WVA Newsletter #4
World Vaishnava Association
Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha
World Vaishnava Association
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!
All glories to Jagadguru Sri Srimad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada and Guru Parampara!
Respected sannyasis, vaishnavas and vaishnavis
Please accept our humble obeisances from the WVA-VVRS' Internet Committee.
When Opposites Attract A Few Thoughts on Bhakti and Yoga
Written by Steven J. Rosen (Satyaraj Dasa)
As commonly understood, yoga refers to "union." Some interpret this in terms of body and mind, hoping to become fully integrated people as a result of yoga practice; others see it as a more subtle phenomenon, i.e., a sort of union with the inner self that allows one to integrate body, mind, and soul in a higher spiritual awareness. Ultimately, yoga centers on union with God, though exactly what is meant by "God" is open to discussion.
Bimala and Lalita Prasada
Written by Swami B.V. Tripurari
Lalita Prasada was the younger brother of Bimala Prasada, who later became known as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. Bimala Prasada received Harinama and Nrsimha mantra from his father, Kedarnath Bhaktivinod, and was advised by him to accept mantra diksa from the revered Gaudiya Vaishnava renunciate, Gaurakisor das Babaji. Lalita Prasada, on the other hand, received mantra diksa from Bhaktivinod Thakur.
For Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur Appearance Day
Excerpted from "Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates" by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja
vedavyaso ya evasid daso vrindavano’dhuna
sakha yah kusumapidah karyatas tam samavishat
Vedavyasa became Vrindavan Das Thakur. Krishna’s friend Kusumapida also entered into him for special purposes. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 109)
Vedavyasa described Krishna-lila in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Non-different from Vyasa, Vrindavan Das described Mahaprabhu’s lila in his Chaitanya Bhagavat. His book was first called Chaitanya Mangala, but when Lochana Das gave the same name to his biography of the Lord, it was dubbed “Chaitanya Bhagavat”.
Srila Bhakti Bibudh Bodhayan Maharaja meeting with Algoquin spiritual leader William Commanda
Why Eating Fish Is Even More Dangerous Than You Thought
Bad news for seafood lovers: fish isn't quite as healthy as we've been led to believe. If you eat fish regularly, chances are you're getting too much mercury and too few omega-3s. That's the conclusion of a report released months ago from the Environmental Working Group. While US Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat up to 12 ounces of a seafood (about three servings) a week, the EWG has discovered that this may be dangerously high for some people.
Stephen Knapp (Sripad Nandanandana Das):
“Vegetarianism: Recommended in Vedic Scripture”
Conscious Poster for Dham Protection
Designed by Visvarupa Das Prabhu, translated into 3 languages (English, Hindi and Bengali), the Conscious Posters for Dham Protections are available to be downloaded and printed at the WVA’s File Center HERE.
About water protection (English):
Download this and other Conscious Posters in English HERE.
About Garbage care (Hindi):
Download this and other Conscious Posters in Hindi HERE.
Sri Govardhan protection (Bengali):
Download this and other Conscious Posters in Bengali HERE.
The History of Sri Tota Gopinath
Written by Chandan Yatra Das
Sri Tota Gopinath is exquisitely beautiful self-manifested Deity of Lord Sri Krishna. Sri Tota Gopinath is also a most unique Deity because He is the only Krishna Deity in the world “sitting down” and playing His flute.
Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi (Bhima Ekadasi)
"Pandava" refers to the Pandavas, the sons of Emperor Pandu. One such son was Arjuna, to whom Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita. Another son of Pandu was Bhima, a most powerful warrior and a most voracious eater. Bhima was also known as "Vrikodara," or "wolf-belly." He was not one who welcomed fasting, and admitted to not being able to follow Ekadasi. However, he was told that if he observed complete fasting on one particular Ekadasi day annually, he would get all the spiritual benefits of having followed every Ekadasi fast of the year. He and his brothers thus all agreed to fast on that day, which is today.
Vaishnava Calendar
08 (Sunday) Gaur-dasami.
Sri Ganga Puja.
Appearance of Sri Ganga Mata Goswamini.
Disappearance of Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan Prabhu.
09 (Monday) Gaur-dwadasi.
Fasting for Nirjala-ekadasi.
10 (Tuesday) Gaur-trayodasi.
Paran by 9:22 am.
11 (Wednesday)
Festival of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami at Sripat Panihati.
13 (Friday) Purnima.
Snan Yatra of Sri Jagannath Dev.
Disappearance of Srila Mukunda Dutta and Srila Sridhar Pandit.
14 (Saturday) Krishna-pratipad.
Disappearance of Srila Shyamanand Prabhu.
17 (Tuesday) Krishna-panchami.
Appearance of Srila Vakresvara Pandit.
22 (Sunday) Krishna-dashmi.
Disappearance of Srila Srivas Pandit.
Source: sreecgmath.org
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In the service of Sri Guru, Vaishnavas and Bhagavan,
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WVA Internet Committee