From the Bengal writing of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaj
Prior to Srila Thakur’s preaching, the pure Vaisnava-dharma preached by Sriman Mahaprabhu had become so degraded, corrupted, and disordered by selfish persons that people considered Vaisnava-dharma to be extremely despicable, to be the dharma of detestably low-natured persons. People considered it to be the dharma of the auls, bauls, kartabhajas, sahajiyas, sakhi-bhekis, neda-nedis, and so on, and mocked it.
Yet by the appearance and endeavour of Srila Bhakti Vinod, Vaisnava-dharma became free from degradation, again self-manifested its pure nature as the dharma of the soul situated atop the heads of all other dharmas, and attained beauty like that of the newly risen shining sun in the sky of the world’s dharmas. All the virtuous souls understood that Vaisnava-dharma is the one and only pure (nirmal), effulgent (ujjvala), non-envious (nirmatsara), devotional and pleasing (‘bhakti-vinodan kari’) dharma of the self within which there is no duplicity or contamination. They understood that if all other dharmas are perfectly performed individually and collectively, then they will attain the beautiful position of stairs towards Vaisnava-dharma.
The dharma preached by Sriman Mahaprabhu can refute the misconceptions of so-called harmonisers of spirit and matter and reveal the one and only spiritual harmony of all dharmas. Thakur Mahasay substantiated this in his writing and endeavours. Actually, after Sriman Mahaprabhu and His associates, a second example of the way in which Thakur Mahasay protected the souls of this world from aversion to the Supreme Lord is extremely rare.
No one ever saw that Srila Thakur Mahasay fostered an envious mentality towards anyone at any time, yet he had not even a drop of hesitation to proclaim the impartial truth. He never indulged false devotion, non-devotional conceptions, or deceitful dharma in the name of devotion. His pen fearlessly and loudly declared the truth. He considered worldly fame (pratistha) comparable to pig stool. At that time, the greatest playwrights of Bengal specially requested Srila Thakur Mahasay to introduce a drama about Sri Gauranga but he refused, as he staunchly considered such matters adulterated. When a great yogi from Orissa who declared himself to be an Avatar of Mahavisnu was proceeding with his party from the peak of a mountain of the pig stool of pratistha down the road to hell and spreading thorns along the path of sanatan-dharma, Srila Thakur Mahasay strongly repressed him. When Thakur Mahasay organised a campaign to purify polluted holy places throughout India, droves of fallen, sinful, and sorrowful persons felt themselves to be fulfilled by touching his cooling lotus feet. How many more examples about him shall I give? By his touring India, numerous antithetical dharmas were abolished. It is not possible for me to even summarise his glory with all these examples.
Srila Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad in a few verses (and elsewhere in extended form) briefly revealed the secret identity of Thakur Mahasay. Thereby the learned understand his true identity. At the end of his Anubhasya on Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, Srila Prabhupad wrote:
tahara karuna-katha, madhava-bhajana-pratha
tulana nahika tribhuvane
tara sama anya keha, dhariya e nara-deha,
nahi dila krsna-prema-dhane
“There is no comparison within the three worlds to His merciful teachings of the practice of devotion to Krsna. No one has ever assumed a human form and distributed the wealth of Krishna-prema like him.
sei prabhu-sakti pai’, ebe ‘anubhasya’ gai’,
ihate amara kichchhu nai
yavat jivana rabe, tavat smariba bhave
nitya-kala sei pada chai
“Receiving his mercy, I now present this Anubhasya, within which there is nothing of my own. So long as I live, I will remember him within my heart. I eternally aspire for his feet.
In this world there is no comparison or substitute to Srila Bhakti Vinod’s unparalleled gift. In the world of literature also Thakur Mahasay’s unprecedented greatness has been and will be remembered always and everywhere. Today Thakur Mahasay’s published and unpublished jewel-like books—his books of aphorisms, hymns, songs, and lectures; his books about the Lord’s Pastimes and the science of rasa; his books of critical review, commentary, and interpretation; his books on theology, poetry, composition, and philosophy; and all his other noteworthy books—being further illuminated by the pleasing, serving light of Sri Chaitanya-Saraswati, have shown that they are non-different from the supremely compassionate Origin of all Avatars’ non-evil producing mercy in uplifting the souls in this world.
In a phrase, Srila Thakur Bhakti Vinod was the combined form of Svarup, Sanatan, Rupa, Raghunath, Ray Ramananda, Haridas, Sri Jiva, Krsnadas, and Narottam. This is because the fulfillment of all the Goswamis’ endeavours is seen within him in full form. In manifesting the Dham, in restoring the lost holy places, in writing spiritual books, in establishing the truths of devotion, in renunciation, in philosophical analysis, in preaching about the Lord, and in the Pastimes of delivering souls through Hari-nam-sankirtan—the fortunate souls who saw the glory of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur’s extraordinary ability in all fields rolled about at his feet.
He appeared on today’s date. Thus this day is also supremely worshippable, desirable, and merciful. I have no gift with which I worship this great day, but You are all great devotees. May you all mercifully grant me the qualification to worship this holy day. By your mercy, may earnest prayer for Srila Bhakti Vinod Prabhu’s mercy awaken within me, may I be gloriously adorned, internally and externally, with the kirtan prescribed by Sri Gaura, and may I be engaged in the service of Sri Vinod-Saraswati’s followers eternally. This is my prayer.
vanchha-kalpa-tarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah
“I eternally offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord’s devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy, and wish-fulfilling trees.”
About Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinod Thakur
