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X-WR-CALNAME:ISKCON Punjabi Bagh,
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for ISKCON Punjabi Bagh,
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DTSTART:20230101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230901
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230902
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T102748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230906T083416Z
UID:29926-1693526400-1693612799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Second Month of Caturmasya Begins 1st Sept 2023
DESCRIPTION:Second month: No yoghurt (if one requires it for health\, it can be mixed with water) \nCaturmasya stands for ‘four months’. It is the period between sayana and uttana ekadasis. The scriptures refer to this period as the duration of Lord Visnu’s sleep in this universe. \nThe main goal of observing Caturmasya is to decrease attachment to material things and to increase devotion to Krishna. \nSrila Prabhupada writes in Caitanya Caritamrta\, “Caturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a grihasta or a sanyasi. The observation is obligatory to all ashramas.” He further explains how to observe the vow:  “This is not very difficult. In the month of Sravana one should not eat spinach (green leafy vegetables of the nature)\, in the month of Bhadra one should not eat yogurt (yogurt used as binding agent for cake is allowed)\, and in the month of Asvina one should not drink milk (milk sweets\, milk by-products are fine). \nOne should not eat fish or other non-vegetarian food during the month of Kartik. Masura dal and urad dal being high in protein is also considered non-vegetarian.” Thus during caturmasya one should practice to give up all food intended for sense enjoyment. However\, maha-prasad\, though containing restricted item can be honoured! \nIt is stated in Hari Bhakti Vilasa 15/113 that ‘after properly praying to the Supreme Lord near Him\, one should properly take a vow to follow the proper rules and regulations and process of caturmasya to increase one’s devotion to Lord Sri Krishna.’
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/second-month-of-caturmasya-begins-1st-sept-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230831
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230901
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T102306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075522Z
UID:29924-1693440000-1693526399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Lord Balarama 31st Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:Lord Balarama is the first personal expansion of Lord Krsna\, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All other incarnations expand from Him. In Lord Krsna’s pastimes\, He plays as Krsna’s older brother. Together Krsna and Balarama enact many pastimes as cowherd boys in the land of Vrndavana. \nWho is Lord Balarama?\nThe Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Krishna\, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna\, and He assists in Lord Krishna’s transcendental pastimes. He is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the adi-guru\, the original spiritual master. \nHe assumes five other forms to serve Lord Krishna. He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Krishna\, and He does the work of creation in four other forms called the catur-vyuha (four armed) forms known as Vasudeva\, Sankarshana\, Pradyumna and Anirudha. He executes the orders of Lord Krishna in the work of creation\, and in the form of Lord Sesa He serves Sri Krishna in various ways. In all the forms He tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Krishna. No one can approach Krishna without first getting the mercy of Baladeva. \nDescent of Balarama\nWhenever Krishna appears in the material world\, He is accompanied by His associates and paraphernalia. Five thousand years ago when Krishna descended into the material world\, He was first preceded by Baladeva. Only after Baladeva give His mercy did Krishna descend\, such is the intimate relationship between Krishna and Baladeva. \nWhen Baladeva appeared as the seventh child in the womb of Devaki\, she could understand that this was a divine child and this made her all the more concerned about His safety. Even Kamsa could sense His potency and he became fearful\, thinking he may have been tricked by the prophecy that he will be slain only by the eight child of Devaki. At this time Krishna instructed Yogamaya\, His internal potency\, to transfer the unborn child from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini\, one of the other wives of Vasudeva\, who was hiding from Kamsa in the house of Nanda Maharaja in Gokul. \nIn this way Balarama was born in Gokul under the protection of Nanda Maharaja. Garga Muni the venerable kulguru (family priest) of the Yadu dynasty revealed to Rohini that the child she was carrying was indeed that of her husband Vasudeva. At the time of the name-giving ceremony he named the child Rama\, one who gives all pleasures. Referring to the immense strength of the child\, Garga Muni predicted that He will also be known as Balarama (bala meaning strength). Since He was forcibly attracted from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini\, He was also be called Sankarshana. As the son of Rohini He was known as Rohini-nandan and as the elder brother of Krishna He was also called Douji. \nThe form of Lord Balarama\nPowerful Lord Balarama is sixteen years old\, full of the luster of youth and has a fair complexion the color of crystal. He wears blue garments and a garland of forest flowers. His handsome hair is tied in a graceful topknot. Splendid earrings adorn His ears and His neck is splendidly decorated with garlands of flowers and strings of jewels. Splendid armlets and bracelets ornament Douji’s graceful and very strong arms and His feet are decorated with splendid jeweled anklets. \nLord Balarama’s beauty is enhanced by the earrings touching His cheeks. His face is decorated with tilaka made from musk\, and His broad chest is ornamented with a garland of gunja. Balarama’s voice is very grave and His arms are very long\, touching His thighs \nThe splendor of Lord Balarama’s transcendental form eclipses many millions of glistening rising moons\, and the slightest scent of His boundless strength is sufficient to destroy many armies of demons. Although He knows the supernatural power of His younger brother\, Krishna\, still\, out of love for Him\, He never leaves Krishna alone in the forest even for a moment. Balarama is Sri Krishna’s dearest friend and is a great reservoir of the nectar mellows of many kinds of transcendental pastimes. \nSpecific Pastimes of Lord Balarama\nBalarama slays Dhenukasura\nDhenukasura was a powerful demon who had assumed the form of an ass. With his demon friends he was occupying Talavana\, one of the twelve forests of Vrindavana. Out of fear of these demons no one could approach Talavana and enjoy the numerous flowers and fruits in the forest. Balarama\, induced by His cowherd friends\, entered the forest desiring to kill the demons. He began shaking the fruit trees\, making a big noise. Dhenuka\, furious at the intrusion\, attacked Balarama with his rear legs\, but Balarama easily picked him up by his legs and whirled him around until he died. As the other demon friends of Dhenuka rushed to attack\, Krishna and Balarama picked them up and threw them on trees\, killing them. Soon the forest was free of all demons\, and it appeared that the bent trees were being directed by Balarama to pay obeisances to Krishna. \nBalarama kills Pralambasura\nOnce when Krishna and Balarama were playing with the cowherd boys\, a demon named Pralamba entered their midst\, disguised as a cowherd boy. Understanding the invincible potency of Krishna\, he instead decided to abduct Balarama. At the end of the game\, as the losing party he was supposed to carry Balarama on his shoulders. Carrying the Lord on his shoulders he ran swiftly\, but Balarama realizing the true identity of demon began to make himself heavier and heavier. Unable to bear the weight\, the demon assumed his original form which was like a huge dark effulgent cloud\, decorated with golden ornaments. Balarama then bought His fist down the head of the demon splitting it into two and causing him to give up his life. \nBalarama glorified by Krishna\nAs the elder brother of Krishna\, Balarama was the object of His love and respect. Once when walking in the forest of Vrindavana\, Krishna observed the trees bending down as if paying obeisances. He glorified the lotus feet of Balarama as being the object of devotion even for the demigods. He said that the trees\, which were impersonalists in previous life times\, witnessing the personal form of Balarama were now praying for His devotion. At other times when Balarama would get tired by playing\, He would lie down the lap of one of the cowherd boys and Krishna would personally massage His feet\, fan Him and give Him service. Such was the sweet reciprocation of love between Krishna and Balarama. \nYamuna devi chastised\nOnce Lord Balarama\, Who was at the time living in Dwarka\, came back to stay in Vrindavana for two months. At this time He enjoyed pastimes with His gopi friends (who were different from the gopis of Krishna). Enjoying such pastimes on the bank of Yamuna at Rama-ghata\, the Lord summoned Yamuna so that He could sport in the waters. When Yamuna devi did not respond. Lord Balarama took up His favorite weapon\, His plow\, and began to drag Yamuna in a hundred streams. Understanding the position of Balarama\, Yamuna devi personally appeared and offered her obeisances to the Lord with many prayers in His glorification. Thus appeased the Lord entered and bathed in the waters of the river. \nKauravas chastised\nSamba\, the darling son of Jambavati and Krishna\, kidnapped Laksmana the daughter of Duryodhana from the assembly were she was supposed to choose her husband. The furious Kauravas after a prolonged fight\, finally arrested Samba by sending in six of their greatest warriors. When the Yadavas heard of this they prepared for battle but Lord Balarama pacified them\, preferring to find a peaceful solution. However when He requested the Kauravas to return Samba and Laksmana\, the Kauravas responded by insulting Him and the Yadava dynasty. Understanding them to be ignorant in their false prestige\, Balarama took His plow and began to drag Hastinapura into the Ganges. The terrified Kauravas now surrendered to the lotus feet of Balarama\, begging for His mercy. They immediately returned Samba and Laksmana and had them married ceremoniously with many opulent gifts. \nBalarama marries Revati\nIn Satya yuga there was a King named Raivata whose daughter Revati was excellent in all respects. Unable to find a match suitable for her\, the king took her to the court of Brahma for his advise. After waiting for some time when the king met with Brahma\, he was shocked to learn that in the short time he spent in the Brahmaloka\, millions of years had already passed on Earth and at the time Dvapara yuga was concluding. However Lord Brahma informed King Raivata that present at this time was Lord Balarama Who was more than qualified to be the husband of Revati. \nKing Raivata returned and approached Balarama to accept Revati as His wife. However Revati belonged to an earlier yuga when people were much larger physically. So Lord Balarama placed His plow on her head until she shrunk to an appropriate size and accepted her as His wife. \nBalarama and Mahabharata\nIn general Balarama was equally affectionate to both the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He accepted both Duryodhana and Bhima as His disciples in the art of mace-war. As a teacher He appreciated the superior technique of Duryodhana as opposed to the raw strength of Bhima. At the time of Mahabharata\, He refused to take sides and instead went on an extended pilgrimage to the holy places. In the battle between Bhima and Duryodhana\, He became angry at Bhima for killing Duryodhana by trickery\, but was appeased by Sri Krishna. \nKilling of Romaharshana\nTowards the end of Dvapara yuga thousands of sages assembled on the banks of Naimyasharana to perform a thousand year yajna in an effort to reverse the onset of Kali yuga. They appointed as their leader Romaharshana\, one of the main disciple of Vyasadeva\, who was also present when Sukadeva Goswami narrated Srimad Bhagavatam to King Parikshit. \nWhen Lord Balarama entered the assembly\, understanding Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, all present rose to offer Him respect. However Romaharshana\, proud at occupying the position of the leader did not get up. Lord Balarama could understand that even though Romaharshana was a an expert Vedantist\, he had not yet realized these teachings. Considering him unqualified to lead the ceremony\, Balarama touched him with a blade of grass causing him to die. He then instituted Suta\, the son of Romaharshana as the leader of the assembly and continued with His pilgrimage. \nMercy of Lord Balarama\nLord Balarama exemplifies the service attitude to Krishna. His only mission is to please Krishna by rendering service to Him\, whether it is in the creation of the material worlds\, maintaining the spiritual world or as His personal paraphernalia. \nLord Balarama is the eternal companion of Sri Krishna. He came as Lakshmana with Rama and later as Nityananda Prabhu with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the original spiritual master\, and any one desiring to make spiritual progress must first get the mercy of Lord Balarama.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/appearance-day-of-lord-balarama-31st-aug-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230831
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230901
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T102019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075503Z
UID:29922-1693440000-1693526399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Jhulan Yatra Ends 31st Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:The swing festival of Radha-Krsna. The Deities ride on an elaborately decorated swing. \nDeities in the temples are swung on a swing. Some of the main temples that this festival is celebrated at are the Banke Bihari Temple and the Radha-Raman Temple in Vrindavana\, the Dwarkadish temple in Mathura\, and the Larily Lal Temple in Varsana. \nIn our Iskcon temples we observe for five days in accordance with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. So whether one observes for the four days or for the seven\, or thirteen days\, the same festival is put on for the pleasure of the Lord and His loving associates. \nThis is a wonderful ceremonial function of Lord Krishna’s pastimes that reflects practically how we are to render service to the Lord for His pleasure. \nAt the time of the Jhulan Yatra festival it is Monsoon in India and the air is thick\, heavy and humid with the heat and the rains. In the midst of the rainy season\, when fields and jungle have turned shades of lush green and flowers are blossoming all around\, the festival of Hariyali Teej is celebrated. \nThese festivals are not in any way mere rituals\, as they all have practical service functionality to invoke loving servitude of the devotees for the Lord. Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme enjoyer and doesn’t have to work hard like us in this world. Everything He does is pleasurable\, and He organises many situation in which He can incorporate us\, His separated parts and parcels into His loving service which is our natural condition in the spiritual realm. \nWhen Sri Krishna had his pastimes in rural Vrindavan with His cowherd friends together they lovingly tended the cows\, and wandered in the pastures playing\, frolicking\, and feasting. Throughout the various seasons they all continuously enjoyed being part of Sri Krishna’s pastimes\, and rendering loving service to Him as best they could. \nOver the past few months as the climate had changed from Vasant Panchami (Spring festival) where everyone dresses in yellow and goes to the fields\, performs fertility rites\, and plants new crops\, etc.) to Dola Purnima where scented powders and flowers are thrown on the body of the Lord playfully\, and singing and dancing goes on for His pleasure. Similarly all the other different festivals were observed where the friends of Lord Krishna would look after His express comforts or pleasure\, go to the forest with Him\, serve Him and have fun. \nAs the temperature rises toward Summer the Chandan Yatra is performed where from the Akshaya Tritiya for a period of 21 days the body of the Lord is anointed with scented sandalwood mixed with camphor\, musk\, saffron. As the sandalwood is applied to the body it immediately cools\, but then there is a natural cycle that also follows with the heat naturally there is some perspiration\, and as the perspiration again mixes with the sandalwood it is dried and cooled by even the slightest breeze creating a pleasant feeling like being covered with Talcum powder. \nHowever\, as the temperature increases just to be anointed with something cooling is not enough therefore on (or from for some sampradayas or temples) the Snan Purnima in the month of Jyestha (Trivikram Vaishnava mase) there is the ceremonial bathing of the Lord called Snan Yatra. Although it has become especially festive in Jagannath Puri the actual event originates in Vrindavana with the devotees bathing Krishna\, and Balaram for their pleasure and then taking bath themselves too. Actually at this time there is no other solace than to bathe in some kind of pleasing water. All the temples of Vrindavan follow this festival\, and many devotees follow a trail of pilgrimage from one temple to the next from early morning to late evening when the temperature lowers to about 35-40 degrees centigrade absorbed in the Snan rasa. \nThe next major interactive event is Rathyatra where the devotees symbolically bring Lord Krishna (Jagannath) His brother Balaram and Subhadra maharani on high chariots\, with beautiful flapping canopies\, back to rural Vrindavan after their spell in Kurukshetra. \nAfter this comes the Jhulan Yatra festival. Starting on the ekadasi of waxing moon of Sridhara month\, many temples in Vrndavana celebrate Krsna’s swing festival\, some for one day\, others for more days. Traditionally many of the Deities of the Lord wears various clothing with green in it over this period until the Balaram Purnima. Again it is a practical festive service that the devotees provide for the Lord. Monsoon is so humid\, and the temperature is still so hot despite the cooling rains. With so much water coming from the sky\, on the ground\, and just about everywhere the last thing that anyone wants is more water to cool off. The opulence at this time is to find a breeze\, as the air is heavy with the humidity of the rains. So the devotees arrange for the pleasure and satisfaction of Krishna\, Balaram\, and Srimati Radhika by placing them on a swing (Jhulan) and creating their own breeze from the motion. \nIt is a most pleasing and satisfying festival\, with the swings often highly decorated with forest creepers\, Jasmine (Malati) that has newly blossomed in the season\, and streamers of garlands. Sometimes they use a fine spray of rose water and direct it toward the Divine couple of Radha and Krishna on Their swing. \nToday in Iskcon temples all over the world by the mercy of his Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad all the devotees and the congregational members get the opportunity to come forward after purifying their hands and remember these loving interactions of Sri Krishna with His devotees\, and also assist in the direct personal service of the Lord by applying themselves to pushing the swing. \nOn the last day of the Jhulan\, on the Purnima (full moon) this comes Lord Balaram’s appearance day festival. \nJhulan references:\n“Regarding Jhulanayatra Ceremony\, during these five days the Deities’ clothing should be changed everyday\, and there should be nice Prasadam distribution and Sankirtana as far as possible. If you are able to do it\, a nice throne may be constructed on which the Deities can be placed. This throne may be swung gently during Kirtana. That will be very good\, and surely the Deities will enjoy the function.” (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.1st August. 1969. Letter to Jayapataka Swami. Letters book pg. 977.) \n“So we have to practice this Krsna consciousness. Here\, in this material world\, we have to work. Without work\, you cannot maintain even your family\, your body. That is not possible. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmana-. Krsna says (to) Arjuna that without karma you cannot maintain even your body. So you have to work. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmana-. And this material world means you have to maintain by working. And spiritual world means na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. There is nothing to work\, as Krsna has nothing to work. He is simply enjoying What is called? Swing. So Krsna is enjoying\, and Krsna’s associates are enjoying. They have nothing to work. That is spiritual world. Cintamani prakara sadmasu kalpa vrksa: that is a different world. There is no material body. Therefore there is no need of the material body. That is a different world. But in this material world we have to work. Trt’ya-karma-samj \n“Radha and Krsna may be swung in this way\, but you may avoid swinging Lord Jagannatha like that.”(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 5th Jan. 1973. Letter to Jagdish. Letters book p.2220.) \nA pastime of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna’s:\nAs stated Jhulan-yatra is very dear to Krsna\, He likes it very much\, now from another perspective you will see why !!!. From a cultural perspective in India during this period\, all daughters go to their father’s house to stay there for some days and enjoy the swing festival – a custom celebrated even up to this day. \nEvery year Srimati Radharani used to go to Varshana to her parents’ house and have a very nice time there with her Gopi friends and Krsna\, whom She could freely meet (because Jotila and Kotila were not around). \n‘One time Radharani was waiting for her brother Sridam to come and take her to her fathers’ house. She was waiting\, waiting\, and waiting\, but there was no sign of Sridam and She became so sad. One day a person from Varsana was there. She asked the man to ask her father\, “Why have they have forgotten Me?” She then started to cry bitterly. The person went to Varshana and told Vrsabhanu Maharaja about the condition of his daughter. Hearing this news\, Vrishabhanu Maharaja immediately sent Sridam to Varshana to get Radharani. \nSrimati Radharani’s Mother Kirtida packed many presents for Jotila to send with Sridam\, knowing that if she did not do this\, Jotila\, being harsh of character sometimes would not send Srimati Radharani to Varshana. \nMeanwhile\, day and night Srimati Radharani was staring at the road coming from Varshana. One day\, She saw Sridam and when he finally arrived at the front gate they embraced each other. She was weeping\, “Oh brother you had forgotten Me?; My father and mother too?; Everyone forgot Me?” \nAt first Jotila refused to let Srimati Radharani go. “No no\, She cannot go. She has so much work to do here\, and there is so much danger there because of that black boy. She cannot go.” \nThen Sridam gave Jotila all the presents given by Kirtida ma. Seeing this\, she said\, “Alright\, she can go\, but only for a few days.” \n“Then Srimati Radharani and Sridam went on a cart pulled by four bullocks to Varshana. Seeing the palace of her parents on the hilltop\, feeling great happiness Radharani started weeping and even more weeping when She saw Her father and mother face to face.\nAt that time Jhulan-yatra had already started and Srimati Radharani started swinging with Her sakhis (friends) during periods in the day and night\, but She was not satisfied alone\, without Krsna there. Knowing this\, Krsna sometimes came in disguise to the palace. Sometimes He dressed as a Gopi selling bangles or beautiful garlands. Or He appeared in any other form and made an appointment for Them to meet each other somewhere in a very secret place in the forest. \nOnce\, Srimati Radharani was seated on the Jhulan and Krsna was pushing the swing very gently. Suddenly Krsna put so much force in pushing the swing that Srimati Radharani became fearful and started crying out\, “O Krsna\, save Me\, save Me!” That transcendental trickster Sri Krsna climbed on the swing and She firmly embraced Him\, giving Him so much pleasure. Why so much pleasure? Because normally He has to do so many tricks so that Radharani will embrace Him\, but in this instance She embraced Him out of Her own will\, without much effort on His part. Therefore He is so fond of these swing pastimes. \nSome meditations on Sri Jhulan Yatra in Sri Vrindavan Dham. \nThe Jhulan time is very intense. In general the Shravana masha have an exceptional mood\, it is raining all the time\, Yamuna Mayi became very wide\, flooded and there is a fresh atmosphere for devotees who move daily to whorship and take the lila-darshan which is performed in diverse temples in Vrindavan. As an example\, in Jai Sing Geera\, the lilas are performed during the whole week: every morning Gauranga-lila and at the evening Krishna-lila’s theatre is played. \nDevotees tell that some time ago a king\, who was a great devotee of Sri Radha-Raman used to came to Vrindavan in the Shravana month to assist that performances which started out of his own desire. The rasa-lilas and theatre performance of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Krishna lilas was very dear to him and surely to Sri Radha Krishna also because since that time it now takes place as a yearly event. \nIn each of Vrindavans’ temples a wonderful swing-kunja is to be found\, each with singular features along with the swinging mood and the always happy “Jay Sri Radhe! Jay Sri Radhe!”. There took place also the golden swing darshan of Sri Banka Bihari ji\, which occurs once yearly. It happen the first day of Jhulan in which streets are completely crowded\, any vehicles\, like cars\, even Auto-rickshaws transit is very much restricted and Rikshaws can move only in the main roads. Some devotees wait until the midnight special aratis to get darshan because during the day it’s just ridiculous to try and get in with the hundreds of thousands of villages who descend on Vrindavan township to be absorbed in this wonderful festival. \nThere’s a good business made by devotees engaged in making the huge amounts of garlands that are used in all the temples\, by all the devotees wanting to offer garlands\, and to decorate the temples and Jhulan(s) during the whole week. It’s a perfect example how everyone benefits\, both economically – financially\, socially\, spiritually etc.\, simply by rendering some simple service for the pleasure of the Lord. Vast amounts of prasadam is cooked and offered to the Deities\, and sold for a small donation; the hotles\, dharmshallas\, guest-houses etc\, Rickshaws\, taxis\, everyone\, all are happy and satisfied knowing that simply by serving the Lord\, the root of everything all their needs will be taken care of.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/jhulan-yatra-ends-31st-aug-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230828
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230829
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T101833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075513Z
UID:29920-1693180800-1693267199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Gauridasa Pandita 28th Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:Gauridasa Pandita is considered the emblem of the most elevated devotional service in love of Godhead. He sacrificed everything for the service of Lord Nityananda. Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda personally appeared as Deity forms in his home.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-sri-gauridasa-pandita-28th-aug-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Gauridasa.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230828
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230829
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T101015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075544Z
UID:29918-1693180800-1693267199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Rupa Goswami 28th Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:Rupa Goswami is known as bhakti-rasacarya\, the expert in the tastes of pure devotional service. He and his elder brother\, Srila Sanatana Goswami\, left high posts in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah to join Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-rupa-goswami-28th-aug-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Srila-Rupa-Goswami.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230827
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230828
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T100902Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075549Z
UID:29916-1693094400-1693180799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Radha Govinda Jhulan Yatra Begins 27th Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:The swing festival of Radha-Krsna. The Deities ride on an elaborately decorated swing. \nDeities in the temples are swung on a swing. Some of the main temples that this festival is celebrated at are the Banke Bihari Temple and the Radha-Raman Temple in Vrindavana\, the Dwarkadish temple in Mathura\, and the Larily Lal Temple in Varsana. \nIn our Iskcon temples we observe for five days in accordance with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. So whether one observes for the four days or for the seven\, or thirteen days\, the same festival is put on for the pleasure of the Lord and His loving associates. \nThis is a wonderful ceremonial function of Lord Krishna’s pastimes that reflects practically how we are to render service to the Lord for His pleasure. \nAt the time of the Jhulan Yatra festival it is Monsoon in India and the air is thick\, heavy and humid with the heat and the rains. In the midst of the rainy season\, when fields and jungle have turned shades of lush green and flowers are blossoming all around\, the festival of Hariyali Teej is celebrated. \nThese festivals are not in any way mere rituals\, as they all have practical service functionality to invoke loving servitude of the devotees for the Lord. Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme enjoyer and doesn’t have to work hard like us in this world. Everything He does is pleasurable\, and He organises many situation in which He can incorporate us\, His separated parts and parcels into His loving service which is our natural condition in the spiritual realm. \nWhen Sri Krishna had his pastimes in rural Vrindavan with His cowherd friends together they lovingly tended the cows\, and wandered in the pastures playing\, frolicking\, and feasting. Throughout the various seasons they all continuously enjoyed being part of Sri Krishna’s pastimes\, and rendering loving service to Him as best they could. \nOver the past few months as the climate had changed from Vasant Panchami (Spring festival) where everyone dresses in yellow and goes to the fields\, performs fertility rites\, and plants new crops\, etc.) to Dola Purnima where scented powders and flowers are thrown on the body of the Lord playfully\, and singing and dancing goes on for His pleasure. Similarly all the other different festivals were observed where the friends of Lord Krishna would look after His express comforts or pleasure\, go to the forest with Him\, serve Him and have fun. \nAs the temperature rises toward Summer the Chandan Yatra is performed where from the Akshaya Tritiya for a period of 21 days the body of the Lord is anointed with scented sandalwood mixed with camphor\, musk\, saffron. As the sandalwood is applied to the body it immediately cools\, but then there is a natural cycle that also follows with the heat naturally there is some perspiration\, and as the perspiration again mixes with the sandalwood it is dried and cooled by even the slightest breeze creating a pleasant feeling like being covered with Talcum powder. \nHowever\, as the temperature increases just to be anointed with something cooling is not enough therefore on (or from for some sampradayas or temples) the Snan Purnima in the month of Jyestha (Trivikram Vaishnava mase) there is the ceremonial bathing of the Lord called Snan Yatra. Although it has become especially festive in Jagannath Puri the actual event originates in Vrindavana with the devotees bathing Krishna\, and Balaram for their pleasure and then taking bath themselves too. Actually at this time there is no other solace than to bathe in some kind of pleasing water. All the temples of Vrindavan follow this festival\, and many devotees follow a trail of pilgrimage from one temple to the next from early morning to late evening when the temperature lowers to about 35-40 degrees centigrade absorbed in the Snan rasa. \nThe next major interactive event is Rathyatra where the devotees symbolically bring Lord Krishna (Jagannath) His brother Balaram and Subhadra maharani on high chariots\, with beautiful flapping canopies\, back to rural Vrindavan after their spell in Kurukshetra. \nAfter this comes the Jhulan Yatra festival. Starting on the ekadasi of waxing moon of Sridhara month\, many temples in Vrndavana celebrate Krsna’s swing festival\, some for one day\, others for more days. Traditionally many of the Deities of the Lord wears various clothing with green in it over this period until the Balaram Purnima. Again it is a practical festive service that the devotees provide for the Lord. Monsoon is so humid\, and the temperature is still so hot despite the cooling rains. With so much water coming from the sky\, on the ground\, and just about everywhere the last thing that anyone wants is more water to cool off. The opulence at this time is to find a breeze\, as the air is heavy with the humidity of the rains. So the devotees arrange for the pleasure and satisfaction of Krishna\, Balaram\, and Srimati Radhika by placing them on a swing (Jhulan) and creating their own breeze from the motion. \nIt is a most pleasing and satisfying festival\, with the swings often highly decorated with forest creepers\, Jasmine (Malati) that has newly blossomed in the season\, and streamers of garlands. Sometimes they use a fine spray of rose water and direct it toward the Divine couple of Radha and Krishna on Their swing. \nToday in Iskcon temples all over the world by the mercy of his Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad all the devotees and the congregational members get the opportunity to come forward after purifying their hands and remember these loving interactions of Sri Krishna with His devotees\, and also assist in the direct personal service of the Lord by applying themselves to pushing the swing. \nOn the last day of the Jhulan\, on the Purnima (full moon) this comes Lord Balaram’s appearance day festival. \nJhulan references:\n“Regarding Jhulanayatra Ceremony\, during these five days the Deities’ clothing should be changed everyday\, and there should be nice Prasadam distribution and Sankirtana as far as possible. If you are able to do it\, a nice throne may be constructed on which the Deities can be placed. This throne may be swung gently during Kirtana. That will be very good\, and surely the Deities will enjoy the function.” (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.1st August. 1969. Letter to Jayapataka Swami. Letters book pg. 977.) \n“So we have to practice this Krsna consciousness. Here\, in this material world\, we have to work. Without work\, you cannot maintain even your family\, your body. That is not possible. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmana-. Krsna says (to) Arjuna that without karma you cannot maintain even your body. So you have to work. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmana-. And this material world means you have to maintain by working. And spiritual world means na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. There is nothing to work\, as Krsna has nothing to work. He is simply enjoying What is called? Swing. So Krsna is enjoying\, and Krsna’s associates are enjoying. They have nothing to work. That is spiritual world. Cintamani prakara sadmasu kalpa vrksa: that is a different world. There is no material body. Therefore there is no need of the material body. That is a different world. But in this material world we have to work. Trt’ya-karma-samj \n“Radha and Krsna may be swung in this way\, but you may avoid swinging Lord Jagannatha like that.”(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 5th Jan. 1973. Letter to Jagdish. Letters book p.2220.) \nA pastime of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna’s:\nAs stated Jhulan-yatra is very dear to Krsna\, He likes it very much\, now from another perspective you will see why !!!. From a cultural perspective in India during this period\, all daughters go to their father’s house to stay there for some days and enjoy the swing festival – a custom celebrated even up to this day. \nEvery year Srimati Radharani used to go to Varshana to her parents’ house and have a very nice time there with her Gopi friends and Krsna\, whom She could freely meet (because Jotila and Kotila were not around). \n‘One time Radharani was waiting for her brother Sridam to come and take her to her fathers’ house. She was waiting\, waiting\, and waiting\, but there was no sign of Sridam and She became so sad. One day a person from Varsana was there. She asked the man to ask her father\, “Why have they have forgotten Me?” She then started to cry bitterly. The person went to Varshana and told Vrsabhanu Maharaja about the condition of his daughter. Hearing this news\, Vrishabhanu Maharaja immediately sent Sridam to Varshana to get Radharani. \nSrimati Radharani’s Mother Kirtida packed many presents for Jotila to send with Sridam\, knowing that if she did not do this\, Jotila\, being harsh of character sometimes would not send Srimati Radharani to Varshana. \nMeanwhile\, day and night Srimati Radharani was staring at the road coming from Varshana. One day\, She saw Sridam and when he finally arrived at the front gate they embraced each other. She was weeping\, “Oh brother you had forgotten Me?; My father and mother too?; Everyone forgot Me?” \nAt first Jotila refused to let Srimati Radharani go. “No no\, She cannot go. She has so much work to do here\, and there is so much danger there because of that black boy. She cannot go.” \nThen Sridam gave Jotila all the presents given by Kirtida ma. Seeing this\, she said\, “Alright\, she can go\, but only for a few days.” \n“Then Srimati Radharani and Sridam went on a cart pulled by four bullocks to Varshana. Seeing the palace of her parents on the hilltop\, feeling great happiness Radharani started weeping and even more weeping when She saw Her father and mother face to face.\nAt that time Jhulan-yatra had already started and Srimati Radharani started swinging with Her sakhis (friends) during periods in the day and night\, but She was not satisfied alone\, without Krsna there. Knowing this\, Krsna sometimes came in disguise to the palace. Sometimes He dressed as a Gopi selling bangles or beautiful garlands. Or He appeared in any other form and made an appointment for Them to meet each other somewhere in a very secret place in the forest. \nOnce\, Srimati Radharani was seated on the Jhulan and Krsna was pushing the swing very gently. Suddenly Krsna put so much force in pushing the swing that Srimati Radharani became fearful and started crying out\, “O Krsna\, save Me\, save Me!” That transcendental trickster Sri Krsna climbed on the swing and She firmly embraced Him\, giving Him so much pleasure. Why so much pleasure? Because normally He has to do so many tricks so that Radharani will embrace Him\, but in this instance She embraced Him out of Her own will\, without much effort on His part. Therefore He is so fond of these swing pastimes. \nSome meditations on Sri Jhulan Yatra in Sri Vrindavan Dham. \nThe Jhulan time is very intense. In general the Shravana masha have an exceptional mood\, it is raining all the time\, Yamuna Mayi became very wide\, flooded and there is a fresh atmosphere for devotees who move daily to whorship and take the lila-darshan which is performed in diverse temples in Vrindavan. As an example\, in Jai Sing Geera\, the lilas are performed during the whole week: every morning Gauranga-lila and at the evening Krishna-lila’s theatre is played. \nDevotees tell that some time ago a king\, who was a great devotee of Sri Radha-Raman used to came to Vrindavan in the Shravana month to assist that performances which started out of his own desire. The rasa-lilas and theatre performance of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Krishna lilas was very dear to him and surely to Sri Radha Krishna also because since that time it now takes place as a yearly event. \nIn each of Vrindavans’ temples a wonderful swing-kunja is to be found\, each with singular features along with the swinging mood and the always happy “Jay Sri Radhe! Jay Sri Radhe!”. There took place also the golden swing darshan of Sri Banka Bihari ji\, which occurs once yearly. It happen the first day of Jhulan in which streets are completely crowded\, any vehicles\, like cars\, even Auto-rickshaws transit is very much restricted and Rikshaws can move only in the main roads. Some devotees wait until the midnight special aratis to get darshan because during the day it’s just ridiculous to try and get in with the hundreds of thousands of villages who descend on Vrindavan township to be absorbed in this wonderful festival. \nThere’s a good business made by devotees engaged in making the huge amounts of garlands that are used in all the temples\, by all the devotees wanting to offer garlands\, and to decorate the temples and Jhulan(s) during the whole week. It’s a perfect example how everyone benefits\, both economically – financially\, socially\, spiritually etc.\, simply by rendering some simple service for the pleasure of the Lord. Vast amounts of prasadam is cooked and offered to the Deities\, and sold for a small donation; the hotles\, dharmshallas\, guest-houses etc\, Rickshaws\, taxis\, everyone\, all are happy and satisfied knowing that simply by serving the Lord\, the root of everything all their needs will be taken care of.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/radha-govinda-jhulan-yatra-begins-27th-aug-2023/
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DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
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LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075555Z
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SUMMARY:Pavitropana Ekadashi 27th Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:Shri Yudhisthira Maharaja said\, “Oh Madhusudana\, Oh killer of the Madhu demon\, please be merciful to me and describe to me the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Shravana (July-August).” The Supreme Lord\, Sri Krishna\, replied\, “Yes\, Oh king\, I shall happily narrate its glories to you\, for just by hearing about this sacred Ekadashi one attains the merit of performing a horse sacrifice. \n“At the dawn of Dvarpara-yuga there lived a king by the name of Mahijita\, who ruled the kingdom of Mahismati-puri. Because he had no son\, his entire kingdom seemed utterly cheerless to him. A married man who has no son gains no happiness in this life or the next. \nThe Sanskrit word for ‘son’ is putra. Pu is the name of a particular hell\, and tra means ‘to deliver.’ Thus the word putra means ‘a person who delivers one from the hell named Pu.’ Therefore every married man should produce at least one son and train him properly; then the father will be delivered from a hellish condition of life. But this injunction does not apply to the serious devotees of Lord Vishnu or Krishna\, for the Lord becomes their son\, father\, and mother. \nFurthermore\, Chanakya Pandita says\, \nsatyam mata pita jnanam\ndharmo bhrata daya sakha\nsantih patni ksama putrah\nsadete mama vandhavah \n“The truth is my mother\, knowledge is my father\, my occupational duty is my brother\, kindness is my friend\, tranquillity is my wife\, and forgiveness is my son. These six are my family members.” Among the twenty-six leading qualities of a devotee of the Lord\, forgiveness is the topmost. Therefore devotees should make an extra endeavour to develop this quality. Here Chanakya says “forgiveness is my son\,” and thus a devotee of the Lord\, even though he may be on the path of renunciation\, may observe Putrada Ekadashi and pray to attain this kind of “son.” \nFor a long time this king tried very hard to obtain an heir\, but to no avail. Seeing his years advancing ever onwards\, King Mahijita became increasingly anxious. One day he told an assembly of his advisers: ‘I have committed no sin in this life\, and there is no ill-gotten wealth in my treasury. I have never usurped the offerings to the demigods or brahmanas. When I waged war and conquered kingdoms\, I followed the rules and regulations of the military art\, and I have protected my subjects as if they were my own children. I punished even my own relatives if they broke the law\, and if my enemy was gentle and religious I welcomed him. Oh twice-born souls\, although I am a religious and faithful follower of the Vedik standards\, still my home is without a son. Kindly tell me the reason for this.’ \n“Hearing this\, the king’s brahmana advisers discussed the subject among themselves\, and with the aim of benefiting the king they visited the various ashrams of the great sages. At last they came upon a sage who was austere\, pure\, and self-satisfied\, and who was strictly observing a vow of fasting. His senses were completely under control\, he had conquered his anger\, and he was expert at performing his occupational duty. Indeed\, this great sage was expert in all the conclusions of the Vedas\, and he had extended his life span to that of Lord Brahma himself. His name was Lomasa Rishi\, and he knew part\, present\, and future. After each kalpa passed\, one hair would fall out of his body ( One kalpa\, or twelve hours of Lord Brahma\, equals 4\,320\,000\,000 years.) All the king’s brahmana advisers very happily approached him one by one to offer their humble respects. \n“Captivated by this great soul\, King Mahijita’s advisers offered obeisances to him and said very respectfully\, ‘Only because of our great good fortune\, Oh sage\, have we been allowed to see you.’\n“Lomasa Rishi saw them bowing down to him and replied\, ‘Kindly let me know why you have come here. Why are you praising me? I must do all I can to solve your problems\, for sages like me have only one interest: to help others. Do not doubt this.’ \nLomasa Rishi had all good qualities because he was a devotee of the Lord. As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (5:18:12)\, \nyasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akinchana\nsarvair gunais tatra samasate surah\nharav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna\nmanorathenasati dhavato bahih \n“In one who has unflinching devotional service to Krishna\, all the good qualities of Krishna and the demigods are consistently manifest. However\, he who has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no good qualifications because he is engaged by mental concoction in material existence\, which is the external feature of the Lord.” \n“The king’s representatives said\, ‘We have come to you\, Oh exalted sage\, to ask for your help in solving a very serious problem. Oh sage\, you are like Lord Brahma. Indeed\, there is no better sage in the entire world. Our king\, Mahijita\, is without a son\, though he has sustained and protected us as if we were his sons. Seeing him so unhappy on account of being sonless\, we have become very sad\, Oh sage\, and therefore we have entered the forest to perform severe austerities. By our good fortune we happened upon you. Everyone’s desires and activities become successful just by your darshana. Thus we humble ask that you tell us how our kind king can obtain a son.’ \n“Hearing their sincere plea\, Lomasa Rishi absorbed himself in deep meditation for a moment and at once understood the king’s previous life. Then he said\, ‘Your ruler was a merchant in his past life\, and feeling his wealth insufficient\, he committed sinful deeds. He traveled to many villages to trade his goods. Once\, at noon on the day after the Ekadashi that comes during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (Trivikrama – May-June)\, he became thirsty while traveling from place to place. He came upon a beautiful pond on the outskirts of a village\, but just as he was about to drink at the pond a cow arrived there with her new-born calf. These two creatures were also very thirsty because of the heat\, but when the cow and calf started to drink\, the merchant rudely shoved them aside and selfishly slaked his own thirst. This offense against a cow and her calf has resulted in your king’s being without a son now. But the good deeds he performed in his previous life have given him rulership over an undisturbed kingdom.’ \n“Hearing this\, the king’s advisers replied\, ‘Oh renowned rishi\, we have heard that the Vedas say one can nullify the effects of one’s past sins by acquiring merit. Be so kind as to give us some instruction by which our king’s sins can be destroyed; please give him your mercy so that a prince will take birth in his family.’ \n“Lomasa Rishi said\, ‘There is an Ekadashi called Putrada\, which comes during the light fortnight of the month of Shravana. On this day all of you\, including your king\, should fast and stay awake all night\, strictly following the rules and regulations. Then you should give the king whatever merit you gain by this fast. If you follow these instructions of mine\, he will surely be blessed with a fine son.’ \n“All the king’s advisers became very pleased to hear these words from Lomasa Rishi\, and they all offered him their grateful obeisances. Then\, their eyes bright with happiness\, they returned home. \n“When the month of Shravana arrived\, the king’s advisers remembered the advice of Lomasa Rishi\, and under their direction all the citizens of Mahismati-puri\, as well as the king\, fasted on Ekadashi. And on the next day\, DvAdasi\, the citizens dutifully offered their accrued merit to him. By the strength of all this merit\, the queen became pregnant and eventually gave birth to a most beautiful son. \n“O Yudhisthira\,” Lord Krishna concluded\, “the Ekadashi that comes during the light fortnight of the month of Shravana has thus rightfully become famous as Putrada [“bestower of a son”]. Whoever desires happiness in this world and the next should certainly fast from all grains and legumes on this holy day. Indeed\, whoever simply hears the glories of Putrada Ekadashi becomes completely free of all sins\, is blessed with a good son\, and surely ascends to heaven after death.” \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Shravana-sukla Ekadashi\, or Putrada Ekadashi\, from the Bhavishya Purana.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/pavitropana-ekadashi-27th-aug-2023/
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DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230821
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230717T100451Z
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SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Vamsidasa Babaji 20th Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:Vamsidasa Babaji Maharaja was a paramahamsa devotee who sometimes lived in Navadvipa at the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-sri-vamsidasa-babaji-20th-aug-2023/
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230820
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230821
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230704T132116Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230902T075607Z
UID:29745-1692489600-1692575999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Raghunandan Thakura 20th Aug 2023
DESCRIPTION:Raghunandan Thakura was the son of the great devotee Mukunda Dasa.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-sri-raghunandan-thakura-20th-aug-2023/
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230812
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230813
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230704T131500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230815T074902Z
UID:29743-1691798400-1691884799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Parama Mahadvadashi 12th Aug 2023
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.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/parama-mahadvadashi-12th-aug-2023/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230729
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230730
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230629T091406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230801T050826Z
UID:29691-1690588800-1690675199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Padmini Ekadashi 29th July 2023
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-ekadashi-29th-july-2023/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230713
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230714
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230629T091232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230717T095901Z
UID:29690-1689206400-1689292799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Kamika Ekadashi 13th July 2023
DESCRIPTION:The saintly king Yudhisthira maharaj said\, “Oh Supreme Lord\, I have heard from You the glories of fasting on Deva-sayani Ekadashi\, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Ashadha. Now I would like to hear from You the glories of the Ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Shravana (July – August). Oh Govindadeva\, please be merciful to me and explain its glories. Oh Supreme Vasudeva\, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You.” \nThe Supreme Lord\, Shri Krishna\, replied\, “Oh King\, please listen attentively as I describe the auspicious influence of this Holy fast (vrata) day\, which removes all sins. Narada Muni once asked Lord Brahma about this same topic. ‘Oh regent of all beings\,’ said Naradji\, ‘Oh you who sit upon a water born lotus throne\, please tell me the names of the Ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the sacred month of Shravana. Please also tell me which Deity is to be worshipped on that Holy day\, the process one must follow to observe it\, and the merit it awards.’ \n“Lord Brahma replied\, ‘My dear son Narada\, for the benefit of all humanity I shall happily tell you everything you wish to know\, for just hearing the glories of the Kamika Ekadashi bestows merit equal to that obtained by one who performs a horse sacrifice. Certainly\, great merit is attained by one who worships\, and who also meditates on the lotus feet of the four-armed Lord Gadadhara\, who holds conchshell\, disc\, club and lotus in His hands and who is also known as Shridhara\, Hari\, Vishnu\, Madhava\, and MadhusUdana. And the blessings achieved by such a person / devotee\, who worships Lord Vishnu exclusively are far greater than those achieved by one who takes a sacred bath in the Ganges at Kashi (Varanasi)\, in the forest of NaimishAraNya\, or at Pushkara\, which is the only place on the planet where I am formally worshipped. \nBut one who observes this Kamika Ekadashi and also worships Lord Shri Krishna achieves greater merit than one who has darshana of Lord KedAranAtha in the HimAlayas\, or one who bathes at Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse\, or one who donates the whole Earth in charity\, including its forests and oceans\, or one who bathes in the Gandaki River (where the sacred Shaligrams are found) or the GodAvari River on a full moon (purnima) day that falls on a Monday when Leo (Simha) and Jupiter (Guru) are conjoined (conjunct). \n“Observing Kamika Ekadashi bestows the same merit as donating a milk-cow and her auspicious calf\, along with their feed. On this all auspicious day\, whosoever worships Lord Sri Shridhara-deva\, Vishnu\, is glorified by all the devas\, Gandharvas\, Pannagas\, and NAgas. \n“Those who are afraid of their past sins and completely immersed in sinful materialistic life should at least observe this best of Ekadashis according to their ability and thus attain liberation. This Ekadashi is the purest of all days and the most powerful for removing sins of the native. Oh Narada ji\, Lord Shri Hari Himself once said about this Ekadashi\, “One who fasts on Kamika Ekadashi attains much more merit than one who studies all the spiritual literatures.” \n“Anyone who fasts on this particular day remains awake throughout the night will never experience the anger of Yamaraja\, the king of death personified. It has been seen that whoever observes Kamika Ekadashi will not have to suffer future births\, and in the past too\, many Yogis of devotion who fasted on this day went to the spiritual world. One should therefore follow in their auspicious footsteps and strictly observe a fast on this most auspicious of Ekadashis. \n“Whosoever worships Lord Shri Hari with Tulasi leaves is freed from all implication of sin. Indeed\, he lives untouched by sin\, as the lotus leaf\, although in the water\, is untouched by it. Whosoever offers Lord Shri Hari but a single leaf from the sacred Tulasi tree (occillium basilcum sanctum) attains as much merit as one who gives away in charity two hundred grams of gold and eight hundred grams of silver. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is more pleased by one who offers Him a single Tulasi leaf than by one who worships Him with pearls\, rubies\, topaz\, diamonds\, lapis lazuli\, sapphires\, gomedA stones (gomaz)\, cat’s eye gems\, and coral. \nOne who offers Lord Keshava newly grown maNjari buds from the Tulasi plant gets rid of all the sins he has committed during this or any other lifetime. Indeed\, mere darshana of Tulasi on Kamika Ekadashi removes all sins\, and merely touching her and praying to her removes all kinds of disease. One who waters Tulasi devi need never fear the Lord of death\, Yamaraja. One who plants or transplants Tulasi on this days will eventually reside with Lord Shri Krishna in His own abode. To Srimati Tulasi devi\, who awards liberation in devotional service\, one should therefore daily offer one’s full obeisances. \n“Even Chitragupta\, Yamaraja’s secretary\, cannot calculate the merit obtained by one who offers Shrimati Tulasi-devi a perpetually burning ghee lamp. So dear is this sacred Ekadashi to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that all the forefathers of one who offers a bright ghee lamp to Lord Shri Krishna on this day ascend to the heavenly planets and drink the celestial nectar there. Whoever offers a ghee or sesame oil lamp to Shri Krishna on this day is freed from all his sins and enters the abode of Surya\, the Sun-god\, with a body as bright as ten million lamps. This Ekadashi is so powerful that if one who is unable to fast simply follows the practices as mentioned herein\, s/he is elevated to the heavenly planets\, along with all their forefathers. \n“Oh Maharaj Yudhisthira\,” Lord Shri Krishna concluded\, “…these were the words of prajapathi Brahma to his son Narada Muni concerning the incalculable glories of this Kamika Ekadashi\, which removes all sins. This sacred day nullifies even the sin of killing a Brahmana or the sin of killing an unborn child in the womb\, and it promotes one to the spiritual world by making one supremely meritorious.\nOne who kills the innocent\, i.e.\, a brahmin (Brahmana)\, a child in the womb\, a pious and spotless woman\, etc.\, and then later hears about the glories of Kamika Ekadashi will be relieved of the reaction to one’s sins. However\, one should NOT think beforehand that one can kill a Brahmin or other innocent folk and then go unpunished simply by hearing of this Ekadashi. Such knowing commission of sin is an abomination. \nWhosoever hears these glories of the Kamika Ekadashi with faith becomes free of all sins and returns home\, back to Godhead – Vishnu-loka\, Vaikuntha. \nThus ends the narration of the glories of the Shravana-krshna Ekadashi\, or Kamika Ekadashi\,\nfrom the Brahma-Vaivarta Purana.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/kamika-ekadashi-13th-july-2023/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230711
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230712
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230615T111241Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230717T095854Z
UID:29481-1689033600-1689119999@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:The Incorporation of ISKCON in New York 11th July 2023
DESCRIPTION:Srila Prabhupada founded ISKCON\, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness\, in 1966.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/the-incorporation-of-iskcon-in-new-york-11th-july-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/The-Incorporation-of-ISKCON.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230710
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230711
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230615T111040Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230717T095824Z
UID:29480-1688947200-1689033599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Lokanatha Goswami 10th July 2023
DESCRIPTION:Lokanatha Goswami was a personal associate of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya ordered him and Bhugarbha Goswami to find the lost holy places of Vrndavana. Years later\, the six Goswamis came to Vrndavana and continued this work.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-lokanatha-goswami-10th-july-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Srila-Lokanatha-Goswami.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230707
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230708
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230615T110906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230717T095816Z
UID:29479-1688688000-1688774399@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami 7th July 2023
DESCRIPTION:Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami appeared in Sri Rangam\, South India. Lord Caitanya once stayed four months in his home\, & converted the family to Gaudiya Vaisnavism. A mere boy at this time\, Gopala personally served the Lord.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-gopala-bhatta-goswami-7th-july-2023/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230703
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230704
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230615T110634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230704T114108Z
UID:29474-1688342400-1688428799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:First Month of Caturmasya Begins 3rd July 2023
DESCRIPTION:First month: No leafy vegetables\, such as spinach\, salads of all types\, cabbages of all types\, kale\, leafy herbs like coriander\, mint\, parsley\, curry and powdered leafy herbs and teas. \nCaturmasya stands for ‘four months’. It is the period between sayana and uttana ekadasis. The scriptures refer to this period as the duration of Lord Visnu’s sleep in this universe. \nThe main goal of observing Caturmasya is to decrease attachment to material things and to increase devotion to Krishna. \nSrila Prabhupada writes in Caitanya Caritamrta\, “Caturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a grihasta or a sanyasi. The observation is obligatory to all ashramas.” He further explains how to observe the vow:  “This is not very difficult. In the month of Sravana one should not eat spinach (green leafy vegetables of the nature)\, in the month of Bhadra one should not eat yogurt (yogurt used as binding agent for cake is allowed)\, and in the month of Asvina one should not drink milk (milk sweets\, milk by-products are fine). One should not eat fish or other non-vegetarian food during the month of Kartik. Masura dal and urad dal being high in protein is also considered non-vegetarian.” Thus during caturmasya one should practice to give up all food intended for sense enjoyment. However\, maha-prasad\, though containing restricted item can be honoured! \nIt is stated in Hari Bhakti Vilasa 15/113 that ‘after properly praying to the Supreme Lord near Him\, one should properly take a vow to follow the proper rules and regulations and process of caturmasya to increase one’s devotion to Lord Sri Krishna.’
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/first-month-of-caturmasya-begins-3rd-july-2023/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230703
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230704
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230615T110419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230704T114100Z
UID:29473-1688342400-1688428799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sanatana Goswami 3rd July 2023
DESCRIPTION:Sanatana Goswami\, the elder brother of Srila Rupa Goswami\, was the seniormost among the six Goswamis of Vrndavana.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/disappearance-day-of-sanatana-goswami-3rd-july-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230703
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230704
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230615T103614Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230704T114053Z
UID:29475-1688342400-1688428799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Guru (Vyasa) Purnima 3rd July 2023
DESCRIPTION:The appearance anniversary of Srila Vyasadeva\, the compiler of the Vedic literature. \nThis event really is directed towards Srila Vyasadeva\, thus in some sampradayas they refer to Guru Purnima as Vyasa Purnima. Traditionally it is the day when the guru is worshipped. \nIn the book Festivals\, Fairs and Fasts of India (Shakti M Gupta. 1991. Clarion books. page 88-89.) It says: Guru Purnima “……is observed on the full moon day in the month of Ashadha in honour of the sage Vyasa\, by keeping a fast\, worshippig him for His blessings and to gain wisdom. Formerly on this day\, gurus who were the traditional teachers\, were honoured by their pupils. \nThe river Beas is believed to have been so named as Vyasa practiced penance on its banks and compiled the four Vedas\, the Mahabharat and the Eighteen Purana there. Since it is not possible for one man to have compiled so much in his life-time\, and oer a tim span of a hundred years\, it is believed that the name Vyasa must have been applied to many sages. Generally speaking\, the name Veda Vyasa is applied to Krishna Dwaipayana who was the son of Satyavati and the sage Parasa – this is before Satyavati married King Shantanu of Mahabharata fame.” \nSome Brief Information About Srila Vyasadeva.\n“When the second millenium (‘Dwarpa Yuga’) overlapped the third (‘Treta Yuga’)\, the great sage Srila Vyasadeva was born to Parasara Muni in the womb of Satyati\, the daughter of Vasu (the fisherman).”\n(Srimad Bhagavatam 1:4:14.). \nIn Srila Vyasa’s childhood he was called Krsna\, because of his dark complexion\, and because he was born on an island at the confluence of the Sati and Mati Rivers he was called Dwaipayana. After dividing the Vedas he got the name Veda Vyasa. There are some who say that Krsnadwaipayana Veda Vyasa took his birth at a place now known as Vyasa Goofer\, the cave of Srila Vyasa in present day Nepal\, on the road from Pokara to Kathmandu which was\, in days of yore\, part of the kingdom of King Janaka. There are local records that support this statement\, which say this was the ‘ashrama’ of Parasara Muni and at this place Srila Vyasa was conceived. They also lay claim that later Srila Vyasa came back to that ‘ashrama’ and stayed there for some time\, and this being why there is a small Deity of Him at the entrance of the cave. The Padma Purana however says that he was conceived on an island created by Parasara in the Yamuna river\, (Padmalocana Prabhu’s book entitled “Yamuna Devi\, The Personification Of Prema Bhakti”\, Page 24.)\, in connection with the place known as Soma Tirtha ghat. Some also say that the birth place was at Damauli.\nAnyway\, everyone at least agrees that the date of Srila Vyasa’s appearance was on the twelfth day of the light fortnight in the month of Vaisaka (April-May)\, called Vasant Dwadasi. \nThe following is the story that we just touched upon mentioning how Srila Vyasa came to make His appearance.\nOnce the hermit Parasara became attracted to a fisher girl of the name Matsya-Gandha who was found inside a fish. (The fish was actually a celestial maiden named Adrika who conceived two children by collecting the semen of the King of Chedi when his semen had fallen into the water of a river after seeing two animals engaged in coitus.) Parasara Muni asked the beautiful Matsya-Gandha\, so named because of her fishy aroma\, to take him in her boat from one side of the river to the other\, but the beauty of this damsel\, her bodily movements from the rowing\, aroused lusty desires in Parasara. When he sat close to her she moved away\, and asked him not to violate her chastity\, but Parasara Muni being already too far carried away\, created an artificial fog on the river and seduced her right there in the boat. He then created an island in the river and on that island the girl conceived a child in her womb. Parasara explained to her that even after the child was born she would remain a virgin and the son born to her would be a portion of Lord Visnu and would be famous throughout the three worlds. He would be a man of purity\, the spiritual master of the entire world\, and He would divide the Vedas.\nSrila Vyasa soon grew into everything that Parasara had described\, and had many disciples. \nLater in life it is recorded that Srila Vyasa returned to this island in the river and there compiled the Srimad Bhagavatam. Recorded is another instance when Srila Vyasa called for Ganesa (the elephant-headed ‘deva’) to write the Mahabharata as he related it to him. He did so on the condition that Srila Vyasa continually recited\, and Ganesa\, having perfectly understood the meaning\, wrote down the Mahabharata. The word “Vyasa” means one who describes elaborately. \n“The great sage\, Srila Vyasa who was fully equipped with knowledge\, could see through his transcendental vision the deterioration of everything material\, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Then he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life. He saw that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas were means by which people’s occupations could be purified\, and to simplify the process\, he divided the one Veda into four\, in order to expand them among men. The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge (the Vedas) were made separately\, but historical facts and authentic stories mentioned in the Puranas are called the fifth Veda.”(Srimad Bhagavatam 1:4:17-20.). \n“Thus the great sage Srila Vyasadeva\, who is very kind to the ignorant mass\, edited the Vedas so they might be assimilated by less intellectual men. Still he was not satisfied\, even though he was engaged in working for the total welfare of all people. Thus Srila Vyasa\, being dissatisfied in heart\, began to reflect within himself. ‘I have\, under strict disciplinary vows\, unpretentiously worshipped the Vedas\, the spiritual master and the altar of sacrifice. I also abided by the rulings and have shown the import of disciplic succession through the explanation of the Mahabharata\, by which even women\, shudras and others (friends of the twice born) can see the path of religion. I am feeling incomplete\, though myself I am fully equipped with everything required by the Vedas. This may be because I did not specifically point out the devotional service of the Lord\, which is dear both to perfect beings and to the infallible Lord’.” \n“Srila Narada Muni (who was another son of Prajapati Brahma) reached the cottage of Srila Krsna-dwaipayana Vyasa on the banks of the Sarasvati\, where Srila Vyasa was staying at that time\, just when Srila Vyasa was regretting his defects. At the auspicious arrival of Srila Narada\, Srila Vyasadeva got up respectfully and worshipped him\, giving him veneration equal to that given to Sri Brahmaji\, the creator. Srila Narada then said: ‘O Srila Vyasadeva\, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness\, and thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage. The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy\, and you have encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions\, they will accept such activities in the name of religion and will hardly care for prohibitions.’ And so Narada Muni\, Srila Vyasadeva’s spiritual master\, instructed Srila Vyasa to compile the Maha-Bhagavat Purana (Srimad Bhagavatam) now in his maturity for the benefit of all mankind\, to which Srila Vyasadeva agreed. He presented the glories of Krsna and His many incarnations just after the departure of Lord Krsna from this world. (Excerpts from Srimad Bhagavatam 1:4:24-33.). \n“In this yuga the son of Parasara\, who is glorified as a part of Visnu and who is known as Dvaipayana\, the vanquisher of all enemies\, became Srila Vyasa. Urged by Brahma\, he undertook the task of classifying the Vedas. Srila Vyasa accepted four disciples to preserve and continue the Vedas. They were Jaimini who took care of the Sama Veda\, Sumantu – the Atharva Veda\, Vaisampayana – the Yajur Veda and Paila – the Rg Veda\, and for the Itihasa and Puranas – Lomaharsana.”(Sri Vayu Purana 60:10-16.).\nAccording to Vayu Purana it says\, “Previously there have been twenty-eight Vyasas\, but when the twenty-eighth appears\, Lord Visnu\, the most Glorious\, Great Father of the three worlds\, becomes Dvaipayana Vyasa. Then Lord Sri Krsna\, the best amongst the Yadus will be born of Vasudeva and will be known as Vasudeva. Then in due course I (Vayu) will come in the form of an ascetic and assuming the body of a religious student\, will surprise the world by means of the Lord’s ‘yoga maya’.” (Vayu Purana 23:206-208.) Actually\, this is Vayudeva announcing his appearance as Sripad Madhwacarya.(“The Life And Legacy of Ananda Tirtha Bhagavatpad – Madhwacarya\, by Jaya Tirtha Charan dasa.) \nNarayana Panditacarya has completed this seventh canto of Madhwa Vijay with a copulate of two verses called ‘Antya-Yugma’. These verses introduce one to the miniature Vaikuntha realm\, glorifying the killer of the Mura demon\, Lord Murari\, Krsna\, Who is adorned with shining golden ornaments encrusted with the best of all kinds of previous gems. Sripad Madhwacarya remembered that same Lord lying down on Ananta Sesa\, having His lotus feet embraced by the Goddess of Fortune\, Laxmi devi\, Who eternally remains with the Lord\, smiling sweetly. This is the same Lord Visnu Who\, for the ‘caturmasya’ (four months of the rainy season) takes rest\, lying for two months on one side and then two months on the other side of His lotus body. He is Narayana\, who according to Manu (Manu Smrti)\, Sri Narayana lives in the Naram ocean\, and Who is also the localised Paramatma seated within the hearts of all His separated tiny living entities. \nHigh in the Himalayan\, beyond where any mere mortal can go\, is to be found this Vaikuntha paradise. It is surrounded by ponds of full blown lotuses. The lotuses in these ponds are innumerable\, nay unlimited\, the most fragrant and indestructible. The sages and rshis who reside there make them into garlands for the Lord. Around these lakes are trees that constantly bear flowers\, blossoming\, sweet fragrant branches with fragrant flowers and fruits. These forest flowers adorn the captivating beauty of the Lord. \nSripad Madhwacarya could see all this from where he was standing looking to the north to the abode of Srila Vyasadeva. After his journey had neared it’s end\, and after crossing the Himalayas\, Sripad Madhwacarya could see quite clearly the ‘ashram’ of Vedavyasa surrounded by jujube trees. That place is definitely not of this world; the whole ‘ashram’ was effulgent. Though up in the Himalayas\, there was no biting cold or rain or snow. The trees and bushes there\, which are way above the normal ‘tree line’\, were none less than forests. As there was no unpleasant wind\, rain or cold\, also the sun was warm and comfortable. In the trees that touched the sky\, innumerable beautiful birds nested and sung. Under those shade trees all the renowned ‘brahmins’\, who were famous for performing huge sacrifices\, sat\, transfixed in meditation on the lotus feet of the Lord\, Who resides in that place. In the surrounding areas\, one could see pure white swans\, whose necks entwined with the stems of blue\, white and pink lotuses. \nMadhwa could recognise many great and famous Vaisnavas sitting around in the ashram of Srila Vyasadeva. When those pure Vaisnavas saw Sripad Madhwacarya approach the ‘ashram’\, they enquired as to who this saintly person was. “Marked with thirty two auspicious markings\, lotus eyed\, moon-like face\, long arms and a golden complexion\, no doubt this man enhances even Vaikuntha. There is no sign of exertion\, and his face shows that his mind is fearless.” “Is this person coming to this ‘ashram’ in the guise of a ‘sannyasi’\, the four faced Lord Brahma\, or is it Mukhyaprana?” \nMadhwa walked quickly due to his intense devotion. Seated under a jujube tree was Srila Vyasadeva. The ‘jujube’ tree was a representation of Lord Ananta Sesa\, with wide branches forming an umbrella which had jewels in the form of bright and fragrant flowers\, and hoods in the form of branches. It exactly resembled Lord Ananta Sesa with His hoods encrusted with jewels jutting out in all directions forming branch-like hoods. The branches of this tree support the six ‘sattvic’ Puranas\, the Upanishad’s\, and Mahabharata\, and fruits that are sweet and full of nectar that drive away all known miseries like birth\, death\, old age and disease. These fruits cannot be obtained by those who are not devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Visnu – Krsna and Their numerous forms. \nSripad Madhwacarya approached closely the sages\, who\, with matted locks of hair on their heads and various Vaisnava ’tilaka’ on their foreheads and bodies\, sat with clean white sacred threads draped over their left shoulders. They had all transcended lust\, anger\, greed\, false pride\, the pushing’s of the senses\, and thoughts of trying to enjoy in the material world separately from the supreme enjoyer\, Sri Krsna. All natural opulence was there. They were all adorned with garlands and saffron coloured sandalwood paste was auspiciously there on their bodies. \nOn a raised seat sat the preceptor of the three worlds\, the son of Satyavati\, Srila Krsna Dwaipayana Veda Vyasa. Sripad Madhwacarya had always been meditating on the Lord of his life\, his preceptor ‘guru’ within his heart seated on a white lotus. Now\, with brimming eyes\, wonder-struck as though he had just seen him for the very first time\, Madhwa drank the nectar of the vision of Vyasadeva through his eyes. \nMadhwa Vijay (7:18-59.)\, describes Vedavyasa as follows: Satyavati gave birth to that Vedavyasa after praying to Lord Brahma\, and Vyasa was conceived by the sage Parasara. Srila Vyasadeva\, who has an ocean of wonderful attributes\, is Lord Narayana Himself. Vyasadeva’s mind is compared to the milk ocean and his qualities of compassion and respect are like the Mandara mountain. By his churning appeared three mothers who were the three Vedas – Rg\, Yajur and Sama. By Vyasa the father and Veda the mother\, the demoniac qualities of Kali Yuga are checked. From Vyasadeva the white rayed cooling moon of the Puranas and the ‘parijata’ tree of the Mahabharata were given. Later\, born from it’s own nectar\, appeared the Brahmasutras\, and Srimad Bhagavatam. \nFrom the time of the Kuruksetra / Mahabharata war\, during which Vyasa bestowed his blessings on the Pandavas\, and even before this time\, Vyasa walked this earth to protect knowledge of the Vedas\, helping those devotees who have knowledge of that person who the Vedas are centred around. That is Lord Sri Krsna\, Who is known as ‘Vedanta Krt’\, the compiler of ‘Vedanta’\, and ‘Veda Vit’\, the knower of the Vedas. In Bhagavad-Gita 10:37.\, Krsna Himself says\, “Of sages I am Vyasa.” \nVyasa\, still living in Badrikasrama to this day for eternity with his pure devotees\, it says\, gave up this Kali Yuga for his Vaikuntha realm just as the sun gives up the sky for the coming of night. Vyasa is seated on an excellent blackish Krsna deer skin Madhwa recalls\, as he prostrated himself at the lotus feet of Vyasa. Taking the dust from Vyasadeva’s feet he placed the sacred dust upon his own head. Sripad Madhwacarya was in ecstasy\, standing offering respects to Vyasa\, the best of sages\, whose feet are adorned with the marks of the flag\, thunderbolt\, goad for driving elephants\, and lotus\, they are naturally auspiciously tinged with red and have the repute to be red due to evaporating any material desires that may come to the minds of Vyasadeva’s devotees. \nThe nails of those lotus feet gleam and remove darkness\, both of an internal nature by their purifying association and remembrance\, and externally by their bright lustre. If\, by material comparison of age one would think that the old hands of the sage Vyasa would be knotted\, no\, they are smooth and soft\, with long delicate fingers completely free from stress and diseases\, such as knots coming from arthritis. \nVyasadeva’s two knees\, which are large\, round and joined to his long shins\, are free from fault. These legs of Vyasa\, which are free from fault\, account for a basis of good conduct even to those who are inferior in knowledge and devotion. Srila Vyasadeva’s yoga-pattika waist band\, aid his firm sitting posture. The lotus waist of Vyasa maintains and fulfils all the devotees\, it is amazing that all the pure spiritual desires of the devotees are fulfilled by taking shelter at the waist of Vyasa. This waist is covered by a sacred Krsna deer skin\, hiding his deep and delicate navel. Vyasa’s broad chest and broad mind support the pure white sacred thread\, and Brahmasutras respectively. Madhwa Vijay (7:34.)\, states that it has been well substantiated by Vedavyasa that Caturmukha Brahma is the son of Garbhadaksayi Visnu\, being born from a lotus sprouting from the Lord’s lotus navel. This world has no equal or superior in all the three worlds. Brahma gave his ‘Kaustubhamani’\, gem to Vedavyasa and that acts like a victory flag hanging around the neck of Vyasa.\nThe story in brief follows that once when Prajapati Brahma was in the association of Vedavyasa and one thousand sages\, Srila Vyasa made a statement saying that he would always prove the superiority of Visnu Tattva at all times. The thousand sages took up the challenge and threw at Vedavyasa thousands of questio6ns simultaneously. Vyasadeva answered each question one by one perfectly all at the same time. Amazed at the victory of the literary incarnation of Lord Visnu\, Brahma presented the Kaustubha gem to Srila Vyasa.\nIn Srila Vyasadeva’s hands he holds a conchshell and a disc\, his hands are again soft pinkish red\, his arms are robust\, round and powerful. There is no comparison to the broadness of these limbs. By the tip of Vyasadeva’s right hand he bestows ‘divya jnana’ – transcendental knowledge to his devotees\, and with the same tip of the same hand removes the darkness borne of ignorance simultaneously just like thunder and lightning. His left hand is placed on his knee. By this ‘mudra’\, gesture all fear for the dangerous struggle for material existence is destroyed. Vyasadeva’s neck is marked with the three lines of a conchshell from which only ‘sabda brahman’ or transcendental sound vibration\, in the form of the main three Vedas and it’s limbs\, are coming. Seeing his moon-like face is the sweetest benediction to the eyes. Actually the moon-like face of the best of sages is compared to groups of full moons\, each being completely free form even the smallest blemish. Srila Vyasadeva’s lotus mouth and teeth are compared to a new row of pearls which shine forth from inside of a perfect ruby. These pearl-like teeth are seen decorated by a gentle smile surrounded by soft ruby red lips. To hear the speech of the literary incarnation of the Lord at once fills one’s heart with transcendental knowledge\, just as when the thousand wells in the form of sages became flooded with answers as the River Sarasvati replenishes the best of wells during the rainy season. \nAs Srila Vyasadeva approached Sripad Madhwacarya with a smile on his face\, his wide lotus eyes looked unblinking at him\, and Vyasa embraced the powerful Sripad Madhwacarya and picked him up off the floor\, clean as one would one’s small son. The powerful partial expansion of Mukhyaprana who previously played the mighty Hanuman and Bhima\, felt blessed as his ‘guru’\, Srila Vyasadeva\, lovingly embraced him\, and the sages smiled affectionately.\nSripad Madhwacarya prayed to his Lord after seeing the sprig of Tulasi leaf and ‘manjari’ tucked behind the right ear of Vyasa\, “Please don’t let me become jealous of this Tulasi sprig and garland of lotus flowers that adorn your body. They are supremely fortunate. Please don’t let them rob me of my position of being so close to you. Wherever I am\, always allow me to remain this close to you by always being absorbed in you.” \nSripad Madhwacarya could now fully appreciate standing there in the shadow of his ‘guru’\, that actually Srila Vyasadeva was looking after the welfare of the entire world. Just by a movement of his eyebrows everything was taking place. The creation\, maintenance and destruction of all the three worlds in fact is going on by his design. He is the same Visnu Tattva Lord who maintains as Gunavataras along with Lord Brahma\, the creator\, who was born from a lotus\, and Lord Shiva\, the destroyer of these material worlds. Coming in contact with the material mode of passion\, Prajapati creates under the direction of Lord Visnu. Lord Visnu Himself maintains the three worlds\, the unlimited universes\, in one form sleeping as Karanadakasayi Visnu\, in another form as Garbhadaksayi Visnu lying down on His serpent couch Anantasesa\, and as the localised form of Paramatma seated within the region of the heart of every living being as the witness. Effortlessly Lord Visnu is the Supreme Enjoyer\, and not a blade of grass moves without His knowing or sanction. \nsrsti-hetu yei murti prapance avatare\nsei isvara murti ‘avatara’ nama dhare\nmayatita paravyome savara avasthana\nvisve ‘avatari’ dhare ‘avatara’ nama \n“The ‘avatara’ of incarnation of Godhead\, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestations. And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who so descends is called an incarnation\, or ‘avatara’. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world\, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation\, They assume the name ‘avatara’.”\nAs such\, there are various kinds of ‘avataras’\, such as ‘purusavataras’\, ‘gunavataras’\, ‘lilavataras’\, ‘shaktyaveshavataras’\, ‘manvantara-avataras’ and ‘yugavataras’ all appearing on schedule all over the universe. \neko devo nitya-lilanurakto bhakta vyapi hrdy antaratma \n“The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many\, many transcendental forms in relationship with His unalloyed devotees.” \nSripad Madhwacarya again drank the nectar of seeing this ‘shaktyavesha avatara’ of Lord Visnu with a resplendent blue hue like that of the Indranila gem\, personally before him\, standing on a mountain resembling an emerald\, lush and green\, above the natural barrier of the Himalayas. Srila Vyasadeva was wearing tilak of ‘urdhva pundra’ on the twelve places of His body\, which are glorified throughout the Vedic literatures as being “Two straight lines of Lord Hari’s abode are drawn at the root of the nose and reach to the top of the forehead\, the space between which is Lord Vishnu’s abode\, and is more than a finger’s breadth between and slightly wider at the top. Each of these two straight lines is only the thickness of a grain of rice and the breadth of four fingers. That is the abode or temple of Lord Visnu. Sadaishiva and Brahma reside on either side of the central space and Laxmi stays with Narayan in the middle.” Seeing this and the red mark made of the ash of plantain flowers and turmeric mixed together resembling rubies\, between the two lines\, Madhwa relished again and again the sight of Vyasa.\n“My Lord\, I am so much blessed by seeing You\, Your red matted locks of hair and Your hue which resembles a new monsoon cloud\, full of depth\, with illumination like lightning. Oh my Lord\, though I have recorded many of Your auspicious features and qualities\, actually to describe You\, though counting incessantly the endless good qualities that are emanating from even the nail of the little toe of Your lotus feet\, such is my frustration. Though You are situated far beyond this material world and it’s covering\, by Your mercy You have allowed me to approach You. Completely transcending all known boundaries\, You have appeared to me and allowed me to come here to take ‘darshan’ of You\, just to fulfil the plan chalked out by You. In obeisances\, my body is bent in devotion to You. With folded hands I offer my humble prayers.”\nWith His loving outstretched arms\, Vedavyasa\, the son of Parasara Muni\, gently lifted Madhwa up from his prostrated obeisances and again\, with a smiling face\, embraced him. \nMadhva Vijay (8:5.). says that Madhwacarya belongs to a class of devotees calle Rju which are the best of the ‘devas’. These Rjus are even superior to the Rudras\, who\, by the grace of Vyasa\, were bestowed with knowledge of the Absolute. The Rjus are one hundred in number\, and after being given the post of Vayu\, they become eligible for the post of Brahma. All of the Rjus are equally great\, but they all are superior to Rudra and others. \nMadhwa Vijay (7:53.)\, notes that Vyasadeva and Sripad Madhwacarya – Visnu and Vayu – are here compared with the powerful current of the sister of Yamaraja\, Yamuna devi\, whose mighty but gentle waters join the water of a golden river. The mighty waters of the Yamuna are compared to the dark blue lustre of Vedavyasa\, while Sripad Madhwacarya is compared to a golden river who is being embraced by the dark blue waters of Vyasa. Previously these two great personalities embraced before. At that time they were dressed in royal clothing as Krsna and Bhimasena.\nAll the great sages in the assembly at Vyasadeva’s ‘ashram’ honoured Madhwa with great respect. Vyasadeva gave Madhwa a special seat of honour next to Himself and in a very warm way\, the two saviours of degradation of Vaisnava philosophy started to speak of Sripad Madhwacarya’s urgent mission. Sri Krsna Dwaipayana Vyasa and Sripad Madhwacarya discussed all kinds of Vedic literatures\, Vedas\, Mahabharata\, the ‘Sattvic Puranas’\, Brahma Sutras\, and the Pancaratras\, which are all very dear to Vaisnava. \nMadhwa Vijay (8:6.)\, agrees that Lord Narayana Himself directed Madhwa to come to the hermitage of Srila Vyasa.\nVedavyasa then took Sripad Madhwacarya to meet with the other form of the Lord residing there. Madhwa Vijay (8:7.)\, describes how the humble Purna Prajna Tirtha – Madhwa saw Lord Narayan\, the original person\, dressed in tree bark with a ‘munja’ grass belt. His effulgence that surround His beautiful matted locks is compared to being like the best of ‘yajnic’ fires\, pure\, bright and free from smoke. \nThat Lord\, Who is always Dhira (self controlled and sober)\, and Who is Atmarama (self satisfied)\, Who is Acyuta (infallible and free from the allurements of the sense objects)\, He is free from all defects\, yet with all these opulence’s is happy to reside in the hermitage as a recluse and perform penance. “O Adhoksaja Krsna\, Who is unobtainable to those of demerit\, now I stand before You. You are the same Lord of Brahma born of Your lotus navel. By Your potency of Abhimani You made the Mahatattva\, impregnated it by Your energy and placed there goodness\, passion and ignorance. Along with this He created Rudra from Brahma and the tattva of Ahamkara which is threefold – the Vaikarika – Deities\, the Taijasa – entities born of semen\, and the ‘tamasa’ – the five gross elements (earth\, eater\, fire\, air and sky). From this He made the ‘jagad anda’\, the cosmic egg in which reside the fourteen worlds. Lord Narayan\, You create\, maintain and destroy everything\, then effortlessly inhabit those fourteen worlds with varieties of entities – the demigods\, ‘gandharvas’ – servants of the ‘devas’\, humans\, demons who have such masters as Prajapati Brahma\, Mukhyaprana (Vayudeva)\, Garuda\, Rudra and Devendra. Those living entities are given\, according to their natures\, places of residence. There are the ‘uttama jivas’ or ‘nitya siddhas’\, Your pure devotees who only have thoughts for you. The ‘nitya samsarins’\, who wander in the cycle of birth and death\, are basically innocent\, but just foolishly follow their lusty desires. And the ‘tamoyogyas’\, who are hell bent\, mischievous\, wicked and best avoided\, for their destination is to practically stay in hell for time immemorial.” \nIn Sri Madhwa Vijay (8:14.)\, whilst standing directly in front of Srila Vyasadeva and Lord Narayana at Uttara Badri\, Sripad Madhwacarya pondered over the many forms that Lord Narayana had taken. This is the mystic potency of the Lord for He can be both in the past in one’s memory\, and present before one at the same instant\, in full. At any moment with all His retinue around Him acting out the pastimes\, of previous lilas in the eternally present. \nMadhwa realising this then prostrated himself at the lotus feet of Lord Narayana\, as in his mind went over the endless pastimes of the Lord. He was directly in the association of his ‘guru’ (Srila Vyasadeva)\, and now had the honour of seeing Lord Narayana face to face. Lord Narayana’s affection poured to the pure hearted Madhwa who was sitting\, looking and relishing. He was so honoured to sit near these two whilst offering respectful prostrations\, sitting and standing\, Madhwa dwelt on His Lords.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/guru-vyasa-purnima-3rd-july-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230629
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230630
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T073655Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230704T114044Z
UID:29348-1687996800-1688083199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Sayana Ekadashi 29th June 2023
DESCRIPTION:Sayan Ekadashi Deva Sayani Ekadashi Padma Ekadashi from the Bhavishya-uttara Purana.\nThe saintly king Yudhishthira Maharaj said\, “Oh Keshava\, what is the name of that Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June July)? Who is the worshippable Deity for the auspicious day\, and what is the process for observing this event?” \nLord Sri Krishna replied\, “Oh caretaker of this Earthly planet\, I shall gladly tell you a wonderful historical event that the deva lord Brahma once narrated to his son Narad Muni. \n“One day Narad Muni asked his father\, ‘What is the name of the Ekadashi that comes during the light part of the month of Ashadha’\, much as you did? ‘Kindly tell me how I should observe this Ekadashi and thus please the Supreme Lord\, Sri Vishnu.’ \n“Lord Brahma replied\, ‘Oh great saintly orator\, O best of all sages\, Oh purest devotee of Lord Vishnu\, your question is as usual excellent for all mankind. There is nothing better than Ekadashi\, the day of Lord Sri Hari\, in this or any other world. It nullifies even the worst sins if observed properly. For this reason I shall tell you about this Ashadha-shukla Ekadashi. \n“Fasting on this Ekadashi purifies one of all sins and fulfills all ones desires. Therefore\, whoever neglects to observe this sacred fast day is a good candidate for entering into hell. Ashadha-shukla Ekadashi is also famous as Padma Ekadashi. Just to please the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha\, the master of the senses\, one should fast on this day. Listen carefully\, Oh Narad\, as I relate to you a wonderful historical event that was recorded in the scriptures regarding this Ekadashi. Just hearing this account destroys all kinds of sins\, along with all obstacles on the path to spiritual perfection. \n“Oh son\, there was once a saintly king in the Surya Vamsha (Sun dynasty) whose name was Mandhata. Because he always stood up for the truth\, he was appointed emperor. He took care of his subjects as though they were his very own family members and children. On account of his piety and great religiosity\, there was no pestilence\, drought\, or disease of any kind in his entire kingdom. All his subjects were not only free of all kinds of disturbances but also were very wealthy. The king’s own treasury was free of any ill-gotten moneys\, and thus he ruled happily for many years. \n“Once\, however\, because of some sin in his kingdom\, there was a drought for three years. The subjects found themselves beset by famine also. The lack of food grains made it impossible for them to perform the prescribed Vedik sacrifices\, offer oblations of grita (ghee) to their forefathers and to the devas\, engage in any ritualistic worship\, or even study the Vedik literatures. Finally\, they all came before their beloved king in a great assembly and addressed him thus\, ‘Oh king\, you always see to our welfare\, so we humbly beg your assistance now. Everyone and everything in this world needs water. Without water\, almost everything is rendered useless or dead. The Vedas call water nAra\, and because the Supreme Personality of Godhead sleeps upon water\, His another name is NArAyana. God makes His own abode on water and takes His rest there. \nIt is said that three things cannot exist without water; pearls\, human beings\, and flour. The essential quality of a pearl is its luster\, and that is due to water. The essence of a man is his semen\, whose main constituent is water. And without water\, flour cannot be made into dough and then be cooked into various forms of bread\, offered and eaten. Sometimes water is called jala-nArAyaNa\, the Supreme Lord in the form of this life sustaining substance water. \nIn His form as the clouds\, the Supreme Lord is present throughout the sky and pours forth rains\, from which grow the grains that maintain every living entity. \n“Oh king\, the severe drought has caused a great lack of valuable grains; thus we are all miserable\, and the population is decreasing as people die off or leave your kingdom. Oh best ruler on Earth\, please find some solutions to this problem and bring us to peace and prosperity once again.” \n“The king replied\, “You speak the truth\, for grains are like Brahman\, the Absolute Truth\, who lives within grains and thereby sustains all beings. Indeed\, it is because of grains that the entire world lives. Now\, why is there a terrible drought in our kingdom? The Holy Scriptures discuss this subject very thoroughly. If a king (or head of the country) is irreligious\, both he and his subjects suffer. I have meditated upon the cause of our problem for a long time\, but after searching my past and present character I can honestly say that I find no sin. Still\, for the good of all your subjects\, I shall try to remedy the situation.” \nThinking in this way\, King Mandhata assembled his army and entourage. Paid his obeisances to me\, and then entered the forest. He wandered here and there\, seeking great sages in their Ashrams and inquiring about how to resolve the crisis in his kingdom. At last he came upon the ashram of one of my other sons\, Angira Muni\, whose effulgence lit up all directions. Seated in his hermitage\, Angira looked like a second Brahma. King Mandhata was very pleased to see that exalted sages\, whose senses were completely under control. \n“The king immediately dismounted his horse and offered his respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of Angira Muni. Then the king joined his palms and prayed for the Muni’s blessings. That saintly person reciprocated by blessing the king with sacred mantras; then he asked him about the welfare of the seven limbs of his kingdom. The seven limbs of a king’s domain are the king himself; the ministers; his treasury; his military forces; his allies; the brahmins; the sacrificial performances performed in the kingdom and the needs of the subjects under his care. \n“After telling the sage how the seven limbs of his kingdom were situated\, King Mandhata asked the sage about his own situation\, and if he was happy. Then Angira Muni asked the king why he had undertaken such a difficult journey into the forest\, and the king told him of the affliction his kingdom was suffering. The king said\, “Oh great sage\, I am ruling and maintaining my kingdom while following the Vedik injunctions\, and thus I do not know the reason for the drought. To solve this mystery\, I have approached you for help. Please help me relieve the suffering of my subjects.” \n“Angira Rishi said tot he king\, ‘The present age\, Satya yuga\, is the best of all ages\, for in this age Dharma stands on all four legs (Truthfulness\, Austerity\, Mercy\, and Cleanliness). In this age everyone respects Brahmins as the topmost members of society. Also\, everyone fulfills his occupational duties\, and only twice-born Brahmins are allowed to perform Vedik austerities and penances. Although this is a standard\, Oh lion among kings\, there is one shudra (uninitiated\, untrained person) who is thus unlawfully performing the rites of austerity and penance in your kingdom. This is why there is no rain in your land. You should therefore punish this labourer with death\, for by so doing you will remove the contamination inflicted by his actions and restore peace to your subjects.” \n“The king then replied\, “How can I kill an offenseless performer of austerity and sacrifice? Please give me some spiritual solution.” \n“The great sage Angira Muni then said\, “Oh king\, you should observe a fast on the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Ashadha. This auspicious day is named Padma Ekadashi\, and by its influence plentiful rains and thus grains and other foodstuffs will surely return to your kingdom. This Ekadashi bestows perfection upon its faithful observers\, removes all kinds of bad elements\, and destroys all obstacles on the path to perfection. Oh king\, you\, your relatives\, and your subjects should all observe this sacred Ekadashi fast. Then everything in your kingdom will undoubtedly return to normal.” \n“Upon hearing these words\, the king offered his obeisances and then returned to his palace. When the Padma Ekadashi arrived\, King Mandhata assembled all the Brahmins\, Kshatriyas\, Vaishyas and shudras in his kingdom and instructed them to strictly observe this important fast day. After they had observed it\, the rains fell\, just as the sage had predicted\, and in due course of time there were abundant crops and a rich harvest of grain. By the mercy of the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha\, the master of the senses\, all the subjects of King Mandhata became extremely happy and prosperous. \n“Therefore\, Oh Narada\, everyone should observe this Ekadashi fast very strictly\, for it bestows all kinds of happiness\, as well as ultimate liberation\, upon the faithful devotee’ \nLord Sri Krishna concluded\, “My dear Yudhishthira\, Padma Ekadasi is so powerful that one who simply reads or hears its glories becomes completely sinless. Oh Pandava\, one who wishes to please Me should strictly observe this Ekadashi\, which is also known as Deva-sayani Ekadashi \nDeva-sayani\, or Vishnu-sayani\, indicates the day when Lord Vishnu goes to sleep with all the devas (demigods). It is said that after this day one should not perform any new auspicious ceremonies until Devothani Ekadashi (Haribodhini (Probodhini) Devotthaani (Uttana) Ekadashi)\, which occurs during the month of Kartika (October November)\, because the devas (demigods)\, being asleep\, cannot be invited to the sacrificial arena and because the Sun is travelling along its Southern course (Dakshinayanam). \n“Lord Sri Krishna continued\, “Oh lion among kings\, Yudhishthira Maharaj\, whoever wants liberation should regularly observe a fast on this EkAdasi which is also the day when the Chaturmasya fast begins.”
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/sayana-ekadashi-29th-june-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230628
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230629
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T073436Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230629T084349Z
UID:29346-1687910400-1687996799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Return of Ratha Yatra 28th June 2023
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.
URL:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/event/return-of-ratha-yatra-28th-june-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230625
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T073230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230629T084341Z
UID:29341-1687564800-1687651199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Vakresvara Pandita 24th June 2023
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-sri-vakresvara-pandita-24th-june-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sri-Vakresvara-Pandita.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230625
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T071904Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230629T084334Z
UID:29340-1687564800-1687651199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Hera Pancami 24th June 2023
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-24th-june-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230621
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T071624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230621T090019Z
UID:29339-1687219200-1687305599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Sivananda Sena 20th June 2023
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-sri-sivananda-sena-20th-june-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Sri-Sivananda-Sena.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230621
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T070628Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230621T090012Z
UID:29338-1687219200-1687305599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami 20th June 2023
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-sri-svarupa-damodara-gosvami-20th-june-2023/
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:20230620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230621
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T070315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230621T090002Z
UID:29336-1687219200-1687305599@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Ratha Yatra Starts 20th June 2023
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-20th-june-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230619
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230620
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T065748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230621T085954Z
UID:29331-1687132800-1687219199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Gundica Marjana 19th June 2023
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.  \nAdvaita 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/gundica-marjana-19th-june-2023/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230618
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230619
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T065416Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230621T085048Z
UID:29330-1687046400-1687132799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura 18th June 2023
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-18th-june-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Srila-Bhaktivinoda-Thakura.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230618
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230619
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T065150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230621T083233Z
UID:29329-1687046400-1687132799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita 18th June 2023
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-sri-gadadhara-pandita-18th-june-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/gadadhar.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230614
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230615
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T064948Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230615T103213Z
UID:29326-1686700800-1686787199@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Yogini Ekadasi 14th June 2023
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-14th-june-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Ekadashi.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230613
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230614
DTSTAMP:20260521T095553
CREATED:20230605T064730Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230614T110014Z
UID:29325-1686614400-1686700799@www.iskconpunjabibagh.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Sri Srivasa Pandita 13th June 2023
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-sri-srivasa-pandita-13th-june-2023/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iskconpunjabibagh.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Sri-Srivasa-Pandita.jpg
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END:VCALENDAR