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This biographical essay edited by
His Holiness
Sri Srimad Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Gosvami Maharaja
The readers of this book may naturally be eager to know something about the
celebrated author. The author does not require any introduction, but I feel it
necessary to say a few words about him. Kedaranath, who was subsequently known
for his pre-eminence in the Vaishnava World as Thakur Bhakti Vinode, was born in
1838 in a well known aristrocratic family who were the owners of Govindpur, the
present site of Fort William of Calcutta. Kedaranath in his fourteenth year was
admitted in a Hindu Charitable Institution in Calcutta where he studied for four
years during which period he began to write and compose articles and poems in
English. During these days, Kedaranath used to write articles for "Hindu
intelligence", a very famous newspaper edited by his relation Kaliprasad Ghosh,
a well known person in the reamed society of Calcutta. He studied the works of
Addison and Edward Young under Rev. Greaves. He studied the works of Carlyle,
William Hazlitt, Jeffery, Macaulay and published his many English poems in the
Library Gazette. Mrs. Locke admired very much his poem
"Poriyed."
Kedaranath entered the Hindu School as a student of the first class in 1856 when
the University of Calcutta was just established. The late Mr. Satyendranath
Tagore, the first Indian l.C.S. brother of the poet Rabindra Nath Tagore,
Ganendra Nath Tagore and Kesava Sen, afterwards the famous Brahma Samaj leaders
were his school friends. Kedaranath wrote his first part of his English book
"Poriyed" in 1856. He soon published his two other volumes. Rev. Duff highly
praised it and asked him to compose such poems dealing with the Zamindars'
oppression and torture of their tenants. He came in close contact with Rev. duff
and Mr. George Thompson who taught him how to become an effective orator. Mr.
Thompson told him that he used to deliver lectures to the com fields on his way
from his house to the Parliament. He was the most intimate friend of Dwijendra
Nath Tagore, elder brother of his class friend Satyendra Nath Tagore. He studied
the works of Kant, Goethe, Hizel, Swedenburg, Schopenhuer, Hume Voltaire and
others with Dwijendra Nath. At that time Kedaranath used to lecture in the
literary meetings. His friend Sir Tarak Nath Palit who bore all expenses for the
establishment of Science College, Calcutta persuaded him to lecture before the
British Indian society of pro British Zamindars of Bengal which many Europeans
attended. At the next meeting of the said society he read his dramatic rendering
of Vital Pancha Vingsati which was followed by a heated discussion.
Kedaranath studied the works of Brahma movement after having come in contact
with his friend Dwijendra Nath, Satyendra Nath and others of the Tagore family
who were the leaders and guides of the said Movement. He had very frequent
discussions with Rev. Duff at whose direction he studied the Bible and other
Christian books.
Now he occupied himself in studying the religious books. He deeply read the
works of Mr. Channing and the controversy between Raja Ram Mohan and the
Christian Missionaries.He read the koran. He deeply read the works of Theodore
Parker, Newman and others. He frankly admits in his biography that he preferred
Christianity to Brahmoism on account of clear admission regarding the
transcendence of God head and spiritual function. He was always in favour of one
God, never liked the F;ahma system of worship. But he never ceased his
discussion with Dwijendra Nath. He remarked in his biography that if I had any
friend of my heart among mankind, it was Dwijendra Nath. This was the time of
Sepoy Mutiny. He discussed it with the editor of Tattava Bodhini and the great
Pandit Baneswar Tarkalankar.
He went to Chutimangalpur in the district of Bhadruk in Orissa where his
grandmother and grandfather were living. They inherited some landed property
there from Raja Rajballav.Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar was his great pattem.
In 1860, he wrote his "Maths of Orissa" in English. His next work was his
Bijangram written in Bengali blank verse. This is the first work ever written
and published in blank verse in the history of Bengali language and literature.
It is not correct to say that Michael Madhusudan Dutta was the inventor of the
blank verse in Bengali.
First he started his life as a school teacher and soon he entered into the
executive services and became the Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector at
Chapra in 1866, at the age of 28. Here he reamed "Urdu" and "Persia" under a
Munsi. He wrote his Valedi Registry in Urdu. In March 1868, he was appointed
Deputy Magistrate at Dinajpur.
Here in Dinajpur he came in contact with Vaishnavism, which was prevalent there
under the patronage of Raya Saheb Kamala Lochana, the great Zamindar of
Dinajpur, who was the descendant of Ramananda Vasu, an ardent follower of Sri
Chaitanya. He made the acquaintance with many Vaishnavas. Here he secured the
printed Chaitanya Charitamrita, and the Bengali translation of the Bhagavata;
also copy of Bhaktamala. On first reading the Chaitanya Charita, he fommed a
high opinion of Sri Chaitanya and began to regard Sri Chaitanya as God and was
seriously engaged in this study of Sri Chaitanya's religion in the company of
the Vaishnavas at Dinajpur. Now Kedaranath became an out and out Vaishnava. He
deeply studied the literature of Brahmoism, Christianity and Islam. He made a
comparative study of Vaishnavism with reference to other religions, but he found
the perfect consummation of his own taught in Vaishnavism. He was next
transferred to Champran for a few months, and later posted at Puri. Now his
devotion to Sri Chaitanya grew very intense.
He came to Puri with his family, taking with him his two very favourate books,
Sri Chaitanya Charita and the Bhagavata. He was happy for having been posted at
Puri where his God, Sri Chaitanya had spent so many years. His stay at Puri gave
a great impetus to his religious feeling for Vaishnavism. He appointed one
Gopinatha Pandita u.nth whom he studied the whole of the Bhagavata with its
commentary by Sridhara Swami. Two other Pandits named Hariharadasa and
Markandeya Mahapatra who studied the Nyaya and Vedanta in NavadvIpa and Benares
began to study the Bhagavata a',ong with him Kedaranath leamt Sanskrit grammar
and literature under the great Isvara Chandra Vidyasagara, Dwijendra Nath Tagore
and others during his school days in Calcutta. He continued his study of
Sanskrit all through. Having finished the Bhagavata he studied Jiva Goswami's
Sadsandarbha, Baladeva Vidyabhusana's Govinda Bhasya, Prameyaratnavali, Rupa's
Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu and Hari Bhaktikalpalatika, and others which he could
secure from the library of the Raja of Puri. Now he mastered the philosophy of
Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Here he finished his Sanskrit book "Datta Kaustubha" and
began his famous Sanskrit work 'Sri Krishna Samhita'. The latter is
philosophical, on Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy.
Besides these many other works were composed during this time. Now he started a
class for teaching the Bhagavata. He formed a society styled the Bhagavata
Samsad, in the Jagannatha Vallabha Garden, for the study and culture of the
Bhagavata All the principle Vaishnava leaders were impressed with his reaming
and religious fervour. He was in charge of Jagannatha temple on behalf of the
Govemment. He started another society called Vidvat Sabha for promoting the
study of Bhakti literature. He came in contact with a very great Vaishnava saint
named Svarupadasa. He was a great ascetic and wholly devoted to God. Kedaranath
had high regard for him. Everyday Kedaranath used to hold a conference at the
Jagannatha temple and discussed various doctrinal aspects of Vaishnavism. He
stayed at Puri for five years.
From Puri he was posted at different places in Bengal and he visited principal
places of pilgrimages of the Vaishnavas. He was stationed in the Narail in the
District of Jessore in 1878. He became very popular in the subdivision as a
great Vaishnava Magistrate. Many Kirtana singers used to come to him entertain
him with their songs. Here he published his Krishna Samhita in 1889 and Kalyan
Kalpataru, a collection of his own Pada poems, in 1880. Krishna Samhita was
highly praised throughout the country. Sir Reinhold Rest of the India Office,
London, has written the following remarks on it "By presenting Krishna's
character and His worship in a more sublime and transcendent light than has
hithert o been the custom to regard him in, you have rendered an essential
service to your coreligionists, and no one would have taken more delight in your
work than my departed friend Goldstucker, the sincerest and most zealous
advocate the Hindus ever had in Europe, " Dated 16th April 1880.
Here at Narail he was initiated by Sri Bipin Vihari Goswami. He adopted all
Vaishnava practices in its strictest fomm. Now he resolved to interest the
educated people in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. With this purpose in view he started a
Bengali monthly called Sajjana Tosani dealing with Vaishnava religion. It was
the first Vaishnava newspaper. After stay for three years at Narail for a period
of three years he made a pilgrimage to Allahabad, Ayodhya, Benares, Vrindavana
and so on. At Vrindabana he met the famous Jaganathadasa Babaji, the head of the
Gaudiya Vaishnavas. He subsequently became the religious guide of Kedaranatha
and helped him in his misionary activities. The late Sarada Charana Mitter who
afterwards became a judge of the Calcutta High Court, brought for him a good
collection of the manuscripts of Vaishnava books of which Viswanath
Chakravarti's commentaries on the Bhagavata and the Gita were particularly
mentionable.
Now he decided to take up the preaching of the Gaudiya doctrine in earnest. He
founded a printing press known as Vaishnava Depository. Philosophical books of
the Vaishnavas were in Sanskrit. He undertook to place before the educated
public the system of Gaudlya Vaishnava philosophy in a simple and popular form.
He possessed a style that was easy, invigorating, cheerful lucid and uniform,
and enriched with fresh store house of Sanskrit and adopted to Bengali in a
natural way. The Bengali language in his hands has thus been improved as a very
powerful vehicle for the conveyance of the sublimes" and most highly
philosophical truths of religion, with an ease and precision that makes his
works highly interesting and at the same time perfectly intelligible to the most
ordinary reader.
His famous work 'Sri Chaitanya Siksamrita' evidences his perfect assimilation of
the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy in relation to others systems of a different
school. It is one of the most important books, which established his name as an
authority on the Gaudiya Philosophy. Subsequently he also published the Gita
with its commentary by Viswanatha Chakravarty and his own Bengali commentary
called Rasikaranjana and another important book Gunaraja Khan's ' Krishna
Vijaya.' Many educated men both Brahmanas and Kayasthas became his disciples.
When he was commanded by his God in a dream to render his service to Navadvipa,
the Birth place of Sri Chaitanya, which had fallen into oblivion. Kedaranath was
transferred to Krishnagar as a Sub Divisional Magistrate. He came to Krishnagar
with joyous hope to seek the place where his beloved God, Sri Chaitanya, had
been bom. When he was at Puri, he secured Narahari
Chakravarti's'Bhaktiratnakara', and Paramananda Dasa's book which greatly helped
him in his archaeological investigation.
While at Krishnagar, one night, thinking deeply on the site of B.rth place of
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on the roof of his residence in Navadvipa he is said to
have seen in a vision a luminous building towards the north east. He was filled
with wonder. The next moming he asked for the particulars of the place from
which the vision had appeared to him. He was told that the ruins of the Ballal's
palace are to be found there. He went to the place with such topographical
accounts old maps and other data, as he could gather for his investigations. On
enquiry he leamt from the local people that it was the Birth place of Sri
Chaitanya. They pointed out an extensive mound covered with Tulasi plants as the
actual site of the house of Sri Chaitanya. They added that they used to point
out from generation to generation. It was a blissful moment when he realised
that he had at last succeeded in his attempt which had cost him so much anxiety.
Thakura Bhakti Vinode then composed his famous Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya in
praise of every place within the circle of Navadvipa. It was published in the
same year.
He established 'Sri Navadvipa Dham Pracharini Sabha' 1894 with the Ruling Prince
of Tripura as its President and under the auspices of the Sabha Temple was
established at the birth site of the Lord at Yogapith and maintained the seva
puja and periodical festivals of the Deities Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Sri
Mayapur and developed the place. Now Sri Mayapur has became a town of temples
attracting thousands and thousands of pilgrims from different parts of India and
abroad. Thakur Bhakti Vinode by his personality, writings and preaching captured
the imagination of the educated people of Bengal. He interested the educated
section of the society in Vaishnava religion. Thakur Bhakti Vinode was a
voluminous writer. He never failed in meeting the demand of educated public for
its literature. The Goswamis of Vrindaban conferred on him the title of 'Bhakti
Vinode' in recognizing his unprecedented service to the cause of Vaishnavism.
The title of the book 'Jaiva Dharma' indicated that it deals with religion or
the essential and natural characteristics of the individual souls. The human
beings consist of soul which is pure 'chit' or spirit and a physical body of
five elements viz. earth, water, fire, air and ether into which it is dissolved
and a subtle body composed of Mana (mind), Buddhi (intellect) and Ahankar (ego).
The soul of the beings is part of 'Over Soul', or the absolute, called Bhagavan
Jiva soul is neither born nor dead, nor having shall it again cease to be,
unborn, unchanging, eternal, this ancient of days is not killed when the body is
killed. It is inseparable part and parcel of God. Compare the sun and sun's rays
to God and jiva souls. As we cannot think of the sun without the rays nor the
rays without the sun, so we cannot think of God without jiva souls or the jiva
soul without God. The difference betwen the two is that one is Brihat viz.
great, nothing greater nor equal to God while the soul is tiny and atomic. The
cloud may intercept and obstruct, the rays when coming to earth but the cloud
cannot cover the sun. Maya may intercept, jivas from God, but m aye cannot cover
God. It is well established in Vaishnava Philosophy that both God and the
individual souls are distinct entities jivas are plural coexisting in the
absolute.
In this book the author brings out the relation between God and nature of the
spirit of a man, not in abstract but the relation between the two when unfolded
or when the individual souls are released from the clutches of rnaya, they are
immediately attracted to Bhaga~an in pure consciousness coupled with bliss. The
relation between the two will continue forever, the liberated individual will
continue to maintain its individuality to perform and participate in Leela. In
Vaishnavism the indididual is not absorbed but remains distinguished. According
to the Advaitavada of Sankaracharya Individuality is Upadhic or conditioned and
liberation means the absorption of individuality in absolute consciousness but
according to the Vaishnava thought both God and the individual will remain
distinct and bound together in Prema or Love. Thakur Bhakti Vinode brings out
the relationship between God and individuals to be romantic as opposed to
Shankarite mukti putting an end to the individual.
Following the great Gtla this book was started in the form of a dialogue between
a Vaishnava who has transcended the Vamashrama and a Sanyasi well versed in all
scriptures. The Sanyasi puts question by way of Pariprasna and the Vaishnava
gives answers. The questions and answers cover the whole range of Vaishnava
doctrine following a process started from Sraddha or just a faith in (Sod to
ultimate realisation of objects viz. Prema by which the individuals serve God in
blissful co existence. The author profusely quotes verses and passa~ges from the
vast store house of Scripture in support of his narration. The readers of this
book will have clear conception of the fundamentals of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, its
Philosophy and Upasana.
I can say without any fear of contradiction that each book of Thakur Bhakti
Vinode is a thesis for a doctorate. The language of Thakur Bhakti Vinode whether
English, Bengali or Sanskrit, is simple, direct and easily intelligible. The
treatment of the difficult philosophical problems is that of a master mind. His
intention was to represent the Gaudiya Vaishnavism in its real perspective to
the public in a way which will be intelligible to them. Each and every word of
Thakur Bhakti Vinode is really readable with profit.
To the devotees of Sri Bhagavan the Supreme Lord Thakur Bhakti Vinode was a
personal and etemal devotee of Sri Bhagavan, appearing in a human form in
obedience to his Lord's happy Will of pumping off the stagnant and insalubrious
waters of the channel of pure devotion, casting of the dregs and thus putting a
stop to the decay of righteousness and exaltation of unrighteousness, whereby
the real devotees are protected and apparent ones disappeared.
Thakur Bhakti Vinode, was indefatigable in the practice of Suddha Sanatana
Dharma taught by Mahaprabhu and was no less strenuously occupied in the work of
restoration of the worship of God at holy sites and the establishment of
congregational and individual religious life in the country. But at the same
time he was aware that his mission also to expound to the whole world the
teachings of Sri Mahaprabhu which had been and is still misunderstood by people
in this country and elsewhere. He found that the people had practically no
knowledge of the monumental works of the associates and the most illustrious
followers of Mahaprabhu. The very existence of many of those works was unknown.
Those who gave themselves out to be followers of Mahaprabhu mistook ignorance of
the scriptures for devotion and selfish enjoyment for love of God. The educated
people had very little practice of religion in any form. The mass and expecially
women were addicted to Smarta ritualistic practices, the object of which was the
attainment of selfish enjoyments. The Pandits were mostly either supporters of
such fruitive ceremonies or believers in an abstract form of God devoid of all
spiritual pastimes, this latter being the bequest of Godless Buddhism and the
teaching of Shankaracharya. Scepticism among the educated classes coupled with
the prevalence of Polytheistic or Neutralistic attitudes were prevalent.
"Himself practicing the dharma. Lord Sri Chaitanya teaches jiva that if one does
not practice dharma himself, he cannot teach it to others." The career of
Mahaprabhu embodying the teachings of all the scriptures was the subject that
Thakur Bhakti Vinode placed before the people of Bengal in clear and simple
language and with a wealth of reaming and depth of spiritual insight that make
his numerous works a part and parcel of the scriptures of all countries,
explaining in minutes" detail, and in unambiguous language, the only true
religion of all jivas. They deserve to rank with the immortal works of Thakur
Vrindabandas and of Kaviraj Goswami as Scriptures of the suddha Sanatana Dharma.
With the object of dispelling ignorance of the principles of suddha Sanatana
Dharma, Thakur Bhakti Vinode applied himself to publish systematically important
authoritative works dealing with the teachings of Mahaprabhu with exhaustive
explanatory notes in Bengali. A few of these publications may be mentioned here:
In 1880 he published Sri Krishna Samhita in Sanskrit with the most learned
introductions, Appendix and Translation in Bengali. In 1886 he published the
Gita with commentaries of Srila Viswanath Chakravarti Thakur and his own
annotation 'Rasik Ranjan' in Bengali, in 1891. Srimad Bhagavat Gita with
commentaries of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusan and his Bengali annotation (Vidvat
Ranjan). In 1894, Ishopanishad with his Bengali annotation ( Vidvat Ranjan). In
1895 Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita with his 'Amritapravaha Bhashya' in Bengali. In
1897 Sri Brahma Samhita with his Bengali annotation in 'Prakashani'. In 1898,
Sri Krishna Karnamrita with his Bengali annotation. In the same year Sri
Upadeshamritam by Sri Rupa Goswami with his Bengali annotation "Piyushavarshini
Vritti" and Sri Brihat Bhagavatamritam by Sri Sanatana Goswami with his
annotations in Sanskrit and Bengali. In 1901, Sri Bhagavatarka marichimala. In
1904, edited Satkriyasardipika, a Vaishnava Smriti by Srila Gopal Bhatta
Goswami.
This was supplemented by the publication of original works in Bengali prose and
verse. Some of the most important of them are in 1881, Kalyan Kalpataru; in 1886
Sri Chaitanya Sikshamrita, 1890 Sri Navadvipadhama Mahatmya, in 1892 Sri
Mahaprabhu and His Siksha; 1893 Sri Saranagati, Sokashatan, Jaiva dharma, in
1900, Sri Harinama Chintamani in 1902, Bhajan Rahasya. The Bengali religious
monthly 'The Sajjana Toshani' was started by him in 1879 and he continued to
edit the paper for seventeen years when it was made over to Sri Saraswati Thakur
who published thereafter. Besides these, Thakur Bhakti Vinode also wrote a
number of works in english, Sanskrit, Persian, Urdu and Hindi.
Thakur Bhakti Vinode possessed a style that is easy, invigorating, cheerful,
lucid and uniform and enriched with the fresh wealth of an ample vocabulary
called from the inexhaustible store house of Sanskrit and adapted into Bengali
language. In the hands of Thakur Bhakti Vinode the language has thus been
transformed into a powerful vehicle for the conveyance of the sublimes" and the
most highly philosophical truths of religion with an ease and precision that
makes his works highly interesting and at the same time perfectly intelligible
to even the most ordinary reader, including children.
Thakur Bhakti Vinode is the pioneer of the suddha Bhakti Movement that is at
present sweeping over the county. In his numerous literary works he has supplied
the golden key that unlocks the region of etemal Bliss to all jivas. The
teachings of Mahaprabhu give us the real meaning of the Scriptures, reconciling
all differences of opinion that trouble the world. In Mahaprabhu centers the
only hope of the future and present of all jivas. But the teachings of
Mahaprabhu were not grasped by people of this country and their real
significance passed long ago clean out of the memory of the nation. Thakur
Bhakti Vinode has made the eternal religion live again in his pages. Without his
help nobody at the present day can understand the teachings of Mahaprabhu or the
Absolute Truth. With his help the absolute Truth can be easily understood. The
absolute Truth alone can reconcile the otherwise erreconcilable differences and
discords of this world. It is universally recognised that the Truth is bound to
prevail over untruth in the long run. But even the Truth can only be grasped by
those whose minds are perfectly free and prepared to receive it when it actually
makes its appearance. But most of us are not ready to welcome the Truth for its
own sake. Thakur Bhakti Vinode tells us that a perfectly pure mind alone is fit
to receive the Truth. Perfect purity is not to be found in the world. It belongs
to Divinity alone and is imparted by divine Grace; and God often sends His own
beloved to convey His Grace to fallen jivas if only they submit to receive it
from him.
In this present work there is neither the scribbling of an imaginative pen nor
the produce of the hack writer's den, but the actual display of Thakur's eternal
and constant devotion. His own doings and sayings are but embodiments of these
precepts. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is his riches, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is his
property his all in all. This is a dictum of the comparative study of all the
thoughts of worldreligion and in which we find an end to all religious conflicts
and it culminates at the unparalleled and unprecedented Transcendental
devotionalism of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He has proved wonderfully and
brilliantly that attachment in the garb of perfect indifference, as is
characteristic in the monkeys, is detrimental to pure devotion and that this
world cannot obstruct the flow, and cloud the display of devotion in him who has
the good luck of gaining the graceful favours of a Sad-guru and surrendering
himself fully and sincerely to him. His boldness, strictness and stemness in
accepting and establishing real devotion and dispelling the apparent one are
rarely found.
Thakur was visible in this world from 1838 to 1914. In this span of seeming
birth and death all his activities were directed towards removing the etemal
distress of the human kind the etemal oblivion of the real blissful condition of
the soul and its consequent stuporous identity with the body and the mind and
weeding out the field of devotion, as a result of which the sham devotees are
being brought to book, and the real places of the birth and earlier pastimes of
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu have been brought to light. It was Thakur Bhakti Vinode
who located the holy birth site of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Sri Mayapur.
B.V. TIRTHA
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