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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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TZID:UTC
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TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20260101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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:20260417T050158
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:20260417T050158
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260502
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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:20260417T050158
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:20260417T050158
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Ekadashi.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260514
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260516
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260527
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260528
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260611
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260612
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/ganga-puja-24th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260626
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
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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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260627
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260628
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T111841Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T111841Z
UID:48448-1782518400-1782604799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Panihati Cida Dahi Utsava 27th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami’s chipped- rice-and-yogurt festival for Lord Caitanya and His associates. Celebrated especially in Panihati\, West Bengal. \nThe Chida-dadhi Mahotsav\, also known as the Chipped Rice Festivalof Panihati\, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of SrilaRaghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Thisastonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges atPanihati\, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Caitanya and hisassociates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida-dadhiMahotsav remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with Hisdevotees by arranging\, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunathadasa\, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice\,along with various other nectar foodstuffs. Linked below is anexcerpt from Caitanya-caritamrta\, Antya lila chapter 6\, whichdescribes this wonderful pastime in detail. \nThe chipped rice festival took place just before the monsoons\,when it is very hot (45 – 50 C) and muggy (80 – 90 % humidity)\, sonaturally the most cooling of foodstuffs were offered. Cool yoghurt(dadhi) and chipped rice (chida) were offered with sugar\, bananas\,milk sweets and cakes. \nOur feast menu begins with Ganges Curd Upma\, a moist anddelicious preparation of vegetables and grain. Before offering\, aflavorful stream of yoghurt is poured around the base of the Upma\,in honor of the festival goers who had to stand in the Ganges toenjoy their prasadam because there was no room left on the riverbanks. \nA light and simple Cracked Urad Dal is offered\, with a side ofBanana Chapatis drenched in Orange Cardamom Butter. A sumptuouslyrich Cauliflower & Red Pepper Sabji is simple to make\, andbrings smiles to the devotees. \nA dry curry of Peas and Paneer is stuffed in a hollow Lemon\,which adds nice flavor to the preparation. Rava Idli is a savorycake that goes nicely with the Aloo Kerala Fry\, a spicy fried pattyof potato and bitter melon. \nNestled amongst the whites of rice and yoghurt is a delightfulStuffed White Baby Eggplant which is filled with spiced almondbutter\, then wrapped together with lemongrass and baked. \nAnother pungent savory is the Baigan Sarson\, a treat of dicedeggplant wrapped in mustard greens\, then crispy fried in ghee.Roasted Okra Raita provides a smooth and mellow touch with thespicy dishes\, while the Rhubard & Dried Cherry Chutney adds atangy flavor to the Idli and savouries. \nThe nectar preparations from the original Chida-dadhi festivalare\, we hope\, faithfully represented by Chida-dadhi Pots. These twowonderful sweet rices are served in traditional clay bowls. In onepot\, chipped rice is prepared in sweet yoghurt with bananas\, whilethe second pot contains rice in a sweet\, thick kheer with ghee\,bananas and camphor. \nA milksweet cake\, the Gunja-Mala Malpoori is encircled withfresh red and black berries\, reminiscent of the garland LordCaitanya Mahaprabhu gave Raghunatha das to wear around hisneck. \nSrila Raghunatha dasa gave up eating all foodstuffs after thedeparture from this world of Srila Sanatana\, and from that time onRaghunatha would only take buttermilk in leaf cups. He continued inthis way until the departure of Rupa Gosvami\, after whichRaghunatha gave up all eating and drinking. In honor of thistopmost associate of the Lord\, we offer Banana Leaf Cups ofButtermilk \nThe feast is complete with a tart Lime Cooler blending honey\,ginger and anise that would surely please all those sitting in thePanihati sun\, on the banks of Ganga-Ma. \nWhere is Panihati? Panihati is located on the banks of theGanges 10 miles North of Calcutta (North 24-Parganas north ofmodern day Kolkata – Calcutta)\, in West Bengal India. It is thesite of many wonderful spiritual pastimes of Sri ChaitanyaMahaprabhu and His close personal associates. In this region atthis time of year June\, pre-monsoon it is so hot\, often up in themid-to-high 40s C (45 – 50 C)\, and so humid. The most cooling offoods in such a temperature is yogurt\, cool yogurt (dahi or dadhior doi) This pastime of the Lord is about how the devotees pleasedLord Chaitanya and how the Lord reciprocated with the devotees in avery wonderful and pleasing festival called the Panihati Cida-dadhimahotsav. \nIn the village of Panihati\, Raghunatha dasa obtained aninterview with Nityananda Prabhu who was accompanied by manykirtana performers\, servants and others. Sitting on a rock under atree on the bank of the Ganges\, Lord Nityananda seemed as effulgentas hundreds and thousands of rising suns. Many devotees sat on theground surrounding Him. Seeing the influence of Nityananda Prabhu\,Raghunatha dasa was astonished. Raghunatha dasa offered hisobeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place\, and the servantof Nityananda Prabhu pointed out\, “There is Raghunatha dasa\,offering You obeisances.” \nHearing this\, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said\, “You are a thief.Now you have come to see Me. Come here\, come here. Today I shallpunish you\,” the Lord called him\, but Raghunatha dasa did not gonear the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed Hislotus feet upon Raghunatha dasa’s head. “Make a festival and feedall My associates yogurt and chipped rice.” Hearing this\,Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased. \nRaghunatha dasa brought chipped rice\, yogurt\, milk.sweetmeats\, sugar\, bananas and ether eatables and placed them allaround. As soon as they heard that a festival was going to be held\,all kinds of brahmanas and other gentlemen began to arrive. Thusthere were innumerable people. Seeing the crowd inSriasing\,Raghunatha dasa arranged to get more eatables from other villages.He also brought two to four hundred large\, round pots. He alsoobtained five or seven especially large earthen pots\, and in thesepots a brahmana began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction ofLard Nityananda. \nIn one place\, chipped rice was soaked in hot milk in each ofthe large pots. then half the rice was mixed with yogurt\, sugar andbananas. The other half was mixed with condensed milk and a specialtype of banana known as canpa-kala. Then sugar\, clarified butterand camphor were added. After Nityananda Prabhu had changed Hiscloth far a new one and sat on a raised platform\, the brahmanabrought before Him the seven huge pots. \nOn that platform all the most important associates of Sri Nityananda Prabhu\, as well as ether important men\, sat down in acircle around the Lord. Among them were Ramadasa\, Sundarananda\,Gadadhara dasa\, Murari\, Kamalakara\, Sadasiva and Purandara.Dhananjaya\, Jagadisa\, Paramesvara dasa\, Mahesa\, Gauridas and HodaKrsnadasa were also there\, Similarly\, Uddharana Datta Thakura andmany other personal associates of the Lord sat on the raisedplatform with Nityananda Prabhu. No one could count them all. \nHearing about the festival\, all kinds of learned scholars\,brahmanas and priests went there\, Lord Nityananda Prabhu honoredthem and made them sit on the raised platform with Him. Everyonewas offered two earthen pots. In one was put chipped rice withcondensed milk and in the ether chipped rice with yogurt. All theother People sat in groups around the platform. No one could counthow many people there were. Each and every one of them was suppliedtwo earthen pots\, one of chipped rice soaked in yogurt and theother of chipped rice soaked in condensed milk. \nSome of the brahmanas\, not having gotten a place on the platform\, went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthenpots and soaked their chipped rice there. Others\, who could not geta place even on the bank of the Ganges\, got down into the water andbegan eating their two kinds of chipped rice. Thus some sat on theplatform \,some at the base of the platform\, and some on the bank ofthe Ganges\, and they were all supplied two pots each by the twentymen who distributed the food. \nAt that time\, Raghava Pandita arrived there. Seeing thesituation\, he began to laugh in great surprise. He brought manyother kinds of food cooked in ghee and offered them to the Lord.This prasada he first placed before Lord Nityananda and thendistributed among the devotees. Raghava Pandita said to LordNityananda\, “For You\, sir\, I have already offered food to theDeity\, but You are engaged in a festival here\, and so the food islying there untouched.” \nLord Nityananda replied\, “Let Me eat all this food here duringthe day\, and I shall eat at your home at night. I belong to acommunity of cowherd boys\, and therefore I generally have manycowherd associates with Me. I am happy when we eat together in apicnic like this by the sandy bank of the river. Lord Nityanandamade Raghava Pandita sit down and had two pots delivered to himalso. There were two kinds of chipped rice soaked in them. \nWhen chipped rice had been served to everyone\, Lord NityanandaPrabhu\, in meditation\, brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived\, Lord Nityananda Prabhu stood up. Theythen saw how the others were enjoying the chipped rice with yogurtand condensed milk. From each and every pot\, Lord Nityananda Prabhutook one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu as a joke. In this way Lord Nityananda waswalking through all the groups of eaters\, and all the Vaisnavasstanding there were seeing the fun. \nNo one could understand what Nityananda Prabhu was doing as Hewalked about. Some\, however\, who were very fortunate\, could seethat Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also present. Then NityanandaPrabhu smiled and sat down. On His right side He kept four pots ofchipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy. LordNityananda offered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a place and had Him sitdawn. Then together the two brothers began eating chipped rice.Seeing Cord Caitanya Mahaprabhu eating with Him\, Lord NityanandaPrabhu became very happy and exhibited varieties of ecstatic love.Lord Nityananda Prabhu ordered\, “All of you eat\, chanting the holyname of Hari. Immediately the holy names “Hari Hari” resounded\,filling the entire universe. \nWhen all the Vaisnavas were chanting the holy names “HariHari” and eating\, they remembered how Krsna and Balarama ate withtheir companions\, the cowherd boys\, on the bank of the Yamuna. SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu are extremelymerciful and liberal. It was Raghunatha dasa’s good fortune thatThey accepted all these dealings. Who can understand the influenceand mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is so powerful that Heinduced Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come eat chipped rice onthe bank of the Ganges. All the confidential devotees who wereCowherd boys\, headed by Sri Ramadas\, were absorbed in ecstaticlove. They thought the bank of the Ganges to be the bank of theYamuna. \nWhen the shopkeepers of many other villages heard about thefestival\, they arrived there to sell chipped rice\, yogurt\,sweetmeats and bananas. As they came\, bringing all kinds of food\,Raghunatha dasa purchased it all. He gave them the price for theirgoods and later fed them the very same food. Anyone who came to seehow these funny things were going on was also fed chipped rice\,yogurt and bananas. After Lord Nityananda Prabhu finished eating\,He washed His hands and mouth and gave Raghunatha dasa the foodremaining in the four pots. There was food remaining in the threeother big pots of Lord Nityananda\, and a brahmana distributed it toall the devotees\, giving a morsel to each. Then a brahmanas broughta flower garland\, placed the garland on Nityananda Prabhu’s neckand smeared sandalwood pulp All over His body\, When a servantbrought betel nuts and offered them to Lord Nityananda\, the Lordsmiled and chewed them. With His own hands Lord Nityananda Prabhudistributed to all the devotees whatever flower garlands\,sandalwood pulp and betel nuts remained \nAfter receiving the remnants of food left by Lord Nityananda Prabhu\, Raghunatha dasa\, who was greatly happy\, ate some anddistributed the rest among his own associates. Thus have Idescribed the pastimes of Lord Nityananda Prabhu in relation to thecelebrated festival of chipped rice and yogurt. \nSri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya Lila Vol 2 ch 6. \nThe Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raghunatha dasaGosvami \nA summary of this chapter is given by Bhaktivinoda Öhakura inhis Amata-pravaha-bhañya as follows. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhuwent into transcendental fits of ecstatic love\, Ramananda Raya and Svarüpa Damodara Gosvami attended to Him and satisfied Him as Hedesired. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had been attempting to come to thelotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for a long time\, and finallyhe left his home and met the Lord. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu hadgone to Cantipura on His way to Vandavana\, Raghunatha dasa Gosvamihad offered to dedicate his life at the Lord’s lotus feet. in themeantime\, however\, a Mohammedan official became envious of Hiraeyadasa\, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s uncle\, and induced some bigofficial court minister to have him arrested. Thus Hiraeya dasaleft his home\, but by the intelligence of Raghunatha dasa themisunderstanding was mitigated. Then Raghunatha dasa went toPanihaöi\, and\, following the order of Nityananda Prabhu\, heobserved a festival (ciòa-dadhi-mahotsava) by distributing chippedrice mixed with yogurt. The day after the festival\, NityanandaPrabhu gave Raghunatha dasa the blessing that he would very soonattain the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. After this incident\,Raghunatha dasa\, with the help of his priest\, whose name was Yadunandana acarya\, got out of his house by trickery and thus ranaway. Not touching the general path\, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami Sritly went to Jagannatha Pure. After twelve days\, he arrived inJagannatha Pure at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. \nSri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to Svarüpa Damodara Gosvami. Therefore another name for Raghunathadasa Gosvami is Svarüpera Raghu\, or the Raghunatha of SvarüpaDamodara. For five days Raghunatha dasa Gosvami took prasada at thetemple\, but later he would stand at the Siaha-dvara gate and eatonly whatever he could gather by alms. Later he lived by takingalms from various chatras\, or food distributing centers. When Raghunatha’s father received news of this\, he sent some men andmoney\, but Raghunatha dasa Gosvami refused to accept the money.Understanding that Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was living by beggingfrom the chatras\, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented him with Hisown guija-mala and a stone from Govardhana Hill. Thereafter\,Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to eat rejected food that he hadcollected and washed. This renounced life greatly pleasedboth Svarüpa Damodara Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took by force some of the same food\, thusblessing Raghunatha dasa Gosvami for his renunciation.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/panihati-cida-dahi-utsava-27th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260629
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260630
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T112717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T112717Z
UID:48450-1782691200-1782777599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Snana Yatra 29th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:On this full-moon day\, sixteen days before Ratha- yatra\, Lord Jagannatha is bathed. He becomes sick and is confined to rest for fourteen days. He is then offered special care until He comes out for Ratha-yatra. \nA special bath of Jagannath takes place on the Purnima of Jyestha month (Devasnan Purnima)\, to commemorate the appearance day of Lord Jagannath. \nAccording to Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden deities he arranged this bathing ceremony. This day considered to be the birth-day of Lord jagannath. Held in the full-moon day of the month of Jyestha this festival is also simultaneously held in all other important Puri\, it attracts thousands of visitors and pilgrims from all over the country. \n‘Niladri Mohadaya’\, a religious text written in Orissan (Oriya) records the rituals of the festival. Sriharsa in his ‘naisadhiya Charita’ (XV.89) also refers to this festival of Purushottama. This bathing ceremony has a speciality. As this festival does not find mention in the early religious texts\, it is believed to be a tribal ceremony. Lord.Jagannath in His early form was being worshipped as Nilamadhava by a Savara chief called Viswabasu. The story is nicely told in the drama Jagannath Priyan natakam. Till now it is the Daitas and Savars (tribals) who have the exclusive right to conduct the festival. The tribals called Saoras (of southern Orissa) still perform a rite to bath their Deities ceremonially on the last day of the month of Jyestha. For this they collect water from remote Jungles where it remains untouched even by the shadow of the animals. \nOn the previous day of Snana Yatra the images of Jagannath\, Balabhadra and Subhadra along with the image of Sudarshana are ceremonially brought out from the sanctum in a procession to the Snana-vedi (Bathing pandal). This special pandal in the temple precinct of Puri is called Snana Mandap. It is at such a height that visitors standing outside the temple also get a glimpse of the Deities. \nOn the fourteenth day (Chaturdashi – the day before the bathing – Purnima) when the Deities are taken out in procession\, the whole process is called Pahandi or Pahandi vijay. Scholars have given different interpretations of the term (‘Pahandi’). Some opine that it has been derived from the term ‘Praspanda’ meaning movement. Some others are inclined to interpret it as derivation from Pandya vijaya.\nFor the festival the the Snana Vedi (bathing platform) is well decorated with traditional paintings of trees and gardens. Flags and toranas (arches strung with mango leaves) are also put up. The Deities are profusely decorated with flowers. All kinds of perfumes such as Dhupa (incense)\, Aguru (oils) etc. are then offered. As the ‘Pahandi’ of the Deities takes place to the accompaniment of music and beating of various indigenous drums. Thousands of devotees jostle and crave for a look at the Deities in procession. \nIn Puri the bathing procedure is as follows: After Mangala Arati\, the Suaras and Mahasuaras go in a ceremonial procession to fetch water from Suna Kua (Golden well) in one hundred and thirty\, vessels of copper and gold. All of them cover their mouths with a piece of cloth so as not to contaminate it even with their breath. Then all the vessels filled with water are preserved in the Bhoga Mandap. The Palla pandas (a class of Brahmin priests) then purify the water with Haridra (turmeric)\, Java (whole rice)\, Benachera\, Chandan\, Aguru\, flowers\, perfumes and medicinal herbs. \nThe bathing festival takes place during the morning hours of the purnima tithi. The filled vessels are carried from Bhoga Mandap to the Snana Vedi by the Suaras in a long single-line procession. This ritual is called ‘Jaladhibasa’ (Jala – water\, abhishek – bath). \nPrior to the bathing ceremony Jagannath\, Baladeva and Subhadra\, covered in silken cloth and then smeared with red powder\, are taken in procession to a platform which is specially decorated and purified with water and incense. One hundred and eight gold vessels are filled with water taken from a special well containing waters from all the holy tirthas. Abhiseka is performed with this water\, accompanied by the chanting of vedic (Pavamana Sukta) mantras\, kirtana and blowing of conch shells. \nDue to the amount of bathing liquids that are offered to cool the Lord’s transcendental body at this time\, bear in mind that this is the hottest time in India just prior to the refreshing monsoon rains\, His painted form takes a bit of a wash-out. The colouration of the Deity’s faces are painted on with natural earthly mineral paints not modern oil based paints\, so when water is applied to cool Their forms it also has the effect of washing away the features of the former painting. As usual the Lord has a plan to make everything go smoothly. To bridge the episode of His bathing and the period that He comes out to bless everyone for Rathyatra He organized some special pastimes by which the devotees can serve Him and remember His wonderful forms. \nSo to keep a wonderful mood of seeing the Lord in an uplifting manner the Lord arranged for the Hati Vesha festival where Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balaram then puts on the elephant dress\, Hati Vesha\, and Lady Subhadra wears a lotus flower vesha. \nThe original story is told in several different ways\, some call Hati snan (elephant bath) some call Ganesh abhishek as they identify the following story as being the original cause of the Lord to wear this elephant vesh for His devotee: It is said that a staunch devotee of Lord Ganesh and himself a profound scholar visited Puri during Snana Yatra. He was amply rewarded by the king of Orissa for his scholarship. The king asked the scholar to accompany him to see Lord Jagannath which he refused under the pretext that he wouldn’t worship any “God” other than his Ishthadevata Ganesh. Somehow he was persuaded and brought before the Snana vedi. To the utter surprise of all\, Lord Jagannath appeared with an elephantine form that resembled as Ganesh. Since then during Snana Yatra when the sacred bath is performed\, the Deities are dressed like elephants – resembling Ganesh. Various other legends are also told and reasons assigned explaining the Ganesh besa (vesha). \nDuring the sacred bath the colours painted on the images generally fade. Seeing the wooden deities in discolour devotees may not have the appropriate devotional attitude and in fact may feel sinful repugnance. For this reason\, the images are immediately dressed in the Hati vesha (besa) in which they remain mostly covered. \nAfter the Snana Yatra\, the Deities are kept away from public view for fifteen days and during all these days the daily rites of the temple remain suspended. As Jagannatha himself instructed\, after this ceremony\, he is not seen for a fortnight. The Deities are kept on a special “sick room” called the Ratan vedi inside the temple. This period is called ‘Anabasara kala’ meaning improper time for worship. It has been said earlier that the Deities are discoloured as a result of the sacred bath – some say look a bit off colour. During these fifteen days the Daitas (descendants of Viswavasu\, the Savara) repaint and restore the Deities and Jagannath’s fine decorations. The period of colouring and decorating the Deities is divided into seven short periods\, each of two days duration\, and a short period of one day set apart to give finishing touches. Thus the period covers the whole fortnight. On the 16th day the Deities in their new forms after renovation become ready for the public view – darshan. The festival of the first appearance of the Lord Jagannath to his devotees is called Netrotsava (festival for the eyes) or Nava Yauvanotsava (festival of the ever new youth). According to priests of the Jagannath temple the devotee washes away all his sins if he gets a vision of the Lord on this day. On this occasion\, therefore\, great rush of people occurs in the temple. \nThe Shilpa Shastras and Agamas testify that the Deities become suitable for worship only after the performance of the rite of ‘Chakshyu Unmilana’ (Opening of the eyes). During ‘Anabasara’\, the Daitas offer to the Deities only fruits and water mixed with cheese\, and Dasa mula medicines to cure his fever.. In a devotional mood the devotees accept that due to all the bathing the Lord becomes transcendentally poorly\, and therefore needs to take rest. Like human beings they are considered to have fallen ill and are treated by the Raj Vaidya or the King’s physician with specific medicines (Dasamulas). \nThe temple-festivals which are held in a bigger and elaborate scale in the important shrines of Puri and Bhubaneswar are also held simultaneously in all other small shrines of the respective Deities\, though in modest scales. Likewise the Snana Yatra is held in many other temples of Orissa\, and now all over the world. \nOther deities may also receive abhiseka on this day. One should perform puja and bathe the Deities with water or panca gavya and pancamrta while chanting the vedic mantras like purusa sukta. \nSnan Yatra & Hati Vesha Utsav by Jaya Tirtha Charan darshan \nThe Snan yatra bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannath has become one of the most popular festivals on the Iskcon calendar over the years since His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad introduced it to the world outside of India. Traditionally this festival has been going on since the time of the carving of the ‘Dharu-brahman’ Deities of Lord Jagannath\, Lord Balaram\, and Lady Subhadra in Sri Purushottam Kshetra (Jagannath Puri) thousands of years ago\, commemorating Their sacred appearance for Their devotees – primarily the saintly King Maharaj Indradyumna.\nMany of you would know that after the bathing ceremony the Lord catches a transcendental chill\, are fed sweet foods and drinks to break Their fever\, and then retires for Their ‘Anavasara kala’ – recuperation period. In Jagannath Puri where the Deities are painted with natural mineral paints\, after the bathing ceremony the paints have a tendency to run and the Deities would be not viewable to the general public. So to allow the devotees to partake further in the Lord’s pastimes\, They made a special arrangement with one ‘brahmin’ who came to visit to take ‘darshan’ at this time. \nLord Sri Krishna\, Jagannath is the Lord of the Universe and so in essence is the original creator of everything\, nothing exists without Him. In one sense then everything is Him\, at least coming from Him. Just as in the creation of a by-product from an original source the by-product has it’s existence by association with the original object. Shastra gives the example of milk being transformed into yogurt for a functionary analogy of Krishna being like the original source (milk in this case) and Lord Shiva being like yogurt\, having come in contact with a culture for his functionary activities in the material world. The milk therefore in one sense created yogurt\, but that yogurt can never again become milk. Therefore it\, although one in origin\, it is different\, becoming secondary or mutated potency and therefore lesser in potency and function.\nSripad Shankaracarya taught a very dangerous philosophy called pancopasika (païcopasana – Chaitanya Chairitamrta Adi-lila 7:151. Purport; Madhya-lila 9:360. purport)\, which wrongly inferred that the Lord and His primary creation\, and the predominating Deities of it were equal in potency to Him. He said that Lord Vishnu\, Ganesh\, Shiva\, Surya\, Laxmi (Durga\, Kali\, Saraswati) were/are equal which to us\, and to Lord Vishnu is to be considered as a grave offense (civasya cré-vinëor ya iha guëa-namadi-sakalaa / dhiya bhinnaa pacyet sa khalu hari-namahita-karaù. – Padma Purana.) \nIn various places it is phrased slightly different ways; (2) to consider the Lord and the demigods to be on the same level or to think that there are many gods (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta Adi-lila 7:73.\, purport.) (b) to consider the name of Lord Siva or any other demigod to be equally as powerful as the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (no one is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, nor is anyone superior to Him)(A.C. Bhaktivedanta swami Prabhupada. SB 7:5:23-24. Purport.) ”The second offense is to see the holy names of the Lord in terms of worldly distinction. The Lord is the proprietor of all the universes\, and therefore He may be known in different places by different names\, but that does not in any way qualify the fullness of the Lord. Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy as the others because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names are as powerful as the Lord\, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood. They are all auspicious\, and one should not distinguish such names of the Lord as material commodities.”(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad bhagavatam 2:1:11. Purport.) \nsthavara-jaìgama dekhe\, na dekhe tara mürti\nsarvatra haya nija inoa-deva-sphürti \n“A Vaishnava never sees the material form of anything\, moving or nonmoving. Rather\, everywhere he looks he sees the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, and immediately he remembers the transcendental form of the Lord.” \nThis wonderfully merciful and enlivening story of the Lord knowing the heart of His devotee\, and personally bestowing His mercy upon him has nothing what so ever with that deviant philosophy.\nThe story goes that this ‘brahmin’ was a devotee of Lord Jagannath\, but for some reason expected to see the elephant-headed deva\, Ganesh\, in the temple. The ‘brahmin’ was somewhat disappointed seeing the deva / demigod not there\, and that Lord Jagannath had been bathed already and that They were looking a bit ‘off colour’ with Their mineral paint colours running. In many ways the hearts’ desire of that devotee were unfulfilled. Then that night\, knowing his heart\, the Lord appeared to the devotee in a dream and told him to go back to the temple and he would not be disappointed. Rather all his desires would be fulfilled by worshipping Lord Jagannath and not by separatedly worshipping any deva (Bhagavad Gita 9:23.). \nThe all merciful Lord then appeared to his devotee; Lord Jagannath and Lord Balaram assumed the appearance of beautifully decorated elephants\, while Lady Subhadra decorated Herself as a Lotus flower. From that time on they began the Hati Vesha (Elephant Mask) festival. Consequently some call it the Hati-vesh festival\, some the Ganesh-vesh festival. Both are correct – the Lord assumed a special form to satisfy His devotee\, just as in other cultures we hear stories of the Lord appearing to Moses in the form of a Burning Bush\, or to Mohammed in the form of sound\, or as with Jagannath in the form of the Dharu-brahman logs that washed up upon the ocean shore to be carried by the sabara Virabhadra\, and fashioned by the architect of the devas Vishvakarma into the wonderful forms of Sriyuts Jagannath\, Baladeva and Subhadra maharani we see before us. \nFormerly when we were in Mayapur we had the rare opportunity to discuss through some local devotees (Jananivas and Pankajanagrhi prabhus) with ‘pujaris’ from Jagannath Puri who were helping to authenticate Iskcon’s ‘seva’ to the Lord at the Jagannath temple in Mayapur. They described to me the festival\, and how to execute it. Since then we began that festival in Melbourne\, Australia where the festival is still an escalating favourite with all of the congregation of devotees. \nIn essence the festival begins with Their Lordships coming to the Snan-Vedi. At this time everyone there gets the great blessing of being able to render the service of bathing the Lord in nectarean natural bathing substances. After that the Deities return to the altar to be cleaned off\, where They are tended by Their ‘sevaks’. The Deities are then dressed in their ‘Hati Veshes’ (Elephant Masks) and offered a wonderful myriad of sweets and sticky buns\, cakes\, and local delicacies – as all elephants\, and especially These Transcendental Ones\, love. The curtains are again opened leaving the food offerings of love for all to see before the Lord. The ‘Arati’ ceremony is then performed\, and according to the Jagannath pujaris\, traditionally it is accepted that the Lord bestows all benedictions and blessings upon those fortunate enough to be there to see Them there in Their Elephant masks. After the ‘Arati’ the Deities retire to Their ‘Anavasara’ rest rooms to ‘restore the colour to Their cheeks’\, where the Lord will be served in private intimacy for the next couple of weeks up to the ‘netrotsava’ or ‘nava yauvanotsava’ – first restoration ‘darshan’. \nThe abundance of offerings are then distributed for a small donation to all the eager devotees who wait to savour the culinary blessings of the Lord too.\nTheir Lordships now have their very own Hati Veshes so that everyone may participate in this transcendental festival.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/snana-yatra-29th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260629
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260630
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T112921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064137Z
UID:48453-1782691200-1782777599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Mukunda Datta 29th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Mukunda Datta\, the son of Vasudeva Datta\, was a classmate of Lord Caitanya’s. Mukunda Datta had a melodious voice\, and he knew the intricacies of musical meters and ragas.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-mukunda-datta-29th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Srila-Mukunda-Datta-Disappearance.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260629
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260630
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T113327Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064146Z
UID:48455-1782691200-1782777599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Sridhara Pandita 29th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Kholaveca Sridhara Thakura lived just on the border of Nadia. He maintained himself by selling bananas\, vegetables\, banana leaves and cups.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-sridhara-pandita-29th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Srila-Sridhara-Pandita-Disappearance.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260630
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260701
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T113448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064155Z
UID:48457-1782777600-1782863999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Syamananda Prabhu 30th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Syamananda Prabhu\, a disciple of Hrdaya Caitanya\, established the temple of Sri Radha-Syamasundara in Vrndavana.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-syamananda-prabhu-30th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260705
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260706
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T122359Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064203Z
UID:48459-1783209600-1783295999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srila Vakresvara Pandita 5th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Vakresvara Pandita is mentioned in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta for his ecstatic dancing. Once\, in the house of Srivasa Thakura\, he danced in constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-srila-vakresvara-pandita-5th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Sri-Vakresvara-Pandita-Appearance.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260710
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260711
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T122623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064211Z
UID:48461-1783641600-1783727999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Srivasa Pandita 10th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Srivasa Pandita\, or Srivasa Thakura\, was a member of the Panca- tattva\, consisting of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His four immediate expansions and energies.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-srivasa-pandita-10th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Srivasa.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260711
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260712
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T122805Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T122805Z
UID:48463-1783728000-1783814399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Yogini Ekadasi 11th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Yogini Ekadasi occurs during the waning Moon in the month of Ashadha (June/July) and it’s glories are described in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Once Maharaj Yudhisthira enquired from Sri Krsna\, “O Supreme Lord! O Madhusudana! You have described the insurmountable glories of Nirjala Ekadasi. Now I very much wish to hear about the Ekadasi that takes place during the waning Moon in the Ashadha month. \nThe Personality of Godhead svayam-bhagavan Sri Krsna replied\, “My dear King\, I will detail the Ekadasi that comes in the month of Ashadha and the glorious results it’s observance brings. This Ekadasi is known to all as Yogini Ekadasi and it destroys all one’s most grave sinful reactions. It has the power to deliver one from the ocean of material existence and is all auspicious. \n“O best of Kings\, Yudhisthira! I will now narrate a story from the Purana to illustrate this sublime truth. Kuvera\, the king of Alakapuri is famously devoted to Lord Shiva. Once he had a Yaksa gardener named Hema who was married to Visalakshi. Visalakshi was known throughout the region for her fantastically supercilious beauty; thereupon Hema was most ensnared by his wife’s attractiveness. He would regularly gather flowers from the Manasa-sarovara lake and deliver them to Kuvera for his puja to Lord Shankara. One day however\, instead of giving them to Kuvera he remained at home\, captured in the tight bondage of his wife’s love. \n“As a result of this\, Kuvera did not receive any flowers on that day. Kuvera waited six long hours for Hema to arrive. He was most infuriatingly aggravated since\, due to the absence of flowers he was unable to complete his worship of Shiva. Finally after testing his patience to it’s breaking point Kuvera\, the king of the Yakshas bellowed: “Send my messenger to the house of the gardener Hema\, find out what the devil he thinks he’s playing at!” And with that Kuvera sank into his seat\, despondent at the turn of the day’s affairs. \n“After some time the messenger returned: ‘O King Kuvera\, Hema the gardener is enjoying the association of his wife in his house.’ On hearing this\, Kuvera’s anger quadrupled in magnitude and he demanded that Hema be brought before him immediately. On coming to his senses Hema Mali grew ashamed and trembling with fear he came before king Kuvera. He offered his respectful obeisances\, yet when he rose he was not surprised to find Kuvera’s eyes had grown red with anger and his entire body trembled with rage. \n“In a voice like burning oil Kuvera said: ‘O sinful one! O destroyer of religious principles\, you have disregarded my most worshipable Lord Sri Shankara and instead you have engaged in your own sense gratification. So be it\, I am cursing you now to suffer from white leprosy. You will henceforth remain separated from your beautiful wife and be always known as a low-class fool. Now\, get out of my sight!’ \n“Being thus cursed by the powerful Kuvera\, Hema Mali immediately fell from Alakapuri and was born upon the earth. He became afflicted with white leprosy and suffered immensely miserable conditions. In intense agony he took shelter of a dense and formidable forest. In the gloomy depths of the forest he suffered the pangs of hunger and thirst and at night he could not sleep for fear of wild animals. After wandering through this forest for some time he came at last to the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range. While moving hither and thither through this region he met with great providence and good fortune the most esteemed and regal sage Markendaya. Feeling very forlorn and downtrodden Hema Mali stood at some distance from the Rsi and offered his obeisances again and again. The kind hearted sage called the poor\, afflicted person before him and asked: ‘Dear sir\, how has the dreadful fate befallen you? What possible sinful\, condemnable activities have you performed to warrant such a nasty reaction? \n“On hearing this\, Hema Mali replied: ‘O most kind and munificent sage! I was the gardener of Kuvera\, king of the Yakshas. My name is Hema. I used to collect flowers from the Manasa-sarovara lake for the worship of Lord Shiva. One day I was late to give flowers to my master because I was fulfilling my lusty desires instead. Therefore Kuvera became angry and cursed me in this way. I do not know what great fortune has brought me to you\, I have heard that the hearts of the saintly personalities are always afflicted by seeing the sufferings of others and they are always engaged in welfare activities. O great sage! With my head in my hands I surrender unto you unequivocally\, please be kind and deliver this poor\, fallen wretch. \n“The sage Markendaya spoke in a compassionate voice like liquid honey. ‘O gardener! I will instruct you about a most auspicious and beneficial vow. This vow is known as Yogini Ekadasi and it occurs during the waning Moon of the Ashadha month (June/July.) By the influence of it’s piety you will certainly be liberated from the curse you are suffering. On hearing this instruction Hema proceeded to proffer his humble genuflections in the dust at the saints feet again and again\, he became joyful and wept tears of sincere gratitude. When the Ekadasi day arrived he oberved it in the proper manner by rising early and abstaining from all eating and drinking. By the influence of completing the sacred vow of Ekadasi he regained his divine form and returned to his home in Alakapuri\, the abode of Kuvera. He was happily reunited with his wife and humbly took up his gardening service once more. \n“O best beloved\, the result one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmanas is attained by observing this Yogini Ekadasi. This indomitable Ekadasi destroys all one’s sinful reactions!
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/yogini-ekadasi-11th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260714
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260715
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T122932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064220Z
UID:48465-1783987200-1784073599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Gadadhara Pandita 14th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Gadadhara Pandita is among the group known as the Panca-tattva. Gadadhara Pandita is considered an incarnation of Srimati Radharani\, the eternal consort of Sri Krsna.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-gadadhara-pandita-14th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260714
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260715
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T123800Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T123800Z
UID:48467-1783987200-1784073599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura 14th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Bhaktivinoda Thakura reestablished\, in the closing days of the nineteenth century\, the teachings of Lord Caitanya\, which by then had been largely misrepresented or lost.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-bhaktivinoda-thakura-14th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Srila-Bhaktivinoda-Thakura.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260715
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260716
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260211T125609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T125609Z
UID:48469-1784073600-1784159999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Cleansing the Gundica Temple 15th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:The cleansing of the Gundica temple in Jagannatha Puri\, India. \nIn his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya\, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizesthis chapter as follows. The King of Orissa\, Maharaja Prataparudra\,tried his best to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Nityananda Prabhu andthe other devotees informed the Lord about the King’s desire\, but SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu would not agree to see him. At that time Sri NityanandaPrabhu devised a plan\, and He sent a piece of the Lord’s outward garmentto the King. The next day\, when Ramananda Raya again entreated SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu to see the King\, the Lord\, denying the request\, askedRamananda Raya to bring the King’s son before Him. The prince visited theLord dressed like a Vaisnava\, and this awakened remembrance of Krsna. Thus SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu delivered the son of Maharaja Prataparudra. \nAfter this\, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the Gundica temple before the Ratha-yatra took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lakeand partook of prasadam in the garden nearby. While Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu washed the temple of Gundica\, a Gaudiya Vaisnava washed the lotus feet of the Lord and drank the water. This incident is very significant\,for it awoke within the devotee ecstatic love. Then the son of AdvaitaPrabhu named Gopala fainted during kirtana\, and when he did not come to hissenses\, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu favored him by awakening him. There was alsosome humorous talk between Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu duringprasadam. Advaita Prabhu said that Nityananda Prabhu was unknown to anyoneand that it was not the duty of a householder brahmana to accept dinner with aperson unknown in society. In answer to this humorous statement\, SriNityananda Prabhu replied that Advaita Acarya was a monist and that one couldnot know how his mind could be turned by eating with such an impersonalist.The conversation of these two prabhus – Nityananda Prabhu and AdvaitaPrabhu – carried a deep meaning that only an intelligent man can understand.After all the Vaisnavas finished their luncheon\, Svarupa Damodara andothers took their prasadam within the room. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took greatpleasure when He saw the Jagannatha Deity after the period of the Deity’sretirement. At that time Lord Caitanya was accompanied by all the devotees\, andall of them were very pleased.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/cleansing-the-gundica-temple-15th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Gundica-Marjana.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260716
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260717
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260212T120926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T120926Z
UID:48483-1784160000-1784246399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Ratha Yatra Starts 16th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:The chariot festival in which Lord Krsna in the form of Lord Jagannatha rides with Lord Balarama and Subhadra Devi in Jagannatha Puri\, India. \nAt the height of Indian summer\, right at the beginning of the Monsoon\, the Lord of Puri goes to his garden palace for the annual summer vacation. Originally the festival has its foundation in the residents of Vrindavan bringing back their Lords\, Krishna\, Balaram and Lady Subhadra from Kurukshetra. \nToday in Puri He\, the Lord of the Universe travels in some style from his temple in Puri\, to his garden temple\, located outside the town centre called Gundicha. Thousands of Hindus flock to see\, and to pull the grand chariots from one temple to the other. The English word “Jagannaut” comes from the giantchariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri. The British were so stunned by the size of the chariots\, they coined a word for it! \nIn Puri\, Lord Jagannath is worshipped with his elder brother Bala-Rama and his sister Subhadra. Each sibling has his / her own chariot and goes to the summer residence with great pomp. Each of the chariots is covered in distinctly coloured cloth. Various symbols and signs help pilgrims distinguish between the three gods. As a mark of respect\, and humbleness\, the king of Puri sweeps the chariots of the Gods of Puri. Festival begins with a huge fanfare of conches\, trumpets\, drums and cymbals. Accompanied by music and dancers\, the divine travellers begin their journey to the garden temple. \nIn order to accommodate the three chariots\, the street leading from the main temple to the garden temple is very wide. Temples\, ashrams\, hotels\, inns\, shops and mansions of the old aristocracy line the route. All buildings are colourfully decorated with flags\, buntings and awnings of bright colours. Ladies in colourful saries crowd the balconies\, doors and windows decked with flowers. Men and women rush to pullthe chariots along this main street of Puri. This is an exciting time in Puri. The Lord who is rarely glimpsed outside his inner sanctum\, is now easily accessible to everyone in the streets of Puri ! \nAway from the hustle and bustle of the city\, away from the innumerable temple servants\, away from their spouses\, the siblings enjoy their “Vrindavan-like” garden retreat. The temple routine in the garden temple is very much relaxed compared to the main temple. Various festivities and fun are planned for their short stay in this leafy abode. ( Depending on the lunar cycle\, this festival can last anywhere from 1 – 2 weeks. ) \nAs the Lord has only taken his brother and his sister on this holiday\, the wives are left at home! Alone and brooding\, Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth)\, seeks help from Goddess Vimala to get their husband back. Travelling by night\, in a closed palanquin\, she arrives at the garden temple of the Lord. She enchantsthe Lord and entreats him to return. \nA few days later\, Lord returns to his city temple. Though delighted\, goddess Lakshmi orders the temple doors to be shut in His face – in the vain hope of teaching Him a lesson! In the conversation that follows\, female attendants (dev-dasi) of the Goddess blame the Lord of being inconsiderate\, “Jack the Lad”\, taking His wife for granted and being far too easily led by the in-laws (sounds familiar?). \nThe mood of the sevaks in Puri is that Jagannath is their friend as opposed to Him being their Master\, as in other lilas. In many cases the residents of Purushottam Sri Kshetra make many comparission with their own lives in dealing with Jagannath. These intimacies reflect the overall mood\, and carry the tradition of heritage of Jagannath’s original coming to Puri many thousands of years before and the wonderful pastimes of the saintly Indradyumna maharaj vision of the Lord\, Visvavasu the Sabara’s attachment to the Lord as Nila Madhav\, and finally the mystical appearance of the Dharu-Brahma from which the first Deities were carved by the architect of the devas Vishvakarma\, the mystical carrying of the log by the descendant of Visvavasu (Virabhadra) that many elephants and men could not budge. Such wonderful depictive pastimes make one’s hair stand in horipulations at their recitation. \nToday in Puri Lord’s servants explain that He really had no choice\, as they bring Him back that He went against His will\, He still loves Her deeply and respects Her enormously!! Eventually\, the Lord offers the female gate-keepers bribess and enters the inner sanctum to pacify the Goddess Lakshmi. Such are the dramas of a married man’s life! The next day\, Lord and the Goddess once again appear in the public\, reconciled and as loving as ever. Lord’s summer vacation is over\, and life in the great temple returns to its age old routine. \nOf all the festivals\, the Ratha Yatra of Jagannatha is the most famous. This takes place on the second day of the waxing phase of the moon of the asadha month. Jagannatha ordered King Indradyumna to take him to his birth place\, the Gundica Mandira (symbolically Vrindavana)\, on this day. \nJagannatha’s ratha is marked with a cakra and garuda\, is yellow in color\, with four white horses. The protecting deity is Nrsimha. \nBaladeva’s cart is blue\, with a palm tree insignia\, and four black horses. The protecting deity is Sesa. \nSubhadra’s cart is black\, with lotus insignia\, protected by Vanadurga. \nSudarsana is carried out first and placed on Subhadra’s cart. In succession Subhadra\, Baladeva\, and Jagannatha are moved to their carts using silk ropes. After being situated on their carts they are decorated and worshipped. Midway on the journey\, the carts stop\, the deities are bathed in pancamrta and cool water\, and naivedyam and aratrika are offered. On arrival at the Gundica Mandira\, aratrika is offered\, and then the deities enter the temple for rest. \nOn the fifth day of the lunar month\, called Hera (looking for) Pancami\, Laksmi comes looking for Jagannatha with Siva and her maid servants. When the servants of Jagannatha see her at the first gate of the Gundica Mandira\, they close the door of Jagannatha’s bhoga mandira so that she cannot see him. She becomes angry and breaks a piece of Jagannatha’s ratha. After taking a meal she returns to the main temple. \nOn the ninth day of the moon\, the return Ratha Yatra takes place\, and Laksmi and her servants come to meet Jagannatha. Jagannatha gives her his garland to appease her. \nSeveral days later on dvadasi\, Laksmi closes the temple doors in anger and her servants quarrel with Jagannatha’s servants. After Jagannatha concedes defeat\, the doors are opened again. \nSuch is the reverance\, the fun\, the mysticism\, and overall bliss of Rathyatra in Jagannath Puri.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/ratha-yatra-starts-16th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260716
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260717
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260212T121023Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064310Z
UID:48484-1784160000-1784246399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami 16th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Svarupa Damodara Gosvami was the personal secretary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was a great scholar as well as an expert musician.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-svarupa-damodara-gosvami-16th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Sri-Svarupa-Damodara-Gosvami.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260716
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260717
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260212T121130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064318Z
UID:48485-1784160000-1784246399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Sivananda Sena 16th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Sivananda Sena\, an associate of Lord Caitanya\, used all his possessions and wealth in the service of Lord Caitanya and His devotees. Every year he would lead a party of 200 devotees from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri to attend the annual Ratha-yatra festival.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-sivananda-sena-16th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Sri-Sivananda-Sena.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260718
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260719
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260212T121325Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T121325Z
UID:48490-1784332800-1784419199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Hera Pancami 18th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:A festival held three days after Ratha-yatra to commemorate Srimati Rukmini Devi’s visit to Vrndavana to bring Lord Krsna back to Dvaraka.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/hera-pancami-18th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/hera.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260719
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260720
DTSTAMP:20260417T050158
CREATED:20260212T121409Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T064326Z
UID:48491-1784419200-1784505599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Vakresvara Pandita 19th July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Vakresvara Pandita is mentioned in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta for his ecstatic dancing. Once\, in the house of Srivasa Thakura\, he danced in constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-vakresvara-pandita-19th-july-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sri-Vakresvara-Pandita.jpg
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