Parsva Ekadasi occurs in the month of Asvina when the Moon is waxing, and is also known as Vamana Ekadasi. In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Sri Krsna and Maharaja Yudhistira discuss the illimatable glories of this special day.Maharaja Yudhistira asked Sri Krsna "What is the name of the Ekadasi that takes place during the waxing moon in the month of Asvina? How should one make a proper job of observing this Ekadasi vrata and what merit is to be obtained by it? Please explain to me all these in details."
Lord Vamanadeva appeared within this world from the womb of Aditi, the mother of the gods. He appeared at midday on the shravan-dvadasi, the 12th day of the lunar month of Shravan when the moon is waxing.
There are many lessons for Vaishnavas to learn from the narration of His activities, as found in the 8th canto, 18th chapter of the Bhagavat Purana (Srimad Bhagavatam). Amongst the lessons are these:
Shri Jiva Goswami displayed all the charming features of a mahapurusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body.
Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal. He revealed that he is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by his extraordinary preaching activities and prolific writing. Living as a, mahabhagavata Vaisnava, he stayed in the grhasta ashram until the last few years of his life. Then he renounced everything, accepted babaji, and entered samadhi, totally absorbed in the loving service of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-Madhava.
There are no indications that Gaudiya Vaisnavas perform any extra functions or austerities for this vrata.
The fourteenth day in the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada is known as anantana vrata.The Lord Ananta Padmanabha is invoked in a pot filled with water and decorated with coconut and flowers. Special puja is celebrated with fourteen varieties of dishes.
Sri Haridas Thakur appeared in this world in the village of Buron, in the present district of Sat-kira, which was previously a sub-division of Khulna, Bangladesh. By this great fortune that land has been blessed, in that the chanting of the Holy Names of Hari-Nam Sankirtan, became revealed there. After remaining there for some time, he came to the banks of Ganga at Fulia, near Santipur. Advaita Acarya was overjoyed to get his association and roared very loudly. The two of them thus began to float in the waves of the mellows of pastimes of Sri Krsna – Govinda.
Today is a very sacred day in our line. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and began to search for his brother Visvarupa. While searching, on this day He found out that he was in Pandarapur, and that he had left his body. He had taken samadhi on the bank of the river Bhima. Then, on this day, though Mahaprabhu was observing Caturmasya-vrata very strictly for four months, He shaved his hair. Before this year, He never shaved for these four months, nor did He cut his nails. He observed all the rules and regulations of Caturmasya.
“One night, Abhay had an unusual dream. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta appeared before him, beckoning. He was asking Abhay to leave home and take sannyasa. Abhay awoke in an intensely emotional state, “How horrible!” He thought. He knew it was not an ordinary dream, yet the request seemed so difficult and unlikely. Take sannyasa! At least it was not something he could do immediately. Now he had to improve the business, and with the profits he would print books. He went on with his duties, but remained shaken by the dream.” (Satwarup Goswami. 1980. Prabhupada Lilamrta. Page 118.)
The main goal of observing Caturmasya is to decrease attachment to material things and to increase devotion to Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada writes in Caitanya Caritamrta, “Caturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a grihasta or a sanyasi. The observation is obligatory to all ashramas.” He further explains how to observe the vow: “This is not very difficult. In the month of Sravana one should not eat spinach (green leafy vegetables of the nature), in the month of Bhadra one should not eat yogurt (yogurt used as binding agent for cake is allowed), and in the month of Asvina one should not drink milk (milk sweets, milk by-products are fine).
The delightful exultations of Indira Ekadasi are described in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana in the conversation between Sri Krsna and Maharaja Yudhisthira. Maharaja Yudhisthira enquired: "O Krsna! O Madhusudana! O Killer of the demon Madhu! What is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the waning moon in the month of Asvina (September/October), what is the process for following this sublime vrata (vow), and what merit is obtained by observing it?"
Lord Krsna replied, "The name of this sacred and clement Ekadasi is Indira Ekadasi. By Observing this Ekadasi the sinful reactions of all one's forbearers as well as one's own sinful reactions are entirely eradicated.
Durga Puja is one of the significant Hindu festivals, celebrated with much joy in the entire country.
The occasion marks the occassion of Lord Rama and brother Lakshman approaching Mother Durga to ask her for her blessings in His planned attack on the demon Ravana. It is therefore considered that the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s approaching her for blessings to remove material impediments to His spiritual goals should be the approach of the humble devotee of the Lord to clinche the important triumph of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana, the victory of good over evil.
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. At the age of five he took initiation and at the age of twelve left home to take sannyasa. Madhvacharya studied the Vedas under the compiler of the Vedas, Vyasadeva, in the Himalayas. Madhvacharya’s Vedanta- sutra commentary Purnaprajna-bhasya establishes the doctrine known as Suddha-dvaita-vada. Madhva used his erudite scholarship to crush the Mayavada (impersonalistic) philosophy and establish devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (See Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 9.245.)
Yudhishthira Maharaj said, Oh Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that comes during the light fortnight of the month of Ashvina (September October)? Please be merciful and disclose this truth to me.”
The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna replied, “Oh king, please listen as I explain the glories of this Ekadashi Pasankusa Ekadashi which removes all sins. On this day one should worship the Deity of Padmanabha, the lotus naveled
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, one of the six Goswamis of Vrndavana, was ordered by Lord Caitanya to go to Vrndavana and there constantly chant the Hare Krsna mantra.
Appearing near Katva, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja left for Vrindavana after Lord Nityananda told him in a dream: are are krishnadasa, na karaha bhaya, Vrindavana yaha tanha, sarva larya haya, “0 my dear Krishnadasa, do not be afraid.
Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami , one of the six Goswamis, at a young age renounced his beautiful wife and opulent home to join Lord Caitanya and His sankirtana movement.
Caturmasya stands for ‘four months’. It is the period between sayana and uttana ekadasis. The scriptures refer to this period as the duration of Lord Visnu’s sleep in this universe.
The main goal of observing Caturmasya is to decrease attachment to material things and to increase devotion to Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada writes in Caitanya Caritamrta, “Caturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population.
Murari Gupta was a lifelong associate of Lord Caitanya. He served Lord Caitanya in all of the Lord’s Navadvipa pastimes.
By profession a doctor, Murari Gupta freed his patients not only from their physical ailments but also from the contamination of the material energy. Murari Gupta is considered an incarnation of Hanuman, the eternal servant of Lord Ramacandra.
Laksmi Puja means worship of Laksmi Devi, the consort of Lord Visnu Goddess Laxmi is said to have emerged from the ocean of milk at Diwali. On that day, Laxmi puja was performed to honour Her and as such, every year at Diwali, She is worshipped and offered prayers (not observed by Gaudiya Vaisnavas).
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.
On the eighth day of the waning phase of the damodara month the appearance day of Radha Kunda is celebrated by the residents. Bathing in Radha Kunda is especially benefical on this day. By this one gains the favor of Radha, by which one gains the favor of Krsna. Radha Kunda appeared at midnight. People go to Radha Kunda and offer prasadam, garlands and pumkins (gords) into the water, then at midnight take bath in Radha Kunda and then bathe in Syama Kunda. Many people like to bathe at a ghat where Lord Nityananda's sakti, Jahnava Mata used to bathe. But wherever you go you better get there early as thousands of people/devotees will be there. And bring some warm clothing for afterwards, as it is sooooo "cooling".
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Congratulations you have taken one giant step towards giving a sanctified healthy meal to an underprivileged Indian.
Face the fact: (Source Global Huger Index 2017)
India is world’s second largest food producer yet it is home to world second biggest undernourished population. Source FAO 2015 25 % of all hungry people worldwide live in India. 44% of Indian Children below the age of 5 are underweight. Out of Worst hunger struck 119 countries India is at 100
What does a healthy human being need?
A balanced diet is one that helps a person maintain or improve health. It includes carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, proteins, roughage, water, and minerals. The amount of these nutrients varies with gender, age, occupation, climate and region. However, at ISKCON Punjabi Bagh, we understand that a complete meal is not just numbers and formulae. It is not just chopped-up vegetables and boiled grains. It is love that is the primary constituent of a healthy meal. The same love that a mother pours while she is at work in the kitchen, the same love that a father ploughs when he is toiling in the office, and the same love that siblings share when they fight.
How does ISKCON Punjabi Bagh satisfy this hunger?
We, at ISKCON Punjabi Bagh, understand that apart from a person’s body craving for satisfaction of the stomach, the satisfaction of the person occupying that body is also of primary importance. We solve this eternal craving of the soul through World’s Largest vegetarian Non-Profit Food Relief program called the Hare Krishna Food-for-Life.
Each meal is not only delicious but is also prepared with full attention to personnel & infrastructure hygiene. The food so prepared is first offered to the almighty Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna, therefore, although its quantity remains unchanged but qualitatively it is transformed from meal to Prasadam. Such sanctified meals on the one hand fulfil the basic necessity of the body and on the other purify the consciousness of a person. The fortunate people who receive Prasadam meals develop all good human qualities such as kindness, truthfulness, cleanliness, and gain immense control over the agitations of mind. No other food item in the world can offer such spiritual benefits.
Is it really World’s Largest?
Yes, ISKCON volunteers provide up to 2,000,000 (Two Million) free meals every day. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, instructed his disciples that no one should sleep hungry within a 10 mile radius of a Hare Krishna centre. Keeping true to His Divine Grace’s instructions, every centre based on the available resources tries to serve nutritious meals free of cost to every person who gives the temple an opportunity to serve. This includes visitors, pilgrims, and residents of neighbouring areas. In fact, monthly processions are also accompanied by free distribution of food. Apart from this, special relief packages are designed and dispatched to areas affected by natural calamities.
Can non-ISKCON people contribute?
We are all children of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This makes us God-brothers & God-sisters. Therefore, we encourage the more fortunate brothers and sisters to come forward and help the less fortunate ones. This can be achieved by sponsoring meals for the homeless, disadvantaged children, pilgrims and slum dwellers. We have created this web-page specifically for reaching out to people who have a big heart and a little time, energy and resources to spare. Your small contribution here can make 2 square meals possible for unprivileged brethren.
Where will my money go?
As every ISKCON temple is completely financially independent of the other, all money donated to ISKCON Punjabi Bagh temple is utilized locally within New Delhi. At times, we also travel the Indian sub-continent and distribute free Prasadam across the length and breadth of India.
No money from your donation is transferred outside the country without explicitly mentioning it. ISKCON centres worldwide manage their funds locally for the benefit of that region’s local population.
Because of this reason,currently, ISKCON Punjabi Bagh also does not accept any donations from foreign countries for the Food for Life program. In case, you are eager to contribute we suggest getting in touch with an ISKCON centre in your neighbouring area. The complete list of ISKCON centres world wide can be found here: http://centers.iskcondesiretree.com/ Hopefully, at a later time, when people all over the world have transcended the boundaries of nationality, colour, language, ethnicity and politics, we might be able to extend ourselves to help all children of God irrespective of geographical location.
I am still not sure if I want to contribute!
No Problem, we thank you for taking out time to read about the Hare Krishna Food for Life program. we suggest that you scroll through the rest of the website. It is highly probable that you will find another social cause that is worth investing your time and resources in such as education, organic farming, sustainable living and much more.
