Sannyasa day of Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja and Sannyasa day of Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Gosvami Maharaja

Two Sannyasa Days, One Auspicious Date

Today is a very special, auspicious day. Today, nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja took sannyasa (the renounced order of life) from nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Sri Srimad Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja. Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja was also performing his sannyasa-lila (the pastime of taking sannyasa) in Katwa, the very place where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa in the presence of all His godbrothers. So today is a doubly auspicious day: it is nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja's sannyasa day, and on this same day nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja also took sannyasa, in our Keshavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura.

A Beautiful and Mysterious Life

Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja's life history is very beautiful, and also mysterious. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada told him, "You have to go to Western countries and preach." But he was very humble, thinking, "I am not qualified. How is it possible for me to preach in Western countries?" Yet after forty years, he thought, "My Gurudeva gave me this order. I have to preach in Western countries." But Krishna arranges everything. Without Krishna's desire, no one can accomplish anything; without Krishna's desire, you cannot get any fruits. Even the leaf of a small tree cannot move without Krishna's desire.

Brought to Keshavaji Gaudiya Matha

When all his business ventures failed, even his Bengal chemical factory, he came to Mathura and rented a house on the bank of the Yamuna, at the place called Bengali Ghat, where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu once bathed. At that same place, Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, then known as Abhaya Babu, Abhaya Charana De, had also rented a house. But it was very difficult for him to maintain the rent of that house. One day, Srila Gurudeva Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, on his morning walk, met him and asked about all these things. Srila Gurudeva said, "Prabhu, why are you staying here? Come to our temple and stay with us." But Srila Svami Maharaja said, "How is it possible for me to stay in the temple? I am of old age, so I do not want to stay in the temple." Srila Gurudeva, very humbly, said, "Do not worry. Just stay in our temple and edit my Hindi Bhagavat-patrika (a Vaishnava journal). Whatever you need, I will arrange everything for you." Still, he did not want to come to our temple. So Srila Gurudeva hired a rickshaw, gathered all his luggage, and brought him to our Sri Keshavaji Gaudiya Matha.

The Bhajana-kutira and the Call to Sannyasa

I am still sitting in this very room where he actually used to stay. This is truly his bhajana-kutira (a room set aside for private worship and chanting). And here he also edited the Hindi Bhagavat-patrika. After a few months, nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja came to Mathura. At that time, Srila Gurudeva Narayana Gosvami Maharaja urged him, "Prabhu, you have to take sannyasa. We took sannyasa while young. Why haven't you taken sannyasa? You have to take it." Srila Abhaya Babu said, "How is it possible for me to take sannyasa? If I take it, I will have to preach, and all these things." At that time he did not want to take sannyasa, but Srila Gurudeva Narayana Gosvami insisted, "No, this is the best opportunity. You have to take sannyasa."

Taking the Sannyasa-mantra

Finally, he took the sannyasa-mantra (the mantra given at initiation into the renounced order) from Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja. Srila Gurudeva Narayana Gosvami himself arranged all his sannyasa paraphernalia. Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja's danda (the sannyasi's staff) was also arranged by Srila Gurudeva Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, and so were his dor-kaupina (the loincloth and waist cord of a sannyasi) and bahirvasa (the outer cloth worn by a sannyasi) — everything was arranged by him. Gurudeva Narayana Gosvami Maharaja even performed his sannyasa-yajna (the fire sacrifice performed when sannyasa is given). Afterward, his Param-Guru Maharaja gave him his sannyasa name: Tridandisvami Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja.

Preaching, and the Deity of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

So today is a superexcellent, auspicious day. He took sannyasa in this very place, in our Keshavaji Gaudiya Matha, which is also called a perfect yajna-sthali (the site of a sacred ceremony). This is a very, very memorable place. After his sannyasa, he went to Jhansi to preach. Our Sheshayi Prabhu, Padmanabha Prabhu, and other Prabhus also helped in the preaching, but this preaching was not successful. He then returned to Mathura, and from there went to Vrindavana, to the Radha-Damodara temple. In our Keshavaji Gaudiya Matha, he also worshipped a very nice, beautiful vigraha (deity form) of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. That vigraha, worshipped by Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, is not made of stone; it is carved from neem wood and is very large.

A Place Made Holy by Great Devotees

Our shastras explain that when any maha-bhagavata (a great, self-realised devotee) worships a vigraha, that too becomes superexcellent and auspicious. Everyone should take darshana (the sacred sight) of that vigraha which was worshipped by Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. I know that many ISKCON GBC members used to come here, and they also arranged beautiful hari-katha (discourses on the pastimes of the Lord). Especially on Vishvarupa-kshaura-mahotsava, Svami Maharaja's sannyasa-divasa (the anniversary of taking sannyasa), they would celebrate here too. I saw Tamal Krishna Maharaja, Giriraj Maharaja, and Satsvarupa Maharaja; they all used to come here and celebrate Svami Maharaja's sannyasa-divasa.

Remembering the Acharyas Who Stayed Here

Again and again I offer my obeisances at the lotus feet of Svami Maharaja. Perhaps one day we will receive a drop, or even a shower, of his mercy, and then I will enter into deep bhajana and sadhana (devotional practice). Many maha-bhagavatas have stayed especially in this room: Trivikrama Gosvami Maharaja, Janardana Gosvami Maharaja, and many other sannyasis, including Padmanabha Maharaja, who is a disciple of Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja but took sannyasa from our Gurudeva, nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja. He too stayed in this room.

This Room as Maha-tirtha

So when I perform my bhajana and sadhana, I remember all our previous acharyas, the great uttama-mahabhagavatas (topmost devotees) who performed bhajana and sadhana here. When I chant the holy names here, my heart is spontaneously overjoyed, because our shastras say that wherever an uttama-mahabhagavata performs bhajana and sadhana, that place becomes a maha-tirtha (a great place of pilgrimage).

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā

Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.13.10)

[My lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage.]

What does gadabhrita (bearer of the club) mean? It refers to Krishna. Wherever devotees of Lord Krishna stay, that place is also called a maha-tirtha. This place too is a maha-tirtha. I realise this myself: when I chant the holy names in this room, so much feeling comes.

So today is a superexcellent, auspicious day. Again and again I offer my obeisances unto the lotus feet of nitya-lila-pravishta om-vishnupada ashtottara-shata Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja and all his parikaras (associates).

Gaura-premanande! Hari Hari bolo!

Date: 02 September 2020 Location: Zoom

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Transcriber: Indira dasi (UK)

Integrity check: Divya-premamayi dasi (Slovakia) Editor: Divya-premamayi dasi (Slovakia) Proofreader: Ramakanta dasa (UK) Photo: Navina-krishna dasa (Holland)