Today is a special day – Appearance day of Mother Vishnupriya devi, Appearance of many Vaishnav Acharyas, and Vasant Panchami – day to seek blessings and mercy

Hare Krsna dear devotees,
Dandvat pranam. Jai Srila Prabhupad.

Today is a very auspicious day. Today is appearance day of Mother Vishnupriya Devi (consort of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu) and so many stalwart devotees appeared today (Sri Raghunath Das Goswamiji, Sri Pundarika Vidhyanidhi Prabhuji, Sri Raghunandan Thakur Prabhuji, Sri Vishwanath Cakravarti Thakurji) …PLUS today is Vasant Pancami.

During spring time in Vrindavan dham….dham is loaded with various types of flowers like mogra, chameli, beli, jui, various fragrant flowers appear on trees for pleasure of Srimati Radharani and Sri Shyamsundar. There is a special flower – in Gujarat we call it raatrani (the queen of night as it blooms at night and gives a very nice fragrance night long)…and sometimes called as raatkareni also appears in abundance in Vrindavan. Sri Rasraaj Krsna has nice pastimes in Vrindavan during the time of Vasant…He is dressed in yellow especially to enhance the mood of Vasant where the grounds looks yellow loaded with special kind of small yellow flowers (if anyone has seen fields in India during spring time, they have small yellow flowers which are like miniature daisies that cover up the whole ground…like mustard flowers)….attached is some nice pictures of SriSri Radha Shyamsundarji dressed in yellow for Vasant Pancami in Vrindavan…SriSri Radha Shyamsundarji has given us devotees so much love and opportunity to serve…and They are expanding our services mercifully. Also I cant stop the greed to share the picture of ‘Nupur Prapti Sthan’ which is the place where Sri Shyamanand Prabhu found Srimati Radharani’s nupur (anklet) while cleaning the kunja (forest) and is the place where Srimati Radharani gave Sri Shyamanand Prabhu Sri Krsna deity which was pulled out of Her heart. This vigraha (called SriSri Lala Lali) which manifested from Srimati Radharani’s heart is still being worshipped in SriSri Radha Shyamsundarji temple and attached here is the picture of Their Vasant Pancami sringar.

(SriSri Lala Lali – In Vrindavan Brajwasi lovingly call a young boy – Lala and a young girl as – Lali)

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami
Today is also the appearance day of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami – the crown jewel amongst Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s followers, who has received immense mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. We will be glorifying Srila Raghunath Das Goswamiji in today evening’s class.

Mother Sri Vishnupriya Devi
Today is also the appearance day of Mother Vishnupriya devi, the consort of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. She is eternal companion of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. She is manifestation of Srimati Radharani….and in Sri Krsna lila, she appeared as Satyabhama, the daughter of King Satrajit. Satyabhama was married to Sri Krsna and was one of the principle queen of Sri Krsna. King Satrajit from Sri Krsna lila appeared in Sri Gaura lila as Sri Sanatan Mishra. Mother Satyabhama appeared in the house of Sanatan Mishra as his daughter – Sri Vishnupriya devi. She is the ‘Bhu Shakti’ – Earth potency. Sri Krsna in His Narayan form or Vishnu tattva form has 3 potencies – Sri (Lakshmiji), Bhu (the Goddess of Earth), and Nila (the Goddess of pastimes). Bhu is the energy that creates the cosmic manifestation (nicely explained in Sri Caitanya-Charitamrita Adi lila initial chapters). Bhu-sakti also assists in manifesting Sri Krsna’s pastimes in Vrindavan , the place of His pastimes as they are displayed on the Earth planet in this universe and innumerable other universes. The goddess of this Earth, Prithivi devi, is also included within this potency.

When Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu decided to take sanyas, He gave His own vigraha to Mother Vishnupriya devi. He told her that whenever she would remember Him, He would appear through this vigraha and also would accept all service from her through this vigraha. This vigraha is extremely beautiful and is present in Sri Navadwip dham for us to take darshan. We had shared copies of this vigraha called – Sri Vishnupriya Prana Dhan – Gaura Hari (devotees also sing this phrase at times) with IoHU devotees maybe last year or year before. Attached below is some pics of Sri Vishnupriya Prana Dhan Gaurahari.

Mother Vishnupriya Devi used to chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra daily in morning and would count the # of Mahamantra chanted using rice particles…every time she would chant one Mahamantra, she would take one rice particle and put it on side…then chant another Mahamantra and add another rice particle to the previous one…when she is done chanting, she would cook the rice particles collected while chanting and that would be her meal for the day. And here we are just asked to chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra while being supplied very sumptuous feast by SriSri Radha Krsna and yet we try to find so many reasons why not to chant and proceed to eat just without chanting.

Sri Vishnupriya was the first to establish the deity worship of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The deity she used to worship is also known as Dhameshwara – the Ishwar of Navadwip Dham.

Attached is some pictures of Mother Vishnupriya Devi…couple very nice diorama picture of her marriage with Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. There is also picture of the sandals (padukas) that Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu used to wear and Mother Vishnupriya used to worship (they are also still present in the same temple…you can request the padukas to be tapped on your head)

Also attached below is few picture of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu called as Sri Amiya Nimai Mahaprabhu…whom I like very much. This vigraha is in Vrindavan.

Sri Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur

Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur wrote commentaries on Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatana Goswami and Srila Jiva Goswami’s writings to make it even more easily understandable to fallen souls like us. He served SriSri Radha Gokulanandji who resides in Vrindavan dham. I am pasting a small write up about Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur for your reading pleasure.

Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakura took birth in the year 1586 Shaka era within the Nadia district of West Bengal in a place called Prasiddha Deva Gram. He appeared in the Radhiya line of brahamanas. He had two brothers: Shri Ramabhadra Chakravarti and Shri Raghunatha Chakravarti. Shrila Chakravarti Thakura went on to live in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, in Saiyadabad, where he received mantra initiation from Shri Krishna Charana Chakravarti. He lived for a long time in the house of his gurudeva, where he wrote many books. Because Chakravarti Thakura lived for so long in Saiyadabad, he became known as a resident of Saiyadabad. In one of the final verses of his commentary on the Alankara Kaustubha, he himself has written: saiyadabadanivasi shri vishvanatha sharmana, chakravartiti namneyam krita tika subodhini. "Shri Vishvanataha Cakravarti, a brahmana residing in Saiyadabad, has composed this commentary on the Alankara Kaustubha." When Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura lived in Nadiya, he closely studied the scriptures, beginning with a study of Sanskrit grammar, poetry, and rhetoric. It is said that even as a boy in school, he was an undefeatable scholar who could overcome anyone in argument and debate. From an early age, he was indifferent towards family life. For the purpose of binding his son in the contract of family life, Vishvanatha’s father arranged for his marriage when he was very young. He remained a married man for only a short time. Soon he renounced his wife and home and went to live in Vrindavan. After this, his parents and relatives made many unsuccessful attempts to induce him to return to family life, but Vishvanatha Chakravarti was fixed in his determination to renounce wordly life and surrender himself completely to the service of Krishna.

After having come to Vrindavan Dhama, Shri Vishvanatha took up his residence in the bhajan kutir of Shri Krishna Das Kaviraja Goswami on the banks of the Radha-kunda, where there lived a disciple of Krishna das Kaviraja whose name was Mukunda das. There, Shri Vishvanatha Cakravarti made a careful study of the Goswami’s literatures. In that holy place he later wrote many commentaries on the books of the Goswamis.

Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura established the worship of the deity of Shri Gokulananda. Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur was also sometimes known as Harivallabha das. Vishvanatha’s title, "Chakravarti" was awarded to him by the devotees. Generally this title designates one who maintains (varti) a circle (chakra) of influence. Hence chakravarti usually means "emperor," for the emperor’s maintains his power over a vast circle. A more devotional explanation of this title is found in the introduction to Vishvanatha’s Svapna-Vilasamrita. There is has been written vishvasya natharupausau, bhaktiratna pradarshanat, bhakta chakre vartitatva, chakravartamaya bhavat. "He who reveals the jewel of devotion to Vishvanatha, the Lord of the Universe, and thus expands the circle of bhakti is a "Cakravarti."

Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura has written many books, among which are the following:

Commentaries on Srimad-Bhagavatam (Sararthadarshini-tika), Bhagavad-gita (Sararthavarshini-tika), Alankara Kaustubha (Subodhini-tika); Ujjvala-nilamani, Ananda Vrindavana Champu (Sukhavartini-tika); Rupa Goswami’s Vidagdha-Madhava Natakam, Gopal-tapani-upanishad; Chaitanya-charitamrita; and original works such as Shri Krishna-Bhavanamrita Mahakavya; Svapnavilasamrita; Madhurya Kadambini; Stavamala-lahari; Aishvarya Kadambini [Note: this is
not the same Aishvarya Kadambini as that of Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Baladeva
Vidyabhusan’s book describes the opulences of Shri Krishna, whereas Vishvanatha’s
book by the same name deals with the philosophy of achintya-bhedabheda-vada,
Shri Chaitanya’s philosophy of inconceivable oneness and difference].

The diksha-guru-parampara of Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura is given as follows: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Lokanatha Goswami, Narottama Thakura, Ganganarayan Chakravarti, Krishnacharan Chakravarti, Radharaman Chakravarti, Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura. Shri Krishna Charan Chakravarti and Radha Ramana Chakravarti both lived in Saiyadabad. Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura studied extensively under them when he was in Saiyadabad before going to Vrindavan, where he met Mukunda das Goswami, a disciple of Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami and studied the Goswami literatures.

The siksha-guru-parampara is considered more important than the diksha-guru-parampara,because it follows the descent of revealed truth through its most significant representatives, as opposed to following a strictly sacerdotal heirarchy. The siksha-guru-paramapara from Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura is, according to Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, as follows: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarup Damodara, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami (along with Raghunatha Das Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami), Shri Jiva Goswami, Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami, Narottama Das Thakura (along with Shyamananda Prabhu and Shrinivasa Acharya), Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura.

Attached is some pics of Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur and his SriSri Radha Gokulanandji –

description of altar of SriSri Radha Gokulanandji temple – From left – SriSri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Deity of Srila Narottam Dasa Thakur, SriSri Radha-Vinodji of Srila Lokanath Goswami, SriSri Radha-Gokulanandji (small in front center) of Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti, SriSri Vijaya Govindji of Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan, and Sri Govardhan-shila given to Srila Raghunath Dasa Goswami by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (in front with small chattar)

Sri Vishnupriya Devi Mataji ki Jai !!!
Sri Raghunath Das Goswami Maharaj ki Jai !!!
Sri Pundarika Vidhyanidhi Prabu ki Jai !!!
Sri Raghunanda Thakur Prabhuji ki Jai !!!
Sri Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakurji ki Jai !!!

Sri Vasant Pancami Utsav ki Jai!!!

My dear enthusiastic devotees – today pls try to read about Sri Vishnupriya Devi Mataji and all the Vaishnav devotees mentioned above in Jai-dhvani. Please try to glorify them today and seek their blessings to progress in strengthening our eternal relationship with SriSri Radha Sharadbihariji Sri Lalita Sakhi Sri Vishakha Sakhi. Gaura Premanandi Hari Hari Bol !!!!

your servant,
Padmanabh das

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