Chaitanya Nitai Dasa, Goloka Prema Dasi, and Citralekha Dasi

Category: Preachers

Doing this service for the last two years in Paris, but preaching wherever they were; the parents joined ISKCON in New Mayapur, France in 1981; both are 57, and their daughter is 32; disciples of Giriraja Swami (Citralekha and Goloka Prema in the picture).

The catur-sloki Bhagavatam is accepted by the various Vedantic traditions as one of the main sections in the Bhagavata Purana. These four verses are considered to be the original Bhagavata Purana in seed form, and to contain the meaning of the whole text. They describe the nature of the Absolute and its relation to the phenomenal world; thus naturally we find tensions among the various interpretations of the Vedantic schools. In this essay, I suggest that the catur-sloki Bhagavatam describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead - the Absolute, as inconceivably one with and different from His multifarious energies. I discuss the catur-sloki Bhagavatam based on Jiva Gosvami's explanations in Bhagavat-sandarbha. I also hint at Sri Krishna Caitanya's explanations of the catur-sloki Bhagavatam as presented by Krishnadas Kaviraja Gosvami in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. This essay may interest readers who would like to know more about the Gaudiya-Vaishnava doctrine and to examine how the Gaudiya-Vaishnava tradition responds to seemingly contradictory statements in the revealed scriptures (sabdha) that refer to the Absolute or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

This paper aims to present the contribution of Bhaktivinoda Thakur to the establishment and development of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). It regards his personal life as the role model for the practitioners of Vaisnavism, and it considers his input in expanding preaching techniques, both innovative and traditional ones.

The purpose of this essay is to compare the doctrine of Sri Caitanya, the founder of the Gaudiya-vaisnava tradition, with those of Nimbarka and Vallabha. To what extent are they related? Which one is most appealing? There are four Vaisnava sampradayas [established doctrine transmitted from one teacher to another]. Their acäryas (founders, teachers) are:
 
Ramanuja  (1017 – 1137 CE)
Madhva  (1238 – 1317 CE)
Nimbarka (±1400 CE)
Vallabha  (1473 – 1531 CE).

They have all written a devotional commentary on the Vedic scriptures, in particular the Vedanta. Initially, I wanted to discuss all four sampradayas, but this is beyond the scope of this  essay. I have chosen Nimbarka and Vallabha because they are historically closer to Sri  Caitanya (1486 – 1533 CE). Throughout this essay, I have inserted the meaning of Sanskrit words from the Monier-Williams dictionary (Bontes 2001) in square brackets.

The Euro GBC is delighted to introduce you to nine devotees who received  the second ISKCON Europe Excellence Awards for the year 2010.

Avesarupa Dasa
Initiated by Bhagavan Dasa
Age: 54
ISKCON Madrid
Joined ISKCON in 1978 in Barcelona;
Nominated by Yadunandana Swami and Vedavyasa Prabhu, the Euro-GBC of Spain;
Category: Book distribution (doing this service for 32 years)

by Euro GBC

We are pleased to introduce you to fourteen devotees receiving the first ISKCON Europe Excellence Awards (IEEA). To encourage exemplary devotees, IEEA will be announced annually. Winners will be chosen after nominations are considered at a European Leaders Meeting. This year the winners (in alphabetical order) are:

Bhava Bhakti Devi Dasi
Bhakta Eshwar Kesso
Jai Nitai Dasa
Jiva Pati Dasa
Krishna Viddhi Dasa
Lalita Govinda Dasa
Mangalananda Dasa
Murli Manohara Dasa
Parasuram Dasa
Parivadi Dasa
Rupa Manjari Devi Dasi
Sridhama Dasa
Titiksu Dasa
Vimala Devi Dasi

Purnacandra Goswami talks in his book about some unspoken obstacles, or impediments, on the path to  bhakti. Some of them, like institutionalism and lack of freedom, may exist in any religious organization, but being  subtle and difficult to spot, they are often not discussed. Although not a sociologist, but a practitioner of  bhakti-yoga  in the International Society for Krsna consciousness (ISKCON) for over 26 years, the author makes relevant philosophical and sociological observations. He speaks mainly to the ISKCON audience, but the principles he discusses apply to any religious institution. The book can be of  interest to those Vaishnavas concerned with building a better ISKCON, and especially to those, the author gives tools and practical hints how to bring about changes they want to see.

Purnacandra Goswami begins with the philosophical definition of pure  devotional service (bhakti)  from the Srila Rupa Goswami's sixteenth-century book on bhakti, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Srila Rupa Goswami describes pure bhakti as an activity performed favorably intending to please the Lord without any selfish motivation for knowledge (jnana), or any desire for personal enjoyment (karma).

Bengal's Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 CE) is recognized as one of the main players in the dramatic wave of emotional bhakti (devotion) for Krsna (accepted as God by his devotees) that swept the Indian subcontinent in the fifteenth century. Mahaprabhu's melodic repetition of Krsna's names and ecstatic dancing (kirtana) were not entirely novel, but his intensity of expression and irresistible influence were unprecedented. Although exceedingly popular with the masses wherever he wandered (he toured India on foot twice during his relatively short lifetime), among the ecclesiastical echelons he was at times condescendingly referred to as a bhavuka, or sentimentalist. (Prabhupada, 1973, 32).