Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

In around 1503 AD, Raghunath Bhattacharya appeared as the son of Tapana Mishra, a dear devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who hailed from the village of Ramapura on the banks of the Padma River in East Bengal. Mahaprabhu first met … Continue reading →

Madhvacharya was born into a Brahmana family in the coastal town of Udupi, South India. His early life was marked by extraordinary events and displays of divine power, such as turning tamarind seeds into coins and defeating a snake demon … Continue reading →

Ramachandra Vijayotsava is the festival commemorating the victory of Lord Ramachandra, an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, over the demonic king Ravana After empowering the brahmastra with the required mantras, Lord Rama placed it upon His bowstring. As the monkeys … Continue reading →

There were over 600 registrations for the kirtan festival at New Govardhana and that didn’t include the local devotee community which added another 200-300 devotees to the total number. The festival went over the long weekend, starting Friday night and … Continue reading →

One of the Bali devotees owns a big home in the lakes area of Bali, which is around halfway between Denpasar and Singaraja. It is a very beautiful area and is visited daily by thousands of tourists. The family has … Continue reading →

The glory of Indira Ekadasi is related in the Brahmavaivarta Purana. There Lord Krishna extols the Ekadasi to Yudhisthira by narrating the story of a devotee King named Indrasena. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna said, “If a … 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 →

Sri Haridas Thakur is an eternally liberated associate of the Lord. The associates of the Lord are worship-able wherever they make their appearance. Just as Garuda appeared as a bird, and Hanuman as a monkey, Haridas Thakur appeared in a … Continue reading →

Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal. He revealed that he is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by his extraordinary preaching activities and prolific writing. Living as a … Continue reading →

The fifth among the Dasavatara is Sri Vamana-avatara. There are innumerable lila-avataras. Among them are twenty-five chief lila-avataras of which Sri Vamanadeva is the eighteenth. All the lila-avataras have been mentioned in the previous description of Matsya-avatara. Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the original catur-vyuha, … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada lecture: So this janma is today and Rādhā, this name is sometimes not found in Bhāgavata. So the atheistic class of men protest this Rādhārāṇī’s name is not in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. How this name came, Rādhārāṇī? But they do not know how to see it. … Continue reading →

It’s always a great honour to take darshan of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Nila Madhava, Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra, Sita, Rama, Laksman, Hanuman and Gaura Nita at our beautiful temple in Seattle. The temple itself is grand with temple on … Continue reading →

The Seattle Rathayatra was held on the second day of the festival and started a few kilometers from the park. Their Lordships, Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra rode majestically on Their chariot through the streets for two hours until They … Continue reading →

Each year I try to come for the Seattle Rathayatra, which goes over two days during the Labor Day long weekend. The first day started at a local park where devotees and guests came with their families. As you can … Continue reading →

In fortune, knowledge, wit, and tact, you had the wisdom and skill to act Your glory shall forever remain and in time it will grow and gain The world was plagued in ceaseless ire, who but you could put out … Continue reading →

The demigods said, “Dear Lord, when You appear in Your different incarnations, You take different names and forms according to different situations. Lord Kṛṣṇa is Your name because You are all attractive; You are called Śyāmasundara because of Your transcendental … Continue reading →

“Sri Balarama is the servitor Godhead who serves Lord Krsna in all affairs of existence and knowledge. The transcendental abode exists by the energy of Lord Balarama. Krsna’s first expansion in a form for pastimes is Balarama. Balarama Himself helps … Continue reading →

One of the most popular events in the holy town of Vrindavan, India – where Lord Krishna appeared 5,000 years ago – is the celebration of Jhulan Yatra, the Radha-Krishna swing festival. In Vrindavan among the local villagers and inhabitants … Continue reading →

subalo yah priya-sresthah sa gauridasa-panditah | In Vraja, Gauri Das Pandit was Subala, one of the twelve Gopals. He is one of Nityananda Prabhu’s dearest associates. (Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 128) Gauri Das’s first residence was in the village known as Shaligram, not … Continue reading →

Many years ago, our function in the Gianyar region of Bali was held in Pradhyumna Prabhu’s house. A downstairs room served as the temple and we were graced with small Gaura Nitai deities. It was a remote location in the … Continue reading →

Vamsi Das Babaji was born in Majitpura in the subdivision of Kisoraganja in the district of Mayamanasimha. His father’s name was Sanatana Malovrahma. His former name was Bhairavacandra. According to usual custom, he married at an early age but he … Continue reading →

Shri Mukunda Dasa, Shri Madhava Dasa and Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura were three brothers who lived in Shri Khanda. Shri Mukunda Dasa Thakura’s son was Shri Raghunandan Thakura. Mukunda Dasa Thakura was the doctor in the court of the muslim … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada gives the following information about Lokanatha Goswami: ” Lokanatha Goswami was a personal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and a great devotee of the Lord.  He was a resident of a village named Talakhadi in the district of … Continue reading →

Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, one of the six Goswamis of Vrindavan, was born in 1503 on the 13th day of the dark moon in the month of Pausha. Shrila Gopala Bhatta Goswami lived for 75 years and left this world … Continue reading →

Guru Purnima is observed on the full moon day in the month of Ashadha in honour of the sage Vyasa, by keeping a fast, worshipping him for His blessings and to gain wisdom. Formerly on this day, gurus who were … Continue reading →

Sri Kumara-deva had many sons, amongst whom Sri Amar (Sanatana), Sri Santosh (Sri Rupa) and Sri Vallabha (Anupama) were great devotees. Sri Sanatana was born in the Christian year 1488 (Sakabda 1410). He, along with his brothers, began his studies … Continue reading →

As usual, Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi rode on Their newly renovated Ratha cart at New Govardhana starting near the bridge at the bottom of the hill. This year there were more devotees than ever, some even coming from … Continue reading →

Hera Panchami is a unique festival associated with the 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 … 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 →

Gadadhara Pandit was a childhood friend of Nimai and both were students in the same ‘Tola’ or school. Gadadhara’s parents Madhav Mishra and Ratnawati were natives of Chattagram district but later on moved to Navadwipa. Gadadhara Pandit was born in … Continue reading →

Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal. He revealed that he is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by his extraordinary preaching activities and prolific writing. Living as a … 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 →

Once in the house of Srivasa Thakura Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sang while Vakresvara Pandit danced in constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. At that time Lord Caitanya said, “Vakresvara, I have only one wing like you, but if I had another … Continue reading →

The Snana yatra bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha has become one of the most popular festivals on the Iskcon calendar over the years since His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada introduced it to the world outside of India. … Continue reading →

The Panihati Chida-dahi festival is a joyful celebration unique to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. It originated around 500 years ago in the village of Panihati, situated 10 miles north of Kolkata in West Bengal. This festival is … Continue reading →

Once Bhimasena, asked the Srila Vyasadeva, the grandfather of the Pandavas, whether it was possible to return to the spiritual world without having observed fasting for Ekadashis. Bhimasena said to Vyasadeva, “O learned grandfather, my brothers Yudhisthira, Arjuna, Nakula and … Continue reading →

The temples in Bali like Radha Madhava and Radha Kunjabihari were constructed reflecting local Balinese architecture style and beauty. The weather is generally warm so the areas are left open and covered just enough to protect from the hot sun … Continue reading →

Most grhastha devotees in Bali have deities at home and according to their means worship them regularly. They are also very fond of arranging different types of yajnas, from vastu, Nrsimha and other types of ceremonies. I get numerous invitations … Continue reading →

Bali has six main Iskcon temples and of course a few smaller centres. It’s always a privilege visiting for darshan, kirtan, lectures and associating with devotees. Last week 63 Malaysian youth devotees stayed at our Radha Gopinatha temple in 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 →