https://youtu.be/jjvBL79-6QI?si=y8RgZ1DJdVmrmltN

Monday, 10 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India Time]

Appearance Day of Lord Nityananda (Nityananda Trayodashi)

“So far your questions are concerned. Nityananda is the principle of the Guru. So, the Gurudeva is the incarnation of Nityananda. Anyone strictly following the instruction of the Guru is following Nityananda. The price one has to pay if he wants to become Krsna conscious is that he must dedicate himself to following the order of the spiritual master, mahat seva. If the Spiritual Master is pleased with disciple then the blessings of Guru will be there. That is the best way to become Krsna conscious, and Krsna is non-different from Nityananda. You may pray to Lord Nityananda to help you become dedicated in the service of your Guru. Krsna consciousness cannot be achieved artificially. You should approach Nityananda Prabhu through your Spiritual Master.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, October 24, 1976)

“According to Narottama das Thakura, one has to worship the Lotus Feet of Nityananda, and by His Grace one is able to worship Lord Caitanya Who transfers us back to Godhead.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 20, 1969)

“Lord Nityananda is Balarama Himself, not an expansion of Him. Srila Narottama das Thakur has sung that the Lord who appeared as the Son of Nanda Maharaj has now appeared as the son of Sachidevi; and the same Balarama has appeared as Nityananda. This is the statement of Srila Narottama das Thakur.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 8, 1969)

“Everyone is feeling some sort of anxiety due to the political condition, so I have given them a sort of hope that if they take to Krsna Consciousness their problems will be solved. It is not my mental concoction, but I believe in the words of Narottama Dasa Thakur that the shelter of the Lotus Feet of Lord Nityananda is as cooling effectively as the combined moonshine of millions of moons. So I am sure anyone taking shelter of Krsna Consciousness Movement will be happy. Please try to push this Movement on this process.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, September 2, 1970)

“Lord Nityananda when he was dealing with Jagai and Madhai maintained the maximum amount of tolerance and patience in spite of the greatest provocation. The two brothers, Jagai and Madhai, committed violence on Lord Nityananda. Even Lord Chaitanya, the author of Siksastak, became agitated. But Lord Nityananda Prabhu in the matter remained calm and quiet and delivered the two rascals to the highest elevation. We should always try to represent Lord Nityananda Prabhu in the matter of preaching work.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 9, 1967)

“Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who is famous for his poetic composition known as Prārthanā, has lamented in one of his prayers, “When will Lord Nityānanda be merciful upon me so that I will forget all material desires?” Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura confirms that unless one is freed from material desires to satisfy the needs of the body and senses, one cannot understand the transcendental abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vṛndāvana. […] In another verse Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has stated that without the causeless mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, one cannot enter into the affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa”

(Srila Prabhupada Purport on Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 5.204 | 1974 Edition)

advaita, nityānanda–caitanyera dui aṅga

aṅgera avayava-gaṇa kahiye upāṅga

“Śrī Advaita Prabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu are both plenary portions of Lord Caitanya. Thus They are the limbs [aṅgas] of His body. The parts of these two limbs are called the upāṅgas”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 3.72 | 1974 Edition)

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya āra prabhu nityānanda

yāṅhāra prakāśe sarva jagat ānanda

“The appearance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Prabhu Nityānanda has surcharged the world with happiness”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.87 | 1974 Edition)

ei candra sūrya dui parama sadaya

jagatera bhāgye gauḍe karilā udaya

“These two, the sun and moon, are very kind to the people of the world. Thus for the good fortune of all, They have appeared on the horizon of Bengal”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.102 | 1974 Edition)

Read more about Lord Nityananda in Sri Caitanya- caritamrita, Adi-lila, Chapter 5 – The Glories of Lord Nityananda Balarama: https://drive.google.com/…/1CQJLq66jOoLTqQ57vHF…/view.

Today we celebrate the Appearance of Lord Nityananda with a few select verses from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi Lila Chapter 5, entitled “The Glories of Lord Nityananda Balarama”.

“Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Śrī Nityānanda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity.” (Adi 5.1)

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarāma is His second body.” (Adi 5.4)

“That original Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared in Navadvīpa as Lord Caitanya, and Balarāma appeared with Him as Lord Nityānanda.” (Adi 5.6)

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Ādi-līlā, Chapter 5, Text 1-12

The Glories of Lord Nityānanda Balarāma

TEXT 1

vande ’nantādbhutaiśvaryaṁ
śrī-nityānandam īśvaram
yasyecchayā tat-svarūpam
ajñenāpi nirūpyate

SYNONYMS

vande—let me offer my obeisances; ananta—unlimited; adbhuta—and wonderful; aiśvaryam—whose opulence; śrī-nityānandam—unto Lord Nityānanda; īśvaram—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yasya—whose; icchayā—by the will; tat-svarūpam—His identity; ajñena—by the ignorant; api—even; nirūpyate—can be ascertained.

TRANSLATION

Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Śrī Nityānanda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity.

TEXT 2

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda
jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

SYNONYMS

jaya jaya—all glories; śrī-caitanya—to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; jaya nityānanda—all glories to Lord Nityānanda; jaya advaita-candra—all glories to Advaita Ācārya; jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda—all glories to the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TRANSLATION

All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. All glories to Lord Nityānanda. All glories to Advaita Ācārya. And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

TEXT 3

ei ṣaṭ-śloke kahila kṛṣṇa-caitanya-mahimā
pañca-śloke kahi nityānanda-tattva-sīmā

SYNONYMS

ei—this; ṣaṭ-śloke—in six verses; kahila—described; kṛṣṇa-caitanya-mahimā—the glories of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; pañca-śloke—in five verses; kahi—let me explain; nityānanda—of Lord Nityānanda; tattva—of the truth; sīmā—the limitation.

TRANSLATION

I have described the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya in six verses. Now, in five verses, I shall describe the glory of Lord Nityānanda.

TEXT 4

sarva-avatārī kṛṣṇa svayaṁ bhagavān
tāṅhāra dvitīya deha śrī-balarāma

SYNONYMS

sarva-avatārī—the source of all incarnations; kṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa; svayam—personally; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tāṅhāra—His; dvitīya—second; deha—expansion of the body; śrī-balarāma—Lord Balarāma.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarāma is His second body.

PURPORT

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the absolute Personality of Godhead, is the primeval Lord, the original form of Godhead, and His first expansion is Śrī Balarāma. The Personality of Godhead can expand Himself in innumerable forms. The forms that have unlimited potency are called svāṁśa, and forms that have limited potencies (the living entities) are called vibhinnāṁśa.

TEXT 5

eka-i svarūpa doṅhe, bhinna-mātra kāya
ādya kāya-vyūha, kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya

SYNONYMS

eka-i—one; svarūpa—identity; doṅhe—both of Them; bhinna-mātra kāya—only two different bodies; ādya—original; kāya-vyūha—quadruple expansions; kṛṣṇa-līlāra—in the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sahāya—assistance.

TRANSLATION

They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. He is the first bodily expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and He assists in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental pastimes.

PURPORT

Balarāma is a svāṁśa expansion of the Lord, and therefore there is no difference in potency between Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. The only difference is in Their bodily structure. As the first expansion of Godhead, Balarāma is the chief Deity among the first quadruple forms, and He is the foremost assistant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in His transcendental activities.

TEXT 6

sei kṛṣṇa–navadvīpe śrī-caitanya-candra
sei balarāma–saṅge śrī-nityānanda

SYNONYMS

sei kṛṣṇa—that original Kṛṣṇa; navadvīpe—at Navadvīpa; śrī-caitanya-candra—Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; sei balarāma—that Lord Balarāma; saṅge—with Him; śrī-nityānanda—Lord Nityānanda.

TRANSLATION

That original Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared in Navadvīpa as Lord Caitanya, and Balarāma appeared with Him as Lord Nityānanda.

TEXT 7

saṅkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī
garbhoda-śāyī ca payobdhi-śāyī
śeṣaś ca yasyāṁśa-kalāḥ sa nityā-
nandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ mamāstu

SYNONYMS

saṅkarṣaṇaḥ—Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa in the spiritual sky; kāraṇa-toya-śāyī—Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who lies in the Causal Ocean; garbha-uda-śāyī—Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who lies in the Garbhodaka Ocean of the universe; ca—and; payaḥ-abdhi-śāyī—Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who lies in the ocean of milk; śeṣaḥ—Śeṣa Nāga, the couch of Viṣṇu; ca—and; yasya—whose; aṁśa—plenary portions; kalāḥ—and parts of the plenary portions; saḥ—He; nityānanda-ākhya—known as Lord Nityānanda; rāmaḥ—Lord Balarāma; śaraṇam—shelter; mama—my; astu—let there be.

TRANSLATION

May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions.

PURPORT

Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī has recorded this verse in his diary to offer his respectful obeisances to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu. This verse also appears as the seventh of the first fourteen verses of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

TEXT 8

śrī-balarāma gosāñi mūla-saṅkarṣaṇa
pañca-rūpa dhari’ karena kṛṣṇera sevana

SYNONYMS

śrī-balarāma—Balarāma; gosāñi—the Lord; mūla-saṅkarṣaṇa—the original Saṅkarṣaṇa; pañca-rūpa dhari’-accepting five bodies; karena—does; kṛṣṇera—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sevana—service.

TRANSLATION

Lord Balarāma is the original Saṅkarṣaṇa. He assumes five other forms to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TEXT 9

āpane karena kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya
sṛṣṭi-līlā-kārya kare dhari’ cāri kāya

SYNONYMS

āpane—personally; karena—performs; kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya—assistance in the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sṛṣṭi-līlā—of the pastimes of creation; kārya—the work; kare—does; dhari’-accepting; cāri kāya—four bodies.

TRANSLATION

He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and He does the work of creation in four other forms.

TEXT 10

sṛṣṭy-ādika sevā,–tāṅra ājñāra pālana
’śeṣa’-rūpe kare kṛṣṇera vividha sevana

SYNONYMS

sṛṣṭi-ādika sevā—service in the matter of creation; tāṅra—His; ājñāra—of the order; pālana—execution; śeṣa-rūpe—the form of Lord Śeṣa; kare—does; kṛṣṇera—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vividha sevana—varieties of service.

TRANSLATION

He executes the orders of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the work of creation, and in the form of Lord Śeṣa He serves Kṛṣṇa in various ways.

PURPORT

According to expert opinion, Balarāma, as the chief of the original quadruple forms, is also the original Saṅkarṣaṇa. Balarāma, the first expansion of Kṛṣṇa, expands Himself in five forms: (1) Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa, (2) Kāraṇābdhiśāyī, (3) Garbhodakaśāyī, (4) Kṣīrodakaśāyī, and (5) Śeṣa. These five plenary portions are responsible for both the spiritual and material cosmic manifestations. In these five forms Lord Balarāma assists Lord Kṛṣṇa in His activities. The first four of these forms are responsible for the cosmic manifestations, whereas Śeṣa is responsible for personal service to the Lord. Śeṣa is called Ananta, or unlimited, because He assists the Personality of Godhead in His unlimited expansions by performing an unlimited variety of services. Śrī Balarāma is the servitor Godhead who serves Lord Kṛṣṇa in all affairs of existence and knowledge. Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, who is the same servitor Godhead, Balarāma, performs the same service to Lord Gaurāṅga by constant association.

TEXT 11

sarva-rūpe āsvādaye kṛṣṇa-sevānanda
sei balarāma–gaura-saṅge nityānanda

SYNONYMS

sarva-rūpe—in all these forms; āsvādaye—tastes; kṛṣṇa-sevā-ānanda—the transcendental bliss of serving Kṛṣṇa; sei balarāma—that Lord Balarāma; gaura-saṅge—with Gaurasundara; nityānanda—Lord Nityānanda.

TRANSLATION

In all the forms He tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Kṛṣṇa. That same Balarāma is Lord Nityānanda, the companion of Lord Gaurasundara.

This Article is originally published on theharekrishnamovement.org

Sunday, 09 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India Time]

Appearance Day of Lord Varāhadeva (Varāha-dvadaśī)

Srila Prabhupāda: “…lifted the world when it was submerged within the water of Garbhodaka Ocean. The universe which we are seeing, it is only half. The other half is filled with water, and in that water is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu lying. So one demon, Hiraṇyākṣa, he pushed this earthly planet within that water, and Lord Kṛṣṇa delivered this earthly planet from water in the shape of a boar. So that auspicious day is today, Varāha-dvadaśī. This is called Varāha-dvadasi. So on this day it is better to sing, to glorify the different incarnations of Lord within this universe….”

(Lord Varāha’s Appearance Day Lecture, Dasāvatāra-stotra Purport —Los Angeles, February 18, 1970)

Srila Prabhupāda: “Today, Varāha-dvādaśī, appearance of Kṛṣṇa’s taking the incarnation of Varāha, boar… Keśava dhṛta-śūkara-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare […] When keśava dhṛta-śūkara-rūpa or kesava dhṛta-varāha-rūpa does not mean that He is varāha, or He is crocodile, or He is something like… No. He’s everything. But that is not by karma.”

(Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha’s Appearance Day Lecture — Bhuvanesvara, January 31, 1977)

Srila Prabhupāda: “Jaya, as Hiraṇyākṣa, had to fight with Varāhadeva, and that same Varāhadeva is mentioned in regard to the Raivata millennium. The fighting, however, took place during the reign of the first Manu, Svāyambhuva. Therefore according to some authorities there are two Varāhas. According to others, however, Varāha appeared during the regime of Svāyambhuva Manu and stayed in the water until that of Raivata Manu. Some may doubt that this could be possible, but the answer is that everything is possible. If one could count the atoms within the universe, one could count the qualities of Lord Viṣṇu. But the atoms of the universe are impossible for anyone to count, and similarly no one can count the transcendental qualities of the Lord.”

(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.5.6 » Purport | 1976 Edition)

For more in-depth information about Lord Varāhadeva, you can refer to Srimad-Bhagavatam > Canto 3: Chapter Thirteen – The Appearance of Lord Varāha 📖: [Read here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CKQK-nwctC-sJcyIjzxpy4AF9MvYB7R1/view?usp=drivesdk )

Saturday, 08 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India Time]

Bhaimi 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!

Sri Guru Parampara

kṛṣṇa hoite catur-mukha, hoy kṛṣṇa-sevonmukha,
brahmā hoite nāradera mati
nārada hoite vyāsa, madhva kohe vyāsa-dāsa,
pūrṇaprajña padmanābha gati

nṛhari mādhava-vaḿśe, akṣobhya paramahaḿse,
śiṣya boli’ ańgīkāra kore
akṣobhyera śiṣya jaya-tīrtha nāme paricaya,
tāra dāsye jñānasindhu tore

tāhā hoite dayānidhi, tāra dāsa vidyānidhi,
rājendra hoilo tāhā ha’te
tāhāra kińkora jaya-dharma nāme paricoy,
paramparā jāno bhālo mate

jayadharma-dāsye khyāti, śrī puruṣottama-yati,
tā ha’te brahmaṇya-tīrtha sūri
vyāsatīrtha tāra dāsa, lakṣmīpati vyāsadāsa,
tāhā ha’te mādhavendra-purī

mādhavendra purī-bara, śiṣya-bara śrī-īśvara,
nityānanda, śrī-advaita vibhu
īśvara-purīke dhanya, korilena śrī-caitanya,
jagad-guru gaura mahāprabhu

mahāprabhu śrī-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya,
rūpānuga janera jīvana
viśvambhara priyańkara, śrī-svarūpa dāmodaro,
śrī-gosvāmī rūpa-sonātan

rūpa-priya mahājana, jīva, raghunātha hana,
tāra priya kavi kṛṣṇadāsa
kṛṣṇadāsa-priya-boro, narottama sevā-paro,
yāra pada viśvanātha āśa

viśvanātha-bhakta-sātha, baladeva jagannātha,
tāra priya śrī-bhaktivinoda
mahā-bhāgavata-boro, śrī-gaurakiśora-boro,
hari-bhajanete yāra moda

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-borā, sadā sevya-sevā parā,
tāhāra doyita-dāsa-nām
tāra pradhān pracārako, śrī-bhaktivedānta nāmako,
pṛthivite gaura-vāṇi bhitore

ei saba-hari-jana, gaurāńgera nija-jana
ta’ der ucchiṣṭe mor kāma

Lord Kṛṣṇa enlightened the four-faced Brahmā with the devotional science, which Brahmā then passed on to Nārada Muni. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Second Canto, Ninth Chapter, the history of how Lord Brahmā received initiation directly from Kṛṣṇa is explained. Brahmā found himself in the midst of darkness. He tried to explore the dark universe by traveling down the stem of the lotus planet of his birth, but, being only a jīva with limited senses, intellect, and power, he failed to find more than darkness. Brahmā then heard the syllables ta and pa from outside the covering of the universe, and following this instruction, he per- formed tapasya, or penance, by which the spiritual realm was revealed to him. The four seed verses of the Bhāgavatam were transmitted by the Lord Himself to Brahmā. The conclusion is that Brahmā could not understand anything by his own attempt; only by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s revelation could Brahmā get absolute knowledge.

Lord Brahmā took to the disciplic succession naturally. He initiated Nārada Muni, who in turn initiated Vyāsadeva, the compiler of all Vedic literatures. It is recorded in the Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Fifth Chapter, that Vyāsadeva compiled the Vedas in four divisions and then wrote the Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and Upaniṣads, and revealed the conclusion of knowledge in the Vedānta-sūtras. Yet as he meditated he did not feel satisfied, and Nārada Muni explained to him that this was because he had not described the līlās, forms, qualities, etc., of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Then Vyāsadeva expanded the four seed verses of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam into 18,000 verses, and then initiated Madhvācārya. Vyāsadeva is still living in the Himālayas at Badarikāśrama, and, therefore, there is no gap of time between Vyāsa, and Madhva; they are contemporaries, just as we are contemporaries of Vyāsa, who is presently in this world. The ācāryas coming from Madhva are Padmanābha, Nṛhari, Mādhava, Akṣobhya, Jayatīrtha, Jñānasindhu, Dayānidhi, Vidyānidhi, Rājendra, Jayadharma, Puruṣottama, Brahmaṇya-tīrtha, Vyāsatīrtha, Lakṣmīpati, and Mādhavendra Purī. (Baladeva Vidyabhūṣaṇa, the great ācārya who wrote the commentary on Vedānta-sūtra after hearing it directly from the Deity Govindajī, has. confirmed Mādhavendra Purī’s connection with the Madhva-sampradāya.)

Mādhavendra Purī had several disciples who were highly transcendental personalities. Lord Nityānanda, the incarnation of Lord Balarāma, and Śrī Advaita, the incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, accepted initiation from him. However, Śrī Iśvara Purī possessed a very high standard of devotion and would even clean the toilet place for his spiritual master. Thus Iśvara Purī was given the seat of ācārya. He in turn initiated Lord Caitanya, Who is none other than Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Himself and Who is the living force of the followers of Rūpa Gosvāmī. Lord Caitanya is succeeded by Rūpa Gosvāmī along with Svarūpa Dāmodara and Sanātana Gosvāmī, then Raghunātha dāsa and Jīva Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, and Viśvanātha Cakravarti Ṭhākura. Viśvanātha Cakravarti was the spiritual master of Baladeva Vidyabhūṣaṇa and Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī. Jagannātha dāsa’s most beloved disciple is Śrīla Sac-cid-ānanda Bhaktivinoda, who empowered Śrila Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī, an uttama-adhikārī mahā-bhāgavata (great devotee of the highest order), to initiate Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who is also spiritually named Śrī Vārṣabhānavi-dayita dāsa. I have added one more line to this song: “His foremost disciple-preacher is Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who has spread the message of Lord Caitanya throughout the entire world.”

Friday, 07 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India Time]

Disappearance Day of Sri Ramanujacarya

Śrī-sampradāya:

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “The Rāmānuja-sampradāya, they are called Śrī-sampradāya. They worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Everyone worships the Lord and His potency, spiritual potency. Just like we worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, similarly, the Rāmānuja-sampradāya, they worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa or Sītā-Rāma. So we should follow the sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalā matāḥ.”

(Lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.18, Feb. 25, 1976, Māyāpur)

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “Thus although the energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead interact within the cosmic manifestation, each keeps its separate individual existence. Merging in the material or spiritual energies, therefore, does not involve loss of individuality. According to Śrī Rāmānujapāda’s theory of Viśiṣṭādvaita, although all the energies of the Lord are one, each keeps its individuality (vaiśiṣṭya).”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.121, Purport | 1973 Edition)

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “We Gaudiya Vaisnava follow Srila Ramanuja’s philosophy almost in the same manner. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives the identification of jiva soul as the eternal servant of Krishna and is situated as marginal potency of the Lord based on the philosophy of acintya-bheda bheda-tattva. This is almost similar to Visistadvaita vada. Vaisnava philosophy is now being pushed on all over the world under the Hare Krishna movement, and we feel Sripada Ramanuja a great support for the Vaisnava philosophical understanding. It is like a combination of nyaya sruti and smrti prasthans.”

(Letter to: V. S. R. Chakravarti, Nov. 22, 1974, Bombay)

Rāmānujācārya’s Viśiṣṭādvaita-vāda:

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “The Lord is the reservoir of all cosmic manifestation, animate and inanimate. The advocates of Viśiṣṭādvaita-vāda philosophy explain the Vedānta-sūtra by saying that although the living entity has two kinds of bodies–subtle (consisting of mind, intelligence and false ego) and gross (consisting of the five basic elements)–and although he thus lives in three bodily dimensions (gross, subtle and spiritual), he is nevertheless a spiritual soul. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who emanates the material and spiritual worlds is the Supreme Spirit. As an individual spirit soul is almost identical to his gross and subtle bodies, so the Supreme Lord is almost identical to the material and spiritual worlds.

The material world, full of conditioned souls trying to lord it over matter, is a manifestation of the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and the spiritual world, full of perfect servitors of the Lord, is a manifestation of His internal energy. Since all living entities are minute sparks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the Supreme Soul in both the material and spiritual worlds. The Vaiṣṇavas following Lord Caitanya stress the doctrine of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, which states that the Supreme Lord, being the cause and effect of everything, is inconceivably, simultaneously one with His manifestations of energy and different from them.”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 2.37, Purport | 1974 Edition)

Read More: https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=10689

Thursday, 06 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India time]

Disappearance Day of Śrīpāda Madhvācārya

“Śrīla Madhvācārya, the original ācārya for those who belong to the Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya”

(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.1.40 >> Purport | 1975 Edition)

“This Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya is also known as Brahma-sampradāya because the disciplic succession originally began from Brahmā. Brahmā instructed the sage Nārada, Nārada instructed Vyāsadeva, and Vyāsadeva instructed Madhva Muni or Madhvācārya.

(Krsna Book – Introduction | 1970 Edition)

“Among the four Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, who are all accepted by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Rāmānuja Ācārya appeared in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh at Mahābhūtapurī, Śrī Madhva Ācārya appeared at Pājakam (near Vimānagiri) in the district of Myāṅgālora, Śrī Viṣṇusvāmī appeared at Pāṇḍya, and Śrī Nimbārka appeared at Muṅgera-patana in the extreme south.”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Adi-līlā 1.19 » Purport | 1974 Edition)

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the chain of disciplic succession from Madhva Ācārya,”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Adi-līlā 1.19 » Purport | 1974 Edition)

“Śrī Madhva Ācārya is also known as Śrī Gauḍa-pūrṇānanda, and therefore the name Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya is quite suitable for the disciplic succession of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. Our spiritual master, Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, accepted initiation in the Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya.”

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Adi-līlā 1.19 » Purport |1974 Edition)

For more in-depth information about Śrīpāda Madhvācārya, you can refer to Srila Prabhupada’s purport in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya Lila, 9.245 [Read here]: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CG1WSv_TsAw5sgj6Zjc2sCuR8tCXVzRK/view?usp=drivesdk

Wednesday, 05 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India Time]

Sri Bhīṣma Aṣṭamī

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “Paraśurāma fought with Bhīṣmadeva when Bhīṣma neglected his warning. Both of them fought very severely, and at last Paraśurāma was pleased with Bhīṣma and gave him the benediction of becoming the greatest fighter in the world.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.6-7, Purport | 1972 Edition)

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “The appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa at the deathbed of Bhīṣmajī is due to his being an unflinching devotee of the Lord. Arjuna had some bodily relation with Kṛṣṇa because the Lord happened to be his maternal cousin. But Bhīṣma had no such bodily relation.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.22, Purport | 1972 Edition)

Śrīla Prabhupāda: “Śrī Bhīṣmadeva is a great devotee of the Lord in the relation of servitorship. Thus, his throwing of sharp arrows at the transcendental body of the Lord is as good as the worship of another devotee who throws soft roses upon Him.[…]

Therefore, Bhīṣmadeva’s piercing of the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa is a sort of bewildering problem for the nondevotee atheist, but those who are devotees, or liberated souls, are not bewildered.[…]

Therefore, the fighting as an exchange of transcendental pleasure between the Lord and His pure devotee, Śrī Bhīṣmadeva, was not at all mundane.[….]

The Lord enjoyed the wounds created by His great devotee Bhīṣmadeva, and because Bhīṣmadeva is a devotee in the chivalrous relation, he fixes up his mind on Kṛṣṇa in that wounded condition.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.34, Purport | 1972 Edition)

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Bhismadeva was unique in his activities, and his passing away to the kingdom of God is also unique

The process of Bhishmadev leaving his body is described in Srimad Bhagavatam (43rd sloka from the 9th chapter of the 1st canto) as follows: “Suta Gosvami said: Thus Bhishmadeva merged himself in the Supersoul, Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with his mind, speech, sight and actions, and thus he became silent, and his breathing stopped.” Srimad-Bhagavatam (45th sloka from the 9th chapter of the 1st canto) further glorifies his passing away as follows: “Thereafter, both men and demigods sounded drums in honor, and the honest royal order commenced demonstrations of honor and respect. And from the sky fell showers of flowers.”

Bhishmadev was respected by human beings, heavenly beings and devas for his determination, valour, righteousness and devotion. He was a warrior and an ascetic too

Read More: https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=13655

Tuesday, 04 February 2025 [Mayapur, West Bengal, India Time]

Appearance Day of Śrī Advaita Ācārya

“Lord Advaita Ācārya is the incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, whose main function is to create the cosmic world through the actions of māyā.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 1.12, Translation | 1974 Edition)

“Advaita Ācārya is the Lord’s partial incarnation, and therefore I offer my obeisances millions of times at His lotus feet”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 1.39, Translation | 1974 Edition)

“Advaita Ācārya Gosvāmī is an incarnation of the Lord as a devotee. His loud calling was the cause for Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 3.92, Translation | 1974 Edition)

“Mahā-Viṣṇu performs all the functions for the creation of the universes. Śrī Advaita Ācārya is His direct incarnation.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 6.7, Translation | 1974 Edition)

“Śrī Advaita Ācārya is Lord Caitanya’s incarnation as a devotee. Therefore these three tattvas (Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Gosāñi) are the predominators, or masters.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 7.13, Translation | 1973 Edition)

“Śrīla Advaita Ācārya Prabhu appeared as an incarnation of a devotee. He is in the category of Kṛṣṇa, but He descended to this earth to propagate devotional service.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 17.298, Translation | 1974 Edition)

“All glories to Advaita Prabhu, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He induced Kṛṣṇa to descend and thus delivered the entire world.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 8.4, Translation | 1975 Edition)

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu all belong to the viṣṇu-tattva category. Because Lord Caitanya is an ocean of mercy, He is addressed as mahāprabhu, whereas Nityānanda and Advaita, being two great personalities who assist Lord Caitanya, are addressed as prabhu. Thus there are two prabhus and one mahāprabhu. Gadādhara Gosvāmī is a representative of a perfect brāhmaṇa spiritual master. Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura represents a perfect brāhmaṇa devotee. These five are known as the Pañca-tattva.”

(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 17.301, Purport | 1974 Edition)

For more refer to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter 6, “Glories of Śrī Advaita Ācārya”