New Mayapur Works to Build a Sustainable Vedic Village
→ ISKCON News

Gopaswami Prabhu and devotees engaged in eco-house construction  New Mayapur in Central France is working to implement Srila Prabhupada’s vision for rural farm communities where devotees can live in harmony with nature, while addressing the climate crisis. The aim is to build a Vedic village as outlined by Srila Prabhupada, where earth and her natural […]

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Sri Abhirama Thakur Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

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 personality, and atheists and blasphemers were very much afraid of him.

Empowered by Shri Nityananda Prabhu, he was always in ecstasy and was kind to all fallen souls. It is siad that if he offered obeisances to any stone other than a shalagram-shila, it would immediately burst into pieces. According to Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika  (12) in Krishna-lila he was Shridama, one of the 12 prominent boy cowherd friends of Shri Krishna. He was Nityananda’s dearmost devotee. Abhiram Gopal’s wife’s name was Shri Malini devi.

Abhirama Gopala Thakura lived in Khanakula Krishnanagara. The story of how the Gopinath deity of Khanakula Krishnanagara was established is as follows. One day, the deity of Gopinatha appeared to Abhiram Gopal in a dream, and informed him that he wanted to manifest himself in Khanakula Krishnanagara. It is said that he was buried in the earth, and that in the dream he ordered Abhirama Gopal to excavate him and inaugurate his worship.

Abhirama Gopal went to the place where the Lord had indicated he would be found, and began excavation. There, after digging for some time, he found the mind-enchanting deity of Shri Gopinatha.  The place where this discovery was made is now called Rama kunda, and there is a small lake there. 

One day Shri Abhirama Gopala was overwhelmed with the ecstasy of sakhya rasa, and had a desire to play the flute of a cowherd boy.  Intoxicated by the bliss of Krishna-prema, he began searching the four directions for a suitable flute. As he searched through the forest for a suitable instrument all at once he saw before him a big log. The log was so huge that sixteen men could not move it. 

Shri Abhirama Thakura had a bullwhip that was imbued with divine power. Its name was “Jayamangal.”  Whoever was struck with this whip became filled with Krishna prema.  One day Shrinivasa Acharya went to take darshan of Abhiram Gopala.  At that time, Abhiram Gopal touched him three times with Jayamangal.

The Thakur’s good wife, Malini, cried out, “My Lord! Do not touch him again. Calm yourself. Shrinivas is only a boy. If you touch him again he will lose consciousness.” As a result of coming in contact with the whip of Abhirama Thakura, Shrinivasa Acharya became filled with Shri Krishna prema.

When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal, he sent Abhirama Gopal and Gadadhara Das along with him. Simply upon seeing Abhiram Gopal, atheists and blasphemers would flee in terror.

He was a remarkable scholar, well-versed in all the scriptures. He married his wife, Malini, upon the order of Shri Nityananda Prabhu.  His disappearance day is on the seventh day of the dark moon in the month of Chaitra, and on that day a great festival attended by thousands of devotees is held every year in Khanakula-Krishnanagara. 

The worship of the lotus feet of the Lord
→ Dandavats

In this age human beings only live for sixty or eighty years, and even this small life-span is gradually decreasing. Therefore it is even more imperative for human beings to take to the worship of the lotus feet of the Lord by constantly chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, as recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Srimad-Bhagavatam,
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Abhirama Thakura
→ Dandavats

Sri Abhirama Thakura was known as Abhirama Gopala and also as Rama dasa Bhirama dasa. “Who was previously known as Sridama, a gopa during Krsna-lila, is now renowned as Abhirama or Rama dasa. He was the favorite of Nityananda Prabhu. One day, Krsna, Balarama and their cowherd friends were playing a game of hide and
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TOVP Give To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching Fundraiser
- TOVP.org

Message from the Chairman

Dear Devotees and Friends of the TOVP,
Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

About a week ago we launched the Give To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching Fundraiser , from April 30 (Rama Navami) until May 4 (Nrsimha Caturdasi), to raise $5 million for the completion of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Wing in the TOVP. The Wing, including the beautiful marble/granite altar is scheduled to open this October during a three-day celebration. Lord Nrsimhadeva will be relocated into His new home during the three-month-long TOVP Grand Opening festival from December, 2024 until Gaura Purnima, 2025.

I have personally pledged to triple match every dollar donated during this matching fundraiser (that’s $3 for every $1) to show my continued commitment to the project. I hope you can also make another sacrifice and donate something large or small. There are many unique sponsorship options with wonderful gifts to show our gratitude to you and express our thanks.

Please visit the TOVP website link below and make your offering for this historic occasion during which we will open the largest Nrsimhadeva temple in the world.

Give To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching Fundraiser

Your servant,
Ambarisa das

 

 

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