Bhaktivinode Asana (Ultadanga, Kolkata)

 

InformationThis is the very building from where Shrila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur had started his missionary works in 1918, just after accepting renounced order or Sannyasa. His missionary work grew into a pan India movement named Gaudiya Math, with 64 temples by the end of Shrila Saraswati Thakur’s worldly pastime. Here Shrila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur had met many of his prominent and leading disciples for the first time. Their spiritual journey began here. Later they had become exponent of the Bhakti movement and connected many more in this path. Thus, this place is extremely significant in the entire history of Gaudiya Vaishnavaism. Practically, this place is the like the root of organized propagation of Krishna consciousness in the modern history.

In one evening of 1922, in such a meeting here, Shrila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur had met one enthusiastic young Bengali gentleman, Abhay Charan De, who later became his disciple. After a few decades this Abhay Charan De became famous as Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, the worldwide Hare Krishna movement.

In the very first meeting only, in the terrace of this building, young Abhay Charan De got a Prophetic instruction from his spiritual master, ” You are educated young man. Why don’t you preach Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s message throughout the whole world? ” This seed instruction later fructified in form of worldwide Hare Krishna movement which is most popularly known as International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON. In that sense, this building is the spiritual birthplace of ISKCON.

I was taken to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by one of my friends. I did not want to go there, but he forcibly took me there. Yes. And he ordered me that “You preach the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu in English language. This is very much essential.” On the first meeting he told me like that. That was my first meeting with him. At that time I was in favor of Gandhi’s movement. So I said that “We are, I mean to say, not independent—subjugated. Who will hear about our message?” So Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura refuted my argument. I was very much pleased. I had so many talks. But I was very much pleased to be defeated, that “This so-called nationalism or any ‘ism,’ they are all temporary. Real need is the self-realization.”
(750302 – Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati – Atlanta)

So he informed me that, “One nice sannyāsī came to our house, and he has invited . . . in Ultadanga there is the Gauḍīya Maṭha. So he has invited me. I wish to go there. Why don’t you come? Let us go together.” He was my very intimate friend. So at that time I was a little pessimistic: “Why should I go? I know all the sādhus there, I am not going.”
So he forced me: “Oh, why not? Let us go.” “All right, let us go.” So I went to see His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in 1922 in the Ultadanga building. At that time Prabhupāda was sitting on the roof—there was a small house and room—and we were welcomed, because this Naren Mullik was very rich man, and he had contributed some money.
So we went to see Prabhupāda and to offer our obeisances. So immediately he said that, “You are all educated young men. Why don’t you preach Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s message throughout the whole world?”
So I replied to him that, “We are dependent nation. Who will hear our message? We can talk all these things after we get independence.” Because I was politically-minded at that time. Yes. So he refuted my argument. Certainly I was defeated. And I took his words very seriously, I appreciated. Then we were offered some prasādam, we came down, and my friend Naren Mullik asked me, “How did you like this sādhu?” And, “Yes, here is a sādhu in whose hands Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s message is there, and it will be done. I think he was very nice.” That was my appreciation.
Then 1923 I resigned my post as manager in Bose’s Laboratory, and I accepted the agency for whole U.P., beginning from Mughalsarai up to Delhi, and I made my head office in Allahabad. So I was always thinking, “Oh, yes. I met a very nice sādhu.” From the very beginning that was my impression that, “I have met a real sādhu.”
So actually the words lava mātra sādhu saṅge sarva siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54) was actually, I perceived that in a moment. I was impressed so much with Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura that it was . . . it continued. Then in 1928, when there was Kumbha-melā . . . Mahārāja, when did you join Gauḍīya Maṭha?
(730317 – Conversation Temple Inauguration – Mayapur)

Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda immediately took up the land. He continued that “There is no need of establishing many temples. Better we publish some books.” He said like that. He said that “We started our this Gauḍīya Maṭha in Ultadanga. The rent was very, very small, and if we could gather 2 to 250 rupees, it was very nice, going on. But since this J. V. Datta has given us this stone, marble stone Ṭhākurabari, our competition between the disciples have increased, so I don’t like anymore. Rather, I would prefer to take out the marble stone and sell it and publish some books.” So I took that point, and he also especially advised me that “If you get money, you try to publish books.” So by his blessing it has become very successful by your cooperation. Now our books are being sold all over the world, and it is very satisfactory sale.
So on this particular day of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s advent, try to remember his words, that he wanted that many books should be published about our philosophy, and it should be given to the English-knowing public especially, because English language is now world language. We are touring all over the world, so anywhere we speak English, it is understood, except in some places. So on this day, particular on the advent of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, I’d especially request my disciples who are cooperating with me that try to publish books as many as possible and distribute throughout the whole world. That will satisfy Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as well as Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
Thank you very much.
(760221 – Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati – Mayapur)

My Guru Mahārāja said, personally. He said that, “When we were living in a rented house, if we could collect two hundred, three hundred rupees . . . we were living very nicely at Ultadanga. And since then—J. V. Datta has given us this marble palace, Gauḍīya-Maṭha—there is friction between our men: ‘Who will occupy this room? Who will occupy that room? Who will be proprietor of room?’ ” Tīrtha Mahārāja . . . Kuñjabābā was giving one tablet that, “This is . . .” Everyone is planning in different way. So Guru Mahārāja said . . . he was personally instructing me that, “If I could sell this marble of this temple and secure some money, and if I could print some books, that would have been better. That would have been better.”
Therefore I am so much after books. If we forget our position—if we become pound-shilling man, property man—then Kṛṣṇa will be finished, because Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-gocara. Therefore we should always remember that we possess this nice house not for our comfort, but people will come, because they are not accustomed . . . if we would have invited people, “Come and sit down on this Māyāpur ground,” no, there was no possibility. Therefore we must possess Kṛṣṇa’s temple very nice so that people will come, and we shall preach. That is philosophy, not that because we have got this nice house, therefore we should be very much attached. Attachment must be there—for Kṛṣṇa’s service. The temple must be very cleansed. The establishment must be very nice. What for? For attracting devotees. This is the purpose. Not for our personal benefit. That is the way. My Guru Mahārāja introduced these big, big palaces, temple. That is the contribution of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Because the Gosvāmīs, they worshiped Kṛṣṇa in a different method—going to Vṛndāvana, living underneath the tree, and one night underneath one tree, next night, next tree. This vairāgya is not possible for the Western people. Therefore we require this building. That is the contribution. Unless they live comfortably, it is not possible. And we have to preach all over the world.
(741006 – Lecture SB 01.08.26 – Mayapur)

Gāndharvikā Giridhārī

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa, who enchants the heart of Gāndharvikā and who bestows mercy on the qualified devotees, does not belong to anyone other than Rādhārāṇī. The perfection of attaining His lotus feet is achieved by serving Śrī Caitanya, who is the ocean of mercy and friend of the poor.
Śrī Vārṣabhānavī dayita dāsa desires to serve the beloved Lord of Śrī Vārṣabhānavīdevī by giving up all offenses. O Gāndharvikā- Giridhārī, I pray day and night for Your service while sitting at Śrī Vrajapattana, Māyāpur.
(Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Gauḍīya-bhāṣya)

(14)
jaya gandharvika-giridhari gandharvika-giridhari radhe
(saraswatir prana-dhana he)
(14)
All glories to Gandharvika and Giridhari, the treasure of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s heart!
(Jaya Radha Krsna Giti)