Srila Prabhupada on Gaura Purnima fasting and Janmastami fasting

[Guest guest]

So far the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya is concerned, I have written a full

suggestion to Montreal, in which the main points are that we should all observe

 

strict fasting up till moonrise, and at that time, an offering is made to Lord

Caitanya of Ekadasi foods, fruits, peanuts, milk, and so forth. Then, on the

next day, Friday the 15th, a full-scale feast is held to celebrate His Advent

Day. On the 14th, chanting, reading of Srila Bhaktivinode's book, Life and

Precepts and Caitanya Caritamrta, Introduction to Bhagavatam, may be held all

the

day in the Temple." (San Francisco, written 12th March 1968 letter to Balai)

 

Lord Caitanya's Appearance day falls on March 22 (1970), that is on a Sunday.

The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering

of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should

celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the

celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be

offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and

rice in

ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if

you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is

soft."(Letter to Krishna dasa. 18th February 1970. Los Angeles.)

 

P.S. No feasting in the evening of Caitanya's birthday. Fasting all day till

evening moon rise. Then take Prasadam like Ekadasi. Next day you can have full

swing feasting. On the birthday if can take a procession of Kirtana on the

street it is very nice." (Post Script to Letter to Rayarama dasa. September.

Unknown place unknown date Ref:91-05-14.)

 

There is an amusing discription of the first ISKCON janmastami "feast" as

described by Hayagriva Prabhu in his biography "Hare Krishna Explosion pg 62"

He

writes:"as midnight approaches, we hungrily envision the great birthday feast

of Lord Krishna, mountains of succulent prasadam: cake and kachoris, halava

and puris, sabji, sweet rice, samosas and gulabjamuns. Just a few minutes

before midnight, Swamiji finally descends from his kitchen with the Prasadam.

But

our faces drop. There is only a platter of cut fruit."

 

"We performed Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony, not very gorgeously, but

amongst ourselves, and Govinda dasi cooked very nice Ekadasi foodstuffs. The

next

day I expected some big ceremony but it couldn't be performed. (Letter to

Purusottam. 6th March 1969. Hawaii)