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Also: thousands of earlier
updates during the last 30+ years
16 September 2026
Appearance of Sri Sita Devi, the consort of Sri Advaita Prabhu.
 Srimati Sita Thakurani, the Consort of Sri Advaita Prabhu. An extract from The Advent of Sri Gaurasundar, describing her going to the Lord just after His appearance. First published in Counterpoint (Vol. 1 No. 6), edited by Sripad Devashis Prabhu.
 Darshan matutino: El día de la Aparición de Sita Thakurani con Su Divina Gracia Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj el día viernes 17 de septiembre de 2004. Traducción al español: Jai Balai Prabhu.
5 September 2026
Sri Nandotsav. Sri Janmashtami paran between 05:23 and 09:32 a.m. (in Nabadwip). Appearance of Vishva-varenya Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad.
 Audio. Nandotsav and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad's Appearance, 2000. Informal discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
"Today is Nandotsav, Nanda Maharaj's house festival for the birth of Lord Krishna. When Mother Yasoda got her senses back and she saw her child, a very sweet child, playing within His bed, she was very stunned to see the beauty of Lord Krishna as baby Krishna. Then she called everyone to see the new-born boy... Not only the cowherd boys and girls came to see the Lord, but also Shiva, Brahma, Indra and so many demigods also came in the form of humans as cowherders and they also danced in the courtyard of Nanda Maharaj."
24 August 2000, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
 36+ minutes, 8+ MB mp3 audio
 Audio: Historic recording from 1973 of Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad discussing together in Nabadwip, and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad describing to the devotees how he came in touch with the Gaudiya Math and Vaishnavas. He describes the background history of his long relationship with Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj and very affectionately glorifies Srila Guru Maharaj: "from the very beginning I knew he was a pure Vaishnava and devotee..."
March 1973:
23+ minutes, 5.5 MB mp3 audio
 Audio: Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad - grand Guru of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya.
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj recalls their intimate relationship and the lecture he gave when suddenly asked to speak at the opening of the Chandradoya Mandir in Mayapur. "There were many good and big servitors of Srila Saraswati Thakur present at that time, but Krishna chose Abhay Charan De (Srila Swami Maharaj), who was an unknown person. And now he is famous as a Devotee General of Srila Saraswati Thakur ... Everybody must pay obeisance to him."
Informal discourse. 20 July 1990:
29 minutes, 6+ MB mp3 audio
 Audio: Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupad, always in Vrindavan. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj tells about a letter he received from Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad asking instruction from Srila Sridhar Maharaj whether he should stay and continue his preaching in the West or go to Vrindavan to leave his body there.
Excerpt from an informal discourse by Srila Govinda Maharaj, 12 March 1992:
8+ minutes, 2 MB mp3 audio
 Old pictures of a visit of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad to Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip. Pictures kindly sent by Jagamohini Devi Dasi in remembrance of Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad on his Disappearance Day Festival today (17 November 2012).
 Historic photo of Srila Guru Maharaj with Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad on Srila Guru Maharaj Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaj's veranda, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip. This photo was received in response to the recent audio posting recording their informal discussion in Nabadwip.
Transcription: Srila Swami Maharaj's Unlimited Glories are being sung from World to World. Lecture by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj on the Appearance Day of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, 21 August 2003, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Download here.
 Excerpt from 'Our Fortunate Association' by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj about Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad. Illustrated article retyped and laid out by Parama Bhakti Dasi: 2.1MB PDF
 Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad and Srila Sridhar Maharaj's relationship and an excerpt from the Guardian of Devotion magazine of San Jose, USA.
 Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad inundated the world with Krishna consciousness. In the excerpt The Universal Conception of Guru from one of his essays, he smashes the sectarian misconception that the Spiritual Master is limited to a particular person, form, or institution, and establishes the universal conception of Guru. This lecture was originally published in The Harmonist in 1936, on the Advent Day of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. It was reprinted as the Preface to Srila Sridhar Maharaj's Sri Guru and His Grace in 1983.
4 September 2026
Sri Sri Krishna Janmashtami. Complete fast until midnight, then no grains.
 Krishna's Supernatural Birth. Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj describes Vasudev's vision in Mathura. Posted on the Math's gaudiyadarshan.com website.
 Audio: Sri Krishna Janmastami, 2008. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj describes Krishna's janma-lila, birth Pastimes, and affirms that many research scholars, with their sadhana, have got much realistic ideal of Krishna, and that is the form of Krishna divided within three characters. One is He who is the Supreme, Brajeswar tanaya, the son of Nanda Maharaj and of Mother Yasoda; second is the son of Vasudev and Devaki, the Mathura Krishna; and third is Krishna the hero of the special kings' group and the creator of Kurukshetra fighting arrangements, the Dwaraka Krishna. These three characters of Krishna are positive and progressive and always eternal, transcendental. But Krishna who is Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda Devi's son is not leaving Vrindavan.
Informal discourse on Sri Krishna Janmastami, speaking live with the St. Petersburg Math via Internet from Kolkata on 24 August 2008:
30 minutes, 6+ MB mp3 audio
 Audio: Janmastami evening class in St. Petersburg, 2007, by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj during his World Tour. Translated into Russian by Sripad Avadhut Maharaj in real time.
Download, or listen online (40+ minutes, 4.6 MB mp3 audio)
or:
higher quality (7.3 MB).
 Audio: Sri Krishna Janmastami morning, 2006. Morning informal discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj at our Dum Dum Park Temple, Kolkata. Later in the day His Divine Grace accepted the invitation mentioned in this talk, and went to lead the festival at our Kaikhali Temple, near Kolkata Airport.
"We will take anukalpa (a small amount of non-grains food) on Ekadasi, twice we are taking. But on Janmastami we are not taking that. On Janmastami we are completely fasting."
And:
"Vedavyasa very cleverly expressed the character of Lord Krishna... Then we can understand what is the position of Lord Krishna and what is the position of Krishna's Rasa-lila. First we will see Him like a sun, from far, the fireball. The sun is a big fireball, but lookable from far, not near. Krishna's character is like that." (First uploaded on 16 August 2006, Sri Krishna Janmastami.)
Download,
or listen online (27 minutes, 3.1 MB mp3 audio)
or:
higher quality (6.2 MB mp3 audio).
 Video. Sri Janmastami day, live Internet address by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj from Kolkata, India, to the devotees
gathered in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to honour Lord Krishna's Appearance.
Sri Krishna Janmastami, Srila Govinda Maharaj's live address captured and presented by Vaidehi Devi Dasi:
42+ minutes, 49 MB 'mov' video
Video. Sri Janmastami day 2008, kirtan led by Srila Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, in Kolkata after delivering an informal discourse by Internet to the devotees
gathered in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Captured and prepared by Vaidehi Devi Dasi:
24 minutes, 26+ MB 'mov' video
(To download, right-click on the link, then 'Save Target As...' or similar wording.)
 Audio: Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj speaking on 26th August 2005 from Nabadwip, the eve of Sri Krishna Janmastami, for Madhusudan Prabhu's Internet Radio website krsna.cc. (14+ minutes, 2.5 MB mp3 audio)
 Illustrated seven page article about Sri Krishna Janmastami, prepared in 2006 by Parama Bhakti Dasi for the devotee children: 440 K PDF file.
28 August 2026
Purnima. Appearance of Sri Baladev. Fast until noon. End of Jhulan Yatra of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda.
Audio: Appearance of Sri Baladeva. Morning
informal discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
at our Dum Dum Park Temple, Kolkata, 9 August 2006.
Download,
or listen online (13+ minutes, 1.6 MB mp3 audio)
or: higher quality (3.1 MB).
Audio: Sri Balaram Pranam Mantra. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj reciting Baladev's pranam mantra, His names, His glories, His powers.
Download,
or listen online (5+ minutes, 1.3 MB mp3 audio)
 Sri Balaram's Pranam Mantram quoted by Srila Govinda Maharaj from Sri Garga-Samhita is given here.
Audio: "Sri Balaram and Sri Nityananda Prabhu are non-different like Krishna and Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu's Pastimes without Nityananda
Prabhu are not full... Baladev comes before Krishna and He is arranging
everything for the service of Lord Krishna." Informal discourse by
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, 12 August 2003.
Download,
or listen online (20 minutes, 4.6 MB mp3 audio)
 Excerpts related to Sri Baladev compiled from books by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
 Audio. Lord Baladev's appearance day, Thailand, discourse in 2009 by Sripad Vaishnav Maharaj (Srutasrava Prabhu at that
time) glorifying the position of Sri Baladev, Nityananda Prabhu, and
Sri Guru. A lecture on 5 August 2009 given during Srila Bhakti Sundar
Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj's last visit to Bangkok.
"So that Baladev, all of that shakti, all of that energy, is changed
into merciful dispensation in the form of Nityananda Prabhu. And then
Nityananda Prabhu has come to us as our Gurudev. The position of guru
is the embodiment of Nityananda Prabhu's mercy dispensation, and in
that way it is coming to all of us, without any consideration."
53+ minutes, 12 MB mp3 audio
24 August 2026
Disappearance of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Gauri Das Pandit Goswami.
 Audio. Srila Gauri Das Pandit. Srila Sridhar Maharaj describes how Srila Gauri Das Pandit, being Subal Sakha in Krishna's lila, could recognise Sriman Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu when They presented Themselves in his quarters in Kalna. They lived there for a while, but when They wanted to go from there, Gauri Das Pandit couldn't tolerate the prospect of separation. So, the Lords promised They would stay with him. Two murtis were carved in wood according to Their figures. They installed the murtis and were about to take leave. Still Gauri Das Pandit couldn't accept that, so Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu took the murtis' places and the murtis took leave. Yet, that was also not tolerable by Gauri Das Pandit. Finally, the murtis stayed with him for his worship.
Excerpt from Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj's informal discourse Nabadwip, 3 January 1982:
14+ minutes, 3.4 MB mp3 audio
 Who is Srila Rupa Goswami? Excerpt from Sri Guru and His Grace by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. "The most sacred type of pure service,
which is not open even to the sakhis, is open to the
manjaris. That is found in Radharani's camp. So, the
position of the Rupanugas, the followers of Sri Rupa, is
the most profitable position. That has been given out
by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. That has been shown by
Him, and that is fixed as the highest limit of our fortune
in Krishna's concern. This is unexpectable, undesignable
and beyond hope, but our prospect lies there in
that subtle camp of Sri Rupa Manjari, Rupa Goswami."
 Srila Rupa Goswami - The Flow of Mahaprabhu's Line. Excerpt from Affectionate Guidance by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. 120 K pdf file.
"Rupa Goswami
Prabhu is supreme in the preceptorial line of Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Actually, no one says, 'Chaitanya
Sampradaya'. Rather, the correct name is 'Rupanuga
Sampradaya'. Mahaprabhu wanted to establish Rupa
Goswami as the Guru of His sampradaya."
 Sri Rupa's Feet. Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains Srila Narottam Thakur's prayers to Sri Rupa. Posted on the Math's gaudiyadarshan.com website.
 Audio. Srila Rupa Goswami disappearance discourse, 1994. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj talks about the exclusive position of Srila Rupa Goswami and the special affection Mahaprabhu had for him. Srila Gurudev says that Mahaprabhu, after reading the sloka Srila Rupa Goswami composed about His feelings in Jagannath Kshetra, asks Srila Swarup Damodar: "Oh Swarup, in which way can Rupa understand My mind?" Swarup Damodar replies: "Oh it is very easy to know, that is, Your full blessings he has got in Prayag. You have given everything to him." (09:55/14:47)
Informal discourse, 18 August 1994.
31+ minutes, 7+ MB mp3 audio
Audio: Rupa Goswami Prabhu's disappearance day, and disappearance of Gauri Das Pandit, a very good day for me. Morning informal discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj at our Dum Dum Park Temple, Kolkata, 6 August 2006.
Download, or listen online (27+ minutes, 3.2 MB mp3 audio)
or:
higher quality (6.3 MB).
 Vrindavan. Photos of the Samadhi Mandirs of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Gauri Das Pandit on their disappearance day festival 2012. Web-page of pictures.
23 August 2026
Beginning of Jhulan Yatra of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and start of the one month festival of Sri Hari Smaran at Nabadwip, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.
I do not make any show of Jhulana-lila. An excerpt by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj from the article Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread:
 Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear to Tread, by Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj. Originally published in Sri Gaudiya Darshan magazine, Srila Sridhar Maharaj's 8th Disappearance Anniversary Edition, 1996, this is the full article from which the above I do not make any show of Jhulana-lila was extracted. (15 pages, 98 K pdf/Acrobat Reader document.)
18 August 2026
Appearance of Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Vijay Trivikram Maharaj.
 Sri Vyasa Puja of Srila Bhakti Vijay Trivikram Maharaj, appointed by Srila Gurudev Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj as one of the successor Acharyas of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, with specific responsibility for Brazil.
16 August 2026
Disappearance of Srila Vamshi Das Babaji Maharaj.
Audio. Srila Vamsi Das Babaji Maharaj. Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj gives an informal discourse on this day in 1985.
"He was the only 'sadhu' who had recognition from our Guru Maharaj as sadhu - Vamsi Das Babaji. He was living in the strict sense the life of a babaji, indifferent to the world."
20 August 1985:
16 minutes, 3 MB mp3 audio
12 August 2026
Amavasya. Festival in honour of the disappearance of Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya Ashtottara-shata-sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
 Sri Pranati Dasakam.Ten Prayers in glorification of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, composed by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and prepared here as an illustrated web-page by Jagamohini Devi Dasi of USA in remembrance Srila Guru Maharaj's Disappearance Festivals.
 Archive Photos: Meditations in Pictures and Words. Five pages of extensive quotes and black and white photos of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
Audio. Srila Guru Maharaj's disappearance festival 1999. Kirtan and informal discourse by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj on the Disappearance Festival day of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, 1999.
"Srila Guru Maharaj's godbrothers like Krishna Das Babaji Maharaj, Madhusudan Maharaj, Paramahamsa Maharaj, etc. when they were giving lecture they would consider Guru Maharaj not only as Guru but as representative of Vrindavan Dham, and that he was born here as a manifestation of non-different form with Radharani. They were all godbrothers and we were very surprised to hear."
Srila Gurudev speaking in Saint Petersburg, 11 August, 1999:
33 minutes, 7.8 MB mp3 audio
 Spoken: Pranam mantra and glories of Srila Guru Maharaj described in the Appendix of Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion Volume 2:
14 minutes, 3+ MB mp3 audio
 Audio. Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj's disappearance festival, 1994, USA. Srila Govinda Maharaj glorifies Srila Sridhar Maharaj and relives the very day of his beloved Srila Guru Maharaj's disappearance.
These are two different recordings on the same disappearance festival day at our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram, Soquel, California,
6 August 1994:
Part 1, 26+ minutes, 6 MB mp3 audio. Srila Govinda Maharaj describes how Srila Guru Maharaj nourished and harmonised Srila Saraswati Thakur's disciples of all ranks.
Part 2, 42+ minutes, 9.9 MB mp3 audio. Includes a description of Srila Guru Maharaj's disappearance. After the earthquake that shook Nabadwip Dham, Srila Gurudev knew that Srila Guru Maharaj was about to leave this world. Srila Gadadhar Pandit and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur took this dark moon day, amavasya, for their disappearance. Srila Sridhar Maharaj had special affection for Gadadhar Pandit and Bhaktivinod Thakur, and chose this amavasya day to join with them.
 Audio: Disappearance Festival Lecture in the nat-mandir of our Dum Dum Park Temple, by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj in glorification of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. 25 July 2006:
Download, or listen online (32 minutes, 7.4 MB mp3 audio)
 Audio: Srila Govinda Maharaj singing 'Sri Guru Arati-stuti' and 'Sri Rupa Manjari Pada' and 'Viraha-giti' at Srila Guru Maharaj's Disappearance Festival, 2006.
Download, or listen online (16+ minutes, 3.8 MB mp3 audio)
 The Jewel in the Garland. Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj speaking in 1992 on the Fourth Anniversary of the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. This article first appeared in the 'Sri Govinda Dham Magazine, Sri Vyasa-puja Edition, 1994' published in Australia. Plus additional links in remembrance of Srila Guru Maharaj.
 'The Sun Never Sets on the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math'Transcription of a talk given by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj on this Holy Day in 2003, at the Villa Govinda Ashram in Milan, Italy.
 Excerpts from Affectionate Guidance in glorification of Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj by Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaj. His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj talks about Srila Sridhar Maharaj's position among his Godbrothers, his active preaching and the beginning of the Math's Sri Gaudiya Darshan magazine.
Srila Govinda Maharaj quotes one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's principal preachers, Sripad Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj: "We are preaching over the whole world, but from time to time we look to see whether Srila Sridhar Maharaj is happy with our preaching activities."
 In
Glorification of Srila Guru Maharaj, an article by Sripad Bhakti Pavan
Janardan Maharaj speaking in glorification
of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj in 1994.
 Remembering His Divine Grace. In honour of Srila Sridhar Maharaj's Disappearance Day, an article prepared by Jagamohini Devi Dasi in glorification of Srila Guru Maharaj: Remembering His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
 Sri Samadhi Mandir Stotra Mala in honour of the 2012 Anniversary of the Disappearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. This is a collection of all verses on Srila Sridhar Maharaj's Samadhi Mandir, The Temple of Union in Separation, in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. The book contains the verses in sequence, and includes extensive commentaries by Srila Sridhar Maharaj as well as Srila Govinda Maharaj, who manifested the samadhi and selected all of these favourite verses of Srila Guru Maharaj.
Compiled and prepared by Sadhu Priya Prabhu, available to download: 184 pages, 17.9 MB pdf book.
6 August 2026
Disappearance of Srila Lokanath Goswami Prabhu.
Audio. "Lokanath Goswami Prabhu was a strict vairagi, so much so that he kept himself aloof from the public... He wouldn't keep company with anybody. He wanted to follow a strict programme of bhajan."
Excerpt from an informal discourse by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj in Nabadwip, 6 November 1982.
6+ minutes, 1.5 MB mp3 audio
 Excerpts related to Srila Lokanath Goswami from Golden Staircase by Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Affectionate Guidance by Srila Govinda Maharaj.
3 Auguast 2026
Disappearance of Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami Prabhu.
 An excerpt from Sri Guru and his Grace, written by Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, about an important prayer found in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa of Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
Audio. "Gopal Bhatta Goswami was a very honourable Vaishnava and Mahaprabhu's parshad... He was always giving so much protection for Rupa-Sanatan's writings and Mahaprabhu's conception." Excerpt from Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj's informal discourse over the phone to Sripad Madhusudan Prabhu on Srila Jiva Goswami's appearance day,
19 September 2002.
6+ minutes, 1.5 MB mp3 audio
 Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami was the son of Venkata Bhatta, a resident of Sri Rangam. Gopal Bhatta formerly belonged to the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja-sampradaya but later became part of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. Read more... Description given by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad in his purport to Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi-lila 10.105.
 Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami's samadhi, his Temple and Deity of Sri Radharaman and related photographs taken in Vrindavan on his disappearance day festival 2012. Web-page of pictures.
15 May 2026
 "What is my worry?" Srila Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, expresses his heart's concern - and his heart's affectionate guidance - in this talk from December 2000, first published on the Math's GaudiyaDarshan.com website with the title Who is a Devotee of Lord Krishna?:
Our mission is Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. It was organised by Srila Guru Maharaj for rescuing the conditioned souls from this mundane world with the proper medicine of Hari-nam-sankirtan as given by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. From this mission, we are trying as much as possible by us. I am very happy with my godbrothers, sisters, and disciples; they are trying heart and soul as possible to spread this Krsna consciousness in the line of Srila Guru Maharaj. Now all over the world there are so many centres, over fifty or maybe sixty. At every centre, devotees are trying to preach Krsna consciousness, and so many devotees are attending in different ways to all the management of the centres. Not only in one country, but in several countries, sincere seekers are also joining this mission, and I have no doubt that they are trying heart and soul.
But what is my worry? That also I must express because we have heard that to spread Krsna consciousness there is a process, a process given by Sriman Mahaprabhu: humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others. This is the first condition. Whoever will be a preacher, a manager, an administrator—or anything—they first must be qualified with these three qualities. Otherwise, our mission will be disturbed.
You see, in the mouth the tongue and teeth live together, but when they cannot properly keep the balance between them, then the teeth bite the tongue. This is happening sometimes in some places, and seeing that, I am very worried.
We should not only preach by mouth and say by mouth that we are surrendered souls. Really, how much are we surrendered to Lord Krsna? Our quality depends upon this, and if we really are surrendered to Krsna, then we must follow Krsna's instructions which He gave in His nondifferent form of Sriman Mahaprabhu. We know that; we know Mahaprabhu's philosophy, and we
know Mahaprabhu's teaching, but we must apply His method upon ourselves.
trnad api sunichena taror iva sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih
Someone will be qualified for preaching and chanting the Holy Name of Lord when they have these three qualities. All over the world now people are disturbed by violence. In this world, we see that there are so many difficulties. Especially here in India where we are living, politics are disturbing the minds of simple people. Everywhere it is like this actually, but a preacher's nature will be to make harmony with all circumstances, and a preacher can do that if they have these qualities: humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others. Here, humility is stated first, but I give first preference to being tolerant. Humility, no doubt, is necessary, but we must be tolerant. Otherwise, we cannot proceed towards our life's goal.
These three qualities must be with all the devotees. 'Devotees', we use this word, but how much are we devoted to Lord Krsna? And why are we not following the method Krsna Himself gave us for our spiritual benefit and upliftment? We must try to do that.
We are all suffering in this material world in different ways, but we can tolerate all that suffering. There is no other way, and we are tolerating it. Someone has no house, and someone has a house but inside it there is no proper adjustment with their family. In this way, different types of disturbance and selfishness disturb us greatly. But charity begins at home. We are preaching to others, but we are not preaching to ourselves! We have published a book as beautiful as Prapanna-jivanamritam, but how many times have we read it? And why can't we control ourselves through this teaching of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? Our Guru, our friends the Vaisnavas, and Lord Krsna are all always in favour of us. Still, we cannot make ourselves qualified? What is this?
When this situation comes, then how will we preach happily? It is necessary for every devotee to remember: charity begins at home. First, they must try to maintain their own self with these three qualities: humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others. This method of Mahaprabhu is very essential in this Age of Kali because it is the age of quarrel and the teeth and tongue are always fighting. This is the experience of a man in his old age like me; my teeth are always cutting my tongue. Proper adjustment is necessary. Proper adjustment is the method of our religion, and for that we first must be tolerant.
In another way, Srila Guru Maharaj said, "Wait and see." If anything wrong comes in front of you, any critical position or disturbance comes in front of you, then first wait and see: how much will it be harmful and how much will it be beneficial for you and others? First try to understand this, and also allow some time for the minds of others to be repaired. I am applying this method, and I am very happy with it.
Once, a devotee was very disturbed and told me, "Maharaj, this has happened, this has happened, and this has happened, and I cannot tolerate it. Etc. etc." I did not answer him immediately. I waited, and after three or four days that devotee called me again and said, "Oh, everything is harmonised here. You don't have to worry." I did not even give an answer; I just choose to "wait and see". There was a fight, but afterwards they made harmony, and called me again, "Maharaj, it's okay. No problem."
Srila Guru Maharaj said, "Wait and see." I also wrote on my door for everyone:
sahasa vidadhita na kriyam
(Bharavi: Kiratarjuniyam, 2.30)
"Suddenly, not to do anything; suddenly, not to tell anything."
Without realisation, do not to take action, and with realisation—with humility and giving honour to others—your tolerance will give you a miracle result. All over the world I am preaching only this, and I am seeing how happy everyone is.
This year in Mexico, London, America, Holland, Russia, Italy, and Switzerland, everywhere I went, I preached only this.
There is no alternative to chanting the Holy Name of the Lord.
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
(Brhan-Naradiya-purana)
Chanting the Holy Name is found in all societies. Someone may be Muslim, someone may be Christian, someone may be Buddhist, or someone may be a follower of any other religion, but everyone chants. In this Age of Kali, what has come down from above through Amnaya, Veda, is this mantram, the Hare Krsna mahamantra. Sriman Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, gave this mahamantra, and side by side He said that the mahamantra has seven tongues [of fire] that can burn away everything bad—all nonsense and nescience—and give light to everyone, give joy to the hearts of all practitioners.
param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
["May Sri Krsna-sankirtan be supremely victorious!"]
But it is not just written in the book. With love and affection—wholeheartedly—we must try to chant and give honour to Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev and His teaching of trnad api sunichena taror iva sahisnuna, amanina manadena. If we do not follow this method, then we will lose everything. It is the Age of Kali, but we have gotten a good opportunity through this human body in which there is full freedom to practise Krsna consciousness, and this is the only way to get relief from the illusory environment. Why shall I not prepare myself? Why shall I not think, "It is my only duty and it is my life's only goal; I must follow this!"? Mahaprabhu said,
prabhu kahe, "kahilan ei mahamantra
iha japa' giya sabe kariya nirbandha
iha haite sarva-siddhi ha-ibe sabara
sarva-ksana bala' ithe vidhi nahi ara"
(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata: Madhya-khanda, 23.77–8)
There are no hard and fast rules and regulations, only love and affection. Faith is the basis. That I have said a thousand times, but with love and affection it is necessary to chant and follow Mahaprabhu's procedure of humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others. I think it will be better if instead of Hari-nam we will think only of "humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others, humility, tolerance, and giving honour to others." We can think only of this mantram of Mahaprabhu's advice. Kirtaniyah sada Harih: someone who does that can chant properly the Holy Name of Lord which has descended from the transcendental world, which is the transcendental vibration form of the Lord in this material world. When we get a touch of that transcendental vibration within our heart, we must get relief from this material existence, and then we can live within the plane of devotion.
We are always saying "devotees, devotees". Who is devotee? I do not know! How can someone who cannot properly follow Mahaprabhu's method say, "I am a devotee"? Mahaprabhu Himself showed the identity of the jiva-soul. Mahaprabhu did not say, "I am Krsnadas." This is not our identification. We are not Hindu, we are not Muslim, and we are not Christian.
gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta: Madhya-lila, 13.80)
Mahaprabhu Himself said, "My identity is not that I am Krsnadas but that I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna. That is My identity." Why? This is humility. Mahaprabhu also tolerated so much, so many things, and Mahaprabhu advised us, "You must tolerate, and you must give honour to others! Collect your property with these three qualities, chant the Hare Krsna mahamantra without offence, and be happy."
...earlier updates >>
Please see our Earlier
Updates for
earlier updates this year and a full listing of thousands of earlier web-pages including pictures, reports,
audios, videos, books, articles, etc. from Nabadwip, Kolkata and around
the world. Plus a section of Srila Govinda Maharaj's World Tours with many links connected with his broad, affectionate preaching abroad.
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If you are looking for news,
you may be interested in these:
- What's
New? — for what's happening here at Sri Chaitanya
Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, India, and affiliated centres around the
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- What was New?
to look at entries over the last couple of years.
- Archive
Memories. Mainly with pictures going back to 1999.
- World
Tours page with information, dispatches and photos
from all recent tours made by Srila Govinda Maharaj. News of any
pending tours will also be posted here.
If you are looking for information,
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— for purchases, downloads, descriptions and excerpts.
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— can now be made efficiently on-line too.
- Audio:
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- Useful
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This website is a part of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat
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This website is © Sri Chaitanya
Saraswat Math, Nabadwip.
Founder-Acharya: Srila B. R. Sridhar Maharaj
President-Acharya: Srila B. S. Govinda Maharaj
www.scsmath.com - online since 1995. Updated
regularly.
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WORDS OF THE
GUARDIAN OF DEVOTION:
"Knowledge is above power, and above knowledge is beauty, charm, love. That is the supreme."
-
Srila Sridhar Maharaj
Main Vaisnava Dates:
Nabadwip's Calendar,
2026-2027.
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Worldwide Ekadashi Dates and paran times
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| September 2026 continued |
| 16 |
Appearance of Sri Sita Devi, the consort of Sri Advaita Prabhu. |
| 18 |
Sri Lalita Saptami. Appearance |
| 19 |
Sri Radhashtami. Srimati Radharani's appearance at noon. Fast until noon. |
| 22 |
Ekadashi. Fast (in Nabadwip). Vishnu-shrinkhala-yoga. |
| 23 |
Dvadashi. Paran after worshipping Lord Vamanadev and between 08:51 and 09:29 (in Nabadwip). Appearance of Sri Vamanadev. Appearance of Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu. |
| 24 |
Appearance of Srila Sachchidananda Bhakti Vinod Thakur. |
| 25 |
Disappearance of Srila Haridas Thakur. |
| 26 |
Purnima. Vishvarup Mahotsav. End of month-long festival at Nabadwip, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. |
| 28 |
Disappearance of Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj. |
| October 2026 |
| 6 |
Ekadashi. Fast (in Nabadwip). |
| 7 |
Paran between 06:29 and 09:28 (in Nabadwip). |
| 11 |
Appearance festival of Tridnadi Swami Srimad Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. |
| 13 |
Disappearance of Sriyukta Radharani Devi Chaudurani. |
| 14 |
Disappearance of Tridandi Swami Sripad Bhakti Dayita Damodar Maharaj. |
| 21 |
Vijay Utsav of Sri Ramachandra. Appearance of Sri Madhva Acharya |
| 22 |
Ekadashi. Fast (in Nabadwip). |
| 23 |
Paran between 05:41 and 09:28 (in Nabadwip). Disappearance of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, and Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. |
| 26 |
Purnima. Sharadiya Rasa Yatra of Sri Krishna. Disappearance of Srila Murari Gupta. Beginning of Urja Vrata, Damodar Vrata, Kartik Vrata and Niyam-seva Vrata if begun from the purnima day, as followed in Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. |
| 29 |
Disappearance of Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Srirup Puri Maharaj. (This day due to kshaya). |
| 30 |
Disappearance of Srila Narottam Das Thakur. |
| 31 |
Disappearance of Srila Bhakti Vichar Jajavar Maharaj. |
| November 2026 |
| 2 |
Bahulashtami. Manifestation day of Sri Radha Kunda. Sannyas day of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. |
| 3 |
The grand 132nd appearance day celebration of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's Founder-President-Acharya, Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya Ashtottara-shata-sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. Appearance of Srila Virachandra Prabhu. Disappearance of Sripad Sakhi Charan Das Babaji Maharaj. |
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Ekadashi, dvadashi and 'paran' dates and times given here are calculated for Nabadwip. For local Ekadashi dates and paran times, please consult your nearest Centre.) |
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'Fast'
on Ekadahsi or Maha-dvadashi, refers to fasting from grains. |
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'Paran'
the day after such fasting days, refers to breaking fast with
grains, after sunrise (unless otherwise stated) and before a specified
time. |
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Optional
morning fast is observed in honour of prominent Vaisnavas on
their appearance and disappearance days. |
Full Vaishnava Calendar
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Historic photo
