Vaishnava/Vedic/Krsna-conscious spiritual celebrations
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Shubh Divali to everyone
(Celebrated in the Vedic system. This year it falls on November 3rd.) Divali & Sri-Damodara-utsav the following is from http://www.salagram.net/parishad75.htm (much more can be read at this site on the glories of Divali) "The pastime goes that Hanuman was sent by Rama to Ayodhya the day before Rama's arrival as prearranged with Bharat to let the residents of Ayodhya know how Sita and Rama and all Their retinue were returning.This was five days before Diwali, and after the Vijaya dasami (victory of Rama ) celebration. King Dashrath ruled the rich and prosperous city of Ayodhya. He had three wives and Kaikayi was his favourite. She saved his life in a war at a very crucial time. Dashrath granted her two favours for saving his life.Dashrath had four sons. Rama, the oldest, was everybody's favourite. He was married to the beautiful and devoted Sita. Just before Ram's coromation, Kaikayi reminded Dashrath of her two favors. She told him to crown Bharat as king and to banish Ram to the jungle for fourteen years. Her wishes were granted.
The old king Dashrath later died of a broken heart. After a few years in the forest, Sita was lured by the demon king Ravana. Rama, with the help of a monkey general, Hanuman, rescued Sita and defeated Ravana. After fourteen years in exile Ram and Sita and returned to Ayodhya. 
It is in Their honour that "Divali" is celebrated. "Diwali" signifies the victory of good over evil." --------------------------------- Vaishnava observance of Damodara Utsav seva (occurred on Divali-day) 
Summary of the Damodar Lila from Srimad Bhagavatam 10th Canto 9th chapter: While mother Yashoda was allowing Krsna to drink her breast milk, she was forced to stop because she saw the milk pan boiling over on the oven. The maidservants being engaged in other business, she stopped allowing Krsna to drink from her breast and immediately attended to the overflowing milk pan. Krsna became very angry because of His mother?s behavior and devised a means of breaking the pots of yogurt. Because He created this disturbance, mother Yashoda decided to bind Him. These incidents are described in this chapter.One day, the maidservants being engaged in other work, mother Yashoda was churning the yogurt into butter herself, and in the meantime Krsna came and requested her to allow Him to suck her breast milk. Of course, mother Yashoda immediately allowed Him to do so, but then she saw that the hot milk on the oven was boiling over, and therefore she immediately stopped allowing Krsna to drink the milk of her breast and went to stop the milk on the oven from overflowing. Krsna, however, having been interrupted in His business of sucking the breast, was very angry. He took a piece of stone, broke the churning pot and entered a room, where He began to eat the freshly churned butter. When mother Yashoda, after attending to the overflowing milk, returned and saw the pot broken, she could understand that this was the work of Krsna, and therefore she went to search for Him. When she entered the room, she saw Krsna standing on the ulükhala, a large mortar for grinding spices. Having turned the mortar upside down, He was stealing butter hanging from a swing and was distributing the butter to the monkeys. As soon as Krsna saw that His mother had come, He immediately began to run away, and mother Yashoda began to follow Him. After going some distance, mother Yashoda was able to catch Krsna, who because of His offense was crying. Mother Yashoda, of course, threatened to punish Krsna if He acted that way again, and she decided to bind Him with rope. Unfortunately, when the time came to knot the rope, the rope with which she wanted to bind Him was short by a distance equal to the width of two fingers. When she made the rope longer by adding another rope, she again saw that it was short by two fingers. Again and again she tried, and again and again she found the rope too short by two fingers. Thus she became very tired, and Krsna, seeing His affectionate mother so tired, allowed Himself to be bound. Now, being compassionate, He did not show her His unlimited potency. After mother Yashoda bound Krsna and became engaged in other household affairs, Krsna observed two yamala-arjuna trees, which were actually Nalaküvara and Manigriva, two sons of Kuvera who had been condemned by Närada Muni to become trees. Krsna, by His mercy, now began to proceed toward the trees to fulfil the desire of Närada Muni. (Summary of Srimad Bhagavatam SB 10 th Canto 9 th chapter "Mother Yashoda Binds Lord Krishna.) (Baby Damodara and the broken pot - Binding took place on the Diwali Day SB 10:9:1-2. ) [Srimad Bhagavatam 10:9:1-2 txt] : Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: One day when mother Yasoda saw that all the maidservants were engaged in other household affairs, she personally began to churn the yogurt. While churning, she remembered the childish activities of Krsna, and in her own way she composed songs and enjoyed singing to herself about all those activities.PURPORT: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, quoting from the Vaisnava-tosani of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, says that the incident of Krsna's breaking the pot of yogurt and being bound by mother Yasoda took place on the Dipavali Day, or Dipa-malika. Even today in India, this festival is generally celebrated very gorgeously in the month of Kartika by fireworks and lights, especially in Bombay. It is to be understood that among all the cows of Nanda Maharaja, several of mother Yasoda's cows ate only grasses so flavorful that the grasses would automatically flavor the milk. Mother Yasoda wanted to collect the milk from these cows, make it into yogurt and churn it into butter personally, since she thought that this child krsna was going to the houses of neighborhood gopas and gopis to steal butter because He did not like the milk and yogurt ordinarily prepared. While churning the butter, mother Yasoda was singing about the childhood activities of Krsna. It was formerly a custom that if one wanted to remember something constantly, he would transform it into poetry or have this done by a professional poet. It appears that mother Yasoda did not want to forget Krsna's activities at any time. Therefore she poeticized all of Krsna's childhood activities, such as the killing of Putana, Aghasura, Sakatasura and Trnavarta, and while churning the butter, she sang about these activities in poetical form. This should be the practice of persons eager to remain Krsna conscious twenty-four hours a day. This incident shows how Krsna conscious mother Yasoda was. To stay in Krsna consciousness, we should follow such persons. (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad Bhagavatam 10:9:1-2. purport.) Sri Damodara-ashtakam(found in the Padma Purana of Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation with Narada Muni and Saunaka Rsi) In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodara-ashtakam, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara. (Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2:16:19
In ISKCON temples, centres, and devotees homes world wide devotees gather for the entire month of Damodar (Kartika) to offer lamps (candles - dipas, etc) and in ecstacy sing the glories of Sri Damodar. Check locally for the timings of that ceremony - usually it is done in the evening, but some temples and communities perform the ceremony morning and evening. namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupamlasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanamyasoda--bhiyolukhalad dhavamanamparamrstam atyantato drutya gopya To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who I (due to the offence of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed-to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances. rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantamkarambhoja-yugmena satanka-netrammuhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-sthita-graivam damodararm bhakti-baddham Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand, He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances. itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kundesva-ghosam nimajjantam akkyapayantamtadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvampunah prematas tam satavrtti vande By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbues with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times. varam deva moksam na moksavadhim vana canyam vrne 'ham varesad apihaidam te vapur natha gopala-balamsada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon (which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti). O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as Bala Gopala in Vrndavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon besides this? 5idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilairvrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais' ca gopyamuhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam memanasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by mother Yasoda, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me. namo deva damodarananta visnoprasida prabho duhkha jalabdhi-magnamkrpa-drsti-vrsyati-dinam batanu-grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Damodara! O Ananta! O Vishnu! O master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes. kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvattvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau catatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayacchana mokse graho me 'sti damodareha O Lord Damodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera-Manigriva and Nalakuvara--were delivered from the curse of Narada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation. 
namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamnetvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamnenamo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayainamo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam O Lord Damodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who displays unlimited pastimes. 
Sri Damodar astakam ki jaya! Jai Sri Sri Radha-Damodara!
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and these are the 'deyas' (clay pot lamps) which are lit traditionally for Divali celebrations worldwide (on the night of Divali)
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and a video from my lighting up
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That Lighting Up vid is very nice, Rahil!
My Granddaughter is studying Hindi Urdu and taking an Indian film class in College. What are some good Indian films that I might tell her about? -
hehe, thank you SurSteven
glad you liked it oh that's very nice to hear about your granddaughter because i pay no attention to 'popular Indian entertainment', i hardly ever look at Indian movies, so i won't be the right person to recommend any such 
sorry my connection with India is my heritage (descent) and the spirituality from the scriptures (which anyone anywhere can strive to imbibe from ) -
Thank You Rahil, for the good wishes! I don't believe that her film class is centered around pop culture exclusively although!
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hehe, you're welcome
and still, i won't be the right person re: films never got into Indian films really sorry -
As focused as you are on music...I guess that makes sense... I am the same way in things
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hehe well i like films, sure, but i've never really gotten into Indian films much in Trinidad, it's obviously popular due to the ethnic heritage, etc., but i've hardly been attracted as for music, same thing, 99% English/American music for me.. (the 1% Indian would be when i participate in/accompany kirtan/spiritual chanting of Hare Krsna like you can see in some of my recent videos on my WTYD thread http://maccaboard.paulmccartney.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=85078 or like when i involve the spiritual teachings and Hare Krsna mantra in the lyrics of my songs such as on my 1st album 'Gaura-Vani')
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The day after Divali another large celebration called Govardhan-puja is observed (in 2013, this will fall on November 4th) Govardhan puja - when Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill
About Govardhan Puja In brief: The day after Divali/Deepawali is celebrated as Govadhan Puja when Mount Govardhan, near Mathura, is worshipped. Pious people keep awake the whole night and cook fifty-six (or 10 different types of food for the bhog (the offering of food) to Krishna. This ceremony is called ankut which means a mountain of food. Various types of food ? cereals, pulses, fruit, vegetables, chutneys, pickles, and salads ? are offered to the Deity and then distributed as prasada to devotees. Lifting of Govardhan Hill (taken from http://www.girirajji.com/lifting-of-goverdhan-hill.html)) On seeing that the inhabitants of Vrindavan had neglected to worship him, lndra, the King of Heaven, decided to punish them by sending terrible rain clouds to inundate the land of Vrindavan. Seething with rage, King lndra was thinking that simply on the advice of a talkative village boy named Krishna the Vrajavasis had stopped the lndra-yajna and instead worshiped Govardhana Hill, the brahmanas, and the cows. Unfortunately, being so puffed-up with his own self-importance and false prestige, lndra could not understand that this simple village boy called Krishna was in fact the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoying His transcendental pastimes as a cowherd boy in the land of Vrindavan. Calling for the samvartaka clouds of devastation that are used to destroy the whole cosmic manifestation at the end of a kalpa, lndra ordered them to proceed to Vrindavan and cause extensive floods that would destroy the livelihood of the inhabitants. Within no time torrents of rain as thick as pillars, accompanied by thunder, lighting and howling winds, descended on Vrindavan, causing great misery to its inhabitants. The land became so full of water that no one could distinguish between high ground and low ground. Shivering because of the severe cold brought about by the torrential rains, the inhabitants of Vrindavan approached Lord Krishna for shelter. Understanding the situation, Krishna immediately lifted Govardhana Hill with His left hand, just as a child picks up a mushroom, and held it up like an umbrella. Bringing all their household possessions, the inhabitants of Vrindavan, along with their cows, took shelter from the torrential rains under Govardhana Hill. For seven days they remained safe under the hill, not even disturbed by hunger and thirst. They were simply astonished to see beautiful Krishna balancing Govardhana Hill on His little finger. His false pride cut to pieces, baffled and dumbstruck, King Indra called back the clouds of devastation. At that moment the rains stopped, the sky cleared and the sun shone again over the beautiful land of Vrindavan. Krishna asked the Vrajavasis to return to their homes without fear, and then He gently replaced Govardhana Hill in exactly the same place. Nanda Baba, mother Yasoda, Balarama and all the inhabitants of Vrindavan embraced Krishna to their hearts content. The demigods in the higher planets began to beat kettledrums and shower the earth with fragrant flowers. As the gopis began to sing beautiful songs about the glorious and uncommon pastimes of Sri Krishna, all the inhabitants of Vrindavan returned to their respective homes along with their cows. Much more about Sri Govardhan can be read here - http://www.salagram.net/parishad77-g.htm Sri Govardhan Puja ki Jai! Sri Giri-Govardhanji ki Jai! -
The disappearance (departure from this Earthly realm) of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada (founder acarya/spiritual leader of ISKCON/Hare Krsna movement). (Observed today, November 6th, for this year 2013. In history, the date of his disappearance was 14th November, 1977.)
read about Srila Prabhupada here - http://www.gauranga.org/prabhupada.htm Jai Srila Prabhupada! -
simplyrahil:
and a video from my lighting up
Happy Shubh Divali!
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hehe, thank you very much hey_kittay
and to you too great to see you around -
the disappearance of Srila GauraKishor Dasa Babaji will be observed this year (2013) on November 13th. Srila GauraKishor Dasa Babaji ki Jai!
taken from http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/page/srila-gaura-kisora-dasa-babaji Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja was technically the disciple of Bhagavat dasa Babaji Maharaja, who was a disciple of Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja. In 1897 Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja came to Mayapur Navadwipa Dhama from Sri Vrndavana Dhama, where he was accredited the exalted title "Bhajananandi". Srila Bhaktivinoda (Kedarnath Datt), seeing the transcendental behaviour of Babaji Maharaja, would use him as an example of nirapeksa (indifference), as his level of renunciation was beyond belief. This Vaisnava saint's life was an example of utter humility and poverty, the true attributes of a Vaisnava. Gaurakisora never accepted any material object from anyone. For his clothing he used the discarded loin cloths from corpses left on the bank of the Ganges. For food, he would collect rice by begging, soak it in river water, and garnish it with salt and chilly. He never asked favors from anyone and lived a fully detached life, devoid of all possessions. Very little information is available about the past life of Gaurakisora except that he was born in a Vaisya family in the village of Bagjana near Tepakhola on the bank of the Padma. As a householder, Gaurakisora was known by the name Vansidasa (different from Vamsi das babaji). At that time he was engaged in some agricultural trade and from the income took care of his wife and family honestly. After the death of his wife, Gaurakisora renounced his home and went to Vrndavana, where he was initiated into Vairagi Vesha by Bhagavata dasa babaji, one of the foremost disciples of Jagannatha dasa babaji. Srila Gaurakisora lived on madhukari, begging and slept beneath a tree. He would lie prostrate, offering his humble obeisances to the residents of Vraja, considering them as embodiments of Lord Krsna. He even offered his obeisances to the flowers, trees, and land around him. He spent about thirty years at Vraja mandala serving the deities there. Afterwards, perhaps by the direction of the Supreme Lord, he left for Navadvipa. During his stay at Navadvipa, Gaurakisora underwent various transformations of spiritual moods. Sometimes he danced on the bank of the Ganges chanting, "Gaura, Gaura", while at other times he would lie on the ground in an unconscious state. He joyfully moved throughout the groves located on the bank of the Ganges, considering them sites of the divine sports of Sri Sri Radha Govinda. His only clothing was a strip of cloth around his waist and often went totally naked. He chanted japa on beads or sometimes knotted a cloth and used that as a substitute for japa beads. Occasionally, he went to Godruma Dvipa to listen to Bhaktivinoda Thakura recite ?Srimad Bhagavatam. Babaji Maharaja would often visit Bhaktivinoda. During his last days in retirement, absorbed in Krsna katha, he would hear Srimad Bhagavatam at Bhaktivinoda's house and they would discuss together. Though Babaji Maharaja could neither read nor write he was regarded as vastly learned and self-realized. His only possessions were the Tulasi beads around his neck and the japa mala he kept in his hand. Sometimes he wore no Tulasi mala on his neck and would chant on knotted cloth as beads - such was his renunciation. Sometimes he would live under an old broken overturned boat, and other times he would scatter fish bones around a place he occasionally used as his bhajan kutir to make materialists think he was a fish-eater, and thus they would not disturb him. But by his pure bhajan he purified the three worlds. He was the guru of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, the founder of the Caitanya Mathas and Gaudiya Mathas. In 1898 when Bhaktivinoda's son, who was now residing in Godrumadwipa in Navadwipa Dhama, first came in contact with the person who was to be his spiritual master, Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, the crest jewel of avadhutas was wearing a tigerskin hat and carrying a basket with puja paraphernalia inside. He offered the boy four or five pieces of rope for chanting his rounds on, and a tilak stamp for marking the body with Hare Krsna carved on it. Bhaktivinoda later told his son, "You must take initiation from Babaji Maharaja, and don't return to this house if you don't." Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji used to walk across a bridge at the same time daily, so on one occasion Bhaktivinoda's son, Siddhanta Saraswati, blocked his path and in all humility said, "If you don't give me initiation then I will finish my life by throwing this useless body off this bridge." Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja didn't want any disciples - he himself had taken siksa from Bhaktivinoda, and this was Bhaktivinoda's dear son! Siddhanta Saraswati told him how his father had instructed him to become Babaji Maharaja's disciple or not return home, so in 1900 Babaji Maharaja gave him the name Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita dasa. He then gave his new initiate the tiger skin hat and basket that had been given to Gaura Kisora by his spiritual master Bhagavat dasa Babaji, which he in turn had received from Jagannatha dasa Babaji. In 1908 Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja lost his external eye sight, so he then stopped travelling and just chanted and performed worship of Krsna. Being aloof from external consciousness, sometimes he would not dress his body - instead he would sit in his bhajan kutir internally absorbed in Krsna's pastimes and in a very deep voice be heard calling the names of the gopis of Vrndavana. Once Srila Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita dasa, Siddhanta Saraswati, offered to take Babaji Maharaja to Calcutta to see an eye specialist, but he refused saying, "Never! I will never go to the material world." His disciple protested, "But in Calcutta I could serve you nicely. You wouldn't have to undergo any inconvenience." But Babaji Maharaja was adamant declaring, "I will never accept this service. Better I throw myself in the Saraswati (Jalanghi) and drown." Once Babaji Maharaja turned up at the Yoga Pitha (Lord Caitanya's birthplace) at two in the morning. Amazed, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati enquired how he got there in the pitch black of night. Babaji Maharaja replied, "Someone brought me here." "Who could have brought you such a distance at this time?" enquired Bhaktisiddhanta. Finally his mind concluded, "It must have been Krsna who personally brought you here or else how did you cross the Ganges? How did you find your way across the dark fields?" But Babaji Maharaja would not answer more than, "One person brought me across the river, that's all." One day Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja wrapped his body and two feet with a cloth. Sitting covered like this he said, "Many persons, after being informed by others, come here to collect the dust from my feet. I tell them I am not a Vaisnava. If you go to the vicinity where there are Vaisnavas with their feet pretentiously decorated and extended to touch, you can have unlimited dust. How can I bless you? I don't have barfi or sandesh or rasagulla, or even sweet words. How can I bless you? Nowadays people are interested in spiritual masters who can give these things - wealth, good wife, sweet words - these cheating things are now taken as anakula (favourable)." Every virtuous person looked forward to rendering service to Srila Gaurakisora. However, he rarely allowed anyone the chance to serve him. Once Manindracandra Nandi, the Maharaja of Kasimbazar, sent a distinguished messenger to escort Gaurakisora to the former's palace. Gaurakisora, however, did not accept the Maharaja's invitation saying that if he visitedthe palace he may feel tempted by the wealth of the Maharaja which may result in a strained relation between the two. Hence, Gaurakisora suggested that instead of him visiting the palace, let the Maharaja free himself completely from the shackles of wealth by donating everything he owned to his relatives and then come to live with Gaurakisora in a specially prepared shed where both of them could practice Haribhajan in peace." Srila Gaurakisora was very selective about accepting invitations for food. He believed that partaking of food here and there could adversely affect the spiritual life of a devotee. Once a devotee name Haren babu partook of prasada offered at the festival held at Bhajan kutir at Navadvipa. For this Gaurakisora stopped communicating with Haren for three days. On the fourth day Gaurakisora explained that the prasada of the above festival had been financed by a woman of questionable profession, a pumscari (one who is moved by other men). Once, on the eve of Sanatana Gosvami's disappearance day, Gaurakisora decided to celebrate the occasion. The devotee attending him asked who would provide them with the materials for the celebration. Srila Gaurakisora replied: "Remember not to speak to anyone about it. We shall miss a meal and continue around the clock chanting the holy name. This could be the typical festival for those of us who have taken the vow of poverty." Narendra Kumar Sen, a resident of Agartala (Tripura), once approached Gaurakisora to learn about Guru pranali or Siddha pranali. Gaurakisora told him, "The Supreme Lord cannot be realized through worldly knowledge. Only through the chanting of the holy name can the true nature of the Lord be revealed. As the Lord is revealed from the letters comprising the Nama, the devotee gradually begins to understand his own nature and becomes acquainted with seva. Once a physician told Gaurakisora that he intended to move to Navadvipa and take up charitable practices. Gaurakisora advised the physician that if he truly desired to live in Navadvipa then he should give up the plan for a charitable practice because it would only encourage materially minded people to save money. Those who sincerely practiced Hari bhajan should never get distracted by the chains of welfare activities. A young seeker wearing only a kaupina, once stayed with Gaurakisora for some days. later he arranged, through the agency of an employee of a female estate owner, to obtain five kathas of land as a donation from the woman. When Gaurakisora heard about this he was extremely annoyed: "Navadvipadhama is beyond this material world. How can a worldly land owner dare to hold land here and even think he can donate five kathas out of it? A mere grain of sand of the transcendental Navadvipa is more valuable than all the precious gems in this world put together. Moreover, how advanced could this young kaupina clad devotee be if he dares to collect so much land in lieu of his bhajan merit?" Once a devotee offered some sweets to Lord Gauranga and then took the offering to Gaurakisora, urging him to partake of it. Gaurakisora told the devotee, "Those who are non vegetarian, those who commit adultery, or offer food to Lord Gauranga with a particular motive, their offerings never reach Lord Gauranga and are never sanctified as prasada." Srila Gaurakisora regularly begged for rice, after which he would cook the rice, offer it, and partake of the prasada. He never touched any foodstuff offered by someone else. Once during monsoon, Gaurakisora stayed in the rest house at Phulia Navadvipa. Some prasada was left in a vessel for him to respect later. Meanwhile a snake passed by the vessel and a woman there happened to notice it. When Gaurakisora sat down to take prasada the woman appeared there and informed him about the snake. Gaurakisora, however, firmly stated that he would not touch the prasada until the woman left. After the woman left, Gaurakisora said, "Look how maya works! Taking the form of compassion, maya attempts to hit deep into her target slowly. Maya can assume countless forms. She always prevents a mortal being from practicing Haribhajan." Giribabu and his wife once ardently requested Gaurakisora to stay in their house at Navadvipa. Gaurakisora was moved by their sincere devotion and finally agreed to oblige them on the condition that he would live only in their toilet room where he would perform Hari bhajan. Giribabu tried to persuade him to change his mind but Gaurakisora remained firm. Giribabu reluctantly arranged to have the toilet thorougly cleaned and Gaurakisora used it for Haribhajan. A realized soul can practice Haribhajan anywhere in an unconcerned manner, and wherever he resides, that place becomes Vaikuntha. Srila Gaurakisora was a highly spiritually advanced soul. He never allowed deceitful practices or any discussion which was not within the purview of the holy books. One day when a devotee questioned Gaurakisora about a well known reiciter of ?Srimad Bhagavatam, who was in the habit of chanting "Gaura, Gaura", Gaurakisora remarked, "He doesn't say "Gaura, Gaura. Rather what he means to say is, "More More" (`Money, Money.') Those who recite ?Srimad Bhagavatam for payment are not entitled to chant the name of theSupreme Lord." Srila Gaurakisora never delivered discourses openly, yet his spotless character drew everyone to him. Upon meeting Gaurakisora, even a staunch materialist would become inclined take up Haribhajan. On 22nd June, 1914 Bhaktivinoda Thakura passed from this world into his samadhi, deep meditation, on Lord Krsna in Bhakti Bhavan, and then on November 17th, 1915 Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, on the auspicious Utthana Ekadasi, also left this world. His body was placed into a samadhi tomb, but sixteen years later, due to flooding, the samadhi had to be moved. There was a clamour of local babajis trying to claim the samadhi, but the bold Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati (Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita dasa) told everybody frankly, "I am the only disciple of Paramahamsa Babaji Maharaja. Even though I have not accepted sannyasa, I am a celibate brahmacari and by the grace of Babaji Maharaja I am not secretly addicted to abominable habits or involved in fornication as some monkey-like people are. If there is someone amongst the people here present who is a renunciate of stainless character, then he can have Babaji Maharaja's samadhi. We have no objection to that. He, who within the last year, or the last six months, three months, one month or at least within the last three days, has not had illicit connection with a woman will be able to touch this spiritual blissful body. If anyone else touches it he will be completely ruined." Hearing these words, the Inspector of police, who had come to judge for a fair and honest decision said, "How will evidence be had for this?" Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati replied, "I have faith in their word." At this, one by one all the bogus babajis slipped away without a word. 
Srila GauraKishor Dasa Babaji ki Jai! -
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita Jayanti - the anniversary of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Bhagavan speaking Srimad Bhagavad-Gita to His dearmost devotee and friend Arjuna on the battlefield of Kuruksetra back in 3137BC (5150th anniversary today) see here for more - http://www.salagram.net/parishad142.html
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita Jayanti falls on Mokshada Ekadasi (one of the ongoing 26 fortnightly Ekadasis on the Vaishnava calendar) http://www.salagram.net/ekadasi-2.htm Bhagavad-Gita As It Is may be accessed online at http://asitis.com Srimad Bhagavad-Gita ki Jai! -
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita ki Jai!
* I am reading about this observance right now.* -
hehe, glad to hear that hey_kittay
hope it was inspiring -
I started learning some Hindu religion a few years ago. I learned some mantras. They seem to work some actually. Happy holidays!
