Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

Lord Nrsimha is the incarnation of Lord Krsna that appeared to protect his young devotee Prahlada. He appeared as half-man half-lion and killed the envious, atheistic demon, Hiranyakashipu who was materialism personified (hiran-gold, kasipu-soft bed). Devotees pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva … Continue reading →

I recently attended the Brisbane Rathayatra, which started and finished at the Town Hall square. This event was held a little earlier than the normal Rathayatra date because it was the only time of the year the devotees could book … 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 →

Akshaya Tritiya, is also known as Akti or Akha Teej. It falls on the third tithi (lunar day) of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Vaisakha. n Sanskrit, the word akshaya means “never decreasing” in the sense of “prosperity, hope, joy, success”, while tritiya means … 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 →

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, Srirama and … 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 influential … Continue reading →

Good Friday is a solemn day of mourning and reflection for Christians, who often attend special church services and prayer vigils. Good Friday is a part of Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday, and Good … Continue reading →

Sri Shyamananda Prabhu was a servant of a servant of Subala in Krishna-lila. He was the disciple of Hridayananda or Hriday Chaitanya, who was a disciple of Gauri Das Pandit. Gauri Das was Subala in Krishna-lila. Shyamananda Prabhu was born … Continue reading →

The Padma Purana states: yatha radha priya visnoh tasyah kundam priyam tathasarvagopisu sevaika visnoratyantavallabha “Among all the gopis, Srimati Radhaji is most dear to Sri Krsna, being His principal prana vallabha. Similarly, Radhaji’s dear kunda is also very dear to … Continue reading →

Lord Ramachandra is an avatar of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as an ideal king. He manifest His pastimes more than two million years ago. He appeared as the son of King Dasaratha, in the line of King Ikshvaku, the first ruler of Earth. … Continue reading →

In the year 1017 A.D., Ramanuja was born in the village of Perumbudur, about twenty-five miles west of Chennai. His father was Kesava Somayaji and his mother was Kantimathi, a very pious and virtuous lady. Quite early in life, Ramanuja … Continue reading →

Keshava Prabhu, from Hare Krishna Valley (New Nandagram) in Bambra, Victoria, invited Devamrta Maharaja and I to the Radha Krishna boat festival at the farm.The previous day was hot and gusty but the weather turned more pleasant on Sunday and … 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 →

Śrīvāsa Thakura was a close associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and a member of the Pancha Tattva. 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 … Continue reading →

The day after Gaura Purnima is celebrated as Jagannath Mishra Festival. Just as Nandababa celebrated Nandotsava in joy the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna, similarly, the wonderful appearance of the Lord increased the happiness of everyone in Srimati Sacidevi’s house. … Continue reading →

Gaura Purnima is a celebration of the most auspicious advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – The Golden Avatara. It is one of the most important festivals for Gaudiya Vaishnavas after Janmastami. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, in the mood of … 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 →

Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj appeared in this world (was born) probably around 1750 in a village in a part of India which is now Bangladesh. He was born in a wealthy family.  Later in his life he was initiated … Continue reading →

Right after the Iskcon Leadership Sanga finished, devotees from all over the world assembled in the Panca Tattva temple room for the annual kirtan mela. When I say annual, there was a break of a few years because of CoVid … Continue reading →

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 Phalgun (February-March) there is a Maha Shivaratri. The ceremony takes place mainly at night, which … Continue reading →

Srimad 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 … Continue reading →

The first Iskcon Leadership Sanga was held in Mayapur after three years because of Covid restrictions. Around fourteen hundred devotees attended from different parts of the world over a five day period. Every day there were presentations given on 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 (C.C. adi 11.38—39), Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has written: “The twenty-third and twenty fourth prominent … Continue reading →

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was born in the holy pilgrimage place of Jagannatha Puri to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a great Vaisnava acarya in the line of succession coming from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Although employed as a government magistrate, Srila Bhaktivinoda … Continue reading →

The GBC body has come to Mayapur for its annual general meeting. This is the first time the body has come together in three years because of CoVid restrictions. It has been wonderful to again have darshana of Their Lordships … Continue reading →

Sri Nityananda is the personification of the love that originated in Lord Sri Caitanya. Nityananda Prabhu is an expansion of the same Lord Baladeva in Krishnaloka. Therefore, Nityananda Prabhu is the original Sankarshan, and Maha-sankarshan and His expansions as the purushas in the universes are plenary expansions of Nityananda Prabhu. Sri Nityananda was born … 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. Rumanja passed his childhood days … Continue reading →

Sri Advaita Acharya was born in 1434 in Nabagram, Bengal to Sri Kubera Pandit and Srimati Nabha devi. They were originally inhabitants of Nabagram village near Sri Hatta, but later moved to Santipura on the banks of the Ganga. When … Continue reading →

The Supreme Lord Visnu has three different Saktis: Sri, Bhu, and Nila. Sri Visnupriya is the internal potency known as Bhu-sakti. She appeared in Gaura-lila to assist Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his mission of spreading the holy name of Krsna.  … Continue reading →

Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura took birth in the year 1654 Shaka era (according to the Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidana, Part 3, p. 1370) within the Nadia district of West Bengal in a place called Prasiddha Deva Gram.  He appeared in the Radhiya … Continue reading →

Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya.  Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote Chaitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Chaitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna … 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 →

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: “daya koro sri acarya prabhu srinivasa, ramacandra sanga mage narottama dasa—O Srinivasa acarya Prabhu, kindly have mercy upon me; Narottama dasa always prays for the association of  Ramacandra Kaviraja.” Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja was one … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada once explained the festival this way: “Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis decided that we shall decorate Him. Pusya abhisheka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely … 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 be … 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 →

Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya. Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote Chaitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Chaitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna … Continue reading →

Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya. Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote Chaitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Chaitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna … Continue reading →

“He who was previously a very munificent cowherd boy has now appeared as Mahesa Pandita. In ecstatic love, he dances like a madman as though intoxicated to the beat of a kettle drum. [C.C. Adi 11.32] According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Mahesa … Continue reading →