DO ONE GOOD DEED TODAY

By: Mahandhi Swami

While visiting New Delhi one day, I noticed a short message repeated over and over again on a boundary wall beside a main road. Everyday thousands of people read that message which says, “Do One Good Deed Today.” Of course, this is a good maxim to live by, but why is it repeated on this particular wall? Inside this wall lies a cremation ground where people lie for their last time. So the message is reminding you, me and all of us to do something good before it’s too late.

In the balance of this article, I will quote Hari-bhakti-vilasa to mention some good deeds one can perform during this most auspicious month of Vaishakha a.k.a. Madhusudana (16Apr-14May). Of twelve months Vaishakha, Magha and Karttika are considered the best because pious acts done in these months give tremendous benefit to the performer.The following significant events occur in the vaishakha month “Chandana Yatra, Bhagavan Nrisingha Deva Appears, Ganga Appears on Earth and Vishnu creates the barley grain.

The following good deeds can be done daily or whenever you can: Public Harinama Sankirtan; Dhama Parikrama; Read Bhagavatam; Attend Gita Class; Upgrade Thakuraji Seva; Serve Saints; Bathe in a Holy Place (best before sunrise); and to good spiritual persons give charity of cow ghee, umbrella, shoes, cloth, money and sesame seed alone or mixed with honey.

*Special days to DEFINITELY observe;

MAY 2 Akshaya Tritya because even one good deed done today i.e., fasting, jagarana, holy bath, charity and mantra sankhya yields INEXHAUSTIBLE RESULTS. Tretya Yuga begins today (when it comes), and Vishnu created the barley grain today.

MAY 6 Shukla Saptami—Maa Ganga appears; remember, pray to, bathe and worship the sweet kind mother of all sacred rivers. Gange! Gange! Gange! Ki jai!

MAY 10 Ekadashi— Stay awake all night chanting Hare Krishna and dancing in Gaura-smarana. Skanda Purana saya, By doing jagarana, one becomes jivana-mukta, “A living liberated soul.”

***MAY 11: Akshaya Dvadashi—— Like the 3^rd, deeds yield inexhaustible merits. Skanda Purana suggests: Bathe Thakuraji in milk or Panchamrita; donate money and pots of water (if you are not a Vraja gopi, this means a bottle of water….(!); in the evening, satisfy Thakuraji with sweet drinks and also give sweet scents (itra) to others.

MAY13 Lord Nrisingha Aavirbhava. Watch for new article on How to observe it.

Vaishakha Month of Lord Madhusudan Sri Krishana Ki Jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!!