Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami

The True Spirit of Separation Gaura-Nitai: The Most Merciful
Chanting a Lakh Names
Sri Guru Pranali - Siddha Pranali
Sampradaya-Pranali
Sri Sri Radhastami
The Heart of Krsna
Pastimes and Instructions
The Art of Sadhana
Glimpses of the Lotus Feet of Srila Prabhupada
Sri Prabhodananda and Sri Prakasananda are not the same
Biography of Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami
Vyasa Puja Lecture: 100th Birthday on 5 October 1997 in Sri Mayapur An Exposition of Bhakti as Delineated by Srila Rupa Goswami
Excerpt from an editorial entitled "Varsa-sesa", meaning "At the End of the Year"
Translated from the Gaudiya, Year 5, Issue 12 (January 1953)
The Appearance Day of Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja
[by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja]
Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaj Biography
[by Sriman Jagadananda Dasadhikari]


Art of Pure Devotion
Introduction
Part I: Reminiscences of Sri Srila Prabhupada
Part II: Lord Gaurasundara
Part III: Basic Teachings of Lord Chaitanya
Part IV:The Glories of the Holy Name
Part V: The Art of Chanting the Holy Name


The Essence of Pure Devotion Part I: Sri Srila Prabhupada
Part II: Guru Tattva
Part III: The Mercy of the Vaisnavas Present all Perfection
Part IV: Disciplic Succession (Sampradaya)
Part V: Preaching and Self-Practice
Part VI: Raganuga Bhakti (Spontaneous Devotion)
Part VII: Giri Govardhana -- Appearance and Pastimes
Part VIII: Yoga Maya and Maha Maya
Part IX: Actual Form of Krishna
Part X: Sri Jagannatha Ratha-Yatra

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Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja appeared on October 8, 1898 during the auspicious hour of brahma-muhurta. Along with the study of Sanskrit, Promode Bhusan was engaged in worshipping family Deities of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath.

His reverent service mood was evident even as a young man. Once he forgot to cover the Lord with a blanket on a winter night. That night he shivered uncontrollably with chills and fever. The Lord appeared in a dream and showed him that he was without his blanket. The young Promode Bhusan woke up and only after he covered the Lord did the fever subside.

Promode Bhusan completed his education in Jessore then went to Calcutta where he attended Bangabasi College, graduating with honors in Chemistry. In 1917, he met his Guru, Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. From the first meeting, an eternal bond was made. Sri Promode Bhusan accepted Prabhupada in his heart as his eternal master.

His strong attachment to spiritual life brought him regularly to his Guru's lectures at the Calcutta ashram of Sri Gaudiya Math. In 1923, on the holy occasion of Sri Krishna Janmastami, he surrendered at his Guru's lotus feet and simultaneously took Harinama and Brahmin initiations. He became known as Sri Pranabananda Brahmachary--a full-fledged member of Sri Gaudiya Matha.

Sri Pranabananda's service attitude was so exemplary that soon Prabhupada Srila Saraswati Thakur established him as the editor of Gaudiya Matha publications. Pranabananda Brahmachary synopsized Srila Saraswati Thakur's lectures, elaborated on them, and with Prabhupada's approval, they were published in various periodicals including the only daily spiritual newspaper, Dainik Nadia Prakash.

In recognition of his scholarship, Saraswati Thakur honored him with the title, Sri Pranabananda Brahmachary Mahopadeshak Pratna Vidyalankar.

Srila Puri Maharaja served in close association with his Guru for thirteen years. Srila Prabhupada requested that Sri Pranabananda Brahmachary accept Tridandi sannyasa. Humbly considering himself unfit, he declined.

At the time of Prabhupada's aprakatalila, Sri Pranabananda Brahmachary held his guru's lotus-feet to his chest so that they might remain forever enthroned in his heart. After Srila Prabhupada's disappearance Sri Pranabananda Brahmachary Mahopadeshak Pratna Vidyalankar began extensive traveling and preaching.

In 1942 Srila Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur appeared in a dream and gave his divine order that Sri Pranabananda accept Tridandi sannyasa. Sannyasa initiation and the danda were given by his Godbrother Srila Bhakti Gourava Vaikhanasa Maharaja in Champahati Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara temple.

For more than seven years, Tridandi Swami Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja served as the head pujari and temple president of Sri Sri Yogapith, the birth place of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, discovered by Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur. During that time, the Deities were internally urging him to take up scriptural research and deeper meditation.

He moved to a humble cottage on the banks of the Ganga in Kalna, living with his beloved Deities Sri Sri Radha Gopinath. During that time, the Kind of Burdwan (a district of West Bengal) was extremely impressed with his saintly character and on the appearance day of Sri Radhika, 1958, he offered his large temple to Srila Puri Maharaja. He engaged in service at that temple for several years.

Later, his Godbrother, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhab Goswami Maharaja, requested that Gurumaharaj come to his Matha to edit spiritual periodicals and books. Gurumaharaja entrusted the temple in Kalna to his younger brother and went to Calcutta to take up his new service. Additionally, His Holiness Om Visnupada Tridandi Swami Sri Bhakti Dayita Goswami Maharaja requested that he take full charge of his monthly magazine, Sri Chaitanya Vani, as president of the editorial board. He also became editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine Sri Gaudiya published from Sri Chaitanya Math, Mayapur. At the age of 100, Srila Puri Maharaja continues to fulfill this role with great care and devotion.

Presently, Gurumaharaj is the senior most living disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Additionally, he was the lifelong, intimate associate of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridara Dev Goswami Maharaja, who he considered the benign guardian of the celestial wealth of Srila Rupa Goswami.

Srila Puri Maharaja was well known as the best kirtana leader in the early days of Sri Gaudiya Math and often sang on radio programs. He is well known for his extensive knowledge and meticulous practice of deity worship and installation. His service to Srila Saraswati Thakur installing deities in new temples made him known as Pujapada.

In addition to his high position and qualifications, many are attracted to Tridandi Swami B. P. Puri Goswami Maharaja's divine personality. He emanates sweetness and love. He is seen as our well-wishing guide to the spiritual domain. The opening of the Gopinath Gaudiya Matha, during the 1989 Gour Purnima Tithi, provided a doorway to that spiritual domain.

Our humble prayer is that we may always be situated at his holy lotus feet which are our only access to the predecessor Acaryas and their divine teachings. We pray that we may be engaged in the eternal service of Sri Guru and Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha Gopinath under the divine direction of Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja.
(Reprinted from the Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaja's 1996 Vyasa Puja Book)

Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha is a branch of the Caitanya tree that was established by Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaja, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Gosvami, also a disciple of Sri Srila Prabhupada, resided in the Calcutta branch of the Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha for almost thirty years. He served there faithfully as a pujari and preacher. His bhajan kutir there is still maintained by his disciples. The current president-acarya of this mission and Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaj's successor is Srila Bhakti Ballabha Tirtha Gosvami.