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Archive for Sri Radhastami

The Most Holy Sri Radhastami Festival ~ Report from Sri Hapaniya Dham

Posted by Sanatani Devi Dasi on Monday, September 26th, 2016 in 2016 Photo Gallery, Nabadwip

Scroll all the way down to see photos.

Sanatani devi dasiThe most Holy Sri Radhastami Festival

My dandavat pranams on this most Holy Day, the Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani!

Today 14 of us accompanied Srila Acharya Maharaj on a bus to celebrate the Holy Radhastami Festival in Sri Hapaniya Dham!

The significance of spending this special day at the Holy Birthplace of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar dev Goswami Maharaj is not lost on us.

The line of Rupa Goswami, the line of Seva to Srimati Radharani, which is the line of das anu das anu das, was embodied wholly in Srila Guru Maharaj and we are celebrating and honoring the festival here, in His Holy Birthplace.

The land of sweet waters is also the land of sweet breezes today. The air is heavy with the approaching rains and sticky and muggy, but as we drove there, it cooled down and when we departed the bus and entered the beautiful temple grounds, the breezes started and relief came.

The small Nat Mandir was filled and Srila Acharya Maharaj started the bhajans. The sentimental fool that I am–I love this day for many reasons–but I remember coming to Srila Guru Maharaj and hearing that this Name of Sri Radha is so special, so Divine and so Intimate, that only once a year on Her Divine Appearance are we to chant Her verses. So, I wait and when the chanting starts, I am loudly singing like Madhurapriya Didi! Most of the local devotees are staring at me and I don’t even care. All these songs are so special and when Srila Ashram Maharaj leads the “Radhikastakam,” I am remembering Srila Guru Maharaj even more as that is the only tape we had for years to listen to of His Divine Grace’s beautiful singing. Each bhajan is more and more special and I think how is it that I am here and with these special devotees and on this day? Well, that is a no brainer–by the Divine Mercy of Srila Gurudev! In His infinite wisdom and kindness, he is allowing me into this pastime of “service at a time of need.” I am ever grateful and humbled to be allowed to be here.

Srlia Acharya Maharaj begins speaking by telling us all of the finding of this special temple. He reminds us how Srila Gurudev begged Srila Sridhar Maharaj to just show him where it was, and when this spot was located, the most beautiful temple was built. (I was so happy and honored to see Yudhamanyu Prabhu here and remember his collecting party that helped to fund this very temple). Srila Acharya Maharaj went on to say that at that time, many of Srila Guru Maharaj’s Godbrothers came to this place and declared it non-different from Sri Barshana Dham!

After that, Srila Ashram Maharaj spoke of the line of Sri Rupa, which we all know was Srila Guru Maharaj’s special identification, and the fact that we are all servants. In this line, we bow to Seva Personified, who is Srimati Radharani. And this is our identity as servants of the servants of the servants.

Srila Janardan Maharaj spoke on an incredible and deep level touching the point that yesterday was Sri Lalita saptami and how Sri Lalita cannot tolerate even one drop of sweat on the brow of Srimati Radharani. Her whole being is to serve Srimati Radharani. He reiterated that our line is one of service and we have no other life aside from serving. He then said, that is why I am here. I had no other reason to come. But, I want to show my support for Srila Acharya Maharaj. I support what he is doing and standing for and I cannot tolerate this anti party behavior. This is not the time of year that I usually come, but basically, the call was made and I am here. And now (he did not say, but because of him and his strength, courage and fortitude) Srila Ashram Maharaj, Yudhamanyu Prabhu, Sanatani, Madhuchanda and we are all here for the same reason. We are servants.

This was such an intimate and special program. Yudhamanyu Prabhu said it was a watershed moment, a time when you see the markings of historical change. The beautiful sweet mood was overflowing.

Of course no report is complete without mentioning the prasadam! Super opulent! Three different sabjis, kittrie, fries, dahl that was a little sweet, rasagulas and sweet rice! All delicious! All served sweetly! All happy!

I’m including some photos with this report. All Glories to Sri Radhastami! All Glories to Sri Hapaniya Dham! All Glories to Srila Acharya Maharaj! All Glories to Srila Ashram Maharaj! All Glories to Srila Janardan Maharaj! All Glories to Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram!  All Glories to Pitambar Prabhu! All Glories to Madhuchanda,  LaksmiKanti, Krsna PremaTarangini, Sruti, Indira, and Sudevi Devi Dasis as well as Gadadhara , Nilamani and Purnapragna Prabhus.
All Glories to the beautiful devotees of Sri Hapaniya Dham!

My dandavat pranams to all the devotees and please forgive my offences and of course, paraphrasing of the most beautiful and sweet words of our Gurus.

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01-sri-radhastami-hapaniya-dham Their Lordships Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Gopinathjiu
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Sripad Bhakti Kamal Tyagi Maharaj’s September Visit

Posted by Sushila Devi Dasi on Wednesday, September 7th, 2016 in Events
Sripad Bhakti Kamal Tyagi Maharaj

bhakti kamal tyagi maharaj smiling

September 7 – Arrival in Santa Cruz

September 8 – San Jose: Harinam Sankirtan & Sri Lalita Saptami Program

September 9 – Santa Cruz: Sri Radhastami at 11 am and tentatively in the evening as well

September 10 – San Francisco: Harinam Sankirtan

     I’m pleased to announce that Sripad Bhakti Kamal Tyagi Maharaj will probably be arriving today, September 7th at the Santa Cruz Seva Ashram. He’ll go to San Jose on Thursday the 8th for Harinam Sankirtan and Sri Lalita Saptami at the San Jose Ashram. Friday he will be in Santa Cruz for Sri Radhastami at mid-day and hopefully for the smaller evening program as well. Saturday he plans to go to San Francisco for Harinam Sankirtan.

     Everyone is warmly encouraged to join with the Sankirtan parties in San Jose and San Francisco and of course to attend all the spiritual programs in the Ashrams.

 

Sushila devi dasiYours in the Lord’s service,

Sushila Devi Dasi

Sri Radhastami Festival September 9, 2016

Posted by Sushila Devi Dasi on Saturday, September 3rd, 2016 in Events
Sushila devi dasi

Deity outfit offered on Janmastami 2016 at SCS Seva Ashram

Sri Radhastami
Divine Appearance of Srimati Radharani

Friday, September 9, 2016

San Jose ~ 12 Noon
Santa Cruz ~ 11 am

(Read the invitation below for details about the evening option and Sri Lalita Saptami classes)


Sushila devi dasiDear Devotees and Friends of the Ashram,

I hope you and your family will be able to attend the holy day of Sri Radhastami, the Divine Appearance of Srimati Radharani in San Jose or Santa Cruz. There will be programs at mid-day as well as a modest program in the evening in Santa Cruz led by Vidura Krishna Prabhu, Vrinda Devi Dasi, and hopefully Sripad Bhakti Kamal Tyagi Maharaj.

There will be modest programs for Sri Lalita Saptami on Thursday, September 8th. In San Jose Sripad Tyagi Maharaj will go downtown for Harinam Sankirtan and give a class at the temple. In Santa Cruz Sripad Sarvabhavana Prabhu will offer an evening class beginning around 7 pm.

“Srila Swarup Damodar Goswami said, ‘For the divine play of the Sweet Absolute, He wants to divide Himself as Power and Powerful, and that is Radha Krishna.’ When it was manifested we cannot say because it is eternal, it cannot be counted by our time and space theory, it is achintya, inconceivable. Radharani is the divine potency of Lord Krishna and She is giving all the happiness, love and all the affection to everyone for the service of Lord Krishna.”

–Srila Govinda Maharaj
(scroll down to listen to this discourse)

Yours in the Lord’s Service,
Sushila Devi Dasi


Spiritual Nourishment from our Divine Guardians:

Audio. Sri Radhastami, Vrindavan, 1999. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains that Radhastami is when Lord Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s divine potency Radharani appears in a form for playing with the Lord. Srila Swarup Damodar Goswami said, “For the divine play of the Sweet Absolute, He wants to divide Himself as Power and Powerful, and that is Radha Krishna.” When it was manifested we cannot say because it is eternal, it cannot be counted by our time and space theory, it is achintya, inconceivable. Radharani is the divine potency of Lord Krishna and She is giving all the happiness, love and all the affection to everyone for the service of Lord Krishna. Improved quality audio of Srila Gurudev speaking by phone from Vrindavan to Madhusudan Prabhu in Hawaii on Sri Radhastami, 18 September 1999:
7+ minutes, 1.8 MB mp3 audio

Our Lord’s Beloved Power. “Today is Sri Radhastami, the Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani. In the Scriptures, especially Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita there is much glorification of Srimati Radharani … Where we see the supreme manifestation of madhura-rasa, there we see the manifestation of Srimati Radharani.” Chapter 12 of Affectionate Guidance by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj: 150 KB pdf document.


Radharani’s Paramour Love. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj describes the glory of madhura-rasa in Vrindavan. Posted on the Math’s gaudiyadarshan.com website.
Audio: Sri Radhastami. Today’s beautiful, special morning discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj at our Dum Dum Park Temple, Kolkata. 1 September 2006:
Download, or listen online (46+ minutes, 5.4 MB mp3 audio)
higher quality (10.7 MB mp3 audio)

Video: Sri Radhastami darshan, 2006, the full discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj at our Dum Dum Park Temple, Kolkata. QuickTime video posted by Jamuna Priya Devi Dasi on her verandaviews.com website.


thumbAudio: Sri Radhastami Discourse 2004 by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
“Everything you want to know, you can understand through your Gurudev. And Gurudev’s position is always supreme. In the Scriptures it is said, (sloka) ‘If Krishna will be angry, Gurudev can save that person, Radharani can save that person. But if Radharani will be angry, Krishna cannot save him.’ (Sloka). Then our protection, our environment – everything – through Radharani’s mercy if it will come to us we will be so grateful, so fortunate and so good practitioners. We are practising service to Radha Krishna, and that is called Krishnanushilana: practising the procedure of satisfying Radharani and Sri Krishna.”
21 September 2004, Soquel, USA:
35+ minutes, 8 MB mp3 audio


thumbAudio: Sri Radhastami discourses 2004 by Spd Goswami Maharaj and Spd Janardan Maharaj at the request of Srila Govinda Maharaj.
Then Srila Govinda Maharaj talks briefly then sings Sri Radhika-stava and Sri Radhastaka. 21 September 2004, Soquel, USA:
40+ minutes, 9+ MB mp3 audio


Video. Sri Radhastami discourse 2013, at Villa Govinda given by Srila B.S. Goswami Maharaj who has just arrived in Italy to join the extended 10th Anniversary celebrations of Villa Govinda.
Other video recordings as well as live coverage of particular events there, are available on the Italian Math’s ustream channel.


Vaishnava calendar:

  • September 8, 2016 – Sri Lalita Saptami
  • September 9, 2016 – Sri Radhastami (fast until noon)
  • September 12, 2016 – Fasting on Parshva Ekadasi
  • September 13, 2016 – Paran from 6:51 to 10:58 am. Appearance of Sri Vamanadev and Srila Jiva Goswami
  • September 14, 2016 – Appearance of Srila Sachidananda Bhaktivinod Thakur
  • September 15, 2016 – Disappearance of Srila Haridas Thakur
  • September 16, 2016 – Visvarup Mahotsav
  • September 26, 2016 – Fasting on Indira Ekadasi

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