Tattva-viveka
Kartika Vrata.
Dayal Govinda Dasa - October 27, 2004 1:11 am
So here we are, the eve of Kartika, the traditional month for performing devotional vows.
So I'm wondering, is anyone going to be following any?
It can be anything from giving up chocolate and chanting one extra round a day, to eating havisyanna once a day a chanting 1 lac.
I'm not suggesting that people go into detail by posting exactly what the vow is (I don't want it to seem like a competition), but it would be nice to know if anyone is going to follow anything and how they are doing during the course of the month.
Just a thought.
daso 'smi
Dayal Govinda dasa
p.s.…and yes, i will be following one before you ask.
Gopakumardas - October 27, 2004 4:04 pm
I will give up chocolate for a month. Those who know me know that this is a great sacrifice. I even plan chocolate into my diets. May Krsna bless me with some pious qualities.
Vrindaranya Dasi - October 27, 2004 4:30 pm
I am following a vrata as well. I'm going to study for two hours per day. Guru Maharaja stressed that if you take a Kartika vrata, it MUST be completed without fail. So stretch yourself, but not to the point of breaking.
Ys,
Vrindaranya
Nanda-tanuja Dasa - October 27, 2004 7:37 pm
... giving up chocolate ...
Wow, this is a little of the subject, but I thought chocolate is a stimulant/intoxicant thus completely prohibited for consumption to start with. Am I wrong?
Mathura-natha Das - October 28, 2004 9:20 am
My little vrata for this auspicious month is that i read at least 30 min. of Guru Maharaj B.G. every day!
Ramakesava - October 28, 2004 1:01 pm
... giving up chocolate ...Wow, this is a little of the subject, but I thought chocolate is a stimulant/intoxicant thus completely prohibited for consumption to start with. Am I wrong?
Heheh. A moot point. It doesn't contain caffeine, despite may devotees arguing to the contrary. It instead contains theobromine which has slightly different, yet one could say intoxicating properties.
Babhru Das - October 29, 2004 8:02 pm
I'm following one this year. I'm chanting a minimum of 25 rounds daily and studying an hour daily. It's been challenging these first couple of days because I'm grading stacks of papers and have some other things to do at school. The increase in japa I'm imposing on myself also means that I need to get up a little earlier and chant more before I do my morning puja. I remember Maharaja saying that there's more benefit in charity if it pinches a little, so perhaps it's the same with following a vrata. After all, skipping urad dahl this month doesn't hurt much; all I'm missing is papadams, which we don't have very often anyway.
Citta Hari Dasa - October 29, 2004 10:34 pm
Having heard in years previous that it's imperative that we complete Kartikka vratas I decided to not get overly ambitious. Thus I've been getting up a bit earlier and chanting the verses from Brahma-samhita (5.29-5.56). This is a really nice way to start the day and has the extra benefit of the verses coming to mind later on, which I can then contemplate as I work.
Babhru Das - October 29, 2004 11:29 pm
It has occurred to me in the last couple of days that mine may be a little too ambitious, but I wanted something that was a bit of a stretch and that would benefit me even if it were not a Karttika vrata. I depend entirely on the mercy of the devotees to follow even the basic practices. That dependence is deepened further this month.
Swami - October 31, 2004 3:49 am
... giving up chocolate ...Wow, this is a little of the subject, but I thought chocolate is a stimulant/intoxicant thus completely prohibited for consumption to start with. Am I wrong?
Once in San francisco Srila Prabhupada popped in on one of his household disciples and she was eating a chocholate bar, which she then tried to hide. Prabhupada asked, "You are not offering me any?" She smiled and offered it to him and he ate some. Afterwards word spread that chocholate was bonafide, but later when the devotees became abusive, eating in excess, Srila Prabhupada told them not to eat it.
The main concern is its intoxicating properties, but to be affected by that one would have to eat quite a lot. Krsna does take intoxicants, like pan and other such items, but most Gaudiyas will not eat that and thus they don't offer it. Some do, however.
As for eating chocholate, do not eat it in excess and it will not hurt your bhakti. If you are addicted to it, that is a problem. Best to avoid it altogether other than hot cocoa milk with whipped cream.
Swami - October 31, 2004 7:17 pm
I found one letter in which Srila Prabhupada wrote that one should not eat chocolate. However, in a latter letter written by his secretary, who had asked whether chocolate could be offered to the Deity, the response was “Yes, if it was not intoxicating.” Thus the perennial debate among his disciples about eating chocolate.
Regarding niyama seva (kartika vrata), this is about attracting the attention of Srimati Radharani. Kartika is her month. There is much that could be said about this vrata, and I intended to announce it and its virtues in advance but became preoccupied otherwise. I was happy to see that Doyal Govinda wrote something. However, I would not have included giving up chocolate as something one could do to attract Srimati’s attention, although the niyama of this vrata is about giving up something (usually food). The seva is about increasing hearing and chanting, etc.
Next year I will say more and announce niyama seva in advance so that everyone can follow it together. Although we are now already five days into the month, every one should nonetheless begin to observe it in some way. The last five days are especially important and increased observance during these days is recommended.
Everyone should take this seriously, as we do Ekadasi.
Bijaya Kumara Das - November 1, 2004 12:32 am
I will try to make sure I get up early to complete at least 4 rounds before beginning my day. This has been a goal for a long time but tough some times to keep. It is said that if you do something for 21 days it will become permenant.
Thank you for the impetus to become more steady for Rhada and Krsna.
Panchatattva - November 1, 2004 4:37 pm
Swami wrote, "Regarding niyama seva (kartika vrata), this is about attracting the attention of Srimati Radharani. Kartika is her month."
I would like to know more about the month of Kartika. I know it is a special month and that spiritual activities performed during this month have greater value, but I've never heard it described as being Srimati Radharani's month. That is wonderful to know, but why is that? I always heard it as the month of Damodara, hence chanting the Damodarastakam. I would love to hear more about this special month, or be directed to where I can find it in a book.
Thank you.
Pancha Tattva dasi
Guru-nistha Das - November 1, 2004 6:27 pm
I follow a vrata too . A pretty modest one, but "slow and sure wins the race" (Kamalaksha´s favourite quote 
)
Krsangi Dasi - November 1, 2004 8:02 pm
I've also decided to follow a vrata. But don't get too excited, it's very modest: I'm going to read the Caitanya Caritamrita for half an hour every day.
Swami - November 1, 2004 10:17 pm
Some Notes on Kartika:
Another name for Radha is Kartikotkirtidesvari, The queen who bestows fame on the Kartika month.
Kartika month is also called Urja. Urja means power, strength. Thus we observe Urja-vrata or Kartika-vrata.
In his Utkalika-vallari vs 20, Srila Rupa Goswami writes,
"O Urjesvari! Please give me this benedition: May Krsna, the killer of Bakasura, be more merciful to me, knowing that I belong to you!"
By addressing Radha as Urjesvari (the deitiy presiding over Urja), Goswamiji is saying that Radha is the presiding deity of Kartika month. Furthermore, we all know that Radha comes before Krsna, as in Radha Damodara, etc. Similarly the month following Kartika is Margasirsa, which Krsna says in the Gita represents him. Thus the month preceding Margasirsa represents Radha. This is the logic of Sanatana Goswami.
Urjesvari is the “Queen of power (sakti)”. Sri Radha is the origin of all sakti tattva. We will get strength by pleasing her.
As for Damodarastakam, the conclusion of this prayer reads namo radhikaiyai tvadiya priyayai. After glorifying Krsna, his rupa, guna, and lila, and after making his request and praying for direct darsana of Bhagavan, the author offers his respects to the rope binding Krsna’s belly, to Krsna himself, and finally to that which is dearmost to him—Radha. This is an ascending order of divinity beginning with rope and ending in Radha. Note that Krsna is in between the two, bound by Radha's love. This is the slightly hidden conclusion of the author.
There are also pastimes in which Radha binds Krsna with a rope without the same difficulty experienced by Yasoda. So Krsna is Damodara (one whose belly is bkound by a rope) in this respect as well.
Otherwise, this month is also known as Damodara and is famous for Yasodamayi’s vatsalya prema, by which she bound Krsna to the grinding mortar. The Damodara lila takes place during this month.
Jaya Radhe!
Dayal Govinda Dasa - November 3, 2004 12:27 am
Dandavats
Last weekend I was in santa Rosa for the monthly Kirtana program and upon my return saw this post by Guru maharaja:
Regarding niyama seva (kartika vrata), this is about attracting the attention of Srimati Radharani. Kartika is her month. There is much that could be said about this vrata, and I intended to announce it and its virtues in advance but became preoccupied otherwise. I was happy to see that Doyal Govinda wrote something. However, I would not have included giving up chocolate as something one could do to attract Srimati’s attention, although the niyama of this vrata is about giving up something (usually food). The seva is about increasing hearing and chanting, etc.
Next year I will say more and announce niyama seva in advance so that everyone can follow it together. Although we are now already five days into the month, every one should nonetheless begin to observe it in some way. The last five days are especially important and increased observance during these days is recommended.
Although I had made a vow for kartika, as I mentioned in my original post, I decided that I should take this more seriously and really make a concerted effort to undertake a vow that would have the desired effect of attracting Srimati Radharani's attention.
That evening, before the picture of Gaura Nitai I have in my yurt, I vowed that from the next day (Sri Narottama dasa's Tirobhava) I would eat only once a day (lunch) and chant at least 24 rounds a day.
I also decided, based on Guru maharaja's comments, that I would increase my vow for the last 5 days and sleep for only 6 hrs at night and take no rest during the day, I will only take one portion of prasadam at lunch and endevour to chant 32 rounds a day (at least 24).*
The next day I awoke with a renewed enthusiasm and commited to spending the day in reflective prayer, praying for the mercy of Sri Narottama Thakura. I remember reading in one of Mahanidhi swamis books (the one about Gaudiya Samadhi's in Vraja I think) that on the Tirobhava of the previous acaryas their mercy flows more freely than at other times. Now, whether that is true or not (I can see no reason why it shouldn't be though) I engaged myself in fervent prayer to Thakura mahasaya and found that it is possible to experience the mercy of such great personalities although we are so far removed from them in many ways.
I found that truly the key to all of our prayer is heartfelt sincerity. Through this we can experience a real sense of connection with any of the personalities in our lineage if we approach them with sincerity and humility. Their mercy is fully available to all.
Anyway, I am having a very enlivening Kartika and would love to hear from the other devotees on this forum of any thoughts, experiences, or realizations that have occured so far.
Daso 'smi
Dayal Govinda dasa
*I just wanted to make a point of mentioning that I have posted my vows in order to help me follow through with them rather than to showcase my sadhana.
Rama-priya - November 3, 2004 8:34 am
Oh, I didn't know so great significant of month Kartika. But now I'm also going to follow it. I understand now that it can give spiritual power and make easier our spiritual progress and receive mercy. In this month I'm going to concentrate more on my chanting with attention and chanting a little more. I know that we should chanting all time with full attention, but I'm planning to make special effort in this time. I will be also try to see everything with connection with Krishna, and try remember Krishna all time whatever I will do and work on my surrender. It isn't easy but I'm planning follow this how I can at this moment, according to my possibilities, hoping that in the next year I will follow it more seriously and with more determination.
Yours servant
Babhru Das - November 3, 2004 4:48 pm
*I just wanted to make a point of mentioning that I have posted my vows in order to help me follow through with them rather than to showcase my sadhana.
That's also why I decided to post mine, and I assume it's the reason the other devotees posted theirs.
So far, there's still a pinch because I am also wading through stacks of papers that demand grading. One result that seems to be forming is an increased desire to focus my life more on further improving my sadhana and increasing my efforts for sharing Krishna consciousness with others.
Rama-priya - November 8, 2004 6:23 am
There are also pastimes in which Radha binds Krsna with a rope without the same difficulty experienced by Yasoda. So Krsna is Damodara (one whose belly is bkound by a rope) in this respect as well.
I've never heard about this pastime, where can I read about? I would like to know something more.
Y.s.
Swami - November 9, 2004 6:24 pm
There are also pastimes in which Radha binds Krsna with a rope without the same difficulty experienced by Yasoda. So Krsna is Damodara (one whose belly is bkound by a rope) in this respect as well.
I've never heard about this pastime, where can I read about? I would like to know something more.
Y.s.
In the Bhavisya Purana itis stated:
"During the auspicious month of Kartika, Krsna could not meet Srimati Radharani in the kunja on time. His late arrival caused Radha to frown out of loving anger (mana) and then she bound his belly with a golden rope. Krsna then told to her he was late because he had been held up by his mother who was holding a festival. Hearing this explanation, Radha released him. Thus Krsna is known as Damodara, or Nivi Damodara (the girdle-Damodara). We meditate on this Damodara, who is studded with goosebumps of loving ecstacy!"
Noteworthy is the fact that Radha easily bound Krsna, whereas Yasoda had difficulty doing so, although Yasoda's love itself is unlimited and forever venerabel by all.
Rama-priya - November 14, 2004 6:54 am
Thank You very much Guru Maharaja 
Babhru Das - November 26, 2004 7:39 am
I've been thinking about his thread because I find myself thinking about my vrata all day (and night). Making time for the extra rounds and study has been tough. My wife and I also made freshening up the temple room in our home a Karttika project, and we will probably complete the larger components of that tomorrow afternoon. There are a couple of extra touches that we'll probably get done in the next couple of weeks. Then there's the new floor. Although I don't look forward to performing that task, everyone, especially the Deities, will enjoy the results. The room will be completely transformed.
As for the extra push for the last five days, I had originally thought I might do 32 rounds. Since that clearly seemed too ambitious, given all the other demands on my time, I decided to follow the other members' lead and undertake something more within my reach at this time. I resolved to begin chanting Das Goswami's "Govardhana-vasa-prarthana-dasakam" daily.
One result I've seen already is an impatience with things that interfere with these activities. There's more to that, but I'm sorting it out.