Sri Nityananda Trayodashi 1st Feb

Appearance of Lord Nityananda

This year, the appearance day of Lord Nityananda is on Sunday, February 1, 2015. Devotees glorify the merciful avatar, Nityananda who was Balarama in Krishna’s pastimes. He accompanied Lord Chaitanya in spreading the holy names to save the most fallen souls. Devotees fast til Noon.

Summary of CC Adi-Lila Chapter 5: The Glories Of Lord Nityananda Balarama

This chapter is chiefly devoted to describing the essential nature and glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Lord Sri Krishna is the absolute Personality of Godhead, and His first expansion in a form for pastimes is Sri Balarama.

Beyond the limitation of this material world is the spiritual sky, paravyoma, which has many spiritual planets, the supreme of which is called Krishnaloka. Krishnaloka, the abode of Krishna, has three divisions, which are known as Dvaraka, Mathura and Gokula. In that abode the Personality of Godhead expands Himself into four plenary portions — Krishna, Balarama, Pradyumna (the transcendental Cupid) and Aniruddha. They are known as the original quadruple forms.

In Krishnaloka is a transcendental place known as Svetadvipa or Vrindavana. Below Krishnaloka in the spiritual sky are the Vaikuntha planets. On each Vaikuntha planet a four-handed Narayana, expanded from the first quadruple manifestation, is present. The Personality of Godhead known as Sri Balarama in Krishnaloka is the original Sankarshana (attracting Deity), and from this Sankarshana expands another Sankarshana, called Maha-sankarshana, who resides in one of the Vaikuntha planets. By His internal potency, Maha-sankarshana maintains the transcendental existence of all the planets in the spiritual sky, where all the living beings are eternally liberated souls. The influence of the material energy is conspicuous there by its absence. On those planets the second quadruple manifestation is present.

Outside of the Vaikuntha planets is the impersonal manifestation of Sri Krishna, which is known as Brahmaloka. On the other side of Brahmaloka is the spiritual karana-samudra, or Causal Ocean. The material energy exists on the other side of the Causal Ocean, without touching it. In the Causal Ocean is Maha-Vishnu, the original purusha expansion from Sankarshana. Maha-Vishnu places His glance over the material energy, and by a reflection of His transcendental body He amalgamates Himself within the material elements.

As the source of the material elements, the material energy is known as pradhana, and as the source of the manifestations of the material energy it is known as maya. But material nature is inert in that she has no independent power to do anything. She is empowered to make the cosmic manifestation by the glance of Maha-Vishnu. Therefore the material energy is not the original cause of the material manifestation. Rather, the transcendental glance of Maha-Vishnu over material nature produces that cosmic manifestation.

Maha-Vishnu again enters every universe as the reservoir of all living entities, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu. From Garbhodakasayi Vishnu expands Kshirodakasayi Vishnu, the Supersoul of every living entity. Garbhodakasayi Vishnu also has His own Vaikuntha planet in every universe, where He lives as the Supersoul or supreme controller of the universe. Garbhodakasayi Vishnu reclines in the midst of the watery portion of the universe and generates the first living creature of the universe, Brahma. The imaginary universal form is a partial manifestation of Garbhodakasayi Vishnu.

On the Vaikuntha planet in every universe is an ocean of milk, and within that ocean is an island called Svetadvipa, where Lord Vishnu lives. Therefore this chapter describes two Svetadvipas — one in the abode of Krishna and the other in the ocean of milk in every universe. The Svetadvipa in the abode of Krishna is identical with Vrindavana-dhama, which is the place where Krishna appears Himself to display His loving pastimes. In the Svetadvipa within every universe is a Sesha form of Godhead who serves Vishnu by assuming the form of His umbrella, slippers, couch, pillows, garments, residence, sacred thread, throne and so on.

Lord Baladeva in Krishnaloka is Nityananda Prabhu. Therefore Nityananda Prabhu is the original Sankarshana, and Maha-sankarshana and His expansions as the purushas in the universes are plenary expansions of Nityananda Prabhu.

In this chapter the author has described the history of his leaving home for a personal pilgrimage to Vrindavana and his achieving all success there. In this description it is revealed that the author’s original paternal home and birthplace were in the district of Katwa, in the village of Jhamatapura, which is near Naihati. Krishnadasa Kaviraja’s brother invited Sri Minaketana Ramadasa, a great devotee of Lord Nityananda, to his home, but a priest named Gunarnava Misra did not receive him well, and Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami’s brother, not recognizing the glories of Lord Nityananda, also took sides with the priest. Therefore Ramadasa became sorry, broke his flute and went away. This was a great disaster for the brother of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. But on that very night Lord Nityananda Prabhu Himself graced Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami in a dream and ordered him to leave on the next day for Vrindavana.

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The place where Nityananda Prabhu appeared is called Garbhavasa. Near Garbhavāsa is a place called Bakulatala, where Sri Nityananda Prabhu and His boyfriends used to take part in sporting activities known as jhala-jhapeta. There is a bakula tree there that is wonderful because all its branches and subbranches look like the hoods of serpents. It has been suggested that by the desire of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Anantadeva manifested Himself in that way. The tree is very old. It is said that formerly it had two trunks, but later on, when the playmates of Nityananda Prabhu felt inconvenience in jumping from the branches of one trunk to those of the another, Nityananda Prabhu, by His mercy, merged the two trunks into one.

Another place nearby is named Hantugada. It is said that Lord Nityananda Prabhu brought all the holy places there. Therefore the people in the surrounding villages go there instead of to the Ganges to take bath. It is named Hantugada because Srila Nityananda Prabhu used to perform the dadhi-ciḍa festival of distributing chipped rice with yogurt prasada there and He took the prasada kneeling down.

A sanctified lake in this place is always full of water throughout the year. A great fair is held there during Gosṭhastami, and there is another big fair on the birthday of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. In the Gaura-gaṇoddesa-dipika it is described that Halayudha, Baladeva, Visvarupa and Sankarsana appeared as Nityananda Avadhuta.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 13: The Advent of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Adi 13.61

After this function at the house of Srivasa Ṭhakura, Nityananda Prabhu appeared, and when He met with Lord Caitanya He got the opportunity to see Him in His six-armed form.

purport

The form of Saḍ-bhuja, the six-armed Lord Gaurasundara, is a representation of three incarnations. The form of Sri Ramacandra is symbolized by a bow and arrow, the form of Lord Sri Kṛsna is symbolized by a stick and flute like those generally held by a cowherd boy, and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is symbolized by a sannyasa-daṇḍa and kamaṇdalu, or waterpot.Srila Nityananda Prabhu was born in the village of Ekacakra in the district of Birbhum as the son of Padmavati and Hadai Paṇḍita. In His childhood He played like Balarama. When He was growing up, a sannyasi came to the house of Hadai Paṇḍita, begging to have the paṇḍita's son as his brahmacari assistant.

Hadai Paṇḍita immediately agreed and delivered his son to him, although the separation was greatly shocking, so much so that Hadai lost his life after the separation. Nityananda Prabhu traveled on many pilgrimages with the sannyasi. It is said that for many days He lived at Mathura with him, and at that time He heard about Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes in Navadvipa. Therefore He came down to Bengal to see the Lord. When Lord Nityananda came to Navadvipa, He was a guest at the house of Nandana Acarya. Understanding that Nityananda Prabhu had arrived, Lord Caitanya sent His devotees to Him, and thus there was a meeting between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 17: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His Youth : Adi 17.12 :

Lone Wolf re: Aniruddha das

Related story: http://krishna1008.blogspot.com/2015/01/pradyumna-das-today.html


Lone Wolf: I’m sharing another video here about Aniruddha, who is Pradyumna’s son, not for gossip’s sake, but to illustrate what the tragedy of ISKCON’s illegal takeover by phony gurus has done to what was once a nice Krsna conscious family, an historic Hare Krsna family actually.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on9jTfYXfHA

Aniruddha was a beautiful devotee boy when he was younger. I’m not sure exactly what happened to him or his mother, but Srila Prabhupada wrote these famous words to his mom, Arundhati-devi dasi, on July 30, 1972:

“Child-worship is more important than deity-worship. If you cannot spend time with him, then stop the duties of pujari. At least you must take good care of your son until he is four years old, and if after that time you are unable any more to take care of him then I shall take care. These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaishnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused.”

I know an ex-gurukuli boy who sadly committed suicide a few years ago. He was the son of a once famous ISKCON temple president.

ISKCON’s history is unfortunately riddled with one such tragedy after another. Why? Srila Prabhupada set up ISKCON to be the saving grace of humanity, but instead it’s turning into a graveyard of ghostly and ghastly stories like the one above. All because a handful of selfish men colluded together to usurp the mission of Krsna’s pure devotee, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

They wanted (and want) to enjoy the opulences of the spiritual master (guru bhogis) at any cost, and so they are destroying so many promising lives -- right, left and center -- leaving behind a trail of broken and dead bodies in their wake. What a shame, what a crying shame. May Krsna and Prabhupada please save us all.

[PADA: Correct, and as soon as we helped save several hundred of these children from being in these schools, if not suicide, we were beaten with shoes, because some people actually wanted these children to just "disappear." And these children knew that, that they were being ignored, shunned and marginalized, and this caused them to suffer and feel all the more alienated. So this is a big problem, the children's situation was never properly acknowledged and rectified. ys pd] 

Vaishnava Calendar Feb 2015

1 Nityananda Triyodasi (app) (fasting till noon)

3 Purnima
   Krishna Madhurya Utsava
   App of Narrottam Das Thakur

8 Appearance of Srila Saraswati Thakura  (fasting till noon)
   Disappearance of Puroshottama Das Thakur

15 Vijaya Ekadasi
     Dissappearance of Sri Isvara Puri

17 Shiva Ratri

18 Amavasya

19 Sri Jaggnatha das Babaji (dis)
     Sri Rasikananda (dis)

21 Sri Prusottama Das Thakura (app)

28 Amalika vrata Ekadasi

Krishna Balarama Swami update

http://www.krsna.org/MyMission/mymission11-3.php

[PADA: Krishna Balarama swami recounts some of his bad experiences with the GBC guru program herein. Unfortunately, he is also saying -- Westerners cannot ever become as pure as India's folks. He is also declaring himself to be "acharya number 33" in the parampara, which is what the GBC gurus are also doing. He is also alleged to be writing his own Gita, and there are other complaints and so forth. 

He is basically following the GBC gurus off the cliff of self-aggrandizement. Similarly, some of the Gaudiya Matha folks complained that the GBC gurus are bogus, and no one should imitate the param guru, then they declared -- they are also gurus -- ummm, like the GBC is doing! 

"The GBC are terrible gurus! Therefore, I am the guru"! Seriously dude?

NOTICE! On another level, over the years a lot of these same people have ALSO said, "Oh nobody likes the PADA style of complaining about the GBC gurus." Really? Meanwhile almost everyone of these folks is NOWADAYS copying the PADA style of writing -- by complaining about the GBC's gurus, including: Various God brothers and sisters; The IRM, Gaudiya Matha folks, Narayan Maharaja folks, Sridhara Maharaja folks, general media reports, police, FBI, etc. Yep, no one likes PADA, however, almost everyone of these folks copies and pastes from PADA, or at least uses our style of writing complaints. 

"We hate PADA so much, we are going to -- imitate and copy and paste from PADA"!  

Heh, heh, heh! 

In any case this falls on the heads of the GBC leaders, they invited all this criticism by their odious behavior, and they drove almost everyone out and emptied out ISKCON, and simultaneously they spawned multiple competing guru programs, in sum they created a huge mass of protests from every quarter. We are sad to see so many of the protesters are starting to take the GBC's guru bait and claim to be gurus themselves. This is like saying, "Everyone who thinks they are Jesus in the mental hospital is foolish, but not to worry, I am the next Jesus," 

I have to take my percodans now, this is giving me a headache. ys pd]  

Bhagavat Maharaja on "Prabhupada" title

Lord Brahma, founder of the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Parampara

Bhagavat Maharaja: Here is the actual details to the story. In 1958 there was a meeting at Keshavji Gaudiya Math of the main sannysis of Srila Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada presided over by Srila Bhakti Prjnana Kesava Maharaja the sannyas Guru of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja's guru. At that time the sannyasis made a vow that none of them would use the title of Prabhupada and that none of their decedents would either.

The Title would be exclusively reserved for SBSST. When Srila Prabhupada's disciples put the big banner with Srila Prabhupada's name on the gateway to the ISKCON property in Mayapur it caused and uproar with the God brothers. Srila Narayan Maharaja Srila Trivikrama Maharaja and Srila Vaman Maharaja refused to come to the corner stone laying ceremony because they said that their Guru has ordered them to only use the title Prabhupada for SBSST and no one else. 

[PADA: Except the title "Prabhupada" is meant for a person who is delivering Krishna to the world, and the acharya is deputed by Krishna direct (saksad hari), thus he is NOT someone whose actions or titles can be decided by various meetings and votes? Meanwhile Srila Prabhupada complains he was not even invited to their meeting, nor was he invited to countless other meetings of his God brothers because they were saying he was a "paccha grihastha" (rotten householder). They were shunning him. Why should their "meetings" have any impact on what he is doing anyway? 

And what was the result of the Gaudiya Matha folks meetings? The God brothers were appointing unqualified people (Srila Prabhupada said "unfit" persons) to the post of acharyas. Srila Prabhupada said this resulted in -- another man comes to be acharya, then another man comes, then another man comes, and they kept falling down. And in some camps the acharyas do not even last for one year before they are falling. And in this way he says, they killed guru to become guru. So he was not interested in their guru rubber stamp process, just like we his followers are not interested in this program of rubber stamping conditioned souls as acharyas.  

In other words the Gaudiya Matha was not agreeing with Srila Prabhupada that the acharyas have to be pure souls, and not conditioned souls. And the result of their appointing conditioned souls to be their acharyas is that dissenters were beaten and killed and this made horrible news media stories against the Gaudiya Matha, and this destroyed the mission for the most part. 

And this is also what happened after 1977, various Gaudiya Math "advisors" backed the GBC's 11 gurus, and some of us dissenters were assassinated, and there was bad media coverage ad infinitum. In sum, history repeated because these folks never understood that conditioned souls cannot take the post of acharyas. They even had homosexual acharyas, and so did ISKCON, exact same history repeated by the same exact people like Sridhara Maharaja who were promoters and "advisors" in both cases. 

Acharyas are in any case not subordinated to their God brothers meetings, votes and conjecture over what titles they are allowed to use or not use? Krishna is the Supreme Being whom empowers the acharyas. And thus Krishna is the person who decides how His acharyas are to be recognized with what titles. The acharya transcends the policies made by others, including his God brothers. 

Even in my own case, many of my own God brothers mostly objected to what I was doing as well. They thought that our objecting to the GBC's illicit sex acharyas program was "being offensive." However, the idea that acharyas are not debauchees transcends their criticism because it is Krishna's direct statement "acharyam mam vijnaniyam" "the acharya is as pure as Myself" -- and that is what we are citing. 

We even have our God brothers like Bhakta das still saying our preaching is potty mouth, and that we should work with members of the GBC's illicit sex guru program. OK and this is how our brothers enabled and empowered the illicit sex acharyas program, just like Srila Prabhupada's God brothers enabled and empowered their illicit sex messiah's project. This project is not approved by Krishna, because Srila Prabhupada told us it is unauthorized and they are "severe offenders."  

We therefore do not need the rubber stamp of our God brothers for their approval to cite Krishna direct, thus we are operating on a higher principle, i.e. Krishna's declaration that His acharyas are always pure. Srila Prabhupada has way more authority than we do, millions of times more, thus he is above the criticisms of his God brothers as well. None of my God brothers has been able to defeat our saying that acharyas are not debauchees, and they never will, because it is Krishna's statement that His acharyas are as pure as He is, they cannot defeat Krishna and they never will, ever.   

The Gaudiya Matha God brothers objected to the title of "Prabhupada," and so they were calling Srila Prabhupada "swami maharaja," which Srila Prabhupada said was a much lesser title, and that was fine for them, but he said they have no authority to challenge his use of that title by his disciples. His disciples get to use whatever title they use and is approved by the acharya, and its not in the purview of the God brothers to interfere in such guru and disciple relations. Sridhara Maharaja was in fact famous for saying exactly that, NONE of the God brothers should interfere with the guru and his disciples. These God brothers are not following their own rules. 

At that 1972 Mayapura meeting there was a lot of tension because Srila Prabhupada actually ended up saying, these God brothers are very envious of me and they may try to harm me. Narayana Maharaja was meeting with the critical and angry group of God brothers who were objecting. And according to BV Puri maharaja, Narayan Maharaja was one of the ring leaders in stirring up the pot of resentment against Srila Prabhupada. That is what BV Puri Maharaja was mentioning, that Narayan Maharaja was part of the group that was fomenting agitation against Srila Prabhupada. This agitation was so vociferous, Srila Prabhupada said, these folks could have him harmed or even killed by creating the impression he is envious of the acharyas and so on.

We know very well how this process works since our own God brothers called me and Sulochana envious and offensive, and their idea was, to foment agitation against us -- which could get us harmed or killed. And they did get Sulochana killed by their demonizing us. And after 1977 Narayana Maharaja was calling us "ritvik poison" because we would not worship the GBC's homosexual acharyas, and his and the GBC's calling us "poison" is how some of us were beaten and killed, we were demonized and then hunted like dogs.]

BM: They felt obligated by their guru nistha to not attend the ceremony unless Srila Prabhupada stopped calling himself by that title. Their guru not being present on the planet any longer they had to abide by the last instruction.

[PADA: Srila Prabhupada never mentioned any such meetings or instructions, he simply said -- they are envious of my title. We are in any case supposed to follow the acharya, and since he is the acharya, he is above any such meetings and agreements. The God brothers were also criticizing: our having women on our party, making mlecchas into brahmanas, and so on and so forth, they had a huge laundry list of complaints, and the name "Prabhupada" was merely one item on their laundry list. They were attacking everything he was doing, not only the one point that he was using a title they objected to. In any case, most of them went on calling Srila Prabhupada "swami maharaja" which was their way of averting using the title of "Prabhupada." We thought that was a less calibre title meant to minimize Srila Prabhupada, and he agreed, he said they are envious of the "Prabhupada" title.]  

BM: Srila Prabhupada had a meeting with his god brothers about using the title and he made the following points, I am not using the title my disciples are using it and I cannot stop their faith. I was in Vrndavan when you had the meeting why didn't you invite me if you had invited me I would have made the vow with you. But you did not invite me so I have n obligation to follow that and discourage my disciples. Once Srila Prabhupada told me in a dream that SBSST gave him permission to use the title Srila Prabhupada he awarded it to him for his preaching.

[PADA: Right, Srila Prabhupada never made a vow with them, nor was he inclined to go to their meetings. Nor did he agree that any of them were acharyas, rather he said "among my God brothers no one is qualified to be acharya." Nor did he agree with their guru appointment system and so forth. And they ALSO did not agree with his policy of adding women to the party and so forth, they simply could not understand what he was doing, so they criticized. And as a result Srila Prabhupada said his God brothers gave him "depression, repression, oppression" and my post 1977 God brothers did the same thing to me, they demonized me to get me banned if not killed.] 

BM: Later in Vrindavan Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja met and Srila Prabhupada explained everything to Srila Narayan Maharaja and Srila Narayan Maharaja accepted his use of the title Prabhupada. So this is the actual story behind what Srila Puri Maharaja explains.

[PADA: Except Narayana Maharaja kept using the title "swami maharaja." And NM also said Srila Prabhupada is wrong to say we all came originally from Krishna's leela or sport; That ISKCON is wrong to have Narasimgha deities in Radha Krishna temples; That Srila Prabhupada's yani kani prayers are karma kanda; That Srila Prabhupada's books are chasing people away from Krishna; That there will be no Kalki avatar this Kali yuga; That the worst case offensive leaders of the homosexual guru's program like Tamal are "Radha's dear Tamal tree"; and so on and so forth. In any case BV Puri did say that the 11 had only been appointed as ritviks, at least he was honest enough to clear that up. 

Narayana Maharaja invited me to his ashram to talk to me, and he left me sitting outside his room for ten hours without meeting me, then he sneaked out the back door and left the property. Even farmers in Kansas have better understanding of vaishnava etiquette than this. ys pd]    

Bhaima Ekadasi Jan 30th

Bhaima Ekadasi is Jan 30th in California

"Bhaimi Ekadasi (Jaya Ekadasi) It is said that if one observes upavasa on this day then one receives entrance to Visnu's abode, even though one has not performed the other vratas of the year. NOTE: The half day fast (vrata) for the appearance of Lord Varahadev is also observed on this Ekadasi day, and the utsav (festival celebration - pujas and feasting, etc.) is observed on the Dvadasi, which is when He appeared.

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "Oh Lord of the lords, Sri Krishna, all glories unto You! Oh Master of the universe, You alone are the source of the four types of living entities " those born from eggs, " those born from perspiration, " those born from seeds and " those born from embryos. You alone are the root cause of all, Oh Lord, and therefore You are the creator, maintainer and destroyer. "My Lord, You have so kindly explained to me the auspicious day known as Sat-tila Ekadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Magha (January - February). Now please explain to me the Ekadasi that occurs in the light fortnight (shukla or Gaura paksha) of this month. By what name is it known, and what is the process for observing it? Who is the presiding Deity that is to be worshipped on this sublime day, which is so very dear to You?

Lord Sri Krishna replied, "Oh Yudhisthira, I shall gladly tell you about the Ekadasi that occurs during the light half of this month of Magha. This Ekadasi obliterates all kinds of sinful reactions and demoniac influences that may be affecting the spirit soul. It is known as Jaya Ekadasi, and the fortunate soul who observes a fast on this sacred day is relieved of the great burden of ghostly existence. Thus there is no better Ekadasi than this, for it truly bestows freedom from birth and death. It is to be honoured very carefully and diligently. So you to listen to Me very attentively, Oh Pandava, as I explain a wonderful historic episode regarding this Ekadasi, an episode that I have already related in the Padma Purana. Long, long ago in the heavenly planets, Lord Indra ruled his celestial kingdom very nicely, and all the devas (demigods) living there were very happy and content.

In Nandana Forest, which was beautifully graced with Parijata Flowers, Indra drank ambrosia whenever he liked and enjoyed the service of fifty million celestial maidens, the Apsaras, who danced in ecstasy for his pleasure. Many singers, led by Pushpadanta, sang in sweet voices beyond compare. Chitrasena, Indra's chief musician was there in the company of his wife Malini and his handsome son Malyavan. An Apsara named Pushpavati became very much attracted to Malyavan; indeed Cupid's sharp arrows pierced the core of her heart. Her beautiful body and complexion, along with the enchanting movements of her eyebrows, captivated Malayavan. "Oh King, listen as I describe the splendid beauty of Pushpavati: She has incomparably graceful arms with which to embrace a man like a fine silken noose; her face resembles the Moon; her lotus eyes reached almost to her lovely ears, which were adorned with wonderful and costly ear-rings; her thin, ornamented neck looked like a conch, having three lines; her waist was very slender, the size of a fist; her hips were broad, and her thighs like the trunks of banana trees; her naturally beautiful features were complemented by gorgeous ornaments and garments; her breasts were highly raised emphasizing her prime of youth; and to look upon her feet was to behold newly grown red lotuses.

Seeing Pushpavati in all her heavenly beauty, Malyavan was bewitched at once. They had come with the other performers to please Lord Indra by singing and dancing enchantingly, but because they had become so enamored of each other, pierced through the heart by the arrows of Cupid, lust personified, they were utterly unable to sing or dance properly before the lord and master of the heavenly realms. Their pronunciation was wrong and their rhythm careless. Lord Indra understood the source of the errors at once. Offended at the discord in the musical performance, he became very angry and screamed, "You useless fools! You pretend to sing for me while in a stupour of infatuation with each other! You are mocking me! I curse you both to suffer henceforth as pisachas (hobgoblins).

As husband and wife, go to the earthly regions and reap the reactions of your offenses.' Struck dumb by these harsh words, Malyavan and Pushpavati at once became morose and fell from the beautiful Nandana Forest in the kingdom of heaven to a Himalayan peak here on planet Earth. Immeasurably distressed, and their celestial intelligence vastly diminished by the effects of lord Indra's fierce curse, they lost their sense of taste and smell, and even their sense of touch. It was so cold and miserable high on the Himalayan wastes of snow and ice that they could not even enjoy the oblivion of sleep. "Roaming aimlessly hither and thither in those harsh altitudes, Malyavan and Pushpavati suffered more and more, from one moment to the next. Even though they were situated in a cave, because of the snowfall and cold their teeth chattered ceaselessly, and their hair stood on end because of their fright and bewilderment.

In this utterly desperate situation, Malyavan said to Pushpavati, 'What abominable sins did we commit to have to suffer in these pisacha bodies, in this impossible environment? This is absolutely hellish! Though hell is very ferocious, the suffering we are undergoing here is even more abominable. Therefore it is abundantly clear that one should never commit sins." 

And so the forlorn lovers trudged onward in the snow and ice. By their great good fortune, however, it so happened that very day was the all auspicious Jaya (Bhaimi) Ekadasi, the Ekadasi of the light fortnight of the month of Magha. Because of their misery they neglected to drink any water, kill any game, or even eat whatever fruits and leaves were available at that altitude, they unknowingly observed Ekadasi by fasting completely from all food and drink. Sunk in misery Malyavn and Pushpavati collapsed beneath a Pipal tree and did not even try to get up. 

The Sun had set by that time. The night was even colder and more miserable than the day. They shivered in the frigid snowfall as their teeth chattered in unison, and when they became numb, they embraced just to keep warm. Locked in each others arms, they could not enjoy neither sleep nor sex. Thus they suffered through the whole night under the powerful curse of the deva Indra. "Still, Oh Yudhisthira, by the mercy of the fast they had by chance (unknowingly) observed on Jaya Ekadasi, and because they had remained awake all night, they were blessed. Please hear what happened on the next day.

As Dwdasi dawned, Malyavn and Pushpavati had given up their demoniac forms and were once again beautiful heavenly beings wearing lustrous ornaments and exquisite garments. As they both looked at each other in amazement, a celestial airplane (vimana) arrived on the spot for them. A chorus of heavenly denizens sang their praises as the reformed couple stepped into the beautiful aircraft and proceeded directly to the heavenly regions, buoyed up by the good wishes of everyone. Soon Malyavan and Pushpavati arrived at Amaravati, Lord Indra's capital city, and then they immediately went before their lord (Indradev) and offered him their cheerful obeisances. "Lord Indra was astonished to see that they had been transformed, restored to their original status and forms so soon after he had cursed them to suffer as demons far, far below his celestial kingdom. 

Indradeva ask of them, 'What extraordinary meritorious deeds have you performed so that you could give up your pisacha bodies so quickly after I cursed you? Who released you from my irresistible curse? "Malyavan replied, 'Oh lord, it was by the extreme mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna (Vasudeva) and also by the powerful influence of the Jaya Ekadasi, that we were released from our suffering condition as pisachas. This is the truth, Oh master, because we executed devotional service to Lord Vishnu (even performed unknowingly - by ajnata sukriti) by observing the day most dear to Him, we have happily been restored to our former status." "Indradev then said, 'Because you served the Supreme Lord Sri Keshava by observing Ekadasi, you have become worshippable even by me, and I can see that you are now completely purified of sin.

Whosoever engages in devotional service to Lord Sri Hari or Lord Shiva becomes praiseworthy and worshippable even by me. Of this there is no doubt.' Lord Indradev then gave Malyavan and Pushpavati free rein to enjoy each other and wander about his heavenly planet as they wished. "Therefore, Oh Maharaj Yudhisthira, one should strictly observe a fast on the sacred day of Lord Hari, especially on this Jaya Ekadasi, which frees one from the sin of killing even a twice born brahmin. A great soul who observes this fast with full faith and devotion has in effect given all kinds of charity, performed all kinds of sacrifice, and bathed in all the Holy places of pilgrimage.

Fasting on Jaya Ekadasi qualifies one to reside in Vaikuntha and enjoy unending happiness for billions of yugas - indeed, forever as the soul is eternal. Oh great king, Lord Sri Krishna continued, one who even hears or reads these wonderful glories of Jaya Ekadasi achieves the blessed merit attained by performing an Agnistoma fire sacrifice, during which the hymns from the Sama-veda are recited." 

Note on Cupid: Kamadeva, lust personified, has five names according to the Amara-kosha dictionary: kandarpa darpako 'nanga kamah pancha-sharaih smarah "Cupid has five names; (1) Cupid; (2) Darpaka, 'he who prevents future events'; (3) Ananga, 'he who has no physical body'; (4) Kama, 'lust personified'; and (5) Pancha-sharaih, 'he who holds five arrows' ". Kandarpa: In the tenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (BG 10:28.) Lord Sri Krishna says, prajanash casmi kandarpah; "Of causes for procreation, I am Kandarpa". 

The word Kandarpa also means "very beautiful". Kandarpa appeared as Lord Krishna's son Pradyumna in Dwaraka. Darpaka: This name indicates that Cupid can perceive what is to take place and prevent it from happening. Specifically, he tries to impede pure spiritual activity by alluring one's mind and forcibly engaging one in material sense enjoyment. Ananga: Once, when Cupid disturbed the meditation of Lord Shiva, that powerful deva (demigod) burned him (Cupid) to ashes. Still, Shiva gave Cupid the benediction that he would act in the world even without a physical body - like a ghost. Kama: In Bhagavad Gita BG 7:11.) 

Lord Sri Krishna says, dharmaviruddho bhuteshu kamo'smi: "I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles." Pancha-sharaih: The five arrows with which Cupid pierces the mind of the living entities are taste, touch, sound, smell, and sight. These are the five names of the empowered deva Cupid, who enchants all living entities and makes them do whatever he wants. Without receiving the mercy of Guru and Krishna one cannot resist his power. Thus ends the narration of the glories of Magha-shukla Ekadasii, or Jaya Ekadasi, from the Bhavishya-uttara Purana."

Radha Kunda Parikrama

Prabhupada lectures Translated in Spanish

http://www.ivoox.com/1ra-srila-prabhupada-clase-audios-mp3_rf_1660132_1.html

[PADA: I do not know how accurate this translation is, but the idea is great, we should have people translate these lectures into other languages. ys pd]

Hinduism Is a Way of Life

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alka-pratap/why-i-find-the-hindu-way-_b_6554862.html

[PADA: Describes pretty much how Hindus worship a lot of Gods and demigods (and are thus not always sure which one is the original deity). ys pd] 

GBC Bans Chanting "Radhe"

[PADA: Main problem being, the GBC has no credibility on any of their edicts anymore, whether they are wrong or even sometimes right. ys pd]

Pradyumna das Today

[PADA: This is Pradyumna das (Paul Sherbow) today. He was one of the best scholars ISKCON had in 1977. He wrote a nice letter to the GBC in 1978 pointing out the hazards of their "appointed guru" system, saying in essence, that the GBC had no authority to claim that they are acharyas. He also predicted that ISKCON would be engaged in all sorts guru aparadha by the 11 artificially posing as acharyas, and he further predicted ISKCON would descend into chaos with these 11 GBC gurus, which is what happened.

Unfortunately, he was booted out of ISKCON (like the rest of us dissenters) for objecting to their bogus guru system. And he sort of lost his enthusiasm to combat the GBC's gurus for all kinds of reasons. And according to different reports, Pradyumna sort of drifted off into other yoga societies and etc. and he basically lost his primary connection with ISKCON.

His son Aniruddha was recently arrested for making apparent death threats to a congress woman, since Aniruddha had become a sort of stalker of this woman. Many other ex-kulis ALSO ended up having all sorts of mental problems as well because, as some of them tell PADA, "we had no secure place in either ISKCON or the material society. We were outcasts everywhere."

Thus many ex-kulis felt mentally un-stable due to being unable to find a resting place in the ISKCON society, where they are basically not entirely welcome, and many were not really prepared very well for the material society, so they were having no secure resting place in either realm. Aniruddha drifted around ISKCON for years, but was never really able to "fit in," just like thousands of his contemporaries. And we think this has aided and abetted his ultimate downfall. He apparently became a very frustrated person due to having no place in either realm, and so we sympathize with his troubles. So this was all due to the bogus GBC's guru program, and Pradyumna was correct to point out these potential "chaos" problems.

At least some of the kulis credit PADA with helping them and they tell us, "no one else even tried to help us." So this was the second wave of disaster, first the parents were purged out, and then their children were purged out, causing mental distress all around, and the physical stress of having no secure place in either ISKCON or the material society which has taken a severe toll on a number of these ex-kulis.

Of course, we all recall how Srila Prabhupada had so much hope for these children like Aniruddha, and yet many of these children ALSO fell into a state of calamity due to the guru crisis. Thus, Pradyumna was a victim, his wife was a victim, his child was a victim, and so on. We heard that Pradyumna had drifted off to other programs other than Krishna consciousness, probably because he was tired of all the victimization the GBC was generating.

So this is very sad, the people Srila Prabhupada had wanted to become the brahmanas and scholars of ISKCON were basically -- booted out -- and replaced with a crew of low class criminals, who were then invited to take the scholar's places. And then ISKCON descended into criminal chaos, just as Pradyumna predicted it would. Nowadays some folks are arguing that "no one protested until much later." Nope! Myself, Pradyumna, Yasodanandan, Mahamsa, Veda Vyasa, Jadurani, Mrgendra, and many others protested, and basically we were all driven out, and made to walk the plank. That some of us survived at all is a sort of miracle, since objecting was basically a potential death warrant.

What is odd for us nowadays is that there are still some folks clinging to the notion that myself, Pradyumna, Yasodananda and others should NOT have protested because by our doing that we created controversies, confusion and this "ruined ISKCON" etc. Really? Maybe the people who allowed ISKCON to descend into this state of calamity by not helping our protest caused the calamity? Srimate Draupadi said that, you need to speak up or you are helping my attackers.

Even more odd to us is that we still see some die hard GBC sympathizer folks -- such as -- GBC guru followers / Gaura Govinda maharaja followers / Gaudiya Matha followers / Bhakta das and Hari Sauri and their HKC Jaipur disciples etc. are STILL saying that PADA's idea of protesting false acharyas for the past 35 years has caused all the chaos, controversy, contention and confusion since 1977. Nope, we say exactly what Pradyumna says, these 11 are not authorized to be acharyas.

We have the backing of the scholar sector. Its amazing to us that after seeing all the victimization, there are still a few die hard GBC folks and their hangers on like Bhakta das and his HKC Jaipur friends, who are still saying we are wrong to protest their illicit sex acharyas. That means there are people who still wanted to see their illicit sex program worshiped in ISKCON as their messiahs. Problem for these folks is, that we are turning this around and the number of PADA style protesters is growing while the number of GBC faithful is dwindling. Some of the ex-kulis said we did not protest boldly enough!

Of course, we also have the backing of the Berkeley Police, FBI, mass media, and so forth.

And if we would ask ANY group of teen-age students leaving a high school, ANYWHERE in the USA, "Are criminals, deviants, sexual predators, drug addicts, and debauchees part of a -- chain of God's pure guru successors," they will probably first of all slap us in the head for insulting their intelligence, then state -- "No! Categorically not! Debauchees are NOT EVER God's guru successors."

OK they would all agree with PADA, and they are not confused either? How come the average USA student is not confused about this issue, while many GBC sympathizer folks still are?

The fact that some so-called ISKCON folks are still "confused" about all this means simply, the average USA high school student could defeat all these GBC / Gaudiya Matha / Bhakta das / HKC Jaipur people in two seconds. Worse, even the village drunk is not confused about this, he agrees with PADA as well, deviants are not messiahs. How come the village drunk is not confused, even he knows deviants are not messiahs, while some "devotees" are sitting around in a state of confusion on this issue? Sulochana said the people who are confused about whether or not deviants can be gurus are "mindless zombies."

So while the GBC's groupies / Gaura Govinda Maharaja's groupies / Bhakta das and Hari Sauri's groupies over at HKC Jaipur are STILL complaining we "created confusion," meanwhile 99999999.9999999 percent of the rest of the world is not confused about this at all. After all, how many people believe that illicit sex is found in God's messiahs? The general mass of public ALL know that PADA is correct, deviants are not God's successors. Why are some people still drooling on themselves in a catatonic state unable to figure this out, especially at this state of affairs? Because they are in sympathy with the evil doers, otherwise what other explanation makes any sense? successors,

And since any teen age high school student can defeat all these assembled GBC's Groupies / GGM's groupies/ Gaudiya Matha's groupies / Bhakta das and his HKC Jaipur groupie disciples etc., we no longer even need the big scholars like Pradyumna to back us up. because its common PUBLIC knowledge in human society that debauchees are not messiahs, and that means we have the backing of almost cent percent of the general population.

Are we going to win on this issue? We already have won a long time ago, 9999999.99999 percent already agree! So when the GBC says we created confusion, it means we spoiled their illicit sex guru program. And now the HKC Jaipur is trying to revive the GBC's illicit sex messiahs program by helping and promoting its cheer leaders like Bhakta das and Hari Sauri, they do not get it, any high school child knows its wrong to worship illicit sex, this program is going down, they cannot revive it. The good news is that at least Bangalore devotees know that the worship of deviants is bogus and they are challenging this bogus program.

We hope the little clique that is still supporting the bogus messiahs will give it up, but whether they do or do not, we will continue to "cause confusion" by stating that deviants are not messiahs. OK you big India scholars! Not so fast! Over in India Radhanath has become the darling of the upper echelons, and he is preaching the debauchee guru program idea over there.

Sorry! Our saying that debauchees are not Lord Krishna's messiahs is what Pradyumna says, its what PADA affiliates say, its what almost every single USA high school student says, its also what Krishna says, ad infinitum! The solution for all this confusion? People need to stop listening to the GBC/ GGM / Gaudiya Matha / Bhakta das / Hari Sauri / and start listening to Srila Prabhupada!

Anyway, thanks for trying Pradyumna prabhu, you did more than most! ys pd]

=====================================

A person who cannot keep his faith in the words of his spiritual master but acts independently never receives the authority to chant the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the Vedas (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23):


yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ


"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed." This Vedic injunction is very important, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu supported it by His personal behavior. Believing in the words of His spiritual master, He introduced the saṅkīrtana movement, just as the present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started with belief in the words of our spiritual master. He wanted to preach, we believed in his words and tried somehow or other to fulfill them, and now this movement has become successful all over the world. Therefore faith in the words of the spiritual master and in the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the secret of success. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never disobeyed the orders of His spiritual master and stopped propagating the saṅkīrtana movement. Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, at the time of his passing away, ordered all his disciples to work conjointly to preach the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu all over the world. Later, however, some self-interested, foolish disciples disobeyed his orders. Each one of them wanted to become head of the mission, and they fought in the courts, neglecting the order of the spiritual master, and the entire mission was defeated. We are not proud of this; however, the truth must be explained. We believed in the words of our spiritual master and started in a humble way-in a helpless way-but due to the spiritual force of the order of the supreme authority, this movement has become successful.


C.C. Adi-lila 7.95-96
=================================

Church Scandals from 1850s Uncovered

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/28/lecherous-nuns-and-priests-murder-plots-and-cover-ups-meet-the-mother-superior-of-catholic-scandals.html

One of the sins the princess charged the convent with was that the nuns were venerating Firrao, a false saint. She was right, Sallua discovered to his horror, but there was also a rival for the nuns’ adoration.

Maria Luisa, at just 27 years of age, was the convent’s alluring novice mistress and vicaress. It turns out that Maria Luisa, who Katharina accused of the poisoning, was seen as an upstart fraud by the founder Firrao. She claimed to have visions from Mary and Jesus, and the nuns at the convent—including the abbess—believed she had miraculous powers. However, as Sallua discovered, she was a monster who used her supposed visions to entice novices into her bed, embezzle convent funds, and poison opponents.

[PADA:  Lecherous nuns? Murder plots? Embezzled funds? Worship of false saints? Divine visions encouraging illicit sex? Threesomes? Aborted babies? Poisoning opponents who exposed problems? Priests and Church covered it up to save the name of the church? Umm, yep, this program seems to have been going on for a VERY long time. 

Its amazing that false saints appear to have the same patterns almost every time! None of these problems are new -- apparently! And -- a poor guy who was exposing a fraud guru in India was shot dead recently. This is what happens when bogus people want to exploit the post of being God's servant for themselves, which Srila Prabhupada calls "the guru business." ys pd] 

Srila Prabhupada in India Before ISKCON

http://iskcontimes.com/sri-advaita-acharyas-house-in-santipura

Disappearance of Madhvacarya

Disappearance of Sripad Madhvacarya, Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 in California.

Madhvacarya was born Vasudev, son of Narayan Bhatt and Vedavati in the village of Padakakshetra, near Udupi on the Vijay Dasami of Lord Rama,. Afer 79 years of wonderful pastimes he passed on to be with his lord, Srila Vyasadev in the year 1317 AD. He accepted diksa from Acyutapreksha. However, Madhva always accepted only Srila Vyasadeva as his source of inspiration and Lord of his life, and thus his 'siksa guru'. Sri Madhva himself quoted from Brahmanda Purana, "One should have complete faith in the transcendental literature such as Srimad Bhagavatam and other literatures that directly glorifies the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In his childhood Madhvacarya was known as Vasudeva, and there are some wonderful stories surrounding him. It is said that once when his father had piled up many debts, Madhvacarya converted tamarind seeds into actual coins to pay them off. When he was five years old, he was offered the sacred thread. A demon named Maniman lived near his abode in the form of a snake, and at the age of five Madhvacarya killed that snake with the toe of his left foot. 

When his mother was very much disturbed, he would appear before her in one jump. He was a great scholar even in childhood, and although his father did not agree, he accepted sannyasa at the age of twelve. Upon receiving sannyasa from Acyuta Preksa, he received the name Purnaprajna Tirtha. After traveling all over India, he finally discussed scriptures with Vidyasankara, the exalted leader of Srngeri-matha.Vidyasankara was actually diminished in the presence of Madhvacarya. Accompanied by Satya Tirtha, Madhvacarya went to Badarikasrama. It was there that he met Vyasadeva and explained his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita before him. Thus he became a great scholar by studying before Vyasadeva.

By the time he came to the Ananda-matha from Badarikasrama,Madhvacarya had finished his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita. His companion Satya Tirtha wrote down the entire commentary. When Madhvacarya returned from Badarikasrama, he went to Ganjama, which is on the bank of the river Godavari. There he met with two learned scholars named Sobhana Bhatta and Svami Sastri.Later these scholars became known in the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya as Padmanabha Tirtha and Narahari Tirtha.

When he returned to Udupi, he would sometimes bathe in the ocean. On such an occasion he composed a prayer in five chapters. Once, while sitting beside the sea engrossed in meditation upon Lord Sri Krishna, he saw that a large boat containing goods for Dvaraka was in danger. He gave some signs by which the boat could approach the shore, and it was saved. 

The owners of the boat wanted to give him a present, and at the time Madhvacarya agreed to take some gopi-candana. He received a big lump of gopi-candana, and as it was being brought to him, it broke apart and revealed a large Deity of Lord Krishna. The Deity had a stick in one hand and a lump of food in the other. As soon as Madhvacarya received the Deity of Krishna in this way, he composed a prayer. 

The Deity was so heavy that not even thirty people could lift it. Madhvacarya personally brought this Deity to Udupi. Madhvacarya had eight disciples, all of whom took sannyasa from him and became directors of his eight monasteries.Worship of the Lord Krishna Deity is still going on at Udupi according to the plans Madhvacarya established. Madhvacarya then for the second time visited Badarikasrama. While he was passing through Maharashtra, the local king was digging a big lake for the public benefit. As Madhvacarya passed through that area with his disciples, he was also obliged to help in the excavation. After some time, when Madhvacarya visited the king, he engaged the king in that work and departed with his disciples.

Often in the province of Ganga-pradesa there were fights between Hindus and Muslims. The Hindus were on one bank of the river, and the Muslims on the other. Due to the community tension, no boat was available for crossing the river. The Muslim soldiers were always stopping passengers on the other side, but Madhvacarya did not care for these soldiers. 

He crossed the river anyway, and when he met the soldiers on the other side, he was brought before the king. The Muslim king was so pleased with him that he wanted to give him a kingdom and some money, but Madhvacarya refused. While walking on the road, he was attacked by some dacoits, but by his bodily strength he killed them all. When his companion Satya Tirtha was attacked by a tiger, Madhvacarya separated them by virtue of his great strength. When he met Vyasadeva, he received from him the salagrama-sila known as Astamurti. After this, he summarized the Mahabharata.

It was reputed that there was no limit to the bodily strength of Purnaprajna, Madhvacarya. There was a person named Kadanjari who was famed for possessing the strength of thirty men. Madhvacarya placed the big toe of his foot upon the ground and asked the man to separate it from the ground, but the great strong man could not do so even after great effort.Srila Madhvacarya passed from this material world at the age of eighty while writing a commentary on the Aitareya Upanisad. For further information about Madhvacarya, one should read Madhva-vijaya, by Narayanacarya.

A nine point summary or mission statement of Sripad Madhvacarya's philosophy is:

1. Lord Visnu, the Personality of Godhead, is the Absolute Truth, and nothing is higher than Him.
2. He, the Lord is known by the study of Vedas'sarvasya caham'(Bhagavad Gita 15:15.)
3. The material world is real, but temporary.
4. The Jivas (living entities) are different from the Lord ('bimba prati bimba').
5. The Jivas are, by nature, servants of Lord Visnu's lotus feet.
6. In both the conditioned and liberated states, the Jivas are situated in higher and lower statuses and always remain individuals in their identity.
7. Liberation does not mean an impersonal merging, but the attainment of serving Lord Visnu's lotus feet.
8. Pure devotional service rendered to 'guru' and Visnu automatically grants liberation, release from material bondage. There is no need of only seeking liberation. One only need seek pure devotional service.
9. 'Pramanas'. Direct perception, logic and Vedic authority are three sources of actual knowledge.

Madhava literally had hundreds of disciples, yet towards the end of his life he selected a small number of the most dedicated around him. These are the original 'Acaryas' of the eight mutts found even today in Udupi, South Kanada district of Karnataka.

ISKCON vs Wolfpack Movie

http://iskconnews.org/hare-krishna-society-shocked-by-treatment-of-children-in-the-wolfpack,4781/

[PADA: These children do not look like devotee children in the movie, but the father is supposed to be a Hare Krishna convert according to this report. In any case, the GBC still says that acharyas engage in illicit sex, they have not corrected their siddhanta. And most of the leaders who were in charge when all the abuse went on are still in charge, they have not changed the upper tier managers either. ys pd] 

Bhishmastmi

Jan 27th is Bhishmastmi

Geneology:

From Vishnu were descended in the following order - Brahma-Atri-Candra-Budha - Pururavas - Ayus - Nahusha- Yayati - Puru - Janamejaya - Prachinvaa - Pravira - Namasyu - Vitabhava - Shundu - Bahuvidha - Samyati - Rahovadi - Raudrasva - Matinara - Santurodha - Dushyanta - Bharata - Suhotra - Gala - Gardda - Suketu - Brhatksetra - Hasti - Ajamidha - Riksha - Samvarana - Kuru - Jahnu - Suratha - Vidaratha - Sarvabhauma - Jayatsena - Ravyaya - Bhavuka - Chakroddhata - Devatithi - Riksha - Bhima-Pratipa-Shantanu-Bhishma.

Birth and Boyhood:

"Bhishma's name in his boyhood was Devavrata. He was the eighth son of Shantanu, a king of the lunar dynasty and Gangadevi. This boy was the human embodiment of Dyau, one of the Ashthavasus. Shantanu, his father was the re-birth of another king, Mahabhisheka. The story concerning this is given in the Mahabharata as follows:

King Mahabhisheka after his death, attained Vishnuloka. Once he went to visit Brahma at Satyaloka. At that time Ganga devi was also present in Brahma's assembly. In that pious atmosphere, a gentle breeze began to blow and Gangadevi's clothes were slightly deranged. Just at that moment Mahabhisheka took a stealthy glance at her and she also returned that glance. This was noted by Brahma who turned both of them into human beings by a curse. Gangadevi begged pardon and Brahma lifted the curse and blessed her that the Ashthavasus would come to the earth to be born as her sons and that afterwards she could come back to heaven. After that Gangadevi was born as a mortal woman in the world under the name Ganga and she spent her days in the forests near the Ganga river valleys.

In those days the ruler of the lunar dynasty was a king named Pratipa. Having no children he went to the bank of the Ganga and performed tapas there. Gangadevi who was moving about in the forests nearby, saw the king deeply absorbed in tapas. She approached him and sat on his right thigh. She wanted the king to be her husband. He explained to her that the right thigh is the proper seat of the daughter-in-law and so she would become his son's wife in due course. In due course of time, Pratipa has a son, Shantanu, born to him. When Shantanu grew up into a young man, one day he went for a hunt to the Ganga-valley and there he met Gangadevi. He fell in love with her at first sight and courted her. Gangadevi agreed to become his wife on the condition that he should not say anything to displease her and if he violated that condition she would leave him. The king accepted the condition and they became man and wife.

At about that time, the wife of Dyo, one of the Ashthavasus, happened to see the sacrificial cow of the sage Vasishtha and wished to have it. She expressed her desire to her husband, Dyo. Dyo with the other seven vasus went and took away by force Vasishtha's cow. Vasishtha in his anger cursed the Ashthavasus to be born as mortals. they repented and begged pardon from Vasishtha. The sage told them that all of them would be born as the sons of Gangadevi and all except Dyo, who actually stole the cow, would return to heaven at the time of birth itself. As for Dyo, he would continue to live in the world for a long time, as an adventurous hero.

Gangadevi became pregnant and gave birth to her first child. She carried the child to the river Ganga and threw it into the river. Shantanu who followed her up to the river bank, did not say anything against her, remembering his promise.

Seven children were born to her and she threw all of them into the river in this way. When she gave birth to the eighth child Shantanu insisted that he would not allow her to throw away that child in the river. As he had violated the conditions of his promise, the angry Gangadevi left the palace with her child. She named it Devavrata and brought him up in the forest. The sage Vasishtha and Gangadevi taught him all branches of knowledge. Thirty two

years later, the king went to the same forest for hunting. He saw a handsome by stopping the flow of the river Ganga. Getting interested in the boy, the king approached him. But by that time he had disappeared. The king prayed to Gangadevi to give back the child. She appeared with the child and after handing over the child to him vanished. The king returned to the palace with the child (Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapters 95-100.)

The name of Bhishma:

Devavrata was anointed, as heir-apparent. One day king Shantanu reached the forest near the Ganga river valley, for hunting. As he was hunting absorbed in the beauty of the forest scenery, he felt the perfume of musk filling the air in the forest. He wondered from where it could come. He went on and on trying to find out the source of this smell until he reached the cottage of a fisherman. The fisherman had a daughter named Satyavati. It was from her that the fragrance of musk spread all around (Satyavati's original name was Kali. The fisherman got her from the stomach of a fish. Since she had a smell of a fish she got the name Matsyagandhi. She used to assist a fisherman in his work as a ferryman in the river Ganga. Once the sage Parasara happened to get into her boat and fell deeply in love with her. The sage removed the smell of fish from her and gave her the perfume of musk instead. By this mystic power he created a mist at noon and under its cover, he had a sexual union with her. As a result of it the child Krsna (Vyaasa) was born. The child immediately left the mother to perform tapas in the forest after promising to return to her whenever she wished for his presence. Although she gave birth to a child, Parasara blessed her that she would again remain a virgin. The whole episode remained a secret. As usual, Satyavati returned to the fisherman's cottage in the evening and continued to live with him. It is at this stage that Shantanu was attracted by the perfume of musk and came to the cottage where he met Satyavati.

The king fell in love with her at first sight. He asked the fisherman to give the girl in marriage to him. But the brave fisherman did not yeild to the king's demand immediately. He laid down several conditions; one of which was that Satyavati's sons should succeed to the throne of Shantanu. The king was in a fix. Devavrata was the eldest son and heir-apparent. To deny kingship to his sons would be highly improper. Unable to find a solution to this difficult problem, the king returned to the palace, much depressed and gloomy. there he avoided all company and took to his bed, passing his time in sadness and solitude.

When Devavrata knew about hism father's condition, he called the Ministers and asked them about it. They told him everything in details. At once, without informing even his father, Devavrata went to the fisherman's cottage on the bank of the river Ganges and begged for Satyavati on behalf of his father. the fisherman repeated his former condition. Devavrata agreed that Satyavati's son shall be given the right of kinship. The fisherman pointed out that disputes were likely to arise between Devavrata's sons and Satyavati's children regarding the right of succession to the throne. At once Devavrata stood up and made a solemn pledge (drdavrata) that he would remain a bachelor for life. The fisherman gave Satyavati to Devavrata to be taken to the king. Devavrata took her to the palace and presented her to his father. The king, when he came to know of the part played by his son in that matter, rose from his bed and embraced Devavrata with tears of joy and gratitude. the gods showered flowers on the scene. Because he had taken such a solemn oath, it was declared that henceforth he would be known by the name BHISHMA. The loving father Shantanu also gave him a boon that Bhishma would die only when he wished. (Mahabharata. Adi Parva, Chapter 100.)"

Departure of Bhishmadeva

Srila Prabhupada's Letters on Ritviks

http://www.iskcontruth.com/p/srila-prabhupadas-letters-on-ritvik_13.html

PADA: Good job ISKCON Truth! ys pd

Appearance of Sri Advaita Acharya

Appearance of Sri Advaita Acarya, Monday, January 26th, 2015 in California (Fast until noon)

Sri Advaita Acharya

"The foremost of all the Vaishnavas who reside at Navadwip is Sri Advaita Acarya, whose virtuous presence has made all the worlds blessed. He is the most preeminent preceptor in all fields including knowledge, renunciation and devotion. In explaining Krishna-bhakti he is like unto Lord Shankara (Shiva) himself, and whatever scriptures that exist within the three worlds he explains in the light of Krishna-bhakti.

With the intense eagerness he continually worships the Shalagram of Sri Krishna with Tulasi manjaris and Ganges water. By the momentum of his spiritual force, his loud shouts pierce the coverings of this universe and, resounding throughout Vaikuntha, reach the ears of Sri Krishna. Hearing this loving summons saturated with devotion, Sri Krishna advents Himself.

On the seventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh, the great ocean of ecstasy swelled to its limits, being forcibly attracted by the moon of Advaita, Who appeared from the womb of Sri Nabhadevi as the moon appears in the autumn sky. His father, Sri Kuvera, Pandit floated in that ocean of joy. In great happiness gave many gifts in charity to the brahmanas (who voluntarily accept vows of poverty). Very quietly he approached the maternity room to get a glimpse of his newborn son. Then his own face began to shine by the reflected light of that moon-like personage. The residents of Nabagram came running to see the child. Everyone remarked that they had never seen such a beautiful baby. What a pious activities his father must have been performed to get such a jewel of a son, and that in his old age. Thus Ghanasyama sings about this occasion. [B.R.12.1759] The child was named Mangal and his other name was Kamalaksa.

Advaita Acharya is the combined incarnation of Maha Visnu and Sadaishiva (who resides in Goloka). His two consorts, Sita and Sri are manifestations of Yoga Maya. Once when Advaita performed worship, whatever gods and demigods He used to meditate upon He saw all gathered at Lord Caitanya's lotus feet, offering prayers. Raising up his two hands, Advaita exclaimed in great ecstasy, "Today all the days of my life have produced a successful result, as all my desires have been fulfilled. My birth and activities have finally born fruit. I have directly perceived Your two lotus feet, which are proclaimed throughout the four Vedas but are unattainable thereby. Now, by Your causeless mercy, You have revealed Yourself to Me."

Mahaprabhu replied, "Acharya, now you should perform My worship." First Advaita Acharya washed the Lord's two lotus feet with water scented by flower petals and then with water scented with sandalwood. Then He placed on His lotus feet Tulasi manjari dipped in sandalwood paste along with arghya - an auspicious offering of rice, durbagrass, yogurt etc. His eyes brimming with tears, he offered incense, ghee lamps, flowers, sandalwood paste, and some foodstuffs. After offering various prayers he loudly proclaimed the Lord's glories with auspicious shouts. All glories to the Lord and maintainer of the universe, the Lord of all that lives. All glories to Gaurcandra, the ocean of mercy.

All glories to the most munificent incarnation of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whose form is all-enchanting. All glories to He who is decorated with the ornaments of Sri Vatsa and Kaustubha. All glories to He who has revealed the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. All glories to He who enjoys the pastimes of accepting devotion unto Himself. All glories to Mahaprabhu who reclines on the bed of Ananta Sesa. All glories to the refuge of all living entities. [C.B.Mad. 6.116]

Hearing Advaita's prayer's Mahaprabhu replied, "My dear Acharya, I am very pleased by your prayers. Now you can ask from me any benediction you like." Then Advaita requested that, "My only request is that you distribute love of Krishna even to women, laborers and the ignorant fools as well. [C.B. Mad. 6.167]

A Narsimha sila and Deities, fashioned after a picture of Sri Sri Madan-Gopal that were worshipped by Advaita Acharya are still residing at Santipur in Madan-Gopal Para. Santipur is a short distance from Krishnanagar by bus.

The place on the banks of the Ganga where Advaita Acharya worshipped shalagram and called out to the Lord to please descend to the world is known today as Babla. A temple has been built in memory of Advaita Acharya's pastimes there. This place can be reached by rikshaw from Santipur."

Yamadutta (?) Hovers Over Dying Woman

[PADA: She died right after this. Even if this is staged, it means people are aware of the concept. ys pd]

Krishna Balarama Rathayatra Report

http://www.iskconbangalore.org/news/krishna-balarama-ratha-yatra-enlivens-thousands-of-devotees/

India's Hidden First Lady

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/abandoned-as-a-child-bride-indias-first-lady-still-hopes-her-husband-will-call/2015/01/25/3509dac5-5ac1-49e3-8b44-7d92e027c9ec_story.html

Akshaya Patra Program Hyderabad

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Iskcon-to-set-up-giant-kitchen-in-Hyderabad/articleshow/46006855.cms?utm_source=fb&utm_campaign=toimobile&utm_medium=referral

Srila Prabhupada programs emerging

Srila Prabhupada center, Italy:

Prabhupada Seva Via Fondaccio 26 Lama San Giustino Perugia. (North of Rome, Italy)

Also, devotees in Spain are starting an "ISKCON Bangalore Spain" program, which follows the idea of the Bangalore devotees, that we must worship Srila Prabhupada.

Already there are nice Srila Prabhupada centered programs in Montreal, Seattle, Vancouver, Sunnyvale, New York City, various places in Russia, as well as New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Brasil, Singapore, many sites connected to ISKCON Bangalore in India, and there are many other folks in other places. If anyone has a program for Srila Prabhupada and they want to have us advertise for you, please send the info to: angel108b@yahoo.com.

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PADA: Thanks ******* for sending this:

B: I'd like to find a bona fide program to serve Krishna.

TH: Then you should join ISKCON bangalore immediately. If you feel it is also bogus. you can leave anytime. Join and do service for some time. It's pure Prabhupada's camp nothing else. trust me. ULL NEVER REGRET IT. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

JR: Thank u Srila Prabhupada for letting me get d association of Iskcon bangalore. this is d only place anywhere u r worshiped as the sole diksha guru. No worries, no sadness, no confusion for us going to blore temple. B prabhu! U must come and live here and see for urself, you will definitely feel satisfied that this is the place. IB has centres everywhere u can try there too.

SK: prabhu ji! Hari Bol! It shows your intense desire for Krishna Bhakti through mercy of Srila Prabhupada. You don't worry, be patient. I think you should leave it to Lord and Our Savior because they will guide you for sure. You are very sincere. May be I get some of your intensity to please Lord and Srila Prabhupada! Yasya prasada bhagavata prasada.. om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya caksur unmilitam yena tasmai shri guruve namah. Krishna will give knowledge from within.

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PADA: Bangalore has made a nice temple here in the San Francisco area and its first class. You should find people who worship Srila Prabhupada wherever they are and stick with that program. And if you cannot go in person then go there in mind. ys pd

Srila Prabhupada's Worldwide Ratha Yatras

https://www.iskconbangalore.org/blog/understanding-ratha-yatra/

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Vasant Panchami

The first day of spring in India. On the fifth day of the waxing moon one should celebrate the coming of spring in Vrndavana by offering Krishna many types of leaves and flowers, and fresh shoots of sprouting grasses, that symbolize life and new growth.

Following in the footsteps of the Vraja-basis of Vrindavana, one should paint designs on Krishna's body and perform a special aratrika for Him, and if possible offer yellow flowers too. The vasanta raga should be played on this day. The Deities in the temples, especially in Vrindavana, should wear yellow or yellow-green dresses on this day.

In places like Vrindavan, Mayapur, Jagannath Puri and Udupi, many of the women folk dress in yellow also. As it is the first day of spring many fertility rites are performed at this time - for the family, for the women folk, for the crops, for the cows, etc. It's a very festive time.

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/india/vasant-panchami

Modi Attacks Female Foeticide

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/PM-Modi-launches-Beti-Bachao-Beti-Padhao-campaign-says-female-foeticide-is-a-sign-of-mental-illness/articleshow/45985741.cms

[PADA: A big resultant problem of persons engaged in illicit sex is -- having "unwanted" babies. Srila Prabhupada says the increase of these unwanted babies is going to become a very prominent problem in Kali Yuga, and it already is a prominent problem. ys pd]

Caring for Tulasi Devi Plants

http://www.vrindavan-dham.com/tulasi-handbook/

Lord Chaitanya Debates Sarvabhauma

http://iskcontimes.com/lord-caitanyas-debate

Eldercare Crisis For Vaishnavas

[PADA: Simply amazing, the GBC has millions of dollars for lawsuits but not a few paisa to care for the devotees. ys pd]

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Related:
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/caring-for-ramadevi-devi-dasi/263102

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Dear 'Servant of the Servant of the Servant,'
It is that time again to literally beg from you, on all our folded hands and knees, for your recurring Hospice ***monthly*** Seva of $5, $8 or $13, on behalf of the ill and dying devotees in the Holy Dhama(s). frown emoticon Sadly, there does not exist enough resources 'available' to freely care for those that have surrendered their lives to preaching and are now there either terminally ill or dying, without care.

There is no shortage of stories of devotees in need!! 

frown emoticon. Please feel free to contact Mother Kusha Dayna Fiorentino or Hospice nurse Mother Priya Sakhi, at our small satellite Infirmary Hospice Care facilities. Others in Vrndavan and Mayapur will also collaborate; there are 'just' not enough resources to care for those in need of Emergency Terminal Care — it's India.

"For one who is born death is certain."–BG 2:27 Sign up now for a ***monthly*** tiny donation at www.BuddhiYoga.net.

STATUS AND REQUEST

As you may know, devotees are generally poor and do not have funds saved up (especially in India) for Hospice Care or Emergency Care. During our first humble Fund Drive before the end of the year, we reached over half our goal from recurring monthly small donations to pay for monthly bills, for Medical Supplies and for facility essentials for our Vrndavan satellite Hospice Infirmary. 'Thank you,' to all those who have committed monthly from their hearts to this very needed Devotee Seva!. We also did receive a number of 'one-time' donations, and we 'Thank you also,' to all those who helped to get us launched.

However, while we are very appreciative, these beautiful and heartfelt 'One-time' donations are exactly that, 'One-time.' They were very needed and helpful to get us started. Yet, moving forward these do not pay the ongoing monthly bills of a 'free-of-charge' voluntary Infirmary Hospice Care facility.

Therefore, we need to again ***literally*** beg you, on our folded hands and knees, stretched out before you in full Dandavats, in your dust — all who have not yet pledged ***monthly***— to please help these hospice nurses and staff in the Holy Dhama(s) with a just few dollars each month—on a recurring basis.

Please?!? We currently have terminally ill devotees that are being cared for both in Vrndavan and Mayapur, with more coming all the time, and we have not yet met the monthly funds requirement for all the care that is needed. Please look deeply into your heart and reconcile with SuperSoul residing there, just how much you are able to help with any spare coins each month to help sustain this very needed and neglected Seva at the various locations.

These 'Servants of the Servant of the Servant' are now in need of *your* most personal service, a unique Seva which you might 'ever' be able render to a devotee(s) of Radha and Krsna who are in such dire personal need.

Please click www.BuddhiYoga.net to give ***monthly*** $3, $5, or $8 to be part of this growing need—a membership of good will and Vaishnava Seva. We are now also representing the Mayapur Dhama Vaisnava Care and Assistance Program, (with Mother Aditi Dasi and Munipatni Devi Dasi), as well as the 'The Bhaktivedanta Hospice' through Giriraja Swami and DrAvnish Panday, for 'case-by-case' fundraising help to individual Hospice patients or projects. The volunteer nurses and staff at both the Vrndavan and Mayapur satellite care facilities need 'your' help to continue.

All the funds that you donate ***monthly*** go directly to pay for medical supplies, to pay the ***monthly*** rent and keep the lights on, so that this humble devotee care infirmary and satellite Hospice service may be given freely. Our goal is to to make these two (Mayapur and Vrndavan) facilities sustainable through your small donations. There are no funds *at all* coming from the institutions—so far. We are fully dependent on you. Please pledge a very small ***monthly*** amount right now and please 'Copy' and 'Paste' this entire message-text when sharing this to all your friends.

Thank you,

Your aspiring servant Yadunandana Pada Dasa acbsp
P.S. We *are* actively seeking for ongoing ways to show you our gratitude, please give and stay tuned as a participating member.

Poison Tape Reviewed

[PADA: Many people thought we were "crazy" when we started saying Srila Prabhupada was complaining of being poisoned. Same group of our opponents also said we were crazy when we established: There was no guru appointment; The books are being changed; We should not go to the Gaudiya Matha etc.

Apparently, time is on our side and all these issues are gaining in credibility. ISKCON Truth is doing a great job getting this info out, which is why they are getting the same ill treatment we got from various GBC guru defenders. Some of the GBC friendly folks even started an "ISKCON Not-Truth" site to shut down the poison complaint and defend the GBC.

Too bad!

This info already IS out, and will get out more, because people need to know what actually happened in ISKCON, and what happened to Srila Prabhupada personally. Krishna Kanta and his IRM had to be jettisoned by most of us since they still argue that this poison conversation is not really a poison complaint. That is not the growing consensus, most accept that the poison complaint is valid. ys pd]  

Goa CM: God Makes Mistakes

Making Huge Mistakes?

http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/01/22/gods-mistake-goa-cm_n_6521464.html?utm_hp_ref=india

[PADA: The Chief Minister of Goa India is saying -- because some people are born disabled -- that is proof God is negligent and He is making mistakes. Nope! The disabled are getting born with their past karma. A disabled person who is born with no legs -- maybe chopped off someone else's legs in their last life, or maybe they chopped off the legs off of animals in a butcher shop, and now they have no legs.

A king who whips the blind beggars in front of his palace -- might take birth as a blind beggar himself -- and be whipped while begging in front of the same palace, ad infinitum. This Goa CM apparently does not understand the laws of karma. Its sometimes amazing to us how ignorant we find some of India's teachers, scholars, government leaders and even gurus, whom are so fallen away from Vedic knowledge.

PADA's karma was to say that God's successors are not conditioned souls, and to be beaten with shoes for saying that. We sometimes cannot change our destined suffering, so we just have to become Krishna conscious and surrender to the Lord. ys pd]

Gundica Mandir / Jagganath Puri

https://www.iskconbangalore.org/blog/gundicha-temple-jagannath-puri/

Hare Krishna Tel Aviv

Vrndavana Temple For Srila Prabhupada

http://www.iskcontruth.com/2015/01/ananta-shesha-sthapana-at-vrindavana.html