The month of Phalguna(february-march)

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Dear Vaisnavas

PAMHO

AGTSP

In the HaribhaktiVilasa ,Fourteen Vilasa it describes the duties for the month

of Phalguna.

Actually the Vedic calendar is different from the western calendar.

Phalguna starts on Siva Ratri.

It is mentioned that it is especially important to bathe during these

cold month at dawn,and the result is great, not only in terms of being clean

and healthy.Especially for the privious month Magha ,that coresponds to

January -february.It is mentioned that:

By bathing during the month of Magha one destroys all calamities and all

sins.Magha is the best vow,the giver of the pious results of all charity.

 

On and on so many verses glorify bathing earli in the morning(for devotees

that is before Mongalartik time,by 4 am latest).Just see how we

are getting so much pious results by doing our duty,and rising early for

mongal artik,wether we live in a temple or not.

Sanatana Goswami quotes one vers:

"If one desires many pleasures like those experienced by Candra and Surya, one

should bathe at dawn during the month of Magha and Phalguna."

 

Not that we say I am not interested in heavenly pleasures so let me sleep

late.But this is to illustrate the benefit for bathing during the cold

month,to encourage us.This is how kind Krsna is.

 

Phalguna is the month Arjuna is born,and as such that is one of Arjunas

10 names,as mentioned in the Mahabharata.

 

A vers from the Gautamiya tantra is mentioned in the Haribhakti Vilasa

"During the month of Phalguna one should worship Lord Krsna with many golden

campaka flowers,with fragrant mango flowers,and with insence and

other fragrant things".

 

Actually in Vrindavana there is a beautifull festival called Vasanta

pancami,this is the springtime festival when the spring starts,most temples

are decorated with yellow flowers that has just blossomed on that

day.Also in Mayapure this is being obseved,it generally falls a few days after

Lord Nitayanandas appearenceday.

 

In some temples in Vrindavana, like my favorite temple(next to Krsna-Balarama

mandir) Radha-Ramana temple they massage the Lordships with

saffronoil during the winter,but from around this day they massage their

bodies with Roseoils,or Gullap as I believe the Hindi name is.And they offer

Insence made with Roseoil,etc.And of course roses in general.It is

a beautifull time to be in Vrindavana,and visit these transcendental temples

of the Lord,like Sri Sril Krsna-Balarama,Radha- Shyamasundara;

Gaura-Nitai in our ISkcon temple are so beautifull.And also to behold

the transcendental form of Radha Ramana.To see Yamuna during this time

is very pleasing,bathing is a little cold but so purifying that who would not

take bath in Yamunas transcendental waters.

And then of course to visit Srila Prabhupadas sacred rooms in Radha Damodara

temple,and take darshan of the samadhis there,and not to forget to have

darshan of Radha Damodara,and the Govardhana Sila there with Krsnas lotusfood

print.

Also Mayapure is very pleasing during this season,and with so many vaisnavas

from all over the world it adds to the wonderfull spiritual atmosphere in

these places.

Your servant

Payonidhi das