Bhakta: "Why Balarām’s birthday is not celebrated but Nityānanda’s and Advaita’s days
are?"
Advaita
Das: "None of these tithis are in Hari Bhakti Vilāsa - there is Janmāṣṭamī,
Nṛsiṁha caturdaśī and Rāma Navami. Not even Rādhāṣṭamī is official - they are
adopted according to bhāva (sectarean feelings). In our family we do a big utsava on Advaita Saptami
and Shiva Rātri, but those things are hardly observed in ISKCON at all. Reversely,
ISKCON is doing big things on "Balarām Purnima" which we do not even recognize at all.
Bhakta-
“I see. And the date of Balarām’s birth, though not celebrated, is different
from the one given by IGM. At least according to the calendar I got from Rādhākuṇḍa....that
date is two days before Rādhāṣṭamī.”
Advaita
Dās- “We are not devotees of Balarām anyway, but of Kṛṣṇa, but it is a bit
intriguing. This is from Garga Samhitā 1.10.27-28-
atha vraje
panca-dineṣu bhādre tithau ca ṣaṣṭhyāṁ
ca site budhe ca
uccair
grahaiḥ pancabhir āvṛte ca lagne tulākhye
dina-madhya-deśe
sureṣu varṣatsu
su-puṣpa-varṣaṁ ghaneṣu muncatsu ca vāri-bindūn
babhūva devo
vasudeva-patnyāṁ vibhāsayan nanda-gṛhaṁ
sva-bhāsā
“Then, in
Vraja, after five days, in the month of Bhādra (August-September), on the sixth
day of the bright fortnight, when Mercury, five exalted planets, and the
constellation Libra were on the horizon, at midday, as the demigods showered a
beautiful rain of flowers and the clouds sprinkled drops of water, (Śrī
Baladeva), illuminating Nanda's home with His splendor, was born from
Vasudeva's wife (Rohiṇī).”
Advaitadās:
“ISKCON and Gauḍīya Maṭha are not alone in observing Śrāvaṇa Pūrṇimā as Baladeva’s birthday; the
Brajabāsīs also do it. Problem is, I have little faith in Garga Samhitā.”
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