Comments

• E-Counselor

  Karunanidhi Das May 18, 2016 at 1:11am

  A FRIENDLY REMINDER : 
  MOHINI EKADASI 
  FASTING: FROM GRAINS. 
  BREAKING FAST : TUESDAY 5:27-9:24
  Ekadasi Mahatmya 
  Once upon a time Lord Ramachandra asked His Guru Vashishtha,how to mitigate the  great distress due to His separation from Sita.The great sage Vashishtha said, “O Lord Rama! There was pious and prosperous devotee of Lord Vishnu named Dhanapala who also lived in city called Bhadravati. This devotee of Lord Vishnu had five sons where one of his son Dhristabuddhi was most sinful. He was extremely wicked, ill natured, had bad friends,He was also fond of gambling and drinking wine.He was degraded from his position in caste society and the pious community and became an object of hatred .He started stealing for his survival.Once he was arrested for committing a special kind of theft. He was taken to the King who banished him from the kingdom for good.Dhristabuddhi went far away and entered into a dense forest. Within the forest he became so afflicted with hunger and thirst that he began to kill beasts and birds indiscriminately and ate their raw flesh. For many years  Dhristabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, he arrived at the ashrama of the great sage and ascetic Kaundinya while wandering. With folded hands and great humility,he inquired how to get relief from his sinful activities through the atonement .The sage advised him to observe Mohini Ekadasi with all rule and regulations. Dhristabuddhi observed it with a great care.Soon he was relieved from all of his sins and got a devine body.Then Dhristabuddhi went back to God Head on the back of Garuda. Oh,Ramachandra, by observing Mohini Ekadasi, one conquers the illusion of material attachment. 
  Suggestion : Please take one time Ekadasi Prasadam only if you can not keep full day fasting. At night you may take a glass of milk. Thus, you can take advantage of your health once in 15 days.
  Thank you, 
  Ys 
  Karunanidhi Das
• E-Counselor

  Karunanidhi Das May 4, 2016 at 7:47am

  A Friendly Reminder :
  Tuesday Varuthin Ekadasi
  Fast-Breaking time : Wednesday
  5:42 to 10:25 am
  The most auspicious and magnanimous Ekadasi is Varuthini Ekadasi. Whosoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed, obtains continuous happiness, and achieves all good fortune. King Mandhata was liberated and many other kings also benefited from observing it, kings such as Maharaja Dhundhumara, in the Ikshvaku dynasty, who became free from leprosy resulting from the curse that Lord Shiva had imposed upon him.Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten thousand years is achieved by a person who observes Varuthini Ekadasi.On the Ekadasi itself one should give up the following:gambling, sports, sleeping during the daytime, betal nuts and its leaf, spreading rumours, faultfinding, talking to the spiritually fallen, anger, and lying.On the Dwadasi the day after Ekadasi (the twelfth phase of the Moon), one should give up the following:eating on bell-metal plates, eating urad-dahl, red-lentils, or honey, lying, strenuous exercise or labour, eating more than once, any sexual activity, shaving the body, face or head, smearing oils on one's body, and eating in another's home.Lord Sri Krishna continued, "Whoever observes the Varuthini Ekadasi in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and return to the spiritual abode.
  Suggestion : If you can not observe full fasting, you can take only Ekadasi Prasadam --fruits, vegetables, and dairy products--at lunch. At night, you may drink one glass of milk. Thus,you can take advantage of your health by partial or full fasting on Ekadasi Day.
  Thank you,
  Ys, Karunanidhi Das
  ISKCON Chicago
• Volunteer

  Ram Charan Das April 18, 2016 at 9:58am

  Hare Krishna dandvats, Prabhuji. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I do hereby wish you all the best in Krishna consciousness, Gauranga, Radhe Radhe, Hari Bol! Hare Krishna.
• E-Counselor

  Karunanidhi Das April 18, 2016 at 1:27am

  A Friendly Reminder:

  Today is Kamada Ekadasi

  Breaking of fast: Monday in between 6:04 and 10:36 AM

  Kamada Ekadasi Mahatmya:

  Once, long ago, there existed a city-state named Ratnapura. King Pundarika was the ruler of this most beautiful kingdom where many Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaraas were among its citizens.’ “Among the Gandharvas were Lalita and his wife Lalitaa, who was an especially lovely dancer.  These two were intensely attracted to each other, and their home was full of great wealth and fine food.  Lalitaa loved her husband dearly, and likewise he constantly thought of her within his heart.   

  Once, at the court of King Pundarika, many Gandharvas were dancing and Lalita was singing alone, without his wife.  He could not help thinking about her as he sang, and because of this distraction he lost track of the song's meter and melody.  Indeed, Lalita sang the ending of his song improperly, and one of the envious snakes who was in attendance at the king's court complained to the king about that.  The king became furious upon hearing this. Suddenly he shouted, 'Oh foolish knave, because you were lustfully thinking of a woman instead of reverently thinking of your king as you performed your court duties, I curse you to at once become a cannibal-- a great man-eating demon whose appearance terrified everyone.  Seeing her husband suffering as a horrible cannibal, Lalitaa became overwhelmed with grief.   She had to wander everywhere in the thick jungle with her monstrous husband. However, Lalitaa came upon the sage Shringi one day.  He was sitting on the peak of Vindhyaachala Hill.  Approaching him, she immediately offered the ascetic her respectful obeisance.  The sage noticed her and said, 'Oh most beautiful one, who are you?  Whose daughter are you, and why have you come here?  '"Lalitaa replied, 'Oh great sage, I am the daughter of the great Gandharva Viradhanvaa, and my name is Lalitaa. I roam the forests and plains with my dear husband, whom King Pundarika has cursed to become a man-eating demon. What pious act can I perform to free him from this demonic form, Oh best of brahmaness?'

   The sage replied: there is an Ekadashi named KAmadaa that occurs in the light fortnight of the month of Chaitra. Whoever fasts on this day has all his desires fulfilled.  If you observe this Ekadashi fast according to its rules and regulations your husband will be freed from the curse at once. "'"Lalita faithfully observed the fast of KAmadaa Ekadashi according to the instructions of the sage Shringi, and on Devadasi she appeared before him and the Deity of Lord Vasudeva and said, 'I have faithfully observed the fast of Kamada Ekadashi.  By the merit earned through my observance of this fast, let my husband be free from the curse that has turned him into a demoniac cannibal.

  As soon as Lalitaa finished speaking, her husband, who stood nearby, was at once freed from the king's curse.  He immediately regained his original form as the Gandharva Lalita.   All this was accomplished by the power and glory of Kamada  Ekadashi.  At last the Gandharva couple boarded a celestial airplane and ascended to heaven."'

  Suggestion: Please keep on chanting as much you can at least 25 rounds of Mahamantra on this Ekadasi day. Stay away from grains and beans. Try to observe half day fasting with only lunch of Ekadasi Prasadam—fruits, vegetables, and milk products—and drink one glass of milk in night. This way, you can take advantage of your health once in fifteen days on every Ekadasi.

  Thank you,

  Servant of servants of Guru and Gouranga

  Karunanidhi  Das

  ISKCON,Chicago

   
• E-Counselor

  Karunanidhi Das April 5, 2016 at 12:10am

  Thank you Prabhu for adding me into your association.

  Glad to know that your chanting 24 rounds. Please bless me to chant like that.

  Thank you,

  Ys,

  Karunanidhi Das
• Volunteer

  Ram Charan Das April 4, 2016 at 2:15pm

  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....
• Volunteer

  padmavati mataji April 4, 2013 at 12:07pm

  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.
• Volunteer

  padmavati mataji March 18, 2013 at 12:58pm

  Pranam Dearest Devotee.  Hare  Krishna.

  May you receive transcendental blessings and grace

  and mercy; health and strength  and  understanding;

  peace  and  love; harmony and wisdom;  insight and

  intuition and inspiration from the God of Gods; the

  Lord  of Lords; the King of Kings; the God of love, the

  God Who animates every aspect of the material universe.

  He keeps our heart beating and our stomach digesting

  food and oversees an incalculable number of chemical

  reactions per second that takes place in every cell of the

  body we live in.  Lord Krishna  notices everything.  He

  observes and pays attention to us. Lord Krishna is aware

  of our thoughts and our dreams, our behaviours and our

  desires.  It is Lord Krishna  Who causes the trees to grow

  and He causes distant galaxies to form and collapse. Lord

  Krishna is the Original Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality

  of Godhead.  I offer my  respectful obeisances  unto  Him. 

  May your devotion to Him be resolute and unflinching; may

  your confidence in Him be firm and total; may your love for

  Him be unfailing and intense, and may your faith in Him be 

  strong and steadfast;  deep and profound;  unwavering and

  unshakeable. Know well that  Lord Krishna`s eternal love for

  you encircle and encompasses you at all times, night and day.

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