Prior to joining the maṭha full-time, Śrīla Gosvāmī Mahārāja (then known as Śrī Atulacandra Bandopādhyāya) worked for Indian Railways, which provided him with a stable residence. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda once visited and stayed there for three days in 1921. As a result of his divine association during that three-day visit, Śrī Atulacandra Bandopādhyāya decided to dedicate his life to serving the l...

When Śrīla Advaita Ācārya offered the 'śrāddha-pātra' (offering of oblations to the forefathers) to Nāmācārya Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura expressed some inhibition, “You belong to the society of brāhmaṇas and by this act of offering me the 'śrāddha-pātra' [Endnote 2], all will blaspheme you and this I cannot bear.” Śrīla Advaita Ācārya replied, “I will conduct myself in line with the op...

Today is Vasanta Pañcamī, the beginning of spring season. Today onwards, they will stop offering warm clothes to Lord Jagannātha. Today also happens to be the appearance day of Śrīmati Viṣṇupriyā Devī (Mahāprabhu’s śaktī), Śrī Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī and Śrī Raghunandana Ṭhākura along with the celebration of Sarasvatī-pūjā. Additionally, it is the disappearance day of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravart...

While Śrīla Bhakti Śaraṇa Śānta Mahārāja was constructing his maṭha in Māyāpura, he was residing in our maṭha. His specialty was that he would nurture small children, cultivating them spiritually, by teaching them how to perform bhajana. Upon being trained nicely however, some other devotees would later adopt the readily trained young devotees [to serve at their respective maṭhas]. Śrīla Śānta Mahārāja would never become u...

Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhānasa Gosvāmī Mahārāja appeared in this world in Baḍagaḍa-grāma, a village in the Gañjām district of Orissa, on the day of Kṛṣṇa Pratipadā during the month of Kārtika. He was born in an elite brāhmaṇa family, and his parents gave him the name Śrī Ujjvaleśvara Ratha. For generations, his forefathers had reverently carried out the momentous role of serving as royal priests for the king of Baḍag...

Pūjyapāda Mahārāja was naturally resplendent with the multitude of attributes found in Vaiṣṇavas, but in recalling his simple-hearted, amiable dealings and his sweetly peaceful presence, my heart becomes especially overwhelmed. After the disappearance of our most worshipful Prabhupāda, he bestowed sannyāsa to many of his prominent godbrothers, such as Śrīmad Bhakti-Dayita Mādhava Mahārāja (the founder of Śrī Caitanya Gauḍī...

Today we are remembering pūjyapāda Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja. Nara means ‘human being,’ and ayaṇa means ‘shelter,’ and therefore when the sāstras mention the name Nārāyaṇa, it refers to a personality who is the true shelter of all living entities. Pūjyapāda Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja was like my satīrtha (godbrother). In his early days, when he was staying in Mathurā, we were once sitting together. I told him, “Mahārāja, bec...

Today is Pujyapāda Trivikram Mahārāja's appearance day. Both the appearance day and disappearance day of a Vaiṣṇava are auspicious. This is because both these days bring their remembrance, which is auspicious for us. But when they reveal their glories through their actions, only then we can follow their appearance and disappearance day. Otherwise, we wouldn't know anything. Who can know them if they don't rev...

Just see Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura’s sayutha niṣṭhā (niṣṭhā for his guru-varga). Does anyone ordinarily speak like this, with so much resoluteness? But Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura did. On one hand, Vaiṣṇavas are causelessly merciful even to the caṇḍālas and on the other they are not even willing to see the face of anyone who is averse to Nityānanda. This is simply niṣṭhā in Nityānanda and we can get such niṣṭhā only by hearing of their...

Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī settled in a village called Cāṁpāhāṭī. It is known as the Śrīpāṭa of Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī. We pay our respects there during the Navadvīpa parikramā. Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī would make garlands using campaka flowers and offer them to his worshipable Deity, Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava.

Today is Pūjyapāda Bhakti Vaibhava Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s tirobhāva tithi. Although he appeared in a lineage of high-class kavirājas (expert Ayurvedic doctor), he chose to become a maṭha-vāsī. He took sannyāsa from Pūjyapāda Bhakti Sarvasva Giri Gosvāmī Mahārāja at Āśrama Mahārāja’s bhajana-kuṭīra in Māyāpura. UNFAILING COMMITMENT TO BRINGING PRASĀDA Śrīla Mahārāja used to stay in the Kovūra Maṭha and each time we would...

Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was serving the Lord in the form of a śālagrāma. Upon seeing the śṛṅgāra of Rādhā Govinda-deva of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Madana-mohana of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī lamented within his mind, “I have a śālagrāma. So there is no provision to do any śṛṅgāra.” When he thought thus, that night itself, the Deity form of Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa appeared out of that śālagrāma. Bhagavān...

Just after his marriage, Śrīla Rāmacandra Kavirāja was following in a grand procession wherein people praised the couple for appearing as beautiful as Indra-Indrāṇi or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. However, when Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya saw [the procession], instead of praising the couple he became highly afflicted, thinking of the bridegroom becoming entangled in the material world. Realizing this, Śrīla Rāmacandra Kavirāja [the bridegr...

Śrīla Santa Gosvāmī Mahārāja used to say, “I am not the master of anything or anyone. I am only a servant. As long as my godbrothers accept my service, I will give it. Should they no longer be interested in receiving it, I will see who will give me shelter and stay over there.” A few of his teachings The following are a few of Śrīla Santa Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s teachings that left an indelible impression on my heart: In ord...

Bhagavān engages His devotee in service in order to bestow His mercy. Is He bereft of anything? Does He feel hungry? Even though Bhagavān is pūrṇa vastu (complete in Himself), He is hungry for the love of His devotees. To manifest the love of Jagadīśa Paṇḍita for Him and proclaim it to the world, Lord Jagannātha requested Jagadīśa Paṇḍita to take Him along and serve Him. He willingly left a place where He was getting multi...