Burning One's Own Fortune
"If somebody thinks they came to the temple and wasted their life there, it means they do not see their own fault. Use your eyes to see your own faults, not others'. Those who have tolerance can stay longer, can practise more, whereas those who stay at the temple but think about material things, material enjoyment, leave the temple and go to another life."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.8 Mb, 10 min | 6 December 2020)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj's Holy Guidance for the devotees worldwide:

"I know you cannot come.... Still, if you are thinking about this Nabadwip Dham Parikrama and do Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama with us—if you read about the places we will go to every day, if you read and remember Sri Nabadwip Dham—it will be good for you. We will first go to Antardwip, then Simantadwip, Rudradwip, Madhyadwip, Godrumdwip, Koladwip, Ritudwip, Modadrumdwip, and Jhanudwip. If you remember Sri Nabadwip Dham from far away, then you will think that you are actually in this Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama. I know you will feel very sad every day because you cannot come, but you must remember Sri Nabadwip Dham from far, it will be very nice for you. This is the proper practice and proper etiquette for you. It is very important."

sri-gauda-mandala-bhumi yeba jane chintamani
tara haya vraja-bhume vasa

"Those who always think about Sri Nabadwip Dham, reside in Sri Vrindavan."

(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj, 7 March 2021)

DOWNLOAD: Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-Mukta-Mala (English) [PDF file, 73 MB] A very special holy scripture presented to this world by His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj to nourish all jiva souls and bring eternal memory of Sri Nabadwip Dham to our hearts. Realising his long-standing desire, His Divine Grace has left for us this invaluable resplendent scripture containing all Hari-katha and Hari-kirtan that fill the entire land of Nadia during this special time of Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama.

• Download or read Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya (by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur) online.

—{ SRI NABADWIP DHAM PARIKRAMA }—

DAY ONE

At Sri Nandan Acharya Bhavan (1)
"As we proceed with our parikrama we do not stop and sit at all places, so why have we come here? Why are we sitting here? Because this is the place where Gaura and Nityananda's first meeting took place. This temple here was established by Pujyapad Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj..."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.8 Mb, 16 min | Bengali)

At Sri Nandan Acharya Bhavan (2)
"This place is a very famous and very auspicious place because Gaura and Nityananda Prabhu met here for the first time when Nityananda Prabhu came to Mayapur from Sri Ekachakra Dham. One day, Mahaprabhu told all the devotees, 'Srivas, Chandrasekhara! Look, one great personality has come to the dham! You must find Him and bring Him here!'"
• Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb, 8 min | Bengali & English)

At Sri Nandan Acharya Bhavan (3)
"I have seen how they do parikrama, how they walk from our Nabadwip temple, and many of you were there too at that time. I had the fortune to see all these great personalities, but they have left this world now leaving this fallen soul here with you all..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | Bengali)

At Sri Nandan Acharya Bhavan (4)
"There is one more thing I have not told you about because when we were crossing the Ganges, everybody had not come yet. The place where we came crossing the Ganges is called Ganganagar..."
• Download / listen to the audio (11.7 Mb, 28 min | Bengali)

At Sri Yogapith (1)
"By the mercy of Sri Gurupadpadma, we are continuing our parikrama of Sri Antardwip in Sri Nabadwip Dham. We have now come to this temple, which is the birthplace of Sri Sachinandan Mahaprabhu."

At Sri Yogapith (2)
"People used to think that the Ganges had taken Mahaprabhu's birthplace away. It is true that the Ganges can take some place, but the Ganges can also return it. I can tell you how this happened..."

At Sri Yogapith (3)
"Every year, when we come here, we read from Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya about Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu and the glory of Nabadwip. Please listen carefully."

At Srivas Angan (1)
"When you worship the Lord, you will be remembering the Lord... Where does the Lord stay? In Srivas Angan. The Lord said, 'I stay every day in Srivas Pandit's house—whenever devotees sing kirtan there, I will be present there.'"

At Srivas Angan (2)
"One time, Chad Kazi broke a mridanga. Fearful of his threats, devotees stopped kirtan at Srivas Pandit's house and were sitting silently. When Mahaprabhu heard that there was no kirtan, He was very angry..."

At Srivas Angan (3)
"One day, Mahaprabhu spoke to Srivas Pandit. 'Srivas, people say all sorts of things... Can you promise Me something?' 'What is it, Prabhu?' 'From tomorrow, you must not go begging again.' 'How is it possible, Prabhu?' Srivas Pandit replied..."

At Sri Chaitanya Math
"We have come to Sri Chaitanya Math, the first temple established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. When he was staying here (in a small bhajan kutir), he vowed to chant the Holy Name continuously during six years, six months and sixteen days..."
• Download / listen to full class (4.9 Mb, 11 min | Bengali)

At Sri Jagannath Mandir
"It is in honour of this auspicious Phalguni Purnima that we are doing this Nabadwip Dham parikrama, and we have today come to this temple of Lord Jagannath, which is non-different from Lord Jagannath's temple..."
• Download / listen to full class (3.5 Mb, 8 min | Bengali)

At Sridhar Angan (1)
"Coming to Sri Sridhar Prabhu's house, His Divine Grace sits down and reads from Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya Mukta-Mala: Continuing our parikrama, we have crossed Sri Antardwip and have entered Sri Simantadwip. Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Jiva Goswami Prabhu came to this village called Simuliya...."
• Download / listen to full class (2 Mb, 5 min | Bengali)

At Sridhar Angan (2)
"The place we have come is situated within Simantadwip. This is the house of Sridhar Prabhu. We have struggled to come here, walking through the jungle, but Mahaprabhu would come here and take rest..."
• Download / listen to full class (7.7 Mb, 12 min | Bengali)

At Sri Rudradwip
"Between Sri Antardwip and Sri Simantadwip (to the north-west), there lies one more enchanting island called Sri Rudradwip. We used to come here every year before, but we have not visited this place for many past years — we did not have that kind of sukrti. This year, we have got the fortune to come here again by the mercy of Sri Gurupadpama."
• Download / listen to full class (5.2 Mb, 11 min | Bengali)

Photographs of this day in 2021:

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day One (23 March 2021 | 126 photographs, 13.3 Mb)
Photographs from the first day of Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama. His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj leads the devotees through Sri Antardwip, Sri Simantadwip and Sri Rudradwip visiting Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Nandan Acharya Bhavan, Puspa-samadhi mandir of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad, Sri Yogapith, Srivas Angan, Sri Advaita Bhavan, Sri Gadadhar Pandit Bhavan, Akar Math Sri Chaitanya Math, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad's Samadhi Mandir, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi, Sri Chand Kazi's Samadhi, Sri Jagannath Mandir, Sridhar Angan, and Sri Rudradwip Gaudiya Math.

Photographs of this day in 2020:

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day Two
(6 March 2020 | 60 photographs, 6.3 Mb)
Photographs of the second day of Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama. His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj takes devotees to Sri Antardwip and Simantadwip: Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Nandan Acharya Bhavan, Puspa-samadhi mandir of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad, Sri Madhai Ghat, Sri Yogapith, Srivas Angan, Sri Advaita Bhavan, Sri Gadadhar Pandit Bhavan, Sri Chaitanya Math, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad's Samadhi Mandir, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi, Sri Kazi Samadhi,Sri Jagannath Mandir, and Sridhar Angan.

Photographs of this day in 2019:

Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama: Day Two
(18 March 2019 | 160 photographs, 12.2 Mb)
Sharing photographs of the second day of the Holy Sri Nabadwip Dham parikrama led by His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj and dignitary Vaishnavs through Antradwip and a part of Simantadwip: Srila Madhav Maharaj's Math, Nandan Acharya Bhavan, Puspa-samadhi mandir of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad, Madhai Ghat(!), Yogapith, Srivas Angan, Sri Gadadhar Pandit's house, Samadhi-mandir of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Jagannath Temple, Simantadwip.

—{ SRI NABADWIP DHAM PARIKRAMA }—

DAY TWO

Chapter Six: Visiting Sri Ganga Nagar, Sri Prthu Kunda, Sri Simantadwip, Sri Visram Sthan, and Other Places
"The next day in the morning, Nityananda Prabhu left the Temple with Srivas and Sri Jiva. Ramadas and other devotees accompanied them, and they chanted the Name of Gaura as they walked."

At Sri Rudradwip
"Between Sri Antardwip and Sri Simantadwip (to the north-west), there lies one more enchanting island called Sri Rudradwip. We used to come here every year before, but we have not visited this place for many past years — we did not have that kind of sukrti. This year, we have got the fortune to come here again by the mercy of Sri Gurupadpama."
• Download / listen to full class (5.2 Mb, 11 min | Bengali)

Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj about fasting on ekadasi and accepting material facilities:

"My Guru Maharaj (Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur) always wanted maximum energy: you should take good food and do good service. That was his maxim. Krishna is not a liquidated party: take full prasadam and do full service. Do maximum service, and you should take whatever is necessary for that. You are to take it for the cause of Krishna, not for your own cause. You are Krishna's, so if you grow weak, His service will be hampered, and both you and Krishna will be losers thereby. 'My soldiers will be well-fed and well-working.' That was our Guru Maharaj's principle. Napoleon said, 'One full-fed soldier is equal to ten half-fed soldiers.'

"So, prasad-seva: if it is service, then it must be taken in a serving mood, of course. But, at the same time, the individual position of a devotee should be taken into consideration. Sahajiyas do not fast on ekadasi at all: "Oh, we are in Vrindavan, and there is no fasting in Vrindavan." But Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupad did not like that—it is sahajiya (imitation) if you go on feeding your senses in the name of Krishna-bhakti (devotion to the Lord). For the service to Krishna, it is necessary to keep up the body and to provide nourishment to it, so we must take what is necessary for service. We do not like it if by fasting, a loss of energy is effected. If fasting does not hamper your service, you may go on fasting—perhaps, your Gurudev wanted that...

"For service, I must accept what is necessary to make me physically fit so that I can render more service. So, accepting material things is not objectionable. It is fruitful, not detrimental. Rather, it produces something of a pure character, which helps everyone. This is how a disciple receives and accepts things. At that same time, he may even blame himself, 'I cannot go on with my worldly life without the help of this or that!' He will blame himself, but the underlying spirit must be, 'If I do not take it, I shall be unfit; I will not be able to do my bit of service to the Lord, to my Gurudev.'

"Moreover, by taking up renunciation, I will be a loser. I will incur a loss for myself, for the world, and my Guru's service will be hampered. In this spirit, devotees are to take everything. For the cause of Krsna, for the cause of his Guru, they will accept anything.

"Suppose there is a very miserly karmachari (manager). Because he does not want to spend money, he may not attain a particular result; then, some difficulty comes, and the opportunity is lost. This manager will be responsible to the proprietor: 'Why did you not spend money? Why are you afraid of spending money from my store? Because of your miserly habit, the opportunity has been lost!' 'Why should you not spend My money for My interest?' So, to render service to Krishna, to my Gurudev, to Vaishnavs, to the world, to everyone, I must keep up this mundane body, and I am entitled to take something for that.

"Miserliness is mayavada; it is the renunciation spirit, and it will mar Krishna's interest. What we need is yukta-vairagya: I shall take from the store of Krishna to keep myself fit and to do service. It is Krishna's account, and if I do dot do that, I should be a separationist, a mayavadi, a renunciationist. I shall render maximum service to Krishna, and I must take without any hestitation whatever is necessary to make myself fit for the service; otherwise, I shall be punishable."

"You do not need to know the meaning of each ekadasi tithi because if you know it, you will want to get this result, that result, etc."

(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)

In honour of Srila Madhavendra Puripad:

Sri Madhavendra Puripad: One of a Kind
"Today is the festival in honour of Srila Madhavendra Puri's disappearance. We have got this opportunity today to hear about his disappearance. There is no one in this world who is as fortunate as Madhavendra Puri."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 4 min | Bengali)

Internal and External Struggles
"There must be no attachment; but there must be knowledge of the relationship that everything in this world belongs to Madhava—everything is His property, His wealth. Those who are possessed by envy and jealousy practise a false life, but we pray to the Lord that we can tolerate all unhappiness, all austerities, all suffering."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.8 Mb, 9 min | Bengali)

Defining Disciples' Destiny
"In this external world, we have birth and death, but Vaishnavs are neither born, nor do they die. On account of their devotion and devotional practice, they can exceed the lifetime allotted to them by the Lord: through their devotion, by the blessing and mercy of the Lord they can exceed their allotted lifetime."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 4 min | Bengali)

Srila Madhavendra Puri's Purity
"Srila Madhavendra Puripad said, 'I know Krishna has bestowed His mercy on me because He has given me the association of Nityananda. Wherever Nityananda's association is found, that place is most sacred and completely transcendental.'"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 4 min | Bengali)

Sri Madhavendra Puripad
"Every year on the second day of the parikrama we celebrate this day—Sri Madhavendra Puripad's disappearance festival. Actually, Srila Madhavendra Puripad is the root of the wish-fulfilling tree of devotion..."
• Download / listen to the audio (4 Mb, 11 min | 2 March 2015)

Loving Search for the Lost Servant
"When will you come to Me? When will you come to serve Me?"—the Lord goes to the extremes waiting for us to come to Him, so why is it that we still cannot come to Him?
• Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb | 6 October 2010)

Srila Madhavendra Puripad: The Sprout of Love Divine
From Affectionate Guidance: "Today is a most auspicious day—the holy Disappearance Day of Srila Madhavendra Puripad. The sprout of divine love for Krishna (Krishna-premankur) appeared in this world in the form of Srila Madhavendra Puri. Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu glorified Srila Madhavendra Puri so much. Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu were disciples of Srila Madhavendra Puri..."

• Ye anila prema-dhana | যে আনিল প্রেমধন
"Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"

—{ SRI NABADWIP DHAM PARIKRAMA }—

DAY THREE

Chapter Eleven: Sri Sri Koladwip, Sri Samudragad, Sri Champa Hatta
"Who can describe the glories of this place? It is not a holy place that is now simply a dry river. All souls who give up their life in the water, on the earth, or in the air here attain Sri Goloka Vrindavan."

At Sri Buroraj Siva's Temple
"Please listen to the glories of this holy place. This island is famous as Kuliya Hill because it is situated on a mountain-like elevation on the bank of the Ganges. Scriptures describe this Kuliya Town as Koladwip. Many things took place on this island..."
• Download / listen to audio (4.5 Mb, 10 min | Bengali)

At Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi (1)
"It is written in Puranas that holy places can purify you, but it will cheat you out of devotion. You will not get devotion by putting water on your heads. Devotion comes from the dust from the holy feet of Vaishnavs."
• Download / listen to audio (3.1 Mb, 7 min | Bengali)

At Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi (2)
"When the scriptures and saints say something, it is necessary to believe it without any hesitation. Whom did Srimati Radharani choose, Her family or Shyama (the Lord)? She chose the Lord. You must think whom you will choose, your family or the Lord. You must choose Krishna and give up everything else."
• Download / listen to full class (3.8 Mb, 8 min | Bengali)

At Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi (3)
"If you look at our guru-parampara photographs, you will see that the last photograph is that of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj (we give 'jay' to him every day). Please listen to the description of his life. We must glorify Vaishnavs—the more we glorify them, the purer our hearts will be."
• Download / listen to full class (1.5 Mb, 4 min | Bengali)

At Sri Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj's Samadhi (4)
"Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj is a very famous personality. He came to Nabadwip from Vrindavan, and he lived his spiritual life in a very strict way—he practised Krishna consciousness properly."
• Download / listen to audio (2.9 Mb, 6 min | Bengali)

—{ SRI NABADWIP DHAM PARIKRAMA }—

DAY FOUR

At Sri Suvarna Bihar
"In Satya-yuga, there lived a king named Sri Suvarna Sen in this place. He had so much deep material attachment that he was always busy with the affairs of his kingdom, and he did not stop even when he became old. Although a materialistic king, Suvarna Sen had some good habit...."
• Download / listen to audio (4.9 Mb, 11 min | Bengali)

At Sri Surabhi Kunja
"Continuing our parikrama, we have now come to Sri Surabhi Kunja in Godrumdwip. At this place, having received by the mercy of Surabhi Cow an order to engage in the worship of Gaura, Markandeya Muni took shelter in pure devotion. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur built this Surabhi Kunja house in 1888, and it was from here that he started Sri Nama-hatta...."
• Download / listen to audio (8.9 Mb, 19 min | Bengali)

At Sri Svananda Sukhada Kunja (1)
"In Vrindavan, on the bank of Sri Radha Kunda, there is Srila Prabhupad's bhajan-kutir, it is also called Svananda Sukhada Kunja. We have come here by a great fortune. This is Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's samadhi mandir and bhajan-kutir."
• Download / listen to audio (3.4 Mb, 7 min | Bengali)

At Sri Svananda Sukhada Kunja (2)
"Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's writing is very beautiful. If you read his Jaiva Dharma and various songs, you can understand it. There are many external descriptions of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur's life and work, but he is not that."
• Download / listen to audio (9.2 Mb, 19 min | Bengali)

At Sri Hari-Hara Ksetra
"We have come here, Sri Hari-Hara Ksetra, as a result of a great fortune. Hari-Hara means the Lord united with Lord Siva. You have seen the Deity here: one side is black and the other side is white. I will tell you why it is like this."
• Download / listen to audio (8.3 Mb, 18 min | Bengali)

—{ SRI NABADWIP DHAM PARIKRAMA }—

DAY FIVE

At Sri Samudragad
"In ancient times, a king called Raja Samudrasen lived in this place, and this is how the place got its name. It is our greatest fortune that we are doing this parikrama today in the association of all the devotees and that we have got an opportunity to hear the glories of Sri Nabadwip Dham. If you keep faith in the devotees of the Lord, the Lord will certainly bestow His mercy on you."
• Download / listen to audio (7.3 Mb, 16 min | Bengali)

At Sri Champahati
"The place here we have come to is called Champahati. There was a champaka flower garden here, and Srimati Radharani would come here every day and collect flowers for Lord Govinda. This temple of Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhar was later established by Sri Dvija Vaninath Prabhu, an associate of Mahaprabhu."
• Download / listen to audio (14.5 Mb, 31 min | Bengali)

At Sri Vidyanagar (1)
"You are struggling so much, walking all the way, but if your mind is not fixed on the holy place, then what benefit will you get? You come empty and then will go back empty too. When there is sadhu-sanga going on, you must listen to it."
• Download / listen to audio (6.4 Mb, 14 min | Bengali)

At Sri Vidyanagar (2)
"Many people think that Mahaprabhu learned knowledge (vidya) in Vidyanagar. This is not so. Mahaprabhu never studied in Vidyanagar. He studied in Ganganagar. Vidyanagar is the place where all branches of knowledge appeared in this world."
• Download / listen to audio (10.5 Mb, 9 min | Bengali)

At Sri Sarvabhauma Gaudiya Math
"Continuing our parikrama, we have come to Sri Sarvabhauma Gaudiya, which is the house and the birthplace of Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. In Kali-yuga, Brihaspati, the guru of all demigods, comes to this world as Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya..."
• Download / listen to audio (15.8 Mb, 34 min | Bengali)

At Sri Mamgachi (1)
"Passing Sri Jahnudwip on our way, we have now come to the birthplace of Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur in Sri Modadrumdwip. Every year, we complete our parikrama here. We did not stop in Jahan Nagar this time because it is very hot, so I will speak about Jahnudwip here."
• Download / listen to audio (3.6 Mb, 8 min | Bengali)

At Sri Mamgachi (2)
"After Sri Jahnudwip, we came to Sri Modadrumdwip (Mamgachi). So, we should speak also about the glories of this island. This island is non-different from Ayodhya. When Lord Rama lived in the forest together with Laksman and Sita Devi, they came here and, constructing a small cottage under a banyan tree, lived here for some time."
• Download / listen to audio (2.6 Mb, 6 min | Bengali)

At Sri Mamgachi (3)
"At the temple of Saranga Murari, there lived a brahman and a great devotee called Saranga Thakur who served Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Deities. He served the Deities for a long time and eventually grew very old..."
• Download / listen to audio (5.5 Mb, 12 min | Bengali & Kirtan)

At Sri Mamgachi (4)
"We have come to the temple (sripat) of Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur, who composed Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata. Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami said that Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur is the Vyasa of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes."
• Download / listen to audio (3.8 Mb, 8 min | Bengali)

—{ SRI GAURA PURNIMA FESTIVAL }—

APPEARANCE OF LORD SRI GAURANGA SUNDAR

Sri Yogapith: The Crown Jewel Abode of Sriman Mahaprabhu
[From Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-Mukta-Mala, 75 Mb]
An extensive chapter dedicated to the birthplace and appearance of Sri Gauranga Sundar and His youth pastimes: 'The glory of Yogapith is absolutely exceptional — no other place, no other holy place of pilgrimage on this earth can ever compare to Yogapith. The pious land of India bearing the holy footprints of the holy Lord and His devotees is the land of religion on this earth. Among the seven cities within India that can grant liberation, there is Sri Mayapur that is situated within Sri Dham Nabadwip, which is non-different from Sri Mathura Mandala.'

Sri Sri Gaurasundarer Avirbhav Vasare
"Why has the Golden Sun appear today of all days clad in saffron garb? Why has exquisitely beautiful spring poured into this otherwise void world? Why have all the trees, shrubs, and creepers swell with beauty at this astonishing news? Why do bees and birds reel in joy like this, raising waves of their music?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.7 Mb, 7 min)

Sri Gaura Purnima kirtan
"By His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the holy name of the Lord."
• Download / listen to the audio (11.5 Mb, 34 min)

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-chaitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah "Again and again I offer my obeisance unto You, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the supremely merciful, golden form of Sri Krishna, the giver of Krishna-prema."   nindantam pulakotkarena vikasan-nipa-prasuna-chchhavim prordhvi-krtya bhuja-dvayam hari-harity-uchchair vadantam muhuh nrtyantam drutam asru-nirjhara-chayaih sinchantam urvi-talam gayantam nija-parsadaih parivrtam sri-gaura-chandram namah "Standing erect, the hairs of His body rebuke the blossoming campaka flowers. Raising His arms, again and again He calls out "Hari! Hari!" Surrounded by His devotees, again and again He sings and dances. Streams of tears flow from His eyes and sprinkle the ground. Let us glorify Him, Lord Gauracandra."

The Golden Volcano Of Divine Love This book has been compiled from the lectures of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj and found a very special place in the heart of its author to the extent that His Divine Grace remarked it was his favourite English language publication. The text presented here is the second edition of the book. "Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us that separation is the highest principle in divinity. Just as the most intense conception of ecstasy is association with Krishna, the most intense conception of pain is separation from Krishna. Yet the pain felt from Krishna's separation is far more intense than the ecstasy felt from His association. Sriman Mahaprabhu says, 'Can't you understand the painful situation you are in? Your senses must have all been destroyed? Otherwise you would have died from the pain of separation from Krishna. It is inconceivable. We belong to Him wholesale. He is all in all to us, but we can't see Him. We are forcibly separated from Him. How can we tolerate this?'"

Sri Sri Prema Dhama Deva Stotram A unique compilation of Sanskrit verses that contain most Pastimes of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, written by Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. Sri Sri Prema Dhama Deva Stotram has found exceptional appreciation in the hearts of the Vaishnav community worldwide. These verses are also sung every evening (10 each day, starting from Saturday) at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and its affiliate centers. "I offer my respects unto Sri Gaurangadev, who rose like a golden moon in Sri Mayapura in 1407 Sakabda, revealed the Pastime of accepting the garments of the renounced order, sannyas, in 1431 Sakabda in order to benedict the entire material universe, and disappeared beyond the ordinary vision of the people of this world in 1455 Sakabda. I offer my obeisances to that beautiful Golden Lord, Gaurangasundar, the divine form of Krishna prema."

Far but Near
"Without his mercy we cannot be present here. Every year we think we will join this festival next year, but only Krishna knows whether we can join or not. Only by the mercy of Gurudev, by the mercy of Mahaprabhu can we be here."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 4 min)

তবে বন্দোঁ শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য মহেশ্বর, নবদ্বীপে অবতার, নাম—'বিশ্বম্ভর'
An archive recording of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj reading from the first chapter of Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat, Adi-khanda, where Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur describes the Lord's appearance.
• Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 15 min)

Sri Gaura Purnima Programmes in 2015 (BENGALI)
◊ Morning: (kirtans, Bengali)
Kirtans: Vandana • Samsara davanala • Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu jive daya kari' (Tilak Krishna Prabhu) • Bhaja re bhajare amar (Rama Krishna Prabhu of Uluberia) • Thakura Vaishnava gana • Nitai guna mani • Emona durmati samsara bhitare • Gaya Gora madhur svare.
Class: The glory of Hari Nam sankirtan and rarity of this life (not to waste time) • "I pray at your feet: think about Gauranga, think about Gaurahari, and think about the festival of Gaurahari" • Magnanimity of Mahaprabhu.
• Download (24 Mb, 68 min)

◊ Evening: (kirtans, Bengali)
Kirtans: Sri Guru-parampara (Krsna haite chatur-mukha) • Sri Guru charana-padma • Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu daya kara more • Ohe Vaishnava Thakura dayara sagara • Nitai-pada-kamala • Emona durmati samsara bhitare.
Class: Surrender, not to return to maya • Glories of the assembled worldwide devotees, auspiciousness of the assembly.
Sri Gaura Purnima Kirtans: Aruna vasane sonara suraja (written by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj • Chaudda-sata sata-sake masa ye phalguna (chanted from Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, verses 13.89–124; the kirtan then moves to the nat mandir and continues there).
• Download (30 Mb, 88 min)

—{ SRI GAURA PURNIMA FESTIVAL }—

ANANDOTSAV OF SRI JAGANNATH MISRA

Jagannath Misra's Festival: Serving and Honouring Devotees (1)
"We are very happy today because we are going to celebrate the festival of Jagannath Misra's ananda-mahotsav. Today we are also making a special festival for our best friend Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram..."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.6 Mb, 8 min | 13 March 2017)

Jagannath Misra's Festival: Serving and Honouring Devotees (2)
"We are going to celebrate, but this celebration is not for our own happiness, it is for the happiness of the devotees, for the happiness of the Vaishnav Thakur. This is the main thing."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 7 min | 13 March 2017)

Setting on the Right Track (1)
Lecture delivered on Sri Jagannath Mishra's Anandotsav in 2013: "We can realise it ourselves: how much can we proceed in our spiritual life and why did we come to Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math? Again and again we do Nabadwip Dham Parikrama, but how much can we use ourselves for the service to the Guru, Vaishnavs, and Bhagavan?"
• Download / listen to the audio (6.1 Mb, 20 min | 28 March 2013)

Setting on the Right Track (2)
Lecture delivered on Sri Jagannath Mishra's Anandotsav in 2013, part two: "I am praying to you all that you do not forget your service to your Guru, to the Vaishnavs, Bhagavan. I am bowing at your lotus feet: if you serve my Guru, I will serve you my whole life; if you serve my Guru, I will sacrifice my life to serve you."
• Download / listen to the audio (5 Mb, 15 min | 28 March 2013)

Sri Vishva Vaishnava Raja-Sabha
"Gurudev told me, 'The day after Gaura Purnima, you will sit together at Vishva Vaishnava Raja-Sabha,' and it is my duty to do that. We have come here to be together, and everyone can speak their own language—if it can be translated into English and Bengali, that is good for the mission."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.2 Mb, 10 min | 24 March 2016)

Sri Gaura Purnima Address (1)
"Actually, there is something I want to tell you all. You think you are taking care of your family, but I am also your family member—you must come here and take care of the temples. Keep connection with your Guru. I want your mercy, I want your assistance."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 28 March 2021)

Sri Gaura Purnima Address (2)
"You have taken initiation, and you must now take care of the devotional seed properly. When you take initiation from your Guru, you enter a relationship with him, and you must maintain that relationship; otherwise all relationship will be gone."
• Download / listen to the audio (3 Mb, 7 min | 28 March 2021)

Dhenukasur's Fate
"If you have the means (the capacity) to spend money for the Lord, you must do it. Otherwise you will reap the fate of those trees that were cursed and had to be born in a forest where not even birds or beasts entered, only some demon donkey lived there."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.1 Mb, 5 min | 6 December 2020)

Internal Purity
"Mercy is always necessary, and we must always try to be good. We must listen properly from our Guru, we must give ourselves to the service of our Gurudev without any second thoughts. Gurudev always says that you must have a good character, you must always tell the truth, and follow his instruction, you must not follow your mind."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 8 min | 6 December 2020)

Stay In Gurudev's Heart
"You must try to stay in Gurudev's heart through your service, good behaviour, and good practice. We are alive in this world now, and we are suffering from so many diseases and elements, so we must always practise Krishna consciousness—we must always remember our Gurudev, Guru Maharaj, Prabhupad, as well as the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.8 Mb, 9 min | 6 December 2020)

In honour of Sripat Hapaniya Dham:

Sri-gaura-mandala majhe | শ্রীগুর্ব্বাবির্ভাব প্রশস্তি
"In Sri Gaura Mandal, there is a village called Hapaniya where my Lord, an abode of all good qualities, appeared. It stands on the bank of the Ganga, who is very merciful to the fallen souls; renowned in the whole world, this abode is a holy repository of knowledge and jewels of logic."

Sripat Hapaniya Dham: Highest Place
"Today is the pancham dol and it also the appearance day of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Gopinathjiu. This is a highest place and we must give respect to this place, Sripat Hapaniya Dham."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.3 Mb, 10 min | 17 March 2017)

Sripat Hapaniya Dham
"We come here to pay obeisance to Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj because he is not an ordinary person. We come and pray to his family, we pay obeisance to them and beg them for mercy. That is why we come here."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.4 Mb, 19 min | 28 March 2016)

A Day at Hapaniya [From Affectionate Guidance]
"Today we have very happily come to Sripat Hapaniya Dham. Our destination is Goloka, even if we may not know where Goloka is. However, we must know that the abode of Goloka has personally become manifest in this world as the abode of the Divine Master, the residence of the devotees and the Temple where the Deities are worshipped."

Sri Hapaniya Dham
(10 March 2015 | 3 Mb)
Headed by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj and the august Vaishnavs, devotees visit Sri Hapaniya Dham on the holy installation day of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Gopinath Jiu.

Sri Dham Nabadwip and Hapaniya: Last Festival
(24-28 March 2016 | 34 photographs, 3.1 Mb)
Sri Gaura Purnima festival has finished and the devotees, overflowing with gratitude and appreciation for the festival, return to their homes and householder practice taking the lotus feet of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj in their hearts. Today is Sri Panchami Dol and the Deity installation at Sri Hapaniya Dham, the worshippable birthplace of Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. His Divine Grace takes the devotees to Sri Hapaniya Dham to participate in the festival and we are sharing some photographs taken earlier during Sri Jagannath Mishra anadotsav and today at Sri Hapaniya Dham.

Festival at Sripat Hapaniya Dham
(17 March 2017 | 40 photographs, 2.6 Mb)
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Jagad Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj is taking devotees to Sripat Hapaniya Dham, the holy birthplace of Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, to honour the installation anniversary day of Sri Sri Guru Radha Gopinath Deities.

Festival at Sripat Hapaniya Dham
(26 photographs, 1.5 Mb | 6 March 2018)
Sharing photographs from the annual festival in honour of the installation anniversary of Sripat Hapaniya Dham Deities, Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Gopinath.

Festival at Sripat Hapaniya Dham
(25 March 2019 | 47 photographs, 2.8 Mb)
The final day of the grand annual festival at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math concludes at Sripat Hapaniya Dham, the birthplace of Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj takes devotees to Sripat Hapaniya Dham to honour the installation day of the presiding Deities at the temple.

Annual Maha-Mahotsav at Sripat Hapaniya Dham
(14 March 2020 | 44 photographs, 4 Mb)
Supremely fortunate devotees come to Sripat Hapaniya Dham, the holy birth place of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and observe the annual vigraha-pratistha festival in the shelter of the holy lotus feet of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kusum Ashram Maharaj and other senior Vaishnavs.

Festival at Sri Hapaniya Dham
(2 April 2021 | 20 photographs, 1.4 Mb)
His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj comes to Sripat Hapaniya Dham together with his associates to attend the annual festival commemorating the Deities' Installation at the supremely holy appearance place of Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. Due to the pandemic situation, the festival manifests in a quieter and a little more reserved form without the overwhelming crowds usual for this festival.

Do Away With Gossiping
"We do service, we have so many good qualities, we worship the Lord and His devotees, but if we at the same time nurture some bad qualities inside us, we cannot progress in our spiritual life. Never speak bad about anybody. It is not necessary to say such things."
• Download / listen to the audio (6.1 Mb, 15 min | 13 December 2020)

Be Part of Krishna Consciousness Movement
"You always charge the battery of your phone, and in the same way you must charge your spiritual 'battery'. I am telling this to everybody through you. Every country must have programmes in this way. Everybody must join Krishna-sankirtan movement."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 8 min | 13 December 2020)

In honour of Srila Srivas Pandit:

Srivas Angan [From Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-Mukta-Mala, page 102] [75 Mb]
An extensive chapter about the numerous pastimes that took place at the holy residence of Sri Srivas Pandit in Sri Dham Mayapur.

Srivas Pandit's Devotion
"Srivas Pandit: 'You can get a son, a daughter, a father, a mother in every birth, but you will not get the Lord in every birth Lord. This life is very important, you can get the Lord in this life, then why should I misuse it? Why should I not use this opportunity?'"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 5 min | 19 July 2013)

Malini Devi and Vishvarup
"The name Srivas Pandit's wife is Malini Devi. You know, one time Malini chastised Srivas Pandit. Once, Vishvarup Prabhu, Nimai's elder brother, came to their house to ask Srivas Pandit for help..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 29 July 2012)

Why Can We Not Get It?
"At Srivas Pandit's house there was a maidservant Duhkhi—she got Mahaprabhu's mercy. There was a Muslim tailor near Srivas Pandit's house—he too got Mahaprabhu's mercy. A great sinner Chand Kazi broke a mridanga, but even he got Mahaprabhu's mercy. Why can we not get it?"
• Download / listen to the audio (1.2 Mb, 4 min | 20 May 2017 | Bengali)

Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:

• SONG: Ei-bara karuna kara | এইবার করুণা কর
"O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of your feet."

• SONG: Ohe Vaisnava Thakura | (ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর
"O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant. Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after you."

• SONG: Ki-rupe paiba seva | কিরূপে পাইব সেবা
"I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"

• SONG: Dhana mora nityananda | ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ
"The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs' name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."

Humility—Not To Misconceptions
"If we do not expose other conceptions' faults, how will we prove the superiority of our consciousness? When I told you not to criticise, I mean not to criticise Vaishnavs and not to gossip or discuss others. If you can understand these things, you can harmonise it."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 13 December 2020)

Initiation: Beyond Formality
"If you only take the initiation and a few days later forget your guru, forget the service of your guru, then how can you be happy through that? If you do not think about all this and just take initiation, what will be the result?"
• Download / listen to the audio (0.9 Mb, 2 min | 13 December 2020)

Fight Your Ego
"They are Gurudev's devotees, they must do something for their practising life. If you always search others' faults, the whole life will finish and one day death will come and you will not be able to overcome it. If they think, 'We know everything!' they have a big problem."
• Download / listen to the audio (1 Mb, 3 min | 13 December 2020)

Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj about fasting on ekadasi and accepting material facilities:

"My Guru Maharaj (Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur) always wanted maximum energy: you should take good food and do good service. That was his maxim. Krishna is not a liquidated party: take full prasadam and do full service. Do maximum service, and you should take whatever is necessary for that. You are to take it for the cause of Krishna, not for your own cause. You are Krishna's, so if you grow weak, His service will be hampered, and both you and Krishna will be losers thereby. 'My soldiers will be well-fed and well-working.' That was our Guru Maharaj's principle. Napoleon said, 'One full-fed soldier is equal to ten half-fed soldiers.'

"So, prasad-seva: if it is service, then it must be taken in a serving mood, of course. But, at the same time, the individual position of a devotee should be taken into consideration. Sahajiyas do not fast on ekadasi at all: "Oh, we are in Vrindavan, and there is no fasting in Vrindavan." But Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupad did not like that—it is sahajiya (imitation) if you go on feeding your senses in the name of Krishna-bhakti (devotion to the Lord). For the service to Krishna, it is necessary to keep up the body and to provide nourishment to it, so we must take what is necessary for service. We do not like it if by fasting, a loss of energy is effected. If fasting does not hamper your service, you may go on fasting—perhaps, your Gurudev wanted that...

"For service, I must accept what is necessary to make me physically fit so that I can render more service. So, accepting material things is not objectionable. It is fruitful, not detrimental. Rather, it produces something of a pure character, which helps everyone. This is how a disciple receives and accepts things. At that same time, he may even blame himself, 'I cannot go on with my worldly life without the help of this or that!' He will blame himself, but the underlying spirit must be, 'If I do not take it, I shall be unfit; I will not be able to do my bit of service to the Lord, to my Gurudev.'

"Moreover, by taking up renunciation, I will be a loser. I will incur a loss for myself, for the world, and my Guru's service will be hampered. In this spirit, devotees are to take everything. For the cause of Krsna, for the cause of his Guru, they will accept anything.

"Suppose there is a very miserly karmachari (manager). Because he does not want to spend money, he may not attain a particular result; then, some difficulty comes, and the opportunity is lost. This manager will be responsible to the proprietor: 'Why did you not spend money? Why are you afraid of spending money from my store? Because of your miserly habit, the opportunity has been lost!' 'Why should you not spend My money for My interest?' So, to render service to Krishna, to my Gurudev, to Vaishnavs, to the world, to everyone, I must keep up this mundane body, and I am entitled to take something for that.

"Miserliness is mayavada; it is the renunciation spirit, and it will mar Krishna's interest. What we need is yukta-vairagya: I shall take from the store of Krishna to keep myself fit and to do service. It is Krishna's account, and if I do dot do that, I should be a separationist, a mayavadi, a renunciationist. I shall render maximum service to Krishna, and I must take without any hestitation whatever is necessary to make myself fit for the service; otherwise, I shall be punishable."

"You do not need to know the meaning of each ekadasi tithi because if you know it, you will want to get this result, that result, etc."

(Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)

Sober Interaction
"If you follow our guru-varga, then 'sweet relationship' means you sometimes talk with others, but you talk for service. Except for Krishna-katha, everything else is nonsense talks. So, it will be better if you talk with others only about Krishna-katha. Try to avoid other kinds of relationship, it will be good for you, good for everybody also."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.4 Mb, 6 min | 13 December 2020)

'You Are My All-In-All'
"Everybody should remember Gurudev's appearance day, always think about it every day. When Gurudev left this world, I thought my head, shoulders, everything was gone, I was like a doll, or a statue, but when I see you all, I get back my life, my heart, etc."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.7 Mb, 4 min | 13 December 2020)

Perfect Time For Preaching
"It is necessary to practise. Always practise Krishna consciousness, always remember the Absolute. Everything has its proper time and it is necessary to do things in good time. In this world, people say that the young age is for enjoyment, but this is completely incorrect. If you do not try to preach and practise from your young age, what will become of you in your old age?"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 20 December 2020)

Preaching Plan and Programme
"I have been attending some programmes before Gurudev's appearance day and I will have more programmes after the festival. I want to make an assembly Sri Dham Pracharani Sobha dedicated to the preaching of the glorification of Sri Nabadwip Dham, guru-varga, as well as the glory and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is my view and my idea."
• Download / listen to the audio (4 Mb, 10 min | 20 December 2020)

Keep Yourself Busy With Service
"You may have seen something, but it is not necessary to broadcast these things. This is called gramya-katha and prajalpa. This is not good for any devotee. Actually, devotees are always busy with their service, when will they get time for all this? Do not waste your time on others' faults."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.5 Mb, 6 min | 20 December 2020)

Practical Choice
"(1) We cannot stop our spiritual practice. Otherwise time will pass and our life will finish while we are waiting for all the problems to go away. (2) Gurudev always thinks in a practical way—the worship of Radha-Krishna is very high, but the worship of Nitai Gaurachandra is simpler."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.8 Mb, 7 min | 20 December 2020)

Embody Proper Conception
"Devotees must be always humble, it is necessary for everyone. Learn to be humble, tolerant and to give honour to others from Mahaprabhu and Gurudev. You must apply all these things in your life. These are the main things in one's life."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.1 Mb, 8 min | 20 December 2020)

In honour of Sri Ramanuja Acharya:

• Service: Faith and Surrender
"Gurudev told the story of Dhanur Das and his wife, Ramanuja Acharya's disciples, and how they maintained their family life..."

• How to See the Guru: Chastity
"Ramanuja Acharya heard there was a Guru in Alwar (South India). He came to that Guru and asked, 'You know one mantra that can give liberation. I want to get this mantra...'"

• Odds and Ends: Ramanuja Acharya's bed
"One time Ramanuja Acharya he went to Tirupati and stayed one month at one ashram there. He had a good servitor called Govinda who always served him..."

In honour of Sripad Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj:

Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj remembers:

When I got sannyas, Sripad Bon Maharaj was present there, as well as many others also. Sripad Bon Maharaj remarked, "Prabhupad has got a high satisfaction by giving you sannyas. We have never seen so much satisfaction in him at the occasion of any other sannyasi. He is highly satisfied with conferring sannyas to you."

....When Sripad Bon Maharaj returned from England, he put so many disturbing questions to our Guru Maharaj (Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad), "What do you know about that country? They are so brave, so gorgeous! Staying here, we cannot have any proper estimation of the civilisation in London at present. We are all ignorant. If we are to preach in London or Europe, we will have to be trained in a different way!" That was his advice to our Guru Maharaj, and Guru Maharaj, being pressed, rather attacked by his own disciple in such a way, withdrew himself by saying, "This is not our way of thinking. Our Guru Maharaj, Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj, did not even know how to sign his name, but we think that all the scholarship, wealth, everything is there in a nail of his toe." Guru Maharaj represented himself in a mild and humble way, but there was also professor Sanyal present there, and he came out like a tiger at our Bon Maharaj, "Have you lost all you have got from Guru Maharaj?! You are bold enough to talk in such a boisterous way? Have you forgotten how to behave with your Divine Master?" He was furious; Bon Maharaj had to check himself. Anyhow, Prabhupad said about him, "Bon Maharaj went to preach in my first year in England and in my second year in England." Prabhupad had gone through it using Bon Maharaj.

So, when I heard that Sripad Bon Maharaj had returned from Europe and put forth so many arguments of the Western persons saying that they could not be answered, I wanted to hear what those questions were that could not be answered. He reluctantly spoke about the arguments he had had to face there, and I began to answer them one by one. Then, when Sripad Bon Maharaj could not say anything more, Srila Swami Maharaj [Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj], who was present at that round table meeting, said, "Here, Europe is defeated by Asia!"

* * *

...At that time, all the preachers had been taken back from the compass of the country and were concentrated to work in Kolkata—they used to have to go door to door collecting bhiksa (alms, donations). Sripad Bon Maharaj's party, he and one or two brahmacharis, went to some part of Kolkata for collection. Generally, seeing some gentleman standing by, one of the members of the party would run up to him and say something like, "We come from Gaudiya Math, we want to make some collection. Dear sir, you are a devoted person of this locality, please make some contribution." So, one time, Bon Maharaj asked some gentleman to give him some addresses of good benevolent gentlemen whom they could approach to get some money for their purpose. The gentleman showed Bon Maharaj the way saying, "Just go to that house, you will find the right person there." Bon Maharaj went there in good faith. When he knocked on the door, the door was open. A lady came out. Seeing him, she said, "Oh, you are a sadhu! What do you want from me?" The gentleman who had directed Bon Maharaj there, was laughing behind him—the lady was a prostitute. Bon Maharaj was perplexed—it was a lady. Anyhow, he still gave her the letter of invitation saying, "We have got such and such festival, we want you to come and we want to ask you for some contribution." I do not know if the lady had given him anything or not, but all the people around were laughing. After that, Bon Maharaj came back to Prabhupad and said, "Prabhupad, I will not go for any collection again." Prabhupad asked him, "Why? What has happened?" Bon Maharaj related the incident saying that some rogues had guided him to a prostitute's house. After that, Prabhupad delivered a lecture: "There are many of you who have left their own property, but still I send you out for collection. Do you think that I am doing wrong? I am not. The visayi (materialists) always want to entrap us within their material life, but we must learn to utilise everything and anything in the service of Krishna, then only are we saved; otherwise, if we leave, give everything away, all this visaya (material elements) will be left there and as soon as it gets any chance, it will come to bite me. So, whatever comes to us, we should deal with everything in such a way that rather, 'Whatever I shall come across, it will give me some impression to remember Krishna—everything should utilise me for a particular service to Krishna.' If left there, they will be enemies, but they should all be turned into friends. They will help me, remind me, excite me in the service of Krishna. We must have this kind of adjustment in this world. So, nothing should be left off. 'Nirbandhah Krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam uchyate: when one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness.'"

Prayers to Sri Vaishnav Thakur:

• SONG: Ei-bara karuna kara | এইবার করুণা কর
"O worshippable Vaisnava, be merciful to me this time. O saviour of the fallen, without you there is no one. In every birth I aspire for the dust of your feet."

• SONG: Ohe Vaisnava Thakura | (ওহে) বৈষ্ণব ঠাকুর
"O worshippable Vaishnav, ocean of grace, be merciful to this servant. Give me the shade of your feet and purify me. I clasp your feet. You can give Krishna, you have that power. Calling, 'Krishna!' 'Krishna!', I run after you."

• SONG: Ki-rupe paiba seva | কিরূপে পাইব সেবা
"I am so wicked, how will I ever get service? I do not have any attachment to Sri Guru and Vaishnavs! Prabhu, you see no fault in others, you are the saviour of the fallen. Please deliver Narottam this time!"

• SONG: Dhana mora nityananda | ধন মোর নিত্যানন্দ
"The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs' name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of Vaishnavs, and I am elated hearing the name of Vaishnavs."

• SONG: Ye anila prema-dhana | যে আনিল প্রেমধন
"Where has Advaita Acharya gone? Where are my Svarup, Rupa, Sanatan? Where is my Raghunath? Where are the saviours of the fallen souls?"

Real Relationship
"It is not necessary to become a great guru—we must become great disciples. If you worship the Lord understanding your relationship with Him, then your ego will be removed. We must understand that we are servants of devotees. When this relationship comes, your ego will be removed."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 4 min | 20 December 2020)

Try to Forget
"How can I tell you it is easy to forget it. It is not easy. Even I cannot do that, then how will you do it? When somebody abuses you, it is not something you can forget. It is not that easy... But at least you can try."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.4 Mb, 4 min | 20 December 2020)

In honour of Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj:

His Divine Grace Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

"When Kunja Babu [later, Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj] came to meet Srila Prabhupad, Srila Prabhupad could recognise that this young man would be able to help him a great deal. Our Guru Maharaj's nature was like that of a philosopher—he did not like to mix with the public, but Kunja Babu filled that side as he could mix with public and bring persons to Srila Prabhupad, enabling thus Srila Prabhupad to speak about the sastra. Srila Prabhupad wanted to speak about Mahaprabhu, but his temperament was such that he did not like to become involved with inviting people and taking responsibility for looking after them or their accommodation, feeding, etc. So, when Kunja Babu joined, he took up that responsibility. Srila Prabhupad got educated society ready to hear his speech about Mahaprabhu, and his style of speaking was a little philosophical, so he preferred educated society as his listeners. Kunja Babu did that service—he took the trouble of inviting, accommodating, and feeding the public. All these troublesome burdens were taken on by Kunja Babu.

"Gaudiya Mission had gradually grown from this combination—the material help of Kunja Babu and the spiritual work of Srila Prabhupad. They were the father and the mother of the mission, the cofounders of Gaudiya Math. The practical, material side of the service was done by Kunja Babu. Srila Prabhupad once said in Benares (I heard it directly from his mouth), 'I only want a good audience, and Kunja Babu has done that service to me the best. Amongst all my disciples, Kunja Babu has served me the best by bringing to me a good audience. I only want a good audience, nothing else, in this world, and in that direction, Kunja Babu has helped me greatly.'

"In the end, Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's order was to form a governing body of ten or twelve, and Kunja Babu had to manage as long as he lived. 'Kunja Babu's intelligence excells that of all,' this was told about him. We took it as Kunja Babu was the manager during Prabhupad's lifetime, but he was actually managing the whole institution, so he should be respected even though he was a grihastha and we were sannyasis. Later, many complaints were heard against him, but Srila Prabhupad had told us that Kunja Babu had to manage as long as he lived and that he should be respected. Srila Prabhupad did not select anyone as his follower acharya, that is why there was eventually a difference of opinion amongst us. There were also many ambitious sannyasis who were eager to go on as acharyas themselves. There were generally two parties, one accepting Vasudev Prabhu as the acharya, and the other one accepting Kunja Babu..."

His Divine Grace Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj:

"Sri Bimala Prasad got initiation from Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj and later, when he took sannyas, he became known as Bhagavan Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. At some point, he promised that he would complete chanting one hundred crores Holy Names and after that start preaching Mahaprabhu's proper conception, but as he was chanting the Holy Name, one day Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Giridhari came in front of him and Srimati Radharani said, 'You must preach pure conception of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, the combined form of Radha-Krishna.' Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, 'I am alone, how will I preach?' After that so many great scholars (dig-pals) came to help him—our Param Gurudev Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kamal Madhusudan Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Vichar Jajavar Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kumud Shanta Maharaj and many others. This is how Prabhupad started preaching the proper conception in this world.

"In Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswat Thakur's time, the secretary of Chaitanya Math was a grihastha, his name is Kunja Bihari Prabhu (affectionately known as Kunja Babu), later he became Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj. Kunja Babu could not always stay at the temple, but he always served Chaitanya Math from his householder life. Moreover, when he would come to visit Chaitanya Math, to see Prabhupad, at that time almost all sannyasis would give him their full obeisance.

Bound by Loving Service
"It is necessary to understand how one should serve their Guru. You will serve your Guru with much love and affection. They do not know how close the relationship between Gurudev and me was. Gurudev gradually started to depend on me—when he came to Nabadwip, he would always depend on me in everything, and he said, 'I am coming here only because I know I can come and you will take care of everything.'"
• Download / listen to the audio (3.9 Mb, 10 min | 27 December 2020)

All Glory to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga

— · Announcement · —

Disappearance Festival of Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa
Parivrajakacharya-varya Ashtottara-sata-sri
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

gurvvabhista-supurakam guru-ganair asisa-sambhusitam
chintyachintya-samasta-veda-nipunam sri-rupa-panthanugam
govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhakty anvitam-sundaram
vande visva-gurun cha divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam

I offer my obeisance unto he who perfectly fulfils his Gurudev's most cherished desires; who is fully adorned with the blessings of his Gurudev’s associates; who is expert in all aspects of Vedic knowledge, both conceivable and inconceivable; who is the pre-eminent follower of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu's line; who is known as 'Govinda'—Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj; whose beautiful, effulgent, exalted form is infused with pure devotion; who is the Guru of the entire universe; and who is the giver of the seed of divine love for the Supreme Lord.

Dear Devotees, Vaishnavs, and Well-Wishers,

Bowing down at your holy feet, we would like to extend a humble and earnest invitation to your holy self in eternal memory of our worshippable Sri Gurupadpadma, Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj, to join the observance of the divine disappearance day of the supremely worshippable Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, that manifests this year on 2 April 2023 (Sunday).

! Please note that Vyanjuli Mahadvadasi is observed on this day. As shown by Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj previously, devotees observe this day in the same manner as Gaura Purnima, Nrisingha Chaturdasi and Janmastami: devotees engage in service and do proper ekadasi fast on the day, making a festive offering that is honoured as prasad the next day. A feast for all devotees and visitors is arranged the next day, after the paran time (5:32:18–6:13:45). In households, ekadasi fast is observed on this day, with a full special offering made; the fast is broken during the paran time the next day, after which full prasadam can be honoured.

We pray that devotees can render assistance to the festivals observed in their communities and focus eternally in their lives on contributing the core ingredient of every service endeavour—one's entire being, mind, heart and soul. In the words of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj, "Surrender to the Lord. Have full faith. You must surrender and give everything—your shyness, shame, fear, everything; keep everything at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, Srimati Radharani, or Gurudev. Give your everything, cent per cent."

His Divine Grace has many times instructed on how to hold special programmes and taught it many times by his own example. Usually such programmes consist of: kirtans, lecture or reading of scriptures, arati, pushpanjali (offering of flowers to a photograph), and prasad-seva (cooking a special offering, offering it at the altar or to a photograph, and distributing it to devotees).

We hope all devotees find an opportunity to observe this holy day for the satisfaction of Sri Gurupadpadma, keeping the divine Guidance on their heads: "Always sit amidst fire blazing on all four sides. This fire is Hari-katha, kirtan, service to the Lord, and service to the guru. You must progress in your practising life keeping the sacrificial fire of your service ablaze."

Your aspiring servants,
On behalf of SCSMathInternational.com

Email address for enquiry:

Satisfying the Lord
"Bali Maharaj asked Vamanadev, 'O brahman, what do you want? Tell me, and I can give You anything you wish.' Vamanadev replied, 'I do not want much. I know you have everything, but I want only something small.'"
• Download / listen to the audio (2.7 Mb, 7 min | 30 August 2020)

In honour of Lord Ramachandra's appearance:

Reading from Guidance 4
"I am writing here something comparing the pastimes of Ramachandra and the pastimes of Krsihna-chandra, as well as Nanda Maharaj and Vasudev's vatsalya-rasa..."
• Download / listen to the audio (5.3 Mb, 13 min | 2 April 2020)

Peculiarity of Lord's Pastimes
"I have read Ramayan, but I am telling you the gist point... There are many incarnations—Narayan, Ramachandra, Vamanadev, Balaram, and others, but Krishna is the full Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, Gaura-lila is even higher..."
• Download / listen to the audio (7.6 Mb, 18 min | 2 April 2020 | Class and Kirtan)

Niti and Priti
"It was Ramachandra's vijay utsav yesterday, and we would like to clarify some things about Rama-tattva and Krishna-tattva. In Rama-lila, rules and regulations are the highest, and love and affection go down, but this is not the highest ideal..."
• Download / listen to the audio (3.7 Mb, 9 min | 9 October 2019)

Laksman's Grudge
"Sita Devi was crying so much, and Laksman could not bear the thought of doing it, but because Ramachandra was his worshippable Lord and his elder brother, he had to do it—but Laksman could not forget the kind of pain he got at that time..."
• Download / listen to the audio (1.5 Mb, 4 min | 9 October 2019)

Hanuman's Service Drive
"I will give you some example of Hanuman's love for Rama, of his desire to serve Rama. We can see how much Ramachandra loves Hanuman and how much Hanuman loves Him. It is necessary to have such service desire."
• Download / listen to the audio (2.3 Mb, 6 min | 2 March 2020)

• Dasa-avatara-stotram | দশাবতারস্তোত্রম্
"O Hari! O Kesava! O Lord of the universe! You have assumed the form of Ramachandra! All glory to You! During the battle at Lanka You distributed to all the directions the most pleasing, crowning offering of the ten heads of Ravan, which were desired by the guardians of the directions."