sri sri guru gaurangau jayatah

Bhaktabandhav
Mayapur Universal Calendar
2018 to 2019
 sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Ekadasi Mahatmya
ekadasyam nirahara sthitva ‘ham apare ‘hani
bhoksyami pundarikaksa saranam me bhava ‘cyuta
“On the day of Ekadasi I shall refrain from eating and will eat
on the following day. O Acyuta, please be my refuge!“(Hari-
bhakti-vilasa 13.25)
ekadasyam niraharo varjayisyami vai jalam
kesava-prinanarthaya atyanta-damanena ca
“On Ekadasi I shall not eat, forsaking even water. For the
sake of pleasing Kesava, I shall engage in this greatest of self-
restraints.” (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 15.36)

ekadasi vrata samam vratam nasti jagattraye

anicchaya’pi yat krtva gatir evam vidha ‘vayoh
ekadasi vratam ye tu bhakti bhavena kurvate
na jane kim bhavet tesam vasudeva anukampaya
“In the three worlds, there is no kind of fasting which is
comparable to the Ekadasi fast. Even if one performs this fast
without a proper attitude, he achieves the Supreme Abode.
The Supreme Lord’s mercy for one who fasts on the day of
Ekadasi, with full devotion, is impossible to describe.” (Padma
Purana, Kriya Yogasara 23.172-174)
 based on the
Visuddha Sri Navadvipa Panjika
(Mayapura Calendar)

namah om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale

srimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti-namine
namah om visnu-padaya acarya-simha-rupine
sri-srimad-bhakti-prajnana-kesava iti namine
namah om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namah sajjana sevaka sajjana presthaya bhutale
sri-srimad-bhaktivedanta vamana iti namine
vajrad api kathorani go govardhana sevaka
mrduna kusumad api bhaktivedanta trivikrama
vande ham sri guru varam sri rupanuga pravaram
vraja rasa rasikaṁ ca narayaṇam tam prapannam
Rules for paran or breaking Ekadasi fast: One should break the fast with that which you have
been fasting from. Ex: If you have fasted without taking water, you should break the fast with
water or caranamrita. If you have observed Ekadasi by eating fruit and roots, then you should
break fast on the next day by taking grains within the specified time of paran.
Restricted foods on Ekādaśī: Tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers,
carrots, bitter melon, green peas, loki, parmal, toroi, green chili, drumsticks, lady fingers,
radish, beets, and banana flowers.
• Peas, chickpeas and all types of beans, including products made from beans like
papadams, tofu, and tempeh etc.
• All leafy vegetables, like spinach, salads, cabbages, and leafy herbs like parsley, coriander
leaves, celery, herbal tea, and curry leaves.
• Grains, like millet, barley, farina, kinua, bamboo rice, wild rice, jungle rice, samo rice,
amaranth seed, pasta, rice, corn, and all types of flour made from grains and beans, like
rice flour, chickpea flour, urad dahl flour etc.
• Starches from corn or above mentioned grains, and products made from or mixed with
these starches like baking soda, baking powder, soft drinks with corn syrup, custard, cake,
halava, certain varieties of cream and cottage cheese, certain sweets and candies, and
tapioca balls.
• Oils made from grains, like soyabean oil, sun flower oil, corn oil, mustard oil, sesame oil,
other types of refined oils and products fried in these oils, like fried nuts, potato chips and
other fried snack foods). Honey is also restricted.
Spices used on Ekādaśī: Black pepper, fresh ginger, pure salt and fresh turmeric, all taken
from a new and clean package.
Spices not used on Ekādaśī: hing (asofetida), chili, sesame seeds, cumin, fenugreek,
mustard, tamarind, fennel, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, bay leaf, cardamon, cloves,
oregano, basil and other leafy spices etc.
Foods that can be taken on all fast days: Fruits (fresh and dried), nuts and oils made from
nuts and other pure sources, like olive oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, almond oil, and ghee.
Potatoes, potato chips, pumpkin, cucumber, squash, lemon, green papaya, green banana,
jackfruit, sweet potato, tapioca root, avocado, olives, coconut. Pure milk products.
Restricted foods during Cāturmāsya: Tomatoes, eggplants, all beans, soya, loki, parmal,
urad dahl, papadams, mustard, sesame and honey.
Particular foods that are restricted during each of the four months:
First month: No leafy vegetables, such as spinach, salads of all types, cabbages of all
types, kale, leafy herbs like coriander, mint, parsley, curry and powdered leafy herbs and
teas • Second month: No yoghurt. • Third month: No milk. • Fourth month: No oil except
peanut oil, coconut oil, olive oil and ghee. Only fruits and roots.
Forbidden foods: Non-veg, fish, eggs, onion, garlic, all carrots, all teas, coffee, supple-
ments with Tulasi, products with gelatin, renet, and any animal fats and substances.
Eclipse
• During lunar or solar eclipse, the following should be avoided: cooking, drinking, eating,
sleeping, using the toilet (as much as possible).
• Spend time in chanting Harinama (kirtan or japa).
 Sri Gaurabda 532
Vaishnava Calendar for year 2018-19

MARCH
9 Fri Avirbhava: Srila Srivasa Pandita.
13 Tue Fasting for Papamocani Ekadasi.
14 Wed Paran from 6:30 am to 10:00 am Tirobhava: Sri Govinda Gosh.
17 Sat Amavasya.
22 Thu Avirbhava: Sri Ramanujacarya and Sri Srimad Bhakti Hrdoy Bon
Maharaja.
25 Sun Sri Ram Navami (Appearance of Lord Ramacandra).
Fast until noon. Ekadasi preparations only.
Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Gosvami Maharaja.
26 Mon Paran after sunrise from 6:10 am to 10:30 am.
27 Tue Fasting for Kamada Ekadasi.
28 Wed Paran after sunrise from 6:18 am to 10:30 am.
31 Sat Purnima. Rasa-yatra of Sri Baladeva Prabhu.
Vasanta Rasa-yatra of Sri Krsna.
Avirbhava: Srila Syamananda Prabhu & Vamsivadananda Thakura.
vvv APRIL
5 Thu Tirobhava: Krsnadas Babaji Maharaja & Nitaidas Babaji Maharaja.
6 Fri Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Kumud Santa Gosvami Maharaja.
7 Sat Tirobhava: Sri Abhiram Thakura.
9 Mon Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Gosvami Maharaja.
10 Tue Tirobhava: Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura.
12 Thu Fasting for Varuthini Ekadasi and Unmilani Mahadvadasi.
13 Fri Paran after sunrise 5:54 am and before 7:50 am.
14 Sat Sri Kesava Vrata begins. Watering of Tulasi and Salagrama.
16 Mon Amavasya. Avirbhava: Sri Gadadhar Pandita.
18 Wed Aksaya Tritiya. Candan-yatra of Sri Jagannatha-deva begins.
Opening of the doors of Sri Badri Narayana Temple. Ganga-devi’s
descent to Earth. Appearance Day of Lord Parasurama. Inaugura-
tion day of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in 1941.
22 Sun Jahnu Saptami.
24 Tue Avirbhava: Sita devi (consort of Sri Rama) and Jahnava devi (con-
sort of Sri Nityananda). Tirobhava: Srila Madhu Pandita.
26 Thu Fasting for Mohini Ekadasi.
27 Fri Paran after sunrise 5:43 am and before 8:25 am.
29 Sun Appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva.
(Fast till dusk. Ekadasi preparations only.)
30 Mon Buddha Purnima. Paran after sunrise 5:40 am and before 6:21 am.
Avirbhava: Srila Srinivas Acarya and Srila Madhavendra Puripada.
Tirobhava: Srila Paramesvari Thakur.
Manifestation day of Sri Radharamana-devaji.
MAY
1 Tue Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Saranga Gosvami Maharaja.
5 Sat Tirobhava: Srila Raya Ramananda Prabhu.
11 Fri Fasting for Apara Ekadasi.
12 Sat Paran after sunrise 5:35 am and before 10:01 am.
Avirbhava: Srila Vrindavan dasa Thakura.
15 Tue Sri Kesava Vrata ends. Watering of Tulasi and Salagrama ends.
Adhika-masa. Sri Purusottama-vrata begins.
25 Fri Fasting for Padmini Ekadasi.
26 Sat Paran after sunrise 5:25 am and before 9:52 am.
29 Tue Purnima.
 JUNE
10 Sun Fasting for Parama Ekadasi.
11 Mon Paran after sunrise 5:25 am and before 7:34 am.
13 Wed Adhika-masa ends. Sri Purusottama-vrata ends.
23 Sat Amavasya. Ganga dasahara. Sri Ganga puja. Avirbhava: Sri Ganga-
mata Gosvamini. Tirobhava: Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu.
24 Sun Fasting for Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi.
25 Mon Paran after sunrise 5:24 am and before 6:31 am.
26 Tue Cira-dahi-danda-mahotsava of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.
28 Thu Purnima. Snana-yatra of Sri Jagannatha-deva.
Tirobhava: Srila Mukunda Datta and Srila Sridhara Pandita.
29 Fri Tirobhava: Srila Syamananda Prabhu.
JULY
3 Tue Avirbhava: Srila Vakreshwara Pandita.
8 Sun Tirobhava: Srila Srivasa Pandita.
9 Mon Fasting for Yogini Ekadasi.
10 Tue Paran after sunrise 5:32 am and before 9:59 am.
13 Fri Amavasya. Tirobhava: Sri Gaura-sakti Gadadhara Pandita and
Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Cleaning of Sri Jagan-
natha’s Gundica Mandira.
14 Sat Ratha-yatra of Sri Jagannatha-deva. Tirobhava: Srila Svarupa
Damodara Gosvami and Srila Sivananda Sena.
18 Wed Hera Pancami Mahotsava. Festival of Sri Lakshmi Vijaya.
22 Sun The return journey of Sri Jagannatha-deva. Tirobhava: Sri Srimad
Bhakti Kamala Madhusudana Gosvami Maharaja.
23 Mon Fasting for Sayana Ekadasi. Sri Hari Sayana.
Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Gosvami Maharaja.
24 Tue Paran after sunrise 5:37 and before 10:01 am.
27 Fri Sri Guru Purnima. Sri Vyasa-puja. Tirobhava: Srila Sanatana
Gosvami. Caturmasya vrata begins. Fasting for four months. First
month: no green leafy vegatables. Moon eclipse: Midnight 12:00
to 4:00 am.
AUGUST
2 Thu Tirobhava: Srila Gopal Bhatta Gosvami.
5 Sun Tirobhava: Srila Lokanatha Gosvami.
7 Tue Fasting for Kamika Ekadasi.
8 Wed Paran after sunrise 7:25 am and before 10:27 am.
11 Sat Amavasya.
Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Gosvami Maharaja
15 Wed Tirobhava: Sri Raghunandana Thakura and
Sri Vamsidas Babaji Maharaja
22 Wed Fasting for Pavitraropani Ekadasi.
Beginning of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Jhulan-yatra.
23 Thu Paran after sunrise 5:49 am and before 10:03 am
Sri Krishna Pavitraropana Utsava
Tirobhava: Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhu, Srila Gauridasa Pandita
and Srila Govinda dasa Pandita.
26 Sun Sri Baladeva Purnima (Appearance day of Lord Balarama).
Fast until noon. Ekadasi preparations only. End of Jhulan-yatra.
Raksha-bandhan. Second month of Caturmasya begins - fasting
from yoghurt for 1 month.
27 Mon Paran after sunrise 5:50 am and before 10:03 am.
SEPTEMBER
3 Mon Sri Krishna Janmastami. Maha-Abhisheka.
Full fast (nirjala) until midnight. Ekadasi preparations only.
4 Tue Paran after sunrise 5:53 am and before 10:02 am.
Sri Nandotsava.
Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
6 Thu Fasting for Annada Ekadasi.
7 Fri Paran after sunrise 5:54 am and before 7:10 am.
9 Sun Amavasya.
14 Fri Avirbhava: Sri Sitadevi, consort of Sri Advaita Acarya.
16 Sun Avirbhava: Sri Lalita Devi
17 Mon Sri Sri Radhastami. Maha Abhisheka.
21 Fri Fasting for Sravana Mahadvadasi and Parsva Ekadasi. Vamana
Dvadasi, Sri Vamanadeva Appearance day.
Avirbhava: Sri Jiva Gosvami
22 Sat Paran after sunrise 5:58 am and before 9:59 am.
Avirbhava: Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
23 Sun Tirobhava: Srila Haridasa Thakura and Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijnana
Bharati Gosvami Maharaja. Ananta Caturdasi.
25 Tue Purnima. Sri Visvarupa-Mahotsava. Sannyasa day of Sri Srimad
Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami and Sri Srimad Bhaktive-
danta Swami Prabhupada. Third month of Caturmasya begins
- fasting from milk.
30 Sun Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Srirupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja
OCTOBER
5 Fri Fasting for Indira Ekadasi.
6 Sat Paran after sunrise 6:03 am and before 9:58 am.
9 Tue Amavasya.
13 Sat Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvami Maharaja
18 Thu Ākaśa-dīpadāna. Offering a lamp in the sky for one month begins.
Dīpadāna-mantra:
dāmodarāya nabhasi tulāyāṁ lolayā saḥ
pradīpan te prayacchāmi namo ’nantāya vedhase (HBV 16.149)
19 Fri Vijay Dasami. Lord Sri Ramacandra Vijayotsava.
Avirbhava: Sri Madhvacarya.
20 Sat Fasting for Pasankusa Ekadasi.
21 Sun Paran after sunrise 6:10 am and before 9:58 am.
Tirobhava: Srila Raghunath dasa Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta
Gosvami and Sri Krishna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami.
24 Wed Sarada Purnima. Sri Krishna’s Saradiya Rasa-lila. Kartika Vrata,
Urja Vrata, Damodara Vrata, Niyam-seva begins.
Tirobhava: Sri Murari Gupta and Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupa-
da 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja.
Last month of Caturmasya - Fasting from sesame seeds, mustard
seeds and mustard oil.
29 Mon Tirobhava: Srila Narottama dasa Thakura and Sri Srimad Bhakti
Kusala Narasimha Maharaja.
31 Wed Bahulashtami. Manifestation day of Sri Radha Kunda.
NOVEMBER
2 Fri Avirbhava: Sri Virachandra Prabhu and Sri Srimad Bhakti Rakshak
Sridhar Gosvami Maharaja.
4 Sun Fasting for Ramā Ekadasi.
5 Mon Paran after sunrise 6:18 am and before 10:00 am.
6 Tue Choti Dipavali.
7 Wed Amavasya. Dīpavali. Offering of ghee lamps. Dama-bandhan-lila
(Mother Yasoda binds Krishna to the grinding mortar).
8 Thu Annakuta Mahotsava & Sri Govardhan Puja. Go-puja.
Avirbhava: Srila Rasikananda Prabhu.
 9 Fri Yama dvitya. (Bhaiya Dooj.) Tirobhava: Srila Vasudeva Ghosh.
10 Sat Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja
& Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja.
11 Sun Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
12 Mon Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Srirupa Siddhanti Gosvami Maharaja.
15 Thu Gopastami. Tirobhava: Srila Srinivasa Acarya, Srila Dhananjaya
Pandita and Srila Gadadhara dasa Thakura.
17 Sat End of Ākaśa-dīpadāna-offering a lamp in the sky for one month.
19 Mon Fasting for Utthana Ekadasi. Bhisma-pancaka begins.
Tirobhava: Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja.
Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja
20 Tue Paran after sunrise 6:22 am and before 10:05 am
22 Thu Tirobhava: Srila Bhugarbha Gosvami, Srila Kasisvara Pandit,
and Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja.
23 Fri Purnima. Hemanta Rasa Yatra of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
End of Caturmasya-vrata, Kartika-vrata, Bhishma Pancaka and
Niyam-seva. Avirbhava: Sri Nimbarka Acarya
24 Sat Beginning of Sri Katyayani Vrata.
DECEMBER
3 Mon Fasting for Utpanna Ekadasi. Tirobhava: Narahari Sarkar Thakura
4 Tue Paran after sunrise 6:37 and before 10:11 am.
5 Wed Tirobhava: Sri Saranga Thakura.
7 Fri Amavasya.
10 Mon Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Jivan Janardana Gosvami Maharaja
13 Thu Sri Jagannatha-deva Oḍana Shasthi Ceremony
(Lord Jagannath begins wearing winter clothes).
15 Sat Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Jivan Janardana Gosvami Maharaja
16 Sun Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Kamala Madhusudana Gosvami Maharaja.
18 Tue Fasting for Mokshada Ekadasi. Gita Jayanti. Manifestation of
Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
19 Wed Paran after 10:30am.
22 Sat Purnima. End of Sri Katyayani Vrata.
26 Wed Tirobhava: Jagad-guru Om Visnupada Astottara-sata Sri Srimad
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura Prabhupada.
30 Sun Avirbhava: Om Visnupada 108 Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vama-
na Gosvami Maharaja.
Tirobhava: Srila Gurudeva Bhaktabandhava Om Visnupada 108
Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.
JANUARY
01 Tue Fasting for Saphala Ekadasi. Tirobhava: Sri Devananda Pandita.
02 Wed Paran after sunrise 10:00 am and before 10:30 am.
03 Thu Tirobhava: Sri Mahesh Pandita and Sri Uddharan Datta Thakura.
05 Fri Amavasya.
06 Sun Avirbhava: Sri Locana dasa Thakura
09 Wed Tirobhava: Srila Jiva Gosvami and Srila Jagadish Pandita
14 Mon Makara Sankranti. Ganga Sagar Snana.
17 Thu Fasting for Putrada Ekadasi.
18 Fri Paran from 6:56 am to 10:30 am. Avirbhava: Sri Jagadish Pandita.
19 Sat Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Kumuda Santa Gosvami Maharaja.
21 Mon Purnima. Sri Krishna Pusya Abhisheka-yatra.
23 Wed Avirbhava: Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.
Tirobhava: Srila Ramacandra Kaviraja.
25 Fri Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja.
Tirobhava: Srila Narahari Seva Vigraha Prabhu.
26 Sat Avirbhava: Srila Jayadeva Gosvami.
27 Sun Tirobhava: Srila Locana dasa Thakura.
31 Thu Fasting for Sat-tila Ekadasi.
FEBRUARY
1 Fri Paran after sunrise 6:53 am and before 10:32 am.
Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja
4 Mon Mauni Amavasya. 98th Appearance day of Srila Gurudeva
Bhaktabandhav Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
Maharaja. Sri Vyasapuja Mahotsava.
10 Sun Vasanta Pancami of Sri Krishna.
Avirbhava: Sri Visnupriya devi, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami,
Srila Raghunandana Thakura and Pundarika Vidyanidhi.
Tirobhava: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur and Sri Srimad
Bhakti Viveka Bharati Gosvami Maharaja. Sri Saraswati Puja.
12 Tue Advaita-saptami. Appearance day of Maha-Vishnu Avatar Sri
Advaita Acarya. Fast till noon. Ekadasi preparations only.
13 Wed Paran after sunrise 6:47 and before 10:30 am.
14 Thu Tirobhava: Sri Madhvacarya.
15 Fri Tirobhava: Sri Ramanujacharya.
16 Sat Fasting for Bhaimi Ekadasi and Varaha Dvadasi. Sri Varaha-de-
va’s appearance day. (Nirjala or water only). Next day break fast
with Caranamrta - paran time: 6:34 to 10:31.
17 Sun Sri Nityananda Trayodasi. Appearance day of Sri Nityananda
Prabhu. Fasting till noon. Ekadashi preparations only.
18 Mon Paran after sunrise and before 10:21 am.
19 Tue Maghi Purnima. Madhurotsava of Sri Krishna. Sannyasa day of
Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Avirbhava: Narottama dasa Thakura.
22 Fri 119th Appearance day of nitya-lila pravista om visnupada 108-
Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja.
24 Sun 144th Appearance day of nitya-lila pravista om visnupada 108-
Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura Prabhu-
pada. Tirobhava: Srila Gaura Govinda Gosvami Maharaja.
25 Mon Avirbhava: Sri Srimad Bhakti Saranga Gosvami Maharaja.
MARCH
02 Sat Fasting for Vijaya Ekadasi.
03 Sun Paran after sunrise 6:33 am and before 10:26 am.
05 Tue Sri Siva-ratri. Fasting till noon. Ekadasi preparations only.
06 Wed Amavasya. Paran after 6:30 am and before 10:30 am.
07 Thu Tirobhava: Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Rasikananda
Prabhu, and Sri Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja.
13 Wed Tirobhava: Sri Srimad Bhaktivaibhava Puri Gosvami Maharaja.
15 Fri Sri Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama begins.
17 Sun Fasting for Amalaki Ekadasi.
18 Mon Paran after sunrise 6:11 am and before 10:13 am.
Tirobhava: Srila Madhavendra Puripada.
21 Thu Sri Gaura Purnima. Sri Gaura Jayanti. Appearance day of
Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari. Holi. Fasting till moonrise.
End of Gaurabda 532.
22 Fri Paran after sunrise 6:15 am and before 10:15 am.
Gaurabda 533
28 March Avirbhava: Srila Srivasa Pandita.
1 April Fasting for Unmilani Mahadvadasi and Papamocani Ekadasi.
2 April Paran after sunrise 6:04 am and before 9:00 am.
 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada established
the Visuddha Sri Navadvipa Panjika (Mayapura Calendar)
We are the followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and endeavor to rid ourselves
of bodily designations and consciousness, thinking that we are American, Russian,
Chinese, and so forth ̶ naham vipro na ca nara patir ̶ and we always endeavor
to reside in the dhama. Srila Rupa Gosvami advised us to reside in the dhama by
body and mind, and if we could not do so by body, at least to reside there by mind.
Following the Mayapura calendar helps us to remain absorbed in the dhama and
Mahaprabhu. In Kali-yuga, Navadvipa-dhama, or Mayapura, is non-different from
Vrndavana, and indeed, in Kali-yuga, sastra states that all holy tirthas reside in
Navadvipa. We thus follow the Mayapura calendar.
Once, at the Vinod-vani Gaudiya Matha, Srila Gurudeva stated that until the
devotees all follow the same Ekadasi day, there can be no real Visva-vaisnava-
raja-sabha. In Radlett, on May 22nd, Srila Gurudeva said, “(Bhaktisiddhanta)
Prabhupada made a calendar; we follow that calendar. He has done so many
things. He has written so many books. So, we follow what Prabhupada has said.”
In California, Srila Gurudeva was once asked by a senior Prabhupada disciple
if devotees in the West could celebrate Gaura Purnima (and other festival days)
before the devotees of Mayapura do. “Never,” Gurudeva responded. Later, when
told the comment that Prabhupada had said the sun first rises in Mayapura and
the rest of the world should follow their observations after, Gurudeva replied,
“Whatever Swamiji has written should be followed.”
The GBC made the following resolution on Feb 25th, 1988:
“That the GBC accepts the Yoga Pitha Gaudiya Panjika calendar as
authoritative for ISKCON on the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. It is also
Srila Prabhupada’s instructions that the Panjika be followed in any time
zone of the world according to the same Calendar date as observed in
Mayapura.”
GBC Resolutions 1988 #53 (http://gbc.iskcon.org/1988/)
On Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja in 1986, Vipramukhya Svami related
the following during his puspanjali offering: “The question arose: When was
Janmastami? Our calendar, put out by Pradyumna, said it was one day in the West
and a different day in India. By astrological calculation he had worked out the world
in time zones, and those who lived West of a particular time zone would observe
it on the following day. Seeing the confusion, you said the calculation was “over-
intelligent,” and whatever day it was celebrated on in India, it should be celebrated
the same day all over the world.”
We humbly pray to follow our Guru-varga under the guidance of Srila Gurudeva,
Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada, and Srila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada.
 www.bhaktabandhav.org
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