The Pursuit of Bliss

HOLI POORNIMA AND HOLI CELEBRATION. Holi Poornima (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Jayanti) Holi Poornima is the full moon night before the Holi celebration day and is of extreme importance to mankind. On this auspicious full moon night, our supreme Divine Beloved Shri Radha -Krishna descended on this earth as the supreme embodiment of Love and Devotion in the form of Shri Chaitanyadev Gaurang Mahaprabhu.  In Shri Mahaprabhu Chaitanya is to be found, the culmination and fulfilment of the philosophy and religion of Love (Bhakti).  The essence of devotion is contained in his “Ashtapadi” (eight verses), like the ocean concentrated in a little pot. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the descension of Shri Radha Rani. He propounded the message of devotion to lord Krishna, by practicing devotion himself.  His lovelorn condition reached a climax in the last six years of his life, which were spent in intensive bhava (ecstatic feelings) of Shri Radha Rani. In those days, all the e...

Ishton men Radha Krishna Govinda Radhey, Bhavon men madhurya shreshta bata dey. (Synopsis of a talk given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 17, 2011, in Bhakti Dham, Manghar, India, explaining this new kirtan verse.) The one who is worshiped (ishta) or the one who is served (sevya) is of many kinds. Some are even mayic or material, such as celestial gods and goddesses. These include Indra, Varuna, Kuber and others. Such ishtas are millions in number. By acquiring spiritual understanding through the teachings of a true Saint, we come to know that the worship of a material personality results in a material consequence. The word deva applies to both celestial beings and to supreme God. Kah paramo devah. Krishno ha vai paramam daivatam. This verse asks: Who is the greatest deva? Here the word deva refers to supreme God. Similarly, the word divya (divine) refers to both material celestial beings and also to God. The word atma (soul) refers to both the individual soul and God. ...