Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

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 →

akumara-brahmacari sarva-tirtha-darshiparama-bhagavatottamah shrila-narottama-dasa     A brahmachari for his entire life, Narottama Das visited all the places of pilgrimage. He was on the highest platform of devotional achievement. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.256) Narottama Thakur was Champaka Manjari in Krishna-lila. Eternally assisting Rupa Manjari … Continue reading →

Nityananda Prabhu appeared in the village of Ekachakra, in West Bengal, India, around 1474. In the Caitanya Caritamrita and other scriptures He is declared to be the avatar of Lord Balarama, the direct expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, … Continue reading →

Shri Madhvacharya appeared 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 tiger attacked Madhvacharya’s sannyasa disciple, Satya Tirtha. Madhvacharya wrestled … Continue reading →

Advaita Acharya appeared in fifteenth century Bengal, India, as a teacher of Krishna consciousness. He is frequently mentioned in the biography of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Chaitanya Charitamrita, as an intimate associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and as an avatar of Krishna (specifically … Continue reading →

Raghunatha Dasa was born around 1416 Shaka (1494 AD) in the town of Saptagram in Hooghly district of West Bengal. He was the only son of his father Govardhana Majumdar a wealthy landlord of the area. Govardhana Majumdar’s elder brother … Continue reading →

sri-sanatana-misro’yad pura satrajito napa vinˆupriya jagan-mata yat-kanya bhu-svarupiˆi He who was King Satrajit in Krishna lila was Sanatan Mishra in Chaitanya lila.The mother of the universe, the incarnation of the Lord’s bhu-sakti,is his daughter Vishnupriya. (Gaura-gaˆoddesa-dipika 47) Krishna married Satyabhama, … Continue reading →

He who was previously known in Vraja as Vrishabhanu, is known here as Sri Pundarikaksha Vidyanidhi. When Mahaprabhu was in his own mood as Krishna and felt the pain of separation from Radha, he would call him “father!”. Gaurachandra was … 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 Locana Dasa Thakura appeared in this world in 1520 A.D., thirty-four years after the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Locana Dasa wrote a biography on Lord Caitanya, entitled Sri Caitanya Mangala, and he wrote many devotional songs. Sri Locana … Continue reading →

Approximately three hundred years before the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Jayadeva Goswami lived in Bengal.  Jayadeva was the court pandit of Sri Lakshman Sena, the King of Bengal. Jayadeva’s father was named Bhojadeva, and his mother’s name was Bamadevi. They … Continue reading →

Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja was one of the internal associates of Narottama Thakura. The two of them were practically inseparable. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja had obtained the full mercy and blessings of Srinivasa acarya. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja’s father’s name was Ciranjiva Sena—his … Continue reading →

Gopal 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. Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami lived for 75 years and left this world to … Continue reading →

During the morning puja, or worship, the Deity or a salagrama is bathed in pure ghee. Srila Prabhupada once explained the festival this way: “Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis … Continue reading →

The second most popular mela after Kumbha Mela is the Ganga Sagar Mela. It is India’s biggest fair held in Sagardwip, West Bengal and witnesses a large number of people pouring in.  Celebrated with great vigour and enthusiasm, the festival … Continue reading →

“The thirty-first branch was Jagadisa Pandita, and the thirty-second was Hiranya Mahasaya, unto whom Lord Caitanya in His childhood showed His causeless mercy.“ Jagadisa Pandita was formerly a great dancer in Krsna Lila and was known as Candrahāsa. He belonged to the village of Yaśaḍā-grama, in the … Continue reading →

Srila Jiva Goswami was the nephew of Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. He was the son of their brother Anupama. According to some sources, he was born in the year 1511 at the village of Ramakeli where Lord Chaitanya first … Continue reading →

Srila Locana Dasa Thakura appeared in this world in 1520 A.D., thirty-four years after the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Locana Dasa wrote a biography on Lord Caitanya, entitled Sri Caitanya Mangala, and he wrote many devotional songs. Sri Locana … Continue reading →

Mahesa Pandita used to dance in the ecstasy of krsna-prema just like a madman. In the Gaura-ganodesa-dipika it is written that in vraja-lila he was the cowherd boy named Sriman Mahabahu. He was an especially close friend of Nityananda Prabhu, … Continue reading →

Devananda Pandita lived in Nabadwipa-dhama, in the section known as Kuliya, or Koladwipa (near where the present-day Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math of Srila Sridhara Maharaja is now located). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used him to manifest the glories of Srimad-Bhagavatam to … Continue reading →

Jesus Christ was such a great personality—the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him—they were so thankless. They could not … Continue reading →

HDG Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada was born in the holy pilgrimage place of Jagannatha Puri to HDG Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, a great Vaisnava acarya in the line of succession coming from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Although employed as … Continue reading →

This is the anniversary commemorating the day that Srimad Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Sri Krishna to His dear-most devotee Arjuna. It was spoken at the place now known as Jyotisar Tirtha amid the waring families of the Kurus … 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 Sharanga Thakura (Sharanga Murari) lived in Mamagacchi, Modadrumadwipa (Navadwipa). Staying under a Bakula tree, Sharanga Thakura worked hard every day to please his worshipable Deity. Single handily, he would collect fruits, vegetables and firewood. He would also beg rice, … Continue reading →

Shri Narahari Sarkar Thakura was born at Shri Khanda. Shri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami describes that the residents of Shri Khanda formed a branch of the desire tree of love of God. “Shri Khan davasi (the residents of Shri Khanda) Mukunda … 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 →

Accurate biographies are difficult to find, yet authorities agree that Shri Nimbarkacharya preached Krishna consciousness about three-hundred years before the adventure of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.  In Navadwipa Dhama Mahatyam, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that Nimbarka had previously worshiped Lord Shiva … Continue reading →

When Babaji Maharaja was living in the grhastha-asrama, his name was Vamsi dasa. At that time he was maintaining his life by farming corn, in this way doing honest work and living a regulated life according to the principles of … Continue reading →

Gopastami puja is observed on the eighth day of the bright half of Kartika month (Kartika Shukla Astami). Sri Krishna Puja and Go Puja are the main ceremonies of the day. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, on Gopastami day, Lord … Continue reading →

“My dear Lord Krsna…. How will I make them understand this message of Krsna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified, and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless … Continue reading →

Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Diwali. It is the day Lord Krishna defeated Indra, the King of Heaven and deity of thunder and rain. As per the story, Krishna saw huge preparations for the annual offering to Lord … Continue reading →

Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Laksmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed the demon king Ravana. It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps along the way … Continue reading →

Sri Virachandra or Virabhadra Prabhu appeared on the ninth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Kartika. Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami has given this description of Him in the C.C. Adi 11.8-12 Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in … Continue reading →

On the eighth day of the waning phase of the damodara month the appearance day of Radha Kunda is celebrated by the residents. Bathing in Radha Kunda is especially benefical on this day. By this one gains the favor of … Continue reading →

Narottama Dasa Thakura was a lifelong brahmacari. He was born in a Kayastha caste family, the son of King Shri Krishnananda Datta, who ruled the area of Gopalpura in Rajashahi district of modern day Bangladesh, his capital being Khetri on the Padma River. … Continue reading →

murāri-gupto hanumān aṅgadaḥ śrī-purandaraḥ / yaḥ śrī-sugrīva-nāmāsīd govindānanda eva saḥ Murari Gupta was Hanuman in Ramachandra’s lila; Purandara was Angada and Govindananda Sugriva. — Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā 91 The word gupta means “hidden”, so the name Murari Gupta indicates that Murari (Sri Chaitanya Deva) had secretly … Continue reading →

“Raghunatha Bhatta fell straight as a rod at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then the Lord embraced him, knowing full well who he was.” (Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 13.101) Sri Raghunatha Bhatta’s father’s name was Sri Tapana Misra.  In … Continue reading →

Madhva was born around 1239 in a village called Pajaka, situated near the coast on the southerm part of the sate now called Karnataka. He was originally called Vasudeva. There are many references to his being an incarnation of Vayu … Continue reading →

The festival of Dussehra, also known as Vijaya dashmi, is one of the fascinating festivals of India and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm. According to the great scripture, the Ramayana, Lord Rama performed chandi-puja (holy prayer). This was carried … Continue reading →