Category: Articles

Mischievous Nimai – Part 1 | Lord Chaitanya plays mischief at the Ganges

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 16, 2019

Mischievous Nimai

‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ proudly presents to you the Mischievous pastimes enacted by Nimai of Nadia. In the first article of this series, we shall try to describe the enchanting pastimes of Lord Gaurahari on the bank of mother Ganges. As Lord Vishwambhara grew up, He absorbed Himself in the restless mood of a young boy and engaged Himself in manifesting mischievous pastimes with other young brahmana boys of Navadvipa. Little Nimai could not be restrained. He would taunt other boys and pick up fights with them. He would always win a quarrel as He was more powerful than anyone else. The coverings of dust and spots of ink seemed to enhance the beauty of Little Nimai’s golden effulgent form. Every day after finishing His studies at noon, Nimai would go and happily bathe in the holy Ganges. Countless people, including householders, sannyasis, distinguished gentlemen and children would accompany the Lord in these water pastimes. The young boys splashed water towards each other. Who can estimate the endless fortune of these people? Mahaprabhu would sometimes float, sometimes swim inside the water and engage in numerous sporting activities. The water that washed the lotus feet of Lord Gaurahari, the supreme personality of Godhead, would touch the body of these supremely fortunate people of Navadvipa.

Leela - Spiritual pastimes Sylhet

Panatirtha, Bangladesh – Where Advaita Acharya summoned the sacred rivers

Post author By gaudiya
Post date December 5, 2019

Panatirtha , situated in Sunamganj district of Bangladesh, is where Sri Advaita Acharya summoned all the sacred rivers, so that His mother would not have to travel elsewhere to take the holy dip. In his prayers unto the Spiritual masters, Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami has mentioned that Sri Advaita Acharya is the Lord’s partial incarnation (advaita acharya prabhura amsa-avatara.. – Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi 1.39). In Sri Gaura Gannodesha dipika, Kavi Karnapur has further clarified that Sada shiva, who had previously appeared as an avesa incarnation (one empowered by the Lord) ,has now descended as Sri Advaita Acharya. Sri Advaita was thus the combined incarnation of the potencies of Sada shiva and Lord Mahavishnu. Kavi Karnapura further writes that Kuvera pandita, the father of Advaita Acharya was an incarnation of the demigod Kuvera, the friend of Lord Shiva. The Supreme Lord’s Yogamaya potency appeared in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes as Sita Thakurani, the wife of Advaita Acharya.His second wife, Sri devi, was also an expansion of Yogamaya devi.Sri Acyutananda, the elder son of Advaita Gosai, was the combined form of the potencies of Kartikkeya and Achyuta Gopi. Sri Advaita Acharya was one of the primary trunks of Lord Caitanya’s desire tree of devotional service, from whom originated innumerable smaller branches and sub-branches of devotees. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to visit and pray at Sri Advaita Acharya’s birthplace at Laura (situated in the Sunamganj district of Bangladesh) , wherein such great personalities have exhibited their exalted heart melting pastimes.

Glorifications of Sri Chaitanya

Lord Chaitanya and His ecstatic dance | Gauranga’s dance enchants the whole world | Glories of Gauranga

Post author By gaudiya
Post date November 10, 2019

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has manifested the most heart melting pastimes ever witnessed in human history. His mood, His demeanor, His pastimes struck a positive chord even with the most sinful atheists and was instrumental in transforming their hardened hearts. Thousands of men and women abandoned their homes ,raised their arms and joined Mahaprabhu in His ecstatic sankirtana (congregational chanting of the holy names of the Supreme Lord). All of them were surcharged with deep ecstatic feelings. Being completely devoid of external consciousness and surrendering themselves completely, they sang and danced along. Simply by catching a glimpse of His divine lotus feet, people would get infected with the disease of intense love for the Supreme. These men in turn would infect others. In this way, villages, towns and entire cities would become surcharged with the devotional mood of spontaneous loving service unto the Supreme Lord. An ocean of Love would flood the people with waves after waves of divine ecstasy. Observing Lord Gaurahari’s smiling demeanor ,people would completely forget their miseries.Only a fortunate person could possibly attain this most treasured fruit of pure love for God. The most merciful Lord Chaitanya, however distributed this sacred fruit to one and all without making any discrimination. Chaitanya Chandramrta , composed by Prabodhananda Sarasvati, hence exclaims :

Articles What is Spirituality

Karma meaning | Karma Definition | What is Karma | Karma yogi

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 12, 2019

Karma is a Sanskrit term meaning action, work or deed. According to Wikipedia, ‘Karma’ also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect whereby the intent or the actions of an individual (the cause) influences the future of that particular individual (the effect). Good intent and good deeds contribute to good results while bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad results. This, in a nutshell, constitutes the Laws of karma. So now let us try to delve deep into this topic to understand what these good or bad deeds are, what the results of performing these deeds are and how one should instead strive to rise above Karma, to achieve the ultimate goal of his/her life.

Glorifications of Sri Chaitanya What is Spirituality

Did God create the Caste system? | Krishna Chaitanya lays the foundation of a casteless society

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 6, 2019

The Indian Varna system (caste system), which is often painted negatively and presented likewise even in school textbooks, is perhaps one of the most misinterpreted social hierarchies of the world. It is popularly accepted that the Indian caste system is at least 3000 years old, though an analysis of the Vedic literatures suggests that it is perhaps as old as Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) itself. This article attempts to exhibit the system of Varna (class) and Ashrama (order) as it had been originally conceived and how it has gradually degenerated with time. The article also seeks to establish how the caste system is an integral part of any successful society and an indispensable tool to ensure its survival.

It is said that the division of the Indian society on the basis of castes, this caste system, finds its origin in the ancient Indian varnashrama system. Varnashrama is a system of classifying the society on the basis of ‘varnas’ and ‘ashramas’. Now what are varnas ? ‘Varna’ basically translated to class. Now there are four varnas that has been broadly identified.

The four Varnas are –

brahmanas – the priestly class.
Kshatriyas – those who are rulers and administrators
Vaishyas – the mercantile class
Shudras – the labourers or he working class.

While Ashramas is the division of society on the basis of the four orders of life –

Brahmacharya , or the celibates
Grihasta, or the householder
Vanaprastha – one who is retired
Sannyasi – one who is renounced

Articles What is Spirituality

Duty, True Religion, Consciousness & Inherent Nature of Man -A Crash Course on Philosophy

Post author By gaudiya
Post date September 19, 2019

Transcription

Hare Krishna, Welcome to this session with ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’. This is your servant Diptiman Gaurahari das. So in this video we are going to talk about the eternal duty of man; we are going to discuss about the nature of the soul. We are going to talk about who we actually are, what we are made up of, and our eternal tendencies, natural characteristics and our intrinsic nature that wants to find its expression in our day to day lives.

Articles What is Spirituality

Meaning of Life | Purpose of Life | Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

Post author By gaudiya
Post date September 6, 2019

Transcription

Hello, Hare Krishna, Welcome to this session with ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’. In this video we are going to ask a few serious questions. We are going to discuss about what is life, what is the purpose of our existence, who are we ? What is it all about ?

Lord Nityananda Nitai Jahnava Pada-kalpa-taru Pastimes of Chaitanya

Meeting of Gauranga and Nityananda at Mayapur

Post author By gaudiya
Post date August 20, 2019

nandan acharya bhavan

After touring various holy places, Nityananda Prabhu finally reached Vrindavana. Visiting His previous pastime places (ie, those of Lord Balaram), He became ecstatic and began roaring loudly. Going without any food or water, He incessantly chanted the names of Krishna and rolled upon the sacred dust of Vrindavana dham. By this time, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had already started revealing His devotional mood in Navadvipa. Mahaprabhu (Krishna) started to feel an intense separation from His brother Nitai (Balaram), and longed to have Him in His sankirtana. As soon Lord Nityananda realized that Mahaprabhu had begun manifesting His ecstatic mood, He at once came over to Navadvipa to assist the Lord in His magnanimous pastimes.

Lord Nityananda Nitai Jahnava Pada-kalpa-taru

Nityananda Prabhu breaks Mahaprabhu’s sannyasa Danda (rod)

Post author By gaudiya
Post date August 20, 2019

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Mahaprabhu travels to Jagannatha Puri :

On being requested by mother Saci, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ,who by then had already accepted sannyasa, decided to make Jagannatha Puri instead of Vrindavana, His headquarters. Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandita, Mukunda, Govinda, Jagadananda and Brahmananda accompanied the Lord in His travel to Nilachala dham. The Lord asked them, whether any of them had any possession along with them. They replied that all they had with them was the treasure of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s association. Mahaprabhu was very pleased to hear this.He wanted His associates to depend entirely on Krishna for their own subsistence.

Travelling they reached the village of Atisara (Baruipura) where they rested for the night, at the Sripat of Sri Ananta acharya. Sri Ananta was an intimate associate of Mahaprabhu. The next morning they continued with their travel. Reaching the bank of the Ganges at Chhatrabhoga, the devotees happily bathed at the Ambulinga ghat.By the will of the Supreme, the landlord of that place, Sri Ramachandra Khan, arrived there at that time. Seeing the ecstatic symptoms of Mahaprabhu, he at once surrendered unto His lotus feet. Ramachandra informed the devotees that the relations between the two kingdoms of Bengal and Orissa were at an all time low. Hence it was very difficult for one to cross over the borders and escape into Orissa. However Ramachandra , being influential, secretly arranged for a boat which could carry Mahaprabhu to the other side. The Lord and His associates engaged in an ecstatic sankirtana, while the boat slowly crossed the river. Lord Chaitanya assured His associates that they had nothing to fear as the sudarshana chakra of the supreme Lord always protected His devotees.

Lord Nityananda Mayapur Nabadwip dham Nitai Jahnava Pada-kalpa-taru Pastimes of Chaitanya

Pastimes with Jagai and Madhai

Post author By gaudiya
Post date August 20, 2019

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madhai tala jagai madhai

On the orders of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda and Haridasa Thakura, went over to each and every house in Nabadwip and begged the residents to chant the holy name of Krishna. Some people took it well and assured them that they would indeed start chanting, while some considered them to be utter mad men. Some of them concluded that it was due to the bad association of Nimai pandita, that the two of them, Nitai and Haridasa, had got spoilt as well. Being unable to comprehend their transcendental mission, some people thought of them to be thieves.