http://www.purebhakti.com/calendar/global_rtf520.pdf

10-21-2006, 03:54 AM

Dear Sunanda Prabhu
Please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I just talked to Brajanath Prabhu the secretary to H,D.G Narayana Maharaja
and if we have any question from ISKCON side about vaisnava calendar, we are
also welcome to question them personally I will follow closely both calendars
of
ISKCON and Gaudiya Math and if there is any questions on dates I will surely
ask, to make sure there is no difference, but so far comparing both the dates
seems the same, so this double checking I personally like,
I do not want to fast on dasami and invoke inauspiciousness. If even Sita can
be separated from Lord Rama for fasting on dasami I have millions of times
more to fear. But now I feel more comfortable about this,I can double check.
Your servant
Payonidhi das

10-22-2006, 02:11 AM

> Dear Sunanda Prabhu
> Please accept my humble obaisences
> All glories to Srila Prabhupada
> I just talked to Brajanath Prabhu the secretary to H,D.G Narayana
> Maharaja and if we have any question from ISKCON side about vaisnava
> calendar, we are also welcome to question them personally I will follow
> closely both calendars of
> ISKCON and Gaudiya Math and if there is any questions on dates I will
> surely ask, to make sure there is no difference, but so far comparing both
> the dates seems the same, so this double checking I personally like,
> I do not want to fast on dasami and invoke inauspiciousness. If even Sita
> can be separated from Lord Rama for fasting on dasami I have millions of
> times more to fear. But now I feel more comfortable about this,I can
> double check.
> Your servant
> Payonidhi das

This difference of date of ovserving ekadashi is not somthing new. In
scripture it has been said that ,"If there is difference opinion about the
date to ovserve ekadashi then follow the second one or last one." That means
if some say ekadashi is on 1st jan and others say ekadashi is on 2nd jan ,
then observe ekadashi on 2nd. Jan. From this we can see that there must have
instances in past where there were different opinion of dates for observing
ekadashi. That's why this solution have been providede by sastra.

This is just for some information.

Thank you very much.

Your humble servant

Bhakti Purusottama Swami

For more informations about Mayapur
Please visit : WWW.mayapur.com
Residence phone - +91 3472 245481
Mobile : +91 9434506434
Fax : +91 3472 245238

10-22-2006, 06:33 AM

In a message dated 10/21/2006 11:13:35 PM Pacific Standard Time,
Bhakti.Purusottama.Swami (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:
This difference of date of ovserving ekadashi is not somthing new. In
scripture it has been said that ,"If there is difference opinion about the
date to ovserve ekadashi then follow the second one or last one." That means
if some say ekadashi is on 1st jan and others say ekadashi is on 2nd jan ,
then observe ekadashi on 2nd. Jan. From this we can see that there must have
instances in past where there were different opinion of dates for observing
ekadashi. That's why this solution have been providede by sastra.

This is just for some information.

Thank you very much.

Your humble servant

Bhakti Purusottama Swami
Dear Bhakti Purusottama Maharaja
Please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
One devotee I know is so carefull about fasting on ekadasi, not on dasami,
that is appears he always fasts on Dvadasi, then is that good?
your humble servant
Payonidhi das

10-22-2006, 10:54 AM

> One devotee I know is so carefull about fasting on ekadasi, not on
> dasami, that is appears he always fasts on Dvadasi, then is that good?
> your humble servant
> Payonidhi das

What is good is to follow the instructions of ones gurujanas, and the
instructions of one spiritual master may differ from the instructions of
another. That is a detail. Fasting has no meaning for a vaisnava unless it
is done under superior direction.

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das

10-22-2006, 11:05 AM

In a message dated 10/22/2006 7:56:24 AM Pacific Standard Time,
Bhaktarupa.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:
What is good is to follow the instructions of ones gurujanas, and the
instructions of one spiritual master may differ from the instructions of
another. That is a detail. Fasting has no meaning for a vaisnava unless it
is done under superior direction.

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das
that is a good response, but if everyone feels comfortabel with following the
vaisnava valendar should there be an issue, how if the Guru's instruction is
different from the
GBC's instuction in this case Niranjana Swamis? If the GBC body says follow
the vaisnava calendar it seems all devotees in ISKCON should do so?How can
there be so many standards allowed in ISKCON,?It seems by ISKCON law there is
only
standard, that is to follow the vaisnava calendar, that you quoted from the
GBC law of 1990
YS
Payonidhi das

Srimanta · 10-22-2006, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bhakti Purusottama Swami (Mayapur - IN)

> Dear Sunanda Prabhu
> Please accept my humble obaisences
> All glories to Srila Prabhupada
> I just talked to Brajanath Prabhu the secretary to H,D.G Narayana
> Maharaja and if we have any question from ISKCON side about vaisnava
> calendar, we are also welcome to question them personally I will follow
> closely both calendars of
> ISKCON and Gaudiya Math and if there is any questions on dates I will
> surely ask, to make sure there is no difference, but so far comparing both
> the dates seems the same, so this double checking I personally like,
> I do not want to fast on dasami and invoke inauspiciousness. If even Sita
> can be separated from Lord Rama for fasting on dasami I have millions of
> times more to fear. But now I feel more comfortable about this,I can
> double check.
> Your servant
> Payonidhi das

This difference of date of ovserving ekadashi is not somthing new. In
scripture it has been said that ,"If there is difference opinion about the
date to ovserve ekadashi then follow the second one or last one." That means
if some say ekadashi is on 1st jan and others say ekadashi is on 2nd jan ,
then observe ekadashi on 2nd. Jan. From this we can see that there must have
instances in past where there were different opinion of dates for observing
ekadashi. That's why this solution have been providede by sastra.

This is just for some information.

Thank you very much.

Your humble servant

Bhakti Purusottama Swami

For more informations about Mayapur
Please visit : WWW.mayapur.com
Residence phone - +91 3472 245481
Mobile : +91 9434506434
Fax : +91 3472 245238

The only key is that all the lamps to be lit at same time to offer maximum spiritual penance to Lord Hari. So irrespective of places or location all devotees of Krsna should observe ekadashi same time. That will generate more spiritual energy ekadashi which will awake Lord Hari to kill demons that are troubling Lord's devotees anywhere in the spiritual universe

10-22-2006, 09:57 PM

> > One devotee I know is so carefull about fasting on ekadasi, not on
> > dasami, that is appears he always fasts on Dvadasi, then is that good?
> > your humble servant
> > Payonidhi das
>
> What is good is to follow the instructions of ones gurujanas, and the
> instructions of one spiritual master may differ from the instructions of
> another. That is a detail. Fasting has no meaning for a vaisnava unless it
> is done under superior direction.
>
> Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das

A guru can change certain details from one devotee to another, but he cannot
change any major principles.

Unless one is too young, too old, or really sick, or engaged in cooking for
a very big festival then fasting on Ekadashi, Janmasthami, Gaura Purnima,
and other such days are not a detail but rather a major principle to be
followed. I'm sure Payonidhi Prabhu could inundate us with all the quotes
verifying that those fast days are a mandatory major principle.

Apart from all the above mentioned exceptions, is there any instance in
which Srila Prabhupada instructed a devotee to not fast? I don't think so.
Thus it can be rightly concluded that a guru cannot instruct anyone to not
fast outside the above exceptions.

Therefore on major principles the intstruction of one guru cannot differ
from that of another guru.

ys

ad

10-22-2006, 10:21 PM

In a message dated 10/22/2006 6:58:11 PM Pacific Standard Time,
Ajamila.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:
A guru can change certain details from one devotee to another, but he cannot
change any major principles.

Unless one is too young, too old, or really sick, or engaged in cooking for
a very big festival then fasting on Ekadashi, Janmasthami, Gaura Purnima,
and other such days are not a detail but rather a major principle to be
followed. I'm sure Payonidhi Prabhu could inundate us with all the quotes
verifying that those fast days are a mandatory major principle.

Apart from all the above mentioned exceptions, is there any instance in
which Srila Prabhupada instructed a devotee to not fast? I don't think so.
Thus it can be rightly concluded that a guru cannot instruct anyone to not
fast outside the above exceptions.

Therefore on major principles the intstruction of one guru cannot differ
from that of another guru.

ys

ad
hahahhahha sorry for being such a pain ,please forgive me.But I agree fully
with you Prabhu.
Actually mine was really a heartfelt concern to protect devotees from fasting
on Dasami, I know I really hope I will never have reactions from fasting on a
wrong day like dasami.Why should I wish that on my friends too.I have some
dear friends that for example live in Boston temple I don't like to see them
fast on dasami and gain something destructive for their spiritual life
Your servant
Payonidhi das

10-22-2006, 11:08 PM

> > > One devotee I know is so carefull about fasting on ekadasi, not on
> > > dasami, that is appears he always fasts on Dvadasi, then is that good?
> > > your humble servant
> > > Payonidhi das
> >
> > What is good is to follow the instructions of ones gurujanas, and the
> > instructions of one spiritual master may differ from the instructions of
> > another. That is a detail. Fasting has no meaning for a vaisnava unless
> > it is done under superior direction.
> >
> > Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das
>
> A guru can change certain details from one devotee to another, but he
> cannot change any major principles.
>
> Unless one is too young, too old, or really sick, or engaged in cooking
> for a very big festival then fasting on Ekadashi, Janmasthami, Gaura
> Purnima, and other such days are not a detail but rather a major principle
> to be followed. I'm sure Payonidhi Prabhu could inundate us with all the
> quotes verifying that those fast days are a mandatory major principle.
>
> Apart from all the above mentioned exceptions, is there any instance in
> which Srila Prabhupada instructed a devotee to not fast? I don't think so.
> Thus it can be rightly concluded that a guru cannot instruct anyone to not
> fast outside the above exceptions.

Payonidhi did not mention that the devotee in question was an ISKCON
devotee, or even a member of the same sampradaya. Thus my reply was at the
most general level.

> Therefore on major principles the intstruction of one guru cannot differ
> from that of another guru.

If one has a bona fide guru and the instructions received therefrom are
different from the instructions received by another devotee from the other
devotee's bona fide guru, then that difference must be considered a detail,
whether it appears to our mundane senses to be a major principle or not.
Only with this consideration can we properly serve the order of our own guru
and simultaneously respect all vaisnavas.

And in any case, even among ISKCON devotees, I only know of two major
principles:

1. smartavyah satatam visnor
2. vismartavyah na jatucit

Everything else is a detail. Even fasting on ekadasi.

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das

10-23-2006, 04:15 AM

In a message dated 10/22/2006 8:10:21 PM Pacific Standard Time,
Bhaktarupa.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:
Payonidhi did not mention that the devotee in question was an ISKCON
devotee, or even a member of the same sampradaya. Thus my reply was at the
most general level.

> Therefore on major principles the intstruction of one guru cannot differ
> from that of another guru.

If one has a bona fide guru and the instructions received therefrom are
different from the instructions received by another devotee from the other
devotee's bona fide guru, then that difference must be considered a detail,
whether it appears to our mundane senses to be a major principle or not.
Only with this consideration can we properly serve the order of our own guru
and simultaneously respect all vaisnavas.

And in any case, even among ISKCON devotees, I only know of two major
principles:

1. smartavyah satatam visnor
2. vismartavyah na jatucit

Everything else is a detail. Even fasting on ekadasi.

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das
Dandavat pranams All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Actually the devotee in question is a former disciple of Harikesa that has
taken reinitiation in Gaudiya Math, and though his Guru certainly follow
vaisnava calendar, he has this fear of incorrect calculation and fasts on
dvadasi
to avoid fasting on dasami, so in this case it certainly is correct he needs
to follow the instruction of his Gurujana.
Yes to remember Krsna and not forget Krsna is the ultimate rule, while doing
some research on dasami I came upon an instance of 2 babajis, of whom I
believe one was Jagannatha das Babaji who with this other babaji fasted on
dasami
and ekadasi ,and first took some grains on dvadasi, and it seemed to be very
little, and they where constantly absorbed in chanting Radha Krsnas holy
names(
I will look up the reference again) so in that case of such exalted vaisnavas
the rules of dasami seems to not matter, as they appeared to have fully
fasted on least 2 days and only taken little on dvadasi.But as a general rule
Hari
Bhakti Vilasa has warned us on fasting on dasami, and though this may be an
exception with these liberated babajis.Certainly we need to follow the vaisnava

calendar.If we imitate and say I will just remember Krsna, and not forget Him
it will be alright.Well I am sure Sita devi who is more than Laxmi and was
separated from Her beloved Lord Rama due to fasting on dasami should set an
example for all to fear anything inauspiscious due to fasting on Dasami.Thus
the
rule again to fast on ekadasi alone is important, surely we still have to
remember Sri Krsna on dasami too, Hari Bhakti Vilasa clearly mentions increased

devotion on such a day to gear up for ekadasi, we don't know the Babajis may
take
just one grain on dasami , surely they where not ignorant of such rules. Thus
we follow what is favorable for bhakti and reject what is unfavorable, that
is part of the proscess of Saranagati

Bhakti anukula and Bhakti praitikula

please allow me to quote something from Bhaktivinoda Thakuras Saranagati
Bhakti-anukula-matra Karyera Svikara, acceptance of activities favorable to
pure devotion, 4 songs)
(1)1.)tuva-bhakti-anukula je-je karja joy
parama-jatane taha koribo niscoy
I will surely execute with utmost care those activities favorable to Your
pure devotional service.
bhakti-anukula jato bisaya somsare
koribo tahate rati indriyera dware
I will feel fondness for those things in this world which are conductive to
pure devotion, and with my senses I will engage them in Your service.
sunibo tomara katha jatana koriya
dekhibo tomara dhama nayana bhoriya
I will carefully listen to all discussions concerning You, and the
satisfaction of my eyes will be to behold Your divine abode.
4)tomara prasade deho koribo posan
naibedya-tulasi-ghrana koribo grahan
I will nourish my body with the sacred remnants of Your food and smell the
sweet scent of tulasi leaves adorning those offerings.
kara-dwara koribo tomara seba sada
tomara basoti-sthale boshibo sarbada
With my hands I will always execute Your service, and I will forever dwell at
that place where You abide.
tomara sebaya kama niyoga koribo
tomara bidvesi-jane krodha dekhaibo
I will employ my desires in Your devotional service and show anger to those
who are envious of You.
7) ei-rupe sarba-brtti ara sarba-bhav
tuwa anukula hoye labhuka prabhav
In this way may all of my propensities and emotions obtain dignity and glory
by being favorable to You.
8) tuwa bhakta-anukula jaha jaha kori
tuwa bhakti-anukula boli’ taha dhori
I will consider as favorable to Your devotional service anything I do which
is favorable to Your devotee.
bhakativinoda nahi jane dharmadharma
bhakti-anukula tara hau saba karma
Bhaktivinoda knows neither religion nor irreligion. He simply prays that all
his activities be conductive for pure devotion to You.

and Bhakti pratikula
(2) 1.tuwa-bhakti-pratikula dharma ja’te roy
parama jatane taha tyaji o niscoy
2.tuwa-bhakti-bahir-mukha sanga na koribo
gauranga-birodhi-jana-mukha na heribo
3.bhakti-pratikula sthane na kori basati
bhaktir apriya karje nahi kori rati
4.bhaktira birodhi grantha patha na koribo
bhaktira birodhi byakhya kabhu na sunibo
5.gauranga-barjita sthana tirtha nahi mani
bhaktira badhaka jnana-karma tuccha jani
6.bhaktira badhaka kale na kori adar
bhakti bahir-mukha nija-jane jani para
7.bhaktira badhika spriha koribo barjan
abhakta-pradatta anna na kori grahan
8.jaha kichu bhakti-pratikula boli’jani
tyajibo jatane taha, e niscoya bani
9.bhakativinoda pori prabhura carane
magaye sakati pratikulyera barjane
Translation
I vow to abandon without compromise all actions contrary to Your devotional
service.
I will keep company with no one opposed to devotional service, nor even look
at the face of a person inimical toward Lord Gauranga.
I shall never reside at a place unfavorable for devotional practices, and may
I never take pleasure in nondevotional works.
I will read no book opposed to pure devotion, nor listen to any explanation
which disagrees with pure devotional principles.
I will never regard as sacred any place where Lord Gauranga is rejected. Any
knowledge hindering pure devotional service I consider worthless.
Any season which poses obstacles to the execution of devotional service shall
find no favor with me, and I will consider all relatives or family members
averse to pure devotion as strangers.
I will abandon all desires that hinder devotion and never accept food offered
to me by nondevotee atheists.
I vow to promptly shun whatever I know to contradict pure devotion. This I
strongly promise.
Bhaktivinoda, falling at the feet of the Lord, begs for the strength to give
up all obstacles to pure devotion.
In my humble understanding not fasting on Dasami is in the category of Bhakti
Pratikula, devotees pray for these things that are favorable to Bhakti and
reject the unfavorable, kindly forgive me for giving this following example (as

I am dealing with senior devotees to myself
and thus want to follow proper vaisnava etiqutte, also that is Bhakti anukula)
In his Mukunda Mala Stotra ,King Kulasekara prays
MM 3: O Lord Mukunda! I bow down my head to Your Lordship and respectfully
ask You to fulfill this one desire of mine: that in each of my future births I
will, by Your Lordship's mercy, always remember and never forget Your lotus
feet.
MM 4: O Lord Hari, it is not to be saved from the dualities of material
existence or the grim tribulations of the Kumbh•p•ka hell that I pray to Your
lotus feet. Nor is my purpose to enjoy the soft-skinned beautiful women who
reside
in the gardens of heaven. I pray to Your lotus feet only so that I may
remember You alone in the core of my heart, birth after birth.
MM 5: O my Lord! I have no attachment for religiosity, or for accumulating
wealth, or for enjoying sense gratification. Let these come as they inevitably
must, in accordance with my past deeds. But I do pray for this most cherished
boon: birth after birth, let me render unflinching devotional service unto Your

two lotus feet.
MM 33: O Lord Kr•s•n•a, at this moment let the royal swan of my mind enter
the tangled stems of the lotus of Your feet. How will it be possible for me to
remember You at the time of death, when my throat will be choked up with
mucus, bile, and air?
such prayers are saturated with desires full of Bhakti pratikula and Bhakti
anukula,so one
can remember Krsna and not forget Him.So if Srila Sanatana Goswami and
Gopala Bhatta Goswami has taken time to mention this in Hari Bhakti Vilasa it
is
favorable for our Bhakti to
simply follow the vaisnava calendar to avoid mixed ekadasis, and thus be
guilty of fasting on Dasami
Your servant
Payonidhi das

10-23-2006, 11:10 PM

> > Therefore on major principles the intstruction of one guru cannot differ
> > from that of another guru.
>
> If one has a bona fide guru and the instructions received therefrom are
> different from the instructions received by another devotee from the other
> devotee's bona fide guru, then that difference must be considered a
> detail, whether it appears to our mundane senses to be a major principle
> or not. Only with this consideration can we properly serve the order of
> our own guru and simultaneously respect all vaisnavas.
>
> And in any case, even among ISKCON devotees, I only know of two major
> principles:
>
> 1. smartavyah satatam visnor
> 2. vismartavyah na jatucit
>
> Everything else is a detail. Even fasting on ekadasi.
>
> Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das

You state you only know of two major principles - to always remember
Krishna, and to never forget Him. But what about all the other supporting
unchangeable major principles of devotional service? For example, the four
regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds, taking diksha from a bona-fide
guru, reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, and so on. These are not details but rather
unchangeable devotional principles that cannot be dismissed as a detail by
any bona-fide guru.

The implication of your understanding is that one guru could allow his
disciple to drink liquor while another would forbid as per the standard, the
former reducing a major principle to a mere detail. That can only be ruinous
since it is inconsistent with Srila Prabhupada's teachings.

Fasting on Ekadashi can be an exception but only if one is too young or too
old, too sick, or in an emergency preaching situation. Outside of that
criteria, a guru cannot instruct anyone to regualarly not fast on Ekadashi.
Hari Bhakti Vilasa give great importance to fasting on Ekadashi so as to
quickly attain love of Krishna.

In fact, in Brahma Vaivarta Purana it is stated that the gopis once asked
Radharani what is the best vrata they could possibly do to get Krishna.
Radharani replied they should observe the Ekadashi vrata since it is so
powerful in pleasing Krishna. So, unless one is seriously inconvenienced in
any of the above mentioned ways, this is a principle that cannot be
minimised as a mere detail.

ys

ad