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 ...

 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...

   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     ...

 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...

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