SRI BRAHMA-SAMHITA

I offer my humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of my Diksa-Guru Om Visnupad Sri Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, unto the lotus feet of my Param Siksa-Guru Om Visnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and unto the lotus feet of my Siksa-Guru Om Visnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj, Srila Sridhar Maharaj's most beloved Intimate Servitor and Disciple, and his personally appointed Guardian-Servitor and President-Acharyya for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, India, with its centres internationally.

By their Grace, and by the Grace of the unalloyed devotees in their line, I was given the service of rendering into English this Holy Book Sri Brahma-samhita from the Bengali translation and elaborate commentary of the Most Venerable Om Visnupada Sri Srila Sachchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur [1838-1914], the great preacher of Unalloyed Devotion in this most exalted Divine Succession of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The work was first published in 1897, and also edited by our Param Gurudev Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. We are eternally indebted to those great Guides and Reformers who made spiritual history by illuminating the world by restating Sriman Mahaprabhu's Teachings in their pure form in their vast literary contributions, their words and their deeds. When will that day be mine when this lowly soul can render some service to the dust of their holy lotus feet?

The Divine Teachings of Sri Brahma-samhita can be at times intricate in their English rendering, especially for those who have had little or no previous acquaintance with the subject, so I have tried my utmost to portray the original concepts as simply and concisely as possible, inserting footnotes, etc., at relevant points to assist the readers.

I am ever indebted to all the kind devotees around the world for their valuable assistance and encouragement in consultation, editing and proofing. And I am bound by unceasing gratitude to my dear Godbrother Sri Ananta Krishna Prabhu, Director of Edisviz Kiado (&‌Eacute;disvi&‌zacute; Kiad&‌oacute;), Budapest, Hungary, who bore the entire cost of bringing out this most important publication.

Above all, Srila Govinda Maharaj, by his Divine Affection and brilliant example of Divine Service to Srila Guru Maharaj, is our eternal source of strength and inspiration. In offering this effort to the lotus hand of Om Visnupad Srila Govinda Maharaj, I pray that His Divine Grace and the great souls of the Guru-varga and the pure devotees of the Lord may be satisfied, thus drawing the Grace of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya.

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, India. Appearance of Sri Sri Baladev, 25th August, 1991

A humble aspiring servant, Swami B. A. Sagar

• For Reader's Appreciation
• Feelings of Appreciation
• Prologue
• Translator's Note
• Illumination
• Sri Sri Brahma-samhita
• Verse Contents