Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

This month is the festival of Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He was born in Mayapur, India, 512 years ago.

Gaura Purnima means “Golden Full Moon,” signifying that Lord Chaitanya was born at the time of the full moon, and that the Lord blesses everyone with the soothing, moonlike rays of His sublime teachings. He came to this world to spread love for Krishna through the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. You can read more about Gaura Purnima under "Events and Festivals" in our "Experience" section.

Click here to read more about Gaura Purnima. Type Chaitanya into the Krishna.com search box and you will find many interesting books to read about Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu .

In honor of the appearance of Lord Chaitanya, devotees fast until moonrise. Fasting is an austerity we can practice and offer in devotional service to Lord Chaitanya, who is Krishna Himself. If possible, refrain from eating during the day. Not eating focuses the mind and reminds you that this is a special day. If you can't fast completely, then eat only light food.

On Gaura Purnima, all Hare Krishna temples offer Lord Chaitanya a sumptuous vegetarian feast, which is then enjoyed by all after moonrise. Before eating, it's appropriate to offering our heartfelt thanks to Krishna for appearing as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and for allowing us to eat the remnants of His meal.

Hare Krishna temples hold special celebrations on Gaura Purnima. Plan to be there. If you want to cook for Lord Chaitanya that day, here are a few recipes to get you started:

Sautéed Potatoes.

Cream of Broccoli/Spinach Soup.

Curried Vegetables.

Caramelized Pineapple Rings.

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