Where There Is a Will There Is a Way
"Answers to questions: How should we act if somebody offends us? How can we concentrate our mind when chanting? How can we get relief from ego? How should I instruct my child? How can we develop sincerity and enthusiasm in our service?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.2 Mb, 5 min | 28 March 2020)

(27 August—29 September)

Question: We hear that Sri Hari Smaran festival has begun. What activities or reading do you recommend for us?

You can read Srila Sridhar Maharaj's book Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam, that will be good. Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam is a good book, you can read it and remind yourself of many good things (practise smaran). I have also given you some books—Guidance 4, Guidance 3. You can read all these books and you can get everything in them. My books are very easy to understand, I am not writing in very high language, so they are easy to understand.

(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)

Advice to Householder Devotees
"The husband will work. The wife will cook, offer the bhog, take the offered prasadam first, and then the husband will take the remnants after her. That is Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj's advice..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

"Try Your Best"
"We must try to rectify ourselves. We are everybody's servants. When you take initiation, you do not become a devotee—you only get admission into a spiritual school, but after that you must practise. You will become perfect through practise."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

Proper Service Is Chaste Service
"So, there are different ways to satisfy the Lord or satisfy your guru. There is not only one source. Whatever service Gurudev gives me, I must do it attentively, with faith, and without thinking about other things."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

Be Careful and Wise
"Do not worry—Krishna will arrange everything. It is not necessary to think about anything. None of us knows what His arrangement is, but whatever arrangement it is, I can say that it will be good for devotees. Krishna is always with His devotees."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 28 March 2020)

In honour of the festival of Sri Krishna Janmastami:

• Complete fast till midnight is spiritually auspicious and prescribed for all devotees whose health permits it and provided it does not interfere significantly with their service duties.

• Those who cannot observe complete fast, can take anukalpa prasad (similar to what is taken on ekadasi).

• Medication can be taken even if you are fasting.

• As per the instruction of and tradition established by Param Srila Guru Maharaj Om Vishnupad Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, devotees spend the day engaged in various services for the pleasure of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga and read Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (not Bhagavatam) continuously from the beginning to the end (parayan).

• The appearance of Lord Krishna is at midnight, so, as each year in every branch of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, devotees hold a grand celebration offering a special arati and festive bhoga offering (grain and non-grain) to the Lordships at midnight.

• After the midnight arati, devotees honour anukalpa prasadam (no grains, like on Ekadashi) and retire to rest to awaken for the mangal arati and continue the celebration the next day on Sri Nandotsav. The grain prasadam is kept aside and lovingly distributed to all the devotees the next day (on Sri Nandotsav, along with another special bhoga offering prepared on this day).

• His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "You must understand what we are making the Janmastami festival for. To show ourselves and our big ego? No. We are making this festival to give much nourishment to the devotees through Hari-katha, through Krishna-katha, by giving good things to them.

dadhi-mathana-ninadais-tyakta-nidrah prabhate
nibhrta-padam agaram ballavinam pravistah
mukha-kamala-samirair asu nirvapya dipan
kavalita-navanitah patu mam bala-krsnah

"That child Krsna, who, awakening by the sound of butter-churning, stealthily enters the homes of the cowherd ladies, swiftly blows out the lamps with the breeze of His lotus mouth and devours the fresh butter—may He kindly protect me." (Composed by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu)

he krsna karuna-sindho
dina-bandho jagat-pate
gopesa gopika-kanta
radha-kanta namo 'stu te

"O my dear Krishna, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherdmen and the lover of the gopis, especially Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."

Some of the kirtans that can be sung on this holy day:

• SONG: Sri Guru Parampara | শ্রীগুরুপরম্পরা
"By Krishna's association, Brahma became devoted to Krishna's service. By Brahma's association, Narad Muni became devoted... All the Gurus in this succession are associates of Sri Gauranga. I pray for their remnants."

• SONG: Janama saphala ta'ra | জনম সফল তা'র
"The birth of one who, by good fortune, has once seen Krishna is successful. Developing the heart's eyes and seeing Krishna, such a soul abandons all delusions. Krishna is expert at play in Vrindavan..."

• SONG: Suno he rasika-jana | শুনহে রসিক জন
"The transcendental qualities of Sri Krishna are innumerable. Krishna is the spiritual master of the entire universe, a wishfulfilling desire-tree, and the captain of the boat in the ocean of material existence."

• SONG: He deva bhavantam vande | (হে) দেব ভবন্তং বন্দে
"The transcendental qualities of Sri Krishna are innumerable. Krishna is the spiritual master of the entire universe, a wishfulfilling desire-tree, and the captain of the boat in the ocean of material existence."

• SONG: Jaya Radha-Madhava | জয় রাধামাধব
"Glory to Radha-Madhava, the beloved of Srimati Radharani! Glory to Kunja-bihari, the Enjoyer of pastimes in the groves of Vraja."

• SONG: Yasomati-Nandana | যশোমতীনন্দন
"Sri Krishna, who is known as Kana, is Yasoda's darling son, Vraja's paramour, Gokula's delight, the gopis' life and wealth, the enchanter of Cupid, and the conqueror of Kaliya."

• SONG: Hari he dayala mora | হরি হে দয়াল মোর
"O Hari! O my merciful Lord! All glories to You, the Lord of Radha! So many times I have avoided You, but this time please take me as Your own."

OTHER RELATED SONGS:
• Dasavatara Stotram | দশাবতারস্তোত্রম্
• Mayura mukuta | ময়ূর-মুকুট
• Yasomati-Nandana | যশোমতীনন্দন
• Sri Damodarastakam | শ্রীশ্রীদামোদরাষ্টকম্

In honour of the festival of Sri Krishna Janmastami:

• Complete fast till midnight is spiritually auspicious and prescribed for all devotees whose health permits it and provided it does not interfere significantly with their service duties.

• Those who cannot observe complete fast, can take anukalpa prasad (similar to what is taken on ekadasi).

• Medication can be taken even if you are fasting.

• As per the instruction of and tradition established by Param Srila Guru Maharaj Om Vishnupad Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, devotees spend the day engaged in various services for the pleasure of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga and read Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (not Bhagavatam) continuously from the beginning to the end (parayan).

• The appearance of Lord Krishna is at midnight, so, as each year in every branch of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, devotees hold a grand celebration offering a special arati and festive bhoga offering (grain and non-grain) to the Lordships at midnight.

• After the midnight arati, devotees honour anukalpa prasadam (no grains, like on Ekadashi) and retire to rest to awaken for the mangal arati and continue the celebration the next day on Sri Nandotsav. The grain prasadam is kept aside and lovingly distributed to all the devotees the next day (on Sri Nandotsav, along with another special bhoga offering prepared on this day).

• His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "You must understand what we are making the Janmastami festival for. To show ourselves and our big ego? No. We are making this festival to give much nourishment to the devotees through Hari-katha, through Krishna-katha, by giving good things to them.

Sri Krishna Janmastami, 2019 (Tarakeshwar)	Sri Nandotsav, 2019 (Tarakeshwar)		Sri Krishna Janmastami, 2018 (Nrisingha Palli)	Sri Nandotsav, 2018 (Nrisingha Palli)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Celebrate and Realise
"What we are making the Janmastami festival for? To show ourselves and our big ego? No, we are making this festival to give much nourishment to the devotees through Hari-katha, through Krishna-katha, by giving good things to them."
• Download / listen to the audio (9.3 Mb, 27 min | 22 August 2011)

Sri Krishna Janmastami Message
"Good things are coming to us in the future. All devotees should stay together—we must all together celebrate this Janmastami vrata maha-mahotsav, serving Krishna's devotees with tolerance, humility and giving honour to others."
• Download / listen to the audio (0.8 Mb, 2 min | 23 August 2019 | English)

"Raise the Anchor, Sir!"
"In the devotional line, this body is compared to a boat, and the helmsman of the boat is the Guru. If we can stay aboard the boat that Gurudev is sailing, then we can cross over the Viraja River and come to stay with Krishna in Goloka Vrindavan."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.7 Mb, 8 min | 23 August 2019 | Bengali)

Gopal's Pastimes
"When Kamsa got the news of the child's birth, he was astonished that it was a girl, Maya. When he killed her, she rose in the air and said, 'He who will kill you already lives in Gokula.' After that, Kamsa began his atrocities. Who did he send first? Putana."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.3 Mb, 18 min | 23 August 2019 | Bengali)

Lord's Stealing and Rewarding
"There are many other pastimes that Lord Sri Krishna performed. There was also a funny pastime at Chir Ghat. This pastime has a deep meaning. Many think this is funny, but actually it is not—this pastime is all about self-surrender."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 5 min | 23 August 2019 | Bengali)

Mercy Incarnate
"By a great mercy and fortune, we have got the darshan of sadhus, Guru and Vaishnavs in this lifetime. Having got their darshan, we have got everything! By getting their darshan, hearing Hari-katha from such Vaishnavs, hearing about such Vaishnavs' qualities purifies the heart."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.2 Mb, 7 min | 23 August 2019 | Bengali)

Fall at the Lord's Feet
"It is my prayer to you all—please, always chant the glories of the Vaishnavs, Gurudev, and the Lord. We also pray to the Lord that you may all always engage in service, in Hari-katha, in the kirtan, and that not a single day may pass in your life without it..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 6 min | 23 August 2019 | Bengali)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: No Pain, No Gain
"If we want to get the Lord, we must make an effort—we must practise bhajan, kirtan, worship, proper behaviour, Vaishnav seva, etc. We must try our best—we must worship, arrange programmes, practise sravan and kirtan, serve, offer bhoga, practise daily well."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.8 Mb, 5 min | 3 September 2018 | Bengali)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: A Private Pastime
"Gopal performed many pastimes. You all know that it is going to be Radhastami, the appearance day of Srimati Radhika, in fifteen days. There is a story about how She appeared."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 3 September 2018 | Bengali)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Eternal Pastimes
"Krishna performed so many pastimes in Nanda-gram, but Kamsa would not stop. Kamsa kept trying to kill Krishna—he had sent many demons (Aghasur, enormous Bakasur, Vatsasur, etc.), but all of them were defeated by Krishna..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 10 min | 3 September 2018 | Bengali)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Adhikar For Abhisekh
"When people do Durga puja or some other pujas, they usually fast, so here too—if you are to do the abhisekh of Lord Sri Krishna in the evening, if you want to get this opportunity, you must fast the whole day; otherwise you cannot bathe the holy body of Gopal."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.5 Mb, 7 min | 3 September 2018 | Bengali)

Kirtans
• Mayura-mukuta pitambara-dhari • Jaya Radhe jaya Krsna jaya Vrndavan • He deva bhavantam vande (Krsna Vandana) • Hari Haraye Namah Krsna • Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
• Download / listen to the audio (6.3 Mb, 18 min | 3 September 2018)

"Tell me about Krishna!"
"Today is the adhivas of Sri Krishna Janmastami, it is a very good day and we must tell something about Krishna's pastimes. Who knows Krishna? Only Krishna's parsad (associate), can understand Krishna's lila."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 13 August 2009)

Dear and Dearmost
"Today we are speaking about some of Krishna's childhood pastimes. We can actually get Krishna's mercy only through devotees. We always first take shelter of our Guru's lotus feet because otherwise, without this shelter, we cannot get any connection with this line."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 6 min | 13 August 2009)

Appearance of Lord Krishna
"This festival is celebrated all over the world, and you heard that even in Nabadwip Dham many people do not know about Krishna consciousness, do not know about Rupa Goswami's line, but they know Krishna and they fast the whole day and night for Krishna."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 7 min | 14 August 2009)

Emporium of All Rasa
"In Krishna-lila, everything is there—santa-, dasya-, sakhya-, vatsalya-, madhura-rasa—that is why Krishna is considered the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 7 min | 20 August 2011)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Service Festival
"We should actually be more affectionate with Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda. Tomorrow is actually the main day—today we are fasting for the Lord, but tomorrow we are making a festival for Nanda Maharaj."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 22 August 2011)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Our Fortune and Focus
"We feel very fortunate today to have got a bona fide guru and we are spending this day for Lord. Many people have a holiday today and are enjoying with material things, but Krishna's devotees' enjoyment is for Krishna. That is their hope, that is their fortune."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 22 August 2011)

Krishna—Purnatama Bhagavan
"To protect religion and destroy non-religion, the Lord comes to this world again and again in different ages. On this day, taking a human form, Krishna appears to bestow auspiciousness onto the world and rescue the fallen souls."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.1 Mb, 17 min | 28 August 2013 | Bengali)

Connect With the Centre
"We have some material desires and this is called bhava-rog (heart disease). Who can remove this disease? Who can be our doctor? Krishna can, but where will you get Krishna? You should think how many per cent you can surrender yourself. It depends on you."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 28 August 2013)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Surrender and Practise Daily
"We have to understand Krishna's Pastimes. We have to be niskama bhakta: we must have no material desire, and we must not ask Krishna for anything."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.5 Mb | 18 August 2014)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Path Back to Home
"We are taking so many things, but our hunger will not finish, there will always be some material desire. But if you surrender to Krishna, to His devotee, and if you worship Krishna, if you chant the Holy Name of Krishna, you will get real benefit, you can go to your real home."
• Download / listen to the audio (10 Mb | 18 August 2014)

In honour of Sri Nandotsav:

srutim apare smrtim itare
bharatam anye bhajantu bhava-bhitah
aham iha nandam vande
yasyalinde param brahma

"Those who fear rebirth in this world may follow the advice of the Vedic scriptures—others may follow the Mahabharata—but as for me, I follow Nanda Maharaja, in whose courtyard the Supreme Absolute Truth plays as a child."

Yasoda's Darling Krishna
"You know that Krishna was born from Vasudev and Devaki, but how fortunate Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda Ma are! They got Krishna as their son and could serve Krishna..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 5 min | 13 August 2009)

Patita-Pavan
"We worship Lord Sri Krishna, who is so merciful, but Gauranga Mahaprabhu is even more merciful. Nityananda Prabhu said, 'Prabhu, what are you doing? If You do not rescue them, then why is Your name patita-pavan?'"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 6 min | 4 March 2020)

Krishna's Childhood Pastimes
"Although Krishna lived in Nanda-gram, He spent much time playing with His cowherd boyfriends in Gokul. He showed so many things in His pastimes—He played with cows and dust of Vrindavan (dhuli-khela), He ate soil, He killed demons..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 5 min | 22 August 2011)

Sri Krishna Janmastami: Service Festival
"We should actually be more affectionate with Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda. Tomorrow is actually the main day—today we are fasting for the Lord, but tomorrow we are making a festival for Nanda Maharaj."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 22 August 2011)

Rely On Gurudev
"Gurudev is nondifferent from Krishna; at the same time Gurudev is like Radharani. Many obstacles will come in our practising life, but if we remember Krishna, if we remember our Gurudev and if we serve our Gurudev, then they must protect us."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 6 August 2002)

In honour of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad's appearance:

namah om visnupadaya krsna-presthaya bhutale swami sri bhaktivedanta prabhupadaya te namah gurvajnam sirasi-dhrtva saktyavesa sva-rupine hare-krsneti mantrena pascatya-prachya-tarine visvacharya prabaryaya divya karunya murtaye sri bhagavata-madhurya-gita-jnana pradayine gaura-sri-rupa-siddhanta-saraswati nisevine radha-krsna-padambhoja-bhrngaya gurave namah "I offer my humble obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is Krishna's beloved associate and who came down to this plane from Goloka. Taking the order of his guru on his head, he is the saktyavesa (empowered) avatar of Nityananda Prabhu personified. He distributed the Hare Krishna mantra all over the Eastern and Western world, delivering and uplifting all fallen souls. He is the best of millions of Jagad Gurus, because he is the personification of divine mercy. He has distributed the sweet nectar of Srimad Bhagavatam and the transcendental knowledge of Srimad Bhagavad-gita all over the world. He is constantly engaged in exclusive devotional service to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura, Srila Rupa Goswami, and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. I offer my humble obeisances unto Srila Prabhupada, who is like a bumble-bee always tasting the nectar of the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Govinda."

Beacon Light
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj is giving a concise account of the close relationship between Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad.
• Download / listen to the audio (1.1 Mb, 3 min | 10 March 2016)

Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad
"Without his mercy we would not have been able to think anything today, but we are very happy and we are making today a festival for Srila Swami Maharaj, on his appearance day. Everybody must pray for his mercy."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.9 Mb, 9 min | 15 August 2009)

Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:

• SONG: Ei-bara karuna kara | এইবার করুণা কর
"O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of your feet."

• SONG: Ohe Vaisnava Thakura | (ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর
"O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant. Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after you."

• SONG: Ki-rupe paiba seva | কিরূপে পাইব সেবা
"I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"

• SONG: Dhana mora nityananda | ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ
"The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs' name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."

Rama-Avatar
"Today is a very good day—the appearance day of Lord Ramachandra. There are different kinds of moods—santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhura-rasa. Moreover, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Lord are also different. You can easily understand it from the difference between Rama-lila and Krishna-lila."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.7 Mb, 9 min | 2 April 2020)

Peculiarity of Lord's Pastimes
"I have read Ramayan, but I am telling you the gist point... There are many incarnations—Narayan, Ramachandra, Vamanadev, Balaram, and others, but Krishna is the full Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, Gaura-lila is even higher..."
• Download / listen to the audio (7.6 Mb, 18 min | 2 April 2020 | Class & kirtan)