Bhisma Pancaka and Nrsimha Kavaca

[Guest guest]

Home Base: Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, Navadwip Dham, Nadia, WB, INDIA

 

My Dear Spiritual Daughter Son,

 

Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thankyou for your letter cited below with my comments. I have noted the

contents carefully.

 

> Dear Guru Maharaja:

>

> Please accept my most humble obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories

> to Srila Prabhupada!

>

> Some questions from devotees here:

>

> 1. Is it proper for bhaktas and first initiated devotees to chant Nrsimha

> Kavaca stotram?

 

Where is this mantra from?

 

>

> 2. What is Bhisma Pancaka exactly and how should we follow it? Just

> following it is enough if we haven't followed the four months of

> Caturmasya?

 

I don't say that you shouldn't follow Caturmasya, one should do at least the

minimum. I is said however that by observing Bhisma-pancaka one can get all

the results of the 4 months and more. There are three ways of following it.

One should observe a fast from ekadasi until purnima after sunset in one of

the following:

 

1) havasanna (a kitchery with vegetables without salt or spice to be eaten)

 

2) fruits and roots (eating only fruit and roots)[no fruits with many seeds]

 

3) panca-gabya (1st day-cow dung; 2nd day- cow urine; 3rd day= yogurt; 4th

day= milk, 5th day= five products of cow mixed)

 

One should bath in the Ganges or holy river (if not possible physically by

meditation) and offer tarpana to Bhismadeva saying "Om Bhismadevas trptatam"

 

One should rise early and worship the Lord and chant hare krishna Mahamantra

japa and kirtan. This is in a nutshell.

 

>

> 3. Is it proper to wear Nrsimha Kavacas on the tulasi neck beads?

 

I haven't heard anything specific about this. Usually it is prescribed to

wear a kavaca (on a chain/thread) over the chest or on the right arm (for

men)/ left arm (for women).

>

> Please dispell our ignorance.

>

> I hope this finds you in good health. Hare Krsna!

>

> Your servant,

> Mitra Gopi devi dasi

 

I hope that this finds you in good health.

 

Your ever well wisher,

 

Jayapataka Swami