Om Visnupada Sri Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja appeared on January 24th, 1898, Maghi Krishna Tritiya. He took birth in a respected and wealthy Vaishnava family in the renowned village of Vanaripada within the Varisala district of East Bengal (presently Bangladesa). Sri Gurudeva appeared in the form of a remarkable pine child, illuminating all the directions with light.

His father's name was Sriyut Saratcandra Guhathakurta and his mother's name was Sriyuta Bhuvanamohini Devi. Sriyut Saratcandra Guhathakurta was religious, truthful, munificent, humble and, above all, a bhakta of Sri Krishna. He regularly studied Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta and other devotional literature, and he daily practiced the various aspects of bhakti, such as harinama kirtana, japa, puja and meditation.

Sri Gurudeva's mother, Sriyuta Bhuvanamohini Devi, belonged to a family of landholders. She was respected as a wealthy and highly learned woman who was dedicated to morality, and was very serious and thoughtful. On one hand, Bhuvanamohini Devi was a veritable deity of motherly affection and compassion. On the other hand, she was a strict matriarch for her sons and subordinates.

Everyone became happy when the transcendental infant His maha-purusa (great soul) appeared in the home of this virtuous his and prosperous couple. The newly-born child had effulgent eyes and a beautiful physique endowed with all auspicious signs. This vision of his beauty enchanted the elder men and women of the neighborhood, inspiring them to praise and bless both the parents and the child. Seeing the baby's golden-toned limbs and splendorous, fair, moon-like face, people started to call him, 'Jona,' which is short for 'jyotsna' (moonbeam).

The renowned astrologers of the area were amazed upon seeing the auspicious astrological configurations, zodiac sign, naksatra, tithi, particular day and numbers in the chart, for the time of birth of this child. With great attention they advised Sri Sarat Babu to take special care of the child's upbringing. They prophesised to Sri Gurudeva's father, "Some day in the future this boy will be famous as a transcendental and brilliant rnaha-purusa. According to his horoscope, this boy will become bhakti-prajnana, an eminent scholar of bhakti scriptures. He will also be a brahmacari-sannyasi and an acarya. He will be brave, wealhy, renounced, a conqueror of the senses, tolerant, steady-mind, munificent and a topmost religious maha-purusa. He will have a tall, beautiful body possessing exquisite qualities."

The pandits and astrologers named the baby Sailendranatha Guhathakurta, but he was popularly known as Jona. The respected Sri Sarat Babu called his dear son Janardana. Later the boy became known as Vinodabihari. Seeing the astonishing transcendental beauty of her son and thinking it too good to true, Sriyuta Bhuvanamohini was constantly fearful that the boy would not remain alive for long. She always prayed intensely to the Lord to grant her son a long life.

In his boyhood our gurudeva was very close to his father, who was especially affectionate towards him. At that time the people of East Bengal were very religious, and there would always be readings from the Gita and Bhagavatam going on. Then the partition came, and it was as if the very heart of Bengal was torn out. From early childhood Gurudeva would grasp his father's finger and accompany him to religious programs, and if it was dark, he would sit on his father's shoulders. Thus religious philosophy became his interest. There is a Hindi proverb: "honahdra viravana ke hota cikane pata" which means that when a sapling will grow to be fruitful, its leaves are very big and beautiful. Coming events cast their shadow, and from his childhood the symptoms were there that he would become a great personality.

As he grew up, he spent most of his time in the company of a great mahatma who had an asrama in the village. There he would hear readings from the Gita Bhagavatam and Vedanta. When he was at school, at a very young age he started his own magazine, and its language was very literary. He was also an excellent speaker, and when he would speak in a large assembly, there would be no need of a loudspeaker.

At the age of only sixteen he was managing all the tenants on his father's land. He first came to the Caitanya Matha in Mayapura at that age, and desired to receive harinama and diksa from Prabhupada. Then for some time he returned to his home and went to college, but at the age of eighteen he returned to the matha with his aunt. She was a very scholarly lady, and together they would compose very beautiful poems and essays.

Once when they were conversing in Mayapura, Prabhupada said, "We will go on parikrama of the entire planet and establish one matha after the other. In England, America, and all of the holy places of India such as Haridwara, Prayaga, Vrindavana, Kasi and South India, preaching will go on." Then Guruji's aunt said, "You are seeing a very big dream! You are like the poor man who begged a torn bag from someone, placed it under his head, and fell asleep. While sleeping he dreamed, 'Oh, I am a millionaire! I am an emperor!' Who will see to all of this?" Prabhupada replied, "Vinoda will see to it."

After Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari received harinama initiation from Srila Prabhupada, he returned home and began his studies at Daulatpura College. From time to time he went to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada at Sridhama Mayapura, and there he listened to Srila Prabhupada's powerful hari-katha with faith and full concentration.

In those days, the college syllabus included a study of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. The teacher would try to explain the Bengali and Sanskrit verses of Caitanya-caritamrta in class, but he could not really fathom the complex text with its difficult philosophical points and elevated devotional sentiments. Sri Vinodabihari, however, understood the profound and complicated ideas of Caitanya-caritamrta and he readily explained them so that others could also understand. His erudition fascinated the other students as well as their teacher.

One day during the study of Caitanya-caritamrta, they were discussing Sri Sanatana-siksa, the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sri Sanatana Gosvami, and read the verse:

krsnera svarupa-vicara suna sanatana

advayajnana-tattva vraje vrajendra nandana

(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.152)

"O Sanatana, please hear about the eternal form of Sri Krishna. He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality, and He is present in Vrindavana as the son of Nanda Maharaja."

The teacher began to explain this sloka according to the doctrine of kevaladvaita-vada. This impersonal philosophy, which is quite opposed to the vaishnava philosophy, states that the parama-tattva, or the Supreme Truth, is brahma-tattva, or the impersonal, undifferentiated aspect of the Absolute.

When Sri Vinodabihari heard his teacher's interpretation, he firmly contradicted it with a sharp rebuttal. He explained that this understanding is completely imaginary, and that it also contradicts the teachings of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Vedanta-sutra. He then gave a beautiful explanation of the Sloka in Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta with evidence from the Vedas, the Upanisads and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The dean and professors were unable to explain this verse. Even in our sampradaya you will find very few devotees who can properly explain it. So our gurudeva would have philosophical discussions with them, and in the end he left that college saying, "Even the professors here understand nothing, so what will they teach me?"

After this Guru Maharaja began staying in the matha and did not return to his home again. He had all of the symptoms of a great personality on his body. His form was softer than butter, his arms extended down to his knees, and all auspicious signs were on his hands. He had "artist's fingers", very thin and long.

On the year 1919 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada gave diksa initiation to Vinodabihari at Yogapitha on Sri Gaura Purnima evening after the completion of the parikrama. After the diksa ceremony was over, Vinodabihari very humbly requested at his Guru's lotus feet that he should give him the guru-mantra. Until then Srila Prabhupada had not given guru-mantra to anyone. When Srila Prabhupada heard Vinodabihari's earnest request he became silent and began to reflect. Seeing him silent, brahmacariji asked again with ardent desire, "Is it necessary to obtain the guru-mantra and instruction on guru-seva from some other guru?" Hearing this, Prabhupada began to smile, and gave Vinodabihari the guru-mantra very affectionately. After this, Srila Prabhupada started to give the guru-mantra to others as well.

Srila Prabhupada had a transcendental rule that when anyone offered him pranama, he offered his greetings back by folding his hands and saying, daso 'smi: "I am your servant." Seeing such humble behaviour on the part of his Gurudeva, Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari always hid while offering him his pranama. Srila Prabhupada had another transcendental practice: he always addressed his disciples and others using the honorific 'ap' (you). But because he was so satisfied with Sri Vinodabihari's intimate service he would use 'ta', 'tui' (the most informal way of saying 'you') and other loving words to address him. Very few amongst Prabhupada's disciples received such good fortune.

In the house of his guru, Sri Vinodabihari became absorbed in his sadhana-bhajana, in studying devotional literature, and in his service in the matha. Even though he had come from an educated and respected family, he was completely without pride. His life was an example of the same strict vairagya (renunciation) that was practised by Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. For the service of Hari, Guru and Vaishnavas he performed even the most insignificant tasks in the matha with great enthusiasm. In bhakti-sadhana it is absolutely essential to perform all endeavours for the pleasure of Krishna and to give up all enjoyment for His satisfaction. His life perfectly illustrates these two considerations.

In the morning he would eat just a little simple rice with some salt and then go out and work hard collecting donations for the matha all day. He would collect one paisa from each person, rather than taking a large amount from anyone. He would go to places where there were large crowds such as the train and bus stations, speak about Mahaprabhu's doctrine to people, and take just one paisa from each person. He would keep this money locked up in a box which had a slot on top for the coins, and the key was left with Prabhupada. Without even eating anything else, he would do this every day until sunset.

One time Prabhupada was being driven along in his car in Calcutta and he saw Vinoda resting under a tree with that money box placed under his head as a pillow. Tears came to his eyes and he said, "Such a beautiful young boy from a wealthy family, only eighteen years old; and for me, for the service of Bhagavan, he has left his parents and is undergoing such hardships?" When Gurudeva returned to the matha that night, Prabhupada called him and said, "Vinoda, you were sleeping on the ground at Garimata? You are undergoing so much hardship." Guruji replied, "No, this hardship is a matter of great happiness if only you will be satisfied with me. This is my everything. What more could I desire? If the guru is pleased, then Bhagavan is pleased. There is nothing greater than this."

Once Guru Maharaja was out collecting with Siddha-svarupa Brahmacari, who later became Bhakti Srirupa Siddhanti Maharaja. They had collected one large bag completely full with vegetables, and another half-full. They got off the train at Howrah station, which was about five miles from the matha. There was no public transportation which covered the entire distance at that time, and there was no money available in the matha for taking a riksa Gurudeva lifted up the full bag and said, "Let's go!" But Siddhanti Maharaja said, "No! You are my older brother and my siksa-guru. Therefore I will take the full bag!"

Guruji replied, "No, you are a small boy, my younger brother. I will take it!" Snatching it back and forth from one another, finally Guruji convinced Siddhanti Maharaja and carried that weight all the way to the matha. This is how he did guru-seva. Whenever any necessity arose, Prabhupada would say, "Where is Vinoda?"

He didn't know as many slokas as some devotees, but he would give such beautiful explanations. There is one verse from the Bhagavatam (1.2.11) of which he would give an especially beautiful explanation:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvam yaj jnanam advayam

brahmeti paramatmeti

bhagavan iti sabdyate

The para-tattva is bhagavat-tattva. From brahma there is parabrahma, from atma there is Paramatma, and from Visnu there is Maha-Visnu. But for Svayam Bhagavan Krishna there is no necessity of the words "Param Svayam Bhagavan", because Krishna is the supreme tattva and brahma and Paramatma are His reflection and plenary portion respectively. Brahma cannot actually be called an object, because any object must necessarily have qualities. Brahma is the potency of an object, and can be said to be the shelter of an object, but brahma itself is not an object. The names brahma, Paramatma, and Bhagavan are synonymous, but Bhagavan is to be worshipped, not brahma, because brahma is formless.

Especially when I first joined the matha, I received such special mercy from Bhagavan that I had the opportunity to accompany our gurudeva to many big programs where he would speak, and he always kept me with him. He gave my senior godbrother Srila Vamana Maharaja the responsibility for printing, and being a very qualified man, he has printed many books and magazines one after the other. For helping with the magazine, cooking, and looking after many services, Guruji would keep me with him.

His style of speaking and writing was wonderful, and it was my great fortune to hear so much from him. I always took notes and stayed with him like his shadow. Vamana Maharaja, just as now, was very quiet and didn't speak much, but my dear godbrother Trivikrama Maharaja and myself were very talkative. We were always engaged in debating about this and that, and when Guruji would become tired of us, he would say, "Take this book - the answer is there." These days devotees don't discuss topics of tattva much. Instead they speak about the type of clothing they wear and what kind of food they eat. When two Vaisnavas meet, they should discuss tattva, and it was our great fortune to hear talks on bhakti-tattva from very learned devotees. But these days hardly anyone takes the time to discuss the meaning of the scriptures.

Guruji was so intelligent and had so much potency in speaking that he could change yes to no and no to yes. It was amazing; without such devotees, preaching simply would not go on. If one of us wants to write and publish something, we have to look in many, many books and do so much editing, and even if five of us are working together, we still may have difficulty writing something. But what would Guru Maharaja do?

At the annual Navadvipa parikrama, five to seven thousand devotees would come to offer pranama to him and he would speak with many of them. In the midst of all this he would tell Vamana Maharaja to take notes, and within a short time he would speak an essay for his magazine. There would not even be any necessity to check it; at once it was ready to go to press. It was amazing how he would never have to look in any book. When one of us is preparing to speak something, we have to first look in so many books. And when we listen to someone speak or when we read something, we have to take notes in order to retain it. But Guru Maharaja in his whole life never took any notes. He read so many books his library is here in the matha (in Mathura) - but he never took any notes. And he knew so much history; no acarya knew more history than him. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada called him a "Vedantic pandita."

Guruji was very intimate with Prabhupada and would sleep only near him. Even if he went to take rest at one or two o'clock in the morning, he would knock on the door to Prabhupada's room. The other devotees would complain, but Prabhupada would always get up and open the door for him.

After Guru Maharaja's father passed away, his mother was crying for her son Vinoda day and night, even though she had three other sons in the house. One was a high school headmaster who later also became Prabhupada's disciple and the acarya of the Gaudiya Mission, Srila Audulomi Maharaja. He was fluent in English and was a very talented speaker and writer. Vinoda was the youngest of the brothers. His mother sent a letter to Prabhupada saying, "Please send Vinoda for some time to attend to some work here on our land, and when it is completed, he will return to you." There were some Muslim tenants who had refused to pay their rent for about five years, so Prabhupada sent him there. Amongst the tenants there was one gunda (hooligan) who was a very large man and the worst of them all. Guruji ordered one of his family's hired workers to apprehend this man and bring him to the house. The man was beaten three or four times, and after this all the tenants began paying their rent.

At the end of her life, Guru Maharaja's mother sent another letter to Prabhupada saying, "Please send my dear son Vinoda home for a little while." He called Vinoda and told him, "Your mother is dying; you must go to her immediately." Instead of going, Guruji went and hid somewhere in the matha for a whole day and night. When Prabhupada came to know of it, he sent for Guruji and told him, "Your mother is very ill. You should go to her. I instructed you to go, so why haven't you gone?"

Guru Maharaja replied, "Prabhu, after so many births I have attained the shelter of your feet. By your mercy, I have finally come to bhagavad-bhakti after so many births. Suppose I go to my mother, and while she is taking her last breath she places her hand on my head and says to me, 'I am going now. Who will look after our property? You must do it'. What will I do then? Having left your lotus feet I will again be trapped in maya."

Falling at Prabhupada's feet, he began crying, and Prabhupada bestowed plentiful blessings upon him. Until one's determination is like this, he does not have the qualification to leave his home and family. One must have the understanding of a madhyama-adhikari that the bodily relations of this material world are meaningless. Otherwise, without even being requested one will automatically return to his home and family. And if he does continue to stay in the matha, it will only be for procuring money, women, and prestige. He will have only gone in a circle and will end up back where he started. Therefore one cannot leave his home and family until he has this qualification.

On the instructions of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari came from Mayapura with Sarojini devi, Priyatama devi and Sri Gauragovinda Vidyabhusana (later, Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktigabhasti Nemi Maharaja) to have the darsana of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja.

At that time, to avoid the trouble that ordinary people were giving him, Babaji Maharaja had locked himself in a latrine for about a week and was just chanting, "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna..." The news reached the district magistrate and the police superintendent, and at once they all came running there. Seeing that the door was locked from inside, they approached with folded hands and said, "Babaji Maharaja, we will construct you a very nice hut for bhajana." He replied, "No, this is very nice. Why?" "Because the stench of the lust of materialistic people does not come here. I prefer the stench of stool to that."

"Alright, Maharaja, we will supply you with one boy to keep those people away from you." Day and night they were trying to persuade him to come out, but he would only say, "For me, this is Vaikuntha." So many times they asked him to please open the door, but time and again he would reply, "I am not well; I am unable to do it." He would not open the door for those people, and he just continued chanting "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna..." The defeated officials finally left.

As Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari and others arrived, Srila Babaji Maharaja still gave the same excuse and would not open the door, despite their repeated requests. Sri Gauragovinda Prabhu then said in a very humble voice, "Oh, Babaji Maharaja! Srila Sarasvati Thakura mercifully accepted us as his disciples. We have come here on his instruction in the great hope of having your darsana. We will be very disheartened if we cannot obtain your darsana." When he heard this, Srila Gaura Kisora became happy and replied with extreme affection, "You are the object of Sarasvati Thakura's affection. Come in." Then he quickly opened the door.

Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja now gave these devotees his darsana. They saw that he was completely absorbed in chanting his harinama on a harinama-mala made of a piece of cloth with knots. Srila Babaji Maharaja observed Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari's extremely beautiful youthful form, his sincere desire to perform bhajana, his yukta-vairagya (appropriate renunciation), and above all his guru-nistha, firm faith in his guru. Srila Babaji Maharaja blessed him, saying, "I have taken all the disasters and obstacles of your life. You should be quite fearless in performing bhajana and spreading the words of Sriman Mahaprabhu all over the world." Hearing this blessing, Sri Vinodabihari's eyes overflowed with tears. Falling at Babaji Maharaja's lotus feet, he took his foot dust on his head. After hearing hari-katha for some time and worshipping Babaji Maharaja's lotus feet, they departed for Sri Mayapura.

Years later, when Srila Gurupadapadma told us about the blessing of Srila Babaji Maharaja, he became restless and started to cry, saying, "By the causeless mercy of Srila Babaji Maharaja, we are today fearlessly preaching suddha-bhakti in the world. In the course of our preaching, we have met with such hardship and so many obstacles and even danger to our life. But by the mercy of Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, our strength has never became diminished, and the clouds of hardship have been quickly dispelled."

Sri Kritiratna Prabhu and his associate Godbrothers established Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in that rented house in Bagbazar on the auspicious day of Aksaya Trtiya in the month of Vaisakha (April) 1940. Amongst the Godbrothers who were present were Sri Abhayacarana Bhaktivedanta Prabhu (later Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja), Sri Nrsimhananda Brahmacari and Sri Sajjansevaka Brahmacari (Srila Gurupadapadma's diksa disciple, now Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja, the present Acarya and President of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti).

After the establishment of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, Vedantika Pandita Mahopadesaka Sri Kritiratna Prabhu started to travel throughout Bengal and prominent cities of India to preach suddha-bhakti and sri-nama. Sri Syamanananda Gaudiya Matha in Medinipura (Bengal) was established on Sri Krishna Janmastami, 1940.  

At this gathering a plan was presented to protect the future preaching of bhakti in Srila Prabhupada's lineage. In addition, it was announced that there would be a Vraja-mandala parikrama on foot during the observance of the kartika vow the following year. After this Janmastami festival, Sri Kritiratna Prabhu started to preach in Uttar Pradesh and in areas of Eastern Bengal.

At this time, while Sri Kritiratna was sleeping during the last part of the night, he dreamed that Srila Prabhupada laid his hand on his right shoulder, and spoke to him in a grave voice, saying, "Until now you have not taken sannyasa. Today I am giving you sannyasa." In his dream, the complete sannyasa ceremony took place, and when the ceremony was over Srila Prabhupada instructed Srimad Bhaktisaranga Gosvami Maharaja to call out "Sri Kesava Maharaja ki jaya!" The jaya-dhvani was so loud that Kritiratna Prabhu woke up. He told his senior Godbrothers about the dream and they were elated to find 'Kesava' among the 108 sannyasa names.

Kritiratna Prabhu took this matter very seriously and vowed to accept sannyasa on the upcoming holy day of Bhadra Purnima in Katva, where Sriman Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa. Accordingly, on Purnima Sri Vinodabihari Brahmacari accepted sannyasa in Katva, by the pancaratric method of Samskaradipika, from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada's dear disciple, Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Gosvami, the transcendental writer, poet and philosopher.

His sannyasa-name was announced to be Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. Pujyapada Srimad Bhaktibhudeva Srauti Maharaja performed the priestly duties of the ceremony and instructed the brahmacari how to put on kaupin and the outer cloth. Srila Sridhara Maharaja recited the sannyasa-mantra. Thus the sannyasa dress and sannyasa name given by Srila Prabhupada in the dream became a complete reality.

On October 3rd, 1968, Srila Acaryadeva was brought back from Calcutta to his bhajana-kutira at Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha. Finally, on Sunday October 6th, 1968 (19 Asvina 1375 bangabda), the Saradiya rasa-purnima, at sandhya-arati (6.15 p.m.) Paramaradhyatama Srila Gurupadapadma Om Visnupada Astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja left us all drowning in an ocean of separation and entered Sri Yugala-Kisora's sayana nitya-lila.

Just as this happened, an astonishing event occurred. The head pujari of Sri Mandira came there with Srimati Radhikaji's garland in his hands and tearfully said, "Right at the end of sandhya-arati Srimati Radhika's garland broke by itself and fell from Her neck. I have never experienced this before." Everyone present understood this to mean that Srimati Radhikaji, out of mercy, had called Her beloved sahacari (companion and attendant) to sayana-lila-vilasa.

In a moment the news that Srila Gurudeva had entered aprakata-Iila spread to all the Gaudiya mathas situated on both banks of Bhagavati Bhagirathi. Thousands of faithful people assembled to offer puspanjali to Paramaradhyatama Sri Gurudeva's lotus feet, and the final rites were performed under the guidance of Prapujyacarana Srimad Bhakti Srirupa Siddhanti Maharaja, according to the method of Samskara-dipika. As the assembled multitude performed hari-kirtana, Srila Acaryadeva was given samadhi in front of the sky-kissing Sri mandira of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga Radha-Vinodabihariji.

(Excerpts from the Acarya Kesari and the third chapter of Srila Narayana Maharaja's Sri Prabandhavali)