jaya jaya sundara nanda-kumāra

saurabha-sańkaṭa-vṛndāvana-vihita-vasanta-vihāra

“O handsome son of Nanda, O Lord who enjoys springtime pastimes in the fragrant forest of Vrndavana, all glories to You! All glories to You!”

- Srila Rupa Goswami

Vasanta Pancami usually takes place during the month of January or February, and marks the first official day of spring. The spring season signifies new life and joy, and Mother Nature shares that jubilation in the form of blossoming flowers and flourishing trees. It is indeed a very beautiful time of the year. As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita,'ham ṛtūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ:“...and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.”

Traditionally in Vrndavan, Vasanta Pancami is celebrated very wonderfully. All the deities are dressed and decorated in beautiful yellow cloth and elaborately decorated, and everyone dresses in various shades of yellow or green.

In the Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, Sri Sri Radha Madhava are offered a new dress designed by the community devotees and decorated with many flowers. Everything, from the cloth to the jewellery to the decorations and even the complexion of Srimati Radharani and the gopis, is yellow. 

The white marble of the gopis’ forms is given a golden hue using a specially prepared mixture of saffron powder and water, personally prepared by His Grace Jananivas Prabhu. Along with a small group of pujaris, Jananivas Prabhu carefully applies the fragrant pigmented mixture on the gopis’ bodies with a soft cloth.

The deities look so breathtakingly beautiful in Their new flower-bedecked outfits, which perfectly complement Their golden complexions, and the heavenly aroma from the bodies of Srimati Radhika and Her sakhis permeates the temple hall, and amplifies the sweetness and ecstasy of the devotees.

The Vasanta season is celebrated as the best of seasons, not only because it represents life and joy, but because it is the most fortunate of all the seasons, as Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the Vasanta season.

“King Vasanta (the personification of the spring season) heard that Lord Gauranga would appear in the flower bearing spring, and he became jubilant and ecstatic and began to dance with his five brothers (who represent the other five seasons).”

 - Sri Navadvipa Dham – A Pilgrim’s Guide

                                          Sweet reminiscence of Janmashtami and Radhastami in Mayapur

“Today we are observing the Sri Krishna Janmashtami adhivas because lord Krishna Janmashtami is one of the most holy days in the universe. Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita  My birth and My work is transcendental. We will offer about 26 sacred items to the deities. We will offer that with various prayers. We have here the gurukula students who will chant the mantras and different pujaris, brahmanas and sanyasis will offer the sacred items. See the deities have come forward in their utsav murti and you can offer your prayers to the deities what seva you want to do. And tomorrow we will observe the Janmashtami the whole day till midnight.” – His Holiness Jayapataka Swami on Janmashtami adhivas ceremony speech 2019.

The auspicious Janmashtami day in Mayapur was stocked with spiritual events like samskaras, aratis and abhishek. Melodious kirtan went on for the whole day. The day started with stunning mangal arati darshan. The Bhagavatam class focused on the transcendental janma, tattva and karma of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The festival events in Mayapur consisted of day darshan, samskaras, abhisekh, and night darshan.

The entire temple room was decorated amazingly for sringar arati. Sri sri Radha Madhav and Asta Sakhis were adorned with a new colorful dress. They were marvelously dressed with a variety of flowers, jewels, and ornaments. The crowded temple full of devotees stood astounded taking darshan and singing to their lordships.

Devotees from the Gurukula then began preparations for the performance of Krishna’s samskaras. Devotees played different roles like Krishna, Nanda, Yashoda, and Garga muni. A large number of samskaras were performed, beginning from Jata Karma (Birth), Niskramanam (first outing), Nama karana (name giving), Paustika karma (nourishment), Anna prasana (first grains), Cuda karanam (hair cutting), Upanayanam (sacred thread), and finally Samavartana (graduation from Gurukula). Little boy Krishna then went out to everyone present in the temple room to collect Gurudakshina which was a wonderful sight to witness.

The abhisekh started two hours before midnight. They were bathed with Panca-gavya – the five sacred items from the cow – and are then bathed with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and sugar water, which are known as the five nectars. They were also bathed with seasonal and colourful juices from fruits such as mangoes, grapes, pomegranates, oranges, watermelons, and papayas. Water scented with saffron, rose, aguru, musk and kusha grass were also used to bathe Their Lordships, and fragrant flower waters made with flowers such as rose, bakul, lotus, jasmine, and gandharaj. Radha Madhava is also bathed in coconut water and is given two kinds of showers: Sarva Aushadi and Maha Aushadi, which uses natural medicinal and herbal substances to bathe the Lord.

A maha-arati was performed and Radha Madhava gave darshan in another new outfit. This was the grand Night darshan that devotees eagerly waited for after the curtains closed. Meantime there was charanamrta distributed to all the devotees in the Panchatatya courtyard. Sumptuous anukalpa maha prasadam was then served to everyone who attended and fasted on this auspicious day.

Just 12 days after celebrating Janmastami there was a buzz all over Mayapur. The 4th of September was Lalita sasti and the devotees of Mayapur were getting set for yet another celebration, the appearance day of Mayapur’s most beloved Srimati Radharani. Pilgrims from local villages and abroad gathered in huge numbers to attend this grand festival. The Radha Premdan Kirtan Utsav commenced the day before the festival, an ecstatic kirtan was performed all day with devotees both residents of Mayapur and visiting devotees, getting to chant the maha-mantra singing Radhe! Radhe!. Preparations carried on for the adhivas cermony and Radahastami.

In the evening, during adhivas the utsav murti Sri Sri Radha Madhav came forward and were honored with 26 auspicious items. The devotees were encouraged to prepare their consciousness for Sri Radhastami the next day.

On the Radhastami day, Srimati Radharani gave her first darshan during mangal arati. Srimati Radhika dazzled wearing a yellow saree, her hair braided on both sides, glancing mercy to all devotees assembled, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hands. The Bhagavatam classes started from 6 AM discussing her glories, activities, and birth narrated by various exalted vaishnavas. Srimati Radharani’s glorious birth occurred on the eighth day of the bright moon in the month of Bhadra. Srimati Vishakha Devi was also born on the same day. The entire temple altar was exquisitely decorated by various selfless hard-working devotees.

During darshan arti Her Divine Grace took your breath away. Srimati Radharani was dressed in new clothes, ornaments, flower garlands, and anklets. She was wearing a garden of all varieties of blooming flowers which attract even the maddened bumblebee Sri Krishna. Her bodily complexion snatched away the pride of a golden lotus flower and her fragrance spread all over the temple room. During that time the devotees chanted govindam adi purusham and nothing else mattered only our beloved Queen Srimati Radharani.

The devotees offered various gifs during the gift offering session and soon after the Radha Premdan Kirtan Utsav resumed from 10 Am which would go on till 10 Pm. The Maha Abhisekh started an hour before noon and this was the climax of the festival. The Radha Madhav utsav deities were bathed with various colors of auspicious items as the chanting mantras and the kirtan continued in the background. Bhoga offering, puspanjali and Maha arti followed. There was a feast prasadam served in all the kitchens for everybody who attended this glorious festival.

In the evening, devotees chanted Sri Radhikastakam for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani with every line ending with one request - to always bestow upon me the service of Her lotus feet. Lamps were distributed for devotees to offer and sing at the same time. This day was all about Radharani! 

Thank you to all the sponsorer and selfless servitude mentality of devotees who made this festival a grand success. All glories to Radharani - always bestow upon me the service of Your lotus feet.

On the 28^th of March this year in the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, a grand celebration will be held on the occasion of the appearance day of Srivasa Thakura. Srivasa Thakura is one of the most prominent devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and was present in Mayapur along with Sri Caitanya in the 15^th century.

One of the most striking features of the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, ISKCON’s World Headquarters in West Bengal, India, are the Deities of Sri Sri Panca-tattva who preside over the temple. These five Deities are cast of eight different kinds of metal and weigh approximately two tons. At nine feet tall and shining golden, bedecked in opulent clothing and jewels, They are magnificent to behold.

Sridhama Mayapur is the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the central figure of the five Panca-tattva. It is significant that ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada did not desire that a deity of only Lord Caitanya be installed in ISKCON’s temple in Mayapur, but rather the five Panca-tattva.

Srila Prabhupada describes the Panca-tattva in his purport to the Panca-tattva Mahamantra as follows:

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by His plenary expansion Sri Nityananda Prabhu, His incarnation Sri Advaita Prabhu, His internal potency Sri Gadadhara Prabhu, and His marginal potency Srivasa Prabhu. He is in the midst of them as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should know that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by these other tattvas. Therefore our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are complete when we say, sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda.”

One of the Lord’s significant features is that He does not appear alone. He prefers to always be surrounded by His loving associates. It is not possible to approach the Lord alone, but only through His associates and His devotees. Worshiping the Lord means to also worship His associates and devotees.

Srila Prabhupada stated in a lecture in Gainesville, Florida in 1971 that “worshiping Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu means to worship Him with His associates, Panca-tattva.”

The five Panca-tattva consist of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, Sri Advaita Acharya, Sri Gadadhara Pandita, and Srivasa Thakura. Lord Caitanya is Krishna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Nityananda is His immediate expansion, and Advaita Acharya is an incarnation. Gadadhara Pandita is His internal energy, and Srivasa Thakura is His marginal energy.

Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, and Advaita Acharya are all vishnu-tattva, while Gadadhara Pandita and Srivasa Thakura are shakti-tattva and jiva-tattva, respectively. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Adi 7.15 that the first three are worshipable because They are the Supreme Lord, but the second two are equally worshipable because they themselves are eternally engaged in the service of the Lord.

Therefore every year on the appearance day of Srivasa Thakura, a grand celebration is held in Mayapur. Srivasa Thakura is decorated with many items of flower jewelry lovingly made by community devotees. In the morning, devotees hear about the glories of Srivasa Thakura and take darsana of him. Around midday, devotees again gather at the temple to witness the wonderful maha-abhiseka offered to him. Srivasa Thakura is bathed with many auspicious substances, such as milk products, honey and various sugar waters, fruit juices, and flower petals, as an ecstatic kirtan takes place.

Srivasa Thakura is known as the leader of the devotees of Lord Caitanya. Srivasa Thakura’s chanting of the Lord’s names were instrumental in the Lord’s appearance as Lord Caitanya.

The Lord says to Srivasa Thakura in the Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, “Due to being called by your sankirtana and the loud roaring of Sri Advaita Acharya, I have left Vaikuntha and have descended upon this mortal world, accompanied by My eternal associates.”

Srivasa Thakura and his wife Malini were close friends of Lord Caitanya’s parents and were themselves parental figures for Lord Caitanya when he was young. When the Lord grew and began His sankirtana pastimes, He inaugurated His sankirtana movement first inside the home of Srivasa Thakura.

It is said in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita that Lord Caitanya is always present in four places: in the household temple of His mother Saci, in the places where Sri Nityananda Prabhu danced, in the house of Raghava Pandita, and in the house of Srivasa Thakura during congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy names.

jaya jaya srivasadi gaura-bhakta-gana

jaya srota-gana, – yanra gaura prana-dhana

All glories to all the devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura! All glories to the readers who have taken Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as their life and soul! (CC Madhya 14.3)

                                       Advaita Acharya in Mayapur 

The Shantipur festival was first celebrated in the 15^th century by the great saint Sri Advaita Acharya. The festival took place at his home in Shantipur on the occasion of the disappearance day of his spiritual master, Madhavendra Puri. On that day he fed all the devotees who came to his home prasadam, or sanctified food offered to the Lord.

Lord Caitanya attended the celebration and ate along with all the devotees. He stated that whoever comes to Shantipur and honors prasadam on this day will be blessed with love for Lord Krishna.

To this day, the same festival is celebrated every year in Shantipur. Devotees from the ISKCON Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir travel to the nearby town of Shantipur to participate in the festival. There, they cook and serve kitchari, a preparation made from rice, dhal beans, and vegetables, to tens of thousands of people.

This celebration has been a regular part of ISKCON Mayapur’s annual Gaura-purnima festivities for many years now. Some years ago, Jayapataka Swami first went to Shantipur and started ISKCON’s participation in the festival. Today, ISKCON feeds approximately 40,000 people at the festival every year.

This year, on the 18^th of March almost 40,000 local people from the surrounding districts came to Shantipur to participate in this festival at the home of Advaita Acharya. Throughout the day, 32 buses traveled back and forth from ISKCON Mayapur to Shantipur, transporting devotees to the festival site. ISKCON Mayapur also extended its security personnel to help the local police in safely facilitating the crowds of people, and its medical support team to be on hand to provide care if needed.

Cooking began at around 4 AM and serving went on until 6:30 PM. Seven large pots, capable of holding approximately 1,000 liters each, were used to cook the kitchari. Forty devotees worked as dedicated cooks and approximately 500 devotees served prasadam to the local people.

The following figures give an idea of the vastness of the operation: the festival cooks used approximately 1,300 kilos of potatoes, 1,000 kilos of tomatoes, 800 kilos of cauliflower, 3,500 kilos of rice, and 1,800 kilos of dhal beans, among other ingredients, to prepare the food that was served.

                           Lines of local people eat prasadam

                           Some of the pots of kitchari cooked by ISKCON devotees

Kirtan was performed throughout the entire event. A number of sannyasis and senior devotees came to participate and speak about the significance of the event and the glories of Sri Advaita Acharya. In attendance this year were His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami, His Holiness Kavichandra Swami, His Holiness Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami, and His Holiness Bhakti Nityananda Maharaja.

A member of the legislative assembly of the government of West Bengal came to greet the ISKCON leaders who attended the event. He thanked them for ISKCON’s service and extended the government’s support.

Jayapataka Swami thanked all of those who came to participate in the festival. “We are helping Advaita Goswami to celebrate this festival,” he said. “You are all rendering a very confidential service to Lord Caitanya and Advaita.”

                      Gopal Krishna Goswami serves prasadam at the Shantipur festival

                      Kavichandra Swami and Bhakti Nityananda Swami at Shantipur            

March 21^st, 2019 - On the auspicious birthday of Lord Caitanya, Gaura Purnima, in the ISKCON Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir in Sridhama Mayapur, four qualified candidates accepted sannyasa from His Holiness Jayapataka Swami in order to further spread the mission of Mahaprabhu.

Sannyasa is the renounced order of life accepted by many followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself accepted sannyasa in order to further the spread of the sankirtana movement. Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, also accepted sannyasa to assist in his own preaching endeavors, in accordance with the instructions of his guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

The following is a brief description of the four candidates who accepted sannyasa on Gaura Purnima: 

Prithi Vardhana Dasa is one of the administrators of the Bhaktivedanta Academy gurukula school. He is known to be a qualified and scholarly devotee who is an example of “simple living and high thinking.” He has been serving in the gurukula for almost 30 years. He preaches regularly in different countries in Europe, and also travels with His Holiness Bhakti Purusottama Swami to assist with the Tribal Care preaching in the rural tribal areas of India. On the auspicious occasion of his accepting sannyasa, he received the name Bhakti Arjava Prithi Vardhana Swami!

Gaura Chandra Dasa is one of the co-directors of ISKCON Namahatta, and he has been preaching in many districts in Bengal and Orissa. He is known to be a simple and dedicated devotee who has been in ISKCON for a few decades. On the auspicious occasion of his accepting sannyasa, he received the name Bhakti Vilasa Gaurachandra Swami!

Navadvipa Dvija Gauranga Dasa is the Vice President of ISKCON Bangladesh, and he also serves as the Divisional Secretary for the Sylhet division of Bangladesh. He has been a devotee for more than 25 years. He is known to be a qualified devotee with exemplary sadhana, or spiritual practice, who works very cooperatively with the devotees of Bangladesh. On the auspicious occasion of his accepting sannyasa, he received the name Bhakti Advaita Navadvipa Swami! 

Puspa Sila Dasa serves as the Divisional Secretary for North Bengal and Bangladesh. He is known to be a humble devotee and very humble preacher. On the auspicious occasion of his accepting sannyasa, he received the name Bhakti Vinaya Swami!

The Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir temple hall was packed with devotees who came to witness the event. All of the devotees were joyful to see these four devotees accepting greater responsibilities in spiritual life to assist with their preaching.

We ask all the devotees to bless the four new sannyasis and we hope that their acceptance of sannyasa will enhance the preaching activities of ISKCON.

All glories to Bhakti Arjava Prithi Vardhana Swami!

All glories to Bhakti Vilasa Gaurachandra Swami!

All glories to Bhakti Advaita Navadvipa Swami!  

All glories to Bhakti Vinaya Swami!  

Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s Boat Festival takes place over the course of one week during the summer, but devotees from around the world get to participate in the festival for one day during the annual Gaura-purnima festival.

This year, the festival took place on the 16^th of March. Sri Sri Radha Madhava are taken from the temple on procession, riding atop a carved wooden palanquin. They are brought to the pukur, or ornamental pond, that sits beside Srila Prabhupada’s Puspa-samadhi Mandir. The pond is ringed by walkways and steps leading down to the water, and within the water sits a decorated boat created especially for the use of Radha Madhava. The whole area is decorated with lights and flowers.

Radha Madhava are situated in the boat with Their pujaris and devotees and visitors crowd around the pond to witness the sweet festival. The Lord’s pujaris row the boat around the pond, stopping several times to allow devotees to offer flowers, garlands, and bhoga to Radha Madhava. Arati is offered, and all present get the opportunity to offer a clay lamp to the Deities.

After Radha Madhava have circled the pond several times, serenaded by sweet kirtan and surrounded by devotees eager to glimpse Their sweet pastime, They are taken from the boat and placed upon a decorated swing. Here, They again accept bhoga offerings from Their devotees and then all of Their devotees have the opportunity to swing Them.

All glories to Sri Sri Radha Madhava!

In 2019, kirtan is readily available anywhere in the world. Kirtan is daily performed in temples and on the streets across the globe. Every year, more kirtan events are held, some drawing hundreds of thousands. Kirtan recordings and albums are available online at any time. Even so-called mainstream culture in the Western world is embracing kirtan as a form of meditation in the music and yoga scene.

Kirtan is now available for all. But it wasn’t always like this. Before the 15^th century, the chanting of God’s own holy names was a sacred activity reserved for the highest of ecclesiastic society in the inner sanctums of temples.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared in West Bengal, India, in 1486, inaugurated a revolution when He took the chanting of Krishna’s holy names to the streets.

Lord Caitanya predicted:

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

“In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.” (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126)

Not only would kirtan be chanted by those other than caste brahmanas, but it would be chanted in every town and village of the world. And this is so: the public chanting of the holy names is now practiced all over the world.

Sridhama Mayapur is the place where the sankirtana movement, the movement of public and congregational chanting of the Lord’s names, began. It is considered to be the spiritual capital of the world.

Not long ago, Mayapur was little other than a collection of rice fields in a remote area of West Bengal. At that time, the great saint Bhaktivinoda Thakura expressed the following desire: “When will that day come when the fair-skinned foreigners will come to Sri Mayapur-dhama and join with the Bengali Vaisnavas to chant Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana? When will that day come?”

That day has arrived. In Sridhama Mayapur, the birthplace of the worldwide sankirtana movement, the Lord’s holy names are now chanted daily by people from over 60 countries of the world.

It is only appropriate that one of the world’s largest kirtan events takes place every year in Sridhama Mayapur. ISKCON Mayapur’s annual Gaura-purnima festival has been celebrated every year since 1972, drawing thousands of visitors from around the globe. In 2012, an annual Kirtan Mela was added to the Gaura-purnima festivities. For four days, for ten hours a day, followers of Lord Caitanya from around the world join together to chant the holy names of the Lord congregationally.

This year was the eighth annual Mayapur Kirtan Mela. Thousands of devotees crowded the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir and raised their arms and their voices in front of the most merciful Deities of Sri Sri Panca-tattva. Kirtan leaders included HH Lokanath Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH BB Govinda Swami, HH Niranjana Swami, and many others.

“The Krishna consciousness movement has established its center in Mayapur, the birth site of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to give men the great opportunity to go there and perform a constant festival of sankirtan-yajna.” (Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.19.24 Purport)

Mayapur International Preaching – Srila Prabhupada’s Dancing Elephants

“Preaching can be a difficult, thankless task, but a preacher must follow the orders of the Supreme Lord and be unafraid of materialistic persons.”

- Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.39, purport

His Grace Sudama Das (ACBSP) recalled when Srila Prabhupada was leaving Tokyo to go to India. “He (Srila Prabhupada) said, ‘I have opened the West. Now I will take my dancing white elephants to India.’” Srila Prabhupada wanted to show the people how these ‘dancing elephants’ gave up their “perfect” western life to adopt their own culture, therefore seeing Westerners adopt the principles of Krishna consciousness would naturally increase the faith of the local Indians in their own culture.”

The Mayapur International Preaching group is a group of enthusiastic and dedicated devotees from all parts of the world, travelling and inspiring thousands as they go, all following the same goal of bringing whoever they can to the Lotus feet of Krishna.

The Mayapur Internal Preaching team very much encourages the younger generations to perform the yuga dharma – harinama-sankirtana – and preaching the glories of Sridham Mayapur. The younger generations are given the wonderful experience of travelling to many parts of India and preaching and serving together, along with honing their leadership qualities, channeled specifically for preaching.

The core team consists of twelve devotees who currently live in Mayapur, and others who join when they visit Sri Mayapur Dham. The group sometimes expands up to 35 devotees. There are devotees from the United States of America, Canada, Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Ghana, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Ukraine, Israel, Russia, Japan, China, Thailand and Australia who participate in these various preaching initiatives.
 

The Mayapur International Preaching group engages in various preaching activities and programs, widening the scope of preaching opportunities. They participate in Ratha Yatra, Nagar Sankirtan, stage programs, house programs, school preaching, tribal preaching, press conferences and so on. The group also participated in major festivals like the historic ISKCON 50^th Anniversary Jaladuta Yatra festival.

The preaching group also appeared on famous radio programs and television network Zee Bangla, where they starred on SA RE GA MA PA and DD Number One. The devotees do various dance and kirtan performances, and speak from their own personal experiences how they came into Krishna consciousness and how the Vaisanva philosophy is the highest of all, and not the western culture which is so often wrongly idealized.

With over 25 songs with various instrument accompaniment and many dance routines and their skills in kirtan, the Mayapur International Preaching group is fully equipped to inspire through their own example how to live a Krishna conscious life. These devotees inspire thousands upon thousands of people, because to the people, seeing these devotees giving up their material comforts and desires to take up their own Vaisnava culture puts things into perspective for them.

“To bring about this change in India, the revival of Krishna consciousness, Prabhupada’s plan was to bring his dancing white elephants, he told us that, ‘when I bring my Western disciples to India, they will all come to see my dancing white elephants,’ he said. So we were actually very fond of being Prabhupada’s dancing white elephants. We took that as the special mercy of Prabhupada on us, that we could be his dancing white elephants and help him in any way we could to preach Krishna consciousness in India.”

- His Grace Bhavananda Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, volume 4

Mayapur Times Newsletter August 2018 - Issue 2

“A brahmachari should be quite well behaved and gentle and should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the sastra. Fully controlling his senses, he should associate only as much as necessary with women or those controlled by women.”
- Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.12.6, translation

In the Vedic scriptures, the life of a brahmachari begins from as young as 5 years of age and goes up until 25 years of age, after which the decision to continue with celibate life or to go into the next ashrama is made. In the brahmachari ashrama, the brahmacharis are properly trained in various areas of etiquette and practice celibacy. They live austerely and are fully engaged in various services and sastric studies under the guidance of the spiritual mater or mentor.

Living separately from the grihasta community, the Brahmachari Ashrama in the Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya campus is located near the Panca-tattva entrance of the temple. There are over 290 residential brahmacharis who are all engaged in service in and around Mayapur. They are engaged in a variety of services such as campus preaching and outreach, pujari service, sankirtana bus preaching, school preaching, bhakti-vriksha preaching, medical care, management and so on. 

To join the Mayapur Brahmachari Ashrama, devotees are required to complete a six-month course taught by the New Devotee Department. This program teaches new bhaktas the philosophy and practice of Krishna consciousness through the books of Srila Prabhupada and by engaging them in many services throughout the day, such as tulasi-seva, cleaning the temple, setting up for the morning Srimad Bhagavatam classes and packing up afterwards, and cleaning the Mayapur campus.  Additionally, they attend a variety of classes on philosophy and Vaishnava etiquette.

Once the first course is completed, bhaktas aspiring to join the Brahmachari Ashrama take a six-month Vocational Training Course. This course includes learning the basics of singing bhajans and kirtan, as well as learning how to play mridanga, kartals and harmonium. They dive deeper into sastric studies, and learn how to cook and how to distribute books. This training program not only assists them in their day-to-day services and life in the ashrama, but is also beneficial for when and if they eventually leave the ashrama. Once the two courses are completed, the devotee can then join the Brahmachari Ashrama. 

The wellbeing of each of the resident brahmacharis is looked after by the Mayapur Brahmachari Care System (MBCS), which serves as a counselling system for the resident brahmacharis. There are 16 brahmachari group leaders, called Sevaks, and they are each the group leader for 10-12 brahmacharis. Each group gathers once a week for studies and spiritual discussions. The Sevaks in turn meet every 2 weeks for an istagosti. In this way, the MBCS oversees the brahmacharis’ sadhana, studies, services, and physical and mental care. 

The senior brahmacharis live in the senior brahmachari ashrama, which facilitates their personal studies. The senior brahmacari ashrama also provides the space required to take personal care of the elderly brahmacharis. There are always 5-6 younger brahmacharis constantly ready to serve the senior brahmacharis with anything they may need. The younger brahmacharis take care of basic needs such as laundry, cleaning the rooms, bringing medicine and prasadam, and so on. By performing such menial services for the senior brahmacharis these young brahmacharis get immense benefit, as they are performing the highest service of all – Vaishnava seva. Taking care of the elder devotees in their ashrama is conducive not only for the training of the young brahmacharis but also, most importantly, for their Krishna consciousness. This service also gives them the opportunity to receive guidance and association from the senior brahmacharis, and thus this system has proven to be very successful.

“After completing one's education as a brahmachari in this way, one should give daksina, an offering of gratitude, to one's guru, and then one may leave for home and accept the next ashrama-the grihastha-ashrama-or else one may continue in the brahmacharya-ashrama without adulteration.”

- Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.12 Summary

In the year 1992, the last of the four Asta-sakhis, or principle associates of Srimati Radharani, appeared in Mayapur and took their places on the altar. Rangadevi and Sudevi were two of these four, and they stand third and fourth on Srimati Radharani‘s left.

Rangadevi and Sudevi are identical twins. Their father is Rangasara and their mother is Karuna. Rangadevi is married to Vakreksana, and Sudevi is married to Bhairava. They both have the complexion of padma-kinjalka, the yellowish-red colour of a lotus filament, and wear cloth the colour of java-kusuma, or the bright red hibiscus flower. Rangadevi’s kunja, or grove, is situated on the Southwest of Radha Kunda. It is syama, or blackish in colour, and is named Ranga-devi-sukhanda. Sudevi’s kunja is on the Northwest side of Radha Kunda, and is harita, or greenish in colour. It is named Vasanta-sukhada, which means Giver of Joy to the Spring.

The twins are seven days younger than Srimati Radharani, their eternal age being fourteen years, two months and four days. Rangadevi, however, is half a day older than Sudevi, thus she is fourteen years, two months and four and a half days old. Rangadevi and Sudevi are very similar and are often mistaken for each other.

Rangadevi stands third to Srimati Radhika’s left, and her service to the Divine Couple is supplying chandana, or sandalwood paste. On the altar in Mayapur, she can be seen offering beautiful garlands or necklaces to Sri Sri Radha Madhava. 

Her mood is utkanthita, which is described as a heroine who repeatedly glances down the path in anticipation, while anxiously awaiting the arrival of her beloved – this is not manifested in relation to herself. This merely describes her nature. Her temperament is vama-madhya, or moderately contrary.

Like her father, Rangadevi is always very fixed in performing her religious duties and observing various rituals. She is the leader of the maidservants who prepare and offer incense, perfume and cosmetics to Their Lordships. During the winter months, she keeps Radha Madhava warm by starting fires, and keeps Them cool in the summer by applying cooling chandana to Their bodies and fanning Them. Her maidservant is Kasturi-manjari.

Rangadevi is an ocean of feminine gestures, poses and glances. She is very cultured, and many of her qualities are similar to those of Campakalata Devi – prayena campaka-latadhi-gunam su-silam. By her previous austerities, Rangadevi attained a special mantra which can attract Sri Madhava.

In Gaura lila, some say she appears as Gadadhara Bhatta, while others say Govindananda Ghosa.

Sudevi is half a day younger than Rangadevi. Her service to the Divine couple is jala-seva, or offering water to the Divine Couple. Her service, as seen on the altar in Mayapur, is offering beautiful baskets and bouquets of flowers to Sri Sri Radha Madhava. She is the fourth gopi on the left side of Srimati Radhika, and her maidservant is Manjulali-manjari.

Her mood is kalahantarita, or like a heroine who suffers after sending away her beloved during a quarrel, and she is very sweet and gentle by nature. She typically stays by Srimati Radhika’s side, and is expert in performing splendorous devotional service with all her life and soul –sarvanu-jivana-gunojjvala-bhakti-daksam.

Sudevi is the swiftest runner, and coordinates entire networks of witty spies, who disguise themselves and move among the rival gopis and learn their secrets. She is skilled in training birds to talk and do tricks. She has a vast knowledge of birdcalls, and is in charge of the vana-devis, or the forest goddesses, who are in charge of various birds.

She is learned in the scriptures of foretelling omens, and knows which lotuses bloom in the moonlight. She is the leader of the maidservants who fashions spittoons, bells, couches and sitting places. She is also very skilled in handling boats. Sudevi braids Srimati Radhika’s hair, decorates Her lotus eyes, and dexterously massages Her effulgent form using precious oils. She is also fond of joking with Srimati Radhika in front of Madhava.

She is said to appear in Gaura lila as either Anantacharya Goswami or Vasudeva Ghosa.

(References:- Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri Sri Radha Krsna Ganodesa Dipika and Srila Kavi Karnapur's Sri Gaura Ganodesa Dipika)

 In 1986, just before the annual Gaura Purnima Festival, Sri Indulekha devi and three other sakhis were installed in Sri Dham Mayapur and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar.  Indulekha Devi stands next to Visakha Devi, second gopi on Srimati Radharani’s right.

Sri Indulekha Devi is one of the eight principle gopis, or Asta-sakhis, the most confidential associates of Srimati Radharani. Her father is Sagara, her mother is Vela Devi, and her husband is Durbala. Indulekha Devi’s complexion is described as haritala, or greenish-yellow, and her clothing is described to be the light scarlet colour of pomegranate flowers. Her kunja or grove is called Purnendu (Full Moon), and is located to the Southeast of Radha Kunda.  It is white like the moon, and has a golden aura. 

Indulekha Devi’s favourite instrument is the manjira, or finger cymbals, and her favorite tune is raga-vihaga.  Her main service is to prepare nectarean foods for the Divine Couple, and some authorities say that another of her primary services is dancing.  In Sri Dham Mayapur, she can be seen offering a silver box full of tambula to Sri Sri Radha Madhava.  Indulekha Devi is three days younger than Srimati Radharani, and is eternally fourteen years, two months, and ten and a half days old.

Her mood is known as prosita-bhartrka, the mood of a heroine who suffers when her beloved is far away, and her temperament is vama-prakhara, or contrary and hot-tempered. Her mood described here is not manifested in relation to herself, but rather as a descriptive example of her nature.
Indulekha Devi is well-known for her singing ability, just like her father, who is a famous singer.  She is learned in the science of snake-charming, and also very expert in palmistry.  She is expert in stringing different kinds of necklaces and doing other kinds of beadwork, and is an expert at gemology. 

Her other areas of expertise include painting pictures, decorating the teeth with red substances, weaving cloth, and writing auspicious mantras that are placed inside talismans that are worn by the Divine Couple in order to increase Their mutual attraction.

Indulekha Devi is aware of all of the Divine Couple’s secrets, and she is the leader of the maidservants who carry messages.  She is also the leader of the maidservants who fashion ornaments and clothing, and who guard the treasury.

According to the Sri Gaura Ganoddesa Dipika written by Srila Kavi Karnapur, Indulekha Devi appears in Gaura-lila as Krishnadasa Brahmachari, while some say as Vasu Ramananda.

(References: Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri Sri Radha Krsna Ganodesa Dipika and Srila Kavi Karnapur's Sri Gaura Ganodesa Dipika)

Just before the annual Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur in 1986, Campakalata Devi, along with three other sakhis, was installed and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar.

Sri Campakalata Devi is the one of the eight principle gopi friends of Srimati Radharani. Her father is Arama, her mother is Vatika-devi and her husband is Candaksa. She has a yellow-white complexion, just like the colour of a full-blown champaka flower. Her garments are described as chataka, or brown like a sparrow’s feather. Campakalata Devi’s kunja (grove) is located south of Sri Radha Kunda. It is the colour of molten gold, and is named Kamalata, or the Vine of Cupid.

Her favourite instrument is the sarangi. She especially serves the Divine Couple by waving the chamara (yak tail) whisk and offering jeweled necklaces. On the altar in Mayapur, she can be seen offering jeweled necklaces to Radha Madhava. She is one day younger than Srimati Radharani. Her eternal age is fourteen years, two months and thirteen and a half days old.
 

Campakalata Devi’s mood is vasaka-sajja, which is the mood of a heroine who decorates herself and waits for her beloved to arrive, and has a moderately contrary nature. This mood, however, is not manifested in relation to herself, but rather as an explanatory example of her character. Her nature and qualities can be compared to and greatly resemble those of Visakha Devi – sarvan gunams tulayitum dadhatim visakham. Her maidservant is Guna-manjari.

Just like her father, Campakalata Devi is learned in many different arts, such as gambling with dice, collecting forest flowers and roots, and using her own hands to create pottery out of clay. She is nicknamed mista-hasta, which means sweet-hands, because of her dexterity in making a wide variety of sweetmeats. She is well versed in the literature which describes the six flavours of gourmet cooking, and the kitchen in her kunja is very famous.

Being an expertly skilled diplomat in the art of logical persuasion, Campakalata Devi can easily defeat any rival gopis who dare to come in Srimati Radhika’s way. Gopis of rival groups will never walk near Campakalata Devi. She is also a skilled messenger, and can carry out her activities in absolute secrecy, going unnoticed by anyone.

Sri Campakalata Devi appears as Raghava Goswami in Gaura-lila. Originally coming from South India, Raghava Goswami lived next to the sacred Govardhana mountain, constantly absorbed in singing the glories of Sri Sri Radha Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He wrote the book called Bhakti-ratna-prakasa. On the request of Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Raghava Goswami took Srinivasa Acarya, Narottama das Thakura and Syamananda Pandit on pilgrimage around Braja-mandala.

(References:- Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri Sri Radha Krsna Ganodesa Dipika and Srila Kavi Karnapur's Sri Gaura Ganodesa Dipika)

Just before the annual Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur in 1986, Campakalata Devi, along with three other sakhis, was installed and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar.

Sri Campakalata Devi is the one of the eight principle gopi friends of Srimati Radharani. Her father is Arama, her mother is Vatika-devi and her husband is Candaksa. She has a yellow-white complexion, just like the colour of a full-blown champaka flower. Her garments are described as chataka, or brown like a sparrow’s feather. Campakalata Devi’s kunja (grove) is located south of Sri Radha Kunda. It is the colour of molten gold, and is named Kamalata, or the Vine of Cupid.

Her favourite instrument is the sarangi. She especially serves the Divine Couple by waving the chamara (yak tail) whisk and offering jeweled necklaces. On the altar in Mayapur, she can be seen offering jeweled necklaces to Radha Madhava. She is one day younger than Srimati Radharani. Her eternal age is fourteen years, two months and thirteen and a half days old.
 

Campakalata Devi’s mood is vasaka-sajja, which is the mood of a heroine who decorates herself and waits for her beloved to arrive, and has a moderately contrary nature. This mood, however, is not manifested in relation to herself, but rather as an explanatory example of her character. Her nature and qualities can be compared to and greatly resemble those of Visakha Devi – sarvan gunams tulayitum dadhatim visakham. Her maidservant is Guna-manjari.

Just like her father, Campakalata Devi is learned in many different arts, such as gambling with dice, collecting forest flowers and roots, and using her own hands to create pottery out of clay. She is nicknamed mista-hasta, which means sweet-hands, because of her dexterity in making a wide variety of sweetmeats. She is well versed in the literature which describes the six flavours of gourmet cooking, and the kitchen in her kunja is very famous.

Being an expertly skilled diplomat in the art of logical persuasion, Campakalata Devi can easily defeat any rival gopis who dare to come in Srimati Radhika’s way. Gopis of rival groups will never walk near Campakalata Devi. She is also a skilled messenger, and can carry out her activities in absolute secrecy, going unnoticed by anyone.

Sri Campakalata Devi appears as Raghava Goswami in Gaura-lila. Originally coming from South India, Raghava Goswami lived next to the sacred Govardhana mountain, constantly absorbed in singing the glories of Sri Sri Radha Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He wrote the book called Bhakti-ratna-prakasa. On the request of Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Raghava Goswami took Srinivasa Acarya, Narottama das Thakura and Syamananda Pandit on pilgrimage around Braja-mandala.

(References:- Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri Sri Radha Krsna Ganodesa Dipika and Srila Kavi Karnapur's Sri Gaura Ganodesa Dipika)

Just prior to the annual Gaura Purnima festival of 1986, Srimati Visakha Devi, along with three other principle sakhis, was installed in the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar. She stands directly next to Srimati Radharani.

Sri Visakha is the foremost gopi, along with Lalita devi, among the eight principle sakhis, or girlfriends, of Srimati Radhika. Visakha’s father is Pavana, her mother is Sudaksina and her husband is Vahika. Her complexion is vidyut, like lightning. She wears taravali cloth, which is patterned like clusters of stars. Her kunja (grove) is situated to the northeast of Sri Radha Kunda. It is megha or raincloud-like in colour, and everything within is coloured red, green, yellow and black. This grove is named Visakhananda.
 

Visakha Devi’s favourite instrument is the mrdanga, and her favourite tune is raga Saranga.  She renders the special service of vastralankara or arranging for the clothing and ornamentation of the Divine Couple. In Mayapur, she can be seen offering a chamara whisk to the Divine couple. Being born on the same day, she is exactly the same age as Srimati Radharani, being eternally fourteen years, two months and fifteen days old.

Her mood is called svadhina-bhartrka, which is the mood of a heroine who controls her beloved but in a soft and gentle way. Unlike Lalita Devi, Sri Visakha has a different way of dealing with Sri Madhava when He acts in a contrary way. Her temperament is adhika-madhya, moderately exalted. 

Visakha Devi is very learned in many branches of knowledge, just like her scholarly father. She is a wise counselor and a diplomat in loving affairs, and is very expert at joking.  She is expert at making different arrangements for the Divine Couple to meet and experience different mellows of love. She skillfully paints flower and leaf designs on the divine forms of Srimati Radhika and Sri Madhava, and makes different kinds of crowns for Them out of flower garlands.

Along with personally embroidering Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s cloth, Visakha Devi also supervises the sakhis and their assistants who produce and care for Their Lordship’s clothing. She also directs the maidservants of Vrinda Devi who maintain the flowers, vines and creepers, and trees of Vrindavan. Visakha Devi’s maidservant is Vilasa-manjari.

Although it appears that Srimati Visakha comes second to Lalita Devi, she is actually Srimati Radhika's dearmost girlfriend. Sri radhike tava carita-gunanurupam – her qualities and characteristics are very similar to Srimati Radharani's; They are so similar, that They seem almost like twins.

Visakha Devi's other form is the Yamuna River. Whenever Sri Madhava sees Visakha Devi, He immediately thinks of Sri Radha; whenever Sri Radha sees the syama (dark blue) waters of the Yamuna River, She immediately thinks of Madhava.

Sri Visakha Devi appears in Gaura-lila as Sri Ramananda Raya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya told Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that no one’s knowledge can compare to Ramananda Raya’s in the field of the Divine Couple’s madhurya rasa, or sweet conjugal affairs. Upon meeting Ramananda Raya for the first time, Mahaprabhu told him, “My dear Ramananda, both you and I are madmen and therefore we meet intimately on an equal level.” Outwardly, Ramananda Raya acted as the Governor of Madras, but internally, he was a poet, Sanskrit scholar, and a dramatist well-versed in rasa literature, music, singing and dancing.

(References: Sri Sri Radha-Krsna-Ganoddesa-Dipika, by Srila Rupa Goswami and Sri Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika by Srila Kavi Karnapur)

 
Just prior to the annual Gaura Purnima festival of 1986, Srimati Lalita devi, along with three other principle sakhis, was installed in the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar. She stands directly next to Sri Madhava on His right.

Srimati Lalita devi is the foremost among the eight most confidential associates of Srimati Radhika. Her her father is Visoka, her mother is Saradi and her husband is Bhairava. She has the complexion of garocana, a type of yellow pigment. She wears cloth that is sikhi-piccha, like peacock feathers. Her kunja (grove) is colored like lightning and is studded with rubies. It is called Lalitananda and is to the north of Radha Kunda.

Lalita devi’s favourite instrument is the vina, and her favourite tune is raga Bhairava-kalingada. She specialises in serving tambula, betel nut to the Divine Couple. She can be seen offering a chamara whisk to Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar in Mayapur. She is twenty-seven days older than Srimati Radharani, her age being eternally fourteen years, eight months and twenty-seven days old.

Her mood is khandita, like that of a jealous heroine who chastises her beloved. This mood is never manifested in relation to herself, however, but only when there is a delay in the meeting of Sri Radha and Madhava. She is well known for her hot and contrary nature, and her protective mood over her Prana-sakhi – Srimati Radhika.

 Lalita devi is brilliant in composing and understanding riddles, and whenever engaged in a transcendental quarrel, Lalita devi is the one who opposes Krsna. She frequently becomes furious with Him and speaks outrageously insolent retorts. She affectionately teaches Srimati Radharani the ways of jealous anger, considering Her too docile for Her own good.

She is also expert in fashioning things with flowers, like canopies, arenas for dancing, umbrellas, couches, bowers and so on. Lalita devi is a conjuror, expert in magic tricks and juggling.

Lalita devi is the leader of the asta-sakhis, radhe tava priya-sakhim ca gurum sakhinam, "Oh Radhe! Your dear companion Lalita is the guru of all the gopis". Rupa-manjarai is her maidservant and chief assistant. Like her father, she is extremely magnanimous. She instigates the pastimes of the Divine Couple. As clever and mischievous as Krsna may be in His approach to Srimati Radharani, Lalita is more clever and obliges Him to behave nicely to Sri Radha.

In Gaura-lila, she appears as Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal servant and associate. No one could approach or present anything to Gauranga Mahaprabhu without his sanction.

No one can approach the sweet and intimate pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Madhava without the blessing and permission of Lalita devi, who is the constant companion of Srimati Radharani. And in the same way, Svarupa Damodara Goswami was the constant companion of Lord Chaitanya, and he experienced the highest ecstasies of the Rasas of Sri Radha.

(References: Sri Sri Radha-Krsna-Ganoddesa-Dipika, by Srila Rupa Goswami and Sri Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika by Srila Kavi Karnapur)

A Pilgrim’s Day in Sridhama Mayapur

The day begins early for visitors to Sridhama Mayapur. They wake many hours before the sun rises, anytime between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., to bathe and prepare to go to the early morning mangalarati. At the temple, the pilgrims get in line and wait to enter the temple. Sometimes, the lines can reach up to 400 or 500 meters!

After mangalarati is finished, the devotees in the Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir disperse to various places to chant their japa or do service. The pilgrims are encouraged to stay in the temple and are engaged in chanting a round of japa by an enthusiastic brahmachari. Every morning after Nrsimhadeva arati, this brahmachari gathers the visiting pilgrims and teaches them how to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra on japa beads. After he teaches them how to chant and they all chant one round of japa together, he shows them books that introduce the basics of Krishna consciousness and many of the visitors purchase the books. They are also given a prasadam coupon for free lunch at the Bhaktivedanta Annadana Complex as part of the Gauranga Prasadam program, which is one of the many Food for Life programs in Sridhama Mayapur.

After this, pilgrims are given a free pass to go through the Caitanya Exhibition.  This exhibition is located at the back of Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s temple hall and displays various pastimes of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His hometown, Sri Mayapur Dhama. Each display has an inscription describing the various pastimes in English, Bengali and Hindi. These colorful and lifelike exhibitions make the pastimes and life of the Supreme Lord come alive and leave a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of those who attentively go through the entire exhibition. A team of four devotees serves and takes care of the many pilgrims who come and visit the Caitanya Exhibition daily. Approximately 120,000 pilgrims go through the exhibition every year.

At 7a.m., the Bhog Bhandar opens. The Bhog Bhandar is a counter that is situated just outside the main entrance to Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s temple and which supplies fresh and dried fruit, sweets like pera or laddu, tulasi leaves, flowers, ghee lamps, and incense to those who visit the temple and desire to make an offering to the Lord. There is a small counter where devotees and pilgrims can choose different varieties of bhoga ranging in price from five rupees to one thousand rupees. This gives everyone the opportunity to directly serve and make an offering to the Lord. They can make offerings to Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Panca-tattva and Lord Nrsimhadeva, and after the offering, they receive the maha-prasadam along with some maha tulasi leaves and manjari flowers from the Lord’s lotus feet.

After the morning program, pilgrims roam about the ISKCON Mayapur campus as they like. Some go to the ISKCON Mayapur Goshala to see the resident cows and bulls, as well as to worship and feed them.

The Mayapur Fulldome project is a new development that visiting pilgrims can participate in. It is an immersive 360-degree fulldome that presents high quality video presentations about various subjects from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad Bhagavatam, and other Vedic scriptures. There are two videos being presented so far, both in Bengali and English and with Hindi soon to come.

They can also visit Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi Mandir, wherein they can learn more about the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness through a diorama exhibition about his life. The views of and from the Samadhi Mandir are breath-taking, and visiting pilgrims can spend time on the roof feeling the cool breezes from the serene Ganges.  They can also go on tours around the Samadhi and look at the various diorama displays both inside and outside the Samadhi, or can sit in the Samadhi gardens and relax.

Every day near the ISKCON Govinda’s restaurant, pilgrims can attend a Brahma Jignasa class, which is a Questions and Answers session that teaches the basics of Krishna Consciousness. These classes usually begin at 2 p.m. and can go on until 5:30p.m. The classes conclude with the chanting of one round of japa and a bowl of fresh, hot, and delicious kitchari.

Some visiting pilgrims go the ISKCON Rajapur Jagannatha Mandir to take darshan of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Maharani, Simantini Gauranga, Sri Mahadeva, and Jayananda Thakura’s samadhi. There, they can also honour Lord Jagannatha’s maha-prasadam and relax in the gardens and mango grove within the temple premises, where there are also swings for children to play on.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to attract the whole world to Mayapur, as it is the spiritual capital of the world. He wanted to show the science of Krishna Consciousness, and how it is a way of living, not just some ordinary religious cult. On a morning walk in Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada mentioned that people will come to see the civilisation and philosophical culture through practical demonstration, just as they come to see the architectural culture of the Taj Mahal.

When people come and visit the holy dham, they are changed forever – whether they are aware of it or not. Not only do they take away a wonderful experience, but they take Krishna consciousness with them in the form of the holy names, Srila Prabhupada’s books and Prasadam.

One visiting pilgrim reflected on their visit to ISKCON Mayapur and said:

“It is very inspiring to see the progress of ISKCON Mayapur, and I am thankful to Swami Prabhupada for the work he has done for spreading the Krishna consciousness movement.”

ebenamasankirtanatikshnakhadagalaiya
antaraasurajiveraphelibekatiya

“Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out and destroy the demoniac mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls.”

yadipapichadi dharma dure dese yaya
mora senapati-bhaktayaibetathaya

“If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then my senapati-bhakta(military commander) will come at that time to give them Krishna consciousness.”

- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Sri Caitanya Mangala, Sutra-khanda, by Locana das Thakura

How is it possible that in the face of encroaching materialism and a culture of sense gratification, a process which preaches the reverse is spreading? How is it possible that as problems and suffering increase exponentially on the global scale, transcendental happiness is also increasing? How is it possible that in the darkest age of Kali-yuga, the most ecstatic process of bhakti-yoga is spreading?

How is it possible that millions of books preaching the essence of love of God have been distributed in dozens of languages? How is it possible that people of all nationalities and backgrounds have joined together to raise their arms and chant the holy names of the Lord?

How is it possible that in cities throughout the whole world, hundreds of temples propagating the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu have been established?How is it possible that in a remote corner of West Bengal, India, an international city dedicated to the service of the Supreme Lord is rising?

It is due to the empowered military commander sent by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to give Krishna consciousness to the whole world: His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-acharya of ISKCON and the savior of the whole world.

Srila Prabhupada has united the whole world in a way that is unmatchable. He has united people of all castes, creeds, countries, and other designations with the shared goal of loving service to the Supreme Lord. All ISKCON devotees – and indeed the entire world – owe Srila Prabhupada an unrepayable debt of gratitude. He should be honored and worshiped for his compassion, kindness, determination, fearlessness, and causeless mercy every day, but most especially on his Vyasa Puja day.

A sampling of his invaluable achievement can be seen in ISKCON’s world headquarters at Sridhama Mayapur, the birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Here, Srila Prabhupada envisioned a vast spiritual city of 50,000 existing for the sole purpose of serving the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At the time when ISKCON gained the property in Mayapur, the land was nothing but rice fields. It was difficult for others to see how this remote and rural area would become anything at all. But Srila Prabhupada’s vision was spiritual and was not hampered by material limitations. Today, anyone visiting the ISKCON Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir in Sridhama Mayapur can bear witness to the fruition of Srila Prabhupada’s vision.

Approximately 5,000 devotees from almost 70 countries reside and serve in ISKCON Mayapur. Yearly, approximately 6 million people visit – and that number grows every year. Sridhama Mayapur is a hub of spiritual education, home to numerous schools for all ages. In the past ten years, around 4 million plates of prasadam have been distributed in ISKCON Mayapur. The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, envisioned by Srila Prabhupada as the ultimate attack on modern scientific speculation, rises steadily into the skyline. Devotees from all across the globe visit Mayapur regularly, as Srila Prabhupada desired, in order to become enlivened and enthused by the mercy of the holy dhama. All of this is incredible, and none of it would be possible if not for Srila Prabhupada.

It is only natural that on Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day, his Vyasa Puja is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion. The devotees of ISKCON Mayapur owe everything to Srila Prabhupada, and his Vyasa Puja day is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their gratitude. In fact, devotees are so eager to show their appreciation for Srila Prabhupada that the Vyasa Puja celebration cannot be contained in a single day. The celebrations start one week before. Preparations start months before.

The entire community contributes to a Vyasa Puja book which is offered to Srila Prabhupada. The book is an artistic masterpiece, its pages intricately decorated with original artwork. It takes a team of devotees months to prepare. Devotees young and old write offerings for the book, expressing their gratitude and offering respect to Srila Prabhupada.

Each day, starting one week before Vyasa Puja, devotees gather to honor Srila Prabhupada with arati, kirtan, personal offerings, and often artistic presentations such as dances and dramas. Different facets of the community of Mayapur, its schools, and some of its departments take turns hosting the Vyasa Puja celebrations and honoring ISKCON’s Founder-acharya.

The culmination of these festivities is on Vyasa Puja day itself, when the entire community gathers in the temple to celebrate and offer their gratitude to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’ssenapati-bhakta, Srila Prabhupada. Senior devotees glorify Srila Prabhupada, who sits upon a specially constructed dais decorated elaborately with flowers. Abhisek for Srila Prabhupada is then performed, along with ecstatic kirtan, a maha-arati, and the offering of hundreds of sweet and savory preparations. Devotees spend the entire day immersed in glorifying and serving Srila Prabhupada, in whose debt we all gloriously find ourselves.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 It was the middle of the night in the monsoon season and raining heavily, and there were auspicious omens present everywhere. Lakes were full of blossoming lotus flowers and the forests with singing birds and dancing peacocks. The demigods were showering an abundance of flowers from the skies. Shackled in the prison cell of her brother Kamsa, Devaki and her husband Vasudeva had long been anticipating the prophesied birth of their eighth child, and this was the night when, as foreseen, Lord Krishna would descend to this material world.

Lord Krishna manifested Himself in His four-armed Vishnu form, holding a conch shell, club, disc and lotus flower. He was dressed in yellow silk and His beauty was incomparable. Understanding that the Lord had appeared as their son, Vasudeva and Devaki offered Him prayers. Frightened that Kamsa would hear the cries of the newborn baby, Vasudeva and Devaki prayed to the Lord to hide Himself from the terrible Kamsa.

On the day of his sister’s wedding, Kamsa’s life had been prophesied to end at the hands of Devaki’s eighth child. Consequently, he had locked up his newly wedded sister along with her husband for many years. Kamsa was now anxiously waiting to end the life of this newborn baby, as He was the eighth child who was destined to end his life. Each time Devaki gave birth in the past, Kamsa would immediately take the child and kill it with his bare hands. Kamsa had mercilessly murdered six of Devaki’s children.

After accepting the prayers of Devaki and Vasudeva, Lord Vishnu assumed His baby form and instructed Vasudeva to exchange Him with the daughter who had just been born from Mother Yasoda in Gokula. Just at that moment, Vasudeva’s shackles mystically broke loose, and the doors to his cell swung open. By the Lord’s arrangement, all the guards were fast asleep and Vasudeva quietly sneaked out of the palace.

Carrying baby Krishna in a basket on his head, Vasudeva arrived at the banks of the Yamuna River in the midst of a heavy storm. Her waters were turbulent and presented an obstacle for Vasudeva, for just on the other side of the river was his destination – Gokula. Understanding his bewilderment, Yamuna Devi calmed her tides and made a passageway for Vasudeva to cross over without any disturbances. To protect baby Krishna in the basket, Ananta Sesa appeared with His many hoods to shield baby Krishna and to aid Vasudeva on his journey.

At last, Vasudeva safely reached Gokula. He quietly entered Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja’s quarters, placed Krishna beside Mother Yasoda, and took the newborn baby girl. He quickly made his way back to the prison and placed the baby girl next to Devaki.

To celebrate the birth of their newborn son Krishna, Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yasoda gave away thousands of cows in charity and an immense amount of grains and wealth to the brahmanas. The brahmanas chanted many Vedic mantras and hymns for the well-being of baby Krishna, while the residents of Gokula showered their blessings on the Lord. The elderly gopis, headed by Mother Yasoda, bathed Krishna with various auspicious items such as milk, ghee, yoghurt, honey, fruit and flower juices, scented water and so on. Nanda and Yasoda lovingly performed various ceremonies of purification for the protection and well-being of their beloved son.

Not realizing that this child was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the residents of Nanda Maharaja’s kingdom and those from kingdoms beyond brought gifts for the child, blessed Him abundantly, and prayed for His protection. Everyone loved Krishna as if He were their own, and would go to any lengths to make Him happy. Their lives were completely perfect. Every activity they performed was centered around Krishna’s happiness, and this made their hearts overflow with unparalleled ecstasy and happiness. Anyone who set their eyes upon Krishna or even heard about Him became spellbound and overwhelmed with love for Him, so much so that there was not a single thing they wouldn’t do to make Him smile. 

This same Lord Sri Krishna who appeared on this occasion approximately 5,000 years ago is worshipped in ISKCON Mayapur as Sri Madhava. The name Sri Madhava means the husband of the Goddess of Fortune. The head priest, His Grace Jananivasa Prabhu, explains another meaning of the name Madhava, as related to him by Srila Prabhupada: madhu means sweet and dhava means the whole world. Srila Prabhupada specifically named the Deities Radha Madhava, The Sweetest in the Whole World, because They have taken on the mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the presiding deity of Mayapur Dham, and who is known as Madhura – He who is supremely sweet.

The annual celebration of Sri Madhava’s appearance is celebrated by tens of thousands of pilgrims who come from far and wide just to take darshan of Sri Madhava every year. From months before the festival, the lodging facilities of ISKCON Mayapur are fully booked for those wanting to participate in the sweetest of festivals, but this does not discourage the visiting pilgrims to attend this festival. Rather, they find their shelter around the Mayapur campus grounds, and blissfully camp inside their mosquito nets, under the stars, anticipating the upcoming appearance day of Sri Madhava.

For a week leading up to the festivities, the daily Srimad Bhagavatam class becomes a sweet, nectar-filled narration and saturates the devotees’ hearts with glorious descriptions of the Lord’s names, forms, pastimes, qualities, etc. Thus, both the speaker and listeners are relieved from their burning suffering in this material world by the soothing medicine of krishna-katha.

tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham

“The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them.”

On the morning of Janmastami the pilgrims are up early, bathed and ready to see the Lord. Ladies and men stand in separate lines which extend from the main entrance of the temple all the way to the Sulab Kitchen. These lines are sometimes over 450 meters long; that’s more than 1,475 feet! The determination of these devotees is certainly rewarded by the intimate darshan of the Lords in Their night outfits.

During the day, Sri Madhava and His consort are brought down from Their altar and are seated on a throne that is beautifully decorated with flowers. Devotees then perform the various samskara ceremonies for the Lord according to Srila Rupa Goswami’s Sri Krishna Janma Tithi Vidhi, a book which describes the proper observance of Sri Krishna Janmastami.

The festivities go on for two days, and throughout the entire celebration, ecstatic kirtan is performed. This kirtan-mela continues until late into the night, leading up to Sri Madhava’s maha abhisek that takes place at 10p.m. and continues almost until midnight. For the maha abhisek, Srimati Radhika joins Her Madhava and comes down from Their altar onto the snana-vedi, the place where the abhisek is performed.

Sri Sri Radha Madhava are bathed with panca-gavya – the five sacred items from a cow – and are then bathed with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and sugar water, which are known as the five nectars. They are also bathed with seasonal juices from fruits such as mangoes, grapes, pomegranates, oranges, watermelons, and papayas. Sugar syrup scented with saffron, rose, aguru, musk and kusha grass, and fragrant flower waters made with rose, bakul, lotus, jasmine, and gandharaj is also used to bathe Their Lordships. The Divine Couple are also bathed in green coconut water and are given two kinds of showers: sarva aushadi and maha aushadi, which use natural medicinal and herbal substances to bathe the Lord. After being bathed in these various substances, sandalwood paste is applied and then washed off of Radha Madhava’s forms with a steady shower of Ganges water. This grand abhisek is then concluded with a massive shower of colourful flowers and joyous chants of “Jai!” and “Haribol!”

Once the abhisek is completed, Their Lordships are taken back to the altar and are dressed in a brand new outfit, and are then offered bhoga lovingly cooked by the community. Over 400 preparations are offered to Their Lordships. Once the offering is done the conch shell blows, announcing that Sri Sri Radha Madhava are finally ready to give Their midnight darshan. The intensity of the kirtan grows with the devotees’ anticipation, and the final darshan of Radha Madhava and Their sakhis is ecstatic.

To conclude the festivities, the devotees are served a delicious anukalpa feast in the various kitchens of Mayapur. The devotees then retire for the night, their minds and hearts completely saturated with the names and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the mood of sweetness, Sri Madhava.

“Regarding Jhulan Yatra Ceremony, during these five days the Deities’ clothing should be changed every day, and there should be nice prasadam distribution and sankirtana as far as possible. If you are able to do it, a nice throne may be constructed on which the Deities can be placed. This throne may be swung gently during kirtana. That will be very good, and surely the Deities will enjoy the function.”

- Letter to Jayapataka, Los Angeles, 1 August 1969

For the last 33 years, an enthusiastic group of ISKCON Youth has worked together each year for an entire month before the annual Jhulan Yatra festival in Mayapur. In order to prepare for the festivities, these dedicated servants of Sri Sri Radha Madhava work day and night to ensure that the Divine Couple and Their associates will be well served during the 5 day festival.

The Jhulan Yatra team turn a dense forest of weeds and overgrown trees and plants into a magnificent flower grove decorated with winding pathways lit by lamps and fairy lights, colourfully lit waterfalls and ponds with fountains, blossoming flowers, trimmed bushes and multi-coloured lights. The breath-taking marvel of the grove is accompanied by an atmosphere surcharged with the boundless love and devotion of the Lord’s devotees, making it the perfect place for Their Lordships to enjoy many wonderful pastimes together and to engage the devotees in Their loving devotional service.

Every afternoon for the duration of the festival, a small group of devotees decorate a beautiful palanquin to transport Sri Sri Radha Madhava to Their flower laden bower for Their evening pastimes. It is also during this time that a different group of devotees make a brand new outfit for Their Lordships to wear when They go out for Their evening rendezvous. These outfits are made entirely of flowers, and decorated with peacock feathers and multi-coloured pearls and gems.

When Sri Sri Radha Madhava have donned Their flower outfits, They head out from the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir on a beautifully decorated palanquin to Their secluded kunja, which is located near the ISKCON Mayapur Goshala. The Divine Couple are taken with a grand procession, led by blissful singing and dancing. As soon as They arrive, Their Lordships are greeted with the auspicious ululating sounds of the women, punctuated with the loud chants of “Jai!” and “Haribol!” from the remaining devotees assembled there. 

Once Sri Madhava and Srimati Radhika are comfortably seated on Their jewel-encrusted throne, They are given a wonderful reception and are offered various refreshments. Devotees eagerly wait in long lines to get the opportunity to swing Their Lordships, and once the reception is done, devotees immediately rush in to swing the Lord of their hearts. All throughout the festival, delicious prasadam is served to the devotees who have finished swinging the Lord.

For the duration of Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s swinging pastimes, Their devotees worship Them with many sweet songs of glorification written by our previous acharyas, such as Srila Rupa Goswami, Krishna Das, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and others. The Lord is also entertained by a range of dances and dramatic re-enactments of various pastimes, all performed by the devotees for the pleasure of Their Lordships and Their devotees.

The last day of the Jhulan Yatra festival is the auspicious appearance day of Sri Madhava’s elder brother, Balarama, and is known as Balarama Purnima. On this day, the devotees are decorated with colourful powders and decorate others in the same way. To celebrate, the devotees take part in the breaking of clay pots filled with honey, gur and various types of sweets, while Lord Balarama’s favourite varuni drink is served throughout the night.

To conclude the night’s festivities, Sri Sri Radha Madhava are mounted on Their beautifully decorated palanquin and are taken to a small pukur, or pond, close to the entrance of Their kunja, and enjoy a display of lights on the water. Once the light show is finished, the Lord is then taken back to the temple, and is greeted with more displays of lights on the road, accompanied by the dramatic exhibition of devotees breathing fire. The procession is ecstatically tumultuous and is heard in all directions.

During the Jhulan Yatra festival, Their Lordships show Their mercy by engaging in many wonderful loving pastimes with Their devotees, and allow these devotees to intimately serve and express their love for Them through the medium of their prayers, home cooked offerings, songs, lamp offerings, dances and showers of flowers.