Appearance of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja
- vanamadhuryamofficial
- Mar 1, 2021
- 15 min read
Updated: Mar 7
Earlier today, during the katha (narrations of pastimes), I spoke about Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja’s life history and contributions, which I will now continue. He is known as Acharya Kesari. And, kesari means lion. One of his many special contributions was that he manifested Radha-Vinodа-bihari vigraha (deity form of Lord) and also composed Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda-bihari-tattvashtaka— proving how Krishna feels pangs of separation from Srimati Radhika.
rādhā-cintā-niveśenayasya kāntir vilopitā śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇ̣aṁ vanderādhāliṅgita-vigraham
Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda-bihari-tattvashtaka
by Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja
[I worship the lotus feet of that form of Sri Krishna who, by being absorbed in the anxious thought of Srimati Radharani, has assumed Her golden feature.]
In our midday katha, I mentioned how Vinoda-bihari Brahmachari established this conception. Why did he establish Krishna’s white complexion? Because Krishna has to feel separation from Sri Radha. This is important. And there is also manjari-seva (service by intimate maidservants of Srimati Radhika); Manjaris want to chastise Krishna. Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja also composed mangala-arati (pre-dawn ceremonial worship of the Lord).
Actually, what is mangala-arati? This is a very confidential topic. It is remembrance of the nishanta-lilas (pastimes at the end of night). Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja collected these philosophies; all of the madhurya (sweetness) moods from Govinda-lilamrita grantha and Sri Krishna-bhavanamrita grantha, the highest scripture. And every day, early in the morning, we sing this song of mangala-arati. However, many do not know the deeper meaning.
(1)
mańgala śrī guru-gaura mańgala mūratimańgala śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇa-yugala-pīriti
[All glories to the auspicious forms of sri guru and Sri Gaura. All glories to the divine amorous love of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.]
(2)
mańgala niśānta-līlā mańgala udayemańgala ārati jāge bhakata-hṛdaye
[All glories to Their nishanta-lila, which awakens all-auspiciousness. All glories to Their arati ceremony, which awakens within the hearts of the devotees.]
(3)
tomāra nidrāya jīva nidrita dharāyatava jāgaraṇe viśva jāgarita haya
[During Your slumber, the jivas remain sleeping in this world, but upon Your rising, the whole world awakens.]
(4)
śubha dṛṣṭi kara ebe (prabhu) jagatera pratijāguka hṛdaye mora sumańgalā rati
[O Lord! Bestow Your beneficent glance upon the world, just now.
May that most auspicious rati awaken in my heart.]
Sri Mangala-arati
by Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja
First, you must understand the meaning of arati, which we do every day. Arati does not just mean offering ghee (clarified butter) lamps or incense, this is simply an external meaning. What is the deeper meaning of arati? A - means direct, rati - means deep attachment towards Radha and Krishna. If you have deep attachment, then you will always remember Them. If you have a deep attachment towards someone, you will not be able to sleep. You will always think, “When will I meet with him?” If you are deeply attached to someone, your mind will always contemplate on how to meet with him. This is the symptom of rati, deep attachment.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave this example:
para-vyasaninī nārī
vyagrāpi gṛha-karmasu
tad evāsvādayaty antar
nava-saṅga-rasāyanam
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya 1.211)
[If a woman is attached to a man other than her husband, she will appear very busy in carrying out her household affairs, but within her heart she is always relishing feelings of association with her paramour.]
There is a woman who is in love with another person. Despite performing her household duties very nicely, no one actually knows her heart. In her mind, she is always thinking of her lover. She does not tell anyone, keeping everything in her heart. She is always thinking, “How will I meet with him?” ‘Vyagrāpi gṛha-karmasu’ — she very eagerly performs her household duties. Externally, she is doing this very nicely, but no one can truly understand her heart.
Here [in Brazil], it can be very difficult to understand these types of people. Here, one very easily says, “My enamorado [‘lover’ in Portuguese]. Enamorado, my girlfriend or my boyfriend.” These words are easily used here. The culture here is different, it may not be easy for many to understand. In India, the culture is especially strict. One cannot say these words, “My boyfriend or my girlfriend.” You just cannot say this. Do you understand? Thus, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is saying, “Para-vyasaninī nārī vyagrāpi gṛha-karmasu tad evāsvādayaty antar nava-saṅga-rasāyanam.” Still, in her mind, she is thinking about her beloved.
Why am I saying this? Because actually in mangala-arati, the mood found there is the highest, parakiya-bhava (an amorous relationship outside of marriage). Radha-Krishna’s paramour mood is actually found inside mangala-arati. We are all singing this, but we cannot truly understand its deepest and highest meaning.
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja was a great philosopher, he was Vedantic and simultaneously, a rasika-acharya (one who teaches by example how to relish ecstatic transcendental mellows). For this regard, he composed Mangala-arati. Generally, we see that philosophers do not want to enter rasa-madhurya. Because, what does philosophy mean?
Logic, philosopher’s minds are always absorbed with logic, and those who are rasika and spontaneous, do not enter into deep philosophy. Except, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja was simultaneously both a philosopher and a rasika-acharya. When he would go preaching, his hari-katha (narrations of pastimes of Lord) was similar to the roaring of a lion. He was a high class speaker and spoke very loudly and boldly, and always spoke the truth, satyam.
Once, he was preaching in Assam; most people there worshipped one person, Hankanadev. They even thought that this man, Hankanadev, was Bhagavan. Now, it is Kali-yuga, so everybody there was very speculative and actually worshipped Hankanadev as Bhagavan.
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja boldly preached against sahajiya (imitators), sakhi-bhekhi (those who think they can enjoy spiritual conjugal love with this gross body) and other apasampradayas (false sects), and especially preached against the Ramakrishna Mission. Bengalis especially like the Ramakrishna Mission because mundane people, karmis (one who performs karma in accordance with Vedic injunctions), like to perform karma (activity performed in the course of material existence). This morning, I mentioned how they give donations, like khichdi donations when floods come. Do you understand what khichdi is? They mix rice, dal (pulses) and then distribute it. They will say, “Take this. Poor people, take this khichdi.”
In the Ramakrishna Mission they also consume eggs. Many people do not consider eggs as part of the vegetarian diet. In Western countries, many think the same. You may ask someone, “Hey, are you vegetarian?” They reply, “Yes, I am completely vegetarian.” Then you ask, “Are you eating fish?” They reply, “Yes, fish and eggs, but I am not eating meat.” Others may say, “I am not eating red meat. I am only eating white meat.” I do not know which is white meat and which is red meat. What is red meat? (Gurudeva asks the audience) (Devotees answer: “Cow meat is red. Chicken meat, fish meat is white.”) Why not black? (Devotees laugh and answer: “After cooking it becomes this white colour.”) Haribol. Ha, many people are also saying, “Maharaja, I want to take harinama (holy names of the Lord).” Then I ask them, “Ok, are you eating meat?” “No, no I don’t eat red meat, I only eat white meat,” they reply. White meat, red meat— what is the difference? Then, another person is saying, “I am vegetarian.” Once, I asked them, “What do you eat?” They said, or “I am not eating meat or fish. But I eat eggs.” Is this vegetarian?
As mentioned, in the Ramakrishna Mission they consume eggs. For this reason, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja boldly declared, “They are a poultry mission. Ramakrishna Mission is a poultry mission.” Do you understand what he meant by poultry? Chicken— they are a chicken mission as they consume eggs. They are saying, “You can do whatever you please. In the end, all of you will still reach the same destination. Whether you worship Kali, Shiva or Durga, all of you will attain the same place, there is no problem.” Except, these are their false speculations— there is no evidence supporting this in our shastras (scriptures). In Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says:
yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
Bhagavad-gita (9.25)
[Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.]
If you worship a particular demigod, when you leave your body you will go to the place of that particular demigod. If you worship the Sun-god— where will you go? You will go to the place of the Sun-god. In this verse, Gita very clearly explains, ‘yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ’. Where will you go if you worship your forefathers? To Pitriloka— the place of your forefathers.
‘Bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā’. One who worships, bhutas, ghosts— where will they go? They will go where ghosts reside. You may also become a ghost and you may have to stay there. However, what did Bhagavan Krishna say? “Mad-yājino ’pi mām…One who worships Me…” Where will you go if you worship Krishna? You will go to Krishnaloka. This is the simplest way of understanding. So, what are the differences between going to Krishnaloka, the place of Krishna or going to the residence of the Sun-god? These places are not the same. Even if you perform many kinds of charity or offer many donations, you will only attain a heavenly abode, Svargaloka. And again, you will have to return to this material world.
te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁkṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti[evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannāgatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante]
Bhagavad-gita (9.21)
[When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death.]
Bhagavad-gita states that after a certain amount of time, those who attain heavenly abodes, must again return to this material world. Yet, if you attain Krishnaloka [you will never come back]:
[na tad bhāsayate sūryona śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ]yad gatvā na nivartantetad dhāma paramaṁ mama
Bhagavad-gita (15.6)
[That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.]
Krishna clearly says, “One who attains My abode, Vaikuntha-dhama or Goloka Vrindavana, will never come back to this material world.” However, some Vaishnavas still state, “O, we fall down from Vaikuntha.” How can this be possible? Srila Gour Govinda Svami Maharaja very boldly spoke against this philosophy. He would say, “The jiva (living entity) never falls down from Vaikunthaloka.” Krishna says, “Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama.” How do we establish this? Here, we have a very powerful speaker, Gour Govinda Maharaja and he said, “No. Jivas never fall down from Vaikuntha-dhama.” First, read Bhagavad-gita, then, you will understand.
So, in the Ramakrishna Mission, Bharata Sevashrama said these types of things, “Oh, you can go to any place. Then, all of you will be mixed together.” But, you cannot all go to the same place. Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja clarified it with the following example. When you write a letter, you write an address on the envelope, and then you place the envelope in the post box. Next, that letter goes to the main post office. Then, the letters will be delivered according to the address written on the letter. If one writes London as the address on the envelope— where will it go? To London in the UK. That post will not go to America. After you place that letter in your post box, the postman takes them all to the central post office and they will distribute them accordingly. The mail is sent to wherever it is addressed.
In the same way, if you worship demigods or demigoddesses— how will you possibly attain Goloka Vrindavana? This is a very easy way to understand this concept. Yet, in the Ramakrishna Mission they still proclaim, “No, all of you attain the same place.” How is it possible for all of you to attain the same place? What is the true philosophy? ‘Mahājano ‘yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ.’ What is the real path? You have to follow the path of mahajanas (spiritual authorities). A question may arise— who can be called a mahajana? Mahajanas mean great, exalted persons. In our shastras, the names of the twelve mahajanas are described. Is your name there or not? Who are the twelve mahajanas?
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.20)
[Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Shiva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhishma, Bali Maharaja, Shukadeva Gosvami and I myself.]
Here, it is very clearly explained which personalities are the twelve mahajanas, dvadasha mahajanas. Prahlada Maharaja, Svayambhu, Narada, Shambhu, etc. First, there is Brahmaji, then Svayambhu, Narada and Shambhu. Shambhu is Shivaji, after him comes the four Kumaras, Kapila and Manu. The four Kumaras, and Kapiladeva— who is Bhagavan. Now comes Manu, who composed the Manu-samhita grantha. Prahlada Maharaja is also a mahajana. Janaka Rishi, Bali Maharaja, Bhishma, and Yama Maharaja— who is the presiding deity of death, is also a mahajana. These are the twelve mahajanas, as stated in our scriptures.
You must follow the footsteps of these twelve mahajanas, and always follow the instructions of mahajanas. The Upanishads state: ‘mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ’. What is the highest path? Follow the path of a mahajana as they are maha-bhagavatas (pure devotees of Bhagavan in the highest stage of devotional life). Brahmaji is in our guru-parampara (system of disciplic succession). And Rudra sampradaya’s original acharya is Lord Shiva.
There are four Vaishnava sampradayas. First, you must learn this. They are Sri, Brahma, Rudra and Sanaka sampradaya. As said, the original acharya in the Rudra sampradaya is Lord Shiva. In the Sri sampradaya, the original acharya is Lakshmi-devi and Brahmaji is the original acharya of the Brahma sampradaya and Sanaka sampradaya’s original acharyas were the Four Kumaras. In our parampara of rasika-acharyas, who is the topmost mahajana? In our Gaudiya sampradaya, the topmost mahajana is Srila Rupa Gosvamipada. Srila Sanatana Gosvamipada is also a mahajana, as well as Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and those names in our guru-parampara are also known as mahajanas. Thus, always follow the footsteps of Sri Rupa Gosvami— rupanuga-bhajana.
śrī-rūpa-mañjarī-pada, sei mora sampada, sei mor bhajana-pūjana
Sri-rupa-manjari-pada
by Narottama dasa Thakura
[The lotus feet of Sri Rupa Manjari are my treasure. They are [the sole object of] my bhajana and worship.]
Narottama dasa Thakura sang this song. Always follow the footsteps of Sri Rupa Gosvami or Rupa Manjari — ‘Rupa anugatya bhajana’. You must perform your bhajana and sadhana (spiritual practises) under the guidance of Rupa Gosvami.
Why am I saying this? Because they are called mahajanas, and in the Ramakrishna Mission, they do not know this philosophy. Hence, Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja boldly preached against the Ramakrishna Mission and other apasapmpradays. Because of his preaching, they became very angry with him. Still, he boldly preached against one of their preachers. Swami Vivekananda who, at the time, was a world famous speaker. He travelled to America, to the city of Chicago and even became famous all over the world. What did he say in Chicago that made him become world famous? He said, “It is better to play football than to give water to Tulasi.” He would say, “Health is wealth. So, if you play football, your health will be good. But, if you offer water to Tulasi, what benefit will you receive?” If you play football, your body will be very nice. However, one day, will you die or not?” Tulasi is transcendental. If you worship Tulasi, krishna-bhakti (devotional service to Sri Krishna) will manifest in your heart. If you tell karmis, “Yes, play football. Health is wealth,” they will surely applaud loudly and proclaim, “Yes! What you are saying, this is good.” This is because karmis want karma-kanda (the dharma of mundane piety). Everything he said went against what is stated in our shastras— Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads.
What are most Western people? They are complete atheists. This is why Srila Svami Maharaja’s pranama-mantra says:
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-taleśrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāminenamas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇenirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja Pranati
[I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Chaitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.]
And what does pashchatya-desha mean? Western countries. What are most Western countries? Nirvisheshavadi and shunyavadi; most of them there are atheists. They do not believe that God has a transcendental form. Or they are called shunyavadi. Shunyavadi means they believe everything is zero. Actually, those who believe this are called Buddhists. Try to understand these things.
So, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja preached against the Ramakrishna Mission and Swami Vivekananda. For these reasons, they became very angry with him. But, he did not care, he still preached very boldly and proclaimed, “They are not called the Ramakrishna Mission. They are called the murgi mission, that is, the poultry or chicken mission.” They believe that if you do not eat eggs, you will become very skinny as you will not consume sufficient vitamins. They say you have to eat eggs and meat. However, there is no need for this.
Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja preached these things, which caused some to become angry with him. If you speak the truth, asuras (demons) will become very angry with you. For this same reason, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada preached against sahajiyas and brahmanas and in return, they even tried to kill him.
Still, he did not care, and remained fixed in chanting the holy names.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
This is the Kali-yuga maha-mantra (greatest mantra composed of holy names). Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself told, “If you love Me, then everybody has to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.” Sahajiyas and sakhi-bhekhis are chanting, “Nitai, Gaura, Radhe Shyama, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama.” Except, this is not the maha-mantra.
In the maha-mantra, there are sixteen names and 32 syllables. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote many things against aulas, baulas, sahajiyas and sakhi-bhekhis. Many Westerners visit India only to imitate, and they are actually not doing anything. They actually do not know any real philosophy. They only take a rudraksha-mala and begin chanting. What are you chanting? Chant the holy names, but, chant the holy names with a tulasi-mala— not a rudraksha-mala. Some do not even go to India, they are only imitating things they see online.
There are naga sadhus and also many other sadhus, who are merely imitating. In Western countries, I have seen many people like this and I ask myself, “How do they know these things?” Really, they are only watching these things on the internet. Nowadays, it has become very easy to search for anything on the internet. They are simply copying, “Oh, this is good. I will also do this.” No, this is not good. You have to become a Vaishnava. You are a Vaishnava.
keha māne, keha nā māne, saba tāṅra dāsa[ye nā māne, tāra haya sei pāpe nāśa]
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Adi 6.85)
[Some accept Him whereas others do not, yet everyone is His servant. One who does not accept Him, however, will be ruined by his sinful activities.]
Whether you accept Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or not, you are still the servant of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, you are a servant of Krishna, you are a servant of Vishnu. ‘Jiva sarva-bhuta vaishnava’.
jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa[kṛṣṇera taṭasthā-śakti bhedābheda-prakāśa]
Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya 20.108)
[It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Krishna because he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.]
You are ‘krishnera nitya dasa’ not ‘shivera nitya dasa’, understand? If you understand— why do you chant the shiva-mantra? You must only chant krishna-nama.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
When I ask— why are you chanting shiva-nama? You will say, “Because I like to.” You like to? This is not good. A baby also likes many things. You must chant krishna-nama. ‘Harer nāma harer nāma, harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva...’ — in this Kali-yuga, there are no other processes to attain the Lord. One must receive harinama (initiation to chant Hare Krishna mantra) and chant the holy names.
You should enter deeply into philosophy, shastra-siddhanta. Learn one shloka. Which shloka? ‘Harer nāma harer nāma, harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva, nāsty eva gatir anyathā’. In this Kali-yuga, there are no other processes to attain the Lord. It is even repeated three times in this verse, ‘nasty eva, nasty eva, nāsty eva gatir anyathā’. Why do they say this— ‘harer nāma harer nāma, harer nāmaiva’? Three times they say, ‘harinama, harinama, harinama’.
Always chant the holy names. Do not imitate others. You may think, “Oh, this is very nice. This new thing is very good, I shall do the same.” No. Perform harinama and chant the maha-mantra. Chant the holy names, worship Radha and Krishna, worship Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and take maha-prasada (Lord’s food remnants), sattvika (mode of goodness) food only. Do not consume ganja, pan (betel nut), alcohol, eggs or meat. Also, do not eat onions or garlic. When you do, a bad smell emanates from your body, a very foul smell. Why am I saying this? Because Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja preached these things, which caused some to become angry with him. If you speak the truth, asuras will become very angry with you. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada preached against sahajiyas and brahmanas, and they even tried to kill him.
[Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Gosvami Maharaja ki jaya!]
Srila Gurudeva ki jaya!
[Bolo Vrindavana Bihari Lala ki jaya!]
[Gaura Premanande! Hari Haribol!]
[Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!]
Transcriber: Sanatana dasa (USA) Editor: Sanatana dasa (USA) Integrity check: Divya-premamayi devi dasi (Slovakia) Proofreader: Chandrika devi dasi (UK) Image: Narasimhananda dasa (Russia)
Date: 22 February 2019 Location: Brazil
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