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...

Invitation to Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaja’s Appearance Day Celebration. Thursday December 28, 2023.


Dear devotees and friends, we humbly invite you to participate in the festival for the Grand 95th Appearance Day Celebration of Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya Astottara-sata Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaja which will take place at Sri Gaura Vinoda Saraswat Sanga Global Headquarters in New Jersey, USA and worldwide centers on Thursday, December 28, 2023.

This festival will include kirtana, discourses and other all-auspicious activities. Please RSVP by clicking on the contact page and using one of the methods available there.

Male/Female: A Theological Perspective

Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja:   A noble ideal. The conception of the ladies, the lady conception of the ego, that is of a very noble type. Sacrifice is very much there, negative aspect. And the man’s aspect that is aggressive. But they’re [ladies] not aggressor, they’re sacrifice personified, that gradually that came to me. And I learned to appreciate that Sītā, Draupadī, all these, and ultimately the gopīs. The gopī group, the sacrifice, self-forgetfulness, self-sacrifice, self-surrendering, that is in acme, in the highest conception the lady aspect. The lady aspect, the passive aspect, that holds the highest, that came gradually in my mind. So mādhurya rasa, that consorthood, the highest position of Rādhārāṇī. So sacrifice, affection, that is there. Aggressor, the males are aggressor, they’re responsible for all difficulty and trouble, not the ladies. That came gradually, developed from inside, and some respect for their clan came within me.

   So in varṇāśrama generally strī-śūdra, the śūdra and the strī, they are set apart. They have no right in the high religious functions. They should participate from little far, not direct participation. Indirect participation of the śūdra and the lady. A brāhmaṇa lady also, she does not get any sacred thread.… Read More...

Invitation to celebrate Sri Govardhana-pūjā Nov. 14, 2023 (Tuesday).

Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari

When: Tuesday Nov. 14th, 2023 from 2PM – 5PM.

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 Govardhana-pūjā.

Please come and join with us for the auspicious celebration of Sri Govardhana-pūjā. Festivities to include kirtana, readings (From Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead), discourses and prasadam.

Please RSVP via our contact page.

For your satisfaction we offer this audio lecture of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s talk on Sri Govardhana-pūjā day November 14th 1966.

Govardhana Pūjā Lecture

Excerpt from: Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

”The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, thus advised the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajña and begin the Govardhana-pūjā in order to chastise Indra, who was very much puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, accepted Kṛṣṇa’s proposal and executed in detail everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and circumambulation of the hill. (Following the inauguration of Govardhana-pūjā, people in Vṛndāvana still dress nicely and assemble near Govardhana Hill to offer worship and circumambulate the hill, leading their cows all around.)… Read More...

129th Appearance Celebration of Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Dev-Goswami Maharaja. Monday November 6, 2023.

Dear devotees and friends, we humbly invite you to participate in the festival for the Grand 129th Appearance Day Celebration of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Founder President Acharya, Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya Astottara-sata Sri Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Dev-Goswami Maharaja which will take place at the Sri Gaura Vinoda Saraswat Sanga headquarters in New Jersey, USA and at GVSS centers around the world on November 6th 2023.

This festival will include Nama sankirtana, discourses and other all-auspicious activities. Please RSVP by clicking on the contact page and using one of the methods available there.