Sri Krsna Janamastami Celebration 2014

This year Janamastami Festival was celebrated in B.M. Birla Auditorium on 18th of August and was attended by hundreds of engineering, medical and management students, businessmen and other eminent personalities of Jaipur.

The program started with Hari Nam Sankrtan by students and full time devotees

Its Bhajan Time - 'Jaya Radha Girvardhari' by students

Kirtan by BIGVC students

Dancing and singing in ecstacy

Musical act by Gurukula students

'Feeling the Rhythm'

'Jump and hit the floor'

'Enacting as Krishna' - A small boy of BIGVC acting like holding a flute in his hand 

Scenes from the Play 'Oh! My God - The fake propaganda'

'Kanji Bhai is crowded with fans and correspondents' - A scene from the play
'Oh My God - The Fake Propaganda'

'Reporter asking questions to Siddheswar Maharaja'

'Leela Dhar Maharaja luring news paper'

'A court scene'

Lakshmi Pr. Sharma aka Lakshmi Pr. Gupta aka Lakshmi Pr. Iyer

The water droplets fall as the Maha-Abhishek goes on

Showering of Flowers during Abhishek

"Krishna Leela" - A Musical Play

"Krishna riding Kaliya Naga"- A scene from the musical play "Krishna Leela"

"Finally got the butter-pot"- Another scene from the play "Krishna Leela"

"Arjuna ready to fight after getting transcendental knowledge from Lord Krishna"

Different past-times of Krishna 

News paper coverage of Janamastami Festival

Srila Prabhupada Vyas Puja Celebration 2014

 

"I thank all of you very much for accepting me as your spiritual master, and I promise that I will take you back to home, back to Godhead. I ask you all to promise me to always chant at least 16 rounds, follow the regulative principles, read our books and try to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world. So far my qualifications are concerned, I am simply trying to carry out the order of my Guru Maharaja." (Letter to: Nityananda - Delhi 12 November, 1971)

The program was hosted by Dayalu Nitai Das Prabhu who glorified Srila Prabhupada and spoke many of his pastimes. Many videos of Srila Prabhupada were shown. He also requested everyone to read Srila Prabhupada's books and hear his transcendental voice.  

 

Deity of Srila Prabhupada looking was looking exceptionally beautiful

Vyas Puja Offering given by one of the BIGVC student

Offerings by devotees

 

  

              

"Ei baro karuna koro vaishnava gosani" bhajan by devotees

Maha- Abhishek of Srila Prabhupada

Devotees dancing during guru-puja of Srila Prabhupada

Inaugration of the vyasa-puja offering book "Srila Prabhupad - Our Glorious Master" and a text book "Krishna - The Supreme Personality of Godhead" for Gurukula

 

Offerings for Srila Prabhupada

The program which was organised for the glorification of Srila Prbabhupada was attended by hundreds of devotees.

It was also decided that next Ritvik Initiation will take place on Govardhan Puja Festival

Srila Prabhupada's departure for USA

Srila Prabhupada was instructed by his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, to preach Krsna consciousness to the English−speaking peoples. Toward this end, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami published the first Back to Godhead magazine in 1944. He also began to write translations and commentaries on Bhagavad−gita, Srimad−Bhagavatam, Caitanya−caritamrta, and other Vedic literatures. In 1965, after publishing three volumes of Srimad−Bhagavatam, he approached the owner of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, Sumati Morarji, for a complimentary passage to the United States. After considering his request for some time, she finally agreed and issued him the ticket.

In the port of Calcutta on August 13, 1965, carrying only a small suitcase, an umbrella, and a bag of dry cereal, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, as he was known at the time, climbed up the steep gangway onto a cargo ship named the Jaladuta. The ensuing journey presented considerable hardship. Srila Prabhupada wrote of some sea−sickness, and on the thirteenth day of the voyage, during the passage through the Arabian Sea, he suffered a massive heart attack. He was concerned that he might pass away, but in his uneasy sleep that night he had a dream, a vision. Lord Krsna appeared. 

The Lord was in an open boat, along with His other incarnations. Krsna was rowing the boat, and the boat was pulling Srila Prabhupada's ship with a rope. Krsna was smiling at Srila Prabhupada and was pulling the ship all the way to America! Srila Prabhupada did not write about this occurrence in his diary but simply drew a line through those troubled days, declaring that he had passed over a great crisis in the struggle between life and death. Years later he related these events to his followers. 

After the crisis, Srila Prabhupada regained his strength and recommenced his entries in the diary after the ship docked in Port Said, Egypt. Then, after crossing the Mediterranean Sea, the Jaladuta passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic Ocean. Uncharacteristically, the ocean appeared like a placid lake. The Atlantic crossing was so effortless that the ship's captain remarked that he had never seen anything like it. 

After a total of thirty−five days the ship at last berthed in Boston, at Commonwealth Pier, on September 17 at 5:30 a.m. The next day the Jaladuta continued to New York, where Srila Prabhupada disembarked onto a lonely Brooklyn pier to begin his mission in the West.

Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna

by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

on board the ship Jaladuta, September 13, 1965

(refrain)

krsna taba punya habe bhai

e−punya koribe jabe radharani khusi habe

dhruva ati boli toma tai

I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune

from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Radharani becomes pleased with you.

sri−siddhanta saraswati saci−suta priya ati

krsna−sebaya jara tula nai

sei se mohanta−guru jagater madhe uru

krsna−bhakti dey thai thai

Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who is very dear to Lord

Gauranga, the son of mother Saci, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri

Krsna. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Krsna at

different places throughout the world.

tara iccha balavan pascatyete than than

hoy jate gauranger nam

prthivite nagaradi asamudra nada nadi

sakalei loy krsna nam

By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout

all the countries of the Western world. In all the cities, towns, and villages on the earth,

from all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams, everyone will chant the holy name of

Krsna.

tahale ananda hoy tabe hoy digvijay

caitanyer krpa atisay

maya dusta jata duhkhi jagate sabai sukhi

vaisnaver iccha purna hoy

As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions, a

flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful,

miserable living entities become happy, the Vaisnavas' desire is then fulfilled.

se karja je koribare ajna jadi dilo more

jogya nahi an dina hina

tai se tomara krpa magitechi anurupa

aji numi sabar pravina

Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am

not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am

begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most

experienced of all.

tomara se sakti pele guru−sebaya bastu mile

jibana sarthak jadi hoy

sei se seva paile tahale sukhi hale

taba sanga bhagyate miloy

If You bestow Your power, by serving the spiritual master one attains the

Absolute Truth−one's life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one

becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune.

evam janam nipatitam prabhavahikupe

kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat

krtvatmasat surarsina bhagavan grhitah

so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya−sevam

My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my

association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind

well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly

accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position.

Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service? (Prahlada

Maharaja to Lord Nrsimhadeva, Bhag. 7.9.28)

tumi mor cira sathi bhuliya mayar lathi

khaiyachi janma−janmantare

aji punah e sujoga jadi hoy jogayoga

tabe pari tuhe milibare

O Lord Krsna, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have

suffered the kicks of maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again,

then I will surely be able to rejoin You.

tomara milane bhai abar se sukha pai

gocarane ghuri din bhor

kata bane chutachuti bane khai lutaputi

sei din kabe habe mor

O dear friend, in Your company I will experience great joy once again. In the

early morning I will wander about the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and

frolicking in the many forests of Vraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh

when will that day be mine?

aji se subidhane tomara smarana bhela

baro asa dakilam tai

ami tomara nitya−dasa tai kori eta asa

tumi bina anya gati nai

Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I

have a great longing I called to You. I am Your eternal servant and therefore I desire

Your association so much. O Lord Krsna, except for You there is no other means of success.

Hare Krishna!!!

Lord Balarama - Krishna's Immediate Expansion

"Balarama is considered to be the elder brother of Krsna. When Krsna was present, Balarama became His elder brother. When Rama was there, this Balarama represented Himself as His younger brother, Laksmana. So Balarama is the first manifestation of His personal expansion."

Lord Krsna and Balarama (Baladeva) are not two different Personalities of Godhead. God is one without a second, but He expands Himself in many forms that are not separate from one another. They are all plenary expansions.

The sastras say everywhere that Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead and that He has innumerable avataras, or incarnations. After Krsna comes Balarama, after Balarama is Sankarsana, then Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Narayana and then the purusa-avataras--Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. All of them are avataras. Lord Brahma, born from the lotus flower from Garbhodakasayi Visnu, is an expansion of Balarama.

Lord Krsna is not an incarnation of the purusa, but is directly the original Personality of Godhead, and Balarama is the first plenary manifestation of the Lord. From Baladeva the first phalanx of plenary expansions, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha and Pradyumna, expands. Lord Sri Krsna is Vasudeva, and Baladeva is Sankarsana.

The Supreme Lord expands His personal forms in two primary categories. The prakasa forms are manifested by Lord Krsna for His pastimes, and their features are exactly like His. When Lord Krsna married sixteen thousand queens in Dvaraka, He did so in sixteen thousand prakasa expansions. Similarly, during the rasa dance He expanded Himself in identical prakasa forms to dance beside each and every gopi simultaneously. When the Lord manifests His vilasa expansions, however, they are all somewhat different in their bodily features. Lord Balarama is the first vilasa expansion of Lord Krsna, and the four-handed Narayana forms in Vaikuntha expand from Balarama. There is no difference between the bodily forms of Sri Krsna and Balarama except that Their bodily colors are different - the bodily hue of Krsna is dark and that of Balarama is fair. Similarly, Sri Narayana in Vaikuntha has four hands, whereas Krsna has only two. The expansions of the Lord who manifest such bodily differences are known as vilasa-vigrahas.

Lord Balarama is also the Sesa incarnation. Garbodakasayi Vishnu lies upon Ananta Sesa while dissolving the material creation. In the Upanisads it is stated that one cannot attain the supreme or any form of self-realization without being sufficiently favored by Balarama. Bala does not mean physical strength. No one can attain spiritual perfection by physical strength. One must have the spiritual strength which is infused by Balarama or Sankarsana. Ananta or Sesa is the power which sustains all the planets in their different positions. Materially this sustaining power is known as the law of gravitation, but actually it is a display of the potency of Sankarsana.

Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth, everything in relation to Him is also on the same platform. ...The Lord's clothing, bedding, slippers and everything required as an ordinary necessity are all transformations of Sesa, Visnu, the expansion of Sri Baladeva. Thus the cloth and other paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are but other forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the maha-mantra--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--the word Rama refers to Balarama. Since Lord Nityananda is an expansion of Balarama, Rama also refers to Lord Nityananda. Thus Hare Krsna, Hare Rama addresses not only Krsna and Balarama but Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda as well.

There are three Ramas. One Rama is Parasurama (Jamadagnya), another Rama is Lord Ramacandra, and a third Rama is Lord Balarama. These are some of the reasons why Balarama is known as Sankarsana, Balarama or sometimes Rama. In the maha-mantra--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--people sometimes object when Rama is accepted as Balarama. But although devotees of Lord Rama may object, they should know that there is no difference between Balarama and Lord Rama. Srimad-Bhagavatam clearly states that Balarama is also known as Rama (rameti). Therefore, it is not artificial to speak of Lord Balarama as Lord Rama.

If someone calls Lord Ramacandra by the vibration Hare Rama, or if he understands "Ramacandra," he is quite right. Similarly, if one says that Hare Rama means Sri Balarama, he is also right. Those who are aware of the visnu-tattva do not fight over all these details.

"Everything is there in my books"

Srila Prabhupada:

"After 80 years, no one can be expected to live long. My life is almost ended. So you have to carry on, and these books will do everything."  SPC (BBT 1991) Room Conversation 18/02/76 

"There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books - in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorised cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna's philosophy - but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? I have given you TLC, what need is there to read Caitanya Caritamrta translated by someone else. You are right to stop such reading." SPL (VI 1987) Govinda das 20/01/70 

"I have instructed everything in my books." SPL (VI 1987) Dina Dayala das 25/02/76 

"Please continue reading my books seriously and everything will be revealed to you." SPL (VI 1987) Babhru and Satyaki 18/09/75 

"Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction." SPL (VI 1987) Gurukrpa Maharaja 25/12/75 

"So utilise whatever time you find to make a thorough study of my books. Then all your questions will be answered." SPL (VI 1987) Upendra 07/01/76 

"If it is possible to go to the temple, then take advantage of the temple. A temple is a place where by one is given the opportunity to render direct devotional service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. In conjunction with this you should always read my books daily and all your questions will be answered and you will have a firm basis of Krishna Consciousness. In this way your life will be perfect." SPL (VI 1987) Hugo Salemon 22/11/74 

"Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice, in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered." SPL (VI 1987) Randhira 24/01/70 

"In my books the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop. [...] You may please me the most by reading the books and following the instructions therein and by becoming fully Krishna Conscious in this life time." SPL (VI 1987) Brahmarupa das 22/11/74 

"Everyone can become a first class speaker. Simply cram the purports of my books. The references are there, the philosophy is there. Everything is there." SPL (VI 1987) Gopijanavallabha das 19/09/74

Devotee: "Srila Prabhupada when you're not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions? For example in questions that may arise..."

Srila Prabhupada: "Well the questions are ans... answers are there in my books."
SPC (BBT 1991) Los Angeles 13/05/73 

Srila Prabhupada: "Even a moments association with a pure devotee - all success!" 

Revitananda: "Does that apply to reading the words of a pure devotee?"

Srila Prabhupada: "Yes"

Revitananda: "Even a little association with your books has the same effect?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Effect. Of course it requires both things. One must be very eager to take it." 

SPC (BBT 1991) Room Conversation 13/12/70 

Paramahamsa: "My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on 
Bhagavad Gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?"

Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. You can associate with Krsna by reading Bhagavad-Gita. And these saintly persons, they have given theirexplanations, comments. So where is the difficulty?"
SPC (BBT 1991) Paris 11/06/74 

"There is nothing new to be said. Whatever I had to say, I have already said in my books. Now you must try to understand it andcontinue with your endeavours. Whether I am present or not does not matter." SPC (BBT 1991) Vrndavan 17/05/77 

"If I depart there is no cause for lamentation. I will always be with you through my books and orders. I will always remain with you inthat way." BTG (BBT 1977) December 1977 

Srila Prabhupada: "So in my absence you read the books. What I talk, I have written in my books. That's all."
Indian Man (2): "Personally, we think more greater."
Srila Prabhupada: "That's all right. But still, you can associate with me by reading my books."
SPC (BBT 1991) Toronto 07/08/75 

Abbreviations:-

SPL - Srila Prabhupada Letters
SPC - Srila Prabhupada Conversations