(2/5) Advent of Hari-Kirtan Murti

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's disappearance
Nrisingha Palli, 3 January 2021, part 2

‘Kuliyate pasandira atyachara kaila ya’ra’: Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was harassed for his strong preaching against misconceptions that prevailed in the society at that time. You know that there were thirteen prominent apa-sampradayas (misconception lines) at that time, and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was greatly distressed to see that.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was a very learned personality. When he was a deputy magistrate in Krishnanagar, he collected many books about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, including Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, and various other scriptures. Reading all these books, seeing the true conception of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and seeing what was going on at that time in Bengal, he understood that it was all misconception (wrong teachings), it was all maya – he saw that what people distributed and preached in the name of religion was absolutely wrong. Eventually, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and his wife prayed to Bimala Devi in Sri Jagannath Dham for a son who would be able to preach the proper conception in this world, and by the mercy (prasad) of Bimala Devi, they soon got a son.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur appeared in this world in Sri Puri Dham, the abode of Utkale Purusottam. Because he appeared by the mercy (prasad) of Bimala Devi, he was named Bimala Prasad at birth.

You know that Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s house in Puri is on the same street where Jagannathdev’s chariot passes during Ratha-yatra. That year when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur appeared, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stayed in front of his house for three days (miraculously, nobody could move the chariot from there for three days). This was the meeting of the Lord and the Lord’s devotee; there is an intimate connection between them. At that time, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was in charge of the Ratha-yatra festival (in other words, he organised everything for the festival), so during those three days he arranged for all bhoga to be cooked and offered in front of his house. At some point during that time, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur came out with his wife and their new-born child to pay dandavat to Lord Jagannathdev, and when little Bimala Prasad was placed at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannathdev, he suddenly crawled up and caught hold of Lord Jagannath’s feet. Such was the meeting of the bhakta and Bhagavan – the devotee and the devotee’s Lord; there is an intimate connection and acquaintance between the two of them. When Bimala Prasad caught Lord Jagannath’s feet, Jagannath gave His own garland to Bimala Prasad (it tore and fell from the Lord’s neck onto Bimala Prasad). Seeing this, all the pandas (priests and servants of Lord Jagannath) were astonished. They thought, ‘This boy is not an ordinary person! He will be a great preacher in this world. He will preach about Lord Jagannath all over the world!’

This is how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Bimala Prasad, came to this world.

We have heard about so many glories of Bhagavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur from many Vaishnavs and scholars, and our Param Guru Maharaj (Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj) also described everything in his poetry.

শ্রীগৌরাঙ্গ-পারিষদ, ঠাকুর ভক্তিবিনোদ,
দীনহীন পতিতের বন্ধু ।
কলিতমঃ বিনাশিতে, আনিলেন অবনীতে,
তোমা' অকলঙ্ক পূর্ণ ইন্দু ॥

sri-gauranga-parisada, thakura bhaktivinoda,
dina-hina patitera bandhu
kali-tamah vinasite, anilena avanite,
toma’ akalanka purna indu

‘To dispel the darkness of this Age of Kali, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, a close associate of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and a friend of fallen souls, brought to this earth you [Srila Saraswati Thakur], a spotless, unblemished full moon.’

(Acharya Vandana)

Srila Sridhar Maharaj told so many things about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur; he also told about the day of his disappearance. A disappearance day is also called viraha-tithi, a ‘separation day’. Viraha, separation, comes if there is a relation – if you have some relation with the person, then separation comes. When and how does relation come? It comes through service. If you have no service, you have no relation; if you have service, then you have a relation, and when there is a relation, then separation comes. No service – no relation. Remember this. Srila Param Guru Maharaj always spoke about it in a very beautiful way.

One day, Srila Param Guru Maharaj asked our beloved Gurudev, ‘You sing the kirtan “Sujanarvuda-radhita-pada-yugam”, but which part of this kirtan do you like the most?’ Gurudev was a little puzzled at first, he thought, ‘What do I say?’ and then he quoted this verse:

কৃপয়া হরিকীর্ত্তনমূর্ত্তিধরং
ধরণীভরহারক-গৌরজনম্ ।
জনকাধিকবৎসলস্নিগ্ধপদং
প্রণমামি সদা প্রভুপাদপদম্ ॥

krpaya hari-kirtana-murti-dharam
dharani-bhara-haraka-gaura-janam
janakadhika-vatsala-snigdha-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam

‘Bestowing mercy upon jiva souls, he is manifest as a worshippable deity of Hari-kirtan personified. He is an associate of Sri Gaura who removes the burden of offences from Mother Earth. I offer obeisance to this very gentle fountainhead of greater parental affection towards jiva souls than even that of a father. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master.’

(‘Sri Sri Prabhupada-padma Stavakah’, 8, Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave so much mercy to the fallen souls through his Hari-katha – he is a deity of kirtan, a deity of Hari-katha. He removed so many of our offences, so many of our faults. He is an associate of Sri Gaura and more loving and affectionate to jiva souls than a father!

This kind of glorification of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur is written by Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. These are very beautiful things. I read some poems in the morning and explained their meanings.

ভয়ভঞ্জন-জয়শংসন-করুণায়তনয়নম্ ।
কনকোৎপল-জনকোজ্জ্বল-রসসাগর-চয়নম্ ॥
মুখরীকৃত-ধরণীতল-হরিকীর্ত্তন-রসনম্ ।
ক্ষিতিপাবন-ভবতারণ-পিহিতারুণ-বসনম্ ॥
শুভদোদয়-দিবসে বৃষরবিজানিজ-দয়িতম্ ।
প্রণমামি চ চরণান্তিক-পরিচারক-সহিতম্ ॥১॥

bhaya-bhanjana-jaya-samsana-karunayata-nayanam
kanakotpala-janakojjvala-rasa-sagara-chayanam
mukhari-krta-dharani-tala-hari-kirtana-rasanam
ksiti-pavana-bhava-tarana-pihitaruna-vasanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [1]

‘He (his holy form) has arisen from the birthplace of golden lotuses, an (exalted, supramundane) ocean of the nectar of divine consorthood; His large, merciful eyes dispel (the suffering souls’) fear and proclaim (the surrendered souls’) victory; His tongue (constantly) vibrates the whole Earth planet with Sri Krishna-sankirtan; and his beauty, resplendent in the (saffron) robes of the newly risen sun, purifies the whole universe and dispels all suffering of material existence – on his holy appearance day, I again and again bow down to this beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini as well as all servitors of his lotus feet.’

(Sri Dayita-dasa-pranati-panchakam, Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)

This poem is very beautiful. If you see the meaning of this poem, you will see how beautiful it is. It is very difficult for me to explain it in English. The meaning of this poem is actually eternal: its meaning develops from deep to deeper and deepest – what is written here is eternal.

শরণাগত-ভজনব্রত-চিরপালন-চরণম্ ।
সুকৃতালয়-সরলাশয়-সুজনাখিল-বরণম্ ॥
হরিসাধন-কৃতবাধন-জনশাসন-কলনম্ ।
সচরাচর-করুণাকর-নিখিলাশিব-দলনম্ ॥
শুভদোদয়-দিবসে বৃষরবিজানিজ-দয়িতম্ ।
প্রণমামি চ চরণান্তিক-পরিচারক-সহিতম্ ॥২॥

saranagata-bhajana-vrata-chira-palana-charanam
sukrtalaya-saralasaya-sujanakhila-varanam
hari-sadhana-krta-badhana-jana-sasana-kalanam
sacharachara-karunakara-nikhilasiva-dalanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [2]

‘Surrendered devotees who practise spiritual life are eternally protected and nurtured at his holy lotus feet; He is worshipped by all simple-hearted, fortunate pious souls; he promises to accept and rectify (even) those who obstruct the Lord’s service; and, being a fountainhead of mercy towards all moving and non-moving living entities, he crushes all inauspiciousness in the universe – on his holy appearance day, I again and again bow down to this beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini as well as all servitors of his lotus feet.’

অতিলৌকিক-গতিতৌলিক-রতিকৌতুক-বপুষম্ ।
অতিদৈবত-মতিবৈষ্ণব-যতি-বৈভব-পুরুষম্ ॥
সসনাতন-রঘুরূপক-পরমাণুগচরিতম্ ।
সুবিচারক ইব জীবক ইতি সাধুভিরুদিতম্ ॥
শুভদোদয়-দিবসে বৃষরবিজানিজ-দয়িতম্ ।
প্রণমামি চ চরণান্তিক-পরিচারক-সহিতম্ ॥৩॥

atilaukika-gatitaulika-ratikautuka-vapusam
ati-daivata-mati-vaisnava-yati-vaibhava-purusam
sa-sanatana-raghu-rupaka-paramanuga-charitam
su-vicharaka iva jivaka iti sadhubhir uditam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [3]

‘Filled with supramundane pastimes, his holy worshippable form is a (beautiful) embodiment of aspirations cherished by (even) artists and accomplishments of the inquisitive (in other words, he grants both artists and pleasure-seekers their wishes); his intelligence surpassing (even) that of gods, he is the chief personality embodying the opulence of Vaisnav sannyasis (renunciates bearing a triple staff of a mendicant); and he is extolled by saints for his exclusive submission to Sri Rupa-Raghunath and Sri Sanatan and for his superb judgement (endowed with the highest theistic conception) resembling that of Sri Jivapad – on his holy appearance day, I again and again bow down to this beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini as well as all servitors of his lotus feet.’

সরসীতট-সুখদোটজ-নিকটপ্রিয়ভজনম্ ।
ললিতামুখ-ললনাকুল-পরমাদরযজনম্ ॥
ব্রজকানন-বহুমানন-কমলপ্রিয়নয়নম্ ।
গুণমঞ্জরি-গরিমাগুণহরিবাসনবয়নম্ ॥
শুভদোদয়-দিবসে বৃষরবিজানিজ-দয়িতম্ ।
প্রণমামি চ চরণান্তিক-পরিচারক-সহিতম্ ॥৪॥

sarasi-tata-sukhadotaja-nikata-priya-bhajanam
lalita-mukha-lalana-kula-paramadara-yajanam
vraja-kanana-bahu-manana-kamala-priya-nayanam
guna-manjari-garima-guna-hari-vasana-vayanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [4]

‘Staying on the bank of Sri Radha Kunda at Svananda Sukhada Kunja, he lives serving his beloved; adored by Lalita and other Vraja-gopis, he is extremely dear to Kamala Manjari (Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur), who is renowned throughout Vrindavan; and he constructs residence for the Supreme Lord with the tow ropes of the divine glories of Guna Manjari (Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj) – on his holy appearance day, I again and again bow down to this beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini as well as all servitors of his lotus feet.’

বিমলোৎসবমমলোৎকল-পুরুষোত্তম-জননম্ ।
পতিতোদ্ধৃতি-করুণাস্তৃতি-কৃতনূতন-পুলিনম্ ॥
মথুরাপুর-পুরুষোত্তম-সমগৌরপুরটনম্ ।
হরিকামক-হরিধামক-হরিনামক-রটনম্ ॥
শুভদোদয়-দিবসে বৃষরবিজানিজ-দয়িতম্ ।
প্রণমামি চ চরণান্তিক-পরিচারক-সহিতম্ ॥৫॥

vimalotsavam-amalotkala-purusottama-jananam
patitoddhrti-karunastrti-krtanutana-pulinam
mathura-pura-purusottama-sama-gaura-puratanam
hari-kamaka-hari-dhamaka-hari-namaka-ratanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [5]

‘Embodying pure joy (bimala-ananda) and pleasing, delighting Bimala Devi, he manifested his birth pastime at Purusottama Ksetra in the holy land of Odisha; he displays his pastimes of rescuing the fallen and distributing mercy (by granting divine love) on the newly discovered sandy banks of the nine islands of Nabadwip; and, travelling throughout Gaura Dham (Sri Mayapur, Nabadwip), which is nondifferent from Vraja Dham and Purusottam Dham, he always preaches about the divine hankering of Vraja, the transcendental abode of Vaikuntha and the Holy Names of Lord Krishna – on his holy appearance day, I again and again bow down to this beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini as well as all servitors of his lotus feet.’

(Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)

This poem was written by Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and it is very hard to translate it into English because these words express the highest truths.

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }

CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE LECTURE

Size: 17 Mb
Length: 35 min
Language: English

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Illustrious Acharya
2) Advent of Hari-Kirtan Murti
3) Srila Prabhupad's Mission
4) Srila Prabhupad's Teachings
5) Unimaginable Service