SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI GOSWAMI MAHARAJA

His Appearance, Childhood, and Youth

Even before Sarasvati Thakura's appearance in this world, his great‑grandfather, while on his death‑bed, (wrote or spoke?) about a great sadhu, famous in the whole world, who would take birth in Bhaktivinoda Thakura's house (???...)

Indeed, Bhaktivinoda Thakura himself predicted in the Chaitanya Siksamrta that a powerful acarya would appear in this world to establish daivi‑varnasrama‑dharma (the ancient system of four occupational divisions of life: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra: and four statuses of life: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa). Bhaktivinoda Thakura wanted this daivi‑varnasrama system re‑established to surplant it's decayed descendent ‑ the caste system: which is based on one's birth rather than qualification.

The astrologer, called at the time of Sarasvati Thakura's birth, also proclaimed how the child would become a great devotee. And so it was then that, on February 6th, 1874 A.D., Sarasvati Thakura appeared in this world in the karkata‑lagna, or the astrological lagna of the crab (Cancer).

One time, when he was only five or six years old, he accompanied his father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, on a visit to one sadhu by the name of Svarupa Das Babaji, in Puri. When they met, this babaji told Bhaktivinoda, "You have no neckbeads and no tilak. You are not a Vaisnava. You don't even have any Vaisnava dress." Bimala Prasada (as the young Sarasvati Thakura was then called) replied, "My father is an ajanma Vaisnava (a born Vaisnava): janma‑gata Vaisnava ‑ He is a born Vaisnava, even without the outward signs." Upon hearing this, that babaji was so impressed with this young boy, who at such a tender age had explained such a highly philosophical point.

On another occasion, they went to Dakhinesvar Math, to visit the renowned, so‑called "holy‑man" of Bengal, Ramakrsna, who, upon seeing them remarked: "The two are just like Gaura Nitai."

He spent around fifteen days at Radha‑Ramana‑Gera, Vrndavan, from between 1898 ‑ 1899, and in 1905 also. Madhusudhana Goswami, the father of Visvambhara Goswami, kept a diary, and every day would write a page about the activities that took place there. (So there are many things written of Bimala Prasada. I saw Padmanabha Goswami, the grandson of Madhusudhana Goswami, who looked for more than an hour for the exact references relating to Bimala Prasad, but he couldn't find any. So if anyone wants to research this in the near future he can also do so. It is very interesting to give such references for some of the activities of Sarasvati Thakura's early life).

At the time of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bimala Prasada would go and preach in brahmacari dress, wearing a white dhoti with a white kurta and chaadar. Meeting with college students, Englishmen, and other high‑class, educated gentlemen, in the parks of Calcutta, he would converse with them informally. However, he would especially critisize the Brahma‑samaja (an imitation of Christianity), which was very prominent at that time, and followed by many eminent people, like the Tagores and others. They would sing, "nirakar tomar carana dekhi ‑ I see Your feet," referring to God, whom they saw as impersonal; but Bimala Prasada was quick to point out that "If there is no akara, if there is no form, how can one see `It's' feet?"

Personal Details

At birth, the umbilical‑chord had wrapped itself around his body like a brahmana‑thread, leaving a mark which remained clearly visible throughout his life. Even as a young boy, due to the size if his large brain, Bimala Prasada had a large head, in proportion to his body.

His body was decorated with all the signs of a maha‑purusa, as described in the sastras. For example; the Caitanya‑caritamrta, Adi‑lila, Chapter 14, Text 15, states:

"panca‑dirghah panca‑suksmah sapta‑raktah sad‑unnatah

tri‑hrasva‑prthu‑gambhiro dvatrimsal‑laksano mahan

TRANSLATION

"There are thirty‑two bodily symptoms of a great person: five of his bodily parts are large, five fine, seven reddish, six raised, three small, three broad, and three grave."

PURPORT

The five large parts are the nose, arms, chin, eyes, and knees. The five fine parts are the skin, fingertips, teeth, hair on the body, and hair on the head. The seven reddish parts are the eyes, soles, palms, palate, nails, and upper and lower lips. The six raised parts are the chest, shoulders, nails, nose, waist, and mouth. The three small parts are the neck, thighs, and male organ. The three broad parts are the waist, forehead, and chest. The three grave parts are the navel, voice, and existence. Altogether these are the thirty‑two symptoms of a great personality. This is a quotation from the Samudrika.

His feet were soft like butter, so much so that to those who touched them, it almost seemed as if there were no bones. His skin was so delicate that even the slightest touch would redden it. Standing tall, at around 6' 1" ‑ 6' 2", he had a slender build, and a somewhat unusual characteristic about his bodily features was that he appeared to have breasts, almost like that of a woman.

His face was jolly and he was often seen smiling, but at times he was also very grave. His schedule was to rise and chant by two‑o'clock each morning, and while reading he would sometimes wear spectacles, but never wore them, in general, while eating, chanting japa, or speaking with disciples.

Sometimes while speaking he would mention the name Radha and, all of a sudden, manifest astasattvika‑vikara, or the eight symptoms of ecstasy, described in the Nectar of Devotion, Chapter twenty‑eight, as: becoming stunned, perspiring, standing of the hairs on the body, faltering of the voice, trembling of the body, changing of the bodily colours, shedding of tears, and devastation. His whole countenance would turn white, then red, with his hair standing on end, and his whole body would become stiff. Tears would flow profusely from his eyes and his speach would become grave. Bhakti Pradip Tirtha Goswami Maharaja (Bhaktivinoda Thakura's disciple), who took sannyasa initiation from Sarasvati Thakura, personally saw, on two occasions, how his whole body became red, and all bodily transformations were also present, when he was lecturing about Radha‑tattva, in Vrndavan. When speaking about the instructions of Rupa Raghunatha (Rupa Raghunatha vani), his whole body, especially his face, would sometimes become bright‑red. These incidents occurred several times, in different places, especially at Radha Kunda or Mayapura, in full view of everyone, even though he tried his utmost to suppress these feelings. He would continue talking, but those present could see that, internally, he was experiencing turbulent spiritual ecstasies. Sarasvati Thakura never liked the sahajiyas who artificially showed so‑called "ecstatic symptoms", or who proclaimed themselves to be "such‑and‑such sakhi". Therefore, he would generally explain just ordinary things that were not on the level of bhava or prema, which brought on these uncontrollable emotions.

At the time of initiation, Gaura Kisora Das Babaji didn't change Sarasvati Thakura's name. Earlier in his life he had written a book called "Siddhanta Candrika" ‑ a book on astrology. He received the name "Siddhanta‑Sarasvati" from a society of astrologers, in recognition of his contribution in the field of astrology; later adding the prefix "Bhakti" himself when he took sannyasa.

He accepted the title "Prabhupada" at his second Vyasa‑puja ceremony, when a written offering was sent from Mayapur by his disciple, Ananta Vasudeva, in which the term "Prabhupada" was used. Previously he was generally known as Sarasvati Thakura, but the name "Prabhupada" became gradually accepted. Amongst his favourite songs were those of Bhaktivinoda Thakura: "Gopinatha" (from Kalyana‑kalpataru), "Radha‑Krsna Bol" (from Gitavali), "Jaya Radha‑Madhava" (from Gitavali), "Sri Nama‑kirtana" (from Gitavali), and "Radha‑kunda‑tata kunja kutira...(N.B: This is only one line of the song and not the title, so find it out).

Many times he quoted the verse:

avismrtih krsna‑padaravindayoh

ksinoty abhadrani ca sam tanoti

sattvasya suddhim paramatma‑bhaktim

jnanam ca vijnana‑viraga‑yuktam

TRANSLATION

"Remembrance of Lord Krsna's lotus feet destroys everything inauspicious and awards the greatest good fortune. It purifies the heart and bestows devotion for the Supreme Soul, along with knowledge enriched with realization and renunciation."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto: 12, Chapter: 12, Text: 55). Of course, there were many slokas he often quoted, but this one was particularly mentioned by Jotisekhara.

His pronunciation of the name Krsna was neither like the Bengali "Krishnoh" (the final "a" pronounced "o"), nor the Oriyan "Krushna" (with the "i" pronounced "u", but exactly like the Sanskrit "Kreshna." (N.B: See BVS regarding this).

As far as cleanliness was concerned, Sarasvati Thakura was exemplorary, saying, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Unless you're sattvic you cannot be pure." His table, chairs and seat ‑ everything had to be kept neat, clean, and tidy. He would bathe no less than three times a day, changing his cloth each time he did so, which was: when he woke in the morning, before his mid‑day meal, and again in the evening, without using soap or oil (in India, especially Bengal, it is a common practice to apply oil to the body before bathing). If anything unclean touched his hand, e.g: his leg or foot, or before using his japa‑mala, he would do acamana with an acamana‑cup that he always kept near. Before taking maha‑prasada he would wash his hands, and if Jagannatha maha‑prasada was brought to him he would pay full obeisances, do parikrama of that prasada three times, and only then would he honour it.

The system in the Gaudiya Math was that those who were preaching outside would shave regularly, and those not preaching would follow the minor rules of Hari‑Bhakti‑Vilas much more, shaving their heads, not on a daily or weekly basis, but once a month. Sarasvati Thakura, as a preacher, would shave his face regularly, and his head once a month (N.B: I don't get this: I thought preachers shaved their heads regularly. If so then why is Sarasvati Thakura shaving his head monthly? Clear this up: When did preachers shave their heads and faces and when did the temple non‑preachers?). According to Hari Bhakti Vilas, Sarasvati Thakura and the other devotees would shave on Mondays and Tuesdays, but not on any special holy day, like the appearance or disappearance of any great Vaishnava or avatar, nor on Ekadasi or purnima (except Mastika mandana(?) purnima, in the month of bhadra ‑ the day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa. (N.B: I don't know whether Sri Caitanya did shave up on that day or not). According to the rules and regulations, it is obligatory for sannyasis to shave on this day. (N.B: Sarasvati Thakura had his mission in India, which at that time was even more rigid in following the rules and regulations than today. Therefore, so many rules and regulations were followed by the Gaudiya Math that Srila Prabhupada never introduced into ISKCON: he never even gave much importance to them. We shouldn't be confused by this, however, but see that Prabhupada was preaching according to time, place and circumstance. He was thinking, "What is possible for people to follow in the world contaminated by Kali‑yuga: What is suitable for them?" and put much emphasis on the very basic essentials of Krsna consciousness, namely, chanting, worshipping the Deity, studying the Srimad Bhagavatam. Minor rules and regulations, or upaniyama, he never gave much stress to, and even if devotees became interested in following these he would often discourage them. The reason being that what may be applicable for people at a certain time, place, and circumstance may not be necessary or good for others, at a different time, place, and circumstance, just as meditation was prescribed for Satya‑yuga but not for Kali. Therefore, acharyas preach accordingly and we shouldn't be confused by the minor details or intricate rules and regulations of Hari‑Bhakti‑Vilas. We should not think that Prabhupada taught anything less, as some devotees do).

Sarasvati Thakura would generally dress very simply, wearing the traditional top and bottom piece of a sannyasi, made of cotton, and in the winter season he would also wear a chadar. However, if it was very cold he would use a special coat. He also had a walking‑stick at hand for when he went outside, and five strands of tulasi beads adorned his neck. His clothes were usually baught by devotees, and people often gave him shawls, clothes, cloth, shoes, etc., when coming to see him. Sometimes he would buy clothes himself, and if anyone asked him or he saw that someone had no warm clothes, he would give them his own.

It was only for preaching purposes or special functions that he would dress extravagantly, as was the case at one function in Madras, where there was a picture taken of him wearing a gown, some very nice clothing, with English styled shoes, made in India, and a turban, which he only wore occasionally for some big public function; otherwise, if he was going out in the hot sun, he would have some disciple hold an umbrella over him.

When his two sannyasi disciples went to England he also had gowns, or long coats, made for them, because they were going to preach overseas. However, even though he occasionally dressed in a very gorgeous style for preaching, he wanted his sannyasi disciples in India to dress simply. He did't want them to imitate his position as acarya.

He would also use horses and elephants on occasion, so sometimes people would critisize, saying, "What kind of sadhu are you with all these nice clothes, horses and elephants?" but he exclaimed, "All horses and elephants should be used by sadhus only, not by anyone else. All cars are also for sadhus. Luxurious items in the world are required for Krsna's service and not anyone elses."

A Sikh named Moca(?) Singh was the paid bodyguard of Sarasvati Thakura. He was very tall and strong, and every night would consume twenty‑eight to thirty chapatis. There was no real idea of any danger, but he was kept for enhancing the prestige of Sarasvati Thakura.

Sarasvati Thakura would sleep on a bed, but all the Gaudiya Math brahmacaris and sannyasis would sleep on the floor. The rule was not to use shoes, and to only occasionally drink milk. Sometimes Sarasvati Thakura would check to see that the brahmacaris and sannyasis followed this strictly.

His bead‑bag, and all the bead‑bags belonging to the Gaudiya Math members, were white, even if they were brahmacaris or sannyasis.

Sometimes he would sit very straight on an ordinary wooden chair or armchair, to give a lecture, with his legs not crossed, but placed in front of him, and the devotees would sit on the floor in front of him cross‑legged. Otherwise, when he gave lectures in the temple he would sit on a simple flat, wooden seat.

He had a book with him in phonetic type, which was a new kind of writing like short‑hand, made by him in his youth, but that whole system is now lost.

Usually in Mayapur, while the sankirtan was going on in the temple, Sarasvati Thakura would stand just outside at the back, behind the tulasi‑manca (a pillar, usually about one to one‑and‑a‑half metres high, on which tulasi is permanently kept. This is very common in Bengal and Orissa, but less so in other parts of India) and watch the sankirtan go on. Sometimes the devotees would dance back and forth from the Deities to the tulasi‑manca and sometimes they'd go round in a circle. Sarasvati Thakura liked all this. Sometimes they would dance in a circle around the nat‑mandira (Gaudiya Math temples, according to typical Bengali design, have a Deity‑house, with a covered pavillion in front of it, separated, not joined together. Nat‑mandira literally means "temple for dancing"), and Sarasvati Thakura would stand in the middle of the pavillion with the devotees dancing around him, but he himself would not dance, as he was always grave.

Jotisekhara observed that Sarasvati Thakura himself wasn't expert in singing kirtan. His voice was not so sweet from the external point of view. Therefore, he didn't lead so many kirtans. He never lead kirtan, (did he or didn't he?) but would have others do it.

Gaura Kisora Das Babaji

Shortly after the disappearance of Gaura Kisora Das Babaji from this world, which occurred in Navadvipa, Sarasvati Thakura went ahead with plans to place him in a samadhi (tomb). However, due to pressure from the people of Navadvip, and from one wealthy man in particular, Sarasvati Thakura had to place him in a samadhi, not in Mayapur, which was his desire, but on that rich man's land in Navadvip. That rich man was particularly adamant about this. Sarasvati Thakura was then heard to proclaim, "Within one month this man will be finished!" and it was noted, in time, how this came to be a fact. Within one month all his businesses were finished. That man then came pleading to Sarasvati Thakura, exclaiming, "Please, you help me now. See my position. I made some mistake!" Sarasvati Thakura then replied, "What can I do? It is already done."

In 1932, when at Kulia (Godruma), Sarasvati Thakura noticed that, because of the erosion of the river bank, Gaura Kisora Das Babaji's samadhi would soon fall into the Ganga. Therefore, the body, which was inside a box in the samadhi, was taken to Mayapur, where a temple and new samadhi were made.

His Nature and Dealings With Devotees

Sarasvati Thakura was always absorbed in the philosophical siddhantas and, not caring for the world, he never compromised in his practice of staunch Vaishnavism. He said himself that if this had not been so then no one would have obeyed him. Whatever he asked of others he would follow himself, showing the ideal of an acharya; rising very early each morning, before anyone else, and being always absorbed in chanting and preaching Krsna consciousness. Others might have taken rest during the day, but he would hardly ever do so. After his meal, which was always very simple, he would go and dictate letters. He always wore tilak, chanted on his beads, observed the gayatri mantra, attended arati, etc., very strictly and on a regular basis. While performing the Deity parikram each day, he would circumambulate Their Lordships once and then stand in one place, while all the other devotees would walk around four times.

A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, several times, told a story to demonstrate how strict Sarasvati Thakura actually was in dealing with women. The wife of O.B.L.Kapoor, who was also the harernama disciple of Sarasvati Thakura, requested to see him in private to speak with him. At that time he was old enough to be her grandfather, and was a very senior, respected, naistik brahmacari-guru, but still he said, "No, I cannot see you alone. Whatever you have to say, do so in the company of others."

Dr. Kapoor revealed how Sarasvati Thakura gave harernama to his wife, without even seeing her face, because there was a screen placed between them.

The Zamindar (landholder), a very rich man of Navadvipa, was named (???) His mother was over 60 years old and he brought her to meet Sarasvati Thakura, but he said, "Mother; you stay downstairs. Don't come up. I don't want to meet any women. Send your son to meet me." Even women accompanied by their husbands couldn't come to meet him. During lectures, a fixed screen divided the men and women, so they couldn't see each other. This was very strict.

ISKCON's SP Letter, 7/4/70: "He didn't like very much preaching amongst women."

Although living in opulence, he was a complete tyagi ‑ a yukta vairagi. He was very merciful, friendly, and affectionate, especially to younger boys. He saw to the comfort of all the devotees and would often ask them; "Have you taken prasadam? How did you like it?" Sometimes he would even come down at around ten to eleven o'clock in the evening, to see that the brahmacaris were sleeping and to check that they were using mosquito‑nets. If they were not he would personally put them up, so as they could sleep properly and not get sick. He didn't want their service hampered unnecessarily in any way.

He didn't encourage the brahmacaris to have too much milk; only a little sometimes, but not daily. The reason was because it would agitate them, as it is a rich food. Also, the brahmacaris were not supposed to wear shoes. Sarasvati Thakura, when going for preaching to respectable men, would wear a coat, shoes, etc., and would be very nicely dressed. Otherwise he would dress very simply when he was staying inside the Math.

People could not bear to look at him eye‑to‑eye; so powerful and penetrating was his glance. Even great scholars of India became humbled just by his looking at them. Madan Mohan Malviya and Raja Gopal Sastri ‑ famous Indian scholars of the time ‑became submissive to him, just being in his presence. This is called sabdyasa(?) Just as there were so many scholars who met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that could not stand up to Him, GREAT so, in the same way, no one could stand before Sarasvati Thakura.

People would often bring mangoes for Sarasvati Thakura, because he was a sadhu, and they knew they should always bring something for a sadhu. So, in the season, many would bring them, but he would not touch them himself and distributed them to all the others. He would not take himself, saying, "I am an offender. I cannot take this."

Whenever young men joined the Math, leaving their homes, their parents would sometimes come looking for them in order to take them back. Sarasvati Thakura would hide them under his bed and tell the parents that he did not know the whereabouts of their sons. All the other devotees would also reply in this way and the parents would then leave. Then Sarasvati Thakura would tell the boy, "Maya is trying to pull you to hell. That is maya crying, not your father and mother!"

This happened many times, so much so that between 1918‑19 the police were called on several occasions to the Math. However, he would still hide them in order to keep them as brahmacaris. He said, "If we had not taken such action there would be no such thing as the Gaudiya Math."

If anyone left the Math to return to material life, Sarasvati Thakura would become very upset, even to the point that he would sometimes send others to try and bring them back. On one such occasion, a brahmacari left, after having an argument with a sannyasi. Sarasvati Thakura came to know of this and told the devotees, "Bring him back, bring him back!" Even if that person was at fault he didn't like it when they left. If someone was doing very badly and was very offensive, they had a policy whereby they would send them to Mamgachi temple, within Navadvipa Mandal, which was the birth‑place of Vrndavan Das Thakur. One explanation for sending them to Mamgachi might have been because it was a remote place in a village, and therefore they couldn't disturb anyone there, and could gradually become rectified. Another point is that they may have gotten the mercy of Vrndavan Das Thakura, the author of the Caitanya Bhagavat, whilst residing there (in the Gaudiya Vaisnava doctrine, one has to get the mercy of the all‑merciful Lord Nityananda, who is very kind, even to the offenders like Jagai and Madhai. Vrndavan Das Thakura was Lord Nityananda's last disciple, so, just as the last son is very dear to the father, the last disciple may also be very dear to the guru). Mamgachi Math thus became jokingly known as "the jail of the Gaudiya Math". Even now that system is still used in the Gaudiya Math. In Mamgachi there are plenty of cows and a big garden, so, whoever went there would work with the cows and in the garden, performing hard, physical, labour.

Jotisekhara Prabhu recalls how Sarasvati Thakura was very affectionate towards him, who loved him very much because he was young and submissive. Sometimes, as in one incident at Chatak Parvat, Sarasvati Thakura would call him over and then give him some rasgullas.

Whenever anyone came before Sarasvati Thakura, even before they had time to offer their namaskaras, he would say, "Daso'smi ‑ I am a servant." People often tried to touch his feet, but he would stretch out his long arms and say, "Daso'smi," and prevent them, including his initiated disciples. Even though thousands of people came to see him, none were allowed to touch his feet, even if it happened to be only a young boy (ordinarily, in Bengal, especially at that time, for young boys to touch the feet of seniors when coming in their presence was common).

He was always ready and willing to talk with people, except during his half‑hour afternoon rest, whether on a train or in a room, and whenever someone went to see him he would definitely say something, but this was not the case with ladies.

Whenever he received a letter from anyone saying that they were arriving to meet him at a certain date and time, whether it was a devotee, a well‑wisher or whoever, he would always send one or two brahmacaris to meet them at the station. Even if that person knew the way, or never even asked for help, Sarasvati Thakura would still send someone, out of kindness.

In general, he never spoke harsh words, and when someone did something wrong he would say, sorrowfully, "seita karar bhalo na ‑ This is not good. You should not do this."

As an acharya, he would sometimes mildly chastize or correct his disciples, but if he saw his disciples wanting to correct others he never approved. If someone would complain to him about a particular person, he wouldn't get involved, but would rather say, "Oh, he is very unfortunate because he has done a bad thing and you are also unfortunate because you have gotten involved in it. Both of you are unfortunate."

Whenever disputes broke out between grhasthas or Math members, he sent them to Ananta Vasudeva, never letting himself get involved. Ananta Vasudeva gave the final decision and Sarasvati Thakura accepted that. On one such occasion the sannyasis quarrelled with the grhasthas, claiming they were better as they were more renounced. However, the grhasthas claimed they were better as they were donating money and supporting everything. Ananta Vasudeva quoted from the Caitanya‑caritamrta, Antya‑lila: 4.67, which says; "yei bhaje sei bada ‑ Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted...," and from Madhya‑lila: 22.26, "cari varnasrami yadi krsna nahi bhaje...(quote in full) - The followers of the varnasrama institution accept the regulative principles of the four social orders... However, if one carries out the regulative principles of these orders but does not render transcendental service to Krsna, he falls into the hellish condition of material life." He also quoted Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.5.3: "ya esam purusam saksad... (quote full Sanskrit) ‑ If one simply maintains an official position in the four varnas and asramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Visnu, he falls down from his puffed‑up position into a hellish condition." (he quoted Antya-lila: "Krsnabhajane nahih jat huladi bi car ‑whatever position you may be in, if you don't worship Krsna it's all useless. You are great according to the level of devotion.") Sarasvati Thakur accepted this judgement.

Early each morning, at four‑thirty, a bell was rung in the Math to wake everyone up, and Sarasvati Thakura himself would come down to the Nat Mandira and wake those devotees who were still sleeping, telling them, "Don't sleep after the bell has been sounded. Get up."

Once Kunjada was chastized by Sarasvati Thakur because he never got the devotees up when the bell was rung, and he himself may have been sleeping also.

A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, January 15, 1977, Coversation: "Our guru maharaja was so strict. A little discrepency he would chastize like anything; but we liked it very much."

Generally, Sarasvati Thakura was mild in his nature, and only once did he ever slap a devotee. This devotee had come to Puri to bathe in the sea, and when he came back Sarasvati Thakura gave him a slap in the face and said, "Why are you wasting your time?"

On another occasion, while explaining Harinamamrta‑Vyakarana (Srila Jiva Goswami's book, which teaches Sanskrit grammar and Krsna consciousness simultaneously), Kirtan brahmacari fell asleep in the class, so he took a rod and beat him with it.

Once, in Mayapur, a brahmacari was sleeping during Sarasvati Thakura's class, so he oredered him thrown in the Radha kund, saying, "I have invited my spiritual master here, but if he sees you sleeping he will go away."

From 1932 onwards, many kinds of people joined the mission, with the majority of them being attracted by the opulence. To develop a big organization many types of people are required to clean, to work in the garden, etc.; so all different people were accepted and not so many of them were very serious about spiritual life. Before Sarasvati Thakura left this world, some sannyasis started to think that after their guru‑maharaja leaves the planet they would have their own temples and disciples, and become big gurus. Sarasvati Thakura made no endeavour to discipline them because his idea was that example is better than precept: As an acharya he set an ideal example and he thought that if someone was not serious he should not interfere with them, but if someone was serious then they would automatically follow.

Sometimes he would ask Sajjan Maharaja, who distributed his remnants, "Who took the nice sweet and who took the chewed‑up drum‑stick (a type of vegetable that is chewed, then spat out)?" In this way he could understand the minds of the devotees. However, only those who had taken harernama were allowed to take his remnants.

Being an expert astrologer, he would sometimes look at devotees' hands. One time he looked at Jotisekhara's and noticed that on the lower left hand corner of his right hand was a chakra. He remarked on this and said, "This is a sign that you will be expert in writing and speaking to destroy all wrong, non‑devotional ideas." Sarasvati Thakura would only occasionally look at a devotee's palm in this way and give a comment. He wasn't in the habit of doing this regularly and never did so atall with non‑devotees. It wasn't that his disciples would ask him to look at their hands, but sometimes he told them to show them to him. One time he looked at a brahmacari's hands and said, "You must get married! You will not be able to stay a brahmacari."

One pujari at the Caitanya Math in Mayapur was caught stealing the golden ornaments from the Deity, but Sarasvati Thakura did not chastize him. He had those ornaments taken from him and instructed him to change his robes. "You should not remain dressed as a sadhu," he told him. Then he told his disciples to feed him nicely and tell him to go home, which they did.

A brahmacari took some books from the Gaudiya Math bookstore, for his own personal reading, without informing the man who was in charge. When Sarasvati Thakura found out he took this unauthorized action seriously and gave instructions that brahmacaris should not keep books, saying, "By studying so many books you may become a pandit but you may not become a devotee. Hearing is essential. If you hear from sadhus that is sufficient."

There is a story of sarasvati thakur in Puri. He was at Lila kuti, a big building near the seashore. He had come there with some devotees and they had given all kinds of provisions for cooking ....(???) However, one of the devotees saw one of the brahmins who was engaged as a cook, steal one of the tins of oil, so Sarasvati Thakur caklled that brahmin and spoke to him and said, "You are a brahman engaged in the service of God. It is not good to steal the oil that we have given for the service of God. As a brahman I can give you a tin of oil if you require it but please don't take that which we have offered in the service of God....(???) the oil we would use was mustard oil. Sarasvati Thakur paid some money to the man and the oil tin was returned, saving him from a great offence, being so merciful.

In Cuttak, when the Math was in a rented house, one brahmacari named Jagannatha would stay in a small thatched cottage in the middle of the garden, each night, in order to protect it from thieves and monkeys and all sorts of things. Whether summer‑time or winter he would sleep there, leaving his body uncovered. In the winter the other brahmacaris would live indoors, wearing warm clothes, but Jagannatha remained outside and subsequently became a little proud saying, "Oh, I'm such a brahmacari. I never use these things and can sleep outside even in the winter, without cover." Sarasvati Thakura then told him, "You stay inside the house now and use warm clothes. You are boasting how great a brahmacari you are, so another brahmacari can stay there in winter in your place. They can also do it; you'll see." Jagannatha brahmacari said in response to this, "No, I'm the only one who can do it." Sarasvati Thakura continued, "Your place is suitable for you. You don't like to stay in the house, that is your disease. It is their disease that they do not like to stay in the garden, but they are not boasting because of that." Consequently, Jagannatha brahmacari came inside and another brahmacari went outside in his place.

One day the Queen of Auli (pronounced Ali), the wife of a wealthy king, came to visit the Gaudiya Math at Cuttak. At that time, Bhakti Bibek Bharati Maharaja, a sannyasa disciple of Sarasvati Thakura, gave the young Jotisekhara a very nice, ripe mango, saying, "Give this to the queen to eat." The queen was sitting down, along with some of her friends and followers, eating prasada, so Jotisekhara felt a little apprehensive about presenting it to her, seeing as this would show preference to her over the others, and it was not the custom to neglect others when serving prasadam ‑ everyone shared equally whatever was there. Jotisekhara pointed this out to that sannyasi, but he rebuked him severely, using bad language. While all this was taking place, Sarasvati Thakura happened to be near by and heard the commotion. He therefore called Bhakti Bibek Bharati Maharaja and asked him, "Are you a sannyasi of Auli or of the Gaudiya Math?" From that day on he called him the Auli rani (the Queen of Auli's) sannyasi, and Jotisekhara never heard Sarasvati Thakura call him by his real name, Bhakti Bibek Bharati Maharaja, ever again.

For three months continually, in 1935, Sarasvati Thakura stayed at Purushottama Math and many people came to see him. One yogi even came, and after hearing him talk, wanted to take initiation. That yogi had long, matted hair, so Sarasvati Thakura asked him to cut it, along with his beard. The yogi asked why and was told how it was pleasing to Krsna, so he accepted this and cut his matted locks, but he came before Sarasvati Thakura with his beard still intact. He therefore asked him again to shave his face, but he said he had some bad scar on his chin which looked grotesque, and would thus rather keep his beard. Sarasvati Thakura consented to this and gave him initiation. That yogi donated some rice‑farming land to the Purushottama Math, which is still used to grow rice for the temple.

The vice‑chancellor of retore Benares Hindu University, a very famous man of his time, named Madan Mohan Molaviya came to the Gaudiya Math and had some intricate, philosophical questions to present to Sarasvati Thakura. Sarasvati Thaura said, "I won't answer you, but you should ask the devotees who are washing the arati paraphernalia." The scholar then said, "No. I am asking very difficult questions on Vedanta: They won't be able to answer!" However, Sarasvati Thakura insisted that he go and ask those pujaris, who were cleaning the Deity paraphernalia at that particular time; so, being submissive to the will of Sarasvati Thaura, he went to ask them. When he approached them, they said, "Well now we're busy washing these plates, but please help us, and when we've finished then your question will be solved." Even though he was such a famous, respectable man, he agreed to join in and help do this humble service. After all the brass was cleaned, he returned to Sarasvati Thakura without saying anything more to the pujaris. Sarasvati Thakura then asked him, "Did you get the answer to your questions?" Madan Mohan Molaviya replied, "Yes, even without discussion. When I was helping clean the arati paraphernalia the answers automatically came in my mind." Sarasvati Thakura then replied, "Yes. The philosophy of Krsna consciousness can be understood by a service attitude, not by any amount of intellectualism. `sevonmukhe hi jihvado...' Just by reading books and reciting slokas - that won't help you. Serving God will give us all the answers to the questions in the sastras. My guru, Gaura Kisora Das Babaji, was not literate, not a pandit, but all the slokas and siddhantas came to his mouth, because he was sevonmukha ‑ inclined to serve Krsna."

A school headmaster named Brahma once came to Sarasvati Thakur desiring initiation. He had a beard and moustache so he was told to first shave his face, after which he would be given initiation. However, that man said he couldn't as he was too attached. Sarasvati Thakura then said, "Either you love your moustache or you love Krsna. If you want Krsna then give up your hair. One of them should be dear to you. Krsna is our dear one, our priya. If something else is priya it is impossible to get Krsna!" That headmaster then went away without taking initiation.

Whenever staying in any rich man's house, which he would sometimes do, as in the case of the palace he stayed in, belonging to the Maharaja of Mysore, he would, when leaving, give some money to the sweepers, cleaners, servants, and those who'd been attending on them, showing his concern for them.

One time he went to a village in the Mednapura district and stayed in a rich landlord's house. The landlord served very opulent foodstuffs but Sarasvati Thakura did not eat it, saying, "First you have to practice my advice. If I can't do anything good for you then why should I accept anything from you? It is not my duty. I will take your prasada but you will not take my advice ‑ this is not good." Therefore he fasted for a day until that landlod consented to take initiation. If any householder was not his initiated disciple, Sarasvati Thakura would not eat his food.

Although he would visit many houses, especially of prominent people, and speak to them of Krsna consciousness, he never ate their food, because they were not devotees. If he was in a town where there was no Math near by, one of his disciples would prepare something. He also had a policy of never accepting money after speaking Krsna‑katha, but would say, "You can come to our temple and give it there instead."

Once, a very prominent, rich man came to the Gaudiya Math, and while taking prasadam asked again and again for rasgullas. Sarasvati Thakura asked him, "Are you eating prasadam or is the prasadam eating you? You should not eat prasada, as prasada is the bhokta (enjoyer). You are the bhogya (enjoyed). Don't try to eat prasada; it is not a material thing." This is similar to the advice he often gave, saying, "Don't try to see Jagannath. Jagannath is the Seer so let Him see you."

Those who came to him who were not willing to listen submissively were not spoken to extensively by him. Once, at Chatak Parvat, one pandit came, and during a discussion he told Sarasvati Thakura, "Please give me the reference from Veda. I'm not interested in listening to the Puranas and Caitanya‑caritamrta, or anything like this." At that time Ananta Vasudeva Vidyabhusana was present, so he took up the argument saying, "Why should we not discuss the Puranas and Caitanya‑caritamrta, etc.? This is the essence of the Vedas. The Vedas emanate from the breathing of Narayan, but the Puranas are spoken by the Lord; especially the Bhagavad‑gita, which is directly spoken by the Lord."

Thus Sarasvati Thakura would not waste his valuable time with such foolish people, but others like Ananta Vasudeva would deal with them.

There were many beggars at the Saksi Gopal temple once, when the Gaudiya Math grhasthas were passing. However, they didn't give any donations, thinking, "We shall give to God. Why give to the poor? The karmis, they're giving to the poor." Sarasvati Thakura bacame very sorry upon hearing this and said, "Inside the body of the poor there is the Supersoul. Lord Caitanya fed the poor. Don't dislike that. It is not bhakti to hate the beggars. You are not giving to the poor but to the Supersoul!"

He himself used to give alms and never saw anyone as rich or poor, but as a temple of God. He said they should be served, and would personally give them prasadam. However, he did not do this regularly to the same people, because it would encourage them to just come to the temple for eating only. If anyone unknown came at the time of prasadam he would say, "They are antaryami‑prerita (sent by the Supersoul)," and would have them fed.

Sometimes he would send to Radha Kanta Math (the place where Lord Caitanya used to live) and Tota Gopinath temple (the temple where Gadadhar Pandit used to worship) a plate of uncooked rice and vegetables, along with a donation of around ten rupees, as an offering to the Deities. On Ekadasi days and special festival days he would send rice, dahl, ghee, flour, fruits, vegetables, etc., in a basket or on a plate. The Gaudiya Math, at that time, had no shortage of funds.

When the Gaudiya Math was in a rented house in Cuttak, and before they had moved to the present site, a Muslim thief came and stole some coconuts from the Math. He was arrested, and Sarasvati Thakur himself went to the court hearing and said, "He should be punished fittingly. He has stolen from God."

Many times people would come and steal from the Math's garden, taking fruit, flowers, vegetables, etc. Sarasvati Thakura did not like this but never got personally involved. On one occasion a brahmana boy, who was of a brahmana family, was caught stealing, and when Sarasvati Thakura heard of this he became very sorry, saying, "Oh that boy is a brahmana. You should excuse him." At other times he would also say, "You should give something to them; some fruit or coconut, or something like that."

Many caste brahmanas, especially in Orissa, even the Puri-Pandas (temple priests) regularly ate fish, smoked bidis, and had many such disgusting habits, but Sarasvati Thakura still gave respect to their caste, maybe on the basis that at least their forefathers had been worshipping Visnu. He also cited the example from the Caitanya Bhagavata of how Pundarika Vidyanidhi was beaten by Lord Jagannatha and Lord Baladeva for disrespecting the temple pandas.In sastra, in the Varaha Purana, and the Caitanya Bhagavat, it is stated that many demons will take birth in brahmana families in Kali‑yuga, but even so, Sarasvati Thakura's strong tendency was to give respect even to mischevious descendants of brahmana families. Indeed, it is also found in the biographies of those in Caitanya‑lila that in the society of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when all the devotees took prasadam together, which was revolutionary at the time (that brahmanas could sit with people of the lower castes to eat), still the caste brahmanas would be seated in honoured positions. These were all considerations that Sarasvati Thakura took into account. In the Caitanya‑caritamrta, Antya‑lila: 6.64‑66, in the story of the Panihati Cida‑dadhi festival, it is described how Lord Nityananda especially honoured the brahmanas, seating them on a raised platform, with the others seated below.

It should be noted, however, that he did not accept these caste brahmanas as real Vaishnavas just because of their birth in brahmana families. He only respected their high birth. The analogy he gave was that the father may be a doctor but that doesn't mean the son is. "One's title may be Goswami but not all birds are Garuda, and not all fishes are Matsya avatara," he would say. Unless they were initiated by him they weren't allowed to worship the Deities in the Gaudiya Math.

He also had good relationships with the Muslims of Mayapur and the surrounding villages, especially those who were descendents of the Chand Kazi, as they were inclined somewhat to Krsna consciousness and Sarasvati Thakura respected them as being descendants of the Kazi. The big Muslim landholders of the area would often visit him.

Sarasvati Thakura recognized only a small number of devotees in India, outside of the Gaudiya Math, whom he saw as genuine and sincere. These included Siddha Mahatma Vasudeva Baba in Puri, of the Sri Sampradaya, whom he very much respected; Svarupa Das Babaji (at the time of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, when Sarasvati Thakura was a child, he saw him in Puri and very much respected him); Ramakrsna Babaji, of Radha Kund, who was in the parampara coming from Bhugarbha Goswami. He was very renounced and a serious, advanced devotee. (In 1932, when Sarasvati Thakura held the Braja mandal parikrama, he told everyone to go and offer respects to this babaji. Definately not to be confused with the so‑called "paramahamsa" Ramakrsna); Madhusudhana Goswami of Radha Ramana gera; and from Gopiballabhpura, a famous Vaishnava centre in the Midnapur district of Bengal, there was Visvambhar Ananda Goswami.

He didn't like to expose any mission like the Rama Krsna Mission, or any famous man of the world by name. He taught that one should see what their teachings are and condemn that, giving the example: "Don't say directly `cow,' but rather, `an animal with four legs, a long tail, two horns, etc.' Don't start a quarrel."

Once, in Vrndavan, Bhaktivinoda Thakura's so‑called "guru," Bipin Bihari Goswami, said that Raghunath Das Goswami was a sudra by caste. From that day on, Sarasvati Thakura never spoke with him, considering that he had committed a great offence, as Raghunath Das Goswami is considered great even amongst the maha‑bhagavatas. Sarasvati Thakura started fasting in protest, so Kunjada (Kunja Babu) tried to pacify him, but never said anything against Bipin Bihari Goswami. Sarasvati Thakura then exclaimed, "You may compromise but I cannot! I cannot tolerate that Raghunath Das Goswami be called a sudra." He continued, "I am coming here in a big car, taking the position of an acharya taking all honour and respect. So, taking the position, with all the paraphernalia for worship of an acharya means I cannot make any compromise!"

Sarasvati Thakura once had a large boil on his back‑side, but refused any treatment, except for a neem poltice (a poltice made from neem leaves).

Krsna Kanti brahmacari* (Footnote: Later to become the well known Sraman Maharaja, the successor in the post of institutional acharya of the Caitanya Math, after Tirtha Maharaja) was trained as a doctor, and was thus also called "Doctor Babu." He would come each night and treat the boil, advising him to stop travelling and lecturing. Eventually he brought one big doctor from Calcutta, who's advice Sarasvati Thakura took, as well as the medicine he offered. However, when he had gone, he threw that medication in the Radha kund at Mayapur, proclaiming, "My only medicine shall be harinam and Krsna seva. I have to act as an acharya!"

The garden that the Caitanya Math acquired was opposite the Math itself, on the other side of the road, between the bank of the Ganga and the road. They would grow different kinds of vegetables there, such as eggplants and squash. Mangal Nilay brahmacari was in charge of the garden, but Sarasvati Thakura noted that nobody was really enthusiastic about working there, so he requested the devotees, especially the brahmacaris, to go and work there. When there was no response to his request he personally went there with a spade. Upon seeing this, all the brahmacaris and sannyasis came, feeling very ashamed, and heard him declare, "I shall work in the field. Why not? It's all Krsna's service." After digging in the garden for some time, he put some vegetables on his head, in a basket, and brought them in for the Deities. After this instructive behaviour of Sarasvati Thakura there were always regular workers in the garden.

Within the premises of the Caitanya Math there was (and still is today) also isodayan: isa means God, and udyana means garden, a flower garden, "God's garden".

Once, it came to Sarasvati Thakura's notice that two sannyasis ‑ Bhakta Gavasti Nemi Maharaja and Bhaktivivek Bharati Maharaja ‑ had said; "We are collecting the money. Unless we help guru‑ maharaja he cannot preach. He is depending on us." Sarasvati Thakura told all the devotees during the next morning lecture: "You all stay inside the Math for the next fifteen days and chant Hare Krsna, without going outside to collect anything. I will maintain you all by the mercy of Krsna, and Visnupriya, as well as Laksmidevi, will bring so many things. Without your help, without your going outside, so many things will come to the Math." So for one day he went out personally on madhukari bhiksa* (Footnote: the traditional system by which sadhus begged alms door to door), forbidding all others to venture out. That day, so many things were brought, unrequested, to the Math: ghee, grains, vegetables, etc. Sarasvati Thakura had only gone out for one day, but for fifteen days, while everyone sat in the Math, so many things came. The devotees felt ashamed, but had learned an invaluable lesson.

Sarasvati Thakur was always speaking about Krsna, and was always absorbed in topics concerning Him; trying to make others understand Him also. He always stressed full surrender to Krsna. All day and night, wherever he was, he would be always absorbed in Hari‑katha (speaking about Krsna).

He was never interested in such activities as bathing in the ocean at Puri or in holy rivers, which he considered to be a diversion from his life's engagement of absorption in bhajan, hearing, chanting, preaching, and writing.

He did not like an outward show of opulence, even though he sometimes used it as a means to attract materialistic people. His instruction was his opulence. He never liked miracle performing either.

The ancient Sri Vaisnava temple, in Alalanath, was being rebuilt and repaired by the Gaudiya Math, under the direction of Sarasvati Thakura, even though it didn't belong to them, because it was considered very important (the Gaudiya Math now have their own temple in Alalanath).

The construction workers were habituated to smoking bidis (a cheap kind of cigarette), so Sarasvati Thakura personally rolled these for them, in order that the work went on smoothly. He did this just to show how much he wanted the temple reconstructed quickly.

He once stayed at Gopalaji Math in Cuttack for six days, during which time he explained the Siksastakam. The custom at this place was to take prasada squatting on the floor, rather than sitting, with the left hand kept behind the back. Sarasvati Thakura also followed this system whilst there.

Whenever he was present, Sarasvati Thakura had a rule that if someone had come to give a donation to the Math, they were to bring it to him first, so as he could see who was the donor and what they were giving. Only then would it be put in storage. These included donations like milk, sweets, rice, coconuts, etc.

There was a rule in the Gaudiya Math that, at least once a month, everyone had to shave his head and face completely. There were some, however, who, even in the presence of Sarasvati Thakura, didn't follow this rule. They included prominent men, like Bon Maharaja and Paramananda Vidyaratna, and many well‑known brahmacaris. Sarasvati Thakura never corrected them for this, nor did he intimate displeasure, and was still cordial with them. If other devotees complained about their lack of strictness, Sarasvati Thakura would sarcastically remark: "They are `babu brahmacaris' (Babu means `a well‑to‑do householder', or someone who likes to dress and eat nicely ‑ a bit of a sense enjoyer)." One time in Mayapur, in 1934, at the Bhakti Vijaya Bhavan (a two‑storey house where SP used to stay in Mayapur. It was in the compound of the Sri Caitanya Math temple that was built by SP. Anyway, during the time of the Navadvipa dhama parikrama, reinstituted by SP, so many pilgrims came due to the widespread preaching of SP, making Mayapur very famous. Many came from all over Bengal. One time he was bathing early in the morning and the water was coming down in the pipe, and the pipe was open at the bottom and the water was just falling on the ground. So some pilgrims were very intelligent and were takling that water for drinking and putting ontheir heads. So, from that day on, when SP saw this, he was unhappy and only bathed in the tub from then on, and he poured the water on the head only, not the feet, and ordered his disciples, "You throw this water away at a distance." He was determined that no one took his bath water.

When he arrived in Jamshedpur, an industrial city in the present day Bihar, there were huge crowds waiting for him at a public meeting. Sarasvati Thakura went onto the stage and from there bowed down. Whether he bowed down to the people there or to great demigods and rsis who may also have been there, who others couldn't see, wasn't known, but he bowed down. What happened then was that, everyone was so amazed that such a great and famous guru could be so humble, that they all returned obeisances and bowed down - thousands of people.

Both Sarasvati Thakura and Bhaktivinoda Thakura made a point of being at the train station half an hour to an hour before the arrival of the train.

In Cuttack, there was (???) kutir, where Sarasvati Thakura stayed, speaking Hari-katha. The munshi (local judicial officer) disturbed the talk... After, Sarasvati Thakura chastized him, quoting Tapana Misra, who begged Lord Caitanya, "I don't know what is sadya sadhana tattva. Please enlighten me." "This is the proper way to enquire. `sadya sadhana tapana' means understanding the goal of life and how to attain it," said Sarasvati Thakura.

In Cuttack, the pujari forgot to put the mosquito net for Krsna one night. Sarasvati Thakura said it was wrong and the next morning explained in the lecture the importance of Sri Vigraha, the Deity form of the Lord.

Kesava Maharaja was a brahmacari when he convinced the Governor of Ekadasi. (Ask Jotisekhara).

3. His Devotees

Sarasvati Thakur had four to five thousand disciples, mostly in Bengal, with many also in Orissa, and a few in other places of India. He had some foreign disciples also who were mostly German.

He encouraged young men, around twenty to thirty-years-old, to join, and used to think those around fourty were hopeless, as they'd wasted the best part of their lives in grhastha life.

Out of around ten thousand initiated disciples (said that ten thousand foreign disciples will come soon. [How many did he have, five or ten thousand?]) he gave thirteen babaji initiation. Jyotisekhara recalls some of their names: Bhaktisvarupa Puri Goswami; Tirtha Goswami; Bhaktisaranga Maharaja, etc. They were so absorbed in bhajan that even when it was time for eating they were unaware. One time Sagora Maharaja went with the devotees for nagar‑sankirtan, but on coming outside the gate they just remained there and did sankirtan outside the Math for 2 hours. When they finished they told him, "Maharaja, we all walked around the town for two hours, chanting," to which he agreed saying, "Yes yes. We all went around the town." He didn't realize they'd only stood at the gate and performed sankirtan.

Sarasvati Thakur gave trija (third birth), or manjari‑svarupa (siddha‑svarupa), to thirteen of his disciples; not all at once, but at different times, according to the rules given in Sat‑Kriya‑Sara‑Dipika - a book by Gopal Bhatta Goswami, which describes the different rituals for Vaishnava rites. Their samadhis were also made according to Sat‑Kriya‑Sara‑Dipika. Some of the samadhis are at Mayapur, and some at the Radha Damodar temple in Vrndavan.

Some were grhasthas and some were tyagis. Since that time, in our line (Sarasvati Thakura's line), no one has given this trija.

One interesting point is that Sarasvati Thakur gave babaji initiation even though he externally kept himself in the position of a sannyasi in the varnasrama system. Traditionally a sannyasi cannot give babaji initiation, as a babaji is considered above a sannyasi, above varna and asrama. Becoming a babaji means initiation into the life of a paramahamsa. However, Sarasvati Thakur could do this, because although externally he played the role of a sannyasi, he was an actual paramahamsa, enabling him to give paramahamsa babaji initiation also. Those who became babajis gave up their brahmana thread and didn't strictly follow all the rules and regulations of the sastras, governing behaviour according to varna and asrama.

He warned his babaji disciples not to tell their manjari svarup to others. They would stay in the Mathas, in the three dhamas of Vrndavan, Navadvip, and Puri, and attend all the temple functions, such as lectures and kirtans, but they themselves would not give lectures in the temple. They would go for bhiksa (begging for alms) and go outside for nagar sankirtan. They wouldn't go for preaching and most of their time would be spent in bhajan. Sometimes they would help with the Deity worship, or arcana. One babaji, named Radha Govinda Brijabasi, the father of Ananta Vasudeva, it would seem he lived in the Math in Vrndavan, Puri(?)

The first Vyasa puja ceremony of Sarasvati Thakur was held in 1929, and then every year afterwards in different locations. Each individual devotee would daily perform guru‑puja to a picture of Sarasvati Thakur in their own rooms, using incense, a ghee‑wick, etc. However, only those who were second initiates were allowed do this and for them it was obligatory.

The titles upadesaka (instructor), mahopadesaka (great instructor), and maha‑mahopadesaka (very great instructor), were given to different devotees during the Gaura Purnima festival according to the degree of their ability to instruct others. Maha‑mahopadesaka was awarded to a select few only, like Narayana Das, Bhaktisudhakara and Aprakrta Bhakti Saranga Goswami. Bhakti Kumuda was given as a title according to the name of the siksha guru. For example, Jotisekhara Prabhu came to Krsna consciousness through the group of Bhaktisudhakara Prabhu. So those in that group who were qualified enough received the title Bhaktikamud. Similarly, there were other siksha gurus, but, of course, the diksha guru was one, and the siksha gurus placed in these posts by Sarasvati Thakur were also his disciples. There were only a few such siksha gurus, such as Sundarananda Vidyavinoda, Navin Krsna Vidyalankara, Kunjabihari Vidyabhusana, Nandalal Vidyasagara, etc., and each had their own group. Whenever the devotees would approach Sarasvati Thakur he would sometimes comment, "Oh, Sundarananda Vidya Vinoda Loka," or, "Bhakti Sudhakarer Loka." "These are the people of Sundarananda. These are the people of Bhakti Sudhakara." Without getting a recommendation from such a siksha guru Sarasvati Thakur would not accept anyone for initiation and would ask an aspiring devotee which group he belonged to.

Generally, the brahmacaris living in the Math would come under the group of a sannyasi, and householders living outside near the villages would be in the group of a householder devotee. The groups were set out geographically: Dhaka came under the juristiction of Sundarananda Vidyavinoda, Mednapur under Navina Krsna, Orissa under Bhakti Sudhakara (Quwestion Bh John: Isn't this spelt like Bhaktisiddhanta or Bhaktivedanta. Why separate Bhakti from Sudhakara?), etc.

The upadesakas were under the mahopadesakas, and the mahopadesakas were under the maha‑mahopadesakas, with Sarasvati Thakur over all of them.

Householders may have been preached to and brought up to the stage of harernama (harernama initiation means first initiation [what we call it in ISKCON]; diksa is what we refer to as second initiation) by a sannyasi, but they would be put in a group of a householder devotee, who would then oversee their spiritual life as their siksa guru. This was following Bhaktivinoda Thakura's directions in Harinama Cintamani, which states that those who are householder devotees should be trained by senior householder devotees and those who are renounced should be trained by those who were also renounced devotees.

Amongst his disciples Siddhanti Maharaja, known as Siddhasvarupa brahmacari at the time, and Sridhara Maharaja were particularly scholastic knowing many many verses, especially Siddhanti Maharaja. Sarasvati Thakur told Sridhar Maharaja that he appreciated his devotion and bhajan (bhajan used here in the sense of sadhana. Throughout the book, bhajan refers to this. [Maybe there should be a list of terms at the front of the book; e.g. bhajan, harernama, diksa,etc.]). However, as far as preaching was concerned, they weren't so active. Sometimes Sarasvati Thakura would comment on this saying, "What is the use of your knowing so much Veda, so much sastra? Who will understand in Kali‑yuga? Better to go out and preach."

Sarasvati Thakur told Bhakti Vaibhava Sagara Maharaja, "You are an ajanma bhakta ‑ a devotee from your very birth."

There was a devotee called Bhagavad Janananda Prabhu, who used to pick flowers every day from the garden for Deity worship: He died at an early age. Sarasvati Thakur revealed that this devotee was a sakha (friend) of Krsna who had come to this world to worship Him.

To another disciple Sarasvati Thakur said, "You are ajatasatru." (Who? Also give meaning).

The first sannyasa initiate of Sarasvati Thakur was Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Maharaja, who was given first initiation, or harernama, by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, so his status was like that of a godbrother of Sarasvati Thakur, but he voluntarily took the position of a disciple. Sarasvati Thakur used to say was very simple and innocent, just like a child.

Sakhi Carana Bhakti Vijaya Prabhu was instructed by Sarasvati Thakur to construct the Yoga-pitha temple in Mayapur. Bhaktivinoda Thakur had already made a small temple there with Jagannatha Misra, Saci Devi and Nimai, in another hall, but it was Sarasvati Thakura's disciple, Shaki Carana, who gave money for building the big temple. Before joining the mission he was a salt merchant with a vast amount of wealth, which he utilized later for the temple construction in Mayapur, at the Bagbazaar Gaudiya Math.

Miss Bowtell (a harernama disciple, made as a result of Bon Maharaja's [?] preaching in London) wrote to Sarasvati Thakur from London asking for diksha, to which he replied: "Why only you? I want many many to come to Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."

A prominent disciple at the time was Paramananda Vidyaratna Prabhu, who was brought, by his father, to the Math in Puri as a pilgrim, while still a child of around twelve. Unfortunately, his father died at Saksi‑Gopal (a village just outside Puri, where the famous Saksi-Gopal temple is) and no one knew of the young boy's family or of anyone else to care for him, so Sarasvati Thakur had him brought up in the Math and gave special attention to him. He became very dear to Sarasvati Thakur, but after many years in the Math, aged just over thirty, he wanted to marry. This came as a surprise to Sarasvati Thakur who said, "I have brought you up just as a hen brings up its chicken. So many years you have been with us and now you want to marry. This is very bad. I brought you up to become a preacher, but now you are spoiling your life by getting married." He was very distressed by all this and wrote him a letter saying, "I had hoped you were going to be a good man but now you're getting married. I brought you up for preaching."

Sarasvati Thakur liked brahmacaris and said preaching was essential. "Brahmacaris can preach but grhasthas are tied up," he would say.

At the Cuttack Math there was one Bodhayan Maharaja. Sometimes his methods of collecting were not very pleasing to Sarasvati Thakura. Sometimes he would tell people that the Math had thousands and thousands of brahmacaris, that they also ran a lepor colony which had one thousand lepors, that they ran a students hostel, and also fed the poor. This was, of course, all untrue, and Sarasvati Thakur did not approve.

On one occasion, he was coming from the bazaar having collected so many things from Marwaris (a prominent business community, spread throughout India). For example: he said to someone, "We have three hundred brahmacaris, so give three hundred vests," which he got. When he arrived at the Math, on arriving at the gate, he started calling out in a loud voice, to attract everyone's attention; "Jai! Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Ki Jai! being very elated, and also thinking that Sarasvati Thakur would be pleased. However, Sarasvati Thakur was so upset that he fasted that whole day.

On another occasion he arranged for many grhasthas from the Mednapur district to take harernama initiation. However, Sarasvati Thakur said they were disciples of Bodhayan Maharaja and not his. "He is trying to have many people take harernama from me, but actually they are disciples of his. I don't need so many so‑called disciples. Bodhayan Maharaja is bringing forward so many insincere people for show only," he said.

Bodhayan Maharaja once went to the income tax officer and said, "Please help us to collect from the Marwaris," knowing that the Marwaris are a very prominent business community in India. The idea was that if the income tax officer went with him, they could be intimidated into giving good donations, but the income tax officer refused saying, "This is not proper." Bodhayan Maharaja then said, "Well at least let me take your car now that I've come, so as I can get back to the Math." The income tax officer granted this, but Bodhayan Maharaja went back to the Math via the bazaar, and without the income tax officers knowing, went to the Bazaar and collected from the marwaris, telling them to please give donations. Seeing the income tax officer's car, they felt there was some kind of threat and so gave profusely, including money, dhotis, and so many other things. Then he returned to the Math and Sarasvati Thakura heard how he had made this collection. He became angry like fire and arranged to have everything returned. He used to say, "karilam sannyasi hoy gelo bilasi ‑I made them sannyasis but they've all become sense enjoyers." Of course, not all the sannyasis were like this; some were and some weren't.

Puri Maharaja was there at the same time. He was a very simple sannyasi, and he had at that time collected vegetables and rice from door to door. SP went to Puri Maharaja and took his bhiksa in his utariya. Bhiksa means to go begging for collection and also means "that which is collected." utariya is the top piece worn by a sannyasi, also used to collect that which is given (biksa). Traditionally, people may give as bhiksa money, rice, dahl, vegetables, etc. SP said, "This Puri Maharaja's bhiksa is sattvic. Gaurasundara is pleased with his bhiksa." SP was very particular about biksa, and discouraged the cheating style. He used to say that Laksmi is always with Narayana and one should go on madhukari biksa, without any motive,, and whatever one gets should be simply accepted. Madhukari means to go from door to door taking a little collection from every place, just as a bee goes from flowere to flower, taking a little nectar from each.

Bhakti Garvasti Nemi Maharaja (check?) once went to a rich man in Bombay to petition him for a donation. That man offered fruit and sweets, while Nemi Maharaja proceeded explaining how there was no water in Mayapur, which was causing the sadhus there many difficulties. "Please give me a donation for tube wells," he requested. "You take this little prasada first and then we'll discuss," replied the rich man, but Nemi Maharaja startled him by declaring, "Unless you promise money for three tube wells, I will not eat anything." The wife of that rich man then reasoned: "If this sadhu leaves our house without taking any food it will be very inauspicious for us." "Please, give him the money for the three tube wells," she told her husband. Sarasvati Thakur became very sorry upon hearing of this incident: He never liked this process of collecting money by force, saying it was not the process of bhiksa.

A sannyasa disciple of Sarasvati Thakura by the name of Nemi Maharaja (is this the same as Bhakti Garvasti Nemi Maharaja, metioned above) once came from Bombay, where he was stationed, to visit Sarasvati Thakur in Puri. He offered his pranamas but was told that he hadn't done it properly. "First, as a sannyasi you should touch your danda three times to the floor whenever you see your guru, signifying body, mind and words (tridanda); three items surrendered. You should do that," he said. "The ground where the danda touches is symbolic of the heart."

There was a brahmacari called Sajjan Maharaja who was the cook and personal assistant of Sarasvati Thakur. His name was Maharaja because a cook is referred to as "Maharaja" in northern India. Sarasvati Thakur never cooked himself and always had Sajjan Maharaja travelling with him for this. It was rarely allowed that anyone would cook apart from him. Even ladies would cook sometimes, that wasn't forbidden, but, generally, Sajjan Maharaja would cook, and was instructed exactly how to do so by Sarasvati Thakura.

Many times Sarasvati Thakura would be speaking Hari‑katha and the time for his meal would come, so Sajjan Maharaja would try and interupt him, telling him that it was time for his meal, because he knew he could go on and on, regardless of time. When speaking about Krsna he became absorbed. Many times Sajjan Maharaj would disturb Sarasvati Thakura while he was speaking, either informally to guests, or formally in a meeting. Sarasvati Thakura never liked being disturbed and told him to stop doing this. He liked to go on and on and on. Sarasvati Thakura told him, "Whenever I'm talking you should wait." But again and again Sajjan Maharaja would come. Again and again (not all on one occasion, but on many occasions) he'd disturb Sarasvati Thakura when he was speaking to some gentleman or group of gentlemen. Sajjan Maharaja looked after him just like a mother - cooking, washing and ironing his clothes, etc.

Sarasvati Thakura especially liked to preach amongst the educated people. However, although he had a small number of outstandingly intelligent disciples, most of those who came to him for initiation were not highly educated. In the Caitanya‑caritamrta, Antya‑lila:4.68, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says (quote fully), "dinere adhika daya kare bhagavan... ‑ The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is always favourable to the humble and meek, but aristocrats, learned scholars, and the wealthy are always proud of their positions." However, Sarasvati Thakur showed special mercy to the rich and intelligent classes: His idea being to convert the rich men first so that people would see Vaishnavism as not just a beggar's religion, as was previously thought. Sarasvati Thakur would often meet the vice chancellors and principals of universities and colleges and have meetings arranged in their homes. He liked very much to preach to students and held many college programmes.

Dandapani Dolai took diksha in 1932 at Catak Parvat, on the occasion of Sarasvati Thakura's sixtieth birthday (1932 was Sarasvati Thakura's 58th birhtday, not sixtieth, so is 1932 the wrong year, or is sixtieth birthday wrong?). He was a grhastha bhakta and was told to complete one lahk, 100,000 names of japa (64 rounds) daily, but with all his family duties he found it too difficult. He took harernama in 1930, in Navadvipa, and was told to chant harernama and observe Ekadasi, along with other festivals. He was also told by Sarasvati Thakur to read Chaitanya‑Bhagavata, Srimad‑Bhagavatam, and all the other important books, and to try and learn Sanskrit.

Sarasvati Thakur had several followers from the Muslim community, especially in the Mayapur and Navadvip areas. Even though not actually initiated, they still, unofficially, considered themselves disciples. Sarasvati Thakur also had seven, harernama‑initiated, western disciples.

There was one Muslim devotee of the Gaudiya mission named Kalachand, from a nearby Muslim village called Miapur (Mayapur village at that time was known as Miapur. Then, as now, the population was almost all Muslim. Mayapur village is situated just off the main road in Mayapur, on which all the temples stand). In his garden was a very nice mango tree, and on one occasion the ripe mango's were stolen by some boys from the village. Sarasvati Thakur became very upset upon hearing this because they were to be offered to the Lord.

In Miapur, Sarasvati Thakur gave harernama initiation to a Muslim villager (is this the same Kalachand metioned above?), and the people of Navadvipa remarked, "Oh, he will not become purified." Sarasvati Thakur then narrated a parable: "A Muslim villager was once appointed as a judge, but, out of malice, some Hindus said, `Well, maybe he's not getting any payment.'"

This Muslim devotee would lead the Navadvip parikrama group, holding a flag. He was a grhastha, whose whole family became Vaishnavas, remaining at the same Muslim village in Mayapur. The local people never troubled them for changing from Islam to Krsna consciousness, and to this day, the descendant in their family leads the parikrama (why is the last "a" left out in Mayapur and Navadvip but not in parikrama?).

While at Lila Kuti, in Puri, Sarasvati Thakur, accompanied by Ananta Vasudeva (a proficient singer), was asked by a householder devotee, who had come from Calcutta: "Guru Maharaja, please ask Ananta Vasudeva to sing Yasomatinandana Brajabara nagara. He sings it so nicely." Sarasvati Thakur replied, "No. This is wrong. Any song should be offered for Krsna's pleasure. Not that you will hear it and enjoy." This man was a disciple of Sarasvati Thakur and so he was admonished further: "Yasomatinandana braja bara nagara...You want a nagara (an enjoyer). You want this kind of song. You don't want, dusta mana tumi kiser vaisnava...(?) You don't want, gopinatha mana nivedana suna.... This kind of song you're not asking for!" (These two songs quoted by SP here are giving instructions to the neophyte devotee on proper attitude and controlling the mind in devotional service).

Seva Vilas Brahmacari was once holding an umbrella over Sarasvati Thakura, in Mayapur, to protect him from the sun, but seeing as he was so short in comparison to Sarasvati Thakur, he kept hitting his head with it. Sarasvati Thakur then humourously remarked: "He is killing me with his umbrella," so someone else took over.

(Put initials of devotees with same names, e.g: B.V. Puri Maharaja, and B.P. Puri Maharaja.

Bhakti Srirupa Puri Maharaja, whose father was a disciple of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and a sannyasa disciple of Sarasvati Thakura, left this world two years before him (Sarasvati Thakura). He was very gentle and mild in his behaviour and anyone who saw him would automatically be attracted to him. This is not the Puri Maharaja who was Sarasvati Thakura's first sannyasa disciple. His samadhi is in Mayapura at Srivasa Angana, along with his father's, Bhakti Vilas Prabhu, and Sarasvati Thakur personally performed the samadhi ceremony. Anyone who came to him, whether sinful or whatever, would be attracted by him. He was very open with everyone, treating all with kindness, whatever their behaviour may have been. There were many genuine saintly sadhus like this in the Gaudiya Math.

Bhakti Swarup Puri Maharaja (is this the same as Bhakti Srirupa Puri Maharaja, and if so, did he disappear about one year before Sarasvati Thakura or two years, as stated above?) disappeared about one year before Sarasvati Thakura. He was a highly realized soul, not caring for food, shelter, or material things. He was always engaged in kirtan, only sleeping a few hours at night. Sarasvati Thakura said he was a jivan mukta ‑ a liberated soul in this very life. Bhakti Vaibhava(?) Sagara Maharaja was another who Jotisekhara saw as always engaged in bhajan, and was very sincere to Sarasvati Thakura. This is in comparison to others who appeared to be scheming and enhancing their prestige.

Sarasvati Thakur sent his first sannyasa disciple, Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Maharaja, who was also the harernama disciple of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, to Dhaka (now the capital of Bangladesh) in order to preach. At that time Subhoda Babu was one of the many people who came every day to listen to the devotees lecture and was very impressed. However, the sahajiyas of the area stood firmly against Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Maharaja and the Gaudiya Math preachers, not approving of their teachings, and seeing them as a threat on their hold over the people. They told all their followers, which was practically the whole town, not to give them anything, which meant they had to struggle very hard as they were not even getting donations to eat. Then, one morning, the man they were staying with, abrubtly told them they had to vacate the premises by that same afternoon and that he couldn't help them anymore. Fortunately, however, Subhoda Babu invited them to reside at his house. These events occurred in 1928. Subhoda Babu went on to take initiation, and was given the name Sundarananda Vidyavinoda.

Puri Maharaja, an initiated disciple of Sarasvati Thakur, from Berhampur, Orissa, now has his Math in Berhampur, Rajamandri, Visakhapatnam, etc. He recalls that when Sarasvati Thakur was present in this world, even though he took harernama initiation from him, he wasn't so much interested and didn't want to join the Math. He was more interested in Gandhiji's independance movement. From time to time he would visit the Gaudiya Math at Mayapur, Puri, Cuttack, and other places, but wasn't interested in joining at that time, having other ideas instead.

As a young boy he remembers how, every six months or so, he would be taken by one Sharmaji (same Madhusudana who donated press?) to visit Sarasvati Thakur in Mayapur, Cuttack and other places. Seeing as he was only a young boy at the time and there were so many other people present, he never personally spoke anything with Sarasvati Thakur. It was only in 1931 or 1932 that another devotee bearing the same name, Puri Maharaja, who was visiting Berhampur, pushed him into taking harernama. He told him that he should get initiated because he was from a Vaishnava family, and even though he wasn't so much inclined he coerced him saying, "Next time I come I'll bring Sarasvati Thakura's japa‑mala for you." The system they had if Sarasvati Thakur could not be physically present was that he would chant on the japa‑mala, which would then be sent to the aspiring devotee, and in this way they would take harernama from him. When Puri Maharaja was given his japa‑mala in this way his name wasn't changed. His name was Narasimha at the time so he became Narasimha Brahmacari. It was quite a common system that the persons name wouldn't change on harernama. Another example Puri Maharaja gives is of Nityananda Brahmacari, who was called Nityananda at home and simply became known as Nityananda Brahmacari.

Paramananda Vidyaratna (is that the right name?) once called Jotisekhara to see the rasa‑lila‑yatra (*Footnote: Professional drama performance of rasa-lila. Their "yatra" performances of stories taken from sastra were, and still are, popular among the common people in Bengal and Orissa. However, neither are the characters of the actors anything like that of the great sadhus they portray, nor are their dramatical performances accurately performed, according to parampara. They are cheap presentations, meant simplt to amuse and entertain. Sarasvati Thakur used to speak of "yatra-dolera Narada - a "stage Narada" or "farcical Narada" (CC.Adi-lila 10.13 purport) in Cuttack, but Jotisekhara told him, "Guru maharaja doesn't like this." Paramananda didn't listen to such advice, and although reluctant, Jotisekhara went anyway, considering the seniority of Paramananda, who was one of the original three trustees of the Gaudiya Math. The next morning the whole episode came to the attention of Sarasvati Thakura who sarcastically remarked: "Paramananda Prabhu has a licence to do whatever he likes." Later on Paramananda became a householder and left the society, being, it seems, never really serious about spiritual life.

The harernama‑initiated Bhaktibardhaka Sagar Maharaja joined the Math in 1922 as a young man of around twenty‑four, interested in spiritual life. He joined at the time before the mission was called the Gaudiya Math(???). The Math was a house at the time, on Ultadanga Road, and called Bhaktivinoda‑asana(?). Later on the name was changed to the Gaudiya Math. When he first joined, Sarasvati Thakur gave one householder devotee, Avidya Haran, the assignment of teaching him the philosophy. At that time there were very few brahmacaris or members even. Avidya Haran is the one who constructed the Nata Mandir in Mayapur, or the Chaitanya Math.

During the time of Sarasvati Thakur, Sagara Maharaja held several important positions, and was in charge of the Puri Math for seven years, which was an important Math, considering that every year Sarasvati Thakur would spend the summer there. At one time he was in charge of three Mathas: Delhi, Vrndavan and Kuruksetra. His speciality was collecting donations for the mission, especially money.

In Vrndavan there was one Krsna Das Babaji who was a disciple of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, not to be confused with the Akincana Krsna Das Babaji, who was a disciple of Sarasvati Thakur. Akincana Krsna Das Babaji's brahmacari name was Krsna Kinkore (Kanti : in one place you said his name was Kinkore and then in another you said Kanti ‑ which is it to be?).

There is another Babaji of Sarasvati Thakura's called Radha Govinda Das Babaji, who lived in Puri and was the father of B.P.Tirtha Maharaja and Ananta Vasudeva. He once told Sarasvati Thakur: "I am not so popular. When I go house to house for bhiksa they don't allow me in. The fathers of the young boys don't allow me in because their sons are interested in following me when I give them maha‑prasada and preach to them. The fathers of these boys are even scared about letting them out when I'm around, because they are afraid of them becoming sadhus." Radha Govinda Babaji would go on the street and the tendency of the boys was to follow him. Sarasvati Thakur replied with the example: "Some people, when invited to someones house to eat, will take all varieties of nice food. But afterwards, when outside, they will say everything was very nice but the yoghurt was too sour. So in this way they unnecessarily criticize. In the same way, in your devotional service, even though you may be doing everything very nicely, people will unnecessarily critisize. But you shouldn't mind that. It is simply their critisizing tendency."

Siddha Bhagavan Das Babaji of Kalna was very famous, and even today, in Bengali Vaishnava circles, his name is very well known. He was known as Siddha Babaji but took babaji initiation again from Sarasvati Thakur, reforming into a proper Gaudiya Vaishnava babaji, as previously he was initiated into an apasampradayic line.

After taking diksa, or second initiation; not at the time of harernama, or first initiation, all the brahmacaris living in the Math could wear saffron coloured robes, but if they became implicated with women, Sarasvati Thakur said they had to wear white. Many brahmacaris wearing saffron, later on got married, that wasn't forbidden. Jotisekhara asked Sarasvati Thakur why he was dressing everyone in saffron (The reply is not clear from the tape). Unlike the South Indian sampradayas, before taking sannyasa, the devotees were not checked with astrology. i.e. In Sri and Madhva lines, before taking sannyasa, a candidate would have his horoscope read to ascertain if his chart indicated a person fit for lifelong renunciation. (Sounds like a good idea, so why don't we have it?) Bon Maharaja came from a very high class aristocratic background, and spoke excellent English, and therefore preached to the arisocratic classes.

One advocate, Gopal Prahararaj, made a six volume elaborate and extensive dictionary of the Oriya language, famous even to this day. He invited Sarasvati Thakur to his house in order that he would bless him, his family, his home, and his work on the dictionary. He wasn't prepared to take initiation, but in his dictionary he wrote a six‑page sketch on the life of Sarasvati Thakur, with the history of Mayapur also included. Along with this advocate, many of the great scholarly people of that time very much appreciated Sarasvati Thakur. The advocate's house was in Cuttack. A photograph of Sarasvat Thakur with that advocate was published in the dictionary, which also appeared in the Gaudiya magazine.

In Mayapur, one brahma‑raksasa ghost came to Sarasvati Thakur and bowed down before him. He asked them who he was and he informed him how he was his disciple before Sarasvati Thakura came to this world, but due to the offence of kicking a pure devotee, his own Godsister, in his previous life he was forced to take on the body of a ghost. He then requested Sarasvati Thakura to excuse him and release him from his condition, which he did. Sarasvati Thakur then personally related this incident to the devotees. (??? Refer to Jotisekhara).

A man came to Sarasvati Thakura once and confided in him that he had been his devotee in a previous life - a disciple - but had committed the offence of kicking a woman devotee and as a result became a brahma-raksasa. Now he was freed from being a brahma-raksasa and he had a human body, but he couldn't find the devotee he'd kicked to beg forgiveness, so he asked Sarasvati Thakura to excuse him, which he did. Sarasvati Thakura then gave him initiation with the name Brahmanyadeva and he went on to become a very good devotee and learned scolar. (Which story is correct, this one or the one above?)

One Mayavadi sannyasi accepted Sarasvati Thakur and took sannyasa from him, becoming Bhaktasvarup Puri Maharaja. He remained in the Gaudiya Math for two months, but left to become a mayavadi again. He went to Vrndavan and was never seen again and it is thought that he died there.

Once, at Tridandi Gaudiya Math in Bhubaneswara, one Ekadandi sannyasi, a sannyasi of Sankaracarya, of the Mayavada school, came to Sarasvati Thakura and they had some discussion. After the discussion he became convinced and took tridandi sannyasa. As he had already taken sannyasa, having already renounced the world, Sarasvati Thakura didn't tell him to become a brahmacari, but immediately he went to the tridandi sannyasa order, and was given the name Bhakti Swarup Maharaja. From Bhubaneswara he went to Vrndavan and was never seen again by anyone, so it was thought that even though he was a young man, he had left his body in Vrndavan. (Which version is correct? The one above or this one?)

In Dhaka there was one Tribhuvana brahmacari, who would get up at around 7.00am, missing the whole morning programme. Some householder devotees complained to Sarasvati Thakura about him, who replied, "Anyway, he may do that but you don't do it. You come early in the morning and attend the programme." Tribhuvan came to know of the complaint and so expected Sarasvati Thakura to say something to him, but he never did. Anyway, expecting some chastizement, he rectified his bad habit. This is an example of how, even by Sarasvati Thakura not saying anything, Tribhuvan knew that he was doing wrong in the presence of Sarasvati Thakura, so he stopped getting up late.