Comments

• Volunteer

  Ram Charan Das April 4, 2016 at 2:13pm

  Dear Devotee, Hare Krishna, dandvats. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I do wish you a very happy Krishna conscious day today on your birthday and pray for you to have Krishna conscious years in the time to come, to let all your material and spiritual desires be fulfilled and for you to have this as your last birth in this material world. Take care, Gauranga, Radhe Radhe, Hari Hari, Hare Krishna.

  Krshne matri astu - May your attention always be on Krsna....
• E-Counselor

  Karunanidhi Das April 4, 2016 at 2:49am

  To day is Papmochani Ekadashi 2016 - April 3 (Sunday)

  Tomorrow (Monday) Ekadasi Fast-Breaking time : 06:276 to 10:45 AM

  Papmochani Ekadashi falls on the 11th day of fading phase of moon in Chaitra. This Ekadashi is the last one in all 24 Ekadashi fasts. The word 'Papamochani' is made with two words Paap and Mochani. 'Paap' means sin or misdeed and word “Mochani” means remover. Devotees believe that observing fast on Papamochani Ekadasi is highly auspicious. Those who observe this fast would be forgiven from their sins. Lord Vishnu is mainly worshipped on Ekadashi Fasts.

  The Papmochani Ekadashi Vrat Katha

  This tale is narrated in the Bhavishya Uttara Purana in the form of dialogues between Lord Krishna and king Yudhishtira.

  There was a sage named Medhavi who was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. This sage used to perform deep Tapas (meditation) in the forest of Chaitraratha. This forest was full of beautiful and scented flowers. The Chaitraratha forest was also frequently visited by Indra and Apsaras. Beautiful Apsaras tried many times but could never succeed in seducing young Medhavi. One famous Apsara, "Manjughosa", also tried many ways to seduce this sage but she could not come closer to him due to the power of his sobriety that he had attained over the years.

  After many attempts Manjughosa decided to pitch a tent couple of miles away from the sage and started singing. She sang so beautifully that even the Kamdev (Cupid) got excited and decided to use Manjughosha to target Medhavi. But when Manjughosha looked at powerful and attractive body of the sage, she herself got restless by lust .She again started singing seductively, Kamdev drew Medhavi’s attention towards the charm of Manjughosha through his powerful magical bows .She slowly reached closer to Medhavi and embraced him with her beautiful arms. Medhavi stopped his tapa (meditation) and got trapped in Manjughosha’s charm.

  He lost his purity of mind instantaneously. He got so much attracted to her charm that he even forgot the difference between night and day.

  Medhavi was charmed by her for a very long time. After living a married life for 57 years, Manjughosha lost her interest in the sage, and decided to abandon him .Tricked by Apsara’s charm Medhavi couldn’t be aware of the time he spent with Manjughosha. When Manjughosha asked Medhavi to permit her to leave, now the sage got his lost senses back and realized how he was tricked by this Apsara.

  Fuming with anger Medhavi cursed her to become an ugly witch.Very said Medhavi returned back to his father Sage Chyavana’s ashram and told the whole story to his father.

  Sage Chyavana asked Medhavi to observe fast on Papamochani Ekadashi, and assured him that all his sins will be removed by observing fast on this Ekadashi. Medhavi observed the fast with full devotion to Lord Vishnu and got relieved from his mistakes. Chyavana advised the same fast to Majughosha as well. Manjughosha also observed the fast and regretted for her wrong deeds and she was also relieved from her sin.

  Suggestion:  If you can not keep full day fasting, please eat only Ekadasi Prasadam—friuts, vegetables,no grains,etc.-- one time at lunch time only. At night ,you  may drink one glass of milk. Recommended chanting on this day is atleast 25 rounds of Mahamantra—Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,Krishna,Krishna,Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama,Rama,Rama, Hare,Hare.

  Through this austerity, you can take advantage to keep your health and mind in good shape!!!

  Thank you,

  Your servant,

  Karunanidhi Das

  ISKCON,Chicago
• Volunteer

  padmavati mataji April 4, 2013 at 12:13pm

  PRAYERS FOR PROTECTION FROM

  THE SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM.

  
  mām ugra-dharmād akhilāt pramādān
  nārāyaṇaḥ pātu naraś ca hāsāt
  dattas tv ayogād atha yoga-nāthaḥ
  pāyād guṇeśaḥ kapilaḥ karma-bandhāt
  
  May Lord Nārāyaṇa protect me from unnecessarily

  following false religious systems and falling from

  my duties due to madness. May the Lord in His

  appearance as Nara protect me from unnecessary

  pride. May Lord Dattātreya, the Master of all mystic

  power, protect me from falling while performing

  bhakti-yoga, and may Lord Kapila, the Master of

  all good qualities, protect me from the material

  bondage of fruitive activities.
  
  
  māḿ keśavo gadayā prātar avyād
  govinda āsańgavam ātta-veṇuḥ
  nārāyaṇaḥ prāhṇa udātta-śaktir
  madhyan-dine viṣṇur arīndra-pāṇiḥ
  
  May Lord Keśava protect me with His club in the

  first portion of the day, and may Govinda, who

  is always engaged in playing His flute, protect

  me in the second portion of the day. May Lord

  Nārāyaṇa, who is equipped with all potencies,

  protect me in the third part of the day, and

  may Lord Viṣṇu, who carries a disc to kill His

  enemies, protect me in the fourth part of the day.
  
  devo 'parāhṇe madhu-hogradhanvā
  sāyaḿ tri-dhāmāvatu mādhavo mām
  doṣe hṛṣīkeśa utārdha-rātre
  niśītha eko 'vatu padmanābhaḥ
  
  May Lord Madhusūdana, who carries a bow very

  fearful for the demons, protect me during the

  fifth part of the day. In the evening, may Lord

  Mādhava, appearing as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and

  Maheśvara, protect me, and in the beginning

  of night may Lord Hṛṣīkeśa protect me. At the

  dead of night (in the second and third parts

  of night) may Lord Padmanābha alone protect me.
  
  śrīvatsa-dhāmāpara-rātra īśaḥ
  pratyūṣa īśo 'si-dharo janārdanaḥ
  dāmodaro 'vyād anusandhyaḿ prabhāte
  viśveśvaro bhagavān kāla-mūrtiḥ
  
  May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who bears

  the Śrīvatsa on His chest, protect me after midnight

  until the sky becomes pinkish. May Lord Janārdana,

  who carries a sword in His hand, protect me at the

  end of night (during the last four ghaṭikās of night).

  May Lord Dāmodara protect me in the early morning,

  and may Lord Viśveśvara protect me during the

  junctions of day and night.

   

  With love and best wishes, take care, bye, Radhe Radhe.