Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

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 →

The saintly king Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Keshava, what is the name of that Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June – July)? Who is the worshipable Deity for the auspicious day, and what … Continue reading →

Hera denotes seeing, while Panchami denotes the fifth day. The great festival of Hera Panchami is held on the fifth day after Rathayatra. Lord Jagannatha departed the temple in Jagannatha Puri (representing Dwarka) on the day of the Rathayatra and … Continue reading →

The devotees at Sri Sri Radha Rasesvara temple organised a beautiful Rathayatra parade around the temple and hundreds attended. Their Lordships, Jagannatha, Balarama and Subadra were pulled with devotees chanting and dancing in ecstasy. The Lord stopped half way and … Continue reading →

I was invited to a program at New Puri Dhama, which is a farming project on the way to Singaraja, Bali. Sanat Kumara and his brother bought this property a few years back and have been growing organic rice, spinach, … 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 →

After an absence of three or four years because of CoVid, I once again visited our temple and asrama in Lombok, Indonesia. There is a nama hatta group in the city of Mataram and the temple itself about 30 minutes … Continue reading →

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 71, it is stated that Vakresvara Pandita was an incarnation of Aniruddha, one of the quadruple expansions of Visnu (Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha and Pradyumna). He could dance wonderfully for seventy-two continuous hours. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu … Continue reading →

The Snana yatra bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannath 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 →

When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to propagate the Sankirtana Movement, Panihati became a major centre of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. The residential quarters of Sri Raghava Pandita (one of the associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) still exists in Panihati. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was a devotee … Continue reading →

Baladeva Vidyabhusana was born in Orissa, near Puri, in a place called Chilka Lake. He was very brilliant, and in his boyhood he learned all vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar) as well as the Vedas, Upanisads and all other scriptures. He wanted … Continue reading →

Within the present state of Bengal, lies what was once the kingdom of Shri Naresh Narayana. King Naresh Narayana had a daughter named Sachi. From early childhood, Sachi was a topmost devotee of the Lord. Within a short time, Sachi … Continue reading →

Adi Kesava das and Syamarupa dd have been living in Cairns for over 20 years and hold weekly preaching programs in a city hall. They are from Fiji, both doctors and disciples of HH Tamal Krsna Goswami. Big festivals like … Continue reading →

The mother of Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura’s was Sri Narayani devi, the niece of Srivasa pandita. In his Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Vrndavana dasa has described how his mother attained the affectionate fervour of Sri Gaurasundara. Vrindavana dasa was born four … Continue reading →

There are two Arjunas in Krishna lila: one is a priya-narma-sakha in Vraja, the other is one of the Pandavas. These two combined to become Ramananda Raya, the dear companion of Mahaprabhu. He was very knowledgeable in the teachings of … Continue reading →

Some of the disciples of HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaja invited me for his Vyasapuja ceremony on a Tweed River boat they had hired. Maharaja passed away from this world a month or two ago and this was the first observance … 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 →

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 →