Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

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 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 →

Lord Vamana, the dwarf, is the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is also the first incarnation of Treta Yuga. The Srimad Bhagavatam states that Lord Vishnu descended as the Vamana avatar to restore the power of Lord Indra in … Continue reading →

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: devi krishna-mayi prokta radhika para-devata sarva-lakshmi-mayi sarva kantih sammohini para “The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the … Continue reading →

Srimati Sita Thakurani was the wife of Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu, and she lived in Santipur. She had three sons: Achyutananda, Krishna Mishra and Gopala Mishra were devotees of Mahaprabhu.  Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu came to visit Santipur … Continue reading →

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine  nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His … Continue reading →

Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul of all living entities and who vanquishes all the fear of His devotees, entered the mind of Vasudeva in full opulence. While carrying the form of the Supreme Personality of … Continue reading →

Lord Balarama is Krishna’s elder brother and His appearance day takes place on the full moon day (purnima), before Krishna Janmastami. Krishna and Balarama were the darlings of Vrindavan/ Vraja. Together They would spend the day enjoying the company of … 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 →

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 →

Devotees from the Bhakti Centre on the Gold Coast organised a Jagannatha Rathayatra at Broadwater Parkland in Southport. The location was great and many devotees from Brisbane, New Govardhana and the Gold Coast attended. The first event was the parade … Continue reading →

Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami was the son of Vyenkatta Bhatta, a brahmana resident of Shri Rangam, who was initiated in the Shri Sampradaya. In the year 1511, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at the house of Vyenkatta Bhatta. Vyenkatta Bhatta lived … 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 →

Hera Panchami is a unique festival associated with 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 festival … Continue reading →

Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal secretary and always stayed with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the eternal associate and friend of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He fully understood the Lord’s conclusions on Krishna-tattva and Krishna-bhakti, and could fully represent … 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 →

On September 2nd, 1838 on a Sunday in the ancient village of Biranagara (Ulagrama) located in the district of Nadia, Thakura Bhaktivinoda took his birth in the family of Raja Krishnananda Datta, who was a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. … 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 →

According to Sri Gaura Gannoddesha Dipika, Srivasa Pandita is none other than the incarnation of Narada Muni, who had appeared to assist Sri Caitanya, his beloved Lord, enact the heart melting pastimes of Navadvipa.  Srivasa pandita and his family members … Continue reading →

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (71) it is stated that Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was an incarnation of Aniruddha, one of the quadruple expansions of Viṣṇu (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha and Pradyumna). He could dance wonderfully for seventy-two continuous hours. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu played in dramatic … Continue reading →

It was in Vrindavan that Shyamananda Prabhu met and befriended Shrila Narottam das Thakur and Shrinivas Acharya, and thus became the famous trio of the second generation of Vaishnava acharyas after the six Goswamis.     These three were empowered by … Continue reading →

A special bath of Lord Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra devi takes place on the Purnima of Jyestha month to commemorate the appearance day of Lord Jagannath. According to the Skanda Purana, when King Indradyumna installed the wooden deities he arranged … Continue reading →

From her childhood Princess Sachi devi, the daughter of King Naresh Narayana of Bengal, showed unalloyed devotion to Lord Sri Krishna. She even refused to marry on account of her genuine attachment to Krishna. After her father’s demise she ruled … Continue reading →

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana was born in the early part of the 18th century (1720-1790) in a village near Remuna, Balasore District of Orissa. Even though he was the son of a ‘vaishya’ (farmer), in his youth he received a very … Continue reading →

The Covid pandemic has affected ISKCON’s operations around the world, especially in regard to international travel. The New Govardhana devotee community usually has the Sacred Sounds festival in April every year, which devotees from around the world attend. However, 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 →

Before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Ramananda Raya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya told the Lord that no other devotee’s knowledge of Radha-Krishna’s madhurya rasa [devotion in the mood of love] compares with Ramananda Raya’s.  Although Lord Caitanya was half the age of forty … Continue reading →

Devotees from the Sydney area, as well as other parts of Australia, came to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha’s installation , which was in May of 1971.  A good description of the event 50 years ago … Continue reading →

ugro ‘py anugra evayam sva-bhaktanam nri-keshari kesarivo sva-potanam anyesham ugra-vikramaha “Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to non-devotees like Hiranyakashipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very soft and kind to devotees like … Continue reading →

Sita devi was not born of a woman but of the Earth Goddess, Bhumi devi herself. In Maharishi Valmiki’s own words, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita — “Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat”.  Janaka Maharaj, the king of Mithila, … Continue reading →

Srila Madhu Pandita Gosvami was a disciple of Srila Gadadhara Pandita, one of Lord Caitanya’s principal associates.  Madhu Pandita worshiped the Krsna Deity in Vrndavana known as Gopinatha, who had originally been installed by Vajranabha, Lord Krsna’s great-grandson. Madhu Pandita … Continue reading →

Akshaya tritiya, according to the Vedic calendar, is a day considered to be conducive to success in any significant endeavour. Traditionally, those aware of Akshaya tritiya’s benefits schedule major life events—marriages, initiations, and business ventures, establishing a new place of residence—on this … Continue reading →

Srimati Radhika came in the form of Sri Gadadhara. We should try to know Gadadhara-tattva. There is no difference between Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srimati Radhika, but the activities are different in Krsna’s pastimes and Gaura’s pastimes. In Gaura-lila Sri … Continue reading →

Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur was born four years after Mahaprabhu took sannyasa. His mother was Sri Narayani Devi. She was the niece of Srivasa Pandit.  Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur describes how his mother received the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu … Continue reading →

Sri Abhirama Thakura was known as Abhirama Gopala and also as Rama dasa Bhirama dasa. He was previously known as Sridama, a gopa during Krsna-lila,  and was the favourite of Nityananda Prabhu. One day, Krsna, Balarama and their cowherd friends … Continue reading →

On the Caitra Purnima, the full moon day of the month of Caitra, Sri Vamsivadananda Thakura took birth within this world. It was a sweet moon and everyone sang in great joy at the appearance of such a great soul. … Continue reading →

Sri Rama Navami is the auspicious appearance day of Lord Sri Ramachandra. Sri Ramachandra appeared in the month of Chaitra (March – April), on the ninth day of the growing moon (Chaitra Masa, Shukla Paksha, Navami Tithi) and this particular … Continue reading →

Ramanujacharya is also known as Ramanuja. He was born in 11th century around 1017 in a Tamil Brahmin family in Sriperumbudur village of Tamil Nadu. His birth name was Lakshmana and was also referred as Ilaya Perumal that is ‘the … Continue reading →

Starting of Tulasi Jala Dana During the hot season in India, a pot of dripping water is placed over Tulasi and Salagrama to keep them cool. Keshava Vrata starts; for one month one should control the senses, sleep on the … Continue reading →