by Haripada dasa

In general, people think that love means giving in love affairs as much as they
receive from the other person, they are simply business deals, selfish or self-
centered, and when this fails, violence enters, and they kill each other. Sincere love
can be seen when parents love their children despite their children’s rejection.

Then there are the self-satisfied people, they do not require anybody’s love, these
people are absorbed in thoughts about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
thus they do not care if someone loves them or not, these people are oceans of
mercy, and they try to help human society so that people become pure devotees of
God or Krishna, these people are full of love for God or Krishna, and as there are
only God AND His energies, naturally they love everyone already.

Everything, to understand this point there are two examples, when one waters the
root of a plant, the branches, stems, leaves and flowers naturally benefit and by
feeding the stomach, all the senses are satisfied. The goal of human life is to
awaken the latent love that we all have for God or Krishna, and God or Krishna
reciprocates giving us bliss, spiritual knowledge and eternity.

Unfortunately, there are ungrateful people, it is said that they are insensitive, and
they rebel against superior people, which means that they receive favors from their
parents or the spiritual master, and even then, they neglect them. Srila Prabhupada
said that relationships between devotees should be based on LOVE AND TRUST,
and by establishing these relationships wonderful things will be done to serve and
please God or Krishna and His devotees. In spiritual relationships based on love
and trust there is harmony and happiness, there is no selfishness or envy, and in
material relationships there is only selfishness, envy and a lot of suffering.

Trust is lost when there is betrayal. Trust is only possible between pure devotees of
God or Krishna, because only devotees of God or Krishna have good qualities,
materialistic and atheistic people do not have good qualities, we see in practice that
they fight each other for nothing. The relationships between materialists and
atheists are based on deceiving each other, everyone understands and accepts that
materialists and atheists are scammers.

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 [Māyāpura, West Bengal, India Time]

Akshaya Tritiya

(1) Lord Parashurama appeared on this day

(2) The holy river Ganges descended on Earth from the heavens on this day.

(3) This day marks the beginning of Treta-yuga

(4) Lord Krishna’s childhood friend Sudama, visited Dwarka to him and offered him a humble gift of poha (rice flakes). Therefore, Vaishnavas (worshippers of lord Vishnu) fast throughout the day and open their fasts with rice.

(5) The Pandavas received Akshaya Patra from the Sun God

(6) Sage Vedvyasa initiated the recital of the great Indian epic Mahabharata and Lord Ganesha, hearing each verse with devotion, inscribed it without pause.

(7) Kubera received his wealth and position as custodian of wealth,

(8) Goddess Annapoorna Devi appeared on this day.

(9) Banke Bihari Charan Darshan show’s one’s in a year on this day

(10) Chandan yatra begins on this day

(11) Making of Jagannath Rath Begins on this day

(12) Srila Prabhupada Incorporated The League of Devotees (Srila Prabhupada is the founder-acharya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Before starting ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada incorporated a society in India, called The League of Devotees, at Jhansi on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya (16th May) in the year 1953.

(13) Badrinath Darshan begins on this day (In Badrinath, the temples of Gangotri and Yamunotri are closed during winter. On the day of Akshaya Tritiya the shrines re-open for the pilgrims.)

(14) Adi Shankaracharya composed Kanakadhara Stotram on this day

(15) Narasimha Murti Darshan Divas in Simhachalam ( andhra pradesh): Simhachalam is the abode of Lord Narasimha. Here the Deity of Lord Narasimha is always covered with sandal paste. On the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, the sandal paste is removed and abhisheka is performed. This is the only day on which the devotees will get to see the form of the Lord. On the same day in evening, the Deity is again covered with sandal paste.

(16) In the temple of Kshira-chora Gopinatha (Remuna, Odisha) the Deities of Madana-mohana, Govinda and Gopinatha are smeared with sandalwood pulp on this auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya.

The day known as Aksaya-tritiya occurs on the third (tritiya) day of the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha. Every second of this blessed day is completely auspicious, and so there is no consideration of any one period (muhurta) being better than another.

Aksaya means “inexhaustible”; no ending or impediment. Anything a person undertakes on the day of Aksaya-tritiya is bound to succeed, especially the performance of devotional activities, which guarantee inexhaustible benefit. So it’s considered a good day for new initiatives.

Any donation made on this day for the right cause is declared to yield inexhaustible results. Devotees consider this day as a reminder to surrender whatever they have in the service of Lord Krishna.

Things that can be done particularly on this day:

1. Read & recite from Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.
2. Distribute Prasadam
3. Offer charity to worthy recipients.
4. Begin a commitment to practice spiritual life, for eg. start chanting.
5. Visit the vaishnava temple.

Many people also purchase gold, silver, property, etc on this day.

Read More: https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=35245

Sunday, 27 April 2025 [Māyāpura, West Bengal, India Time]

Sri Gadadhar Pandit Appearance Day

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 10.15 (1973 Edition) . All Synonyms, Translation and Purport by his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:

বড় শাখা,—গদাধর পণ্ডিত–গোসাঞি ।
তেঁহো লক্ষ্মীরূপা, তাঁর সম কেহ নাই ॥ ১৫ ॥
baḍa śākhā, — gadādhara paṇḍita-gosāñi
teṅho lakṣmī-rūpā, tāṅra sama keha nāi

Synonyms
baḍa śākhā — big branch; gadādhara paṇḍita-gosāñi — the descendants or disciplic succession of Gadādhara Paṇḍita; teṅho — Gadādhara Paṇḍita; lakṣmī-rūpā — incarnation of the pleasure potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa; tāṅra — his; sama — equal; keha — anyone; nāi — there is none.

Translation
Gadādhara Paṇḍita, the fourth branch, is described as an incarnation of the pleasure potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. No one, therefore, can equal him.

Purport
In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā verses 147 through 153 it is stated, “The pleasure potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa formerly known as Vṛndāvaneśvarī is now personified in the form of Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī has pointed out that in the shape of Lakṣmī, the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, she was formerly very dear to the Lord as Śyāmasundara-vallabhā. The same Śyāmasundara-vallabhā is now present as Gadādhara Paṇḍita. Formerly, as Lalitā-sakhī, she was always devoted to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. In the Twelfth chapter of this part of Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a description of the descendants or disciplic succession of Gadādhara Paṇḍita.

Read More: https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=15459

Ekadashi Reminder

Thursday, 24 April 2025 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India Time]

Varuthini Ekadashi fasting from grains and beans. Kindly avoid tea, coffee, etc., as well.

Keep the fast and chant more rounds of the Maha Mantra for the pleasure of Krishna.

Wishing you a Happy Ekadashi!

Wednesday, 23 April 2025 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India Time]

Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura Disappearance Day

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 11.55 (1973 Edition). All Synonyms, Translation and Purport by his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

ভাগবতে কৃষ্ণলীলা বর্ণিলা বেদব্যাস ।
চৈতন্য–লীলাতে ব্যাস—বৃন্দাবন দাস ॥ ৫৫ ॥
bhāgavate kṛṣṇa-līlā varṇilā vedavyāsa
caitanya-līlāte vyāsa — vṛndāvana dāsa

Synonyms
bhāgavate — in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; kṛṣṇa-līlā — the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa; varṇilā — described; veda-vyāsa — Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva; caitanya-līlāte — in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyāsa — Vedavyāsa; vṛndāvana dāsa — Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.

Translation
Śrīla Vyāsadeva described the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Vyāsa of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was Vṛndāvana dāsa.

Purport
Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura was an incarnation of Vedavyāsa and also a friendly cowherd boy named Kusumāpīḍa in kṛṣṇa-līlā. In other words, the author of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, the son of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s niece Nārāyaṇī, was a combined incarnation of Vedavyāsa and the cowherd boy Kusumāpīḍa. There is a descriptive statement by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in his commentary on Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata giving the biographical details of the life of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.

Read More: https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=12701

Sunday, 20 April 2025 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India Time]

Śrī Abhirāma Ṭhākura Disappearance

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 11.13 (1973 Edition). All Synonyms, Translation and Purport by his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

শ্রীরামদাস আর, গদাধর দাস ।চৈতন্য–গোসাঞির ভক্ত রহে তাঁর পাশ ॥ ১৩ ॥

śrī-rāmadāsa āra, gadādhara dāsacaitanya-gosāñira bhakta rahe tāṅra pāśa

Synonyms

śrī-rāmadāsa — Śrī Rāmadāsa; āra — and; gadādhara dāsa — Gadādhara dāsa; caitanya-gosāñira — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhakta — devotees; rahe — stay; tāṅra pāśa — with Him.

Translation

Two devotees of Lord Caitanya named Śrī Rāmadāsa and Gadādhara dāsa always lived with Śrī Vīrabhadra Gosāñi.

Purport

Śrī Rāmadāsa, later known as Abhirāma Ṭhākura, was one of the twelve gopālas, or cowherd boyfriends, of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā verse 126, states that Śrī Rāmadāsa was formerly Śrīdāmā. In the Bhakti-ratnākara Chapter Four, there is a description of Śrīla Abhirāma Ṭhākura. By the order of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Abhirāma Ṭhākura became a great ācārya and preacher of the Caitanya cult of devotional service. He was a very influential personality, and nondevotees were very much afraid of him. Empowered by Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, he was always in ecstasy and was extremely kind to all fallen souls. It is said that if he offered obeisances to any stone other than a śālagrāma-śilā, it would immediately fracture.

Ten miles southwest of the railway station Cāṅpāḍāṅgā on the narrow gauge railway line from Howrah, in Calcutta, to Āmtā, a village in the Hugli district, is a small town named Khānākūla-kṛṣṇanagara, where the temple of Abhirāma Ṭhākura is situated. During the rainy season, when this area is inundated with water, people must go there by another line, which is now called the southeastern railway. On this line there is a station named Kolāghāṭa, from which one has to go by steamer to Rāṇīcaka. Seven and a half miles north of Rāṇīcaka is Khānākūla. The temple of Abhirāma Ṭhākura is situated in Kṛṣṇanagara, which is near the kūla (bank) of the Khānā (Dvārakeśvara River); therefore this place is celebrated as Khānākūla-kṛṣṇanagara. Outside of the temple is a bakula tree. This place is known as Siddha-bakula-kuñja. It is said that when Abhirāma Ṭhākura came there, he sat down under this tree.

In Khānākūla-kṛṣṇanagara there is a big fair held every year in the month of Caitra (March-April) on the Kṛṣṇa-saptamī, the seventh day of the dark moon. Many hundreds and thousands of people gather for this festival. The temple where Abhirāma Ṭhākura worshiped has a very old history. The Deity in the temple is known as Gopīnātha. There are many sevaita families living near the temple. It is said that Abhirāma Ṭhākura had a whip and that whoever he touched with it would immediately become an elevated devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Among his many disciples, Śrīmān Śrīnivāsa Ācārya was the most famous and the most dear, but it is doubtful that he was his initiated disciple.”

Read More: https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=30046

Tamal Krsna Goswami: Actually, Prabhupada never appointed any gurus. He didn’t appoint eleven gurus. He appointed eleven ritviks. He never appointed them gurus. Myself and the other GBC have done the greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we interpreted the appointment of ritviks as the appointment of gurus.

[…] YOU CANNOT SHOW ME ANYTHING ON TAPE OR IN WRITING WHERE PRABHUPĀDA SAYS: ‘I APPOINT THESE ELEVEN AS GURUS.’ IT DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE HE NEVER APPOINTED ANY GURUS. THIS IS A MYTH…”

ahany ahani lokāni
gacchantīha yama-mandiram
śeṣāḥ sthitam icchanti kim
āścaryam ataḥ param

The Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja asked by Dharmaraja that “What is the most wonderful thing in this world?” he said, “This is the most wonderful thing.” What is that? Ahany ahani lokāni gacchantīha yama… “Every moment people are dying.” Lokani, every planet. Not that in this planet there is death; in other planet there is no death. No. Within this material world every planet, either Brahmā or the small, insignificant ant, must die. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha doṣānudarśanam [Bg. 13.9]. Everyone has to die. There is no excuse. So, and still they are planning permanent settlement. So, this is their vimūḍhaka.

Anyone who is engaged in preaching this confidential science of Bhagavad-gītā,” na ca tasmād manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ, “nobody is dearer to Me than he is.” So if you want very quickly recognition by Kṛṣṇa, go on preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if it imperfectly done, but because you are sincere in your capa…, whatever capacity you have got, if you preach, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased.

I have seen practically. In my Guru Mahārāja’s day there was a paper, Dainika Nadiyā Prakāsh. It was being published daily, a piece of paper, just like I was publishing Back to Godhead. And if a small brahmacārī would go to Navadvīpa and would sell a few copies, one paisa a copy, that would be taken as a great preaching by Guru Mahārāja: “Oh, you have sold five copies? Very good.” Because people are so reluctant—they are not at all interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—therefore we become very much engladdened when we see that some of our books and literatures are sold. They will read and be benefited.

So this is the mission of high-class Vaiṣṇava, how to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness among the suffering humanity, and this is the purport of this verse said by Prahlāda Mahārāja, and we are following the footprints of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Never mind even it is imperfectly done, we must execute the orders of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. I may not be so very expert in delivering the message of Kṛṣṇa, but my duty is to try to my best capacity how to distribute this knowledge to the suffering humanity.

Thank you very much.

(Excerpt from Śrīla Prabhupāda lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.44 — Delhi, March 26, 1976)

🔗 Link to the full lecture: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/7/9/44/delhi/march/26/1976

Wednesday, 09 April 2025 [Mayapura, West Bengal, India Time]

Paksha vardhini Mahadvadashi. Fasting for Kamada Ekadashi.

Fast from grains and beans and kindly avoid tea, coffee, etc., as well.

Keep the fast and chant more rounds of the Maha Mantra for the pleasure of Krishna.

Wishing you a Happy Ekadashi!