Sunday 27 March 2022

Papamocani Ekadasi




Yudhisthira Maharaja said, “O Supreme Lord, I have heard from You the explanation of Amalaki Ekadasi, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Phalguna [February-March], and now I wish to hear about the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra [March- April]. What is its name, O Lord, and what results can one attain by observing it?”

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, replied, “O best of kings, for the benefit of everyone I shall gladly describe to you the glories of this Ekadasi which is known as Papamocani. The history of this Ekadasi was once narrated to the emperor Mandhata by Lomasa Risi. King Mandhata addressed the risi, ‘O great sage, for the benefit of all people, please tell me the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra, and please explain the process for observing it. Also, please describe the benefits one gains by observing this Ekadasi.’

“Lomasa Risi replied, ‘The Ekadasi that occurs during the dark part of the month of Caitra is named Papamocani Ekadasi for the faithful devotee it removes the influences of ghosts and demons. O lion among men, this Ekadasi also awards the eight perfections of life, fulfills all kinds of desires, purifies one's life of all sinful reactions, and makes a person perfectly virtuous.”

“Now please listen to a historical account concerning this Ekadasi and Citraratha, the chief of the Gandharvas [heavenly musicians]. During the spring season, in the company of heavenly dancing girls, Citraratha once came upon a beautiful forest bursting forth with a great variety of flowers. There he and the girls joined other Gandharvas and many Kinnaras, along with Lord Indra himself, the king of heaven, who was enjoying a visit there. Everyone felt that there was no better garden than this forest. Many sages were also present, performing their austerities and penance The demigods particularly enjoyed visiting this celestial garden during the months of Caitra and Vaisakha [April-May].”

“A great sage named Medhavi resided in that forest, and the very attractive dancing girls would always attempt to seduce him. One famous girl in particular, Manjughosa, contrived many ways to allure the exalted muni, but out of great respect for the sage and fear of his power, which he had attained after years and years of asceticism, she would not come very close to him. At a spot two miles from the sage, she pitched a tent and began singing very sweetly as she played a tamboura. Cupid himself became excited when he saw and heard her perform so nicely and smelled the fragrance of her sandal-paste unguent. He remembered his own unfortunate experience with Lord Siva and decided to take revenge by seducing Medhavi.”

“Using the eyebrows of Manjughosa as a bow, her glances as a bowstring, her eyes as arrows, and her breasts as a target, Cupid approached Medhavi in order to tempt him to break his trance and his vows. In other words, Cupid engaged Manjughosa as his assistant, and when she looked at that powerful and attractive young sage, she also became agitated by lust. Seeing that he was highly intelligent and learned, wearing a clean white brahmana's thread draped across his shoulder, holding a sannyasi's staff, and sitting handsomely in the asrama of Cyavana Risi Manjughosa came before him.”

“She began to sing seductively, and the small bells on her belt and around her ankles, together with the bangles on her wrists, produced a delightful musical symphony. The sage Medhavi was enchanted. He understood that this beautiful young woman desired union with him, and at that instant Cupid increased his attraction for Mahjughosa by releasing his powerful weapons of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound.”

“Slowly Manjughosa approached Medhavi, her bodily movements and sweet glances attracting him. She gracefully put her tamboura down and embraced the sage with her two arms, just as a creeper winds itself around a strong tree. Captivated, Medhavi gave up his meditation and decided to sport with her-and instantly his purity of heart and mind abandoned him. Forgetting even the difference between night and day, he went away with her to sport for a long, long time.”

“Seeing that the young yogi's sanctity had become seriously eroded, Manjughosa decided to abandon him and return home. She said, “O great one, please permit me to return home.”

“Medhavi replied, ‘But you have only just arrived, O beautiful one. Please stay with me at least until tomorrow.’”

“Fearful of the sage's yogic power, Manjughosa stayed with Medhavi for precisely fifty-seven years, nine months, and three days, but to Medhavi all this time seemed like a moment. Again she asked him, ‘Please permit me to leave.’”

“Medhavi replied, ‘O dear one, listen to me. Stay with me for one more night, and then you may leave tomorrow morning. Just stay with me until after I have performed my morning duties and chanted the sacred Gayatri mantra. Please wait until then.’”

“Manjughosa was still fearful of the sage's great yogic power, but she forced a smile and said, ‘How long will it take you to finish your morning hymns and rituals? Please be merciful and think of all the time you have already spent with me.’”

“The sage reflected on the years he had been with Manjughosa and then said with great astonishment, ‘Why, I have spent more than fiftyseven years with you!’ His eyes turned red and began to emanate sparks. He now regarded Manjughosa as death personified and the destroyer of his spiritual life. ‘You rascal woman! You have turned all the hard-earned results of my austerities to ashes!’ Trembling with anger, he cursed Manjughosa ‘O sinful one, O hard-hearted, degraded one! You know only sin! May all terrible fortune be yours! O rascal woman, I curse you to become an evil hobgoblin pisaca!’

“Cursed by the sage Medhavi, the beautiful Manjughosa humbly beseeched him, ‘O best of the brdhmanas, please be merciful to me and revoke your curse! O great one, it is said that association with pure devotees gives immediate results but their curses take effect only after seven days. I have been with you for fifty-seven years, O master, so please be kind to me!’”

“Medhavi Muni replied, ‘O gentle lady, what can I possibly do? You have destroyed all my austerities. But even though you have done this sinful deed, I shall tell you a way you can be released from my wrath. In the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra there is an allauspicious Ekadasi that removes all one's sins. Its name is Papamocani, O beautiful one, and whoever fasts on this sacred day becomes completely freed from having to take birth in any kind of devilish form.’”

“With these words, the sage left at once for his father's asrama. Seeing him enter the hermitage, Cyavana Muni said, ‘O son, by acting unlawfully you have squandered the wealth of your penances and austerities.’”

“Medhavi replied, ‘O Father, kindly reveal what atonement I must perform to remove the obnoxious sin I have incurred by privately associating with the dancing girl Manjughosa?’”

“Cyavana Muni answered, ‘Dear son, you must fast on Papamocani Ekadasi. which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra. It eradicates all sins, no matter how grievous they may be.’

“Medhavi followed his father's advice and fasted on Papamocani Ekadasi. Thus all his sins were destroyed and he again became filled with excellent merit. Similarly, Manjughosa observed the same fast and became free of the hobgoblin curse. Ascending once again to the heavenly spheres, she too returned to her former position.”

“Lomasa Risi continued, ‘Thus, O king, the great benefit of fasting on Papamocani Ekadasi is that whoever does so with faith and devotion will have all his sins completely destroyed.’”

Sri Krsna concluded, “O King Yudhisthira, whoever reads or hears about Papamocani ekadasi obtains the very same merit he would get if he donated a thousand cows in charity, and he also nullifies the sinful reactions he may have incurred by killing a brahmana, killing an embryo through abortion, drinking liquor, or having sex with his guru's wife. Such is the incalculable benefit of properly observing this holy day of Papamocani Ekadasi, which is so dear to Me and so meritorious.”

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna 🙏

 

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Monday 14 March 2022

Amalaki Ekadashi


King Mandhata once said to Vasishtha Muni, “O great sage, kindly be merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally.”

   Vasishtha Muni replied. “O king, kindly listen as I describe the best of all fast days, Amalaki Ekadashi.He who faithfully observes a fast on this Ekadashi obtains enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of all kinds of sins, and attains liberation. Fasting on this Ekadashi is more purifying than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure brahmana. So please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a hunter who, though daily engaged in killing innocent animals for his living, achieved liberation by observing a fast on Amalaki Ekadashi following the prescribed rules and regulations of worship.

   There was once a kingdom named Vaidisha, where all the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras were equally endowed with Vedic knowledge, great bodily strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among kings, the whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single person was atheistic, and no one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King Pashabinduka, a member of the dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also known as Chitraratha and was very religious and truthful. It is said that King Chitraratha had the strength of ten thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.

   During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single person in his kingdom attempted to practice another's dharma (duty); so perfectly engaged in their own dharmas were all the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land, never was there ever a drought or flood. Indeed, the kingdom was free of disease, and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, as did the king, who also rendered special service to Lord Shiva. Moreover, twice a month everyone fasted on Ekadashi.

"In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of Vaidisha lived many long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of materialistic religion, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving service of the Supreme Lord, Hari.”

   Once, in the month of Phalguna (February - March), the holy fast of Amalakii Ekadashi arrived, conjoined with Dvadashi. King Chitraratha realised that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit, and thus he and all the citizens of Vaidisha observed this sacred Ekadashi very strictly, carefully following all the rules and regulations.

   After bathing in the river, the king and all his subjects went to the temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalaki tree grew. First the king and his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water, as well as a fine canopy, shoes, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and aromatic incense. Then they worshiped Lord Parashurama with these prayers: "Oh Lord Parashurama, Oh son of Renuka, Oh all-pleasing one, Oh liberator of the worlds, kindly come beneath this holy Amalaki tree and accept our humble obeisances." Then they prayed to the Amalaki tree: "Oh Amalaki, Oh offspring of Lord Brahma, you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept our respectful obeisances and these humble gifts. O Amalaki, you are actually the form of Brahman, and you were once worshiped by Lord Ramachandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately freed of all his sins."

   After offering these excellent prayers, King Chitraratha and his subjects remained awake throughout the night, praying and worshiping according to the regulations governing a sacred Ekadashi fast. It was during this auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man approached the assembly, a man who maintained himself and his family by killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the king and the citizens of Vaidisha observing Amalaki Ekadashi by performing an all-night vigil, fasting, and worshiping Lord Vishnu in the beautiful forest setting, which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The hunter hid nearby, wondering what this extraordinary sight before him was.

   "What is going on here?" he thought. What he saw in that lovely forest beneath the holy Amalaki tree was the Deity of Lord Damodara being worshiped upon the Asana of a waterpot and he heard the devotees singing sacred songs describing Lord Krishna's transcendental forms and pastimes. Despite himself, that staunchly irreligious killer of innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he watched the Ekadashi celebration and listened to the glorification of the Lord.

   Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue - including the court sages and all the citizens - completed their observance of Ekadashi and returned to the city of Vaidisha. The hunter returned to his hut and happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had gained by fasting on Amalaki Ekadashi and hearing the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as by being forced to stay awake all night, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with may chariots, elephants, horses, and soldiers. His name was Vasuratha, the son of King Viduratha, and he ruled over the kingdom of Jayanti.

   King Vasuratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as the Sun, and as handsome as the Moon. In strength he was like Shri Vishnu, and in forgiveness like the Earth itself. Very charitable and every truthful, King Vasuratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Shri Vishnu. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking excellent care of his subjects, as though they were his own children. He disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he saw it. He performed many kinds of sacrifices, and he always made certain that the needy in his kingdom received enough charity.

   One day, while hunting in the jungle, King Vasuratha strayed from the footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually growing weary, he paused beneath a tree and, using his arms as a pillow, fell asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and, remembering their long standing enmity toward the king, began discussing among themselves various ways to kill him. "It is because he killed our fathers, mothers, brothers-in-law, grandsons, nephews, and uncles that we are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen in the forest."

   So saying, they prepared to kill King Vasuratha with various weapons, including spears, swords, arrows, and mystic ropes. But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping king, and soon the uncivilised, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened. Their fear sapped their strength, and before long they lost what little intelligence they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and weakness. Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king's body, startling the aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments, emitting a wonderful fragrance, wearing an excellent garland around her neck, her eyebrows drawn in a mood of fierce anger, and her fiery red eyes ablaze, she looked like death personified. With her blazing chakra discus she quickly killed all the tribal hunters, who had tried to slay the sleeping king.

   Just then the king awoke, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying around him, he was astonished. He wondered, "These are all great enemies of mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?" At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: "You asked that who helped you. Well, who is that person who alone can help anyone is distress? He is none other than Shri Keshava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He who saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive."

   Upon hearing these words, King Vasuratha became over-whelmed with love for the Personality of Godhead Shri Keshava (Krishna). He returned to his capital city and ruled there like a second lord Indra (king of the heavenly regions), without any obstacles at all.

   Therefore, Oh King Mandhata, the venerable Vasishtha Muni concluded, “...anyone who observes this holy Amalaki Ekadashi will undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, so great is the religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day.”

   Thus ends the narration of the glories of Phalguna-sukla Ekadashi, or Amalaki Ekadashi, from the Brahmanda Purana.



NOTE:

   If the Amarlaki tree isn't available then worship the sacred Tulsi tree. Also plant the sacred Tulsi seeds, and offer lamps to her.



🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna 🙏

 

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Thursday 10 March 2022

Why is Lord Krishna Blue?



Srimad Bhagavatam 3.28.13


prasanna-vadanāmbhojaḿ

padma-garbhāruṇekṣaṇam

nīlotpala-dala-śyāmaḿ

śańkha-cakra-gadā-dharam


The Supreme Personality of Godhead has a cheerful, lotus-like countenance with ruddy eyes like the interior of a lotus and a swarthy body like the petals of a blue lotus. He bears a conch, discus and mace in three of His hands.


Srila Prabhupada explain:


It is definitely recommended herein that one concentrate his mind upon the form of Viṣṇu. There are twelve different forms of Viṣṇu, which are described in Teachings of Lord Caitanya. One cannot concentrate his mind on anything void or impersonal; the mind should be fixed on the personal form of the Lord, whose attitude is cheerful, as described in this verse. Bhagavad-gītā states that meditation on the impersonal or void features is very troublesome to the meditator. Those who are attached to the impersonal or void features of meditation have to undergo a difficult process because we are not accustomed to concentrating our minds upon anything impersonal. Actually such concentration is not even possible. Bhagavad-gītā also confirms that one should concentrate his mind on the personality of Godhead.


The color of the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is described here as nīlotpala-dala, meaning that it is like that of a lotus flower with petals tinted blue and white. People always ask why Kṛṣṇa is blue. The color of the Lord has not been imagined by an artist. It is described in authoritative scripture. In the Brahma-saḿhitā also, the color of Kṛṣṇa’s body is compared to that of a bluish cloud. The color of the Lord is not poetical imagination. There are authoritative descriptions in the Brahma-saḿhitā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and many of the purāṇas of the Lord’s body, His weapons and all other paraphernalia. The Lord’s appearance is described here as padma-garbhāruṇekṣaṇam. His eyes resemble the inside of a lotus flower, and in His four hands He holds the four symbols: conchshell, discus, mace and lotus.


Reference: Vedabase


Srimad Bhagavatam 10.8.13


asan varnas trayo hy asya

grhnato ‘nuyugam tanuh

suklo raktas tatha pita

idanim krsnatam gatah


Your son Krsna appears as an incarnation in every millennium. In the past, He assumed three different colors-white, red and yellow-and now He has appeared in a blackish color. [In another Dvapara-yuga, He appeared (as Lord Ramacandra) in the color of suka, a parrot.] All such incarnations have now assembled in Krsna.

As here it is clearly stated that all the incarnation are now assembled in Krishna. So the deity form of Krishna have all these colors mentioned above.


Bhagavad-Gita Lecture, London 1975

Srila Jiva Gosvami, the most authoritative acarya of our sampradaya, he has explained like this. Krsna-varnam means always chanting Hare Krsna. Krsnam varnayati, describing Krsna, “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.” This is description of Krsna, addressing Krsna. So therefore krsna-varnam, or varnam means category. Just like brahmana-varna, ksatriya-varna. So in that way krsna-varna means He is Krsna, in the category of Krsna. Either you take this meaning or that meaning, krsna-varnam. But Krsna is black, and He is tvisa, by the complexion, akrsna. Akrsna means not Krsna. Now, there are so many colors. So everything is akrsna. That color, all the colors are mixed together, it becomes black. Otherwise there are many different colors. So akrsna means different color, “not krsna,” not black. So what is the actual? That we have to refer to sastra again, that Krsna, in how many categories of color He appears? That is stated in the Bhagavatam. When Krsna was born, then Gargamuni was calculating about His horoscope, and he said to Nanda Maharaja that “This, your child…” Idanim krsnatam gatah. Suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah. “Your child had formerly white color.” White color… Sometimes some critics criticize us that “Krsna everywhere He is black. Why in your temple white?” But it is said that sukla, suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah: “Your son had other colors also, white and red and yellow, and now He has assumed blackish color.”


🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna 🙏

 

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The Story of the Parijata Flower

 



Excerpt from Krishna Book, Chapter 59: The Deliverance of the Demon Bhaumāsura



When Lord Kṛṣṇa heard the prayers of mother earth, He immediately assured her of immunity from all fearful situations. He said to Bhagadatta, “Don’t be afraid.” Then He entered the palace of Bhaumāsura, which was equipped with all kinds of opulences. In the palace of Bhaumāsura, Lord Kṛṣṇa saw 16,100 young princesses, who had been kidnapped and held captive there. When the princesses saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, enter the palace, they immediately became captivated by the beauty of the Lord and prayed for His causeless mercy. Within their minds, they decided to accept Lord Kṛṣṇa as their husband without hesitation. Each one of them prayed to Providence that Kṛṣṇa might become her husband. Sincerely and seriously, they offered their hearts to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa with an unalloyed devotional attitude. As the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, Kṛṣṇa could understand their uncontaminated desire, and He agreed to accept them as His wives. Thus He arranged for suitable garments and ornaments for them, and each of them, seated on a palanquin, was dispatched to Dvārakā City. Kṛṣṇa also collected unlimited wealth from the palace, a treasure of chariots, horses, jewels and so on. He took from the palace fifty white elephants, each with four tusks, and all of them were dispatched to Dvārakā.


After this incident, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Satyabhāmā entered Amarāvatī, the capital city of the heavenly planets, and they immediately entered the palace of King Indra and his wife, Śacīdevī, who welcomed them. Kṛṣṇa then presented Indra with the earrings of Aditi.


When Kṛṣṇa and Satyabhāmā were returning from the capital city of Indra, Satyabhāmā remembered Kṛṣṇa’s promise to give her a pārijāta tree. Taking the opportunity of having come to the heavenly kingdom, she uprooted a pārijāta tree and placed it on the back of Garuḍa. Once Nārada had taken a pārijāta flower and presented it to Kṛṣṇa’s senior wife, Śrī Rukmiṇī-devī. On account of this, Satyabhāmā had developed an inferiority complex; she also wanted such a flower from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa could understand the competitive womanly nature of His co-wives, and He had smiled. He had immediately asked Satyabhāmā, “Why are you asking for only one flower? I would like to give you a whole tree of pārijāta flowers.”


Actually, Kṛṣṇa had purposely taken His wife Satyabhāmā with Him so that she could collect the pārijāta with her own hand. But the denizens of the heavenly planets, including Indra, were very irritated. Without their permission, Satyabhāmā had uprooted a pārijāta tree, which is not to be found on the earth planet. Indra, along with other demigods, offered opposition to Kṛṣṇa and Satyabhāmā for taking away the tree, but in order to please His favorite wife Satyabhāmā, Kṛṣṇa became determined and adamant, so there was a fight between the demigods and Kṛṣṇa. As usual, Kṛṣṇa came out victorious, and He triumphantly brought the pārijāta tree chosen by His wife to this earth planet, to Dvārakā. After this, the tree was installed in the palace garden of Satyabhāmā. On account of this extraordinary tree, the garden house of Satyabhāmā became extraordinarily beautiful. As the pārijāta tree came down to the earthly planet, the fragrance of its flowers also came down, and the celestial drones migrated to this earth in search of their fragrance and honey.


King Indra’s behavior toward Kṛṣṇa was not very much appreciated by great sages like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Out of His causeless mercy, Kṛṣṇa had gone to the heavenly kingdom, Amarāvatī, to present King Indra with his mother’s earrings, which had been lost to Bhaumāsura, and Indra had been very glad to receive them. But when a pārijāta tree from the heavenly kingdom was taken by Kṛṣṇa, Indra had fought with Him. This was self-interest on the part of Indra. He had offered his prayer, tipping down his head to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, but as soon as his purpose had been served, he became a different creature. That is the way of the dealings of materialistic men. Materialistic men are always interested in their own profit. For this purpose they can offer any kind of respect to anyone, but when their personal interest is over, they are no longer friends. This selfish nature is found not only among the richer class of men on this planet but even in personalities like Indra and other demigods. Too much wealth makes a man selfish. A selfish man is not prepared to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is condemned by great devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. In other words, possession of too many worldly riches is a disqualification for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.



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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

 

Hare Krishna 🙏

 

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Friday 4 March 2022

Chaitanya-mangala


 

Chaitanya-mangala

Translated By Subhag Swami

Edited by Mahanidhi Swami


Preface

    Lochana Dasa was born in 1520 A.D. in Kograma within Gauramandala, West Bengal. He was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, an intimate eternal associate of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. One day in 1537 A.D., following his guru's order, Locana Dasa sat on a stone slab under a badari tree and started writing the ChaitanyaMangala on a piece of bark.

    Since Vrndavana Dasa Thakura had already written a book entitled Chaitanya-Mangala, the leading devotees in Vrndavana [Shri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, Shri Jiva Gosvami, Kasisvara Pandita, Pandita Haridasa Gosvami, and Anantacarya] met to resolve the problem. They decided that henceforth Vrndavana Dasa's book would be called Chaitanya Bhagavata, and Locana Dasa Thakura's book would remain as ChaitanyaMangala.

   In The History and Literature of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, Dr. S. Das [a disciple of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura] says, "Locana Dasa does 'not claim to be a doctor of theology. He was a musician like his preceptor [Narahari Thakura]. He made music and dedicated his pre-eminent musical abilities toward serving one mission.

   "Locana Dasa did not compose this beautiful narrtive poem, Chaitanya-Mangala, to thrust abstract philosophy and a labyrinth doctrine down the people's throat. Rather, he wanted to impress the divine character of Shri Chaitanya on the popular mind, and thereby arouse its religious sensibilities."

   In Vaishnava Abhidana, Haridasa Dasa [a famous Gaudiya Vaishnava historian] describes Chaitanya-Mangala, "Locana Dasa based his Chaitanya-Mangala on Murari Gupta's authorized Sanskrit biography of Lord Chaitanya entitled Shri-Krishna-Chaitanya-carita. Chaitanya Mangala is written in simple, beautiful language, and it can be sung in various beautiful ragas.

   "Chaitanya-Mangala is a rasatmaka-sastra [book full of rasa], and Chaitanya Bhagavata is a varnanatmaka-sastra [a book full of descriptions].

    "Readers should not confuse Lochana Dasa Thakura's authentic and authorized book, Chaitanya-Mangala, with another book of the same title written by Jayananda. Jayananda's book has many strange descriptions of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Among the society of Vaishnavas, Jayananda's book is not loved, appreciated, or widely read. In fact, Bhakti-ratnakara doesn't even mention or refer to his book. Jayananda didn't show any talent in composing; his writing is incoherent and sloppy."

   To produce this English translation of Shri Chaitanya Mangala, we used a 1929 Bengali edition published by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura at the Bagbazaar [Calcutta] office of the Gaudiya Math. Between 1920-1936 Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura printed many important books including Shrimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Chaitanya-caritarnrta," Chaitanya-Bhagavata, Chaitanya-Mangala, Brahma-samhita, Upadesamrta, Prema-bhakti-candrika and Bhakti Sandarbha.

   Shrila Prabhupada strictly followed the example and teachings of his spiritual master, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Through his Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Shrila Prabhupada published almost all of the same books as his guru maharaja. Presenfiy, Shrila Prabhupada has inspired the BBT to publish an English translation of Shri Jiva Gosvami's Sandarbhas.

   Similarly, Shrila Prabhupada has inspired us to publish this English edition of Shri Chaitanya-Mangala. We hope that our guru maharaja, Shrila Prabhupada, our param-guru, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and all the devotees will be pleased with our efforts.


Mahanidhi Swami


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Wednesday 2 March 2022

Shiva, the Supreme Vaishnava

 

Shiva, the Supreme Vaishnava

(5 votes)

Devotees of Lord Krishna honor Lord Shiva for his celebrated qualities and his exalted status in the hierarchy of beings.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is an amazing collection of the glories and activities of Sri Krishna and His devotees, the Vaishnavas. The Bhagavatam (12.13.16) declares Lord Shiva to be the greatest of all Vaishnavas: vaishnavanam yatha shambhuh. Lord Shiva’s special position, his post, his personality, and his activities are fascinating to know. The following is a short collection from the Bhagavatam of various attributes and activities of Lord Shiva.

Shiva’s Position

Srila Prabhupada writes:

“Lord Shiva is not actually like a living entity [jiva], but he is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His position is somewhere between Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Brahma, the living entity. Lord Shiva is therefore explained in Brahma-samhita (5.45) in this way:

kshiram yatha dadhi vikara-vishesha-yogat
sanjayate na hi tatah prithag asti hetoh
yah shambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami

Lord Shiva is considered to be like yogurt (dadhi). Yogurt is nothing but transformed milk; nonetheless, yogurt cannot be accepted as milk. Similarly, Lord Shiva holds almost all the powers of Lord Vishnu, and he is also above the qualities of the living entity, but he is not exactly like Vishnu, just as yogurt, although transformed milk, is not exactly like milk. (4.30.24, Purport)

And: ”Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have carefully analyzed the summum bonum Krishna to have sixty-four principal attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only some percentages of these attributes. But Sri Krishna is the possessor of the attributes cent percent. And His personal expansions . . . possess up to ninety-three percent of these transcendental attributes. Lord Shiva . . . possesses almost eighty-four percent of the attributes.” (1.3.28, Purport)

Lord Shiva is considered the father of this universe, and material nature, or goddess Durga, is considered the mother. Shiva is neither the Supreme Lord nor a jiva (an infinitesimal spirit soul, the category to which we belong). Shiva is the form through which the Supreme Lord works to inject the living entities (jivas) into this material world.

Shiva’s Post – A Gunavatara

Lord Shiva is in charge of the tamo-guna, the mode of ignorance, and is thus in the category of incarnations known as gunavataras. Suta Goswami says, "The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness, and ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance, and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva." (1.2.23) As the god of annihilation, Shiva is responsible for destroying the universes during the partial and complete devastations, which occur respectively at the end of each day of Brahma and at the end of his life.

Srila Prabhupada writes, "The dissolution of the three worlds is effected by the incarnation of darkness, Rudra [Shiva], represented by the fire of eternal time which blazes over the three worlds." (3.11.28, Purport) Shukadeva Goswami says, "Thereafter, at the end of the millennium, the Lord Himself in the form of Rudra, the destroyer, will annihilate the complete creation as the wind displaces the clouds." (2.10.43)

Shiva’s Personality – Ashutosha

From being simple-hearted to being tricky, from being easily pleased to blazing with anger, Lord Shiva displays many facets of personality, all in the service of his dear Lord Sri Krishna. He exhibits dependence on Krishna and His devotees as well as surrender and service to them.

One of the prominent attributes of Lord Shiva is being quickly pleased with anyone. Amongst all the demigods, Lord Shiva can be pacified even by the lowest class of men, who need only offer him obeisances and leaves of a bael tree. Thus his name is Ashutosha, which means that he is pleased very quickly. Being Ashutosha, Shiva is approached by various types of beings – demigods, demons, pious and impious human beings, devotees of Krishna, and so on. However, as Lord Shiva knows the intentions of everyone, he tricks the demons, satisfies the materialists, blesses the simple-hearted with devotional service to the Supreme Lord, offers heartfelt benedictions to devotees, and associates with advanced devotees. In this way Lord Shiva blesses different people according to their position and at the same time exhibits his devotion unto the Lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.

Shiva’s Mercy on the Vaishnavas

Although Lord Shiva bestows benedictions upon devotees and demons alike, there is a gulf of difference in the way he blesses them. He is always pleased with the pure devotees of Lord Krishna, as he himself says:

yah param ramhasah sakshat
tri-gunaj jiva-samjnitat
bhagavantam vasudevam
prapannah sa priyo hi me

“Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, the controller of everything – material nature as well as the living entity – is actually very dear to me.” (4.24.28)

How much he is pleased with Krishna’s devotees can be seen in how he sometimes appears before them even uninvited. For example, the Pracetas were the ten sons of Pracinabarhi, a king in the dynasty of Dhruva Maharaja. Before taking charge of the kingdom, they went to perform devotional austerities to please Lord Krishna. Knowing this, Lord Shiva came before them to bestow his mercy upon them by guiding them in devotional service. Thus He taught them the Rudra-gita. (Canto 4, Chapter 24)

Similarly, Lord Shiva came to Markandeya Rishi, a great devotee of the Supreme Lord, glorified his devotional attributes, and gave him benedictions of knowledge, renunciation, realization of Krishna, and the post of spiritual master of the Puranas. (Canto 12, Chapter 10)

Shiva’s Mercy on the Demons

Although Lord Shiva is easily pleased and his mercy is easily available to Krishna’s devotees, demons and others have to undergo at least some endeavor to please him. He uses these demons to show his dependence upon his worshipable Lord Krishna. He also tricks them by offering them benedictions that seem to favor them but ultimately lead to their destruction. Shalva, Ravana, Bana, Jayadratha, and Kashiraja were among the various materialistic and demoniac people eventually destroyed even though they had summoned Lord Shiva by their austerities and received benedictions from him. Shiva appears before demons in an official capacity, as required by his post.

One example is the demon Vrikasura, who worshiped Lord Shiva by offering pieces of his own flesh as oblations into fire. When Shiva did not appear before him, Vrika prepared to cut off his own head. Then the supremely merciful Lord Shiva rose up out of the sacrificial fire and stopped him, offering him whatever boon he chose.

Vrika said, “May death come to whomever I touch upon the head with my hand.”

Upon hearing this, Lord Shiva seemed somewhat disturbed. Nonetheless, he was obliged to reciprocate and vibrated om to signify his assent, granting Vrika the benediction with an ironic smile, as if giving milk to a poisonous snake.

Wicked Vrika tried to test the benediction by putting his hand on Shiva’s head. Terrified, Shiva fled and finally reached Lord Vishnu in Shvetadvipa. Vishnu disguised Himself as a young student, went before Vrikasura, and bewildered him to put his hand on his own head, thus causing his destruction. (Canto Ten, Chapter Eighty-eight)

Thus the benedictions Lord Shiva gives to the demons generally end up glorifying Vishnu as the ultimate protector. Shiva thus takes pleasure in praising his beloved Lord.

Shiva’s Anger

Another aspect of Lord Shiva’s personality is his anger. He exhibits anger as part of his position as the destroyer of the universe. His anger, however, is born out of his compassion as well as his intolerance in seeing conditioned souls wasting time by not taking to devotional service.

In an episode related in the Fourth Canto, Lord Shiva once exhibited anger toward Daksha, a leading progenitor in the universe. Although Daksha insulted Shiva at a great sacrifice, Shiva's anger was aroused not because Daksha insulted him but because Daksha later caused the death of Sati, his own daughter and Shiva's dear devoted wife. When Shiva heard from Narada Muni that Sati was now dead because of Daksha’s insulting her, Shiva became greatly angry and created Virabhadra from his hair and ordered him to kill Daksha. (Canto Four, Chapter Five)

As a dutiful father and spiritual master of all beings, Lord Shiva uses anger to rectify people. In the context of the Daksha episode, he told Lord Brahma that he doesn’t take the offenses of the demigods seriously, but punishes them only to reform them as a teacher. (4.7.2) In this way Lord Shiva uses his anger in the service of the Lord to rectify the living beings and never for his own ends.

Shiva’s Benevolence

When the demigods and the demons churned the ocean of milk (Canto Eight), deadly poison came out in the beginning. Being helpless, they all took shelter of Lord Shiva, offering him fervent prayers. Always benevolent toward all living entities, Lord Shiva said to his consort, Sati:

It is my duty to give protection and safety to all living entities struggling for existence. Certainly it is the duty of the master to protect his suffering dependents.

People in general, being bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are always engaged in animosity toward one another. But devotees, even at the risk of their own temporary lives, try to save them. My dear gentle wife Bhavani, when one performs benevolent activities for others, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is very pleased. And when the Lord is pleased, I am also pleased, along with all other living creatures. Therefore, let me drink this poison, for all the living entities may thus become happy because of me. (8.7.38–40)

Shukadeva Goswami relates, "Bhavani, who knew perfectly well Lord Shiva’s mood and capabilities, gave him her permission." (8.7.41) Auspicious Shiva drank the poison for the benefit of everyone. The poison created a blue line on his neck that it is now accepted as an ornament of Lord Shiva.

Shukadeva Goswami comments:

tapyante loka-tapena
sadhavah prayasho jana
paramaradhanam tad dhi
purushasyakhilatmanah

"Great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshiping the Supreme Lord, who is present in everyone's heart." (8.7.44)

Thus Lord Shiva’s attributes of mercy, anger, and benevolence and his various activities display his great character and devotion to the Supreme Lord Vishnu. In his great devotional ecstasy, he even holds on his head the water that emanates from the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord (the Ganges). He is the epitome of devotion to Vishnu, and thus is the topmost Vaishnava.