Fwd: Gregorian calendar

[BVKS Sanga]

From: Gopal Ramamurthy

Subject: Gregorian calendar

Date: Jan 3 2026, at 8:41 pm

Dear devotees,

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

Would like to humbly submit my query regarding festival dates per Vaisnava calendar versus Gregorian calendar.

For instance, Srila Prabhupada's appearance day is 1st Sep and disappearance day 14th Nov , However the vyasa puja and tirobhava festivals are celebrated annually according to masa (month), paksa (fortnight), tithi (date) and nakshatra (star) in the vaisnava calendar.

What is the significance of the Gregorian calendar in the lives of Vaisnava acaryas?

Your ignorant servant,

Gopal

[BVKS Sanga]

From: Gopal Ramamurthy

Subject: Re: Gregorian calendar

Date: Jan 12 2026, at 3:24 pm

Dear devotees,

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

Apologies for being too generic with my query, the first time around.

Specifically regarding the local 3rd January Vyasa puja celebrations, wouldn’t it be more appropriate and befitting to be held annually according to the traditional calendar based on masa, vara, tithi, naksatra?

Your presumptuous servant,

Gopal

[BVKS Sanga]

From: Jay Nityananda Das

Subject: Re: Gregorian calendar

Date: Jan 13 2026, at 6:11 pm

Sri Sri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah

Dear Gopala Prabhu,

Namo Namah.

>>Specifically regarding the local 3rd January Vyasa puja celebrations, wouldn’t it be more appropriate and befitting to be held annually according to the traditional calendar based on masa, vara, tithi, naksatra?

I think it's just a matter of choosing between the Modern calendar and the traditional one or both. The Gregorian calendar is widely accepted nowadays for many practical reasons. However, many of our Gaudiya festivals are celebrated as per the traditional calendar. Any tithi/date that connects us to the line of Guru-parampara is great.Traditionally, at many places in Bharat, the Guru-poornima day has been celebrated as the birth tithi of Srila Vyasadeva and his representatives. All these special days/tithis are great boons for us. In principle and also in practice, a disciple is supposed to worship his/her Guru everyday. Considering all this, I think, if possible, we should encourage celebrating Vyasa-puja days according to both Gegorian as well as traditional calendar. However, if it becomes a matter of selecting between the two (tithi or date), then tithi (particular appearance-tithi of Srila Gurudeva provided we can know it accurately or else Guru-poornima tithi) should be given the preference.

Hope this act of mine pleases Sri Hari-Guru-Vaisnavas,

dasabhasa, jay nityananda das.

[BVKS Sanga]

From: Pariksit Anumanthan

Subject: Re: Gregorian calendar

Date: Jan 13 2026, at 7:25 pm

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Guru Maharaja.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your concern is very much relatable Gopal Prabhu. 

Ideally, Guru Maharaja’s Vyasa-puja should be celebrated on his Janma-tithi, according to the Vedic calendar.

However, the practical difficulty is that while Guru Maharaja’s date of birth is known,his exact time of birth is not confirmed. Guru Maharaja himself mentioned in one of his lectures that he is not sure of the time.

Because of this uncertainty, it is not possible at present to accurately determine the Janma-tithi. Therefore, for simplicity and consistency, we are currently following the Gregorian calendar date as his appearance day.

Your servant.

Vira Pariksit Dasa

On 13 Jan 2026, at 3:39 PM, BVKS Sanga wrote: