SRI NABADWIP DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

Godrumdwip (Kirtanam: chanting)

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s Bhajan-Kutir
(Svananda-Sukhada-Kunja)

vande bhaktivinodam sri-gaura-sakti-svarupakam
bhakti-sastrajna-samrajam radha-rasa-sudhanidhim

‘I offer my obeisance unto Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, the embodiment of Sri Gaurasundar’s potency. He is the king of all experts of the scriptures of pure devotion and an ocean of the nectar of devotion to Srimati Radharani.”

By the mercy of Sri Gurudev, by the mercy of all the devotees, our Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math (International) Sangha has now come to the bhajan-kutir and samadhi-mandir of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. This is the house where Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur stayed and worshipped the Lord.

When Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur had just come here, there was nothing in Mayapur: all the temples, great buildings and everything else that you can see today were not here at that time. Even Mahaprabhu’s birthplace was hidden. All temples of Gaudiya Math were discovered and established through Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.

When Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur read our Param Gurudev Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj’s poem ‘Srimad Bhaktivinod Viraha Dasakam’, he was very pleased, especially with this sloka:

sri-gauranumatam svarupa-viditam rupagrajenadrtam
rupadyaih parivesitam raghuganair asvaditam sevitam
jivadyair abhiraksitam suka-siva-brahmadi- sammanitam
sri-radha-pada-sevanamrtam aho tad datum iso bhavan

‘O wonder of wonders! That which, on the order of Sri Gaurachandra, Sri Svarup Damodar knows the internal purpose of; which is adored by Sri Sanatan Goswami; which is distributed by the preceptors, headed by Sri Rupa Goswami, who teach transcendental mellows; which is tasted and enhanced by Sri Raghunath Das Goswami and his followers; which is carefully protected by the votaries headed by Sri Jiva Prabhu; and which (from a respectful distance) is venerated by great personalities, such as Sri Suka, Lord Siva, the chief of the demigods, and Lord Brahma, the grandfather of all beings – you are capable of giving us that treasure of the nectarine rapture of servitude to the holy feet of Sri Radha.‘

What has Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur given us?

guru-dam grantha-dam gaura-dhama-dam nama-dam muda
bhakti-dam bhuri-dam vande bhaktivinodakam sada

‘He is the giver of Sri Guru; he is the giver of scriptures; he is giver of the holy abode of Gaura; he is the giver of the Name; he is the giver of pure devotion. He is the greatest donor. I forever offer my obeisance to this Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.’

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has given us guru.

Actually, if he had not given us Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, where would we have got shelter then? At whose feet would we take shelter? From where would we have got our guru and guru-varga?

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was a deputy magistrate in many places of Odisha and Bengal. Eventually, he understood that Mahaprabhu’s pure devotion, Mahaprabhu’s pure teachings and conception had been almost completely lost. At that time, there were so many aul, baul, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani, sahajiya, sakhibheki, smarta, jata-goswami, atibadi, chudadhari, gauranga-nagari – so many misconception people were roaming all over the world. Feeling deeply pained at the situation, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur (at that time his name was Sri Kedarnath Datta) went to the temple of Lord Jagannath with his spouse, Bhagavati Devi, and prayed to Bimala Devi, ‘O Devi! Please send us someone who will be able to keep the current of the conception of pure devotion flowing!’ and by the mercy of Bimala Devi, he got his sixth son. His name was Bimala Prasad; later, he became known as Bhagavan Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad. He was the one to start preaching all over India, and even around the world, establishing sixty-four temples in his lifetime. And it is by the causeless mercy of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and Srila Prabhupad that we are now able to do this parikrama and have got an opportunity to be in the association of Sri Rupanuga guru-varga.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has given us scriptures.

When Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur first learnt about Mahaprabhu’s pure conception, he tried very hard to find and collect Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita and other important scriptures. At that time, all scriptures had been virtually lost or were kept in the libraries of some ancient temples. To preach Mahaprabhu’s pure conception (suddha-siddhanta), Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur collected many scriptures and also composed many scriptures himself. He wrote many songs, poems, commentaries to scriptures, gave lectures and published articles. Almost all kirtans that we sing every day in the morning and in the evening were composed by him. Many of the kirtans come from his holy book Saranagati.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has given us Gaura Dham.

When Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur appeared in this world, many thought that Mahaprabhu’s birthplace had been lost in the Ganges, but Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur thought, ‘The Ganges can take something, but the Ganges can also return it. I am sure that Mahaprabhu’s birthplace exists even now.’

One day, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was chanting the Holy Name on the roof of this house here. His daily routine was like that: in the evening, he went to rest very early; then, he woke up at midnight and started chanting the Holy Name. From the rooftop of his house, he saw some light coming from a place a little far off. The next morning, he went there and saw a vacant place, like a field, where many Tulasi plants were growing. He asked some local Muslim people who the proprietor of that land was, but the local people did not know it. Then, Bhaktivinod Thakur asked them, ‘Why are there so many Tulasi trees here?’ He was told, ‘We have tried cultivating some crops, rice or jute, but nothing grows here except Tulasi.’ Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur wondered, ‘This must be a very special place; otherwise, why would Tulasi grow here like this?’ Then, he returned to Nabadwip and came to see Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj. He asked him, ‘Prabhu, can you please come with me? I have seen an unusual place, I want you to see it.’ Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj was very old (his age was about 137 at that time) and could not walk, so his servitor put him in a basket and carried him on his head to that field. When Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj arrived at the place, he jumped out of the basket and began to dance! He cried, ‘Yes! I have found it! This is the birthplace of the Lord! This is Yogapith!’

This is how Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur revealed Mahaprabhu’s birthplace and holy abode. Having discovered Mayapur, he and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur together bought all the lands related to the pastimes of all Gaura’s associates and established Gaudiya Maths there. By their mercy, we can now go to all these holy places, temple to temple, circumambulating this holy abode of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

There is one more thing that should be said and should be known. When Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur discovered Mayapur Dham, all the babajis grouped together and filed a case against Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. They said, ‘No, Mahaprabhu’s birthplace is actually in Nabadwip Town (not in Mayapur, but on the other side of the Ganges).’ However, High Court and Supreme Court ruled that no, Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s birthplace is in Mayapur (where Yogapith is today). You must always remember this. Sahajiyas, auls, bauls and others think and say that Nabadwip Town is ancient (prachin) Mayapur and Mahaprabhu’s birthplace, but Gaudiya Vaishnavs never think like that: Yogapith (Mayapur) is the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has given us the Holy Name.

Mahaprabhu said:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha

‘Chanting the Holy Name, chanting the Holy Name, chanting the Holy Name – there is no other way, no other way, no other way.’

However, after Mahaprabhu, many offenders of the Holy Name gradually sprang up in this world. Many apa-sampradayas started distributing the Holy Name, but their ‘Holy Name’ was a concoction. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur said, ‘Nityananda Prabhu opened a market of the Holy Name (Nama-hatta), and I will become a sweeper of that Nama-hatta! Taking a broom in my hands, I will sweep all misconception from this market of the Holy Name!’ Such was his declaration, and he did that.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has given us devotion.

It is not so easy to get devotion to the Lord from the Lord Himself. The Lord always hides Himself:

krsna yadi chhute bhakte bhukti mukti diya
kabhu bhakti na dena rakhena lukaiya

‘If a devotee aspires for enjoyment or liberation, Krishna hides the knowledge of pure devotion to Himself and dismisses them, giving them enjoyment or liberation instead.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 1.8.18)

Even if the Lord gives you His devotion, it is not perfect devotion: He can give you so many things, but He will not give Himself to anyone. Moreover, if you come to Krishna to associate with Him, you may get Krishna who is the killer of demons: what will be your position then if you associate with Him? So, who can really give you Lord Sri Krishna? Only Vaishnav Thakur, a pure devotee of the Lord. When the Lord’s dear devotee gives you something, that will be a perfect gift. Therefore, the gift that Thakur Bhaktivinod has given us, the devotional conception that he preached all over this world, that is pure devotion. There is no greater gift in this world than that.

Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur is our greatest benefactor.

He is the seventh goswami. Mahaprabhu sent six goswamis to Vrindavan: Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatan Goswami, Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami and Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. Mahaprabhu ordered them to go to Vrindavan and preach His main conception. They did that, and they were successful: they perfectly fulfilled Mahaprabhu’s heartfelt desire.

However, after that, they all left for their own abode… Who will preach after them? One day, Shishir Ghosh wrote, ‘Who can be the seventh goswami? If after the six goswamis there can be a seventh goswami in this world, it can only be Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur Mahasaya.’

We can say so many things about Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. He left his main teachings within his holy books. If you read his books, you will be able to understand what is called sanatana-dharma, or jaiva-dharma (the true religion of the soul), what our conception is, and so on.

But for Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, how would we have got all this? How would we have got Srila Prabhupad? If Prabhupad had not come to this world, how would we have got Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj? And if Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj had not established Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, then how would we have got our gurudev, Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj? Therefore, we must always remember Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s contribution and teachings.

Expressing feelings of separation from Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, our Param Gurudev, Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, composed this ‘Srimad Bhaktivinod Viraha Dasakam’ poem in 1936:

ha ha bhaktivinoda-thakura! guro ! dvavimsatis te sama
dirghad-duhkha-bharad-asesa-virahad-duhsthikrta bhuriyam
jivanam bahu-janma-punya-nivahakrsto mahi-mandale
avirbhava-krpam chakara cha bhavan sri-gaura-saktih svayam [1]

‘Alas, alas! O Bhaktivinod Thakur, O Supreme Guru! For the past twenty-two years, this earth has been grasped by the misery of deep sadness in unfathomable separation from you. Sri Gaura’s potency personified, you graciously appeared on this planet, being attracted by jiva souls’ sukrti (devotional merit) amassed during many lifetimes.’

dino ’ham chira-duskrtir na hi bhavat-padabja-dhuli-kana-
snanananda-nidhim prapanna-subhadam labdhum samartho ’bhavam
kintv audarya-gunat-tavati-yasasah karunya-saktih svayam
sri-sri-gaura-mahaprabhoh prakatita visvam samanvagrahit [2]

‘Because I am poor and very unfortunate, I did not get the fortune to reach the ocean that bestows the auspiciousness of surrender by joyfully bathing in the dust of your holy lotus feet. Yet your magnanimity is such that Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s mercy and grand renown manifest themselves on their own – in this way, you granted your favour to this universe (I have become a recipient of His favour just by being present within this universe).’

he deva! stavane tavakhila-gunanam te virinchadayo
deva vyartha-mano-rathah kim u vayam martyadhamah kurmahe
etan no vibudhaih kadapy atisayalankara ity uchyatam
sastresv eva ‘na paraye ’ham’ iti yad gitam mukundena tat [3]

‘O Lord! When even all the demigods headed by Lord Brahma feel frustrated trying to (properly) extol your great qualities, then where does it leave such vile human beings as us? The learned will never mean this as a hyperbole or an ornamental figure of speech because even the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself famously sang, as recorded in the scriptures, saying, ‘I cannot (repay your devotion).’

dharmas-charma-gato ’jnataiva satata yogas cha bhogatmako
jnane sunya-gatir japena tapasa khyatir jighamsaiva cha
dane dambhikata ’nuraga-bhajane dustapacharo yada
buddhim buddhi-matam vibheda hi tada dhatra bhavan presitah [4]

‘When religion was based on skin type, ignorance was considered saintliness and yoga was motivated by enjoyment; when cultivation of knowledge was merely a path to non-existence, and japa and austerities were practised in search of fame or out of spite; when charity was an exercise of pride; and when, with all the awful atrocious behaviour exhibited in the name of loving devotion, the minds of even intelligent people had become diverted – at this very time you were sent to this world by Providence.’

visve ’smin kiranair yatha hima-karah sanjivayann osadhir
naksatrani cha ranjayan nija-sudham vistarayan rajate
sachchhastrani cha tosayan budha-ganam sammodayams te tatha
nunam bhumi-tale subhodaya iti hlado bahuh satvatam [5]

‘Just as in this universe, the cooling moon enhances its beauty by spreading the nectar of its moonlight, filling all plants with life and delighting the stars with its rays – in the same way, your auspicious descend to this earth, no doubt, fills the learned with joy (through your authoritative conception) and pleases all pure scriptures (through your studying them). As the result, devotees’ joy knows no end.’

lokanam hita-kamyaya bhagavato bhakti-pracharas tvaya
granthanam rachanaih satam abhimatair nana-vidhair darsitah
acharyaih krta-purvam eva kila tad ramanujadyair budhaih
premambho-nidhi-vigrahasya bhavato mahatmya-sima na tat [6]

‘Blessing everyone, you manifested preaching about devotion to the Lord by composing many scriptures and by adopting various methods approved by saintly personalities. Previously, greatly learned souls (Sri Ramanuja and others) as well as many spiritual teachers performed this work – this is how the preceptorial line is formed. However, the extent of your glory is not (limited by) that, as you are a worshippable personification of the nectar of transcendental love.’

yad dhamnah khalu dhama chaiva nigame brahmeti samjnayate
yasyamsasya kalaiva duhkha-nikarair yogesvarair mrgyate
vaikunthe para-mukta-bhrnga-charano narayano yah svayam
tasyamsi bhagavan svayam rasa-vapuh krsno bhavan tat pradah [7]

‘You have given Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, who is the fountainhead of all transcendental mellows and the origin of even the master of the spiritual world, Lord Narayan Himself. That which the Vedas describe as Brahman is merely the effulgence of His transcendental abode; and that which yoga experts search after accepting many hardships is merely a part of a part of His expansion. Moreover, even great liberated souls exist beautifully as honeybees at His lotus feet.’

sarvachintyamaye paratpara-pure goloka-vrndavane
chil-lila-rasa-rangini parivrta sa radhika sri-hareh
vatsalyadi-rasais cha sevita-tanor-madhurya-seva-sukham
nityam yatra muda tanoti hi bhavan tad dhama-seva-pradah [8]

‘You can grant service to the holy abode of Sri Vrindavan that is situated in Goloka, the highest region of the spiritual world, filled with all kinds of inconceivable qualities, where, revelling in the nectar of transcendental pastimes, Srimati Radhika eternally and jubilantly bestows the bliss of loving service to Sri Krishna-chandra, the worshippable Deity served in four mellows of devotion (parenthood, etc.).’

sri-gauranumatam svarupa-viditam rupagrajenadrtam
rupadyaih parivesitam raghuganair asvaditam sevitam
jivadyair abhiraksitam suka-siva-brahmadi- sammanitam
sri-radha-pada-sevanamrtam aho tad datum iso bhavan [9]

‘O wonder of wonders! That which, on the order of Sri Gaurachandra, Sri Svarup Damodar knows the internal purpose of; which is adored by Sri Sanatan Goswami; which is distributed by the preceptors headed by Sri Rupa Goswami, who teach transcendental mellows; which is tasted and enhanced by Sri Raghunath Das Goswami and his followers; which is carefully protected by the votaries headed by Sri Jiva Prabhu; and which (from a respectful distance) is venerated by great personalities such as Sri Suka, Lord Siva, Indra (the chief of demigods) and Lord Brahma (the grandfather of all beings) – you are capable of giving us that treasure of the nectarine rapture of servitude to the holy feet of Sri Radha.’

kvaham manda-matis tv ativa-patitah kva tvam jagat-pavanah
bho svamin krpayaparadha-nichayo nunam tvaya ksamyatam
yache ’ham karuna-nidhe! varam imam padabja-mule bhavat-
sarvasvavadhi-radhika-dayita-dasanam gane ganyatam [10]

‘Where I am, a foolish and very fallen soul, and where you are, a great soul, the rescuer of the world! O Lord! You will no doubt mercifully forgive me (the author of this eulogy) for my offences. O ocean of mercy! I am praying at the soles of your lotus feet that you may make my life successful by counting me amongst the family of your heart’s all-in-all, Sri Varsabhanavi Dayita Das.’

In 1955, our Gurudev, Om Visnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, wrote a very beautiful article about Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur in our Math’s Gaudiya Darshan magazine. To conclude, we would like to present this special article here:

On Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinod

(By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj)
Sri Dham Nabadwip

mukam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim
yat krpa tam aham vande sri-gurum dina-taranam

‘The dumb can speak, the lame can climb a hill – all it takes is mercy from gurudev.’

namo bhaktivinodaya sach-chid-ananda-namine
gaura-sakti-svarupaya rupanuga-varaya te

‘Obeisance unto you, Srila Sachchidananda Bhaktivinod Thakur, the embodiment of Sri Gaura’s potency, the greatest follower of Srila Rupa Goswami.’

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

‘Again and again I offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord’s devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy and wish-fulfilling trees.’

Today, in the absence of Sri Gurupadpadma from our holy temple, I am standing in front of you to offer, on his order, praise to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. A fallen, lowly, materialistic person like myself has no right, no qualification to chant the glory and speak about transcendental Thakur Mahasaya because ‘aprakrta vastu nahe prakrta-gochara, Veda-Puranete iha kahe nirantara – you can never see that which belongs to the transcendental world with your mundane eyes; all Vedas and Puranas constantly tell this.’ The Supreme Lord or His devotees (associates) are beyond the perception of material senses, and Their Names, forms, qualities, pastimes, associates and everything else are all beyond the perception of material senses, too. This is something that is absolutely impossible to know with the help of the knowledge collected through one’s senses. This truth is extolled clearly in the Vedas and all other scriptures: ‘Nayam atma pravachanena labhyo na medhaya va bahuna srutena. The Supreme Lord is unattainable, no matter how much you discuss about Him, how much intelligence you have or how much you hear about Him’, and so on. Then how can a fool like me introduce this subject matter? Nevertheless, it is only by the merciful order of Gurupadpadma that I have stood today in front of such great learned Vaishnavs as yourselves. ‘Vaisnavera guna-gana karile jivera trana, suniyachhi sadhu-guru-mukhe. I have heard from the lotus mouths of saints and gurus that glorifying Vaishnavs rescues your soul’ – yet I am unqualified. Still, by accumulating the power of Sri Gurupadpadma’s mercy, even a stool-eating crow can attain the position of Garuda, the carrier of the Lord; even a lame man can become capable of climbing a hill; even a great fool can illuminate all ten directions with the light of his erudition and intellectual brilliance; even a mute person, who is devoid of the power of speech, can become a lecturer like Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. Therefore, I am first of all bowing to Sri Gurupadpadma, praying for the power of his mercy, aspiring to serve him.

By the desire of Lord Sri Gaurasundar, Thakur Srila Sachchidananda Bhaktivinod, embodiment of His mercy’s potency, appeared almost 117 or 118 years ago [as of 1955] in the village Birnagar within Gaura Dham, Nadia district.

It can be seen in the scriptures that the signs indicating the time for the Lord or His associates to appear are as follows: whenever there is a decline in religion and uprising of irreligion, the Lord, His associates or His devotees appear in this world to rescue or protect saints, to destroy or restrain the vile and to establish religion. Some time after Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, exactly this dark situation had appeared in the world and among jiva souls. By the influence of time, the purest Vaisnav religion, representing the gist meaning of all scriptures, had gradually hidden itself, and in its place, various new wanton religions of the witch Maya were guiding jiva souls down a very dark, murky path of misconception; as a result, religion was practised primarily based on one’s skin! Ignorance had taken the holy seat of saintliness; yoga, etc. became an oceanic source of enjoyment; cultivation of knowledge ended with the concept of impersonal voidism; people practised japa, etc. for fame and performed various austerities out of envy; people gave charity, etc. to gain prestige; and with all the awful, atrocious behaviour exhibited in the name of loving service to the Lord, even the minds of the intelligent were diverted. Beholding the influence and vehemence of time and their own transpired dangerous position, sadhus became fearful and prayed, appealing anxiously, with heart and soul, to the lotus feet of the Lord for the spiritual benefit of all jiva souls. It was exactly at this time that Srila Sachchidananda Bhaktivinod Thakur, the embodied power of the mercy of Sri Gauranga-sundar who enjoys His pastimes in Nadia, appeared as a source of pure joy to more and more increase the joy in the hearts of sadhus, manifesting himself in the east of Nadia to fulfil his Lord’s cherished desire.

Although the pastimes of birth, etc. of the Lord or His associates can be visible for material eyes, these pastimes are actually transcendental – you have heard this many times. The jiva souls who are situated within the bondage of their own actions have to take birth in this world to reap the result of their own actions, but the Lord or His associates, becoming subject to mercy, accept the pastime of birth by their own will to take jiva souls from the unconscious world (from the material world drenched in danger) to the transcendental blissful abode: i.e. to grant them the treasure of their own spiritual form, which is blissful servitude to the Lord. On the one hand, it is subjection (actuated out of submission); on the other hand, it is independent and deliberate (actuated by Their own free will). As a partial example, it can be compared to a prison where there are convicts and where there can also be teachers who educate and reform the convicts. In addition, whatever caste or family pure devotees are born into, they have no relationship with that caste or family. Hanuman took birth in the monkeys’ family; Garuda, the carrier of the Lord, took birth in the birds’ family; nevertheless, the entire universe always worships them. In this world, it can be seen in the daiva-varnasrama prescribed by the scriptures that no matter what family a person is born into, one must be defined as a brahman, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, etc. based on their qualities, actions, etc. Belonging to a particular social class (varna) is not determined by one’s birth. Therefore, how is it possible to describe the associates of the Lord, who are eternally liberated, based on the family or caste they were born in? That is why Srila Sanatan Goswami, the teacher of all jiva souls, used the term ‘kayastha-kulabja-bhaskarah’ (the sun and the lotus of the kayastha caste) when describing Sri Das Goswami Prabhu’s family: they have as much relation as there is between the sun and a lotus flower – a lotus flower born from water and the sun, a burning ball of fire that illuminates the world. Although there is no comparison or similarity between the two, the sun enters into some relationship with a lotus flower, allowing it to blossom and bloom, by extending its rays; so, Vaishnavs are related to their family to the same extent that the sun is related to a lotus flower. This example can also be accepted in part. Actually, when the Lord’s associates and Vaishnavs accept a certain family and appear in it, that entire family becomes purified – you will see this verse in the scriptures that can serve as a proof: ‘Kulam pavitram janani krtartha vasundhara sa vasatis cha dhanya. The family becomes pure, the mother feels successful, Mother Earth becomes enriched and all the dwelling is blessed.’ ‘Mad-bhakto-pujabhyadhika. Worshipping My devotee is higher than worshipping Me’ – considering the meaning of this expression, we can also understand that the glory of a devotee’s holy appearance day is greater and more auspicious than even the glory of the holy appearance day of the Lord because we get an opportunity to learn very easily and properly about practising spiritual life and the Lord from the lives and characters of devotees, something that cannot be done to the same extent when dealing with the character of the Lord Himself. Therefore, the Supreme Lord mercifully teaches devotion by descending disguised as a devotee in the form of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

This is how Thakur Srila Bhaktivinod’s appearance is gradually changing the tendency of the world, and his symptoms of a great personality rivet the attention of pious souls, giving them much joy. From the ordinary, worldly point of view on his personality, he lost his father at a very early age and spent much time studying, etc. at the house of his maternal uncle. Astonished to see his incredible erudition, captivating efforts, unprecedented poetic power and profound love for religion, his relatives were very affectionate to him. Love for religion was so strong in the life of Thakur that even when he was very young, scholars were enchanted by his unfathomable expert knowledge of religious scriptures. At that time, Thakur Mahasaya composed scriptures in various languages. Also, seeing his youthful beauty, his relatives arranged his marriage.

When he was older, Thakur Mahasaya manifested his pastimes working like an ordinary jiva soul; at that time, he took posts that were rarely achievable for a person of the Bengali origin. When he became Deputy Magistrate, he came to Odisha and lived beside the temple of Lord Jagannath. At that time, he received a very good opportunity to discuss religion. He established Sri Bhakti Mandap at the temple of Lord Jagannath and, just like Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu, discussed Srimad Bhagavatam and other scriptures, severing material bondage of the jiva souls of this world and becoming enriched by the influence of many devotees, scholars and brahmans. He was so deeply pained to see the misery of the jiva souls who were averse to Krishna and disposed to material life that he would sometimes as if forget himself, crying out loud, ‘O Gauranga, O Nityananda! O Lord, please glance just once on all these jiva souls of this world!’ Saying this, he would weep profusely. Owing to Bhaktivinod’s ardent cries to the Lord, one day the residents of this world received the dust from the holy lotus feet of Srila Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, who came to this world as a worshippable embodiment of Gaura Mahaprabhu’s mercy. Very soon, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s name became famous everywhere; and also, while he performed his pastimes as a spiritual teacher, many educated, respected and important persons joined his religious preaching, etc. as servants. Before Srila Thakur’s preaching, the pure Vaishnavism that was preached by Sriman Mahaprabhu had become so much vitiated, distorted and turned topsy-turvy by some people pursuing wrong interests that Vaishnavism became ridiculed as something extremely despicable, repugnant and of very lowly nature; however, owing to Bhaktivinod’s coming into prominence and effort, Vaishnavism was released from its decline and again manifested its pure form, taking the highest place among all religions, emerging effulgently as jaiva-dharma (religion of the soul) in the religious sky of the world like the newly risen morning sun. All pious souls knew that Vaishnavism was the religion of one’s true self, pure, effulgent, devoid of envy and pleasing to Bhakti Devi, Devotion – where there is no duplicity, filth, inferiority – and they also knew: if all religions, individually or collectively, are practised properly, then they will no doubt exist beautifully as steps of Vaishnavism.

In his writing, speeches and all kinds of endeavours, Thakur Mahasaya removed the misconceptions of the proponents of so-called material synthesis (where all conceptions are seen as equal and one) and proved that only the religion preached by Sriman Mahaprabhu can bring all religions into great transcendental agreement. Actually, the way he protected the jiva souls of this world from aversion to the Lord after Sri Chaitanyadev and His associates, it is extremely rare to find another example of that. Nobody ever saw that Srila Thakur Mahasaya envied or spited anyone, yet there was also never even a drop of hesitation in his extolment of unprejudiced truth. He never showed any favour to the pretentious religions practised in the name of devotion or the conceptions of false devotion and non-devotion. His writings undauntedly and loudly proclaimed the truth. He compared mundane name and fame to pigs’ stool. A greatest contemporary Bengali playwright once requested Srila Thakur to inaugurate a play about Gauranga, but he refused to do that straight out, calling it a hodgepodge. When some Odiya mahayogi(?) was moving with his flock down the path of hell, claiming from the top of a mountain of stool (prestige) that he was an incarnation of Mahavishnu and threw thorns on the path of pure religion of the soul (sanatana-dharma), Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur subdued him in a very severe way. When he set out on an expedition to purify various contaminated holy places in India, so many sinful and miserable people considered themselves blessed by coming in touch with his extremely cooling holy feet. How many other examples will I tell? Owing to his travel around India, many antagonistic religious conceptions were terminated. Even from all this, it is not possible for me to even briefly describe his glory. Srila Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad gave a very concise but broad presentation of Thakur Mahasaya’s esoteric nature in a few simple Bengali verses, and those learned personalities who read them can get the proper understanding of who Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was. Srila Prabhupad wrote in his commentary to Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita:

tanhara karuna-katha, madhava-bhajana-pratha,
tulana nahika tribhuvane
tanra sama anya keha, dhariya e nara-deha,
nahi dila krsna-prema-dhane

‘There is no comparison within the three worlds to his merciful teachings of the practice of devotion to Krishna. No one has ever assumed a human form and distributed the wealth of Krishna-prema like him.’

sei prabhu-sakti pai’, ebe ‘anubhasya’ gai,
ihate amara kichhu nai
yavat jivana rabe, tavat smariba bhave,
nitya-kala sei pada chai

‘Receiving energy from his Master, this lowly soul sings this anubhasya; I have no merit in it. As long as there is a sign of life (in this body), I will always remember him, eternally aspiring for his lotus feet.’

sri-gaura-ichchhaya dui, mahima ki kaba mui,
aprakrta-parisada-katha
prakata haiya seve, krsna-gorabhinna-deve,
aprakasya katha yatha tatha

‘It is the wish of Sri Gaura, but what am I to tell about the glory of these two transcendental associates (Sri Gadadhar and Sri Svarupa Damodar; Srila Bhaktivinod and Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj)? It becomes revealed when one serves Krishna and His non-different form of Gora, and it is something that should not be spoken publicly anywhere and everywhere.’

When I hear these verses, my mouth or pen just stops; I am thinking, ‘What am I doing!’ I was going to create Siva but instead created a monkey! What power do I have to sing the glory of Thakur? Where the pure character of that unprecedented-for-this-world great personality is, and where I, a downright fallen soul, am! The only small hope that binds me is that even through just some small relationship with Srila Bhaktivinod Prabhu, it is possible for a jiva souls to attain the highest benefit. Actually, Thakur’s mercy, which flows through thousands of mouths and thousands of channels, purifies the entire universe.

There was no matter, there was no feeling, there was no subject that Srila Thakur did not employ in relation to Krishna. There were two main currents in his endeavours – through the current of the Bhagirathi River (through his own practise and preaching), he purified and engaged the whole world in service to Krishna; and through the current of the Saraswati River, like Vedavyas, he churned the scriptures (the Vedas, etc.) and very easily, simply and open-handedly distributed everywhere the cream of transcendental love for Krishna. There is neither any comparison nor any alternative to the unparalleled gift Srila Bhaktivinod gave to this world. In the scriptural world also, Thakur’s divine glory is and will be remembered eternally, always and everywhere. What is discussed in the holy works composed by him (his sutra scriptures; samhita scriptures; gita scriptures; Bengali scriptures; scriptures on the Lord’s pastimes; scriptures on the science of transcendental mellows; scriptures presenting critical reviews; his various commentaries; scriptures on the fundamental spiritual concepts; poetic, scientific, literary works, etc.) – all kinds of published and unpublished beautiful scriptural works of Thakur Bhaktivinod are illuminated even more today in the extremely affectionate, devotional light of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s expressions, and, as far as the spiritual benefit of all the jiva souls of the world is concerned, they demonstrate that their intrinsic nature is identical with the intrinsic affection of the genuine (devoid of cheating) mercy of the magnanimous source of all incarnations. The time has become very short now; therefore, I will say one–two more things and take your leave.

In his endeavours, Bhaktivinod Prabhu manifested the acme of service to the holy abode of Lord Gauranga – you have all heard about him revealing Mahaprabhu’s holy abode. As far as discovering Sriman Mahaprabhu’s birthplace is concerned, many offenders obstructed him in various ways, but remaining unwavering and unperturbed, he fulfilled Sri Gaurasundar’s cherished desire to reveal His holy abode and did it in such a proper way that all the deceit of offenders’ sinful tongues is stopped today. It is now impossible to find any way to hush up or conceal Mayapur. Now, everyone openly and loudly sings Mayapur’s glories. One more thing we can mention is that Srila Thakur Bhaktivinod was a combined form of simultaneously Sri Svarup Prabhu, Sanatan Prabhu, Rupa Prabhu, Raghunath Prabhu, Raya Ramananda Prabhu, Haridas Prabhu, Sri Jiva Prabhu, Krishna Das Prabhu and Narottam Prabhu because the learned can see within him the full-fledged acme of all endeavours of the goswamis. Whether it is his revealing the holy dham, whether it is his rescuing the lost holy places, whether it is his composing transcendental scriptures, whether it is his devotional conclusions, whether it is his renunciation, whether it is his profound spiritual vision, whether it is his glorification and chanting of Hari-katha, whether it is his pastimes of rescuing jiva souls through congregational chanting of the Holy Name – in all respects, when any fortunate person saw the glory of his supra-mundane capacity, they rolled at his holy feet.

Choosing today’s day, he appeared in this world. Therefore, this lunar day is supremely worshippable, venerable and merciful. I have no means to worship this holy day. You are all great, you are supreme Vaishnavs – please bestow your mercy on me and make me qualified to worship this holy day; may by your mercy a great intense desire to pray for Srila Bhaktivinod Prabhu’s mercy awaken within me; may I become adorned with the internal dignity and honour through chanting the Holy Name, as prescribed by Sri Gaura; and may you eternally engage me in the service to the devotees of Sri Vinoda-Saraswata. This is my prayer.

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

‘Again and again I offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord’s devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy and wish-fulfilling trees.’

The parikrama party arriving at the holy bhajan-kutir of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.

The holy Deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhar worshipped by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.

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CONTENTS