Wednesday, 22 October 2025 [Mayapura,West Bengal, India Time]
Sri Govardhan Puja – Go Puja
Sri Rasikananda Prabhu – appearance day
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Sri Govardhan Puja – Go Puja
“The sacrifice known as Govardhana Pūjā is observed in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Lord Caitanya has recommended that since Kṛṣṇa is worshipable, so His land, Vṛndāvana and Govardhana Hill, are also worshipable. To confirm this statement, Lord Kṛṣṇa said that Govardhana Pūjā is as good as worship of Him. From that day, the Govardhana Pūjā has been still going on and is known as Annakūṭa. In all the temples of Vṛndāvana or outside of Vṛndāvana, huge quantities of food are prepared in this ceremony and are very sumptuously distributed to the general population. Sometimes the food is thrown to the crowds, and they enjoy collecting it off the ground. From these instances, we can understand that prasādam offered to Kṛṣṇa never becomes polluted or contaminated, even if it is thrown on the ground. The people, therefore, collect it and eat with great satisfaction”
(Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kṛṣṇa : The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 24)
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Sri Rasikananda Prabhu – appearance day
“Sri Rasikananda deva was a mighty Vaisnava acarya of the era following Lord Caitanya’s disappearance. He was an empowered preacher of Krishna consciousness who appeared in Rohini (traditionally considered part of Utkala [Odisha], is presently in the state of West Bengal) in 1590 AD and disappeared in 1652. His guru was the great Syamananda Prabhu. Along with his guru, Sri Rasikananda inundated North Odisha and surrounding districts in waves of Krishna-prema that are still flowing today. He subdued and converted atheists, blasphemers, and dacoits and even tamed and initiated a rogue elephant!
Around 1590 AD (Sakabda 1512), on the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik, during the night of the festival Dipamalika, when the houses are decorated with rows of lamps, Sri Rasikananda Deva made his appearance in this world. His father was Sri Acyuta Deva, the king of Rohini. His mother’s name was Bhavani. After passing many years without having a male issue, Sri Acyuta Dev, by the mercy of Sri Jagadisa (Jagannatha), was blessed with this jewel of a son. He was known as ‘Murari’.”
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Śrīla Prabhupāda: “This Kṣīra-curī Gopinātha is situated about five miles away from the Bāleśvara station on the Northeastern Railway, formerly known as the Bengal Māyāpura Railway. This station is situated a few miles away from the famous Kargapura junction station. Sometimes the charge of the temple was given to Śyāmasundara Adhikārī from Gopīvallabhapura, which lies on the border of the district of Medinīpura. Śyāmasundara Adhikārī was a descendant of Rasikananda Murāri, the chief disciple of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī”
(Excerpt from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 1.97, Purport)
Śrīla Prabhupāda: “There is a railway station named Baleśvara, and five miles to the west is a village named Remuṇā. The temple of Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha still exists in this village, and within the temple the samādhi tomb of Rasikananda Prabhu, the chief disciple of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, can still be found”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 4.12, Purport)
Śrīla Prabhupāda: “Śrī Rasikananda, although born in a brāhmaṇa family, was initiated by Śrī Śyāmānanda Prabhu, who was not born in a caste brāhmaṇa family.There are many instances in which a born brāhmaṇa took initiation from a person who was not born in a brāhmaṇa family”
(Excerpt from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 8.128, Purport)
Read More:
https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=30872
