The Last Instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura



The last instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda thakura is found in his Sva niyama dasakam:

Sri Sri Sva-niyama-dasakam
“12 Verses of My Own Self-imposed Regulative Principles”
by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura

The 1st Verse
(The Objects of Devotion Birth After Birth)

gurau sri-gaurange tad-udita-subhakti-prakara ne
saci-sunor-lila-vikasita-s utirthe nija manau
harer namni presthe hari-tithisu rupanuga-jane
suka-prokte sastre prati-jani mamastam khalu ratih

No matter whenever and wherever I happen to take birth, let my loving affection and attachment remain unshaken throughout each and every lifetime for the following things: for my divine spiritual master, for Sri Gauranga, for the detailed topics of pure devotional service (and the methods of its execution) as personally instructed by Him, for the holy places of pilgrimage such as Sri Navadvipa, Sri Kshetra, Sri Vrndavana, etc. , which are all blooming with divine sanctity due to His performance of wonderful pastimes therein, for the diksa mantra bestowed upon me by the divine grace of my spiritual master, for the holy name of Sri Hari, for the most beloved eternal associates of the Lord, for the sacred days of celebration throughout the year such as Sri Ekadasi, Sri Janmastami, Sri Radhastami, and the appearance/disappearance days of the great Vaisnava acaryas, for the Lord’s dearmost devotees who strictly follow in the sacred footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and for the holy scriptures narrated by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami such as the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The 2nd Verse
(The Internal Identity of Lord Caitanya, the Eternal Guide)

sada vrndaranye madhura-rasa-dhanye rasa-mayah
param saktim radham parama-rasa-murtim ramayati
sa caivayam krsno nija-bhajana-mudram upadisan
saci-sunur gaude prati-jani mamastam prabhu-varah

The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna is the personified abode of all divinely ecstatic mellow-tastes. And Sri Radhika is the topmost abode of all His divinely potent energies. Indeed, She is the personified form of the highest mellow of love in separation. Within the forest of Vrnda, which is gloriously rich in the all-pervading treasure of the sweetest madhura-rasa, this Lord Sri Krsna is continuously enjoying as

The Significance and Glories of Rathayatra

By Lakshman das



Intricate sentiments symbolise the grand Rathayatra festivities connecting the event with the return of Lord Krshna to Vrindavan from His pompous life in Dwaraka to meet His heart throbs. The palace of Dwaraka represents the residence of Jagannatha, an enticing enactment of Lord Krshna’s scintillating pastime. At Puri, Krshna and His fraternal associates dwell as living Deities to wipe off the sufferings of His devotees in this mutilated age of kaliyuga. The Gundicha represents the Vrindavana, where His eternal associates Radharani, the gopis and gopas dwell. The visit of Jagannatha to Gundicha symbolises the visit of Syamasundara to meet His youthful associates of Vrindavan and the seven days stay there reminds His enchanting moments of rasa-lila with the loving company of their association. Many have enacted this colourful event and many have coined articulating words of gesture to glorify their touching love of Lord with the glories of Vrindavana.

Engrossed in separation with Radharani, Lord Krshna travelled to Kurukshetra from Dwaraka accompanied by Balarama and Subhadra and met Radharani, His ever loving friend in Golola Vrindavan. Dragged in ecstatic love, Krshna was arrested in sentiments and His limbs dragged in his body. Lord Caitanya was the manifest love of Radharani and He carrying Jagannatha to Gundicha reminds Radharani wanting to take away Lord Krshna from Dwaraka to Vrindavan.

The Narada Purana (uttara kanda 52.12) reveals the conversation between Lord Narayana and Lakshmidevi about Purushottama kshetra (Jagannatha Puri),

pratimam tatra tam drstva svayam devena nirmitam

anayasena vai yanti bhavanam me tato narau

“A person who sees the Deities there built by the Lord Himself will easily find the path to reach My abode.” Anyone seeing the Deities of Lord Krshna, Balarama and Subhadra at Jagannatha Puri during their leisure outage of Rathayatra means buying a ticket to reach the Supreme Abode of Vaikuntha, the eternal world of no worries. The Lord promises that His devotees who take all pains to gather at Puri during the Rathayatra will be rid off their miseries and may reach the eternal abode of Goloka Vrindavana and enjoy their life in association with Lord Krshna, Radharani and their close accomplices.

It is said that the participants in the festivities will be blessed immensely by Lord Jagannatha (Krishna) such as

(1) By the sight of Jagannatha’s merciful large two eye globes, the devotee will be blessed with astute purity of mind and spiritual elevation;

(2) Observing the Rathayatra will dissipate the sins committed by the embodied person in the past births;

(3) The accompanying person in the Rathayatra will receive opulence at par with Lord Vishnu even if he hails from a poor family;

(4) Dancing, singing and chanting in the Ratharatra entourage, the participant will be elevated to a level superior to yogis; and

(5) Active participation in the Rathayatra by any means will receive the utmost blessings of Lord Jagannatha.

The glories of Rathayatra are inimical to imprint in mind the symbolic love of Lord to His devotees. Srila Prabhupada said, “If you participate in these car festivals, as stated in the scriptures, rathe ca vanam drstva punar janma na vidyate”. If you kindly see these Jagannatha deities riding on these cars or these processions, and as Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the Hare Krshna mantra in front of this car, then according to the Vedic scripture, in your next life you’ll go back, back to Godhead.” Those who participate in the festival have a food for thought in the years to come and it may drag down even to the final moments of their life to affix the attention in the eventful pastimes of Jagannatha as Krishna tells in Bhagavad Gita (8.5-6),

anta-kale ca mam eva smaran muktva kalevaram

yah prayati sa mad-bhavam yati nasty-atra samshayah

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty-ante kalevaram

tam tam evaiti kaunteya sada tad bhava bhavitah

“Towards the end of life and at the time of departing the body, he who remembers Me will undoubtedly attain My nature. Whatever a living being thinks at the time of leaving his body, that alone he attains for being always absorbed in that state.” Those devotees who always chant and prostrate at the holy feet of Lord Jagannatha uttering the mahamantra (HARE KRSHNA HARE KRSHNA KRSHNA KRSHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE) ordained by the Lord Krishna Himself in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and propagated all over the world by Srila Prabhupada will be blessed with perfect devotion to Lord forever, which is said to be superior to liberation.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 13 Summary :

A summary of this chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya as follows. After bathing early in the morning, Śrī CaitanyaMahāprabhu saw the deities (Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā) get aboard their three cars. This function is called Pāṇḍu-vijaya. At that time, KingPratāparudra took a broom with a golden handle and began to cleanse the road. Lord Jagannātha took permission from the goddess of fortune and then started in the car for the Guṇḍicā temple. The road to the temple led along a broad, sandy beach, and on both sides of the road were residential quarters, houses and gardens. Along that road the servants called gauḍas began to pull the cars. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu divided His sańkīrtana party into seven divisions. With two mṛdańgas in each division, there were altogether fourteen mṛdańgas. While performing kīrtana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited various symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, and Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exchanged Their feelings very blissfully. When the cars reached the place known asBalagaṇḍi, the devotees offered the deities simple food. At this time, in a nearby garden, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees took a brief rest from the dancing.

Science and Medical Science in Ancient India

Ancient Indians contributed greatly to the knowledge of science. Below let us look at some of the contributions by scientists of ancient India.

Kanada

Kanad was a sixth century scientist of Vaisheshika School, one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. His original name was Aulukya. He got the name Kanad, because even as a child, he was interested in very minute particles called “kana”. His atomic theory can be a match to any modern atomic theory.



According to Kanad, material universe is made up of kanas, (anu/atom) which cannot be seen through any human organ. These cannot be further subdivided. Thus, they are indivisible and indestructible. This is, of course, as you may be knowing, what the modern atomic theory also says.

Varahamihira

Varahamihira was another well known scientist of the ancient period in India. He lived in the Gupta period. Varahamihira made great contributions in the fields of hydrology, geology and ecology. He

The Science of Mandukya Upanishad

In the series ‘The Science of Upaniṣads’, it is Māṇḍūkya (माण्डूक्य) Upaniṣad that we now take up for study and rational review; this is the sixth in the series of eleven Upaniṣads. Māṇḍūkya belongs to Atharva Veda, together with two other Principal Upaniṣads, Muṇḍaka and Praśna. What the word Māṇḍūkya signifies is not definitely known; in the study of the Upaniṣad it is not significant either.


Māṇḍūkya is the smallest of the eleven Principal Upaniṣads under our review; it has only 12 verses, numbered serially from 1 to 12. Nevertheless, it is the tersest of all, expounding in a unique manner the nature of shining of Ātmā in beings, with particular importance to the aspect of CHIT (consciousness). It uncovers four distinct modes of expression of CHIT.



Brevity of the Upaniṣad is an indication of the terseness in contents presentation, warranting detailed study of each verse. However, before moving on to the verses, we may recall our declared adherence to the rational path in the study of Upaniṣads. This may at times entail departure from conventional understanding and teaching by theologians and spiritual luminaries; in such cases the views expressed here may be appreciated with a rational approach befitting this age of scientific spirit. In our study, we shall also pursue our commitment to look for and abide by the consistency of teachings in all the Principal Upaniṣads taken together, which is essential for comprehensive understanding of their philosophy.



Let us now see the first verse:

ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वं तस्योपव्याख्यानं भूतं भवद्भविष्यदिति सर्वमोङ्कार एव | यच्चान्यत् त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योङ्कार एव || 1 ||

omityetadakṣaramidaṃ sarvaṃ tasyopavyākhyānaṃ bhūtaṃ bhavadbhaviṣyaditi sarvamoṅkāra eva yaccānyat trikālātītaṃ tadapyoṅkāra eva. (1)

Word meaning: om- Om; iti- known as; etat- this; akṣaram- syllable; idaṃ- here, this; sarvaṃ- all; tasya- its; upavyākhyānaṃ- explanation, interpretation (physical translation, which is verily manifestation); bhūtaṃ- past; bhavat- present; bhaviṣyat- future; eva- verily; yat- which, what; ca- and; anyat- others; trikāla- past, present and future taken together, atītaṃ- beyond, transcending; tat- that; api- also.

Verse meaning: ‘All this is the syllable known as ‘Om’, (rather) its manifestation. Everything in the past, present and future is verily Om; if anything is there transcending these three expressions of time, then, that too is verily ‘Om’.

In verses 2.23.2 and 2.23.3 of Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is said that Vedas issued forth on account of intense meditation by Prajāpati on the worlds; in the same manner the three words ‘bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ (bhur, bhuva, sva)’ issued forth from the Vedas; and ‘Om’ issued forth from these three words, by intense meditation. The implication is that the principle of ‘Om’ was reached by successive intense meditations on the worlds, the Vedas and the three words of ‘bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ’. ‘Om’ is thus the ultimate essence of the worlds; the said meditations indicate a churning process to bring forth that essence, like the churning of Kṣīra Sāgara for obtaining the mythological amṛta, wherein Kṣīra Sāgara represents the universe.

Disappearance Day of Sri Syamananda Prabhu ~ 8th June 2017

Syamananda Prabhu, a disciple of Hrdaya Caitanya, established the temple of Sri Radha-Syamasundara in Vrndavana.



 Gouridas was born at Shaligram, about 18 kms from Shridham Navadwip in Bengal.  His father was Kansari Mishra, mother Kamala Devi.  Suryadas was his elder brother.  Suryadas had two daughters, Vasudha and Jahnavi.

   Suryadas was a boyhood companion of Shri Chaitanya MahaPrabhu.  He was a sadhaka in the sakhya bhava, i.e., in the mood of friendship with God.

   He told Gouridas, “Go and live at Ambika-Kalna and do your sadhana and worship at a lovely place near the river Ganga.”  What could have been more close to the heart of Gouridas?  Joyfully, he left for Ambika-Kalna.

   One day Shri Gauranga was returning from Shantipur.  He took a boat at Harinadi village. Pulling the oars with His own hands, He crossed the wide Ganga and arrived at Ambika.  But He did not leave the oar behind. Carrying it in His hands, He went to Gouridas’ house. Gouridas was astonished.  MahaPrabhu said, “This oar is for you.”

   “What shall I do with it?”

   “What shall you do? You shall take people across the samsar-river with the help of this oar” said the Lord.

   With profound reverence Gouridas accepted the oar with folded hands.  MahaPrabhu embraced him and said, “Come with Me to Navadwip. I shall give you something there.”

   Gouridas became full of bliss with the Lord’s embrace. He could not comprehend what more than this could be there. What as the thing that lay beyond imagination even?

   Indeed, there was something truly beyond imagination. The Lord handed over to Gouridas the Bhagawat Gita written with His own hand. From beginning to end it was written with pearl-like letters.  The nectar of his unblinking eyes was saturated in it. It was sheer bliss just to look at the writing, to hold it in one’s hand. It was a joy flowing from the absorption of consciousness.

   Holding the Gita close to his heart, Gouridas returned to Ambika going over the entire transcendental experience in his mind. “How painstakingly must He (Gauranga) have written it with His own hands, and yet He gave it to me so unhesitatingly” he mused.
Shyamananda Prabhu
Indeed, there was something truly beyond imagination. The Lord handed over to Gouridas the Bhagawat Gita written with His own hand. From beginning to end it was written with pearl-like letters. The nectar of his unblinking eyes was saturated in it. It was sheer bliss just to look at the writing, to hold it in one’s hand. It was a joy flowing from the absorption of consciousness. (In the wallpaper: Arjuna and Shri Krishna in the battle field, Lord Shri Gaurachandra, ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai).

Disappearance Day of Sri Kholaveca Sridhara Pandita ~ 7th June 2017

Kholaveca Sridhara Thakura lived just on the border of Nadia. He maintained himself by selling bananas, vegetables, banana leaves and cups.



khola-becataya khyatah panditah shridharo dvijah
asid vraje hasya-karo yo namna kusumasavah
   (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 133) Shridhara Pandit
Shridhara Pandit was a resident of Navadwip. Navadwip is composed of nine islands, of which the central island is known as Antardwipa. He used to live at the northern extremity of Mayapur and to the southeast of the Chand Kazi’s samadhi, in the place that now goes by the name of Shridhara Angan. During his lifetime, it was a banana orchard...(In the wallpaper: Shridhara Pandit's home, Shri Mayapur dham, banana barks).


   One of the twelve Gopals in Krishna lila was named Kusumasava. He appeared in Gaura-lila as Shridhara Pandit, who was given the nickname khola-becha, “bark-seller.”

   Shridhara Pandit was a resident of Navadwip. Navadwip is composed of nine islands, of which the central island is known as Antardwipa. He used to live at the northern extremity of Mayapur and to the southeast of the Chand Kazi’s samadhi, in the place that now goes by the name of Shridhara Angan. During his lifetime, it was a banana orchard, which nowadays is no longer the case, at least not to our mortal eyes. During this incarnation, Shridhara played the role of a poor Brahmin who made his living selling the produce of his banana garden. In order to keep the memory of Shridhara Pandit alive, the founder of the world-wide Chaitanya and Gaudiya Maths, Nitya-lila-pravishta Om Vishnupada Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, discovered and revealed this site of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Deity worship was established there and it continued until after Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur’s disappearance. Now, because of problems with local people, the place is once again losing its beauty. Even so, during the Navadwip parikrama, Devotees still pay their obeisances at that spot to the memory of Shridhara Pandit.

   Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written as follows in his Nabadvipa-dhama-mahatmya: “Shridhara Pandit’s home comes after the weavers’ neighborhood. Gauranga Mahaprabhu ended the kirtan there.” Nityananda Prabhu says the following to Jiva Goswami:

   “Out of His mercy, Mahaprabhu Gauranga Hari would end the kirtan here so that the Devotees could rest. It is therefore known as vishrama-sthana, or the Lord’s place of rest. So let us also repose

Disappearance Day of Sri Mukunda Datta ~ 7th June 2017

Mukunda Datta, the son of Vasudeva Datta, was a classmate of Lord Caitanya’s. Mukunda Datta had a melodious voice, and he knew the intricacies of musical meters and ragas.



 Shri Mukunda Datta was Shri Nimai Pandit's classmate at Ganga's Dasa's tol (school). Mukunda had a melodious voice and he knew the intricacies of musical meters and ragas. His sweet kirtana would please all the Vaishnavas at Navadwipa.Tuning in to Lord Gaura's heart, he would sing songs matching Lord Gauranga's feelings. Lord Chaitanya took sannyasa amidst Mukunda's kirtana. He served Shri Chaitanya in Puri as one of the Lord's humblest followers.

   Once at the house of Shrivasa Pandit Lord Chaitanya blessed all the Devotees except Mukunda. Mahaprabhu overlooked him because he had offended Bhakti Devi (who gives devotional service). Mukunda placed her on an equal level with karma, jnana, or even Mayavada philosophy whenever he talked to followers of those paths. Acting like a chameleon, Mukunda would glorify bhakti to bhaktas, and then debate useless mundane topics with karmis (nondevotees). And with Mayavadis he discussed impersonalism.
   Mukunda chose suicide as atonement for his serious offense to Bhakti Devi. He asked Lord Chaitanya if he would again receive His mercy in a future life. "You will receive My mercy," said Lord Chaitanya, "after passing one million births."

   Happy to know he would someday get Mahaprabhu's mercy, Mukunda jumped up and down shouting, "Only a million births, only a million births!"

   Lord Chaitanya's heart melted upon seeing Mukunda's devotion and determination. The Lord blessed and accepted Mukunda, "By your faith and conviction in My words all your offenses have been immeditately destroyed."

   In Krishna lila he is Madhukantha, a person with a honey sweet throat, a sweet singer. His samadhi is located within the 64 Samadhis Area.