𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗵𝘂 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗺 Knowing that Mahaprabhu would leave, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami asked if he could accompany Him, but Mahaprabhu said, “Your parents are Vaisnavas; serve them. Once they have passed away, then go to Vrndavana.” In this way, Mahaprabhu pacified Gopala. The thought that Mahaprabhu would leave Sri Rangam after four months of Caturmasya…
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyan. a Gosvāmī Mahārāja hemante prathame māsi nanda-vraja-kamārikāḥ cerur haviṣyaṁ bhuñjānāḥ kātyāyany-arcana-vratam Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.22.1) [During the first month of the winter or prewinter frost, the young unmarried vrajakumāris observed the vrata of worshiping Kātyāyanī-devī. For the whole month they ate only haviṣyānna.] The gopīs who observed the vow to worship Kātyāyanī were…
Ramananda Raya asked, “What will be the result by chanting this harinama.” Srimati Radharani is feeling great pain in Her heart. The sakhis are chanting Krsna’s names, but Radharani’s pain only increased. She could no longer tolerate Her pain. How could She explain the pain in Her heart? Therefore, Lalita Devi sent a letter to…
Acārya Kesarī organized preaching tours in the cities and countrysides of India. Festivals of hari-kathā and mahā-prasāda were arranged wherever he and the party that accompanied him went. Brahmacārīs went door-to-door in the village or town where Ācārya Kesarī was staying and invited people to come for hari-kathā and mahā-prasāda. They collected vegetables and grains…
In the winter, Ācārya Kesarī sent Śrīla Gurudeva to collect alms for the Navadvīpa-dhāma Parikramā. Śrīla Gurudeva traveled with Bhakti Kuśala Nārasiṁha Mahārāja, Mukunda Vinoda Bābājī, and other senior Vaiṣṇavas. Whoever he went with was pleased to have him in their group, because the collection always went well when Gurudeva was present. Śrīla Gurudeva once…
Once, some Vaiṣṇavas from Caitanya Maṭha in Māyāpura came to visit Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. When they met with their god-brother Ācārya Kesarī, they asked him, “You have such a big temple, but why don’t you have a flower garden?” “You haven’t seen my garden?” Ācāryadeva said. “I have many flowers in my garden, and their…
The Gauḍīya Vedānta Samīti extensively spread the message of pure bhakti. As a result, many new devotees joined the mission and began striving to follow the precepts of devotion. There were not enough rooms for everyone in Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. To accommodate, the brahmacārīs propped up the enormous woks primarily used for the annual Navadvīpa-dhāma…
Upon returning from Tiwārīpura, Śrīla Gurudeva accompanied Ācārya Kesarī throughout Bengal in preparation for the annual Navadvīpa-dhāma Parikramā. While Ācāryadeva was absent, he left Narahari Sevā-vigraha Prabhu in charge of Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. Narahari Prabhu lived a life of austerity. Even in the coldest part of the winter, he only wore a simple cotton cloth…
Aside from staying and preaching in Mathurā and North India, Śrīla Gurudeva traveled throughout the jungles and villages of Bengal. Ācārya Kesarī had instructed his disciples, “If you do not preach, it is disrespectful to the Guru-varga and Bhakti-devī.” He quoted the verse from Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 4.102-3: apane acare keha, na kare pracara pracara karena…