MONTHLY ARCHIVE OF UPDATES

SEPTEMBER 2020

Online Assembly of Dham-Bhusana Vaishnavs
"We have got an opportunity to speak and hear about Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in this class amidst the pandemic situation through the medium of zoom. Today is a very auspicious day, and we have all gathered here today to observe this holy day..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 8 min | 31 August 2020)

Service Consciousness (6 September 2019)
"These are Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's words, listen to what he says! You may be abused and humiliated hundreds of times, but you must not leave Krishna consciousness. As soon as you leave Hari-kirtan, you will be attacked by some circumstances."

Today in the calendar: Gaura Chaturdashi. Disappearance of Srila Haridas Thakur.

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj: "By remembering the glory of Srila Haridas Thakur all our impurities will go out."

Proper Service Life
"The Lord becomes happy through kirtan. What does it mean to serve Deities with faith? We have no right to enter the Deities' room to worship the Deities, we have no right to enter the kitchen to cook, but we can connect everything we do with the Lord."
• Download / listen to the audio (4 Mb, 10 min | 1 September 2020 | Bengali)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj: "The day after tomorrow [1 September] I am going to Nrisingha Palli, Mayapur. I must supply temples in Mayapur with some rice, potato, dal, oil. In this pandemic situation, the condition at all temples is not so good, that is why I am giving something to them—I can give a little to each temple. I collected rice and potato earlier this year, and we can distribute it. When we make festivals, we invite all sadhus, and at that time we use much bhoga, but this year past few months we have not been able to make festivals, so at least we can give something to each temple, then everybody will be happy. This is Vaishnav seva."

(৯) শ্রীমধ্যদ্বীপ ও নৈমিষ বর্ণন (শ্রীনবদ্বীপধাম মাহাত্ম্য-মুক্তা-মালা)
"নিশি অবসানে, মত্ত গৌরগাণে, চলিলেন নিত্যানন্দ । সঙ্গে ভক্তগণ, প্রেমেতে মগন, বিস্তারিয়া পরানন্দ ॥ মধ্যদ্বীপে আসি, বলে হাঁসি হাঁসি, এইত মাজিদা গ্রাম । হেথা সপ্তঋষি, ভজি গৌরশশী, করিলেন সুবিশ্রাম ॥"

Glories of Srila Haridas Thakur (1)
"Today is the disappearance day of Srila Haridas Thakur. We can speak and hear today about the glories of Srila Haridas Thakur. Singing the glories of the Vaishnavs rescues and protects the jiva soul."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 1 September 2020 | Bengali)

Glories of Srila Haridas Thakur (2)
"When Srila Haridas Thakur lived in a bhajan kutir in Benapole, many people used to come to him, and the local landlord Ramachandra Khan became envious. He arranged for a very beautiful young prostitute, 'I will pay you. You have to seduce him by hook or by crook!'"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.2 Mb, 6 min | 1 September 2020 | Bengali)

Today in the calendar: Krishna Dvitiya. Disappearance of Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj [a dear disciple, associate, and Mission Manager of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur; his previous name is Sri Kunja Bihari Prabhu, affectionally called 'Kunja Babu'].

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: "Even if you do not know anything about the Vaishnav mentioned in the calendar, you must still give them 'jay' on this day."

Glories of Srila Haridas Thakur (3)
"One day, Srila Haridas Thakur told Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, 'Prabhu, when You come to live in Puri, I will stay there with You.' Mahaprabhu agreed, and, as He was staying in Kashi Misra's house in Puri, He asked Kashi Misra and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya to arrange some place where Srila Haridas Thakur could make his bhajan kutir."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 8 min | 1 September 2020 | Bengali)

Sri Mayapur Dham Vaishnav Seva
(2 September 2020 | 91 photographs, 11.5 Mb)
On the order of His Divine Grace, Sripad Niriha Maharaj, accompanied by a few other devotees, fulfils a great and rare service—entering each Gaudiya Temple on the land of Antardwip and Godrumdwip, His Holiness, accompanied by a few other devotees, bow down to the residents of the temples and humbly offer bhoga for their temples on behalf of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and Sri Gurupadpadma. We feel blessed to have got an opportunity to have the darshan of the holy lotus feet of Dham-bhusana Vaishnavs and His Holiness's service to the Holy Dham through the glimpses captured in the photographs.

News from Sri Nrisingha Palli: Construction Progress
(1 September 2020 | 36 photographs, 2.9 Mb)
Sharing photographs of the rapidly progressing construction at Sri Nrisingha Palli: while the new top floor above nat mandir is day by day nearing its completion, the ground floor of Sri Bhakti Sundar Angan Guesthouse is starting to manifest its form. Sri Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj pays a visit to Sri Nrisingha Palli temple to observe the progress the works and to nourish the resident devotees with Hari-katha, kirtan and seva.

Glories of Srila Haridas Thakur (4)
"The next day, Mahaprabhu came to Srila Haridas Thakur in the morning. He asked, 'What is the news, Haridas?' Srila Haridas Thakur said, 'As You wish, Prabhu.' Then, Mahaprabhu ordered all the devotees to circumambulate Srila Haridas Thakur with kirtan..."
• Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 12 min | 1 September 2020 | Bengali + Kirtan)

(১০) শ্রীব্রাহ্মণপুষ্কর, শ্রীউচ্চহট্টাদি দর্শন ও পরিক্রমা-ক্রম বর্ণন (শ্রীনবদ্বীপধাম মাহাত্ম্য-মুক্তা-মালা)
"শুনহে কলির জীব ছাড়ি জ্ঞান কর্ম্ম । নিতাই চৈতন্য ভজ ত্যজি ধর্ম্মাধর্ম্ম ॥ দয়ার সমুদ্র সেই গৌর নিত্যানন্দ । অকাতরে দিবে ভাই সার ব্রজানন্দ ॥ যামিনী প্রভাত হৈলে নিত্যানন্দ রায় । জীবেরে লইয়া ধাম ভ্রমণেতে যায় ॥ বলে দেখ জীব এই গ্রাম মনোহর । এখন ব্রাহ্মণপুরা ডাকে সর্ব্বনর ॥ ব্রাহ্মণপুষ্কর নাম সর্ব্বশাস্ত্রে কয় ।"

No More Wasting Time
"Now, all countries are one by one lifting lockdown and we are again getting chance to preach and do sankirtan—we must restart our preaching. As it is, we have already lost almost six months of our spiritual time, we do not want to lose another moment."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 6 September 2020)

Guru-Varga's Prasad
"We always tell what Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila Gurudev and all the godbrothers of Srila Guru Maharaj told about Srila Guru Maharaj, we always enjoy taking their prasad. That is our happiness. If we hear from our guru-varga and read their lectures, it is good for us."
• Download / listen to the audio (4.5 Mb, 11 min | 6 September 2020)

Devotion to Devotees
"Some preach that you must become a Krishna-bhakta, but we do not preach like this; we preach that you must be Krishna's devotees' devotee. First become a Vaishnav-das, then a Guru-das, and only after that a Krishna-das. First you must be a servant of Vaishnavs."
• Download / listen to the audio (4.5 Mb, 7 min | 6 September 2020)

Service Zest
"Now disciples live in the lap of luxury. They blackmail Gurudev saying, "If I do not get this, I will leave the temple!" Such is the service in this world. If your service is conditional, then this is not the proper relationship between the Guru and the disciple. That is why doubts start coming, 'Will I enter that planet?'"
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 5 min | 6 September 2020)

Supreme and Inconceivable Glories of Sri Guru
"What are your glories, Gurudev? Your glories are known to all liberated souls—the entire Goloka-mandal sings your glories—but I am a fallen soul, how shall I talk about Gurudev? Gurudev's position is extremely high, talks about him are very high."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 3 min | 6 September 2020)

Entering Transcendental Plane
"You cannot worship the Lord with a mundane body. Only an eternal, transcendental body can worship or serve the Lord. If you serve the Lord thinking that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and you give your everything for the service to Krishna, then your body becomes transcendental."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | 6 September 2020)

Visiting Sri Ganga Sagar Math
(9-10 September 2020 | 9 photographs, 0.7 Mb)
Completing the recent rounds of the temples, Sri Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj pays a visit to the temple on the Sri Ganga Sagar island to nourish the local devotees and make sure the temple services run smoothly.

Purposeful Preaching
"Preaching is necessary. When you preach, you get pleasure, you get everything. I have told you that when I tell something, I myself get energy—devotees listen to it and I am also listening to it and I myself become purified..."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 7 min | 6 September 2020)

(১১) শ্রীশ্রীকোলদ্বীপ, শ্রীসমুদ্রগড়, শ্রীচম্পাহট্ট ও শ্রীজয়দেব-কথা বর্ণনা (শ্রীনবদ্বীপধাম মাহাত্ম্য-মুক্তা-মালা)
"ধন্য জয়দেব কবি ধন্য পদ্মাবতী । শ্রীগীতগোবিন্দ ধন্য ধন্য কৃষ্ণরতি ॥ জয়দেব ভোগ কৈল যেই প্রেমসিন্ধু । কৃপাকরি দেহ মোরে তার একবিন্দু ॥ এই কথা বলি জীব ধরণী লোটায় । নিত্যানন্দ শ্রীচরণে গড়াগড়ি যায় ॥"

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..."

ADDITIONAL READING:

Devotees' Core Principle
"All Gaudiya Vaishnavs follow ekadasi tithi, and it is good for you also to follow it because even Sriman Mahaprabhu Himself told to do so. If we want to follow Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we must follow His instruction."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 7 min | 13 September 2020)

Sustaining Mahaprabhu's Line
"Mahaprabhu's line was maintained by Srila Narottam Das Thakur, Acharya Srinivas, Sri Shyamananda Prabhu. After them, so much darkness came down upon the sky of Gaura-desh. The preaching movement again emerged through Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 13 September 2020)

"I Am Proud, I Am Astonished, and I Am Grateful"
"Wherever I may be, I come back to Kolkata on Sunday just to get your good association. I see your smiling faces and I know that your love and affection has no alloy—your love and affection is not cheating, it is actual love and affection."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.5 Mb, 6 min | 13 September 2020)

Ekadasi Struggle?
"You think that you will break ekadasi, that you will do what you like in your life, but you do not think that after that austerity will come—you have no idea what hell is like, what kind of austerity you will get there. What austerity is there in following ekadasi?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.5 Mb, 6 min | 13 September 2020)

Redundant Rituals
"Those who do not follow Krishna consciousness, who are not devotees, can do follow as many Hindu rituals and rules as they like, but we do not do it. We know that we are jiva souls—we are eternal servants of the Lord, and we always remember that."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | 13 September 2020)

পুরুষোত্তম-মাস
"এ বৎসর অধি-মাস বা পুরুষোত্তম-মাস সমুপস্থির হইয়া জীবের জাগাকে অধিক কৃষ্ণসেবানুকূল্যময় করিয়াছেন । পুরুষোত্তম-মাস, ভগবান পুরুষোত্তমের ন্যায় সর্ব্বগুণাধার এবং অন্যান্য সমস্ত মাসের মুকুটমণি স্বরূপ ।"

Primary and Paramount Necessity
"Teach Srimad Bhagavad-gita everywhere, it will be good. Most people cannot understand Srimad Bhagavatam or Chaitanya-charitamrita, it is very difficult for them, but everybody knows Srimad Bhagavad-gita, so everybody can easily understand its message."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 13 September 2020)

Service, Karma, and Devotion
"You cannot buy guru-bhakti with money. Guru-bhakti comes through love and affection, it comes from within one's heart—it comes by practising, by giving your heart. Those who are surrendered souls, are always busy with service—maya cannot attack them."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 5 min | 9 August 2020)

(১২) শ্রীশ্রীঋতুদ্বীপ ও শ্রীরাধাকুণ্ড বর্ণন (শ্রীনবদ্বীপধাম মাহাত্ম্য-মুক্তা-মালা)
"দেখিতে দেখিতে তবে, রাতুঃপুর চলে সবে, দেখি সেই নগরের শোভা । প্রভু নিত্যানন্দ বলে, ঋতুদ্বীপে আইল চলে, এই স্থানে অতি মনোলোভা ॥ বৃক্ষ সব নতশির, পবন বহয়ে ধীর, কুসুম ফুটেছে চারিভিত । ভৃঙ্গের ঝঙ্কার রব, কুসুমের গন্ধাসব, মাতায় পথিকগণ চিত ॥"

Continuing Service Movement
"We can practise Vaishnav-sanga, sadhu-sanga from anywhere. We must always remember Krishna, chant the Holy Name, practise and do our service from wherever we are. We must continue our service movement."
• Download / listen to the audio (2 Mb, 5 min | 20 September 2020)

Keep Your Guru In Your Heart
"Our hearts are always full of kanak, kamini, pratistha—we always think about our own enjoyment, we always think about our own safety. It is necessary to have the strongest faith. You must keep some place in your heart for your Guru."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 5 min | 20 September 2020)

Unparalleled Vairagya
"Always read the pastimes of great Vaishnavs. We can read their biographies and see how much tolerance they have, how much austerity they got in their spiritual life. If we think about it, we will be astonished—we cannot imagine how austere their life is."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.9 Mb, 5 min | 20 September 2020)

Pillars of Devotional Life
"We must leave everything for the happiness of the Lord, for the happiness of our Guru. We must learn how previous Vaishnavs maintained their lives, and we must follow their example, their path. We must try to live and maintain our life the way sadhus do. We must try to do that. We must try to practise that."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 8 min | 20 September 2020)

Best Behaviour
"Everybody must live in harmony with each other. If we think we have become great devotees, it is wrong because we are fallen souls and we are only trying to serve our Guru under his guidance. This is our main aim in life. We must fight against ourselves."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.7 Mb, 7 min | 20 September 2020)

News from Sri Nrisingha Palli: Construction Progress
(24 September 2020 | 23 photographs, 2 Mb)
His Divine Grace Sri Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj pays a visit to Sri Nrisingha Palli temple to observe the progress of the construction works—as the new top floor above the nat mandir is getting painted and nearing its completion, the new guest house is rapidly growing, manifesting its magnificent form.

Repository of Nectar
"Gurudev explains this sloka very nicely. When somebody is taking and relishing honey, some drops fall from their mouth, and Srila Sridhar Maharaj is collecting these drops. This is actually the essence of our spiritual life."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 3 min | 20 September 2020)

Awkward Medicines and Health Issues
"You must maintain this body well. If the doctor has prescribed some medicine for your disease, then you should take it because it is necessary for your health, but if the doctor prescribes eating meat, etc., you should not follow it."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 3 min | 20 September 2020)

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..."

ADDITIONAL READING:

Adjusting with Others and Yourself
"If somebody preaches, it is good! Why will we criticise them? People come for Krishna consciousness and we do not care who comes from what country, who is lower, who is lowest. Only if somebody is bad association, you must always avoid such association."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 20 September 2020)

Recommendation
• Is "Madhava-tithi" only ekadasi? • What is your advice to those who want to take initiation? • What do we read on Janmastami day? • Is it possible to take medication on Janmastami?
• Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 3 min | 9 August 2020)

Proper Line—Proper Success
"We always run behind false renunciation, false ego, we have so many bad elements, so many desires. If you think in a proper way and practise under the guidance of a bona fide guru, you will succeed. Those who have proper quality and qualification, can surrender within one minute."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.3 Mb, 3 min | 9 August 2020)

News from Sri Uluberia Math
(29 September 2020 | 15 photographs, 1.3 Mb)
His Divine Grace Sri Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj pays a regular visit to Sri Uluberia Math to check the progress of the construction works—among the news is the commenced construction of the domes and continuation of the plastering works throughout the temple. With several rooms now completed, the temple is rapidly manifesting its beautiful form.

Guidance, Issue #24 (EPUB file, 1.3 Mb)
An ePub file for offline reading on mobile phones and tablets containing the lectures of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj published here from July to September 2020. We pray this serves as a source of guidance, nourishment, and life to all the devotees and well-wishers worldwide.

Files for offline reading (all posts published on the website since July 2014):

2014
Guidance: Issue #01, 2014 (ePub, 1 Mb): 26 July 2014 to 31 December 2014.
2015
Guidance: Issue #02, 2015/1 (ePub, 0.8 Mb): January to March 2015.
Guidance: Issue #03, 2015/2 (ePub, 0.9 Mb): April to June 2015.
Guidance: Issue #04, 2015/3 (ePub, 0.8 Mb): July to September 2015.
Guidance: Issue #05, 2015/4 (ePub, 0.9 Mb): October to December 2015.
Sri Rupa-Sanatan Siksa (ePub, 0.8 Mb)
2016
Guidance: Issue #06, 2016/1 (ePub file, 0.6 Mb): January to March 2016.
Guidance: Issue #07, 2016/2 (ePub file, 0.6 Mb): March to June 2016.
Guidance: Issue #08, 2016/3 (ePub file, 0.8 Mb): July to September 2016.
Guidance: Issue #09, 2016/4 (ePub file, 0.7 Mb): October to December 2016.
2017
Guidance: Issue #10, 2017/1 (ePub file, 0.7 Mb): January to March 2017.
Guidance: Issue #11, 2017/2 (ePub file, 0.7 Mb): April to June 2017.
Guidance: Issue #12, 2017/3 (ePub file, 0.7 Mb): July to September 2017.
Guidance: Issue #13, 2017/4 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): October to December 2017.
2018
Guidance: Issue #14, 2018/1 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): January to March 2018.
Guidance: Issue #15, 2018/2 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): April to June 2018.
Guidance: Issue #16, 2018/3 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): July to September 2018.
Guidance: Issue #17, 2018/4 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): September to December 2018.
2019
Guidance: Issue #18, 2019/1 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): January to March 2019.
Guidance: Issue #19, 2019/2 (ePub file, 0.9 Mb): April to June 2019.
Guidance: Issue #20, 2019/3 (ePub file, 1.2 Mb): July to September 2019.
Guidance: Issue #21, 2019/4 (ePub file, 1.1 Mb): September to December 2019.
2020
Guidance: Issue #22, 2020/1 (ePub file, 1 Mb): January to March 2020.
Guidance: Issue #23, 2020/2 (ePub file, 1 Mb): April to June 2020.
Guidance: Issue #24, 2020/3 (ePub file, 1.3 Mb): July to September 2020.

 · · • • • · ·

2020

 JANUARY
 FEBRUARY
 MARCH
 APRIL
 MAY
 JUNE
 JULY
 AUGUST
 SEPTEMBER
 OCTOBER
 NOVEMBER
 DECEMBER

• OFFLINE READING, ePub:
(All lectures of His Divine Grace Om Visnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj posted here on the website)
Issue #1 (31 Dec '14)
Issue #2 (2015/1)
Issue #3 (2015/2)
Issue #4 (2015/3)
Issue #5 (2015/4)
Issue #6 (2016/1)
Issue #7 (2016/2)
Issue #8 (2016/3)
Issue #9 (2016/4)
Issue #10 (2017/1)
Issue #11 (2017/2)
Issue #12 (2017/3)
Issue #13 (2017/4)
Issue #14 (2018/1)
Issue #15 (2018/2)
Issue #16 (2018/3)
Issue #17 (2018/4)
Issue #18 (2019/1)
Issue #19 (2019/2)
Issue #20 (2019/3)
Issue #21 (2019/4)
Issue #22 (2020/1)
Issue #23 (2020/2)
Issue #24 (2020/3)
Issue #25 (2020/4)
Issue #26 (2021/1)
Issue #27 (2021/2)
Issue #28 (2021/3)
Issue #29 (2021/4)
Issue #30 (2022/1)