Friday 17 May 2024 – Invitation to the Celebration of the Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu!

Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Fast until noon.

Come and participate in the grand festival of Sri Nityannada Prabhu’s Appearance day! Festivities include kirtana, readings from the shastra, discourses and prasadam at our New Jersey branch from 7-9 PM local time.

Please RSVP via our contact page.

For your satisfaction we offer this link to an audio recording of Srila Govinda Maharaja’s talk on Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day from February 24, 1994.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day

nityanandam aham naumi
sarvananda-karam param
hari-nama-pradam devam
avadhuta-shiromanim

“I bow down to the Supreme Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is the awarder of the highest joy to all, the bestower of the holy name and the crest jewel of all paramahamsa mendicants.”

Prabhupada on COVID Vaccines, Doctors & More.

 

Revatīnandana: Should we try to avoid getting injections as much as possible?

Prabhupāda: That is my opinion.

 

”Germs are everywhere.” — Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaja

Sometime in 2009 (probably around the time of Gaura Purnima) Srila Govinda Maharaja summoned me to cut his hair.

I was very enthusiastic for the opportunity to serve His Divine Grace in such a personal way. However, I had been suffering for some time with influenza or something that produced similar symptoms. Even though I thought it might ruin my chance to render service to Srila Govinda Maharaja I thought it best to inform him of my hesitation since my being in such close proximity might cause my infection to spread to him. Raising his hand he waived it in a manner of dismissiveness and said ”Germs are everywhere.”

As the panic over the COVID pandemic intensified, pressures arose from many quarters to enforce measures ‘believed’ to limit the spread of the SARS II virus. The first imposition was the wearing of face masks or other cloth coverings.

Two entirely contradictory actions were also imposed: 1) maintain minimum distance of six feet from everyone and 2) remain indoors.

Remembering Srila Govinda Maharaja’s declaration ”Germs are everywhere.”… Read More...

Invitation to Sri Gaura Purnima Festival March 25, 2024 (Monday)

mahaprabhu3
When: Monday March 25th, 2024 from 7PM – 9PM.

Dear devotees and friends: We humbly invite you to participate along with devotees from Sri Gaura Vinoda Saraswat Sanga New Jersey in the grand festival for Sri Gaura Purnima.

Fast until moonrise (7:52 PM), then no grains (anukalpa).

Come and participate in the grand festival of Sri Gaura-Purnima & the start of the 538th Gaurabda year. Festivities include kirtana, readings (From Chaitanya-caritamrta), discourses and prasadam.

Please RSVP via our contact page.

For your satisfaction we offer this audio lecture of Srila Govinda Maharaja’s talk on Sri Gaura Purnima day February 24th 1994.

Srila Govinda Maharaja’s talk on Sri Gaura Purnima day February 24th 1994

The Four Regulative Principals

Attached below is a stern reminder of the importance of following the four regulative principals.

It is dated 12/6/94, dictated by Srila Govinda Maharaja and sent as a fax to the leaders of Brasil.

May it serve us well.

Krsne matir astu,

Swami B.K. Giri

Our Two Lords

3/11/24

Dear Justin ______,

Dandavats.

We received your book order #14522 (Search for Sri Krsna: Reality The Beautiful) with payment.

It will ship via USPS Priority Mail to the following address with phone #.

[Omitted]

We expect the books to ship tomorrow and you should receive them within three days henceforth.

Recently we celebrated Lord Nityananda’s appearance.

In 1987 I completed work on the book Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His Life and Precepts by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura on Lord Nityananda’s appearance day and printed it soon thereafter.

I had originally intended to publish a different work — The Bhagavat Speech — by the same author. When I asked Srila Sridhara Maharaja for his permission to do so he said ”The more important work is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His Life and Precepts” so I undertook the task of printing that instead. Your book order caused me to remember this. As a result I am including a copy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His Life and Precepts in remembrance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s merciful dispensation of the teachings of his master Sri Krishna Chaitanya.

In this Kali Yuga there would be no ”Search for Sri Krishna” — either in the form of a book or otherwise — without the mercy of Lord Nityananda.… Read More...

Invitation to The Grand Appearance Day Celebration of Srila Bhakti Kanan Giri Maharaja. Thursday, March 14, 2024.


On Thursday March 14th, 2024, we humbly invite you to celebrate with us the Grand Appearance day of the President Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Global, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya Astottara-sata Sri Srila Bhakti Kanan Giri Maharaja.

Celebrations for this most blessed event will be held at Sri Gaura Vinoda Saraswat Sanga Global Headquarters in New Jersey, USA, and centers worldwide.

The festival will include kirtana, discourses and other all-auspicious activities.
Please RSVP using one of the methods available.

Two Businesses: Gold & Gurus

2/27/24

Dear Darren,

You’ve asked me a few times about guru and at least once asked if I am a guru. I sidestepped the question a bit because my direct answer to such a question is not very relevant. Suppose, for example, I answered your question ”Yes, I am a guru.” So what? Would the answer mean you should accept me as your guru? No. That is a matter for you to decide, not me, nor anyone else.

The better question for you to ask is ”What is a guru?” That is a question I can easily answer. Then, after knowing what a guru is, you can search for a guru, when your knowledge is firm that you know what to look for and you feel an urgent need for the spiritual guidance that only a spiritual guru can give.

If you want to buy gold, you have to know what gold is. Only then will there be any profit in searching for it.

If someone offers to sell you gold and you ask him ”Is it really gold?”, of course he will say ”Yes.” whether it is or not. There is not much value in such a question and answer.… Read More...

Appearance day festival of Lord Nityananda.

Sri Nityananda’s Avirbhava

CC Ādi 1.35

mantra-guru āra yata śikṣā-guru-gaṇa

tāṅhāra caraṇa āge kariye vandana

Synonyms

mantraguru — the initiating spiritual master; āra — and also; yata — as many (as there are); śikṣāgurugaṇa — all the instructing spiritual masters; tāṅhāra — of all of them; caraṇa — unto the lotus feet; āge — at first; kariye — I offer; vandana — respectful obeisances.

Translation

I first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters.

In pursuance of the above formula—

I offer my humble obeisances to my initiating (nama and mantra) spiritual master His Divine Grace Thakura Bhaktivedanta Swami — a Shaktyavesa Avatar of Sri Nityananda Prabhu — who appeared in this world to dispel the darkness of ignorance, give relief to the sufferings of all jivas, enlighten and give spiritual joy to his devotees and help us realize the purport of this verse:

CC Ādi 1.2

vande śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nityānandau sahoditau

gauḍodaye puṣpavantau

citrau śan-dau tamo-nudau

Translation

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.Read More...

Thursday 22nd February 2024 – Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Fast until noon.
For your satisfaction we offer this link to an audio recording of Srila Govinda Maharaja’s talk on Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day from February 24, 1994.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day

nityanandam aham naumi
sarvananda-karam param
hari-nama-pradam devam
avadhuta-shiromanim

“I bow down to the Supreme Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is the awarder of the highest joy to all, the bestower of the holy name and the crest jewel of all paramahamsa mendicants.”

Srila Govinda Maharaja’s Avirbhava

While recalling the glories of Srila Govinda Maharaja’s avirbhava (appearance) it seems appropriate to present the following digest of his life to our readers. Those familiar with it will feel renewed joy reading it again. For those to whom it is new it will inspire an interest to further explore “his life and precepts”. — Swami B.K. Giri

His Divine Servitor*

Om Visnupada Astottara-sata-Sri Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj made his Appearance in this world on 17th December, 1929, at Brahmanparha, District Burdwan, only about six miles from Sripat Hapaniya where his beloved Gurudev made his Advent, also situated in the Holy Area of Gauda-mandal. Revealing his Pastimes to the conditioned souls of this worldly plane, at the tender age of only seventeen years, Srila Govinda Maharaj manifest his coming to the Lotus Feet of his Gurudev Sri Srila Sridhar Maharaj in April 1947 on the Holy Appearance Day of Sri Nrsimhadev (Nrsimha-caturdasi).

If any of the dear readers of this short account may have, or have had, the opportunity of hearing directly from other stalwart veteran disciples of Srila Sridhar Maharaj (an opportunity the humble writer has fortunately had on many occasions), such as Sripad Bhakti Prasun Aranya Maharaj, Sripad Hari Charan Brahmachari Seva Ketan Prabhu, Sriyukta Krsnamayi Devi, Sriyukta Ramarani Devi, and Srila Guru Maharaj’s own revered brothers and disciples Sriyukta Satyendra Chandra Bhattacharya, Sriyukta Amarendranath Bhattacharya and others – any fortunate soul will be able to trace the unbroken line of continuous unalloyed Divine Affection that Srila Guru Maharaj bestowed upon Srila Govinda Maharaj, and continues to eternally bestow from his Holy Abode in the Nitya-lila (Eternal Divine Pastimes).… Read More...