Importance of Kartik Month (Damodar Mass)

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On Saturday 15th Oct'16, a spiritual program held at HG Suddha Nitai Prabhu's home in the evening and lecture given by HG Anand Murari Prabhu on the importance of Kartik month (Damodar mass) in our life. The Kartik month festival starts on the 16th of October 2016 and runs for four weeks till 14th of November 2016. The Damodarastakam, a series of eight beautiful verses by the great sage Satyavrata Muni is sing and offer a candle to Mother Yasoda and Lord Krishna every day.

Kartik (Damodar) is the best, the purest of purifiers, and most glorious of all months. Kartik month is particularly dear to Lord Sri Krishna. This month is full of bhakta vatsalya. Any vrata, even the smallest, will yield huge results. The effect of performing a Kartik Vrata lasts for one hundred lifetimes, Kartik or the festival of offering lamps to Lord Krishna, glorifies Lord Krishna’s pastime of being bound with ropes by Mother Yashoda.

In the lecture, Prabhuji told, the lord has given us the body as a vehicle and by that our soul can go to Bhagvad Dham, but need to use the body and mind in the Krishna Bhakti and get the best opportunity to go back to Godhead. According to Puranas (Vedic Scriptures), there are 12 months calender and every month controlled by each avatar of lord Vishnu, months sequence is based on the Nakshatra pattern, Kartik month is one of them and managed by Damodar Bhagvan and there Nakshatra pattern is Kirtika (another name of Radharani as on her mother's name Kirtida). Radharani likes the Kartik month, so Krishna also like this month because he is Bhakt-Vatsal (near to the heart).

Many festivals related to Krishna’s or His devotees pastimes occur during this month: Rasa-lila, Damodar lila, Diwali, Govardhan puja, Appearance of Radha-kund and the Disappearance of Srila Prabhupada. Damodara-lila is a sweet pastime of the Lord showing us how He could be bound by the love and affection of His devotees. Another pastime is Lord krishna went to jungle for guo (cow) charane first time.

The Pastime of Damodar-Krishna

On Diwali Day Mother Yasoda, while feeding Krishna her breast milk, was forced to put Him down to attend to the milk pan boiling over on the stove. Krishna was very upset and after breaking His mother’s butter pots, He distributed the contents to the monkeys. Upon seeing Krishna’s naughty behaviour Mother Yashoda decided to punish Him by binding him with a rope, to a large grinding mortar in the courtyard. She tried to tie the rope around Krishna’s waist but the rope was short by two fingers. Adding more and more ropes, she tried again and again but the ropes always remained short. Then, by His compassion for His tired Mother, Krishna allowed Himself to be tied. When alone, Krishna pulled the mortar between two yamala-arjuna trees bringing them crashing to the ground. Imprisoned in these trees were Nalakuvera and Manigriva, sons of Kuber, who had been cursed by Narada Muni. They were now liberated.

Everybody should follow following practices in Kartik (Damodar) month:
1. Daily offer a ghee lamp to Krishna and sing the Damodarastakam, meditating on meaning.
2. One should always remember Supreme Lord Hari. Devotees should try to do more Harinam Chanting. Do extra rounds and more kirtana.
3. Hear Srimad Bhagavatam, daily in association of exalted Vaisnavas, if possible.
4. Eat only prasadam.
5. Everyone should do the Yagya(chant mahamantra), Dan and Tap (vrat and dham vas).
6. Daily offer lamp to Tulsi devi and pray for eternal residence in Vrndavana and eternal service of the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna. Do 4 parikrama (circumbulation) of Tulasi.
7. Make nice offerings for Krishna. Devotees should observe the festival of Annakuta, Giriraj Govardhan Puja.
8. Associate more with devotees.
9. Practice brahmacharya – celibacy.
10. Perform austerities.

Source:
http://www.iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/kartik-damodarthe-holiest
http://www.iskcon-london.org/31-festivals/664-kartik-month.html
http://www.iskconmauritius.com/node/55
http://www.iskconvrindavan.com/festivals/kartika/

Hare Krishna!

Garbh Sanskar ceremony and Kirtan Sandhya at HG Suddha Nitai Prabhu's home

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On 8th Oct'16, Garbh Sanskar ceremony and Kirtan sandhya was held at HG Suddha Nitai Prabhu's home. Aprox. 50-60 devotees gathered and did the Kirtan and Garba, it was amazing and very joyful evening. Varsha mataji gave the lecture on garbh sanskar by telling the story of Indra and Diti from Shrimad Bhagavatam canto-6 (Diti_vows_to_kill_Indra). According to Vedic Scriptures, 16 sanskars are there for human being's and from them initial three most important sanskars are GARBHADHAN,PUNSVAN and SEEMANTHONAYAN which will perform before the child birth.

The literal meaning of garbh sanskar is educating the fetus in the womb. In Indian culture it is believed that education of real and traditional values and parenting starts right from the time the fetus is confirmed in the womb. This is why when anyone gets pregnant in home, the elder people advice to have positive thoughts and emotions to the pregnant woman.

When anyone gets the pregnant, needs to follow the vedic instructions to educate and initiate the Krishna Consciences into the child before taking the birth. Try to remember krishna all time and chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra as much as possible and do the kirtan at home and visit the temple if possible and do the associations of devotees. Take the healthy and nutritious diet(prasadam) and good night sleep. Prabhuji needs to help in making the possitive and joyful enviorment at home.

In the Hindu epic, Mahabharata, there was a warrior named Abhimanyu who is said to have learnt a war skill when he was in the womb of her mother. He could only learn to decode and enter the trap because by that time her mother felt asleep. This was one of the reasons why he was killed because he did not know how to come out of the trap.

1. GARBHADHAN SANSKAAR

In this sanskaar, the Acharya , husband – wife, parents, followers of learned guru along with as many people having faith in God and Vedas, sit in yajshala to offer aahutis in pious fire of Yajyen. All such prayers are showered with pious and beneficial result of such offerings. In this connection Saamveda mantra 104 says that he who offersaahuti in vedi (burning fire in havan kund) he is escaped from illusion and enemies etc. All this puts excellent effect on the child who is to take birth. Valmiki Ramayan and Tulsikrit Ramayan prove the fact that king Dashrath got garbhadhan sanskaar done of his wives with the blessings of Shringi rishi and was blessed with 4 sons

2. PUNSVAN SANSKAR

This sanskaar is performed after garbhadhan sanskaar when a women becomes pregnant. In this sanskaar offerings are made to pious fire of Yajyen and is performed in second or third month to ensure the stability of pregnancy.

3. SEEMANTHONAYAN SANSKAAR

It is performed in fourth, sixth or eighth month of pregnancy. In this sanskaar offerings of khichdi i.e., a dish prepared by boiling of rice and dal together are also added along with other offerings of ghee and samagri.

Canto-6 (Diti_vows_to_kill_Indra)

Diti want to take revenge from Indra anyhow for that she gratified her husband, Kashyapa by her pleasing behavior and asked how to get the immortal son to which will be capable to kill the Indra and fulfill my wish. After thinking, Kashyapa decided to train his wife in Vaishnava behavior so that her unclean heart would become purified, and she would thus give up the desire to kill Indra. For this purpose, he said,  “My dear wife, if you follow my instructions regarding a particular vow for one year, then you will surely receive a son who is able to kill Indra. However, if you deviate from this vow, you will get a son who is favorable to Indra.”

Diti replied, “My dear brahmana, I will certainly act according to your direction. She assured Kashyapa that she would do everything according to his instructions, and thereafter, she became pregnant upon jubilantly receiving his semen. She followed all the instructions.

If one worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead even once, he can receive the benefit of being promoted to the spiritual world, and possess the same bodily features as Lord Vishnu. Diti worshiped Lord Vishnu for almost one year, and so what is astonishing about the fact that the Maruts, although born from her womb, became elevated to the status of demigods by His mercy.

Because of having worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Diti became completely purified at heart. Therefore, when she awoke, she was pleased to see that her 49 sons, who were brilliant like fire, were dealing with Indra in a friendly relationship. She told Indra, “My dear son, I had adhered to this difficult vow, just to get a child who would be able to kill you twelve Adityas. I had prayed for one son, but now I see that there are 49. How did this happen? My dear Indra, if you know the reason, please tell me truthfully, without speaking lies.”

Source : -
http://nitaaiveda.com/Compiled_and_Imp_Scriptures/Shrimad_Bhagavatam/Canto-6/Diti_vows_to_kill_Indra.htm
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=9732

Hare Krishna!

My Spiritual Journey towards Krishna Consciousness

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I'm going to tell you about my spiritual journey initiation in Krishna Consciousness. When I was in Bengaluru, first time I heard about the ISKCON temple and visited near by beautiful ISKCON temple with my friend, that time I was not aware of term 'ISKCON' and their preachings about the Krishna consciousness. Just seen the beauty of temple and have snacks (kachori, smosha and sweets) than returned to home.

After few months, I took transfer to Pune for my job in TCS (TATA Consultancy Services Ltd.). I had joined the project in TCS Cerebrum IT Park and started working as usual but one day I met with Prem Solanki (Padmanayan das prabhu) in my project. As time passed I had a very good personal bonding with Prem because we are sharing the same native place near by Indore. I had shared my experience with him regarding ISCKON temple and that was not good because I have heard lots of wrong things about the temple. He insists to visit the temple once again but in Pune to elucidate my doubts. I thought let's visit again with him, that might give different notion then previous one.

One day before, Prem Prabhu told me that, will go to the temple next early morning (around 3.45 AM) to attend the Mangla Aarti along with Santosh Biradar Prabhu to Camp Pune. I slept early at night and woke up early in the morning and took a bath and got ready to go the temple. We reached to temple before mangla aarti. The priest opened the temple door, and start the Aarti at 4.30 AM and it was a never before experience for me and we danced so much. Tulsi Aarti started after finishing the Guru Aarti (Mangla Aarti). At 5.30, all are started the chanting holy mahamantra “HARE KRSIHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE” till two hours (to 7.30 AM). I also started the chanting Hare Krishna with devotees in the temple hall, but I was not aware the importance of Hare Krishna Mahamantra that time and used to manage the chanting Om Namaha Shivaya and Hare Krishna together. Instead of that, I had felt the positive vibes and energy around me. At 7.30, Guru (Srila Prabhupad) Aarti started and in that we danced to much. After finishing this Aarti, the time had come for the Shringar Darshan (divine) of Radha Kunjbihari and Gour Nitai bhagvan.

This is the actual start of my spiritual journey. After that I have used to go Mangla Aarti in fortnight or monthly and attended the spiritual lectures at Temple and H.G. Suddha Nitai Prabhu's (Councillor) home to know about the transcendental knowledge of Bhakti yoga.

Thanks to my Gurus Prem Prabhu, Santosh Prabhu and H.G. Suddha Nitai Prabhu for such a wonderful gift given to me  and guide me in understanding the Krishna as supreme Lord and given the opportunity to serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord with devotion. Nowadays, because of only your blessings and kind support to me, able to chant 16 rounds of Mala and wore the Tulsi Kanti. I will never ever forget the mercy which you have showered on me.

"Unless and until we surrender to Krishna,
Krishna is not going to take our responsibility" 

Hare Krishna!