Today marks the seventh day of Chandan Yatra, completing the first seven days of this beautiful festival. Each day, the Lord is dressed in different vesas, bringing a fresh and joyful darshan for everyone.
Today, Madhava and Chota Madhava appeared in Chakra Narayana Vesa. The soft blue tones and delicate decorations give such a calm and cooling feeling. Even Giriraj Govardhan looks especially beautiful today, dressed in blue and decorated so gracefully, adding to the whole atmosphere of Vrindavan mood.
Chota Radha Madhava are dressed in bright yellow, surrounded by so many fresh flowers. The combination of yellow, blue, and the natural floral setting creates such a gentle and pleasing darshan. Krishna with His flute and peacock feather, and Srimati Radharani in her golden yellow dress, look so natural and full of life, as if They are simply enjoying Their time in the forest.
Alongside this, we can remember a prayer by Rupa Goswami:
“The elephant of my mind is drowning in the waters of material illusion. Held by the crocodile of the threefold miseries, it cries in fear. O Lord Hari, please rescue it with Your Sudarshana chakra.”
It gently reminds us to bring our thoughts and struggles to the Lord and depend on Him for clarity and shelter.
Today is also the final day of the Boat Festival for Chota Radha Madhava. For the past seven days, Their boat pastimes have brought a peaceful joy, as They moved gently on the water and gave darshan to everyone.
The festival continues, and soon we will see the Boat Festival of Lord Jagannatha. Just yesterday, He appeared in Govardhana Vesa, also dressed in blue, reminding us of His pastime of lifting Govardhana Hill and caring for all His devotees.
May these days of Chandan Yatra quietly bring peace to the heart and keep us connected in remembrance.
Jaya Jagannatha
Jaya Radha Madhava
Today is a deeply auspicious day as we honor the divine appearance of Śrī Sītā Devī and Śrī Jāhnavā Devī, along with the disappearance of Śrī Madhu Paṇḍita. These sacred personalities are not like conditioned souls who are bound by material nature. They are eternally liberated, always situated in the Lord’s internal potency, and never subject to fall down. By approaching their mercy, one can very easily receive the mercy of the Lord, for when they bestow their grace, everything becomes possible.
As conditioned souls, we are constantly influenced by the external energy, repeatedly falling into illusion unless we remain under the shelter of the Lord’s internal potency. Therefore, we pray to take refuge in that divine energy, which manifests in various forms such as Śrī Sītā Devī and Śrī Jāhnavā Devī. Their compassion and protection guide the soul back toward spiritual steadiness and devotion.
There is a beautiful pastime connected to this day. When Lord Rāma was in exile, He came to Māyāpur, specifically to the island of Modadrumadvīpa. Seeing Him smiling, Sītā Devī lovingly inquired about the reason. Lord Rāma explained that in that age He had sent Her to the forest, but in the age of Kali He Himself would go to the forest and accept sannyāsa. He further revealed that when She would be in the forest, He would worship a golden deity of Her, and in Kali yuga, when She would be separated, She would worship Him in a golden form. Hearing this, Sītā Devī was not pleased, as both situations carried the pain of separation from the Lord. This exchange reveals the deep and intimate nature of divine love, where even separation becomes an expression of profound devotion.
On this same day, we also remember Śrī Madhu Paṇḍita, a dear disciple of Gadādhara Gosvāmī, who journeyed from Navadvīpa to Vṛndāvana in search of Kṛṣṇa. There he became the devoted servant of Śrī Gopīnātha. Every day he would recite Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, fully absorbed in devotional service. He is also known for blessing Śrīnivāsa Ācārya with the garland of Gopīnātha before Śrīnivāsa, Narottama, and Śyāmānanda departed from Vṛndāvana carrying the treasured scriptures of the Gosvāmīs. In Goloka Vṛndāvana, Śrī Madhu Paṇḍita Gosvāmī serves as Maṇḍalī sakhī in the group of Campakalatā sakhī, revealing his eternal spiritual identity in the Lord’s pastimes.
On this sacred day, we can offer heartfelt prayers to Śrī Jāhnavā Devī:
“O my dear Śrī Jāhnavā Devī, please have compassion upon your servant and kindly extend the rope of your mercy to relieve the intense suffering I am experiencing. I have taken shelter of the boat of your lotus feet, and I have firm faith that you can carry me across this ocean of material existence. You are the divine energy of Lord Nityānanda and the bestower of Kṛṣṇa bhakti. Please bless me at your lotus feet, which can fulfill all desires. You have already delivered so many fallen souls, and today one more fallen and destitute soul stands before you, begging for your mercy.”
May this day inspire us to sincerely seek shelter at their lotus feet, deepen our faith, and continue on the path of devotion with humility and hope.
On the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a day known for its ever-increasing spiritual blessings, the sacred Chandan Yatra begins. This marks the start of a deeply refreshing and joyful season in Mayapur, where the Lordships are lovingly adorned with cooling sandalwood paste to bring comfort during the summer months. Over the days that follow, beautiful and creative veśas unfold, each revealing a unique pastime and mood of the Lord. The atmosphere becomes especially magical, soft, and filled with devotion, as Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava are worshipped with increasing sweetness. This festival season gradually leads the heart toward the divine appearance of Lord Narasimha, followed by the grand celebrations of Ratha Yatra, making the entire summer in Māyāpur a continuous flow of spiritual joy and remembrance.
On this first day, the veśa offered to the Lordships was the beautiful Nauka Vihāra pastime, where Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava, along with the gopīs, were exquisitely adorned as if seated upon a divine boat, recreating this intimate and playful līlā. The delicate decorations, flowing arrangements, and gentle colors brought the entire scene to life, allowing devotees to not only see but feel the sweetness of this pastime.
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs, carrying yogurt, butter, and various offerings, come to the banks of the Yamunā. They need to cross to the other side—but suddenly, a mysterious boatman appears. That boatman is none other than Kṛṣṇa Himself, disguised, playful, and eager to increase the loving exchanges.
He speaks boldly, teasing them:
“Why should I ferry you across? The river is dangerous, my boat is fragile… and you seem quite heavy with all your ornaments!”
The gopīs respond with mock anger and witty replies. There is laughter, challenge, and a current of deep affection hidden beneath the banter. Finally, they agree to board His boat.
As they begin crossing, Kṛṣṇa deliberately rocks the boat. The Yamunā appears turbulent, waves rising as if participating in the divine play. The gopīs become fearful and cling to Him. In that moment, their external pride dissolves, and only dependence and love remain.
Kṛṣṇa then says:
“If you want to be saved, you must give up all your possessions.”
One by one, they surrender everything—yet ultimately, what is being asked is not just ornaments or pots of yogurt, but their very hearts.
Take Daily Darshan on: https://www.facebook.com/MayapurDotCom/
Today's Chandan Yatra Vesa: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18UFNZTerD/
For Seva during this sumer festival: https://mayapur.com/festivals/Akshaya-Tritiya
Happy Chandan Yatra!!!!
Varuthini Ekadasi
(Krishna Paksha, Vaisakha — April–May)
Sri Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "Oh Vasudeva, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You. Please now describe to me the Ekadasi of the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Vaisakha (April-May), including its specific merits and influence."
Lord Sri Krishna replied, "Oh King, in this world and the next, the most auspicious and magnanimous Ekadasi is Varathini Ekadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Vaisakha. Whosoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed, obtains continuous happiness, and achieves all good fortune. Fasting on Varathini Ekadasi makes even an unfortunate woman fortunate. Upon anyone who observes it, this Ekadasi bestows material enjoyment in this life and liberation after the death of this present body. It destroys the sins of all and saves people from the miseries of repeated rebirth. By observing this Ekadasi properly, King Mandhata was liberated. Many other kings also benefited from observing it, kings such as Maharaja Dhundhumara, in the Ikshvaku dynasty, who became free from leprosy resulting from the curse that Lord Shiva had imposed upon him as a punishment. Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten thousand years is achieved by a person who observes Varuthinii Ekadasi. The merit one achieves by donating a great amount of gold during a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra is gained by one who observes this one Ekadasi with love and devotion, and certainly attains his goals in this life and the next. In short, this Ekadasi is pure and very enlivening and the destroyer of all sins. Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants, and better than giving elephants is giving land. But better still than giving land is the giving of sesame seeds, and better than that is giving of gold. Still better than giving gold is giving food grains for all the forefathers, demigods (devas), and human beings become satisfied by eating grains. Thus there is no better gift of charity than this in the past, present or future. Yet learned scholars have declared that giving away a young maiden in marriage to a worthy person is equal to giving away food grains in charity. Moreover, Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has said that giving cows in charity is equal to giving food grains. Still better than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant. Yet all the merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity are attained by one who fasts on the Varuthini Ekadasi. One who lives off the wealth of his daughters suffers a hellish condition until the inundation of the entire universe, Oh Bharata. Therefore one should be especially careful not to use the wealth of his daughter. Oh best of kings, any householder who takes his daughter's wealth out of greed, who tries to sell his daughter, or who takes money from the man to whom he has given his daughter in marriage such a householder becomes a lowly cat in his next life. Therefore it is said that whoever, as a sacred act of charity, gives away in marriage a maiden decorated with various ornaments, and who also gives a dowry with her, obtains merit that cannot be described even by Chitragupta, the chief secretary of Yamaraja in the heavenly planets. That very same merit, however, can be easily achieved by one who fasts on the Varuthini Ekadasi.
Observances
On Dashami (the day before Ekadasi), one should give up:
Eating on bell-metal plates, eating any kind of urad-dahl, eating red-lentils, eating chick-peas, eating kondo (a grain that is primarily eaten by poor people and that resembles poppy seeds or agarpanthas seeds), eating spinach, eating honey, eating in another person's house/home, eating more than once, and participating in sex of any kind.
On Ekadasi itself, one should give up:
Gambling, sports, sleeping during the daytime, betal nuts and its leaf, brushing one's teeth, spreading rumours, faultfinding, talking to the spiritually fallen, anger, and lying.
On Dwadasi (the day after Ekadasi), one should give up:
Eating on bell-metal plates, eating urad-dahl, red-lentils, or honey, lying, strenuous exercise or labour, eating more than once, any sexual activity, shaving the body, face or head, smearing oils on one's body, and eating in another's home.
Conclusion
Lord Sri Krishna continued, "Whoever observes the Varuthini Ekadasi in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and returns to the eternal, spiritual abode. One who worships Lord Janardana (Krishna) on this Ekadasi by staying awake throughout the entire night, also becomes free from all his previous sins and attains to the spiritual abode. Therefore, Oh king, he who is frightened of his accumulated sins and their attendant reactions, and thus of death itself, must observe Varuthini Ekadasi by fasting very strictly. Finally, Oh noble Yudhisthira, he who hears or reads this glorification of the sacred Varuthini Ekadasi obtains the merit earned by donating one thousand cows in charity, and at last he returns home, to the Supreme abode of Lord Vishnu in the Vaikunthas."
