107th Appearance Day Of Srila B V Tirtha Goswami Maharaja

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Srila Prabhupada and His Prestha Sri Kunja Bihari

 

Celebration of Sri Sri Guru Puja 107th Appearance day of Srila B V Tirtha Goswami Maharaja

 

"yasya deve para bhaktir-yatha deve tatha gurou tasyaite kathita hyartha prakasante mahatmanah"

 

"The real meaning of the Scripture gets revealed to one who has full faith at feet of Sri Guru just as he has faith at the feet of the Supreme Lord". This is the initiating mantra for Sri Vyasa-puja.

 

The servitors of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Parampara are welcoming the entire world to the Akara Matharaj Sri Chaitanya Math in order to celebrate Sri Guru-Puja on the appearance day of Acaryatrika Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Goswami Maharaja. Accepting this golden opportunity, let us lend our regardful ears to what Prabhupada Srila Saraswati Thakur himself would say about his dearest Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan.

 

His appearance day in India will celebrated on 31st March.

 

Sri Nitai Das

 

d.basu@iitian.com

 

 

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Srila Prabhupada and His Prestha

Sri Kunja Bihari

 

Celebration of Sri Sri Guru Puja

 

107th Appearance day of Srila B V Tirtha Goswami Maharaja

 

"yasya deve para bhaktir-yatha deve tatha gurou

tasyaite kathita hyartha prakasante mahatmanah"

 

"The real meaning of the Scripture gets revealed to one who has full faith at feet of Sri Guru just as he has faith at the feet of the Supreme Lord." This is the initiating mantra for Sri Vyasa-puja.

 

The servitors of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Parampara are welcoming the entire world to the Akara Matharaj Sri Chaitanya Math in order to celebrate Sri Guru-Puja on the appearance day of Acaryatrika Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Goswami Maharaja. Accepting this golden opportunity, let us lend our regardful ears to what Prabhupada Srila Saraswati Thakur himself would say about his dearest Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan.

 

Sri Nitai Das,

 

For The Servitors of Akara Matharaj Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Mayapur

22 Visnu, Avyaya Ksirodasayi, 515 Sri Gaura Era.

 

Contents:

 

Upodghata Sri Guru-Prestha

The Very Foundation of Sri Gaudiya Math

A Very Confidential Letter

Srila Prabhupada’s Own Speech in His Vyasa Puja

Srila Prabhupada’s Sweet Will and His Declarations

Srila Prabhupada and Our Kunja da

Conclusive Principles

References:

 

Without putting much of our own words, we have just presented the selected portions of the articles from the following.

 

 

Sri Guru-Prestha, April, 1937 (With articles from Gaudiya Magazine and other sources published at the time of Srila Prabhupada’s prakata lila)

By Sri Paramananda Vidyaratna.

 

Prabhupada Srila Saraswati Thakur, 1940 (1st Edition)By Tridandi Swami Srila Bhakti Kusum Sraman Maharaja.

 

Sri Saraswati Jayasri, A Diary at the time of Srila Prabhupada’s prakata lila By Sripada Ananta Vasudev Paravidyabhusan Prabhu.

 

Articles, speech, Coversation etc. by Srila Prabhupada’s several other disciples.

 

 

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Sri Sri Guru Gaurangau Jayatah

"pranamami sada prabhupada-padam"

 

1. Upodghata Sri Guru-Prestha :

 

nama om visnupadaya karunya-ghana-murttaye

 

bhakti-vilasa tirthaya srimate prabhave namah

guru-gauranga-govinda padabja-bhakti-jivine

sri-brahma-madhva-gaudiya-acarya-varyaya te namah.

 

Sri Chaitanya Math - The Akara Matharaj:

 

Sri Prthu Maharaj performed his sacrifice in this land, in the age of satya. Sriman Mahaprabhu has staged His very confidential drama here. It is the house of Acarya Sri Chandrasekhar, a confidential associate of Sri Gaurasundar. This is the place where Srila Prabhupada performed his 'sata koti nama-yajna' - one thousand million Sri Nama Sacrifice. As a result of which the world is inundated today with the love of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada established here the Akara Matharaj, the Main Principle Math, Sri Chaitanya Math in 1918. Srila Prabhupada himself has given the following definition about his Sri Chaitanya Math:

 

"Sri Chaitanya Math is the only Centre for all the pure devotees, the followers of Sri Chaitanya. Not that it is a place for a particular sect of the devotees of Sri Chaitanya. It is the only duty of every swarupa-asrita Gaudiya devotee to cleanse wherever the preaching of anti-devotional dealings and wrong siddhantas are going on; that is why the pure devotees, sheltered at Sri Chaitanya Math, are surrender at Sri Chaitanya Math with the sole desire to serve Sri Gaura properly ".

 

Warm Welcome:

 

It is the Central Home of all the servitors in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. The servitors are happy to take all of us to the inner house of their Home, Sri Chaitanya Math. The house of Acarya Candrasekhar and masima Srimati Sarvajaya Devi. In sequence, Srila Prabhupada's Grand Samadhi Temple, Srila Prabhupada's bhajan kutir, Gurudev Srila Tirtha Maharaja's Samadhi, then the Samadhi Mandir of past Acarya Gurudev Srila B K Sraman Maharaja, Srila Paramananda Vidyaratna's Samadhi, then Srila Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaja's Samadhi, Sri Giri Govardhan, then Sri Radhakunda, Sri Syamkunda, and the Main Temple, Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari Sri Radha-Vinode Pran Jiu and the four Acaryas. When somebody comes to Sri Gaudiya Math it is considered that a person has been back Home after a very long foreign visit. Therefore, now onwards we should learn to consider this to be our own House with a proper understanding. Saranagati is the way. We are, therefore, very submissive here.

 

Holy Apprearance tithi - May bless us:

 

Today is a very, very special tithi, day. Vaishnavas are all-merciful. So is the character of their holy appearance day. There are no differences between the appearance day of a Vaishnava and that of the Supreme Lord:

 

"isvarera janma tithi je hena pavitra

vaisnavera seimata tithira caritra."

 

- Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat

 

May we surrender exclusively to this holy day. This is the appearance day of Srimat Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan, the original architect of our eternal shelter, our sweet Home, Sri Gaudiya Math. We pray to this tithi to bless us by immersing us with the glorification of Sri Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan.

 

The Vedic Avaroha pantha - Method of Deduction:

 

If we, as the observers, through our mundane spectacles, want to see Sri Guru-Vaishnava as objects of our observation then it will never be possible for us to know the real svarupa of Sri Guru-Vaishnava. If Sri Gurudev, as the observer, confers the darshan-capability to the observable disciples, only then will it be possible for us to have the real darshan. Only through Sri Guru the Vaishnava darshan becomes possible.

 

Srila Prabhupada's Dearest - Beyond doublt:

 

For whose association have we observed Srila Prabhupada’s earnest desire, whose separation has Srila Prabhupada felt in his heart so that with deep feeling he has exchanged letters with an intensed desire to meet his dearest, by whose serving temper Srila Prabhupada’s heart has been overwhelmed with pleasure, whose momentary separation has Srila Prabhupada felt as if an age, whom has he declared and glorified again and again as the greatest and dearest servitor of his own bhajana, - that we have heard from Srila Prabhupada himself, in his speech and also printed in golden scripts in his letters.

 

While hearing the glorification of whose transcendental qualities Srila Prabhupada’s cheek has been overflowed with tears, looking whose soumya, beautiful, snigdha transcendental form Srila Prabhupada’s heart has been filled up with inexpressible bhava, without whose recommendation Srila Prabhupada would express a bhava that the concerned function is not being executed properly, only he is his dearest servant what doubt may we have on this fact!

 

Srila Prabhupada’s Certificate: Guru-Prestha:

 

Srila Prabhupada Himself has disclosed that this, our Prabhu-vara, is the Guru-prestha, the dearest to Sri Guru, while blessing him (Kunja-da) as "maha-mahopadesaka" in His Gaura-asirvada patra (certificate). This is not the imagination of somebody. This is not being mentioned as an agent of someone. The very certificate by Srila Prabhupada himself is given here:

 

Sri Sri Mayapura-candro Vijayate Tamam

 

 

 

 

Sri Sri Nabadwipa-dhama-pracarinyah sabhayah

 

Sri Sri Gaura-Asirvada-Patram

 

 

Bhaktervyakta-tanuh pavitritajanuh srimad guru-presthakah

Adarso harisamsrayesu vimalah punairaganairgunaih.

Madhuryadibhiranvaham vijayate cittam paresamapi

Yah sriman vijitendriyah sritagane kalpadrukalpa svayam. (1)

Sri Gaudiya-mathadhyaksa-varye-asmin sumahatmani

Acaryatvam gate visnu-sastraye-api sarbatah. (2) Aprakrta-yaso-bhasa bhasitasesa desake

Vidyabhusana-pade sri kunja-biharine sate. (3) Arpita sadaram sadbhir-maha-mahopadesakah

Ityesa mahati khyati virajatam nirantaram. (4)

Ganga-purva-tatastha sri nabadwipa-sthale pare

Sri Mayapura-dhamasthe punye yogapithasraye. (5)

Vedesu-basu-subhramsu-sakabde mangalalaye

Phalguna-purnimayam sri gauravirbhava-basare. (6)

 

Sabhapatih

Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati

 

 

 

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2. The Very Foundation of Sri Gaudiya Math:

Sri Gaudiya Math Descended Through:

 

The Founder Acarya of the Gaudiya Math, Jagad-guru, Acarya-bhaskara Prabhupada Srila Saraswati Thakur is the vaibhav of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur, the pioneer of the divine flow of pure Rupanuga devotion. Srila Prabhupada has declared himself about his Gaudiya Math:

 

"To preach the topics of pure devotion, the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanyadev, the Gaudiya Math has incarnated in the world."

 

The Original Architect of The Gaudiya Math:

 

The person by whose intense eagerness and by whose function as a right-hand man Srila Prabhupada began establishing Maths in various places and began the mighty preaching of Mahaprabhu’s message is Mahamahopadesaka Srimat Kunjabihari Vidyabhusana Bhagavataratna Acharyatrika, Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Goswami Maharaja.

 

An Intensed Request:

 

After initiation, Kunja Bihari became specially infused with the strength of Srila Prabhupada’s grace and in jubilation he expressed a request at the feet of Srila Prabhupada "Prabhupada! how many people will be able to have the good fortune of coming to this place to hear your unequalled, lofty and powerful message of Sri Chaitanya? People from all places of the world come to Calcutta. Therefore, if arrangements are made for you to stay in Calcutta, faithful people of various places will become blessed by hearing your discourses on Hari." When Srila Prabhupada gave his permission to this request, his dearest Srimat Kunjabihari Vidyabhusana Prabhu rented a house for fifty rupees a month adjacent to the Paresanatha Temple at No. 1 Ultadanga Junction Road from the month of November 1918 A.D. In that month of November Srila Prabhupada established the ‘Sri Bhaktivinode Asana’ there.

 

Super-Human Service Attitude:

 

The house was rented, but there was completely no arrangement for money to bear the rent with. The rent was undertaken empty-handed, relying upon the grace of Srila Prabhupada only. The treasury of the Asana was empty; resources door to door begging (madhukari bhiksa) and even that had not started then as there were no sannyasis, vanaprasthas or brahmacharis to collect the aid for preaching the topics of Godhead. At that time Srimat Kunjabihari Vidyabhusana worked in Government service for a very small wage, in spite of that, he, being the leader of the householder devotees, bore the entire responsibility for the propagation of Srila Prabhupada’s message.

 

On one hand was Srila Prabhupada’s unworldly personality and on the other hand was the super-human attitude of service of Sri Guru form his dearest-one Srimat Kunjabihari Vidyabhusana. In his heart there was burning incomparable enthusiasm for the propagation of discourses on Hari. By the meeting of these two priceless mine of gems was manifested the first foundations for the establishment of the Sri Gaudiya Math the site of the supreme sacrifice of pure glorification of Hari, took place. Service to Sri Guru and the preaching of Sri Chaitanya’s message is certainly to be done with body, mind and words; however, if the brilliant example, over and above that, which Srimat Kunjabihari exhibited in accepting a huge debt without even considering if it would be possible to pay it back or not is called ‘incomparable’ it would not be an exaggeration at all. It is for this reason that it was seen that Srila Prabhupada had boundless affection towards him.

 

 

 

 

 

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3. A Very Confidential Letter:

When Srila Prabhupada was supervising the excavation works for Sri Radhakunda, a terrible telegram arrived from Sripada Yasodanandana Bhagavatabhusana "On the 18th May 1920 A.D. without saying anything to anybody, Sripada Kunja da has suddenly gone to Bombay."

 

It Was Painful To Srila Prabhupada:

 

I have no words to express the pain that Srila Prabhupada felt then for the main pillar of his cherished preaching. All the followers of Srila Prabhupada who were there at that time spent the whole night shedding tears while remembering the virtues of Sripada Kunjada.

 

Kunja da Left For Basra (Iraq):

 

The reason for his going to Bombay was that without looking at his own income he had accepted the charge of various types of expenses for Sri Bhaktivinode Asana. And he also use to provide meals to those who had taken shelter of Srila Prabhupada and had come to Calcutta and various other types of help to them. Due to this he became heavily stricken with a weight of debts. With the wage that he used to receive from his work in the Post Office, it was not possible for these debts to be cleared. But on the other hand, if he did not clear the debts he would be ascertained by others to be extremely dishonest and that would be very harmful for the establishment of righteousness and the preaching of the religion. The type of wage which was available by employmemt in the Postal Department at Basra (Iraq) after the First World War would easily cover that debt. Yet, if the affectionate Prabhupada was informed, he would not give permission to go. For this reason, Sripada Kunjada did not say anything to Srila Prabhupada or anyone else and he set out for Basra on the above date, when he reached Bombay he sent a letter.

 

The Letter:

 

If the letters which Srila Prabhupada sent to him when he was at Basra expressing his intense concern and love are read, it can be thoroughly understood what kind of deep and heartfelt affection a master bears towards his earnest servant. Few words from such a letter are given here:

 

We will meet again

 

I have chosen you as one of the three trustees of Sri Chaitanya Math. Following my will, you execute that function and continue Sri Hari-seva. You love me very intensely, therefore even if not possible in this life, irrespective of which condition do I stay, you will meet me and I will see you.

 

Lost my enthusiasm

 

From the very day you left, I have lost all pleasure in life and lost all enthusiasm for preaching, most of the time I shed tears. May Sri Varsabhanavi devi (Srimati Radharani) bless you. Your virtuousness, complete detachment from mundane objects and particularly your great love towards me, this humble self, are the objects of my eternal remembrance.

 

May I become a "tyagi" like you?

 

If in any future birth I could become such an abnegated "tyagi" like you are, I would be assured of the favor of Sri Krishna. The work that I started should be carried out with all zeal by you all. Through these service activities to Sri Radha Govinda, Their grace will be received.

 

 

 

My eternal associate - Look forward me

 

"jedin tomara bhave amara e prana jabe

sei din dio padasraya."

 

["That day when in pangs of separation from Thee (Srimati Radha)

Rests my soul from matter free

I crave for sheltering at Thy Feet

In Eternal Peace and Loving Spirit."]

 

Srimati Vrsabhanu-nandini addresses her by Nayana-mani manjari (nitya svarupa) and wants to keep her always with Her. But due to sometimes she is unable to stay with Her. But the most beautiful, fascinating Vimala manjari, the very associate of Nayana-mani manjari, being deprived of the association of Sri Vinodini, leaves away with the pretension of dissociating herself with Nayana-mani manjari. So true to the self, it is the duty of Vimala manjari to look forward so that Nayana-mani manjari may engage herself in the loving service of Sri Varsbhanavi-devi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4. Srila Prabhupada’s Own Speech in His Vyasa Puja:

 

In several grand meetings, assemblies like Sri Dham Pracarini Assembly etc., Srila Prabhupada, the President of those assemblies, would order his other disciples to glorify his sneha-vigraha, affectionate-idol, Sri Kunja Bihari. Also Srila Prabhupada himself would speak about his dearest. What Srila Prabhupada himself stated about Sripada Kunjabihari Vidyabhusan Prabhu in his reply-speech in the fifty eighth Sri Vyasa Puja:-

 

Sneha Vigraha Kunja Bihari Has Invited the World

 

Affectionately, Vidyabhusan - He, who has made me, such a timid person, averse to Hari, directed towards Sri Viswa Vaishnav Rajsabha, who has given every chance to the current of outwardly thought rapt Calcuttan, the residents of the capital, by making their thought process, based on the vanity of mundane enjoyment and the renunciation, oriented towards the preaching of the teachings of Sri Gaurasundar, aiming at the service of Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari, whose pairless serving temper is scarce in the mortal world,

 

Kunja Bihari - Very Second Self of My Sri Gurudev

 

who, on the disappearance day of my Sri Gurupada-padma appeared as His another svarupa but later, did not give me a chance to serve him, but took all opportunities and who bestowed me with the opportunity by every means to implement the blessings of my Sri Gurudev "May your serving attitude to Krsna enhance",

 

Kunja Bihari’s Kunja His branch sub-branch

 

it is due to their dwelling in his kunja (hermitage) only, the Gaudiya Math sevaka sampradaya, all servitors, have got the opportunity to serve Gandharva-Giridhar along with Dhama, it is his effort, the subject of this year's main target; it appeared for the people driven by the three modes of nature as the form of the worshipable deity by the name Gaudiya-Math Pradarshani (exhibition). Before that Gaudiya Pradarshani, one who, having invoked its seed in "Sri Chaitanya Math Pradarshani" later, joining the Gaudiya Math, at the ensuing time gave me the opportunity of cinmayi (transcendental) discussion in paramarthika, spiritual assembly, being inundated by the torment of sravana-kirttana, the kunja that Visva-Vaishnava Rajasabha, the descendent form of that true affection incarnate is going to establish, in the kunja itself Kunjabehari will reveal the samkalpa-kalpadruma expressed in "tama-libhih parivrta idameva yace" along with Sri Gandharva-Giridhar referred in the verse "divyad-vrndaranya-kalpadrumadhah". I will consider myself fulfilled if I could become a dog of the dhama of that icon of affection(Kunja Bihari).

 

May You All Live Under Kunja Bihari’s Guidance

 

Whose name, form, qualifies, confidential associates and the pastimes have set me in the position where the phrase in association with Ramachandra as stated by Narottam, has become justified, whose efforts have led me understand the motive of love of Sri Gaur-Gadadhar, my prayful-blessings, may his devoted followers live by every means under the affectionate disposition of his (Kunja Bihari) comfort home.

 

Never Blaspheme My Sneha-Vigraha Kunja Bihari

 

Nobody should blaspheme the devotee of Bhagavan with worldly reasoning. Only love for Iswar (Godhead) is the way showed by Sri Gaur Sundara; Sri Gaur Sundara is the only shelter of Maha Bhagavat personalities and He is the only visaya, the predominating moiety, of the asraya, predominated moiety, Sri Maha Bhagavat, on achieving this realization - acintya-bhedabheda-bhakti-siddhanta, will string together my affectionate incarnations with my previous Guruvarga in a single thread.

 

It is the Brahmasutra, harmonizing the contradictory mantras of sruti appeared in the world - whose purports are Srimad Bhagavat and the eternally manifested deity duo in the form of Gaudiya-bhasa-arca, the transcendental sound deity, Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat and Its nectarien post-script Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta; this only is the fulfillment of words of Nayanananda and this is the primary among the five folds of bhakti - Nama-sankirtana, this is Bhagavat-patha, this itself is the undiluted worship of eternally manifested cinmaya-vigraha; this is only the Vaishnava-seva, this itself is the acintya-bheda-bheda-siddhanta.

 

Sneha-Vigraha’s Efforts May I preside in Sri Dhama

 

then for my solitary stay, the Ekayana Math, shifted to Hansa-ksetra, required to be attached to the service of the Dhama of Sri Gaurasundar, at that very moment having understood that, the room upstairs at the eastern building of Sri Chaitanya Math, is needed to be built more decoratively just outside the periphery of Sri Chaitanya Math, our affection incarnate (Kunja Bihari) instructed Bhaktivijaya to put, as a part of his service, all efforts to reconstruct the upper floor of the Ekayana Math itself as Bhaktivijaya-prakostha so that I need not go to any secluded place elsewhere leaving Sri Mayapur. As a result of which we have been placed as the servitors of the Garurha Stambha, Bhaktivijaya Bhavana, the torana (ornamental gateway) of Sri Chaitanya Math.

 

Sri Swarup-era Raghu

 

As my Sri Gaur Sundar is the source-incarnation, to exhibit the unity of asraya-vigraha Sri Varsavanavi with Gandharvaraman, yugala-murti, the divine couple, and various characteristic vyuhas (expansions) of madhura-rasa are placed in the same throne. The various characteristic vyuha are the prakasa-bheda (different forms of manifestation) of those principal characteristic deities in the views of priyanarma etc.

 

The swarupa of Guru-varga, is near and above the throne of the swarupa of all snehavigraha - the prokostha of Sri Radha Govinda. Again, in the Sneha-vigraha, the ultimate viewpoint - just as Raghunath is to Sri Swarupa, Sri Rupa-Raghunath is the subject of the highest objective of the Sneha-vigraha, affection idol.

 

May You All Not get Deceived

 

You won't receive the mercy by Sri Gaur-Gadadhara by your method of induction as long as you remain incompetent to realize the svarupa (real meaning) of bhakti towards the worshipable due to the lack of understanding of the acintya-bheda-bheda siddhanta. Everything that of my Gaur is above justice- my Gaur's refutation of the doctrine of illusion, my Gaur's love for Gadadhar, my Gadadhar's mercy on Ballabha acarya, my Nitai's mercy on Kala Krsnadas, my Jaydev's affection for Padmavati, my Vidyapati's love for Lachima, my Gaur's love for Gunarajakhan, Snehavigraha's (Kunja Bihari's) apparent affection for his mundane relatives - should not deprive us from the platform of devotion .

 

 

 

 

 

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5. Srila Prabhupada’s Sweet Will and His Declarations:

 

"Is Kunja Babu saying? Has he recommended?"

 

When Srila Prabhupada performed first Vraja-mandala Parikrama, we heard him (Prabhupada) saying, "You all are saying but is Kunja Babu saying?" As if the whole subject of Srila Prabhupada used to remain incomplete if it would not get approved by Kunja Babu.

 

It has been observed several times in the prakata lila of Srila Prabhupada that if Kunja Bihari took the responsibility of any kind of work, Srila Prabhupada used to feel composed, but he could not feel that confident by putting the responsibility upon anyone else.

 

Declaration on the wall of Bagbazar Sri Gaudiya Math:

 

Sripada Jagabandhu Prabhu was enlightened by Acharyatrika Srimat Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan Bhagavataratna Prabhu’s Hari-katha and by his inspiration he collected the land and bore the full construction costs for the temple, Sarasvata Auditory Hall, the servitors’ quarters and kitchen of the Calcutta Sri Gaudiya Math at Bagbazar and he dedicated his life-breath for the service of Sri Hari-Guru-Vaisnavas

 

Srila Prabhupada had this written on the surface of the temple about him

 

"The secretary of the Sri Gaudiya Math, Sripada Kunjabihari Vidyabhusasa is

 

The main pillar in the great temple of the Sri Gaudiya Math.

The life-breath of the Sri Gaudiya Math’s institution of Service and the main cause for its flourishment.

The original architect in the Sri Gaudiya Math’s creation.

The principal minister for the awakening and development of Sri Jagabandhu’s service attitude.

The central jewel in the Sri Gaudiya Math’s jewelled necklace of devotees.

The very personification of Sri Guru-seva (serving temper) and the prestha-murtti of (dearest to) Sri Guru.

The main pillar to fulfill the wish of Sri Guru.

The foremost teacher of service to Sri Guru and the most tolerant servitor.

The servitor of the servitors of Sri guru, who invites the world for service to Sri Hari and Sri guru.

The greatest friend of the Gaudiyas."

Just let me reach Kunja Babu’s home

 

While visiting Purulia, the home of his dearest Kunja Babu, Srila Prabhupada manifested his illness pastimes. If somebody would suggest for any remedy, Srila Prabhupada would state with great affection: "Nothing needed. Just let me reach my Kunja Babu’s home. Then every thing will become fine. I will get cured. Just let me reach there."

 

What a Flame of Inspiration!!

 

At that time all his fellow-students used to call him ‘Kunjada’. Even though he was engulfed by huge debts in Calcutta he still would serve Vaishnavas he would serve with great joy all the people who came to hear discourses on Hari from Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was astounded when he saw his tottering cottage in the village. ‘There is so much enthusiasm in this man! For constructing an excellent temple for God, for constructing a fine place for the devotees of God and for constructing numerous centres for the establishment of preaching he has such a force of strong sincerity! Yet he is personally a resident of a tottering cottage. What a flame of inspiration and inexpressible desire has arisen in his heart for constructing excellent dwellings for God and His devotees!!’ Thinking thus, Srila Prabhupada and 20-22 associates resided in that village for two days. On the first day he accepted alms at the house of his dearest-one (Sripada Kunjada).

 

Indebted to Kunja Babu only

 

Srila Prabhupada has thus said several times "I am indebted to no one else, except Kunja Babu alone. I could not repay the debt of Kunja Babu."

 

May He be Glorifed If You All can also Follow Him..

 

Few days before his disappearance Srila Prabhupada would caution indicating his departure for the eternal world:

 

"You all take to sincere Hari bhajana, there are not many more days."

 

On 13th December, 1936, just few days before his disappearance, on the occasion of the 6th Annual Separation Ceremony of the said Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan, a huge meeting took place. While concluding his last speech, he stated:

 

"We are eternally grateful to those people who have given us the opportunity to discuss all these topics (Hari-katha). Apart from this, we have another object of thanks may that Sriman Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan be profusely glorified. If his assistants are able to follow him they will also be immensely glorified."

 

Guiding Principles:

 

On 31st December, 1936, the day of his manifestation of disappearance lila, he gave the following instructions as Guiding principle:

 

"Form a Governing body of 10 to 12 persons for management of Mission work but Kunja Babu will manage so long as he lives.

 

Kunja Babu’s sympathy for me brought me in connection with so many persons. His intelligence excelled all. His sympathy for me knows no bound.

 

I advise you (Kunja Babu) to be courageous and callous (?) as I am callous to all. This should be your guiding principle.

 

I told the other day and again I say Kunja Babu should be respected by all as long as he lives.

 

Not to quarrel with one another.

 

Vasudev should write something. Sundarananda and Proffessor Babu should also help him in this regard."

 

 

 

 

 

--

 

 

6.Srila Prabhupada and Our Kunja da:

 

Therefore they followed. All of them. Without excluding anyone of them. We will not understand the truth, as long as we do not say good-bye to our measuring tendency - "mepe neoyar dharma", the particular term Srila Prabhupada would often talk about. Many of his Godbrothers stayed in Sri Chaitanya Math under the direct guidance of the Kunja Bihari, following Srila Prabhupada's instructions. Many others opened their own centres for preaching. While replying to a question one Acarya, who was one of the great personalities doing bhajana outside Sri Chaitanya Math, told:

 

"What do you mean? Is it not that Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatan Goswami, were at different places to serve Sri Radha Govinda, Sri Radha Madan Mohan? Therefore the six Goswamis were different? Is this the concept? Never. As they used to do, we also, in the very similar way, all the Godbrothers do worship our own affectionate deities with our particular mood and love and that adds to a special feature. It is our characteristic bhajana. But whenever we need we do come close to each other and exchange our bhava."

 

Let us listen to the Godbrothers of Srimat Kunja Bihari. Let us hear about the transcendental dealings of Srila Prabhupada and their Kunja da.

 

"Paramananda Promise me"

 

Foreseer of the past, present and future, Jagad-Guru Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, sometime before his disappearance, calling Sripad Paramananda Prabhu (one of the three trustees of the Gaudiya Maths) ordered him "Paramananda! Give me your words! From now onwards, you should remain under the guidance of Kunja Babu. You should go according to His words. You should not go against this ever. You will get more sympathy from him than me." Sripada Paramananda Prabhu had promised and he followed that immaculately until the last day of his life.

 

Srila Prabhupada showed me Srila Kunja Bihari:

 

Paramananda prabhu. (is telling without duplicity the words from his heart) "See! I have come leaving my house at the age of thirteen. Whatever you may say, there is no comparison of Srila Prabhupada. How he used to love me!. In such a way no body will love anybody in this world. And (Tirtha) Maharaja, he is my everything, Prabhupada has shown me Maharaja. Maharaja has fulfilled the loss created due to the absence of Prabhupada. Otherwise I would not have been able to live. If Maharaja had not loved me in this manner then in no way I would have lived. I have seen Guru Maharaja also, one is complimentary to the other. The existence of one leaving the other for many days has not seemed possible."

 

Vivikta-anandi to Gostha-anandi:

 

Acharyapada Srila B V Tirtha Maharaja brought viviktanandi Srila Prabhupada into the role of goshthanandi. By His kindness we attained the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.

 

By manifesting the viviktanandi Gurudev in front of the world he has benefitted the wolrd very much. He is the central personality, who is the root cause of the flourishment of Sri Chaitanya vani, and its getting preached through out the world, which is going to inundate the entire world in the near future.

 

Srila Prabhupada would not do kirtana:

 

Today Sri Caitanya Saraswati (Srila Prabhupada) would not have been doing kirtana if Kunjada had not come. Today who would have made changes in the central place of Kalipancaka, Calcutta, if Kunjada had not come to this world? If the possessor of unthinkable strength, Kunjada, even though himself being the living Gaudiya Math, would not have manifested himself in this world as the protector of Gaudiya Math then who would have highlighted that Gaudiya Math, whose message is today being preached throughout the world?

 

Srila Prabhupada without you!

 

Oh most respectable Sri Sri Guruprestha! You are the affectionate idol of the most worshipable Sri Srila Prabhupada. Sri Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode brought Srila Prabhupada in order to establish the desires of Sri Gaur, and his desires for the deliverance of the most fallen race like us. Likewise Srila Prabhupada also in order to fulfill the desires of Srila Bhaktivinode, has brought you to the world as his associate and has spread His world purifying lila. There is no way to deny this if the lila-carita, pastimes, of Sri Srila Prabhupada and the history of the development of Sri Gaudiya Math are reviewed. Srila Prabhupada cannot be thought of without you!

 

Entire Saraswata Family is Indebted to You:

 

In the history of the Saraswata-family, the name of Srila Tirtha Maharaja will be written in golden letters. The very cause of the good fortune of coming to the lotus like feet of our sad-Guru Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Takur, the life of Sri Gaudiya Math, is Srila Tirtha Maharaja. If Srila Tirtha Maharaja had not manifested Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, then our good fortune would have taken up a different shape. For this, I think, everyone in the Saraswata-family is indebted to the feet of Pujyapada Srila Tirtha Maharaja.

 

Without receiving his mercy nobody can receive Srila Prabhupada's real mercy. He is the very personification of yukta-vairagya.... If we would not get the shelter of Sri Kunja da's lotus feet, we would be deceived every moment.

 

Kunja da the Giver of Hermitage for Hari Bhajan:

 

Before taking sannyas the name of Acharyapad was Srimat Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan Bhagavataratna; having been crowned with the name of ‘Acharyatrika Prabhu’ after passing three Acharya-exams taken by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada used to call Him by the name of ‘Kunja Babu’ only. We used to call him "Kunja-da" Kunja is the hermittage, where the divine Couple performs Their lila and "da" the giver; meaning the giver of hermitage for bhajana.

 

Natural love Sri Gaura-Gadadhar couple:

 

Acaryatrika Prabhu is the dearest to the dearest to Sri Gaur Sundara, Srila Prabhupada. Sripada Kunjada remind us of Sri Gaur-Nityananda, Sri Gaur-Gadadhar. A tiniest person like me is incapable of expressing that kind of oneness and that kind of natural love.

 

The Heart Not the External Appearance:

 

Srila Acharya Ramanuja had a grhastha sishya named ‘Dhanurdas’. Having been enchanted by his serving attitude Sri Ramanuja used to treat him with great affection. Due to this, envy had aroused in the heart of his seventy-four sannyasi disciples. Knowing that Sri Ramanuja exhibited in one incident that this Dhanurdas, even though living at home with wife, is better than the above mentioned sanyasis in serving attitude. Not by external appearance, only by the purity of heart can one become more seva-pran at the feet of Hari-Guru-Vaishnava. At that time even Srila Kunja babu having situated in grhastha lila, Srila Prabhupada was more affectionate towards him. If some sannyasi became envious, then Srila Prabhupada loudly rejecting that, made known to the audience the bright service-oriented heart of Acaryayapada.

 

What we should hear from Srila Tirtha dev today?

 

In his prakata lila, Gurudev Srila Tirtha Goswami Maharaja never accepted Vyasa-Puja on his appearance day. He would offer special puja to Srila Prabhupada on this day. One such incident we want to tell. A devotee, with much intensed love, came to offer a garland to Gurudev. Srila Tirtha dev took it in his hand and offered to Srila Prabhupada and then gave the offered garland to the devotee. So he would not accept. He used to say "At least the long I am alive here I will not allow you to do that. Then gradually, you may pay less importance to my Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja."

 

He would not take the name of Govinda. He would always utter the name of Sri Srila Prabhupada-padma. He states: "At the end of the day I used to report to Srila Prabhupada about the progress of the on-going projects. Till the day, I do continue the same."

 

He is very gambhir. Being very exclusive servitor of his Gurudev, he is very conservative in the extreme. With his natural divine gambhirya and parama-snigdhata; with his very restricted ecstacy and sweet voice; with tears flowing on his glazy beautiful cheek; with much affection; he will tell us:

 

The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna descended here twice to give the highest divine love of the divine couple to the most fallen souls in this age of Kali. Once He came in the form of Sri Gaura Sundara with the Vipralambha bhava, as the Son of Mother Sri Saci Devi, before 500 years. Again the same Personality incarnated in the form of His transcendental sound, the divine teachings of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Caitanya Saraswati, Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur.

 

" namaste gaura-vani srimurtaye dina-tarine "

 

The very Personification of Sri Gaura Sundara's Teachings, to deliver the fallen souls.

 

 

 

--

 

 

7. Conclusive Principles:

 

Vaishnava Seva:

 

Sriman Mahaprabhu took two points from each of the four Vaishnava Sampradayas. From ‘Sri Sampradaya’ He took (1) ananya bhakti and (2) bhakta seva. Therefore for a moment let us pay attention to what does Acarya Sri Ramanuja say regarding bhakta seva. What special feature does he speak out about the service to the Vaishnavas?

 

svadesikasya kainkarye kainkarye vaisnavasya ca

pratipattim samam krtva kainkaryam karayet sada

purvacaryokta vakyesu viswasainaiva vartayet.

 

"One should pay respect to the Vaishnavas as he does for his own Gurudev. And the teachings of all the previous Acaryas should be accepted."

 

Also,

 

vaisnavanam-anusthane nopaya-matimunnayet

upayameva satatam unnayet sumahamanah.

 

 

"One should not consider rendering service to the Vaishnavas as to be the means of attainment. But the Vaishnava seva should be understood as the goal, the attainment itself." Only due to enough sukrti, spiritual merit, does one get the chance of Sri Vaishnava seva this understanding is the expected one.

 

Glorification is Transparent:

 

"vaisnavera guna-gana??sunile jivera tran."

 

"Praise the Vaishnavas". "Praising" is not exaggerations. Not that he does not deserve but we impose them on him and that we mean to be ‘praising’. A Vaishnava is the reservoir of all the good qualities that the Lord possesses. All the qualities of Sri Krsna get transmitted to the Vaishnavas.

 

"sri-krsnera yateka guna vaisnave samcare."

 

Again, ‘glorification’ is not the antonym of ‘criticism’. That is the feature of this mundane world. In the material world, every "positivity" has its own negative counterpart. Because this world is all-negative. But in the positive world, in the Vaikunthya, everything is positive. That is the central point. Even a "divine negativity" comes in order to enhance that positivity. By mental speculation the nature of that negativity could never be understood. There, in the Vaikunthya, glorification means ‘glorification’, it is as transparent as the transcendental water of the Ganges, the "brahma-drava".

 

We should be very careful in this regard. With our mundane concept if we want to measure the transcendental dealing of the Guru-Vaishnava then we will surely be deceived. Srila Vrndavan Das Thakur, in his Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, has cautioned us several times:

 

ei mata vaisnave vaisnave bhinna nai

bhinna karayen ranga chaitanya gosain.

 

Among the Vaishnavas there are no such mundane differences. Only in order to enhance the beauty and sweetness of His lila, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, sometimes makes them playing such roles where they seem to be different.

 

ithe jei ek vaisnavera paksa haya

anya vaisnavere ninde, sei jaya ksaya.

 

Again, similar expressions,

 

je na bujhi donhara kalaha, paksa dhare

eke ninde, are vande, sei jana mare.

 

And without having understood such transcendental lila, with apparent quarrels, if one takes the side of one Vaisnava and thereby criticizes the other, he gets lost.

 

Sri Saraswata Kusum Kunja:

 

We, the descendents of Prabhupada Srila Saraswati Thakur, Kunja Bihari Srila Tirtha dev and Srila Bhakti Kusum Sraman dev, would like to tell this. Our Gurudevas have taught us to praise all the Divine Acaryas. The Gaudiya Family may be aware of many historical facts. Therefore, for an example, we just want to quote Srila Tirtha dev’s instruction when he found a doubt in our mind: Sripada Ananta Vasudev Prabhu is my very dear Godbrother. He has rendered many nice services to Srila Prabhupada-padma. Keep his lotus feet above your head for ever. Be refrained from observing and then speculating our dealings. Such are the instructions about all others. Therefore we accept all of them to be our Siksa Gurus, our Guru-varga, our Divine Guardians, our Saviours. Without their mercy we are nothing.

 

We do not have any hope. We have been taught that the higher realm is not the place of applying our own whim. By right we cannot do anything there. We are thus bowing down our heads to all of them. They are our eternal Shelters. We will be rendering service under their guidance forever. We see the Vaishnavas through the teachings of Sri Guru. Srila Prabhupada teaches that Sri Guru is taking the Vaishnava in one side of his lap and on the other side there is the Supreme Lord. The Vaishnavas are headed by Sri Guru. Only the pujya, worshipable (Vaishnavas), have the ability to render proper service to the worshipable, Sri Guru. We have to follow them. And that is our Sri Guru Puja. Therefore let us once again listen to our Divine Masters what they conclude with.

 

The Sampradaya-Vaibhava-Acarya Sri Kunja da:

 

The combination of the simultanious presence of the advanced devotional experience and the noble love of Vaishnava Sarvabhauma Om Vishnupada Srila Jagannath, the very yukta-vairagya of Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktivinode, the expert divine technique for deceiving the materialists of Om Vishnupada Srila Gaurakishore, the noble serving temper and loving affection towards the devotees of Om Vishnupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada have menifested a great harmonised resonant rhythm in Sri Kunja Bihari Vidyabhusan may this Kunja da become our eternal shelter.

 

Let the world criticize:

 

Sri Kunja da is the sa-sangha Sri Gaudiya Math himself. He is the most affectionate to Srila Prabhupada. All others, his sva-jatiya-snigdha servitors of Srila Prabhupada are his different manifestations, his incarnations.

 

Hearing thus, the envious people of the world, with their natural averseness to the Vaishnavas, will consider all those glorifications to be exaggregations or self-motivated words. But Acaryatrika Prabhu is the personality - who is the subject of our continuous meditation. He is the Dhruva, North, star for them who have lost their right direction and he is the ideal to follow, for those who have got their real path of devotion.

 

We really do not know whether the worldly people will fingure us for this acceptance of that great mahapurusa as our shelter, but we do not care. Indeed, our heart gets overflowed with a divine source of immeasurable ecstacy and boldness to accept that criticism.

 

Offenders will be deceived:

 

"Simplicity is the Vaishnavism." The vaisnavata, the Vaishnava-qualities, that Sri Kunja da possesses are very, very transparent and simple. There is not even a single spot of artificiality or duplicity. Kunja da's vaisnavata is always flowing like the transcendental flow of the all-purifying water of the Ganges and always offering the flowers at the lotus feet of Sri Srila Prabhupada.

 

Acaryatrika Prabhu is the hrdaya vigraha, heart, of Srila Prabhupada. He is the very personification of real love towards the Bhakti Siddhanta diety Srila Prabhupada. As if the transparent, very serving temper (seva vigraha) towards Sri Guru, accepting a personified form, has incarnated as Sri Kunja da in the world.

 

Whosover will not be able to follow the pure and simple Vaishnava quality and yukta-vairagya of Acaryatrika prabhu properly, and will, thereby try to imitate or will make offense at his lotus feet due to enviousness, will certainly be deceived from their service of Sri Guru Gauranga for ever it is the verdict of the Scriptures, the real conclusion.

 

The ‘Big’ elected by the ‘Big’:

 

Vaishnava-acharya or Jagad-guru is not made ‘Big’ by some factory owned by common men, demigods or any other living entity in any of the fourteen worlds; he is ‘Big’ on his own - he does not become ‘Big’ by taking vote from the people of this world - he is not any of the many ‘Bigs’ of this world - he is elected as ‘Big’ by Bhagavan. There is not a tinge of incompleteness in his ‘Bigness’; another ‘Big’ cannot overshadow or belittle that ‘Big’ or no clash takes place between them and the ‘Big’ elected by the Bhagavan. He is not created by small living entities. One Who is ‘Bigger’ than everybody, One to Whom there is nobody as big as Him or bigger than Him, that ‘Big’ (Bhagavan) has elected him as ‘Big’; and even that unrivalled ‘Big’ (Bhagavan) worships that ‘Big’. May we be able to bow down our heads in the worship of that kind of ‘Big’, that kind of Jagad-guru, that kind of Yuga-acharya. May we be able to sell our heads for ever.

 

All glory to Saparsada Sri Srila Prabhupada-padma.

 

All glory to Prabhupada-prestha Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Goswami Maharaja and to his appearance day.

 

All glory to Sri Chaitanya Matha Acarya Srila Bhakti Kusum Sraman Goswami Maharaja.

 

All glory to all Sri Saraswata Acaryas.

 

All glory to all the Vaishnavas.

 

All glory to the Akara Matharaj Sri Chaitanya Math.

 

"SARBEBHYO VAISHNAVEBHYO NAMO NAMAH."