Past Events

Saranga Thakura, an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, lived under a Bakula tree in Navadvipa during the time of Lord Caitanya. The great devotee Murari Thakura was his disciple.

At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Odana Sasthi. During the Odana-sasthi festival the servants of Lord Jagannatha would dress Lord Jagannatha and Balarama with starched cloth. This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannatha.That covering is directly purchased from a weaver. According to the archana-marga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. On this occasion by the desire of Lord Jagannatha, His servants dress Him in new, starched clothes.

This is the annirversary day commemorating the day that Srimad Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Sri Krishna to His dearmost devotee Arjuna. At the place now known as Jyotisar Tirtha amid the waring families of the Kurus and the Pandavas at Kurukshetra. If one wishes one can still go and visit that place and see the monument erected there with Krishna as Parthasarati (the chariot driver) and Arjuna, the warrior on their chariot. It is claimed by the ashram who maintain the shrine that the tree that is next to Them is a continum growth of the original tree witness that was there at the actual day of speaking.

This Ekadasi occurs in the month of Magashirsa November/December. The glories of this Ekadasi are untold. In the Brahmananda Purana they are described in a conversation between Krsna and Maharaja Yudhisthira. When Maharaja Yudhisthira questioned Krsna about this particular Ekadasi he asked: “How should one spend his time on this glorious day? Please explain to me the delineation of how to follow this Ekadasi and thus please The Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Sri Krsna replied: “Oh my dear one, Yudhisthira. If one worships the Supreme Lord on this most munificent day, all his sinful reactions will be completely destroyed. One should offer tulasi leaves and manjaris to the Lords lotus feet. By so doing, He will be unlimitedly pleased. By observing this Ekadasi one achieves the result of performing three hundred thousand Sankranta sacrifices.

A vow to observe austerities to please Katyayani Devi, or Yogamaya Devi, the spiritual energy of Lord Krsna.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was the spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura powerfully spread the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the early twentieth century.

Saphala Ekadasi takes place during the waning moon of the Pausa month – December/January. The glories of this Ekadasi are insurmountably great. Actually there is no way to extol the divine results of observing Ekadasi; but still they are given in the Brahmananda Purana. Sri Krsna said to Arjuna: “Oh best of the Bharata lineage, just as Lord Sesa is best among snakes, Garuda is best among birds, the horse yajna is best among sacrifices, the Ganges is best among the rivers, Sri Visnu is best among the demigods and the brahmanas are best among human beings; so, among all vows of austerity the day of Ekadasi is best.

Sri Devananda Pandit used to live at Kuliya. He was a famous reciter of the Srimad Bhagavatam and many people used to study the Bhagavatam under his guidance. One afternoon, Shrivasa Pandita came to hear Devananda Pandit's recitation of the Bhagavatam. Hundreds of students were seated around the Pandit and some were following his reading in their own personal copies of the manuscript. Shrivasa Pandita was a very advanced Devotee and thus, when the sweet nectar of the Bhagavatam entered his ears, his heart became softened in love of God. He started to cry and roll on the ground, his body having become agitated by the waves of ecstatic love.

"He who was previously a very munificent cowherd boy has now appeared as Mahesa Pandita. In ecstatic love, he dances like a madman as though intoxicated to the beat of a kettle drum. [C.C. Adi 11.32] According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Mahesa Pandita was formerly Maha-Bahusakha in Krsna-lila. He was a companion of Nityananda Prabhu, and was present at the Danda Mahotsava held at Paninati. In Bhakti-Ratnakara, Taranga Nine, it is stated that when Narottama dasa Thakura came to visit Khardaha, he had darsana of the lotus feet of Mahesa Pandita.

Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: "Uddharana Datta Thakura, the eleventh among the twelve cowherd boys, was an exalted devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. He worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda in all respects." According to Gaura-ganodesa-dipika, "The devotee who was formerly known as Subahu in Vraja, and who was one of the cowherd boys in Vrndavana later appeared in Gaura-lila as Sri Uddharana Datta.

Srila Locana Dasa Thakura appeared in this world in 1520 A.D., thirty-four years after the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Locana Dasa wrote a biography on Lord Caitanya, entitled Sri Caitanya Mangala, and he wrote many devotional songs. Sri Locana dasa Thakura took birth in a family of Rarhiya physicians who resided in the village of Kogram, within the Mahakumar (Katna) district of Barddhaman. His guru was Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakura. "I am the servant of Thakura Sri Narahari, who is the master of my life. The desire of all my desires, I place at his lotus feet; which is that this vile creature (myself) might describe some-thing about the wonderful qualities of Sri Gaurasundara. In this expectation, he is my only refuge. [Caitanya-mangala, Satvakhan­da].

Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa and Sri Vallabha were three brothers, all employed in the service of the Badsa Hussain Shah. Amongst the three, there was only one descendent, Sri Jiva. Having been rewarded richly by the Badsa for their sevices, their household life was very opulent. There was nothing lacking in whatever was necessary for the upbringing of the only son. The house was illuminated by the effulgence of the child’s golden complexion; his eyes were like the expanded petals of the lotus; every part of his body was graced with a lusterous, radiant splendor. When Sri Gaurasundara came to Ramakeli, Sri Jiva was blessed by having darshana of His worshipable lord, though he was just a baby at the time.