Heart-to-heart: Sannyasa Guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja

His Divine Grace Bhaktiprajñāna Keśava Mahārāja’s Disappearance Day Lecture

(Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Sannyāsa Guru)

Seattle, October 21, 1968

Prabhupāda: One has to accept the renounced order from another person who is in renounced order. So I never thought that I shall accept this renounced order of life. In my family life, when I was in the midst of my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming my spiritual master, that he’s calling me, and I was following him. When my dream was over, I was thinking. I was little horrified. "Oh, Guru Mahārāja wants me to become sannyāsī. How can I accept sannyāsa?" At that time, I was feeling not very satisfaction that I have to give up my family and have to become a mendicant. At that time, it was a horrible feeling. Sometimes I was thinking, "No, I cannot take sannyāsa." But again I saw the same dream. So in this way I was fortunate. My Guru Mahārāja (Prabhupāda begins to cry, choked voice) pulled me out from this material life. I have not lost anything. He was so kind upon me. I have gained. I left three children, I have got now three hundred children. So I am not loser. This is material conception. We think that we shall be loser by accepting Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is loser. I say from my practical experience. I was thinking that "How can I accept this renounced order of life? I cannot accept so much trouble." So... But I retired from my family life. I was sitting alone in Vṛndāvana, writing books. So this, my Godbrother, he insisted me, "Bhaktivedanta prabhu..." This title was given in my family life. It was offered to me by the Vaiṣṇava society. So he insisted me. Not he insisted me. Practically my spiritual master insisted me through him, that "You accept." Because without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher. So he wanted me to become a preacher. So he forced me through this Godbrother, "You accept." So unwillingly I accepted. And then I remembered that he wanted me to go to the Western country. So I am feeling now very much obliged to my, this Godbrother, that he carried out the wish of my spiritual master and enforced me to accept this sannyāsa order.

So this Godbrother, His Holiness Keśava Mahārāja, is no more. He has entered Kṛṣṇa’s abode. So I wish to pass a resolution of bereavement and send them. So... And I have composed one verse also in this connection in Sanskrit. So you all present, you sign this. I shall send it tomorrow. The verse I have composed, it is in Sanskrit. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam [Cc. Madhya 6.254]. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā means to become detestful to this material world. That is called vairāgya-vidya. And that is possible simply by this bhakti-yoga. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam apāyayan mām. So this... Just like medicine. The child is afraid of taking medicine. That also I have experienced. In my childhood, when I became ill, I was very stubborn. I won’t accept any medicine. So my mother used to force medicine within my mouth with a spoon. I was so obstinate. So anyway, similarly, I did not want to accept this sannyāsa order, but this Godbrother forced me. "You must." Apāyayan mām, he forcefully made me to drink this medicine. Anabhīpsu andham. Why I was unwilling? Anabhīpsu means unwilling. Andham, andham means one who is blind, who cannot see his future. The spiritual life is the brightest future, but the materialists cannot see to it. You see? But the Vaiṣṇavas, the spiritual master, they forcefully, "You drink this medicine." You see. Apāyayan mām anabhīpsu andhām śrī-keśava-bhakti-prajñāna-nāma. So this my Godbrother, his name is Keśava, Bhaktiprajñāna Keśava. Kṛpāmbudhi. So he did this favor upon me because he was ocean of mercy. So we offer our obeisances to Vaiṣṇava, kṛpāmbudhi. Vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. The Vaiṣṇavas, the representatives of the Lord, they are so kind. They bring the ocean of mercy for distributing to the suffering humanity. Kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye [Cc. Madhya 6.254]. So I am offering my respectful obeisances unto this His Holiness, because he forcefully made me adopt this sannyāsa order. So he is no more in this world. He has entered Kṛṣṇa’s abode. So I am offering my respectful obeisances along with my disciples. On the first day of my sannyāsa, I never thought, but I remembered that I’ll have to speak in English. So I remember on that sannyāsa day, when there was a reception, so I, first of all, I spoke in English. So it is all arrangement of Kṛṣṇa, higher authority. We are writing like this, "Resolved that we the undersigned members and devotees of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Incorporated, in a condolence meeting under the presidency of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, today the 21st of October, 1968, at our Seattle branch, express our profound bereavement on hearing the passing of His Divine Grace Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktiprajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, the sannyāsa guru, preceptor of our spiritual master, and on October 6th, 1968, at his headquarter residence in Nabadwip, West Bengal. We offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrī Śrīmad B. P. Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja with the following verse composed on this occasion by our spiritual master." This verse I have already explained to you. So I wish that you all sign this and I’ll send it tomorrow by air mail. Have you got pencil?

Govinda dāsī: Yes. (sound of Prabhupāda signing) (end)

Srila Prabhupada's letter to Srila Sar Maharaja

Letter to: Sar Maharaja
—
San Francisco
11 March, 1967
67-03-11

My Dear Sripada Sar Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I am in receipt of your letter dated February 20,1967. I am so much thankful to you all for encouraging me in my humble attempt to preach the message of srila Prabhupada in this part of the world. I am sure to be successful if I am blessed by you all Vaisnavas.

I can understand your difficulty in the matter of my publication work. I am glad to learn that your activities following the foot prints of our beloved Gosvami Maharaja is being conducted nicely.

By the by I may inform you that in the matter of permanent Visa in this country I require some certificates from India. Will you kindly send me a certificate in your personal form of letter as the President and Acarya of the Gaudiya Sangha (Regd) in the following words and oblige.
Wordings of the certificate: "This is to certify that His Holiness Tridandi Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swamiji Maharaja is a bona fide disciple of my Spiritual Master On Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Prabhupada. We have highly appreciated his publication Srimad-Bhagavatam in our Sajjan Tosani Patrika (Monthly Magazine) in June 1963. Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta was the Editor of the above magazine while the paper was started from Delhi. Subsequently he has accepted the renounced order of life (Sannyasam) from His Holiness Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnan Kesava Maharaja the Founder President of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samity in 1959. He is therefore bona fide Preacher in the line of disciplic succession from Lord Caitanya Who preached the cult of Krishna Consciousness in India about 481 years ago. We all godbrothers of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in India are very much pleased to learn that he is executing the mission of our Spiritual Master in the Western countries even in his good old age. We wish all success for him in his great and noble attempt.

Sd/——————
(Bhakti Saurabha Bhaktisar Maharaja)
President & Acarya.''
Kindly send this certificate by return of post and oblige. Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours affectionately,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Srila Gurudeva and Srila BV Swami Prabhupada's Relationship

"Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of guru and Gauranga, may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me, Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darsana of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love"
(Excerpt from Srila Prahupada's letter-Sept. 28, 1966.)

Srila Prabhupada ,the founder Acharya of ISKCON, and our dear gurudeva, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, shared a special friendship and bond. Srila Gurudeva considers Srila Prabhupada as his siksa guru (instructing guru).
Their relationship spanned across three decades. In this small article we will present some of Srila Gurudeva’s recollections about their special relationship. Our gurudeva says that he and Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada had so much affection for each other that he cannot explain his heart sufficiently.

(Srila Prabhupada's was named as Abhay Charana De by his parents and Swami was his initiated sanyassa name.)

Our First Meeting

Here Srila Gurudeva recounts his first meeting with Srila Swami Maharaja. Our gurudeva’s gurudeva is named Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami Maharaja, and he is also mentioned here.

In 1947, I was in Calcutta as the personal servant of my gurudeva (Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami Maharaja), and one day there was an inauguration of a new branch of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. It was a large assembly and many Vaisnavas were present there. During the lecture given by Gurudeva, a grhastha (householder) devotee came in at the back door. Upon seeing him, Gurudeva stopped speaking and asked me to bring him forward... Gurudeva showed great respect to him and insisted he sit next to him on the platform. I looked up at Gurudeva, silently questioning, “Who is this devotee?” It was very rare that he had done this with others. Afterwards he told me, “This is Abhaya Caranaravinda Babu, my dear godbrother. He is a very special disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. He is very humble and qualifed. You should take note of him, you should hear carefully from him, and you should serve him.”

Param Gurudeva’s relationship with Srila Prabhupada

Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami Maharaja and Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada shared a deep bond, which Srila Gurudeva explains here.

Guru Maharaja and Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu were bosom friends – they had lived and served together. Both were intellectual giants and very erudite persons from high-class families... Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu was a bosom friend of my gurudeva ever since they first met in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada’s Gaudiya Matha in 1922.

After their guru’s departure

In 1940, after the departure of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, there was turmoil in the Gaudiya Matha... Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu, who had his family residence and business in Allahabad, invited our gurudeva to come and stay in his home as a guest, and they lived together there for the next four or five months...When my gurudeva lived with him for those months in Allahabad, Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu organized much preaching for them everywhere in that city... He also arranged for my gurudeva to give extensive lectures on Vedanta. Together they defeated the mayavada philosophy, and also several influential Catholics and other Christians; those persons were favourably impressed by the bona fide arguments and siddhanta so expertly presented.
He appreciated this preaching so much. He would often tell me, “Your gurudeva is so logical, and he is such a great philosopher. That is why I have selected for myself a very best friend like your gurudeva...
After the divine disappearance of their Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and after the Gaudiya Matha institution had broken apart, my gurudeva, together with Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu and Narottamananda Brahmacari (later called Srila Bhakti Kamala Madhusudana Maharaja), filed the establishment papers for the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. This was done on April 7, 1940, the day of Akshaya Tritiya, in a rented house at 33/2 Bosapada Lane, Calcutta.

Note: After parama gurudeva’s disappearance in 1968, Srila Prabhupada requested his picture to be sent him, so that he can have a portrait painted for displaying with our disciplic succession in all his ISKCON temples, though this did not happen due to circumstances.

Editorial Seva

Our magazines, Gaudiya Patrika and Bhagavata Patrika, were started in 1953... He usually submitted his articles in Bengali, and sometimes if he wrote an article in Hindi, I would edit and then submit it… Mostly he wrote his articles for our Gaudiya Patrika in Bengali. I then translated these into Hindi and printed them in the Bhagavata Patrika.”

Residing in Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha

Srila Prabhupada stayed for some time in the Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura from 1955 on. Srila Gurudeva invited him over to stay in the matha. He recounts some of those fond memories.

I requested him, “Please stay here with us, preaching Bhagavad-gita, writing and so on. I know that no one is assisting you now. I want to personally serve you. Please live here forever; we never want you to leave.” He became so glad. I gave him a room adjacent to mine... Prabhu would lecture, explaining in his discourses the word-by-word meaning of each verse under discussion, and very erudite scholars were attracted by his classes. During this time he would also give Caitanya-caritamrita classes in the evenings to those of us who lived at the matha. His devotion for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His pastimes was very deep. Later on, after he took sannyasa, he often gave these classes in English, even though almost no one in the matha could understand English. He would say that he was “practicing”.

We would often visit each other’s rooms, and sometimes we would joke together about various topics. He was very fond of joking, and when he would laugh it was very sweet. He joked in an especially delightful way, with a slightly playful smile. We also had many philosophical discussions together, speaking about such topics as Prahlada caritra and the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam... During the many months he stayed at Sri Kesavji Gaudiya Matha, the two of us would perform sundara-arati together each evening. He would always play the mrdanga very expertly, and I would play the kartalas and sing.

Accepting Sannyasa

Srila Gurudeva encouraged Srila Prabhupada to accept sannyasa from our parama gurudeva.

Gurudeva then called him and said, “Narayana Maharaja and all the other boys are
encouraging that you take sannyasa. I also support this idea. Do not hesitate to take the renounced order. You are so qualified. Please take sannyasa now. It will be very beneficial.”
Abhaya Caranaravinda Prabhu thus agreed to accept sannyasa, and the ceremony was held the very next day. That day was the auspicious Visvarupa-mahotsava... I prepared bahira-vesha (sannyasa dhoti ), uttariya (sannyasa upper cloth) and a danda with my own hands. I taught him how to wear these, and then I performed the fire
yajna... My gurudeva then gave Prabhu the sannyasa-mantra.
The sannyasa name which he gave him is “Swami.”... This name “Swami” was just fitting because Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja became the controller of many,
many jivas’ hearts, due to his being strong and faithful to his gurudeva. This is why we affectionately call him “Swamiji,” not in any common way but showing the greatest respect.

At Sri Radha-Damodara Mandira

Srila Gurudeva considers Srila Prabhupada as his siksa Guru (instructing guru), but Srila Prabhupada treated him like a dear friend.

He had me sit on the same seat with him while we were chanting japa, performing kirtana, and also sometimes making chapatis together. He would roll the chapatis and I would put them on the fire, and then we would offer them... we would often associate together there in his small bhajan-kutira... He and I also performed parikrama of Radha-Damodara, walking together and paying respects at the samadhis of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Jiva Gosvami, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, and especially Srila Rupa Gosvami.

Preparation and Departure for America

Srila Swami Maharaja spent considerable time in Delhi before he went to America, because this is where he was printing and distributing his books. He published three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam there. I went there several times to be with him, and
we stayed together in his rooms at the Chippiwada Radha-KrsnaTemple... When Srila Swami Maharaja was leaving to go to America, he described everything to me about his travel plans. He asked me to accompany him, and I begged him that I could not go without the permission of my gurudeva, who had ordered me to manage the matha in Mathura... Before he left he requested me to keep a regular correspondence with him, which I did, and we wrote many letters to each other in those next years. A few of these letters are printed in the pamphlet ‘Srila Prabhupada’s Letters from America.’ Unfortunately, most of his other letters to me were loaned and have not yet been returned.
Later he wrote me to send him his books from his room in Mathura, where many of his thick volumes were stored in his cabinet. His books were very dusty, and I cleaned and packed many boxes of them for an entire day. I then shipped those books by boat to New York... I tried faithfully to perform all the services he requested.

Returning to India

Srila Prabhupada returns to India after successfully preaching in western countries.

When he returned to India in 1967, I met him and his disciple, Kirtanananda dasa, at the airport in Delhi...When we met, he told me many wonderful accounts and details about his preaching in America, and how miraculous were the results...
Srila Swami Maharaja was busy on a big scale and we were busy on a little scale, but both of us were busy serving guru and Gauranga... Although we could not personally join Srila Swami Maharaja, many of us were very proud and overjoyed that he was preaching so gloriously.

Visiting Him in His Last Days

Srila Prabhupada was in Vrindavan during his last days. Gurudev visited him many times during this period. On one such occasion Srila Prabhupada instructed Srila Gurudeva to help his disciples.

He (Srila Swami Prabhupada) continued, “Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada ordered all of us to preach in Europe and America. That was his strong desire. His other desire was that we all work together to preach. I didn’t waste a single moment. I tried my best, and to some extent it has been successful.” His voice was choked with emotion as he continued to speak: “If we can work conjointly, then, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu declared, this sankirtana movement has great possibilities.”
Then he told me, “I want you to help take care of my disciples. I want them to be good and qualified devotees. If they come to you, please care for them.” Many of his disciples were nearby, so he softly whispered in Bengali, “When I went to the
West, I caught so many monkeys in my net. Really, they are very expert in quarrelling among themselves like that. They are still very young and untrained. So I request you that after my departure you will help them in every respect.” Considering the implications of this order from my siksa guru, I hesitated. Then he grasped both of my hands in his own, looked deeply into my eyes and asked me to promise to help. Therefore I agreed, saying, “I promise that according to my ability and my bhaktisiddhanta-tattva (understanding of the conclusive statements of bhakti), I will always be ready to help them as you request.”…
After this Srila Swami Maharaja told me, “I pray to you that you will put me into my samadhi with your own hand. I don’t want to take samadhi from anyone else’s hands. I think you are the proper person.”

Note: Srila Prabhupada departed from this world in 1977. Srila Gurudeva put him in samadhi as per his wishes. The samadhi is in Sri Krsna Balarama mandira in Sri Vrindavana dhama.

Gurudeva's Preaching

Our Gurudeva has taken it upon himself to fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire and order to him to guide his followers. Here he speaks about the three purposes of his preaching in the West.

• My mission in the western countries has three purposes. First, I want to take the dust from Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja`s lotus feet by going to the places he preached in Europe and here in America... When he came he was penniless, singing Sri Krsna Caitanya and Hare Krsna, Hare Rama on the streets. He wrote me from there, and I sent him the books he wanted, as well as many pairs of deities of Gaura-Nityananda Prabhu and Radha-Krishna. I also sent him karatalas, mrdangas and many other paraphernalia.
• Second, I have come here to give his message to the entire world. He has planted the seeds and they have some what grown, but they are lacking water. Srila Swami Maharaja has given me that water, which is his hari-katha, and according to my ability I am carrying this water everywhere.
• The third purpose of my travelling is to help the sincere devotees who are unhappy due to long-term lack of good association.

MY MESSAGE IS ONE WITH HIS

All our gurus are one in sddhantha (philosophical conclusions). Srila Gurudeva explains...

Srila Swami Maharaja has written everything in his books. I am not saying anything new. Everything that I speak is coming directly and exclusively from the authentic literatures of our acaryas... One Vaisnava can never be exactly the same as another. All details of expression cannot be identically the same; there must
be some difference. Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are not exactly the same. Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami are in the same line but are not completely the same. The leaves of any tree, like a mango tree,
are not all the same; there must be some difference. So we are also in the family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and therefore we are included in the same tree. It cannot be said that there is any real difference between us, since we are in the same bona-fide disciplic tree...
I am bound to serve Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja in these ways, because he is not only my siksa guru, he is also my bosom friend... From my heart, I care for all of his followers who try to carry out his orders and spread Krsna consciousness.

Srila Gurudeva’s Prayer

I am begging all of the Vaisnavas to be sympathetic to my attempt to serve the lotus feet and mission of our beloved Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. He has kindly given me the opportunity to serve him, and I am offering my heartfelt puspanjali (heartfelt offering) at his lotus feet.

- compiled by Suchitra devi dasi from the following books: Their Lasting Relationship, Letters from America, and My Siksa Guru and Priya Bandhu.

Please refer to these books to read more about their loving relationship. Click here to download pdf. versions.