Read EVERY Letter Prabhupada wrote -HERE

[Sarva gattah]

Lord Nityananda was the spiritual brother of Lord Caitanya and incarnation of Lord Balarama, the brother of Lord Krishna. Lord Nityananda was the leader of the Vaishnavas in Bengal, and through Him there were also many followers of the Vaishnava tradition.

 

After His disappearance, however, Mother Jahnavi, His wife and eternal consort, and Virabhadra, His son by His other wife Vasudha devi, became the leaders there and had many followers. They continued the preaching in many ways, along with other prominent devotees and acharyas. Virabhadra Gosani is described as a disciple of Jahnavi devi, and an incarnation of Kshirodakashayi Vishnu.

 

Lord Nityananda had many devotees and followers, out of which Sundarananda was identified as the incarnation of Lord Krishna's classmate Sudama. Another was Parameshavara dasa who was formerly the great warrior Arjuna, friend of Krishna and Balarama.

 

Sadashiva Kaviraja and his son Purushottama dasa were also prominent devotees of Lord Nityananda. The Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (text 156) relates that the beloved gopi of Krishna, Candravali, took birth as Sadashiva Kaviraja, and that his father, Kamsari Sena, was formerly the gopi named Ratnavali in Krishna's pastimes. Purushottama dasa had many disciples and a son, Kanu Thakura, who was identified as the cowherd boy Dama during Lord Krishna's time. Many more personalities are described in Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, Chapters Ten and Eleven.

Before the appearance of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, there was Srila Advaita Acharya. He had worshiped the Lord to descend and deliver the people of this age, since things were deteriorating so badly. It is Sri Advaita Acharya who is recognized as an incarnation or expansion of Lord Maha-Vishnu. He also had many followers.

 

The Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi-lila, 12.17, purport) gives a history of Sri Advaita's sons. One of these, Achyutananda, is described in the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (87-8) as the incarnation of Karttikeya, the son of Lord Shiva, and, according to others, formerly the gopi named Acyuta.

 

Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda and Sri Advaita played the parts of devotees to instruct the importance for the conditioned souls to engage in devotional service to the Supreme, and to prevent people from accepting impersonalist philosophies.

 

Next we come to Ishvara Puri, from whom Lord Caitanya took initiation. Ishvara Puri was such a great devotee and disciple of Madhavendra Puri that when Madhavendra Puri became an invalid at the end of his life, Ishvara would take care of him and clean him.

 

Thus, Madhavendra Puri gave him his great blessings. This is one reason why Lord Caitanya accepted him as His spiritual master. (Cc.Adi-lila, 9.11) However, before initiating Lord Caitanya, Ishvara Puri had gone to Navadvipa and lived for a few months in the house of Gopinatha Acharya. That was when Lord Caitanya became acquainted with Ishvara Puri.

 

Sometime thereafter, Lord Caitanya went to Gaya with the purpose of performing rites for his deceased father, but also became initiated by Ishvara Puri while there. After that, Lord Caitanya ceased involving Himself in so many debates with scholars and philosophers, and merely engaged in the congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names, giving out the ecstasy of love of God to all.

Madhavendra Puri was in the disciplic line from Madhvacharya and was the direct disciple of Lakshmipati. He had two principal disciples, Ishvara Puri and Sri Advaita. Madhavendra Puri established the worship of Radha and Krishna together in this sampradaya, before which time Krishna was worshiped alone.

 

It is he who is accepted as the root of worship in ecstatic love. Therefore, unless one is connected to the disciplic succession of Madhavendra Puri, there is no possibility of awakening the symptoms of ecstatic love in one's devotional service to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

 

We can ask, how was it that so many of the intimate associates of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna in the spiritual world descended into the material manifestation. It can be explained that before Lord Krishna descended as Lord Caitanya, He asked His associates to appear before Him in preparation for His descent. He never comes alone, just as a great king also appears with his huge entourage.

 

Thus, numerous members of the Lord's associates came to help manifest the spiritual atmosphere on earth, and to participate in the Lord's pastimes. Even after the Lord's disappearance such associates have continued to appear on this planet, especially in this Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, to benefit society with the facility to approach the portal through which one can return to the spiritual worlds.

 

Without the gopis, the maidservants of Radha and Krishna, the ecstasy of the confidential pastimes of Their Lordships cannot be tasted or known. Only by their cooperation can such pastimes be broadcast. Otherwise, no one else can open them for our view.

 

Only through their assistance can one enter into these pastimes. Only by following in their footsteps can one engage in the service of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna in the mood of the gopis in the groves of Vrindavana. There is no other procedure for understanding. Therefore, we have to take shelter of the gopis who have appeared in this sampradaya if we wish to enter such intimate and ecstatic love and service.

 

From the evidence in this article, we can understand that for the most part all of the spiritual masters and personalities connected with the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya parampara from the time of Madhavendra Puri are all incarnations of great personalities, and mostly in the madhurya-rasa, the mood of the loving maidservants, manjari-bhava, for Lord Sri Krishna. That is the most unique characteristic about this line of disciplic succession. Therefore, we should take advantage of it by understanding this spiritual knowledge. Such a rare opportunity may never again avail itself for thousands of lifetimes.

 

One additional conclusion of this article is to understand that this sampradaya is not only one for distributing the intimate love for Krishna in the mood of the intimate maidservants.

 

It is also a preaching line, mostly through the process of writing and distributing books and publications, and through congregational chanting of the holy names of Sri Krishna. However, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta compared writing and publishing to the great mridanga drum used for congregational chanting. The idea is that rather than merely reaching people in the vicinity of one's voice, writing and publishing preserves one's words and gives the facility to reach many more people from many parts of the world.

 

This is something that all of the acharyas spent much time focusing on. Therefore, we can especially stay connected to the previous acharyas by continuing this process of distributing this knowledge through their books, and by writing new publications that follow this line for the benefit of society.

 

Much of the information regarding the spiritual identities comes from the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika by Sri Kavi-karnapura. Furthermore, many other associates of Lord Caitanya not mentioned in this article are also described as being incarnations of intimate gopis, sakhis and manjaris of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna in the Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, Chapters Ten and Eleven, in case you would like to continue this line of study.

 

Although this article gives only brief glimpses into the lives of the great personalities connected with this sampradaya, there is much more information in separate books and biographies about the exemplary lives of all of them. Such books about these devotees are extremely insightful, enlightening and enlivening. I strongly suggest you use the links in this website to look into finding out how you can acquire some.

Summary List

 

Here is a summary list of many of the great sages that have appeared in the Gaudiya line, giving their name in their more recent appearances within the pastimes of Sri Caitanya, and also their names as they appeared in the pastimes of Lord Krishna.

Gaura Lila Krishna Lila

1. Sacinandana Gaurahari Caitanya Mahaprabhu Syamasundara, Sri Krishna

2. Sacimata Yasodamayi

3. Jagannatha Misra Nanda Maharaja

4. Laksmipriya Janaki & Rukmini

5. Vishnupriya Bhu Devi

6. Nityananda Rama Lord Balarama

7. Hadai Pandita Vasudeva

8. Padmavati Rohini

9. Jahnava Mata Ananga Manjari

10. Vasudha Varuni Devi

11. Biracandra Kshirodakashayi Vishnu

12. Ganga Devi Ganga Mayi

13. Advaita Prabhu Sadashiva / Mahavishnu

14. Sita Devi Yogamaya

15. Gadadhara Pandita Srimati Radharani

16. Srivasa Thakura Narada Muni

17. Malini Devi Ambika Devi

18. Pundarika Vidyanidhi Vrishabhanu Maharaja

19. Mukunda Dasa Vrinda Devi

20. Saranga Thakura Nandimukhi

21. Govinda Acarya Paurnamasi

22. Svarupa Damodara Lalita Sakhi

23. Raya Ramananda Visakha Sakhi

24. Govindanandana Thakura Citra Sakhi

25. Ramananda Vasu Indulekha Sakhi

26. Sivananda Sena Campakalata Sakhi

27. Vakresvara Pandita Tungavidya Sakhi

28. Govinda Ghosa Rangadevi Sakhi

29. Vasudeva Ghosa Sudevi Sakhi

30. Raghava Pandita Dhanistha Sakhi

31. Rupa Gosvami Rupa Manjari

32. Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami Rati Manjari

33. Sanatana Gosvami Lavanga Manjari

34. Jiva Gosvami Vilasa Manjari

35. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami Rasa Manjari

36. Gopal Bhatta Gosvami Guna Manjari

37. Lokanatha Gosvami Manjulali Manjari

38. Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami Kasturi Manjari

39. Ramacandra Puri Jatila Gopi

40. Kholavecha Sridhara Madhumangala Sakha

41. Narahari Sarkara Madhumati Sakhi

42. Gauridasa Pandita Subala Sakha

43. Abhirama Thakura Sridama Sakha

44. Sikhi Mahiti Ragalekha Sakhi

45. Madhavi Mahiti Kalakeli Sakhi

46. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya Brihaspati Maharaja

47. Paramananda Puri Uddhava Mahasaya

48. Keshava Bharati Akrura / Sandipani Muni

49. Jagai & Madhai Jaya & Vijaya

50. Gopinatha Acharya Caturmukha Brahma

51. Haridasa Thakura Prahlada / Brahma

52. Nilambara Cakravarti Garga Acharya

53. Devananda Pandita Bhaguri Rishi

54. Gangadasa Durvasa Muni

55. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura Vedavyasa

56. Vallabha Bhatta Sukadeva Gosvami

57. Madhavendra Puri

58. Isvara Puri

59. Narottama Dasa Thakura Champaka Manjari

60. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura Vinoda-Vallari Manjari

61. Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Rasika Manjari

62. Bhaktivinoda Thakura Kamala Manjari

63. Gaurakishora Dasa Babaji Guna Manjari

64. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Nayana-Mani Manjari

65. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ----- Manjari

You may also want to read the Biographies of of Vaishnava Saints and Sages to find out more about many of these great sages in this line.

(This article is from: http://www.stephen-knapp.com)

[RamanaDasi]

How does Stephen Knapp know Srila Prabhupada is a Manjari?

 

Srila Prabhupada never said "I am a Manjari" or "I am a Gopi" did he?

 

Mental speculation... That is what Prabhupada calls this sort of thing.

[RamanaDasi]

Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaja went to Iraq in 1918 to earn money to pay out all the bills and debts of the Gaudiya Matha. In the first few years of the Gaudiya Matha there were no other donors contributing to the Mission, so Tirtha Maharaja (then Kunja Babu) took it upon himself to pay all of the bills so that Saraswati Thakura would not be disturbed by any financial problems. He wanted Saraswati Thakura to be free of all concerns about debts, and to continue preaching in Kolkata.

 

At that time, when Kunja Da was in Iraq, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura wrote in a letter to Tirtha Maharaja:

 

"I am Nayanamani Manjari and you are Bimala Manjari, my eternal companion. Please come back here and resume your service because I cannot happily continue my service to Radharani on my own, living without you".

 

This letter is kept at Chaitanya Math in Mayapura.

[suchandra]

 

How does Stephen Knapp know Srila Prabhupada is a Manjari?

 

Srila Prabhupada never said "I am a Manjari" or "I am a Gopi" did he?

 

Mental speculation... That is what Prabhupada calls this sort of thing.

 

Prabhupada's point was always that such things will be revealed within the heart and not that one has to try to understand all this with one's mind.

 

"Disunity between individual souls is so strong within this material world that even in a society of Krsna consciousness; members sometimes appear disunited due to their having different opinions and leaning toward material things. Actually, in Krsna consciousness there cannot be two opinions. There is only one goal: to serve Krsna to one's best ability. If there is some disagreement over service, such disagreement is to be taken as spiritual. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance." SB 4.30.8

[ranjeetmore]

im very sorry.I got all mixed up.

I shud ve knwn better.

 

Is it true that some of the ritviks have fallen. How is that posible if Prabhupada himself chose them ? They hav obviously attained Prema,rite ?

[stonehearted]

 

How does Stephen Knapp know Srila Prabhupada is a Manjari?

 

Srila Prabhupada never said "I am a Manjari" or "I am a Gopi" did he?

 

Mental speculation... That is what Prabhupada calls this sort of thing.

 

No, there's no evidence he ever said such a thing. However, he did say on several occasions that he is a cowherd boy. And in the early days it was a common understanding that this is the case. There's a wealth of evidence pointing in that direction.

[RamanaDasi]

Cowherd boys play a wonderful role in the pastimes of Sri Krishna, including when Krishna enjoys pastimes with Sri Radha and her associates.

 

This week I read (once again) the Sri Dana-keli-cintamani book by Srila Raghunath Das Goswami describing how Krishna and his cowherd boy playmates enjoyed the "toll collector" pastime at Govardhana, where Sri Radha, Lalita, Vishaka and the other gopis had to pay a toll to Krishna. The cowherd boys make jokes with the Gopis and the Gopis laugh along with them.

 

I personally think it is because of immaturity that people think all the Acaryas MUST be manjaris or gopis in their Svarupa-siddha. If some MAHATMA feels naturally attracted to participate in the LILA in a form of a cowherd's child, all glory to that MAHATMA. It is ignorance in the extreme to think that to be a cowherd boy associate of Krishna is somehow "not good enough" for a Gaudiya Acarya. There were many great Gaudiya Acaryas of the past who were in the mood of cowherd boys, and who were all connected to that supremely great MAHATMA Sri Nityanananda Prabhu.

 

Many people have a fundamental of a lack of understanding about the fact that the Parampara has come down through a line of siksa-gurus, and that when a devotee is mature in devotion they will choose to serve under the guidance of a particular Vrajavasi group leader such as Subala, Yashoda or Sri Rupa Manjari. It is not that in the Spiritual Sky there will be an ISKCON temple where Radha Krishna are being served, and where all the devotees initiated by Prabhupada or his successors will be serving Radha-Krishna in an everlasting "Prabhupadanuga" group that exists eternally within Goloka.

[bija]

 

No, there's no evidence he ever said such a thing. However, he did say on several occasions that he is a cowherd boy. And in the early days it was a common understanding that this is the case. There's a wealth of evidence pointing in that direction. by stone hearted

Thank you for sharing this information. Upon reading Krsna Book it is evident the cowherd-boy pastimes are very sweet and relishable.

 

After a decade, I have now begun a read of Krsna Book. What more is there to say - this Truth is sublime.

[HARRY]

What a great read, you can really enter the mood of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by reading the above letters

[Sarva gattah]

Quote:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 3ex; BORDER-TOP: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3ex; BORDER-LEFT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #666666 1px solid" bgColor=#e0e0e0>Originally Posted by suchandra

14 July, 1975

Philadelphia

My Dear Gopala Krishna das:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated July 4, 6, & 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents.

Yes, everybody says like that, that I am incarnation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Actually Krishna and Krishna’s representative are not different. Anything that is Krishna’s is not different from Krishna. Therefore it is said saksadharitvena ’samasta sastrair. The spiritual master is accepted by all advanced devotees as Hari.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Actually Krishna and Krishna’s representative are not different. Anything that is Krishna’s is not different from Krishna.

[weallshineon]

 

I just spent six hours reading many of these letters, They are very, very revealing. Well presented, easy to read. Some are even marked highly confidential

 

 

Letters From Prabhupada

 

 

 

 

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