All glories to Madhavananda Das!

I would just like to publicly and vocally thank Madhavananda Das, disciple of Gaur Govinda Swami, and Bhakta Rupa Das, both of Bhubaneswar, who embody to me all that is best in Iskcon. May the Divine Couple of Vrindavan, and the glorious Trinity of Jagannath Dham shower them with infinite blessings.

 

All glories to their service! All glories to their generosity! All glories to their saragrahita!

 

Your servant,

 

Jagadananda Das

Anyone wanting to read Madhavananda's email newsletter (Krishna Kathamrita Bindu) can download it here:

 

http://www.gopaljiu.org

Was I wondering when I received an unsolicited mail from Jagat today eulogizing the glories of Madhavananda Das! It did not take long to understand, though, that by accident he had sent the mail to a wrong Madhavananda Das.

 

At any rate, I, too, appreciate the service and mood of my namesake Madhavananda Das. Jai Radhe!

I'd like to take this opportunity to appreciate Madhavananda Das Ji of Raganuga.com fame, as well!

 

Also, JN Das Ji's contribution is superb.

 

All glories to you all!

A Brief Life Sketch of

Srila Gour Govinda Swami

 

Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja made his appearance as Braja Bandhu Manik in a vaisnava family on 2nd September 1929. He appeared in the village of Jagannathapur, not far from Jagannath Puri Dham, in Orissa, India, but as his mother was descended from the Giri family of the village Gadeigiri, Braja Bandhu spent his childhood there. His grandfather was a paramahamsa whose only business was to chant Hare Krishna and cry before the local Deity of Krishna known as Gopal Jiu. He taught Braja Bandhu how to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra by counting on his fingers. In the company of his uncles, Braja Bandhu would travel from village to village chanting Hare Krishna and singing the songs of Narottam Das Thakur.

 

From the age of six, Braja Bandhu worshiped the Deity of Gopal by making garlands, and sometimes, under the light of a candle, by singing hymns for Him from palm-leaf manuscripts. He would never take any food that was not offered to Gopal.

 

By the age of eight he had read the entire Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrta and could also explain their meanings. At night many villagers would come to hear his recitation of the Bhagavata, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Thus from the very beginning of his life he was absorbed in chanting Krishna’s holy name, studying vaisnava literature, and worshipping his beloved Gopal. Friends and relatives remember him as always being very quiet and introspective. He was never interested in playing with other boys or in going to see cinema shows or theatre.

 

After the death of his father in 1955, as the eldest son he became responsible for maintaining the family, and on the request of his widowed mother he entered the grhastha-asrama. He first met his wife, Srimati Vasanti Devi, during their marriage ceremony. Because of financial constraints he could not enroll formally in University courses, but he studied privately at night to attend the examinations, obtaining a B.A. degree from Utkal University with overall second highest marks on the exam. He later also obtained a B.Ed. degree in a similar way and took up the profession of a schoolteacher. Despite many responsibilities, however, his devotion to Gopal never slackened. He would daily rise at 3.30 a.m., chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, worship tulasi-devi, and speak to his family from the Bhagavad-gita. In school he would take every opportunity to speak to his students about Krishna and devotional principles. Some of his students would become his disciples thirty years later.

 

During school breaks he would take his wife and travel to the Himalayan mountains, visiting different tirthas and ashrams, and he would sometimes engage in philosophical debates with the mayavadis he found there.

 

On 8 April 1974, at the age of forty-five, Braja Bandhu left his home and relatives in search of spiritual perfection. Giving himself the name "Gour-Gopalananda Das" and carrying only a Bhagavad-gita and a begging bowl, he wandered around India, visiting many sacred places along the banks of the Ganges River. He was looking for his spiritual master, that person who could help him develop an understanding of the maha-mantra. Although he had met many sadhus and gurus during his householder days—Orissa has many prominent sects of Gaudiya Vaishnavas—he had not found any whose teachings sufficiently touched his heart. Still not finding his spiritual master after wandering in this way for one year, he eventually reached Vrindavan, thinking that his desire would certainly be fulfilled in Krishna’s dear abode.

 

Two weeks after arriving in Vrindavan he saw a huge signboard which read, "International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada," and he met a group of Western devotees who gave him a copy of Back to Godhead magazine. When he read the contents describing the glory of divine love for Krishna, his heart became anxious to meet the founder of the movement, Srila Prabhupada. Gaining entrance to Srila Prabhupada’s room, he introduced himself and the first question Srila Prabhupada asked was, "Have you taken sannyasa?" Gour-Gopalananda replied that he had not. "Then I will give you sannyasa!" exclaimed Srila Prabhupada. Understanding that Srila Prabhupada knew his heart, he surrendered himself at his lotus feet and soon became Prabhupada’s initiated disciple.

 

In 1975, at the opening of ISKCON’s Sri Sri Krishna-Balaram mandira in Vrindavan, Srila Prabhupada awarded him the sannyasa order, sending him to preach in Orissa and to construct a temple on the newly donated property in Bhubaneswar.

 

The donated land was a jungle full of mosquitoes, snakes and scorpions. It was so far from the city center that even during the daytime people were afraid to visit. Meditating on the desire of Srila Prabhupada, Gour Govinda Swami worked with unwavering determination. Sometimes residing in the storeroom of a tea dealer and even sometimes sharing a small hut with road construction workers, he began translating Srila Prabhupada’s books into Oriya as he had been instructed. He would visit house after house, office after office, in and around Bhubaneswar to collect some small donations, and he constructed with his own hands a thatched hut on the donated property.

 

In early 1977 Srila Prabhupada came to Bhubaneswar. Although the arrangement had been made for him to stay comfortably in the State Guesthouse, Srila Prabhupada at once rejected this proposal, "I will only stay where my disciple child Gour Govinda has built a mud hut for me." Srila Prabhupada stayed in Bhubaneswar for seventeen days, during which time he started translation work on the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. On the auspicious occasion of Lord Nityananda's appearance day he laid the foundation stone of the temple-to-be, his last-founded project.

 

During a visit to Mayapur in 1979, Gour Govinda Swami was attending kirtana one day when he fell to the ground unconscious. He was carried back to his room followed by several ISKCON leaders and other concerned devotees. Doctors came to examine him but were unable to diagnose the cause of his condition. One person even suggested that he may have been possessed by a ghost. Finally, Akinchana Krishnadas Babaji Maharaja, a godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, explained that Gour Govinda Swami was manifesting the symptoms of bhava, the advanced stage of ecstatic love of God.

 

When he returned to Bhubaneswar he became even more absorbed in the mission of his spiritual master. Some western devotees had been sent there to assist him, but most of them could not tolerate the austere conditions. They were amazed to see how he was never disturbed, how he would eat only once a day, and how he would never sleep. He would simply preach, chant, and write in his notebooks both day and night.

 

Following Srila Prabhupada’s order, Gour Govinda Maharaja preached vigorously all over the land of Orissa. The simple .-yatra festivals and nama-hatta programs that he started have helped hundreds and thousands of people in the ancient land of Lord Chaitanya’s pastimes discover their spiritual roots and take up the chanting of the maha-mantra:

 

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

 

Srila Prabhupada gave Gour Govinda Swami three principal instructions: to translate his books from English into Oriya, to build the temple in Bhubaneswar, and to preach all over the world. Carrying out these instructions was Gour Govinda Swami’s life and soul. He had a strict policy of not eating until he had completed his quota of translation for the day. Devotees would be struck to see how even after undergoing long international flights Gour Govinda Swami would always insist upon first doing the translation work given him by his spiritual master before he would eat or sleep. This was a practice he maintained up to his very last day.

 

In 1985 Srila Gour Govinda Swami first traveled overseas for preaching. He had so much enthusiasm for speaking krishna-katha that he continued this every year for the following eleven years, despite a crippling leg injury and great personal inconvenience.

 

Although he was always very meek and humble in his personal dealings, in his classes on Srimad Bhagavatam he would roar like a lion, smashing the pride and cutting the misconceptions from the hearts of his listeners. Krsna-katha was his life and soul. He would often say, "The day that goes by without krsna-katha, that is a very bad day." In the course of his lecturing he would inevitably burst into song, nourishing everyone with the devotional sentiments of joy, humility and surrender as expressed in the prayers of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur and other acaryas.

 

Gour Govinda Swami’s knowledge of scripture was formidable. He would substantiate everything he said with evidence from all over the Vedic literature. Sometimes he would question a disciple and if the disciple could not answer with reference to the scriptures he would immediately exclaim, "He is a cheater! Don’t be a crooked person. A vaisnava quotes authority."

 

In this way Gour Govinda Swami always preached fearlessly, never compromising the conclusions of the scripture in the name of being practical. "One who cannot see Krishna," he would say, "is a blind man. He may speak about Krishna, but in his mind he is speculating. Therefore his words will never be effective. A real sadhu never speaks theoretically."

 

Gour Govinda Maharaja always kept a diary, making daily entries without fail. Each entry would conclude in the same way: "Whatever service this servant has performed today, Gopal knows." Every day he would pray to Gopal in his diary, "Please give me the association of like-minded devotees."

 

In 1991, on Rama Navami, the auspicious appearance day of Lord Ramachandra, after sixteen years of determined endeavor, Gour Govinda Maharaja fulfilled the instruction of his beloved spiritual master Srila Prabhupada by opening the magnificent Sri Sri Krishna-Balaram temple in Bhubaneswar. Since that time the Sri Sri Krishna-Balaram mandira has grown into a flourishing project that every year attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.

 

He never gave up his simple lifestyle. Until his last days he continued to live in the small mud hut next to the one he had built for Srila Prabhupada in 1977. Several times he was requested by devotees to expand his managerial responsibilities, but he always refused, saying, "I am not a manager, I am a preacher." However, when the land in Gadeigiri, where he spent his childhood and where his beloved Gopal resided in a simple structure, was donated to ISKCON, he did take up the responsibility of one more project, that of building Gopal a magnificent temple.

 

Gour Govinda Swami said, "I have opened a ‘crying school’ here in Bhubaneswar. Unless we cry for Krishna, we cannot get His mercy." This was the message he preached so vigorously all over the world during the last ten years of his manifest pastimes.

 

In late January, 1996, he mentioned, "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said that this material world is not a fit place for any gentleman. Therefore, because he was disgusted, he left this world prematurely. I may also leave. I don’t know. Let me ask Gopal. I will do whatever He wants." The next day Gour Govinda Swami went to Gadeigiri to see his Gopal. After returning, for the next four days he preached more powerfully than ever to thousands of people who flocked to the Prabhupada Centennial festival in Bhubaneswar. Then he left for the annual ISKCON management meetings in Sridham Mayapur.

 

On 9 February 1996, the holy appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, two senior ISKCON devotees requested an appointment in the early evening to see Gour Govinda Maharaja. They had never spoken personally with him before but had become very eager to hear from him after reading some of his books. They inquired, "Why did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stay in Jagannath Puri?" Delighted by their question, he began to explain the confidential significance of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in Puri. He lovingly described the pain of separation felt by Radha and Krishna when Krishna was away from Vrindavan. This moving pastime appears in chapter eight of The Embankment of Separation. Enchanting all the devotees in his room with the nectarean topics of Krishna, he gradually unfolded the pastime to the point where Radha and Krishna were finally united after Their long separation. He described how Krishna became so ecstatic upon seeing Radharani that He manifested a form with big round eyes and shrunken limbs, Lord Jagannath. At that time the devotees noticed that tears had come to his eyes and his voice had become choked up. Barely audibly, he said, "Then the eyes of Krishna fell upon the eyes of Radharani. Eye-to-eye union." Unable to continue, he apologized with folded hands, "Please excuse me. I cannot speak." He then gave his final instruction: "Kirtana! Kirtana!" The devotees present began to chant as their spiritual master calmly lay back on his bed, breathing slowly and deeply. A servant placed a picture of Gopal Jiu in his hand. Then, gazing lovingly at that picture of his worshipable Deity, Gour Govinda Swami called out, "Gopal!" and departed for the spiritual sky to be united with his beloved Lord.

 

Every day before Srimad Bhagavatam class, Gour Govinda Swami would sing an Orissan song he had learned as a boy. Now his prayer was fulfilled:

 

paramananda he madhava

padungaluci makaranda

 

se-makaranda pana-kari

anande bolo ‘hari hari’

 

harinka name vanda vela

pari karibe caka-dola

 

se-caka-dolanka-payare

mana-mo rahu nirantare

 

mana mo nirantare rahu

’ha-krsna’ boli jiva jau

 

ha-krsna boli jau jiva

mote udhara radha-dhava

 

mote udhara radha-dhava

mote udhara radha-dhava

 

"O supremely blissful Madhava! The nectar is coming from Your lotus feet. Drinking that nectar, I blissfully sing ‘Hari! Hari!’ Taking the name of Hari, I am binding a raft on which Lord Jagannath will ferry me across this ocean of material existence. May my mind always remain at the lotus feet of that Lord Jagannath who has very large round eyes. In this way, I call out, ‘Alas! Krishna!’ and give up my life. O husband of Radharani, please deliver me."

 

Sri Krishna-kathamrta Bindu

Published Editorials

 

Comments (with issue No. 18)

 

"Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu" is indeed relishable and fortifying.

-- Saranagati-devi Dasi, Vrindavan

 

I'm feeling very inspired by all the issues of KK Bindu. Sometimes I think it's not a bindu, but a sindhu, an ocean of nectar. In the absolute world one plus one equals one. By the mercy of the vaisnavas and the Lord, the drop

becomes an ocean and everyone becomes benefited. Please continue with your wonderful service to the vaisnava community. Thank you very much.

-- Yadunandana Das, Madrid Spain

 

I was pleasantly surprised to get a copy of the first seventeen issues of Bindu in a hardbound printed format from your book table outside Krishna Balaram Mandir. I read the whole book at a stretch. I wanted to read on, but always a book has an end. Now I want more, whenever available. This sort of katha keeps the eyes and the heart open so one does not lose sight and does not become hard-hearted. This is needed all the more when we happen to be preachers in an institution. In such a situation there is always the chance of becoming clouded in our understanding and practice of Krishna consciousness. It is clear that there is no way to spiritually advance except by becoming sincere & sober under the guidance of guru-sadhu-sastra. Thanking you again.

-- Sukadeva Swami

 

Sri Guru vaishnava kripa prarthi, Madhavananda Das, editor

 

 

Comments (with issue No. 16)

 

KK Bindu number 15 was really wonderful. The questions and answers with Gour Govinda Swami gave me great spiritual nourishment and increased my hope of attaining the shelter of the lotus feet of a spiritual master in this lifetime.

-- Bhakta Artur, Olszytn Poland

 

I read one issue and I am thrilled about receiving more.

Thank you for this great service .May Lord Krishna bless you abundantly.

-- Rathna

 

I am waiting like a chatak bird waits for the first drop of rain, on every Ekadasi day to read nectar from you. I do not have any words to express my appreciation of the work which you are doing . I pray to Guru and Gouranga that you continue this service at least for our life time. If there is anyway I can help you, please let me know.

-- Advaitasinh Das, New York

 

I am very fond of your thoughtful approach.

-- Krishna Kirtan Dasi, France

 

Comments (with issue No. 15)

 

Your service to Srila Prabhupada, and Lord Krishna in advancing harinam worldwide is the greatest gift for all souls.

All are indebted to you! I offer full dandavats to you prabhu. May Lord Krishna continue to empower you. Your

website is wonderful! All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

-- Dharmaksetra Das, New Vrindavan

 

 

I thank you deeply for the Bindu. I read each issue and find myself discussing the points with devotees and in classes. I read ... go to the folio to see the references ... read the verses and purports there and find myself enriched in KC.

I pray that you will always be blessed by your merciful gurudeva and his beloved master Srila Prabhupada that you will carry on this service for many years.

-- BB Govinda Swami

 

Thank you very much for sending this wonderful magazine. I understand that it is not easy to keep up with its

publication but you are doing it very nicely.

My obeisances to you and all the Vaisnavas assisting you in this transcendental service to Guru and Gauranga.

– Krishna Baladeva Das

 

I would just like to thank you for your wonderful service of making the writings of H.H Gour-Govinda Maharaja available to the Vaisnava community of the world. Krsna-Kathamrta is my favourite publication aside from BTG.

-- Bh. Michael (ISKCON Cape Town)

 

I have read some issues of Sri Krsna Kathamrita & found them to be very enlightening & enlivening. Please

continue with this service for the welfare of the devotees - it is indeed a valuable contribution to ISKCON's effort to make the devotees & the world Krishna Conscious.

-- Devamrita Das, Pune, India

 

Thank you so much for this transcendental delicacy in the form of Krsna

Kathamrta Bindu, it certainly offers an oasis of sweet nectarean spiritual

juice not only amid the parched desert of materialism but also it acts as a

booster for my own impoverished consciousness.

-- Madhavendra Puri Das, Mayapur

 

Comments (with issue No. 14)

 

 

All glories to the vaisnava devotees of the Lord. Dandavats and thanks to you for your website, just now discovered and giving a very nice first impression. It looks like a real PFZee (political free zone). What a refreshing idea! Please include me on your rs list for Bindu.

-- Sakshi Gopala dasa

 

Your magazine is the best on the earth.

-- Jayatam Jaya Sila das

 

Thank you very much for the minimags. They are just the type that are needed

for all devotees. Usually I do not open attached files for fear of viruses,

but for the KK Bindu, I cannot resist and so take the risk. And it has

always been worth the risk.

-- Your old servant, Simhesvara dasa, ISKCON Regional Secretary Malaysia

 

[Editor's Note: We are now regularly upgrading our anti-virus software so

that we can have

the best possible virus protection available.]

 

Sri Guru vaishnava kripa prarthi, Madhavananda Das

 

 

OUR BASIC PROCESS

(with issue No. 13)

 

The following are a few other kind comments we have received regarding Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu:

 

I got the last Bindu today. Great mercy. Thank you millions. An invaluable service for the spiritual upliftment of so many devotees. I really appreciate your humble and sincere mood and hope to follow in the same path. Thanks a million.

-- Manjari DD - Mayapur

 

Thank you for the your attitude and for the Bindus. It is refreshing to get krishna-katha for email.

-- Kavicandra Swami

 

All glories to your wonderful efforts! I relish your magazines very much.

-- Shyamananda Das - ISKCON Chowpatti, Mumbai

 

The fact that so many persons have expressed appreciation for krishna-katha is actually no surprise. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came to the West with a very simple formula. He just . under a tree in the Lower East Side of New York and chanted Hare Krishna with a pair of kartals. Although it did not appear very impressive, that simple chanting was heard all over the world. It touched the hearts and changed the lives of countless millions of people and is continuing to do so more and more. Regarding the success of the Hare Krishna movement Srila Prabhupada said:

 

"Our only business is to make people happy. We have no other desire. We don't say that 'You give us some money in exchange of your Krishna consciousness.' No. That is not our business. We are not merchants. We are spreading this Krishna consciousness free of charge. We are engaged as servants of Krishna. Krishna will provide for us."

-- Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Delhi, 12 November 1973

 

"Read these literatures and chant Hare Krishna, follow the rules and regulations and live happily. Our program is a very happy program. We chant, we dance, we eat Krishna prasadam, we paint nice pictures of Krishna and see them [the deities] nicely decorated, and we read philosophy. So what you want more?"

-- Lecture in Seattle, 30 September 1968

 

"Our Krishna consciousness movement is no religious movement or any sectarian movement. This movement is to see everyone, every human being, not only human being, even the animals, everyone, be happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. And the process is very simple. Very simple. Chant Hare Krishna. That you have already seen. This chanting is not at all difficult. Anyone, even a child was sitting here, he was just trying to clap and understand. It is immediately appealing, because this vibration is from the platform of the soul."

-- Lecture in Buffalo, 19 April 1969

 

We are just trying to follow in this mood of Srila Prabhupada and our revered predecessor acaryas. Any success that has come to this project is only due to their blessings and those of yourselves, our gentle vaishnava readers.

 

Sri Guru vaishnava kripa prarthi, Madhavananda Das

 

 

CALAMATIES AND KRISHNA KATHA

(with issue No. 12)

 

We received the following comment in a letter yesterday:

 

"I just checked out the news in New York, and then read a soothing bindu;

reading bindu makes everything feel safe. Absolute truth is very

comforting!"

-- Samba Das, New Vrajamandala Farm, Spain

 

The recent tragic events in New York and Washington have shocked the world.

Reactions in America vary from pain and shocked disbelief, to anger and

demands for revenge, to thousands of people wanting to extend help to the

suffering victims.

 

In regards to helping others, Krishna has instructed His dear cowherd

boyfriends (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.22.35):

 

etavaj janma-saphalyam dehinam iha dehisu

pranair arthair dhiya vaca sreya-acaranam sada

 

"It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for

the

benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words."

 

Of all the welfare activities that one can perform, the greatest is to speak

to others about the glorious pastimes, name, fame, form, and philosophy of

Sri Krishna the beloved son of Nanda Maharaja. Such speakers are described

by the gopis as, bhuri-dah janah - "The most munificent welfare workers in

the world." (Bhag. 10.31.9) Their statement is not a dogmatic belief. The

results of hearing the message and topics of Krishna is that all illusion,

lamentation and fear are dispelled - soka-moha-bhayapaha (Bhag. 1.7.7).

 

The Drona Parva of the Mahabharata describes the brutal killing of Abhimanyu

the son of Arjuna and Subhadra. Abhimanyu was only sixteen years old, and

newly married. Yet trapped alone inside the ranks of the Kaurava army, he

was ruthlessly murdered by six of the most powerful warriors on the planet.

When this tragic news was conveyed to Maharaja Yudhisthir and the Pandavas

they were overwhelmed by sorrow and lamentation. Understanding their

condition, their grandfather Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa came to see them. At

that time Yudhisthir requested Vyasa to speak some krishna-katha to soothe

his troubled heart. Vyasadev then related to him the story of the origin of

death personified and the lives of sixteen famous kings. Those stories

included accounts of: King Bhagirathi, Maharaja Mandhata, Ambarish Maharaja,

Prithu Maharaja, Bharata Maharaja, and Maharaja Yayati. Srila Vyasadev told

Yudhisthira that even though all of these kings were extremely powerful and

opulent persons still they had to eventually leave their bodies. Hearing the

words of Vyasadev, Yudhisthir Maharaja was solaced and gave up his

lamentation.

 

We should not underestimate the potency of krishna-katha to free one from

the miseries of this world. As Samba Prabhu stated, "Absolute truth is very

comforting." These transcendental topics are the gifts of Srila Prabhupada

and our previous acaryas, whose only request to us is that we also

distribute them to others.

 

Param vijayate sri krishna sankirtanam!

 

Sri Guru vaishnava das anudas, Madhavananda Das

 

Comments (with issue No. 11)

 

Prabhu we have been getting the email magazine, "Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu" and it is really wonderful. We look forward to receiving this every Ekadasi. Please do not stop this wonderful service. Thank you so much for this.

-- Raghunath Bhatta Das, England

 

Thank you for K.K. Bindu. It is a source of inspiration for everyone. Please let me know how I can serve and assist you in the future. Praying that you are in the best of health.

Hare Krsna.

-- Candramauli Swami

 

Thank you for sending the second issue of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. I look forward to receiving them before every Ekadasi. Sri Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj is very dear to our hearts. Anything connected with the great devotee of the Lord is always valuable to us.

-- Bhaktin Sarla

 

You are doing such a wonderful service to illumine the vaisnava world with Krishna Katha. I pray that Srila Gour Govinda Swami and Prabhupada continue to inspire you and give you power that you will always flood our ears with this spiritual nectar.

With affectionate regards,

-- BB Govinda Swami

 

Thank you for your reply and for keeping the nectar flowing.

-- Badrinarayan dasa San Diego

 

Thank you, and keep the nectar flowing this way.

-- Bhakta Svarupa Das

 

Comments (with issue No. 10)

 

I have received two issues of your very nice magazine, Krishna-kathamrta-bindu, and I like them very much

-- Atul Krishna Das

 

I have so far managed to get a copy of Sri Krsna Kathamrta and the anniversary issue of Srila Goura Govinda Swami Maharaj. Some of the articles I re-read a few times. They were superb.

-- Chandra Nambiar - Toronto

 

I'm very pleased to be a recipient of this new email service you're providing. Thank you for thinking of me and keep up the good work.

-- Kesava Bharati Das -Govardhan, Vrindavan

 

I am glad to see that your project is meeting with such enthusiasm.

-- Jagadananda Das (Jan Brzezinski)

 

Thank you for the issue of Sri Krsna Kathamrta Bindu. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it . As ever the contents are always nectarian and sweet. You have done hard research work and supplied us with the nectar. I look forward to

the next issue in two weeks time.

-- Navadwip Chandra Das - England

 

THE MEANING OF SRI KRISHNA KATHAMRITA BINDU

(with issue No. 9)

 

We recently received the following letter:

 

Thank you very much for this wonderful, wonderful, wonderful nectar. The title of this newsletter, "Krishna Kathamrita Bindu", is most ecstatic. How, who, where and when was this title coined? All glories!!!

 

-- Bhadra Govinda Prabhu, Singapore

 

Our reply:

 

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Prabhuji.

 

In 1994 Srila Gour Govinda Swami gave the title Sri Krishna Kathamrita for the magazine he wanted us to produce from here in Bhubaneswar. In 1977, when Srila Prabhupada visited Bhubaneswar, he gave many personal instructions to Gour Govinda Maharaja, one of which was that he wanted him to preach to and help the devotees. This was an instruction that Gour Govinda Maharaja took to heart. He wanted to preach to the preachers, to inspire them to continue strongly pushing on Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. He often expressed how concerned he was to see devotees falling away from the practices of Krishna consciousness. He wanted to show how everything was in Srila Prabhupada's books. He wanted to encourage devotees to become more serious and to go deeper into the practices and philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He was very concerned to, in his words, "uphold the prestige of Srila Prabhupada's movement". He said that the best way to do this was, "by propagating pure krsna-katha and by having nice dealings amongst the devotees".

 

Sri Krishna Kathamrita Magazine and it's mini email version, Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, are our humble attempt to serve Srila Prabhupada, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja, and all of the vaishnavas in the above ways.

 

From the teachings of Srila Gour Govinda Swami we find the following meanings for "Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu":

 

1. The word "sri" means "sobha" (beauty), "sampada" (transcendental wealth or asset), and "srestha" (the topmost). "Krishna" comes from the word "karsate" (all-attractive). So one meaning of "Sri Krishna-katha" is "those beautiful, topmost transcendentally valuable words, which are all-attractive because they pertain to topics of the beloved son of the king of Vraja".

 

2. "Sri" also means "sarva-laksmi-mayi-amsini-radhika" (Srimati Radhika, the source of all saktis). So, in that sense, "Sri Krishna-katha" refers to the topics of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

 

3. Since Radha and Krishna have come in a combined form in Kali-yuga as the son of Mother Saci, "Sri Krishna-katha" refers to the topics of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

4. And, since the Lord is never separated from His devotees, "Sri Krishna-kathamrita" also refers to topics of the lives and teachings of Krishna’s dear devotees.

 

However, such topics are not just Sri Krishna-katha, they are Sri Krishna-katha-amrita. "Amrita" means "nectar", or "something very tasty". Another meaning comes from the word, "mrityu", death. Adding the prefix "a-" in front of "mrityu" it becomes "amrita", or "that nectar which frees one from birth, old age, disease and death".

 

The word "amrita" may also be used to refer to the nectar obtained from the churning of the ocean of milk, which was given to the devas by Mohini Murti. That amrita can fantastically extend one's life span. However, the Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana describes that when Sukadev Goswami was about to recite Srimad Bhagavatam the devas heard about the recitation. Eager to benefit from the transcendental Krishna-katha coming from the lips of Sukadev Goswami, the devas came to that place and offered to trade some of their amrita in exchange for the krishna-kathamrita coming from Sukadev Goswami. Sukadev Goswami refused, saying that it was not at all a fair exchange. While the amrita of the gods can enable one to live for thousands of years, the nature of Krishna-kathamrita is that it will free one eternally from the bondage of birth and death and give one the highest nectarean taste, ecstatic love of Krishna.

 

Finally, "bindu" means drop. This magazine is called "Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu" because it is just a drop of the nectarean ocean of ecstatic topics of Sri Krishna. Although we are the editors of this journal, we are very unfortunate that we are only standing on the edge of that ocean and are unable to enter into it. So we are praying for the blessings of those devotees who are happily sporting about in the waves of that ocean that they may one day grant us entry.

 

I hope that all is well for your bhajan and seva. Thank you again for your kind words.

 

Sri Guru vaishnava kripa prarthi, Madhavananda Das

 

MORE COMMENTS (with issue No. 8)

 

I have downloaded your two "Bindu" mags. They are ecstatic, I posted them on the board in Mayapur. There is very good hope for ISKCON as long as there are vaisnavas of your caliber always delving into Krishna and vaisnava-katha. Please go on and share the nectar!

-- Madhavendra Puri Dasa

 

Thanks for all this nectar.

-- Indradyumna Swami

 

Thank you very much for adding me to the subscription list of KK Bindu. I am more than encouraged to let other devotees take advantage of this rare nectar by posting the hard copy in our local Birmingham ISKCON temple and making some new rs. Thank you for your most amazing service to the vaisnava community and all the previous acaryas. I anxiously wait for the nectar flowing out from Gopal Jiu Publications.

-- Raghupati Das

 

I am very pleased to receive your issues of Sri Krsna Kathamrta. Thank you very much for always churning the nectar.

-- Rasananda Swami

 

I happily received the Krsna Kathamrta bindhus. Thank you very much. I have already gone through the issues – very eagerly -- and found many valuable jewels and some encouragement in my spiritual life, which is very much needed. I wish there were more sincere devotees like you around, and that it would be possible for me to cooperate full time with such devotees in the vision Srila Prabhupada had of an International Society open to everyone and offering practical service opportunities in all fields. Since you are a very intelligent devotee, you will understand I am not restricting this vision to ISKCON.

-- Parama Karuna/Jahnava d. – Jagannath Puri

 

Thank you for making me a receiver of Krishna Kathamrta Bindu. It is nice. Please continue sending it to me.

-- Bhakti Caitanya Swami

 

Thank you so much for the Bindu magazines. They're great and a real treat after not eating grains for a whole day to come to the office and print out something I can really chew on!

-- Bhakta Joshua – Adelaide

 

APPRECIATIONS (with Issue No. 7)

 

We would like to thank all of the vaishnavas who have offered their blessings and kind words of encouragement to Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. Below are some of the comments we have received.

 

Your servant, Madhavananda Das

 

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COMMENTS

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Thank you very much for your devotional kindness towards the Vaisnava community worldwide. I will try my best to circulate the magazine around.

-- Krishna Baladeva Das

 

Thank you for sending this nectar. I am very grateful to you. You have an ambitious plan of sending an issue every Ekadasi. I wish you all the best. I pray that you will be able to keep up this service in the years to come. Please let me know if I can help

you in anyway. I am anxious that this service should not be stopped due to lack of support or encouragement. I love reading

Krsna Kathamrta and I use that a lot in my preaching. It is a wonderful work of pure devotion. Please keep up the good work! I lived in Orissa for nearly 15 years and I had the good fortune of meeting HH Srila Gaura Govinda Swami, one of the most exalted devotees of Lord Gaura Hari. I pray to his lotus feet to give me his blessings as I am struggling on the path of Krishna Consciousness.

-- Vijay Gopikesh Das, a fallen disciple of HH Jayapataka Swami

 

Wow, great news! Great magazine! It is what we wish for, to continue going.

-- Braja Mohan Das

 

I just received the second issue of KK Bindu and it is really, really nice nectar and sweet Hari Katha. I enjoy reading it so

much and just wish there was more than 4 pages of nectar. Hari Katha is really unlimited, and there is so much sweetness to

savor. I just received also from a friend, your Krishna Kathamrita issue, " Beyond Awe and Reverence." Wow, that is

really a masterpiece. I really enjoyed diving deep into all the stories and nectar contained within. All this fallen servant can

say is that you are doing a wonderful job, and keep up the good work so that sinful people like myself can be also benedicted

with the mercy of Hari Katha. Thank you so much for bringing such sweet nectar in my life, if you have some service for me, then I humbly submit myself and whatever knowledge I have to you to be used as you need.

-- Sudevi Dasi, Australia

 

Thank you very much for the magazine. I'm enjoying its contents.

-- Dhanvantari Swami

 

Now I have gotten the software to read it and have read it, and issue 2 also. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna!

-- Bhakti Vikash Swami

 

Thank you so much - please know that I am on your list for eternal times!

-- Sacinandan Swami

 

I would like to to your publication. I looked at some back issues and enjoyed the contents very much. I have stopped looking at the ISKCON web sites except for our local site, because they are all obsessed with politics and nonsense. Your publication is very nice. We just need to chant together in a humble and loving frame of mind in order to solve all the

problems. Thank you, prabhus.

-- Praharana Dasi, Toronto

 

My sincere congratulations and gratitude for putting together a fine Gaudiya Vaisnava online publication that we can all feel

proud of. My dandavats to all the participants.

-- Vicaru Das, Editor, "Sanga"

 

 

THE COMPLEXIONS OF RADHA-KRISHNA

AND CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU (with Issue No. 6)

 

We received the following question regarding the fifth issue of Krishna Kathamrita Bindu:

 

"I have been enjoying the nectar of Krishna-kathamrta Bindu on a regular basis. In your recent issue you published an article by Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja entitled, "Plow and Flute". Therein some disciples ask His Holiness to explain the reason behind the hue of Krishna, Radharani, and Mahaprabhu, and ask him to explain the reason behind the hue of Lord Balarama.

 

Could you please let me know the reason behind the bodily hue of Krishna and Radharani." -- Vidurpriya Das, Dallas, Texas.

 

Below is an excerpt from the book, "The Embankment of Separation" where Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja briefly explains the reason behind the complexions of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

 

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"Now we should understand what is the color of srngara-rasa, the conjugal mellow. This is a very deep and confidential philosophy. Some may raise the question, "All right, Krishna wants to taste the mellow of Radharani’s love? If He had only accepted the mood of Radharani, His three desires would have been fulfilled. What is the need of accepting the complexion of Radharani?" This is a very important question, but very few understand it. Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has said tad-bhavadhyah. If Krishna had only accepted the mood of Radharani, then He would have fulfilled His three desires. So what is the need of accepting the complexion of Radharani?

 

The answer is that every vastu, or substance, has its natural complexion. That complexion is not different from the svarupa, or nature, of the vastu. For example, whatever mood arises in the heart will externally manifest in the complexion. If you become angry your eyes will turn red. It is automatic. So the complexion is not different from the svarupa. Krishna is srngara-rasaraja, He is the king of the conjugal mellow. The complexion of srngara-rasa is syama, blackish like a fresh rain cloud. Therefore when He is srngara-rasaraja His natural color is syama — Syamasundara. It is natural.

 

"Krishna has developed three desires, and if we examine them we will find that without accepting the mood and complexion of Radharani these three desires cannot be fulfilled. When we speak about prema it has a gradual development. The first rise of prema is called rati. When rati becomes more and more condensed, it develops into sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, and bhava. Then comes mahabhava which further develops into rudha-mahabhava, adhirudha-mahabhava, modanakhya-mahabhava, and then madanakhya-mahabhava — the topmost. This is the gradual development of prema. When prema has developed to the stage of anuraga, its complexion is the color of the rising sun, aruna-varna. When anuraga becomes more condensed it becomes bhava and then mahabhava. The color of mahabhava is golden, gaura-varna.

 

So Vrsabhanu-nandini, the daughter of Vrsabhanu-raja, is madanakhya-mahabhava-mayi. The color of that madanakhya-mahabhava is molten gold. Therefore Radharani is tapta-kancana gaurangi, the color of molten gold. Similarly, because Krishna accepted the mood of Radharani, His complexion changed. It is automatic, natural. So tapta-kancana-gaurangi — tapta-kancana-gauranga. Because He had accepted the mood of Radharani, automatically His complexion changed.

 

The acarya’s give the example of a green mango and a ripe mango. When a mango is unripe its color is green. As it ripens the color changes. When it is completely ripened it becomes yellow. So Syamasundara became Gaurasundara. When Krishna is Syamasundara the mellow is unripe, but when the mellow completely ripens, the complexion changes and becomes Gaurasundara. Why did Syamasundara become Gaurasundara? Because in Syamasundara the mellow is unripe. But in Gaurasundara the mellow is completely ripened. This is unnatojjvala srngara-rasa, the most elevated mellow of conjugal love. In the unripe state it is Syama; the ripened state is Gaura.

 

Therefore we say, "Syamasundara may be there, but if there is no Gaurasundara we won’t go there, because the mellow is unripe." In all gaudiya-vaisnava temples Radha-Syamasundara is there, but Gaura must also be there. Otherwise we will not go there, because the mellow is unripe. We want the ripened mellow, which is nectarean sweet; that is Gaura. So in all gaudiya-vaisnava temples with Radha-Syamasundara, Gaura must be there. That is gaudiya-vaisnava siddhanta."

 

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Excerpted from chapter four, "The Combined Form of Radha and Krishna", pocket edition pages 46-47.

 

Vaishnava das anudas abhas, Madhavananda Das

 

 

THE PROCESS OF ASSOCIATION (with Issue No. 5)

 

We received this recent comment on Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu:

 

"Thanks for the latest KK Bindu. As usual, it was nectarean and a pleasant ekadasi surprise for my wicked mind. I especially appreciate the non-partisan spirit of the publication. I can hardly read anything on the internet these days that isn't trying to promote, argue pro or con, or solicit. There is a place for that I admit, I have my opinions too, but it's easy to forget our real business in life. At least I am reminded, by your kindness, on a bi-monthly basis. Thank you." -- Sarva-drk Das, Denver, Colorado.

 

Sarva-drk Prabhu’s kind comment reminds us of the following statement of Srimad Bhagavatam, which describes the basis of Vaishnava association:

 

parasparanukathanam pavanam bhagavad-yasah

 

"One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. "

 

Srila Sridhara Swami has commented on this verse, "Those who are advanced in Krishna consciousness should not envy one another or quarrel among themselves. Giving up all such mundane feelings, they should gather together and chant the glories of the Supreme Lord for mutual purification." (BBT Translation and purport to Bhag. 11.3.30)

 

Vaishnava das anudas abhas, Madhavananda Das

 

INSTITUTIONS AND HARI KATHA (with Issue No. 4)

 

Many devotees have expressed appreciation for the non-political nature of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. The sincere seekers of the truth who have taken shelter of the movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not come merely to join an institution or sectarian party. Similarly, it was not the purpose of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada or His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to create institutions simply for the purpose of collecting mundane followers and money. They wanted to give us Krishna.

 

Our revered spiritual master, Srila Gour Govinda Swami, used to commonly remark, "You were very nice when you came here. You came to get Krishna. But now, after some years, you have forgotten your purpose in coming, and you have simply become absorbed in politics and making an external show of bhakti."

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur described in his Upadesavali, "We have not come to this world to be construction workers; we are the bearers of the message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."

 

Saragrahi (essence-seeking) vaishnavas faithfully serve the institutions of their respective gurus, not because they are lovers of form and bureaucracy. Rather, seeing those institutions as their gurudeva’s seva and sanga, out of devotion they want to humbly assist in the true spirit of their guru’s mission.

 

The editors of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu would like to encourage all devotees, regardless of their particular affiliation, to be faithful to the service and mission of their respective gurus. Although there may be many varieties of institutions and missions amongst today’s vaishnavas, we all have one thing in common: tava kathamrtam tapta jivanam, the nectar of the holy name and the pastimes of the son of the king of Vraja.

 

We beg for the blessings of our readers that we may not be swayed by any material motives and can try to humbly continue to serve the vaishnavas in this capacity.

 

Vaishnava das anudas abhas, Madhavananda Das

 

INITIAL RESPONSES (with Issue No. 3)

 

We want to thank all of the exalted vaishnavas who have offered their blessings and encouragement to Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. Within the first 48 hours of launching Bindu we received over 200 requests for subscriptions. At this time we are up to over 560 rs. We take it as a very good sign that although this world is full of quarrels and problems still so many thoughtful persons are eager to relish the topics of Sri Krishna and His dear devotees.

 

ISKCON’S Srimad Sacinandana Swami offered the following comment regarding the second issue:

 

"With great happiness I received your wonderful e-mail and devoured it immediately. The Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is simply ecstatic. Short, concise, thick with nectar and fully authorized and in line with our glorious sampradaya as revealed by Srila Prabhupada - it is just what a preacher needs who wishes to inspire people. Please keep the good stream of nectar flowing!" 24 April 2001

 

INTRODUCTION (with Issue No. 1)

 

ISKCON Gopaljiu Publications is pleased to announce the launching of Sri Krishna Kathamrta Bindu, a free bi-weekly email mini-magazine, published every ekadasi, dedicated exclusively to Krishna Katha. Like the bigger Sri Krishna-kathamrta magazine, it is designed for those who want to go deep into the pastimes, philosophy, literature and history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Bindu will feature regular articles from previous acaryas such as Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode, Viswanath Chakravarti, Rupa Goswami, etc., as well as new translations, research findings and contemporary articles.

 

Bindu is a free service to the Vaishnavas that will come out every two weeks conveniently delivered to your email address. The premier issue has already been released and the first regular issue will appear on Varuthini Ekadasi, 19 April.

 

If you are interested in subscribing to this free service just send a blank email to minimag@gopaljiu.org and type "" in the subject line and you will automatically receive a free subscription. You can at any time simply by sending a message to the same address and typing "" in the subject line.

 

In upcoming issues you can look forward to reading excerpts from the lives of great acaryas such as Rasikananda Prabhu, Birchandra Prabhu, and Gangamata Goswamini, new translations of stories from different Puranas as well as little known but highly respected Gaudiya Vaishnava literatures such as, "Mahabhava Prakash", written in the 1500’s by Kahnai Kuntia, an Orissan associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; "Sri Abhiram Lilamrta", written in the mid-1500s by Srila Tilak Ram Das, a disciple of Srila Abhiram Thakur; "Sri Prema Vilas", written in the early 1600’s by Srila Nityananda Das, a disciple of Jahnava Devi; "Sri Karnananda", written in 1607 by Srila Yadunandan Das Thakur; and "Sri Bhakti Ratnakara", written in the late 1700’s by Srila Narahari Chakravarti etc, etc…

 

Sri Krishna-kathamrta Bindu is being produced in pursuance of the instructions of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami, whose articles will also be a common feature.

 

We will consider our endeavor a success if it brings a little pleasure to the Vaishnavas.

 

Vaishnava kripa prarthi, Madhavananda Das

 

" This chanting should go on. Instead of meetings, resolutions, dissolutions, revolutions and then no solutions, there should be chanting."

– His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, from Lilamrta Vol.6 p.182

http://www.gopaljiu.org/Publications/Books%20Individual/MMV_pics.htm