Birthday:
March 16
"Hare Krishna,
Thank you so much for your warm wishes. Hare Krishna, Haribol"
Thank you so much for your warm wishes. Hare Krishna, Haribol"
"Hare Krishna,
Thank you for your warm wishes, I hope Krishna always showers his blessings on all of us always.
Haribol Haribol Haribol"
Thank you for your warm wishes, I hope Krishna always showers his blessings on all of us always.
Haribol Haribol Haribol"
Comments
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
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
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
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
Hare Krishna Cheta!
How are you?
Did you start chanting. Please chant one round daily at any of your convinient time.You can chant even in bathroom or while walking on the road. Chanting will bring you all auspiciousness--nice concentration,nice sleep,peace to mind,no stress,love to Krishna, and so many other good things. Please let me about your experience of chanting.
Thank you,
Your devotee friend.
Haribol!
Today is Gaura Purnima Festival!
Today devotees observe fasting to purify themselves till the moonrise.
The program starts at 6 P.M to 9 P.M followed by Music, Drama, and sumptuous Vegetarian Prasadam.
Please take advantage of holy association of devotees and mercy of Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya who is the Supreme Personality of God Head, descended on this earth in 1407 Saka Era on the full moon evening of the month of Phalguna, during the constellation of Simhalagna as the son of Sri Sacidevi and Jagannath Misra in Navadvipa in the district of Srihatta. Lord Krishna is all sweetness. Radharani’s attraction for Krishna is sublime, and to experience that attraction and understand the transcendental sweetness of Himself, He accepted the mentality of Radharani to enjoy the bliss tested by Radharani.
It is confirmed in Srimad Also from Cc Mad.20.330
“In the Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali yugas, Krishna accepts four different colors: white, red , black, and yellow respectively. These are the colors of the different incarnations in different millenniums.”
Lord Caitanya was in yellow color. It proved that Lord Caitanya was the Krishna Himself.
The Lord Caitanya is the pioneer Leader of Hare Krishna congregational Chanting. Lord Caitanya started spreading Hare Krishna Movement on the Public with His associates to save fallen souls—who are grossly engrossed with demoniac mentality and activities.
Lord Ramacandra appeared to kill one demon king Ravana who had kidnapped Goddess Sita Devi. However, Lord Caitanya appeared to kill the demoniac mentality of countless demons of this age that are found in every house in this Modern age thorough the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. So, Lord Caitanya’s incarnation is known as the Magnanimous incarnation. Lord Caitanya had forecasted that His holy name will be broadcasted in every town and Villages throughout the world which was implemented by His Devine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada through ISKCON. So, we are all indebted to Lord Caitanaya for His causeless mercy to save us.
All Glories to Lord Caitanya!
Thank you,
Your servant,
Karunanidhi Das
ISKCON, Chicago
From :Ys, Karunanidhi Das
ISKCON Chicago
SUBJ:Ekadasi Fasting
MSG:Sat - Ekadasi Fasting and Sun- Ekadasi fast breaking time 06:53-10:56 am
Today is Amalaki Ekadasi. The important of this Ekadasi is described in Brahmanda Purana in a conversation between king Mandhata and great sage Vashista. It is stated that a pious king named Caitraratha had put a pitcher of water,an umbrella, cloth, shoes and five kinds of precious jewels under an Amalaki tree inside the compound of the vishnu temple. Whole night he made sankirtan with others. A hunter was also there with them. By observing this Ekadasi, the hunter became a very nice devotee with many opulence. Later he was known as King Vasuratha.
Although a devotee doesn't want any opulence in exchange of his austerity, but Krishna is so merciful that He offers everything to His devotee without doubt.
Ekadasi Fasting is a good austerity. Please continue it with determination.
Haribol!
Hare Krishna Cheta,
Thank you for adding me as your devotee friend.
You are very fortunate that you got the opportunity to come in contact with Krishna consciousness from your childhood!
Haribol!
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....
Happy and Blessed B'day Cheta!
Please make it auspicious by chanting the Holy name "Mahamantra" from your birthday it self.
Thank you,
Well wisher,
Karunanidhi Das