Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur
About the year 1500 A.D., the incarnation of God Sri Krishna Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu began the Hare Krishna Movement in Navadvip, a city in the Indian
province of Bengal. This movement, based on the philosophy of ancient Sanskrit
texts of devotion to Krishna like the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam,
spread all over India within a short time. The movement popularized sankiritan,
the congregational chanting of the maha-mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna
Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, as the most effective
means of God realization for the present Age of Kali, a time of rampant
faithlessness, sin and materialism. After 1750 A.D., the influence of the Hare
Krishna Movement seemed to wane. Many sects of sahajiyas (cheap pseudo-devotees)
sprouted up, each claiming to be the true purveyors of Vaishnava-dharma (the
religion of Lord Vishnu or Krishna). Because of their bad character, the
sahajiyas brought disrepute upon the pure movement of love of God begun by
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the 1800's, an eternally perfect devotee of Krishna
descended from the spiritual world to the material world to revive the Hare
Krishna Movement and to initiate its expansion beyond the borders of India. This
was Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who was named Kedarnath Datta by his father (some
say by his Godfather), was born in opulent circumstances on the 2nd September
1838., on a Sunday in Biranagara (Ulagrama) in the district of Nadia. He was the
seventh son of Raja Krsnananda Datta, a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. He was
also known as the great grandson of Madana Mohana and the third son of his
Godfather Anandacandra. He would be known as 'daitya-kulera prahlada' (Prahlada
in the family of demons). This was because Vaisnavism was not very much
respected in his family; on his mother's side, there was no respect for
Vaishnavism at all.
His childhood was spent at the mansion of his maternal grandfather Mustauphi
Mahasaya, in Biranagara. His environment at this time was very opulent. He got
his elementary education at the primary school started by his grandmother. Later
he attended an English school in Krishnanagara, started by the King of Nadia; he
left that school when his older brother died unexpectedly of cholera.
When he was 11 years old, his father passed away. Subsequently, the grant of
land that had been conferred upon his grandmother changed owners; at this time
the family fell into a condition of poverty - their great wealth proved to be
illusiory. Still, the young Kedaranatha Datta passed over these difficulties
with great endurance.
His mother arranged a marriage for him when he was just twelve (1850 A.D.) to
the then five year old daughter of Madhusudana Mitra Mahasaya, a resident of
Rana Ghata.
Around this time Kasiprasada Ghosh Mahasaya Thakur (Kedaranatha Datta's uncle),
who had mastered under the British education, came to Ulagrama after the death
of his maternal grandfather. He schooled young Kedaranatha Datta at his home in
Calcutta; this was at first resisted by Kedaranatha Datta's mother, but by the
time he was years of age he was allowed to go.
The house was situated in the Heduya district of central Calcutta. Kasiprasada
was the central figure of the literary circle of his time, being the editor of
the Hindu Intelligencer; many writers came to him to learn the art of writing in
correct English. At this time, and recognising Kedaranatha Datta's natural
ability, he assisted Kasisprasada by judging manuscripts submitted to the
newspaper. Sri Kedaranatha Datta studied Kasiprasada's books and also frequented
the public library.
He attended Calcutta's Hindu Charitable Institution high school and became an
expert English reader, speaker, and writer.
He became ill from the salty water of Calcutta. He returned to Ulagrama and was
treated by a 'Muslim soothsayer' ('tantric') who predicted that the village of
Biranagara would soon become pestilence-ridden and deserted. The Muslim also
predicted Kedaranatha Datta would become recognized as a great devotee of Lord
Krsna.
At the age of 18 years (1856.) Kedarnatha Datta entered college in Calcutta. He
started writing extensively in both English and Bengali; these essays were
published in local journals. He also lectured in both languages. He further
studied English literature at this time extensively, and taught speechmaking to
a person who later became a well-known orator in the British Parliament. Between
the years 1857-1858 he composed a two part English epic entitled "The Poriade",
which he planned to complete in 12 books. These two books described the life of
Porus, who met Alexander the Great.
Sriman Dvijendranatha Thakur, the eldest son of Maharsi Devendranatha Thakur,
was Sri Kedaranatha Datta's best friend during these scholastic years. He
assisted Kedaranatha Datta in his studies of Western religious literatures.
Affectionately Kedaranatha Datta used to call Devendranatha Thakura 'baro dada',
or big brother.
He was very taken by Christian theology, and regarding it more interesting, and
less offensive than Hindu monism, 'advaita-Vedanta of Sankaracarya'. He would
spend many hours comparing the writings of Channing, Theodore Parker, Emerson
and Newman. At the British-Indian Society he gave a lecture on the evolution of
matter through the material mode of goodness.
At the end of 1858 Kedaranatha Datta returned to Biranagara and found the
Muzzi's prediction about that place to have come true; the place was ruined and
deserted. Sri Kedaranatha Datta brought his mother and paternal grandmother with
him from there to Calcutta. Soon after he went to Orissa to visit his paternal
grandfather, Rajavallabha Datta, who used to be a big man in Calcutta, who was
now living as an ascetic in the Orissan countryside. His days were coming to a
close. He could predict the future, so he knew it himself very well. He wanted
Kedaranatha Datta to be with him when he departed this world, which he did in
1859, when Kedaranatha Datta was 21 years of age. After receiving his
grand-father's last instructions, he travelled to all the monasteries and
temples in the state of Orissa.
As a young householder Srila Bhaktivinoda began to consider the question of the
means of his livelihood. He was not interested in business, as he'd seen how the
apparent 'necessary dishonesty' of the trade world due to competition for sales,
had moraly weakened the merchant class. Their work ethics becoming removed from
the principle of mutually helping others by which they would automatically be
protected from failure to succeed, as well as being co-operatively assisted by
the 'natural laws of compensation', 'karma'.
He decided instead to become a school teacher. He established a school for
English education in the village of Kendrapara near Chutigrama, in Orissa, thus
becoming a pioneer in English teaching in that state. He also could see the
oppressive power wielded by the landowners of Chutigrama. After some time he
went to Puri and passed a teachers examination; he got a teacher's post in a
Cuttack school and later became headmaster of a school in Bhadraka and then in
Madinipura. His dedicated work was noted by the school-board authorities.
In Bhadraka, his first son Annada Prasada (Acyutananda) was born, in 1860. He
published a book that year in English that described all the 'ashramas' and
temples in the state; this book received favorable mention in the work called "Orissa"
by British historian Sir William Hunter; Hunter praised Kedaranatha Datta's
moral and religious character, as everyone did.
As the headmaster of the Medinipura high school, Kedaranatha Datta looked into
the various religious sects, their philosophies and practices. He could see that
many of them were taking it all very cheaply. He came to understand that the
only real religion that had ever been established in Bengal was that of Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; unfortunately at present, His movement was not
well-represented. Due to the misrepresentation, and coruptions and influence of
the 'Apa-sampradayas' this sincere soul Sri Kedaranatha Datta could not even get
a copy of the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, despite all his efforts.
The Thakura made an onslaught against those who belonged to the apasampradayas
who were polluting Gaudiya Vaisnavism by basically thirteen deviant philosophies
- Aula, Baula (2 types), Karttabhaja, Neda, Daravesa, Sani, Sahajiya, Sakhibheki,
Smarta, Jatagosani, Ativadi, Cudadhari and Gauranga-Nagari. These deviant
groups, mostly because of their boldness, had been seen by the public as the
Gaudiya Sampradaya, though actually none were following the pure Vaisnava
regulative principles strictly, as laid down by the followers of Sri Krsna
Caitanya (namely the Goswamis). Being a follower of the Goswamis or not is
interdependent on qualifying one to be a Gaudiya Vaisnava.
For more details on apa-sampradayas one should read the very nice articles,
running as a sequil in the "Back to Godhead" magazine 1991 editions on the same,
by His Holiness Suhotra Swami, Iskcon.
Sri Kedaranatha Datta's first wife died, so in the town of Jakapura he married
Bhagyavati De.
In the year 1861 Sri Kedarantha Datta accepted the post of Deputy Magistrate in
the Government of Bengal. Then he became Collectorate Officer after seeing the
corruption of the government workers. He established an organization called the
"Bhratr Samaja". He wrote an English book in 1863 called "Our Wants." At this
time he also constructed a home in Rana Ghata. Later in 1863 he stayed at
Burdwan, where he composed two novel poems in Bengali: "Vijinagrama" (deserted
village) and "Sannyasi." Volume 39 of the 1863 Calcutta Review praised these
poems, saying, "We hope the author will continue to give his countrymen the
benefit of his elegant and unassuming pen, which is quite free from those
objectionable licenses of thought and expression which abound in many dramas
recently published. The want of the day is the creation of a literature for
Hindu ladies, and we trust that many more educated natives will have the good
sense to devote their time and abilities to the attainment of this most
desirable aim." The rhyme and style of these two poems were original; they gave
birth to a new way of writing poetry in the Bengali language.
Sri Kedaranatha Datta - In the post of Deputy Magistrate. In the year 1866
Kedaranatha Datta took the positon of Deputy Register with the power of a Deputy
Collector and Deputy Magistrate in the district of Chapara. He also was known to
have became quite fluent in Persian and Urdu. In a placed called Saran in
Chapara, a clique of tea planters made unjust demands of him; he successfully
opposed them. And while at Saran he visited the Gautamashrama at Godana;
desiring to establish a school for teaching 'nyaya-shastra', he delivered a
speech there (in 1866) which was well-received. The school was in fact
established, the foundation-stone being laid in 1883 by Sir Rivers Thomson,
after whom the school was named. Though Sri Kedaranatha Datta had no further
part in the project after his speech, the talk he gave was instrumental in
securing public aid for the school.
Also in 1866 Kedaranatha Datta translated the Balide Registry Manual into Urdu,
which was circulated by the government throughout the United Provinces of Agra
and Oudh; this manual was used by the registration departments of those areas.
Sri Kedaranatha Datta was transferred to Purniya from Chapara where he took
charge of the government and judicial departments; he was then transferred to
Dinajapur (West Bengal) in 1868, becoming the Deputy Magistrate. At this time he
received copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta from Calcutta.
He read Caitanya Caritamrta repeatedly; his faith in Krsna Consciousness
developed until he was absorbed in the pure 'bhakti-shastras' day and night. He
was incessantly submitting heartfelt prayers for the Lord's mercy; he came to
understand the supreme majesty and power of the one and only Absolute
Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. He published a song about Lord Caitanya
entitled 'Saccidananda-premalankara'. In 1869, while serving as deputy
magistrate under the government of Bengal in Dinajapur, he delivered a speech in
the form of a treatise he had written on the Srimad Bhagavatam to a big
congregation of many prominent men of letters from many parts of India and
England.
He was transferred to Camparana, during which time his second son, Radhika
Prasada, was born. In Camparana, people used to worship a ghost in a banyan tree
which had the power to influence the mind of the local judge to decide in the
favor of the worshipper. Sri Kedaranatha Datta engaged the father of Pandita
Ramabhai, a famous girl scholar, to read Srimad Bhagavatam under the tree
continuously, by day and night; after one month, the tree crashed to the ground,
and naturally many people found faith in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
From Camparana he went to Puri, which engladdened his heart no end.
Near the capital of Orissa, in the town of Kamanala, there lived a 'yogi' named
Bisakisena, who would lean into a fire while sitting closeby, then return to an
erect sitting posture; in this way he'd rock back and forth over the flames. He
could also produce fire from his head. He had two companions going by the names
Brahma and Siva; he claimed to be Maha Vishnu. The small kings of Orissa came
under his sway and were providing funds for the construction of a temple for the
'Triguna-Avataras'; they also sent him women with whom he engaged in 'rasa-lila'
enjoyments. Bisakisena declared he'd drive off the British from ruling Orissa
and himself would become king. He published such statements which were
circulated all around Orissa. The British thought him a revolutionary for
speaking out against the 'British Raj', so the District Governor of the National
Government of Bengal drew up arrest orders; but nobody in Orissa dared to act
upon these orders, as they all feared Bisakisena. Mr. Ravenshaw, district
commissioner for Orissa, requested Sri Kedaranatha Datta to bring Bisakisena to
justice. Sri Kedaranatha Datta went personally to Bisakisena; Bisakisena showed
some powers that would normally scare off an ordinary man, and informed
Kedaranatha Datta that he knew well who he was and his mission, but that since
he (Bisakisena) was the Lord, he'd better not interfere with him. That was
enough for Sri Kedaranatha Datta, who replied by acknowledging Bisakisena's
accomplishments in 'yoga' and 'tantra', and requested him to come to Puri where
he could have the 'darshan' of Jagannatha. Bisakisena haughtily said, "Why
should I come to see Jagannatha? He's only a hunk of wood; I am the Supreme in
person." Sri Kedaranatha Datta became instantly furious and arrested the rogue,
brought him to Puri and threw him in jail, where he was guarded by 3 dozen
Muslim constables and 72 policemen from Cuttack day and night. The accomplaces
to the 'divine trilogy' 'Brahma' and 'Siva' avoided arrest by claiming they'd
been forced by Bisakisena to do as they'd done; but Mr. Taylor, subdivision
officer at Kodar, later prosecuted them.
The fearless Kedaranatha Datta tried Bisakisena in Puri; the trial lasted 18
days, during which time thousands of people whom he had control over gathered
outside the courtroom demanding Bisakisena's release. On day six of the trial
Kedaranatha Datta's second daughter Kadambini (aged 7 years) became seriously
ill and nearly died; but within a day she had recovered. Sri Kedaranatha Datta
knew it was the power of the 'tantric yogi' at work; he remarked "Yes, let us
all die, but this rascal must be punished." The very next day in court the
'yogi' announced he'd shown his power and would show much more; he suggested
that Kedaranatha Datta should release him at once or face worse miseries. On the
last day of the trial Kedaranatha Datta himself became ill from high fever and
suffered exactly as his daughter had done for one whole day. But the determined
Kedaranatha Datta pronounced the man guilty and sentenced him to 18 months for
political conspiracy. When Bisakisena was being readied for jailing, one Dr.
Walter, the District Medical Officer, cut off all the 'yogis' hair. The 'yogi'
drew power from his long hair; he hadn't eaten or drunk during the whole trial,
so he fell to the floor like a dead man and had to be taken by stretcher to
jail. After 3 months he was moved to the central jail at Midnapura where he took
poison and died there in the year 1873.
In Puri, Sri Kedaranatha Datta studied Srimad Bhagavatam with the commentary of
Sridhara Swami, he also copied out in longhand the Sat-sandarbhas of Jiva
Goswami and made a special study of Rupa Goswami's Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.
Between the years 1874 and 1893, Bhaktivinode Thakur spent much time in
seclusion chanting the holy name (though he still executed his worldly duties
perseveringly); he wrote several books in Sanskrit such as Sri Krsna samhita,
Tattva-sutram and Tattva-viveka (which we have cited in the early sections of
this book); he wrote many books in Bengali such as the Kalyana-kalpataru; in
1874 he composted Datta-kausubha (in Sanskrit).
While in Puri he established a Vaishnava discussion society known as the
Bhagavat-samsat in the Jaganatha-vallabha gardens, where Sri Ramananda Raya did
bhajana. All the prominent Vaishnavas joined this group except for Raghunatha
dasa Babaji, known as Siddha Purusha. He thought that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
was unauthorized, as he did not wear 'kanthi-mala' or 'tilaka'; moreover, he
advised other Vaishnavas to avoid Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's association.
But soon thereafter Raghunatha dasa Babaji contracted a deathly illness for his
offense. In a dream, Lord Jagannatha appeared to him and told him to pray for
the mercy of Bhaktivinoda Thakura if he at all wanted release from the illness
and death. He did so; Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him special medicines and cured
him, and also blessed Raghunatha dasa Babaji with a true awareness of
Bhaktivinoda Thakura's position.
Others had a natural affection like Sri Swarupa dasa Babaji, who did 'bhajana'
at Satasana near the ocean in Puri; he showed much affection for Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura and gave him many profound instructions and insights from
his own realisations on the bhajana of the holy name.
Another Charan dasa Babaji, preached and printed books advising that one should
chant the 'Hare Krsna Mahamantra' in 'japa' and 'Nitai Gaura Radhe Syama Hare
Krsna Hare Rama' in 'kirtana'. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura preached long and hard
to him; after a long time Charan dasa Babaji came to his senses and begged
forgiveness from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, admitting his fault in spreading
this nonsense 'mantra' all over Bengal; six months later Charan dasa Babaji went
mad and died in great distress.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura was one of this age's formost devotional scholars,
yet humbly presents himself as the insignificant messenger of the Lord as we can
note from this following message of his; "The way how I got the inspiration to
compile this book (Sri Srimad Bhagavata Arka Marichimala) is a Divine Mystery
which I felt not proper from my part to disclose as it might be bridging
spiritual conceit, but subsequently I realise that it would be an undoing to my
spiritual master which might stand as an obstacle on the path of my spiritual
progress therefore without any shame I record the fact that while under the
benediction of my Guru Sri Bapin Behari Goswami who belonged to the great
heritage of Thakur Vamshibadananda, a faithful follower of my Lord Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu I was deeply penetrating upon Srimad Bhagavatam, one day in a vision
Sri Svarup-Damodara, the right hand personal Adherent of Lord Sri Chaitanya,
instructed me to compile the slokas of Srimad Bhagavatam in accordance with the
principles of 'Sambandha', Abhidheya' and 'Prayojana' as laid down by Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - so that the book will read with an easy understanding
with great interest and delight by the loving devotees of the Lord. Sri
Svarupa-Damodar Prabhu further guided me by giving a wonderful explanation of
the first sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam and also showed me how I have to explain
the slokas under the light of Gaudiya-Vaishnava Philosophy."(B.P Yati. 1978.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Sri Srimad Bhagavata Arka Marichimala. Chapter 20.,
supplication 3. inclusion. page 479.)
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura became manager of Jagannatha Puri Temple; he used his
government powers to establish regularity in the worship of the Deity. In the
Jagannatha Puri Temple courtyard he established a 'Bhakti Mandapa', where daily
discourses of Srimad Bhagavatam were held. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura would
spend long hours discussing Krsna and chanting the holy name, especially at
Tota-Gopinatha Mandir, the tomb of Haridasa Thakur, the Siddha Bakula and the
Gambhira. He made notes on the Vedanta-sutra which were used by Sri Syamalala
Goswami in the edition of the Govinda Bhasya by Baladeva Vidyabhusana that he
published.
Near the Jagannatha-vallabha gardens, in a large house adjacent the Narayana
Chata Matha, on the 5th day of the dark fornight of Magha in the year 1874, the
4th son of Bhaktivinoda Thakura took birth. He was named Bimala Prasada (later
known as Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Prabhupada).
As a householder Bhaktivinoda (Kedarnatha Datta) had two wives and no less than
10 children, of which the great Vaisnava scholar Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati (Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura) was one. Bimala Prasad (Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati) was born in Sri Purusottama Kshetra (Jagannatha Puri) on 6th February
1874 AD, answering the prayer of Bhaktivinoda for the Lord "to send a Ray of
Visnu" to preach the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. He
was given the name Bimal Prasad.
When the child was six months old, Lord Jagannatha's cart stopped in front of
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's house in Puri for three days during the procession.
Bhaktivinoda told his wife, Bhagavati Devi, to bring out the child for 'darsan'
of Lord Jagannatha. As she placed the child before the Lord, a garland from the
Lord encircled the baby boy, and the first grain ceremony ('anaprasna') was
performed at that time with Jagannatha 'prasad'. Bimala Prasada stayed in Puri
for ten months after his birth and then went to Bengal by palanquin on his
mother's lap, his infancy was spent at Nadia District's Ranaghat hearing topics
of Sri Hari from his mother.
Srila Bhaktivinoda and his wife were orthodox and virtuous; they never allowed
their children to eat anything other than 'prasada', nor to associate with bad
company. One day, when Bimala Prasada was still a small child of no more than
four years, his father mildly rebuked him for eating a mango not yet duly
offered to Lord Krsna. Bimala Prasada, although only a child, considered himself
an offender to the Lord and vowed never to eat mangoes again. (This was a vow
that he would follow throughout this life.) By the time Bimala Prasada was seven
years old, he had memorized the entire Bhagavad Gita and could even explain its
verses giving wonderful purports. His father then began training him in proof
reading and printing, in conjunction with the publishing of the Vaisnava
magazine Sajjana tosani.
Two years earlier, Kamala Prasada, the 3rd son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura,
had taken birth.
In 1874 Bhaktivinoda Thakura discovered the Raja of Puri had misappropriated Rs.
80 thousand for sense gratification. This money belonged to the temple, so
Bhativinoda Thakura forced the Raja to give Lord Jagannatha 'bhoga' 52 times
daily. This diminished the money quickly; the 'raja' was angry at Bhaktivinoda
Thakura and began, with the help of 50 'pandits', a 'Maran-karmani tantric
yajna' meant for killing Bhaktivinoda Thakura which went on for 30 days; when
the last oblations were poured, it was the kings son and not the pure hearted
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who died.
He left Puri on special business; returned to Bengal and saw Navadwip, Santipura
and Kalana. He was put in charge of the subdivision Mahisarekha in Haora. After
that he was transferred to Bhadraka. In August 1878 he was made head of the
subdivision Naraila in the Yashohan district.
While in Naraila his two famous books Sri Krsna-samhita and Krsna-kalpataru were
published. In a letter dated April 16th., 1880, Dr. Reinhold Rost wrote to Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura: "By representing Krishna's character and his worship in a
more sublime and transcendental light than has hitherto been the custom to
regard him, you have rendered an essential service to your co-religionists, and
no one would have taken more delight in your work than my departed friend
Goldstuecker, the sincerest and most zealous advocate the Hindus ever had in
Europe." These two works brought the devotional attention of many of India's
pandits and educated men.
In 1877 Varada Prasada was born, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's fifth son; in
1878, Viraja Prasada was born, the sixth son: both appeared at Rana Ghata.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura took 'pancaratrika diksa' initiation from Bipin
Bihari Goswami, descended from the Jahnava family of Baghnapara. At the same
time, his seventh son, Lalita Prasada, appeared at Rana Ghata.
Many people had adopted Vaishnavism at Haraila, but they could not tell who was
a Vaishnava and who not; Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave them shelter and
instructed them on this matter most exactingly.
Once Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and his son-cum-assistant went to see
Bhaktivinoda's 'guru', Vipin Bihari Goswami (Bipin Behari Goswami).
Vipin Bihari Goswami was coming in the disciplic succession from Sri Gadadhar
Pandit the plenary portion of Srimati Radharani. The followers of this line are
generally Raganuga Bhaktas, worhipping Sri Gaura Gadahara in a loving
spontaneous mood of 'bhava'. This mode of worship is not for those who are
materially confined by the dictates of the body and senses, but for those who
are already experiencing their eternal loving relationship with the Divine
couple Sri Radha Krsna.
There is an interesting little story which captures the mood of Bhaktivinoda and
that of his son, then named Siddhanta Saraswati. In their 'siddha deha' as pure
'nitya siddha', eternal associates of Lord Krsna, Bhaktivinoda Thakura is Kamala
Manjari, one of the maid servants of the 'gopis', and Siddhanta Saraswati is her
assistant Nayana Manjari. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's dealings with his 'diksa
guru' were always exemplary, even though Vipin Bihari Goswami was not very
advanced, being a 'kanistha adhikari guru', whereas the Thakura was an 'uttama
adhikari', 'paramahamsa' of the highest order. Still Bhaktivinoda always played
the humble disciple. On one such occasion in the presence of young Siddhanta
Saraswati, Bhaktivinoda Thakura paid his respectful obeisances to his 'guru'.
Vipin Bihari Goswami replied by placing his feet on the Thakura's head. For the
young fiery Siddhanta Saraswati this was too much! It was one thing that his
father had accepted him as his formal initiating spiritual master, but this was
going too far. Srila Siddhanta Saraswati was only seven years old at the time,
but when Bhaktivinoda Thakura left the room leaving the two of them alone,
Siddhanta Saraswati decided to set things straight.
"You are acting like a big, big 'guru' and you place your feet on the heads of
those who you don't know. If you knew who the Thakura is you would not do it.
But you do not know! My father is a great exalted 'nitya siddha', eternal
associate of Sri Radha and Krsna who has come here to fulfil Their mission. Do
you think that you are so advanced that you can place your feet on the head of
such a person? I think not. You have proven yourself to be a 'kanistha adhikari'
(neophyte) by not being able to distinguish between those who are advanced and
those who are less advanced, therefore I suggest that you desist from this
practice any further." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura then re-entered the room and
the conversation changed. Later that day Vipin Bihari Goswami mentioned to
Bhaktivinoda, "Your son is bold to the point of being rude." Later Thakura
Bhaktivinoda found out about the conversation and used to jokingly glorify his
exalted son to his friends, saying how he is fearless, that he even chastised my
'guru' Vipin Bihari Goswami.
Reflecting on this incident we can see that even if one's spiritual master is
not an 'uttama adhikari', 'mahabhagavat' devotee of the Lord still one should be
satisfied, and serve him anyway. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who himself was certainly
a 'mahabhagavat', set the example how to serve and show respects. On the other
side of the transcendental coin, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati showed a nice
lesson to us. We should not show ourselves to be more advanced than we really
are, lest we commit offences against those who are actually advanced.
In 1881 Bhaktivinoda Thakura began publishing 'Sajjanatosani', his Vaisnava
journal.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had previously pilgrimaged to Kasi, Prayaga, Mathura
and Vrndavana ('Vraja Mandal') in 1866. At the close of his stay in Naraila he
desired to again see the land of Vraja. He took three months for this purpose.
At this time he met Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji there, who had a program by
which he moved every six months between Navadwipa and Vrndavana. Meeting him,
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura accepted him as his eternally worshippable 'siksa'
(instructing) 'guru'.
During his pilgrimage at this time he dealt with a gang of 'dacoits' known as
the Kanjharas who robbed and killed pilgrims; he gave evidence to the government
and a commision was formed to wipe out this scourge.
From Vrndavana he came to Calcutta and bought a house at 181, Maniktala Street,
now called Ramasha Datta Street, near Bidana Park. He started daily worship of
Sri Giridhari (the transcendental form of Krsna who appeared in the form of
Govardhan Hill) and called the house Bhakti-bhavan. He was appointed head of the
subdivision of Barasa.
In 1881, in the course of excavating for the construction of the 'Bhakti
bhavana' at Rambagan in Calcutta, a Deity of Kurmadeva was unearthed. After
initiating his seven year old son, Bhaktivinoda entrusted Bimala with the
service of the deity of Kurmadeva.
The well-known novelist Bankim Candra met Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura at Barasa.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had written a book about Krsna and showed it to
Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who preached to Bankim Candra for four days, taking little
food and hardly any sleep; the result was Bankim Candra changed his ideas (which
were mundane speculations about Krsna) and his book to conform with the
teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to say,
"knowledge is power".
On April 1, 1884, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was appointed the senior Deputy
Magistrate of Serampore, where he admitted Bimala in the Serampore High School.
When Bimala was a mere student in class five, he invented a new method of
writing named Bicanto. During this period he took lessons in mathematics and
astrology from Pandita Mahesacandra Cudamoni. However, he preferred to read
devotional books rather than the school texts.
During the last year of his stay at Barasat (1886), Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
published an edition of the Bhagavad Gita with the Sanskrit commentary of Srila
Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakur, which he translated into Bengali (the
"Rasika-ranjana" translation). Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had undertaken this
task at the request of Babu Sarada Carana Mitra, ex-judge of the Calcutta High
Commission. Sriman Bankima Candra wrote the preface, acknowledging his own
indebtedness to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura; he noted that all Bengali readers
would be indebted to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura for his saintly work.
From Barasat, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was transferred to Sriramapur. He
visited the residence of Uddharana Datta Thakur, a great associate of Lord
Nityananda, at Saptagram. At Khanakula he visited the place of Abhirama Thakur,
and saw the place of another great devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Vasu
Ramananda, at Kulinagrama.
At Sriramapura he composed and published his masterly writing, Sri Caitanya
Siksamrta, and also the Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa and Manah-siksa.
He was also publishing Sajjanatosani on a regular basis. In Calcutta he set up
the Sri Caitanya Yantra, a printing press at the 'Bhakti Bhavana', upon which he
printed Maladhara's Sri Krsna-vijaya and his own Amnaya-sutra and the
Caitanyopanisad of the Atharva Veda.
Finding the Caitanyopanisada was a difficult task. Hardly anyone in Bengal had
heard of it. Consequently Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had to travel to many
places in Bengal looking for it; finally, one devoted Vaisnava pandita named
Madhusudana dasa (sometimes found listed in the 'Guru-parampara' listings) sent
an old copy he'd been keeping with him at Sambalapura for Bhaktivinoda Thakura;
Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote a 'Sanksrit' commentary on the book and called it Sri
Caitanya Caranamrta. Madhusudana dasa Mahasaya translated the verses into
Bengali; this translation was called Amrta-bindhu. It was a sellout when
published.
In Calcutta srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura started the Sri Visva-Vaisnava Sabha,
dedicated to the preaching of pure bhakti as taught by Lord Caitanya. To
publicize the work of the society, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published a small
booklet entitled Visva-Vaisnava-kalpavi.
Also he published his own edition of the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, with his
Amrta-prabhava Bhasya commentary. And he introduced the Caitanyabda or
Caitanya-era calendar, and gave assistence to the propagation of the Caitanya
Panjika, which established the feast day of Gaura Purnima.
He lectured and gave readings on books like the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (of Srila
Rupa Goswami) in various Vaishnava societies; he published in the Hindu Herald,
an English periodical, a detailed account of Sri Caitanya's life.
It was at this time that the learned Vaisnavas recognized Kedaranatha Datta and
given the honourary titile as Bhakti Vinoda Thakura.
In the year 1887 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura resolved to quit government service
and go to Vrndavana with Bhaktibhringa Mahasaya for the rest of his life. One
night in Tarakeswara, while on government service, he had a dream in which Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to him and spoke, "You will certainly go to
Vrndavana, but first there is some service you must perform in Navadwipa, so
what will you do about that?" When the Lord disappeared, Bhaktivinoda Thakura
awoke. Srila Bhakti Bhrinha Mahasaya, hearing of this dream, told Bhaktivinoda
Thakura to apply for a transfer to Krishnanagara; he did, even turning down
offers of personal assistanceship to the chief Commissioner of Assam and the
seat of the Minister of Tripura State. He even tried to retire at this time, but
his application was not accepted. Finally, in December of 1887 he arranged for a
mutual exchange of personell: himself for Babu Radha Madhava Vasu, Deputy
Magistrate of Krishnanagara.
During his stay at Krishnanagara, Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to go to Navadwipa
and search for the birthsite of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One night he was
sitting on the roof of the Rani Dharmasala in Navadwipa chanting on his
'Japa-beads', when he spotted a very tall Tala tree with some very strange
substance attached to it; near the tree was a small building that gave off a
remarkable effulgence. Soon afterwards, he went to the Krishnanagara Collectory
where he began to study some very old manuscripts of Caitanya Bhagavat and
Navadwipa Dhama Parikrama by Narahari Sarkar, and some old maps of Nadia. He
went to the village of Ballaladibhi and spoke with many elderly people there,
and uncovered facts about the modern-day Navadwipa; in the year 1887 he
discovered that the place he'd seen from the dharmasalla rooftop was in fact the
birthplace of Mahaprabhu. This was confirmed by Srila Jaganatha dasa Babaji, the
head of the Gaudiya Vaisnava community in Nadia.
A great festival was held there. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published the
Navadwipa Dhama Mahatmya.
Also in 1887, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura renovated the house of Srila Jagannatha
dasa Babaji at Ravasghata. He took leave from office for two years and acquired
a plot of land at Sri Godadrumadwipa, or Svarupaganga. He built a retirement
house there for his 'bhajana', and called it Surabhi Kunja; in 1890 he
established the 'Nama Hatta' there. Sometimes Jagannatha dasa Babaji would come
there and have 'kirtana'.
Lord Nityananda had established His Nama Hatta at the same place; Bhaktivinoda
Thakura considered himself the street sweeper of the 'Nama Hatta' of Nitai.
Once whilst stationed in Krishanaga, every second spare was spent in Mayapur. As
mentioned in the story of Jagannatha dasa Babaji, Thakura Bhaktivinoda, along
with Babaji Maharaja found Lord Caitanya's birthplace in the year 1887.
When the birthplace was uncovered, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila
Jagannatha dasa Babaji would worship Lord Caitanya there (this episode was told
in regard to Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji's Life.)
Once one of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's sons contracted a skin disease;
Jaganntha dasa Babaji told the boy to lie down at the birthsite of Lord Caitanya
for the night - he did so, and the next morning he was cured.
In 1888 he took charge of the village of Netrakona in the district of
Mayamanasimha, because he could not keep good health in Krishnanagara and had
requested transfer to a more healthful region. From Netrakona he came to
Tangaila and from there he was transferred to the district of Vardhamana. There
he would have 'kirtana' with the devotees from a place called Amalajora, headed
by Kshetra Babu and Vipina Babu; they would sing poems like Soka-satana written
by him.
He was put in charge of the Kalara subdivision in 1890, and from there would
often visit such holy places as Godadrumadwipa, Navadwipa, Capahati,
Samudragana, Cupi, Kasthasali, Idrakapura, Baghanapara, Piyariganga (the place
of Nakula Brahmacari) and the place of Vrndavana dasa Thakur at Denura.
Soon Bhaktivinoda Thakura was transferred for a few days to Ranighata, from
where he came to Dinajapura again. Sailaja Prasada was born there, his youngest
son. In Dinajapura Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote his Vidva-ranjana commentary
and translation of the Bhagavad Gita; it was published in 1891 with the
commentary of Baladeva.
1891 was the year Bhaktivinoda Thakura took leave from the government service
for two years. He desired to preach 'Sri Hari-Nama'. His base was at
Godadrumadwipa; from there he used to visit such places as Ghatala and
Ramajivana to lecture in clubs, societies and organizations. This he'd also
often do in Krishnanagara.
He travelled and preached in March of 1892 in the Basirahata District together
with some other Vaishnavas. All the while he was writing also. He opened many
branches of 'Nama Hatta' in different districts of Bengal. The 'Nama Hatta'
became a self-sustaining success which continued to spread even after his return
to government service.
Also from Basirahata he set out on his third trip to Vrndavana; he stopped off
at Amalajora to celebrate the Ekadasi day with Srial Jagannatha dasa Babaji. In
Vraja, he visited all the forests and places of pastimes; he continued to give
lectures and readings on Hari Nama in various places in Bengal when he returned
to Calcutta.
In February 1891 he gave a lecture on his investigation into the whereabouts of
the actual birthsite of Sri Caitanya; his audience included highly learned men
from all over Bengal, who became very enthusiastic at the news. Out of this
gathering the Sri Navadwipa Dhama Pracarini Sabha was formed for spreading the
glories of Navadvipa-Mayapura. All the learned pandits, having deliberated fully
on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's evidence, agreed that the Yogapitha was the true
birthsite of Mahaprabhu.
That year, on Gaura Purnima, a big festival was held that witness the
installation of Gaura-Visnupriya Dieties at the Yogapitha.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura personally, in a spirit of pure humility, went door
to door collecting to raise funds to build a temple on the very site. In the
Amrta Bazaar Patrika, December 1894, an article appeared: "Babu Kedarnatha
Datta, the distinguished magistrate who has just retired from service, is one of
the most active members. Indeed, Babu Kedarnatha Datta has been deputed by his
committee to raise subscriptions in Calcutta and elsewhere and is determined to
go from house to house if necessary and beg a rupee from each Hindu gentleman
for noble purpose. If Babu Kedarnatha Datta sticks to his resolution of going
around with bag in hand, we hope that no Hindu gentleman whose house may be
honoured by the presence of such a devout bhakta as Babu Kedarnatha, will send
him away without contributing his mite, however humble it may be, to the
Gaura-Visnupriya Temple Fund." His venture was highly successful and the temple
was built.
In October 1894, at age 56, he retired from his post as Deputy Magistrate,
though this move was opposed by his family and the government authorities. He
stayed at Surabhi Kunja and preached, as well as revised his old writings.
Sometimes he went to Calcutta; there he begged door to door for building the
Yogapitha temple.
In July 1896 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura went to Tripura at the request of the
the king, who was a Vaishnava. He stayed in the capital for four days and
preached the glories of Sri Hari-Nama.
His lecture on the first day amazed all the local 'panditas'; on the next two
days the local Royal family and general public thrilled to his talks on the
pastimes of Mahaprabhu.
His mercy far outreaches the geographical boundaries of India or even Asia,
taking Krsna consciousness to the West.
Back in Godruma, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent out a small booklet, written in
Sanskrit, to Sri Gauranga-lila-smarana-mangala-stotram, with a commentary by
Srila Sitikantha Vacaspati of Nadia. The intro, "Caitanya Manaprabhu, His life
and precepts", was in English (Which we have included in this book in the
section on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) This book found its way into the library of
the Royal Asiatic Society in London, the library of McGill University in Canada
(the year is 1896) and other respectable institutions. It was reviewed in the
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society by Mr. F.W. Fraser, an erudite European
scholar.
In the rainy season of 1896, requested by the Maharaja of Tripura, Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura went to Darjeeling and Karsiyam. In 1897 he went to many
villages such as Medinipura and Sauri to preach.
Sri Sisira Kunara Ghosa was the founder of the Amrta Bazaar Patrika and the
author of the Sri Amiya Nimai-carita. He had great respect for Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura; he also took up the preaching of the holy name throughout
Calcutta and in many villages in Bengal. He published the 'Sri Visnu Priya O
Ananda Bazar Patrika' under the editorship of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. In one
of his letters to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura he wrote, "I have not seen the six
Goswamis of Vrndavana, but I consider you to be the seventh Goswami."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's son Bimala Prasad (latter Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati) had been residing at Puri as a 'naisthika brahmacari' (celebate
student) and was engaged in bhajan at the Gandharvika Giridhari Matha, one of
seven 'mathas' near the 'samadhi' tomb of Haridasa Thakur on the sea-shore.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, desiring to help his son, had the monastery cleaned
and repaired when he came to Puri himself at the beginning of the 20th century.
After the young (Bhakti) Siddhanta Saraswati left Puri for Sri Navadwipa
Mayapur, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura constructed his own place of 'bhajana' on
the beach, calling it Bhakti Kuti; one Sri Krsnadasa Babaji, Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura's devoted assistant and disciple, joined him there at this time, and he
became very dear to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and was his constant attendant up
to the end of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's life.
He began solitary 'bhajan' (worship and devotional meditation) at this time; he
had many visitors at this place, and some of them simply wanted to disturb him,
whereas others were sincere and benefitted greatly from his spiritual
inspiration.
In 1908, three months before he took 'sannyasa', a son of Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura who was working in the writers building in Calcutta, came home to inform
Bhaktivinoda Thakura that Sir William Duke, cheif secretary to the government,
was in Calcutta; formerly Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had served under him as a
magistrate. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura made an appointment to meet him the next
day at the writers building. Sir William Duke met with Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura on the street outside the building and personally escorted him in to his
office. With folded hands, he asked forgiveness for having once planned to
remove Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura from office of district magistrate; this was
because he thought that if such qualified Indians take up such posts, the
British would not last much longer in India.
In those days, while studying Bhaktivinoda Thakura's activities (then Kedarnatha
Datta), he'd come to his house and would be fed 'puri', 'luchi' and sweets by
the Thakura's wife. But now he was begging forgiveness as he was getting on in
life; Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura answered, "I consider you to be a good friend
and a well wisher all along." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was pleased with him
and gave him his blessings. Later Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura admitted he was
astonished that Sir William Duke wanted to harm him in some way.
In the year 1908 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura took the external 'vesa' dress of a
'babaji' at Satasana in Puri technically which is called his accepting
'paramahamsa-sannyasa', among the 'Gaudiya sampradaya'; until 1910 he would move
between Calcutta and Puri, and was still writing books; but during that year he
shut himself up and entered 'samadhi', 'claiming paralysis'.
It was on June 23rd., 1914, just before noon at Jagannatha Puri, that Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura Prabhupada left his body; on the Gaudiya Panjika this day
was also the disappearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. But from Orissa his
bodily remains were taken back to his beloved Godruma, in the land of Nadia.
Amidst 'sankirtana' his remains were interred in Godruma after the next
solstice; the summer solstice had just begun when Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Prabhupada had left his body.
Remembering His Divine Character.
In an obiturary about Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sarada Carana Mitra, Calcutta
High Court Judge, wrote: "I knew Thakur Bhaktivinode intimately as a friend and
a relation. Even under the pressure of official work as a magistrate in charge
of a heavy subdivision he could always find time for devotional contemplation
and work, and whenever I met him, our talk would turn in a few moments to the
subject of 'bhakti' and 'achintya bheda abheda', 'dvaitadvaita-vada' etc., and
the saintly work that lay before him. Service of God is the only thing he longed
for and service under the government, however honorable, was to him a clog."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Daily Schedule
7:30-8:00 PM - take rest.
10:00 PM - rise, light oil lamp, write.
4:00 AM - take rest.
4:30 - rise, wash hands and face, chant 'Hare Krsna Mahamantra japa'.
7:00 - write letters.
7:30 - read.
8:30 - receive guests, or continue to read.
9:30-9:45 - take rest.
9:45 - morning bath, breakfast of half-quart milk, couple of 'chapatis', some
fruits.
9:55 - go to court in carriage.
He would wear coat and pants to court, with double-size Tulasi neckbeads, and
Vaishnava Tilaka. He was very strong in his decisions; he would decide
immediately. He did not allow any humbug in his court; no upstart could stand
before him. He would shave his head monthly. He never allowed harmonium in his
'sankirtan', considering it a distraction from the sound of the 'Nama Prabhu'.
He never had any debts.
10:00 - court began.
1:00 PM - court finished. He'd come home and bathe and refresh.
2:00 PM - return to office.
5:00 PM - translate works from Sanskrit to Bengali.
Then take evening bath and meal of rice, couple of 'chapatis', half-quart (1
pint - 20 onces, or approx half litre) of milk.
He always consulted a pocket watch, and was always accountable keeping time very
punctually.
He was always charitable to 'brahmanas', and equally befriended other castes. He
never showed pride, and his amiable disposition was a characteristic feature of
his life. He never accepted gifts from anyone; he even declined all honors and
titles offered by the government to him on the grounds that they might stand
against his holy mission of life. He was very strict in moral principles, and
avoided the luxurious life; he would not even chew betel. He dislike theaters
because they were frequented by 'public women'.
He spoke Bengali, Sanskrit, English, Latin, Urdu, Persian and Oriya. He started
writing books at age 12, and continued turning out a profuse number of volumes
up until his departure from this world.
As with all of the wonderful personalities we have touched on there are so many
things that can be said to glorify such incredible devotees, but just to keep
this book in perspective we are just trying to give a taste. For further details
on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Rupa Vilasa Prabhu, a disciple of Srila A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has compiled a book on the life of Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura entitled "The Seventh Goswami".
His Divine Grace
Çréla Sac-cid-änanda Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s
Appearance Day, Lecture
London, September 23, 1969
Prabhupäda: Bring water, water. Water?
So today is a very auspicious day, Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda’s birthday. Here is the
picture of Öhäkura Sac-cid-änanda Bhaktivinoda. He was one of the äcäryas of
this disciplic succession from Kåñëa. We have got a succession table from Kåñëa,
genealogical table. There are two kinds of genealogical tables, one by the
semina—father, his son, his son, like that. That is material genealogical table.
And there is one spiritual genealogical table, disciplic succession. Just like
Kåñëa. Kåñëa, the original father, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He spoke the
Vedic knowledge to Brahma, Lord Brahma. He spoke to Närada. Närada spoke to
Vyäsa. Vyäsa spoke to Madhväcärya. So in this disciplic succession, Lord
Caitanya, from Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvämés, and similarly, coming down,
down, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, then Gaurakiçora däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja, then my
spiritual master, then we are next generation, my disciples.
So there is a disciplic succession. And the
äcäryas, they’re authorities. Our process of knowledge is very simple. We take
it from the authority. We don’t speculate. Speculation will not help us to come
to the real knowledge. Just like when we are in difficulty, in legal
implication, we go to some authority, lawyer. When we are diseased we go to a
physician, the authority. There is no use, speculation. Suppose I am in
difficulty in some legal implication. I simply speculate, “I shall be free in
this way and that way.” That will not help. We have to go to the lawyer who
knows things, and he gives us instruction that “You do not do this; then you’ll
be free.” Similarly, when we are diseased, if I speculate at home that “My
disease will be cured in this way and that way,” no. That is useless. You go to
an authorized physician, and he will give you a nice prescription, and you’ll be
cured. That is the process of knowledge. But in the modern age people think that
“I am free, I am independent, and I can make my own solution.” That is
rascaldom. That’s not good. So Arjuna, when he was talking with Kåñëa as friend,
but when he saw that there was no solution talking like this, he surrendered to
Kåñëa. He said, çiñyas te ’ham, aham: “Myself, I surrender unto You as Your
disciple.” Çiñyas te ’haà çädhi mäà prapannam. Prapannam means surrender. So
that is the Vedic injunction, that if you want to know transcendental knowledge
or science... “Transcendental” means beyond the scope of your direct perception.
So spiritual knowledge is beyond the scope of
our sense speculation. Beyond the scope. Just like when a soul, a spiritual
spark only, leaves this body, you cannot see. Therefore, atheistic class of men,
they speculate, “There may be a soul; there may not be soul.” Or, “The bodily
function was going like this; now it stopped. The blood corpuscles now cease. It
is no more red; it is white; therefore life...” These are speculation. This is
not actual knowledge. Actual knowledge you get from the authority, Kåñëa. He
says, tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati. Just like the soul is
passing through different stages. Dehino ’smin yathä dehe. Deha, deha means this
body. Asmin dehe, in this body, there is dehi. Dehi means who is the owner of
this body. That is soul. That is passing through childhood, boyhood, babyhood,
youthhood, old age. Everyone, you can perceive that you were a child, you were a
baby, you were a boy. Now you are young or old man. So you are there. So as you
are passing through different types of bodies, similarly, when you give up this
body you accept another body. What is the difficulty? Tathä dehäntara-präptir
dhéras tatra na muhyati. There is no question of becoming astonished, how
transmigration of the self, soul, takes place. The vivid example is there.
Simply you require little intelligence. That intelligence is developed through
the instruction of äcärya. Therefore, Vedic injunction is not to acquire
knowledge by speculation. That is useless. Athäpi te deva padämbuja-dvayaà
janäti tattvaà prasäda-leçänugåhéta eva hi, na cänya eko ’pi ciraà vicinvan.
Ciraà vicinvan. Ciram means for thousands of years you can speculate; you cannot
understand what is God. That is not possible. But if you receive knowledge from
the devotee, he can deliver you. Therefore Vedic injunction is that
tad-vijïäna... (break) ...in order to understand tad-vijïäna... Vijïäna means
science. If you want to know the transcendental science, then you must approach
a guru. Tad-vijïänärtham, in order to... If you are at all interested to
understand the spiritual science. Tad- vijïänärthaà (sa) gurum eva abhigacchet.
You must approach guru. Guru means this disciplic succession, as I have
explained.
So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura is an ideal guru. He
was not a sannyäsé; he was gåhastha, householder, living with family, wife,
children. Still, he was guru. So anyone can become guru. Not that a sannyäsé can
become guru. A householder also can become guru, provided he knows the science.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu, when He was talking with Rämänanda Räya... Caitanya
Mahäprabhu was a sannyäsé, very highly born in brähmaëa family, very learned
scholar. So He was talking with Rämänanda Räya, a gåhastha, governor of Madras.
And He was questioning, and Rämänanda Räya was answering. That means he was
taking the part of guru, and Caitanya Mahäprabhu was taking the part of a
disciple. So he was hesitating, Rämänanda Räya. He thought himself that “I am a
gåhastha; I’m not even a brähmaëa. Besides that, I am dealing in material
affairs. I am governor, politics. And Caitanya Mahäprabhu is a sannyäsé, born of
a high-class brähmaëa family. So it does not look well that I shall teach Him.”
So he was hesitating. Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Oh, why you are hesitating?” He
said,
yei kåñëa-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya He said, “Don’t hesitate. Either one may become a brähmaëa or one may become a çüdra...” Kibä vipra, kibä çüdra. Vipra means brähmaëa, and çüdra. Çüdra is the fourth-grade human being. Brähmaëa is the first grade. So kibä vipra, kibä çüdra. He may be a first-grade human being or the lowest grade human being, or he may become a sannyäsé or a gåhastha. It does not matter. Anyone who knows the science of Kåñëa, he can become a guru. This is the verdict. Because spiritual science does not belong to the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. It is very nice. Just like when you go to a lawyer or to an engineer or to a physician. You do not inquire whether he’s a brähmaëa or çüdra. Simply you have to know whether he’s a lawyer. That’s all. Whether he’s a physician actually. If he knows the medical science, he may be a brähmaëa, he may be a çüdra, he may be a sannyäsé, he may be a householder. It doesn’t matter. Your business is with a physician, with a lawyer. Similarly, your business is to understand Kåñëa. So anyone who knows Kåñëa perfectly, you have to go there. Tad- vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet. It is... Vedic injunction is not that you have to approach a sannyäsé or a gåhastha or an Indian or American. No. Gurum. And guru means who knows the science of Kåñëa.
So, this Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was gåhastha, very responsible officer, magistrate. And he was so exalted that he would come from his office generally at five o’clock, then take his supper and immediately go to bed. Immediately. Say at seven o’clock in the evening he goes to bed, and he wakes up at twelve o’clock. So suppose he goes to bed at seven o’clock in the evening and wakes up at twelve o’clock at night; it is sufficient sleep, five hours. One should not sleep more than five to six hours. Minimize as far as possible. The Gosvämés used to sleep not more than one and a half hour, or two hours. Sleeping is not very important thing. Even big politicians, they used to sleep for two hours. So especially in spiritual line, they should minimize as far as possible eating, sleeping, mating, defending. Minimize. Gradually it comes to nil. Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, he was eating only a little piece of butter every alternate days, not daily. So this Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, regularly he was coming from his office, and after taking his supper immediately he goes to bed, and wake up at twelve o’clock, and he used to write books. He wrote, he left behind him about one hundred books. And he excavated the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, organized how to develop that birth site, Mäyäpur. He had so many business. He used to go to preach about Caitanya’s philosophy. He used to sell books to foreign countries. In 1896 he attempted to sell Life and Precepts of Caitanya in the MacGill University in Montreal. So he was busy, äcärya. So one has to adjust things. Not that “Because I am gåhastha, householder, I cannot become a preacher. It is the business...” (aside:) Give me water. “It is the business of the sannyäsé or brahmacäré.” No. It is the business of everyone. The whole world is suffering for want of knowledge. The present civilization is animal civilization. They do not know anything beyond eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s all. This is animal civilization. Animal does not know beyond these four principles of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That’s all. No. Human life is meant for something else: “What I am? What is God? What is my relation with God? What is this material world? Why I am here? Where I have to go next?” So many things one has to learn. Athäto brahma-jijïäsä. This is human life. Not that eat and sleep and have sex life and die someday like cats and dogs. Therefore, there is need of äcäryas, teachers, for propagating spiritual knowledge, Kåñëa consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was... Although he was a gåhastha, householder, a government officer, magistrate, but he was äcärya. So from his dealings, from his life, we should learn how one can become a preacher in any stage of life. It doesn’t matter what he is.
There was one incidence, very interesting. When he was magistrate in Jagannätha Puré... The system is... Jagannätha temple is a very big establishment. In the temple fifty-six times daily, bhoga is offered. And you’ll find in the temple always at least five hundred to one thousand people gathered. And they come from outside, and prasäda is ready. If you go and ask in the Jagannätha temple that “We are one hundred men come from outside. We want prasäda,” yes, immediately ready. So it is a huge temple. This is one temple, but there are many other thousands of temple in India where prasäda is distributed. Now it is minimized by our present government. They think that it is unnecessary expenditure. They are minimizing. But not unnecessary expenditure. They do not understand. Formerly, in India there was no necessity of hotel. Anyone goes anywhere, even in a village, he goes to a temple—prasäda is ready. There is no need of going to a hotel. You pay or don’t pay. If you say that “I want little prasäda,” “Yes, take it.” That is the system still. There is the Näthadvärä temple in Rajasthan. You pay two annas only. Two annas means one cent. You get sumptuous prasäda for two mens, all very nice prasäda, still. So prasäda distribution in temple is longstanding usage. So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura... The Jagannätha temple is managed by a body, and it is the custom that the local magistrate of the district, he becomes the president, or manager. So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was manager in that sense, because he was magistrate. The managing committee was being presided by him. So there was a complaint. In Orissa, this Jagannätha temple is situated in Orissa. Utkäla. Utkäla, this state, was originally belonging to Dhruva Mahäräja. His son’s name was Utkäla, Mahäräja Utkäla. Anyway, so this Utkäla, there was a pseudo yogi. He declared himself that... Just like you’ll find nowadays also, there are so many rascals declaring that “I am incarnation of God.” And they know some mystic power, play some jugglery, and foolish people take them: “Oh, he’s God.” So there appeared one like such pseudo God, Viñëu, in a village of Orissa. And he was dancing rasa dance, and foolish people were sending their daughters and wife to dance with him. You see? There were so many. Not only that. People are so foolish, they do not know... They want to be cheated, and these cheaters come. He declared that “I am God. I am Viñëu.” So there were sane men also. They took objection, “What is this nonsense? This man is dancing with ladies and gentlemen, er, girls.” So they filed a complaint. At that time it was British rule. They complained to the governor or the commissioner, very high officer. The commissioner knew that Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura... His name was Kedaranatha Datta. Datta. Kedaranatha Datta, his household name. So the commissioner of the division, he knew that Kedaranatha Datta is a religious man, and he’s magistrate in charge. So he handed over the case for inquiry, “What is this complaint? You please inquire and do the needful.” So he was a pure devotee, and he understood that “This rascal is a bogus man, cheating people. I must inquire.” So he went to the village in plain dress with some constables, police constables. They were also in plain dress. And as soon as he approached that rascal yogi, he said, “Oh, you are Kedaranatha Datta. So, very nice. You are... I shall make you king of India. Please don’t try to bother me.” Because he could know that “He has come to inquire about my räsa-lélä.” So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura first of all said, “Sir, you are such a great yogi. Why you are in the village? Why don’t you go to Jagannätha Puré? There is temple and Lord Jagannätha is there. Better you go there and see the Lord and be happy. Why you are in this village?” “Oh, Jagannätha? Ah, that is made of wood. I am personally the Supreme Lord. That is made of wood.” Oh, then Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura—he was a devotee—he became fire. (laughter) He was insulting. Arcye çilä-dhér guruñu nara-matiù. According to çästra, if somebody thinks... Just like here is Deity. If somebody thinks, “Oh, it is made of stone...” It is stone to the eyes of the nondevotee, but it is personally Supreme Personality of Godhead to the devotees. It requires the eyes to see. So devotee sees in a different angle of vision. Just like Caitanya Mahäprabhu, when He entered Jagannätha temple immediately He fainted: “Oh, here is My Lord.” And the nondevotee is seeing: “It is wood, a lump of wood.” Therefore, to the nondevotee, He remains always as wood, but to the devotee He speaks. That is the difference. Premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. If God is everything, why wood, through wood and stone, God cannot manifest? If God is everything? According to Mäyäväda philosophy... That’s a fact. God, omnipotent. He can express Himself even through wood and stone. That is God’s omnipotency. That is called omnipotency. Not that God is unable to express Himself through wood and stone. Then how He’s omnipotent? Omnipotent means His potency can be expressed through anything. Because anything, everything is the expansion of God’s energy. Parasya brahmaëaù çaktis tathedam akhilaà jagat. The whole world is manifestation of different energies of God. Therefore... Just like through the energy of electricity the electric powerhouse, although far, far away from this place, was expressing. There is electricity. Through this glass, through these wires, the power can be expressed. There is a process.
So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura became very much... Because a devotee cannot tolerate blaspheming another devotee or God. So as soon as he said that “Why shall I go to Jagannätha Puré to see the wooden Jagannätha? I am personally Viñëu,” Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura immediately ordered his constables, “Arrest him. Arrest this rascal.” So he was arrested. And when he was arrested... He had some yogic mystic power. All the constables, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, and his family members became affected with high fever, 105 degrees fever. So when he came back, his wife became very much disturbed that “You arrested Viñëu, and we are all going to die. We have now high fever.” Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura replied, “Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished.” This is the view of pure devotee. So he was put into the custody. And there was a date fixed for his trial, and all these days Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura himself and his family especially, they were suffering from high fever. Maybe that yogi was planning to kill the whole family. But it was going on as fever. So on the trial day, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, Kedaranatha Datta, when he came to the bench the man was presented, the so-called yogi, and he had big, big hairs. So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura ordered that “Bring one barber and cut his hair.” So no barber dared. The barbers thought, “Oh, he’s a Lord Viñëu. If I offend, as he’s suffering from fever, so I shall also die.” So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura ordered that “Give me the scissor. I’ll cut.” So he cut his hairs and ordered him to be put into jail for six months, and in the jail that Viñëu incarnation managed to take some poison, and he died.
So this is one of the incidents. There are many incidences. He was very strong man. He punished many paëòas in the térthas who exploit visitors. So, this is the position of devotee. In spite of his becoming a responsible magistrate, a householder, still, he was äcärya. So we have to follow the äcäryas. If we at all, if we are at all interested in spiritual science, then we must follow the Vedic instruction, tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet. We must approach. You cannot have spiritual knowledge simply by speculating. Impossible. Simply waste of time. Çrama eva hi kevalam. You must go to the... In the Bhagavad-gétä, therefore, it is recommended, äcäryopäsanam. Äcärya-upäsanä. Not only worshiping the Lord, but also the äcärya. Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, guru-kåñëa-kåpayä päya bhakti- latä-béja. Guru, äcärya, and Kåñëa. One should seek favor of both of them. Not that “I am now seeking favor of Kåñëa. What is the use of guru or äcärya?” No. You cannot overlap äcärya and go to Kåñëa. That is not possible. Kåñëa will not accept you. Just like if you want to see a big man you should go through his secretary, through his orderly, doorkeeper; similarly, our process is äcäryopäsanam, go through the äcärya. That is the injunction of the Vedas. Tarko ’pratiñöhaù. If you want to enter into the spiritual world, you cannot get through simply by arguments. Because there is no limit of argument. I place my argument in one way. Another man, who is better arguer, he places his argument in a different way. So if you simply go on arguing, it is not possible. Tarko ’pratiñöhaù. It will never help you. Argument. Çrutayo vibhinnäù. If you think that “I shall read scriptures and I shall understand God,” no, that is also not possible. Çrutayo vibhinnäù. Scriptures are also different. Because scriptures are made according to time, circumstances, people. Just like Bible. Bible Lord Jesus Christ preached in the desert, Jerusalem. Or where it is? People who were not so advanced. Therefore his first instruction is “Thou shall not kill.” That means they were very much engaged in killing affairs; otherwise, why is this instruction? And actually, it so happened that they killed Jesus Christ. So that society was not very enlightened society. So a scripture for a society which is not very enlightened and a scripture for a society which is very enlightened must be different. Just like a dictionary. For the schoolboy, a pocket dictionary. And for a college student, international, big dictionary. Both of them are dictionaries. But the small pocket dictionary is not equal to the big dictionary. Because it is different made for different classes of men. So scriptures are made according to different classes of men. There are three classes of men: first-class, second-class, and third-class. The third-class man cannot understand the philosophy and scriptural injunctions of the first-class man. That is not possible. Higher mathematics cannot be understood by the small schoolboys who are simply trying to understand “Two plus two equal to four.” But “Two plus two equal to four” is equally good to the higher mathematics student. But still, higher mathematics and lower math is different. Therefore it is said, çrutayo vibhinnäù: the scriptures are different. So if you simply try to understand what is God by reading scriptures, you cannot achieve. You must approach a guru. Just like a medical book. It can be available in the market. If you purchase one medical book and study and you become doctor, that is not possible. You must hear the medical book from a medical man in the college, medical college. Then you will be qualified. And if you say, “Sir, I have read all the medical books. Recognize me as a medical practitioner,” no, that will be not.
So çrutayo vibhinnäù. Scriptures are different. Arguments, that is also not helpful. One man may argue better than me. Then philosophy. The philosophy, it is said, näsau munir yasya mataà na bhinnam. One philosopher is differing from another philosopher. Just now today Çyämasundara has purchased one book about different philosophers. So that you also cannot ascertain what is truth. Therefore çästra says, dharmasya tattvaà nihitaà guhäyäm. The truth is very confidential. So if you want to know that truth, mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù, you should have to follow the great äcäryas. Then you will understand. Therefore äcärya-upäsanä is essential. Äcärya-upäsanä is very essential. In all the Vedic çästras the injunction is that. Tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet, çrotriyaà brahma- niñöham. Tasmäd gurum prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam. Anyone who is inquisitive to understand higher truths, he must surrender to guru. Tasmäd guruà prapadyeta, jijïäsuù çreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive, who is now inquiring about transcendental subject matter. Tad viddhi praëipätena paripraçnena sevayä. So all the çästras says, in our Vaiñëava çästra also, Rüpa Gosvämé says, ädau gurv-äçrayam: “In the first beginning, you must take shelter of a bona fide guru.”
So this Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s birthday, we should adore, we should worship, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession. From Caitanya Mahäprabhu... Five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught this philosophy, but within two hundred years... Because this material world is so made that whatever you introduce, in due course of time it will deteriorate. You make a nice house, but after one hundred years, two hundred years, or nowadays, even after fifty years, it becomes dilapidated. That is the nature’s law, käla. Time will destroy everything. Now, British empire, such a big, vast empire, now it is finished. The käla, the time, will make everything finished. That is material. Anything material, it has birth, it has growth, it has got some opulence, then dwindling, then finished. That is the way of material... So we are interested in spiritual subject matter. Therefore the process is ädau gurv-äçrayam. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is our process. Without accepting a bona fide spiritual master, we cannot make any progress. It is impossible. So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura happens to be äcäryas, one of the äcäryas. And he has left behind him many books. Caitanya-çikñämåta, Jaiva Dharma. These are very important books. They’re in Bengali, in Sanskrit. And many songs. He has prepared many books of song. The song, Ei näm gäya gauracänd madhura svare, that is Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s song. So we are trying to present Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s books also in English translation. Gradually you will get it. So our adoration, our worship to Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura today because he may bless us to make peacefully progress in Kåñëa consciousness. Äcärya-upäsanä, simply by the blessings of the äcäryas we can make very rapid progress. Vedeñu durlabham adurlabham ätma- bhaktau. If we... Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù... We sing every day. By the mercy of the spiritual master, äcärya, we immediately get the blessings of Lord. Immediately. Yasya prasädät. Yasya means “whose”; prasädät, “benediction.” By the benediction of the spiritual master. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù. If spiritual master, äcärya, is pleased, then you should know that Kåñëa is also pleased. You should know through. This is not very difficult. Just like you are working in office. If your immediate officer, boss, is pleased, that means the proprietor of the firm, he’s also pleased. Although you do not see him. This is fact. Your immediate boss, if he’s pleased. So similarly, we, our business, this spiritual line, is guru-kåñëa- kåpä. We have to first receive the merciful benediction from the äcärya, and then Kåñëa will be pleased and He’ll also give His blessings. Mad-bhakta. There is a version in the Çrémad- Bhägavatam, mad-bhakta püjyäbhyadhikä. He says, Kåñëa says, that “If anyone worships Me directly and if anyone worships Me through the äcärya, he’s better devotee who is coming to Me through äcärya.” Mad-bhakta püjyäbhyadhikä.
So our, this Vaiñëava philosophy, process, is to go through the äcärya. Servant of the servant of the servant. We should try to become servant of the servant. Gopé-bhartuù pada-kamalayor däsa-däsänudäsaù. Däsa-däsänudäsaù. We should not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. That is not good. That will not be... In the Vedic injunction also it is said, yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau. If one has got unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yathä deve, and similar faith in guru... Of course, we must make guru bona fide. Then it is disciplic succession. And that is also not very difficult to select, who is bona fide guru. Bona fide guru means he presents himself as servant of God. He does not pose himself falsely that “I am God.” This is bona fide. It is not difficult to find out bona fide. But this is the test. If anyone says that “I am guru,” er, “I am God,” then he cannot be guru. Because he has no knowledge. How he is God? But he can cheat some people. That is different thing. You can cheat all people for some time and some people for all time, but not all people for all time. That is not possible. So these kinds of guru, who poses themself that “I am God,” he’s a false guru. The bona fide guru will say that “I am servant of the servant of the servant of Kåñëa,” or God. Servant of. That is the business of guru. He serves Kåñëa as Kåñëa desires; that is his business. That is also not very difficult. Kåñëa says, Kåñëa desires, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà vraja, that “You give up all other engagement; just surrender unto Me, and I’ll give you protection.” Kåñëa says. So guru’s business is that “You simply surrender to Kåñëa.” What is the difficulty? Simply repeat the same thing. Not for himself, but for Kåñëa. He’s bona fide guru.
So our this Kåñëa consciousness movement is very bona fide because we say the same thing as Kåñëa says. We don’t make any addition, alteration. Not like big scholars like, “It is not to Kåñëa...” Kåñëa says, man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru, and the scholar interprets, “It is not to Kåñëa.” Just see (the) foolishness. Kåñëa directly says, “unto Me.” He says, “Not to Kåñëa.” Misleading. Such misleading guru will not help you. So therefore to find out a bona fide guru means that he does not change the words of Kåñëa. That is his position. He places everything as it is, and he has understood thoroughly the science. Jijïäsuù çreya uttamam. Guru, what is the symptom of guru? Tasmäd guruà prapadyeta jijïäsuù çreya uttamam. Those who are inquisitive to understand higher scientific knowledge, uttamam. Uttama means higher. Uttama, madhyama, adhama. There are three words. First-class, second-class, third-class. So spiritual knowledge is uttamam. Anyone who is inquisitive to understand first-class knowledge, he requires to go to a guru. Those who are interested in third-class knowledge, they do not require any guru. Third-class knowledge means animal knowledge: how to eat, how to sleep. How to make arrangement for eating, how to make arrangement for sleeping, that is third-class knowledge. Because the animals also try for this kind of knowledge, how to eat, how to sleep. Therefore this kind of knowledge is third-class knowledge. And second-class knowledge is “What I am?” Athäto brahma-jijïäsä. The Vedänta. That is second-class knowledge. And first-class knowledge, when he actually understands what he is, he is eternal servant of Kåñëa, and engages himself in the service of the Lord, that is first-class knowledge. And therefore, as soon as he comes to the first-class knowledge platform, he becomes happy.
brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä
na çocati na käìkñati
samaù sarveñu bhüteñu
mad-bhaktià labhate paräm
So our this Kåñëa consciousness movement is to enlighten people to utilize his very nice life, human form of life, utilize it properly. To utilize it properly means to revive his dormant Kåñëa consciousness. The Kåñëa consciousness, or God consciousness, is there already. It is developed in human form of life. But it is now covered because due to our association with this material world for unlimited years background. We are coming through different species of life. Millions and millions of years passed away. Suppose I was a tree sometimes. I was standing up for ten thousand years in one place. We have passed through. That’s a fact. That is evolution. Now we have the opportunity of light. If you don’t use this opportune moment and again go back to the cycle of evolutionary process, jalajä nava-lakçaëi sthävarä... So these are great science. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity for the people to study this science in school, colleges, or universities. They are simply teaching people that “You work hard and gratify your senses.” That’s all. Therefore a section, younger section, they have been disgusted. They have refused to cooperate with this society on account of this disappointing education. And it will increase. Because this sort of education cannot give peace or prosperity to the people. Problems are increasing. Therefore, our request is that if you want to decrease or completely finish all the problems of life, take to Kåñëa consciousness in the process of disciplic succession and you’ll be all happy.
Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances)
Çyämasundara: Prabhupäda, are you going to answer any questions?
Prabhupäda: Yes.
Çyämasundara: If anyone has any questions pertaining to the lecture, you can ask them at this time. They should be pertaining to the lecture.
Devotee girl: Did Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, he also took sannyäsa in later years? Is this right?
Çyämasundara: Did Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura take sannyäsa in later years?
Prabhupäda: Yes. In very late years. In his retired life.
Çyämasundara: Any other questions?
Devotee: Prabhupäda, you say that an animal has no chance for liberation. What would happen if an animal came in contact with a pure devotee?
Prabhupäda: Yes, there is chance of deliverance. Yes. Even an animal. Because he’ll hear Hare Kåñëa from the pure devotee. That will not go in vain. He’ll give prasädam. He does not know, but the devotee out of compassion gives prasädam, chants Hare Kåñëa. He also gets the opportunity of hearing. So he’ll also be liberated. One dog, during Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s time, he also became liberated. There is a history. Çivänanda Sena’s dog, he was liberated by the grace of Lord Caitanya. So by the association of pure devotee... Therefore Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s, there is one song. He prays to the Lord that kéöa-janma hou jatha tuyä däsa. Kéöa means insect. “My Lord, if I have to take my birth again...” Because a devotee does not pray to God for liberation. He simply prays that “Wherever I may take my birth, I may not forget You.” That’s all. That is devotee’s prayer. A devotee does not say that “Elevate me to the heavenly planet or Vaikuëöha planet.” No. “You can put me anywhere.” Just like Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura says, kéöa-janma hou: “My dear Lord, I have no objection if I have to take my birth next as an insect.” What to speak of human being or other thing. “As an insect. But I must be in the house of a devotee.” So that an insect, by eating the remnants of foodstuff left by the devotee, he’ll be delivered. Kéöa-janma hou jatha tuyä, bahir-mukha brahma-janma nähi mora äçä: “I don’t want my next birth as Lord Brahmä if I forget You. I don’t want.” That is wanted. A devotee prays to the Lord that he would be able to constantly remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Never mind whether as insect or as king or as dog, never mind. That is devotee’s, pure devotee.
Indian man: If one has accepted a bona fide spiritual master and he did not receive much knowledge from him, can he change his spiritual master at later...
Prabhupäda: A bona fide spiritual master, where is the necessity of changing?
Indian man: No, he has not got the knowledge from him, but can I change...?
Prabhupäda: No, no. Bona fide spiritual means he must get knowledge. He must get knowledge. He must inquire from the... The student must inquire from the spiritual master. If he remains dumb, then what bona fide spiritual master can do? Ädau gurv- äçrayaà sad-dharma-påcchat, jijïäsuù. He must be jijïäsuù. He must be jijïäsuù. We get so many letters daily. So many inquiries. The student must be very inquisitive. Otherwise how he shall make progress? If he remains dumb, then what the bona fide spiritual master can do? If you go to a very nice school but if you do not study, if you do not inquire, then what is the use of going to the nice school? You must be also very alert to inquire, to understand, to make progress. Then it will be all right. If you do not utilize the benefit of having a bona fide spiritual master, then that is your fault. You must utilize the opportunity. We are publishing so many books, so many literatures, magazines. Why? Just to enlighten more and more. But if you don’t take advantage of this, then how can you make progress? Change of spiritual master requires when the spiritual master is not bona fide. Otherwise there is no necessity of changing.
Indian lady: How does one contact the spiritual master? Through a book can you contact the spiritual master?
Prabhupäda: No, you have to associate.
Çyämasundara: “Can you associate through a book?” she asked.
Prabhupäda: Yes, through books, and also personal. Because when you make a spiritual master you have got personal touch. Not that in air you make a spiritual master. You make a spiritual master concrete. So as soon as you make a spiritual master, you should be inquisitive.
English man: If the spiritual master, Prabhupäda, worships God through a demigod, is he bona fide?
Prabhupäda: No. He does not know how to worship. How he can be bona fide? Kåñëa says, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekam. Why he should go to the demigods? That means he has no knowledge. Kåñëa says, mäm ekam. Why should you go to others? That means he’s insufficiently qualified. Why should you go to the demigods? What is the necessity? He’s not bona fide. Because he has insufficient knowledge. Bona fide spiritual must be sufficiently knowledge. Kåñëa says, mäm ekam; God says, mäm ekam. Why he should go to demigods? That is his proof that he’s not bona fide.
Devotee: If one accepts initiation from a bona fide spiritual master but continues to perform material activities, are they still bound by the karma?
Prabhupäda: He has to do everything under the instruction of the spiritual master. That is his duty. Çiñya. Çiñya means who voluntarily accepts disciplinary measures from the spiritual master. He’s ruled by the spiritual master.
Indian lady: Can the death of a spiritual master take to us, or I can get... Is that spiritual master still guiding after the death? (?)
Prabhupäda: Yes, yes. Just like Kåñëa is guiding us, similarly, spiritual master will guide. We are being guided by Kåñëa, by the Bhagavad-gétä. Although Kåñëa is not physically present, so- called... Kåñëa is present always. But even if we say that Kåñëa is not physically present as He was present before Arjuna, still, His book, Bhagavad-gétä, is there. And that Bhagavad-gétä is nondifferent from Kåñëa. Kåñëa and Kåñëa’s teaching, the same, absolute. That is Absolute Truth. Kåñëa and Kåñëa’s... Here form, the same. It is not that we are making show of offering Kåñëa some food. No, we are offering directly to Kåñëa and He’s eating. Kåñëa being absolute, He can perform through anything provided we are sincere and serious. All right. (end)
(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 23rd September 1969. Appearance Day lecture of His Divine Grace Srila Sac Cid Ananda Bhaktivinod Thakur Prabhupada. London.)
Note: Special thanks to Jaya Tirtha Caran prabhu from NZ for allowing us to use some of the content from his site to compile these pages - http://www.hknet.org.nz
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