Sri Balaji darsan ( Hindi )

Kehrala The Village of Campakalata

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlCxvOHVzVk&feature=related

Padma Purana on Kartika Vrata

• Quoted by Srila Sanatana Gosvami in his Hari-bhakti Vilasa (the standard lawbook for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas)

Intro-if one neglects to perform the Kartika Vrata all his pious merits amassed in the passed are burned to ashes; his study of the Vedas becomes futile; and his performance of japa, charity, and austerity becomes fruitless.

Glories of Kartika Vrata-Kartik is the best, the purest of purifiers, and most glorious of all months. Kartika month is particularly dear to Lord Sri Krsna. This month is full of bhakta vatsalya. Any vrata, even the smallest, will yield huge results. The effect of performing a Kartika Vrata lasts for one hundred lifetimes, whereas ordinary vratas only last for one lifetime! As Krsna says in Gita that He is the month of Nov-Dev, similarly, Srimati Radhika is the holy month of Kartik which precedes His month. Rupa Gosvami and others refer to Radharani as the Kartika-devata or Kartika Devi, in other words, Radhika is the goddess or presiding Deity of the Kartika Vrata.

• Daily Offer-tulsi arotik, ghee lamp to Krsna and sing Damodarastakam, bathe in Yamuna if possible, give charity to pure devotees.
• Dont Eat: grains given by others, honey, sesame seeds, oils, hing, eggplant, loki, tasty foods like sweets and fried foods, samosas, pakoras.
• Dont Do: cut hair, nails, use things of others, criticize Vaisnavas, Vedas or anyone, no oil on body, do not find faults in others or be envious.
• Prayer before beginning: "O gopikas! By your mercy may Radha and Krsna be pleased with my Kartika Vrata."
• Benefits Observing Kartik Vrata: All sins flee from the heart. Perform other vratas one hundred times not equal to one performance of Kartik Vrata. All the holy places will live within your body. Proper performance of Kartik Vrata gives one a million times the result of chanting mantras, do yatras and other types of vratas. Those who worship Damodara in Vrndavana even once easily attain Krsna bhakti. Dhruva Maharaja attained Hari darsana by worshiping Krsna in Mathura during the Kartika month.

Summary of How to Follow the Kartika Vrata:

Remember--Kartika Vrata is a special time to worship Radha Damodara, and especially get the mercy of Radhika, since it is Her month, and She is very very easily pleased this month if one worships Her along with Her beloved Damodara.

Srila Prabhupada on When to Start Kartika Vrata: "In Vrndavana we should have Kartika Vrata, Urja Vrata, for one month beginning on Ekadasi (Pasanukusa) (Srila Prabhupada Tape 10/6/72)

Pasanukusa Ekadasi Morning: Offer prayer-"O Janardana, O Damodara, O Devesa who are accompanied by Radhika. During the month of Kartika, I will bathe early every morning for Your satisfaction."

1. Rise early every day by Brahma Muhurta, bathe, chant japa offer Mangala Arotik
2. Hear Srimad Bhagavatam, especially Radha and Krsna pastimes in Vrndavana, daily in association of exalted Vaisnavas, if possible. By regularly reading Srimad Bhagavatam during Kartika month, one gets the benefit of reading all the eighteen 18 Puranas. All other duties should be given up in favor of hearing the scriptures from sadhus during this month.
3. Chant continually in japa and kirtan, Krsna nama, do extra rounds and more kirtana with family.

• Must maintain celibacy for entire month
• Give up favorite food article for entire month (sweets, salties) Try to eat only once in a day. *if you can do and carry on ordinary works*
• Eat your meals only on palasa leaves (if possible, will give tremendous punya.)
• No oil on body and NO EATING honey, eggplant, portal, pickles, red rajma beans, or sesame seeds, or urad dahl (no kichoris)
• Daily sing the Damodarastakam, meditating on meaning
• Daily offer a ghee lamp to Krsna Deity or photo (no need of picture of Mother Yasoda-Damodara or photo)
• Daily offer arotik and prayers to Tulsi devi praying for eternal residence in Vrndavana and eternal service of the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna.
• Daily chant the Radha-krpa katakasam, and Krsna krpa kataksam in Giti Guccha songbook
• Also chant other prayers to Radha and Radha Krsna Yugala from the Giti Guccha songbook
• ON Ekadasi, Dvadasis, and Purnima chant the one-thousand names of Radha
• On the three Ekadasis in Kartik try to observe Nirjala Vrata and stay awake chanting hari nam, especially on the last one, Uttana Ekadasi, when Lord Visnu and all the demigods awake after four months slumber.
• Donate charity to pure devotees
• Offer special nice foods to Krsna for entire month. For example every day make sweet rice, (khira) which is the favorite food of Krsna. 

Posted by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi on October 14, 2011 at 9:30pm

http://www.iskconmalaysia.com/profiles/blogs/padma-purana-on-kartika-vrata

Brahmananda Ghat in Vraja 2009

https://picasaweb.google.com/118416198054292606445/BrahmanandaGhatInVraja#5639325134678193794

Samadhi of Gauridasa Pandit

Entombed here is the sacred body of Gauridasa Pandita, a direct disciple of Lord Nityananda and close associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At this place, near Dhira Samira Ghata, Gauridasa performed his bhajan and also established the temple of Radha Syama-raya. Gauridasa lived in Ambika-Kalna, not far from Shantipura. His elder brother had two daughters, Vashudha and Jahnava, who were both married to Lord Nityananda. When Lord Caitanya was going to take sannyasa, he visited Gauridasa to say good-bye. Gauridasa was so overcome with feelings of separation, that he fell weeping at the feet of Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda, begging Them to never leave his house. See ing the great anxiety of Gauridasa, Caitanya Mahaprabhu told him, "We two brothers will always stay here in your home." Consoling him with these words, the two brothers, Caitanya and Nityananda, manifested themselves in the form of two perfect Deities: exact replicas of Gaura-Nityananda. Gauridasa was stunned, as the Lord informed him, "These two will stay in your home forever and you will internally realize We are always here and We will accept all the offerings you cook." Hearing this, Gauridasa immediately began to cook a wonderful offering. After enjoying the wonderful meal, Sri Caitanya and Nityananda left, leaving behind the two Deities of Themselves which Gauridasa continued to serve with great devotion. Once, when a big festival celebrating Gaura-Purnima was being held nearby, these same Gaura-Nitai Deities jumped down from the altar and joined the kirtan, dancing wildly in ecstasy. Gauridasa had to chase after Them. When Gaura-Nitai saw him coming in an angry mood, carrying a big stick, They auddenly disappeared into the heart of Gauridasa's disciple, Caitanya dasa. On seeing this, Gauridasa immediately embraced his disciple and from that time on his disciple became known as Hrdaya Caitanya dasa, because Caitanya and Nityananda hid inside his heart (hrdaya). Hrdaya Caitanya later became the guru of Syamananda Pandita.

Gauridasa Pandita was an incarnation of the cowherd boy Subala, one of the twelve most prominent cowherd boyfriends of Lord Krishna in the spiritual world.

Direction to go:


After leaving Srinivasa Acarya's samadhi, go to the left and walk 75m (220 feet). On the left there is a road that bends to the left, up a slight incline. You will see a yellow sign with Hindi writing. Follow this path until you come to the temple. From the outside, this building does not appear to look like a temple.
Temple Timings: Summer: Mangala arati-4:00am. Darshan: 6:00am to 12 noon and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Winter: Mangala arati-5:00am; Darshan: 6:00am to 12 noon and 4:00 to 8:00pm

Syama-raya

The temple of Syama-Raya, the worshipable Deities of Gauridasa Pandit, is just off the road leading to the Yamuna River from Gopinatha Bazaar. It is on the same side of the road as the samadhi of Srinivasa Acarya. Gauridasa Pandit's samadhi is within the temple compound. Before Lord Caitanya took sannyasa, He traveled with Prabhu Nityananda, visiting Gauridasa Pandit in Ambika Kalna. Gauridasa begged the Lord to stay on for a longer period of time. Caitanya Mahaprabhu made life-like neem wood Deities of Gaura-Nitai for Gauridasa Pandit to worship. Gauridasa continued to worship these Deities into the final years of his life. These Deities are still being worshiped in Ambika Kalna, West Bengal. Gauirdasa Pandit left his body in Dhira Samira Kunja in Vrindavana. In Krishna's eternal pastimes, Gauridasa Pandit is Subala, a cowherd boyfriend of Krishna.

http://vrindavana.dasya.com/index.php/Syama-raya

Sri Sri Radha Vinode

This is a small temple, located up some stairs on Tripoliya Bazaar Road. Radha-Vinod was installed by Lokanatha Gosvami, who is mentioned in the Guru Vandana prayers. He was the first devotee sent to Vrindavana by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His most famous dicisple was Narottama dasa Thakura, who was a great poet. He composed many glorious Vaishnava songs in praise of Lord Krsna. The Radha Vinod deity is only about 12 inches tall. There are at least 15 shalagrama-shilas worshipped here.
Lokanatha Gosvami resided in Vrindavan near the place called Chatravan. From Kishori Kunda in Umaraa Village. He discovered the deity of Radha-Vinod, and he established the deity in a temple in Vrindavana. Radha-Vinod were later installed in the Gokulananda Temple. These Deities were later moved to a temple in Jaipur due to fearing possible attacks by the Muslims.

 http://vrindavana.dasya.com/index.php/Radha_Vinode

Sri Dhameshwara Mahaprabhu - Srimati Vishnupriya Devi's Deity of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Navadwip, India

Srimati Vishnupriya Devi is a manifestation of Lord Krsna’s Bhu sakti, who appeared to assist Lord Chaitanya in His pastimes of distributing the Holy Name. One of the most beloved deities of Sri Navadvipa Dham is the deity of Sri Dhameshwara, the personal worshippable deity of Srimati Vishnupriya. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave His wife this deity for Her worship, in His place, when He took sanyaas. This deity, with His bewitching smile, is the controller of the holy dham of Navadvip.

Srimati Vishnupriya chanted the Lord’s Holy Name, and for each complete round, she placed a grain of rice in a pot. After she was done chanting, she cooked the rice, and offered it to this deity of the Lord, and she sustained herself on His remnants. Her austerity was witnessed by Isana Thakur, Vamsivadana Thakura and Srivasa Acharya also. Srimati Vishnupriya was the first to establish the deity worship of Lord Gauranga.

Sri Dhameshwara’s temple is located on . The temple has been recently renovated, and also houses the paadukas, or wooden shoes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. If you’re lucky you may get to see both, and even have the paaduka’s tapped to you head, changing your life forever!

Sri Dhameshwara Mahaprabhu ki JAI! Srimati Vishnupriya Devi ki JAI!

http://4krsna.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/sri-dhameshwara/

Steve Jobs With A Message About Krsna Food

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqVLRyMkYSQ&feature=player_embedded