The Spiritual significance of Keshav month, and Tulsi-Shaligram Seva

The Spiritual significance of Keshav month, and Tulsi-Shaligram Seva

Hare Krishna. Every month, the Sun enters different zodiac signs. When it enters Aries, it is called Aries Sankranti and from here begins the Keshav month. That is, if someone worships Lord Madhusudan in this month, it is said that the person gets the fruits of worshiping God for the whole year. That is, for those who have not started Bhakti, this month is the best month to start Bhakti.

What to do is chant the holy name of lord, hear to the pastimes of God and especially install Lord Shaligram inside the Tulsi plant and hang an earthen pot or a brass pot on it and fill it with water which keeps falling drop by drop from 4 am to 9 pm and then fill the pot again the next day. In this way, the whole month in the summer areas where it is very hot and hot winds blow, special festival are done to provide pleasure to God, such as boat festival. Taking the Lordships around in a Boat, Chandan Yatra, Lord with sandalwood paste etc. to provide coolness to the body and also to serve the God by Jala Dana.

Why special Tulsi-Shaligram Jala Dana seva?

It is said that there was a story in Brahma Vaivarta Purana that there was a king named Dharamdhwaj who had a wife named Madhavi and they had a daughter who was named Vrinda. She was engrossed in penance since childhood and went to the Badrinath Ashram and did her penance. It is said that in summers she used to light a fire and sit around it and in winters she used to do penance by sitting in cold water. For the first 20,000 years she did penance by eating fruits. After that, she again did penance for 30000 years by eating leaves, after that for 40000 years she did penance by taking only air in her mouth and for the last 10000 years she did penance by standing on one leg without eating anything.

She did such a tough penance but what was her wish that Krishna should accept her as his wife or that she should get Krishna as her husband. So let us see that at the end of the penances when so many years had passed, Brahma ji came to her riding on his swan and said to ask for a boon. Then Vrinda told that I was one of the favorite gopis of Lord Krishna and Shrimati Radharani in Golok Dham whose name is Tulsi Gopi and I once tried to establish a very close relationship with Lord Krishna which Shrimati Radha Rani did not like and she said if you have so much desire then go and get a human body, do penance and get Shri Hari and Radha Rani sent me to this world, that is why I have done this penance. I want only one boon that I want to live with Lord Shri Hari as his wife. All these are called Leelas.

Leela Behind Tulsi Devi Marriage to the Demon Shankhchud

 

Leela Behind Tulsi shaligram seva

Due to Leela, Lord Krishna and Shrimati Radharani performed this type of pastimes. Brahma Ji gave her a mantra. She chanted it for 12 years and it is said that after that they were told that she will marry a person named Shankhchud or Jalandhar due to which she will get Shri Hari later. So with great joy she married Shankhchud i.e. Jalandhar who was a demon. He was a great ascetic. It is said that when he also did penance of Brahma Ji, he received a shield from Brahma Ji through penances which is called Krishna Kavach and there was so much power inside the shield that no one could cut it, even Krishna himself could not cut his shield.
After getting a very powerful armor, Shankhachud told Brahmaji that I am also a friend named Sudama in Golok Dham among the cowherd friends of Lord Krishna. I wanted to marry Tulsi, so Shrimati Radharani sent me to earth. Due to Leela, she said that you go down and get a human body and marry Tulsi. So this Shankhachuda got married to Tulsi and due to her chastity, no one could kill that Shankhachuda. Due to getting Krishna Kavach, he became more powerful than even the demigods. Lord Shiva was sent for him. The war between lord Shiva and Shankhachuda continued for a year but Shankhachuda could not defeat Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva could not defeat Shankhachuda.

Then Lord Shiva prayed to Lord Vishnu that you only do something Lord. God knew because all this was his Leela. Taking the form of a Brahmin, God went to Shankhchud and said, Shankhchud, I have come to ask for alms from you. He was a great lover of Brahmins. He was of demon nature but was a lover of Brahmins. He asked what do you want. And he asked for Krishna Kavach, which Shankhchud gave considering him to be a Brahmin. Lord Vishnu took his Kavach too and after acquiring his form, wearing it around his neck, Lord Vishnu reached his house to break the chastity of his wife Vrinda. When he went there and showed it to Vrinda, she was surprised to see, “Oh my husband has come, the war was going on for so many years, what happened, what was the result of the war, what were the results, Shankhchud says, sit down, sit down. He was Lord Vishnu only. Sit down, I will tell you everything now, Shivji went to his abode. Brahmaji explained to me that there is no need to fight, I have come.

As soon as He touched his wife Vrinda, she understood that you are not Shankhachud, who are you, come in your real form, you are a divine man, God showed his Narayan form, then Vrinda started crying and said what have you done, you have broken my chastity. He said there was only one way to kill Shankhachud. You were very devoted to your husband and due to your power Shankhachud was not being killed and it was your wish that you wanted to marry Me, then Vrinda understood and she sacrificed her life and God blessed her that this body of yours will be known as Gandaki river and your hair will be known as Tulsi tree and I will stay here in your Gandaki river as Shaligram rock.

Conclusion

So there is a worm called Vajrakit, which performs various types of arts inside the stones and presents several incarnations of God like Sudarshan Shaligram Shila, Gopal Shaligram Shila, Narasimha Shaligram Shila, many types of Shaligrams are found in the Gandaki river, so in this way people marry Tulsi and Shaligram, so Shaligram Jaldaan is done in this month. Tulsi Maharani is very purifying, it is said that the soil of Tulsi provides results like Vraj dust and the Shaligram Shila is God himself, if someone serves the Shaligram stone, then he has served Lord Krishna Himself. The stones of Shaligram Bhagwan do not require Pran Pratishtha, Vasudev who is the Jagatguru always resides inside it, so this is a very powerful month, serve Shaligram and Tulsi in this and get the blessings of the God and make your life blissful. 

Hare Krishna!

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Sita Navami – The Auspicious Day

Sita Navami – The Auspicious Day

The literal meaning of Sita is a plough. Mithila state was drought-ridden. When King Janaka was ploughing the field, he found one baby girl. He took care of her and raised her as his daughter. Because the mother of the entire world, Janaki, appeared from the earth when Janaka was ploughing the field, he named her ‘Sita’.

Mother Sita has 12 transcendental names –

मैथिली जानकीः सीता वैदेही जनकात्मजा | कृपापियूषजलधिः प्रियार्हा रामवल्लभा ||
सूनायाना सुता विर्यशुल्काअयोनी रसोद्भवा | द्वादशैतानि नमामि वाञ्छितार्थप्रदानि हि ||

Maithilī Jānakīḥ Sītā Vaidehī Janakātmajā |
Kṛpā-Piyūṣa-Jaladhiḥ Priyārhā Rāmavallabhā ||

Sūnāyānā Sutā Vīrya-śulkā-Ayonī Rasodbhavā |
Dvādaśaitāni Namāmi Vāñchitārtha-Pradāni Hi ||

(From Shri Janaki Charitamritam)

1. Maithili
2. Janaki
3. Sita
4. Vaidehi
5. Janakatmaja
6. Kripapiyushajaladhi
7. Priyarha
8. Ramavallabha
9. Sunayanasuta
10. Viryasulka
11. Ayoni
12. Rasodbhava

Mother Sita could effortlessly pick up Shiv Ji’s bow in her childhood, placed on an eight-wheeled cart that could only be picked up by 500 people together. The condition of her marriage was to put a string on the same bow. No one among big-big demigods, Gandharvas, demons, etc., could even move the bow an inch.

sita navami

Lord Ramchandra not only put the string on the bow in a moment but also very sportingly broke the bow from the middle. Thus mother Sita was married to Lord Ramchandra.

After marriage, when Lord Ramchandra was exiled to live in the forest for 14 years, mother Sita considered it auspicious to go with the Lord. Sitaji, who had lived in comforts since childhood, accepted the harsh and challenging life of the forest graciously and, without a second thought, accompanied Lord Ramchandra Ji.

 

sita navami ravana abucting sita mata

Ravana abducted Her from the forest, and several female demons tortured Her in Lanka. Even after that, She forgave them. She also had to undergo agnipariksha. She constantly faced challenges one after another. Mother Sita is the embodiment of sacrifice and dedication. The character of mother Sita portrays us as an ideal wife, a pious, dutiful woman with a forgiving, compassionate, and humble heart.  

Mother Sita has presented an example of a character that is exemplary for all of us. There was no reason for Her to grieve, but She certainly did it to educate us.

And the biggest lesson that Mother Sita Ji teaches us is this, just as the deer of gold attracted Her, She had to turn away from God. In the same way, we are also attracted to the golden deer of material desires. Thus, we leave God’s company and come into this world and struggle. We then have to pay the price for it throughout our lives, just as mother Sita had to pay in Lanka. So, as long as the living entities obey God’s will and His instructions, the living entities would remain happy, but when we separate from God and go against His will, then there would be the same problems as mother Sita had to face Lanka. 

We all have this human form of life, and if we don’t take advantage of this life, If we don’t serve God, then what to say? And for such people, scripture says that they are committing suicide. So that’s why we all should take shelter from the Lord’s internal potency on Sita Navami and make this human form of life victorious. 

Your Smallest act of Charity can make a difference and bring smiles to Needy Faces.

Srila Vrindavandas Thakur’s Journey of Pure Bhakti

Srila Vrindavandas Thakur’s Journey of Pure Bhakti

Man often tries during his lifetime to attain the blessings of Supreme lord but do you know anyone who has received the blessings of Supreme lord even before birth? No,we are not talking about Parikshit Maharaj, he had received the blessings of supreme lord in his mother’s womb. We are talking about such an Acharya who was blessed with the grace of Supreme Lord even before coming into the mother’s womb. We will tell you about such a great Vaishnavacharya who, with the flood of his love for Krishna, organized such a river in which even today if a person drowns, he swims across this worldly ocean.

But who is this great teacher? And which stream did he create? To know this you will have to stay with us in this blog till the end. This is the story of the time when Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was manifesting His divine pastimes in Srivas aangan and at that time a supernatural incident happened as you all know that the most munificient incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna i.e. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who was about 500 years ago Krishna had appeared on this earth to provide love to the conditioned souls.

So one day Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu suddenly came to Srivasangan and it was me! They started chanting ‘I am the one’. He called out all the people present in Srivasa’s house to bestow His special blessings and started manifesting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At that time there was also a small four year old girl there, her name was Narayani. She was the daughter of Shrivas Thakur’s brother. Seeing Narayani, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu called her Narayani! Take the name of Krishna and cry in divine joy.

As soon as he heard the words of the Lord, Narayani started losing consciousness and said, O Krishna! Hey Krishna! Saying this, tears started flowing from her eyes and she fell on the ground showing all the signs of pure love and thus Narayani received the special mercy of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at the age of only four years. Gaur Hari Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu whenever Narayani,

He was seen showing special affection towards her and giving him his Mahaprasad. After some time, Mahaprabhu took Sannyasa and left Navadweep. Here Narayani was also growing up and got married and moved to another village. But the river of love for Krishna given by Mahaprabhu always kept flowing in his heart and in the womb of this Narayani, a divine child and a great Acharya was born who had received the special mercy of Lord Shri Krishna even before the time of his pregnancy.

It was around 1507, This great Vaishnav Acharya was born in Mamgachhi village situated in Navdvip on the Krishna Dwadashi day of Vaishakh month. Whom the world knows today as Srila Vrindavandas Thakur.

Srila Vrindavandas Thakur had devotion to Supreme lord Krishna since childhood. His father died when he was in the womb. He lived in Mamgachhi village till the age of ten. There he was brought up with great care in the house of Shrivas Thakur’s wife Malini Devi. He also completed his practice there. At the age of 16, he took initiation from Shri Nityananda Prabhu, the incarnation of Balram Ji.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu wanted Srila Vrindavandas Thakur to help him in the propagation of Krishna Bhakti. Thus, it was the special grace of Nityananda Prabhu and by his grace, Sri Vrindavan Thakur, while staying in Denur, composed Chaitanya Mangal which was later known as Sri Chaitanya Bhagvat. Chaitanya Bhagavat describing the pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the stream in which a person who once drowns swims to this ocean of existence. Sri Krishnadas Kaviraj ji, who composed the great book Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrit, says that by listening to Chaitanya Bhagvat Katha, all the inauspicious things are destroyed and its reading.

By doing this the person will be able to understand the divine pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu and ultimately he will attain pure love of Krishna. When Srila Vrindavan das Thakur reached his youth, there was a desolation in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect because Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates had left this earth and at that time the empire of Smartha Brahmins was spread.

Smart Brahmins are those who are only interested in material benefits through rituals, for them the path of devotional service has no importance. Such Brahmins had spread very bad rumors all around at that time about Vaishnav sect and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. And at many places, they kept the idol of Maa Kali along with Lord and worshiped her. But even at such a time, due to the blessings of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Srila Vrindavandas Thakur continued to preach pure devotion with the same enthusiasm and he offered the summary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings and devotion to the world in the form of Chaitanya Bhagvat Granth.

The thing to think about is whether an ordinary human being can have this much capability. No! Only those who do the preaching work of lord and receive His special blessings can be His councilors and that is why in the eighth Chaitanya-Charitamrit 1.8.34, Krishnadas Kaviraj says Krishna Leela Bhagwat Kahe Vedavyas Chaitanya Leelar Vyas Vrindavandas That is, just as Vyasdev has described the divine pastimes of Lord Shri Krishna in Srimad Bhagvat, in the same way Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur has described the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in this book.

Further in the chapter, in the 82nd Pyaar of the twentieth chapter of Antya Leela, it is again said that Vrindavan Das Thakur is a dear devotee of Lord Nityananda and hence he is basically Vyasadeva who described the divine pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Not only this, poet Karnapur also tells in the 109th verse of his Gauranganodesh Deepika that Srila Vedvyas is now Vrindavandas Thakur and is the son of Vraja, Kusuma Peer Sakha also entered them for some reason.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura has also praised Srila Vrindavandasa Thakura highly in the purport of Chaitanya Bhagavata. He said that Srila Vrindavandas Thakur’s devotion towards his Guru Sri Nityananda Prabhu was incomparable and he followed the principles of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

ISKCON’s founder Acharya Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada also glorified Srila Vrindavandas Thakur at many places in his books. So today, on the day of disappearance of Srila Vrindavandas Thakura, let us pray to him to lead us towards the pure devotion of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the only shelter of pure Krishna love.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

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Significance of Varuthini Ekadashi

Significance of Varuthini Ekadashi

There are many practices and activities in the path of devotional service which assist and strengthen bhakti. Bhakti means the way to achieve Krishna’s Prema. Whatever helps one to develop the love for Krishna, one should accept. The basic principle is that whatever is favourable for bhakti, one should accept that and reject the unfavourable. The most profitable activity for bhakti is to observe fasts. Observing fast on special occasions like Ram Navami, Janmashthami, Gaur Purnima, and Ekadashi is of more importance.  

Glories of Varuthini Ekadashi

As per Vedic calculation, there are a couple of pakshas, Krishna Paksha and Shukla paksha, every month. So there would be an Ekadashi in every paksha, which means there are a couple of Ekadashi every month. So the Ekadashi, which occurs on the Krishna paksha of Vaishakha month, is known as Varuthini Ekadashi. Usually, Varuthini Ekadashi occurs in the month of Chaitra or Vaishakha. This is the most auspicious Ekadashi. One who observes fast on Varuthini Ekadashi is delivered from all sins, one who remains happy always and gets good fortunes. By giving charity to needy people on Varuthini Ekadashi, one gets the result equivalent to doing austerities for years.  

By observing fast on Varuthini Ekadashi, one gets relief from all distress. One gets the result equivalent to donating gold during the Solar eclipse. As per scriptures, by observing fast on Varuthini Ekadashi, one gets more fortune than donating land or an elephant. The donation of mustard seeds is said to be the best of all the offerings, but the donation of gold is even better than the donation of mustard seeds. Food donation is of more importance than the donation of gold, but the most promising of all donations is the Varuthini Ekadashi fast.

What Krishna says about Varuthini Ekadashi

Lord Shri Krishna also said, “Those who fix up their mind on the lotus feet of Shri Hari and faithfully observe fast on Varuthini Ekadashi will get the equivalent of performing austerities for 10,000 years. Chitragupta, who keeps an account of the deeds of human beings, is also unable to write down the merit of fasting on this Ekadashi. Even if the most sinful person observes fast on Varuthini Ekadashi, his sinful thoughts will gradually fade away, and he will attain a higher planetary system.” 

Liberation of King Mandhata and King Dhundhumara

varunthini ekadashi

Emperor Mandhata observed fast on Varuthini Ekadashi, and as a result, he was liberated. King Dhundhumara, who appeared in the lineage of Ikshvaku in treta yuga, was cursed by Lord Shiva. Dhundhumara observed fast on Varuthini Ekadashi and was liberated from the curse, thus attaining a higher planet.

It is not possible to write and tell the glories of Varuthini Ekadashi. Lord Shri Krishna said, “One who reads and hears the glories of Varuthini Ekadashi gets the result equivalent to donating 1000 cows. After leaving his body on the material world will certainly attain the Vaikuntha planet.”

Let’s take advantage of this great occasion and observe fast on Varuthini Ekadashi, which gives liberation from all distress, fears, and problems. Thus, in the end, he attains the love of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is the goal of everyone’s life.

Hare Krishna!

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Story of Auspicious Mohini Ekadashi

Story of Auspicious Mohini Ekadashi

We all had heard a lot about Ekadashi, but very few people know its real significance. People do not know the benefits of Ekadashi fasting.

MEANING OF EKADASHI

Ekadashi falls on every eleventh day after Krishna paksha and Shukla paksha. Ekadashi means observing fast without the intake of grains and vegetables. The literal meaning of Ekadashi is eleven, and the meaning of upwas is- up means close and was means staying. So the real meaning of Ekadashi fasting is to be engaged in the service of God with all eleven indriyas or senses. Out of eleven indriyas, five are karmendriya (hands, feet, mouth, anus, genitals), and the other five are gyanendriya (eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin) and the last one in mind. So in Ekadashi, fasting or upwas, a person should lessen the essential needs of the body such as food and sleep and engage all eleven senses and consciousness at the lotus feet of the lord.

Conversation between Yudhisthira and Lord

Once, Yudhisthira Maharaj asked Lord Krishna about the Ekadashi, which occurs on the Shukla paksha of the month of  Vaisakha. In reply, Lord Krishna informed Yudhisthira Maharaja about the sacred Mohini Ekadashi.  

Significance of Mohini Ekadashi

mohini ekadashi

Once, Lord Rama asked Vasishtha muni about a fast through which a person can get rid of all sins. Vasistha Muni replied, “Just by remembering your name, a person becomes pure and can get rid of all sins. But as you have asked me about a fast for the benefit of all humanity and to fulfil everyone’s desire, there is an Ekadashi fast which comes in the month of Vaisakha named Mohini Ekadashi. So fasting on Ekadashi has great importance. So if a person keeps fast on Mohini Ekadashi, they can get rid of all sufferings.”

Tale of Mohini Ekadashi

Once on the bank of river Saraswati, there was a beautiful city named Bhadrawati. There lived a king named Dyutiman. He was very noble and truthful. King was born in the Chandravansh dynasty. In his kingdom, there lived a wealthy merchant named Dhanapala. He was always engaged in righteous and charity works. He always stayed busy in the arrangement of digging well, drinking water, making houses, gardens, sacred places, etc., for the people of Bhadrawati. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He had five sons: Sumana, Dyutiman, Medhavi, Sukriti, and Dhristabuddhi.

About Dhristabuddhi

Mohini ekadashi dhristabuddhi

Dhristabuddhi was the fifth son of the king. He was involved in sinful activities. He relished gambling, illicit sex, meeting prostitutes, and other disgraceful activities. He spent all of his father’s wealth indiscriminately. One day his father kicked him out of the house. After that, he started wandering here and there. Finally, being tired of hunger and thirst, he reached the ashram of Kaundinya muni. Suffering from the grief, he went near Kaundinya muni, joined his hand, and said, “O brahmana! Please have mercy on me. I had committed many sins in my life. Kindly tell me some way to get free from all the sins I had committed previously.”

KAUNDILYA MUNI REPLY

Sage replied, “O Son! In the fortnight of Vaisakha month, the sacred Ekadashi named Mohini Ekadashi occurs. By observing fast on this auspicious day, a person can get rid of all the sins of this birth and previous births. Therefore, Mohini Ekadashi has the power to obliterate sins as vast as mount Meru.”

After hearing Kaundilya muni’s advice, he observed fast on Mohini Ekadashi faithfully. He followed all the instructions and directions and kept the fast accordingly. By fasting on that day, he became sinless.

TRANSFORMATION IN DHRISHTHABUDDHI

After fasting on this sacred day, Dhrishthabuddhi became free from all previously committed sins. He attained a divine body and rode upon Garuda, the carrier of the lord, and went to the Supreme abode of the lord, which is free from all kinds of troubles.

In this way, on hearing or studying the glories of this auspicious Mohini Ekadashi, one acquires merits equal to the charity of a thousand cows. This tithi is very fortunate. By observing fast on this bright day, one can get rid of all material attractions and life obstacles.

So come, let’s observe a fast on this holy day of Mohini Ekadashi, get freedom from all sins, and try to reach our ultimate destination, the Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu.

Let’s chant:
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE,
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.

Your Smallest act of Charity can make a difference and bring smiles to Needy Faces.