Grand Celebrations of Gaura Purnima at Hare Krishna Dham, ISKCON Houston

HOUSTON: Last week, Gaura Purnima was celebrated with two days of celebrations at the Hare Krishna Dham temple. The festival marks the appearance day of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – an appearance of Krishna in 15^th century in Bengal, India. Vedic texts state that Lord Chaitanya is the Supreme Person, Krishna, appearing as His own worshiper. He is the combined form of Krishna and Krishna’s most dear devotee, Srimati Radharani. He came to experience the love She feels for him, and to show by example how to fully surrender to Krishna.  His appearance then as the child Nimai is special to Vaishnavas the world over. The festival Gaura Purnima – “golden full moon” – is called so because the golden-skinned Chaitanya was born under a full moon. The Gaudiya branch of Vaishnavism began with him.

This past Tuesday, March 26marked the actual appearance day in 1486. This was celebrated at the Hare Krishna Dham (the ISKCON temple close to the Galleria area) with hundreds of worshippers. The festival started with Maha Aarati and a joyous kirtan. There was Maha Abhishek for the deities Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. The bathing ceremony included honey, ghee, yogurt, many fresh fruit juices, and milk.

The worshipers were then treated to spiritual talks by two visiting swamis, H.H. Giriraj Swami and H.H. Bhakti Sundar Goswami. A full prasadam meal was served by ISKCON’s famous kitchen.

Sunday, March 31, was the public celebration of Gaura Purnima. Aarati, kirtan and a spiritual talk in the temple were followed by a cultural program in the temple’s large Gauranga Hall and there were hundreds in attendance.  Spirits were especially high after a wonderful kirtan and lecture by HH .Guruprasad Swami at the temple room. Youth group lead a kirtan to Gauranga hall for the cultural program. The program comprised of bhajans sung by theSunday school  children; Hari Katha or a lila kirtan  by HG. Barsana Devi Dasi  accompanied by Jiv jago youth; folk dance by Sunday school children; and finally Hare Krishna Theater presented  a musical dance drama “Gaura Lila – Delelverence of Jagai and Madhai” a famous pastime of Lord chaitanya Mahaprabhu directed by HG. Vatsal Prabhu. This musical dance drama was performed by devotees and kids of Hare Krishna dham. Musical support was provided by youth group jiv jago and dances by Natya sakhi’s. After the program all enjoyed a great prasadam meal.

The celebration of the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is important for two reasons. First, he is none other than Krishna appeared as His own devotee, predicted in many scriptures and fulfilled. Second, he laid the foundation for the ever-growing bhakti worship of the past half-millennium. Anyone who has studied the Vedas knows that in previous ages there was great benefit from the many sacrifices and sacred rituals. However in more recent centuries the world and India had fallen so far from the Vedic ideal that Krishna delivered a merciful path for those born into this era: bhakti yoga – the path of pure devotional love. Krishna came as Chaitanya to show how to live that life of loving devotion to Krishna. This allows one to live life as embodied in the sacred Bhagavad Gita. Worshipers at the Hare Krishna Dham are grateful for this wonderful blessing to the world and in their own lives. Thus the reason for the joy during the two days of festivals and over a thousand Houstonians took part in these events. The deities Sri Sri Radha Nila-Madhava preside over a welcoming aarati and kirtan each Sunday at 5:30pm at ISKCON Hare Krishna Dham located on 1320 W 34^th Street, Houston TX. 77018, just off the 610 Loop close to the Heights and Galleria.

 For more information, visit www.iskconhouston.org or Call 713-686-GITA (4482).