(What follows is a short report by Advaita Acarya Dasa on the first half of Karttika Masa at Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Temple in Vrndavana)
Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira in Vrndavana holds a unique and primary significance for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Over the last few years, during the holy month of Karttika, it has been an honor for the devotees of Sri Narasingha Caitanya Matha to stay at Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira and have the opportunity to directly serve Sri Sri Radha-Damodara and Srila Prabhupada in his bhajana-kutira. This year, on 20th October, Advaita Acarya Dasa and Satyraja Dasa Brahmacari traveled from the matha to Sri Vrndavana to offer service and observe the Karttika Masa at Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira.
Both Sri Narasingha Caitanya Matha and the Gosvami family at the Radha Damodar Temple have a very special cordial relationship based on service to Radha-Damodara and Srila Prabhupada. Sri Nirmal Chandra Gosvami, the present sevaite-acarya of the temple, has great affection for our Guru Maharaja and was sad that he was unable to personally be present for Karttika Masa this year.
Every year during the auspicious month of Karttika, thousands of devotees from all over the world visit Sri Vrndavana-dhama, and large crowds continuously throng Sri Radha-Damodar Mandira, eager to have darsana of the Deities and to do parikrama. Although throughout the year a festive atmosphere prevails in Vrndavana, the month of Karttika is especially celebrated. The month of Karttika is considered to be the month of Srimati Radharani and the krsna-paksa astami of this month (known as Bahulastami ) marks the appearance of Sri Radha-kunda which is considered to be non-different from Srimati Radharani Herself. A special raja-bhoga feast was arranged at Radha-Damodara Temple to celebrate the appearance of Sri Radha-kunda. During that time Satyaraja Dasa, along with few other devotees, travelled to Radha-kunda to have darsana and sprinkle its holy water on their heads.
The next day after Bahulastami marked the appearance of the benign Guardian of Devotion, Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja. Every year during Karttika, the devotees from our matha setup a book stall in the mandira on Srila Prabhupada's veranda for preaching and book distribution. The stand includes many of the publications from Gosai Publishers and various Bengali/Hindi publications sold by the temple. During this auspicious day of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's appearance, there was a surge of devotees from various missions particularly inquiring about popular books and DVDs related to Srila Sridhar Maharaja like Follow The Angels, Encounters With Divinity, Sri Upadesamrta, and Our Affectionate Guardians. The devotees sold all the DVDs and sold many books of Srila Sridhara Maharaja.
