Secrets of Devotion

Shrivasa lead his brothers Shri Rama, Shri Nidhi, and Shripati in their devotional lives of singing Krishna's names, worshiping the Lord, and bathing thrice daily in the Ganges. (In the wallpaper: Shrivasa Pandit, ISKCON Leicester, UK).    Shrivasa Pandit, fifth member of the Panca-tattva, Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Shri Advaita, Gadadhara, Shrivasadi, Gaura Bhakta Vrinda lived in Navadwipa before the advent of Lord Chaitanya. Shrivasa lead his brothers Shri Rama, Shri Nidhi, and Shripati in their devotional lives of singing Krishna's names, worshiping the Lord, and bathing thrice daily in the Ganges.    Meeting with Shri Advaita Acharya Prabhu, they studied Bhagavatam and prayed for an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Why did they pray? Because only an avatara of Krishna could reestablish Vaishnavism among the staunch atheists, logicians, and proud pandits harassing Nadia at that time.    Malini, wife of Shrivasa, was a constant friend of Sachi Devi.

 He belonged to the spiritual lineage of Lord Chaitanya. (CC. 2.13.38, 1.10.110).      He is the fifty-sixth branch of Chaitanya tree. Subhananda, who formerly lived in Vrindavana as Malati, was one of the kirtana performers who danced in front of the Ratha-yatra car during the Jagannatha festival. It is said that he ate the foam that came out of the mouth of the Lord while He danced before the Ratha-yatra car. (CC. Adi 10.110).      In his past incarnation he was Malati. (GGD. 194, 199).   sei phena laña subhananda kaila pana krsna-prema-rasika tenho maha-bhagyavan      The foam that fell from the mouth of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was taken and drunk by Subhananda because he was very fortunate and expert in relishing the mellow of ecstatic love of Krishna. (CC. Madhya 13.110).      He was also present at the Kheturi festival. The foam that fell from the mouth of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was taken and drunk by Subhananda because he was very fortunate and

   Shuklambar Brahmachari is counted among the branches of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He was a resident of Navadwip town, manifesting the pastimes of a poor Brahmin who begged for a living. Nevertheless, he had an abiding affection for the Lord. Though to an ordinary conditioned soul he appeared to be a poverty-stricken mendicant, to transcendental eyes he was rich because of his love for Mahaprabhu.   shuklambaro brahmacari purasid yajnapatnika prarthayitva yad-annam shri-gaurango bhuktavan prabhuh kecid ahur brahmacari yajïika-brahmanah pura      Shuklambar Brahmachari was previously one of the wives of the sacrificing Brahmins in Vraja. Mahaprabhu begged food from him and ate it. Some people say that he was one of the sacrificing Brahmins. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 191)      Shuklambar Brahmachari, a poor mendicant   prema-dhana vina vyartha daridra jivana dasa kari betana more deha prema-dhana      Without the wealth of love of God, my life is poverty-stricken

 Feeling very sad (dukhi) over losing several children before his birth, his parents named him Dukhi Krishna Dasa. Upon taking diksha from Hrdaya Chaitanya he became known as Krishna Dasa. In Vrindavana, he joined Narottama Dasa Thakura and Shrinivasa Acharya to study the Goswami granthas under Shri Jiva Goswami.    Many "ankle bell stories" describe how Krishna Dasa received Radharani's mercy, the name Shyamananda, and his unique tilaka mark. Shripad B.V. Narayana Maharaja gives this account in Navadwipa Dhama Parikrama:    "While living in Vrindavana, Krishna Dasa regularly swept the streets before dawn. He performed this humble service so that the Vaishnavas would not hurt their feet while walking to the Temples. One morning he found a captivatingly beautiful golden ankle bracelet. When Lalita and Vishakha-sakhis asked for the bracelet Krishna Dasa said he would only give it to the original owner.    "Blindfolding Krishna Dasa, the gopis brought him to Sh

Sita Thakurani lived in Shantipura as the eternal wife of Shri Advaita Acharya Prabhu. She was always absorbed in vatsalya-prema (paternal love) for Shri Gaurasundara. Just after Shri Chaitanya's appearance, Sita Thakurani came to Mayapur. She brought a basket full of dresses, ornaments, silken children's clothes, jeweled necklaces, and tiger nails set in gold. To worship the golden baby she also brought auspicious articles such as fresh grass, tumeric, kum kum, sandalwood. The wonderful name "Nimai" was given to the Lord by Sita Thakurani.  In Krishna lila, Sita Thakurani is Yogamaya or also Paurnamasi. At Krishna's birth ceremony she gave many instructions about child care to Nanda and Yashoda. Similarly, in Gaura lila Sita Thakurani would often help Sachimata nurture baby Nimai. Sita Thakurani and Sachi Mata were of one mind; their life and soul was Nimai. Because of Sita Thakurani's pure parental love, Sachi Mata often chose her as the first person to

www.secretsofdevotion.com In the early years of this century, Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura set into motion a devotional revival that rapidly spread through Bengal, India, and eventually the world. He put into question the very foundations of present-day theistic thought in a way that has little comparison anywhere in the spiritual record, East or West. Through him, the world was awakened to the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the movement of pure devotion, suddha bhakti. In orchestrating this modern bhakti revolution, Srila Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura) gathered some of the greatest spiritual luminaries in contemporary history into his circle. Such a convergence of exalted spiritual personalities can only be compared to the coming together of Sri Chaitanya’s direct followers in the sixteenth century. One of the devotional giants who entered Srila Prabhupada’s orbit was His Divine Grace Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami M

   One time the Moghul King Hussain Shah took water from IDS pot and sprinkled it on Subuddhi Raya. According to strict Hindu law this act destroyed Subuddhi Raya's social standing. A smarta brahmana advised Subuddhi to atone by drinking boiling ghee, which in effect meant suicide. Receiving Mahaprabhu's shelter, Subuddhi Raya moved to Shri Vrindavana dhama.      He was a rasika Vaishnava. His collegues were Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Kashivara Pandit, and other Vrindavana Devotees. In Krishna lila he is Guna-chuda or Shubhanana. His original samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area. www.secretsofdevotion.com

Sulochana is the forty-second branch of Chaitanya tree. He lived in the village of Shrihatta along with his dear friend Chiranjiva. They were completely surrendered to Lord Chaitanya, and because they were the friends and helpers of Narahari dasa they were honored and considered great souls.   vasanta, navani hoda, gopala, sanatana visnai hajara, krsnananda, Sulochana    (C.C.1.11.50)      Vasanta was the fifty-first, Navani Hoda the fifty-second, Gopala the fifty-third, Sanatana the fifty-fourth, Visnai the fifty-fifth, Krishnananda the fifty-sixth and Sulochana the fifty-seventh.      Shrila Prabhupada writes in the purport:     Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, “Navani Hoda appears to have been the same person as Hoda Krishnadasa, the son of the King of Badagachi. His father’s name was Hari Hoda. One can visit Badagachi by taking the Lalagola-ghata railway line. Formerly the Ganges flowed by Badagachi, but now it has become a canal

www.secretsofdevotion.com Sundarananda Thakura was an ocean of Krishna prema. As Shri Nityananda Prabhu's chief associate and intimate servant he enjoyed many transcendental pastimes. Together they relished the pastimes of Vrindavana.      He was a naishtika brahmachari (lifelong celibate). In Maheshpura he established Deities of Radha-Vallabha. In Vraja lila he is Sudama, one of the twelve cowherd boys. His personal Deity of Radha-Kalachandji is worshiped in the Radha-Govinda Temple in Vrindavana, and his samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.

One of the closest associates of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Purushottama Acharya (Svarupa) knew exactly the heart of Shri Krishna Chaitanya. Glorifying him as "the storehouse of all devotional mellows," Lord Chaitanya added the word Damodara to his name.    Svarupa Damodara revealed to the world the innermost emotions of Shri Chaitanya's mood of Radharani feeling separation from Krishna. Sensing Lord Gauranga's moods, Svarupa Damodara would perform kirtana to enhance the Lord's internal sentiments. To soothe Lord Chaitanya's love pangs in viraha bhava he would sing songs from Gita-Govinda, Krishna Karnamrta, and the love poems of Chandidasa and Vidyapati.    Throughout the day and night Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya stayed near Shri Chaitanya in order to nourish His pastimes. "He is one of the three and one-half most intimate Devotees of Lord Chaitanya (Ramananda Raya, Sikhi Mahiti, Madhavi Devi)." Just as Lalita and Vishakha are Radhara

  Tapana Mishra, father of Shri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, first met Lord Chaitanya in East Bengal. The Lord was teaching Sanskrit there during His grhasta lila. Although Tapana Mishra was also a pandit, he couldn't ascertain the path of perfection. Shri Nimai Pandit enlightened him by saying, "Hari Nama sankirtana is the only means to attain perfection in the age of Kali."  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.     During His sannyasa lila Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu met Tapana Mishra in Kashi (Varanasi), the capital of the mayavadis. The Lord gave more spiritual instructions and took Prasadam in his home. At that time, Lord Chaitanya told Raghunatha Bhatta not to neglect his parents since they were Vaishnavas. Raghunatha carefully served his Devotee parents. After they left this world Raghunatha Bhatta went to Jagannatha Puri to associate with Lord Gauranga. Hearing about the disappearance of Raghunatha's par

Uddharana Datta Thakura, a dvadasa gopala, lived in Saptagrama, a cluster of seven villges (Krishnapura, Nityanandapura, Vasudevapura, Sivapura, Bansabediya, Sahanagara, Saptagrama.). Raised in luxury within a family of gold merchants, he later married and worked as a wealthy state minister. The place where he once held office is today called Uddharanapura in his honor.   Lord Nityananda would often stay in his home and accept food from his hand. Performing prema nama sankirtana in Saptagrama, Lord Nityananda delivered the entire community of bankers and gold merchants. Udhharana Datta said that Saptagrama is such a holy place that simply by seeing it one is freed from all sins. When he was twenty-six years old his wife suddenly died. He left everything to associate with Sri Nityananda Prabhu and preach the glories of Krishna's holy names.   He personally installed and' worshiped Deities of Sad-bhuja Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandit. He serves Lord Balarama

Uddhava Das is an avesha incarnation of the Moon-god. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 192)   In the Chaitanya Charitamrita (1.12.83), it is said that Uddhava Das is a branch of Gadadhara Pandit Goswami. As such, he is mentioned by Yadunatha Das in the Shakha-nirnayamrita (35):   ati-dinajane purna-prema-vitta-pradayakam shrimad-uddhava-dasakhyam vande’ham guna-shalinam   I venerate the highly virtuous Uddhava Das, who gave the wealth of love to those who were most fallen.   When Rupa Goswami was old and living in Vrindavan, he was desperate to see the deity, but unable to go to Govardhana because of his advanced years. At this time, Gopal came to stay in Mathura at the house of Vitthalanatha, the youngest son of Vallabhacharya, ostensibly out of fear of possible attacks by the Muslim iconoclasts. Rupa Goswami thus had the opportunity to see Madhavendra Puri’s deity. Uddhava Das was amongst the devotees who stayed with Rupa at Vitthaladeva’s house for an entire month on t

Once in the house of Srivasa Thakura Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sang while Vakresvara Pandit danced in, constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. At that time Lord Caitanya said, "Vakresvara, I have only one wing like you, but if I had another certainly I could fly in the sky". Expert at singing and dancing, Vakresvara Pandit always pleased Lord Caitanya with his service in the Navadvipa sankirtana parties (which he joined from the beginning), the dramas at Srivas Angam, and the yearly Ratha-yatra at Jagannatha Puri. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura said, 'To awaken the sleeping souls in the age of Kali Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute the nectar of the holy name of Krishna. When He came the khol (mrdanga) and karatals sounded like thundering clouds. Absorbed in moods of ecstatic love and shouting "Hari bol Hari bol," Sri Gauranga told everyone to chant the holy name of Krishna. Raising His golden arms to the sky, Lord Gaura Hari would dance in ecstasy. At that

Vamsidas Babaji was a Gaudiya Vaishnav sadhu who lived at Swarupa Gunj, Navadwip during the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. He was respected by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and he used to see to it that Vamsidas Babaji was provided with grains and so on by Gaudiya Matha brahmacharis. Srila Vamsidas Babaji appeared in the village of Majidpur in the Jamalpur district of Bangladesh. Before the partition of India, this city was formerly in the district of Mymensing. His father’s name was Sanatana Malobrahma and he was previously known as Bhairava. Babaji Maharaj came to Nabadwip from East Bengal. He lived as a total recluse, far away from the hubbub of the town in a solitary place on the bank of Ganga near Baral Ghata in Navadvipa, as if he was a mad or crazy person. His only possessions were an old kaupina, karanga and kantha. Vamsidasa Babaji lived in a world of his own. His world centered round his deities-Gaura-Gadadhara, Nitai, Radha-Krishna and Gopala. For the service