Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

When I recently visited Melbourne temple I was invited by Bhakta and Bhakti to come and join a couple of programs at the new Wyndham centre out in the west of town. This is in a warehouse rented by members … Continue reading →

Gita Jayanti is the auspicious day of the advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. This is the day on which Lord Krishna imparted the essence of Vedic knowledge to Arjuna over 5000 years ago and enlightened him about the ultimate goal of … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada explains, “At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Odana-sasthi. This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannatha. That covering is directly purchased from a … Continue reading →

Vraja’s Nāndimukhi became Sāraṅga Ṭhākura in Gaura-lila. Śrī Saranga Ṭhākura is mentioned in the listing of branches of the Chaitanya trunk of the tree of devotional service along with Rama Das, Kavidatta, Gopal Das and Bhāgavata Acharya (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.113). … Continue reading →

Srila Kaviraja Goswami writes (Chaitanya Charitamrta-lila Adi 11:37.) that Kaliya Krishna Dasa Thakura was one of the principle devotees of Nityananda Prabhu. He knew nothing other than the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. According to Srila Kavi Karnapura’s Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika … Continue reading →

 Shri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was born at Shri Khanda. Shri Narahari Sarkar Thakura participated in all of Shri Gaurasundara’s pastimes. Bhakti Ratnakara states: “Shri Sarkar Thakura’s glories are most uncommon. In Braja he is known as Madhumati, whose good qualities are … Continue reading →

All the unmarried gopīs in Vṛndāvana used to daily worship goddess Kātyāyanī early in the morning after taking a bath in the river Yamunā. Kātyāyanī is another name for goddess Durgā. The goddess is worshiped by preparing a doll made of … Continue reading →

Shri Nimbarka Acharya comes in the line of the Kumara Sampradaya and is believed to have lived around the 11th and 12th centuries. Born in the modern Murgarapattam in the southern Dravidian province, he was the son of Aruni and … Continue reading →

Paramahamsa Srila Gaura Kisora Das Babaji Maharaj was born into a Vaisya family on the banks of the Padma River in Bagayana village in Faridpur district in what is now Bangladesh. The names of his parents are unknown. His given … Continue reading →

It is stated in the Kārttika-māhātmya section of the Padma Purāṇa: śuklāṣṭamī kārttike tu smṛtā gopāṣṭamī budhaiḥ tad-dinād vāsudevo ‘bhūd gopaḥ pūrvaṁ tu vatsapaḥ The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kārttika is known by … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada residing in the holy Dham of Sri Vrindavan, on Monday November 14th, 1977, at 7:30 pm., which fell upon the Caturthi of the Gaura (Sukla) Paksa, Mula nakshatra, gave up this mortal frame surrounded by loving disciples engaged … Continue reading →

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.25, explains that Lord Krishna performed Go-puja, worship of cows, as part of Govardhan-puja celebrations which falls the day after Diwali. ‘Go’ means ‘cows’ and ‘vardhana’ means ‘nourishment’. Thus, Govardhan Puja means nourishing the cows. On this day, … Continue reading →

The word Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word of Deepavali, which means a “row or a string of lights”. Diwali or Deepavali marks the victory of light over darkness. There are many different historical events and stories co-relating to … Continue reading →

After killing a bull-demon named Aristasura, Krishna approached Radharani to engage in loving affairs. However, She rebuked Him, stating He was impure because of committing the sin of killing a bull, the symbol of religion. She suggested that to counteract … Continue reading →

Narottama Dasa Thakura wrote many devotional songs about the spiritual master, the Devotees, devotional service, the six Goswamis, Gaura-Nityananda and Radha-Krishna. Although composed with sweet melodies in simple Bengali language, Narottama Dasa’s songs give shastric siddhanta and devotional inspiration. Srila … Continue reading →

Kartik, or the month of Damodar, is considered the best of months and is most auspicious for spiritual advancement. In the Skanda Purana it is stated: “As Satya-yuga is the best of yugas, as the Vedas are the best of … Continue reading →

With great affection, Tapana Misra brought the Lord to his home. There he washed the Lord’s lotus feet and then drank that holy water along with his family.  His ecstasy knew no bounds. He placed his little son Raghunatha at … Continue reading →

Shri Madhvacharya appeared in 1238 A.D. near Udupi, Karnataka in South India. He was considered an incarnation of Vayu (wind god). He had an unusually strong physique and extraordinary intellectual power. Once a fierce Bengali tiger attacked Madhvacharya’s sannyasa disciple, … Continue reading →

Worship of the goddess Durgā is mentioned this way in Brahma-saṁhitā. We should worship the demigods in that spirit. Because the goddess Durgā satisfies Kṛṣṇa, we should therefore offer respects to goddess Durgā. SB 5.7.6, Purport:  Demigod worship is mentioned in Brahma-saṁhitā, … Continue reading →

Many devotees saw Srila Prabhupada drive away small and large dogs by raising his cane and crying out, “Hut!”  When Nanda Kumara was travelling with Prabhupada, he saw Prabhupada do this in a dangerous situation and later he had the opportunity … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada: I planned that I must go to America. Generally they go to London, but I did not want to go to London. I was simply thinking how to go to New York. I was scheming, “Whether I shall go … Continue reading →

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.13.13) states, “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.” As explained in the purport, “One should place Srimad-Bhagavatamon a … Continue reading →

The divine appearance day of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Radhastami is a very special day for all the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, as by obtaining the mercy of Srimati Radharani one can easily achieve … Continue reading →

The second day of the Seattle Rathayatra festival continued in the park at Redmond Shire. Thousands of people came through on both days to enjoy stage kirtana, dance and delicious prasadam. There were stalls featuring Srila Prabhupada’s books, Deity darshan, … Continue reading →

Every year on the Labor Day weekend, the devotees from Seattle organize a Rathayatra parade and festival for Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra in the Redmond area of the city. I was asked to start off the kirtan and after … Continue reading →

This has been my first international trip since the Covid pandemic began and after Indonesia I had the good fortune of visiting ISKCON Seattle. Sri Radha Nila Madhava are the main deities here and as always They look beautiful along … Continue reading →

Subhaga Maharaja and I were invited to attend HH Gaura Govinda Maharaja’s Vyasapuja celebration at Radha Rasesvara temple in Bali. Maharaja appeared in the year 1929 and left this world at Sridham Mayapur in1996. Devotees from all over Bali came … Continue reading →

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appeared in a family of pure Gaudiya Vaisnavas in 1896 in Calcutta. From early childhood he showed signs of pure devotion to Lord Sri Krishna. At the tender age of five, he single-handedly … Continue reading →

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who is always ready to protect His unalloyed devotees, entered within the mind of Vasudeva as the Lord of the whole creation, with full inconceivable potencies. It is understood in this connection that Lord … Continue reading →

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who is always ready to protect His unalloyed devotees, entered within the mind of Vasudeva as the Lord of the whole creation, with full inconceivable potencies. It is understood in this connection that Lord … Continue reading →

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is his second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and He assists … Continue reading →

“Shri Nityananda Prabhu is the topmost branch of the indestructible tree of eternal love of Godhead, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer my respectful obeisances to all the sub-branches of that topmost branch.” Gauridasa Pandit is one of the most … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada: “Regarding Jhulanayatra Ceremony, during these five days the Deities’ clothings should be changed everyday, and there should be nice Prasadam distribution and Sankirtana as far as possible. If you are able to do it, a nice throne may be constructed … Continue reading →

Sri Mukunda Das, Madhava Das and Sri Narahari Sorkar Thakur were three brothers who lived in the village of Sri Khanda. Raghunandan was the son of Sri Mukunda Das. [C. C. Mad 15] In the house of Sri Mukunda Das, … Continue reading →

Vamsidasa was born as Bhairab Chandra in the year 1859 in the village of Majitpur in current Bangladesh. He was the oldest of the seven children of Sanatana Mallabrahma and Srimati Sarvasundari. He would stop at a Gaura-Nitai temple and … Continue reading →

Devotees from the Bhakti Centre on the Gold Coast once again organised Lord Jagannatha’s Rathayatra festival at Broadwater Parklands, Southport, which is a popular family recreation park. Unfortunately, the weather had been windy and rainy right up until an hour … Continue reading →

lokanathakhya-gosvami shri-lila-manjari pura    Lokanatha Goswami was known as Lila Manjari in Krishna lila. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 187)    Lokanatha is considered to be Mahaprabhu’s direct disciple and associate. Prior to coming to Navadwip, he lived in the village of Talakharii in … Continue reading →

Shri Vyenkatta Bhatta was a Vaishnava brahmana and an inhabitant of Shri Rangakshetra. He belonged in the disciplic succession of Shri Ramanujacharya. Shri Rangam is one of the places of pilgrimage in the province of Tamila-desha. The inhabitants of that … Continue reading →

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 →

In the greater Sydney area there are many Bhakti Vrksa and Nama Hatta programs amongst the devotee community. Every month one group, in the Glenfield area, has a program in the community centre there. Venu Vadak prabhu, who is one … Continue reading →