Krishna carnival lights up London

The chariots were pulled by rope through the streets of central London

Londoners are used to seeing juggernauts rumbling through their streets, but this was a very different kind of heavy traffic.

It was a riot of colour in the heart of the capital - three 40-foot-high wooden chariots pulled from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, accompanied by a colourful crowd singing, chanting and dancing their way along the route.

Britain’s Hare Krishnas were holding their 40th annual Rathayatra Carnival of Chariots, a street festival which brings together a mixture of devotees and bemused onlookers.

The ancient ceremony originates in Jagannatha Puri in India - giving British colonial forces a new word to describe a huge, lumbering vehicle.

Snana Yatra 2008 in Singapore

BY MADAN MOHAN

Hare Krsna prabhus and matajis.

Sometimes the living entities make plans to the best of their abilities. But as many of us would have realized, only if the Lord sanctions, will the plans materialize. But The Lord being the best friend and well wisher of all gives more than planned when devotees come up with sincere spiritual plans. This is what the devotees from Singapore realized with regards to the Snana Yatra festival for this year. It all began as the devotees started planning and working hard to conduct Jagannath’s Snana Yatra festival. Announcements were made, and a total of 1500 invitations were sent out to the public. Snana Yatra was going to take place on a weekday and, as such the devotees intensified the publicity. In Singapore not many people get the time to do anything else other than work on a weekday. But this stereotyped situation was about to change by the mercy of the Lord of the Universe.

Appearance of Nityananda Prabhu

Feb 19, KUALA LUMPUR (TUE) — In honour of Lord Balarama’s appearance as Sri Nityananda.
Caitanya Bhagavat, Adi Lila 9

BY VRNDAVANA DASA
All glories to Sri Krishna Caitanya, the unlimited ocean of mercy. All glories to Lord Nityananda, the dearest friend of the distressed.
All glories to Lord Caitanya, the life’s treasure and soul of Sri Advaita Acarya, and the priceless treasure house of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. All glories to Lord Visvambhara, the son of Sri Jagannatha Misra and Mother Saci. All glories to all the devotees who are such dear associates of the Lord.
Lord Ananta Sesha appeared in the Radha district on an order given previously by Sri Chaitanya. He remained in the material world according to Mahaprabhu’s transcendental desire.
Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the Lord of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, appeared in the village of Ekacakra. His father was a brahmana named Hadai Pandita and his mother was Srimati Padmavati devi.

Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava

Srila Prabhupada with his Sannyasa Guru,
Sri Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami

Sep 26, KUALA LUMPUR (WED) — The observance day of Srila Prahbupada taking Sannyasa.

 

 

 

 

The following is a lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on October 21, 1968 in Seattle, when he was informed in a letter from Srila Narayana Maharaja that his sannyasa-guru had departed from this world.

“One has to accept the renounced order from another person who is in renounced order. So I never thought that I shall accept this renounced order of life. In my family life, when I was in the midst of my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming that my spiritual master was calling me, and I was following him. When my dream was over, I was thinking - I was little horrified: “Oh, Guru Maharaja wants me to become sannyasi. How can I accept sannyasa?” At that time, I was feeling not very much satisfaction that I will have to give up my family and become a mendicant. At that time, it was a horrible feeling. Sometimes I was thinking, “No, I cannot take sannyasa.” But again I saw the same dream.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s Appearance

Sep 25, KUALA LUMPUR (TUE) — Today is the glorious Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

The Appearance of Vamanadev

Sep 24, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Today is Vamana Dvadasi, the auspicious Appearance Day of Vamana Avatar.

The fifth among the Dasavatara is Sri Vamana-avatara. There are innumerable lila-avataras. Among them are twenty-five chief lila-avataras of which Sri Vamanadeva is the eighteenth. All the lila-avataras have been mentioned in the previous description of Matsya-avatara. Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the original catur-vyuha, or original four expanded forms of Sri Krishna in Dvaraka. They are prabhava-vilasa (four-handed forms) of Sri Krishna. The majestic expansion of Sri Krishna, Narayana, who resides in Vaikuntha, also has His catur-vyuha, which is known as the second manifestation of four expanded forms. Each form of this second catur-vyuha again expands into three forms. Among the first manifestation of expanded forms, Pradyumna expands into three forms known as Trivikrama, Vamana and Sridhara. Thus, each form of the second catur-vyuha expands into three forms, which totals twelve, and These are the Presiding Deities of the twelve months.

Sri Radhashtami Celebrations in Mayapur

BY SHYAMAGOPIKA DEVI DASI

September 21, MAYAPUR (FRI)
“If you want to see Yama duta or the messengers of death, don’t observe Radhashtami. If you wish to attain Krishna, try to do some service to please Radharani. Radhe…”with his powerful and giant Kartal HH Jayapataka Swami loudly calls Jay Radhe, devotees at Srimad Bhagavatham class wonders their fortune to have this mercy of Srimati Radharani, to engage in her services at Sri Mayapur dham.

Maharaja points out how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as combined form of Sri Radha and Krishna, was so merciful to deliver this process of loving devotional service. He urges everyone to take this process very seriously and make their vows on this day.Maharaja finishes his special Srimad Bhagavatham class on Sri Radharani inthe morning before Darshan Arthi.

Nitai Gaur Premanande!!.

Srimati Radharani’s Appearance Day

Radharani’s Lotus Feet, ISKCON Bangalore

Sep 20, KUALA LUMPUR (THU) — A Radhastami day lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prahbupada, September 18, 1969, London.

Srila Prabhupada: (chants mangalacarana prayers) Today is birth, appearance day of Srimati Radharani, Radhastami. Fifteen days after Krsna’s birth, Radharani appeared. (pause) Radharani is Krsna’s pleasure potency. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih. The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has got varieties of energies, as it is confirmed in the Vedic literature. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. The Supreme Lord has nothing to do personally. Na tasya karyam. He has nothing to do. Just like here in this material world we find some very big man, political head or business head; personally, he has nothing to do. Because he has got so many assistants, secretaries, that personally he hasn’t got to do anything. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences, why He will have to do something? No. He has got many assistants. Sarvatah pani-padas tat. In the Bhagavad-gita: “He has got everywhere His hands and legs.

A Janmastami Glorification of Sri Krsna

Eight poems glorifying Sri Krsna by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti. Translated by Sriman Kusakratha dasa.

Sri Gopaladevashtaka

Eight Prayers Glorifying Sri Gopaladeva

Text 1

madhura-mridula-cittah prema-matraika-vittah
svajana-racita-vesah prapta-sobha-viseshah
vividha-manimayalankaravan sarva-kalam
sphuratu hridi sa eva srila-gopaladevah

May Srila Gopaladeva, whose heart is charming and gentle, for whom pure love is the only wealth, who wears garments and made by His devotees, who is splendidly handsome, and who wears many kinds of jewel ornaments, eternally appear in my heart.

Rathayatra Wakes up Puri

BY SARABHANGA

Jul 18, PURI, ORISSA (WED) — Rathayatra festival reports from Jagannatha Puri.

 

The hugely majestic and colorfully decorated chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Goddess Subadhra drawn by lakhs of frenzied devotees, moved along the road to Gundicha temple after the conduct of rituals associated with the world famous Rathayatra here.

The sea of humanity, as it is often described, surged forward as the deities came out of their abode to mingle with commoners and proceed on their annual sojourn to Gundicha. Amidst chants of slokas, traditional music and dance the rituals were completed almost as per schedule. The pahandi carrying the deities out of the temple, their swaying mesmerized one and all, including the foreigners for whom, it is the only chance to see the deities (entry to the temple is banned for them).

Over a Million Witness Chariot Festival in Orissa

SOURCE: IANS

Jul 17, PURI, ORISSA (TUES)— More than an estimated million people yesterday witnessed the world famous Rath Yatra, the annual chariot festival, with devotees driven to a frenzy to catch a glimpse of the chariots. Residents clad in saffron and foreigners, members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), were part of the sea of people.

The chorused chant of hymns, beating of the traditional drums and other musical instruments and the roar of the teeming crowds were loud enough to drown the roar of the waves by the seashore. “As pulling of chariot is restricted after evening, it couldn’t be pulled up to Gundicha temple. The chariot which is half-a-km away from the temple will be again pulled today morning,” a temple official said.

“The unique annual event has caught on in different parts of the country, but the celebration at Puri continues to be special as the triad comes out and is visible to those who are normally barred from entering the temple,” Surya Narayan Rath Sharma, a Jagannath cult researcher said.

Holiest Month - Purushottama

BY RASHBEHARIDAS

May 15, CALCUTTA, INDIA (TUE) — Starting from May 17th, 2007.

This is a summary of a discourse on the significance of Purushottama-month, by HIs Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, President-Acharya of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math.

vande navaghana-syam dvibhujam murlidharam
pitambardharam devam saradham purusottamam

“I offer my obeisances to Navaganasyam (Krsna, who has the color of a fresh rain cloud), who is holding the flute with His two hands. I worship Purusottama who is so beautiful in His yellow dress (pitambhara).” “I pray for the causeless mercy of my Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami, to give me strength, to sing the glories of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna and His personal associates, to purify my mind and to get exclusive one-pointed devotion to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. I pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances to my most revered siksa gurus and I pay my due respects to all who are present here.

By the will of the Supreme Lord we have come back to India during this month of Purusottama, which is actually the holiest month.

Lord Caitanya is also Lord Nrsimha

BY PAYONIDHI DASA

Apr 28, MARYLAND, USA (SAT) — In the Caitanya Bhagavat we find this interesting verse:

gadadhara parena summukha bhagavata
suniya prakase prabhu prema-bhava yata
prahlada-caritra, ara dhruvera-caritra
sata-vrtti kariya sunena sarhita

“Whenever Sri Gadadhara would recite the Prahlada-caritra and Dhruva-caritra from Bhagavatam, the Lord would manifest various symptoms of love. The Lord would hear the glories of Prahlada and Dhruva hundreds of times.”
(Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya.10.13-14)

Srila Prabhupada’s Gifts to Malaysia

BY ADI PURUSHA KRISHNA DASA

Apr 25, KUALA LUMPUR (WED) - Srila Prabhupada arrived in Kuala Lumpur today in 1971. People in Malaysia today are reaping the benefits of Srila Prabhupada’s presence there thirty years ago

Yearning to spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe fourteen times. His travels took him to parts of Southeast Asia, including Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Some countries welcomed him with open arms and accorded him full honors. In Malaysia, for example, the sole Indian minister in the cabinet, Tun V. T. Sambanthan, took a personal interest in Srila Prabhupada’s travel schedule and offered to help in many ways.

Jahnu-saptami

BY JAYA VIJAYA DASA

Apr 23, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Today marks the observance of Jahnu-saptami.

The following was taken from “Our Merciful Mother Ganga” (page 377): “Ganga-saptami or Jahnu-saptami appears in the month of Vaisakha (Vaisnava month of Madhusudana-April/May) on the 7th day of Sukla-paksa, or the waxing fortnight of the full moon. After the Ganga descended onto the Himalayas, the river entered the sacrificial arena of Jahnu Rsi and distributed his mediation.

Akshaya Tritiiya

BY JEYANTHY PILLAI

Apr 20, KUALA LUMPUR  (FRI) - Candana yatra starts on this day, which is celebrated as well as the day on which treta yuga began. Barley, one of the main ingredients for homa, which is the yuga dharma of Treta Yuga, was also created on this day. Ganga devi also descended to earth on this day. Many common people have special puja on this day. One should bathe in a sacred river, give charity, perform japa and offer barley in a sacred fire, and offer barley preparations to the deity. Akshaya Tritiya day is the very auspicious day - there’s no inauspiciousness to be found today so even checking muhurthas is considered unnecessary, so auspicious it is. Whatever one does for devotees, and for Krsna that person will get more benefit and it is eternal benefit and never lost. 

He said one story of a brahmana: there was a brahmana who had a very good wife and was poor. Whatever little money he got would get spent somehow. Also he did not have children. So under the strong request of his wife he went to Vasishta muni to know the reason for his suffering.Vasishta muni told him that in his previous life he was very rich and also had many children. But he was very stingy, he was not even spending for his own children. This is the reason for his being poor, also without children.

The Life of Tulasi Devi

Apr 15, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Saligrama Tulsi Jala Dana starts today. The Life of Tulasi Devi from Brahma Vaivraata Purana, on this auspicious observance of Tulasi and Shaligram Jala Dan.

Chapter One - THE APPEARANCE OF TULASI DEVI

Narada Muni asked Lord Narayana, “O Bhagavan! How did the pure, chaste Tulasi Devi become Your wife? Where was she born? Who was she in her previous birth? What family did she come from? And what austerities did she perform to get You as her husband–You, who are above the material energy, not subject to change, the Cosmic Self, the Supreme God, the Lord of all, omniscient, the cause of all, omnipresent, container and preserver of all. And how did Tulasi Devi, Your chief goddess, become a tree? O You who resolve all doubts, my mind is curious to know all about these points; therefore, it compels me to ask you these questions. Kindly remove these doubts from my mind.”

Rama Navami Celebrations Mayapur - The Children Steal the Show

 

Mar 26, CANADA (SUN) — Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Lord Ramacandra’s auspicious Appearance Day, March 27, 1969, Hawaii.

Lord Rama on Horseback
Raghugarh, Rajasthan c. 1750-1775

Prabhupada: (Chants Mangalacarana prayers)

ramadi murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“This is a verse from Brahma-samhita in which the incarnation of Lord Ramacandra is described. Ramadi. Not only Rama, but there are many other, innumerable incarnations. They are compared with the waves of a river. As the waves of the river or the waves of the ocean cannot be counted, similarly, how many incarnations are there of the Supreme Lord it is not possible to count. But out of them, the principal names are mentioned in the sastras. Therefore it is said ramadi. Ramadi means Rama and also other, many incarnations. And they are existing. Not that one incarnation appeared and it is finished. No. Not like that. Just like Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet, say millions of years before. He appeared in the Treta-yuga. Treta-yuga means… We have passed only five thousand years of this age, Kali-yuga. Before that, there was Dvapara-yuga. Dvapara-yuga means 800,000 years. And before that, there was Treta-yuga, which continued for twelve hundred thousands of years. That means at least two million years before Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet.”

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March 26, 2007

Lord Ramacandra’s Nrisimha-Panchamrita

Filed under: Special Days — jeyanthy @ 7:08 am

BY LILA DEVI DASI  Mar 28, MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL (WED) — “In our childhood we had the occasion of taking part in a drama, Caitanya-Lila. I took the part of Advaita, and our friends, others, somebody took the part of Caitanya, Nityananda. So that drama was so successful, it was unique in Calcutta. Because we were not, we were not professionals. I saw from the stage a huge gathering, they’re all crying. I was surprised, “Why these people are crying?” You see? It was great successful, because we were not professionals. We were not devotees at that time, but some of us were devotee by family tradition, but not exactly what is actually meant by devotee. But still, because we were not professionals, the drama was so successful, unique.” (Srila Prabhupada, Conversations, Montreal, August 26, 1968) Comments (1) March 27, 2007 Srila Prabhupada on Sri Rama Navami Filed under: Special Days — jeyanthy @ 8:15 am

BY PAYONIDHI DASA Mar 25, MARYLAND, USA (SUN) — [These prayers are from the 47th chapter of the Harivamsa Purana which narrates the story of Lord Ramacandra's visit to the holy place of Ahobilam to see the Deity of Nrisimha, where Lord Nrisimha appeared and saved His devotee Prahlada.] ahobalam narasimham gatva ramah pratapavan namaskutya sri nrisimham astaushit kamala patim The glorious Rama once visited Ahobala where He saw the Deity of Lord Nrisimha. He offered His obeisances to Lord Kamalapati (husband of the Goddess of Fortune) and prayed as follows. Comments (0) Older Posts » Home IskconKL Recent Posts Klang’s “Gopal’s Fun School” organizes mini Ratha Yatra for children Official Statement from Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna carnival lights up London Flower Palace in Nandagram Snana Yatra 2008 in Singapore Categories Damodara Ekadasi India International Jaladuta Diary Local Misc Pandava Sena - Youth Parishad Pastimes Philosophy SP Padma-vakya Special Days Stories Voice - University   July 2008 S M T W T F S « Jun       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31   Search for: Recent Comments rajani dasi on Helena dreams about Srila… Krishnadas on Vrindavan-Mayapur Ganga Voyage… Jitender Sahni on Lord Shiva’s Pastimes wi… Sree Krishna Kanth D… on Krishna’s Gopi Asso… jeyanthy on Think Before You Eat jeyanthy on University College Sedaya Inte… jeyanthy on The Devis and Demons jeyanthy on Krishna’s Gopi Asso… jeyanthy on UNITEN - Shivarathri Jonathan Crane on Was Taj Mahal a Vedic Tem… ganesh on Amazing fire display at Iskcon… Sivan (devotee) on UNITEN - Shivarathri Roshnie on University College Sedaya Inte… Krsna Kris on Muslim Clerics Boycott ISKCON… rajeshparasa on Krishna’s Gopi Asso… Top Posts Was Taj Mahal a Vedic Temple? Krishna's Boyhood Friends Lord Shiva's Pastimes with Demons The Pattern of Hinduism and Hindu Temple Building in the U.S. Lord Ramacandra's Pastimes with the Demons The Asta-sakhis at ISKCON Tirupati ISKCON Janmastami Celebrations Can Hanuman save Rama's Underwater Bridge? Sri Radhashtami Celebrations in Mayapur Sudarshan, the King of Wheels Archives July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 July 2006 June 2006 Blog Stats 70,872 hits Blog at WordPress.com.