Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Disappearance Day
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti namine
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
I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Varshabhanavi-devi-dayita dasa [another name of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati], who is favored by Srimati Radharani 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
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
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.
Information - Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada’s greatest legacy lies in his disciple Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whom he initiated and inspired to disseminate Krishna consciousness globally. Srila Prabhupada, when asked about his spiritual master, expressed, “What can I say? He was a Vaikuntha man.” In the eternal pastimes of Radha-Govinda in Goloka Vrndavana, Srila Saraswati Thakura serves as Nayana-mani manjari, and his pushpa samadhis are at Radha-kunda and Radha Damodara.
- śrī-siddhānta saraswatī śacī-suta priya ati
- kṛṣṇa-sebāya jāra tula nāi
- sei se mohānta-guru jagater madhe uru
- kṛṣṇa-bhakti dey ṭhāi ṭhāi
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who is very dear to Lord Gaurāṅga, the son of mother Śacī, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Kṛṣṇa at different places throughout the world.
(Song Name: Krsna Tava Punya Habe Bhai)
In 1936, just on the 13th December, I wrote him one letter. Not 13th. I think by the beginning of December, 1936, I wrote one letter to Guru Mahārāja. I knew he was little kind upon me, so I wrote that "Guru Mahārāja, you have got many disciples. I am also one of them. But they are doing direct service to you. There some of them are brahmacārīs, some of them sannyāsīs, but I am a householder. I cannot . . ." Of course, I was giving sometimes some monetary help, but I could not give any direct service, so I asked him that, "If there is any particular service I can do for you?"
So that letter was replied in 13th December, dated 13th December, from Purī. And he passed away on the 31st December. Just a fortnight before. So the reply was the same as he wanted me to do this preaching work in 1922, when I first met him that, "You try to preach whatever you have learned from me, the English-knowing people in English. That will do good to you and to the people to whom you shall preach. That is my instruction." So I took up that . . . and then he passed away in 1936, 31st December.
(690207 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Los Angeles)
So it is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He accepted everyone to this movement. So my Guru Mahārāja’s contribution is that he defeated these caste gosvāmī. He defeated this brahmanism. He created that the same way as Caitanya Mahāprabhu did, that, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:
- kibā śūdra kibā vipra nyāsi kene naya
- yei kṛṣṇa tattva vetta sei guru haya
- (CC Madhya 8.128)
“There is no consideration whether a man is a sannyāsī, a brahmin or a śūdra or a this or a gṛhastha, householder, or . . . no. Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is all right. He is gosvāmī. He is brahmin.” That is the contribution, say, within hundred years. That is the contribution there. And for this reason he had to face so many vehement protests from this brahmin-class gosvāmīns.
(690207 – Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati – Los Angeles)
he ācārya’s duty is to accept the essence of devotional service. There may be a little change here and there as far as yukta-vairāgya (proper renunciation) is concerned. Dry renunciation is forbidden by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and we have also learned this from our spiritual master, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Gosvāmī Mahārāja. The essence of devotional service must be taken into consideration, and not the outward paraphernalia.
(CC Madhya 23.105 purport)
Information - Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura’s life was a testament to the transformative power of devotion and fearlessness in preaching. His influence reached far beyond the borders of India, inspiring countless individuals to embrace the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Despite facing opposition and challenges, he fearlessly excavated holy sites, established temples, and employed innovative methods to spread the divine message. His unwavering commitment led to the establishment of 64 Gaudiya Math temples in India and centers in Burma, England, and Germany. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, often referred to as “lion guru,” faced Mayavadis with conviction and earned the respect of many for his powerful delivery of the Vaisnava siddhanta.
The Brhat-mrdangas of SrilaBhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura:
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura utilized three “Brhat-mrdangas” or printing presses in Madras, Calcutta, and Krishna-nagara, producing an extensive array of books, magazines, and newspapers. His vision was to spread the eternal, ever-fresh transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Notably, he even published a daily spiritual newspaper named Nadia Prakash, emphasizing the importance of constant engagement with the divine message.
Commemorative Stamp and Coin Honoring Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur
On February 8, 2024, during festivities in New Delhi celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Appearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postage stamp honoring Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s significance as a spiritual leader. The India Post noted, “This stamp emphasizes his immense contribution to the spiritual upliftment of millions in India and abroad.” Additionally, a commemorative coin was unveiled. The 150 rupee non-circulating coin will be minted in Kolkata.
Viraha Astastaka – The Flood of Krsna-prema
Viraha-Aṣṭāṣṭaka
“Eight Octets in Separation from My Spiritual Master”
composed in 1958 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
(1)
jivera darada-dukhi srila prabhupada!
viraha-vasare tava heri avasada
O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this anniversary of your separation I feel utterly despondent.
(2)
abaddha-karuna-sindhu katiya mohana
nityananda karechila prema-vanya dana
“The ocean of mercy was previously dammed up, but Lord Nityananda Himself cut open a channel, thereby releasing an outpouring flood of pure ecstatic love of God.” [from Locana Dasa Thakura’s “Nitai guna-mani”]
(3)
yadera kavale chila srota pravahite
tadera badhila maya vrata para-hite
Those devotees to whom the responsibility was given to continue spreading this flood of love somehow became overpowered by maya and were reduced to simply performing ritualistic Hindu ceremonies for the benefit of materialists.
(4)
jati-gosai name ta’ra pravaha badhila
apani asiya prabhu muhana khulila
Lord Nityananda’s inundation of prema was thus obstructed by those known as jati-gosai, or caste gosvamis. But then you personally came, O Master, to open wide the floodgates once again.
(5)
premera vanyaya abara dubala sabare
mo-hena dina hina patita pamare
Again you engulfed everyone in the deluge of pure divine love – even such a low, wretched, fallen, and sinful soul as me.
(6)
mahaprabhura ajna-bale sevaka sabare
guru-rupe pathale jivera dvare dvare
On the strength of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s command, you sent out all your servants as spiritual masters, from door to door, just to deliver the fallen souls.
(7)
a-samudra himacala sarvatra pracara
tomara virahe aja saba andhakara
The devotees were preaching everywhere, from the oceans to the Himalayas. But now that you are gone from our midst, there is only darkness everywhere.
(8)
jivera darada-duhkhi srila prabhupada!
viraha-vasare tava heri avasada
O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura manobhista to Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati
In 1914, just a few weeks before passing away, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura had expressed his manobhista to Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati, instructing him to establish daiva-varṇāśrama, preach śuddha-bhakti, develop Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, and publish Vaisnava writings:
Worldly people who are proud of their aristocratic birth cannot attain to actual aristocracy. Therefore they attack pure Vaisnavas, claiming that they have taken birth in low-class families because of their sins. Thus they commit offenses. The means to rectify this situation is to institute daiva-varṇāśrama- dharma. You have started to do that. Know it to be real service to Vaisnavas.
Due to lack of suddha-bhakti-siddhanta pracāra, all manner of womanish bad theories and instructions are being called devotion by pseudo-sampradayas such as sahajiyā and ativāḍī. Always crush these anti-devotional conceptions by bhakti- siddhanta pracăra and proper acara. Try to begin the parikramā of Śrīdhāma Navadvipa as soon as possible. Thereby everyone in the universe can receive Krsna-bhakti. Diligently endeavor to ensure that service to Śrī Māyāpur becomes permanently established and more resplendent each day. Genuine service to Śrī Māyāpur is not nirjana-bhajana, but to establish a printing press and to propagate devotional books and Nama- hatta. Do not for your own sake undertake nirjana-bhajana and thus impede preaching and service to Śrī Māyāpur.
When I am no longer present, take care to serve your dear Śri Māyāpur-dhāma. This is my special instruction to you. People who are like animals can never attain devotion; never accept their advice. But do not let them know this, either directly or indirectly.
I had a special desire to propagate the importance of such books as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sat-sandarbha, and Vedānta-darśana. Now you must assume that responsibility. Śrī Māyāpur will prosper if you inaugurate an educational institution there.
Never try to amass knowledge or money for your own sense gratification; they should be acquired only for Krsna's service. Never take bad association, either for money or any personal interest.*
* In Prabhupada Saraswati Thakura (p. 18) these instructions are presented as having been given in a letter by Śrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, but in a missive of 1 April 1926 (Patrāvali 2, Page 50-52) Śrī Siddhanta Sarasvati stated that they were imparted verbally.
(“Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava” Volume One by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami, Chapter ‘Early Days of the Mission’, Page 63-65)
Srila Prabhupada Lectures
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- 681209 - Lecture Festival Disappearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Los Angeles
- 690207 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Los Angeles
- 710215 - Lecture 1 Festival SB 06.03.24, Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Gorakhpur
- 710215 - Lecture 2 Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Gorakhpur
- 710215 - Lecture Offerings, Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Gorakhpur
- 731213 - Lecture Festival Disappearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Los Angeles
- 740211 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Vrndavana
- 750302 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Atlanta
- 751222 - Lecture Festival BG 16.07 Disappearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Bombay
- 760221 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Mayapur
- 761210 - Lecture Festival Disappearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Hyderabad
- 770208 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Mayapur