Ramanavami paper -the sensegratification paper

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees
Please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
It is very clear from reading the paper about Ramanavami some devotees wants to please their senses before the Lord . http://www.dandavats.com/?p=60200

Let me first of all quote Srila Sanatana Goswami : Srila Sanatana Goswami in Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa
yastu rama navamyam hi
bhunkte mohad vimudhdhih /
kumbhi pakesu ghoresu
pacyate natra samsayah // HBV 14.244 //
“A foolish person, who out of illusion, takes food on Rama Navami will fall down and rot in the formidable hell know as Kumbhipaka. Of this there is no doubt

So from the testimony of many devotees when Srila Prabhupadas opened the Krsna Balarama temple a grain feast was served on this day , this is normally not the case to ever take grains on Ramanavami and it completely contradicts general fasting procedures for Ramanavami , the statements of Haribhakti Vilasa are twisted there is no such thing as fasting for 45 hours or 48 hours as stated this is simply to discourage fasting as actually given in Haribhakti Vilasa .But we do not have to go far Srila Prabhupadas statements are clear .But from the paper it is clear Srila prabhupada served a grain feast on the opening of Krsna Balarama temple no doubt.But he did not send out any memo STOP FASTING TO EVENING FROM NOW ONE JUST TAKE GRAINS ON RAMANAVAMI what is Srila PRabhupada statement for all times and places in ISKCON for all true followers of Srila PRabhupada:

Fasting is until evening/sunset not noon.(...although we understand Lord RAma appeared at noon time, Srila Prabhupada wants us to fast until evening and have light ekadasi style preparations to break the fast with).
710407LE.BOM Lectures
So this process should be adopted, how to become sukrtina. Sukrti means yajna-dana-tapa-kriya. One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the sastras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Krsna's cause. That is called dana. Yajna, dana, and tapasya. Tapasya. Just like tomorrow is Sri Rama-navami. The tapasya will be that all the devotees will observe fasting from morning till evening. This is called tapasya. Just like Ekadasi day--there is no eating sumptuously. Simply you take little fruits and flowers. Try to avoid that also. You don't take even water. That is really ekadasi. But because we cannot do it--in the Kali-yuga the time is different--therefore we are allowed to take little fruit and milk, which is called anukalpa. These are different methods of tapasya. And yajna. This yajna, sankirtanaih prayair yajnaih, yajanti hi su-medhasah. In this age you cannot perform that big asvamedha yajna, gomedha yajna, rajasuya yajna, so many other yajnas. It is not possible. First of all, you have no means to perform such yajnas, hundreds and hundreds of tons ghee required for putting into the sacrificial fire. You have not even a drop of your ghee. So forget all those yajnas. In this age, yajnaih sankirtanaih prayaih.
“One must perform sacrifices as prescribed in the shastras, and they must give in charity their hard-earned money for Krsna's cause. That is called dana. Yajna, dana, and tapasya. Tapasya. Just like tomorrow is Sri Rama-navami. The tapasya will be that all the devotees will observe fasting from morning till evening. This is called tapasya”.
Pandal Lecture, Bombay, April 7, 1971
Our next ceremony is Lord Ramacandra's Birthday, on the 7th of April. It should be observed in the same way as Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day, namely, fasting up to evening and then accept Prasadam, and all our ceremonies should be performed with continuous Kirtana, of Hare Krishna, Hare Rama. That will make all our functions successful.
Letter to Mukunda, San Francisco, 26 March, 1968
Today is Rama-navami, the appearance day of Lord Ramacandra, and everyone fasted until 4:00 p.m. Prabhupada walked through a nearby forest for his daily exercise. We drove out along Chattikara road a couple of miles and when he saw the wooded area he decided to get out.
A Transcendental Diary Vol 1 - Hari Sauri dasa (New-2003)
Chapter Eleven, Sri Vrndavana Dhama
Tamala Krsna: So there will be an initiation on Rama-navami.
Prabhupada: Rama-navami is upavasa up till the... Go to observe fasting up to the evening.
Tamala Krsna: So moon.
Prabhupada: Sunset.
Tamala Krsna: Sunset, moonrise.
Prabhupada: Authorized.
Tamala Krsna: Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Ramacandra, and Nrsimhadeva also? Those three.
Bhakti-caru: Srila Prabhupada, can I prepare this one? (indistinct) No.
Tamala Krsna: Sudama Maharaja's troupe will be performing Ramayana. They are starting to perform tonight the Ramayana. Tonight and continuing or through, as far as I know, till Rama-navami.
Prabhupada: I have taken six capatis.
Tamala Krsna: Six capatis!

Room Conversation, March 26, 1977, Bombay
So far the Advent Day of Lord Rama Candra, it should be celebrated as Lord Caitanya's Birthday was done. Fasting up to evening, and then take prasadam, and chant Hare Krishna whole day, and be engaged in reading and chanting off and on, chant for some time, then read for some time, then again have Kirtana and so on, throughout the day. If you have not got a Ramayana, then you can read Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, that is all right.
68-03-28.Letter: Mahapurusa

Haribhakti Vilasa states to fast until the morning after Ramanavami .So this paper is a misrepresentation of Haribhakti Vilasa, Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada observed Ramanavami as Nirjala ekadasi until morning after Ramanavami this was told to me by sannyasis from the Bagh Bazar Mandir in Calcutta Srila Bhaktisidhanta Prabhupadas headquater.TO this day a complete Nirjala fast is observed on Ramanavami I was told and when I go to Cacutta next time I will go and double check the information I got is correct all VIsnu tattva days are observed as full fasting untill next morning .
I have not heard of any Gaudiya maths that serve grains on Ramanavami but some observe untill noon with ekadasi prasadam

: I. What are the benefits of observing Ramanavami
?
One becomes purified of material desires, sinful reactions and goes to Vaikuntha. But most importantly, love for Krishna comes in our hand because if we pray to Lord Ramachandra for the gift of Krsna Bhakti He will personally help us attain it !
II. What are the Starting Mantras?
“O Raghava (Lord Rama), today for Your pleasure, I WILL FAST FOR 24 HOURS!!!! (sunrise to sunrise), ashta yama. O Lord Hari, please be merciful to me and liberate me.”
Srila Prabhupada stated we should minimum fast till sunset and then take only ekadasi prasadam but he also encouraged in a letter that best is if you can fast as Nirjala untill the next day
III. Procedure of Worship
1. Rise early, bathe and complete worship before noon. If possible, observe the vrata in sadhu-sanga. Offer full arati to a murti, painting (picture) of Sita-Rama, Laksmana and Hanuman.
2. Hear Rama-katha about the divya-janma, siksha and lilas of Sri Ramachandraji.
3. Offer prayers to Sri Rama, play musical instruments and chant Hari Nama-sankirtana. Especially chant the following mantra:
In San Francisco (U.S.A.), 1968, Srila Prabhupada introduced a new chant which was the favorite of Mahatma Sri Gandhiji. Prabhupada personally repeated the words one by one and even spelled them.
Then in his wonderfully rich, love-laden voice, Srila Prabhupada sang so beautifully…
raghupati raghava raja rama, patita-pavana sita-rama.
Srila Prabhupada said that these were Lord Rama’s different names, glorifying Sri Rama as the Lord of the Raghu dynasty, the ideal king, the deliverer of the most fallen, and the husband of the most gorgeous goddess of fortune.
4. Jagarana, remaining awake all night worshiping Sri Rama is suggested, although this may not be feasible for many.
5. A fragrant sweet offering:
“Without being lazy, one should spend his day and night lovingly offering fragrant flowers to Lord Rama every three hours.” Jai Vijaya Rama ki jai!
IV. Breaking the Vrata
Rise early (if you have not done jagarana), offer full arati to Sri Ramachandraji; feed and donate to brahmanas and honor maha-prasadam.
So the morning after Ramanavami and having done full fasting for around 31 hours
VI. Concluding Prayer
“O Lord Rama, I am breaking my vrata by honoring Your prasadi. May You be fully satisfied with me, and please give me peace and Krishna bhakti.”
tava prasada svikarat, krtam yat paranam maya
vratenanena santushta, svasti bhaktim prayaccha me

so by following Srila Prabhupadas standard one becomes purified , free of material desires, gets Lord Ramachandras pleasure ,and Lord Ramachandra recommends us to Lord Krsna . and one attains the spiritual world

by taking grains at noon this is what happens :

!) You disobey Srila Prabhupadas instruction to fast undtil evening

2) You go to Hell : yastu rama navamyam hi
bhunkte mohad vimudhdhih /
kumbhi pakesu ghoresu
pacyate natra samsayah // HBV 14.244 //,
“A foolish person, who out of illusion, takes food on Rama Navami will fall down and rot in the formidable hell know as Kumbhipaka. Of this there is no doubt

3 ) Ramanavami is supposed to be observed at least like ekadasi ,so taking some ekadasi prasadam either at noon or better evening because Srila Prabhupadas asked for it ,but just like when you take grains on Ekadasi ,Papa Purusha sin personified kicks in as on Ekadasi and Visnutattva days sin personified takes shelter of grains so grain prasadam is saved for the next day .However even take Mahaprasadam grains on ekadasi is a big offence similarly is if an offences to take grains on Ramanavami

(Sanatana Goswami states in Haribhakti Vilasa the rules for ekadasi are the same as for Visnutattva days ,strictly speaking Haribhakti Vilasa recommends full fasting on all Ekadasis and Visnutattva days .)

Kumbipaka hell are for those who does not control their tongue :

SB 5.26.13
yas tv iha vā ugraḥ paśūn pakṣiṇo vā prāṇata uparandhayati tam apakaruṇaṁ puruṣādair api vigarhitam amutra yamānucarāḥ kumbhīpāke tapta-taile uparandhayanti.
Synonyms:
yaḥ — a person who; tu — but; iha — in this life; vā — or; ugraḥ — very cruel; paśūn — animals; pakṣiṇaḥ — birds; vā — or; prāṇataḥ — in a live condition; uparandhayati — cooks; tam — him; apakaruṇam — very cruel-hearted; puruṣa-ādaiḥ — by those who eat human flesh; api — even; vigarhitam — condemned; amutra — in the next life; yama-anucarāḥ — the servants of Yamarāja; kumbhīpāke — in the hell known as Kumbhīpāka; tapta-taile — in boiling oil; uparandhayanti — cook.
Translation:
For the maintenance of their bodies and the satisfaction of their tongues, cruel persons cook poor animals and birds alive. Such persons are condemned even by man-eaters. In their next lives they are carried by the Yamadūtas to the hell known as Kumbhīpāka, where they are cooked in boiling oil.
It is considered such an offence to take especially grains on Ramanavami that the Puranas state one attains Kumbipaka hell