Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was born on Sunday, Sept. 2, 1838 in Biranagara
(Ulagrama) in the Nadia district of Bengal. He was the seventh son of Raja
Krsnananda Datta, a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. He was also known as the
great grandson of Madana Mohana and the third son of his Godfather
Anandacandra. He would be known as daitya-kulera prahlada (Prahlada in the
family of demons). This was because Vaisnavism was not very much respected in
his family; on his mother's side, there was no respect for Vaisnavism at all.
He was named Kedaranatha Datta by his Godfather.
His childhood was spent at the mansion of his maternal grandfather Mustauphi
Mahasaya, in Biranagara. His environment at this time was very opulent. He got
his elementary education at the primary school started by his grandmother.
Later he attended an English school in Krishnanagara, started by the King of
Nadia; he left that school when his older brother died unexpectedly of
cholera.
When he was 11 years old, his father passed away. Subsequently, the grant of
land that had been conferred upon his grandmother changed owners; at this time
the family fell into a condition of poverty - their great wealth proved to be
illusory. Still, Kedaranatha Datta passed over these difficulties with great
endurance.
His mother arranged a marriage for him when he was 12 (in the year 1850) to
the 5 year old daughter of Madhusudana Mitra Mahasaya, a resident of Rana
Ghata.
Around this time Kedaranatha's uncle Kasiprasada Ghosh Mahasaya Thakur, who
had mastered British education, came to Ulagrama after the death of his
maternal grandfather. He schooled young Kedaranatha at his home in Calcutta;
this was at first resisted by the boy's mother, but by the time he was 13 he
was allowed to go to the big city.
His uncle's house was situated in the Heduya district of central Calcutta.
Kasiprasada was the central figure of the literary circle of his time, being
the editor of the Hindu Intelligencer newspaper; many writers came to him to
learn the art of writing in correct English. Kedaranatha assisted Kasiprasada
by judging manuscripts submitted to the newspaper. Kedaranatha studied
Kasiprasada's books and also frequented the public library. He attended
Calcutta's Hindu Charitable Institution high school and became an expert
English reader, speaker, and writer.
Kedaranatha became ill from the salty water of Calcutta. He returned to
Ulagrama and was treated by a Muslim soothsayer who predicted that the village
of Biranagara would soon become pestilence-ridden and deserted. The Muslim
also predicted Kedaranatha would become recognized as a great devotee of Lord
Krsna.
In the year 1856, when he was 18, Kedaranatha entered college in Calcutta. He
started writing extensively in both English and Bengali; these essays were
published in local journals. He also lectured in both languages. He studied
English literature at this time extensively, and taught speechmaking to a
person who later became a well-known orator in the British Parliament. Between
the years 1857-1858 he composed a two part English epic entitled "The
Poriade", which he planned to complete in 12 books. These two books described
the life of Porus, who met Alexander the Great.
Dvijendranatha Thakur, the eldest son of Maharsi Devendranatha Tagore and
brother of the Nobel Prize winning poet Rabindranatha Tagore, was
Kedaranatha's best friend during these years. He assisted Kedaranatha in his
studies of Western religious literatures. Kedaranatha used to call
Dvijendranatha "baro dada", or big brother.
He was very taken by Christian theology, and found it more interesting than
Hindu monism. He would spend many hours comparing the writings of Channing,
Theodore Parker, Emerson and Newman. At the British-Indian Society he gave a
lecture on the evolution of matter through the material mode of goodness.
At the end of 1858 Kedaranatha returned to Biranagara and found that the
Muslim soothsayer's prediction about that place had come true: it was ruined
and deserted. Kedaranatha brought his mother and paternal grandmother with him
from there to Calcutta. Soon after he went to Orissa to visit his paternal
grandfather, Rajavallabha Datta, formerly an important Calcutta gentleman who
was now living as an ascetic in the Orissan countryside. His days were coming
to a close, and he wanted Kedaranatha to be with him when he departed this
world. After receiving his grandfather's last instructions, he traveled to all
the monasteries and temples in the state of Orissa.
Kedaranatha began to consider the question of the means of his livelihood. He
was not interested in business, as he'd seen how the "necessary dishonesty" of
the trade world had morally weakened the merchant class. He decided to become
a school teacher. He established a school for English education in the village
of Kendrapara near Chutigrama, in Orissa, thus becoming a pioneer in English
teaching in that state. He also could see the oppressive power wielded by the
landowners of Chutigrama. After some time he went to Puri and passed a
teacher's examination; he got a teacher's post in a Cuttack school and later
became headmaster of a school in Bhadraka and then in Madinipura. His work was
noted by the schoolboard authorities.
In Bhadraka, his first son Annada Prasada (Acyutananda) was born, in 1860. He
published a book that year in English that described all the asramas and
temples in the state; this book received favorable mention in the work called
"Orissa" by British historian Sir William Hunter. Hunter praised Kedaranatha's
moral and religious character.
As the headmaster of the Medinipura high school, Kedaranatha studied many
popular Bengali religious sects, particularly their philosophies and
practices. He concluded they were all cheap. He came to understand that the
only real religion that had ever been established in Bengal was that of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu; unfortunately, His movement was not well-represented.
Kedaranatha could not even get a copy of the 16th century Bengali biography of
Lord Caitanya's activities on earth called Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, despite
searching in bookshops, libraries and monasteries all over Bengal.
Kedaranatha's first wife died, so in the town of Jakapura he married
Bhagyavati De. In 1861 Kedaranatha accepted the post of Deputy Magistrate in
the Government of Bengal. Then he became Collectorate Officer after seeing the
corruption of the government workers. He established an organization called
the "Bhratr Samaja". He wrote an English book in 1863 called "Our Wants." At
this time he also constructed a home in Rana Ghata. Later in 1863 he stayed at
Burdwan, where he composed two novel poems in Bengali: "Vijinagrama" (deserted village) and "Sannyasi." Volume 39 of the 1863 Calcutta Review praised these
poems, saying, "We hope the author will continue to give his countrymen the
benefit of his elegant and unassuming pen, which is quite free from those
objectionable licenses of thought and expression which abound in many dramas
recently published. The want of the day is the creation of a literature for
Hindu ladies, and we trust that many more educated natives will have the good
sense to devote their time and abilities to the attainment of this most
desirable aim." The rhyme and style of these two poems were original; they
gave birth to a new way of writing poetry in the Bengali language.
In the year 1866 Kedaranatha took the position of Deputy Register with the
power of a Deputy Collector and Deputy Magistrate in the district of Chapara.
He also became quite fluent in Persian and Urdu. In a placed called Saran in
Chapara, a clique of tea planters made unjust demands of him; he successfully
opposed them. And while at Saran he visited the Gautam Asrama at Godana.
Desiring to establish a school for teaching nyaya-sastra, he delivered a
speech there (in 1866) which was well-received. The school was successfully
established, the foundation-stone being laid in 1883 by Sir Rivers Thomson,
after whom the school was named. Though Kedaranatha had no further part in the
project after his speech, the talk he gave was instrumental in securing public
aid for the school. Also in 1866 he translated the Balide Registry Manual into
Urdu, which was circulated by the government throughout the United Provinces
of Agra and Oudh; this manual was used by the registration departments of
those areas.
Kedaranatha was transferred to Purniya from Chapara where he took charge of
the government and judicial departments; he was then transferred to Dinajapur
(West Bengal) in 1868, becoming the Deputy Magistrate. At this time he
received copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrta from
Calcutta.
He read Caitanya-caritamrta repeatedly; his faith in Krishna developed until
he was absorbed in Krsna consciousness day and night. He incessantly submitted
heartfelt prayers for the Lord's mercy. He came to understand the supreme
majesty and power of the one and only Absolute Personality of Godhead Sri
Krsna. He published a song about Lord Caitanya entitled Saccidananda-
premalankara. In 1869, while serving as deputy magistrate under the government
of Bengal in Dinajapur, he delivered a speech in the form of a treatise he had
written on the Srimad-Bhagavatam to a big congregation of many prominent men
of letters from many parts of India and England.
He was transferred to Camparana, during which time his second son, Radhika
Prasada, was born. In Camparana people used to worship a ghost in a banyan
tree which had the power to influence the mind of the local judge to decide in
the favor of the worshiper. Kedaranatha engaged the father of Pandita
Ramabhai, a famous girl scholar, to read Srimad-Bhagavatam under the tree;
after 1 month, the tree crashed to the ground, and many people found faith in
the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
From Camparana he went to Puri which engladdened his heart no end because the
holy city of Puri, the site of the famous Krishna temple of Jagannatha, was
where Caitanya Mahaprabhu had resided for 18 years as a sannyasi (renunciate).
Near Puri, in the town of Kamanala, there lived a yogi named Bisakisena, who
would lean into a fire while sitting closeby, then return to an erect sitting
posture. In this way he'd rock back and forth over the flames and would also
produce fire from his head. He had two companions going by the names Brahma
and Siva; Bisakisena himself claimed to be Maha Vishnu. Some wealthy
landowners of Orissa came under his sway and were providing funds for the
construction of a temple. They also sent him women with whom he engaged in
"rasa-lila" enjoyments. Bisakisena declared he'd drive the British rulers out
of Orissa and make himself king. Such inflammatory statements were circulated
all around Orissa. The British thought him a revolutionary, so the District
Governor of the National Government of Bengal drew up arrest orders; but
nobody in Orissa dared to act upon these orders, as they all feared the yogi's
power.
Mr. Ravenshaw, district commissioner for Orissa, requested Kedaranatha to
bring Bisakisena to justice. Kedaranatha went personally to Bisakisena, who
showed some powers and informed Kedaranatha that he knew well who he was and his mission. He warned Kedaranatha that since he (Bisakisena) was the Lord,
he'd better not interfere with him. Kedaranatha replied by acknowledging
Bisakisena's accomplishments in yoga and invited him to come to Puri where he
could see the Jagannatha temple. Bisakisena haughtily said, "Why should I come
to see Jagannatha? He's only a hunk of wood; I am the Supreme in person."
Instantly furious, Kedaranatha arrested the rogue, brought him to Puri and
threw him in jail, where he was guarded by 3 dozen Muslim constables and 72
policemen from Cuttack day and night. "Brahma" and "Siva" avoided arrest by
claiming they'd been forced by Bisakisena to do as they'd done; but Mr.
Taylor, subdivision officer at Kodar, later prosecuted them.
Kedaranatha tried Bisakisena in Puri. The trial lasted 18 days, during which
time thousands of people gathered outside the courtroom demanding Bisakisena's
release. On 6th day of the trial Kedaranatha's second daughter Kadambini (age
7) became seriously ill and nearly died; but within a day she had recovered.
Kedaranatha knew it was the power of the yogi at work. He remarked, "Yes, let
us all die, but this rascal must be punished." The very next day in court the
yogi announced he'd shown his power and would show much more; he suggested
that Kedaranatha should release him at once or face worse miseries. On the
last day of the trial Kedaranatha himself became ill from high fever and
suffered exactly as his daughter had done for one whole day. But Kedaranatha
pronounced the man guilty and sentenced him to 18 months for political
conspiracy. When Bisakisena was being readied for jailing, one Dr. Walter, the
District Medical Officer, cut off all the yogi's long hair. The yogi kept his
mystic power in his hair and hadn't eaten or drunk during the whole trial, so
when his hair was shorn he fell to the floor like a dead man and had to be
taken by stretcher to jail. After 3 months he was moved to the central jail at
Midnapura where he took poison and died in the year 1873.
In Puri, Kedaranatha studied the Srimad-Bhagavatam with the commentary of
Sridhara Swami, copied out in longhand the Sat-sandarbhas of Jiva Goswami and
made a special study of Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.
Between the years 1874 and 1893, Kedaranatha spent much time in seclusion
chanting the holy name (though he still executed his worldly duties
perseveringly). He wrote several books in Sanskrit such as Tattva-sutra,
Datta-kaustubha and Tattva-viveka. He wrote many other books in Bengali such
as the Kalyana-kalpataru; in 1874 he composed Datta-kaustubha in Sanskrit.
While in Puri he established a Vaisnava discussion society known as the
Bhagavat-samsad in the Jagannatha-vallabha gardens, where the famous saint Sri
Ramananda Raya stayed in meditation hundreds of years before. All the
prominent Vaisnavas joined this group except for Raghunatha dasa Babaji, known
as Siddha Purusha. He thought that Kedaranatha was unauthorized, as he did not
wear kanthi-mala (neckbeads) or tilaka (clay markings on 12 places of the
body). Moreover, he advised other Vaisnavas to avoid Kedaranatha's
association.
But soon thereafter Raghunatha dasa Babaji contracted a deathly illness. Lord
Jagannatha appeared to him in a dream and told him to pray for the mercy of
Kedaranatha if he at all wanted release from the illness and death. He did so;
Kedaranatha gave him special medicines and cured him. Raghunatha dasa Babaji
was blessed with a true awareness of Kedaranatha's spiritual position.
A well-known saint named Svarupa dasa Babaji did his worship at Satasana near
the ocean in Puri. Svarupa showed much affection for Kedaranatha and gave him
many profound instructions on the chanting of the holy name of Krishna.
A popular upstart holy man named Caran dasa Babaji preached and printed books
advising a perverted style of kirtana (congregational chanting of the holy
names of God), advising that one should chant the Hare Krishna Mantra in japa
and Nitai Gaura Radhe Syama Hare Krsna Hare Rama in kirtana. Kedaranatha
preached long and hard to him; after a long time Caran dasa Babaji came to his
senses and begged forgiveness from Kedaranatha, admitting his fault in
spreading this nonsense fashion of chanting all over Bengal. Six months later
Caran dasa went mad and died in great distress.
Kedaranatha became manager of the Jagannatha temple. He used his government
powers to establish strict regularity in the worship of the Deity. In the
Jagannatha temple courtyard he set up a Bhakti Mandapa, where daily discourses
of Srimad Bhagavatam were held. Kedaranatha would spend long hours discussing
Krsna and chanting the holy name, especially at the important sites of Sri
Caitanya's pastimes like the Tota Gopinatha temple, the tomb of Haridasa
Thakura, the Siddha Bakula tree and the Gambhira room. He made notes on the
Vedanta-sutra which were used by Sri Syamalala Goswami in the edition of the
Govinda Bhasya by Baladeva Vidyabhusana that he published.
Near the Jagannatha-vallabha gardens, in a large house adjacent to the
Narayana Chata Matha, on the 5th day of the dark fortnight of Magha in the
year 1874, the fourth son of Kedaranatha took birth. He was named Bimala
Prasada (and would later be known as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Prabhupada, the spiritual master of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
founder of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness). Two years
earlier, Kamala Prasada, his third son, had taken birth.
In 1874 Kedaranatha discovered the Raja (king) of Puri had misappropriated 80
thousand rupees for his own sense pleasures. This money belonged to the
temple, so Kedaranatha forced the Raja to pay for the offerings of food to
Lord Jagannatha that are made 52 times daily. This diminished the money
quickly. The raja was angry at Kedaranatha and therefore, with the help of 50
brahmin priests, began a yajna (fire sacrifice) meant for killing Kedaranatha
which went on for 30 days; when the last oblations were offered into the fire,
the king's own son and not Kedaranatha died.
Kedaranatha left Puri on special business, returning to Bengal where he
visited the holy towns of Navadwip, Santipura and Kalana. He was put in charge
of the subdivision Mahisarekha in Haora. After that he was transferred to
Bhadraka. In August 1878 he was made head of the subdivision Naraila in the
Yashohan district.
While in Naraila he published two books on Krsna that became famous around the
world: Sri Krsna-samhita and Kalyana-kalpataru. In a letter dated April 16,
1880, Dr. Reinhold Rost wrote to Kedaranatha: "By representing Krishna's
character and his worship in a more sublime and transcendental light than has
hitherto been the custom to regard him, you have rendered an essential service
to your co-religionists, and no one would have taken more delight in your work
than my departed friend Goldstuecker, the sincerest and most zealous advocate
the Hindus ever had in Europe."
In 1877 Varada Prasada was born, his fifth son; in 1878, Viraja Prasada, the
sixth son, was born: both appeared at Rana Ghata.
Kedaranatha took formal Vaisnava initiation from Bipin Bihari Goswami, who was
descended from the Jahnava family of Baghnapara. At the same time, his seventh
son, Lalita Prasada, appeared at Rana Ghata.
Within a few years after his initiation, Kedaranatha was awarded by the
Vaisnavas the title "Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura" in appreciation for his
tireless propagation of the philosophy of devotion (bhakti) to Sri Krsna.
In Naraila, many people had formally adopted Vaisnavism, but they were not
trained in scriptural conclusions and thus were easily misled by upstarts who
exploited their devotional sentiments. Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave these simple
devotees of Krsna shelter and instructed them in Vaisnava-siddhanta (the
essential truths of Vaisnavism) most exactingly. In 1881 Bhaktivinoda began
publishing the Sajjanatosani, his Vaisnava journal.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura had previously pilgrimaged to the holy cities of Benares,
Prayaga, Mathura and Vrndavana in 1866. At the close of his stay in Naraila he
desired to again see Vrndavana, the land of Krsna. He took three months for
this purpose. He met Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji there, who moved every 6
months between Navadwipa (in Bengal) and Vrndavana. Bhaktivinoda Thakura
accepted Jagannatha dasa Babaji as his eternally worshipable siksa guru
(instructing spiritual master). During his pilgrimage at this time he dealt
with a gang of dacoits (highway robbers) known as the Kanjharas who robbed and
killed many pilgrims; he gave evidence to the government and a commission was
formed to wipe out this scourge.
From Vrndavana he came to Calcutta and bought a house at 181 Maniktala Street,
now called Ramasha Datta Street, near Bidana Park. He called the house
Bhakti-bhavan (place of devotion) and started daily worship of Sri Giridhara.
He was appointed head of the subdivision of Barasat.
The well-known novelist Bankim Candra met Bhaktivinoda Thakura at Barasat.
Bankim Candra showed him a book he'd written about Krsna to Bhaktivinoda, who preached to Bankim Candra for four days, taking little food and hardly any
sleep; the result was Bankim Candra changed his ideas (which were mundane
speculations about Krsna) and his book to conform with the teachings of Sri
Caitanya. Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to say that knowledge is power.
During the last year of his stay at Barasat (1886), Bhaktivinoda Thakura
published an edition of the Bhagavad-gita with the Sanskrit commentary of
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, which he translated into Bengali (the
"Rasika-ranjana" translation). He had undertaken this task at the request of
Babu Sarada Carana Mitra, ex-judge of the Calcutta High Commission. Bankima
Candra wrote the preface, acknowledging his own indebtedness to Bhaktivinoda
Thakura; he noted that all Bengali readers would be indebted to Bhaktivinoda
for his saintly work.
From Barasat, Bhaktivinoda Thakura was transferred to Sriramapur. At nearby
Saptagram he visited the residence of the great Vaisnava saint Uddharana Datta
Thakura, a great associate of Lord Nityananda, who lived at the time of Sri
Caitanya in the 16th century AD. He visited the places of another great
Vaisnavas of that time, Abhirama Thakura, at Khanakula, and Vasu Ramananda, at Kulinagrama.
At Sriramapura he composed and published his masterly writing, Sri Caitanya
Siksamrta, Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa and Manah-siksa. He was also publishing Sajjanatosani on a regular basis. In Calcutta he set up the Sri
Caitanya Yantra, a printing press at the Bhakti Bhavana, upon which he printed
Maladhara's Sri Krsna-vijaya, his own Amnaya-sutra and the Caitanyopanisad of
the Atharva Veda.
Finding the Caitanyopanisad was a difficult task. Hardly anyone in Bengal had
heard of it. Bhaktivinoda Thakura traveled to many places in Bengal looking
for it; finally, one devoted Vaisnava pandita named Madhusudana dasa sent an
old copy he'd been keeping with him at Sambalapura to him. Bhaktivinoda
Thakura wrote a Sanskrit commentary on the book and called it Sri
Caitanya-caranamrta. Madhusudana dasa Mahasaya translated the verses into
Bengali; this translation was called Amrta-bindu. It was a sellout when
published.
In Calcutta Bhaktivinoda Thakura started the Sri Visva-Vaisnava Sabha,
dedicated to the preaching of pure bhakti as taught by Lord Caitanya. To
publicize the work of the society, Bhaktivinoda Thakura published a small
booklet entitled Visva-Vaisnava-kalpavi. Also he published his own edition of
the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, with his Amrta-prabhava Bhasya commentary. And he
introduced the Caitanyabda or Caitanya-era calendar, and gave assistance to
the propagation of the Caitanya Panjika, which established the feast day of
Gaura Purnima, which is the day of Caitanya's appearance in the material
world. He lectured and gave readings on Vaisnava books in various religious
societies. In the Hindu Herald, an English periodical, he published a detailed
account of Sri Caitanya's life.
In the year 1887 Bhaktivinoda Thakura resolved to quit government service and
go to Vrndavana with Bhaktibhringa Mahasaya for the rest of his life. One
night in Tarakeswara, while on government service, he had a dream in which Sri
Caitanya appeared to him and spoke, "You will certainly go to Vrndavana, but
first there is some service you must perform in Navadwipa. When will you do
that?" When the Lord disappeared, Bhaktivinoda awoke. On the advice of
Bhaktibhringa Mahasaya he thereupon applied for a transfer to Krishnanagara,
where the government headquarters for the Navadvip district is situated. He
turned down offers of big posts in Assam and Tripura. He even tried to retire
at this time, but his application was not accepted. Finally, in December of
1887 he managed to trade posts with Babu Radha Madhava Vasu, Deputy Magistrate of Krishnanagara.During his stay at Krishnanagara, Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to go to Navadwipa
and search for the birthsite of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the exact location of
which had been lost in time. One night he was sitting on the roof of the Rani
Dharmasala in Navadwipa chanting on his beads, when he spotted in the distance
a very tall tala tree; near the tree was a small building that gave off a
remarkable effulgence. Soon afterwards, he went to the Krishnanagara
Collectory where he began to study some very old manuscripts of Caitanya
Bhagavata and Navadwipa Dhama Parikrama by Narahari Sarkar, and some old maps
of the Navadwipa area. He went to the village of Ballaladibhi and spoke with
many elderly people there, and uncovered facts about the modern-day Navadwipa.
In the year 1887 he discovered that the place he'd seen from the dharmasala
rooftop was in fact the birthplace of Mahaprabhu. This was confirmed by
Jagannatha dasa Babaji, the head of the Gaudiya Vaisnava community in
Navadwipa. A great festival was held there. Bhaktivinoda published the
Navadwipa Dhama Mahatmya, which elaborated the glories of the birthsite of Sri
Caitanya. Also in 1887, Bhaktivinoda renovated the house of Jagannatha dasa
Babaji at Ravasghata. He took leave from office for two years and acquired a
plot of land at Sri Godadrumadwipa, or Svarupa Ganga. He built a retirement
house there called Surabhi Kunj.
In 1890 he established the "Nama Hatta" there. Sometimes Jagannatha dasa
Babaji would come there and have kirtana. Lord Nityananda had established His
Nama Hatta at the same place and Bhaktivinoda considered himself the street
sweeper of the Nama Hatta of Nitai.
When the birthplace was uncovered, Bhaktivinoda and Jagannatha dasa Babaji
would worship Lord Caitanya there. Once one of Bhaktivinoda's sons contracted
a skin disease and Jagannatha dasa Babaji told the boy to lie down at the
birthsite of Lord Caitanya for the night. He did so, and the next morning he
was cured.
In 1888 Bhaktivinoda took charge of the village of Netrakona in the district
of Mayamanasimha, because he could not keep good health in Krishnanagara and
had requested transfer to a more healthful region. From Netrakona he came to
Tangaila and from there he was transferred to the district of Vardhamana.
There he would hold kirtana with the devotees from a place called Amalajora,
headed by Ksetra Babu and Vipina Babu; they would sing poems like Soka-satana
written by him.
He was put in charge of the Kalara subdivision in 1890, and from there would
often visit such holy places as Godadrumadwipa, Navadwipa, Capahati,
Samudragana, Cupi, Kasthasali, Idrakapura, Baghanapara, Pyariganga (the place
of Nakula Brahmacari) and the place of Vrndavana dasa Thakura at Denura. Soon
Bhaktivinoda Thakura was transferred for a few days to Ranighata, from where
he came to Dinajapura again. Sailaja Prasada was born there, his youngest son.
In Dinajapura Bhaktivinoda wrote his Vidva-ranjana commentary and translation
of the Bhagavad Gita; it was published in 1891 with the commentary of
Baladeva.
1891 was the year Bhaktivinoda Thakura took leave from the government service
for two years. He desired to preach the chanting of the Hare Krsna mahamantra.
From his base at Svarupa Ganga he used to visit such places as Ghatala and
Ramajivana to lecture in clubs, societies and organizations. This he'd also
often do in Krishnanagara. In March of 1892 he traveled and preached with a
party of Vaisnavas in the Basirahata District. All the while he was writing
also. He opened many centers of Krishna worship (Nama Hatta) in different
districts of Bengal. The Nama Hatta became a self-sustaining success which
continued to spread even after his return to government service.
From Basirahata he set out on his third trip to Vrndavana; he stopped off at
Amalajora to celebrate the Ekadasi day with Jagannatha dasa Babaji. In
Vrndavana, he visited all the forests and places of pastimes; he continued to
give lectures and readings on Hari Nama in various places in Bengal when he
returned to Calcutta.
In February 1891 he gave a lecture on his investigation into the whereabouts
of the exact birthsite of Sri Caitanya; his audience included highly learned
men from all over Bengal, who became very enthusiastic at the news. Out of
this gathering the Sri Navadwipa Dhama Pracarini Sabha was formed for
spreading the glories of the Yogapitha (the birthsite). That year, on Gaura
Purnima, a big festival was held that witness the installation of Gaura-
Visnupriya Deities at the Yogapitha. All the learned pandits, having
deliberated fully on Bhaktivinoda Thakura's evidence, agreed that the
Yogapitha was the true birthsite of Mahaprabhu.
In 1892, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published the book Vaisnava-siddhanta-
mala from his headquarters in Bengal. Later he printed individual chapters of
Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala as separate booklets for public distribution. In 1900
he published Hari-nama-cintamani in Bengali poetic form.
In October 1894, at age 56, he retired from his post as Deputy Magistrate,
though this move was opposed by his family and the government authorities. He
stayed at Svarupa Ganga to worship, lecture and revise his old writings.
Sometimes he went to Calcutta; there he begged door to door for funds to
construct a Yogapitha temple. In July 1896 Bhaktivinoda Thakura went to
Tripura at the request of the the king, who was a Vaisnava. He stayed in the
capital for 4 days and preached the chanting of the holy name of Krsna. His
lecture on the first day amazed all the local panditas; on the next two days
the royal family and general public thrilled to his talks on the pastimes of
Mahaprabhu.
Back in Svarupa Ganga, Bhaktivinoda Thakura printed a small booklet written in
Sanskrit under the title Sri Gauranga-lila-smarana-mangala-stotram, with a
commentary by Srila Sitikantha Vacaspati of Nadia. The introduction in English
was called "Caitanya Manaprabhu, His life and Precepts". This book found its
way into the library of the Royal Asiatic Society in London, the library of
McGill University in Canada and other respectable institutions. It was
reviewed in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society by Mr. F.W. Fraser, an
erudite British scholar.
In the rainy season of 1896, requested by the Maharaja of Tripura, he went to
Darjilim and Karsiyam. In 1897 he went to many villages such as Medinipura and
Sauri to preach.
Sisir Kumar Ghosh was the founder of the Amrta Bazar Patrika and the author of
the Sri Amiya Nimai-carita. He had great respect for Bhaktivinoda Thakura; he
also took up the preaching of the holy name throughout Calcutta and in many
villages in Bengal. He published the Sri Visnu Priya O Ananda Bazar Patrika
under the editorship of Bhaktivinoda. In one of his letters to Bhaktivinoda he
wrote, "I have not seen the six Goswamis of Vrndavana but I consider you to be
the seventh Goswami."
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati had been residing at Puri as a strict renunciate and
was engaged in worship at the Gandharvika Giridhari Matha, one of seven mathas
near the samadhi tomb of Haridasa Thakura. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, desiring to
help his son, had the monastery cleaned and repaired when he came to Puri
himself at the beginning of the 20th century. After Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
left Puri for Sri Navadwipa Mayapur, Bhaktivinoda Thakura constructed his own
place of bhajana on the beach, calling it Bhakti Kuti; Krsnadasa Babaji,
Bhaktivinoda Thakura's devoted assistant and disciple, joined him there at
this time. He was his constant attendant up to the end of Bhaktivinoda
Thakura's life. He began solitary worship (bhajan) at this time; he had many
visitors at this place. Some of them simply wanted to disturb him, whereas
others were sincere and benefitted greatly from his spiritual inspiration.
In 1908, 3 months before Bhaktivinoda Thakura renounced the world, one of his
sons who was working in a Calcutta government office came home to inform his
father that Sir William Duke, chief secretary to the government, was in
Calcutta. Bhaktivinoda Thakura had served under him as a magistrate.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura made an appointment to meet him the next day at the
government building. Sir William Duke greeted Bhaktivinoda Thakura on the
street outside the building and personally escorted him into his office. With
folded hands, he asked forgiveness for having once planned to remove
Bhaktivinoda Thakura from his post of district magistrate; this was because he
thought that if such qualified Indians held such important posts, the British
would not last much longer in India. Formerly Sir William Duke used to visit
to Bhaktivinoda's house and would even take his meals there. Such familiarity
between British nobility and the native people of India was uncommon. Now that
Sir William was getting old, he wished to clear his conscience of guilty
feelings from the past, and so confessed to Bhaktivinoda Thakura that he'd
thought ill of him despite their close relationship. Bhaktivinoda Thakura
answered, "I considered you to be a good friend and a well-wisher all along."
Pleased with Sir William, he gave him his blessings. Later Bhaktivinod Thakura
admitted he was astonished that Duke wanted to harm him in some way.
In 1908 Bhaktivinoda Thakura took vesa (the dress of babaji, or renunciate) at
Satasana in Puri. Until 1910 he would move between Calcutta and Puri, and
continued to write; but after that he stopped all activity and remained in
Puri, absorbed in the holy name of Krishna. He shut himself up and entered
samadhi, claiming paralysis. On June 23, 1914, just before noon at Puri, Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura left his body. This day was also the disappearance day of
Sri Gadadhara Pandita. Amidst sankirtana his remains were interred in Godruma
after the next solstice; the summer solstice had just begun when he had left
his body.
About Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sarada Carana Mitra, Calcutta High Court
Judge, wrote: "I knew Thakura Bhaktivinoda intimately as a friend and a
relation. Even under the pressure of official work as a magistrate in charge
of a heavy district he could always find time for devotional contemplation and
service, and whenever I met him, our talk would turn in a few moments to the
subject of devotion, dvaitadvaita-vada philosophy and the saintly work that
lay before him. Service of God is the only thing he longed for and service
under the government, however honorable, was to him a clog."
In executing his government service, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura would wear
coat and pants to court, with double-size tulasi neckbeads and tilaka. He was
very strong in his decisions; he would decide immediately. He did not allow
any humbug in his court; no upstart could stand before him. He would shave his
head monthly.
He was always charitable to brahmanas, and equally befriended other castes. He
never showed pride, and his amiable disposition was a characteristic feature
of his life. He never accepted gifts from anyone; he even declined all honors
and titles offered by the government to him on the grounds that they might
stand against his holy mission of life. He was very strict in moral
principles, and avoided the luxurious life; he would not even chew betel. He
never allowed harmonium and he never had any debts. He disliked theaters
because they were frequented by public women.
He spoke Bengali, Sanskrit, English, Latin, Urdu, Persian and Oriya. He
started writing books at age 12, and continued turning out a profuse number of
volumes up until his departure from this world.His schedule:
7:30-8:00 PM - take rest
10:00 PM - rise, light oil lamp, write
4:00 AM - take rest
4:30 - rise, wash hands and face, chant japa
7:00 - write letters
7:30 - read
8:30 - receive guests, or continue to read
9:30-9:45 - take rest
9:45 - morning bath, breakfast of half-quart milk, couple chapatis, fruit
9:55 - go to court in carriage
10:00 - court began.
1:00 PM - court finished. He'd come home and bathe and refresh.
2:00 PM - return to office.
5:00 PM - translate works from Sanskrit to Bengali
Then take evening bath and meal of rice, couple of chapatis, half-quart of
milk.He always consulted a pocket watch, and kept time very punctually.
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