Sri Radhe KunjChaitanya Vihar, Rajpur Khadar, near Parikrama Marg, Vrindavan, U.P. 281121

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sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

MARCH 2019 APRIL 2019

21 Mar

28 Mar

Sri Gaura Purnima Start of Gaurabda 533

Avirbhava: Sri Srivasa Pandita 1 Apr Fasting for Papamocani Ekadasi

and Unmilani Mahadwadasi 2 Apr Paran from sunrise to 8:30 a.m.

Govinda Gosh Tirobhava Mahaprabhu’s visit to Varaha Nagar

5 Apr Amavasya

10 Apr Avirbhava: Sri Ramanujacarya and Srila Bhakti Hrdoy Vana Goswami Maharaja

12 Apr Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Vilas Tirtha GowamiMaharaja

14 Apr Sri Rama Navami (Fast till noon) Ekadasi preparations only Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Vallabha TirthaGoswami MaharajaKesava Vrata begins (one-monthcontinuous watering of Salagram & Tulasi, offering sattu and water)

15 Apr Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m.

16 Apr Fasting for Kamada Ekadasi

17 Apr Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m.

19 Apr Purnima. Rasa-yatra of Lord Balarama. Vasanta Rasa-yatra of Sri Krsna.Avirbhava: Srila Syamananda Prabhu and Vamsivadananda Thakur.

24 Apr Tirobhava: Akinchan Srila Krsnadas Babaji Maharaja & Srila Nitaidas Babaji Maharaja

25 Apr Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Kumud SantaGoswami Maharaja

26 Apr Tirobhava: Sri Abhiram Thakur

28 Apr Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Vallabha TirthaGoswami Maharaja

29 Apr Tirobhava: Sri Vrindavan Das Thakur

30 Apr Fasting for Varuthini Ekadasi

Month of Caitra / Vishnu Masa: 22 March—19 April

Month of Vaisakha / Madhusudan Masa: 20 April—18 May

nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdronāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā

kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-pūrnāmṛtābdhergopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ

MARCH 2019 APRIL 2019

Gaurabda 533

‟I am not a brahmana, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmacari, a householder, a vanaprastha, or a sannyasi. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of that ever-brilliant and supremely blissful ocean of nectar, Lord Sri Kṛsṇa, the maintainer of the gopis.” (Padyāvali 63)

In the spirit of this mood of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we endeavor to always reside in the Holy Dhāma, freeing ourselves of the false ego of thinking that we are Asian, Russian, African, European, American, and so forth. Navadvipa-dhāma, or Mayapura, is non-different from Vṛndavana-dhāma, and indeed, sastra states that in Kali-yūga, all tīrthas reside in Sri Navadvipa-dhāma. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī instructs us to always reside in the dhama and if we cannot be there by body, we must at least be there by mind. Following the Māyāpura calendar helps us to remain absorbed in this desired consciousness and establishes us in our real eternal residence.

MAY 2019 JUNE 2019

1 May Paran from sunrise to 9:25 a.m. 4 May Avirbhava: Sri Gadadhara Pandit

Amavasya 7 May Aksaya Tritiya. Candan-yatra of

Lord Jagannatha begins. Opening of the doors of Sri Badrinarayana Temple Satya Yuga first day. Parasurama App. Day

9 May Avirbhava: Sri Sankaracharya11 May Janu Saptami13 May Avirbhava: Sita devi (Lord Rama’s consort)

& Jahnava devi (Lord Nityananda’s consort) Tirobhava: Sri Madhu Pandit

15 May Fasting for Mohini EkadasiEnd of Kesava Vrata

16 May Paran from sunrise to 7:15 a.m.18 May Appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva

(Fast till dusk) Ekadasi preparations onlyAvirbhava: Srila Srinivas Acarya and Sri Madhavendra PuripadTirobhava: Srila Paramesvari ThakurBuddha Purnima

19 May Paran from sunrise to 9:20 a.m. Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaja

21 May Avirbhava: Srila Nimananda Seva Tirtha Prabhu23 May Tirobhava: Sri Raya Ramananda Prabhu30 May Fasting for Apara Ekadasi31 May Paran from sunrise to 9:20 a.m.

Avirbhava: Srila Vrindavan das Thakur 3 June Amavasya12 June Ganga dushera and Ganga puja

Avirbhava: Sri Gangamata GoswaminiTirobhava: Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana

13 June Fasting for Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi14 June Paran from sunrise to 9:20 a.m.15 June Dahi-cira festival of Sri Raghunath Das

Goswami17 June Purnima. Snana-yatra of Lord Jagannatha

Tirobhava: Srila Mukunda Datta and Srila Sridhara Pandit

18 June Tirobhava: Srila Syamananda Prabhu22 June Avirbhava: Srila Vakreshwar Pandit27 June Tirobhava: Sri Srivas Pandit29 June Fasting for Yogini Ekadasi30 June Paran from sunrise to 9:25 a.m.

Month of Jyestha / Trivikram Masa: 19 May—17 June

Month of Asadha / Vamana Masa: 18 June—16 July

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛsṇa-prema-pradāya tekṛsṇāya kṛsṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tvise namaḥ

O most munificent Lord, bestower of kṛsna-prema! You are Kṛsṇa Himself known by the name Śrī Kṛsṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, now appearing in the golden complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. - Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī (C.C. Madhya 19.53)

Gaurabda 533

JULY 2019 AUGUST 2019

2 July Amavasya. Tirobhava: Srila Gadadhar Pandit & Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur

3 July Cleansing of the Gundica Temple 4 July Ratha-yatra of Lord Jagannatha

Tirobhava: Sri Svarupa Damodara Goswamiand Sri Sivananda Sena

8 July Hera Pancami. Sri Lakshmi Vijay 11 July Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Kamal Madhusudan

Goswami Maharaja 12 July Lord Jagannath’s return journey

End of Rath-yatra festivalAvirbhava: Srila Bhakti Vijnana BharatiGoswami Maharaja

13 July Fasting for Sayana Ekadasi 14 July Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m. 16 July Sri Guru Purnima. Sri Vyasa-puja

Tirobhava: Srila Sanatana GosvamiFirst month of Caturmasya vrata begins - fasting from all green leafy vegetablesLunar Eclipse 1:30-4:30 a.m.

18 July Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Hrdoy Vana Goswami

Maharaja & Srila Bhakti Saurabha SaraGoswami Maharaja

22 July Tirobhava: Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami 25 July Tirobhava: Srila Lokanatha Goswami 28 July Fasting for Kamika Ekadasi

29 July Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m. 1 Aug Amavasya. Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Raksak

Sridhar Goswami Maharaja 4 Aug Tirobhava: Sri Raghunandana Thakur &

Srila Vamsidas Babaji Maharaja 11 Aug Fasting for Pavitraropani Ekadasi

Start of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Jhulan-yatra 12 Aug Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m.

Sri Krishna Pavitraropan Utsava.Tirobhava: Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Gauridas Pandit & Sri Govinda das

15 Aug Sri Baladeva Purnima (Fast till noon) Ekadasi preparations onlyRaksha bandhan & end of Jhulan-yatraSecond month of Caturmasya begins - fasting from yogurt for 1 month

16 Aug Paran from sunrise to 9:33 a.m. 23 Aug Sri Krishna Janmastami

(Full fast till midnight) Ekadasi preparations only 24 Aug Paran from sunrise to 9:33 a.m.

Sri Nanda-utsavaAvirbhava: Srila Bhaktivedanta SwamiPrabhupada

26 Aug Fasting for Annada Ekadasi 27 Aug Paran from sunrise to 9:33 a.m. 30 Aug Amavasya

Month of Sravan / Sridhara Masa: 17 July—15 August

Month of Bhadra / Hrsikesa Masa: 16 August—14 September

I offer pranama unto Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, who bestows the bliss of divine love, who eliminates the filth of the age of Kali, and who is the master of Jāhnavā-devī.

nityānanda namas tubhyaṁ premānanda-pradāyine kalau kalmasa-nāśāya jāhnavā-pataye namaḥ

Gaurabda 533

SEPTEMBER 2019 OCTOBER 2019

3 Sept Avirbhava: Sri Sitadevi (Sri Advaita’s consort) 5 Sept Avirbhava: Sri Lalita Devi 6 Sept Sri Sri Radhastami (No fasting)10 Sept Fasting for Parsva Ekadasi/Vijaya Mahadwadasi,

Sravana Mahadwadasi & Vamanadev App. DayAvirbhava: Sri Jiva Goswami.

11 Sept Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m.Avirbhava: Sri Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur

12 Sept Ananta Caturdasi. Tirobhava: Sri Haridas Thakur & Srila Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Goswami Maharaja

14 Sept Purnima. Visvarupa-Mahotsava. Sannyasa day of Srila Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaja & Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada3rd month of Caturmasya begins - fasting from milk

20 Sept Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Sri-Rupa SiddhantiGoswami Maharaja

25 Sept Fasting for Indira Ekadasi26 Sept Paran from sunrise to 7:35 a.m.28 Sept Amavasya 2 Oct Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Pramod Puri Goswami Maharaja 8 Oct Vijay Dasami / Sri Ramacandra Vijayotsava

Avirbhava: Sri Madhvacarya 9 Oct Fasting for Pasankusa Ekadasi 10 Oct Paran from sunrise to 9:28 a.m.

Tirobhava: Sri Raghunath Bhatta Goswami,Sri Raghunath das Goswami & Sri Krsnadas Kaviraja

13 Oct Purnima. Saradiya Rasa-yatra of Sri KrsnaDamodar/Kartik/Urja Vrata & Niyam seva begins Tirobhava: Sri Murari Gupta & Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Goswami Maharaja Last month of Caturmasya - Fasting from sesame seeds, mustard seeds and mustard oil

18 Oct Akash Dip dan Tirobhava: Srila Narottama Das Thakur &Srila Bhakti Kaushal Narasingha Goswami Maharaja

21 Oct BahulashtamiAvirbhava: Sri Radha Kunda

22 Oct Avirbhava: Sri Virachandra Prabhu & Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Goswami Maharaja

24 Oct Fasting for Rama Ekadasi 25 Oct Paran from sunrise to 9:28 a.m. 28 Oct Dipawali

Amavasya 29 Oct Annakuta Mahotsava & Sri Govardhan Puja

Go-puja. Avirbhava: Srila Rasikananda Prabhu 30 Oct Yama dvitya. Bhaiya Dooj.

Tirobhava: Sri Vasudeva Ghosh, Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Goswami Maharaja & Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Goswami Maharaja

31 Oct Tirobhava: Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Month of Asvina / Padmanabha Masa: 15 September—13 October

Month of Kartika / Damodara Masa: 14 October—12 November

I offer obeisance unto You, Śrī Advaita Prabhu, who are an ocean of mercy for the people of Kali-yuga, who award love for Śrī Gaurahari, and who are the husband of Śrīmatī Sītā-devī.

śrī-advaita namas tubhyaṁ kali-jana-kṛpā-nidhegaura-prema-pradānāya śrī-sītā-pataye namaḥ

Gaurabda 533

NOVEMBER 2019 DECEMBER 2019

1 Nov Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Sri-Rupa Siddhanti Goswami Maharaja

4 Nov Gopastami. Tirobhava: Sri Gadadhara Das,Sri Dhananjaya Pandit & Srila Srinivasa Acarya

8 Nov Fasting for Utthana EkadasiTirobhava: Srila Gaurakisora das Babaji MaharajaAvirbhava: Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava GoswamiMaharaja. Start of Bhisma-pancaka

9 Nov Paran from sunrise to 9:30 a.m.11 Nov Tirobhava: Sri Bhugarbha Goswami, Sri Kasisvara

Pandit & Srila Bhakti Pramod Puri Goswami Maharaja12 Nov Purnima. Hemant Rasa Yatra of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna

End of Kartik Vrata/niyam seva & Bhisma-pancaka Avirbhava: Sri Nimbarkacharya

13 Nov Beginning of Sri Katyayani Vrata17 Nov End of Dipa dan23 Nov Fasting for Utpanna Ekadasi

Tirobhava: Sri Narahari Sarkar & Sri Kala Krsnadas24 Nov Paran from sunrise to 9:35 a.m.

Tirobhava: Sri Saranga Thakur 26 Nov Amavasya 29 Nov Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Jivan Janardan Goswami

Maharaja

2 Dec Jagannath dev Oran Shasthi Ceremony (Jagannath dev begins wearing winter clothes)

4 Dec Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Jivan Janardan GoswamiMaharaja

5 Dec Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Kamal Madhusudan Goswami Maharaja

8 Dec Fasting for Moksada Ekadasi. Gita Jayanti 9 Dec Paran from sunrise to 9:00 a.m.12 Dec Purnima. End of Sri Katyayani Vrata

16 Dec Tirobhava: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada

20 Dec Avirbhava: Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Goswami Tirobhava: Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja

22 Dec Fasting for Saphala EkadasiTirobhava: Sri Devananda Pandit

23 Dec Paran from sunrise to 9:50 a.m.24 Dec Tirobhava: Sri Mahesh Pandit & Sri Uddharan Thakur26 Dec Amavasya. Solar Eclipse (8 a.m. to 1:36 p.m.)27 Dec Avirbhava: Sri Locan das Thakur29 Dec Tirobhava: Sri Jiva Goswami & Sri Jagadish Pandita

Month of Margasirsa / Kesava Masa: 13 November—12 December

Month of Pausa / Narayana Masa: 13 Dec 2019—10 Jan 2020

I offer obeisance unto Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita, who is the embodiment of transcendental pleasure, the most intimate friend of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, and the bestower of devotional potency.

śrī hlādinī-svarūpāya gaurāṅga-suhṛdāya cabhakti-śakti-pradānāya gadādhara namo’stu te

Gaurabda 533

JANUARY 2020 FEBRUARY 2020

6 Jan Fasting for Putrada Ekadasi 7 Jan Paran from 8 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.

Avirbhava: Sri Jagadish Pandit 8 Jan Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa

Goswami Maharaja10 Jan Purnima. Sri Krsna Pusya Abhishek

13 Jan Avirbhava: Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami Tirobhava: Srila Ramacandra Kaviraja

15 Jan Ganga Sagar Snana / Makar SankrantiAvirbhava: Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri MaharajaTirobhava: Sri Narahari Seva Vigraha Prabhu

16 Jan Tirobhava: Srila Jayadeva Gosvami 17 Jan Tirobhava: Srila Locana das Thakur 21 Jan Fasting for Sat-tila Ekadasi

Avirbhava: Srila Bhaktivedanta Trivikram Goswami Maharaja

22 Jan Paran from sunrise to 10:00 a.m. 24 Jan Avirbhava: Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana

Goswami Maharaja. Sri Vyasapuja MahotsavaMauni Amavasya

30 Jan Vasanta Pancami. Avirbhava: Sri Visnupriya devi, Sri Pundarik Vidyanidhi, Sri Raghunatha Das Goswami & Sri Raghunandan ThakurTirobhava: Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti & Srila Bhakti Vivek Bharati Goswami Maharaja. Saraswati Puja.

1 Feb Advaita Saptami (App. Day of Sri Advaita Acarya) (Fast till noon) Ekadasi preparations only

2 Feb Paran from sunrise to 10:00 a.m. 3 Feb Tirobhava: Sri Madhvacarya 4 Feb Tirobhava: Sri Ramanujacarya

5 Feb Fasting for Bhaimi Ekadasi & Varaha Dwadasi 6 Feb Paran from sunrise to 10:00 a.m. 7 Feb Sri Nityananda Trayodasi 8 Feb Paran from sunrise to 10:00 a.m. 9 Feb Maghi Purnima. Mahaprabhu’s Sannyasa day

Avirbhava: Srila Narottam das Thakur

12 Feb Avirbhava: Acharya Kesari Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Goswami Maharaja

13 Feb Avirbhava: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada.Tirobhava: Srila Gaur Govinda Goswami Maharaja

14 Feb Avirbhava: Srila Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaja19 Feb Fasting for Vijaya Ekadasi20 Feb Paran from sunrise to 10:00 a.m.22 Feb Sri Siva-ratri vrata (Ekadasi preparations only)23 Feb Paran from sunrise to 9:58 a.m. Amavasya24 Feb Tirobhava: Srila Rasikananda Prabhu,

Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaja & Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja

2 Mar Tirobhava: Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Goswami Maharaja 3 Mar Navadwip Parikrama Sankalpa 4 Mar Navadwip Parikrama begins 6 Mar Fasting for Amalaki Ekadasi 7 Mar Paran from sunrise to 9:52 am.

Tirobhava: Srila Madhavendra Puri 9 Mar Sri Gaura Purnima (Fast till moonrise) 10 Mar Paran from sunrise to 9:15 a.m.

Sri Jagannath Misra FestivalStart of Gaurabda 534

MARCH 2020

Month of Magha / Madhava Masa: 11 January—9 February Month of Phalguna / Govinda Masa: 10 February—9 March

praṇamāmi śrī śrīvāsaṁ tamādyaṁ paṇḍitaṁ mudāśrī gaurāṅga-kṛpāpatraṁ kīrtanānanda-mānasam

O Śrī Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, I offer praṇāma unto you who are the original authority of knowledge and the ever-joyful recipient of Śrī Gaurāṅga’s mercy whose mind is always absorbed in the bliss of hari-kīrtana.

Gaurabda 533

Overview of the Vratas Observed in this CalendarEkadasi and Mahadwadasi Vrata: Ekadasi tithi appears twice a month on the 11th day after a new moon and after a full moon. This auspicious tithi has been glorified as non-different from Madhava (Madhava tithi) or the residence of Hari (Hari-vasara). On the day of Ekadasi, the scriptures ordain one to observe a fast from grains and other foods, to minimize the demands of the body, and to engage more time in the performance of the different limbs of bhakti, such as hearing and chanting. On this day, one should give up the company of worldly-minded and sinful people by staying in a holy tirtha or temple and associating with high class devotees. Sastra instructs that on this day, one should avoid the following: applying oil on the body, brushing teeth, eating on a bellmetal plate, sleeping, gambling, cheating, criticising others, becoming envious, becoming angry, and engaging in sense gratification. The twenty-four Ekadasis which occur during one complete year are: Utpanna, Moksada, Saphala, Putrada, Sat tila, Jaya, Vjaya, Amlaki, Papamochani, Kamada, Varuthini, Mohini, Apara, Nirjala, Yogini, Devasayani, Kamini, Pavitra, Aja, Padma, Indira, Pasankusa, Rama, and Prabodhini. Apart from them, there are two more Ekadasis, namely Padmini and Parama, which occur during the leap-year month of Purusottama. According to Garga Samhita, if an Ekadasi is conjoined with even a fraction of a second of Dasami then such an Ekadasi should be left like a pot of Ganga water mixed with a drop of wine. If an Ekadasi extends on the day of Dwadasi, then one should fast on the day of Dwadasi. This is the Mahadwadasi vrata. There are eight Mahadwadasis as explained in Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Four are accertained according to the conjunction of tithi:1. Unmilani Mahadwadasi - when an Ekadasi extends on the day of Dwadasi, but the day of Dwadasi does not extend.2. Bynjuli Mahadwadasi - when an Ekadasi does not extend to the day of Dwadasi, but the day of Dwadasi extends onto the day of Trayodasi. 3. Trisprisha Mahadwadasi - when an Ekadasi extends up to the sunrise on the day of Dwadasi and the Dwadasi extends up to the sunrise of Trayodasi. (But if the above Ekadasi is conjoined with Dasami then it will not be a Trisprisha Mahadwadasi).4. Paksavardhini Mahadwadasi - the Dwadasi which comes prior to an Amavasya or Purnima that extends into the next day. The next four Mahadwadasis occur according to Nakshatra:5. Jaya Mahadwadasi - when the Nakshatra called Punarvasu touches the day of Dwadasi of the waxing moon (according to Brahma Purana).6. Vijaya Mahadwadasi - when Sravana Nakshatra conjoins with the Dwadasi of the waxing moon (as written in Vishnu Dharmottara). Sri Vamanadeva appeared during Sravana Nakshatra.7. Jayanti Mahadwadasi - when Dwadasi of the waxing moon is conjoined with Rohini Nakshatra.8. Papanashini Mahadwadasi - when a Dwadasi of the waxing moon is conjoined with Pusya Nakshatra. As stated in Brahma Purana, by observing a fast on this day one can obtain the result of observing one thousand Ekadasis.Rules for paran, or breaking Ekadasi fast: One should break the fast with that which one has been fasting from. Example: If you have fasted without taking water, you should break the fast with water or caranamrita. If you have observed Ekadasi by eating fruit and roots, then you should break fast on the next day by taking grains within the specified time of paran. Restricted foods on Ekadasi: • Tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, bitter melon, green peas, loki, parmal, toroi, green chili, drumsticks, lady fingers, radish, beets, and banana flowers. • Peas, chickpeas and all types of beans, including products made from beans like papadams, tofu, tempeh, etc. • All leafy vegetables, like spinach, salads, cabbages, and leafy herbs like parsley, coriander leaves, celery, herbal tea, and curry leaves. • Grains, like millet, barley, farina, quinoa, bamboo rice, wild rice, jungle rice, samo

rice, amaranth seed, pasta, rice, corn, and all types of flour made from grains and beans, like rice flour, chickpea flour, sesame seeds, urad dahl flour etc. • Starches from corn or above mentioned grains, and products made from or mixed with these starches like baking soda, baking powder, soft drinks with corn syrup, custard, cake, halava, certain varieties of cream and cottage cheese, certain sweets and candies, and tapioca balls. • Oils made from grains, like soyabean oil, sun flower oil, corn oil, mustard oil, sesame oil, other types of refined oils and products fried in these oils, like fried nuts, potato chips, and other fried snack foods. Honey is also restricted.Spices that can be used on Ekadasi: black pepper, fresh ginger, sea salt and fresh turmeric, all taken from a new and clean package.Spices not used on Ekadasi: hing (asafoetida), chili, sesame seeds, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, tamarind, fennel, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, bay leaf, cardamon, cloves, oregano, basil, and other leafy spices.Foods that can be taken on all fast days: fruits (fresh and dried), nuts and oils made from nuts and other pure sources, like olive oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, almond oil, and ghee. Potatoes, potato chips, pumpkin, cucumber, squash, lemon, green papaya, green banana, jackfruit, sweet potato, tapioca root, avocado, olives, coconut. Pure milk products.Caturmasya Vrata: This is the vrata observed during the four lunar months of the rainy season. It starts on Guru Purnima from the beginning of the month of Sravana, or Sridhara Masa, to the end of the month of Kartik, or Damodar Masa. During this period, devotees fast from certain foods, avoid shaving hair and cutting nails, avoid sense gratification and the association of materialistic and sinful people, and perform more devotional activities in the association of devotees.Restricted foods during Caturmasya: Tomatoes, eggplants, all beans, soya, loki, parmal, urad dahl, papadams, mustard, sesame, and honey.Particular foods that are restricted during each of the four months:First month: No leafy vegetables, such as spinach, salads of all types, cabbages of all types, kale, leafy herbs, like coriander, mint, parsley, curry, and powdered leafy herbs and teas • Second month: No yoghurt. • Third month: No milk. • Fourth month: No oil except peanut oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and ghee. Only fruits and roots. Grains allowed once a day.Kesava Vrata: This is the vrata of Salagram and Tulsi jala dan (offering continuous drops of water to Salagram and Tulsi) starting from Mesa Sankranti for one solar month. This falls every year from 14 April to 15 May. This is a special vrata dedicated to the worship and glorification of Tulsi Devi. By the mercy of Tulsi, who is a special manifestation of Sri Vrinda Devi, a sadhaka can have entrance to Vrindavan and establish a relationship with Kesava who is that Krsna Who in Seva Kunja is taking the help of the sakhis and manjaris to decorate Srimati Radharani’s hair. During this vrata, devotees include in their daily kirtan schedule the singing of the prayers Sri Vrinda-Devyastakam, Sri Kesavastakam, and Dasavatar Stotram, while performing morning abhishek, offering sweet rice, arti, and parikrama of Salagram or Giriraja shila and Tulsi. During the rest of the day, they are placed under a hanging clay pot filled with holy water from Ganga, Yamuna, or other holy tirthas, that gently drips through the tiny hole at the bottom of the pot. In this way, they engage in this service of keeping them cool during this dry summer period. For full details of this vrata, please read the book Sri Kesava Vrata available from bhaktabandhav.org.Candana-Yatra: This is the sandalwood festival which begins on Akshay Tritiya, the third lunar day of the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha. This festival is observed publicly for 21 days, and another 21 days privately in the temple. During this festival, devotees prepare sandalwood paste mixed with some other special ingredients, like camphor, aguru, and saffron. With this paste, they nicely cover the full body of Krsna, decorating Him with lots of flowers, and offering Him some cooling drinks. The swelter of summer embodies the heat of Krsna’s loving separation from Radhika and sandalwood is the cooling and fragrant love and affection of Srimati Radhika and the gopis.

Following the example of Sri Madhavendra Puri, the devotees soothe away Krsna’s suffering of the heat of separation by smearing sandalwood paste all over His body and thus make Him feel direct meeting with Radhika. Just as Srila Rupa Goswami says: grisme govinda-sarvange candra-candana-candrika “In the hot summer, Radhika is camphor, sandal paste, and moonlight, cooling the limbs of Lord Govinda.” (Sri Visakhanandabhidha-stotra, 59)Kartik Vrata: The lunar month of Kartik is the month of Srimati Radharani, therefore it is Krsna’s favorite month. Krsna was once bound to the grinding mortar by the vatsalya-prema of Mother Yasoda and became known as Yasoda-Damodar. Moreover, Krsna is continuously bound to Srimati Radharani by the madhurya-prema of Radha and Her sakhis, and is thus celebrated as Radha-Damodar. Similarly, Krsna will be bound by the devotees who take shelter and worship Srimati Radharani in Her month of Kartik. This is why this month is also known as the month of Damodar. In this month, devotees daily sing special kirtanas for Srimati Radharani and prayers like Damodarastakam, Krpa Kataksa Stava Raja, Nandanandastakam, etc.; listen to Srimad-Bhagavatam and other devotional scriptures; refrain from mundane talks, especially avoiding criticism and discussion on sense gratification; increase rounds of Harinama japa; follow fasting according to the fourth month of Caturmasya; perform pilgrimage and parikrama to the different pastime places of Radha-Krsna in Vraja; daily offer ghee lamps to Radha-Damodar; and worship Tulsi. The 16th Vilasa of Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa is all about the glories of Kartik and how to properly follow Kartik vrata. Please read this chapter to know all details of Kartik vrata. Akash Dip dan: This one-month vow of daily offering a ghee lamp to the sky begins on Tula Sankranti (every 18th of October) and ends on Vrscika Sankranti (every 17th of November). The ghee lamp is offered to the evening sky, while chanting the following mantra from Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa: damodaraya nabhasi tulayam lolaya saha / pradipante prayacchami namo’nantaya vedhase: “We offer this lamp with obeisances to Damodar, the unlimited and Supreme Creator, and to the goddess of fortune (Sri Radha).”Katyayani Vrata: Devotees observe this vrata from the first day of the lunar month of Margasirsa, or Kesava masa, until the full moon day of that month. The vrata includes daily rising in the early morning and bathing in a holy river, like Yamuna or Ganga; daily chanting of the mantra: katyayani maha-maye maha-yoginy adhasvari / nanda-gopa-sutam devi patim me kuru te namah, and worshipping the Deity of Yogamaya with sandalwood pulp, garlands, incense, lamps, fruits, and special food preparations; eating only unspiced kichari (havisyanna) once a day; and hearing this pastime and commentaries about this pastime of the gopis performing katyayani-vrata from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Gopala-campu, Ananda-vrindavan-campu, Caitanya-caritamrta, Ujjvala-nilamani, and other books. This is a vrata not to imitate the gopis but to help the sadhaka realise how saranagati (surrender) is the doorway to bhakti. The main limb of surrender is goptrtve varanam, fully accepting Krsna as one’s only pati, or maintainer. One can enter the realm of bhakti only after becoming free from all bodily identifications and material attachments. Katyayani Mahamaya is known as Durga, meaning a fortress, because this material world under her dominion is very difficult to escape. But she is only a shadow of svarupa-sakti Srimati Radharani’s Yogamaya manifestation. By surrendering to Srimati Radharani and getting the mercy of Yogamaya, one is easily released by Mahamaya. Therefore the real worshipful Deity of this vrata is not Durga, but Srimati Radharani Herself along with Her Yogamaya manifestations, Paurnamasi Devi and Vrinda Devi. By invoking their mercy, devotees aspiring to enter into madhurya-rasa can easily escape the world of Mahamaya and enter the realm of Yogamaya.Eclipse• During lunar or solar eclipse, spend time in chanting Harinama (kirtana or japa). • The following should be avoided: cooking, drinking, eating, sleeping, using the toilet (as much as possible). • This time is very auspicious for attaining perfection of one’s chanting of gayatri-mantras.