Sri Chaitanya Saraswati

November 14, 2003

In the year 1918, on the day of Gaura-Purnima at Vrajapattan in Mayapur, Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami took sannyas. Dressed in saffron clothing, taking the tridanda (staff) and the mendicant's waterpot in his hands, the symbols of asceticism, Srila Saraswati Thakur followed the path trodden by previous Acharyas such as Ramanuja and Madhva who took sannyas to further the preaching of Vaishnavism.

Finding no suitable person to act as his sannyas guru Srila Saraswati Thakur took sannyas while sitting in meditation in front of a picture of his initiating Guru, Sri Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj. sri siddhanta-Saraswatiti viditau gaudiya-gurv-anvaye

bhato bhanur iva prabhata-gagane yo gaura-sankirttanaih

mayavada-timingilodara-gatan uddhrtya jivaniman

krishna-prema-sudhabdhi gahana sukham pradat prabhum tam bhaje

In the great Gaudiya Vaishnava teacher's line, as Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati he's renowned. Like the radiant sun in the morning sky, he appeared to rescue all souls swallowed by the all-devouring impersonal philosophy. By spreading the teaching of Lord Gauranga to sing the holy name of Lord Krishna, he gave all the chance to dive in the ocean of love for Sri Krishna, the Supreme Person. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, my lord, divine master - at his feet do I pray to serve him forever. (verse by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami)

Since the 17th century, renunciates in the Gaudiya tradition had not been sannyasis. They had become Babajis by accepting the renunciate's dress from another Babaji. No mantra was given to the newcomer Babaji, only the kaupina (clothing). In this tradition, the Babaji simply adopted the renounced way of life. The Babaji tradition itself had begun in the seventeenth century but in the nineteenth century many "Babajis" were living with women and were far, far away from the ways of devotion practiced by Rupa, Sanatana and the Goswamis. In the time of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami many men passing themselves off as Gaudiya Vaishnava Babajis were not living a life of true renunciation at all. Indeed, in Bengal people in general had little regard for the so-called Babajis. What is more, the way of life of the genuine Babajis seemed largely irrelevant to the practical spiritual needs of society in general. In view of this Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami decided to take sannyas and to preach amongst the masses, as had been done four hundred years earlier by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

After taking sannyas from the Advaita-Vedanta sannyasi Keshava Bharati, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started towards Vrindaban, chanting the name of Krishna and the verse of Bhagavatam spoken by the tridandi bhiksu of Avanti: evam samasthaya paratma nishta upasidham purva tamai mahadbhir aham tarisyami duranta param (I shall cross over the ocean of nescience and become firmly fixed in the service of our Lord Mukunda.) With this thought in mind, after taking sannyas Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami began a preaching mission that would take the message of Sri Chaitanya to all the people of the world.

Like many of his activities this taking of sannyas by Srila Saraswati Thakur was controversial. In 1901, after receiving diksa (initiation) from Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj and receiving the name Sri Varshabhanavi Dayita das, he had returned to his birthplace of Puri and begun preaching Bhagavatam at the Giridhari Asana. A person named Radharaman Charandas Babaji in Puri had invented a new song: "Bhaja Nitai Gaur Radhe Syam / Japa Hare Krishna Hare Ram", which he said should be chanted in congregational sankirtan. Srila Saraswati Thakur spoke out against this, giving evidence from the scriptures proving this to be inauthentic. Radharaman Charandas Babaji also promoted the sakhibheki doctrine in Puri, dressing one of his male followers in a woman's sari as if he were a gopi. Srila Saraswati Thakur stated that this too was against Mahaprabhu's teachings. Srila Saraswati Thakur was a fearless preacher but this Babaji was influential in Puri and in various ways his followers tried to suppress the preaching of Srila Saraswati Thakur. At that time Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur asked Srila Saraswati Thakur to go to Mayapur and practice his bhajan in that peaceful place.

In February 1905, Srila Saraswati Thakur went on pilgrimage to various holy places in South India. After visiting Simhachal, Rajmahendri, Madras, Perembedur, Tirupati, Kanjiveram, Kumbhakonam, Srirangam, Madurai and other places he returned to Kolkata, and from there he went on to Mayapur. In Perembedur, the birthplace of Sri Ramanujacharya, he gathered information about the practice of tridanda Vaishnava sannyas from a tridandi swami of the Ramanuja sampradaya.

Following in the footsteps of Srila Haridas Thakur he would take the holy name 300,000 times a day while living at Mayapur. He would sleep on the floor, eat only a small quantity of prashadam, and chant the holy name constantly. In the afternoon he would speak Hari katha to the assembled devotees. From time to time he would go to Nabadwip to meet with Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji. Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji was very pleased to see the renunciation of Srila Saraswati Thakur.

In 1906, Srila Saraswati Thakur began initiating disciples. The first was Beni Madhava das. Another disciple was Rohini Kumar Ghosh, an educated youth who left his home in East Bengal to come to Nabadwip in search of spiritual guidance. When Rohini Kumar arrived in Nabadwip he became the follower of a Baul guru and his mistress, whom he was taught to address as father and mother. But one day when Rohini Kumar went to Mayapur to see Lord Chaitanya's birthplace was fortunate enough to arrive when Srila Saraswati Thakur was lecturing in front of the Gaura-Visnupriya temple. He listened carefully, then returned to the residence of his Baul guru. Rohini Kumar lay down to rest without eating, meditating upon Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's instructions until he fell asleep. In a dream he saw the Baul and his consort coming towards him as a tiger and tigress wanting to devour him. In distress the fearful boy prayed to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. At that moment Saraswati Thakur appeared in the dream and chased the tigers away, then led him towards Mayapur. The dream broke and Rohini Kumar awoke to see that it was morning. He immediately went to Mayapur and took shelter of Srila Siddhanta Saraswati. Some time later a relative from East Bengal came and took him back to his family home. Eventually Rohini Kumar became a Kolkata high court justice.

Other disciples initiated in that period were Vaishnava Prabhu (1906) and Paramananda Vidyaratna Prabhu (1910).

On 25 March 1910, Gaura-purnima day, Jagadish Basu, a school teacher residing in Kolkata, went to Mayapur with his friend Vaikunthanath Ghosal, the court pandit of the Maharaj of Tripura. At the Yogapith in Mayapur, Jagadish Basu saw Bhaktivinode Thakur for the first time, lecturing in the presence of Srila Saraswati Thakur and other devotees. Vaikuntha Ghosal introduced Jagadish to Bhaktivinode Thakur. Jagadish prostrated on the ground and tearfully requested the shelter of Bhaktivinode, who replied, "You are an educated and respectable person. If you take up the responsibility of preaching on Lord Chaitanya's behalf certainly many people will be attracted to His message."

That same afternoon, Srila Saraswati Thakur preached to Jagadish for several hours and advised him to ask permission from Bhaktivinode Thakur to meet Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj. The next morning Jagadish went to Nabadwip, paid his obeisances, and offered a watermelon to Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji. Although Babaji Maharaj did not usually accept anything from outsiders, when he understood that Jagadish was sent by Thakur Bhaktivinode he happily received this gift. Babaji Maharaj spoke to Jagadish for some time and told him to sing a bhajan from Narottama Das Thakur's "Prarthana." Jagadish sang the song which begins with the words gauranga balite habe pulaka sarira.

Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj instructed Jagadish to have full faith in Guru and the Vaishnavas and to become as humble as a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree. He advised him to avoid the association of dishonest persons and to chant the holy name of the Lord ceaselessly. Jagadish said that he had not yet taken initiation. Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj told him that since Mayapur was the place of self-surrender, and that since he had now surrendered to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur there in Mayapur, then in what other way would he obtain the shelter of a Guru but to surrender to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur? "Go!" he told Jagadish. "The Thakur is waiting for you." Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj then blessed him that in the future he would take sannyas and preach the name of Mahaprabhu throughout the world. Jagadish touched the feet of Babaji Maharaj, which Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj normally forbade others to do.

Following the advice of Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj, Jagadish asked for initiation from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. At midday on the fifth day after Gaura-purnima he shaved his head then bathed in the Ganga, and along with three other devotees he was given kama-gayatri and kama-bija mantras by Bhaktivinode Thakur at his cottage in Godruma.

Jagadish spent much of that summer at Godruma serving Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur. Every morning Jagadish and Krishna Das Babaji would perform sankirtana throughout Godruma. One day Bhaktivinode Thakur sent Jagadish with Krishna Das Babaji to see Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji. Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji was very happy to know that Jagadish had been initiated by Bhaktivinode Thakur and told him to also regularly associate with Srila Saraswati Thakur, whom he referred to as "my gurudeva."

Jagadish went with Bhaktivinode Thakur when he returned to Kolkata. In Saraswati Jayasree, the earliest biography of Srila Saraswati Thakur, it says that at that time Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur also called Srila Saraswati Thakur to come to his home in Kolkata. He told Srila Saraswati Thakur to give brahmin initiation to Jagadish and two of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's other disciples. Srila Saraswati Thakur then performed the rites of Sat-kriya-sara-dipika and gave them brahma-gayatri, guru-gayatri and gauranga-gayatri mantras and the brahmin's threads. On that day Bhaktivinode Thakur gave Jagadish many instructions about varnasrama-dharma and advised him that he should accept guidance from Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati.

Jagadish Basu was the first person to receive sannyas from Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, and was known thereafter as Sripad Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaj. He preached extensively in India for many years and also in England in the 1930's. His father was Radha Govinda Babaji, who received Babaji vesh from Sri Siddhanta Saraswati. His younger brother was Ananta Vasudeva, one of the three trustees (GBC members) of the Gaudiya Math appointed by Srila Saraswati Thakur before his departure from this world (Paramananda Prabhu and Sripad Kunjavihari Vidyabhusan were the two other trustees).

November 14, 2003

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami had many opponents. Some malevolent persons have spread serious lies about Srila Saraswati Thakur. For example, a group of sahajiya Babajis of Vrindaban have tried to mislead people by telling lies such as this: "Sri Kisori Mohana Gosvami and Sri Kisori Das Babaji witnessed that Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, when asked by Siddha Sri RamaKrishna das Pandit Baba in the early 1930's, declared that he was initiated in a dream." This story is completely untrue. Sripad Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaj was in a position to know the whether Srila Saraswati Thakur had received proper initiation since he had a personal relationship with his Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur and Srila Saraswati Thakur. In his book "Srila Saraswati Thakur", Sripad Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaj wrote: Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami was exceedingly fortunate in breathing an atmosphere of pure devotional surroundings from his cradle. He showed unique aptitude for a pure life of religious devotion and formation of various pious habits and practices from the seventh year of age. At that time he committed to memory the whole of the Gita and could explain it. While a student in Serampur Missionary School, in or about 1884-5, Srila Saraswati Thakur was initiated into Nrisimha Mantra and Sri Harinama by Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode...

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Since 1895 Srila Saraswati Thakur had been attending the Viswa Vaishnava Raja Sabha then situated in Krishna Sinha Lane (now Beadon Row). In 1901 he took iniation into the greatest Mantras of Gaudiya Vaishnavas from Srila Gaura Kishoredas Babaji Maharaj, the well-known saint of Nabadwip.

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Srila Saraswati Thakur accepted sannyas because he wanted to demonstrate what real renunciation is. He referred to the behavior of Babajis who smoked and consorted with women as markata-vairagya: "monkey-like renunciation." Monkeys live in forests, just as sadhus do. Monkeys go naked and they only eat fruit. But monkeys are always busy with sex and they fight and steal from each other. Similarly, many Babajis were dishonest men who openly had relationships with widows and the unchaste women who had come to live in the holy places after having been banished from respectable society.

An official answer of Sri Gaudiya Math to many common challenges during its early period is given in the book Pratipa-priyanather-prashner-pratyuttor written by Sri Gaur-Govinda Dasadhikari Vidyabhushan. This book was published by Bhaktivinod Asan in Daulatpur. Among the responses to criticisms is the following: 21. They say that Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswatipad never received any Diksha-mantra by accepting somebody as his Guru. It is neccessary to know his Guru-pranali.

Answer: Your griha-bauls and Jati-Goswamis in their majority are far from being supporters of the regulative principles confessed by Shuddha-Bhaktas and Vaishnavas. If they spread any insubstantial gossip, we are not responsible for that. Sripad Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhu accepted Diksha in full accordance with Shastra from Sri Sri Vishnupad Gaura Kishor Das Mahodoy in the month of Magh, 1821 Shakabda. It is yet unknown persons, novices in Bhajan, who are introduced in society by their previous Guru-parampara; famous Vaishnavas don't have to be introduced by this method. Sripad Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhu has given his Guru-parampara in his 'Brahman Vaishnav taratomya Siddhanta' and in Chaitanya Charitamrita.

In the introduction to Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupada, he listed the spiritual masters in his Guru Parampara (lineage). In the list given there Srila Prabhupada wrote: "26) Narottama, 27) Visvanatha, 28) (Baladeva) Jagannatha". This list Srila Prabhupada presented is the same list given by Srila Saraswati Thakur in his commentary to Chaitanya Charitamrita. It is to be noted that Narottama lived some two generations before Visvanatha, and Jagannatha Das Babaji lived two generations after Visvanatha. This list, therefore, is not a list of initiating Gurus and their direct disciples. Rather, it is a list of the most significant spiritual masters in the school of thought of Sri Chaitanya.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj said: The very gist of the guru parampara the disciplic succession, is siksa, the spiritual teaching, and wherever it is to be traced, there is guru. One who has the transcendental eye, the divine eye, will recognize the guru wherever he appears. One who possesses knowledge of absolute divine love in purity - he is guru. Otherwise the guru parampara is only a body parampara: a succession of bodies. Then the caste brahmins, the caste goswamis, will continue with their trade, because body after body, they are getting the mantra. But their mantra is dead. We are after a living mantra, and wherever we can trace the living tendency for a higher type of devotional service, we shall find that there is our guru. One who has that sort of vision awakened will be able to recognize the guru wherever he may appear. (Sri Guru and His Grace, Chapter 3)

It may happen that for a generation or two there may not be a Vaishnava living and preaching in the world who, to use Srila Sridhar Maharaj's words, "possesses knowledge of absolute divine love in purity". But then after some time another exalted Vaishnava may appear in the world and renew the spiritual tradition.

How are we to understand that there is a Guru-disciple relationship between Visvanatha and Narottama, and between Jagannatha and Visvanatha?

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur has explained: The souls of the great thinkers of the by-gone ages, who now live spiritually, often approach our inquiring spirit and assist it in its development. Thus Vyasa was assisted by Narada and Brahma. (from The Bhagavat Lecture, 1867)

And again: He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die

When thou art living still in sound

The Vaishnavas die to live and living try

To spread the holy name around!

- (from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's poem "Thakura Haridasa")

The Absolute Truth is changeless. Gaudiya Vaishnava Acharyas all speak the same message: we must worship the Lord and surrender totally to Lord Sri Krishna in the mood of loving devotion. For a generation or two no great preacher of the Absolute Truth may be present in the visible world, but then after an interval another great spiritual master will appear and present the original message.

Srila Saraswati Thakur's way of presenting his spiritual lineage (siksa-guru parampara) was not an innovation that he concocted. Baladeva Vidyabusana also presented the parampara of Sri Chaitanya's lineage in the same way. In his Prameya Ratnavali, Baladeva Vidyabhushana states: sri krsna brahma devarsi, badarayana samjnakan, sri madhva sri padmanabha, sriman nrhari madhavan

aksobhya jaya-tirtha sri, jnanasindhu dayanidhi, sri vidyanidhi rajendra, jayadharma kramadvayam

purusottama brahmanya, vyasa-tirthams ca samstumah, tato laksmipatim sriman, madhavendran ca bhaktitah

tac-chisyan srisvaradvaita, nityanandan-jagat-gurun devam-isvara-sisyam-sri, caitanyan ca bhajamahe

Sri Krishna's disciple was Brahma, whose disciple was the sage of the demigods, Narada. His disciple was Badarayana (Vyasa) whose disciple was Madhva. His disciple was Padmanabha, whose disciple was Nrihari. His disciple was Madhva whose disciple was Aksobhya, whose disciple was Jaya Tirtha. His disciple was Jnanasindhu, whose disciple was Dayanidhi. His disciple was Vidyanidhi whose disciple was Jayadharma. His disciple was Purusottama and his disciple was Brahmanya whose disciple was Vyasa Tirtha. His disciple was Laksmipati and his disciple was Madhavendra whose disciples were Isvara, Advaita and Nityananda the guru of the whole world. Another of his disciples was Sri Chaitanya who we offer our respects to.

The fact is Padmanabha Tirtha, Nrihari Tirtha, Madhava Tirtha and Aksobhya Tirtha were all direct diksha (initiated) disciples of Madhva. They were not successive links in the diksha chain. Yet Baladeva Vidyabhushana states they were disciples of each other. These are all undisputable siksha links, as are several other links in the parampara he mentions. There are also gaps in the list given by Baladeva, as in the list given by Srila Saraswati Thakur where only the most prominent spiritual masters are mentioned.

In Chaitanya Charitamrta, in the section where the branches of the tree of Sri Chaitanya's lineage is described, there is a listing for Yadunandana Acharya. We see that the names of Yadunandana Acharya's diksa and siksa gurus are both mentioned: sri-yadunandanAcharya--advaitera sakha tanra sakha-upasakhara nahi haya lekha

vasude va dattera tenho krpara bhajana sarva-bhave asriyache caitanya-carana

(CC Adi.12.56-57)

The fifth branch of Advaita Acharya was Sri Yadunandana Acharya, who had so many branches and sub-branches that it is impossible to write of them. Sri Yadunandana Acharya was a student of Vasudeva Datta, and he received all his mercy. Therefore he could accept Lord Chaitanya's lotus feet, from all angles of vision, as the supreme shelter.

The description of the tree of Sri Chaitanya details the many branches of the Gaudiya Sampradaya. In Chaitanya Charitamrta we read that Yadunandana Acharya was the initiating guru of Srila Raghunath das Goswami. But when describing the branches of the tree Srila Krishndas Kaviraj Goswami has linked the name of Srila Raghunatha Das Gosvami with the name of his siksa-guru, Sri Swarup Damodar Goswami. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami is not listed as a sub-branch in the lineage of Sri Yadunandana Acharya: mahaprabhura priya bhrtya - raghunatha-dasa

sarva tyaji' kaila prabhura -tale vasa

prabhu samarpila tanre svarupera hate

prabhura gupta-seva kaila svarupera sathe

(CC Adi.11.91-92)

Srila Raghunatha Das Gosvami, the forty-sixth branch of the tree, was one of the most dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He left all his material possessions to surrender completely unto the Lord and live at His lotus feet. When Raghunatha Das Gosvami approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, the Lord entrusted him to the care of Svarupa Damodara, His secretary. Thus they both engaged in the confidential service of the Lord.

The false propaganda presented by the sahajiya opponentes of Srila Saraswati Thakur is based upon their misconceptions. Srila Saraswati Thakur's vision of what constitutes a Guru-Parampara (spiritual lineage) is not something he invented, or a misconceived way of understanding Guru-Parampara. The criticisms levelled against Srila Saraswati Thakur by members of various sahajiya groups find no support in the core scriptures of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Srila Saraswati Thakur was deeply disturbed to see the activities of the prakrita sahajiyas who, in the disguise of Guru's, were misleading the people. He completely disassociated himself from them and performed worship in solitude in Mayapur while chanting the holy name of Krishna 300,000 times each day. During this time of solitude Sri Chaitanya one day suddenly appeared before him, along with the six Goswamis. The Lord said: "Do not be disheartened, take up the task of re-establishing varnasrama with new vigour. Preach the message of love for Sri Krishna." After receiving this message Srila Saraswati Thakur was filled with inspiration to preach the glories of the Lord everywhere.

In 1911, while his aging father Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur was ill, Srila Saraswati Thakur took up a challenge against pseudo Vaishnavas who claimed that birth in their caste was the prerequisite for being a Guru. These brahmins, out to prove the inferiority of the Vaishnavas, arranged a discussion at Midnapore in Bengal. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur decided to send Srila Saraswati Thakura to the meeting as his representative. Srila Saraswati Thakur wrote an essay, "The Conclusive Difference Between the brahmin and the Vaishnava," and submitted it to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur for review. Bhaktivinode Thakur was elated to hear the arguments that would soundly defeat the challenge of the smarta brahmins.

On the request of Madhusudana Das Gosvami of Vrindabana and Visvambharananda deva Gosvami of Gopiballavpur, Srila Saraswati Thakur traveled to Midnapore, where pandits from all over India had gathered for a three-day discussion. Some of the smarta panditas spoke and claimed that anyone born in a sudra (lower caste) family, even though initiated by a spiritual master, could never become pure and perform the brahminical duties of worshiping the Deity or initiating disciples. Then Srila Saraswati Thakur delivered his speech. He began by quoting scriptural references glorifying the brahmins and hearing this the smarta scholars became very pleased. Then he began discussing the actual qualifications for becoming a brahmin and the qualities of the genuine Vaishnavas. He discussed the relationship between the genuine brahmins and genuine Vaishnavas. He discussed what type of person it is, who can become a spiritual master and initiate disciples. In all this, he quoted extensively from the Vedic literature. Srila Saraswati Thakur conclusively proved that if one is born as a sudra but exhibits the qualities of a brahmin then he should be honoured as a brahmin, despite his birth, while if someone is born in a brahmin family but acts like a sudra then he is not a brahmin. After his speech, the listeners applauded his presentation. Sri Siddhanta Saraswati was congratulated by the president of the conference and thousands thronged around him. They washed his feet and took that water out to the crowd who had assembled there. The people took that water and sprinkled it upon their heads. This was a huge victory for Gaudiya Vaishnavism and a severe defeat for the caste brahmins.

After this, Srila Saraswati Thakur was widely recognized as an Acharya. He was known as a wonderful preacher of the spiritual message of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and a determined opponent of imitationist, cheating gurus. nija-sevaka-taraka-ranji-vidhum

vidhutahita-hunkrita-simha-varam

varanagata-balisa-sanda-padam

pranamami sada Prabhupada-padam

Like the moon that delights the stars, he is surrounded by his circle of personal servitors, making their hearts bloom in divine ecstasy. The malicious non-devotees are made to flee in panic by the sound of his thunderous roar, and the simple, inoffensive souls attain the ultimate fortune by accepting his lotus feet. I make my obeisance unto him; perpetually do I make my obeisance unto the brilliance emanating from the toenails of the holy lotus feet of my Lord.

(verse by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami)

November 14, 2003

On November 17th, 1915 Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj left this world. Srila Saraswati Thakur received the news from Sripad Kunjavihari Vidyabhusan (Srimad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, after sannyas). A few so-called Babajis of Nabadwip were quarreling about who should get to build the tomb of Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj. Many of these men wanted to build and own the samadhi temple so that in the future they could make money from visiting pilgrims. Hearing of the disturbance at that scene the Inspector of Police Sri Barindra Nath Singha came there to oversee everything.

Srila Saraswati Thakur arrived and said he wanted to make the samadhi as he was the sole disciple of Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj. After much argument with the Babajis who argued that Srila Saraswati Thakur could not take the body as he himself was not a Babaji, Srila Saraswati Thakur responded in a thunderous voice, "I am the only disciple of Srila Babaji Maharaj. Although I am not a Babaji I have observed celibacy all my life. By the grace of Srila Babaji Maharaj I have not lived a secret life of illicit conduct and debauchery like the 'monkey' renunciates do. If there is someone present here who has a genuinely pure character and who is a renunciate then he can give samadhi to Srila Babaji Maharaj and I have no objection to that. If there is anyone here who, in the last one year, or six months, or three months, or one month, or even in the last three days, did not have any illicit contact with a woman, then he can touch the divine form of Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj. Otherwise, if anyone else touches this body he will be ruined."

Hearing this the inspector asked, "What will be the proof of this?" Srila Prabhupada replied, "I will believe their words." All the so-called Babajis left the scene, one by one. Everyone present was amazed to see that. The Inspector of Police was amazed.

Srila Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada made the tomb on the banks of the Ganga in Nabadwip. Sixteen years later the moving course of the Ganga threatened to wash away that tomb. On the instruction of Srila Saraswati Thakur some of his disciples from Sri Chaitanya Math removed the samadhi from Nabadwip to Sri Chaitanya Math, Mayapur on August 21st, 1932.

On the Gaura Purnima day in 1918 Srila Prabhupada took sannyas in Sri Mayapur according to Vedic rites. Early in the morning he shaved his head and then went to bathe in the Ganga. Sri Ramgopal Vidyabhusan, Sri Ananta Vasudev Prabhu, Srimad Bhakti Prakas Aranya Maharaj and a few other devotees accompanied him. On the way Srila Prabhupada spoke on such topics as the story of Ajamila, the sannyas pastime of Sriman Mahaprabhu, and some verses from the Srimad Bhagavatam. After bathing he offered his dandavats and returned to Vrajapattan. The devotees had collected and arranged all the necessary paraphernalia there. Srila Prabhupada went inside the temple and, remembering his Gurudeva, he took tridandi sannyas. In the meantime all the devotees were waiting outside. Among them were Sripad Paramananda Vidyaratna and Sripad Kunjavihari Vidyabhusan. A big crowd had also assembled to celebrate the appearance festival of Sriman Mahaprabhu. When Srila Prabhupada emerged as a sannyasi everyone became very sad, and remembered the sannyas pastime of Sriman Mahaprabhu. Overwhelmed with devotional emotion, they all started crying. That same day, Srila Prabhupada established Sri Chaitanya Math and installed the Deities of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari there.

Srila Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada established this Sri Chaitanya Math in Mayapur as the Akara Math, the parent Math of all the Gaudiya Math temples in the world. In the afternoon he delivered a lecture about the appearance of Sriman Mahaprabhu to the assembled crowd. The next day he initiated some of devotees including Haripada Vidyaratna, Ananta Vasudev and Sripad Bhakti Prakash Prabhu.

After taking sannyas, Prabhupada displayed his extraordinary pastimes of renunciation and austerity. This was described in the memoir of Ananta Vasudev quoted in Saraswati Jayasree: Before taking sannyas he used to wear a top garment twenty-four hours a day. No one ever saw his upper body. But after sannyas he would wear a chadar most of the time. He gave up wearing sandals. Walking everywhere without sandals made his feet bleed, but he still would walk without sandals. Seeing his example of great renunciation, we were amazed. During the four months of the rainy season he would sleep on the floor and would only eat during the day, never after sunset. In the heat of summer in Mayapur he would close his door and chant night and day.

There is a kind of religious tradition in which a guru tells a new initiate his or her "siddha identity" at the time when they receive initiation. The new initiate then practices the meditation that they are serving Sri Radha Krishna in a gopi form under the guidance of their guru who is also a gopi (milkmaid of Vraja). The claim is made that this type of practice is based upon teachings given in the writings of one of the direct associates of Mahaprabhu, Gopal Guru Gosvami, and his disciple Dhyanacandra Gosvami. Dhyanacandra Gosvami wrote: In this meditation, before anything else, the practitioner should meditate on the manjari-forms of his guru-pranali, beginning with his guru, then parama-guru, etc. Then he shall meditate on Sri Radhika and after that Sri Nandanandana Krishna. (Paddhati of Dhyanacandra Gosvami, 344)

This method of bhakti became widespread in the eighteenth century through the influence of Jayakrishna Das Babaji of Vrindaban. Stories are told of how Jayakrsna Das Babaji refused to give instructions about raganuga bhakti to a young Babaji who did not know his "guru pranali": The young Babaji said, "I don't know what a guru-pranali is. I never asked my guru anything about it." Jaya Krishna Das explained to him, "The guru on the path of raganuga devotion always gives the guru-pranali to his disciple. The entire line of disciplic succesion is found on it - the names of the guru, parama-guru, paratpara-guru and so on. With the disciplic succession, the guru also gives the siddha-pranali. In the siddha-pranali, the guru gives the identities of the disciple and all the line of guru's spiritual bodies - their colour, age, ornamentation, favoured type of service.

It may be said that Jaya Krishna Das Babaji was an advanced Vaishnava. But it is wrong to say that a disciple must know the "siddha-pranali" or details about the spiritual body, age and ornamentation of his initiating Guru in order that the disciple might be able to engage in raganuga bhakti. This conception of raganuga sadhana is something different from the method of raganuga sadhana practiced in the time of Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadeva and his direct associates. In fact Hridaya Chaitanya, an associate of Mahaprabhu, was absorbed in sakhya-rasa (fraternal devotion), and he became very angry when his initiated disciple Shyamananda Prabhu began practicing worship of Sri Sri Radha Govinda in the mood of amorous love (madhura rasa). Following the free flow of his heart's feelings, Shyamananda accepted guidance about the practice of raganuga bhakti in madhura-rasa from Sri Jiva Goswami. But Hridaya Chaitanya was deeply opposed to that. Then when the details of the situation were explained to the leading Vaishnavas of Vrindaban there was agreement amongst those Vaishnavas that Shyamananda and Jiva Goswami's actions were not wrong. What is more, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami was initiated by Yadunandana Acharya, a disciple of the Avatara of Mahavishnu, Sri Advaita Acharya. But the Mahavishnu avatara has no place in Madhurya-lila and it is through Sri Swarup, Rupa and Sanatan, the siksa-gurus of Srila Raghunath das Goswami, that service of the heart is offered to Sri Sri Radha Govinda by Srila Raghunath Das Goswami.

Additionally, in Sri Sanatan Goswami's book Brihad Bhagavatamritam he tells the story of a young boy named Gopakumar who received initiation into the Krishna mantra from his Guru but no further instructions. One day a great devotee embraced me and said, "Child, if you wish the perfection desired by all, then bathe in Kesi-tirtha and take from me the mercy of the Lord of the universes."

When I had bathed, he taught me the mantra. Then, to teach the method of worship, he began to describe the Lord, the object of meditation. Overcome with love, and crying as a woman separated from her love, he suddenly fainted in ecstasy. When he became conscious again I was too frightened to ask him anything. His mind was fixed on something else. He suddenly rose and left. I never met him again. What had I obtained? What result would it bring? How should the mantra be chanted? I did not know anything. Out of respect for his words this mantra alone was on my mouth. Unnoticed by anyone, I eagerly chanted it at every moment. By the power of that great person my heart became purified as I chanted. I developed faith. Thinking of his words I decided that this mantra would lead me to the Lord of the universes. I became happy and I was dedicated to chanting.

The boy then became a pilgrim searching for The Lord. The boy learns many lessons and makes progess, step by step. In this story by Sanatan Goswami, written in the same genre to the book English book Pilgrims Progress which was written in the same century, the seeker journeys through many realms of existence until he finally attains his goal and meets with Krishna in Vrindaban. In the course of his journey the seeker does meet with his Guru again and at that time he receives further instructions about how to practice worship. In Brihad Bhagavatamritam it is very clearly shown that for a sincere seeker everything is revealed in the fullness of time if he constantly chants the holy name of Krishna. The boy Gopakumar finally attains residence in Vrindaban in the role of a cowherd boy, a friend of Krishna (sakhya-rasa); but his Guru was absorbed in madhura-rasa. In the quote above from Brihad Bhagavatamritam it reads, "Overcome with love, and crying as a woman separated from her love, he (the Guru) suddenly fainted in ecstasy."

Srila Rupa Goswami states in Bhaktirasamrtasindhu (Eastern Division, Second Wave) tatra adhikari

ragatmikaika-nistha ye vraja-vasi-janadayah |

tesam bhavaptaye lubdho bhaved atradhikaravan || 291 ||

Those eligible for Raganuga Bhakti:

Those who have eager craving or longing for service following in the wake of the feelings and sentiments of the Eternal Associates of Krishna in Braja, possessing firm and one-pointed attachment for ragatmika bhakti, are alone eligible for this raganuga bhakti.

In his commentary, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Prabhu points out that in this verse Sri Rupa Gosvami has defined raganuga bhakti. Here, Sri Rupa Goswami states that those individuals who in their intrinsic nature feel an intense longing and firm attachment for service following in the wake of the feelings and sentiments of the residents of Vrindaban, with no thought or attraction for the majesties of the Godhead, are alone eligible for following in the way of raganuga bhakti. The person eligible for raganuga bhakti may spontaneously follow Sri Radha and other Gopis in madhura rati, Nanda-Yasoda and others in vatsalya rati, Sridama-Sudama and others in sakhya rati, or Citraka-Patraka and others in dasya rati.

Raganuga bhakti awakens spontaneously in the heart of a devotee aspiring for service in the mood of the residents of Vrindaban. Srila Rupa Goswami's instruction is clear: the desire to engage in raganuga bhakti arises spontaneously from within. It not something learned. A disciple will learn how to engage in raganuga bhakti from a Guru, but the raga (love) comes from within the heart of the disciple. A truly qualified Guru can detect the devotional tendency within a disciple and provide appropriate guidance so the disciple engages in proper practice of raganuga bhakti.

In the Second Wave of the Eastern Division of Sri Sri Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu, in the section dealing with Raganuga-Sadhana-Bhakti, Srila Rupa Goswami has quoted the following verse from the Padma Purana: yatha pura maharsayah sarve dandakaranya-vasinah |

drstva ramam harim tatra bhoktum-aicchan suvigraham || 301 ||

te sarve stritvam apannah samadbhutas ca gokule |

harim samprapya kamena tato mukta bhavarnavat || 302 ||

In olden times when the great sages living in the Dandaka forests saw the beautiful Person of Lord Rama they desired to enjoy Him. They were all therefore born in Gokula as females and were freed forever from earthly associations of the ocean of the world by attaining the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna through supra-mundane sex-desires.

Those sages never had to learn anything about the siddha pranali of their initiating gurus. Without receiving any instructions about such things they attained their next birth as gopis in Gokula. The spiritual identity they attained arose from within one's own inner being. Their spiritual forms of gopis arose as a result of inner awakenment and not through any type of formal instruction of the type that was taught by Jaya Krishna Das Babaji. God is present within the holy name that we receive from Sri Guru at the time of initiation, and the Lord in the form of his holy name is full of all potency (namnam akari bahuda nija sarva saktis). Through pure chanting of the holy name we will realize the Form, Qualities and Playful Pastimes of Sri Hari (nama, rupa, guna, lila), and at the same time we will also realize our own innate spiritual form.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: To get the mantra from a sad-guru, a genuine guru, means to get the internal good will or real conception about the Lord. The seed of a banyan tree may be a small seed, but the great big banyan tree will come out of that seed. The will with which the particular sound is given by the guru to the disciple is all-important. We may not trace that at present, but in time, if a favorable environment is there, it will express itself and develop into something great.

November 14, 2003

In Sri Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu a very clear and detailed description of the practices of devotional service are given to us by Srila Rupa Goswami. He clealy explains that by faithfully practicing devotional service under the guidance of a genuine spiritual master, either by the path of vaidhi bhakti or raganuga bhakti, a disciple will, in time, develop deep realization and a natural feeling of love for the Lord. When the heart is open to Krishna natural affection (raga) can arise if the devotee hankers for that. If the devotee feels attracted to Krishna the son of Nanda rather than towards Narayana the Lord of Vaikuntha then Krishna will reveal himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If even a debauchee such as Bilvamangala Thakur could attain Krishna prema through cultivating a mood of surrendered devotion - and of course without knowing about anything about the "guru pranali" or "siddha pranali" of his initiating Guru - then surely Lord Krishna will bless any other devotee who sincerly attempts to please Him through loving service and devotion.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Nirjjana-bhajan or smarana, exclusive solitary devotion unconscious of the environment, is not at all possible for the beginners. Guru Maharaj clearly said that when we are in a lower position, smarana is injurious. Rather, we should take to kirttana. Kirttana prabhave, smarane haibe, se kale bhajana nirjjana sambhava. The sahajiya school (imitationists) are more fond of smarana than kirttana. They are "followers of smarana." They lead a secluded life, and mentally go on identifying themselves with a particular sakhi of their own age, her duty, her place of attendance in a particular place of Vrndavana, in a particular lila, under the guidance of a particular sakhi, and so on. They are required to go on meditating on all these things by their so-called guru. That is the process amongst the sahajiya school, but we do not admit that. We consider it false and imaginary. They are not fit to enter that plane of Radha-Govinda lila. They do not have real sambandha-jnana, knowledge of what is what. They only go on with the habitual repetition of a particular mental speculation, but anartha-nivrtti (purging of all evils) or any other process based on it cannot be effected. Their imaginary achievement is sheer concoction. They are not aware of the facts - the ontological gradation from Viraja to Brahmaloka, Vaikuntha and Goloka. They are pukura-curiwale "pond thieves". To think that one can steal a pond is self-deception. We think that kind of "smarana" to be something like self-deception.

One must gradually reach the plane of truth - suddha-sattva. There are so many planes, so many planets to cross over - Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Mahar, Janar, Tapar, Satyaloka, Viraja, Brahmaloka.

Mahaprabhu says that the creeper of Bhakti grows and rises up to Goloka, and she has to cross all these planes.

upaniya bade lata 'brahmanda' bhedi' yaya

'viraja', 'brahmaloka', bhedi 'paravyoma' paya

tabe yaya tad upari 'goloka-vrndavana'

'krsna-carana' - kalpavrkse kare arohana

(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 19.153.4)

"The creeper of Devotion is born, and grows to pierce the wall of the universe. It crosses the Viraja river of passivity (the "Causal Ocean") and the Brahman plane, and reaches to the Vaikuntha plane. Then it grows further up to Goloka Vrindaban, finally reaching to embrace the wish-yeilding tree of Krishna's Lotus Feet."

But the psuedo-devotees do not care to know what is Paravyoma, what is Brahmaloka, what is Viraja, what is the Brahmanda. Without caring to know about these things, they approach any guru, receive some mantram, and go on meditating. But in such a stage, if one goes on meditating on Radha-Govinda lila, instead of entering Radha-Govinda lila, he will rather entangle himself with the ladies and gents of this world. He will become entangled in the domain of lust and he will have to go to hell instead of going up to Goloka.

Carmma-mamsamaya - kama, prema - cidananda-dhama. The carnal appetite is lust, whereas Love is the abode of Divine Ecstasy. So imitation is not success. Rather, it degrades. Imitation degrades. Imagination is only a mental exercise.

Devotee: What if that mental exercise is done with faith?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Mind is separate from the soul. Sraddha, faith, is connected with the soul, atma, and mind is matter. Mind is a part the of material potency - Maya. This is clarified in Gita:

bhumir apo 'nalo vayur kham mano buddhir eva ca

ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha

(Bg. 7.4)

Mind is a product of the material potency, and the jiva is a product of parasakti, the principal potency. The Svarupa-sakti, the Lord's Personal Potency, is a further higher potency, higher than the jiva. The nature of the mind is mental speculation (manodharmma). That speculative thought has nothing to do with truth. The experiences of the mind are all drawn from the material world, the world of misconception. The mind is full of misconception (avan-manaso gocarah). Mind cannot reach the stage of feeling or perceiving truth proper. It is only related to mundane things and selfish exploitation.

Devotee: But isn't pure mind a product of sraddha?

Srila Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaj: Mind cannot be pure. Just as a fossil cannot produce life, so similarly, mind cannot produce sraddha. Sraddha is original and fundamental. When the Supreme Lord appears in the heart, mind vanishes. Darkness cannot produce light. Light comes, darkness vanishes. Truth appears when real pure consciousness appears, and mental speculation vanishes.

In the preaching campaign of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami he declared totalitarian war against illusion and even against all other conceptions of religion where the religious traditions were contrary to the pure spiritual faith taught by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Not allowing the pure principles of Sri Chaitanya to be compromised in any way Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami spoke the plain truth about the teachings of Sri Chaitanya throughout India. His exalted diciple Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj carried this message of Sri Chaitanya and Saraswati Goswami to the West, in fulfilment of the desire of Sri Chaitanya that the sankirtan of devotees singing the names of Sri Krishna should be glorious everywhere.

Bengali verse by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada: matala harijana kirtana range

pujala raga-patha gaurava bhange

The servants of Lord Hari, who revel in satisfying His transcendental desires, worship the path of spontaneous devotion while doing service within the eternal sankirtan of Sri Gauranga.

bramala chhadi bhoga cinmaya-bange

dhaula pathi-pathi bhakata-sange

Having given up all types of sense-enjoyment, one should wander through the divine land of Gauda-desh, chanting and running along all the paths and roads in the association of the devotees.

chhadala para-ghara arcite gange

bujhala rasa-niti nacata dhange

Leaving the old house behind forever, to worship on the banks of the River Ganga, one will understand the science of rasa by engaging in sankirtana.

The philosophy of Prabhupada Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami is summed up in this verse, matala harijana kirtana range pujala raga-patha gaurava bhange, which can be seen written on the front of the Natya-Mandir temple of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math at Nabadwip. Devotees in the sankirtan of Sri Chaitanyadev feel extreme joy and a spontaneous attraction (raga) for Sri Krishna while looking upwards towards the lila of Sri Krishna, Reality the Beautiful: matala harijana kirtana range pujala raga-patha gaurava bhange.

The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna descended here to give divine love of the divine couple Sri Radha Govinda to the fallen souls in this age of Kali. Five hundred years ago He came in the form of Sri Gaurasundara imbued with Vipralambha bhava, as the Son of Sachi Devi. Again, the same personality incarnated in the form of transcendental sound, the divine teachings of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in a human form, Sri Chaitanya Saraswati, Bhagavan Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada.

November 14, 2003

Unfortunately the formatting of this document has been changed by the auto-upload processes on IndiaDivine. Because the formatting is changed, it is somewhat difficult to follow sometimes. I will post a link to this document with all formatting preserved on another site later today.

- Muralidhar das

gHari · November 14, 2003

It is always nice to know the origin of passages posted.

MuralidharDas · November 14, 2003

This document Sri Chaitanya Saraswati is available in a more readable format at this address:

http://www.mandala.com.au/sri_chaitanya_saraswati.html

GHari,

I will add all the citations for references in this article.

ys, murali

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