Parishad: Srila Haridasa Thakur

Sep 25, KUALA LUMPUR (TUE) — Disappearance Day of Srila Namacharya Hari Das Thakur.

ricikasya muneh putro namna brahma mahatapah
prahladena samam jato haridasakhyako’pi san
murari-gupta-caranaish caitanya-caritamrite
ukto muni-sutah pratas tulasi-patram aharan
adhautam abhishaptas tam pitra yavanatam gatah
sa eva haridasa san jatah parama-bhaktiman

Hari Das Thakur is a combined incarnation of Brahma Mahatapa, the son of Richika Muni and Prahlad. The respected Murari Gupta has written in his Chaitanya Charitamrita that this muni’s son picked a tulasi leaf and offered it to Krishna without having washed it first. His father then cursed him to become a mleccha in his next life. He was thus born as Hari Das, a great devotee.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 93-95)

Parishad: Srimati Sita Thakurani

Sep 17, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Appearance Day of Srimati Sita Thakurani.

Advaita Acharya’s wife was a respectable and noble woman name Sita Thakurani. Taking permission from her husband, she went to Nabadwip bearing gifts to see the crown jewel of infants. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.13.112)

Sri Sita Thakurani is to be worshiped just as much as Sacidevi herself, as the mother of the universe. She is the eternal wife of Sri Advaita Acharya. She was the daughter of Sri Nrishinga Baduri. She was married to Sri Advaita Acharya in Phuliya Nagara. After their wedding, Advaita Acharya went to Nadiya, to live in Shantipura. Sita Thakurani was always absorbed in vatsalya prema for Sri Gaurasundara Prabhu, and, out of parental concern used to instruct Jagannatha Mishra on how to care for the boy.

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami has described the birth celebration at the house of Jagannatha Mishra upon the advent of the Lord, giving special attention to the position of Sri Sita Thakurani. Advaita Acharya’s wife, worshipable by all the three worlds was Sita Thakurani. Taking the Acharya’s orders on her head, she had come to take a look at this new child, this jewel of jewels, and to offer him presents.

Parishad: Srila Rupa Goswami

Aug 24, KUALA LUMPUR (FRI) — Disappearance Day of Srila Rupa Goswami.

  shri-rupa-maïjari khyata yasid vrindavane pura
sadya rupakhya-gosvami bhutva prakatatam iyat

She who was known in Vrindavan as Rupa Manjari has now appeared as Rupa Goswami. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 180)

Lalita is chief amongst the sakhis who make up Radharani’s entourage, and Rupa Manjari is the foremost amongst those sakhis who follow Lalita. It is for this reason that in the Gaura-lila, Rupa Goswami is the chief amongst the six Goswamis.

Rupa Goswami’s family tree

In the new Bengali dictionary edited by Ashutosh Deb, Rupa Goswami’s dates are given as 1489 to 1558 AD, or 1410-1479 of the Shaka era. In his earthly pastimes, Rupa was born in a Brahmin family of the Bharadvaja gotra which hailed from Karnataka, where they had been rajas. His father’s name was Kumara Deva. His mother’s name is not known. Narahari Chakravarti Thakur has given the names of seven generations of his family in Bhakti-ratnakara (1.540-568).

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has summarized this family history in his Anubhashya: “Jagad-guru Sarvajïa was a great soul who was born in a Brahmin raja family of the Bharadvaja gotra in the 12th century of the Shaka era. His son Aniruddha had two sons named Rupeshvara and Harihara, neither of whom inherited the land holdings. The older brother Rupeshvara went to live in the mountains and his son Padmanabha moved to Bengal, taking up residence in the village of Naihati on the banks of the Ganges. Padmanabha had five sons, the youngest of which was named Mukunda who fathered the pious Kumaradeva. Kumaradeva had several sons, amongst whom were Sanatan, Rupa and Anupama. Kumaradeva’s house was in the village of Bakla in Candradvipa. His house was in the village of Fateyabad in the Jessore district of that time. Three of his sons became Vaishnavas. These three brothers left the Fateyabad home to live in Ramakeli for their work. Jiva Goswami was born there. As a result of their service to the Nawab, all three of them were awarded the Mallik title. Mahaprabhu met Anupama for the first time when he came to Ramakeli. When Rupa Goswami abandoned his government duties to go to Vrindavan, he was accompanied by Anupama, who was also known as Vallabha.”
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.84 Anubhashya)

Srila Rupa Goswami – our supervisor

BY KESAVA KRSNA DASA (GRS)
The opening salvo of the preface for The Nectar of Instruction begins thus: “The Krsna consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of Srila Rupa Goswami.” What does it mean to have this role? How actively involved is Srila Rupa Goswami in our everyday lives? Is he literally supervising all of us?

Before understanding this supervisory function, we need to know who Srila Rupa Goswami is in relation to ourselves, our spiritual masters, and the previous acaryas going back to the time of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Each of the acaryas were unlimitedly powerful, being pure nitya-siddhas, capable of delivering the entire world, but preached in tune with Lord Chaitanya’s wishes to lesser or greater degrees.

Parishad: Swarupa Damodar Goswami and Shivananda Sen

Jul 16, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Disappearance Day of Srila Swarupa Damodar Goswami and Srila Shivananda Sen.

Swarupa Damodar Goswami

Mahaprabhu’s alter ego

The Lord accepted Shikhi Mahiti’s sister as one of Radha’s friends. In the entire world, there were only three and a half devotees who were so worthy. They were Svarupa Damodar Goswami, Ramananda Raya and Shikhi Mahiti. His sister was the half person.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.2.105-6)

Sri Svarupa Damodar Goswami was one of Mahaprabhu’s three and a half most intimate associates. Elsewhere Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has called him the most important of the Lord’s companions. Two persons knew the Lord best: Paramananda Puri and Svarupa Damodar.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.124-5)

I have already shown that preaching the sankirtan movement was the external cause for the Lord’s descent. There is another, primary purpose for the Lord’s incarnation. This is the personal work of Krishna, the foremost enjoyer of loving exchanges. This very confidential cause is three-fold, as has been revealed by Svarupa Damodar Goswami. Sri Svarupa Damodar Goswami was extremely close to the Lord and thus was able to know all these matters.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.4.103-5)

Parishad: Sri Gadadhara Pandit

Jul 14, KUALA LUMPUT (SAT) — Disappearance Day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit.

shri-radha-prema-rupa ya pura vrindavandeshvari
sa shri-gadadharo gaura-vallabhah panditakhyakah
nirnitah shri-Svarupair yo vraja-lakshmitaya yatha
pura vrindavane lakshmih shyamasundara-vallabha
sadya gaura-prema-lakshmih shri-gadadhara-panditah
radham anugata yat tal lalitapy anuradhika
atah pravishad esha tam gaura-candrodaye yatha

The incarnation of love who previously was the queen of Vrindavan, Radha, is now the beloved of Gaura named Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Svarupa Damodar himself indicated that he was Vraja’s goddess of fortune, the Lakshmi who was previously the beloved of Shyamasundara in Vrindavan. She today has become the goddess of fortune of love for Gaura and is known as Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Lalita, who is also known as Anuradha, is Radha’s closest friend and confidante. She has also entered into Gadadhara, as was shown in the play Chaitanya-candrodaya.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 147-150)

Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur

Srila Thakur Bhaktivinoda - The Pioneer of the Program for Benedicting the Entire World
with Krsna Consciousness by the Instructions of Lord Caitanya

Jul 14, KUALA LUMPUR (SAT) — Today is the auspicious Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

namo bhaktivinodaya saccidananda-murtaye
gaura-shakti-svarupaya rupanuga-varaya te

I offer my obeisances to you, O Bhaktivinoda, the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, the incarnation of Gaura’s potency and the best of the followers of Rupa Goswami.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s transcendental identity is revealed to the members of his spiritual family. He is the best of the followers of Rupa Manjari who is the leader of Lalita Sakhi’s entourage. Lalita Sakhi is the foremost of Radharani’s eight girlfriends. In various places in his own writings, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has indicated this divine identity:

yugala-sevaya, shri-rasa-mandale, niyukta kara amay
lalita-sakhira, ayogya-kinkari, vinoda dhariche pay

Bhaktivinoda holds your feet and asks you to engage this unworthy servant of Lalita Sakhi in the service of the Divine Couple while they are performing the rasa-lila.
(Kalyana-kalpataru)

In the song Siddhi-lalasa in his Gita-mala, also, Bhaktivinoda Thakur gives his eternal spiritual identity as Kamala Manjari, the servant of Sri Rupa Manjari. Her kunja is in the bower of Lalita, Vrajananda-sukhada-kuïja, where she sets the standard of worship to the Divine Couple.

Parishad: Sri Vakresvara Pandit

 Jul 05, KUALA LUMPUR (THU) — The Appearance Day of Sri Vakreshvara Pandita.
vyuhas turyo’niruddho yah sa vakreshvara-panditah
krishnaveshaja-nrityena prabhoh sukham ajijanat
sahasra-gayakan mahyam dehi tvam karuna-maya
iti caitanya-pade sa uvaca madhuram vacah
sva-prakasha-vibhedena shashirekha tam avishat

Vakresvara Pandit is the fourth member of the catur-vyuha, Aniruddha.He brought happiness to the lord by dancing in the mood of Krishna. He would sweetly say to Mahaprabhu, “O merciful lord! Give me a thousand singers so that I can dance.” Radha’s dear sakhi Sasirekha also entered into him.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 71)

Sri Vakresvara Pandit revealed such great potency that he danced non-stop for three days. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami wrote the following about Vakresvara Pandit:

Vakresvara Pandit is the Lord’s dear servant, who danced without rest for seventy-two hours. Mahaprabhu himself sang as he danced when Vakresvara fell down at his feet and said, “O moon-faced lord! Give me ten thousand Gandharvas. I will be happy if I can dance while they sing. The Lord answered, “You are like a wing. If I had another like you, I would be able to fly in the sky!”
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.17-20)

Advice from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

BY PAYONIDHI DASA

Jun 4, MARYLAND, USA (MON) —

1. We are put to test and trial in this world. Only those who attend the kirtana of the devotees can succeed.

2. Every spot on earth where discourses on God are held is a place of pilgrimage.

3. Possession of objects not related to Krsna is our main malady.

4. Let me not desire anything but the highest good for my worst enemies.

5. As dalliance with the body in luxury increases, so wanes the spirit of service of the Lord.

6. Those favored by God find their paths set by thorns.

Parishad: King Sri Prataparudra Deva

May 11, KUALA LUMPUR (FRI) — The parishad associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

indradyumno maharajo jagannatharcakah pura
jatah prataparudrah san sama indrena so’dhuna

Indradyumna, who previously worshiped Lord Jagannath, was born as Prataparudra, with the same opulences as Indra himself.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika11

[Note: In a Satyayuga during the second half of Brahma’s lifetime, a certain king named Indradyumna was born into the Dynasty of the Sun. He ruled over the kingdom of Malava and had his capital at Avantipura. He was a great devotee of Vishnu, as was his priest Vidyapati. In the first half of Brahma’s life, Jagannath had appeared in Nilachala as Nila Madhava with the purpose of delivering the conditioned souls of this world. He was served by a tribal king named Vishvavasu. Nila Madhava manifested the deity form of Jagannath through these three persons: Indradyumna, Vidyapati and Vishvavasu. The Lord appeared in three forms at the place known as Banki Mohana in order to show his mercy for King Indradyumna. These three deities are, of course, Balaram, Subhadra and Jagannath.]

Parishad: Sri Ramananda Raya

May 7, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Disappearance Day of Sri Ramananda Raya.

priya-narma-sakha kashcid arjunah pandavo ‘rjunah
militva samabhud ramananda-rayah prabhoh priyah
ato radha-krishna-bhakti-prema-tattvadikam kriti
ramanando gauracandram pratyavarnayad anvaham
lalitety ahur eke yat tad eke nanumanyante
bhavanandam prati praha gauro yat tvam prithapatih
gopyarjuniyaya sardham ekibhuyapi pandavah
arjuno yad raya-ramananda ity ahur uttamah
arjuniyabhavat turnam arjuno ‘pi ca pandavah
iti padmottara-khande vyaktam eva virajate
tasmad etat trayam ramananda-raya-mahashayah

There are two Arjunas in Krishna lila: one is a priya-narma-sakha in Vraja, the other is one of the Pandavas. These two combined to become Ramananda Raya, the dear companion of Mahaprabhu. He was very knowledgeable in the teachings of loving devotion to Radha and Krishna, which he described to Gauracandra on a daily basis. Some people say that Ramananda Raya was Lalita Sakhi, while others do not. Mahaprabhu himself told Bhavananda Raya that he was Pandu, the husband of Kunti and father of the Pandavas. The Pandava Arjuna also united with the gopi named Arjuniya. Thus the most aware say that Ramananda Raya combined all these three personalities. Proof of this is found in the Padmapurana, where it is stated that the Pandava Arjuna became the gopi Arjuniya. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 120-124)

Parishad: Sri Vasudeva Datta Thakur

Feb 26, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) —

vraje sthitau gayakau yau
madhukantha-madhuvratau
mukunda-vasudevau tau
dattau gauranga-gayakau

In Vraja there were two singers named Madhukantha and Madhuvrata. They appeared in Chaitanya lila as Mukunda and Vasudeva Datta, who were singers in the society of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 140)

Sri Vasudeva Datta was born in the Chittagong district of modern Bangla Desh, in the village of Chanhara, which is under the jurisdiction of the police station named Patiya. This village is situated ten kosas, or about twenty miles, from the village of Mekhala where Pundarika Vidyanidhi made his home. Mahaprabhu’s associate Mukunda Datta was Vasudeva Datta’s brother.

Parishad: Sri Isvara Puri

Feb 15, KUALA LUMPUR (THU) — Disappearance Day of Sri Isvara Puri.

Ishvara Puri was born in the town of Kumara Hatta on the full moon day of the month of Jyestha to a family of Brahmins hailing from Rarha. Kumara Hatta is in the 24 Paraganas district about two miles from the Halisahar train station. The town is also important for Gaudiya Vaishnavas because Srivas Pandit and his brothers moved here after Mahaprabhu took sanyassa because they were unable to tolerate all the painful reminders of Him in Nabadwip. Their home is not far from the place in the Mukhopadhyaya Para neighborhood where Ishvara Puri was born.

Ishvara Puri’s birthplace is popularly known by the name “Chaitanya Doba.” The word doba means “a pool of water”. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu passed through Kuymara Hatta on His way to Puri, He showed respect for His spiritual master by picking up some earth from the place of his birth, wrapping it in his cloth and taking it with him. Thousands of pilgrims have since followed His example, thus forming a pit that has since filled with water.

Our Eternal Guide

 

Feb 7, KUALA LUMPUR (WED) — Today is the most auspicous Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.

The following address was given as a lecture before the members of the Sri Gaudiya Math, Bombay, and was later published in the “Harmonist” in l936, on the Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura.

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri caranaravindam

“In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master”.

Gentlemen, on behalf of the members of the Bombay branch of the Gaudiya Math, let me welcome you all because you have so kindly joined us tonight in our congregational offerings of homage to the lotus feet of the world teacher, acaryadeva, who is the founder of this Gaudiya Mission and is the President-acarya of Sri Sri Visva Vaisnava Raja Sabha-I mean my eternal divine master, Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya, Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaja.

Parishad: Sri Narottama das Thakur

Feb 2,  KUALA LUMPUR (FRI) — The Appearance Day of Sri Narottama das Thakur.

akumara-brahmacari sarva-tirtha-darshi
parama-bhagavatottamah shrila-narottama-dasa

A brahmachari for his entire life, Narottama Das visited all the places of pilgrimage. He was on the highest platform of devotional achievement. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.256)

Narottama Thakur was Campaka Manjari in Krishna-lila. Eternally assisting Rupa Manjari in her service to Radha and Krishna, Campaka Manjari had mercy on the conditioned souls of this earth and appeared as Narottama in the village of Kheturi, about twelve miles from Rampur Bowaliya in the Gopalpur subdivision of Rajshahi district. This took place on the full moon day of the month of Magh sometime around the middle of the 15th century of the Shaka era.

Narottama was born on the Maghi Purnima. From that day on he thrived and grew like the waxing moon.
(Bhakti-ratnakara 1.281)

Parishad: Sri Ramanujacarya

Jan 28, KUALA LUMPUR (SUN) — Today is the Disappearance Day of Sri Ramanujacarya.

Sri Ramanuja Acarya appeared around 1017 A.D in a pious brahmana family. He became the formost Acarya in the Sri Sampradaya and was reputed to be the incarnation of Laksmana, the younger brother of Lord Ramacandra. He was a boy of extraordinary intelligence and placed himself under the charge of Yadavacarya, a renown Sankarite scholar. His guru was struck with his marvelous intellect and became very uncomfortable on account of his firm faith in Bhakti.

One day while taking a massage, Yadavacarya was explaining to Ramanuja a sutra “tasya yatha kapyasam pundarikamevamaksini” (Chandogya 1.6.7), saying that according to Sankara, the two eyes of Pundariksa are like two lotuses which are red like the nates of a monkey. On hearing this interpretation with the unbecoming and low simile, Ramanuja’s soft heart, tender by nature and softened by devotion, melted and as he was massaging, tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes like flames of fire and fell on the thigh of Yadava. Looking up at the touch of the hot tears, Yadava understood that something troubled his disciple. Ramanuja explained his dismay at hearing such an unbecoming explanation from his guru. He thought it sinful to compare with the posterior of a monkey the eyes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead - who is endowed with all gracious qualities and who is the repository of all the beauty of the universe. Yadava was angry at the boy’s audacity and told him to explain the verse if he could. Ramanuja analysed the word kapyasam to mean `blossomed by the sun’ and the verse to mean “The eyes of that Golden Purusa are as lovely as lotuses blossomed by the rays of the sun.”

Sri Madhvacarya

Jan 27, KUALA LUMPUR (SAT) — Today is the Disappearance Day of Sri Madhvacarya.

Madhvacarya was born around 1238 A.D. eight miles south-east of the modern town of Udipi, in the Karnataka State. He is reputed to be the incarnation of Bhima, taking birth in Kali-yuga to destroy the daityas. Others refer to him as Vayu himself and it was his life’s mission to defeat the followers of Sankaracarya.

He was born in the family of very elevated brahmanas and from his early childhood performed many amazing pastimes, such as the killing of a huge serpentine demon named Maniman, simply with the big toe of his left foot.

He was born in the family of very elevated brahmanas and from his early childhood performed many amazing pastimes, such as the killing of a huge serpentine demon named Maniman, simply with the big toe of his left foot.

Madhava was only eight years old when he received spiritual initiation and at the age of twelve he accepted the sannyasa order and began to travel the length and breadth of India.

Parishad: Srimad Advaita Acharya

Jan 25,  KUALA LUMPUR (THU) — The Appearance Day of Srimad Advaita Acharya.

vraje avesha-rupatvad vyuho yo’pi sadashivah
sa evadvaita-gosvami caitanyabhinna-vigrahah

Sadashiva, an expansion of the supreme lord in Vraja, is here known as Advaita Acharya. He is non-different from Chaitanya.
(Gaura-ganoddesha- dipika 76)

yash ca gopala-dehah san vraje krishnasya sannidhau
nanarta shri-shiva-tantre bhairavasya vaco yatha
ekada karttike masi dipa-yatra-mahotsave
sa-ramah saha-gopalah krishno nrityati yatnavan
nirikshya mad-gurur devo gopa-bhavabhilashavan
priyena nartitum arabdhash cakra-bhramana-lilaya
shri-krishnasya prasadena dvi-vidho’bhut sadashivah
ekas tatra shivah sakshad anyo gopala-vigrahah

In Vraja, he took the form of a cowherd boy and danced alongside Krishna. This is stated by Bhairava in the Shivatantra: “Once, during the Divali festival in the month of Karttik, my guru Shankaradeva saw Krishna dancing with Balaram and the cowherd boys. He became desirous of becoming a cowherd boy himself and he began to dance, spinning like a whirling wheel for Krishna’s pleasure.” Thus, by Krishna’s mercy, Sadashiva plays two different roles in Vraja, in one he is Shiva himself, in the other, he is a cowherd boy.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 77-80)

Parishad: Sri Locana das Thakur

Jan 11,  KUALA LUMPUR (THU) — Disappearance Day of Sri Locana das Thakur

Lochan Das Thakur was born in 1523 in Kogram, in the Katwa block of Burdwan district. This village is about ten miles north of Guskara train station. The Thakur’s home is situated near the Ajaya River.

His birth tithi is given by some as the first day of the fortnight of the waxing moon in Paush. He was born in the Rarha clan of the physician caste (vaidya). His father’s name was Kamalakar Das, his mother’s Sadanandi. Lochan Das studied at his maternal grandfather’s house. He displayed devotion for Mahaprabhu from his childhood.

Parishad: Sri Jayadeva Gosvami

Jan 9, KUALA LUMPUR (TUE) — Disappearance Day of Sri Jayadeva Gosvami

Sri Jayadeva Goswami appeared in either the eleventh or twelfth century of the Shaka era. There is a difference of opinion about his place of birth. The majority opinion holds that he ailed from the village of Kendubilva, presently in the district of Birbhum. Others claim that he was born in either Orissa or South India.

Kendubilva is situated about twenty miles south of Siuri on the banks of the Ajaya River. In the Gaudiya Vaisnava Abhidhana, it is stated that Jayadeva found his Radha Madhava deities in this river’s waters. It is also stated there that he used to rest and worship at the temple of Shiva known as Kusheshwar, which is also on the banks of the Ajaya River. Jayadeva’s father was named Bhojadeva and his mother, Vama Devi.