Acarya Kesari Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami

[Guest guest]

Sri Sri Guru and Gaurangau Jayatah

 

ACARYA KESARI SRI SRIMAD

 

BHAKTI PRAJNANA KESAVA GOSVAMI

 

His Life and Teachings

 

compiled by a disciple of

 

the Founder of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and the Sri Gaudiya Mathas throughout India belonging to it, the best amongst the 10th generation of descendants in the bhagavata-parampara

 

from Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu

 

Sri Gaudiya Acarya Kesari Nityalilapravista

Om Visnupada Astottarasata

Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava

Gosvami Maharaja

 

 

Tridandisvami Srimad Bhaktivedanta

 

Narayana Maharaja

 

Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti

 

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Introduction to the first English edition

 

This book is unique and very significant. It presents for Western readers the life and teachings of a recent acarya in a Gaudiya Vaisnava (rather than a Western) environment. Here we directly see the activities and interactions of deeply realized vaisnavas within an authentic Gaudiya Vaisnava culture. We are also privileged to witness the guru-disciple relationship in a line of empowered acaryas, and to see a variety of expressions of guru-nistha.

 

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja has presented an overview of essential Gaudiya siddhanta. He has shown practically how an acarya preaches and teaches, from the 'jungle-cutting' challenges to mayavada and the threats of apasampradayas and apasiddhanta, to the prayojana of Vraja bhakti. This present volume therefore has a very important role in the protection of our sampradaya, both in dispelling illusion and in establishing the real goal.

 

This is a more or less literal translation of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja's Hindi biography of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajñana Kesava Gosvam.... We request the reader to be patient with our efforts. The English language is not capable of conveying the deep significance of one maha-bhagavata's statements about another maha-bhagavata. In addition, the patterns of speech in Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Mahaaja's eloquent, literary Hindi are quite different from those in conventional written English, and it is impossible to translate one into the other. Over and above that, our incompetence and inexperience must necessarily give rise to all sorts of imperfection, inaccuracy and inconsistency.

 

We have tried not to burden the Western reader with many unnecessary Sanskrit words and terms. However, we cannot appreciate or understand the Gaudiya presentation of tattva and rasa without becoming familiar with many Sanskrit words and terms for which there are no exact English equivalents. We have tried to introduce these in a systematic and reader friendly way, using translations in the body of the text and in footnotes.

 

This book has been produced by the combined efforts of many disciples and followers of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Naryana Maharaj. This list of the names who helped is far too long to publish.

 

Srila Maharaj has glorified his Guru Maharaj, saying that he accepts the very insignificant service of his servants as being very great. We pray that Srila Maharaj will show us the same mercy, but in much greater measure, because of our deep and real lack of qualification. He has accepted so much trouble and disturbance in trying to help his Western disciples and followers, who find no other shelter at the present time. We do not yet know what guru-seva actually is, but we helplessly pray to him that he will kindly continue to help and inspire us to become free from our deep attachment to maya-vasana, and to dive deep into the ocean of Sri Rupanuga Gaudiya Viasnava siddhanta and sadhana-bhajana.

 

It is said that the grandfather is much more affectionate than the father. We surrender at the lotus feet of Acarya Kesari Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaj, whose preadhing has helped to save us from ma dark destiny and to bring us toward the light. We humbly pray that he will bless our very feeble efforts to serve his beloved disciple Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja, his dear Godbrother and sannyasa disciple Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, and our whole Gaudiya vaisnava parampara.

 

We pray at the lotus feed of Jagadguru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada for a particle of service to his disciples and successor acaryas, who are kindly and boldly continuing his mission and protecting his sampradaya.

 

On the occasion of the disappearance day

 

Sri Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Govami Maharaja,

 

Sarada Purnima, Samvat 2055 (October 24th, l999)

 

The Publishers

 

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Introduction

 

(to the Hindi edition)

 

Today I am most pleased that we have published the biography of Paramaradhya Nityalilapravista Om Visnupada Astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, combined with his tattva- siddhanta and teachings. The absence of this important scripture had been causing unease for a long time.

 

The preaching of harinama-sankirtana is increasing everywhere today by the effort of the disciples and grand-disciples of Jagadguru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsvati Gosami Prabhupada. He is the maha-purusa who is mainly responsible for preaching Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's visuddha bhakti and harinama-sankirtana throughout the entire world. This was predicted by the Seventh Gosvami, Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. As Bhagiratha brought down Bhagiratha Ganga, so Thakura Bhaktivinoda re-established the flow of Bhagirathi bhakti. That is to say, Srila Thakura again established the long-lost desire of Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari, who is the most magnanimous form of Vrajendranandana Sri Krsna, resplendent with the bhava of Sri Radha. My most worshipful Srila Gurupadapadma, who is Srila Prabhupada’s intimate follower, has expecially made the fulfillment of Srila Prabhupada’s innermost desire the sole duty of his life. In this regard he had all kinds of hel form many of his Godbrothers, amongst whom Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaj is prominent. Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami’s causeless compassion and inspiration encouraged Srila Svami Maharaj in his preaching, and I (the author) am also making some slight endeavor to fulfill his inermost desire. Any success I am achieving in this endeavour is only due to his special mercy.

 

Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami is the sannyasa guru of Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaj, who is the outsanding preacher of suddha bhakti and nama sankirtana throughout the entire world in modern times. I am an insignificant person in all respects, but by his transcendental and causeless mercy I am also very successfully preaching the teachings of Gaurasundara everywhere in the world to fulfill his innermost desire. Seeing this, all fiathful people at home and abroad are very eager to learn about this transcendental maha-purusa’s supramundane character, his life-story and the speciality of his conceptions. These people have repeatedly requested me topublish his biography. Many of my respectable Godbrothers have also made the same requewst. However, I had to postpone the project because I was busy with other services and also had some problems with my health.

 

13 years ago, in l985, my Godbrtoher Pujyapada Parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja, who is the President and Acarya of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, and a follower of transcendental knowledge, compiled Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, which is an account of his life, tattva-siddhanta and teachings. This book is written in Bengali, and is based on Paramaradhyatama Srila Gurupadapadma’s articles, essays, poems and writings which have been published in the daily Nadiya-prakasa, and the weekly and monthly Sri Gaudiya and Sri Gaudiya-patrika. In this book he has very briefly described Srila Gurupadapadma’ supramundane life-story and the speciality of his conceptions. This is extremely beneficial for those who speak Bengali, but nor for the vast numbers of faithful people who speak Hindi. This lack has been causing unease for a long time. I pray at the lotus feet of my Godbrothers and especially at the lotus feet of Srila Gurupadapadma, who is the ocean of compassion, to install power in my heart to be able to fulfill this task of making his life-story available in Hindi.

 

I had the good opportunity to stay with Srila Gurupadapadma personally and perform all kinds of seva from l945 until he entered aprakata-lila in l968. I stayed close t ohim,hearing his lectures, his scriptural devates with opposing parties, and his discussions and questions and answers at different places. During this whole time I took notes in my notebook. Sometimes I could not stay quite near him, and with great humility I enquired from about deep and confidential subjects, and I also had discussions with him. I wrote all these subject matters in my note book, and they also became inscribed in my heart. These discussion and interactions with Srila Gurudeva proved very useful for me.

 

While we were living in Sru Uddharana Gaudiya Matha in Chunchura, we repeatedly requested Srila Gurudeva’s younger brother, Sri Pulina Vihari Guhathakurta, to write a booklet about Sria Gurudeva’s life beginning with his childhood until the time that he joined the matha. This he did, and on the request of our Godbrothers, Sri Yaminikanta Dasa (M.E.B.T.),Jirata High School’s very able principal, wrote Srila Gurudeva’s biography in Bengali poetry based on this booklet. IN addition to the topics covered in Pulina Bihari Guhathakurta’s booklet, Sri Yaminikanta Dasa also incorporated some details about Srila Gurudeva’s life in Caitanya Matha and the later inauguration of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. Pujyapada Vamana Maharaj took help from this for his biography on Srila Gurudeva. The primary materials for this present edition are Sri Yaminikanta Dasa’s book, together with my own note books and memories. I personally heard from Srila Gurudeva’s mouth the many incidents form his own life and from the lives of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Gaurakisore Das Babaji Maharaja and Sri Vamsidasa Babaji Maharaja.

 

I have divided Srila Gurudeva’s biography into eight parts. The faithful readers may carefully read the different subject matters in this book, and judge the results for themselves.

 

Sriman Haripriya Brahmacari and Sriman Navinkrsna Brahmacari ‘Vidyalankara’ have worked ver hard to prepare the manuscript for this book. The service endeavours of Srimati Santi Devi Dasi and Sriman Purandara Brahmacari in composing and correcting this book are notable. In addition to this, the efforts of Sri Omprakasa Vrajavasi (M.A., L.L.B.) ‘Sahityaratna,’ Sriman Subhananda Brahmacari ‘Bhagavata-bhusana,’ Sriman Premananda Brahmacari ‘Sevaratna,’ Sriman Paramesvari Brhamacari, Srimad Pundarika Brahmacari and others in proof-reading and performing other tasks in connection with this book are extremely praiseworthy. My humble prayer at Srila Gurupadapadma’s lotus feet is that he may shower abundant kindness upon them and may engage them in his desired service.

 

On the occasion of the appearance day of

 

Sri Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja,

 

Samvat 2055 (February 3, l999)

 

An aspirant for a particle of mercy of Sri Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,

 

Tridandi Bhiksu Sri Bhaktivedanta Narayana

 

 

Table of contents

 

First Part......1-23

 

Bhagavata Guru-parampara............1

Appearance...............8

Childhood............10

Student-life,protection of the samindari (land holidings and the

beginning of spiritual life....14

Taking darsaqna of Srila Gaura Kisore Dasa Babaji Maharaja and

Receiving his blessings.......18

Second Part................24-76

 

Leaving home............24

Receiving diks and guru mantra............31

Ideal matha life..........33

By the order of Sri Gurudeva Sri Vinodbihari defends the property

of his previous asrama, his family zamindari......34

Hospiality..............36

Seva of the brhd mrdanga....39

Seva of Sridhama Mayapura.............39

Ideal guru-seva...........40

A special contribution to the establishmnet of

Bagbazar Gaudiya Matha.....44

A Vedantic explanation of the word paramananda............46

Sri Vinodbihari and the Thakura Bhaktivinoda Institute.........50

The title ‘Kirtiratna.........51

Bhagavata-seva through vcourt-case proceedings............52

Ideal Vaisnava life...........53

First meeting with Pujyapada Sridhara Maharaja.............54

Prabhupada’s opinion of an ideal guru-sevaka.....57

The transfer of Srila Gaura Kisore DasaBabaji Maharaja’s

samadhi......59

Preaching of suddha-bhakti....60

Interest in tattva philosophy....62

Sri mahamantra and kirtana...64

Decorated with the title ‘Upadesaka’...........65

His Highness Sri John Anderson, Governer of Bengal, visits

Sridhama Mayapura.........67

The inauguration of Sri Mandira and the Deities

At Yogapitha.............69

Mayavada ki jivani............70

Srila Prabhupada enters aprakata-lila.........72

ThirdPart.........77-278

 

General superintendent of the Gaudiya Matha mission...........77

Obtaining the mercy of Srila Vamsidasa Babaji Maharaja......78

Foundation of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti.......81

Complete dependence on Bhagavan.........86

Sri Srimad Bhaktisarvasva Giri Maharaja........88

Accepting sannyasa...........88

Preaching in various places of Bengal.........90

Re-establishment of Sridhama Navadvipa parikrama..........92

Manifestation of acarya-lila....94

Sri Sri Jagannathadeva’s Snana-yatra and Ratha-yatra in

Sri Uddharana Gaudiya Matha, Chunchura......95

Preaching and Vraja-mandala parikrama l944...99

84-kosa Ksetra-mandala parikrama l944... .....100

Parental affection for his disciples..........107

Sraddha ceremony according to vaisnava rites in

Kalyanapura...............110

Preaching in Bihar..........113

Sri Vyasa-puja celebration... 114

The departure of Srila Narahari Sevavigraha Prabhu...........114

The decision to establish a matha in jagannatha Puri and the

Publishing of a monthly trasncendental magazine..............118

Preaching in Medinpura and Sundaravan........119

The self-manifestation of Sri Gaudiya Patrika on the occasion of Sri

Navadvipa Dhama parikrama and Sri Gaura-Janmotsava........125

Sri Avyodhyadhama,Naimisaranya parikrama and

urja vrata.................127

Sri Setubandha Ramesvara parikrama and urja vrata...........130

Srila Prabhupada’s viraha-utsava in Anandapada....131

Preaching santana-dharma in Vasirahata and the reply to Sri

Chattopadhyaya Mahasaya’s protest.............132

Sri Navadvipa Dhama parikrama, Sri Gaura-Janmotsava and Sri Vigraha’s

inauguration of Their newly constructed residence................134

Sripada Trigunatita Brahmacari Prabhu’s vesasraya............135

Preaching of suddha-bhakti in different places......136

The collecting and publishing of Sri Vyas-puja-paddahati............137

Awarding asottara-sara-nama tridanda-sanyasa..................138

Preaching suddha-bhakti in various places of Assam............148

Darsana of Sri Sr Jagannathaji’s Ratha-yatra in Sri Jagannatha

Puri.............151

Sri Janmastami vrata and Sri Nandotsava in Chunchura Matha............153

Parikrama of Sri Badrikasrama and Kedarnatha...155

Sri Purusottama vrata............159

Re-establishing the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Catuspathi.............161

Parikrama of Sri Avantika *Ujjayani) and Nasik...163

Preaching sanatana-dharma in Sri Ramapura Hoogly...........164

Preaching suddha-bhakti in various places in Caubis Pargana

and Medinipura.................164

Lecture at the eminent Sanskrit conference in Chunchura...167

Sri Vyaspuja festival in Visnupura Kamarpota of

Medinipura........168

Praching santana-dharma at various places in Assam...........169

Establishing Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura and

Publishing Sri Bhagavat Patrika...............171

Installation of the Deities and Annakuta fstivalin Sri Kesavaji

Gaudiya Matha, Mathura..........176

Preaching of the words of Sri Caitanya in various

Places of Assam.................178

A protest against the law controlling Hindu sadhus and

Sannyasis..........180

Inauguration of Sri Gologanja Gaudiya Matha (Assam).............. 183

Sri Vyasa-puja celebration in Sri Golokganja Gaudiya Matha......185

Sri Acarya Kesari in the All-Bengal Vaisnava

Conference.........,..............185

Observing upavasa (fasting) on Sri Radhastami................186

Vyasa-puja at Sri Gauravani-Vinoda asrama in Khadagpur......188

Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and Aksaya Trtiya......190

Preaching in Golokganja,Assam..............191

Esablishing a primary school and method of teaching

In Pichlada................192

The installation of the Deities in Sri Golokganja Gaudiya Matha.....194

Vyas-puja and inauguration of Sri Vigraha in the newly

Constructed mandira in Sri Gauravani-Vinoda-asrama in

Khadagpura...............196

Protest against Vaisnava Darsana composed by Sri Radha

Govindanatha.............200

Srila Acaryadeva in different places of Assam......202

Pichlada Gaudiya Matha installation of the Deities...............204

A philosophical assembly in Kesavapura.........207

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s disappearance festival in

Chunchura......210

Sri Sri Jagannathadeva’s ratha-yatra..........212

Celebration of Sri Janmastami and Sri Nadotsava at Sri

Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, Mathura.............215

Observing kartika-vrata in Sri Devananada Gaudiya Matha.......215

Srila Prabhupada’s viraha-utsava in Chunchura Matha..........219

62 lectures of Sri acarya Kesari in 66 days......220

Srila Acaryadeva in Mursidabada region.........225

Preaching of suddha-bhakti in Sundarvana region of Bengal.......228

Sri Vyasa-puja celebration in Chunchura Matha...230

An extensive religious conferencein Valagada......233

Preaching in Assam, Sundaravana and other places..............234

Ratha-yatra and Jhulana-yatra celebrations in Sri Uddharana

Gaudiya Matha.............235

Parikrama under Srila Gurudeva’s shelter of all the Indian

tirthas.........236

Srila Acaryadeva in Jaipur.........239

Establishing a preaching center of the Samiti in Orissa...........240

Preaching of suddha-bhakti in Jaipur town.......241

The auspicious desire of Srila Acaryadeva regarding Sri Gaudiya

Vedanta Catuspathi managed by Sri Samiti ......244

The opinion of the tola supervisor regading Sri Gaudiya

Vedanta Catuspathi...........246

Establishment of Sri Gaudiya Charity Clinic.........247

Installation festival of Sri Vigraha in the newly built sri mandira

During Sri Navadvipa Dhama Parikrama and Sri Gaura-

Janmotsava......248

Sri Navadvipa Dhama parikrama and Sri Gaura-Janmotsava.......254

Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha....256

Sri Narahari Torana.........256

Sri matha consisting of seven sections..........257

Argument in the discussion regarding ‘touched and untouched’

(bhoga) in Sri Jagannatha Mandira...............265

Preaching in Siligudi and in various places in Bihar....267

Srila Acaryadeva preaching suddha-bhakti in Calcutt and

Medinpura......269

Preaching sudha-bhakti in Sri Mathura, Vrndavana,

Lucknow and Kasi.............270

Srila Acarya Kesari in Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha,Calcutta.........271

Inauguration of Sri Vasudeva Gaudiya Matha in Vasugrama, Assam....273

Lecture in the law court library and district library of Siudi.........274

Entering aprakrta-lila.................275

Fourth Part.............279-344

 

A hint of his internal identity (sidha-svarupa)........279

Theinferiority of direct perception............280

Discussion with the Communist Samyavadi,Jyoti Babu............283

Sri Gurudeva and bhiksa-dravya (donated commodities)..........285

Srila Gurudeva and the svarupa of the jiva.........288

The charm and superiority of the bhagavata-parampara...........298

The guru-parampara of the commentator Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusan..................299

ii) The sisya-parampara of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana.............300

 

iii) Pancaratrika-parampara is included within the bhagavata-parampara..............301

 

The rasika and bhavukabhagavata.............309

Service to the sampradaya........316

The distinction between the Smarta and the Vaisnava conceptions......318

A subtle distinction between the ideas of Srila Bhativinoda Thakura and Srila Sarasvati Thakura............324

Srila Gurupadpadma’s supramundane character and guru nistha........331

Fifth Part......... .....345-400

 

The siddhanta proclaimed by Srila Gurudeva...........345

 

Pramana-tattva...............351

The self-evident Veda is the crest-jewel of evidence...351

Only Krsna is parama-tattva......353

Sri Krsna is sarva-saktiman.......357

Sri Krsna is akhhila-rasamrta-sindhu (the ocean of all ambrosial mellows)362

Jiva is the vibhinamsa-tattva of Sri Hari..........367

Deliberation on thejiva who is sunder the influence of maya in the conditioned

stage on account of his marignal nature...........374

 

The jiva is free form maya in the liberated state.......377

The ideology of inconcveivable difference and non-difference.........382

Deliberation on suddha-bhakti.......387

Love for Krsna is the ultimate objective of the jiva.....396

Sixth Part................401-480

 

Protecting the Sri Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya...401

 

Refutation of kevaladvaita-vada......402

The protection of his sampradaya.................411

i)The Sri Gaudiya vaisnava sampradaya is in the line of Sri Madhva.....412

 

Refutation of the doctrines of the smarta opponents of bhakti...........434

Elligibility for serving Sri Salagram..............441

Srila Gurupadpadma and sri vigraha-tattva..........442

Refutation of ‘yata mata tata patha’..............452

Refutation of the shajiya doctrine.....460

Bheka-pranali and siddha-pranali....465

i)Bheka-dharana (the system of babaji-veda).........465

 

ii)Siddha-pranali...............469

 

Seventh Part.............481-557

 

Srila Gurudeva and viasnava literature..............481

‘The life history of mayavada’ or ‘The victory of vaisnavism..............481

a) What is mayavada..............481

b) Is this world false...............483

c) The means of liberation............484

d) The history of mayavada...........486

e) Advaita-vada in Satya-yuga...........487

f) The evolution of nirvisesa advaita-vada in Treta-yuga....488

g) Advaita-vada and its transformations in Dvarapa-yuga.....489

h)Advaita-vada or mayavada in Kali-yuga...............491

i)Liberation is a fsle concept..........493

Sri Sri Radha-Vinodabihari tattvastakam.............495

Sri Mangala-arati........522

Srila Prabhupada’s arati...............529

Sri Tulasi parikrama and arati...........537

Sri Caitanya Panjika (Sri Mayapura Panjika)...........544

Statement about Sri Gaudiya Patrika......547

Statements about Sri Bhagavata Patrika 5th June, 1955... ..552

Literature on suddha-bhakti comiled,published written and edited by

Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja.......557

Eighth Part...............558-566

 

The disciples of Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami

To whom he bestowed tridanda sannyasa and babaji vesa......558

Parikramas organised by Srila Acarya Kesari...........560

Preaching centres of suddha-bhakti established by Srila Acarya Kesari........560

Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesaava Gosvami Maharaja Upadesvali.......562

Some instructions handwritten by Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana

Kesava Gosvami Maharaja............566

Verse Index..............567-571

From the table of contents,and introductions, you can see that this is an extremely comprehensive and solid book, from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja about the life and teachings of his beloved gurudeva.

 

I will be presenting for the internet ,in several segments, the sixth part of this wonderful new book as an appropriate way to greet the new millenium year. Anyone interested in obtaining a copy can contact Upananda Prabhu in San Diego at: 1/800/900-0108 or email blissbar@earthlink.net

 

or contact myself at:

 

718/961-7409 or PuruDas@compuserve.com or unclepuru@hotmail.com