MONTHLY ARCHIVE OF UPDATES

MARCH 2017

Sri Vaishnava Calendar for 2017-2018 | Bengali
The calendar of auspicious days, festivals and fasting celebrated and observed at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math for the following year (Sri Gaurabda 531, or 2017-2018) is now available online, both in English and Bengali.

Darshan of Sri Nabadwip Dham
As the annual Sri Gaura Purnima Festival is approaching, our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math is brimming with service activities in preparation to the festival and the pilgrims are starting to arrive.
(3 March 2017 | 10 photographs, 0.6 Mb)

Distraction of Attraction
"Who can do the kirtan of the Lord? Those who can be humble and merciful to others, who can respect and give honour to others, and who can reject name and fame. It is necessary to become detached from the material world..."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 8 min | 21 February 2017 | Bengali)

Sri Nabadwip Dham, First Programme
The Temple is getting fuller and fuller every day and today His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj commences the evening classes, stressing the fortune of all those who have made it to the Holy Dham and the necessity to bear with the austerities during the festival while keeping service mood.
(18 photographs, 1.1 Mb | 4 March 2017)

Sri Vaishnava Calendar for 2017-2018 | Bengali
The calendar of auspicious days, festivals and fasting celebrated and observed at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math for the following year (Sri Gaurabda 531, or 2017-2018) is now available online, both in English and Bengali.

Parikrama on Service Plane
"You are very fortunate to be attending Sri Gaura Purnima Festival and Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama this year. We all feel very happy to see this festival and we feel inspired to see your great desire to take part in it."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 7 min | 4 March 2017 | Bengali)

Parikrama: Rescue Raid
"It is our prayer to you—please come for this Nabadwip Dham parikrama. You do not need to worry about anything, try to come and stay here in the proper mood. It is my desire that you all come and join the parikrama every year."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 6 min | 4 March 2017 | Bengali)

Sri Nabadwip Dham: Festival Programmes
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj presides over the annual festival programmes at Sri Nabadwip Dham in the assembly of honourable Vaishnavs and fortunate devotees with the attendance growing each hour.
(54 photographs, 3.4 Mb | 5-6 March 2017)

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama Adhivas
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj, surrounded by the illustrious Vaishnavs and fortunate devotees, leads the adhivas (eve) programme of Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama showering all four directions with the nectar of Hari-katha.
(22 photographs, 1.5 Mb | 7 March 2017)

Sri Ekadasi Guidance
Guidelines on how to observe and honour this holy day: Ekadasi takes an indispensible part in the life of a sincere practitioner. At Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Ekadasi and paran are observed with affection and without fail according to the dates given in the Calendar.

• "Sri Ekadasi" (Sri Sri Prema Vivarta)
"One day, Gaurahari left the Gundicha Temple and sat in the Jagannath Vallabha garden. It was pure Ekadasi, and the Lord spent the whole day and night chanting the Name of Krishna..."

• SONG: Suddha-bhakata | শুদ্ধ ভকত-চরণ-রেণু
"I carefully observe the holy days related to Madhava, they are the mother of devotion."

• SONG: Sri hari-vasare | শ্রীহরি-বাসরে হরি
"On the holy day of Sri Hari, Sriman Mahaprabhu, the life and soul of the universe, began dancing..."

• The route of the second day (parikrama of Sri Koladwip): Sri Buroraj Siva temple, Praudha Maya's temple at Paraatala, Sri Vishnupriya Devi's temple, and Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj's samadhi-mandir.
• See also: photographs of the second day of parikrama in 2016

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day One
The annual Sri Nabawip Dham parikrama has started and the first day passes smoothly and sweetly as His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj takes the devotees to Sri Mayapur Dham: "Gora Ray continues performing His Pastimes, and those who are fortunate can see it."
(125 photographs, 9 Mb | 8 March 2017)

Sri Madhavendra Puripad
"Every year on the second day of the parikrama we celebrate this day—Sri Madhavendra Puripad's disappearance festival. Actually, Srila Madhavendra Puripad is the root of the wish-fulfilling tree of devotion..."
• Download / listen to the audio (4 Mb, 11 min | 2 March 2015)

Loving Search for the Lost Servant
"When will you come to Me? When will you come to serve Me?"—the Lord goes to the extremes waiting for us to come to Him, so why is it that we still cannot come to Him?
• Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb | 6 October 2010)

Srila Madhavendra Puripad: The Sprout of Love Divine
From Affectionate Guidance: "Today is a most auspicious day—the holy Disappearance Day of Srila Madhavendra Puripad. The sprout of divine love for Krishna (Krishna-premankur) appeared in this world in the form of Srila Madhavendra Puri. Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu glorified Srila Madhavendra Puri so much. Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu were disciples of Srila Madhavendra Puri..."

• Ye anila prema-dhana | যে আনিল প্রেমধন
"Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"

All is proceeding smoothly and happily at Sri Nabadwip Dham. Much to the relief of the pilgrims, the weather has been mild and cloudy during the parikrama, which eventually resulted in some heavy rains in the evening. Despite that, the devotees happily chant the Holy Name of the Lord around the Math and proceed with their services.
• The route of the third day (parikrama of Sri Godrumadwip and Madhyadwip): Sri Surabhi-kunja temple, bhajan-kutir and Gaura Gadadhar Deities of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, Hari Hara Ksetra, Suvarna Bihar temple, Nrisingha Palli.
• See also: photographs of the third day of parikrama in 2016

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day Two
Photographs taken during the second day of the annual Sri Nabawip Dham parikrama in the shelter of the lotus feet of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj.
(52 photographs, 3.9 Mb | 9 March 2017)

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day Three
On the third day Sri Nabawip Dham parikrama His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj takes the devotees to Godrumdwip and Madhyadwip.
(93 photographs, 6.9 Mb | 10 March 2017)

Sri Gaura Purnima Festival

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day Four
Photographs taken on the final, fourth day Sri Nabawip Dham parikrama: Sri Koladwip, Sri Ritudwip, Sri Jahnudwip, Sri Modadrumadwip. At the end, Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj requests everyone to share their experience with others and come next year bringing one more person with them.
(87 photographs, 7 Mb | 11 March 2017)

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-chaitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah "Again and again I offer my obeisance unto You, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the supremely merciful, golden form of Sri Krishna, the giver of Krishna-prema."   nindantam pulakotkarena vikasan-nipa-prasuna-chchhavim prordhvi-krtya bhuja-dvayam hari-harity-uchchair vadantam muhuh nrtyantam drutam asru-nirjhara-chayaih sinchantam urvi-talam gayantam nija-parsadaih parivrtam sri-gaura-chandram namah "Standing erect, the hairs of His body rebuke the blossoming campaka flowers. Raising His arms, again and again He calls out "Hari! Hari!" Surrounded by His devotees, again and again He sings and dances. Streams of tears flow from His eyes and sprinkle the ground. Let us glorify Him, Lord Gauracandra."

From the archive:

Sri Sri Prema Dhama Deva Stotram
"I offer my respects unto Sri Gaurangadev, who rose like a golden moon in Sri Mayapura in 1407 Sakabda, revealed the Pastime of accepting the garments of the renounced order, sannyas, in 1431 Sakabda in order to benedict the entire material universe, and disappeared beyond the ordinary vision of the people of this world in 1455 Sakabda. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gaurangasundar, the divine form of Krishna prema."

তবে বন্দোঁ শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য মহেশ্বর, নবদ্বীপে অবতার, নাম—'বিশ্বম্ভর'
An archive recording of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj reading from the first chapter of Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat, Adi-khanda, where Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur describes the Lord's appearance.
• Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 15 min)

Jagannath Misra's Festival: Serving and Honouring Devotees (1)
"We are very happy today because we are going to celebrate the festival of Jagannath Misra's ananda-mahotsav. Today we are also making a special festival for our best friend Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram..."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 8 min | 13 March 2017)

Setting on the Right Track (1)
Lecture delivered on Sri Jagannath Mishra's Anandotsav in 2013: "We can realise it ourselves: how much can we proceed in our spiritual life and why did we come to Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math? Again and again we do Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, but how much can we use ourselves for the service to the Guru, Vaishnavs, and Bhagavan?"
• Download / listen to the audio (6.1 Mb, 20 min | 28 March 2013)

Setting on the Right Track (2)
Lecture delivered on Sri Jagannath Mishra's Anandotsav in 2013, part two: "I am praying to you all that you do not forget your service to your Guru, to the Vaishnavs, Bhagavan. I am bowing at your lotus feet: if you serve my Guru, I will serve you my whole life; if you serve my Guru, I will sacrifice my life to serve you."
• Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 15 min | 28 March 2013)

Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raja-Sabha
"Gurudev told me, 'The day after Gaura Purnima, you will sit together at Vishva Vaishnava Raja-Sabha,' and it is my duty to do that. We have come here to be together, and everyone can speak their own language—if it can be translated into English and Bengali, that is good for the mission."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.2 Mb, 10 min | 24 March 2016)

Jagannath Misra's Festival: Serving and Honouring Devotees (2)
"We are going to celebrate, but this celebration is not for our own happiness, it is for the happiness of the devotees, for the happiness of the Vaishnav Thakur. This is the main thing."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 7 min | 13 March 2017)

Sri Jagannath Misra's Ananda-Mahotsav
Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj presides at the annual Vishva-Vaishnava-Raja Sabha and concludes the grand Gaura Purnima Festival at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.
(26 photographs, 1.6 Mb | 13 March 2017)

Mahaprabhu's Pastimes with Jagadananda Pandit
"When Sriman Mahaprabhu took sannyas, He followed all rules and regulations very strictly, but you have heard that Jagadananda Pandit always wanted to control Him..."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.3 Mb, 19 min | 13 March 2017 | Incl. kirtan)

A Day at Hapaniya [From Affectionate Guidance]
"Today we have very happily come to Sripat Hapaniya Dham. Our destination is Goloka, even if we may not know where Goloka is. However, we must know that the abode of Goloka has personally become manifest in this world as the abode of the Divine Master, the residence of the devotees and the Temple where the Deities are worshipped. "

See also: photographs taken at Sripat Hapaniya Dham in 2015 and 2016.

Festival at Sripat Hapaniya Dham
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj is taking devotees to Sripat Hapaniya Dham, the holy birthplace of Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, to honour the installation anniversary day of Sri Sri Guru Radha Gopinath Deities.
(40 photographs, 2.6 Mb | 17 March 2017)

Division Is Wrong Vision
"'He is my disciple,' 'He is not my disciple, I will not give class to him,' 'You must not go to his class because you are my disciple'—these kinds of things are not good at all for our spiritual life. We must realise what Gurudev's conception is and follow that."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 6 min | 12 March 2017)

Invitation to Festival in Honour of Disappearance of Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Sri Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj Date — Saturday, 8 April 2017 Place — Sri Govardhan Dham, Sri Nabadwip Dham Dear respected Devotees, Friends and Well-Wishers, We are offering obeisance at your holy lotus feet and humbly inviting you to join our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in the devotional programme in honour of the disappearance of our most worshippable and beloved Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. On this occasion, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj is arranging a two-day festival in Sri Govardhan. We shall feel blessed to have your association and presence at the festival at Sri Nabadwip Dham, Sri Govardhan Dham or any of our centres worldwide. Sri Nabadwip Dham Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Kolerganj, West Bengal, Pin 741302 Phone: +91 9775178546 Sri Govardhan Temple Srila Sridhar Swami Seva Ashram, Dasbisa, Govardhan, Mathura, Pin 281502, UP Phone: +91 9810309511

Understanding Mercy
"Mahaprabhu said, 'Be humbler than a blade of grass,' but He was also angry with Madhai, and Nityananda Prabhu gave mercy to him, but at another time Nityananda Prabhu kicked Sivananda Sen's head. Chastising does not mean that Gurudev does not like you."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 5 min | 12 March 2017)

iCalendar for Mac OS
Vaishnava iCalendar is prepared and now available for download and upload on Apple mobile devices (iPads, iPods, iPhones, MacBooks, etc.). On computers: download and launch. On mobile devices: upload by clicking on the link above, through iTunes synchronisation or email.

In honour of Srivas Pandit:

"First chant the Pancha-tattva's name, ask them for mercy, 'I am a very fallen soul—I have no quality or qualification to chant the Holy Name. Please give me your mercy so that I can chant the Holy Name.' They brought the Holy Name to this abode, so without their mercy we cannot chant it."

Devotional Heart
"If we serve our Gurudev (serve not for our own interest, but for his interest), if surrender to Krishna, then we must get Krishna through that service. You do not need to think about yourself. If you think about Krishna, Krishna will thinking about you."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 6 min | 16 June 2001)

Vaishnav Aparadh: Seek Shelter
"Vaishnav aparadh can come in many ways. If you make an offence to the Lord, Vaishnav can rescue you, but if you make an offence to a Vaishnav, even Krishna, Lord Himself, cannot remove that."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 5 min | 27 September 2009)

At Srivas Pandit's House
Not only the Lord is always present there, but He personally takes care of His great devotee's needs, but "our eyes are blind by the dust of the material world, so how can we see the supra-mundane things?"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.6 Mb, 4 min | 2 October 2013)

• 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: 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! It is not possible to conquer maya by engaging in maya. I see no other way to get relief except for the mercy of sadhus."

• 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: Jaya Sachi-nandana
"All glory to Malini Devi and Srivas Thakur! All glory to Chandrasekhar Acharya! All glory to Nityananda Ray! All glory to Gadadhar Pandit! All glory to the Namacharya Haridas Thakur!"

Protecting Purity of Conception
"Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupad gave us some conception, some message, but maya always attacks us. If you listen to your Guru properly, if you serve your Guru properly, then you can easily understand everything. That is good for you."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.2 Mb, 10 min | 12 March 2017 | Incl. kirtan)

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Family Reunion
"Devotees came for the parikrama from so many different countries, from every village and every corner this year, and we are very happy with that. We want to show that we are together, that we are not breaking our unity."
• Download / listen to the audio (4.4 Mb, 12 min | 12 March 2017 | Gaura Purnima)

Power of Good Association
"You must see the sadhu with your ears. Every day you sing, 'Ramachandra-sanga mage Narottama Dasa: Narottam Das prays for the association of Ramachandra Kaviraj.' What does this mean? Why does Narottam Das always ask for the association of Ramachandra?"
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 12 March 2017 | Gaura Purnima)

Sri Ekadasi Guidance
Guidelines on how to observe and honour this holy day: Ekadasi takes an indispensible part in the life of a sincere practitioner. At Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Ekadasi and paran are observed with affection and without fail according to the dates given in the Calendar.

• "Sri Ekadasi" (Sri Sri Prema Vivarta)
"One day, Gaurahari left the Gundicha Temple and sat in the Jagannath Vallabha garden. It was pure Ekadasi, and the Lord spent the whole day and night chanting the Name of Krishna..."

• SONG: Suddha-bhakata | শুদ্ধ ভকত-চরণ-রেণু
"I carefully observe the holy days related to Madhava, they are the mother of devotion."

• SONG: Sri hari-vasare | শ্রীহরি-বাসরে হরি
"On the holy day of Sri Hari, Sriman Mahaprabhu, the life and soul of the universe, began dancing..."

Sri Tulasi Parikrama
Recording of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj leading first Srimati Tulasi Devi parikrama earlier this year at the Tarakeswar Temple.
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 8 min | 18 February 2017)

Commencing Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama
His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj starts the kirtan of the last, fourth, day of Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama at the Centenary Museum of Srila Guru Maharaj with chanting the morning kirtan songs Kali-kukura-kadana, Yasomati-nandana, Jaya Sachinandana.
• Download / listen to the audio (6.2 Mb, 18 min | 11 March 2017)

Initiation into the Holy Name (12 March 2017 | Gaura Purnima day)
"You have come here through some devotees, so I assume that you know the rules and regulations. These things are strictly prohibited. Do you understand? And you must follow Ekadasi. Do you agree to do this?"

Pancharatrika Diksa
"This Harinam maha-mantra (the Hare Krishna maha-mantra) is the main and only way to get Lord Krishna's service, but why do we take the second initiation (pancharatrika diksa, or gayatri diksa)?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 7 min | 12 March 2017)

Sri Mangal Arati
Recording of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj leading the morning arati at Sri Ekachakra Dham: Kali-kukura-kadana, Yasomati-nandana, Jaya Sachinandana.
• Download / listen to the audio (3.4 Mb, 10 min | 9 February 2017)

Srivas Pandit's Devotion
"Srivas Pandit: 'You can get a son, a daughter, a father, a mother in every birth, but you will not get the Lord in every birth Lord. This life is very important, you can get the Lord in this life, then why should I misuse it? Why should I not use this opportunity?'"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 19 July 2013)

Internal Dissatisfaction
"If somebody has ego, they cannot find any fault in themselves. If we follow Gurudev's instruction clearly, we can easily find out whether we are going in the right or wrong direction. 'I am not practising properly, I am doing wrong,' this kind of feeling will always knock in you."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 4 min | 19 July 2013)

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