Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

Sri Sanatana Gosvami appeared in 1488, five years before Sri Rupa Gosvami, in a Sarasvata brahmana family in Bengal. Sanatana and his two brothers, Rupa and Anupama, were always absorbed in bhava bhakti from early childhood. Remembering Vrndavana, they named the forests … Continue reading →

Hera Panchami is a unique festival associated with famous Rathayatra of Puri. ‘Hera’ means to ‘see’ and ‘Panchami’ means the ‘fifth day’. It is celebrated at Gundicha temple on the fifth day from the start date of the cart festival. This festival … Continue reading →

Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal secretary and always stayed with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the eternal associate and friend of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He fully understood the Lord’s conclusions on Krishna-tattva and Krishna-bhakti, and could fully represent … Continue reading →

Every year one month before caturmasya (four month period of the rainy season) Sivananda Sena would lead a party of two hundred devotees from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri to attend the annual Ratha-Yatra festival. He would pay for everyone’s food, tolls, ferries, … Continue reading →

On September 2nd, 1838 on a Sunday in the ancient village of Biranagara (Ulagrama) located in the district of Nadia, Thakura Bhaktivinoda took his birth in the family of Raja Krishnananda Datta, who was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. … Continue reading →

From the time that he was a boy, Gadadhara Pandita was always in the association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Gadadhara Pandita’s father’s name was Sri Madhava Misra; his mother’s name was Sri Ratnavati Devi. They lived close to the … Continue reading →

According to Sri Gaura Gannoddesha Dipika, Srivasa Pandita is none other than the incarnation of Narada Muni, who had appeared to assist Sri Caitanya, his beloved Lord, enact the heart melting pastimes of Navadvipa.  Srivasa pandita and his family members … Continue reading →

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (71) it is stated that Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was an incarnation of Aniruddha, one of the quadruple expansions of Viṣṇu (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha and Pradyumna). He could dance wonderfully for seventy-two continuous hours. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu played in dramatic … Continue reading →

It was in Vrindavan that Shyamananda Prabhu met and befriended Shrila Narottam das Thakur and Shrinivas Acharya, and thus became the famous trio of the second generation of Vaishnava acharyas after the six Goswamis.     These three were empowered by … Continue reading →

A special bath of Lord Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra devi takes place on the Purnima of Jyestha month to commemorate the appearance day of Lord Jagannath. According to the Skanda Purana, when King Indradyumna installed the wooden deities he arranged … Continue reading →

From her childhood Princess Sachi devi, the daughter of King Naresh Narayana of Bengal, showed unalloyed devotion to Lord Sri Krishna. She even refused to marry on account of her genuine attachment to Krishna. After her father’s demise she ruled … Continue reading →

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana was born in the early part of the 18th century (1720-1790) in a village near Remuna, Balasore District of Orissa. Even though he was the son of a ‘vaishya’ (farmer), in his youth he received a very … Continue reading →

The Covid pandemic has affected ISKCON’s operations around the world, especially in regard to international travel. The New Govardhana devotee community usually has the Sacred Sounds festival in April every year, which devotees from around the world attend. However, the … Continue reading →

Srimad Vrndavan dasa Thakura’s mother’s name was Sri Narayani Devi.  Narayani Devi was the daughter of Srivas Thakura’s brother.  After the disappeareance of  Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srivas Thakura went to live in Kumar Hatta. Srivasa Thakura had three brothers: Sripati, … Continue reading →

Before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Ramananda Raya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya told the Lord that no other devotee’s knowledge of Radha-Krishna’s madhurya rasa [devotion in the mood of love] compares with Ramananda Raya’s.  Although Lord Caitanya was half the age of forty … Continue reading →

Devotees from the Sydney area, as well as other parts of Australia, came to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha’s installation , which was in May of 1971.  A good description of the event 50 years ago … Continue reading →

ugro ‘py anugra evayam sva-bhaktanam nri-keshari kesarivo sva-potanam anyesham ugra-vikramaha “Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to non-devotees like Hiranyakashipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very soft and kind to devotees like … 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 →

Srila Madhu Pandita Gosvami was a disciple of Srila Gadadhara Pandita, one of Lord Caitanya’s principal associates.  Madhu Pandita worshiped the Krsna Deity in Vrndavana known as Gopinatha, who had originally been installed by Vajranabha, Lord Krsna’s great-grandson. Madhu Pandita … Continue reading →

Akshaya tritiya, according to the Vedic calendar, is a day considered to be conducive to success in any significant endeavour. Traditionally, those aware of Akshaya tritiya’s benefits schedule major life events—marriages, initiations, and business ventures, establishing a new place of residence—on this … Continue reading →

Srimati Radhika came in the form of Sri Gadadhara. We should try to know Gadadhara-tattva. There is no difference between Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srimati Radhika, but the activities are different in Krsna’s pastimes and Gaura’s pastimes. In Gaura-lila Sri … Continue reading →

Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur was born four years after Mahaprabhu took sannyasa. His mother was Sri Narayani Devi. She was the niece of Srivasa Pandit.  Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur describes how his mother received the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu … Continue reading →

Sri Abhirama Thakura was known as Abhirama Gopala and also as Rama dasa Bhirama dasa. He was previously known as Sridama, a gopa during Krsna-lila,  and was the favourite of Nityananda Prabhu. One day, Krsna, Balarama and their cowherd friends … Continue reading →

On the Caitra Purnima, the full moon day of the month of Caitra, Sri Vamsivadananda Thakura took birth within this world. It was a sweet moon and everyone sang in great joy at the appearance of such a great soul. … Continue reading →

Sri Rama Navami is the auspicious appearance day of Lord Sri Ramachandra. Sri Ramachandra appeared in the month of Chaitra (March – April), on the ninth day of the growing moon (Chaitra Masa, Shukla Paksha, Navami Tithi) and this particular … Continue reading →

Ramanujacharya is also known as Ramanuja. He was born in 11th century around 1017 in a Tamil Brahmin family in Sriperumbudur village of Tamil Nadu. His birth name was Lakshmana and was also referred as Ilaya Perumal that is ‘the … Continue reading →

Starting of Tulasi Jala Dana During the hot season in India, a pot of dripping water is placed over Tulasi and Salagrama to keep them cool. Keshava Vrata starts; for one month one should control the senses, sleep on the … Continue reading →

Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami writes (CC Adi 10.115): “The three brothers, Govinda, Madhava, and Vasudeva were the eighty-second, eighty-third, and eighty-fourth branches of the Caitanya tree. Lord Caitanya and Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances.  In his Caitanya-Caritamrta … Continue reading →

Srivasa Pandit represents the marginal living entity (tatastha  jiva). The devotees headed by Srivasa are described as Lord Chaitanya’s smaller limbs (His face, eyes, hands, disc, other weapons) They all took part in Sri Gaurasundara’s pastimes. With them Lord Gauranga … Continue reading →

The Festival of Jagannath Mishra is an observance of the Jata karma samskara for baby Nimai (Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu). Following the fast for Gaura Purnima, which is broken upon the rising of the moon, the next day is held for … Continue reading →

To protect the devotees and to show everyone the way of love of God, Lord Sri Krishna decided to come to this world. He came in the form of a devotee, as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. First He sent His eternal … Continue reading →

Srila Madhavendra Puri appeared in the 14th century. He was a guru of the Brahma or Madhvasampradaya, one of the four (Brahma, Sri, Rudra and Sanaka) Vaishnava lineages that purify the world in the age of Kali. Madhavendra Puri was … Continue reading →

Around 1590 AD (Sakabda 1512), on the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik, during the night of the festival Dipamalika, when the houses are decoratedwith rows of lamps, Sri Rasikananda Deva made his appearance in this world. … Continue reading →

Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja lived for one hundred forty-four years. He took diksha from Sri Madhusudana Dasa Babaji and did bhajana for many years at Surya Kunda in Vrindavana. Thakura Bhaktivinoda received valuable instructions on pure devotional service from … Continue reading →

Shiva (Lord Shiva) + ratri (night), so Shivaratri means the night of Lord Shiva. Every lunar month on the 13th or 14th day of the dark half of the moon phase there is a Shivaratri but in the Vedic month of … Continue reading →

Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami writes: “All glories to Madhavendra Puri, the storehouse of all  Krishna-prema! He is a desire tree of bhakti, and it is to him that the seed of bhakti first fructified. The seed of Krishna-prema next fructified in … Continue reading →

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura prayed to Lord Caitanya to send him an assistant and a successor from the Lord’s personal staff of preachers. Answering the prayer of the Thakura, a son was born to him on February 6th, 1874 while he was serving as the … Continue reading →

From the time he was a small boy, Purusottama dasa Thakura was dedicated to constantly meditating on the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. In Caitanya-Caritamrta Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: “The twenty-third and twenty fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda … Continue reading →

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

Lord Sri Krishna, as the Vedic literature ultimately explains, is the absolute Personality of Godhead, and His first expansion in a form for pastimes is Sri Balarama. In the age of Kali-yuga, Lord Krishna appears in this material world as Lord Caitanya, … Continue reading →