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Hare Krishna Mandir Ahmedabad
Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

The Seventh Goswami, pioneer of the modern Krishna consciousness movement

Also known as Bhaktivinoda Thakura

See the paramparaAll acharyas
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Appearance2 September 1838Birnagar (Ula), Nadia, West Bengal
Disappearance23 June 1914Bhakti Bhavan, Calcutta
SampradayaBrahma-Madhva-GaudiyaThe disciplic line this acharya belongs to
CategoryModern AcharyasMore in this category

Magistrate, author and acharya who revived Lord Chaitanya's movement, discovered His birthplace at Mayapur, and sent His teachings to the West.

Biography

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (1838-1914), born Kedarnath Datta at Birnagar (Ula) in Nadia, revived Lord Chaitanya's movement when its pure teachings had nearly been lost. While serving as a deputy magistrate and raising a large family, he wrote over a hundred books, songs and essays explaining the philosophy of Mahaprabhu and the Goswamis, including Jaiva Dharma, Sri Chaitanya Shikshamrita and Harinama Chintamani. With Jagannatha Dasa Babaji he identified Mahaprabhu's birthplace at Mayapur. He organised the nama-hatta preaching programme and first sent Lord Chaitanya's teachings to the West. He was the instructing guru of Gaura Kishora Dasa Babaji and the father of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, through whom his mission spread worldwide. On 23 June 1914 he entered the Lord's eternal pastimes at Bhakti Bhavan in Calcutta; his samadhi is at Godruma, Navadvip.

Born Kedarnath Datta to Ananda-chandra Datta and Jagat-mohini Devi, he faced many hardships in youth and studied in Calcutta. He worked as a teacher in Odisha and then rose to deputy magistrate, serving in many districts. In Puri he stopped the false incarnation Bisakisen, and in Narail he began his great literary output. From 1885 his Chaitanya Press at Bhakti Bhavan published the Goswamis' works, and his magazine Sajjana-toshani spread their message. After retiring in 1894 he worshipped at Svananda-sukhada-kunja in Godruma and preached the nama-hatta throughout Bengal. In 1896 his Sri Gauranga-smarana-mangala reached McGill University in Canada.

Teachings

The holy name is the essence of Lord Chaitanya's teachings; Mahaprabhu's message is for all humanity; and a devotee is to be recognised by devotion, not by caste or outward dress.

Qualities

Scholarship, Purity, Tireless preaching, Humility, Exemplary householder life

Timeline

  1. 1838

    2 September 1838

    Appearance

    Birnagar (Ula), Nadia

    Born to Ananda-chandra Datta and Jagat-mohini Devi.

  2. 1866

    5 February 1866

    Appointed Deputy Magistrate

    Chapra

    Began his career as a government magistrate.

  3. 1874

    Writes Datta-kaustubha

    Puri

    Composed 104 Sanskrit verses on Vaishnava philosophy.

  4. 1881

    Begins Sajjana-toshani

    Calcutta

    Launched his Bengali spiritual journal.

  5. 1886

    Literary outpouring and Vishva Vaishnava Sabha

    Calcutta

    Published the Gita with Rasika-ranjana and founded the Sabha.

  6. 1888

    Discovers Lord Chaitanya's birthplace

    Mayapur

    Identified the Yogapitha as the Lord's birthsite.

  7. 1894

    October 1894

    Retires from government service

    Calcutta

    Devoted himself fully to preaching.

  8. 1895

    21 March 1895

    Deity installation at the Yogapitha

    Mayapur

    A grand installation ceremony was held on Gaura Purnima.

  9. 1896

    Sends Lord Chaitanya's teachings West

    Calcutta

    Sri Gauranga-smarana-mangala reached McGill University.

  10. 1910

    Enters seclusion

    Bhakti Bhavan, Calcutta

    Withdrew into uninterrupted bhajana.

  11. 1914

    23 June 1914

    Disappearance

    Bhakti Bhavan, Calcutta

    Departed at noon; his samadhi is at Godruma, Navadvip.

Lineage

Gurus and predecessors

Disciples and successors

Books

  • Datta-kaustubha

    1874

    A Sanskrit work of 104 verses on Vaishnava philosophy.

  • Kalyana-kalpataru

    1880

    A book of Bengali devotional songs.

  • Sajjana-toshani (magazine)

    1881

    His Bengali spiritual journal.

  • Bhagavad-gita with Rasika-ranjana

    1886

    Edition with Vishvanatha Chakravarti's commentary and his own.

  • Amrita-pravaha-bhashya

    1886

    Commentary on Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita.

  • Bhagavad-gita with Vidvad-ranjana

    1891

    Edition with Baladeva Vidyabhushana's Gita-bhushana and his own commentary.

  • Sriman Mahaprabhur Shiksha

    1892

    The teachings of Lord Chaitanya in eleven chapters.

  • Tattva-viveka

    1893

    A comparison of Vaishnava philosophy with other systems.

  • Vedarka-didhiti

    1894

    Sanskrit commentary on Sri Ishopanishad.

  • Sri Gauranga-smarana-mangala

    1896

    Sent to universities in the West; found at McGill University.

  • Brahma-samhita with Prakashini

    1897

    Translation and commentary on the fifth chapter of Brahma-samhita.

  • Navadvipa-bhava-taranga

    1899

    168 verses on the holy places of Navadvip.

  • Harinama-chintamani

    1900

    Haridasa Thakura's teachings on the holy name.

  • Bhagavatarka-marichi-mala

    1901

    Selected verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam arranged by topic.

  • Bhajana-rahasya

    1902

    A supplement to Harinama-chintamani.

  • Sva-niyama-dvadashakam

    1907

    Twelve verses of self-imposed vows; his last known work.

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