimes accepted as the tract of land in Bharata-varsha known as Kashmir. In this region there are certainly good facilities for material sense enjoyment\, but this is not the business of a pure transcendentalist. Rupa Gosvami describes the engagement of a pure transcendentalist as follows: \nanyabhilashita-sunyam\njnana-karmady-anavritam\nanukulyena krishnanu-\nsilanam bhaktir uttama \n“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” Those who fully engage in devotional service to Krishna just to please Him are not interested in the three divisions of heavenly places\, namely\, divya-svarga\, bhauma-svarga and bila-svarga.
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260211T105509Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064128Z
UID:48441-1782259200-1782345599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana 24 June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Baladeva Vidyabhusana\, the author of Govinda Bhasya\, the first Gaudiya commentary on the Vedanta-sutras\, appeared in Remuna\, Orissa\, in the late 1600.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-baladeva-vidyabhusana-24-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260211T105705Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T105806Z
UID:48443-1782259200-1782345599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srimati Gangamata Goswami 24th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Gangamata Goswami was the daughter of King Naresa Narayana of Bengal. From childhood she showed deep devotion to Krsna.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-srimati-gangamata-goswami-24th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260626
DTSTAMP:20260403T200637
CREATED:20260211T105901Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T105901Z
UID:48445-1782345600-1782431999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Pandava Nirjala Ekadashi 25th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Nirjala Ekadasi occurs during the Jyestha (May/June) month and a description of this fantastically gracious day is found in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.Once Bhimasena\, the younger brother of Yudhisthira\, asked the best of sages Srila Vyasadeva\, “O great sage\, yogi and knower of the Vedas\, please hear my humble request. My elder brother Yudhisthira\, mother Kunti devi\, brothers Arjuna\, Nakula and Sahadeva\, and Draupadi fast completely on the Ekadasi day. \nYudhisthira is often encouraging me to fast and while I know it is  the injunction of the scriptures\, and I have tried; I simply am unable to fast. My hunger is too great too bear fasting on every Ekadasi. I can give in charity\, I can worship Lord Kesava but I cannot fast. Please instruct me how I can obtain the mercy of Sri Ekadasi. \n“On hearing Bhima’s pathetic entreaty\, Sri Vyasadeva said\, “O Bhima\, if you want to go to the heavenly planets\, avoiding the hellish condition\, then you must refrain from eating on both Ekadasi days each month. \n“Bhima interjected: ‘O Vyasa Muni! It is impossible for me to fast on twenty-four Ekadasi’s per year. What to speak of fasting day and night\, I cannot tolerate my hunger for even a blink of an eye. The ‘brika’ fire of hunger is always present in my stomach\, only voracious eating will quell this formidable foe in the form of craving. With great endeavor I may be able to fast one day a year… \n“Sri Vyasadeva said: ‘O my dear King\, You have already heard from me about the Vedic religious principles and the duties of the human being. But in this age of Kali not everyone can follow these regulations\, I know. Therefore I will tell of a sublime method by which all your desires will be fulfilled. This method is the concentrated essence of all the Puranas. Anybody who observes Ekadasi of the waning and waxing Moons by fasting never goes to hell.” \n“Hearing Vyasadevas words\, Bhimasena grew panicky: ‘But Vyas\, i’ve said\, I can’t fast on two days a month\, I simply can’t! Please give me some easier method. \n“Sri Vyasa Muni replied: During the waxing Moon in the month of Jyestha during the suns presence in either Taurus or Gemini Rasi\, there is an Ekadasi known as Nirjala Ekadasi. On this greatest of days\, one should observe total fasting without even water to drink. One should observe acamana by drinking an amount of water equal to a single mustard seed. If one drinks more or less water than this\, it will amount to having drunk wine. \n“One must not eat anything at all on this Ekadasi\, otherwise the vow is broken and the results lost. One should abstain from eating and drinking from Sunrise on the day of Ekadasi until Sunrise on the day of Dvadasi. In this way\, if one successfully completes fasting on this day\, he receives the results of having observed all the Ekadasi’s of the year. \n“Early on the morning of Dvadasi\, one should give in charity to brahmanas\, and thereafter breakfast with them. O Bhimasena\, please hear of the abounding piety one accumulates by observing this Nirjala Ekadasi\, and thereby reaps the result of all the Ekadasi’s throughout the year. Once\, Lord Visnu\, who holds a conch\, disc\, club and lotus flower\, told me: “If a person gives up all varieties of religion and surrenders unto Me\, he is certainly relieved of all sinful reactions. One cannot attain the supreme destination by giving wealth in charity or attain any benefit by following smarta rules and regulations in Kali yuga. In fact the Vedic religious principles are extinct in Kali yuga\, which is polluted with many faults and illusions. \n“O son of Vayu\, what more can I say. Eating is actually prohibited on all the Ekadasi’s\, and even drinking water is prohibited on Nirjala Ekadasi. By observing this Ekadasi one receives the benefit of bathing in all the holy rivers\, and visiting all the holy places of pilgrimage. If one follows this Ekadasi vrata he need not fear being approached by the Yamadutas at the time of death\, rather he will be greeted by the Visnudutas and transferred to the abode of Visnu. If on the day of Dvadasi following Nirjala Ekadasi one gives water in charity to others\, all his sinful activities will come to an end! \n“When Bhimasena told the other Pandavas what he had heard about this Nirjaala Ekadasi\, they all decided to observe it’s magnificence accordingly. From that day onward Bhimasena began observing this Nirjala vrata\, once a year. Thereafter this Ekadasi is famously known as Pandava Nirjala\, or Bhimaseni Ekadasi. By following this Ekadasi sinful activities as huge as Sumeru or Mandara Mountain are at once burnt to ashes\, like nothing more than a pile of dry leaves. O great devotee! Lord Krsna himself has declared that any pious activities such as taking bath in holy places\, giving charity\, chanting Vedic mantras\, and performing sacrifices that are carried out on this Nirjala Ekadasi are magnified one billion times. \nOne who reads or hears the narration of the boundless glories of this Ekadasi with devotion\, goes back to the spiritual abode. The result one attains by observing the vow of Amavasya conjoined with Pratipada and offering oblations to the forefathers during a solar eclipse is attained by hearing the glories of this brilliantly effulgent gemstone jewel\, Nirjala Ekadasi.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/pandava-nirjala-ekadashi-25th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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