Acarya Kesari His Life and Teachings (Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami)

About the Book

The life of Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja exemplified the lofty principles he taught, and thus he is known as acarya. Just as a lion (kesari) is gentle with her cubs and ferocious with those who may harm them, he was affectionate with those who sincerely aspired for Truth and roared like a lion when erroneous philosophy threatened their safe passage to the spiritual world.

This biography not only describes his glorious life, spotless character and courageous preaching but it also details his lucid and penetrating delivery of Gaudiya philosophy. It depicts the qualities of a true acarya, who with his every breath demonstrated the pinnacle of loyalty to guru and who resolutely protected the tenets of his disciplic lineage for the benefit of the souls of this world.

About the Author

The sole measure of spiritual advancement is wholesale dedication to one's bona fide guru. Nothing else. Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja was the perfect embodiment of such devotion. From the time of his first meeting with his gurudeva in 1946, he rendered him personal service and took responsibility for his mission. Moreover, he fully imbibed his guru's teachings on the Absolute Truth and meticulously practised them in every aspect of his life.

His spiritual potency was acknowledged by Gaudiya Vaisnavas the world over, and he is revered as an ideal servant of guru who can in turn guide all living beings. This book is an insight into his absorption in his gurudeva's transcendental words and deeds.

Introduction

(translated from the Hindi edition)

Today I am most pleased that we have published the biography of paramaradhua nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, along with his tattva-siddhanta, or philosophical conceptions and instructions. There was a great need for this important book to be published.

At the present the preaching of harinama- sankirtana is increasing everywhere by the efforts of the disciples and grand-disciples of jagad-guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. Sri Sacinandana Gaurahari, resplendent with the bhava of Sri Radha, is the most magnanimous form of Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna. To fulfil His long-lost desire, the Seventh Gosvami, Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, re- established the flow of bhagirathi- bhakti, just as Bhagiratha Maharaja brought Bhagirathi Ganga to Earth. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura predicted that the mahapurusa Srila Prabhupada and all his followers would be responsible for spreading Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's visuddha- bhakti. supremely pure devotion and harinama- sankirtana throughout the entire world. My most worshipful Srila Gurupada-padma was especially favoured by Srila Prabhupada and consequently he dedicated his every breath to fulfil his guru's innermost desire. In this regard he received all kinds of help from many of his godbrothers. among whom Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja is foremost. Sri Srimad Bhakti Prainana Kesava Gosvami awarded sannyasa to Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja. In this way he encouraged and inspired him to become an outstanding world preacher of suddha-bhakti and nama-sankirtana in modern times.

By my gurudeva's causeless compassion and inspiration. I am also making a slight endeavour to fulfil his innermost desire by preaching the message of Gaurasundara throughout the world. Any success I am achieving is only due to his unique mercy. as I am an insignificant person in all respects. Seeing this all faithful people at home and abroad are very eager to learn about the divine supra-mundane character. life-story and speciality of the conceptions of the mahapurusa Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Cosvami. These people have repeatedly requested me to publish his biography. Many of my respectable godbrothers have also requested me to do this. but I had to postpone the project because I was busy with other service. and I also had some problems with my health.

Thirteen years ago, in 1985, my godbrother pujyapada parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, who is the President and acarya of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and devoted to transcendental knowledge, compiled in Bengali Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami. which is an account of his life, tattva- siddhanta and teachings. This book is based on paramaradhyatama Srila Gurupada- padma's articles, essays, poems and writings, which were published in the daily Nadiya- prakasa; and the weekly and monthly Sri Gaudiya and Sri Gaudiya-patrika. In this book he has very briefly described Srila Gurupada-padma's supra-mundane life story and the speciality of his conceptions. This is extremely beneficial for those who speak Bengali, but does not benefit the vast numbers of faithful people who speak Hindi. Its absence has been a source of distress for a long time. I pray at the lotus feet of my godbrothers and especially at the lotus feet of Srila Gurupada- padma, who is an ocean of compassion, to infuse the necessary power in my heart to be able to successfully present his life story in Hindi.

I had the grand opportunity to stay with Srila Gurupada-padma and personally perform all kinds of seva from 1945 until 1968 when he entered aprokata-lila. I travelled extensively with him and heard his lectures, his debates on sastra with opposing parties, his discussions, and questions and answers, and kept notes on all of these. I was never silent; I was always discussing different topics with him and with great humility enquiring about deep and confidential subjects. I recorded all these in my notebook, and they have been inscribed in my heart. These exchanges with him proved very useful for me.

While we were living in Sri Uddharana Gaudiya Matha in Chunchura, we repeatedly requested Srila Gurudeva's younger brother, Sri Pulina Vihari Guhathakurta, to write a booklet about Srila Gurudeva's life beginning with his childhood until the time he joined the matha. This he did, and on the request of our godbrothers, Sri Yaminikanta dasa (MEBT), Jirata High School's very able principal, wrote Srila Gurudeva's biography in Bengali poetry based on this booklet. Sri Yaminikanta dasa also included some details about Srila Gurudeva's life in Caitanya Matha and the later inauguration of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. Pujyapada Vamana Maharajait took help from this for his biography on Srila Gurudeva. These books are primary materials for this present edition, together with my own notebook and memories. I personally heard from Srila Gurudeva's mouth the many incidents from his own life and from the lives of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja and Sri Vamsidasa Babaji Maharaja. I have divided Srila Gurudeva's biography into eight parts. The faithful readers may carefully read the different subject matters in this book and judge the results for themselves.

My humble prayer at Srila Gurupada-padma's lotus feet is that he may shower abundant kindness upon all who helped bring forward this valuable book and engage them in his confidential service.

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