Guest guest Report post Posted July 2, 2003 Oh, please don't stop posting now! I only recently found this, and if its all right with Pita prabhu, I would like to include some of it in my newsletter. But mostly, I just want to read it! Brings back the old mood of ISKCON! Thank you so much for this! YS, Prtha dd Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted September 19, 2003 The temple I was deiscribing visiting was the temple of Sri Gadadahara Das Shree Chaitanya Caritam Rita Adhi Leela chapter 10 text 53 Sri Gadadahara dasa,the twenty thrid branch,was understood to be the topmost,for he induced all the Muslim Kazis to chant the holy name of Lord Hari In His Divine Graces Bhaktivedanta Purport of this verse Srila Prabhupada explains. Srila Gadadahara dasa is considered to be the luster of the body of Srimate Radharani Herself just as Srila Gadadhara Pandit is an incarnation of Srimati Radaharani Herself. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is sometimes explained to be radha-bava-dyuti-suvalita,or characaterized by the emotions and the bodily luster of Srimati Radharani. Gadadahara Dasa is this dyuti or luster. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika he is discribed to be the expansion of the potency of Srimat Radaharani. Sri Gadadahara dasa also amoung the assoicates od Shri Gaurahari and Nitayananda Prabhu. As the devottee of Lord Chaitanya he was one of the assioicates of Lord Krishna is conjugal love,and as the devottee of Lord Nitayanada Prabhu is consiodered to be one of the friends of krishna in pure devotional service. Even tho he is an assoicate of lord Nitanyanada Prabhu he was not among the cowherd boys but was sitiuated in the tansendenal mellow of conjugal love Srila Gadadahara Dasa is considered to be a united form of Candrakanti,who is the effulence of Srimati Radharani and Purnananda,who is the foremost of Lord Balaramas very dear girl friends. Thus srila Gadadahara Dasa Prabhuwas one of the assoicaties of both Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nitayananda Prabhu When Gadadahara Pandita was in this village of Endiya he established the worship of Bala Gopala there Sri Madhava Gosha preformed a drama known as "Dhana-Khanda" with the help of Lord Nitayanada Prabhu and Sri Gadadhara dasa. This is explained in Shree Chaitanya Bhagavat Antya- leela 5-318-94 Srila Prabhupada in His Divine Graces purports also explains that the Samadhi Tomb of Srila Gadadahara is also present there at this temple along with the Dieties of Shree Shree Radha Kanta and Shree Shree Goura Nitai Jai Alll Glories to the devottees of Lord Chaintanya Jai Goura Nitai your servant Pita das Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jagat 1 Report post Posted September 20, 2003 Just noticed, Pitadasji, that you have decided to continue with your memoirs. If you want me to edit them for you like before, just send them to me at the address. The devotees are saragrahis and will accept them in any shape or form, so you don't really need me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gauracandra 1 Report post Posted September 22, 2003 Yes, I really do enjoy Pitadasji's stories. Keep them coming as you can. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted September 22, 2003 Hare Krishna! Please acceapt my humble obeisances! All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gouranga! Thank You for your kind assitance I would like to show them to you before posting. I now have found the CC online and that I need to refer to for the places we visited on the Bhaktivendanta Charity Trust I hope you are well Your Servant Pita das Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted February 12, 2004 After of few days time Banu Maharaja asked me to > > accompany him on a short day trip outside of > > Calcutta to visit a temple of the Gaudiya Math that > > the devotees there wanted to give to ISKCON > > > > Banu Maharaja is a very special soul .While a > > student in Japan His Divine Grace Himself convinced > > him to become a devottee. > > > > Guru Kripa Prabhu told me his story just afew > > month back how Srila Prabhupada one day wanted to go > > by himself to visit the University in Tokyo and just > > came back with this genius who became Banu Maharaja. > > > > Guru Kripa asked Banu to learn astrology and > > after a few weeks was able to do quite nice charts . > > > > After a short time in Japan Banu went to India and > > has been there ever since which means he must of > > been in India now over 35yrs. > > > > Banu Maharaja and myself proceeded to Howrah > > train station and waited in an empty car until the > > train filled up > > and the trip began . > > > > I remember very soon after many persons came into > > the car begging for few rupees > > > > One was a Gaduiya Vashnava with Nice tilok and as > > he begged he chanted the Mahamantra . > > > > Banu slightly smiled ,Banu is a very quiet person > > usually never speaks unless spoken to and then some > > times still he doesn't say much. > > > > As Maharaja had no personal money and I as his > > assistant that days certainly didn't we just chanted > > our selves our rounds as it was still early morning > > . > > > > The train ride was very short less than an hour > > and then we took a short rich shaw ride to the > > temple. > > > > The devotees old us that the temple being by the > > banks of the Ganga had problems with smugglers > > useing the temple which was right on the banks of > > the river to sneak it illegal things . > > > > This temple was formally a temple to Goddess Kali > > and when given to the Gadiuya Math they devotees had > > installed Radha Krishna and Lord Chaitanya on both > > sides > > of Kail Matta. > > > > Banu Maharaja just listened to the devottee which > > numbered one older lady Vashnava who was running > > everything 2 young Brahmacaris and older devottee > > who was serving as the pujari. > > > > The only funds they had came by donations they > > Brahmacaris collected and so it was their hope that > > ISKCON would take over the temple and protect them. > > > > I remember these sweet devotees preparing very > > wonderful prasad for us and I hoped that the temple > > would be able to assist them but on leaving as we > > were going back I asked Banu Maharaja and he seemed > > to doubt if Jaya Pakata Maharaja would be able to > > for the main reasons as it wasn't a temple of Lord > > Chaitanya's pastimes and the deity of Goddess Kali > > still needed to be worshipped as She was the > > original deity of the temple they were also afraid > > of the problems with the smugglers. > > > > Latter I meet one these brahmacari at Shree Dham > > Mayapur and he told me he had come have Srila > > Sridhar Maharajas Darshan and was asking His Divine > > Grace for help and advice > > > > At that time Srila Sridhar Maharaja was clearest > > the oldest and most wise counsel > > > > After my trip with Banu Maharaja I and Staya > > Naranya Prabhu proceeded to Shree Dham Mayapur by > > car . > > > > In those days Srila Prabhuapada Car was still in > > use > > being used to travel back an forth from Mayapur to > > Calcutta and we were lucky enough to arrive in this > > way back to Shree Dham Mayapur. > > > > Arriving at the temple gate we both got out of > > the car and rolled in the Holy Dust of Shree Dham > > Mayapur. > > Staya Naranya Prabhu ji welcome me there and I > > was given a room to stay in the brahmacari ashram . > > > > At Mayapur temple then was Kanva Prabhu a very > > nice devottee tattooed with Lord Jagganath on his > > chest and arms Staya Naranya told me the people > > called him ,"the devottee with the Lord on his > > chest". > > > > Kanva was a horticulturists and he maintained > > all the vegetable fields and gardens at our temple > > in those days. > > Latter when George Harrison paid a visit to Shree > > Dham Mayapur Staya Nayarana told me that George > > spoke the most with Kanva and that they spent the > > most time together looking at all the different > > kinds of plants he had growing there. > > > > There was the very saintly Jagvivas our temple > > pujari that Srila Prabhupada had said was a demi god > > that had taken birth to worship Shree Shree Radha > > Madhava he and his brother were both working then > > there and are still there today . > > > > He was allways engaged in Shree Shree Radha > > Madhavas service > > > > There was Nita Chand Prabhu who worked with the > > local people who worked with the temple > > > > Bhavanada Swami was at that time the residence > > sanyasis > > and head of the temple. > > > > Bhavanada was allways very kind to me and I > > remenber him singing with his harmonium often in his > > room or walking around the long balconies giving out > > orders to the devotees > > > > Glorifiing the taste of Leeches as they came into > > season. > > > > Shree Dhram Mayapur was beautiful emereral green and > > brown earth and yellow straw with Srila > > Bhaktisiiddanta road > > long side the Ganga saffron and white clad devotees > > and ladies in colorful saris walking along it. > > > > In those days there were only 2 main building the > > pink building with was also Shree Radha Madhavas > > Temple the wall around the entire place and a Prasad > > hall > > which every day many of the local people came and > > took prasad with the devottees > > > > Staya told me well prabhu to prasad in Mayapur was > > very simply but he hoped I could be satisfied . > > actually I thought the prasad was quite wonderful > > one or two subjis rice and dhal . > > > > I was amazed at the amounts of rice the Bengali > > devottees could eat Huge amounts and not really that > > much intrested in taking so much subji like we > > westerners. > > > > Often there were preparations of jack fruit > > ,portals,karela subjis .wonderful eggplant subjis . > > > > The rice in Mayapur was abit course full of fibers > > and very large that to me was the most simply thing > > about the prasad > > but we soon saw that when the brahamcaris got > > together we all would talk of food. > > > > The nature of the diet in Mayapur was simple and > > we desiring many tastes would sometimes wonder out > > loud about cheese cake act. > > > > There was the beautiful Ganga that runs so closely > > to the temple . > > > > We could go and take bath each day if we wished. > > And at the end of Srila Bhaktisiddanta Road was a > > place for takeing a boat across the river to Shree > > Dham Nabadipa > > > > Along Srila Bhaktisiddanta Road is Yoga Pith the > > Holy Appearance Birth Place Of Lord Chaitanya the > > home of Srila Srinvas Takur and the Samadhi tomb of > > Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarawati Takur Prabhupada. > > There are also several temples of Srila Prabhupadas > > God brothers. > > One of Srila Prabhupadas God brother Srila > > Damodara Maharaja would daily visit our temple . > > We have heard that His Divine Grace Srila Damodara > > Maharaja has recently gone Back Home Back to Godhead > > I offer my most humble obeisances at His Lotus Feet > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
