Author Archives: H.H. Giriraj Swami
Bhagavad-gita 3.10, Sunday Lecture, ISKCON Dallas
Srila Vrindavan dasa Thakura’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Today is Srila Vrindavan dasa Thakura’s disappearance day. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 11.55) states, “Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Vyasa of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.” Srila Prabhupada elaborates in his purport: “Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura was an incarnation of Vedavyasa and also a friendly cowherd boy named Kusumapida in krsna-lila. In […]
Jayananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Jayananda Prabhu was born on April 27, 1939. Here is a wonderful account of how he manifested his presence at the time of his mother’s passing away, which I call “A Hospice Miracle”: Krishna’s Mercy—Serving Jayananda Prabhu’s Mother (Derived from a letter by Kalindi Dasi to her spiritual master, Candramauli Swami) In mid-July I started […]
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.10.4, Hosted by Hare Krishna Africa
Giriraj Swami
Sri Hanuman Jayanti
Giriraj Swami
For Sri Hanuman Jayanti, I quote Sri Prahlada’s glorification of Hanuman from Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta (1.4.40–52): “Hanuman is much more fortunate. For many thousands of years he has enjoyed serving the Lord constantly, without obstruction. “He is the most powerful person. When he was just a child, the demigods favored him with several wonderful benedictions. Thus […]
Sri Balarama Rasa-yatra
Giriraj Swami
For Balarama Rasa-yatra, we shall read from Srila Prabhupada’s summary study of the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, called Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead— about Lord Balarama’s visit to Vrindavan after He and Krishna had been away from Vrindavan for many years. In our meditation on the deity of the Lord, we begin from His […]
Earth Day
Giriraj Swami
Today being Earth Day, I thought of a prayer that resonated with me in my youth: “The earth is the Lordís, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, […]
Sri Balarama Rasayatra, Hosted by Nitai-Gaurasundara Dasa, Murfreesboro, TN
Giriraj Swami
Sri Rama-navami
Giriraj Swami
We read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Seven: “Scheduled Incarnations.” TEXT 23 asmat-prasada-sumukhah kalaya kalesa iksvaku-vamsa avatirya guror nidese tisthan vanam sa-dayitanuja avivesa yasmin virudhya dasa-kandhara artim arcchat TRANSLATION Due to His causeless mercy upon all living entities within the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His plenary extensions, appeared in […]
Sri Ramanujacharya’s Appearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Today is the appearance anniversary of Sripada Ramanujacharya, the principal acharya in the Sri, or Lakshmi, sampradaya. In a letter dated November 22, 1974, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “We find great shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Ramanujacharya because his lotus feet are the strongest fort to combat the Mayavadi philosophy.” And in the early […]
Aindra Prabhu and Mother Arca-vigraha
Giriraj Swami
Today, Sripada Aindra Prabhu’s appearance day, I share with you a sweet pastime involving him and my disciple Arca-vigraha Dasi, from Aindra: Kirtan Revolution by Kalachandji Das. When the curtains opened one morning in the winter of 1989, Aindra was amazed by what he saw. Srimati Radharani’s eyes were newly painted. And they were incredible, […]
Memories of His Holiness Sridhar Swami Maharaja
Giriraj Swami
Srivasa Thakura, one of the members of the Pancha-tattva, lived in Navadvipa-dhama in Mayapur, near the residence of Jagannatha Mishra and Sacidevi, where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Later, when Lord Chaitanya began His sankirtana movement in Navadvipa-dhama, He and His other most confidential associates would meet at Srivasa-angana, the home of Srivasa Thakura, and have […]
Thoughts on April Fools’ Day
Giriraj Swami
April Fools’ Day is celebrated yearly on April 1, and today I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s instruction that we remain fools before the spiritual master, as stated in a room conversation in Bombay on August 16, 1976. A devotee asked, “Even nitya-siddha has guru . . . Even the liberated soul, nitya-siddha?” And Srila Prabhupada […]
Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.34, Gaura Purnima Festival, ISKCON Laguna Beach
Giriraj Swami
Energy Class for Bhakti Shastri Students, Bhaktivedanta Academy, ISKCON Noida, India
Giriraj Swami
Jagannatha Mishra’s Festival, Hosted by Nitai-Gaurasundara Dasa, Murfreesboro, TN
Giriraj Swami
Jagannatha Mishra’s Festival
Giriraj Swami
Today we continue our celebration of the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna who descended in the age of Kali in the role of a devotee. He appeared on what we now call Gaura-purnima, in the evening of the full-moon day in the month of Phalguna. At the time, there […]
Sri Gaura-purnima
Giriraj Swami
We welcome you to the most auspicious celebration of Sri Gaura-purnima, the appearance day of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna Chaitanya. According to Vedic scriptures, the Absolute Truth is realized in three features: Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. Impersonalist speculators want to merge and become one with God, with the impersonal brahmajyoti, which is […]
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.56–57, Hosted by Asia Vayragi
Giriraj Swami
Srila Madhavendra Puri’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Today is the auspicious disappearance day of Sri Madhavendra Puri, the grand spiritual master of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Madhavendra Puri’s disciple Isvara Puri was accepted by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as His spiritual master. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Himself the origin of all knowledge—all perfect, Vedic knowledge—and He had no need […]
Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja comes in the Gaudiya Vaishnava disciplic succession after Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. He was a renounced ascetic, fully engaged in chanting the holy names of Krishna and meditating on the pastimes of Krishna. For some time he made his residence at Surya-kunda in Vraja-dhama, near the […]
Shiva-ratri
Giriraj Swami
Today is Shiva-ratri. Vaishnavas generally do not celebrate Shiva-ratri, and to begin, I will explain why, with reference to the Bhagavad-gita. We read from Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 7: “Knowledge of the Absolute”: TEXT 23 antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam devan deva-yajo yanti mad-bhakta yanti mam api TRANSLATION Men of […]
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.11, Initiations, Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford, England
Giriraj Swami
Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Program at the Home of Subeksana Dasi and Samarpitatma Dasa, Barnet, London
Giriraj Swami
Sri Isvara Puri’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Today is the disappearance day of Sri Isvara Puri. He was such a perfect disciple of Sri Madhavendra Puri that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krishna Himself, was pleased to accept him as His spiritual master. Later, Lord Chaitanya visited Isvara Puri’s birthplace at Kumara-hatta and collected some earth from the birth site, which He kept […]
Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Program at Priya Radha Dasi’s Home, Northwood, London
Giriraj Swami
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Traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India, Madras, at the Bhakti Centre, Harrow, London
Giriraj Swami
Bhagavad-gita 3.10, Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford, England
Giriraj Swami
Talk on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s Appearance Day, ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai
Giriraj Swami
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s Appearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Sri Prahlada Dasa: Today is the holy appearance day of our grandfather or great grandfather spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada. On Giriraj Maharaja’s instruction, I will attempt to say something about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s history and share my realizations regarding his contribution and mood. I pray for the mercy of the Vaishnavas that […]
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.2.3, NVCC, ISKCON Pune
Giriraj Swami
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.10-11, Sri Sri Radha-Kunjabihari Temple, ISKCON Pune, Camp
Giriraj Swami
Questions and Answers, Bhaktivedanta Model School, ISKCON NVCC, Pune
Giriraj Swami
Lord Nityananda’s Mercy, Sri Nityananda-trayodasi, NVCC, ISKCON Pune
Giriraj Swami
Sri Nityananda-trayodasi
Giriraj Swami
We welcome you on this most auspicious occasion of the appearance day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. According to the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, the Absolute Truth is realized in three features. Preliminary is Brahman, the impersonal light that emanates from the transcendental form of the Lord. Next is Paramatma, the localized Supersoul within the […]
Sri Varaha-dvadasi
Giriraj Swami
Today is Varaha-dvadasi, the appearance day of the boar incarnation, Varahadeva. To celebrate His appearance, we shall read one verse about Him from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Seven: “Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions.” TEXT 1 brahmovaca yatrodyatah ksiti-taloddharanaya bibhrat kraudim tanum sakala-yajna-mayim […]
Brahmachari Class, Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.12.1-10, ISKCON Pune
Giriraj Swami
Sripada Ramanujacharya’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami
Today is the disappearance anniversary of Sripada Ramanujacharya, the principal acharya in the Sri, or Lakshmi, sampradaya. Srila Prabhupada wrote, “We find great shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Ramanujacharya because his lotus feet are the strongest fort to combat the Mayavadi philosophy.” (letter 22.11.1974) And in the early days of ISKCON in India, […]