Focusing on our fortune
Why is happiness eluding us? Because we are never satisfied. No matter how much we get, we always hanker for more. Such is the nature of every one of us in all fields and walks of life. How then could finite material objects and flickering bodily or intellectual pleasures satiate our infinite hankerings?
The Glory of the
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
Lord of the Cows
The very gist of the Govarddhan-lila, the very substance of the Pastime, is represented in this verse. The milkmen in Vrindavan used to observe a sacrifice to satisfy the king of heaven, Indra, at whose command the rain, clouds, and other subtle elementary powers move.
Real Initiation -
Nurturing the seed of Krishna-prem
Sadhu-sanga, if we can follow, it will give us relief from so many things. It will give a very good result in the future. But all depends upon sraddha, faith. Adau sraddha, tatah sadhu-sanga. First faith, then the saintly association is ours. And the translation of sraddha is more than just 'faith'. It is actually affectionate faith.
At the time of its humble beginning, the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math was no more than a thatched hut on the banks of the Ganges river, yet our Founder Acharya, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj, composed the following verse in 1941, mysteriously predicting the future greatness of the Math....
Nirjal Ekadasi
The history behind this ekadasi, explained by Srila Sridhar Maharaj.
Today is ekadasi. Not just any ekadasi, but nirjal-ekadasi: a total fast, even from water. This Pandava nirjal-ekadasi takes place at the hottest time, usually in June, in the high summer season.
The Holy Month of Karttik
The Land of Gurus
Excerpt from the book Sri Guru and His Grace by Srila Sridhar Maharaja.
Chapter 11, page 165 -171
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.9.31) it is stated:
na hy ekasmad guror jnanam
su-sthiram syat su-puskalam
"One certainly cannot get complete knowledge from only one guru." In the highest stage of devotion, we must see not only one guru; we must see that guru is everywhere.
Nama Guru
and Mantra Guru
Excerpt from the book Sri Guru and His Grace by Srila Sridhar Maharaja.
Chapter 9, page 125 -135
Student: I have heard that one has an eternal connection with the spiritual master who first initiates one into the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra (harinama guru ). Does he have a similar connection with the mantra guru ?
Excerpt from "Holy Talks" from the book "Sri Chaitanya Saraswati Vol I"
Asvini, Varuni, Kirttika. Kirttika is the name of the third daughter of Daksa. It was a custom in Vraja-mandal to name one's daughter after one of the daughters of Daksa Prajapati......
Resounding in the Heart
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains the ideal behind the term brihat mridanga.
Our Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, liked book preaching. He called it the brihat mridanga. When a mridanga resounds, it invites the people around it, “Come to hear the chanting of the Divine Name.”
A Sincere Fight
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj describes the selfless spirit of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s followers.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: In his last words Prabhupad also said, “Love, rupture, anything may come, but it must be for Krishna. It does not matter whether love, rupture, or anything else comes, it only matters that whatever comes is for Krishna.”
Beyond Gratitude
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains that the surrendered soul’s sentiments and service go beyond ‘thanking’ the Lord, Sri Guru, and the devotees.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj: What is the meaning of the word thank? Whenever you depart, you always use this word, but I do not like this word very much.
Free Love
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains loving relationship with between the soul and the Lord found only in the Rupanuga Sampradaya.
Student: Maharaj, Rupa Goswami was the Acharya of sambandha-jnan or abhidheya?