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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260627
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260628
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260519T081808Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T081808Z
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SUMMARY:Panihati Cida Dahi Utsava 27th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami’s chipped- rice-and-yogurt festival for Lord Caitanya and His associates. Celebrated especially in Panihati\, West Bengal. \nThe Chida-dadhi Mahotsav\, also known as the Chipped Rice Festivalof Panihati\, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of SrilaRaghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Thisastonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges atPanihati\, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Caitanya and hisassociates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida-dadhiMahotsav remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with Hisdevotees by arranging\, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunathadasa\, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice\,along with various other nectar foodstuffs. Linked below is anexcerpt from Caitanya-caritamrta\, Antya lila chapter 6\, whichdescribes this wonderful pastime in detail. \nThe chipped rice festival took place just before the monsoons\,when it is very hot (45 – 50 C) and muggy (80 – 90 % humidity)\, sonaturally the most cooling of foodstuffs were offered. Cool yoghurt(dadhi) and chipped rice (chida) were offered with sugar\, bananas\,milk sweets and cakes. \nOur feast menu begins with Ganges Curd Upma\, a moist anddelicious preparation of vegetables and grain. Before offering\, aflavorful stream of yoghurt is poured around the base of the Upma\,in honor of the festival goers who had to stand in the Ganges toenjoy their prasadam because there was no room left on the riverbanks. \nA light and simple Cracked Urad Dal is offered\, with a side ofBanana Chapatis drenched in Orange Cardamom Butter. A sumptuouslyrich Cauliflower & Red Pepper Sabji is simple to make\, andbrings smiles to the devotees. \nA dry curry of Peas and Paneer is stuffed in a hollow Lemon\,which adds nice flavor to the preparation. Rava Idli is a savorycake that goes nicely with the Aloo Kerala Fry\, a spicy fried pattyof potato and bitter melon. \nNestled amongst the whites of rice and yoghurt is a delightfulStuffed White Baby Eggplant which is filled with spiced almondbutter\, then wrapped together with lemongrass and baked. \nAnother pungent savory is the Baigan Sarson\, a treat of dicedeggplant wrapped in mustard greens\, then crispy fried in ghee.Roasted Okra Raita provides a smooth and mellow touch with thespicy dishes\, while the Rhubard & Dried Cherry Chutney adds atangy flavor to the Idli and savouries. \nThe nectar preparations from the original Chida-dadhi festivalare\, we hope\, faithfully represented by Chida-dadhi Pots. These twowonderful sweet rices are served in traditional clay bowls. In onepot\, chipped rice is prepared in sweet yoghurt with bananas\, whilethe second pot contains rice in a sweet\, thick kheer with ghee\,bananas and camphor. \nA milksweet cake\, the Gunja-Mala Malpoori is encircled withfresh red and black berries\, reminiscent of the garland LordCaitanya Mahaprabhu gave Raghunatha das to wear around hisneck. \nSrila Raghunatha dasa gave up eating all foodstuffs after thedeparture from this world of Srila Sanatana\, and from that time onRaghunatha would only take buttermilk in leaf cups. He continued inthis way until the departure of Rupa Gosvami\, after whichRaghunatha gave up all eating and drinking. In honor of thistopmost associate of the Lord\, we offer Banana Leaf Cups ofButtermilk \nThe feast is complete with a tart Lime Cooler blending honey\,ginger and anise that would surely please all those sitting in thePanihati sun\, on the banks of Ganga-Ma. \nWhere is Panihati? Panihati is located on the banks of theGanges 10 miles North of Calcutta (North 24-Parganas north ofmodern day Kolkata – Calcutta)\, in West Bengal India. It is thesite of many wonderful spiritual pastimes of Sri ChaitanyaMahaprabhu and His close personal associates. In this region atthis time of year June\, pre-monsoon it is so hot\, often up in themid-to-high 40s C (45 – 50 C)\, and so humid. The most cooling offoods in such a temperature is yogurt\, cool yogurt (dahi or dadhior doi) This pastime of the Lord is about how the devotees pleasedLord Chaitanya and how the Lord reciprocated with the devotees in avery wonderful and pleasing festival called the Panihati Cida-dadhimahotsav. \nIn the village of Panihati\, Raghunatha dasa obtained aninterview with Nityananda Prabhu who was accompanied by manykirtana performers\, servants and others. Sitting on a rock under atree on the bank of the Ganges\, Lord Nityananda seemed as effulgentas hundreds and thousands of rising suns. Many devotees sat on theground surrounding Him. Seeing the influence of Nityananda Prabhu\,Raghunatha dasa was astonished. Raghunatha dasa offered hisobeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place\, and the servantof Nityananda Prabhu pointed out\, “There is Raghunatha dasa\,offering You obeisances.” \nHearing this\, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said\, “You are a thief.Now you have come to see Me. Come here\, come here. Today I shallpunish you\,” the Lord called him\, but Raghunatha dasa did not gonear the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed Hislotus feet upon Raghunatha dasa’s head. “Make a festival and feedall My associates yogurt and chipped rice.” Hearing this\,Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased. \nRaghunatha dasa brought chipped rice\, yogurt\, milk.sweetmeats\, sugar\, bananas and ether eatables and placed them allaround. As soon as they heard that a festival was going to be held\,all kinds of brahmanas and other gentlemen began to arrive. Thusthere were innumerable people. Seeing the crowd inSriasing\,Raghunatha dasa arranged to get more eatables from other villages.He also brought two to four hundred large\, round pots. He alsoobtained five or seven especially large earthen pots\, and in thesepots a brahmana began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction ofLard Nityananda. \nIn one place\, chipped rice was soaked in hot milk in each ofthe large pots. then half the rice was mixed with yogurt\, sugar andbananas. The other half was mixed with condensed milk and a specialtype of banana known as canpa-kala. Then sugar\, clarified butterand camphor were added. After Nityananda Prabhu had changed Hiscloth far a new one and sat on a raised platform\, the brahmanabrought before Him the seven huge pots. \nOn that platform all the most important associates of Sri Nityananda Prabhu\, as well as ether important men\, sat down in acircle around the Lord. Among them were Ramadasa\, Sundarananda\,Gadadhara dasa\, Murari\, Kamalakara\, Sadasiva and Purandara.Dhananjaya\, Jagadisa\, Paramesvara dasa\, Mahesa\, Gauridas and HodaKrsnadasa were also there\, Similarly\, Uddharana Datta Thakura andmany other personal associates of the Lord sat on the raisedplatform with Nityananda Prabhu. No one could count them all. \nHearing about the festival\, all kinds of learned scholars\,brahmanas and priests went there\, Lord Nityananda Prabhu honoredthem and made them sit on the raised platform with Him. Everyonewas offered two earthen pots. In one was put chipped rice withcondensed milk and in the ether chipped rice with yogurt. All theother People sat in groups around the platform. No one could counthow many people there were. Each and every one of them was suppliedtwo earthen pots\, one of chipped rice soaked in yogurt and theother of chipped rice soaked in condensed milk. \nSome of the brahmanas\, not having gotten a place on the platform\, went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthenpots and soaked their chipped rice there. Others\, who could not geta place even on the bank of the Ganges\, got down into the water andbegan eating their two kinds of chipped rice. Thus some sat on theplatform \,some at the base of the platform\, and some on the bank ofthe Ganges\, and they were all supplied two pots each by the twentymen who distributed the food. \nAt that time\, Raghava Pandita arrived there. Seeing thesituation\, he began to laugh in great surprise. He brought manyother kinds of food cooked in ghee and offered them to the Lord.This prasada he first placed before Lord Nityananda and thendistributed among the devotees. Raghava Pandita said to LordNityananda\, “For You\, sir\, I have already offered food to theDeity\, but You are engaged in a festival here\, and so the food islying there untouched.” \nLord Nityananda replied\, “Let Me eat all this food here duringthe day\, and I shall eat at your home at night. I belong to acommunity of cowherd boys\, and therefore I generally have manycowherd associates with Me. I am happy when we eat together in apicnic like this by the sandy bank of the river. Lord Nityanandamade Raghava Pandita sit down and had two pots delivered to himalso. There were two kinds of chipped rice soaked in them. \nWhen chipped rice had been served to everyone\, Lord NityanandaPrabhu\, in meditation\, brought Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived\, Lord Nityananda Prabhu stood up. Theythen saw how the others were enjoying the chipped rice with yogurtand condensed milk. From each and every pot\, Lord Nityananda Prabhutook one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu as a joke. In this way Lord Nityananda waswalking through all the groups of eaters\, and all the Vaisnavasstanding there were seeing the fun. \nNo one could understand what Nityananda Prabhu was doing as Hewalked about. Some\, however\, who were very fortunate\, could seethat Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also present. Then NityanandaPrabhu smiled and sat down. On His right side He kept four pots ofchipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy. LordNityananda offered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a place and had Him sitdawn. Then together the two brothers began eating chipped rice.Seeing Cord Caitanya Mahaprabhu eating with Him\, Lord NityanandaPrabhu became very happy and exhibited varieties of ecstatic love.Lord Nityananda Prabhu ordered\, “All of you eat\, chanting the holyname of Hari. Immediately the holy names “Hari Hari” resounded\,filling the entire universe. \nWhen all the Vaisnavas were chanting the holy names “HariHari” and eating\, they remembered how Krsna and Balarama ate withtheir companions\, the cowherd boys\, on the bank of the Yamuna. SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu are extremelymerciful and liberal. It was Raghunatha dasa’s good fortune thatThey accepted all these dealings. Who can understand the influenceand mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu? He is so powerful that Heinduced Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come eat chipped rice onthe bank of the Ganges. All the confidential devotees who wereCowherd boys\, headed by Sri Ramadas\, were absorbed in ecstaticlove. They thought the bank of the Ganges to be the bank of theYamuna. \nWhen the shopkeepers of many other villages heard about thefestival\, they arrived there to sell chipped rice\, yogurt\,sweetmeats and bananas. As they came\, bringing all kinds of food\,Raghunatha dasa purchased it all. He gave them the price for theirgoods and later fed them the very same food. Anyone who came to seehow these funny things were going on was also fed chipped rice\,yogurt and bananas. After Lord Nityananda Prabhu finished eating\,He washed His hands and mouth and gave Raghunatha dasa the foodremaining in the four pots. There was food remaining in the threeother big pots of Lord Nityananda\, and a brahmana distributed it toall the devotees\, giving a morsel to each. Then a brahmanas broughta flower garland\, placed the garland on Nityananda Prabhu’s neckand smeared sandalwood pulp All over His body\, When a servantbrought betel nuts and offered them to Lord Nityananda\, the Lordsmiled and chewed them. With His own hands Lord Nityananda Prabhudistributed to all the devotees whatever flower garlands\,sandalwood pulp and betel nuts remained \nAfter receiving the remnants of food left by Lord Nityananda Prabhu\, Raghunatha dasa\, who was greatly happy\, ate some anddistributed the rest among his own associates. Thus have Idescribed the pastimes of Lord Nityananda Prabhu in relation to thecelebrated festival of chipped rice and yogurt. \nSri Caitanya Caritamrta Antya Lila Vol 2 ch 6. \nThe Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raghunatha dasaGosvami \nA summary of this chapter is given by Bhaktivinoda Öhakura inhis Amata-pravaha-bhañya as follows. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhuwent into transcendental fits of ecstatic love\, Ramananda Raya and Svarüpa Damodara Gosvami attended to Him and satisfied Him as Hedesired. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had been attempting to come to thelotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for a long time\, and finallyhe left his home and met the Lord. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu hadgone to Cantipura on His way to Vandavana\, Raghunatha dasa Gosvamihad offered to dedicate his life at the Lord’s lotus feet. in themeantime\, however\, a Mohammedan official became envious of Hiraeyadasa\, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s uncle\, and induced some bigofficial court minister to have him arrested. Thus Hiraeya dasaleft his home\, but by the intelligence of Raghunatha dasa themisunderstanding was mitigated. Then Raghunatha dasa went toPanihaöi\, and\, following the order of Nityananda Prabhu\, heobserved a festival (ciòa-dadhi-mahotsava) by distributing chippedrice mixed with yogurt. The day after the festival\, NityanandaPrabhu gave Raghunatha dasa the blessing that he would very soonattain the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. After this incident\,Raghunatha dasa\, with the help of his priest\, whose name was Yadunandana acarya\, got out of his house by trickery and thus ranaway. Not touching the general path\, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami Sritly went to Jagannatha Pure. After twelve days\, he arrived inJagannatha Pure at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. \nSri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to Svarüpa Damodara Gosvami. Therefore another name for Raghunathadasa Gosvami is Svarüpera Raghu\, or the Raghunatha of SvarüpaDamodara. For five days Raghunatha dasa Gosvami took prasada at thetemple\, but later he would stand at the Siaha-dvara gate and eatonly whatever he could gather by alms. Later he lived by takingalms from various chatras\, or food distributing centers. When Raghunatha’s father received news of this\, he sent some men andmoney\, but Raghunatha dasa Gosvami refused to accept the money.Understanding that Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was living by beggingfrom the chatras\, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented him with Hisown guija-mala and a stone from Govardhana Hill. Thereafter\,Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to eat rejected food that he hadcollected and washed. This renounced life greatly pleasedboth Svarüpa Damodara Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took by force some of the same food\, thusblessing Raghunatha dasa Gosvami for his renunciation.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/panihati-cida-dahi-utsava-27th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260626
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260519T081638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T081638Z
UID:916-1782345600-1782431999@iskconimpm.com
SUMMARY:Pandava Nirjala Ekadashi 25th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Nirjala Ekadasi occurs during the Jyestha (May/June) month and a description of this fantastically gracious day is found in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.Once Bhimasena\, the younger brother of Yudhisthira\, asked the best of sages Srila Vyasadeva\, “O great sage\, yogi and knower of the Vedas\, please hear my humble request. My elder brother Yudhisthira\, mother Kunti devi\, brothers Arjuna\, Nakula and Sahadeva\, and Draupadi fast completely on the Ekadasi day. \nYudhisthira is often encouraging me to fast and while I know it is the injunction of the scriptures\, and I have tried; I simply am unable to fast. My hunger is too great too bear fasting on every Ekadasi. I can give in charity\, I can worship Lord Kesava but I cannot fast. Please instruct me how I can obtain the mercy of Sri Ekadasi. \n“On hearing Bhima’s pathetic entreaty\, Sri Vyasadeva said\, “O Bhima\, if you want to go to the heavenly planets\, avoiding the hellish condition\, then you must refrain from eating on both Ekadasi days each month. \n“Bhima interjected: ‘O Vyasa Muni! It is impossible for me to fast on twenty-four Ekadasi’s per year. What to speak of fasting day and night\, I cannot tolerate my hunger for even a blink of an eye. The ‘brika’ fire of hunger is always present in my stomach\, only voracious eating will quell this formidable foe in the form of craving. With great endeavor I may be able to fast one day a year… \n“Sri Vyasadeva said: ‘O my dear King\, You have already heard from me about the Vedic religious principles and the duties of the human being. But in this age of Kali not everyone can follow these regulations\, I know. Therefore I will tell of a sublime method by which all your desires will be fulfilled. This method is the concentrated essence of all the Puranas. Anybody who observes Ekadasi of the waning and waxing Moons by fasting never goes to hell.” \n“Hearing Vyasadevas words\, Bhimasena grew panicky: ‘But Vyas\, i’ve said\, I can’t fast on two days a month\, I simply can’t! Please give me some easier method. \n“Sri Vyasa Muni replied: During the waxing Moon in the month of Jyestha during the suns presence in either Taurus or Gemini Rasi\, there is an Ekadasi known as Nirjala Ekadasi. On this greatest of days\, one should observe total fasting without even water to drink. One should observe acamana by drinking an amount of water equal to a single mustard seed. If one drinks more or less water than this\, it will amount to having drunk wine. \n“One must not eat anything at all on this Ekadasi\, otherwise the vow is broken and the results lost. One should abstain from eating and drinking from Sunrise on the day of Ekadasi until Sunrise on the day of Dvadasi. In this way\, if one successfully completes fasting on this day\, he receives the results of having observed all the Ekadasi’s of the year. \n“Early on the morning of Dvadasi\, one should give in charity to brahmanas\, and thereafter breakfast with them. O Bhimasena\, please hear of the abounding piety one accumulates by observing this Nirjala Ekadasi\, and thereby reaps the result of all the Ekadasi’s throughout the year. Once\, Lord Visnu\, who holds a conch\, disc\, club and lotus flower\, told me: “If a person gives up all varieties of religion and surrenders unto Me\, he is certainly relieved of all sinful reactions. One cannot attain the supreme destination by giving wealth in charity or attain any benefit by following smarta rules and regulations in Kali yuga. In fact the Vedic religious principles are extinct in Kali yuga\, which is polluted with many faults and illusions. \n“O son of Vayu\, what more can I say. Eating is actually prohibited on all the Ekadasi’s\, and even drinking water is prohibited on Nirjala Ekadasi. By observing this Ekadasi one receives the benefit of bathing in all the holy rivers\, and visiting all the holy places of pilgrimage. If one follows this Ekadasi vrata he need not fear being approached by the Yamadutas at the time of death\, rather he will be greeted by the Visnudutas and transferred to the abode of Visnu. If on the day of Dvadasi following Nirjala Ekadasi one gives water in charity to others\, all his sinful activities will come to an end! \n“When Bhimasena told the other Pandavas what he had heard about this Nirjaala Ekadasi\, they all decided to observe it’s magnificence accordingly. From that day onward Bhimasena began observing this Nirjala vrata\, once a year. Thereafter this Ekadasi is famously known as Pandava Nirjala\, or Bhimaseni Ekadasi. By following this Ekadasi sinful activities as huge as Sumeru or Mandara Mountain are at once burnt to ashes\, like nothing more than a pile of dry leaves. O great devotee! Lord Krsna himself has declared that any pious activities such as taking bath in holy places\, giving charity\, chanting Vedic mantras\, and performing sacrifices that are carried out on this Nirjala Ekadasi are magnified one billion times. \nOne who reads or hears the narration of the boundless glories of this Ekadasi with devotion\, goes back to the spiritual abode. The result one attains by observing the vow of Amavasya conjoined with Pratipada and offering oblations to the forefathers during a solar eclipse is attained by hearing the glories of this brilliantly effulgent gemstone jewel\, Nirjala Ekadasi.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/pandava-nirjala-ekadashi-25th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260519T081536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T081536Z
UID:915-1782259200-1782345599@iskconimpm.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srimati Gangamata Goswami 24th June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Gangamata Goswami was the daughter of King Naresa Narayana of Bengal. From childhood she showed deep devotion to Krsna.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/appearance-day-of-srimati-gangamata-goswami-24th-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events
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END:VEVENT
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260519T081332Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T081332Z
UID:914-1782259200-1782345599@iskconimpm.com
SUMMARY:Disappearance Day of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana 24 June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Baladeva Vidyabhusana\, the author of Govinda Bhasya\, the first Gaudiya commentary on the Vedanta-sutras\, appeared in Remuna\, Orissa\, in the late 1600.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/disappearance-day-of-srila-baladeva-vidyabhusana-24-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260611
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260612
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260507T120206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T120226Z
UID:902-1781136000-1781222399@iskconimpm.com
SUMMARY:Parama Ekadasi 11 June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Sri Yudhishthira Maharaja said\, “Oh Supreme Lord\, what is the name and character of that Ekadasii that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the extra\, leap year month of Purushottama.\nAlso\, Oh master of all the universes\, what is the process for observing it properly? Kindly narrate all of this to me?” \nThe Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Sri Krishna\, replied\, “Oh Yudhishthira\, this meritorious day is called Parama Ekadasi. It bestows the great benediction of an enjoyable life and ultimate liberation\, release from birth and death. The process for observing it is similar to that for observing the Ekadasii that occurs during the light part of this month of Kartika. That is to say\, on this Ekadasi one should worship Me\, the best of all living beings\, with full love and devotion. In this connection I will now tell you a wonderful history\, just as I heard it from the great sage in the city of Kampilya. \n“Once a very pious brahmin named Sumedha resided in Kampilya with his wife\, Pavitra\, who was extremely chaste and devoted to her husband. On account of having committed some sin in his previous life\, Sumedha was without any money or food grains\, and even though he begged many people for food\, he could not obtain any substantial amount. He hardly had adequate food\, clothing\, or shelter for himself and his beautiful young wife\, who was of such excellent character that she continued to serve Sumedha faithfully despite their poverty. When guests would come to their home\, Pavitra mataji would give them her own food\, and although she often went hungry\, her beautiful\, lotuslike face never faded. This fasting made her weak\, but her affection for Sumedha remained unbreakable. \n“Seeing all this\, and lamenting his bad luck\, Sumedha one day said to Pavitra\, ‘My dear wife\, Oh most beautiful one\, I beg alms from the rich but receive scarcely a scrap. What am I to do? What possible relief is there for our plight? Where should I go for relief? Oh most obedient and loving wife\, without enough wealth\, household affairs are never successful\, – na vandhu madhye dhanahina jivanam. Therefore please permit me to go abroad and attain some wealth. If I make such an effort\, I shall certainly obtain whatever fortune I am destined to enjoy. Without making some endeavour a person cannot satisfy his desires or meet his needs.\nThus wise men have said that enthusiastic endeavour is always auspicious.’ The revealed scriptures declare\, udyoginah siNgham upaiti laxmi daivena deyati ka purushah vadantii: “One who endeavours enthusiastically will certainly attain success\, but one who merely says\, ‘I accept my lot in life is a lazy man”. \n“Upon hearing this from her husband as he spoke these words\, Pavitra joined her palms and\, her eyes brimming with tears\, spoke to him with great respect and affection: ‘I think there is no one greater or more learned than you\, my dear. One who\, though in misery\, is interested in the welfare of others speaks just as you have. However\, the scriptures state that whatever wealth a person attains in his life is due to his having given charity in previous lives\, and that if one has not given charity in previous lives\, then even though he may sit a top a mound of gold as big as Mount Sumeru\, he will still remain poor. \npurva-janmarjitam vidya\npurva-janmarjitam dhanam\npurva-janmarjitam kanya\nagre dhavati dhavatih \n“Transcendental knowledge\, spiritual education\, satisfying wealth\, and pleasing family members are acquired by a person who has given profuse charity. Whatever good a person does returns to him many fold.”\nIn Manu-nitii\, Manu Maharaja says\, bhagyam phalanti sarvatra na cha vidya na cha paurusham: “Whatever is predestined by Viddhata\, the fortune-maker\, will surely happen. One’s so called good education\, skill\, and enthusiasm will not necessarily guarantee to bring one success.” Whatever charity a person gives in the form of education\, money\, fertile land\, and the like is returned to him in a future lifetime. We gain what we have given\, when given with a good heart. Indeed\, whatever the Lord of destiny\, the creator\, has written as one’s fortune will certainly come to pass. No one attains any wealth without having given in charity in his previous life. Oh best of the brahmins\, since we are now poor\, in our previous lives neither you nor I must have given any/sufficient charity to worthy persons. Therefore\, Oh gracious husband\, you should remain here with me.\nWithout you I cannot live even a moment. \n“‘Bereft of her husband\, a woman is not welcomed by her father\, mother\, brother\, father-in-law\, or any other family members. Everyone will say\, “You have lost your husband; you are bad luck/fortune personified!”\nIn this way I shall be criticised severely! The Nitii-shastras says\, vinaashraye na tishthanti panditah vanita latah: “Without proper shelter and support\, the following three things cannot survive; a learned man/brahmin\, a woman\, and a creeper.” Therefore the modern women’s liberation movement is a total failure. Furthermore\, the GaruDa Purana states\, pati dharma pati sargah pati hi paramam tapah patiri pritim Apanne priiyante sarva devata “A chaste woman always thinks that pleasing her spiritually situated husband is her heavenly pleasure\, utmost duty\, and greatest austerity. If her husband is pleased (as Kulottama\, Vishnu personified)\, she thinks the Supreme lord and all the demigods are pleased. The Supreme Lord includes all the devatas (demigods).” \nPavitra continued\, ‘Please\, therefore\, stay with me and be satisfied with whatever wealth we get. Whatever is destined\, we shall obtain in due course of time and enjoy here in perfect happiness.’ \n“Hearing these plaintive words from his wife\, Sumedha decided to remain in their native village. One day the great sage Kaundinya arrived at their place\, and upon seeing him the brahmin Sumedha and his wife stood up before him and then offered him their respectful obeisances. With his head bowed\, Sumedha welcomed him: ‘We are very fortunate to behold you here today\, Oh wisest of sages. My life has become successful\, and I am much obliged to you.’ \n“Sumedha offered Kaumdinya Muni a comfortable seat and highly praised his austerities and learning. ”Just by having your darshan today\,’ said Sumedha\, ‘I have become very fortunate.’ The poor brahmin couple fed the sage as sumptuously as they could afford to according to their means \, and afterwards Pavitra asked the mendicant\, ‘Oh most learned one\, what process can we follow to be relieved of our poverty? How can a person who has not given anything in charity in his previous life get a good family\, much wealth\, and a fine education in this life? My husband wants to leave me here and go abroad to beg alms\, but I have earnestly prayed to him to stay here with me. I humbly told him that if one lacks wealth in the present life\, it is because of not having given sufficient charity in previous life times. And so he has consented to remain here.\nIt is only due to my great fortune that you have so mercifully come here today. Now we are certain to see the end of our poverty very soon. \n“Oh best of the brahmanas\, please tell us how we can be free of this perpetual misery brought on by poverty. Oh merciful one\, kindly describe some means – a place of pilgrimage we may visit\, a day of fasting we may observe\, or an austerity we may perform – by which our ill fortune will end forever.’ \n“Hearing this sincere supplication from the patient lady\, the great sage Kaundinya reflected silently for a moment and then said\, ‘There is a fast day very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead\, Lord Hari.\nFasting on this day nullifies all kinds of sins and removes all miseries caused by poverty. This fast day\, which occurs during the dark part (krishna paksha) of the extra\, leap-year month\, is known as Parama Ekadasi.\nIt is the topmost day of Lord Vishnu\, hence the name Parama. This extra month (Purushottam Mase)\, dark fortnight Ekadasi bestows all the necessities of life\, such as money and food grains\, and at last gives liberation/release. When the evening of this day comes\, one should begin singing the glories of the Lord and dancing in ecstasy\, and one should continue through the entire night. \nThis holy fast was once observed faithfully by Lord Kuvera (the treasurer of the devas). When Lord Shiva saw how strictly he had fasted\, Shiva became very pleased and made Kuvera the treasurer of heaven.\nAlso\, king Harishchandra fasted on this Ekadasi after his dear wife and son had been sold\, and the king was able to get them back. Thereafter he ruled his kingdom with no further impediments. Therefore\, Oh broad-eyed lady\, you also should observe the sacred fast of Parama Ekadasi\, following all the appropriate rules and regulations and remaining awake all night.’” \nLord Sri Krishna continued\, “Oh Yudhishthira\, son of Pandu\, in this way Kaundinya Muni mercifully and affectionately instructed PavitrA about the Parama Ekadasi fast. Then he said to Sumedha\, ‘On the Dvadasi\, the day after Ekadasi\, you should vow to observe Pancharatriki fasting according to all the rules and regulations. After taking a bath early in the morning\, you and your good wife\, along with both your parents and hers\, should fast for five days according to your ability. Then you will all become eligible to return home\, to the abode of Lord Vishnu. \n‘A person who simply makes use of only one seat during these five days goes to the heavenly planets. Whoever feeds qualified brahmins nicely on these five days has in effect fed all the demigods\, all human beings\, and even all the demons. Whoever donates a pot of drinking water to a twice born brahmin during this five-day period will gain merit equal to that gained by donating the entire planet in charity. Anyone who gives a learned person a pot filled with sesame seeds resides in heaven for as many years as there are seeds in the pot. One who donates a pot filled with golden ghee will surely go to the abode of the sun god after fully enjoying the pleasures of this earthly planet. Whoever remains celibate during these five-days will attain celestial happiness and enjoy with the maidens of Indraloka. Therefore both of you – Sumedha and Pavitra – should fast during these five days of Pancharatrika in order to be rewarded with ample grains and wealth for the rest of your lives on this planet. The spiritual world will be your abode thereafter.’ \nHearing this sublime advice\, the brahmin couple\, Sumedha and Pavitra\, properly observed the Parama Ekadasi and the fast of Pancharatrika\, and very soon thereafter they beheld a handsome prince approaching them from the royal palace. On the orders of Lord Brahma\, the prince gave them a beautiful\, exquisitely furnished house and invited them to live in it. Praising their austerity and patience\, he also gave them an entire village for their livelihood. Then he returned to the palace. Thus Sumedha and his wife enjoyed all kinds of facilities in this world and at last went to the abode of Lord Vishnu. \nAnyone who observes a fast on Parama Ekadasi and also the fast of Pancharatrika is freed from all his sins\, and after enjoying life he returns to Vishnuloka\, as did the brahmin Sumedha and his faithful wife\, Pavitra.\nIt is impossible\, Oh Yudhishthira\, to calculate the extent of the merit one obtains by fasting on Parama Ekadasi\, for such an observance is equal to bathing in places of pilgrimage such as Pushkara Lake and the Ganges river\, giving cows in charity\, and performing all sorts of other religious activities. One who fasts on this day has also completed the offerings of oblations to his forefathers in Gaya. He has\, in effect\, fasted on all other auspicious days. \n“As in the social order the brahmin are considered the best\, as amongst four-legged creatures the cow is best\, and as among demigods Lord Indradev is the best\, so among all months the extra month of leap-year is the best. The Pancharatrika fast – the fast of five days (panch = five\, ratri = nights) in the extra\, leap year month – is said to remove all kinds of abominable sins. But the Pancharatriki fast\, together with the fasts of Parama and Paramai Ekadasi\, destroys all a person’s sins. If a person is unable to fast on these days\, he should observe the fasts during the extra month according to his ability. A person who\, having received a human birth\, does not take a proper bath during this extra month and then observes these Ekadasis\, which are very dear to Lord Hari\, commits suicide and suffers in the cycle of 8\,400\,000 species. The rare human birth is meant for accumulating merit and at last achieving liberating release from this material world. Therefore one should by all means observe fasting on this auspicious Parama Ekadasi.” \nLord Sri Krishna concluded\, “Oh sinless Yudhishthira\, as you have requested\, I have described to you the wonderful merit one can attain by fasting on the Ekadasi named Parama\, which occurs during the dark part of the extra\, leap-year month. You should observe this fast if at all possible.” \nKing Yudhishthira did exactly as Lord Krishna had instructed\, and so did all his brothers and their wife\, Draupadi. After enjoying pleasures rarely achieved in the material world\, they returned home\, back to Godhead.\nWhoever\, after taking a proper bath\, observes a fast on these two extra-month Ekadasis will go to heaven and finally attain to the abode of Sri Vishnu\, and as he travels there he will be praised and prayed to by all the demigods. \nThus ends the narration of the glories of Parama Ekadasi\, the Ekdasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the extra\, leap-year month\, from the Skanda Purana.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/parama-ekadasi-11-june-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260516
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260507T115201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T115205Z
UID:900-1778803200-1778889599@iskconimpm.com
SUMMARY:End of Jala Dana 15th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:End of Tulasi Jala Dana During the hot season in India\, a pot of dripping water is placed over Tulasi and Salagrama to keep them cool.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/end-of-jala-dana-15th-may-2026/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260514
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTSTAMP:20260629T220807
CREATED:20260507T115106Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T115126Z
UID:899-1778716800-1778803199@iskconimpm.com
SUMMARY:Appearance Day of Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura 14th May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Vrndavana Dasa Thakura was the author of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata\, a great biography of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is considered the manifest Vyasadeva of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
URL:https://iskconimpm.com/event/appearance-day-of-srila-vrndavana-dasa-thakura-14th-may-2026/
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