Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

On May 1, 1977, the day before the festival honoring the appearance of Lord Nrisimha, Srila Prabhupada’s dear disciple Jayananda Dasa passed from this world.  Shortly thereafter, Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter, “Jayananda’s death is glorious. . . . … Continue reading →

Sita devi was not born of a woman but of the Earth Goddess, Bhumi devi herself. In Maharishi Valmiki’s own words, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita — “Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat”.  Janaka Maharaj, the king of Mithila, … Continue reading →

One of the Saptadevalyas (seven ancient temples) of Vrindavan, Shri Gopinath Mandir was founded by Madhu Pandit whose glories are sung in the Bhakti Ratnakar. His Samadhi is found near the temple courtyard.  Madhu Pandit was the disciple of Shri Gadadhar Goswami … Continue reading →

The very word Akshaya means, “that which never diminishes”. Any service or charity one performs on this day will be paid back many times over. Most devotees know it as the beginning of Candana-yatra, but actually many of Lord Krishna’s … Continue reading →

Sri Gadadhar was the consant companion of Mahaprabhu from the time of their childhood. His father’s name was Sri Madhva Misra and his mother’s name Sri Ratnavati-devi. They lived very near the house of Sri Jagannatha Misra in Mayapura. Ratnavati-devi … Continue reading →

All glories to the Vyas of Chaitanya Lila, Srila Vrindavan das thakur, a dear devotee of Shri Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu and the disciple of Shrila Nityananda Prabhu, who wrote the Sri Chaitanya bhagawat, a book greatly treasured by all the vaishnavas.  … Continue reading →

Shri Abhirama Gopal Thakura  was also known as Shri Rama Das. He was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda.  On the order of Shri Nityananda Prabhu, he became a great acharya and preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.  He was a very … Continue reading →

“Jesus Christ was such a great personality—the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him—they were so thankless. They could not … Continue reading →

Shri Rupa Goswami mentions that one should bathe in Radha-kunda on Kartika Bahulastami. In “Mathura Mahatmya” (420), He cites the Padma Purana: “One who bathes in Radha Kunda on Bahulastami in Kartika becomes Haripriya, very dear to Shri Krishna.” However, … Continue reading →

Sri Syamananda Prabhu, Srinivasa Acarya and Sri Narottama dasa Thakura were the internal associates of Sri Gaurasundara. They incarnated in this world in order to spread the teachings of Sri Gaura-Krsna after His departure from it. Sri Syamananda made his … Continue reading →

The Bhakti Centre, which was formerly in Surfers Paradise, moved to a new location due to the building sustaining serious damage from Cyclone Alfred. It was a good opportunity for the devotees to find a new location because the old … Continue reading →

Some years ago, Medhavi das from Brisbane, bought a house in the regional town of Toowoomba with the idea of using it as a centre for cultivating new persons interested in Krsna Consciousness. He is now adding an extension temple … Continue reading →

SB 2.7.23 asmat-prasada-sumukhah kalaya kalesa  iksvaku-vamsa avatirya guror nidesetisthan 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, … Continue reading →

Sajjani dd and Daksa das had their wedding at New Govardhana in front of the Deities, Srila Prabhupada, their families and the assembled devotees. I remember when they were both new devotees and I was always enthused to see them … Continue reading →

Ramanujacharya was a foremost teacher of the bhakti tradition. His example and teachings have shaped the bhakti movement in South India for over a thousand years. He was born on April 13, 1017 at Sriperembudur, twenty-five miles west of modern Chennai. He was … Continue reading →

Govinda Ghosh was one of the three brothers Govinda, Vasudev and Madhav, who were all dear associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (188), Sri Govinda Ghosh is a sakhi named Kalavati in Goloka Vrindavan, who … Continue reading →

Srivasa Thakura is understood as tatastha-shakti, a marginal energy of Bhagavan, Krishna in person. Devotees who are headed by Srivasa Thakura are described as ‘parts’ of transcendental body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (his eyes, ears, hands, disc/cakra, etc.). They all participated in … Continue reading →

The day after Gaura Purnima, Jagannath Mishra festival is celebrated. Just as Nanda-baba celebrated Nandotsava on the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna, similarly, the wonderful appearance of the Lord increased the happiness of everyone in Srimati Sacidevi’s house. Both Sri … Continue reading →

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayapur in the town of Nadia just after sunset on the evening of the 23rd Phalguna (1407 Sakadba), answering to the 18th of February 1486 of the Christian Era. The moon was eclipsed at the … Continue reading →

Before Lord Caitanya appeared He sent His eternal associates like Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Jagannatha Misra, Saci Mata, Madhavendra Puri, Isvari Puri to earth. Sri Madhavendra Puri took initiation from Sri Laksmipati Tirtha in the Madhvacarya sampradaya.  He had many but … Continue reading →

After Kurukshetra we made our way back to Delhi and then on to Govardhana for a tour of the holy places in the area. I hadn’t visited in many years so it was our great fortune to again have the … Continue reading →

After visiting our Iskcon Jyotisar temple, we went for a tour of some of the holy sites at Kurukshetra. Of course, the most important was the holy place where Lord Krishna spoke Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna five thousand years ago. With … Continue reading →

After the Mayapur meetings I traveled with my god-brother, Vasusrestha, to Delhi and then drove up to Jyotisar, where Krsna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna 5000 years ago. I haven’t visited here in over twenty years and I was … Continue reading →

Many devotees came from all over the wold to attend the 2025 Leadership Sanga in Sridham Mayapur. The conference went for four days with morning and afternoon sessions. The first part of each day comprised presentations like empowering future leaders, … Continue reading →

On the fifth day of the dark lunar fortnight of the month of Govinda [corresponding to February 6th, 1874 A.D. by the western calendar], at 3:30 in the afternoon, Bimala Prasad Datta, later to be known as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati … Continue reading →

The GBC body, Sabha, GBC Deputies and other leaders once again assembled in Sridham Mayapur for the annual conference. The first day comprised of many topics and one was a progress presentation of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. A construction … Continue reading →

Appearing as the son of a king, Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura (Shri Thakura Mahasaya) showed all the bodily symptoms of a mahapurusha (an exalted divine person). He had long arms, a deep navel, golden-complexioh, beautiful eyes shaped like the  lotus … Continue reading →

Nityananda Prabhu appeared in the village of Ekachakra, in West Bengal, India, around 1474. In the Caitanya Caritamrita and other scriptures He is declared to be the avatar of Lord Balarama, the direct expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, … Continue reading →

brahmovācayatrodyataḥ kṣiti-taloddharaṇāya bibhratkrauḍīṁ tanuṁ sakala-yajña-mayīm anantaḥantar-mahārṇava upāgatam ādi-daityaṁtaṁ daṁṣṭrayādrim iva vajra-dharo dadāra Lord Brahmā said: When the unlimitedly powerful Lord assumed the form of a boar as a pastime, just to lift the planet earth, which was drowned in the … Continue reading →

Ramanuja was born in India during the year 1017 A.D. when, according to astrological calculations, the sun was in the zodiacal sign of Cancer. His parents were Asuri Keshava and Kantimati, both from aristocratic families. Ramanuja passed his childhood days … Continue reading →

In Chaitanya Charitamrita, Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami quotes the following evidence from the diary of Swarupa Damodar to describe the ontological principle of Advaita Acharya: maha-vishnur jagat-karta mayaya yah srijaty adah tasyavatara evayam advaitacarya ishvarah advaitam harinadvaitad acaryam bhakti-shasanat bhaktavataram … Continue reading →

sri-sanatana-misro’yad pura satrajito napa visnupriya jagan-mata yat-kanya bhu-svarupini  He who was King Satrajit in Krishna lila was Sanatan Mishra in Chaitanya lila.The mother of the universe, the incarnation of the Lord’s bhu-sakti,is his daughter Vishnupriya. (Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 47) Krishna married Satyabhama, the … Continue reading →

Raghunatha Dasa was born around 1416 Shaka (1494 AD) in the town of Saptagram in Hooghly district of West Bengal. He was the only son of his father Govardhana Majumdar a wealthy landlord of the area.  Govardhana Majumdar’s elder brother … Continue reading →

Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya. He appeared in this world in 1520 A.D., thirty-four years after the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote … Continue reading →

Shri Jayadeva Goswami appeared in either the eleventh or twelfth century of the Shaka era. There is a difference of opinion about his place of birth. The majority opinion holds that he was from the village of Kendubilva, presently in … Continue reading →

Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami, one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, was a prominent Vaishnava saint and a direct disciple of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is known for his humility, devotion, and scholarly contributions to the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition. Gopal … Continue reading →

 Ramachandra Kaviraja, the son of Shri Chiranjiva Sena (eternal associate of Lord Chaitanya), appeared in Shri Khanda. “Ramachandara Kaviraja was especially earnest, beautiful, intelligent, energetic, and enthusiastic,” said one biographer. Although married, Ramachandra and his wife, Ratanala, had no material … Continue reading →

According to Vedic scriptures, in the past age, in Satya Yuga lived a king named Sagara, King of Oudh, the 13th ancestor of Lord Ramachandra. He performed a holy yajna, the Ashwamedha yajna or horse-sacrifice 99 times. This ceremony consisted … Continue reading →

In Vraja there was a dancer named Candrahasa who was very expert in the tasting of rasa. In Chaitanya-lila, he became Jagadisa Pandit who also took great pleasure in dancing for the Lord. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 143) Jagadisa Pandit is considered to … Continue reading →

Appearing as the nephew of Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, Sri Jiva Gosvami displayed all the charming features of a mahapurusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body.  In … Continue reading →