The following is an excerpt from the book “Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj.

shri-radha-prema-rupa ya pura vrindavandeshvari
sa shri-gadadharo gaura-vallabhah panditakhyakah
nirnitah shri-Svarupair yo vraja-lakshmitaya yatha
pura vrindavane lakshmih shyamasundara-vallabha
sadya gaura-prema-lakshmih shri-gadadhara-panditah
radham anugata yat tal lalitapy anuradhika
atah pravishad esha tam gaura-candrodaye yatha

The incarnation of love who previously was the queen of Vrindavan, Radha, is now the beloved of Gaura named Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Svarupa Damodar himself indicated that he was Vraja’s goddess of fortune, the Lakshmi who was previously the beloved of Shyamasundara in Vrindavan. She today has become the goddess of fortune of love for Gaura and is known as Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Lalita, who is also known as Anuradha, is Radha’s closest friend and confidante. She has also entered into Gadadhara, as was shown in the play Chaitanya-candrodaya.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 147-150)

Gadadhara-tattva

gadadhara panditadi prabhura nija-shakti
tan sabhara carane mora sahasra pranati

Gadadhara Pandit and others are the lord’s own energies. I pay thousands of obeisances to their feet. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.1.41)

“Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appears in six features, namely as the two types of guru, the devotees of the lord, the lord himself, his incarnation, his expansion and his energy. According to the principle of simultaneous oneness and difference, they are all identified with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself.”
(Anubhashya to Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.1.37-45)

She who was Radha in Krishna’s pastimes became Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami in Gaura’s lila. When Gaura manifests his identity with Narayan, his shaktis are his wives Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya. When identifying with Krishna, his shakti is Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami.

païcatattvatmakam krishnam
bhakta-rupa-Svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhaktashaktikam

I offer my obeisances to Krishna who appears in five features, as a devotee, as the expansion of a devotee, as an incarnation of a devotee, as the pure devotee and as the devotional energy.

These five features all appeared with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in his incarnation, and in their association, he joyfully performed the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Though he appears in these five forms, there is in fact no difference between them. The distinctions arise due to his desire to relish different devotional flavors.

Sri Gauranga, Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara and Srivasa, etc., make up the Pancha Tattva and there is spiritually no difference between them. The supreme truth has unlimited different pastimes in order to relish the different tastes of transcendental relationship and thus he separates into these five forms as the form of devotee, the devotional manifestation, the devotional incarnation, the devotional energy and the pure devotee.

jaya jaya nityananda-gadadharera jivana
jaya jaya advaitadi bhaktera sharana

All glories, all glories, to the life of Nityananda and Gadadhara!
All glories, all glories, to the shelter of all the devotees, headed by Advaita!

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur comments on words “the life of Gadadhara” as follows: “Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami is chief amongst the most intimate devotees of Sri Chaitanya. He is the fountainhead of the entire shakti-tattva and is thus present equally in Mahaprabhu’s lilas in Nabadwip and in Nilachala. His childhood home was in Nabadwip; later when he took sannyas, he went to live in Jagannath Puri, in a garden or tota by the seashore. Pure devotees who wish to enter into the madhura-rasa of worship to Radha and Govinda take shelter of Gadadhara Pandit and are known as Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s intimate devotees. Those devotees who are not so inclined take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu and engage in pure devotional service in his mood. Some of Mahaprabhu’s devotees, such as Narahari, were followers of Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami. They took refuge in him because they knew him to be his dearest associate and thus worthy of their service. Some devotees therefore call Chaitanya ‘the life of Nityananda’ while others called him ‘the life of Gadadhara.’”

Read the full article here:

vaisakhasya caturdasyam suklayam sri nrikesari
jatas tad asyam tatpujot-savam kurvita savratam
(Padma Purana)“Sri Nrisimhadeva appeared on the fourteenth lunar day (Caturdasi-tithi) of the bright fortnight of the month of Vaisakha. So, on this day, it is proper to worship and celebrate the appearance of Nrisimhadeva by following the rules of fasting and others.”

prahlada-klesa nasaya ya hi punya caturdasi
pujayet tatra yatnenahareh prahladam agratah
(from the agamas)

“It is proper to first worship Prahlada before worshipping Nrisimha because the holy fourteenth lunar day of the bright fortnight has appeared in order to remove the distress of Prahlada.”

It is written in the Brihan-narasimha Purana as follows: Prahlada Maharaja desired to know from Sri Nrisimhadeva how he had developed devotion to His lotus feet. Nrisimhadeva replied, “In ancient times, there lived a brahmana named Vasu Sarma in the city of Avanti, who was well-versed in the Vedas. His good wife Susila was famous throughout the three worlds for her virtuous conduct and ideal devotion to her husband. Vasu Sarma fathered five sons in Susila’s womb. His first four sons were learned persons of good conduct and devoted to their father. But you, the youngest son, became attracted to a prostitute and lost your character. You were then known as Vasudeva. Your virtuous conduct was destroyed in the company of that prostitute. Due to a quarrel with the prostitute, on the Nrisimha-caturdasi-tithi both of you stayed awake throughout the night and unknowingly observed a fast. Therefore, both of you obtained the fruits of observing Nrisimha-caturdasi-vrata. The prostitute enjoyed as an Apsara in various ways in heaven and then became My favourite. As the son of Hiranyakasipu, you also took birth as My dear devotee. By observing this fast, Brahma has obtained the power of creation and Mahesvara has obtained the power of destruction of the three worlds. Other people also achieve all kinds of power and perform observance of this vow to fulfil all their desired objectives.”

In his Laghu-bhagavatamrita, Srila Rupa Gosvami has written about the pre-eminence of the Lord’s appearance as Sri Nrisimhadeva, quoting the following reference from Sri Padma Purana:

nrisimha-rama-krishneshu sad-gunyam paripuritam
paravasthas tu te tasya dipad utpanna-dipa-vat
(Padma Purana)“Nrisimha, Rama and Krishna possess the pre-eminent presence of the totality of sixty attributes. Just as one lamp lights other lamps and then all lamps follow the same nature, similarly, although Rama and Nrisimha are manifested forms from the Prime Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, all three hold the supreme position with sixty attributes.”

Footnotes

[1] A well without water is known as a dark well. No man goes to such a waterless well, for if someone falls into that well, his rescue is very unlikely. Similarly, the house in which sadhus are not received cordially and in which, being deprived of the association of sadhus, the residents are engaged in sense enjoyment, is like a dark well. There is no possibility of rescue for the residents of such a house. Therefore, such a place of downfall of the corporeal soul (like falling into a dark well) is to be abandoned.

[2] The qualities of a guru:

tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih shrotriyam brahma-nishöham
(Munòaka Upanishad 1.2.12)“To learn transcendental subject matter, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.”

tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh shreya uttamam
shabde pare ca nishnatam brahmany upashamashrayam
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.3.21)

“Therefore, anyone who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realised the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Lord, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”

[3] Srotriya has two interpretations: (1) well-versed in the Vedas, and (2) ontological divine knowledge received through the preceptorial channel.

[4] Grihavrata: One who moves around the house or property, i.e., one who engages his sense organs and energy for the sake of material property and consequently becomes attached to it.

However, saints also remain in a house, so it is said that the house also signifies the wife and material life. One who moves around the wife or family, or engages the senses and energy for them, is considered a grihavrata.

The real self is the atma (soul), so the gross and subtle bodies are also like houses. One who devotes his energy for the gross and subtle bodies is also a grihavrata.

Since all grihavratas are embodied souls, by the unrestricted use of the sense organs they will all enter into nescience and into the inferno of material life. Six billion such enslaved corporeal souls of the world cannot rescue even a single person from the shackles of worldly bondage. A perfect emancipated realised soul can rescue the whole world or universe — but such realised souls are very rare. If one wants quality, one must sacrifice quantity. It is impossible to get both at the same time.

—from “Dasavatara – The Ten Manifestations of God”

by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja

Mahaprabhu’s seniors, His parents and gurus, are all his servants and eternal associates and they take their birth prior to His appearance in order to serve Him in their own way.

Whenever Krishna descends to the earth, He first sends down His elders. These include His father, mother, guru and all the other persons He considers to be the objects of His respect. He arranges that these persons should accept birth before He does. Madhavendra Puri, Ishvara Puri, Sachi, Jagannath, and Advaita Acharya are amongst those who appeared in this way.
(Chaitanya-Charitamrita 1.3.92-4)

Later in the Chaitanya Charitamrita (1.13.52-55), the same thing is stated in the following way:

Whenever the son of the king of Vraja decides to appear on earth in order to fulfill a particular desire, He first sends down His seniors. I will briefly name some of them as it is not possible to mention everyone: Sachi Devi, Jagannath Mishra, Madhava Puri, Keshava Bharati, Ishvara Puri, Advaita Acharya, Srivas Pandit, Acharyaratna, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Hari Das Thakur.

The Disciplic Succession

Srila Madhavendra Puri appeared in the 14th century. He was a guru of the Brahma or Madhva sampradaya, one of the four (Brahma, Sri, Rudra and Sanaka) Vaishnava lineages that purify the world in the age of Kali. The Madhva lineage has been transcribed in books like Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Prameya-ratnavali and the writings of Gopal Guru Goswami. The same set of verses is found with some slight differences in the Bhakti-ratnakara (5.2549-2162). The following is the version as found in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika:

paravyomesvarasyasic chisyo brahma jagat-patih
tasya sisyo narado ‘bhut vyasas tasyapa sisyatam
suko vyasasya sisyatvam prapto jnanavabodhanat
vyasal labdha-krsna-dikso madhvacaryo mahayasah
tasya sisyo naraharis tacchisyo madhava-dvijah
aksobhyas tasya sisyo ‘bhut tac-chisyo jayatirthakah
tasya sisyo jnana-sindhus tasya sisyo mahanidhih
vidyanidhis tasya sisyo rajendras tasya sevakah
jayadharma munis tasya sisyo yad-gana-madhyatah
srimad-visnu-puri yas tu bhaktiratnavali-krtih
jayadharmasya sisyo ‘bhud brahmanyah purusottahmah
vyasatirthas tasya sisyo yas cakre visnusamhitam
sriman laksmipatis tasya sisyo bhaktirasasrayah
tasya sisyo madhavendro yad-dharmo ‘yam pravartitah
tasya sisyo ‘bhavat sriman isvarakhya-puri-yatih
kalayamasa srngaram yah srngara-phalatmakah
advaitam kalayamasa dasya-sakhye phale ubhe
isvarakhya-purim-gaura urarikrtya gaurave
jagad aplavayamasa prakrtaprakrtatmakam

Brahma, the master of this universe, was the disciple of the Lord of the spiritual world. His disciple was Narada and Vyasa became the disciple of Narada. Suka became the disciple of Vyasa through the endowment of spiritual knowledge. Madhvacharya took initiation in the Krishna mantra from Vyasa. His disciple was Padmanabhacarya, whose disciple was Narahari, who was followed by Madhva Dvija. Akshobhya was his disciple, then Jayatirtha, Jnanasindhu, Mahanidhi, Vidyanidhi and Rajendra followed. Jayadharma Muni was one of Rajendra’s many disciples and Vishnu Puri, the author of Bhakti-ratnavali and Purushottam, the lover of Brahmin culture became his disciples. Vyasa Tirtha, the author of Visnu-samhita, was the disciple of Purushottam. Lakshmipati Tirtha, a reservoir of devotion, was Vyasa Tirtha’s disciple. Madhavendra Puri was the disciple of Lakshmipati, and it is by him that the religion was founded. His disciple, the sannyasi Ishvara Puri, took up the mood of conjugal devotion, while Advaita Acharya (also the disciple of Madhavendra) took up the moods of servitude and friendship. Gaura accepted Ishvara Puri as his guru, and then flooded the material and spiritual worlds (with love).

Thus, Madhavendra Puri was the disciple of Lakshmipati-Tirtha. Madhavendra Puri’s disciples included Ishvara Puri, Advaita Acharya, Paramananda Puri (a Brahmin from the Tirhu area), Brahmananda Puri, Sri Ranga Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Raghupati Upadhyaya, and others. Nityananda Prabhu is said by some to be Madhavendra Puri’s disciple, others say that Lakshmipati was his guru, while the Prema-vilasa states that he was Ishvara Puri’s disciple.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes: “Madhavendra Puri was a well known sannyasi of the Madhva sampradaya. His grand-disciple was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Prior to his appearance, there was no evidence of prema bhakti in the Madhva line. In his verse, ayi dinia-dayardra-natha (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.4.197), the seed of the religious doctrines of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can be found.”

To this, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada adds, “Madhavendra Puri was the fist shoot of the desire tree of divine love that came out of the Madhva lineage. Prior to his appearance, there was no sign of the conjugal mood of devotion in the Madhva line.” …

Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati writes: “The feeling of separation from Krishna, or transcendental vipralambha is the only practice by which the spirit soul can achieve perfection. Material feelings of separation give rise to a despondency that reveals the attachment one has for matter, whereas the despondency that results from the feelings of separation for Krishna are the best proof of one’s desire to bring pleasure to His senses. The desire to bring pleasure to Krishna’s senses shown by Madhavendra Puri, the great soul who is the root of this movement, is the ideal example to follow for anyone who wishes to serve the Lord. It is especially worth remarking that Mahaprabhu and His closes followers later adopted this example and made it their standard.”

[Excerpted from “Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja]

Srinivas’s Birth

Srinivas Acharya was born in 1530 AD, on the full moon day of the month of Vaishakh, in the village of Cakhandi, which lies just north of Agradvipa in the district of Nadiya. His father, Gangadhara Bhattacharya, was a Brahmin of the Rarha class. The Bhakti-ratnakara describes the event as follows:

When Mahaprabhu took sannyas in Katwa, Gangadhara was overcome with grief and began to cry constantly while calling out the names “Ha Chaitanya! Ha Chaitanya!” When other devotees saw him intoxicated in divine love for Mahaprabhu, they nicknamed him Chaitanya Das, a name which stuck with him for the rest of his life.

Chaitanya Das had no desire for the things of this world, but one day he suddenly felt a strong wish to have a son and told this to his wife, Lakshmipriya. She responded by telling him to immediately go to Puri to ask Mahaprabhu for his blessings. The couple left for Puri, stopping for a few days at the house of Balaram Vipra, Lakshmipriya’s father, in Jajigrama. When they arrived in Puri, Chaitanya Das and his wife paid their obeisances to Mahaprabhu, but before they could speak, the Lord himself said, understanding their desire, “Jagannath Deva will surely fulfill all your desires.”

The other devotees were curious about what desire Mahaprabhu was talking about and they asked his servant Govinda. But before he could say anything, Mahaprabhu called Govinda and gave him the answer: “Chaitanya Das desires to have a son. Indeed his wife will give birth to a jewel of a son, who will be named Srinivas. He will be the manifest form of my love and will be non-different from me. He will increase everyone’s enthusiasm for devotion. Through Rupa and others I will bring scriptures into the world, and through Srinivas, I shall distribute them.”

At that time, the Lord called Govinda and said in a deep voice, from a trance state, “The Brahmin has come here, desiring a son. He will soon have one, whom he will name Srinivas. I will bring scriptures into the world through Sri Rupa and others and these jewel-like books will be distributed by Srinivas. Srinivas is the embodiment of pure love for me. All minds will be enthused upon seeing him.”
(Bhakti-ratnakara 2.120-3)

Once they had received Mahaprabhu’s blessing, Chaitanya Das and his wife returned to his home and when the auspicious moment came, a son was born to them. Chaitanya Das immediately offered the child to Mahaprabhu.

The child went through the usual rituals of the first feeding of solid food, name-giving, hair-cutting, etc. All the local associates of Mahaprabhu, such as Govinda Ghosh and the residents of Shrikhanda, Narahari and Raghunandan, poured down affectionate blessings on the child.

Early Education and Travels

Srinivas Acharya was devoted to his parents. He was fortunate to hear both Mahaprabhu’s divine glories as well as Radha and Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes from his father. The two of them would go into an ecstatic state as they discussed these transcendental topics. Srinivas’s mother trained him in kirtan.

He studied grammar, literature and poetic theory from Dhanaïjaya Vidyavacaspati, and quickly acquired mastery of these subjects. Not long afterward, Srinivas’s father died. The loss of his devotee father’s association greatly affected Srinivas, but the other devotees made a concerted effort to console him and his mother in their grief.

Srinivas took his mother and moved from Cakhandi to his maternal grandfather’s house in Jajigrama, where the villagers were overjoyed to see him. Shortly thereafter, he went to visit Narahari Sarkara in nearby Shrikhanda. From Narahari he learned that Mahaprabhu would shortly be ending his earthly pastimes. This news made Srinivas determined to see the Lord before it happened. He quickly returned to Jajigrama and took permission from his mother to make the trip to Puri. He then joined the devotees on the annual pilgrimage. It was the fifth day of the waxing moon.

Before arriving in Puri, however, the news arrived that Mahaprabhu had indeed ended his lila. Srinivas Acharya fainted at the news, and when he came back to consciousness, he decided to commit suicide. However, the Lord himself appeared to him in a dream and told him to complete his journey to Puri. Once in Puri, he again had a dream in which he saw Jagannath, Subhadra and Balaram, as well as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with his associates. The incarnation of Mahaprabhu’s pleasure potency, Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami met him and both of them were immersed in an ocean of ecstasy. Srinivas also met Raya Ramananda, Paramananda Puri, Shikhi Mahiti, Sarvabhauma Pandit, Vakresvara Pandit, Govinda, Shankara Pandit, Gopinath Acharya and received blessings from them all.

Srinivas Acharya stayed for some time in Puri, hearing Srimad Bhagavatam from Gadadhara Pandit Goswami. Gadadhara then told him to return to Gauda. When Srinivas returned, he heard that Advaita Acharya and Nityananda Prabhu had also disappeared. Once again he determined to end his life, but the two Prabhus appeared to him in a dream to assuage his grief and had him give up his intention.

When he arrived in Nabadwip, Srinivas was once again plunged into a morass of sorrow at the loss of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Vamshivadanananda Thakur saw him in this condition and approached Vishnupriya Devi and asked her to grant an audience to Srinivas and bless him. Srinivas Acharya was amazed to see the intense renunciation and deep faith of Mahaprabhu’s widow. While in Nabadwip, he had a dream of Sachi Devi and received blessings from her, too. Srinivas then wandered throughout Bengal, going to all the Shripatas of the associates of Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, seeking their blessings. He visited Shantipur, Khardaha, Khanakula Krishnanagara, Shrikhanda, etc., and met Murari Gupta, Srivasa Pandit, Damodar Pandit, Shuklambar Brahmachari, Gadadhara Das, Paramesvari Das, Jahnava Devi, Vasudha Devi, Virabhadra, Abhiram Thakur, Narahari Sarakara Thakur, Raghunandan Thakur. All these great personalities witnesses Srinivas’s intense devotion and told him to go to Vrindavan. Srinivas then went to his mother and asked her repeatedly for permission to make the trip which she could not refuse when she saw his great eagerness.

Srinivas Arrived in Vraja

Srinivas then travelled through Agradvipa, Katwa, Maureshvara, Ekacakra to Kashi, Ayodhya, and Prayag. He spent a long time travelling and visiting all these holy places before finally arriving in Vraja. There he heard that Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami, Kashishvara Pandit and Raghunath Bhatta Goswami had all disappeared. Raghunath Das Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami and Jiva Goswami were still living, however. Srinivas met all three of them and received their blessings. He was initiated by Gopal Bhatta and took instruction in the Vaishnava scriptures from Jiva. In great affection for Srinivas, Jiva commended him to his deities, Radha Damodar. Srinivas met Raghunath Das and Krishna Das Kaviraj in Radha Kund and received their blessings. One day shri Jiva heard Srinivas explain a verse from Ujjvala-nilamani and was so impressed by his erudition that he bestowed the title “Acharya” upon him. Jiva also gave the titles “Thakur” to Narottama and “Shyamananda” to Duhkhi Krishna Das. Jiva ordered Srinivas to tour the sites of pilgrimage in the Vraja area with Raghava Goswami.

The Return to Bengal

After Srinivas had attained mastery of the Gaudiya Vaishnava scriptures, Sri Jiva and the other Vaishnavas in Vraja ordered him, Narottama and Shyamananda to take manuscripts of these invaluable books back to Bengal in an ox-cart. They set off on the Shukla Païcami of Agrahayan month. It was a long and dangerous trip, but they were able to cover the greater part of the distance without any trouble. Upon arriving in the Hindu kingdom of Bana Vishnupura, they felt that the danger was over. However, the rumor had reached the capital of Vishnupura that a rich merchant was travelling to Puri with a valuable cargo of merchandise. The ruler of the kingdom led a gang of highwaymen and when he heard that a cargo of great value was passing through his territory, he asked an astrologer to divine the truth of the rumors. The astrologer confirmed that this was indeed a cargo of great value. The king immediately sent a group of robbers to steal it, specifying that they should kill no one. The robbers first worshiped the goddess Candi, then sent out a spy who returned to tell them that everyone in the group accompanying the oxcart was sleeping in exhaustion after eating their night meal. The robbers thought that this was surely Candi’s mercy that a golden opportunity like this had come their way. They seized the oxcart and the books, thinking that they were gold and jewels, and turned them over to the king.

When Vishnupura’s king saw the large chest, he was delighted at the prospect of finding large amounts of valuables inside. How disappointed he must have been to see nothing but books inside! He turned to the astrologer and asked him how he could have made such a mistake. The astrologer answered, “I can’t understand it. Every time I made my calculations I came up with the same conclusion: this chest is full of priceless jewels! It is incredible, I don’t know why my calculations have gone wrong!”

The mere sight of the holy books had a purifying effect on the king, however, and he regretted having stolen them. Indeed, he desired to meet with the acharya of the books. That night he had a dream in which the Granthacharya appeared to him and this pacified him somewhat.

The next morning, Srinivas, Narottama and Shyamananda awoke to find the chest of books missing. They searched everywhere, but when they failed to find any clue of the books’ whereabouts, they felt so depressed that they considered killing themselves. Some local villagers saw the distressed condition of the three Vaishnavas and immediately suspected the robber king, Vira Hambira. Srinivas made some further investigations and was assured that he would be able to find more information from the king himself. The three Vaishnavas felt some hope and abandoned their suicidal intentions. Srinivas Acharya decided to remain in Vishnupura in the hope of finding the books, but he sent Narottama to Kheturi and Shyamananda to Orissa.

The Conversion of Vira Hambira

While staying in Vishnupura, Srinivas heard from a Brahmin named Krishnavallabha that Vira Hambira liked to listen to Srimad Bhagavatam and daily attended classes. On the next day, Srinivas went with this Brahmin to the hall where the Bhagavat classes were held. The Brahmin introduced Srinivas to the king as a great Vaishnava, and the king indeed observed the characteristics of a great person in him and was attracted to him. The King expressed a desire to hear Srinivas speak on the Bhagavat and Srinivas agreed, thinking that this might be a good opportunity to recover the books. So he started to give lectures on the Bhagavat on a daily basis. The King was enchanted by Srinivas’s unprecedented explanations of the Bhagavat in his sweet voice. Srinivas Acharya primarily preached Mahaprabhu’s dharma through speaking on the Bhagavat and kirtan, while Narottama and Shyamananda primarily used the medium of kirtan. The style of kirtan that these three acharyas used were named manohara-sahi, garanahati, and reneti.

Vira Hambira arranged for a secluded dwelling to be given to Srinivas Acharya. One day, when he had the opportunity to find the king alone in his apartments, Srinivas recounted the entire story of the journey from Vraja and the theft of the manuscripts. The King immediately confessed, showing great sorrow for his misdeed, and had the chest of books returned to its owner. In great relief, Srinivas immediately sent messengers to Vrindavan, to Narottama and Shyamananda with the good news. In the course of time, Vira Hambira and his entire entourage all took initiation from Srinivas and dedicated their entire lives and wealth to him. Vira Hambira’s initiated name was Chaitanya Das.

Srinivas’s Marriage

After staying in Vana Vishnupura for some time, Srinivas Acharya returned to his maternal grandfather’s house in Jajigrama. Then he set off on another tour of Katwa, Nabadwip and other important towns in Bengal. Srinivas respected Narahari Sarakara of Shrikhanda greatly and was also very devoted to his saintly mother. When Narahari heard Srinivas’s mother express her desire to see her son married, he gave him the order to do so. Even prior to receiving this order, Srinivas had received the same command from Advaita Acharya in a dream. Though he felt somewhat ashamed, he realized that he could not ignore the wishes of Narahari, his mother and Advaita Prabhu. He thus agreed to get married and was wed to Ishvari, the devoted daughter of Gopal Chakravarti of Jajigrama.

It is not always easy to understand the divine activities of Mahaprabhu’s devotees. Only someone who is totally surrendered to the Lord and his devotees can have access to their glories.

Srinivas’s Preaching Activities

Srinivas Acharya started to teach the Goswamis’ books to his disciples in Jajigrama. One of his most important disciples was Ramachandra Kaviraj, the son of Shrikhanda resident Ciraïjiva Sena. Srinivas gave Ramachandra the title kaviraja after hearing his poems. Narottama Thakur had a close friendship with Ramachandra Kaviraj and even wrote about it in one of his songs:

Please be merciful, Prabhu Srinivas Acharya! Narottama Das begs for the association of Ramachandra.

When Shuklambar Brahmachari, Gadadhara Das, Narahari Sarkara and Dvija Hari Das all ended their earthly activities, Srinivas Acharya once again felt overcome by grief and made another trip to Vrindavan. Once again he met with Gopal Bhatta and Sri Jiva Goswamis, as well as with Bhugarbha and Lokanatha Goswamis, and these great devotees spoke to him encouragingly, reducing his feelings of loss. Ramachandra Kaviraj and Shyamananda Prabhu also joined Srinivas in Vraja on this occasion.

When he returned to Gauda, Srinivas joined in the festivities occasioning the anniversaries of the departure of Gadadhara Das in Katwa, Narahari in Shrikhanda and Dvija Hari Das in Kaïcanagariiya. From there he went to Budhari village, where Ramachandra Kaviraj and Govinda Kaviraj hosted him with great opulence.

Narottama Das Thakur had also left Vrindavan on Lokanatha Goswami’s orders, returning to his home in Kheturi. On the full moon day of Phalguna, he established the worship of six sets of deities in the temple there: Gauranga, Vallabhikanta, Vrajamohana, Sri Krishna, Radhakanta, and Radharamana. Srinivas Acharya performed the installation ceremony and the first puja.

Jahnava Devi was also present at this great event. After the festival, she went on to Vraja with her entourage. Upon her return, she met with Srinivas Acharya at Katwa and then went with him to spend some time in Jajigrama.

Srinivas Acharya made another trip to Nabadwip with Narottama and Ramachandra Kaviraj, performing the parikrama of the nine islands, each of which represents one of the limbs of devotional service.

When Raghunandan Thakur entered the nitya-lila, Srinivas Acharya went to Shrikhanda to help conduct the funeral festival in his honor. He returned with a heavy heart to Jajigrama, and from there went to see his disciples in Vana Vishnupura. He was received by the excited King and the other residents of the town. There, he received an order from Mahaprabhu himself in a dream to accept the hand of Gaurangapriya, the daughter of a certain Raghava Chakravarti. Raghava and his wife Madhavi had been searching for a suitable husband for their daughter with no success. They also received the order in a dream to give their daughter in marriage to Srinivas. As a result, Srinivas married for a second time.

The pure devotee has no other objective in life than to fulfill the desires of the Supreme Lord. They are thus ready to do anything if it pleases the Lord. None of their activities has the slightest hint of material desire in it. Srinivas Acharya is the avesha incarnation of Mahaprabhu himself and his transcendental activities can only be described by someone who has received his special blessings.

—Excerpted from the book “Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

Dear Devotees, Friends and Well-Wishers,

All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada and Guru-Parampara (disciplic succession).

Please accept the blessing of my beloved Srila Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj, and convey the same to all members in your congregation.

From on the 10^th to 18^th of July, 2015 we will be celebrating Lord Jagannath Deva’s NAVA-KALEVAR festival. It is my humble request that you please attend the programs along with all your family members and friends so that we do have chance to be together at our Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math temple at Chakratirtha Road, Puri temple, in order to attend daily programs in temple, listen to discourses from different prominent speakers and visit different holy-places in Puri area with procession of Parikrama.

I was hoping to be able to invite you personally, but my present preaching schedule in abroad only allows for sending this invitation letter. Therefore, I am humbly requesting you to please excuse any offence, and graciously attend the programs as per the following schedule to the best of your ability.

Jagannath Puri’s Festival Programs schedule from 10^th to 18^th of July, 2015.

On 10^th July, 2015 :

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Srila Prabhupada’s birth place at Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Puri town Thana then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 11^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Siddha-Bakul & Gambhira then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 12^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Tota-Gopinath, Chatak_Parvat & Haridas Thakur Samadhi then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 13^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for 18^—NALA & Alalnath then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 14^th of July, 2015 :

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Chakra Nrisimha Deva Darshan then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 10.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 15^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Jagannath temple & Loknath Shiva then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 16^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Srila Prabhupada’s birth place then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 17^th July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Gundicha & Srila Bhakti Vaivava Puri Goswami Maharaj’s temple and Indradyumna Saravar then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 18^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Chakra Nrisimhadeva then return to Math accordingly.
2. Discourses from 9.30 A.M to 12.00 noon; then prasadam; then start for Ratha-Yatra at 1.00 P.M then return to temple most probably at evening.
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M before our arrival in temple from Ratha-Yatra.
4. After evening Arati, discourses from 7.00 P.M to Sayan Arati.

On 19^th of July, 2015:

1. Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer.
2. Discourses from 10.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M
3. Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.
4. Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.
5. After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

khola-becataya khyatah panditah shridharo dvijah
asid vraje hasya-karo yo namna kusumasavah
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 133)

One of the twelve Gopals in Krishna lila was named Kusumasava. He appeared in Gaura-lila as Sridhara Pandit, who was given the nickname khola-beca, “bark-seller.”

Sridhara Pandit was a resident of Nabadwip. Nabadwip is composed of nine islands, of which the central island is known as Antardvipa. He used to live at the northern extremity of Mayapur and to the southeast of the Chand Kazi’s samadhi, in the place that now goes by the name of Sridhara Angan. During his lifetime, it was a banana orchard, which nowadays is no longer the case, at least not to our mortal eyes. During this incarnation, Sridhara played the role of a poor Brahmin who made his living selling the produce of his banana garden. In order to keep the memory of Sridhara Pandit alive, the founder of the world-wide Chaitanya and Gaudiya Maths, Nitya-lila-pravishta Om Vishnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, discovered and revealed this site of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Deity worship was established there and it continued until after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur’s disappearance. Now, because of problems with local people, the place is once again losing its beauty. Even so, during the Nabadwip parikrama, devotees still pay their obeisances at that spot to the memory of Sridhara Pandit.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written as follows in his Nabadvipa-dhama-mahatmya: “Sridhara Pandit’s home comes after the weavers’ neighborhood. Gauranga Mahaprabhu ended the kirtan there.” Nityananda Prabhu says the following to Jiva Goswami:

“Out of his mercy, Mahaprabhu Gauranga Hari would end the kirtan here so that the devotees could rest. It is therefore known as vishrama-sthana, or the Lord’s place of rest. So let us also repose a while here at the house of Sridhara Pandit.”
(Nabadwip-dhama-mahatmya)

According to this same book, there was previously a large tank near Sridhara’s banana orchard, but this too is no longer visible.

Read full article here: BVML

Mukunda Datta, the son of Vasudeva Datta, was a classmate of Lord Caitanya’s. Mukunda Datta had a melodious voice, and he knew the intricacies of musical meters and ragas. Lord Caitanya took sannyasa amidst Mukunda Datta’s kirtana.

(See Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.40 and 17.65 and Madhya-lila 11.137-140.)

 Krishna Purushottama, The Extra Month

We call Purusottama month the ‘Adhi-Masa’ (extra month).  It is also called, ‘Mala-Masa’, which means dirty or useless month. In India, the sadhus (Holy persons), sadhakas (spiritual practitioners) and pious people of all sampradayas (linages) observe this month with all care. All are observing and engaging in austerities according to their capacity. We should try to observe the following practices for the whole month.

At least three times (morning, noon and evening) each day we should chant Kaundinya Muni’s mantra, which is found in the Hari-Bhakti Vilas:

        Goverdhana-Dharam Vande Gopalam Goparupinam

        Gokulotsavam eeshaanam Govindam Gopikapriyam

Meaning: Goverdhana-Dharam Vande: I worship the lifter of Govardhana Hill, Gopalam Goparupinam:Who has the beautiful form of a cowherd boy, and who continually plays with the Gopas. Gokulotsavam-eeshaanam: He is the Lord of Gokula wherein everyday is a festival. Govindam Gopikapriyam: He is the giver of pleasure to the cows and spiritual senses and the beloved of the Gopi damsels of Vraja.

1. Try to maintain celibacy for this month.
2. Instead of sleeping on a comfortable bed sleep on the floor (use a thin mat or blanket if necessary)
3.  Bathe daily BEFORE SUNRISE.
4. Get up 1 hour and 36 minutes before sunrise (during the Brahma-Muhurta) or as early as possible and chant ‘Pancha-Tattva’ and ‘Mahamantra’ at least 12 times.
5. Each day chant a fixed number of rounds.  You can increase rounds this month according to your ability. For example, if you usually chant 16 rounds daily then in this Purushottama month try to chant at least 24,  32, or 64 rounds according to your convenience.
6. If your schedule allows then perform puja daily by yourself. At least offer a ghee lamp to Radha-Krsna Deities or Sri Jagannath Deities or Their Picture. If possible, offer this twice in a day (morning and evening) while chanting the Sri Jagannatha-Astakam or any song about Sri Sri Radha- Krishna’s glories.
7. Daily Tulasi Devi’s Parakrama, morning and evening.
8. Take a vow to remain peaceful, and become 100% truthful throughout the month, just as a devotee should be throughout their entire life.
9. Please be careful not to blaspheme anyone, especially the Vaisnavas and brahmanas.
10. Try your best to please Sri Radha and Sri Krsna by performing spiritual practices according to your capacities.
11. No cutting of hair or nails (optional).
12. No cooking in mustard or sesame oil or rubbing these oils on your body.  It is best to cook with ghee, and eat boiled Hobisanna (Atap-rice mixed with Dal and vegetables, but no eggplant or tomoato, without salt if possible).

This month is called Mala-Masa (dirty or useless month) because all ritual forms of karma-kanda (reward seeking), pujas and yajnas (fire sacrifices) don’t give any results this month. Our Gaudiya Vaisnavas, however, disagree, saying it is called Mala-Masa because all days, weeks and months are created by the Supreme Lord for observing devotion. Therefore, we Gaudiya Vaisnavas try our best to follow devotional rituals as our previous teachers have established for the month.

Our previous teachers instructed us that in this month we have to observe devotional activities in a special manner. Then quickly and easily we can destroy the dirt and contamination caused by our sins, ignorance and Aparadhas.

Firstly, the Puranas say that the Supreme personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna’s FAVORITE MONTH is Purusottama Month.  Sri Krsna has not only personally created this month, but He also named it after Himself. Remember, Sri Krsna alone is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purusottama. As Swayam Bhagavan, Sri Krsna is the most magnanimous, topmost origin of all the avataras and incarnations. And so Purusottama Month is the topmost, super best, most powerful spiritual reward giving month among all the twelve months.

Purusottama Month is the holiest month, far superior to the pious Vedic months of Vaisakha (April-May), Karttika (October-November) and Magha (January–February), which the Vedas praise as the three best reward-giving months of all the 12 months of the year.. Not only on the earth planet, but all over the universe Purusottama Month is honored and worshiped by all devotees, sages, demigods and even Laksmi Devi Herself.

If one sincerely worships Radha and Krsna in Purusottama month, he will attain everything he wants. One who observes Purusottamavrata will burn up the reactions of all his previous bad karma and attain the direct service of Radha and Krsna. Purusottama month is the best month for all spiritual advancement because Krsna overlooks all the aparadhas. Residence in the holy dhams during Purusottam Month yields 1000 times the benefit.

PURANIC EVIDENCE ON PURUSHOTTAM MONTH’S GLORIES

All these sastric quotations are from Padma and SkandaPurana:

1. Lord Sri Krsna: “Purusottama Month has all the power I have to bless its observer. One who followsPurusottamavrata will destroy all his past sinful reactions. Without performing Purusottamavrata, one cannot perform pure devotional service. The value of Purusottama month is far more valuable than all other types of austerities and religious activities mentioned in the Vedas. Anyone who observes Purusottamavrata will return to My abode, Goloka, at the end of his life.”

2. Durvasa Muni: “Just by bathing in a holy river during Purusottama Month, one becomes sinless. The glory of all other months is not equal to one-sixteenth of the glory of the Purusottama Month. By bathing in a holy place, giving charity and chanting the Holy Name of Krsna during Purusottama Month, all miseries are destroyed, one attains all kinds of perfection and fulfills all his desires.”

3. Valmiki Muni: “By observing Purusottamavrata, one attains more benefit than performing one hundred horse sacrifices. All holy places live within the body of a Purusottama Month vrati (an observer of this penance). Anyone who faithfully performs Purusottamavrata will go to GolokaVrndavana.”

4. Narada Muni: “Purusottama Month is the best of all months, vratas and austerities. Just by faithfully hearing the glories of Purusottama Month, one attains Krsna-bhakti and immediately nullifies his sinful reactions. One who performs Purusottamavrata properly will attain unlimited piety and spiritual merit (sukrti) and go to the spiritual world.”

5. Naimisaranya Sages: “Merciful Purusottama Month acts like a desire tree to fulfill a devotee’s desire.”

6.  Hari-bhakti-vilasa (Vol 4, Vs 437): “During Purusottama Month, one should remember Lord Krsna, and then donate thirty-three milk cakes cooked in ghee to grhastha Vaisnava brahmanas, who are well versed in sastras. Failing to do so, one loses all the piety he accumulated in the previous year.” Comment: Vrndavana vaisnavas usually observe this by donating two kilos of good quality milk cake from a sweet shop to a few Vaisnava pandas or pujaris or good temple devotees.

ADDITIONAL OBSERVANCES FOR PURUSHOTTAMA MONTH

During the holy month of Purushottama, certain spiritual practices are observed by devotees: Recitation of Sri Jagannathastakam in the mornings, of Chauragraganya Purusashtakam in the afternoons, performance of japam or chanting as instructed by Kaundinya Muni, Deep daana or ghee-lamp offerings in the evenings at the Vishnu, Krishna or Ram mandir, and last but not the least, reading the Brahmastava, 40 slokas in Sanskrit, from the Bhagavatam, chapter 14, Canto 10. This spiritual technique, when performed with devotion in Purushottama, can bestow manifold results on the sadhak. Observance of Purushottama vrata brings eternal joy to the soul.

SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA’S Purusottama Month VRATA:

Perform the NirapeksaVrata, which is 30 days of concentrated, one pointed worship and service to Radha-Govinda’s conjugal form by hearing, chanting, remembering Their divine names, forms, qualities, pastimes. All day and night, hear about Bhagavan Sri Krsna, chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, and take mahaprasada only.

From on the 10th to 19th of July, 2015 we will be celebrating Lord

Jagannath Deva’s NAVA-KALEVAR festival. It is my humble request

that you please attend the programs along with all your family

members and friends so that we do have chance to be together at our

Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math temple at Chakratirtha Road, Puri temple,

in order to attend daily programs in temple, listen discourses from

different prominent speakers and visit different holy-places in Puri

area with procession of Parikrama.

I was hoping to be able to invite you personally, but my present

preaching schedule in abroad only allows for sending this invitation

letter. Therefore, I am humbly requesting you to please excuse any

offence, and graciously attend the programs as per the following

schedule to the best of your ability.

Jagannath Puri’s Festival Programs schedule from 10th to 18th of July, 2015.

On 10th July, 2015 :

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Srila

Prabhupada’s birth place at Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Puri town Thana

then return to Math accordingly.

ii) Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 11th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Siddha-

ii) Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 12th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Tota-

Bakul & Gambhira then return to Math accordingly.

Gopinath, Chatak_Parvat & Haridas Thakur Samadhi then return to Math

accordingly.

ii) Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 13th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for 18–NALA

ii) Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 14th of July, 2015 :

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Chakra

ii) Discourses from 10.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 15th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for

ii) Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 16th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer.

ii) Fire-Sacrifice (Purushottam Yagna) at 9.30 A.M

iii) Discourses from 12.00 P.M (noon) to 1.30 P.M

iv) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

& Alalnath then return to Math accordingly.

Nrisimha Deva Darshan then return to Math accordingly.

Jagannath temple & Loknath Shiva then return to Math accordingly.

v) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

vi) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 17th July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Gundicha

& Srila Bhakti Vaivava Puri Goswami Maharaj’s temple and Indradyumna

Saravar then return to Math accordingly.

ii) Discourses from 11.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

On 18th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer then start for Chakra

ii) Discourses from 9.30 A.M to 12.00 noon; then prasadam; then start for

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M before our arrival in temple from

iv) After evening Arati, discourses from 7.00 P.M to Sayan Arati.

On 19th of July, 2015:

i) Mangal Arati, temple Parikrama, Nrisimha-Prayer.

ii) Discourses from 10.30 A.M to 1.00 P.M

iii) Temple open accordingly at 3.30 P.M then Kirtan start.

iv) Discourses from 5.00 P.M to evening Arati.

v) After evening Arati, discourses until Sayan Arati (at 8.30 P.M).

Nrisimhadeva then return to Math accordingly.

Ratha-Yatra at 1.00 P.M then return to temple most probably at evening.

Ratha-Yatra.

The following is an excerpt from the book “Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj.

shri-radha-prema-rupa ya pura vrindavandeshvari
sa shri-gadadharo gaura-vallabhah panditakhyakah
nirnitah shri-Svarupair yo vraja-lakshmitaya yatha
pura vrindavane lakshmih shyamasundara-vallabha
sadya gaura-prema-lakshmih shri-gadadhara-panditah
radham anugata yat tal lalitapy anuradhika
atah pravishad esha tam gaura-candrodaye yatha

The incarnation of love who previously was the queen of Vrindavan, Radha, is now the beloved of Gaura named Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Svarupa Damodar himself indicated that he was Vraja’s goddess of fortune, the Lakshmi who was previously the beloved of Shyamasundara in Vrindavan. She today has become the goddess of fortune of love for Gaura and is known as Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Lalita, who is also known as Anuradha, is Radha’s closest friend and confidante. She has also entered into Gadadhara, as was shown in the play Chaitanya-candrodaya.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 147-150)

Gadadhara-tattva

gadadhara panditadi prabhura nija-shakti
tan sabhara carane mora sahasra pranati

Gadadhara Pandit and others are the lord’s own energies. I pay thousands of obeisances to their feet. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.1.41)

“Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appears in six features, namely as the two types of guru, the devotees of the lord, the lord himself, his incarnation, his expansion and his energy. According to the principle of simultaneous oneness and difference, they are all identified with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself.”
(Anubhashya to Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.1.37-45)

She who was Radha in Krishna’s pastimes became Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami in Gaura’s lila. When Gaura manifests his identity with Narayan, his shaktis are his wives Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya. When identifying with Krishna, his shakti is Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami.

païcatattvatmakam krishnam
bhakta-rupa-Svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhaktashaktikam

I offer my obeisances to Krishna who appears in five features, as a devotee, as the expansion of a devotee, as an incarnation of a devotee, as the pure devotee and as the devotional energy.

These five features all appeared with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in his incarnation, and in their association, he joyfully performed the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Though he appears in these five forms, there is in fact no difference between them. The distinctions arise due to his desire to relish different devotional flavors.

Sri Gauranga, Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara and Srivasa, etc., make up the Pancha Tattva and there is spiritually no difference between them. The supreme truth has unlimited different pastimes in order to relish the different tastes of transcendental relationship and thus he separates into these five forms as the form of devotee, the devotional manifestation, the devotional incarnation, the devotional energy and the pure devotee.

jaya jaya nityananda-gadadharera jivana
jaya jaya advaitadi bhaktera sharana

All glories, all glories, to the life of Nityananda and Gadadhara!
All glories, all glories, to the shelter of all the devotees, headed by Advaita!

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur comments on words “the life of Gadadhara” as follows: “Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami is chief amongst the most intimate devotees of Sri Chaitanya. He is the fountainhead of the entire shakti-tattva and is thus present equally in Mahaprabhu’s lilas in Nabadwip and in Nilachala. His childhood home was in Nabadwip; later when he took sannyas, he went to live in Jagannath Puri, in a garden or tota by the seashore. Pure devotees who wish to enter into the madhura-rasa of worship to Radha and Govinda take shelter of Gadadhara Pandit and are known as Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s intimate devotees. Those devotees who are not so inclined take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu and engage in pure devotional service in his mood. Some of Mahaprabhu’s devotees, such as Narahari, were followers of Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami. They took refuge in him because they knew him to be his dearest associate and thus worthy of their service. Some devotees therefore call Chaitanya ‘the life of Nityananda’ while others called him ‘the life of Gadadhara.’”

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For the disappearance day of Sat Chit Ananda Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur:

The following is an excerpt from the book “Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Associates” by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

namo bhaktivinodaya saccidananda-murtaye |
gaura-sakti-svarupaya rupanuga-varaya te ||

I offer my obeisances to you, O Bhaktivinoda, the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, the incarnation of Gaura’s potency and the best of the followers of Rupa Goswami.

The sampradaya’s debt to Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is the root of the daily activities in the Chaitanya Math, the Gaudiya Math, the Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, the Gaudiya Missions, etc. The Gaudiya Math institutions cannot be separated from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. These institutions are entirely indebted to his sublime contributions. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has written, “Devotees in the line of Srila Rupa Goswami do not preach faith in their own powers, but rather direct attention to the source of their spiritual strength. We also do everything for the sake of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Sri Rupa, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur and our divine spiritual master.” (From Patravali, Srila Prabhupada’s letters, vol. 3, p. 89.) Devotees of the Brahma-Madhva-Sarasvata-Gaudiya sampradaya pay their respects daily to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur as follows:

suddha-bhakti-pracarasya mulibhuta ihottamah |
sri-bhaktivinodo devas tat-priyatvena visrutah ||

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is a transcendental personality who is the root of the preaching movement of pure devotion. He is renowned as one who is dear to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Bhaktivinoda’s unequalled contribution
Vedavyasa and the scriptures he wrote are the foundation of all those who claim to follow the Sanatan Dharma. He himself practiced and preached the means by which humankind can attain the supreme peace. Vedavyasa compiled and divided the Veda, wrote the eighteen puranas and the Mahabharata including the Bhagavad-gita, but remained unsatisfied. Finally, while at Badarikasrama, Narada Muni instructed him to glorify the activities of Sri Krishna in order to attain his pleasure. After writing the twelve cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Vedavyasa finally found the peace he had been looking for. Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya preached the Bhagavat religion which is found in this text. After the disappearance of Mahaprabhu and his associates, however, the path of pure devotion became covered with thorns until Bhaktivinoda Thakur appeared to write many books and to preach the pure doctrine of devotional service to Krishna. Through his tireless efforts, all the heretical doctrines were ! shown to be empty, the path of supreme auspiciousness and compasision was shown to all the world. These efforts can only be said to constitute an unequalled and certainly unsurpassed contribution. Without being empowered by Krishna himself, the message of pure devotion cannot be spread. Such a display of empowerment could not be possible were he not a direct associate of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Sri Krishna.

Externally he was a householder with family obligations, a government servant engaged in the administrative service, but despite these responsibilities he was still able to write over a hundred books in several different languages. One cannot fail to be impressed by this monumental achievement. Every word of his writing is scripture; every word awakens the spirit of devotion to him who is beyond the grasp of the material senses and mind. Mundane scholars would never be able to achieve the kind of synthesis that he did. His every thought was perfectly reasonable and never far-fetched. His writings are a permanent display of compassion to the fallen souls. His Divine Grace Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaj used to say to his disciples, “You need do nothing else other than translate Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s books into the world’s various languages and you will have done the greatest act of welfare for the people of the world.” In fact, everything that is done in the Gaudiya Maths throughout the world has come from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

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 Krishna Purushottama, The Extra Month

We call Purusottama month the ‘Adhi-Masa’ (extra month).  It is also called, ‘Mala-Masa’, which means dirty or useless month. In India, the sadhus (Holy persons), sadhakas (spiritual practitioners) and pious people of all sampradayas (linages) observe this month with all care. All are observing and engaging in austerities according to their capacity. We should try to observe the following practices for the whole month.

At least three times (morning, noon and evening) each day we should chant Kaundinya Muni’s mantra, which is found in the Hari-Bhakti Vilas:

        Goverdhana-Dharam Vande Gopalam Goparupinam

        Gokulotsavam eeshaanam Govindam Gopikapriyam

Meaning: Goverdhana-Dharam Vande: I worship the lifter of Govardhana Hill, Gopalam Goparupinam:Who has the beautiful form of a cowherd boy, and who continually plays with the Gopas. Gokulotsavam-eeshaanam: He is the Lord of Gokula wherein everyday is a festival. Govindam Gopikapriyam: He is the giver of pleasure to the cows and spiritual senses and the beloved of the Gopi damsels of Vraja.

1. Try to maintain celibacy for this month.
2. Instead of sleeping on a comfortable bed sleep on the floor (use a thin mat or blanket if necessary)
3.  Bathe daily BEFORE SUNRISE.
4. Get up 1 hour and 36 minutes before sunrise (during the Brahma-Muhurta) or as early as possible and chant ‘Pancha-Tattva’ and ‘Mahamantra’ at least 12 times.
5. Each day chant a fixed number of rounds.  You can increase rounds this month according to your ability. For example, if you usually chant 16 rounds daily then in this Purushottama month try to chant at least 24,  32, or 64 rounds according to your convenience.
6. If your schedule allows then perform puja daily by yourself. At least offer a ghee lamp to Radha-Krsna Deities or Sri Jagannath Deities or Their Picture. If possible, offer this twice in a day (morning and evening) while chanting the Sri Jagannatha-Astakam or any song about Sri Sri Radha- Krishna’s glories.
7. Daily Tulasi Devi’s Parakrama, morning and evening.
8. Take a vow to remain peaceful, and become 100% truthful throughout the month, just as a devotee should be throughout their entire life.
9. Please be careful not to blaspheme anyone, especially the Vaisnavas and brahmanas.
10. Try your best to please Sri Radha and Sri Krsna by performing spiritual practices according to your capacities.
11. No cutting of hair or nails (optional).
12. No cooking in mustard or sesame oil or rubbing these oils on your body.  It is best to cook with ghee, and eat boiled Hobisanna (Atap-rice mixed with Dal and vegetables, but no eggplant or tomoato, without salt if possible).

This month is called Mala-Masa (dirty or useless month) because all ritual forms of karma-kanda (reward seeking), pujas and yajnas (fire sacrifices) don’t give any results this month. Our Gaudiya Vaisnavas, however, disagree, saying it is called Mala-Masa because all days, weeks and months are created by the Supreme Lord for observing devotion. Therefore, we Gaudiya Vaisnavas try our best to follow devotional rituals as our previous teachers have established for the month.

Our previous teachers instructed us that in this month we have to observe devotional activities in a special manner. Then quickly and easily we can destroy the dirt and contamination caused by our sins, ignorance and Aparadhas.

Firstly, the Puranas say that the Supreme personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna’s FAVORITE MONTH is Purusottama Month.  Sri Krsna has not only personally created this month, but He also named it after Himself. Remember, Sri Krsna alone is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Purusottama. As Swayam Bhagavan, Sri Krsna is the most magnanimous, topmost origin of all the avataras and incarnations. And so Purusottama Month is the topmost, super best, most powerful spiritual reward giving month among all the twelve months.

Purusottama Month is the holiest month, far superior to the pious Vedic months of Vaisakha (April-May), Karttika (October-November) and Magha (January–February), which the Vedas praise as the three best reward-giving months of all the 12 months of the year.. Not only on the earth planet, but all over the universe Purusottama Month is honored and worshiped by all devotees, sages, demigods and even Laksmi Devi Herself.

If one sincerely worships Radha and Krsna in Purusottama month, he will attain everything he wants. One who observes Purusottamavrata will burn up the reactions of all his previous bad karma and attain the direct service of Radha and Krsna. Purusottama month is the best month for all spiritual advancement because Krsna overlooks all the aparadhas. Residence in the holy dhams during Purusottam Month yields 1000 times the benefit.

PURANIC EVIDENCE ON PURUSHOTTAM MONTH’S GLORIES

All these sastric quotations are from Padma and SkandaPurana:

1. Lord Sri Krsna: “Purusottama Month has all the power I have to bless its observer. One who followsPurusottamavrata will destroy all his past sinful reactions. Without performing Purusottamavrata, one cannot perform pure devotional service. The value of Purusottama month is far more valuable than all other types of austerities and religious activities mentioned in the Vedas. Anyone who observes Purusottamavrata will return to My abode, Goloka, at the end of his life.”

2. Durvasa Muni: “Just by bathing in a holy river during Purusottama Month, one becomes sinless. The glory of all other months is not equal to one-sixteenth of the glory of the Purusottama Month. By bathing in a holy place, giving charity and chanting the Holy Name of Krsna during Purusottama Month, all miseries are destroyed, one attains all kinds of perfection and fulfills all his desires.”

3. Valmiki Muni: “By observing Purusottamavrata, one attains more benefit than performing one hundred horse sacrifices. All holy places live within the body of a Purusottama Month vrati (an observer of this penance). Anyone who faithfully performs Purusottamavrata will go to GolokaVrndavana.”

4. Narada Muni: “Purusottama Month is the best of all months, vratas and austerities. Just by faithfully hearing the glories of Purusottama Month, one attains Krsna-bhakti and immediately nullifies his sinful reactions. One who performs Purusottamavrata properly will attain unlimited piety and spiritual merit (sukrti) and go to the spiritual world.”

5. Naimisaranya Sages: “Merciful Purusottama Month acts like a desire tree to fulfill a devotee’s desire.”

6.  Hari-bhakti-vilasa (Vol 4, Vs 437): “During Purusottama Month, one should remember Lord Krsna, and then donate thirty-three milk cakes cooked in ghee to grhastha Vaisnava brahmanas, who are well versed in sastras. Failing to do so, one loses all the piety he accumulated in the previous year.” Comment: Vrndavana vaisnavas usually observe this by donating two kilos of good quality milk cake from a sweet shop to a few Vaisnava pandas or pujaris or good temple devotees.

ADDITIONAL OBSERVANCES FOR PURUSHOTTAMA MONTH

During the holy month of Purushottama, certain spiritual practices are observed by devotees: Recitation of Sri Jagannathastakam in the mornings, of Chauragraganya Purusashtakam in the afternoons, performance of japam or chanting as instructed by Kaundinya Muni, Deep daana or ghee-lamp offerings in the evenings at the Vishnu, Krishna or Ram mandir, and last but not the least, reading the Brahmastava, 40 slokas in Sanskrit, from the Bhagavatam, chapter 14, Canto 10. This spiritual technique, when performed with devotion in Purushottama, can bestow manifold results on the sadhak. Observance of Purushottama vrata brings eternal joy to the soul.

SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA’S Purusottama Month VRATA:

Perform the NirapeksaVrata, which is 30 days of concentrated, one pointed worship and service to Radha-Govinda’s conjugal form by hearing, chanting, remembering Their divine names, forms, qualities, pastimes. All day and night, hear about Bhagavan Sri Krsna, chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, and take mahaprasada only.