Appearance Day of Bhakti Dayitya Madhav Goswami Maharaj
Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja, one of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada's favorite disciples, is the tenth Acharya in the disciplic succession from Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and is the Founder Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Registered Institution.
His auspicious appearance occurred in the village of Kanchanpara, Subdivision Madaripur, District Faridpur in East Bengal (now in Bangladesh) on Friday, November 18th - Utthan Ekadasi Tithi - in the year 1904 AD at 0800 AM. As the pastime of the Awakening of the All-Merciful, All-Good, All-Blissful Supreme Lord, Sri Hari, on Utthan Ekadasi Tithi (Utthan awakening) is for the eternal good of all the living beings of the world, the pastime of the Advent-Awakening of His Personal Associate, His Absolute Counterpart Gurudev (Madhava Goswami Maharaja), on Utthan Ekadasi Tithi is also for the eternal benefit of all. Param Pujyapad Most Revered Srimad Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja used to comment, "It is profoundly significant that the Advent Day of Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja falls on the Disappearance day of Srimad Gaur Kishore Das Babaji Maharaja on Utthan Ekadasi Tithi and His Disappearance Day falls on the Disappearance day of Vaishnav-Sarvabhauma Srimad Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaja on Sukla Pratipad Tithi (the first lunar day of bright fortnight).
The Holy Birthplace of Madhava Maharaja is situated at the bank of the Padma River, which is near Premtoli where Srila Narottama Thakur experienced ecstatic feelings of Divine Love while bathing as per the direction given by Srimad Nityananda Prabhu in a dream. Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu kept Divine Love in the custody of Padmavati Devi (the Presiding Deity of the Padma River) to offer it to Narottama Thakur when he would come there to take bath.
Madhava Maharaja was born in a high caste Brahmin family. His Grandfather, Sri Chandi Prasad Deva Sarma Bandyopadhyaya, was a well-reputed prominent person of Vikrampur, Dacca (Bangladesh). His father's name was Sri Nishikanta Deva Sarma Bandyopadhyaya; His mother's name was Srimati Saibalini Devi. His mother was of a highly dignified, sober temperament, a wise woman endowed with many good qualities, and as such, an object of reverence to all. His father passed away in His childhood. His parents named Him Sri Heramba Bandyopadhyaya. His pet name was Ganesh.
Extraordinary saintly qualities were manifested in Him from boyhood. He was adored by all and was a universally accepted leader in every sphere. He strictly observed ethical rules and celibacy (Brahmacharya) and taught others to observe celibacy and moral rules. His guardians and teachers were astonished to hear profound words of wisdom from the boy. At the age of eleven years, He memorized the complete Gita, merely by hearing it from his mother. He practiced severe penance by taking only boiled food once in a day in his home at Calcutta. At that time while He was invoking Sri Krishna for His Grace and was weeping severely in the grief of separation from Krishna, He was blessed by seeing Sri Narada Goswami in a dream and received Mantra from Him. However, He could not remember the Mantra completely after waking from the dream. He became disappointed, and out of persistent solicitousness, left the house and went to the Himalayan Mountains beyond Haridwar where He stayed at a stretch without food for three days, continuously wailing and praying for the Grace of Sri Krishna. At last, He heard a prophetic, divine message directing Him, "Go back to your place. Don't be disheartened. Your Gurudev has appeared there-- take absolute shelter of His Lotus Feet." He then came down from the mountains, remained for sometime at Haridwar and later returned to Calcutta.
He went with fiends to Sri Mayapur, the Holy Birth-Place of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and met His Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada at Sri Chaitanya Math in the year 1925 AD. He was attracted to Him upon seeing His Divine Spiritual Personality. Taking absolute shelter at His Lotus Feet, He took initiation from Him at Sri Gaudiya Math, at 1, Ultadanga Junction Road, Calcutta on November 1, 1927 AD. He joined the Sri Gaudiya Math Institution immediately after taking initiation and also made His devout vow of celibacy, even though young of age. Within a very short time, He was regarded as one of the favorite disciples among the entourage of Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada. This was due to His devout devotion to Guru, His competence in rendering all kinds of service, and His untiring enthusiasm and diligence to serve Vishnu and the Vaishnavas. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, seeing His undaunted spirit to contribute to the objective of the Institution by way of practicing and propagating the Gospel of Divine Love of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, used to commend Him by saying, "His energy is volcanic energy". Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada never hesitated to send Him to perform any important task or to send Him out as an advance party because He was confident and sure that the task at hand would be successfully completed in due course. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada had so much confidence in Srimad Hayagriva Das Brahmachari (Madhava Goswami Maharaja), that He first selected Him to be sent to foreign countries for preaching, for which purpose His Passport and all necessities were ready. But Rajarshi Sri Saradindu Narayan Ray, one important household devotee, objected to this proposal saying that Sri Hayagriva Das Brahmachari was young and very beautiful, "There may be difficulty in sending such a beautiful, young Brahmachari to foreign countries. Instead an old Sannyasi should be sent there." At his suggestion, Param Pujyapad Srimad Bhakti Pradeep Tirtha Maharaja was sent instead. Srimad Hayagriva Das Brahmachari resembled His Divine Grace Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada in appearance so much, that many outside people wrongly thought Him to be the son of Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami.
Srimad Madhava Maharaja took Tridanda Sannyas at the age of forty from his God-brother, His Divine Grace Srimad Bhakti Gourav Vaikhanas Maharaja (a Sannyas disciple of Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur), at Sri Tota-Gopinath Temple, Purushottam Dham on Gaura-purnima in the year 1944. He became renowned in the Gaudiya Math as His Divine Grace Parivrajaka Acharya Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja. As per the direct instruction of His Divine Grace Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, His Divine Grace Madhava Goswami Maharaja started His preaching in Assam and established three Maths at: [1] Tezpur, [2] Guwahati and [3] Goalpara. He also managed the seva-puja of Sorbhog Sri Gaudiya Math (in Assam), founded by Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupada. He founded the Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math Institution in 1953 and established many large preaching centers in various parts of India.
‘Hyutkale Purushottamat’ - Sri Krishna Bhakti will spread from Sri Purushottam Dham in Orissa - predicted Sri Vyasdev in Padma-Purana. This prophecy was fulfilled after the appearance of Srila Prabhupada in the house of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode in Puri. Srila Gurudeva recovered this most munificent place of the appearance of Srila Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur after great effort for which he is justly renowned.
‘A gigantic spiritual personality,’ Srila Gurudeva pierced the fortress of impersonalist philosophy in Punjab, where he was first to introduce the Divine Love of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Tenth in the preceptorial line from Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Gurudeva founded Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math organisation Institution in 1953 and established many large preaching centers. He wandered from village to village, travelling by foot and sometimes by oxcart, simply to bring the greatest good to every living being to turn them toward Krishna.
He also took over the service of the 500 years old temples of Lord Jagannath at Jasra, Chakdah and at Agartala, Tripura. He established Sri Chaitanya Vani Press in Calcutta. He preached extensively in different parts of India spreading the divine message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu irrespective of caste, colour or creed.
“The ultimate object of our desires is to become specks of dust at the lotus feet of the followers of Rupa Goswami.”
- Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
“If we are sincere to render honest service to the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna and Sree Gurudev as well as the devotees, I am sure we shall get Divine help for our spiritual progress as well as for others.”
- Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj
On this auspicious occasion, we pray to the Lotus Feet of Srila Paramgurudeva to bless us all with His service and the service of His object of worship Sri Sri Gauranga-Radha-Krishna.
Sambandha-Gyana: What is your relationship?
In 1954 after a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam, one elderly lady approached Srila Gurudeva with a question. This highly relevant question was as follows:
“For the last fifty years without fail, I have been coming to the temple, taking darsana of the holy Deities, attending arati ceremonies, circumambulating the temple, singing kirtana glorifying Sri Hari and listening to the Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Ramayana, etc., whenever the opportunity arises. Now I am old and unfortunately, despite all this, not a grain of devotion or love for Sita-Rama has sprouted in my heart. Instead, the pull of attraction for my children and grandchildren has increased. If love for Bhagavan has not grown under these circumstances, then what could be the use of such practices and disciplines?”
Srila Gurudeva was very pleased to hear this particular question. He announced to the gathering that since everyone should be there to hear the reply, he would therefore give it the following day.
The next day, before speaking on the scriptures, Srila Gurudeva asked the elderly lady whether or not she had ever requested anyone to explain the true identity of Sri Sita-Rama, her own self, the world and her relationship with Sri Sita-Rama. Had she, instead, attended the temple as a matter of course without feeling the need to be inquisitive?
Srila Gurudeva said, “Without awareness of any relationship, love for Bhagavan cannot be experienced. It is the knowledge of relationships that gives birth to love. Even in our day to day lives, whenever someone desires to know our identity, we rattle off a string of relationships such as: ‘I am the child of that mother or father,’ ‘I am the mother or father of that child,’ ‘I am the husband or wife of that person,’ etc. Carrying with us the concept that our identity is comprised of such mundane types of relationships, we visit the temple, view the Deities, participate in Hari-kirtana, listen to Hari-katha and go through the motions of observing various religious practices. However, we find that these observances do not take us to Sri Hari, but instead, root us ever more firmly in our family and friend relationships. These works are punya, or dharma (actions performed for future merits). They are not bhakti, or devotion. The false ego drives man to fruitive activity. This petty ego must be discarded. However, our real ego-‘I am an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord’-should remain. ‘I belong to this world’-with this false knowledge, we work for our wife, child, etc. Even when we visit the temple, it is for the interest of this false self and for all that is seemingly connected with or related to it. We do not go to the temple for Sri Bhagavan. Thus, it is only natural that we display the tendency to follow the dictates of our ego, falsely thinking that therein lies our self-interest.
“The day I realise that I belong to Sri Bhagavan and that all my relationships are with Sri Bhagavan, then my real self will become manifested, and spontaneously, all my actions will be for Sri Bhagavan and Sri Bhagavan alone. Identifying my interests with those of Sri Bhagavan, I will then surrender myself and all that belongs to that self to Sri Bhagavan. Only in that specific situation is love and devotion for Sri Bhagavan possible. The grace of the bonafide guru or preceptor will enable us to realise to whom we are actually related. Prior to this knowledge of relationship, it is not possible to have any idea of Sri Bhagavan. When we do not exert much effort to understand the nature of this relationship, our realisation is understandably delayed. After establishing this relationship, we can start our sadhana (abhidheya or spiritual practices) and begin to understand our real needs (prayojana). The scriptures of sanatana-dharma and all the wise sages have discussed three important points in great detail: (1) sambandha, the conditioned soul’s relationship with the Supreme Lord, (2) abhidheya, the regulated activities for reviving one’s relationship with the Supreme Lord, and (3) prayojana, the ultimate goal of life to be attained by the conditioned soul, i.e., Krishna- Prema, love of God.
“In spiritual life then, the first step is toward sambandha-gyana-knowledge of relationships.”
ADORATION TO SRILA BHAKTI DAYITYA MADHAV GOSWAMI MAHARAJ
Written by Pujyapad Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaj for the disciples of Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj
Pranam Mantra of Bhakti Dayitya Madhav Goswami Maharaj
sudirgham svarna-varnangam divyavayava-sundaram
tridandi-vesa-dhrik saumyam sarvva-bharata-sancaram
navadvipe tathasame braje pancanadandhrayoh
sthapayantam matham gaura-radha-krishnarccanojjvalam
gurvv-avirbhava pithe to sri-ksetre purusottame
divya-mandira-nirmana-seva-prakatakarakam
sarvvatra sadhu-sanghesu sajjanesu tatha guroh
vani-vaibhava-vistara-sadacarapravarttakam
sisye’ sesa-kripasindhum pritimantam satirthake
guror abhista-yajnesu tusargikrita-jivanam
sri bhakti-dayitam namacaryavaryam jagad-gurum
vande sri madhavam deva-goswami-pravaram prabhum
This song in adoration of “Goswami-Pravar”, Bhakti Dayita Madhav Maharaj, expresses his unique qualities and achievements. He is acaryavaryam (the extraordinary acarya) and jagad-guru (the universal preceptor). He is tall and golden-complexioned, a divinely beautiful figure, traveling throughout India, while strictly maintaining the solemn vow of tridanda sannyas and exhibiting gravity of personality. He has established Maths and installed Radha-Krishna Deities at Navadwip-dham, Assam, Braja-dham, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and other places. He revived the holy advent place of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur at Puri (Purushottamdham). His divine personal desire has become the cause of the appearance of the magnificent temple at the holy birth-site of his Gurudeva at Puri. He has introduced the congregation of sadhus everywhere, and has engaged in the widespread preaching of the divine message of his Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, as well as the devotional practices enjoined by the scriptures. He is supremely compassionate to his disciples and has sincere, bonafide love for his godbrothers. In this way he has dedicated his whole life for the service of fulfilling the desires of his Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur.
On this auspicious occasion, we pray to the Lotus Feet of Srila Paramgurudeva to bless us all with His service and the service of His object of worship Sri Sri Gauranga-Radha-Krishna.
Established in 1955, Siliguri, West Bengal, India
Founder Acharya : H. D. G. Bhakti Niloy Sajjan Goswami Maharaj, disciple of H. D. G. Srila Bhakti Dayitya Madhav Goswami Maharaj
Recognised by : Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
