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 Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was harassed for his strong preaching against misconception that prevailed 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 the deputy magistrate in Krishnanagar, he collected many books about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, including Sri Chaitanya-charitamita and many other books. 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 could preach proper conception in this world, and by the mercy (prasad) of Bimala Devi, they soon got a child, a son.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta 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 Bhakti Siddhanta 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 Ratha-yatra festival, in other words, he arranged everything for the festival, so during those three days he arranged for all bhoga, etc. 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 new-born child to pay dandavat to Jagannathdev, and when small Bimala Prasad was placed at the lotus feet of Jagannathdev, he suddenly crawled up and caught hold of Lord Jagannath's feet. Such was the meeting of 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 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! This boy will be a great preacher in this world. He will preach about Jagannath all over the world!" This is how Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Bimala Prasad, came to this world.

We have heard about so many glories of Bhagavan Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur from many Vaishnavs, many 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 bhakti-vinoda
dina-hina patitera bandhu
kali-tamah vinasite anilena avanite
toma' akalanka purna indu

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur brought to this world a friend of all fallen souls, a spotless moon who excels the power and beauty of the moon because even the moon may have some spots, some dirtiness, but he is spotless, there is no dirt in him—this spotless moon dispelled all darkness of this world.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj told so many things about Srila Bhakti Siddhanta 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 relation—if you have some relation with the person, then separation comes. When and how relation comes? It comes through service. If you have no service, you have no relation; if you have service, then you have relation, and when there is relation, 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?" 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

"He is the embodiment of Hari-kirtan. He mercifully relieves Mother Earth of the burden upon her. He is an associate of Sri Gaura, and more kind and affectionate than a father. Eternally I offer my obeisance to my master's feet."

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur gave so much mercy to the fallen souls through his Hari-katha—he 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 Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur is written by Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. These are very beautiful things. I read some of poems in the morning and explained the meaning.

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

bhayabhanjana jayasamsana-karunayatanayanam
kanakotpala janakojjvala-rasasagara-chayanam
mukharikrta-dharanitala-harikirtana-rasanam
ksitipavana-bhavatarana-pihitaruna-vasanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [1]

He (of divine form) came forth from the birthplace of the golden lotus—the ocean of the mellow 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, his beauty resplendent in the robes of the sun's radiance (saffron) that purifies the universe and dispels the suffering of material existence. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini, and the servitors of his lotus feet.

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-bhajanavrata-chirapalana-charanam
sukrtalaya-saralasaya-sujanakhila-varanam
harisadhana-krtabadhana janasasana-kalanam
sacharachara-karunakara-nikhilasiva-dalanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [2]

The devotees surrendered in pure devotion are eternally protected at his lotus feet. He is worshippable by the pure souls endowed with sincerity and good fortune, and he accepts (even) those who obstruct the service of Sri Hari, just to rectify them. As the very fountainhead of mercy upon all mobile and immobile beings, he crushes the inauspiciousness of the whole universe. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini, and the 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
atidaivata-mativaisnava-yati-vaibhava-purusam
sasanatana-raghurupaka-paramanugacharitam
suvicharaka iva jivaka iti sadhubhiruditam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [3]

Like a miracle, his body moves with a joyful elegance and charm beyond the world's understanding, fulfilling the artist's aspiration. (Or, dancing in pastimes transcendental to the world, his artistic form incites divine love's hankering). His intellect surpasses that of (even) the demigods, and he is nobility incarnate as the commander-in-chief of the Vaisnava sannyasis (tridandi-yatis). The sadhus of profound intellect describe the nature of his personality as meticulously in the line of Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa, and Sri Raghunatha, and they speak of him as being on the same plane as Sri Jivapada (being superbly replete in perfect theistic conclusions). On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini, and the servitors of his lotus feet.

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

sarasitata-sukhadotaja-nikatapriyabhajanam
lalitamukha-lalanakula-paramadarayajanam
vrajakanana-bahumanana-kamalapriyanayanam
gunamanjari-garima-guna-harivasanavayanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [4]

On the bank of Sri Radha Kunda at Svananda Sukhada Kunja, he is devoted to the service of his Beloved, and (furthermore) he is greatly endeared to the divine damsels of Vraja headed by Lalita. He is most favorite to Kamala-manjari who is pre-eminent in Vrndavana, and with the glorious qualities of Guna Manjari he builds the residence of Sri Hari. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini, and the servitors of his lotus feet.

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

vimalotsavam amalotkala-purusottama-jananam
patitoddhrti-karunastrti-krtanutana-pulinam
mathurapura-purusottama-samagaurapuratanam
harikamaka-haridhamaka-harinamaka-ratanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [5]

He is immaculate joy incarnate, or, he is the graciousness or the joy of Vimala Devi. He manifested the pastimes of his Advent at Purusottam Ksetra in the holy land of Orissa, and he revealed his pastimes of delivering the fallen souls and extending his mercy upon them (by awarding them the gift of divine love) at the 'new isles,' or Nabadwip. Circumambulating Gaura Dham in the same way as traditionally done at Vraja Dhama and Purusottam Dham, he continuously propagates—the loving desire of Vraja, the divine abode of Vaikuntha, and the holy name of Krishna. On his Day of Holy Advent, I (again and again) make my obeisance unto that dear associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini, and the servitors of his holy lotus feet.

This poem was written by Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. It is very hard to render it into English—these words express the highest truths.

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