Contents:
- Surrender to Krishna
- The Early Days
- The Prediction Unfolds
- Revival of Krishna Consciousness
Surrender to Krishna -
"The best thing will be to depend on Krishna. That will be your test on how much faith you have in Him. And that is why you will have to read the scriptures and when you read the scriptures what you will get to know? How Krishna always protects his devotees. If Krishna protects all those who take shelter of him then the best recourse is to take shelter of Him at the time of difficulty. Therefore, best thing to do is to depend on the Lord. He will take care." -H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami
Srila Prabhupada, Vrndavana, November 3, 1972
"So six advantages. These are the immediate result of taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress. There is a song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: mānasa deha geha yo kichu mora, arpilūn tuyā pade nanda-kiśora. The purport of this song is when we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā, then we get relief from all kinds of anxieties. This is very simple to understand. Everyone is, in the material world, here, everyone is full of anxieties. That is the nature of material existence. One after another, problems. So if somebody says, assures, that "You just depend on me. I take charge of all your problems," how much relief you will feel. Just imagine. So an ordinary man, if some ordinary human being says (to) a friend that "Don't worry. I shall take charge of your all affairs. Don't worry," so we may doubt an ordinary man, because we know the capacity of an ordinary man. But when Kṛṣṇa says that "I take charge of you," then how much relief you should feel. Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary man. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, the Supreme Personalty of Godhead. He's Yogeśvara. He's the Absolute Truth. So when He assures that "I take charge of you...," ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), gives assurance that "I shall get you liberated, delivered, from the reaction of all sinful activities..."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was a very special personality in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu because Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur revived the Krishna consciousness movement. The teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had been revived by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. Prior to Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings were practically lost. Soon after Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s disappearance within about two hundred years Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings practically became lost and they were covered over by all kinds of "apa sampradaya" and the situation was so bad at that time that people did not want to culture educated people did not want to have anything to do with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu because there was so much misconception prevailed at the time in the name of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu like all kinds of people they started to present their nonsensical practices and ideas in the name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Because Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was famous so they thought that if they presented as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings then it will be accepted by and recognized by people and another problem at that time was that at that time there were no books. Very few books were there. There were no written documents. It was just from hearsay that they would - the books were there but the books were not readily available. Yes, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings are there elaborately in Goswami literatures, in Chaitanya Charitamrta, in Chaitanya Bhagavat, in Bhakti Ratnakar but those books were not available. Not like today. Those days there was no printing press. Books were written by hand. So how many copies were available? Very few. So in this way Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings were not known to the common people. They knew that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a very famous person.
Many people knew that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead but what is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings? They didn’t know. And so it is around that time, almost two hundred years ago that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur appeared and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur started to spread Krishna consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Thakur was a very brilliant person he came from a very exalted family.
We know that the city of Calcutta was established by the British in two villages. First the British built a fort, Fort William. In order to build that fort the British acquired two villages. Those two villages were known as Shutanati and Govindpur. Now this Govindpur village actually belonged to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s ancestors.
They were the landlords, they were the Zamindaars of that village. And when the British wanted to have that land to build their fort then Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s ancestors moved from Govindapur to Hathkhola. And from that time that family was known as the Dutta family of Hathkhola, a very aristocratic family. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s father, Anand Mohan Dutta was married to the daughter of a very big landlord, the zamindaar of Veernagar. The palace is still there. You can imagine, two hundred years ago, there was a such a beautiful structure. The palace and the people used to come from distant places to look at that palace. But unfortunately Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur lost his father at a very young age. When he was eleven years old he lost his father and he was brought up in the family of his grandfather, maternal grandfather. That zamindaar family, in Veernagar which is near Krishnanagar. It is between Krishnanagar and Ranaghat. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was eleven years old when his father left this planet. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur actually started his schooling at the age of five in that area of Veernagar, in the house of his maternal grandfather.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur used to go to Krishnanagar. They were sent to a school in Krishnanagar but then his health became very bad so he was brought back to Veernagar. He was a very brilliant person, a very brilliant student. He was like a shrutidhar. He used to hear just once and he would remember. And it has been described that at the age of ten he became expert in so many subjects, like astrology. He knew Ramayan and Mahabharat. He studied Ramayan and Mahabharat at a very young age and he also had a lot of questions about God, material nature, our existence in this material nature.
Another very sweet incidence was (that) children used to like to go to the garden, go to the bagicha and take (eat) mango and jamun, banana. As a child he used to be afraid to go to the garden, to the mango groves because there was nobody at that time. So one day he asked one of the maidservants, who was the storekeeper of his grandfather’s house.
The maidservant said that if we chant the name of Ram then the ghost will run away. So Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur took that very seriously and he started to chant Ram naam as a young boy. As a five year old boy, he fearlessly started to chant and eat mango in the garden. And in this way he taught his friends also to chant Rama to overcome any fear of a ghost. I don’t know about this part of India but in Bengal it is very common practice. Whenever as a child we are afraid of a ghost we are told to chant Rama and literally ghosts run away. But personalities like Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur I am sure made the ghosts also chant Ram naam.
The Early Days
After finishing his school Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur went to Calcutta to study in the college and he was the student of a very famous reformer and educationist Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar. Ishwarchand Vidyasagar is the legendary personality in the educational field and Bhaktivinoda Thakur was his student. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur once saw that Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar wrote a book for children called Varnaparichay. Varnaparichay means remembering the identity of letters to learn, a book for alphabets and things for children, very simple things, educational concepts for children. There is a (piece of) writing Ishwarchand Vidyasagar wrote just one line – “Ishwar niraakaar Chaitanya Swarup”. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is “niraakaar” - doesn’t have any form. He is only consciousness. Brahma Sarvam Khalvidam (Upanishad).
So Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur questioned Vidyasagar - did you write that after seeing Ishwar or did you just write it like that based on your mental concoction? Vidyasagar was actually an honest person and he said that he didn’t know. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur convinced him that Ishwar is not niraakaar. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is a person and Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar accepted that and it was retracted and that line was taken out from the book.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is also very closely associated to the family of Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore‘s family was a very exalted family, Jorasanko Thakur Bari. They were a very exalted family, a very wealthy family. They had their Zamindari, their estates in various parts. Mostly, their Zamindari was in Bangladesh which was East Bengal at that time. There was no Bangladesh, rather it was East Bengal. Even after the division it was known as East Bengal. And their eldest brother was Dwijendranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore’s elder brother and Bhaktivinoda Thakur was very close and he used to call him “bado dada”, elder brother. They had very close association. In this way we can see that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur in his young days associated with many great personalities of that time. After completing his studies Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur got job as head master in a place called Chhuti Govindapur, in Orissa.
Then, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur again went back to Calcutta and he completed his (studies in) law. He studied law there and he got a job as the deputy registrar and then he eventually he was promoted to the position of a deputy magistrate. So that was a very exalted position. Deputy magistrate was like a king at that time in the British Raj. Of course they were ruling but the deputy magistrate was a very exalted position and around that time. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur came in contact with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Prior to that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was sympathetic to the Brahma Samaj but when he came across Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings in Chaitanya Charitamrita, he saw how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave the highest spiritual understanding. Then Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur actually rejected the Brahma - his allegiance to the Brahma Samaj and he became follower of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
He then wrote commentary on Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Bhagavat and he started to print those books. And this is how Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur started the revival of Krishna Consciousness movement as early as in 1894.
More than hundred years ago when India was under British domination Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur wrote a book called - The Life and Precepts of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And another book called Bhagawat. Those books were sent to different universities around the world and in that book - in the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Bhaktivinoda Thakur mentioned that a time will come when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu‘s sankirtan movement will spread all over the world and all religions of this world will become united under the banner of Sri Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtan movement.
The Prediction Unfolds
It was an inconceivable prediction at that time. Who could even think of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. People did not even know Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu even in Bengal, even in India. Very few people like Bhaktivinoda Thakur were following Mahaprabhu’s teachings. So at a time like that to say that this Sankirtan movement will spread all over the world - isn’t it an amazing thing?
And why was he so convinced? Because he saw in Chaitanya Charitamrita. It says that in every town and village of the world it will happen. So just by reading that book Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur developed the conviction that yes -it will happen. And seeing how sublime, how profound Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings are, so Bhaktivinoda Thakur naturally recognized that yes - this is the real religion and all the religions will come under the banner of this religion because this is The Religion, Dharma. So naturally all the religions will come and merge in this religion and will become one, united under the banner of this teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Like Srila Prabhupada also, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur also did not have any doubt that this Krishna consciousness movement will spread in every town and village.
Prabhupada did not have any doubt. Similarly, we should not have any doubt that how difficult the task maybe. We should have the full conviction that Krishna consciousness movement will spread in every town and village.
Actually now we are in a much better situation because we have seen how Prabhupada spread it all over the world. For Prabhupada it must have been very difficult. Although he had the conviction but there was no proof. At least in front of us there is proof, so our conviction is founded now. But with Bhaktivinoda Thakur it was a very different situation. In Abhay Charan we actually portrayed that some Englishman questioned Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur - how could you say that? Do you really mean that this will spread all over the world? Then Bhaktivinoda Thakur said - yes it will because Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is The Supreme Personality of Godhead and when He says that it will happen it must happen. Whether you and I accept it or not doesn’t matter because The Supreme Personality of Godhead has said it, it is bound to happen. And in this way some of the Englishmen became convinced of Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s teachings. In this way we later on found out how Bhaktivinoda Thakur dedicated himself completely in Krishna consciousness.
Revival of Krishna Consciousness
He was a Deputy Magistrate but he was so committed to Krishna consciousness that he would just finish all his work by three o clock. Generally a responsible position like that they generally have a back log they cannot finish their daily work and they have to work either late or they have to take work home but Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur used to finish his work by three o clock and used to leave the office. So his superior asked him - you are leaving the office so early? So Bhaktivinoda Thakur asked - do you want me to just stay in the office until five o clock or you want me to finish the job? What you think? So the person naturally said – yes, I want you to finish the job. He said - if I finish my job by three o clock why should I sit in the office? And the superior asked that he finishes all the (work) by three o clock before he leaves. He said yes. He came to Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s chamber and he saw there was no pending work. Whereas all the other people were struggling to get their job done during the office hours.
In this way Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur used to do his job as an officer of the British Government but at that time his heart was in spreading Krishna consciousness. He used to read and write. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur I once saw his schedule - he used to go to bed early at nine o clock and then he would get up at about twelve o clock and he would start writing. Srila Prabhupada also used to do that. He used to go to bed by eight thirty nine o clock get up at eleven o clock and work through the night and sometimes he would take a little rest around five o clock and then Prabhupada used to go for a morning walk. Then he used to come back at seven o clock. And to consider Bhaktivinoda Thakur wrote so many books and so many poetries Gitavali, Sharanagati - such beautiful writings, beautiful poetical writings. "Amara jivana, sada pape rata, nahiko punyera lesha"
Sankrit songs -
yadi te hari-pāda-saroja-sudhārasa-pāna-paraḿ hṛdayaḿ satatam
parihṛtya gṛhaḿ kali-bhāva-mayaḿ
bhaja godruma-kānana-kuñja-vidhum
dhana-yauvana-jīvana-rājya-sukhaḿ
nahi nityam anukṣaṇa-nāśa-param
tyaja grāmya-kathā-sakalaḿ viphalaḿ
bhaja godruma-kānana-kuñja-vidhum
And his English writing was so brilliant -
"Alas, for those who spend their days
In festive mirth and joy.
The dazzling, deadly, liquid forms
Their hearts fore'er employ.
The shining bottles charm their eyes
And draw their heart's embrace;
The slaves of wine can never rise
From what we call disgrace."
So out of this book in Bengali, this much is Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s writing. At least one third first is Prarthana then Sharangati, Gitavali, Gitamala. Gitamala has some very interesting songs - Baul songs. Bauls are actually “apa sampradaya”.There are thirteen apa Sampradayas. What are those aaul, baul, lera, leri, karta bhaja, sukhidehi, sakhi bekhi, chudadhari, gaura-nagari, jati goshai, smarta. So these are all apa sampradayas.
The Baul songs are very popular in Bengal. They have a thing called “deho tattva” that this deho, this body - through the body you have to understand Radha Krishna’s love affair, loving relationship. It is very degraded, very low class. But there they sing. They have special way of singing, special way of singing. So Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur wrote Baul songs alo. “bāul bāul' bolche sabe, hocche bāul kon janā.” The word “baul” actually means one who is completely free from material attachments. And one due to his love for Krishna, developing his love for Krishna, he has become free from all material attachments. And his activities are like a madman. So Bhaktivinoda Thakur is saying - bāul bāul' bolche sabe, hocche bāul kon janā. He is speaking about bāul bāul' - but who is becoming a bāul? You may claim that you are a “bāul”, but Advaita Acharya used that expression bāul ke boliyo, gadhe nabhikai choul” - bāul means a pure devotee. When one becomes a pure devotee he becomes an Avadhoot. So that is the situation of a bāul. So therefore he is saying bāul bāul' bolche sabe, hocche bāul kon janā? Who is becoming a Baul? Dāḍi-cūḍā dekhiye (o bhāi) korche jīvake vañcanā. You are simply cheating the people by showing your long beard, chuda - your long hair tied in a tuft on top of your head. Deha-tattva—jaḍer tattva, tā’te ki chāḍāy māyār gartta - your “deho tattva” and mundane philosophy, will deliver one from the holes of material existence?
“Cidānanda paramārtha, jānte to tāy pārbe nā” - You will not be able to understand the transcendental reality through that effort. Jadi bāul cāo re ho’te, tabe calo dharma-pathe - if you want to be really bāul stay on the path of dharma.
Yoṣit-sańga sarva-mate chāḍo re maner vāsanā - and give up the association of women, give up the desire for association of women. veśa-bhūṣā-rańga jata, chāḍi’ nāme hao re rata - all your external dress and everything - give that up and become attached to the Holy Name.
Nitāi-cāńder anugata, hao chāḍi’ sab durvāsanā - become a follower of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, giving up all your “durvasana” - the wicked thoughts. nām vinā to’ su-sambala, cāńda-bāul ār dekhe nā – “cāńda-bāul” he is identifying himself as “cāńda-bāul”. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur - he is saying that “cāńda-bāul” - no other way but the Holy Name of The Lord.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was a very brilliant person. He was known as the seventh Goswami. Goswamis of Vrindavan, they wrote books to establish Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings and they also retrieved the places of Krishna’s pastimes. Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami with other Goswamis - that was their main occupation. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told them to write books and rediscover the lupta tirthas places of Krishna's pastimes. Bhaktivinoda Thakur also wrote many many books to establish Krishna consciousness and he also rediscovered Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s places of pastimes - Mayapur, Nabadwip was lost but Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur rediscovered them. It is by his mercy that we can actually see those places.