Tenth in the preceptorial line from Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya Oṁ 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja Viṣṇupāda, the dearest associate of Prabhupāda 108 Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura, the founder of the Chaitanya Math and the Gaudiya Maths throughout the world, was himself the founder of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math throughout India and my own spiritual master. He appeared in this world at 8:00 A.M. on Friday, Agrahāyaṇa 3, 1311 (Bengali), or November 18, 1904, Utthāna ekādaśī, in the village of Kanchanpara in the Madaripur subdivision of Faridpur district in East Bengal.

Utthāna ekādaśī is the tithi which marks the end of the Chaturmasya period, when Lord Viṣṇu performs the pastimes of waking up from his four-month long sleep. It is thus a day that brings joy and auspiciousness to the world. Similarly, the appearance on that tithi of the most compassionate dear associate of Lord Hari, our most worshipable Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, had the effect of bringing joy and good fortune to the world’s conditioned souls who are suffering from the three-fold miseries. It is also significant that our parameṣṭhī-guru, the incarnation of extreme renunciation, Paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava Śrīla Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī, entered the eternal pastimes on this same tithi.

Kanchanpara village is in a pure and beautiful area on the banks of the Padma River near its mouths in the precinct of Bhedara Ganj. The distintion of Padma River is to award prema-bhakti but it is sometimes called the Kirtinasha River, “the river which destroyed all glories”, because its annual flooding washes away so many villages and towns. Further upstream, there is a place called Prema Tali where Nityānanda Prabhu once bathed, depositing divine love of God for Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura.

The village was prosperous and home to a large number of brāhmaṇas. It was also the residence of my Gurudeva’s maternal uncles, who were of a prominent wealthy family in the area. Though they were talukdars or subsidiary landholders, they were given respect equal to that of zamindars. The British rulers of the day decorated them with the title “Rāja-cakravartī”; thus, although the family name was Bandyopādhyāya, their home came to be known as the “Cakravartī Bāḍī.” The village is known to his disciples as “Gurudeva’s mātulālaya (maternal uncle’s house)”.

The following is known about Śrīla Gurudeva’s paternal family. His grandfather was named Śrī Caṇḍīprasād Devaśarmā Bandyopādhyāya, his father Śrī Niśikānta Devaśarmā Bandyopādhyāya. They lived in the village of Bharākar in the precinct of Tangibari in the Bikramapur subdivision of Dhaka district. Both Śrīla Gurudeva’s father and grandfather were well known in the district as pious men. Śrīla Gurudeva’s mother, Śaibālinī Devī, was an extremely devoted woman who dedicated herself to the service of God, the brāhmaṇas and holy men.

Śrīla Gurudeva lost his father at the age of four, after which his mother took him and returned to her brothers’ home where he was raised. His uncles’ great affection for him played an important part in his upbringing. His father named him Śrī Heramba Kumāra Bandyopādhyāya, but he was known by his nickname Gaṇeśa.

Śrīla Gurudeva began to display extraordinary qualities from a very early age. Under no circumstances would he tell a lie. He would furthermore explain the moral value of truthfulness to his friends and companions. Everyone was impressed by the young lad’s character.

Even when very young, Śrīla Gurudeva showed no interest in material enjoyments. He distinguished himself from the other children by his desire to lead an orderly and disciplined life. Not only did he himself act in this way, but he encouraged the other children to do the same. He always tried to alleviate the sufferings of others and bring them happiness, even if it meant undergoing difficulty himself. People who observed the extent of his generosity and wisdom were convinced that he would grow up to be a great personality of extraordinary virtue.

I personally heard from Śrīla Gurudeva’s mother that whenever she gave him some special delicacy or sweet, he would only eat whatever was left after he had called his friends and distributed it amongst them.

At school, his teachers were astonished to hear him say things that showed a level of wisdom beyond his years. The following story can serve as an example: One day, he and some of his fellow students were playing the way boys of that age do. They were engaged in various competitions of speed and strength, including a running race. Śrīla Gurudeva quickly took the lead, but tripped on a root and fell with great force, causing him to bleed profusely. When his school teachers and other guardians heard, they rushed to the scene and applied medicines to his cuts and bruises. They also said many things to calm him, but he answered, “You need not worry on my account. I will get better soon. The Lord does everything for our good. I could have injured my eyes, ears or broken my nose, but nothing serious like that happened. I no doubt committed so many sins in previous lives that I should have suffered a more serious accident, but God is so merciful that He did not allow it to happen.” When the school teachers heard him speak like this, they immediately realized that he was no ordinary child.

While in high school, Śrīla Gurudeva started a library for the benefit of his poorer classmates and lent books to them without cost. At all ages, in his boyhood, adolescence or youth, Śrīla Gurudeva was a natural leader as a result of his tall, handsome figure, his charismatic personality, his extraordinary honesty and patience. He never had to apply or stand for election to leadership positions; wherever he chose to participate, others would unfailingly be impressed by his qualities and acclaim him as their leader. What is more, they were satisfied with his performance afterwards. In truth, leadership is the result of an individual’s depth of character, exemplary behavior and competence. Tall and strong, Śrīla Gurudeva also excelled in sports and was regularly made captain of his teams. He also participated in dramatic presentations. There was no area in which he did not excel and thus he was always involved in directing any setup meant for the social well-being. He even played a role in the independence movement.

Śrīla Gurudeva was exemplary in his devotion to his mother. She would read to him and have him read various scriptures so that he became conversant with subjects related to religion and imbued with faith in God. She made him read the Bhagavad-gītā daily, so that by the age of eleven, Śrīla Gurudeva had memorized all of its verses.

He finished his primary and secondary education in Kanchanpara and Bhatagram. Then for higher education he went to Kolkata. While in Kolkata his feelings of separation from the Lord intensified. He stayed with a relative named Nārāyaṇa Candra Mukhopādhyāya, who later took sannyāsa from him and was given the name Bodhāyana Mahārāja. Nārāyaṇa Candra Prabhu recounted that he often saw Śrīla Gurudeva calling out the Names of the Lord and crying in the middle of the night. He would eat only haviṣyānna (an unspiced khichuri) once a day. In this state of absorption in the Lord, he one day had a dream in which Nārada Muni came to reassure him. Nārada Muni gave him a mantra and told him that by chanting it he would achieve all perfection. However, upon awakening, try as he might Śrīla Gurudeva was unable to recall the mantra in its entirety. The loss of the mantra bewildered and distressed him immeasurably. His impatience with household life reached an intolerable degree and he became determined to leave it behind. With this in mind, he went to ask the blessings of his widowed mother who at that time was living in Gosāñi Durgapur in Nadia district. She made no effort to oppose his wishes. So, with an intense desire to have the company of the Supreme Lord, Śrīla Gurudeva set off for the Himalayas. Just as iron filings attracted by a magnetic force cannot be thwarted, the individual soul who has been attracted to the Supreme Soul allows nothing of this world, whether friends or family, to interfere with his calling.

Śrīla Gurudeva’s intense desire for the Lord brought him first to Haridwar and from there into the mountains, though he was alone and in a state of indigence. High up in the Himalayan jungle, he fasted for three days from food and water and did not sleep, all the time calling out anxiously to the Lord. When he had practically lost all awareness of the external world, he was given a divine order to seek out a spiritual master. He was also told that his guru would appear to him in the very place he had left.

Taking the divine order as his imperative, he came down from the mountain to the banks of the Ganges in the holy town of Haridwar where he decided to stay for a few days. While there, he met a saintly person to whom he recounted all that had happened on the mountain. When he asked this sādhu for advice, he was told to return home and that he would meet a bona fide spiritual master there.

Śrīla Gurudeva made up his mind that he would return to Kolkata after spending a few more days in the pilgrimage town, but his stay in Haridwar was disturbed when a rich businessman and his wife from North India came there on pilgrimage. The couple, which was childless, saw the handsome figure of Śrīla Gurudeva when bathing in Brahma-kuṇḍa, and was attracted to him. They gave him a gift of fruit and sweets and insisted that he visit them in their lodgings. When this happened almost everyday, out of courtesy, Śrīla Gurudeva acceded to their request.

At their place of residence, they once again fed him copiously and generally treated him with great affection. Finally, they proposed that he become their adopted son, which meant that he would eventually inherit their substantial wealth. Śrīla Gurudeva was unprepared for such an offer and began to think, “I came here with the intention of abandoning family life. Now māyā has devised another way to ensnare me.”

Śrīla Gurudeva politely refused their proposal and left their home, but the businessman and his wife were so enamored of him that they came each day and repeatedly put pressure on him to accept their offer. One who has a sincere eagerness to attain the Supreme Lord, however, cannot be swayed by any amount of material temptation. Someone filled with desires for sense enjoyment would have found it impossible to resist such an opportunity to become heir to a fortune, but Śrīla Gurudeva had no such yearnings. Because of his sincere aspiration to worship the Lord, he considered the couple’s invitation to be dangerous and rejected it out of hand. Consequently, he found it impossible to remain in Haridvāra and returned to Kolkata without any further delay. These events took place sometime around 1925.

That same year, Śrīla Gurudeva came to visit Māyāpura for the first time with Nārāyaṇa Candra Mukhopādhyāya and some other friends. There they saw Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda and were attracted by his divine personality. During their conversation, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that it was all right to visit the deity form in the temple, but that one has to learn to see it first. One cannot really see it with eyes that are blinded by material desire, but only with the eyes of love. On that same day Śrīla Prabhupāda initiated Dr. S. N. Ghosh and his wife.

After returning to Kolkata, Śrīla Gurudeva started visiting the Gaudiya Math on Ultadanga Road to hear Śrīla Prabhupāda speak hari-kathā. Understanding that through service to the Vaiṣṇavas one could clear the path to the Lord and receive His mercy, or perhaps wishing to teach that same principle to the world, Śrīla Gurudeva sent much money and material for the Math without any fanfare. During this period, he also spent much time in studying the scriptures.

After hearing the Vaiṣṇava doctrines from Śrīla Prabhupāda, he became convinced of their rationality and superiority over other religious dogmas. He took shelter of Śrīla Prabhupāda and on September 4, 1927, on Rādhāṣṭamī, received initiation in the Holy Name and mantra at the Ultadanga Math. After initiation, he was known as Hayagrīva Dāsa Brahmacārī. Ācārya Dāsa Deva Śarmā was the officiating priest at the Vaiṣṇava fire sacrifice.

Not long after being initiated, Śrīla Gurudeva decided to commit himself completely to the service of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees by moving into the maṭha. He thus took the great vow of remaining a lifelong celibate or naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. It was not long before Śrīla Gurudeva was counted amongst Śrīla Prabhupāda’s leading disciples as a result of his dedicated service to his guru, his unflagging enthusiasm and competence in a variety of services. Śrīla Prabhupāda used the words “volcanic energy” to describe Śrīla Gurudeva’s unflinching resolve, application and success in all endeavors entrusted to him.

Śrīla Gurudeva was one of the leading collectors whose service was essential for maintaining Śrīla Prabhupāda’s vast movement and especially the efforts made toward preaching Mahāprabhu’s message in the West. Anyone who saw Śrīla Gurudeva’s golden form and heard him speak hari-kathā could not fail to be attracted. Many people came forth spontaneously and made donations to him.

On Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order, Śrīla Gurudeva spent a long time at the Madras Gaudiya Math, where he was chiefly responsible for the purchase of land, the construction of the temple, nāṭya-mandira and residences. During this time he was particularly encouraged by his senior godbrothers, Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Sridhar Mahārāja and Śrīla Bhakti Hridoy Bon Mahārāja. In the course of collecting funds for this project, Śrīla Gurudeva met with the leading citizens of Madras and became closely acquainted with many of them.

In order to awaken a consciousness of the Lord amongst the people at large, Śrīla Prabhupāda travelled to Kolkata, Dhaka, Patna, Allahabad, Benares and other important places throughout India and held spiritual exhibitions. He organized preaching festivals as well as parikramās of Vraja and Navadvīpa dhāmas, established preaching centres and Maths, spreading the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in various cities within India as well as outside the country, putting on programs and sending out street saṅkīrtana parties. He also established shrines of Mahāprabhu’s feet (pāda-pīṭhas) in many of the places that the Lord had visited, restored other holy sites, published transcendental books, magazines and newspapers in a variety of languages in order to spread the message of pure devotion. Śrīla Gurudeva was a leading participant in this colossal preaching movement of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Śrīla Prabhupāda generally sent Śrīla Gurudeva as the advance man to do the groundwork for these events. He had complete faith that whatever task he gave him would be carried out to completion. Śrīla Gurudeva was one of the principal devotees charged with building the Ramananda Gaudiya Math in memory of Mahāprabhu’s intimate associate Rāmānanda Rāya. He was involved in purchasing land in Andhra Pradesh, near Goṣpada Tīrtha in Rajmundry district, where Rāmānanda’s meeting with Lord Caitanya took place, and supervising the construction of the buildings.

Anyone, no matter how important a person, who met Śrīla Gurudeva—with his handsome features and imposing physique, pleasant manner, extraordinary personality, facility with modern reasoning and ability to convince by means of irrefutable scriptural evidence—would become enchanted and quite happy to do anything requested of him. Śrīla Gurudeva’s entire being—his meditation, his thoughts, his japa, everything—was fully devoted to fulfilling Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desires. Today’s volunteer workers cannot even imagine the extent of his commitment to service, for which he gave up eating and sleeping, working through the night if necessary to achieve his goals.

Śrīla Gurudeva’s single-minded allegiance to his spiritual master is an example to be followed by everyone. He never undertook any task without the express direction of his spiritual master. As a result of his full surrender to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lotus feet, he came to inherit his divine potency for spreading Lord Caitanya’s mission in its entirety.

We can know the degree to which Śrīla Prabhupāda trusted Śrīla Gurudeva and considered him to be a responsible servant and intimate associate from comments he made in March of 1936, on the occasion of the installation of Śrī-Śrī-Guru-Gaurāṅga-Gāndharvikā-Giridhāri deities at the Sarbhog (Assam) Gaudiya Math.

The Sarbhog Gaudiya Math in Assam’s Kamrup district (at present in Barpeta district) was one of the 64 maṭhas and preaching centres that was established during Śrīla Prabhupda’s time. Śrīla Prabhupda sent Śrīla Gurudeva along with his senior godbrother, Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Mahārāja, Janaki Vallabh Dāsa Brahmacārī and others in advance to prepare for the deity installation ceremony. At that time, the maṭha was under the direction of Śrīla Gurudeva’s senior godbrother, Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Bhakti Vijnan Ashram Mahārāja. Śrīla Gurudeva’s party arrived in Sarbhog only a few days before the festival date and was shocked to find that little or nothing had been done in preparation for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s coming and the installation of the deities.

Śrīla Gurudeva’s transcendental nature was such that he would never lose enthusiasm or stop working until his desired goals were achieved. He immediately brought all his efforts to bear on finding temporary quarters for Śrīla Prabhupāda and the other devotees who would be coming with him.

When Śrīla Prabhupāda arrived at the Sarbhog rail station at 6:30 AM on Sunday, March 15, 1936, he was greeted by a large party of devotees and local citizens. Noteworthy amongst those who accompanied him were Kunja Bihari Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu, Paramananda Vidyaratna Prabhu, Vasudeva Prabhu, Kīrtanananda Brahmacārī, Sajjana Mahārāja, and Krishna Keshav Brahmacārī. On each of the three days that Śrīla Prabhupāda remained in Sarbhog, thousands of men, women and children were satisfied with varieties of mahā-prasāda.

On the following day, Śrīla Prabhupāda ordered Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Mahārāja to make final arrangements for Śrī-Śrī-Guru-Gaurāṅga-Gāndharvikā-Giridhāri’s installation rituals, over which he was to officiate. As a part of these arrangements, Śrīla Sridhar Mahārāja dressed the deities and decorated them with flower garlands and other ornaments. At the auspicious moment at 10 o’clock in the morning, upon being told that everything was ready, Śrīla Prabhupāda entered the temple room, took darśana of the garlanded deities and paid his prostrated obeisances to Them. He said, “The deities have already been installed.” On hearing this, Śrīla Sridhar Mahārāja immediately became remorseful, thinking that he had committed an offense by doing something that Śrīla Prabhupāda had intended to do himself. Despite his faux pas, the installation of the deities was performed in great splendour according to the regulations of the Vaiṣṇava smṛtis and in the midst of joyous saṅkīrtana.

At the end of the installation ceremony, Śrī Ashram Mahārāja repeatedly asked Śrīla Gurudeva to tell Śrīla Prabhupāda that Nimananda Brahmacārī had not carried out his duties. Śrīla Gurudeva was reluctant to anything that would be displeasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda, and so at first refused. Upon being pressed, however, he felt obliged to do as he was asked out of respect for his senior godbrother.

Later that day, Śrīla Gurudeva followed Śrīla Prabhupāda when he went out for a walk, fanning him to keep insects away. As they were talking, he told Prabhupāda of Ashram Mahārāja’s complaint. As soon as Śrīla Prabhupāda heard it, he became angry and chastised Śrīla Gurudeva, who felt extremely sorry at having displeased him. Srīla Prabhupāda, however, seeing the effect his words had on Śrīla Gurudeva, immediately changed his mood and began to praise him affectionately. Śrīla Gurudeva was not happy at hearing such praise either, because he took it to mean that Śrīla Prabhupāda felt he would not be able to take criticism. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda took the opportunity to give him many valuable personal instructions that showed the extent to which he held his disciple dear.

Śrīla Prabhupāda first said, “Why do you want so much? And why do you let it bother you that much? It is not proper to expect so much service from any person. Your service to your spiritual master and all its details are your responsibility alone. You should be grateful if anyone else contributes to it in any way. Kṛṣṇa’s ‘major domo’ is Śrīmatī Rādhikā. She knows that She alone is entirely responsible for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure. If anyone comes forward to help Her, She is filled with gratitude.”

Here, it is apparent that Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that it was up to Śrīla Gurudeva to take full responsibility for his service in its entirety. If anyone should assist him in the fulfilment of that responsibility, he should be grateful. From this statement it is clear that Śrīla Prabhupāda considered him to be a confidential associate. Because of this affectionate relationship and the physical similarity of Śrīla Gurudeva to the tall, light-skinned Śrīla Prabhupāda, people often mistook him to be his son.

Śrīla Gurudeva often recounted the story of the Sarbhog Gaudiya Math when he wished to give an example of the process of surrender to his disciples. We have already stated that Śrīla Sridhar Mahārāja humbly felt as though he had committed an offense for having garlanded the deities in the place of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Sridhar Mahārāja asked Śrīla Gurudeva to approach Śrīla Prabhupāda and ask him for forgiveness on his behalf, that he made the mistake unintentionally. Having been so entreated by Śrīla Sridhar Mahārāja, Śrīla Gurudeva wrote a letter to Śrīla Prabhupāda in which he prayed for forgiveness on Śrīla Sridhar Mahārāja’s behalf. Śrīla Prabhupāda answered that a surrendered soul never commits offenses. The Lord never sees the faults of one who is surrendered to Him, always forgiving him, for the surrendered person has given up everything for the service of the Lord without any ulterior motive. On the other hand, someone who has ulterior motives and is not surrendered must fear offenses at every moment.

Śrīla Prabhupāda was eager to preach Mahāprabhu’s message in the western world and had chosen Śrīla Gurudeva as one of his missionaries because of his competence. By Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order he and two other godbrothers had their photos taken and passports made in preparation for the trip. When everything was ready, Rājarṣi Śaradindu Nārāyaṇa Rāya said to Śrīla Prabhupāda, “England is a land full of heavenly nymphs. I don’t think it is a good idea to send handsome young men there to preach. It would be better to send an elderly disciple.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda thought the Rajarṣi’s suggestion had merit and so decided to send Śrīla Bhakti Pradip Tīrtha Mahārāja in Śrīla Gurudeva’s place. He gave Śrīla Gurudeva the responsibility of collecting money for the preaching mission.

Śrīla Gurudeva was afraid that Śrīla Prabhupāda would not remain in the world much longer and had been worried that if sent to England he might never see him again. He was thus relieved when Śrīla Prabhupāda changed his mind about sending him there on the Rājarṣi’s advice.

Śrīla Prabhupāda recognized that Śrīla Gurudeva possessed a great talent for persuading others with his humble and respectful manner of defeating their arguments. As a result, on October 4, 1936, he decided to send him to Bengal’s leading religious scholar, Pañcānana Tarkaratna of Bhattapara in Naihati. Pañcānana Tarkaratna was very proud of being a brāhmaṇa and a learned scholar and had vehemently criticized the daiva-varṇāśrama system preached by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda was afraid that his criticisms could cause untold harm to countless people seeking the ultimate good and thus gave Śrīla Gurudeva the responsibility of trying to change his opinion. Pañcānana Tarkaratna was reluctant to give proper respect to anyone who was not born in the brāhmaṇa caste. For this reason, Śrīla Prabhupāda told Gurudeva to go without Vaiṣṇava tilaka and give his identity as a high-caste brāhmaṇa.

On the given day, at 8:30 in the morning, Śrīla Gurudeva came to Pañcānana Tarkaratna’s house accompanied by Praphulla Candra Caṭṭopādhyāya of Naihati’s Kanthalpara. He first met with the paṇḍita’s highly qualified son, Śrī Jīva Nyāyatīrtha, and then spent two hours in scriptural discussions with the paṇḍita himself. Śrīla Gurudeva often recounted to his disciples his experience with the paṇḍita: “It is true that Pañcānana Tarkaratna possessed vast learning. He had memorized large numbers of verses from scripture, but in some cases was not able to come to logical conclusions or to harmonize the apparent inconsistencies. In his arguments he would go down a blind alley and not be able to give a proper answer when questioned.”

When asked how such a great scholar could end up this way, Śrīla Gurudeva would answer, “Paṇḍita Mahāśaya had never had the opportunity to associate with a pure devotee or a real saintly person. Only by following a pure devotee or through associating with saintly persons can one arrive at the right conclusions.”

Śrīla Gurudeva’s long conversation with Pañcānana Tarkaratna resulted in an article that headlined the Gauḍīya, the Math’s Bengali weekly, 15.13-15 (1936).

The following events took place in 1930 while Śrīla Prabhupāda was still present. A month-long festival was being held at the Kolkata Bagh Bazaar Gaudiya Math for Janmāṣṭamī. Each day a different dignitary was invited to sit as honorary chairman of the evening meeting. Some students of world-renowned scientist C. V. Raman were amongst those who came regularly to listen to the lectures of the Gaudiya Math saints. One day, these students came to see Śrīla Prabhupāda and complained that every day a different distinguished person was being made honorary chairman, but their professor, whose fame had spread throughout the world, had not even been invited.

Śrīla Prabhupāda answered that he had no objection to having Dr. Raman be honorary chairman one evening. He asked Śrīla Gurudeva to take charge of inviting him. Śrīla Gurudeva first went to Dr. Raman’s house but did not find him there. His wife sent him with an orderly to Dr. Raman’s laboratory on Circular Road. There, Śrīla Gurudeva met with the scientist on the second floor where he was sitting in a corner of a huge loft, engaged in his research activity. Dr. Raman spoke neither Bengali nor Hindi and so their conversation took place in English.

Upon being asked by Dr. Raman the reason for his coming, Śrīla Gurudeva answered, “A large month-long religious gathering is being held by the Bagh Bazaar Gaudiya Math at Janmāṣṭamī. On each day, a different dignitary of the city is invited to grace the chairman’s seat, and we humbly invite you to do the same.”

Dr. Raman answered, “I do not believe in your Keṣta-Biṣtu (Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu). I have no faith in anything that cannot be confirmed by direct sensory experience. I cannot waste my valuable time with imaginary things. I value my time. I would prefer to attend any conference dealing with science or education, but not a religious one.”

Śrīla Gurudeva said, “Your own students have been coming regularly to listen to the maṭha’s svāmījīs speak. It was their desire that you be honored in the same way that so many other eminent persons of Kolkata have been. I have been asked by my gurudeva to invite you, so please accept our invitation.”

Dr. Raman then challenged Śrīla Gurudeva: “Can you show me your God? If you can show Him to me, I will go.”

One side of the lab room in which the conversation was being held was a windowless, doorless wall, on the other side of which lay the whole of north Kolkata. Śrīla Gurudeva asked, “I can see nothing on the other side of this wall, but if I say that there is nothing there, will that be true?”

Dr. Raman answered, “Perhaps you cannot see what is there, but I could with the appropriate instruments.”

Śrīla Gurudeva then asked him, “There is a limit to what your instruments can do. You can only see as far as they allow you. Can you say that there is nothing beyond these limits?”

Dr. Raman replied, “Never mind. I will not waste my time on this. I will not give my attention to anything that is not within my sense experience. I will only spare my valuable time if you can actually show me your God. Can you do it?”

Śrīla Gurudeva: “If your students were to say to you that they will study your scientific findings only if you can show them the truth of what you have realized through your experiments, what would you say?”

Dr. Raman: “I would make them realize it!”

Śrīla Gurudeva: “Can you make them realized before teaching them?”

Dr. Raman: “No, I would first have to show them the process by which I have come to realize the truth. They will have to follow that process if they want to have the same realization. First, they have to earn their B.Sc. degree, then their M.Sc. Then they will have to study with me for another five years. Then I will be able to make them understand.”

Śrīla Gurudeva: “If that is true for you and your scientific knowledge, then can the seers of ancient India not say exactly the same thing? Follow their process and see whether or not you experience the existence of soul, supersoul and God. You are not able to show the scientific truths you profess to your students until they have adopted your process. Similarly, if you want to experience or understand God, you have to follow the process by which that is accomplished. If it does not happen, then you can deny its value. But how can you deny its value without following the process?”

Dr. Raman could not answer. After a few moments of silence, he said, “I know nothing about Kṛṣṇa. If I go, I will be able to say nothing. You would be better off inviting someone who knows something about these matters.”

Śrīla Gurudeva’s quick-wittedness and presence of mind was such that it was impossible to get away with an illogical statement in his presence. Such capacity does not come with simple book-learning. Only one who has surrendered himself to his spiritual master and has come to direct realization of the truth through his mercy can display such divine power. To such a person, a display of intelligence without any basis in realization cannot get very far.

Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed all of his disciples to follow āśraya-vigraha (Śrī Guru) in preaching the message of Śrī Rūpa and Raghunātha Gosvāmīs, and that they should work together to achieve this one purpose. From the superficial point of view of a short-sighted pessimist, the events that followed Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance seem to have contradicted his wishes, but whatever comes about as a result of the all-auspicious Lord Hari’s desire is for the good of everyone. If we are unable to see the truth of this basic tenet of spiritual life we become incapable of reconciling things and become unhappy as a result. Nothing takes place contrary to the will of the Lord; one who believes that He is all-auspicious must also accept that whatever takes place is somehow working toward the fulfilment of some larger, auspicious purpose. The short-sighted are only able to realize this after much water has flowed under the bridge.

Mahāprabhu said, “My Name will be preached in every town and village throughout the world.” In order to bring this prophecy to fruition, it was His will and that of His abhinna-prakāśa-mūrti (non-different manifestation), Śrīla Prabhupāda, that those leading disciples who had been enriched by their (Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s) blessings should be inspired to work to that end independently. Śrīla Prabhupāda did not wish that those worthy disciples of his who had attained the qualifications to act as ācārya should be restricted or limited in their activities. As a result of their being empowered by him to spread Mahāprabhu’s message, the movement has today been acknowledged and adopted by many persons throughout the world, fulfilling the Lord’s prediction. If Prabhupāda’s disciples were ordinary flawed living beings who disregarded the wishes of their spiritual master, then such widespread successes would not have been possible. When those hapless people who are ignorant of the overall intention of the Supreme Lord praise one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples and condemn another, they fall from the path of spiritual life and into the mire of vaiṣṇava-aparādha.

All of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s associates tried or are trying to sincerely follow his orders to the extent of their abilities. As a result of these sincere efforts, great numbers of wretched souls have been attracted to the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and have accepted the discipline of Vaiṣṇava sad-ācāra (good practices). They have been engaged in the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa according to the doctrines of pure devotional service and have thus made their lives successful.

In 1942, just prior to taking the vows of tridaṇḍa sannyāsa, Śrīla Gurudeva worked together with his godbrothers, particularly Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Bichar Jajabar Maharaj and Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Kumud Santa Mahārāj, to establish a maṭha in the city of Midnapore. This maṭha was named the Shyamananda Gaudiya Math. As a result of the preaching efforts of these godbrothers, many men and women of the city became attracted to Mahāprabhu’s message, took up the regulative principles of Vaiṣṇava sad-ācāra and the path of devotional service as ordained by Śrī Caitanya. The Gaudiya Math’s good name spread throughout the region and many wealthy citizens of Midnapore city took up the task of establishing a permanent branch there. With their help, land and a large two-storey building were purchased in the Śiva Bazaar area for the Math.

Śrīla Gurudeva told the story of how one of the chief donors, Govardhana Piḍi, came into contact with the Math and his life changed dramatically as he renounced all sinful activity to engage in the service of Kṛṣṇa and the devotees. When Śrīla Gurudeva was in search of donations for the establishment of the maṭha, he suggested going to visit Govardhana Piḍi, but local people counselled him not to. They described him as a great miser who would not give a paisa to a poor person in need. They told Śrīla Gurudeva that if he went to see him, he was sure to be insulted.

Śrīla Gurudeva answered, “A sādhu should not be bothered by the fear of insults, nor should he seek praise. If Govardhana Piḍi is a miser, then the sādhus should make an effort to see that he changes his ways. There is no need to change a good person. We can see the real results of preaching when bad people change and become good.”

One day, Śrīla Gurudeva went to Govardhana Piḍi’s office and was greeted cordially and given a suitable seat. When he heard from Śrīla Gurudeva that he was trying to open a preaching centre through which the ultimate good for the jīvas could be achieved through spreading Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teachings, Govardhana Bābu responded by saying that his family had worshiped Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa for generations and that they continued to serve the deities in his home. He invited Śrīla Gurudeva to his roof-top temple to take darśana of his deities. Śrīla Gurudeva was very pleased to see the beautiful Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa deities and said, “Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are the object of our worship. As yet we have no deities in our preaching centre. We would be very grateful if you gave us these deities for our temple.”

Govardhana Bābu answered, “These are our family deities and They have a great deal of land in Their name. It is impossible for us to part with Them. However, if you want to have deities brought for your temple, I will pay the cost.”

Śrīla Gurudeva told him that the Gaudiya Math imported their Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa deities from Jaipur, but Govardhana Bābu was not deterred and continued to agree to bear all the expenses. When Śrīla Gurudeva returned to the āśrama and told his companions about Govardhana Bābu’s offer, they were all dumbfounded. Govardhana Bābu paid not only for the deities, but for Their service, Their dress and ornaments, the installation ceremony and the feast which followed it. He also began coming regularly to hear hari-kathā in the temple. In time, as a result of the association of devotees, he came to realize that materialistic life was without substance and gave up all sinful practices. Understanding that true happiness could only be found in worshiping the Lord, he took initiation in the Holy Name and the mantra and adopted a regulated Vaiṣṇava life.

When the local people saw the amazing change in Govardhana Bābu’s behaviour, they were astonished and overjoyed. One day his wife came to the maṭha and in an outburst of emotion, fell at Śrīla Gurudeva’s feet and said, “Ever since you came, my husband has been returned to me. All our family problems have disappeared.”

We cannot say how many people’s lives were affected by coming in contact with Śrīla Gurudeva and having sweet dealings with him. This is only a single small example of how one person’s life was completely changed.

Immediately prior to taking sannyāsa, Śrīla Gurudeva went on a preaching tour of Bankura and Midnapore districts, visiting Kether Danga, Onda, Jhanti Pahari, Bankura city, Gadbeta, and other places. People everywhere were impressed by his personality, his upstanding character and his powerful hari-kathā and became attracted to the gospel of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Accompanying him on this trip were Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī, Rāma Govinda Brahmacārī, Kuñjalāla Prabhu, Hari Vinod Prabhu and other godbrothers. Helping the preaching work in Kether Danga and Onda were Rādhā Govinda Sīṭa and Avināśa Pāla, respectively.

Although Śrīla Prabhupāda had intended to give Śrīla Gurudeva tridaṇḍa sannyāsa, he never did so because of the important role he played in fundraising. Not long after Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance, however, a large group of Gurudeva’s godbrothers appealed to him to take the renounced order. Amongst them were Śrīmad Kunja Bihari Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu, Śrīmad Bhakti Prakash Aranya Mahārāja, Śrīmad Bhakti Sarvasva Giri Mahārāja, Śrīmad Bhakti Svarupa Parvata Mahārāja, Śrīmad Bhakti Prasun Bodhayan Mahārāja, Śrīmad Kṛṣṇa Keshava Brahmacārī, and Śrīmad Sundar Gopal Brahmacārī. Thus, at the age of 40, to fulfill Śrīla Prabhupāda’s command to preach Mahāprabhu’s message, he took sannyāsa according to the Vaiṣṇava rituals from Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanasa Mahārāja on the grounds of the Tota Gopinath temple in Purushottam Dham. It was the Phālgunī Pūrṇimā of 1944, the 457th anniversary of Mahāprabhu’s appearance. He was henceforth known as Parivrajakācārya Tridaṇḍi Swami Śrīmad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Other important godbrothers present on that occasion were Śrīmad Kunja Bihari Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu, Śrīmad Paramananda Vidyaratna Prabhu, Śrīmad Parvat Mahārāja, and Śrīmad Bodhayan Mahārāja.

After taking sannyāsa, Śrīla Gurudeva returned to the Shyamananda Gaudiya Math in Midnapore where he was greeted with great pomp by the members of the Viśva Vaiṣṇava Rāja Sabhā. The Sabhā presented him with a special certificate in which they praised him for his fearlessness, saintly courage, ability to enchant people when speaking on religious topics, and above all, his affection for the devotees, by which he gave great joy to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Of all of Śrīla Gurudeva’s virtues, his attachment to his spiritual master and his affection for his godbrothers were exemplary. After Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance, whenever any of his godbrothers were faced with hardship, he would immediately step forward to give them a helping hand without considering his own happiness or distress. Many of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s worthiest disciples were unable to come to terms with the turmoil in which the maṭha found itself after his disappearance and either returned to householder life or considered doing so. Śrīla Gurudeva took a lot of trouble to find such devotees, seeking them in their home and persuading them to return to the maṭha and to lead a life of service to the Lord. Some of those he brought back subsequently took the role of ācārya.

Devotees are a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa; affection for them accurately demonstrates the extent of one’s affection for Kṛṣṇa, Similarly, the guru’s disciples are the manifestations of the guru himself and affectionate behavior to them demonstrates the depth of one’s love for the guru. Śrīla Gurudeva’s exemplary love for his godbrothers was evident to the very last days of his presence in this world.

After Śrīla Gurudeva took sannyāsa, just prior to Indian independence (1947) and afterward, he went on an extended preaching tour throughout India and East Pakistan (modern Bangladesh). Accompanying him were Mihir Prabhu, Sankarshan Prabhu, Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī, Rama Govinda Brahmacārī, Trailokya Prabhu, Mahendra Prabhu, Brahma, Pyari Mohan Brahmacārī, Śrī Yajneshwar Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and others. Some of the important places he visited in Dhaka and Mymansingh districts were Baliyati, Nawabganj, Kalakopa village, Jamurki, Pakulla, and Churain.

While in Jamurki-Pakulla in Mymensingh district, Śrīla Gurudeva gave a lecture in a large gathering at the local high school. He often talked about this event later. More than a thousand people of both Hindu and Muslim faiths were present in the audience. Many students and teachers from the school also came. Several local policemen gave Śrīla Gurudeva the friendly warning that following partition of India and Pakistan, the situation was tense for the Hindus in the Muslim-dominated country. He was told to be careful about what he said and did because the government was watching him. If complaints were made that something he said went against Pakistan’s interests, he could be jailed. After having received this warning and seeing the large numbers of police officers present in the crowd, Śrīla Gurudeva thought about the difficulties one incurs in prison, where contact with many untouchable foodstuffs would be inevitable. He thus requested the listeners to save their questions for which he would leave fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of his discourse. He furthermore said he would entertain any inquiries on matters not related to his lecture at his quarters at another time. He asked that no one interrupt the lecture to ask questions, for it would disrupt the proceedings and cause distress to the other listeners.

Despite this request, however, after Śrīla Gurudeva had been speaking for half an hour, a mullah stood up and asked, “What is the reasoning behind the Hindu custom of worshiping idols?” Many of the people in the audience were irritated by the interruption and told him to hush up and Śrīla Gurudeva not to answer. But Śrīla Gurudeva welcomed the mullah’s question by praising it, saying that it was deserving of an answer from which everyone present could profit. Furthermore, by answering it he would not wander from the subject under discussion, but would rather enrich it.

He then proceeded to deal with the mullah’s question as follows. He said that before answering him, he wished to ask him a question: “Do you believe in God (khudā)?” The mullah said, “Of course I do.” Śrīla Gurudeva then asked, “Do you believe in Khudā’s almighty?” The mullah loudly declared, “Khudā is all-powerful!” Śrīla Gurudeva then laughed and said, “There you have your answer.”

Not realizing the implications of the word “omnipotent”, the mullah was at first confused by Śrīla Gurudeva’s answer. So Gurudeva started to clarify by asking, this time with the help of an example: “Is God powerful enough to take a Mymensingh elephant and to push him through the hole of the smallest needle without even harming a hair on his body?”

When the mullah remained silent, Śrīla Gurudeva continued, “Perhaps Maulvi Sāheb does not know the extent of Khudā’s powers, but the fact is that nothing is impossible for the omnipotent Lord. Kartum akartum anyathā kartuṁ yaḥ samarthaḥ sa eva īśvaraḥ. He can do whatever He wishes, not do something if He does not wish to do it, or undo or change whatever He has done. The Supreme Lord is all-powerful and nothing is beyond His abilities. The omnipotent Lord is not limited to the powers that we ascribe to Him. That is not what is meant by omnipotence. The sarva-śaktimāna is one who possesses all powers imaginable and unimaginable. Once we have accepted that the Supreme Lord is omnipotent, we cannot say, ‘He can do such and such, but not this or that.’ In accordance with the wish of His devotees, the supremely powerful Lord can appear in any form He desires, at any time, with His full complement of powers. If you say that He cannot, then there is no point in claiming that He is all-powerful.

“Any figure that a man may create out of the five elements, or any entity that he imagines with his material mind—whether with form or formless—is all material. That is what we call a putula or an idol. There is no regulation in the sanātana-dharma for the worship of such idols. What is ordained, rather, is service to the Lord’s deity form or śrī-vigraha. The śrī-vigraha is that form which the all-powerful Supreme Lord feels obliged to accept as a result of His devotee‘s love for Him. There is a gulf of difference between an idol and the Lord’s deity form. Even though the Lord’s deity form is purely spiritual and blissful, cid-ānanda-maya, a materially conditioned soul is unable to recognize Him, just as he would be unable to recognize the Lord if He appeared directly before him. One can only perceive the Lord’s divine form with the eyes of pure devotion. A vision of the Lord which has not been earned is not a true vision of the Lord.”

After East Pakistan, Śrīla Gurudeva took his party into Assam, recalling that Śrīla Prabhupāda had once directly ordered him to preach there, as the Assamese people are simple and have faith in sādhus. To fulfill Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order, Śrīla Gurudeva first went to Sarbhog near Barpeta in Kamrup district. Accompanying him were Bhuvana Prabhu, Uddhāraṇa Prabhu, and Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī Prabhu.

Because of problems in the Sree Gaudiya Math, due to the change in the management subsequent to the disappearance of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīla Gurudeva stayed at the house of Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī’s brother rather than in the maṭha. As there had been torrential rains and extensive flooding in the area, the devotees had to put all their bedding in an ox-cart and walk through knee-deep water to get to there. The veranda and ground floor of the house were still under water, thus the party had to construct a bamboo platform on which to sleep, while another such platform served as a toilet. Even in these difficult circumstances, Krishna Keshava Prabhu’s devout mother daily cooked meals for the Vaiṣṇavas.

The war with Japan was at its height during this period and the Japanese army had already conquered Burma and crossed the border into Assam. The British Indian government’s War Ministry had ordered many homes throughout Assam to be requisitioned for quartering Indian army troops. Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī’s family home was one of those taken over for this purpose and Śrīla Gurudeva and his party were obliged to stay in some village not far from Sarbhog. This is just a small example of how Śrīla Gurudeva was prepared to accept any difficulty to follow the orders of his own spiritual master and to bring auspiciousness to those who had forgotten Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Gurudeva preached in these untoward circumstances for seven days before moving to Sarbhog where he stayed in Gopal Prabhu’s house. While there, he spoke on Bhāgavatam daily at the house of a local high school teacher and leading citizen, Cintā Haraṇa Pātagiri. Those who became Śrīla Gurudeva’s disciples during his preaching activities in Sarbhog were Gopāla Dāsādhikārī, and Acyutānanda Dāsādhikārī.

A local youth named Kamalā-kānta Gosvāmī was a regular attendant at Śrīla Gurudeva’s Bhāgavata lectures. He was so attracted by Mahāprabhu’s teachings that he decided to leave home and join the preaching party. Śivānanda Prabhu and his nephew enthusiastically invited Śrīla Gurudeva to visit their village, Bhavanipur Tapa, where he stayed for a few days. Kamalā-kānta Gosvāmī accompanied the Vaiṣṇava group to Tapa, but when his father, Ghana-kānta Gosvāmī, found out, he came there, severely chastised him, and took him back home.

Ghana-kānta was conditioned to believe in the superiority of brāhmaṇas. He did not accept the rationale behind the daiva-varṇāśrama taught by the Gaudiya Math. He considered that his son had lost his caste status by eating the food of the devotees and he instructed him to remain outside the house until he had atoned. Kamalā-kānta had been born in a very high caste, but after hearing the pure scriptural doctrines from Śrīla Gurudeva about the differences between a Vaiṣṇava and a brāhmaṇa, about the superiority of the Vaiṣṇava and about how a Vaiṣṇava can be born in any race or caste, he could not understand what fault there was in taking food which had been cooked and served by Vaiṣṇavas who followed the religious practices prescribed in the scriptures. He could not approve of his father’s attitude, which was disrespectful to the Vaiṣṇavas, and in order to avoid offenses, he left home again the very next day and came back to Tapa to surrender to Śrīla Gurudeva. Though Kamalā-kānta wanted to take initiation, Śrīla Gurudeva worried that his father and family might cause trouble, and thought it better to not give him harināma and mantra on that occasion.

In Tapa, several wealthy Marwari businessmen were attracted to Śrīla Gurudeva and took great care to serve the Vaiṣṇavas and to help the preaching of Mahāprabhu’s gospel with great sincerity. Śivānanda Prabhu was very renounced, even though married, spending most of his time in devotional activities. He gave his worthy son, Lokeśa, to Śrīla Gurudeva to be fully engaged in the service of Guru and Gaurāṅga. It is rare to see a father give his own son over to devotional service in this way. Śivānanda Prabhu’s nephew Śrī Lohita and son Lokeśa were initiated in the Holy Name at the house of Tulārāma Bābu in Tapa. Just before leaving for Kolkata, Śrīla Gurudeva also initiated Kamalā-kānta Gosvāmī, Rāma Prasād and Bhavānanda in the Holy Name. He gave dīkṣā-mantra to Śrī Lohita, Lokeśa and Kamalā-kānta when they arrived in the Midnapore Math. They were given the names Lalitā Caraṇa Brahmacārī, Lokanātha Brahmacārī and Kṛṣṇa Prasād Brahmacārī, respectively. All three of these devotees later took sannyāsa from Śrīla Gurudeva and were known thereafter as Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Lalita Giri Mahārāja, Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Suhrid Damodar Mahārāja, and Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Bhakti Prasad Ashram Mahārāja.

Before returning to Kolkata, Śrīla Gurudeva spent a few days in the Assamese capital, Guwahati. Through the efforts of Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī and Cintā Haraṇa Pātgiri, he had the opportunity to meet many of Assam’s leading citizens and preach to them. Amongst these people were Assam’s chief minister, Gopīnātha Bardalai, Durgeśvara Śarmā, Kumudeśvara Gosvāmī, Bhuvana Gosvāmī, Kanakeśvara Gosvāmī, Rohiṇi Caudhurī, Navīna Bardalai, Girijā Dāsa, Dhīrena Deva, Caritra Bābu, and Narendra Bābu.

Arrangements were made for Śrīla Gurudeva to speak on the Bhāgavata at the Chief Minister’s house. The people who came there to hear him speak the pure doctrines of the Bhāgavata through unprecedented reasoning were enchanted. One day after Gurudeva’s lecture, Gopīnātha Bardalai came to him with great enthusiasm and praised his explanation of siddhānta. He said, “Upon hearing your Bhāgavata-pāṭha, I am convinced that your objectives and those of Mahatmā Gandhi are the same. You give so many examples from scripture and explain everything logically, and then you make people chant the Names of Kṛṣṇa. Gandhiji also ends his speeches, in which he has talks about so many different things, by engaging everyone in ‘rāma-dhun’. So, both of you have the same goal—to make people chant the Names of God. I don’t see any difference between your messages. What do you think of this opinion?”

Śrīla Gurudeva recognized that Gopīnātha Bardalai had great faith and affection for him. He did not wish to disturb his mind by saying something that would hurt him, so he decided to instruct him according to his level of understanding. He smilingly said, “If you don’t mind, then I will tell you what I think.”

The Chief Minister said, “I have been illuminated by all your valuable instructions. I have never heard such a learned discourse on the Bhāgavata from anyone else before. How could I mind if you say anything at all for my benefit? Speak freely and say whatever you wish to say.”

Guru Mahārāja then said, “Before I entered the Math, I used to take part in the freedom movement. Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram used to publish an English newspaper called Young India, which I often read. I remember once that Gandhiji told his audience in a speech that he was ready to abandon even the chanting of the Holy Name for the sake of his country. As far as I can remember, his exact words were, ‘I can even sacrifice rāma-dhun for my country.’

We, on the other hand, say exactly the opposite: ‘We can sacrifice our country for rāma-dhun.’ Our worshipable Lord Rāma is not there for us and our ends. He is for Himself and everything exists for Him. Western philosophers have defined the Absolute by saying, ‘The Absolute is for itself and by itself.’ We do not have an ‘It-God’. Our Lord is the Supreme Person, the ‘He-God’. So we prefer to say, ‘The Absolute is for Himself and by Himself.’ The unlimited universes come out of Him, they exist within Him, and they are maintained by Him. So their existence is uniquely to fulfill His ends. If anyone wishes to worship the Lord, he must have a proper theological understanding.”

Gopīnātha Bardalai was so influenced by Śrīla Gurudeva’s powerful personality that he told him his resolve to abandon householder life and live in the maṭha, dedicating his entire life to the service of the Lord. Unfortunately, his associates would not let him leave politics. Not long afterward he died and so was never able to do as he had wished. Politics are so entangling that once one has gotten involved in them, it is very difficult to extricate oneself.

As a result of the influence Śrīla Gurudeva had on all these important people in Guwahati, he became well-known both in the city and the surrounding area. After completing his preaching activities there, he returned to Kolkata.

In 1947, Śrīla Gurudeva returned to Assam, this time to Goalpara. He was invited by the Gaudiya Math household devotee, Śrī Radhamohan Prabhu. Accompanying him were Śrī Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī, Śrī Uddharan Brahmacārī, Śrī Mādhavānanda Vrajavāsī, and Śrī Ratharūḍha Das Brahmacārī. Śrīla Gurudeva and his companions headquartered in Radhamohan Prabhu’s house and held meetings in various parts of the town. At Harisabhā in Goalpara a special assembly was held in which the town’s leading barrister, Ksīroda Sena, was made president. Amongst the other important people who were present were the local district attorney, Kāmākhyā Caraṇa Sena and the pleader for the Mechpara estate, Priya Kumār Guharoy.

Śrī Kāmākhyā Caraṇa Guharoy, son of Śrī Dhīrendra Guharoy, first met Śrīla Gurudeva at Radhamohan Prabhu’s house in Goalpara. He later took initiation and became known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Ballabh Brahmacārī, and after sannyāsa, Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja. He came with his friend Devavrata (Ravi) to ask some questions about spiritual life, as he wished to establish clearly, by what method he could attain the Lord. When he first saw Śrīla Gurudeva sitting on an elevated seat and paid his obeisances to him, Kāmākhyā Caraṇa felt his blessings being showered on him, and his entire body erupted with horripilation. He asked him the following question: “When I chant the Holy Name, I feel as though I will see the Lord any minute. Then I will have to leave my home and family, giving up all the love I feel for them. This troubles me so much that I stop chanting. Please give me some advice so that I won’t stop chanting when these thoughts start bothering me.”

Even though the question did not show great intellectual depth, Śrīla Gurudeva praised it to give enthusiasm to the questioner. He then said, “A few geese used to live by a lake which was really nothing more than a stinking, stagnating little waterhole. They lived quite happily there, eating the plentiful snails, clams, worms and shrimps. One day, they saw a flock of their cousins, the swans, flying overhead. The large birds looked so beautiful with their sparkling white wings that the geese began to think that the place where they were heading must surely be much more wonderful than their waterhole. If they could only live there, surely they would become as beautiful as the swans and be as happy as they.

“The swans had been to the sea and were now on their way to Mānasa Sarovara in Himalayas. One of them saw the geese looking at them so pitifully and felt compassion for them. He came down to land near geese, who were astonished by the swan’s beauty. They asked him if he could take them with him to his home. The swan said that he had come precisely for that reason, to take them away from this putrid place. But when he told them to follow him, the poor geese pleaded that they were unable to fly very far. The swan felt so sorry for them that he told them to climb on his back and that he would carry them.

“The geese then started to wonder whether they would be able to find the snails, clams, worms and shrimp they were used to eating once they were at Mānasa Sarovara. The swan answered that such disgusting things were not available there and that the swans lived on lotus stems. The geese began to shriek as if with one voice, ‘Then how will we survive?’ And so they decided not to go at all.

“The geese’s attachments to other things kept them from going to live in a very beautiful place like Mānasa Sarovara. Similarly, our attachment to this perishable body and everything connected with it is an impediment to our going to join the Lord. The Lord is all-auspicious and free from any material defects, He is the embodiment of ultimate joy, and so is His abode. There is no place there for the despicable aspects of transitory material life. Anyone who is unable to abandon his attachments to things unconnected to the Lord and wishes to hang on to those things are unable to attain Him. The Lord and Māyā are opposites. Supreme auspiciousness cannot be had unless one is freed from material wants through the association of advanced devotees.”

tato duḥsaṅgam utsṛjya
satsu sajjeta buddhimān
santa evāsya chindanti
mano-vyāsaṅgam uktibhiḥ

An intelligent person should therefore avoid bad company and associate only with devotees. With their realized instructions, such saints can cut through the knots of material attachments. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.26.26)

Radhamohan Prabhu was Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda’s initiated disciple. He had stayed as a brahmacārī in the Gaudiya Math for a while before entering householder life. People of the region held him in high esteem because of his knowledge of Vaiṣṇava philosophy, his high standards and personal character. In Goalpara he was known as Rāmamohana Dā. He worked as a clerk in the office of Kāmākhyā Caraṇa’s uncle. The affection and kindness he had showered on Kāmākhyā Caraṇa by showing him the devotional path is exceptional. He was thus the vartma-pradarśaka-guru who brought Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja to the Gaudiya Math. Because of this, he had to face much opposition and criticism. Śrīla Gurudeva’s letters for Kāmākhyā Caraṇa were sent to Śrī Radhamohan Prabhu’s address. The affection of Śrī Radhamohan Prabhu’s pious wife and family for Kāmākhyā could never be repaid.

In his letters, Śrīla Gurudeva advised Kāmākhyā to study Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Jaiva Dharma in order to eradicate all doubts. As a result of reading this book, Kāmākhyā Caraṇa indeed found that the doubts that he had harbored for so long were effaced. In another letter, Śrīla Gurudeva said that if he planned to follow a life of renunciation, the nivṛtti-mārga, and dedicate his life to the worship of the Lord, then it made no sense to take a government job. On the other hand, if he wished to follow the path of action, the pravṛtti-mārga, and worship the Lord while staying at home, he should take the job. Kāmākhyā realized that it would not be possible for him to engage in pure devotional service in his family environment and so he made up his mind to leave.

My parama-gurudeva, Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura, visited Goalpara on only one occasion. He ordered his householder disciple, Nimānanda Prabhu, to establish a Gaudiya Math near the banks of the Brahmaputra River, in a beautiful spot on Hulukāndā Hill. The Math was given the name Prapannashram and was considered a branch of the Gaudiya Math. In the course of time, however, due to the unavailability of personnel and other problems, the institution was lost. Later, Goalpara resident Śarat Kumār Nāth offered to give a building and land for the establishment of a maṭha in the town. Śrīla Gurudeva understood that this was Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desire and so he accepted the offer. He established a branch of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math there in 1969.

Some of the other places Śrīla Gurudeva visited while preaching in Assam were Bijani, Bhatipara, Hauli, and Barpeta. In Hauli a great meeting was held where thousands of men and women, both of the Hindu and Muslim faiths, were present. Śrīla Gurudeva asked the audience to save its questions for which he would leave fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of his discourse. However, a Muslim scholar interrupted to ask during the course of the lecture, “Has anyone ever seen the soul or God? What is the proof that you are not simply deceiving everyone when you talk about the soul and God?”

The audience asked Śrīla Gurudeva not to answer as the question had been asked breaking the discipline requested by him, but he thought that if he did not respond, the ignorant would think that he had no answer. He saw that the Maulvī was carrying a book, and he asked him what its name was. The Maulvī called the book a kitāb and gave its name. Though Śrīla Gurudeva knew several languages, including Bengali, Assamese, Hindi and English, and though his eyes were in perfect condition, he said he could not recognize the title of the book. He asked the Maulvi if he was not deceiving him by giving him some false name. How could he prove that it was not so?

The Maulvī asked the people sitting around him to confirm that the title he had given was indeed correct. Śrīla Gurudeva said, perhaps the group was in collusion to deceive him. Maulvī Sāheb was surprised by his statement and asked him what he saw. Śrīla Gurudeva said that it looked like footprints of a crow. Maulvī replied that he evidently did not know Urdu, and Śrīla Gurudeva confessed that indeed he did not. The Maulvī then asked him, if he did not know Urdu how could he expect to know what was written there? He would first have to learn Urdu, then he would be able to confirm that he had been told the book’s correct title.

Śrīla Gurudeva then took the Maulvī’s own words to explain to him what he was getting at: “Even if someone knows many languages, he won’t be able to understand Urdu unless he has learnt it. Even if one has good eyesight, unless he knows Urdu, he will neither be able to recognize what sounds are represented by its script, nor what the meaning of those sounds is. The same thing goes for understanding the soul and the Supersoul. Even if one has great learning and experience in this world, unless he has specifically earned the qualifications to experience the Lord, he will not be able to experience Him.

“There are two kinds of vision, one based on Vedic knowledge (veda-dṛk), the other on simple sensual capabilities (māṁsa-dṛk). The physical eye can only see physical objects and nothing else. Things that are beyond matter and the senses are self-revelatory and can only be seen with His blessings. The truth is revealed in the heart of the surrendered soul.”

A few people took shelter of Śrīla Gurudeva in Hauli, and became fixed in Vaiṣṇava practices and made a vow to worship the Lord according to the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Most noteworthy amongst these was Rāmeśvara Barman, who was known after initiation as Rāmeśvara Dāsādhikārī.

The notable citizens of Hyderabad, the fortress of advaita-māyāvādīs (monist philosophers), responded overwhelmingly in a positive manner to the pure devotional teachings of Śrīla Gurudeva when he arrived there in 1959. They were immediately attracted to him due to his beautiful and effulgent saintly appearance and even more so by the magnetic effect of his compelling words. Seeing their sincerity to serve the sādhus and also by their request, Śrīla Gurudeva decided to open a branch of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math to spread the doctrines of prema-bhakti as enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Accordingly, a center was founded in the Pattharghāṭi locality of Hyderabad. At first, it began to function from rented quarters adjacent to the main road but later it was shifted to larger premises in Urddugalī. Here, at the house of Lālā Fakirchand Agarwal, the property consisted of a courtyard, balcony and four rooms. In the maṭha, daily pūjā was offered to Śrī Giridhārī and Śrī Nārāyaṇa śālagrāma. Kīrtanas were performed at dawn and dusk and the festivals like Śrī Janmāṣṭamī, Śrī Annakūṭa, and Śrī Gaurāvirbhāva were observed in an opulent manner. In July 1961, the Assistant Secretary of the maṭha, Śrī Maṅgala Nilaya Brahmacārī, organized a special religious meeting. This was attended by the Mayor of the Corporation of Hyderabad, as well as the Ācārya of the Madhva sampradāya’s Pejāvara Math of Uḍupi, Śrīmad Viśveśa Tīrtha Śrīpādaṅgalāvaru, and the Accountant General of Andhra Pradesh, Śrī R. N. Chatterjee. Many eminent persons came to visit the maṭha during this time.

Upon Śrīla Gurudeva’s next arrival to Hyderabad on August 1, 1961, the city’s notable citizens welcomed him grandly. This time he stayed in the well-known Balaji Bhavan in Himayet Nagar. Mr. Arbamuda Ayangar, the former minister of law of Hyderabad Nizam, Mr. Veda Prakash, the Mayor of Hyderabad Corporation, Mr. P. Chandra Reddy, the Honorable chief justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court respectively were the honorary chairman during each day of the three-day function that started on August 5, 1961.

To participate in the installation of the Holy Deities of Śrī Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅga-Rādhā-Vinoda-Jīu at the Hyderabad Math, Śrīla Gurudeva arrived there accompanied by Pūjyapāda Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhānasa Mahārāja and other saintly persons on Tuesday 28 June 1962. The head of the maṭha, Śrī Maṅgala Nilaya Brahmacārī, received them at the railway station. The welcoming party consisted of notable citizens carrying an umbrella (chatra) and fans (cāmara and vyajana). A western-style band played music while intense saṅkīrtana was being performed. Many Marwari devotees accompanied Śrīla Gurudeva from the station singing kīrtana.

On Monday 9 July (24 Āśāḍha), Śrīla Gurudeva saw to the installation of the deities according to the injunctions of Śrī Pañcarātra and Śrī Bhāgavata. Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhānasa Mahārāja was the chief priest and Śrīmad Bhakti Bhudeva Śrauti Mahārāja assisted. An eight-day long special religious congregational program starting from 8 July was organized. On each of these eight days special dignitaries were invited to take the chair and many notable saints of the maṭha spoke on various devotional subjects. On Sunday 15 July (30 Āṣāḍha), the deities were mounted on elaborately decorated chariots (rathas) and taken through the main thoroughfares of the city accompanied by a very impressive procession of devotees loudly singing kīrtana. This was the first time that such an event had taken place in Hyderabad, and it evoked a tremendous and enthusiastic response from all who had the good fortune to witness it. Stopping at certain places along the way, the devotees offered worship to Their Lordships, the Holy Deity Forms of the Supreme Lord and also to Śrīla Gurudeva.

On July 3, a few days prior to the deity installation festival, a cultural group from the United States, accompanied by Dr. P Śrīnivāsācāra, came to visit and was given a warm reception by the head of the maṭha, Śrīpāda Maṅgala Nilaya Brahmacārī. The American party consisted of professors from different universities across the United States. They met and exchanged cordial greetings with Śrīla Gurudeva, who, upon their request, enlightened them with a talk on the subject of the life and teachings of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The following contains the gist of his discourse.

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared on this earth in 1486 A. D. in Śrīdhāma Māyāpura, in the district of Nadia. From childhood, He came to be known as Nimāi Paṇḍita all over India due to His unparalleled scholarship (Nimāi meaning one born beneath the nīma tree, Paṇḍita meaning scholar). At the age of twenty-four, He took the vow of renunciation (sannyāsa) and proceeded to the holy city of Purī. From there He travelled for six years to various places of pilgrimage in both North and South India. During that time, He spread kṛṣṇa-bhakti in the hearts of all living beings—human, bird or beast—especially the most fallen. He was intent upon saving them from the grip of māyā. He then returned to Purī where He remained up to the time of His disappearance from this world. At Purī, He was constantly immersed in kṛṣṇa-prema and tasted the bhāva (transcendental mood) of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, together with His intimate devotee associates, Śrī Rāya Rāmānanda and Svarūpa Dāmodara. He terminated the visible display of His pastimes at the age of forty-eight.

“Śrī Caitanyadeva has pointed out that the sole objective of our lives is to achieve love of God (kṛṣṇa-prema). Attachment to objects of an impermanent nature, with materialistic yearnings, is the root cause of our bondage and all sorrows. Eternal peace can never be attained by amassing material ego and sensory pleasures. We can reach the shores of eternal peace only by turning the mind away from all that is perishable and instead, placing it at the Lotus Feet of Śrī Bhagavān, Who is the Form of All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss (sac-cid-ānanda). Citing the evidences from the scriptures, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu negated the arguments for nirviśeṣa (impersonalism) and established saviśeṣa (personalism) to be the Ultimate Causal Reality. Because Śrī Bhagavān, possessing a transcendental form, is devoid of mundane, distinctive features, He is sometimes referred to as nirviśeṣa. Moreover He is saviśeṣa for He possesses transcendental supramunane qualities. It would be foolish to equate the mundane, base features of the material world with those of Śrī Bhagavān’s pure, transcendental, spiritual form. One need not be concerned that attributing variegatedness and personality to Śrī Bhagavān will, in some way, negate the concept of God being Infinite. Without a doubt, Bhagavān should be understood to be Infinite and Eternal.

“His potency knows no bounds, but it can be seen that there are three manifestations of that potency that are prominent: (1) the internal potency (antaraṅgā-śakti); (2) the external potency (bahiraṅgā-śakti); and (3) the marginal potency (taṭasthā-śakti). All living beings are of the nature of the taṭasthā-śakti of the Lord. They are thus free to choose to live either under the umbrella of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency (the spiritual realm) or in the temporary material world, which constitutes Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s external potency. Those who choose to turn away from Śrī Bhagavān, mesmerised by His external potency, begin to think of themselves as lord and master of all they survey. This is ignorance. The ego of false enjoyerhood inevitably leads to hatred, aggression and malice. Śrī Bhagavān is the only true master and enjoyer. All energies, including all living beings, are under His dominion. The jīvātmā (living entity) is an infinitesimal particle (aṁśa) of the potency of Śrī Bhagavān. It goes without saying that a part cannot be happy independently, having separated itself from the whole. If attraction to material enjoyment persists and no attempt is made to turn toward Śrī Bhagavān, then neither the individual, nor the family, nor even society as a whole will ever attain true and lasting peace. Where there are many centres of interest, conflict becomes inevitable. If, however, love for Bhagavān becomes the focal point for all, then immediately, all are seen as being related to each other. Then love and a sense of unity become spontaneous as a natural consequence. It can be seen that love for one’s own family can easily lead to a clash with the family of another. If one’s interest is pivoted to one particular locality, province or country, this will lead to disputes with other localities, provinces or countries. However, being in a relationship of love with Śrī Bhagavān, Who is the shelter of all, there will be no quarrel with anyone.

“In the modern world, the powerful nations are engaged in the highly competitive production of nuclear weapons and the launching of satellites into space. The consequences of this could be disastrous. The founding of the whole world as a single powerful nation may solve these problems, but without offering worship to Śrī Bhagavān, everlasting peace which transcends the mundane plane will forever remain elusive and altogether impossible.”

Śrīla Gurudeva concluded by expressing the hope that the bonds between America and India could be strengthened by means of cultural exchange programs. The professors were delighted to hear the bhajana-kīrtana and nāma-kīrtana interwoven with the glories of Śrī Gaura-sundara. To fulfill their desires, they were happily presented with a pair of karatālas (brass hand cymbals used in worship) to remember the special musical quality of the bhajana-kīrtanas. The devotees were happy to see how the guests, who were unacquainted with Indian manners and customs, had quickly adjusted to the situation, sitting on floormats and partaking of the Lord’s prasāda.

On July 15, upon the invitation of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Śrī Bhīmsen Sāchār, Śrīla Gurudeva along with his sannyāsī godbrothers and brahmacārīs went to the Rāja Bhavana (Governor’s house) and spoke hari-kathā. Highlights of this lecture appear below.

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu has stated that nāma-saṅkīrtana is the ultimate goal of mankind. Initially, the tongue, which is coated with the bile of ignorance, might fail to relish the exquisite flavor of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Holy Name. However, by the gradual practice of recitation, it will become possible to do so. Analogously, even the best sugar candy seems bitter to a jaundiced tongue, coated with bile. However, by regularly tasting it, the tongue gradually experiences its sweetness. Similarly, the Holy Name of Śrī Bhagavān will slowly but surely cure all ailments and reveal its inner greatness and magnificence.

syāt kṛṣṇa nāma caritādi sitāpyavidyā
pittopatapta rasanasya na rocikā nu
kitvādarād anudinaṁ khalu saiva juṣṭā
svādvī kramād bhavati tad gada mūlahantrī

The Holy Name, character, pastimes and activities of Kṛṣṇa are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidyā (ignorance) cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet Names every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root. (Upadeśāmṛta, Verse 7)

“Each and every living being has the right to listen to and chant the Holy Name of Śrī Bhagavān, but this is not so in the case of customary Vedic hymns which are inhibited by a bewildering array of rules and regulations. Thus, if bhāgavata-dharma in the form of nāma-saṅkīrtana penetrates the hearts of the masses at large, then a firm bond of unity will arise. Cursed by the nature of the present age, Kali-yuga, mankind is madly attracted to material objects, completely lacks control over the senses and is perverted with sicknesses of all kinds. Consequently, the yuga-dharmas of the previous three ages, namely dhyāna (meditation) for Satya-yuga, yajña (sacrifice) for Tretā-yuga and arcana (deity worship) for Dvāpara-yuga, cannot be applied effectively in this era. Taking into account the seriousness of the malady, we can see that the prescribed medicine is proportionate in strength. Thus, the scriptures advise us to take the medicine of the Holy Name:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

‘In the age of Kali, there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way (for spiritual progress) than the chanting of the Holy Name, the chanting of the Holy Name, the chanting of the Holy Name.’ (Bṛhan-naradīya Purāṇa)

The “Temple of Understanding” of Washington D.C. in the USA organized a five-day historical Spiritual Summit Conference starting from October 22, 1968 at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture. The purpose of the conference was to bring unity among world religions. Religious leaders of all persuasions attended, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Baha’is, Jews, Confucians, and Zoroastrians. The Hindus were represented by Most Revered Śrīla Gurudeva Oṁ 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Dayita Mādhava Gosvāmī Mahārāja Viṣṇupāda, Svāmī Śrī Cinmayānanda Jī, Dr. Rāghavan, Śvāmī Lokeśvarānanda of the Rāmakṛṣṇa Mission and Professor Amiya Cakravartī of New York State University. The chairman of the International Committee of the Temple of Understanding was the wife of Śrī B. K. Birla, Śrīmatī Saralā Birla. Many prominent personages from the USA, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Africa, Tibet, Thailand and other countries of the world, as well as from different provinces of India, participated in the conference. Śrī B. K. Birla took on the responsibility of seeing to the accommodation of the guests who had come from outside.

Invited by Birla, Śrīla Gurudeva visited their residence on Gurusaday Road to discuss topics related to the forthcoming summit. Mr. Finley P. Dan (Executive Director of the Temple of Understanding) and Mr. V. G. Rathi came to Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math at 35 Satish Mukherjee Road to formally invite Śrīla Gurudeva. They had a long discussion on how an atmosphere of understanding could be created among the different faiths. Śrīla Gurudeva also discussed this same issue with Mrs. Dickerman Hollister at Birla Academy. A brief synopsis of the lectures delivered were recorded and later published in Washington under the title “The World Religions Speak on the Relevance of Religion in the Modern World.”

For the promotion of peace, the representatives gathered on Friday 25 October at Śivapur Botanical Gardens and offered prayers. Present with Śrīla Gurudeva were Pūjyapāda Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Pramode Purī Mahārāja and the Secretary of the maṭha, Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Śrīmad Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja. Śrī B. K. Birla had arranged for a car to be at the disposal of Śrīla Gurudeva around the clock. Unable to refuse the persistent invitations of Mr. Birla and his wife, Śrīla Gurudeva attended the afternoon celebrations at their house. However, since it was the occasion of Kārtika-vrata, he only partook of fruits. The hostage of the Birla family is praiseworthy.

Śrīla Gurudeva delivered the following speech in English at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture:

“I heartily welcome the organisers of this symposium in their attempt to explore an impartial and liberal approach to different views of religious faiths in this world and to find out how a world fellowship of different religions or a unity of hearts amongst human beings can be promoted. There are two methods of approach: (1) the sincere, real and practical approach relating to the actual state and nature of human beings; and (2) an idealistic approach having little or no practical value, merely indulging in the luxury of high-sounding words. If we sincerely wish to obtain real and abiding effect, we should face the facts boldly. The truth is that there exists no one hundred per cent similarity amongst individuals, as they are all conscious units possessing independence of thinking, feeling and willing. Individuals, as a result of their different actions, achieve separate environments and paraphernalia. Every individual has his peculiar nature distinct from any other. So, obviously, individuals will vary in their opinions and tastes and this is quite natural. It is unnatural to attempt to forcibly encage individuals into one fold, faith or particular ideology. Accordingly, cultivation of tolerance of others’ views is essential for world peace and unity. Indian sponsors of religion appeared to have that insight and tolerance; hence, many independent views have cropped up in India and have flourished simultaneously. Want of tolerance makes us sectarian, and that spirit motivates us toward the forcible conversion of others, which brings turmoil and unrest to the world.

“Religion should give equal scope to all individuals for their respective spiritual development according to their attributes. Indian saints have classified the nature of human beings into three broad groups—sāttvika, rājasika and tāmasika. Sāttvika people are wise, sincere, generous and non-violent. As such, they have an altruistic mentality and render disinterested service. Rājasika people are egoists; however, they are active and do good to others with the motive of getting a return of their actions for self-aggrandisement. They won’t tolerate harm to themselves and have the spirit of taking revenge. Tāmasika people are indolent, out-and-out egoists and are of violent temperament. They are indiscriminate in their pursuit of enjoyment. They completely disregard the interest of others and will do anything to fulfil their selfish desires. So, sāttvika, rājasika and tāmasika people vary in their tastes, habits and nature. Three forms of teaching religion have been prescribed for these three groups, according to their eligibility, giving them scope for gradual elevation. These three modes of teaching are related to the apparent self and, as such, are changeable. There are still higher states of religious existence that transcend those three qualities and relate to the eternal, natural function of the real self. If we want quantity, we must sacrifice quality and if we want quality, evidently we shall have to sacrifice quantity—both cannot be achieved at one time. However, the primary point to be noted here is that there should be tolerance amongst sponsors of different religious views and respect for others’ views, as well as equal scope given to all for their spiritual upliftment from their respective statuses. Another point to be noted here is that we should have the patience to understand the underlying spirit of different religious faiths and not merely indulge in disputes in regard to the ritualistic aspects of religions which will certainly vary in different parts of the world in accordance with the change of climatic conditions and environments.

“Nowadays, we find lack of discipline rampant in every sphere of human life—political, social, economic, and even in education. Student unrest (youth unrest) is one of the most serious problems of the day. It is extremely difficult to proceed with constructive work when people are prone to indiscipline. To fight against disruptive tendencies and indiscipline, a radical treatment of the minds of the people is required. Here we feel the necessity of moral and spiritual values in human life. There are two ways of treating diseases—pathologically and symptomatically. In pathological treatment, the root cause of the disease is ascertained first and then the remedy is prescribed. The process of symptomatic treatment may be easier, but it does not have a lasting effect. It may give temporary relief, while treatment through the pathological process brings about permanent relief.

“To determine the root cause of unrest, we ought first to determine the meaning of the self. I strongly believe that ignorance of our real self is the cause of unrest, discord and anxiety. The real self is not the physical tabernacle; it is something other than the gross and subtle bodies. We consider the body to be the person as long as we observe consciousness in it. The moment the body is bereft of consciousness, it loses its personality. I am ‘I’ when the conscious entity (i.e., the entity that thinks, feels and wills) is present in me and I am ‘not-I’ when it is absent in me. Hence, the entity whose presence and absence makes me ‘me’ and ‘not-me’ respectively must be the person. This conscious entity (the soul) is designated as ātmā in Indian scriptures. Ātmā is indestructible; it has no origin and no end. If we plunge deep into the matter, we can trace our existence to the Absolute Conscious Principle, Whom we call Godhead, the Fountain Source of innumerable conscious units. Godhead is termed sat-cid-ānanda, i.e., He is All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss. Individuals are points of rays emanating from Him and, as such, are one of His eternal and co-existing potencies. Individuals cannot live independently; they are all interconnected and co-existing though retaining their own individual characteristics.

It has already been stated that differences between individuals are unavoidable as they are conscious units. Now, the problem is to find a common ground and interest for the solution of these differences. A sense of common interest can be fostered among individuals if they know that they are interconnected, are parts of the one Organic System, and are the sons and daughters of the one Father. Here is the task of all religions—to teach people that all beings of the world are closely interrelated. Although steadfastness or firm belief in God (niṣṭhā) according to some particular faith and eligibility of the individual is congenial for healthy spiritual growth of every individual, religious bigotry that begets enmity is condemnable, as it is against the real interest of the individual and society. Real religion teaches love for one another.

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu propagated the cult of all-embracing Divine Love, which brings universal brotherhood on a transcendental plane. According to Him, forgetfulness of our eternal relation with the Supreme Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is the root cause of all afflictions. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the God of all gods, the Supreme Person having All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss. He is beginningless, yet the beginning of all and primal cause of all causes. The word “kṛṣṇa” means one who attracts all and pleases all by his wonderful enchanting beauty, majesty, munificence and supremacy. This denotes the highest conception of Godhead with all perfections. He is the object of all love. So, remembrance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or God, is the divine panacea o all evils. The easiest and most effective way of remembering God is chanting of the Holy Name, which can be practiced by all, anywhere and anytime, irrespective of one’s caste, creed, religion, age, health, or economic, social or educational status.

In Vedic culture, we find the theory of the cycle of time, within the period of infinite time, which has four stages in accordance with the predominance of religiousness and irreligiousness. The four ages are designated as Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali. In Satya-yuga (the first age of the cycle of time), wisdom predominated in men and as such, they were aware of the painful and transitory nature of the world and thereby were not fascinated by it. Concentration without interruption was possible and meditation (dhyānam) was prescribed as the common religion suitable for all. In Tretā-yuga (the next spiritually degraded age of the cycle of time), when the spirit of activity predominated and people were attached to worldly objects, yajña (sacrifice, i.e., offering of the things of attachment to the Lord) was prescribed as the common religion to divert the attention of the people from material objects of attachment and turn their minds towards Him. In Dvāpara-yuga (the next and still more degraded age), when people were addicted to worldly objects and sensualism, arcana (worship of Deities) was prescribed as the common religion for gradual attainment of concentration of the mind by directing all the senses and objects of attachment to His service. In the present age, Kali-yuga (the last and most spiritually degraded age of the cycle of time), when people are firmly attached to worldly objects, are too much given to sensualism and are always diseased, they are incapable of performing dhyānam (meditation), yajña (sacrifice) or arcana (Deity worship) rightly and as such, the chanting of the Holy Name of God is prescribed for them.

“Today the world is making tremendous scientific strides. Modern scientists are performing wonders. But in spite of their marvellous accomplishments and pride in twentieth century civilisation, it is puzzling to see that science is so much engaged in inventing destructive weapons like atom bombs, and thereby imperilling the whole human race. At any moment there may be a conflagration and the whole world may perish. Saints are deeply concerned as to how to avert such a calamity. Mere material scientific accomplishments are unable to save the world from such danger. Of course, scientific inventions or achievements as such are not condemnable. Everything depends on the proper use of things. Science may be used for the good of humanity and also may be misused for the destruction of human civilisation. It is imperative to consider the problem and diagnose the disease of conflicts and mutual distrust amongst nations and individuals. So long as nations and individuals have separate centres of interest, tension is inevitable. Nobody can avoid it.

“This world is limited. When there are many claimants for one limited object, disputes among these claimants are unavoidable. It is because of this that Indian saints differ from the leaders of the west or from the westernised leaders of our own country in their manner of tackling the problem of peace. In fact, genuine saints of the world are wise enough to see the fundamental defect in the attempt of the so-called best brains to achieve world peace. They assert with great emphasis that a practical solution of the problem is not possible so long as individuals do not change their present craving for sensuous enjoyment and greediness for mundane wealth, and direct their attention towards the Unlimited, the Infinite and the Absolute. The heads of different religious groups should clearly and emphatically point out and teach their followers the painful and perishable character of worldly objects and the futility of sensuous enjoyment. They should create interest in man for the worship of God, which brings about real happiness.

“Unless and until the eternal relationship of the people is known to them and they realise that they cannot exist or be happy without the Godhead, Who is All-Bliss, the natural inclination of the people towards the Godhead and diversion of their attention from the material aspects of life cannot be effected. As long as people do not have this realisation, they will maintain the conviction that their only satisfaction lies in the realm of one’s own gross and subtle senses. This is termed “lust”. Hindrance to the fulfilment of lust breeds anger, and that in turn brings conflict and malice amongst individuals and nations.

“So long as people do not understand that they are inseparably connected, and until the activities of the people are God-centered, mere sentimentalism or fictitious ideals will not be able to foster real love amongst individuals.

“If we believe that our interest lies in material prosperity and sensuous enjoyment (lust), discord cannot be avoided. Want of patience and tolerance originates from lust. Mere belief in the existence of God will be of great benefit to humanity by restraining them from committing sins and teaching man to do good to others. They will fear being punished for bad deeds and be encouraged to seek rewards for good deeds. Any activity which leads to the infliction of harm to other animate beings is detrimental to our own interest and will bring harm in return; we will not be encouraged to harm any individual, not even to any sentient being of this world.

“If we can love the Absolute Whole—the Godhead—we cannot have the impetus to injure any of His parts. So, according to me or the teachings of Lord Gaurāṅga, Divine Love is the best solution to all the problems of the world.”

Remembering Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions, Śrīla Gurudeva returned to Assam nearly every year with a force of disciples and godbrothers in all situations of life. The immense efforts paid off as hundreds of men and women took to following the regulative principles and became his disciples.

In some places, extremely unfavorable circumstances presented themselves. Nevertheless, Śrīla Gurudeva remained undisturbed and continued to preach fearlessly. The great devotees who have completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, go wherever they wish without any worry. Nothing can impede their tendency to serve the Lord, because their service has no basis in personal desire and so it is unstoppable.

tathā na te mādhava tāvakāḥ kvacid
bhraśyanti mārgāt tvayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ
tvayābhiguptā vicaranti nirbhayā
vināyakānīkapa-mūrdhasu prabho

O Mādhava, O Lord, those who have given themselves to You, who are fixed in friendship with You, never fall from the path in that way. Being protected by You, they can fearlessly step over the heads of armies of opponents. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.2.33)

Śrīla Gurudeva wandered from village to village simply to bring the greatest good to every living being, to turn them toward Kṛṣṇa. Despite the difficulties, he travelled sometimes by foot and sometimes by oxcart in order to deliver the Lord’s message. Some of the places he visited were Goalpara, Dhubari, Basugaon, Bilasipara, Kashikotra, Sidali, Agiya, Depalchong, Bardamal, Lakṣmīpur, Krishnai, and Dudhnai in Goalpara district; Guwahati, Sarbhog, Chakchaka Bazaar, Ketaki Bari, Hauli, Barpeta, Barpeta Road, Pathshala, Tihun, Bijani, Rangia, Nalbari, Jalaha Ghat, Bhantipara, Unnikuri, and Amingaon in Kamrup and Barpeta districts; Tezpur, Tangla, Bindukuri, Rangapara, Dhekiajuli, and Mangaldai in Darranga district; Silchar and Hailakandi in Kachar district; Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, and other important towns in estern Assam, etc., and Shillong in Meghalaya state.

Most Assamese tribals are traditionally followers of the bhāgavata-dharma. Many Vaiṣṇava ācāryas such as Śaṅkara Deva, Mādhava Deva, Dāmodara Deva and Hari Deva preached the bhāgavata-dharma throughout Assam. The topmost leader or satrādhikārī of Śaṅkara Deva’s school at that time, Nārāyaṇa Deva Miśra, had great faith in our worshipable Śrīla Gurudeva. Nārāyaṇa Deva Miśra was the priest when Śrīla Gurudeva came to Barpeta to preach in a vast assembly at the local school and college. He was especially attracted by Śrīla Gurudeva’s scholarship and his force of character and invited him to his home. While in Barpeta, Śrīla Gurudeva stayed either at the house of Amiya Kānti Dāsa and Hare Kṛṣṇadāsa, who were later initiated and given the names Aghadamana Dāsa and Haridāsa. When Śrīla Gurudeva went to Barpeta from Hauli in 1945, Śrī Krishna Keshava Brahmacārī, Śrī Gopāla Kṛṣṇadāsādhikārī, Śrī Trailokyanātha Vrajavāsī, Śrī Mādhavānanda Vrajavāsī and Śrī Bhuvana Mohana Dāsādhikārī were in his party.

Another important individual who was attracted by Śrīla Gurudeva’s personality was Jīveśvara Gosvāmī of Tihun. He confessed to Śrīla Gurudeva that he had been disenchanted with the Gaudiya Math after hearing one of its fiery householder preachers criticize another religious denomination and its doctrines. He praised Śrīla Gurudeva, saying that though he said the same things, he did it in such a way that it was pleasing and he felt none of the same disturbance that he did before. Such sweetness of expression was only possible for a transcendental personality of extraordinary character.

As a result of his tremendous preaching efforts, Śrīla Gurudeva established three Maths in Assam—the first in Tezpur, then Guwahati and finally in Goalpara.

No mundane efforts can camouflage the glory of a true guru or devotee. For the benefit of the world’s conditioned souls, Mahāprabhu took Śrīla Gurudeva out of a restrictive situation so that he could act freely to spread His gospel of pure devotional service everywhere. Though Śrīla Gurudeva left the Caitanya Math at a fairly advanced age, he organized a great preaching effort throughout India by which countless men and women were attracted to the pure devotional religion which had been practiced and taught by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In a very short time, he established major centers throughout India. Without the divine power invested in him by the Supreme Lord, this would never have been possible. Just as a wisp of cloud cannot hide the sun, no amount of envious disruptions can hold back the brilliant manifestation of a bona fide guru. Anyone who tries to do that will fall into the swamp of vaiṣṇava-aparādha.

Two distinguished residents of Kolkata, Maṇikaṇṭha Mukhopādhyāya and the president of the Homeopathic Factory, Dr. S. N. Ghosh, were influenced upon hearing Śrīla Gurudeva’s vigorous delivery of hari-kathā. They came forward in a time when Śrīla Gurudeva was in apparent difficulty and became his right and left-hand men, taking the responsibility for the management and improvement of all the temples that he had established. Later, Kolkata lawyer Jayanta Kumar Mukhopadhyaya was attracted by Śrīla Gurudeva’s effulgence, character and words to take up many of the service opportunities sincerely in Sree Caitanya Gaudiya Math for its all round progress.

One of Śrīla Gurudeva’s extraordinary achievements was to pierce the fortress of impersonalist philosophy in Punjab and in Hyderabad. Hundreds of men and women in these places accepted the pure doctrines of Mahāprabhu’s religion and Vaiṣṇava sadācāra and took the vow of worshiping the Lord in the manner ordained by Mahāprabhu.

Śrīmad Atul Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī of Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa Temple in Śrīdhāma Vṛndāvana held a high opinion of Śrīla Gurudeva, saying that he had never seen a “gigantic spiritual personality” of equal stature.

As a result of his force of personality, Śrīla Gurudeva acquired the land and buildings on the birthsite of his spiritual master, the founder of the world-wide Sri Chaitanya Math and Sri Gaudiya Math, Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura, in Purī; established centres in Sector 20-B in Chandigarh and in the Tripura capital of Agartala, where he took over the service of the Lord Jagannātha Temple. He was the chief organizer of the India-wide festivities celebrating Śrīla Prabhupāda’s 100th birthday, in which all of his godbrothers took part.

It seem that no personality of any significance, whether president, state governor, judge, minister, barrister, lawyer, vice-chancellor, professor, mayor, chief commissioner, doctor, inspector general of police, wealthy citizen, westerner or member of other religious denominations participating in interfaith conferences, was not attracted to Śrīla Gurudeva once he came into contact with him. A full account of his transcendental activities and contributions can be found in his full biography, which has been published as a separate volume.

His extraordinary and exemplary character, his unbound warmth and affectionate behavior, his outstanding tolerance and forgiveness were qualities which attracted educated and influential people, many of whom left material life to take tridaṇḍa sannyāsa and to dedicate their lives to the service of Kṛṣṇa and the devotees. It was for this reason that the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math could have such wide results in such a short time.

Śrīla Gurudeva gave the following nectarine instructions to his disciples in the evening religious assembly at Kolkata Math, 35 Satish Mukherjee Road, on November 12, 1967. It was Utthāna Ekādaśī, his appearance day:

“Today, Utthāna Ekādaśī, is also the tithi when we worship our predecessor ācārya, Śrīmad Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, for it is his disappearance day. You have heard a great deal about Bābājī Mahārāja’s transcendental activities and teachings from the venerable Śrīmad Purī Mahārāja. As I utter his name, I beg for his blessings, and I also pray for the blessings of my Guru Mahārāja, who is non-different from him.

“Coincidentally, this also happens to be my own birthday. Those who love me have taken this opportunity to give me their profuse blessings. Who is such a fool that he will not accept blessings when they are given? Who will not take the opportunity to make spiritual advancement when it comes? I therefore humbly accept all of your blessings. May every one of my senses be constantly engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees by your mercy.

“It is the custom for those in the renounced order to worship the guru on their own birthday. So, today, I make this my personal duty. I have three types of gurus: (1) The word gu-ru means ‘the destroyer of ignorance’. The embodiment of unlimited knowledge is the Lord Himself, Whose appearance destroys all ignorance. The Lord Himself is thus the root of the truth that is guru. (2) The second is he who personally attracted me and engaged me in the service of the Lord, who is himself another form of the Lord—he who founded the worldwide Chaitanya Maths and Gaudiya Maths, my Gurudeva, Nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa Prabhupāda Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura. (3) Thirdly, all the Vaiṣṇavas are my gurus.

What do the Vaiṣṇavas do? Just as it is the guru’s job to constantly engage the disciple in the service of the supreme object of service, the Lord, similarly the Vaiṣṇavas keep us engaged in the service of our worshipable Lord. Disciples are also another form of guru as they too engage us in the service of our guru. It is impossible to get away with any aberrant behavior. If you deviate in any way, they will catch you. So, I also include my disciples amongst my gurus.

“Today my disciples performed worship through kīrtana. By listening to their kīrtana, I performed worship. If by listening I had any untoward motives, if I had tried to ‘pocket’ it, then there would have been no pūjā. Just as kīrtana is a devotional activity, so listening is also a devotional activity. However we express it, they are all my masters, whom I must serve. But even though they are my masters, the objects of my service, the great affection I have for them makes me instruct them, take care of and protect them in the same way that Yaśodā Mātā and Nanda Mahārāja punished Gopāla, instructed and took care of Him. When Yaśodā Mātā bound little Gopāla to the mortar, she did not do so because she considered Him to be the ‘object of her service’, she did it because she considered Him to be her child. The object of service can be both, the one who protects and the one who is protected, the one who takes care and the one who is taken care of. Therefore both attitudes are found in a pure devotee.

“Śrīla Prabhupāda called his disciples ‘prabhu’; he called even his most junior disciples ‘prabhu’ and used the polite form of the pronoun, ‘āpni’. He used the more intimate pronouns, ‘tui’ and ‘tumi’, with only very few of his disciples; he was never condescending. But he would chastise and instruct even those disciples whom he addressed as ‘prabhu’, using the respectful pronoun ‘āpni’. When one calls someone ‘prabhu’, or ‘master’, is it not paradoxical to then discipline him? Some might even consider it to be a kind of hypocrisy. But this is not hypocrisy on his part: when he calls his disciple ‘master’, he means it. On the other hand, when the other mood comes on him, he disciplines his disciple. In one way of looking at things, the spiritual master is disciplinarian, in another, he is the disciple’s dearmost friend and well-wisher.

“I am most grateful to all those who have blessed me today. May the result of their blessings be that my every thought and instinct be directed toward the service of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. And if anyone was really worshiping me, then he should know that he has in fact worshiped my spiritual master, who is the real object of worship. Service to the guru is service to God. I never saw anything in my guru other than the desire to achieve the pleasure of the Lord. He never for a moment thought that anything other than devotion to Kṛṣṇa was in the true interest of the conditioned souls. Had he thought thus, he would not have been able to keep someone like me in the maṭha.

vāco-vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ
jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ
sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt

‘A sober person who can tolerate the urges of speech, the mind and anger, as well as the urges to taste nice food, to fill the belly and to satisfy the genitals, is qualified to become master of the entire world.’ (Upadeśāmṛta, 1)

“Those who have controlled the six urges are qualified to discipline others. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura considered the above instruction to be directed towards householders and not to renunciates, because unless one has already been able to control the six urges, he is not qualified to leave the householder āśrama. Why then did Śrīla Prabhupāda make me a tyāgī, when I have not been able to master the six urges? Perhaps I can make a mistake, but he certainly could not have made one. As my well-wisher, as my protector and master, why did he keep me in the maṭha? The reason is that he knew with certainty that there is no other way for anyone to achieve the ultimate good without associating with Vaiṣṇavas and engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord.

“Through association with the devotees, by hearing the scriptures, one is able to experience the greatness of the Lord. This gives him the impetus to serve the Lord. There is no guarantee that simply by superficially controlling the senses one will become a devotee. There are many eunuchs in the world who would have become devotees if that were the case. Such sense control or renunciation has no standing unless there is love for the guru, Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. Without love for Kṛṣṇa, without service to my Lord, then all this renunciation is not worth a plugged nickel, it is false renunciation.

“The one who has dedicated himself to the Lord’s service is very dear to us and is by far superior in virtues as compared to the false renunciate or celibate who has no interest in the service to the Lord. This is because even though at first he may be somewhat erratic in controlling his senses due to the impressions of his previous misdeeds, through the higher taste his senses will ultimately be completely mastered and he will have no interest in anything but Kṛṣṇa. Nothing else will enchant him.

viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso’py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartante

‘Although a person of gross corporeal consciousness may avoid sense objects by external renunciation, his eagerness for sense enjoyment remains within. However, inner attachment to sense objects is spontaneously denounced by the person of properly adjusted intelligence, due to his having had a glimpse of the all-attractive beauty of the Supreme Truth.’ (Bhagavad-gītā 2.59)

“One may fast, but does that stop one from desiring food? Even if one stops sense activities, the tendency to engage in such activities is not arrested. When one experiences a higher taste, however, one loses one’s interest in the lower taste. When one experiences the joys of love for Kṛṣṇa, then the inferior pleasures of the world cease to hold any charm. This is called yukta-vairāgya. This is why Nārada Muni instructed Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira: tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet: ‘O Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira! Engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa by any means possible.’ (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.1.32)

“I may be renounced, but my mind is still accepting and rejecting thoughts and desires constantly. So, I am associating with my mind, not with Kṛṣṇa. What benefit can come of that? It is of no benefit to me to associate with someone who simply praises and flatters me. It is far more beneficial to find the company of someone who will discipline me, who will instruct me and show me my mistakes.

“Devotion to Kṛṣṇa has no relation to worldly learning or ignorance. If it did, then scholars and Paṇḍitas would all be devotees. Whoever has realized that the ultimate goal of life is Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure alone does not need to waste his time in studies. I remember an event that took place when I was at the Madras Gaudiya Math, where I spent about ten years of my life. Through the efforts of Śrīpāda Sridhara Mahārāja, Śrīpāda Bon Mahārāja, other venerable godbrothers and myself, we were able to build the Madras temple. Rāmacandra Aiyar, the son of the man who had donated the land for the temple, Sadāśiva Aiyar, advised us to learn Tamil so that we could preach to the general populace of the city. He even took steps to help us learn. I had been studying Tamil for only three days when a telegram came telling me to go to Purī. When I saw Prabhupāda, I told him that it would take about six months to learn Tamil. Śrīla Prabhupāda said, ‘Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is not transmitted by language. Through it, you may be able to transmit learning or scholarship, but that is all. Love for Kṛṣṇa is communicated by one who possesses that love. Preach in whatever languages you already know. I don’t advise you to lose your valuable time learning other languages.’

“The maṭha is there for culturing one’s inherent love for Kṛṣṇa. Through such culture, one feels happiness and he communicates that happiness to others. One who loves Kṛṣṇa loves every single living being. Devotion to the Lord is awakened by associating with saintly devotees:

saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām īśvarārādhanena ca
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.7.30)

“I may be incapable, but my worshipable Lord is not. If any of you engage me in the service of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees, then my worshipable Lords, Śrīla Prabhupāda, Mahāprabhu and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, will surely give you Their combined blessings. May all of you be successful, may Śrīla Prabhupāda be pleased with you all.”

In order to assure the proper management of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Śrīla Gurudeva had the society officially registered according to the Registration of Societies, West Bengal Act XXVI of 1961. This was done on August 9, 1976. Not long thereafter, he wrote the following letter:

“To the members and associates of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, as well as to all my disciples:

“My physical condition is worsening, and I do not know where I will be when I leave my body. In view of my imminent departure, I make the following submission to my disciples, whether renounced or householder, as well as to my affectionate godbrothers, that I have registered all of my maṭhas and temples according to the Society Registration Act. The society has twelve trustees. None of these trustees can be changed unless it is proved that they have committed a serious blunder contrary to the principles of pure devotion or some act which is against the interests of the maṭha and its preaching activities. If one of the trustees leaves of his own will, then someone else must be chosen to replace him according to the rules. I have chosen Tridaṇḍi Bhikṣu Śrīman Bhakti Ballabha Tīrtha Mahārāja to be president and ācārya of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math after my departure. I will be happy if everyone works toward the maintenance of the institution, preaching pure devotion and maintaining its principles under his leadership.”

The humble petitioner,
Tridaṇḍi-bhikṣu, Śrī Bhakti Dayita Madhava,
December 27, 1976.”

The following lecture was delivered at the Kolkata Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math on the morning of Saturday, December 30, 1978. Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Bhakti Ballabha Tīrtha Mahārāja told Śrīla Gurudeva that a devotee, inexperienced in the Gaudiya Vaiṣṇava siddhānta, had come to Kolkata from Chandigarh in order to receive personal instructions from Śrīla Gurudeva himself. The devotee had been there for several days, but since the doctor had forbidden Gurudeva to talk excessively, he had had no opportunity to hear him speak. It would be nice if Gurudeva could say something to him. Our most worshipable Śrīla Guru Mahārāja then started to speak, directing his words to that devotee who had taken shelter of him.

“I am not well and the doctor has warned me not to speak too much. It is quite possible that I will not stay much longer in this world. I am telling you that to engage in a proper practice of devotional service, you must be fixed in the worship of the ultimate object of your devotion. When a woman is not faithful to her husband, when she loves someone else, she cannot give herself to his service. Infidelity and exclusive devotion cannot go together. For this reason, a faithful and devoted wife will never allow anyone to take the place of her husband, nor will she criticize anyone else. She will not condemn her brother-in-law, her mother-in-law or her father-in-law, nor anyone else who is related to her husband, but will rather give each of them his or her due respect. In the same way, if you wish to advance in devotional service, worship Kṛṣṇa alone. Do not criticize the other gods and goddesses, but think of them as servants of Kṛṣṇa and give them their due respect in that consciousness. But be careful to never give them the place that is due to the ultimate object of your devotion. This is my advice to you. Give this matter a little thought. You are a competent person, you are highly qualified, but you don’t understand this tradition yet.

“In the Gauḍīya sampradāya, in the lineage of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the religious tradition of devotion to Kṛṣṇa, dedicated devotees worship Kṛṣṇa exclusively. If you put other gods and goddesses on the same level as Kṛṣṇa, you are making a mistake. Don’t forget this. Not all gods and goddesses are equal, nor all avatāras of Viṣṇu. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam1.3.28). After discussing all the different avatāras, Matsya, Kurma, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, etc., Vedavyāsa says that none of these avatāras is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Some of Them are expansions, some are partial manifestations, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

jāṅrbhagavattā haite anyer bhagavattā
svayaṁ bhagavān śabder tāhātei sattā

The epithet svayaṁ bhagavān can only be used for Him from Whom the characteristics of Godhead are derived. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 1.2.88)

“No one is equal to Kṛṣṇa. Everyone should keep this in mind and worship Kṛṣṇa exclusively and with dedication. Devotion will not increase by making a great sound and fury. Everyone should remember this. We will not condemn any other gods or goddesses, but will supplicate them to give us the blessing that we remain fixed on our supreme object of worship, Kṛṣṇa.”

“I have officially registered the maṭha. The maṭha is no one’s personal property. But that doesn’t mean that each of us become boss or become indisciplined. By doing so, one will waste this life. Therefore a management scheme is necessary for the proper running of the maṭha. One person will be named ācārya; he will be the head man or president.

“When I am gone, one person will take my place. Who will that be? My spiritual master did not like the idea that there should be a vote to decide the matter. To elect an ācārya is not in accordance with the principles of hari-bhakti. God Himself will decide who is the ācārya. The ācārya is the person who is most dear to the Lord. Who will make that decision? The proper arrangement is when the Lord Himself says, ‘This person is the one who is most dear to Me.’ Therefore the rule of the disciplic succession is that the choice should come from above. The correct process is that the order should be given from higher up. From the worldly point of view, everyone can get together to elect a leader, but the correct process is that the Lord Himself indicates which devotee is filled with love for Him, and He makes him the ācārya. This is the process approved by scripture.

“When Śrīla Prabhupāda was exhibiting pastimes of illness, he asked the solicitor, Mr. J. N. Basu, to write up a constitution. We heard that the constitution could be made according to one of two methods, by nomination or by election. Finally, the constitution was written according to the latter method. But Śrīla Prabhupāda did not like it and he rejected it. I and two or three others were personally present when it happened. You cannot decide who is a sādhu, an ācārya or realized soul by taking a vote on the matter. Someone will say one thing, another something else and the debate will simply go on. Therefore the proper method is that the Lord Himself will choose which person will be honored with the position of ācārya. The scripture enjoins us to respect this process.

“This process is not followed only in the Gauḍīya sampradāya; it can be seen in every Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, the Rāmānuja, Madhva, Nimbārka and Viṣṇusvāmī lineage. This is the way that the disciplic succession is maintained. Therefore, the process ordained in the disciplic succession must be followed. I have therefore discussed with my senior godbrothers who are a part of the Gaudiya Math brotherhood, and I have chosen to appoint Śrīman Bhakti Ballabha Tīrtha Mahārāja as my successor and president in my absence.

“When I have gone, that does not give you all an excuse to behave just as you please. The defining characteristic of a Vaiṣṇava is following a devotee. The highest order devotee is the one who follows the footsteps of a devotee for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. The Lord’s blessings follow the blessings of the devotee. When a devotee is merciful to someone, the Lord’s mercy follows. This is the essence of my instruction to you, please follow it. I have written in more detail elsewhere.

“It will not be correct if you try to expel someone out of the maṭha as soon as there is some discord. That will result in chaos. You first have to explain and try to clarify the situation. If that still doesn’t work, then give the devotee who is causing problems some money and a letter and send him to another maṭha. Do not act impetuously but try work together and follow the person who has been made leader. It is not proper to ignore his commands and to do as one pleases. One has to follow the directions of the temple commanders. All his commands are given for the service of the Lord, bear that in mind.

“I want to say one more thing. We have come here to engage in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. There are three principle impediments we have to watch out for.

“The first is the desire for sense gratification. The first obstacle to devotional service is kanaka, gold—the greed to accumulate lots of money. Your attention, your attachment, should be fixed on Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. If you become attached to anything else, you will fall down. You should not think that because outsiders will not understand, you should save money for a rainy day. Mendicants beg, that is their duty. But they should turn whatever money they collect over to the maṭha.

“The temple managers should note that they must arrange for treatment if any temple devotee falls ill. If necessary, they should borrow money, but they must see that the devotee is taken care of. I can remember a time in the maṭha when we didn’t even have money for groceries. Then I borrowed money from someone without telling any of the devotees and went and bought food from the market. Only Uddhāraṇa Prabhu knew about it. Uddhāraṇa Prabhu would also go to a householder’s place and borrow money from him. The householder was Govinda Bābu. If Govinda Bābu didn’t have any money, he borrowed it from his wife. Later I paid all the money back. How many people know about that?

“Śrīpāda Goswami Mahārāja, Śrīpāda Nemi Mahārāja and I did all the collecting. I would put on a waistcoat and would go out to collect. Then I would come back and give all the money to the temple. Śrīmad Bhakti Pradipa Tīrtha Mahārāja, Yayavara Mahārāja and Sridhara Mahārāja would accompany me. Whenever they needed something, I would buy it, but I never spent the temple collection money for myself.

“When I was at the Kolkata Math, I would say to Kunja Da, “Is there any cloth in the maṭha? If there is, let me have one.” But I would never ask for anything that I did not need, just for pleasure. None of you should set aside money that was collected for the temple. That will disrupt your devotional life. It doesn’t really matter to the maṭha if you decide to hold some of the money for yourself, because the maṭha is protected by Kṛṣṇa, the devotees, the Vaiṣṇavas. But if you try to build up a savings account with that money, your spiritual life will go to hell and you will not last long in devotional service. So please don’t set money aside for your personal use; give everything to the temple manager. If there is any problem, tell the temple manager. The desire for money is an obstacle to devotional service.

“The next obstacle is association with women. Both direct association and subtle association are a hindrance. It goes without saying that you don’t engage in gross sexual activity, but you shouldn’t even think about it, because we have given up everything to come here and engage in the service of the Lord.

“The third obstacle is the desire for personal aggrandizement. Śrīla Gurudeva wrote:

kanaka kāminī pratiṣṭhā bāghinī
chāḍiyāche jāre sei to vaiṣṇava
sei anāsakta, sei śuddha bhakta,
saṁsāra tathāya pāy parābhava

‘Someone who has given up the tigresses of gold, women, and fame, is a true Vaiṣṇava. He is unattached and a pure devotee. He has overcome the illusory power of the material world.’

“Śrīla Prabhupāda here compares the desires for wealth, women and fame to a tigress. The desire for fame and good reputation are very strong and problematic, but even someone who does not seek fame finds that it comes to him of its own accord when he engages in true service to the Lord. People naturally give him their respect. People will always give respect to a true devotee.

pratiṣṭhāra bhaye purī gela palāñā
kṛṣṇa-preme pratiṣṭhā cale saṅge gaḍāñā

‘Mādhavendra Purī ran away, afraid of being distracted by fame. But when one has love for Kṛṣṇa, fame flows alongside him.’ (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.4.147)

“So, you avoid these three obstacles. It is not an easy thing to do, for they draw the mind. The conditioned soul lives for money, women and fame. They are anarthas that remain to a greater or lesser extent in the mind of the practitioner, but we should not tolerate their presence or approve of them.

“Tīrtha Mahārāja cannot always stay here. So Jagamohana Prabhu has to run the maṭha. Don’t be offended if I am rough with you. Forgive me. Vaiṣṇavas are my object of worship. I want to serve all of you.

“Worship the Lord with unflinching dedication. Don’t stop worshiping Him, no matter what situation you are in. This is my prayer to you, my appeal and my instruction. Chant the Holy Name in all circumstances. Worship Kṛṣṇa always. Always respect the best Vaiṣṇava, and don’t hesitate to do so. May all auspiciousness follow each and every one of you.”

vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca
kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo
vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

‘I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees, which can bestow all that is wished for. They are oceans of compassion who purify the fallen souls.’

On Tuesday, February 27, 1979 (Govinda 26, 492, of the Caitanya era; Phālguna 14, 1386, Bengali), at 9 A.M., in the midst of the singing of the Holy Names, Śrīla Gurudeva entered the eternal pastimes of the Lord, at the time of His morning pastimes with Rādhā. He left his godbrothers and disciples in an ocean of grief. It was also the disappearance day of Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī and Rasikānanda Deva Gosvāmī and the first day of the bright fortnight. Śrīla Gurudeva was in his own room at the Kolkata Math, situated at 35 Satish Mukherjee Road. At four o’clock in the afternoon on the same day, the devotees left Kolkata with his transcendental body to the accompaniment of the Holy Names and came to Māyāpura, where he was placed in samādhi at the end of the night according to the scriptural directions. The officiating priest at his samādhi festival was Śrīla Bhakti Pramode Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and on March 1, 1979, a festival of separation was held in his honor at the headquarters of the Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math at Īśodyāna in Māyāpura.

On Thursday, March 22, 1979, a memorial assembly was held in the saṅkīrtana hall at the Kolkata Math on 35 Satish Mukherjee Road, under the direction of parama-pūjyapāda Parivrajakācārya Tridaṇḍi Svāmī Bhakti Hridoy Bon Mahārāja. The guest of honor was the publisher of the Amrita Bazaar Patrika, Tuṣāra Kānti Ghosh. Many of Śrīla Gurudeva’s godbrothers and leading citizens of Kolkata were present at the assembly.

Here is a list of the many maṭhas, schools, libraries, free clinics, and printing presses—the great drums of the modern saṅkīrtana movement. This list is given in chronological order.

(1) 1942. Shyamananda Gaudiya Math, Midnapore (W.B.) This temple was established by Śrīla Gurudeva with the help of his two godbrothers, Śrīla Bhakti Vichar Yayavar Mahārāja and Śrīla Bhakti Kumud Santa Mahārāja.
(2) 1948. Śrī Gaudiya Math, Tezpur (Assam).
(3) 1953. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Paltan Bazaar, Gauhati-8 (Assam).
(4) 1955. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. 86A Ras Bihari Avenue, Kolkata-26.
(5) 1956. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Īśodyāna, Śrī Māyāpura, Nadia (W.B.).
(6) 1956. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Sarveshwar Haveli, Vṛndāvana (U.P.)
(7) 1960. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Goari Bazaar, Krishnanagar, Nadia (W.B.)
(8) 1960. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Mathura Road, Vṛndāvana (U.P.)
(9) 1961. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. 35 Satish Mukherjee Road, Kolkata-26. The new temple was opened in 1967.
(10) 1961. Śrī Gaudiya Sevashram. Madhuvana Mahauli, Mathura (U.P.)
(11) 1962. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Urdu Gully, Patharghati, Hyderabad (A.P.).
(12) 1962. Śrīla Jagadīśa Paṇḍita’s Sripat, Jashra, Nadia (W.B.).
(13) 1967. Śrī Vinoda Vani Gaudiya Math. 32 Kaliyadaha, Vṛndāvana (U.P.).
(14) 1969. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Goalpara (Assam).
(15) 1970. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Sector 20B, Chandigarh.
(16) 1972. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Divan Deori, Hyderabad (A.P.)
(17) 1974. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Grand Road, Purī (Odisha).
(18) 1975. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Gokula Mahavan, Mathura (U.P.).
(19) 1976. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Śrī Jagannātha Mandira, Agartala (Tripura).
(20) 1977. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. 187 D.L. Road, Dehradun (U.P.).

(1) 1946. Śrī Chaitanya Saraswat Catuṣpāṭhi. Shyamananda Gaudiya Math, Midnapore.
(2) 1959. Śrī Siddhānta Sarasvatī Prāthamika Vidyālaya. Īśodyāna, Śrī Māyāpura (Nadia).
(3) 1959. Śrī Gaudiya Sanskrit Vidyāpīṭha, Īśodyāna, Śrī Māyāpura (Nadia).
(4) 1961. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Vidyāmandira. (Primary and secondary). 86A Ras Bihari Avenue, Kolkata-26.
(5) 1967. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Pāścatya Bhāṣa Śikṣālaya (western languages school). 86A Ras Bihari Avenue, Kolkata-26.
(6) 1968. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Sanskrit Mahāvidyālaya. 86A Rash Bihari Avenue, Kolkata-26.
(7) 1972. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Sanskrit Vidyālaya Sector 20-B, Chandigarh.
(8) 1972. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Āntaḥprādeśika Bhāṣa Śikṣālaya (Indian languages school). Sector 20-B, Chandigarh.

(1) 1970. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Granthāgāra (for comparative religious studies). 86A Ras Bihari Avenue, Kolkata-26.
(2) 1972. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Granthāgāra. Sector 20-B, Chandigarh.

(1) 1959. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Dātavya Chikitsālaya. Īśodyāna, Śrī Māyāpura, Nadia.
(2) 1972. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Dātavya Chikitsālaya. Sector 20-B, Chandigarh.
(3) 1978. Śrī Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Dātavya Chikitsālaya. Grand Road, Purī (Odisha).

(1) 1964. Śrī Chaitanya Vani Press. 25/1, Prince Golam Mohammad Road, Tollygunge, Kolkata-33. Was moved in 1966 to 34/1A, Mahim Haldar Street, Kolkata-26.

(1) 1961. Śrī Caitanya Vāṇī Patrikā. 35, Satish Mukherjee Road, Kolkata-26.

(1) 1955. Sarbhog Śrī Gaudiya Math. P.O. Chakchaka Bazzar. Kamrup (now Barpeta), Assam.
(2) 1955. Śrī Gadai Gauranga Math. P.O. Baliati. Dhaka district, Bangladesh.