in regards to fasting from grains on Gaura Purnima

[Guest guest]

> in your" Diary" there is one statement that fasting from grains on Gaura

> purnima is compulsory, and Srila Prabhupada said that but everywhere else

> I look

> it says fasting from grains and offering ekadasi feast

>

> Gaura Purnima in Mayapur India 1976 from the biography "A Transcendental

> Diary" Vol1 Mar.16. by Hari Sauri Prabhu: pg.461. "GAURA PURNIMA. The

> Appearance

> day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone fasted until moon rise and then

> took an Ekadasi feast, although Prabhupada said this was not compulsory.

 

If there was ever any debate about a particular fast or appearance

date etc. Srila Prabhupada would always refer to the Gaudiya Panjika put out

by the Gaudiya Matha. Whatever was written there, he accepted. However, he

wasn't fussy about these things. As I said, when I was with him, we did both

things--broke fasts with ekadasi prasada and also broke them with full grain

prasadam. He told me it was not compulsory to break with ekadasi prasadam

and that is what he practiced, and thus what was practiced in many, if not

most, ISKCON temples.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/6/2006 9:05:33 AM Pacific Standard Time,

Hari.Sauri.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:

If there was ever any debate about a particular fast or appearance

date etc. Srila Prabhupada would always refer to the Gaudiya Panjika put out

by the Gaudiya Matha. Whatever was written there, he accepted. However, he

wasn't fussy about these things. As I said, when I was with him, we did both

things--broke fasts with ekadasi prasada and also broke them with full grain

prasadam. He told me it was not compulsory to break with ekadasi prasadam

and that is what he practiced, and thus what was practiced in many, if not

most, ISKCON temples.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa

Dear Hari Sauri Prabhu

Please accept my humble obaisences

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 

The fact is Prabhuji there is no written statement to the fact that grains

is ok to accept for Gaura Purnima, in Gaudiya math they would never eat grains

on Janmastami night also, first of all it is unhealthy to accept grains after

an all day fast, secondly the actual fasting from grains is not finished

untill the next morning sometimes, as Ajamila Prabhu explained there is serious

 

reactions to accepting grains at midnight according to sastra .In all of ISKCON

 

it is wide accepted standard of ekadasi prasadam as per Srila Prabhupada's

written instructions, and what is the practise in our Gaudiya line.Just like on

 

ekadasi one can't accept grains at midnight.I understand you experiences with

Srila Prabhupada , obviously we should settle for a higher standard and not one

 

that will ruin the reputation of ISKCON , and destroy devotees spiritual

life.In the begiining of ISKCON some things may have been good enough but

accepting a proper standard is what is wanted and followed in 99 % of ISKCON

temples,

why can't 1 % or less follow this standard?

 

Srila Prabhupadas letters are clear:

 

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.)

 

that is good enough for me, if someone wants to eat grains on Janmastami that

is their own problem at least it should not be allowed in ISKCON temples or

properties.

I see no letters Srila Prabhupada say go ahead take grains prasadam for

Gaura Purnima or Janmastami.So what is the authority for such a thing?Anyhow I

will present this to the GBC to make it a law, as it will be for everyones

wellfare and stop speculations and lack of proper standard

 

Do you have any letters and/or written statement from Srila Prabhupada it is

ok to take grains on Janmastami midnight or on Gaura Purnima?Please forgive

me for not agreeing.

I am not doing so out of disrespect at all.I have only the highest respect

for you Prabhu.

 

and sorry for resending this part of Srila Prabhupadas letter again:

 

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)

 

thank you for your dedicadet service to Srila Prabhupada.I will not want to

break vaisnava etiqutte so Ajamila Prabhu who is my senior can explain this

much better, kindly forgive this God nephew,and kindly bestow your mercy upon

me

 

your servant

Payonidhi das

 

 

 

 

(Om) svasti no govindah svasti no 'cyutanantau

svasti no vasudvo vishnur dadhatu

svasti no narayano naro vai

svasti nah padmanabhaha puroshottamo dadhatu

svasti no vishvakseno vishveshvaraha

svasti no hrishikesho harir dadhatu

svasti no vainateyo harih

svasti no 'njana-suto hanur bhagavato dadhatu

svasti svasti sumangalaih kesho mahan

shri-krishnaha sac-cid-ananda-ghanaha sarveshvareshvaro dadhatu

 

 

"May Lord Govinda, Acyuta, Ananta Shesha, Vasudeva and Lord Vishnu bestow

auspiciousness upon us. May Nara-Narayana, Padmanabha and Purushottama bestow

auspiciousness upon us. May Vishvaksena, the Lord of the universe, Hrishikesh

and

Lord Hari bestow auspiciousness upon us. May Garuda and the son of Anjana,

who is the great devotee of Lord Rama, Hanuman, bestow auspiciousness upon us.

May the great and only Lord of auspiciousness, Sri Krishna, who is like a

transcendental cloud full of eternity, knowledge and bliss and who is the Lord

of

all the demigods, bestow upon us all prosperity and auspiciousness." (Rig Veda,

 

Krishna Upanishad)

 

 

 

karotu svasti me krishnaha

sarva-lokeshvareshvaraha

karshnadayash cha kurvantu

svasti me loka-pavanaha

 

 

"May Lord Krishna, the Lord of the demigods, the presiding controller of all

the worlds, bestow auspiciousness upon me. May His devotees, who are the

saviors of all people, bestow benedictions of auspiciousness upon me."

(Sammohana

Tantra)

 

 

 

 

krishno mamaiva sarvatra

svasti kuryat shriya samam

tathaiva cha sada karshnihi

sarva-vighna-vinashanaha

 

 

"May Lord Krishna along with His beloved Radha bring about prosperity and

auspiciousness at all times. In the same way may the devotee of Krishna, who is

 

able to destroy all obstacles, always bring about auspiciousness." (Vishnu

Yamala Samhita)

[Guest guest]

>

> The fact is Prabhuji there is no written statement to the fact that

> grains is ok to accept for Gaura Purnima, in Gaudiya math they would never

> eat grains on Janmastami night also, first of all it is unhealthy to

> accept grains after an all day fast, secondly the actual fasting from

> grains is not finished untill the next morning sometimes, as Ajamila

> Prabhu explained there is serious reactions to accepting grains at

> midnight according to sastra .

 

This is my last comment on this. In practice Srila Prabhupada did

not strictly enforce breaking fasts with ekadasi prasadam. Although his

letters show that this was the recommended way to do it, in practice it

wasn't widespread. Srila Prabhupada was more concerned that people were

chanting and trying to become Krsna conscious. By chanting any discrepancies

are obviated.

 

That's not to say that if one knows the standard that they should

ignore it. But we should not get caught up in the mentality that declares

devotional activity null and void, or seriously compromised, simply because

a technical aspect was not observed. Our business is to chant the holy

names. All other activity is simply to support this.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/6/2006 5:39:19 PM Pacific Standard Time,

Hari.Sauri.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:

Although his

letters show that this was the recommended way to do it, in practice it

wasn't widespread.

thank you Prabhu, this was my humble point, it is wide spread now and is the

standard in almost all ISKCON temples