An Invitation to Sri Vraja Mandal Parikrama

My humble obeisances to all.

Please feel free to use the following video ad to invite everyone to come this Kartik for Sri Vraja-mandal Parikrama.

Sri Navadvip-dham Parikrama Ad #1

Also for next year, here is an invitation video ad for Sri Navadvip-dham Parikrama.

Sri Gaur Purnima 2007 Lunar Eclipse Kirtan

Sri Sri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah!

Gaurabda Year 521 means the 521st year since the appearance of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. The year began last Gaur Purnima (3 March 2007), which was celebrated by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas all over the world.

Gaur means golden and purnima mean full moon. So that full moon night of the auspicious "birthday" of Gauranga Mahaprabhu is called Gaur Purnima -- the Golden full moon because like the moon which is very soothing and cooling to the body, Sri Gaurahari has appeared to spread the rays of love of God which is the only cooling shelter to the conditioned souls who are burning in the fire of lust, anger, greed, illusion, envy, fear, etc. in this material world.

Although Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is Sri Krishna, the Supreme Lord Himself, He has come to play the role of a devotee. This is because it is the nature of God to be the Supreme Enjoyer and (not wanting to miss out on anything) He too wants to taste how great the pleasure His devotees are relishing in Himself.

The greatest of all devotees, of course, is Srimati Radhika. She is the personification of pure love for Sri Krishna. She is Krishna's greatest Lover and all the devotees of the Lord are only tasting glimpses of Her love for Sri Krishna. By just a reflection of Her love, the devotees are tasting so much nectar that they naturally renounce material relationships, all wealth, name and fame, etc. seeing them as insignificant and useless. The devotees of the Lord are relishing so much pleasure that material sense enjoyment appears painful and the world considers them mad. They leave their relatives and friends and remain only absorbed madly in their worshipable Lord. Such is the glory of even a fraction of this love. What to speak of the actual totality of this love tasted by Srimati Radhika Herself?

Therefore, desiring to really understand the glory of Srimati Radhika's love, and at the same time understand His own sweetness that all the devotees are tasting and especially what Srimati Radhika alone is able to taste and thereby able to also taste such greatest nectar, Sri Krishna Himself appeared in the mood and the golden complexion of Srimati Radhka. Thus He became called Gauranga, the Golden One.

Realising the appearance of the Golden Moon, the moon herself became hesitant to show herself and thus on the Gaur Purnima night there was a lunar eclipse.

An eclipse is considered materially inauspicious. Any material endeavors on an eclipse has no good result. However, for spiritual activities, an eclipse is quite favorable. Mantras and spiritual practices seriously done on an eclipse brings siddhi or perfection.

On a lunar or solar eclipse, the common rule is that during such period, one should remain indoor and should not sleep, eat, drink, and as far as possible avoid passing stool and urine. One must engage in Harinama sankirtan during this time and stay in holy places or the holy association of devotees.

Therefore this year's Gaur Purnima brought so much special bliss to the devotees as during this occasion, there was also a lunar eclipse. And especially to the thousands of devotees in our Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math in Navadvip who have gathered to perform Sri Navadvip-dhama Parikrama and celebrate Sri Gaur Purnima Festival together under the guidance of our ever well wisher and most worshipful Guru Maharaja Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja, their sankirtan is bathing everyone with glimpses of Mahaprabhu's happiness and love.

Here is a little video clip of the kirtan the devotees had during the lunar eclipse. Many devotees forgot sleeping that night. They were simply having fun remembering, singing and chanting the Holy Names, dancing, playing musical instruments and sometimes throwing colors and just be themselves -- mad. More devotees came to join the sankirtan when the eclipse started at around 3:00 am on the 4th of March and when the eclipse ended at around 6:45 am, what else is a better way to end it other than going out for a quick nagar sankirtan to the nearby Ganga and taking a refreshing and purifying bath.

Great start of the year, isn't it? Hope to see you next year again in Sri Navadvip-dham. Nitai-Gaur Premanande! Hari Haribol!

KKd

Vaishnava Calendar 2007-2008 Gaurabda 521

based on Visuddha Sarasvat-Keshav Sri Caitanya Panjika (For India only)
Edited by Sripad BV Madhav Maharaja & Sripad Premananda Prabhu

Under the guidance of
Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

  G

15 March, Thursday

Fasting for Papamocani Ekadasi

16 March, Friday

Break fast after sunrise before  9:46 am  

19 March, Monday

Amavasya. Partial solar eclipse (Visible in India) 

begins 6:08 A.M, ends 9:55 A.M.

(During eclispse period, one should remain indoor and

should not sleep, eat, drink, and as far as possible 

avoid passing. One must engage in Harinama sankirtan 

during this time.)

23 March, Friday

Appearance day of Sri Ramanujacarya.

27 March, Tuesday

Sri Ram Navami (Appearance of Lord Ramacandra). Fast 

till noon. Ekadasi preparations only.

28 March, Wednesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:28 am

29 March, Thursday

Fasting for Kamada Ekadasi.

30 March, Friday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:39 am.

2 April, Monday

Purnima. Rasa-yatra of Lord Balarama. Vasanta Rasa-yatra 

of Sri Krsna, Appearance of Srila Syamananda Gosvami and 

Srila Vamsivadanananda Gosvami

12 April, Thursday

Disappearance day of Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur.

14 April, Saturday

Fasting for Varuthini Ekadasi.

Sri Keshav-vrata begins, (giving stream of water to 

Tulasi throughout the month.)

15 April, Sunday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:21 am.

17 April, Tuesday

Amavasya. Appearance day of Srila Gadadhar Pandit.

20 April, Friday

Aksaya Tritiya, Candan-yatra of Lord Jagannatha, Opening 

of the doors of Sri Badrinarayana Temple. 

Anniversary day of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti's 

inauguration in 1941.

25 April, Wednesday

Appearance day of Sita devi, consort of Lord Rama 

and Jahnava devi, consort of Lord Nityananda. 

Disappearance day of Srila Madhu Pandit.

28 April, Saturday

Fasting for Mohini Ekadasi.

29 April, Sunday

Break fast after sunrise and before 8:38 am

1 May, Tuesday

Appearance day of Lord Nrisimhadeva - fast till dusk.

Ekadasi preparations only  

2 May, Wednesday

Purnima. Break fast after sunrise and before 9:25 am. 

Appearance day of Srila Srinivas Acarya and Srila 

Madhavendra Puripad

Diasappearance day of Srila Paramesvari Thakur

7 May, Monday

Disappearance day of Srila Raya Ramananda.

13 May, Sunday

Fasting for Apara Ekadasi

14 May, Monday

Break fast after sunrise and before 8:21 am.

15 May, Tuesday

End of Sri Keshav-vrata.

Appearance day of Srila Vrindavan das Thakur

16 May, Wednesday

Amavasya.

17 May, Thursday

Sri Purusottama-vrata begins

28 May, Monday

Fasting for Paksavardhini Mahadvadashi

29 May, Tuesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:21 am.

31 May, Thursday

Purnima

11 June, Monday

Fasting for Kamala Ekadasi

12 June, Tuesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:22 am.

15 June, Friday

Amavasya, Sri Purusottama-vrata ends.

25 June, Monday

Ganga dasahara, Ganga puja.

Appearance day of Sri Gangamata Gosvamini, 

Disapp. day of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu. 

26 June,Tuesday

Fasting for Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi

27 June, Wednesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:25 am. 

28 June, Thursday

Dahi-cira festival of Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami in 

Panihati.

30 June, Saturday

Purnima. Snana-yatra of Lord Jagannatha 

Disappearance day of Srila Mukunda Datta and Srila 

Sridhara Pandit.

1 July, Sunday

Disappearance day of Srila Syamananda Prabhu.

5 July, Thursday

Appearance day of Srila Vakreshwar Pandit

10 July, Tuesday

Fasting for Yogini Ekadasi 

Disappearance day of Srila Srivas Pandit.

11 July, Wednesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:29 am.

14 July, Saturday

Amavasya. Disappearance day of Srila Gadadhar Pandit 

and Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

15 July, Sunday

Cleaning of the Gundica Temple.

16 July, Monday

Ratha-yatra of Lord Jagannatha.

Disappearance day of Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. 

20 July, Friday

Hera Pancami. Sri Lakshmi Vijay

24 July, Tuesday

Lord Jagannatha's return journey. 

End of Rath-yatra festival 

Dissappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Kamal Madhusudan 

Goswami Maharaja

26 July, Thursday

Fasting for Unmilini Mahadwadashi (Sri Hari Sayana) 

27 July, Friday

Break fast after sunrise and before 6:16 am.

30 July, Monday

Sri Guru Purnima. Sri Vyasa-puja. 

Disappearance day of Srila Sanatana Gosvami. 

First month of Caturmasya vrata begins. (Fasting from 

all green leafy vegetables for one month.)  

3 August, Friday

Disappearance day of Srila Gopal Bhatta Gosvami.

6 August, Monday

Disappearance day of Srila Lokanatha Gosvami.

9 August, Thursday

Fasting for Kamika Ekadasi

10 August, Friday

Break fast after sunrise and before 6:54 am.

12 August, Sunday

Amavasya. Disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksak 

Sridhar Gosvami Maharaja..

24 August, Friday

Fasting for Pavitraropani Ekadasi  

Beginning of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Jhulan-yatra. 

25 August, Saturday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:31 am.

Disappearance day of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Gauridas 

pandit and Srila Govinda das

28 August, Tuesday

Sri Baladeva Purnima (appearance day of Lord Balarama)

Fast till noon. Ekadasi preparations only.

End of Jhulan-yatra. Raksha bandhan. Second month of 

Caturmasya begins - fasting from yogurt for 1 month. 

Full lunar eclipse (Visible in India) 

begins 2:21 noon, ends 5:54 evening

29 August, Wednesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:31 am.

4 September, Tuesday

Sri Krishna Janmastami Vrata (appearance day of Lord Sri 

Krishna) – full fast till midnight.  Ekadasi 

preparations only. 

5 September, Wednesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:31 am. 

Sri Nandotsava. 

Appearance day of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami 

Maharaja.

7 September, Friday

Fasting for Annada Ekadasi.

8 September, Saturday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:30 am.

11 September, Tuesday

Amavasya.  Partial solar eclipse (not visible in India) 

Begins 3:56 p.m. ends 8:07 p.m.

12 September, Wednesday

Appearance day of Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

16 September, Sunday

Appearance day of Sri Sitadevi, consort of Sri Advaita 

Prabhu.

18 September, Tuesday

Sri Lalita Saptami (appearance day of Sri Lalita Devi).

19 September, Wednesday

Sri Sri Radhastami  (Appearance day of Srimati 

Radharani).  No fasting.

23 September, Sunday

Fasting for Parsva Ekadasi 

24 September, Monday

Break fast after the arcan of Sri Vamanadeva and before 

9:28 am. Sri Vamana-dvadasi (appearance of Lord 

Vamanadeva) - no fasting, because fast for Sri Vamana-

dvadasi was done on Parsva Ekadasi. Appearance of Srila 

Jiva Gosvami and Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

25 September, Tuesday

Disappearance day of Srila Haridas Thakur.

26 September, Wednessday

Purnima. Sri Visvarupa-Mahotsava. Sannyasa day of Sri 

Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaj and Sri 

Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj.

Third month of Caturmasya begins – fasting from milk for 

one month .  

2 October, Tuesday

Disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Sri-Rupa 

Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja

7 October, Sunday

Fasting for Vyanjuli Mahadvasasi.

8 October, Monday

Break fast after sunrise and before 6:40 am.

11 October, Thursday

Amavasya

15 October, Monday

Appearance day of  Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvami 

Maharaja.

21 October, Sunday

Lord Sri Ramacandra Vijayotsava.

Appearance day of Sri Madhvacarya.

22 October, Monday

Fasting for Papankusha Ekadasi 

23 October, Tuesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:27 am. 

Disappearance day of Srila Raghunath das Goswami, Srila 

Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and Srila Krishna das Kaviraj 

Goswami

26 October, Friday

Purnima. Saradiya Rasa-yatra of Sri Krishna. Damodara 

Vrata, Kartika Vrata, Urja Vrata, Niyam seva begins. 

Disapp. day of Srila Murari Gupta.

Disappearance day of Nitya-lila Pravista Sri Srimad 

Bhaktiprajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja.

Last month of Caturmasya – Fasting from sesame seeds, 

mustard seeds and mustard oil.

30 October, Tuesday

Disappearance day of Srila Narottama Das Thakur and Sri 

Srimad Bhakti Kushal Narasingha Maharaja.

2 November, Friday

Bahulashtami, Appearance day of Sri Radha Kunda.

3 November, Saturday

App. day of Sri Srimad B.R.Sridhar Gosvami Maharaja.

5 November, Monday

Fasting for Rama Ekadasi

6 November, Tuesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:29 am.

Disapperance day of Srila Narahari Sarkar Thakur.

9 November, Friday

Amavasya. Dipavali. Dipadan.

10 November, Saturday

Govardhana Puja (worship of Giriraja Govardhana), 

Annakuta Mahotsav. Go Puja (worship of cows). 

App. day of Srila Rasikananda Prabhu

11 November, Sunday

Yama dvitya. Bhaiya Dooj

13 November, Tuesday

Disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana 

Gosvami Maharaja and Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama 

Gosvami Maharaja.

14 November,Wednesday

Disapp. day of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. 

15 November, Thursday

Appearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Srirup Siddhanti 

Gosvami Maharaj

18 November, Sunday

Gopastami. Disappearance day of Srila Srinivasa Acarya, 

Srila Dhananjaya Pandit and Srila Gadadhara Das Thakur.

21 November, Wednesday

Fasting for Utthana Ekadasi

Disappearance day of Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji 

Maharaja.

22 November, Thursday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:35 am.

23 November, Friday

Disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramod Puri 

Gosvami Maharaja.

24 November, Saturday

Purnima. Rasa-yatra of Sri Krishna. End of Caturmasya 

and Damodara Vrata, Kartika Vrata and Urja Vrata.

25 November, Sunday

Beginning of Sri Katyayani Vrata.

5 December, Wednesday

Fasting for Utpanna Ekadasi 

6 December, Thursday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:41 am. 

9 December, Sunday

Amavasya.

12 December, Wednesday

Disappearance day of Sri Srimad Bhakti Jivan Janardan 

Goswami Maharaja

20 December, Thursday 

Fasting for Moksada Ekadasi. (Sri Kåñëa spoke Bhagavad 

Gita to Arjuna on this day)

21 December, Friday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:49 am.

24 December, Monday

Purnima. End of Sri Katyayani Vrata.

27 December, Thursday

Disappearance day of NItya-lila Pravista Sri Srimad 

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.

1 January, Tuesday (2008) 

Appearance day of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana 

Gosvami Maharaja

4 January, Friday 

Fasting for Saphala Ekadasi.

Disappearance day of Sri Devananda Pandit

5 January, Saturday 

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:55 am.

8 January, Tuesday

Amavasya.

11 January, Friday

Disappearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami.

15 January, Tuesday

Makar Sankranti, Ganga Sagar Snana

19 January, Saturday

Fasting for Putrada Ekadasi

20 January, Sunday

Break fast after sunrise and before 10:00 am.

22 January, Tuesday

Purnima, 

25 January, Friday 

Appearance day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. 

Disappearance day of Srila Ramacandra Kaviraja.

27 January, Sunday

Disappearance day of Srila Narahari Seva Vigraha Prabhu

31 January, Thursday

Disappearance day of Srila Locana das Thakur

3 February, Sunday

Fasting for Vyanjuli Mahadvadasi

4 February, Monday

Break fast after Sunrise and before 7:37 am.

Appearance day of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikram 

Gosvami Maharaja.

7 February, Thursday

Mauni Amavasya. Appearance day of Om Visnupad Astottara 

sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja 

(present President Acarya of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti Trust).

Valaya [ring-shaped] Solar Eclipse (not visible in 

India) begins 7:09 am, ends 11:42 am

11 February, Monday

Vasanta Pancami of Sri Krishna. 

Appearance day of Sri Visnupriya devi, Srila Raghunatha 

Das Gosvami and Srila Raghunandan Thakur. 

Disappearance day of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur 

and Sri Srimad Bhakti Vivek Bharti Goswami Maharaja.

Sri Saraswati Puja.

13 February, Wednesday

Appearance day of Maha-Vishnu Avatar Sri Advaita Acarya 

– Fast till noon. Ekadasi preparations only.

14 February, Thursday

Breakfast after sunrise and before 9:59 am

15 February, Friday

Disappearance day of Sri Madhvacarya. 

16 February, Saturday

Disappearance day of Sri Ramanujacharya

17 February, Sunday

Fasting for Bhaimi Ekadasi 

18 February, Monday

Breakfast after arcan of Sri Varahadeva and before 

9:58 am. Sri Varaha-dvadasi (appearance day of Lord 

Varahadeva) - no fasting, because fast for Sri Varaha-

dvadasi was done on Bhaimi Ekadasi.

19 February, Tuesday

Appearance day of Lord Sri Nityananda – Fast till noon.

Ekadasi preparations only.

20 February, Wednesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:58 am.

21 February, Thursday

Purnima. Full lunar eclipse (visible in India) 

begins 7:13 am and ends 10:39 am 

24 February, Sunday

Appearance day of Nitya-lila Pravista Sri Srimad 

Bhaktiprajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja, Founder of Sri 

Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti.

26 February, Tuesday

Appearance day of Nitya-lila Pravista Sri Srimad 

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.

Disappearance day of Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj 

3 March, Monday

Fasting for Vijayanama Ekadasi

4 March, Tuesday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:53 am.

6 March, Thursday

Sri Siva-ratri vrata (Ekadasi preparations only). 

7 March, Friday

Amavasya. Break fast after sunrise and before 9:51 am.

8 March, Saturday

Disappearance day of Srila Rasikananda Prabhu, 

Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaja and Sri Srimad 

Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja

17 March, Monday

Fasting for Amlaki Ekadasi

18 March, Tuesday

Break fast after 6:34 am and before 9:54 am. 

Disappearance day of Srila Madhavendra Puripad

21 March, Friday

Sri Gaura Purnima (appearance day of Sri Caitanya 

Mahaprabhu) – fast till moonrise, Ekadasi preparations 

only. Holi.

22 March, Saturday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:45 am.

Festival of Sri Jagannatha Misra.

End of Sri Gaurabda year 521 and 

beginning of Sri Gaurabda 522

2 April, Wednesday

Fasting for Papamocani Ekadasi

3 April, Thursday

Break fast after sunrise and before 9:37 am  

6 April, Sunday

Amavasya