English
29 February 2024
Speaker : HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Appearance Day of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura!
Hare Krishna !!
Theme: Divine appearance of BSST, a ray of Vishnu
Today is the 150th Appearance day of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. Śrīla Bhaktī Vinoda Thākura would pray to Lord Jagannātha that his propaganda continues forever. Then Lord Jagannātha blessed him in the form of a son. Śrīla Bhaktī Vinoda Thākura named him as Vimalā Praśāda. This had happened 150 days ago on the day of panchami in the month of Magha, Krśna paksha. A Biography, among many, has also been written on him which is known by Ray of Vishnu as a ray of Vishnu had appeared in the form of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. When everyone was taking darshan of him, they observed a sacred thread (yagyopavit) on him which surprised them. They all got to know that this child was transcendental. Nayana Manjari had appeared in the form of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. He did not attain perfection by performing devotional services; rather he was perfect since his birth. Bhatīvedānta Swāmī Śrīla Prabhupāda used to address him as a Vaikuntha Man as he came from Goloka Vrindāvana.
sri-guru karuna-sindhu, adhama janara bandhu,
lokanath lokera jivana
ha ha prabhu koro doya, deho more pada-chaya,
ebe jasha ghusuk tribhuvana
Translation
O spiritual master, O ocean of mercy and friend of the fallen! O universal teacher and life of all people! Be merciful unto us, O master, and give us the shade of your lotus feet. May your glories now be proclaimed throughout the three worlds. (Text 4, Sri Guru Vandana)
Theme: An initiative taken by UNESCO
We have to propagate the name of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura throughout the three worlds. The UNESCO adopted the 150th Birth Anniversary of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Goswāmī Prabhupāda wherein they has passed a resolution of encouraging countries to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. India is the leading country amongst them. The resolution states that he was a philosopher, social reformer and eminent spiritual leader. This resolution was supported by India, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Russian federation, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. India took the leadership one or two weeks ago of passing the resolution and in Bharat Mandapam IECC (Convention center in New Delhi), in a special conference of Gaudīya Vaiśnavās, the 150th birth anniversary of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura has been celebrated which was addressed and covered by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. He glorified Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura in that conference. We are celebrating this occasion in Mayapur and every temple and center of Iskcon. It will also be celebrated in One Times Square, New York.
The appearance day of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura was celebrated in Mumbai in 1974 which was witnessed by Śrīla Prabhupāda and HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj. Śrīla Prabupāda kept the picture of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura in his seat, offered him garland and himself seated in his lotus feet. He then addressed Hare Krishna Land brahmaćārīs and other exalted devotees. At the time of pushpanjali (offering flowers at the end), he directed HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj to recite the Mangalacharan.
Theme: Great contributions by BSST
Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura has been a great scholar and expert in vedas. He memorized the complete Bhagavata Gītā when he was only 6 years old. Therefore, he is known as “walking encyclopaedia”. His mind was his library. He was a scholar in Sanskrit. He used to teach Sanskrit to the king of Tripura. He has written commentary on the Caitanya Bhāgavata, which is also known as Gaudiya Bhashya, on Caitanya Caritāmrta, and also did transliteration of complete Bhāgavata in Bengali language. He wrote many essays, compiled more than 100 scriptures. This is a legacy that he has left behind for the whole world. And with this, he made all of us wealthy. We should propagate the glories of the Lord and His scriptures.
Theme: BSST, a great visionary
He in fact also wanted a daily newspaper to get published about the Lord’s name, form, qualities and pastimes. He emphasized on such publications regardless of his follower’s beliefs for publishing Krsna conscious news daily. He was establishing the printing press for publishing scriptures along with the establishment of deities in the temples. He called the printing press “Brhad-Mrdanga”. If you play mrdanga or kartāla, the sound of such mrdanga can be vibrated in the neighboring quarter or maybe people can hear from a few yards. But the vibrations of the kīrtana from the scriptures will go far, far away. That’s why the printing press is known as Brhad-Mrdanga. Brhat means bigger, at large, bigger mrdanga. Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura instructed Śrīla Prabhupāda on the banks of Radha Kunda, “if you get money, print books.” Śrīla Prabhupāda took that instruction very seriously and established Iskcon press in Iskcon Boston and then Bhaktīvedānta Book Trust in disciplic succession. Prabhupāda also used to say, “Books are the basis and preaching is an essence.” Books are the basis for our Krsna conscious movement and book distribution is preaching. Therefore, to please Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura, Śrīla Prabhupāda increased book printing and book distribution. Hence, we should also engage ourselves more and more in book distribution if we want to please Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura and Śrīla Prabhupāda.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda transcendental book distribution!
Yadi Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura na Hoito tabe ki hoito
(e)jivana bahita kise?
If Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura had not come, what would have happened? Nothing would have happened. We would not be here together. We would not know about Śrī Mayapur Dham and Caitanya Mahāprabhu except some Bengalis. The glories of Harināma also would be limited to India, Mayapur, Radha Kunda or Jagannātha Puri. But because of the mercy of Lord Jagannātha, we had Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. The year in which Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura took birth, Śrīla Bhaktī Vinoda Thākura had started distributing his small books like life and precepts of Caitanya Mahāprabhu around the world. Śrīla Bhaktī Vinoda Thākura and Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura had known about the prediction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra hoibe mora nāma
Translation
As many towns and villages are there on the surface of the globe, Lord Caitanya says, “everywhere people will know My name.” (Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khanda 4.126)
Theme: Spreading the Caitanya cult
Everyone was concerned as according to the prediction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His name will be known in every town and village of the world; but this was not happening. Then Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura found a solution when he met Śrīla Prabhupāda in the conference at Ultadanga junction road in Kolkata. He asked Prabhupāda to propagate the Caitanya cult around the globe in English language. That time Śrīla Prabhupāda and some others were associated with the movement of Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters to make the country independent. But there was only one person in the whole conference, Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura, whose opinion was not to wait as preaching of Krsna consciousness was very urgent. He was not ready to wait for any other political party to come to preach Krsna consciousness. With this, Prabhupāda’s thought of joining the Independence movement of Mahatma Gandhi had gone away in that conference. Therefore, we can say that Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura defeated Prabhupāda and everyone else. Thereafter, Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura as his spiritual master. He mostly engaged himself in the service of following instructions of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. One day Śrīla Prabhupāda said that he got physical association of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura for only 10-12 days. He was only engaged in the service of following instructions of his spiritual master for the rest of the days. When Śrīla Prabhupāda was establishing headquarters in Mayapur, he used to visit Mayapur Chandrodaya temple. There is a samadhi temple of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura on the way to the temple. The godbrothers of Śrīla Prabhupāda used to criticize him for not stopping by at the samadhi temple of his spiritual master. He straight away goes to his temple. On such criticisms, Prabhupāda used to react by saying that Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura is always next to him and he always follows his instructions strictly. So, Prabhupāda served Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura by following his instructions.
cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambhdhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam
Translation
Glory to the Shri Krishna sankirtana (congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names), which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. That sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious. (Text 1, Sri Sri Shikshashtaka)
Whatever fame Prabhupāda got by spreading Krsna consciousness, he always gave credit to Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura and offered all this fame on his spiritual master’s lotus feet. Once, one of the godbrothers of Śrīla Prabhupāda asked him the difference between him and other disciples of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. Both of them have received the same knowledge, both of them have known the English language and both went to foreign countries to propagate Krsna consciousness. But why is it that only Śrīla Prabhupāda got fame and not others. To answer this, Śrīla Prabhupāda would say that his faith on the prediction of Gaurānga Mahāprabhu and on the instructions of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura to propagate Krsna consciousness all over the world were matchless. That made all the difference.
Śrīla Prabhupāda organized the Gaura Purnima festival for the first time in the year 1972 in which only 50-60 devotees were present and most of them were foreigners. With this, Śrīla Prabhupāda proved that those countries have received the Harināma whose countrymen were present in the festival and that the prediction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu is coming true. He would give all this credit to Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura. Śrīla Prabhupāda always addressed his spiritual master as “My Gurumaharj.” That is the reason I gave the name “My Prabhupāda” to the book of mine which compiles all my offerings to Śrīla Prabhupāda on his vyāsa puja.
All glories to Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura!
You all can hear more glories about Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura and can also read his biography. Śrīla Bhaktī Vikāsa Swamī Maharāj also compiled his biography named “Bhakti Siddhant Vaibhav” in three volumes after various research. You can also read that.
Gaura premanande hari hari bol!
All glories to the 150th birth anniversary celebration of Śrīla Bhaktī Siddhānta Saraswatī Thākura!
Hari Bol!
