Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja is personally inviting all of us

ALL GLORIES TO SRI SRI GURU & GAURANGA

You are cordially invited to attend

Sri Vraja-mandala Parikrama 2010

22nd October - 21st November

Conducted under the guidance of

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

Sri Giridhari Gaudiya Matha, Govardhana, Tel: 0565-2815668 / 098.3731.1910

Sri Gopinatha Bhavan, Vrindavana, Tel: 0565-2443359 / 096.3456.3739

E-mail:

brajanath@gmail.com or vrindadidi@gmail.com

Dear Devotees and dear Friends,

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja is personally inviting all of us to attend Sri Vraja-mandala Parikrama in the holy land of Sri Vrindavana-dhama.

This year, the festival will be inaugurated on October 22th, with the devotees observing sankalpa, or a vow to ensure the success of our parikrama, at Kesi-ghata, Vrindavana. The last day of the festival will be November 21st.

Parikrama

On October 23rd we will begin our Sri Vraja-mandala Parikrama, a pilgrimage to all the incomparably beautiful places in Vraja. As we wind our way through these transcendental places, by foot, and sometimes by bus, we will chant surcharged and compelling kirtanas that we will cherish forever, reverentially touch our head to the dust of the numerous places related to Sri Sri Radha Krsna's pastimes, and hear such hari-katha that will change our lives and strengthen our commitment to the path of pure bhakti. Our pilgrimage will be completed on November 21st.

Parikrama Festivals

On certain days throughout Kartika month, we will celebrate the divine appearance and disappearance days of our acarya's. On Sunday November 7th we will celebrate Govardhana puja – (worship of Govardhana Hill) and go-puja – (worship of our mother cow) – in a very delightful and festive way. In the evening we will observe the Dipavali festival, or festival of lights, at Manasi Ganga. On such occasions there will be kirtana and hari-katha, given in both Hindi and English, and delicious maha-prasadam will be served.

Parikrama Locations

From October 21st till the morning of November 4th, all hari-katha, kirtanas and maha-prasadam will be held in Gopinatha Bhavan, Vrindavana, which is located on the parikrama marga (path) on the bank of Yamuna, next to Imli-tala, Seva Kunja. From November 4th till November 21st we will stay at Govardhana, at Sri Giridhari Gaudiya Matha, which is near the bus stand on the road to Radha-kunda.

Cost

A minimum contribution per person of Indian Rs. 7,500, US $170, or Euro 125 is requested in order to cover the most basic expenses of the festival. This payment covers prasadam, simple accommodation in the dharmasala and travel on the buses; as well as electricity and water; the sound system; a generator; the payment of various workers; cleaning costs and so forth.

We humbly request you to remember that this fee is a wonderful opportunity to facilitate the inconceivable benefit of hearing the harikatha of a spotlessly pure Vaisnava and performing parikrama under his guidance. In fact, we would not be able to repay this in countless lifetimes.

Included within the festival fees:

We have arranged dharmasalas (simple lodgings for pilgrims) near Gopinatha Bhavan and Sri Giridhari Gaudiya Matha where there is facility to set up your sleeping mat and mosquito net in a room with other devotees. At the Matha at Govardhana there is also facility for tents.

For an extra cost:

Rooms are available for rent in other dharmasalas and in the houses of the local residents. The average charge is between 200 and 300 rupees per room per day, depending on the facility offered. For more details regarding rooms in Vrindavana, you can contact Mani-mati dasi.

There are hotel rooms at varying distances from the Matha in both Vrindavana and Govardhana that you can rent directly from their hotel managers. We will have listed some hotels and there prices at this link.

Registration

To register for this festival, upon arrival in Vrindavana or Govardhan, submit a completed participation form and give your contribution (in rupees, dollars, or euros) to Tilaka-raja prabhu at the registration table in the courtyard of Gopinatha Bhavan and in Govardhana, at Sri Giridhari Gaudiya Matha, he will be at the registration table in front of the temple building. There you will find Mani-mati dasi, Vrinda-devi dasi and other devotees responsible for accommodating you inside or outside the temple complex.

The facilities we are arranging for you during parikrama will be available from October 21st onwards. If you arrive in Vrindavana-dhama before this date, you will need to make your own arrangements for accommodation and prasadam. We trust that all of you will cooperate with the festival seva team in this regard.

Please inform us by e-mail about the details of your participation, especially if you are coming in a group. In this way we can arrange suitable accommodation.

Taxi

To arrange a taxi to pick you up from the airport or to take you to and from other places, you can you can contact Mani-mati dasi at manimati@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or refer to our page on taxi information.

Please visit the Sri Vraja-mandala Parikrama 2010 Travel Section.

Here you will find more details about traveling to the Dhama, how to maintain good health during your visit, and other practicalities.

For further information contact: Brajanath dasa, e-mail: brajanath@gmail.com Vrinda-devi dasi, (accommodations & info) e-mail: vrindadidi@gmail.com Phone: +91 925.9090.999 Mani-mati dasi (taxi & accommodations), e-mail: manimati@gmail.com akhileshda@yahoo.com tilakrajdasa@gmx.de tilakrajadas@yahoo.com Traveling to India section BacktoBhakti.com

"I meditate on wonderful Vrndavana, where there are millions of lakes, ponds, and wells, all filled with water as sweet as transcendental nectar, where there are many gardens filled with blossoming transcendental flowers and fruits and unlimited wonderful trees and vines, where there are numberless transcendental deer and other animals who move here and there, and where there are many beautiful transcendental groves.

Whose heart would not be enchanted by Vrindavana where Sri Radhika-Madanamohana enjoy many pastimes, where there are many trees and flowering vines, where the ground is paved with jewels, and where the birds, deer and other animals are all maddened with transcendental bliss?" (Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati's Sri Vrindavana-mahimamrita, Sataka 1, Text 18 + 19 Click here to download Schedule.

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Appearance Day Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja

 

Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja
Appearance Day

MP3 Files    Movies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Srila BV Narayan Maharaja
MP3

19970902MATHURA_627_SRILAGAURAGOVINDAMAHARAJADISAPPEARANCEDAY.mp3
19990910MATHURA APPEAR OF SRILA GAUR GOVINDA MAHARAJA T1355.mp3
 

 

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Biography

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Sri Srimad Gaura Govinda Swami Maharaja made his appearance on September 2nd 1929, in the village of Jagannatha-pura, not far from Jagannatha-puri Dhama, Orissa, India. Sri Braja-bandhu, as His Divine Grace was then known, grew up in the village of Gadai-giri, where he practiced devotional service to Krishna from his early childhood. His grandfather was a paramahamsa, whose only business was to chant Hare Krishna and cry before the Deity of Krishna, known locally as Gopal Jiu. He taught Braja-bandhu how to count by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra on his fingers. 

In his childhood Braja-bandhu would travel with his uncles from village to village chanting Hare Krishna and singing the songs of Narottama das Thakura. The Giri family, in which Srila Gaura Govinda Swami appeared, have been known among the most famous kirtana performers in Orissa since the time of Syamananda Prabhu. Three hundred years ago in the temple register of Jagannatha Puri, the King of Orissa wrote that the kirtana party of Gadai-giri should come perform kirtana for Lord Jagannatha whenever possible. In Orissa they are seen as kirtana-gurus. 

From the age of six, Braja-bandhu worshiped the Deity of Gopal by making galands and sometimes, under the light of a candle, singing hymes for Him from palm leaf manuscripts. He would never take any food that was not offered to Gopal. 

Articles Simplicity and Faith [Lansing, Michigan: October 28, 1991 How to Find a Sadhu? [Vancouver, Canada: May 1993] The Appearance Of Lord Krsna [A lecture given on 08.18.95 in Bhubaneswar, India.] Why Krsna Became Gauranga Mahaprabhu The Blue Jackal [Questions and Answers with Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja, Paris 1987] Sri Guru-vandana / Vyasa-puja The Worship of Sri Guru Chapter Three -- The Meaning of Vyasa-Puja Q & A: Physical Contact is Required [Excerpts from Pariprasna: The Process of Inquiry] Sheep Logic   Living Sadhu  A Sadhu is Always Present There Is No One Like My Guru [From a Lecture given on 04.07.92, BBSR] A Society Without Envy [This wonderful lecture was one of the last given by Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj, before he departed from this world] After the Disappearance of Sri Guru Crooked Disciples Why the Feet of Sri Guru The Departure of Srila Gour Govinda Swami

By the age of eight, Braja-bandhu had read the entire bhagavad-gita, Srimad-bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrta and could also explain their meanings. At night many villagers would come to hear his recitation of the Oriya Bhagavata, Ramayana and Mahabharata. In this way, from the very beginning of his life he was absorbed in chanting Hare Krishna, studying Vaishnava literature and worshiping his beloved Gopal. His natural inclination to the Lord indicated his future devotional life, just as the morning shows the day. 

 After the death of his father in 1955, he became responsible for maintaining the family. And when he entered the grihasta ashrama, on the request of his widowed mother the burden increased. He met his wife, Srimati Vasanti Devi, for the first time during the marriage ceremony. Owing to financial constraints he could not avail himself of university education. But he prepared himself at night to attend the examinations. Within two months he successfully graduated, acquiring the second position among all the students of Utkal University. In this way he completed his B.A. and later his B.Ed. Despite many responsibilities, his devotion for Gopal never slacked. Always keeping Krishna in the center, he would daily speak to his family from the bhagavad-gita and early in the morning worship Tulasi. Also during this time as a householder, when he adopted the profession of a school teacher, he would take every opportunity to speak to his students, about Krishna and the devotional principles. Thirty years later, some of his students were to become his disciples. 

On April 8th, 1974, his deep love for Krishna called him to renounce worldly life. At the age of 45 he left home and relatives in quest of spiritual perfection. Carrying only a bhagavad-gita and a begging bowl he wandered around India for one year and visited many sacred places along the river Ganges. He was searching for that person who could help him develop an understanding of the maha-mantra. After many philosophical debates with mayavadi sannyasis and yogis in the Himalayas, he proceeded on foot to Vrindavana, the sacred lila-bhumi of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, thinking that in Krishna�s dear abode his desire would be fulfilled

Two weeks after arriving in Vrindavana he saw a signboard with the words International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Founder-acharya A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Then he met a group of Western devotees who gave him a copy of back to Godhead magazine. When he read the contents describing the glory of divine love for Krishna, his heart became anxious to meet the founder of the movement, Srila Prabhupada. At last he was to meet his eternal spiritual master, whose association he had been awaiting for such a long time. 

 Srila Prabhupada had just finished his lunch when Gaura Govinda Swami entered the room and paid his obeisances. Srila Prabhupada then asked him, �Have you taken sannyasa?�

Gaura Govinda Swami said, �no,� and Srila Prabhupada said, �Then I will give you sannyasa.� At that time Gaura Govinda Swami understood that Prabhupada knew his heart and surrendered to him. 

In 1975, at the opening of ISKCON�s Krishna-Balaram Temple in Vrindavana, Srila Prabhupada accepted him as a disciple, gave him the name Gaura Govinda and awarded him the sannyasa order. Then Srila Prabhupada sent him to preach in Orissa, and construct a temple on the newly donated property in Bhubaneswar. 

At that time, the donated land was a wild jungle full of mosquitoes, snake and scorpions. It was so far from the city center that even during the daytime people were scared to visit out of fear of dacoits. But Srila Gaura Govinda Swami, considering the desire of Srila Prabhupada his life and soul, was undaunted and worked with unwavering determination to fulfill it. Sometimes residing in the storeroom of a tea dealer and even sometimes sharing a small hut with the road construction workers, he began translating Srila Prabhupada�s books into Oriya as he had been instructed. 

Spreading Krishna consciousness, Srila Gaura Govinda Swami would visit house after house, office after office, in and around Bhubaneswar, sometimes walking sometimes riding on the carriage rack of a bicycle peddled by a local student, who later became his dear disciple, Sacinandana dasa. In this way he collected some small donations and with his own hands constructed a thatched hut on the donated property.

In early 1977 Srila Prabhupada came to Bhubaneswar. Although arrangements had been made for Srila Prabhupada to stay comfortably in the government state guest house, Srila Prabhupada at once rejected this proposal. He said, �I will only stay where my disciple child Gaura Govinda has built a mud hut for me.�Srila Prabhupada stayed in Bhubaneswar for seventeen days, during which he laid the foundation stone of the temple-to-be on the auspicious occasion of Lord Nityananda�s appearance day. This was Srila Prabhupada�s last founded project. 

In 1991, after sixteen years of determined endeavors, Srila Gaura Govinda Swami fulfilled the instruction of his spiritual master with the opening of a magnificent temple of Sri Sri Krishna-Balarama which now attracts thousands of people! to Krishna consciousness. Srila Gaura Govinda Swami said �I have opened a �crying school� here in Bhubaneswar. Unless we cry for Krishna, we cannot get his mercy.� This was the message he preached so vigorously all over the world during the last ten years of his manifest pastimes. 

 Although Srila Gaura Govinda Swami was always meek and humble in his personal dealings, in his classes on Srimad-bhagavatam he would roar like a lion, smashing the pride and cutting the misconceptions from the hearts of his disciples. Sometimes he would read an apparently basic philosophical statement from Prabhupada�s purports. Then he would laugh like a child and say, �Here the topic of krishna-prema comes up, but it requires further explanation.� Then he would astound the devotees by giving more and more profound explanations of the same sentence for two or three hours. On one such occasion he said, �Look, Krishna is laughing at me because I am trying to completely describe this topic, which is unlimited.� 

Srila Gaura Govinda Swami�s knowledge of scripture was formidable. He would substantiate everything he said with evidence from all over the Vedic literature. Sometimes he would question a disciple and if the disciple could not answer with reference to the scriptures, Srila Gaura Govinda Swami would at once exclaim, �He is a cheater. Don�t be a crooked person. A Vaishnava quotes authority.� 

On February 9th, 1996, the holy appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, two senior devotees requested an appointment to see Srila Gaura Govinda Swami. They had never spoken with him before, but they had become eager to hear from him after reading some of his books. As if by providential arrangement, they entered his room at 6.00 p.m. and submissively inquired, "Why did Caitanya Mahaprabhu stay in Jagannatha Puri?" He laughed with delight and began to explain the confidential significance of Mahaprabhu's pastimes. In anser to this question he lovingly described the pain of separation felt by Radha and Krishna when Krishna was away from Vrindavana. He had often narrated this moving pastime as recorded in Chapter Eight of this great work, "The Embankment of Separation". Enchanting all the devotees in his room with the nectarean topics of Krishna, he gradually unfolded the pastime to the point where Radha and Krishna were finally united after Their long separation. He described how Krishna became so ecstatic upon seeing Radharani that He manifested a form with big round eyes, known as Lord Jagannatha. With a choked voice he said, "Then the eyes of Krishna fell upon the eyes of Radharani. Eye-to-Eye union." Overwhelmed with love for Radha and Krishna, he apologized with folded hands, "Please excuse me, I cannot speak". In a barely audible voice he gave his final instruction: "Nama Koro! Nama Koro! (Chant the holy name)" All the devotees began to chant as their spiritual master lay back on his bed, breathing very slowly and deeply. A servant nearby placed a picture of Gopal Jiu in his hand. Then, gazing lovingly at the picture of his worshipable deity, Srila Gaura Govinda Swami called out, "Gopal!" and departed for the spiritual sky to be united with his beloved Lord. 

Every day before Srimad-Bhagavatam class, Srila Gaura Govinda Swami would sing a song he had learned as a boy. Now his prayer was fulfilled. 

 

paramananda he madhava
padungaluchi makaranda 

se-makaranda pana-kari
anande bolo 'hari hari' 

harinka name vandha vela
pari karive caka-dola 

se-caka-dolanka-payare
mana-mo rahu nirantare 

mana mo nirantare rahu
'ha-krishna' boli jiva jau 

'ha-krishna' boli jau jiva
mote udhara radha-dhava 

mote udhara radha-dhava
mote udhara radha-dhava 

"O supremely blissful Madhava! The nectar is coming from Your lotus feet. Drinking that nectar, I blissfully sing 'Hari! Hari!' With the name of Hari I am binding a raft on which Lord Jagannatha will ferry me across this ocean of material existence. My mind always remains at the lotus feet of that Lord Jagannatha who has very large round eyes. In this way, I call out "Ha Krishna!" and give up my life. O husband of Radharani, please deliver me."

The sadhu never speaks theoretically.

Disappearance Day of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja -- Germany: February 21, 2003
Disappearance Day of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja -- Singapore: January 13, 2001

 

[ Also: Gour Govinda Gaudiya Matha Page
and Photograph Album ]

 

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