Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Appearance Day

Giriraj Swami:

The ancient Vaishnava line of pure devotional service, which was spread by Madhvacharya in the thirteenth century, was inconceivably enriched by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the supremely merciful incarnation of Lord Krishna. Sriman Mahaprabhu appeared in 1486 in Navadvipa, West Bengal to deliver the sinful living entities of Kali-yuga, the present age of hypocrisy and quarrel. He spread His movement of devotional love through congregational chanting of the holy name of Krishna, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and pure devotional service. 

Sriman Mahaprabhu is known as the most munificent incarnation as He distributed pure love of God to innumerable people throughout India without consideration of their qualification. He predicted that one day His message of pure devotional love would spread all over the world. Under His guidance and instruction His intimate associates and followers have given the world an immense wealth of Vaishnava literature.

The six Gosvamis headed by Srila Rupa Gosvami left a myriad of works from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, a treatise on devotion, to the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, a treatise on deity worship. Srila Vrindavan dasa Thakura wrote the first major biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, focusing on the early part of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s life. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami wrote Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta focusing on Sriman Mahaprabhu’s later pastimes. These are just a few examples and the full extent and contents of the Vaishnava literature produced by Mahaprabhu’s followers are still known only to a few fortunate souls.

This pure devotional movement remained vibrant and continued even after the disappearance of Sriman Mahaprabhu. In fact, it brought one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in India for hundreds of years leading to a renaissance of Vedic culture. Unfortunately, the theology and practice of this pure devotional line was buried in ignorance and misconceptions during the nineteenth century in Bengal, Sriman Mahaprabhu’s birthplace. As many as thirteen pseudo Vaishnava groups, apa-sampradāyas, claimed to be Vaishnavas but did nothing more than arouse hatred and prejudice against Vaishnavism in the minds of the general public because of their practice of sense enjoyment in the name of religion. Such pseudo Vaishnavas are called sahajiyās, those who cheat them. Nineteenth century India was under British rule and the oppressive and exploitive ruling class cared very little for the material prosperity and the intellectual awareness of its subjects. In addition, some of the prominent intellectual representatives of the ruling class displayed extreme religious and cultural chauvinism. Looking down upon the native culture and religious concepts is something that should be suppressed for the benefit of all. 

The so-called brahman class ignorant of their own spiritual heritage and morally weak relentlessly imposed their selfish concocted religious edicts over the other classes of Indian Hindu majority. The people already morally, socially, and financially feeble after more than four centuries of Muslim dominance. The spiritual and moral consciousness of the populace had fallen to new depths. Many educated and influential Bengalis were turning away from their own spiritual and cultural heritage. Some of them had joined the impersonalist religious cult called the Brahma-samāj founded in 1826 by Ram Mohan Roy and others were looking to the West for intellectual and social reform, but a great cultural and intellectual renaissance was slowly taking place in Bengal. That time marked the appearance of one of the greatest saints of the pure Vaishnava line of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the son of Sri Ananda Chandra Datta, belonging to the famous lineage of the descendants of Sri Puruṣottama Datta and Srimate Jagat-mohini devi, was born on Sunday, September 2, 1838, in Birnagar, also known as Ula Gram, in Nadia District, West Bengal, in the house of his rich, and famous maternal grandfather, Sri Isvara Chandra Mitra Mustauphi. His parents named him Kedarnath.

COMMENT

And we will read a very nice excerpt from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s autobiography. Here is a picture of him at the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu which he discovered.

“I began to feel my life had been spent uselessly. I had not accomplished anything. I had not been able to taste the nectar of the joy of serving Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, the personification of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. If I could, I would have liked to retire from my job in a few years. Then I would go to Mathura, Vrindavan, and somewhere in the woods in the bank of the Yamuna. I would make a little shelter for myself so I could be a recluse and engage myself in devotional service. But due to my old habits, it would probably be hard on my body. So I should not live there alone. Perhaps I would have a companion. 

Then I went to Tarakeswar on some errand. While I was sleeping there Mahaprabhu came to me at night and said, “You are thinking of going to Vrindavan, but what about the work you are suppose to do in Navadvipa which is close to your home.” 

After I came back from Tarakeswar every Sunday I would go from Krishnan-agar to Navadvipa to look at the places of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes but I could not find anything and that made me very sad. The people there are very concerned about making their own living. They do not make any effort to find the places of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. 

One evening my son, Kamal, a clerk and I were standing on the rooftop looking around. It was about ten o’clock at night and it was dark and cloudy. Suddenly we happened to see a brightly lit mansion across the Ganges to the north. When I asked Kamal he said he had also seen it, but Karani Babu, the clerk, said he did not see anything. I was very amazed. 

In the morning I looked in that direction again from the rooftop of that house, the queen’s mansion and noted that there was a palm tree there. I asked the local people, they told me that place is called Balal Dighi, the lake of the Balals. There is an old ruin there from the fort built by King Laxman Sen. 

The following Monday I went to Krishna Nagar and the following Saturday I went to Balal Dighi. Again that night I beheld that amazing sight. Later I went all around that place on foot and by talking to the older residence, I found out that this was Mahaprabhu’s birthplace. 

Eventually, I visited all of the villages where Mahaprabhu’s pastimes took place, which are described in the Bhakti-ratnākara by Srila Narahari Cakravarti and also in the Caitanya-bhāgavata. 

I wrote “Sri Navadvipa-dhāma-mahatmya” and sent it Calcutta to be printed. In January of 1894 we had a big meeting in the Krishnan-agar AV School. Many learned, rich and famous Bengalis came to that meeting. Dwarik Babu, the chief engineer of Nadia district, Dwarkanath Sakhar and I presented all the facts about Sri Mayapur in our speeches to all of those present. Everyone agreed with us and gave their blessings for starting devotional service in Mayapur, to recognize Mayapur as the birthplace of Mahaprabhu. 

COMMENT

We will read one more excerpt from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura called Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Vision. 

As an example of the quality of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s books and his unparalleled spiritual depth, the following are his concluding words to the Bhagavat-arka-marici-mala, The Brilliant Rays of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. 

“How I got the inspiration to compile this book is a divine mystery. At first I felt it improper on my part to disclose it, as it might be bridging spiritual conceit, but subsequently I realized that it would slight my spiritual master, which might be 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 Bipin Bihari Gosvami who belongs to the great heritage of Thakura Vamsivadananda, a faithful follower of my Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, I would read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One day while I was deeply penetrating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I had a vision of Sri Svarupa Damodara, the right hand personal adherent of Mahaprabhu. He instructed me to compile slokas of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in accordance with the principals of sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana as laid down by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In this way, that book would be easily understood, extremely interesting and absolutely delightful to the loving devotees of the Lord. Sri Svarupa Damodara Prabhu further guided me by giving a wonderful explanation of the first sloka of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and also showed me how to explain the sloka in the light of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. Therefore, under the direction of Svarupa Damodara Prabhu, I, Bhaktivinoda humbly compiled this book with the utmost humility and sincerity. I crave the blessings of the readers as well as the listeners of this holiest of holy books. 

Finally, I dedicate this work to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: Bhagavat-arka-marici mala, The Brilliant Rays of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. 

Devotee: Have you ever seen the translation of that book?

Giriraj Swami: I have a book of verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that I thought was compiled by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. 

Devotee 2: I think I remember Dasarathsuta having something. I remember seeing something I don’t know if it was Gaudiya Math. That is why I asked. It was such a long time ago and my memory is so bad.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. Maybe we have time to read this. Would you like to give us the background of this? 

Devotee: I could just tell you what I read that Śrīdhara Maharaja said about it. I guess he composed it about twenty-two years after the departure of Bhaktivinoda Thakura. I guess Śrīdhara Maharaja never actually met Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He joined the mission sometime after. I think it was 1922. He joined somewhere around there but, when he composed it, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura commented that it was very nice. He told him it was a very happy style-the Sanskrit. Then sometime later maybe even years later, I am not sure of the chronology, he was commenting about these verses in glorification of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta mentioned that he was very happy and confident that he had one disciple who was competent to represent the siddhanta that he was presenting. So that is what I know about what’s been said about it by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta.

Devotee 2: What is the name of it?

Giriraj Swami: Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Viraha Daśakam (Ten Verses in Separation by Bhaktivinoda Thakura) 

(Maybe we should do the puṣpāñjali and then this because he only has a few minutes really. Okay. You can decide I don’t know)

Devotee: I can leave later twelve o’clock?

Giriraj Swami: But I mean in terms of the order. Ordinarily we’d end with puṣpāñjali and arotik. You can always do puṣpāñjali at home. It’s just offering flowers three times.

Devotee: This is fine. 

Sripad Giriraj Swami: All right. Verse one. Is there a tune for this?

Devotee: I am sure there is but I am not an expert at reciting Sanskrit so I think someone else can offer that.

Giriraj Swami: I have a tune that fits it. But it will take time.

[1]
aha bhaktivinode-thakura guroh dvavimsatis te sama
dirghad-dukha-barad asesa-virahad duhsthi-krta bhuriyam
jivanam bahu-janma punya-nivahakrsto mahi-mandale
avirbhava-krpam cakara ca bhavan sri gaura-shakti svayam

Oh Bhaktivinoda Thakura, O Gurudeva, somehow a long and trying twenty-two years have passed since your disappearance, a time cursed with the painful and heavy burden that I am constantly feeling due to your separation. My life substance is a prisoner to that agony. The conditioned souls in due course of accepting unlimited births through countless species, fortunately come to gather the required countless merits to take a human birth on this Earth. But unlike them, you are a personal manifestation of Lord Gauranga’s divine potency, your appearance an evident display of His tender compassion.

[2]
dino’ham cira duskrtir nahi bhavat padabja dhuli kana
snanananda-nidhim prapanna-subhadam labdhum samartho ‘bhavam
kintv-audarya-gunat-tavatiyasasah karunya-saktih svayam
sri-sri-gaura-mahaprabhoh prakatita visvam samanv agrahit

Oh! How abominable is my existence. From time immemorial I have been trapped by the warden of impiety. I have no expectation of being afforded a chance of bathing in even one particle of the ecstatic dust of your holy feet. Each shining particle clinging to your lotus feet contains an enormous joyful ocean, providing the most ambrosial bath and promises at last the fulfillment of my life, a taste of selfless surrender. Oh, but wait! There is some hope, the extensive all-encompassing magnitude of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s manifest pastimes of wide distribution, audārya līlā have graced our entire universe. Oh Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura you are the personal proprietor, and agent of that glorious and gentle grace. 

[3]
he deva! stavane tavakhila-gunanam te virincadayo
deva vyartha-manorathah kimu vayam martyadhamah kurmahe
etan no vividhaih dadapy atisayalankara ity ucatam
sastresv eva ‘na paraye ‘ham iti yad-gitam mukundena tat

O Bhaktivinoda, O divine master, if all of the attempts of the demigods beginnings with Lord Brahma have met with disappointment in trying to narrate the totality of your wonderful spiritual qualities then Gurudeva, how can we simple and ordinary people fallen in this material world glorify you properly? We are not concerned with the highly decorative rhetoric of the learned demigods. For us it was the plain truth when Lord Mukunda said that he was incapable of depicting the magnanimity of the cowherd maids of Vraja as mentioned in the rasa-līlā pastimes. 

[4]
na paraye ‘ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

When the gopīs were overwhelmed with dissatisfaction due Lord Krishna’s absence from the rasa-līlā, Krishna returned to them and said, “My dear gopīs, our meeting is certainly free from all material contamination. I must admit that even within a lifetime of Brahma it would be impossible for me to repay my debt to you, because you have all cut off the bondage of family life just to search for me. Consequently, I am unable to repay you. Therefore, let your own glorious deed be your compensation in this regard.” 
[SB 10.32.22]

[5]
dharmas-carmagato ‘jnataiva satata yogas ca bogatmako
jnane sunya-gatir japena tapasa khyatir jighamsaiva ca
dane dambhikatanuraga-bhajane dustapacaro yada
buddhim-buddhimatam vibheda hi tada dhatra bhavan presitah

Oh Bhaktivinoda Thakura, you appeared at the hour of our greatest need. At that time, everyone practiced body worship and flesh religion, which any honest man will admit is ignorance. The yogis were cheating the public with cheap miracles, exploiting them for money and pleasure. The philosophers, bewildered in trying to capture the infinite, found that their knowledge had led them to the void of nihilism. The mutterers of mantras were working to become well known as japa chanters. Ascetics practice murderous torturer for spiritual suicide. The proud gave in charity only to secure their fame. And all of these abominable acts were performed in the name of anuraga-bhajane, the highest devotion to Godhead. At that dark hour, when all good intelligence had been spoiled by misconceptions, you were sent by the will of providence. 

All right so we have done four. Now I think we will do puṣpāñjali. I think we can come back to this afterwards.