The contents of this book first appeared as a series of articles in Śrī Caitanya Vāṇī (“The Gospel of Lord Caitanya”), a monthly magazine exclusively devoted to spiritual subject matters, under the title “A brief account of the nectarean holy activities of the associates of Lord Gaurāṅga and the ācāryas of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava lineage”. Those articles have here been brought together to form a book. This publication became possible due to the sustained enthusiasm and wholehearted service attempts of Tridaṇḍi-svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Vāridhi Parivrājaka Mahārāja. I hope that this publication will enhance the joy of all those devotees whose hearts have been saturated with devotion to the Lord.

Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Truth, and His associates are transcendental, beyond matter. They are thus not accessible to the material senses, mind and intelligence. Since the transcendental personalities are by nature self-manifest, one can only understand their glories through their causeless mercy. Just as the glories of the Lord are unlimited, so too are the glories of His devotees. Those who are not surrendered have no right of entry into these mysteries.

Even amongst those who have surrendered themselves to the Lord, there are varying degrees of surrender that produce diverse eligibilities to perceive the glories of devotees. The jīva who is covered by an assortment of anarthas (unwanted things) cannot even come in contact with the glories of Viṣṇu and the Vaiṣṇavas. Even when such person tries to glorify them, the inevitable result is a discourtesy. Nevertheless, if one recognizes one’s own unworthiness and humbly glorifies them with a prayerful attitude for his own eternal welfare, the Vaiṣṇavas will forgive any flaws in his expression.

The satisfied glance of the Vaiṣṇavas frees the jīva from his anarthas and brings him all auspiciousness. Even though the neophyte devotee is inadequate in so many ways and is thus unable to glorify Kṛṣṇa and His devotees in a satisfactory manner, if he does not do so his anarthas will remain. The only hope for the fallen souls is that the Vaiṣṇavas are merciful and not fault finding. Those who engage honestly in their service find that by their mercy, all obstacles are eliminated, and all desired goals attained. In the Caitanya Caritāmṛta (1.1.20-1), it is said, “By meditating on the guru, the Vaiṣṇava and the Lord, all obstacles are destroyed, and all desires are fulfilled.” “All perfections come from the mercy of the Vaiṣṇavas.” “I have heard from my guru and from the saintly persons that the jīva who sings the glories of the devotees is emancipated from this world.” The pure devotee is very rare in this world; it is only due to great fortune that one can meet and associate with such a devotee.

Vaiṣṇavas are an object of remembrance every single day. The six Gosvāmīs, who are the associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, daily paid obeisances to thousands of Vaiṣṇavas. An important element of devotional practice is the regular observance of Vaiṣṇavas’ appearance and disappearance days. On these occasions, one should remember them, pray to them for their mercy and sing their glories. We at the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math annually publish a Vaiṣṇava calendar in which all the different fasting days and festivals are indicated; all the known appearance and disappearance days of the Vaiṣṇavas have been noted therein. The purpose of this book is thus to assist the devotees who wish to remember the Vaiṣṇavas, to pray to them, and to sing their glories, particularly on their appearance and disappearance days.

Realizing that by no means am I able to rid myself of the tendencies that are leading me away from devotional service, I tried to remember and chant the glories of the merciful devotees of Śrī Caitanya, with a hope to remove the unwanted thoughts and to develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa. But due to my incompetency I could not sufficiently chant their glories. For this reason the desired objective still remains unachieved. Nevertheless, I continue my effort to sing the glories of the Vaiṣṇavas because their lotus feet are the only recourse for the fallen.

Some details of the holy life activities of certain Caitanya’s associates are unavailable. Many of their appearance and disappearance tithis (lunar dates) and years are unknown, as are their places of birth, the names of their parents and their ancestors. This information could thus not be given in all cases. Due to my not having a proper command over the language and poetic finesse, the readers may not find the joy in reading these accounts as they had hoped.

The chief editor of Śrī Caitanya Vāṇī magazine and my most revered śikṣā-guru Śrīmad Bhakti Promode Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja has rained down countless blessings on me to encourage me to perform this service. He has proofread this book, and in some instances made his personal contributions by adding new information about certain of the associates’ lives.

We thank everyone who contributed for the publication of this book. I pray that the blessings of the guru, the Vaiṣṇavas and the Supreme Lord fall upon them.

I pay innumerable prostrated obeisances to the lotus feet of my most worshipable Gurudeva, the purifier of the sinful, to the lotus feet of my Parama-gurudeva, Śrīla Prabhupāda, to the feet of my śikṣā-guru, Śrīla Bhakti Promode Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and to all the other disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda, who are all my śikṣā gurus, and I pray for their causeless mercy and their blessings.

Servant of the servant of the Vaiṣṇavas,

Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha

23 Bhādra 1399 (Bengali year)
9 September 1992.