Viraha-tithi Of Paramgurupadpadma

July 10, 2003

All Glory to Sree Guru & Gauranga

7th March, 2000, 21st Viraha-Mahotsava

of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Sreemat Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj

His Divine Grace Om Visnupad 108 Sri Srimat Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, one of the most favourite associate-disciples of His Divine Grace Om 108 Sri Srimat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad. He is the tenth Acaryya in the preceptorial channel from Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the Founder-Acaryya of Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Maths, Registered Institution. His auspicious appearance occurred in the village of Kancanapara, Subdivision madaripur, District Pharidpur in East Bengal (now in Bangladesh) on Friday, November 18th - Utthan Ekadasi Tithi-in the year 1904 AD at 080 AM.

As the pastimes of awakening of All-Merciful, All-good, All-Bliss Supreme Lord Sri Hari on Utthan Ekadasi Tithi (utthana-asakening ) is for the eternal good of all living beings of the world, the pastimes of advent-awakening of His Personal Associate-His Absolute Counterpart Gurudev (Madhav Goswami Maharaj)- on Utthana Ekadasi Tithi, is also for the eternal benefit of all.

Parama Pujyapad Most Revered Srimat Bhakti pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj has formerly declared, "It is profoundly significant that the Advent Day of Srimat Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj falls on the disappearance Day of Vaisnava-Sarvabhoum Srimat Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj-on Sukla Pratipad Tithi (the first lunar day of bright fortnight)."

The Holy Birth-place of Srimat Madhav Goswami Maharaj is situated at the bank of Padma River which is near to Prematali where Srila Narottam Thakur received ecstatic feelings of Divine love while bathing therein as per the direction of Srimat Nityannand Prabhu in a dream. Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu kept Divine love in the custody of Padmavati Devi (the Presiding Deity of Padma River) to offer it to Narottam Thakur whenever he would come there to take bath. Revered Dayita Madhav Maharaj was born of a high caste Brahmin family. His Grand Father, Sri Chandiprasad Devasarma Baddyopadhyay, was a well-reputed prominent person of Vikrampur, Dacca (Bangladesh). His father's name was Sri Nisikanta Devasram Bandyopadhyay; His mother's name was Srimati Saivalini Devi. His mother was of a highly dignified, sober temperament-a wise woman endowed with many good qualities and as such, an object of reverence to all. His father passed away in His childhood.

His parents named Him Sri Heramba Bandyopadhyay; His petname was Ganesh. Extraordinary saintly qualities were manifested in Him from the time of his boyhood. He was adored by all and was a universally accepted leader in every sphere. He strictly observed ethical rules and celibacy-brahmacaryya-and taught others to observe celibacy and moral rules. His superiors were impressed. Guardians and teachers were astonished to hear from the boy, profound words of wisdom. He learned by heart, the entire complete Gita, at the age of eleven years merely by hearing Gita from his mother. He practiced severe penance by taking only boiled food once in a day in his second home at Calcutta. During that time, it happened that while He was invoking Sri Krsna for His Grace and was weeping severely in separation grief, He was blessed by a vision of Sri Narad Goswami in a dream, He could not remember the Mantra completely.

He became disappointed and, out of persistent solicitousness, left the house and went to the Himalayan mountains beyond Haridvar where He stayed at a stretch with our food for three days continuously wailing and praying for the grace of Sri Krsna. At last, He heard the prophecy- a divine message directing Him-"go back to your place, do not be disheartened, your Gurudeva has appeared there, take absolute shelter at His Lotus Feet. "

He then came down from the Himalayan mountains, remained for sometime at Haridvar and later returned to Calcutta. Subsequently He went to Sri Mayapur-the Holy Birth-Place of Lord Shree Caitanya Mahaprabhu-with other friends and there, saw the prophecy fulfilled: he met His Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Sreemat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad at Sri Caitanya Math in the year 1925 AD. He was attracted by seeing His Divine Spiritual Personality. He took absolute shelter at His Lotus feet and took initiation from Him at Sri Gaudiya Math, No. 1, Ultadanga Junction Road, Calcutta on 1st November in 1927 AD. He joined Sri Gaudiya Math Institution immediately after taking initiation and His devout vow of celibacy in young age was unusual ans exceptional even amongst that exalted company. He was regarded as one of the most favourite entourage of Srimat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswaim Prabhupad within a few years by His devout devotion to Guru, His competence in rendering all kinds of service, His untiring enthusiasm and His diligence to serve Visnu and Vaisnavas.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, seeing His undaunted spirit to contribute to the objective of the Institution by way of practicing and propagating the Gospel of Divine Love of Lord Chatanya Mahaprabhu, used to commend him saying, "his energy is volcanic energy." Srimat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad never hesitated to send Him to perform any important task or to send Him as advance party as He was confident and sure that the task at hand would be successfully completed in due course. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad had so much confidence in Srimat Hayagriva Das Brahmacari (Madhav Goswami Maharaj), that He first selected Him to be sent to foreign countries for preaching and for which Passport and everything were prepared. However, an objection was raised. Rajarsi Sri Saradindu Narayan Ray, one prominent household devotee, objected to this proposal on the basis that Sri Hayagriva Das Brahmacari was young and very beautiful, "There may be difficulty in sending such a beautiful young Brahmacari to foreign countries, instead an old sannyasi should be sent there. " By his suggestion Parama Pujyapad Srimat Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Maharaj was sent.

Srimat Madhav Maharaj took Tridanda Sannyas at the age of forty [40] from his God-brother His Divine Grace Srimat Bhakti Gourav Vaikhanas Maharaj [a sannyas disciple of Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta] at Sri Tota-Gopinath Temple, Purusottam Dham on Gaura-purnima in the year 1944. thereafter, He became renowned in Gaudiya Math as His Divine Grace Paribrajakacaryya Tridandi Swami Srimat Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj.

As per direct direction of His Divine Srimat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, His Divine Grace Madhav Goswami Maharaj started His preaching in Assam and established three Maths at : (1) Tezpur, (2) Guwahati and (3) Goalpara. He was also managing the seva-puja of Sorbhog Sri Gaudiya Math [in Assam] founded by Srimat Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. He founded Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math Institution in the year 1953 and established many big preaching centers in various parts of India.

Srila B.B. Tirtha Maharaj