Gratitude for God’s Gifts – Giving Thanks
Giriraj Swami

If we are at all aware of how dependent we are on God—for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and our very ability to eat and drink and breathe, to think and feel and will, and to walk, talk, and sense—we will feel grateful and want to reciprocate God’s kindness. We will want to do something for He (or She or They) who has done, and continues to do, so much for us.

We often take things for granted until we lose them. I use my right hand to chant on meditation beads, and one morning I found that I had severe pain in my hand and could no longer use it for chanting. I had taken the use of my hand for granted, but when I lost its use, I resolved to never take it for granted again and to always use it in the best way in God’s service.

How can we attempt to return some of God’s favor, some of God’s care and love for us? My spiritual master, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, gave one answer:

“Whatever you have got by pious or impious activities, you cannot change. But you can change your position, by Krishna consciousness. That you can change. Other things you cannot change. If you are white, you cannot become black, or if you are black, you cannot become white. That is not possible. But you can become a first-class Krishna conscious person. Whether you are black or white, it doesn’t matter. This is Krishna consciousness. Therefore our endeavor should be how to become Krishna conscious. Other things we cannot change. This is not possible.

tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido
  na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah
tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham
  kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa
      [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.18]

Kalena, by time, you will get whatever you are destined. Don’t bother about so-called economic development. So far as food is concerned, Krishna is supplying. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is supplying even cats and dogs and ants. Why not you? There is no need of bothering Krishna, ‘God, give us our daily bread.’ He will give you. Don’t bother. Try to become very faithful servant of God. ‘Oh, God has given me so many things. So let me give my energy to serve Krishna.’ This is required. This is Krishna consciousness. ‘I have taken so much, life after life, from Krishna. Now let me dedicate this life to Krishna.’ This is Krishna consciousness. ‘I will not let this life go uselessly like cats and dogs. Let me utilize it for Krishna consciousness.’ ”

I pray that I will dedicate this life and everything I have—everything God has given me—fully in God’s service, following His pure devotees.

manasa, deho, geho, yo kichu mora
arpilun tuya pade, nanda-kisora

“Mind, body, and home, whatever may be mine, I surrender at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda!” (Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Saranagati)

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Odana Sashti – Lord Jagannath Accepts A Winter Cloth
→ Mayapur.com

The Lord’s mercy comes in many forms and the story behind Odana Sashti is one amongst many to tell. Once, Sri Gaurasundara accompanied by all His devotees came to see Lord Jagannatha on Odana Sasthi. Musical bands with numerous instruments, mridangas, conch shells, bells, etc. echoed all around and the entire town wore a festive […]

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CPO NA Restrictions on BVP
→ ISKCON News

The ISKCON North American Council (NAC), headed by five members of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) with geographical responsibility in the United States and Canada, fully endorses and will comply with the 28th October 2022 ISKCON Central Office of Child Protection (ICOCP) restrictions on ISKCON’s relationship with Alan Ross Wexler, also known as Bhaktividya Purna, […]

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Sri Saranga Thakur Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

Vraja’s Nāndimukhi became Sāraṅga Ṭhākura in Gaura-lila.

Śrī Saranga Ṭhākura is mentioned in the listing of branches of the Chaitanya trunk of the tree of devotional service along with Rama Das, Kavidatta, Gopal Das and Bhāgavata Acharya (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.113). He is also known as Sarnga Ṭhākura, Sarngadhar and Sarngapani.

He used to live in Modadrumdvīpa, which is the island in Nabadvīpa that represents, of the nine types of devotional service, the service attitude. The name of the town is Mamgachi. He would sit in a secluded place by the banks of the Ganges to perform intense bhajan. Through these practices he obtained many miraculous powers.

At first, Saranga Ṭhākura did not want to make any disciples for fear of disturbances to his bhajan, but Mahāprabhu repeatedly encouraged him to do so. The following account is given in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Abhidhāna, “When the Lord was returning after criticizing Devananda Pandit for having offended Srivas Pandit, Saranga Ṭhākura met Him on the streets of Nabadvīpa. Mahāprabhu ordered him to give up his determination to never take disciples.”

Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupad writes in his Anubhāṣya in Chaitanya Charitamrta: “Having been ordered by Mahāprabhu to take disciples, Saranga Ṭhākura decided that he would make a disciple of the first person that he met the following morning. As fate would have it, the next morning, a dead body washed up against him while he was taking bath in the Ganges. He revived the corpse and made him his disciple. This disciple was known as Ṭhākura Murari, or sometimes as Saranga Murari.

In the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Abhidhāna, it is further said that Murari was a boy who had been killed by snake bite and his parents had set his uncremated body afloat on a raft in the Ganges, as was the custom in that time. Saranga Ṭhākura revived him by giving initiation to him. Thus, his name Saranga Murari, who became an empowered preacher of Mahāprabhu’s dharma by guru’s grace. Descendents of Saranga Murari’s disciples still live in a village named Shav.

Saranga Ṭhākura’s deities were served in the town of Mamgachi. The original temple was built in front of a bakula tree. The deities of Radha Gopinath worshiped by him can be seen in this temple, as can the deity of Mahāprabhu’s other associate, Vasudeva Datta Ṭhākura, Śrī Madana Gopal. The devotees who do parikramā of Nabadvīpa Dham visit this temple for darshan. Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura established a temple not far from the above-mentioned home of Saranga Murari at the birthplace of Vrindavan Das Ṭhākura.

Saranga Ṭhākura disappeared on the thirteenth day of the waning moon (kṛṣṇā trayodaśī) in the month of Agrahayan. An alternative opinion is that he disappeared on the Asharh kṛṣṇā caturdaśī.