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They Accuse Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Lecture, Germany: Dec. 16, 2001 (eve)

[The following is a lecture given by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja on the morning of December 16th in Paderborn, Germany, during the first festival of his Winter-2001 Preaching Tour. The lecture was given to his audience of two hundred fifty devotees who had come there from various European countries to hear his hari-katha. In this lecture, Srila Maharaja is defending and protecting the glory of the Sarasvata-Gaudiya lineage, the foremost member of that lineage being Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. - Submitted by Vasanti dasi]

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura saved the whole world by his revolution, and thus we are now hearing something about transcendental life in the real sense.

In a couple of years, by the grace of his Guru, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja preached the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami throughout the universe. He did this very quickly, especially by translating and writing books, and also by distributing books. Even those who never personally met him came to Iskcon, and to this line, only by his name, fame, and glory. I have also come here only by his grace. I came by the grace of my Gurudeva, but especially by the grace of Srila Swami Maharaja. Therefore, I am also travelling to the places in which he preached, and I am also achieving very rapid success.

I had the curiosity to take darsana of the lands where Srila Swami Maharaja preached so effectively in such a short time, because those places had become tirthas, very sacred pilgrimage places. That is why I came for the first time, in 1996, and at that time I saw his glory everywhere. Now, however, for certain reasons, devotees are becoming weak. Some of them left because after him there was no good nourishment. There was no sweet behavior, and no good training. Devotees quarreled with each other, and many of them became like rtviks. They are not really rtviks, [according to sastra, rtviks are actually professional priests who perform fire sacrifices] but when they realized they had no faith in their 'leaders', they did not know what to do. They tried to organize something, but their activities also turned out to be against the bhakti cult.

Some became sahajiya babajis under the influence of other sahajiya babajis, some became Buddhists, and others became 'nothing.' They became materialistic householders and engaged in very wretched activities, eating and drinking the same abominable things they took before they joined. It was to help all such persons that Srila Swami Maharaja called me in his last days. He also called for me when he first began his Western preaching, and at that time he requested me, "Oh, come and help in my preaching." At that time I could not come, but I came very soon after. His Prabhupada ordered him to preach in the Western countries, and he began his mission there after forty-three years. Your Prabhupada called me, and I came after only twenty years. I came sooner.

Now, everywhere, devotees are again being inspired, and life is again coming in them. I am very happy. The acaryas in our guru-varga (disciplic succession) have said that if one person follows a devotee preaching Krsna consciousness, his preaching is successful, and Srila Swami Maharaja has also said this. I am happy that by his grace we are moving everywhere.

Now we have a 'school team', in which there are some principles, some professors, and some teachers of many various qualifications. They are all part of our college or school training camp. So many persons, with so many diseases, are coming, and we have many kinds of treatments, operations, and medicines. So many senior and sincere devotees of Srila Swami Maharaja are helping us, and by their help we are doing something tangible and getting good response. Without their help it would have been impossible to preach.

I want you to be steady. Don't be weak. At present there are many modern conveniences. Therefore, if there is any doubt, you can phone me in a moment and say, "Narayana Maharaja, I have this doubt." I will at once respond. For example, a devotee may ask me, "Why did Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura introduce yajna-upavit (sacred thread) as a new scheme in our Mahaprabhu line? There was no yajna-upavit previously, but Srila Sarasvati Thakura came and introduced tridandi sannyasa, saffron cloth, and yajna-upavit upanayana (brahminical initiation). Why did he do so?"

This question is asked by ignorant persons - those who don't know anything. The sacred thread was introduced at the beginning of our creation. This is the verdict of sruti sastra, and evidence of this is also found in the Gautamopanisad, Javalopanisad, Yajnavalkyopanisad, and Paramahamsa Parivrajakopanisad.

[In Srila Narayana Maharaja's book, Five Essential Essays, it is stated in the following quote from Sruti: "The saintly king Janaka Maharaja inquired from the great sage Yajnavalkya, 'O Bhagavan! Please explain to me the qualifications and regulations governing the acceptance of sannyasa.' Yajnavalkya replied, 'First of all, strictly observing the vow of brahmacarya, one should study the Vedas in the home of one's guru. Then, after appropriately observing the occupational duties of the grhastha-asrama, one should accept vanaprastha. Finally, after vanaprastha one should accept sannyasa. Before entering the grhastha-asrama, if one develops a powerful sense of detachment from material life while still in the stage of brahmacarya, then one should accept sannyasa directly from the brahmacarya-asrama. Otherwise, as soon as one's vairagya is very strong, it is quite appropriate to accept sannyasa from the stages of grhastha or vanaprastha. In other words, the principle is that one may accept sannyasa from the position of any asrama, upon developing genuine detachment." (p.6)]

We see that at the time of Ramacandra, Vasista Muni was giving sannyasa to all those who were qualified. This included even those who were not born as brahmanas, ksatriyas, or vaisyas. Even sudras were given sannyasa if they were qualified.

Krsna Himself says in Bhagavad-gita:

catur-varnyam maya srstam
guna-karma-vibhagasah
tasya kartaram api mam
viddhy akartaram avyayam

"According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable." (Bhagavad-gita 4.13)

Madhavendra Puripada was a tridandi sannyasi, as were Isvara Puripada, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, Svarupa Damodara, Nityananda Prabhu, and so many of their associates. Most of them wore saffron cloth and sacred thread. After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, however, we see that a few, like Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami, out of regard for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, thought, "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Lord, has taken the position of a sannyasi. We should therefore not take that position. Never, never, never. Because we have had the association of Muslims, we are like Muslims. A Muslim has no right to take sannyasa." This was their humility. Actually they were brahmanas. They could have easily taken the sacred thread, but they refused. They very humbly said, "Oh, we are the dasanudasa of Caitanya Mahaprabhu." Those mahabhagavats thought themselves unqualified for yajna-upavit and sannyasa, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never forced them to take it. He knew that they were paramahamsas.

[It is further stated in Five Essential Essays: "After Sriman Mahaprabhu, His lila-parikaras (eternal pastime associates) such as the six Gosvamis, Sri Lokanatha and Bhugarbha, and later Sri Krsnadas Kaviraja, Sri Narottama Thakura and Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura were naturally niskincana paramahamsa Vaisnavas. There was no need for them to wear sannyasa-vesa or saffron cloth. Secondly, Sriman Mahaprabhu had performed the lila of wearing sannyasa-vesa and saffron cloth. Thus considering themselves to be worthless, lowly and unqualified, these mahatmas did not wear sannyasa-vesa and saffron cloth, in order to show honor and respect to the vesa of Sriman Mahaprabhu and also to maintain their identities as servants under the shelter of His lotus feet." (p.22)]

Another consideration is that their white cloth was the paramahamsa-vesa. Actually, a paramahamsa has no vesa (cloth). He can also be naked, like the avadhutas Sri Sukadeva Gosvami and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Such transcendental personalities are not under any rules and regulations. The Vedas cannot control mahabhagavatas, who are outside the jurisdiction of all the rules of etiquette. They themselves can create etiquette, and in fact, etiquette runs after them. Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami have no need of rules.

In all the scriptures, like the Vedas, Upanisads, and Puranas, that there is no word, 'babaji'. No one was ever called 'babaji'. Babaji was only referred to as a father, a grandfather, or another family elder. Those who wanted to show regard for their fathers or grandfathers used to call them, "Baba, baba." This word was only for that purpose. Neither in Hari-Bhakti Vilasa nor in the thousands of books written by our Gosvamis, has the word babaji been used. I don't know from where the word has come. Srila Rupa Gosvami was affectionately called 'chota baba', young father, and Srila Sanatana Gosvami was called 'bada baba', old father. Gradually, with the passing of time, the term 'Babaji Maharaja' developed.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura saw that during his time it was very hard to preach Krsna consciousness in society. All respectable persons hated the word 'babaji,' because each babaji had two or more widow girlfriends and hought, "We are doing upapati-bhava and parakiya-bhajana. [In other words, they were trying to imitate the paramour love of Krsna and the gopis.] The sahajiya babajis were engaged in so much immoral conduct that it was very difficult for an actual Gaudiya Vaisnava to give his identification, in decent and cultured society, as a Vaisnava in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is for this reason that Srila Sarasvati Thakura again introduced tridandi sannyasa.

[It is further stated in Five Essential Essays: "On the other hand, in order to express veneration for the niskincana parmahamasa-vesa of the associates of Sriman Mahaprabhu and, under their guidance, to preach His message throughout the entire world, many akincana Vaisnavas on the path of raganuga-bhajana, holding the paramahamsa-vesa upon their heads, have accepted a position below their worshipable superiors by wearing the vesa and saffron cloth of the sannyasa asrama which is included within the system of varnasrama dharma. These two customs, each having their own place, are both exquisitely beautiful and also completely in accordance with siddhanta. Today suddha-hari-bhakti has been, is being, and will continue to be, preached and spread throughout the world by these mahapurusa, great perfected saints, who wear this second type of niskincana sannyasa-vesa."(p.23)]

Srila Sarasvati Thakura saw that he would have to preach the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in a real sense. He therefore gave sannyasa, the forth order of the varnasrama system. First one will have to be a brahmacari, and after that, if he is married, he should be a vanaprastha, and after that a sannyasi. We should not jump to try to be gopis at once. We should try to maintain all the rules and regulations which have been chalked out in Hari-bhakti Vilasa and other bona fide sastras. First you should fully obey brahmacarya. When you are trained in all subjects of brahmacarya, if you want to be grhasta, you can become so. Then, after some time you should enter the vanaprastha asrama, and those who want to directly come from brahmacarya can also take the renounced order sannyasa from there.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established a matha in Mayapura, and from there his mission spread all over Bengal. He created a revolution everywhere in Bengal, and all were attracted - especially the young generation. Thus, all over Bengal, and then all over India, people began to join him. Now, by his grace, this Gaudiya Vaisnava cult is spreading throughout the world, and this is our pride.

First be a brahmacari, and follow the rules and regulations. Be qualified in all tattva, like krsna-tattva, jiva-tattva, maya-tattva, and all other philosophical truths, and then if you want to be married, you can become a qualified grhastha. After that, if you like, you can enter the life of vanaprastha or sannyasa, or you can go directly from brahmacari to sannyasa. This is the legal process. If you don't know ABCD of tattva, and at once you want to enter paramahamsa and be situated in a gopi mood, it is absurd. If you try to do so, you are bound to engage in so many illicit activities.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura saved the whole world by his revolution, and thus we are now hearing something about transcendental life in the real sense. The babajis, those who have five or six widows and are engaged in immoral nonsense, will also try to speak before the public, but no one in respectable, civilized society will listen to them.

Who are the babajis of the present time? Those who were rejected by Gaudiya society due to their bad character became babajis. These babajis want perfection very easily and very cheaply. They want a short cut.

Srila Sarasvati Thakura has saved us, and we should try to follow him correctly. I request the Western devotees not to change their husbands daily. They should be together even after sixty or one hundred years. What is done is done, but now, don't change any further. Now you should try to follow all the aspects of Vedic culture that are favorable for bhakti. Otherwise, there will be no bhakti. If you have already divorced, then be renounced now. Don't try to marry again. If you are in grhastha life, remain there, and from there you should do bhakti.

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

"Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations that are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.3)

Transcriber: Srimati Vasanti devi dasi
Typist: Srimati Radhika devi dasi
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Appearance Day Of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

 Giver Of Madhurya-Bhakti

by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Singapore: February 13, 2001 This is the appearance day of jagad-guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and therefore we should discuss his glories.

namah om visnupadaya krsna-presthaya bhutale, srimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti-namine

In this pranama mantra it is stated: bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given birth to the murtiman-vigraha of bhakti-siddhanta, the personification of the doctrines of bhakti. In Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura there is all the knowledge that Krishna gave to Brahma, Brahma gave to Narada, Narada gave to Vyasa, and thus, by disciplic succession, came through the Rupanuga Vaisnavas down to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. All the siddhantas, philosophical truths, of the Vedas, Upanisads, and all other scriptures, were embodied in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura. If any person came to argue philosophy with him, that person was at once defeated, and he was bound to accept all his teachings. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. There are two Sarasvatis. The power of Brahma is Sarasvati, but that Sarasvati is not the real Sarasvati of Goloka Vrindaban. This Siddhanta Sarasvati, however, is the real embodiment of para-vidya, transcendental knowledge. Therefore, because of this transcendental knowledge, his name was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada. Why Prabhupada? He was Prabhupada in the real sense because he preached throughout the world the glorification of his Prabhu. Who is his Prabhu? Radha-Krishna Conjugal, or Gauracandra, Gaura-Gadadhara, and Gaura-Nityananda. He preached Their glories everywhere, and therefore he is really Srila Prabhupada.
Namah om visnupadaya krsna-presthaya bhutale. He was very near and dear to Krishna - very near and dear - in that male form. But who is he really? In the second sloka of his pranama mantra it is stated: sri varsabhanavi-devi-dayitaya. He is really the eternal maidservant of Srimati Radhika. He is so very dear to Radhika, in his form as Nayana-manjari. As Mahaprabhu's associate he is Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, and as the associate of Radha-Krishna Conjugal he is Nayana-manjari. What is the meaning of the name Nayana-manjari? As one's eyes are very priya, dear, to one, Nayana-manjari, who is the personification of the eyes of Srimati Radhika, is so near and dear to Her. She is always serving Srimati Radhika. Thus, he has two forms. One form is as Caitanya Mahaprabhu's associate, not only in this world but also in Goloka Vrindavana, in Svetadhipa. And, in Vrindavana also, as Nayana-manjari, she serves Srimati Radhika. You have seen in Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's Vilapa-kusumanjali how the manjaris serve Radha-Krishna Conjugal. Nayana-manjari serves Them in those same ways.
Srila Sarasvati Thakura is krpabdhaye, an endless ocean of mercy. He was the first acarya in the four sampradayas to desire that all the people in the world, all those who have forgotten Krishna, should realize all the truths of bhakti, and they should be helped to become pure devotees. If Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura had not sent his disciples here and there, none of you, in any country, would have met pure devotees. Now, by the mercy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, though Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja and my Gurudeva, krsna-kirtana is everywhere in the world. Everyone knows Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha and Krishna only by their mercy. Srila Prabhupada had the wish, and then he sent his arms here and there. Who are his arms? His disciples, his devotees. At first he sent Srila Van Maharaja and others, and next he sent Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. They are therefore like arms, and they are preaching everywhere.
We are very fortunate to come in their line, but we should try to be very strong. Sometimes, if you are not in good association, you become weak. It may be that when I return to India, you will become weak. Don't be weak. Always realize that our whole guru-parampara, Radha-Krishna, Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and Guru are always with you, and they will help you. Don't give up chanting and remembering Krishna.
Krpabdhaye. He is not called an ocean of mercy only because he gave us harinama. He gave so much more. He brought Goloka Vrindavana. He brought the love and affection of the gopis to this world. If he has not brought all these things, we would never have heard of them. He is therefore an ocean of mercy.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura taught that there are five kinds of knowledge: pratyaksa, paroksa, aparoksa, adhoksaja, and aprakrta. The knowledge of everything we see and realize by our direct experience is called pratyaksa. But this is false. Then, paroksa. We don't see Svarga, but we believe in it. There is also a history of Svarga. We will have to accept Svarga, although we don't see it. We hear that if a man is a thief, a dacoit, a debauch, and so on, he will have to go to naraka, hell. On the other hand, if he is pious, he will go to Svarga and there he will be very happy. This knowledge is called paroksa. Then, aparoksa. This is the knowledge taught by Sankarcarya. One day we will have to die, and we will have to give up everything in this world. Our beauty will go, our body will go, whatever we are collecting will go, and everything else will go. We cannot take anything, neither our pennies nor our pens, from this world. So why are we collecting all these bogus things? Why? An intelligent person thinks about this and becomes detached, but a bogus, foolish person remains attached to sense gratification. He desires only to make his body very beautiful and strong. Nowadays there is a competition for Miss India, Miss America, Miss World, and also Miss Universe. After one year, will Miss India again be selected as Miss India or Miss World? Rather, all will neglect her.
Even devotees, although engaged in chanting and remembering, are also engaged in sense gratification, and they cannot give up lust. This is Maya. Therefore, Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura sent his qualified devotees everywhere --- to make those weak devotees strong. "You should remember Krishna." It is for this reason that he has sent his arms. I am also coming. Why? He ordered me. His disciple, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, ordered me. My Swamiji ordered me. So you should not be weak - never and never.
Then, adhoksaja. What is adhoksaja? Adhoksaja is Vaikuntha, that place where there is no kala, time. There is only the eternal present. There is no birth and death, and no suffering and sorrow. Nothing bad is there. In that abode there is so much opulence, and everyone there prays to Narayana. There is something higher than this, however, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has taught that this most superior truth is called aprakrta. Aprakrta is that realm where Vraja-lila is performed. Krishna is sometimes like a baby there. There He is controlled by His father and mother, He is controlled by his beloved gopis, and He is controlled by his friends. No one can ever imagine such very, very sweet pastimes. We should try to know this aprakrta. We should try to serve this apraka Krishna who is with so many gopis, with His father and mother, with His sakhas, and with all His cows and very sweet cowherding pastimes. This is the aim and object of our life - service to this Krishna. This is aprakrta-jnana.
Krishna sambandha-vijnana dayine prabhave namah. In this world we have a relationship with our father and mother and our immediate family. We think, "She is my mother, he is my father, and he is my brother." But we are not satisfied with that. We want to be a husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend. But still we are not satisfied.
From where have these relationships come? They come from Goloka Vrindavana. There is actually only one relationship - with Krishna. He is not a father there. He is like a friend, like a baby, or like a beloved. In the constitutional form of our soul there is a relationship with Krishna. We have now forgotten this due to Maya, but we have a relationship. All the relationships of these bodies are false and temporary. They remain only for some days, but the relationship in our constitutional form is eternal. We want love. We want something. We first loved our mother, then our father, then our brothers, then other relatives, and then our neighbors. But we were never satisfied. Then we collected wives or husbands, and when we were not satisfied, we got divorced and changed the old ones for new ones. But still we were not satisfied. You cannot be satisfied. No one can ever be satisfied. When you meet with Krishna and serve Him, then you will be satisfied. This is a transcendental relationship, and this relationship is given by Guru. Prabhupada gave this, and this relationship will be forever. It was for this end that he gave the mantra klim krsnaya govindaya.
Madhuryojjvala premadya sri rupanuga bahaktida. He explained all these truths. He actually came only to give this madhuryojjvala-prema, this gopi-prema, which Srila Rupa Gosvami has written about in his books, and which Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this world only to give-this relationship. "Krishna is our beloved" He came to only to give this and nothing else. Srila Prabhupada has written in his articles: "I came only to give this, but my whole time was spent in cutting jungles." Srila Swami Maharaja also did this in Western countries. He came to this world to give love and affection for Krishna, but to whom could he give it? He was preaching to unqualified people, and therefore he wanted to make a platform for this love, by cutting the jungles of atheist and mayavada misconceptions. He thus fertilized the field by ploughing and cutting jungles, and most of his time went in this. He could not preach as he wanted, but he stored so many deep truths about gopi-prema in his books.
Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also did this. In Radha kunda, in his last days, he said that if anyone is only cutting jungles, cutting the arguments of mayavadis and so on, and not accepting the mood of the gopis as taught by Rupa Gosvami, not doing aradhana, worship, of Radha-Krishna Conjugal, not following the line of Rupa Gosvami, then even their chanting will not be sufficient to help them. After some time they will become weak and give up all devotional practices. Then they will become nirvisesa-vadis and mayavadis, as so many are now becoming.
Sri rupanuga bhaktida. Srila Prabhupada descended to this world, and all our disciplic acaryas also came, only for preaching this rupanuga Vaisnavism. But they had no time. From the beginning, therefore, I was very alert to avoid cutting jungles-because our guru varga had already cut them down. I considered that I must do something affirmative. I therefore accepted this and I preached it from the beginning. Now, however, coming to the Western countries, I began to think, "To whom shall I tell?" Now I also have to cut down some jungles. When I am in Vrindavana or Navadvipa, however, I mainly speak about the high class of sweet pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha and Krishna.
So Srila Prabhupada was like an ocean of madhuryojjvala-prema. He wanted to distribute it, and he distributed it. If he did not, then from where have we collected these things? Namaskara to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. All glories to all his associates. All glories to Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. All glories to all of you devotees.


Gaura premanande! Hari haribol!

Typists: Sulata dasi and Kanaka Manjari dasi
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Sri Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada

Shri Chaitanya's Teachings
Shrimad Bhagavatam and Vaisnava Cult
Introduction to the book
"Sree Krishna Chaitanya"

Nam Bhajan
(The Science of Chanting the Holy Names of Krishna)
Search For Truth
Spiritual Means and Ends

An Era Not To Be Forgotten
Srila Gaurakisora Still Lives in Our Hearts

Prakrta-rasa-sata-dusani (A Hundred Warnings Against Mundane Mellows)

Sri Brahma-samhita	Sri Guru-tattva and Seva	Batasur
Selected Nectarean Advise	Sri Vyasa Puja	Rules For The Temple
Thakur Bhaktivinode	The Serpent Kaliya	The “Golden” Stone Pot
Organised Religion	Every Wave is Favorable	Residence in Vraja
Sripada Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur	Sanatana-dharma	Transgressing Ones Adhikara
Killing Of Putana	Upakhyane Upadesa	Initiation Into Spiritual Life
Talk About the Absolute	Relative Worlds	Associates Of Sri Caitanya
Vaishnavism Real and Apparent	Assuming Responsibility of Being Guru	The Correct Angle of Vision
Discourse on the Absolute	Nomenclature of the Absolute	Explorations in Vedantic Truth
The Forgetfulness of the Humanists	Holy Talks of the Supreme Lord	Introduction to Shri Krishna
Notes from a Discourse	Colloquies with Foreigners	The Pathway to Highest Blessedness
A Probe Into Life's Relativities	Be Humbler Even Than a Blade of Grass	The Chanters of the Kirtan of Lord Hari
The Vedanta -- Its Morphology and Ontology	A Word to Our Madhva Brethren	The Standard of Living in Gaudiya Math
What is the Most Severe Nama-aparadha?	Utilize Every Moment to Attain True Well-being	Should One Accept Disciples?
Sri Nama-sankirtana	The Highest Vaisnava Sees Himself as the Lowest of All	Words of Wisdom
Reverence for the Mundane World is Aversion to Sri Hari	Chant the Transcendental Word to Others or He will be Eclipsed	Sri Rai Ramananda
Sannyasa Garb Will Not Make Things Easier	The Treasure of Bhakti	Why are we not realizing Bhagavan?
What Sri Caitanya Meant by Theism	Unalloyed Theism

Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur delivered the following lecture
on His 51st birthday on February (14th or 15th), 1925 as a reply to the offerings
of the devotees of Sri Goudiya Matha No. 1; Ultadingi Junction Road; Kolkata
Foreward to Sri Narayan Das Bhakti Sadhukar's    
The Career and Teachings of the
Supreme Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya
Associates of Sri Caitanya [from Krsna-kathamrta]

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By Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati:

Sri Caitanya-candramrta
[The Nectar Moon of Sri Caitanya]
[also available in .PDF here]
Sri Navadvipa-sataka
[A Hundred Verses Glorifying Navadvipa]

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Sri Sri Prabhupada Dasakam
by Sripada Gaura dasa bramacari
[Srimad Bhakti Desika Acarya Maharaja] Pastimes And Instructions
by Srila Promode Puri Maharaja
Homage to the World Acarya
Speech given by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada before the members of the Sri Gaudiya Math in Bombay,
in February 1935, on the appearance anniversary of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada
Appearance Day Of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada - Giver Of Madhurya-Bhakti
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja   |  Singapore: February 13, 2001
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: In Honor of His Disappearance Day
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja   |   Vrndavan 1991
They Accuse Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
About Criticism
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
Antim-Vani
by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaja
[The last message of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur before his
disappearance on 23 December 1936 at Sri Gaudiya Math, Bagbazar, Calcutta]
Sri Srila Prabhupada and His Transcendental Realisations
by Srila Bhakti Bibudh Bodhayan Maharaja

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Rare Video of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada

In this rare footage of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada he is preaching about the glories of the most holy Vedic Scriptures in Sri Chaitanya Math (the main gate and dome shown in the video), Sri Mayapura Dhama, at the lotus feet of his beloved Deities of Sri Gauranga and Sri Sri Gandharvika Giridhari, Who are shown in the first part of the video. There is no audio in this video.

.wmv   |   1.2 MBs   |   29 seconds

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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
In Honor of His Disappearance Day

by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Vrndavana, India: 1991 Srila Sarasvati Thakura knew that he would soon be going to his Master, and therefore he gave some final instructions to his disciples. Our Guru-Maharaja was there, as were Gosvami Maharaja (a prominent disciple), Kunja Bihari prabhu, Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaja and others. He told those in attendance, "I am unhappy. I have come for a mission – to give the things that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give. He has ordered me to give the teachings of vipralambha (the mood of separation for Radha and Krsna) and gopi-prema. He ordered me to teach the reasons He came to this world, and to share His gifts.
"However, most of my time was spent in cutting the 'jungles' of mayavada, sahajiya-vada, sakhi-bheki and all other non-devotional ideas. If there is a mayavada jungle, the seeds of bhakti will not sprout. I therefore had to cut so many jungles, and still there are so many jungles left throughout the world. Most of my time was spent in clarifying philosophical points."
Saying this, his mood changed and his face became reddish. Then he spoke the following verse:

yasyah kadapi vasanancala-khelanottha-
dhanyati-dhanya-pavanena krtartha-mani
yogindra-durgama-gatir madhusudano 'pi
tasya namo 'stu vrsabhanu-bhuvo dise 'pi ["Obeisances to the direction that faces Sri Vrsabhanu's daughter. When the breeze coming from that direction playfully moves the edge of His garment, Lord Krsna, who cannot be attained by even the kings of the yogis, thinks that His life has now become a great success."
(Sri Radha-rasa-suddha-nidhi, text 2)]

Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura then explained how Krsna is obedient to Srimati Radhika He said, "There is a nice verse by Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami:"

smara-vilasita-talpe jalpa-lilam analpam
krama-krti-parihinam bibhrati tena sardham
mitha iva parirambharambha-vrttaika-varsma
ksanam api mama radhe netram anandaya tvam ["O Radha, who without going anywhere else stays on the couch of amorous pastimes, talking for a long time with Lord Krsna and embracing Him so strongly that Your two forms appear to become one, please, for even a moment, delight my eyes."
(Sri Stavavali, Sri Sri Prema-purabhidha-stotra, text 4)]

"Sri Krsna is very obedient to Srimati Radhika. She is always full of pride, because Krsna is Hers. She has madiya-mayi-bhava, which means that She always thinks, "Krsna is Mine." Candravali has the mood of tadiya-bhava: "I am Krsna's." Krsna is controlled by Radhika only, because of Her madiya-bhava. Srimati Radhika is svadina-bhartrika. This means Sri Krsna is controlled by Her. Svadina bhartrika is of two kinds: maitri and sakhya. Madiya and tadiya are two parts of madhurya-rasa or paramour love, and they are each divided into two parts: maitri-mood and sakhya-mood. When love is slackened by sincerely requesting something, as in a prayer, that is called maitri. When priti (love) becomes prominent and prayer becomes secondary, that type of svadina-bhartrika is called sakhya. Candravali becomes svadina-bhartrika with maitri as the prominent mood (bhava), whereas Radhika becomes svadina-bhartrika with sakhya-bhava. At that time, Srimati Radhika can order anything She likes from Krsna, and He will carry out those orders – He will do so even if He gets a hint of an order. He will always be ready to carry out an order, even if there is only a hint of it. Regarding Candravali's order however, He will only carry out Her prominent orders; she must tell Him what she wants. In this way, Radhika is most prominent among all the gopis."
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was ordered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to help all devotees understand that Srimati Radhika is the most powerful among all the gopis, and that in order to become Her dasi (maidservant), we will have to become rupanuga. Without being rupanuga – without the guidance of Sri Rupa-manjari – we cannot serve Radhika.
Sri Krsna's priya-narma sakhas (His most intimate of cowherd friends) like Subala and Sridama are inclined towards Srimati Radhika. They are pleased when Radhika and Krsna meet. There are also some priya-narma-sakhas who facilitate Candravali's relationship with Krsna, but Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura was greatly inclined to Srimati Radhika, in favor of rupanuga. He was rupanuga. He wanted to distribute this idea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: we want to be the servant of Sri Rupa-manjari, so that we can serve Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, not Candravali and others.
Srila Sarasvati Thakura's idea was to preach rupanuga-bhakti. Actually it was not to preach it, for rupanuga is not preached. His idea was to inspire devotees for this service to Srimati Radhika. At the end of his manifest stay in this world, however, he told his followers, "I could not do this, so I am unhappy. You should all gather and come under the shelter of asraya-tattva (the principle of the pure devotee – the reservoir of love for Krsna). Who is asraya-tattva? Guru is asraya-tattva. Living in such shelter, you should serve the Divine Couple Sri Sri Radha and Krsna under the guidance of Sri Rupa-manjari." This was the root motive for all his activities – to give this to the world.
He continued, "For this I have given great suffering to so many persons. I have snatched their educated and very qualified boys and girls, and brought them in this line. Therefore they became furious with me. Also, a certain group (samaja) in Navadvipa and Vrndavana made a movement against me. They could not understand my ideas, and they became opposed to me. The day will come, however, when they will realize that I have done something good, for society and for the individuals in society. I have done something good for everyone's welfare. Later they will regret that they opposed me. They will repent for this.
"So you should serve Radha and Krsna under the shelter of guru-tattva. Don't quarrel. Don't think you will be happy by collecting worldly possessions. You may be lacking so many things, but accumulating worldly possessions and positions will not make you happy. The fruit of having attained a human body is not the fulfillment of useless material ambitions. Besides these desires, we also have various kinds of diseases and our minds are disturbed with many worries. Leave them all.
"Fix an ultimate goal for your life. Decide where you will have to go and what you will have to do, so that your soul will be happy. Don't go towards material enterprises. One day this mundane body will become old and, poisoned by many diseases, it will then be finished. Yet, at that time, if you have given your body to Krsna for His service, your life will be a success. Offer this very wretched body to Krsna."
"Please try to understand my view. Do not quarrel among yourselves over useless worldly values. Always keep in mind what I have told you."
Then he left this world. 


At that time our Guru Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, was present. Bhakti-vilasa Tirtha Maharaja was also present there, and at that time he had not yet taken sannyasa. He was managing all the affairs in all the Mathas at that time. He proposed that our Prabhupada should be cremated in Calcutta, at the burning ghata (crematorium place) at Karatala. Our Guru-Maharaja opposed this and said, "I request you not to take him. We will take the transcendental body of our Prabhupada to Mayapura, where he used to do his bhajana. And he will continue to do his bhajana, for he is still alive. He will be in samadhi. [*See endnote 1] We will erect a Samadhi-mandira there. Then, living there with his Lord, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he will guide us forever."
When those who had the idea that Srila Prabhupada's transcendental body should be cremated opposed again, Guru Maharaja became furious. Standing by his divine body, He very boldly said, "You cannot take him to Karatala. I will personally stop whoever is doing so." He then arranged a train from Calcutta, (from where Prabhupada left the world) to Krsna-nagara. Around the first of January, in the morning, several thousand persons went with his transcendental body to Mayapura. Then, in the evening they carried his body to the area where the Samadhi is now situated, and they performed kirtana throughout the night. With the assistance of many young boys, our Guru-maharaja dug that Samadhi. He managed the entire separation festival, just as I did for your Prabhupada Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja here in Vrndavana. He anointed the body with fragrant oils and put his Gurudeva in samadhi there.
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura preached the teachings of Lord Caitanya throughout India in no time. He also sent Bon Maharaja, Tirtha Maharaja and Gosvami Maharaja to the Western countries. Preaching did not advance as he wanted, however. He called for Bon Maharaja to return from England and told him, "We do not want to take anything from the Western countries. We have no need to take anything from them. Simply give them what I have told to you – we only want to give the same bhakti-bhava that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given. Do not follow the habits of the Western civilization of eat, drink and be merry, as Vivekananda did."
He became somewhat apprehensive. Then he sent Gosvami Maharaja, and after that he ordered Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja to do it. Srila Swami Maharaja then performed a miracle. Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was so pleased to know that he has performed this task, and all of you are completing his task.
May Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada be merciful to all of us today. May he inspire pure bhakti in our hearts, so that we can practice and distribute this to others.
      Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada (right)
      and Sri Vinoda-bihari Brahmacari (second from left).

*ENDNOTE 1:
"At the time of his divine departure from this world, Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja ordered me, “You should serve me in my taking samadhi.” He knew the meaning and significance of entering samadhi, and what should be done at that time. Samadhi is a Sanskrit word consisting of the two syllables: sama-dhi. Sama means “the same” and dhi means “intelligence”. It means that the pure devotee who is departing from this world is entering the same level, same position and same mood as the personal associates of his worshipful deity – with equal intelligence, equal beauty and equal qualities. He is serving properly according to his own svarupa (constitutional form). Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja’s worshipful deity is Srimati Radhika, and he is serving Her under the guidance of Her personal associates, the manjaris, headed by Sri Rupa Manjari."
(Srila Narayana Maharaja; ISKCON's Juhu Beach Temple in Bombay –1993)

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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was born in the holy pilgrimage place of Jagannatha Puri to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a great Vaisnava acarya in the line of succession coming from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Although employed as a government magistrate, Srila Bhaktivinoda worked tirelessly to establish the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in India. He envisioned a worldwide spiritual movement and prayed for a son to help him achieve his dream.

On February 6, 1874, in the sacred pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri, where Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura served as superintendent of the famous Jagannatha temple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta appeared in this world. He was given the name Bimala Prasada. At the age of seven, Bimala Prasada had memorized the more than seven hundred Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad-gita and could speak illuminating commentaries upon them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the author of many important books and other writings on Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy, trained his son in printing and proofreading.

By the time he was twenty-five years old, Bimala Prasada had acquired an impressive reputation as a scholar of Sanskrit, mathematics, and astronomy. His astronomical treatise, Surya-siddhanta, won him the title Siddhanta Sarasvati in recognition of his immense learning. In 1905, following the advice of his father, Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted spiritual initiation from Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji. Although Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji was illiterate, he was renowned throughout the continent as a great saint and Vaisnava acarya. Siddhanta Sarasvati, although a great scholar, exhibited humility and dedication in the presence of Srila Gaurakishora. Satisfied with such humility and dedication of his highly educated disciple, Srila Gaurakishora gave Siddhanta Sarasvati his full blessings and requested him to "preach the Absolute Truth and keep aside all other work." Upon the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in 1914, Siddhanta Sarasvati became editor of his father's journal, Sajjana-tosani, and founded the Bhagawat Press for the publication of Gaudiya Vaisnava literature. In 1918 Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted the renounced order of spiritual life, assuming the title Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. For purposes of propagating Gaudiya Vaisnavism throughout India, he organized the Gaudiya Math, with sixty-four branches throughout the country. The headquarters of his mission, the Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, is located in Sridhama Mayapura, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta adjusted ancient traditions to conform with technological and social conditions of the twentieth century. He considered the printing press a most effective means of spreading this message throughout the world and was himself the author of many important translations, commentaries, and philosophical essays. He was the first spiritual teacher in this line to allow his renounced preachers (sannyasis) to wear Western clothes and travel in modern conveyances rather that on foot. Throughout the 1930s, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta expanded and increased his missionary work and succeeded in reestablishing Gaudiya Vaisnavism as the leading force in Indian spiritual life.

On January 1, 1937, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura passed from this world.