Overview
This short article ‘Prakaṭa Pūrṇimā (The Appearance of the Full Moon)’ by Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was first published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī (Vol.18, Issue 11) in 1916. Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes the importance of the Gaura Pūrṇimā festival and how it was propagated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.
The appearance day of Śrī Gaurasundara, the embodiment of prema, is approaching. Like their beloved Gaura-Hari, the full moon on His appearance is the source of supreme bliss for His devotees. In this transitory world, the bound jīvas enthusiastically crane their necks to attain some so-called sweetness from the poisonous fruits of material desires. When Śrī Gaura Bhagavān manifested Himself among the mortal jīvas, who were thirsty for such temporary fruits, He showed them the unique path of divine eternal splendour, then the position of ātma-rāma (self-satisfied) became the good fortune of the jīvas afflicted by the age of Kali. There are many kinds of festivals in the world – however the festival of the appearance of the full moon stands above them all. Just as Śrī Gaurasundara is the most worshippable personality, the festival of His appearance day is also the most blissful.
Śrī Gaurahari appeared on the full moon of the blissful month of Phālguna during the spring season, dispelling the cold, winter-like misery of the material world, delivering the jīvas, and showing them the eternal path of Kṛṣṇa’s realm. Following His holy footsteps leads to the greatest benefit for the jīva, as revealed to the world by the great Gosvāmīs, such as Śrī Rūpa. At the beginning of five-hundred years, Śrī Gaurāṅga’s dear associate, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda delighted the hearts of the devotees with the miraculous glories of the Lord’s divine appearance on the full moon. Therefore, today, the glories of the full moon of His appearance is being observed in many homes throughout Bengal, amongst highborn and lowborn, more or less as a national event. Previously, Śrī Gaurāṅga and His glories were confined within the lineage of His associates and the families that followed them. However, now gaura-kathā is gradually becoming manifest among all the general classes in the land of Bengal. Today, many virtuous sons of Bengal, following the life-giving instructions of Gaurāṅga, have understood that hari-kīrtana is the means to attain the association of Bhagavān and the only way to serve Him. They have also gained the strength to place the abode of Śrī Gaurahari in the highest part of their hearts and safeguard it.
To reveal the heart of Śrī Gaurasundara, His birthplace, and His nectarean pastimes in the world, the mahātmā who was sent by Him, having fulfilled his Lord’s command, and re-entered the eternal pastimes, has established the Deity of Śrī Gaurahari at the place of Śrī Gaurasundara’s appearance and initiated a grand festival on the day of Śrī Gaura’s appearance. Always calling upon those pure devotees who are the followers of Śrī Rūpa, he urged them to participate in this celebration. Taking his words to heart, we now sincerely pray for all the devotees of Gaura and the general public to join in the blissful gathering at the Yogapīṭha in Śrī Māyāpura.
Throughout every day of the year, we are intoxicated with material mellows (jaḍa-rasa), engaged in gratifying the mundane senses, and we experience the fleeting nature of these mellows at every moment. Therefore, I say, “Let us take a day off from the material world, and let me dedicate that day for the purpose of the Divine.”
Any disturbance in the gratification of our senses in this regard will be considered as being given for the purpose of serving Śrī Gaurasundara, and through this, an abundance of ajñāta-sukṛti (transcendental merit which is accrued unknowingly) will arise, leading to the advent of prema-bhakti in due course. The reader must certainly know how insignificant the four goals of life — dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa are in comparison to the supreme goal of prema. It is never good to abandon such priceless gains and dive into the ocean of material existence.
We are especially pleased to know that a conference will be held in the city of Madras on the day of Śrī Gaurāṅga’s appearance. The residents of Madras will be able to join that assembly and celebrate the appearance festival of Śrī Gaurahari.
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