Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
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Overview
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was one of ten children born to Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a great Vaisnava teacher in the disciplic line from Lord Caitanya Himself. While living in a house named Narayana Chata, just near the temple of Lord Jagannatha in Puri, Bhaktivinoda Thakura was engaged as a prominent Deputy Magistrate and also served as the superintendent of the temple of Lord Jagannatha. Yet in spite of these responsibilities, he served the cause of Krsna with prodigious energy. While working to reform Gaudiya Vaisnavism in India, he prayed to Lord Caitanya,
- "Your teachings have been greatly depreciated and it is not in my power to restore them."
Thus he prayed for a son to help him in his preaching mission. When, on February 6, 1874, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was born to Bhaktivinoda and Bhagavati devi in Jagannatha Puri, the Vaisnavas considered him the answer to his father's prayers. He was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and draped across his chest like the sacred thread worn by brahmanas.
Lila in Sri Vrndavana Dhama
Sometimes while speaking he would mention the name Radha and, all of a sudden, manifest astasattvika vikara, or the eight symptoms of ecstasy, described in the Nectar of Devotion, Chapter twenty eight, as: becoming stunned, perspiring, standing of the hairs on the body, faltering of the voice, trembling of the body, changing of the bodily colours, shedding of tears, and devastation. His whole countenance would turn white, then red, with his hair standing on end, and his whole body would become stiff. Tears would flow profusely from his eyes and his speech would become grave. Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Goswami Maharaja (Bhaktivinoda Thakura's disciple), who took sannyasa initiation from Sarasvati Thakura, personally saw, on two occasions, how his whole body became red, and all bodily transformations were also present, when he was lecturing about Radha tattva, in Vrndavana.
When speaking about the instructions of Rupa Raghunatha (Rupa Raghunatha vani), his whole body, especially his face, would sometimes become bright red. These incidents occurred several times, in different places, especially at Radha Kunda or Mayapura, in full view of everyone, even though he tried his utmost to suppress these feelings. He would continue talking, but those present could see that, internally, he was experiencing turbulent spiritual ecstasies. Sarasvati Thakura never liked the sahajiyas who artificially showed so called "ecstatic symptoms", or who proclaimed themselves to be "such and such sakhi". Therefore, he would generally explain just ordinary things that were not on the level of bhava or prema, which brought on these uncontrollable emotions.
At the time of Vrndavan parikrama, many pilgrims were taking fruits, flowers and twigs as toothbrushes. All these things to use for themselves from the trees. Sarasvati Thakura forbade that saying, "Everything in Vrndavan is meant for Krsna's enjoyment. All the trees are rishis and munis, so don't disturb them." While sitting in a chair in Vrndavan flies came on his body, so the devotees tried to fan them off. However, Sarasvati Thakura said,
- "No, they are Brijbasis. If they sit on me I'm very fortunate."
One time Sarasvati Thakura came to Vrndavan in his very nice "Ambassador" car, with a driver and assisants (Piyari brahmacari and Krsnananda brahmacari). The two brahmacaris were dressed in three-piece suits, and Mocha Singh was by his side, dressed very luxuriously, and brandishing a gun. The Brajabasis said, "This is not the proper way to come to Vrndavan. You are spoiling the spiritul atmosphere!" Sarasvati Thakura then replied,
- "You are all imitating Rupa Goswami. I have not come to imitate him, but to establish his actual mission. I have come to re-establish the spiritual atmosphere which has been disturbed by the false imitators."
Dealings with Brajavasis
At Radha Kund he fed the brajabasis and brahmanas very happily, giving plenty of katchouries, sweet rice (known as chac a chac, which means `first-class', in Vrndavan) sweets. One time he served at Radha Kund so many people prasadam it took two motor cars full from Vrndavan to Radha Kund to serve. Two Brajabasis were SP's disciples. One was from Varsana and the other from Radha Kund. SP gave them special regard and was very intimate with them. He told how Sanatan Goswami would go place to place in Vrndavan and speak with the Brajabasis, saying, "How are you? How are your children? etc." Rupa Goswami said, "This is Hari katha not gramya katha, because it is in relationship with Brajabasis."
In Vrndavan there were sadhus who were considered siddha purusa. Narahari Das Babaji and Vinoda Bihari babaji. there were other elevated babajis also, but these two were very special. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta went to Radha Kund he spoke intimately with them. Also, in the Radha Ramana temple, Gokulananda temple in Vrndavan were some devotees he spoke intimately with.
Sometimes in Mayapur it used to happen that some of the Muslim villagers would come and steal from the store of the Gaudiya Math. Items like rice, fruit, etc. One time one devotee caught a thief and brought him before Srila Bhaktisiddhanta . He said, "Do not punish him but give him what he wants, and give him some rupees also, because he is a dhama basi." He loved the Mohammedans of Mayapur. He was very fond of them. they had a very good relationship. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta always considered their descent from the Chand Kazi and their being dham-vasis.
Going on the Vraja Mandala Parikram, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta would have basketfuls of tomatoes, radishes (the long, white, Indian vasriety), guavas, etc., carried from village to village, and he would distribute it to the villagers. they would distribute and then send a car to purchae mre again and again. He used to give to the boys and girls especially of Braja, but if his disciples stretched out their hands to take, he would say, "No, no. This is not for you!" He would personally give by his own hand, not only to the young children, but to all, yioung and old. He very much liked to serve Brajabasis.
In Chiriya-kunj, in Vrndavan, was one Krsna Das Babaji, who was a friend of Bhaktivinoda thakura. He would sometimes put outside his kutir all old scales of fish and horrible things, so people would think that he was not a good sadhu and wouldn't come and disturb him. Sometimes he would pay a woman of the Bangi caste (very lowest caste), to sit outside his cottage so that people would think that he was having some dealings, some affair with a low caste woman, so they wouldn't come to bother him. Bhaktivinoda thakura told about this saying he was doing this as a kind of lila, just to make people think he was a rogue and therefore not bother him, so as he could do his bhajan peacefully.
Comments on Temples and Preaching
Many sannyasis and leading devotees of the Gaudiya Math told Srila Bhaktisiddhanta to amke a will for the management and organization of the Gaudiya Math after his departure. He didn't like that, saying,
- "If money is kept within the Mission we will become mahanta (a term referring to the propriortor of a temple in Bengal or Vrndavan) and by managing the temple they live very comfortably. They manage the funds of the temple and live very comfortably. So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said, "I don't want to make any agreement or document. When there is life in the mission it will run on. I am not a contractor or a mason. I have not established these temples in the manner of a contractor or a mason. If life is there, with or without any document or will, everything will go on.
- "But if there's no life, with or without a document then things will not go on in a spiritual way. Without the living source, without life, then the mission has no meaning. It will be a bad mission. rupa raghunatha vani pracar - this is what we want. I am the priya of Rupa Raghunatha. I am not the priya of some contractor. I build these temples for love of Rupa raghunatha, not for increasing some contractor's business. I have not come to build so many temples for the world's sake but for God's sake."
In Vraja he wanted to make his biggest temple at Radha Kund. He also wanted a big temple at Chatak Parvat, in Puri, which is non-different from Govardhan Hill. In Radha Kund he wanted Radha's temple - that means Radha Krsna temple - and eight temples for the asta sakhis. He said, "There is no big temple for Radha in Radha Kund." He said these things on the Vraja Mandala Parikram in 1935. that day they also fed chaka chak prasada to the Brajabasis.
At the time of the Vrndavan and Navadvipa Parikrams, the devotees would be working very hard making all the arrangements. They would have three to five lorries full of different kinds of sweets and nice prasadam to distribute to everyone. This was for feeding the Brajabasis. At that time, around 1930, Vrndavan wasn't developed atall. There was no proper road, no metalled road, no cars used to come. It was a perfectly tranquil, rural atmosphere. The devotees would go with an advance party, set up tents, and make all cooking arrangements. There were guards set up, because some areas especially were very dangerous for dacoits (gang of thieves).
Every day, in the afternoon or the morning, if he got the time, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta would recite the verses beginning, "radha kunda kunja kotira..." which is a song taken from Gitavali of Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He would recite this every day whilst on the Vraja Mandala Parikram. He would have one of the best singers sing this while they were sitting in their tent.
Because the paths on the Vraja Mandala Parikram are full of thorns, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta told the devotees that if they wished they could use canvas shoes to protect their feet on this parikram from the thorns, even though the ettiquette is not to use any footwear. Many did use these shoes on the recommendation of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, canvas shoes with rubber bottoms. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta visited Radha kund, he stayed at Gopal Dharmsala. He rented a cottage at Visrama ghata for two to three years for the convenience of the Gaudiya Math pilgrims. It is now no longer there. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta sometimes used to stay there.
A Revolutionary Preacher
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami was one of the greatest revolutionary preachers in Indian history and once visited Vrndavana in a motor car accompanied by a number of disciples dressed in western suits. His purpose in doing this was firstly to demonstrate that everything, even modern inventions could be used for preaching Krishna consciousness. And secondly to expose all the false renunciates dressed in the grab of Babajis but who associate with women and indulge illicit sex, smoke biddi's amd beg for money as a means of livelihood.
There was tremendous opposition to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati from the local Babaji community, as well as the so-called brahmanas and caste Gosvamis (those who claim the title of Gosvami simply by birthright.) Regardless of their stiff opposition, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati continued to preach fearlessly in spreading Lord Caitanya's movement and was known as the 'Lion Guru' because of it. His offer of the sacred thread to those not born in bahmin families created a storm of protest.
On one occasion as the thousand strong Vraja Mandala Parikrama party arrived in the town of Vrndavana, stones were thrown at them and all the temple closed their doors, except the Radharamana temple which enthusiastically welcomed them. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's struggle to establish the Krishna Consciousness movement is unparalled in the history of world Vaisnavism amd his contribution will be remembered by generations of Hare Krishna devotees the world over.
World Wide Preaching
During his lifetime Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami established sixty four Gaudiya Temples (Mathas) all over India. He sent preaching parties to England, Germany, Burma and Bangladesh as well as established a number of printing presses for printing books, magazines and a daily newspaper. All for the purpose of spreading the tachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu throughout the world.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami disappeared from the world in the year 1936 and his samadhi mandira is situated at Sridham Mayapura, West Bengal.
More Prayers and Quotes: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaj
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