English
Date: 28 February 2024
Speaker: HG Mahaman Prabhu Ji
Topic: Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada 150th Appearance day
HG Mahaman Prabhu Ji:
I am very happy to HH Lokanath Swami and a big congregation of 3000 devotees, all are chanting the Holyname happily. In Chaitanya Charitamrita, Srila Prabhupada wrote in the purports that the most important instruction of spiritual master is chanting. We should not neglect other instruction also. But the chanting of the Holyname is the most important in all.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Pranati:
Nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
Srimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti namine
Translation:
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Sri-varshabhanavi-devi-dayitaya kripabdhaye
Krishna-sambandha-vijnana-dayine prabhave namah
Translation:
I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Varshabhanavi-devidayita dasa [another name of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati], who is favored by Srimati Rad harani and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Krishna.
Madhuryojjvala-premadhya-sri-rupanuga-bhaktida
Sri-gaura-karuna-sakti-vigrahaya namo ’stu te
Translation:
I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, the personified energy of Sri Caitanya’s mercy, who deliver devotional service which is enriched with conjugal love of Radha and Krishna, coming exactly in the line of revelation of Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Namas te gaura-vani-sri-murtaye dina-tarine
Rupanuga-viruddhapasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine
Translation:
I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who are the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. You are the deliverer of the fallen souls. You do not tolerate any statement which is against the teachings of devotional service enunciated by Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Tomorrow will be the 150th appearance day of Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur. So, we will discuss some pastimes of Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur.
We will start from the Pranam Mantra of Srila Prabhupada. Many devotees recite the mantra with wrong pronunciation. The pranam mantra contain:
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale,
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine.
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine,
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
Translation:
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritukindly preaching the message of Lord Chaityanya Mahaprabhu and delivering the western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
The mantra has ‘Sarasvate’ in it. But many devotees pronounce it as ‘Sarasvati’. We should be careful while recite the mantra.Once devotees ask Srila Prabhupada to say some words for Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati thakur. Srila Prabhupada Said that what I can say about him! My spiritual master was a Vaikuntha man. Our Acharyas accept that he has establish the ray of Vishnu and he is also known as Singh Guru.
UNESCO which is a worldwide organization, which is a body that recognise the scientific and educational events in over 200 countries. It is starts from 1948. UNESCO has declared and celebrated this year in honor of Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur. We don’t need such recognition, as he himself has the mercy of Srimati Radha Rani. Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur was a Singh Guru. But his heart was as soft as butter. Mayavadis used to change their path on seeing him. Srila Prabhupada also told that we should have the courage like British soldier but our heart should be like Bengali Mother. Then we can do preaching.
Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur is a Manjari in the pastime of Goloka Vrindavan. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur is Kamal Manjari and Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur is Nayan Manjari.
Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur has many divine activities in his life. When he was born, the nurse said she had never seen such a birth.
He was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around like a brahmin thread. Once, on the occasion of Jaganath rath Yatra. Chariot stops in front of the house of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur. When the wife of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur brings her son in front of the deities, one garland of Jagannath falls in the neck of her son. His Annaprasan samskara was also done in the Ratha yatra. Srila Bhakti Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur identify his son that he is the one for whom he has demanded from the lord to propagate the teaching of the Lord.
Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur was seeing that the teachings of Lord Chaitanya are getting lost so he wanted a child who could preach the movement worldwide. So, his prayers were answered by the birth of this boy who was named Bimala Prasad.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has chosen three personalities to propagate his mission. First one was Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur.
Srila Bhakti vinod Thakura had sent out his first publication - the life and precepts of Lord Chaitanya, to the west in the year 1896, which is also the birth year of Srila Prabhupada. The passcode of this meeting is also 1896. He has opens up Naamhatta all over India. He has written many books like Jaiva Dharma, Kalyan, Kalpataru, Sri Krishna Samhita.
He has also written many bhajans. We sing Gaura Aarti, Rajbhoga Aarti, Jay Radha Madhava, Prasad Honouring Prayers, all are written by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur. His son went on to open more than 64 maths or temples in India. He even sent disciples to preach in west. He was very dynamic. Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Goswami wrote in glorifying Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati in eight verses:
sujanarbuda-radhita-pada-yugam
yuga-dharma-dhurandhara-patra-varam
varadabhaya-dayaka-pujya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam
Translation:
1) His lotus feet are served in devotion by multitudes of high, virtuous souls; he is the establi sher of the religion of the age (as Sri Krsnasan kirtana); he is the presiding monarch (of the Visva Vaisnava-Raja-Sabha - the universal society of the pure devotees that are the true 'kings' or guides of all); and he is the fulfiller of the most cherished desires of those who dispel fear (for all souls). I make my obeisance unto the lotus feet of that illustrious great soul, worshippable by one and all - perpetually do I make my obeisance unto the radiance emanating from the toenails of the holy feet of my Lord.
Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur was very please with this wonderful composition that he ordered it to be sung daily in the Gaudiya math.
He was also very pleased with Srila Prabhupada's writing and had given a standing order to his press that whenever Abhay Babu writes anything print it in our magazines.
One time when he was a kid of 5 years, His father brings mangoes.
He ate a mango without offering it to the lord. His father teaches him that we should not eat anything without offering. Boy, Vimala Prasad feels so bad that for the rest of the life he never ate a single mango thinking of himself as an offender.
He taught by his example like this.
Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur was very strict about deity worship. He has the deities of Sri Sri Gandharvika Giridhari. He very respectful towards all the 4 sampradaya. He takes some process of initiation and deity worship from the sampradaya of Ramanujacharya. On one festival time the storm came and the tent blew and it hit ye canopy of Sri Ramanujac harya’s temple. He said that there is some offense happening against deities. On investigation, they found out one Pujari was writing a love letter to his lover in the deity room. That devotee was removed from his service. One another time one devotee was removed from the temple for having illicit relations when he came to hear this, he said he is very hardworking. Is there anyone who has not commit any mistake in their life! It takes gallons and gallons of blood to make one devotee
and you have removed him without giving him a chance. Now he will never come back. I am very unpleased and can’t open the temple.
So, the devotees went in search from him and found him working in a watch repair shop. He started crying on hearing that Spiritual Master had asked for him. He returned and asked for forgiveness. In Kaliyuga, all are fallen.
We could see his compassion.
He would say without proper behavior even preaching becomes material service. Once he was preaching to the high and elite class. His English was so good that even Britishers could not understand. So, Abhay would always hear even if he didn’t understand. Seeing this, Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati was very please by his eagerness to hear. On the time of initiation, He said that I have seen Abhay, he hears with eagerness.
One time class was going on and a few Sanyasis got up and went down for Arati.
When they came back, he told them you didn't go for Darshan but to just do eye exercise. Real seeing is by hearing. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur was a magistrate himself and Srila Bhakti Siddhant Sarasvati Thakur also start exhibition in elite class of people.
Once a freedom fighter came Subhash Chandra Bose in an exhibition.
He said you trying to do this exhibition but there is going to be flood why you don't postpone. You can do some other activities. He said you are worried about this little flood. What about the material ocean? We are giving them the knowledge that they don’t get entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Once while driving in a car a goat died in the accident. He was very sad that a resident of dhama was killed so he fasted for 3 days. He did not even take water.
Once He took a pledge to chant 1 billion Holy names which he did in 9 years in Mayapur. Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur Ji’s diksha pastime is very extraordinary. Srila Bhakti vinod Thakura advised bimal prasad to take diksha from Srila Gaura Kishora Das Babaji. He is well qualified to be your Spiritual Master. When he came to take diksha Gaura Kishora das Babaji, who was a bhajan Anandi and he denied seeing Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur as being very highly educated.
Upon insisting he said I'll ask Gauranga mahaprabhu and if he says I'll give you initiation. When he came back next day, he told he forget to ask. Vimala Prasad said if you will not accept me as your disciple then I will take my life by jumping in the river Ganges.
Later seeing the adamant nature of Srila Bimala Prasad, he was please and gave home the na me Sri Varshabhanavi Daitaya Das.
Upon the passing away of Srila Gaura Kishora Das Babaji, some Sanyasis came said we are the rightful people to give samadhi to him.
Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati said I'm the only disciple of HDG Gaura Kishora Das Babaji.
I am not a sanyasi but I'm a celibate monk.
Is there anyone here who has not indulged in illicit activities in the last year? Only they
can touch my Spiritual Master. Nobody came forward.
Is there anyone here who has not indulged in illicit activities in the past one month… one week….one night? Only they can touch my Spiritual Master. Nobody came forward. Finally, Gaura Kishora Das Babaji Maharaji’s samadhi was done by Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati which later was moved to the present day Gaudiya math due to flood. The Samadhi is in Vrajpatanam where Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur take 1 billion Holy Name. He always gives respect to his Spiritual Master and follow his instructions.
When Srila Prabhupada first came in America, it was very difficult especially in the first year. He had $200 from distributing books, which was finished in 1 month’s rent. He didn't have anything for next month. But he had great faith in his Spiritual Master.
Everyday he would go the Scindia company dock office to inquire when will the next boat leave for India. Once the clerk asked you always come and ask but you never go. Srila Prabhupada stayed only trusting his Spiritual Master’s mercy.
Guru Prasad Balwan
Na Tasmat Balwattaram
Means the mercy of Spiritual Master is the strongest. Nothing is more stronger than this. Latter when the movement was flouriahing he gave all the credit Spiritual Master. Srila Prabhupada Said that the grandparents are more loving than the father. Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati Thakur is our grandfather Spiritual Master.
So, we should pray for his mercy.
In one lecture, Srila Prabhupada said that my spiritual master is so strict that he instructs everyone to chant 64 rounds daily. He gave entry in Golok Dham from front gate. But I have given you the instruction of chanting 16 rounds every day. I have open up the back door for all of you. Chant sincerely and I will be there at the backdoor to receive you.
Now I will stop here. Hare Krishna!
