Caturmasya 13.A - Kartika-vrata & Rasa-Purnima (SB 10.29.1)

Now kartika has begun... we are discussing the importance and some methodology of chanting harinama with taste

Caturmasya 14.A - Chanting Method

Caturmasya 15.A - Appearance of Sri Radhakunda

Caturmasya 17.A - Last Day of Kartika & Caturmasya

The Divine Appearance and Pastimes of Sri Padmavati-suta Nityananda Rama.  Tallahassee, FL, 14 February 2022.

Nityananda Trayodasi 2022

Katha on the night before Sri Nityananda Prabhu's divine appearance day.  Tallahassee, FL, 13 FEbruary 2022

Nityananda-trayodasi adhivas-nivas (part one)

Glorification(part one of three)of Lord Varahadev and Mother Earth, on Sri Varaha-dvadasi 12 February 2022, Tallahassee FL.

Sri Bhumi-Varaha Mahima (& The Polarity of Life)

A discussion in the last days leading up to Sri Gaura-Purnima.  Devi Lake Ashram - Madison, Florida - 12 March 2022.

Approaching Sri Gaura-Purnima

JAI MA (Mothers' Day 2022)

A class on the adhivas-divas ("day before") Jhulan-yatra begins... the Swing Festival of Radha-Govinda.  Also preparing for Srila Rupa Gosvami's disappearance festival and the appearance of Sri Baladeva Prabhu o n the next Full Moon.  In short, it is a window of transcendental opportunities opening for these next days...

Jhulan-yatra & Sri Rupa Gosvami 2022

a Sunday sermon, in the days between Balaram Prabhu's appearance and Sri Krsna's appearance... Concludes with discussion of a few verses of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Dvitiya Kunjavihari-astakam - how lovely is this Person who takes birth in this world of mortality just to call us Home to Himself, by means of His beautiful narrations [anugrahaya bhakatanam...]

Preparing for Janmastami (14 August 2022)

Morning class on Janmastami, in Alachua Florida USA, 19 August 2022.

Sri Krsna's personal splendor richly pervades the entire Creation.  To realize this gives peace and autonomy beyond the dualism of material experience.

Discussing the 'back story' behind the birth/appearance of Sri Krsna from Yashoda and Devaki Mothers.

Also a brief discussion of His Sandhini/Samvit/Hladini potenices and some comments on Sri Rupa's prayer "Krsna-Lilamrtakhya Nama Dasakam", from Stavamala.

SRI KRSNA-JANMASTAMI 2022

Evening katha at Sri Radha Govinda Mandir in Alachua FL on Radhastami, 3 September 2022.

Radhastami 2022

Compassion (1)

25 September 2022, Alachua FL USA.  Radha-Govinda Mandir. 
 Part 2 of our discussion on Compassion as originally a dynamic between the Divine Couple.  Gaura-lila; Gadadhara's service to Prabhu; Prabhu's mercy on Prataparudra Maharaj, etc.

Compassion (2)

This is the first session of our 2023 Caturmasya Talks, introducing the underlying theme: spiritual dryness and the need for the descent of Grace

Caturmasya 1.A (2023) - A Prayer For Rain

For the first day of Purusottam vrat, Somavati-amavasya, and the disappearance of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Gosvami Maharaj

Caturmasya (2023) 2.A - Gift of our Divine Ancestors

A discussion on Vaisnavism as "Spiritual-World Affirming and Worldliness Denying''.  The need for local leaders to go very deep in their internal quest for realization and empowerment to serve in these spiritually extremely difficult times.  24 July 2023

Caturmasya (2023) 3.B - Building Spiritual Will by Facing the Calamity

Living Prayer W/ Padmanabha Swami

A discussion on the subject of encountering Love of God and being refreshed to the core of our being, like monsoons on the dry-cracked earth.  Lift up the vapor of your prayer and call down the life-giving substance of Heaven.  Also the glory of Sri Prahlad as divine personification of the platform for prema-bhakti.

Caturmasya (2023) 4.A - Love of God / Revival Raindance

A glancing summary of Sri Krsna's lila of lifting Govardhan

Caturmasya (2023) 18.A - Sri Giri Govardhan dharana

Final class of our Caturmasya seires for this year.  Last days of Kartik.  Gopastami and commentary on SB 10.15.8

Caturmasya (2023) 19.A - Gopastami Lila

Final discussions.  Expanding on the dancing of the Gods, and coming into that field our self.

Caturmasya (2023) 19.B - Opening the Ceremony

Discussing three verses which our Srila Gurudeva especially encouraged us to 'study' so that we might actually enter into the bhajan he was inviting us to.  

After the wonderfully generous vision he gave as 'prayojan acarya' and now that we have marked our holy Goal, we must come back to the step we are on and move across the threshold from illusion into Reality.  What to speak of doing deep bhajan, if this whole lifetime is spent in just working out how to surrender and enter wholly into the absolute path it will be a life well spent.  Then everything we have heard will start to come alive and there will be always more and new growth in our devotion.

The verses he recommended for this process are:

Siksastakam 3
Bhagavad-gita 2.56
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8

Threshold Verses - How to Cross Over Into Life

A discussion about this most holy day, for morning class in The Harmony Collective.  13 February 2024.

Vasant-Pancami (1) - Vasanta-rāsa & Visnupriya Devi

Second part of today's celebration.  Summary of Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-lila Chapter 6 - the history of Srila Raghunath das Gosvami coming to Sri Mahaprabhu's shelter

Vasanta-Pancami (2) - Raghunath Das Gosvami

A class at the Harmony Collective in Ypsilanti, Michigan on the most blessed occasion of Sri Varaha-dvadasi - the divine celebration of Lord Boar.  20 February 2024

Mysteries of The Boar God

Advaita-Saptami 2024

A talk at the Harmony Collective.  I was asked to speak on the relationship of Spirit and Matter, so I told a couple old favorite stories.

Spirit & Matter, White Buffalo Calf Woman & Rabbi Yeshuah

"What is Gaura-purnima all about?"  (Sri Radha-Mahima!)  

A discussion in Alachua, FL in preparation for the Holy Advent of the Golden Avatar... Posting for the divine appearance day of Sri Gadadhara jiu!

Maharaj begins at 00:00
Tamal begins at 1:03:00

Gaura-Purnima Mysteries - With Swami Padmanabha

Ratha-yatra (1)

prayer to sri Vrnda devi, the personified form of Tulsi.

Sri Vrnda Devi Astakam
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravar  Ṭhākura

gāṅgeya-cāmpeya-tadid-vinindi- 
roci -pravāha-snapitātma-vrnde!
bandhūka-bandhu-dyuti-divya-vāso 
vrnde! numas te caranāravindam (1)

You inundate all of your associates in a flood of your splendor, which belittles gold, campaka flowers, and lightning. Your divine dress resembles the orange-red luster of the bandhūka flower. O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

bimbādharoditvara-manda-hāsya- 
nāsāgra-muktā-dyuti-dīpitāsye
vicitra-ratnābhara a-śriyādhye!
vrnde! numas te caranāravindam (2)

O Vṛndā! Your countenance is especially radiant, illuminated by the gentle smile rising on your bimba-red lips and the pearl on your nose. Your beauty is enhanced by various jeweled ornaments. O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

samasta-vaikutha-śiromanau śrī- 
krsnasya vrndāvana-dhanya-dhāmni
dattādhikāre vrsabhānu-putryā
vrnde! numas te caranāravindam (3)

The daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja, Śrīmatī Rādhikā, has given you dominion over Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s most glorious Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma, which is the crown-jewel of all Vaikuṇṭha planets. O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

tvad-ājñayā pallava-puspa-bhrṅga- 
mrgādibhir mādhava-keli-kuñjā 
madhv-ādibhir bhānti vibhūsyamānā 
vrnde! numas te cara āravindam (4)

By your order, the buds, blossoms, flowers, bees, deer, and all other kinds of animals and birds, as well as the six seasons headed by
spring, brilliantly decorate the kuñjas where Śrī Mādhava enjoys His playful pastimes. O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

tvadīya-dūtyena nikuñja-yunor 
atyutkayo  keli-vilāsa-siddhi 
tvat-saubhagaṁ kena nirucyatāṁ tad 
vrnde! numas te cara āravindam (5)

Your adeptness at acting as a messenger makes it possible for the Youthful Couple of the kuñjas to accomplish Their playful, amorous pastimes, for which They are so eager. Who can properly describe your good fortune? O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

rāsābhilā o vasatiś ca vrndā- 
vane tvad-īśāṅghri-saroja-sevā 
labhyā ca puṁsāṁ krpayā tavaiva
vrnde! numas te cara āravindam (6)

The desire to behold the rāsa-līlā, attain residence in Śrī Vṛndāvana, and perform service to the lotus feet of your Lord and Lady is attained by a person through your mercy alone. O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

tvaṁ kīrtyase sātvata-tantra-vidbhir l
īlābhidhānā kila krsna-śakti 
tavaiva mūrtis tulasī nr-loke
vrnde! numas te caranāravindam (7)

Those conversant in devotional scriptures (the bhakti-tantras) glorify you as Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastime potency (līlā-śakti). In this world, you assume the form of the tulasī tree. O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

bhaktyā vihīnā aparādha-laksai  
ksiptāś ca kāmādi-taraṅga-madhye
krpāmayi! tvāṁ śara aṁ prapannā 
vrnde! numas te cara āravindam (8)

Devoid of bhakti and guilty of unlimited offenses, we are flung into the waves of lust [anger, greed and so on]. O merciful one, we take shelter of you! O Vṛndā, we offer praṇāma to your lotus feet.

vrndāstakaṁ yaś  trnuyāt pathed vā 
vrndāvanādhīśa-padābja-bhrṅga 
sa prāpya vrndāvana-nitya-vāsaṁ 
tat-prema-sevāṁ labhate krtārtha  (9)

Those who, like bumblebees at the lotus feet of the Divine Couple, hear or recite this Vṛndādevyaāṣṭaka will obtain eternal residence in Vṛndāvana and become fulfilled, having attained loving service to Them.

Hymn to the Goddess of the Sacred Forest

lecture 2 of 2 for a christian/krsna-conscious interfaith audience, washington DC.  april 2017

Easter Sermon 2017

My Gurudev, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaj, said the greatest expression of love and affection in the world is the giving and receiving of hari-katha (narrations of the glory of God).  But he would also tell us that  recording it or listening to recordings will cheat us of the real thing.  We cant make a personal relationship with that living, transcendental sound vibration through a mechanical device.  To imbibe the sacred wisdom and devotional sentiments which a sadhu pours out from the inner dimension of his pure heart by speaking katha, it is necessary to sit at his lotus feet.  

Moreover, we will have to sit there having offered our ears and mind and heart and life to that saintly person.  There must be a bridge of affection between us.  Then we can 'overlap' with him and his inner things will transfer to us when we listen like that, with so much faith and trust.  That is the essence of association.  "O Gurudeva, i am actually mad, insane, bewildered and powerless to sort myself out.  I lay my scrambled mind and self before you.  May your words, your pure conceptions and moods mold me and make me like you.  And O Hari-katha Prabhu, i know You are Sri Hari Himself, descending in the form of sound just to deliver me.  Please, i am opening the sanctum of my heart with these open ears and begging You to please come sit on the altar here; conquer me and control me in every way, Prabhu.  I am Yours."  

This is the secret science of proper and progressive hearing.  Bow down, give honor, and try to somehow serve  the Hari-katha Himself, the speaker of the katha, the listeners of katha, the place of katha, and the organizers who made it possible for katha and us to be together.  Without 'meeting' that sadhu and katha by deep honor and affection and submission we will only catch the material sound and the shadow of the meaning.  

How can you make a reciprocal exchange of love and honor with a computerized sound file?  The recorded sadhu cannot bathe you with his compassionate glance, and the recorded sound wave isn't comprised of the same trans-auditory nectar which flows from his lips.  Spiritual realization and mood come by personal association.  From recordings we can only get some knowledge.  

Since i am not a saint, hearing from me directly or recorded is about the same.   No question of spiritual realization or moods, this is nuts and bolts stuff - knowledge.  And knowledge has its positive utility too - so long as it is backed by eagerness to know, love and please God.  If not, then even so-called spiritual knowledge will just make us proud and derail us from the path to real happiness.  I present this information here online in hope that even one honest aspirant for true love will be somehow a little bit supported.  Out of the hundreds of millions of people atrophying in cyber-passivity, maybe some wandering pilgrim who still has a shred of will to advance themself by the necessary honest interior labor will come here and be served by these recordings.  

With so much verbiage, finally i am kind of just always saying the same things:   Repair integrity.  Allow for dark grace. Pray for real.  Make affectionate association with transcendental persons your top priority. One Love.  Sri Radhe.

For my many mistakes and faults and pride, please forgive me.  If anything i say helps, that is to the credit of my holy masters only.  To make a donation, chant
 'Hare Krishna'. 

~Sri Gadadhar-Amavasya~
28 April 2014

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