Appearance Day of Sri Virabhadra

What is Sri Virabhadra's appearance day?

Sri Virabhadra Gosai, whom Gaudiya Vaishnavas also call Viracandra, is honoured each year on his appearance day. In 2027 it falls on Sunday, 24 October, in the dark fortnight of Kartika, two days before Rama Ekadashi.

Significance

Sri Virabhadra is honoured as the incarnation of Ksirodakasayi Vishnu in the family of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. He did not stay in Bengal but, with the permission of his mother, Srimati Vasudha Devi, travelled to Vrindavana. The Bhakti-ratnakara of Sri Narahari Chakravarti Thakura records that on the way he visited the homes of Sri Advaita Acarya, Srinivasa Acarya and Narottama Dasa Thakura, and that kirtana festivals were held at several of them. In Vrindavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami and other devotees welcomed him. He then wandered through the twelve forests of Vraja and visited Radha-kunda, Shyama-kunda and Govardhana Hill.

Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, one of those who welcomed him, writes of his mercy in the Caitanya-caritamrta:

It is by the glorious mercy of Śrī Vīrabhadra Gosāñi that people all over the world now have the chance to chant the names of Caitanya and Nityānanda.

Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 11.11

How to observe it

Hear his pastimes from the Bhakti-ratnakara and the Caitanya-caritamrta, chant the holy names of Sri Gauranga and Sri Nityananda, and join a kirtana if you can. Pray for his mercy, as Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja did, so that your service stays rightly guided.