New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Click here to hear the complete 24 hour kirtan held in New Vrindaban during Kartik 2010.

The drilling at our neighbor on the ridge’s well pad site, known as Snyder 1H, near Bahulaban has been completed and the horizontal drilling rig is being removed. That is why there has been an up tick in the truck traffic the last few days.

The next step will be the fracing. The gas company has made arrangements to get water from our local water board, Public Service District #3 (PSD#3) in one month’s time. PSD#3 will set up a temporary meter at the hydrant by Billy Aston’s (about ½ mile onto the ridge from Rt. 250) and will run a temporary over the ground pipeline from there to the drill pad site.

This is good because it means they won’t have to truck the water in and that will save a lot of traffic.

FYI, the water supplied by PSD#3 comes from the Moundsville water treatment plant. They have 5 deep wells with a capacity of 17 million gallons a day, of which they currently only use a fraction, so there is plenty of water available.

After the fracing is completed, they will flare the well, which means they open up the valves and burn it off for a week or so.

The pipeline that passes through Bahulaban is currently being constructed. New Vrindaban reps had met with the pipeline company and adjusted their original route to avoid the maximum amount of trees and all spring catches and historical sites.

The first step is completed. They stripped the top soil off and stacked it to the side. After they dig the trench, install the pipeline and back fill it, they will spread the topsoil back, then reseed and mulch it.

The Snyder1H well is not on property owned or managed by the New Vrindaban corporations and is being drilled pursuant to a lease signed in 2006. We have no influence on what goes on there but it is close to Bahulaban so we have been keeping an eye on it as far as we can.

We are mostly dependent on state regulations to protect us and they are, in our opinion, currently inadequate.

When we were negotiating our leases, we hired an environmental activist attorney so we could get a more suitable lease then the standard gas company leases that are skewed heavily in favor of the gas companies.

His name is David McMahon and for years he has been lobbying the West Virginia State Legislature for better regulations. There is legislation being considered in the current session that he is pushing.

While it covers many aspects, one example is they want to increase the number of gas well inspectors from 17 to 100.

He was one of the main founders of the West Virginia Surface Owners Rights Organization (WVSORO). They have an excellent website at http://wvsoro.org/

There is contact information for State legislators and they are encouraging people to contact them. Legislators are politicians and they are swayed by hearing from people.

We would like to encourage anyone who is concerned about these gas drilling issues to get involved with WVSORO because now is the time for action and the more people that get involved the more likely positive results can be obtained. This is a real alternative to feeling helpless or simply complaining – you can make a difference.

See original article here.

By Chris Goodrich

When I’m forced to drive a long way for work, or some child-related thing, I try to find something fun to do along the way. The drive isn’t a burden if I’ve got a personal reason to go, and sometimes I even look forward to 10 hours in the car.

Driving to Maine, when my son did a semester at a school there, wasn’t much of a problem — it’s an easy drive and there’s always shopping at L.L. Bean headquarters or a night on the shore. Driving to Ohio to deliver my daughter to college, however, has been more challenging; on one trip we toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s spectacular Fallingwater house, 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, and on another, a less-well-known Wright house in the same area, Kentuk Knob.

One time, too, we stopped at my very first Cabela’s, just outside Wheeling, West Virginia — truly a “destination” store with its Gun Library (for buying, not lending) and museum-quality dioramas of African as well as North American wildlife (in 2007 Cabela opened a similar store in East Hartford). But the Cabela detour was most significant because, by taking the “southern route” to Kenyon College, we passed a freeway sign for something called “Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold,” less than 20 miles distant.

I filed that information away… and so, a few days ago, became an overnight guest at the New Vrindaban Community, a utopian farm in Moundsville, West Virginia, run under the auspices of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Having no more knowledge of “ISKCON” than off-putting memories of devotees in saffron robes chanting “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna!” in unlikely places like airports, I was a little nervous… but my anxiety was unfounded.

The community is at the end of a very windy road on the edge of a West Virginia “holler,” founded there in part because A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — the Calcutta native and Krishna evangelist who, in his late 60s, travelled to New York City in 1965 to start ISKCON — had a vision of creating “seven temples on the seven hills.” It’s easy to believe the appropriately named “Moundsville” really might resemble the original, Indian Vrindaban, the temple-filled city where Krishna spent his boyhood (and it didn’t hurt that one of Prabhupada’s devotees would donate his land, which has once been a garbage dump).

I stayed in the community itself, down in the holler, in a complex that at first looks like a tiny ski resort, but in the center of the main building is the Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra Temple (which even has a live webcam). The community rents rooms to visitors — $26.50 a night or less per person, can’t beat that — and it was relaxing to fall asleep, and wake up, to rhythmic chanting. (The community also rents out A-frame cabins around a small lake.)

The Palace of Gold itself is on the main road, a short walk up the hill, and is a diamond in the rough. It was built, starting in 1973, to be Prabhupada’s home but he died in 1977, the building two years from completion. No surprise there: the pocket-size “palace” was built almost exclusively by New Vrindaban devotees, most of whom knew nothing about construction when they started building (without blueprints, supposedly).

Residents learned how to stain glass, cut marble (52 kinds), carve wood, sculpt clay, paint murals, apply gold leaf (five pounds of it), set tile, cast metal, weld steel and rebuild chandeliers, not to mention blast rock, haul lumber with horse teams, mix cement and run electrical wires.

Despite being conceived and built by amateurs, the building is beautiful in both design and execution… though perhaps, indeed, that’s why it’s beautiful, being an expression of love and devotion.

My tour guide — whom I almost certainly saw in the 1980s in Berkeley, California, since we both lived there then, and you couldn’t miss those hand-cymbal-ringing Hare Krishnas dancing down Telegraph Avenue — notes that New Vrindaban hasn’t met its dream of self-sufficiency and a little research uncovers a major reason. The community was expelled from ISKCON from 1987 to 1994 in the wake of criminal activity — child abuse, drug use and eventually murder — that often destroys idealistic groups taken over by messianic leaders.

New Vrindaban has yet to recover from those dark days, though has generated some positive vibes in recent years by starting a “cow sanctuary” program. Since Krishna devotees are Hindu, they revere cows, and eat neither meat nor eggs… and abstain from drugs, alcohol and illicit sex as well, though some previous leaders didn’t follow Swami Prabhupada’s “regulative principles.”

New Vrindaban is nearly 500 miles from Brookfield, so I don’t plan on returning anytime soon. But one day I will, for the whole experience — sleeping in the ashram, chanting with other devotees before dawn, counting out prayer beads, dipping into the Baghvad Gita, working in the fields, eating a healthy vegetarian lunch (one of the Krishna’s bigger economic endeavors is restaurants). If I had known the community’s “backstory,” I might have passed it by… but the good guys, it seems, are in charge once again.

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Dear devotees

I want to invite you to the first nama-sanga gathering, this Wed. JAN 19th AT 5 PM in PRABHUPADA’S PALACE.

• Bhajan
• Talk
• Discussion
• Interactive exercise
• Japa

• Simple prasad

  you servant
  Madri dd

  PS Please feel free to contact me 843-0122

Love Me, Love My Cows

Transcript of a class given by Radhanath Swami on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.3.13 at ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai on January 19, 2008. Listen to this class here.

(om namo bhagavate vasudevaya)

tavasanam dvija-gavam paramesthyam jagat-pate
bhavaya sreyase bhutyai ksemaya vijayaya ca

TRANSLATION: O Lord Brahma, your position within this universe is certainly most auspicious for everyone, especially the cows and brahmanas. Brahminical culture and the protection of cows can be increasingly glorified, and thus all kinds of material happiness, opulence and good fortune will automatically increase. But unfortunately, if Hiranyakasipu occupies your seat, everything will be lost.

PURPORT: In this verse the words dvija-gavam paramesthyam indicate the most exalted position of the brahmanas, brahminical culture and the cows. In Vedic culture, the welfare of the cows and the welfare of the brahmanas are essential. Without a proper arrangement for developing brahminical culture and protecting cows, all the affairs of administration will go to hell. Being afraid that Hiranyakasipu would occupy the post of Brahma, all the demigods were extremely disturbed. Hiranyakasipu was a well-known demon, and the demigods knew that if demons and Raksasas were to occupy the supreme post, brahminical culture and protection of cows would come to an end. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (5.29), the original proprietor of everything is Lord Krsna (bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram). The Lord, therefore, knows particularly well how to develop the material condition of the living entities within this material world. In every universe there is one Brahma engaged on behalf of Lord Krsna, as confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (tene brahma hrdaya adi-kavaye). The principal creator in each brahmanda is Lord Brahma, who imparts Vedic knowledge to his disciples and sons. On every planet, the king or supreme controller must be a representative of Brahma. Therefore, if a Raksasa, or demon, were situated in Brahma’s post, then the entire arrangement of the universe, especially the protection of the brahminical culture and cows, would be ruined. All the demigods anticipated this danger, and therefore they went to request Lord Brahma to take immediate steps to thwart Hiranyakasipu’s plan.

In the beginning of creation, Lord Brahma was attacked by two demons — Madhu and Kaitabha — but Krsna saved him. Therefore Krsna is addressed as madhu-kaitabha-hantr. Now again, Hiranyakasipu was trying to replace Brahma. The material world is so situated that even the position of Lord Brahma, not to speak of ordinary living entities, is sometimes in danger. Nonetheless, until the time of Hiranyakasipu, no one had tried to replace Lord Brahma. Hiranyakasipu, however, was such a great demon that he maintained this ambition.
The word bhutyai means “for increasing opulence,” and the word sreyase refers to ultimately returning home, back to Godhead. In spiritual advancement, one’s material position improves at the same time that the path of liberation becomes clear and one is freed from material bondage. If one is situated in an opulent position in spiritual advancement, his opulence never decreases. Therefore such a spiritual benediction is called bhuti or vibhuti. Krsna confirms this in Bhagavad-gita (10.41). Yad yad vibhutimat sattvam. .. mama tejo-‘msa-sambhavam: if a devotee advances in spiritual consciousness and thus becomes materially opulent also, his position is a special gift from the Lord. Such opulence is never to be considered material. At the present, especially on this planet earth, the influence of Lord Brahma has decreased considerably, and the representatives of Hiranyakasipu — the Raksasas and demons — have taken charge. Therefore there is no protection of brahminical culture and cows, which are the basic prerequisites for all kinds of good fortune. This age is very dangerous because society is being managed by demons and Raksasas.

[repeats translation]

HH Radhanath Swami: Today we are reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 7, Chapter 3, entitled “Hiranyakasipu’s Plan to Become Immortal”. Maharaj, with your permission and blessings, may I speak? May I speak with your blessings and permission? Thank you, my worshipable senior Godbrother. Without the blessings of our seniors, we do not have the grace of Krishna or guru. And without that grace, whatever we do, if we can even do it, it is hollow, shallow, and without spiritual substance. And it is spiritual substance that not only changes the heart of the doer, but changes the heart of all those persons who we are trying to serve. Seeking the substance or the essence is what Krishna consciousness is.

Srimad-Bhagavatam tells that when you water the root of the tree, all parts of the tree are nourished. The trunk, the bark, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything prospers when the root is served nicely. Krishna is the root of all that exists:

aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah

Krishna tells us, he is the source of all material and spiritual worlds, everything emanates from Him. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service, Krishna says, and worship me with all their hearts.

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This Saturday, November 6th. 2010, is the Govardhana Puja Celebration.
It will be another wonderful spiritual event for the whole family.
Please come and if you like please bring an offering for Their Lordships by 6 p.m.

8 to 9:00 AM Srimad Bhagavtam Class…Hopefully by Varsana Swami

5 to 6:00 PM Lecture

6 to 6:30 PM Abhishek/Bhajans

6:30 to 7:00 PM Story Telling by Sankirtan

7 to 8:00 PM Maha Kirtan and Circumambulating Sri Govardhana Hill

8:00 PM Maha Prasadam Feast

Hope to see you there.

New Vrindavan will be celebrating Dipavali, the Festival of Lights and Govardhan Pooja magnificently on Saturday, the November 6th.

On Tuesday, 9th November Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day Celebration will be celebrated as well.

You are all affectionately invited to take part in all these festivities.

Giriraj Govardhan likes plenty of sweets, so if you wish to prepare sweets in the temple kitchen or you like to bring some sweets from your home kitchen……you are most welcome to do so.

Hare Krishna!

As everyone prepares for the Oct 30 noon-Oct 31 noon EST 24 Hour Kirtan in New Vrindaban, don’t forget to listen and download the recordings from the June Kirtan from Mantralogy’s site. And if you were there and made your own recordings, please let us know as a few of ours got lost somehow. . . .

Also click here to watch/listen to this 24 Hour Kirtan!

Kirtan Debris, 12:30 pm, June 20, 2010

By New Vrindaban Communications

Following the disappearances of Lord Caitanya and Svarupa Damodara, Srila Raghunath dasa Goswami was so crushed that he decided to commit suicide. “Raghunath dasa planned to jump from the top of Govardhan Hill,” said Varsana Swami.

Sri Rupa and Sanatan would not allow Raghunath dasa to attempt suicide. Rather, Rupa and Sanatan considered that Lord Caitanya having given His own Govardhana-sila and gunja-mala to Raghunath was a sign that the Lord desired Raghunath to live near Govardhana Hill and worship Radha-kunda. Thus, the Goswamis appointed Raghunath the custodian of Radha-kunda and the acarya for all those who aspire for raganuga bhakti.

Raghunath took up residence on the bank of Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. Some years later, the idea of enlarging the kundas entered his mind. Raghunath visualized that in the future, thousands of pilgrims would flock to Radha-kunda to take a holy bath. Thus Jiva Goswami purchased, in the name of Raghunath dasa, the two paddy fields where Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda were situated.

Raghunath dasa Goswami personally supervised the excavation of first Radha-kunda, and then Syama-kunda. The excavation work was completed in the year 1554. Later, in 1591, the king of Jaipur constructed a canal linking Syama-kunda with Lalita-kunda.

Raghunath dasa Goswami continued to perform his bhajana on the banks of the sacred kundas right up until his disappearance in the year 1583. He personally set the highest example of renunciation expected for all those who wish to imbibe the deeper internal spirit of bhajana.

Similarly to Raghnunath dasa Goswami, Srila Prabhupada envisioned that in the future, thousands of pilgrims would flock to New Vrindaban (USA) just as they were flocking to Vrindaban (India). Therefore, Prabhupada wrote to Hayagriva dasa in 1968 and advised him to “convert West Virginia into New Vrindaban. I understand the spot is very beautiful, and the hills may be renamed as New Govardhana. And if there are lakes, they can be renamed as Syamakunda and Radhakunda.”

In 1979, Varsana Swami personally excavated Radha-kunda and Lalita-kunda on a small piece of agricultural property. “I was in the plow department full-time,” said Varsana Swami. “By Lord Balarama’s mercy, I have always been engaged in both of Srila Prabhupada’s mandates for New Vrindaban. The first mandate is excavating and replicating the holy places. The second mandate is to practice agriculture as a step toward varnashrama.”

In 2001, the parcel of land on which Radha-kunda is located came into the possession of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath, Who are worshiped by Varsana Swami. Thus, Varsana Swami became the custodian of Radha-kunda in New Vrindaban.

After acquiring the land, Varsana Swami excavated Syama-kunda and built the model of a moon tower that would double as an altar for Radha-Gopinath. A moon tower, explained Varsana Swami, is an elevated place where the devotees go to watch for Vrindaban-Chandra, and where Radha and Krishna go to survey their subjects and property. “From the moon tower, the Deities are always casting down Their merciful glances,” he confided. “It is a very rewarding place to serve the Lord.”

Syama-kunda and the moon tower are not yet completed, due to lack of funding and lack of labor. “Syama-kunda is far too small, because I ran out of money for construction. Besides that, I am the only crew up here. I am the sole architect, excavator, mechanic, stonemason and pujari,” Varsana Swami explained.

The project received a boost just last week, when Varsana Swami received a $5,000 grant from New Vrindaban for construction of the moon tower. He still requires approximately $3,000 to complete the landscape around Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, including a parikrama path, stonework, and Vrinda devi’s gateway. He also requires the assistance of a devotee who can help with various aspects of the project. “The bank of Syama-kunda is the base of the moon tower, so both projects should be done simultaneously,” said Varsana Swami.

This unique opportunity to render service at Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda is available to everyone, by the mercy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). It is well known that service rendered in Vrindaban is 1,000 times more potent than service rendered elsewhere, and that Prabhupada also said New Vrindaban is non-different than Vrindaban. Varsana Swami’s motivation for the project, however, is different. “Our acaryas tell us that Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda are the favorite pastime places of Radha-Gopinath,” he says. “Their happiness is all that matters.”

Notably, Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath are the Deities of prayojana. Raghunath dasa Goswami, the prayojana acarya for followers of Lord Caitanya, lived on the bank of Radha-kunda. Thus, there is confidential relationship between Radha-Gopinath and Radha-kunda which is understood only by one who renders service at Radha-kunda.

For more information about this project, contact VarsanaSwami@gmail.com or 646-708-6169 (US), or visit http://www.dhamseva.com/

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Hare Krishna to You All,

Today, Friday, 22 October,  is Sarat Purnima,  Damodara Month Begins

Damodar astak will be chanted everyday morning after gurupuja and in the evening at 8:30 pm

All community devotees are invited to visit the temple everyday morning and evening for one month to chant Damodar astak prayers. We may try doing some austirities, every austerity and every spiritual activity we  perform in this month will have 100 times more effects.

Hare Krishna   **************************** ‘In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara.’ (SriHari-bhakti-vilasa 2.16.198)

(1) namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam,

lasat-kundalam gokule brajamanam

yasoda-bhiyolukhald dhavamanam,

pardmrstam atyantato drutya gopyd

(2) rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam,

karambhoja-yugmena stanka-netram

muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-

sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

(3) itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde,

sva-ghosarh nimajjantam akhyapayantam

tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam

punah prematas tarn satdvrtti vande

(4) varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va

na canyam vrne ‘ham varesad apiha

idam te vapur natha gopala-balam

sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

5)idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair

vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopya

muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me

manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

(6) namo deva damodarananta visno

prasida prabho duhkha-jaldadhi-magnam

krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu-

grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

(7) kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat

tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca

tathd prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha

na mokse graho me ‘sti damodareha

(8 )namas te ‘stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne

tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne

namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai

namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

1) To the Supreme Controller who possesses an eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda but was ultimately caught – to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

2) Upon seeing His mother’s whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, who is bound with His devotee’s love, I offer my humble obeisances.

3) Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krsna’s babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: ‘I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.’ To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times.

4) 0 Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. 0 Lord, I do not even want to know Your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.

5) 0 Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruit due to Mother Yasoda’s kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.

6) 0 unlimited Visnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.

7) O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yasoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed the sons of Kuvera, Manigriva, and Nalakuvera, who were cursed to stand as trees, and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for liberation into Your effulgence.

8) 0 Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes.

The Glories of Offering a lamp during Karttika

Text 99

In the Skanda Purana it is said: “When one offers a lamp during the month of Karttika, his sins in many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eye blink.”

Text 100

It is further said: “Please hear the glories of offering a lamp during pleasing to Lord Kesava. O King of brahmanas, a person who offers a lamp in this way will not take birth again in this world.”

Text 101

“By offering a lamp during the month of Karttika one attains a pious result ten million times greater than the result obtained by bathing at Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse or by bathing in the river Narmada during a lunar eclipse.

Text 102

O Tiger of sages, for a person who thus offers a lamp burning with ghee or sesame oil, what is the use of performing an asvasmedha-yajia?

Text 103

“Even if there are no mantras, no pious deeds, and no purity, everything becomes perfect when a person offers a lamp during the month of Karttika.

Text 104

“A person who during the month of Karttika offers a lamp to Lord Kesava has already performed all yajnas and bathing in all holy rivers.

Text 107

“The ancestors say: When someone in our family pleases Lord Kesava by offering to Him a lamp during the month of Karttika, then, by the mercy of the Lord who holds the Sudarsana-cakra in His Hand, we will all attain liberation.”

Text 108

It is further said: “By offering a lamp during the month of Karttika one burns away a collection of sins as big as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara. Of this there is no doubt.

Text 111

“A person who offers a lamp during the month of Karttika attains a result that cannot be obtained with even a hundred yajnas or a hundred pilgrimages.

Text 112

“Even a person addicted to all sins and averse to all pious deeds who somehow offers a lamp during Karttika becomes purified. Of this there is no doubt.”

Text 113

“O Narada, no sin exists anywhere in the three worlds that will not be purified by offering a lamp to Lord Kesava during Karttika.”

Text 114

“A person who offers a lamp to Lord Krsna during Karttika attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering.”

Text 120

“As fire is present in all wood and may be extracted by friction, so piety is always present in the offering of a lamp during the month of Karttika. Of this there is no doubt.

Text 121

It is further said: “O King of brahmanas, when someone offers Him a lamp on the full-moon day of the month of Karttika, Lord Krishna, finding that He does not have sufficient money to repay that gift, gives Himself in exchange for that lamp.

Text 124

In the Padma Purana it is said: “One who offers a steady lamp to Lord Hari during the month of Karttika enjoys pastimes in Lord Hari’s splendid spiritual world.

(found in the Padma Parana of Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation with Narada Muni and Saunaka Rsi)