Hera Panchami
→ Ramai Swami

The great festival of Hera Panchami is held on the fifth day after Rathayatra. Lord Jagannatha departs the temple in Jagannatha Puri (representing Dwarka) on the day of the Rathayatra and travels to the Gundica temple (representing Vrindavan).

Before departing, Lord Jagannatha gave his wife Lakshmi a final vow that He would return the following day. But the fifth day passed with no word regarding Lord Jagannatha. So Lakshmi summons her servants and gathers an army to bring Lord Jagannatha back.

She makes a big display and pompous entrance to the Gundica shrine. When they arrive at the temple, they begin beating and seizing Lord Jagannatha’s servants before forcing them to commit to returning to Him as soon as possible, preferably the following day.

The Nandigosh cart, the Ratha of Lord Jagannatha (which transported Lord Jagannatha to the Gundica shrine), is attacked by Mother Lakshmi’s servants as they return from the temple, and a small piece of the cart is broken off for them to capture.

“Lord Chaitanya performed several pastimes in the garden beside the road leading from the Jagannatha shrine to Gundica. The Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s bathing ceremony was conducted by a brahmana named Krsnadasa.

Following His dancing in the Gundica temple, the Lord enjoyed water sports with His followers. On the day of Hera-Panchami, they could witness Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune, at work.”

We Live in Vrindavan and Nowhere Else
→ Dandavats

Although it is very difficult to enter into the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes, most of the devotees of Vṛndāvana are attracted to the rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā. However, since Nitāi-Gauracandra are direct incarnations of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, we can be directly in touch with Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu. Those who are highly
Read More...

Reflections on Independence Day
Giriraj Swami

While I was leaving the Dallas/Fort Worth airport on July 4, a large American flag flying in the wind caught my eye, and I was surprised by how happy I felt. I reflected on how fortunate we were to live in a country where we have freedom of religion, and how Srila Prabhupada said, “America has been so good to me to give me money, men—everything. I have no designation that ‘this is my country,’ but because they have given me so much facility, I cannot forget my obligation to them. I want to make them happy and through them the whole world.”

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

God Is Joyful
→ Dandavats

Every living entity is by nature joyful, spiritually, and because he is materially covered, his joyfulness is hampered. That is the real position. Feverish condition, one becomes sick, attacked with fever—his joyfulness goes away. He becomes sick. Similarly, our natural position is joy. Ānandamayo ‘bhyāsāt. Kṛṣṇa is joyful. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa;
Read More...

How I Came to Krsna Consciousness
→ Dandavats

By Brahma Muhurta Dasa Brahma-Muhurta Dasa With His Family Many of my friends thought life was just a huge meaningless game. But I always felt there was something more and I had to find it I was born near Boston in 1958. My father had a Masters in architecture from Harvard, my mother a B.A.
Read More...

Krsna Consciousness In Cyprus
→ Dandavats

Indradyumna Swami: Cyprus, a beautiful island is the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, is a deeply religious Christian Orthodox country. It is also home to a budding community of devotees who kindly hosted me for 4 days last week. The little yatra is the success of my good friend Śrī Prahlada Dasa’s preaching over
Read More...