Disappearance Day of Sri Sridhara Pandita

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Disappearance Day

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Hands holding rose petals to offer

What is the disappearance day of Sri Sridhara Pandita?

In 2027 the disappearance day of Sri Sridhara Pandita falls on Friday, 18 June, together with Snana Yatra and the disappearance of Sri Mukunda Datta. On this day Kholavecha Sridhara, the seller of banana bark, left this world and entered the Lord's eternal pastimes. He lived in Navadvipa and served Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu from a very small income.

Significance

Srila Prabhupada describes Sridhara as a poor brahmana who sold banana leaves, skin and pulp in the market. Half of what he earned went to the worship of the Ganges, and he lived on the rest. Every day the Lord playfully snatched his fruits, flowers and pulp, and drank from his broken iron pot. Sridhara's life shows that a devotee's wealth is his love for the Lord, not his income.

In Krishna's pastimes he was Kusumasava, a cowherd boy of Vrindavana. The Caitanya-caritamrta speaks of him with affection:

The twenty-ninth branch was Śrīdhara, a trader in banana-tree bark. He was a very dear servant of the Lord. On many occasions, the Lord played jokes on him.

Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.67

How to observe it

Devotees honour Sridhara by hearing how the Lord drank from his iron pot, and by offering the Lord something simple and sincere, as Sridhara offered his banana leaves and flowers. Read Adi-lila 10.67 with its purport, chant the holy names, and offer a flower, a fruit or a little water with love.

Questions

When is the disappearance day of Sridhara Pandita in 2027?

In the Vaishnava calendar for Kurukshetra, the disappearance day of Sri Sridhara Pandita falls on Friday, 18 June 2027. Snana Yatra and the disappearance day of Sri Mukunda Datta fall on the same day.

Who was Kholavecha Sridhara?

Kholavecha Sridhara was a poor brahmana of Navadvipa who sold banana leaves, bark and pulp. The Caitanya-caritamrta calls him a very dear servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Lord often played jokes on him (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.67 and 10.68).

Why did Lord Caitanya drink water from Sridhara's iron pot?

A Gaudiya biography explains that the Lord was showing how dear a devotee's humble offering is to Him. Srila Prabhupada writes that the Lord drank water from Sridhara's broken iron pot every day and also took his fruits, flowers and pulp.

Who was Sridhara Pandita in Krishna's pastimes?

He was Kusumasava, a cowherd boy of Vrindavana, according to Kavi-karnapura, whom Srila Prabhupada quotes. In Lord Caitanya's pastimes at Navadvipa he became Kholavecha Sridhara.

Reviewed by ISKCON Kurukshetra · Updated

Key facts

Date
Friday, 18 June 2027
Known as
Kholavecha Sridhara, seller of banana bark
In Krishna's pastimes
Kusumasava, a cowherd boy
Branch of the Caitanya tree
Twenty-ninth (Cc Adi 10.67)

Seva for this day

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Coming up

Disappearance Day of Sri Syamananda Prabhu — Sunday, 20 June 2027

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