20230309 Gaura Pūrṇimā Festival Thanks Message

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: On this end of the festival ceremony, we would like to thank the Lord for His mercy on us, that we could observe this festival in His honor. The festival had many aspects – Śravaṇa-utsava, Kīrtana-melā and then the ILS of course the ILS happens before the official festival. Then we have the Navadvīpa-maṇḍala parikramā and the different festivities, from Daśamī to Pūrṇimā. Afterwards we had our Book Distribution scores of Māyāpur. So, there are many aspects to the festival. Each lecture was very enlightening. I heard many realizations from the International party, I am yet to receive any report from the other parties, what were their realizations. The Mahā-milan was very amazing. An ocean of people had converged on Māyāpur, and we see that we need many more guest houses to prepare for the opening of the TOVP.

One thing is that more senior leaders who participated was very much appreciated by the devotees. Somehow, we have so many devotees coming from all over the world, and our leaders should take advantage to establish relationships with them. I was proposing that if every leader cannot spend every year for the whole festival, at least one third on rotation, can spend the festival. Anyway, this is the opportunity also for our sannyāsīs to come and give their association. Like this, people come and they leave from Māyāpur charged up to preach. In this way the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movements spreads all over the world.

So my realization of the festival is that we need the association of our devotees. And having the devotees coming from different parts of the world, we see how we are one family – unity in diversity.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa!