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Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart which are considered to be obstacles on the path of self-realization. The remedy is the association of the bhagavatas. There are two types of bavatas namely the book bhagavata and the devotey bhagavata. Both the bhagavatas are competent remedies and both of themrajas tamo guṇe erā
sabāi ācchanna
By rajas and tamas in formidable might,
All here are covered in illusion’s night.
My dear Lord, Srila Prabhupada’s devotion is founded on deep scriptural erudition: he sees America not as a land filled with majestic architecture, impressive technology, or dazzling prosperity, but as a land dominated by the lower modes of material nature—those subtle forces that shape the interaction between matter and consciousness. He sees especially the modes of passion and ignorance, which are dangerously misleading and entangling. Despite America’s many claims to progress, he perceives growing distress—evident in the alarming rise of psychological and social disintegration across much of Western society.
O all-seeing Lord, the mode of passion fills me with infatuation, which lasts as long as I believe that material pleasure is both attainable and enjoyable. But when that hope fades—when pleasure becomes unavailable or unfulfilling—the mode of ignorance drags me into dejection and depression. And thus, I miss the precious window for introspection and spiritual redirection.
O merciful Lord, it is only when saints like Śrīla Prabhupada enter my life that I can recognize that window—and, by their mercy, turn it into a doorway to devotional flourishing. Bless me with the strength to first free myself from the shackles of these modes—and then to assist Srila Prabhupada and his followers in freeing others as well.
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Sat Sanga with HH Krishna Kshetra Swami Topics: Go-seva, Community, and GBC Leadership Song: Janma-lila (verses 1–16), from Srila Locana Dasa Thakura’s Sri Caitanya Mangala — The Loving Pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Dubai, UAE November 1, 2025 Sat Sanga – Go-seva, Community, and GBC Leadership – HH Krishna Kshetra Swami – 01.11.2025
Yesterday we visited the Alalanatha Temple, where we completed our final parikrama for the month. Our program took place beneath a beautiful mango tree in a serene forest setting. There we listened to profound pastimes that occurred in that sacred place. Afterwards we had darshan at the temple and saw the stone that melted whenna mokṣe graho me ’sti dāmodareha
I seek not any liberation, O Dāmodar dear,
In your love, the supreme heaven is right here.
No wish do I have for freedom from pain,
Living with you and for you–that’s the greatest gain.
(Damodarashtakam — Verse 7, Line 4)
My dear Lord, how single-pointed and undistracted is the desire of your saintly devotees!
Even the desire for liberation—revered as life’s highest aspiration—pales before their longing for you.
Their example reveals how absorption in you is incomparably fulfilling, enriching, and even intoxicating.
O master of past, present, and future, I have grown up in an age that believes neither in heaven nor in liberation.
Having rarely seen anyone striving for liberation, I sometimes fail to grasp how extraordinary it is to renounce even that aspiration.
Those who seek liberation long to be free from pain—they recognize its reality, its inevitability, its unspoken yet unbearable severity.
Wisely, they seek freedom from the material existence that subjects all to such pain.
O reservoir of all joy, how immense—indeed immeasurable—must be the joy of remembering and loving you,
that it renders insignificant both the pain of existence and the relief of liberation.
I implore you for even a glimpse of that joy of complete absorption.
May its memory inspire me to turn away from both the desire for the world and the desire for liberation from it—
so that the one desire that drives and defines me is the desire for you.
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nahe keno āniben
ei ugra-sthāne
Why else would you bring me to such a terrible place—
so lost in illusion, so void of grace?
My dear Lord, great devotees are never enamored by material opulence, as seen in Srila Prabhupada’s description of America as an ugrasthān—a terrible place. While most people across the world, including India, dream of America as a land of liberty, opportunity, and prosperity, Srila Prabhupada saw it differently: as a land spiritually impoverished, where people knew neither you nor love for you. Outwardly, they appeared prosperous; inwardly, they were impoverished, struggling to find lasting meaning or joy.
Yet Srila Prabhupada’s vision was not one of condemnation but of compassion. O Lord of Vrindavan, he came from a land where nearly every heart beat with your name, to a land where your name was scarcely known. Though he had left Vrindavan outwardly, his heart had never left it. Indeed, we may take a devotee out of Vrindavan, but we cannot take Vrindavan out of the devotee. Srila Prabhupada carried Vrindavan within his heart and longed to manifest it in America.
O Lord of love, bless me that I may never be captivated by material prosperity but remain ever dedicated to devotion—to seeking it, savoring it, and sharing it. May I, in my small way, follow Srila Prabhupada by carrying the essence of Vrindavan within me wherever I go, and may my life become a window through which your holy abode shines into this world.
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Explore and download high-quality photos of Sri Mayapur-dhama, the spiritual capital of the world. This gallery features images of the Deities, temples, holy rivers, nature, and festivals—captured by devotee photographers. Each section links to dedicated folders with high-resolution photos for your non-commercial projects, presentations, and personal meditation. Temple of the Vedic Planetarium – TOVP Click
The Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad completely distinguishes the Lord from the living entities. The living entity is subjected to the reactions of fruitive activity, whereas the Lord simply witnesses such activity and bestows the results. According to the living entity’s desires, he is wandering from one body to another and from one planet to another, under thetathā prema-bhaktiṁ svakāṁ me prayaccha
So grant me, Lord, that love divine,
The purest gift to call you mine.
Bestow the bond that nothing can end,
Before you, in utter humility, repeatedly I bend.
(Damodarashtakam — Verse 7, Line 3)
My dear Lord, for my heart to be drawn to you requires both my rational endeavor and your transcendental, causeless grace.
Yet, O all-attractive Lord, I cannot even endeavor properly without your grace, for it is by your grace that you grant the revelations and realizations that initiate and animate my effort. You reveal such splendorous displays of love that, by remembering them, I can push my heart toward you. Through your grace, you also grant me realizations from within my own heart and through other hearts—both through the sacred association available to me now and through the luminous commentaries of saintly teachers of the past.
O causelessly merciful Lord, your mercy not only initiates but also completes my endeavors. Without your grace, all my efforts to push my heart toward you remain mechanical and non-transformational. It is only your mercy that pulls my heart toward you—with a force far stronger than my strongest pushes. As and when you see fit, please bestow your supremely excellent grace so that I may be uplifted and united with you in love—for you are the one whom my heart has forever longed to love.
By your grace, O tirelessly loving Lord, you first enable me to push my heart toward you, and then you pull my heart to you. May your glorious grace reign supremely victorious.
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āche kichu kārja taba
ei anumāne
You must have some purpose, I humbly guess,
some hidden aim in this wilderness.
My dear Lord, Srila Prabhupada reveals the disarming blend of certainty and uncertainty that marks bhakti in this world. He is confident that you have a plan, while humbly acknowledging that he can only infer its details. His uncertainty does not arise from a deficiency of devotion but from the finiteness of the soul—a finiteness that remains, however spiritually exalted one may be.
When he uses the word anumāne (“I guess”), this uncertainty is not a duṣaṇa (a defect) but a bhūṣaṇa (an ornament). It reveals how deep his conviction runs, even when complete clarity lies beyond human reach.
I am forever a part of you—eternally finite—whereas you, my Lord, are eternally infinite. Your plan is never fully or finally known to anyone but yourself. Let my devotion to you lead me to the humility of a heart aware of the limits of human perception.
O Supreme Guide, bless me to follow in Srila Prabhupada’s illustrious footsteps and cultivate a humble confidence in your providence—especially when what is happening, or what I am meant to do, lies beyond my comprehension. May my heart, like Srila Prabhupada’s, remain steady and surrendered, trusting your plan even when my mind cannot trace it.
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ki lāgiyānile hethā
koro ebe gati
Why have you brought me to this place?
Now do with me as suits your grace.
My dear Lord, please bless me to entrust myself into your hands, just as Srila Prabhupada did when he arrived in America—uncertain of what exactly he would do but certain that you were guiding him. Grant me the conviction that you are always orchestrating my circumstances from above and guiding my steps on the path below.
O omnipresent Lord, let my consciousness of you become an empowering blend of practical consciousness and transcendental consciousness. Practical consciousness will keep me aware of my immediate situation—its challenges and opportunities. Transcendental consciousness will keep me aware that you are always in charge.
If I have only practical consciousness without transcendental consciousness, I will be consumed by anxiety and paralyzed by panic. If I have neither practical nor transcendental consciousness, I will be lost in my head, unable to do anything worthwhile. If I have only transcendental consciousness without practical consciousness, I will become unrealistic—over-dependent on your intervention without doing my part.
Bless me, O almighty Lord, to cultivate both. Let transcendental consciousness keep me faithful and calm, and let practical consciousness keep me resourceful and alert. Thus, like Srila Prabhupada, may my head remain in the sky while my feet stay firmly on the ground, as I walk the path of your service.
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Kartik Navadvipa Mandal Parikrama 2025, a spiritual pilgrimage event. Spiritual Emphasis: The post includes a quote from Srila Prabhupada emphasizing that Krishna Kirtana is a dynamic service to the Lord, not meant for entertainment or livelihood. Kartik Navadvipa Mandal Parikrama 2025 Mayapur.TV Click on the photo to see the complete post.
The author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta advises everyone to give up all engagements of sense gratification and, like the gopīs, dovetail oneself entirely with the will of the Supreme Lord. That is the ultimate instruction of Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. We should be prepared to do anything and everything to please the Lord, even at the
A Short Documentary When the earth trembled in Bogo, Cebu, homes crumbled and thousands were left struggling to survive. Yet in the midst of devastation, the spirit of Bayanihan arose. Inspired by the compassionate call to action of Governor Pamela Baricuatro, the devotees of ISKCON Cebu Philippines and ISKCON Food For Life Philippines joined hands
DAY 5 GLOBAL PREACHING STRATEGIES & COMMEMORATIONS Morning Session: Praghosa Dasa led brainstorming on “Reflections on the Eve of ISKCON 60.” Focus: Reinventing outreach for the modern world, building stronger congregational engagement, and leveraging technology (e.g., podcasts, QR codes in books). Suggestion: Every temple to follow up personally with book recipients and use media tools
pura vrindavane cetau sthitau bhringara-bhangurau
shri-kashishvara-govindau tau jatau prabhu-sevakau
Shrila Kashishvara Pandit (also Brahmachari or Goswami) was Krishna’s servant Bhringara and Govinda was Bhangura. They became Mahaprabhu’s servants in Gaura-lila. Some Kashishvara was the sakhi Sasirekha. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 137)
Kashishvara Pandit’s home was in the village of Catara in the district of Hooghly, about one mile from the present day Serampore (Shriramapura) railway station. His father was Vasudeva Bhattacharya, a Brahmin of the Vatsya gotra in the li ne of Kanva.
He also had the title Chaudhuri. The Temple which belonged to Kashishvara Pandit is situated in the neighborhood of Catara village is known as Chaudhuri Paria. He established Deities of Gauranga and Shri Radha Govinda. There is an annual festival there on Òola Purnima. Kashishvara Pandit was very powerful physically. Rudra Pandit of Ballabhapura was his nephew.
Kashishvara Pandit was a disciple of Ishvara Puri who had received much mercy from him. For this reason he is counted as one of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s branches. Shri Govinda was also Ishvara Puri’s disciple.
Both of them devotedly served their spiritual master as long as he was present in this world. Just before he disappeared, he instructed them both to go engage in Mahaprabhu’s service. Govinda was the first to come to Puri to serve the Lord after the disappearance of their guru; Kashishvara travelled throughout India on a pilgrimage before finally coming to Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet.
Whenever Mahaprabhu went to see Jagannath, Kashishvara would use his physical strength to hold back the crowds, allowing the Lord to pass without being touched by anyone.
In Puri, the abode of the Supreme Person (Purushottam-dham), when the Lord was dancing in front of Jagannath’s Rathayatra cart, three rings of people would be formed around the Lord in order to hold the people back. The innermost ring consisted of Nityananda Prabhu and other Devotees, the second of Kashishvara, Mukunda and others, and the third of King Prataparudra and his bodyguards.
Kashishvara, Mukunda and many other Devotees held hand to form a second protective circle. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.13.89)
Kashishvara was one of the seven persons who would serve Maha Prasad to the Devotees after the kirtan at the Rathayatra. The others were Svarupa Damodar, Jagadananda, Damodar, Gopinath, Vaninatha and Shankara.
Kashishvara also participated in some of the Lord’s lilas in Navadwip, such as the kirtans at Shrivasa Angan and bathing in the Ganges. He was also present when the Lord went with kirtan to the house of Shridhara and drank from his iron pot. He, along with the other Devotees present, cried to see the Lord’s mercy on that occasion. Govinda, Govindananda, Shrigarbha, Shriman, Jagadananda and Rama were others present on that occasion. (Chaitanya Bhagavat 2.23.451)
Vrindavan Das Thakur tells just how dear Kashishvara was to the Lord, calling Mahaprabhu Kashishvara’s heart on one occasion (Chaitanya Bhagavat 2.1.6) and the wealth of Kashishvara’s life (Kashishvara-prana-dhana) on another. (Chaitanya Bhagavat 2.24.3)
He was also present when Mahaprabhu went to greet Advaita and the other Devotees when they arrived from Bengal. His disappearance day is on the fourteenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Karttik. According to another opinion, it is on the full moon day of the month of Ashvina, when the Rasapurnima of Radha Krishna is also celebrated.
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
By you were they granted the supreme gain,
Freed from illusion, the root of all pain.
You blessed them with love divine,
And made their hearts forever thine.
(Damodarashtakam — Verse 7, Line 2)
My dear Lord, the paths to worldly success and the path to you are often different—sometimes even diametrically opposite. A material curse that brings a spiritual blessing is far better than a material blessing that distances me from spiritual well-being.
My beloved Lord, bless me so that my emotions don’t become my only lens for evaluating my situations from a worldly perspective. Even when I lose possessions, positions, facilities, or abilities—when I feel as if I have been cursed—protect my consciousness from becoming fretful or resentful. Help me remember that through such painful circumstances, you can draw me closer and bless me far more deeply than material gain ever could. Indeed, without those losses, I might never become receptive to the grace you have always been eager to give. Just as Nalakuvara and Manigriva were blessed through the curse of Narada, may I too perceive your mercy working through my losses.
Protect me, my cherished Lord, from the intoxication of material success, which blinds me to spiritual opportunities. Let me see every circumstance through one prism alone—whether it draws me nearer to you or drives me away. Bless me to measure my success not by how high I rise in this world but by how close I come to you.
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Written by: Bhaktimarga Swami Directed by: Paul Music by: Nityananda Das Starring: Nityananda Das Alex A heartfelt presentation crafted with devotion and creativity. This production brings together art, music, and storytelling inspired by spiritual themes. Every Guy
Today is the disappearance day of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji was a great devotee—a maha-bhagavata. He was a disciple of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and was very renounced. Earlier, he lived for many years in Vrindavan, roaming the twelve forests, chanting the holy names of Krishna, begging alms, and sleeping under trees. Later, after Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura discovered Lord Chaitanya’s birthplace in Mayapur, Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, the siksa-guru of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and parama-guru of Gaurakisora dasa Babaji, instructed Gaurakisora to move to Navadvipa-dhama.
In Navadvipa Gaurakisora resided on the banks of the Ganges and practiced devotional service with intense devotion and renunciation. Because materialistic men would come and disturb him with their desires for mundane blessings (asirvada), he began to stay by a municipal lavatory, where the filth and noxious smells would discourage unwanted visitors. There he would chant in peace—in ecstasy. He would beg alms and cook in discarded clay pots, or eat parched rice with green chilies, or even ingest Ganges mud. Sometimes he would collect the discarded cloth from the crematorium, wash it in Ganges water, and use it to cover himself. His only desire was to be absorbed in the mellow of the holy name—in Krishna consciousness.
Gaurakisora was a siksa disciple and intimate friend of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. The Thakura arranged a bhajana-kutira for him on the same property as his own house in Godruma-dvipa. When the time came for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to take diksa, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura advised him to approach Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the father of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and his first instructor in the spiritual science, but the etiquette was that one would not take diksa from one’s biological father. So Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent him to Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was highly literate. By the age of seven, he had memorized the entire Bhagavad-gita and could even explain its verses. He had a photographic memory, and in school he read all the books in the library. Just by reading them once, he could remember every word, and so the library purchased new books just for him. By the age of twenty-five, he had written numerous articles and published one book, Surya-siddhanta, for which he was awarded the title Siddhanta Sarasvati. So, he was highly educated and literate, and Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja was hardly educated or literate at all.
The first time Siddhanta Sarasvati approached Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, the babaji refused to accept him. He didn’t directly say no, but he said, “I will ask Mahaprabhu.” When Siddhanta Sarasvati returned and told his father what had happened, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura encouraged him to persevere: “You must go back and beg him with all humility and earnestness to accept you.” So, he went back, but Gaurakisora dasa Babaji again refused, saying, “Oh, I forgot to ask Mahaprabhu. I am so sorry.” When Siddhanta Sarasvati returned home, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was most upset. He knew that Gaurakisora dasa Babaji was a pure devotee, a maha-bhagavata, and he urged Siddhanta Sarasvati to persist. He again instructed his son to beg Gaurakisora for his mercy, and he added, “If you fail this time, don’t bother to come back home.”
So, Siddhanta Sarasvati left the house and went to the Ganges. He felt so hopeless, he thought he might as well just drown himself in the river. Just then, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja appeared; he knew what was in his future disciple’s heart. Siddhanta Sarasvati just threw himself at Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji’s lotus feet in abject humility and complete surrender. Finally, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji accepted him. Siddhanta Sarasvati had shown that he was free from any tinge of false pride for being so learned and literate when his guru was uneducated.
Srila Prabhupada remarked that Gaurakisora dasa Babaji was illiterate and could not even sign his name, yet he became the spiritual master of Sarasvati Thakura, the best scholar of his time. And thus he proved the statement of the Vedas:
yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha-deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)
Although Gaurakisora dasa Babaji was hardly educated or literate, learned scholars and public servants would approach him with their questions on Srimad-Bhagavatam and other shastras, and with his realized knowledge he would answer their questions to their full satisfaction. Sometimes devotees would read various scriptures for him and he would comment on them from his deep spiritual realization.
Still, out of his great humility, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja refused to accept any disciples; Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura proved to be the only exception.
Gaurakisora dasa Babaji enjoined Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati never to go to Calcutta, which he considered “a bastion of Kali-yuga.” So Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati remained in Mayapur. In 1905 he took a vow to chant the Hare Krishna mantra a billion times. Residing in a grass hut near the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya, he chanted the Hare Krishna mantra day and night. He cooked rice once a day in an earthen pot (or just parched the rice in the sun) and ate nothing more. He slept on the ground, and when rainwater leaked through his grass ceiling, he sat beneath an umbrella, chanting. Locked in a small room, he chanted japa day and night, day after day, month after month, year after year. Finally, when he had completed his quota, he felt that he was ready to come out and preach. And to preach he went to Calcutta.
In a talk at the Ardha-kumbha-mela in Allahabad, Srila Prabhupada raised the point that Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji had instructed Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati never to go to Calcutta but that everyone knows he went to Calcutta. So, Srila Prabhupada questioned whether Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had disobeyed the orders of his spiritual master. “No!” Prabhupada declared. “He was never in Calcutta; he was always in Vaikuntha!”
We pray to Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji:
namo gaura-kisoraya
saksad-vairagya-murtaye
vipralambha-rasambodhe
padambhujaya te namah
He is saksad-vairagya-murtaye, the personification of renunciation (vairagya); and vipralambha-rasambodhe, always merged in the ocean of the mellow of separation from Krishna (vipralambha-rasa). Padambhujaya te namah: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.”
That was the mood of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja: he was always merged in that nectarean ocean of devotion in separation, and he had no care for his body or for anything material—just hari-nama.
He wrote a beautiful song that is completely in the mood of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. It is said that of the Six Gosvamis, Raghunatha dasa was the most attached to the service of Srimati Radharani—that he had the most intense desire to serve Srimati Radharani—and Gaurakisora dasa Babaji wrote a beautiful song in that mood. He begins with a refrain: kotai go premamayi, radhe radhe, radhe radhe—“Where is Radha, so full of love? Radhe, Radhe, Radhe, Radhe!” Then he proceeds to express the mood of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami in separation from Radharani, desiring and aspiring for Her service.
When Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja left this world, there was some dispute over what would happen to his body. His samadhi would become an important place of pilgrimage, and some of the heads of the local Vaishnava centers saw this as an opportunity to raise money—for their mathas and even for their own sense gratification. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati ran to the site, but when he arrived, some of the local babajis objected: “You are not a sannyasi; how can you give samadhi to such an exalted and renounced personality?” But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati responded forcefully: “I am the only disciple of Babaji Maharaja, and although I have not accepted sannyasa, I am a celibate brahmachari, not secretly addicted to abominable habits or involved with illicit activities. Who among you can say that in the last year he has had no sex or illicit contact with a woman? Please step forward.” Everyone was silent. Then he challenged, “Who has refrained for the last six months?” Everyone was silent. Next, “For the last three months?” Again, silence. “For the last one month?” Silence. “The last three days?” Still silence. They had been exposed and humbled. Not one of the babajis was fit to even touch the transcendental form of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, and one by one they walked away.
But even then, there remained some question about how to handle the body, which was still lying on the ground. Out of his great humility, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja had instructed that when he departed, his body should be dragged through the streets of Navadvipa so that it would be bathed in the dust from the feet of the Vaishnavas who had walked the holy ground of the dhama. So some of the townspeople proposed to take the body and drag it through the streets of Navadvipa. Such fools! Such rascals! But Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura stopped them. “Although we are fools and offenders,” he said, “still we can try to understand the true meaning of Babaji Maharaja’s humble request. After the departure of Thakura Haridasa, Lord Chaitanya Himself took the spiritually blissful body of the Thakura on His lap and danced. Following the divine example of Mahaprabhu, let us also bear Babaji Maharaja’s blissful body on our own heads.”
So, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati took charge of the body and placed it in samadhi on the western side of the Ganges, across from Mayapur. In time, the course of the Ganges changed and its waters threatened the area of the samadhi. So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta brought the samadhi to Mayapur, to his matha. There he had created a replica of Vrindavan, with tamala trees and kadamba trees, with Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda, and with a small Govardhana Hill made of govardhana-silas. Most appropriately, he placed the new samadhi by the side of Radha-kunda, and that is where the transcendental remains of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji still rest today. One can go there and pray to him and feel his presence and get his mercy.
Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja is an ocean of mercy (all pure Vaishnavas are). I pray that he will help me to chant the holy name, to chant with taste. When I prayed to him earlier—and this may just be my speculation—I imagined that he said, “You must give up your offenses.” Then I was thinking, “What offenses? What offenses?” And then I imagined that he answered, “You must chant with attention.”
Of course, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura does state that inattentive chanting is the root of all other offenses and that, conversely, attentive chanting will destroy all the other offenses. “But how do I do that?” I asked. And the answer came: “You must try. You just have to make the effort.” And I suppose that is always the process—that we make our honest effort and depend on the mercy of the acharyas and Krishna.
In my case, however, my chanting sometimes becomes such a routine that I do not even make the effort to hear every word or every mantra. I just do it. I just go through the motions. So, I guess that is my challenge, my special order—to chant with attention.
Devotees often raise the question of chanting with quality. When on a morning walk a disciple asked Srila Prabhupada, “How can we chant with quality?” His Divine Grace replied, “The quality will come. For now, just chant as a matter of duty; chant your sixteen rounds. When the quality comes, there will be no force. You will have taste, and spontaneously you will desire, ‘Why sixteen rounds? Why not sixteen thousand rounds?’ Rupa Gosvami desired, ‘How shall I chant with one tongue and hear with two ears? Had I billions of tongues and trillions of ears, then I could enjoy it.’ ”
Srila Prabhupada said that quality means asakti, attachment, and that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu showed that quality: “Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me: ‘Oh, I do not see Govinda. The whole world is vacant.’ Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. This is quality.” When one feels viraha-bhava, when one feels separation from Radha and Krishna, one is chanting with quality.
Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji is an ocean of mercy, and we pray for his grace.
Hare Krishna.
[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji’s disappearance day, November 22, 2004, Dallas]
Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 43
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 43: October 22–28)
Stuyvesant Falls, Chatham, Schenectady
(Sent from Stuyvesant Falls on November 1, 2025)
Where I Went and What I Did
The forty-third week of 2025, I lived at Viraha Bhavan, the ashram of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, my Guru Maharaja, in Stuyvesant Falls, New York. I helped his caretakers with different services like cleaning the kitchen, waking up the deities, singing for Them, and uploading dictation tapes. I also did some personal service for Guru Maharaja. On Wednesday evening I attended a Govardhan Puja festival in Chatham.
On Saturday evening I attended a program at ISKCON Schenectady on the disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada, where I led the first Hare Krishna kirtan and talked about Srila Prabhupada not being just a guru or even just the founder-acarya of ISKCON, but a divine personality personally empowered by Krishna to spread eternal dharma all over the world, especially by teaching the chanting of the holy name and the study of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
I share quotes from the final chapters of Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead. I also share quotes from two lectures by Srila Prabhupada on Sri Caitanya-caritamrita given in the fall of 1966 at 26 Second Avenue. I share a lengthy quote from Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura showing that some Muslims of his time also accepted Lord Caitanya to be an incarnation of the Supreme Lord Himself.
Many thanks to Shreyakari Devi Dasi and ISKCON Schenectady for their kind donation. Thanks to Kamesi Devi Dasi for the video of the harinama on the porch. Thanks to Krsna dasi for the videos of the Govardhan Hill circumambulation by the kids and by myself at the Chatham Wednesday program Govardhan Puja festival. Thanks to Mathura Mohan Prabhu for the ride to and from Schenectady.
Itinerary
September 12–November ?: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
November ?–December 31: NYC Harinam
– December 6: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja / Hudson Winter Walk harinama
Chanting Hare Krishna in Upstate New York
Baladeva made the best preparation, saffron-cardamom sweet rice. He also made the banana halava which was the main constituent of the hill. Krsna dasi made the rice and the dal.
Govardhan Puja was on a Wednesday so we observed it at our Chatham Wednesday program. I was happily surprised by both the popularity of our Govardhan Puja festival and the enthusiasm of its participants.
Here Patrick chants Hare Krishna at the Chatham Wednesday Program on Govardhan Puja (https://youtu.be/RuxmvEM3mTo):
Srila Prabhupada:
From Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 89:
“All the sages who assembled on the bank of the river Sarasvati to try to determine who is the supreme predominating deity became freed from all doubts about Vishnu worship. All of them thereafter engaged in devotional service, and thus they achieved the desired result and went back to Godhead.”
“Those who are actually eager to be liberated from material entanglement would do well to accept at once the conclusion given by Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami, it is said that hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam is extremely conducive to liberation. The same fact is now confirmed by Suta Gosvami: if anyone who is traveling aimlessly within this material world cares to hear the nectarean words spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami, certainly he will come to the right conclusion, which is that simply by discharging devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead one will be able to stop the fatigue of perpetually migrating from one material body to another. In other words, one who becomes fixed in loving devotional service to Vishnu will certainly be able to get relief from this journey of material life, and the process is very simple: one has to give aural reception to the sweet words spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami in the form of Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
“Brahmanas, being engaged in spiritual activities, are not expected to do anything which requires physical endeavor. Therefore, they need to be protected by the ksatriyas so that they will not be disturbed in the execution of their higher occupational duties.”
From Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 90:
“Some devotees of the Lord who want to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the mellow of conjugal love are elevated to the position of becoming wives of Krishna, and Krishna keeps them always attached to Him by His kind behavior. Krishna’s behavior with His wives – His movements, His talking with them, His smiling, His embracing and similar other activities, which are just like those of a loving husband – kept them always very much attached to Him. That is the highest perfection of life. If someone remains always attached to Krishna, it is to be understood that he is liberated, and his life is successful. With any devotee who loves Krishna with his heart and soul, Krishna reciprocates in such a way that the devotee cannot but remain attached to Him. The reciprocal dealings of Krishna and His devotees are so attractive that a devotee cannot think of any subject matter other than Krishna.”
“Lord Krishna is especially glorified for giving pleasure to the gopis and the queens of Dvaraka. Sukadeva Gosvami glorifies Lord Krishna for His enchanting smile, by which He enchanted not only the gopis of Vṛndavana but also the queens of Dvaraka. The exact words used in this connection are vardhayan kama-devam. In Vṛndavana, as the boyfriend of many gopis, and in Dvaraka, as the husband of many queens, Krishna increased their lusty desires to enjoy with Him. For God realization or self-realization, one generally has to undergo severe austerities and penances for many, many thousands of years, and then it may be possible to realize God. But the gopis and the queens of Dvaraka, simply by enhancing their lusty desires to enjoy Krishna as their boyfriend or husband, received the highest type of salvation.
“This behavior of Lord Krishna with the gopis and queens is unique in the history of self-realization. Usually people understand that for self-realization one has to go to the forest or mountains and undergo severe austerities and penances. But the gopis and the queens, simply by being attached to Krishna in conjugal love and enjoying His company in a so-called sensuous life full of luxury and opulence, achieved the highest salvation, which is impossible to achieve even for great sages and saintly persons. Similarly, demons such as Kamsa, Dantavakra and Sisupala, who all treated Krishna as an enemy, also got the highest benefit of being transferred to the spiritual world.”
From a lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamṛta, Madhya-lila 20.100–108 in New York on Nov. 29, 1966:
“Nirbandhini matih means he has already determined that ‘In this life I shall make my life perfect.’ Then, for him, perfection is guaranteed. If he thinks, ‘Oh, let me try. Let me test also this department of Krishna consciousness, at the same time test other department. Let us go this way...’ No. One should be very much serious to make complete perfection in this life.
“So a man should be serious like Sanatana Gosvami. And for that purpose he sacrificed everything, he became a beggar. So we should be prepared to sacrifice anything for perfection of this human form of life. Then perfection is guaranteed. Simply we should be very serious, that’s all.”
From a lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 20.124–125 in New York on December 4, 1966:
“Bhakti, devotional service, means to undergo a, a disciplinary system of our life so that automatically we can revive our lost relationship with Lord, God, and we become happy. This is called bhakti.”
Vrindavana Dasa Thakura:
From Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.18–19:
“Lord Gauraṅga manifested such ecstasy that what to speak of others, even the Yavanas chanted the name of Hari. Even the Yavanas offered obeisances from a distance. Such is the merciful incarnation of Lord Gauracandra!”
From Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.48–68:
“The king then summoned Kesava Khan and inquired from him in great wonder, ‘Tell me, Kesava Khan, what is your opinion about the person named Sri Krishna Caitanya? Tell me, what does He preach, what kind of person is He, and what kind of sannyasi is He? Also tell me clearly why people come from the four directions to see Him.’
When the most pious Kesava Khan heard these questions, he became worried and spoke in a way to suppress the truth.
“Who says He is a Gosañi? He is just a mendicant sannyasi. He is a poor fellow from another country who lives under trees.”
“The king said, ‘Don't ever call Him poor, for it is a great offense to hear such a description. Know for certain that He is the same personality whom the Hindus address as Krishna and the Yavanas address as Khoda. My order is carried out only in my kingdom, but His order is respectfully carried out in all places. Even some persons in my own kingdom have begun conspiring to harm me. But the people of all places respect Him with their body, mind, and speech. Why would they worship Him if He were not God? If I do not provide salaries to my servants for six months, they will conspire against me in various ways. Yet these people maintain themselves and still desire to serve Him, even though they do not get a proper opportunity. Therefore know for certain that He is the Supreme Lord. Do not call Him “poor.”’
“The king then said, ‘I order that no one should disturb Him in any way. Let Him stay wherever He desires, and let Him preach the teachings of His scriptures in whatever way He wants. Let Him peacefully perform kirtana with His followers, and let Him stay in a solitary place or anywhere else He likes. If anyone attempts to oppose Him, I will take his life, whether he is a Kazi or a constable.’
“After the King issued this order, he went inside his palace. Such are the pastimes of Sri Gaurasundara. This same Hussain Shah broke deities and temples throughout Orissa. Even such a Yavana respected Gauracandra, yet nowadays many blind persons do not.”
-----
This verse, which Puskara Prabhu, the artist, taught me when I lived in Alachua, explains why chanting the glories of the Lord is superior to processes of atonement. Not only does it free one from the reactions of materialistic activities, it engages one in the superior process of devotional service and thus liberates one from material entanglement altogether.
na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis
tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhih
yatha harer nama-padair udahrtais
tad uttamasloka-gunopalambhakam
“By following the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or undergoing atonement, sinful men do not become as purified as by chanting once the holy name of Lord Hari. Although ritualistic atonement may free one from sinful reactions, it does not awaken devotional service, unlike the chanting of the Lord’s names, which reminds one of the Lord’s fame, qualities, attributes, pastimes and paraphernalia.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.11)
The last 5 days of the month of Karttika are traditionally known as the Bhishma Panchaka or the Vishnu Panchaka. Grandfather Bhisma fasted for these five days, preparing to give up his life.
In the Hari Bhakti Vilasa, it is said that if one is capable, one should observe fasting from certain foodstuffs on the Bhishma-panchaka for the pleasure of the Lord. This is optional. “The fast should begin by remembering Bhismadeva on the Ekadasi day and should end on Purnima [the full moon].
The Padma Purana say that one pleases the Lord and makes spiritual advancement by such austerities.
The last 5 days of the month of Karttika are traditionally known as the Bhishma Panchaka or the Vishnu Panchaka. Grandfather Bhisma fasted for these five days, preparing to give up his life.
In the Hari Bhakti Vilasa, it is said that if one is capable, one should observe fasting from certain foodstuffs on the Bhishma-panchaka for the pleasure of the Lord. This is optional. “The fast should begin by remembering Bhismadeva on the Ekadasi day and should end on Purnima [the full moon].
The Padma Purana say that one pleases the Lord and makes spiritual advancement by such austerities.
kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
To the sons of Kuvera, cursed long ago,
From their bondage you let them go.
Though by a rope you were bound,
In you unlimited power was still to be found.
(Damodarashtakam — Verse 7, Line 1)
My dear Lord, even when tied by a rope, you are never subdued by it. Your omnipotence remains untouched, your glory undiminished. You accept such conditions not from helplessness but from love— to manifest your heart and attract our hearts.
O almighty Lord, no matter how you appear restrained by any situation, help me remember that your freedom always remains absolute. You enter situations that seem limiting only to reveal that you are never limited.
I, however, my beloved Lord, often feel bound, constrained by conditions and conditionings circumstances. When I feel powerless, please help me remember that your power never diminishes. You can work through anything—even what appears broken or hopeless.
O inconceivable Lord, let me not measure your limitless power by the limits of my imagination. When I feel trapped, may I remember that you are not. When I suffer, may I remember that you are still at work—weaving purpose through my pain. Grant me the openness of heart to keep exploring how, even when I can’t move, you are still moving me—toward your grace, your light, and your love.
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Dear Devotees, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. The Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON GBC Society will begin in February 2025. Following the ISKCON GBC Society’s Rules of Order, the GBC Secretariat requests proposals, duly sponsored by two GBC members, to be submitted by January 1, 2026. Note that no
Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs the disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on. So this is how a bonafide spiritual master illuminates one’s heart with transcendental knowledge through diksha and through shiksha as described in Srila Prabhupada’s own words from his books. This is another point that we want
“Nectarean glimpses of Mayapur’s divine atmosphere — thousands of devotees illuminating the temple with golden lamps, offering their love to Lord Damodara in a sea of devotion and light.” Kartik Deep Daan Sri Dham Mayapur Day-25 #DamodarMonth Mayapur.TV Click on the photo to see the complete post.
We recently had the good fortune to visit Siddha Bakula, the place in Jagannath Puri where the famous Bakula tree stands – the very spot where Srila Haridas Thakura spent many years chanting 192 rounds daily. In that sacred atmosphere, we chanted japa, had katha and kirtan remembering this great acarya of the holy names.Celebrate H.H. Radhanath Maharaja’s 75th Vyasa Puja this year with a specially designed commemorative medallion and help support TOVP construction. Maharaja has been one of the biggest promoters and pillars of this project from its very inception, and the TOVP Team wishes to honor his dedication.
“By the grace of Srila Prabhupada we are all being given this most invaluable opportunity to participate in manifesting the TOVP. Let us all with great enthusiasm make a sacrifice to participate in this great mission.”
H.H. Radhanath Swami
Whether you have already given a donation to the TOVP or not, take this opportunity to sponsor a beautiful 3″ wide, 75th Vyasa Puja anniversary Radhanath Swami medallion. Your funds will go to help complete the next phase of construction, completing the main wing in preparation for the Grand Opening starting on Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, November 1, 2027. All our beloved Mayapur Deities will be relocated into Their new home.
Sponsor a Radhanath Swami 75th Vyasa Puja medallion today!
Note: In the US, Canada and India, medallions will be shipped to you. All others can be picked up at the Mayapur TOVP office. If you cannot arrange this, please contact us at tovpinfo@gmail.com
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gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ
Receive me, Lord, though lost in night,
And grant my eyes your saving sight.
Though foolish, still to you I run,
Let me see you, O radiant one.
(Damodarashtakam — Verse 6, Line 4)
My dear Lord, you are ever present everywhere, but I can’t see you anywhere because my eyes are blind. Yet even when I am blind to you and your glory, you are never blind to me—nor to my misery.
You tirelessly extend your mercy toward me, offering me opportunities to remember you.
And when I cherish and cultivate your rememberance, I begin to sense your presence.
O enchanting Lord, your all-attractiveness is so extraordinary
that even the faintest perception of you evokes two opposite effects—
it both enriches and impoverishes me.
It enriches me because even a slight contact with you—through remembrance alone—
fills my heart with a joy so deep that all the world’s pleasure feels unnecessary, even unappealing.
Yet it also impoverishes me,
for each experience of you kindles within my heart a deeper longing—
a flame to know you more, to experience you more intimately.
That is why I long to behold you with my eyes,
though I know, O Lord, that I am far from qualified for such a vision.
O supremely wise Lord,
may these twin longings—to hold your remembrance internally
and to behold your presence externally—
purify my heart completely, directing it toward you fully and irrevocably.
And whenever you so desire, please, O Lord, grant me your darshan:
the vision that fulfills all visions.
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Sri Gadadhara Goswami is a united form of Chandrakanti gopi (an expansion of Radharani’s effulgence) and Purnanada (an expansion of Lord Balarama’s dear girlfriend). Thus, Gadadhara Dasa was an associate of both Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describe Lord Chaitanya as radha-bahva-dyuti suvalita, “characterized by the emotions and bodily luster“Men doubt what they cannot see,” an archival story from The New York Times quotes the Kolkata-born founder of the Hare Krishna movement, Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, telling a group of his rapt followers in that masthead’s home city in the early 1970s.
He had come to New York from India in the hippie, trippy decade prior, founding the religion that would go on to spread worldwide, including to Australia, in 1966.
Sixty-odd years later, I am in Kalna, less than 80 kilometres north-east of the swami’s birthplace, and while I can’t see what’s alarmed our guide, there’s no doubting what’s heading our way.
It’s unmistakable: the melodic ting-ting-ting of brass manjira, the thrum of drums, the euphoric clapping and signature chanting of, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
The rapture of Prabhupada’s followers is clearly still going strong …
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This lecture continues the series on the divine pastimes of Radha and Krishna, focusing on Krishna’s playful and mischievous nature during the month of Kartik. The episode recounts a humorous and spiritually rich story where Krishna disguises himself as the son of an elder gopi, Pavati, to escape punishment for stealing butter. Through divine trickeryboro-kṛpā kaile kṛṣṇa
adhamer prati
Such immense mercy have you shown,
O Krishna, upon this soul, fallen and forlorn.
My dear Lord, how stunning is the consciousness of the saints devoted to you—as seen in Srila Prabhupada, who declared that he had received immense mercy from you. Yet, to any ordinary eye, no mercy is visible. He stands alone—no followers accompanying him, none awaiting him. He has no institutional support. His material means are almost nothing—just forty rupees. The only resource he possesses—his own body—has endured two heart attacks on successive nights during his voyage.
In such dire circumstances, what does he see as your mercy, O inconceivable Lord? Simply the fact that he has reached America after that perilous journey. He now has a chance to fulfill his spiritual master’s instruction—to share bhakti with the Western world. Though he has no facility to carry out that mission, he is profoundly grateful that he has, at least, the opportunity.
O Lord Almighty, a heart devoted to you sees beyond the circumstantial to the transcendental—from scarcity to sanctity, from trial to trust. Help me focus on what you have done, not on what you have not yet done—or what may seem to have been undone by you. Inspired by your pure devotee’s vision, bless me, during my moments of test, to manifest even a fraction of such devotional appreciation—focusing on what I have, not on what I lack.
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Today is Gopastami, the day on which Krishna and Balarama and other boys Their age, who previously had tended the calves, were given charge of the cows. This event is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.15.1):
tatas ca pauganda-vayah-sritau vraje
babhuvatus tau pasu-pala-sammatau
gas carayantau sakhibhih samam padair
vrndavanam punyam ativa cakratuh
“When Lord Rama and Lord Krsna attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] while living in Vrndavana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company of Their friends, the two boys rendered the land of Vrndavana most auspicious by imprinting upon it the marks of Their lotus feet.”
As stated in the purport, “Since Lord Krsna’s spiritual body had apparently grown slightly in age and strength, the senior men of Vrndavana, headed by Nanda Maharaja, decided to promote Krsna from the task of herding calves to the status of a regular cowherd boy. He would now take care of the full-grown cows, bulls, and oxen. Out of great affection, Nanda Maharaja had previously considered Krsna too small and immature to take care of full-grown cows and bulls. It is stated in the Karttika-mahatmya section of the Padma Purana:
suklastami karttike tu
smrta gopastami budhaih
tad-dinad vasudevo ’bhud
gopah purvam tu vatsapah
The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Karttika is known by authorities as Gopastami. From that day, Lord Vasudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.’
“The word padaih indicates that Lord Krsna blessed the earth by walking on her surface with His lotus feet. The Lord wore no shoes or other footgear but walked barefoot in the forest, giving great anxiety to the girls of Vrndavana, who feared that His soft lotus feet would be injured.”
The celebration was meant for only the cowherd men and boys, but Srimati Radharani also wanted to enjoy the fun, and so, because of Her resemblance to Subala-sakha, she donned his dhoti and other garments and joined Krishna. Thus, on this occasion, in temples in Vrindavan and elsewhere, Srimati Radharani is dressed as a cowherd boy.
The Lord is very kindly disposed toward the cows and the brahmans (go-brahmana-hitaya), and whoever serves them becomes dear to Him, too. Knowing this, devotees observe a special festival on the Gopastami day, dedicated to the worship of cows. In Vrindavan especially, but also the world over, devotees begin the festival by brushing the cows, painting their horns and bodies with artistic designs, and hanging flower garlands around their necks. Then a cow and her calf are selected, and an arati is offered to them. During the arati, devotees sing the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and then they feed the cow, her calf, and indeed the entire herd, bananas, balls of gur (jaggery), and fresh grasses. Some devotees also recite the following mantra (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 16.252):
agratah santu me gavo
gavo me santu prsthatah
gavo me parsvatah santu
gavam madhye vasamyaham
“May cows stay in front of me. May cows stay behind me. May cows stay on both sides of me. May I always reside in the midst of cows.”
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami
Sri Gadadhara Goswami is a united form of Chandrakanti gopi (an expansion of Radharani’s effulgence) and Purnanada (an expansion of Lord Balarama’s dear girlfriend). Thus, Gadadhara Dasa was an associate of both Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describe Lord Chaitanya as radha-bahva-dyuti suvalita, “characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Shrimati Radharani.” Gadadhara Dasa is this dyuti, luster. Gadadhara Dasa is sometimes called “the personification of Sri Radhika’s divine effulgence.”
While traveling with Lord Nityananda, Gadadhara would sometimes become absorbed in madhurya prema and begin acting and speaking like a Vraja gopi. Putting a clay pot of Ganges water on his head, as if he were a gopi, he would call out, “Who wants to buy milk? Who wants to buy yogurt?”
As one of Lord Nityananda’s chief preachers in Bengal Gadadhara Dasa delivered countless sinners and yavanas. Once, while tasting Krishna prema he began dancing madly and chanting Krishna’s Holy Names outside the Kazi’s mansion.
The irate Muslim magistrate stormed out of his house to chastize him for “disturbing the peace.” But beholding the dazzlingly attractive form of Gadadhara Dasa, the Kazi became stunned and dropped his anger.
Gadadhara affectionately embraced the Kazi and said, “Gaura-Nityananda have appeared to deliver everyone with divine love by distributing the sweet nectar of the Holy Name of Hari. Why don’t you chant this sweet name of Hari?”
“Tomorrow I shall chant the name of Hari,” replied the Kazi. Hearing the Kazi inadvertanly chant the Holy Name filled Gadadhara with happiness. He said, “Why tomorrow? You have already chanted today. And this powerful name of Hari will destroy your sins and purify your existence.” From that day on the Kazi took shelter of Sri Gadadhara Dasa Goswami. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaṁ batānu
Your heart is so kind, so deep,
You alone can wake me from illusion’s sleep.
Cast upon me your merciful glands
So this soul can awaken and dance.
(Damodarashtakam — Verse 6, Line 3)
My dear Lord, by your omniscience and by your omnibenevolence, your glance is already on everyone. For those who already have love for you, your glance is love-filled and heart-captivating. For those who do not yet have love but sincerely seek it, your glance is merciful and heart-cleansing—and thereafter, heart-captivating too.
O supreme enchanter, your large, beautiful, lotus-like eyes, shaded by exquisite eyebrows, shine with irresistible charm; as you tilt your head and cast a side glance, streams of nectarian love flow from your eyes—uplifting, enriching, intoxicating—making nothing else in existence matter anymore.
O my beloved Lord, I beg for one such glance. Please bestow it upon me—not because I am qualified, nor because I imagine my lack of qualification itself to be a qualification. I seek it not from ego, nor from self-pity, but simply because of your generosity and my scarcity. Out of your fullness, you desire to give mercy; out of my emptiness, I need it. And in one sense, you have already given me your mercy—or at least its first installment—by which I have come to recognize that need. Please, accept my feeble and faltering prayer as an expression of that need.
May your beautiful, bewitching glance, O merciful Lord, free me from the witches of illusion that now rule and ruin my heart—and restore me to your loving service.
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