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Our Disciplic Succession:
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"The Sun Never Sets on Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math":
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Anniversary Festival in Sri Bankura
Tuesday, 26 January 2021
Betur (Bankura), Mednipore Division, West Bengal
Photographs courtesy of Sripad B.N. Sadhu Maharaj
pujya-sri-guru-varga-vandita-mahabhavanvitayah sada
paurvaparya-parampara-prachalita-prajya-pramurtakrteh
bhakter nirmala-nirjharasya nibhrtam samraksakam sadaram
vande sri-gurudevam anata-sira acharya-varyam nijam
"I bow my head in eternal obeisance to my Gurudev, the best of acharyas,
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. He is the ever vigilant, stalwart
guardian of the current of pure devotion whose highest form flows from our
most worshippable Sri Rupanuga Guru-varga in their exclusive dedication to
Mahabhav, Srimati Radharani."
vaisnavera pada-dhuli tahe mora snana-keli
tarpana mora vaisnavera nama
vaisnavera uchchhista tahe mora mano-nistha
vaisnavera namete ullasa
"The feet dust of the Vaishnavs is where I sport and take bath, Vaishnavs'
name is the water oblation. My mind is intently fixed upon the remnants of
Vaishnavs, and I am elated at the name of Vaishnavs."
gangara-parasa ha-ile paschate pavana
darsane pavitra kara—ei tomara guna
"If the Ganges touches someone, they are purified some time later; but one
becomes purified just by seeing you, O Vaishnava Thakur. Such is your power."
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His Divine Grace told a little about the background of this temple on 5 July
2015:
Our new temple in Bankura (Betur) is almost finished, and the
Deities—Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Radha-Raman jiu—are going
to be ready soon. Gurudev gave a very sweet name in the Kaikhali temple, but
unfortunately at present we cannot serve the Deities there, devotees cannot
go to Kaikhali properly, that is why I have chosen this name for the Deities
in Bankura.
Srila Sridhar Maharaj went to that place because of Bhakti Saranga Goswami
Maharaj, a disciple of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. After
Prabhupad's disappearance, Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj (at that time a
brahmachari) returned to his home in Bankura and got married. Srila
Sridhar Maharaj became very sad and went to his home to bring him back.
Goswami Maharaj said, "Maharaj, if you give sannyas to me, I will join
the mission and start preaching again." Srila Sridhar Maharaj agreed and
after sannyas his name became Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj.
You know that every year when do Nabadwip Dham parikrama, we stop at
Nandan Acharya Bhavan. It is his temple in Mayapur. In Vrindavan also, his
temple is in Imlitala. He is a very big preacher and captured many places of
Mahaprabhu's pastimes. Nandan Acharya Bhavan is the place where Mahaprabhu
and Nityananda Prabhu met for the first time; and in Imlitala, Sri Krishna
meditated at the bank of the Yamuna at that place, and Bhakti Saranga Goswami
Maharaj got the service there.
Bhakti Saranga Goswami Maharaj's birthplace is near Bankura, and by the
mercy of Guru Maharaj we got the land for our temple in Gurudev's time.
Gurudev knew that place, knew that we had got the land there as a donation
from a school teacher. I could not finish and could not start also the temple
in Gurudev's time, but two years ago (2013) I started the construction, and
now the temple is finished and I want to inaugurate it...
(You can see the temple
inauguration photographs here.)
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During the morning programme.
From early in the morning, devotees busily engage in last preparations for the festival: sweeping, cleaning, decorating, etc.
Devotees starting cooking.
The cows are covered by jute sacks to protect them against the night chills.
Above and below: decorating the gates of the temple to welcome all the auspicious and fortunate guests.
More sweeping service...
Devotees honour maha-prasadam in the morning.
Sripad Sajjan Maharaj sets up the book table and immediately attracts devotees.
Their Lordships Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Radha-Raman jiu.
Close to midday, His Divine Grace starts the class and main festival programme.
Washing ladles for the distribution of prasadam and picking up some vegetable leaves for cows.
In the meantime, buckets and tubs are getting filled as devotees prepare many exquisite preparations for the Lordships.
A mountain of rice and a huge tub of sweet rice are ready.
Sripad Ashok Prabhu and Sripad Virachandra Prabhu from Midnapore temple.
During the noon arati of the Lordships.
After the arati, all devotees sit down to honour maha-prasadam.
His Divine Grace speaks to some devotees after the class and happily observes the grand prasadam distribution.
After the festival, Sri Gurupadpadma leaves the temple to embark on the
annual rice collection continuing Sri Nabadwip Dham Pracharani Sobha
preaching campaign.
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