Krsna performs rasa lila of two varieties, one in the autumn season and one in the spring season, on vaisakha purnima. Balarama also performs rasa dance at this time.
In order to keep the gopis in Vrndavana satisfied, Lord Balarama stayed there continually for two months, namely the months of Caitra and Vaisakha. For those two months he kept himself among the gopis and he passed every night with them in the forest of Vrndavana in order to satisfy their desire for conjugal love.
The purnima or full moon of Damodara month is the second full moon of the autumn season, and rasa lila is again celebrated. This second rasa yatra is celebrated more in Bengal, whereas the first one is celebrated more in Vrndavana. On this day one should perform full worship of Radha and Krsna with many flowers, and place them in a rasa mandapa surrounded by the gopis. Sri Krishna Vasant Rasa is similar excepting that it is in the Spring (Vasant), at this time everyone dresses in yellow. On this full moon night the devotees usually leave out pots of sweet rice payasam for the Lord to enjoy during His rasas.
Sri Vansivadananda Thakura appeared on the full moon day of the month of Caitra. Within Kuliya exist the villages, Teghari. Beciyava, Bedrapara and Cinedanga. The sons of Srikar Chattopadhyay moved from Bilvagram (Patuli) to Beciyanagram. Sri Sri Yudhisthir Chattopadhyay had three sons: Madhava das (Chakari Chattopadhyoy), Sri Hari dasa (Tin Kari) and Sri Krsna Sampati (Dui Kari).
When Mahaprabhu came from Puri to have darshan of his mother and the river Ganges he stayed for seven days in the house of Madhava dasa at Kulia. At this time he excused Devananda Pandit along with all of the offenses of everyone else. Therefore the place came to be known as 'Aparadh Banjan Pat.'
Those who know the associates of Sri Gauranga to be eternally liberated souls will attain their place by the side of the son of the king of Vraja.
Sri Syamananda Prabhu, Srinivasa Acarya and Sri Narottama dasa Thakura were the internal associates of Sri Gaurasundara. They incarnated in this world in order to spread the teachings of Sri Gaura-Krsna after His departure from it.
Sri Abhirama Thakura was known as Abhirama Gopala and also as Rama dasa Bhirama dasa. "Who was previously known as Sridama, a gopa during Krsna-lila, is now renowned as Abhirama or Rama dasa. He was the favorite of Nityananda Prabhu.
One day, Krsna, Balarama and their cowherd friends were playing a game of hide and seek. In the middle of Their game, Krsna decided to go to Nadia to enjoy His pastimes there, and so, taking with Him Balarama and all Their friends, He advented Himself in Navadwipa. Somehow or other, He forgot Sridama, who remained in his hiding place in a cave. After a while Krsna noticed that Sridam had been left behind and sent Balarama as Nityananda, Who found Sridam and told him: "Come on! We've all gone to Nadia to play there!"
The mother of Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura's was Sri Narayani devi, the niece of Srivasa pandita. In his Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Vrndavana dasa has described how his mother attained the affectionate fervour of Sri Gaurasundara.
"Narayani devi received the entire remnants of Mahaprabhu's meal. Though she was only an insensible child he bestowed His mercy on her in this way."
Also as a result of this mercy, Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura, whose life and soul was Sri Gaura-Nityananda, took his birth from her womb.
Sri Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "Oh Vasudeva, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You.
Please now describe to me the Ekadasi of the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Vaisakha (April-May), including its specific merits and influence."
Lord Sri Krishna replied, "Oh King, in this world and the next, the most auspicious and magnanimous Ekadasi is Varathini Ekadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Vaisakha.
Sri Gadadhar was the consant companion of Mahaprabhu from the time of their childhood. His father's name was Sri Madhva Misra and his mother's name Sri Ratnavati-devi. They lived very near the house of Sri Jagannatha Misra in Mayapura. Ratnavati-devi thought of Saci-devi as her own sister, and always used to visit her.
During their childhood, Sri Gaura Hari and Gadadhara would play together, sometimes at Mahaprabhu's house and sometimes at Gadadhara's house. They both studied together at the sameschool. Gadadhara was a few years younger then Nimai. Nimai couldn't remain without Gadadhara even for a moment and Gadadhara likewise couldn't stand to be separated from Nimai.
In order to establish his doctrine of non-violence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus, later on, Sri Sankaracharya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to go outside India.
Srimati Sita Devi is the daughter of the Earth goddess, Bhumi Devi, and central figure of the Ramayana. InMaharishi Valmiki's own words, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita "Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat".
Her glories are sun by the poet-saint Thyagaraja in his "Sri Janakatayane"
Oh daughter of Janaka, the blessed souls of refugees! Oh Consort of Sri Raghu Rama, bedecked with shining gem-ornaments! Pray, protect me always! You are the wind that destroys the clouds of demons like the hundres-headed Ravana; You are the indweller in the hearts of the devotees; Your Feet shine with the lustre of gems set in the crown of Indra.
Shri Nityananda's two wives, Shri Vasudha and Shri Jahnava Devi, are expansions of Lord Balarama's eternal consorts Varuni and Revati. After the disappearance of the Pancha-tattva and many of Lord Chaitanaya's eternal associates, a huge sankirtana festival was held in Kheturi on Gaura-Purnima. Thousands of Lord Gauranga's followers such as Narottama, Shyamananda, Shrinivasa, Vrindavana Dasa, Murari Chaitanya, Parameshvara, and Miniketana Rama attended the first Kheturi Sankirtana Mahotsava.
There is no mention of Sri Madhu Pandit in Caitanya Caritamrta. Only it is mentioned in Bhakti Ratnakar that Sri Gopinathji manifested Himself before Him.
Oh Srinivas! What more can I say? The Lord reveals Himself to his pure devotee, who then preaches his glories to the world. Who can describe their incomprehensible activities by which the Lord becomes subservient to their love. Thus did Sri Brajendra Kumar reveal himself to Paramananda Bhattacarya and Sri Madhu Pandit, who is the abode of many wonderful qualities.
The glories of Mohini Ekadasi which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha are told in the Surya Purana.
Once Maharaja Yudhisthira asked Lord Krsna, "O Janardana! Pray tell me, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waxing Moon in the month of Vaisakha (April/May.) Please describe unto me the most meritorious benefit one may receive by such observance.
The test of a theory is in its implementation. While one can spend a lot of time analyzingthe process of bhakti, faith readily comes when one sees the theoryin action. Jayananda Prabhu is such a devotee who exemplified in analmost classical manner the process of bhakti from inception tocompletion. When he left his body on May 1, 1977, Srila Prabhupadainstructed that his disappearance day should be celebrated as that of a great Vaisnava. Observing the pastimes of such devotees greatly reaffirms one's faith in the process of bhakti.
tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam
dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam
keshava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare
"O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp like demon Hiranyakashipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands."
A summer boat festival for the Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. In the Krishna Balaram mandir in Sri Vrindavana the devotees fill the large marble court-yard with water, make a pontoon boat for Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundara's pleasure and take Them (the utsav vighraha) around the pond with kirtan and loving sentiments.
Five hundred years ago in the district of Puri, in the village of Bentapur adjacent to Brahmagiri Alalnath, there lived a great devotee named Bhavananda Raya.
Bhavananda had five sons, the eldest of which was Ramananda.
Descendants of this family-line are known as Choudhury Pattanayaka.
It is said that Lord Caitanya visited the birth-place of Ramananda in Alalnath every year.
Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, "Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Jyeshtha (May-June)?
I wish to hear from You the glories of this sacred day of Hari.
Please narrate everything to me"
Lord Sri Krishna said, "Oh king, your inquiry is wonderful because the answer will benefit the whole human society.
This Ekadasi is so sublime and meritorious that even the greatest sins can be erased by its purity.
Congratulations you have taken one giant step towards giving a sanctified healthy meal to an underprivileged Indian.
Face the fact: (Source Global Huger Index 2017)
India is world’s second largest food producer yet it is home to world second biggest undernourished population. Source FAO 2015 25 % of all hungry people worldwide live in India. 44% of Indian Children below the age of 5 are underweight. Out of Worst hunger struck 119 countries India is at 100
What does a healthy human being need?
A balanced diet is one that helps a person maintain or improve health. It includes carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, proteins, roughage, water, and minerals. The amount of these nutrients varies with gender, age, occupation, climate and region. However, at ISKCON Punjabi Bagh, we understand that a complete meal is not just numbers and formulae. It is not just chopped-up vegetables and boiled grains. It is love that is the primary constituent of a healthy meal. The same love that a mother pours while she is at work in the kitchen, the same love that a father ploughs when he is toiling in the office, and the same love that siblings share when they fight.
How does ISKCON Punjabi Bagh satisfy this hunger?
We, at ISKCON Punjabi Bagh, understand that apart from a person’s body craving for satisfaction of the stomach, the satisfaction of the person occupying that body is also of primary importance. We solve this eternal craving of the soul through World’s Largest vegetarian Non-Profit Food Relief program called the Hare Krishna Food-for-Life.
Each meal is not only delicious but is also prepared with full attention to personnel & infrastructure hygiene. The food so prepared is first offered to the almighty Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna, therefore, although its quantity remains unchanged but qualitatively it is transformed from meal to Prasadam. Such sanctified meals on the one hand fulfil the basic necessity of the body and on the other purify the consciousness of a person. The fortunate people who receive Prasadam meals develop all good human qualities such as kindness, truthfulness, cleanliness, and gain immense control over the agitations of mind. No other food item in the world can offer such spiritual benefits.
Is it really World’s Largest?
Yes, ISKCON volunteers provide up to 2,000,000 (Two Million) free meals every day. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, instructed his disciples that no one should sleep hungry within a 10 mile radius of a Hare Krishna centre. Keeping true to His Divine Grace’s instructions, every centre based on the available resources tries to serve nutritious meals free of cost to every person who gives the temple an opportunity to serve. This includes visitors, pilgrims, and residents of neighbouring areas. In fact, monthly processions are also accompanied by free distribution of food. Apart from this, special relief packages are designed and dispatched to areas affected by natural calamities.
Can non-ISKCON people contribute?
We are all children of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This makes us God-brothers & God-sisters. Therefore, we encourage the more fortunate brothers and sisters to come forward and help the less fortunate ones. This can be achieved by sponsoring meals for the homeless, disadvantaged children, pilgrims and slum dwellers. We have created this web-page specifically for reaching out to people who have a big heart and a little time, energy and resources to spare. Your small contribution here can make 2 square meals possible for unprivileged brethren.
Where will my money go?
As every ISKCON temple is completely financially independent of the other, all money donated to ISKCON Punjabi Bagh temple is utilized locally within New Delhi. At times, we also travel the Indian sub-continent and distribute free Prasadam across the length and breadth of India.
No money from your donation is transferred outside the country without explicitly mentioning it. ISKCON centres worldwide manage their funds locally for the benefit of that region’s local population.
Because of this reason,currently, ISKCON Punjabi Bagh also does not accept any donations from foreign countries for the Food for Life program. In case, you are eager to contribute we suggest getting in touch with an ISKCON centre in your neighbouring area. The complete list of ISKCON centres world wide can be found here: http://centers.iskcondesiretree.com/ Hopefully, at a later time, when people all over the world have transcended the boundaries of nationality, colour, language, ethnicity and politics, we might be able to extend ourselves to help all children of God irrespective of geographical location.
I am still not sure if I want to contribute!
No Problem, we thank you for taking out time to read about the Hare Krishna Food for Life program. we suggest that you scroll through the rest of the website. It is highly probable that you will find another social cause that is worth investing your time and resources in such as education, organic farming, sustainable living and much more.
