New Online Learning Platform Features Several Well-Known Devotees
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Vani School, a new online learning platform, aims to connect subscribers with established and professional teachers from the diverse yoga landscape and culture and features many devotees known to the ISKCON family. The initiative was inspired by the vision of Radhanath Swami to offer a single platform to showcase some of the most influential young […]

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Eindhoven, Holland Enthusiastically Welcomes 2023 Ratha Yatra
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Photos courtesy of Ananda Jita Das Devotees recently celebrated the Ratha Yatra festival in the streets of Eindhoven, Holland. Their Lordships, accompanied by marching bands and patriotic floats, bestowed darshan upon the enthusiastic crowds of Eindhoveans. The ISKCON Eindhoven community has been organizing this annual Ratha Yatra Festival there every year since 2007. This year, […]

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ISKCON Punjabi Bagh’s Children Celebrate World Environment Day
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On World Environment Day, a group of 30 students and seven teachers from ISKCON Punjabi Bagh’s Hare Krishna Sunday School gathered in a nearby renowned park to celebrate and raise awareness about the importance of caring for our planet. The participants engaged in various activities aimed at promoting environmental consciousness. The day commenced with a […]

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Vakresvara Pandita Appearance
→ Ramai Swami

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 played in dramatic performances in the house of Srivasa Pandita, Vakresvara Pandita was one of the chief dancers, and he danced continuously for that length of time.

Sri Govinda dasa, an Oriya devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has described the life of Vakresvara Pandita in his book Gaura-krsnodaya. There are many disciples of Vakresvara Pandita in Orissa, and they are known as Gaudiya Vaisnavas although they are Oriyas. Among these disciples are Sri Gopalaguru and his disciple Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami. (Adi 10.17)

In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Chapter Twenty-one, it is stated that Devananda Pandita and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya’s father, Visarada, lived in the same village. Devananda Pandita was a professional reciter of Srimad Bhagavatam, but Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not like his interpretation of it.

In the present town of Navadvipa, which was formerly known as Kuliya, Lord Caitanya showed such mercy to him that he gave up the Mayavadi interpretation of Srimad-Bhagavatam and learned how to explain Srimad-Bhagavatam in terms of bhakti.

Formerly, when Devananda was expounding the Mayavadi interpretation, Srivasa Thakura was once present in his meeting, and when he began to cry, Devananda’s students drove him away. Some days later, Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed that way, and when He met Devananda He chastised him severely because of his Mayavada interpretation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

At that time Devananda had little faith in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as an incarnation of Lord Krsna, but one night some time later Vakresvara Pandita was a guest in his house, and when he explained the science of Krsna, Devananda was convinced about the identity of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Thus he was induced to explain Srimad-Bhagavatam according to the Vaisnava understanding. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 106, it is described that he was formerly Bhaguri Muni, who was the sabha-pandita who recited Vedic literature in the house of Nanda Maharaja. (Adi 10.77)

On Brahmananda Prabhu’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami

Any association with Brahmananda Prabhu—whether by vani or’ vapuh—enhanced my loving feelings for Srila Prabhupada. There is a verse in Sri Caitanya-bhagavata that I think describes him perfectly. “Visnu and the Vaisnavas are equal, but atheists and blasphemers think otherwise. One who worships the lotus feet of Krsna without discriminating . . . is delivered.” Brahmananda Prabhu had the firm conviction that the worship and service of Srila Prabhupada was equal to—if not more pleasing than—that of the Supreme Lord. And he was surely delivered by Srila Prabhupada’s grace.

There is a prayer, offered to Lord Caitanya, that reflects Brahmananda Prabhu’s mood in relation to Srila Prabhupada—and the mood for which I aspire: “Birth after birth, You are our father, mother, son, and master. May we never forget Your lotus feet. O Lord, it does not matter where we take birth, but may we always have loving devotion for Your lotus feet.”

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 3.485–487) confirms the efficacy of serving pure devotees and the results one attains by doing so: “The service of Vaishnavas is superior to the service of Krishna. All scriptures, headed by Srimad-Bhagavatam, confirm this. There may be a doubt whether the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will attain perfection, but there is absolutely no doubt that those who are attached to serving the Lord’s devotees will attain perfection. Therefore service to the Vaishnavas is the best means of deliverance.”

Brahmananda Prabhu, please think kindly upon us and keep us close to your lotus feet, that we may engage in everlasting service to our eternal lord and master in the association of all his beloved servants.

—Giriraj Swami

Hitting the Road Again
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Parasuram das Two days ago a massive dam in Eastern Ukraine was destroyed. 40,000 people have been made homeless. Vraja Sakha Prabhu from ISKCON Zaporizhzhya explained to us that there is a serious disaster ahead. Firstly the Nuclear Power Station is in a precarious situation, it needs both electricity and water to prevent a meltdown.
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Sri Vakresvara Pandita’s Appearance Day
Giriraj Swami

Today is the appearance day of Sri Vakresvara Pandita, one of Lord Chaitanya’s most dear associates. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 10.17–20) states, “Vakresvara Pandita, the fifth branch of the [Caitanya] tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya’s. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally sang while Vakresvara Pandita danced, and thus Vakresvara Pandita fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke as follows. ‘O Candramukha! Please give me ten thousand Gandharvas. Let them sing as I dance, and then I will be greatly happy. Lord Caitanya replied, ‘I have only one wing like you, but if I had another, certainly I would fly in the sky!’ ”

In his purport to text 17, Srila Prabhupada writes, “In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (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 played in dramatic performances in the house of Srivasa Pandita, Vakresvara Pandita was one of the chief dancers, and he danced continuously for that length of time. Sri Govinda dasa, an Oriya devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has described the life of Vakresvara Pandita in his book Gaura-krsnodaya. There are many disciples of Vakresvara Pandita in Orissa, and they are known as Gaudiya Vaisnavas although they are Oriyas. Among these disciples are Sri Gopalaguru and his disciple Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami.”

A contemporary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu named Devananda Pandita had no faith in Mahaprabhu and thus avoided Him, but fortunately, Devananda Pandita developed great faith in Vakresvara Pandita and rendered service to him. And by Vakresvara Pandita’s mercy, Devananda Pandita developed faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and ultimately achieved His shelter.

Concerning this incident, Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 3.485–487) confirms the efficacy of serving pure devotees and the results one attains by doing so: “The service of Vaishnavas is superior to the service of Krishna. All scriptures, headed by Srimad-Bhagavatam, confirm this. There may be a doubt whether the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will attain perfection, but there is absolutely no doubt that those who are attached to serving the Lord’s devotees will attain perfection. Therefore service to the Vaishnavas is the best means of deliverance.”

Hare Krishna.