my letter to Braja Bihari das about Visnutattvsa days fasting from grains

[Paramananda das]

dear Braja Bihari Prabhu 

Please accept my humble obaisences 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 I have tried to no avail to explain to you the standards given by Srila Prabhupada on Visnu tattva days fasting ,

you and many devotees in ISKCON are teaching a deviant standard Srila Prabhupada never allowed grains on Visnutattva days you know very well the standard but like many others refuse to follow them,you wife is as ignorant as you and so is ISKCON Potomac, So it is my duty to remind you of the proper fasting standards given by Srila Prabhupada for Visnutattva days. You are supposed to be head of ISKCON resolve ? But if you compromised and are part of teaching a deviant standard that allows grains on Visnutattva days ,,, I am sorry to tell you the plain fact ,,shame on you , shame on your wife and Anuttama Prabhu for being deviant.Here is my letter to Hansa Rupa Prabhu ,,I send a donation for Nityananda Trayodasi and a reminder to never serve grains on Visnutattva days. I can not belive how you have been stone walling me and the truth given by Srila Prabhupada,, however I can only present you with the truth if you want to continue the Asat standard of taking grains on Visnutattva days it will cause repetition of birth and death .The choice is yours ,, however you are all sending others to hell also by serving grains on Visnutattva days ,,if you just want to go to hell yourself keep take grains on Visnutattva days and be rascals .

This is from my book Vaisnava Amrta chapter 12 

Skanda Purana   states:

matr ha pitr has caiva bhratr ha guru has tatha
ekadasyas tu ya bhunkte visnu-lokac cyuto bhavet

“Those who eat grains on Ekadasi and on the Day of Lord Hari (including Janmastami, Gaura Purnima etc.) obtain the sin equal to killing one’s own mother, own father, own brother and own Guru; and they cannot reach the spiritual world, which is why one should never eat grains on fasting days.”

yani kani ca papani brahma hatyadikani ca
annam asritya tiathanti samprapte hari vasare

“Every type of sin in this world, including the grievous sin of killing a Brahmana, reside in food grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi and other fasting days). If grains are eaten on fasting days sins enter the body of that human being.”

Padma Purana:

bhuyo-bhuyo drdha vani sryatam syata janah
na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam harer dine

“O human beings, please listen, I tell you repeatedly with steadfast determination, please never eat any grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi day, the Lord’s appearance day like Janmastami day etc.). Please never eat any food grains even by mistake on the Day of Lord Hari. Please do not eat grains on the Day of Lord Hari even if forced or compelled to do so.”

na saiva na ca saurohasaun na sakta gana sevakah
yo bhunkte vasare visnor jneyah pasvadiko hi sah

“Whether one is a follower of Lord Siva, the goddess Durga, Kali, Surya (sungod), Ganesa, Bhairava or any other demigod, they should avoid eating grains on the fasting days of Lord Hari (Ekadasis and other fasting days of Lord Hari). If one does not rigidly follow this rule and eats grains on fasting days they are considered worse than an animal.”

The Brihan Naradiya Purana states:

brahma-hatyadi papanam kathancin niskrtir bhavet
ekadasyat tu yo bhunkte niskrtir nasti kutracit

“By rigidly following religious and ritualistic processes one may become free from grievous sin like killing a Brahmana, but it is impossible to eliminate the sins of those who eat grains on Ekadasi days.”

It is written in the Skanda Purana that Lord Yamaraja (superintendent of hell) told his messengers not even to go near the immediate three generations of those who fast on Ekadasi days and Visnu tattva days , even if they are lowborn and full of sin. But even if a pious person is learned in the four Vedas and performs rituals and is pure, but eats grains on Ekadasi days and Visnutattva days , they must be taken to hell to suffer.

When I joined ISKCON in 1979 in ISKCON Sweden ,Korsnaas Gard ,New Radha Kunda I learned right away the proper standards of fasting on Visnutattvadays from Vegavan Prabhu who was my first Temple president and who was my greatest wellwisher also Harikesa then Swami had been trained by Srila Prabhupada so there was no doubt about the standards for fasting on Visnutattva days.

Srila Prabhupada's BTG article on Conception of Gita Nagari written in 1956:
In the Gita Nigari, birth day anniversaries of Lord Krsna, Sri Ramacandra, Lord Caitanya, Sri Nrsimha Caturdasi, and similar other functions shall be properly celebrated and observance of Ekadasi shall be strictly performed.

We observed all Visnutattva days as fasting and then ekadasi prasadam in the evening ,also known as anukalpa prasadam.
Lord Caitanya ordered Srila Sanatana Goswami to write the Haribhakti Vilasa to explain the process of devotional service ,it is a very important book that should be studied by all true Gaudiya Vaisnavas .Srila Prabhupada was very merciful so instead of making all devotees fast till next day which is the strict standard
for all Visnutattva days and ekadasis ,he allowed ekadasi prasadam .Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada fasted on all Visnutattva days and Ekadasis as Nirjala .This was also the standard of all our Acaryas including Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Madhavacarya .
Srila Prabhupada wrote for Radhastami devotees can fast till noon and take grain prasadam, because Srimati Radharani is merciful. However I found that Padma Purana has statements that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada would recite as evidence for full fasting on Radhastami .So wheras for a new devotee it might have been ok in the beginning but now as I am a devotee for 40 plus years I should certainly follow the stricter standard for Radhastami given by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada :

There are many quotes on not taking grains on Visnutattva days sadly to bust income to the temple some temples either ignoring willfully or unaware of the real standards are serving grains on Visnutattva days that is a detriment to devotional service just as much or even more than taking grains on Ekadasi this is purely ignorance and thus this chapter is very important for the overall well being of Srila Prabhupadas ISKCON movement

Veda sastra anurakta ye tulasi vana palakah ,Radhastami vrata rata, vijneyas ce ta vaisnavah,Sri Krsna purato ye ca dipam ,Yacchanti Sraddhaya para nindam na kurvanti vijneyas te ca vaisnavah this sloka is from Padma Purana ,Brahma Khanda 1.31.32  : Those who are attached to studying Vedic litteratures ,those who protect Tulsi forests .those who fast on Radhastami day ,those who offer a lamp to Krsna with good faith and those who do not criticize others are understood to be vaisnavas.

This is the statement by Srila Vyasadeva in the Padma Purana ,in Vrindavana many   vaisnavas fast on Radhastami as well fully untill the next day : ekadasyam sahasrena yat phalam labhate narah Radha janma astami punyam tasmat satagu nadhikam  :whatever result one can attain by fasting on 1000 ekadasis one hundred times greater results can be attained by fasting on Radhastami and Janmastami days Brahma Khanda of Padma Purana 7.8

This is very significant because Janmastami and Radhastami fasting  is 100.000 times more powerful than fasting on Ekadasi .Sri Narasimha Caturdasi is stated by Lord Narasimha to be 1000 time more powerful than fasting on Ekadasi : 

Lord Narasimha has personally stated and this is recorded in Narasimha Purana :

Text 452 yenaiva kriyamanena sahasra dvadasi phalam jayate na mrisha vacni manushanam mahatmanam By observing a single vow of Nrisimha Caturdasi, one obtains the merit of observing one thousand Dvadasi vratas. This is a fact and do not think that this statement is an exaggeration

Lord Narasimha has also stated : Text 416 kinca (It is also said) vijnaya maddinam yastu langhayet sa tu papabhak evam jnatva prakarttavyam maddine vratam uttamam anyatha narakam yati yavac candra divakarau One who purposely transgresses this vow incurs sin. Knowing this, one should observe this supreme vow otherwise, he will continue to rot in hell for as long as the sun and the moon rise in the sky. Text 417 atha tatradhikari nirnayah (A proper candidate for observing this vow) tatraiva (In the same Purana it is stated) sarvvesham eva lokanam adhikaro’sti madvrate madbhaktaistu viseshena praneyam matparayanaih Everyone is eligible to observe this vow—especially My devotees and those who are inclined toward Me must observe it.

So these fast are not optional for Lord Caitanyas devotees they must be followed . If  we choose to follow the strict standards set in Sastra or we choose to follow Srila Prabhupada that allows us to take Ekadasi prasadam (anukalpa prasadam )

Srila Prabhupada has stated regarding Ramanavami for example :

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”.

So Srila Prabhupada compares Ramanavami to Ekadasi in this lecture ,so both is actually fasting until next day but Srila Prabhupada mercifully allowed us to take Ekadasi prasadam 

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.

Srila Sanatana Goswami in Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa has stated about Ramanavami 
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

“GBC men should not dictate very much, simply supervise and see that the standards are maintained.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 14th, 1972)

Pseudo devotees do not fast for Sri Advaita Acarya on His apperanceday .  it is madness He is the one the brought Lord Caitanya to this world and is an incarnation of Lord Mahavisnu.When I joined ISKCON and learned about Sri Advaita acarya we where told best is to fast untill evening and then take Ekadasi prasadam .I never found anywhere in Haribhakti Vilasa or anywhere it is mentioned.I know in Santipure, devotees of Sri Advaita Acarya fast untill next day for Him as He is the Supreme personality of Godhead .I am not sure what Srila Prabhupada did or our acaryas did for Sri Advaita Acarya.But I follow the Gaudiya math standard of full fasting untill next day or fasting untill evening and taking ekadasi prasadam Srila .Dhyanachandra Goswami has given the following mantra and Gayatri mantra for Advaita Acarya:

Mantra :Klim Advaitaya Svaha

Gayatri Mantra: Klim Advaitaya vidmahe maha visnave dhimahi tan no advaitah pracodayat

These mantras are found in the Padma Purana and given as highly confidential mantras to Narada Muni

Dhyanachandra Goswami has given some other for our meditation on Advaita Acarya such as :

"With my head at His lotusfeet ,I offer my humble obaisences unto the merciful Advaitachandra ,whose heart is drowned in the ocean of prema.

He delievers infinite number of devotees, and is honored and worshipped by Caitanyachandra"

And he has given a Dhyana,meditation as follows:

" I meditate on the root of transcendental joy,Sri Advaita Prabhu,whose lotusfeet are always served by the bhaktas.He wears cloth as white

as the moon or a kunda flower( a jasmine flower).He has a pure golden complexion ,beautiful arms and a smiling face.His eyes always lovingly gaze upond the lotusface of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He readily benedictions and fearlessness to the devotees and His lustrous body is ornamented by prema"

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada has described Sri Advaita Acarya without a beard and in our Gaudiya line He is always seen as eternal youthful being the Supreme Personality of Godhead that is Navayuvanam eternal youthful :Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 16.99

tarjje garjje acarya dadite diya hata

bhrukuti kariya nace santipura-natha

...
“The Acarya threatened and roared, placing His hand on His chin That Lord of Santipura furled his eyebrows and began to dance.”

This is the Bengali commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada :

sri-advaita-prabhu sastracara-sampanna gumpha-smasru-kesadi-mundita chilena. dadi va cibuke ye unnata kesa (smasru) deya yaya; uhake sadharana bhasaya ‘dadi’ bale. taj-janya keha keha anabhijnata-vase ajna bauliyara vesa smasru-kesadir niyoga karena. kintu prakrta prastave tini mundita-kesa chilena. tanhake ‘nada’-sabde abhihita karaya mundita-keseri nirdesa bujha yaya.

Translation of Commentary

“Sri Advaita Prabhu was perfetctly fixed in proper behavior according to scripture, and was clean shaven, without whiskers, beard and hair on his head. A ‘beard’ or long-grown hair (smasru) found on the chin is called in the vernacular dadi. Therefore some people, swayed by their ignorance, try to ascribe to Him the dress of a foolish Baul and a Baul’s beard, hairy head and so on. But actually He had all His hair shaven. This is indicated by the word Nada, which refers to one who is clean-shaven.”

I wrote an article on Dandavats.com in 2007 about taking grains on Janmastami ,Sri Nara and Narayana Risis have instructed those who take grains and serve grains on Janmastami becomes a black snake in a forest ,, 

I pray this meet you well , in 1995 I was asked to leave ISKCON Potomac though I was number 1 in book distribution in US at the time I gave all the collection daily of between 100 and 200 dollars daily but Anuttama Prabhu and others wanted me gone, because I opposed demigod worship in the culture hall ,and other such deviations, the GBC agreed with me but I decided I will not ever again distribute books for ISKCON Potomac as this temple managers are in Maya and all they want is money . The reason for serving grains on Visnutattva days is shamefully only to make more money nothing else,, yes you can serve and sell grains on Visnuttatva days and Ekadasis, but then you have sold you soul to the Devil or Kali personified ,,and what is the use then of a temple when it sends people to destruction.??

 I remain your friend

Paramananda das

(former Payonidhi das _