Events for January 2023

Jagadisa Pandita lived near Jagannatha Misra, the father of Lord Caitanya, in Sridhama Mayapur. Jagadisa Pandita assisted Lord Caitanya in spreading the sankirtana movement in Jagannatha Puri.

Srila Prabhupada once explained the festival this way: “Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis decided that we shall decorate Him. Pusya abhisheka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely with flowers, ornaments, cloths.

After there should be lavish feasting and a procession through the streets, so that all the citizens should see how beautiful Krishna appears.”

Ramacandra Kaviraja, the son of Sri Ciranjiva Sena appeared in Sri Khanda. “Ramacandara Kaviraja was especially earnest, beautiful, intelligent, energetic, and enthusiastic,” said one biographer.

Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami (the son of a Vyenkata Bhatta, a Shri Vaishnava brahmana) appeared in Shri Rangam, South India. Lord Chaitanya once stayed four months in his home, and converted the family to Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

Jayadeva Goswami is the author of the Gita govinda, a poem about the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Lord Caitanya relished hearing the Gita govinda sung by His close associates. To this day the poem is recited daily in the temple of Lord Jagannatha in Jagannatha Puri, Orissa.

Sri Locana Dasa Thakura, a disciple of Narahari Sarakara Thakura, wrote many Bengali songs glorifying Lord Caitanya. His most famous poetic work is the Caitanya-mangala, a depiction of Lord Caitanya’s life.

Ganga Sagar Mela is a festival observed especially at the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. Kapilasrama, the asrama of Lord Krsna’s incarnation as Kapiladeva, the son of Devahuti, is located at this place.

The festival commemorates King Bhagirathi’s bringing the River Ganges down from the celestial planets to the ocean and the lower worlds.

The Sun enters the Makara raasi (the zodiac sign of Capricorn – the goat), on Sankranti day, signifying the onset of Uttarayana Punyakalam. Many a traditional folk form add glory to the festive scenario.

The following has been translated from an article in Sadachara Vybhavam of the great Vaishnava devotee Sripad Madhvacharya.

Today is “Makara Sankranti” which is celebrated when the Sun begins the northward journey, marking the beginning of the “uttaraayana punyakaalam”. Sun enters the sign of “Makara”, (Capricorn) from Cancer at this time.

This Ekadasi occurs in the Phalguna month, as the moon wanes at this time a very special atmosphere is created. The glories of Sat-tila Ekadasi are narrated in the Bhavisyottara Purana in a conversation between the sage Dalbhya and Pulastya muni.

“Oh esteemed brahmana!” began Dalbhya muni.
“People are most polluted in the age of Kali, there are sinful acts taking place at all times! Heinous crimes such as the killing of brahmanas, killing of cows and general freeloadering are rife.

Pundarika Vidyanidhi was a disciple of Madhavendra Puri and was the guru of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. Pundarika Vidyanidhi was sometimes misunderstood to be too much attached to material pleasures, but just by hearing the recitation of one verse of the Bhagavatam he would enter into a trance.

Raghunandan was born into a family of physicians in the Shaka year 1432 (1510 AD). His father’s name was Mukunda Das, his mother’s name is unknown. Mukunda Das was Narahari Sarkar Thakur’s older brother.

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, one of the six Goswamis, at a young age renounced his beautiful wife and opulent home to join Lord Caitanya and His sankirtana movement. For sixteen years, he was the personal assistant of Svarupa Damodara.

This is the first day of spring in India. On the fifth day of the waxing moon one should celebrate the coming of spring to Vrindavana by offering Krishna many types of leaves and flowers, and fresh shoots of sprouting grasses.

Things that symbolise life and new growth.Following in the footsteps of the Vraja-basis of Vrindavana, one should paint designs on His (Krishna’s) body and perform a special aratrika for Him. It is appropriate to offer yellow flowers too. The vasanta raga should be played on this day. The Deities in the temples, especially in Vrindavana wear yellow or yellow and green on this day.

The Supreme Lord Visnu has three different Saktis: Sri, Bhu, and Nila. Sri Visnupriya is the internal potency known as Bhu-sakti. She appeared in Gaura-lila to assist Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his mission of spreading the holy name of Krsna.

Sarasvati Puja worship of the goddess Sarasvati (not generally observed by Vaisnavas).

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, a great Vaisnava acarya, appeared in 1674 in what is now the Nadia district of West Bengal. During his time, he served as the protector, guardian, and acarya of the Gaudiya Vaisnava line.

Advaita Acharya, an intimate associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is considered an incarnation of Sadasiva and Maha- Visnu. It was in response to His calls that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu descended to this world.

Bhismastami is the appearance anniversary of Bhismadeva, the “grandfather” of the Pandavas. Bhishma's name in his boyhood was Devavrata.

Madhvacharya is the principal acharya, or spiritual teacher, in in the Brahma-sampradaya, the Vaisnava disciplic line from which the Gaudiya sampradaya descends. He was born in Udupi, South India, in the early thirteenth century.

Ramanujacharya was the principal acarya in the Sri sampradaya, one of the four main lines of Vaisnava teachers and disciples. His Vedanta-sutra commentary Sri-bhasya establishes the doctrine known as Visistadvaita, “qualified nondualism.”

It is said that if one observes upavasa on this day then one receives entrance to Visnu’s abode, even though one has not performed the other vratas of the year.

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Lord of the lords, Sri Krishna, all glories unto You! Oh Master of the universe, You alone are the source of the four types of living entities those born from eggs, those born from perspiration, those born from seeds and those born from embryos. You alone are the root cause of all, Oh Lord, and therefore You are the creator, maintainer and destroyer.

Varahadeva is the boar incarnation Sri Krsna. He assumed the form of a boar to lift the drowning planet earth from the Garbhodaka Ocean with His tusks.

The demon Hiryanyaksa had thrown the planet earth into this ocean, but the Lord stabbed the demon with His tusks and saved the earth. After describing the appearance of the white Boar Incarnation that had appeared during the Svayambhuva devastation, Maitreya next described the red Boar Incarnation that had appeared during the Chakshusha devastation. Maitreya related these pastimes to Vidura in the same manner in which he had heard them long ago when Lord Brahma had narrated them to the demigods.

Lord Nityananda Prabhu appeared as Lord Caitanya’s principal associate for spreading the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. He especially spread the holy name of the Lord throughout Bengal. He is considered an incarnation of Lord Balarama.

There are various festivities where Lord Krishna’s rasa lila is celebrated – this festival being just one of them. The purnima or full moon of Damodara month is the second full moon of the autumn season, and rasa lila is again celebrated.

This second rasa yatra is celebrated more in Bengal, whereas the first one is celebrated more in Vrindavana. On this day one should perform full worship of Radha and Krishna with many flowers, and place them in a rasa mandapa surrounded by the gopis.

Sri Krishna Vasant Rasa is similar excepting that it is in the Spring (Vasant), at this time everyone dresses in yellow. On this full moon night the devotees usually leave out pots of sweet rice payasam for the Lord to enjoy during His rasas.

Narottama Dasa Thakura was a leading acarya in the Gaudiya Vaisnava line. He was the only disciple of Srila Lokanatha Gosvami. Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura helped bring the books of the Gosvamis from Vrndavana to Bengal and Orissa.